American Fantasy

by Emma Straub

EMBARK ON THE JOYOUS AND NOSTALGIC JOURNEY OF A LIFETIME IN THE LATEST NOVEL FROM THE NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLING AUTHOR OF THIS TIME TOMORROW AND ALL ADULTS HERE

'Pure joy' Ann Patchett
'Fun, delicious, big-hearted' Taylor Jenkins Reid
'Criminally readable' Maria Semple
'I can't TELL you the enjoyment it gave me' Marian Keyes
'I was completely swept away' Coco Mellors
'You will feel so understood by this novel' Rainbow Rowell
'Unexpectedly hilarious. Cheaper than therapy and a lot more fun!' Holly Brickley

---

Annie is on a journey straight back to her past.

When the American Fantasy cruise ship sets sail for a four-day themed voyage, aboard are all five members of a famous 1990s boyband, and three thousand women who have worshipped them since their youth.

Newly divorced and with an empty nest, Annie is on board as a lark to appease her sister. Once a diehard fan of the band as a teen, she now feels out of place amid the sea of bedazzling t-shirts bearing the singers’ faces. Yet when the lights go down, the cocktails are poured and the band starts singing, Annie finally reconnects to a long-submerged part of herself.

As she encounters Keith, the band’s slightly depressed, fifty-something lead singer – not just a celebrity but someone clearly in need of a friend – she feels like anything is possible.

But is the connection between Annie and Keith just a fantasy? Or is this the beginning of a new chapter for them both?

Full of laugh-out-loud reflections on fame, nostalgia, marriage and growing up, American Fantasy celebrates the magic of revisiting our youth, and the even greater magic of starting anew.

---

PRAISE FOR EMMA STRAUB

'Has all the pleasures of reading one of Anne Tyler's compelling family portraits' NEW YORK TIMES

'Nostalgic, wise, funny, and filled with love' GABRIELLE ZEVIN on This Time Tomorrow

'Smart, compelling, irresistible' LIANE MORIARTY on Modern Lovers

'Her warmth and sense of humour electrify every page' NEW YORK MAGAZINE

Genres: Fiction, Romance, Contemporary, Adult, Adult Fiction, Literary Fiction, Novels

Kindle Edition

Expected publication April 7, 2026

About the author

Emma Straub is the New York Times‒bestselling author of the novels All Adults Here, Modern Lovers, The Vacationers, Laura Lamont's Life in Pictures, and the short story collection Other People We Married. Straub's work has been published in twenty countries, and she and her husband own Books Are Magic, an independent bookstore in Brooklyn, New York.

Reviews

[Kiera · Rating 3 out of 5]

really very sweet and charming. i loved the recurring theme of 'making it last forever' vs letting go and moving on even when you're not sure what that next step is. a lot of small moments will make any former superfan laugh when the absurdity of fandom is on display like this and i can only imagine what it would be like if cruises like this really existed (wait...do they...i need to google after this). my main critique is that some of the chapters/scenes felt awkwardly cut off, ending at moments that felt unnatural or just an odd time to walk away. i think there was a lot of opportunity to go deeper into the highlighted characters, it felt like we only dipped just below the surface (although at the same time for the bandmembers themselves that was kind of nice bc it reinforced this feeling of Well i don't know them. lmao). a lot of events were meant to be those heart-stopping nostalgic moments of being a teen seeing your idol but i just didn't feel that same excitement that the characters were feeling. all said and done i would def say this is a good choice for a quick & entertaining beach read and i will always enjoy reading about an older divorced baddie!!!

thank you edelweiss for the opportunity to read this title!

[Lyon.Brit.andthebookshelf · Rating 5 out of 5]

Book Report: American Fantasy by Emma Straub

The Emma Straub fan in me is SCREAMING 🚢🎤✨ This book is everything I never knew I needed. All I knew going in was…a cruise…a ’90s boy band, and a middle aged heroine… say less.

American Fantasy follows Annie…newly divorced…newly fifty and feeling a little adrift who boards a nostalgia packed boy band cruise and finds herself reconnecting with a part of her she thought was long gone. Between slushy drinks…screaming fans and the music of her youth. Annie stumbles into friendship…desire and a spark of possibility she didn’t know she still had💫

The story unfolds day by day on the cruise which makes it feel like you’re right there for four chaotic…emotional…delightfully bonkers days at sea. I adored the cast of characters (each with their own story!) and I truly had no idea where any of it was heading…even at 80%. By the end I was completely charmed and a little emotional.

The lineup for an American Fantasy style author cruise? The possibilities are ENDLESS. 📚🛳️
Emma Straub continues her streak of books that deserve adaptations and this one would make my millennial heart burst💖

“What an indignity, to give your entire life to something and to always be the last choice.”

Thank you @riverhead for making my 2026 ARC dreams come true!

Follow me on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/Lyon.brit.A...

[Kate Czyzewski · Rating 5 out of 5]

When things seem beyond your control and your anxiousness has kicked up a little…. It’s nice to turn in to books that truly bring you joy🥹❤️
.
@emmastraub AMERICAN FANTASY has had me smiling from the start. Nothing would make me happier in this moment than escaping to set sail on a 4 day themed cruise with my favorite boy band, The Backstreet Boys, duh.
.
What I always love about Emma’s novels is the way she weaves hilarious antics with heartfelt moments- her novels truly give the best feelings as you read.
.
Thank you to Emma and @riverheadbooks for sharing this April release with me early - it was the highlight of my week🚢❤️📕
.

[Robin · Rating 4 out of 5]

Newly divorced Annie sets sail on a four day themed cruise aboard The American Fantasy. The cruise is designed for super fans of the 90s boy band, Boy Talk, the 2000 fans are called Talkers, and Annie is swept up in the fandom, despite being a bit skeptical to start. In these four days, filled with parties, drinking, and very little sleep, Annie rediscovers her love of the music and her ability to re-open herself to life, including an unexpected friendship with a member of the band. Fun from beginning to end, I could not put it down.

[Jackie Murrell · Rating 4 out of 5]

Annie, 50 and recently divorced, ends up going alone on a 4 day cruise for the 90s boy band sensation Boy Talk after her sister breaks her leg. Reluctant at first, she finds herself enjoying the rather bizarre experience more than she expected. The band, meanwhile, themselves middle-aged, are not totally united in their feelings about the way their lives have developed and their hopes for the future. With a light touch but a perceptive eye, Straub portrays a boy band not dissimilar to Take That with a touch of Boyzone thrown in, with each of the members having their own quirks and flaws, who may not always enjoy attempting to relive the glories of their younger days but still find it hard to give up the thrills of performing and being idolised for it. They have had their tribulations- failed marriages, affairs, rehab, dodgy business investments- but the pull of being part of a successful group, making music together and being adored for it is well illustrated. It is such big business now for bands who had their hits decades ago to reunite and go on tour, playing to audiences who were largely their original fans from back then, and again Straub portrays this beautifully. Annie and the “Talkers” reconnect with their younger selves, forget their cares and responsibilities and give themselves up to fun for a short while, dressing up in costume, dancing, getting drunk and hanging out with like-minded friends. The cruise itself sounds awful- cramped accomodation, bad food and staged photo opportunities, while the ship does a short circuit from Miami and back with no sights to see, but as one Talker says, it is the best four days of her life. This sense of joy will stay with you.

[Susan · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book was so good. The concept and the execution were fantastic. I really felt for Keith and his messy feelings and threw pressure that surrounded him. This was such a beautifully written book that will stick with me.
I was provided an advanced copy of this book which has not affected my review.

[Maddie Marriott · Rating 3 out of 5]

i think for this to work you have to believe that there can ever be an equal footing relationship between a celebrity and a longtime fan. unfortunately, i do not.

[Katy Wheatley · Rating 4 out of 5]

Annie is on a cruise. She only agreed to go on it as a favour to her sister and now her sister's broken leg means that she is alone. Alone except for thousands of women like her who are here to relive their youth in close proximity to their favourite boy band who are of course, no longer boys, although nobody on this cruise is admitting their age. At first Annie finds herself wanting to leave. Newly divorced, worried about her job and dealing with empty nest syndrome, does she really need to get this up close and personal with not only her teen idols but also the fandom that keep them going? Weirdly, the answer to that is yes. This is sharp, funny and clever. It acknowledges and explores the gap between fantasy and reality and asks how far are you willing to blur those lines and how in control of that do you think you are?

[Vix S · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was a very sweet, easy breezy way to kick off the year’s reading. Never before have I had any interest in going on a cruise, but this made me (like Annie) understand the appeal. It perfectly captured the fizzy adolescent joy we’ve all felt in relation to one band or another at some stage of our lives. It did feel like there was a bit of a missed opportunity to delve a bit deeper into the backstory of some of the band, which would have helped to flesh them out a bit more in my brain, but ultimately, I enjoyed!

[Charley · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you to Netgalley for early access!

This book is like a tight spring waiting to uncoil and, when it does, it comes at you fast. At first, the pacing is a little slow but it makes the eventual pay off worth it. An exploration of ageing, fan-culture and the inevitability of looking for something bigger than yourself. This book is about how easy it is to forget people around you have lives - but how intertwined we are because of that.

Great for my first Straub!

[Dan · Rating 4 out of 5]

My thanks to NetGalley and Riverhead Books for an advance copy of this novel about fandom, growing old, the joys and tribulations of taking a cruise full of people riding a nostalgia wave, the power of music, and that the world is full of things that can help us when we are at our lowest, we only have to listen, to see, and just to be.

Working retail I get a lot of people asking for things with the proviso that "I know I know, its a guilty pleasure but I like it". I hear that a lot, which I always say, if you like it why should it be guilty. I really never got this. This world works on beating on down, and in our new social media way of being everyone has to comment about everything. The color blue, what makes real music, what's wrong with movies, television, comics, games, and more. Much of this is based on nostalgia, which I think is the worse problem, and explains why the world is the way it is. The past was not that great, we just didn't notice. That said if one wants to enjoy music from thirty years ago, well go right ahead. If one wants to sail the seas on a cruise with other fans of said music, and the boys, now old men who produced it, have a good time. Maybe it will make your feel good for a short period of time, maybe it might even change your life, or the lives of others. American Fantasy is a novel by best-selling author Emma Straub and tells the story of a band, a cruise, a reluctant participant in both the band and on the cruise, and how listening to something new even if it is old, might make life a little less guilty, and a little more brighter.

The American Fantasy is a cruise ship that is known for its themed journeys, featuring nostalgia acts, movie nights and on this trip the boy band that was an MTV TRL mainstay Boy Talk. Three thousand fans can't be wrong, and the ship is rocking and rolling on the seas with fans, known as Talkers singing, dancing, buying merch and reliving a past that to them was wonderful. To a member of the band, this is not something he wants, or wants to continue with. And the longer the cruise goes, the more he wants out. Also on board is Sarah, a woman whose life is not where she wants it to be, with a shattered relationship costing her both a girlfriend and a cat. Sarah is in charge of keeping the band and the Talker fans apart, and the pressure is getting to her. Annie is not a fan, though her sister is a huge Talker. They had planned a huge vacation, until a broken leg kept her sister home. Annie feels like an out of touch older sibling on this ship of fools for the band. Life also is not going as planned, but slowly, be it the drinks, the party attitude, and the people she meets, Annie feels that she is going through some changes, maybe even a landslide or two in her life.

Emma Straub continues to surprise with her novels, none really the same plot wise, and with characters that not only seem real, but seem like people readers know, or want to know. This is the perfect book for Straub who started in media working for the lead singer Stephin Meritt of the band Magnetic Fields, a popular band in the alternative field. Straub understands music, being in a band, and the people that follow bands, the fanaticism that makes a fan, and how that effects the listener and the band itself. Straub also knows people, something that is reflected in the writing. Straub's characters are all unique, all different, yet with problems that are relatable, and not clichéd. Straub has a nice writing style, and even with the narrative jumps one does not get lost in who is speaking or what is going on. Once started it is very hard to stop reading so be warned.

An excellent mix of music, nostalgia, getting old, and finding out that getting old doesn't mean that life can't change. And change for the better. A very strong story, and one that went to places I didn't expect. Both humorous and very heartwarming. A good starting point for new writers, and a fine addition for fans. Here's hoping we get a Straub cruise at some point.

[Erin · Rating 4 out of 5]

ARC for review. To be published April 7, 2026.

4 stars

This isn’t the type of book I would normally gravitate toward, but maybe I need to expand my horizons, especially where Emma Straub is concerned because this was really cute, light and fun.

Annie, 50ish, is humoring her sister who is five years younger when she agrees to go on one of those celebrity experience cruises, this one features a five man boy band from the ladies’ youth, Boy Talk (this truly sounds like the nineteenth circle of hell to me unless it was Oprah, and then only because I could be sure it would be the fanciest cruise in the world. Oh, never mind. Forgot for a moment that on my Alaska cruise this summer I was the seasickest person you ever saw for every single day of it. Jesus could have a cruise, I’m not going.)

But I digress. Just before the cruise Annie’s sister breaks her leg and Annie can’t get a refund so she heads off on her own (this after her divorce.) The book also follows Sarah, a thirty year old promotion company employee who is in charge of the various personalities in the band and Keith, one of the members of Boy Talk.

I really needed this book. Not taxing but completely enjoyable. Again, not my usual but it was perfect for right now; my brain needed this nice little break.

[Asher · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book seems to be being marketed as a romance (Goodreads tag and all), and I don't know why. It's not a romance, and marketing it as such really does it a disservice. It is doing the sort of internal emotional analysis I would expect of literary fiction, though the prose isn't really what I would describe as literary.

More than anything, it's a reflection on the experiences of aging and of relationships falling apart, on the nature of fandom and fame, on nostalgia and looking forwards. It's meditative, devoting a lot of time to internal monologue and exploration of feeling, and it does a good job of painting pictures of characters as fully realised people.

It's a good book, though I don't think it was exactly the book I wanted it to be. It wasn't the fun, wish fulfillment romance fantasy that I suspected it might be, certainly, and at the same time it wasn't plotted like a more literary novel might be. I think it would actually benefit from being longer: I would have liked to see how characters' lives were changed by the revelations of the events of the book; this kinda feels like only half the story. I might not be the right audience, though, and it certainly had plenty to say.

[Viv Maclaren · Rating 3 out of 5]

I am Reviewing American fantasy by Emma Straub. ARC from Penguin Random House with thanks.
An amusing and at times heartfelt ride on a cruise ship for menopausal women who have grown up loving the band Boy talk. A 4 day love fest celebrating all things these women love- sun, nostalgia, slushy style cocktails and mainlining appearances by the band.
Told from the perspective of bad member Keith, reluctant cruise virgin Annie, and Sarah the cruise company’s rep the story plunges along through the 4 days at pace. Meeting characters we can imagine are typical of this type of affair - the male ‘fan’ who sleeps with any woman who is willing, the super fans , the hangers-on, we also spend time with the 3 main protagonists.
Keith, who is washed up and tired, loving the attention and money, hating himself for it and desperate for a normal life, we can imagine represents many of the 50 somethings caught up in our fervour for old times.
An enjoyable fantasy, however, the main relationship which develops tempts disbelief in this reader. I enjoyed this but I don’t think it will be remembered long.

[Shannon Cook · Rating 5 out of 5]

If you are going to pre-order a book that comes out in 2026 this is the ONE! I was lucky enough to read it early and it did not disappoint. It is honestly one of the most UNIQUE books I have read all year!

American Fantasy is about a woman who goes on a cruise that is being hosted by her favorite boy band from when she was a teenager. The fans get to interact with the band throughout the entire weekend cruise. The book is written from multiple perspectives: a fan, one of the band members, and the person in charge of the boy band events on the cruise ship.

Emma Straub truly encapsulates what it means to be apart of a fandom from the fan and famous person’s perspective. She perfectly captures the nostalgia you feel from being a life long fan of a musician. It’s amazing how just one song can take you back to a totally different time of your life and that’s one of the reasons I think “The Talkers” in the book love going on that cruise ship so much. It truly reminded me of what going to the Eras tour felt like. Being a Swiftie myself, I have never read a book that I related to from that perspective more! You also get a close look into the boy band’s perspective and how being idolized from such a young age has shaped their life. You see the good and bad from both sides! It’s SO good!

This book is light and fun, but also has serious undertones like rediscovering yourself again in middle age. This was a theme throughout the book I really loved! I would say this book is Emma Straub’s lightest book yet, but still has her signature literary style and quirky relatable characters that I love so much! It was a five star read for me and I absolutely savored every word!! It comes out in April 2026 and it needs to be on your must read list!

[Rachel · Rating 3 out of 5]

An essential read for adult fangirls of all varieties.

As a one direction fan of the “matching tattoos” variety, I recognized many elements of boyband fandom. I felt the generational divide at some moments re: social media use, treatment of band members, etc. But it’s fascinating how much of fandom transcends generation; the well-known fans that other fans hate (sometimes for good reason, other times just out of jealousy), the ease of falling back into everything years later when given the opportunity.

This prompted some emotional introspection in the sense that, for me, a world where one direction reunites in their 50s to make some money and reignite the fervor of the fanbase truly is just a fantasy. The loss of Liam Payne was on my mind throughout. I loved the exploration of the inner-world of a middle-aged fangirl, the impact of dormant parasocial relationships finding you again in a new stage of life. I suppose I’m mourning the possibility of that for me and the many 1d stans I connected with on twitter.

Thank you to the publisher for the ARC!

[Lynne James · Rating 4 out of 5]

Annie, 50 years old, and suffering the indignity so often experienced by women of a certain age of being set aside simply because she is no longer young and pretty, both in her personal life and her professional one, is introduced to us as she steps aboard the celebrity voyage of American Fantasy.
Sarah, the superbly organised cruise director is shown managing everything and everyone in order that every single aspect of the annual Boy Talk cruise runs like clockwork.
Finally, we have Keith, one of the Boy Talk members. Keith let's the reader into the world of the boy band, all the tensions, foibles and insecurities.
Throughout the time of the cruise these three perspectives are given chapters to move the novel along.
The novels unfolds with humour and a sympathetic eye for all the characters and, while it is not the deepest of literature, it is, nonetheless, an enjoyable look behind the facade of celebrity and also the hard work needed to make the fans' fantasy run smoothly throughout the cruise.
Thank you to NetGalley for an advance copy of this book to review

[Ellis · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.25 stars
Emma Straub’s This Time Tomorrow still sticks with me to this day, so I was definitely on board (yes, I love a good pun) when I read the blurb of this book.
I do have to start by saying, I was not a boy band kind of girl or teen growing up. I was a huge fan of Steps when I was really young, but I didn’t have that One Direction/Take That/Westlife kind of obsession that many others had. So, while I couldn’t quite fully understand that part, the overall story was both nostalgic and reflective.
I enjoyed the three distinct POVs and perspectives, with Annie’s being my favourite. Keith’s was interesting too. And I appreciated that most of the characters were middle aged, instead of being in their twenties, like most of the books that I read.
This opened up a discussion on starting over, prioritising one’s self and looking forward, even as the characters exist in the past for the weekend.
I definitely got swept up in the cruise and for some reason it was giving me The Wedding People vibes, in terms of its style.
Reading it by the pool while on holiday certainly helped too, and I liked the pacing as well.
Thank you to Netgalley for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

[Melissa DeLong-Cox · Rating 3 out of 5]

This Time Tomorrow is one of my very favorite books, so I've been waiting anxiously for the next Emma Straub release. I loved the concept of a fandom cruise seen from all sides, and the way the fans were portrayed felt hilariously accurate to real life (drama online, drama IRL, over the top costumes, and general iykyk type of things). Unfortunately, I didn't super connect with any of the characters. It almost felt like a change in order or pacing could've helped, as some of the chapters had cutoff points that felt abrupt or like we were missing a piece of the story. I did enjoy the multiple POVs, I just wanted more from each of them. Overall, it was cute and I liked the message of letting things go, but I did want more (an epilogue, please, I beg of you!).

*Thanks to Riverhead Books and NetGalley for the ARC!*

[Dallas Strawn · Rating 4 out of 5]

Well, that was delightful! Despite touching on some serious themes, American Fantasy is an absolute romp and exactly the kind of book I was in the mood for. Annie and her sister are supposed to be heading out on the sold out cruise that thousands of middle-aged women would kill to attend… a week at sea with the five members of Boy Talk (think a fictionalized version of *NSYNC). When her sister breaks her leg at the last minute, Annie ends up going solo… and sharing a room with one of Boy Talk’s most infamous stalkers… *cough*…sorry, superfan.

What follows is a week Annie will never forget, filled with laugh out loud moments, surprising tenderness, and the warmth and wit Emma Straub does so well. The book is completely soaked in cruise ship fun, but it also has real heart beneath the confetti and nostalgia. I flew through the pages and enjoyed every minute of the ride.

4.5 ⭐️

[Chingodentaldn]

Yếu tố tâm lý đóng vai trò then chốt không kém gì yếu tố chuyên môn. Tin tưởng vào bác sĩ và quy trình điều trị là nền tảng để bạn có trải nghiệm tốt nhất. Tại Chingo Dental mọi bước thăm khám, tư vấn, thiết kế nụ cười cho đến thực hiện bọc răng sứ. Đều được tiến hành minh bạch, chi tiết. Và đặt sự an toàn, hiệu quả của khách hàng lên hàng đầu.
Việc hiểu rõ về vật liệu, quy trình, và các cam kết về chất lượng, bảng giá bọc răng sứ Đà Nẵng minh bạch. Sẽ giúp bạn gạt bỏ những băn khoăn không đáng có. Hãy chủ động trao đổi mọi thắc mắc với bác sĩ để được giải đáp cặn kẽ, từ đó xây dựng niềm tin vững chắc. Tâm lý tích cực không chỉ giúp bạn dễ dàng hợp tác hơn trong suốt quá trình điều trị. Mà còn ảnh hưởng trực tiếp đến khả năng thích nghi và sự hài lòng với kết quả cuối cùng.
https://chingodental.vn/nha-khoa-da-n...

[Katelyn · Rating 5 out of 5]

'90s band Boytalk is doing a reunion cruise on the ship American Fantasy, and 50 year old Annie has reluctantly agreed to go with her sister. While both loved Boytalk as kids, Annie thinks it's kind of silly that grown women ("Talkers") are still obsessed with the group. When her sister backs out due to a broken leg, Annie is paired with a roommate, who shows her the ropes and helps Annie embrace the American Fantasy experience. I love Straub's writing and especially appreciated how lovingly she treated her characters--mostly middle aged women--highlighting their strengths, praising their awesome, diverse bodies of all sizes, and forgiving them their weaknesses. I enjoyed this cruise ship drama.

[Michelle · Rating 4 out of 5]

Emma Straub has such a gift for taking something that could feel light or even silly on the surface and making it deeply moving. This book is funny and nostalgic, yes—but it’s also a sharp look at middle age, loneliness, and the unexpected places where joy can sneak back into your life. I loved following Annie as she went from rolling her eyes at the boyband cruise to being completely undone by it—the music, the memories, the possibility of change. It made me think about how the things we loved as teenagers never really leave us, and how reconnecting with that part of ourselves can be its own kind of freedom. Warm and charming—I think this one will stick with me.

Many thanks to Edelweiss and Riverhead Books for providing an eARC of American Fantasy prior to publication.

[Ariel · Rating 4 out of 5]

If you appreciate rom coms, it will be a treat for you to read such a high caliber author's take on the genre. A divorced woman goes on a cruise celebrating the boy band she crushed on as a teen. She is somewhat dubious about the whole thing in the beginning, having been pushed to go on the cruise by a sister who can't make it at the last minute. But she winds up striking an unexpected spark with one of the guys in the group. The insanity of the cruise and the women who eat, drink, and scream the boy band is hilarious and well captured without being being mean. It's really a fun read. Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for letting me read an advance copy.

[Chris Kopka · Rating 5 out of 5]

American Fantasy has easily secured a spot as one of my standout reads of the year. Emma Straub masterfully assembles a cast of seemingly unrelated characters, tosses them onto the confined, surreal stage of a cruise ship, and lets the sparks fly.

What follows is a brilliantly woven narrative that manages to be laugh-out-loud funny while maintaining a genuine sense of intrigue. Straub’s sharp wit shines through as she explores the friction between strangers in close quarters, making for a story that is as thought-provoking as it is entertaining. If you’re looking for a sharp, seafaring ensemble piece, this is a must-read.

[Annie Bentley Waddoups · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars
Fun romp of a book: the witty and playful writing you'd expect from Emma Straub x an ode to boyband superfandom. Annie is reluctantly solo on a boyband cruise when her sister has to drop out at the last minute. She's recently divorced and on the cusp of being replaced at work by a young influencer so she gives herself over, bit by bit, to her teenage obsession with the 90s boy band. Hilarious observations on superfandom, aging celebrities, and managing and making space for change in life.

This book is expected to be published in April 2026. Thank you to Net Galley for providing a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

[Sarah · Rating 4 out of 5]

A shop load of women still hot for the boy band of their youth. I could imagine a P&O ship trundling around the Channel Islands with the remaining members of 'Take That', a peculiar type of hell for most of the population. This is very much an observational tale; we learn how three of the characters have ended up on board and what state they have left their onshore lives. There is hope and desperation as the characters establish what they want from their lives, and more importantly, what they really don't want.
An enjoyable read.

[Roman Clodia · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a charming feel-good book that is light but also has a message about life's possibilities always being open. The premise of a cruise for superfans with their Take That-style idols is fun and brings back memories of teen crushes. Annie is a heroine whose everyday-ness is part of the point, and Straub is so generous to the idea of middle aged women and how much more they should expect. Pack this one for your holiday for a switch off read that also has some substance.

Thanks to the publisher for an ARC via Netgalley

[Heather · Rating 4 out of 5]

I received this ARC from NetGalley and Riverhead.

This was a quick read that I actually read in one day on New Year's Eve. I loved that the main character was older and divorced finding her way back to herself. I also liked the multiple POVs provided throughout the book so you could see the boy band cruise from the perspective of someone running it, participating in it, and someone who was there to perform.

Nostalgia in so many forms when reading this book... thinking about being a teenager, remembering the 80s, and those first crushes on pop stars.

Fun with some whimsy and reflection.

[Nefret · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thanks to NetGalley and Riverhead Books for this early copy.
I have read everything Emma Straub has written. She’s an incredible writer, all her books are funny (and yet so so different!), and she is incredibly talented at making characters who are relatable and flawed. Even though this is very different than my favorite of her books, This Time Tomorrow. If not for the nostalgia of the absurdity of the boy band era, but because of the genuine soul in this book. Packs a punch. Highly recommend.