Get Fast, Free Shipping with Amazon Prime FREE Returns

FREE delivery Friday, November 18 if you spend $25 on items shipped by Amazon

Or fastest delivery Wednesday, November 16. Order within 21 hrs 45 mins

In Stock.

As an alternative, the Kindle eBook is available now and can be read on any device with the free Kindle app.

[{"displayPrice":"$11.99","priceAmount":11.99,"currencySymbol":"$","integerValue":"11","decimalSeparator":".","fractionalValue":"99","symbolPosition":"left","hasSpace":false,"showFractionalPartIfEmpty":true,"offerListingId":"Rh%2FuQJoQgX6EBQ%2FC3HxN2bdK%2BxKqzA%2FZ2ZcsFjw2XQbdek3UfCIIC%2FDeOJJFGE0pLZYK3hmSutSG0enkgrNryXNIGscYHR8GCPgjbKdiubxpniqHTOLYrU3LL05xzBG4Tf5n%2Bku5PtObYFkIxvqnog%3D%3D","locale":"en-US","buyingOptionType":"NEW"},{"displayPrice":"$9.39","priceAmount":9.39,"currencySymbol":"$","integerValue":"9","decimalSeparator":".","fractionalValue":"39","symbolPosition":"left","hasSpace":false,"showFractionalPartIfEmpty":true,"offerListingId":"AJdOsiSCUQOXnRWiFGD6vA5F7igAbKwIbF7ng5ZYt7kz0BrWdb%2FqOOZMwqQ52XRwrZuHa5p48Hc3ZMHQaRjgGxOJTn01tkwR38olpxrwXcQUVfnXuCyOHP%2FTDAbFUhkeo87Irg8mVpJiUl3ewTNxCa9LtPxUrEHOgeDg7sIpNTqnouyQlbthX2Oe6dMgEz2U","locale":"en-US","buyingOptionType":"USED"}]

$$11.99 () Includes selected options. Includes initial monthly payment and selected options. Details

Secure transaction

Ships from

Amazon.com

Sold by

Amazon.com

Details

Ships from

Amazon.com

Sold by

Amazon.com

Return policy: Returnable until Jan 31, 2023

Add a gift receipt for easy returns

Get Fast, Free Shipping with Amazon Prime

FREE delivery Wednesday, November 30 if you spend $25 on items shipped by Amazon

Or fastest delivery November 25 - 29

Select delivery location

Used: Good | Details

Sold by The BAP Goods

Fulfilled by Amazon

Access codes and supplements are not guaranteed with used items.

Have one to sell?

Sell on Amazon

Other Sellers on Amazon

Added

Not added

$9.54
+ $3.99 shipping

Sold by: TheWorldShopUSA

Added

Not added

$13.75
& FREE Shipping

Sold by: Book Depository US

Added

Not added

$10.05
+ $3.99 shipping

Sold by: indoobestsellers

Flip to back Flip to front

Listen Playing... Paused You're listening to a sample of the Audible audio edition.
Learn more

See this image

Follow the Author

Sandy Hall

Been Here All Along: He's in Love with the Boy Next Door Paperback – August 30, 2016

by Sandy Hall (Author)

339 ratings

See all formats and editions

Price

New from

Used from

Kindle

"Please retry"

$9.99

—

Paperback

"Please retry"

$11.99

$7.99

$1.44

Enhance your purchase

From the author of A Little Something Different comes a quirky, heartfelt novel about high school, first love, and what happens when the plans you make for yourself go just a little bit awry.

Gideon always has a plan. His plans include running for class president, leading the yearbook committee, and having his choice of colleges. They do not include falling head over heels for his best friend and next-door neighbor, Kyle. It’s a distraction. It’s pointless, as Kyle is already dating the gorgeous and popular head cheerleader, Ruby. And Gideon doesn’t know what to do...

Kyle finally feels like he has a handle on life. He has a wonderful girlfriend, a best friend willing to debate the finer points of Lord of the Rings, and social acceptance as captain of the basketball team. Then both Ruby and Gideon start acting really weird, just as his spot on the team is threatened, and Kyle can’t quite figure out what he did wrong…

Author Sandy Hall’s signature wit and charm is back with Been Here All Along, an LGBT young adult romance from Macmillan’s young adult imprint Swoon Reads.

Praise for Been Here All Along:

"It’s sweet. It’s adorable. It’s full of emotions. It’s one of the best romances I’ve ever read, and I’ll be reading this one again multiple times." ―Here's to Happy Endings

" If you’re a fan of cute YA romance, this book will hit the spot." ―Feed Your Fiction Addiction

"Atmospheric and heart-warming . . . " ―Hit Or Miss Books

Print length

240 pages
Language

English
Publication date

August 30, 2016
Grade level

8 and up
Reading age

13 - 18 years
Dimensions

5.55 x 0.65 x 8.25 inches
ISBN-10

1250100658
ISBN-13

978-1250100658
Lexile measure

HL700L
See all details

Frequently bought together

Been Here All Along: He's in Love with the Boy Next Door

$11.99

Get it as soon as Friday, Nov 18

In Stock.

Ships from and sold by Amazon.com.

$9.74

Get it as soon as Friday, Nov 18

In Stock.

Ships from and sold by Amazon.com.

$10.99

Get it as soon as Friday, Nov 18

In Stock.

Ships from and sold by Amazon.com.

Total price:

To see our price, add these items to your cart.

Choose items to buy together.

Erik J. Brown
1,453
Hardcover
60 offers from $9.77
Alexis Hall
1,832
Paperback
65 offers from $4.99
Jennifer Cosgrove
234
Paperback
23 offers from $1.91
Becky Albertalli
1,814
Hardcover
98 offers from $3.02
Alexis Hall
7,480
Paperback
89 offers from $4.09
Annabeth Albert
1,425
Paperback
74 offers from $2.49

Editorial Reviews

From School Library Journal

Gr 9 Up—An endearing and heartwarming narrative that is realistic and reflective. Kyle and Gideon have happily been best friends and next-door neighbors for much of their lives. However, Gideon unexpectedly develops romantic feelings for Kyle but is unsure as to how to proceed because Kyle is currently in a long-term relationship with Ruby. Told from each character's first-person perspective, the novel presents the complicated process of self-discovery, social acceptance, and, ultimately, love. Readers follow Kyle, Gideon, and Ruby as they attempt to navigate unfamiliar terrain that could jeopardize their current relationships. Those who appreciate strong male protagonists who are quirky, queer, or questioning will enjoy this stand-alone title with broad appeal. Hall expertly captures the nuances of LGBTQ life in an authentic and positive manner. Themes such as honesty, trust, logic, and love are explored throughout. The characters are likable, and their emotions are sure to resonate with readers. Read-alikes include Stephen Chbosky's The Perks of Being a Wallflower, David Levithan and John Green's Will Grayson, Will Grayson, and Jaye Robin Brown's Georgia Peaches and Other Forbidden Fruit. VERDICT This coming-of-age drama of discovering love in unlikely places is tender, accessible, and recommended for most library collections.—Katie Flynn, Williston Northampton School Library, MA

Review

"It really was everything I had hoped it would be. . . If you need a cute romance to end your summer with, read this. It’s sweet. It’s adorable. It’s full of emotions. It’s one of the best romances I’ve ever read, and I’ll be reading this one again multiple times." ―Here's to Happy Endings

"This book is sweet and fun and all sorts of adorable. It was a typical, simple high school romance, but it was kind of nice to see one of those with LGBT characters―without a lot of angsty complications. . . If you’re a fan of cute YA romance, this book will hit the spot." ―Feed Your Fiction Addiction

"Such a fun, adorable read . . . another fun addition to Hall’s repertoire of swoonworthy reads." ―Good Books & Good Wine

"Atmospheric and heart-warming . . . [Kyle and Gideon] have the kind of friendship we all wish we had. They know one another to the core of their beings. I have some real friendship goals right now, because of the two of them." ―Hit Or Miss Books

Product details

Publisher ‏ : ‎ Swoon Reads (August 30, 2016)
Language ‏ : ‎ English
Paperback ‏ : ‎ 240 pages
ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 1250100658
ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-1250100658
Reading age ‏ : ‎ 13 - 18 years
Lexile measure ‏ : ‎ HL700L
Grade level ‏ : ‎ 8 and up
Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 6.4 ounces
Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 5.55 x 0.65 x 8.25 inches

Best Sellers Rank: #795,627 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
- #735 in Teen & Young Adult LGBTQ+ Romance
- #1,181 in Teen & Young Adult LGBTQ+ Fiction (Books)
- #3,891 in Teen & Young Adult Contemporary Romance

Customer Reviews:
339 ratings

Brief content visible, double tap to read full content.

Full content visible, double tap to read brief content.

Videos

Help others learn more about this product by uploading a video!

Upload your video

About the author

Follow authors to get new release updates, plus improved recommendations.

Sandy Hall

Brief content visible, double tap to read full content.

Full content visible, double tap to read brief content.

Sandy Hall is the author of A Little Something Different, Signs Point to Yes, and Been Here All Along. She has a Master of Library and Information Science from Rutgers University. After spending several years as a teen librarian, she decided to try writing books instead of just reading books. It worked out pretty well. When she isn’t writing, she enjoys Netflix marathons, Broadway shows, taking long scrolls through Tumblr, and living in New Jersey. Find her on Twitter and Instagram @iamsandyhall.

Customer reviews

5 star		58%
4 star		20%
3 star		16%
2 star		4%
1 star		3%

How customer reviews and ratings work

Top reviews from the United States

There was a problem filtering reviews right now. Please try again later.

Stoicstella

This is a lightweight, cutesy story about wanting a friendship to blossom into romance.

Reviewed in the United States 🇺🇸 on June 27, 2018

Verified Purchase

I chose this book as part of a 30 Days of Pride Book Review project. This is that review:

Gideon has been best friends with Kyle almost as long as he can remember. So when Kyle and his girlfriend are having a fight, Gideon really has to examine why he feels somewhat giddy. He’s definitely not attracted to Ruby… but could he really be attracted to Kyle?

This is a lightweight, cutesy story about wanting a friendship to blossom into romance. The writing is simplistic. The conflict and eventual story arc is pretty obvious. The resolution is what one would expect. I mean, there is nothing too innovative or surprising happening here.

Still, at the end of the day, it's a feel-good story. It delivers what the genre promises. It is a schmoopy teen romance. So, you get what you pay for here. The boys are good friends, and you want to root for them through the genre requisite misunderstandings and blunders. They also don't make the girlfriend character a throw away person whose feelings don't matter… or ultimately a monster so the audience doesn't have to feel so bad if her feelings get hurt…. Which I appreciated.

All and all it was a quick and pleasant read.

There were a few things that didn't quite do it for me, however. I didn't find the characters to be totally consistent from one scene to the next. For instance, in one scene Ruby is the point of view character and even in her internal monologue she is totally cool with the information she just learned. Than 3 days later she expresses that she is totally not okay with it. And while she could have simply changed her mind, I think we should have seen a glimmer of misgiving, while we were in her head, if she really felt so strongly about it later. And another instance was, in the beginning of the book Gideon has just no clue that his being gay was even a possibility. It catches him totally off guard to be attracted to a guy. Then much later in the book, someone asks him how long he's known he is gay, and he replies, “I guess I always sort of knew, but didn't know how to deal with it.” That was not at all what was expressed in his thoughts when we were in his point of view. It just feels like clumsy characterization.

Also, the “up until right this moment I thought I was straight but I was secretly totally in gay denial this whole time” trope seems to just be over represented as a story device for straight authors writing gay stories. I don't know, and maybe I'm not being fair, because I'm not saying this never happens in real life, but.... and maybe this is just me... it can feel almost fetishy(?) sometimes. I've seen it too many times with fanfiction authors writing two characters who have been established heterosexual in canon, because those characters just don't know any better and really they are meant to be together.

Do I recommend it? If you like schmoopy romances? If you like light manufactured drama that wraps up neatly, ala’ Degrassi or Teen Nick? If you really want a best friend hoping for romance story? Sure. Go ahead. Read this one. It is lightweight, Fluffy, Harmless faire.

So how does it do on this project's scales?

The Queer Counterculture Visibility Scale is first, which determines how much light I thought this book shed on less prominent queer stories. I liked that we had a POV character that identified as bisexual. I also liked that there were some class issues being pointed out by a non-queer POV character. A handful of points there.

2 out of 5 stars

The second scale is The Genre Expectation scale, which rates how the book compares to other books in its genre. Like I said above, it is a fine example of the genre. Nothing too surprising but nothing too disappointing either.

3 out of 5 stars

9 people found this helpful

Helpful

BookNerdMomo

A light, quick, cute, sweet, and heartwarming contemporary that will have you fangirling!

Reviewed in the United States 🇺🇸 on September 1, 2016

Verified Purchase

Sandy Hall is one of those authors whose book's I happened to stumble upon in the store and impulse buy. I've been hooked ever since and Been Here All Along didn't disappoint. It was exactly what I needed to read to take a break from all the serious reads I've devoured this year. Been Here All Along can be summed up in five words; light, quick, cute, sweet, and heartwarming. But it also has undertones of a few things we all encounter in our lives; figuring out who we are, accepting who we are, and learning from our mistakes. I loved it.

I'm in love with this author's writing style, the simplicity of it is beautiful. I love how she conveys so much with so little. It's refreshing and extremely different from what I usually read.

The simplicity of the writing makes her books very character driven. Been Here All Along is told in the alternate perspectives of four different characters, which is something this author is known for doing in her books. I'm not usually a fan of books that have more than two perspectives but her books are always an exception to that.

Gideon and Kyle. They've been best friends since they were five. In a way, they're complete opposites; Gideon is very organized and goal oriented while Kyle is very disorganized and forgetful, but they have an incredible friendship and a lot in common. That friendship slowly starts to morph into something more... And well you'll have to read it for yourself to find out what happens next. I loved their friendship. I loved the fact that they were both giant nerds. They were absolutely adorable together. I seriously can't get over how adorable they were!!

Ruby, I didn't like. There is always that one character I don't care for and Ruby was that character in this. She was self-centered and had a bad attitude. I felt terrible for how her life was at home, I could relate to those struggles so much. However, I didn't feel that it excused her behavior. Toward the end, she seemed on the path to redemption but I couldn't get over how she acted for 90% of the book.

Ezra, Gideon's older brother. He was there and extremely supportive of his brother, but I didn't feel like we really got to know him. I didn't form much of an opinion about him. I wish we had gotten to know him a bit better, but the fact that the main focus of the story was Gideon's and Kyle's journey it made sense that we didn't.

Overall this was an enjoyable read. I did have a few moments where I found things a bit too perfect, thus unrealistic, and found certain dramas very eye roll worthy so it wasn't without small flaws. However, if you're looking for a quick, cute, and light contemporary then this book is perfect.

If you've never read any of Sandy Hall's books but want to give them a chance then I highly recommend Been Here All Along!

I can't wait to see what this author has in store for us with her future books. I, for one, will definitely be reading every book that is published.

2 people found this helpful

Helpful

Top reviews from other countries

Kevin

Loves the idea. Hates the novel.

Reviewed in the United Kingdom 🇬🇧 on November 2, 2017

Verified Purchase

This is the kind of novel where I absolutely looove the idea of it more than the actual novel. For this novel to reach its full potential it would have to be twice as long.

I'm a queer guy who was looking forward to reading a cute book about two best friends who fall in love, though it went too fast and was too unrealistic. I feel like this novel was written by a straight woman for a straight female audience without any real research about what it means to be lgbtq+. I'll give some examples:

1. you're gay before you realize it.

What I mean with this is that even if you don't know your sexuality, you still are it. You don't sit next to your attractive best friend and think about kissing him only /after/ you realized your sexuality, you do it before, too. There were no indication that Gideon liked guys or was attracted to Kyle before he watched the picture in the changing rooms and imagined kissing his best friend.

2. coming to terms with identity

Okay, honestly, if anyone in this world accepts and comes to term realizing their sexuality this fast, I'm really really happy for you but it's soooooooooo unbelievable. I mean, those lists that Gideon made about whether or not he was attracted to Kyle and thus if he was gay was just crap. It took him a few hours to think about kissing his best friend and then coming to terms with his sexuality and soon he's telling his brother that he's gay. If that was the first time he thought of kissing Kyle then the realistic thing to happen was him brushing it off as being tired or something's messing with his head. It's like the saying goes, if it happens once then it's nothing.

I'll leave lgbtq+ alone now, I feel like I've made my point. However, another thing I feel like this novel is lacking is characterization. I have a lot of questions in this regard.

1. Why the hell did Kyle's girlfriend text Gideon the pictures of his lists?

2. Why the hell did Gideon leave his lists under the living room couch after WEEKS???? He has a room for goodness' sake!!!!!

3. Why did Kyle go from 0-100 in terms of his feelings for Gideon? From seeing him as just a friend and then "I might be in love with him."

4. Why did Gideon go from 0-100 in terms of his feelings for Kyle????

5. Who even are the characters?? I mean where's the depth?

6. Does all Kyle's and Gideon's friendship and humor only involve Lord of the Rings??? Don't they watch any other movies together but those??

7. Where's the background story?? The build-up?? And then I don't mean a one-liner like "He comes from X, his parents, X and X, are working as X and X and he and his neighbor has been best friends since they were kids."

8. Why didn't Sandy HAll make any of the characters round and relatable?

Trust me, I have more but I'm sure I've already made my point.

Dear Sandy Hall,
I hope you're reading this because even though this review wasn't very positive, it is good to know what the flaws are so they can be changed in future novels. I admire that you had the guts to publish this, I really am, but go through my notes and try avoiding those things in future projects.

//: Reviewer

15 people found this helpful

Tasha Ní Mhiacháin

The feels almost ended me.

Reviewed in the United Kingdom 🇬🇧 on June 1, 2019

Verified Purchase

This book was recommended to me and I'm so happy that I decided to get it.

I love the writing style. First person head hopping is my favourite, and Sandy manages to write the voices of teenagers so well they feel like real people.

I like that the story touched real life issues like with Ezra not knowing what to do with himself, Gideon and Kyle coming out in their own ways and Kyle’s struggles with school.

This was a really enjoyable read. Light, humorous and full of feels.

I'll definitely read more from Sandy.

Here is one of my favourite moments from the book;

‘I have—I hate myself even as I think the word—a crush. I have a crush on my best friend. I have become a teen romcom cliché. There is no hope for me.’

TRIMONTIUM

BOY NEXT DOOR NOVEL

Reviewed in the United Kingdom 🇬🇧 on November 28, 2019

Verified Purchase

It has potential. But as it is it is like a faceplant into blancmange. Worse, it is shorter than it seems. Another book which has a lot of padding at the end.

Ollie F

Nice ideas

Reviewed in the United Kingdom 🇬🇧 on June 6, 2019

Verified Purchase

Loved the characters, I love that you can feel yourself falling for the characters as the book goes on. The major plot point was very reminiscent of Ross and Rachel in Friends but otherwise I really liked it.

Emily

... enjoying this and but then I kind of got bored in the middle

Reviewed in the United Kingdom 🇬🇧 on August 24, 2017

Verified Purchase

I was really enjoying this and but then I kind of got bored in the middle. It was nice but maybe needed a bit more momentum. A bit predictable too but I expected that a bit. (no pun intended)
Overall enjoyable and nice to see a book with a gay relationship between the two main characters.

See all reviews