The Jezebel List

by Alisa Dean

Unleashing her inner Jezebel on camera was not part of Christina Edmondson’s plan, but nobody said rebuilding your life after religious and family trauma was going to be easy. A radical and heartfelt debut that celebrates the pursuit of joy, The Jezebel List is perfect for fans of Abby Jimenez and B.K. Borison.

✔ Attend a pagan festival
✔ Get a Brazilian wax
☐ Watch pornography
☐ Explore a science museum
☐ Have a one-night stand
☐ Take the Lord’s name in vain, with relish

These barely begin to scratch the surface of Christina Edmondson’s Jezebel List. As the daughter of a once-respected fundamentalist pastor and running out the clock on her last semester at the ultra-conservative (read: ultra-backwards) Hilltop University, Christina is ready for a drastic change. Following months of intense therapy and years of being told that the enchanting evils of the modern world would lead to eternal damnation, attending a pagan festival feels like freedom. And then she catches the eye of documentarian Danny Reeves.

After meeting Christina and her Jezebel List, Danny is immediately inspired. Despite the recent burnout from his professional career investigating the injustices of the Evangelical South, Danny is certain that Christina’s story is one with the potential to resonate with millions. A fan of his work, Christina agrees to be the subject of his next documentary, but under one condition: they must complete her list together.

As they begin checking items off the list, neither one expects the spark burning brighter and hotter between them. But for Christina, outsmarting old demons is hard, and rediscovering yourself takes courage.

Genres: Romance, Contemporary

336 pages, Paperback

Expected publication August 25, 2026

About the author

Alisa Dean writes romance primarily at her favorite local coffee shop, hopeful that anyone sneaking a peek at her steamy screen will be intrigued and even liberated by stories of love, desire, self-discovery, and partnership. As a university professor, Alisa also writes less-liberating academic articles about how writing works in the world, and she will likely encourage her students to analyze this very bio for its patterns. Alisa favors long walks among very tall trees with her characters for company.

Reviews

[Molly Steur · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved. Emotional and hilarious all at the same time. Still impressed how well the religious trauma worked in a cozy romcom. 100% recommend

[Beatrice · Rating 3 out of 5]

I read this book very quickly but felt it suffered from a lack of tension. Christina was raised by an Evangelical Pastor and was firmly indoctrinated until the scandal - her father had had multiple affairs with members of the congregation. Christina, a student at Hilltop, a very conservative college, was dumped by her boyfriend when the scandal came out. She had a breakdown, started therapy, did EDMR, and eventually found a group of people she could trust and began rebuilding her life. All this happens before page one of this book. I wish it hadn't. I wish we got to see her go through some of that to lend some tension to her trying things on the list.

We first encounter Christina at a 'Pagen' fair, doing a candle ritual at one of the booths, when she notices a man with a camera pointed at her. She approaches him and learns that he is Danny Reeves, a documentarian whose work was instrumental to her getting her life back on track. They have a brief conversation where she tells that attending this fair was an item to check off her list - her Jezebel list. She explains that in a bid to reclaim her life and finally break away from all of the religious indoctrination, she's going to do all the things that she grew up being told that she must never do. These include drink/purchase alcohol, go dancing at a night club, have a one-night stand, smoke a cigar, etc and Danny promptly decides that he must do a documentary about her and this quest, this Jezebel list of hers.

The problem is that they are both soooo instantly smitten with each other, and she is already so 'healed' that some of the list items just come off as play-acting baby girl gets naughty or alien analyzing why humans do things. It doesn't feel real because she has absolutely zero trepidation in doing anything on her list, let alone doing them on camera. And Danny is OBSSESSED with her from the beginning. Everyone comments on how obvious it is that he can't stop looking at her 'that' way.

The arc of most romance novels is that at one point after everything seems wonderful, there will be a misunderstanding, or an ex shows up or someone gets a job on the other side of the world and our couple break up before the inevitable happy ending. In this case, Christina loves Danny sooo much that she doesn't want anyone else and that feels limiting, the way the church tried to limit her... what?!?!?

This was that dumbest reason to have them break up. The girl having sex in a nightclub bathroom, getting porn videos from her best friend and trying out a vibrator by the side of the road, isn't exactly being limited. She's graduating in a few weeks and will no longer be under Hilltop's strict code of conduct, and her friends have invited her to live with them in New York or Washington DC, and Danny has told her that she could be a documentarian herself. All she has is endless possibilities.

Danny meanwhile is sort of a cipher. We know he has a measure of internet fame for his work, his parents and brother love him but the author wants so much for this to be grumpy x sunshine so she keeps trying to say that his work persona is engaging to get people to talk to him but that he isn't really like that and how unbelievable it is that Christina likes the "real" him more than his persona. But he isn't actually ever grumpy, and Christina has him wrapped around her finger from day one.

Christina's found family is nice, though the author's insistence that they were each other's soulmates was weird (the various friends, not the paired couples). Danny's parents were also a bit too good to be true. Not sure how I'd feel if the parents of some guy I had been seeing for a few weeks were texting me daily and announcing they are heartbroken when I miss a family dinner. TOO soon.

And they all lived happily ever after, after knowing each other for less than 6 months.

[Ashleigh · Rating 4 out of 5]

This novel is pretty unhinged. I struggled at points, but it was entertaining. I think some of the elements I had a tough time with could be necessary for some readers.

I did not love the infantilization of the main character, which may or may not have been intentional. I’m not sure. The ways she communicates in the beginning of the book, the way she flirts, and the disjunction between who she claims to be and how she speaks about certain topics is dizzying. I really didn’t enjoy it.

However, I anticipated that she might grow throughout the novel into a more mature, fully formed human and that’s pretty much what happened. I still think there were remnants of age-inappropriate immaturity, but I can see how that might have been intentional to shape the character and to better demonstrate how strict religious principles limit our development at times.

Keep in mind that I am a huge fan of whimsy and connecting with your inner child, but this was ~almost~ disturbing. For instance, the tangent about Russia and sticking to your religious principles. Or the reflection on seeing queer people dancing together for the first time. Or even the hat hair, waffle flirting scene. It kind of felt like a high schooler interacting with the adult world…except this is a grown woman who’s probably 22 or 23.

In a way I would compare it to Poor Thing. They are not at all the same, but there are similar threads. The concept of men being attracted to women who have juvenile traits resonates, but ultimately this book went in a different direction and handled her growth / journey quite well.

I will say that there was a little bit of heavy handedness when it came to explaining things. I come from a religious background, not a Bible belt one but I wouldn’t say it’s that different in terms of the shared principles. And well…for one, I don’t think she’s actually as deep as she said to be; she’s portrayed as this character who is so insightful that she is encouraged to share her wisdom as a documentarian. For the personal journey she took, she really truly evolved—however, she wasn’t making any profound or interesting statements that are not readily shared in causal conversations / everyday life. Plus, she’s probably the least worldly or diverse of her friend group, which is fine, but it makes it harder to imagine her as the person they all put on a pedestal. The constant self-reference to being a “jezebel” also felt kind of cringe-y & juvenile.

In terms of the dynamic between the two main characters, I would describe this kind of like an Ali Hazelwood book. The FMC is super oblivious, although she’s supposed to simultaneously be cunning and sly and witty. The MMC is kind of equally oblivious but he’s extremely intense about it.

I also felt like this book would either be cozy or kind of unhinged and it definitely went the latter route. I did enjoy the intimate scenes and I felt like that was one place that did not suffer from infantilization. However, again it kind of juxtaposed where the character was in terms of self-development in a pretty big way.

Either way, I don’t need a plot to follow reality and what might be true in order to enjoy it in a romance novel. I ultimately liked their relationship dynamic. I enjoyed exploring the concept of found family. I loved the documentarian angle because I don’t think I have read a romance novel that comes from this perspective and it was very apt. It was easy to see how the two characters could have fallen in love in the way that they did. And I think their story was well painted. I was rooting for them.

Thanks NetGalley for this ARC.

[Rachel · Rating 5 out of 5]

Anyone who knows me knows that I am a hard-to-please romance reader, but Alisa Dean’s The Jezebel List has revived my love for the genre in a way I didn’t even know was possible. At the same time, this book felt completely unique in the way it brings together complex characters, religious themes, and swoon-worthy romance. It’s the kind of story that makes you feel like Alisa Dean is doing something special, something that cannot be replicated. You might even say she’s making the ordinary feel magical ;) (ifykyk).

Never have I read a book (and I’ve read a lot of books!) that felt so carefully and intentionally crafted to create a reading experience that is funny, emotionally moving, warm and cozy, and sexy and swoon-worthy all at once. At the heart of the novel’s success are, of course, the two main characters—Christina and Danny. Each of them felt genuine and dynamic in a way that was incredibly refreshing. I never once rolled my eyes at any silly decisions or frustrating miscommunication because Christina and Danny felt like real people making real choices that stayed true to who they were. We come to know them on such an intimate and personal level in this story (yay for dual POV!) that I could truly empathize with their past and present choices.

For me, however, the real excellence of this book comes from the unabashed way it handles deeply difficult and emotional themes related to religious trauma. While I’m not from the Evangelical South specifically, nor am I a pastor’s daughter, I related to Christina’s experiences on a very deep and emotional level. I did not expect this book—which feels warm and cozy most of the time—to also feel so personal. At moments, it felt like Alisa Dean reached deep into the depths of my soul (which may or may not be damned???) and soothed all the parts of me that felt emotionally betrayed and hurt by past religious experiences.

You definitely don’t need to have experienced religious trauma to enjoy this book, but if you have...then this book is absolutely for you. The girls who get it, get it, you know? I never expected a romance novel to make me feel so seen and whole and new and accepted in a way that I haven’t in a long time.

“[L]ife is random and chaotic and meaningless, but we still create meaning. Maybe that’s even more beautiful than some master plan or cosmic scale.”

This book reminded me to see the beauty in who I am, as I am, and to appreciate all the parts of my past, present, and future that make me me. I implore you all to do yourselves a favor and read the hell out of this.

[Maria · Rating 5 out of 5]

After staying up all night reading this on the eve of my birthday, I woke up feeling like a Jezebel.

Someone who lets herself want. Who relishes in her desires. Who trusts she has what she needs to figure it out.

While I didn't grow up with the same kind of religious trauma Christina did, I did grow up with a lot of guilt and shame around my body and what I wanted for myself. This story left me feeling so inspired by how powerful and exciting it is—to work through the fear and shame and doubt that keep you from being yourself.

"Sometimes, I'm afraid that my ability to know what feels right has been silenced and buried for so long that I wouldn't recognize it even if it were screaming at me."

Despite the emotional depth of this book, it's still somehow one of the coziest and sexiest books I've ever read?

Christina is confident, hilarious, and so caring. The book starts after she's done the therapy she needed to work through the shame that was holding her back, and she's ready to take in the world that was once out of her reach.

Danny, whose intensity and razor-sharp focus can be off-putting to others, is just the person to be able to see and understand the full scope of who Christina is while Christina encourages him to show the parts of himself that he usually holds back.

She gasps and throws a delicate hand over her heart. "Where are your Southern manners? You can't wear hats at the dinner table."

I examine the sticky tabletop and laminated menus propped against the basket of hot sauces. "Is this the dinner table?"

Their banter is SO good, and the dual POV is so inviting here—you get to watch each of them fall in love.

The attraction is hot and immediate, but the documentary they're doing together and Christina's fear of being on a wrong path (again) keep them from getting together right away. I loved how much they YEARNED for each other.

The love story between them is about seeing and being seen in return. It's about a love that encourages self-discovery and that makes the everyday feel magical.

I loved watching Christina and Danny go on adventures that are new for Christina (and new for Danny because he gets to see them through Christina's eyes). The science museum was especially sweet! I loved seeing them get to know each other's families—Christina's found family and Danny's biological family.

Speaking of, Christina's found family at Hilltop (an ultra-conservative university) was one of my favorite elements of the book. Movie Church (iykyk), pre-bed tea, Sex Goddess Supreme™, and the gang getting ready to go to the club were truly delightful. I loved how the group created their own rituals and how they cultivated joy and hope even in this oppressive space.

The spice was so, so good. I loved how the (4!) sex scenes played with the idea of being a Jezebel: the characters go to a sex store, Christina tries on lingerie (and Danny makes USE of it), and the couple explores the idea of being "bad" in a safe and sexy way.

"You're crazy good at sex, Christina."

She snorts. "I thought I would be if someone gave me a chance."

Even though this book was hilarious and so cozy, I still cried so much towards the last third because of how much these characters meant to me and how happy I was for them to have found each other. Christina's scene with her father was especially profound and heartbreaking.

Reading this book felt like talking to a best friend about every fear you've ever had, every memory that holds you back and ending the night giggling over champagne and thrilled for what the future might hold for you.

I can't wait until the world gets its hands on it.

[Erin · Rating 4 out of 5]

"I would never begrudge anyone their beliefs. We're all doing whatever we can to get through the day."

Christina Edmondson, the daughter of a once-respected fundamentalist pastor, is running out the clock on her last semester at the ultra-conservative (read: ultra- backwards) Hilltop University and is ready for a drastic change. She makes The Jezabel List of things she has been taught are "evil" and that's how she runs into Danny Reeves, a documentaries, at a pagan festival.

Danny is inspired after meeting Christina and hearing about her list that he convinces her to let him make a documentary of her crossing off the items on her list as long as they complete them together.

When their chemistry becomes undeniable on and off screen they have to find a way to get through the list with their hearts intact.

I really enjoyed reading about Christina's upbringing and her way of coping after trauma. Danny was an angel and seriously has a way with words 🥵😘

Read if you love:
-Forbidden Checklist
-Found Family
-Trauma/Healing
-Dual POV

[Annie Vance · Rating 5 out of 5]

I'm not sure how to even put into words how phenomenal this book is.

Yes, the writing is outstanding, but more than that, if you grew up in an ultra-religious home, there is so much identity with Christina and her story. If you haven't grown up in that type of environment, I imagine the story will feel a bit shocking and flabbergasting....but still a story definitely worth reading.

Danny is such a phenomenal MMC. He is patient, open, kind and genuinely wants to see Christina live her best life just as she is; without pretenses.

I cried. I yelled. I identified. I sobbed. I healed.
It's perfect. I simply cannot wait for the world to read it.

If I had to choose just one quote... It would be the following...

"Yes. When people are shocked or flabbergasted, it can make me feel really lonely. I think my particular brand of religious trauma is a little less widespread, or at least less openly discussed, so it seems worse to people because it's less familiar?”

[Heather Frances · Rating 5 out of 5]

A film maker and a woman recovering from a strict religious upbringing? Say less.

Alisa Dean's debut is a cozy exploration of what it means to find yourself again after having your life and beliefs dictated to you for 20-something years. Christina is determined to live her life the way SHE wants to, and part of that journey is figuring out what she actually likes via experiencing her Jezebel List, a literal list she's compiled of "forbidden" activities she wants to try.

It's at one of these - a pagan festival - that she meets Danny, a documentary filmmaker whose films have already helped Christina on her journey. Their instant chemistry leads to an interesting proposal: Danny wants to make Christina his newest muse and document her completion of the list.

Sexy and sweet, readers who grew up with similar religious pressures will definitely relate to Christina's journey!

[Christopher · Rating 5 out of 5]

Alisa Dean's debut is effortless in its fastidiousness, unassuming in its precociousness, and profound in its mundanity. TJL is like magic, so much kindness, humanity, curiosity, passion, and love.

Each turn of phrase, of events, of the page, displays another facet of the author's dedication to character and to storytelling. Across a thousand moments, cute and clever and tender and honest and real, I fell for Christina and Danny, I let them break my heart, and swiftly they made me whole again.

TJL is, in my opinion, nothing less than a genre redefining masterpiece. Savor this book, but stay hungry, dear reader. Alisa Dean was born for this, and there is so much more to come.

[Mari Wilmot · Rating 5 out of 5]

"I get to be who I want to be now. I get to choose who I want to be."

This is easily one of the best books I've read this year. It's so hopeful and beautiful. Christina has had such amazing growth before we even meet her, but that continues on page and it is beautiful to see. The effect she has on Danny and others around her, and the strength she gets from having her found family supporting her is truly magical. I loved every second of this book and highly recommend it.

[Lacey · Rating 5 out of 5]

10/10 no notes. but truly this was such a good book !! i also grew up in the bible belt and literally went to St. Edward's University where we were the "Hilltoppers". this book made me feel so seen and i loved the deconstruction of religion both from Christina and Danny. This book made me sob, but it also healed something in me. if you're a fan of religion deconstruction, seeing queer people be their full selves, sexual empowerment, and a MMC who worships the ground the FMC walks (while also having one of the dirtiest mouths ever) on then PLS read The Jezebel List.

Thank you NetGalley, Alisa, and Alcove Press for the eARC!

[Elda Rastoder · Rating 3 out of 5]

Arc review
I honestly wanted to love this novel more than I did. I felt like it delved deeper into the religious trauma the fmc had to deal with growing up rather than the actual romance. This could be a very cute and interesting story for someone else because it’s still a good book just not for me personally.

[Joseph · Rating 5 out of 5]

Alisa Dean’s debut novel showcases her wit, humor and zest for life. She’s an author to watch!

[Rosanne · Rating 5 out of 5]

I'm usually not a reader of contemporary romance, but I'm so honored and overjoyed to have had the chance to read an advanced copy of The Jezebel List! It's a story about finding joy after deprivation, experiencing love on honest terms, choosing to heal, and, why yes - it's sexy as hell.

While religious trauma is weighty subject matter, Dean handles it with a graceful ease by focusing on a young woman finding the way to herself with courage and love as self expression. But she doesn't pull punches when it comes to calling out the systemic hypocrisies that perpetuate trauma and ultimately trap many young people in its limited world view, either. I believe many will be able to relate to Christina's journey of self discovery after being told all their lives who they should be. The beauty of TJL is that it's possible for everyone to find healing if they seek it, because healing can be found in the mundane moments as easily as the grand.

Christina and Danny breathe charisma and sweetness from chapter one. They're adorable, intelligent, and hot for each other right out of the gate. Readers looking for a healthy dose of spice should be well sated. Dean keeps their romance rolling along with both punchy dialogue and warm, tender moments. And that ending will edify anyone's soul!

Highly recommend!