BLOG TOUR STOP: REVIEW, EXCERPT, AND GIVEAWAY: Never Say Never by Nicole Edwards

Ryan Trexler has devoted his entire life to his family’s security business. And now that he’s slated to take over the reins for the company, RT knows that his life is only going to get more complicated. Add in the fact that he’s lusting over one of the men who works for him and RT knows that there are some serious tough times ahead. 

Zachariah Tavoularis—nicknamed Z—has been employed by Sniper 1 Security for a decade. Despite being known as the most loyal enforcer outside of family, Z also has a reputation of being quite the playboy, though that was based more on rumor than fact. When an assignment comes up that forces the two of them to work together, Z knows it’s time to show RT he’s not the man he thinks he is. 

Can they complete the mission, despite the fact that it puts them in a tenuous situation, bringing them closer than either of them ever expected? And will Z allow RT to convince him that they can never be together, no matter how much they both want it? 

m/m romance

Unedited Excerpt – subject may change prior to publication

“How’s the business goin’?” Travis asked as he steered Ryan toward a booth near the front of the bar.
“Busy,” Ryan answered.
“That’s a good thing, right?”
“Of course.” Ryan smiled as they approached Travis’s wife Kylie and their husband Gage. “Good to see y’all again.”
“Same here. Have a seat.” Gage motioned toward the opposite side of the table as he slid his other arm over Kylie’s shoulders and pulled her close while Travis grabbed a chair.
Flipping it around backward, Travis straddled the seat, placing his elbow on the table. Ryan didn’t miss that Travis’s other hand disappeared under the table, likely resting on Kylie’s leg if he had to guess.
“We weren’t sure you’d be able to make it,” Travis said.
Ryan knew he could always be called back to work at any time, depending on the case, but he didn’t need to tell Travis as much. The man ran a multi-million dollar resort, so he understood. “I’m glad I could.”
“How’s Z doin’?” Kylie asked, peering toward the back of the room where Z had been pulled away by his friends a few minutes before.
“You know Z. Nothing gets him down.”
Gage smiled. “Seems he’s quite interested in you.”
Knowing better, Ryan still turned to glance in Z’s direction. He thought for sure he’d be busted stealing a look, but Z was paying him no attention.
“And you’re quite interested in him,” Kylie noted.
Ryan’s head snapped back around to face her. He was about to fire off a rebuttal, but her smile silenced him.
“Leave the poor man alone,” Travis injected. “He’s in denial.”
Ryan snorted.
“I concur,” Gage added.
“Why’s everybody gangin’ up on me?” Ryan questioned, unable to hide the smile.
“Seemed like the thing to do.” Travis took a sip of his beer.

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Nicole Edwards writes fantastic books; there hasn’t been one that I haven’t enjoyed. She’s definitely the Queen of menage, but she’s also one of my go to authors for M/M reads and the solid writing and fantastic character development in Never Say Never is one of the main reasons that I can’t get enough of her hot alpha males who fight hard and play even harder.

“Never Say Never” – it’s definitely a good motto to live by, and for Zachariah “Z” Tavoularis, it’s one that allows him to weather the storm that his long time crush and boss, Ryan Trexler, forces him to go through as RT fights his attraction to Z because he refuses to mix business with pleasure ever again after the debacle that occurred three years ago with Kevin. But the heart and body want what they want and as much as Ryan forces himself to not allow emotions/lust to influence his decisions, Z’s pull is too much for him to combat, but if Ryan doesn’t get out of his own head, it might just ruin the best thing to ever happen to him before it ever really begins.

Most of the time, I’m a first person point of view reader; I don’t usually feel like I get inside characters’ heads when the story is written in third person, but Edwards always manages to reveal everything to readers through her meticulous character evolvement. Readers actually learn more about Z than his co workers and friends know about him because he’s such a private person so they’ve had to establish their own views on his life, which are definitely a misrepresentation of who Z is and even Ryan is guilty of this skewed view.

The secondary story line is the whole reason Ryan and Z are forced to face their feelings for one another, and it’s a great backdrop for them to consider what risks they’re willing to take in order to have the man they want.

Z and Ryan definitely sizzle when they’re together; they’re both control freaks, so it’s interesting to see how they both attempt to top from the bottom. The way Edwards writes their sexual encounters as well as their lust filled foreplay is enough to make any reader weak in the knees and wet in the panties.

I can’t fault Ryan for his uneasiness in pursuing a relationship with Z even one of a sexual nature. Edwards definitely makes it clear where Ryan is coming from, but that doesn’t mean his actions didn’t frustrate the heck out of me. His hot and cold demeanor and the pain it caused Z definitely didn’t sit well with me.

I have to say that I love Z and everything that makes him who he is; he’s an incredibly trustworthy and caring man who everybody wants to be around because he has a certain charisma about him that pulls people to his side.

Never Say Never is a sexy, angsty and suspenseful read whose main and secondary characters know how to have a good time and get the job done. I was rooting for Ryan and Z from the very beginning, but I knew that Ryan was going to have to work things out for himself before he woke up to what he was missing out on by resisting Z’s charms.

I can’t wait to see which alpha is up next!

A complimentary copy was provided in exchange for an honest review.

4.5 poison apples

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