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The Reunion
A chance to reconnect.
A chance to get revenge . . .
Emily Toller has tried to forget her time at university and the events that led to her suddenly leaving under a cloud. She has done everything she can to forget the shame and the trauma – and the people involved. She has tried to focus on the life she has built with her children and husband, Nick.
But events like that can’t just be forgotten. Not without someone answering for what they’ve done.
When an invitation arrives to a University reunion, everything clicks into place. Emily has a plan.
Because if you can’t forget – why not get revenge?
A chance to get revenge . . .
Emily Toller has tried to forget her time at university and the events that led to her suddenly leaving under a cloud. She has done everything she can to forget the shame and the trauma – and the people involved. She has tried to focus on the life she has built with her children and husband, Nick.
But events like that can’t just be forgotten. Not without someone answering for what they’ve done.
When an invitation arrives to a University reunion, everything clicks into place. Emily has a plan.
Because if you can’t forget – why not get revenge?
Kindle Edition
First published April 22, 2022
27 people are currently reading
457 people want to read
About the author
Polly Phillips
3 books52 followersPolly is originally from South West London but after visiting Australia in 2011, she fell head over heels for the lifestyle, even though she doesn’t drink coffee and rarely goes to the beach! Polly currently lives in Perth with her husband, daughter and much-loved dog. My Best Friend’s Murder won the writing prize at the Emirates Literature Festival and is her debut novel. She hopes that after they read it, her friends will still be talking to her…
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 139 reviews
September 18, 2022
Rounded down from roughly 4.5 stars ⭐️ this was my first book by Polly Phillips but I will definitely be grabbing her debut now!
The Reunion tells the story of Emily, who’s life was ruined by one fateful night in university. She has tried to move on but cannot forget the people who hurt her. She hatches a plan to get her revenge during their 15 year reunion.
For me, a large part of enjoying a thriller is twists that I do not see coming. There were plenty of twists in this book that blew my mind, even when I guessed some of them they still managed to make me feel really tense. I went into this with no preconceptions and I think that really helped! I didn’t expect there to be any twists so I wasn’t looking for them. It made me enjoy this book so much more.
The characters are basically all unlikeable, which I normally struggle with. But I loved it in this book! I did start warming towards one of the characters near the end. The way the book ended has me feeling so conflicted. I loved the empowerment message but I also root for a happily ever after! Although I know I shouldn’t be expecting that in a thriller, the ending was definitely fitting for the genre. I admit that I am a fan of other peoples drama, so I lapped this up! Now I feel a little lost, like I need to find some more drama to fill my time!
I recommend this for fans of thrillers with a university drama theme. I want to thank Tandem Collective, The Likely Suspects, Simon and Schuster and Polly Phillips for the chance to read this book and give my personal thoughts.
The Reunion tells the story of Emily, who’s life was ruined by one fateful night in university. She has tried to move on but cannot forget the people who hurt her. She hatches a plan to get her revenge during their 15 year reunion.
For me, a large part of enjoying a thriller is twists that I do not see coming. There were plenty of twists in this book that blew my mind, even when I guessed some of them they still managed to make me feel really tense. I went into this with no preconceptions and I think that really helped! I didn’t expect there to be any twists so I wasn’t looking for them. It made me enjoy this book so much more.
The characters are basically all unlikeable, which I normally struggle with. But I loved it in this book! I did start warming towards one of the characters near the end. The way the book ended has me feeling so conflicted. I loved the empowerment message but I also root for a happily ever after! Although I know I shouldn’t be expecting that in a thriller, the ending was definitely fitting for the genre. I admit that I am a fan of other peoples drama, so I lapped this up! Now I feel a little lost, like I need to find some more drama to fill my time!
I recommend this for fans of thrillers with a university drama theme. I want to thank Tandem Collective, The Likely Suspects, Simon and Schuster and Polly Phillips for the chance to read this book and give my personal thoughts.
December 28, 2023
I have had this on my kindle for three years & was so looking forward to reading this but the plot trope was bullying & getting revenge on those who did it in Cambridge university .
1 I hate bullying tropes & getting revenge on those who did it how many times has this been done very disappointing.
1 I hate bullying tropes & getting revenge on those who did it how many times has this been done very disappointing.
August 3, 2022
It was an okay thriller but wasn't able to grab me in the beginning so I had difficulty getting invested in the plot
July 2, 2022
I kept hearing about The Reunion on #bookstagram and had major FOMO! I absolutely loved Polly Phillips My Best Friends Murder and I just had to read it. I found the audiobook on Scribd and binged it in a day. Totally addictive and juicy, I just had to know how it was all going to end up.
If you like a good psychological thriller and a school setting then you need to read this book. There is a cast of unlikable characters that you will love to hate. It is 15 years since Emily finished at Cambridge and she hasn't been back since. But she has decided that she will attend this reunion and is on a mission to get revenge on those that hurt her back then. She is now happily married with twins, but her life didn't work out as she had planned, all because of what happened at uni.
A twisty revenge story that is just asking to be read in one sitting. Trust me, you will want to read this.
If you like a good psychological thriller and a school setting then you need to read this book. There is a cast of unlikable characters that you will love to hate. It is 15 years since Emily finished at Cambridge and she hasn't been back since. But she has decided that she will attend this reunion and is on a mission to get revenge on those that hurt her back then. She is now happily married with twins, but her life didn't work out as she had planned, all because of what happened at uni.
A twisty revenge story that is just asking to be read in one sitting. Trust me, you will want to read this.
July 22, 2022
Her latest release, The Reunion by Polly Phillips is her second book and another standalone thriller. This time a Cambridge University Reunion is the catalyst for a psychologically tense tale. Emily Toller, now a mother and a wife, never completed her university studies and left under extraneous circumstances. Not forgetting the people and the shame and the trauma it caused her, Emily has a plan for revenge. With the usual twists and turns, the tension rises and the dramatic reveal makes for a three star rating. Having read her books one after the other may have reduced the enjoyment factor somewhat. As always, the opinions herein are totally my own and freely given.
April 22, 2022
The Reunion is a tense psychological drama. It is written from the point of view of Emily who is not happy with her life despite her happy marriage and her children. She is the lens that the reader has and trusts. She has not been back to university for many years due to an event that took place in her last days there.
Emily is clearly a distressed and unfulfilled woman and yet as we learn more about her it appears that she used to be confident and popular.
At university she gets in with a crowd of wealthy and entitled students and ends up dating one of them. Then the 'bad thing' happens and her world falls apart.. Fast forward to present day and Emily is attending a reunion and knows that all those responsible for her trauma will be there.
The book follows Emily in the build - up to the reunion and also uses flashbacks to reveal what actually happened all those years ago. The tension rises as the date gets closer. The big reveal does take time and there is a twist after it which I wasn't expecting. This makes for a slower pace than a traditional thriller type book but also increases the empathy with the character and the desire to know the full story.
I enjoyed this book. It kept me reading to find out what finally takes place at the long-awaited reunion and also what the full extent of what took place many years before had been. I was invested in the characters even if I didn't much like some of them . I recommend.
this was a free copy from Netgalley
Emily is clearly a distressed and unfulfilled woman and yet as we learn more about her it appears that she used to be confident and popular.
At university she gets in with a crowd of wealthy and entitled students and ends up dating one of them. Then the 'bad thing' happens and her world falls apart.. Fast forward to present day and Emily is attending a reunion and knows that all those responsible for her trauma will be there.
The book follows Emily in the build - up to the reunion and also uses flashbacks to reveal what actually happened all those years ago. The tension rises as the date gets closer. The big reveal does take time and there is a twist after it which I wasn't expecting. This makes for a slower pace than a traditional thriller type book but also increases the empathy with the character and the desire to know the full story.
I enjoyed this book. It kept me reading to find out what finally takes place at the long-awaited reunion and also what the full extent of what took place many years before had been. I was invested in the characters even if I didn't much like some of them . I recommend.
this was a free copy from Netgalley
June 6, 2022
I love a great revenge story and The Reunion didn’t disappoint! This was a book I wanted to pick up every spare minute. I was pulled into the story right from the prologue.
Emily and husband Nick are gearing up for their university’s 15 year reunion. Now Emily has a perfect life; a doting husband and two gorgeous children but her past still haunts her. She has avoided her year’s cohort for 15 years and now she wants answers but mostly she wants revenge.
Polly Phillips slowly builds a mystery about Emily’s Uni days, alluding to something big happening, expertly teasing the story out keeping me glued to the pages.
The story is narrated by Emily in two timelines, with chapters headed in a countdown of hours leading up to the big reveal, interspersed with chapters set during Emily’s uni days with best friends Henry, Lyla and Will.
Phillips includes the toxic male culture in universities and how the privileged use family money to cover indiscretions.
You never really know the people closest to you is a major theme running through the novel.
I loved how Phillips included an older sister for Emily. Her sister, Helen, was her biggest supporter, always encouraging and concerned about Emily but never judging her. Emily’s sister, Helen, is my new hero.
The Reunion is a book you will want to pick up every spare minute. Tantalising, addictive and twisty; The Reunion should be on your must read list.
*I received a copy for review
Emily and husband Nick are gearing up for their university’s 15 year reunion. Now Emily has a perfect life; a doting husband and two gorgeous children but her past still haunts her. She has avoided her year’s cohort for 15 years and now she wants answers but mostly she wants revenge.
Polly Phillips slowly builds a mystery about Emily’s Uni days, alluding to something big happening, expertly teasing the story out keeping me glued to the pages.
The story is narrated by Emily in two timelines, with chapters headed in a countdown of hours leading up to the big reveal, interspersed with chapters set during Emily’s uni days with best friends Henry, Lyla and Will.
Phillips includes the toxic male culture in universities and how the privileged use family money to cover indiscretions.
You never really know the people closest to you is a major theme running through the novel.
I loved how Phillips included an older sister for Emily. Her sister, Helen, was her biggest supporter, always encouraging and concerned about Emily but never judging her. Emily’s sister, Helen, is my new hero.
The Reunion is a book you will want to pick up every spare minute. Tantalising, addictive and twisty; The Reunion should be on your must read list.
*I received a copy for review
July 21, 2022
The Reunion is I guess, a relatively entertaining read but ultimately it felt really derivative to me. This might be more an indication of my over-saturation with this kind of story than of the quality of the book itself. It’s a mean girls (and mean boys) revenge story which leans quite heavily on a past/present narrative structure in an attempt to build tension. Predictably, there’s a twist which you can see coming. This propelled me through the last 80 pages, which still felt really derivative but in a more exciting way.
July 26, 2022
*https://mrsbbookreviews.wordpress.com
The perfect revenge thriller filled with potent themes of power, authority, higher education, access, privilege and class, The Reunion is the latest novel from Polly Phillips. After the success of last year’s My Best Friend’s Murder, Phillips serves up another devious frenemy drama set around one of the world’s most well-known education institutions, Cambridge University. With intrigue and suspicion around very corner, The Reunion proved to be one highly unpredictable read!
The Reunion follows Emily Toller, a woman who continues to be haunted by her university years at the highly regarded Cambridge institution. Emily left Cambridge under a set of mysterious circumstances. Since her departure from Cambridge Emily has kept her head down, refusing to bow down to the immense trauma and embarrassment of her Cambridge experience. With her life now focussed on the happiness of her family, Emily would much rather put her Cambridge days behind her. But an invitation to attend a reunion at Cambridge sets the wheels in motion. Emily now has the chance to the right the wrongs of the past and enact a plan of revenge against those who took her down. It’s time for Emily to fight back and finally reclaim her life.
In January 2021 we were introduced to Polly Phillips, a debut author who had made the transition to a novelist following her background in journalism. It is great to see Polly Phillips back for an encore piece, The Reunion is a clever and consummate domestic mystery tale. The focus on higher education facilities such as the world renowned Cambridge University which serves as this book’s setting base really worked to pull me into the narrative.
After recently enjoying Anatomy of a Scandal by Sarah Vaughan, another university themed revenge thriller, I was keen to see how this higher education scandal style novel would play out. My initial interest level was maintained for the duration of this novel’s journey and I have to confess that I really sunk my teeth into The Reunion. With a fascinating backdrop that critically interrogates issues such as trauma, fear, expectation, scandal, rumour, privilege, determination, revenge, vengeance, fixation, obsession and friendship, The Reunion offers a good dose of intrigue. With many plot twists, rotations, spins and curls, it is hard to settle into this book’s narrative before things are completely flipped. I do like to be challenged when I read domestic thrillers, which is exactly what The Reunion offered.
Emily Toller is a great lead protagonist. Emily could easily be someone you know thanks to her grounded sense of self. Via the dual timeline narrative utilised by the author, we learn about Emily’s life in the present time and then we backtrack to her Cambridge experience. The short and succinct chapter format utilised by Phillips ensures that the pages of The Reunion take on a life on their own. I know I personally seemed to rip through this one in very little time at all. I loved being immersed back in university life thanks to the past storyline. The present storyline heightened my suspicions as I was very keen to find out what happened to Emily in the past and how her revenge plan would play out. Phillips attacks this aspect of the novel well, presenting her awaiting audience with a very satisfying read.
Polly Phillips is really making a name for herself in the domestic thriller category of fiction thanks to The Reunion and My Best Friend’s Murder. It is great to see this Australian author produce another consuming friendship revenge tale!
*I wish to thank DMCPR Media/Simon & Schuster Australia for providing me with a free copy of this book for review purposes
The perfect revenge thriller filled with potent themes of power, authority, higher education, access, privilege and class, The Reunion is the latest novel from Polly Phillips. After the success of last year’s My Best Friend’s Murder, Phillips serves up another devious frenemy drama set around one of the world’s most well-known education institutions, Cambridge University. With intrigue and suspicion around very corner, The Reunion proved to be one highly unpredictable read!
The Reunion follows Emily Toller, a woman who continues to be haunted by her university years at the highly regarded Cambridge institution. Emily left Cambridge under a set of mysterious circumstances. Since her departure from Cambridge Emily has kept her head down, refusing to bow down to the immense trauma and embarrassment of her Cambridge experience. With her life now focussed on the happiness of her family, Emily would much rather put her Cambridge days behind her. But an invitation to attend a reunion at Cambridge sets the wheels in motion. Emily now has the chance to the right the wrongs of the past and enact a plan of revenge against those who took her down. It’s time for Emily to fight back and finally reclaim her life.
In January 2021 we were introduced to Polly Phillips, a debut author who had made the transition to a novelist following her background in journalism. It is great to see Polly Phillips back for an encore piece, The Reunion is a clever and consummate domestic mystery tale. The focus on higher education facilities such as the world renowned Cambridge University which serves as this book’s setting base really worked to pull me into the narrative.
After recently enjoying Anatomy of a Scandal by Sarah Vaughan, another university themed revenge thriller, I was keen to see how this higher education scandal style novel would play out. My initial interest level was maintained for the duration of this novel’s journey and I have to confess that I really sunk my teeth into The Reunion. With a fascinating backdrop that critically interrogates issues such as trauma, fear, expectation, scandal, rumour, privilege, determination, revenge, vengeance, fixation, obsession and friendship, The Reunion offers a good dose of intrigue. With many plot twists, rotations, spins and curls, it is hard to settle into this book’s narrative before things are completely flipped. I do like to be challenged when I read domestic thrillers, which is exactly what The Reunion offered.
Emily Toller is a great lead protagonist. Emily could easily be someone you know thanks to her grounded sense of self. Via the dual timeline narrative utilised by the author, we learn about Emily’s life in the present time and then we backtrack to her Cambridge experience. The short and succinct chapter format utilised by Phillips ensures that the pages of The Reunion take on a life on their own. I know I personally seemed to rip through this one in very little time at all. I loved being immersed back in university life thanks to the past storyline. The present storyline heightened my suspicions as I was very keen to find out what happened to Emily in the past and how her revenge plan would play out. Phillips attacks this aspect of the novel well, presenting her awaiting audience with a very satisfying read.
Polly Phillips is really making a name for herself in the domestic thriller category of fiction thanks to The Reunion and My Best Friend’s Murder. It is great to see this Australian author produce another consuming friendship revenge tale!
*I wish to thank DMCPR Media/Simon & Schuster Australia for providing me with a free copy of this book for review purposes
October 3, 2022
5 ⭐️
A good one!! This book definitely managed to knock me over with some plottwists I didn’t see coming at all. Sign me up for college crimes, I’m down.
Sometimes Emily was a bit clumsy, but I guess that happens when you’ve been through all this.
Enjoy reading this but make sure to check the trigger warnings!! There’s some heavy stuff in here.
Recommendation for anyone who loved “In my Dreams I Hold a Knife”!
A good one!! This book definitely managed to knock me over with some plottwists I didn’t see coming at all. Sign me up for college crimes, I’m down.
Sometimes Emily was a bit clumsy, but I guess that happens when you’ve been through all this.
Enjoy reading this but make sure to check the trigger warnings!! There’s some heavy stuff in here.
Recommendation for anyone who loved “In my Dreams I Hold a Knife”!
July 25, 2022
Emily had such a promising start at university, but the incident which forced her to abruptly leave has left a dark cloud hanging over her for her entire life. When she receives an invitation to a university reunion she decides that it’s time to confront the past. And revenge is, as they say, definitely sweet…
This is a fantastic, fast flowing story of revenge, secrets and lies. I was hooked from the first few chapters. Written in the first person and set over two timelines of then and now, it’s a very gripping and intriguing tale. I loved hearing of Emily’s time at Cambridge, the descriptions of the university and town were so evocative and the difference between her and the wealthier students was so evident that I really felt for her, she seemed like a small fish in a big pond.
The plot had twists and turns galore, none of which I saw coming, the characters all fascinating and the writing flowed so effortlessly that I sped through this one in no time at all. First class!
This is a fantastic, fast flowing story of revenge, secrets and lies. I was hooked from the first few chapters. Written in the first person and set over two timelines of then and now, it’s a very gripping and intriguing tale. I loved hearing of Emily’s time at Cambridge, the descriptions of the university and town were so evocative and the difference between her and the wealthier students was so evident that I really felt for her, she seemed like a small fish in a big pond.
The plot had twists and turns galore, none of which I saw coming, the characters all fascinating and the writing flowed so effortlessly that I sped through this one in no time at all. First class!
August 16, 2022
The Reunion is a story with many secrets, surprising revelations and flawed to the max characters.
I think I changed my mind about my feelings towards this group of so called friends atleast 3 times!
Emily is our MC, she experienced wrong doing back at college, and atleast one of her 'friends' knows exactly what happened, if only she could remember the details!
With the support of her husband Nick, she braves the reunion. Coming face to face with Will, Henry and Lyla again isn't going to be plain sailing, But with her sister Helen in mind, she conjures up a plan for revenge.
This is an easy read, with all the thriller tropes that we live for in this type of book. Who to trust, who to watch out for, who knows the truth?
The enemy is never who you first think, is it?
I think I changed my mind about my feelings towards this group of so called friends atleast 3 times!
Emily is our MC, she experienced wrong doing back at college, and atleast one of her 'friends' knows exactly what happened, if only she could remember the details!
With the support of her husband Nick, she braves the reunion. Coming face to face with Will, Henry and Lyla again isn't going to be plain sailing, But with her sister Helen in mind, she conjures up a plan for revenge.
This is an easy read, with all the thriller tropes that we live for in this type of book. Who to trust, who to watch out for, who knows the truth?
The enemy is never who you first think, is it?
October 26, 2022
Meh, another hairdresser read. The premise is good - revenge is a dish best served cold, but it took a long while to get there.
I lost a bit of interest due to the overly detailed introduction (it’s no spoiler to let you know that Emily wears a Cartier watch, and Nick wears a Rolex. That’s within the first 5 pages. We get it. They’re rich.)
Jumping back and forth from the university days (tw for drink spiking, revenge porn, bit of assault, general bullyness), to today, a university reunion, Emily has been waiting for her chance to get even with those who wronged her all those years ago. But who will be collateral damage, and why? I kept reading because I’m stubborn, but it did drag for the last quarter or so, just when I thought things should be speeding up/winding up.
I lost a bit of interest due to the overly detailed introduction (it’s no spoiler to let you know that Emily wears a Cartier watch, and Nick wears a Rolex. That’s within the first 5 pages. We get it. They’re rich.)
Jumping back and forth from the university days (tw for drink spiking, revenge porn, bit of assault, general bullyness), to today, a university reunion, Emily has been waiting for her chance to get even with those who wronged her all those years ago. But who will be collateral damage, and why? I kept reading because I’m stubborn, but it did drag for the last quarter or so, just when I thought things should be speeding up/winding up.
January 1, 2023
3.5 / 5
This book was a bit of a meh to me. It didn’t have anything too crazy, again the standard plot based around university friendships spilling over to the professional world. I do have to admit the twist at the end was something I did not see coming which caught me by surprise.
But overall, it isn’t a book that stands out.
This book was a bit of a meh to me. It didn’t have anything too crazy, again the standard plot based around university friendships spilling over to the professional world. I do have to admit the twist at the end was something I did not see coming which caught me by surprise.
But overall, it isn’t a book that stands out.
April 6, 2023
Toxic friendships and a revenge plot take centre stage in this gripping thriller.
Emily has a great life, two beautiful children and a loving, supporting husband—but an event from her university days continues to haunt her and prevents her from living to her full potential.
With the support of her sister, she plots her revenge on the former friends who derailed the course of her life.
The book didn’t interest me much at the beginning, it read a little paint by numbers, but as the plot thickened, I found myself getting more and more invested.
I did not see most of the twists coming, which made for a very satisfying read.
4 solid ⭐️
Emily has a great life, two beautiful children and a loving, supporting husband—but an event from her university days continues to haunt her and prevents her from living to her full potential.
With the support of her sister, she plots her revenge on the former friends who derailed the course of her life.
The book didn’t interest me much at the beginning, it read a little paint by numbers, but as the plot thickened, I found myself getting more and more invested.
I did not see most of the twists coming, which made for a very satisfying read.
4 solid ⭐️
June 22, 2022
Emily can't wait for her university reunion. She has a great life and she can't wait to show it off. She also can't forget what happened to her during her uni days....and she's determined to get revenge.
Wow wow wow, this was such a page turner! Told in before and after timelines, we follow Emily throughout university, endure what she put up with and see the aftermath on how she plans to get her revenge. The twist at the end of the book was amazing. I didn't see it coming at all. I love books that surprise you! Highly recommend picking this one up.
Wow wow wow, this was such a page turner! Told in before and after timelines, we follow Emily throughout university, endure what she put up with and see the aftermath on how she plans to get her revenge. The twist at the end of the book was amazing. I didn't see it coming at all. I love books that surprise you! Highly recommend picking this one up.
June 16, 2022
This book is seething with bitter resentment and hints at an event that has brought on Emily’s lust for revenge. It is those hints that make this an absolute page turner as you are frantic to know what happened and what she has planned for the reunion.
The start had me as gripped as the hands that are around a throat. But whose are they?
We then go back in time to university and learn about a group of friends. With Emily finding herself surrounded by students from legacy families who emanate wealth, influence and power. They always say it’s not what you know but who you know!
Using a dual timeline of then and now to great effect, I really didn’t have a preference as both were equally nail biting. The heart of this story is Emily, a young woman with the world at her feet who had it all snatched away and now wants to take back the power she lost.
I’m all for women not being victims/doormats and if there is one thing that Polly does superbly is create great female characters. Whether they are good or bad you can’t help but like them. Lyla was glorious in all her abysmal glory and I was longing for her comeuppance.
I really enjoyed her last book My Best Friend’s Murder but this is on another level. Fast paced, shrewd plotting, devious twists and cunning characters this is one thriller to get your hands on!
The start had me as gripped as the hands that are around a throat. But whose are they?
We then go back in time to university and learn about a group of friends. With Emily finding herself surrounded by students from legacy families who emanate wealth, influence and power. They always say it’s not what you know but who you know!
Using a dual timeline of then and now to great effect, I really didn’t have a preference as both were equally nail biting. The heart of this story is Emily, a young woman with the world at her feet who had it all snatched away and now wants to take back the power she lost.
I’m all for women not being victims/doormats and if there is one thing that Polly does superbly is create great female characters. Whether they are good or bad you can’t help but like them. Lyla was glorious in all her abysmal glory and I was longing for her comeuppance.
I really enjoyed her last book My Best Friend’s Murder but this is on another level. Fast paced, shrewd plotting, devious twists and cunning characters this is one thriller to get your hands on!
June 11, 2022
Thank you Simon & Schuster for sending us a copy to read and review.
A domestic thriller that gains a front and centre position into the growing genre quite nicely.
Emily had a difficult and traumatic time during her university days and has tried to move on from the past in many ways.
She is married to a wonderful man, has children and built the perfect life.
With an invitation to the University reunion lingering, Emily decides that people must pay for what they did.
So Emily concocts the perfect revenge plan.
Who doesn’t love a good revenge drama with manic characters, a creepy, eerie atmosphere and a cleverly arranged plot……..
Polly has woven an intricate and compelling tangled web of drama and intrigue.
Much suspicion on dubious characters and basically being lead down many paths, keeping the reader on their toes.
A moderate paced tale with the last 100 pages or so very masterful and so addictive, I couldn’t stop reading.
A big applause for Polly for flooring me with the twist and making me completely satisfied after turning the final page.
A story that will keep you up way into the night.
A domestic thriller that gains a front and centre position into the growing genre quite nicely.
Emily had a difficult and traumatic time during her university days and has tried to move on from the past in many ways.
She is married to a wonderful man, has children and built the perfect life.
With an invitation to the University reunion lingering, Emily decides that people must pay for what they did.
So Emily concocts the perfect revenge plan.
Who doesn’t love a good revenge drama with manic characters, a creepy, eerie atmosphere and a cleverly arranged plot……..
Polly has woven an intricate and compelling tangled web of drama and intrigue.
Much suspicion on dubious characters and basically being lead down many paths, keeping the reader on their toes.
A moderate paced tale with the last 100 pages or so very masterful and so addictive, I couldn’t stop reading.
A big applause for Polly for flooring me with the twist and making me completely satisfied after turning the final page.
A story that will keep you up way into the night.
June 9, 2022
Emily isn't keen on the Cambridge University reunions but she's determined to go to the 15th-anniversary one. Her ten-year-old twin children, Artie and Xander will be looked after by Nonna Luci while she is away. Emily's husband, Nick is also invited to the reunion as he is a Cambridge Uni alumni. Will Emily succeed in getting everything she hopes for?
This psychological revenge thriller is told in a 'Then and Now' narrative, covering the time at University when Emily and Nick were students to now; the hours up to Emily's revenge plan.
This really well-executed tale contains some terrific characterisation, it's engaging and it's superbly plotted. The timelines are well balanced with a good number of reveals and twists and the pacing is rapid; there was no boredom from this reader! I thoroughly enjoyed it and I especially liked the author's portrayal of Emily's character, her anxiety and her sense of unfulfillment.
I definitely recommend reading The Reunion and I will be looking out for Polly Phillips's next novel.
I received a complimentary copy of this novel at my request from Simon and Schuster UK via NetGalley. This review is my own unbiased opinion.
This psychological revenge thriller is told in a 'Then and Now' narrative, covering the time at University when Emily and Nick were students to now; the hours up to Emily's revenge plan.
This really well-executed tale contains some terrific characterisation, it's engaging and it's superbly plotted. The timelines are well balanced with a good number of reveals and twists and the pacing is rapid; there was no boredom from this reader! I thoroughly enjoyed it and I especially liked the author's portrayal of Emily's character, her anxiety and her sense of unfulfillment.
I definitely recommend reading The Reunion and I will be looking out for Polly Phillips's next novel.
I received a complimentary copy of this novel at my request from Simon and Schuster UK via NetGalley. This review is my own unbiased opinion.
June 6, 2022
An absolute page-turner that I couldn't put down.
October 29, 2023
For some, the thought of their school reunion is a source of great excitement and a chance to rate their lives against the rest of their peers. For others, it is nothing short of a horror movie and they would probably rather have their nails pulled than attended. I would like to point out I have no great desire to go to mine. Some things are better left off in the past never to be revised. But when it comes to The Reunion this is not an option for our hero. It's part of what pulled me into wanting to read this book In the first place. What happens when you feel you have absolutely no choice but to jump head-first into such a situation. And can revenge ever put the pieces of the past back together and create smoothing that might vaguely be a whole again? Well, Emily is about to give it her best shot and god help anyone who gets in her way.
Emily Toller has a tale that is unfortunately all too familiar to a great many women. One night that changed to course of her life forever. Events outside of her control that can have such a deep and lasting impact that no matter how fast and far you try and run, they will always be that shadow you see just out of the corner of your eye. Nevertheless, she has done her best to live a life but when her school reunion comes around she believes it is finally time to stop running and try and bury it and just maybe a few someones along the way. Toller has crafted her hero well, We feel Emily's trepidation and anxiety as her plan starts to unfold. It is so very easy to get drawn into Emily's plans and feel like a coconspirator. Thick as thieves we embark on this path but unlike our hero we are starved of all the facts So it is here we travel to the flip side, Drawn into her past and following in her old footsteps we must endeavor to discover just how an event that should have brought her joy has led instead to a journey of revenge and a desperate thirst to set right what once went so very wrong.
The Reunion is one of those books that plays greatly on secrets and how those who keep them are capable of doing far more damage than we could ever imagine. I really enjoyed how we a led to believe that our footing is so very strong in our convictions. We are after all told the tale by the very victim of said crime. And it feels so comfortable and easy to go along with all this. Why not after all we are told the truth and our aim on these villainous people is so very true. And as we come face to face with our rouges gallery they all seem to play up to their stereotypes. It is far too easy to believe ill of someone when they display all those inherently suspicious characteristics that we associate with those who wish us harm. But this also goes to show us the skill of the writer she plays each hand well and to me at least none of them descend into some sort of pantomime villainy. But is all as we perceive perhaps not and what we do get to see is that even what may be perceived as the most solid of friendship groups can in fact be very toxic. Undenether the surface miss trust and jealousy can run rampant and when communication has completely broken down it is far ti easy to jump to conclusions.
The Reunion is one of those books you pick up and before you are aware of it you've blasted through a hundred pages and have no intention of putting it down. Philps has this amazing knack of sweeping you up into her narrative and you become so invested in her hero that they feel like your best friend. So as the nights draw in at this time of year it is the perfect read to sink into and find out just how toxic a school reunion can really be.
Emily Toller has a tale that is unfortunately all too familiar to a great many women. One night that changed to course of her life forever. Events outside of her control that can have such a deep and lasting impact that no matter how fast and far you try and run, they will always be that shadow you see just out of the corner of your eye. Nevertheless, she has done her best to live a life but when her school reunion comes around she believes it is finally time to stop running and try and bury it and just maybe a few someones along the way. Toller has crafted her hero well, We feel Emily's trepidation and anxiety as her plan starts to unfold. It is so very easy to get drawn into Emily's plans and feel like a coconspirator. Thick as thieves we embark on this path but unlike our hero we are starved of all the facts So it is here we travel to the flip side, Drawn into her past and following in her old footsteps we must endeavor to discover just how an event that should have brought her joy has led instead to a journey of revenge and a desperate thirst to set right what once went so very wrong.
The Reunion is one of those books that plays greatly on secrets and how those who keep them are capable of doing far more damage than we could ever imagine. I really enjoyed how we a led to believe that our footing is so very strong in our convictions. We are after all told the tale by the very victim of said crime. And it feels so comfortable and easy to go along with all this. Why not after all we are told the truth and our aim on these villainous people is so very true. And as we come face to face with our rouges gallery they all seem to play up to their stereotypes. It is far too easy to believe ill of someone when they display all those inherently suspicious characteristics that we associate with those who wish us harm. But this also goes to show us the skill of the writer she plays each hand well and to me at least none of them descend into some sort of pantomime villainy. But is all as we perceive perhaps not and what we do get to see is that even what may be perceived as the most solid of friendship groups can in fact be very toxic. Undenether the surface miss trust and jealousy can run rampant and when communication has completely broken down it is far ti easy to jump to conclusions.
The Reunion is one of those books you pick up and before you are aware of it you've blasted through a hundred pages and have no intention of putting it down. Philps has this amazing knack of sweeping you up into her narrative and you become so invested in her hero that they feel like your best friend. So as the nights draw in at this time of year it is the perfect read to sink into and find out just how toxic a school reunion can really be.
July 31, 2022
Thanks to Random Tours & the publisher for a copy of the book in exchange for an honest review
I loved this! It was abit slow to start off with but please stick with it. The pace creeps up! This book had toxic friendships in it, I felt really sorry for Emily. There’s a big twist in the book that I actually guessed for once, so I was happy as I never usually do guess them haha. This is my first book by the author but I will definitely be reading more in the future.
I loved this! It was abit slow to start off with but please stick with it. The pace creeps up! This book had toxic friendships in it, I felt really sorry for Emily. There’s a big twist in the book that I actually guessed for once, so I was happy as I never usually do guess them haha. This is my first book by the author but I will definitely be reading more in the future.
December 23, 2022
Everybody sucks. They are all unlikeable. Except one character that to be honest I felt so bad for when we got all the reveals. Overall this was an okay thriller and had me invested from start to finish, and even though I am not sure how I feel about the final final twist, I did enjoy majority of them, even if I guessed some!
Everybody sucks though I hate everyone except *omitted*
Everybody sucks though I hate everyone except *omitted*
June 29, 2022
I loved this book. There is simply no other way to put it.
It was gripping, had an air of nostalgia about it, the storyline was easy to follow, and (most unlike me) I guessed 'who done it'!
So why did it not get five stars? Simply because throughout the first 98% of the book, there was suspense, and the only thing stopping me from reading more was the need to get up to work the following day. The last 2% were somewhat disappointing, and anticipation I had plummeted.
It wasn't quite "and I woke up and it was all a dream", but it was pretty close.
I would read another Polly Phillips book. However, I would suggest future endings aren't rushed.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher Simon & Schuster UK for an advance reader copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
It was gripping, had an air of nostalgia about it, the storyline was easy to follow, and (most unlike me) I guessed 'who done it'!
So why did it not get five stars? Simply because throughout the first 98% of the book, there was suspense, and the only thing stopping me from reading more was the need to get up to work the following day. The last 2% were somewhat disappointing, and anticipation I had plummeted.
It wasn't quite "and I woke up and it was all a dream", but it was pretty close.
I would read another Polly Phillips book. However, I would suggest future endings aren't rushed.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher Simon & Schuster UK for an advance reader copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
June 13, 2022
Thank you so much to DMCPR Media for providing me with a copy of this book, in exchange for an honest review!
Emily has avoided her college reunions for years, because she’s not going to face her fellow college students and relive an incident that left her life in tatters near the end of the school year. Now married to husband Nick, with two children, this year, she’s headed back to where it all happened. And this time the people who betrayed her are going to pay.
The Reunion is told in alternating chapters, between the current day and the past (leading up to the current day), so each of the events and twists (and there are SO many twists!) are slowly revealed, right up to the very end. The actual event that sparked Emily’s desire for revenge didn’t feel as overwhelmingly damaging and life destroying to me? Maybe I’m just not as easily embarrassed 😅 but that feeling didn’t detract from my enjoyment of the story at all. The author kept the level of suspense up for the entire story and made sure we never really knew who was trustworthy and who had something to hide.
I loved being able to see the characters from both timelines, including where their personalities and connections took them from college to the present day. This was a very ‘not everything is as it seems’ type book and I absolutely love when an author can keep me guessing on so many levels. I’d highly recommend picking this one up if you’re looking for an addictive page turner. I very quickly added Polly Phillips other book to my TBR!
Emily has avoided her college reunions for years, because she’s not going to face her fellow college students and relive an incident that left her life in tatters near the end of the school year. Now married to husband Nick, with two children, this year, she’s headed back to where it all happened. And this time the people who betrayed her are going to pay.
The Reunion is told in alternating chapters, between the current day and the past (leading up to the current day), so each of the events and twists (and there are SO many twists!) are slowly revealed, right up to the very end. The actual event that sparked Emily’s desire for revenge didn’t feel as overwhelmingly damaging and life destroying to me? Maybe I’m just not as easily embarrassed 😅 but that feeling didn’t detract from my enjoyment of the story at all. The author kept the level of suspense up for the entire story and made sure we never really knew who was trustworthy and who had something to hide.
I loved being able to see the characters from both timelines, including where their personalities and connections took them from college to the present day. This was a very ‘not everything is as it seems’ type book and I absolutely love when an author can keep me guessing on so many levels. I’d highly recommend picking this one up if you’re looking for an addictive page turner. I very quickly added Polly Phillips other book to my TBR!
February 5, 2022
Early on in the book, I found it all a bit sad: the story of Emily, a girl who worked hard to study at Cambridge, following in the footsteps of her successful older sister. However, bad choices, unsuitable friendships, naivety and being overawed by privilege means that she fails to reach her full potential. As the book develops, following the dual storyline of the ‘now’ and ‘before’ we can see that she is out for revenge and the fifteen year reunion is where she plans to settle old scores.
It’s a riveting read, some predictable twists and I can see this book would appeal to many readers. Unfortunately, I didn’t like any of the characters and although initially I had empathy for the main character, her continued bad choices and obsession for vengeance means that she is as unpleasant as many of the others who allegedly did her harm. I give this book 3 ***
Thank you to NetGalley and the Publisher Simon & Schuster UK for the advance review copy.
It’s a riveting read, some predictable twists and I can see this book would appeal to many readers. Unfortunately, I didn’t like any of the characters and although initially I had empathy for the main character, her continued bad choices and obsession for vengeance means that she is as unpleasant as many of the others who allegedly did her harm. I give this book 3 ***
Thank you to NetGalley and the Publisher Simon & Schuster UK for the advance review copy.
July 29, 2022
Cambridge University, with its hallowed halls and esteemed academic reputation, is the backdrop to the premise of this compelling story. Emily Toller is a student at Cambridge and finds herself in amongst the infamous “rat pack” of the day as she dated the enigmatic Henry Hawksmoor. Whilst she is there, a shocking event takes place which derails Emily’s hopes of a Cambridge degree and leaves her feeling ashamed, betrayed and that her life has been destroyed.
Fifteen years on, and now happily married to Nick and mother to twins Artie and Xander, Emily feels more content and settled but the traumatic effects of what happened to her at Cambridge continue to have a lasting impact on her – although she tries to keep what happened deeply buried she has certainly not forgotten, not by a long shot!.
Then an invitation to the 15th anniversary Cambridge University reunion provides the perfect opportunity for Emily to exact revenge for what happened to her – her anger has not dimmed with the passing of time and now she’s hell bent on bringing down those who she felt were the “architects of her downfall” – she wants someone to pay for what they have done.
The story is laced with the arrogance of those who have an air of entitlement and assumed superiority; and is shot through with elements of outrageously toxic and debauched behaviour of student drinking societies – both fascinating and revolting in equal measure.
Written in a dual timeline narrative of “Then” and “Now” the author deftly transports the reader between the two time periods slowly building the tension right through to the big reveal and then neatly rounding it off with a shockingly satisfying twist which I hadn’t expected.
It’s extremely well-paced and is brilliantly cast with some eminently dislikeable characters. It’s literally dripping with lies and drenched in betrayal – if you love a revenge story then you are not going to want to miss out on this one!
Fifteen years on, and now happily married to Nick and mother to twins Artie and Xander, Emily feels more content and settled but the traumatic effects of what happened to her at Cambridge continue to have a lasting impact on her – although she tries to keep what happened deeply buried she has certainly not forgotten, not by a long shot!.
Then an invitation to the 15th anniversary Cambridge University reunion provides the perfect opportunity for Emily to exact revenge for what happened to her – her anger has not dimmed with the passing of time and now she’s hell bent on bringing down those who she felt were the “architects of her downfall” – she wants someone to pay for what they have done.
The story is laced with the arrogance of those who have an air of entitlement and assumed superiority; and is shot through with elements of outrageously toxic and debauched behaviour of student drinking societies – both fascinating and revolting in equal measure.
Written in a dual timeline narrative of “Then” and “Now” the author deftly transports the reader between the two time periods slowly building the tension right through to the big reveal and then neatly rounding it off with a shockingly satisfying twist which I hadn’t expected.
It’s extremely well-paced and is brilliantly cast with some eminently dislikeable characters. It’s literally dripping with lies and drenched in betrayal – if you love a revenge story then you are not going to want to miss out on this one!
April 20, 2023
Emily Toller is married to Nick & they have two children. Although they both attended Cambridge university at the same time, they moved in very different circles & didn't connect until afterwards. Nick still has a close connection to the place & attends the reunions etc but Emily has never bothered - until this weekend. Something happened to Emily in the final week of university that changed the rest of her life as she never actually graduated.
Emily had been friends with Will, Lyla, & Henry, three rich popular students & had become part of their world for a time, or so she thought. What happened to her though, showed her that they were never really her friends & now the perfect time has come to take her revenge. All three will be there this weekend & Emily's going to unmask them for what they really are.
Although there are no big surprises in this (I predicted the twist from the start), the opening chapter is great as it grabs the reader's attention from the off & keeps it. The main character starts off as quite prickly & unlikable but that does change through the story, especially as you learn what happened to her. I probably wouldn't read it again but it was a decent enough thriller. 3.5 stars (rounded up)
TWs: misogyny, sexual assault, infidelity, terminal illness, death.
My thanks to NetGalley & publishers, Simon & Schuster UK, for the opportunity to read an ARC.
Emily had been friends with Will, Lyla, & Henry, three rich popular students & had become part of their world for a time, or so she thought. What happened to her though, showed her that they were never really her friends & now the perfect time has come to take her revenge. All three will be there this weekend & Emily's going to unmask them for what they really are.
Although there are no big surprises in this (I predicted the twist from the start), the opening chapter is great as it grabs the reader's attention from the off & keeps it. The main character starts off as quite prickly & unlikable but that does change through the story, especially as you learn what happened to her. I probably wouldn't read it again but it was a decent enough thriller. 3.5 stars (rounded up)
TWs: misogyny, sexual assault, infidelity, terminal illness, death.
My thanks to NetGalley & publishers, Simon & Schuster UK, for the opportunity to read an ARC.
January 1, 2024
Not the best book to read as the last one of 2023, I'm afraid. The problem is that sometimes my favourite tropes turn against me. I love the “reunion” vibes, people sharing secrets from the past getting together years after. Sometimes I get a hit, sometimes a miss. This was definitely a miss.
First of all, it's so slow! Lots of whining and rambling before anything substantial happens. Next, a clueless heroine doing the aforementioned rambling and whining. It's really hard to sympathize with the main character, she is so boring and immersed in self-pity and playing the victim all the time and there's no evolution in her trauma managing whatsoever. She is blindly blaming everyone but it does not occur her to confront her demons or do a civilized talk before setting up her “revenge”. Really, communication is usually the key...
First of all, it's so slow! Lots of whining and rambling before anything substantial happens. Next, a clueless heroine doing the aforementioned rambling and whining. It's really hard to sympathize with the main character, she is so boring and immersed in self-pity and playing the victim all the time and there's no evolution in her trauma managing whatsoever. She is blindly blaming everyone but it does not occur her to confront her demons or do a civilized talk before setting up her “revenge”. Really, communication is usually the key...
June 29, 2022
A gloriously glossy, drama/thriller. I finished this in a day (thanks to multiple delayed train journeys!). And it's a great read. Super easy to follow, and the flash backs and forwards and present day are handled fairly well. You heart does go out to Emily who had everything and then...well nothing. I think the author did a great job of charting how Emily veers between feeling like she's wasted her life vs feeling like she should be grateful (the female psyche in a nutshell lol lol lol). The story of friendship breakdowns and the heartbreak is something I totally emphasize with and thought that it was written pretty well. I'm not keen on the where the children came from but okaaaay.
She's not a likable Mc but I enjoyed it all the more for that exact reason!
10/10 would watch the Netflix adaptation where the Cambridge University is a character on its own.
She's not a likable Mc but I enjoyed it all the more for that exact reason!
10/10 would watch the Netflix adaptation where the Cambridge University is a character on its own.
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