we love when awful dark things happen in tropical settings

The Mayweathers are having a family reunion at a resort in Cancun over winter break to celebrate the twins’, Addison and Mason, mom’s engagement to Theo’s dad. Cousins Natalia and Mia are there too, along with parents and an uncle. So there’s 11 people there…. But only 10 make it home.

You find out through news clippings that someone went missing from the engagement party on New Year’s night, and the book kinda works up to that day. It’s mostly just a family tension story… Addison and Mason and Natalia used to be best friends, but an incident drove them apart, Addison accidentally brought something on vacation she shouldn’t have, Mason and Theo do not want to be stepbrothers, Natalia is confronting the idea that her long distance boyfriend may not be who he says, and poor little Mia is 12 and being sent off to glorified daycare during the day. We follow them all as they find out more about each other, avoid each other, and everything in between. And then it all ends in horrible tragedy!!

Idk there's just so much talking in this book for SUCH little action. Like there's family "drama" that is such NORMAL family drama lol like the fun uncle tries to buy underage kids beers like the real big tea doesn't happen til the end... and then that is SUCH big tea like idk pals pacing was not it

I love a good multiple POV destination thriller, and The Reunion is just that. A family of 11 goes to an exclusive beachfront resort to celebrate the engagement of Addison and Mason's mom to Theo's dad. Add in some cousins, aunts and uncles, and you have a great cast of characters for this YA thriller.

I enjoyed the premise and setting of the novel and loved the chapters narrated by both Theo and Natalia, but I do feel as though the pacing of the novel was a bit off. There were portions that completely sucked me in and others that I felt dragged on. One of the big reveals at the end of the novel was slightly predictable and the other didn't seem quite as earth shattering as it should have. But overall this was a fun, quick read that I believe my students will enjoy.

Although it had a lot of pov's , it turned out to be an interesting read. But for a family that's supposed to be on a trip to bond, that didn't really happen. I did appreciate how it showed how secrets as well as , favoritism, jealousy and not having an actual conversation can destroy a family. And there were plenty of shock factors ( that youngest one seem like trouble TBH). And you could tell they were entitled, because i would have never been able to talk to a parent like some of these teens did.

If you're in the mood for a thrilling rollercoaster ride of secrets, lies, and murder set against the backdrop of a luxurious Caribbean resort, then "The Reunion" by Kit Frick should be at the top of your reading list. In this young adult thriller, Frick weaves a tale of a dysfunctional family reunion gone terribly wrong, where old grudges and dangerous secrets culminate in a shocking murder.

A must-read with its well-crafted characters, gripping plot, and a setting that oozes luxury and danger in equal measure, this book is a thrilling journey into the dark underbelly of family secrets. So, grab a copy, settle into your favorite reading spot, and prepare for a vacation you won't soon forget. Just be warned: Family bonding has never been so deadly.

Reminded me of:
🪷White Lotus
📃The Guest List
🔪Knives Out

Thank you #netgalley @turnthepagetours, @kitfrick @simonteen for the eBook and my honest review.

I thought The Reunion by Kit Frick was simply ok. It's definitely not as strong as her prior works. The Reunion follows 4 cousins, and their soon to be cousin after an upcoming marriage, over the course of the week following Christmas at an upscale resort. The book was advertised as a murder mystery set against a White Lotus backdrop but the grandeur of the resort didn't really come across through the descriptions, the cousins' drama just felt forced, and the ending didn't really supply the gasp you'd hope to have.

This is my third book by Kit Frick, with my favorite that I've read being See All the Stars. Kit does a great job of portraying teens and all the feelings running through them at any given moment, and then turning that brew into a great YA thriller. Here we have a large extended family that seems super tight, but when they go on vacation together, cracks begin to appear. The mystery dribbles out slowly as we watch the characters interact, giving us hints of old anxieties and issues, as the tension ratchets up. I was shocked by the ending to be sure, which is always a plus for me!

The publisher was kind enough to send me a copy of the book for this tour, but I also purchased myself the audiobook to listen along as I read. If you're an audiobook fan, I'd definitely give this one a go! Either way, it's a solid YA mystery/thriller and any fan of those should definitely pick up The Reunion (and any other Kit Frick book!).

Rating: 4 stars!

**Disclosure: I received a copy of this book for purposes of this blog tour. This review is voluntary on my part and reflects my honest rating and review of the book.

This one was fun! The teenage characters at this reunion/engagement trip to Cancun all have something they’re hiding and/or grappling with, so there’s quite a bit of suspense and mysterious behavior to analyze. The “big” secret- the Incident- wasn’t as jaw dropping as I expected, but the final twist was surprising. All in all it was a good read. Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC.

3.25 stars

The Reunion is my third book by Kit Frick, and her mysteries always give me plenty to think about. If you’re a fan of the White Lotus style, you might enjoy this young adult interpretation. With a beach setting in sunny Cancún, Mexico, it’s a great choice for a pool or beach read!

I always prefer to write my reviews immediately after finishing a book, while the material is fresh on my brain. Unfortunately, I came down sick before I could do that with The Reunion. So you’re getting a review several days after I finished it. I did manage to jot down a pros and cons list, so that seems like the best way to go.

Let’s start with what I enjoyed about the book:

The beach setting in Cancún the week before New Year’s Day is fun!

Frick is great at setting up an intriguing plot with interesting characters, and I was sold on this premise: a family reunion trip with secrets, lies, and a death!

I never found myself bored while reading. It was always easy for me to pick the book back up and dive in.

The ending actually surprised me, but I’m not sure if it was exactly believable or organic to the story.

Here’s what I didn’t love about the story, or what gave me pause:

While the characters are interesting, their voices are all very similar. It was hard at times to know which narrator was speaking unless I went back to the chapter heading. And there are four narrators!

Several of our characters have anger issues, and I felt like it was overused. I’m sure it’s just to throw us off and make us suspect several people, but I wanted something new.

I’ve read several books lately where there is a lack of communication between characters, and maybe this was just one too many. Just talk to each other, already!

While I liked the idea of this mystery, the similarity of the voices from the narrators distracted me a bit. I still really enjoyed the story, reading it fairly quickly over a few days. Overall, I had fun with The Reunion!

The Mayweather family is not one that is known for getting among. Infighting, secrets, and playing favorites has kept many members apart. But they all have come together for a destination engagement party, which is destined for tragedy.

One thing I really enjoyed about this book was the intermittent use of press releases from the hotel. This let readers know someone had died, effectively adding more and more details until the big reveal-which happens before readers actually see the death play out (which is chilling).

The characters are complex and very complicated, as are their relationships to each other. The setting is almost a character in itself, and sets the stage perfectly for the events that follow. I did feel the buildup took a little longer than it needed to, but I would still recommend this book.

A few too many characters to keep track of that they didn't all have uniqueness to separate them as deeply as it could have been with just a few narrators. However the story is all about the elements of mystery as one of the family is dead and there are many secrets to the family (as they come together to create a blended family) that have been kept for a generation- somewhat unbelievably but also because what would a murder mystery with posh characters be without some seaside murder and family tragedies?

Reminiscent of e. Lockhart, this is about privilege, smugness, secrecy, and betrayals that's a little fancier than a teen read because it would be hard to connect to the characters. I reads like the characters should be in their twenties. A little Riverdale ish, but I fully recognize that I'm on the downhill of a the murder thriller mystery in YA binge.

The Reunion by Kit Frick was a very exciting and fast-paced YA thriller.
The characters were great, this setting was really fun and the writing compelling as usual. The main characters were very well written and the plot was tasteful with a hint of thrilling adventures. A paradise setting which was great -- very atmospheric.
And characters who are so interesting they kept me so entertained and not wanting to put my Kindle down.
I’ve read and loved every book Frick has published and this was no different.
A really engaging, well-plotted YA thriller.
The Reunion was compelling from the beginning, quickly roping me into an addicting read.

"I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own."

Thank You NetGalley and Margaret K. McElderry Books for your generosity and gifting me a copy of this amazing eARC!

This was a fun little ride! But, I will say, the thing it did the most for me was make me want to go back on vacation! After spending a week in an all-inclusive resort earlier this summer, this story reminded me of all the things I really loved about being away.

Genre: young adult, mystery/suspense
Format: Ebook
Pub Date: 08.29.2023
Star Rating: 3.5 STARS

If you're looking for a quick, entertaining read that's full of family drama, deception, and fruity drinks - then this is the story for you! It would be an excellent vacation read - or one to read if you're desperate for a little sunshine.

Read If You Like:
- Multiple POV
- Storylines that don't seem to go together but eventually twist together
- Tropical vacation setting
- Family Drama
- Unreliable Narrators

First of all, thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the advance copy of The Reunion. The premise was intriguing, and I have a ton of mystery/suspense/thriller readers right now, which made reading this one a no-brainer. Despite the slow reveals leaving me a bit impatient and the slightly quick wrap-up, I was wrapped up in the stories of Theo and Natalia especially. I think this one will be a popular read with my students who enjoyed One of Us Is Lying, but it will be a struggle to sell to my readers who don't enjoy books with more than two perspectives. Overall, I recommend this book!

The Mayweather family, 11 in all, have not been in once place for years. But with Addison and Mason's mother now engaged, she has convinced the family to go on a week long family-bonding trip, culminating in an engagement party at the end of the week. The trip is intended to provide an opportunity for Addison and Mason to spend time with Theo, their future stepbrother, and Natalia, their cousin who was once like a third siblings before she moved away several years before. Their beautiful vacation destination in Cancún, though, does not allow Addison, Mason, Natalia, and Theo escape the secrets they are each hiding. By the end of the week, one of the Mayweathers is dead -- and the other ten are all suspects.

This book is a well-crafted mystery, full of surprised and twists at every turn and an interesting examination of complicated family dynamics. The story is well paced, revealing the truth behind the secrets each character is hiding in a way that kept me fully invested in the story and each of the mysteries.

Highly recommended!

Going into this family reunion everyone has a secret, and they are all working very hard to keep those secrets from everybody else. The members of this family extended, and otherwise, have gathered for an engagement party, but when one of them ends up dead, those secrets begin to unravel. It is hard for the reader to know who is to blame in this book, and the way that it is written is very masterful in that you don’t know what anyone’s secrets are, who they’re really keeping them from, or ultimately, who is at fault. This family has a lot of money, and with a lot of money comes a lot of problems, and they are no different. This is a great page turner of a mystery.

Thank you to NetGalley for an e-ARC of this book!

I've really enjoyed Kit Frick's previous books and was excited to read The Reunion! It does have a White Lotus feel, as the characters are all wealthy and hiding a bunch of secrets. While I was interested in the story and read the book quickly, I overall felt kind of "meh" about it once everything was revealed. The ending did not really make sense from a motivation standpoint and I found myself wanting a little more depth from the characters. I do think this is a thriller/mystery that will appeal to many teen readers and even though it was not my favorite from this author, I would not hesitate to recommend it to my students!

I am a huge fan of Kit Frick's work. But sadly, this book was just not my desired mystery vibe.

It did remind me a lot of The Cousins, which the blurb compares it to (and that book is not my favorite either.)

The book is sort of The Brady Bunch meets White Lotus, but for me there was just too much going on. Two families, six adults plus five cousins. Four of the cousins had a POV. Most of the characters had secrets, which they were either keeping for each other or from each other. They were in Mexico, where there was some strange cult kidnappers lurking around.

For me, it was too much going on.

I think my students will enjoy this family drama, a family of secrets on a vacation pre wedding. Someone dies and while some of the secrets are revealed towards the end of the book. It ends with another secret and shows a lot of how the danger of secrets keep perpetuating and how this family functions.

An intriguing YA thriller with elements familiar to fans of “The White Lotus;” the setting was enchanting and easy to connect to, as I adored the resort and secrets slowly unraveling. Frick does a great job at pacing so that you will want to keep reading to end your suspense, which is clear due to me finishing this book in a day. The different character perspectives were atmospheric as well, and I enjoyed the reveals.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

I was immediately absorbed by this book and its family full of secrets, and I devoured the book in a day. I was confused about how the book only had a 3.73 (as of writing this review) average on Goodreads, and had to conclude that perhaps the ending was not as satisfying as the rest of the book- and I was correct. The "big reveals" were not as gasp-worthy as I would have maybe wanted, and it fell a little flat at the end. However, that doesn't completely detract from the fun I had before the reveals trying to figure out the secrets being kept.