4⭐

This is a fun, light hearted rom-com and touches on some much more emotional topics. We follow Leon - thinks his sister is marrying the wrong man, Francesca + determined to win back the groom, Gemma - wants to take down the bride. There is plenty of humor that satisfies the comedy side. There is a well delivered HEA that really ties the story up. While obviously the romance is at the for front, the friendship that develops between Gemma, Leon and Francesca is really heartwarming.

Thank you for the eARC in exchange for my honest opinion.

Book Review: The Layover by Beth Reekles
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ (4/5 stars)

First off, thank you to Beth Reekles, Little, Brown Book Group UK, and NetGalley for providing me with an ARC of The Layover!

This book is the ultimate romantic summer read, delivering a delightful mix of forced proximity, rivals to lovers, and grumpy/sunshine dynamics. The premise—a ten-hour layover in Orly, France, with three strangers determined to stop a wedding for their own reasons—had me intrigued from the start.

I’ll admit, I struggled with the trio initially. Their motives came across as selfish and rude, making it hard to root for them as our heroes. HOWEVER—once I dove deeper into the story (and binged it in mere hours), I came to love them and understood the layers beneath their actions. Gemma, Leon, and Francesca all have complicated backstories filled with neglect, heartbreak, and being overlooked, which made their desperation feel real and their redemption arcs so satisfying.

Beth Reekles strikes a perfect balance between humor, drama, and heart. The dialogue was sharp, and the setting—though I wouldn't personally love to spend hours in Orly—felt like the perfect chaotic backdrop for this unexpected connection. By the end, I was fully invested in these characters and found myself laughing, tearing up, and cheering for them.

Nuanced, emotional, and hilariously entertaining, *The Layover* is a fun romantic romp that’s perfect for fans of messy, heartfelt love stories. Highly recommend!

Woah! It's been a long time since I've read a whole book in one day, but boy was this a wild ride. The writing is fun and engaging, and the plot is fast-paced without being rushed. Really felt like I was stuck at the airport with the three main characters, and sympathised with all of them (though Gemma was my favourite!).

Without giving the game away, I loved all of their story arcs, and I love we got some casual queer rep in there too. Plus the other pop culture references were absolutely on point!

My only gripe - and it's a tiny one - is that we're never told what Gemma and Francesca do, despite their jobs/workplaces being a big part of their stories/backgrounds. It really doesn't even matter what the job is, but it kept nagging me that we don't know. 😂

Overall a fabulous read, loveable characters, and a great moral of the story - will be recommending it to all my friends.

The Layover was cute and a quick read, but I will say I was left unsatisfied by the ending. I won't spoil it, but it felt like justice was not served for any of the main characters, who I was rooting for by the end of the book. I do think seeing the story unfold and how they all came together for their layover was funny, and a very wholesome story.

I’ve not read anything by this author before but I enjoyed The Layover. It was an easy read, and the characters were quite relatable. It was funny in parts too, a nice light-hearted book.

I’m not entirely sure what genre this falls into,kind of romance, comedy, drama….it was entertaining and emotional in a YA way and whilst initially I was struggling thinking I would never like this book because not a single character is that likeable apparently having their story unfold whilst grounded at an airport is quite redeeming!

Lots of fun and giggles with some sad and toxic relationships to be dissected but these three almost strangers.

I received this book as an ARC and provide an honest review

When you start the book you think all three main characters are shitty people, one is just more shitty than the others, and the wedding couple is the worst*, but we don't even have their pov. It's a very funny vibe. I don't like any of these people, but I couldn't stop reading either.

It's like the whole thing is based on people being nosey gossipy hags, and you're one too if you keep reading this book, but you have all this drama, you need to know what happens! As the reader you have bits and pieces the other characters don't, and the anticipation of them finding out or putting the pieces together yourself is quite fun.

Reading this was a ride! I was so focused on the drama in the present and could only breathe when the characters also started breathing and looking at the bigger picture.

You slowly realise they're not bad people, just people who made bad decisions because fear, love, or naïveté. It's defintely not a romance to me, and as mentioned above I'm frustrated it was marketed as such, but it does have a tiny romance subplot. It's completely clean.

Really, it's more a book about toxic relationships and being willing to see the truth and be yourself. Written in a very comedic way, and very fun to read.

Dnf at 21%
Sadly just couldn't get into this one and the story wasn't really engaging me enough to keep going

Beth Reekles's The Layover is a super fun and funny read. At first it was hard to keep track of the three rotating characters: Leon, Gemma, and Francesca. Reekles masters the increasing frustration of being stuck in an airport. The growth of the characters makes this read equal parts cheesy and heart-warming. There were a few moments where the pacing felt slow, but that is understandable with characters stuck in one location for almost the entire book. If only there was just a little more wedding drama. Overall, it was an enjoyable read. Leon's relationship with his youngest sister is wholesome too.

Three strangers—Gemma, Leon, and Francesca—are all trying to stop the same wedding, but for completely different reasons. Gemma, the maid of honour, wants revenge after spending years playing second fiddle to the bride. Leon, the bride’s brother, thinks the groom is completely wrong for his sister. And Francesca, the groom’s friend, sees this as her last chance to win back the man she believes is her soulmate. When bad weather leaves them stranded together for ten hours, their secrets come spilling out, and their plans to stop the wedding take some unexpected turns.

I absolutely loved this book! I didn’t expect it to be so emotional, but it had me tearing up more than once. What I thought would just be a fun, light romance actually had so much depth—it touched on self-worth, moving forward, family relationships, and believing in yourself. Some parts really resonated with me, and I found myself feeling for all three main characters.

I also liked how each chapter was narrated by a different character. It gave each of them their own voice and kept the story fresh and engaging. Gemma, Leon, and Francesca were all so well-written, and I was rooting for all of them. On the other hand, I couldn’t stand Kayleigh and Marcus (the bride and groom), which just shows how great the character writing was.

As it got closer to the wedding, I had no idea what was going to happen, but the ending was perfect. I cried so much, and I’m honestly gutted I finished it so quickly. It’s a great mix of fun, heartfelt, and emotional—definitely worth the read!

Thank you to NetGalley for the download.

What a great read, especially for anyone who has ever been stuck in an airport overnight. This really does have so many great storylines running through it, the three people who start the journey are not the same three people who arrive at the wedding, and this story just wraps it all up in the best wrapping ever. From Macaroons to mini bar bottles this story has it all, you will just straight up hate the bride, and kind of hate to love and then just love the maid of honour. At first all three of our main characters are a little grating, Gemma as she appears like she will break girl code to ruin her besties wedding, Francesca as she looks like she is going to steal the groom, and Leon as he just feels like a moaning minnie who has the weight of the world on his shoulders and wants the bride to take more responsibility, then you really get to know them all and you start to understand them and then all of a sudden you love them all a little bit and don’t know if you even want them to bother with the wedding, but I don’t want to reveal the story as you really need to grab this one and fall into it, it would make the perfect holiday read, or even just a great every day read.

Three strangers meet on a plae. Each with a reason to stop the wedding they are travelling to. A storm causes their flight to be grounded and over 10 hours they transform from strangers to enemies to friends.
This isn't just a romance it is a book about identity and self-worth. At times it had me chuckling but also it had me questioning my own quirks and how I act with people. I thoroughly understand Fran's hope in a false love and Gemma's reality that a person who once was a friend might have aged out of their relationship. But it was Leon who understood the most for. A man who jas sacrificed for his family.
Reekles has mastered the adult genre brilliantly, a nice transformation since her 'Kissing booth' era. I can't wait to read what comes next as I could barely put this book down.

I received a complimentary copy of this book from #netgalley , thank you. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

This was so much fun!!! I loved how each character feels so full as you see them from another perspective. Watching them be who others see and more!

This book is such a bottle neck and I love!! Stick a bunch of people in an airport and give them a common goal!

I loved the little twist at the end to!

Read this book for:
✈️Triple POV
✈️Enemies to allies
✈️Self-love journey
✈️Forced proximity
✈️Found family

Synopsis
A flight delay to Barcelona brings three strangers together—along with their shared mission to ruin the same wedding.
Gemma has spent years living in the bride’s shadow, but this time, she has a plan to step into the spotlight after she found out right before her flight that Kayleigh took the promotion that she worked so hard for after stealing her dream apartment en potential boyfriend. Leon knows his sister is marrying the wrong man, and he’ll do whatever it takes to stop her from walking down the aisle even if it costs him the relationship with his sister. Francesca believes in fate, and it’s telling her this wedding is her last chance to win back the love of her life also known as the groom. With hours to plot and plenty of (emotional) baggage, their impromptu partnership might just be the perfect recipe for chaos, drama or an unexpected reckoning.

My Thoughts
The drama in this book is absolutely phenomenal! After the first three chapters, I was completely hooked and couldn’t put it down—I was desperate to know how everything would unfold. While it doesn’t focus heavily on romance, it delivers a satisfying HEA, plenty of humor, and just the right amount of drama to keep you turning the pages.

What truly stood out to me was how all three characters embarked on their own unique self-love journeys. Each one grew in ways that felt authentic and relatable, adding depth and heart to the story. I also adored the slow-burn connection between Leon and Francesca—it was so well-written and rewarding. At the same time, the evolving friendship among Gemma, Leon, and Francesca after their layover at Orly was an absolute delight. Watching them bond despite their initial differences made for such a fun and uplifting reading experience.

On the flip side, I hated Kayleigh and Marcus with a passion—but that’s a testament to Beth’s incredible writing. They were so well-crafted as antagonists that I couldn’t help but root for their downfall. But I am glad they did end up getting married because they really deserve each other.

If there’s one thing I wish the book had, it’s another epilogue or even a short follow-up to show what happened to the trio after the wedding. I’m so curious about where life took them next, and I would’ve loved to see more of their dynamic post-chaos. Overall, this was an unforgettable read that I’d happily recommend to anyone looking for humor, drama, and a story with real emotional depth.

I received an e-ARC from NetGalley of this book in exchange for an honest review.

OMG! I love this book!

Waiting for them to realise who the other is.

Drunk airport shenanigans!

I had hoped there’d be more comeuppance, for the bride and groom.

I almost wish I could read it again for the first time!

This was going to be a 3.5 starbut by the end it bumped up to 4!

This had all the makings of a fun rom-com: the brother of the bride, maid of honour and the grooms work wife get delayed on the way to the wedding, all with plans to stop or ruin the wedding. At first they don’t get along, but being trapped in Orly airport for 12 hours they start to form a special bond, each reflecting on what they want in life.

I did not expect this to take the deep, emotional turn it did; but it really took this book to the next level. It was funny, heartwarming and at times, enraging but a thoroughly enjoyable read!

I did find for the first 20% or so that i was having a hard time keeping up with all the characters. I almost made a cheat sheet of who’s who, but eventually I got it figured out and really enjoyed this in the end.

I really enjoyed this as it is a scenario I haven’t come across before. Three strangers stranded at an airport each one carrying a secret that puts them on a personal mission to put an end to the destination wedding they are attending. Things don’t start off smoothly and these three very different people are forced together and we slowly get to know them and their reasons for being there. We see things unraveling through the three points of view and get to know them individually.
What I enjoyed about this book is how my opinions of the three protagonists changed whilst seeing them through each of their eyes and although about half way through I started to think I wish something a little more would happen, by the end I was rooting for each of them. I would really recommend this character driven book. Thank you so much NetGalley for giving me the opportunity to read this book. The Layover will be published on 26th June.

This book is a beautiful reminder about self-love, the importance of a supportive circle, and how our pasts shape us. The book made me laugh, reflect, and left me feeling all warm and fuzzy inside. Definitely an inspiring and heartwarming read!

I was expecting a bit more from this one...

The Layover focuses on three characters - Gemma, Leon and Francesca - all headed to the same wedding, all trying to stop it for different reasons. As their flight is delayed, they end up grouped for hours on end and bonding, uncovering their issues and how they're attached to the couple getting married in some way.

I wouldn't classify this book as a romance per se, but more a novel that deals with the matter of love as it intertwines with family and friends in life. I enjoyed the way these characters bonded in the time they spent together and the idea that there is no time limit to break a cycle in our lives - no matter how old we are or how long a friendship (or relationship) has lasted. However, I felt like, apart from the three main characters (and even them, in a way), felt very one-dimensional and should have been more developed. I also would have liked to see a bit more of what happens after the wedding.

Thank you to Sphere and NetGalley for the e-ARC!

Thank you to NetGalley, Sphere, and Beth Reekles for granting my request to read this e-ARC and provide my honest opinions.

Why is this book described as 'THE ULTIMATE ROMANTIC SUMMER FORCED-PROXIMITY, RIVALS TO LOVERS AND GRUMPY/SUNSHINE!'? Because in my opinion this is not a romance novel; yeah, there is a love interest, but that doesn't mean it falls under the romance genre!!

Having said that, I loved the progression of this book and its characters, how they met and interacted. The layover gave them the opportunity to bond, lay out their secrets, and open up to each other.

This book is so full of drama, and it kept me glued and wanting more, and yes, this is the time to say Kay and Marus definitely deserve each other 😒. Protagonists you can't root for—aren't they the best 😈?

The character development was so on point! The love interest 😍 we definitely need an epilogue!!

Thank you once again for the e-ARC.