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3.89 AVERAGE
3.89 AVERAGE
I loved this book, and everything about it. I loved that Sammy had a lot of character development: she’s reeling from a public breakup and almost losing her job. She still had a lot of unresolved issues with her mother, who was constantly leaving her when she was growing up. She returns to the small town where her mom once left her for a year, and runs into the man who also left her when she was 18. The best part of this book is the friendship between Sammy and Willa. I love the way they work through what it means to be a good friend, and how messy it can be. Sammy’s relationship with Max is also beautifully done. It’s hard not to be impatient with them because they have a lot of chemistry, but it’s easy to understand how they mistrust each other at different points. If you have music, this is a wonderful book that talks about why and how music moves us, especially live performance. If you like A Star is Born, you’ll love this book.
3.5 stars
rep: pansexual Mexican-American protagonist, lesbian side characters, Mexican-American side character
cw: deaths of loved ones
hmm the first half was just not convincing at all, especially with the romance. the second half was a lot stronger; the romance felt like it had more chemistry (despite not having much development before jumping in) and I liked the protagonist forming a bond with her grandmother.
rep: pansexual Mexican-American protagonist, lesbian side characters, Mexican-American side character
cw: deaths of loved ones
hmm the first half was just not convincing at all, especially with the romance. the second half was a lot stronger; the romance felt like it had more chemistry (despite not having much development before jumping in) and I liked the protagonist forming a bond with her grandmother.
emotional
reflective
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
This book had sooo much potential. I loved this kind-of-second-chance, small town romance they had going on.
I loooove any book that has to do with musicians. And these characters! They had many opportunities for growth! But they ended up being even more immature, untrustworthy, and horrible at communication than they were to begin with.
I wish I could've loved Sammy a little more. I wish we could've gotten more of Max's story before the end (would have made him more 3-dimensional).
Instead of resolving the issues, there was a magical fix at the end, built from tragedy. It was, in my opinion, a cop-out so the characters wouldn't face any consequences or grow at all.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death
Moderate: Alcoholism, Alcohol
Minor: Pregnancy
It's crazy that nobody is talking about this book! It was such a good read, and even if the romance was not the main force in the storyline I would have still loved Sammy's story.
Sammy & Max met one fateful night when they were 18 with all the promises of a future together, but when Max leaves the next day and doesn’t reach out, Sammy realizes he’s left her like how people always do – like her mom who rarely prioritized her daughter while chasing the next best thing or guy, or her girlfriend who just got tired of their relationship. Sammy returns to her hometown after learning Max is there considering reviving his rock career and intends to write a review. Overall this was a quick read and had moments of really strong emotions, even though both characters were complicated and borderline unlikeable. This story is overflowing with miscommunication and toxic relationships, but the best part of the story is Sammy’s reunion with her late father’s mother and learning more about her paternal family history.
Thank you Random House/Dell and Netgalley for the ARC.
Thank you Random House/Dell and Netgalley for the ARC.
Sammy Espinoza is constantly being abandoned. By her flighty mother, her musician ex-girlfriend, fans of her music review column (putting her job on the line), and Max Ryan, the years-ago One Who Got Away and Became a Big Star. But she has a plan to salvage her career and her pride. It will involve going back to the hometown she's been avoiding, confronting the grandmother who abandoned her before she was born, and making peace with the reclusive musician she still pines for.
... This all adds up to a lot of drama. Some of it is kind of silly (Sammy is hung up on a guy she spent a few hours with eleven years ago) and some of it is pretty serious (the stuff about her mother and grandmother). These threads take a while to come together, but when they do, they pack a powerful punch.
Although the first half of the novel feels a bit slow, the second half is compelling, with a highly-emotional, YA-adjacent feel. I was rooting for Sammy, and even though I found some of the plot coincidences (and Sammy's entire career trajectory) implausible, this was an enjoyable and memorable read.
[I received a complimentary ARC from NetGalley. Opinions are my own.]
... This all adds up to a lot of drama. Some of it is kind of silly (Sammy is hung up on a guy she spent a few hours with eleven years ago) and some of it is pretty serious (the stuff about her mother and grandmother). These threads take a while to come together, but when they do, they pack a powerful punch.
Although the first half of the novel feels a bit slow, the second half is compelling, with a highly-emotional, YA-adjacent feel. I was rooting for Sammy, and even though I found some of the plot coincidences (and Sammy's entire career trajectory) implausible, this was an enjoyable and memorable read.
[I received a complimentary ARC from NetGalley. Opinions are my own.]
Thank you to NetGalley and Random House for providing this ARC in exchange for my honest review.
Sammy Espinoza’s Last Review was a sweet, emotional and unexpected surprise for me. I expected a light and fluffy romcom and instead was delivered a book filled with emotion and heart, and an ending that had me in tears at times. The main character Sammy was definitely hilarious, I really loved all her witty lines- especially in her moments with Max. And Max, holy smokes. How do some fictional characters just come alive so vividly in your mind? Max was so well-written, and the author used such great writing in the physical descriptions of his body language, posture, facial expressions, everything. I fell head over heels for him from the very first page and found myself smiling at the book anytime the two of them were flirting. Both characters had great story arcs and I really enjoyed the way they found each other, had this second chance at love, and began to heal some of their broken parts together.
The family side of this book is what really took me by surprise- I expected it to be more of a background plot point, but it’s not. Sammy is desperate to learn more about where she came from and the family she never got to know, and it’s very emotional and heartwarming, as well as heartbreaking to read. I loved these scenes so, so much.
I will warn readers that there is miscommunication in the story- it’s pretty upfront the entire time as Sammy has a secret she harbors for most of the book. It was frustrating at times to read because we as readers just want to scream “tell the truth!!” I can, however, appreciate the way the author tied both Sammy’s and Max’s issues together by the end and represented both of their worst fears. While it wasn’t always fun to read miscommunication, there are times like this it does wind up helping the characters grow.
Read if you enjoy:
•found family
•second chance love
•LGBTQ+ rep (pan MC, queer side characters)
•family connections
•music (Sammy is a music critic and Max is a musician)
Sammy Espinoza’s Last Review was a sweet, emotional and unexpected surprise for me. I expected a light and fluffy romcom and instead was delivered a book filled with emotion and heart, and an ending that had me in tears at times. The main character Sammy was definitely hilarious, I really loved all her witty lines- especially in her moments with Max. And Max, holy smokes. How do some fictional characters just come alive so vividly in your mind? Max was so well-written, and the author used such great writing in the physical descriptions of his body language, posture, facial expressions, everything. I fell head over heels for him from the very first page and found myself smiling at the book anytime the two of them were flirting. Both characters had great story arcs and I really enjoyed the way they found each other, had this second chance at love, and began to heal some of their broken parts together.
The family side of this book is what really took me by surprise- I expected it to be more of a background plot point, but it’s not. Sammy is desperate to learn more about where she came from and the family she never got to know, and it’s very emotional and heartwarming, as well as heartbreaking to read. I loved these scenes so, so much.
I will warn readers that there is miscommunication in the story- it’s pretty upfront the entire time as Sammy has a secret she harbors for most of the book. It was frustrating at times to read because we as readers just want to scream “tell the truth!!” I can, however, appreciate the way the author tied both Sammy’s and Max’s issues together by the end and represented both of their worst fears. While it wasn’t always fun to read miscommunication, there are times like this it does wind up helping the characters grow.
Read if you enjoy:
•found family
•second chance love
•LGBTQ+ rep (pan MC, queer side characters)
•family connections
•music (Sammy is a music critic and Max is a musician)
challenging
emotional
funny
hopeful
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
A great pick for the start of the year. Was hooked throughout the book. And the way it approached grief and complicated family relationships was so well done.