Ellie Reed just wants to get away from her family. Their constant criticism and attempts to control her life (live in grandma's help and help with renovations, be a nanny to her sister's children, come home etc.) have destroyed her self-esteem. While waiting for her job to end, she is on a vacation in Montana living in a tiny house on a farm that she found on Airbnb. When she arrives, her landlady, Marilyn, is taken away in an ambulance and there is no one else there to care for the animals. The next thing she knows is that she is looking after the animals (staying for free now), and dealing with Marilyn's family. Before long, the handsome neighbour is making overtures and she is best friends with spunky 80 something Marilyn, who wants to stay on her farm despite her daughters' ideas and maybe playing matchmaker as well.

This was a fun story. Watching Ellie trying to take care of the various animals was a hoot, as well as hearing all their names and why Marilyn called them what she had. Marilyn, a feisty 82 year old grandma who loved her farm and wanted to stay no matter what, is my kind of lady. She knew her mind and spoke it. I loved the way she would ignore her grandson's calls and make him communicate through Ellie, matchmaking from the start. Warren was not a very likable character at the beginning, but he grew on Ellie as well as me. Not all the characters were nice. There is the neighbour who will do whatever it takes to buy the farm and Warren's mother and aunt, who think they know what their mother needs without listening to her. This is a story with romance, family, personal growth, treatment of elders, greed and power, all wrapped up in a humorous story that I highly recommend. The narration by Stephanie Richardson was well done. She has a pleasant voice, gave the characters their own voices and added just the right amount of emotion and expression. I enjoyed listening to this story.

Stephanie Eding's debut novel, "Said No One Ever," is a captivating and thought-provoking work that explores the complexities of human relationships and the power of honesty. With her skillful storytelling and relatable characters, Eding presents a refreshing and unique take on contemporary fiction.The novel revolves around the lives of two central characters, Emily and Ryan, who find themselves caught in a web of lies and misconceptions. Emily, a young woman burdened by the weight of societal expectations, habitually suppresses her true thoughts and feelings in fear of judgment. Ryan, on the other hand, is a charismatic and enigmatic man who excels at masking his vulnerabilities behind a facade of confidence. The story takes an intriguing turn when Emily and Ryan cross paths during a chance encounter. The author brilliantly captures the essence of their internal struggles and the emotional barriers that prevent them from expressing their true selves. Through a series of poignant and often humorous events, Eding skillfully explores the power dynamics of their relationship, forcing readers to reflect on the consequences of not speaking up and the transformative nature of honesty. What sets "Said No One Ever" apart from other contemporary novels is Eding's masterful portrayal of her characters. Emily and Ryan are complex individuals who are flawed yet inherently relatable. As the story progresses, readers witness their growth as they confront their fears, break free from societal constraints, and find the courage to speak their minds. Eding's ability to capture the internal monologues and emotions of her characters adds depth and authenticity to the narrative, making it easy for readers to connect and empathize with them. Another commendable aspect of the book is the author's seamless blending of romance and introspection. While the story explores the blossoming relationship between Emily and Ryan, it delves much deeper by examining the internal battles we all face when it comes to authenticity and vulnerability. Eding tackles themes of self-acceptance, the fear of rejection, and the importance of communication with great sensitivity and nuance. Her exploration of these themes encourages readers to reflect on their own lives and the ways in which they navigate their relationships. Moreover, Eding's writing style is engaging and evocative, keeping readers hooked from the very first page. Her prose flows effortlessly, capturing the nuances of human emotions and delivering sharp dialogue that adds depth to the characters' interactions. The pacing of the novel is well-balanced, with moments of tension and introspection interspersed with lighter, more humorous scenes, creating a dynamic reading experience. Some plot developments may feel predictable or formulaic at times. But the strong character development and the author's ability to address universal themes in a relatable manner compensate for any moments of predictability.

💭Thoughts: ⭐️⭐️⭐️✨
This is a cute, easy read. It’s not a YA, but it reads like one. I’m not sure exactly how old Ellie is, but she comes across as very young and immature. Using words like butt munch and captain fartscal.

I loved the setting of the story. A farm in a small town in Montana. Sounds like the perfect setting for a love story to me. I loved the inclusion of all the farm animals, including Hilda the dog and Sheriff the donkey.

Warren’s grandma was sweet and feisty and I enjoyed her relationship with Ellie. I think I enjoyed reading about their relationship more than the relationship between Warren and Ellie.

The ending is sweet and I really enjoyed the epilogue. I recommend this book to readers who enjoy farm life, old lady banter, and cute, clean romance.

A fun romp of a story - with well-written characters, humorous plot, and farm animals thrown in for good measure! It's an adventure - a hilarious one. It's not a coming of age but a coming into personal growth.
Ellie, the main character, was much in need of some personal growth, whether she was aware of it or not!
She was not at all in for the way this adventure started out but in the end she found positive growth. This story is humorous women's fiction with a bit of rom-com and full helping of drama!
The narrator does a great job - reading with lots of emotion! A quick, light and fun, entertaining read!

A Hallmark rom com written down. This novel set in Montana featured lovely inter generational friendships that were the most endearing part. The romance was cute, but fell a little flat for me in pacing. The setting and friendships were a delight.

Really enjoyed this book. The narrator was perfect for this story.
Loved all the characters they had me laughing though out the book nonstop.
Being a girl from a small town in Washington state I’m a sucker for any cute small town romcom with a strong female lead. Ellies character development was heartwarming and relatable. Sad No One Ever was a fantastic book and I would recommend it to all my friends.

Ellie rents an Airbnb on a Montana farm expecting a relaxing escape from her life. Instead, she finds herself in the middle of family drama (a family that is not hers) and the caretaker of a barn full of animals.

Marilyn, the feisty 80 year old Airbnb host was the highlight of this story for me. I loved her feisty energy and her wild ideas and the friendship she and Ellie forged.. However, I really did not connect with the other characters and often found my mind wandering while reading this story. This had a lot of potential to be a great story about personal growth and finding yourself, but unfortunately it missed the mark for me.

Thanks to Sourcebooks Casablanca, Dreamscape Media, and NetGalley for the advance copy.

🎧AUDIOBOOK REVIEW: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
SAID NO ONE EVER by STEPHANIE EDING

Small town romance with some grumpy/sunshine and enemies(?) to lovers thrown in? YES PLEASE!

I was so excited for this book and it met all of my expectations! Cute, funny, hilarious side characters, and goofy animals make a great combination!

I loved how Stephanie brought the characters to life and pulled you into the plot. It felt like I could have been part of the conversations and been helping around the farm right alongside Ellie and Warren. I definitely loved Grandma Marilyn! She is a spitfire to say the least and she’s the grandma we all need ❤️

Ellie is at a crossroads in her life and isn’t entirely sure what she wants anymore. Her family has it all mapped out for her but nannying for her sister’s insane kids was definitely not one of her dreams.

With everything falling in around her, Ellie escapes to Montana for almost a month to relax and reassess her life goals… that is until Marilyn (her Airbnb host) falls and no is there to help with the animals. Ellie dives in, despite not knowing what exactly she is doing, and helps out.

When Marilyn’s family finally shows up a couple of days later, Warren, is less than welcoming.

Everything that follows is a mix of chaos and hilarity as Warren, Ellie, and Marilyn work together to keep the farm and form a bond stronger than any of them realized could happen in such a short time.
- - - - -
This book was sweet, and fun. I loved seeing how the characters worked together and grew into something so endearing!
If you haven’t gotten this one, you definitely need to ASAP!!

As this was an audiobook, I thought the narrator did a great job. There were some places it felt a little drawn out, but overall, it was enjoyable and I would recommend the audio book if you prefer that!

Huge thanks to @netgalley and @dreamscape_media for this wonder audiobook for my honest review and opinion!

Ellie Reed has just broken up with her boyfriend of 6 years, learned her job is being downsized, and is tired of her family’s constant attempts to ‘fix’ her life, so she decides to take a 3-week vacation to a farm in Montana. When the owner of the farm breaks her leg minutes after Ellie arrives, she soon finds herself entangled in a mess of family drama, caring for a unique set of farm animals, and caught between two handsome men who want the farm for themselves.

The zaniness of the characters in this story definitely put the comedy in romcom. The romance is on the lighter side, only really appearing toward the second half of the book. If you are looking for a flighty, escapist story with character growth, I recommend checking this one out! Stephanie Richardson did a nice job with the narration.

Many thanks to NetGalley for providing me an audio ARC of this book.

Ellie just broke up with her boyfriend of 6 years whom she never really loved and is now about to lose her job as well. She decides to go on a vacation in the middle of nowhere to clear her head and make plans for the future.
Ellie rents a little airbnb in Montana but within an hour of arriving the farm owner is moved away in an ambulance and now Ellie is the only one to take care of the animals. This vacation proves to be the game changer she desperately needed.
I didn't find much chemistry between Ellie and Warren and feel the romance was lacking.

You may have noticed that lately I have been reading a lot of darker books. Said No One Ever is really, really cute. It is a wonderful palette cleanser. It made me break into huge smiles as I am sat at my desk. With a huge grin on my face doing, I am over here doing really boring work and confusing passersby. I really needed this book to break me out of some of the monotony I have been in lately with the mysteries and thrillers which have been really good, but really dark book.
I usually start out with talking about the covers because, you know, I do judge a book by its cover. And this one is cute. A nice little cartoon cover with Ellie showing up to the Montana farm. Getting rid of that phone, which she does not really do in the book. It is not something super special, but it definitely vibes with the whole feeling of the book.
So now let us get into the story. There is definitely no spice in the book if you are looking for a romance with spice, and this is Kind of a romance. There is definitely some romance in it and well love on various levels, we find long lost loves, or we try to find long lost loves and then we have, self-love. Learning to accept who you are outside of the expectations of our families. And then you know the traditional romance, kissy kissy love. This story feels like a late coming of age story. Ellie Lost her job and is Trying to find herself. She is stuck as being the less successful, less amazing little sister, and before she is trapped into a job situation, she knows she is going to hate Ellie decides to take a last hurrah. Ellie rents an air BNB for three weeks in Montana in the middle of nowhere. However, when she gets there the owner is whisked away to the hospital. Through the kindness that is Ellie, she develops a strong friendship with her elderly air bnb host and gets sucked into the family drama. Since Marilyn is unable to care for her farm, Ellie winds up taking care of all the animals and the farm life, which is difficult for a city slicker. Poor Ellie keeps finding herself in a lot of sticky situations.
The book description, kind of makes it seem like there is a love triangle there is not a love triangle in this book. So, if that is a trope that you are looking for, you are not going to find it in this story. There is an enemies to lover’s type thing. Um, I would not really call them enemies, but Ellie does have a challenging time with all the men in her life.
I absolutely love Marilyn, our spunky elderly woman who Just wants to live her life. What I really hate, and it happens in real life too, Is When a family member takes over because they know what is best. And just because you get older does not mean that you do not still have your faculties, that you are not mentally capable of taking care of yourself, and that you know Your limits. So poor Marilyn is stuck in that situation and Ellie is kind of stuck in the middle of everything. The best part of the book is Marilyn. She is my spirit animal. I hope when I am older that I can be spunky, and straightforward and all that is Marilyn.
It is a fun, easy, lighthearted read. It would be a really, really pleasant beach read for a light breezy Afternoon. You will know from the start how this book will end, and it will follow the path that you will expect it to. Go…enjoy this story and I hope you smile as much as I did.

Such a fun read , Love Marilyn and Belle , feisty older ladies whom Ellie meets on her vacation. Ellie is in for a a lifechanging ride , this was funny and entertaining , lisened on audio , the narrator made it come to life!

This was a cute romance, especially since you're not entirely sure who the love interest really is until about halfway through the book. Ellie's vacation is almost what people would want on a vacation minus the accident. I only wish the book described the tiny home more.

I received this ARC from Netgalley and I can not say thank you enough. This was SUCH a fun listen! i felt like I was in Montana with Ellie, Warren and Marilyn. The silly antics of Belle and Marilyn at the nursing home made me laugh so many times, they were hands down the best part of the series. Warren and Ellie’s enemies to lovers trope was perfect. I thought this was super easy to follow along with and it pulled you right in. I loved the wild goose chases Marilyn sent Ellie on, I now need more books about silly older ladies just telling people how it is. I don’t love the third person point of view, but that didn’t take any points away from this book because it was that good. If the author reads this PLEASE give us another book about Ellie living on the farm and taking care of the three older people and their silly schemes- and having more of a HEA with Warren. 5/5 amazing!!

This book was enjoyable to listen to and was the perfect spring book. The story is your run of the mill haters to lovers trope set on a farm. An easy listen with no twist or turns but still warms your heart.

Thank you Netgalley for an arc of this audiobook.

THIS BOOK IS SO FREAKING CUTE!!!!!!!!
I honestly want to live in this world. I want a 47 book series about this world. I loved it so much and honestly I will SOB big crocodile tears if @stephanienarrates doesn't narrate them all. She did so fantastic.

Imagine this; your family is on your last nerve. You rent an Airbnb to get away from all of their criticism. and you choose to get away from it all at this amazing little farm. the polar opposite from what you're used to.

That very first night your host is rushed to the hospital... you don't know anyone or anything. now your tasked with taking care of this farm... what do you do?

Thats what Ellie is facing in this book.

I'm so obsessed this book. I loved it so much. Honestly, It was like springtime in book form. so sweet.

Thank you @netgalley & @dreamscape_media for the ARC audiobook..

This book was one of the few audios I’ve listened to. I thought the narrator was perfect for the story - she was engaging and her tones helped to contribute to the story. I thought it was a light, fun read with a bunch of humor and I found it to be enjoyable from start to finish. I loved Ellie and Marilyn’s friendship and the shenanigans Marilyn was always trying to get herself (and others) into. I also liked the underlying romcom story line and the mostly practical growth of the relationship. The farm and animals were another fun added touch, especially the dog, Hilda. The setting on a farm and the way it helped Ellie’s character development was enjoyable and I especially liked it helping her to gain confidence to deal with her own overbearing family. I recommend this book for a light, quick read! Thank you Net Galley for the ARC!

This was such a cute story. Like a hallmark romance. I appreciated that it was light, not smut focused, and gave me warm fuzzies! I truly appreciate a sweet, wholesome romantic read, and that is exactly what you get with this one. Loved it! Thank you Stephanie Eding and NetGalley for the audio ARC!

This was such a cute book! I've been reading a lot of intense stories lately, so the lightheartedness of this book was much appreciated.

This book has so many fun and interesting characters/storylines in it: a sweet older woman/grandmother-like relationship, family drama, enemies to lovers (my favorite trope), a love triangle, and last but not least... farm animals! Who doesn't love a good farm animal storyline??

Ellie is a total hot mess in the best way! She is the type of girl who talks to the animals like they are her friends and somehow manages to get herself into some sort of trouble at every turn. However, she is the most selfless person you will meet. When Marilyn ends up in the hospital Ellie takes on the care of the whole farm, even though she is supposed to be on vacation. Unbeknownst to her this unexpected detour is exactly what she needed in her life.

Marilyn is everything I hope I end up being when I grow up! She is feisty, hilarious, kind, generous, loyal... the list goes on and on. Her relationship with Belle is hilarious, with her grandson Warren is just how you would expect a grandmother to be, and with Ellie is so genuine and everything Ellie needed at that moment in time. Truly so heartwarming.

Warren is the best version of grumpy as all of it is in an effort to protect his grandmother. Ellie and his banter is spot on. The romantic dynamics are sweet and never felt forced.

I also would like to add that I really appreciated the third-act drama that always happens in these books. It was a solid reason for it and not the stereotypical ones that you usually read in romance books. The ending came full circle in the best way, and I really loved it!

This is a funny, entertaining, wholesome, feel-good novel that everyone who enjoys that type of book should definitely read!

This book was just darling! It was clean and quirky and just fun! I would highly recommend it to women and teens alike. This is my first book by Stephanie Eding but I'll definitely look up more!