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.

The Layover by Beth Reekles is a fun, layered take on a classic romcom trope. Gemma, Leon, and Francesca are three strangers with one thing in common: they all want to stop the same wedding. Gemma’s ready to take down the bride (and her rival) with an incriminating secret, Leon thinks his sister is marrying the wrong man, and Francesca is determined to win back the groom who was once her everything. When their flight is delayed, they have ten hours to plot, argue, and maybe discover that what they want isn’t as straightforward as it seems.

I really enjoyed this! What starts as a lighthearted forced-proximity romcom quickly reveals its emotional depth, touching on themes of self-worth, family, and moving on. The characters each have their own complex motivations, which made it easy to root for all three despite their chaotic plans. There were times where the pacing felt a little bit slow so I didn’t get through it as quickly as I’d have liked, but the emotional payoff made up for this in the end. Fans of The Road Trip by Beth O’Leary and Emily Henry’s books will love the mix of humour, heart, and tension.

Thank you to Little Brown Book Group and NetGalley for the eARC! This will be a great summer 2025 read.

I was pleasantly surprised by the added layers of family and friendship in this romance! It was sweet and fun and the perfect cosy holiday read.

No me esperaba muchísimo de este libro y he acabado súper sorprendida, conecté con los personajes en el primer momento y se ha hecho en todo momento super ameno.

Te hace recuperar las ganas de las romcom.

No había leído nada antes de la autora y ahora sin duda quiero leer mucho más!

What an unexpected, great read! This was my first Beth Reekles book, but it will not be the last. This book follows three characters: the brother of the bride, the maid of honor and the groom's girl friend/work wife and their trip to the wedding in Barcelona. Each character has their own agenda to stop and ruin the wedding, but get stuck at Orly airport on the wedding due to a storm. What I thought to be a lighthearted romcom was much more. During the 19 hour layover, we see our characters shed their social masks, bond and truly show their colors.
This story is about frienship, love and family. The importance of self-love and self-respect as well as having a truly supportive circle around you. The book made me giggle, reflect and ended leaving me warm and fuzzy inside. Truly inspiring.

This book took me on such a journey! It starts off feeling light and fun, but I was pleasantly surprised by how much depth it revealed as the story unfolded. It really digs into who the characters are at their core, peeling back layers like how others see them and the armour they’ve built for themselves (the irony is not lost on me!).

I got hooked on the characters right away and found myself empathising with them, and even picking sides, pretty early on. As the story progressed, it became clear that there was so much more going on than what I first thought.

The author did such a great job crafting three distinct points of view. You really get a feel for each character’s personality and how the others see them, which often doesn’t match up. It’s such a great reminder of how flawed we all can be and how easy it is to get self-righteous about what we believe. Watching these three characters do some serious soul-searching over the course of one night was so satisfying. I loved seeing how they grew and bonded through all the chaos.

This book was a joy to read, and I can’t recommend it enough!

Thank you so much to Little, Brown Book Group UK for the ARC via NetGalley and for letting me share my honest thoughts about this one.