Thank you to Little Brown Book Group for an advanced copy of this book in exchange for a honest review.

Gemma is the maid of honour, but her intentions are anything but honourable. After years of being second best, stuck watching the bride get everything she worked for, losing her promotion on the eve of the wedding is the last straw. Armed with an incriminating video from the hen party, Gemma's plan to finally get even is in she's going to stop this wedding. Leon thinks his sister is making a huge mistake getting married. Colossal. The groom is rude and uptight, and he's turned his sister into someone unrecognisable to their family. If he could just get her alone for one quick, honest conversation, he's sure he could save his sister from making the biggest mistake of her life. He has to stop this wedding. Francesca and the groom have been close for years and once shared a perfect night together - until he met the bride-to-be. But she's convinced he still loves her; that he's her One That Got Away. This is her last chance to finally confess her love for him, or risk losing him forever. She must stop this wedding. When bad weather grounds their flight, the trio meet. Faced with a ten-hour layover and nothing but time to get to know one another, it doesn't take long before the claws come out and their plans are revealed. After all, ten hours is plenty of time to come up with a plan to get what they all want - isn't it?

This book is a DNF at 25% for me. I really struggled to get into the story which is such the same as the idea really drew me in. Having three different POVs isn’t an issue, but it feels like a lot when the chapters are very short and we keep switching from person to person. Add in how whiny they are, I couldn’t read any further. These characters are all adults but they really come across as petulant teenagers. If I’m going to read a book that is compared to Icebreaker and The Spanish Love Deception (both of which I loved!) then it needs to be good. And this really wasn’t for me. In fact, I think it would be wrong to compare this book to those titles because they really don’t feel on the same level.

Overall, The Layover is a book with a great synopsis but the story just doesn’t hold up.

Thank you again to Little Brown Book Group for an advanced copy of this book. Review will be live on my blog on release day.

3 ⭐️

Oh man, I had such a great time with this. I could not put it down because the antics were just too funny. obstacle courses, siblings vs. dating, alcohol fueled breakdowns.

Gemma how i love you, you messy b*tch. She lives for the drama, and as it turns out, so do I. Imagine buying the girl who's trying to steal your best friends fiancee lingerie. Fran grew on me once they found themselves in duty-free. Leon is sweet, and you just want to hug him. They made a good little trio once they became aware of their actual feelings towards the happy couple.

Speaking of the happy couple, I honestly felt like they became caricatures of themselves. Especially kayleigh, and you have to hate them because there's no redeeming qualities given for them at any point. The ending of the book killed me not just because it was funny but it also proves that these two actually do just deserve each other.


The best part of the book other than the hilarity of the antics is seeing these three people become supports for each other during this time. While I liked the romantic possibilities, I actually enjoyed the friendship between Gemma and fran more. I also think it was a smart choice to have the POV swap during conversations to capture everyone's feelings on it.

I would like to clarify, though, that this is not a romance. I don't know why it's being marketed as one. Is there a tiny sprinkling of romance? Yes. But it is not the focus. It's also definitely not rivals to lovers or grumpy/ sunshine. They've just met, and they're all in terrible moods at the start.

I've gone with 3 stars because while I did really enjoy the funny aspects, I didn't feel myself connecting to the characters emotionally. I also found frans insistence on still making a play for Marcus grating towards the end. The book felt a little bit messy at times too, like the pacing was off. But i do think it would make a good movie, I could for sure see a certain streaming service doing it.

I received an advance review copy of this book, and this review represents my honest opinion. Thank you to netgalley, the author, and the publisher for the opportunity to read this book.

Rating: 4.5⭐️

This book follows three people, stuck in an airport on their way to a wedding after a storm grounds their flight. Is the maid of honour, brides brother and the groom’s “work wife” going to make it in time? However their secret? Unbeknownst to each other, all three of them are actually on their way to try stop/ruin the wedding! Oh the drama 😍

💚 Likes 💚
- I thought the story was very unique, I’ve never read anything like it!
- The drama! It feels like when your friend tells you all of their work gossip about people you’ve never met, but you’re SO invested in it all 😂
- I thought this book was very reflective, with the characters continually reflecting on themselves, who they were, and their relationships.
- Great character development.
- Flawed, morally grey characters who were very well written. This could have so easily have been a book where you ended up hating all of the characters, but the author managed to skillfully avoid that scenario!
- Great dynamics between the characters.

💔 Dislikes 💔
- Too many pop culture references.

Overall, I loved this book! If you like a book with gossip and drama, you will love this! The airport setting also makes it the perfect holiday read, so one I’d definitely recommend picking up this summer.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC!

I loved the sound of this book, the premise and tropes were right up my street.

The setting was brilliant and I liked the alternating points of view but I did struggle with this one. I found the characters so irritating and depressing during the first half of the book that by the time the we got to know them I didn't care. The romance ended up being a secondary part of the story and it was more about the characters accepting that they deserved more.

Unfortunately this wasn't for me.

Another fun and quick read by Beth Reekles. I enjoyed my time while reading The Layover and connecting with all the characters and had so much with this. I loved how Gemma, Leon and Francesca all had their own reasons for wanting to stop the wedding, and how they all spent hours ploting togetther when their flight was delayed. I loved the references to Nesta in ACOTAR and the funny plot twist at the end but I do wish we got to see more of the aftermath.

I did liked the whole scenario about the wedding and that its about three different people who never wanted the wedding to happen.
What i loved about it was the different characterd and their backstorys and that the book is basicall just happening in around 20 hours and yet we have a lot of character development AND even a little rlmance story between two of the characters. The end disappointed me somehow even though i liked how they somekind of reflected their actions and future desicions if it would be really the right desicion.

✨4 stars✨

This was such a fun, fast-paced read, perfect for summer!

We follow three characters: Gemma, Leon and Francesca, as they are stuck in an airport overnight as their flight to Barcelona has been delayed due to bad weather. The reason for their trip all has to do with the wedding of Kayleigh and Marcus. Over the course of the night truths and motives are revealed which made for a really interesting read! I literally read this book in two sittings as I found the author’s writing really engaging and I just wanted to see how everything would come together in the end!

Gemma: Bride Kayleigh’s long-time best friend
Leon: Bride Kayleigh’s brother who hates her fiancé Marcus
Francesca: the soon-to-be groom’s “work wife” who believes that he is in love with her but has actually been breadcrumbing her.

I really enjoyed all three of the character’s narratives and storylines.

The only downside would be that there was a lot of pop culture references so if that’s not your thing then that might be something to keep in mind.

I received an ARC from the publishers via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Thank you!

On the way to a wedding in Barcelona, the maid of honour, the bride’s brother, and a work colleague of the groom are delayed and diverted to Orly Airport in France. What else do they have in common apart from being invited to the same wedding? Each of them harbours a secret hope that the wedding will fall apart on the day.. even if it means they are the one to ruin it. Gemma, the maid of honour, is furious at being overshadowed by the bride, especially after she swooped in and stole the promotion Gemma had worked so hard to secure. Leon, the bride’s brother, thinks the groom is rude and controlling, turning his sister into someone he barely recognises. Meanwhile, Francesca, the groom’s work colleague, believes he’s her “one that got away” after a romantic night together before he met the bride and she’s convinced he still returns her feelings after years of flirtation.

This book was a real mixed bag for me. I spent the first half actively detesting all the characters. Alternating between the POVs of the three main leads, none of them initially had many redeeming features, and even the bride and groom seemed genuinely awful. However, the story takes a real turn when the emotional undercurrents and backstories of the characters are revealed. It becomes clear that this isn’t just a story about a wedding gone wrong, it’s about discovering who you really are, confronting the reality of the people you’ve trusted, and recognising what you truly deserve. I found it to be a really beautiful story of self-discovery and personal growth, with each character having their own insecurities and self-esteem struggles, and ultimately finding the strength to say, “I deserve more.”

The synopsis pitches the story as the ultimate romantic summer read with forced proximity, rivals-to-lovers, and grumpy/sunshine tropes. However, these tropes aren't used in the traditional sense. The romance is definitely second place to the story of friendship, personal relationships, and self-discovery. Also, since the story takes place over roughly 24 hours, it’s a bit of a stretch to call it a rivals-to-lovers arc, it’s more about two people meeting under stressful circumstances, initially misjudging each other, and slowly building a truer picture of each other.

That said, I really did enjoy the second half of the book. I liked how my initial dislike of the characters gradually turned into empathy and understanding. I particularly felt for Gemma, when you’re alone in the world, even if you’re assertive and blunt, it can be incredibly hard to let go of the one person who's always been there, even if that relationship is ultimately toxic. Letting go is hard. Leon has taken on the mantle of being his family’s protector, which means he’s been putting his life second place to that of everyone around him and once again, it can be hard to let, and watch, the people you love fail. I also really felt for Francesca, she’s at a place where her friendship group is settling down and she’s always been the one that’s picked the wrong men. She’s built up this incredibly romantic notion of the groom being in love with her and rushing in at the last moment to declare her love which she feels is return by the cruel way he’s been stringing her along but giving her just enough interest to think her feelings are returned. I think in some ways she’s clung on to it because it’s safer than putting herself out there and risking being hurt by picking the wrong person again.

It's clear to see that this one definitely had a real emotional pull that made the characters you initially think are pretty awful, actually being really quite nice, and overwhelming kind to each other. My one lingering wish is that there had been an epilogue to show how the characters moved on after the wedding. It felt like the story was missing just that little bit of extra closure. However, I still enjoyed the story overall, and I found the author's writing style really engaging. I’ll definitely be looking out for more from Beth Reekles in the future!

Let me start with saying… This is my type of romance book. I get the point of a romance book is the romance, but that doesn’t necessarily mean I need every chapter to be hot and heavy on the lovey dovey front. Beth Reekles is an absolute wizard at making romance happen around other events, themes, narratives and The Layover is no exception! This book is FABULOUS!
 
Opening with a protagonist, Gemma, teasing us with some content that could upheave the whole wedding and getting the reader to actually despise the bride is a genius, and unexpected by me, move. Normally a trope of this genre is to feel sorry for the bride or, if the bride is dislikeable, the bride is more of a forefront character than Kayleigh. Through this introduction, and then the perceptions of Kayleigh through the two other protagonist’s eyes too, it was a truly marvellous way of delivering a 360 character without them being a main character.

Leon and Francesca’s stories are equally as relatable. I’m sure we’ve all known someone who’s harboured feelings for someone getting married and I’m also certain we’ve not always loved who our friends and family have dated. However, it is their dynamic together that steals the spotlight for me within The Layover. Their fast-paced quips at one another partnered with stolen glances here, jabs that may be too harsh there, will they/won’t they energy was brilliance when countered against Gemma too! I could’ve happily read a sequel straight away after I finished!
 
Now for the setting of it all. When I realised a good portion of the book was going to be set in an airport with minimal change of setting, I did panic a tad (although as I’ll explain it was completely unfounded!). Airports are where some of us get to our most stressed, and the thought of spending an entire book adventure in this settling felt like it would evoke those emotions, but it never happened!
 
Beth Reekles keeps the action coming quick and heavy with the narrative moving along at a most enjoyable speed that I often forgot they were still in an airport! It shows a real excellence in writing to take such a confined setting and be able to make pretty much a whole novel pass by without it becoming a frustration of the reader. Massive kudos to Beth for this and it shows why she’s such an industry powerhouse in the genre!

Whether you’re in an airport bookshop or just browsing online, The Layover is the perfect adult read for this upcoming summer! I encourage everyone to get a copy, pack it away and hop on a plane… One that I hope doesn’t have to make a layover!

This was a brilliant book!
As soon as I saw it listed I was hoping I would be accepted! Thank you for the ARC copy of this I really appreciate it!

This was such an entertaining read.
We have three different characters, all with their flaws who come together in the most unexpected way to form a friendship that makes them realize what the meaning of a true friendship is!
Very funny, very relatable. A slightly entertaining way to talk about heavy topics such as toxic people and toxic relations.
The characters are raw and realistic and the plot is intricate in the best way possibl

This book had drama in all the right and wrong places - a lot of real life drama. While the premise promised a juicy, emotional read, it took far too long to get to the main reason we were all here. The main characters, particularly Kayleigh— was not my fave but she could have been worse. The final 100 pages ish did pick up, but overall, this one wasn’t my fave but I could see why people may enjoy it

The Layover is a fun and quirky take on the enemies to lovers trope. However it definitely ends up enemies to friends and friends to enemies!

⭐️⭐️⭐️

In the Layover we have:
Gemma - the brides best friend and maid of honour
Leon - the brides brother
Francesca - the grooms work wife
When they all find themselves stuck in an airport together, with their flight delayed and desperately needing to get to the wedding, they develop an unlikely sense of kinship.

Because all three of them have a secret. And all three of them need to get to the wedding to stop it from happening. But the only question is, will they make it in time?

I did enjoy The Layover, although it definitely wasn’t what I was expecting! I just found it a little slow at times.

Thank you Beth Reekles, Little Brown Book Group and Netgalley for this advanced reader copy in exchange for an honest review. The Layover comes out on June 26th!

I really enjoyed this book. I love books with unreliable/unlikeable characters where your opinion of them completely change throughout the book. I started off the book really disliking the female characters, their reasons for wanting to sabotage the wedding seemed really self-centred and delusional, but as the book went on I found myself understanding their frustrations more and more, until I was rooting for them by the end of the book!

This was a really fun premise for a novel. With 80% of the book being set in an airport, there was a chance that it could quickly become dull, but that never happened with The Layover, there were so many funny situations the characters found themselves in, mixed with more serious and emotional revelations, I ended up racing through the book because I couldn’t put it down.

I also really enjoyed how we got Gemma, Francesca and Leon’s narrative voice in the chapters. It really helped give a deeper insight into why they didn’t want the wedding to go ahead. And it was really interesting to see how the bride and groom acted differently around each of the central characters, it added a layer of depth to their characters and really helped me want to see the downfall of the wedding as well!

Overall I really enjoyed this book. It’s a really fun summer read that will have you questioning your friendships and self-worth while still having a great time.

This book had drama in all the right (and wrong) places—escalated crushes, toxic friendships, broken family dynamics, and one chaotic wedding. While the premise promised a juicy, emotional read, it took far too long to get to the heart of the story. The main characters, particularly Kayleigh—off page, were hard to root for, and a large chunk of the book felt frustrating rather than fun. The final act did pick up, but overall, this one didn’t land for me the way Reekles’ previous books have.

Wow! I love Beth Reekles and this proves why. Beth is my auto buy author given the beautiful stories. This one strikes all the right chords. It brought a smile to my face and completely pulled me in. I literally read this in a day as I couldn't stay away.

The dialogues and banter is very well written. I love the themes of love, friendship, family, loss, self love/worth and dysfunction. While a rom-com, it brilliantly incorporates deeper themes naturally into the storyline. That made this book extra special for me.

I also love the premise of unlikely characters coming together and the airport layover which comes out amazingly well. Also loved some of the pop referencing and friendships that make it oh so relatable. My first five star read for the year! Absolutely pick this one up!

Thank you Little, Brown Book Group UK and NetGalley for this e-arc in exchange of my unbiased review.

This was such a fun and easy read, an ideal summer book.

Written from 3 pov’s we have Gemma the maid of honour, Leon brother of the bride and Francesca friend of the groom/madly in love with him. All three of them are forced together at the airport and spend the night trying to justify why they want to break up the wedding.

I was a little worried at the start that I wasn’t going to like the characters, I especially worried gemma wouldn’t have enough redeeming qualities, glad to say I was wrong!

The romance felt like more of the background story as we watched these three face some home truths about themselves and their choices. I loved the growing friendship between Gemma and Francesca, it felt natural and made me glad to see Gemma realise what a toxic person she was with the wrong people. I was a little gutted not to get a little epilogue at the end just to show us where she ended up after it all.

Francesca and Leon were just cute.

I really did like this more than I thought I would, oh and don’t forget about the cowboy stripper, poor guy!

This is my first book of Beth's and I loved the outline of the book from the moment I picked it up. This is a quick, easy read from Beth with characters that I wanted to keep reading about, The writing is in such a fun, entertaining way that keeps you hooked and wanting to keep reading about the schemes of the three.

Looking forward to more books by Beth. Thank you to the publisher and Netgalley for an advance reader copy.

This is such a fun and relatable read.
It’s a romance book but it’s also about friendship and family relationships too.

Three people, all bound for the same wedding, find themselves stranded at an airport, unaware that they each have their own secret plan to stop the ceremony.

I really enjoyed reading all three different POV and the references to films (Harry Potter), TV shows (hello the Vulture from Brooklyn 99) and even MSN made the millennial in me feel more connected to the characters.

Overall, I really enjoyed the story and I felt invested in the characters. It seems to be an odd choice to have the maid of honour, brother of the bride and the groom’s work wife all stuck together but it worked and just showed how we can often misjudge people.

Thank you to NetGalley for the opportunity to read this early.

I had a good time with this one! The triple POV worked well overall—it gave the story some nice depth and allowed space for each character’s backstory and perspective to unfold. That said, I did find all three main characters a bit irritating at times (Kayleigh in particular is a lot, and Marcus definitely gave me the ick), but somehow I was still rooting for them to figure things out. Maybe not happily-ever-after exactly… but something.

The writing style is accessible and easy to get into, even if some of the dialogue felt a little stiff here and there. The pacing dipped in spots, but not enough to throw me off.

It’s worth noting that although this is marketed as a romance, the romantic plot is definitely more of a slow build and takes a backseat for much of the book. That didn’t bother me too much, but it’s something to be aware of going in.

Overall, a fun, readable story with some great character connections and layered perspectives. I’d recommend it if you enjoy contemporary fiction with a light romantic thread.