I loved this heartwarming story. I loved reading of Marni’s coming of age and of
the new relationships she experienced along with the emotions that ensued.
Many thanks to Warren Publishing and to Netgalley for providing me with a galley in exchange for my honest opinion.

This. Is an Emotional story—capital E. Pack the tissues. A sweet sweet story about a 14 yr old girl whose mom dies and she goes to live with her dad—who she didn’t know existed. And vice versa. It’s all the emotions you can imagine, and then some. Written from all pertinent points of view, you get the full story. Totally clean, and good refreshing read. But seriously, don’t forget the tissues.

This was not my usual genre but the description drew me to request this book. I am so glad that I did. Heartbreaking story of a young lady who loses her mom and tries to connect with her father. This is a great story about love and loss and trying to fit in to the world.

WOW!
WOW!
WOW!

This was such an emotional book. I shed many tears as I lost my mother when I was 17, and now I'm 29. The title says it all "NEVER ENOUGH TIME" such a good name for this story because there isn't enough time. Marni lost her mom at 14, and now she is 30. Def. hit close to home, and I sobbed.

What did I enjoy?
-The characters in this novel were all authentic.
- Setting was texas (My family and mother were from texas)
- Multi-POV

A beautiful book that is recommended to anyone.


**I received an ARC of this story from NetGalley.****

Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for the opportunity to read this book in exchange for an honest review.

14 year old Marni has just lost her mother to brain cancer when she learns that her father- who she never met -is living on the other end of the country in Texas and is completely unaware of her existence. It would seem that her mother never told him that she was pregnant, and instead chose to struggle ( with a Capital S- as in not enough to eat on some days, never buying anything new- ever. ) as a single mother and raise her child with the help of her sister. Now, Aunt Jo tells Marni that her father wants to honor her mothers dying wish, and have Marni come live with him, his wife and their two young daughters. Marni already grieving, feels that she is now losing the only home and family she ever had. Her mother never talked about him, and she feel betrayed by her mother and doesn’t want to leave the only life she knows. She is hurt and in shock when she is put in a plane to start a new life in Texas. So far so good.
Then when she gets to Texas the character development start to slip- For an unexplainable reason - her new family didn’t meet her at the airport and instead have her take a taxi to their mansion. ( Seriously- who does that to a child???) . The maid slams the door in her face before the family realizes she is on the front porch. Did they not tell the maid she was coming? Regardless of the shabbiness of her clothes- she is a child!!!
At first Marni’s is amazed at their 1% life style, huge home, swimming pool, a full time maid, and more money than she can imagine. She shows up in literal rags, and now has her own bedroom with an en-suite bath and a closet full of on trend clothing.
Despite a near perfect life- The story quickly shifts to her constantly whining about missing her mother, and feeling like she doesn’t fit in with the family. This misperception is aided by her Grandfather- nicknamed Grumpa who tells her that she is lower class and doesn’t belong- as her mother didn’t , to her face. Everyone else has to constantly tell her she does fit in, and they love her. Her friends are impossibly nice for 14 years olds, not a single clique or mean girl in the bunch… right…She misses her old friends, but never once calls them, despite having a brand new phone .

Dad Kyle is milquetoast- doesn’t appear in the story very much other than to occasionally cry. No wonder it was so easy for him to be bullied by his dad and leave the girl he was falling in-love with behind and move back home to be rich. At first I didn’t like the step mother Lauren, “ what will the people at the County Club think,”, and “I don’t want this love child ruining my family.” But once she meets Marni her personality quickly shifted into flawless perfection. Too perfect. She evidently has no desires in life than being the perfect wife and mother.

Marni’s initial grief was well portrayed (but unfortunately not very interesting to read about. )There was no real conflict in the story, and the characters were rather one dimensional. There were a lot of extra detail that want needed- bathing her little sisters- and important details left out- what happened at the slumber party??

I was looking forward to reading this book as I had a similar situation at 14- my dad died and my Mom and I moved across country to live with my aunt. Unlike Marni- for me fitting in and friends were EVERYTHING. I missed my Dad, but as a teen it was in the background as I navigated my new life.

Decent story in a Hallmark-esque way, but was really hoping for some complexity here .

This debut novel dives into what it means to be family, and how tough those connections can be at times. The story begins with a funeral in the present day and then goes back in time to another funeral that completely changed the life of the main character, Marni. Marni lives in Chicago with her single mother and aunt, until her mother gets sick and passes away. Her mother then sends Marni to Texas to live with her father, a man she has never met, and his family. Marni had been expecting to live with her aunt, so it is a shock both to her and to her new family that she will be forced to move.

I loved the way McMillian used alternating points of view in this story so that you really felt all of the tough feelings that would come up when a 14 year old girl suddenly has to uproot her life after the death of her mother and join a new family. It’s hard for both the new family and the teenager and McMillian does an excellent job of showing how hard and wonderful it can be.

Read this if you want a well written family story with a lot of heart.

I really enjoyed this story by Kimberly McMillan and was glad I read it. I lost my mom not that long ago so that aspect of the story was difficult for me.

This is one of those books that I couldn’t read fast enough but wanted to slow down and savor at the same time! The best kind of problem for a reader to have!

My heart broke and jumped for joy for several characters in this novel at different times. Writing from the perspective of different characters in a novel is a tricky thing to pull off. But this author did a great job of literally getting you “in the head” of the main characters and made you empathize with what each one was going through. So I found myself not only rooting for the main character but for all of them to overcome their own challenges.

My absolute favorite thing about reading is being transported to a different world where I can create a vision in my head of what that world looks like. It’s a rare thing to find an author that takes the time to paint a picture with words that helps you see that place and those characters in the book. Ms. McMillan did that expertly and had me conjuring up the taste of everything from a greasy burger and fries to sugar cookies. I can just picture two little girls playing princess and the lovely Mercer home as a well as the sights and sounds of Chicago.

If you want a good read to snuggle up with in your favorite chair with a hot cup of lemon ginger tea, this is your book! And while you’re at it, why not add a plate of sugar cookies. Enjoy!

For a first book, I personally think it's a brilliant read. The way the book is written helps you to really understand Marni and what she is going through. It's a great insight in to how teenagers can deal with grief whilst also trying to deal with life going on around them. Add to that the umpteen changes she goes through, it's a brilliant read.
The final chapter had me in tears, after all she has been through listening to her go through more grief was heartbreaking, but it was also nice to see she got to the point where this would affect her so much (this sentence will make sense when you read it).
Overall a great read, I'll certainly look out for more by this author.

Reading this book was a journey wearing other people’s shoes. Our own shoes are broken in, known, and imperfect—but ours. Never Enough Time was trying on other people’s shoes, judging the discomfort and then wearing them until they became yours. Kimberly McMillan did an amazing job of fleshing out her characters in Never Enough Time. Marni, the main character, became the object of my protection in this book. She reflects on her story as a young girl having just lost her mom, and being cast into a life she didn’t know existed. The characters around her quickly entered my crosshairs as they revealed their heart about her situation and yielded their shoes to me. I tried them on, hated many, at first, only to walk a bit and find comfort and grace. I think what captured my heart in this book was that I found myself in many of her characters. As humans we are quick to judge, but life is never that clean cut. Each page gave me access into the hearts of her characters and access to a piece of myself. I pray we all have a Mrs. Ann in our life, bringing sunshine, messy hair from a convertible ride, and acceptance. My hope is that we are all growing into a Lauren—revealing our truth, but walking right through our own hurt to extend a hand while holding tight to grace. Grace always gives life in the darkest of circumstances. Amazing job, Kimberly McMillan on your debut novel!

*Thank you to NetGalley and Warren Publishing for the advanced ecopy of this book.*

WOW! Never Enough Time tugged at heart strings that I wasn't aware existed! These characters drew me in and wrapped me around their little fingers. Add to the fact that a large part is set in Waco, TX, a town that is near and dear to my heart, and I was hooked.

Marni, now 30, is faced with the death of someone else she holds dear. This brings back all of the memories of losing her mother at age 14. In an unconventional revelation of her mother's final wishes, Marni finds herself moving from Chicago to Texas to meet and live with a father she didn't know was still alive. In Chicago, she leaves her Aunt Jo and her friends and the only life she has ever known. In Texas, her biological dad, step mother, step sisters, grandmother, and grandfather await. Some accept her with open arms. Some are also struggling with how to move forward in this new situation. Marni, herself, struggles with self confidence and finding her place in a world that has been turned upside down.

Kimberly McMillan is now on my radar, and I will be looking out for what comes next!. I highly recommend this book!

this is such a beautiful & emotional story that I had a hard time after completing it and had to take a moment to let it all sink in.

the author managed to accurately describe and put into words what the characters felt in such a raw, uncensored and no sugar-coating way that made the reader easily understood the whys and hows. and i loved all characters—the good and bad. they made reading this seems so realistic and aching for marni, and for lauren.

thank you so much for providing me with a copy of this book. i thoroughly enjoyed this read and it’s been an honoured to be able to read it.

This was a beautiful story. Kimberly really knows how to give you all the feels .This book will make you laugh and cry! If you want a good heartfelt book that will have you wanting more then this is the book for you.

Thank you NetGalley and Warren Publishing for allowing me to read this ARC in advanced.

Kimberly McMillan's debut, and what an ABSOLUTE treat this book was to read!

Never Enough Time is a story told from many different perspectives but wrapped together perfectly, with insights into the lives of teenage Marni and those around her during the summer her life changed. Marni grew up in Chicago being raised by a single mother with very little money, believing that her father essentially never existed, until her mother's untimely passing brings forward secrets that changes everything about Marni's future.
Her entire life is uprooted and to her surprise, she's had a father this entire time, and he is ready and eager to be the father she always wanted. Except he lives in a mansion, in southern Texas, with his wife and two other daughters.

I felt so deeply for Marni throughout this story, because being a teenager is hard enough as it is, and she navigated her new life while dealing with trauma better than I could have at that age or many people can at any age. Her maturity and spit fire mouth are the most noteworthy mentions for me, because I love books where you can audibly "cheer" the female main character on for being STRONG! She was sad, lonely, and scared - but she did an amazing job being her own advocate throughout her transition.

Speaking of strong female characters….this book has them ALL!!! From grandma Mercer to Marni, the empowerment these women show through this book is undoubtably my favorite part. Each of them had moments to stand up for themselves, and moments to be opinionated when it mattered most, and moments they weren't afraid to ask the tough questions. It was honestly so refreshing to see the resilient women and their bonds completely dominate this entire story. By the end, I forgot Marni had it rough at all.

Read this if:
-You miss your mom
-You found out about a new parent later in life
-You need to see a healthy blended family transition

What a beautiful story, one that integrates tears with lots of laughter! The author, Kimberly McMillan, has a gift of creating dialogue that is genuine and real. Her words glide along the pages and draw you into the lives of the characters and their homes in the big city of Chicago and a small Texas town. I loved every single character, from the “princess tornados” to even “Grumps,” but especially the main character Marni, who is thrown quite a curveball in her young life of 14 years. I love stories like Never Enough Time- stories that have flawed characters who are forced to make difficult life choices, stories that leave the characters needing redemption and forgiveness, and finally stories where the author gives it to them so graciously.
Thank you to NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review this book!

To me the sign of a good book is losing yourself in the story and emerging more fulfilled. Kimberly McMillan crafts a beautiful family story of disaster, disappointment, love, acceptance, growth and change. The story of a teenager girl losing her single mother and being thrust into her unknowing father’s family is a tragedy. How the extended family deals with this tough situation and develops into a newly defined family with love and grace is painful at times but heartwarming to see.

Thanks to NetGalley and Warren Publishing for the opportunity to read this ARC.

Description
When thirty-year-old Marni once again has to say goodbye to someone very important in her life, the loss hits close to home as she remembers the summer she was fourteen and lost her mom … the summer her life became unrecognizable.
Shortly after her mother’s passing, Marni learns the truth about her father and is sent to Waco, Texas to live with him and his “perfect” family. There, she must face a world that blatantly rejected her mom, without losing faith in the one person she trusted.
Old wounds resurface for Lauren—Marni’s new stepmother—as she tries to navigate these new waters. Her self-worth and confidence are shaken by her husband’s betrayal, and she wonders if she can truly love and understand a child who isn’t hers.
Told from multiple perspectives, Never Enough Time is an emotional coming-of-age story that demonstrates the power of familial relationships despite complicated differences.

This was n ok book for me. It didn't really hold up, Lauen (stepmother) was a downer. Marni was born before they met. That really was a sore spot, as her husband had not met her. It was pretty difficult to get anything out of the book. Maybe a Lifetime movie? It just needed more meat and less day by day of POV and daily life.

Book Review - Never Enough Time, Kimberley McMillan.

⭐️⭐️⭐️

An easy, emotional read with some important themes throughout.

This book begins with a death and that sets the tone for the whole book. Marni, losing her mother at 14, is utterly devastated. She has grown up in the slums of Chicago with her single mother and now is left to fend for herself with her only family member left - her aunt. At least, that’s until her aunt reveals her mother’s plan for her. Marni’s father lives in Texas with the perfect family - his wife and two daughters. He is oblivious to Marni’s existence and never knew of his oldest daughter until her mother dies. Marni is sent to forge a relationship with her newly-discovered, extremely rich father which isn’t as easy as it seems when she wears rags for clothes and saves pennies to eat. Forced to join his family under such sad circumstances, can she accept and be accepted into this lifestyle?

This book was written in a multi-POV format which was excellent in identifying the impact this had on all characters. I always found Lauren’s (Marni’s stepmother) to be the most interesting as I placed myself in her position. I’m not sure how I would’ve reacted in her position but she seems like a truly amazing woman. The theme of socio-economic inequalities weaved throughout this story and I love the fact the author did not shy away from the stereotypes some people hold. The fact that Marni’s life could have turned out differently if her grandparents did not hold such a view was powerful to think about.

I liked the characters and there were many heartwarming moments throughout the story but they also infuriated me at times. Marni did come across as petulant and ungrateful but I suppose that’s the impact of her situation.

My criticism for this book lies mainly with the plot being bland. Not a lot, if anything, actually happened. I feel like I was just reading about the days of someone living in a house. There was so much information on mundane, day-to-day activities that it bored me. Do I really need to read about bath time for her little sisters? Is it crucial to the story that I read about bed time? Maybe it is - I don’t know.

Also, there was far too much tell not show throughout the story. The dialogue was so detailed that it became unrealistic. I felt like characters were making speeches every time they communicated with each other.

Despite my criticisms, I do understand that this book is a character-driven story rather than plot-driven. I just like a little bit of story along with this. The overall themes and messages are important and it is a very quick and easy read to get you through a rainy afternoon.

I received an ARC of this story from NetGalley.