The Most Likely Club

July 29, 2022
"It's never too late to be what you might have been"--George Eliot . . . or Melissa Levin-Levine, depending on who you're asking. When Melissa graduated from Bellport Academy in 1997, she was voted "Most Likely to Win the White House." Twenty-five years later, the only thing she's winning is a game of virtual Scrabble, if that. Her friend Tara isn't having the success she thought she would either, teaching children to cook instead of owning a Michelin-starred restaurant. Priya is a doctor but hasn't cured cancer and is struggling to find work-life balance. The only one out of their friend group to find their destined success is Suki, with a makeup company that has landed her on the Forbes 400 list. But when the group (minus Suki) reunites at their twenty-fifth high-school reunion, they realize dreams don't have to have a shelf life. Friedland's latest (after Last Summer at the Golden Hotel, 2021) is a novel that touts the message "success is what you make it." Funny, heartwarming, and relatable, The Most Likely Club proves to be another success for Friedland.

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August 29, 2022
In the delightful latest from Friedland (Last Summer at the Golden Hotel), four women celebrate their 25th high school reunion. Of the four, only Suki Hammer, whose school superlative was “Most Likely to Join the Forbes 400,” feels fulfilled. Melissa Levin, meanwhile, divorced her high school sweetheart and worries about her weight; Tara Taylor aspired to be a chef before she was sexually assaulted by a culinary celebrity; and Priya Chowdhury, a doctor, second-guesses her successes after overhearing her colleagues’ racist and sexist comments about her. A lot of the details are delivered in exposition, such as a magazine article that outlines how Suki manages to keep up a successful and happy life. Furthermore, a glut of 1990s references—Tara’s “Courtney Love” look, coveted Oakley sunglasses—eventually slips into overkill. Still, Friedland keeps up a steady supply of clever lines to convey the women’s mix of excitement and dread over the big event (“Like a migraine, the weekend of the reunion arrived without warning”). The author also does a good job with the heavier themes—in addition to the racism and sexism, there are nuanced accounts of Tara’s sexual assault and Melissa’s eating disorder. Overall, this strikes a fine balance between lighthearted and serious. Agent: Stefanie Lieberman, Janklow & Nesbit Assoc.

September 2, 2022

The Bellport, CT, high school class of '97 yearbook proclaimed Melissa Levin, Priya Chowdury, Tara Taylor, and Suki Hammer to be the most likely to win the White House, to cure cancer, to open a Michelin-starred restaurant, and to join the Forbes 400, respectively. But now on the cusp of their 25th high school reunion, the four best friends find they have fallen woefully short of those lofty expectations. Fearing they may have "peaked at high school," the women decide to take stock of their lives by creating the Most Likely Girls Club and refusing to remain stagnant and unfulfilled. Friedland's (Last Summer at the Golden Hotel) reliance on 1990s nostalgia and the bonds of feminine friendship to carry the story yields mixed results. While some of the events and pop culture references might be out of sync, the trip down memory lane is effective and fun and will certainly appeal to specific age groups. VERDICT This book is relatively entertaining but a little flat. The characters, unfortunately, are mostly shallow or uncomfortably obsessed with weight, which is concerning. The pacing is quick though, rushing toward an abrupt but satisfying conclusion.--Julie Whiteley

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