A review by jennabeck13
Once More with Feeling by Elissa Sussman

funny lighthearted medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? It's complicated
  • Loveable characters? It's complicated
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.0

Once More With Feeling by Elissa Sussman 

⭐️⭐️⭐️ (3/5)

Genre: Romance

About 395 pages


Years ago, Kathleen’s career as Katee Rose fell apart when news broke that she cheated on her boyfriend, Ryan, with another member of his boy band, Cal. Kathleen and Cal’s history goes further back through theater camp as teens. Cal, Kathleen, and Harriett (her BFF) were thick as thieves and all talented in their own respects. That’s why the crew reconnects. Harriett wrote a musical that she wants Kathleen to star in and Cal to direct. Cal and Kathleen never addressed their blow-up years ago, so while they agree to work together, things start out rough. But the longer they are around one another, the more they remember why they couldn’t help but fall in love all those years ago…


Once More With Feeling was a cute, easy read! While it didn’t blow me away, Sussman’s writing style and the second chance love story kept me invested enough to read within a day. I liked the banter between Cal & Kathleen and loved the use of two timelines! But I also felt like the characters in the “now” portions acted extremely immature at times and like they hadn’t grown up since the “then” portions. My biggest qualm though was that it felt way too similar to Funny You Should Ask, Sussman’s other book, so I knew exactly where we were heading from the beginning… While predictable, it was still a cute story!


Favorite Quote: “I believe in the power of starting anew,” he said. “Every show, every role, every performance, is a chance to start fresh. Every day is a new opportunity for success. I don’t plan on judging anyone for what you did yesterday, or the day before, or the year before.”



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