Cam and Vee have history.
How will they survive when they end up on a tour bus together for 12 weeks while Cam’s band take part in a musical reality show to try and make it big?

Love songs and other lies jumps between current Cam and Vee and the Vam and Vee of the past when they were happily falling in love.

Love Songs & Other Lies by Jessica Pennington is a whirlwind of a story that combines drama and music in a unique reality show concept. The characters are super relatable and the use of dual timelines and dual points of view give lots of dimension to the plot.

If you are a fan of dramatic plots and reality TV, this is the book for you. There is a lot going on in terms of turmoil, as one might expect, in a book that features a reality show. I love how Pennington tells the stories of Cam and Vee’s past and weaves it into a TV show that sometimes takes place on a tour bus with very tight quarters. There is always something happening, and it makes you want to keep reading to find out what is going to go down next.

There is a cast of characters in Love Songs & Other Lies that are easy to connect with. They are flawed and likeable, as well as interesting. Vee is my favourite character because her story is so full of angst. She is trying to carve a mark for herself in the world and I love how music helps her define who she is. Her devotion to her grandma is also quite sweet and I really enjoyed reading this part of the storyline.

The novel has dual perspectives and timelines set during college years, and it also flashes back to high school. I really appreciated the layout of the book, as it is clearly defines which era the chapter is in and whether we are reading Cam or Vee’s point of view. I love how each part of the narrative is slowly woven in and how things just all come together towards the end.

Love Songs & Other Lies is an upper YA novel that will be a perfect addition to your summer TBR. There is a little bit of everything in this contemporary that has a unique concept and wonderful characters. It is a road trip that will most definitely take you on an emotional ride.

I read many books every year. I've ready many, many YA books. I've read many, many YA books that involve a girl, a boy, bands, fame and secret backgrounds. So I almost passed on Love Songs & Other Lies, because it doesn't cover any new territory, and I wasn't sure if I really wanted to read something I've already read (in a sense).

I'm so glad I read it anyway. No, it's not *new* new. But it's done so well, and it feels fresh even though it covers a well-worn trope. I loved Vee and Cam, and I loved how we saw their history and their present all at once. It was light and fluffy, and despite having some demons, it doesn't get too dark and heavy. (I cry super easily when I read books, and this book didn't make me cry. Since I wasn't looking for something that would tear me apart, that is a good thing.)

My biggest criticism is that some of the secondary characters aren't as fleshed out as I would have liked. Logan flits in and out when he's necessary, but I wanted more of him. Reese showed a lot of promise in the beginning as an amusing character, but he doesn't have much impact as a whole.

If you're looking for a book that is 100% original and never been done before, this isn't that book. However, if you're looking for a lovely romance that is beautifully written, has likable characters, and is impossible to put down, check out Love Songs and Other Lies.

Thanks to Macmillan-Tor Forge via Netgalley for a copy of the book in exchange for my honest review.

"You were the missing lyrics to a song I didn’t even know I was writing."

Both feeling alone, consumed by their guilt, fear and anger, Cameron Fuller and Virginia Miller found comfort and solace in each other. Music became the bridge between the gaps that render a strong note in every lyrics of each songs they shared making them vulnerable and exposed to something, more than the intensity of a first love high school romance.

But when white lies were confused with fear and confusion of wanting to start a new life with zero baggage in a new town where people didn’t know the tragedy of the past, the truth and reality eventually came out. It was too much for Cam to take that he left Vee with her heart broken.

Two years after, Vee’s best friend, Logan, called her to join Your Future X on a tour as a part of the PR and Marketing of their band. Little did she know that the person she least expected to see was part of the same band that she will be working with for the next three months. Could it be possible for both Cam and Vee to rekindle an old flame with cameras and fans swarming them 24/7?

I didn’t understand Cam at first. But as the story progress, I finally knew why he blamed himself for what happen, that whenever something triggered his memory, he got scared. His guilt and pain caused him too much denial that the only way he knew to stay out from the shadows of his past was to run away even if it means breaking the heart of the woman he loves.

On the other hand, Vee is like a guitar, the music that comes from it could be loud, bold, fierce but it can also be sweet, calm and gentle. It was so easy to like her character. She patiently waited for Cam to open up because she always cares even if she knew she would get hurt. And in the midst of confrontation, she handled her pain so well and faced her heart breaker fearlessly.

Told in dual timeline and alternating POV, the characters’ past was perfectly in sync with the events happening in their present. It flows smoothly and the story just sucked me in like I was a part of Cam and Vee’s tiny imperfect world.

From Your Future X band members, Logan, Anders and Reese to Tad, Nonni and Grace, I love how the bond of friendship was formed or how family was involved in this story. With special mention, I would like to give the best supporting friend award to Logan because he somehow played cupid for Cam and Vee to get back together. As a friend who cares, he knew that he has to do something even if it was in the most awkward possible way.

The ending was powerful and emotional, and more so comforting that I couldn’t stop myself to breathe a sigh of relief. It was momentous where there’s some kind of flashback formed in your head like those happened in the movies when unexpected events just rolled out in sequence because you didn’t know that behind every scene, someone is keeping their promise of looking after you, happy that they’re doing it even without you knowing it.

Jessica Pennington has written a lyrical, fluid story with strong characters and emotions — raw and genuine that they bled on every page affecting readers with all the feels. She was also able to give a glimpse on the true nature of Hollywood’s prominent talent shows behind the scenes and highlight the influence of social media for people to gain a platform of fame.

Love Songs & Other Lies is a summer romance charged with music, adventure and friendship that will make your heart beat out of your chest, filling your lungs with painful memories and putting your ears in a loop of playlist about first love, heartbreak and second chances.

***Thank you NetGalley, Saraciea J. Fennell of Tor Teen and Jessica Pennington for providing me an eARC in exchange for a fair and honest review!

This was cute and fun and entertaining.
A little slow at first, but, once I got towards the end, it started to pick up.
I loved the music writing aspects of the book. And the romance was well developed.
However, I'm not really sure how I felt about the characters.
Logan- why did he think Vee would be excited to see Cam? I never really understood this.
Vee- this girl was all over the place. I was never really quite sure what to make of her.
Cam- Cam was was actually fine.
Anderson and Reese- Sorry, but these guys were basically interchangeable and I still can't remember which was which.
I did love the writing, and especially the "now" and "then" format of the book- I thought this was very well done. I also loved the beach scenes, and how the romance unfolded. For the most part. The whole hiding behind the curtain thing was more creepy than cute, though.

*I received this book through Netgalley in exchange for an honest review*

Amazing. Beautiful. My heart is in pain-- good pain. Cam stole my heart, but Vee is so kick-ass I can't help but love her too.

I started out unsure about how I felt about the book, especially how it switches between the present and their past. But, I got into the swing of it. There are long stretches of the present and past, so it isn't like it is constantly switching.

The characters are also great. Cam and Vee are the main ones and are the most flushed out. The other characters aren't really mentioned... I would say this is a weakness of the book a bit. There aren't many girl characters or talking with friends about things other than the relationship.
The romance... kind of insta-love, but it grows and changes as the story progresses. I really like the two of them together. I think they help each grow and become better people.

There are some bit issues here dealing with grief and divorce. Very powerful stuff.

The story though... I thought it was really good. There was a twist I didn't see coming. I didn't see it coming!!! And I was so happy when it happened.

I will admit I'm somewhat biased, because I love rock music, so reading about a battle of the bands was just so fun. It made me want to fire up some of my favorite music when I was in high school. I miss that music sometimes.

So, I will recommend this to people who like contemporary romances and are looking for that musical twist. I'll probably read more by this author in the future.

Rating: 4.5 Stars

This book opened with Vee joining her bestie, Logan, and his band on a battle of the bands reality concert tour. <-- sounds interesting right? Once there, Vee discovered that her ex, Cam, was also on the tour, and that my friends, was where the fun began.

I immediately wanted to know more about past Cam and Vee's shared, and I was dying to find out what he did to make her write so many angry songs about him. Pennington delivered this information via flashbacks, and present time "discussions". If I've said it once, I've said it a thousand times, I am a fan of alternating timelines. I appreciate the way they keep me guessing and wanting more. They also allow me time to speculate about what happened, which just adds to the fun for me.

The alternating timeline also enabled Pennington to really develop these characters. It's an interesting and effective way to reveal events, which shaped the character, and made them who they were in the present timeline. I watched them fall in love, fall apart, and then get an opportunity to either get closure or start a new chapter together.

I sort of devoured this book, because there were so many things that just hit the right notes for me. You know I loved the format, but other things that kept me flipping the pages were:

•The romance! I am a lover of love, and this book featured a second chance romance, which is one of my favorite kinds of romance. I am such a fan of the idea that all is not lost, and one can redeem themselves and atone for past mistakes.

•Cam won me over in this book. When he finally realized that he wanted Vee back in his life, he went for it. His heart was on his sleeve, and he kept doing all these swoony things. I let out a bunch of happy sighs as I wore a stupid grin. He was excellent book boyfriend material.

•Both Vee and Cam were carrying a lot of baggage. I am always a fan of slightly damaged characters, and Vee and Cam fit the bill. They were both struggling wth some losses related to their families, and I loved seeing them work through it all, together and apart.

•There was a side romance, which was a nice parallel to Vee and Cam's. I didn't expect it, but I enjoyed it.

•This book had a soundtrack, which was predominated by love songs. I enjoyed all the music Pennington incorporated into the story, because these were not random songs. They were Cam and Vee's hearts put on display, and an integral part of the story.

•The reality show aspect was a fun extra touch. I really enjoyed the dynamic it created, as well as the extra drama it added to this tale.

•Road trips are always tons of fun, and this one delighted me in many ways. We got to visit some great cities, go to lots of parties, attend a bunch of shows, and live like a rock star.

•The Feels!!! I was happy, sad, angry, joyful. I felt so many emotions. All sorts of tears were shed, and I just couldn't get enough of it all.

•A grand gesture! It's not secret that I am a HUGE fan of grand gestures. It makes every book better, in my opinion, and this one was so wonderful! I swear!

Overall: A heartbreaking and heartwarming story of second chances, which was filled with a little angst and lots of swoons.

I made a mistake when I chose this. Yes, you read that correctly. Let me explain. I was looking for something to read, something light and easy, in order to fall asleep. Joke was on me, because I was hooked after one chapter. And I didn't put the book down until I'd finished. The whole thing, that is.

I didn't know much about this going in. Just that it was a second chance romance. Friends to lovers to enemies to lovers. And since those are my favorite tropes—SOLD. I cared about nothing else. It's no surprise I loved it for those reasons. However, it IS a surprise when it comes to the rock star trope. That's probably my least favorite thing to read in a contemporary. But, I dunno what it was exactly. This time around, I was shook.

The way this story is told is masterful. Past and present. But more than that is the way Pennington packs so much emotion into everything. I could feel the sadness, the hate, the love...and the hope. I was mad for Vee. I was sad for Cam. I wanted them to work through their past and try again. And the angst! I haven't had my heart gripped so tightly in a very long time. The ups and downs. The secrets. I could barely stand it, yet I couldn't stop myself from reading.

What's craziest though, is that I forgot how old the characters were. It doesn't feel like a typical YA contemporary. They feel older and wiser. Mature. And most of that probably has to do with what they'd gone through. I just know I was thankful the author didn't write them in a way that had them coming off as idiotic or immature or other descriptive words that people use when belittling teens. They felt REAL. And true.

This is a beautiful tale of love and loss. Secrets and lies. Redemption. It's easily become one of my all-time favorites. And it will DEFINITELY remain on my best of 2018 list.

Just read it.

Great 2nd chance romance for all,ages. I loved the present/past aspect of this book. Fantastic romance and great storytelling. It was my first book I've read by this author and can't wait to read more.

I gave this one 4.5 stars, but rounded up to 5. Do you believe in second chances? This was a really cute and fun read and I especially enjoyed the fact that the characters were a little bit older and in college, rather than high school. I loved the back and forth, between Virginia and Cameron, and past and present. Once I started reading, I was hooked and couldn't put it down. I raced from chapter to chapter, falling more and more in love with the characters with each page, and wondering what tore them apart. I look forward to reading more from Jessica Pennington. But a little advice for your characters in the next one: COMMUNICATE!

Fantastic debut book by Jessica Pennington!

You really never know what you're going to get when you get a book from NetGalley. I have found some amazing authors who have become my favorites and I have found some that I have not liked- at all. Jessica Pennington may become one of those authors whose books I devour. Her writing style is awesome, her dialogue is fantastic, and every last character (secondary and main) were well developed and well written.

I loved Vee. She was a very typical 17 year old in the "then" portions and a very typical 19 year old in the "now" portions. She changed just enough between 17 and 19 to make it believable because most of change a bit, but not a whole lot. She wasn't overly mature, but she wasn't immature by an means. Her love for Cam and her ultimate hatred of Cam were very genuine and very exciting. I loved how caring she was of her friends and her family.

I also loved Cam. He's totally swoon worthy. He's not an Alpha Bad Boy, he's just a good guy with a lot of demons. I thought he treated Vee well, with the exception of his lies and half truths. I still don't entirely understand why he was so closed off when it came to his secrets. I don't think telling someone your parents are dead (not a spoiler- you find out in the first few chapters) should really be as big of a deal as he made it out to be. And I don't mean that in an insensitive way, when you read the book you'll understand what I mean. His history is extremely tragic and I felt so terrible for him. I was glad to see he was overcoming his demons and trying to be a different person when he was older.

The secondary characters were awesome! I loved Logan, Anders, and Reese. Even Tad and Cort were great! These characters reminded me of the secondary characters from Rhythm Chord and Malykhin by Mariana Zapata. They were quirky, fun, and in your face kind of people with great hearts.

My one and only complaint with the book and ultimately what led me to giving this a 4 star instead of a 5 was the constant back and forth between now and then. I'm just not a huge fan of that because I feel like it distracts from the story line and I'm constantly brought out of the world I'm reading and thrust into another one. I'm much more of a small flashbacks kind of person, but that is a personal preference. I genuinely loved both stories and probably would have loved this more as a duet rather than one whole book. That being said, it's something I was able to look past.

Overall, I highly recommend this book. If you go through my ARCs folder you will see that I don't give out 4 or 5 stars to any book just because I received an ARC so this recommendation is 100% genuine. Excellent job, Ms. Pennington! I look forward to reading more of your books in the future and will be adding your next book to my TBR immediately.

I received Love Songs & Other Lies by Jessica Pennington from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review but it has no impact on my thoughts. My thoughts are my own.

I absolutely LOVED Love Songs & Other Lies. It was one of those summer music tour type books with friends AND it had two point of views and it was a timeline type of story that was very easy to follow. I just liked the way this book was written, it was just perfection.

And those lyrics were beautiful. I liked all of the characters in the story, especially Logan and Vee, and Cameron and Vee. I definitely shipped Cameron and Vee all the way through. This book was one that kept me reading all weekend, and I stayed up a little past my bedtime to finish it even though I didn't want it to be finished.

Everything about this book was perfect, I couldn't find one thing I didn't like about it. I'd definitely recommend it to other people that like music type stories. I hope there will be a sequel to this book coming out soon! This was definitely a five star read.

Such a cute read. It was such an ambitious plot, because not only does it change POV, but it also changes time period, but it was done flawlessly. Never once did I get confused as to who's voice I was reading or if it was present or past.
Vee and Cam have a past that you get the feeling early on didn't end too well. The flashbacks begin when they first meet, back in high school and very slowly, alternating between present and past, you piece together what happened to bring them to awkward-city that they're currently in. Vee had no idea Cam was going to be on the tour that her best friend Logan's band is on. Turns out Cam didn't know either. What ensues is charm, humor, awkwardness, sweet moments, and ultimately forgiveness. I was apprehensive about the multiple POVs and the flashbacks, but the author just wrote the book on it! Flawless, truly.
A very sweet read with likeable characters who feel like real high school/post high schoolers.
An easy rating of 5/5 stars. I would highly recommend this book for anyone looking for a cute, clean, but slightly different YA/NA novel.

I won't be publishing a review, or giving this book a rating on my blog or goodreads as I couldn't manage to finish it. I liked the main characters, the dual POVs and the general idea of the plot. However, I found it boring and too slow to my taste due to the writing style. The 'Before' and 'After' switches could sometimes be a little confusing and some scenes were pointless and unnecessary in my opinion.

Note : The one star rating is due to the book being a dnf and the requirement of a rating to submit feedback, NOT based on personal preference.

*** Thank you to the publisher and Netgalley for providing me with an ARC! ***

This book features two character perspectives, Cam and Virginia. Both perspectives rotate from "then" and "now" as you find out how they developed their relationship and what happened to their relationship. All of this centered around a reality TV show on a band tour bus. I thought the characters were very likable and I found myself rooting for both of them and their relationship. I think the flashbacks and different perspectives kept me interested throughout the whole novel. The only thing I was disappointed in is a couple somewhat significant events that were mentioned in the book were never fully answered at the end. However if you enjoy YA Romance I would highly recommend this book.

As a member of Jessica’s street team, I received an ARC from Tor Teen and Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

I found out about this book from Kim Chance’s live show for Keeper. It had been a long time since I’d read a good YA/NA contemporary romance, and anyone who knows me knows how much I love music. When I found out that the author was still recruiting for her street team, it was impossible to resist. Going in, I had high expectations. For the most part, I’m happy to say it didn’t disappoint.

Pros

Lead Characters: Vee and Cam are the main protagonists of this book. I like them both equally. I particularly related to Vee though, as she was the quiet type who, before meeting Cam, could only be herself among a small group of friends and kept her music talent hidden. I saw a lot of myself in her, even down to her meticulous need to plan things, and that made her very easy to relate to. Used to flying by the seat of his pants, Cam was a sweet, yet mysterious counterpart for her. He pushed Vee out of her comfort zone, but also knew when to respect boundaries and could sympathize with feeling like an outcast due to his own personal struggles. As a pair, I really liked seeing them grow and a part of me wanted even more on that front.

Duel Timelines: The book is divided into two sections: THEN, which tells the story of how Vee and Cam met and NOW, which tells the story specified in the blurb. I’m torn as to my feelings on the use of this particular technique. On the one hand, I loved it because it wasn’t something I’d ever seen before and as a reader, I really got to see the characters grow and change, and how different they were in the present versus when they first met. It gave me a good sense of character evolution because of the direct contrast, and I think the separation really helped round Vee and Cam out.

On the other hand, because the book was split almost down the middle with the dual plotlines, I found myself wanting more at times. THEN was often more appealing to me than NOW, and while I can’t quite put my finger on the reason, I think it might’ve had something to do with the pacing. I feel like a lot of my emotional investment into their relationship happened because of the THEN section, and as a result, NOW didn’t have the chance to fully develop into its own unique arc. That said, I don’t feel like either of these sections would’ve been as successful without the other, so kudos to Pennington for striking a difficult balance.

Writing Style: Piggybacking off of my last point, much as I was intrigued by one plotline over the other, I didn’t find myself skimming anything simply because I loved the writing style. There were several lines that made me laugh or swoon, in addition to the timelines switches, the book also contains duel point of views, alternating between Vee and Cam. The closeness meant I was truly invested in each of them as individuals as well as a couple, something that, in my opinion, is also very hard to find in a YA/NA romance.

Cons

Side Characters: As well developed as the leads were thanks to the dual timelines and point of use, I felt like it was for that very reason that the side characters suffered. Other than Logan, Vee’s best friend, and Tad, the cameraman on the bus, I found that all of the side characters were somewhat interchangeable for one another. Even though I remember their names, none of their personalities particularly stuck out to me.

Music Element: Based on the summary and the setting, I expected music to influence the book quite a bit. It with more present in the past storyline than the one where they’re actually on the tour bus. That said, it didn’t really take away from my enjoyment of the book, as the heart of the story lay with the romance. It was just that every once in a while, music would crop up and I’d have to reorient myself in the setting, rather than having the reality show being solidly integrated into the fabric of the plot.

Cam’s Backstory: I have to admit, of all of the things I’ve critiqued this far, I was most disappointed by this one. It’s not a major element in the story and it does not disrupt the overall atmosphere, but I felt like the author missed an opportunity to really dig deep into his character development and add another layer to Cam. Cam’s past is presented throughout the book as a sort of mystery, and though technically it is resolved by the end, the outcome was a bit too open-ended for my taste.

Overall: 4/5 stars Recommended for fans of contemporary romance with a unique style.

*I received a copy of this novel via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.*

Music, romance, and a young adult story. What’s not to love? This was an adorable read that I just got done with a day ago. I enjoyed the dual POVs as these usually bring more to the story and add depth to the characters. These characters really go through a lot in their lives, and they seemed very mature when reading about them, so often I forgot that they were even teens in the first place! This is not you usual young adult book, so it is sure to keep everyone interested in the story. It is one of my top reads this year.

Love Songs & Other Lies is told through alternating POVs and timelines. Vee has everything planned out—she knows what college she'll attend, what major she'll choose, and what career she'll pursue. She's a talented songwriter and is perfectly fine with staying off the stage and managing her best friend's band. Cam, on the other hand, has no plan other than to make sure no one finds out the real reason behind why he moved to the small town of Riverton, Michigan. As Vee and Cam become friends and more, Cam pushes Vee outside of her comfort zone by helping her form her alter ego, Dakota Gray. Vee tries to uncover the real Cam, but soon the guilt from his past is too much to handle and he suddenly leaves Vee in the middle of their senior year. Two years later, Vee joins her best friend's band on tour as they participate on a Battle of the Bands reality tv show. The downside of what should have been an awesome summer? Her ex-boyfriend that she hasn't heard from in two years is in the band. Vee is still angry about Cam's disappearance and wants nothing to do with him whereas Cam will do anything to try to earn her forgiveness. The novel switches back and forth between past and present as Vee and Cam's story unfolds, falls apart, and comes back together again.

I loved the alternating timelines aspect of the novel. I couldn't get enough of both stories and was so enthralled by what would happened next in both timelines. The way different aspects of Vee and Cam's story is revealed is timed perfectly, and I loved seeing what characteristics were different in their older selves and what aspects stayed the same.

Both settings are fantastic. In the past chapters, the story is set in a small town in Michigan with many late nights taking place on the beach. In the present chapters, the city is constantly switching as the band travels to new concert venues. The tour bus is a fun setting and the cameras add a new level of drama to awkward situations. The glimpses of the other bands and production team were great details and made the filming of the tv show feel real.

Overall, I adored Love Songs & Other Lies and it will be making a home as a new favorite on my bookshelf. Full of love, heartbreak, and music, this is one debut novel you do not want to miss!

I have a thing for contemporaries with music in them. I just always pick them up, and the don’t usually disappoint. I liked Long Songs & Other Lies, but I know it’s going to be a forgettable read for me. While I did really enjoy the Then-Now format and the history it brought to the story, and I always love a good RomCom contemporary, I just didn’t get invested in this. The main problem I had with the story is that my interest started waning and just kept fading the more I read. By the end of the story I didn’t care about it at all anymore and I just finished it because it was so easy to read. This isn’t bad by any means, it just didn’t really do anything for me either.

I received a copy of the book from Tor Teen via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Vee and Cam have a love story that takes the long way round. High school sweethearts until it all goes wrong. Years later they find themselves trapped on a tour bus together. Forced to confront the past and their feelings all while trying to be civil.
I adored this book and the raw emotions it brought out. It wasn't just your typical love story where everything goes right the first time. This took time, guts, and a bit of heartbreak to get to the end. The songs and lyrics fit and made you a part of their world.
Perfect for fans of music, romance, and alternating view points.