Thank you to netgalley and the publisher for this e-arc in exchange for an honest review!
DNF @ 32%

Another book that I technically COULD make myself finish reading, but I have no desire to. The book isn't bad necessarily. It's just... bland? The character gets let go and just has no real reaction. I don't need the book to be all that deep and emotional (though I'd prefer it), but there was just NOTHING. We get told bits and pieces of her feelings. It just never really comes through as anything more than text, you know?

And this seems to permeate the narrative overall. There's no real emotion, no real voice, just... text.

It really sucks, because I LOVED the start and enjoyed all the nostalgic and nerdy bits. Also, its own voices, which I try to support.

If you don't need a strong voice in the text to be engaged, definitely don't let my review stop you. There's nothing super wrong with the book, and you may still like it, especially if you're looking for near-40-year-old main characters, midlife crises, and a lot of millennial vibes!

This was another wonderful installment from Tieu—I loved seeing characters reunite who knew each other as different people, now trying to work through their own baggage and regret about their lives. Romantic, healing, and so fun!

This was a fun rom com focusing on two people getting back together at a 20 year reunion after their friendship fell apart in high school. It flips back and forth between past, present, and their AIM chats. Creatively done and enjoyable.

OMG the way parts of this story had me on the floor laughing, lol. Really enjoyed the fact that the characters are in their late 30s. I liked the relateability of. Rachel. She is in a moment of her life where things are not falling into place like she would like and is struggling and looking to go back to a time where she felt she had some control of her life, but of course that was when Danny was in her life. It was fun to get flashbacks to when Danny and Rachel were in school and how their friendship was and how they got to where they are in current times. Lots of pining emotions!

cutie little romance book but I liked that it had more mature characters and had real life issues (lay offs, family conflict, family planning)

This book was pretty cute and enjoyable! I liked the MC because I saw many aspects of myself within her, especially the planning and overpreparing for situations. I also liked that the book was flip flopping from the present to the past because I was able to understand the MC's past and what made her the person she is in the present. I did find it interesting how so many people at the reunion didn't have much growth from high school, though maybe that's realistic? I found the connection between Rachel and Danny to be wholesome and there were definitely some funny moments in there as well. I would recommend this to people who want a quick and easy rom com read.

There was a lot going on in "The Girl Most Likely To" and I'm not sure it all worked for me. Rachel is a career-driven executive who is fired at the beginning of the book and decides to go to her 20th class reunion. Most of the book actually takes place at the reunion/on the day of it. She was voted the "Girl Most Likely To Succeed" and has a chip on her shoulder about being fired now. She also wants to see Danny, her high school love she hasn't seen in 20 years.

I just felt like the whole Rachel and Danny thing moved so, so fast after 20 years apart. Maybe it's because I just had my 20th class reunion pass and I know how much I have changed, but I hated how so many people from their high school were still the same, too.

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for this ARC.

I found this book interesting and enjoyable. I loved how it shifted between Danny and Rachel's high school years and the present. The connection between Rachel and Danny was fantastic, and there were some genuinely funny moments. As a fan of second-chance romances, I thought it was a great read. I recommend this book to anyone seeking a second-chance romance and a relaxing, feel-good read.

Thank you NetGalley for providing me this ARC for an honest review. Coming from an Asian family where school and success were a priority and life outside of these things come later, I related to Rachel heavily!! It was like looking in a mirror while reading! Rachel is a 38yo career driven woman where nothing else matters but being the best at everything. She unfortunately gets laid off from her job where she put in 10+ years of work for it. In Rachel’s eyes, unemployment is practically the definition of a failure and fears what others will think of her. She attends her high school reunion to remininsce on her excellent achievements throughout high school but to also reconcile with her friend, Danny Phan. Going down memory lane, she recognizes how much time and energy she put into being the best at school that she lacked the social life of every teenager and missed the best moments of high school. She realizes life isn’t all about work and success and that it’s okay to live life and to realize that when one road closes, another one will open. When something doesn’t go your way, it doesn’t automatically mean you failed at life. Danny was extremely patient with her back in high school and at the reunion. Both Rachel and Danny had a lot of miscommunication back then but were slowly able to have better communication with each other now. I appreciated the Asian representation and how it was shown how much pressure we’re under into achieving things in order to be considered successful and get validation from our family members. Even though, it’s an unhealthy mindset to be in. I enjoyed this book and can’t wait to read more from Julie Tieu.

Set mostly over the course of one night at a 20-year high school reunion, The Girl Most Likely To is a fun and nostalgic second-chance romance. I loved how the story weaved in early 2000s throwbacks, especially the AIM chatroom connection between the MCs.

At her 20th high school reunion, Rachel Dang, once “Most Likely to Succeed” but is now unexpectedly unemployed, crosses paths with her former frenemy, Danny Phan, whose life has taken a more successful turn. As teens, their late-night AIM chats hinted at something deeper, but in person, it never really came together. When an errand spirals into a night of chaos, nostalgia, and unexpected run-ins, old feelings resurface, forcing them to question whether this reunion is just a fleeting moment or the start of something real.

One of my favorite aspects of this book was the cultural representation. With both MCs being Asian, we get glimpses into their family dynamics, both in high school and the present day. I also really enjoyed the FMC’s personal growth. She’s always been someone who had a clear path, but after unexpectedly losing her job, she’s struggling to figure out what’s next. Watching her navigate that uncertainty while rekindling her connection with Danny made her story all the more relatable.

The romance itself was well-developed, with the MCs working through past misunderstandings and growing into a more mature relationship. There’s a great mix of heartfelt moments, humor, and a bit of spice with one steamy scene. Overall, this was an enjoyable, fast-paced read that kept my attention by jumping between 2003 and present day.

Thank you, NetGalley, Avon, and Harper Voyager, for this eARC!

There's a lot about this book that people who grew up in the age of chat rooms can relate to. There's plenty of nostalgia. Rachel and Danny met during the days of AIM, and though they were opposites in high school (she was the over-achieving most likely to succeed, and he was popular and always fell asleep during tutoring), they had a sweet friendship and kiss. The high school scenes were actually my favorite scenes in the book. Adult Rachel is in her late 30s, just got laid off, and is single. She's pretty miserable, and has a hard time being honest about it. I think the most frustrating thing about her is her stubbornness and unwillingness to ask for help. Danny is overly patient with her if you ask me. I had a hard time buying their chemistry as adults because Rachel is pretty evasive with Danny as they spend the day of their 20th reunion together. I was hoping she had learned more from the way their high school friendship blew up. I know it's normal in RomComs for tension to build up between characters, but I spent a lot of time screaming at this book saying JUST TELL THE TRUTH.

3.5 stars rounded up
The narrator redeemed this book. The book itself is okay. I enjoyed the characters and the two timelines of 2003 and 2023. Danny and Rachel meet in an online chatroom and the story of their friendship. Then fast forward to 2023, Rachel works at a streaming company and gets laid off. Then goes to her twenty year reunion and sees Danny again. The characters are messy and loveable. I loved Danny's sense of humor. Overall, a fun romance.

I love this book because it is second chance romance, nostalgic, and friends to lovers book. I love the author because she writes the best rom-com books.

Rachel Dang has always been determined to be the best, especially back in high school when she was voted “most likely to succeed”. After being let go from her job Rachel’s feeling anything but when her twentieth high school reunion comes around. But the invitation was sent by Rachel’s ex-best friend and high school crush Danny Phan and she can’t help but be curious and decides to attend. Things are awkward at first between the two, getting to know the adult versions of each other. There’s also an incident involving a cactus that is highly entertaining. As Rachel and Danny navigate the night with old high school peers they become more honest and vulnerable about the state of their previous relationship in high school. Can the reunion bring them together once again or is it just nostalgia?

Having recently attended my first class reunion I thought the premise was fun for a romance novel. Trying to seem important and impressive to your peers was very relatable. Also looking back what in hindsight at what was so important in the moment is a great way to show the characters growth. I’ve enjoyed Julie’s other books and this was another enjoyable read of hers!

I thoroughly enjoyed reading this book. It was a refreshing and captivating experience, and I found the writing to be both engaging and accessible. The story flowed smoothly, making it easy to stay connected to the plot and characters without feeling lost or overwhelmed. The author struck a perfect balance, keeping things interesting while still making the content feel approachable. Overall, it was a wonderful read, and I would definitely recommend it to others who are looking for an enjoyable and easy-to-digest book.

What a romp! This book was delightful from beginning to end. I loved our main character, Rachel, and our love interest, Danny. Seeing them over the course of one evening was quite a wild ride at points, but that’s why it was so fun.

This book is written in dual timelines – high school and the present. It really allows the reader to understand their connection and what happened between them all those years ago. It also included AIM messages which was so fun. This leads to my next point: if you are younger than 25, you will miss a lot of the references the author makes. It would still be enjoyable, but might leave you confused at points. Not a negative, but something to know before picking up the book!

I really enjoyed the Asian American representation in this book. I’m trying to read more diversely and reading romance not centered around white people is a good place to start! I love that Julie’s author bio mentions her high school sweetheart husband. It’s one of my favorite things when they incorporate bits of their real life into their fiction.

Overall, this was a fast & fun read! I would recommend to anyone who is nostalgic for the 90’s, is a big TV/movie head (our MC works in entertainment), or just wants a fun romance to read.

3.5⭐️

Thank you to NetGalley, Avon Books, and the author, Julie Tieu, for the ARC in exchange for an honest review!

This was my second Julie Tieu book, and I definitely picked it up at just the right time in my life. I really needed something lighthearted and easy to read, and this one fit the bill.

What I enjoyed:
- The overall premise: I really enjoyed the general plot--two former classmates/friends are brought back together by a high school reunion (and end up getting waylaid by a series of distractions).
- The tone: Julie Tieu has a great sense of humor, and I definitely laughed out loud a handful of times.
- The ease of the read: This book was just so easy to fall into and soak up. It felt like watching a short 90s rom-com.

What didn't quite work for me:
- I had to really suspend my disbelief when it came to the relationship between the FMC and MMC. They presumably haven't seen or talked to each other in 20 years, but the dynamics between the two characters didn't really reflect this.
- I kept being told that there was a ton of chemistry between the two characters, but I wanted to see that built up a bit more. I didn't *feel* the chemistry.
- The one spicy scene felt a little abrupt and out of place. I felt like it wasn't really necessary.
- I wish this had been written as a dual-POV book because I think a lot of my issues above may have been solved by reading the MMC's perspective.

I'm still so grateful to have received both an ARC and an ALC of this one from NetGalley, and I definitely recommend listening to the audio if you're looking for a cute rom-com!

This was a super cute rom com about perfectionist Rachel and the more laid back Danny. I liked the juxtaposition of interspersing the modern day story with flashbacks.

There are AIM chats.. need I say more?! But in all seriousness, this book is amazing 🧡 Julie captured 2000s rom-com magic into it. This is my official petition to turn this into a movie!! This was a sweet romance that also centers around self-discovery. Rachel was just laid off before going to her 20 year high school reunion. In wondering what is next for her, she runs into her old best friend/crush. The nostalgia 🥹 I loved it!

The banter between Rachel and Danny was great. The way they still knew each other so well after so many years was really sweet. There were so many funny scenes! And I really enjoyed the ending. Truly a great second chance romance. I listened to this on audio and I loved the narration. Natalie was really good and exchanging between characters and dialogue.

a light and easy romcom to read. the early 2000s nostalgia really got me hooked on to it. very sweet friends to estranged to friends again to lovers. i've already begun handselling it at work :)