Places We’ve Never Been

Gr 8 Up–West delivers another sweet teen romance in her latest book. Teens Norah and Skyler used to be friends as kids but lost touch when Skyler’s family moved out of state. Now, they are spending six weeks on a road trip together with their families. Norah’s initial excitement at seeing Skyler again is immediately dampened by his aloof and distant manner. It takes some time—and a few missteps—for the two of them to figure out how to connect after so much time has passed, but once they manage to get at the root of Skyler’s emotional distance, the old close friendship quickly turns romantic. Meanwhile, there are secrets that other family members are keeping that offer some distractions along the way. The family dynamic and sibling relationships are likable and pleasant. There are no real surprises to readers here, but it’s a nice enough journey.