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The Shallows of Avalon
Ten years ago, they were the stars of the most popular teen show in the nation.
Until it all fell apart.
The Shallows was an overnight sensation. Viewers tuned in to follow and fall in love with a group of six friends as they navigated the highs and lows of their turbulent teenage years.
Over the course of four seasons, the coastal town of Avalon, NJ, was the filming location for the fictional enclave of Duffy Beach, CA, until it was suddenly cancelled, stunning their fanbase and forcing the actors to drift apart.
A decade later, the crew is back for a three-day reunion. Will former lovers Josie and Tate get their real-life happy ever after? Can Valerie find out who’s been blackmailing her? Is Paige finally going to reveal the truth behind her biggest regret?
The perfect beach read for anyone who grew up watching Beverly Hills 90210, The OC, and Gossip Girl, The Shallows of Avalon explores the lengths that people will go to protect what they value most.
Until it all fell apart.
The Shallows was an overnight sensation. Viewers tuned in to follow and fall in love with a group of six friends as they navigated the highs and lows of their turbulent teenage years.
Over the course of four seasons, the coastal town of Avalon, NJ, was the filming location for the fictional enclave of Duffy Beach, CA, until it was suddenly cancelled, stunning their fanbase and forcing the actors to drift apart.
A decade later, the crew is back for a three-day reunion. Will former lovers Josie and Tate get their real-life happy ever after? Can Valerie find out who’s been blackmailing her? Is Paige finally going to reveal the truth behind her biggest regret?
The perfect beach read for anyone who grew up watching Beverly Hills 90210, The OC, and Gossip Girl, The Shallows of Avalon explores the lengths that people will go to protect what they value most.
320 pages, Kindle Edition
Published April 16, 2026
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Displaying 1 - 17 of 17 reviews
April 22, 2026
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️✨ (4.5/5) The Shallows of Avalon by Erica A. Reilly 💜 thank you Erica for the ARC!!
Okay, here's a revised version of your book review:
Ten years after their hit teen drama was canceled, its six former cast members reunite for a 10-year anniversary event. The book offers glimpses into the drama, heartbreak, and friendships that led to the show's abrupt end, filled with secrets, betrayal, and mystery, which I found captivating.
I was drawn to all the characters, despite their flaws and questionable decisions. I became deeply invested in their lives, constantly surprised by the unfolding events!
This book is told in multiple POVs which helps keep you guessing. I definitely recommend picking this one up! It was a quick entertaining reading! Available on kindle unlimited or amazon!
Okay, here's a revised version of your book review:
Ten years after their hit teen drama was canceled, its six former cast members reunite for a 10-year anniversary event. The book offers glimpses into the drama, heartbreak, and friendships that led to the show's abrupt end, filled with secrets, betrayal, and mystery, which I found captivating.
I was drawn to all the characters, despite their flaws and questionable decisions. I became deeply invested in their lives, constantly surprised by the unfolding events!
This book is told in multiple POVs which helps keep you guessing. I definitely recommend picking this one up! It was a quick entertaining reading! Available on kindle unlimited or amazon!
June 13, 2026
3.75 ⭐️
Great beach read, very entertaining
Great beach read, very entertaining
June 3, 2026
The shallows of Avalon was an enjoyable read. The book follows a group of friends from a tv show as they reunite for a reunion. The story is a blend of mystery, friendship and lots of drama. It’s a great fun beach read for the summer.
April 23, 2026
ARC Review: If you're looking for the perfect summer rom-com, look no further. This book, The Shallows of Avalon is based in New Jersey. An exciting, fun tale of drama, secrets, and gossip.
I thoroughly enjoyed this novel, the pacing was easy and fun. The main characters were stars in a famous TV show, ten years later they reunite for a few days, reminiscing on old loves, secrets, and drama. They navigate their relationships and history together with a new perspective.
Although I enjoyed this novel, I found the multiple POVs to be hard to follow. I loved getting a new perspective but I did find it difficult at times. Additionally, the mention of characters and their roles stumped me several times. I felt like I had to mentally draw a mind map to connect main points. Other than that, I loved this book and would easily pick up another by Erica M. Reilly!
For those looking for a coastal, rom-com, this is your book!
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
I thoroughly enjoyed this novel, the pacing was easy and fun. The main characters were stars in a famous TV show, ten years later they reunite for a few days, reminiscing on old loves, secrets, and drama. They navigate their relationships and history together with a new perspective.
Although I enjoyed this novel, I found the multiple POVs to be hard to follow. I loved getting a new perspective but I did find it difficult at times. Additionally, the mention of characters and their roles stumped me several times. I felt like I had to mentally draw a mind map to connect main points. Other than that, I loved this book and would easily pick up another by Erica M. Reilly!
For those looking for a coastal, rom-com, this is your book!
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
June 7, 2026
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily. Are you a fan of 90210? Do you wish there would’ve been a book written that could take you back to the 90s and relive all the drama with Brenda, Kelly and Dylan? Well, this book is for you! Josie is the main star of the teenage high school drama called The Shallows and is not your typical “Hollywood” star. She left acting to pursue another career. The book is about the show’s reunion in Avalon and lots of old drama is stirred up. You will empathize with Josie and get mad at Paige and question Val and wonder where does Sage fit into all of this drama. I thoroughly enjoyed this book. There were some good twists with devious characters. I plan to add this author to my list to follow for more!
June 30, 2026
The Shallows of Avalon by Erica M. Reilly is an entertaining, captivating summer read.
The story is set in the summer on the Jersey Shore during the week long publicity event celebrating the 10th anniversary of the final episodes of the show, “The Shallows”. What could possibly go wrong (or right) when the cast of a hit TV teen drama reconnect after 10 years?
We are introduced to a host of intriguing characters, whose back stories, hidden secrets, and relationships provide for some interesting and sometimes humorous plot twists.
Although I am not a follower of the TV teen drama genre, I enjoyed reading about the trials, tribulations, and triumphs of the characters past and present.
The book focuses on how the past, both hidden and open, impacts the lives of the characters 10 years later.
I highly recommend that you add this book to your summer reading list.
The story is set in the summer on the Jersey Shore during the week long publicity event celebrating the 10th anniversary of the final episodes of the show, “The Shallows”. What could possibly go wrong (or right) when the cast of a hit TV teen drama reconnect after 10 years?
We are introduced to a host of intriguing characters, whose back stories, hidden secrets, and relationships provide for some interesting and sometimes humorous plot twists.
Although I am not a follower of the TV teen drama genre, I enjoyed reading about the trials, tribulations, and triumphs of the characters past and present.
The book focuses on how the past, both hidden and open, impacts the lives of the characters 10 years later.
I highly recommend that you add this book to your summer reading list.
July 9, 2026
***ARC Review***
Thank you, Partner, @bookedwiththeemilys and @erica.reilly.writes for this #gifted arc.
Did you enjoy watching the tv show Friends? Well if the answer was yes, this book is about 6 teens on a tv series kinda like Friends. There is a lot of drama with love triangles and blackmailing. Does that remind you of another tv show? Yes, Gossip Girl.
They all come back together for a reunion 10 years later and all the secrets come out for good. I believe they all have happy endings to their stories.
This was a super easy read as I read this book in a day. Each chapter is a different POV from the characters and you learn about things from each POV. Grab this book for your next beach read.
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ out of 5 stars
Thank you, Partner, @bookedwiththeemilys and @erica.reilly.writes for this #gifted arc.
Did you enjoy watching the tv show Friends? Well if the answer was yes, this book is about 6 teens on a tv series kinda like Friends. There is a lot of drama with love triangles and blackmailing. Does that remind you of another tv show? Yes, Gossip Girl.
They all come back together for a reunion 10 years later and all the secrets come out for good. I believe they all have happy endings to their stories.
This was a super easy read as I read this book in a day. Each chapter is a different POV from the characters and you learn about things from each POV. Grab this book for your next beach read.
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ out of 5 stars
April 23, 2026
Thank you Erica Reilly for the ARC copy! Growing up outside of Philly and going to the Jersey Shore…this was filled with all kinds of hometown comfort and familiar places. Add in the millennial love of teen drama TV series like Dawson’s Creek and you have a great summer read! Beach town vibes, a group of old friends, secrets that have been hidden for years, and all the drama of a TV series wrapped up in one! I couldn’t help but fall for these characters despite their flaws and wanting to see them come together in the end. Definitely an addicting read and hoping to see more from this author across more NJ shore towns! 🌊☀️🐚
July 13, 2026
I saw this book and applied to arc read it and I was so excited about it because I grew uo in the time frame of all the teenage drama/ angst tv shows. 90210, Dawson’s Creek and others. This book made me want to read it for the nostalgia of watching a weekly tv drama that was a coming of age show for teenagers. This book was fantastic, told in multiple POV’s so you get all sides of the story. Ten years after their hit show ended, the group of actors and actresses head back to where the show was filmed for a reunion tour. There is messy drama from the get go. If you loved all the teenage drama filled shows in your own teenage years then you will love this book!!!
July 25, 2026
⭐ 3.5/5
The Shallows of Avalon is a fast, plot-stuffed reunion romance about five former child stars of a 2010s teen soap gathering for a wedding and a ten-year cast reunion in the New Jersey shore towns where their show was filmed. The premise has a great hook, and the central mystery, figuring out who's been blackmailing Val, actually pays off in a satisfying way. The shore-town setting is rendered with real affection and specificity, and there's a fun soapiness to the "oh no she DIDN'T" reveals throughout.
But there's just too much crammed in. On top of the blackmail plot, you've got a stolen-trophy mystery, a public breakdown and arrest, four or five new romantic pairings, and a handful of personal storylines all trying to resolve in the last third of the book. It ends up feeling less like a story building toward an ending and more like a checklist getting cleared. Characters are often explained to the reader rather than shown, and the prose is functional rather than especially memorable.
It's a quick, entertaining beach read with a solid hook, but it tries to do too much and wraps up too easily to fully earn its ending.
The Shallows of Avalon is a fast, plot-stuffed reunion romance about five former child stars of a 2010s teen soap gathering for a wedding and a ten-year cast reunion in the New Jersey shore towns where their show was filmed. The premise has a great hook, and the central mystery, figuring out who's been blackmailing Val, actually pays off in a satisfying way. The shore-town setting is rendered with real affection and specificity, and there's a fun soapiness to the "oh no she DIDN'T" reveals throughout.
But there's just too much crammed in. On top of the blackmail plot, you've got a stolen-trophy mystery, a public breakdown and arrest, four or five new romantic pairings, and a handful of personal storylines all trying to resolve in the last third of the book. It ends up feeling less like a story building toward an ending and more like a checklist getting cleared. Characters are often explained to the reader rather than shown, and the prose is functional rather than especially memorable.
It's a quick, entertaining beach read with a solid hook, but it tries to do too much and wraps up too easily to fully earn its ending.
April 30, 2026
I really enjoyed this book. It was a quick, fun, read. I liked all the characters and found myself rooting for them. I liked how the author weaved some characters from her first book into the story. To be honest, as a person who has a long history of going to the Jersey shore (especially AV/SH), it’s always fun to see familiar places in the setting. I hope to see more books set on 7 Mile Island. I think this book will be a great ‘beach’ read this summer.
Btw, I did receive an ARC for free and I am leaving this review voluntarily. Thank you!
Btw, I did receive an ARC for free and I am leaving this review voluntarily. Thank you!
April 25, 2026
I received an advance copy for free and am leaving this review voluntarily. Besides being an avid reader, I also love watching my shows, so this story about the actors of a hit show reuniting after ten years appealed to me. It recounts where some went onto success, while others floundered trying to regain their fame. This would be a perfect beach read.
June 8, 2026
Fun, exciting read with vivid characters. Really enjoy the local towns and favorite places mentioned in the book. Avalon is a terrific vacation spot
August 27, 2026
This was super cute and a perfect read for the beach while I was vacationing in Stone Harbor
June 2, 2026
An easy, fun read perfect for the summer time! There were quite a few secrets to uncover which kept my interest, and
I like that the author tied in some characters from her first book; The Swells of Stone Harbor. Can’t wait for the author’s next book!
I like that the author tied in some characters from her first book; The Swells of Stone Harbor. Can’t wait for the author’s next book!
June 8, 2026
Perfect travel book!
May 18, 2026
1.5 stars rounding up to be generous. My initial critique is the virtual narrator. Listening to a narrator refer to Beverly Hills 90210 as ninety thousand two hundred and ten was too much. Words were mispronounced throughout the entire book and it droned on. In my opinion it would be better for the author to not offer an audiobook option. I could have gotten past a poor narrator if the book had been worth reading. Regarding the book itself, there were too many characters, too many POVs and none of it was interesting. The plot was nonexistent and dredging up something that happened 10 years ago felt like a poor 2000s sitcom.
Displaying 1 - 17 of 17 reviews