***Thank you to Netgalley and Harlequin for an advanced reader copy of The Backtrack by Erin La Rosa! All thoughts are my own!***

Nearly twenty years ago, Sam Leto left her small hometown of Tybee Island, Georgia, to pursue her dreams of becoming a pilot. While she’d prefer to keep flying away from her painful childhood, her spunky grandmother Pearl decides it’s time to sell the family home. Sam is summoned back to help pack up the house.

The 2000s nostalgia from Sam’s old bedroom hits immediately: Fall Out Boy posters, Lip Smackers, roll on body glitter, even her favorite CD player with a mixtape from her best friend, Damon Rocha. Damon was always a safe place. Sam wonders what if her teenage self admitted her feelings for him back then…

Mysteriously, the CD player still works all these years later. And somehow, it has the power to show Sam an alternate version of her life.

Song by song, Sam receives flashbacks from her past—senior prom, graduation, leaving home. But the memories aren’t as she remembers them; they show what could have been. Suddenly, Sam knows exactly what would have happened if she’d taken a chance with Damon—and she can’t help feeling she made a terrible mistake leaving Tybee all those years ago.

When I tell you, I felt all the nostalgia in this book. From Sam's bedroom to the songs on the CD that I listened to on the radio when I was on the school bus, it was a lot of what I grew up with. It made me feel like I had gone back in time as well.

This is definitely one of Erin's most slow burn romances and certainly not as spicy as her other romance books, but I really enjoyed the story all the same. The tension is there but it's more pining than anything, which I didn't have an issue with. Having Sam and Damon have a second chance after all the time apart was so sweet.

I think using the CD to show Sam and Damon what could have been with them was a really unique concept. Using songs from the early 2000s was a great way to incorporate their feelings for each other back in high school and beyond in these alternate memories.

Overall, Erin La Rosa has done it again with an amazing romance story that will have readers rooting for her couples!

The Backtrack by Erin La Rosa releases July 16, 2024!

The Backtrack by Erin La Rosa is such a delightful read! Bethany Turner called it "the musical emo love child of 13 Going on 30 and (500) Days of Summer", and I couldn’t agree more with that description.

Sam Leto’s return to Tybee Island to pack up her grandma’s house is packed with 2000s nostalgia that hit me right in the feels. From Fall Out Boy posters to Herbal Essence shampoo, I was transported back to my middle school days. Sam and Damon are such lovable characters with their "elder emo" vibes, and Grandma Pearl is just the best. She’s got her flaws but seeing her grow even at her age was so heartwarming. And her relationship with Jessie? If that isn't me and my bestie when we're old, I don't want it. As for Sam's mom... well, let's just say you need to read to find out about her.

The story's pacing was spot on, with a great mix of music-driven flashbacks and the present timeline. The miscommunications felt realistic and didn’t make me want to scream at the book, which is always a plus.

I really connected with the themes of second chances and figuring out what matters in life. The grand gesture at the end was pure Hallmark, and I loved it! Sometimes, you just need that kind of happy ending.

The Backtrack is a fantastic, nostalgic trip that hits all the right notes. Erin La Rosa has written a story that's not just about looking back, but also about embracing the now and what could be. Highly recommend for a feel-good read that takes you back in time!

First, thank you to NetGalley, Erin LaRosa and Canary Street Press for giving me early access to this book!

As someone who had every song they mentioned in this book on her own iPod in high school, so much of this story felt familiar and close to home. Sam and Damon are best friends from high school who feel something more for each other. But Sam is afraid of getting stuck on the island they call home and refuses to lean into her emotions. 10 years later, this jet-setting pilot returns home to help her grandmother move out of her childhood home while grappling with the mother who left her behind and the best friend she’s grown apart from (but missed) - and how to reconcile all of those pieces with the life she always wanted in the skies. While all this emotional work is happening, Sam finds the mix tape Damon made her the night she rejected him and plays the CD on this possessed/magical CD player that shouldn’t work anymore. Every song on his playlist shows her an alternate life for the two of them if she had said “yes”.

While it honestly sounds like a ridiculous concept, the book works pretty well. Sam and Damon have a great relationship and good chemistry - though I wish we had gotten more time with them in the book. Their alternate versions are fascinating and I love the idea of “what if?”. The rest of the characters in the book are fun and serve their purposes well. It’s always interesting to read a book where a character comes home like Sam does because you’re literally thrown into these memories and lives of people you really have no concept of - and they’re only around for little bits here and there.

LaRosa writes a captivating book about love, loss, grief, depression, and the power of hope. I really enjoyed this approach to the love story of two high school friends (and their adult selves) and the sometimes confusing reality that “what if?” doesn’t always lead to a happy ending (or at least one right away). I also appreciate that she handled the family drama for Sam with tact and grace, though it really did feel like a hurricane of everything happening in the moment.

Overall really well done. I think it dragged in a few spots, which is why I gave it a 4 star rating but I really enjoyed the concept… and now want to go power up my iPod (or my Spotify playlist at the very least!) and lean back into my own high school memories and relationships for a moment! If you were a fan of Twilight, Blink-182, Dashboard Confessional, Yellowcard or anything good from the 2000s, then you’ll appreciate so much of this book! Enjoy!

Thank you to Harlequin Trade Publishing and Canary Street Press for the arc!

Plot Twist was one of my favorites of last year so I was very excited to read a new La Rosa book.

I am truly beginning my magical realism era. I used to be such a skeptic about them, but if the premise is unique enough I’m in love. 🫶🏻

And this was unique for suuuure. It will give you all the nostalgia. This one is for the twihards. Like if you like alt from the 2000’s, this is a must read!

We also have a great second chance romance. Another thing that can be hard for me. But they actually never dated. It was more of a what could have been situation. They were friends who chose different things. And through the magic of a mix tape (lol) you get to see what if.

This was a lot of fun! I still think Plot Twist is my fav, but I def recommend this one!

It’s out mid July!

If you're in your 30s, this book is so full of the early 2000s nostalgia! I recognized all of the soundtrack of this book with the exception of 2 songs. Erin La Rosa writes a fantastic book, full of music, comedy, romance, and of course drama. Had I not paused reading for life, I would have completed this book in 7 days. I didn't want to put it down. I loved this book so much. Can't wait to read more of her books. In fact, I've already pre ordered her next book!

3.5 ⭐️ thanks to netgalley and the publisher for this arc!

This was so cute! 1. his name is Damon!! immediately sold
2. he drives a motorcycle!!! SAY LESS
The way the music was intertwined with the time travel and it‘s overall importance in this story was so good. I enjoyed the characters and the journey they went on. Seeing your life happening in a different way because of one tiny decision sure does make you reflect on it. Not really a fan of the mmc having a girlfriend for a small part in this and the cheating plot in the "other life" but overall I really liked this!

Sam and Damon were best friends in high school. Feelings were there, but Sam had the ultimate goal of leaving town as soon as possible whereas Damon wanted the opposite. When Damon decides to make a move Sam awkwardly declines hoping to preserve the friendship. Unfortunately the friendship would never be the same.

9 years later Sam is a successful pilot who spends her time traveling the world. However, in order to help her grandmother Sam travels back to her hometown where she finds Damon, now a successful bar owner who has aged handsomely. It doesn’t take long for old feelings to come flooding back.

I adored the early 2000s references and found Sam’s high school experience to be somewhat relatable to my own. There were many mentions that hit me with a huge sense of nostalgia. I also appreciated the growth of Sam and Damon from angsty teens to adults.

The element of magical realism was something I had a hard time connecting with. For example Sam turning on her old Walkman and being transported back in time to revisit events that took place in high school, but seeing these events how they could have gone differently. Even though I personally struggled to connect with it, I know many readers will find it fascinating.

If you enjoy early 2000s nostalgia especially if you are an “elder emo” who also enjoys magical realism I would recommend this book to you.

Thank you NetGalley for an advanced copy of The Backtrack. All opinions shared are my own.

The Backtrack is a single-POV nostalgic romance. In it successful pilot Sam returns to the tiny beach town of Tybee GA that she fled as a teen to help her grandmother pack up her house. While there, she reconnects with her childhood best friend, Damon, who runs a local brewery. Even more shocking than finding herself with feelings for her former best friend, though, is that she also finds herself in possession of a magical CD player that gives her visions of what life could have been if she’d stayed.

This was so much fun! I love a good second-chance romance and throwing in a fun paranormal element just made it that much better! I wasn’t an emo kid (I was a weird mix of punk & debate nerd 😹) so the nostalgia of the soundtrack was lost on me, but the story itself held its own. Definitely worth a read

Read dates: 07/04/2024- 07/08/2024
Goodreads review: 07/08/2024
Instagram review: 07/08/2024
Blog review: 07/16/2024

Going up to 3.5. The premise of this novel was definitely up my alley, especially when described as an equivalent to 13 Going on 30 but with emo music (the core of my adolescence to be honest!) However what fell flat for me was the connection between the alternate universe versus how it bled into the present day. Present day felt to move in ways that seemed so easy whereas the grit and path taken from the "magical" Walkman I think I would have preferred to read and figured out just how they could survive something like that through adversity and all. I feel that the tone was definitely set and the author is very talented, I just wish this was executed better.

This story was utterly adorable! I really loved Sam as a main character. It's so nice when you can see what a high school character grows up to be--and in this case, Sam grew up to be a bad-ass pilot who loved to travel and loved her grandma. 

Were there some things that Sam needed to figure out, even in her adult era? Yes. But that was the fun of this book. We got to figure it out along with Sam. 

The magical realism part of the story is, admittedly, what hooked me. I love that Sam got to see an alternative version of herself via a portable CD player from her high school years. That was just all kinds of awesome. And the songs were from the early 2000s so that was fun to listen to those, while reading. 

The only thing I wish is that we'd gotten a little more of Damon in the story. He was really only featured here and there a little bit. I don't feel as if I got to know his character very well. 

All-in-all a great story with some time-travel, magical elements that took a contemporary romance and elevated it to something I won't forget.

Thank you to NetGalley for this fantastic ARC!

Sam left her hometown of Tybee, GA almost 20 years ago with dreams of becoming a pilot. Now, her dream fully realized as an international pilot living in Paris, she is brought back to her hometown to help her grandmother sell her home.
Sam's childhood bedroom is an ode to the early 2000s, complete with a lava lamp and dolphin bedsheets. When Sam finds an old CD player with a CD in it that her childhood friend Damon made for her, she's shocked that it even works. She decides to give it a listen.
With the first song, Sam is transported--literally--to a turning point in her life. As Sam listens to the CD, the memories are similar, but different, showing her an alternative lifetime of what would have happened if she had kissed Damon on that fateful day.

This story was so fun! I'm the same age as the main characters and the songs were so nostalgic. I still listen to most of the music mentioned in the book. 😂
If you like:
-2000s nostalgia
-Pop punk/emo music
-Alternate timelines
-Men who brew beer
-Women who are pilots
-Sassy grandmas
and
-Hurricane parties with mystery punch ingredients
Then give this book a try!

💿💿💿💿/5
🌶️🌶️/5

Deep diving into the feels with time traveling and answering those questions of “what if” this happened or “what if” it was different. We have all been there and thought about it. Those second chance moments and romance, this book calls and bring that to life.

If you’re into romance and second chances, this is for you! It’ll fill your heart in so many ways. People are right when saying it’s giving 13 going on to 30 vibes.

I didn’t go to school during the character years, but it has 90s vibes from what I gather. The characters were well developed and have loving personalities that make you want to root for them!

Overall I’ll be recommending this book.

I'm surprised that no one's discussed the prose--which was all tell, no show, to the point that the writing is choppy and exhausting. Readers are talked down to, unnecessary details are repeated over and over (like the playlist recaps, as if there's anything in those notes we didn't see for ourselves), and there's no emotion behind character interactions. That lack of emotion makes it difficult to see any chemistry between the two main characters, and any friends-to-lovers, second-chance romance should be BRIMMING with the type of chemistry that makes us DESPERATE for the two leads to make a move. The premise was intriguing but the execution was a major disappointment. I could barely get through the first chapter, and after forcing myself forward, it only got worse.

🎧 Friends to Lovers / Second Chance Romance
🎧 It's Always Been You
🎧 Magical Realism
🎧 2000s Emo Music Nostalgia
🎧 Small Town Romance

I really enjoyed this book. The description immediately made me think of 13 Going On 30 and I was excited to read it. We all have a few moments of regret/what if from our past and this book takes you down one of those paths. I think what I liked most about this book was that the "what could have been" life had its own twists and turns.
I found myself opening Spotify for each of the CD tracks and listening to some of the songs I had forgotten about. I was in college in the early 2000's and enjoyed the trip down memory lane with all the references to the trends and fashions.
I think the balance Sam and Damon tried to find was relatable, as was her relationships with her grandmother and mother.
This was such a quick and fun read, like Sam wanting to listen to another track on the CD, I kept wanting to read another chapter. I'm glad I came across the book and thankful to NetGalley for the ARC!

Time travel, second chance romance, and a wonderful feminist twist. We’ve all had those “what if” moments and this book dives straight into the deep end of that rabbit hole. It starts slow, but man did it end strong!

Sam needs to get out of her small town and she’ll do anything to achieve her goal - including turning down her high school crush. But years later when she has to return to her small hometown, she starts to wonder if maybe she made a mistake. What would have happened if she took that leap? What would have happened if she stayed?

This one hit home in so many ways. I loved the magic of seeing the past in a different perspective as well as the fantastic supporting characters. Like 13 Going on 30 (but in reverse), this book is a love letter to our younger selves.

Thank you to NetGalley, Harlequin, HarperCollins, and The Hive for an advanced reader copy in exchange for my honest review.

So so good! A 4 star rating for me that is a fun read wrapped in a nostalgic bow! Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher, Canary Street Press for this arc!

Sam and Damon were best friends on Tybee Island all through school with playlists and music/songs as a way they connected as friends (and crushed on eachother,too)! Think Fallout Boy, Blink 182, Evanescence, etc.

The Backtrack follows Sam returning to Tybee Island after working as an international pilot for 10 years. The anticipation of going back home and seeing Damon who she hasn’t spoken to since she left, seeing the familiar faces and places she used to be and go, and helping her grandma pack up her childhood home to move into a retirement home fills these pages with emotions I think everyone can connect with. Sadness, happiness, anger, frustration… all of these and then some. Sprinkle in the emotions you feel during nostalgic moments, complicated family dynamics, and the what ifs in life.

Reading The Backtrack took me back in all the best ways- I’m so glad I got to read this book. If you love romance/second chance stories and nostalgia this is definitely the story/read for you!

I don’t usually read romance books, but I’ll make an exception if there is a ‘hook’ I find interesting - in this case, a magical backtracking CD player. I enjoyed the brook a lot. I liked the ghost-of-Christmas-past premise and found Sam and Damon to be likable protagonists. I loved that the ending, while predictable (it is a romance, after all!), wasn’t too saccharin. One problem for me (and its clearly a personal problem, nothing to do with the merits of the book itself), is that I’m about 30 years too old for the pop references to really resonate with me.

The premise for this story would be an amazing movie- a magical CD player that shows you an alternate life all to a soundtrack of your favorite pop-punk music?Amazing! Unfortunately, this one fell flat for me. The biggest issue for me was I didn’t feel a lot of chemistry between the two main characters and it left me not particularly caring what happened. The story itself also felt a little too immature for my taste (I was going to scream if I had to read about a grown man calling a grown woman “Sam Sam” one more time). I did really love the nostalgia in this book and it was fun to walk down my own memory lane of the pop culture of my teenage years. Erin La Rosa has great ideas for contemporary romance but since this is the second book by her that left me feeling underwhelmed I’m thinking maybe she just isn’t for me. The writing wasn’t bad by any means- just not something that I personally enjoy. Overall this was a cute, quick read for someone who wants a rom com in book form with some amazing music.

My thanks for the ARC goes to NetGalley and Harlequin Trade Publishing, Canary Street Press. I'm voluntarily leaving a review.

Genre: Romance, Contemporary Romance, Women's Fiction, Magical Realism
Spice Level: sex on the page
Language: Smattering of swearing
Representation: Side characters who are gay, and one character who talks about experimentation with the same sex

In this best friends to lovers romance, we meet the friends decades after Sam left her small town. This is really the story of Sam figuring out how she is so that she can accept love—as in love of family (the women's fiction portion of the book). I was worried through the whole thing that Sam and Damon had no chance of things working out. And now, you get to worry too because I'm not going to tell you.

This book is full of 90's emo nostalgia. I think anyone who went through high school at that time is going to love the music references.

Overall, I thought this book was a lot of fun. Damon is a cinnamon roll type of romantic lead, and I felt like he needed to be for this story to work. This is a spicy book with an open door and other references to sexual escapades from the grandmother (yep, that's what I said).

Happy reading!

I didn’t expect to like this book as much as I did!

Sam Leto returns to her hometown of Tybee Island, Georgia, after she’s been away for 20 years. She’s now an international pilot, it she’s returning to “see after” her grandmother Pearl, who has expressed interest in making a change and selling the house that Sam grew up in.

But her grandmother isn’t the only one that Sam left behind on the island. Damon, her best friend ( and unadmitted crush) from high school still lives there, and the CD player and mixtape/playlist he made for her all those years ago mysteriously shows her “visions” of what might have happened if she had made different choices back then.

This one was really a delight! 4 glittering stars and highly recommend.