Like Never and Always by Ann Aguirre [Review]

Like Never and Always by Ann Aguirre
Format: ebook
Source: provided through NetGalley
Disclaimer: As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.
Date read: August 23, 2018

Purchase Links: Hardcover | Kindle

Ann Aguirre
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Synopsis (Goodreads):

On a hot summer night, a screech of brakes and shattering glass changes two lives forever.

Liv wakes in the hospital, confused when they call her Morgan. She assumes it’s a case of mistaken identity, yet when the bandages come off, it’s not her face in the mirror anymore. It’s her best friend Morgan’s.

Morgan always seemed to have the perfect life, yet Liv must navigate endlessly disturbing secrets of the criminal and murderous variety—and a romance that feels like a betrayal. Torn between the boy she loved as Liv and the boy she’s grown to love as Morgan, Liv still has to survive Morgan’s last request.

Thoughts on Like Never and Always: I...sort of don't know where to start with this review. This book was everything I thought it would be and nothing like I thought it would be. It took a few turns I wasn't expecting, but it ended up going down the perfect road and delivering a story I didn't know I wanted until I read it.

In other words, I'm a messy tangle of confusion. Just a mess. (so excuse any rambling, because my thoughts feel like they're all over the place.)

At it's heart, this is a book about secrets and lies and the lengths a person will go to to keep those secrets hidden. Frankly put, everyone has secrets. Liv is hiding her true identity from everyone because (a) who would believe her when she's living it and she hardly believes it herself and (b) as Morgan's secrets start coming out, she doesn't know who to trust. Honestly, as a scientist, Liv is surprisingly level headed about her predicament. She analyzes and draws conclusions and does what she has to do to keep everyone thinking she's handling things.

It isn't until she gets deeper and deeper into Morgan's mystery that her handle on things gets shaky.

(Okay, I'm going to be intentionally vague here so as not be all spoilery...) The romance. MAN, I didn't see that coming. It worked. Perfectly. But I wasn't expecting it. It was sad and sweet and surprising and I want to read this book all over again just to see it unfurl. (My fangirl heart is honestly swooning a bit. I loved it. Hard.)

Like I said, this book ended up being the book I didn't know I wanted to read until I read it. So say I came away from it totally satisfied would be an understatement.