When I read the description of this book I knew I had to snatch it up. Fall Out Boy references and other emo/punk rock references from my teen years? Yeah, I’m totally there. It also had serendipitous timing as I started it on the eve of the FOB concert.

This was a really fun nostalgia romp. I loved how she didn’t have the characters grow up and become “corporate sell outs” like we would’ve cringed over as teens. They stayed true to who they were at heart. The red tips may grow out, but the emo soul runs deep. Sam and Damon were very sweet and I loved the second chance romance while also having Sam deal with her own family issues and generational healing. It’s everything you could want — nostalgia, magical elements, fantastic music, questionable fashion choices, second chances, and best friends to lovers. The perfect little millennial romcom.

I enjoyed how each song correlated with a plot point in both the present time and the alternate universe. Excellent music choices! The only part I wasn’t a huge fan of was the repetition of the entire track list and Sam’s notes as she discovered the playlist. Now I can definitely see how this is helpful if you’re taking a lot of breaks while reading this, but when you’re zooming through the last dozen chapters, it just felt a little tiresome to read the same list over and over when there wasn’t any new insight added.

Overall, the characters were fun and lovable and the plot was realistic and sweet with just a bit of mystical elements through that magical little cd player. If you want something light and fun with a the perfect hint of emotion and baggage, this is a great choice.

Thank you to Net Galley and Canary Street Press/Harlequin Trade Publishing for the ARC in exchange for my honest review.

Nostalgia is a hell of a drug.

I've been a big fan of Erin La Rosa ever since I came across her book For Butter or Worse earlier this year. So, I was really excited to finally get my hands on The Backtrack. La Rosa is an expert at crafting relatable, imperfect characters, and Sam and Damon are no different.

What I loved:
-Nostalgic emo music is woven with teen angst for a deliciously fun fantasy "What if" plot. As a chronic overthinker who often wonders what would have happened if I made different choices in my youth, I related to Sam.
- A feet-kicking, giggling, good love story. If you ever had a crush on an emo myspace boy, you will for sure be in love with Damon. Especially now that he's all grown up and running a brewery with his badass sister.
- The Horny old ladies are a shining sunspot. I loved every single time they appeared on the page. I never knew what Pearl would say next.
- A heartfelt, genuine story about family. It's hard as a kid to see your parents as actual people; when exposed to their flaws, it can be challenging to accept. I really appreciated the journey the Leto ladies went on together.

What I didn't love as much
-I was expecting the spice level of Plot Twist. However, it was a closed-door romance. I understand the closed door when there is an alternate teenage reality, but I thought the spice could've been a little spicer when they are adults. It's not a deal breaker, but it was a bummer for sure. La Rose writes *chef's kiss* level spice, so if you're looking for that, check out Plot Twist.
-Honestly, that's it. I had an amazingly fun time reading this book.

If your idea of a good throwback playlist contains Fall Out Boy or Blink 182, and you love a romance with a side of family drama, pick up The Backtrack!

Thank you to NetGalley and Harlequin Trade Publishing for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I really loved this book. It was cute and I am glad they found their happy endings. As someone who is around the same ages as them and had a similar high school emo phase, I really enjoyed the back in time aspect and how that has shaped them today. The storyline progressed very nicely. The music choices from the CD were truly the best. As a certified Twihard, I also loved the conversations (because I never resist to bring it up!). I will be reading more by the author in the future because it was everything that I wanted and more.

This book was so adorable! It dealt with family themes on the side of the romance which I liked (shout out to Grandma Pearl). It was so midnight library, reverse thirteen going on thirty, but she wasn't stuck anywhere it was more of a transport temporarily situation. I thought the book was very well written and honestly had a really great lesson in it about regrets as well.
It definitely exceeded my expectations from the synopsis and I would recommend it to anyone who asks!

I really enjoyed this one. It's a little 13 Going on 30, a little A Christmas Carol with classic misunderstandings and hidden truths. Sam is a likeable character, as is Damon, but oh man, did I feel Damon's heartbreak. Leave it to a magical cd player and a few of my favorite songs to lead the narrative. Sam and Damon see each for the first time in a decade and there's lots of feelings. Sam is feeling all sorts of things. She has abandonment issues from her mom. She has feelings for Damon after all this time, never acting on them to not ruin the friendship and get stuck in her hometown. She's worried about losing her grandma. The ghosts of the past come through via the playlist Damon made Sam while they were in high school. Sam learns a lot experiencing the play list and it comes together once she hears things that she should have heard years ago from her mom and grandma. Luckily, the story flows well and you get immersed in this lovely story. Well worth the read.

Thank you to NetGalley and Harlequin Trade Publishing for providing this book, with my honest review below.

The Backtrack is a highly recommended nostalgia read that will appeal especially to those of us who remember our trending music and worst fashion mistakes from up to 20 years ago.

Sam is an international pilot (and a REALLY good one at that) who has to reluctantly come back home to Tybee Island, GA to help pack up her grandmother and her memories. With a fraught relationship with her mother who is the crux of the reason why she left, Sam is eager to see her old high school friend (and love that never was) Damon. Unfortunately (or maybe fortunately) a ‘demonic’ CD player that somehow works without batteries keeps flashing her back, mixed CD song by song, to an alternate timeline had she only taken action on her feelings for Damon. But you know what they say, be careful what you wish for…

I loved how this took me back, and even without that connection this was an emotional romance, made complex by family ties and dynamics and with humor from neighbor Jessie, grandma Pearl, and the dynamic between Sam and Damon. I enjoyed every page and thought the concept with the songs was unique and enjoyable on so many levels! I found myself looking up songs I couldn’t remember and even when I did listening to them as I read. I also loved the authors usage of songs in her acknowledgments.

Once again, highly recommend. Any opportunities with the writing and plot are overshadowed with the way this was so excellently laid out and the unique premise.

Sam has been gone from her hometown for 20 years, but she's headed back as her grandma is selling her childhood home. Once there, she finds a mix CD (one of my greatest loves, so this plot point was so endearing to me) that her best friend Damon once made for her. Listening to each track literally takes her back to the past, except in this version it's a vision of what might have been. And it's these reflections that make her think about where she is now. I will say that I wanted more of the nostalgia times because I love a throwback. However, I did still like how these flashbacks centered Sam and her story (while also involving supporting characters) throughout. Thanks to NetGalley for the look at this July 2024 release!

This was the emo throwback I didn't know I needed. it also got a little dark at times, but I think that was the beauty in it. Sam and Damon'a relationship was not perfect by any means, but that's what made it good. It really gave me emo 13 going on 30 vibes in all the best ways, with a haunted CD player to boot. Jessie was so funny and eccentric, and Sam's relationship with her grandma and her non existent relationship with her mom were as painful as they were refreshing to see.

So, this was a super interesting read. I did not know what to expect going in but I was pleasantly impressed and entertained. It was funny and steamy and enticing!

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me an arc of this book in exchange for my honest feedback.

I am a huge Erin La Rosa fan so I was so excited to read this early copy of The Backtrack and I was not disappointed! I didn't know what to expect since this was a bit of a departure from her other contemporary romances and I thought it was going to be a full timeline change vs what it was (seeing short visions of an alternate life). I kept trying to guess what the next song would be or what that alternate timeline would show based on the songs. I was always wrong but I still really enjoyed it! I loved being able to see the results of the "What if?" and how it may look amazing at some points but that doesn't mean it would have been the right decision in the long run. That maybe the decisions you made may have hurt then but were for the best overall. As an elder-emo I loved reliving the music and fashion of high-school too!

Thanks to NetGalley, the publisher, and Erin La Rosa for this ARC!