Alec Murray.
He was the one.
From the first moment I saw him, I knew.
I had never been more certain of anything in my sixteen years on this earth.
But Alec didn’t notice me. At least not in the way that I wanted him to.
He noticed my best friend instead.
I stood by and watched their relationship blossom.
An outsider looking in, wishing things were different.
Torn between my loyalty to my best … different.
Torn between my loyalty to my best friend and the boy who had unknowingly stolen my heart.
Weighted by feelings I could never express out loud, I wrote them all down.
Every thought. Every feeling.
I poured them all into a letter.
A letter he was never meant to read.
Only that’s exactly what he did.
He read it.
Every single word.
But by then it was too late.
Even if he was no longer dating my best friend.
Even if I was more in love with him than ever.
He was leaving.
I was leaving.
And there was nothing either of us could do to change it.
Alec Murray was my almost fairytale.
The happy ending I swore I’d never get.
But our story is far from over…
*Almost Never is a friends to lovers, complete standalone.
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English & Spanish Opinion
ESP ::
Aparentemente, me gusta torturar mis emociones con libros que rompen mi corazón antes de sanarlo y darle felicidad.
Justo esto pasó mientras leía el libro. Pero es una tortura que disfruto. Mis sentimientos fueron similares a los que experimenté cuando leí “Persuasion”.
Me encantó la evolución de los personajes. Alec Murray es book boyfriend seguro. Qué hombre, en serio.
ENG ::
I really like to torture my emotions with stories that break my heart before they put it back together.
This was the case with this book. I felt the same angst and pain that I felt when reading “Persuasion”.
I enjoyed how everyone evolved and Alec is a book boyfriend FOR SURE. What a guy!
This story is a slow burn. It starts with boy meets girl by literally running into each other in the hallway at school. Alec -the “new guy” and Hope become instant friends. Both become attracted to each other, but Hope’s best friend has her sights on the “new guy”. Hope once again steps back and let’s Lucy (Lulu) get her way and she becomes Alec’s girlfriend. But Alec continues to give hints to Hope that he’s interested. Hope is interested too but she continues to tell herself he doesn’t feel the same.
A very pivotal moment in the story is when Alec finds the letter Hope wrote months ago when she had written about her feelings, attraction & love for him. This changes the dynamics of their relationship but they can’t take things any further because she is leaving for New York for Culinary School and he will be away for college also, where he will study writing.
They continue to be friends through the years, keeping in touch even Alec visiting her in New York where their passion finally ignited and admitting their love for each other. But Melissa takes us on an emotional rollercoaster with this couple. Throughout the book you continue to root for this couple but something is always is keeping Hope to move forward with Alec. But Alec never gives up.
I loved this story even though it was very emotional at times. Five Stars !
Wow, this book is beyond amazing. I was sucked in from the start. This story is one of my favorites, the emotional roller coaster ride was intense. I fell in love with Alec and Hope, the connection is remarkable. This is a must read, you won’t want to put it down.
Love stories are as complicated as they are varied. I really reacted to this one. Who hasn’t had an unrequited crush? But then to have him date someone else and you can’t escape it? I loved and hated Alec and Hope’s love story. They had an instant connection and a strong friendship. They had crazy chemistry…until they finally had the chance to test it. Swooning and squealing (and I’m way past my teenage years) and then groaning and wanting to throw the book. You want to root for the happy times and cry for the sad times. I could relate to some of the best friend mess too. Maybe that is why I enjoyed it so much. The ride is long and bumpy enough to probably make you carsick. Was there an easier way? Probably, but as crazy as the ride was, I think maybe some of it was neccessary to go through.
Another Melissa Toppen book that brings all the feels! I loved both Alec and Hope, and my heart went out to Hope when it came to her feelings for Alec; she’s definitely the bigger person when it came to her “friendship” with Lucy; I am NOT a fan of Lucy and how she treated Hope. The friendship that developed between Alec and Hope was special and beautiful, even though Hope had to bury her true feelings for Alec over the years. I couldn’t wait to see how things would turn out for them, if they would actually get it together regarding the feelings they had for each other.
Almost Never was a okay read, it just didn’t hold my attention like this authors previous stories had, and at times I really wanted to quit reading. For me I had a hard time connecting with the characters. I did like Alec, but bff Hope and Lulu were so immature to me and annoying. This is a friends to lovers story.
Sweet story about a girl, Hope, who sees the new guy in school, Alec, first and helps him out, she’s immediately taken with him, but in true best friend fashion, her bff Lucy, or Lulu swoops right in and Hope is left out on the outside looking in as the guy she’s in love with dates her best friend.
Follow their story as they each experience love for each other as well as heartache they put each other through. Grab this 5 star story asap!
The title says it all when it came to Alex and Hope’s story.
This unique friends to lovers story that almost wasn’t.
The compelling part of this angsty story was HOW it all unfolded.
I really enjoyed this story, it was well written and relatable. The story was well written and the characters well developed. Argh… Hope was frustrating but it was real!!
My only issue was THE issue dragged a little too long.
This another wonderful story by Melissa Toppen. Almost Never is a young adult story that follows Alec and Hope through their friendship to love. This book has all the butterflies and feelings for the characters, Melissa is so good at writing. I found myself feeling for both Alec and Hope. Their story is definitely worth your time to read.
Another amazing read from Melissa.
Almost never is a friends to lovers, super sweet, fairly quick read.
In almost never We meet a young Hope and Alec in high school. From the get go these two become in separable only one person ever stands in the way. We get to follow Hope and Alec as they grow as friends and young adults.
Alec is a true gentlemen, constantly showing and trying to prove Hope wrong. Hope wants to do right by her friends.
Sometimes the greatest joys are years in the making. I love a good happy ending and after years and years Alec and Hope get theirs.
Ok first I have to say that I did love Alec and Hope story. But to be honest I really didn’t like Hope reaction at first yeah she was ok sweet and a good friend but I think she took being a good best friend way out of what I will imagine a friend will be. But like I say I still fell in love with their story especially Alec he had my heart since the first page.
This was such an emotional amazing story Hope is a shadow and so insecure and her best friend is awful and doesnt see what’s right in front of her, her best friends feelings.
Hope and Alex have so many obstacles to overcome it’s heartbreaking but I cheered them on the whole way so many years lost of feelings and truth.
Beautiful writing that consumes you it’s like watching a movie unfold and I loved it.
Almost Never is one more reason Melissa Toppen is one of my go to authors. This book sucked me in at page one and didn’t let go. A hard to put down page turner….. Alec and Hope’s story takes you on an emotional roller coaster. A beautifully written story of enduring friendship, loyalty, missed opportunities, and the fact that love will find a way. Loved every page and the perfect ending!
This is a read that will have you hooked from the very beginning to the ending. This is a slow burn read that has the feelings rolling off the pages and you feel like you are right their in their love story of a normal teenage girls years.
If I wouldn’t have loved all the characters in this story I may have had ill feelings toward each one of them. They all have their redeeming qualities though, no matter what they tell (or don’t tell) each other (and themselves). Hope, Alec and Lucy are all tied up in knots of untold feelings and whatifs. The whole 6 yr long tale had my heart ACHING for the HEA I knew was coming. All the longing and moments, where everything you want is just within reach yet so far away. All the feelings of what almost never would actually feel like.
You have to endure to understand and accept where you want and need to be. I loved that no matter what, they all grew and moved on regardless of what was happening between them. Though, not everyone knew what actually happened…
Altogether, a wonderfully addictive tale of teenage angst and heartbreak with a happy ending. Cant be missed.
This book was everything. I love this authors books and writing that will keep you hooked and not let go until the end. Every book she writes just gets better and this is one of my absolute favorites so far. I fell in love with these characters so much and my emotions were definitely all over the place with this. I really could not get enough at all.
Sometimes love comes at a time in your life when your not quite ready for it. When you don’t fully love yourself or truly understand the full meaning. True love can’t be ignore or denied it will haunt you. This is a beautiful story of a second chance at having the love of a lifetime. A couple whose moments were tarnished by someone they considered a friend. I love the writing I was completely hooked. The plot was original in so many ways. I loved the characters and this is one of my favorites from this author I can’t wait to read more from her.
I’m not sure how to review this story. It was a cute friends to lovers but I was annoyed most of the book. I maybe think because it was a lot different then what I thought it would be. It had a YA/clean undertone to it most of the book and that had me struggling. Lost of time jumps and it just didn’t feel like the characters really even got to know each other. In other words, not a ton of relationship/friendship, not character building. It was a cute read and I was able to power through it, but it’s not one that will leave an impact. 3 stars #2OCCJD
Melissa Toppen
Eeeek! OMGOODNESS. I couldn’t get enough of this book. But this tends to happen with each Melissa Toppen novel I read. This book takes place over a 6 year period and gives you all the goosies and feels. I swooned over Alec and I cried with Hope. Not every love story has an HEA. However, it does show the level of commitment and determination when you are willing to fight for love and true happiness. Alec was the embodiment of love and loyalty and was determined to show Hope that she deserved to have the happiness she desired even if others were hurt.
10 STARS if possible
Almost Never is a wonderful friends to lovers story that I couldn’t put down. Hope and Alec meet their junior year of high school. There’s an instant attraction, but neither of them tells the other. Hope’s best friend Lucy (aka Lulu) jumps at the chance to get Alec’s attention and they quickly become a couple. This book had my stomach in knots the entire time. Hope and Alec stay friends for years without crossing the line into a romantic relationship because Hope doesn’t want to hurt Lucy. It was so hard watching Hope be hurt by her friends. She honestly sacrificed her own happiness for Lucy’s. Everyone but Hope knew Lucy would never do the same for her. Hope and Alec’s relationship was sweet and I couldn’t wait for their timing to be right. Hope shows a lot of growth throughout the story and I was happy to see her come into her own and care more about her own happiness. This book just may be my favorite by the author.