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3.61 AVERAGE
3.61 AVERAGE
emotional
hopeful
medium-paced
4 stars - I sort of loved this book. The musical theater nerd in me thought everything about the professions and theater camp were perfect. I also loved all of Kathleen’s insecurity and confidence and baggage and talent. I always enjoy a Then and Now format. I wish there were more surprises in the “Then” chapters - I don’t think we got to know the characters much better (especially in the summer camp chapters) through their backstory. The biggest issue I had with the book was the end - Cal tells Kathleen that he won’t give her anymore chances… and then when she goes back to him, he takes her back no questions asked. Similarly, Kathleen breaks up with him because her best friend Harriet is angry at her… and then when Harriet isn’t angry anymore, Kathleen wants to go back to him. It doesn’t show a whole lot of conviction on anyone’s part. BUT I devoured the book in a day, thought the world of musical theater was amazing, and I loved the short chapters that kept the story moving.
This was a fun, fast paced “friends-to-lovers meets enemies-to-lovers second-chance romance" set in a Broadway show. Kathleen, Cal and Harriet met at theater camp as kids. Years after a very public cheating scandal between Kathleen and Cal, she is making a comeback in a show that Harriet wrote and Cal is directing. No problem.
It has drama. It has a catchy plot. It has characters with big personalities that were not always charming. It has a then/now timeline that builds angst and backstory. It has snarky and whip smart banter. It has best friend complications. It has romance. Basically it has everything I wanted for a lightish summer read.
FWIW- I had lukewarm feelings about the author's adult debut
It has drama. It has a catchy plot. It has characters with big personalities that were not always charming. It has a then/now timeline that builds angst and backstory. It has snarky and whip smart banter. It has best friend complications. It has romance. Basically it has everything I wanted for a lightish summer read.
FWIW- I had lukewarm feelings about the author's adult debut
I really wanted to love this book because the premise was interesting to me. While I knew going into it that as a friends and enemies-to-lovers combo that it would be a slow build, by the end I just craved a bit more from Cal and Kathleen to make me fully invested in them.
I have to admit, Elissa Sussman's novels are my weakness. Second chances romances are the shit (read whatever you want to read into that)
She's striked 2/2 with this one. So good, so sweet, so heart-warming, butterfly-in-the-belly-dancing, genuine and just so so so sweet.
AND as a former (lol) boysband fangirl in the 2000's AND a musical theatre lover, this spoke to me to another level.
4 stars because my job is on the line here
She's striked 2/2 with this one. So good, so sweet, so heart-warming, butterfly-in-the-belly-dancing, genuine and just so so so sweet.
AND as a former (lol) boysband fangirl in the 2000's AND a musical theatre lover, this spoke to me to another level.
4 stars because my job is on the line here
don’t really remember what happened in this book but i know that the fmc was annoying me and also i probably would’ve liked this book a lot better if i was a broadway musical nerd because i did not understand 99% of the references. also time jumps are just not my thing most of the time so.
lighthearted
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
N/A
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated