Review: Twenty Year Reunion

Twenty Year Reunion by Ann Benjamin
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

For the most part, I enjoyed "Twenty Year Reunion" by Ann Benjamin. The main characters, Rebecca and Quinn, were quite likeable, and it was easy for me to relate to their situation because I too am facing my twenty-year high school reunion this summer (or would be if it hadn't been canceled due to the coronavirus). I particularly enjoyed watching Rebecca regain the confidence she'd lost after her divorce as she took steps to introduce more fun into her life. It's certainly normal and expected to go through something of a mourning period after a divorce, but Rebecca seemed to come out stronger, and certainly happier, on the other side.

When Rebecca and Quinn met up again after not having seen each other for so many years, it almost seemed as if no time had passed for them at all. There were a few minutes of awkwardness, but they quickly fell back into their old friendship. Their romance reignited shortly after that, and although things between them moved quickly, the relationship never felt rushed to me. Quinn and Rebecca were obviously much happier together than apart, and they both seemed committed to making it work no matter what challenges they faced.

That said, there were some things about the story that didn't make sense to me, which is why I wasn't able to give this book a higher rating. For example, why did Rebecca's former husband Peter, a dentist, move from the U.S. to London for work? The UK does not recognize dental degrees from the U.S. (or vice versa), so at the very least, Peter would have had to sit for a licensing exam before he would have been allowed to practice. The preparation for such an exam can be quite lengthy and sometimes involves enrollment in a local university for an additional degree. It wouldn't have been as easy for Peter and Rebecca to pick up and move as the author seems to think.

Further, it made no sense for Rebecca not to block Peter from her phone and social media after they split. They didn't have kids or anything else to tie them together, plus he cheated on her, so why would she have wanted to stay in touch with him anyway? IMO Rebecca was way too nice to Peter in general, and if she had cut him off sooner he may not have caused so many problems for her and Quinn down the line.

Aside from those plot issues, I found the writing in this book to be somewhat clunky and awkward in places, which detracted from my enjoyment of the story. For example, there were words in the wrong order or missing altogether, and some sentences or paragraphs used a strange mix of past and present tense. I've read much worse writing, but even so, IMO a little more editing would go a long way.

Overall, the positives outweighed the negatives for me, and I would recommend "Twenty Year Reunion" for all fans of contemporary romance. I would probably read another book by Ms. Benjamin in the future.

*ARC provided by the author/publisher via Hidden Gems Books. All opinions expressed are my own.

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