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Book Synopsis:
Norah hasn’t seen her childhood best friend, Skyler, in years. When he first moved away, they’d talk all the time, but lately their relationship has been reduced to liking each other’s Instagram posts. That’s why Norah can’t wait for the joint RV road trip their families have planned for the summer.
But when Skyler finally arrives, he seems … like he’d rather be anywhere else. Hurt and confused, Norah reacts in kind. Suddenly, her oldest friendship is on the rocks.
A summer spent driving across the country leads both Norah and Skyler down new roads and to new discoveries. Before long, they are, once again, seeing each other in a different light. Can their friendship-turned-rivalry turn into something more?
My Review:
4.5/5 stars. Kasie West knows how to write a sweet, banter-filled story that holds my attention. Places We’ve Never Been is no exception. I loved the road trip setting and the family dynamics. The characters are super fun, and I related to the main character a lot. There are a couple aspects of the author trying to use “modern” slang that annoyed me, but overall, the story is cute!
Early on, a few mysteries going on kept me intrigued and engaged in the story, like why Skyler is so standoffish and what’s going on with their moms. The readers are trying to figure things out along with the characters, and I was invested enough to make my own predictions. These elements are nice threads in the background of the main plot.
I enjoy road trip stories, so that’s another great part about this book. Everyone together seeing different places is fun. I loved the playful banter between both families; they really feel like siblings and best friends who tease each other to show their love.
The romance is sweet. I love childhood best friends to lovers, and Norah and Skyler have great chemistry. As someone who had a crush on my own childhood best friend starting around seventh grade, I could understand Skyler’s feelings. I also related to Norah as a character. We’re both overthinkers but optimistic. We both love hard and are passionate about things.
One small complaint about Places We’ve Never Been is how often the word “pics” is used instead of “pictures.” Almost every single time, both in dialogue and narration, they say “I took a pic” or “I sent her pics.” I guess the author’s trying to sound like a teenager, but no one really says that, or if they do, it’s not that often. Similarly, toward the end, they keep saying “we’re kissing” instead of “we’re dating” or “we’re together.” That felt like it was making labels not a big deal or making it all about the physical aspect of a relationship.
Rated: Mild. One instance of mild language. A reference to flipping someone off. Sexual content includes kissing that isn’t described and somewhat detailed kissing with and without tongue. There is also a gay character, but it’s not a central plot. At one point, an underage character gets drunk.
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