*received for free from netgalley for honest review* interesting read, pretty creepy for sure, a tad too sexual for me but that was easy to skip so still 4 stars

“Never Tell” by Stacey Abrams, sounded like it would be a good read. Unfortunately
after reading the first chapter I wasn’t into it. I love thrillers and was hoping I would be hooked. Maybe if your willing to hang in it might get better.

I was really excited to read this book because I’m a fan of thrillers and romance. But this effort from the early 2000s just didn’t age well. I found the main characters unrealistic and they couldn’t hold my attention. Within the first few chapters I realize I wasn’t interested in what happened to the both of them. Maybe if I read this back in 2004 at the age I am now I would have gotten more out of it.

Sadly, this is a 1.5 and I am rounding up. I wanted to love this book to support Stacey Abrams. It was written 20 years ago and my low rating takes into account the differences in romance books in the last 20 years.

I rounded up to 2 stars because the book was well edited but for the story itself, it really deserves 1 star. I knew who the killer was very early in the book and was bored waiting for the book to figure it out. I was a graduate student of forensic psychology at the time this book was written and takes place and the science is just plain bad. The pacing is off with both the suspense and romance. There is insta love with the h still saying she cannot be in love with the hero at 99% and then a paragraph down conceding that she can try.

I wish I could have rated this higher.

Written quite a few years ago, you can tell by some of the outdated references in the story. This is a psychological thriller with some romance. I found it held my interest and worth my time. I was quite curious to read this story because it was written by Stacey Abrams, who I admire very much.

I enjoyed this romantic suspense by Stacey Abrams. Being a psychology major with an interest in true crime and abnormal psychology, I particularly enjoyed the psychological aspects of the crime. While categorized as a romance, I found it was a bit more weighted in the suspense aspect of the story, and that worked out well for me. This is the first book I've read by Stacey Abrams - I was admittedly drawn to check out the book due to her high profile reputation politically, and was pleasantly surprised at her talent as an author as well.

A thank you to Netgalley for sharing the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

What can I say about this? Not a lot. Overall, is was quite the disappointment. I didn't realize it was a nearly 20 year reprint, which is reflected in the outdated feel of the story. Was also hoping for more serial killer than highly dramatized erotica. I really do like the cover though, which is enticing enough to give it a perusal on the shelf.

3 stars

Written in 2004 under a pen name, Stacey Abrams' Never Tell is being republished for a 2022 audience. A tale of romantic suspense involving a criminal psychologist and newspaper reporter that are thrown together when a serial killer emerges in New Orleans with connections to one of their pasts, I have to admit that the premise (and the fame of its illustrious author) drew me in from the beginning.

The prologue of the book really packs a punch and the first half of this book does a pretty good job of building the mystery as our protagonists reluctantly (on Erin's part, at least) team up to try and figure out the connection between the murders. I have to admit that I did struggle with Abram's choice of narrative style throughout the novel, but the first half was enjoyable enough that I wasn't particularly bothered by it.

Oddly enough, I really felt like the book started to drag at the point where the mystery and the romance start to heat up. Maybe it was due to the fact that the fun banter between Erin and Gabriel was replaced by melodrama. Maybe it was because I had guessed the killer and was just waiting for them to get to the climax. Whatever it was, it was a bit of a slog trying to finish this book. I had been wavering on whether or not to rate this a 3 or a 4, but the push to the end solidified my choice to drop my rating down to a 3.

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin's Griffin for an ARC of this book in exchange for a fair and honest review!

Never Tell by Stacey Abrams is a gripping thriller of young genius Analise. You would think that Analise would be living a beautiful life with her incredible brain at her disposal, but instead, she's been groomed by adults who want to take advantage of her. Escaping her dark path, Analise reinvents herself as Dr. Erin Abbott. She's living her life, blissfully ignored by everyone, until a murder leaves a note at her door - a note that threatens her new life. Teamed up with journalist Gabriel Moss, Erin will have all the support she needs to find the killer. But does she have her eyes set on the right person?

This was a great novel, and I thoroughly enjoyed my time with it. I loved the uniqueness of the linguistic murders, the focus on profiling and psychology, and the traumatic past that haunts our main character.

However, there were a few things that didn't have me in love. First, there was no real distinction between flashbacks and current chapters. I would be halfway through a past scene and not even realize I was reading about something from years ago. Second, I felt really confused about who Analise was supposed to be. In the beginning, we just know that her guardian was the great Nathan Rhodes, but we actually have no real understanding of any of that until the last third of the book. I couldn't bring myself to care for the main character with such holes in her story. Eventually we find out and things make more sense, but I feel that there was no reason to keep any of that a secret. Lastly, the ending. Our big reveal. It made sense, sure. I just felt like there was a much more impressive direction this could have gone. Definitely not my favorite killer reveal. It worked, but not nearly enough.

Overall, I give this a 3/5 stars. I'll definitely be picking up more from Stacey Abrams in the future.

Thanks to NetGalley and the Publisher for sending me an advanced e-copy of this book in exchange for my honest opinion.

I think I may forever credit Selena Montgomery (aka ~the~ Stacey Abrams) for initiating me into the genre of romantic suspense thrillers. NEVER TELL was everything it promised and more. Following a forensic psychology professor with a dark past and a nosy journalist trying to preserve his father’s legacy, we are immediately immersed in this deadly mystery that’s unfolding in New Orleans. This plot was excellent and intriguing; I constantly wanted to know what was happening, and I was essentially glued to the audiobook (side note, but January Lavoy’s voice is INCREDIBLE).

This novel features a perfect balance of romance and mystery, and the characters all felt so full of depth, even the side characters or characters we meet for a moment. I totally didn’t see the reveal coming, and it might just be one of the best plot twists I’ve ever read. This book made me want to read all of her backlist, and I immediately looked up her romantic suspense backlist and I’m prepared to be hooked for life. If you’re someone enjoys romance or suspenseful thrillers or BOTH, then I highly recommend this book!

What lengths would someone go to to seek revenge?

The story introduces criminal psychologist Dr. Erin Abbott who suspects a serial killer has claimed several victims in New Orleans. The police didn’t take her seriously so she starts her own investigation. Who is quickly joined by journalist Gabriel Moss who is seeking his next huge story in order to save his family’s paper.

The book started off as an interesting mystery but then later turned into an undeveloped love story. The book was just okay. I liked the idea of suspense but I didn’t like how Gabriel was stalking and acting so desperate, inserting himself into Erin’s life. Erin was acting hard to get and standoffish. I wasn’t able to connect to any of the characters. They were just characters that didn’t quite develop. And even though some of their background was provided it just didn’t give them realness to me.

This isn’t a gripping suspense but I will say I was clueless as to who the killer was until it was revealed. I appreciate the author’s writing style but the romance part was a bit painful to read.
I was hoping for Erin and Gabriel’s story to develop as they spent more time together. There wasn’t any chemistry, not even one spark between the two. The relationship felt forced.

Even though I found the storyline to be intriguing and unpredictable this isn’t a book I can rave about. However readers that enjoy a man chase woman type romance may find this read more entertaining.

The killings can be pretty graphic for readers that may want to shy away from the gory details of the murder scenes.

Continuing on with my search to find new authors I have never read before, I came across Never Tell, by Stacey Abrams. Although Stacey Abrams, is not a "new" author she was new to me. I also did some research and enjoyed seeing that Abrams writes a bunch of different genre's and has a target audience that ranges from children to adults! (Super neat!)

Never Tell, was an enjoyable read. This is one of those stories that you could have watched unfold in front of your eyes on television. This was a murder mystery with just the right amount of suspense. The ending was one you could not anticipate . At some parts I thought the chapter were filled with a bit of repetitiveness just to gain pages when the point could have come across short and sweet. The plot was definitely enjoyable.

I would like to see what Abrams comes out with next!

If not for the reissue of Never Tell, I probably wouldn't have ever known that author Selena Montgomery is really political power leader and lawyer Stacey Abrams writing as Selena Montgomery. Mind blown! Okay, now for the review.

Criminal psychologist Dr. Erin Abbott lives a quiet life of no danger, no romance. Journalist Gabriel Moss is on a mission to find the next big story that will save his newspaper. A serial killer roaming New Orleans brings the two together. As they join resources to find the killer, a slow seduction begins.

I typically do not read romance but love me some suspense! Initially my reason for reading an advance copy of Never Tell was curiosity and wanting to support thee Stacey Abrams. This woman is gifted on many levels and continues to bless our communities. I wholeheartedly enjoyed reading Never Tell and its fully developed characters in a love story that didn't seem forced. And the mystery was far from obvious. Well done and recommended!

Happy Pub Day, Stacey Abrams! Never Tell is now available.

~LiteraryMarie

I read “Never Tell” years ago in paper back. I am a fangirl of Selena Montgomery and have several of her earlier books in my possession. It was nice to re-read “Never Tell”. Never Tell is a fast paced easy read, chalked full of action, drama, mystery, twisting plot, page turner, romantic, and suspenseful.

Dr. Erin Abbott is a criminal psychologist and a victim of domestic abuse. Gabriel Moss is a journalist and he on the trails of a hot story. Erin has received several letters about murders that have gone unsolved. Erin is trying to figure out why she has received the letters. Erin takes the letters to the police department and they seem to not be interested in what she has to say. Gabriel is at the police department and he over hears Erin’s conversation and offers his help; but Erin is not interested. Erin finds herself being targeted by a serial killer. Gabriel is not giving up so he continues to show up and helps Erin out. Erin and Gabriel are working against the clock to solve the mystery before someone else dies. As the two are working they are getting closer and closer together romantically.

I enjoyed reading “Never Tell” and refreshing my memory.

I received an ARC via NetGalley and St. Martin and I am leaving my review voluntarily.

Never Tell is a novel that was written by Stacey Abrams under the name Selena Montgomery.

I listened to the audiobook version of this novel, and I’m glad I did.
I have never read anything from Stacey Abrams that wasn’t political, so the idea of a murder mystery, set in my favorite city of New Orleans was too good to pass up.

I’m not sure if this was Abrams's first try at fiction writing or not, but I quickly found out that it was more a romance novel than a mystery. And the male protagonist, Gabriel Moss did not sit well with me. He can across as a bit of a brute and not what I would expect a successful woman lawyer to put up with.

Abrams excels at descriptions. Maybe too much so, but you definitely can see the world she has built for this novel.
I’m glad I listened to the audiobook, because I may have lost interest if I had been reading the physical book. But wordiness aside, the book was very well done.

Both narrators; Stacy Abrams and January LaVoy did a great job reading this and kept me engaged and interested,

Thanks to @Netgalley, MacMillan Audio, St. Martins Press, and Stacy Abrams for letting me listen to the eArc of this audio in exchange for my honest and unbiased opinion

“Never Tell” is an intense, and pulse pounding thriller. It is told with eloquent language, which makes this story that much more suspenseful. This has a strong female protagonist who knows what she wants. Instead of the peaceful existence she’s craving, she’s thrust into a murder investigation and into the arms of a very steamy journalist. The tension between the two is hot! There are twists and turns in this story that will keep you guessing.

Fanatic read! I would like to thank the publisher, Stacey Abrams (writing as Selena Montgomery) and Netgalley for the chance to read and review this arc in exchange for my honest thoughts.

Wow! This is my first Selena Montgomery/ Stacey Abrams and it will not be my last. Three and a half stars out of five.

I was hooked into the story of Erin Abbott and the serial killer that followed her to New Orleans. The way the story flows from character to character and their thoughts/feelings threw me off at first but as I got more used to it the story flowed well. I had some theories about who the killer was and did not guess correctly. This ending felt a tiny bit out of nowhere but still was done well if that makes sense. There was a little something also that bothered me about how possessive Gabriel was of Erin given her past, but I can see how it was used to show the passionate side of obsession.

Thank you to Netgalley and St. Martin’s for the opportunity to read this book in exchange for my honest opinion.

Romantic suspense is typically something I enjoy reading, this one had interesting premise but not quite what expected it could have been better I think. It was just ok and the fact that it’s a rerelease isn’t really made clear.

Published in 2004 and reissued, Never Tell, written by Stacey Abrams, is still a solid romantic suspense/mystery read that still stands up all these years later. It’s a fun read because it reminds me why I love romantic suspense novels so much. Romantic suspense novels set in New Orleans, AKA the Big Easy, have an extra layer of sizzle and thrills, which is one of my reasons for choosing to read this one. Abrams writing as Montgomery’s self-avowed love of words is apparent in her use of language and narrative style, which is fluid, vivid, and richly detailed, but concise at the same time. She puts you directly into each scene of the novel, making you feel as though you are experiencing all the things the characters experience as they do, with all five senses. Abrams deftly builds the chemistry and attraction between her leads with humorous, spark-filled interactions, conversations, and banter without detracting from the story’s development or quick pacing. Never Tell captures the reader from the very beginning with a suspenseful, chilling, and dark prologue that only hints at the horror, surprises, and twists to come.

Criminal psychologist Dr. Erin Abbott wants to focus on teaching her murder 101 college courses and live a quiet life in the Big Easy with no hint of intrigue, danger, or mystery. After her past, she undoubtedly wants nothing more to do with romance. But she, unfortunately, suspects a serial killer may be active in New Orleans, and no one knows but her. Erin’s investigation puts her in the path of journalist Gabriel Moss, hot on the trails of a big story to save his newspaper. His reporter senses tell him Erin’s investigation could lead to the story he’s looking for, but even more, she’s hiding secrets, and he’s determined to uncover them. He also desperately yearns to discover what she’s hiding beneath her boxy suits, sensible shoes, and restrictive hair bun that can’t obscure her beauty. Gabriel’s stubborn unwillingness to take no for an answer wears Erin down. So, she accepts his help investigating the murders and searching for the killer. Erin tries to resist Gabriel’s kisses and seduction, believing anything romantic between them is impossible because he’s a relentless truth-seeker, and she can never allow him to unearth what she’s hiding. Once she does, she’s certain there’s no way he’ll want a future with her.

Erin’s a lonely, resilient, hyper-intelligent prodigy, burdened by the past and afraid to get close to anyone, especially Gabriel, who bulldozes his way through all her barriers and into her heart. She feels responsible for stopping the serial killer who's stalking the streets of New Orleans. Gabriel’s stubborn, charming, and clever, with an excellent sense for the news. Burdened with guilt over things he can’t control, he has a bit of a hero complex. He’s put all of his time and energy into building his newspaper to restore his family’s legacy that was stolen away from them. Deeply drawn to each other, Erin and Gabriel become uneasy allies, forging a deep intellectual, emotional, and sexual connection that takes both by surprise. They balance each other.

Never Tell is a fast-paced, sexy, steamy, angsty, thrilling, quick read with a dark, suspenseful tone and steady pacing. Surprisingly, the ending is a bit of a letdown because it happens a little too quickly, leaving me with unanswered questions. Nevertheless, romantic suspense/mystery fans should enjoy this read with captivating characters and a story that superbly balances the suspense and romance. Some content may be disturbing to readers including, domestic abuse and mental manipulation and control.

"From popular national leader and #1 New York Times bestseller Stacey Abrams writing under the name Selena Montgomery comes Never Tell a novel of spinetingling romance and unforgettable suspense.

Criminal psychologist Dr. Erin Abbott wants nothing more than to live a quiet life. That means no danger, no intrigue - and absolutely no romance. But when Erin suspects a serial killer is roaming New Orleans, her investigation throws her straight into the arms of the one man who can help her.

Journalist Gabriel Moss is hot to find his next big story - and he knows Erin is onto something that will rock the city to its core. However, Erin is also a mystery he must solve. From the moment they meet, Gabriel senses that she is hiding more than her beauty behind her boxy suits and sensible shoes. When she reluctantly agrees to work with him to uncover the most shocking story they have ever come across, explosive secrets are revealed and danger and passion begin to rise."

I have been "patiently" waiting for Stacey Abrams's books that she wrote under a pseudonym to be reprinted. The day is finally here!