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3.61 AVERAGE
3.61 AVERAGE
medium-paced
I TRIED.
BLOG || INSTAGRAM || TIKTOK
I really wanted to enjoy this one, but it felt very lackluster in the romance department. I thought the idea was clever and wasn’t bugged by the magical realism aspects (like I am known to be at times). I loved the nostalgic vibes this gave me and how seeing the flashbacks of what could have been didn’t show a “better” path, just a different one. I loved that message and theme throughout.
The romance was missing something. I didn’t feel that swoon and chemistry between Sam and Damon. They had this chance for reconnection, and did take it and I thought that would create some more heat.
The audiobook production was good and I liked that it was a quick listen. I also enjoyed that this was less spicy than the author’s previous books (personal preference). But I do find myself on the fence now about reading whatever’s next. I’m starting to have more misses than hits.
Overall audience notes:
- Contemporary Romance + Magical Realism
- Language: moderate
- Romance: 1 open door
- Content Warnings: brief mention of miscarriage, depression, parental abandonment
BLOG || INSTAGRAM || TIKTOK
I really wanted to enjoy this one, but it felt very lackluster in the romance department. I thought the idea was clever and wasn’t bugged by the magical realism aspects (like I am known to be at times). I loved the nostalgic vibes this gave me and how seeing the flashbacks of what could have been didn’t show a “better” path, just a different one. I loved that message and theme throughout.
The romance was missing something. I didn’t feel that swoon and chemistry between Sam and Damon. They had this chance for reconnection, and did take it and I thought that would create some more heat.
The audiobook production was good and I liked that it was a quick listen. I also enjoyed that this was less spicy than the author’s previous books (personal preference). But I do find myself on the fence now about reading whatever’s next. I’m starting to have more misses than hits.
Overall audience notes:
- Contemporary Romance + Magical Realism
- Language: moderate
- Romance: 1 open door
- Content Warnings: brief mention of miscarriage, depression, parental abandonment
emotional
funny
lighthearted
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
Atypical Tale In So Many Ways Yet Everything Works Well. I'm actually listening to the playlist that plays such heavy role in this book as I sit down to write this review, and while not *everything* is to my own tastes, either back in 2005 or 20 yrs later in 2024 as I write this, the songs are not *so far* out there as to not be enjoyable, particularly given the characters in this story and where they are from. (Says the fellow native Georgian who is less than a decade older than the characters here. :D) As an example, Fall Out Boy and The Offspring? Yes please. :)
But that actually does get into parts of what La Rosa does so well with this tale - the interesting spin she puts on the now-classic "flashback" sequences absolutely work, and work to allow effectively a romance version of a "Frequency" type story. Meaning, for those unfamiliar with that particular movie (to be clear, I never saw the TV show reboot), this storytelling device basically allows La Rosa to tell a dual timeline romance... where *both* timelines are the same couple *yet*... multiverse theory. (Which, to be clear, La Rosa never mentions.)
While we do get some dramatics in the third act, they actually serve more of a women's fiction purpose that also helps to flesh out both our female lead and some of those around her a bit, and even with limited "screentime" in some instances, La Rosa manages to pack quite a bit in here in a short space. Indeed, given the book's overall just-over-300-page length, it is actually rather remarkable just how much story La Rosa manages to pack in here, particularly given how other authors even within the romance space can spend seemingly 100 pages describing the landscape around the characters.
Ultimately this was a fun book that had a lot of nostalgia and several interesting spins on now-classic concepts and it used all of this well in service of the story it was trying to tell. In the end, using the elements you bring in well in service of the story you're trying to tell is really all I ask of *any* book.
Very much recommended.
But that actually does get into parts of what La Rosa does so well with this tale - the interesting spin she puts on the now-classic "flashback" sequences absolutely work, and work to allow effectively a romance version of a "Frequency" type story. Meaning, for those unfamiliar with that particular movie (to be clear, I never saw the TV show reboot), this storytelling device basically allows La Rosa to tell a dual timeline romance... where *both* timelines are the same couple *yet*... multiverse theory. (Which, to be clear, La Rosa never mentions.)
While we do get some dramatics in the third act, they actually serve more of a women's fiction purpose that also helps to flesh out both our female lead and some of those around her a bit, and even with limited "screentime" in some instances, La Rosa manages to pack quite a bit in here in a short space. Indeed, given the book's overall just-over-300-page length, it is actually rather remarkable just how much story La Rosa manages to pack in here, particularly given how other authors even within the romance space can spend seemingly 100 pages describing the landscape around the characters.
Ultimately this was a fun book that had a lot of nostalgia and several interesting spins on now-classic concepts and it used all of this well in service of the story it was trying to tell. In the end, using the elements you bring in well in service of the story you're trying to tell is really all I ask of *any* book.
Very much recommended.
adventurous
lighthearted
mysterious
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
“I need to be in your orbit”
Thank you to Harlequin Trade and NetGalley for this gifted E-Arc. All opinions are my own.
This book is so fun! Total 2000s vibes, from the music to the body glitter, making it such a sweet and nostalgic trip down memory lane!!
Sam has always dreamed of being a pilot and flying herself right out of her tiny hometown of Tybee Island, Georgia. But when she goes back to help her grandmother sell their family home, Sam finds an old cd player with a mixed CD that was made for her by her former best friend and almost love interest Damon. Surprisingly the CD player still works but when Sam hits play it literally transports her back in time and she is able to see an alternative version of her life play out before her eyes.
The chemistry between Sam and Damon is super sweet both in the current time line as well as when they were back in high school. I loved how at first Sam is excited to see what her life would have been like if only she had kissed Damon when she had the chance but then as the book unfolds she realizes that neither path is without challenges. Everything happens for a reason and if it is meant to be then love will find a way. If you are a fan of magical realism then you should absolutely give this one a try! It is adorable!!
Thank you to Harlequin Trade and NetGalley for this gifted E-Arc. All opinions are my own.
This book is so fun! Total 2000s vibes, from the music to the body glitter, making it such a sweet and nostalgic trip down memory lane!!
Sam has always dreamed of being a pilot and flying herself right out of her tiny hometown of Tybee Island, Georgia. But when she goes back to help her grandmother sell their family home, Sam finds an old cd player with a mixed CD that was made for her by her former best friend and almost love interest Damon. Surprisingly the CD player still works but when Sam hits play it literally transports her back in time and she is able to see an alternative version of her life play out before her eyes.
The chemistry between Sam and Damon is super sweet both in the current time line as well as when they were back in high school. I loved how at first Sam is excited to see what her life would have been like if only she had kissed Damon when she had the chance but then as the book unfolds she realizes that neither path is without challenges. Everything happens for a reason and if it is meant to be then love will find a way. If you are a fan of magical realism then you should absolutely give this one a try! It is adorable!!
Thank you to Netgalley and Harlequin Trade Publishing for gifting me an ARC of her book in exchange for an honest review!
I went into this book excepting more of the typical contemporary romance, like the previous two books from Erin La Rosa I had read, but I was pleasantly surprised!
I love when magical realism is woven into a romance, and the time traveling paired with early 00’s musical nostalgia was so fun to experience. Every song on the mixed tape was a revelation and really had me hooked and wondering what would happen next in the alternate reality that Sam and Damon were living.
Sam and Damon’s relationship, in both timelines, were really compelling, from dealing with family trouble, parental abandonment, their dreams, and wanting more. I really felt for them and their struggles, and I was routing for them to get together.
I didn’t expect this book to make me as introspective as it did, and I certainly didn’t think going in that the end would make me cry, but here we are!!
I recommend this read if you like:
✈️ Strong, pilot FMC
✈️ Childhood best friends to lovers
✈️ Magical realism
✈️ Time travel
✈️ Early 00’s nostalgia
✈️ “What if?” come to life
✈️ Family trauma
I went into this book excepting more of the typical contemporary romance, like the previous two books from Erin La Rosa I had read, but I was pleasantly surprised!
I love when magical realism is woven into a romance, and the time traveling paired with early 00’s musical nostalgia was so fun to experience. Every song on the mixed tape was a revelation and really had me hooked and wondering what would happen next in the alternate reality that Sam and Damon were living.
Sam and Damon’s relationship, in both timelines, were really compelling, from dealing with family trouble, parental abandonment, their dreams, and wanting more. I really felt for them and their struggles, and I was routing for them to get together.
I didn’t expect this book to make me as introspective as it did, and I certainly didn’t think going in that the end would make me cry, but here we are!!
I recommend this read if you like:
✈️ Strong, pilot FMC
✈️ Childhood best friends to lovers
✈️ Magical realism
✈️ Time travel
✈️ Early 00’s nostalgia
✈️ “What if?” come to life
✈️ Family trauma
adventurous
emotional
funny
hopeful
inspiring
reflective
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
My 2nd second chance romance read in a row! But once again I loved it! It was almost perfect! I loved the way the CD player was giving Sam flashbacks, but not flashbacks exactly because they are actually new memories of what might have been if she’d only given in and kissed Damon on that one night back in high school. As someone who thinks back a lot of times to certain moments where I wish maybe I’d made a different decision, it is nice to get this look at what or how things might have been better in some ways, but also there are things in Sam’s life (or my own life) that would not be the same, things that could change how the happiness level could be.
Of course as you’d expect, at first the changes seem to be wonderful. Even if they turn what Sam calls “Alt-Sam” into a bit of a different version of herself. She says and does things that our heroine can’t imagine actually doing. Which obviously are partly probably from the changed decisions, as well as just the fact that this Alt-Sam thinks or chooses differently. Of course things don’t keep going smoothly. And of course Sam can’t really tell anyone about these “visions” she’s having. Or when she does, her friend thinks she’s hallucinating and needs an intervention.
Then things get a little crazy back at home where Sam has gone to help her grandmother get ready to maybe move to a senior community. First, right before the hurricane comes in and hits, Sam’s mother shows up out of the blue. And now Sam has to face the issues she has with her mom leaving her. But as you can expect, there is more to that than the story that Sam has always believed and been told by her grandmother. She finds herself falling again for Damon outside of the visions too. I mean he really is such the perfect guy for her, other than he lives there, and she lives in Paris with her whole pilot career. Not to mention the huge change in her life in the visions, that take away some of her most important parts of her current life and she has to decide maybe she didn’t choose wrong after all, but can she make any new decisions that might work out now?
A fun story, definitely recommend!
Of course as you’d expect, at first the changes seem to be wonderful. Even if they turn what Sam calls “Alt-Sam” into a bit of a different version of herself. She says and does things that our heroine can’t imagine actually doing. Which obviously are partly probably from the changed decisions, as well as just the fact that this Alt-Sam thinks or chooses differently. Of course things don’t keep going smoothly. And of course Sam can’t really tell anyone about these “visions” she’s having. Or when she does, her friend thinks she’s hallucinating and needs an intervention.
Then things get a little crazy back at home where Sam has gone to help her grandmother get ready to maybe move to a senior community. First, right before the hurricane comes in and hits, Sam’s mother shows up out of the blue. And now Sam has to face the issues she has with her mom leaving her. But as you can expect, there is more to that than the story that Sam has always believed and been told by her grandmother. She finds herself falling again for Damon outside of the visions too. I mean he really is such the perfect guy for her, other than he lives there, and she lives in Paris with her whole pilot career. Not to mention the huge change in her life in the visions, that take away some of her most important parts of her current life and she has to decide maybe she didn’t choose wrong after all, but can she make any new decisions that might work out now?
A fun story, definitely recommend!
Erin La Rosa's "The Backtrack" follows Sam Leto, a successful international pilot who returns to Tybee Island, Georgia, to assist her grandmother Pearl with moving out of their once-shared beach home. While there, Sam confronts her painful memories and rekindles her relationship with childhood best friend Damon Rocha. The story revolves around a mixtape from Damon, the alternate reality it represents, and the nostalgic and emotional journey of their relationship. The book is filled with nostalgia, and amid backyard dances and motorcycle rides, the anticipation of their reunion makes for an enjoyable, beachy read.
Thank you NetGalley, Erin La Rosa, and Harlequin Trade Publishing/Canary Street Press for the ARC of this book.
Thank you NetGalley, Erin La Rosa, and Harlequin Trade Publishing/Canary Street Press for the ARC of this book.
emotional
lighthearted
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
adventurous
emotional
funny
hopeful
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
The Bakctrack is a friends to lovers second chance romance with a ton of nostalgia!
Sam returns home for the first time since she left in order to help sell her grandparent’s home. She left as soon as she could and left behind Damon in the process. While they are no longer close, Sam experiences very strong flashbacks when listening to certain songs that make it feel like she can change the past and her relationships. The concept of this was so cute and I was so excited to read this but it unfortunately fell very flat for me! I felt zero chemistry between these characters and got the feeling that I was just supposed to know it was there even though it was never shown. The writing style got more and more flat as the book went on and it was just bits of boring plot then a bombardment of Y2K nostalgia listed as if there was a checklist for items to bring up. I was hoping for so much more on this one!
Thank you so much to Netgalley, Erin La Rosa, and Harlequin Trade Publishing for providing this free ARC. This is my honest review! This will publish on July 16th.
Successful, international pilot Sam Leto returns to Tybee Island, Georgia, to help her grandmother Pearl move out of the beach home they once shared. Returning home forces Sam to confront some painful memories as well as some bittersweet ones and to once again come face-to-face with childhood best friend Damon Rocha, who once upon a time was almost something more.
Just in case spending time with him now isn’t enough to make her wonder what would have happened if she had just kissed him back in high school, the universe decides to send her more signs in the form of a mixtape from Damon in a magical CD player.
Listening to each song gives her a glimpse of what their lives would have been like if they had crossed that line to become more than friends so many years ago.
Despite her being a world traveler and him being a hometown boy, Sam and Damon just fit. They are each other’s sense of home.
But—oof—Erin La Rosa makes their hearts work for that happy ending.
Filled with nostalgia, the Backtrack will make you want to dig out your Discman, put on your Doc Martens, and roll on some glitter for old times’ sake. It will put your heart through the emotional wringer, not only with Sam and Damon’s relationship in the present and their story arc in that alternate reality, but with Sam’s familial relationships as well.
Damon has my heart.
Sam has my support.
And I adored the full cast of characters.
It wouldn’t be an Erin La Rosa novel without some delectable steam, and between the backyard dances and motorcycle rides, the buildup to them finally coming together is delicious.
And it looks like their relationship can now weather the storm.
I received an advance copy of the book from Canary Street Press and HTP Hive. All review opinions are my own.