3.25/3.50 My favourite part of this book had to be the soundtracks, and I think any emo kid would totally agree. I totally felt connected to the book because of it! The plot was really cool but character relationships fell short in my opinion. Would have loved to see more of the main characters navigating their relationship despite seeing these flashbacks to their alt selves. And of course, we have to all agree that Grandma was the funniest character. Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC!

Erin La Rosa’s The Backtrack was not what I expected but so much more. We follow Sam, a pilot who has not been back to her hometown in a decade, coming back home. Of course! There would be no small town romance without that. Sam’s grandma, Pearl, is selling her house because she’s getting old and is probably moving into a retirement home, but Sam does not want that for her. Sam comes home to help her settle the home however, she runs into her best friend Damon… who she hasn’t spoken to in that same amount of time 💀

In order to understand this, you have to know that Damon confessed his feelings for her someone time during the beginning of their senior year. Sam, being the Type A, must get out of Tybee, type of girl that she was let him down gently. She needed to leave her hometown, she couldn’t stay there and being with Damon meant staying there… right?

Erin puts a spin on a childhood best friends to lovers trope with MAGICAL REALISM AND EMO SONGS.

Sam and Damon are elder emos…. 🥲I felt so old reading this book…. Okay there’s my rant… now onto my feelings

I absolutely adore magical realism and alternate realities. I loved how easy it was to read. Sometimes you don’t need to read about the logistics of things, you just have to let them be. I felt nostalgic reading about Sam and Damon’s past and alternate past. Plus seeing it in the form of emo songs was icing on the cake.

Having something like this would usually not be my cup of tea. I really hate when the real world seeps into what I’m reading. It feels like it dates the book. But maybe it was the fact that I whole heartedly related to loving these songs made my usual ick disappear…. I will say that the final grand gesture was absolutely cringey and not something I truly expected to happen.

All in all, this was definitely a must read for anyone who misses Always by Blink 182!

Lots of 90s and 2000s nostalgia, and I loved the line "seafood boils are like therapy." Thanks, netgalley.

“Having nostalgia is romantic…It’s the ability to never forget something you love.”

This book felt like opening a window to the past as Sam was teleported into hers. Seriously, the 90’s/early 2000’s nostalgia is SO strong in this book and I couldn’t get enough of it! Honestly, Erin’s ability to remember all of the things and the brands is incredibly impressive and it was a fantastic stroll down memory lane for me.

Beyond the nostalgia, this story was absolutely beautiful. I love magical realism and the idea that this CD player that housed a mixed CD from her former best friend for over a decade is the exact item that teleports her into the past to see an alternate reality of her life if she had dated her best friend‽‽ LIKE WHAT‽‽? I honestly am captivated by how Erin came up with this idea, but beyond that, I just loved living through it. I loved reading about Sam’s mental breakdown when she realizes she’s seeing her teenage years play out differently. I loved watching her question things she had once been so sure of as a way to grow internally and expand what she thought she could have in life. And I love watching her reconnect with Damon, her childhood best friend who is just as charming—if not more so—today as he was all those years ago.

Honestly? I think Damon was my favorite character in this story, but I loved all parts of it and highly recommend putting some nostalgia and magic in your life by reading this one!

OH and one of my favorite lessons was in this one too: timing is everything. Sometimes, just because we can, doesn’t mean we should. But it also doesn’t mean we can’t later on.

Read if you like:
- Magical realism
- 90’s/early 2000’s nostalgia
- Friends to lovers
- Childhood best friends
- Second chance romance
- Alternate realities
- Spunky grandmothers

This was a fun nostalgic book! Sam returns back to her home town after a decade away to find her room just as she left it years before, including her CD player. Funny thing though, when she plays the special CD her friend Damon made her back in high school, she is transported back in time to see what could have been. So instead of staying friends, Alt-Sam and Damon kiss and end up dating and each song she gets a glimpse of the good, bad and sometimes hard times. It was sad at times, but that is life. I also appreciated the relationship Sam had with her Grandma who raised her when her mom left. I also liked how the resolution with her mom Bonnie played out. it added to the story line. It made more sense why Sam was the way she was.

I also was pulling out my CDs reminiscing about my high school days.

If you love nostalgia books with music of early 2000 like Blink 182, Paramour, this book is for you. Sam returns home to her small town to help her grandmother and finds a cd player that has a cd mix that was made by her first love, Damon. She learns that the CD player has a magical power and each track that she plays, goes back to their high school days but played out a little differently. It was fun to see both present Sam and Damon and the alternate flashbacks.

I did find it odd that Damon was so welcoming with Sam since she left 10 years ago and never came back. Damon's family added a fun dimension to the story as well.

Thank you @canarystreetpress @netgalley for a copy of this book.

Thank you NetGalley for the ARC of The Backtrack
by Erin La Rosa

I love Erin La Rosa books The Hollywood Series is one of my favorites so was excited to get this one, First of all I loved the nostalgia of the book, early 2000's flashback book about friends to lovers, minimal spice level, I feel like the concept of the book would make a great Hallmark Rom-Com

3.5✨

Short synopsis:
Twenty years ago, Sam Leto left Tybee Island behind to go after her dreams of becoming a pilot. Suddenly her grandma decides it is time to let Sam’s childhood home go, which means Sam must head back to her hometown. Not only does she feel nostalgic when she steps into her very 2000’s room, she feels it when her old best friend comes back around.

My Review: *slight spoilers below
While I am not huge on friends to lovers trope, I was super excited to receive this as an ARC when I heard it was full of 2000’s nostalgia. Now that being said, I felt like sometimes there were so many references thrown into a sentence that it just didn’t give you the feeling it should. The flow of them just didn’t work for me, BUT that being said….the playlist was done well and the songs made sense.

Let’s talk time travel/vivid dreaming? When Sam walks back into her old room, she is confronted with an old mix CD her best friend (Damon) made. This CD, along with her CD Walkman have a special power in showing her what could have been with Damon.
As Sam wakes up from these vivid thoughts/dreams she writes down what she saw along with what song was playing. While I did enjoy this way of story telling, I did not like the way the author rewrote about each song, every time a song was listened to. (Meaning, we re-read the same thing many times over.)

Overall, I enjoyed it more than i thought I was going to. The first 25% of the book, was honestly a rough time for me to get into. As I pushed through, it became more enjoyable and less like someone trying to throw a bunch of 2000’s references at me to be relatable. If you like a bit of “time-travel” mixed with a past love, then I think this is for you!

Pros of the book:
- Having music mixed in, along with a playlist is always a fun time! (She even had songs in her dedication/thanks! Which was absolutely adorable.)
- The way the family dynamic/drama of it all, was done well. I think it was very believable with how it was told, and the reasons that were given.


Cons of the book:
- The prologue was a tad silly, as far as the language used. While I liked the emo band era references —- it felt like it was written/done in a very adolescent manner. This continued into the first few chapters of the book also.
- The romance —- I absolutely hate to say this, but I just didn’t feel what I was supposed to. I didn’t dislike them together, it just felt a little bland to me. My stomach wasn’t having butterflies waiting to see what was next for them.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the E-ARC, in exchange for an honest review.

Book is out now!! I saw it in the wild, and the cover is even cuter in person!

The Backtrack-a standalone

By Erin La Rosa-I've read Plot Twist and gave it 4⭐

🙏🏾Thanks to NetGalley and Harlequin Trade Publishing|Canary St. Press for this ARC 🧡! I voluntarily give my honest review and all opinions expressed are my own.

Rating ~3.5⭐

Genre ~ Contemporary Romance, Adult Fiction, Magical Realism

Setting ~ Tybee Island, GA

Publication date ~ July 16, 2024, Read July 20, 2024

Estimated Page Count ~ 313

Tropes ~ BFFs to lovers, time travel, mental health, 2000's emo nostalgia

Sam Leto followed her dream to Paris to become an international pilot. She left her hometown Tybee Island twenty years ago but returns now that her grandmother Pearl is selling their family home. She prepares herself to see Damon Rocha, her childhood BFF, that she rejected when she was fifteen. She discovers her old CD player that allows her to time travel back to pivotal times between her and Damon. Sam explores the "what if" while confronting painful childhood memories.

I had to think outside the box because the story was told in flashbacks. I loved the idea of a magical CD player that takes Sam back in time to redo the past. I enjoyed Sam and her grandmother Pearl's relationship.

Overall, this was a solid "what if" but I needed more chemistry between Sam and Damon. The music, fashion, and toys mentioned were staples in my childhood. I watched TRL(Total Request Live) everyday for Sum 41, Fall Out Boys, and Blink 182. The movie High Fidelity came to mind because of how the music connected to love lives.

thank you netgalley for the e-arc. the book was fine, it could have been better. i heavily relied on the nostalgia of the 2000's alt music but there wasn't enough for me to love the book. sam and damon had ZERO chemistry and if there is banter, it's not good. the scenes in the past were confusing and abrupt, as if traveling back in time is easy to seamlessly go and come back. the writing started off good but just like the plot it got flat halfway through.

Oooh, this was such a fun read.

Perfect for us elder millennials who need a dose of emo nostalgia mixed with a touch of 13 Going on 30 vibes!

THE BACKTRACK is the story of pilot Sam Leto who determinedly left her small town in Georgia behind, along with the complicated family relationship and painful memories. But when her grandmother Pearl decides its time to sell the family home, she reluctantly returns to help pack up the house. There, she must confront her estranged mother, the life choices that led her out of Tybee, and the boy that used to be her best friend -- who is, of course, all grown up and VERY handsome.

When among her teenage detritus, she finds a mixtape from her former best friend Damon, she discovers that the CD player she listens to it on transports her alternate versions 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.

I love a second chance romance, and I love nostalgia, so this was a really tender and enjoyable read that kept me gripped from start to finish. I was invested in Sam and Damon and their journeys and ultimate romance. I also love the "what if it had been different" elements that make me, as a reader, think about the trajectories of my own life choices. It was magical with the right amount of depth, heart, and humor.

Millennials! (Especially those who wore out Fall Out Boy CDs and had roll-on body glitter.) Read this one!

Thank you to Canary Street Press and Netgalley for the e-ARC, and to Erin for the physical ARC, in exchange for my honest, unbiased reivew. THE BACKTRACK is out now!

Thank you to NetGalley and Harlequin Trade Publishing for the advanced copy!

This was a really solid read!! I loved the aspect, I am a big 13 going on 30 fan and the elements thrown in from that really worked for me. I loved how music played a central role in it and it all surrounded this CD that was given from her in high school. The playlist for this book was incredible!! The setting was really cool since I live in Georgia too. Overall, a little good read with some great elements in it!

Thanks again to NetGalley and Harlequin Trade Publishing for the advanced copy!!

Have you ever wondered what if your life had taken a different path? Follow a main character as she views that path through a mixed CD from her teenage years.

While this book had some cool ideas, it lacked the character development I wanted.

Thank you to Net Galley and Harlequin Trade Publishing for the eARC!

The Backtrack is a romance book that touches on being at the right place just at the wrong time with a bunch of emo nostalgia. I have to say I was smitten right away. Sam is a pilot who goes back to her small hometown to help her grandma move. She goes back and is reunited with Damon, her old best friend who attempted to kiss Sam years ago. Sam declines the kiss because her Mom always told her "don't end up stuck in this place." before her Mom abandoned her. She wants to leave her small town behind. However, when arriving at her grandma's house she discovers her old walkman and the CD Damon made for her years ago. Each song transports her to a vision of what life would have been like if Damon and Sam kissed that night. Sam starts to rethink what her life could have been.

First off, this book would have been such a staple in my childhood. There are just so many references to things from when I was a teen. All the music mentioned are bands I adore. There are even references to childhood snacks and even items from the past. I mean when was the last time you thought about Smackers lipbalm. So I was definitely on a nostalgic kick reading this.

Secondly, I love a bit of magical realism in my stories. I enjoyed the little flashbacks Sam would have when listening to her old walkman. This is what her life could have been if her and Damon kissed all those years ago. Things would have been so different. It was wild reading about them in the past and then also in the present. Clearly you could tell something was always there but Sam just shut it down. It does a nice take on second chance romances and what if what you've been looking for has been right in front of you the whole time.

I think the only thing in this story I was iffy on was the parts about Sam and her Mom. Throughout the book Sam brings up her Mom. You know she left her when she was a teenager and told her not to end up stuck in this place. Later in the story she ends up seeing her Mom again. This is where the story gets a bit dark. I think this is something that it's important to talk about and clearly this is something that's stuck with Sam. It's shaped her in where she is in life today. I just wanted more from this. Yes, it was touched upon than wrapped up quickly and went back to the main story.

Overall I highly recommend this book if emo music & romance is your thing. However, I feel if you're in the generation that didn't listen to bands like Fall Out Boy, Sum 41, Paramore, Blink-182 and other bands like that you might not enjoy this as much. Those references are a huge part of the story and are constantly brought up. However, I say give it a try because I liked the theme of second chances. I definitely can't wait to read more from Erin La Rosa.

*Thank you so much to Netgalley and the publisher for the free copy in exchange for my honest opinion.*

Sam put Tybee in her rearview mirror with no expectations of returning. The only person she's remained in contact with is her grandmother and her desire to move the only incentive to going back.
I'm currently in my magical realism era so just prepare yourself to see a lot with me at the helm! Erin's twist with music as the catalyst made for a happy reading experience. You can bet most of the songs have been listened to ever since (and not just once). There was a lot for me to relate to with family dynamics and the flashbacks make the WHAT IF question something for both MCs to get their answers. Sam and Damon are great compliments to each other and Sam's grandmother had me laughing with her sly comments multiple times.
Thank you to HTP Books and NetGalley for the advanced copy. All thoughts are my own.

I love an alternative reality/magical elements type book! I love learning about Sam and Damon. Seeing all their feelings rebloom and them establish a new beginning for their new start was so great, but knowing that they got their happy ending after seeing how they ended up in the alternate reality was perfect, it made the ending so much more satisfying. Also, this book has by far the best music out of any book I’ve read, 10/10 for Sam and Damon, the song choices and Erin La Rosa

I thought the concept of this book was cute. As a millenial it definitely brought back a lot of memories with the toys, bands, fashion choices and songs that we all used to love. Heck I still listen to all of the songs mentioned to this day. This book is a mash up with second chance and a what/if scenario. Essentially Sam returns to her small town, a town she never thought she would step foot in again. While in her childhood bedroom she finds an old mixed CD that magically shows her an alternative version of her past. A past where Sam and Damon end up together as teenagers.

I liked the main characters Sam and Damon but the way they were written felt off. I didn’t feel a connection between them. Which is really unfortunate because I love when friends become lovers but it just felt awkward. I noticed that they didn’t seem to get to know the now versions of themselves but stayed in the nostalgia of the past. I would have loved to have seen them really get to know these new versions of themselves. There were parts of the story that were repetitive and I did skip over a bunch of pages because of this.

At the end of the day it was a cute, quick read and this was my first read of Erin La Rosa. I definitely plan to read more of her books in the future.

Thank you to Netgalley, Erin La Rosa, Harlequin Trade Publishing, and Canary Street Press for the gifted copy!

This was such an interesting and different story and I loved how flawed and real all the characters were. The whole story was a wonderful exploration of how relationships change and evolve over time and how our choices help shape who we are and guide us down the path we were meant to take. I also really loved all the side characters, especially Sam’s grandma Pearl. The chemistry and banter between Sam and Damon was fantastic and I loved their second chance romance!

A very nostalgic second chance romance! I love the twist on magical realism to show an alternate reality flashback—especially how this was coupled with alternative songs that I enjoyed when I was younger (and still do!!). I loved that this was set in Tybee Island, GA, which is a gorgeous backdrop for the story. The book was bingeable, but there were a couple places were the story felt a little slow because I personally didn’t relate much to the characters. That being said, I think a lot of the plot elements made up for that in the second half of the book. Overall, this story is an entertaining and quick, easy read.

3.75/5⭐️ (rounded up to 4)
0.5/5🌶️

Thanks so much to Netgalley and the publishers for this ARC in exchange for my honest review.

I’m reading another arc right now, Primetime Romance by Kate Robb, that has very similar feels. 90s love, shifting timelines or worlds, friends to lovers,

I’m a huge music fan so this pseudo Groundhog Day finds High Fidelity was right up my alley. The second chance love for Sam and Damon as told by the mixtape she never listened to was such a delightful plot device.