REVIEW: Best Friends for Never by Teagan Hunter

Best Friends for Never by Teagan Hunter: Parker is deeply invested in renovating and breathing new life into her hometown, focusing her efforts on restoring the long-closed theatre that once served as a sanctuary for her and her childhood best friend, Noel. After making it big in Hollywood as an actor, Noel is back home in Emerald Grove as the guest of honor for the theatres opening ceremony, with the theatre being named after him and seeing Parker for the first time in years, old memories begin to stir and unresolved feelings start to bubble to the surface, the question now is can Noel use his six week stay to win back his girl or is their story destined to be a Hollywood heartbreak?

Best Friends for Never was a beautifully written second chance love story, this book is filled with heart, banter and some sizzling yearning romance. Hunter has done a brilliant job in crafting a relatable and consuming story between Parker and Noel, their shared history and palpable tension was an instant draw in, and once you got going with these two it was hard to leave their story. I have to mention Emerald Grove, what a cute small town, gosh I’m already a sucker for the cute small town vibe but this little town and their love for their big time star Noel, was just to sweet.

Hunter excels in crafting relatable characters with depth. Parker comes across as passionate and dedicated, channeling her love for her community into meaningful projects. Her dedication to preserving her towns history and charm by renovating old business and bring new life into the old town was just heart warming to see. I loved her deep rooted connection to her home and the fact that she was so determined to turn her pain into something beautiful and bring new life to the old theatre. Aside from her love for Emerald Grove, I really just liked how simple and easy going Parker was, she was genuinely an easy to love leading lady and I loved seeing her finally finding her happily ever after. Now for our hero, well while Parker was rooted and nurtured her home town, Noel chose to spread his wings and leave the small town life behind for the gilts and glamor of Hollywood, though this really didn’t chance his core values and the fact that he was simply a nice guy. I loved seeing how humble and down to Earth he was while being honoured by his home town and seeing him wanting to make things right in his relationship with Parker.

The chemistry between Parker and Noel is palpable, with their shared history adding depth to their interactions it really was hard not to get lost in their second chance love story. The use of flashbacks enriches the narrative, providing insight into their past without disrupting the story’s flow, I loved getting to see these little flash back memories which helped us understand the connection between Parker and Noel. Good gosh did these two have some saucy banter, I loved the tension and the pull between them, there was clearly unfinished business between these two and I loved getting to see them work out all of the miscommunications.

The supporting characters in this book were just as loveable. I loved how protective Axel was of Parker and that he was there to give her that shoulder to lean on when she needed it. Though I think it would be safe to say that Grandma Lulu was a real show stealer, I loved this old gal and the sassy humour that she brought to the book.

All in all I really enjoyed reading Best Friends For Never, this best friends turned lovers, second chance love story was a total winner in my opinion. If you like small town romances that are filled with giggles, heart and some steamy moments then this is definitely the book for you!

Book Info:

Publication: February 25, 2025 | Montlake |

Parker Pruitt’s dream is to restore her small town’s long-shuttered theater—one to be named in honor of Noel Carter, the boy who followed his dream from Emerald Grove, Washington, to Hollywood…and broke Parker’s heart. Now he’s back to attend the kickoff ceremony, and for Parker, that means smiling through a swell of mixed emotions at seeing her former best friend for the first time in a decade.

Noel may be one of the hottest actors in the world, but he’s still touched by the tribute. And a little nervous about seeing Parker again. But when his weekend jaunt extends into a six-week stay, long-repressed memories and feelings come rushing back. As the simmering attraction between them builds, Noel is determined not to ruin this second chance even if his return to LA is hanging over them.

They’re making the best of the time they have left, but is there any chance of a Hollywood ending?