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3.61 AVERAGE
3.61 AVERAGE
Before Sam’s mother abandoned her, she told her not to stay stuck like she did. So Sam relentlessly focused on becoming a pilot and getting out of there. No one would hold her back, including her best friend Damon, who could have easily been so much more. Twenty years later, she’s accomplished her dream of becoming a commercial pilot when she has to go back home to help her grandmother move. While cleaning, she finds her old CD Walkman with a mixed CD that Damon made for her. Every time she plays a song, she gets transported back in time to an alternate reality where she gave in to temptation and she and Damon became a couple. Through these glimpses she gets to see what could have been.
I loved the premise of this story since I’m a total sucker for time travel tropes. The early ‘00s playlist was especially fun. Most of this book was great, but for me, it fell apart at the very end. Suddenly it was all boring mother-daughter drama and the dialog in the last few chapters was seriously so cringy and sappy it was like someone else wrote it.
Thank you, @NetGalley and @HarlequinBooks for my gifted copy.
I loved the premise of this story since I’m a total sucker for time travel tropes. The early ‘00s playlist was especially fun. Most of this book was great, but for me, it fell apart at the very end. Suddenly it was all boring mother-daughter drama and the dialog in the last few chapters was seriously so cringy and sappy it was like someone else wrote it.
Thank you, @NetGalley and @HarlequinBooks for my gifted copy.
Calling all millennial gallies-this one’s for you!!! Talk about a trip down memory lane. There’s mention of proactiv, herbal essence (I still use this don’t come for me) urban decay nail polish, roll on body glitter, blockbuster cards, Clinique Happy perfume, Soffe shorts (triple rolled of course) and so much more. This book has a touch of magical realism with a friends to lovers trope and a sound track that you will add to your Spotify library.
The Backtrack by Erin La Rosa is such a delightful read! Bethany Turner called it "the musical emo love child of 13 Going on 30 and (500) Days of Summer", and I couldn’t agree more with that description.
Sam Leto’s return to Tybee Island to pack up her grandma’s house is packed with 2000s nostalgia that hit me right in the feels. From Fall Out Boy posters to Herbal Essence shampoo, I was transported back to my middle school days. Sam and Damon are such lovable characters with their "elder emo" vibes, and Grandma Pearl is just the best. She’s got her flaws but seeing her grow even at her age was so heartwarming. And her relationship with Jessie? If that isn't me and my bestie when we're old, I don't want it. As for Sam's mom... well, let's just say you need to read to find out about her.
The story's pacing was spot on, with a great mix of music-driven flashbacks and the present timeline. The miscommunications felt realistic and didn’t make me want to scream at the book, which is always a plus.
I really connected with the themes of second chances and figuring out what matters in life. The grand gesture at the end was pure Hallmark, and I loved it! Sometimes, you just need that kind of happy ending.
The Backtrack is a fantastic, nostalgic trip that hits all the right notes. Erin La Rosa has written a story that's not just about looking back, but also about embracing the now and what could be. Highly recommend for a feel-good read that takes you back in time!
Sam Leto’s return to Tybee Island to pack up her grandma’s house is packed with 2000s nostalgia that hit me right in the feels. From Fall Out Boy posters to Herbal Essence shampoo, I was transported back to my middle school days. Sam and Damon are such lovable characters with their "elder emo" vibes, and Grandma Pearl is just the best. She’s got her flaws but seeing her grow even at her age was so heartwarming. And her relationship with Jessie? If that isn't me and my bestie when we're old, I don't want it. As for Sam's mom... well, let's just say you need to read to find out about her.
The story's pacing was spot on, with a great mix of music-driven flashbacks and the present timeline. The miscommunications felt realistic and didn’t make me want to scream at the book, which is always a plus.
I really connected with the themes of second chances and figuring out what matters in life. The grand gesture at the end was pure Hallmark, and I loved it! Sometimes, you just need that kind of happy ending.
The Backtrack is a fantastic, nostalgic trip that hits all the right notes. Erin La Rosa has written a story that's not just about looking back, but also about embracing the now and what could be. Highly recommend for a feel-good read that takes you back in time!
slow-paced
funny
mysterious
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
I made a playlist!
https://music.apple.com/us/playlist/the-backtrack/pl.u-BNPRT1Rmj1p
https://music.apple.com/us/playlist/the-backtrack/pl.u-BNPRT1Rmj1p
Unfortunately I feel like this book was too short and you couldn't connect with the characters and their love story. The whole time travel/magic cd player thing was kinda fun though.
3⭐️
ARC kindly provided by publisher via NetGally for an honest review.
What in the 13 Going On 30 is this?? It should have hit all the nostalgia vibes for me, i knew every song mentioned and caught a ton of the references. Unfortunately it was just a bit too slow for me. Although we were having flashbacks of what could have been the writing felt very one dimensional. It was just interesting enough to keep me reading but not enough to have me wanting more.
ARC kindly provided by publisher via NetGally for an honest review.
What in the 13 Going On 30 is this?? It should have hit all the nostalgia vibes for me, i knew every song mentioned and caught a ton of the references. Unfortunately it was just a bit too slow for me. Although we were having flashbacks of what could have been the writing felt very one dimensional. It was just interesting enough to keep me reading but not enough to have me wanting more.
hopeful
reflective
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Diverse cast of characters:
No
4.25 stars, 1 spice
Thank you to Harlequin and NetGalley for the e-arc!
<i>“Having nostalgia is romantic. It’s the ability to never forget something you love.” </i>
In a lot of ways I felt like this book was made for me. As a total emo/scene kid it was just full of nostalgia, as well as being someone who was alternative but also very academically driven I faced a lot of similar questions growing up, making the choice between what I thought was best for my goals vs teenage feelings. Also super random I actually picked this up as my beach reach while in Hilton Head which is literally the next island over from where this book takes place - Tybee Island!
In the Backtrack we follow Sam, an international Pilot, as she returns home to Tybee Island to help her grandma clean out her house. While there she finds a CD with a mixed taped her childhood friend/one who got away, Damon made for her.
This CD is full of 2000s pop/punk music, and as she listens she falls back into alternate memories which play out how her life would have been different if she had kissed Damon when he asked her when they were 15.
I would argue this book leans more towards adult/women’s fiction over romance, as it focuses more on reflecting on life choices. How one moment shapes us and how our fears may be a result of wrongs done to us by our own parents. These reflections and alternative memories take up more of the book than the present day relationship, though it does fit the criteria for a romance.
Because of this, I wish we had a bit more depth to Damon. We see so much focus on Sam finding herself and finding her happiness that I wanted a little bit more from his side.
However I love Sam, her emotions felt authentic and her relationship with her mother so raw. Her Grandma and her friends are hysterical.
<i>This day was meant to be pure fun, like crowd surfing or scoring tickets to the 2005 Warped Tour, which, in Sam’s opinion, had the best lineup—Fall Out Boy, My Chemical Romance and Relient K.</i>
I would recommend this to anyone who still plays 2000s pop punk playlists and understands the importance of individual growth and self discovery.
Thank you to Harlequin and NetGalley for the e-arc!
<i>“Having nostalgia is romantic. It’s the ability to never forget something you love.” </i>
In a lot of ways I felt like this book was made for me. As a total emo/scene kid it was just full of nostalgia, as well as being someone who was alternative but also very academically driven I faced a lot of similar questions growing up, making the choice between what I thought was best for my goals vs teenage feelings. Also super random I actually picked this up as my beach reach while in Hilton Head which is literally the next island over from where this book takes place - Tybee Island!
In the Backtrack we follow Sam, an international Pilot, as she returns home to Tybee Island to help her grandma clean out her house. While there she finds a CD with a mixed taped her childhood friend/one who got away, Damon made for her.
This CD is full of 2000s pop/punk music, and as she listens she falls back into alternate memories which play out how her life would have been different if she had kissed Damon when he asked her when they were 15.
I would argue this book leans more towards adult/women’s fiction over romance, as it focuses more on reflecting on life choices. How one moment shapes us and how our fears may be a result of wrongs done to us by our own parents. These reflections and alternative memories take up more of the book than the present day relationship, though it does fit the criteria for a romance.
Because of this, I wish we had a bit more depth to Damon. We see so much focus on Sam finding herself and finding her happiness that I wanted a little bit more from his side.
However I love Sam, her emotions felt authentic and her relationship with her mother so raw. Her Grandma and her friends are hysterical.
<i>This day was meant to be pure fun, like crowd surfing or scoring tickets to the 2005 Warped Tour, which, in Sam’s opinion, had the best lineup—Fall Out Boy, My Chemical Romance and Relient K.</i>
I would recommend this to anyone who still plays 2000s pop punk playlists and understands the importance of individual growth and self discovery.
adventurous
emotional
funny
hopeful
inspiring
lighthearted
mysterious
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
I’m super late in reviewing this as an ARC but it was so cute! I felt all the vibes from being a teen myself with the flashbacks of the music, the fashion, the trends, etc. it was great! I also loved the reconnection in the present, the backtrack to the potential past based on one pivotal moment, and that sometimes what if wouldn’t have taken you where you thought and how sometimes you are just right where you need to be! There was such a quirky group of characters that popped on and out, plus some healing with family and coming to grips with the choices being the right ones. I enjoyed the love story, the family story, the friend story, and the bit of a fun—how cool if you could explore your what ifs with a magic cd player?!