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xokylajoe's review against another edition
5.0
It’s harder these days for me to find a book that I just genuinely enjoy.
But I definitely enjoyed this one.
I love the whole bayou vibes. It actually made me really want to go on a boat ride through a swamp LOL
Perfect amount of tension between the main characters. I cannot remember their names because I read this nearly a month ago and suck at names.
I devoured it pretty quickly and I love that Chelley made me anxious to get his brothers story
But I definitely enjoyed this one.
I love the whole bayou vibes. It actually made me really want to go on a boat ride through a swamp LOL
Perfect amount of tension between the main characters. I cannot remember their names because I read this nearly a month ago and suck at names.
I devoured it pretty quickly and I love that Chelley made me anxious to get his brothers story
jinlai's review
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
5.0
crestfallen_'s review
emotional
mysterious
sad
medium-paced
2.0
I am more torn about the unrequited love between grady and ivy more than what happens in the story. Idk why… it’s not like i want her to end up with him but pining for someone for 2 years just to know that he got a girlfriend at home. Gosh im suddenly so mad at grady for not seeing it. That tunnel vision bullshit he gives i just rolled my eyes and im mad at ivy too for not giving up and understand that he doesn’t have interest in her. It was so hard to read for me.
Also, i dont feel any chemistry between silas and ivy. It’s just me. Idk why i dont see it.
thefoxy_booklady's review
dark
emotional
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual violence, Torture, and Kidnapping
Moderate: Rape
_bookish_kristy_'s review against another edition
4.0
This was a dark romance novel. My first read by this author, and won’t be the last.
Silas and Ivy’s story was a slow paced and intense. My heart went out to Silas many times. Ivy wasn’t a favorite of mine through the beginning, but she slowly grew on me. The drama, steamy moments and angst kept me reading until the end. I would check author’s content warning for sure.
Silas and Ivy’s story was a slow paced and intense. My heart went out to Silas many times. Ivy wasn’t a favorite of mine through the beginning, but she slowly grew on me. The drama, steamy moments and angst kept me reading until the end. I would check author’s content warning for sure.
jgirl07's review
5.0
Absolutely loved this book so much! I went in completely blind and it was amazing. I fell in love with the MCs from the very beginning and felt every feeling this book gave off. I can not wait to read more!
tatiannareads's review
3.0
The Bayou Never Tells is a dark romantic suspense set in the Louisiana bayou. This book had many elements that I loved and a lot of potential, but unfortunately it just didn't hit the mark for me. With consideration to the fact that this is a debut novel, I was impressed with the detailed setting, the length of the book, the male protagonist and the layers to the plot.
Potential triggers: violence, murder, psychological trauma, psychological abuse, abduction, forced drug use, abandonment, rape and mutilation, explicit sex scenes
Ivy Summer is a twenty-year-old college student that is positively lovesick for her best friend, Grady Love. She's the product of a senator and a socialite, and she's grown up sheltered by their relentless micromanagement of her every move in the name of their family's perfect image. Enter: the naïve virgin protagonist with limited life experience. When her school year wraps up, Ivy takes the opportunity to escape her stifling parents for a few weeks and travel with Grady to his family home in Louisiana. She's secretly hoping that their relationship will blossom into something more. Little does she know, Grady's older half-brother, Silas Montgomery, will stand in the way and get under her skin, changing the course of her desires — but not without first becoming something of an enemy.
Ivy is clearly out of her element in the bayou. Add this to the fact that Silas is mixed up with seriously dangerous people, and it's a recipe for disaster: a "fairy-tale turned nightmare".
What to expect in this romance:
- opposites attract
- age gap (approx. 10 years)
- virgin female protagonist
- morally grey hero x naïve heroine
- dom/sub, spanking, praise, voyeurism
I struggled to connect with Ivy; perhaps it was her age or her demographic. She's an ex-reality TV show star with iconic Rapunzel-length, golden hair and I just couldn't take her seriously. One of our first encounters with her is a scene where she is changing clothes and requires the help of her friends to release her long hair from her dress, and doesn't that just scream damsel-in-distress? She proves to need rescuing more than once throughout this story. Additionally, her naivety and self-consciousness in the face of intimacy was definitely a point of frustration for me.
The thing is, Ivy goes through a lot in this book. Her resilience is tested by severe trauma, and she definitely shows some character growth by the conclusion. But I'd be lying if I said I didn't want a little more from her.
Silas Montgomery carried this book on his back. He is hands-down the most unique and interesting character in this story. He's a southern bad boy whose morally grey fate was sealed by forces beyond his control when he was just a child. He moves through life with only two priorities: protect his family and survive. His backstory is powerful and emotionally affective; I fell hard for him despite his asshole personality, and rooted for him to get out of his predicament. He makes some questionable decisions throughout this book, but I could empathize with him and understand his motivations. I loved his southern drawl and to be honest, I wished it was thicker.
The only other character that really intrigued me was Jobeth. It seemed to me that her mysterious backstory and possible mental illness were setting up for something big to happen or be revealed, but unfortunately both of these things were left unresolved...
Did I miss something? What was the point of her needing mysterious medication and having insomnia, depression and/or dissociative episodes? Why was this dropped like a hot potato?
I think this is the main reason I felt the plot went in strange direction; I felt set up to believe that Grady and Jo would be more active secondary characters based on their involvement in the beginning and the intrigue surrounding them. But the seeds that were planted did not sprout, and instead the plot was propelled forward by Ivy's mother and a very elaborate scenario.
I won't go into too much detail about the smutty scenes, but they were very hit or miss for me. The one scene that explores voyeurism was incredible and I loved every second of it. I felt all of Ivy's emotions and desires, and it lead to some pretty charged chemistry between the two main characters.
I didn't enjoy how hard the virgin trope was pushed in some scenes. Ivy is so nervous about sex and they are both so fixated on her virginity that it was hard for me to not feel critical of what was playing out. The poor girl cries after their first kiss, cries after her first orgasm and trembles with fear at the sight of his (pierced, tatted and massive) dick. All the while, he glamorizes her "virgin hole" as a "hidden treasure" he's going to "steal".
This must be a kink that I am just not personally a fan of.
Fixation on virginity aside, I was underwhelmed by the lack of intimacy and development between the two main characters; they spend so much time in the beginning hating each other and denying their feelings, it felt wrong to have them separate for so long after they finally come together. I enjoyed their passion and intensity, but I definitely wanted more than just a taste of vulnerability between them.
Overall, this was just an ok read for me. Many things that I loved but also many points of frustration. It had a really great start but some of the plot points after the 50% mark challenged the limits of what I thought was believable for these characters. I really did go into this book believing I would love it, based on the reviews. So I am thinking this is more of a "me" problem.
The resolution did provide closure and some affective symbolism, which I enjoyed. Most loose ends were tied up and there was obvious character growth. The epilogue was well done and I was satisfied with their HEA.
One last thing:
In the author's note, [a:Chelley St. Clair|22004675|Chelley St. Clair|https://images.gr-assets.com/authors/1664063631p2/22004675.jpg] states that the hero of his book is "from an unspecified, rural area of Louisiana, north of New Orleans, along the bayous surrounding Pearl River", and that he is written with "a light southern dialect and loose grammar" that is "toned down to be palatable for reading". Honestly, I was a little put off by this statement because I am someone who appreciates the use of specific dialects and foreign languages in literature. I do not know enough about the Louisiana culture and language to properly evaluate whether or not Silas' language is an accurate representation of this culture. However, I didn't come across any Creole or Cajun French terms which I thought was strange.
“That’s the beauty of this place. Whatever happens here, the bayou won’t never tell...and neither will I.”
Potential triggers: violence, murder, psychological trauma, psychological abuse, abduction, forced drug use, abandonment, rape and mutilation, explicit sex scenes
Ivy Summer is a twenty-year-old college student that is positively lovesick for her best friend, Grady Love. She's the product of a senator and a socialite, and she's grown up sheltered by their relentless micromanagement of her every move in the name of their family's perfect image. Enter: the naïve virgin protagonist with limited life experience. When her school year wraps up, Ivy takes the opportunity to escape her stifling parents for a few weeks and travel with Grady to his family home in Louisiana. She's secretly hoping that their relationship will blossom into something more. Little does she know, Grady's older half-brother, Silas Montgomery, will stand in the way and get under her skin, changing the course of her desires — but not without first becoming something of an enemy.
Ivy is clearly out of her element in the bayou. Add this to the fact that Silas is mixed up with seriously dangerous people, and it's a recipe for disaster: a "fairy-tale turned nightmare".
What to expect in this romance:
- opposites attract
- age gap (approx. 10 years)
- virgin female protagonist
- morally grey hero x naïve heroine
- dom/sub, spanking, praise, voyeurism
I struggled to connect with Ivy; perhaps it was her age or her demographic. She's an ex-reality TV show star with iconic Rapunzel-length, golden hair and I just couldn't take her seriously. One of our first encounters with her is a scene where she is changing clothes and requires the help of her friends to release her long hair from her dress, and doesn't that just scream damsel-in-distress? She proves to need rescuing more than once throughout this story. Additionally, her naivety and self-consciousness in the face of intimacy was definitely a point of frustration for me.
The thing is, Ivy goes through a lot in this book. Her resilience is tested by severe trauma, and she definitely shows some character growth by the conclusion. But I'd be lying if I said I didn't want a little more from her.
Silas Montgomery carried this book on his back. He is hands-down the most unique and interesting character in this story. He's a southern bad boy whose morally grey fate was sealed by forces beyond his control when he was just a child. He moves through life with only two priorities: protect his family and survive. His backstory is powerful and emotionally affective; I fell hard for him despite his asshole personality, and rooted for him to get out of his predicament. He makes some questionable decisions throughout this book, but I could empathize with him and understand his motivations. I loved his southern drawl and to be honest, I wished it was thicker.
The only other character that really intrigued me was Jobeth. It seemed to me that her mysterious backstory and possible mental illness were setting up for something big to happen or be revealed, but unfortunately both of these things were left unresolved...
Did I miss something? What was the point of her needing mysterious medication and having insomnia, depression and/or dissociative episodes? Why was this dropped like a hot potato?
I think this is the main reason I felt the plot went in strange direction; I felt set up to believe that Grady and Jo would be more active secondary characters based on their involvement in the beginning and the intrigue surrounding them. But the seeds that were planted did not sprout, and instead the plot was propelled forward by Ivy's mother and a very elaborate scenario.
I won't go into too much detail about the smutty scenes, but they were very hit or miss for me. The one scene that explores voyeurism was incredible and I loved every second of it. I felt all of Ivy's emotions and desires, and it lead to some pretty charged chemistry between the two main characters.
I didn't enjoy how hard the virgin trope was pushed in some scenes. Ivy is so nervous about sex and they are both so fixated on her virginity that it was hard for me to not feel critical of what was playing out. The poor girl cries after their first kiss, cries after her first orgasm and trembles with fear at the sight of his (pierced, tatted and massive) dick. All the while, he glamorizes her "virgin hole" as a "hidden treasure" he's going to "steal".
This must be a kink that I am just not personally a fan of.
Fixation on virginity aside, I was underwhelmed by the lack of intimacy and development between the two main characters; they spend so much time in the beginning hating each other and denying their feelings, it felt wrong to have them separate for so long after they finally come together. I enjoyed their passion and intensity, but I definitely wanted more than just a taste of vulnerability between them.
Overall, this was just an ok read for me. Many things that I loved but also many points of frustration. It had a really great start but some of the plot points after the 50% mark challenged the limits of what I thought was believable for these characters. I really did go into this book believing I would love it, based on the reviews. So I am thinking this is more of a "me" problem.
The resolution did provide closure and some affective symbolism, which I enjoyed. Most loose ends were tied up and there was obvious character growth. The epilogue was well done and I was satisfied with their HEA.
One last thing:
In the author's note, [a:Chelley St. Clair|22004675|Chelley St. Clair|https://images.gr-assets.com/authors/1664063631p2/22004675.jpg] states that the hero of his book is "from an unspecified, rural area of Louisiana, north of New Orleans, along the bayous surrounding Pearl River", and that he is written with "a light southern dialect and loose grammar" that is "toned down to be palatable for reading". Honestly, I was a little put off by this statement because I am someone who appreciates the use of specific dialects and foreign languages in literature. I do not know enough about the Louisiana culture and language to properly evaluate whether or not Silas' language is an accurate representation of this culture. However, I didn't come across any Creole or Cajun French terms which I thought was strange.
saltpeanut's review
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Wow. All I can say is WOW! The Bayou Never Tells is a hauntingly beautiful dark romance full of grief, found family and love in places you weren’t expecting.
“Everyone has a moment where they need an angel, and anyone can be the angel in someone’s moment.”
The Bayou Never Tells follows Ivy, a daughter trapped in the spotlight and expectations of her family, trying to find her path in the world who is desperately in love with her university best friend. This book is perfect not only for big fans of dark romance, but also those who want to dip their toes into the genre. Our two characters have extremely different POVs which make their story even more interesting as it unfolds and we see it through their eyes as we go on a dark tale fully seated in the mafia adjacent underworld.
The story is dark, where our main romance is not. Our characters have dark tales but this darkness doesn’t make its way into the romance which is why I think this is a great stepping stone for fans of romance books who want to try something darker. The romance is approached so beautifully and the complexity of the plot and characters make this story so compelling as we follow Ivy and Silas. Highly HIGHLY recommend this book and I definitely recommend it to fans of Still Beating by Jennifer Hartmann as this books is the only one that scratched the same itch for me so far.
“Everyone has a moment where they need an angel, and anyone can be the angel in someone’s moment.”
The Bayou Never Tells follows Ivy, a daughter trapped in the spotlight and expectations of her family, trying to find her path in the world who is desperately in love with her university best friend. This book is perfect not only for big fans of dark romance, but also those who want to dip their toes into the genre. Our two characters have extremely different POVs which make their story even more interesting as it unfolds and we see it through their eyes as we go on a dark tale fully seated in the mafia adjacent underworld.
The story is dark, where our main romance is not. Our characters have dark tales but this darkness doesn’t make its way into the romance which is why I think this is a great stepping stone for fans of romance books who want to try something darker. The romance is approached so beautifully and the complexity of the plot and characters make this story so compelling as we follow Ivy and Silas. Highly HIGHLY recommend this book and I definitely recommend it to fans of Still Beating by Jennifer Hartmann as this books is the only one that scratched the same itch for me so far.
cailadew's review against another edition
dark
emotional
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.75
alybearbooks's review
adventurous
dark
emotional
hopeful
mysterious
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0