What do you think?
Rate this book
The Never List
Madelaine Brown loves love — just not in real life.
After her mom walked out when she was nine, she decided it was safer to admire romance from a distance. Ever since, she’s been all about theory over practice.
Unfortunately, life keeps handing her one very annoying Jake West.
They’ve been forced together since childhood — babysat together, spent summers together (fighting), went to the same school, and even landed in the same classes. And through it all, he’s remained her finest form of torture. He’s adventurous (stupid), flirty (well-rounded), a bit reckless (gets away with the stupidest things), and popular (she still doesn't understand how).
When Jake’s long-term summer fling dumps him for someone new, he’s desperate to save face. Meanwhile, Madelaine’s got The Never List — a running list of things she swears she’ll never do because, well, she’s a chicken (his words, not hers).
A deal is she’ll fake date him to make his ex (and Madelaine’s longtime enemy) jealous, and he’ll help her “get a life.” But between the fake smiles, forced proximity, and way-too-real moments, Madelaine starts to realize that maybe some things on The Never List aren’t so impossible after all.
A deal, a list, and way too many almost-kisses — because when life keeps throwing you at the same person, maybe it’s not a coincidence. Maybe it’s just really bad timing… or something dangerously close to love.
After her mom walked out when she was nine, she decided it was safer to admire romance from a distance. Ever since, she’s been all about theory over practice.
Unfortunately, life keeps handing her one very annoying Jake West.
They’ve been forced together since childhood — babysat together, spent summers together (fighting), went to the same school, and even landed in the same classes. And through it all, he’s remained her finest form of torture. He’s adventurous (stupid), flirty (well-rounded), a bit reckless (gets away with the stupidest things), and popular (she still doesn't understand how).
When Jake’s long-term summer fling dumps him for someone new, he’s desperate to save face. Meanwhile, Madelaine’s got The Never List — a running list of things she swears she’ll never do because, well, she’s a chicken (his words, not hers).
A deal is she’ll fake date him to make his ex (and Madelaine’s longtime enemy) jealous, and he’ll help her “get a life.” But between the fake smiles, forced proximity, and way-too-real moments, Madelaine starts to realize that maybe some things on The Never List aren’t so impossible after all.
A deal, a list, and way too many almost-kisses — because when life keeps throwing you at the same person, maybe it’s not a coincidence. Maybe it’s just really bad timing… or something dangerously close to love.
368 pages, Kindle Edition
Published December 24, 2025
2 people are currently reading
65 people want to read
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews
January 4, 2026
ARC REVIEW: The Never List
Publication date:
Rating: 4 stars
Huge thanks to Mary K. Lewis for sending me this ARC in exchange for an honest review!!
First, I want to apologize for the delay; the review is long overdue.
Okay, now, where do I start when I want to talk about a book that has taken over my life for such a long time? The Never List was everything I was looking for: Childhood frenemies to lovers, fake dating, Popular guy x Introvert guy, and 2000’s romcom vibes
Need I say more?
I saw myself in Madelaine Brown because I get that feeling of wanting to do nothing more than immerse myself in the pages of books, just because the life I’m living is just too much sometimes, or only ever reading about the love I want to experience.
DON’T GET ME STARTED ON JACOB FREAKING WEST.
Jake is everything a girl could ever want. Sarcastic, funny, you name it. I literally leaped out of my bed every time he reassured Mads like… Am I the only one who loves the trope where the character who’s always reserved and reassuring others finally talks about their trauma? Yeah, Jake West.
I could go on and on about how I enjoyed this book if I’m being honest.
Again, a big thank you to M.K Lewis for sending me an arc!!
Publication date:
Rating: 4 stars
Huge thanks to Mary K. Lewis for sending me this ARC in exchange for an honest review!!
First, I want to apologize for the delay; the review is long overdue.
Okay, now, where do I start when I want to talk about a book that has taken over my life for such a long time? The Never List was everything I was looking for: Childhood frenemies to lovers, fake dating, Popular guy x Introvert guy, and 2000’s romcom vibes
Need I say more?
I saw myself in Madelaine Brown because I get that feeling of wanting to do nothing more than immerse myself in the pages of books, just because the life I’m living is just too much sometimes, or only ever reading about the love I want to experience.
DON’T GET ME STARTED ON JACOB FREAKING WEST.
Jake is everything a girl could ever want. Sarcastic, funny, you name it. I literally leaped out of my bed every time he reassured Mads like… Am I the only one who loves the trope where the character who’s always reserved and reassuring others finally talks about their trauma? Yeah, Jake West.
I could go on and on about how I enjoyed this book if I’m being honest.
Again, a big thank you to M.K Lewis for sending me an arc!!
December 28, 2025
I gave The Neverlist a full five stars. Period. No debate. This book does not deserve anything lower and it never will. It is amazing, emotional, funny, and absolutely gorgeous. I finished it in one single day because I physically could not put it down. I have been waiting for this book forever ever since I read Muse of the Match, and it was worth every second of waiting.
This author somehow managed to put everything I love into one story. The romance, the tension, the humor, the emotion, all of it worked perfectly together. What made it even better was the references. I usually do not understand or recognize references in books, but this time I did. Every single one. Especially the Brooklyn Nine Nine reference. That show is my comfort show, and finding out that Madeline Brown has watched it too made me feel so connected to her. It felt personal in the best way.
The Neverlist is a frenemies to lovers fake dating romance, which is already perfection, but the characters are what truly make this book unforgettable. Madeline Brown is angry, loud, and rude at times, but that is exactly what makes her real. Her anger is a coping mechanism, and the book shows that so beautifully. People are so quick to judge characters like her without realizing how much pain they are carrying. This book does not just show her anger. It explains it. It honors it.
Jake West is everything. He never tried to change Madeline. He saw through her anger and stood beside her instead of against her. He argued with her, fought with her, and supported her in the way she actually needed. He always made sure she smiled, even if that meant being the punching bag. The way he understood her was everything to me.
I loved everything about these characters. What they said, what they believed in, how they cared for each other. Jake West especially has my whole heart. I need a Jake West in my life immediately. Pronto. Where is my next door neighbor Jake West. Where is the guy who helps me complete a list of things I never want to do, just to make sure I live a full and meaningful life.
And now I am already desperate for the next book. Dancing with Cupid. I need it today. Tomorrow. Yesterday. Right now. Until then, I might just start writing my own never list and hope I someday find my own Jake West to help me break it.
This book was perfect. Five stars forever.
This author somehow managed to put everything I love into one story. The romance, the tension, the humor, the emotion, all of it worked perfectly together. What made it even better was the references. I usually do not understand or recognize references in books, but this time I did. Every single one. Especially the Brooklyn Nine Nine reference. That show is my comfort show, and finding out that Madeline Brown has watched it too made me feel so connected to her. It felt personal in the best way.
The Neverlist is a frenemies to lovers fake dating romance, which is already perfection, but the characters are what truly make this book unforgettable. Madeline Brown is angry, loud, and rude at times, but that is exactly what makes her real. Her anger is a coping mechanism, and the book shows that so beautifully. People are so quick to judge characters like her without realizing how much pain they are carrying. This book does not just show her anger. It explains it. It honors it.
Jake West is everything. He never tried to change Madeline. He saw through her anger and stood beside her instead of against her. He argued with her, fought with her, and supported her in the way she actually needed. He always made sure she smiled, even if that meant being the punching bag. The way he understood her was everything to me.
I loved everything about these characters. What they said, what they believed in, how they cared for each other. Jake West especially has my whole heart. I need a Jake West in my life immediately. Pronto. Where is my next door neighbor Jake West. Where is the guy who helps me complete a list of things I never want to do, just to make sure I live a full and meaningful life.
And now I am already desperate for the next book. Dancing with Cupid. I need it today. Tomorrow. Yesterday. Right now. Until then, I might just start writing my own never list and hope I someday find my own Jake West to help me break it.
This book was perfect. Five stars forever.
January 13, 2026
Este livro foi perfeito. Might be my new favorite romance ever 🫶🏽
Quando li os tropes, frenemies to lovers e fake dating, fiquei logo com expectativas altas mas nunca imaginei que se fossem exceder tanto. Adorei cada detalhe deste livro.
A relação da Madelaine e do Jake é perfeita, desde as picardias aos momentos mais sensíveis! Dei por mim a rir-me as gragalhadas com cenas deles e no final fiquei mesmo boquiaberta com tudo o que estava a acontecer.
A personalidade do Jake encantou-me e a forma como ele foi evoluindo ao longo da história foi incrível de acompanhar.
Também me identifiquei bastante com a Madelaine e com a personalidade dela. Adorei descobrir pelos olhos dela esta história incrível.
Os personagens secundários nunca foram esquecidos, tiveram sempre o seu momento e são também marcantes.
Outro dos pontos altos do livro foi as referências geek e músicas ao longo do livro. Desde referências a filmes da Disney até aos One Direction.
Adorei a mensagem deste livro mas as relações entre as personagens é que fazem o livro inesquecível.
Obrigada Mary K. Lewis por este arc 🩷
Quando li os tropes, frenemies to lovers e fake dating, fiquei logo com expectativas altas mas nunca imaginei que se fossem exceder tanto. Adorei cada detalhe deste livro.
A relação da Madelaine e do Jake é perfeita, desde as picardias aos momentos mais sensíveis! Dei por mim a rir-me as gragalhadas com cenas deles e no final fiquei mesmo boquiaberta com tudo o que estava a acontecer.
A personalidade do Jake encantou-me e a forma como ele foi evoluindo ao longo da história foi incrível de acompanhar.
Também me identifiquei bastante com a Madelaine e com a personalidade dela. Adorei descobrir pelos olhos dela esta história incrível.
Os personagens secundários nunca foram esquecidos, tiveram sempre o seu momento e são também marcantes.
Outro dos pontos altos do livro foi as referências geek e músicas ao longo do livro. Desde referências a filmes da Disney até aos One Direction.
Adorei a mensagem deste livro mas as relações entre as personagens é que fazem o livro inesquecível.
Obrigada Mary K. Lewis por este arc 🩷
December 30, 2025
The Never List is good — veryyy good — entertaining and an easy, addictive read.
It checks all the right boxes: enemies (in a playful way) to lovers, fake dating, teenage romance, and a delicious slow burn.
The main character, Madeline Brown, is a hopeless romantic who can’t seem to find love for herself. She’s obsessed with books full of classic tropes and dreamy romances, while her own love life is basically nonexistent.
Madeline is a troubled teenager with a social life thinner than air. She lives and breathes romance — books, movies, stories — yet can’t manage any real success in her own relationships. To make things even more complicated, she has a list of things she should never do, including (but definitely not limited to) never dating Jacob “Jake” West, her childhood “friend” and the school’s golden boy.
So when Jake gets his heart broken by his long-term summer fling, they reach a mutual agreement: they’ll pretend to be in a loving relationship to make her jealous and hopefully win her back.
This arrangement ends up being good for Madeline too, as it pushes her out of her comfort zone and allows her to experience life a little more — while slowly crossing off, one by one, the items on her “never” list.
There’s just one problem: Madeline Brown hates Jacob West. Or so she thought…
Jake West is attentive, kind, and a great listener. Madeline is a bookworm, a bit of a geek, and deeply insecure.
And together? They make one hell of a couple.
On top of that, the book is full of amazing pop culture references, like Brooklyn 9-9 and One Direction, which makes the story even more fun — especially when you realize the characters you’re relating to love the same things you do.
At its core, The Never List delivers that classic message: don’t go looking for love, because it’s probably been right under your nose the whole time. Or, in this case, next door, mowing the lawn shirtless - if you know, you know.
It checks all the right boxes: enemies (in a playful way) to lovers, fake dating, teenage romance, and a delicious slow burn.
The main character, Madeline Brown, is a hopeless romantic who can’t seem to find love for herself. She’s obsessed with books full of classic tropes and dreamy romances, while her own love life is basically nonexistent.
Madeline is a troubled teenager with a social life thinner than air. She lives and breathes romance — books, movies, stories — yet can’t manage any real success in her own relationships. To make things even more complicated, she has a list of things she should never do, including (but definitely not limited to) never dating Jacob “Jake” West, her childhood “friend” and the school’s golden boy.
So when Jake gets his heart broken by his long-term summer fling, they reach a mutual agreement: they’ll pretend to be in a loving relationship to make her jealous and hopefully win her back.
This arrangement ends up being good for Madeline too, as it pushes her out of her comfort zone and allows her to experience life a little more — while slowly crossing off, one by one, the items on her “never” list.
There’s just one problem: Madeline Brown hates Jacob West. Or so she thought…
Jake West is attentive, kind, and a great listener. Madeline is a bookworm, a bit of a geek, and deeply insecure.
And together? They make one hell of a couple.
On top of that, the book is full of amazing pop culture references, like Brooklyn 9-9 and One Direction, which makes the story even more fun — especially when you realize the characters you’re relating to love the same things you do.
At its core, The Never List delivers that classic message: don’t go looking for love, because it’s probably been right under your nose the whole time. Or, in this case, next door, mowing the lawn shirtless - if you know, you know.
Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews