Falling for the enemy has never been so deliciously complicated in this standalone romance where a sexy single dad meets his unexpected match! Get ready for all the feels!Never have I ever been so infuriated by a man I wanted to kiss.They say opposites attract, but I beg to differ. Combust is more like it. Because every single time I talk to Zach Nolan, I see red.The too-good-looking, too-smart, … red.
The too-good-looking, too-smart, too-effortlessly charming single dad who works down the hall from me has turned getting under my skin into a sport. Call it the battle of wits between the wedding planner and the divorce attorney.
Trouble is, when we’re forced into closer quarters planning an engagement party for our best friends, I start to see his other sides.
And I fear I’m falling for the enemy.
***
I’m not out to make friends. My goals are simple — fight till the end for my clients, and my family.
The last thing I need is a vibrant, outgoing, snarky, and surprisingly big-hearted wedding planner to spend my precious free time with…except, watching Piper bond with my daughter just might break down the cinder block walls I’ve built around my heart these last few years.
Second chances don’t come around for guys like me…or do they?
NEVER HAVE I EVER is a sexy, frenemies-to-lovers romance in the Always Satisfied series of standalones! The series includes SATISFACTION GUARANTEED, INSTANT GRATIFICATION, NEVER HAVE I EVER, OVERNIGHT SERVICE and the novella SPECIAL DELIVERY, and they can be read in any order.
more
I adore this series from Lauren!!
So many things to love about this book:
(1) I squeal in glee when characters from the other books pop up unexpectedly – yeah!!
(2) To be honest – I wasn’t sure I was going to like Zach at first which was shocking. That very quickly dissipated.
(3) I love strong, sassy female lead characters and Piper did not disappoint.
(4) Love the wit and banter in all Lauren Blakely books!
(5) Lucy and Henry – Lucy most definitely stole my heart in this one.
(6) Reading the interactions between Zach and his children – be still my heart!
(7) As always, the sexy scenes did NOT disappoint.
(8) Never Have I Ever may be my new favorite game – I loved all versions of this one!
(9) Royal wedding love.
(10) Everything else about this book.
I voluntarily requested and read an advance reader copy.
Never Have I Ever was a sweet, sexy and heartwarming story. Lighthearted yet emotion filled and with characters I couldn’t help but love I was riveted from start to finish.
Piper and Zach were perfect together and I loved the playful barbs and witty banter they exchanged. Both were understandably guarded with their hearts but it was amazing to see them open themselves up and trust again. I adored Zach’s children and how they were always both Zach and Piper’s first priority. The relationship between both Zach and his children as well as Piper with them was truly beautiful. There was one scene in particular that brought out all the feels as Zach’s daughter added another layer of depth to their story and pulled at my heartstrings.
Never Have I Ever was a fun and heartfelt frenemies-to-lovers slowburn that drew me in and kept me captivated until the end. I loved catching up with some of my favorite characters from this series and can’t wait to see what’s in store next.
Lauren Blakely is one of my favorite one-click authors so of course I snapped this one up on release day- and how cool that she is donating 100% of proceeds from preorder and release day sales to animal rescue! I love the characters and worlds she creates. Never Have I Ever combines enemies-to-lovers and the single dad trope with a delicious slow burn. It had a fun theme woven throughout, with great dialog, sizzling chemistry, and no unnecessary drama. I adored Zach’s kids and the part they, especially his daughter Lucy, played in the story. When I finished, I had a huge smile on my face- absolutely loved this one!
Slow building romance with all the deliciousness of molten dark chocolate
Never Have I Ever is a fantastic and fun frenemies to lovers romance story. Zach is a widowed father to two kids, Lucy and Henry, and is a non-jaded divorce attorney. Piper is single and is an exceptionally talented wedding planner. They went to college together and were in the same social circle but were never together. But now it is 10 years later and they are each others orbit in more ways than one. They have offices next to each other in the same building and share many of the same friends. But they start to spend more time together when they are are the maid of honor and best man at their friends wedding events.
Zach has concentrated on his kids and work since his wife died but he begins to see Piper in a new light during all of the planning of and partaking in the engagement parties and weddings. The last thing he was thinking was looking for love with someone else but he begins to develop feelings for Piper and not just they lusting kind.
This is a wonderful story as it plays out over time with more and more building along the way between Piper and Zach. Then add in the fact that Lucy adores Piper and the reverse is true also. Even though Lucy does not like that Zach is a divorce attorney because she loves to see happy couples and wishes only the best for all newlyweds she still begins to see him in a different light also during their time together.
I really enjoyed reading the story of Piper and Zach. The emotional journey that Lauren Blakely takes the reader on is almost so real that you can reach out and touch it. Piper is the type of woman that you want as a best friend and Zach is the type of man that you wish you could meet, if you haven’t already. I cannot recommend Never Have I Ever more enthusiastically to everyone who already like Lauren’s books or for those that are new to her stories.
I received an ARC copy of this book in exchange for my honest review. My opinions are all my own.
Never Have I Ever by Lauren Blakely is #3 of her Always Satisfied series. Zach and Piper are complete opposites. A divorce attorney and a wedding planner kind of have to be. Right? At least on the surface. With what they show the world. Let’s just say that these two are more connected than you might think. And not just through mutual friends and acquaintances. When Piper and Zach are forced to work with each other, what you would expect is oil and water. Instead what you get is fire.
Zach is a character whose history and family really define him and make him relatable and real. He is very closed off, and for certain real reasons. Piper has such an optimistic personality and hopes (she is the wedding planner after all) that as these characters work past their initial issues and their real characters are revealed, they can really connect and grow, and for the right reasons. Though some pretty steamy ones too. It is pretty firey.
Overall I very much enjoyed Never Have I Ever by Lauren Blakely and this is probably my favorite of the Always Satisfied series. These characters just really “worked” and made me feel happy for them in the end. I very much recommend.
(I voluntarily reviewed an advance review copy of this book I received for free in exchange for my open and honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.)
Oh Zach, I’m so in love with you. He hit every single one of my hot spots for a book boyfriend! Bravo Lauren Blakely
Blakely crossed a confident, spirited wedding planner with a shark divorce attorney. Said wedding planner, Piper, (a simply perfect name) had a love for life, her family, and friends. And she’s suddenly been thrown into a situation where she had to play nice with hot shot attorney, single dad Zach. These two had a mutually understandable hate relationship lol and now this.
Zach was the best at his job. He was also a phenomenal dad to two kids that ruled his life. And Piper seemed to fit effortlessly into their lives. But Zach’s past held the couple back. Their relationship was filled with friendly fire and barbs. But after spending some time together, they realize they had chemistry and fire. Moments of weakness lead to regrets and heartbreak. Mistakes and fear bend Zach’s resolve and cements Piper’s self preservation.
Their story is one of possibilities, what ifs, and fairytale endings. Can one single dad overcome his past and convince said wedding planner that second chances really do exist?
What do you get when a divorce attorney and a wedding planner cross paths? Hilarity and one of the sweetest and funniest stories I’ve read in a while.
Zack and Piper have known way other since college and never really got along. Years later they still have the same friends and now work in the same building, her as a wedding planner and him a divorce attorney.
Zach and Piper couldn’t be anymore opposite I’d they tried. But yet they seem so perfect.
II love these two! Lauren’s best couple to date! Zach is so damn adorable and an amazing father and Piper is one of those women you love, easy going and always there to help.
Love this story! My absolute favorite couple from Lauren Blakey!
Cannot wait to see what’s next!
Good game of never have I ever is always fun.
ARC received for an honest review.
This book sucked you in and kept you wanting for more.
Zach and Piper were more frenemies then anything else. It’s the couple you don’t expect to get together. I found how they found their way together to be refreshing. They have known each other for years so it wasn’t a “I met you last week and now I’m utterly in love.”
I also loved that you read both male and female POV vs your regular female POV. I enjoin getting to read the mans POV in books but it’s typically one or the other.
Lauren also brings in literature in this book. Who doesn’t love the smell of an old book?!
I highly recommend this read!
A wedding planner and a divorce attorney, such a natural pairing right! Piper and Zach have a fun relationship where they both enjoy poking at the other. They were quite entertaining, but you quickly see they have a lot of potential there. Zach is a single dad and I love the dad side of him so much! I also really enjoy how well Piper fits with all of them. It was a super cute read and I really enjoyed it!
I swear, it seems like every new Lauren Blakely book comes with a hero that is even more dreamy and more swoony than the one before it.
And this book is all about Zach – sweet, sexy, charming, lovable Zach. I can’t get enough of him. Not only is he intelligent, successful, and well-rounded, he’s also funny, noble, and a genuinely good man. He’s one of those characters who can equally melt your heart and your panties in the span of a few pages. He’s absolutely irresistible, and I think he might be one of my favorites LB heroes so far.
Piper is amazing. She loves love, and is a romantic at heart. She’s funny, a little quirky, and the best fixer you’ll find in the wedding planning business. She can be placating one minute, and tough-as-nails the next. She’s thoughtful, considerate, and will bend over backwards to help those she loves if they’re in need.
Sparks fly between these frenemies. They may bicker and banter often, but the chemistry between them is undeniable. But this isn’t just a fun, heat-laden book. It definitely packs a punch right in the feels. It’s one that will take you on a roller coaster of emotions, and you’re going to love every minute of the ride.
I highly recommend snagging this book.
I loved the enemies to lovers trope, Miss Blakely really portrait these characters really well and the story flowed perfectly! I wanted more!.
Overall 5 stars
Performance 5 stars*
Story 4.5 stars
This was such a fantastic listen! Never Have I Ever was such a great blend of funny, sexy, and heartfelt moments. It has all the classic Lauren Blakely romcom laughs, but it also has some very tender and emotional scenes too. This story has a little bit of everything, from enemies to lovers, to single parent, to forced proximity.
I loved Zach and Piper! Their playful back and forth heightened the sexual tension between them so deliciously. Truthfully, I wouldn’t have minded if they stayed in the enemies/frenemies zone longer! Events in their pasts have left them feeling vulnerable and guarded, but as they each open themselves up to possibility, those defenses drop and it really is beautiful. I appreciated so much that our characters were mature adults who (for the most part) spoke openly and honestly about what they wanted and desired. They don’t play games and there isn’t a whole lot of angst or unnecessary drama. Zach is always a father first, and I loved that the happiness of his children was always his top priority. His relationship with Henry and Lucy was so sweet, especially his bond with Lucy. Girl Power! The scene between Lucy, Zach, and Piper at the end warmed my heart so much and was beyond perfect. I’m not usually the biggest fan of the deceased spouse trope, but Blakely handled it so realistically and beautifully that I couldn’t not root for Piper and Zach.
Jason Clarke and Amanda Ronconi were amazing! I was so impressed by their versatility and ability to convey so much emotion in their performances. This is my first time hearing Amanda Ronconi, but what a treat it was! This audiobook couldn’t have been more perfectly cast! I think my only minor issue with the audio overall is that there seemed to be some static or fuzziness when both narrators spoke loudly or emphatically. Almost like they were too close to the microphone? I’m not sure what caused it, but it made their words not as clear. It didn’t detract from the story, but was something that I noticed.
Never Have I Ever felt a little more serious than some of Lauren Blakely’s lighter romcoms, but it’s definitely worth the credit! You don’t want to miss this heartwarming love story!
Update 10/4/19
Reread the ebook and fell in love with Zach and Piper all over again! It was just as emotional and heartwarming as it was the first time. If you get a chance to listen to the audiobook though, I definitely recommend it!
I never quite know what to expect when I read an enemies-to-lovers romance because there are stories where the hero and heroine don’t seem to be each other’s enemy because they’re complete strangers or only have random interactions that truly wouldn’t be categorized as adversarial face offs. When I think of the true scope of a romance in this trope, I see it as two characters on opposing sides, either personally or professionally, who can’t stand one another and makes that fact abundantly clear.
In Lauren Blakely’s newest release, Never Have I Ever, the main characters, Zach and Piper, have careers that put them at opposite sides of a potential happily ever after because Zach is a divorce attorney and Piper is a wedding planner, so the fact that they have to share the same office space, which results in a continual flow of antagonistic antics and pithy words, allowed me to see that they truly did not like each other, even if their bodies seemed to not be on the same page as their heads.
If there’s one aspect of Lauren Blakely’s writing that always captures my attention as a listener and/or reader it’s the hero and heroine’s interactions at the onset of their story as well as when they seem to be dancing around each other, not truly ready to go all in, but not opposed to exploring the connection that they both feel.
I loved the back and forth between Nolan and Piper as they try to outwit and outplay one another. And by the time they were ready to give ‘more’ a chance, defenses had been lowered and the negative feelings that they seemed to have for one another turned into an emotional connection that both desperately wanted and needed.
Like Blakely’s other stories, Never Have I Ever doesn’t fabricate unnecessary drama or use miscommunication as a means to break up the couple once they’ve given into their feelings; the problems and issues that they experience are based on the situations the hero and heroine are in and the way life can change directions when people least expect it. I appreciate the way the conflicts are handled and the steps taken after to resolve them in a way that doesn’t destroys what started out as attraction to mutual feelings to, hopefully, a happily right now.
4 Poison Apples
I love this one. Never Have I Ever is a sexy, heartfelt, frenemies to lovers featuring a dreamy single dad divorce lawyer and a kindhearted and determined wedding planner. I am obsessed with these characters. Piper and Zach have insane chemistry in and out of the bedroom. The energy that surrounds them when they were in the midst of their verbal spars was electrified. All the bickering led to the most delicious tension. Because they shared an office building, the close proximity just added to the deliciousness. (Oh how I love a good verbal sparring. Lauren Blakely is a master at the playful back and forth.)
Zach with his kids was just all kinds of swoon worthy. Their rapport felt so natural and caring. His kids are so well adjusted after the passing of their mother. His relationship with his daughter, Lucy, is probably favorite thing in this story. He treated her with so much love and respect. It’s so dang sweet. Piper also had a special connection to his kids. She was so good with them. I adored all the “girl-power” independent woman she passed on to Lucy.
Never Have I Ever is easily one of my favorite stories this year. Lauren Blakely shines once again with her sexy, sassy banter, the undeniable character chemistry and the smooth and effortless ways of her words. If you love single parent romances, enemies to lovers, and/or a tender heartfelt love story, then you need this book in your life.
I love Lauren Blakely’s books and this one is no exception. Zach and Piper are the cutest couple I have read about in a long time. They start out as friends from the same circle but they are not crazy about each other. She thinks he’s a cynical asshole and he thinks she is aloof and overly romantic. Their banter back and forth is sizzling and witty. Zach is also a widower and a single day of two pretty adorable kids. Piper is amazing with the kids and adores them even before she falls for their dad. This story is sweet, romantic, and playful. I fell in love with both of these characters faster than they realized their own love for each other. Their story is heartwarming. In my opinion, this is Blakely’s best book thus far. I can not wait for her next release. She never disappoints.
Never Have I Ever has quickly become one of my most favorite Lauren Blakely books, EVER. I absolutely LIVE for frenemies to lovers romance stories and the connection between Piper and Zach was not to be denied! Piper and Zach had a history and ran in the same circle of friends until one day, Zach noticed Piper in a different light. From there, their story just sucked me in. I laughed, I teared up and I enjoyed every moment of their journey. A definite MUST read for any romance lover <3
Never Have I Ever is the third book in the Always Satisfied series. This time it was Zachary and Piper’s story. Zach is a divorce attorney who had lost his wife and had 2 kids his was raising as a single parent. Piper was a wedding planner and single. They work down the hall from each other and have been thrown together because of their BFF’s getting married.
They thought they didn’t like each other but they had a strong attraction to each other. And, now they are working together planning their BFF’s wedding as well as working near each other. Piper has also built a bond with Lucy, Zach’s daughter because she works nearby Zach.
There is some heat to the story when Zach and Piper get together. I love the game Never Have I Ever.
If you love Romance stories then I have one for you. Never Have I Ever was a wonderful and entertaining story! 5 stars.
Gah! I adored this book! She’s all about the hopeful beginnings of marriages and he handles the heartbreaking endings, but while Piper and Zach may have seemed like absolute opposites, they had a heck of a lot in common as well. These two were always willing to go above and beyond for their clients, and they had a genuine affection for those who were closest to them, i.e. her sister, his mother and sister, and their sets of friends, mutual and otherwise. Then there were Zach’s children, ten-year-old Lucy and seven-year-old Henry, who were too cute for words and brought an added lightheartedness to the story. There’s a bit of angst when it comes to the respective histories in the relationship department of the main characters, but I’m choosing to keep mum about those since nothing is mentioned in the blurb and I don’t want to be the one who spoils it for those who have yet to read the book. While this may be the third full-length novel in the Always Satisfied series, you can go into this without having read the previous books (but read them anyway because they’re good!). Never have I ever met a Lauren Blakely book I didn’t end up falling in love with, and that holds true for Never Have I Ever, which receives five stars.
I received a review copy before release for an honest review.
This book was absolutely awesome. It is is part of a series about college friends in Manhatten who fall in love but each story stands alone. I only read the first book in the series and I loved that one so I could not wait to dig into this story and well it was beyond wonderful, it is fun and snarky and totally entertaining.
In this book we meet Zach. He is a happily married divorce lawyer and we meet him in the prologue 10 years before at a wedding. Piper is a single and loving it, wedding planner and she knows Zach from college and hates that he attends weddings to scope out future clients.
The book then picks up 10 years later and we meet Zach and Piper again, they now share many friends together and also both their businesses are next to each other. Now Zach is a single, widower with two children. Lucie is his oldest child and she kinda stole the scenes many times over. Henry is the younger child and he is pretty adorable too.
The two end up spending more time together when Piper’s best friend and Zach’s best friend end up engaged and Piper plans the engagement parties and a wedding in NY and England. Zach has been all about his two kids since his wife died and he starts to feel things for Piper.
This was a wonderful story about a widower finding love with someone he has known a long time but who he always had an adversary type of relationship. Once these start talking and getting to know each other they form attraction and friendship. I loved the kids in this story they truly enhanced the book and I loved that Zach had loved his wife was ready for a new relationship.
A hardcore divorce attorney and a wedding planner work in the same building and belong to the same group of college friends. They don’t see eye to eye about marriage, but once they’re enlisted as best man and maid of honor for their friends’ wedding, the closeness might blur some previously well-defined lines.
Second chances and playing Never Have I Ever have never been this good. Zach and Piper’s story is emotional, romantic and filled with heart wrenching pearls of wisdom passed through the loving words of a clever 10 year old.
This book gave me all the feels and, IMO, it’s Lauren Blakely at her best!