Thank you for the e arc.

This was such a nice fun quick read. I loved the flawed layered personalities of all 3 characters. Spent the whole book laughing read within 24 hours! Highly recommend especially after a heavy book

3.75☆

This was a quick, and fun read!

I really enjoyed the plot, as well as most of the characters (not you, Kayleigh).

This book is centred around three characters, Francesca, Gemma, and Leon. They all want to stop or ruin the same wedding. When their flight is delayed, they spend ten hours plotting, getting to know each other, and understanding that maybe their revenge won’t feel so sweet.

I enjoyed the characterisation of Gemma, Francesca, and Leon. They all had layers to their personalities, and valid reasons to want to stop the wedding.

Gemma. She is a very confident and blunt woman. She seeks revenge because Kayleigh has taken her wedding idea, her flat, and now her promotion that she set up. Kayleigh has been a terrible friend.

Leon, the poor thing, is Kayleigh’s brother, and is trying to break up the wedding because their family think Marcus (the groom) is a bad fit for Kayleigh. He’s torn between holding on to the hope that his sister actually is a good person and doing as his Nana told him, and then figuring out that maybe there is a reason Kayleigh has been blowing off the family, and has suddenly turned into a mean person.

And Francesca. I understand her the least. I honestly thought she was delusional, and a pushover. She believes Marcus is the love of her life, and wants to confess to him, thinking he’ll choose her over his bride. Honestly, I didn’t care much for her character and at times she was annoying with how she was constantly defending Marcus, even when given other peoples’ perspectives of him.

Honestly, I was not satisfied with the ending. I wish we could’ve seen the aftermath of everything, and the effects of Kayleigh being a mean person. I would’ve enjoyed seeing her get what she deserves, and see her struggle as a consequence of her own actions.

Also, this book mentioned Nesta and ACOTAR multiple times, and given I hate that series and the author is a Zionist, I did not like that.

Overall, this was a fun read (some parts felt slow in terms of pace) and there’s a funny plot twist at the end which I laughed at.

I really enjoyed this book. I thought it was fun and easy to read. The characters really grow on you and you will be hooked. Great storyline.

In a fun twist on a common trope - forced proximity - the story follows Gemma, Leon and Francesca.

Gemma, the maid of honour, wants to get even with the bride. Leon wants to save his sister from a disastrous marriage. Francesca wants to win back the groom. When bad weather forces them into a ten-hour layover, their plans collide—giving them just enough time to scheme, sabotage, and stop the wedding.

A delayed flight won’t stop them from crashing the wedding of the year…

Honestly by the time I was half way through I really wanted Kayleigh and Marcus to get their just desserts and a ruined wedding.

I like how each chapter is told from one of our three character's perspectives and each segment of the book is 'x' hours until the wedding - it works well. Especially as each character has their own distinct voice and personality.

I will say all the characters are flawed but initially I found Gemma just unlikeable. However they all develop as the story progresses.

The story is easy to read and has steady pacing, maybe a little slow in the beginning. If you're looking for an enjoyable and easy read - this is a good one.

The end felt a little anticlimactic but was actually very satisfying.

I saw this marketed as a romcom but it's more a somewhat comedic tale of unexpected friendship and self discovery which is lovely.

Thanks to NetGalley and Little Brown Book Group for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Beth Reekles' The Layover starts off slow, but once it finds its rhythm, the story becomes much more engaging. The second half, in particular, picks up the pace, making it hard to put down.

One of the highlights of the book is the triple POV, allowing readers to see the unfolding events from multiple perspectives. This added depth to the characters and their interactions, making their emotions and decisions feel more layered and real. Francesca and Leon have a natural chemistry that makes their moments together really enjoyable, while Gemma… well, she deserves better in life. Makes me sad we didn't see more of her.

Overall, The Layover is a solid read with an interesting structure and a rewarding second half. If you enjoy multiple POV romances and slow-burn storytelling, this might be worth checking out.

I read an ARC. My opinions and thoughts are my own.

Firstly, thank you so much to Netgalley & Little Brown Book Group, UK for allowing me to read this ARC in exchange for honest feedback.

If I'm really honest, I disliked all 3 characters until about 40% in - I feel this may be intentional though? It's all part of the character development! They were either mean, b*itchy or miserable - quite a trio! I understand they were having a bad day, but still! Despite this, I found that I wanted to keep reading to see where it ended up & I'm so glad I carried on.

The growth of the 3 main characters from start to finish was huge & I found myself completely changing my opinion on them all once we learned why they are the way they are. It shows us we should never judge a book by its cover because we never know what's going on in people's lives... However, Kayleigh is definitely a bad egg and you can't change my mind on that!

Overall, a good story with a different storyline & the cover is beautiful!

a quick witted book of gemma, wanting to get revenge on her so called “best friends” wedding to her crush … until she meets her best friends brother, whilst on a delayed flight.

a lot of the characters in the book are deeply flawed which makes the story an interesting read. i loved how they all bonded with each other throughout the story.

this was a really cute story of relationships developing when you least expect it. my only complaint is the ending felt slightly abrupt.

Gemma, Leon and Francesca are desperately trying to stop the same wedding for varying reasons but are stuck in a long layover.

The Layover is a fun and breezy page turner that had me chuckling at times and turning the pages quickly. I liked the slow reveal behind each character's rationale for their motivations. At first they come off as a big unhinged, but then, slowly, as we see the marrying couple through their eyes I couldn't help but root for them. I was certainly kept guessing how it would resolve (Reekles sticks the landing).

A sharply written ensemble comedy that had me cheering all three character's growth arc.

Thanks to Little, Brown Book Group UK, Sphere and NetGalley for the ARC.

Gemma, Francesca and Leon all have their own reasons for not wanting this farce of a wedding to go ahead but when a freak storm grounds them with in an airport with no other familiar faces around they swap stories and reality sinks in.

Good bits? The humour in the book. Little snippets that caught me off guard and mad me laugh out loud.

The bad? The characters unfortunately were not all that memorable. Or redeemable.

The Layover by Beth Reekles

⭐⭐⭐.5/5

I've not read anything by this author but this was a quick funny book to read. You meet the main trio in an airport as they wait for their flight to a destination wedding. Each character is connected to the bride and groom, and each one of them has certain motives to ruin the wedding. This premise in itself makes for an exciting and somewhat rom com read. At first their motivations appear morally grey but you gradually start to connect with each of them. It was a light hearted read perfect for the summer season.

Thank you to Little Brown Book and Netgalley for sending me the ARC.

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.