Member Reviews
Great book. I enjoyed Reading it. The characters and plot were interesting life like and easy to connect with.
This felt like an old school romantic suspense, reminiscent of the Nora Roberts or Linda Howard that I’ve read. It’s not what I would normally pick up so the appeal for me was really that Stacey Abrams was the author.
Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for my Copy to review.
I really enjoyed this book. I read it in one day as I couldn't put it down! It had me from page 1!! I would definitely recommend this book.
I do think I would have enjoyed this more in 2004 than I did now -- I love a romantic suspense and I found this to be well-plotted and -paced, but Gabriel's attitude towards Erin and the graphic descriptions of some of the harm to women was a lot for me.
I am not sure what I expected when going into this book, but I can assure you the expectations were exceeded. This twisty thriller had me suspicious of everyone and had a delicious romantic element. It is a well written cat and mouse chase that kept me glued to my e-reader while on the longest flight of my life (literally).
I received an ARC courtesy of the publisher and NetGalley. The opinions are mine alone.
This is a fun twisty read from an amazing person (not just author). I was happy to get this book and enjoyed reading it. Thank you!
Never Tell is a fun to read book that balances romance and thriller. Of course I was curious because it was written by Stacey Abrams, but I would recommend this more to readers who are already fans of romantic escapist reads, since this fall typically within its genre.
I really wanted to like this story. It felt like it had great potential but it fell a little short for me. Interactions felt forced.
I understood Erin but Gabriel felt like a stalker. The "bad guy" was predictable as was the storyline.
I really appreciate the chance to read this story and recommend it to anyone who likes the predictable romance with a suspense edge.
I love Stacey Abrams but I did not love this book. It was my first attempt at her fiction, and it sounds like perhaps I should try one of her other options instead. Too violent to be enjoyable for me. (And not to be a prude, but maybe a little too sexy for me too)
Thank you to NetGalley, SMP and LibroFM for the ARC/ALC in exchange for an honest review
This was my first Stacey Abrams book. While I adored the writing, some of the tensions between sex and the murder, and the relationship between the MCs left me with an iffy feeling. I'll definitely read another book of hers this one just wasn't for me.
I adore Stacey Abrams and loved her last book, a Supreme Court thriller, While Justice Sleeps, that had a smart central character and a complex, intriguing plot. So I was excited to read this book, Never Tell, when I saw it was by Abrams. Unfortunately, this book had too much violence mixed with sex for me to enjoy (or, I admit, finish) it. I will give it four stars for the writing, which is excellent (of course), but I cannot recommend this one.
Selena Montgomery (aka "the" Stacey Abrams), I believe, is responsible for introducing me to romantic suspense thrillers. There was nothing lacking from NEVER TELL, and in fact, it delivered more than expected. We are thrust into the middle of a terrible mystery emerging in New Orleans as we follow a forensic psychology professor with a murky history and a nosy journalist fighting to protect his father's reputation. I couldn't stop listening to the audiobook (and, as an aside, January Lavoy's voice is INCREDIBLE) because the narrative was so well-developed and engaging.
There is just the right amount of romance and mystery in this book, and every character, even minor or fleeting ones, seems fully realized. That was one of the finest narrative surprises I've ever read, and I had no idea it was coming. After finishing this book, I went looking for more of her romantic suspense novels and I'm prepared to become a lifelong fan of her work. I think this book would be great for anyone who likes romance or scary thrillers or both!
This is my first novel by Stacey Abrams AKA Selena Montgomery, and I truly enjoyed it.
This action-packed thriller focuses on Dr. Erin Abbot, who works as a college professor in New Orleans, LA. Erin keeps a low profile and tries to live a quiet life until the day she receives the letter that changes everything. The story starts with Erin receiving the letter in which it is revealed that she has a secret she's been keeping. The secret is not fully exposed at first, but Erin knows that her status as a college professor and her personal life would take a hit if it is revealed to the world. When she meets Gabriel, she becomes aware that she cannot have a journalist digging into her life, but she can't deny the chemistry they have and the attraction she feels toward this man she just met.
I will say that my favorite thing about this book was the characters. Gabriel is witty and fun, and the banter between him and Erin keeps the story engaging. I loved how caring and lovable he is even when he just met Erin, and I liked that he makes his intentions clear from the beginning. He doesn't hide his attraction for Erin, and he is very open about the questions he has about her life. Erin is also a very likable character who is simply trying to keep her life as normal as possible. She is a strong and assertive character, and she doesn't rely on anyone but herself, which I found truly admirable. The chemistry between Gabriel and Erin is clear from their first interaction, and I truly loved how their relationship developed.
I enjoyed the plot of the book and the story was engaging. I will say that I've read similar thrillers before with a serial killer storyline, and this one was somewhat predictable. However, Abrams is able to tell an engaging storyline with red hearings that make it tricky to guess who is the killer. I found most of the secondary storylines to be nicely tied to the main plot, and I liked how they were developed. This was a fast-paced read with some unique twists.
Originally published as a Selena Montgomery book (Abrams' pseudonym), re-issued with her real name. Criminal psychologist Erin Abbott wants to be left alone to teach. She hasn't always been Erin Abbott, once she was someone else who gave her her brilliance for a revolting man she ended up murdering (or did she)? Journalist Gabriel Moss is completely smitten with Erin when he meets her at his sister's office, who also teaches. Erin and Gabriel are investigating a killer who has very close ties to Erin and is trying to reveal her unsavory past. But Gabriel will protect Erin with everything he has, while she deciphers the cryptic clues left behind. An entertaining read.
Although a little wordy ( due to the nature of the characters), this was an enjoyable story. It involves a college professor who ends up being the reason so many people are being murdered due to her past, and she tasks herself to figure out who the killer is. I did enjoy the flow of the story as well as it kept me interested in wanting to know who the killer was, and i never would have guessed it.
I received a copy of the book via NetGalley and am voluntarily leaving an honest review of my own thoughts and opinions.
This was my first read by Selena Montgomery/Stacey Abrams. I thoroughly enjoyed reading this book. The plot kept me intrigued & I couldn't put this book down. The added bonus of a romance in a suspense thriller was awesome! I enjoyed reading the thrill of finding the identity of the serial killer. Although, I felt the lead up to the identity was a bit rushed & could have been more developed. All in all, I enjoyed this one & I plan to read more of her works.
Thanks, NetGalley & St Martin's Press for this ARC release of this book in exchange for an honest review.
Stacey Abrams can do it all. I love her writing style and truly enjoyed this one. Romance and intrigue- I am so here for that. Loved the characters and storyline. Can't wait to get my hands on more books by Ms. Abrams.
I spotlighted Never Tell in my weekly and monthly roundups of new releases on my Black Fiction Addiction platforms.
So I read While Justice Sleeps not knowing Stacey Abrams did fiction thrillers. While I enjoyed it, I wasn't overly impressed with it as it was a bit cerebral- from someone who can take a lot of cerebral. However I still love Stacey Abrams, so when I had the chance to read Never Tell from Net Galley I was happy to do so. I enjoyed it much more than While Justice Sleeps
Never Tell is a whodunnit with enough intellectual intrigue to keep you interested, but not enough to lose you. It doesn't have a ton or complicated twists and turns that you feel you are lost half the time, so interesting enough to have as an audiobook while doing other random tasks while listening.
I liked the protagonist development. Stacey Abrams writes some fierce women. What I didn't like- potentially bit of a spoiler- that the end was a bit convenient I felt it was one of those that came out of nowhere versus using clues that had been set throughout.
This was my first Stacy Abrams book and it was so good. i really loved her writing as it was engaging. Thank you for letting me read and review this book,