Never the Bride

Always Say Never #2

by Kortney Keisel

No rings. No vows. No ‘til death do us part.

As a top divorce attorney who’s built her career—and her walls—on the belief that marriage doesn’t last, Camila swears she’ll never walk down the aisle. After years of watching relationships crumble, she’s made it her personal mission to convince her little sister to avoid getting married at all costs.

The problem? Camila’s already married. Secretly. On paper, anyway.

What was supposed to be a quick marriage of convenience to secure an inheritance is back in the spotlight when the court challenges whether it’s real. Now she’s juggling her sister’s wedding, her own messy secret, and a man who believes in happily-ever-after while she’s built a career tearing it apart.

Six months. One roof. And one question Camila can’t is she trying to convince the court or herself that happy marriages do exist?

Genres: Romance, Marriage Of Convenience, Contemporary, Clean Romance, Rom Com, Fiction, Contemporary Romance

370 pages, Kindle Edition

First published October 15, 2025

About the author

Kortney graduated from the University of Utah with an English degree and spent a few years before motherhood teaching 7th and 8th graders how to write a book report, among other things. But after a reading slump, where no plots seemed to satisfy, Kortney pulled out her laptop and started writing the "perfect" love story...or at least she tried. Writing love stories is her job...just kidding. Her real job is taking care of her five awesome kids and spending time with her husband.

Kortney loves a good romance movie or book, warm chocolate chip cookies, and traveling the world.

Connect with Kortney at www.kortneykeisel.com

Reviews

[Paula (In & Out)]

AVOID. Secret marriage/Marriage of convenience trope where MMC has a GF & is not celibate after MCs get married. That is cheating to me and an instant DNF. Don't know stats about FMC if she was celibate or not.

[Rita · Rating 5 out of 5]

Secret marriage

Loved this slow burn, marriage of convenience romcom. And it’s a twist on a marriage of convenience and I was here for it. I loved watching the MMC and FMC slowly become friends and then fall in love. Part of the growth was painful but so worth it!

[Kelsey · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have no notes (well actually a bunch of notes, just no critiques), this book is so good, but, honestly, I expected nothing less from Kortney Keisel. I have been a loyal reader for a while now and she has yet to let me down.

Goodness I simply love Camila. Yes, she starts off jaded, opinionated, stubborn, hyper-independent, and anti-love, and I know that gives her a bad rep. But strong FMCs like Camila are so incredibly realistic and her fierceness makes her a good friend, sister, lawyer, and ultimately wife. Plus, who could blame her for her opinions after the life she's lived. Camila is exactly who she needs to be to get her where she needs to be. And I loved reading her grow and change and doubt herself and ultimately make the choice to stay even though it scares her. Giving your heart to someone and receiving theirs in return may just be the most terrifying and beautiful thing, and I appreciate seeing Camila work through that.

And I adore that Hess so very much. He not only acknowledges who Camila is, but he celebrates and loves her exactly as she is. He is so very consistent, patient, and soft with her. He's really just an ideal MMC for a feisty, independent FMC as he sweetly, intentionally, and simply does little things to take care of her, not because she needs it, but because he wants to. True golden retriever energy all the way, which explains why she can't help falling for him or Harvey (the actual golden retreiver). And his calm confidence in her and their relationship is just so attractive.

I often stuggle with the marriage of convenience trope because I hold the sanctity of marriage extremely high, but Kortney did a phenomenal job with it. The way she sets up their marriage as a business transaction and then dives into what marriage is truly meant to be through the judge's orders and marriage counseling to the example of Hess's parents was all just masterful.

Speaking of Hess's parents, I couldn't get enough of them and his sibling. The banter, bickering, and teasing are just the sweetest, and exactly what Camila needs. I also enjoyed Selena and Rosa, and how their relationships with Camila also grew and shifted through the story. I obviously loved getting more of the friend group I met in Never with You, and I am beyond excited for the next book. The very thought of a love triangle stresses me out, but I just know Kortney is going to rock it (and change my mind on that trope as well somehow).

I am so grateful to be on the ARC team for this book, it blew my expectations out of the water, so thank you, Kortney, for choosing me to join your team. Your books bring me so much joy, I will never stop gushing about them. All opinions are my own.

[Tatum - nuggetybooks · Rating 5 out of 5]

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️💫
Hess Taylor & Camila Jiménez
- Dual POV
- Marriage of convenience
- Opposites attract
- Forced proximity
- Found family
- Slow burn
- He falls first
- She’s guarded and pessimistic about marriage

✨ a few of my favorite things:
- that Selena stands up to big sis
- Hess pushing Camilla’s buttons and not letting her just be stubborn
- Hess’s parents
- Horseback riding
- Camila & Harvey
- The way marriage is represented in the book; KFC
- The best friends 🥹
- The after the wedding scene 🥹
- Hess’s siblings’ teasing

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️💫
Book 2 of the Always Say Never Series - my heart. I really loved how much marriage was defended in this book. Marriage is a beautiful gift from God, to be honored. I felt like that was evident throughout the book with all the side characters often challenging Camila’s pessimism.

Camila was not my cup of tea, as her and I have very different beliefs. However, I could appreciate her strong will and stubbornness because I am similar. I really enjoyed watching her be worn down by Hess. He softened her rough edges through care and thoughtfulness. I loved to see it. Hess was a gem and his family was my favorite.

Definitely run and go pick this up if you have a thing for cowboys, respectful men, strong friendships, strong willed/independent women, and slow burns.

This is a closed door romcom with no cursing, kissing, very vague fade to black scenes with no details, and some mild innuendo.

**Thank you so much to Kortney for letting me read this gifted ARC. No positive review was required. All thoughts are my own.**

[Evelyn (Ev’s Novel Delights) · Rating 4 out of 5]

(Clean-ish Adult RomCom)

That was really adorable, to be honest!!!
I just didn’t like Camila and her views on mariage.. but i mean i started to liked her maybe like 3/4 into the book.
Hess on the other hand???!!! EEKK I LOVED HIM… he’s like the perfect husband that anyone would fall in love with… 😍😍😍😍😍😍😍😍😍😍 i wish we could’ve seen a little bit more of Carly and Nate thooo 😭🥲☺️

4 stars (the only reason i took off a star is because the romance toes the line for me and got a bit much but it never goes beyond closed door)

RTC later

[Lindsay Rankin · Rating 4 out of 5]

I loved nearly everything about this book! The character development is beautifully done, and I loved seeing them fall in love with each other.

I’m really disappointed though because the hero has a girlfriend while he’s still married, which is cheating. I know he and his wife both said it wasn’t a real marriage and they implied to each other that they could see other people before they went their separate ways. But that doesn’t make it right.

This book is beautifully pro marriage and pro family, except for that one thing. Which is confusing to me, especially because he’s the main character who is pro marriage.

The girlfriend isn’t in the story long because they break up. So I did keep reading, despite usually DNFing when there is cheating. And I loved the rest of the story. This would have been a favorite for me, if it wasn’t for the cheating.

[Madison Allshouse · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.25⭐️

What a fun and sweet read!!! This book did a total twist on the classic marriage of convenience trope and I loved the uniqueness and creativity in it! The plot definitely worked seamlessly with the characters and their personalities. I will always love a “that’s my WIFE” moment 🙂‍↕️ and Hess was definitely a swoony MMC that delivered 🥰

I also loved the personal growth in Camila - I think a lot of women can relate to feeling a deep distrust for men and relying on their own independence. It was hard for her to let someone take care of her, but of so sweet to watch🥹

I’m so pumped for the series to continue!!😍

[Micah (micahs.bookshelf) · Rating 5 out of 5]

I’ve just added a book to my all-time favorites shelf! Kortney Keisle gives us a really fresh take on the marriage of convenience trope and I was surprised and delighted by how things kept playing out. It had me laughing out loud from the start!

I loved every page of Camila and Hess together. Their flirty banter is top notch! I highlighted a billion things—sometimes even whole paragraphs and pages because it was so funny and so sweet.

I really appreciated the positive view on marriage that this story had. Even though Camila is jaded and doesn’t believe in marriage at the beginning, the book feels like a champion for marriage. It makes me want to hug my husband tighter and appreciate what I have even more.

This book was addicting with really great pacing. I was hooked and couldn’t stop reading! It all flowed really smoothly and was entirely entertaining the whole time!

🔥: Kissing; fade to black between a married couple (kissing only before the scene cuts to morning)

[Kassidy Lundgren · Rating 5 out of 5]

Such a fun read! I loved that the marriage for a marriage of convenience trope happened right away instead of building up for half the book.

[Hollyorme · Rating 2 out of 5]

This whole premise and the characters confused me. Also so many soft smiles and light laughs that I wanted to punch myself in the face

[Virginia Speirs · Rating 5 out of 5]

Stop what you’re doing and add this one to your TBR immediately. I was not prepared for how much I’d adore this story — or how much it would remind me what real love looks like.

Oh my goodness. Hess was a dream. 🫠 Kind, funny, respectful, has values, hard-working, honest, swoony, and a cowboy. That being Camila’s secret fantasy was hilarious. I enjoyed how that played out.

I liked being able to relate to Camila too. She is kind of a buzz kill, but we learn why and get to see her heal. I can always get behind a strong female. 💪🏻

Something I didn’t know I needed was that this book had the potential to be extremely messy, but it wasn’t! 🙌🏻 Sure, the initial situation was messy, but each time an opportunity came up to be honest, they were!! It was so refreshing! You don’t have to dread the characters’ absolute stupidity! Seriously. It was so nice not worrying about a massive bomb dropping and causing irreparable damage.

Also, I’d just like to thank Kortney for including couples therapy. I never thought I would want to be a fly on the wall in a couples therapy session, but that gave me some serious laugh-out-loud moments. 😂

On a more serious note, I loved the portrayal of marriage. Of how good it can be and how hard it can be. Sometimes reading romance fiction gives the impression that marriage is this blissfully easy thing. Unfortunately, it is not that way all the time. BUT it is so worth fighting for. ❤️

Also, how is the next story going to work?! Emma, Juliet, and Vinny? I’m already stressed. 😅 I’m cheering for you, Kortney!

[Emily]

DNF at 11%.

I normally don’t do strongly emotional negative reviews, but REALLY? Passing out and glucagon for a low blood sugar of SIXTY-FIVE???? Pump silenced because it “never goes off”??????? First of all, a lot of people don’t even treat lows until under 70 now (Cook Children’s guideline is this). Second, pumps go off. All the time. Not just for lows, either. And you can’t actually silence them, just put them on vibrate. And if you have an “urgent low” (which is below 55, btw), it will go off regardless of the pump settings.

I mean, I’m sure it may be possible to pass out from a 65 under very specific circumstances, but she was shocked at how low the number was, and I’m sorry, if you’ve had T1D any period of time, 65 is not shocking.

I have had T1D for almost 19 years and my daughter has had it for 2 years.

And we are considered well-controlled, and have the a1cs and data to back us up.

[Nicky W. (Bookstacks_and_Coffeecups) · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was an absolutely brilliantly and uniquely written take on the marriage of convenience trope.
When jaded divorce attorney Camilla and sometimes cowboy Hess have to live together for 6 months to prove to a judge that she’s fulfilled the terms of her inheritance they both get more than they ever expected.

I really liked the format of the book broken down by each month and ending in their visit to their marriage counsellor. Hess was just the absolute sweetest of men and I really related to Camilla’s character. I thought it was all summed up nicely when she says “ Maybe independence doesn’t mean doing everything alone. Maybe it’s about choosing someone who doesn’t take away from you but makes you more yourself.”

I also loved the cameos from the other girls in the series and I’m more anxious than ever for Emma’s story!

*this is a fade to black, one scene of intimacy implied between a married couple, no descriptive language.

Thank you to the author for an advance review copy of this book, all thoughts are my own.

[Amanda Jackson · Rating 4 out of 5]

Cute & fun

[Emily Shaw · Rating 4 out of 5]

I love a good marriage of convenience trope.

[Candy · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved everything about this sweet romance. The author is great and I love her writing style.

[Cherilyn (Cherwhatyouread) · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book! This marriage of convenience was done so perfectly. Marriage to get money from an estranged parent should be a walk in the park right?

I loved Camila and Hess’ relationship. Camila truly has one of the best character arcs. Going from having no faith in marriage to understanding that a good marriage goes deeper than what she’s ever seen. I cheered for her bravery at times to make tough decisions and cried when she wasn’t sure.
Hess was a walking green flag. He knew what he wanted and was determined to work hard for it. I loved watching him fall for Camila and fight for her to be his.

Favorite parts:
-the airplane
-the slideshow— seriously the cutest thing ever done
-the horse ride
-their trip to visit Hess’ family.
-trips to Waffle House.
-Camila’s sister.
-the “my wife” moment.
-the “my husband” moment

Favorite Quotes:
For a second, neither of us moves or looks away, as if an electrical current flows between our stares.
“You look”—he blows out a breath like staring at me is some kind of wonderful torture—“ incredible.”
Those eyes. That softness. The raggedness behind his voice. The way he said incredible. It all changes my brain chemistry, and suddenly, I’m sure no other compliment from a man will ever compare.

“Well, you’ve won my mom over.”
“What about you?” I place my palms on the counter in front of her and lean in. “Have I won you over yet?”
A smile spreads across her lips. “You’re making good progress.”
“It was my pancakes, wasn’t it?”
“Something like that.”

That’s one of the things I like about Hess, one of the ways he makes me feel safe. He never plays any games with my heart. What you see is what you get, and I love that about him.

Content: there is a fade to black scene.

[Shayla Riley · Rating 5 out of 5]

NEVER THE BRIDE
(Always Say Never #2)
by: Author Kortney Keisel
@authorkortneykeisel

••I give 4.5 stars!⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️✨

~No rings. No vows. No ‘til death do us part…

-NEVER THE BRIDE, is book #2 in the delightful Always Say Never Series. This is story is fun! It pits a unique and original twist on Marriage of Convenience. There are unexpected turns along the way and plenty of swoony moments, forced proximity, and humor. I thoroughly enjoyed the marriage advice, and how this story is lighthearted but, is able to also pack in slow-burn tension, emotional depth. I loved seeing characters heal, grow, and slowly but surely together, be quite the dear team. From awkward to tender heartwarming moments in between, it was the connection that came about that had my full attention. Worth the fun read! 🙌🏻📚🩷

“None of us are magically built for forever. We choose it, day by day. And you can too. But you’ve gotta stop acting like you’re destined to fail before you even start.”

•Content: strained family dynamics/background, no violence, no language, kisses (a subtle fade to black/implied intimacy between a married couple.) Closed-door!

“You’re the best inconvenient thing that has ever happened to me.”

-I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book which I received from the author. All views expressed are only my honest opinion.

#neverthebride

“In the middle of all this beautiful chaos, I know I don’t just belong here. I’ve found another safe place to call home.”

#alwayssayneverseries

“No matter how many waffles or fights or freak-outs we have—we’re in this together.”

#authorkortneykeisel

“I love you. I don’t need a guarantee.”

#allaboutthebestreads

“You’re everything to me, and I love you.”

[Ella B · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5 stars (rounded up to 5)

I just loved this book. The way Kortney wrote a realistic modern marriage of convenience was perfection.

As a divorce attorney, Camila has seen too many marriages fall apart and believes love never lasts. Thus her becoming a cynic towards all type of relationships. Her insecurities stemming from watching her mom's failed marriages. Its a slow effort but Camila finally shifts her mindset towards marriage and love, her best friends and Hess playing a huge role in that shift. Her fears still hold her back, as nothing changes overnight, but she works on overcoming the fear of failure. Much of her growth comes from Hess and his unwavering love and care.

Hess is the ultimate MMC. He exudes kindness, understanding, and love, how can you not fall in love with him? He makes a genuine effort to get to know Camila and make the marriage work. I loved how intentional and patient he was, using both his words and actions to show he was in it for the long haul. Kortney really knows how to write top-tier male leads.

I loved them together. There was chemistry, flirty banter, and tension.
Despite how their marriage began, they communicated openly and made sure they understood each other, it was so refreshing to read. I did get fed up with Camila's attitude at times, but I loved seeing her growth.
Overall, I absolutely loved this book and highly recommend it!


🔥Heat level: Kisses only, closed-door
🫢Language: None

[Carissa · Rating 4 out of 5]

After being totally blown away by the first book in this series, I was SO excited to be back in this world with this group of friends! Camila was a tough nut to crack but wow, Hess was the right man for the job!

Camila is a divorce lawyer and does not believe in happy marriages. She is super cynical when it comes to love in general and never lets anything get past a superficial level. But she is hiding a secret… something that when it comes to light, will slowly break away at her walls and turn her into a believer of love. I really liked seeing Camila transform throughout the book. She has a strong, independent personality but a softness underneath that gradually comes to the surface. Hess is so patient with her and such a gentleman! The moment he walked into The Waffle House at the beginning I was instantly rooting for him! After these two are thrown together full time, it was great seeing their dynamics on full display and how they overcame so many obstacles.

This was a unique way to spin a marriage of convenience story and I thought it was really well done. Looking forward to Emma’s book next!

I received an advanced copy of this book from the author. I was not required to leave a positive review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

[Nicole | Nicole's Bookstagram · Rating 5 out of 5]

Never The Bride is a sweet, slow burn, marriage of convenience romance. Kortney is the queen of flirty banter and swoony moments. This story is fun & lighthearted but there is also a lot of emotional depth & growth happening on the pages. The beauty and the gift of marriage is weaved throughout Hess and Camilla’s story. I love how marriage was portrayed and celebrated.

Hess and Camilla’s relationship started as a marriage of convenience five and a half years earlier. They looked at their marriage as strictly a business deal. Once they completed the necessary paperwork, they went their separate ways and didn’t speak again until now. Some readers are upset to learn that Hess has a girlfriend when he and Camilla are reunited but I don’t think that’s fair considering the nature of his and Camilla’s arrangement. Don’t write them off too quickly and miss the intricacy of their story.

Hess may be my new favorite MMC. Camilla says it best when she says, “He’s kind and gentle, but also manly and masculine.” He is thoughtful, perceptive, respectful, and protective. He wants to know Camilla and wants to show her what it’s like to have someone take care of her. And Hess enjoys taking care of his woman. I love the mature way Hess allows Camilla to process her feelings and how he isn’t threatened by her freak outs or confusion. He remains calm and confident. He knows her issues with marriage isn’t a reflection of her feelings for him but instead a byproduct of her upbringing and her history with men.

Camilla initially comes across as cynical and frustratingly independent but Kortney does a great job of unpacking her past and letting us see how she arrived at her beliefs. Add in her current job as a divorce attorney and she’s truly only seen the worst of marriages. Hess slowly chips away at her walls. He is honorable, keeps his word, and keeps showing up. He celebrates her strengths and accomplishments and doesn’t try to put her in a box. He truly wants to add to her life and happiness without taking anything away. I love Camilla’s character arc. Her transformation is so heartwarming.

The ending is so moving and absolute perfection! Don’t take my word for it. See for yourself!


Favorites:
💙Mawwage
🩷Waffle House
💙Harvey
🩷 “If you’re going to learn to love me,
you have to love my dog first.”
💙The shower mishap
🩷Marriage counseling
💙Hess’ presentation
🩷Sunset horse ride + picnic
💙”I’m disappointed I didn’t kiss you too.”
🩷First kiss
💙Camilla’s secret cowboy obsession
🩷Tension and chemistry between
Hess and Camilla
💙The 4th of July at the cabin
🩷KFC marriage advice
💙The scenes after the wedding
🩷Hess’ siblings
💙”Get away from my wife!”
🩷”You’re mine. And I’ve got you.”
💙 “Get your hands off my husband.”
🩷 “Those were miracles. This?
This is pure fantasy.”
💙The flower analogy

[Jenah Riggs · Rating 5 out of 5]

Totally obsessed with this book. I flew through it in less than 8 hrs and will probably be rereading it very soon! The premise felt like a fresh take on the marriage of convenience trope, and I loved how the MMC was such a goner but really had to work to get to know the FMC and break down her [very fortified] walls. So many laugh out loud moments and an incredible cast of side characters and also glimpses of previous characters from Never With You! I cannot wait to see more characters get books in this ongoing series!

[Haven Hoopes · Rating 5 out of 5]

Oh my goodness! When I say I loved this book I mean I LOVED this book! Marriage of convenience by Kortney Keisel? Heck yes!

I loved reading Never With You a few months ago and I’ve been waiting for this one for what felt like forever and it did not disappoint.

The first line had me hooked and I then fell in love with both MC’s. Camila is so strong and definitely jaded from her past and she grows so much. Hess is basically a walking green flag. He’s kind, patient, funny (The Princess Bride line is perfect!) and he is just what Camila needs. Including making her cowboy dreams come true.

100% worth the read.

I received an arc copy of this book and these are my honest thoughts. Now go read it!

[Jas Heaps · Rating 2 out of 5]

I was disappointed in this one, which makes me so sad. Kortney's writing is usually great, but there were a lot of issues in this one. The dialogue was painful. It felt super unnatural—the MCs just constantly explained themselves. There wasn't a lot of actual interaction where they genuinely existed together and got to know each other. Their conversations were stilted, and they had zero chemistry. I also just didn't like Camila. I could see why she started falling for Hess, but she was a massive red flag: unhealthy obsession with work, deeply ingrained trust issues, constant cynicism, etc. The only thing she had going for her was her looks and maybe the fact that she took care of her family. There's a way to make prickly, but still likable characters. This wasn't it. (I would have been equally disenchanted if it had been Hess with these characteristics.) A relationship where someone was nice to Camila in the two hours a week she was home wasn't going to magically lead to a dramatic personality change. Camila needed therapy. (And the therapist in the book was an absolute letdown.)

[Lizzie Bruce · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved the redemption and growth in Hess and Camila's love story💕!

The beginning had some parts that were a bit eyebrow-raising, but those parts weren't there for shock factor. They were there to help paint a beautiful picture of how patience, love, and vulnerability can help us become better people together. And Kortney is a master word-artist!

[Tiffany · Rating 3 out of 5]

Kisses only.

Interesting take on marriage of convenience. I don’t know how they got away with it since everyone knew it was fraud. I was a bit thrown off by the cast of characters which included a bunch of characters not in the book until half way through and then they are just minor side characters.

[Jessie Cox · Rating 4 out of 5]

Another simple and sweet love story to get me out of my reading slump.

I am loving this series by this author so far. Her stories (that I’ve read so far) don’t throw you into an emotional rollercoaster which I appreciate every now and then. It’s nice to have a book that you can just enjoy the ride.

In both of her books, the intimate scenes have been closed door.

[Rachel · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars, rounded down.

Kortney Keisel is an instant read author for me. I love her writing style, but I had a harder time getting into this book than some of her others; the plot was a bit hard to believe and buy into. Otherwise, it was a fun read.

Content Warning: Mild innuendo, one fade-to-black scene.

[Reanne - (Faith, Fiction, Fact and Fluff) · Rating 4 out of 5]

Wasn’t sure how Kourtney was going to make Camila a likeable character, but somehow she did.
A fun marriage of convenience romcom where “he falls first” and there is genuine communication and character growth. Enjoyed it!

[Courtney Sanossian · Rating 4 out of 5]

Again, such a cute book. This one had “What Happens in Vegas” vibes, which was so fun. The characters weren’t too immature like a lot of easy romcoms out there. This book was funny and charming. I’m excited for book 3!