A review by paiges_on_pages
The Reunion by Kayla Olson

emotional funny reflective medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? It's complicated
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? No

5.0

Is it possible to have already read the best release of 2023 barely three weeks into the year? If so, Kayla Olson’s newest novel, The Reunion, might be the one! 

Liv Latimer grew up starring in the hit television series Girl on the Verge, but so much has changed in the past twenty years since the show’s premiere. Liv has dealt with grief, rediscovering her passion, and having to part ways with her former best friend and costar, Ransom Joel. Fourteen years after the series finale and deciding to take a step back from their close friendship, the show is planning a big reunion special and a potential reboot, which means going all the way back to the beginning. Liv is having the time of her life seeing old collaborators and reconnecting with Ransom, but old spats and crushes keep bubbling back up from the surface! Is going back to basics the best decision for her, or is it time to walk away for good and pursue new connections?

This book is IMPOSSIBLE to put down, and it’s clear how well the new Celebrity Romance trope shines! This is the novel for anyone who watched all of the teen dramas in the mid 2000s and was living their best life when Netflix decided to reboot everything under the sun. The main shift in Liv and Ransom’s attraction for one another was sudden at first, but since the reader is rooting for them from page one, it’s extremely forgivable. 

My personal favorite segments were the tabloids in between the chapters! They were a fun reminder of how their relationships and work drama was perceived by their fans. 

This is a romance I’ll be recommending all year long! Many thanks to NetGalley and Atria Books for the complimentary copy in exchange for an honest review.

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