Tender. Juicy. Makes my heart race just thinking about it. Words I'd use to describe both a prime steak dinner and Places We've Never Been! Kasie West always delivers swoony, clean YA books I wouldn't be embarrassed to have my teen sisters pick up, and for that I owe her allllll my money. Places We've Never Been follows Norah and her childhood best friend, Skyler, on a cross-country road trip, where they slowly rekindle their friendship (after a rocky start) and hijinks ensue. Cue the Netflix Original soundtrack, baby! No one writes the angst and awkwardness of being a teen better than Kasie, and I can't wait to recommend this title to my sisters once it hits the shelves.

𝘗𝘭𝘢𝘤𝘦𝘴 𝘞𝘦'𝘷𝘦 𝘕𝘦𝘷𝘦𝘳 𝘉𝘦𝘦𝘯 follows Norah Simons and Skyler Huttons, former childhood bestfriends turned mere acquaintances, and their respective families across a three week long cross-country road trip.
But as years worth of pent-up feelings threaten to spill, secrets get unearthed, will their newfound friendship be able to survive the aftermath?

- ~ -

I will say the whole story is a rather sweet, engaging and quick one.
The writing style was nostalgic, it felt as if I was back to the 2012s and the world knows after the nightmare couple of years we've been through a trip down memory lane would be highly beneficial so that was definitely appreciated.

There is something simple yet affective with the way Norah and Skyler were presented to us by the author. They are ordinary people just trying to live their lives, however, therein might lie the whole issue, they are entirely too unremarkable. Not that there should be something remarkable about the characters for the story to be impressive, it's just with regard to this plot, the blandness of characters built up to more of an average read and the story to be a tad too predictable.

I mean don't get me wrong, together the two of them, along with their families and friends made up for quite a sweet read but I can't vouch for them individually.

Also, although it might not make sense to most until after the book's published, one star for Bighorn. He's totally a goat btw.

- ~ -

Overall: PWNB is a pleasant, wholesome YA contemporary novel with a soft romance and cute characters. Perfect for you if you love road trip and reconciliations. Recommended for fans of Morgan Matson and Katie Cotugno.

3.76 /5✩

𝘛𝘩𝘢𝘯𝘬𝘴 𝘵𝘰 𝘙𝘢𝘯𝘥𝘰𝘮 𝘏𝘰𝘶𝘴𝘦 𝘊𝘩𝘪𝘭𝘥𝘳𝘦𝘯'𝘴 & 𝘕𝘦𝘵𝘨𝘢𝘭𝘭𝘦𝘺 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘱𝘳𝘰𝘷𝘪𝘥𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘢𝘯 𝘢𝘥𝘷𝘢𝘯𝘤𝘦𝘥 𝘤𝘰𝘱𝘺 𝘰𝘧 𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘴 𝘣𝘰𝘰𝘬, 𝘸𝘩𝘪𝘤𝘩 𝘐 𝘷𝘰𝘭𝘶𝘯𝘵𝘢𝘳𝘪𝘭𝘺 𝘳𝘦𝘢𝘥 & 𝘳𝘦𝘷𝘪𝘦𝘸𝘦𝘥. 𝘈𝘭𝘭 𝘵𝘩𝘰𝘶𝘨𝘩𝘵𝘴 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘰𝘱𝘪𝘯𝘪𝘰𝘯𝘴 𝘢𝘳𝘦 𝘮𝘺 𝘰𝘸𝘯.

I'm a big fan of this author and I must be honest that this is probably one of my favorite of her books that she is written in a while. I enjoyed the cross country road trip vibes as well as the former friends to more trope. It was enjoyable to read about their journey with their family across the country and in their RV. I enjoy the characters, the friendships, and the relationships. The only thing for me that was lacking was just a bit more in the ending as I was hoping to get a little bit more information, but overall this will be very popular with most of my high school students were looking for a good YA romance. Thank you netgalley for this arc in exchange for my honest opinion.

I have enjoyed Kasie West's previous books. This one might be my favorite. I loved the characters, I loved the sibling rivalry and personalities. I could connect to locations and I enjoyed that. I appreciated the epilogue to have a glimpse of what came to be, but I would love a sequel as well.

I LOVE KASIE WEST!!!!! She is one of my go-to reads for young adult romance. Man, she sure can spin a story!

While this was not my favorite of West's books, it was still an enjoyable road-trip story about family, secrets, and moving on from the past.

I love a good road-trip story and this one was especially fun for me because I've been to a lot of the places the characters went. I also really loved that there were so many involved characters that we got to know over the course of our 3 week trip. We have Norah and her mom and older brother. Then we have Skyler and his mom, older brother, and younger sister. It was nice to have some older siblings in this book because I feel like I so often read books with younger siblings but not older ones. It was a nice change of pace.

I didn't particularly love any of the characters, but I didn't hate them either. Norah, our main character, had a cool talent for drawing and animation, and a love for video games. It's fun and energizing to feel her passion for these things throughout the book.

Skyler, the best friend/love interest, was a little confusing for me. I thought he was going to be broody and dark the whole book, but that turns out to not be the case. Honestly, I can't really tell you what he is because his personality and mood changes so often. Sometimes, he's annoyed with Norah and doesn't want to be around her, the next day he's smiley and wanting to hang out. It's confusing and I hated that I couldn't get a grasp on his character. Some of what we learn about his and Norah's relationship makes some of this wishy-washy personality make sense, but not much.

Also, another negative, unfortunately, this book was dialogue heavy. By that, I mean there was a lot of dialogue (which I don't mind), but not enough emotional cues to let me know what the character was thinking and feeling while saying whatever they were saying. I felt like I was missing out on more than I should have been. And it led to a lack of emotional connection for me with all the characters and some of the story.

Overall, while I hoped for more, I don't regret reading this book. I might compare the writing to some of West's earlier novels which were good, but not great in my opinion. I love this cover though. 3.5/5 stars.

Places We've Never Been follows Norah and Skyler who are best friends but haven't seen each other in years. They have lost touch over the years. But their moms plan a three-week RV road trip and Norah feels like this is a great way to become close again. However, Skyler does not seem like he wants to reconnect. However, during this road trip, Skyler and Norah learn new things about each other and realize they might be more than friends.

I have read a few of Kasie West's books and I have enjoyed all of them. This was such a cute read. I LOVED the relationship between Norah and Skyler. This book also gave me all the summer vibes. I also felt like the title of the book was the perfect way to describe Norah and Skyler's evolving relationship throughout the book. If you are looking for a cute YA romance book to read, I would highly suggest one.

Thank you to NetGalley, Kassie West, and Random House for the ARC of this book.

first, i’d like to thank NetGalley for the opportunity to read this arc! As soon as I saw that it was by Kasie West, I knew I had to read it. I read one of her books around two years ago and thought her books were such a cute YA romance. Places We’ve Never Been is a childhood friends to estranged friends to best friends to lovers story you don’t wanna skip out on if you love Kasie West!

I really enjoyed the simplicity of the plot since it is a young adult story. Skyler and Norah’s ups and downs were quite fun to read at times and The dynamic between all the kids was really cool. The first half of the book was probably my favorite because I didn’t get a headache from Norah. I love a childhood best friends romance, so obviously this book was right for me, but I wish we got to see more of the main two when they were younger.

Norah. I don’t know if it was just me, but I found Norah to be immature and such a hard character to like at times (mainly near the end). I’m around the same age as her and it was hard to relate to her sometimes, but there were times I could. Aside from her, the book seemed like it went from rising action to resolution with no climax at all. I wish the last part of the book wasn’t so rushed because it felt like I was fast forwarding a movie.

This book wasn’t for me and I don’t know if it’s because I’m not into YA as much as I used to be. The first book I read by Kasie West was fantastic, so I know she’s not the reason I wasn’t feeling this book. If you are into YA or Kasie West, give this book a try! [ rating: 3/5 stars ]

I really really enjoyed this book, the story line was relatable and realistic on so many levels. If you ever had a close friend when you were young and you were disappointed by the next reunion you had with them after a long time apart, this story is going to pull you in from the first chapter. The characters are likable and the story takes place over a short period yet you feel the them growing and evolving within the chapters. My only critic is that the ending felt a little bit rushed, I would've liked a little more resolve and after being so heavily invested into the story line that played out, the epilogue left me feeling a little unsatisfied. I will definitely be recommending this title to our YA readers.

There is just something about a Kasie West book that never fails to put a smile on my face. They are quick reads and are great ​for when I need a break from reading books that make my brain/heart hurt. Kasie West's books make it really easy to just forget about the world around me for a few hours and that is by far my favorite part. This author has yet to disappoint me and I always look forward to each new release. A big thanks to NetGalley, the publisher, and the author for letting me get my hands on this book.

It's been a while since I've read a book by Kasie West. I've had some ups and downs with her books over the past couple of years. Her older books seemed to have worked better for me than her newer books. That changed with Places We've Never Been. This book had my attention and love from the first page.

Norah was a character I couldn't help but adore. She was this gamer/artist who was a little awkward. Her character could have come across as that "special snowflake" token gamer girl, but she didn't. Her awkwardness came off in a slightly funny, slightly endearing way. Her journey in this book started off just feeling like a fun summer trip with an old friend/new possible enemy. Things stayed fun while some bigger issues and revelations came about. I liked that. 

This entire book was written in Norah's POV, so Skyler was a bit of a mystery for a big chunk of it. I loved the mystery around his reactions and actions towards to Norah. Their dynamic was fun, and I enjoyed their move from friends to enemies to friends to maybe more. It was just so cute!

There were a ton of great family/friend moments in this book. I loved seeing the camaraderie between the kids in the two families and the friendship between the moms. The whole RV trip was entertaining, and I loved how their stops along the way worked into the plot. 

I don't know what else to say except this book exactly what I've come to love and expect from a YA contemporary written by Kasie West. It was that sweet, cute read that still managed to touch on some deeper issues while staying upbeat. I had such a good time reading it, and I feel like I don't say that very often about YA contemporaries anymore. Places We've Never Been was a big win for me. I honestly could have kept reading more about Norah and Skyler and their families.

I’d like to thank NetGalley, Random House Children’s, and Kasie West for an arc of Places We’ve Never Been in exchange for an honest review! This book follows Norah and her childhood best friend, Skyler, as they embark on a RV road trip. This is her first time seeing him in years and they start the trip on bad terms, but realize their true feelings while surrounded by mysteries.

I’ve never read a Kasie West novel before this one and decided to give it a shot because I’m a sucker for YA romances. However, I sadly didn’t enjoy this one as much as I wanted to. The story was okay, but unremarkable, and the ending was dry. I liked the aspect of secrets throughout and was really excited to find out the answers, but the ending seemed anticlimactic, even with these revelations. I also thought it ended in a weird place and there could have been a lot more added to it.

The romance was cute and it made me smile. I still think the beginning was odd and how Skyler’s behavior suddenly changed, but I can understand why and it ended up being a sweet story. I liked that Norah chose to follow her heart at the end despite some criticism.

This isn’t a bad book and I think I would have enjoyed it a lot more at like 14/15. I’m not upset that I read it, but I wouldn’t reach for it. I’m rating this one 2.5 stars, rounded up, and I recommend it for younger YA readers wanting a cute read.

I love a good best friends to enemies to lovers story. This was definitely a sweet one. These two were really cute together and I loved the banter between them as they tried to deny their obvious attraction.

I loved the road trip, RV shenanigans. It was such a great way to get the characters in a small space and it made for a great setting.

I had some issues with this book though. First, the reason that the two MCs are at odds? A little anticlimactic. I mean from the way the guy was being a jerk I expected more. There were a few other plot points I hated. One I won’t say because spoiler but both were unnecessary and one wasn’t even concluded or handled in a way that I could get behind. Overall, I adore this author but this book wasn’t my favorite.


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Everyone has that early child hood friend that they can look back on and smile fondly at as memories fly by. This book was a cute easy read that was perfect for a cold winter day.
Going on the road trip with the two families chased away the winter blues.

These two friends haven't seen each other in years, all of a sudden the moms want a rv vacation. Something is certainly up.

I loved how sweet and innocent this book is. Kasie West did it again as she shows how one little misunderstanding can ruin a friendship and how easy real bonds can last forever.

Kasie West knows how to create sweetest stories of lovely characters! She’s feel good YA romance whisperer!

Both Norah and Skyler are so much likable characters that you can easily get attached with. Even though Skyler acts like mean douchebag at the beginning of the book, you get to give him a chance: the boy has his own reasons.

Norah is so excited to family RV trip ( only mothers and children included) because finally she’s going to reunite with her best friend Skyler she hasn’t seen since they were 13!
Both mothers are happy. The siblings are excited but once upon a time: Norah’s close friends Skyler acts like he wants to be somewhere else!

Yeap, the book starts with enemies to lovers trope! What happened to Norah’ s bestie! Why he acts like she has contagious disease, staying away from her, giving curt answers to each questions. It’s normal to be get estranged and turn into social media friends in four years but Skyler might keep himself more than she expected!
I’m not gonna give much away! There are reasonable explanation, family drama, secrets to come out!

It was easy to read, sweet, soft, a little sad story! I wish it would end a little differently but I still enjoyed it as like the other books the author has written.

I’m rounding up 3.5 stars to 4 enemies to lovers, friends to lovers are best tropes I enjoyed to read stars!

Special thanks to NetGalley and Random House Children’s / Delacorte Press for sharing this digital reviewer copy with me in exchange my honest opinions.

Well, Kasie West did get it again she wrote an amazing book I couldn't put down and I finished it in 2 days. Norah hasn't seen her best friend Skyler in years so when their moms plan an RV trip for both families she can't wait to reunite with him. But, when Skyler isn't as excited to see Norah she is hurt and confused. But, the more time they spend together old issues start to surface and they start to grow closer. I really enjoyed this book and thought the chemistry between Skyler and Norah was great.

I read this book all in one sitting. Very much enjoyed!
The writing is sharp and fast paced, and the character development is deeply engaging.
This writing style is fun and quick, it was such an easy read to dip in and out
I thought the author’s use of descriptive imagery was creative and applied with a gentle hand—nothing over-the-top or showy.
These characters were so delightful and memorable.
Norah was a breath of fresh air. I truly adored her. She was motivated, fun, and had such a big heart.
Skyler's character had a lot of character development in the story and it was fun watching him grow.
I’m still grinning from ear to ear after having read it.

Delacorte Press,
Thank You for your generosity and gifting me a copy of this amazing eARC!
I will post my review closer to pub date.

Thank you so much, Netgalley, for allowing me to read and ARC of Kasie West’s new book! I’m a HUGE fan of her other books, and she didn’t disappoint me with this sweet romance between Skylar and Norah.

I love road trips, and this story about a road trip with family best friends was adorable. One of my favorite things about West’s book is that she writes such great dialogue scenes with the characters. She also wove flashbacks into Norah’s narrative, which was the perfect amount to show how close they were growing up together, but they didn’t overpower the present.

When the couple disagreed about something, they worked it out quickly and apologized; I totally appreciated that!! Their childhood inside jokes and games were adorable, too, and their siblings added to the plot. Some nice twists and sweet ending made for an enjoyable read.

I loved this book! I will definitely buy it for my library and recommend it to students who love sweet, well-written romance stories.

I am a sucker for a road trip book. Throw in an angsty teenager and I am hooked.
I thought the pacing of this was pretty good. The character development- it wasn't awful, but I would have liked a little more. I really did like the relationship that the main characters had with their families.

All in all I enjoyed it. Would probably read again but wouldn't reach for it first.

To start off, I want to say thank you to Netgalley for allowing me to read and review this book early!

Okay, so randomly last night they were giving away ARCS and I saw this was on Netgalley and I had read one of Kasie West’s books before and was like let me try it out. And I’m just going to start with that this wasn’t the best but it also wasn’t the worst. I don’t know how to explain it. I think the climax was sort of anticlimactic and the ending was kind of dry. The story itself I think was done okay. The best part of this was the romance. Other than that I didn’t really like much of it. The characters weren’t really memorable and I don’t think I would read this again. I really wish I liked it because I love YA romances but I just didn’t. 2.5/5 stars