Thanks to the publisher & Netgalley for the complimentary e-ARC. All opinions provided are my own.

This powerhouse of a cover matches the vibe of these books by Xio Axelrod so well. Girls with Bad Reputations & the former, The Girl with Stars In Her Eyes, focus on members of the all-girl rock band The Lillys.

These books have such musical presence, you all. I feel like I’m at their concert during the musical scenes, only without the crush & stress of having to leave a crowded parking lot after ;) .

Girls with Bad Reputations, this upcoming release, features drummer Kayla, who's actually managed to keep her rocker life a secret from her demanding, reputation-focused mother, a prestigious professor & writer.

But The Lillys’ success is growing in this book, thanks to their talent & their hard work, & not only are those scenes really fun & magnetic to read, they also amp the stakes with Kayla emotionally. We know eventually everything will come out.

As Kayla travels the US with her band, she gets to know Ty, their bus driver who’s still processing trauma from being recently falsely accused by a classmate.

This friends to lovers story is a slow burn, with plenty of conversations & support & understanding to really cement their connection, & I love how they genuinely appreciate each other.

I wish the book had been a bit tighter in spots, but I’m such a fan of this premise & The Lillys & Axelrod really makes me feel the authenticity of it all. The experience of them.

4⭐️. Out 02/06.

[CWs: Ty was falsely accused by a classmate of plagiarism & assault. Death. Grandfather experiences a stroke.]

[ID: Jess’s white hand holds the ebook in front of many plants in a greenhouse. A brick wall is to the left and a path is underneath.]

An excellent second stop on The Lilys tour! Axelrod’s ability to drop readers into the music world is unmatched: whether we’re in the studio; on a tour bus; or watching the band from the pit (or the wings), it’s impossible not to get caught up in the musicality, the hard work and the excitement of it all. And then to throw found family, evil record industry execs, toxic friends, and ROMANCE into the mix!?!? It’s a recipe for success. I’d like to add that I really appreciated the care that Axelrod gives to Ty and Kayla - both are traumatized by experiences that continue to follow them around like ghosts, and in less experienced/empathic hands, this trauma could’ve been further exploited to ratchet up the drama. Thank you for giving them a safe place to heal. Can’t wait for the next stop on the tour.

A great follow up to a girl with stars in her eyes. I loved seeing the band dynamic again and fell in love with this couple as well.

I read the first 10% last night, but when I picked it up today and started reading, nothing came back to me. Unfortunately, the book and the characters are forgettable. I skimmed over briefly, and it’s easy enough to read and follow along.

Thank you to NetGalley and Sourcebooks for the ARC.

I loved the first book in this series, so I was thrilled to get to read this new installment early as an eARC!

✨ Read this book if you want to enter the world of an indie/alt rock band in the making, on the road for a festival tour circuit, with two Edgar Allan Poe fans on board. 🥁🪶 The members of The Lillys are the FMCs of the series. They are a fun bunch to get to know as they navigate the completion of their first album, a challenging relationship with their label, and an increasingly interested press. 🎶🎭 Thanks to Kayla, the FMC of this book, I have gained a new appreciation for drummers! For me, some the most exciting moments of the book were the on-stage performance scenes; the author’s passion for music and talent with details are so clear there!

✨ During these moments, and also during the long hours on the road, admiration, friendship, and eventually more blooms between Kayla and Ty, the band’s new bus driver. 💕They are such sweet, bookish, complex characters, each struggling in their own way to more fully commit to pursuing their dreams while reckoning with the risks that come along with publicity. I also found the storylines related to their parental figures to be interwoven here in a touching, richly detailed way. 🥲

❤️ My take on the romance: Shy, sweet, with a bit of steam (🌶️🌶️) and a lot of kilts!