"Vivian's voice softened. It was this sharp but sweet persona for which she was known, the one that kept every man on his toes; that told every aspiring female lawyer: you can."

I was eager to begin reading Never Say No because it sounded so relatable - like a woman finally realising, after a lifetime of choosing what others wanted for her, that it was time to choose what she wanted for herself. All of this and in a high-powered law firm setting, like The Devil Wears Prada if it was less "florals? for spring? groundbreaking" and more "a divorce? after infidelity? groundbreaking".

While I feel like this book touches on a valid topic - the necessity of learning who you want to be amidst people who want you to be somebody completely different to your 'true' self - I just couldn't feel connected to any of the characters. It felt like nobody was truly fleshed out; like they were all just archetypes. We didn't get to know them beyond a few set traits: high-powered businesswoman who has affairs to relieve tension, best friend who's anxious about turning three decades old and who's training for a marathon, steady boyfriend who wants the protagonist to hang out with him, attractive older guy who calls the protagonist by a nickname.

I also couldn't relate to the main theme underpinning Hailey's storyline. Many of the anxieties in this book hinge around turning thirty and needing to have everything figured out, and maybe it's because I'm still more than a half-decade away from thirty or maybe it's because I've never bought into the 'you have to be settled by thirty' narrative we give to women, but it held no stakes for me. I was also irked by Hailey's sudden, overpowering spark of attraction for suave Liam despite being in a long-term relationship with good, kind Dom. She wonders to herself "what if there's something better?", and at that point, when she treated her partnership so callously, I just couldn't root for her.

(There were also punctuation errors that truly grated on me, although I recognise that's a bit nit-picky of me! A great deal of vocative commas were missing, turning "[Name], wait!" into "Name wait!", which didn't help my immersion in the story. Given that this is an ARC, I expect those errors will be fixed when the book is actually published, and it has not affected my rating!)

Judging by the synopsis and title, I thought this book dealed with simple topic like about someone who just cannot say "no" to anyone and fulfills everyone's expectations. I thought this book was about standing up for oneself. But the book deals with way more complex emtions than that, it focuses on various aspects of emotions, guilts, trust, cheating, regrets, unsureness, and so on.
Here we find, Hailey Kidd, who recently switched career paths, from teaching to law, she joins the law firm as a trainee for the firm's only female senior partner Vivian Jones,whom she idolizes. Hailey dreams of securing a place at the big boys table.
But little did she know about Vivian's dark side. Working at the law firm, Hailey finds out Vivian is not as perfect as the media paints her to be. She learns that, the successful Vivian Jones follows a mantra "Never Say No", even if the mantra results her being unfaithful to her marriage. A few times, Hailey behaved selfishly due to Vivian's influence.Her character isn't perfect but she is relatable. Her insecurities, lack of assurance, doubtfllness made her much realistic and these are the traits which became the stairs to the discovery of her strong personality.
Being influenced by the causality of immorality in the high-society's living, Hailey a few times behaved selfish and didn't actually know what to do anymore.There was times, when I felt like slapping Hailey, especially when she turned her backs to people who supported and cared for. But soon, her morality kicks back in and stops her from introducing more havocs into her life. She mends her ways and realizes what she has been taking for granted. It took some time and pages for me to connect with Hailey. But when I did, I warmed up to her.
Other supporting characters except Vivian, don't have a depth to them, we are only presented with a one dimensional personalities throughout the book, which makes it hard for the readers to comprehend them and warm up to them. This book also put emphasis on teh fact that, it's humane to make mistakes. That even your perfect idols have imperfect lives.

I was really disappointed of how we never get to know about Dom(Hailey's boyfriend) much. He's only presented as a background character, the laid-back good boyfriend. We see Hailey unsure of her future with Dom, but her choices don't have a backstory, which was hard for me to follow, but towards the end, I was kinda convinced. The title "Never say No" actually refered to saying "yes" to anything you desire without having second thoughts for anyone else. At least that's what Vivian intended. But by the end of the book, she realised sometimes her independent choices also have her closest people's feeling entangled along with them.

Other characters like- Liam were sort of drama catalyst to the story.(I particularly loathed Liam) All the infidelities throughout the book and the causality of it was so disturbing for me to follow. As Hailey juggles to manage her work and home life, she begans to realise what she actually wanted from her life. This book presents that life is not always easy, but a bittersweet ride of failure, heartbreaks, disappointments and that we don't usually know what we want and it's okay. This message impressed me a lot. The writer did an fabulous job representing the sensitivity of relationships between every character. I admire her for it. The road to Hailey's self discovery was extremely messy, by the end of book, Hailey realises how important it is to learn to say "No" to certain things.
Favourite quote,
" 𝙎𝙤𝙢𝙚𝙩𝙞𝙢𝙚𝙨 𝙨𝙖𝙮𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙖 𝙣𝙤 𝙩𝙤 𝙤𝙣𝙚 𝙩𝙝𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙘𝙖𝙣 𝙝𝙚𝙡𝙥 𝙮𝙤𝙪 𝙨𝙖𝙮 𝙮𝙚𝙨 𝙩𝙤 𝙨𝙤𝙢𝙚𝙩𝙝𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙚𝙡𝙨𝙚."

This was surely an amazing reading ride, throughout the book I got many surprises and many of my assumptions turned out to be wrong. Honesly, the unpredictability factor of this book made it all more exciting, I finished it in one day lol. Amongst all the odds, it's worth the read.
Elizabeth Neep's writing is refreshing and neat, I hope to read more books of her in future since I genuinely loved reading this one.

A light hearted, fun read! After a recent career switch, Hailey is trying to figure out how to juggle her boss, her boyfriend, and her best friend. Hailey is a "yes" woman and often spreads herself too thin. The story is funny and has enough twists to keep the reader engaged. The chapters are short, which I like. A great book for anyone that loves romance and misadventures. Thank you NetGalley for allowing me to review this book.

I don’t really know what exactly I was expecting from the story, but it still managed to make me feel like I had been short-changed in some way. I have seen Never Say No being compared to The Devil Wears Prada numerous times, which is a book series (and film) that I absolutely love, but unfortunately this story just didn’t draw me in or give me anywhere near the same feelings.

I think the main thing that caused me to have issues with this book was just simply the fact that I found none of the characters likeable, I really struggled to pick anyone to root for because as soon as I thought I had made a conclusion of who I wanted to come out on top, something would come along and change that. The actual storyline was fine and I really do think that it’s an overall decent read, just not one for me. With all things considered I think that I’m going to give Never Say No a rating of 3/5 stars, I really do think that other people can genuinely enjoy this story, and may like the characters and root for them, but it’s just not for me (they can’t all be winners after all!)

I love it when I read books and I think to myself, "I'm not sure I know how this is going to end". I really enjoyed how I felt the main character was authentically represented in the fact that she faced a ton of pressure to find an acceptable work/life balance. Some of her actions were awful but that was what made her character "whole'. I really enjoyed that. I wish I had gotten a little more depth into the relationships Hailey built, but otherwise it was a completely satisfying and enjoyable read!

I loved this book! It was so different than any book I have read recently! It hooked me from page 1 and I couldn’t put it down. It was relatable, it was mesmerizing and so cute. I don’t usually reread books but I plan on rereading just so I can enjoy it again. I highly recommend you add this to your must read list!

Thanks to NetGalley, Bookouture and Elizabeth Neep for providing me with a review copy.

"I've earned the right to never say no."

So says top lawyer Vivian Jones, who specialises in family law and holds marital vows and monogamy in high esteem. Hailey Kidd recently switched career from being a primary school teacher to a trainee at the law firm Taylor, Laters and Jones. Ever since hearing about the independent female lawyer Vivian she wanted to be just the same.
At home, Hailey's boyfriend Dom is still adjusting to her long workdays and late hours. Will their relationship be strong enough to survive such a change?

When I started this book, I thought I would be reading about a girl who just cannot say no, instead of someone who chooses never to say no. I thought this would be about learning to stand up for oneself, to finally say no to the annoyingly possessive boyfriend, the dramatic best friend or the overwhelming job. But no, this book is about saying yes to everything you think you want without considering others.

So what is Hailey actually facing in this book? She has just started as a trainee at the law firm and is immediately swept off her feet by senior associate Liam. Hailey has been together with Dom since they were about 15 years old. She has never been involved with another man romantically. Meeting Liam, Hailey soon sees herself forced to choose between two men: the slightly boring, but perfectly safe Dom or the exciting and obviously bad Liam. I won't tell you whom she chooses, but I do ask you this: Why isn't there a third option? Between settling down with Dom and running off with Liam, there should be more choices for this young woman! What is wrong with being without a partner and actually experiencing the world around you? Hailey, dear, live a little!

Besides this gripe, I did enjoy reading Never Say No. I was captivated by the story from the beginning to the end, hoping Hailey would choose for herself instead of her boyfriend, best friend, boss or colleague. Unfortunately that did not happen, but I enjoyed the ride nonetheless.
It is not surprising that author Elizabeth Neep has written a story set at a law firm. She studied Law and Australian Law at the University of Nottingham and the University of New South Wales. Besides writing, Neep is a painter and she also works as a senior commissioning editor. Never Say No is Neep's second novel. Earlier this year she published The Spare Bedroom, which was well received.

I genuinely loved this book and can see it being one I’d read-read in the future. There’s something special about it in that it makes you feel you are reading a future classic or tv / Netflix whirlwind.

Thank you to NetGalley for the advanced reader copy!

I didn't love this one. I had a hard time finding a reason to root for anyone. The idea of trying to be a people pleaser, always being there for everyone, I can relate to. All the secrets and cheating and lying though, I couldn't get on board with. I know people cheat but the casualness of it was upsetting.

For being adults, no one acted like one. If nothing else, this book serves as a good reminder to not keep secrets and just have the conversations with your loved ones be it significant others or friends and family.

Rating: 3/5

Hailey Kidd was a relatable character. She was an excellent protagonist because the uncertainties that go through her head were interesting to read. Her fear of not being good enough spoke to me.

‘It’s everything,’ I said, sounding dramatic. ‘I just feel so worried about so many things’. Like, am I being a good enough girlfriend, a good enough friend, a good enough trainee, a good enough grown-up, just good enough.’ Hailey to Dom

Vivian, senior partner at the law firm was so dominating and she had a great presence. I loved Hailey and Vivian’s relationship and how Vivian’s life reflected Hailey’s. Most of this novel is written in the first person in Hailey’s perspective. The magazine format that popped up between chapters worked well. I can’t comment on any of the details regarding the law because I don’t know anything about it. Of course, other than Mike Ross and Harvey Spectre in Suits. I read this book in one sitting.


Vivian stole the show, all the other characters lacked depth. Liam, the senior associate, and Hailey’s sponsor calls her kid or kiddo. Her last name could be Kid, not Kidd so that the reader will have the freedom to ponder whether he means her last name or he’s just teasing her.

The unpredictability factor suited only some parts of the book. Up until 75 percent, the entire novel is flowy but some twists turn the storyline into a different direction and it truly changes the soul of this book. It caused unevenness because some loose ends don’t get tied up.

There must be more detail on Dom because he’s just a good old boyfriend. The reader does not know his strengths and weaknesses, his grey areas.

“Maybe monogamy didn’t limit you to one person but a thousand different versions of them; everything they are and the promise of all they yet to be all wrapped up in one.”-Hailey

Although it is a profound, beautiful concept it wasn’t believable because the reader does not get to see thousands of different versions of that person and therefore does not root for them.

‘Never Say No’ is about two women who get lost in their hedonistic quest and how they find their way back. This novel is recommended to all readers who are in the mood for an engaging read. ARC provided by Bookouture and NetGalley. I’m interested in reading some of Elizabeth Neep’s other novels. Thank you.

Full review: https://www.inabookshell.com/2020/08/never-say-no-by-elizabeth-neep.html

***I received a copy through NetGalley and the publisher in exchange for an honest review.***

I read Neep's "The Spare Bedroom" earlier this year, and loved her dynamic characters and unique situations. I was immediately drawn to people-pleaser Hailey and her story of wanting to say 'yes' to everyone and everything. This read has a "The Devil Wears Prada" vibe - where an impressionable woman who wants to fit into the field is willing to do anything to get ahead (including hiding her boss's affairs).
I loved this read, but sadly, I didn't love Hailey. I understood her viewpoint with her longterm boyfriend Dom and wanting to "play the field" before settling down. But I felt like there wasn't enough background story to justify her actions.
The ending felt a little too "fairytale" for me and made it feel like there are no repercussions for cheating, lying, etc. I would have loved an epilogue to see where everyone's story ended up. But overall, this was a great read.

I loved this book! Never Say No reminds me of The Devil Wears Prada, but with a different take of course. I really enjoyed The Devil Wears Prada, so it attests to this story.

Hailey rarely says no to her boyfriend Dom, her best friend, Sophie and her role model/boss Vivian Jones who is a partner at the law firm Hailey has recently started training at.

Hailey wants to make a good impression and have a seat at the “big boys’ table”, but she finds herself making sacrifices to get that seat, which I can certainly relate to. While Hailey wanted to please everyone around her, she began to forget what she, herself wanted.

I liked how the moral of the story was that life is messy, people make mistakes and it’s okay if you don’t always know what you want. Focus on today and tomorrow, but sometimes the future is intimidating, so it’s important to enjoy the ride.

Neep’s writing was refreshing and the story was such a nice change from a lot of the other books I’ve been reading as of late. The plot was a nice take on the law firm world that I personally have no insight about, but it was very interesting to read about!

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. This novel explores the danger of stretching yourself too much and how you can’t please everyone.

A number of times throughout the book, I questioned whether I actually liked the main character or not. She went through some hard times and I could relate to how she worked hard to be accepted at work but her personal and social life had to suffer to make it work.

Sometimes I saw her as selfish and self-centred and if I’m honest, downright stupid in some situations. I loved how the author explored the reasons why the grass isn’t always greener on the other side.

Overall, I really enjoyed this story and it really reminded me of Suits/Devil Wears Prada. Although there were moments of seriousness, I enjoyed the easy-to-read chapters and the humour. I read it in one day and I would definitely recommend this as a great summer read!

Thanks to NetGalley for the copy of this heart warming, funny and fun read. A modern take on the devil wears prada, but with more heart and soul! The perfect autumn read.

Thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for an early review copy.

I thoroughly enjoyed reading this books ok from beginning to end.

This book is a little bit like The Devil Wears Prada.

It’s set at a law firm in London and highlights the difficulties which are faced when balancing both work and personal lives. A bit like juggling balls, trying to be there for those that need you both professionally and personally.

Hailey, who is nearing her thirtieth birthday, has just started a job placement with the very high-flying solicitor Vivian Jones.

Hailed wants to be like Vivian, super successful.
But, Hailey sees the truth behind Vivian’s veil of being perfect.

Hailey struggles to find her place in the world of high-profile, divorce court lawyering, she’s trying to find a way of make both her stressful and demanding career and her home life with her boyfriend Dom run together like a marriage.

Seeing how Vivian is, Hailey begins to think, should she too say yes to new opportunities, which may include a new love interest????

I found the character of Vivian relatable, she showed immense growth throughout the book, as she doesn't like saying no to people, neglecting herself in doing so.

But, I found that the way infidelity was handled in this book wasn’t good, but the end made it all worth it.

Recommend it.

Never say no is well-written book about Hailey a London lawyer. There was something that just didn't quite work for me and I can't quite figure out what I am sure there are plenty of people who will enjoy this book. Elizabeth Neep is a talented writer and I am still open to trying her future work this is just not the one for me.

This story was like the London Law firm version of the Devil Wears Prada. I enjoyed the premise of the main character switching careers to follow her dreams of becoming a lawyer. I liked the setting of working in the law firm and following a high profile case. I enjoyed the main character's journey of figuring out what she wants and what is right for her. I don't want to say that the main character was flawed, because she was in the process of finding herself, but I cringed at some of her decisions and the way she chose to treat people instead of communicating what she needed. But that was part of her journey. It was an enjoyable read and I know a lot of people who would thoroughly enjoy it.

I was excited to read this after enjoying the spare bedroom by this author but this book had a whole different tone that I certainly didn't enjoy. Trying to relate to a bunch of characters who just sleep around is very difficult and makes it very hard to connect and sympathize with them.
I did not feel sorry or relate to the protagonist at any point which made it so difficult to fall into the story and instead it felt very difficult to push through.
This book really missed the mark for me and it's a real shame!

Thank you to Net Gallery for letting me read this book early. I love a romance story however this isn’t your usual romance novel. The story is set in a law firm, and relates back to procedures and settings within this type of workplace. Haven’t never read a book set in a law form before, I was gripped from the start.

BLOG TOUR REVIEW

Review for 'Never Say No' by Elizabeth Neep

Read and reviewed via NetGalley for Bookouture publishers and Bookouture anonymous

Publication date 4th September 2020

This is the first book that I have read by this author. I am looking forward to reading more.

I was originally drawn to this book by its interesting blurb. I also wanted to read something more light hearted than my usual crime genre and this seemed to fit the bill perfectly. I must admit I was also biased due to the publisher being Bookouture. I have yet to read a book published by Bookouture that I haven't enjoyed. Hopefully this won't be the first... Watch this space! (Written before I started reading the book).

This novel consists of a prologue and 45 chapters which are relatively short in length so ideal to read 'just one more chapter' before bed...OK, I know yeah right, but still just in case!

This book is written in first person perspective and the protagonist is Hailey. I always enjoy reading books written in first person more as it feels like I'm sitting across the table from them while they are telling their story or in the book next to them.

The way it is written made me feel like I was right next Hailey and going through everything with her.

Based in London. I always seem to connect with books based in the UK more because I live in Wales and sometimes I have visited places mentioned meaning I can picture them much better.

I absolutely adored this book and really enjoyed reading it. The twists and turns, highs and lows, the tears and laughter kept me flying through the pages from beginning to end. I must admit I worked out who Daniel was messaging as soon as he mentioned he had been on a date but that didn't take any enjoyment from the book.

The characters were all fantastic, strong and very realistic. I enjoyed how the relationships between everyone developed and how there were several strong women in it. Hailey's character did make me want to shout at her a few times, same with Vanessa and don't get me started on Liam!!

The book was very well written with excellent descriptions to really 'put' me in the middle of the story. I am looking forward to reading more of Elizabeths books especially if this one is anything to go by. A perfect beach read, great for any season and a fantastically easy read.

Overall a perfect unputdownable light hearted book

Genres covered include Romance.

I would recommend this book to fans of romance, light hearted books and anyone looking for a nice easy read.

329 pages.

This book is £1.99 to purchase on kindle via Amazon which I think is an absolute bargain for this book!!!

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