3.5 Stars

I received an advanced copy of this book from PENGUIN GROUP Penguin Young Readers Group via NetGalley.

In the aftermath of the tragic accident claiming Ella's best friend Hayley, the burden of guilt hangs heavily on Ella. Returning to school intensifies her pain, especially in the presence of Sawyer, Hayley's boyfriend. Amid this closeness, Ella confronts a shocking realization - she has fallen in love with her late best friend's boyfriend.

As the narrative unfolds, Ella uncovers a chilling revelation - the stories Hayley told about Sawyer were all lies. Despite the deceit, Ella finds an irresistible allure in Sawyer, whether it's his grief, truncated desires due to tragedy, or perhaps something darker that Ella cannot resist. The unsettling revelations draw her closer, deepening the complexity of their connection.

This book's premise intrigued me, although some early scenes were a bit overwhelming. However, the ending cleverly ties everything together. Although I anticipated the initial twist, a later revelation added a surprising layer. The diary entry chapters were a well-executed touch, adding depth without revealing too much. It neatly fits into the YA thriller category, offering a quick and engaging read.

Sawyer stood out as a well-developed character, and I appreciated the glimpse into his family life, shaping the person he became. In contrast, Ella appeared somewhat wishy-washy and, in my opinion, portrayed a sense of weakness. Nevertheless, the author effectively captured the nuances of teenage angst, contributing to the story's authenticity. Overall, an enjoyable YA thriller with compelling characters and a satisfying blend of mystery and emotion.

Thanks to NetGalley for the arc!
Wow - just an emotional ride! While some aspects were predictable, there were parts I did not predict until it was leading up to the reveal. The emotional tugs of the abuse that happens everyday that so many people hide, I felt it all! This was such a good story and kept me hooked from the beginning. I was so happy with the ending! Loved it!

This was an interesting storyline, about a high school girls returning to school after her best friend was killed in a car accident that she was responsible for. I felt like the romantic scenes were more intense than I am used to in YA! The culmination seemed clear to me partway through the book, but a fun read.

I received an early copy of this through Netgalley, but all opinions are my own.

"Everything We Never Said" by Sloan Harlow was definitely a wild story to read, and it never was exactly what I expected.

It tells the story about a young girl named Ella, who lost her best friend, Haley, to a car accident she was also apart of, and is maybe the cause of. For the first chunk of the book, I thought it was going to be a book about grief-- and apparently that's been my theme so far this year--so I was along for the ride.

But it turned into a dark romance book, because Ella kind of falls in love with Sawyer-- who was Haley's boyfriend. I also was not too torn up about this as a reader-- I could see it happening, and could see the turmoil it would bring Ella. Except, for me, I was not expecting the level of smut scenes for a young adult novel. They're not poorly written, and there's quite a few scenes that made my cheeks warm to read-- so be careful when passing along to a teenager.

Then there's this entire story that happens after Ella picks up Haley's diary in her room... and it's not at ALL what I was expecting when I picked up this book. This is where I kind of started to dislike aspects of the book. I want to go on a rant about it, but I'm afraid I will give away some of the plot twists!

If you like thrillers and "who-dun-it's"-- read "Everything We Never Said". If you like a little bit of romance scenes, read it. I don't think it should be aimed towards teenagers-- personally. And I don't believe Sloan Harlow really captured the teenage essence in this book. It's a fun quick read, but it's an odd one.

Thank you to Netgalley and to Penguin Young Readers for an advanced copy of the book in exchange for my honest review. The book will debut in May of 2024.

Grsat thriller. It did remind me of Colleen Hoover and works like Verity but honestly I found this one way better in most ways. Thanks for the arc

For a YA thriller novel I thoroughly enjoyed this book. Hayley’s diary didn’t seem to be written how a 17 year old would write a diary using words like saccharine and fortuitous, but I thought the diary element really added to the story and helped add to the plot.

I enjoyed the guessing of who the “villain” was, if you will, and I kept going back and forth. Even though I predicted correctly, the fact that the author made me question who it could be multiple times, made it worthwhile. The book was paced well and it was a quick and enjoyable read.

Thank you NetGalley and Penguin Group for this ARC in exchange for my honest review!

I really enjoyed this book. The romance and the mystery had me invested. I did find it a little predictable but still liked the plot and characters.

While i found this to be a tad predictable, I enjoyed it! It is a young adult novel, so it was a quick and easy read. Important to read the content warnings as it is a tad dark romance, but overall I loved this novel! One less star just because it felt too predictable for a mystery of my preference.

Everything We Never Said by Sloan Harlow is filled with plot twists and romance. The main character Ella is reeling from the loss of her best friend and dealing with the grief of being blamed for the accident that took Hayley's life. Ella and Hayley's former boyfriend, Sawyer reconnected and a romance begins. A part of this novel that I did really enjoy was Ella and Sawyer's romance, they were sweet and his POV was refreshing. What fell flat for me with them was the lack of guilt around their relationship and their intense instalove.

For the mystery, it was hard to believe. I felt that the characters could have done A LOT of things differently that could've massively prevented things that took place. There choices and decisions were hard to imagine. However, I did enjoy it, the mysteries and characters made me see it through til the end!

YA thrillers are my sweet spot lately and I’m loving it! This was such a quick and fast paced read. I loved the mystery and story on grief. I feel like it took up so much space in the book that the twists I could see a mile away. The romance also seemed fast paced and not all fleshed out. However everything together I enjoyed this story and devoured it!

This had a gripping narrative, well developed characters and the exploration of the shadows lurking within seemingly perfect relationships. This was a dark and emotional thriller that definitely checked the boxes for love/guilt/secrets that bind. The emotional turmoil that the characters faced was definitely brought to life, and it was a rollercoaster ride of suspense and self-discovery. The hidden truths kept me turning pages and engaged because I wanted to find out what happened next.

Thanks to netgalley and the publisher for the arc in exchange for an honest review.

I have a lot of thoughts on this one. The first 25% of the book was slow. Extremely slow. However, it was helpful for building up connections with who the characters were and that paid off later on. The author did a wonderful job building many suspects and drawing the reader into the mystery. I tore through this which is always a good sign! The diary aspect was well done & reminded me of AGGTM by Holly Jackson. There was also a decent amount of spice which was unexpected for YA. However, I personally did not mind. Just something to be aware of for younger readers. I did ultimately guess our "killer" for the book and was not super shocked by the twist. Maybe I've read too many thrillers but it fell short for me there. I enjoyed the cast though (mainly, Sawyer and Ella) and am glad I read this.

I just read such a great book!! One that gave me all the feels, and had a few twists that I was not really expecting.

This is considered YA, but please check your TW for alcoholism, domestic violence.

Ella, Sawyer, and Hayley are best friends. When Hayley tragically dies in a car accident, Ella and Sawyer have to navigate their new lives. But everything changes again when Ella finds Hayley’s diary. Then Ella has to decide who she can actually trust. I don’t want to say more. If these TW don’t affect you, go in blind. It’s so freaking good.

Everything We Never Said ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

A mystery/thriller YA romance.

“Dark romance, high stakes, and plot twists abound in this paperback original YA thriller that’s perfect for fans of Colleen Hoover.”

It’s been months since Ella’s best friend, Hayley, was killed in an accident. Ella blames herself since she was behind the wheel but can’t remember any details from that night. Now school is back in and everything reminders her of Hayley and the fun times they had. Also, having to be around Hayley’s boyfriend, Sawyer, isn’t helpful. Until they start hanging out and sharing the grief they both have. That’s when Ella realizes she’s in love with her dead best friend’s boyfriend.
Filled with guilt, she turns to Hayley’s diary for help. Maybe she can feel better after reading and understanding their relationship. However, this is when she finds out that Sawyer might not be the guy who she thought he was. Their relationship wasn’t so perfect after all. Ella doesn’t know what to do with this information or who to confine in. Is what Hayley said about Sawyer true?

Overall, I thought it was an interesting story and had me questioning different characters a few times. I will say it’s kinda like Colleen Hoover’s book, Verity, in a way…but more YA themed. It kept me interested and wanting to know what happens next.

This book comes out on June 4, 2024. Thank you NetGalley for my advanced readers copy. This is my honest and voluntary opinion.

She’s in love with her dead best friend’s boyfriend.

As Ella discovers that nothing Hayley told her about Sawyer was true, she also sees something in him she finds irresistible. Perhaps it’s his grief. Or maybe his desires, cut short by tragedy. Or could it be something dark and twisted Ella can’t turn away from?

Quick YA read. A bit of a slow burn in the beginning as the characters begin to develop. I loved the diary entries and trying to figure out Hayley’s story. Trying to figure out who “S” was gave off some Pretty Little Liars vibes in a way. I figured out the twist early on, but for a YA read I found this to be entertaining. For a YA, this was a thrilling dark romance. However, I’d pay close attention to trigger warnings before letting your YA pick it up.

This was good. I enjoyed it and plan to buy a copy for my teens to read. Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the opportunity to review this ARC in exchange for my honest review.

You had me at forbidden romance, lost, and dark romance. The themes in this novel made it relatable to so many people including teens and adults. Dealing with trauma and grief can make people do so many things like falling in love with someone they never thought possible.

I may be the wrong audience for this book, a YA romance thriller in the vein of Colleen Hoover, and I don't have too many thoughts about it other then 'meh'.
What I will say is that the book is written much better than a Colleen Hoover novel, but to say that 'Everything We Never Said' doesn't pay any homage to Hoover would be an exaggeration. The story of a high school senior grappling with the death of her best friend, the book thrusts you right into melodrama from page one. Off the bat it feels a bit rushed and disorienting. Harlow wastes no time jumping from plot point to plot point, until, at around a third of the way through the book, the plot pauses for a cluster of chapters so the two sets of love interests can be horny for each other. This, again, is a little disorienting.
I found that none of the characters had too much personality, but I will give the book points for this: none of the characters were blatantly unlikeable, and that's a win (especially when you consider the drabble that Colleen Hoover has popularized). I found I was easily able to root for Sawyer in particular, but, again, wish that he'd been fleshed out more.
Overall, the novel could really use some work. The relationship between Ella and Sawyer was very insta-lovey. I understand that they had known each other prior to the start of the book, however, within that context Sawyer was in love with Ella's best friend. Within one conversation, barely ten percent into the book, the two are already drooling over each other. I wish I could have seen this love develop more gradually as the two explored and reckoned with their grief, and found connection there. Some of the dialogue and situations did not always feel grounded in the reality the author was building, and the imagery was very weak. I found myself having to come up with a lot on my own to stay engaged in this world.
The best praise I can give to 'Everything We Never Said' is that it is a very low thought and low effort read. I read this in a matter of hours and it was not difficult to get through. Low effort reads definitely have their time and place, and if that's the kind of book you are looking to read, I don't see any reason not to pick up this YA thriller.

NO SPOILERS!

Thank you Net Galley for my ARC from Sloan Harlow. When I saw this book was for "Fans of Colleen Hoover" and a dark romantic thriller, I had to instantly click to get in on my Kindle. I read this book SO FAST, it had me hooked immediately and through the whole book. I could not put it down and had to find out what the ending was. The twists and thrill did not disappoint at all! I am thirty years old and absolutely loved the high school plot, I did not feel like this was a childish young adult book. I think all young adults and anyone who loves thrillers will enjoy this book just as much as I did. Sloan keeps you on your toes to the end!

Set your calendars to order this on 06/04/2024, you will not want to miss out on this book!

This book as on the predictable side, which I usually expect for YA.

I think this is a great story for the targeted audience. I overall would rate this a 3 star, as an adult.