Review: Next to Never by Penelope Douglas

Next to Never by Penelope Douglas
Find the Author: Website, Twitter, Facebook, Goodreads
Published by Penguin on January 17th 2017
Genres: Romance
Purchase links: Amazon, iTunes
Add to Goodreads
Source: NetGalley, Penguin Random House

New York Times bestseller Penelope Douglas introduces Quinn, younger sister to Jared, Madoc, and Jaxon, in the latest novella in the series that began with Jared and Tate in Bully....

Quinn Caruthers has several problems.

Her father, Jason, and her three older brothers, Jared, Madoc, and Jaxon.

Under the close watch of the men in her family, Quinn has found it nearly impossible to spread her wings—or even date—without them jumping in to hover. And when a family friend—several years older—from her childhood captures her heart, she knows they’re going to be a problem. Lucas Morrow is a man—experienced, sophisticated, and important. And knowing her brothers, he may as well be forbidden.

But Lucas left town years ago and shows no signs of returning. Quinn knows she shouldn’t wait for him anymore.

But then a package turns up on her doorstep with no return address and its contents reveal family secrets that threaten to turn Quinn’s world upside down. She’s never asked about the tumultuous path of her parents’ romantic history, but she soon learns their happy marriage had a very rocky and passionate start.

As she begins to see things around her with new eyes, Quinn will have to make tough choices about whether she’ll keep waiting…or finally go after what she really wants.

We received this book/audiobook for free in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect our opinion of the book or the content of our review.

Amazon US – Amazon UK – Amazon AUS – Nook – iTunes – Kobo

Jenn’s Review: 5+++ stars

This is a spinoff or better said a continuation of the Fall Away series. The main focus is on Quinn who is the daughter of Katherine and Jason and half sister of Madoc and Jared. This is fast forward many years into the future and Madoc, Jason, Jax are all married and have kids and those kids are so alike their parents in so many ways.

Quinn is missing her crush Lucas who left town four years ago and she hasn’t heard from him since that day. But she stills care about him and thinks of him every day. One day she receives a romance novel by a unknown sender, a book that will change how she sees the world and the people she loves but most and foremost the way she sees herself and what she wants from life.

The huge problem with this book is that it had to end!

I thought I was done with the Fall Away series and its characters but this story made me realize that I was just deluding myself and I will never be done with it. This was such a fresh delight and I can’t express all the love I feel, nothing would come close. I never saw this twist of events coming but I couldn’t be happier for it. The joy of reading this book is so great it can’t be put into words. Each of the characters shined through with all their glory and it was very visible to see how much potential there is for future stories to come.

Penelope Douglas keeps writing one success after another and I can’t seem to ever satisfy my cravings for her amazing and well developed characters and stories that touch my heart and soul on a different and special level. She is without a doubt one of the most talented authors I have ever had the pleasure and honor to read books from and she will last a long long time in this industry. One of my absolute favorite authors and I simply adore her unique way to bring out every emotion within in me, her ability to break and heal me at the same time.

My heart is recommending this book with all the shiny stars in heaven. And I can’t wait to see what Penelope does next and I truly hopes she continues to write more and more of this amazing group of people who are invading my world with such an unexplainable force.

Caro’s Review: 5+ stars

Penelope Douglas is in my top 3 favorite authors ever, and with good reason. Her books are full of emotions, they bring me to the edges of my comfort zone and then some – and I love it. Not many books do speak to me on such a personal level. However, Mrs. Douglas being the genius she is just managed to make me cry within a novella that only took me a good 2,5 hours to read not only once but 3 times! But I also laughed, swooned and was just deliriously happy to see my favorite characters from the Fall Away Series again.

Please note that this novella is not a standalone or prequel to a new series. You should read Penelope Douglas’ Fall Away series first.

I won’t tell anything regarding the plot. Just that this book was from the POV of Quinn, Jason and Katherine Caruther’s teenage daughter. But it is not her story, it’s more of an update on the “Original Fall Away Laners”, a little bit of introduction to the next generation and most of all the love-story of Jason and Katherine.

And even though I was so happy to see everyone again, it just upped my appetite and I need more. Pronto LOL There are so many books I wish for in the future, so many characters I’d like to read more about. I hope Penelope hears (or rather reads) my pleas and makes them come true. BUT regardless of what is there to come or not, I’m really in love with “Next to Never” and I rate it 5+ stars.

Vivian’s Review: 10 stars!

The FALL AWAY group is back!!! *happy dance*

After flying through BULLY, UNTIL YOU, RIVAL, FALLING AWAY, AFLAME, and ADRENALINE, I couldn’t think of anything that Penelope “Pen” Douglas could do to complete those stories anymore for me. Man, was I wrong on so many levels! Pen is just BRILLIANT! Her storytelling was done to perfection in this continuation of the FALL AWAY series. The way that she built on to this world was powerful and vivid. Her meticulous and creative touches to the series has blown me away and exceeded ALL my hopes and dreams for this series and the characters.

“Happiness is a direction, not a place.”

I was captivated and completely consumed by this novella. Like stay up late reading. Wake up in the middle of the night and read more. Wake up early to read more, type of consumed. This. Book. Was. EVERTHING! I devoured Every. Single. Page. and craved more.

NEXT TO NEVER “NTN” is the building block, so to speak, to the next generation series and it has completely brought all the pieces together from the first books and made everything fit flawlessly together. In my mind, NTN gave some closer and peace to some characters, but it also did a significant job of setting up the foundation for the next books in the series.

“But does it make you feel good? Sacrificing your own happiness to please others?” -Quinn’s mom

I went into this book with somewhat of a blank slate. I say that because I had no idea which way Pen was going to take this. It was said that “this is not Quinn and Lucas’ story”, but then who is it about, if not them? Of course, Pen loves to have tons of surprises up her sleeves and she sure got me on this one. This is NOT a retelling of the first books, but more of a parallel world. It’s so hard to properly explain this book without ruining it for others. We get the story through Quinn Caruthers’s eyes and voice (if you’ve read the other books, you know who she is). Family secrets are brought to the surface and revealed. I feel as if the synopsis gives enough details about what the book entails and if you’re NOT new to the series, I expect you’ll appreciate me not saying more and spoiling it for you. And if you ARE new to the series, then I’d recommend you STOP now and read the other books in the series first, at the very least BULLY and AFLAME. Truly, I am not trying to trick you into buying the other books in the series, but I personally feel like you won’t fully grasp the inner turmoil and meaning of this book and the characters, if you don’t read at least those two books first.

“The hardest part is jumping. I can’t retreat, and I can’t keep trying to please the world.” –Quinn.

This novella was an emotional read and gave me all the feels. It was plain and simply the perfect set up for the future books and I can NOT wait for them. I just know deep down in my bones that Pen has epic plans for this next generation FALL AWAY group and I’ll be patiently (not so patiently) waiting.

“But I have learned one thing tonight. Life moves fast, and the next forty years will be here before I know it. I don’t want to wake up at fifty-eight with regret.” –Quinn.

a Rafflecopter giveaway