The story follows a famous actor, who returns to his hometown for the opening of an old theater named after him, which is currently being restored. Upon his return, he unexpectedly encounters his childhood friend, someone he has loved since their school days. Despite ten years apart, he has never been able to forget her, and now he realizes that he doesn't want to miss his chance with her any longer.

I enjoyed this book! The setting is a small town where everyone knows each other, creating a cozy atmosphere that radiates positive vibes. The main characters are endearing, and I appreciated how, despite being a famous actor, Noel remained humble and always supportive of Parker. I also loved the secondary characters—especially Astrid, Parker's grandmother, and Axel! Their dynamic brought me joy, and I found myself smiling at the moments shared between Parker and Axel. He is the true friend she deserves.

Suppose you enjoy small-town romances, second chances, childhood friends turning into lovers, or stories about celebrities returning to their roots, all with good banter between characters. In that case, this book is perfect for you! Teagan's writing is always engaging and easy to read; her books are entertaining and often quite steamy.

Best Friends For Never by Teagan Hunter is a small-town second chance romance and the story of Parker and Noel.
 
Parker and Noel both grew up in the small-town Emerald Grove, Washington, and this setting was so cozy and you immediately felt welcome there. And while Parker stayed there and became the co-owner of a bakery, Noel left and became a hotshot actor. Parker and Noel were like yin and yang in a lot of ways and very different, but they worked so well together, and I loved seeing their love for theater and acting.
 
Noel is so busy with work that he needs a break and therefore returns to his hometown. He could never forget Parker even though he broke her heart, and he has some serious groveling to do. Their first meeting when he was back was just iconic and I knew they’re meant for each other. But so many unsaid things and feelings stand between them, and I loved seeing how their love for each other reignites again and the tension between them only adds to it. This story is very sweet and such a comfort read that feels like a hug with a Hollywood ending.
 
All small-town lovers need to check out this book. 4 stars.
 
(ARC kindly provided in exchange for a review.)

Ahh this second chance story had me addicted to it right from the start, this author really knows how to write great characters

“Just say how you feel” is advice that’s a lot easier to give than it is to take. Noel and Parker are both afraid to destroy the tenuous link they’ve created in their forced reunion, so scared they will say or do the wrong thing and there will be another ten years of silence, so uncertain of whether the other wants to stay or go, and so determined not to hold each other back, halt their dreams, take away what they’ve achieved that they are frozen. Agonizing over every word, worried that it will be misunderstood or be hurtful. Zipping their lips until they can’t take it anymore and someone says something so heartfelt and raw, or someone can’t help themselves and reaches out in a way that is so touching and sweet.

Noel and Parker were best friends from the day they met at age 8. They were inseparable, had fun together, knew what the other was thinking, comfortable, always there for each other. Until they weren’t. Noel’s dream was to leave Emerald Grove, Washington and take Hollywood by storm as soon as they graduated from high school. He had talked about it for years. But somehow in Parker’s mind it was just talk, he’d never really do it, he wouldn’t leave. But he did. And even though he asked Parker to come with him, she didn’t know how she would fit it. She worried he would get tired of her, see her as the ordinary Washington girl and be sorry she’d come with. Emerald Grove was her comfort zone. She loved that little town, had no plans to ever leave. They had each begun to develop stronger-than-friendship feelings but neither had spoken up because they couldn’t imagine the other shared those feelings and they didn’t want to ruin the friendship. How could such best friends be so far apart in this way?

So off to Hollywood Noel went, and yes, he did take it by storm. Handsome, tall, fit, sexy – he’s a star. He loves it. His dream came true. No serious relationships, but oh well. He thinks of Parker but still doesn’t understand what went so wrong, why she cut off all communication, why she didn’t at least come to him and give it a try, like she promised.

Parker’s dreams have come true, too. She’s a star in her own right in Emerald Grove. She’s co-owner of a renovation business with her new best friend. She’s creative and they’ve remodeled half of the town. She doesn’t think of Noel. Not at all and everyone knows not to mention him. He left her and she’s going to stay angry forever. Nope, thinking of him is not allowed.

See why just talking out your feelings might be a good thing? So many misunderstandings, so much left unsaid, and guessing never helps. Parker’s father walked out on her and her mother when she was 8; that’s why they moved to Emerald Grove. She’s afraid to shake things up, to get out of that comfort zone – and more afraid of anything than to be left alone, discarded, not worth it. Which both her father and Noel did. Even if it’s not really the same, it feels like it. Noel’s parents were killed in an accident when he was just a child and he was raised by his grandmother. He knows loss just like Parker does, but while her way to handle it is to hunker down where she’s safe, his way to deal with it is to try and honor their memory, to go places and do things and make something of himself, so they would be proud. Expressing some of that might have helped them stay together, but the fear of ruining what they already had and be left with nothing kept them silent. And now they do have nothing.

Until Noel comes back to town, briefly, to be at the groundbreaking ceremony for the theater Parker is renovating, has almost single-handedly made happen, and that for some unknown reason an anonymous donor has insisted be named after Noel. When they first meet again, she’s angry and flustered. Then she’s just flustered. And then that heartache she boxed up starts pounding to get out and feelings, even more intense than when they were teenagers, escape. Noel is angry and bewildered, then just bewildered. What happened to them? And why does she have a new best friend. And why does his box of heartache also burst open and let those feelings out?

Best Friends for Never is so enjoyable; it’s the perfect read. Touching and sweet, full of warmth and fun and tenderness, looking back at good memories, cringing through bad, taking one step forward and two back, still afraid to mess up the wonderful thing that might be happening again. But, still, how can this ever work? How can he travel around the country or world making movies and expect her to wait? Or to follow him when he sees how she fits Emerald Grove, how loved she is, how she loves her work. How can she ask him to stay when she sees how talented he is, how his work satisfies him, how he’s achieved his dream, and how can she go when she is so certain she won’t fit in and he won’t want her again? Author Teagan Hunter has filled this book with laugh-out-loud moments, scenes that will bring tears to your eyes, times together that will have you swooning, and some pretty darn spicy bits that will make you smile and look for a fan or some ice cubes to cool down.

I received an advance copy of Best Friends for Never and I am so happy that I did. I always had author Teagan Hunter on my TBR list but this was the first book of hers I have ever read. It will definitely not be my last. Well-written, wonderful characters, totally satisfying. I voluntarily leave this review; all opinions are my own.

Second Chance to get it Right

Noel left his small town to become a famous actor but left the one woman he loved behind. Ten years later, he has returned and reunited with Parker, but can they make a relationship work? This story had so many emotions and an added layer of anxiety and uncertainty from these characters that you want to slap some sense into them. I definitely loved the side characters and how they nudged Parker and Noel into doing more about their feelings.

I received an ARC of this book and voluntarily leave this review.

Sweet and heartfelt, Best Friends For Never was a heartwarming read.

With quick wit, fun banter and great chemistry and connection even after a decade, Noel and Parker were everything you need from a second chance romance. Add in the fun supporting characters: the ex bully turned new bestie, the cool mom and the sneaky grandma and this is a quintessential small town romance with it's kinks, quirks, and all the love.

4 stars and a theater

***ARC Review***
Best Friends For Never by Teagan Hunter

Childhood best friends Parker Pruitt and Noel Carter had a falling out when Noel left their small Washington town of Emerald Grove at 18 to follow his acting dreams in Hollywood. It's been ten years of no contact, but Noel, now a Hollywood star, is back in Emerald Grove thanks to a request from an anonymous donor funding the renovation and reopening of their town's old theater. He's surprised to find out that his former best friend Parker is heading up the project with her renovation company. This has them working closely together, opening up old wounds and reawakening old feelings.

Their gradual transition from scorned ex-friends to allies to friends to finally giving in and becoming more made for a good romantic comedy story. I was rooting for them from the start. But, in the end, there's still the problem of Noel's Hollywood career and Parker's career and life in Emerald Grove. They're right back where they started at 18 with this dilemma. Can they find a way to have the best of both worlds?

I loved the small town shenanigans and meddling friends, family, and neighbors. What we learn about Parker and Noel's past friendship was so sweet, and it's a classic case of right person, wrong time. The somewhat unconventional family relationships were fun, and I loved Axel, the ex-bully turned Parker's new best friend and business partner.

It was a fun and steamy read!

4.5⭐ 2🌶️

I read an advanced copy of this book, and this is my honest review. Thank you to author Teagan Hunter and NetGalley for the ARC!

A heartwarming second chance!

A delightful second-chance romance between childhood best friends, reunited after ten years thanks to meddling loved ones. The entire cast shines with feel-good Hallmark vibes, and Noel's dirty talk adds all the heat.

If you love a slow burn, found family, and best friends-to-lovers in a charming small town filled with hilarious moments, this book is for you. Parker and Axel's genuine, sweet friendship was a standout--especially since it drives Noel crazy!

I especially enjoyed the audiobook with dual narration, bringing this crazy cast of characters to life. I listened to it in one sitting!

Parker and Noel were best friends growing up and on their way to something more when Noel left for LA to pursue his acting career. Ten years have passed and Noel is now a successful actor and Parker is running a successful restoration business in their small town of Emerald Grove. They haven’t talked since Noel left, but now that he’s coming back to town for the dedication ceremony as the town renames the theater after him they will be forced to face the past. Will they pick up where they left off ten years ago and reconnect or will the distance of the last ten years stay between them?

The second chance romance, small town girl and Hollywood star tropes drew me into this book and I’m glad they did. It ended up being a fun ride and I fell in love with Parker and Noel. They were so cute together and I loved seeing their relationship unfold. The story did start out a little slow, but a third of the way in it picked up and I was invested in their story. I loved the ending and how everything tied together nicely. This was a fun, sweet romance read that was the perfect escape. If you are a second chance romance fan this is a good book to check out!

Super cute second chance friends to lovers. Teagan’s books are such a joy. They are comfort reads. This book has great banter. Wonderful humor. Even some angst. Loved the chemistry between Noel and Parker. Loved the secondary characters. Loved getting glimpses of characters from other books.

I love a good second-chance romance, and I was rooting for Noel and Parker from the start. They are both carrying around hurt and regret over the end of their friendship, and have been mourning the loss of the other for the past decade. When Noel comes back home to their small Pacific Northwest town for the groundbreaking ceremony on a theater being named in his honor, both he and Parker are forced to confront their past.

The banter between these two characters was spot-on, and I loved the quirky side characters like her mom Astrid and his Gran. And Axel was my favorite! I wanted more of Axel and Noel's snarky exchanges!

But... 10 years? Neither one of them reached out in 10 years? I don't know, I wish it hadn't been that long. I loved Astrid, and found it hard to believe that she never nudged her daughter to reach out to Noel? I also wanted to slap them both upside the head for putting off having any kind of serious discussion about their future for so long.

Overall, Best Friends For Never is a quick, lighthearted, low-angst read. I received an advanced copy from NetGalley and Montlake and voluntarily left a review.

Noel and Parker were best friends. Their relationship becomes estranged after Noel leaves. They are now facing the past in order to build something in the present and future. It is beautifully written and gives all the feels. I loved the way the secondary characters brought something more into the story. Great read.

4.5 stars really!

I do love this author’s books, and this one was another winner! The small town was so cute, and I loved so much about it. Lots of fun characters to get to know, plus a villain that was so easy to hate, because he had no reason to continue being such a butthead! The names, well at least Noel, messed me up at first, because Noel has just always been a female name for me. But once I realized Noel was our male love interest I was good. I loved how his nickname for Parker, also a male name usually for me, was Peter. These two definitely had chemistry, and the. history the more we learned about it was so sweet and so perfect!

Both characters had sad parent stories, but both also had a wonderful support with either Parker’s mom or Noel’s grandmother. Those two ladies were a whole part of the story that I adored as well! Then there was Axel, Parker’s business partner and best friend at the start. He was a wonderful part of the story too.

I’ve mentioned before that I’m not the biggest fan of movie star romances, but Noel wasn’t like the type of character that is all about whining about how terrible his life is. No, he was doing what he loved. So coming home was definitely a big deal for him, but he learned a lot once he got there. What I loved about this story was that there was the fact that neither wanted to pressure the other again about staying or going, so in a way it could be considered a miscommunication. However, the way this was done was so realistic for me, and I could totally see it happening, and it wasn’t just drama for drama’s sake. I loved how in the end the two of them kind of came to the same conclusions separately, well with some help from family, friends, etc. So getting back together in the end was a fun and sweet scene. There was the usual steamy bits I expect and enjoy from the author. All in all I loved it. I did feel at times the story was a little slow for me, but overall it was a great small town, second chance romance!

4.5 stars. This was such a sweet small-town, second chance romance. Childhood best friends who fell in love but never took that shot as their dreams led them in different directions. I loved this story because it felt so real. Both characters needed to find themselves and their own paths before they could come together as adults. The love never faded. The perfect example of the right person but the wrong time.

I also loved all of the side characters in this book. Great people that show up for each other over and over. This book also has all of the cooky charm you’d expect to find in a small-town romance. Such a fun, sweet read with a good splash of spice.

If you love audiobooks, give the audio a whirl. The narrators do a great job with the dual POV story and the voices for different characters.

Thank you so much to Teagan and Valentine PR for this ARC in return for my honest review. My opinions are my own.

Absolutely ADORED this second chance romance from Teagan Hunter! Thank you so much to Valentine PR for the gifted ARC and to Montlake for the eARC via NetGalley! These are my honest thoughts!

Not only do I love the setting for this story (small town Washington state will have my heart EVERY SINGLE TIME), I adored these characters. Parker and Noel are separated right after high school graduation, when Noel goes off to chase his dream of becoming a Hollywood star and Parker stays behind because she's in love with her home town, and it doesn't feel right to leave. Ten years later, Noel returns for the first time to have the theater named after him, as construction starts to rehab the building after falling into disrepair. The designer on the project? Parker.

I enjoyed this story SO MUCH. It had some of the angsty feelings that come with second chance romance, but it also had so much more! We weren't entirely caught up in "what happened" and the unforgiveness or resistance that usually comes with a second chance romance. Big fan.

Things I loved:
- Parker and her creative curse words
- Noel is a MMC that is both the golden retriever funny best friend and the possessive love interest
- The spice was SO GOOD (not overly spicy (except, you know, a little *crawl up here and sit on my face moment* but it totally showed their connection and the longing for which they had both had in the years that separated them)
- Astrid (Parker's mom) and Gran (Noel's grandma) were both so... special? Special feels like a lame way to describe them, but they were so loving towards their "kids"
- The love that's in the story all along
- Hollywood heartthrob returns to small hometown... love this storyline!
- When characters feel like home *swoon*

"...and, god, she tastes so good. Like peppermint and home and all mine."

I'm down bad for Noel. This story is out today and I can't wait to hear what my friends think!

Growing up Noel and Parker were thick as thieves and continued a beautiful friendship until the day Noel leaves their small town. Ten years later and he finds himself making his way home for the first time in years. Emotions, heartache, and misunderstandings come head to head. Got to love a small town where they are in close proximity and it also helps to have meddling family around. Really enjoyed their journey, all the ups and downs and up’s again.

My first from Teagan Hunter and overall it's a sweet read. I'm always up for a good second-chance romance and with Best Friends for Never we get just that. Noel Carter and Parker Pruitt were inseparable until they weren't but now that they are back in each other's orbits 10 years after life took them in different directions, the chemistry they once had is as potent as ever. Their small hometown of Emerald Grove is the backdrop for Noel's return as the successful actor he had always wanted to become. Back for a theater being rededicated in his name, the fact that it's Parker doing the renovations has them together perhaps more often than they thought they wanted. But once the shock of being together wears off, it's the deep love they never truly got over that becomes their driving force.

I truly loved their journey to forever. These two are adorable and Hunter uses sharp wit as part of their love language and I found myself smiling often as both Parker and Noel find their unique rhythm like no time has passed. Although Noel is only there for a short while...6 weeks to be exact...it doesn't take but a few days for both he and his Peter to realize what they left behind all those years ago. I could feel the desire between them. The camaraderie that even a million years apart couldn't change. These two were meant to be, plain and simple and I just had to be patient that they'd figure that out, as well, before it was too late.

The prose is easygoing and there is the right amount of light angst and memorable secondary characters to give the story the kind of richness I crave. Hunter does a great job in showing off her part of the country and I fell hard for this fictional small town and all the personalities, both nice and not so nice, who made up Emerald Grove. Standouts like Gran, Axel and Astrid offer up the kind of love, friendship and support both Parker and Noel need when it matters most and I'm hopeful we might get more from this sweet world again in the future.

I would recommend Best Friends for Never since it has a ton of heart, plenty of steam and passion, witty banter and a second-chance romance that will have you cheering loudly as those last lines are read. I'm very glad I picked this one up, giving Teagan Hunter a chance and happily give this well-written book a solid 4 stars!

I love the second chance, best friends to lovers story here but it honestly just didn't do anything to me. I enjoy the small-town feel and the characters and I wish I can say I love the book honestly.

Another 5 star from Teagan Hunter. Best Friends For Never was fun and wholesome. Each character had their moments which made the book all the more enjoyable to read. At the beginning, I had reservations whether I would like this because I felt like a misunderstanding/miscommunication trope is rearing its head, And personally I'm not a fan of the trope. I'm very delighted that wasn't the case.

Teagan Hunter…BRAVO! This story was adorable, funny, and full of feels. Noel and Parker were just such an incredible pair, both as best friends and more. Their story was one that you can’t help but root for, wanting nothing more than for them to have their happily ever after. All of the lovely details and side characters made this book even more special. I loved every moment of this story!