Book Review: The Daydreams

THE DAYDREAMS | Laura Hankin
05.02.2023 | Berkley
Rating: 5/5 stars

Back in 2004, The Daydreams had it all: a cast of innocent-seeming teenagers acting and singing their hearts out, amazing ratings, and a will-they-or-won’t-they romance that steamed up fan fiction forums. Then, during the live season two finale, it all imploded, leaving everyone scrambling to understand why.

Afterward, the four stars went down very different paths. Kat is now a lawyer in Washington, DC. Liana is the bored wife of a famous athlete. Noah, the show’s golden boy, emerged unscathed and is poised to become a household name. And Summer, the object of Noah’s fictional (and maybe real-life) affections, is the cautionary tale.

But now the fans are demanding a reunion special. The stars all have private reasons to come back: forgiveness, revenge, a second chance with a first love. But as they tentatively rediscover the magic of the original show, old secrets threaten to resurface—including the real reason behind their downfall.

Will this reunion be a chance to make things right? Or will it be the biggest mess the world has ever seen? No matter what, the ratings will be wild.

You know those books that you hear about and just instantly know are going to be made for you? The Daydreams was one of those books for me, so when it showed up at my mailbox, I instantly dropped what I was planning to read next and started reading it! Let me tell you, I was not disappointed! 

Hankin has created a wickedly fun and dramatic story with The Daydreams, which centers around a group of now-adults who used to star on a show together when they were teens before everything came crashing down. You just know with the premise that there are going to be unresolved issues between these former co-stars when they reunite and Hankin doesn’t disappoint. 

I loved how everything unraveled and the way that Hankin switched the timeline between the present and glimpses into the past. While the story is led by Kat’s narration, Hankin gives the reader a handful of chapters from the other co-stars, which I felt truly kept everything feeling realistic and well-rounded. 

The Daydreams is a fantastic escapist read for anyone looking for something entertaining that they can easily fall into. It hits you right in the nostalgia and just doesn’t let go as you go on set for a reunion you wish you could have experienced live! 

🎧: Looking for an intoxicating audiobook? This book was made for audio and I highly recommend checking it out! Bonus: The author is one of the main narrators and does an incredible joy bringing Kat’s voice to life. 

A huge thank you to Berkley for my gifted copy!