Hello, Juliet

Sam Bailey is back with her fourth novel, Hello, Juliet which takes readers behind-the-scenes of the lives, loves and secrets of a group of young actors who became fodder for celebrity gossip when their work on a popular Teen TV drama makes them famous.

The story, told in two timelines and sprinkled with gossipy social media posts, shows the rise and fall of Ivy Westcott, a young actress who was in a popular ensemble Teen TV drama. Despite the show being cancelled before the first season was complete, its cast was thrust into the spotlight and the prying eyes of the show's ardent fans and detractors. Years later, the castmates are back for a reunion show and the only thing enticing Ivy is her need for money and good press. But things turn deadly when one of the castmates is murdered and soon deception and the dark side of power seep back into Ivy's life. 

This is an intriguing slow burn read with short chapters that will keep readers turning the page. I enjoyed the complicated dynamics and the feeling of not knowing who to trust which left me with a few suspects. But sit tight, folks because the tension builds to a wonderfully layered - and highly satisfying - reveal!

Whether you were a fan of 90210, The OC, Dawson's Creek, Gossip Girl or Pretty Little Liars, Hello, Juliet gives readers a delicious peek into the life of Hollywood - the pressure, the expectations, the off-screen drama, gossip and high price of fame. 

Preorder your copy today for its April 29, 2025 pub date!

Disclaimer: Thanks to the author for providing me with a complimentary digital copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

My Rating: 4.5 stars

Author: Samantha M Bailey

Genre: Suspense, Canadian

Type and Source: ebook from author via NetGalley

Publisher: Thomas and Mercer

First Published: April 29, 2025

Read: January 1 - 5, 2025

Book Description from GoodReads: In a dark thriller from USA Today bestselling author Samantha M. Bailey, a TV reunion brings costars back for the drama and betrayals their viewers once craved—and this time, the stakes are deadly.

Ivy Westcott fled LA as her acting career imploded. In a flash, she lost her first love and chosen family—her Hello, Juliet castmates. But she never discovered who turned her closest friends against her. Now the whole world knows her as #PoisonIvy.

A decade later, Ivy is horrified when a celebrity exposé thrusts the Hello, Juliet cast back into the limelight, dredging up the old scandals she hoped to escape. Desperate for a fresh start and some financial stability for her mother and manager, Ivy agrees to participate in a top-secret reunion episode.

Ivy’s poised for a comeback, but past betrayals become a present danger when she and the man who once broke her heart find their costar dead.

Determined to find justice and clear her name, Ivy must tear down the facades of cast and crew to uncover chilling secrets that have plagued the Hollywood set from day one. Or she could be the next to die.