What made the journey of reading The Never List so unique for me was how many elements there were in it. Every single aspect present in this book had its twin, journeying along throughout. For example, for every lighthearted moment, there is dark and tense counterpart that exists as well. This renders the book very balanced with regard to all the creative elements that make it up, which in turn, makes the reader’s journey through this book so smooth.

From the moment the book begins, the tone is set and so is the voice of the main character. Both these elements are coloured by (as mentioned earlier with regard to the presence of dualities) notes of desperation, pain, humour, strength and daring. The best part was seeing these notes being sustained throughout the book despite the ever-changing scenarios. The Never List has one of the most even forms of narration that most readers will greatly enjoy.

Outside of the fact that The Never List was written in a way I can only compare to the even flow of water over jagged rocks, it is also fantastically immersive, emotional and smart. The author, I would say, has taken on a Herculean task because of the nature of the set-up in this book. There are five main characters, which means five times the number of introductions and establishment of each of their personalities, basic back-stories and inter-personal relationships. The author has chosen a really smart and interesting way to ensure that all characters share a balanced scene space in the book, even while making sure that everything we need to know about them is there without taking away from the underlying elements that are woven in and out through every page. I truly commend the author for writing every scene, every chapter to be just right, just enough and just what is needed.

To be unable to separate the writing—even in a review—from all the other elements that make up this book is a near exact representation of how they all work together like a well oiled machine.

This is one of those books that most readers would likely devour in one sitting (two, if and only if, they are interrupted). The pace in this book, is actually rather swift, however the nature of the tone in each scene makes the reader feel like they perceive a difference. A gentle moment feels drawn out, sweet, bringing a smile and a heart clench, while a tense moment is difficult, bringing forth fear and trepidation, pushing and pulling that moment to make it both last and fly by. The same way, an action filled moment absolutely sprints and causes your heart to race. The experience of that was so wonderful and quite … organic, and keeps the reader glued to the pages, never wanting to leave.

The world building in this book (which ties back to the writing again) might just be one of the most well-planned strategies I’ve seen—especially amongst books that exist within this genre. At least, in my opinion. The most powerful tool that can be used in any set up that features a completely new magic system and world is: one, to set up something familiar about it that the readers can depend on to recognise when new information is going to appear and two, repetition that’s done just right to ensure existing rules and elements are reinforced. The author has done a fantastic job of doing both! What aids the story greatly is also some of the fairly familiar establishments that feature in it; be it the clubs, the clothing and even some of the social system—with their own unique twists of course.

The characters in a book that focuses on the relationship between five of them are certainly the pillars holding the book up. I would say getting to know each of them (including the FMC) was closely tied to the world building. Not just does the reader understand each individual character, they also come to perceive the rules of the world and the many layers of the plot that the author has hidden underneath. I enjoyed spending time with each and every single character (save the few who were never meant to be liked anyway), be it the primary, secondary or tertiary characters and watching the existing relationships flourish, while new ones bloomed and found space for themselves. That was a large part of what happens in this book and while I would’ve loved to have read more about it, I could also understand that there was more to unfold that required scene space and focus.

The plot in this story remains quietly hidden behind all the larger more perceivable sub-plots, so much so that the most obvious plot twist moment is something you never see coming until it’s quite literally upon you. Any author that can still do that to readers is one that is likely going a long way, in my opinion. The last ten percent of this book races and leaves you reeling in the many things it does and doesn’t reveal.

My favourite part of any book is when there is a theme rooted in a social system or structure. I love seeing characters talk about it, seeing it being done in a way where it’s never overlooked and there is always a subtle undercurrent of change brewing. You can expect to see and feel that in The Never List. I’m so very curious to see where Presley is going to take this story. I suspect that the series will likely get more serious as it continues; but even if it doesn’t, wherever it may lead, I can see myself following.

I had a feeling before I began this book that I would enjoy it, I’m pleased to see I was right. The Never List was a solid 9.5 for me! Please do check trigger warnings as always, as there are themes in this book that can be difficult for some.

The Never List is available from Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Bookshop.org, and other good book retailers, like your local bookstore, as of April 8th 2025.

Will you be picking up The Never List? Tell us in the comments below!

Synopsis | Goodreads

The four princes of Lumathyst need a mate, and everyone wants a chance…except for her.

Threatened by invaders, the kingdom of Lumathyst is on the verge of chaos, and no one can stop it. Unless the four immortal god-princes find their fated mate―and safeguard the throne―Lumathyst will fall.

Five women have tried. Five have failed. And tonight in the royal city, the princes need to find their Chosen and hope she can survive the transformation that will make her immortal.

Only Rylee Gray wasn’t supposed to be here. She snuck in for her own dark reasons―and now they claim they’ve found their perfect match. Her. Of course, they have no idea she’s concealing a secret big enough to damn them all.

The four princes have no choice. They’ll use every delectably wicked skill they have to make Rylee fall for all of them…or watch their kingdom collapse.

The post Review: The Never List by Jade Presley appeared first on The Nerd Daily.

Hi, Jade! Can you tell our readers a bit about yourself?

Thank you so much for having me! I’m a romantasy author with a particular love of the why choose subgenre. I’m a Marvel & boardgame lover. Happily married mom of two with an Irish Wolfhound to round out our family. If I’m not writing, reading, or baking something, I’m walking my wolf or going on epic quests on game night.

When did you first discover your love for writing and stories?

I found out when I was eight years old. My second-grade teacher came into the classroom with a stack of blank hardback books and told us we could write a story about whatever we wanted. We crafted rough drafts on notebook paper, going through several rounds of edits before transferring the story to the hardback book. We even had a little event where we read our stories to an audience of our parents. I was hooked from then. From that moment on, whenever anyone asked me what I wanted to be when I grew up, I always responded with author. I fell hard and fast for the art of storytelling and I’ve never looked back.

Quick lightning round! Tell us:

• The first book you ever remember reading: Peter Rabbit by Beatrix Potter. It was a well-loved copy that belonged to my dad, dated back to the fifties. I still have it on my shelf.
• The one that made you want to become an author: The True Story of the Three Little Pigs by John Scieszka and Lane Smith. We read this just before my teacher gave us that story assignment. I remember being blown away by the retelling of a classic tale we all knew and loved. The fresh take on the well-known story only fueled my love of storytelling. I wrote several retellings of my own in my notebook afterward.
• The one that you can’t stop thinking about: I just finished Quicksilver by Callie Hart and it’s still living rent free in my head right now!

Your latest novel, The Never List, is out April 8^th! If you could only describe it in five words, what would they be?

Spicy romantasy with royal intrigue.

What can readers expect?

A spicy why choose romantasy that takes you into the royal lives of four chaotic princes who are desperate for a mate in order to secure their throne. An empowered female lead who will do anything to save her sister and her people, including make each of those princes fall for her, despite having a secret that could ruin them all.

Where did the inspiration for The Never List come from?

The original idea for The Never List came to me when a new project was on the books. I knew I wanted to write a steamy romantasy with an empowered female lead. I played with several ideas but couldn’t stop thinking about a royal event where every woman on the continent wants a chance to be selected as the four princes’ mate…except my main character. She’s against the royal authority for so many valid reasons, but she ends up being selected and must navigate a dangerous set of circumstances to stay alive. The plot exploded from there and I dove headfirst into writing it.

Were there any moments or characters you really enjoyed writing or exploring?

I loved writing The Never List, Rylee’s POV (my main character) in particular. She walked onto the page with her story in hand, demanding it be told. She has a lot going on in her life—deep friendships, grief, battling against Lumathyst’s social norms—and then to be thrown into the royal class with no warning and having to learn to navigate it to survive, made for some exciting scenes I loved to write. Not to mention her interaction with the four princes, who she thought she’d hate, was too much fun.

Did you face any challenges whilst writing? How did you overcome them?

I think with every why choose romance I write has a great deal of challenges. Navigating relationships with multiple love interests is a delicate balance. The key I found in The Never List was to ensure that each love interest got the space and time to develop a true connection with Rylee that could stand on its own outside of the group setting. There’s something special about building a group relationship, and when the individual connections are solid, then the group connections will be even better. Those definitely take time and you have to dig deep into each character to construct it, but they’re well worth it. I believe it gave a stronger edge to the group dynamic in the end, and I couldn’t be happier with how it turned out.

What’s next for you?

I’m working on the sequel to The Never List now! I’m having way too much fun peeling back even more layers from our princes of Lumathyst and I can’t wait for readers to uncover more!

Lastly, what books are you looking forward to picking up this year?

So many! I can’t wait for The Things Gods Break by Abigail Owen and Brimstone by Callie Hart!

Will you be picking up The Never List? Tell us in the comments below!

The post Q&A: Jade Presley, Author of ‘The Never List’ appeared first on The Nerd Daily.