This book was so sweet but I just wished to connect with the characters more. I also feel more second chance lovers than enemies to lovers. Dual POV could’ve really helped this one too

Read if you love
🤍second chance romance
🤍75% of the entire book is only one day

[ARC review]
THE GIRL MOST LIKELY TO by Julie Tieu is a fun, kind of madcap throwback to the golden era of teen comedies.

Rachel has no job, no parter, no life to speak of. But when Danny, her former best friend (by way of AOL instant messenger) invites her to their high school reunion, she can't resist the opportunity to see him again. Then a simple errand turns into a whole night of zany adventures, along with some discoveries about their old relationship.

It was a ton of millennial nostalgia, staying up late to chat on AIM, the sound of a door slamming as someone logged off. Pander to me and my glory days!! (Although I am even a couple years older than these characters.) It was fun how it flipped back and forth between the present day and the past, during their senior year.

The third act is very mild, not even a real break up. Really jost lost of frothy, lighthearted fun, which I think we all could use right now.

THE GIRL MOST LIKELY TO is out February 18.

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#NetGalley #ARCreview #TheGirlMostLikelyTo

I felt this book to my core. The constant pressure to be perfect and the overachiever. I saw so much of myself in Rachel so she was incredibly relatable. The colorful cast in the book was so diverse and unique and I found them to be so precious. The second chance that Danny and Rachal get is set at their high school reunion when Rachal is feeling like an absolute failure after being let go from her job. Seeing Danny, who is successful in his career, initially reminded her of failures and the pressure she felt to be successful. I loved the premise of this book and the pacing of it to capture all the craziness of the one night of their reunion. Thank you to the author, publisher, and NetGalley for the gifted eARC. All opinions are my own.

Instagram post will be live 12feb25

2.75⭐️ I really thought I’d love this one and relate to the MCs, but it just fell flat for me. It kind of gave typical 2000s movie vibes—à la Romy and Michele—where the whole book takes place in one night (the reunion night), and it was just a little too predictable for me.

Pair that with the fact that it was all just miscommunication and a second-chance romance, and honestly, it didn’t really stand a chance with me. I did empathize with Rachel and her drive to be the best of the best post-high school, but unfortunately, that wasn’t enough to fully pull me in.

“Why would I feel bad for you? All I ever wanted was for you to notice me.”

3.5 stars

This was a quick, fun read about a sorta second chance romance where Rachel and Daniel had a falling out right before they graduated high school and haven’t seen each other in 20 years. They meet again at the 20-year high school reunion and it’s basically a disaster lmao

“How did you put up with the melodrama?” I groaned, thinking about all the stupid stuff I complained about when we were teenagers.
“I didn’t put up with anything. I listened because it mattered to you.”

There are cactus spikes in butt cheeks, security interruptions, car crashes, and lots of running around and poor Rachel, who showed up 30 minutes early to the reunion, ends up late anyway after all that. But at least she was with Daniel during the running around.

“I guess we’re never too old to be young and dumb again.”

It was super refreshing to read about characters in their late thirties instead of early twenties, it was nice that they were older than me for once lmao

Also, I dunno why I was assuming no spice but there was spice! So, yes, that was great lmao

“You slept through most of our tutoring sessions.”
“I was listening. I liked the sound of your voice. I still do.”

The negatives: while I liked Daniel, I didn’t really like Rachel. She was childish, shallow, and mean (it was pointed out a lot, so it’s not like other people, and herself, weren’t aware) and it was super annoying. She did grow up, I guess, by the end, but her attitude was just really off-putting for like 70% of the book.

*Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC*

This was a pretty fun read, but it wasn't really anything special. I enjoyed the way the author really showed the past and present timeline, really showing how kids behaved in the early 2000's, but I just feel like there was no real conflict? A lot of Rachel's growth happened within essentially a single day, especially since 90% of the book takes place over a single day. I just wish the author had given us more about Danny because his character felt incredibly stagnant - he did all this growing from 2003 to present time, and then it's just him helping Rachel through her issues. This book would've shined more as a dual POV book instead of just a single POV one. While I really connected with high-school Rachel, present Rachel was also frustrating to deal with at times, and she still wasn't communicating well with her friends towards the end of the book.

Overall, if you're looking for a second-chance romance, it's a quick fun read.

This was such a fun premise! I really enjoyed the flashback scenes and laughed at some of the mishaps in the reunion. Unfortunately, the rest of the book didn’t really work for me. I was not connecting to the main character at all, and I didn’t really like her. It’s 20 years in between the flashbacks and present and I feel like she regressed in her maturity levels. The insta-love was a bit much for me too. It felt highly unrealistic considering it had been 20 years since they’d even talked. I really enjoyed the side characters though.

Thank you so much to NetGalley and the publisher for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

This charming and heartwarming novel is a perfect fit for readers who adore lighthearted, humorous, and emotionally resonant second-chance romances. The story's exploration of the friends-to-lovers trope will particularly appeal to those who enjoy watching relationships blossom from a foundation of friendship and shared history. With its feel-good narrative centered on taking chances and rediscovering past connections, this book is an ideal choice for anyone seeking a story that celebrates the enduring power of love and the possibility of second chances. The author's engaging writing style and well-developed characters will draw readers in, making this a book that is hard to put down and even harder to forget.

The Girl Most Likely To by Julie Tieu

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ 4.25/5

I was happily surprised by this book. There honestly wasn’t a part of it that I disliked. I really related to the main character. I was laughing out loud throughout the whole thing, like genuinely lol-ed. I had so much fun reading this and absolutely flew through it.

The story follows two high-school best friends in a dual timeline meeting up for the first time since high school at their 20-year reunion after a major falling out on award’s night. We get to see them re-connecting while learning why things fell apart in the first place. Rachel and Danny take off on a night of errand-running for the reunion, and shenanigans ensue.
Julie Tieu did a fantastic job creating these characters. Every single character, even the side characters, was so well-rounded and fleshed out. She did not half-ass this writing. Her words are witty and comical with top-tier banter, which I live for. I really connected with these characters, especially Rachel. I empathized with her need for perfection in high school and how that became the only thing that mattered to her. I loved being able to see her let go and live a little. It healed a little bit of the gifted child burnout in me.

The plotting and pacing was spot-on. The story never lagged or got boring. I was constantly entertained and couldn’t wait to get back to it every time I set it down.

I am really happy with this book and will definitely be purchasing a hard copy for myself to have on my shelves. Thank you to Julie Tieu, NetGalley, and Avon for the ARC!

Review will be on Instagram soon!

I normally don't read high school or college reunions, I don't like to seek out that specific kind of angst. But this book made it like a more chill & adult version of the movie Booksmart when the FMC reunites with her high school best friend and they go on a night of twists and turns, re-learning each other and having the talk they've always needed to have. They totally have chemistry and passion. I was like kicking my feet at how strongly the MMC reacted to the FMC after all this time.

Interspersed throughout there are short snippets of flashbacks to them in high school and I felt like it was utilized well especially because it was usually a page maximum and most of this book is in the present. I loved the nostalgic callbacks to aol and some of the music references.

The reason for 4 vs 5 stars is just that at times it felt a little slow and this is possibly because so much page time was over a single night. Which is definitely something I can get on board with but I think just could've used a bit more finesse to fully pull off. But overall, I loved the balance of the FMC in that she is in a quarter life crisis at the start of this book and there's definitely room for character growth but was also still a realistic 30-something mature adult.

Thank you to Avon for the eARC!

The Girl Most Likely To by Julie Tieu is everything I love about rom-coms. From the moment I started reading, I was swept into the story filled with witty banter, emotional depth, and characters you can’t help but root for. This book had me laughing, swooning, and tearing up.

At its core, The Girl Most Likely To follows the journey of Rachel Dang, who is navigating love, friendship, and self-discovery—all at the age of 38. Rachel just got laid off from her job, and she’s trying to regroup when she gets invited to her 20 year high school reunion. Which then brings her to think about Danny—her AIM crush turned real life classmate turned frenemy. (Swoon😩)

Julie Tieu’s writing is sharp and insightful, and she has a fantastic knack for capturing the emotions of her characters, making them feel so real and relatable.

What really stood out to me was how the book balances humor and heart. The dialogue is quick and clever, often reminding me of the classic early 2000s romcoms like 13 Going on 30 or Notting Hill. There’s that same sense of charm and nostalgia, with a protagonist who is figuring things out and finding herself along the way.

The cultural elements in The Girl Most Likely To add a layer of richness that sets it apart, offering something fresh and exciting while still embracing the feel of those beloved romcoms from the early 2000s. It’s a delightful reminder that even in the chaos of life, love can be just around the corner when you least expect it.

If you’re a fan of romcoms, The Girl Most Likely To is an absolute must-read. It has all the heart and humor of your favorite nostalgic movies, but with a modern, diverse twist that makes it feel entirely its own. I can’t wait to see what Julie Tieu comes up with next! Thank you NetGalley and Avon for this ARC!🫶

Incorporating the way AIM chats used to define relationships, talking with crushes and connecting with someone virtually for the first time with planned chat dates was such a fun callback because I 100% used to do that.

My one annoyance with Danny and Rachel's relationship was how easily they fell into a romance after 20 years apart, hardly unpacking of their baggage. There wasn't tons of development from the reunion night to the realization that they wanted to truly give their relationship a try.

Miscommunication also really grinds my gears but I'm giving this a pass because they were in high school and one little thing can be a catastrophic end to a friendship and relationship when you're in your teens.

➡️ Dual timeline
➡️ Second Chance
➡️ Friends to lovers

I really enjoyed this! It gave me Emily Henry vibes with the single POV and rambling inner dialogue which I actually really enjoy because it’s super relatable!

This was cute and sweet and I would definitely read more by this author! I feel like the FMC was incredibly relatable and I’m sure most people would be able to identify with some of her struggles.

Thank you to NetGalley, Avon and Harper Voyager, Avon and Julie Tieu for giving me an advanced listener’s copy and an ARC of this great book 💕

Great book for fans of Suzanne Park or anyone who feels like they'd like a second chance to do high-school. This book was paced well and had main characters who were relatable. I kept wanting to yell at high school them to wake up and be brave and honest! I appreciated that as adults it was easy to see how they matured and were able to be honest with one another. This was a quick and fun read with the right amount of spice! 3.75 stars. Thanks to Net Galley and Harper Collins for this eARC in exchange for my honest review.

I don't know how you could not like this book because I found it fantastic! Rachel and Danny were friends.. and more in high school until it all went south. They haven't seen one another for 20 years and they reunite at their reunion. Rachel is going to apologize to Danny and she hopes they can be friends again, but Danny went for one reason only.. and that was to see Rachel. It is clear he never forgot about her and that he was just as smitten as ever. This book was packed full of nostalgia for me and I was eating it up. I was also eating up just how gone Danny was for Rachel.. swoon. I had so many AWE moments with this one. There wasn't a lot of angst, just a lot of sweetness and that was refreshing.
Thanks to Avon, Netgalley and Julie Tieu for an early copy.

I’m sure others will enjoy this book, but I’m not the target audience. It’s a dual timeline, and I had trouble keeping track of where we were in time. There isn’t really a plot—it’s more a series of unfortunate events. The tone isn’t as light and fun as I expect from a rom-com.

Thanks, NetGalley, for the ARC.

This is my first read by Julie Tieu and I really enjoyed it. I loved that we get to see Rachel and Danny go from friends to lovers in the past and in the present. Dual timeline is a tricky thing but I think this was executed perfectly. I love that although they both were hurt by things the other said/did in the past, they were able to move forward as adults because they could see that the other was truly sorry for what had happened. I will definitely be picking up more Julie Tieu books in the future!

Thanks to Harper Collins and NetGalley for this ARC!!

Miscommunication, Second Chance romance. A unique premise that takes place almost entirely at their 20th class reunion. Rachel was the girl most likely to succeed in high school, and even though it’s been 20 years, she still remembers those who were her biggest competitors. She has a not so glamorous life in the entertainment industry, and she has just been laid off from her job. She finally made the trades, and it was because of her layoff. Her friend (who is an actress) hired her short term to be her assistant, getting coffee and laundry. This allows for her to stay very close to the entertainment industry and to make it seem like her life is a bit more glamorous than it is. Just in time for her 20th reunion, she reconnects with Danny,. They had one special moment in 2023, and then nothing came of it. Not that she thinks about that much anymore.

There’s a lot of nostalgia in this one, depending on where you were around 2003, you will see and hear a lot of things that jump off the page and make you laugh. It’s really the details. I’m not a big fan of the miscommunication trope typically, but with teenagers they have miscommunication just about every day. I liked the way that in my copy the parts from high school were in bold print, allowing me to understand when we were in the past. There aren’t chapter headings that say the years, or “then” chapters and “now” chapters.

Rachel is not at all boring, she really is flawed yet likable. You’re rooting for her and you understand why she is trying to embellish her career to her former classmates. If you like a second chance romance, pick this one up.

Thanks to NetGalley and Harper Avon for the ARC. Book to be published February 18, 2025.

Thanks to Netgalley and Avon and Harper Voyager for the E-ARC. This was such a easy read. Rach and Danny met in high school via AIM I love this and how it reference it so much through the story because those were the days. They see each other at their 20th year high school reunion where lots of crazy and funny unfortunate things happen. The story goes back and forth where we see how the MCs relationship progressed.

I have tried to read this book on multiple occasions. I’m not sure if it’s the writing or the characters, but something just isn’t jiving with me. I’m going to go ahead and shelf this as a DNF, I apologize. Hopefully I will be able to return to it and try again in the future. Thanks!