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emotional
reflective
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Celebrity romances and books revolving around music aren't really my jam (haha) but I love Ashley Poston's writing, so I knew I wanted to give this a try anyway.
I think I had the experience I expected. I wasn't disappointed, and if you do love the tropes associated with celebrity romances you might have even more fun than I did. The music stuff was also pretty accessible, although not particularly interesting to me. The dramas outside of the romance with the family and friends of the FMC had potential, but I feel like they got pushed to the background a bit too much in favor of all the music stuff.
I do think telepathic link romances are a cool premise (see Ocean's Echo by Everina Maxwell for a sci-fi version) and I enjoyed that element. It also meant that for a single FMC-POV romance we actually did kind of get the MMC's internal monologue a tiny bit.
I think I had the experience I expected. I wasn't disappointed, and if you do love the tropes associated with celebrity romances you might have even more fun than I did. The music stuff was also pretty accessible, although not particularly interesting to me. The dramas outside of the romance with the family and friends of the FMC had potential, but I feel like they got pushed to the background a bit too much in favor of all the music stuff.
I do think telepathic link romances are a cool premise (see Ocean's Echo by Everina Maxwell for a sci-fi version) and I enjoyed that element. It also meant that for a single FMC-POV romance we actually did kind of get the MMC's internal monologue a tiny bit.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Dementia, Grief, Death of parent
Moderate: Death, Sexual content
Minor: Alcoholism, Toxic relationship, Car accident, Alcohol
emotional
hopeful
sad
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:
Yes
Content Warnings
Graphic: Dementia
Moderate: Death of parent
Minor: Alcoholism, Car accident
emotional
hopeful
lighthearted
fast-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
Content Warnings
Graphic: Dementia, Car accident
Moderate: Sexual content, Grief, Death of parent, Abandonment
Minor: Alcoholism
adventurous
emotional
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
Content Warnings
Graphic: Dementia, Grief, Death of parent
Moderate: Car accident
Minor: Alcoholism, Alcohol
emotional
funny
hopeful
informative
inspiring
lighthearted
reflective
sad
fast-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
Content Warnings
Moderate: Alcoholism, Cursing, Death, Sexual content, Dementia, Grief, Car accident, Death of parent, Pregnancy, Gaslighting, Abandonment, Alcohol
emotional
inspiring
reflective
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
Content Warnings
Graphic: Dementia
Moderate: Grief, Death of parent
Minor: Alcoholism, Sexual content, Car accident, Alcohol
emotional
reflective
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:
Yes
No one call pull off romance with magical realism quite like Ashley Poston. There is something so enchanting about how she weaves it into the story so well you almost forget that it’s there
This book felt like a love letter to music, with so many subtle references and winks.
There were also undertones of melancholy that fit the musical backdrop so well. Prepare your heartstrings accordingly
This book felt like a love letter to music, with so many subtle references and winks.
There were also undertones of melancholy that fit the musical backdrop so well. Prepare your heartstrings accordingly
Content Warnings
Graphic: Dementia
Moderate: Death of parent
Minor: Alcoholism, Car accident
lighthearted
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
A romance for music lovers - this was so cute! I just love how Ashley writes magical realism into her books! Prob my second fav book of hers after SYS
Content Warnings
Graphic: Dementia, Grief, Death of parent
Moderate: Death, Sexual content, Car accident
Minor: Alcoholism, Alcohol
hopeful
inspiring
reflective
sad
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
This book was one of the most beautiful books I’ve read this year. I could probably go on and on about the intricacies of how Ashley used weather and emotions to show the tension between character, how real and relatable the characters are to our own lives, how deeply you can connect with them even if you don’t have the same challenges as Joni and her family, but I’d end up reciting the whole book at that point. For people who love Emily Henry’s work, it’s that but with a magical realism that has you screaming for more.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Dementia
Moderate: Alcoholism, Sexual content
Minor: Death of parent
challenging
emotional
funny
hopeful
inspiring
reflective
sad
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Spice Rating: 🌶️.5 / 5
My Summary: Joni is a successful songwriter in L.A. who hasn't felt inspired to write in a while. She returns to her hometown, Vienna Shores, NC, to spend the summer with her family and helping out at their music venue, the Revelry. But being home brings its own challenges--particularly with her mom who has been diagnosed with dementia, her best friend who is avoiding her, and the Revelry which is closing after this summer. As she's processing everything going on in her life, Joni starts to hear a melody in her head along with a... voice.
My Thoughts: Sounds Like Love is a beautiful story about regret, grief, and dreams. Joni is a songwriter in L.A., and she's the only one of her family and friends who "made it" outside of their small town in North Carolina. But Joni is stuck--she hasn't felt inspired to write a song. Until she starts to hear a melody in her head along with a voice. The two decide to meet up in person, and Joni realizes that it's Sebastian Fell--a world-famous boy band singer and musician Roman Fell's son--who's in her head, they decide to work together to write a song to the melody pulling them together.
Joni and Sebastian seem like complete opposites at first, but as they get closer, they realize that their fears might be more similar than they thought. The pair believe a partnership and romantic relationship could be messy, but it just might be worth it. Though they are both from the flashy music scene, they got to experience a love story in a small town where they could be their true selves without the cameras and lights.
As usual, Ashley Poston does a fantastic job blending romance with magical realism. She just has a way with words, and I love the way she pulls a thread throughout a story and weaves in that metaphor beautifully all the way to the end. The way Poston explained how music impacts us throughout our lives. One of my favorite quotes was, "Grief is a love song in reverse." As someone who recently lost a loved one to Alzheimer's, that quote, and many others, hit me hard.
I don't think Sounds Like Love will be the book for everyone, but I do hope that it is a balm for the souls who need it. ❤️
My Summary: Joni is a successful songwriter in L.A. who hasn't felt inspired to write in a while. She returns to her hometown, Vienna Shores, NC, to spend the summer with her family and helping out at their music venue, the Revelry. But being home brings its own challenges--particularly with her mom who has been diagnosed with dementia, her best friend who is avoiding her, and the Revelry which is closing after this summer. As she's processing everything going on in her life, Joni starts to hear a melody in her head along with a... voice.
My Thoughts: Sounds Like Love is a beautiful story about regret, grief, and dreams. Joni is a songwriter in L.A., and she's the only one of her family and friends who "made it" outside of their small town in North Carolina. But Joni is stuck--she hasn't felt inspired to write a song. Until she starts to hear a melody in her head along with a voice. The two decide to meet up in person, and Joni realizes that it's Sebastian Fell--a world-famous boy band singer and musician Roman Fell's son--who's in her head, they decide to work together to write a song to the melody pulling them together.
Joni and Sebastian seem like complete opposites at first, but as they get closer, they realize that their fears might be more similar than they thought. The pair believe a partnership and romantic relationship could be messy, but it just might be worth it. Though they are both from the flashy music scene, they got to experience a love story in a small town where they could be their true selves without the cameras and lights.
As usual, Ashley Poston does a fantastic job blending romance with magical realism. She just has a way with words, and I love the way she pulls a thread throughout a story and weaves in that metaphor beautifully all the way to the end. The way Poston explained how music impacts us throughout our lives. One of my favorite quotes was, "Grief is a love song in reverse." As someone who recently lost a loved one to Alzheimer's, that quote, and many others, hit me hard.
I don't think Sounds Like Love will be the book for everyone, but I do hope that it is a balm for the souls who need it. ❤️
Content Warnings
Graphic: Dementia, Grief, Death of parent
Moderate: Death, Sexual content, Car accident, Alcohol
Minor: Alcoholism