I must admit I found it hard to get into this book at first but as the story progressed it turned into an enjoyable read.

Amy Whey is proud of her ordinary life and the simple pleasures that come with it, but Amy has a secret past and that's exactly were she wants it to stay.

However Amy’s sweet, uncomplicated life begins to unravel when the mysterious Roux arrives in her neighbourhood.

What lengths will Amy go to in order to protect herself and those that she loves from her secret.

‘never have I ever’
battled to not give up in a first chapter so much for a long long time
The book starts at a book club and am not joking the names of the neighbours in attendance was almost enough to halt proceedings....Panda Grier, Amy Whey, Char, Tate Bonasco, Sheridan, Liddy Sleigh...you get the picture...then Roux turns up, shes new and immediately takes over and makes them do a game of ‘what animal are you’ before a version of never have I ever starts
Very clumsy and disjointed beginning , I disliked them all and the language is very VERY hard to ‘get in the flow with’
I did however carry on and it did at times improve, there are elements of suspense and intrigue and a shocking ( really quite shocking ) twist at the end but the writing style was not for me, repetitive at times and honestly this was a book to get through asap and onto the next
I think the title promises way way too much!
3/10 2( just) Stars

Not good, not bad, just meh.

This is the story of Amy Whey, suburban housewife, dive instructor, step monster to Maddie, mother to Oliver and wife of Davis. She has it all - the perfect family, the nice house, the job that she loves and an enormous secret that she has been keeping for decades. One night a new face appears at her friend Char's book club, a new face that derails the book club meeting into a game of 'never have I ever...', a new face that wants to reveal everyone's secret safe in the knowledge that Amy has the secret to end all secrets, a new face with a few secrets of her own.

Cue a blackmail plot with only the sketchiest of timelines (we are supposed to believe that the blackmailer discovered Amy's secret one night a month ago and in that time frame hunted her and her lawyer down, slept with the lawyer to get access to his paperwork, discovered the trust fund and rocked up at the, conveniently, available to rent house in the same street as Amy). Flash backs help us to discover what Amy is hiding and why she is hiding it - again slightly ludicrous as she repeatedly states that she hates lies and lying and yet that is what she does time and again in the book. Some elements are a little too neatly put together for my liking and make me lose that sense of possibility - eg, Amy has such hatred and fear of her secret past that she spends years moving around the country to try and get over what she did yet she ends up living about 20 minutes away from the scene.

I have to admit, I did not see the end coming really until a good 90% of the way through the book. It's obvious that something isn't right, but again I felt that it was a plot device that was kind of shoe horned in at the end to make us hate the blackmailer after a little sympathy had been built for them. The relationship between Amy and her step daughter Maddie is beautifully described and is very believable.

I didn't care much for the writing style either - lots of description, which is great but there were so many metaphors and similes on similes that it was frustrating. The flash backs lasted far too long and I felt that they took me away from the main story for such great lengths that I was losing track of the story.

Thanks to Netgalley and the pubishers for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

It is quite rare for a domestic thriller like this to have some real shock factors, so props to that!

Amy lives in a quiet neighbourhood with her family, settled into suburban life. Until a new woman, Roux moves into the Air B & B on the street and starts stirring trouble for Amy with a game of adult never have I ever......

I think it's very hard to find a thriller that really gives you that shock factor with the plot twists, and Joshilyn definitely does that several times throughout. Just when you thought you knew what was happening, BAM, you're wrong. I know the review is only three stars, which is still good! Enjoyed the book and would check out more the authors writing in the future.

When a new neighbour arrives at Amy's book club with a hidden agenda, it isn't long before secrets are revealed and a dangerous game of cat and mouse begins.
I have mixed feelings about this book. It started off slow and I found the character of Roux a bit unbelievable. However as Amy's past started to come to light I found myself becoming hooked and I ended up racing through the last half. There were a lot of twists and that helped keep me gripped until the end. Overall I found parts of it a bit far fetched, but it was still an enjoyable read. It also reminded me a bit of the tv show Desperate Housewives, and I loved that show!

Thankyou to netgalley and bloomsbury for my arc in exchange for my honest review

Amy, a scuba diving instructor, is seemingly leading a quiet suburban life with her husband, stepdaughter and baby son. A new neighbour, Roux, turns up to their local bookclub and disrupts the evening by leading the women into a drunken game similar to Never Have I Ever. It turns out that Amy has a dark secret in her past and Roux knows that secret. Roux threatens to reveal that secret unless Amy pays her off. A game of cat and mouse ensues in which both women try to outmanoeuvre the other.

I have never read anything by Joshilyn Jackson so had no idea what to expect, and it started a little slowly for me, but it picked up and I did find myself being drawn further and further in, and in the end I was hooked. Yes some of it was a little far-fetched, but the two protagonists were well-drawn characters, and the twists and turns kept coming before it reached a conclusion I certainly didn't see coming. The way diving and the ocean was woven into the plot was also very well done.

All in all, a very entertaining summer read if you are looking for a psychological thriller that keeps you guessing. Thank you to Netgalley and Bloomsbury Publishing for an advance copy.

I found it really interesting that reviews of this book ranged from those who didn't like it for various reasons and those who really loved it. I did wonder if we were talking about a completely different novel. Thankfully I belong in the latter group and thought it was truly brilliant. Once I started reading I couldn't stop, you are drawn in almost at the first page with Roux arriving at the book club evening where she systematically takes over and manipulates each and every participant. The characters of Amy, Roux, Maddy, Tig and Luc were terrific, I could see them all in my mind's eye, particularly Roux. It's such an amazing story and one that I I had to force myself to stop reading. Very original and intriguing, I loved every page of it and will look out for more by this fabulous author. I'm still not sure why some people just didn't like it, for me it was one of the best books I've ready this year.

We all know the game, a game that sets to expose your deep dark secrets. When I came across with this title I just had to read it... and it certainly lived up to my expectations. I initially read a first chapter sampler for this book before having my wish granted by the publisher for the full book. I devoured this book, once I started reading it I did not want to stop - so be prepared! There has been a lot of talk of this book between book lovers around the world and I have to say that it lives up to the hype.

Amy's seemingly perfect life is threatened when Roux arrives on this quiet street. She invited sherself to the local bookclub and takes over on her first night. Alcohol flowing she initiates a game of Never Have I Ever and the secrets of the ladies start to spill. Amy soon realises that Roux knows all about her own past and wants something from her... and if she does not deliver her world will crumble around her. A cat and mouse game insues as Amy fights to save herself and her family. A story of blackmail, secrets, family and betrayal with an ending you really will not pick. I absolutely enjoyed this fantastic book.

Thanks to Bloomsbury Publishing, Raven Books and NetGalley for my advanced copy of this book to read. All opinions are my own and are in no way biased

I’m a 50/50 split on Never Have I Ever. It’s had some great reviews and the premise sounds fantastic but for me I found the first half of the book lacking pace. The momentum certainly picked up in the second half when it was mainly concentrating on Amy and Roux and I was gripped to the end but I wished it had been like that the whole way through.

Thank you to NetGalley, Bloomsbury Publishing Raven Books and the author for the chance to review.

This is the first book that I have read by Joshilyn Jackson and I really enjoyed it. The characters were fascinating and the Cat and Mouse chase between Amy and Roux kept me hooked all the way through. Amy’s secret was shocking, but l loved that she was not willing to play the role of victim without fighting back. There were some real dilemmas for the reader along the way, as it wasn’t always a straight fight between good and evil but more a case of the lesser of two evils at times.
A gripping read that I’ll definitely recommend - pack this on your holiday flight and your journey will fly past!

A really well planned out, wonderfully written novel. Gripping plot with twists and suspense throughout, all within a suburban setting which is the perfect setting for intrigue and secrecy in my opinion.
Some parts are laugh out loud funny, partly because the characters are so true to middle class suburban stereotypes!

THE GAME WAS ROUX'S IDEA.... this shotgun of a game. The latest tenant in the Airbnb house that was the bane of the cul-de-sac. A game that will ultimately shred the nerves as Amy's dark past is used to threaten her and her family. When it comes down to it Roux is a fearsome adversary who has done her homework on Amy. Amy who has inherited a substantial nest-egg. Roux wants it and will undermine Amy's resolve to get it. What the hell does she know that is so dreadful? Something that will shatter Amy's comfortable life with husband Davis, step-daughter Maddy and baby son Oliver. And interwoven into the plot a background of scuba diving that will come to the fore in this war of nerves. So many times I wanted to say to Amy "let Roux Publish and be damned!"

At every turn the tension is racked up. At every turn I thought there cannot be more and then, WHAM! Twists and turns galore. Nerve jarring, nail-biting tension. For a first novel Never Have I Ever is a peach. A slow starter that gathers roller-coaster pace and left me breathless come the final denouement ....

I really wanted to like this book, The blurb appealed and the cat and mouse theme was right up my alley, but...

Where do I start? From the first few pages I was struggling with it. The nastiness and tensions between what were ultimately unlikeable characters didn't spur me on and I had a job to get through it.

Not enjoyable at all, but well written and presented.

I've never read anything by this author before, but the 'blurb' sounded intriguing.
I was hooked from the moment I picked it up and couldn't wait to see what was coming next.

Amy Whey leads a simple life. She has her perfect family: her devoted professor husband, Davis, her high-spirited fifteen year old step-daughter, Madison, and her new baby boy, Oliver. She also has her supportive best friend, Charlotte, who runs the local book club with Amy’s help. She bakes cookies for the new neighbours, and teaches lessons at the local diving school. Amy loves her uncomplicated life. But, when the mysterious and alluring Angelica Roux arrives at book club, this sweet life begins to unravel.

Roux sweeps in and takes control of the book club with her magnetic charm. She gets the wine flowing, and refills glasses as though she is in her own home. When the entire group has had a little too much to drink, Roux lures them into playing a game of Never Have I Ever, and secrets start spilling out. Most of the group think that it is just a little harmless fun, but Amy isn’t being fooled. Roux has come for her, and seems to know exactly who she really is, and the terrible truth about what she once did, and if Amy doesn’t give her what she wants, she will make her pay for her sins.

If Amy wants to protect her family, and keep the life that she has built for herself, she must play Roux at her own game, and she MUST win. The stakes are high, and Amy is terrified of what she might lose, regardless of whether she beats Roux or not.

Before requesting Never Have I Ever on NetGalley, I had seen it quite a lot on social media, and was really interested. So when I saw it available to request, obviously I had to, and was very excited when my request was approved! From the synopsis, this book was exactly the sort of thing I enjoy reading, but after finishing it, I have to say, I was a little disappointed.

The book gets off to a good start with the introduction of Roux, and jumped straight in to the game. The opening chapters were exciting, and tense, and enjoyable to read. But, it soon starts to take a downhill slope. There were large amounts of the book that were too drawn out, and seemed to drag, and where nothing really seemed to be happening, it was a little repetitive in places too, with little excitement. I found myself reading, but not really giving it my full attention, because it wasn’t gripping hold of me the way I had expected it to. However, I didn’t feel as though I didn’t want to read it, and was happy to continue reading, because honestly, it isn’t a bad book at all.

The characters are definitely a redeeming feature of Never Have I Ever. Despite her past, Amy is a character you can really get behind, and you realise you really are rooting for her all the way. Roux is the type of character that you love to hate, but can also feel a little sorry for. They’re the perfect combination. Also, the way that Joshilyn Jackson describes parenthood is so accurate, that I could actually sympathise with the characters. Not everything about parenthood is beautiful, and lovely, and Jackson showed that, which is one of the things I really loved about Never Have I Ever.

One thing that did bother me throughout the book was the amount of times Amy’s weight was mentioned, and how she used to find herself “ugly and disgusting” for having a little extra weight. There was one chapter in particular which was almost completely about Amy’s self-hate. I really didn’t see why it was necessary. This could also be triggering for anyone who actually feels that way about themselves, and I think readers should be warned before they start reading, just in case.

I really had hoped for a lot more from Never Have I Ever, but overall, it wasn’t a bad read. There were parts that I did really enjoy, and that is reflected in my rating. Thank you to NetGalley and Raven Books for my copy!

I give Never Have I Ever a 3/5 rating.

I really enjoyed this book, it’s twists, turns and manipulation hooked me from the start. Set in a community and based around a group of female neighbours, this intense read will take you through a plethora of emotions, I felt my heart rate physically rise with panic, dread, frustration and thwarted triumph. But has she met her match ? A must read !

Amy Whey hosts a book group at her house on behalf of her friend Char, who founded the group and gets to pick each month’s very safe title. But one month, a rather extroverted visitor shows up - she’s staying at the Airbnb and nobody seems to know who invited her. And when the uninvited guest - Roux - starts to offer Amy’s wine around and proposes a drinking game of Never Have I Ever, Amy and Char realise that they are no longer in control.

Some of the participants readily give up their secrets, but Amy has a secret she is determined to keep. Over the next few days (weeks?) Amy and Roux play a twisty game of cat and mouse.

Never Have I Ever is a long book - and there are parts that do feel like repetition - and it gets off to quite a slow start. The initial book group meeting (shades of the Great Gatsby’s cocktail party but for yummy mummies) introduces many characters and it’s difficult to keep a handle on who is who. For the first 10%, the story is slow and confusing - threatening to become a bed-hopping saga. But when the main narrative line - the Amy/Roux line - starts to emerge, the story settles down. The intensity builds and by the halfway point - when strange things start to happen - it is impossible to put the book down.

Amy is particularly well drawn - complex with multiple hidden dimensions. Most strikingly, despite her battle with Roux, she seems terribly concerned about what Roux might think of her., In fact, much of Amy’s predicament stems from her anxiety over how she will be perceived by her friends, her family and even her enemies. Amy used to be large and lost weight - and maintained the weight loss - through restricting her daily calorie intake to 500 coupled with bulimic tendencies. So Amy’s whole life seems to be about suffering for the sake of maintaining her appearance.

The other characters feel less fully rounded and Roux does verge on improbability,. Perhaps an exception would be made for Tig, a character who appears quite briefly but is both memorable and sophisticated.

Overall, Never Have I Ever is an enjoyable psychological intrigue, probably aimed at women rather than men (although this man enjoyed it too). It’s not going to win literary awards, but it would make a great holiday read.

This book didn’t really grip me at all and the names of the characters were enough to put you off. I found the first chapter very hard to follow and it just wasn’t very interesting from the off

A wonderful book full of surprises and suspense.
A chilling book filled with compelling characters and I couldn’t turn the pages quickly enough.
A great read

Well this is my favourite read so far of 2019!

I was given the first chapter sampler initially by Netgalley, which drew me in straight away with a tale of a book club socially hijacked by a temporary neighbour. She starts a game of Never Have I Ever, and uncovers secrets of the neighbourhood mums attending, whilst utterly ruining the evening for the host. It was intriguing and left me wanting to read more.

Then moe recently I was lucky enough to be given the complete ARC copy also by Netgalley and the publisher. The book develops and twists right away from the initial chapter. Without ruining the story, it has blackmail, teen angst, unrequited love, guilt, and plenty of twists to boot. The main character has you rooting for her, even when at times she doesn’t deserve it, and the book ends in a satisfying but gripping way.

Buy it, read it, it’s just perfect for your end of summer read....
Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for my ARC in exchange for my honest review.