Parents' Guide to

Never Always Sometimes

By Amanda May Dundas, Common Sense Media Reviewer

age 14+

Best friends veer toward love in sweet, offbeat romance.

Book Adi Alsaid Coming of Age 2015
Never Always Sometimes Poster Image

A Lot or a Little?

What you will—and won't—find in this book.

Community Reviews

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age 18+

Based on 1 parent review

sfoutz
sfoutz Adult
August 10, 2022
age 18+
There were a few swear words but not a ton. There are two parties with beer and a part where one character is hung-over. There is also minor, vague descriptions of sex. As an adult, I could figure out what was happening. As for the story, it was good but not the ending I wanted, which is why I give it three stars. But someone could have a different opinion of the characters and like it more than me.
See all 1 parent review

What's the Story?

Dave and Julia have always been best friends. Both are basically motherless (Dave's mother died when he was little, and Julia is raised by two dads, although she's in sporadic contact with her biological mom), and, perhaps as a result, their relationship is incredibly close. Now in their senior year, they find an old list they'd compiled detailing all sorts of common high school behaviors they swore to avoid, and they decide to do everything on the list. Julia doesn't know that Dave, in love with her for years, has already broken the last vow on their list: "Never secretly pine after someone for all of high school." As they start acting more like typical teens -- attending keg parties and campaigning for prom king -- they discover just what they've been missing, including the possibility of love.

Is It Any Good?

Our review:
Parents say (1 ):
Kids say (2 ):

This romantic coming-of-age story about two teens doing everything they swore they'd never do in high school shows how beautiful the gray areas of life can be. The football captain may be a nice, interesting guy or the nerdy math teacher may have important life lessons to share. What starts out as a joke exercise for seniors Dave and Julia turns into a formative experience as they learn that life is too messy to be divided into things you want to do "always" or "never"; you could miss out on many amazing opportunities.

Talk to Your Kids About ...

  • Families can talk about what it's like when your feelings for a friend change. Have you ever started liking a friend more or less or in a way different from before?

  • Why are teen books with do- or do-not lists so popular? What about the structure of a list helps move the story along?

  • What's one experience you want to have in high school?

Book Details

  • Author: Adi Alsaid
  • Genre: Coming of Age
  • Topics: Friendship , High School
  • Book type: Fiction
  • Publisher: Harlequin Teen
  • Publication date: August 4, 2015
  • Publisher's recommended age(s): 13 - 18
  • Number of pages: 320
  • Available on: Paperback, Nook, Audiobook (unabridged), Hardback, iBooks, Kindle
  • Last updated: March 20, 2019

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