I like music a lot, but probably less than most people? I have the same artists/bands I listen to and don’t go out of my way to look for new music EVER though. I don’t listen to it very much because I spend so much time listening to audiobooks and podcasts. So, I have to admit, books about music or bands don’t appeal to me as much as they do other people. Either way, I loved the idea of this book because there was a reality TV concept thrown in… and the second chance at love trope.

This missed the mark for me but lots of other people seem to love it. I don’t know – I didn’t think that a lot happened? There wasn’t enough depth to the novel, in my opinion, and I was hoping for a lot more from it…. The whole reality TV show battle of the bands premise was SO interesting but it took a total backseat to everything else. I wanted to know more about the competition, the shows, the other bands, the eliminations, the cities they toured. This book is fairly short (under 300 pages) so I feel like she could have dedicated a few more pages to exploring the actual concept a bit more.

I liked the then/now concept too; it gave good insight into their relationship and history. I didn’t really ship them and honestly didn’t care that much about their relationship. I can’t pinpoint why! I skimmed quite a bit while reading and speed-read a lot of it. I just wasn’t into it.

3.5 stars. Overall l liked this, but I didn't love it. I liked the writing style (2 points-of-view and two timelines--"then" and "now"), but I never felt very invested in the "now" storyline or the main characters. I liked Cam more than Vee, but I still wonder why he chose to do something televised when he was mostly trying to hide from his past. I thought the music aspect was intriguiging but it felt like it was missing something. And parts of the ending felt a little rushed and unresolved.

Such a great read! Love Songs & Other Lies had me laughing and smiling at some points and my eyes tearing up at others. Great characters, plot and descriptions. Will definitely recommend this one!

4/6 stars

When reading Love Songs & Other Lies, I was kind of surprised of how much I liked it since books revolving around bands and music, in general, isn't my type of reading.

Still, I enjoyed the elements of love, music, and drama Pennington put together. The chemistry between Vee and Cam, the main protagonists, was sweet and had me swooning for more. Moreover, they were highly relatable in their own ways. The conversations they had didn't feel forced, and somehow, they always left me wanting more of their adorableness.

As someone who usually reads loosely over the book, I was stunned at how I never once had to skim through the book. The writing style was nothing but enjoyable and easy to read. Some of the lines in this book made me sigh in satisfaction.

The Then and Now integration was something I liked a lot since it showed us how they came together and then how it all fell apart. It's a book about second chances, so it was definitely put well together.

However, as much much as I liked it, I still think the storyline, in the end, could be clearer, as there were often times where I was confused about the surroundings. Sometimes, things felt rushed, e.g. Vee's parents' marriage and the reveal of Vee's secret since it was out of the blue to me. Not to mention, the end when she started to make a name for herself, was rather blurry to me. 

The characters are really likable, but I was sort of confused with the side characters. The character development with the main leads was wonderful, but I feel like the side characters were sort of forgotten. We only read about Logan and a bit of Tad's story and who they are, but the other characters didn't really stick with me. I think the reason for this might be the dual timeline.

My initial thoughts about the book are that it's a heartwarming read, cliché (but who doesn't love them?) and I recommended Love Songs & Other Lies to anyone who likes contemporary romance with the element of music. Save for the side characters and the rush of storyline, I didn't mind this book at all!

Thank you to Netgalley and Macmillan-Tor/Forge for sending me a copy in exchange for an honest review.

A tour bus full of bands, an unexpected summer with an ex, and a reality TV crew to catch it all on camera–what could go wrong? Vee is stoked to have a summer internship with a battle of the bands reality TV show. Her best friend, Logan, is in one of the bands and she’ll be interning with the publicity department. But she’s totally blindsided when her ex, Cam, is the newest member of the band. This hot summer romance, set in different cities around the United States, is perfect for fans of second chance redemption arcs. Cam and Vee’s past and present relationship will have YA romance fans swooning!

Love Songs and Other Lies features dual timelines telling the “now” and “then” story of Cam and Vee’s tumultuous relationship. This storytelling method allows the history of the couple to slowly unfold in a satisfying way that makes the ending worth the wait. The dual timelines are also told in two perspectives. Both Cam and Vee get a chance to tell the story from their own point of view. Each chapter successfully draws the reader into the plot a little more. Pennington excels at jumping back and forth between timelines and perspectives.

Contemporary readers will adore this enemies-to-lovers plot that also manages to be about so much more. This book has a little something for all contemporary fans whether you’re a romance reader, more into mysterious backstories, a fan of reality tv, or just want to enjoy a character achieving their dreams. The sweet romance makes for a perfect summer beach read. Cam and Vee are suddenly trapped with each other on a tour bus for the whole summer and their struggle to get back together is endearing. Pennington wrote several swoony scenes that fans of YA romance will love.

Cam and Vee’s complicated love story takes center stage but there’s lots of other stuff going on as well. Pennington really excels at making sure neither of her main characters feels like a two dimensional love interest. Each character has a fully developed backstory, family members, and believable motivations for their actions. Vee takes a surprise starring role with an unexpected mysterious secret near the end of the book. Cam also has a secret that he tries to hide. He comes off like a typical bad boy but Vee, and the readers, quickly see beyond his tough facade. The secrets that each character is hiding will keep mystery fans interested.

Love Songs and Other Lies also offers a unique look at the music industry and reality television. It has a behind the scenes glimpse at a band writing songs, playing shows, and being on the road. The battle of the band competition was also a fun addition that upped the stakes of the story. Vee even finds herself roped into a fake romance that the reality show needs to play up for the audience back home and it provides a little comedic relief when the story gets heavier. I loved the way the reality plotlines were being orchestrated behind the scenes while Cam was also trying to rewrite his own story to get Vee back.

Fans of Morgan Matson, Kasie West, and Maurene Goo will love this summer romance with a dash of other genres thrown in. It’s ultimately a feel good read about second chances after a song worthy break up.

I really enjoyed this book . It was an enjoyable love story set in a rock tour environment. While often predictable, still rather enjoyable especially when you find out that one of the main characters is a YouTube sensation!
Would recommend for anyone that loves a decent love story .

I am not crying…
Okay, I totally am. Not because this book has a sad ending but because I’m an emotional gal and I’m SO sad this adorable book had to end. It is by far my favorite Young Adult romance book I’ve read so far this year. I love every single word inside this book about love and music and letting go.

Love Songs and Other Lies surprised the heck out of me. I requested it on a whim because I’m a judge-a-book-by-its-cover expert but when I read what it was about… I wasn’t too excited. For the first time in a while I had my expectations low going into a book. But I totally underestimated it. I thought it was going to be a book full of boy drama and that I’d hate the main character, Vee (or Virginia). And I couldn’t have been more wrong if I tried. It is everything I love in a Young Adult story and everything I enjoy in a second chance romance.
I love Virginia, I was able to relate to her on so many levels even though we are very different in some others. She is so unbelievably lovable, she’s that one person everyone loves because she is so dang nice. I am such a fan of her for being authentic, putting herself out in the world, following her passion and most of all because she didn’t let fear hold her back.
Cam is the. sweetest. guy. (Believe me, I’m an expert at this kind of things.) I love his quiet persona. I hate that he kept his past from Virginia and I hate that his lies eventually pulled them apart but I love his determination to make things better and get back the girl. He pulled on all my heart-strings and it was impossible not to love him despite his mistakes.

When I’m reading a book I usually look at the amount of pages I have left about a million times because I’m always in a hurry. It’s hard for me to find a book that makes me forget about time and sucks me into the story to the point that I dread glancing at the amount of pages left because I don’t want it to end and that is exactly what this book did to me. I connected with the characters and became invested in their story from the moment I opened the book. It has just enough drama to make everything a little more exciting and the author’s writing is breathtakingly beautiful. The fact that the story is narrated from Vee and Cam’s point of view while also alternating between their past and their present is just perfection. I loved slowly discovering what happened to their relationship in the past and being able to see how they changed/grew up in the two years they were apart.

If you guys love reading Young Adult books that are original, romantic and that will make you discover some new music then pick up this book. It is quite refreshing. I couldn’t get enough of these characters and their adorable story. I’m definitely keeping my eyes open to see what the author comes up with in the future.

Love Songs & Other Lies by Jessica Pennington is an emotional, fun, and delightful YA contemporary romance. I love this genre, even though I am far from a YA. There is something so innocent about first loves. I love the quirky people and situations in this book, and watching the characters grow. I found this book to be a quick read, and recommend it to all YA romance readers, young and old.

I received this book in exchange for a fair and honest review.

I haven’t read a single contemporary YA in over four months. So this story was like a breath a fresh air. A nice change a pace. A second chance romance with music intertwined throughout it. In fact my heart was all a flutter.

After breaking her heart two years ago, Virginia(Vee) and Cam will be spending the summer, along with their friends, in a bus touring for a band contest/reality show. What could go wrong?

After having her heart broken two years ago, Virginia(Vee), will be spending the summer touring the country, for a rock band/reality show, in a bus filled with her friends, and Cam. Cam, the one who did the breaking of her heart. Cam, the reason she moved away, is now going to be a bed away from her for three months. What’s a girl to do?

This book alternates between the past and current while showing you what went wrong in the past and how it affected the future. Lots of secrets and heartaches. But with love at the center of it.

Since I’m an adult, most of the time, I could see what was happening before they did. I wanted to reach in and bonk their heads together. They needed to share their pain, not hold it inside. If you can’t be truthful to the one you love, you must not love them completely. Cam lived through something horrific and held on to it, not sharing, until it was too much for Vee. And without sharing that, he kept a piece of him from her and it festered.

But when these two finally were forced to confront their demons, the light shined down upon them. The heavens opened up. The angels sang the Hallelujah chorus. OK, I’m being dramatic. Channeling my inner dramatic 20-something self. All in all, when these two finally opened up, all was well in their world. They could move forward together.

I absolutely adored this book! Jessica Pennington truly impressed me with her debut. Love Songs & Other Lies is told from alternating points of view and timelines. It alternates between Vee (Virginia) and Cam (Cameron) during their senior year of high school, and then a couple of years later when they’re on a Battle of the Bands reality tv show tour.

Vee seems to know which direction she is going in after she graduates from high school. She is planning where she will go to college after she graduates, what she’ll major in, etc. Vee is the manager for her best friend’s band and she seems content with that, even though she’s a very talented songwriter. She’s completely fine with staying behind the scenes. Cam has no real plans, other than hiding from his past. He meets Vee after moving to a small beach town in Michigan. Cam also has an interest in music, and he brings out some things in Vee that she never had thought about before. Cam and Vee become friends and more, and we see how they change and shape each other through their points of view.

Two years later, Vee agrees to rejoin her best friend’s band to help out with their social media campaign while they’re asked to compete in a Battle of the Bands reality tv show. She finds an unexpected surprise waiting for her when she first gets on the tour bus. Her ex-boyfriend, Cam is part of the band. Vee is still very angry with him because of their past history. We are able to see their journey through the present. With the cameras rolling, they have to decide if they can get over the past.

I have to say that I wound up really enjoying how the story alternated from the past to the present. I found myself laughing along with the characters, crying with them, and I felt their anger and frustrations. I wanted their problems to be worked through and resolved. There was a ton of emotion and angst involved. Lots of ups and downs. I found myself cheering and rooting for the characters throughout the story. I felt very emotionally invested in them. I had to keep reading to find out what was going to happen!

Love Songs & Other Lies will be finding a special place on my bookshelf! I’ve already preordered my finished copy and I can’t wait to get my hands on it. This story, full of both love and heartbreak is definitely one you don’t want to miss. Be sure you add this wonderful debut to your TBR pile!

*I received an E-Arc of this book from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review*

Virginia (Vee) Miller is looking forward to her summer on the road with her high school rock band friends, now known as Your Future X. What she doesn't know when she decides to join their tour is that her ex will be there; and those wounds definitely haven't healed yet. Now, Vee and Cam are forced to work through the problems that ended their relationship while the entire world is watching.

The structure of this novel is absolutely what works the best. Told in a then/now format, Pennington slowly reveals the beginnings of Vee and Cam's relationship, switching back to now to create even more intrigue. It made the plot more interesting, making the reader desperate to get to the end to figure out what put an end to what seemed like an incredibly compatible relationship. What may have been a predictable plot in a more straightforward novel becomes more interesting with this structure.

Having two points of view also helps in giving the reader a fuller picture of the relationship; if we got only Cam's or only Vee's point of view, we would be likely to be biased toward one or the other. The inclusion of both their voices makes the reader feel empathy for both sides of the relationship. They both have reasons for doing what they do.

With a cast of extremely relatable characters and an immersive plot structure, fans of summer romance and rock bands will find a home in Pennington's story.

***I received an ARC in exchange for an honest review***
A sweet story of love, healing and learning what it takes to fight for your dreams!

“And finally, we feel together. He feels like mine, and I am nothing but his.”

Love Songs follows the lives of Vee & Cam as they fall in love, write epic love songs, and learn the heartbreaking consequences of running from your past. As they unexpectedly reunite a year and a half later on a battle of the bands tour, they both have to decide if the love they once had for each other is enough to heal old wounds...and if a future for them is even possible in the midst of chasing their dreams.

I really enjoyed each of these characters and the ways in which they learned to communicate with each other. Even though they experienced pain of loss, neither character was overly dramatic and both were very real. I appreciated the selfless love they demonstrated for each other, even in the midst of hurting. I loved the slow burn of watching them fall in love and the spark with which they reunited. The plot was a little choppy at times with a few typos, and there were some areas I wish were a bit more fleshed out, but I loved this author’s voice! The characters felt real to me and the story was full of heart.

I truly enjoyed Jessica Pennington’s romantic debut and look forward to reading more from this author in the future!

Before I started reading this I imagined it to be much more about bands/fame/scandal than it actually was and that is why my rating is a 3 and not higher.
Its a very enjoyable contemporary romance but was just lacking that extra pull of showbiz which always felt like a backdrop more than it being front and centre. The author does a great job of the dual pov's though and the past and present switch so I would definitely read more books by her in the future.

“Two years after rock-song-worthy heartbreak, Virginia Miller is looking forward to a fun, carefree summer. Her friends just landed a spot on a battling bands reality show, and Vee is joining them for her dream internship on tour. Three months with future rockstars seems like an epic summer plan. Until she learns she’ll also be sharing the bus with Cam. Her first love, and her first heartbreak. Now Vee has more than just cameras to dodge, and Cam’s determination to win her forgiveness is causing TMZ-worthy problems for both of them. With cameras rolling, she’ll have to decide if her favorite breakup anthem deserves a new ending. And if she’s brave enough to expose her own secrets to keep Cam’s under wraps.”
I really liked this book, and if you like books about first love being your true love, music and best friends you will like this book as well.
When I read the blurb, I was sure I would like it, and I’m glad I wasn’t wrong. It has original songs (they were reaaaaaally good) and some covers (thanks for Yellow Shirt, it has become my song of the month!)
I highly recommend Love Songs & Other Lies, and I cannot wait for what's next from Jessica!

Now, I KNOW that this genre is full to the brim with different variations of the rock star/bad boy who loves small town/shy girl story. I've read many and usually try to space them out months between to avoid overkill and redundancy. However, Love Songs and Other Lies is a book that brings a little bit more depth and feeling, with a well-developed backstory and likable characters.
The story is told through the dual perspectives of Virginia (Vee) and Cam, switching between the present time and the past, which occurred 1.5 years prior. There is so much more to the story that just what the synopsis boasts, and I really enjoyed the buildup of past events defining the climate of relationships in the present. Vee was a female character I rather liked, with enough emotion and angst to make her relatable to teens, but with a determined, kick-ass side she brought out from time to time. Cam was almost everything you could want in a love interest role, except he wasn't exceptional to me. His reasoning for his actions fell flat at times, and his personality wasn't really developed outside the context of his relationship with Vee. That said, their relationship was enjoyable to follow through all of the ups and downs.
Also falling flat was the BIG ROMANTIC GESTURE. I knew when 10 Things I Hate About You was mentioned, Cam would be pulling off a BRG for Virginia. When it finally happened, I wasn't digging it. It seemed too complicated and not incredibly romantic.
Overall, I thought Jessica Pennington put together a great summer read, enough to satisfy the literary appetite of any YA fan. The supporting characters are fun and the setting is unique. My rating of the book is 4.5/5 with slight detractions for underwhelming BRG and an, at moments, blah love interest.
*I was provided with a free ARC in exchange for my honest review.

The novel has dual perspectives and timelines set during college and it flashes back to high school, which was enjoyable, overall the characters were fun and the plot kept me interested and engaged. This felt like a mix between YA and NA which I found quite interesting and worked very well as I like both genres. Overall. I would highly recommend as a fun summer read.

Updated mini review:

I received this E-ARC via Macmillan-Tor/Forge and Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. Last year I read the excerpt from Netgalley and fell in love! This was one of my most highly anticipated contemporary release of 2018. I am utterly disappointed.

I'll start off with my likes. Logan was honestly so sweet. A bit stupid but well intentioned. The writing style was good. The point of view and timeline switches were well done. The mystery aspect kept me reading as well as somewhat entertained. And that would be it.

I found Cameron to be a stalker. When I had read the excerpt it was endearing. That however didn't remain the same as the book went on. He also blamed himself for everything. Yes a lot of the fault falls on him but not all of it. This certainly didn't make me like him more.

Virginia was a hypocritic, judgmental, and petty. She successfully holds onto a grudge for two years. She doesn't even make that much of an effort to hash it out with Cameron. Which was surprising seeing as the two are stuck together for 3 months. Nor does she apologize for her behaviour.

The reality tv aspect brought on a lot of drama! I felt that this book could've been much better had it either been longer or simply not had the past aspect. Due to the timeline and point of view shifts everything felt rushed. And I honestly stopped caring about everything. The romance was either uncomfortable or dysfunctional to read about.

While I am utterly disappointed her other book sounds better, so I'll likely be reading that. I don't recommend this book.

Every so often I read a tweet or blog post by someone wanting a young adult novel set in college. Love Songs & Other Lies might just fit the bill for those people. It's set in two different time periods. The present is the summer after Vee and Cameron's freshman year in college when they are 19 years old. Vee has been conned into touring with Cameron and the rest of her friends in the band. That wouldn't be so horrible if Vee and Cameron hadn't had a rocky break up a couple of years ago. The second is when they're seniors in high school. That part is the story of how Vee and Cam got together and then fell apart. The mix of these two ages give the book a not quite YA but also not quite NA feeling. It's actually a really great mix of the two genres.

It's not very often you get a second chance romance in YA. Normally, there's several a break up spanning several years before the characters get back together. I like that Vee and Cam didn't have to wait that long. Both of Vee and Cam's love stories were good. I liked getting to know how their relationship began, ended, and then began again. I also liked their individual back stories and how it affected their relationship. They were great characters. 

I only had one problem with it all. The story started out great. I was instantly drawn into Vee and Cam's lives. I was invested in their characters within a short period of time -- in the present. I liked what was happening in the past, but I got frustrated with how slowly that part unraveled. What it comes down to is that Love Stories & Other Lies didn't give me what happened in the past quickly enough for me to know why I should want Cam and Vee together. Their original love story was still unfolding -- way too slowly and almost boring. I needed to know what the problem was so that I could root for them to get back together.

Once everything was out in the open, I was back to being entranced with the story. I loved the last third of the book. I felt like I was back in my YA summer contemporary happy place. I could forgive the moments of boredom in the middle because everything turned out exactly right. I gave it 4 stars because by the time I finished reading it, I was in love with Love Songs & Other Lies.

This is a love story on the surface, but in reality is much more. It's truly about the journeys of two people through a lot of self-doubt and hardship to actualization. Very interesting themes about friendship and I love that the main character's friendships are largely with guys, which I don't see a lot of in YA.

I received an eARC of this book in exchange for a fair review.
Oh. Em. Gee. This was AWESOME. It has everything I want in a contemporary; relatable MC, a broken but amazing boy, and a great plot! The story is told from both Ve’s and Cameron’s POV and through present day and flashbacks. This keeps the story flowing and it was impossible to put down. Just awesome.