Never Been Shipped

Who doesn’t love a pop punk cruise? This is what caught my attention with Alicia Thompson‘s Never Been Shipped. I’ve already been wanting to read her books since With Love, from Cold World came out; the Paramore reference was like a siren call. That one is still on my TBR, but today, one of its side characters, John, gets his long-overdue happily ever after in Never Been Shipped.

Thirteen years after their band ElectricOh! broke up, the five members are asked to join a cruise centered around the popular series one of their songs was featured in. They’ll need to perform a couple of small sets, participate in games like bingo and shuffleboard, and soak up the Caribbean sun. Micah is nervous because she broke up the band, in part due to her breakup with lead guitarist Ryder. But she’s also nervous about seeing her best friend (and rhythm guitarist) John again. Can the band play well together after all these years? Can Micah and John reclaim their friendship… and something more?

What I Liked:

• Paramore vibes! This author clearly loves Paramore, from the band structure and relationship dynamics (I see the parallels!) to the included playlist featuring a lot of songs from both the band and Hayley Williams. Since I love their music, I was excited to read a book with so many nods to them.
• Pop punk cruise vibes, too! Paramore did their Parahoy cruise three separate times in the 2010s; Andrew McMahon did his Holiday from Real cruise in 2016, with another scheduled for 2026. Clearly, pop punk music and Caribbean cruises go hand in hand. I didn’t get to join any of the aforementioned cruises, so I was happy to feel like I did in reading this book.
• (Former) friends to lovers. Not exes to lovers! Micah had dated Ryder way back when, but there’s a reason they broke up. This story focuses on the guy who was there before, her best friend John, and their chance to finally become friends again. Oh, and admit to the crushes they’d had on each other when they were in school. The love John still feels for Micah. I loved seeing their relationship blossom, however late!
• John doesn’t drink. This is a minor thing, but I like that John doesn’t drink alcohol. Same for me! And for the same reason.
• Frankie and Steve. I love these two bandmates! They’re both so chill and nice in their own ways. Ryder is toxic and annoying, but he gets what he deserves lol.
• The music! I know, I already went on about Paramore and Andrew McMahon. But truly, Never Been Shipped is so infused with music! The characters are shown playing music, discussing specific chords, composing new songs, discussing favorite albums… I loved all the attention to detail in making them feel like a real band.

Final Thoughts

Never Been Shipped was a joy to read, even when it tackled some more emotional themes. I loved John and Micah so much, from their genuine friendship to their obvious chemistry to the future they run towards. True to the apparent inspiration, reading this book felt like bringing Paramore songs to life in the best way. Music fans will enjoy this one.

I’m excited to read more from Alicia Thompson, starting with Asa and Lauren’s story in With Love, from Cold World.

Special thanks to the publicists at Penguin Random House, Berkley, and NetGalley for providing me with an ARC of this book!

Get the Book

You can buy Never Been Shipped here – it’s available as a paperback, ebook, and audiobook.

Never Been Shipped by Alicia Thompson
Audience	Adult
Genre	Contemporary Romance
Setting	Caribbean
Number of Pages	400
Format I Read	Ebook (NetGalley ARC)
Original Publication Date	June 10, 2025
Publisher	Berkley

Official Summary

A band reunion may be enough to change two musicians’ tune on love in this electric romance from USA Today bestselling author Alicia Thompson.
 
Micah’s relationship to music is complicated. As teenagers, her band took off after being featured on a popular TV show, but the group barely released their sophomore album before breaking up. Now, over a decade later, the band is reuniting for one more performance on a themed cruise, and Micah is determined to learn from her past mistakes — no losing herself in the music, and no losing her heart along the way. 
 
John misses playing in a band, and mostly he misses Micah, who’d been his best friend until the music stopped. Back then, he didn’t take the lead, either in his guitar parts or while he sat back and watched her date another bandmate. John’s never been one to rock the boat, but he’s faced with another chance now that this cruise has brought music — and Micah — back in his life.
 
Onboard, Micah can’t help but see John with brand new eyes, and John’s feelings only intensify as the discordant band’s tension grows to a breaking point. With five days at sea, there’s a ticking clock on anything that might develop between them, and they’ll have to decide if their relationship is destined to be more than a one-hit wonder.