📞calling all followers of the Justin Timberlake + Britney Spears saga this is the book for you!!

I loved FUNNY YOU SHOULD ASK so I was SO excited to get my hands on this one but it didn’t pack the same oooomph for me 🤷🏻‍♀️ but still an overall good book!!

✨second chance romance
✨childhood friends to lovers to enemies to lovers
✨former pop stars turned broadway stars
✨past + present timelines

It felt a bit too surface level for me it could’ve used “more feeling” ya get it? 🥲😅

This was a great second-chance romance novel. With multiple timelines that tell the beginning, middle, and end of Cal and Kathleen's love journey, Sussman makes their love story believable. Each timeline has a unique tone that fits with Kathleen's age during that part of the story, which gives the reader the feeling of getting to grow up with Kathleen. Set against the backdrops of drama camp, pop star fame, and the road to Broadway, I felt immersed in each stage of Kathleen's life. Admittedly, it took a while to sympathize with Kathleen, which was hard for me, but it was worth sticking it out. Kathleen and Cal are both flawed characters who made mistakes, but that just makes their second chance so much more worth it! And, as a fan of musicals, the Broadway backdrop was a lot of fun!

Once More With Feeling- ⭐️🌶️

A former pop star finds herself back in the spotlight —along with an old flame from her past—in this friends-to-lovers meets enemies-to-lovers story from the bestselling author of Funny You Should Ask, the sensational TikTok romance!  

Then. Katee Rose is living the dream as America's number one pop star, caught in a whirlwind of sold-out concerts, screaming fans, and constant tabloid coverage. Everyone wants to know everything about her and her boyfriend, Ryan LaNeve, the hottest member of adored boy band CrushZone. Katee loves to perform but hates the impossible demands of stardom. Maybe that's why she finds herself in the arms of another CrushZone member, Cal Kirby. Quiet, serious Cal, who's always been a good friend to Katee, is suddenly Cal with the smoldering eyes and very good hands. One unforgettable night is all it takes to blow up Katee's relationship with Ryan, her career, her whole life... 

Now. Kathleen Rosenberg is okay with her ordinary existence, and leaving her pop star image in the past. That is, until Cal Kirby shows up with the opportunity of her dreams—a starring role in the Broadway show he’s directing and a chance to perform the way she’s always wanted. The two haven’t spoken since the joint destruction of their careers, and each of them blames the other, making their reunion a tense battle of wits and egos. Kathleen reluctantly agrees to the musical, as long as she keeps her guard up around Cal. But rehearsals are long, those eyes still smolder, and those hands are still very good. Despite everything, Kathleen can’t deny the chemistry between them. Is it ever a good idea to reignite old flames? Especially if you’ve been burned in the past?

✨My Opinion✨
Well, if it isn’t Britney and Justin… as a second chance romance. Only neither of them are as likable as I would want. Their individual personalities aren’t as flushed out as they could have been. Having more than one example of a character trait, like being a people pleaser or great director, is helpful.

I wish there had been more MC interactions with their cast members. One side character is nicely established, then disappears until the end of the book?

As a musical theatre kid, I loved all the Sondheim references!

It was still a cute book. The tension was great. The plot was good. I adored the reveal at the end!

Thank you Random House Publishing and NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review!

I love books from Ms. Sussman, and this one did not disappoint! Kathleen and Cal are totally swoonworthy, and it was so fun to hear the story of these two former pop stars. I'll continue to grab Ms. Sussman books as soon as they hit the shelves!

Elissa Sussman writes a good second chance/enemies-to-lovers romance, and I’m a sucker for it! Once More with Feeling brought me back to my childhood of boy bander/pop star relationships with a side of broadway! The life-long friendship Kathleen has with Harriet is the kind that every woman desires, the brutally honest but still have your back kind. The flash-backs to theater camp and Kathleen’s pop star days as Katee and Cal’s time in a boy band provided great context and depth to their characters. It made you root for them more! I do wish we would have gotten Cal’s point of view to flesh out his character a little more to understand more of his backstory. If you loved Funny You Should Ask, then you should definitely pick up Once More with Feeling (you even get a couple of tiny Easter eggs from FYSA!)

Thank you to Random House Publishing, Ballentine, Dell and NetGalley for providing an ARC for review. Once More with Feeling will be released May 30,2023.

This is a great book! Elissa Sussman is a fabulous author. I loved her last book, “Funny You Should Ask” and I was excited to pick this one up. It did not disappoint. It is a second chance love story with a side of child fame, broadway, friendships and enemies to lovers. It had history, passion and depth. I love the way Sussman writes & really draws you into the emotions of a story without it being too cheesy. My only complaint is I wish it was a bit longer with a bit more time spent on the present. That’s probably just because I didn’t want it to end!

This book was just pure fun! I reviewed Sussman’s other book last year, and while I enjoyed it, I didn’t love it because of the insta-love quality. One chapter into this book and I knew it was way more up my alley! Once More with Feeling was just that… another Sussman book, but once more, with feeling! I loved it!

Why 4 stars:
- A duel timeline always keeps things interesting (this one almost had a triple timeline thanks to the childhood summer camp flashbacks!)
- I’m a sucker for an enemies-to-lovers romance. Idk something about them are just so satisfying and sexy!
- The perfect romance for all the wannabe theater kids out there (like me)! All the musical references made me pause my favorite summer playlist and crank up the showtunes!
- Kathleen and Harriet’s friendship was realistic and relatable. Having a best friend that knows you better than your family isn’t always movie marathons and fun travel. It’s hard, sometimes harsh, but always 100% worth it.
- Boybands used to be (maybe still are) my kryptonite. N*SYNC or Backstreet Boys?
- Ending felt too soon! I wish the book was longer so I could spend more time with Kathleen and Cal

“You don’t forget your first duet partner”

Once More with Feeling is the perfect, quick angsty romance to get you ready for summer (and showtunes)! I highly recommend it! Thanks SO much NetGalley, Penguin Group Putnam, and Random House Publishing Group for this ARC!

This was fun! I’m a big Broadway fan so a story that takes place in that world was definitely a fun read. Perfect Summer read.

If you love the theater, especially musicals, then this book is for you. Sussman weaves Kathleen’s story through the continual back and forth between then and now as you slowly discover how Kathleen went from Pop Princess to has been. The amazing friendship between Kathleen and Harriet, plus the rocky romance between Kathleen, Ryan and Cal give you plenty of characters to root for or despise as they all do whatever it takes to achieve and keep their success. Once More With Feeling, shows us the road to Broadway is paved with luck, drama and jazz hands!

I sadly just couldn’t get into it. Life to short to commit to an okay book when you could find one that provides a fantastic escape! I tried to as keep going and ultimately I know other will enjoy it more for books appeal to everyone in a different way! Thank you for providing this ARC for me to try reading.

I reallllly enjoyed this one. And let’s be real, the cover is BEAUTIFUL. I highly recommend this one to all! 5 stars.

Okay I loved this! I loved Funny You Should Ask but I loved this one even more! It was a super cute fun read. I loved the tropes and banter. Overall great read!!

I would like to start off this review by saying thank you to Taylor from Penguin Random House for sending me this ARC! Now let’s get into it!

Former pop star Katee Rose has fallen from grace after her boyband ex ruins her career. Fast forward to 10 years later, Katee (now Kathleen), is trying to make her comeback on Broadway. Will we be successful or will her ghosts of the past come back to haunt her?

Wow. I loved this one so much. I was a fan of “Funny You Should Ask” but I loved this one even more. This was the perfect second chance romance of my DREAMS. I love the celebrity tropes. I love the comeback story but most of all I loved the friendship in this. Kathleen was a character who had short comings but was able to make the best of it.

There was so much commentary on mental health, growth, and portrayal of woman in the media. Kathleen’s career was destroyed through word of mouth. Social media loves to burn women at the stake when they don’t do the “right” thing. Kathleen wasn’t able to bounce back after all the things that were being said about her. Nasty comments being made about her body and appearance online. This book felt so real and shook me to my core. It so accurately discusses these topics in respect how it happens in real life. How many times have you seen shameful headlines about celebrities? I loved the open discussion about mental health and mental health meds. I think it’s so important to incorporate these elements into stories to get in touch with readers. It’s easy to see romances as a “fairy tale” but with elements like these people can relate to them. This book was a breath of fresh air. If you’re looking for an uplifting and sweet romance book, this is for you!

Again, thank you so SO SO much Taylor for this ARC!

Thank you to NetGalley and Dell Publishing, part of Random House Publishing Group for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Once More With Feeling is an instant Rom-Com classic. It’s funny. The banter is A+. The sexual tension is undeniable. And Cal Kirby? Mr. Calvin Tyler Kirby. A Top Tier Book Boyfriend if I ever did see one. The honest way he talks about Kathleen and the way he supports her and is just head over heels in love with her? I’m SICK!!! She is his sun. His stars. His universe. And I am tired. I am fed up. Cal Kirby is now the standard and there is no real-life man that can live up to it.

But hang on,

We can’t forget about the real star of the show, our female protagonist, Kathleen. I wanted to wrap her up in a cozy blanket, hand her a warm mug of tea, and tell her to sort her shit out. So while being a pop star isn’t universally relatable, Kathleen’s feelings are. Kathleen is the epitome of Fake It Till You Make It in terms of self-confidence. She knows she’s talented–she wouldn’t be where she is if she wasn’t–but after spending so long as another person, as Katee Rose, doing things for other people and being someone she isn’t, she lost herself. She knows she’s talented–yet that tiny little worm of self-doubt can’t help but wiggle its way through her mind making her second guess everything.

I mean, oof… Am I right? But seriously, who hasn’t experienced insecurities like that? It’s gotta be all of us, right? Sussman has taken these universal feelings and written them in such a real way. It’s honest and vulnerable and refreshing to see in a Rom-Com.

I’m truly happy with Sussman’s newest novel and I know it’s not even out yet but I can’t wait for a movie adaptation. If you want to read something with the vibes of 90s-2000s pop stars meet Broadway musicals with a slow-burn romance to die for then this is the romance novel for you.

(full review to be posted on www.ilonaftoth.com/blog on 5/16/23)

Perhaps it's simply too many tropes in one story, or the interweaving timelines, but the enemies to lovers trope is not working for me. Cal and Kathleen as enemies seems forced and reads as immaturity on Kathleen's part. Perhaps if the timeline had been more straightforward this would have worked a bit better. Instead the character development comes off incredibly shallow. Taken for what it is, this was a fun light hearted read.

A former pop star finds herself back in the spotlight—along with an old flame from her past—in this friends-to-lovers meets enemies-to-lovers story. Katee Rose is living the dream as America’s number one pop star, she's on tour with Ryan LaNeve, the hottest member of adored boy band CrushZone and her summer camp friend and fellow CrushZone boy bander Cal Kirby. But as the tour ends boy drama causes Katee's career to end in a ball of flames. Now in the present time Kathleen Rosenberg lives a semi-normal life. That is until Cal Kirby shows up with the opportunity of her dreams—a starring role in the Broadway show he’s directing and a chance to perform, the way she’s always wanted. The two haven’t spoken since that night on tour. Their reunion is a tense battle of wits and egos. Kathleen reluctantly agrees to the musical, as long as she keeps her guard up around Cal. But rehearsals are long, those eyes still smolder, and those hands are still very good. Despite everything, Kathleen can’t deny the chemistry between them. Is it ever a good idea to reignite old flames? Especially if you’ve been burned in the past?

It's the Brittany Spears and Justin Timberlake break up if they had a third party and years later that person wound up working with Brittany again. I enjoyed this book so much! I am a theater nerd at heart so this was my perfect book! I loved the dual timelines putting the puzzle pieces together to figure out what happened that night on tour. I also stan a jewish main character who isn't stereotypical. There is plenty of angst between Cal and Kathleen for you enemies to lovers enthusiasts. I already want to give this one a re-read.

Thanks to the publisher for an ARC in return for an honest review. This book releases 5/30

2.25/5. Releases 5/30/2023.

For when you're vibing with... Britney Spears of yore, cultural commentary, theater kid energy, and maybe a bit of mess.

Katee Rose (really Kathleen Rosenberg) was a beloved pop star, and the girlfriend of even more beloved boybander Ryan LaNeve. Until it was revealed that she cheated on Ryan with his bandmate, Calvin Tyler Kirby. Years later, a has-been Katee is offered a stab at the Broadway role she's always wanted--by the show's director, Cal. She's willing to put aside her resentment for the opportunity; but it's not so easy when tension still simmers with the man she accidentally lost it all for.

So. This had some issues. I think there are many readers who'd absolutely love it. But--yeah. Issues.

Quick Takes:
--I was so excited about the plot of this book. Celebrity romance? Check. A couple brought together by cheating? Check. Sussman talking about how important sex is in media? Check. I love that shit. I requested the ARC and read Sussman's Funny You Should Ask as prep; it's not necessary for this read at all, but it's another "has-ebeen celebrity" second chance situation.

But here's the thing--after reading two books by Sussman, I don't know that she's a romance writer. I feel that these books are trying to be romance novels, but they are closer to women's fiction. I wish they'd just be women's fiction and stop stabbing at celebrity romance, to be real. She's a solid writer. I like the injection of tabloid journalism, the commentary on celebrity. But if there's one thing I don't appreciate, it's women's fiction sold as romance. Which is, for the record, not on Sussman, at least not entirely. However, her comments on sex in media really don't align with what's in these books. I'll get into that when I discuss the sex stuff.

--This book would've so benefited from Cal's POV. Most romances need to be dual POV to work (or multi POV if the romance is poly), I'll be real. However, some of my favorite celebrity romances are not dual POV; I'm thinking of Kylie Scott's Stage Dive series here. Total heroine POV. But the heroes are so well-written and so strong in terms of their voice and presence that it works. Here, especially when you're dealing with a lot of pining from the hero, a lot of unsaid longing--I think I just missed a lot by not being in his head. And it contributed to the sense that this was really just Katee's journey and Cal was there, versus Katee and Cal.

--Obviously, this entire premise is based on the Britney and Justin drama of yesteryear, and I have no problem with that. Let's compare it to American Royalty, another celebrity romance novel that is similarly based on a real celebrity moment--it's Harry x Meghan but if Meghan were MEGAN Thee Stallion, right? The thing is, that book gets why we're so interested; the deeper cultural commentary going on, as well as the general drama, the romance of a prince falling in love with an American performer.

The thing is, I think Sussman was a lot more interested in the cultural commentary than the drama. Which, fair! You can and should do both. I wanted to see the unfair treatment of Katee, our Britney stand in, acknowledged, (as well as the ways in which Ryan/Justin benefited from being the "wronged party") because to not do so would be shallow and dismissive. But part of why people were so sucked into that situation was the drama, right? And then, imagine if Britney had, in a very known way versus the implications from Justin, stepped out with one of his boys? A boy in the band? A boy in the boy band? It would've been massive. And I just never got that sense here.

Why? I think it's because the characters were ultimately pretty hollow and flat. I never really felt their emotion. And this situation is so fucking emotional, so scarring, so muddy--it should've been high drama, and it felt like the book thought it was too Cool and Smart for that. But this is romance. It's not about showing me how clever you are, it's about making me feel.

--Also, and this is something I struggled with in the last Sussman book I read... This hero? He ain't a hero. I'm fine with heroes fucking up. I love it when heroes fuck up! One of my favorite heroes cheated on the heroine. But what Cal does here--he wasn't the cheater, sure, but he did sleep with the cheater, and he basically did nothing while she got roasted by the public sphere and lost her career. It would be kind of hard for me to buy into him being forgiven, but not impossible. He would've needed to grovel a lot. Honestly? He doesn't. It feels like the book is saying "well, it is what it is, live and let live, we all make mistakes", which, fine, but he left this girl out in the cold and this is a fucking romance novel, or claims to be. Does he even like Katee that much?

The Sex Stuff:
So... the sex was better than it was in Funny You Should Ask. It's still kind of vague. I think at one point she's the sea and he's the shore (cowgirl). But for all that you get these buzz phrases about sex in media, I don't think Sussman really goes for it. Sex is not a requirement of romance novels, and it almost feels like these should be closed door, but the sex is supposed to be integral to the plot of this one...

And here's the cardinal sin for me. Avoiding spoilers here, but what you could say is the most important sex scene in terms of plot and character... is really skimped on. Given the context of that scene--again, trying to be vague--it felt like a cop out, and a way to avoid real conflict-driven moral dilemmas for the reader and the characters. I'm not a fan of that.

Good premise, solid prose, just doesn't feel like a romance--and if it is one, it doesn't work. I think this would've been better with a downsized romantic arc, and Sussman writing where her heart seems to lie, which reads to me like women's fiction.

Thanks to Random House-Ballantine/Dell and Netgalley for providing me with a copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

This book is so wonderful and joyful to read. Kathleen and Cal both feel intensely real - they’re trying their best with earnest intentions that sometimes miss the mark and cause them to get in the way of their own happiness. I loved the “former pop star” dynamics they both face and the nostalgia it brought up for me. I can’t wait until this book is out and I can buy a physical copy.

Thank you to netgalley and the author for the ARC of this book for an honest review!

3.5 ⭐

I really enjoyed Funny You Should Ask and was really looking forward to this book. I enjoyed parts of this book like the pop star/boy band/Broadway aspects because your loves all of these things and I did enjoy how the book ended because I love a good HEA.

Unfortunately I just wasn't a huge fan of the characters. I guess I just didn't really click with any of them and to me, they didn't really have great chemistry. And I'm really not a huge fan of the cheating trope but to each their own. I really wish I could have given this book a higher star rating but it just wasn't quite good enough for 4 stars!

2.5

you know when you really like a book, so you're psyched to read another one by the same author, but then it's so bad that it makes you question if you ever liked the first book at all? that just happened to me.

i thoroughly enjoyed funny you should ask, and i couldn't understand why so many people were trashing it (besides the fact that elissa sussman definitely should have acknowledged that it was heavily based on that chris evans interview). people were calling the characters flat, the plot nonsensical, and the writing terrible. i was like, huh?? did we read the same book?

but maybe i've been wrong all along because wow, once more with feeling was bad. all of those criticisms of fysa came to life in this book. i could not bring myself to care about any of the characters (of which there were basically only three) because nothing they did/said made any sense. the whole thing felt so one-dimensional and juvenile, like a bad fan fiction. and the cringe factor was MAJOR.

i know the success of taylor jenkins reid and her books about celebrities has inspired other authors to write about fame, but it simply cannot work if an author can't even manage to write one complex character, let alone the vast number needed for convincing world-building. the only thing i was convinced of in this book was that unfortunately, i don't think i'll pick up this author's next release.