The Backtrack, by Erin La Rosa is a romance with a really interesting and unique premise. Sam, a pilot, left her small town and best friend (and maybe love) Damon to pursue her dreams of flight school. When she returns home to Tybee Island, GA, to help her grandmother get ready to move she gets back in touch with Damon and immediately begins to question her decisions to leave him even though she loves her life as an international pilot.

While cleaning her room, she finds her old portable CD player with a mix CD Damon gave her and each song on the CD magically transports her to snippets of an alternate reality with each song. In the alternate reality, she decided to stay in Tybee Island with Damon instead of leaving for flight school. As Sam goes through each song and imagines what life would have been like if she had stayed, she also starts a journey of emotional growth and sorting through long time family issues. Will Sam continue to follow her career dreams or decide to stay in Tybee and explore the what ifs?

This is a fun read, but isn't the fluff you might expect- it explores family dynamics and examines the roll of mental health in them. My favorite characters are Sam's grandmother Pearl and Pearl's quirky friends. They add levity to a plot that is deeper than the premise would make it seem. This is a very plot driven novel, and I would have loved some deeper character growth, but did really enjoy this read. The premise alone makes this an easy suggestion to fellow romance lovers.

This novel is my introduction to Erin La Rosa, and I'm really impressed with the imaginative idea behind The Backtrack, as really enjoyed the way the story wrapped up. Thank you to Harlequin Trade Publishing and Netgalley for the digital ARC of The Backtrack.

This is for fans of the "what if" novel- the ones where the heroine re-examines her life and imagines where she would be if only one thing had been different. In this case, Sam, who hasn't been home in 30 years is sent down memory lane by the mix tape Damon made for her when they were teens. Oh the music! Each song prompts a different response. Meanwhile, can Damon and Sam find one another again? Sam's only home to care for her grandma Pearl (and clean out here house). Pearl, btw, is a hoot. These are well written characters in a story that while it might feel familiar around the edges is differentiated by the songs. Thanks to the publisher for the ARC. Good summer reading.

Erin La Rosa has become a romance author to keep your eye on. Her characters always have great chemistry and motivations that don't revolve around their romance.

Sam is a successful international pilot, running all around the world. When her grandmother announces that she's selling her home, Sam returns to her little city of Tysbee to see if everything is okay. She finds that nothing has changed. She even has a CD player from the 2000s that still works--even without batteries. The magical CD player shows her an alternate reality where she kisses her best friend, Damon, and how their lives would've gone differently.

Our protagonist grapples with her past in a fun, unique way with the magical CD player. This trend of romance novels pulling fantasy and scifi elements has been so much fun. It is a breath of fresh air in the genre. La Rosa will make millennials nostalgic for their Emo days with the fashion, music, and movie references in "The Backtrack."

The Backtrack is a book about how the choices we make affect the trajectory of our lives and dealing with the idea of "the one who got away." It partially takes place in the modern day as well as in the early 00s and is set to the emo soundtrack that played in the background of my own new adult years. The story focuses on Sam and Damon, two high school best friends with a will they/won't they that never quite happened. After graduation, Sam leaves her hometown only to return after almost 20 years to help her grandmother pack up the house she grew up in and runs into the grown man version of the boy she knew and has not seen since she left.

This book is part 13 Going on 30 and part Sliding Doors. The nostalgia, not just of the soundtrack, but of all of the stuff Sam comes across in the house and in the flashbacks brought back such strong memories. I love the relationship between Sam and Damon and seeing how it changed over time. There are also a couple of classmates of theirs you see bouncing around and it was really fun to see how they changed as well. I love how this story played out. It was a lot of fun, but the point the author is trying to make is one that really resonates with me, and I appreciate the way she told it.

As someone who was in high school during this exact period and moved away immediately, cutting ties with a vast majority of the people who made up my daily life for almost 18 years, this book really hit home. Only to hit harder as this summer was not only my 20 year high school reunion, but also the summer I needed to clear my parent's basement of all my childhood possessions. The book is a lot of fun, while maintaining a good story and keeping with the balance of emotional depth that we have come to expect from Erin La Rosa. I highly recommend this book, especially for anyone to whom 2005 feels like both yesterday and also 20 years ago.

Thank you to Erin La Rosa, Canary Street Press, and NetGalley for this advanced copy!

Nostalgia on so many levels. What if you could go back to a moment in your teens/high school life and see what would’ve happened if you decided differently.
All this done by listening to a mixtape/playlist your childhood bestie made for you years ago. Would you play the next song?

Back in high school Sam (FMC) had that one best friend that maybe could’ve become something more?
But she shuts it down!
Is Damon the one the got away? 🥰

She left her “small town” and is now a successful pilot. She has to return home to help her grandmother with the family home. Nostalgia hits big time! Posters, playlists, outfits, (restaurant) cup holding gel pens! 🫠 She finds a (magical) CD player with a mixtape Damon (MMC) made for her! 🥰 By listening she’s back to those high school moments/decisions and her WHAT IF questions are answered! WHAT?!

So will this change how she reacts and makes decisions in the present? Damon?

In a lot of ways I felt like this book was made for me. As a total emo/scene kid it was just full of nostalgia, as well as being someone who was alternative but also very academically driven I faced a lot of similar questions growing up, making the choice between what I thought was best for my goals vs teenage feelings. Also super random I actually picked this up as my beach reach while in Hilton Head which is literally the next island over from where this book takes place - Tybee Island!

In the Backtrack we follow Sam, an international Pilot, as she returns home to Tybee Island to help her grandma clean out her house. While there she finds a CD with a mixed taped her childhood friend/one who got away, Damon made for her.

This CD is full of 2000s pop/punk music, and as she listens she falls back into alternate memories which play out how her life would have been different if she had kissed Damon when he asked her when they were 15.

I would argue this book leans more towards adult/women’s fiction over romance, as it focuses more on reflecting on life choices. How one moment shapes us and how our fears may be a result of wrongs done to us by our own parents. These reflections and alternative memories take up more of the book than the present day relationship, though it does fit the criteria for a romance.

Because of this, I wish we had a bit more depth to Damon. We see so much focus on Sam finding herself and finding her happiness that I wanted a little bit more from his side.

However I love Sam, her emotions felt authentic and her relationship with her mother so raw. Her Grandma and her friends are hysterical.

I would recommend this to anyone who still plays 2000s pop punk playlists and understands the importance of individual growth and self discovery.

Final rating: 4.25⭐️ 1🌶️

What a good story. I greatly enjoyed it from the very beginning to the very end. This will be one of my favorites of the past month.

Sam left Tybee Island for the big wide world the second she was able to, leaving behind her grandmother that raised her and the best friend she always harbored feelings for. Now, Sam is back to help her grandmother move and seeing all of her old high school stuff--and her extremely hot bff Damon--is getting her nostalgic. What she doesn't need is a magic Discman that shows her an alternate version of her life with each 2000's emo song.

This book was so much fun! Here's what I loved:

Sam. She was such a great character. I loved that she was a girl boss pilot! And that she was almost 6 ft tall. Both of these set her apart from your typical romcom FMCs. She's fierce but also has some anxiety and vulnerability that make her so relatable. You root for her no matter what it is she wants.

The nostalgia. When Sam listened to a song, I could immediately hear it in my head. It brought back so many good memories of my own... and maybe some questionable fashion choices. No matter what, it was fun to remember.

Damon. Book boyfriend. The end.

The comic relief. I adored Sam's grandmother and her BFF. Those two cracked me up! Beyond them, I adored the setting. All of the small town quirk is front and center.

All in all, this was an extremely entertaining romcom!!

Thank you to the author and publisher for the gifted copy!

Calling all yellow card, Avril Lavigne, fall out boy, blink182 fans!!!
Oh the nostalgia in this book! Some of the songs mentioned in this one are ones I haven’t thought about in a bit so was so much fun to read about the pop punk high school phase! Was so relatable! I’m a sucker for some time travel/ parallel universe reads plus sprinkle in my old high school jams!? (Do we still say jams? I’m I showing my age even more so here?!) This one was a fun one.

Thank you harlequin trade publishing and author Erin la Rosa for an advance readers copy in exchange for my honest opinion.

TW: cheating, miscarriage

Come on. Who, that was alive, in the 90s wouldn’t want to go back? It was a far superior time. If you weren’t there you missed out.

So yes. I loved this book that takes you back to my favorite time. A magical CD player?! Headed to all resale places now to make sure there are not any CD players that could send me back. Really. So fun.

And to be able to go back to “those moments” we live in regret and think what if about all the time? Seriously. I’d make the mix tape and head back in a heartbeat.

Read this book if you miss the 90s. It’s good! Also read it you didn’t experienced the 90s. It’ll give you a glimpse into what you are missing.

Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for a chance to read and review.

Unfortunately, this book just isn’t for me. I didn’t feel any connection to the characters, and the story itself felt SO immature. I understand that some immaturity is inevitable given the main plot device being reliving high school memories, but even the present-day adult scenes felt off.

Additionally, the “twist” was incredibly predictable, which detracted from the supposedly super smart main character, and the big romantic gesture at the end was unbearably cringey. I was an emo teen myself once, and I love Twilight to this day, but the pop culture references here did not add anything to the story for me.

All that to say, the writing wasn’t BAD - it’s just not for me.

Content warnings that might be important for some folks: parental neglect features prominently in this book. There are also thoughts of parental mortality and a brief mention of a parental figure with cancer.

Friends-to-lovers & care-taking tropes, you say? Oh, gimme, gimme, gimme! The magical realism is done perfectly too! I never felt like I was getting too much or not enough. I was never left wanting in any way.

The 2000s throwbacks and music … LOVED IT!! The amount of nostalgia that I experienced while reading this was exciting! Even though I personally didn’t fall into the punk rock/emo era so much, it didn’t interfere with my understanding of those songs or that genre throughout the novel. I did know the majority of the songs, and I was able to appreciate how they were used in the novel. I especially loved when La Rosa explained what the song was about or provided some other outside context of how the song fit in with each moment.

Oh! And don’t get me started on Pearl and Jessie! They are the sassiest, feistiest, wittiest and ... horniest ... little old ladies!! If I’m being quite honest, I adored their characters the most. They were just simply the best! And their friendship made their characters that much better!

If you feel any kind of connection with music, the early 2000’s, magic, family and love — this book is for you! This was the first novel I’ve read by La Rose, and it will not be the last. I’m looking forward to reading her backlist titles now.

4.5 stars rounded up. I love magical realism books and this one was so much fun. There's some complicated family dynamics and childhood friends who don't speak anymore but still carry a torch for each other. The CD player was so nostalgic and the music? Absolute perfection. Some of my favorite songs and bands were included, which really added that special touch. The "what-if" was not as predictable as I thought it would be and I really liked how we weren't sure how life would have worked out if they would have kissed all those years ago. I would have enjoyed a little more of their relationship towards the end but overall it was a fun and quick read. If you're a fan of early 2000's emo music, second chance romance, and magical realism; you definitely should check this one out!

Thank you NetGalley and Canary Street Press for an ARC in exchange for my honest review.

A huge thank you to the publisher and author for the eARC Netgalley of this book!

I LOVED THIS ONE SO MUCH!

Going to try my darnedest to not spoil anything for y'all, since I always try to keep things as *spoiler free* as possible.

This book had absolutely everything that my little heart desires out of a contemporary romance, and even things I didn't know that I wanted!

Sam is a successful airline pilot that is returning home to Tybee Island to help her grandmother with an upcoming move. During the cleaning of the house, Sam's room is <i>exactly</i> as she left it, leaving it as the ultimate museum exhibit to the early 2000's.

Have you ever done a super deep clean and get side-tracked by all the random things you find? I have, if I'm honest....but Sam finds her old CD player and the CD that her best friend Damon made for her, and of course the CD player has a mind of it's own.

Lets say, that I, as an early 2000's emo kid (it was <b>never</b> a phase), deeply appreciated the music choice throughout the book. Damon burned a pretty killer CD, that's all I have to say about that.

If you love any of these tropes, you may enjoy this book!

- Childhood best friends
- Magical realism
- Nostalgic music
- Flashbacks

Tybee Island was no would never be enough for Sam, she left hometown nearly 20 years ago to pursue her dream of becoming a pilot and never looked back. Until now that is. Her grandma has decided to sell her childhood home and needs help packing up everything. The nostalgia hits immediately, all the posters in her bedroom, her old CD player, emo clothing and most importantly Damon. Her best friend. What would’ve happened if she’d admitted her feelings for him back then? She’s about to find out. Her old CD player still works and song by song it shows Sam flashbacks from her past. Pivotal moments from her teenage years, what could’ve been between her and Damon.

Flashbacks or alternate reality storylines can be very confusing but this concept works so well in my opinion. Sam presses play, during the span of one song she has a flashback and then goes back. She keeps a running list of her visions and how they differ from what actually happened. I got really invested, did she make the right decision back then. Did she have to decide between her career and love or could she have had both. It’s not clean cut how it’ll end and that made it all the more exciting. Romance is usually fairly straightforward, boy meets girl they fall in love, struggle a bit but eventually end up together but The backtrack is more layered then that and that’s so refreshing.

The romance storyline is so sweet, Damon was a great guy even as a teenager and now he’s built his own business and become hot. But besides the romance of it all Sam also goes thru some family stuff. Her mother Bonnie wasn’t the best parent, battening with depression and now that Sam is all grown up they can finally talk about it.

I also really enjoyed all the early 2000’s references, the music, clothing and other pop culture references. The characters are so lovable and I’m so happy Sam got an answer to all her what if’s. This is a beautiful romance novel unlike any other I’ve ever read. Highly recommend it.

Read this if you like
💫Magical realism
👫🏼Childhood best friends
🏡Small town
💿Early 2000’s references
🧡Second chances

I love this premise, alternate life, what could have been, did I hit my head or am I really drunk kind of freak out my the MC, Sam goes home to Tybee (one of fave spots for a book, thanks to Mary Kay Andrews) to help her grandma she has a lot to unpack literally her high sch[l bestie lives on the island amd she's always wondered what would have been if one night would have gone differently many years before thanks to a long ago CD (remember those) player she gets an opportunity to see what would have been, in a tail as old as time one small change can change the trajectory of life the book is good with a soundtrack of early 2000s emo music (which upfront probably would have made the book way better for me if it was my music) music has a way of making a book a different level especially high school your memories seem to be tied to a melody- I love grandma Pearl and everyone should know a character like alligator Alice (in my head Tybee is full of these characters) there is also a good family story as well, definitely a good read!

I loved this book! As someone who listened to similar music in middle school and high school, it was such a nostalgic trip to read a book based on a CD player and playlist. I loved all of the characters, especially Pearl. While I would have liked more exploration into what Damon saw from his POV while listening to the music, all the characters felt well developed.

This was such a cute spin on a second chance romance trope! Would highly recommend.

I really enjoyed reading this novel. I could not put it down. The backtrack is the perfect MILLENNIAL lovestory. i thought the concept was incredibly clever, a magical cd that transports the fmc to an alternate timeline! absolutely brilliant! I did end up making a playlist based on the songs featured in this book.

The Backtrack is a charming and nostalgic contemporary romance with great characters and a sweet second-chance romance. Sam has returned to her hometown after 11 years away. Now a successful pilot, she goes home to help her grandmother and ends up facing her ex-best friend Damon, whose kiss she rejected in high school, irrevocably changing their relationship. When Sam plays an old mix tape Damon made, she's transported into the past and sees what her life would be like if she had said yes to that kiss.

Each song Sam listens to transports her to an alternate past and answers some of her "What ifs." What if she had kissed Damon on that fateful day? I have to say, the song choices are fantastic. This book as a whole has so much nostalgia from the song choices, hairstyles, and clothing choices - it all took me back! And the more I hear about Tybee Island, the more I feel like I need to visit. It sounds gorgeous, and it's a fabulous backdrop to the story.

Sam's grandmother and the other older ladies are fabulous too - so sassy and funny, and you never knew what they were going to say, which reminds me so much of some of my older relatives. They're all hysterical. lol The romance is also very sweet. Damon and Sam have a wonderful connection, and though their lives went and are still going in very different directions, the feelings didn't. I wasn't sure if these two would be able to find their way back to each other, but I sure hoped they did because the chemistry was palpable.

As fun and nostalgic as the plot is, I also really liked Sam's journey throughout the story. As she packs up her grandmother's house, she end up unpacking a lot of her feelings about her past, feelings she really hasn't faced before. It was deep and complex and emotional as she revisits her past, family issues, and a bunch of "What ifs" while taking a serious look at what (and who) she wants in her future. There are some deeper and more serious messages about finding the right person at the wrong time in your life, taking chances, the effects of depression on the sufferer and those around them, and loving yourself.

Special thanks to the author, the publisher, and NetGalley for providing me with a copy of the book. All thoughts are my own.

"The Backtrack" resonated deeply with me as an elder emo millennial. I really enjoyed feeling a connection to the characters because of the genuine nostalgia. The mixtape idea was adorable and unique, and the descriptions of the early 2000s were accurate.

But the romance seemed so superficial. I didn't feel a strong bond between the characters other than being reminded that they were best friends in their early years.

Nevertheless, I enjoyed the story's portrayal of more serious subjects, which provided much-needed depth. All in all, it was a quick and enjoyable read that brought back some wonderful memories.