3.75 stars but will round to 4.

Pros:
- Make Me a Mixtape had a logical timeline and plot progression, which I found really nice to read considering it's more of a cozy romance (emphasis on cozy).
-Music and pop culture references were nostalgic and a sweet touch
-Setting was phenomenal and Whiteford captured the Brooklyn spirit perfectly
-The cozy-ness of the conflict and setting are a nice palette cleanser
-It's giving Gilmore Girls in the best way!
-Loved the execution of the found family trope
-Some LGBTQIA+ representation

Drawbacks:
-A second round of editing for copy/line
-Would have benefitted from a character-relationship developmental edit as I was left waiting for the moment where Allie and Ryan really jumped off of the page
-I personally struggled to connect with the romantic tones as they seems superficial and/or forced

Thank You to Net galley, Jennifer Whiteford, and publisher for sending me a digital e-arc of this book in exchange for an honest review.

I really, really wanted to like this book. I love a good cozy romance, especially with a fall small town vibe. I love a guilty-pleasure lighthearted hallmark romance, but unfortunately I couldn’t get into this one. I read 46% before deciding to DNF. I didn’t get attached to really any of the characters and so much of the dialogue and action was cringe. I feel like this book was an attempt at being very modern and inclusive, using different pronouns and a variety of characters but it felt like trying too hard. I didn’t feel like I knew the characters much other than their queer quirks. I love a slow burn, but this was a slooooow burn. Almost halfway through the book and it really does seem like such a friend zone I’m not even hoping for more. I was interested in the plot, wondering if she ever finds her ex-bandmate and what she decides with the cafe, but unfortunately not enough to keep reading.

This was a charming, cozy, fall drenched, Gilmore Girls in Brooklyn vibe romance.
Allie was a teenage punk star, think The Runaways meets Paramore in suburban NJ. Ten years after the band break-up she is living a quiet life, working in her aunt's coffee shop in Brooklyn, when she delivers coffee to her biggest fan, Ryan. Ryan helps remind Allie that she has a lot of life to give and that she should follow her dreams. He is a hurt little bunny though with fundamentalist Christian parents who kicked him out of the family, so he runs away from everything. I love that male body diversity is celebrated in this book- dad bods are sexy! I love the friendship between Ryan and Allie. The supporting characters are quirky in the best way. Though 2 out of 4 are millionaires (owning property in Brooklyn is no joke expensive). It was so easy to root for Ryan, Allie and them as a couple. I wish they both had more self esteem and weren't stuck and a bit regressed. But this immaturity made so much sense with their backstories so it didn't bother me.
This was a great read for young Gen X/ older Millenials who remember punk and pop punk and were here for them both. If you loved Girl by Blake Nelson, or the recent LoFi, and if you love quaint cozy romances, this book is for you. 4 stars. Thanks to Penguin Random House Canada and Net Galley for this eARC in exchange for my honest review.

This book is a heartwarming love story with found family, second chances mixed with nostalgia. Cozy with autumnal vibes, a good book to read under blankets with a hot beverage.

The story follows Allie, former singer in a punk band she has spent the last decade hiding from her past living in Brooklyn and working in her Aunt Mindy’s cafe. A safe, predictable bubble until Ryan steps into her life, a fan of Allie’s old band he pushes her out of her comfort zone, reigniting her passion for music and sets about helping Allie to reconcile with her past.

It’s a sweet, slow burn romance and even though it is set in the city the author creates a small town vibe that makes it feel warm and homely. The secondary character are vibrant and charming, adding depth and towards the feel of cozy community.

Make a mixtape hits all the right notes for a nostalgic, feel good cozy romance and was an enjoyable, warm hug of a read.

Ever read a book that feels tailor-made for you? This was one of those books for me. It’s self-discovery with a side of romance and packed with nostalgia.

I’m totally an Allie - grew up in the music scene, played bass in a band, kind of a grump. And Ryan would have SO been my type in college. In fact, I married my Ryan. The grumpy to my sunshine, a drummer mwho spent the first few years of our marriage touring. Even the ex-church kid stuff resonated with me.

Nostalgia aside, I enjoyed this slow-burn, friends-to-lovers romance. I loved Ryan’s enthusiasm and understood Allie’s reticent nature. Loved the side characters too.

Would have given this 5 stars if there had been a bit more emotional depth and if Ryan's personality didn’t seem to sometimes contradict itself.

Thanks so much to NetGalley and Penguin Random House Canada for the advanced reader copy of this book.

The cover of this book is what initially attracted me. I love music, likely similar to what the main characters band, the jetskis, would have sounded like. Mix tapes and cds are my love language, so I did love how this mix tape story line came full circle- you’ll have to read it to know what I mean! How ever, many parts of this book felt drawn out to me and there were parts I struggled to get through. This book is about music, second chances, friendship, cozy romance, and figuring out what you really want (or don’t want) in life. Thank you to Netgally and the publisher for the opportunity to read this ARC

This book was a big dose of nostalgia with and found family and a little bit of romance. I was immediately suck in. While I enjoyed Allie and the rest of the side characters (especially George), I had a hard time connecting with Ryan's character. 4 stars.

I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read an advance copy of this book.

I enjoyed this book so much. I loved all the music references and checked out a few songs that I wasn't familiar with. And the plot point about the mixtape at the end of the story was *chef's kiss* perfect. I still don't quite understand the falling out between Allie and Jessi but I loved how it was resolved. Allie and Ryan were so great together! In fact, all of the characters were great together in that found-family kind of way. I absolutely loved the ending - a very good friend of mine did the same thing (no spoilers) and it brought back a good memory for me. All of the characters show depth and growth throughout the story, which was lovely to see. Very much looking forward to seeing what this author comes up with next. Highly recommend.

This is short and sweet! The plot really interested me, I loved the musical aspect and the fact that Allie was in an all-girl punk band in her youth. That immediately made me want to like her. The setting is also so cozy, fall and winter in a Brooklyn cafe? Perfect.

Something about this just fell a little bit flat, the characters needed some oomph to them. I wasn’t very invested in the romance like I wanted to be. I really loved the moments of rekindling with some of the bandmates though, those were so heartfelt and lovely. I loved that Allie learned she’s not the villain she made herself out to be for so long.

I’d be interested in what Jennifer writes in the future! I think her work has really great potential and I love the creative ideas in this.

Books and music are the way to my heart. Combine the two and you are absolutely speaking my love language!

I enjoyed reading about Allie's post-punk band member life. Life at the cafe with her aunt and friend Ren sounded wonderful, but her roots leave her unsatisfied. When she meets Ryan (the sunshine to her grumpiness), Allie starts to remember how much she loved performing. The recordings she made for elderly patron George were adorable. I also appreciated how Allie and Ryan built their friendship before their inevitable hookup. There were a lot of sweet elements to this book, despite it being punk rock (punks don't cry, do they?! Yes, they do. Many times apparently).

I absolutely loved the mixtapes that went along with the book titles. There is a twist at the end that I utterly adored. Overall a fun, punk rock story full of love and music (and love for music!).

Allie has been stuck in a music-less rut after her punk band broke up almost ten years ago and she hasn't spoken to her then best friends since. When her grumpy runs into Ryan's sunshine, her life changes forever (despite her best efforts to keep it exactly the same).

This was a really original story of found family, friendship, love and an obvious ode to music. Also, a heartbreaking warning of the stories we weave in our own heads that hold us back from living a full life.

I loved the story, the mystery and the small little town of quirky characters that was created within their community and friends.

I just wasn't the target audience for most of the themes and a lot of the music references went over my head so I wasn't able to enjoy it to its fullest.

Thank you to Penguin Random House Canada and Netgalley for the ARC in exchange for my honest review.

Make Me a Mixtape was a read that had me reminiscing about my high school days. I wonder what happened with my old mixtapes.🤔

Nostalgia for youth and DIY punk shows and mixtapes, wrapped up in an autumn/winter Brooklyn setting. Miscommunication tropes tend to annoy me and the two main characters here have neurotic miscommunication hardwired into them, but i was still very much on board with their romance and invested in a HEA. Made me want to make myself a mixtape with all the songs discussed.

Make Me a Mixtape is an ode to cassettes and 80s music with a side of romance. Allie and Ryan are both likeable and flawed, their character growth was wonderfully crafted with the support of the secondary characters who I also found myself enjoying.

I can’t wait to read what Jennifer Whiteford writes next.

2.5* rounded up to 3!

This was a fun read, quick, cozy and rather enjoyable. The group dynamic between Allie, Ryan, Anisha & Ren was wholesome. Mindy came across as a great figure for Allie, it would have been interesting to understand more what their relationship was like during the Jetskis

The main criticism I have is that the story feels unfinished. The blurb made it seem like we would have more of Allie’s past, and what actually happened between the Jetskis, with Ryan helping along the way.
It started off that way but towards the end segued into a messy love story. It felt like the two sub-plots weren’t flowing together, but two completely different stories.

It was cute & I don’t regret reading it, I just wish it was a bit more fleshed out, it felt rather rushed unfortunately

Thank you penguin random house & netgalley for an arc in exchange for an honest review

Make Me A Mixtape is such a cute read! Allie is living in NYC working in a cafe trying to avoid her past life as a musician. Ryan immediately recognizes her and begins to remind her of what she is missing and what she can become. Ryan is your quintessential Retriever male, always happy and willing to please; definitely the sunshine to Allie's grumpy! I do wish there was more tension between Allie and Ryan; I needed more romantic buildup. Overall I thought it was a cute and heartwarming story about found family, loss, redemption and of course romance.

Thank you to Penguin Random House Canada and to Jennifer Whiteford for providing this e-Arc in exchange for an honest review.

⋆˚⟡˖𝐭𝐡𝐚𝐧𝐤 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐭𝐨 𝐍𝐞𝐭𝐆𝐚𝐥𝐥𝐞𝐲 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐏𝐞𝐧𝐠𝐮𝐢𝐧 𝐑𝐚𝐧𝐝𝐨𝐦 𝐇𝐨𝐮𝐬𝐞 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐩𝐫𝐨𝐯𝐢𝐝𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐦𝐞 𝐰𝐢𝐭𝐡 𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐬 𝐞-𝐀𝐑𝐂 𝐢𝐧 𝐞𝐱𝐜𝐡𝐚𝐧𝐠𝐞 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐚𝐧 𝐡𝐨𝐧𝐞𝐬𝐭 𝐫𝐞𝐯𝐢𝐞𝐰! ♡︎

𝟐 𝐬𝐭𝐚𝐫𝐬, 𝐃𝐍𝐅 𝐚𝐭 𝟐𝟒%

⋆˚⟡˖okay so i really wanted to finish this book and continue reading it but i just could not get into it. i started off really enjoying it; this book started out really cozy and autumn vibes and the premise sounded really interesting: 𝐚𝐥𝐥𝐢𝐞 𝐣𝐞𝐭𝐬𝐤𝐢, 𝐟𝐨𝐫𝐦𝐞𝐫 𝐦𝐞𝐦𝐛𝐞𝐫 𝐨𝐟 𝐚 𝐛𝐚𝐧𝐝, 𝐦𝐞𝐞𝐭𝐬 𝐚 𝐩𝐨𝐝𝐜𝐚𝐬𝐭 𝐬𝐨𝐮𝐧𝐝 𝐦𝐚𝐧𝐚𝐠𝐞𝐫 𝐧𝐚𝐦𝐞𝐝 𝐫𝐲𝐚𝐧 𝐰𝐡𝐨 𝐮𝐬𝐞𝐝 𝐭𝐨 𝐛𝐞 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐛𝐢𝐠𝐠𝐞𝐬𝐭 𝐟𝐚𝐧 𝐨𝐟 𝐡𝐞𝐫 𝐛𝐚𝐧𝐝. i just didn’t like ryan from the beginning and he really turned me off to the whole book.

⋆˚⟡˖𝐰 𝐫 𝐢 𝐭 𝐢 𝐧 𝐠: this girl needs a better editor. i only made it 24% of the book and there were so many repeated words and phrases. idk it was just incredibly boring

⋆˚⟡˖𝐜 𝐡 𝐚 𝐫 𝐚 𝐜 𝐭 𝐞 𝐫 𝐬: every single character is incredibly flat and one-dimensional and boring and annoying i was sick of them :(

⋆˚⟡˖𝐬 𝐞 𝐭 𝐭 𝐢 𝐧 𝐠: i LOVE the setting of this book! it’s so cozyyyy i love the fall, new york coffee shop and neighborhood!

⋆˚⟡˖𝐨 𝐯 𝐞 𝐫 𝐚 𝐥 𝐥: unfortunately i can’t recommend this book i just didn’t enjoy it. i was really excited for it because its a cozy fall, musical book but it was falling incredibly flat.

——————
𝐩𝐫𝐞-𝐫𝐞𝐯𝐢𝐞𝐰: dnf at 24% i just can’t get into it, rtc

𝐩𝐫𝐞-𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐝: i got approved for another arc!

MAKE me A Mixtape is a cute, slow burn romance. It unfortunately just wasn’t for me. There are a ton of music references and likeable characters, it just took me awhile to warm up to them, especially with Allie, the MC. Overall it reminded me of Susanna Hoffs’ This Bird Has Flown.

A lovely story about two wounded people who fear being abandoned so much that they would rather just be friends than risk losing each other. The friendship and the secondary characters are a delight. Definitely recommend!

Tell the truth… Have you ever gone to a punk rock show in the basement of a church? Did you grow up with a boom box full of CDs you bought at said shows?

This book is full of nostalgia, set in Brooklyn, NY, dripping with found family and bursting with cozy fall charm.

This book has great vibes and nostalgia but missed the mark with the romance. I had a really hard time connecting with the romantic aspects of the novel and really didn’t care for the conflict.

Thank you NetGalley and Penguin Random House for sending this book (eARC) for review consideration. All opinions are my own.