There is SO much to unpack in Elyssa Friedland’s newest novel, THE MOST LIKELY CLUB.

This contemporary women’s lit gave me Are We There Yet? vibes, for those of you that have delved into the school scene.

THE MOST LIKELY CLUB revolves around 4 diverse friends who are upon their high school 25th reunion. While there were comical moments I was literally laughing out loud, there is TRULY a lot to unpack with this novel.

At times these women (ranging from a chef to the PTA president, a high ranking doctor to the inventor of a billion dollar makeup app) exuded a life of privilege even in the midst of their diversity and was an interesting way of looking at their struggles.

I think what hit me the hardest was Melissa’s insight into the dissolution of her marriage. It is seriously one of the hardest things for me to read. My heart was just shredded for her.

The premise of the novel is provoked by a walk down memory lane by these 4 friends- a look back on their Senior Superlatives and introspectively looking at whether they’d exceeded their superlatives or not. The desperation with which characters wanted this recognition was palpable and so connected to times in high school.

I enjoyed the women rallying around each other for those difficult moments and it was beautiful how Suki supported her friends, without them even knowing.

The novel covers topics from the #metoo movement to divorce and abandonment, medical scares and bullying, so tread lightly if you need to for these topics.

If you’re in a book club there is SO MUCH to talk about in this novel- it would make for GREAT discussions!

Thank you to @Berkleypub for my copy of this novel and @berittalksbooks for the best discussions as always!

In 19977, grunge is king, Titianic is a blockbuster ( and Blockbuster still exsists), and Thursday nights are for Friends. In Bellport, CT four best friends and high school seniors are ready to light the world on fire. Melissa Levin, Priya Chowdhury, Tara Taylor and Suki Hammer are going place. Their yearbook superlatives confirm it; Most liklye to win the White Hours, Cure Cancer, Open a Michelin-Starred Restaurant and Join the Forbes 400.

Fast foward twenty-five years and nothing has gone accoridng to plan as the women regroup at their dreaded high school reunion. When a forgotten classmate emerges at the reunion with a surprising annoucment, the friends dig out the yearbook and re-think their younger selves. Is it too late to make their dreams come true? Fueled by nostalgia and one too many drinks, they form a pact to push through their middle-aged angst to bring their teenage aspirations and goals to fruition, dubbing themsleves "The Most Likely Girls".

Through ensuring highs and lows, they are reminded of the enduring bonds of friendship, the ways our childhood dreams both sustain and surprise us and why its deeply uncool to peak in high school. As a newly 40 year old I could not get enough of this book!

I enjoy reading the women's fiction genre. It’s always more complex than typical romance books. The Most Likely Club seems to serve a complex storyline within the friend groups.

I will warn that The Most Likely Club has multiple povs since it involves the best friends group.

The Most Likely Club brings back four former best friends back together again. They may touch base from time to time. But this time around, they will become closer than before when they form a pack within each other. Let me explain briefly.

Melissa is having a hard time within herself. She is not happy that she is overweight or starting over after her divorce. Planning her high school reunion with her former friends brings her the confidence to lose weight and start planning her life again. I will say that we should be worried about her weight journey; it’s not pretty. You will see as you read, but be warned about eating disorders (it’s discussed).

Priya is having a hard time managing her career and her marriage at the same time. She is expected in her culture to be a mother and wife first than her career. But it’s not something she wants. She wants to be more devoted in her career because she has so much value in the healthcare community. It’s just going to take time for her to find her footing in her career while maintaining her loving marriage. I would say that I wished we had more chapters about her and her husband.

I find Tara and Suki characters a bit hard to read through. We really don’t address their problems as much as we do with Melissa and Priya. I wished we had more chapters about their characters so I could fully understand them as characters. The only thing I can say would be Tara is struggling with her career since she has a few setbacks. And Suki seems to be a selfish character. She seems a bit careless about her career, her marriage, and her friends.

Imagine your 30th high school reunion is coming up. And you haven’t really lived up to your high school superlative (does being the first woman in the White House equate to being the president of the PTA?). Are you intrigued?

This book follows four best friends from high school. One has exceeded her superlative but the other three don’t feel like they’ve made it as expected. So they create a Most Likely club and set some new goals, supporting each other and making some changes.

I found all of the women to be relatable. It’s hard to balance work, parenting, relationships, and the rest of life. I enjoyed seeing the womens’ friendships and how they seemed just as strong 30 years later. This felt really relatable as they worked to figure out new dreams. There was also a lot of fun 90’s references!

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for a complimentary copy. All opinions are my own.

“The Most Likely Club” - @elyssafriedland

💗SYNOPSIS: At their 25th high school reunion, a group of girl friends make a pact to finally achieve their high school superlatives one way or another.

💗REVIEW: I simply adored this book 💗 I love books centered around female friendships, and that’s exactly what Friedland gives us here. I loved that no matter how much time has passed, there are some friends who will be there for you no matter what, and Friedland shows the bonds of this and female empowerment so well.

Major Plus of this book? 90S NOSTALGIA!! I had no clue going in there were going to be so many nineties song, movie, tv, and pop culture references, but boy were there, and this made my heart so happy. I’m a sucker for anything 90s!!

Each main character had such a different voice, life, and backstory, and I admired the way she wrote each one. The high school backdrop was a perfect setting, as I always enjoy books set in schools.

Overall, this was a win in my book!

💗VERDICT: 4 STARS ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

🎶SONG REC: “Graduation” - Vitamin C

This one is out NOW! Thank you to @berkleypub and @netgalley for a copy of this one!

I can vividly remember my very first assembly in high school as a freshman. It was the ‘senior assembly’ where they announced all the ‘most likely to’ people. This was the mid 1990’s so they were still doing things like ‘best legs’ and’ most likely to marry a rich guy’. So obviously things like this are pretty outdated now a days but I can still remember wondering what I would be voted ‘most likely’ as when I became a senior. As luck would have it I never got to find out. I moved my senior year of high school to a large school that had done away with this by the time I was as senior.

But that doesn’t mean I still don’t wonder! That is what appealed to me about this book—-the nostalgia. This book looked like it was going to be FULL of 1990s nostalgia and something that I could FULLY relate to now as an adult! I have never attended a single high school reunion even though I am approaching the 25 year mark. I have had zero desire to attend one as I have zero desire to ever revisit my high school years. But now that I have moved back to my small home town, I see a lot of people that I used to go to school with so it’s sort of like having a reunion every time I go to the grocery store.

This book was at the top of my TBR going into the fall, just knowing that someone else out in author-land also wanted to have a mini high school reunion through their new novel made me really excited and I couldn’t WAIT to start this one. I think for a certain demographic, this book is going to be a big hit. Maybe not for everyone, but definitely for the early 40s demographic!

Summary

At their milestone high school reunion, a group of friends make a pact to finally achieve their high school superlatives one way or another, in the lively new novel from the acclaimed author of Last Summer at the Golden Hotel.

In 1997, grunge is king, Titanic is a blockbuster (and Blockbuster still exists), and Thursday nights are for Friends. In Bellport, Connecticut, four best friends and high school seniors are ready to light the world on fire. Melissa Levin, Priya Chowdury, Tara Taylor, and Suki Hammer are going places. Their yearbook superlatives confirm it: Most Likely to Win the White House, Cure Cancer, Open a Michelin-Starred Restaurant, and Join the Forbes 400.

Fast forward twenty-five years and nothing has gone according to plan as the women regroup at their dreaded high school reunion. When a forgotten classmate emerges at the reunion with a surprising announcement, the friends dig out the yearbook and rethink their younger selves. Is it too late to make their dreams come true? Fueled by nostalgia and one too many drinks, they form a pact to push through their middle-aged angst to bring their teenage aspirations to fruition, dubbing themselves the “Most Likely Girls.”

Through the ensuing highs and lows, they are reminded of the enduring bonds of friendship, the ways our childhood dreams both sustain and surprise us — and why it’s deeply uncool to peak in high school.

Review

WhenI say that a certain demographic will likely love this book, that’s not to say others would like it, but it just hits different when everything in this book reminds you of your own high school years! There was so much fun pop culture in this book and I cherished every moment reading it. I loved all the nostalgia in the pages but there were times that I actually had to sit and think “what that actually the year Titanic was released?’ but at the end of the day, a few ‘off’ dates didn’t matter to me. I loved this one. I think younger readers would like the book but I don’t know that they would love it in the way that I loved it. There were plenty of times that I laughed out loud and found myself thinking back to all my own high school friendships and memories—I simply loved this book for that matter.

I think the author really captured the evolution of change and the changes that long time friendships undergo and really crafted a story that readers can relate to—-even if they aren’t as into the 1990s nostalgia—-I think readers will love the evolution of friendships and find something to enjoy through that. I currently do not have friends that I still talk to from high school but I have seen them around town on occasion and of course through Facebook. It’s weird to see the paths different friends have taken—-some have ended up being dentists and doctors, while others are homemakers who in high school wanted to be lawyers. It’s crazy how time and life circumstances change you which is what was really at the heart of this book.

This book ticked a lot of boxes for me and I really enjoyed my time reading it. If you are looking for a story with a lot of heart mixed with some humor, this is going to be a solid choice. But if you are a late 30s early 40s gal, you absolutely need to read this one! It’s full of all the nostalgia and pop culture that you never knew you were missing—-plus all the other things like humor, friendships, and heart. This was an excellent way to kick off my fall reading and I am looking forward to more by this author. She has a daft hand for heartwarming stories! So glad I picked this one up!

Book Info and Rating

Format: 368 pages, paperback

Published: Berkley Books September 6 2022

ISBN: 9780593199749

Free review copy provided by publisher, Berkley Books, in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own and in no way influenced.

Rating: 5 stars

Genre: women’s fiction

This was a fun story about high school friends who realize that it's not too late to find success even 25 years later. Melissa is a single mom with a current high school senior. Priya is a doctor as well as a mom and her husband doesn't do his share around the house. Tara is a chef who runs classes for kids. And Suki is a famous app creator who seems the most successful of the group. They attend their high school reunion and vow to get back to the goals they had for themselves back in high school. I am just one year older than the characters in this book so I loved that I could relate to them and their high school experience.

The Most Likely Club by Elyssa Friedland was a really fun and enjoyable read.

Melissa, Priya, Tara and Suki are best friends from high school. As high schoolers, they all earned senior superlatives in their yearbook. Now as they make it to their 25-year class reunion, they all can’t help but feel like they fell short of their superlatives.

Melissa, voted most likely to be President of the United States, is President of the PTA.

Priya, voted most likely to cure cancer, is a cardiologist contemplating taking on the CMO position at the hospital she works at, but feels pressure to not take on too much as a mother.

Tara, voted most likely to be a Michelin Star Chef, is teaching cooking classes to children.

And Suki, voted most likely to run of Fortune 500 company, successfully started and is CEO of a beauty company, MakeApp.

Will the “Most Likely Girls” be able to achieve their superlatives? Or will they wallow in what could have been?

Overall, I really enjoyed this novel. I liked how it was told from multiple perspectives and how it all tied together in the end. Of the characters, I feel like I related to Melissa the most as someone who wants to help others and make a a difference in her community. I especially enjoyed her story line and the growth and accomplishments she was able to achieve throughout the novel.

This is an entertaining read about a group of friends from high school getting ready for a big reunion year. However, I just did not find myself connecting to any of the characters, found this quite boring and predictable, and just not invested in the story or group of women. Thank you for my advanced copy.

As a 90s high school grad, this brought back all the nostalgia. Loved the music references especially! This is my first book by Friedland and while it was a lot of fun, I think some of it was just over the top and kinda unbelievable. But if you're just looking for a fun, nostalgic read this would be a great choice. It definitely makes you think about friendships and life choices as well as parenthood and middle age.

Many thanks to NetGalley and Berkley Publishing for gifting me a digital copy of the latest novel by Elyssa Friedland - 4.5 stars!

High school can be tough. But it's easier when you find your group, those friends who will be there for you. Tara, Suki, Melissa, and Priya found each other and the world was their oyster. They were all voted the best senior superlatives in the yearbook and set out to change the world. But then life happens. Fast forward to their 25th class reunion when an unremarkable classmate steps up to donate a huge sum to their school. The friends start thinking it's not too late to be their best selves and form the Most Likely Girls group.

This was a very entertaining book - I enjoyed all the 1990s nostalgia and enjoyed the relatable characters and their interactions. It's also a good reminder that it's never too late to change course and be better, as well as the fact that having it all isn't necessarily the goal. Life is definitely a journey!

Didn't love this - felt very insensitive at times & very stereotypical - like caricatures of real people. These women acted silly & immature - I finished the audio but should've DNF.

I didn't feel like anything happened this book. I loved the idea of friends coming back together at a high school reunion, but they didn't seem like they were actually friends. They didn't seem to ever talk outside of this reunion, and 2 of them lived close by. I liked the multiple POVs, but the fourth friend just didn't have a POV until the very end and she got two random chapters. basically to summarize her life, it almost seemed just randomly thrown in. I didn't really feel any closure with any of the women at the end like I appreciate in a women's fiction novel. I think Tara was probably better off by the end at least being more herself and going for a job that had meaning, but the others I just didn't feel that way about. The pacing was just slow and then at the end it was super super fast, and I just didn't get a chance to connect to the story by that point.

Thank you to Netgalley and Berkley Pub for this arc of The Most Likely Club by Elyssa Friedland!

I had really high hopes for this one, but ultimately I was not impressed. I really liked the beginning and the promise of all the 90s nostalgia. I liked the idea of the superlatives and women wanting their dreams to come true, etc. But I feel like I could've maybe liked this better if there was one or two main characters instead of the 4. It created a lot of side stories and situations that confused me sometimes on who I was with.

A humorous and poignant look at four best friends from high school who rediscover that they can handle anything life dishes out as long as they have each other.

Thank you, @berittalksbooks and @dg_reads for hosting this fun buddy read! Thank you @berkleybooks for the gifted eARC

I liked Last Summer at the Golden Hotel (the author’s previous book).
I LOVED The Most Likely Club! I loved the characters, the story flowed easily and kept my interest.

Melissa, Tara, Priya and Suki are four friends who are approaching their 25th high school reunion. They each held a class superlative:
Melissa - “Most Likely to Win the White House”
Tara - “Most Likely to Open a Michelin-Starred Restaurant”
Priya - “Most Likely to Cure Cancer”
Suki - “Most Likely to Join the Forbes 400.”
As they reflect on their high school goals and how their lives actually turned out, they make a pact to go for it, to achieve their dreams - at least get a bit closer to them.

I loved so many of the references to high school and the stereotypes “the artsy types, the nerds, the Phishheads, the goths, and the milquetoasts who defied classification … and the jocks are jerks” It was a fun and reflective look at the high school years and how life isn’t what you think it will be!

It’s a five star for me and thumbs up Recommend!!

“High school might turn into a blur, but that didn’t make it less of a bitch.”

In Bellport, Connecticut four best friends and high school seniors are ready to light the world on fire. Their senior superlatives confirm it: Most Likely To Win The White House, Cure Cancer, open a Michelin-Starred Restaurant, and join the Forbes 400. Fast forward 25 years and nothing has gone quite to plan. Is it too late to make their dreams come true?

I graduated high school in 1994, so reading about these ladies who graduated in 1997 was so nostalgic. Princess Diana. Grunge. Kate Moss and the iconic 90’s models. What a fun and enjoyable read!

This book definitely has me asking the question though…why do we put so much pressure on ourselves when it comes to our high school years? I loved my high school years and remember them fondly. But let’s be honest, we have no idea what we’re doing or what we want at that age.

“Why did any of them feel they had something to prove? Wasn’t the perk of getting into one’s forties supposed to be leaving the insecurity behind?” ‼️‼️

Thank you to Netgalley, Berkley Publishing, and the author for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

The description of the Most Likely Club appealed to me due to the fact that I am also a member of the high school class of 1997 and 43 years old. The similarities between me and the main characters of this book end there. The four friends that this novel focuses on, Melissa, Priya, Tara and Suki who, in high school, are all obsessed with the superlative given to them in their yearbook. When their 25th reunion rolls around and they haven’t achieved it, they are driven to make changes in their lives to try and finally achieve the potential that their classmates saw in them in a 25 year old popularity contest.
The book is okay, but I have come to the conclusion that Friedland’s writing is not for me. Her characters are ones that all lack redeeming qualities…the ladies of The Most Likely Club are more likeable than those of The Floating Feldmans, but not quite as likeable as those in Last Summer at the Golden…they tend to lack dimension, be obsessive and narcissistic and in character driven novels, if you don’t like the characters, it’s hard to like the books.
If reminiscing/obsessing about high school is your interest you might enjoy this book, otherwise I can’t think of anyone that I would suggest must read this book.

Thank you to @berkleypub, @netgalley and @letstalkbookspromo for the #gifted copy of the book.

Four high school friends, Melissa, Suki, Priya and Tara, are gearing up for their 25th high school reunion. As they reflect on their life, they realize it didn't turn out the way they expected or the way those senior superlatives thought they would. It’s a reminder that high school doesn't define who you are and that sometimes success comes with a steep price.

I loved that this book was set in the 1990s and pretty close to the year that I graduated. I loved the 90's references. It made me think about what high school was like for me and how I had changed.

Thank you to @netgalley @berkleypub and @berkleyromance for a free copy of this book in exchange for my honest review. Thank you to @prhaudio for a free download of the audiobook. And thank you to @berittalksbooks and @dg_reads for including me on this buddy read.

My high school did not have superlatives listed in the yearbook, but I know it’s a common trend for most high schools. Coming up on their 25th high school reunion, 4 friends reflect on theirs and what they have and have not accomplished. They make a pact to reach these superlative goals with some modifications.

I loved that these women graduated in the mid-90s, as I was able to relate and reminisce with them. The throwback to the 90s theme for their high school reunion was on point! This book had a fun premise, and I loved the strong relationships that held on all these years for this group of friends. It reminds me of my husband and his guys. The downside was I just wasn’t as engaged with this book as I thought I would be. There are segments that felt drawn out. I was glad to have the audio to keep me going as I feel I may have put the book down midway through.

3.5 stars – Rounding to 4 stars for Goodreads