Never Been Kissed is the delightful, queer version of To All The Boys I've Loved Before that you've been dreaming of, and such a lovely debut for author Timothy Janovsky! It's precious and sweet and feels a lot like curling up in the backseat of a vehicle with your favorite person at the drive-in theater, a blanket wrapped around you and a bucket of buttery popcorn between you. As someone who grew up in a town with one of the last remaining drive-in theaters, this story brought back all of those warm summer memories and stole my heart.

After another failed attempt at a first kiss on his 22nd birthday, Wren Roland drunkenly sends out four emails to his four first kisses that never were. One of them, of course, ends up going to his high school crush who ghosted him their first year of college and who he now has to spend the entire summer working side-by-side with at the local drive-in. But it's fine. It's all fine. Because Derick assures him that he didn't feel the same way about that almost-kiss - that he didn't feel that way about Wren at all, and that's why he ghosted him a few years back! Wren can handle this, of course, since he is a grown adult who has moved on with his life... At least until a project to help save the drive-in theater forces them into close proximity over and over again. Maybe those nonexistent feelings aren't so nonexistent after all?

Highlights:
- A New Adult novel that's light on steam, and heavy on the conversations surrounding demisexuality! The emphasis on our ability to adapt and change our labels as we grow and figure out who we are is SO important.
- Alice Kelly. I adored that woman with everything in me.
- The setting! The drive-in brings back so many fond memories for so many of us, and the fight to save Wiley's is a good plot for a romcom.
- Derick's growth into his own person separate from his parents' wishes for him.
- Did I mention the demisexuality?

Negatives:
- Wren's friends. The story was at its best when we didn't have to read about Mateo and Avery, who are boring to downright insufferable depending on the scene.
- The Chekhov's gun of that one missing email. It's haunting me.

Overall, though, this is such a solid debut from Timothy Janovsky and I cannot wait to read his next book later this year!

Wren is a 22 year old college graduate who has never been kissed. The story takes place during the summer after college graduation, just before "real life" has to take over. Over the course of the summer, Wren tries to save the drive-in theater where he works, rekindles a romance with an old high school friend, and discovers the long-lost film that he was obsessed with in film school. The biggest part of Wren's summer is his journey to discover his true self.

There is a lot going on in this book. There is a fairly large cast of supporting characters, some of whom I loved. There are a few plotlines woven together, which makes this book way more than just a slow-burn romance. Add to the mix themes such as family, chosen family, film history, podcasting, demi sexuality, social media, and small-town life. I liked the characters and I liked the story. I just didn't love it.

The book felt more like a guide to how to accept someone who is lgbtq+. It explores the differences in labels and how we define ourselves. The chaste romantic storyline felt more like an excuse to explain these differences and to teach best way to accept someone. I am sure that there are people that will read this book and love it for this exact reason. They will relate to one or more of the characters and feel supported that they are not alone. I recommend this book to young adults and new adults who are working to define who they are.

Thank you to NetGalley and Sourcebooks for an arc of this book, in exchange for an honest review.

My thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for this digital ARC in exchange for my honest review.

This was a lovely, entertaining, rom-com! Never Been Kissed is about Wren, a recent college graduate, who sends a series of drunken emails to past crushes who he " almost kissed."
He gets a response from one, his estranged friend Derick. Summer jobs bring the two together again and the book follows their relationship as they navigate from former friends, to friends again, to something much more.

Wren is a great character. I liked his POV and I felt he was very well-developed: from his fascination and love of film, to his loyalty to the drive-in theater he works at, to the friends he's come to regard as family, to the slow realization that the reason he's never been kissed isn't quite what he thought it was.

The supporting characters, including Derick–the love interest–are interesting and three-dimensional. They held my interest and didn't just seem like "best friend" fillers.

The story has two parallel plot lines: Wren's attempt to save the theater he loves so much and his navigation of a new relationship with a friend from his past. The relationship is a lovely slow burn and Wren's eventual understanding of being a demisexual was done well in my opinion. The banter and personal interactions between Derick and Wren were entertaining and poignant.

The plan to save the theater also focused on Wren's drive to bring attention to a famous local resident--a reclusive former film star and director whose film was never screened. The interactions with Alice gave a depth to the book, covering so many important issues. The growing friendship and trust between Alice and Wren was lovely to read. The respect he had for her and his drive to have her attain the acclaim her film deserved was powerful.

I really enjoyed this book. It was well written, with smart dialogue, engaging characters, a lovely slow-burn romance, and representation that felt organic to the story. The coming of age aspects, in the after college setting, were well done.

This is a cute rom com, which touches on some important issues in a straightforward, engaging way.

This is a romcom book done right! A well rounded cast of characters, good LGBTQIA+ representation and overall just a feel good story.

Never Been Kissed follows Wren and his friends Avery and Mateo as they are getting ready to embark post-college life. After one regretful drunken night, Wren sends off several cringeworthy emails to his former crushes "and almost kisses" (he hasn't had his first kiss yet!) including one to Derrick, Wren's childhood friend whom he had a falling out with.

The story takes you on a journey of Wren's love of film, the hometown Drive-In he's trying to save, navigating the return of Derrick in his life, and his own internal battles with his sexuality. The book does a great job of highlighting conversations around the spectrum, including what it means to identify as demisexual.

While of course romance is central to the book, it's not the ONLY thing either. Along the way you meet more supporting characters including my favorite, Alice Kelly, a former film star who is the key to Wren's goal to save the Drive-in and a way to right some wrongs from the past.

Slow burn romances can either be frustrating or rewarding but the author does a great job of balancing the storylines and I'm happy to say it's the latter. I also appreciated the light mix of current trends into the book (there are references to Ariana Grande, Taylor Swift, TikTok etc) ... and on a personal note, loved the exchange between Wren and Derrick that centered on Twizzler Pull n' Peels (how do YOU eat them??)

I read this book in 2 days and would definitely recommend it. I see the author has another book coming out later in the year, and I will be looking forward to that one as well. Thanks to NetGalley for this ARC - this was my first ever ARC review :)

Firstly, I’d like to say how much I adore this cover! It’s so lovely and I couldn’t stop staring at it while reading the book.

Secondly—this book! I was nervous because this has been an anticipated read of mine but I had no reason to be. I enjoyed Wren and Derrick’s sweet relationships and even and their relationships with the secondary characters. Timothy does such a beautiful job curating these endearing and wonderful characters with seemingly real personalities and ambitions. I absolutely busted out laughing so many times! This book was so fun, witty and honest!

Any who, I AM SO HONORED I GOT THE CHANCE TO READ THIS NOVEL. It hooked me immediately and I love how much we focus on the first kiss trope. And Wren was the absolute cutest and so relatable in his mission for perfection. I really enjoyed the storyline and wow my heart melted so many times.

I think this one even topped so many of my other LGBTQ releases this year and I can't wait to tell everyone to buy it when it's in stores or be annoyingly persistent about it when I’m at the library.

Again, I adored Wren and Derick’s second chance romance and the atmosphere so much and I hope the author continues putting out more books like this!

This was such a gloriously ridiculous and completely adorable book! Wren has never been kissed, but he wants that movie-perfect ending more than anything. So much that he puts himself in one awkward situation after another… with a lot of help from his adorkable and supporting friends. There’s so much crushing, pining and swooning, and an overload of sweetness, but also some amazing character development and queer and demisexual representation.

Even though Wren Roland is a 22-year-old college graduate, he’s never been kissed. Mostly because he wants his first kiss to really matter. He’s had quite a few almost-kisses though, with boys he’s written saved emails to trying to figure out why the kisses never happened. The most significant of his almost-kisses was with his long-time crush Derick Haverford, who ghosted Wren afterwards and left him with a broken heart.

After another failed kiss at his birthday party and a few drinks too many, Wren sends the emails out to all the boys he’s almost kissed, stirring up a lot of things and feelings… and awkward situations. It doesn’t really make things easier when Derick shows up on the first day of Wren’s summer job at a drive-in theater as the new social media intern…

I loved this hilarious and cute story, and all the wonderful banter and humor. There were also some really great character developments, a wonderful queer chosen family, and a demisexual awakening that was so well and realistically executed. This would definitely have been a five-star read for me if it hadn’t been for the obvious similarities with To All The Boys I’ve Loved Before, only that Lara Jean’s letters were replaced by emails and it was a queer main character. I also had a bit of a problem connecting with the characters as twenty something year-olds. They all felt way too immature for that (more like 16 than 22 at times, and I think the story and the way they acted would have made so much more sense if they’d been graduating High School rather than college).

But all in all, this book was an absolute joy to read! There was no steam at all, which felt refreshing, but a lot of love and friendship, neverending summer nights, drive-in movie nostalgia, a second chance romance and a wonderful journey of self-discovery. Never Been Kissed is a book that will make you smile and warm your heart!

This was exactly what I look for in a contemporary romance love story. It was funny and emotional, the characters were incredibly relatable and even though I don’t think I’m the best person to judge this (being a straight female with no experience in real life in this regard), I absolutely loved the LGBTQ+ representation. The self discovery as Wren figures out who he is and finds love in both a romantic partner and his friends was such a heartwarming thing to read about. It was portrayed realistically which I very much appreciated. The entire book was well written. I read a lot of fantasy and often find myself needing a break from all of that. Contemporary romances these days just haven’t been giving me everything I desire but Never Been Kissed by Timothy Janovsky gave me what other books of similar genre have not. I cannot fault it. Not only was the romance great, I thoroughly enjoyed the film/movie aspect of it too. I feel like those studying film production or with a keen interest in the subject will find that part of this book enjoyable. I don’t have a particular interest in it but still thought it was cool to learn about.

Thank you so much, NetGalley, for sending me an eARC of this cute novel, in exchange for an honest review. I was honoured to read it before pub day.

I loved that this was the author’s first book, he should be proud of his work. The story was about Wren who has never been kissed in his life. He wanted to have the one special moment/kiss that was precious for him. After his 22nd birthday he found ‘the folder’ of letters for his former crushes that could have been his special first kiss. In a drunken stupor he sent those 4 men their respective email letters. Now, I seriously thought that all four guys would show up during the summer to discuss or even rekindle something. I thought that would be a great twist, but that wasn’t what happened. Waking up the next day he finds one of them responded back. Derick apologized for the past and wanted to rekindle their friendship. Now working together to save their struggling drive in movie theater, meeting/working with Alice, the reclusive director, and making his dreams come true, Wren feelings for Derick blossomed to more than friends. I liked the premise of drive in movie theater since I’m not too familiar with them. I loved Wren's best friends Avery and Mateo. They were not just close friends but his family. It was so important to see him surrounded by love and support. I also loved that demisexual was being represented in a love story. I loved that love was represented and such care was done for Wren. I also liked Derick. He was perfect in that he was patient, sweet and supportive. He also had a lot going on for him and was trying to grapple adulthood with a strong domineering father that wasn’t easy. The extra stuff of the Alice’s movie was okay but I skimmed through those parts. It had a predictable ending, but it was adorable!! Overall, I loved this book. I cannot express how much so I definitely recommend this book. I received this ARC from the publisher and Netgalley in exchange for my honest review.

I was given an ARC of this book by NetGalley and SOURCEBOOKS Casablanca in exchange for my honest review. All opinions are my own.

This was a sweet coming of age story, but I found it rather mediocre. I LOVED Wren’s demisexuality arc, and I really liked that were were able to be with him as he came to terms with it and with himself. I loved that he had a support system around him to help him figure it all out.

For the most part, I found the characters a little whiny and selfish-Mateo especially irritated me to no end! Alice, however was the best damn part of the story. I wanted so much more Alice! Overall, I felt like we only got half the story. For some strange I was left feeling incomplete and underwhelmed as the story wrapped. It was a fairly easy read, just nothing overly special.

Cute, sweet, cozy, and incredibly fluffy. But don’t let the fluffiness fool you because at the same time this story covers heavier topics like finding out who you are and demisexuality.

Never Been Kissed and I weren’t immediately friends. We had a bumpy start, and after reading the first chapter, I became restless and sighed. Because I wanted to like the story so much but didn’t feel it. Then Derrick came along. Slowly I got more invested in the book, and when I felt fluttering in my belly every time Wren and Derrick interacted, the corners of my mouth pulled up. I sat in the spring sun and sighed again, this time out of satisfaction. From that moment on, I swooned over this story.

BUT (and this is a positive but!) …

Never Been Kissed is so much more than a swoony romcom. While reading the book, I had a conversation with a book friend about heteronormativity. When I grew up, everyone was cis. Most of us were straight, and some of us gay or lesbian. That’s it. Slowly I found out that the queer umbrella is so much more. What if you feel different but don’t know why? How can you put in words how you feel if it’s not talked about? And what if you read one or more books and your mind starts connecting the dots? And that’s why Never Been Kissed is so much more than a swoony romcom. Because it clearly pictures how we still label ourselves black and white while there’s so much grey in between. I loved how Wren slowly realized that there’s more under that queer umbrella than he always assumed.

Despite the early bump, I ended up loving Never Been Kissed and can’t wait to read You’re a Mean One, Matthew Prince, later this year! Thank you, Timothy, for this heartfelt story!

There's so much potential in this book! The love emails, the summer setting in a drive-in, this post-graduation phase. But it all fell flat for me, as this story failed to engage me or make me want to know more about the characters.

I like stories about second chances to love, in this case, a high-school crush that didn't develop into a relationship. But the book fails in showing what Wren, the main protagonist, liked about Derick, the love interest, in the past. Also, it isn't clear what Wren likes about Derick in the present. Derick is a helpful and easy-going character, but he doesn't have a personality beyond being the love interest who seems perfect. Later on, when the book tries to show more of his character, his family, and identity struggles, it's very superficial. Wren is not a very interesting character either, but he is more fleshed out than his love interest.

The side story involving a recluse movie director seemed very interesting at first, but everything is solved quickly and with no difficulties. Alice, the known recluse, lets Wren in her house because of a misunderstanding, and she doesn't do anything when Wren tells the truth. She asks him for his help around the house, which I thought was hard to believe could happen. I enjoyed her queer backstory, but I thought she opened up too quickly and it could have used more time to make it believable.

Overall, I think this book lacks drama, something to make the reader want to go to the next chapter. The problems are solved quickly, and the difficulties aren't a real challenge in this book. In the last quarter of the book, there's finally something at stake, the drive-in is at risk of being demolished. However, as it's in the last part of the book, it's hard to start to care about what's happening. Also, the synopsis made me believe that the emails would be important to the general plot, but Wren doesn't mention them after the first part.

In conclusion, there isn't anything to hate about this book, but with bland characters and boring pacing, I wouldn't recommend this book to anyone looking for a fun rom-com.

I wish I could have given this a higher rating because it was one of my most anticipated releases of 2022 and I was so grateful to receive an ARC. That said, while I did love many parts of it, it was also really disappointing. I think part of this was that I didn't realize it would be so film heavy and that the main plot-line would be one of those "save the town!" plot-lines that I've always found a bit of a snoozefest. That's on me for not reading the summary before becoming emotionally attached to the idea of this book, but at the same time, I think there still could have been ways to make this book less boring. I really struggled through the first half, honestly until their relationship took ground.

I will say, though, that the demisexual rep in this book really meant a lot to me. In lieu of getting too personal on here, I'll just say that it was heartwarming to see such positive, explicit representation of it on page, and I think that'll mean a lot to other readers as well. Honestly, it's half the reason it's getting even a 3 star rating—without that bright side, the rating might actually be lower.

I think part of my issue with this is that nothing really stood out off page (again, aside from the rep!). The characters didn't do a ton for me and I confess I still don't really feel like I know anything about Derick aside from his relationship with his family and to Wren. Ever since I read Red White and Royal Blue I feel like I'm comparing all romance book characters with Alex and Henry and their whole friend group. Those characters are so crisp and sharp. It's easy to believe they're real, that Casey McQuiston didn't just write them, but that they exist. While I (to a degree) feel like Wren feels real and fleshed out enough, I can't say the same for any of the other characters. None of them have that extra oomph that makes me care about them like I do Alex and Henry, not even Wren.

I feel like if I check back in on Timothy Janovsky's books in a few years, I'll find a gem. His writing is really strong and you can tell he really cares about the queer rep he's putting in; I just wanted something different from this one that maybe another book down the road can provide.

Anyway, a solid 3 stars; nothing glaringly wrong with it, just nothing outstanding either. And honestly that's more disappointing than a bad book.

Just ended 'Never Been Kissed', Timothy Janovsky's debut book, and I don't have words to describe how warm and complete I felt when I finished. Okay, I've got a few words to say about:

1 - It's a coming-of-age story for all the teens starting their adult life.
2 - It has a representation of something I've never read before, and I was so glad to see myself in the characters.
3 - It's so simple yet so profound the way he tells the story, the way he shows how love works in different ways, how loss works in different ways.
4 - It's going to be a hit!
5 - I cannot wait for people in my country to read this book!
6 - and one final thing, I just want to say thank you to Timothy, 'cause I've read a lot, and I've never fully seen myself in the characters, I've seen some characteristics represented that reflected me, but reading this book I see a full representation of who I am, a demisexual queer person, trying to navigate a world of expectations and not able to explain how I feel sometimes, but I really want to believe that I can find something so beautiful and honest as the relation Wren and Derrick built throughout the book.

-I'm giving all the stars possible to this book, and I really cannot wait for your next one!!!

This book was fine. It felt way longer that 300 pages, and I think that's because I'm not really that into movies so it felt like it dragged a bit. The acronyms were a bit much as well. I felt like the characters were just too one-dimensional to get a real grasp on them, but for pure romance readers this isn't too bad.

This book is an absolute delight! The characters are charming and well developed, the setting is immersive without being over done and the love story is natural and moving.

Wren, a Film Studies graduate, is returning to job at Wiley's Drive In for one last summer before he starts the rest of his life. He has yet to have his first kiss (see! book title makes sense already!) and has cinematically planned a few different scenarios. He has had a few near misses and written heartfelt emails to each of the 4 boys that were his "almost"s. Drunk Wren thinks it's a good idea to send these emails, and Sober Wren immediately regrets it the next day. Derick gets one of the emails, and as Wiley's new Social Media manager, will be working with Wren for the summer. Wiley's is struggling financially, so Wren starts working on an audacious plan to save Wiley's, while trying to decide what is going on with Derick (does he even want there to be anything?), oh, and figure out what to do with the rest of his life. No problem, right? should be easy to manage that all in one summer!

Wren and Derick are a charming couple and watching them untangle their own identities, journeys and families was beautiful to watch. They manage to work through some pretty serious issues, without the angst level ever getting too high. The cast of characters around them, Mateo and Avery, Earl and Alice, all add depth and flavour to the story. I struggled to like Mateo at times, but I think part of that is that he was well written to be a bit of a prickly character. He lacks a bit of self-awareness, and is a bit selfish, but his boyfriend Brandon is such a lovely quiet force driving awareness, both for Wren and Mateo. Often stories need a strong (sometimes almost toxic) driving force to help keep a narrative going and that may work for some people, but I MUCH prefer the softly spoken style of catalyst that Brandon represents. Brandon talks and listens to Wren and helps Wren to feel comfortable with, and to own, his internal relationship timeline.

All in all charming and delightful, and something I would definitely recommend when you need a comfy, safe place read.

Oh, what a cute romance to read when lying out in the sun! Never Been Kissed is a light-hearted summer rom com for everyone.

The premise is very much a la To All The Boys I’ve Loved Before but after the first two chapters Never Been Kissed makes its own path. The setting is a small-town drive-in cinema, our protagonists have just graduated college and are lost as to what their future will be. Their romance is kind of awkward but cute all the way through. Never Been Kissed is the type of book you read with a small smile on your lips, especially as there aren’t any big drama/heartbreaking plot twists going on.

What I really appreciated is that in the case of Never Been Kissed the cover doesn’t deceive you regarding the tone. The cover is innocent and romantic and so is the story. Everything is very PG without a single sex scene or anything close to it. Wren and Derick’s story 100% focusses on the emotional connection and not the physical/sexual side of relationships. This was very refreshing considering what romances are currently hyped on social media.

So, if you are looking for a feel-good love story with different queer representation and no smut, Never Been Kissed is for you!

Never Been Kissed is a new adult romance about a 22 year old college graduate named Wren who dreams of having the perfect, silver-screen-worthy first kiss. After his 22nd birthday celebration with his friends, he goes home and drunkenly sends emails he wrote to the 4 boys he had his almost first kisses with (à la To All The Boys I've Loved Before). The love interest on the book, Derick, is one of the guys who received an email from Wren. He and Wren grew up as best friends, but fell out of contact after Derick ghosted him when they started college.

While Wren struggles with his love life and learning about himself, he is also working to make an amazing movie premier that never was happen at his town's local drive in.

Overall this book was super cute and I really enjoyed watching Wren work through his troubles that caused me not only second-hand embarrassment, but occasionally second-hand mortification. And getting to see him learn about more labels, like demisexual/demiromantic, which he comes to accept as an apt descriptor for his attraction, while also deciding to openly identify as queer rather than a more specific label was was very nice and well written. Lastly, the lesson of "Let life be life" is so simple, but perfect and I will be adopting it into my day-to-day life.

It also made me really nostalgic for the drive-in so I will probably be going to one soon! (Also, the New Adult genre is just because of the age range of characters, not because of any steamy situations, this book would be appropriate for YA readers as well in my opinion)

I already had a physical ARC, but thank you to Netgalley and Sourcebooks Casablanca for providing an eARC as well!

It was alright, I guess.
I didn't get into it to be completely honest. I didn't connect with Wren and Derrick at all, their relationship felt a little off for me. The storyline was okay, with saving the drive-in and all the Alice stuff, it was nice. I despised Mateo with all my heart, he annoyed me so much. Overall, Wren and his friends felt off as well, I just didn't feel like there was this huge friendship there.
Overall, this book read very YA and I believe it would make more sense if the characters were 18-ish, not 22 becuase they acted really childhish at times and it just didn't feel right. The writing didn't suit me as well, it was confusing and taxing to get through, which it def shouldn't be in a rom-com.
I am a little disappointed, but I will check out Timothy's second book since it's already on my TBR and let's hope this disappointment was an unfortunate fluke:)

This book was super cute and I really enjoyed it. I liked seeing Wren really discover who he is and fall in love. There was just something missing for me and I can't figure out what it is.

I received an arc through netgalley.

I honestly loved reading this book so much. I read it in less than two days, as I've been looking forward to this book for months. And it was definitely worth the wait. I haven't seen humor and exquisite prose paired up together like this since Casey McQuiston's works.

Wren (and btw I love that name) was so relatable to me. His drive, his desire to wanting his first kiss to mean something, the fact that he finds so much meaning and nostalgia in film (and in watching Disney ride povs). I loved all the characters, except for Mr. Haverford, of course. Wren's friends, Mateo and Avery were so much fun and I loved all their interactions. The email thing totally reminded me of Lara Jean, which I loved and thought was so cute. Derick was so sweet and earnest, and Alice was just amazing, in every way. And shout outs to Oscar, Claire, and Wren's parents for helping Wren go after what he loves and believes in.

This was truly a pleasure to read, and I definitely see myself buying a physical copy and rereading it in the future.