Never Will I Ever: (Alternate Cover)

5⭐️ Full Disclosure, Don’t You Dare is my #1 favorite Best Friends to Lovers MM Romance. Aspen and Keene live rent free in my head. So while Never Will I Ever is technically a standalone novel, I highly recommend reading Don’t You Dare first to fully appreciate the story, especially because this one revolves around Avery Reynolds, a character I never expected (or wanted) to root for. When I first met Avery in DYD, I had zero desire to see him redeemed. What he did to Keene and Aspen was unforgivable, and the fallout? Completely deserved. So going into this, I wasn’t exactly eager for a redemption arc. But C.E. Ricci has a way of making me feel things I didn’t expect, and somehow, Never Will I Ever became the story I didn’t know I needed. The summer camp setting was a fantastic backdrop for this story, adding a fresh and heartfelt element that made everything feel even more immersive. Avery’s journey in this book is full of growth, self-discovery, and against all odds, redemption. Watching him struggle with his identity and slowly open himself up, especially through his interactions with the kids at camp, was incredibly rewarding. His relationship with Elijah, in particular, melted my heart. That kid stole every scene he was in, and by the time he called Avery after he left camp, I was a mess of emotions. And then there’s Kaleb LaMothe, also from DYD. I loved his steady, unwavering nature. How he cared for the kids, his bond with his twin brothers, and the way he made…

Be sure to read the first book for context, you don't have to, but knowing the history of the main characters in this book is worth it. The writer is a wonderful story teller and really makes the characters come to life in a relatable way. Also, some lovely spicy bits. 🥵😇

-- NO SPOILERS--- CE Ricci is one of few auto purchase authors. She NEVER fails and Never Will I Ever is no exception. This was a redemption arc for Avery. If you haven't read Don't You Dare, I highly suggest you do that first. Knowing Avery's past feels crucial to his development in this book. Not only that, but Don't You Dare is another exceptional read. This was my first and only six star book so far in 2025. Ricci did an amazing job building a relationship with you and the characters, and between the characters themselves. You feel what they're feeling and it hurts like hell when they hurt. I waited what felt like an eternity for this book, and it was absolutely worth every single second. I won't be forgetting this story or it's characters in this lifetime, and that's exactly how much impact I want books to have! Hands down going in my top reads this year! ****SPOILERS AHEAD**** Still going to try to keep the spoilers to a minimum, i just needed to say an honorable mention for the relationship between Avery and Elijah. I feel like their relationship touched me just as much as Kaleb and Avery did. I don't know why, but I absolutely loved the bond they formed and that extra relationship added so much to this story! Bravo CE Ricci for another work of art!

I love a good redemption arc, and Avery stole the show. Overcoming internalized homophobia isn’t an easy feat, but with Kaleb by his side he was able to.

There’s just something about a redemption arc, isn’t there. Honestly, sometimes I’m not the biggest fan of redemption arcs, but I really loved this book. Avery, one of the mmcs features in Don’t You Dare and I would recommend reading that before this even though it isn’t necessary. This story follows Avery and Kaleb in an enemies to lovers, co-camp counsellors romance that is just so lovely and so much fun. I love C.E. Ricci books. I love Ricci’s characters, story lines, and writing style and this book was just so good and so much fun but also so insightful and important. I loved watching Avery grow and learn throughout this book, and really confront his internalized homophobia. I think it was such an important thing to talk about and for him to really deal with. It was really interesting and heartbreaking to be inside Avery’s head but I really loved seeing him come into his own and really embrace himself. Self-love is a hard thing to do without battling our own perceptions of right and wrong and I really valued Avery’s perspective in this book. I loved Kaleb so much. I loved his character and I really loved watching him grow through this book too. I really liked that he could be a safe space for Avery but also that he was willing to give a second chance to someone who made a mistake and wanted to learn and grow and change. I thought this was such a lovely and tender story. It was well balanced in its banter and heartfelt moments and was just a joy to read. I love these…