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, HarperAudio Adult, HarperAudio and Julie Tieu for giving me an advanced listener’s copy of this great book 💕

Thank you Netgalley for the ARC or Advanced Listening Copy.

This is a review of the book and the narration


The narration is pretty decent and would recommend it.

But the writing is just off.

I like the Chinese American representation and the flashback to the 90s.

But it's just nothing to write home about but a good background audiobook.

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. I enjoyed the audiobook narration.

Thanks, NetGalley, for the 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. Because of this, the audiobook gave me pause a few times. It is difficult to tell which decade you’re in without title headings. That said, this is my very favorite audiobook narrator, Natalie Naudus. I so appreciate that Publishers. Choose a narrator that is Chinese to voice a book about Chinese characters. Natalie Naudus is a real pro, I love the way that she uses pauses and inflection in her performance. Side note: she is also the author of a wonderful queer YA book Gay The Pray Away. Five stars.

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.

This was a fun single POV romance featuring a high school overachiever who finds herself suddenly let go from her company during layoffs and feeling lost in life and who finds herself reunited with her first crush/love at their twenty year high school reunion. Second chance romances are some of my favs and this was lighthearted, cozy and featured older MCs which I really enjoyed too. Great on audio narrated by Natalie Naudus (my absolute fav!) and perfect for fans of books like Reunion by Beth Reekles or The hookup plan by Farrah Rochon. Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an early digital and audio copy in exchange for my honest review!