ARC Review: The Romance Revival by Christina Lauren

An unforgettable novel in which one fateful accident erases a troubled marriage from memory—and love gets one extraordinary do-over.

Three years ago, Emery Finch did something completely out of character: She got married. To Luca—the impossibly charming landscaper she met on one blistering night in Vegas who made her laugh, made her dance, made her feel.

But now, Emery is consumed by her top-secret job, missing dinners, forgetting anniversaries, and promising herself Luca will understand once her cutting-edge research comes to light. Until the unthinkable happens: A tragic accident takes Luca from her.

Desperate not to lose him, Emery breaks every rule to bring him back. And Luca would probably thank her for it, if only he could remember her. Their first kiss, their Sunny Sundays at the beach, the life they built together...all of it is gone.

It may be a miracle of science, but for Emery it’s her one shot at a second chance. And this time, she won’t waste it—because true love is always worth reviving.

Title: The Romance Revival

Author: Christina Lauren

Publisher:

Expected Publication Date: July 14, 2026

Review:

Thank you to Gallery Books and NetGalley for providing me with a copy of this title to read and give my honest review. The opinions expressed here are my own.

Christina Lauren has yet to write something I don't love. And this was no exception, I was expecting their same awesome romance trope, which I got with the second chance they wove into the story. But what I wasn't expecting was the STEM part of it and the mystery part of it! I will admit, I had my doubts they could pull it off. I was sure this couple would fizzle and leave me devastated. But Lauren would never dare to do that!

Emery is a scientist married to Luca. The two had an amazing meet cute at a wedding and were inseparable ever since. But when Emery's work secret overlaps with her real life she's faced with only one choice: save the man she loves. But there is so much more to the accident that lead Emery to change her ways and she needs to solve the mystery in order save her husband's and her own life.

I absolutely adored Emery and Luca. They are so well done. Great character development and growth. Typical of Lauren's characters they come with a bit of baggage. But this one added the extra suspense of them both holding big secrets from each other. How this relationship initially developed, then fell apart, then was mended was a roller coaster of a ride.

The pacing kept me turning pages and staying up way past my bedtime while the plot kept me on my toes. I had my thoughts about who done it, but I was shocked to find I was only partially correct. And the build up to the action was great. I loved how science was woven in. There are so many emotions in this one, as well. And some moral decisions being made that really make you think about what you would and would not do to save the one you loved.

Christina Lauren will always be an auto-read author for me. Their works never fail to surprise me. They give romance but there's always some kind of twist to it. And, while I know they will cone through with the HEA, I'm always on the edge of my seat trying to figure out how they could ever possibly get there.

Authors:

 

Christina Lauren is the combined pen name of long-time writing partners/best friends Christina Hobbs and Lauren Billings. The coauthor duo writes both Young Adult and Adult Fiction, and together has produced twenty New York Times bestselling novels. Their books have been translated into 30+ languages. (Some of these books have kissing. Some of these books have A LOT of kissing.)


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