I really enjoyed this book! The characters were relatable, real life, and not over the top. I felt their emotions on both the highs and the devastating lows. I couldn't put the book down. I just wanted to know what would happen to the lovely characters next. The romance was believable but still swept you off your feet! Fantastic book, highly recommended!

Points for diversity but there was a lot to unpack. Some surprises but was disappointed how some things were left. It seems trying to have a few storylines going at once is a lot to take on and be able to give them all the attention needed. Guess I expected more or maybe less.
I received an advanced copy of this book from Netgalley for my honest review.

I love it when a book surprises me completely and I find myself wanting to do nothing more that read it all until it's finished and then beating myself up afterwards for being so impatient! SET TO MUSIC did that for me. This is a new to me author, so I didn't think much of it when I decided to give it a go, but I loved the cover and was intrigued my the blurb. Plus, Latino rock star! 😉

Both Darya and Anthony were great characters to get to know. I admired Darya's tenacity and loyalty to her mom. She may not have agreed with everything her culture/mom required of her, but she took it in stride and found ways to make it work for her, until she couldn't and found herself between a rock and a hard place. In a similar fashion, Anthony was content but not completely happy with his rockstar lifestyle but his loyalty to his brother and band members kept him going until he felt like he was being ripped in two--the man who loved music and the guy who just wanted to be normal. Darya and Anthony had a lot more in the common that what you could see in the surface and it was that connection that ultimately brought them together.

I loved that the author allowed the reader a chance to experience first-hand how Darya and Anthony's initial connection grew and strengthened as the story progressed. With candid conversations, flirtatious banter and heart wrenching confessions, Negeen Papehn made Darya and Anthony's connection jump off the page which in turn made me fully-invested in their story. I loved it! Of course, it also helped that their chemistry was explosive. Between heated looks, whispered words and stolen touches, these two made slow burn enjoyable. 😏

I also enjoyed the range in emotions throughout the story. I think it helped balance out the romance with the other events that were happening. I appreciated the lighter, carefree moments that allowed me to get to know Darya as a young independent woman away from her mother's watchful eye. But I also loved experiencing her conflicting thoughts in regards to what she wanted versus what was expected of her. As for the other emotions the author brought to the page, all I have to say is keep a box of tissues handy. This book wrecked me!!! Even knowing what was coming, I was utterly unprepared for the avalanche of emotions I encountered.

Ultimately, it was the fact that the author didn't go the traditional rock star romance route and that she brought a diverse cast of characters into the story that made this story such and amazing one for me. I enjoyed the camaraderie between the band members and how easily they included Darya into their world. But I especially enjoyed Carlos and Mike and I hope I get to read their story someday. I think it would be epic!

All in all, an emotional romantic story with the right amount of angst versus heat that will have you reaching for the tissues while you gain a greater sense of appreciation for where you came from and the ones you call family.

This book touches on a lot of topics, career, cultural differences, career paths, family, and there are a lot emotional scenes. Darya is a doctor who on the last minutes of her sint in the ER has a patient that will turn out be the catalyst and a turning point in her life. She quickly becomes involved in his life, his career and most importantly his brother. I loved all the scenes with Carlos, Anthony et all but I did not enjoy the ones with her mom., I understand that the author wanted to show the differences in cultures and how it shapes our present however, I think that there was opportunity to help educate her mom. It may not have changed her mind but I think it was a missed opportunity. However, the scenes with her mom and sister as they accompany her were very moving and I did not think that this book would take me on a such emotional ride.

I was given the opportunity to read this book for free through Net Galley in return for my unbiased review.

Set to Music is an adorable romance between an ER Dr. and a superstar. It's not your stereotypical rockstar/normal person romance as it shows you glimpses into a Latino family and Iranian family. Darya and Anthony quickly find out that even though they grew up with a different ethnic background, their families are very similar when you get down to the core. Darya follows Anthony and his band on your as she monitors his brother and Anthony is Darya's rock when she faces some very difficult life events.
The character development will make you absolutely love Anthony, his brother and the other members of the band and also Darya and her sister Niloo. The dialogue between everyone makes you hear their voices and feel like you are there with them.

I HIGHLY recommend this book if you enjoy a good romance!

Sweet romance. My favorite part is how both characters are fully adjusted adults. I loved how the author deals with loss and having to choose between love and career. This is smart, funny, and a pleasure to read.

A lovely story about love and family devotion.

I was provided with an ARC of this book by NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

3.5 stars.

I requested this book because I love rock star romances and I was excited to see a more diverse version. Plus, this author was new to me and I always love discovering new writers. While there are some great things about this book, mainly the diversity of the characters and the representation they offer, I also liked how MC Darya was intelligent and confident. She knew she was great at her job and she was not going to let anyone underestimate her. Her love interest, Anthony, is a total cinnamon roll, and he cares deeply for his family and friends.

The reason I could not rate this book higher is that I felt like the pacing was not quite right. I could not figure out how long of a time passed between the beginning and end of the book, but it didn't make sense to me. Also, there were SO MANY different conflicts that came up that it just became too much. And then almost half of them remained unresolved, which left me dissatisfied.

While there are some sweet parts of this story, and some good steamy scenes as well, I was overall left underwhelmed.

This book broke my heart into little pieces, and beautifully so. The romance is true and deep and hot. But the familial love is the tear-jerker. Darya, the heroine, loves her mother and sister and without question puts their needs above her own. But at what cost to herself? The daughter guilt she feels is very real and very relatable.

I can only hope their is another book or two set in this world because I felt that both Carlos and Niloo, separately, have unfinished business, and I am very curious to know what may happen next!

I received a copy of this book from the publisher through NetGalley. All opinions are my own.

There's a lot to love about this Own Voices rock star romance, from the compelling, likable characters, to the slow burn, to the heartfelt moments. I loved the opposites attract feel, and how these two very different people came together under unexpected circumstances. It was a little too serious, a little too emotional, and the Big Fight lasted a little too long, but I enjoyed this for the most part. Definitely enough to read more from the author. This hero has got to be the most loyal, lovable rock star I've ever read about, and the story is both sweet and sexy.

The story follows Darya, an Iranian doctor who has been focused on her career for years. She hasn't had time to think of much else, so when a rock star comes into her ER, she doesn't have the typical reaction. Anthony is used to people seeking him out for the attention, and he's tired of the strings that come with fame. So meeting a serious, intelligent woman like Darya stops him in his tracks. There's an immediate attraction between them, and Anthony would love to have something real in his life. When Darya joins the band on tour to care for Anthony's brother, the two get closer - but life is bound to get in the way.

It's been awhile since I've read a book that was so inclusive in a real, meaningful way. The author incorporates plenty of Darya's Iranian culture, while contrasting it to Anthony's experiences as a Latino and a heartthrob. There's also a same sex couple, the impending loss of a loved one, and plenty of family scenes, which give this a distinct feel. I found the writing style to be interesting and easy to read, though there were times when the serious tone bordered on boring. There were a couple of lulls in the story for me, especially in the final act, which really threatened to bring my rating down. But I get what the author was trying to accomplish with it; that angst and emotion was always going to be a necessary part of the journey. For me, the good - the authenticity, the relationship, and the slow burn (yet still sexy) romance - outweighed the bad. I received an early copy and am voluntarily leaving a review of this rock star romance.

I enjoyed the diversity and had such a fun time reading this. I loved getting to know Anthony and Darya and had so much fun getting to know all of the other characters. I recommend this to anyone who enjoys character driven stories.

Set to Music is a romance book that follows hard working doctor Darya and rock superstar Anthony, who meet at a time in which both are dealing with difficult and terrifying family situations., This book invests in family first and foremost, and I found Darya's relationship with her younger sister Niloo and Anthony's relationship with his younger brother Carlos to be the heart of this novel.

Anthony and Darya fall hard and fast -- which often is not my speed (is that a pun?). While I really loved the two of them together, these are two are incredibly busy people with careers they love -- and thus, do not have much time together. I enjoyed the way in which both of their cultures (Mexican heritage for Anthony, Persian heritage for Darya) are integrated into the story and inform their characters -- and serve as a basis in which they come together to have shared experiences and values.

A warning -- this book deals with a cancer diagnosis, and it is heartbreaking and I may have experienced some allergies that caused my eyes to water towards the end. I have experienced loss close to me, and I think that the aspects of grief and loss were portrayed well.

Overall, I would give this 3.5/5 stars, and you should pick it up if you want something that is emotionally moving in addition to having some spice and romance. Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an early review copy, all opinions are my own.

I was given an ARC for an honest review. Two stars out of five. (my rating system: [one star = no.] [two stars = meh] [three stars = okay] [four stars = yes.] [five stars = wow!])

This was my first book from Negeen Papehn. I was so happy to finally have a nonwhite female mc and a multicultural aspect/focus in this novel. The representation of common themes that occur in first generation immigrant households especially as an eldest daughter myself felt comfortably relatable. That being said the fact that Darya was Iranian was emphasized so heavily/constantly felt like it was too much. Almost every other page I felt brought it up. I understand that her cultural background/ethnicity is the foundation of who she is but it felt distracting from the story. This book took me so long to read because quite frankly I wasn’t into it. I kept dragging it out and eventually forced myself to finish it. I personally do not enjoy insta love and Darya and Anthony definitely had a serious instant connection.

Plot Summary:
Darya Zameeni is an ER doctor with a boatload of responsibilities who can't afford distractions such as famous rockstar Anthony Castillo. But when the band Ternura comes through her ER doors and Anthony makes her an offer she can’t refuse because she needs the money to support her sick mother and younger sister… She’s forced to spend time with Anthony on tour; she can’t deny their attraction. They both prioritize family above all else and they both know going their separate ways would be the smartest choice. But the smartest choice isn't always the right choice… Darya’s torn between continuing being her mother’s perfect Iranian daughter or finally making decisions for herself..

Overall, I think people who want to read something from poc main characters and are into the plot summary should definitely give this a try!

Well, what can I say?? I went into this book thinking it would just be a type of dark romance novel but I was so wrong. I loved the story and the author was so descriptive you could feel everything. The topic in the book was close to my heart so it was very emotional. I loved the book so much and cannot wait to read more by the author.

**I received a copy of the book in exchange for a voluntary and honest review. My opinions are my own and not solicited in any way.**

Warning: YOU will need tissues for the ending even at 2 am because I couldn't put it down. But all in all this was a great book with both traditional Iranian customs, a successful rock band (who really weren't typical rock stars) and cancer diagnosis for Darya's mom. Anyone who has had this is their family know so well how devastating it is especially the loss of someone. So I give Set to Music a 4.5 Star rating.

Darya's a ER doctor overloaded with student loan debt, a rock star, Carlos, with a heart condition, a mom whose bad marriage pain affects her daughters then his brother, Anthony, offers enough money to make sure he finishes their current tour. Hmm what to do?? Anyone who has a huge student loan debt would take the offer without hesitation. But again she has to decide to leave her mom's treatments to her younger sister Niloo.

The description on how a band tours is spot on and yes it will cause problems when Darya has problems with the paparazzi and the stress on her mom's last weeks but in the end it's a song for Anthony that Carlos and Darya write that will bring these two people together.

An interesting story of a cross cultural romance. Darya is of Iranian descent with all the expectations that go with being a female in that culture. Anthony is of Mexican heritage and a rockstar. Although this is a romance story it also deals heavily with the cultural aspect and how it impacts the relationship. It also looks at how it impacts parenting and child rearing. There is also the issues of health and loss in both cultures that is discussed. In the overall though, it is about fighting for the life and love you want and achieving it.

More of Ternura please!

Dr. Darya Zameeni as all about being the dutiful Persian daughter and working in the emergency room but meeting singer Anthony Castillo of Grammy wining band Ternura changes everything. Dayra is hired by Anthony to keep an eye on his brother’s heart arrhythmia as they finish their latest tour as they draw closer together.

Set to Music is a book that made fall back in love with rockstar romances because the wonderful connection between Darya and Anthony and different cultures with Darya being Persian. I would love to see more books about the band especially Mike and Carlos.

I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book from NetGalley. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

I liked the premise of this romance, in that an ER doctor with an Iranian background, Darya and a rock star with a Mexican background, Anthony, get together, despite their slightly different backgrounds and completely different lifestyes.

It starts out as though Darya is going to fall for the brother of Anthony, Carlos, since he is the one that is brought in to ER. In face, she describes him as though he is going to be the love interest, which threw me off at first.

What I did like is that Darya is very strong and independent, but I can't believe that she would go on tour with the band, while her mother is battling stage 3 cancer, but I guess we all have to go things for money. But, I would have thought that she would have been too stressed to bother falling in love, but hey, I guess that is the way it goes?

What I didn't like was the other musician, Carlos, is having a love affair with his body guard, Mike, who is also Iranian-American, but he is closeted. I don't mind that Carlos is closeted, but we never see what happens with them when Anthony learns about the afraid. Carlos is afraid to come out, and it is left at that. Later, we see Mike hanging out with Darya, because, well, they are both of Iranian decent, so why not? Sorry, but that just didn't follow for me.

I'm not saying this was a bad romance, but I felt the Carlos thing should really be better wrapped up. It could be a great addition to the story. And perhaps explain why Mike is suddenly hanging around Darya other than the fact that they are both of Iranian decent.

Some things that should be edited out, that sound like they come from a the era of pre-covid, is that Darya says that diseases aren't transferrable between species.

Also, a personal problem, I'm not going to gripe about smells, because that is in every romance I have ever read, but what is this thing about doing dishes as a way to relax. Is that really that much of a thing? I have now seen three romances that have that in them.

And I agree with another reviewer that asked for a trigger warning about the mother dying of cancer. Having been there when my mother died, it was a bit close to what I experienced, though once the morphine was in her system, she just never woke up again.

<em>Thanks to Netgalley for making this book available for an honest review.</em>

Really enjoyed this book and the story between Anthony and the "pretty lady doctor". Even the sub character stories were good reading! Enjoyed the depths of the characters and the entire storyline.

This story was really enjoyable. I loved how the main characters; Anthony
and Darya were written. They were multidimensional and were not afraid to show their vulnerabilities, I especially appreciated this for the main male character, Anthony, who was able to express his feelings to his love interest with no hesitation. The way they were able to build their connection was a slow burn, and they were able to add a layer of friendship to the romance.
Also, the way both main characters' heritage played a part in driving the plot was really cool.