Kasie West is one of my all-time favorite authors, so I was ecstatic to see that I'd been approved for an ARC of her latest novel. And I was mostly not disappointed. Places We've Never Been follows two families' RV trip across the US Southwest and Northwest as two of their children rediscover their old friendship...and maybe even something more.

I loved the travel aspects, and the family dynamics were super cute. I also really liked how much art and drawing were included and how West even touched on sexism in the video game industry. However, I felt like the book could've been even better had the multiple plots/subplots been expanded upon. It seemed like it ended a bit suddenly, and I would've liked to see a little more tension in the protagonists' relationship once they got together. Still, it was an enjoyable read overall, and one I'll be recommending to my fellow teen romance lovers.

(Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with an ARC in exchange for an honest review. Any quotes are taken from an advanced copy and may be subject to change upon final publication.)

This is a YA romance with close proximity, bantering, secrets, and family drama. No spicy in this book. Definitely a very cute book to read and it’s a great book for those who don’t like to read books with smut/spicy scenes. It was my first book by Kasie West and she did not disappoint. So if you are looking for a book with lots of sweetness, go pick this up! 💖

Overall, Places I've Never Been is a delightful look at the complexities of friendship, family, and falling in love. It's a coming of age novel as much as it is a love story, and seeing Norah and Skyler accept who they are and the ways that they've changed and grown was quite possibly the best part of the book. 

I recommend Places I've Never Been to fans of the friends-to-lovers trope, road trip narratives, and video games, as well as those who enjoy a coming of age story about high schoolers preparing to enter the next phase of their lives.

(Full disclosure: I received an advanced review copy via NetGalley in exchange for my honest review.)

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for an eARC of this book in exchange for an honest review

Friends to enemies to lovers... Need I say more??

This book was so cute. Both Norah and Skyler were so likeable. I felt so happy reading this, it was so heartwarming. This was the first Kasie West book I read and it is safe to say I am reading more. The only thing I didn't like about this book is al the secrets that were being kept. I loved the way the family bonded with each other, most books just make them all sound like annoying jerks.

Overall, it was a cute, quick read and I definitely recommend it to get out of a reading slump.

SWOON! Love the childhood best friend trope. Norah hasn’t seen her childhood best friend Skyler in years, but when their families get together for a summer road trip, Norah thinks it will be a great time to pick up like nothing has changed. Wrong. Skyler appears to want NOTHING to do with Norah and is an absolute grump. But as the two spend more time together, can a new romance bud? Love this friends to enemies to lovers trope.

This is perfect for fans of The Summer I Turned Pretty- Overall, this was a super quick, cute read

Places We've Never Been, by Kasie West, is a quick, easy, YA read. It is a story about two families who embark on a road trip and all the things that happen.. It is about friendship, first loves, and secrets. is an enjoyable book. Thanks, to NetGalley and to the publisher, for providing me with an ARC ebook in exchange for my honest review.

Writing style was nostalgic and it was a heart warming read. The characters are very bland and sorta make the book bland. The story was nice and I’m sure a lot of people will enjoy it,

I got an advanced ARC from YallWest and an eARC from NetGalley. Thanks.

Norah hasn't seen her old childhood best friend, Skyler, since he moved from California to Ohio. They're best friend moms have planned an RV trip across the Pacific Northwest with Norah, Skyler, and their siblings. Although Norah is excited for the trip, Skyler acts aloof when they first reconnect. Throughout the book, they rediscover why they were friends in the first place, which may lead to something more.

Another great one by Kasie West. I really enjoyed the changing scenery, the different places they visited, and it made me want to go on an RV trip. The characters are unique, and the story is very interesting.

The only thing I can say I really didn't like about the book was that it was in a small corner of the US instead of across the United States. I would have loved to see more of not just the Pacific northwest, but the midwest, south, and beyond.

For fans of Kasie West, young adult romance travel stories, and ex best friends reconnecting and maybe growing into more, you'll love this book.

The writing (and storytelling) was very engaging. I read half of this in one sitting. I just wanted to find out what was going to happen next after every chapter.

I really liked the characters and admired their relationships. Norah and Willow had the best friendship. I loved how they looked out for each other. The sibling banter in this was top tier. I loved that Norah and Ezra were actually close and could talk to each other. Skyler’s relationship with Paisley was really nice to read about too.

The whole RV experience seemed fun. It made me want to go on a road trip (even though I get car sick easily). I liked reading about their different stops and learning more about the characters.

My favourite aspect of the book was the snippets from Norah’s past interspersed throughout the story. It felt nostalgic reading some of her childhood memories with Skyler.

Although I was thoroughly engaged in the story, the last 30% fell flat for me. Too much was happening way too fast. Everyone had secrets and it got tiring trying to figure out said secrets. I didn’t like that the characters were walking on eggshells around each other every other time.

Also, I think I would have loved this story more if it was slow-slow-burn. I just needed Skyler to grovel. I thought he was forgiven too easily for his behaviour at the beginning. I also couldn’t really buy into Norah and Skyler’s chemistry.

That aside, the story was really fun to read. I gave this 3.5 stars because I still liked many aspects and will I recommend it to anyone looking for a quick, fun, summer read.

It's hard to say anything bad about this pleasant 'road trip' YA romance. The characters are easy-to-like, the romance sweet, and the backstory of the roadtrip and a mystery about their parents add interest. It really is the perfect Summer read, undemanding and keeping your interest throughout.

Story: Norah and Skyler were inseparable when they were younger - best friends who understood each other and always had each other's backs. But in junior high school, Skyler's father got a new job and the family suddenly moved across the country, breaking both their hearts. Years later, Norah is told her family is going to go on a roadtrip with Skyler's family, each in motor homes. The Skyler who shows up is not the same person she left - he's sullen, unhappy about having to be there, and surprisingly cold to her. Now she has to spend two weeks trying to avoid the one person she thought would always be her best friend.

The road trip through California up to Seattle is fun with great sights and a fun premise. There is a host of siblings, friends, and fellow travelers that add a lot of color to the story and quirky moments. There are the added complications of Norah worrying about getting into a college in Seattle for computer game art and the mystery of a secret her brother is keeping about one of their parents.

In all, you won't believe these are real people and you don't want to take this too seriously (especially the questionable decisions of the parents). The ending isn't as satisfying as it could have been and wraps up rather quickly. Just enjoy it for a sweet romance with likable characters. Reviewed from an advance reader copy provided by the publisher.

It was really fun reading a Kasie West story after so many years of not picking one up (she was one of my favorite YA romance writers when I was in high school). Sadly, this story fell short for me. The romance was very insta-lovey and it just felt like it was thrown in just for extra content. Otherwise, the roadtrip aspect was a lot of fun and I loved the relationships between all the characters.

Kasie West always writes the sweetest YA romances. While they are cute and easy reads, they always have some other depth to it and moment that the main character has to work through. Norah was such a fun, awkward ray of sunshine even when things were rough. I loved her looking back over the notebooks from years ago and all the moments on the road trip. I also like how they all learned something from the whole trip, even if it wasn’t the best things they still grew.

This was a cute, lighthearted romance. If you have ever been victim of bullying, misunderstandings in friendships or if you have ever gotten stuck in the family vacation from hell, you will love this book. Older teens figuring out what to do after high school will also identify with the two main characters.

If I'm in the mood for a sweet YA romance, I pick up a Kasie West book. I enjoyed the road trip aspect and I liked all the characters. There wasn't much happening in the story so it was a little on the slower side. Not my favorite West book but still worth the read.

Norah and Skylar's friends to lovers romance was adorable. I loved the road trip aspect and their second chance at being together and falling in love. Although I loved parts of the family aspects, I didn't love the drama of the multiple secrets everyone was keeping. Overall, this was a cute read and I enjoyed it.

2.5/5 Stars

Norah and Skyler used to be inseparable until Skyler moved away. When both families decide to take a group RV trip in the summer, Norah is excited to finally see her best friend again after 4 years. But, when Skyler arrives, he's acting cold towards her, and Norah isn't sure what is going on. As the weeks stretch on, Norah tries to figure out what's up with Skyler, while also trying to uncover a secret the adults are hiding.

Something about this book just rubbed me the wrong way... I'm not sure if it was the characters, or the romance, but I wasn't the biggest fan. I found Norah to be very whiny, and a lot of her and Skyler's issues could have been solved if they just talked to each other. Miscommunication trope strikes again. I did like how we learned more about Skyler, and why he was acting the way he was as the story progressed, but I still just hate the miscommunication trope so much. I really enjoyed Paisley, Skyler's younger sister. She was a sweetheart, and I liked how invested she was in getting Norah and Skyler to communicate with one another. My favourite part of the book was definitely the road trip setting, I love seeing where the characters end up and all the fun things they do on their trip. I do feel that the ending was rushed though, and wish more time was taken to wrap the story up.

When I saw the cover of Kasie West's new YA contemporary novel Places We've Never Been, I knew that it would be a perfect summer read. A road trip in a RV? Where do I sign up?! RV-ing has always been such a fun concept to me - getting to see America at your own pace in your "home on wheels" - so I was highly anticipating this story about two families who take off on an epic western road trip together.

Norah and Skyler's families used to be neighbors, and Norah and Skyler used to be best friends. That was until Skyler's family moved and his & Norah's friendship died. Now the two former BFFs and their families are going on a joint RV trip, and Norah can't wait to spend time with Skyler again. The only problem is that he is giving her the cold shoulder and won't even acknowledge the bond they once had. Norah is on the road to reconciliation or bust, but will she be able to convince Skyler to come around?

Places We've Never Been is a cute, wholesome "friends to enemies to friends to ... maybe something more" novel perfect for readers in the 12-16 age range. Filled with family dynamics, endearing friendships, legendary sights and sounds, and affirming self discovery, Places We've Never Been addresses real topics that teens encounter in their lives in a clean, positive manner.

If you've ever wondered what it would be like to be a teen traveling with your family for weeks in a RV, pick up Places We've Never Been and find out!

Read if you like: childhood friends, to enemies, to lovers
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Norah and Skyler used to be childhood best friends, but then Skyler and his family move away and they lose touch. Years later their families decide to go on an RV trip together, and Norah thinks this will be the perfect opportunity to reconnect with Skyler. But the reunion is not as Norah expected, as Skyler seems to not want anything to do with her.
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This book was fun and had an interesting plot, but the beginning was a bit slow and I was just excited about how these two would eventually get together. I did like the mystery of figuring out what was going on with the moms though! The ending also felt a bit rushed and I would have liked to see things flushed out a bit more!
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CW: cancer, illness, bullying.

Another fantastic Teen romance from Kasie West. West is excellent at creating really believable characters and putting them in interesting situations. Perfect for all teens looking for a light summer read with a few deeper moments mixed throughout the story.

#PlacesWeveNeverBeen #NetGalley

What happens when two best friends, that have lived far away from each other, come together to take a road trip, with both of their mom's and siblings? Especially, when said friend won’t even look at you. This book was fast paced and I enjoyed it. Riad trips, friends, relationships,and dealing with hard things, all wrapped up in a friends to enemies to romance.