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emotional
hopeful
sad
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
N/A
Sounds Like Love" is as delightful as it is heartbreaking. Ashley Poston, of course, gives us another lightly fantastical, hopeful love story while absolutely crushing our hearts. She is so very good at writing grief and putting into words the jumbled, messy, intangible feelings that come along with it. The HEA is wistful, achy and beautiful. This story is easy to hold close to the heart and will resonate long after the last page is read.
NetGalley provided the ARC; opinion is mine.
NetGalley provided the ARC; opinion is mine.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Dementia, Death of parent
challenging
emotional
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
Thank you to NetGalley and HQ for this ARC.
Joni Lark is a songwriter who lives in LA but has temporarily returned to her beach hometown of Vienna Shores in North Carolina where her parents have a music venue called The Revelry, due to her mother Wyn's worsening dementia, although she is still largely with it.
Sebastian Fell is a singer with a previous alcohol addiction who struggles with his fame. The two of them meet at a concert of a singer friend but don't get up to the best start. However, then the magical realism kicks in and they can suddenly hear each others' thoughts and the same unknown unfinished song in their heads, which they now must finish.
It's an unusual premise that I struggled with, especially as the mind-reading seemed to come and go, leading to more miscommunication than should be feasible. I wish the dementia had been trigger warned as it's a big topic that I didn't want to read about after having lost my partner to it. There was too much trauma and grief in this story to make it a light-hearted one.
The romance is described well enough and the chapters are short but I can't stand it when men call women silly nicknames. First Iwan who calls Clementine "Lemon" (yes, they make an appearance), now Seb/Sasha calling Joni "bird".
What was good was the description of love within a close-knit family and Joni's friendship with Gigi who is with her brother Mitch. The struggle for identity and finding out what is important in your life was great, though the story centered on Joni more than on Sebastian. The way the unfinished song was linked to both Joni's and Seb's mothers was lovely as well. If you like stories about magical realism and music in an American small town, this romance is for you.
Joni Lark is a songwriter who lives in LA but has temporarily returned to her beach hometown of Vienna Shores in North Carolina where her parents have a music venue called The Revelry, due to her mother Wyn's worsening dementia, although she is still largely with it.
Sebastian Fell is a singer with a previous alcohol addiction who struggles with his fame. The two of them meet at a concert of a singer friend but don't get up to the best start. However, then the magical realism kicks in and they can suddenly hear each others' thoughts and the same unknown unfinished song in their heads, which they now must finish.
It's an unusual premise that I struggled with, especially as the mind-reading seemed to come and go, leading to more miscommunication than should be feasible. I wish the dementia had been trigger warned as it's a big topic that I didn't want to read about after having lost my partner to it. There was too much trauma and grief in this story to make it a light-hearted one.
The romance is described well enough and the chapters are short but I can't stand it when men call women silly nicknames. First Iwan who calls Clementine "Lemon" (yes, they make an appearance), now Seb/Sasha calling Joni "bird".
What was good was the description of love within a close-knit family and Joni's friendship with Gigi who is with her brother Mitch. The struggle for identity and finding out what is important in your life was great, though the story centered on Joni more than on Sebastian. The way the unfinished song was linked to both Joni's and Seb's mothers was lovely as well. If you like stories about magical realism and music in an American small town, this romance is for you.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Death, Dementia, Grief, Car accident, Death of parent, Alcohol
emotional
funny
hopeful
mysterious
reflective
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
“I liked this. I liked the song of us’”
“This was the song, and it sounded like love”
Wow! How do I even begin to describe the magic of this book? As someone who holds music close to my heart, this book felt like a profound understanding. The relationship between Sasha and Jo is simply breathtaking; the gift they found brought them closer, easing their loneliness and I believe this is something everyone craves. I wouldn’t change a thing about this dynamic, I believe they found each other at the right time and healed each other. However, I do wish their telepathy remained, I missed it enough for the both of them.
The relationship between Gigi and Jo was more intricate, marked by jealousy and a desire for what the other had, often overlooking what they already had. Ashley masterfully conveys this complex dynamic, and anyone who has friends pursuing their dreams while feeling a bit left behind can deeply connect with these characters and their bond.
Personally, I believe Wyn stands out as the standout character. Her decision to stay and her regrets: “How do I forgive my past self for all the futures I didn’t become?” are completely relatable. By the end of her arc, I was left heartbroken. Ashley beautifully portrays this as a gradual goodbye, a slow fading away that feels like time slipping through our fingers.
I highly recommend this book to anyone who has experienced loss, whether it’s a loved one or the person they thought they’d be. This book will resonate with them in a profound and beautiful way. Thank you to NetGallery for providing me with the ARC.
“I always thought I had time. But we never have enough. I’ll never have enough”
“This was the song, and it sounded like love”
Wow! How do I even begin to describe the magic of this book? As someone who holds music close to my heart, this book felt like a profound understanding. The relationship between Sasha and Jo is simply breathtaking; the gift they found brought them closer, easing their loneliness and I believe this is something everyone craves. I wouldn’t change a thing about this dynamic, I believe they found each other at the right time and healed each other. However, I do wish their telepathy remained, I missed it enough for the both of them.
The relationship between Gigi and Jo was more intricate, marked by jealousy and a desire for what the other had, often overlooking what they already had. Ashley masterfully conveys this complex dynamic, and anyone who has friends pursuing their dreams while feeling a bit left behind can deeply connect with these characters and their bond.
Personally, I believe Wyn stands out as the standout character. Her decision to stay and her regrets: “How do I forgive my past self for all the futures I didn’t become?” are completely relatable. By the end of her arc, I was left heartbroken. Ashley beautifully portrays this as a gradual goodbye, a slow fading away that feels like time slipping through our fingers.
I highly recommend this book to anyone who has experienced loss, whether it’s a loved one or the person they thought they’d be. This book will resonate with them in a profound and beautiful way. Thank you to NetGallery for providing me with the ARC.
“I always thought I had time. But we never have enough. I’ll never have enough”
Content Warnings
Moderate: Dementia
emotional
lighthearted
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Content Warnings
Moderate: Addiction, Alcoholism, Cursing, Death, Mental illness, Sexual content, Terminal illness, Dementia, Grief, Car accident, Death of parent, Abandonment, Alcohol
Dementia features quite heavily as does a car crash (drunk driving)
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
relaxing
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
10 stars honestly. This book wrecked me. Bonus points for all the nods to Seven Year Slip.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Dementia, Death of parent
Moderate: Grief, Car accident
emotional
funny
hopeful
fast-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
give an Ashley Poston book lower than 5 stars: Level Impossible
Content Warnings
Graphic: Dementia
emotional
hopeful
lighthearted
reflective
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: Dementia, Death of parent
Minor: Car accident
emotional
hopeful
reflective
slow-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
Minor: Dementia, Death of parent
emotional
lighthearted
relaxing
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
Content Warnings
Moderate: Death, Dementia, Death of parent
funny
hopeful
inspiring
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
Ashley Poston does it again! *Sounds Like Love* is a charming, seemingly simple story with a magical twist that makes you fall in love—not just with the characters, but with life itself. This time, Poston crafts an ode to music and summers spent on the beach, capturing the nostalgia of salt in your hair, sticky fingers from popsicles, and ocean waves crashing in the background.
Her vivid yet effortlessly evocative prose brings the story to life: *"A lightning strike that filled my veins with Pop Rocks."* Moments like these make the book feel electric, pulling you into its warm, sun-drenched world.
It’s not just a beach read though. At its heart, this is a story about change—how we navigate it, resist it, and if we can accept it. Joni's return home to the Outer Banks forces her to confront the weight of unspoken words and process how some things will never be the same again. As she grapples with the reality of what life home is now, the novel explores themes of identity, grief (see trigger warnings), and the ever-present question: Is the life we've built still the one we want? With a touch of magic—both in music and in the unexpected presence of a stranger’s voice in Joni’s head—Ashley Poston crafts a poignant, heartfelt exploration of love, loss, and self-discovery.
I’m grateful to have received an ARC and read this early, but its June release is perfect—it’s the kind of book that begs to be read with sand between your toes and a playlist of summer anthems in the background. A must-read for fans of heartfelt and impactful, hopeful storytelling.
Her vivid yet effortlessly evocative prose brings the story to life: *"A lightning strike that filled my veins with Pop Rocks."* Moments like these make the book feel electric, pulling you into its warm, sun-drenched world.
It’s not just a beach read though. At its heart, this is a story about change—how we navigate it, resist it, and if we can accept it. Joni's return home to the Outer Banks forces her to confront the weight of unspoken words and process how some things will never be the same again. As she grapples with the reality of what life home is now, the novel explores themes of identity, grief (see trigger warnings), and the ever-present question: Is the life we've built still the one we want? With a touch of magic—both in music and in the unexpected presence of a stranger’s voice in Joni’s head—Ashley Poston crafts a poignant, heartfelt exploration of love, loss, and self-discovery.
I’m grateful to have received an ARC and read this early, but its June release is perfect—it’s the kind of book that begs to be read with sand between your toes and a playlist of summer anthems in the background. A must-read for fans of heartfelt and impactful, hopeful storytelling.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Dementia
Minor: Car accident, Death of parent