3.5 ⭐️rounded up

<i>Never Been Shipped</i> is a second chance romance focused on Micah and John, former best friends and bandmates reunited after years without seeing or talking to one another. The story begins as they prepare for a band reunion (of sorts) as the bandmates reunite for performances on a themed cruise.

The story develops predictably (not a complaint- what else do we expect for contemporary romance?!), and I allllmost chose to DNF this at about 40-50% in because I just could did not care about the story/plot and what was coming next (and felt like the “will they won’t they” went from 5mph to 90 in a second). However, I ended up continuing the read and was more invested in the last half; I also liked the character development there. In the story, I appreciated the representation of different LGBTQ characters with no deeper emphasis on their identity making them *different*, and I also appreciated that the book is part of a larger story (as it made references to other books by this author!)

Thank you to NetGalley and Berkley Publishing Group for the advanced reader copy of the e-book in exchange for my honest review! ✨

Also- I just LOVE this author’s book covers.

I love John and Micah’s story and how *human* it is with the depiction of John’s childhood and Micah’s anxiety. Both John and Micah seemed to undergo really great character development. I love how open and communicative they were- any miscommunication was quickly discussed and worked through. I just found this to be a joy to read (especially when they kicked he who shall not be named out of the band and sent him back home 🫡)

Thanks to Berkley for an advanced copy of Never Been Shipped by Alicia Thompson which came out June 10th.

I liked the cruise ship aspect of this book, but wasn't a fan of Micah, the main character. and overall this book was forgettable to me.

As a girl who sometimes composes/writes music, I was a HUGE fan of this book. I’ve read a few rockstar romance stories, but this one 100% takes the lead. The tension, the longing, the vulnerability… just ALL OF IT.

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After years of being apart from her old band, Micah is invited to join a cruise for a week with her former bandmates to put on one last show for the fans. Not wanting to drag up the past, she initially declines… until she remembers John—her childhood best friend. After the band split up, she cut contact with him and holed up away from everyone. She misses their friendship greatly and now that she has the chance to see him again, she’s curious to see how things will pan out. John on the other hand has never forgotten about Micah—his first real friend, his first kiss… his first love. So when he’s asked to reunite with the band, he says yes solely because he knows he’ll have the chance to see Micah again.

Get ready to be sucked into a world of yearning, heat, and love as you follow these two, and watch them navigate their emotions as they learn how to open up and be honest not only with each other, but with themselves as well.

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things to know about the book ↓

🎸 he falls first
🎤 childhood friends-to-lovers
🎸 rockstar romance
🎤 second chance
🎸 dual pov

A huge thank you to NetGalley, Berkley Publishing Group and Alicia Thompson for allowing me to read this arc. These are all my honest opinions in this review.

maybe this book would have been more interesting if they fell off the ship. that’s all im gonna say.

but if you like relationships that seem lust based with more shallowness than a kiddie pool (even though they liked each other since they were kids), it being vastly indiscernible if the mmc is in love with the fmc or her nipples, barely tangible longing, them having sex anytime and anywhere, no character development, essentially nothing to make up for the arduousness of getting through this, then you’ll probably like this! personally i couldn’t care less about anyone to the point where my favourite character is the ship.

okay i guess i was kidding when i said that was all i’m gonna say.

i do like the playlist consisting of paramore, the cure, phoebe bridgers, and the cranberries though. that part didn’t flop.

thank you to the publishers for the e-arc

Thank you so much to @berkleypub @berkleyromance for the free eARC to enjoy before publication!
Alicia Thompson’s books have officially become part of my emotional support and self-regulation system. Alicia Thompson has a beautiful, rich writing style that evokes a lot of nostalgia while at the same time solidifies her as a modern, trauma-informed romance powerhouse. She expertly weaves handling sensitive topics with care into her swoony, charming, funny, and entertaining plot- and character-driven romance stories.
Never Been Shipped is Thompson’s homage to fandom, music, and With Love, from Cold World stans who were patiently waiting for John’s story.
John and Micah are two very likable and loveable main characters. I quickly became emotionally invested in their relationship and the revelations they make on their own as part of their individual character growth arcs.
The Nightshifters-themed cruise was such a unique and charming setting. I loved going from “ice” in With Love, from Cold World to “water” in Never Been Shipped.
The author has publicly stated that Never Been Shipped is probably her most steamy romance yet. I can confirm this information! My feelings toward the word “honey” as a term of endearment have been changed on a cellular level after reading this book!
I am willing to do almost anything (except film myself crying during a live reading reaction and post it to the internet) to read Thompson’s upcoming summer 2026 release, In Every Possible Way, a lil early. LOL.
*plays “Dreams” by the Cranberries*

REVIEW: Never Been Shipped

Micah and John have been best friends since middle school. They both have a strong passion for music, so they decided to start a band. After adding three other members, one of their songs was heard by a record label, and the band gained significant popularity. A few years later, the band breaks up due to conflict. Now, Micah receives a call that they want to reunite the band for a single cruise. How will she face her past conflicts, her ex-boyfriend, and John, with whom she lost contact?

Never Been Shipped has a fun premise about bandmates reuniting later in life for a cruise. I liked how much the love of music is shared throughout. The deep connections that the characters have to it demonstrate how music can profoundly affect people. I also enjoyed John’s and Micah’s relationship. You can tell they have cared deeply for each other for a long time, and their enduring friendship, which has been ongoing since middle school, means a great deal to both of them. Both of these characters have some darkness in their lives that makes them feel more relatable and genuine. There is a good balance of sweet and romantic, as well as spiciness, in Never Been Shipped. Besides John and Micah, some very lovable and hateable side characters helped support the story.

The beginning of Never Been Shipped started very slowly. It took me a while to get hooked. The slow burn of the romance was too slow for my liking.

Overall, Never Been Shipped was a fun read with a unique premise. If you are a fan of music, friends to lovers, and childhood best friends, Never Been Shipped would be an excellent read for you.

Thank you, Netgalley and Berkley Publishing Group | Berkley, for the free advanced copy for my honest review!

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Alicia Thompson delivers on another heartwarming, tenderly sweet romance that had me giggling and kicking my feet, rooting these two childhood friends on!

Once upon a time they were part of a band, had a number-one hit, were best friends, and wrote songs together. Then the band fell apart and it broke everything, including Micah and John’s friendship. Now years later, will a band reunion bring them back together or make tensions worse?

Ah, I just adored this book so much!! I loved the nostalgic 2010s vibe of the novel. From the supernatural teen TV show revival to the angsty rock band vibes, everything was fun and exciting. The amount of yearning, pining, and longing made me so giddy! I love a good slow burn and this one MELTED my heart.

From the love song ballads to the cruise ship setting to the found family, Never Been Shipped became a new favorite summer read, and I can’t wait to see where Thompson’s next romance will take us!

*Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for sending me an eARC in exchange for an honest review.*

I received this book through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. ARC provided by Berkley Publishing Group.

Micah's relationship to music is complicated. As teenagers, her band took off after being featured on a popular TV show, but the group barely released their sophomore album before breaking up. Now, over a decade later, the band is reuniting for one more performance on a themed cruise, and Micah is determined to learn from her past mistakes no losing herself in the music, and no losing her heart along the way.

John misses playing in a band, and mostly he misses Micah, who would been his best friend until the music stopped. Back then, he did not take the lead, either in his guitar parts or while he sat back and watched her date another bandmate. John's never been one to rock the boat, but he has faced with another chance now that this cruise has brought music and Micah back in his life.

Onboard, Micah can not help but see John with brand new eyes, and John's feelings only intensify as the discordant band's tension grows to a breaking point. With five days at sea, there is a ticking clock on anything that might develop between them, and they will have to decide if their relationship is destined to be more than a one-hit wonder.

My first Thompson book and I will definitely be reading more by her, but this book was just okay. I was here for the romance and as they were childhood friends. Micah and John had great chemistry. The first half of this book had everything, the tension, the chemistry and it was overall just fun. But sadly the last half lost me a bit but I still enjoyed the love story. Micah's thoughts on life and what she has or has not achieved made so much sense to me. And John in my opinion was just the average male character. The music aspects were fun and the idea of an old band reconnecting to play music together one last time was just perfect. I also really enjoyed how nostalgic this made me feel and all the pop culture references that called back to the early 2000’s. The other thing was I wished we got more of the cruise setting. But overall, not bad of a book. If you are a huge music or early 2000’s fan, you will definitely love this one.

Another solid romance from Alicia Thompson, who is a pro at writing emotionally complex characters who feel real and lived-in. This one is extra steamy!

4.0⭐️ i think that collectively there needs to be more band/music centered romances cause I WILL eat it up every. single. time.

this was such a cute concept and i loved the whole cruise setting/plot it was so cutesy. also MUSICAL MEN SUPREMACY so we all know i loved that man. and its FRIENDS TO LOVERS UGH😍😍

micah was such a girl boss i loved seeing her develop in her spotlight throughout her week at the cruise and fully coming to terms with her own feelings for others and john and HATING ON RYDER IM THE NUMBER ONE HATER. if she didn’t punch him i wouldve 🥊🥊

john is the cutie of all cuties BUT somehow also has a FILTHY mouth and i was all for it. we LOVE a friend to lovers yearning man and lemme tell you he was that. he was so supportive of micah and they had such a healthy relationship i just wanted to hug them both

my only negatives things about this book were that it was third person which is suchhh a personal preference but it takes me out of the story so i try to avoid it. and it had a lil bit of second chance vibes which i didn’t love but it didn’t bother me that much

overall such a cute summer read and ms. thompson did it again (thank you to netgalley for this arc!💗)

This was my first book by this author and I liked it! It felt very similar to another book I read this year so I definitely feel like I was comparing the two, even without meaning to, and I feel similar to this book as I did to that one. I liked it, didn’t love it. But this was an easy read and I liked the end.

Thank you @prhaudio for the #gifted audiobook, and thank you Berkley Pub for providing an eARC and including me on the book tour.

There’s just something about a childhood friends to strangers to lovers that always hits - especially when they’ve gone a long time without seeing or talking to each other, which is the case with John and Micah. I loved the glimpses into their past through the music, the way that events of the reunion cruise stirred up old memories and feelings, and the “it’s always been you” angst and yearning from both characters. When you read two characters that are so inevitable and yet face real obstacles - of their life circumstances and their internal mental battles. I alternated between the audio and ebook because I simultaneously wanted to read it as fast as possible but also didn’t want it to end.

✌🏼Book Tuesday
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Forever behind on Bookstagram reviews so I’m coming at you live with a double review
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Never Been Shipped- thank you @netgalley and @berkleypub for the gifted copy! 3⭐️- this was an okay romance that follows two friends turned lovers in a band reunion on a cruise. This one felt like insta love, they literally hadn’t seen each other in years but jumped into bed right away? A slow burn romance would have been more fitting for this one in my opinion. It had potential to be something lovely, I’m usually a big fan of her works. But ultimately these two lacked chemistry and an actual connection. Also the word nipple was used at least 60 times and it made me want to gag 😭
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The tropes in this one are not usually my thing, but somehow Alicia made me enjoy them.
Micah & John are wonderful and I loved the emotions that swirled around, not only the people, but the music created as well.
Putting them on cruise together where they can't escape each other?
Excellent choice!

P.S.
Steve is the most fun and I wish he had a bit more time on page!
Now I want Steve and Kiki (from WLFCW) to become bff's and have a road trip book or something.

Giant thank you to Berkley Romance for my ARC!

4⭐️
3🔥

Quick Breakdown

Childhood Friends to Lovers
Rockstar Romance
Second Chance Vibes
Set on a Cruise
He Falls First
Forced Proximity
Dual POV
Open Door - Moderate

Thank you to @berkleyromance for the eARC & gifted finished copy & @prhaudio for the gifted ALC #berkleypartner

Micah & John were childhood best friends who started a band when they were teenagers that actually made it big. But after a world tour & a couple albums, Micah - the band’s lead singer, decided to move on solo, essentially breaking up the band before flaming out herself. It’s been 10 years since Micah’s seen her band mates after they imploded when they’re invited to reunite for a themed cruise.

Never Been Shipped somehow managed to be equal parts messy, low angst & unique at the same time. The second chance vibes between two former best friends who never dated, but stayed strictly in the friend zone while secret feeling bubbled underneath (John > Micah) left me enchanted. Seeing John finally come out on top after watching their douche bandmate date Micah for way too long was everything. The romance was soft & gentle & I swooned into a puddle whenever these two performed together. The themed cruise setting made this book feel like summer vacation & me nostalgic for CW shows. Alicia delivered some delicious spice, too. I was honestly surprised when it hit, but so here for it. Yay for some light breath play 🙌🏻

If you like a band reunion, childhood friends to reunited lovers then you will love this one!

For me, it was fine and enjoyable but nothing special. I feel like I don’t know the characters at all and didn’t connect with them.

I did appreciate the mental health / anxiety and also Bi rep. Often times we forget that people who are in the public eye can still have anxiety about big crowds or performing and I loved that it was included.

The spicy scenes were SPICY which I usually love, but it almost came out of nowhere when it happened at first and I actually thought I missed some pages.

John and Micah just didn’t have the spark or connection that I could really feel.  It just didn’t feel genuine to their strong, close bond that they just didn’t talk for almost 10 years. ESPECIALLY once John admits that he didn’t really care about the band or its breakup as much as he cared about her.

2.75 out of 5 stars (rounded up) | Never Been Shipped had many of my favorite tropes - second-chance romance, rockstar romance, childhood friends-to-lovers, and vacation romance. I was even more excited because the setting of this takes place on a cruise - which is one of my favorite ways to vacation!

Unfortunately, the execution of this love story fell flat for me. I did enjoy the dynamics of the band and the premise of them reuniting but to me, the characters lacked emotional depth and I did not feel connected to them as much. This could have been due to the backstory being brief (in my opinion) but I also believe the book being written in third-person played a role in this. We, as the readers, were seeing less into their thoughts/emotions/motivations and more just witnessing the cruise play out.

Overall, I did really like the plot of this book I just wish I was able to connect more with the story.

Thank you to Berkley Publishing Group & NetGalley for the ARC copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Look, Alicia writes perfect books. This was so full of tension and angst and so incredibly steamy. Both of these characters went on such well-developed journeys and watching them come together was gorgeous. I loved the fandom/early 2000s vibes and the forced proximity was perfection!

A band reunites for a fandom cruise, romance ensues.

Trust me, no one is more disappointed than I am with that two-star rating. I was SO looking forward to this book, hyped it up from the moment I first heard of it, grabby-hands primed and ready to pounce the moment it popped up on netgalley.

Sadly, this was nothing more than a great premise. The characters were caricatures, a checklist of features and little else. Readers of With Love, From Cold World will recognize John, and that part was fun, but the fun ended there. The sex scenes were some of the cringiest I've read and I just wanted to be done.

I'm so sad to say this wasn't the book for me.