First I must state that Everything We Never Said by Sloan Harlow is considered a YA book and I am much older than that. In the beginning I was going to give up on the book feeling that I was just too old for the sex scenes. I continued on and really enjoyed the book. There were some great twists.

Ella is a straight A student, a high achiever and comes from a very functional family. Her best friend Hayley and Hayley’s boyfriend Sawyer are completely opposite of her. They do not care about their grades and they come from divorced families, where domestic violence has occurred. Everything We Never Said, is a very fast paced book. Please note that there are quite a few explicit sex scenes along with domestic violence.

Thank you NetGalley and Penguin Group/Penguin Young Readers Group for an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

It’s only fair to start this review by explaining that reading is an escape for me. It’s how I relax and shut out the world.
While I have no hesitation reading books that talk about abuse situations, when the story is the abuse? That’s difficult for me.
That being said, this book is very well written and a fairly quick read. The author does a great job leading you to what she wants you to feel toward the characters. There is a twist, but I did kinda see it coming.
I’d say if you’re someone who likes books like Haunting Adeline, you would be 100% ok with this. There is nowhere near the detail, but it deals very much with the emotional trauma.

3.5🌟

I definitely did not want to put this book down when I started it! I loved the dual point of views, as well as the diary entries with Ella's best friend Hayley. The diary entries gave an insight into what Hayley was going through, as Ella tries to piece together what really went on with Hayley behind closed doors that she didn't have a clue about. It was raw, emotional, and took a deep dive into what a domestic abuse victim goes through and how they try to reason with their abusers actions. The book was full of twists and turns and I loved every minute of it!

I definitely enjoyed the storyline of this book and the theories that I came up with. However, I felt slightly uncomfortable reading the spicier scenes as an adult seeing as they were about teenagers. It is something to definitely consider that before reading.

I really debated my rating on this book, because the first half of it was very so so for me and the last half was very good!
The one thing I really didn’t like was reading about explicit scenes between teenagers, it made me very uncomfortable and I don’t feel it was at all necessary.
I really liked the multiple POVs and reading Haley’s diary along with Ella. I love that we only got bits and pieces of the diary at a time so you were constantly kept guessing.
I really felt like we were being lead to believe a certain thing throughout the book and had my suspicions about what really happened.
I turned out to be right, but that didn’t take away from the reveal at all.
I think the author has a great writing style and the story was very well thought out.
Thank you NetGalley for my arc, I am leaving this review on my own.

This was a quick read that hooked me and kept me reading because I wanted to know how it ended. Somehow I missed that it was a romance novel and until I read the line about a Romance Thriller I didn't realize that was what I was reading. I'm not sure I would want a 10-13 year old reading this book but I do think that high school students will enjoy.

3.5 Stars

This is marketed and reads like a YA novel given the High Schooler age of the main protagonists. Their relationship is mostly sweet, I certainly wouldn’t say this is a dark romance. At least for the romance elements. There are certainly adult themes - it deals with domestic abuse, death, hints at child abuse and other much more adult themes. However I do see the value of marketing towards a younger audience from education perspective, and how to deal (and not deal) with difficult situations and emotions. I enjoyed the two POVs, and it didn’t give anything anyway when the mystery swirls around at least one of them. Overall this was a quick read, kept me interested, but was also a little forgettable once I moved onto my next TBR book. Thank you NetGalley for the ARC for an unbiased view.

Every once in a while I do try to stray outside of my preferred genres to see how the rest of y’all are living. So when the publisher reached out about coverage for this YA thriller, I thought “why the heck not!” I was also drawn in by the promise of an interesting romance between two characters who both lost their close friend/girlfriend. So, let’s dive right in!

The challenging thing about reading outside of my typical genres it that I’m less familiar with the conventions and tropes of this type of book, and thus a bit more unsure when trying to distinguish between my own preferences and opinions and what is simply true to the genre, but not something that I’m as familiar with. That said, there were several things that worked for me unequivocally. The first thing is the sheer “readability” of this book. Even when I was coming across things that left questions in my mind, I still felt a draw to continue reading, swept up in the fast-moving plot and approachable style of storytelling.

On top of that, both Ella and Sawyer were very sympathetic characters, and I enjoyed spending time in both of their heads. Of course, much of the story revolves around their complicated feelings for their deceased friend and their own budding romance, but there were a lot of smaller looks at the different relationships they each have with their parents. Both their experiences with their families and with the various social groups at school were of the sort that I think will greatly appeal to many YA readers.

And, of course, the love story was very sweet. Now, it also walked right up to the line of “instalove,” so that’s something to keep in mind. But, again, the readability of the book carried me through this aspect of the storytelling pretty effectively. Stepping back, I think this love story will appeal to many readers, especially teenagers themselves. As an adult, I will say that I did struggle to believe that a teenage boy was quite as, um, romantically adept as Sawyer was presented, but this is one of those cases where no one really wants a true-to-life portrayal of the awkwardness of the teenage years.

As for the mystery of Haley’s death and the thriller aspects of the book, I did struggle a bit more. There were several “believability” issues that began to pile up as the story continued. For one thing, right off the bat, we are told that Haley died in a car crash when Ella was driving, after being seen drinking at a party. It strains every plausible explanation that Ella walked away from this situation with no consequences. Beyond that, she has many people reassuring her that Haley’s death wasn’t her fault. But…wasn’t it kind of, with this version of events?

I also found some of the late game reveals to be a bit predictable, but this is definitely a “mileage will vary” situation from reader to reader. There were several red herrings presented and their success as such will depend on readers’ familiarity with conventions, likely. There were also chapters from Haley’s old diary interspersed throughout the story, and I really struggled with these. They were written in a way that belied belief, with Haley seeming to be able to recount entire scenes verbatim in these entries. I get the purpose these entries were serving, but the style of writing was so removed from anything that resembled an actual diary entry that I found myself often skimming through these sections.

All of that said, I still had a mostly fun time with this book! It was a fast read, and my interest in Ella and Sawyer’s stories was enough to carry me through some of the other aspects that I struggled with. YA readers who enjoy thrillers and romances will likely enjoy this one!

Rating 7: Some parts of the the mystery were a bit predictable, but I enjoyed the fast-paced storytelling and the sweet romance at its heart.

Thank you NetGalley and Penguin Young Readers Group for sending this book for review consideration. All opinions are my own.

It throws me off a little that this is YA and also recommended for fans of Colleen Hoover. There are definitely some dark and complicated topics, but they’re all a reality for some high school students. Some of the topics are found in CH books so maybe that’s why? The twist really threw me for a loop and was definitely not what I was expecting! I was struggling a little with feeling the story wasn’t progressing (and would have rated 3 stars), but once the twist hit I couldn’t put it down! For that reason I bumped it up!

Everything We Never Said was a fast paced thriller mixed with a bit of romance. Within the story, Ella, is grieving and trying to heal from her best friends passing. She finds Haley's diary of which she finds secrets she was never aware about. I think the diary entries helped the reader understand everything and develop the plot. For me, the story started to pick up halfway through. It is definitely a book you can read in one sitting. There were some plot twists I did not see coming at all. This book does talk about some heavy and deeper topics, so please make sure to check the trigger warnings.

Rating: 3.5/5

Thank you Netgalley and Penguin Young Readers Group for an Arc!

First let me talk about how amazing this cover is. It is really so gorgeous and initially what grabbed me. Shocker! I am a sucker for great covers. In this young adult suspense book we meet Ella who is slowly integrating back into her high school after a terrible accident where she blames herself for her best friend Hayley’s death. As she continues to heal, she becomes closer with Hayley’s ex boyfriend Sawyer and before she knows it she’s fallen head over heels for him. She feels guilty about her feelings but in order to help her cope with her loss and now her love she turns to Hayley’s diary. As she reads the pages of her dead vest friends thoughts she starts to uncover unsettling thoughts about Hayley’s past. This upends everything Ella thought she knew to be true!

Thoughts: I really thought this one was a quick and bingeable suspense novel that can easily be read in a sitting or two. I found myself really feeling bad for Ella as I can imagine in real life this situation would be so hard for a teen to cope and deal with. I enjoyed getting to hear the perspectives from Hayley’s diary as well as Sawyer and Ella. I did figure out where this was headed before the big twist was revealed but it didn’t take away from my enjoyment of this book. This is being advertised for fans of CoHo and although I can see why I also want to warn that there is some heavier themes and definitely some adult topics being discussed in this book. The author did a great job walking the reader through very complex emotions of grief! Overall I great suspenseful young adult story that will be coming out in May! Make sure to check this one out!

4.5 Thrilling Stars!

When I picked up Everything We Never Said, I was immediately drawn to the cover and was intrigued by the synopsis. I was hooked instantly and could not put this book down. It took me on one heck of a roller coaster ride with not one, but two crazy plot twists. I didn’t see this book coming.

The characters are messy and complex and I loved the connection between Sawyer and Ella. Their romance was anything but perfect with its fair share of bumps along the way, but I promise you, their story will keep you guessing right until the very end. And while this book does touch on some tough subject matter, it adds another layer of complexity to an already consuming story.

The only reason this book did not get a 5-star rating from me was because I struggled a little in the beginning. For me, the transitions were a little confusing. It wasn’t always clear if a moment was happening in the past or present.

Otherwise, I found myself completely invested and devoured this book. I was on the edge of my seat, dying to know what really happened and who the true villain of the story was. There were times I forgot that I was reading a young adult book. I was completely consumed by Ella & Sawyer’s story and did not want to put it down. Everything We Never Said completely exceeded my expectations and I can not wait to read more from this author in the future.

This book contained a lot of heavy topics for a young adult novel; I would be weary of young kids reading this. There are trigger warnings for all ages (see a list of some below). I struggled with this book a little, it was a lot of heavy stuff for such young kids - I know they are not immune to experiencing any of these things, but it still felt really heavy. About two-thirds of the way through, I started skimming, I was loosing interest in the plot and where it would go. There is a twist, that pulled me back in towards the end. While I didn't love this book, I didn't not like it, it could have been the topics, or the timing of when I picked this up. Based on other reviews, my feelings seem to be the minority and it seems like others, and presumable fans of Harlow, will be more likely to enjoy Everything We Never Said more than I did.
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Thank you NetGalley and Penguin Group for the advanced copy in exchange for my honest review.
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Trigger Warnings - under age drinking, drinking and driving, domestic violence, inappropriate relationships, violence (attempted murder), teenage pregnancy.

Even though the main characters are in high school, I found it surprising that the rest of the book was geared towards young adults. However, as an adult, I found myself really enjoying this book. I could somewhat predict where the story was headed, but I loved the journey it took to get there. The book tackles some heavy, yet important themes. It's a blend of a coming-of-age tale with elements of mystery, suspense, and romance. There are a few unexpected twists that keep things interesting. Overall, it was a very pleasant read.

I enjoyed this book so much! I honestly went into this blind and thought I knew where the story was going but I was wrong! The twists and turns had me on the edge of my seat. Sometimes I caught myself kicking my feet other times I would be clinching my fists. This story is such a beautiful story. I love Ella's and her innocence. I love her and Hailey's friendship and how protective they are of each other. I honestly loved all of the characters so much (maybe not Scott tho 🤣). I didn't think I would enjoy the story since it is the story of a teenage girl and I'm... well let's just say I'm in my thirties 😁. But not only did I find myself enjoying the story but I caught myself trying to predict where it was going when not reading. The author drops clues here and there to what is going on but there are multiple ways it could go, multiple people who it could be. I don't want to say too much so I don't spoil it but strongly encourage others to read this story. It does have some dark themes to it but it is captivating and so worth the read!

Sloan Harlow is a new author to me and I enjoyed her writing. It was a YA, high schoolers, but filled with some twists. It’s one of those books where you need to keep it in perspective they are teenagers.
I really enjoyed the story.

This books target audience is definitely YA, but what that being said I still enjoyed it. It was very fast paced, (helped me with my reading slump) and immediately captures you in and has you wanting to read as much as you can in one sitting to get more information. I love how this book touched on some very real topics in this world and showed them in the setting of high school because even though we may not want to think that younger adults go through these things, they certainly do and especially that feeling of being alone as we saw that is how Ella felt. I think far too many people in this world think they’re alone and others around them may not always realize it at the time. The majority of this book is in Ella’s pov but I also liked how we had another pov and more insight, dual povs are superior in my opinion. I enjoyed going through this with Ella and seeing her grow and come into herself. A point of compliant I have with Ella is merely that she is very forgiving.. I think myself personally if I was in that situation I would not be as so but I understand both sides of it. This book, in a way, actually reminds me of a show that came out a few years ago on tv and if I told you the show name and if you’ve read this book, I definitely think you would understand my referencing a connection between the two!(I really liked that show, which might be why I liked the book). Would recommend this book to someone who is looking for a fast paced high school setting, mystery/thriller, with some romance.

I do not often read about high schoolers but I was surprised with how fun this was to read. Before I go too far, I want to emphasize that there was a bit of violence and sexual scenes. That doesn't bother me but I would add those trigger warnings before recommending.
Ella is going into her senior year at North Davis High after a hard summer of losing her best friend, Hayley. She has some issues beyond the normal with her death and also has complicated feelings for Hayley's boyfriend, Sawyer. I particularly liked how this had both points of view throughout the book. Going through grief and then life is such a process!
I was immersed the whole time I read this and I will say that I think it took me two days. The drama and twists were real crazy!

This book was heartbreaking, crushing, restorative and perfectly pieced.

I really enjoyed Everything We Never Said! It reminded me of the ~vibes~ of If He Had Been With Me, a booktok favorite of last year. The twist at the end got me. I even binged it in 24 hours. It is so easy to get swept into this world, to root for the characters and hope to find out what happened.

My only recommendation is to read this as a New Adult (NA) read rather than how it is categorized as a Young Adult (YA). There is a lot of language, scenes that are not fade to dark, and HAEVY topics that I wouldn't classify as Young Adult.

While the main characters are high school age, I was surprised that the rest of the content of this book was young adult. With that being said, as an adult, I really enjoyed this book. I could kind of see where the plot was going, but I enjoyed the journey of getting there. It deals with some heavy, but important topics. It's a mixture of a coming of age story filled with mystery, suspense, and romance. There a few nice twists that show up that are somewhat unexpected. Overall a very enjoyable read.

Thanks to NetGalley and PENGUIN GROUP Penguin Young Readers Group | G.P. Putnam's Sons Books for Young Readers for a digital ARC in exchange for my honest review.