A sweet, friends to lovers romance that’s great for summer!

I’ll admit that this book had me at drive-in. I adored going to the drive-in as a kid, so I loved how Janovsky used one as the backdrop to this new adult, LGBTQ+ rom-com.

This is why it made my list of hottest summer reads of 2022 in romance!

Coming from an avid romance reader, it feels odd to admit that I came to be more interested in the side stories of this romance, including the fate of the drive-in, than I was in Wren and Derick’s will they/won’t they romance.

The story centers around Wren, a twenty-something, recent college grad who is spending the summer as a manager at the drive-in where he essentially grew up.

But before starting his job, he accidentally drunk-sends a few emails to his “almost kiss” crushes one night after a few too many lamenting how he’s yet to have his first kiss.

I honestly was set and ready for a book that followed Wren awkwardly reconnecting with his former beaus given the book synopsis but it really just focused on one “what could have been” – Derick.

Throw in a mishmash of his queer besties, a queer director who’s become a hermit and a young adult trying to find his way and his identity and you have a story.

To me, the growth of Wren as a character was the standout of the book. I enjoyed learning about his struggles with his identity, his struggles to figure out “what’s next” with his career and his bond with a now elderly woman who’s feature film from eons ago he’s determined to view and premiere at the drive-in.

I found the initial point of the story, his lack of a first kiss at age 22, just sort of faded into the background for me as I wasn’t really invested in his relationship or rather rekindled friendship with Derick.

Plus, I found his friendships with Mateo and Avery just a distraction.

Overall, this was a great debut novel with wonderful writing an engaging story that I think many will enjoy.

If you enjoy sweet, rom-coms (and very clean MM romances) then check it out.

*Thank you to Netgalley for the advanced reader copy. All opinions are my own.

[4.5] what a charming summer NA rom-com! i’ve admittedly never had the privilege of visiting a drive-in movie theater before, and yet, i was still somehow tickled with an underlying sense of nostalgia lined with the buttery smell of fresh popcorn 🍿

from the very first few chapters where 22-year-old Wren impulsively sends out emails to four of his near-kisses in an alcohol-fueled frenzy and then discovers the recipient of one such email (his former friend/past crush Derick) will actually be working at the same drive-in theater for the summer, i was hooked. i personally enjoyed how the romance was approached from more of a tame, slow-burn angle with a greater emphasis on their rekindled friendship upon entering each other’s lives once more.

however, i must say that my absolute favorite aspect of this book by far was the acespec rep. TOP TIER. as a hopeless romantic and baby demisexual who was often labeled as the "late bloomer" of the bunch growing up, i could relate to so many of Wren’s experiences & thought processes, nodding my head in agreement at a frequency that could've had passersby nclined to think that i was possessed by an enthusiastic bobblehead 😆 needless to say, it is undeniably empowering to be seen via characters in such a raw and honest way.

now i’ll admit the story read more like your standard rom-com movie in that the topics were approached with a relatively superficial touch, but it didn’t bother me as i’d initially picked this up for a lighter cozy read in my sea of mystery/suspense novels. my main niggle had to do with one of Wren’s best friends, Mateo. the embodiment of poor work ethic, he takes advantage of his manager being Wren to brush off any valid criticisms directed his way and instead muck about. he explains his reasons later on, but i found it selfish that he didn't stop to consider from a friend’s perspective how his performance would reflect on Wren and thought he had the right to feel slighted when Wren justifiably snapped at his lackadaisical attitude. once i saw Wren was made to apologize first… i was so done with his character 😤

that being said, i still rounded up my rating to reflect how much i could relate to Wren’s journey of self-discovery. i also found his very relatable mindset while on the precipice of stepping into the full-fledged adult world to be reassuring, a reminder that we are the furthest thing from alone in facing the major source of anxiety, especially for new graduates, that is not knowing what the future holds for us. not to mention, the endearingly grouchy recluse of a grandma aka Alice and her long-awaited moment in the spotlight as a movie director offered the most heartwarming of subplots.

i say this one's worth a read if you’re looking for a solid rom-com to devour!

<i>Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing a copy of the book in exchange for an honest review :)</i>

This book was like a combination of To All the Boys I've Loved Before and The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo... but not necessarily in a good way. The plot felt like it had been cherry-picked from these two books quite directly and retooled to fit a slightly different narrative. This isn't a bad thing necessarily but I felt it added nothing to either plot and the changes it made weren't significant enough to just chalk it up to inspiration. I should be clear, I'm not saying this book is the same as either of those in any way. It's just not different enough to be enjoyable.

I'm not sure how to put my thoughts into a cohesive sentence here. I didn't not like this book. I just liked those other two more and found the similarities off-putting. I also, like many others, found the protagonist's obsession with his first kiss to be a little immature and odd. Not that every 22 year old has had their first kiss but that your first kiss isn't a big deal once you're not like 13. And making into a big deal is straight up embarrassing.

Now you're wondering why this book got 3 stars if I didn't like any part of it. I actually didn't mind the plot overall. I thought it was enjoyable alone and if you haven't read the other two books mentioned, you will have no issue with it. It just pales in comparison to the other books.

As Wren reflects back on the past few years on the cusp of graduation, he regrets never having put himself out there and kissed another guy. This leads him to do Something Big, as mentioned in the book description section. Sending all those emails is bad enough, but Wren has to spend the summer working with Derick, one of the recipients.

Wren loves working at the local drive in movie theatre, but he’s not quite sure how to compartmentalize his longtime summer job now that Derick is also working there. As one might guess, drive in movie theatres have been declining since the advent of the mega multiplex, and the future of the drive in plays a major role in the plot.

While I don’t want to give everything away, I will also say that Wren finds himself trying to earn the trust of a local director, who has been living as a recluse for the past forty years. Wren and Derick’s interactions with her provided a great deal of comic relief.

One of the best things about this book is not whether or not Wren achieves his goal of being kissed, but rather that he comes to the realization that he is demisexual and needs to feel an emotional connection to a potential partner before feeling physical attraction. This explanation solidifies that there is nothing wrong with Wren’s lack of kissing; it just was never the right time. That being said, this is not a novel of sexual awakening per se. Wren does not start the book with never being kissed and end the book with having “gone all the way.” The book’s low heat reflects Wren getting comfortable with himself and with being in a romantic relationship.

I would absolutely recommend Never Been Kissed. This is low angst romance will appeal to YA readers as well as adult readers. While there are moments of conflict, this book is lighthearted and fun. Wren, who serves as the sole narrator, is a good guy with a kind heart, and it was so satisfying to things come together (no pun intended; I already said it was low heat) for him over the course of the book. I’m already looking forward to Janovsky’s next book, which is due to be released later this year.

I received a digital ARC of this book from Sourcebooks Casablanca/NetGalley

This book was sweet, but just didn't work well for me. The characters just seemed too old in age to be acting the age that they did. If they had been 18, it would have made a bit more sense to me, but these were people graduating college. The writing was good, and the movie references fun, but the plot just dragged along a bit too much for me.

This is a story about first love — and the expectations we have for others and ourselves. Wren Roland loves movies — he just graduated with a film studies major and is planning to spend the summer (and maybe beyond) as the manager of the drive-in movie theater where he has worked for the last several years. All he is missing is a first kiss worthy of the romcoms he loves so much.

When he has a little too much to drink one night, he sends out draft messages to the four boys he had crushes on before coming out, including Derick, his high school crush. When Derick responds to Wren’s note, he makes clear that he does not feel the same way. To make matters worse, Wren learns that Derick will also be working at the drive-in as the social media intern — and he is sure an awkward summer awaits. But as Wren and Derick spend more and more time together working on a project that may save the drive-in, each realizes they have more to learn about themselves and that they may have a path to a first kiss after all — if they can stay out of their own ways.

This book was terrific — thoughtful, funny, and, most of all, heartwarming. Wren is such a compelling main character. The author did a terrific job of portraying the challenges of this time of life, as you are leaving college and figuring out what future you want. The author also handled with nuance and depth Wren’s growing understanding of his own sexuality and how it impacted his relationship with others. Finally, I throughly enjoyed the subplot about the long forgotten horror movie, and Wren and Derick’s mission to bring it to light. This is a delightful story that you’ll be very glad you picked up.

Very strongly recommended!

“I thought all these firsts came in a predetermined timeline, but relationships can’t chart a course over three acts like a screenplay. Life is so much messier than a story arc.”

NEVER BEEN KISSED is an adorable, earnest new adult queer romance about second chances and the meaningful struggle of finding out more about yourself. The main pairing is Wren Roland, movie buff and drive-in theater manager, and Derick Haverford, the theater’s new social media intern and Wren’s old high school friend - and former crush. The story starts the summer after they both graduate college when Wren, set on finally getting his first kiss, sends off a series of “To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before”-style emails to all the boys he’s almost kissed, including Derick.

This book is very fun and sweet. Wren and Derick have fantastic chemistry, and I loved watching their relationship evolve alongside Wren’s self-discovery and Derick’s character growth. A major focus in the book is Wren figuring out that he’s demisexual, and the representation is so powerful - nuanced, insightful, and affirming. There’s a goofy, supportive friend group, a reclusive, snarky older woman who’s both secretly queer and an infamous director, and a fight to save a charming small business from an evil corporate takeover. Some moments are a bit cheesy and the plot points aren’t particularly original, but I was nevertheless won over by this tender, swoony romance. Thanks to Sourcebooks Casablanca and Dreamscape Media for the review copies!

Content warnings: homophobia, family rejection

Never Been Kissed was a absolute delight! I wasn't sure what I was going to read but I loved every second of this book. I loved that cast of characters and the love story was quite sweet. I can't wait to read what this author writes next.
*Thank you to netgalley and the publisher for this ARC in exchange for my honest review*

4 stars! This is exactly the type of story that I think would translate well to a movie or miniseries—the dialogue is cute and witty, the characters relatable, and the chapters short enough that they translate well to "scenes". I can't help but compare it to <i>To All The Boys I've Loved Before</i> because of the opening premise, but that's where all the similarities end.

Derrick and Wren are so cute. As someone who identifies as demisexual, the representation felt spot-on. Grappling with wanting to be in love, wanting to be wanted, and wanting all the affection that comes with it, and yet finding it impossible to form that attachment without the emotional bond—it's not an easy weight to carry, and I love that it took Wren a while to get to a place where he was comfortable enough to pursue a romantic connection!

Beyond the romance, I loved all the other characters: Avery, Mateo, Earl, and Alice. They were all so easy to love even when their flaws were on full display, and they added to the story even when they weren't involved in the blossoming bond between Derrick and Wren.

(Is is sad that I wish I could watch the zombie movie?? Can you write that movie in book format, Timothy??)

22-year-old Wren is trying to figure out what his life after college will look like, and is spending the summer working as a manager at his beloved drive-in movie theater while he figures it out. But after a drunken night out with his friends, he sends out 4 emails to 4 boys he *almost* kissed… and he shows up to his first shift to find that one of those boys is also working at the drive in this summer. Enter: Derick, Wren’s best friend from high school, who ghosted him after they graduated. They have to work together while navigating complex emotions from the past, and deciding together what they can be to each other in the future.

There’s so much queer love in this book, and a stacked cast of excellent side characters. Through the book, Wren also comes to realize that he may fall under the Ace umbrella as demisexual, needing a secure emotional relationship and attachment to a person before feeling sexual attraction. I thought these conversations among Wren and his friends were really thoughtfully handled, and it was so sweet to read about how a label could provide him with so much clarity about himself and his relationships. Although, as a friend pointed out in her review, there was a disappointing “for now” caveat that came with the love interest’s acceptance of Wren’s demisexuality.

Overall, this was a fun new adult read and I love that more Ace stories are being told. It read a little young and was somewhat slow at times, but I think it’ll make for a great book for the summer. There’s a whole side plot featuring a 70-something retired film director that takes up most of the book that I haven’t even touched in this review, so I guess you’ll just have to read it to learn about Alice!

This book was very sweet. One of my favorite aspects of it was the age of the characters. They have just finished college and are in what, I imagine, is a weird limbo between college life and work life. I also found it very interesting having an elder,Alice, as a very important side character, she was definitely my favorite character.
As an AroAce person I related a lot to Wren’s internal conflict with his first kiss and I think he’s a great representation to people that don’t come to full terms with their sexuality after their teenage years which the stories available make us think is the norm.
I can’t pinpoint what aspect of the book didn’t make me fall in love with it but it just didn’t happen even though it has a lot of elements that would point in that direction. It’s a good book that i will definitely recommend to followers and friends but it wasn’t my favorite.

I loved how this book is a mix of the best parts of second-chance and small-town romance because it's all about the feels and pulling you in so you care about the characters and the things they're passionate about. It also has a couple of great subplots with background characters that show that there's a lot more going on behind people's smiles and frowns than most will ever consider.
Wren and Derick are captivating characters and they both have interesting details that make their story and eventual HEA that much more endearing. And they're surrounded by a cast of characters that help make the rest of the story as much about other parts of the plot as it is about their relationship.
And I can't let the chance pass to praise Janovsky for putting such care into explaining demisexuality
in such a simple yet profound way and letting Wren just be himself within the frameworks.

Happy thanks to NetGalley and Sourcebooks Casablanca for the sweet read!

I’m always on the hunt for a good New Adult novel, and with comparisons to Red, White & Royal Blue and Boyfriend Material, I was eager to dive into Never Been Kissed by Timothy Janovsky (Boy Meets Boy #1). Unfortunately, it failed to deliver.

In Never Been Kissed, Wren Roland has you guessed it, never been kissed. With college graduation looming and the future looking uncertain (what’s he going to do with a film degree?), he feels like he’s falling behind on the milestones his peers have long since experienced. So, in a fit of drunken bravado and desperation on the night of his 22nd birthday, he sends out four emails that have been sitting in his drafts for years – one for each boy he almost kissed.

Regret sets in the next morning, heightened by his hangover and a response from Derick Haverford, the best friend who ghosted him freshman year. “I didn’t think of you like that” wasn’t exactly what he was hoping to hear, but it’s fine; Wren can ghost him right back – except it turns out Derick is the new social media intern at Wiley’s Drive-In, where Wren has just been promoted to manager after working there every summer since he was 15.

The main draw is ostensibly the romance between Wren and Derick, but it falls a little flat. Rather than a slow build, it’s more like a plateau followed by a sudden spike. One minute the boys are slowly becoming friends again and the next Derick is making a move – which backfires. This does lead to some discussion of demisexuality, which is nice – and rare – to see, but the way demisexuality is explained to Wren feels like an after-school special and is only shallowly explored.

Derick also feels a bit shallow, the outline of a leading man without the details filled in. Wren is more fleshed out, awkward, and overthinking, and his post-college “now what?” uncertainty is definitely relatable. But for all the buildup about that silver screen-worthy first kiss, when it finally happens. it’s anticlimactic and brief.

Overall, the book feels very immature, in both story and style.

Wren and his friends seem more like teens than 20-somethings, and I think it would have worked better as a YA novel. However, the purple prose is the biggest distraction. Lines that are clearly meant to be romantic or evocative are just cheesy, and it seems like every other paragraph contains an overwrought simile or metaphor.

It also gets bogged down in minutiae that doesn’t serve the story, and Wren’s voice is sometimes weirdly formal and stilted. It just feels like it’s trying too hard, but there are occasional turns of phrases that land beautifully, suggesting that with some more practice and polish the author has potential.

The real appeal of the novel is in Wiley’s Drive-In and Alice Kelly, the notorious local recluse whose 1970s directorial debut was cut short by a bitter husband and industry misogyny. Wiley’s evokes strong nostalgia and summer vibes, especially if, like me, you grew up going to a local mom-and-pop drive-in joint.

With Wiley’s struggling in the modern age of blockbusters and IMAX, Wren is desperate to save it and he knows just the thing – hosting the premiere that never was for Alice Kelly’s Chompin’ at the Bit, a zombie movie with queer undertones that’s been locked away since the original premiere was canceled after a smear campaign by her less-talented husband. He just has to convince Alice, which is easier said than done.

I would love to read a whole novel about Alice. She’s eccentric and angry and brilliant. Her own queer love story that tragically ended too soon, which inspired Chompin’ at the Bit, and the sexist vitriol of the film industry that drove her into hiding are only briefly summarized. There’s so much left to be explored, and so much that could be said about our society, in her story.

This was *very* sweet. Super fluffy in all the right ways. The main characters are likable and I especially loved Wren’s mind always being able to connect his experiences to film, even if it sometimes got to be a little bit much. As a reformed theatre kid, I appreciated Mateo’s broadway references as well. And of course I loved Avery; queer girlies stick together.

I really liked this book’s approach to discussions about sexuality and identity. If I’d read this when I was still figuring everything out, it would have been so comforting.

I suppose that brings me to my main critique which was that I couldn’t tell who this book was written for. It’s tame, which is fine and I love that, but it read like a YA, but all of the characters being fresh-out-of-college kids makes it hard for a say, high schooler to feel connected to the text and identify with the characters. There’s a lot of stuff in there that’s more common in adult romcoms, and the book itself says it’s for adults but it just felt a little immature at times. [This is in no way a judgement or critique of Wren’s approach to relationships or sexuality or self-understanding. I’m an ace lesbian and for SURE am mostly in the same boat as him. There’s just something about the voice that feels younger than it ought to.


TW: vague familial homophobia

DNF at 30%
I was so excited for this book - the title referencing a classic romcom movie, an adorable cover, queer romance, a drive-in setting - but knew pretty early on it wasn't for me. The characters immediately seemed childish and irritating, and I wasn't clicking with them or the writing. I don't think I would have minded so much if they were a few years younger and this was a YA book, but I wasn't expecting the characters to be so young and they FELT younger than they were.

"𝙸 𝚍𝚘𝚗'𝚝 𝚎𝚟𝚎𝚗 𝚜𝚎𝚝𝚝𝚕𝚎 𝚏𝚘𝚛 𝙿𝚎𝚙𝚜𝚒 𝚠𝚑𝚎𝚗 𝙸 𝚊𝚜𝚔 𝚏𝚘𝚛 𝙲𝚘𝚔𝚎. 𝙶𝚒𝚟𝚒𝚗𝚐 𝚞𝚙 𝚘𝚗 𝚖𝚢 𝚙𝚎𝚛𝚏𝚎𝚌𝚝 𝚔𝚒𝚜𝚜 𝚒𝚜𝚗'𝚝 𝚎𝚡𝚊𝚌𝚝𝚕𝚢 𝚊𝚗 𝚘𝚙𝚝𝚒𝚘𝚗 𝚏𝚘𝚛 𝚖𝚎."

If you're looking for a feel-good summer read then you should definitely put Never Been Kissed by Timothy Janovsky on your radar! It has that perfect blend of slow-burn romance, comedy, and a whole lot of drunk email confessions, almost-kisses , movies and popcorn! I loved how this book also features a Demisexual/questioning MC, which let's be honest—doesn't get represented a lot in romance books. It's more than just a swoony romcom and you'll get that if you read this book! Thank you, Timothy for writing one of my favorite books this year!

I was super excited for Never Been Kissed; I expected a fun romcom with university graduates as main characters. There was some exploration of what it is to be on that brink of adulthood, of what changes when student leaves university to start a full-time job. I liked that, particularly when it is less explored in romance. There was also a nice exploration of sexuality and finding oneself. However, rest of the book did not click with me.

For one, it felt really immature. Wren and his friends are university graduates, but they honestly felt like high school graduates. For example, Wren's friend Mateo spend all his time at work texting and phoning his boyfriend, to the point where he cannot do the job - he even causes a dangerous situation because of his negligence. When he's reprimanded of his actions, he throws a fit and demands an apology. It was such immature behaviour that I had trouble imagining him being in his twenties. Worst of all, his behaviour was not really addressed. There was also this undercurrent YA feel in the book, which is no necessarily bad, but here it highlighted the feeling that the characters felt younger than they were.

Secondly, I struggled with the romance. Much of the background - Wren and Derick were friends in the past and Wren had a huge crush on him - was not shown. When they reconnected, most of their conversations were off page so the connection between them felt superficial. It lacked depth and they didn't have much chemistry, so it was difficult to root for them.

Thirdly, the constant film references became exhausting. There were so many references and I understood maybe third of them. For me, that was not a good reading experience since I don't want to spend time googling all these classic film references, which were not explained. Few of those would have been good, but there were too many for my taste.

Overall, the plot of saving the drive in was good. It carried a lot of this story for me, since the connection with romance and characters was missing. In short, Never Been Kissed was not a book for me. It had good themes and okay plot, but I couldn't connect with the characters and the romance.

A new adult rom com that takes place at a drive-in? This book was made for me. I absolutely loved the many layers of this book. Wren’s relationship with Alice, a woman he studies for his film studies thesis and befriends over the course of the book as he works to give her film a new life, is very sweet and funny.

As for the romantic leads, seeing Wren as demi/ace representation in a book was amazing. Even more so because this aspect of Wren’s character is a subject of inner conflict, but it is accepted and welcomed immediately by Derick once Wren works it out. I just know that so many people who are dealing with the same insecurities as Wren will read this book and feel seen and accepted by the fact that the conflict in Wren and Derick’s relationship never stems from that aspect of Wren’s identity. I spent so much of this book waiting for the hammer to fall—expecting Wren’s ace-ness to be used against him somehow, and it simply never was. I love that so much.

I just so genuinely enjoyed reading this book. If you’re still in your #Heartstopper hangover, I highly recommend checking out Never Been Kissed when it releases May 3rd for the perfect queer summer rom com.

This book was a bit slow and had too much plot and not enough romance. The little bits of romance I did see was very well done, however. I liked the development of the relationship. The friends, especially Mateo, annoyed me so much. very cute premise though.

Never Been Kissed is the kind of story I know I'll be recommending for ages. The perfect aspec romcom for anyone who's ever felt lost, like they didn't belong, or just on the outside because of the oversexualisation of our society.

Wren just finished college and is planning on spending his last summer before "official" adulthood working at the drive-in he adores, hanging out with his friends, and figuring out what he wants to do after this summer. But when emails about his almost-kisses get sent out to his four former crushes, things get interesting for Wren - especially when he finds out one of the recipients will be working alongside him at the drive-in.

THIS BOOK WAS PERFECT! I adored every sentence, every page, I have no complaints whatsoever. The friendships, while not being the main focus but still playing a vital role, were beautiful and all of Wren's friends had stories of their own that worked so well with the plot. Wren figuring out his sexuality and landing on demisexual (and gay) will make so many people feel seen and I love that so much! His love story with Derick was a beautiful slow burn that respected boundaries and what these two were comfortable with, with a huge emphasis on consent.
And let's not even get started on Wren trying and failing and trying again to figure out what he wants to do with the rest of his life - he's not quite there yet, but at least he's following his dreams by the end of the story. Wren's whole journey regarding bringing to to life an old queer movie by a queer director that was forced into oblivion due to Hollywood's bigoted and sexist ways gave me life. I LOVED this plot line and how Wren handled it all with my whole heart!

Never Been Kissed is a beautiful romcom for anyone who believes in the magic of movies (and love), who loves epic slow burns and friends to lovers stories, who can't be without a gorgeous queer love story for too long, and who is absolutely there for a summer romance filled with fluff and great friendships!

Thank you to NetGalley and SourceBooks Casablanca for this eARC!