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A review by lennie_reads
Every Word You Never Said by Jordon Greene
challenging
emotional
funny
hopeful
informative
inspiring
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
I received an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
So this was a super cute mlm YA contemporary romance between Skylar, 16, nonverbal & recently adopted and Jacob, 18, & from a super conservative & religious family.
The two become friends and eventually more, but it does take a while! I'll admit it was a slower burn than I anticipated, especially when they both like each other so early on they're both just too scared to admit it.
I loved Skylar & Jacob, they were fantastic characters with big hearts & each with their own flaws. I also adored Skylar's friends (Seth & Imani) and his parents, and would've liked to see more of him interacting with his parents.
I think the non verbal rep was handled really well, most of the time you got used to how Skylar communicates & didn't notice it but it also brought to light how difficult certain situations can be.
(I personally believe all kids should learn sign language from day one at school - but why there is a difference between ASL & BSL I'll never understand!)
Another major plotline is that Skylar likes to wear skirts but some of the conservative parents & people on the school board want to make the dress code more restrictive. So Skylar, Jacob & their friends are trying to fight it. This was upsetting to read, especially the conservative arguments as it felt very realistic & I'm sure it probably happens in the US more than we think.
I do feel that the classic '70% romance story fallout' was a bit of an overreaction on Skylar's part, but also he's only 16 & has major abandonment issues so I get it, even if Skylar dragged it out a bit too long.
I do also feel like Skylar was pushing Jacob before he was ready in this instance & I'm glad Skylar's friends stood up for Jacob in that instance.
The story ended far too quickly for me, I'd love to see more of these characters & what they're getting up to! Let's hope they cameo in another book like Tyler & Aiden did in this one. Especially as it only takes place over about 3 months.
One last thing - as a 'former' emo, I find it hard to believe that Jacob, who is in an emo rock band, doesn't know who My Chemical Romance are. Like, I know I'm no spring chicken but still 😂
Anyway if you love cute queer contemporary romance you need to check this out!
So this was a super cute mlm YA contemporary romance between Skylar, 16, nonverbal & recently adopted and Jacob, 18, & from a super conservative & religious family.
The two become friends and eventually more, but it does take a while! I'll admit it was a slower burn than I anticipated, especially when they both like each other so early on they're both just too scared to admit it.
I loved Skylar & Jacob, they were fantastic characters with big hearts & each with their own flaws. I also adored Skylar's friends (Seth & Imani) and his parents, and would've liked to see more of him interacting with his parents.
I think the non verbal rep was handled really well, most of the time you got used to how Skylar communicates & didn't notice it but it also brought to light how difficult certain situations can be.
(I personally believe all kids should learn sign language from day one at school - but why there is a difference between ASL & BSL I'll never understand!)
Another major plotline is that Skylar likes to wear skirts but some of the conservative parents & people on the school board want to make the dress code more restrictive. So Skylar, Jacob & their friends are trying to fight it. This was upsetting to read, especially the conservative arguments as it felt very realistic & I'm sure it probably happens in the US more than we think.
I do feel that the classic '70% romance story fallout' was a bit of an overreaction on Skylar's part, but also he's only 16 & has major abandonment issues so I get it, even if Skylar dragged it out a bit too long.
I do also feel like Skylar was pushing Jacob before he was ready in this instance & I'm glad Skylar's friends stood up for Jacob in that instance.
The story ended far too quickly for me, I'd love to see more of these characters & what they're getting up to! Let's hope they cameo in another book like Tyler & Aiden did in this one. Especially as it only takes place over about 3 months.
One last thing - as a 'former' emo, I find it hard to believe that Jacob, who is in an emo rock band, doesn't know who My Chemical Romance are. Like, I know I'm no spring chicken but still 😂
Anyway if you love cute queer contemporary romance you need to check this out!
Content Warnings
Moderate: Ableism, Bullying, Homophobia, and Religious bigotry