Review: Never Been Shipped by Alicia Thompson
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You know that feeling when something just gets you? Like the universe lined up a book specifically for your hyperfixations and said, “Here. Enjoy this cruise of feelings.” That’s Never Been Shipped.
The Setup
Micah used to be in a band that blew up overnight—thanks in part to a song they wrote as teenagers that got featured in a key episode of a cult-favorite supernatural TV show called Nightshifters. (Think Buffy or Supernatural vibes with a fiercely loyal fanbase and endless convention content.) But before the band could truly find its footing, Micah broke off to go solo. And in the process, she burned every bridge she had with the people who mattered most—including John, her best friend and bandmate who quietly loved her from the shadows.
Now, over a decade later, the band is reuniting for one performance only—on a Nightshifters-themed cruise. (Yes, the cast is there. Yes, there are panels. Yes, it sounds like heaven.) Five days at sea, trapped with the ghosts of her past and the man she can’t quite look in the eye without her heart doing backflips? Let’s just say: it’s not exactly smooth sailing.
The Characters
Micah is the kind of messy, creative heroine I absolutely fall for. She’s smart, driven, and deeply passionate—but also afraid of repeating old mistakes. Her relationship with music is intimate and painful, like touching a bruise you’re not sure is healing yet. Watching her reckon with her own choices and inch her way back toward vulnerability? Oof. Right in the feelings.
And then there’s John. Sweet, steady John, who quietly watched her fall apart years ago and now has to decide if he’s brave enough to step into the spotlight—both musically and emotionally. He’s not the kind of romantic lead who kicks down doors; he’s the one who waits at them, guitar in hand, hoping you’ll come back.
Their chemistry is a simmering, slow-burn tension that unfolds with soft moments, glances that say too much, and music that says even more. You’ll root for them, cry for them, and absolutely yell at them to just talk already.
Why You’ll Love It
Let’s count the ways:
If you’ve ever fallen in love with a fandom, this book will feel like a love letter. The Nightshifters details are so vivid, I googled to double-check it wasn’t a real show.
The creative passion in these pages is palpable. Alicia Thompson knows how to write about making art in a way that makes your soul ache. The music scenes? Transcendent.
It’s a second-chance romance done right. No cheap resolutions, no sweeping things under the rug—just two people learning how to meet each other as who they are now.
Forced proximity on a cruise ship. With a band reunion. And unresolved tension. Need I say more?
It’s funny. It’s heartfelt. It’s deeply human.
Reader’s Corner
This one goes out to every reader who’s ever stayed up too late in a fan forum, cried during a series finale, or had a song that marked the exact moment your heart cracked open.
Never Been Shipped is for the romantics who still believe in do-overs, for the creatives who know that loving your craft doesn’t always love you back, and for anyone who’s ever stood on the edge of something terrifyingly beautiful and thought: maybe I’ll jump this time.
Content notes: There’s some heavier emotional terrain (regret, grief over past choices, and the weight of estranged friendships), but nothing overwhelming. It balances the angst with genuine warmth and plenty of light. Pair it with your favorite cruise-y cocktail or a nostalgic playlist from your own teenage years.
Never Been Shipped will come out on June 10, 2025. Preorder it now on Bookshop.org! By purchasing through this link, you’re supporting independent bookstores like Happenstance and the vibrant literary community they foster.
