Take a photo of a barcode or cover
3.61 AVERAGE
3.61 AVERAGE
funny
lighthearted
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
When her (absolutely hilarious) grandmother announces her plans to sell the family home, Sam reluctantly heads back to Tybee Island, Georgia to help. With her old bedroom practically untouched, Sam finds her Walkman still loaded with the burnt CD made by her childhood best friend, Damon.
... But when it turns on, Sam is transported to an alternate version of her life—one where she never left her small town eleven years ago. Through each emo anthem played, Sam receives a glimpse of what her life could have been, uncovering both the ups and downs of each path.
In a way, it was a reminder that sometimes everything happens for a reason. I liked that neither life was exactly perfect for Sam. The chemistry with Damon was more apparent in the alternate timeline, but I also just really loved the fun dive into pop culture during the 2000s. The fashion! What a time.
A bit more palpable tension between Sam and Damon in the present timeline would have been nice, I think, but overall I always love the magical concept of what if and this was an enjoyable, mostly lighthearted take on it.
(heat level: one open-door scene, explicit details)
I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own
... But when it turns on, Sam is transported to an alternate version of her life—one where she never left her small town eleven years ago. Through each emo anthem played, Sam receives a glimpse of what her life could have been, uncovering both the ups and downs of each path.
In a way, it was a reminder that sometimes everything happens for a reason. I liked that neither life was exactly perfect for Sam. The chemistry with Damon was more apparent in the alternate timeline, but I also just really loved the fun dive into pop culture during the 2000s. The fashion! What a time.
A bit more palpable tension between Sam and Damon in the present timeline would have been nice, I think, but overall I always love the magical concept of what if and this was an enjoyable, mostly lighthearted take on it.
(heat level: one open-door scene, explicit details)
I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own
adventurous
emotional
funny
hopeful
inspiring
lighthearted
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
I really enjoyed the premise of the book: listening to music and bringing you back to that particular stage in life.
emotional
funny
reflective
sad
tense
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
adventurous
emotional
funny
hopeful
lighthearted
reflective
medium-paced
A huge thank you to the publisher and author for the eARC Netgalley of this book!
I LOVED THIS ONE SO MUCH!
Going to try my darnedest to not spoil anything for y'all, since I always try to keep things as *spoiler free* as possible.
This book had absolutely everything that my little heart desires out of a contemporary romance, and even things I didn't know that I wanted!
Sam is a successful airline pilot that is returning home to Tybee Island to help her grandmother with an upcoming move. During the cleaning of the house, Sam's room is exactly as she left it, leaving it as the ultimate museum exhibit to the early 2000's.
Have you ever done a super deep clean and get side-tracked by all the random things you find? I have, if I'm honest....but Sam finds her old CD player and the CD that her best friend Damon made for her, and of course the CD player has a mind of it's own.
Lets say, that I, as an early 2000's emo kid (it was never a phase), deeply appreciated the music choice throughout the book. Damon burned a pretty killer CD, that's all I have to say about that.
If you love any of these tropes, you may enjoy this book!
- Childhood best friends
- Magical realism
- Nostalgic music
- Flashbacks
I LOVED THIS ONE SO MUCH!
Going to try my darnedest to not spoil anything for y'all, since I always try to keep things as *spoiler free* as possible.
This book had absolutely everything that my little heart desires out of a contemporary romance, and even things I didn't know that I wanted!
Sam is a successful airline pilot that is returning home to Tybee Island to help her grandmother with an upcoming move. During the cleaning of the house, Sam's room is exactly as she left it, leaving it as the ultimate museum exhibit to the early 2000's.
Have you ever done a super deep clean and get side-tracked by all the random things you find? I have, if I'm honest....but Sam finds her old CD player and the CD that her best friend Damon made for her, and of course the CD player has a mind of it's own.
Lets say, that I, as an early 2000's emo kid (it was never a phase), deeply appreciated the music choice throughout the book. Damon burned a pretty killer CD, that's all I have to say about that.
If you love any of these tropes, you may enjoy this book!
- Childhood best friends
- Magical realism
- Nostalgic music
- Flashbacks
truthfully, i found this a little undewhelming—probably because my own expectations were a bit high. the premise itself was really what’d new me to request it—i mean, a cd player that transports you to an alternate timeline that answers your biggest what if? friends-to-lovers? teenage emo phase? it had all the elements of the perfect romcom. i’m a sucker for what-ifs and alternate timelines, and am one (unfortunately) to love lingering in it. however, despite how interesting the plot was, the writing was kind of difficult to engage with.
while it seemed really promising, the execution kinda fell flat. i didn’t really find myself rooting for anyone here, nor did i find myself really invested in the romance. i just don’t think the characters were fleshed out in the right way—which led to the resolution and development of the romance being lackluster. i think my biggest gripe here is how the mental health angle was played out—kind of rushed, despite it being such a major plot point, and in that sense, it felt a little insensitive and unbelievable. i think a part of me is so used to other authors being able to flesh out their characters really well that this book felt so frustrating. i wanted to know what happened next, yes, but it doesn’t mean that i was invested in the characters. some parts of it felt unnecessary too; kind of like filler scenes that didn’t merit much to the overall plot. i just feel like with such an interesting plot line and set up, this could have played out so differently.
a miss for me, granted, i think my expectations were a bit too high. if you want to explore romances with this future/alternate reality, i’d suggest reading the good part by sophie cousens instead. thank you netgalley for my arc!
while it seemed really promising, the execution kinda fell flat. i didn’t really find myself rooting for anyone here, nor did i find myself really invested in the romance. i just don’t think the characters were fleshed out in the right way—which led to the resolution and development of the romance being lackluster. i think my biggest gripe here is how the mental health angle was played out—kind of rushed, despite it being such a major plot point, and in that sense, it felt a little insensitive and unbelievable. i think a part of me is so used to other authors being able to flesh out their characters really well that this book felt so frustrating. i wanted to know what happened next, yes, but it doesn’t mean that i was invested in the characters. some parts of it felt unnecessary too; kind of like filler scenes that didn’t merit much to the overall plot. i just feel like with such an interesting plot line and set up, this could have played out so differently.
a miss for me, granted, i think my expectations were a bit too high. if you want to explore romances with this future/alternate reality, i’d suggest reading the good part by sophie cousens instead. thank you netgalley for my arc!
funny
lighthearted
fast-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
"The Backtrack" resonated deeply with me as an elder emo millennial. I really enjoyed feeling a connection to the characters because of the genuine nostalgia. The mixtape idea was adorable and unique, and the descriptions of the early 2000s were accurate.
But the romance seemed so superficial. I didn't feel a strong bond between the characters other than being reminded that they were best friends in their early years.
Nevertheless, I enjoyed the story's portrayal of more serious subjects, which provided much-needed depth. All in all, it was a quick and enjoyable read that brought back some wonderful memories.
But the romance seemed so superficial. I didn't feel a strong bond between the characters other than being reminded that they were best friends in their early years.
Nevertheless, I enjoyed the story's portrayal of more serious subjects, which provided much-needed depth. All in all, it was a quick and enjoyable read that brought back some wonderful memories.
emotional
funny
hopeful
lighthearted
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
Thank you NetGalley, Erin La Rosa, and Harlequin Trade Publishing/Canary Street Press for granting me access to this book in exchange for an honest review.
What a fun, sweet and nostalgia millennial rom-com with a touch of magical realism!! Be prepared to be transported back to the early 2000's and reminiscing about the good old days with Emo & Punk Rock Music, lava lamps, body glitter, CD players, and crazy dyed hair colors! The Backtrack is a heartwarming best friends to lovers and second chance romance that is deeply emotional, totally hilarious, and extremely thought-provoking. Is it a love story? Yes. However, that's not the heart of this novel. It's a story about life's what ifs, how everything happens for a reason, and being with the right person at the wrong time. I found myself wholeheartedly rooting for the two main protagonists, cherishing every moment spent immersed in the pages of the story. I absolutely adored this delightful book and highly recommend!!⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️🧡🧡🧡🧡
What a fun, sweet and nostalgia millennial rom-com with a touch of magical realism!! Be prepared to be transported back to the early 2000's and reminiscing about the good old days with Emo & Punk Rock Music, lava lamps, body glitter, CD players, and crazy dyed hair colors! The Backtrack is a heartwarming best friends to lovers and second chance romance that is deeply emotional, totally hilarious, and extremely thought-provoking. Is it a love story? Yes. However, that's not the heart of this novel. It's a story about life's what ifs, how everything happens for a reason, and being with the right person at the wrong time. I found myself wholeheartedly rooting for the two main protagonists, cherishing every moment spent immersed in the pages of the story. I absolutely adored this delightful book and highly recommend!!⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️🧡🧡🧡🧡
emotional
lighthearted
relaxing
sad
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:
Complicated
✨ARC Review✨
⭐⭐⭐ for The Backtrack by Erin La Rosa
I loved the premise of this book, and all the nostalgia it evoked in me while reading it; the mentions of Twilight, mood rings, lava lamps, lip smackers and cd players definitely brought me back!
I would've liked a bigger focus on Damon and Sam's present-day relationship, as it felt we were being told about their feelings more than shown them; the alternate versions of them had a lot of story time, and their current relationship wasn't so much the focus of the story.
It was still enjoyable, and the mental health and difficult family relationships aspects were well done, though some readers should proceed with caution because there are mentions of depression and miscarriage.
It was a quick read, and while I didn't absolutely love it, I'll still check out her other books and give them a chance.
Thank you to Netgalley and Harper Collins Publishing for a copy in exchange for a review. All opinions are my own.
adventurous
challenging
emotional
funny
hopeful
lighthearted
mysterious
reflective
relaxing
sad
tense
slow-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
lighthearted
medium-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
This just was not my cuppa. I was so incredibly bored and I could not vibe with the writing - *so* much telling/exposition. This is the second book I’ve read by the author & I fear it may be the last.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual content
Moderate: Bullying, Cursing, Miscarriage, Abandonment, Alcohol