By Venice.

• Title: Never Say Never 

• Author: Brea alepou and Skyler snow  

• Publisher: Independent  

• Genre: Contemporary, MM dark romance, Mafia  

• Page number: 460 paperback, 437 Kindle edition  

• Publication date:  12 May 2024 

Never Say Never highlights a mafia romance intertwined with the classic FBI x Mafia spy trope. It features bats and guns, toxic behaviour, deceit and found family.  

It’s the fourth book in the Vitale brothers series, and it features Gian Paolo (undercover as Paul) and York Washington, a boss and an employee in Newyork, balancing work and their undeniable feelings for each other. 

Character breakdown

The characters were well written; Paolo is a complex person who is slowly losing himself as he tries to balance two worlds at once, while York is a closed person, living in a black and white world, trying to pick up the pieces of himself left after his loss. 

The pacing and the plot  

Their attraction to each other starts as one-sided but sparks into blazing flames as the story builds up. As for the plot, the pacing was just perfect; I couldn’t ask for more. It starts slowly so that you can get a feel for the characters and form a bond, then heading to the middle is where the pacing picks up and the plot thickens, and everything unravels and takes a new shape. The characters start to shed the life they had and begin threading a new one fitted for just them. 

Warning  

This story covers quite a few themes, like past loss, and it’s a little bit graphic, so if you tend to be squeamish, then read with caution.  

Overall impression 

This is a captivating read that won’t loosen its grasp on you. Even when you finish, it holds your mind captive long after you close the book. It’s a perfect read for anyone who fancies a graphic romance with morally grey characters.  

So, do you think you can handle this book?