I love a good celebrity romance book, and I've been working on reading some of the Book of the Month books that I have sitting around, and this one seemed like it was going to be a good time. In this book, we have a second chance romance between costars reuniting to film a finale to the show they grew up on. It was an okay book. But, it didn't live up to my expectations because I was looking for a light, fun book centered around mixed media. This one left me wanting more from this world, and that might be because it felt like it took me forever to read it, and I didn't get the payoff for it. But, overall, it wasn't a bad book. But it just might not be for me. 

Sweetly romantic and with so many fun parallels to actual streaming services or social media platforms, I highly recommend THE REUNION to anyone who wants to variously live the Hollywood dream!

Child stars Liv and Ransom were the best of friends through six years of a successful coming-of-age TV show, but their friendship (and any possibility of more) imploded during their world tour. Now, fourteen years and diverse film careers later, they’re back for a reunion special of their show. Clever, romantic, and entertaining, with inserts of gossip blog articles and comment sections from live streams, THE REUNION is a quick read with tons of heart!

This wasn't for me. I do like cheesy romances very much, but I think I prefer them more grounded and relatable. I think if you're looking to escape into the world of very rich celebrities and having their outfits and food described to you in present tense first person, you will love this. The writing is not bad and the characters have just enough substance to root for. 

Out January 17, 2023! [Thank you to the author for providing me with an ARC as part of a giveaway win!]

Rating: 4.5/5 stars

Liv Latimer was once the star of the biggest teen drama on television—and best friends with her co-star and on-screen love interest, Ransom Joel. Twenty years later, the show is reuniting, and Liv and Ransom (who have barely spoken in over a decade) are about to reunite as well.

This was my first read of 2023, and what an amazing start to the year it was!!!! I heard from a lot of trusted friends that this book was adorable and fun, and they did not let me down. The Reunion is fast-paced, funny, and heartwarming in all the best ways.

I’m a sucker for anything that involves Hollywood, and I desperately wanted the fictional TV series that is the center of this book to be a real one so I could watch it—I felt so close to the characters and the actors who played them, and I just really want to see them in the flesh. The chapters are also interspersed with fictional news clippings and fan reactions, a touch I always adore and really appreciated here. And, perhaps most importantly for a rom-com, I adored the male lead, Ransom, and his relationship with Liv was so sweet and wholesome and delightful to watch play out.

I did wish at times that a few of the supporting characters had more time on the page (because I loved them) and there are already so many spin-offs/companion novels I’d love to see happen in this universe—most importantly Bre and Ford’s story, which I think could be absolutely exceptional and play with a lot of fun tropes and themes! Regardless, I’ll definitely be reading whatever Kayla writes in the future, and if you enjoy romances, I strongly recommend you do the same.

Recommended to anyone, but especially if you like: Hollywood rom-coms; friends to lovers; second chance romance

CW: Death of a parent; mentions of infidelity.