I enjoyed this one more than I thought I would. The first few chapters, I was a bit hesitant but I pushed through and I'm glad I did because it got better. This is second chance romance between two childhood best friends who lost touch due to circumstances. I love how realistic it was. Noel and Parker were both super young and Parker not wanting to move to LA with him is a legit fear especially because she loved her small town and her family and community is there. I enjoyed their flirty banter and the tension before they made up. I adored Axel and his friendship with Parker. I love the other townspeople and how they rally around each other. I love all their sweet moments and how they easily fell back into their friendship like they have not lost 10 years of no contact.

I didnt like the Peter nickname although I understand the origin of it. Its unnerving to me when I read it on paper. The ending to me felt a bit rushed. I would have loved more happy together moments after the book too.

Overall, this is a good read. So heartwarming, funny, steamy and romantic - this book will satisfy your craving for an easy, low stakes romance read!

Thank you to Valentine PR for the advance copy in exchange for my thoughts.

Once again this author did not disappoint. I loved this one from start to finish. This was a perfect small town romance. 5 stars.
I received an ARC copy of this book through Netgalley in exchange for an honest voluntary review.

Perhaps this was a case of "it's not you, it's me," but Best Friends for Never just didn't resonate with me. Teagan Hunter's writing itself is solid, with an easy-to-follow style, but her approach to storytelling and character development isn't something I connect with. The book leans heavily into vibes and atmosphere rather than delivering genuine emotional depth or stakes, leaving me feeling disconnected from the characters and their journey.

I approached this with high hopes. Unfortunately, it fell short of my expectations. The primary issue was how passive the main characters were—spending an entire decade apart without making any meaningful effort to reconnect, yet somehow continually thinking of each other. The reasoning behind their initial separation felt weak and frustratingly avoidable. Her hesitation and fear might be understandable to a degree, but the lack of proactive communication or effort from either side for such a lengthy period diminished my emotional investment.

Once reunited, the characters jumped immediately into a friends-with-benefits scenario without openly addressing their feelings or the future of their relationship. This dynamic was more frustrating than intriguing, especially since important conversations about their status and expectations were consistently avoided. Instead, it fell on supporting characters—the MMC's grandmother, the FMC's mother, and her new best friend—to guide them toward acknowledging their feelings and addressing their issues. This reliance on external intervention made the main characters seem immature and overly dependent, detracting from their authenticity as a couple.

Ultimately, the resolution depended entirely on others nudging them toward the obvious solutions, raising doubts about whether they would have figured things out on their own. While the ending ties up nicely, it leaves a lingering question: without the push from meddling side characters, would this relationship ever have succeeded?

In short, this story might appeal more to readers who enjoy lighthearted romances built around atmosphere rather than deep emotional connections. Unfortunately, it wasn't a fit for my preferences.

Teagan is a one click author for me and I adored this friends to lovers romance from her! This was a quicker read for me and the storyline really flowed well. I loved how he left his small town to pursue his career, but now is back for his girl. Such a cute, spicy read!

Best Friends for Never is a sweet and feel-good romantic comedy with all the small-town charm and swoon-worthy moments you could ask for. It’s a story about two childhood best friends who get a second chance at love. Right from the start I was hooked and fell hard for Parker and Noel! When these two see each other again after ten years apart there is still that spark and connection between them. I just loved watching them reconnect. I loved how easily they fell back into their friendship. If you enjoy small town, second chance romances, then I highly recommend this one!

What to expect:
- Small town
- Second chance
- Childhood friends to lovers
- Returning to hometown
- Celebrity + small town gal
- Flirty banter

I’ve always been an enemies to lovers girl, but I’ve slowly started to really love a friends to lovers when it’s done well, and this book had potential, but that plot line fell a little flat to me. However, one thing I really loved about it, was it felt real, friends taking sides, parents meddling, and that feeling of an old friend that is so easy to connect with all those years later like y’all never left each other, makes this one good! Noel left for Hollywood at eighteen and is quickly becoming a major star, but his heart is still broken by the girl who let him go, and so he goes home and tries to reconnect with Parker. Parker isn’t having it at first, but that’s when we learn the real reason for their lack of communication, how it wasn’t one-sided.

Parker has convinced a lot of people that Noel broke her heart and she wasn’t a do-contributor, and so I loved how all that came out between Noel and Parker, and yet it never came out to anyone else except their parents who already had their suspicions. Noel took it all like a champ, but I felt like Parker could have taken some blame with her friends. But their friendship was so solid, that I still liked this book, it was easy for them to switch into being together again and when the same problem rolled around again 10 years later, the two decided to handle it a little differently this time.

I really enjoyed Best Friend for Never by Teagan Hunter! It was such a fun and entertaining read with the perfect mix of humor, romance, and heartfelt moments. The characters were lovable and well-developed, making it easy to connect with them and root for their happily ever after.

One of my favorite things about this book was the witty banter—it kept me laughing and engaged from start to finish. The chemistry between the main characters was undeniable, and watching their relationship evolve from best friends to something more was both exciting and heartwarming. I also appreciated how the story balanced lighthearted moments with deeper emotions, making it feel real and relatable.

Teagan Hunter has a way of writing stories that are not only fun but also full of heart, and this book was no exception. If you’re a fan of friends-to-lovers romances with great dialogue and plenty of laughs, I highly recommend Best Friend for Never! It’s a book that will leave you smiling long after you turn the last page.

4,5/5 stars.

I absolutely, wholeheartedly loved this one. The characters were amazing, their story was heartwarming, the tropes were great and as always with this author, I was hooked from start to finish. I loved every single second reading this book, it was just that good and I constantly wanted more. This was an easy, cute, fun, but emotional read and I definitely recommend it to everyone!

I really enjoyed this sweet small town romance about two best friends and lovers who lost sight of each other due to their different life plans and fears, but could never forget each other and get a second chance at love if they can overcome their insecurities and are willing to compromise. The story is very well written, with very likeable main and secondary characters, a typical small town idyll, full of heartfelt emotions, some challenges and a few steamy love scenes.

Noel Carter and Parker Pruitt were childhood best friends as children before they fell in love with each other. But Noel wanted to pursue his dream and become an actor in L.A. and Parker couldn't bring herself to leave her beloved small town to accompany him into an uncertain future.
Ten years later, Noel has become a famous movie star and Parker is the successful owner of a renovation company and about to realise her pet project thanks to a generous anonymous donation - to revive the run-down town theatre, with which she has many fond memories of her youth. The only catch is that the new theatre is to be named after Noel at the donor's request and he will be present for the ground-breaking ceremony…

All in all, a moving second-chance romance with great characters and a lovely happy ending that I'm happy to recommend!

I received a free ARC of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own and left voluntarily.

Childhood friends, a love that spans ten years and miscommunication that kept them apart. Noel and Parker are that couple that is meant to be together but they both get in their own way.

This had all the small town feel. So when Noel came back home, it was easy for him and Parker to fall back into their friendship. It also meant it was low in angst. And the way Noel never stopped loving Parker, the sweetest.

Absolutely enjoyed the journey as these two friends found their way back to each other and found love.

Different from her hockey romances, Best Friends for Never still has the same, snark, banter and romance you love from Teagan. I love a good second chance romance and this was just what I needed. From the first words to the last this book had me hooked.

Noel and Parker haven’t seen each other in ten years but once they lay eyes on the other there’s no denying the chemistry and spark is still there. These two are so cute together and the banter is chef’s kiss.

I love the way Teagan weaved a story with humor mixed with small town romance and second chances. A little bit of angst and whole lot of heart this story will give you all the warm and fuzzy feelings.

Best friends standing together just trying to get thru High School. Noel leaves town to chase his dream and Parker went to college, locally. What they had has been lost over the past 10 years. Noel is called back to cut the ribbon on an old renovated theater. This was where his acting abilities came to life, so he returns. Totally feeling a fish out of water in the town he grew up in, he finds many are actually mad he left town and never came back. Most of them except for the ONE that has always held a part of his heart, Parker. Literally bumping into her stirs up feelings and emotions in both in a way neither can, or will admit to the deepest emotion. There is a fine line between hate or anger and love. Noel finds he is jealous that Parker's best friend and business partner is Axel. A man who caused Noel grief in school. Funny how 10 years dissolved feelings can be immediately brought forward. I enjoyed the pull and push of emotions, the depth of the characters and the feel of really small town life.

Oh I love me a sweet and wholesome story sometimes! I'm not big on second chance stories, mostly because the angst is too much for me most of the time, but I LOVE when it's balanced with humor. And this book did so fantastically!

Every character was written beautifully and made the story so lively! I would absolutely read more from this author. I ate this book up once I got started, loved it!

This one was so cute! I love a good childhood friends-to-lovers story and the fact that they were apart for a decade but were able to come back together so naturally was so good!

Noel wanted to leave their small town and become an actor, but Parker is a small-town girl and loves their hometown. These two had been secretly pining for each other, but when Noel asks her to go with him, things don't end as well as he hoped. After ten years of not speaking and Noel never coming back to visit, things are tense when he returns for a ceremony to name the community theater after him.

Of course, they both realize just how much they missed having each other in their lives and little by little they find their way back to friendship and maybe more.

The pining between these two was so good! I also loved Noel's grandma and Parker's mom and the relationship Noel and Parker had with each of them. This book was so sweet and had so many heartfelt moments, but when they finally got together, oh boy!

Thank you to Teagan and Montlake for the ARC!

I love a story that has second chances and found family...this book has both. Teagan hunter gives us a fun read filled with romance and small town vibes. This is Parker Pruitt and Noel Carter's romance.

-Small Town
-Second Chances
-Childhood Friends to Lovers
-Found Family
-Celebrity MMC

I am now such a huge fan of Teagan Hunters. I was sucked in from the beginning and I did not want this story to end. I love the celebrity aspect and how Noel has to come home but the real winner was the small town and all the past relationships he left behind. Noel not only had to reconcile with Parker his "Old best friend" but he also had to come to terms with why he stayed gone so long. The longer that Noel is in town, the more he realizes his mistake of staying gone for so long. I loved how Teagan shows his flaws and that not all relationships are perfect. And Parker....She was the best. The banter between her and Noel and her inner monologue gave me life. This was the perfect book to read on a weekend afternoon. It gave me all the feels and the perfect ending. If you are looking for a book like that, pick this one up!

This book is a standalone and follows movie star heartthrob Noel Carter and designer and dreamer Parker Pruitt.

With his movie career, Noel Carter never expected to go back to the small Oregon town he once called home. One that held too many memories and people he missed. One person in particular. And when he's called back for a special event, the one person is the last person he thought he'd run into right away. Parker Pruitt. His former childhood best friend was now in business with his childhood enemy. When her current job puts them in each other's orbit, these former best friends find themselves slowly stitching a broken friendship back together---and leading them directly to the realization that broke them apart.

Best Friends for Never was a fun, easy read. I enjoyed both Noel and Parker's characterization. The book is full of Teagan's brand of humor, which is always top-tier. The banter was always bantering. The side characters were also great; I loved Parker's mother and Noel's grandma, who sat back and watched our two stubborn characters fight their feelings. The book itself is a good length; not to long, not too short, which I appreciated. The spice was nice.

If you enjoy small town, second chance romances with humor, Teagan Hunter's Best Friends for Never is for you.

Thank you to Netgalley, Montlake, and Teagan Hunter for a copy of this arc.

Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐
🔨 Small town
🎭 Hollywood heartthrob goes back home
🔨 She's a business owner
🎭 Former Best Friends to Lovers
🔨 She holds a grudge
🎭 “You're my home.”
🔨 She reads romance novels
🎭 He's a grandma's boy
🔨 Semi-public sexy times
🎭 Second Chance

“𝒴𝑜𝓊. 𝐼 𝓌𝒶𝓃𝓉 𝓎𝑜𝓊.”

Second Chance is my favorite trope then add in childhood best friend and a nosy small town I am all the way in.

The emotions of going through not only losing your best friend but navigating the fact that they are in love with each other.

I really enjoyed this story from the beginning I mean that dialogue had me right away and when Parker and Noel reconnect the banter the push pull will have you sucked in.

As much as I love these two the side characters are just as amazing Gran, Parker’s mom and Axel add so much fun to this story. This was my first Teagan Hunter book and won’t be my last.

~~What to Expect~~
🎬Small Town
🎬Celebrity
🎬Second Chance
🎬Friends to Lovers
🎬Found Family
🎬Childhood Friends
🎬Close Proximity

~~Quote~~
🎭Running from my past and the heartache here was easier than facing it.
🎭I’m in love with a man who doesn’t want to stay.
🎭You’re here, and you’re my home, Parker. You always have been.
🎭I love Parker. I have loved Parker. And no matter the time, distance, or status of our relationship, I always will love Parker.

After ten years away, Noel finally returns to his hometown, Emerald Grove in conjunction with the renaming of the town’s theatre in his honour. He also finally gets a chance to meet his former best friend, Parker, and an opportunity to reconcile with her.

However, the issues which led to the demise of their friendship remain. While Noel dreams of leaving their small town to pursue acting, Parker is happy living here with her mom and friends, and has started an amazing business too.

Besides the second chance romance, I really enjoyed the close friendship between Parker and Axel. I loved those scenes where he was so protective over her, in the initial days when Noel had just returned. Subsequently, as he got to know Noel better, I liked how he was wise enough to be there to support Parker through those difficult moments and to give great advice!

The ending was a lovely one and we definitely need meddling grandmas and mothers in every romance. 😆

Loved this one so much! This second chances, childhood love on this one is just perfection. I loved it! I mean ADORE IT.

I loved this second chance, small town romance! Add in that he's a movie star now, and that just adds to the hotness of Noel. Your heart will love Parker, she's really been through a lot. 5 stars for this one!
Parker won't forget that Noel walked away from her years ago. And with her project of renovating the local theater coming closer, is she ready to face him again?
Noel didn't want to stay in their small town, he set out for bigger things, leaving the most important things to him behind. This town holds memories, some great, some not so great! But his gram and Parker, are the most important things, but it's been ten years since he's been back, will the town welcome him back?
Their story is a sweet second chance story, their feelings for each other have not changed in the time they've been apart, but can they make the second time work?