I really enjoyed this!! It was super cute and while I was at work I was waiting to come home and read it lol. I loved all the characters… now we just need Bre and Ford’s book!!

I'm a sucker for celeb romance and The Reunion is definitely one that needs to be on your radar!

WHAT I LIKED:
- the characters, especially Bre and Ford
- Ransom is a love boat and I kept picturing Justin Baldoni and I ain't even mad about it
- Liv gave me Emma Stone vibes -- super relaxed and relatable.
- that you saw the characters as REAL people and not the famous actors that they are
- super sweet childhood friends to lovers, second chance romance
- between chapters, there are news or gossip articles
- gave me Wibbroka vibes
- I couldn't put it down and read the last 40% in one sitting
- Ransom & Liv's relationship was super sweet, adorable and gave me alllll the feels. esp when Olson describes how Ransom is looking at Liv. heart eyes for days.

I really, really hope there is a companion sequel featuring Bre and Ford bc the only thing that I didn't really love was that we didn't get more of them. GIMME MORE.


Thank you to Atria for gifting me an e-ARC of this free to review! Def keep this on your radars for its release on January 17!

Thank you to NetGalley, Atria Books, and Ms. Olson for the opportunity to read an ARC of this title. An honest review was requested but not required.

Liv and Ransom and their former costars (television-family and friends) are all reunited for a reunion special of the TV show they starred in (and which ended) 14 years ago. Liv is practically a recluse: she has acted since then, but only in indie projects, and values her privacy over everything. In contrast, Ransom has become a bona fide action movie star and his name is everywhere. When thrown back into proximity on-set, Liv and Ransom almost immediately kindle the chemistry that was abruptly ended 14 years before when Ransom asked for a step back to their 'friendship'.

I was not a big connoisseur of teen tv as a child: Boy Meets World, I remember seeing a couple of times, and Full House also, but One Tree Hill and Dawsons Creek and Gilmore Girls and iCarly and those sorts of shows weren't really on my radar. Nonetheless, Liv's world as a former teenage tv star is fully realized. I can completely understand the comments that her romance with former costar Ransom seems abrupt (or even instant) when they come back into contact, but there were so many years of chemistry, friendship, inside jokes, secrets, physical awareness, etc that to me her rekindling of that spark with Ransom reminded me of that friend you can be parted with for years and then reconnect with as though no time had passed. Granted, 14 years is... a LONG time. That's the only thing that didn't really feel satisfactory, although it was explained.

I really liked that Liv made the decision she needed to for herself, not for others, and I finished the book feeling pretty good about it. I'll say this: it was compulsively readable and I was flipping pages long after I should have been in bed. I would absolutely be up for reading about Ford and Bre, which seemed like it could be a pretty darn good story as well.

This was a great book to start the New Year off with 👌🤩

First, I want to thank Atria and Kayla Olson for an ARC of this book, which is releasing soon on January 17th! This was a childhood best friends to lost friendship to second-chance romance story that I definitely enjoyed.

Random and Liv were teenage stars of a super popular teen show and became best friends during the six years they filmed together, but after the show wrapped 14 years ago their friendship died with it.

Now, there’s a 20th anniversary reunion special being filmed, and Liv and Ransom (as well as their feelings for each other) are reunited!

I liked this book and would definitely recommend reading it. It’s fun and includes gossip columns between every chapter about the celebrity duo, which was unique 💛

This book was so cute and charming, I loved the premise. It fell flat in some places but I overall quite enjoyed it.

The Reunion by Kayla Olson was a fun Hollywood second chance romance but I felt that the characters lacked depth.

Liv Latimer and Ransom Joel are back, 14 years later, for the reboot of the show they basically grew up starring in. Liv is nervous about being in the spotlight again with the pressure of an entire fandom, the press, and social media. She's also nervous about reconnecting with her former co-star and former best friend, who she always had romantic feelings for, Ransom. As soon as Liv and Ransom meet again, it's like they were never apart, easily falling back into their friendship and something more. Meanwhile, there is drama around every turn as they film the reboot.

Kayla Olson has some great descriptions of setting but, sadly, her characters fell flat for me. The only full fleshed out character was Liv. Ransom, as a character, lacked emotional depth which made it kind of difficult to cheer for the relationship. There were a couple of moments where I got butterflies, but the tension and emotional connection felt a bit forced. The secondary characters didn't add the kind of value or drama that I was hoping for and mainly stayed on the periphery of the story, with the exception of Ford. I would read a whole book about Ford.

The story is told in Liv's POV, primarily, but there are gossip column articles in almost every chapter. Some of those felt unnecessary to the story and I just skimmed them. It seems like they were doing the heavy lifting of building out character development for the secondary characters. This is also a closed door or fade to black romance, which I didn't mind.

Overall, I liked The Reunion. I thought it was fun and had a good pace.

After 20 years, the cast for the hit show, Girl on the Verge, is getting together for a reunion episode. Liv, who played the main character, has not seen her best friend and co-star Ramson in a long time and when the two are finally in close proximity again, sparks quickly resurface and Liv realizes she has some big decisions to make.

This was a fun, light read that gave a glimpse into Hollywood and what it’s like filming a tv show. I love how there was a tabloid, social media post or news article at the start of each chapter that shared gossip not only about Liv and Ramson, but the entire cast and production team. This helped the secondary characters feel well-developed without having chapters from their POVs. With regards to the romance, a second chance love story is one of my favorite tropes, and I really enjoyed the development of Liv and Ramson’s relationship, the witty banter and undeniable chemistry, even though it was completed closed door. I will say I wasn’t a fan of the third act break up and wish there wasn’t so much miscommunication, but it was still such a strong debut.

I listened to the audiobook and Andi Arndt’s narration never fails to amaze me. She was animated, engaging, and her voice definitely helped me binge this book!!

Read if you like:
-Friends to lovers
-Reunion TV episodes
-Hollywood drama/ tabloids
-Closed door romances
-How to Fake it in Hollywood and Built to Last

Thank you Simon Audio for the free audiobook.

I really enjoyed this romance, it was a hard one to put down! It felt like the perfect mix of How To Fake It In Hollywood and Built to Last, which were two of my favorite reads last year. The Hollywood vibes and the costars falling for each other aspects were so cute and I was definitely rooting for them from the start. I loved the news/social media articles throughout, they really brought a lot to the story and it made it feel like we were following the love story of a real celebrity couple. I would have liked to see more of a slower burn with the reconnection between Liv and Ransom rather than this sort of insta-love feeling after not seeing each other for over a decade and no communication after the show wrapped. It was a bit hard to believe that they would just be able to slip back into the way they were before as they were so young at that time and people can change and grow so much during adulthood. Despite that, I thought the tension and chemistry between the characters was good. A little more steam would have been great, but I overall it was a solid romance read for me!

Short Synopsis:
Liv and Ransom were teenage co-stars in a hit series. It’s over a decade later and they are back for a reunion episode. The catch? Liv has always been in love with Ransom.

My Thoughts:
If you’ve been following a long for awhile now, you know I’m a sucker for celebrity romances AND second-chance romance, so this one hit all the spots.
This was fun, and light and made me smile. I loved all the news articles sprinkled in - it made it feel like I was reading about a real Hollywood show/couple.

Twenty years after the premiere of iconic teen show Girl on the Verge, the cast is brought together for a reunion special. Not only is former teen star Liv Latimer forced back into the burning hot spotlight that she hid from for so long, but she must also reunite with the costar and best friend that she was previously in love with, Ransom Joel. This return to the past gives Liv a second chance at relationships, career decisions, and happiness.

The Reunion is perfect for readers who love show business as a backdrop for romance. It was fun to see behind the scenes of a big pop culture moment, albeit fictional, and to dwell in this world of glamour and romance. As someone who is a huge fan of film and TV (especially comfort TV), those aspects of the story were my favorite. The romance was heartwarming and sweet, and the characters were lovable.

My only criticism would be that the story isn’t as immersive as I would have liked. So much of it is told through public events, the work that characters do, and social media, so it felt as if there weren’t enough scenes where we spend time with the main characters falling in love. This made the romance feel too fast. Otherwise, this is a fun, comfy read for fans of show business and second chance romance!

Thank you to Atria Books and NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review!

Fell in love with this book! I love a good movie-ish romance. I was also super excited to see it was a BOTM pick!

I absolutely love second chance romance, but this did not suck me in. It may be the mood I’m in but I just wasn’t feeling this story. I found it hard to get invested in the story and it was just falling flat for me. I also am not one for all the extra commentary/news headlines/text conversations that we got every chapter. I can see how people would love this book, so definitely give it a chance if you like Hollywood romance. I ended up DNFing at a 40%

Thank you NetGalley and Atria Books for this ebook!

🎥BOOK REVIEW🎥

The Reunion by Kayla Olson
Rating: 4.5 ⭐️

“When two former teen stars reconnect at the reunion for their hit TV show, they discover their feelings for one another were not merely scripted in this charming and heartwarming novel perfect for fans of Christina Lauren and Sally Thorne.”

I wasn’t convinced I was going to love a celebrity romance story, but I loved Liv’s character so much! Liv, once a child star in a hit show, has taken a huge step back from her celebrity and is being pulled back in by a 20-year reunion special. Her self-reflection and relationship with her celebrity was my favorite part of the book. Liv has unresolved and (in her mind) unrequited feelings for her costar and ex-best friend, Ransom. Little died she know, he may have been feeling the same way about her. Their chemistry was great and I loved them together!

I loved that half of the chapters were written like a gossip column! It presented relevant information on the characters, while making it interesting and not an info dump!

Recommend if you like:
🎥Celebrity romance
🎥Childhood friends-to-lovers
🎥Slow burn
🎥Closed door romance
🎥90’s/00’s TV nostalgia

Publish date: January 17, 2023

Thank you to @netgalley, @atriabooks and the author for the ARC!

#thereunion #botm #kaylaolson #bookreview #arcreview #bookstagram #books #bookish #kindlepaperwhite #bookishreview #botmreview #bookstack #bookshelf #2023readingchallenge #goodreadschallenge

Agh, this premise! I am here for a behind-the-scenes Hollywood romance all the way and this one delivers! It reminded me of Jen Calonita's Secrets of My Hollywood Life, in the best possible way.

Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for a review!
The Reunion is a romance novel that follows Liv and Ransom who starred in the hit show Girl on the Verge in their teenage years. They were best friends until the end of the show when they decided to go their separate ways. Now it's been 20 years since the show first aired and they are going to see each other again for the reunion episode. Liv only wonders if she can push down her past feelings towards Ransom and get through being in the spotlight again.
I have to say that I had high hopes for this book and it definitely did not disappoint! I loved that we got a second chance at romance for Liv and Ransom while also getting to see the ins and outs of the reunion episode being filmed and the impacts it has on the characters. While I would have liked to see more of Liv and Ransom together, I liked that the story was equally balanced between romance and plot. Also, can we talk about the nostalgia of this story! The vibes of growing up with a favorite show and then seeing the characters come together all grown up for a reunion were so fun to see. I liked that between every chapter we had news/tabloid articles and comments to see what was happening in the story from an outside perspective. I also loved when we were able to directly read the script for the reunion episode because it added more levels to the story. All of that came together and reminded me of how I felt reading Taylor Jenkins Reid's novels like Evelyn Hugo, Daisy Jones, and Carrie Soto. While this novel is distinctly different from those, they gave me similar feelings of being emotionally invested and wanting to see these characters in real life. I just want to watch Girl on the Verge and eat popcorn with the rest of this fictional world! Lastly, I want to touch on how much I loved Liv's character. The way her life directly paralleled her character Honor, was fantastic. Liv always talked about how much fans look up to and cherish Honor so it was great to see her doing the same (especially in the final scene she filmed). Overall, I absolutely loved this book and definitely recommend it if you are looking for a new romance read!

A sweet, second chance romance full of Hollywood glitz and glam!

When Liv and Ransom met on the set of breakout TV series Girl on The Verge as teenagers, they quickly became best friends who fell for each other hard and fast. Neither one would cop to their feelings, so ultimately they drifted apart when the show wrapped. Fast forward twenty years and Girl on The Verge is getting a reboot starring Liv and Ransom alongside one another yet again. Neither has stopped thinking about the other since the show wrapped all those years ago. Will they take the second chance at love they've been offered or will they deny those feelings yet again?

A romance between two teen stars given a second chance when their hit TV series gets a reboot? YES PLEASE. Fans of Girl Meets World, buckle up! This was a super sweet romance, so if you're looking for spice - this isn't it. However, the chemistry was definitely palpable between Liv and Ransom. There were gossip blasts between chapters that were giving a mix between Gossip Girl and Perez Hilton which I thought were a cute addition. I liked getting a peek at how the world viewed the two stars through the blasts while simultaneously getting the intimate details of their lives through the chapters. When Liv and Ransom see one another again, it felt really insta-love which I did like considering they'd been pining after one another for so long. However, I wouldn't have minded to see a little angst there too. Overall, this was a sweet read that I'd recommend for fans of rom-coms, second chance romances, and pop culture fans!

*I received a free ARC of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review*

This book was an excellent take on some classic tropes. I really enjoyed the character development, and the development of their relationship. The side characters were also excellent, and fully-formed. I enjoyed the plot and the writing, and overall I would definitely recommend this book!

My only complaint is that the fade-to-black was very clumsy. I don't have a problem with FTB, but I like it to feel like a complete moment. In this book, it felt rushed and like an afterthought. I either needed no FTB or a more robust FTB. This is, of course, my own opinion and I don't think that should sway you from picking up this title when it releases!

This is one of those reads where it would be considered a popcorn book. It wasn’t amazing but it had it’s moments and made for a good read where you don’t have to think much about it.

The book is told from one point-of-view and it comes from Liv Latimer. She was a child actress who retreated from the spotlight after the death of her father. I couldn’t imagine losing someone so close and then having paparazzi in your face about your feelings. I understood a lot of her choices. She was doing what was best for her mental health and that is something a lot of people have a hard time with.

A lot of the other characters felt very surface level, even Liz at times. I didn’t feel a grand connection to them outside of what I mentioned about the main character. Because of this, the romance felt lacking. There wasn’t a big connection between them besides what was in the past that never happened and they remained with those feelings their whole lives. It felt like everything we got from them was mostly past experiences and not enough “in the moment”. I just wish it hasn’t been so insta-love when it came to their second chance. They did at least have some cute moments together.

The format of the book includes articles and social media comments to pull everything together when it comes to celebrities and being in the spotlight. I thought they were a nice touch and always like seeing other formats of writing included.

Overall, this was a cute read but it also felt lacking in some areas.

There are so many shows that I loved growing up and was totally bummed when they ended. Party of Five, Dawson’s Creek, My So Called Life, the list goes on and on and I would love to see where those characters are now. The Reunion explores that premise and I was so excited to read about a group of stars from a popular teen drama Girl on the Verge reuniting for a 20 year reunion episode and a possible show reboot! This is my first Kayla Olsen read and I liked it. I enjoyed that each chapter opened with blurbs and articles from social media and I’m a sucker for slow burn, friends to lovers romances. Some of the story was a bit slow at times but overall a fun, light read that gave a glimpse into Hollywood and what it’s like filming a tv show. If you enjoyed How to Fake it in Hollywood by Ava Wilder I think you’ll enjoy this book

Thank you @netgalley and @atriabooks for the early copy

3.85 stars

This one started off really fun. The premise immediately sounded really intriging to me and I really liked how the author set things up in the beginning of the book. I especially liked the inclussion of articles from gossip blogs. It really brought this world to live and I really liked what they ended up adding to the story. That's kind of where the positive things end for me. I really did not like the romance. I thought it was completely underdeveloped and just hinged on the fact that "I've always loved him". That's it. That's not enough to get me to root for the relationship. Especially not because it's been 14 years since they last talked and therefore A LOT has changed and we never actually get to see their friendship/relationship in the past. On top of that we have a third act conflict that convinces me more that these two should not be together than this book ever managed to do otherwise. So yeah, that was dissapointing. On top of that the main character felt very hypocritical and the way a certain storyline with Sasha-Kate was handled almost made me rage quit. In conclusion, I wanted to love this and even had a fun enough time reading it at some moments to not completely hate it but I was not a fan of this book.