Mark your calendars. Taylor Jenkins Reid’s next novel, The Last Days of Vic & Coco, is officially scheduled for release on 2 March 2027, and the bestselling author has now shared the first behind-the-scenes details about the highly anticipated book.
In an exclusive interview with ELLE, Reid opened up about the surprising moment that sparked the novel, why it became the story she felt compelled to write after Atmosphere, and how one of the book’s central themes has been waiting years to find its way onto the page.
For readers already counting down to Reid’s next release, here’s everything we know so far.
The Last Days of Vic & Coco release date
Taylor Jenkins Reid’s next novel, The Last Days of Vic & Coco, will be published on March 2, 2027.
The announcement follows the release of Atmosphere, which became another major success for the author and further cemented her reputation for pairing emotionally rich storytelling with distinctive historical settings.
While March 2027 may still feel a long way off, Reid’s latest interview offers the clearest picture yet of what readers can expect when the novel arrives.
After Atmosphere, Reid wasn’t sure another book would come
One of the biggest surprises from the interview is that The Last Days of Vic & Coco almost didn’t exist.
Reid admitted that after finishing Atmosphere, she felt creatively exhausted.
She had poured so much into the novel that, when her literary agent asked whether another idea was already taking shape, the answer was simply no.
Rather than forcing a new project, Reid stepped back, still emotionally invested in the characters she had left behind. It was only later, during an ordinary morning shower, that inspiration finally struck.
The idea began with two simple words
According to Reid, the entire novel started with a single thought:
“Pool hustlers.”
For many writers, an idea begins with a character or a plot twist. For Reid, it was simply an image she couldn’t ignore.
Almost immediately, she says she could see the story unfolding.
The inspiration became even more unexpected when she remembered that her literary agent is a nationally ranked pool player, a fact she believes had quietly settled into her subconscious long before she ever considered writing about the game.
It’s a fitting example of the way Reid’s novels often begin. Malibu Rising famously grew from an idea connected to surfing, while Atmosphere transported readers into NASA’s Space Shuttle programme. On paper, neither sounds like an obvious Taylor Jenkins Reid novel, yet each became the foundation for deeply human stories.
What is The Last Days of Vic & Coco about?
Set in the summer of 1974, The Last Days of Vic & Coco follows Victoria Lucchese and Colette Wilson, two talented pool hustlers travelling across America and making a living by outplaying overconfident men.
Their carefully balanced partnership changes when they stop in the small Arizona town of Canyonville.
Vic unexpectedly falls in love.
Coco begins hiding secrets of her own.
As their lives begin pulling in different directions, both women are forced to confront whether the partnership that has defined them can survive.
The premise blends the tension of a road novel and confidence game with the emotionally layered relationships Reid has become known for. Rather than focusing on pool itself, the story appears far more interested in trust, loyalty, identity and the choices that shape lifelong friendships.
A story Reid has wanted to write for years
Although every Taylor Jenkins Reid novel explores relationships in different ways, she revealed that The Last Days of Vic & Coco finally allowed her to write about a subject she has carried with her throughout her career.
Female friendship.
Reid told ELLE she has always wanted to explore the unique way women love one another platonically, along with the heartbreak and resilience that only close friendships can bring.
She illustrated the idea with a personal story from her teenage years, recalling how she once had a crush on a boy who ultimately fell in love with one of her closest friends. Rather than allowing that moment to end the friendship, the relationship endured. Today, the three remain close.
It’s that kind of emotional complexity that appears to sit at the centre of Vic and Coco’s story, suggesting readers can expect a novel where friendship is every bit as important as romance.
Why the setting matters more than the game
Readers expecting an encyclopaedia of competitive pool may be surprised.
Reid explained that she deliberately resisted researching every technical aspect of the sport because that wasn’t the experience she wanted to create.
Instead, she wanted readers to feel as though they were sitting beside Vic and Coco in dusty roadside bars and desert towns during the 1970s, immersed in their world rather than the mechanics of the game.
It’s a philosophy that has become one of Reid’s defining strengths. Whether writing about Old Hollywood, the rock music scene, professional tennis or astronauts, the setting always serves the characters instead of overshadowing them.
The cover immediately felt right
The interview also unveiled the novel’s cover for the first time.
Reid admitted she rarely imagines a cover while writing, leaving that creative process largely in the hands of her publisher.
After reviewing two concepts from Atria Books, one immediately stood out.
Apart from a few adjustments to the typography, very little changed before the final design was approved.
As Reid put it, the team “got the vibe”, giving her confidence that the visual identity matched the story she had spent months creating.
Why readers are already excited
Few contemporary authors reinvent themselves as consistently as Taylor Jenkins Reid.
Rather than revisiting familiar settings or characters, each novel introduces readers to an entirely new world, whether that’s the glamour of Old Hollywood, the chaos of a fictional rock band, elite tennis, Malibu’s surf culture or NASA during the Space Shuttle era.
The Last Days of Vic & Coco looks set to continue that tradition.
A novel about two female pool hustlers travelling across 1970s America might not have been an obvious choice, but neither were astronauts, surfers or ageing movie stars before Reid transformed them into unforgettable stories.
If her latest interview is any indication, readers can expect another immersive historical setting anchored by richly drawn characters and emotionally resonant relationships.
Looking ahead to March 2027
With its March 2, 2027 release date now confirmed, The Last Days of Vic & Coco is already one of the most anticipated new books arriving in 2027.
For the latest updates on The Last Days of Vic & Coco, including the release date, cover, synopsis, preorder information, and future announcements, visit our dedicated The Last Days of Vic & Coco book page.
Want to see what’s next from Taylor Jenkins Reid? Head over to our Taylor Jenkins Reid author page, where you can track all of her new and upcoming books and future release schedule.
