REVIEW: Never Never by Colleen Hoover & Tarryn Fisher

Authors Colleen Hoover and Tarryn Fisher team up for an intriguing three part series in Never Never.  In part one, readers meet Charlie and Silas, best friends since infancy and in love since they were 14.  All that changes when they become literal strangers, each suffering paralyzing memory gaps. They work to piece the puzzle together, learning that this has happened before and desperate to find clues before it happens again.

I adored this first part.  The characters are interesting and the mystery sets the tone for readers wanting to continue and discover what is causing the memory lapse.  This isn't a conventional story by any means and I like that both Charlie and Silas learn that they aren't too happy with where their lives are going at the moment. It would be a powerful wake up call if we all got a second chance to evaluate our lives from a truly anonymous POV.

The best part of this is the cliffhanger ending!

In part two, their memories have reset again and only Silas has a clue as to who he is after luckily stumbling upon notes he and Charlie have left for their amnesiac selves. With Charlie missing, Silas is determined to find her.

Meanwhile, Charlie wakes up and is held captive in a strange place with no idea who she is nor who the handsome boy haunting her drug induced dreams might be.  Her survivals instincts kick in as she dares to escape.

I enjoyed this one as well but wished for a bit more detail. Charlie being held hostage intrigued me but there was a lack of progression to the overall story. I wanted more focus and clarity. However, I did think that Silas shines in this second part.  He's headstrong and determined but also starting to grow as he learns more about his past and how he might change his future.

Silas might have found Charlie but their mission isn't over. Together again, they pool their resources to discover what might be causing the memory lapses.  An eye opening visit with Charlie's incarcerated father sheds some light on recent happenings as does a new development with Silas' memories. Having discovered what they hope is the key toward ending the cycle, Silas and Charlie spend time together and wait for the clock to strike that fateful hour.

In general, I loved the concept of Never Never but I was let down at the end.  Why?  There wasn't much attention to detail or follow through with some of the storytelling and narrative potential. I wanted more 'meat' to the story and if some major happenings aren't relevant to the end game, then don't include them.

Overall, it is an enjoyable read but with some flaws. I did like the ending and would read more about these characters if it was published.

Final rating (overall): 4 out of 5 stars

Follow the authors on Twitter:  @colleenhoover @Tarryn_Fisher

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