I really like the plot of this book. Eleanor's curiosity about the woman in the picture gave her and Luke something that brought them together in a natural way. It gave a good structure to the book. Their search for an answer made for a good driving plot and I wanted to know the history behind the picture as much as Eleanor.
The main characters' first meeting didn't feel forced. You can feel their connection and their chemistry. They actually got on well together. Their banter had me giggling. The dual point of view gave great insight into both their feelings.
The thing that bothered me was how when Luke had a hard time after a big life change for him happened Eleanor was kinda unemathetic and just didin't seem to support him through it. I understand that she was mad at him but I still think she should've backed him up. But other than that I really liked how they felt for each other and how down bad Luke was for Eleanor. Their relationship seems genuine and realistic.

Thank you NetGalley for this ARC. All opinions are my own.

𝑸𝒖𝒊𝒄𝒌 𝑺𝒖𝒎𝒎𝒂𝒓𝒚:

Eleanor’s temporary job takes a turn when she discovers a photo of a mysterious musician from 1993. Her investigation leads her into the city's vibrant music scene and into a romantic partnership with a music promoter (Luke).

𝑴𝒚 𝒕𝒉𝒐𝒖𝒈𝒉𝒕𝒔:

As someone who has lived in Austin for about 10 years, I was excited to read this book. However, I felt that the portrayal of Austin's vibe was somewhat exaggerated and caricatured.

The romance felt very insta-love, and Luke came across as overly obsessive and insistent on taking charge in a stereotypical "manly" way.

Additionally, I dislike relationships that start with a lie (even a white lie), which was a major drawback for me.

A lovely dual point-of-view romance I absolutely adored. Will make romance readers swoon as much as I did!

This book has a lot of potential as a cute romcom: archivist Eleanor is looking to identify a woman in a photo and a well connected local, Luke, helps. As Eleanor and Luke learn more about the women in the photo, they start to fall for each other. And as Eleanor starts to build a life on Austin, Luke starts to feel more and more guilty about a small lie that was the foundation of their friendship.

Unfortunately, the direct writing style made out hard for me to find the book enjoyable. I never understood why Eleanor wanted to find out who this woman was. I struggle to find her actions relatable, like when she tells Luke she’s scared of a new relationship before they’ve even kissed. And I really don’t see how Eleanor shows no empathy when Luke learns such big news towards the end of the book. Luke’s character of equally un-relatable to me (e.g., buying her boots after knowing her a week, third act breakup, etc).

I received a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

I loved this book and couldn't read it fast enough! I love a dual POV and found both Eleanor and Luke's perspectives endearing. If I had one take-away from this book it would be to find a man like Luke who is the perfect gentleman of book boyfriends.

Favorite quotes:
* "In fact, I like watching you. Makes me reconsider what I'm looking at, you know? I'd love to see the world the way you see it"
* "You're mean to yourself. For no good reason"
* "I don’t know your order, so I went off vibes"
* "I’m taking a picture, so I never forget this moment"