Thank you NetGalley & Little Brown Book Group for a copy of this eArc in exchange for an honest review.

An interesting, fun at times read written from the point of view of 3 people who are flying to attend the same wedding, who end up with a layover and discover that they are each harbouring a secret and carrying a lot of emotional baggage surrounding the bride and groom.

This was not what I expected the book to be, the front cover and overall feeling was giving rom com but actually this book deals with quite a niche topic of how it feels when a one sided friendship, relationship and family dynamic with a person who has narcissistic tendencies can leave you with a bitter taste in your mouth. I think this can be relatable for a lot of people to be honest.

There was an underlying theme of romance but it was not the most prevalent part of the story. I think I'd have given this book an extra star if I'd have seen either a little more romance, or some extra humour. It was funny in parts but I think it could have been more humorous! It needed a little more pizazz if you will.

I enjoyed the bookish references that were sprinkled in. My favourite character was Francesca as I thought her character development was the best, but I related the most personally to Gemma.

Overall I think this was a decent read, and a good contender for a wedding season palette cleanser, but I am not rushing to recommend this to all my friends.

Thank you netgalley and Sphere for providing me with a earc in exchange for an honest review.

I loved this story by Beth Reeks, it was the perfect easy read. I really enjoyed how each pov was written to really build up the characters throughout the story, the emotional depth really added to the book.
Highly recommend this book if you are a fan of the likes of the Flatshare and any Emily Henry book.

Loved the ending of this book as well!

I went into this book blind but oh my word did I have a good time reading it. I enjouyed the 3 different povs from Gemma, Leon and Francesca and how the three were delayed at the airport.

All three are heading to a wedding and all 3 have their own reasons for wanting to stop or ruin the wedding and when the drinks start flowing and they have plenty of times to wait around, they start to talk and the plans are revealed

It was a fun easy read!

4.5/5⭐

This book? ✨ A whole rom-com movie in pages 🎬💞 The Layover is the kind of chaotic, summer romance that makes you want to book a flight just for the chance of getting stranded at an airport...because you never know who you’ll meet in a ten-hour delay ✈️

Gemma, Leon, and Francesca are three strangers with one chaotic goal: 💍 stop the same wedding. But fate (and bad weather 🌧️) has other plans...stranding them together with too much time and too many secrets ready to spill. The banter? So snappy and fun. The chemistry? OFF the charts 🔥. The backstories? Full of depth and heart 💔💖.

And let’s talk about the vibe: enemies slowly becoming allies (and maybe a little more 👀), emotional revelations in quiet airport corners, and a countdown that feels like something big is always about to happen. Watching these three go from “claws out” to “hearts open” had me smiling the entire time 😭💗✨

Leon’s protective, sarcastic older brother energy? 10/10. Gemma’s unhinged maid of honour plan? ICONIC. Francesca’s “this is my moment” mission? Dramatic in the best way. Together, they’re hilarious, messy, lovable...and the kind of characters you don’t want to say goodbye to. 🥺🌷 This book is a layover I never wanted to end 🛬💫

This was such a fab read! I haven’t read any of Beth’s work before and will now go back and look for all the books I’ve been missing out on!

The layover is such a clever idea for a story. A long overnight stay in an airport where not only do you have our 3 main characters but a whole host of travellers to help bring the story alive.
It actually felt like I was in the airport with them and to be fair I’d quite happily get stuck with Leon, Gemma and Fran!

I absolutely loved the bonding and realisation that came about during this story. 3 people who are aware who each other are and are a bit frosty to start with soon open up to each other.
The food and alcohol were flowing, the confessions were a plenty and the sudden realisation that things were not as they seemed and changes might need to take place all keep this story moving at a great pace.


I definitely felt invested in how this was going to pan out. The characters were likeable and written in a way that you wanted to support them! Except Kayleigh 😝
I loved that we got snippets of other passengers in the airport: Disney dads, stag do party, traumatised mums trying to use the toilet 😂🙈
The debate about the redheads made me chuckle and so pleased we found out in the end 😂 also sparkly thong man was certainly a surprise 😝

Gemma was my favourite, I loved her straight talking to Fran and telling it like it is. Wishing for her that she could be like that in areas of her life. She always had me chuckling. Loved the interaction with the French security and French shop staff in the airport!

So pleased I got to read this entertaining, funny, heart warming book and I look forward to more.

Thank you Netgalley, the publisher and author for an ARC of the book in exchange for my honest review

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/5
🌶️/5

I received this book from the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. Thank you! All opinions are my own.

Three people going to the same wedding get stuck in the airport because of bad weather. So they stay together and start a friendship against all odds. The bride's brother who hates the groom, the bride's best friend who is also the maid of honor and has a toxic friendship with the bride and the groom's best friend from work who is totally in love with him and she plans on telling him before the wedding. During this layover they start with a plan. Will they get to the wedding in time? Will they go through with their different plans?

I read and loved the Kissing Booth trilogy so I knew I wanted to read more by the author. Sadly I didn't love this one.

I enjoyed the drama of the story, it was so funny at times. The airport adventures were great.

I liked the characters, I felt for them and I wanted them to be friends from the beginning.

Unfortunately, I found the story a bit slow and too long. Almost the whole book is set in the airport with the main characters getting to know each other and trying to decide what to do when they get to their destination and I had the urge to tell the weather to clear up so they could get on with the story.

Also it's so much more fun to read a fiction story about someone almost not making it to a wedding rather than actually living it and getting there with just an hour to spare, trust me. Even though they had a totally different situation.

I laughed so much near the end with the twist, I can't really say much more.

I liked the ending, it was nice and it felt right after all that had happened.

4.5/5

Thank you NetGally and Little Brown Book for my review copy. These are my thoughts:

Three wedding guest. One delayed flight. 24 hours to go before the bride and groom say “I do”. Will Gemma (the maid of honour), Leon (the bride’s brother) and Francesca (the groom’s “work wife”) make it in time to - stop the wedding?

This is my first book by Reekles and I have to say this was so much fun! It was thoroughly entertaining. I was invested in these three characters and what was “beneath the surface” with each of them.
A resentful maid of honour; a worried bride’s brother and, a “work wife” on a mission. I loved how they all bonded and helped each other through their individual conflicts. The airport shenanigans and and background characters added chaos and fun, in between the deeper issues being unraveled between the three characters.
The bride was insufferable and the groom a “douche”.

This was the sort of story that made the reader come up with different scenarios as the story unfolded. The ending could have gone a number of ways and I LOVED what Reekles pulled at the last minute!

This book was entertaining and fun but at the same time, touched on deeper issues and insecurities that are relatable. I
This will make a great summer read and especially if you have a long trip/flight. I recommend this book!

[Spice: no spice]

4.5/5 ⭐️ First thank you to NetGalley, author and the publisher for the opportunity to read this book.

I really enjoyed this one! This book follows three strangers all heading to a wedding, with each of them having a different reason for wanting to stop the wedding. The synopsis drew me in, and I really enjoyed following the three main characters.

It was a cute, fun rom-com with a lot of drama, and is a really good holiday read.

4.5 stars

I loved this book so much. It's a perfect binge read!

I found the idea of three people -Gemma, Leon, and Francesca- all on the way to the same wedding on the same flight and getting stranded at a random airport in France so interesting. They all have their reasons for wanting to stop the wedding and decide to team up during the unexpected layover.

You start off thinking these three are awful people but as you learn their reasons you see they are people who have been hurt by the bride or groom. As they share their experiences and late night airport chaos unfolds fueled with alcohol they create a beautiful friendship. The beginning of the wedding scenes made me gasp outloud then laugh hysterically.

This book is being marketed as a romance but personally it felt like a subplot which you see slowly unfold. Seeing one of the characters act as a matchmaker was funny yet I loved it.

Thank you to Little Brown Book Group and NetGalley for the arc!

The Layover comes out June 26th and I recommend giving it a read.

I really really wanted to like this book, but unfortunately...I didn't. I loved the premise of Gemma, Leon and Francesca all having the same bad luck that lands them stuck from attending Kayleigh's wedding. And the fact that all three of them have seperate motives to ruin the wedding independent of each other? Such a fun set up! But I was bored out of my mind and more importantly the characters are all so mean. I get a bit of resentment, rivalry and enemy vibes but this was too far for me. It was painful to read these characters not only be so horrible about Kayleigh but to each other. It had some charm but that was all dissolved by how much of a Debby downer each character was. It just became more and more abrasive the further on I read.

I was a fan of the three POVs as a way of storytelling, but it was very overwhelming at the beginning to have all three POVS back to back to the point where I did get Gemma and Francesca confused a couple times. There were also so many plot points and moments that felt wildly unrealistic and details that didn't make sense - like since when does the brother of the bride make a speech? I just felt like this book missed it's potential by a huge margin.

This is a refreshing take on the romance genre by weaving together the perspectives of three distinct characters: Leon, Francesca, and Gemma. Each character brings a unique voice and set of experiences to the narrative, creating a well-rounded and engaging story. Reekles skillfully explores their individual journeys of self-discovery, personal growth, and the complexities of relationships.

This book was a fun and chaotic rom-com overall. I enjoyed the tropes of forced proximity, enemies-to-lovers sparks, and airport drama, it’s the perfect summer read for fans of messy love.

A very fun, quirky read. The layover follows 3 people all going to the same wedding. And when they all get stuck in an airport together the truth about the bride and groom starts to come out.

I really enjoyed this book. Great plot and great writing. I also liked that this trope of forced proximity is not like every other trope. Instead of one bed, they are stuck in an airport over night waiting for the next flight available with no where else to go and no other way to get to their destination. I think that is such a creative way to portray that trope. Over all a really great book and an easy read.

From the author of The Kissing Booth, this new romcom has the same feel good, fun vibes and is perfect for anyone looking for a light-hearted but chaotic read.

We are introduced to three characters at the start through each of their POV told in first person. With their inner monologue, we get an understanding of who they are and where they fit in the story. I enjoy reading characters chaotic inner thoughts.

The majority of this book is set in the airport focused on these three characters. The author manages to keep it exciting and fresh, letting each character develop, whilst slotting in hilarious moments.

I had such a blast reading this book. It's everything I didn't know I needed. As someone who can relate to both Gemma and Francesca (not quite to that extreme though), I really enjoyed seeing their development.

This is a perfect romcom summer read and actually made me wish I was stuck at an airport! I wouldn't class this as an enemies to lovers though.

Thank you to Sphere and Little, Brown Book Group for this advanced copy.

This book was so much fun I read it till 3 am. The whole base of it that there are three people who are planning to ruin/stop a wedding for their own various reasons are stuck at an airport for hours forced to unravel and talk about it all. Out of the three, Gemma was my favourite with the way she was so confident and able to understand people so well in a short period of time and I felt for her the most as well.
A book you will finish in a single sitting.

I really enjoyed this! The setup consists of a group of wedding guests stranded together during a layover - which is such a fun way to bring out tension, secrets and unexpected chemistry. I loved the mix of personalities - Gemma trying to stop the wedding, Leon reluctantly pulled into the drama, and Francesca hoping for one last shot with her ex. The character dynamics are sharp and full of emotional depth.
What makes the book great is how Reekles balances humour and emotional honesty. It's fast paced and fun, but also dives into those messy moments where feelings aren't so clear-cut. A really enjoyable read!

We’ve all had a bad experience at the airport and this book explores that with one delayed flight and plenty of drama.

Three strangers come together during a layover and discover they are all on their way to stop the same wedding..for various reasons.

Whilst I liked the idea of this book, I didn’t really feel much for any of the characters.

I did however love the drama.

I had so much fun with The Layover! You’ve got three characters - Gemma, Leon, and Francesca, each on a mission to stop (or survive!) the wedding of the year, and then a storm grounds their flight and everything goes off the rails in the most deliciously chaotic way. I took this with me on holiday and it was the perfect escapist rom-com to throw in my carry-on. Love love loved it!!

First of all, thank you to the publisher, the author and NetGalley for providing me with a review copy of this book in exchange for an honest opinion.

My advice for any future readers, don't go into this book that this will be a cutesy enemies-to-lovers romcom cause that was my biggest mistake and why it took me a several months to finish this book. Overall, I think it is a great book, dealing with relatable family, friendship and romance issues and I would have definitely enjoyed it more if I didn't have any expectations.

The main focus of this book is the harsh truths each of the main characters have to face and overcome - Leon about his sister hating her family, Gemma about her best friend being a selfish bitch and ruining her life and Fran about the man she loves stringing her along. All of them are going to Barcelona to stop a wedding and yes it is in fact the same wedding. Unfortunately (or rather fortunately) they get stuck together at the airport on a massive layover. (Fun fact: I read this while on holiday in Barcelona).

Now both Leon and Gemma hate poor Fran. Why? Because she's the grooms "work wife" who's trying to steal the sister's/best friend's man. You might ask, if they are also both planning to stop the wedding, why do they care she's trying to steal the groom? I'll be honest, I have no clue.

I quite enjoyed the multiple POVs and each one of them telling their story, slowly gaining mutual understanding of each situation, sharing their views and advice and helping each overcome the harsh truths they just had to face. It felt so relatable and so human. The friendships formed didn't feel forced at all and everyone that's ever been on a layover or in any forced-proximity situation like that will understand. I felt really connected to their stories and them all as characters and that was definitely my favourite part of the book.

Now the romance on the other hard I didn't fully connect to. You're telling me a girl who's been pining over a man for YEARS gets over him this quick and is ready to move on? As someone who's been there done that, there is no way she would be ready to jump into another relationships so quick. Like yes he's an asshole and an absolute dick but come on. I found it so unrealistic. Anyways, the romance part of this book was super minimal and I kept waiting for more throughout the whole book and left kind of disappointed because of it.

Now onto the thing that almost made me DNF the book several times. The bloody ACOTAR references. Like please release me from this hell fr. Unlike many other readers, I don't mind pop culture references in books from time to time but frankly I don't want to see zionist authors being promoted in the books I read. The only reason I didn't DNF was because this was a review copy.

Another thing that irked me was that Gemma as a fashion, sustainable, capsule wardrobe girlie was shopping bikinis for the holiday on Shein because "Christ, she is not made of money". The author probably added in this detail to show Gemma as a hypocrite but many readers would not be able to pick up on the irony cause they too shop at Shein, so in my opinion this "quirky" comment really doesn't translate well.

Overall, I didn't enjoy the second part of the book, but it may as well been due to the fact that I read it on the beach in Barcelona. This book is not life changing by any means but it is a decent read if you can overlook the many and I mean MANY pop culture references.

2.5⭐️

SYNOPSIS:
Gemma is the maid of honour at her best friend's wedding, Leon is the bride's brother and Francesca is the groom's "work wife" and all 3 plan to ruin the wedding. Gemma has spent years being second best and watching the bride steal everything she has worked for. Leon thinks the groom is uptight and rude, and has turned his sister into someone unrecognisable to their family. Francesca is convinced the groom is the one that got away and that he is in love with her after they shared a special night together and have had a close relationship since. When bad weather grounds their flight, the trio get stuck in an airport hoping they'll make it on time.

THOUGHTS:
When scrolling through NetGalley I thought the synopsis of this sounded fun and I did really enjoy the airport setting. There's something about being stuck in an airport with nowhere to go that just opens up so many opportunities relaxes any inhibitions. However, the reality of this just did not work for me. I disliked every single character from the get go, they were all atrocious. And although they did grow as the story progressed, it just felt a bit unauthentic that they all felt completely different come the end. Even more so the bride and groom were despicable people and nothing came of it at the end.

Having said that, I never once thought about DNFing and did want to carry on to see how it all played out. I feel it was well paced and did keep me intrigued.