As the end of the semester nears, the inundation of final projects, papers, and exams has left many feeling overwhelmed. One way I’ve coped with this stress is by escaping into the pages of fiction, romantic comedy, and fantasy.
During a recent stroll through my local Barnes and Noble, “The Reunion” by Meghan Quinn was located atop a large cluster of rom-coms, easily recognizable by their trendy illustrated or cartoon covers that one can only assume belong to the romance genre.
In the mood for a quick, fun read that would encourage me to peel my eyes away from my laptop at the end of the day, “The Reunion” was the perfect find.
Having never read anything by Meghan Quinn before — a USA Today bestselling author — I didn’t know what to expect. But, I was pleasantly surprised, rating this fun, flirty, and drama-filled story, just released this February, with 4 stars!
This stand-alone story follows the antics of three siblings — Ford, Cooper, and Palmer Chance — thrown together to plan their beloved parents’ 50th-anniversary party. The oldest, Ford, is “married” to his work and resistant to romance. Cooper is struggling to get past his divorce and commit to a career he’s truly passionate about. And Palmer is the free-spirited youngest child who travels the world, filling her Instagram feed with influencer-worthy pics.
While the siblings were once very close when living under the same roof on a small island off the coast of Washington State, they’ve since grown apart as their adult lives and responsibilities have taken command. The family bond and their family business, built on the loving relationships they once harbored, are suffering because of it. With all three siblings back home for the first time in what seems like forever, they are forced to navigate intense sibling rivalries, new or unexpected romantic relationships, and the unresolved troubles of their childhood to not only pay tribute to their loving parents by throwing an unforgettable 50th-anniversary party but to also find themselves and what really matters.
As one of three siblings myself, the ups and downs of brotherhood and sisterhood were funny, touching, and realistic — balancing tense emotions and hard conversations with witty, hilarious banter (often too relatable!). You’ll find yourself tearing up one minute and smiling the next!
While the story unfolds, we see each sibling connect with people from their past and fall in love.
Best of all is that the story is told through six points of view, yes, SIX POVs! The six POVs are the three siblings and their three love interests. The numerous POVs got me a little nervous over whether I’d be able to keep the relationships straight. But, the three love stories followed the same timeline: starting at the same time, exploding at the same time, and ending the same at the same moment. Each love story was also very engaging and vastly different, and each character had their own unique voice.
Overall, I think Quinn did a wonderful job of showing all sides of this complicated, messy, and relatable family dynamic, covering love, loss, divorce, insecurity, complex family relationships, healing, and therapy (in a positive light!).
While this is not the best, most shocking, or most emotional book I’ve ever read, it’s an entertaining, feel-good story of family, friendship, love, and sibling rivalry.
If you’re looking for a fun escape to ease your stress during finals, give “The Reunion” a read.