The Naysayers
A Novel
Will be published approx. on 13. January 2026
Book
Paperback/Softback
331 pages
978-1-6625-3518-5 (ISBN)
Description
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 choice: keep crushing dreams for a paycheck, or risk everything for their own fairy tale. Who knew professional pessimists could be such hopeless romantics?
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 choice: keep crushing dreams for a paycheck, or risk everything for their own fairy tale. Who knew professional pessimists could be such hopeless romantics?
Reviews / Votes
Praise for The Naysayers"What if your inner (negative) monologue wasn't just you being hard on yourself, but an entire secret organization that exists to cause misery and heartache? That's the fascinating premise at the heart of The Naysayers, but it's so much more than that! Funny, touching, an exploration about how your family's expectations can disrupt the life you should be living, and how love is a way through all of it, don't ignore the little voice in your head telling you to read this immediately!" -Catherine Mack, USA Today bestselling author of Every Time I Go on Vacation, Someone Dies
"This satirical send-up of self-doubt and imposter syndrome had me cackling and nodding my head in recognition. Come for the witty banter, clever premise, and sweet romance-stay for the deeper and timely truths about empathy and humanity." -Colleen Oakley, USA Today bestselling author
"Wickedly clever and refreshingly original, The Naysayers is everything we've come to love from Liz Fenton and Lisa Steinke-sharp, funny, and bursting with heart. With a premise that's as imaginative as it is insightful, this story of professional pessimists falling helplessly in love is the perfect blend of satire and swoon. I laughed, I rooted, I raced to the end. You'll want to shout from the rooftops about this one-just don't let HR hear you." -Julie Clark, New York Times bestselling author
"This is the Liz and Lisa novel we've all been waiting for! The Naysayers is a gift to anyone who has struggled with self-doubt (and who hasn't?). Bursting with adventure and romance, this fresh and funny story proves that love has the power to silence even the harshest inner critic and help us discover who we're truly meant to be." -Ali Brady, USA Today bestselling author of Battle of the Bookstores
More details
Language
English
Place of publication
Seattle
United States
Publishing group
Amazon Publishing
Product notice
Paperback (trade)
Dimensions
Height: 139 mm
Width: 214 mm
Thickness: 23 mm
Weight
344 gr
ISBN-13
978-1-6625-3518-5 (9781662535185)
Copyright in bibliographic data and cover images is held by Nielsen Book Services Limited or by the publishers or by their respective licensors: all rights reserved.
Schweitzer Classification
Persons
Liz Fenton and Lisa Steinke have been best friends for over thirty-five years and survived high school and college together. They've coauthored nine novels, including The Good Widow, which is an Amazon charts bestseller, and Forever Hold Your Peace, which is optioned for film. They both reside with their families and several rescue dogs in San Diego, California.