Review: Never Have I Ever by Willow Dixon

Never Have I Ever: Punched My Roommate’s V-Card (book 1; Beck & Finn)

Never Have I Ever: Submitted To My Enemy (book 2; Kai & Alex)

by Willow Dixon

Currently available on Kindle Unlimited 


Book 1: 4 stars

Book 2: 5 stars

Both of these books were better than they had any right to be. I thoroughly enjoyed book 1 about Beck and Finn. They were such sweet characters and so incredibly lovable. I genuinely didn’t think book 2 could possibly top it (no pun intended). Book 2 had multiple elements in it that I don’t usually care for; enemies to lovers is one of my least favorite tropes, and kink can be awkward to read. But Willow Dixon managed to use these in ways that made them not just palatable but enjoyable and fascinating and genuinely enhanced the plot. It’s safe to say that, between seeing what she did in books 1 and 2, I am a fan of Willow’s writing. 


Beck and Finn from book 1 were great and I didn’t expect or even want to like the next couple more than I liked them. But Alex and Kai were amazing. I loved how Kai intuitively took care of Alex in exactly the ways he needed and without being asked. That’s like catnip to me. That’s my jam. My shit. The song of my people. GIVE ME MORE.


I especially appreciated how she handled the numerous sex scenes. They never felt gratuitous; each one had a purpose, some element that conveyed or revealed something new about their relationship. And the kink was navigated so masterfully. Consent was always always sought out and obtained; boundaries were always always respected. Kai took great care to make sure Alex felt safe and comfortable at all times. The relationship dynamic between them was really the driving force behind everything they did and it was beautiful. From the content warning list at the beginning of the book, I was expecting something far more ambiguous in terms of right-and-wrongness, potentially borderline problematic, but it wasn’t at all and it made it so much more comfortable to read.


Alex’s un-Dx’d ADHD was so relatable. I especially liked how it highlighted his sensory issues and made his rejection sensitivity a big part of Alex’s character and storyline. Those traits seem to be overlooked by writers a lot when portraying a character with ADHD. Willow Dixon absolutely nailed them. 


Honestly though, how did she so successfully blend this level of cinnamon roll sweetness with this level of ridiculously spicy hotness? 🤯 Because dayum. Well done Ms Dixon. 👏🏼  


If you enjoy books that are both sweet and spicy with uber lovable heroes, then I highly recommend this series! (Book 3 comes out in March.)

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