Ugh, I’ve missed the Fall Away characters SO MUCH!!! This novella was the perfect way to introduce the second generation of characters while still rewarding fans of the series with cameos of the original characters. Plus, we finally get Katherine and Jason’s full story! Next to Never was the perfect tease from Penelope Douglas – it left me desperate for more, but I loved it all the same.

Quinn – Jared, Jax, and Madoc’s little sister – is now a teenager, but her life is being overshadowed by everyone in her family. There’s Jared’s Dylan, Jax’s Hawke, and Madoc’s twins Hunter and Kade, who all have their own personalities and problems that seem to be bigger than they are. They have a presence that Quinn doesn’t believe she has, and she’s afraid to go after what she wants and to mess up the status quo. She’s stuck in her life, with no direction out – but when a book lands on her doorstep, its contents changes everything for her.

It turns out the book is actually a diary… the story of her parents’ relationship. I don’t want to say much about Jason and Katherine’s story because I feel like it’s best to go in blind, but the road to their now-HEA has not been an easy one. They had an addicting, intense, and ultimately toxic relationship that broke them both… but you’ll have to read this novella to find out how they healed themselves and each other.

Honestly, there’s so much to love about this novella. Seeing the original cast of characters was such a delight – you have no idea how giddy I got every time they appeared on the page. Reading about them here made me fall in love with the series all over again, honestly. But now that I’ve finished Next to Never, I’m dying for more, especially Quinn and Lucas’s actual book! The wait for them is killer, but I know Penelope Douglas won’t disappoint. If you love the Fall Away series, I don’t know why you wouldn’t read this novella (that didn’t feel as short as a novella at all, thankfully), because it’s everything you expect and more from PD and the series!

Next to Never is told from Quinn’s POV, Katherine (Jared and Jax’s mom) and Jason’s (Madoc’s dad) seventeen year old daughter. This isn’t really Quinn’s story, it’s the romance and history of Katherine and Jason, but there is definitely a set up for her story to come next. Katherine and Jason’s story was passionate, at times toxic and heartbreaking, but this is a romance so you know ultimately there’s a HEA! That’s no spoiler since we already know Katherine and Jason are together in the present, but I had no idea what they went through to get there! I have to say, I felt more pain for Katherine than Jason; she lived her life around Jason’s because she was so in love with him; basically let him call the shots for so many years. I wanted to shake some sense into her, and then let her cry on my shoulder after sharing some ice cream! I wanted to kick Jason in the goods, but I could understand why he held back, too.

I didn’t expect to like Next to Never as much as I did, because let’s face it, Jared’s mom was kind of a train wreck, and selfishly didn’t put her son first in her life. This highly contributed to Jared being a monumental ass for a lot of his teenage years! But Penelope Douglas has a way of putting you in a person’s shoes, even the unlikable characters, and I had a very different opinion of Katherine by the end. Not that I condoned some of her decisions, but I could understand and sympathize. Ms. Douglas really captured the mixed feelings one can feel toward a parent who has screwed up or the pain of regret over our own errors. Most of us have made mistakes and wish we could go back and hit the redo button, so I get it. Katherine felt genuine regret and tried to right her wrongs. She has a lot of wisdom and love to share with her family. I was moved to tears a few times, swept up by all the emotion while reading!

I had no idea Ms. Douglas was going to fast forward so many years! Interspersed between chapters of Katherine and Jason’s romance are present day snippets from the teenage children of Jared, Jax, and Madoc. Quinn is one of the teenager’s of the bunch, just a couple years older than her nieces and nephews. With all the happenings I’m very interested in what happens next with Dylan (Jared & Tate’s teenage daughter) and Kade and Hunter (Madoc and Fallon’s teenage twin boys)! There is some definite drama between those three! Keep in mind that they’re not related.

Seventeen year old Quinn has had a mad crush on her older brother’s friend, Lucas, who’s been abroad for the last three years. At present she is seventeen and he’s close to thirty, but I think the story will happen when she’s in college. Still, that’s a big age difference and I think there’s going to be a lot of flak from the family if/when he returns Quinn’s feelings!

If you’re a fan of this series, this is a must read novella! The story was captivating and made me feel a whole range of emotions!

"Happiness is a direction, not a place."

I. LOVED. THIS. BOOK! It was a book within a book. Two stories wrapped in one. And it was fantastic. I always get a little nervous when a new book in a favorite series comes out, because, let's be honest, even though the characters aren't ours, we develop a connection with them. We think we know them and we're afraid of what may happen to them or to our idea of who they are. I knew I didn't have to worry this time because author Penelope Douglas knows her characters and does them proud. Next to Never is another amazing addition to the awesome Fall Away series. Well written, perfectly paced, with fabulous characters, new and old. To fully appreciate and enjoy his book, you must read the other books in the series, in order, first.

The story hooks you, grabs hold and reels you in from the start. It is told primarily from Quinn's POV. You'll recall Quinn is Jared and Madoc's half sister, born to Jared's mother and Madoc's father, after they get married. She is all grown up and feeling a little lost and restless. Along with Quinn, the children of our beloved original characters are introduced as the teens they are now. But this isn't Quinn's story, not really. Nor is it any of the other kids', though author Penelope Douglas does tease us with possible future storylines revolving around them.

As I said before, this is a story within a story. Quinn is at a crossroads. The novel explores life themes every teen feels when HS is ending and "adulthood" looms ahead; such as which path to choose, being true to yourself or being what others expect you to be; how to navigate this thing called life and find your happiness without disappointing those who love you.

In addition to getting an introduction to Quinn and where her story may take her, as well as, the other kids', we get the added bonus of finding out about the love affair between Jared's mom and Madoc's dad, from the beginning. We see the ugly side of love and what it can do to a person, how it can change them. How it can ultimately help them find redemption. What a story! I ran through all the emotions for these two. I loved, hated, got angry and felt sorry for them. Above all, they gave me hope and had me believing that love does find a way.

Next To Never had me swooning all over again. It answers so many questions about the past and why the characters did what they did and opens the door for the future with so many possibilities for our beloved characters. The story is engaging, dramatic, filled with angst and emotion. If you're a fan of the series and a fan of author Penelope Douglas' writing, you will not be disappointed. Must read and highly recommend. If you haven't read Bully, the book that started it all, what are you waiting for?? Get on it. You'll be happy you did.

5 STARS <33

I was so excited to read Next to Never, since I love this series.Each book gives you something and the characters were all loveable.Penelope did an amazing job with this one as well!!She is so talented and her books are addictive!!

The way the story developed with actually two stories was brilliant.And you can see all the characters from the series who are now adult. This book was the perfect piece of puzzle that will connect the previous characters with the upcoming one!

I'm so eager to see Quinn's story.If you love the Fall Away series, you are going to love this book for sure!!!

Next to Never is the bridge connecting the past with the future, setting the stage for the next generation of the Fall Away series. It re-introduces Jared, Madoc, and Jax's little sister, Quinn, and their own teenage children as restless, angst-ridden high schoolers ready to dive into their own share of drama. I considered the blurb for Next to Never to be deliberately vague so I won't say much about the plot because, like me, I think you should go in knowing nothing and see for yourself just what Penelope Douglas has up her sleeve. I'll tell you this though: this was a very clever way to tell a story, one I didn't see coming at all and thoroughly enjoyed. Not only did we get a complete love story in this book, the groundwork has been set for so much more from these characters!

It's a little strange for me to see Quinn as a senior in high school, full of teenage angst and dreams and desires after knowing her only as the baby born into this intricately woven family, completely oblivious to the antics her older brothers were up to in Bully, Rival, and Falling Away. But anything that brings me back to these characters, their family, the humor and banter exclusive only to these characters, is guaranteed to be a winner in my book. And Next to Never was just that... a WINNER.

This is actually kind of brilliant what Douglas does here. This is a seriously clever, refreshing way to tell a story. So many possibilities take root in this novella. (I should also mention this didn't feel like a novella to me, it felt like a full length novel.) What I thought would be difficult to wrap my mind around became a storyline I was completely consumed with and I am overwhelmed with excitement over the possibilities of what's to come. I want ALL the stories right now.

I won't tell you anything about this book other than it's a story that demands you believe in happily ever afters. It's a story for every romantic, a story that demonstrates that, even when a lifetime of obstacles seem to stand in the way, things have a way of working out. It's a book of life lessons, of red flags, of what NOT to do. It's a book of heartbreak and bad decisions and forbidden love that, once finished, might just convince a young naive reader that she can go on and find the right kind of love for herself, the healthy kind, the kind she can fight for knowing that, even with every obstacle standing in the way, happy endings are possible. It's a cautionary tale, warning the reader not to waste time, to chase their own dreams, to find their own happiness. Next to Never is the story every fan of the Fall Away series needs and doesn't even know it. Connecting the past with the present, laying the groundwork for the future while also reminding every reader where it all began, Penelope Douglas takes us through a story we knew but had never heard. And she does it brilliantly.

5 Never Ending Stars!

I'm telling you...this series, these characters, the story lines with these characters can go on forever and never end and I'll be just happy! I can't get enough of Jared and Tate's friends and family.

Next to Never is an unexpected story within a story. Yeah, that probably didn't make sense, but it's a must read for fans. This books explains the beginning of Jared and Madoc's friendship, the relationship between Jason and Katherine and how the Bully gang all came together. And again, I'll just say I loved every page!

There's not much to be said about this novella without spoiling the surprises, but I guaranteed you'll be consumed by this read and wanting more by the time you read the last page. I know I am. Just to note, it's good to refresh you memory of who is who. There are so many kids between the families and it's easy to forget who belongs to who. Here's a great family tree that the author shares:


I'm ready to read about the next generation of the Fall Away series!

This is exactly what you expect from Douglas and the Fall Away series! Its sweet, angsty, and swoon worthy love! This book really gives us a look back. You get to see some of the relationships from previous books from a different view. Quinn, our heroine, gets to hear how people who weren't suppose to be together fought for love. The stories Quinn reads help her make the decision to fight for her own forbidden love with Lucas. This book acts move like a bridge from the past (previous books and more past events not told in previous books) to the future (Quinn and Lucas). Its short and full of love! If you are a fan of the series, this is a book not to miss!

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.

Have you ever wondered how it all started? How our favorites came to be? To be honest it never really occurred to me but after reading Next to Never I am wondering how could I have never wondered?!

Next to Never is sort of a tale of two books. You get to see our favorites with their kids and the trouble they are getting into and then we get to see how the patriarchs started it all. There were moments in this book that left me tears. I just felt the pain of this couple. The angst was real. I mean our Fall Away kids had to learn how to get a good angst going from someone right?

I’ve followed this series from the beginning. Met and fell in love and hated and then fell in love with all the gang. Now we have Quinn’s story. But was it really her story? Or just a coming of age and seeing the family she has grown up with different eyes? It all started with a book that was sent to her. She wants a different journey than what her father wants for her. When she starts reading it she realizes that there is a message there just for her. To never settle, and to go after your dreams.

There are also some side storylines going on with Madoc’s kids and Jared’s kids. I can’t wait to see how all that turn out. I see a lot of their parents in these kids. I have the feeling that their stories are just going to as epic as their parents were. And if and WHEN they come out I will one click those books as soon as I can.

DNF...I have not read the previous books and was lost...thanks

I love, love, love the Fall Away Series and this was a really sweet and unique look into the history of the family. I love seeing Jared, Madoc and Jax as Dads, and I especially loved the buildup to what will be Quinn's love story. Can't wait!