A harrowing account of the life of TV stars, this book really made me think about actors’ lives after the cameras are turned off. Ivy is a young woman whose one desire is to “make it” in the acting world so she can support her mom after her mom has supported her all of these years. This book is a quick read and was very eye opening!!!

I love books set in Hollywood and bonus points if they take a look at the dark side of the industry and not only did this one do that, it did it in a very unique and intriguing way. It flips back and forth between present day as Ivy prepares for the TV reunion and the past when she was a budding actress and getting her first break on the set of Hello Juliet. Both timelines were engaging, in the past you’re trying to figure out where it all went wrong and in the present there’s an interesting murder mystery. I think that’s all you should know about the plot but it’s very well executed and the reveals and secrets were pretty damn shocking and surprising. Definitely a solid thriller that I recommend!

This was a great story that kept me up all night. If you like fast paced stories filled with some unexpected twists then this book is for you.

Many thanks for my gifted copy, My full review will be shared @coffee.break.book.reviews closer to publication day.

Thank you to my partners, Thriller Book Lovers The Pulse and NetGalley, and the author. I appreciate the gifted eARC! I am leaving this review voluntarily!

1. 𝐓𝐞𝐞𝐧 𝐃𝐫𝐚𝐦𝐚𝐬 • I think everyone grows up watching some teen drama that captures their attention. The look into the real lives intertwined with their acting lives gives this thriller an extra semblance of intrigue.

2. 𝐃𝐮𝐚𝐥 𝐓𝐢𝐦𝐞𝐥𝐢𝐧𝐞 • I loved the way the timelines mirrored each other. When the past and present finally collide, the result was just what the reader needed to bring the story to a close.

3. 𝐀 𝐒𝐭𝐫𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐨𝐟 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐆𝐮𝐢𝐥𝐭𝐲 • Ivy finds herself trying to figure out who she can trust in every aspect of this story. And it doesn’t fully come to a close until the last page turns. The story is shrouded in mystery!

4. 𝐒𝐭𝐫𝐚𝐧𝐠𝐞 𝐓𝐡𝐢𝐧𝐠𝐬 𝐚𝐫𝐞 𝐀𝐟𝐨𝐨𝐭 • Just when you think there is a character that is a truly genuine and kind person, things begin to unravel and so many questions abound! Just a bit of whiplash sprinkled in!

5. 𝐒𝐞𝐭𝐭𝐥𝐢𝐧𝐠 • So many lives are destroyed at the hands of one person and Ivy will deal with the fallout every day of her life. Some do not make it out alive, some find themselves paying for their crimes, and some find a way to keep living.

Hello, Juliet is a dual timeline, fast
-paced thriller set in the glamorous and cut throat world of teenage television dramas. I was fascinated all the way through. The twists were superb. There was one loose end I didn’t believe tied up, so I gave it four stars but it was definitely a great book.

Hello, Juliet- Samantha M. Bailey
Pub Date- 4/29/25
Rating - 3.5/5 rounded up to 4
Thoughts - Thank you to Netgalley and Thomas & Mercer for this gifted advanced reader copy in exchange for my honest review. The premise of this book looked very interesting - young adults, Hollywood, and murder all come together so well in this new book by Samantha Bailey. Ivy Westcott returns to Hollywood after 5 years after the end of a hit young adult series called Hello, Juliet. Ivy lost her closest friends, her acting career, and so much more all those years ago. She comes back to LA at the request of her director, Mack, who wants to film a reunion with all the cast members. Little did Ivy know, she is stepping into a murder of her best friend.

I really liked the flip between past and present, divulging more and more information to the reader as the story progresses. Normally YA stories put me off since I can't relate, and while this one had certain parts where I rolled my eyes, overall, I was impressed. The ending is what sold this book to me - I was not expecting it to end the way it did, and I thought I had it figured out for sure. Definitely pick this one up April 29 for a fun ride through Hollywood!

For some reason, this is my first Bailey book. Now I get the hype! This was as addictive as chocolate! I flew through it! Anything with fame/celebrities always gets me hooked. When this started off, I thought I knew where it was going, and I thought it was pretty *predictable* but I was SO wrong, and I loved it. Booksta peeps don’t usually steer me wrong, and I knew that this was going to be wild. It was darker than I expected, which was a surprise. Now I better bump up those Bailey books I have on my shelf because I need more ASAP! Thank you @netgalley for my advance copy!

Thank you so much to Thomas & Mercer for the gifted book!

As far as the story goes, it was very fast and entertaining! I was shocked by the ending! Even though the middle dragged for me at certain points, the twists in the ending made up for it.

I did find most of the characters to be pretty insufferable, but I think that was the point- LOL!

Overall, a fun and quick read but not very memorable!

3.5 rounded up for GR

What is it about reunions? In this case, it's a reunion of the stars of Hello, Juliet, a drama about teens and Ivy, who left Hollywood, decides to join in because she can use the money but one of the other cast member is murdered and she becomes a suspect. This moves back and forth between the show and the present to tell a tale of envy and anger, among others things, that lingers. There are some good twists and (if you've watched these sorts of shows) a few chuckles. Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC. Would make a good travel or vacation read.

I loved that this book takes place in Hollywood and you get to see what happened 10 years ago on the show and present. I loved the alternating time lines, it made me fly through the book. It’s definitely a fast paced, edge of your seat, entertaining thriller. I would definitely recommend!

loved this romance and finding love and remembering love before the one. love the friends and the chemistry between the couple was on fire and loved the banter. and trying to solve a murder

Ivy Westcott played famous the famous star and namesake of popular series Hello, Juliet but tragedy hit and caused Hollywood and fans to turn from her. Now she’s been called to a reunion but it starts with a dead costar.

If you enjoy behind the scene Hollywood stories, give this one a try. Personally I had a hard time connecting with the main character and it was difficult for me to tell the past from the present, but there was a good mystery behind the story. My favorite past was the paparazzi, TMZ like articles that represented the public commentary at the time.

“I chose that life the moment I auditioned for Juliet Jones and lost myself.”

Hello, Juliet comes out 4/29.

I’m always a sucker for a Hollywood story and this delivered on every count! As a kid who grew up on The OC and in the era of the teen drama, Hello, Juliet was absolutely a winner and I'd recommend this fun thriller to anyone who ever loved their teen drama stars!

This was such a fun read! Hello Juliet flips from the past, to the present to different types of media surrounding the story itself. I honestly can’t pick which timeline I enjoyed more.

After loving Bailey’s debut but disliking her last two books I was hesitant to read this but I’m so glad I did. More of a 4.5 but I can’t round it down when being surprised at the ending (apparently ignoring any breadcrumbs Bailey left)

Highly recommend this soapy mystery is added to your TBR when it comes out on April 29. Thank you to NetGalley and Thomas & Mercer for this advanced copy of Hello Juliet. All opinions in this review are my own.

SYNOPSIS
- Ten years ago, Ivy Westcott was the breakout star of Hello, Juliet, a hit teen drama—until scandal blew up her career and shattered her inner circle.
- Now, she’s back for a top-secret reunion episode—broke, desperate, and still searching for the truth about what really happened.
- But when one of her former co-stars turns up dead, Ivy’s forced to dig into old betrayals while staying alive in the middle of a twisted Hollywood whodunit.

MY THOUGHTS
- Told in dual timelines (past & present), which kept things moving and added layers to Ivy’s story.
- Everything is from Ivy’s POV, which worked really well—she’s flawed but likable, and you’re totally rooting for her.
- The short chapters made it super bingeable—I flew through this in basically one sitting.
- Loved the mix of traditional narrative with fake media snippets (tabloid articles, social posts, interviews, etc.). It made the Hollywood world feel so real.
- This book has it all—twists, lies, backstabbing, murder. And just when I thought I figured it out? Nope.
- The “who can you trust?” tension is real. I changed my mind about every single character at least twice.
- The ending? Totally satisfying. Wrapped up the main mystery in a way that felt earned, but didn’t tie every bow too perfectly.

TL;DR: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️Dark Hollywood vibes meets teen drama reunion with a murder twist. If you like messy friendships, unreliable characters, and stories about fame gone wrong, this one’s for you.

THANKS: Thanks to Thomas & Mercer and Netgalley for this digital ARC in exchange for an honest review. This book will be published on April 29, 2025.

This book follows Ivy Westcott in a current timeline and a past timeline. She was once given an acting job in a teen drama that ended and now is coming back for a reunion. After finding a dead body we see both timelines of past and present as we try to solve the murder. I liked the way this was written with getting little clues in both times that lead you to the end. I didn’t guess the ending and thought it was done well. Loved ivy as a character and her strength throughout the book. Overall a good read.

I may have read a different book than everyone else based on reviews.

Ivy Westcott is thrust into fame when she lands the lead role in an upcoming teen drama, but things end tragically and the friendships and relationships she made on the series collapse, and all that is left is hashtag PiosinIvy.

Present day, Ivy goes to attend a secret taping of a reunion show, when her ex best friend and fellow cast mate is found dead. Who killed Lauren, and was Ivy the true intended victim? A look into the life of a Hollywood starlet, the glitz, the glam and all of the secrets.

Ivy was flat, flatter than flat, she had no depth or character to her. Her supporting cast were no better. The overall plot was intriguing, but the path to get there was messy at best.

Hello, Juliet is part murder mystery, part Hollywood drama, and it totally sucked me in. The story flips between the cast’s teenage TV drama days and a reunion years later, and both timelines were equally messy in the best way.

Ivy was an interesting main character and I loved the little touches like fake gossip articles and social media posts. It made it feel even more real and relevant to today’s world

If you’re into stories with drama, secrets, and a little murder on the side, this is a solid pick.

I didn’t like the main character Ivy and that made it tough to like the story. I did enjoy the mix of past and present timelines and the narrator did a good job.

📚: Hello, Juliet by Samantha M. Bailey
⭐️: 3.5/5 (rounding down on #goodreads)

Hello, Juliet, a soapy teen drama from the 2000s could slot right next to Gossip Girl, Dawson’s Creek, or The OC. With a cast bringing just as much drama in real life, it was no surprise when its star, Ivy Westcott leaves LA after a particularly devastating fight with her costars.

A decade later when she’s asked to take part in a top secret reunion, she reluctantly agrees, only to find her former best friend and costar, Lauren, dead. Who’s behind Lauren’s death, and what really happened all those years ago?

This book hooked me early - I love a read that has a dose of 2000s nostalgia. The mixed media does a great job of narrating the past, and calls back to the US Weekly era so well. That said, the ending came across flat, with a rushed reveal that feels thrown together.

Thanks to Thomas & Mercer via @netgalley for the digital ARC in exchange for an honest review. Hello, Juliet is out on 4/29.