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I Could Never

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I Could Never

By: Penelope Ward
Narrated by: Andi Arndt, Sebastian York
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From New York Times best-selling author Penelope Ward comes a new forbidden enemies-to-lovers story…

It all started with an unexpected phone call.

Two years after my fiancé passed away in an accident, his father died suddenly, leaving Brad’s adult special-needs brother with no one to care for him. The next thing I knew, I was on a cross-country drive to New Hampshire where I’d be moving in to look after Scottie until I could get him into a group home.

The last thing I ever expected?

I wouldn’t be taking care of him alone.

Josh Mathers, my fiancé’s best friend—who also happened to be my sworn enemy—insisted he was the better person for the job. He told me to go back to California, and I told him where he could stick that demand. Our disdain for each other wasn’t anything new. It dated back to a text I’d accidentally read years ago. We hated each other. But we both loved Scottie, so neither of us budged. Now we were living together in a tiny house—with one available bedroom. Thank goodness it was only temporary.

Over time, I realized the broody jerk I thought I knew was different than I’d imagined.

I found myself slowly growing attached to someone I once considered the enemy...and growing attracted to him. Sure, both of us were guilt-ridden over Brad. We were also two grown people with pent-up frustration toward one another—stuck in a cabin in the woods. But this was Josh. I could never.

©2023 Penelope Ward (P)2023 Penelope Ward
Contemporary Contemporary Romance Romance Heartfelt Feel-Good
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it takes a journey in life of guilt and happiness and struggle but thankfully you'll enjoy happy 😊

sweet heartwarming

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I always seem to enjoy the way Penelope Ward writes relationships, and this one ended up being such a warm, emotional read for me.

Josh and Carly come into the story with a lot of assumptions about each other, and I really liked seeing those walls slowly come down once they were forced into each other’s space. Watching them realise they’d completely misjudged one another was one of my favourite parts of the book.

So much of their connection grows through caring for Scotty, and I appreciated how much heart that added to the story. The autism representation felt thoughtful, and the book takes time to show the reality of caregiving, the patience, the adjustment, the small moments that build trust.

The romance itself felt comforting. There’s chemistry, humour, and genuine emotional beats, and I loved that sense of two people becoming important to each other in ways they never expected.

Overall, this was heartfelt, engaging, and incredibly easy to get invested in.

Great dual style narration.

4.25 stars Frenemies to Lovers · Forced Proximity

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A touching story that takes you out of everyday trials and tribulations .
A worth while read 👍

Great escapism

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Beautiful and endearing story I could not put down. Absolutely love these two readers! Thoroughly enjoyed!!

Just beautiful!

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Such a fabulous story with wonderful characters
So emotional and so true to life the everyday struggles that autism brings and the rewards that come too.
Loved it
Thank you x

Fabulous

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