A great love story with some heart-tugging drama.
With a thrilling plot and a superb story, Marian L. Thomas has penned a superb and entertaining story.
Mya thinks she's found love when a handsome new guy shows up. Now she has to find someone who will love her just as she is.
There were a number of funny characters in this book.
Thomas has a great talent for creating vivid and realistic characters. What I liked the most is the ending. It was just what I wanted.
There are some great details that make this book hard to put down. The plot is straightforward and the events unfold at a perfect pace.
My heart has been captivated by this must-read fiction story.
I highly recommend it.

This book gave exactly me exactly what I needed as a relatively new-to-romance reader. I fell in love with Mya and one of her relationships and was so pleased with how the characters grew together. After losing her mother, Mya finds herself in between two compelling relationships and a singing career that is just starting to take off. This book talks about grief and love after loss in a way that is so kind to readers who have been in similar experiences. Thomas' writing is fluid and easy on the eyes and brain, slipping beautiful prose into a contemporary setting.

Someone Like Me by Marian L. Thomas was a great read. I featured it as Book of the Day on all my social media platforms and I included it in my monthly roundup of new releases for my Black Fiction Addiction blog.

I was not expecting to like this book as much as I did. This book I was able to fly through and just loved the characters as well as the flow of the story. I felt sorry for Michael at first, then I ended up changing my mind by the end of the story. I'm happy with the ending and the way the story worked out. This was such a beautiful coming of age story that kept me interested and intrigued from beginning to end. I really enjoyed this book, and I think this might be my first read from this author, but it surely won't be my last.

This book started out great, the author had me in that very first chapter and I kept reading because I was glued and then somewhere after that, it's as though she lost me and I truly wanted to enjoy the story but my interest was gone. I think, I will read it again, because I've got to see Mya' through, for some reason there's got to be a way to pick up on that first connection.
Thank you Netgalley and the publisher for the eARC. I'm sorry it took me a while to post my take on this.

This was a DNF for me. I was really disappointed but I just could not really get into it.

The first chapter was really intriguing and the writing style was interesting but there were just some things that did not sit well with me. The first was Jack telling Mya that she needed to find a purpose in her life and that she is capable of doing more, then follows it up with a suggestion that she needs to find a husband? Tying up her worth and value in that just did not sit right with me. Then the dialogue with Jack just seemed a little odd after that.

I'm sure the rest of the story is good and I am bummed I did not like it, but I just cannot really bring myself to finish it to be honest.

Thank you for the opportunity to review.

Thanks to NetGalley and DartFrog Blue for graciously providing an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Someone Like Me by Marian L. Thomas is a BEAUTIFUL coming of age romance novel that delivers! I found myself rooting for the main character, Myá all throughout as she found herself and a love of her own.

Myá has a past. A past that haunts her and guilt that consumes her. After losing her mother at a young age, she finds herself homeless, hungry and exhausted just trying to make it from one day to the next. At eighteen, survival mode for her is the norm, until she meets thirty-five year old Zee who takes her in and gives her in the very least some sense of security. Until one evening he attempts to rob the store of a former boss and is killed in the process. Myá is forever changed after spending five years locked away as a result of the sum of her choices leading to that tragic day.

Thomas takes us on a journey with Myá as she navigates her life as an adult who’s simply trying to stay out of trouble and maybe even purchase her own home one day. She lacks confidence and self-esteem and has a lot of work to do on herself. It is a godsend when she meets and begins working for married couple Mary and Jack who in time become family to her, guiding and supporting her smallest and largest dreams including her desire to sing and to find and know love. So much so that when she meets Michael, it is love at first sight for the both of them until their respective pasts catch up to them both and calls to question if their love is enough. And while this is a fantastic romance tale, it is so much more!

The writing here is thoughtful and the characters consistent. The twists and turns presented kept me totally engaged. I wonder if this is the last we will see of Myá. I sure hope not!

FIRST IMPRESSION:

I pretty much requested this ARC as soon as I saw that gorgeous cover! Isn’t that cover stunning? If I had enjoyed the story a little more, I would have totally bought a physical copy to appreciate how beautiful that cover would be on my shelves! Also, I haven’t read enough women’s fiction, so this with a side of romance seemed the perfect choice.

THE GOOD BITS:

The author uses some beautiful language at certain points of the novel and I love how beautiful the words feel on my lips!

Mýa’s growth from shy and meek waitress to an independent and beautiful woman who enjoys her life was truly wonderful to read about. The author does an excellent job of using words to show how Mýa’s thoughts and actions change with time.

The story is set in the mid-1990s and I loved the vibe of the jazz bars. Of Mýa shopping at Goodwill and working at a pancake restaurant. I do wish that there had been more detail on the fashion trends of that time.

I loved the dynamic and energy that Jack and Mary brought to the story. They really deliver the parental support Mýa needs and some great cute, funny scenes for the reader.

There is this huge plot twist that I never saw coming! And I loved it!

THE NOT-SO-GOOD BITS:

My biggest problem with this book was that the synopsis covers the whole plot until maybe up to the last couple of chapters. In my opinion, a story should reach way beyond the synopsis and present us with a lot more story and world-building. But when it comes to Someone Like Me, the synopsis is the whole plot of this book!

The romance was sorely lacking here… and confusing. The major twist that is hinted at in the synopsis happens at like the 60% mark of the story and we hardly get to meet Matt much. Instead, we got numerous slow chapters of Michael and Mýa. Also, the romance was limited to their conversations and vague mentions of them kissing, and um, that felt so dry to me!

I got real tired of Mýa’s obsession with ‘Love Lane’ and ‘Marriage Lane’! Those two phrases were way overused!

Some lines felt so scripted. I genuinely had a hard time imagining characters actually speaking like that.

FINAL VERDICT:

I loved the premise of this book and what the author aimed to do with it, but I find the execution sorely lacking and it ended up not meeting my expectations. It is a great read to anyone who loved watching the main character grow and thrive along with some wholesome scenes, but I wouldn’t stick around for the romance.

Mya has had a hard life. With decisions, she deeply regrets but she's attempting to make the right decisions going forward.

Although there is romance between Michael and Matt this is a story of Mya's growth in her music, life and confidence.

She needs to trust her heart and choose the right man

This is a great story as a coming into one own type story
For me, there could have been more romance but all in all a decent story about

Someone Like Me follows Mya as she finds love, and on the way, finds herself. Five years before we find Mya, she hesitates before stopping her boyfriend as he robs a gas station. That hesitation ends up costing several lives, and sends Mya to a rehabilitation program for five years. Now Mya is working with her found family in their restaurant when she meets Michael. They quickly fall in love and it seems like everything is leading towards a quick engagement. Everything seems to be falling into place as Mya gets her dream job as well. But suddenly everything changes and Mya needs to figure out how to move forward and how to love again.

My favorite part of this book was Mya's growth throughout the novel. She begins as a shy girl who doesn't hold much self worth, but she slowly and surely gains confidence in her voice as a singer but also as a woman. I found myself cheering her on at the end as she stood up to the men who didn't value her. The whole last 10% was much more emotional than I thought it was going to be!

However, there were a few things I didn't love. The dialogue in the book felt a little forced and would take me out of the story. I also wish that the big conflict would have happened earlier in the novel so that we had more time to sit in second half. I didn't get quite as attached as I would have liked because there were only a few pages left when new characters were introduced.

I think since this book was presented to me as a romance I was expecting too much in that vain. I think this novel is much more about Mya and her growth and the men who just so happen to help her figure these things out.

I enjoyed this story of Mya, a woman trying to overcome her past and her insecurities to find her way in the world. As a girl, she faced cruel remarks from a boy, leaving her self-conscious about her appearance. After her mother's death, she was caught up in a crime that resulted in a death. A kind couple have taken an interest in her, serving as surrogate parents while she works for them at their diner. But between her past is never far away.

Mya is an easy character to like, as are the couple who help her. I found her story believable and interesting. The pacing was slightly off. As is noted in the book description, a "painful memory" disrupts a romantic relationship. When this memory is shown in the story, there is a lot of aftermath. What was missing was the emotional blow of the discovery - her world slowing down as the shock slams into her. I wanted to feel her horror in the moment, but the author blew right past it to the pain of sharing it with her loved one.

The book is a very quick read. It could have used a bit more fleshing out in spots. But overall, it was a nice story that has a lot to say about being brave and going for big dreams.

This is a clean romance.

Someone Like Me by Marian L. Thomas is a story about advice, forgiveness and love. After a very troubling past, Mya finally gets a fresh start with the help of Mary and Jack. A new romance with Michael Davis has her doing eighty miles per hour down Love Lane. That is, until a painful memory causes their romance to come to a halt.
She then meets Jacks nephew, Matt and he slowly works his way into Mya's heart.

I enjoyed reading this book, it was slow in the beginning but picked up towards the end, shifting from the year 1994 to 1995, Mya deals with self-esteem issues but is developed really well throughout the novel. She is the only character i really liked, besides Jack who was always there for her and wanted the best for her. Both Michael and Matt were written very similar, almost like they were the same characters, so i couldn't really connect with them and found myself really disliking Michael.

I liked how the main focus in this book was singing and Mya chasing after her dreams. I disliked the dialogue between the characters, it was very unnatural but overall the plot, writing and the themes of the story were amazing!
Thank you to NetGalley and the author/publisher for the opportunity to read an advance copy in exchange for an honest review.

If a sweet romance with heart-tugging drama sounds appealing, this book is for you. It’s one that will make you want to have a Nina Simone album playing softly in the background while reading.

I liked the main character Mya, a woman finding her strength and self worth after losing her mother and making a heartbreakingly fateful decision at too early an age. She finds love and support in her found family of Jack and Mary, as well as love with two very different men.

While drama and tear jerking moments in a romance are not my usual preference, I liked that the story stays very warm and inviting throughout. I felt like I was right there with the characters.

What I especially loved was the sweet and supportive relationship between Mya, Jack and Mary, and that the memory of Mya’s mother was included throughout the story.

Ultimately, the pacing of this book was a little too slow for my personal taste and the conversations between characters seemed a little stilted at times. But, the pace did pick up in the last half of the book and the end was tender and satisfying. I was rooting for Mya the whole way! I give this book 3.5 stars.

Thank you to NetGalley and the author/publisher for the opportunity to read this advance copy in exchange for an honest review. Reviews will be posted to Goodreads and Instagram close to time of publication.

Description
Since her mother’s death, Mýa Day has been no stranger to lose. But with a budding new singing career on the horizon and help from Jack and Mary Tanner, a couple that understands from experience how a troubled past can prevent someone from having a better life, Mýa finally gets a fresh start.

A new romance with Michael Davis, a handsome real estate agent, also has Mýa doing eighty miles per hour down Love Lane. That is until a painful memory throws up a roadblock and causes the couple’s joyride to come to a screeching halt.

Enter Matt Tanner—Jack’s nephew with magnetic blue eyes and a welcoming smile. He slowly works his way into Mýa’s heart, showing her the kind of love that fits like a perfect pair of blue jeans. But when a tragedy strikes and Michael reappears, Mýa must choose between the men in her life, come to terms with her grief, and seek out an answer to the question that’s been burning in her heart.

Can you love someone like me?

It just did not work for me. I wanted to Love ya Day. I may revisit it, seemed to be many errors and just slow.

My thanks to NetGalley for this advance copy.

This novel would benefit from some proof reading, as there are several typos, which I found irritating. I also found the opening chapters off putting, albeit they were necessary to set the scene, they nearly stopped me continuing as I was sceptical how the story would develop. It seemed to have been written for a young audience, but this was part of the simplistic beauty of it.

Mya’s past eventually catches up with her and she has no option but to tell her secret to the man she loves, take the consequences and move on. Life’s about seizing chances, often these might be second chances. Move on and look forward not backwards and goals van be achieved.

An easy endearing read and I particularly liked the sectioning enabling break points in my reading. A plus side to this novel was the idea of journalling, which at the time of Covid19, may prove beneficial and therapeutic to many a reader.

What an amazing book! It was honestly perfect!

The book tells the story of Mya who has been through a lot after losing her mother. Life wasn't easy on her and with a past, like hers, she lost all confidence in herself. She thought that she doesn't deserve to be a singer nor to be in love. But with the help of Jack and Mary, who became her only family, she gets a fresh start.
When she takes jack's advice and starts to live her life she meets Michael and they both begin their journey down Love Lane. But her past did not leave her alone when a painful memory wrecks things between them.
After losing hope of fixing things with Michael, Mya meets Matt, Jack's nephew. And he starts working his way into her heart. However, life didn't leave her be. A tragedy strikes and Michael reappears, making things even more difficult.
She has to choose!

This book easily became one of my favorites. I loved the writing style and the story was beyond amazing.
It was so gripping and gave me all kinds of feels. It made me laugh and cry!
A heartbreaking yet breathtaking story!
I loved the characters so much (especially Jack!). They all felt so real and captured my attention effortlessly.
I genuinely enjoyed this astonishing book and would highly recommend reading it!

Thanks to NetGalley, the publisher, and the author for providing me with an ARC in exchange for an honest review.