Quick Synopsis – Ruby Wynne is a staunch rule-follower who lives by the numbers. So, when a surprising breakup – on her thirty-fifth birthday – ruins all her well-laid plans, Ruby makes an unexpected wish. Only to wake up inside a M.A.S.H. game from seventh grade.

Settled in a Technicolor mansion, driving a tie-dye Jeep, and running a roller-disco restaurant, Ruby is living out her childhood dreams come true—with one exception. According to the game, Ruby’s “other half” is supposed to be Penn Hayes, her brother’s annoying, and annoyingly handsome, best friend. But there’s zero romance between them. Just like in real life, all they share is sarcasm. With no rules to follow and desperate to return to reality, Ruby makes her best guess at an escape plan: win Penn’s heart so the game comes completely true and she can go home.

Song This Reminds Me Of – Hit Me Baby One More Time – Britney Spears

Publication Date – July 7, 2026

Bookshop Link – The MASH Up by Laura Marie Meyers

Content Notes – This is a depiction of a severe allergic reaction. There is heavy kissing, but not explicit sexual content.

Spicy Rating – 🌶️

Overall Rating – ⭐⭐out of 5

Review – This book was fun, but I just wanted something more. Basically, Ruby is an accountant with a beige job, beige boyfriend, and a beige apartment. On her 35th birthday, her best friend Bridget brings an old MASH game from middle school. In it she’d have a mansion with two pools, thirteen fish, a tie-dye jeep, and be with her brother’s best friend Penn. It’s funny because the only thing Penn and Ruby do is argue and tease. Ruby thinks it’s just a silly game and reassures her boyfriend Connor it’s just a joke. Connor has a surprise of his own, he’s accepted a job in New York City and wants Ruby to go with him. Only Ruby wants to stay where she is and is confused by Connor’s sudden change. When she goes to leave her birthday party, she hits her head, and wham wakes up in MASH world.

This book reminded me a little too much of 13 Going on 30, only I liked the movie better. Ruby is a woman in her mid-30s who needs a wake-up call. She doesn’t know what’s best for everyone around her and she needs more spice in her life. I thought the premise of this book was fun. Ruby gets a chance to live out what her teenage-self picked as her MASH selection. There are some fun interactions between Penn and Ruby, but it bothered me that they’ve known each other for 20 years and never really had a conversation. Like they seem to tease and put-up with each other but only engage in surface level communication. Penn is her twin’s best friend, and you’d think they would know each other beyond childish animosity.

There is some background as to why they don’t really get along and it has to do with Ryan, Ruby’s twin, having a severe allergic reaction and Penn saving his life because Ruby froze. I know this is a spoiler, but honestly this felt like such a nothing burger to me. Like Ruby blames herself and distances herself from Penn because of it. A lot of this book could have been solved if Ruby got therapy and had an actual conversation with Penn. Also Ruby is hella judgmental of other people, I get that a lot of the book is her breaking her walls down and becoming the best version of herself. But I didn’t love it. The roller rink parts were fun and also bonkers that Ruby goes from a beige apartment to a mansion that has both a laser tag room and a bean bag chair room.

This book is fine, I just didn’t like it.

Thanks to NetGalley and Putnam Publishing for the advanced copy. All opinions are my own.