A group of former teen TV stars decide to do a reboot of the show that made them household names. The time since their show ended has been different for everyone, especially Agnes 'Ness' Larkin who is living a life far from Hollywood's prying eyes. It's been awhile but are there remnants of the old friendships they made? Or will the long-standing grudges of these former heartthrobs win out?
They soon find themselves stranded on an island in the Bahamas in a 'unique' old house with its own secrets where they find refuge, local beasties and a few of these eclectic characters learn about themselves in the process. There's some angst from the past, some rebuilding of former friendships and a mature (in their 40's! Yay!) cast of characters who each have their own issues to deal with. But my favourite part was the humour that often had me giggling to myself.
I enjoyed Ness as the main character and her reason for wanting to make a comeback after a betrayal ended her career in Hollywood. Hayes made an impression too - he was a totally dreamy silver fox of a man (I wish we had his POV) and the rest of the oddball cast add to the chaos.
This is a quirky, light, escapist kind of read that you can just dive into. Get ready for a fun, 'I can't believe that just happened', over-the-top kind of read set on a beautiful tropical island that is part locked room whodunnit, part tropical adventure/disaster with a touch of romance, featuring a group of people who have more baggage than Samsonite.
Disclaimer: My sincere thanks to the author for the complimentary copy of this book (and the publisher for the digital arc) which were given in exchange for an honest review.
My Rating: 4 stars
Author: Robin Lefler
Genre: Contemporary Fiction
Type and Source: Trade Paperback from author
Publisher: Kensington
First Published: April 23, 2024
Book Description from GoodReads: A sharply hilarious and ultimately heartfelt novel about a former teen superstar who grudgingly agrees to a reboot of the show that made her (in)famous… only to find herself stranded on an island with her former co-stars - and quite possibly the most useless survival group in history. For fans of Lizzy Dent, Linda Holmes, and Katherine Center.
Twenty years after Turning Tides went off the air, the beloved TV show about teenage romance and angst is back. No one is more surprised than its former star, Agnes “Ness” Larkin, that she’s agreed to step back into the role of Hailey Grant. After her father/manager took off with her earnings, Ness ran away from the spotlight in shame. But maybe it’s time to stare her past, and her castmates, in their discreetly Botoxed faces.
That enthusiasm lasts until the first table read, which, in co-star Coco’s words, is “like a high school reunion without the dim lighting or booze.” Ness assumed her old fling Hayes Beaumont would be too busy doing Big Hollywood Things to take part, but there he is, seated beside her, exuding pheromones and success.
En route to the deluxe Bahamas resort where they’re to start filming, the cast gets stranded by a storm. Stuck on a tiny island with a paltry cache of food and quite possibly the most useless survival group in history, Ness tries to reconcile her youthful dreams with where she’s ended up—figuratively and literally. The producers wanted drama on and off-screen, and they’re going to get it, but where will Ness be when it’s all over?
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