A review by dave_holwill
Never Have I Ever by Lucy V. Hay

4.0

I should probably begin by saying I grew up in North Devon and used to know the author a bit back in the 90s. I haven’t seen her in roughly 23 years though (full disclosure, Never Have I Ever sent her a weird and vaguely threatening note). I loved all the references to places I know well – particularly when the antagonist is revealed to have been expelled from my old school in the opening chapters, and any book that gives Lynmouth’s model railway museum a shout-out is a winner in my book.

Sam is not a likeable protagonist, but people in general are not likeable, so I saw this as a plus point rather than a minus and enjoyed trying to figure out when she was lying and when she was truthing. The end will keep you guessing and you might find yourself rooting for the wrong person.

All in all a cracking read for anyone of a certain age who’s got a train journey from Devon to London to fill.