Review by chemistryreads - Sounds Like Love

chemistryreads 's review for:

Sounds Like Love by Ashley Poston

4.75

funny hopeful lighthearted reflective sad medium-paced

Plot or Character Driven: Plot

Strong character development: Yes

Loveable characters: Yes

Diverse cast of characters: No

Flaws of characters a main focus: Complicated

This is the first book I’ve read by Ashely Poston and I absolutely adored it! I love books themed around musicians and this perfectly ties together the songwriter and musician hoping to make a comeback, along with a bar that has seen many famous musicians play. However, one does not need to love music to fall for this book. The audiobook makes this more delightful by the narrator actually singing some songs, and even finishing the book with the song that was in the characters’ heads all along. So while I thought I was getting a book about musicians, it was about so much more. Most obviously, there is a little magic I wasn’t expecting at all! I won’t spoil it, but a special connection forms between Joni and “Sasha.” Secondly, the depth these characters hit is so freaking deep! There is an overarching theme of grief derived from death of a parent and another parent being on their journey with dementia and the grief of losing future time and past memories with that person. The way the author captures these emotions is so powerful - I had tears slipping out my eyes at certain parts! But the entire journey is so beautiful and very real and relatable. My only real criticism is how the hurricane was handled with Joni’s sudden change of heart. It didn’t feel right for her character and what the book had been building to. It felt a bit like a gimmicky plot point so I was relieved when it quickly resolved. And that ending… it just came together perfectly. All the pieces fit together in a way I didn’t fully foresee (one part was obvious) but was really wonderfully planned by the author. Ashley Poston has such a lovely way of making this story come alive and keeping it lighthearted overall while still keeping depth to the characters and they deal with grief and love and their families. Absolutely worth reading and the audiobook makes it even more special! I already want to go back and read a copy of this book just to highlight so many of the excellent quotes throughout the story (and reread that nickname bird a dozen more times *sigh*). 4.75⭐️, 2🌶

Content Warnings