This was a nice change for me. I've been into some heavy stuff and this hit the spot. Nice fluffy, sweet and funny. This Romcom hit all the points I love in a romance. There is some (I wouldn't say heavy) but tougher topics in here, finding ones self, loving ones self. Demisexualality is a somewhat newer term I've only seen once in another book and I'm looking forward to doing some research on that

DRC provided by Sourcebook Casablanca via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Representation: queer demisexual homoromantic white protagonist, queer Jewish secondary character, queer Latine secondary character, gay white secondary character, tertiary characters of colour, queer Black tertiary character, bisexual white tertiary character, lesbian tertiary characters,

Content Warning: anxiety, alcohol, parental pressure, implied homophobia,

Never Been Kissed by Timothy Janovsky is an adult contemporary romance which couples the sweetness and unexpectedness of “To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before” with the introspection and drama one expects from coming-of-age films in the vein of “Alex, Strangelove” or “Beautiful Thing”.

The hopeless romantic Wren dreams of the perfect first kiss. He just graduated from university and is excited about working again at the drive-in he has worked at since his teen years. After a night out with hid best-friends and roommates though, in his inebriated state Wren sends out emails to everyone he almost kissed. What he did not expect is that one of them would reply, and even more unconceivable, that they would be working together for the summer.

Janovsky’s brilliant debut captured my heart. Touching on the topics of forgiveness, demisexuality, adulthood, homophobia and family, and the sexism of Tinseltown, this book made me happy. I smiled. I laughed at the one-liners. I teared up. It is really a shining book.

This sweet romantic story features a lovable ace/demi protagonist with heart and sacrifices nothing but being a romance without the heat. Full of coming of age heart and even a bit of Maureen this few good story is perfect for YA collections.

"Call me old-fashioned, but I fight the urge to share as much as possible because my self-conscious nature can't handle having to steal my supply of serotonin from likes and comments."

There is so much to love about Never Been Kissed, but one of my favourite aspects is the fluidity of romantic and sexual identities. Wren shows that it's okay to identify differently or change your ‘label’ as you grow and learn more about yourself - especially once you start dating and putting prior conceptions to the test in the real world. Though he feels trapped because he came out as gay, Wren no longer believes the term truly encompasses him as a person. I love the open discussion, initiated by Brandon after a disastrous experience, that helps him come to terms with himself and his romantic history. It helps to show how learning more about yourself can improve your relationships with those around you.

Never Been Kissed models how beautiful open and honest communication in relationships can be. This is demonstrated in both friendships and romantic relationships, and the close bonds between a lot of these characters prove how important this kind of communication can be. Wren’s demisexuality helped emphasise how a relationship can feel good but shallow when someone is holding back or hiding something - even if it’s out of fear or insecurity, and not necessarily dishonesty. When all the cards are on the table, it’s easy to see real growth and connection, allowing for a wonderful and fulfilling relationship.

As expected with new adult fiction, Never Been Kissed covers a period in these characters' lives when they are trying to find themselves and the people they will be. I loved that several threads were running throughout the narrative, lending complexity to what could have been a simple but sweet love story. A lot is going on here, but we never lose the central thread that makes this an incredibly easy and enjoyable read.

I really appreciated the aspect of this story that unpacked what it means to be demisexual and all the self-discovery that came with it. I struggled more with the plot, which felt like it meandered, only to pick up too late in the game. The letters sent to previous crushes also felt like the hook, but then it fizzled out within chapters. That said, I'm really glad there are more mlm books in the mainstream Adult Romance space now, including this one. It felt like for so long there was just nothing but there IS a market for them and I'm happy this book exists in the world.

Wonderful second chance romance between two tweens.

I liked:
- Both main characters
- The writing style
- Alice
- I cried at the ending
- It is sooo sweet :D

I didn't like:
- Dericks Dad
- The drama in between was a little too much for me
- A little too slow burn for me

All in all it is a solid 4 star rating from my side. The stuff that I did not like is really just a matter of taste. (Except for Dericks Dad, he's objectively ... not likeable.) Go read this book!

Thank to NetGalley for the ARC!

Never Been Kissed follows new college graduate Wren after he accidentally sends old email drafts to his four almost-first-kisses. In comes Derick, Wren's biggest crush who ghosted him 3 1/2 years ago. But he received an email, and they will be working closely together this summer. What could go wrong?

I absolutely adored this book. It is very similar to the All the Boys I've Loved Before series, minus the fake-dating. Wren is written so well as he is coming into his changing identity. He is gay, but also discovers through the book that his is also demisexual. I found that journey to be very engaging as someone who is asexual and rarely get to see my sexuality represented in literature. Wren is just one of those characters you want to reach into the book and give him a big hug. Derick is also beautifully written. He isn't forgiven easily for his past transgressions, but instead works to prove himself to Wren that he has changed, which I really appreciated.

⭐️⭐️⭐️.5/5

i really enjoyed this book! i love a book that incorporates social media and this one does so really seamlessly. i loved the side plot of saving the drive in, and i loved literally everything about alice and her arc. honestly, i would read a 500 page (fictional)memoir about her. she is one of the most interesting side characters ive ever come across in a book. which brings me to why i knocked 1.5 stars off this review – she was, without a doubt, the most interesting part of it by *far*. i enjoyed the romance between wren and derrick, but i found my interest lagging in their relationship around the 60% mark. right about when it seems like alice’s secrets have been revealed to them, and her story was told. the pacing was just slightly off. i did love the main romance, and both wren and benji’s character arcs, though, so i still highly recommend this book. such a great debut!

taylor swift vibe: if this was a movie (obviously)

recommended for: anyone who has nostalgia around your hometown drive-in movie theater (or anyone who wants a sweet queer romance, or, like me, someone who is both)

if you’ve read it please yell with me about: ALICE, MY BELOVED!!!

thank you to netgalley and sourcebooks for the advance copy in exchange for my honest review

This book was DELIGHTFUL. The characters are all perfect in their own messy ways, and I loved To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before, so you know I’m here for a gay twist with a lovelorn 22 year old drunkenly sending their email drafts to their former crushes. And THE SETTING!!! I am new to drive in theaters since the pandemic (and still have not managed to stop singing “stranded at the drive in” whenever I am at or planning to go to one, but that’s another story) but I love that Wren found such a sense of community and purpose in Wiley’s. I also demand a chance to have tea and watch reruns with Alice Kelly, it is only fair.

Last but mostly certainly not least, the demisexuality rep was amazing and I sobbed during Wren and Brandon’s conversation on the mountain. SO GOOD.

Just read it. It is a wonder of a debut and I’m already gearing up for Timothy’s next book 💚

✨ review: ’never been kissed’ by timothy janovsky ✨

what a great debut from an author i’ll definitely be reading more from!

wren has just graduated college, and has still never been kissed. feeling nostalgic on the night of his birthday, he sends four drafted emails to the boys he loved before he came out (very ’to all the boys’ style). when his #1 pre-coming-out crush derick not only responds to the email, but also turns out to be working with wren at the drive-in movie theatre with him this summer, wren knows he’s in for a ride.

wren knows there’s more to derick than his conventionally good looks and deep family pockets. too bad he doesn’t feel the same way he did when he wrote that email years ago. but soon, the two of them end up spending their summer on a special project to save the drive-in from closing, and are drawn closer together than ever. maybe wren can reach his movie-magic dream kiss for real?

this book was such a treat, and i blew through it, caught up in the whirlwind of wren’s changing feelings for derick, and their quest to save the drive-in. janovsky really captured the feeling of being in a place of change: no longer a student but not quite an adult either, and it worked well to situate the drama of the story here before everyone makes moves to bigger & brighter things.

i think this book reads a lot more young adult than i anticipated, seeing as it is marketed as an adult queer romance (or at least is shelved as such in bookstores). i think it was a little jarring at first when it didn’t quite meet my adult romance expectations, but i quickly pivoted and enjoyed the story!

This book is a young adult romcom that talks about love, self-discovery and acceptance on the way to starting adult life.

I enjoyed this coming-of-age romance about a young man finding his way in life and love.

A major part of the plot revolves around planning a screening of a 1978 zombie movie with queer undertones made by a local woman who was blackballed in Hollywood before the movie was released.

Such a great debut!! If you love movies, you will love this book! The drive in movie theatre setting was so special. I adored the romance blended in with saving the theatre AND helping an old movie director share her important story! Both main characters had my heart by the end!

•M/M romance with great sexuality rep - demisexual is not exactly a term I know well, so I was glad to learn more!
•Great
•Movie geek stuff
•ONE BED
•Fun friends
•Great old lady

It is technically a new adult book, but it felt very YA to me as the characters were a bit immature - not at all a bad thing!

This one is as sweet as a box of movie theatre candy!

3.5⭐️

This was a cute, chaste slow-burn New Adult novel. Not quite the drama of Alice Oseman's "Heartstopper," but NBK's simplicity (as opposed to the usual graphic sex that can make up a NA novel) had that vibe. Only here NBK tackles something I haven't read enough LGBTQ+ fiction to see on paper, and that's demisexuality--sexual attraction after one has known the other person for a while first. It helps support why Wren hasn't even had his first kiss yet.

Parents who are supportive of their children's sexual identity but are leery of some of the more graphic content out there might be willing to let them read this. It shows young twenty-something characters trying to make their way in the world and forge their independence, without the bed-hopping (but there is a hangover here and there.)

And there's a drive-in. Who doesn't love a drive-in! *SIGH* I wish it wasn't so far for me to drive to one.

Never Been Kissed was a 4 star read and I did find what I expected going on. The fact that it was "To All The Boys I've Loved Before" but make it gay had been one of the selling points of this book. It was a really cute, fluffy romance and I fell in love instantly. Wren send an email to all the guys he almost kissed before coming out as gay and one of them happened to be the guy who has to work with him in the Drive-In. One of the best things about this book was the representation with aspec, demisexual and other reps.

The only thing which bothered me with this book was that I wasn't able to connect with the characters as much as I do with other books I give 5 stars.

Overall this was a pretty great read filled with cuteness, fluffiness and just sweetness that will make you smile like an idiot.

This book was so cute! I did feel like it read a little young. They were 22 but seemed like high schoolers. But it is hard these days to be in your 20's so maybe that's it? I loved Wren! He was absolutely delightful. And Derick was too cute for words. I loved the Alice plot a lot. This is such a feel good book!

[Thanks Netgalley and the publisher for the ebook. This review is my honest opinion but just another opinion, you should read this book and judge it by yourself]

//REVIEW IN ENGLISH SOON//

No sé qué he leído pero desde luego una novela romántica no es. Y ya no es solo porque haya un total de cero guarrerismos y de dos besos, sino porque la historia de amor puede que ocupe el cuarto lugar de importancia. Primero pensé que iba a ser algo gracioso (no lo es). Luego creí que iba a ser una historia sobre autodescubrimiento (no lo es). Luego creí que me moría cuando vi que importaba más la historia de una señora con su película no exhibida o la historia de un autocine a punto de cerrar. Todo importa más que la historia personal del protagonista, Wren, con Derick, el chico por el que se siente atraído.
En serio, no sé de qué va. Toca mil cosas sin centrarse en ninguna y llega a resultar insufrible estar viéndolo todo desde el punto de vista de Wren, sobre todo porque sabes que Derick tiene una buena historia detrás que apenas acabamos conociendo.
En un principio parecía entretenido y dinámico, mezclando una narración tradicional con mensajes de teléfono, conversaciones de Twitter o publicaciones de Instagram. Pero luego empieza a dar bandazos y he tenido que hacer verdaderos esfuerzos por no hacer pertiguismo.
Ha sido bastante decepcionante.

Have you longed for the love you’ve witnessed on the silver screen?

Between bites of popcorn and Hollywood happily ever afters, there is an undeniable fascination with the storytelling magic of movies. “Never Been Kissed” is an ode to cinema and, specifically, the legacy of drive-in-theaters. A bastion of mystery, adventure, and (possibly greatest of all) romance, the fictional Wiley’s Drive-In may be old but holds a long and treasured history with plenty more to offer besides nostalgia. In “Never Been Kissed”, it’s the perfect setting for a heartwarming second-chance romance that refuses to play out like a movie but follows a script far more rewarding.

Janovsky’s new adult RomCom reminds readers that love occurs at its own pace and looks different for everyone. At 22, Wren Roland is meeting milestones. He’s graduating from college, been promoted at a job he loves, and still hasn’t been kissed. Sure, others did that last one when they were pimple-faced teenagers, but Wren still has time to do it right. He’s always wanted a love like the movies he’s watched at Wiley’s Drive-In. But working there for the summer with his ex-friend, once love, and almost-kiss Dereck Haverford is a big complication. Even more inconvenient since he drunkenly emails love letters to all of the boys he almost kissed. But it’s fine. He’s FINE! Or maybe not? Whatever is on the horizon for Wren and Dereck this summer, it’s probably going to end in disaster…

The love in this book is contagious and thrilling. The maturity to understand your past mistakes and learn more about who you are now is inspiring. Wren’s dedication to the people and places that matter to him, make him a worthwhile protagonist in a love story that encourages and validates everyone, no matter where they are on their journey in life.

TWs: homophobia (mild)

Sometimes we just need a sweet and fluffy queer romance book, and when that feeling strikes, Never Been Kissed is an excellent choice. The plot was cute and I really enjoyed the characters. I especially liked the concept of saving the drive in theater in the subplot.


Thank you to Netgalley for providing me with a free digital copy in exchange for an honest review.

I think this was an average book, I don't know, in 40% of the book I still don't like the characters, I thought they were very childish, for someone who had already finished college. But but after 50% of the book it started to get really good and really interesting things happened. Like , omg Wren finding out about his sexuality, learning about Demi sexuality, Alice been a a real friend to wren... And Derick the only character that I I got attached since the beginning. He is an angel, and when I found out about his secret , man that hurts. On the whole I would recommend this book to my friends. It's a shame I didn't connect with the characters.

This is such a cute story about first love, second chances, finding your passions, and working hard for what you believe in/ care about.
I loved the romance in this book; it was sweet and the characters grow, make mistakes, and learn together. It was really lovely to see wren and derick’s relationship develop and overcome past hurt in a healthy way.
I loved the small town and close knit friend group that works hard to support each other, accept each other, respect each other’s space when needed, and just love each other so much.
My absolute favourite part of this book was the beautiful, open and honest discussions of asexuality/demisexuality, and aromanticism between friends and partners. The care and respect shown in these conversations was so touching and beautiful to read about. I also liked how, despite these conversations around asexuality and aromanticism happening, there is no pressure to “pick” or decide on a label right away-the self discovery and learning is shown to be a process / journey, not something hurried/ rush which I loved.
I found it took me a few chapters to fully get into the story, mostly because I wasn’t sure what to expect with a story set mostly in a small town drive in. I thought at first that maybe that the plot would feel like a YA novel (not a bad thing, just not what I had in mind), but it once it picked up I couldn’t put it down. Overall I loved this book and would absolutely recommend it!