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!

In his debut novel “Never Been Kissed” author Timothy Janovsky taps into an intriguing premise examining identity, intrigue, and romance. These topics are explored through the likes of Jenny Han’s “To all the boys I loved before” plot device among others. Wren Roland is a film geek, optimist, and overall romantic. During high school he had developed crushes and would write them emails describing his feelings towards them. These emails were never sent and were saved in his inbox. In what would be a couple of years later he decides to take an active step towards expressing his feelings. Wren decides to send his crushes the emails. What could go wrong right ?! Wren has never been kissed and the closest guy to have kissed him is Derick Haverford. After learning Derick’s post-high school coming out gives Wren thoughts perhaps he may have his kiss after all. In this moderate paced novel the plot evolves to explore this relationship and the nuances of sexual identity. This novel was one I enjoyed and would recommend it to those who enjoy queer love stories. I gave this novel 3.5 out of five and a solid 3 stars on goodreads. I’d like to thank netgalley and the publisher for an advanced copy of this novel in exchange for an honest review.

There’s something glorious about witnessing an all-time great cinematic kiss. Casablanca, The Princess Bride, When Harry Met Sally, Slumdog Millionaire … if you’re not standing up in your seat by the end, where’s your soul? These picture perfect moments call to those looking for a whirlwind romance of their own.

Wren Roland is one such hopeless romantic. The only one of his friends not to have a first kiss at the ripe old age of 22, he is facing his last summer working at his beloved hometown drive-in movie theater. He can’t help but long for a kiss that lives up to his Hollywood dreams. But he’s never had the emotional connection he needs to make that moment happen — except with his old crush and former best friend Derick Haverford. It’s been years since an aborted romantic moment changed everything for Wren, and they haven’t seen each other since. One drunken night leads to Wren accidentally sending emails to all four of his “almost kisses” over the years, including Derick. Wren’s sure nothing will come of it (aside from his own embarrassment, that is). But when Wren’s boss hires Derick to help revitalize the dying drive-in, Wren soon finds that happy endings might not be just for the big screen after all.

For anyone who loves a good old fashioned romance, Never Been Kissed is for you. Wren is a cinephile, and his extensive references to film history are fun Easter eggs for any film buff. I adored a subplot involving an aging film director and Wren’s efforts to woo her into sharing her masterpiece for the first time. The novel’s plot is structured like a classic rom-com down to the summer setting and slow burn relationship. It’s like comfort food in an entertaining, earnest package, and it’s sure to delight readers with its small town charm.


But by far the best part of Never Been Kissed is the sensitive and loving way it portrays demisexuality. Wren’s journey to discovering a new facet of his identity feel organic and grounded in reality. Aside from some gentle ribbing from his friends, Wren is allowed the space to take his time, both with his relationship with Derick and with his growing realization that “gay” as a label doesn’t encompass all that he feels. Coming out later in life and developing a new understanding of one’s queer identity is common, but rarely explored with such depth. With identities under the asexual umbrella still severely underrepresented in media, it is all the more vital that stories like Never Been Kissed exist.

In Never Been Kissed, Timothy Janovsky creates a screen-worthy love story that also functions as a thoughtful exploration of demisexuality and the many ways we love each other. It is available now wherever books are sold. Never Been Kissed is the first book in the Boy Meets Boy series, with holiday romance You’re a Mean One, Matthew Prince hitting shelves October 4, 2022.

4.5 stars
Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for allowing me to read an ARC of this book.

I loved this book so much more than I expected! Part of that was because of the unexpected demisexuality representation, which I really appreciated. The main reason why this book isn't 5 star for me is because of the miscommunication issues throughout the book... I really dislike those personally, so yeah I just couldn't give this 5 stars.

But I do plan on buying it physically someday! Because like I said, I loved it a lot and the cover's also very cute!

Can't wait to see what other books this author writes!

Thank you Sourcebooks Casablanca for the chance to review Never Been Kissed. What stands out to me most about this book is that it took, for me, common tropes in rom/coms (which I love) and placed them in the lives of LGBTQIA+ lives. I say this because, to a point, it is nice to see universal themes of romcom tropes within any identity and relationship (to a point because cis, hetero people and relationships have always had this space and freedom and stories should and must still honor the struggles many experience to share and live their identities safely).
This was an enjoyable quick read, I will note it took a little bit for the plot/engagement with characters to pick up but overall this hit the right notes for an inclusive summer read!

There are so many parts of this book that I just loved but there were also things that I couldn't get behind. I love this newer trend of giving us characters in their early twenties, people fresh out of college, new to adult life, people who are just trying to figure it out like the rest of us. That being said, for a book with 22 year-old characters it did feel very juvenile to me so much so that in my first draft of this review I called it YA but I'm pretty sure it’s categorized as New Adult.

The Characters: I love, love, love the representation and I think we desperately need more characters on the Aromantic spectrum. Outside of the our main character being Demi I was excited to see all of the LGBTQIA+ characters in different stages of figuring themselves out. I found myself very drawn to the 3BeeGees and while we did get alone time with them I wouldn't have minded a bit more.

The Story: Here is where I had my strongest dislike, I kept thinking to myself "have I read this before?" and I have. Is this just To All The Boys rehashed? Don’t get me wrong I love a good retelling but it needs to have a twist so it’s not the exact same premise of writing 5 letters/emails to the people you’ve loved, accidentally sending them and then it turning out for the best.