It’s been twenty years since everyone watched the original episode of Girl on the Verge, the popular teen show about Honor St. Croix, teen tennis star, and her family and friends. Now, there is a reunion show coming, with rumors of a possible reboot of the series. But can the on-screen drama take center stage over what happens when the cameras aren’t rolling? Everyone will want to know.

Liv Latimer grew up onscreen, as the star of Girl on the Verge and the daughter of famous actor Patrick Latimer. The show had been a huge hit, running for years and creating superfans all over the country. When the show ended, Liv stopped acting for a while and eventually started taking on small, meaningful projects, earning critical success. Now she’s back for the reboot and there is one big question from the original show that still lingers in her head. Will she still have feelings for Ransom Joel?

Ransom had played her best friend and love interest in the show. Behind the scenes, they were best friends. Liv knew that she could count on him, no matter what happened. Especially in the second season, when her father had been killed in a car accident. Ransom had been there to hold her up in a way that no one else could, and Liv thought that that friendship would last forever. But years later, Ransom had confided in her that he was interested in someone else, and he was worried that their close friendship would make any potential dates for him or for her question their true feelings.

So Liv did the only thing she could. She let him go. She had been in love with him for years, but if he wanted to back off from their friendship so he could pursue romantic relationships, she would give him that.

He’d gone on from the show to make a series of successful action movies and possibly an even more popular kitten calendar for the ASPCA. He had been seen with girlfriends through the years before finally settling down with the girl next door, his neighbor from when he’d grown up, Gemma Gardner.

But the first red carpet event, Ransom shows up alone. Sasha-Kate Kilpatrick, who played the middle sister in the family, shows up with her Hollywood entourage and her resentment that she hadn’t been cast as Honor originally. Millie Matson, who played the youngest sister and wasn’t even in grade school in the original series, has grown up and become a pop star. And the drama is on, even before all the paparazzi and gossip columnists get started stirring things up for the online fans (and trolls).

Through all this, Liv has to figure out what it is that she wants. Does she want to be a part of a Girl on the Verge reboot? Does she want to go back to her quiet life making indie films? Does she still love Ransom? And is she willing to put everything on the line for a chance to be with him?

The Reunion is a sweet romance set in the crazy world of modern Hollywood. With the reunions and reboots, agents and publicists, emotions and egos, social media and superfans, the struggle to find the real moments underneath all the extra drama takes on a genuine gravitas for these characters. But the story is broken up by online news articles and gossip that breaks up the serious moments with the absurdities of the modern media, adding another layer of drama to a story that is packed with backstage drama.

I really enjoyed The Reunion. I thought that author Kayla Olson did an amazing job of keeping the story about Liv and her struggles as an actress, as a woman, and as a human. I thought that there might be more frothiness to this, especially with the online gossip popping up between chapters, but Olson kept her eye on the weight of Liv’s decisions and her feelings, giving this romance some weight. This has a bittersweet edge to it, especially when some of the reporting brings back some bad memories for Liv, but overall, this is a lovely second chance romance that just happens to be set in a crazy setting.

Egalleys for The Reunion were provided by Atria Books through NetGalley, with many thanks.

Loved this book so much! Gave me a Dawsons Creek vibe and I would love to have a reboot of that show. It's a very quick read which i enjoyed, was short and simple.

The Reunion, Kayla Olson's adult rom-com debut, is a cute, fun novel that will evoke the nostalgia of Dawson's Creek and the teen dramedies and sitcoms that ruled the 90s and early ought’s. The fictitious show, Girl on the Verge, set the screen standard for six years. Twenty years later the fandom is stronger than ever-partially due to the hype around the reunion episode and rumors of a reboot. Liv, famous actress and indie It-Girl, is excited and anxious about the reunion-knowing it will take her career even further and unite her with her costars and former best friends. She also knows she's facing Ransom Joel, one of the hottest actors in Hollywood-who just happened to play opposite her character on TV. Best friends for six years, Liv harbored deep feelings for Ransom but felt betrayed by him at the end of the series. Flash forward to today and Liv is loving being back on set, re-connecting with Ransom and the new acting opportunities in the mix. But rivalries from 20 years ago re-emerge, not to mention intense social media attention and Liv isn't sure if this is the reunion of her dreams or a mistake. Told with alternating chapters representing different social media and Internet articles this was a fun, easy read filled with pop culture throwbacks and a "will they, won't they" trope. I found myself wishing GOTV was an actual show-solid adult debut!

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for this ARC in exchange for my honest feedback

The Reunion by Kayla Olsen
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

I adored this novel very much!

It had all the feels of watching Gossip Girl with little gossip columns at the end of every chapter. Cue the mean girls, jealousy, boy crushes, overbearing parents, and drama filled scenes. 20 years ago, the show was all the craze and the fandom is still strong. It’s a story of a reunion episode that is now 20 years later. So, the gang gets back together featuring the two main characters, Ransom and Liv. They are truly America’s Sweethearts. They handle fame with such grace.

And just the names of these characters made me love them. I mean Ransom, how dangerous and beautiful at the same time? And Liv’s character in the show’s name is Honor….I mean what a name to live up to. Incredible plays on words and symmetry in this fun romance.

During the development of the story, we see the characters grow and learn and become even more than their fans could have asked. The depth here is what made me fall in love even more than I already was.

Go read it ya’ll! And then lets talk!

Trope: Friends to Lovers
Read if you love a quick fun read.—i finished in 24 hours.
Read if you love gossip girl feels.
Read if you are a sucker for kittens.
Absolutely read if you love CLOSED door. There is no spice, but all the romance.

#bookstagram #booklove #bitchesbebookin #book #thereunion #love #kaylaolsen #romance #closeddoor #netgalley #read #review #fivestar #fivestarread #readmore #review #reader #ig #readersofig #bookreviewer #bookreview #bookrecommendations #bookrecommenation #reading #fun

The Reunion was one of those books that I kept waiting for more; more depth, more emotion, more relationship building, just flat out more. It wasn’t a bad book, but if felt like there was something missing and therefore it was just an okay book for me.

Twenty years after their hit show began and fourteen years after it ended, the cast of Girl on the Verge has been reassembled for a one-off special even though hints have been dropped that if it goes well, a reboot is a possibility. Liv and Ransom were young when the show began and formed an instant friendship that lasted until Ransom blew it apart. When the show ended, Ransom went on to become a major action blockbuster star and Liv disappeared for awhile but since returned to make some critically acclaimed indie films. Despite being best friends once upon a time Liv and Ransom have only conversed through text every once in awhile, but back in the same room for a pre-filming get together the years melt away.

This book was a good look at life in the spotlight and the pressures that come with it from all sides when you are famous. It’s also a testament on how important communication is, really deep, sharing communication. Liv and Ransom lost their friendship because they either wouldn’t or didn’t know how to express to each other what they were feeling. They were very young so it’s not surprising, but the fact they let it go for 14 years instead of being adults and reaching out is sad. They lost a truly solid friendship because they were both hurt by the other when they didn’t have to be.

I kept wanting a big scene where they really bare it all, where the emotion bubbles up from within and spills over and where they grieve for all the time they lost, but sadly that was missing.

There was enough good in this book to keep me reading, but it was lacking heart. However, if you enjoy the world of celebrity gossip then The Reunion is made for you.

I really thought that I would enjoy this book because the synopsis sounded like something right up my alley. Unfortunately, it fell flat for me with a lack of spark that it desperately needed.

Absolutely loved this one! A best friends reunited story with the backdrop of Hollywood celebrity life in the background. I loved the friendship dynamic that these characters brought and that it did feel like there was a lot at stake if these characters (who obviously did have bundled up feelings for one another) were to date, which made reading the book more captivating.

- 3.5 Stars -
I do love a solid celebrity romance. This book definitely hit all of the marks for things I wanted to see in it. It did take me a while to get into this book as there were a lot of names you needed to learn at a rather quick pace. Even after I finished the book, I found myself asking who certain people were or what they would have been important to the plot for.

I really liked Liv and found that a lot of the things she went through were tough. I did however find her annoying in the sense of “oh whoah is me” in regards to Ransom. She was the one who had told him to not contact her and then was upset when he stuck to what she had asked him to do. I hate the miscommunication trope and this was the epitome of what that looks like.

Ransom was a pretty great male lead for this story. I did truly applaud his restraint in not contacting Liv for 14 years. His pursuit of Liv was one that I enjoyed as he really did care about her and you could just sense how much he loved her, even from their early years of being on the show together.

Overall, this book was good! It was a solid debut and did make me feel all the things. However, I just found that I couldn’t connect super well with the characters, and that may be due to the length of time that it took me to read the book (11 days) or maybe just the story that they were telling about their second chance love. But, either way, I did enjoy this read and if you want a celebrity romance you might as well!

⚠️TW: death of parent, car accident, gaslighting, infidelity, death

Thank you @simonschusterca for this finished copy in exchange for my honest review! All of the thoughts and opinions expressed are my own.

Loved this! The sitcom reminded me of Boy Meets World, which is always a good thing, and the second chance romance was super sweet. I also appreciated that it focused on the emotional connection more, as it's more rare to find lower heat levels these days, and they can be easier to recommend to students. I think anyone who likes second chance romances and celebrity-style books will enjoy this one.

Liv & Ransom are/were best friends when their show Girl on the Verge was one of the hottest TV shows, first airing 20 years ago.

And now they are back together when GOTV is getting a reunion special. They lost touch after the show went off the air and now that they are back in contact, Liv is left with a lot of unresolved feelings.

This was an adorable second chance romance with beautiful chemistry between Liv & Ransom. A solid 3.5 stars only because I felt like it was missing something to really make the story grab me.

I really enjoyed Liv and Ransom's story, from teenage co-stars and best friends to reuniting for a 10 year anniversary episode of their hit show. It had just the right amount of Hollywood intrigue and gossip to go with the second chance romance.

I loved this more than anything. I loved the relationship between Liv and Bre so much. I want this to be a series. I would love more of Bre and Ford. I want more Sasha-Kate, I want to know her side of the story. This was amazing and I loved it so much!

The Reunion by Kayla Olson
The blurb for the book caught my attention right away. It was a cute book, a solid second-chance romance with no spice. Good plot with interesting characters.

The Reunion by Kayla Olson follows the story of cast from a hit TV show reuniting to do a reunion special after almost 20 years.

Liv was the high achieving, girl next store, star of the TV show Girl on the Verge who is coming face to face with her past for the first time in almost two decades. She has to navigate stepping back in to an iconic character that defined her early life and reuniting with her one time best friend and crush, co-star Ransom Joel. Will they ever get to the bottom of their feelings and the rapid demise of their friendship and will their be an opportunity for more? Read to find out!

This was an easy to read, page turner that could be a good fit for a reader who was a fan of those coming of age shows from the early 20s. I just so happen to be watching Gilmore Girls (for the first time), and it pairs well for the imagination! I recommend for readers who like romantic comedies, movie-life stories, and are looking for a quick paced read.

Thank you to NetGalley, Kayla Olson, and Atria books for an eARC in exchange for an honest review.

Thank you so much to @simonandschuster and @netgalley for sending me The Reunion in exchange for an honest review. #partner

You may have seen this as a BOTM selection this month and for good cause! This was an adorable romance about two teen heartthrobs from a sitcom reminiscent of Boy Meets World who get a reboot a decade later. Of course, because #romancereasons they have been in love for ages but only now realize it.

I really enjoyed this and if you like romance without any open door components and minimal steam, I definitely recommend this. It’s a lot more focused on the emotional component, rather than the sex. Everything is from the main character, Liv’s point of view, and in it you see her struggles with fame, creating for the sake of what people say and her coming to terms with what she actually wanted to do. The fact that this is set against the backdrop of Hollywood just made it so fun.

This reminded me a lot of Funny You Should Ask, as another Hollywood themed romance with depth.

All in all, this was such a good read and it made me want to binge BMW again! I do hope Bre and Finn get their book (maybe I made this up in my head but they feel perfect for each other!)

I was so excited about this one and it totally lived up to my expectations. I can't recommend this enough the hype is real for a reason! I loved their chemistry!

The Reunion

Oh man. Where do I start? This book had so much potential. The synopsis really intrigued me and I was excited to dive in. And then I did dive in and the water was shallow. There was no depth. The characters were lackluster and I did not care what happened to them. Liv and Ransom’s love story lacked any kind of real spark for me and I felt there was just WAY too much angst. There wasn’t even much to get angsty about. Maybe if the story had multiple timelines with the characters so we could get a better feel for their chemistry I would have felt differently. Disappointing because there was so much potential to be a great read but it just fell really flat for me.

What a fun read! The Reunion is a sweet, angsty friends to lovers/second-chance story. Co-stars on a well loved teen sitcom, Liv and Ransom were best friends, inseparable, all throughout filming. When the show ended, they had a miscommunication which meant they went their separate ways and were not really in contact. Fast forward 14 years, and the show lands a reunion special, bringing the cast together for the first time since the series finished. Can Liv handle being around Ransom for the filming? Will they be friends like they used to be? Or will everything fall apart and jeopardize the reunion special?

I really enjoyed this one. The characters felt real, and so did their relationships. I found myself invested in whether they would work out, how the filming would go, what would happen in their lives afterwards. It was an interesting look into the backstage lives of famous actors, dealing with agents, directors, and costars, and it felt familiar, like it nearly referenced a lot of the shows we watched growing up. That made it easier to feel a part of, like maybe we were talking about *that* actress from *that* show we loved. The nostalgia of it all really drew me in.

The Reunion is an adorable second chance romance about actors who reunite for a reboot of a teen drama they starred in during the early 2000s. The characters are charming, but the story is pretty little slow moving. It was very descriptive and focused on Liv's interior thoughts. I became frustrated by how little their relationship advanced through most of the book. I enjoyed the relationships of the cast members and nostalgic aspects of the novel.

Thank you Atria Books and NetGalley for providing this ARC. All thoughts are my own.

It’s been about 20 seconds since I last read a “celebrity romance” novel, what can I say I’m a whore for pop-culture and I’m a slut for romance novels. Put these two things together and it’s basically a brothel of happiness.

Liv is a Nepo baby, who starred in a popular, teen, sitcom, opposite, mega handsome, Ransom. (Ed note: Rhymed that on purpose #poet). The two were “best friends” but we’re actually just secretly in love with each other for years. When the show ended, they had a platonic friends “break up” and never spoke again.

The two meet again after years when their show films a reunion special and find their chemistry is still raging on. They also both have careers on the rise and have to manage them carefully. While this book is technically a romance, most of the book is really about Liv and her career. It’s more of a love letter to how the sausage gets made in Hollywood, which I found interesting and fun to read. Did it excite the slut receptors in my brain? No. But the celeb-whore receptors were very satisfied.

If you were looking for a hot and steamy Hollywood romance, you won’t find it here. I think maybe Liv and Ransom have sex? It’s unclear if they just have a heavy petting session or if the D actually falls into the V- fade to black has left me wondering. If you’re interested in a look at a few weeks inside the life of a Hollywood starlet and how she balances her work and love life this is a the book for you. Overall it was an enjoyable read.

Smut- 1.41 stars
Romance- 4.26 stars
Story- 4.17 stars
Satisfied celeb whore receptors- 12.78 stars