Teagan Hunter delivers a charming and heartfelt romance with Best Friends for Never, a story that perfectly blends humor, slow-burn tension, and just the right amount of spice.

The novel follows Parker and Noel, best friends who have always had an undeniable connection. But when Noel moves to LA, everything changes. Now, years later, he’s back—and Parker isn’t ready to face the feelings she thought she had buried. What follows is a witty, emotional, and engaging journey as they navigate their complicated past and the undeniable chemistry that still lingers between them.

Hunter’s signature humor shines throughout, making this an entertaining and lighthearted read, while the slow-burn romance keeps readers eagerly turning pages. The balance of fun banter, emotional depth, and steamy moments makes Best Friends for Never a delightful book that romance fans will adore.

With lovable characters, a captivating friends-to-lovers dynamic, and a feel-good storyline, this novel is a must-read for anyone who enjoys sweet, funny, and swoon-worthy romances.

It’s been 10 years since Noel and Parker have seen each other and a lot has changed during that time. Including the fact that these two best friends are no longer friends.

Noel is now a big Hollywood star who left his small town. Parker stayed in the small town she grew up, but she has become a major pillar in the community. Despite not seeing each other for a decade these two still have a ton of chemistry, however, there is also a lot of pain and hurt from how things ended between the two of them.

I enjoyed the secondary characters in this story, especially Grams, Parker’s mom, and Axel. Emerald Grove brings all the PNW small town vibes and I absolutely love that.

I went between reading the ebook and listening to the audio for this one. The audio was great and both narrators did a great job at bringing Noel and Parker to life. Definitely worth the listen.

If you’re looking for a small town, second chance, childhood friends to lovers romance check this one out.

Awwwww this book!
I felt like I saw these two grow up right before my eyes. Parker and Noel overcome the hurdle of emotions.

This book took me back to my high school days and makes me think what if I stuck in the theater dept? Where would I be now?

This book was a great one! Recommend it!

I was lucky enough to receive as an ARC 🥰

Best Friends for Never is a heartwarming, witty, and emotional second-chance romance that blends small-town charm with the glitz of Hollywood. It’s a story about childhood best friends, lost time, and the hope that maybe some love stories are meant to have a second act.

Parker Pruitt has spent years dreaming of restoring her town’s historic theater, a project that carries deep sentimental value—especially since she plans to name it after Noel Carter, the boy who once meant everything to her. Noel, now one of Hollywood’s biggest stars, left Emerald Grove behind to chase his dreams, breaking Parker’s heart in the process. When he returns for the theater’s kickoff ceremony, she’s forced to face the flood of emotions she’s buried for a decade.

For Noel, coming home isn’t just a casual visit—it’s an emotional collision with the life he left behind, particularly Parker. While he may be world-famous now, being back in Emerald Grove reminds him of everything he’s missed, especially the girl he once considered his best friend. What starts as a brief weekend trip unexpectedly turns into a six-week stay, and suddenly, time feels both like a gift and a countdown.

The chemistry between Parker and Noel is undeniable, full of unresolved tension, playful banter, and the aching pull of what could have been. As they navigate their complicated past and rekindle their connection, they’re faced with the reality that Noel’s life is in LA, while Parker’s heart remains in their small town. The question lingers—can love bridge the gap between two vastly different worlds, or is this just a fleeting moment before history repeats itself?

Hunter delivers a beautifully crafted romance filled with humor, heart, and just the right amount of angst. Best Friends for Never perfectly captures the magic of first love, the pain of lost time, and the hope that sometimes, love deserves a second chance. Fans of small-town romance, childhood-friends-to-lovers, and Hollywood heartthrobs will be completely swept up in Parker and Noel’s journey.

I enjoyed Parker and Noel. Ten years apart and yet they are able to pick back up. I liked the way their relationship progressed. They both had regrets but were able to work through them. I liked the storyline and the characters. There was steam but plenty of emotions. Overall a really good story I binged in a couple of hours.

Ok, I’m in love with this book!! At first I wasn’t sure I was going to get into it, it dragged a tad in the beginning. Once I learned more about the characters and got to know them, I was invested completely! Talking out loud to the book and all! The dynamic and chemistry between Noel and Parker is on point!! You can’t help but fall in love with them and to have Noel, a theater geek, talk dirty and being such a dominant?!?! Wheeewww!! I was all there for it!

Parker and Noel have been best friends since she was 8. She she’s probably been in love with him her whole life and then he left. It’s been 10 yrs since she’s seen or talked to him and he’s due back in town to the ceremony for the town theatre she just happens to be restoring

Noel, a Hollywood actor is going back home for a ceremony for the town theatre that is being renovated. He loved that theatre, but he loved his ex best friend more and she’s still in that town. He has to go back, but he’s still not over her

Go read this book!!! It releases Feb 25th
I gave it 5 Stars and 4 Spice

Loved it! I have read other novels by this author and loved them. This novel did not disappoint. I love a great small town second chance romance. This novel just checked so many boxes for me, I loved it! From the first chapter this novel sucked me in and grabbed ahold of my attention and held on tight until the very last page. I was so excited to jump into this novel and was not disappointed. I loved Parker and Noel's story. I loved their chemistry. I loved watching them reconnect and lower their walls and defenses and fall in love. So good! Once I started reading I didn't want to put this novel down, I needed to know what was happening next. Just a fun novel to read. I loved it! I can hardly wait to see what this author has coming next. So so good!

I have never met a Teagan Hunter book I didn’t like! This book was no different for me. Teagan Hunter always pulls me into these small towns and makes me want to pack up and move there.
Noel is a small town theatre kid who grew up along side his best friend Parker. Parker stays in their small town while Noel goes to Hollywood to become a star. After 10 years of not talking or seeing each other Noel is back in town for the theatre dedication, and Parker is heading up the restorations.

These 2 were fun to read. There was this angst about them that me waiting to see what happened with them. The nosey neighbors that every small town has were amazing. The meddling grandma and the best friends mom in this book made my heart so happy with their relationships with each main character. Overall I throughly enjoyed this book.

Side note: I have to say I ADORED Axel so much as a side character and truly wanted to know more about him and his wife’s story!

I hate even saying this, but I couldn't finish this one. I love Teagans writing and have read many other books by her that I loved. This one I did not. I am a sucker for second chance and friends to lovers, but this did not work for me.

It was a slow read and I finally said I can't do it anymore at 35%. Many chapters of " you don't keep promises " and " you stayed away, didn't reach out". These two were best friends and something happened.

I know what happened cause I skimmed to find out what the heck happened. I hated giving up on it, but I couldn't get into it..

I loved the story, the plot was good, the characters were easy to love. I wish the chapters we shortened, for certain chapters as I felt they ran on too long. it took me about 45% to actually get into the book but once I did it was a beautiful story ❤️

This is truly a great second chance, small town romance. Parker & Noel grow up best friends, but Noel leaves to pursue his acting dreams & becomes a hot actor. Parker stays in Emerald Grove & becomes a very successful renovator. Things were left unsaid, assumptions made, no phone calls, Noel doesn't come visit for 10 years. But this story has 2 sides......

Now he's back in town & falls back in love with Parker & his hometown. They've always loved each other & I really think were just holding on until the moment they were reunited. There are so many special moments & I love that the second time around nothing gets left unsaid. Will they fight to make it work this time? Spoiler alert, it really is a Hollywood ending.

This book was my first book by Teagan Hunter and I absolutely loved it. It was one of the sweetest stories I have read. I absolutely love small town and second chance romance so this one was a win for me! Thank you for the opportunity to read this as one of my ARC’s it did not disappoint!

“Best Friends for Never” by Teagan Hunter is a small town romance between a movie star and the girl he left behind. I received an advance reader copy of the book from Montlake via Netgalley. Opinions from this review are completely my own.

Main tropes are:
- small town
- second chance romance
- childhood best friends
- banter
- movie star x small town girl

Noel Carter is an actor that comes back to his home town, as the town theater is renovated and will be renamed in his honor. Parker is the designer behind the renovation and Noel’s childhood best friend and first love.

I liked the small town vibe from the book, the meddling Gran and the interactions between Noel and Parker. As soon as they saw each other again it was like the 10 years apart disappeared.
They have great chemistry and the fact that they were friends first and had so many memories together created a strong connection.
There is a bit of a slow burn, but also spice. You could see that they are meant to be together.

This is the first book from this author that I read, but I would like to try others too.

This was my first book by Teagan Hunter.
Oh, this was such a sweet book. Noel, a movie star goes back to his hometown after leaving 10 years ago. Runs into his ex best friend who now hates him.

This book is sweet, but has a little bit of spice. It’s funny and just an all around great book.

I’m looking forward to reading more of Teagan’s books.

Thank you Teagan and to the publisher for this ARC.

I adore a small-town romance, especially with a friends-to-lovers trope, but this one was more of a second-chance romance between former best friends. Before Noel leaves town after graduation to chase his Hollywood dreams, he finally makes a move on his best friend, Parker, giving her the kiss they’ve both always wanted. He asks her to come with him, but she stays behind, and they promise they’ll reunite soon. That promise doesn’t hold, and they spend the next ten years apart, out of touch—but, of course, still carrying feelings for each other.

Their reunion is a bit frosty at first, but Noel makes big efforts to win Parker’s heart again. With all their history as friends, the spark between them rekindles, and with some meddling from their nosy family and townspeople, their road to happily ever after is a fun one.

This was my first book by Teagan Hunter, and while I usually love small-town romances, this one didn’t quite grab me. Second-chance romances with a decade-long separation can be tricky, and I wasn’t fully convinced by their love story. I kept wondering—why didn’t Parker visit all those years, especially with Noel’s grandmother aging? And Grandma never updated him? Some little gaps like that didn’t sit well with me, but maybe it was just my mood. I’d be curious to try another book by this author though.

Side note? That cover is definitely a keeper.

Thanks to NetGalley and Montlake for an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.

I liked Best Friends for Never. I thought the writing was good and i liked the characters. I liked Gran, Astrid and Axel. However, i just didn’t seem to really connect with the main characters or their love story. I think there was a lot of silly miscommunication like issues that could’ve easily been solved if they had of just had a discussion. I also don’t think it was very realistic to not think about the fact that Noel was a movie star, his life was very different to what it was like in Emerald Grove and i don’t think he or Parker really thought about it until right at the end. Like i said the writing was solid and i do encourage others to give this a go, this was just a personal preference for me.

I really enjoyed this second chance romance from Teagan Hunter! It was so heartwarming to watch Parker and Noel reignite their spark after ten years apart. I also loved the playful meddling from the side characters. Hunter has such a talent for making every character feel real and vibrant. As a fan of her hockey series, this was a refreshing and delightful change! This is perfect for lovers of small town, second chance romances!

3.5 stars rounded up

This was a friends to strangers to lovers with spice! The small town was definitely straight out of a 90s sitcom, quaint and in everyone’s business. I had a hard time believing 10 years could go by without a conversation, especially when Noel’s grandma was there the whole time. My other issue was with Parker’s new best friend, Axel. It didn’t give platonic even though he was married. The spice was good and there were some sweet moments but this one didn’t quite land with me.

I do think small town romance readers will enjoy this one.

Teagun Hunter’s Best Friends for Never is a heartfelt small-town romance that beautifully captures the pain and joy of second chances. Noel and Parker grew up as inseparable best friends, unknowingly each other’s greatest love. But at 18, Noel left their Pacific Northwest town for Hollywood, chasing dreams Parker couldn’t follow. Haunted by her father’s abandonment, she clung to the safety of home, too afraid to risk losing more. Their decade-long separation is filled with longing and regret, setting the stage for an emotional reunion that forces them to confront old wounds and unspoken feelings.

Hunter masterfully portrays the warmth and weight of small-town life, where whispers follow you and memories linger. Parker is a strong yet vulnerable heroine, while Noel is torn between ambition and nostalgia, making their chemistry undeniable. The novel blends slow-burn romance with deeply felt angst, making their reconnection all the more rewarding. Best Friends for Never is a must-read for fans of childhood best friends-to-lovers, second-chance romance, and love stories that stay with you long after the final page.

First off I would like to thank Netgalley and Teagan Hunter for an ARC copy.

Communication is key. I cannot stand when adults will not say how they feel. Both characters went on and on in their heads about loving and wanting each other for over 10 years. They hadn't talked then either then all of a sudden they are back in each others lives and acted like nothing happened.

I liked the authors writing but was not enjoying the story. It took other grown adults in their relationships in order for them to be able to be together. Not my kind of book.