***ARC Provided by the Publisher via NetGalley***

DNF at 19%

I read this one, or tried to, for the same reason a lot of us did...to support the author, especially as we now know her "real" identity.

Unfortunately, I wasn't really feeling this one. I didn't feel a connection with the characters and I thought some of the descriptions of events, places, etc. felt a little forced and off.

It's probably just me (it often is) but I am unable to recommend this title.

3.5 stars This book was intriguing, but there were definitely portions that were difficult to read because of the content. Erin suffered during her past, and the book opens with a graphically violent scene and continues into coverage of multiple murders taking place at the hands of a serial killer Erin is trying to uncover.
The romance in this book felt like a more minor point than the book description makes it out to be. As a suspense book, I found it to be very well written, and at times I was suspicious of many of the characters. Book would benefit from an introductory statement and a content or trigger warning.

Never Talk is a suspenseful mystery that keeps you engaged in the plot. With plenty of romance thrown in, it makes for a gripping read.
If you are in the mood for a psychological, romance suspense novel, pick up Never Tell.
Overall, a ok read
Many thanks to NetGalley, the publisher and author for the opportunity to read this book for my honest review. All opinions expressed are solely my own.

This is such a challenging book to rate, because there are a lot of things that I enjoyed and appreciated about it. I really like the premise. The concept of somebody who studies killers for a living being personally baited by a killer is always going to be interesting to me. Especially when that person is a "genius" and has a very particular expertise. The conceit, of the killer choosing victims and murder weapons based on a letter of the alphabet, was a great gimmick.

All that being said, it very did not work for me, and I didn't enjoy reading the reading experience. And I think is not going to work for a lot of my readers. First and foremost, I think there was a perfect opportunity, reprinting this book almost two decades later, to include a warning for the reader about the incredibly graphic and triggering assault content in this book, especially when it concerns a child. It was hardcore and graphic, and unfortunately realistic, so I am not saying it should not exist or should not have been included. It is truth in many ways. But preparing a reader for that experience shows a level of respect for their boundaries, and I would have appreciated seeing that.

Into the writing itself, I 1000% did not believe the romance. And the hero made me especially uncomfortable because he's pushy and reactionary and our heroine is an abuse survivor. The possessiveness and judgment when her best friend - and the person who helped her escape her abusive past - comes to town made me the most uncomfy. Honestly, the red flags were abundant. I wish that those elements would have been left out and this had stayed just a straight-up thriller, because those aspects of the book were infinitely more successful to me. Overall, this is not one that I would really recommend to readers, and I've heard that Abrams' most recent release has stronger craft and development, so I'm looking forward to reading and likely recommending that one, when I'm able to get to it.

CW: child abuse (physical, emotional, psychological); attempted sexual assault; graphic on-page violence; sexual content

One of the moments I enjoyed a lot last year was when I asked a group of people if they knew Stacey Abrams wrote romance novels. They did not. I blew their minds.

When I had an opportunity to read an arc of the rerelease of Never Tell, I jumped at it. The book was originally published in 2004. At this point in my life, I’m not really looking for romantic suspense stories. I also don’t read true crime stories involving murder. It’s not a source of tension that works for me right now. So when I say I didn’t love Never Tell, you know where I’m coming from. But, if you do like romantic suspense, give this a try.

Dr. Erin Abbot has a secret and a serial killer in New Orleans knows what it is. Gabriel Moss is trying to get his local newspaper off the ground and he needs a good story. When he hears Dr. Abbot explaining her serial killer theory to a New Orleans police detective, he is convinced that this is the story that could launch his paper. He is also interested in Erin and wants to help and protect her while she searches for evidence that will identify the killer.

Never Tell is very 2004, particularly in its gender dynamics. While Gabriel, mostly, respects Erin’s boundaries around sex, he thrusts himself into her life repeatedly, insisting that she’s more interested in him than she will admit. There are also some very 2004 attitudes towards BDSM and kink (BDSM = bad). That said, Montgomery/Abrams keeps the story moving. Her characters are interesting. I had a hard time with the violence, because that’s where I’m at mentally these days, but if she wanted to write a sequel with Erin and Gabriel investigating a non violent crime, I would read it.

CWs – on page violence, psychological violence, sexual assault, murder, and grooming of a minor.

I received this as an advance reader copy from the publisher via NetGalley. My opinions are my own.

Have an upcoming beach vacation, snowy or rainy weekend? If so, Never Tell is the perfect book to read. The book is a fast-paced romantic mystery thriller. From the opening intense passage between Analise and Nathan which forces her to walk out of her life and become someone else to following Dr. Erin Abbott, a criminal psychologist and adjunct professor in New Orleans two years later. Erin receives a letter listing five murders. Erin is ignored at the police station when she takes the letter, but is overheard by Gabriel Moss, a newspaper owner. This begins a tension filled relationship between Erin and Gabriel. I really enjoyed this story. I laughed. I smiled. I was scared. All the feels of a book that allows the reader to escape and fall in love with the two main characters. My thanks to St.Martin’s and NetGalley for an ARC of this rerelease of Stacey Abrams book. The comments in this review are my own.

I'm currently pregnant so my hormones are off the charts and just was not prepared for the intensity of this one. I had to DNF at 25%. However, I will say that its really well written and I'm confident it will do well in the hands of loads of other readers.

I really wanted to like this. A good serial killer novel usually doesn’t disappoint but this wasn’t for me. It’s a mixture of a thriller & a romance which I had no problem with but it felt like the two stories were competing with each other the whole time to see what type of book this was. The romance side of this read almost like fan fiction - it was super wordy with extremely weird descriptors (maybe because it was originally written in 2004?) The thriller was like the B plot at times, forgotten about only to be thrown back in to up the word count. The killer’s MO was actually really interesting and unique - this would have been better if it was the focus. This had potential but I think Stacy Abrams’ talents are better used elsewhere.

I received an ARC from the publisher and am voluntarily posting a review. All opinions are my own.
Never Tell is one of several romantic suspense novels Stacey Abrams wrote in the early 2000s as Selena Montgomery, prior to reaching the prominence in the political sphere she has today. As far as I can tell, apart from a note reflecting on the book, it also has not been updated (much) since its original 2004 publication. However, while there’s a lot that has not aged well, I found myself enjoying this, albeit with major caveats.
Abrams/Montgomery is able to craft an intriguing tale, and while this work isn’t her best (she arguably refined her craft in the more recent thriller While Justice Sleeps), she maintained my interest with all the twists and turns. The momentum isn’t completely there (it’s another case of the balance being a bit off between the mystery and the romance), but I remained pretty anxious to see the resolution to who the serial killer was. The book does get pretty graphic in places, so I’d definitely proceed with caution.
As a romance, the dated elements come through a bit more. The heroine, Erin, is intriguing, and her dark secret is perhaps the most intriguing part in terms of this element. But the hero, Gabriel, is definitely an alpha-male type, and it comes off in an uncomfortable way, given the trauma Erin has as a survivor of abuse. They have some interactions where there isn’t explicit consent, and it just didn’t help endear me to him as a character, or them as a couple.
This is an example, albeit a flawed one, of Stacey Abrams’ early talent as a writer, and I’m glad her new political stardom is generating a new second life for her romance books. Even taking into account that these are somewhat dated, I’m not opposed to reading more from her from this period, as her stories are engaging at their core. And provided you go in prepared for what to expect, that it was published almost 20 years ago and contains content that wouldn’t fly today, I think it’s enjoyable to anyone looking for a page-turning romantic suspense.

Dr Erin Abbott does not want to be noticed. She goes out of her way to fade into the background with frumpy clothes and her hair in buns. It works…until she literally runs into Gabriel Moss. Now she can’t get away from him, or the serial killer she is convinced is stalking her. They seem to be working their way through the alphabet, and Erin is convinced she’s the end target. Will she figure out who it is before they get to Z? And can she suppress her growing attraction to the dogged reporter Gabriel?

I loved this book! I’ve been meaning to read Selena Montgomery’s books for a while, especially with a friend dragging me kicking and screaming into the romance genre (spoiler: she did). I am mostly a mystery/suspense/thriller reader and this book had plenty of all three of those categories, as well as the excellently steamy scenes you expect from a romance. Highly recommended!

I loved the way this book blended the past and present! I was always second guessing what I thought was happening and who I thought the killer was. I can honestly say that I never suspected the actual killer until she was actually revealed, then everything clicked and made perfect sense.

This book is mostly a thriller/mystery with a little romance thrown in, in my opinion it worked perfectly together. The romantic parts weren’t over whelming and the mystery was fun!

While I read the description of the book and understood this was a romantic suspense novel going in I had a very difficult time with the level of graphic violence on page. While I am all for a good suspense story, I could have done without the graphic violence. I wished there had been better CW going into this one because parts of this one were especially difficult to read.

This book follows Erin, a college professor, who starts to receive some disturbing mail after a series of serial killings in the New Orleans area. Erin is determined to keep the secrets of her past buried and the potential connections between her the killer, yet wants to find whoever is doing this. Gabriel, is a reporter trying to save his fledgling newspaper and is immediately drawn to Erin despite her somewhat frumpy clothes and appearance. The two work together to try to solve these killings, while Erin's past comes back in full force.

This book is set in 2004 and is very reminiscent of the suspense novels and movies that were popular during that time. However, I had a hard time making connections to the characters and the romance did not seem to fit well into the story for me. I almost wished this had just been written as a thriller with clear content warnings because the romance seemed to almost take away from the larger suspense story line. As much I really wanted to love this one, it just wasn't for me but might resonate more with others.

Thank you to St. Martin's and NetGalley for the opportunity to read this one in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.

This is a re-release and update of Never Tell from the original 2004? version. This is a tense, high drama, violent romantic suspense. There's a puzzle to solve and a serial kiler to catch. Erin Abbott is a criminal psychologist and she has a theory. Gabriel - Gabe - Moss is a journalist trying to save his newspaper, and he wants to publish her theory. In the meantime, sparks fly. Of course there is a secret, Erin's secret, and it is related to the serial killer and the reason she thinks she and Gabe will never work out.

*Content warnings with spoilers*
First, this is a story involving a serial killer and a sadist, and it is violent. Erin was the victim of a sadistic professor and that is on the page. The murders are on the page. It is a tough read because of the violence, and all the content warnings apply. The physical and emotional beatings that Erin endures at the hands of the professor, are domestic violence without the sexual relationship.

This is a solid romantic suspense, though I think the romance is not as central as in most modern romances. The pace is quick and the suspense keeps pulling you along. I did have a correct guess on the "who done it" but not all the whys and how they got there. That's good because it is both a reason to keep reading (do I have it right?) and more suspense (how do they reveal that?). The attraction between Gabe and Erin is good, you can feel the chemistry. There are also elements of found family, both for Gabe and his newspaper staff, Erin's best friend from childhood, and how Gabe's sister befriends Erin. Having found family is also important to the suspense plot, as lack of family is part of how both Gabe and Erin have ended up where they are.

The sense of place is well done. Most of the story takes place in New Orleans, and while it's not a separate character, so to speak, you can feel the story happening there. Other non-New Orleans scenes are appropriately cold and stifling, which fits the scenes.

Sexy times are on the page but are written in a way more common in the early 2000s writing than in modern romances. In other words, they are not explicity but also not closed door. No weird euphemisms involved either, more of a swept by emotion and feeling scene.

Problematic content: There are some references to BDSM that are problematic. Once there is a reference to it as deviant. And then BDSM is a factor in the "who done it" plus a murder. It was not necessary to further characterize BDSM as dangerously deviant, by using it for that scene/set of factors. I think that could have been edited and written differently, particularly with a 2022 update. Kink shaming in a dangerous and disappointing way. I would still like to see that changed.

Because of the problematic content and the level of violence, this was a 4 star for me. The characters and story arc are well done but I don't love that level of violence. YMMV of course.

Fascinating romantic suspense!

Wow, what a twisty rollercoaster of a story! Erin and Gabriel have to work together to solve a murder mystery, and their working relationship quickly turns into so much more. There were quite a few surprises along the way, and I loved every bit of the ride.

These are intelligent characters who have been through a lot, and I really appreciated the intensity and attention to detail that kept the investigation intriguing from start to finish. Their HEA was simple and perfect for the two of them.

This will appeal to readers of crime fiction as well as romance readers. If you love them both together, you don't want to miss this one. I voluntarily reviewed an ARC of this book.

A romantic mystery from Stacey Abrams herself! This is actually a reprint from her pen name. Selena Montgomery.

This book is a complex plot of murder and love including a. criminal psychologist Dr. Erin Abbott who is based in New Orleans,. It's A romance so the second hero is journalist Gabriel Moss, searching for his next big story.

The novel is good, bordering on great -it includes themes of linguistics, women in academia. Best yet, it's set in my favorite city New Orleans, and is beautifully depicted!

I am not an enormous or experienced romantic novel reader so I did thinks some of the "cat/mouse" between the two protagonists was a little too much. It seemed almost that Erin didn't know what she wanted but wanted Gabriel to tell her and that's just not for me.

If you like murder mysteries with a side of romance, this book is for you! #NetGalley #NeverTell #StMartinsGriffin

NetGalley ARC Educator 550974

A mystery romance that transports you to the most vivid dream or screen. Ms. Abrams weaves a tale as magnanimous as her political speeches. Some may find her word choices daunting. This is not a run of the mill, cookie cutter romance and as such will challenge and stretch the reader in good ways. I look forward to reading more of her books.

In Never Tell, we meet Erin Abbot. She had once lived under someone else’s total control but has since broken free of that hold. Now a professor of criminal psychology at Burkeen University in New Orleans, she lives a quiet life and keeps to herself. That is, until she receives a cryptic letter in the mail containing obituary clippings from five recent murders in the area and a scrap of paper saying “Analise, Find me.”

Erin soon begins piecing the puzzle together in her head to come up with a theory about the murders, to which the police have no interest in hearing. However, a chance meeting with a journalist as she leaves the police station gains her one believer, and they team up in hopes of finding the killer.

This book took hold of me from the first page and kept me guessing throughout. I found the main characters to be flawed, yet likeable, as they joined forces to unmask the killer. With Erin’s flair of linguistics, I enjoyed the more sophisticated style of her thoughts and interactions (and learned some new vocabulary along the way!)

For readers who enjoy a solid psychological thriller, especially those with an interest in linguistics, Never Tell is a great add to your TBR list.

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for the opportunity to read this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

In the past suspense mysteries with a romance have been one of my main genres to read. This book from Stacey Abrams is a re-release of her novel from 2004 penned under the name of Selma Montgomery. Dr. Erin Abbott is a criminal psychologist teaching at a university in New Orleans. Other than teaching she lives quietly and tries not to attract attention to herself. When murders start happening she begins to notice a pattern and when a note from the killer is sent to her she goes to the police. They think she is imagining a serial killer where they see random murders.

Gabriel Moss is trying to save his newspaper and overhears her talking to the police. He pushes himself into an investigation with Erin to try and solve the ABC murders. He is hoping to generate readership for his paper. I like the clues and how they piece together. It is typical for this type of book. The novel could have benefitted from from some updating for changes in writing since 2004. Gabriel is an alpha male. He doesn't take no for an answer and uses his size to intimidate her. It is especially uncomfortable in this day of consent and personal boundaries. Also there is physical and emotional abuse that is more descriptive than needs to be for a thriller romance. (I'm not talking about the murders.) I also found some of the jumps form POVs to be confusing.

This is a perfectly fine mystery/thriller and romance but I enjoyed the authors last and more current book "While Justice Sleeps" more. Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for an eARC in exchange for an honest review.

Never Tell is a cinematic romantic suspense novel written by Stacey Abrams (as Selena Montgomery). It follows Erin, an elegant college professor, who receives a disturbing letter in the mail from a serial killer. Someone knows about her shadowy past and seems determined to get revenge on her. Enter Gabriel, a nosy and charming journalist, who is determined to save his fledgling newspaper. When the two collide, they begrudgingly end up working together to try and track down the killer. As the clues begin to come together, Erin and Gabriel must fully trust each other or the killer may be victorious.

This was a very solid romantic suspense read! It is clear that it was initially published in 2004, reminiscent of other romance novels at the time. While several moments throughout are well-known tropes, Abrams executes them with an effortless style. I found myself swept up in the witty banter and excellent dialogue between Gabriel and Erin! Sure, it has cheesy moments- but they were overall fun! I felt along for the ride, utterly hooked until the conclusion. The one thing I would have liked to see less of is the graphic violence that is mainly shown through flashbacks that Erin has. I was more than willing to take Erin’s word about her tortured past and didn’t need to see the brutal memories to believe her.

Gabriel and Erin form an attachment quickly, forced together by their goals. Their scenes together worked well, but were definitely fast-paced. My favorite sub-plot was the newspaper business! Gabriel was incredibly charming as he worked to keep his paper afloat while going toe-to-toe with rival papers and unsympathetic police. The staff at the newspaper were hilarious. I am curious to read Sebastian’s story, Erin’s childhood friend. Stacey Abrams is definitely a new favorite author; I can’t wait to read more of her work! Never Tell releases on January 25, 2022. Thank you so much to Stacey Abrams (as Selena Montgomery), St. Martin’s Griffin, and Netgalley for a free ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

For publisher: I will publish it on Instagram, Goodreads, Amazon, Storygraph, and Barnes & Noble etc

Sigh. This was written in 2004 and is being reissued in 2022 now that the author is, well, more famous than she was when she used the pen name Selena Montgomery. That doesn't mean, btw, that it's gotten any better in the interim and I think readers might be disappointed in this example of Abrams work. It's broadly romantic suspense but it's also graphically violent and thematically trope-y. Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC. Not for me but others might find it interesting.