Title: Never Doubt Me (Judge Me Not #2) 

Author’s Name: S.R. Grey 

Release date: May 1, 2014

Age Group: New Adult (recommended for readers 17+ due to mature content) 

Genre: Contemporary Romance 

AMAZON | AMAZON UK | B&N

GOODREADS LINK for Never Doubt Me 

(click on book cover to read my 4.5 star review)

Never Doubt Me sat high on my anticipated books of 2014 shelf. I jumped at the opportunity to read and write an early review for Chase and Kay. I mean, who in their right mind would pass up the offer to delve deeper into the mind of one of their favorite book boyfriends. Um, not me, that is for sure! I am absolutely crazy in love with this hero; anything Chase Gartner related sends little tingles throughout my body. If Chase were real, I would pretty much stalk Susie until she introduced me. Poor Kay, she would have some serious competition coming her way. Once again, Chase gave me everything I was looking for and did not fail to leave me swooning. *sigh*

If you follow my reviews you’ll know, I am obsessed with stories about tatted bad boys who find love in all the right places, yet can’t seem to find that balance between peace and turmoil (and if you didn't then you know now). The one thing consistent about Chase is that he never fails to provide this. Chase always stays true to Chase, even with finding his perfect girl. 

I love an author who knows her characters so well that she does not change who they essentially are just because they found that one true love. Love is not about changing the other person into the person you want them to be; it is about trying to become a better person for them, while staying true to who you are. Susie did an amazing job embodying this. I fell even harder for Chase in NDM because even though he was trying really hard to change his ways; he was still perfectly, imperfect. Susie explored Chase’s flaws thoroughly, bringing this fantasy man to life. His character felt less like a “character” and more like a man you would meet out in the real world. Our hero found himself having to make choices and decision that led him back down roads he struggled to move beyond, thus making his dilemmas more tangible. In Never Doubt Me, Chase is tested. He is pulled between right and wrong and the loyalty he feels between Kay and Will. Does he save his brother from going down the same roads he once traveled by once again visiting his past or does he stay the path to the new life he has started to build with his girl? I really do not envy our man right about now; not sure, I could choose between my sibling and my love, but in Chase fashion, he follows the only code he has ever known.

Once again, Kay blew me away with her absolute love for Chase. Susie could not have created a better heroine for our hero. She is the perfect balance of good and bad. What she portrays to others in the outside world is not always as it seems. Our good girl has some serious bad girl tendencies! It was wicked fun watching her explore that side of herself. If you have read I Stand Before You then you know the author portrays a church going Kay who has a high moral standard, but underneath that layer is a girl who also struggles with what's right and what's wrong. In Never Doubt Me, Kay realizes that her mind is not as pure as she thought it was, and she is OK with that; hell, I am OK with that! Any girl who is not only freaky in the bedroom, but can also accept her man at face value is pretty fantastic in my book. Oh, did I fail to mention that their sexual chemistry was off the charts hot?!! 

So at this point you are probably wondering why the 4 star review. The reason for that is due to the difference I felt in my own personal connection to the characters between the two books. Obviously, I adored Never Doubt Me; however, while Chase and Kay are still intense, it wasn't the same type of intensity I fell in love with in I Stand Before You. This time around, for me, the intensity felt like it lied more in the bedroom. I do not want to make it seem like Never Doubt Me was lacking in any shape or form in the emotional connection department because it wasn't. It is just that I missed that all-consuming emotional intensity I felt while Kay and Chase were first discovering each other. I get that they have grown and this is them in the next stage of their relationship, so it obviously won't be the same. Ugh, I don’t know quite how to put it into words, something just felt different to me. It very well may be that NDM focuses mainly on the hardships of Chase's brother Will and Will's girlfriend Cassie, and that focus guides the relationship between Chase and Kay. Therefore, the story no longer centers solely on them, giving it a different vibe and atmosphere.

Nevertheless, when it comes down to the big question of whether or not I would recommend this book to others, I will give you a big HELL YEAH, I would!! I believe everyone should experience Chase and Kay. They are one of my all time favorite book couples. I will without a doubt be adding Never Doubt Me to my paperback shelf to sit alongside I Stand Before You. You can bet your bottom, I will be stalking Susie down for one. 

If you have never met Chase Gartner than I suggest you one click I Stand Before You now. In case you’re in need of more convincing, here is a teaser from my review: “I Stand Before You is a hauntingly beautiful journey of how the past shapes the future and guides them into the person he or she will become, while the consequences and lessons learned can be harsh and heart breaking. Susie wrote a captivating tale of reality, staying true to some very hard and uncomfortable subjects and the aftermath that follows.” I promise you will become just as addicted to this man as I am. By the end of ISBY, you will not be able to help but one click Never Doubt Me.

Oh and for those who are already addicted to Chase, you will be happy to know that you’ll be getting a bit more Chase in Just Let Me Love You. Just an fyi, this isn't a scary kind of cliff hanger, it just one that leaves you wanting more Chase. 

Thank you, S.R. Grey, for the opportunity to read a complimentary gift of Never Doubt Me in exchange for an honest review.