I loved reading this refreshing concept! Saying no is such a difficult thing! I loved the characters and how Hailey grew throughout the story!

Thank you Netgalley and Bookouture for allowing me to read this and give my honest opinion.

Vivian certainly followed her own mantra of breaking all expectations and creating her own rules. However, as Hailey learned, a facade has nothing of substance behind it. What Hailey has with Dom and Sophie far outweighed the riches that Vivian had. I can see how she would get caught up in that fast paced and perceived sexy world but it is not sustainable and ultimately doesn't provide joy. Being home matters the most.

I liked Never Say No, but it was listed in the humor and women's fiction categories, which led me to believe that is was a rom-com. I failed to find the humor in it. Hailey is switching careers from teacher to lawyer, and begins training with her idol, Vivian Jones; she increasingly ignores her best friend and live-in boyfriend to the point that she regularly ignores countless texts and phone calls, begins to forget and cancel planned activities with them, and considers infidelity with her married office crush. I enjoyed that she was transitioning to a new career and there was a theme of women supporting women, but couldn't get past the idea that she was always saying no (contrary to the title) to the healthy relationships in her life in favor of duplicity and dysfunction of office politics and hierarchies. Ultimately, if you approach this book as women's fiction with much heavier undertones, you will have a more realized reading experience, than if you expect it to be a lighter rom-com.

Rating: 3 / 5

Advanced reader's copy provided courtesy of the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Triggers: infidelity

Rating - 3.8/5

Never Say No is a story of self discovery, love hope and monogamy.

This is a story of a woman, Hailey Kidd, who has always lived a normal life, caring for her friends, loving the same boyfriend, settling for whatever she gets and not worrying about herself, until she gets to know about Vivian. Vivian is the best marriage and divorce lawyer in London, moving forward with a vision of maintaining her position at the top.

Hailey is really close to her best friend, Sophie and her boyfriend, Dom. When she joins her new job under Vivian, she starts getting influenced by that world. Even after figuring out the real face of Vivian, she doesn't seem to care about anything. The influence of the new world affects her enough to lose her wisdom of wrong and right.

In the company of Vivian and the chaos of divorce cases, Hailey finds herself drifting away from the people who care for her.

I liked this story as it is not just a story of a girl getting influenced by people of big world, but from which one can learn so many lessons. The author has portrayed the depth of relationships through this story so well. Sometimes, people get lost in trying to see whether the grass is greener on the other side, but all they get is nothing because love is the most valuable thing in the entire world.

As the author says novelty is fine, but intimacy is far more than that. It's a very true.

Dom is my favourite character. I felt so sad for him when Hailey took him for granted.

Talking about the writing style, initially the reader will build up the pace as the words flow smoothly. In the middle of the book there are parts I found boring, but then it was needed to be there to understand the depth of the lessons. But it could have been written in a better way.

If you are having some kind of confusion in your relationship then do read this book. Yes, everyone has different story but this book might help you with one or the other thing.

This ARC not only talks about self discovery but also of characters that haven't had it easy and just handed to them. Working in a predominantly male profession Victoria Jones remains my favourite character of this book. The protagonist of this book takes it time to establish itself in the book and its not your simple self discovery she leaves us with a few questions if you read the last few pages carefully. It's not an all wells that ends well book which is the admiral part of this book. Like the word NO, it too leaves a thing or two you would say NO to the main character Hailey makes.

Take a journey of self-discovery with Hailey Kidd. All her life she has been doing things for others, saying yes to being friends, a girlfriend, moving in etc. However, she has recently retrained to be a lawyer after wanting more from her life as a primary school teacher. Starting at a law firm where the inspiration for why she wanted to become a lawyer works her eyes are opened to a different world.

Is the grass greener or just different on the other side? Is her life really that boring and predictable that she needs to inject more excitement into it?

Struggled with this book, unable to find the laugh out loud moments, instead thinking how self-centred Hailey was with her relationships. Not to mention the undercurrent of normalising adultery throughout the book.

I had never read anything by this author before, but the writing was quite engaging, which made it easy for me to get into the story. A perfect summer read!

This story was able to catch me from the first moment. There is something about the main character and the way her story was told that makes the events feel closer and personal. It was a very fun trip to see her navigate the new challenges she took as a lawyer in her almost thirties. I think the only negative for me were some secondary characters, but obviously that is left to the opinion of each reader...

I definitely got Devil Wears Prada meets Suits vibes from this book (albeit more relatable) - the seemingly unsupportive friends, fabulous but scary new boss, beautiful clothes and potential work related romance.

There’s not much to dislike about this book if you’re looking for an easy to read and beach bag worthy book - definitely one to take with you on holiday.

It touches on infidelity, relationships and modern womanhood - balancing work, play and family life.

Fans of Sophie Kinsella and Mhairi McFarline, this is for you.

Thank You NetGalley/Publisher & Author for this gifted e-ARC!

Summary---
It’s always been yes. Yes, I’ll be your friend. Yes, I’ll be your girlfriend. Yes, I’ll move in with you. Yes, yes, yes. I can’t just change my mind now. Can I?

Hailey has always been told she can have it all. And saying yes to every opportunity that comes her way seems like the obvious way to make sure she gets it.

When she finds an engagement ring hidden in her boyfriend Dom’s closet, she knows she’ll say yes.

Her best friend Sophie suggests they run a marathon together and although Hailey hasn’t done more than sprint for a bus in years, she says yes.

Review---
This was such a fun book to read. That I totally enjoyed.
I feel like a lot can relate to Hailey in life.
The author really holds your attention throughout the entire book.... Which is a plus!
Most of these books are blauhhhh to me, And I hardly ever finish them. But this I loved.
Perfect summer read for sure.

Rating---- 4/5

Never Say No is a fun romantic comedy that will appeal to women in their twenties and early thirties who haven't yet "settled down", so to speak. I found it hard to get into the story because I couldn't relate to any of the characters and I kept wanting to yell at them. I guess I'm too old.
If you liked The Devil Wears Prada, you'll probably like Never Say No. The storyline is very similar.

With thanks to the author, the publisher and Netgalley for the digital ARC.

This book is fab! I've definitely had Devil Wears Pravda meets Ally McNeal vibes from this one. I have loved it from start to end.
Hailey is a wonderful main character and I have really found her relatable. As an adult, it's really easy to say yes to things just to please others or because we think it is the right thing to do.
This book has been an addictive read and one I've devoured in just one sitting. The author has completely pulled me in and this has been a very enjoyable read.
This is completely unique to anything I've read previously and I have read this author's previous book- this is definitely my favourite.

"The Devil Wears Prada" For Paralegals.

Hailey Kidd has a problem. She can never say no and her obsequious nature has landed her in major trouble. She says Yes to everything even when she doesn’t want to because of the fear of losing it all.

This book is The Devil Wears Prada for paralegals. While it may share some similarities with the book, the premise for the story is different. Because , Hailey , the protagonist makes life hard for herself by saying Yes to everything. She participates in a marathon out of a favor from her friend. She says Yes to everything her Boss asks from her.

One can totally relate to what Hailey is going through. It's basically FOMO : Fear Of Missing Out. We are continually bombarded with suggestions about what we might do. When we see our friends trying out new things , we also feel the peer pressure to do the same thing. We live in a time where options are seemingly endless and we are in put in a position to say 'Yes' out of obligation.

I would definitely recommend this book for anyone who wants a fast-paced story. The characters were all quirky and enjoyable.

**Thank you to Netgalley and the publishers for providing me with an ARC in return for an honest review**

The story grabs you from the first chapter with “the moment”. Hailey was a good lead character and watching her navigate her way in this new world and trying to find balance with her old one was interesting. I always enjoy books told from the main character’s pov and I liked the “voice” the author gave Hailey throughout the story. There were some good, not always likeable supporting characters as well. Elizabeth Neep has an engaging writing style which made it easy to get drawn into this story. This book was an enjoyable read and I hope to read more from this author.

This was a great read! I loved Hailey's character journey and the setting of law office made the story zing with its competitive nature and dubious morals. The writing style really reminded me of Sophie Ranald so if you are a fan of Sophie, you should really enjoy this book!

Thank you #Netgalley for the advanced copy!

Loved following the life of Hailey! Hailey recently left her teaching job and persued her dream of becoming a lawyer. She was hired at a very well known law office, leaving her best friend and boyfriend back in the teaching world. During this time of change, Hailey is presented with many requests by her new co-workers and always says yes to all activities, while saying no to the two closest people in her life. As time progresses, Hailey uncovers many secrets both at home and work.

I really enjoyed this book and look forward to more from this author!

f you’re a fan of the Devil Wears Prada film, then you’ll love this book, Elizabeth Neep replaces the world of fashion with the hectic world of divorce law. The main character, Hailey, has recently switched career and is intern ‘number 2’ (according to her competition, Daniel) at a top law firm... Hailey has swapped her previous career of primary school teaching for client meetings, 10 o’clock finishes and socialising at ‘Laters’ - the in house bar. Her boss, Vivian, is even worse than Miranda Priestley, with some very questionable moral values when it comes to relationships - despite being a divorce lawyer.

The perfect internship soon plays havoc with her personal life; her boyfriend Dom hasn’t spent time with her for weeks and her best friend Sophie is wondering why their ‘20 miles before the end of your 20’s’ run training has drastically tapered off. However, she’s been invited to participate on a big case with billions at stake and has the very smarmy Liam (trying time make partner) as her sponsor - at least her internship is going well, right?

The supporting characters Dom and Sophie are great and there are some great quotes: “The longest I’ve seen her commit to something is that time ‘You’ came on Netflix and she binged it in a week”. Elizabeth does a great job as portraying Hailey as naive and somewhat a bit of a pushover at the start of the book, but she eventually becomes a strong opinionated career woman - it’s an interesting read as she tries to find a healthy mix between her new job and her personal life. I’d give this book four stars, mostly because the story line was quite predictable - but it was an enjoyable read.

Thanks to NetGalley for the advanced copy of this book.

Elizabeth Neep has penned a worthy contribution to the genre of romance fiction, joining the likes of Sophie Kinsella, Sophie Ranald, Beth O'Leary and Mhairi McFarlane in creating a thoroughly British fictional universe I could really invest in. This really is a British version of 'The Devil Wears Prada', based in the world of a luxury family law firm, and I absolutely loved it! I found myself glued to it all day, wanting to see the heroes get their happy ending and the villains punished... but of course nothing is ever that neat in reality.

The novel follows Hailey's role as she starts her training contract, working for the formidable and successful Vivian Jones. Leaving behind a teaching career, Hailey struggles to balance her relationship with boyfriend Dom, their intense friendship with childhood friend Sophie and Hailey's own role as the company's new rising star. This is a novel about loyalty, friendship, and how far one should go to fulfil their desires.

Neep herself states in the author's note that she wanted to create something where the morality of the characters aren't simple and the storylines aren't necessarily tied in a neat bow. I appreciated the realism this brought to the text, particularly the authorial choices at the novel's end. Neep has a bright and humorous style, the narrative interspersed with newspaper clippings and text chains, keeping the plot pacey and the reader hooked.

My only gripe with this novel is from my perspective as a teacher. Hailey obviously works long hours and incredibly hard to be successful as a lawyer. However, she constantly comments that Dom is home hours earlier and he has no right to be as tired as her. Even just having left the classroom, it hurt that Hailey seems to have already forgotten how intense being a teacher is. The one and only time we see Dom doing marking is to spite Hailey with his silence. Portraying Dom as a layabout with an easy career showed how selfish Hailey is and removed from even her recent past. I rooted for her but I felt such sympathy for her treatment of poor put-down Dom - perhaps that is the point.

All in all, I really enjoyed this books and the characters Neep has created. I would love a sequel, focusing on more of the law firm's colourful characters! Let's get my vote in for Daniel or Liam early... I will certainly be keeping my eye out for Neep's upcoming works.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher who provided an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

What a beautiful and honest book with characters who felt real to me. Like Hailey, Dom and Sophie when I was turning 30 I started to question every thing about my life and start to worry that maybe I was not where I should be at that age and as the characters start to spiral in this story I felt so many memories resurface of that time some good and some bad. Sometimes what we want and need is right in front of us and we just need to slow down and look and sometimes things change both are good and this book will make you laugh and cry and fall in love all over again.

<i>**Thank you to Netgalley and the publishers for providing me with an ARC in return for an honest review**</i>

<b>3.75 stars </b>

From the description I didn't realise this would be set in a law firm. I'm always apprehensive about reading anything in the legal field because it's usually grossly inaccurate and just annoys me, being in law myself - but I actually quite enjoyed this!

Mostly heartwarming, albeit at times a little over-the-top, Never Say No is a little bit reminiscent of The Devil Meets Prada but set at a London law firm, highlighting the difficulties between balancing work and personal life while trying to be there for those around you and develop personal and professional relationships - which can definitely feel like a juggling act!

Vivian is a very relatable protagonist, and shows immense growth throughout the book, as she doesn't like saying no to people, and sometimes neglects herself in the process!

Throughout a lot of this book I didn't like the way infidelity was handled in this, but the end made it all worth it!

As a side note - this really made me miss London! It's such an accurate representation. And the reference to Jones v Kernott made me flash back to days of having to do property law at university hahah