The Naysayers: A Novel

by Liz Fenton, Lisa Steinke

From bestselling authors Liz Fenton and Lisa Steinke comes a witty, sharp-edged tale of corporate greed, unexpected romance, and the quiet power of our shared humanity.

At Naysay Inc., rising star Megan’s job is to whisper negative thoughts straight into the minds of clients in the Real World. It’s all in a day’s dirty work in Naysayland, the parallel reality where your negativity is manufactured and self-doubt is a commodity.

But when she is assigned to sabotage a romance between lifestyle influencer Lily and author Jasper, Megan’s carefully constructed reality begins to unravel. The project teams her with Ben, the smug but cute whisperer in the next cubicle. As they work to tear down Lily and Jasper’s situationship, Megan and Ben are catching feelings for each other. And it’s making them lose their negative edge.

As their empathy grows, and they start rooting for the relationship they’re tasked with destroying, dreaded HR is sniffing around. Now they’re facing a keep crushing dreams for a paycheck, or risk everything for their own fairy tale. Who knew professional pessimists could be such hopeless romantics?

Genres: Fiction

Audible Audio

Expected publication January 13, 2026

About the author

Liz Fenton and Lisa Steinke have been best friends for over thirty years and survived high school and college together. They’ve co-authored nine novels, including the Amazon Charts bestseller, The Good Widow.

In addition to writing books, they created a podcast, We Fight So You Don’t Have to: Lessons from a thirty-year friendship.

They both reside in San Diego, California with their families and several rescue dogs.Connect with Liz and Lisa on Instagram at @lisaandliz or at www.lizandlisa.com.

Connect with Liz and Lisa on social media: www.lizandlisa.com
Instagram: @lisaandliz
FB: Liz Fenton & Lisa Steinke
Substack: lizandlisa

Reviews

[Rochelle Weinstein · Rating 5 out of 5]

Given the times we're in, Liz and Lisa have managed to extract deeper meaning in this fun, fresh read. Imagine the voices in your head are real! Welcome to Naysay Inc., the firm that feeds on vulnerability and insecurities. And when two employees find themselves embroiled in a mission to break apart their clients' relationship--and feelings for each other---the voices in their head begin to shift. Now what?

The Naysayers captures the dark side of our brains (and corporate culture) through an imaginary world with tons of heart. Don't let satire fool you. There are big lessons to be learned here, and Liz and Lisa deliver. The perfect antidote to the heaviness of today's world.

[Marisa · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is honestly one of my favorite books of the year and ranks up with one of my favorite books. This story is one that held my attention, made me smile, laugh and think all at once…..

I am a true believer in books finding their reader at the perfect time. And a book about shutting out the negativity, embracing feeling of own self worth, and reaching for that external love hit me at the perfect moment.

What if- the voices inside our head were actual outside forces placed here to make sure that we didn’t get too cocky or happy? What if those thoughts that threatened to sabotage our loves and desires were hired help placed strategically to make you fail for their own gain. What if by just loving yourself or allowing yourself to see the good in others silenced those thoughts and made you embrace the quirks?

THE NAYSAYERS is a cute magical realism that blends chick wit, magical realism, and satire all in one. This book made me laugh out loud numerous times, made me smile. It made me relate to all the characters and just had me enjoying the story. I loved its message. I loved how the authors put in some real life pessimism to show readers how even the most talented have self doubt.

This book and these characters will stay with me. I think authors Liz and Lisa are two of the most talented female authors out there. They can write women’s fiction, magical realism or thrillers.
They have a way of inviting their readers in and just making the reading of their novels an immersive experience.

I thank them for writing this book. For reminding me (and other readers) to turn off the negativity, surround yourself with those who are positive voices and to just believe in yourself

It is like a grown up INSIDE OUT mixed with the humor of LEGALLY BLONDE.

I think the cover is perfect for this book with the juxtaposition of the sunshine yellow and frowns This is the perfect antidote to the winter time blues - so great release date.




I loved this novel can I give it more than 5 stars?!?!?

[Shannon (The Book Club Mom) · Rating 4 out of 5]

I’ve been reading (and loving) Liz and Lisa’s books for years now, so of course I jumped at the chance to read their January release, THE NAYSAYERS when they graciously offered to send me a review copy. Check out this quick synopsis:

“𝘍𝘳𝘰𝘮 𝘣𝘦𝘴𝘵𝘴𝘦𝘭𝘭𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘢𝘶𝘵𝘩𝘰𝘳𝘴 𝘓𝘪𝘻 𝘍𝘦𝘯𝘵𝘰𝘯 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘓𝘪𝘴𝘢 𝘚𝘵𝘦𝘪𝘯𝘬𝘦 𝘤𝘰𝘮𝘦𝘴 𝘢 𝘸𝘪𝘵𝘵𝘺, 𝘴𝘩𝘢𝘳𝘱-𝘦𝘥𝘨𝘦𝘥 𝘵𝘢𝘭𝘦 𝘰𝘧 𝘤𝘰𝘳𝘱𝘰𝘳𝘢𝘵𝘦 𝘨𝘳𝘦𝘦𝘥, 𝘶𝘯𝘦𝘹𝘱𝘦𝘤𝘵𝘦𝘥 𝘳𝘰𝘮𝘢𝘯𝘤𝘦, 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘲𝘶𝘪𝘦𝘵 𝘱𝘰𝘸𝘦𝘳 𝘰𝘧 𝘰𝘶𝘳 𝘴𝘩𝘢𝘳𝘦𝘥 𝘩𝘶𝘮𝘢𝘯𝘪𝘵𝘺.”

I must admit that I wasn’t quite sure about this one at first. Magical realism isn’t always my cup of tea, and it generally goes either way for me. However, I was immediately hooked by the intriguing premise. Get this: A strange parallel reality where one’s job is to whisper negative thoughts, reflections, and opinions straight into their client’s minds. Sounds kinda trippy, right? I honestly couldn’t stop reading!

Not only is the general concept great, so are the cast of characters. They all showed so much depth, value, and growth. I was easily immersed in the lives of the two couples, Megan & Ben and Lily & Jasper. Their interactions and experiences were extremely entertaining, humorous, and refreshing.

READ THIS IF YOU ENJOY:

- Unique storylines
- Influencer lifestyle
- Unexpected romance
- Witty banter
- Magical realism
- Redeeming characters
- Family drama and dynamics
- Character-driven novels
- Corporate culture
- Competition and rivalry
- Sabotage and destruction

Overall, I was very impressed with the writing duo’s forthcoming release. I love it when authors try something new, and the wonderfully quirky storyline really sealed the deal for me. I’m a fan! THE NAYSAYERS releases on January 13th! Be sure to grab a copy! 4/5 stars!

[Pastelsparkles · Rating 3 out of 5]

Thank you to NetGalley, Liz Fenton, Lisa Steinke, and Little A for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

This book feels almost like a timewarp. The writing feels very much like a book from the 2000s but with 2025 references to COVID, AI, and influencers getting famous on tiktok. The style is almost at odds with its content.

I thought the premise was so interesting. A company that hires people to whisper the negative thoughts into people’s heads so that they’re inclined to spend money to fix their insecurity. On its face, that’s so compelling. And I think the light, jovial tone, really adds to that. Unfortunately the execution was a bit lacking for me. I was always wondering where the guardrails were.

Our main character, Megan, is a nepo baby from an alternate world called Naysayerland, where she’s hired by Naysayer Inc to be the lead whisperer of the Social Media department. Megan is immediately presented as confident, detached, and competent. She doesn’t want friendships or relationships, but inconsistently values her surface level relationship with her family. She met her family’s expectations but still longs to be accepted by them, which is frowned upon.

I think what I struggle to understand is… well how human are the people of Naysayerland? Because they’re egotistical and lack empathy, but also want appreciation and recognition, which if you weren’t ’human’, you probably wouldn’t need. And if you weren’t human, you probably also wouldn’t know how to do the job of whispering very well. And I think that's all sort of half touched on but it does feel like a really obvious conclusion to that train of thought and isn't exactly interesting to read.
Also what do people do if they don't work for Naysayer Inc? Work at a Karen Bar??

So the concept had legs but the execution was a bit messy.

[M Soh · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thank you to NetGalley and Little A for providing this book, with my honest review below.

The Naysayers is testament to an intriguing concept delivering so totally that you’ll find any excuse to steal time away to keep reading. This book hits the right chord given where the world is now both with social media and a shared feeling of lethargy and stifled hope in the world. That’s not to say it’s a downer, on the contrary the lessons on its pages may just help you, as you work through the very fun plot.

Megan works as a lead whisperer for Naysay Inc., a role she was literally raised for given her legacy and her mother at the helm, and of course her ability to bring people in our world (the parallel universe Naysayland is leaps and bounds ahead of) to a place of continuous vulnerability and lack of hope. She has a rivalry with Ben, who’s been leading the pack of whisperers, so things get very interesting when one of her clients and one of his get together, posing a problem for both.

Naysayland, how it works, the role Naysay Inc. plays with our own, and the intricacies of the people within it were fascinating to read about it. The whole story had at times fun moments and introspective ones, and above all it was exactly the type of light and entertaining delivery of more serious ideas that acts as a ninja slayer for readers. Yes there’s romance, mystery, intrigue, and adventure but readers will hold this story close for what it tells us about ourselves, and the simple ways to be kinder and better to ourselves.

[Jeff · Rating 4 out of 5]

Naysay Inc is the major employer in Naysayland, a parallel universal where “whisperers”, with the aid of unseen drones, invade people’s thoughts who live in the Real World, infusing self-doubt, ruining relationships, and causing depression. These acts cause Real Worlders to purchase products and services from companies that are clients of Naysay Inc who pay a fee, funding Naysay’s work, all the while keeping the Real World off balance. The Naysayers is a clever and witty parody of today’s social media obsessed world, taking dead aim at “influencers”, self help gurus and corporate greed. Plenty of laughs in this one with subtle jokes in almost every dialogue, with rom-com vibes and a healthy dose of sarcasm. If you’re looking for a lighthearted skewering of today’s world, then this totally unique book is for you. I received an ARC of this book from the publisher through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

[Kristi]

One of my Little A Publishing edits, coming January 13, 2026!

https://www.editsbykristi.com/the-nay...

[Jackie · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 ⭐️

Liz Fenton and Lisa Steinke have long been one of my favorite writing duos, so I was elated to receive a complimentary copy of The Naysayers from Little A and NetGalley. The Naysayers was refreshingly original and such a fun read.

I’ve always loved their writing style because it manages to feel both playful and meaningful at the same time. They have a clever way of blending humor, heart, and just the right amount of quirk, keeping their stories fresh and fun without losing any emotional depth. I also love that their prose isn’t overly dense or flowery. It’s conversational and easy to sink into, which makes their books so approachable and engaging.

The Naysayers is a quirky, clever story about Megan, who works for Naysay, Inc.—a company that literally plants negative thoughts into people’s heads. Her latest assignment is to break up a new couple, influencer Lily and author Jasper, with the help of her coworker Ben. But as Megan gets to know them—and starts catching feelings herself—she begins to question her job and the damage it causes. It’s a fun mix of satire, romance, and heart with a unique twist on self-doubt and corporate culture.

I loved the original concept and the imaginative world Fenton and Steinke created. The way they blended satire and romance was so skillful, and I really appreciated the witty, sharp writing that kept things light despite the darker premise. My only complaint was that the pacing slowed a bit during the sections where the characters and rules of the world were being explained, but overall it was such an entertaining read.

Thank you to NetGalley and Little A for the ARC in exchange for my honest review!

[katelands_booknook · Rating 5 out of 5]

“Naysay Inc.’s mission statement: To bring negativity to and expose the vulnerabilities of every Real Worlder through carefully calculated whispers.”

This book was everything I never knew I needed in a book. So wonderfully weird in premise, I enjoyed it so much. This is a romance book, but it’s so much more.

In Naysayland, an alternate world where everyone is full of negativity and apathy, some work for Naysay Inc, where they become whisperers, aka the voices in your head, and whisper negative thoughts. Megan, who’s the most nepo baby ever, gets a job as a lead whisperer, and is assigned Lily, an influencer that just had a meltdown go viral and is extremely vulnerable. But when Lily meets Jasper, who’s being negatively influenced by Megan’s rival coworker Ben, Megan and Ben have to work together to keep Lily and Jasper apart.

There’s so much to love here. This was so fun, at times emotional, at others hilarious, while telling such an interesting story. I don’t think I can fully convey just how much fun this book was, but the fact that I read it in a day should be telling enough!

[Lisa Steinke · Rating 5 out of 5]

Writing The Naysayers was like getting hours and hours of free therapy. While the world felt like it was ending every single day, we were able take our fear, frustration, and total disbelief over what we were seeing in our news feeds and on social media and write a satirical novel about it. We also delved into topics that matter a lot to us: empathy, social comparison and self-esteem.

We created two words: The Real World (based on ours) and Naysayland (an alternate realm where the “Naysayers” are completely baffled by us) then smashed them together and mixed in a wild cast of characters—and a love story! The result? A humorous and heartfelt story about where that voice in your head might really come from, and what happens when you finally meet the naysayer behind it.

We hope you enjoy The Naysayers!

[Eunice Coorlas · Rating 5 out of 5]

How timely the premise of this book. That little voice in the back of your head that urges you on or spurns your ideas making you feel unsure of your capabilities. In the Naysayers sphere to dissuade “World people” any sense of accomplishment, feelings of self-worth, or fulfilled romantic attachments is their goal. Reducing their clients to shadows of what their potential could become is something to be celebrated. Megan and Ben are the whisperers who silkily damper any potential success their clients might achieve.

Megan, newly hired to Naysayers, is the product of a mother and grandmother part of the firm’s hierarchy. On her first day Megan meets Ben the top whisperer in the firm. The two Naysayers, while working to break up their clients Lily and Jasper’s budding romance, develop feelings for one another. These feelings, totally opposite of Naysayers mission statement, will cause an upheaval in the lives of Megan and Ben. Fleeing the dreaded HR repercussions due to their positive reinforcement, the couple gain support from a surprising source.

Liz Fenton and Lisa Steinke have their fingers on the pulse of today. Negativity abounds and their novel takes on a soul searching journey of positive influence.

Thanks to NetGalley for the opportunity to read this fresh and original novel. I love this book and was impressed with the thought provoking premise. Five stars aren’t enough.

[María Candela Lopez · Rating 5 out of 5]

One of the best books I’be read in 2025! The wit of the FMC, the determination of a lot of characters, the discomfort, the doubts. All those things were included in a brilliant way along the way to find the right pathway for change. All the topics are treated in a very poignant way.

[Ashlee · Rating 4 out of 5]

I very much enjoyed this book. It was a great palate cleanser. The concept of the book and idea behind it had me hooked quickly. I did think there were some significant questions and areas I don’t think made a ton of sense, almost dancing on plot holes. However, this was a book I was happy I got to read, and happy I finished. The pop culture references were absolutely hilarious. Legit laugh out loud hilarious.

The narrator was listed as Megan Tusing. I have heard her narrating before and I really enjoy her style. Great pick.

Thank you NetGalley for the ARC. Super fun.

[Juana Torres · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is such a unique concept! The Naysayers work for (conveniently called) Naysayers Inc and live in Naysayland. Their job is to whisper negative thoughts (to create self doubt and insecurities) to their clients in the Real World which in turn causes depression or ruins relationships or makes them vulnerable. When this happens the Real Worlders purchase therapy or products or services to help which funds Naysay Inc. The employees at Naysay Inc compete daily with each other on who could be the top Naysayer on the leader board.

Fast paced! Clever. Humorous. Poignant. All though The Naysayers is fun to read and will have you laugh out loud it is thought provoking. And heartfelt. I can definitely see this as a movie.

4.5 stars!!! ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️💫

Thank you NetGalley, Liz Fenton, Lisa Steinke and Little A books for an eARC in exchange for an honest review.

[Diane · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really liked this book
The naysayers is located in an alternate place where people strive to be negative. The company rewards employees for ruining the lives of people in the real world. The employees whisper negative things into the ears of the “clients” in the real world.
Enter Megan and Ben who are supposed to ruin a couples relationship. As Ben and Megan begin to fall for each other, they question what they are doing and start helping the couple stay together.

The book has many twists and turns- good and evil characters and will keep you up late into the night while reading.

This book has many interesting messages-
Are the negative thoughts in our heads real or is a negative force working against us?
Can social media be helpful ?
Can love overcome the negative whisperers who are trying to make people unhappy?
Read this book to find out!

[Alexandra Kelly · Rating 3 out of 5]

I think this has a very interesting concept with a lot of potential, but it was perhaps not executed as well as it could have been, or at least, not in the way that I expected it to be. It takes the real life happening of media’s subliminal (or overt) messaging targeting our self esteem in order to convince us to buy products, and makes it literal. In an Earth-adjacent world in which ‘criticism’ is seen as vital and empathy a weakness, Naysayers are able to whisper right into people’s heads in order to make themselves feel bad enough to consume products from a selection of companies that pay into the Naysayers company. It’s a clever idea set up for exploring that kind of skewed reality that has a lot of potential for incisive commentary and satirical reflections on real life. In some ways it pulls it off, but it also feels a little half-baked and somewhat sacrificed for the more rom-com style romantic plotline. It’s messaging ends up being a lot more earnest that I was expecting - a very genuine entreatment for people to remember their empathy and connections to real people and feelings - and it has a sharp commentary on the damage of the detachment brought by social media that avoids feeling too ‘old man shouts at cloud’. However, I found it ended up being much more romance centred than I had expected, and I felt this resulted in some of the other aspects feeling unelaborated and inconsistent.

It’s not clear how different the Naysayer world actually is from our world. It is stronger at the beginning, where the opposite-world valuing of negativity and selfishness feels effectively absurd in a darkly funny way. But as the book progressed, I felt a little lost as to what really was different. Many things seem to function exactly the same and I wouldn’t say there were huge differences in most people’s behaviour - there were really just a handful of characters that seemed to exemplify it, and otherwise the people could’ve been from our world. A lot of the time it kind of felt just reality but slightly meaner, which obviously could be the point, but it meant for me the ‘alternate world’ thing lost effectiveness and didn’t really feel like much of a threat or presence. There were also things that just didn’t make a lot of sense to me about the world (i.e., the idea that romance is the Naysayer’s kryptonite seems counterintuitive to me, since I would think it obvious that romantic relationships would provide a lot of opportunities for exploiting insecurities and vulnerabilities, so this felt like more of a set up for a bit of a corny ‘love conquers all’ thing). The world and the Naysayers are obviously serving as this heightened satire of reality, so I’m not expecting super intricate worldbuilding, but the places where it felt lost or underworked pulled me out of the story.

The romance element itself is fine - it’s reasonably cute and makes sense, and is used in the story as a mechanism for the Naysayer characters to reflect on their world and their values. I thought that some of the bantering and flirting just dragged on too long, like their conversations could’ve been cut half a page shorter, and instead overstayed their welcome and became boring, which distracted from the sense of a real plot. In general though I think the humour worked pretty well, particularly the comments that poked at real life events and people, which were often thrown out in a this blasé, off-hand manner that I enjoyed. I also think it did a good job of depicting the kind of the weird specificity and subcultures of contemporary online influencers.

I wish it would’ve leaned more into that kind of slightly absurd, satirical comedy thing, where we’re in opposite land and negativity is good and empathy and kindness are rooted out, which is I think why I wanted a more thorough exploration of Naysayland and the kind of society it would make. There were some points where it had that vibe and I thought it worked well, with these jarringly meanspirited sentiments and the feel of a black comedy. I kind of wanted it to convince me more of the Naysayers and almost make me root for them, which would be a good conflict for the reader, because otherwise it’s just so obviously bad that you’re just waiting for the happy ending. Instead it quite quickly becomes a fairly standard narrative where the main Naysayer character realises the wrongs of their society remarkably easily, which I don’t know that I found all that convincing. It’s all resolved nicely and has a good and well-communicated message, and I like that it touches on things like needing a balance between negativity and positivity, but it feels to me like an idea that could have been much more fun and experimental, and instead ended up rather by-the-book.

Thank you to Netgalley and Little A for access to an ARC for a review.

[Barbara Schultz · Rating 4 out of 5]

Title: The Naysayers
Author: Liz Fenton and Lisa Steinke
Publisher: Little A Publishers
Genre: Adult Fiction
Pub Date: January 13, 2026
My Rating: 3.5 Stars!
Pages: 335

Naysay Inc. is the major employer in Naysayland a parallel universal where “whisperers”, with the aid of unseen drones, invade people’s thoughts who live in the Real World, infusing self-doubt, ruining relationships, and causing depression. These acts cause Real Worlders to purchase products and services from companies that are clients of Naysay Inc. who pay a fee, funding Naysay’s work, all the while keeping the Real World off balance.

Megan, is a nepo baby from the alternate world Naysayerland, and has been hired by Naysayer Inc. to be the lead whisperer of the Social Media department. Megan is immediately presented as confident, detached, and competent. She doesn’t want friendships or relationships, but inconsistently values her surface level relationship with her family. She met her family’s expectations but still longs to be accepted by them, which is frowned upon.

I was a bit fearful that I was going to be a naysayer and not like this story; but it actually turned out to be a fun read. So yes sometime I, too, can be a naysayer but believe I am mostly a yaysayer!

Authors tells us that the idea for THE NAYSAYERS began a less than ideal experience at a writer’s conference. Our self-confidence was wavering. Our egos felt bruised.

We were trapped in our own heads, unable to escape our inner critics.

So while attending this conference they asked the question: where do those self-sabotaging thoughts in our head come from? And how much do they dirty the lens in which we view ourselves and others? That inquiry led them to Megan Lowell, a legacy employee of Naysay, Inc. that has the main objective to make sure our world remains anxious and unsure by placing negative and demeaning thoughts in our heads- for profit, of course.

Penning this novel was such a fun experience. And surprisingly, exploring this topic helped us understand ourselves: why we get defensive, envious; as well as Insecure- and how that affects the most important relationships in our lives.

It was the journey we didn’t know we needed to go on. And we hope that if you struggle with your own Naysayer, that you’ll go on it with us.

About the Authors:
Liz Fenton and Lisa Steinke have been best friends for over thirty years and survived high school and college together. They’ve co-authored nine novels, including the Amazon Charts bestseller, The Good Widow.

In addition to writing books, they created a podcast, We Fight So You Don’t Have to: Lessons from a thirty-year friendship.

They both reside in San Diego, California with their families and several rescue dogs. Connect with Liz and Lisa on Instagram at @lisaandliz or at www.lizandlisa.com.

I am a fan of these two authors - this is my sixth story. I have been following these two fun authors through their slump. I remember when they were writing a new book every year.
So was excited when I saw this new one!
I knew I wanted to read whatever they write and knew nothing about this story. When I got it and checked the blurb- I laughed and said ~ I am anxious how they pull together what seems bizarre!!!!

BTW: My Book Club was invited to their Book Launch for The Two Lila Bennetts which was such a fun experience!!

Additionally I enjoyed reading their Acknowledgements
It was more than just thanking folks who inspired them – It is worth a read.

Many thanks to NetGalley and Little A Publishers for granted me the pleasure of reading this great early eGalley.
Publishing Release Date scheduled for January 13, 2026.

[Donna · Rating 4 out of 5]

We all have heard the little voices in our heads that whisper self-doubting thoughts; I can't do this, I can't try that, I'm not good enough, everyone will laugh at me, etc. But what if these thoughts weren't coming from your mind at all but from a place outside of you that monetizes your feelings to make you buy things? That is the premise of The Naysayers, an extremely original novel by Fenton and Steinke.
Naysayland exists as an alternative to the Real World, and it's about the size of Manhattan. The main place of employment is Naysay Inc., and it's so prestigious that jobs are very competitive. Megan has joined this family firm headed up for many years by her mother and her grandmother before that. She interviewed for the job and nailed it on her own merits, as she didn't want to just be a nepo baby. But raised in the Lowell tradition, she too was tough, ruthless, and ready to make a name for herself at the company. Each department was responsible for different ways to undermine their client's confidence, but Megan wanted to really excel so she requested being one of the lead naysayers for young influencers. Everyone had their cubicles and above the door was an electric leaderboard which showed how well the whisperers were grinding down their victims. She soon learned that Ben was the best by far-his name was always first on the scoreboard and his ego was really annoying. But she knew he could be taken down by being smart and deadly-if only he weren't so funny and ultra-hot.
Her main client, Lily, had just touched rock bottom, and Megan was there to finish her off so she could be manipulated into buying lots of comfort items and costly therapy. She fought the whispering in her head long enough to gather the courage to attend an awesome party, where she met a budding author named Jasper, and they quickly hit it off. Megan is surprised that Ben controls Jasper and both are devastated to find out that the attraction between Lily and Jasper is so intense that they've both managed to shake off the voices in their heads. How are they going to meet their sales quotas now when these fools are so into each other. And why is Megan thinking forbidden thoughts about Ben?
Although the premise of the novel seems crazy, the authors do a great job of making this unlikely scenario very believable. The reader gets really involved in the universe they create and the double romance plots that evolve through the story. You would hope that people could not be so easily manipulated, but self-images are fragile and this just might be happening. Time to invest in those noise cancelling headphones.

[Devi · Rating 4 out of 5]

📱📖 Read on Kindle
📃 328 pages
⏱ Duration: ~4 hours
🏷️ Publisher: Little A
📅 Publishing Date: January 13, 2026
📘 ARC provided by NetGalley

I’ll admit it, I went in skeptical. A romance rooted in negativity and self doubt? That’s a bold choice. But the premise pulled me in, and Megan kept me there. She’s shaped by a mother who demands perfection and compliance, while her grandmother Genevieve is the only place she allows her softer edges to surface.

Watching Megan navigate rejection while literally embodying it as a naysayer made for a fascinating emotional contradiction. For someone who literally trades in self-doubt, Megan’s arc toward self-acceptance feels poetic. It’s a smart setup that makes her arc feel earned, especially as her “naysayer” role starts cracking under the weight of real connection.

The romance with Ben? Fresh twist on enemies-to-lovers in a satirical corporate hellscape. I loved how they bond over fixing the mess they created, watching their pessimism melt into genuine feels. The narration flows smoothly, blending humor, heart, and commentary on inner critics we all battle. Megan and Ben teaming up to fix a problem they helped create was a smart narrative move, especially as Naysayers Inc. keeps grinding forward without them. Their romance unfolds naturally, fueled by empathy rather than instant chemistry, which made it feel earned.

My only real hiccup was pacing. The middle leaned heavily into narration, while the climax felt rushed. The final conflict wrapped up quickly, and I couldn’t help wishing the tension with Naysayers INC had stretched across a few more chapters. That said, the ending itself offered satisfying closure and emotional payoff. For a love story, this was refreshingly original and thoughtfully executed.

Would I recommend it?
This inventive romantic satire surprised me with its heart amid the clever negativity concept. Solid characters, fun office romance vibes, and timely digs at corporate greed make it a standout read.

Have Your Inner Critic Ever Gone Rogue?
That moment when professional naysayers catch real feelings. Has a book ever made you rethink your own self-doubt? Spill your thoughts on this fresh premise below!

[Deborah · Rating 4 out of 5]

I received a complimentary eARC of THE NAYSAYERS by Liz Fenton and Lisa Steinke from Little A and a gifted audiobook from Brilliance Publishing.

Publication Date: 1/13/2026
Rating: 4.5 / 5

THE NAYSAYERS begins with Naysay Inc, the company that employees the little negative voices in our heads that constantly put despair and doubt in one's mind. When someone is at their lowest, that negative self-talking voice weasels its way in. But it isn't exactly the "self" talking, it is a whisperer.

Megan is a company legacy, thrilled to be starting at Naysay Inc. to talk into the minds of those in the real world. Lily is an influencer who has recently hit rock bottom and Megan is on task to keep it that way, but soon she starts seeing some things that don't add up. Is it possible that love might be the antidote to the whisperers' poisonous thoughts? Working with her rival Ben, the whisperer assigned to Lily's romantic interest, Megan starts to lose her grasp on her negative edge.

This was such a unique and fun read and I flew right through it. Who hasn't had a negative thought in their head when they are at their lowest, and the authors' way of using that to paint a picture of a whole separate world and culture of negativity and a bleak corporate culture was so interesting!

This is a book that crosses back and forth between the real world and that of Naysay, Inc. The way the negative whispers were used to promote the products of greedy corporations definitely struck a cord with me in terms of our own world. There are so many pop culture references too and I enjoyed the way they were incorporated into the story!

I definitely recommend this one for anyone looking for a little something different with interesting world building, social commentary, and romance to kick off the new year!

[Katie Katieneedsabiggerbookshelf · Rating 5 out of 5]

Megan is ready to start her new job at Naysay Inc. With her mother in charge of the company, Megan has big shoes to fill, and she knows her mother won’t be giving her any leeway. She needs to keep her “real world” clients filled with self doubt, or her job is on the line. At Naysay inc, their job is to be the voice inside your head that makes you question each and everything thing you do. When she and her work nemesis find their clients have met and started dating, all hell breaks loose. Can they keep them in the negative and manage to keep their jobs?

I had the huge honor of meeting and having lunch with Liz Fenton when I was in San Diego for work two years ago, and spoiler alert, she gave me a tiny synopsis of this book, which I have been dying to read ever since. It’s no secret that this has been an insanely difficult year for me, and reading this book I just imagined that darn little Naysayer in my ear feeding me all the negativity. It felt very weird to want Megan to succeed at her job, while also wanting her to not be doing that job at the same time, though I bet that was partly the point in the end! This book is so timely, and the references were so poignant, they had me laughing at several points while reading. While this is overall a very fun read, there is so much more to it, and it’s filled with deeper meaning that will have you shaking your head in frustration that our country is here. Liz and Lisa seriously hit this one out of the park. I always love their books, but this one might just be my favorite!

[Janet Fiorentino · Rating 4 out of 5]

"The Naysayers" has a compelling premise. Megan, who lives in a parallel world called Naysayerland, works as a lead whisper for a company called Naysayers, Inc. Her job is to undermine the confidence of an influencer and writer in the “real” world by feeding her a steady stream of negative thoughts. These thoughts fuel insecurity and depression—and ultimately drive people to buy products that promise relief. The novel playfully invites the reader to wonder: could that cruel voice in our heads really belong to someone who’s paid to be there?

Megan is an intriguing character. She has followed in her family’s footsteps, yet lacks their approval—something she is technically not supposed to want. In Naysayerland, desire itself is discouraged, especially the desire for meaningful relationships. This rule becomes complicated when Megan is forced to work closely with her colleague, Ben. Their rivalry hints at a romance that might otherwise feel predictable, except that in Naysayerland, wanting connection is itself an act of rebellion.

While I sometimes struggled to fully understand Megan, that may be part of the point. Magical realism isn’t a genre I read often, but the writing is sharp and witty, and the story kept me engaged throughout.

Thanks to authors Lisa Steinke and Liz Fenton and NetGalley for a chance to read this thoughtful story.

[Sapna Reinant · Rating 2 out of 5]

My Rating - 2.5/5

A love story with an innovative concept- I flew through the pages. The four central characters lead interesting lives, and make two very shippable couples. The whisperers and the clients lead interconnected lives, with the Naysayers being emotional ammensalists - the worse off the clients are, the better their progress, it almost seems like an extension of the current capitalist metaphor; but the alternate world- building was slightly glossed over. The actions of the central antagonists aren't explored sufficiently, and they act as plot mobilizers more than autonomous characters. It would've been more well-rounded if we'd gotten to know the origin and legends of Naysayland.
The dialogues are crisp and the interaction between our Naysayer couple is classic professional-rivals-to-lovers, and is the most interesting part of the book. The book also reminds us that more often than not, the negative voice in our head is to be ignored, and even though it may not have an independent agenda, it still causes more harm than a situation may strictly warrant.

The concept and core idea of the book is quite nice, and the book could be a good casual read for workplace romance readers.

[Becky · Rating 4 out of 5]

What if those negative voices in your head were actually a coordinated group of people working to sow negativity and doubt? Meet Megan, a third generation naysayer, who has just started at Naysay Inc. where they do exactly that - get into the heads of "real worlders" to ensure they stay vulnerable to naysayer influences and don't fulfill their dreams. While Megan has been brought up to be a top tier naysayer, she finds herself getting closer to her rival coworker Ben, as they work together on two related clients.

I found this book to be surprisingly light hearted given the subject matter is very much self-doubt and corporate greed. I enjoyed the book, but wished that some of the corporate influences were better-explored, along with the self-discovery of some of the other characters as they start to turn away from being naysayers. In the beginning, there was quite a bit of flipping back and forth between the real world and naysay land, but that petered out relatively early on, and I think it would have been interesting to get more insight into the real world characters.

I also listened to this as an audiobook and the narration was very well done.

Thank you to NetGalley and to Brilliance Audio for the advanced copy.

[Liz Fenton · Rating 5 out of 5]

What if your inner critic is real—with their own agenda?

Let us introduce THE NAYSAYERS, coming to you in January 2026 from Little A publishing.

The idea for THE NAYSAYERS began a less than ideal experience at a writers conference. Our self confidence was wavering. Our egos felt bruised.

We were trapped in our own heads, unable to escape our inner critics.

And this led us to ask the question: where do those self-sabotaging thoughts in our head come from? And how much do they dirty the lens in which we view ourselves and others? That inquiry led us to Megan Lowell, a legacy employee of Naysay, inc, company whose main objective to make sure our world remains anxious and unsure by placing negative and demeaning thoughts in our heads. For profit, of course.

Penning this novel was such a fun experience. And surprisingly, exploring this topic helped us understand ourselves: why we get defensive. Envious. Insecure. And how that affects the most important relationships in our lives.

It was the journey we didn’t know we needed to go on. And we hope that if you struggle with your own Naysayer, that you’ll go on it with us.

[SueCanaan · Rating 5 out of 5]

I listened to The Naysayers in about 2 days compiling a list of all the friends I planned to insist read this, with my mental health therapist listed as number 1.

It's a Black Mirror episode in the making.

Loved the very original, thought provoking plot and narration was spectacular.

Without spoiling this for you, The Naysayers are those disparaging voices we all hear (we all hear them, right?). The doubts we feel about everything we do, or can't do, or feel, or can't feel.

But, the twist, those voices are real and a big moneymaker for the world of The Naysayers who whisper them to us.

That's all I'll share about this one, but READ IT.

Just as I was loving this one, I started to get deja vu vibes as the plot reminded me so much of my all time favorite novel, This Perfect Day by Ira Levin. Go read that one too.

Just a perfect way to spend a couple of days with a message which will last for quite a while.

[Terry · Rating 4 out of 5]

We've all seen cartoons where a character has an angel on one shoulder and a devil on the other, offering advice that’s anything but helpful. But what if those little voices in your ear were real? The Naysayers by Liz Fenton and Lisa Steinke runs with that idea in the best way. Naysayers work for Naysay, Inc., whispering just the right suggestions into the minds of clients handpicked by companies eager to profit from their vulnerability. Things get complicated when two fiercely competitive Naysayers end up assigned to clients who fall in love. Now they’re forced to team up to break the couple apart, all while catching feelings for each other. It leaves them with a choice: keep this pair separated, along with themselves, or take a risk and fight for their own fairytale.

This story is an absolute blast to read. It’s loaded with pop-culture references that even the most out-of-touch grandma would recognize, many of them tied to real-world mishaps the Naysayers proudly claim: “You’re welcome, Real World.” I laughed out loud more than once, and when I wasn’t laughing, I had a goofy grin plastered on my face. This book is just pure fun.

Megan and Ben, along with Lily and Jasper, make excellent leads. Could they have been explored more deeply and intimately? Absolutely. But I still felt like I had enough to relate to them and root for their success. Megan and Ben’s banter is genuinely fun, and the sexual tension is unmistakable. Their chemistry feels inevitable, especially with their clients mirroring their own dynamic so closely. I did wish a few shifts in their jobs and relationships unfolded with a more gradual build, but nothing ever felt confusing or unearned.

The story explores themes of hope vs cynicism, greed vs humanity, and corruption vs conscience, and it pulls it off in a way that is genuinely enjoyable to read. You won’t be breaking your brain trying to unpack these ideas. Instead, you’ll be laughing and crossing your fingers for love to win the day. The writing is clean, modern, and fast-paced, with a competitive romcom edge. It’s accessible, energetic, and incredibly easy to sink into.

I found The Naysayers to be a highly entertaining read. I’d recommend it to readers who enjoy romcoms or cleaner romance. The banter is fantastic, and while the spice level is basically nil, the emotional payoff is still there. You’ll find yourself rooting for all the couples involved.

Nerd Rating: 🤓🤓🤓🤓 - A clever, big-hearted romcom with a twisty little conscience.

Let's Discuss: Would you take advice from a little voice whispering in your ear, or immediately file an HR complaint?

[Anima · Rating 4 out of 5]

What an absolute lovely surprise! A parallel world of people whispering to the Real World encouraging negativity and profiting from the demise. Spurred by the constant use of technology and doubting good intentions, cutting down self respect and confidence, allowed Naysay Inc. to control the Real World. When Ben and Megan started off as playful rivals competing for the best whisperer I figured we were in for a flirty competition. Their relationship started off fun and turned into a life changing partnership. Their story could have gone in any number of directions but I think this ended the appropriate way. It was a rather long story but kept my interest and I found it unique. I received an early copy from NetGalley and have written my review voluntarily.

[Audra · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was so much fun, and had a lot of heart. The premise was unique and entertaining. I thought at first that we were going to stay in the cynical mindset, which I was looking forward to, but I was still locked in when she started to -gasp- feel things. It's got some sci-fi/fantasy elements but mostly reads like a contemporary. The narrator nails every beat, delivering snark and sincerity with equal flair.

Verdict: 🌕🌕🌕🌕🌕

If you’re after an audiobook that’s clever, charming, and unexpectedly touching, this one will do the trick.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for sending me this audiobook for review consideration. All opinions are my own.

[Crystal Palmisano-Dillard · Rating 3 out of 5]

2.5 ⭐️

The concept of this book is so original. I was thoroughly engaged the first half of this book. I like the idea of a parallel world that originates all of our negative thoughts and the pop culture references were hilarious.

Then it lost me. I don’t love the idea that love can overcome our negative thoughts/anxiety/self-doubt/low self-confidence. While positive relationships can have a positive impact, it’s no one else’s responsibility to change our inner thoughts, and that shouldn’t come from an external place.

It would’ve been so good without that bend to the storyline.