Whiteford's debut novel by the Canadian author is a perfect transition from fall to holiday reading. It’s a delightful, cozy tale with a touch of romance that resonates with music enthusiasts and those looking for a heartfelt story about second chances. It strikes a wonderful balance—neither too light nor too heavy.

This was a cute rom-com! Highly enjoyed the authors writing style. The story was relatable and I completely loved Ryan and Allie’s relationship. Allie’s self discovery and character development was detailed and beautifully realistic. The characters' interactions, the witty banter, and the music references add to the story's charm and create a nostalgic atmosphere

This book felt like a retro rom-com and I was here for it! Cute concept that was a little slow at times but overall a good read and I'd recommend this book to friends.

Make Me a Mixtape was exactly the kind of sweet romance I was looking for! I loved that Allie wasn't our typical sweet female protagonist, and instead was incredibly layered and realistic. The plot kept me hooked and I always love a good coffee shop romance!

A wonderful read!
This novel drew me in from the very first page and kept me hooked until the end. The characters were vibrant and relatable, the writing was engaging, and the story had just the right balance of heart and humor. Highly recommend!
Many thanks to NetGalley, the author, and the publisher for my ARC. All opinions are my own.

Thank you to netgalley and the publisher for the ARC!

Overall? Cute. Concept was there, but I wasn't a fan of the overall execution. I was a bit bored throughout, and pretty consistently. The spice was mild so I think the majority of romance readers can read this without being uncomfortable. If you need a cute romcom, grab this.

Full of nostalgia that seemed fitting for both 80's and 90's but the romance never built up tension wise and kinda one dimensional.

What I loved about this book were the details about music, and the way the friendships in the book were extremely important, almost as important as the romance. This book isn't just about a search for a partner; it's also about finding community.

Two mild/mod detail spice scenes
Lgbtq high representation
Found family

A little bland with the plot for me. The main characters were so lacking of confidence when it came to their personal lives and self worth, which lead to several miscommunication trope scenarios. If they asked once they asked with every single thing/touch/kiss/movement during their first spice scenes.
The secondary characters were more interesting and likeable than the main characters.
Overall fine read.

Thank you NetGalley for the opportunity to arc read this. I absolutely loved this book so much. Music means everything to me so I really resonated with that. Ryan was the cutest mmc! I even loved Wren and all of the other side characters. I really felt like I was their friend following along with them. I loved the growth that Allie had as a character because I feel like she was so closed off in the beginning and Ryan really helped her get out of her shell. I am glad she decided to continue on her music journey. Great read!

I value the opportunity I was given to read this in advance, but I still haven't read this. With so many books ahead of me, I cannot return to this title.

This was a quick, easy read with some fun pop culture references. I liked it well enough, but found it to be a fairly average rom com overall. I ended up skimming a lot because it didn't totally click for me. It was sweet though and works well as a palate cleanser type of book.

I read an ARC of this book from NetGalley. All comments are my own.

Adored this story! I wish I had a chance to finish this story in the time I had it, but life and the holidays going the way. What I did read, though, I thoroughly enjoyed. In a world where reading fast is admired, I enjoyed the pacing of this story and being able yo take my time getting to know the characters. Can’t wait to buy this title when it’s released and recommend it when I’m at work!

I appreciate the opportunity to read this title and thank you to Penguin Random House for providing me with an eARC, however I am prioritizing other books on my list at this time. I will amend my review to reflect my thoughts, should I read this book in the future.

This was SO CUTE! My first book by this author but I really enjoyed it! The cover is also gorgeous, which makes this an almost perfect read!!!

Cozy, fun read about following your dreams and believing in love even after getting your heart broken emotionally and professionally. Ryan and Allie were fun to watch as they took a chance on love and life.

Thank you Netgalley and Penguin Random House Canada | Doubleday Canada for the ARC!

This book was a bit slow to start, but I got into it very quickly. It follows Allie, former punk princess and Ryan, who meet on a serendipitous chance encounter. Their friendship quickly morphs for Allie, and the ensuing story follows her as she struggles with the crossroad she's at in life and love.

The suspense of wondering when Allie and Ryan were going to smarten up was MADDENING at times, and I felt like it could have happened much sooner and with a smidge less drama.

I loved that this book was closer to women's fiction with a bit of spice, and that Ryan was not a typical "body of a God" type MMC. He was sweet and damaged and not physically perfect, which made him so loveable. . I initially didn't like Allie, but quickly changed my opinion after she showed character growth.

This book was warm and cozy, heartfelt and gave me hope

Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I thought this was very good and I will have to add this to the shop shelves. Thank you for the chance for us to review.

Allie is a former punk rocker who’s not ready to give up on her music dreams. Ryan is a podcast tech who happens to be a fan, and wants to help her. I absolutely adored these characters, and the way they came together. I really don’t like a miscommunication trope, which there was a little bit of between Ryan and Allie. But the conversation when Ren sat down with Allie to discuss her feelings made up for a little miscommunication. I love the representation, the antics, and especially the music theme. As an emo girl, I really related to the “scene” and the mixtapes.

I was not attached, nor did I connect, with these characters. I feel like the premise was cute but the delivery was a little lackluster. I would consider giving this book another chance in a different time in my life. But for right now, it was readable but not my favorite.