Get ready to fall in love with The Best Man crew all over again—just in a whole new way.
Malcolm D. Lee, the mind behind the iconic rom-com franchise, is switching up the script and picking up the pen (literally). This summer, he’s bringing fans The Best Man: Unfinished Business, a novel continuation of the beloved series—marking the first time the story is told through the written word.
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The book, from Storehouse Voices, officially drops July 1 and is now available for preorder. It picks up right where The Best Man: The Final Chapters left off, and dives headfirst into the mess, magic, and midlife mayhem of our fictional friend group. And according to the press release, expect unconventional parenthood, mid-life crises, and yep, a second shot at love.
The title of the actual novel is a nod to the fictional novel Harper wrote in the 1999 film called Unfinished Business. Art imitating life? Or life imitating Harper Stewart?
Malcolm D. Lee teamed up with author Jayne Allen—best known for her hit novel Black Girls Must Die Exhausted—to bring this literary journey to life. And this isn’t a one-and-done. The duo is already cooking up two more books, slated to drop in 2026. So we’re in for a trilogy of drama, growth, and grown-folk love. Click here to pre-order the book.
Allen shared her excitement about breathing new life into the franchise:
“Opening a new avenue of immersive storytelling for this beloved franchise through the written word has been thrilling,” she told PEOPLE. “I’ve treasured this group of friends since The Best Man’s box office opening in 1999. I hope fans will love this fresh take on the well-known characters—especially seeing their voices sparkle just as brightly on the page as they do on screen.”
Let’s not forget how we got here. The original 1999 film introduced us to novelist Harper Stewart (Taye Diggs), whose college reunion for a wedding weekend turned into a whole storm of secrets, side-eyes, and simmering feelings. We met Lance (Morris Chestnut), Quentin (Terrence Howard), Julian (Harold Perrineau), and of course, the women who helped shape Harper’s heart—Jordan (Nia Long) and Robyn (Sanaa Lathan). The woman in between it all Mia (Monica Calhoun) and two very different women that have become scene stealers Candace (Regina Hall) and Shelby (Melissa DeSousa.
That was followed by 2013’s The Best Man Holiday, which had us laughing, crying, and calling our friends. And then in 2022, Peacock gave us the eight-part limited series The Best Man: The Final Chapters, wrapping things up—or so we thought.
Turns out, there’s still more story to tell.
Taye Diggs is just as surprised (and thrilled) as the rest of us.
“When you’re as close to the characters as I have been, you think you can predict what’s coming around the corner,” he said in a press release. “But this kept even me on the edge of my seat.”
He called the novel “emotionally engrossing, seductive, and impossible to put down,” adding:
“From a second-chance romance to wrestling with heartbreak and purpose, Malcolm and Jayne have given the best men and women new life. It’s the perfect summer read, full of heat!”
Morris Chestnut also chimed in on how wild the journey has been since first meeting these characters 25 years ago:
“No way did I think they’d have the longevity they’ve had,” he said. “But Malcolm Lee keeps elevating the storytelling. Unfinished Business is the characters you love like you’ve never seen them before. You’ll laugh, you might cry—so read this one with your crew. A must-read for new and old fans alike. You’ll keep wanting more.”
And honestly? Same.
Whether you’ve been rocking with the crew since the late ’90s or just joined the party with the Peacock series, The Best Man: Unfinished Business is set to deliver drama, heart, and the type of soul-searching only Harper and the gang can deliver.
July can’t come fast enough.