Good story written in a compelling voice. I really enjoyed the whole book but it did have a few parts that did not keep my interest as much as some of the others.

This one was heavier than expected and I just couldn’t connect with it. While it wasn’t for me, I’m sure it would work for so many others. I also didn’t know it was a part of a series which could’ve been a part of the issue

I couldn’t get into this one. It was slow getting into, and just heavier material than I was expecting. I went in blind and it just wasn’t for me. I would give it another try down the road though.

I was looking forward to reading about SA from a different perspective. I thought the opening was really strong and made it intriguing for me to take a look.
I would be so mad not knowing about that part of my person. I thought the writing was great and can't wait to read more from this author.

This novel had quite a bit going on. A former (male) model admits to his girlfriend that he was sexually assaulted by an editor of a huge fashion magazine (think Vogue/Anna Wintour--although I have NO knowledge that Anna Winter actually did anything like this).. At the same time he is coming to grips with what happened, his girlfriend is approached by the editor to turn her blog on sex into an article. Additionally storylines include the model's sister getting married and being a COMPLETE bitch to his girlfriend.

I kind of liked it.

What We Never Say is a captivating tale of ambition and the hurdles it brings. Rebecca, an anonymous blogger, gains attention from a renowned fashion magazine, eager to feature her work. However, a complicated history between her boyfriend Kyle and the editor-in-chief adds a twist. Kyle must confront his past while shielding Rebecca from scrutiny.

The initial half felt somewhat dull and lacked a compelling flow. Latter half redeemed itself. I found solace in witnessing Rebecca and Kyle's unwavering support amidst their challenges. This book addresses tough themes such as sexual assault, therapy for trauma recovery, blackmail, and manipulation. If you're comfortable exploring these topics, I recommend giving this book a try.

The book had an abrupt start like I was dropped into the middle of Manhattan street with the main character, but without the benefit of context or much exposition. Come to find out, this is the second book in a series. Sadly I hadn't seen or heard any mention of that until I was about 40% through the book.

Though the topic is compelling, I felt no connection to the characters therefore I felt little compassion or empathy. That's a shame because I think the author really could have done something good with this topic.

I was so lucky to receive an advance copy of What We Never Say by Paulette Stout from NetGalley and the publisher in exchange for my honest review and opinion. I loved the description of this book and was very excited to read it but I will be honest, I struggled. It was not what I thought it was going to be. At times, I though about making this a DNF but pushed my way through.

This was one of my favorite books in a long time! The writing was beautiful, and the characters were wonderful. I couldn’t put this one down!

Deeply personal. It what rivets you from the start. In this novel., we are drawn from the start . A woman sees her boyfriend of a year featured in a magazine as a model. Curious she finds that her boyfriend was the victim of sexual assault while he was modeling in his younger days. The reveal led to uncomfortable conversations and long buried feelings. It was interesting to hear the opposite side of assault and a male point of view. Eye opening.

Thank you #Netgalley

This book was a mix of difficult topics but mixed with revenge and an engaging plot twist. I felt that some story lines dragged on a bit, particularly around Kyle's family. Took a bit to get me intrigued and to carry on reading but I ultimately would have liked a bit more resolution or details regarding the outcomes of Jane and the next steps for Rebecca and Kyle. The book left me frustrated many times but overall was a decent read.

Interesting story of sexual intimidation and harassment of men by a powerful woman. The perspective showed the guilt felt by the survivor and in this story br8mgs the guilty one to light and justice.

What a great book! I love everything by this author and this book was no different! I couldn't put this down and was up all night waiting to see how it ended!

I liked the writing and how the story didn’t stale at all, just kept pushing through and intrigued me with the diverse cast of characters their interactions.
I’ll read more books by the author in the future after reading this one.

I really tried to like this book but I didn’t. I couldn’t get into the story at all. It was definitely lacking something important to the story. It just wasn’t for me.

Rebecca, the protagonist of What We Never Say by Paulette Stout, has finally come into her own. For most of her life she has been insecure about her sex life. She ended up seeing a sex therapist and then decided to start writing a blog about her experiences of lack thereof. She gets noticed by a popular fashion magazine, MOD, and they ask her to write an article for publication.
Kyle, her boyfriend, is concerned about the article but does not want Rebecca to do it. He has secrets from his past he would rather not share. But he does with Rebecca. Turns out he was a model in the past and had been sexually molested by the head lady. Yes, I said lady. This "lady" gets in touch with Kyle hoping to rekindle their "relationship". Kyle is of course reluctant because of the scars the relationship left with him. He has had therapy and found out that he was not the only one with a history with his abuser.
Rebecca and Kyle concoct a plan to expose her. Kyle goes with his abuser to a Gala and exposes her with a tape that he had done in her apartment while getting ready for the Gala. What ensues is he said, she said scenario. Are Kyle and Rebecca successful? There are a few other characters in the story, including Kyle's sister, who is getting married but does not like Rebecca. Rebecca is included in the wedding party, of which she would rather not be, but she goes along with the dress shopping, rehearsals etc. The sister has secrets of her own and Rebecca finds out about them and wants to help her as much as she can.
This book is a sequel, of which I did not know, but that is ok. I enjoyed the story a lot as it was really about sexual abuse instead of man on woman it was just the opposite, woman on man. I think that the author handled this sensitive topic with empathy and a real caring for Kyle. This is not just another romantic book; it is so much more than that.
I liked the book well enough to give it 5 stars.

This book touches a subject that many ignore, male sexual abuse. Stout wrote a thought-provoking story that kept me turning pages. I like her prose and will go and read more from her.

While I tried to love this book, I absolutely could not get into the storyline. There was something lacking in the development of it.

This book deals with very important issues regarding sexual assault for men and how it impacts them differently than women. It also handles issues around women enjoying themselves in the bedroom, and I applaud the author for attempting to create discussions around these issues,

For me, however, I felt that this title lacked nuance regarding these intense discussions, creating a flattening effect on the overall narrative. Characters were either all good or all bad, the main antagonist felt unrealistically evil, and there were many moments of awkward or repetitive dialogue. Instead of being able to explore the complexity of the subject matter of this content, I felt more distracted by all of the writing devices around it. Aside from flat characters, the internal thoughts and conversations between characters always felt as though they were furthering the plot and not establishing a deeper focus on the general issues.

Guilty! That's me. I never gave much thought to the sexual abuse perpetrated on men by the powerful women they work for. What We Never Say tells the story of a former male model who was forced into a non-consensual sexual relationship with the editor of THE fashion magazine a models wanted to be in.

Paulette Stout takes the readers on an emotional journey inside the mind of a young male model and how he loses one part of his life trying to hang on to another part. Just when he thinks he has put all of this behind him, the editor comes after him again.

Can he win his freedom without losing his current life? Can he find enough power to win against a woman who appears to have all the power?

What We Never Say may introduce you to the things you never thought about and may even have believed impossible.