Dave and Julia have been best friends for years, and right before they enter high school, they make a pack not to be cliché, sealing the deal with a list of all the things they will Never do. A few years later, graduation is approaching, and they decide to use their last months to do all the Nevers they wrote down even though rule #10 involves never dating your best friend, and Dave secretly loves Julia. As they break their rules, they will discover whole new sides of life they were missing and more.

Adi Alsaid writes another winner with NEVER ALWAYS SOMETIMES. The rich emotions, high with both hilarious friendship moments and heart-wrenching truths, drive this story of adventure and relationships. The third person narration is divided between Dave, Julia, and the last section that brings them together, giving a strong look at both their lives, together and apart. Both friends are distinctive and memorable, brimming with the complexity of two hearts that are so complementary but perhaps not enough for what one or both of them may want.

The dialogue makes this story stand out with the perfect level of realism, never venturing towards cliché waters (or at least none that don't still feel real and heartfelt). Julia's snappy, witty lines cause endless chuckles, and Dave's adorable thoughtfulness and sincerity is full of warmth and charm. Their banter is friendship at its finest.

Though I absolutely love Dave's character, I do wish there was more of Julia's side in the story. Her section is full of so much character and depth, and I wanted her story to keep going at the end. The interactions with her mother are crushing at times, and I love how caring her fathers are, even after a certain party. Her growth throughout is phenomenal, but I still feel like there is more to her story to explore.

In the case of recommending NEVER ALWAYS SOMETIMES, I pick always. Adi Alsaid writes another deep, emotionally complex story with Dave and Julia that readers will love.

Book Summary

Never date your best friend

Always be original

Sometimes rules are meant to be broken

Best friends Dave and Julia were determined to never be cliché high school kids—the ones who sit at the same lunch table every day, dissecting the drama from homeroom and plotting their campaigns for prom king and queen. They even wrote their own Never List of everything they vowed they'd never, ever do in high school.

Some of the rules have been easy to follow, like #5, never die your hair a color of the rainbow, or #7, never hook up with a teacher. But Dave has a secret: he's broken rule #8, never pine silently after someone for the entirety of high school. It's either that or break rule #10, never date your best friend. Dave has loved Julia for as long as he can remember.

Julia is beautiful, wild and impetuous. So when she suggests they do every Never on the list, Dave is happy to play along. He even dyes his hair an unfortunate shade of green. It starts as a joke, but then a funny thing happens: Dave and Julia discover that by skipping the clichés, they've actually been missing out on high school. And maybe even on love.