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Dark Obsession #3
Never Better
What if your worst nightmare was the only thing you wanted?Lydia worries she'll never recover from a violent assault at the hands of an intruder. Therapy isn't working and her friends aren't a comfort. All she can think about is how helpless and afraid she was.Then she meets Isaac.He's everything she wants to cool, calm and controlled. Trauma doesn't seem to affect him. Emotions don't bother him. And best of all, he's prepared to teach her. He shows her how to fight. How to defend herself. How to guard her heart.But Isaac soon finds he can't guard his heart from her. She's starting to make him see all the things he's been missing, in his closed off and far too brutal life. The only problem He has a terrible secret.And if he lets himself give in to the desire that's building between them, her world may well be torn apart again.
Kindle Edition
First published February 14, 2017
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About the author
Charlotte Stein
116 books2,122 followersCharlotte Stein is the RT and DABWAHA nominated author of over fifty short stories, novellas and novels. When not writing deeply emotional and intensely sexy books, she can be found eating jelly turtles, watching terrible sitcoms and occasionally lusting after hunks. For more on Charlotte, visit: www.charlottestein.net
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 91 reviews
July 21, 2020
Enjoyable, witty but a bit predictable
I liked this book, it had witty banter between the two main characters, awesome movie references and quotes, and a nice story which I wouldn’t really call a “dark obsession”. The one thing I dislike about books like this is when they put in the blurb that one of the main characters has a big “secret” that could destroy the relationship, and the big secret reveal happens at the end of the book, but it is so easy to figure out from the beginning what that secret is, that the only person it really is revealed to is the other main character. If they would just not mention the secret, it would be so much better because it might actually be a surprise to the reader.
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I liked this book, it had witty banter between the two main characters, awesome movie references and quotes, and a nice story which I wouldn’t really call a “dark obsession”. The one thing I dislike about books like this is when they put in the blurb that one of the main characters has a big “secret” that could destroy the relationship, and the big secret reveal happens at the end of the book, but it is so easy to figure out from the beginning what that secret is, that the only person it really is revealed to is the other main character. If they would just not mention the secret, it would be so much better because it might actually be a surprise to the reader.
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February 18, 2017
Yes, Stein is the queen of training a lens on the interior. She specialises in illuminating those nearly minuscule spaces between heavy action where attraction blossoms. Her dialogue flows like intimacy achieved, minds opened, and stream of consciousness coursing forth. These are all lovely elements of her writing.
But these facets must be balanced with an actual plot and actual characters.
This book's dearth of plot, people, perspective, and purpose renders it perplexing. As in, aside from this pop culture banter - from which I am totally estranged - what exactly is the point here? This brow-scratching is only increased when some of the conversation wanders over into the improbable. Like really, no one would say that. In particular, no man would say that. Women need to stop projecting these highly executed self conscious navel gazing diatribes on men. You will never find this in reality. And if you did it's highly unlikely you'd find it attractive since it sounds insane on the page much less off it.
Additionally, this book strikes me as a rush job given the numerous amount of typos and grammatical errors the likes of which I've never seen from this author prior. I think the editor (not just copy editor) rushed her duties, too. Seems like she got Stein to attempt to actually implement a plot in the first chapter. Then, thinking Stein had it under control, the editor begged off and left Stein to return to her overly loquacious sex scenes.
But these facets must be balanced with an actual plot and actual characters.
This book's dearth of plot, people, perspective, and purpose renders it perplexing. As in, aside from this pop culture banter - from which I am totally estranged - what exactly is the point here? This brow-scratching is only increased when some of the conversation wanders over into the improbable. Like really, no one would say that. In particular, no man would say that. Women need to stop projecting these highly executed self conscious navel gazing diatribes on men. You will never find this in reality. And if you did it's highly unlikely you'd find it attractive since it sounds insane on the page much less off it.
Additionally, this book strikes me as a rush job given the numerous amount of typos and grammatical errors the likes of which I've never seen from this author prior. I think the editor (not just copy editor) rushed her duties, too. Seems like she got Stein to attempt to actually implement a plot in the first chapter. Then, thinking Stein had it under control, the editor begged off and left Stein to return to her overly loquacious sex scenes.
February 15, 2017
Wait, is this a cliffhanger? Or was that really the end?
This is confusing for me! The previous book, Never Sweeter, was one of my favorite books from last year, and possibly ever! This one had a slow start for me, and then got so action packed I kind of feel like I have whiplash. It needed more exposition, I think.
I adore everything Charlotte Stein writes, but I guess I still need a HEA for me to be happy.
This is confusing for me! The previous book, Never Sweeter, was one of my favorite books from last year, and possibly ever! This one had a slow start for me, and then got so action packed I kind of feel like I have whiplash. It needed more exposition, I think.
I adore everything Charlotte Stein writes, but I guess I still need a HEA for me to be happy.
February 22, 2017
3.5 Stars. I wanted so much more, but i still enjoyed.
December 18, 2018
After reading Never Sweeter, which is the best book I have read in several years, I have been waiting on pins and needles for this book to come out. I will admit that I had set the bar pretty high, being a huge Charlotte Stein fan, but I am sorry to say that this book fell just a little flat for me. The big reveal at the end was so obvious that I seriously didn't realize that it wasn't mentioned in the blurb of the book until I read a couple of reviews on Goodreads. The ending was abrupt and was so ambiguous that it left me feeling frustrated and unfulfilled.
That being said, an okay book of Charlotte Stein's is still written by Charlotte Stein, so all of the wonderful things that she brings to the table are still present: the dialogue and the banter are wonderful, the movie references are on point, and of course, her voice is hugely entertaining. She really captures the anxieties and insecurities that Lydia feels. Overall, I would say this book is definitely worth the read, but it falls short of the gold standard that was set by Never Sweeter.
That being said, an okay book of Charlotte Stein's is still written by Charlotte Stein, so all of the wonderful things that she brings to the table are still present: the dialogue and the banter are wonderful, the movie references are on point, and of course, her voice is hugely entertaining. She really captures the anxieties and insecurities that Lydia feels. Overall, I would say this book is definitely worth the read, but it falls short of the gold standard that was set by Never Sweeter.
February 22, 2017
Originally reviewed at SmexyBooks-http://smexybooks.com/2017/02/februar...
Grade: C+
Stein once again builds an intriguing, heavily characterized story that is far more complicated than originally suspected. Lydia finds herself the victim of assault though she is saved from rape by one of the men who broke into her home. When her roommate pressures her to go to group therapy, she meets Isaac whose ability to erect barriers gives him what she wants-emotional & physical immunity from the world. She asks him for help and soon they are spending time together. When the attraction between them becomes too much to bear, Lydia and Isaac begin a relationship but there are things Isaac hasn’t told Lydia…things that may very well destroy her.
I am a huge fan of Stein’s work. Her writing skills and intuitive voice are instantly appealing. This particular series has been a roller coaster ride for me. I wasn’t a fan of book one but book two blew me away. I find this one landed right in the middle. I enjoyed the setup and hint of suspense that intertwines through the story. Wonderfully paced narrative and dialogue gives our couple the dynamics in which to meet and develop a realistic relationship. My main issue was the lack of connection I felt between them. Of course, the elephant in the room is responsible for that but I found even after Lydia learns the truth, I still didn’t feel they belonged together. An abrupt ending that leaves their fate up in the air only solidified my feelings.
Grade: C+
Stein once again builds an intriguing, heavily characterized story that is far more complicated than originally suspected. Lydia finds herself the victim of assault though she is saved from rape by one of the men who broke into her home. When her roommate pressures her to go to group therapy, she meets Isaac whose ability to erect barriers gives him what she wants-emotional & physical immunity from the world. She asks him for help and soon they are spending time together. When the attraction between them becomes too much to bear, Lydia and Isaac begin a relationship but there are things Isaac hasn’t told Lydia…things that may very well destroy her.
I am a huge fan of Stein’s work. Her writing skills and intuitive voice are instantly appealing. This particular series has been a roller coaster ride for me. I wasn’t a fan of book one but book two blew me away. I find this one landed right in the middle. I enjoyed the setup and hint of suspense that intertwines through the story. Wonderfully paced narrative and dialogue gives our couple the dynamics in which to meet and develop a realistic relationship. My main issue was the lack of connection I felt between them. Of course, the elephant in the room is responsible for that but I found even after Lydia learns the truth, I still didn’t feel they belonged together. An abrupt ending that leaves their fate up in the air only solidified my feelings.
February 14, 2017
Beautiful writing, too short
I love Charlotte Stein's books, they're all written wonderfully, and there's so much emotion in each one, this one included. Let's not get this twisted, I did like this book. Two things though: I'm bummed at how short this was compared to how much is costs, which colors my opinion of the book as a whole. More importantly, what really bummed me out here, is that there isn't an HEA, there's no HFN, it kind of ends with a "Happy I Guess?" It's like I got the prologue and the first few chapters of a really really awesome book. I'm familiar with her writing and I know this book follows essentially the same format as her other books, it just didn't work 100% for me this time. I'm going to reread it later, with different expectations, and see if I feel better about the book then.
I love Charlotte Stein's books, they're all written wonderfully, and there's so much emotion in each one, this one included. Let's not get this twisted, I did like this book. Two things though: I'm bummed at how short this was compared to how much is costs, which colors my opinion of the book as a whole. More importantly, what really bummed me out here, is that there isn't an HEA, there's no HFN, it kind of ends with a "Happy I Guess?" It's like I got the prologue and the first few chapters of a really really awesome book. I'm familiar with her writing and I know this book follows essentially the same format as her other books, it just didn't work 100% for me this time. I'm going to reread it later, with different expectations, and see if I feel better about the book then.
February 21, 2017
Here's the thing about Charlotte Stein's books: they're just so damn good. I savored my read of Never Better, a slow burn romance that masterfully builds a sense of longing and intensity between its main characters.
Never Better is book #3 in Stein's Dark Obsession series, but each is a standalone. In this book, Lydia is the victim of assault after a home invasion in which she was nearly killed. Consequently, she's left traumatized and constantly afraid. She fears interacting with strangers, of course, but also recoils from receiving physical touch from loved ones.
Lydia begins attending a therapy group, where she meets Isaac, a mysterious and intense man to whom she's drawn immediately. As Lydia and Isaac form a friendship, Lydia begins letting down her guard and opening up to another person for the first time since her assault.
In turn, Isaac helps Lydia gain a sense of empowerment. He begins teaching her self-defense, which not only builds up her self-confidence but also her trust in him. It's clear that Isaac feels protective of Lydia, but for some reason he holds her at arm's length for much of the book--despite the growing attraction between them.
Isaac is basically a romance reader's dream. A tortured, conflicted hero who has a love for romance novels and who's fiercely protective of the heroine? Yes, please.
I'd definitely call their romance a slow burn, and it's ultimately a satisfying one at that. Isaac has reasons for holding himself at an emotional distance from Lydia, but eventually she weakens his resolve and he gives in. Always present is Stein's deep point-of-view, which drew me in to Lydia's consciousness as well as Isaac's motivations once his secrets are revealed.
Lastly, the unique, unexpected ending made me smile. Never fear, the ending is still a happy one, but one that definitely left me craving more.
Never Better is another fantastic read from Charlotte Stein, whose stories always manage to put my emotions through the proverbial wringer and lovingly dust them off when it's all over. I highly recommend this book.
I received an advance copy of this book from the author.
Never Better is book #3 in Stein's Dark Obsession series, but each is a standalone. In this book, Lydia is the victim of assault after a home invasion in which she was nearly killed. Consequently, she's left traumatized and constantly afraid. She fears interacting with strangers, of course, but also recoils from receiving physical touch from loved ones.
Lydia begins attending a therapy group, where she meets Isaac, a mysterious and intense man to whom she's drawn immediately. As Lydia and Isaac form a friendship, Lydia begins letting down her guard and opening up to another person for the first time since her assault.
In turn, Isaac helps Lydia gain a sense of empowerment. He begins teaching her self-defense, which not only builds up her self-confidence but also her trust in him. It's clear that Isaac feels protective of Lydia, but for some reason he holds her at arm's length for much of the book--despite the growing attraction between them.
Isaac is basically a romance reader's dream. A tortured, conflicted hero who has a love for romance novels and who's fiercely protective of the heroine? Yes, please.
I'd definitely call their romance a slow burn, and it's ultimately a satisfying one at that. Isaac has reasons for holding himself at an emotional distance from Lydia, but eventually she weakens his resolve and he gives in. Always present is Stein's deep point-of-view, which drew me in to Lydia's consciousness as well as Isaac's motivations once his secrets are revealed.
Lastly, the unique, unexpected ending made me smile. Never fear, the ending is still a happy one, but one that definitely left me craving more.
Never Better is another fantastic read from Charlotte Stein, whose stories always manage to put my emotions through the proverbial wringer and lovingly dust them off when it's all over. I highly recommend this book.
I received an advance copy of this book from the author.
February 12, 2017
Quintessential Charlotte Stein with a big twist. I was left with big feels and also big questions. I want to say...gush...debate more but don't dare for fear of letting slip some very telling spoilers. It was a slow, slow, slow build to the sexy times, but the ending left me reeling.
I'm a fan of Charlotte Stein. She has an unique, bold but dreamy voice that doesn't suit everyone and often requires a lot of re-reading with raised eyebrows. Never Better felt like a meandering step in a totally new direction for the author. Despite the connection to the last book in the Dark Obsession series (Lydia's roommate is Letty from Never Sweeter), Never Better is in a world of its own. This isn't a NA romance, this isn't a contemporary romance, this is almost a thriller as Lydia and Isaac circle each other in this private world.
Note: I received an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
I'm a fan of Charlotte Stein. She has an unique, bold but dreamy voice that doesn't suit everyone and often requires a lot of re-reading with raised eyebrows. Never Better felt like a meandering step in a totally new direction for the author. Despite the connection to the last book in the Dark Obsession series (Lydia's roommate is Letty from Never Sweeter), Never Better is in a world of its own. This isn't a NA romance, this isn't a contemporary romance, this is almost a thriller as Lydia and Isaac circle each other in this private world.
Note: I received an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
March 1, 2022
3.5⭐️ While I didn’t like the ending this was pretty good overall.
December 15, 2023
Wtf was going on here?
February 22, 2017
Well that was kind of a crappy ending. Obviously I wanted more, especially after reading Never Sweeter, which was fucking awesome. This was good, but not great.
November 3, 2022
No hea? I honestly struggled through this book because I thought it was wordy and predictable. The banter wasn't interesting to me but instead felt exhausting; like they were saying a whole bunch of nothing... However I did still like the characters so was pulling through because I wanted to see their happy ever after...but instead I was rewarded for my efforts with an underwhelming and confusing ending
October 27, 2018
I gave this book four stars because the ending broke my freaking heart. Stein is brilliant and I haven't read a book of hers that I didn't like. This one is a bit cold and distant, but that plays into the characters remarkably well. It's also extremely funny. I have mixed feelings about the ending. It pretty much gutted me. But I'm still going to read every last book this author has to offer.
February 14, 2017
I will never read this story and not think about Oscar Isaacs' perfect mug.
A gorgeous, super hot story with awesome banter.
February 15, 2017
High-quality smut honestly Charlotte Stein writes so well and her books are so emotionally intense I need a moment.
Also the hero looks like Oscar Isaac which is always a good sign.
Also the hero looks like Oscar Isaac which is always a good sign.
February 19, 2017
Wow. So darkly emotional, incredible banter and that ending.... :o
October 18, 2023
Rating: ⭐️ (1.5/5–rounded down because I just… I can’t).
Spice: 🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️ (5/5)
Steam: 🥵🥵🥵🥵🥵(5/5)
This book follow Letty who was constantly harassed and bullied by three boys in high school. And now that she’s in college, she finds herself being paired with Tate, one of the bullies who almost literally killed her. Tate does everything he can to make it up to her and in the meanwhile, Letty finds herself falling for him too.
Yeah, so this book was all over the fucking place. I’m not even sure where to begin. The pacing was just not good and then to top it all off… I felt like Letty had zero backbone. I’ll try not to give anything away in this review, but geez.
The incident that Letty refers to is pretty horrible (the prologue). And obviously as readers you learn more about the incident as it goes, but Letty only knows what she sees. And well, if I were in Letty’s shoes I wouldn’t even give Tate the time of day. And when she sees Tate again, she freaks out. And then she falls. But then when she sees him again, he’s avoiding her like she asks and she feels bad (?) and they start talking again—I feel like she was lowkey flirting back with him? The narration of how she was feeling and what she was saying were like polar opposites of one another. She was play-bantering with him. Like it was banter and borderlines flirting. And don’t get me wrong, enemies to lovers is my favorite trope but this isn’t that trope—this is a bully trope. I was expecting groveling and instead I got… weird flirting. I think Letty gave in too quickly.
And then to top it off we get a really crappy third act break up scene that leads to the FMC making rash conclusions toward the MMC and the MMC doesn’t even TRY to argue it. He just lets her leave. I just… what?!!!
I felt like Letty forgave him too quickly and it turned in quickly into insta-lust/insta-love/insta-infatuation and then to top it off they break up after she finally forgives him just for him to jump to conclusions about him AGAIN. And then just like every predictable romance, she realizes it was a misunderstanding. The end.
I had high hopes going into this one. I’m not usually one to read The Bully Trope but this didn’t do it for me. If we are going to do the bullying thing then I need to be rooting for the FMC and I didn’t find myself rooting for her at the end of it. I found myself wanting to smack her on the backside of her head. She wasn’t a strong female lead which I think is important for this type of trope. And it just felt so unrealistic for someone to forgive her bully that quickly over an incident that quite literally almost killed her.
The only thing that saved it was the sex scenes—which isn’t saying a lot because books need to have more than just hot sex to be considered good.
Some of Tate’s actions were sweet but honestly some of them were borderline creepy by the time we got to the end because of how much he was keeping track of Letty before college. Which I get and in some ways it’s romantic and in other ways, it borderlines stalker-esque.
I had to really push to finish this one. I can see why some love this book but it isn’t for me.
Spice: 🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️ (5/5)
Steam: 🥵🥵🥵🥵🥵(5/5)
This book follow Letty who was constantly harassed and bullied by three boys in high school. And now that she’s in college, she finds herself being paired with Tate, one of the bullies who almost literally killed her. Tate does everything he can to make it up to her and in the meanwhile, Letty finds herself falling for him too.
Yeah, so this book was all over the fucking place. I’m not even sure where to begin. The pacing was just not good and then to top it all off… I felt like Letty had zero backbone. I’ll try not to give anything away in this review, but geez.
The incident that Letty refers to is pretty horrible (the prologue). And obviously as readers you learn more about the incident as it goes, but Letty only knows what she sees. And well, if I were in Letty’s shoes I wouldn’t even give Tate the time of day. And when she sees Tate again, she freaks out. And then she falls. But then when she sees him again, he’s avoiding her like she asks and she feels bad (?) and they start talking again—I feel like she was lowkey flirting back with him? The narration of how she was feeling and what she was saying were like polar opposites of one another. She was play-bantering with him. Like it was banter and borderlines flirting. And don’t get me wrong, enemies to lovers is my favorite trope but this isn’t that trope—this is a bully trope. I was expecting groveling and instead I got… weird flirting. I think Letty gave in too quickly.
And then to top it off we get a really crappy third act break up scene that leads to the FMC making rash conclusions toward the MMC and the MMC doesn’t even TRY to argue it. He just lets her leave. I just… what?!!!
I felt like Letty forgave him too quickly and it turned in quickly into insta-lust/insta-love/insta-infatuation and then to top it off they break up after she finally forgives him just for him to jump to conclusions about him AGAIN. And then just like every predictable romance, she realizes it was a misunderstanding. The end.
I had high hopes going into this one. I’m not usually one to read The Bully Trope but this didn’t do it for me. If we are going to do the bullying thing then I need to be rooting for the FMC and I didn’t find myself rooting for her at the end of it. I found myself wanting to smack her on the backside of her head. She wasn’t a strong female lead which I think is important for this type of trope. And it just felt so unrealistic for someone to forgive her bully that quickly over an incident that quite literally almost killed her.
The only thing that saved it was the sex scenes—which isn’t saying a lot because books need to have more than just hot sex to be considered good.
Some of Tate’s actions were sweet but honestly some of them were borderline creepy by the time we got to the end because of how much he was keeping track of Letty before college. Which I get and in some ways it’s romantic and in other ways, it borderlines stalker-esque.
I had to really push to finish this one. I can see why some love this book but it isn’t for me.
April 16, 2024
I'm giving it 3 stars. And I'm giving it 3 stars for each reason that made me go and think I had to keep reading it.
1) I thought I'd get some good spice. And that was my first mistake, I now know, because I was still holding onto the promise Never Sweeter had left for me after we had to part ways and, spoiler, after enduring all +100 pages of absurdity and just bad, bad, terrible banter between these two characters —whose personality barely differed between the other H & h's I've read from her, and where everything kept the same (s a m e) structure as the other books, too—, at that point sex was honestly meh; 2) I don't know, and 3) I gave In love and war 3 stars for less than this and because yes, being honest, this book gave a sort of unexpected turn at the end, and then had an actual ending that I could define as more unexpected, as in "what the fuck did I just read" but also as in "... okay, sure, that's okay".
And overall, 3 stars because I made it to the end. Because I earned this part in my life that desperately needs to move on and never think of these people ever again.
PS: I didn't get the movie references so maybe this bad review is my fault? And I mean, I am going to read the first book in the Dark Obsessions series because I'm still hoping there's something by Charlotte out there that I can appreciate more. I hold my fingers crossed.
1) I thought I'd get some good spice. And that was my first mistake, I now know, because I was still holding onto the promise Never Sweeter had left for me after we had to part ways and, spoiler, after enduring all +100 pages of absurdity and just bad, bad, terrible banter between these two characters —whose personality barely differed between the other H & h's I've read from her, and where everything kept the same (s a m e) structure as the other books, too—, at that point sex was honestly meh; 2) I don't know, and 3) I gave In love and war 3 stars for less than this and because yes, being honest, this book gave a sort of unexpected turn at the end, and then had an actual ending that I could define as more unexpected, as in "what the fuck did I just read" but also as in "... okay, sure, that's okay".
And overall, 3 stars because I made it to the end. Because I earned this part in my life that desperately needs to move on and never think of these people ever again.
PS: I didn't get the movie references so maybe this bad review is my fault? And I mean, I am going to read the first book in the Dark Obsessions series because I'm still hoping there's something by Charlotte out there that I can appreciate more. I hold my fingers crossed.
May 20, 2023
3.5 Nobody Deserves it More Stars ⭐
I wanted this to be great because I thoroughly enjoyed the first two books in this Dark Obsession series. However Never Better was dull round the middle. It felt like the actual story never gained momentum and my procrastinating tendencies kicked in which never bodes well.
I’m not strong enough to resist—I will never be strong enough to resist. My life has been too lacking in warmth for me to stand against it.
When we first meet Lydia as she is recovering from an assault that leaves her traumatized and a shell of her former self. It's during therapy where she meets Isaac. Neither friends or something else, they begin meeting while Isaac teaches Lydia self defense.
It's kind of strange because Isaac is allusive and reluctant to disclose anything about himself. Yet somehow they create this support network that turns into attraction. Did I mention that this story was odd? I mean I feel like I read this book yet didn't full comprehend how we went from A to B. Although I liked the original ending.
There were some wonderful moments and the sex sizzling, however the relationship felt bland. Lydia was awestruck from the beginning while Isaac had big secrets that weren't necessarily a surprise yet could have been better explained. But as per usual the writing sucks you in.
I wanted this to be great because I thoroughly enjoyed the first two books in this Dark Obsession series. However Never Better was dull round the middle. It felt like the actual story never gained momentum and my procrastinating tendencies kicked in which never bodes well.
I’m not strong enough to resist—I will never be strong enough to resist. My life has been too lacking in warmth for me to stand against it.
When we first meet Lydia as she is recovering from an assault that leaves her traumatized and a shell of her former self. It's during therapy where she meets Isaac. Neither friends or something else, they begin meeting while Isaac teaches Lydia self defense.
It's kind of strange because Isaac is allusive and reluctant to disclose anything about himself. Yet somehow they create this support network that turns into attraction. Did I mention that this story was odd? I mean I feel like I read this book yet didn't full comprehend how we went from A to B. Although I liked the original ending.
There were some wonderful moments and the sex sizzling, however the relationship felt bland. Lydia was awestruck from the beginning while Isaac had big secrets that weren't necessarily a surprise yet could have been better explained. But as per usual the writing sucks you in.
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August 31, 2022Well um yep its one of those. Good plot and premise but umm yeah these characters are iffy.
The book says there’s two types of woman that the single parents day which are the woman that basically don’t give a shit about the kids or the women that pretend to be a mummy thinking that’s what they’re looking for. Is it just me or is the latter not just exactly what Cat was doing like she was really acting like a mother in the early stages of their relationship there.
ALSO The un consensual going off birth control that got slipped in at the end there?? Bis whole attitude to the mum in prison and how he got absolutely raging at Cat bc of it?? Ummmmm 🚩🚩 he scares me bro 💀also how did her family take their relationship?! Seems like her soster had some qualms with it that never got brought up again.
The book says there’s two types of woman that the single parents day which are the woman that basically don’t give a shit about the kids or the women that pretend to be a mummy thinking that’s what they’re looking for. Is it just me or is the latter not just exactly what Cat was doing like she was really acting like a mother in the early stages of their relationship there.
ALSO The un consensual going off birth control that got slipped in at the end there?? Bis whole attitude to the mum in prison and how he got absolutely raging at Cat bc of it?? Ummmmm 🚩🚩 he scares me bro 💀also how did her family take their relationship?! Seems like her soster had some qualms with it that never got brought up again.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
October 25, 2018
Never Better annoyed me for reasons I'm not even sure of. Once again, the banter seemed ramble-y and sometimes out of place. And the drama at the end was sudden and changed the tone of the book and then, ugh. The dreaded open ending.
Ok so maybe I do know why this book annoyed me. I think I'm just more confused because Never Better and Never Sweeter had all the potential to be awesome reads and just...weren't. It sucks.
I feel like I could really love a Charlotte Stein novel though so I'm going to keep trying!
2.5 stars.
Favorite quote:
"Not only is he fundamentally decent, he's hot as fuck. Oh my God, he's so hot it's like looking at the sun if the sun was comprised of a million Oscar Isaacs."
Ok so maybe I do know why this book annoyed me. I think I'm just more confused because Never Better and Never Sweeter had all the potential to be awesome reads and just...weren't. It sucks.
I feel like I could really love a Charlotte Stein novel though so I'm going to keep trying!
2.5 stars.
Favorite quote:
"Not only is he fundamentally decent, he's hot as fuck. Oh my God, he's so hot it's like looking at the sun if the sun was comprised of a million Oscar Isaacs."
March 19, 2017
FEELS!
I'd like to request a side of Epilogue: Take Two, please and thank you!
I'm gonna be honest, I tried to keep an open mind (really, I did!) but Lydia and her man just fell shy of my love for Letty and Tate (who make a little guest appearance here, so SQUEE to that!!)
I was slightly distracted by Lydia being so different in the beginning, totally reasonable since she did have a rough go of it, what with the prologue, and she managed to rock it back to her awesome self (if you don't know what I'm talking about, please read Never Sweeter) (even if you know what I'm talking about, please reread Never Sweeter).
minor thing, and this is probably due to where I'd put down the book between bouts of reading, but the transition from group sessions/lessons to More seemed a little abrupt – like, it went from so much resistance to complete abandon, in what felt like a single chapter (but I really liked the complete abandon, so I'm not too upset about it!)
I'd like to request a side of Epilogue: Take Two, please and thank you!
I'm gonna be honest, I tried to keep an open mind (really, I did!) but Lydia and her man just fell shy of my love for Letty and Tate (who make a little guest appearance here, so SQUEE to that!!)
I was slightly distracted by Lydia being so different in the beginning, totally reasonable since she did have a rough go of it, what with the prologue, and she managed to rock it back to her awesome self (if you don't know what I'm talking about, please read Never Sweeter) (even if you know what I'm talking about, please reread Never Sweeter).
minor thing, and this is probably due to where I'd put down the book between bouts of reading, but the transition from group sessions/lessons to More seemed a little abrupt – like, it went from so much resistance to complete abandon, in what felt like a single chapter (but I really liked the complete abandon, so I'm not too upset about it!)
August 1, 2025
I became obsessed with Never Sweeter by Charlotte Stein after reading it during the pandemic. I'd meant to go back and read rest of the series but didn't get to Never Better (book 3) til now.
✔️ Secret Identity
✔️ Opposites Attract
✔️ Hurt/Comfort
I have to say, this one didn't really hit for me. The setup (a traumatized woman trying to get her groove back and links up with a mysterious guy) was fine though you knew exactly who he was at the jump.
There was also a lot of dialogue which did get a little tiresome.
And lastly, I wasn't invested in either character which made it hard for me to truly enjoy.
Steam 🔥🔥🔥
Banter 🗣️🗣️
Swoon 💕
✔️ Secret Identity
✔️ Opposites Attract
✔️ Hurt/Comfort
I have to say, this one didn't really hit for me. The setup (a traumatized woman trying to get her groove back and links up with a mysterious guy) was fine though you knew exactly who he was at the jump.
There was also a lot of dialogue which did get a little tiresome.
And lastly, I wasn't invested in either character which made it hard for me to truly enjoy.
Steam 🔥🔥🔥
Banter 🗣️🗣️
Swoon 💕
August 20, 2025
This one didn't work quite as well for me as the other two in the series, but I still had a pretty good time. I was hoping the romance would be about Lydia after her great scenes in Never Sweeter and it was. But I wanted to dig more into her trauma recovery in a way that I didn't really get to. Despite everything in the story, I didn't really feel connected to her experience or her sudden obsession with Isaac. Also, I think the sort of twist should have gotten a lot more buildup and resolution page time that it did. It was obvious from the beginning, so I kept waiting for it to be relevant, but it was kind of a blip. I will probably skip this on one rereads.
July 14, 2020
Felt a little too short, though the premise was nice. I think it did not have enough buildup to see how these two characters connected apart from lust. They had some common ground, but it felt as Isaac fell in love too fast and Lydia too easy based only on his looks. Arguably sometimes that is enough, but probably not for the depth of connection they supposedly had. I think the second book was a lot better because it took it's sweet time building the characters and their relationship.
Overall a good read.
Overall a good read.
February 20, 2017
More of all I liked Isaac's and Lydia's conversations , but the plot not worked for me. Didn't been hard to know who was Isaac from the start so sincerely his problem with control of emotion is a bit extreme and useless if only for make more hot the sex with Lydia. I didn't understand what was his job , good, bad so so and also the Lydia's reaction at the news was not realistic. This story had potential but between all possible development , this is what I didn't liked very much.
November 1, 2021
I'm always going to be of two minds when it comes to Charlotte Stein books. There are parts that I really enjoy: The banter between the leads, which is always great. Love excellent dialogue. And they are without a doubt always hot books. Then there are the parts that try my patience, like her pacing and the roundabout way she has of getting to points. So, I liked this fine, but it also felt incomplete.
February 16, 2024
I don't get the hate. The book is one Sarah McLean was trying to write the last times.
The sex is awesome, the tension is of the hooks, the ending is kinda sad, but one can hope. The hero is broken but in the end the intelligent conversations are believable, because you get to know who he really is.
Reread the reviews: Yeah okay it's short and has an open end. That's sad.
But just because she's so great so you root for the characters so much.
She's still incredible a writer
I loved it!
The sex is awesome, the tension is of the hooks, the ending is kinda sad, but one can hope. The hero is broken but in the end the intelligent conversations are believable, because you get to know who he really is.
Reread the reviews: Yeah okay it's short and has an open end. That's sad.
But just because she's so great so you root for the characters so much.
She's still incredible a writer
I loved it!
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