Oh my me...the heart stamps! Yet again, Ms. Cherry has taken my heart and put it into a proverbial blender and set it on frappe.  Then this amazingly talented author slowly puts my heart back together again, looking at the world a little bit lighter, a little brighter and all the swoons!

This is the story of Oliver and Emery, and yet is, as all of Ms. Cherry's stories do, so much more!

This is a romance, sure, but it's also a bit of what I like to think is real-world issues coming into play. From upbringings to fame and fortune. Now I also want to applaud Ms. Cherry for creating Oliver and Emery, they are persons of color, but it's not the focal point of the story, it's just a cherry on top, her characters speak for themselves. I appreciate that.  You see all the colors in her stories. she can reach out and touch the heart of all her readers, no matter what.

This story is about family, those by blood and those you choose. This is the story of a love that is not judgemental, is unconditional, and is a love that everyone is entitled to.

As a long-time Ms. Cherry fan, I am always blown away by the feelings of intensity that drips off the pages. She has a way of commanding the reader to stay in the story she has created and won't let you go until she is ready.

4.5 stars

The Mixtape is a standalone emotional contemporary romance.

I did not read the book blurb before reading this book. So I had no idea how emotional this book would be. I'm honestly really glad that I went into this book blind.

The book has both the male and female 1st person POVs. The story mostly takes place in Los Angeles.

Oliver is the male narrator. He is a famous musician who is introverted and shy. He has a lot of social anxiety. And I loved him.

I think that him being a successful musician added so much to the story. And I loved the flashbacks from his past.

The book started with a very powerful prologue. I think that it was much more impactful since I did not know that it was coming.

Emery is the main female POV. She was amazing. I loved that she wanted to be a chef.

There were definitely a lot of villains in this book. And a lot of characters that I wanted to strangle. But there were just as many amazing characters. Kelly. Abigail. Reese.

I love when kids are the stars of books. Little 5 year old Reese was the best. Her Mr. Miths were one of the highlights for me.

I absolutely loved the premise of The Mixtape. The book had such interesting characters. And so many emotional moments.

I definitely had a lot of questions while I was reading. And some of the answers were great.

There were a couple of graphic sex scenes, which I truthfully did not think fit with the rest of the story. I loved that there were intimate scenes. But I would have preferred less crass words.

But overall, I really enjoyed this book. It was such a moving and amazing read.

Oh. My. Bananas!!!! I love this book!

When it comes to Brittainys books, I read them holding my breathe for a huge portion of the book. I know something is lurking around the corner waiting to steal my breathe away from me because she does it every time. This book has many of those moments!!

Emery is a single mother with a 5 year old girl.  She is struggling to pay her bills and provide for her daughter all the while dealing with family issues. Oliver is going through his own struggles in his life. He is literally battling with himself on a daily basis. His heart is beyond broken.

When these two meet, you can literally feel the tension being release from the pages and their hearts. They are meant to be together. Their story is about strength,  love, determination and family.

However, nothing is ever simple or easy. While the tension starts to ease for them, people try to tear each of them down. Truths come out and your heart will feel for Emery and her situation. But have no fear, you will get the most heartwarming ending in trust Brittainy fashion!

I would definitely recommend all romance readers this book!

Two worlds spiraling out of control, one because of a tragedy that he has yet to come back from and the other because someone is trying to take it from you. Together they make the best sense helping one another fight through the darkness, with music uniting them in the best of ways.
Olive is one half of a music sensation Alex and Oliver. When Alex dies it send Oliver spiraling into a booze induced hell of his own making and one he has no way of coming out of, until Emery comes to his rescue.
Emery loses her job and now she might lose the one thing she loves above all, her daughter. These two literally have fallen hard one because of what she shows him he can overcome and for her he shows her unconditional love. Together they make the most beautiful of music. This is the first book I have read from this author and it touched my hear so much I can not wait to read another!

Once again, Brittainy Cherry brought the feels with her newest release, The Mixtape. This story is about two people, Oliver and Emery who are both struggling in different ways.


Oliver hasn’t been the same since he lost his twin brother. Not only did he lose half of his musical duo, it feels like he’s lost half of himself. Emery is struggling in a different way. She’s a single mother who is trying to keep it all together, but it’s been hard. Harder than normal lately. When these two find each other, they’re not in the best place.

Even though Emery is having a hard time, Oliver is much more of a mess in a way. Emery is just the person he needs in his life. Someone who doesn’t want anything from him and is just there for him. Oliver and Emery connect on a way he hasn’t connected with anyone in a long time.

I loved this couple together and I adored Emery’s daughter being thrown in the mix. I’m always here for a great single parent romance. There were so many fantastic moments in this story. I thought the friends to lovers aspect was so well done and even though Oliver was a famous musician, it didn’t have that feel as a rockstar romance normally does, and I mean that in the best way.

If you’re looking for a beautiful romance that will give you all the feels and keep a smile on your face look no further than The Mixtape.

I don’t know how Brittainy does it but she honestly never disappoints me. I’ve loved every one of her books.

First things first though, I’ve seen several reviews regarding the language in this book and I have to say, I don’t think the people who reviewed this book even actually read it. The language is not even close to bad. I’m starting to wonder if I read the same book that some other people did. So don’t let those reviews sway you from this story. Give it a chance and decide for yourself because honestly, I saw nothing any worse than what I’ve read in contemporary romance before, not even close.

Oliver lost his brother and has been having a hard time dealing with it. Emery is a struggling single mother just trying to do the best she can for her daughter. These two characters stole my heart. When I started it, I didn’t think I was going to love it as much as I did. But boy was I wrong.

I really loved Emery. She was sweet and kind and a great Mom. Very humble. She didn’t like taking anything she didn’t work for and I loved that about her.

Oliver was very sweet. My heart broke for him & the things he went through and the hurtful things people would say. Him and Emery together were perfect.

This was just an all around great story with great characters.

This book was so full of angst I felt like I was going to crawl out of my skin the whole time. It's a slow burn romance, the relationship that develops between Oliver and Emery was awe inspiring. I loved every word of this book, even though at times I just wanted to yell at the characters to get on with it. But once you read the full book you will learn that the pace has good meaning and will be satisfied by the end.

the United States on June 20, 2021
This book broke my heart and put it back together. But that is why I love Brittainy's work. I was emotionally invested the whole way through. I think it was a great story with plenty of drama.
I love the analogy of life being a mixtape. It is a really interesting way to think about things.
This was genuinely just a good book to read.
The ending made me tear up a bit too but in a good way!

Oh my goodness i don’t even know where to start with this review but all i can say is I absolutely freaking loved it, it had all my favourites things in it, single parent, rockstar, music and all the feels.

I knew i was going to love Emery from the start, she was such a strong character and what she had been through and what she was going through with her parents and sister broke my heart but i loved how strong Emery was.

Goodness me Oliver was a broken man and i felt for him and his heartbreak as well but for totally different reasons and i had so much empathy for him.

The storyline for this book was amazing and the writing was so great, i must admit i got a bit emotional over this book and it actually had some twists i was not expecting but it made that much more exciting to read.

Oh and Reese she was my absolute favourite and another kid from a book who i will never forget and i loved the way this author made this little kids character so important and how sassy she was but god she could break my heart so quickly.

Loved loved loved this book one of my favourites for this year but also a book i will never forget. It was such a special story of how you can hit rock bottom but also get yourself back on top.

I couldn’t recommend this book highly enough.

This wasn't my favorite BC book, unfortunately. While I liked some aspects of the story, I really struggled with others. Reese was adorable, and I really enjoyed the supporting character, Abigail. But Oliver felt like one big contraction, and Emery felt cliched and one-dimensional, making it hard for me to really root for their romance. I also struggled with the grammatical/continuity errors.

Wow, what an amazing 6 star story that had me hooked and kept my undivided attention the entire time. A solid page turner.

Oliver is lost and not sure how to find his way back to reality. Comes an angel to show him the way back. Emery is trying very hard to keep her head above water. She finds an unlikely ally in Oliver. They need each other.

I was hooked from the very first page read to the last one. It’s like a modern day Cinderella story. The storyline was very addictive and captivating. Beautifully written with a seamless plot. I have enjoyed all of this author’s stories so far, but this one really got me. I felt what they were feeling. Bottomline this is a must read.

Standalone told in a dual POV with an HEA. I strongly recommend this story.

One thing that I love about Brittainy's books is that you are drawn in and your feelings are wrapped up in the words as the story is read. This one didn't disappoint. There was a very definite showing of love and how beautiful it can be vs. how ugliness/manipulationcan be presented as love. The pure love Emery has for her daughter, Oliver and Alex have for one another, and the love their parents share was simply beautiful. The mixtape and what it stands for I love. We should all be so lucky to have someone listen to our mixtape.

4.5 stars
4.5 stars
Oliver Smith seemed to have it all. Superstar status with his twin brother and their music duo, fame, money, girlfriend, and supportive family. He is the more introverted, analytical, serious, and quiet one between the two of them. But still, something was missing and he was not really happy. One night changes his life forever and sends him spiraling to darker depths that he cannot seem to pull himself out from. Suppressed emotions, anxiety, and grief swallow him whole and cause him to make poor choices and avoid life.

Emery is a single mom struggling to make ends meet. She is strong, but overwhelmed and drowning with limited support. She gave up her dreams to raise her daughter and feels guilty that things are so hard.

A chance meeting shakes up both of their lives. Emery is kind, caring, observant, and takes risks to ensure Oliver makes it out of a bad situation. But it helps turn things around and opens new doors for her as well.

This is a slow-burn, emotional, angsty, romance between two people that have been hurt and are drifting, but there is also sweetness and some humor too. It is about loss, trust, sharing, acceptance, forgiveness, and finding light in the darkness. These two were broken, but help glue each other back together. A resurgence of hope and purpose inspires them to find themselves, be there for each other, and begin to believe that happiness does exist. Music is such an important part of this story and I loved how it was used for communication, inspiration, and healing. The mixtape is the perfect title and theme.

Her daughter, Reese is a darling, precocious thing. She just made me smile in every scene. There were side characters that I liked and some I absolutely hated. Several added major drama while others added support. Both of these characters had issues and demons to tackle, but had so much love to give. My heart hurt for them, but I enjoyed seeing them begin to open up and find happier days. There were a couple of things I wanted to see fleshed out or addressed a bit more, but overall it was a truly beautiful story.

The Mixtape by B. Cherry, published by Montlake, is a full length , stand-alone novel. This is an higthly emotional read that deals with some sensitive subjects - consider you warned.
It's a contemporary multicultural romance with a complex storyline and characters that are through a lot and have the scars to prove it.
Oliver, the broken rock star and Emery, the single mom that works hard to amke ends meet are beautiful souls, lonely even being surrounded by people.
A heartfelt, emotional, gives all the feels read, one of my best reads in 21. I recommend this outstanding book, 5 stars.

4.25 - 4.45 Stars

Emery + Oliver.

Emery and her five year old daughter have been busy just surviving these last years. Emery works very hard just to pay rent and to feed her little girl.
Her dream is to be a chef - but she's just bartending for now.
That's where she meets him one night. Oliver.
The hero of her teenage years.
Oliver was the not-so-popular part of the famous music duo Alex + Oliver.
His twin brother Alex died six months ago and Oliver hasn't really dealt with things yet.

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Another beautiful Brittainy book!
A very heartbreaking rock-stary love story drama.
I just loved Emery and little Reese. And Oliver and his parents. An amazing couple. Most parents in books these days are horrible. Which Emery's parents are unfortunately. Ew. I ... ugh. Horror people!
The story was so sweet and adorable and funny and rock-starish and cook-ish and cindarella-ish. But at the same time it's all so sad with Alex dying and Oliver being so sad and depressed. And the horrible ex-girlfriend and the press and 'fans'.
And Emery has her own problems. Money. Her sister. Her parents. Her job.
It's not easy for our darlings. But of course we'll fight for that happy end.

I really enjoyed reading this.

I didn't love the many religious moments. That's a hard limits in my books. There was too much praying and talking about religion.
And the whole romance part was a bit meh. The sparks between them could've been better and the first kiss could've happened a lot sooner. It was a very slow romance.

There were a lot of things that didn't work in the story. I know I read an uncorrected copy and I don't usually mention those things about uncorrected books, but jeez. Really bad. I hope that the last proofreader and editor will fix things. Timeline problems. Typos. Wrong grammar. Et cetera.
Two things that I thought were so weird - I'll hide them for those who haven't read it yet 😉[First the scene we get where the girls had that Meet & Greet with the band? And her water broke and it's never mentioned again? That would be such an adorable anecdote to tell the kids one day and they don't even mention it. Same with her songwriting? I thought that she would so write songs with/for him! And it was never mentioned again. So weird. (hide spoiler)]

But still - I loved the story!
READ IT!

► THE MIXTAPE was another beautiful Brittainy Cherry love story. Heartbreaking. Funny. Romantic. Adorable. Full of music, good food, hope and love.
Run to your nearest amazon for your own Oliver - this one is MINE! ☺

WHEW! The tears! I always know a Brittainy C. Cherry book is gonna mess me up and The Mixtape brought the tears.

After the death of his twin brother Alex, Oliver is barely living in a state of grief. Until he meets Emery, a single mom who is struggling to survive. Oliver and Emery lean on each other, share their grief and stories and sadness, turning to each other to try and rebuild their broken pieces.

This book is so sad. I didn't read anything before starting the book so I didn't know Alex died - what a BLOW. Oliver is a mess and Emery is a mess too. Brittainy really excels at writing broken characters. One of my favorite parts was the music connection and all the music that Brittainy included. Each of the songs furthered the story and gave insights into the characters. The secondary characters (Reese, Kelly, Oliver's parents, Abigail, Sammie) were all really important and felt like critical characters to the story. I thought Oliver's storyline was sad until Emery's came to light and then I was just openly weeping.

I did struggle with a few of the loose ends (the 5 year flashback was never addressed!) and how horrible Emery and Sammie's parents were. All of the "twists" were predictable but I don't read romance for twists! I also wish the steamy scenes were steamier: it was like boom and done. But overall, I enjoyed this latest BCC installment and if you like books about grief that make you cry, then dive right in.

Thank you to Montlake for my copy to review."

“So much of your beauty comes from those broken pieces. In those cracks is where you shine.”

The Mixtape is a fast-paced contemporary romance. It was very easy to read and I was finished before I knew it. The main characters Oliver and Emery were great and I loved seeing them heal each other. Especially Oliver who was dealing with the loss of his twin brother Alex. My heart broke for him and I couldn't wait for him to be okay again. Emery is a single mother who is trying to make ends meet to provide for her daughter Reese. Emery been a huge fan of Oliver and his brother's music, so she's surprised when she finds him at the bar she's working at. Oliver is completely drunk and rude when he meets Emery, and after an altercation she saves him.

“You found me when my heartbeats were hardly there, and you stamped it. You stamped my heart, and that’s why it’s still beating.”

Oliver is a great guy and I personally would've loved more flashbacks of his interaction with his brother. Brittainy really knows how to deliver an emotional punch. Especially the prologue broke my heart and brought tears to my eyes. I loved all the characters in this book and I thought they added value to the story. Reese was just the cutest and I loved her interaction with Oliver. I personally didn't love the decision made in the last quarter of the book. There was a bit too much going on in the last part of the book, which is one of my pet peeves. I don't need drama to mix things up, but if there is some then I definitely don't want it towards the end of the book, because it takes away from the time the couple could've spend together to grow even stronger as a couple.

Overall, I really enjoyed The Mixtape and I wouldn't have minded it being part of a series. I especially would've loved for Emery's sister Sammie and Oliver's assistant Kelly to get their own books. The author writes the best characters and I am always able to fully connect with them. This book is a great summer read, and I highly recommend it to all romance lovers.

Simply breathtaking. When I hear certain songs, they definitely jog particular memories. I’m sure that is true for most of us. Sounds, smells and tastes can all take us back in time. Until this book, I never realized that each of us truly has a mixtape that represents our lives. Oliver has been through a tragic loss. Emery had seen her own tragedies of a different type. Until they met, both of their lives had been effected by music, and many of the songs were the same. This is a beautiful love story that is told in such a unique fashion. Brittainy C Cherry truly takes you on a lyrical roller coaster of loss, love and discovery in The Mixtape. Five amazing stars for one of the most creatively told love stories I’ve ever been blessed to read.

When his brother Alex is killed in a car accident, Oliver can’t help but blame himself. Now their Alex and Oliver duo is ruined and Oliver isn’t sure he will ever be able to play for a crowd again, after all, they want outgoing Alex, not him. When he drinks his sorrows away in the bar down the street from the performance he is supposed to be playing, he finds an unexpected friend in the bartender who saves him from the paparazzi storming the front doors.

Oh hi, just sitting her tearing up after finishing this book! It was a little bit Idea Of You, but I think it was better! My heart absolutely broke for Oliver and the loss that he faced losing his twin at such a young age. I also gasped several times while reading the way Emory’s parents spoke to her. I wanted to jump through the pages and smack them so dang hard. The friendship between Oliver an Emory just warmed my heart as they grew closer throughout the book, and Reese was just the absolute best little kid! I definitely recommend this one!