Dramas & Plays
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The Reunion: A Novel
When two former teen stars reconnect at the reunion for their hit TV show, they discover their feelings for one another were not merely scripted in this charming and heartwarming novel perfect for fans of Christina Lauren and Sally Thorne.
Liv Latimer grew up on TV.
As the star of the popular teen drama Girl on the Verge, Liv spent her adolescence on the screen trying to be as picture perfect as her character in real life. But after the death of her father and the betrayal of her on-screen love interest and off-screen best friend Ransom Joel, Liv wanted nothing more than to retreat, living a mostly normal life aside from a few indie film roles. But now, twenty years after the show's premiere, the cast is invited back for a reunion special, financed by a major streaming service.
Liv is happy to be back on set, especially once she discovers Ransom has only improved with age. And their chemistry is certainly still intact. They quickly fall into their old rhythms, rediscovering what had drawn them together decades before. But with new rivalries among the cast emerging and the specter of a reboot shadowing their shoot, Liv questions whether returning to the past is what she needs to finally get her own happy ending.
Liv Latimer grew up on TV.
As the star of the popular teen drama Girl on the Verge, Liv spent her adolescence on the screen trying to be as picture perfect as her character in real life. But after the death of her father and the betrayal of her on-screen love interest and off-screen best friend Ransom Joel, Liv wanted nothing more than to retreat, living a mostly normal life aside from a few indie film roles. But now, twenty years after the show's premiere, the cast is invited back for a reunion special, financed by a major streaming service.
Liv is happy to be back on set, especially once she discovers Ransom has only improved with age. And their chemistry is certainly still intact. They quickly fall into their old rhythms, rediscovering what had drawn them together decades before. But with new rivalries among the cast emerging and the specter of a reboot shadowing their shoot, Liv questions whether returning to the past is what she needs to finally get her own happy ending.
Editorial Reviews
"The details of filming a popular show, the complications of social media, and the mania of the paparazzi make Olson's second-chance romance a fun, fast-paced read." -Booklist
"[B]reathtaking… Olson makes the sexual tension palpable… This tantalizing glimpse behind the scenes is sure to wow." -Publishers Weekly
"A heartfelt, poignant look at the ups and downs of life in the spotlight. Ransom and Liv's chemistry leaps off the page, and their journey is sweet, emotional, and thoroughly satisfying." -Ava Wilder, author of How to Fake It in Hollywood
"The Reunion swept me off my feet. As vivid as it is sweet, I was totally immersed in this behind-the-scenes look at two actors getting their oh-so-satisfying second chance at love. I completely adored it." -Bridget Morrissey, author of A Thousand Miles
"A perfect escape. Sexy, angsty, and introspective, I loved my time on (and off) set with Liv and Ransom." -Jenna Evans Welch, New York Times Bestselling Author of Love & Gelato
"Like every iconic Hollywood love story, The Reunion sparkles incisive industry detail over the moving and deeply sweet romance of its stars, who learn with each other how to reboot their lives unscripted. Olson's debut romance is one to obsess over like a new show and cherish like a favorite film." -Emily Wibberley & Austin Siegemund-Broka, authors of The Roughest Draft
"In The Reunion, Kayla Olson crafts a friends-to-lovers emotional journey with panache. Liv and Ransom leap off the page, two celebrities made deeply human and sympathetic through a compelling story arc. This book hits all the right Hollywood romance notes." -Megan Bannen, author of The Bird and the Blade
"With an original twist on a friends-to-lovers romance, The Reunion is a page-turning peek at the life-and love of a ...
"[B]reathtaking… Olson makes the sexual tension palpable… This tantalizing glimpse behind the scenes is sure to wow." -Publishers Weekly
"A heartfelt, poignant look at the ups and downs of life in the spotlight. Ransom and Liv's chemistry leaps off the page, and their journey is sweet, emotional, and thoroughly satisfying." -Ava Wilder, author of How to Fake It in Hollywood
"The Reunion swept me off my feet. As vivid as it is sweet, I was totally immersed in this behind-the-scenes look at two actors getting their oh-so-satisfying second chance at love. I completely adored it." -Bridget Morrissey, author of A Thousand Miles
"A perfect escape. Sexy, angsty, and introspective, I loved my time on (and off) set with Liv and Ransom." -Jenna Evans Welch, New York Times Bestselling Author of Love & Gelato
"Like every iconic Hollywood love story, The Reunion sparkles incisive industry detail over the moving and deeply sweet romance of its stars, who learn with each other how to reboot their lives unscripted. Olson's debut romance is one to obsess over like a new show and cherish like a favorite film." -Emily Wibberley & Austin Siegemund-Broka, authors of The Roughest Draft
"In The Reunion, Kayla Olson crafts a friends-to-lovers emotional journey with panache. Liv and Ransom leap off the page, two celebrities made deeply human and sympathetic through a compelling story arc. This book hits all the right Hollywood romance notes." -Megan Bannen, author of The Bird and the Blade
"With an original twist on a friends-to-lovers romance, The Reunion is a page-turning peek at the life-and love of a ...
Readers Top Reviews
The Reunion, Kayla Olson's adult rom-com debut, is a cute, fun novel that will evoke the nostalgia of Dawson's Creek and the teen dramedies and sitcoms that ruled the 90s and early ought’s. The fictitious show, Girl on the Verge, set the screen standard for six years. Twenty years later the fandom is stronger than ever-partially due to the hype around the reunion episode and rumors of a reboot. Liv, famous actress and indie It-Girl, is excited and anxious about the reunion-knowing it will take her career even further and unite her with her costars and former best friends. She also knows she's facing Ransom Joel, one of the hottest actors in Hollywood-who just happened to play opposite her character on TV. Best friends for six years, Liv harbored deep feelings for Ransom but felt betrayed by him at the end of the series. Flash forward to today and Liv is loving being back on set, re-connecting with Ransom and the new acting opportunities in the mix. But rivalries from 20 years ago re-emerge, not to mention intense social media attention and Liv isn't sure if this is the reunion of her dreams or a mistake. Told with alternating chapters representing different social media and Internet articles this was a fun, easy read filled with pop culture throwbacks and a "will they, won't they" trope. I found myself wishing GOTV was an actual show-solid adult debut!
Sam K
She was a girl on the verge of everything, but when her breakthrough show ended, Liv chose a quieter life. Now, she’s back where it all began, and not only must she made a major decision about her career, she must also decide if she is willing to open her heart to love again. This was my first experience with Olson’s work, and I really enjoyed it. For starters, this book featured my favorite trope, second chance romance. I am trash for past loves reigniting their flame. I especially adore when childhood sweethearts return, older and wiser, to renew their bond. As far as the romance between Liv and Ransom, I was wholly on board. There were definite sparks at their reunion, but my desire to see them together grew as bits of their past were revealed to me. There is a light that never goes out, and it was the love between these two which resulted in some swooning from me. As with most Hollywood romances, there was a lot of drama that came from external sources. It was expected, and I enjoyed the bursts of this via social media and blog posts which were often very amusing. The behind the scenes stuff was interesting, and I enjoyed the friendships that were highlighted as well. But like I said, it was all about Ransom and Liv for me. Every smile, every glance got me more and more excited for these two to finally act on their feelings after such a long time. I would have loved to have had more time with Liv and Ransom as a couple, but I can say the time I did get was wonderful. A strong ending featuring super sweet grand gesture made a big impression on me. It had me feeling that bliss I chase with every romance I read and left me with a happy heart.
Linna BrooksLinna
Liv was the star of a teen drama and spent her entire childhood on screen trying to be as picture perfect as her character in real life. After the death of her father and betrayal of her on-screen love interest and off-screen best friend Ransom, Liv wanted nothing more than to live a normal life aside from a few indie films. Twenty years after the show’s premiere the cast is invited back for a reunion special and Liv couldn’t be happier to be back on set. Ransom and her fall into their old rhythms, rediscovering what drew them together before. I loved the premise of this book, celebrity plus second chance romance is such a perfect combo. However I think I hyped up this book a little much in my head and it didn’t live up to what I was hoping it would be. I really liked Liv, she knows what she wants and doesn’t let the pressure of Hollywood influence how she prefers to live her life. The book was solely from her perspective which worked, however I feel like I learned next to nothing about Ransom which resulted in me not enjoying the romance between them as much. With Liv’s unresolved feelings for Ransom, I was hoping we would get some more insight to them in the past and their friendship but that didn’t really happen. I would have loved to have seen just a few flashback moments between them to be more convinced of their chemistry. I expected a bit more of angsty-ness (if that’s a word) between them since they haven’t talked to each other for 14 years, but it felt very insta-love. I’m also someone who loves dialogue in a romance, I want to hear the characters talking through things instead of being told about it. There were a lot of moments where Liv and Ransom were together but it was just mentioned in passing instead of showing it. I needed those moments to be convinced of the romance and chemistry between them rather than be told about them in a few sentences. Overall, I did enjoy the book. The celebrity gossip was fun, I liked the "articles" between chapters, and I loved Liv’s character. What didn’t work for me was the telling instead of the showing when it came to the romance. single POV 3.5/5 stars ⭐️ 1/5 spice level 🌶️
E_B_MLinna Brooks
Love this book!! Liv and Random crackle with romantic tension and left me feeling happy and bubbly. Perfect for anyone wishing for a reunion from their favorite fandoms.
Short Excerpt Teaser
Chapter 1 Girl on the Verge Lands Twentieth-Anniversary Reunion Special at Fanline
By Elijah Jones // Senior Editor, Arts & Entertainment, Sunset Central
Beloved teen drama Girl on the Verge-hailed by critics as "iconic" and "trailblazing"-has officially been picked up by streaming giant Fanline for a long-rumored twentieth-anniversary reunion special.
Shattering record after record over the course of its six seasons, the breakout hit launched its young actors to superstardom, most notably Liv Latimer and Ransom Joel, whose fictional counterparts were on-screen sweethearts. The success of the pop culture juggernaut remains unmatched by any teen drama.
While undeniably a hit, Girl on the Verge was not immune to criticism: with great devotion came great expectation, and the fandom proved tricky to please when the show took its final bow. With its infamously abrupt cut-to-black ending-in the middle of Liv Latimer's final line, no less-many fans have vocalized their desire for closure (numerous think pieces defended the choice, however, praising it as "brave" and "borderline revolutionary").
Fans and critics alike have to wonder: Will the world finally get the answers they've begged for in this reunion special?
Whatever the case, it will be good to see the original cast together again. In the (nearly) fourteen years since the polarizing series finale, its stars have gone on to varying degrees of success in Hollywood but never on the same silver screen. Ransom Joel has headlined many a box-office smash since his days on Girl, most recently as Hunter Drew, the titular character in a trio of espionage thrillers. Liv Latimer took a decidedly quieter route, pivoting to the world of low-budget indie films, turning out magnificent performances in each. Sasha-Kate Kilpatrick and Ford Brooks, who rounded out Girl's original core cast, have both appeared in a number of projects but have yet to break out in a significant way beyond the show that made them household names.
Sources close to the project report that scheduling conflicts nearly prevented the entire original cast from returning for the reunion, but at long last, the fully scripted, hour-long episode is a go. Shooting is scheduled for this summer, with plans to air in the fall.
Subscribe to SUNSET CENTRAL breaking news alerts for the latest on all your favorite shows, stars, and more!
By Elijah Jones // Senior Editor, Arts & Entertainment, Sunset Central
Beloved teen drama Girl on the Verge-hailed by critics as "iconic" and "trailblazing"-has officially been picked up by streaming giant Fanline for a long-rumored twentieth-anniversary reunion special.
Shattering record after record over the course of its six seasons, the breakout hit launched its young actors to superstardom, most notably Liv Latimer and Ransom Joel, whose fictional counterparts were on-screen sweethearts. The success of the pop culture juggernaut remains unmatched by any teen drama.
While undeniably a hit, Girl on the Verge was not immune to criticism: with great devotion came great expectation, and the fandom proved tricky to please when the show took its final bow. With its infamously abrupt cut-to-black ending-in the middle of Liv Latimer's final line, no less-many fans have vocalized their desire for closure (numerous think pieces defended the choice, however, praising it as "brave" and "borderline revolutionary").
Fans and critics alike have to wonder: Will the world finally get the answers they've begged for in this reunion special?
Whatever the case, it will be good to see the original cast together again. In the (nearly) fourteen years since the polarizing series finale, its stars have gone on to varying degrees of success in Hollywood but never on the same silver screen. Ransom Joel has headlined many a box-office smash since his days on Girl, most recently as Hunter Drew, the titular character in a trio of espionage thrillers. Liv Latimer took a decidedly quieter route, pivoting to the world of low-budget indie films, turning out magnificent performances in each. Sasha-Kate Kilpatrick and Ford Brooks, who rounded out Girl's original core cast, have both appeared in a number of projects but have yet to break out in a significant way beyond the show that made them household names.
Sources close to the project report that scheduling conflicts nearly prevented the entire original cast from returning for the reunion, but at long last, the fully scripted, hour-long episode is a go. Shooting is scheduled for this summer, with plans to air in the fall.
Subscribe to SUNSET CENTRAL breaking news alerts for the latest on all your favorite shows, stars, and more!
