Like It Never Was

One night high school senior Jolene plays a prank on her frenemy, Elizabeth, that goes horribly wrong. Elizabeth is

seriously injured and permanently disfigured. Jolene, who left the scene and has never properly confessed, has carried

the guilt and shame with her ever since, which the antagonistic voice in her head makes sure she never forgets.

Now thirty, Jolene’s life has been a string of flighty choices lacking any real commitment, the most recent of which is a move to Berkley, California and a new job as the personal assistant to a melodramatic nutball poetess. She’s particularly loving her improv class, until the teacher introduces his new protege with those familiar scars …

Could it be? Of course! 

You can be assured that this reunion is only the beginning of the crazy. When all sorts of menacing, unexplained things start happening to Jolene, she has to question if Elizabeth really doesn’t remember the events of that long ago night, as she claims!

Faith Gardner definitely lacks NOTHING in the imagination department, and depending on how willing you are to set aside logic and just roll with it, you may have a blast reading this. Many readers are already eating it up!

I’ve adored her sci-fi psychological thriller Jolvix series, my favorite of which is the first - Amen, Maxine (now re-titled The Prediction). It’s unique, really witty and smart, and the other books I’ve read so far in that series have followed suit. Gardner’s creative mind and dark humor are delightfully fun, so no one was more surprised than me that this didn’t grab me as much.

The opening event requires a significant buy-in that, while definitely unique, was a little too preposterous, leaving me shaking my head while mumbling “Really?!” Once I got off on the wrong foot, I could never really get into the flow of what came after. 

My other issue was tone. Since the story started with the MCs in high school, it already began with a YA feel. Unfortunately, as thirty year olds, they didn’t seem to grow up. Elizabeth drove me bonkers with her perky tween/teen-speak utterances of “Samesies!”, “Yes, indeedy!” “Anywaysies” and such. It’s a tongue-in-cheek way to reflect her mental state, but it just made me cringe, as did virtually everything Jolene’s “Good, goddess!”- spewing employer Suzanne said. Speaking of Jolene, do not use the number of times she said “sorry” as a drinking game. You’ll regret it. I promise.

(I’ve apparently hit my “Get off my lawn!” curmudgeon phase, so feel free to disregard my cranky rant about how characters speak.)

It’s a well-written book for those who enjoy an unhinged frenemies story with dark-humor and an OTT plot. Please consider all the glowing reviews first before you decide whether to read it! As for me, I’ll be waiting eagerly for the next Jolvix book that I sure hope is coming. *hint, hint*

★★★

Thanks to Mirror House Press, NetGalley, and author Faith Gardner for this digital ARC to honestly review. It’s out July 2, 2024.