Thank you Berkley Romance for my copy! All thoughts are my own.

The Greene Sisters series has been one of my favorites in the Romance genre so I was so excited to dive into books three! I thought this book handled love after loss so beautifully. While I am not the biggest fan of the famous musician trope, I did enjoy this book and all the family relationships.

Synopsis:

“Iris Greene used to be a woman with a plan. But all of that changed after she met the love of her life at twenty-five, got pregnant and married…and then became a widow and a single mother all in a little over two years. Now, after years of hustling, Iris is the director of partnerships at a beauty company and raising sweet six-year-old Calla by herself. Despite her busy life, she still can’t help but feel lonely. She just needs to catch her breath—and one night, at her sister’s wedding, when she steps outside to do just that, she sees a certain singer who takes her breath away. . . .By all accounts, pop R&B singer Angel Hughes has it made. He’s a successful musician and has just scored a brand ambassador deal with an emerging beauty company. But he’s still not fulfilled; he’s not producing songs he’s passionate about, and there’s a gaping hole in his love life. When he visits the Save Face Beauty office to kickstart his campaign, he’s delighted to see Iris, his stylist’s sister—the beautiful woman he’s secretly had a crush on for years.Despite their obvious attraction to each other, they must stay professional throughout the campaign tour—a goal that doesn’t quite pan out. But when it becomes clear their lives aren’t in sync, can they fall back in step to the same rhythm and beat?” —NetGalley

What I Liked:

The Family—I love all the sisters (my favorite book is Lily’s, The Neighbor Favor)

The Pacing—It kept me reading and I really enjoyed it!

Exploration of Grief—I can’t imagine the pain of losing my partner so young, but I thought it was a really beautiful and honest portrayal of grief and moving forward in a healthy way without forgetting.

What Didn’t Work for Me:

The Musician Trope—It’s just not for me! Doesn’t effect my rating and I’m glad I finished the series, I just don’t vibe with it.

Character Authenticity: 4/5 Spice Rating: 2/5 Overall Rating: 4/5

Content Warnings:

grief, death of a spouse

This was the first book I’ve read by this author. This was an enjoyable story. It was nice to read a story about a woman who’s being respectfully pursued. This was a relatable story about what it means to date when you’re both a single mom & have career aspirations. I found this so enjoyable that I will read the other books in this series.

This one was a delightful slow-burn romance that struck all the right chords… see what I did there! This one blends the world of music and corporate life creating a heartwarming semi-workplace romance. Iris, a strong single mother and corp exec, finds herself crossing paths, again, with singer Angel. Their gradual, sweet love story is sprinkled with music references that add an extra layer of fun and cuteness!

I adored how Angel and Iris’ love story unfolded slowly, allowing their connection to blossom naturally. The way they navigate their professional lives while their hearts slowly sync! *swoon*

I paired the physical book with the audiobook was so well done too, adding a cute and engaging element to the experience of Iris and Angel. I appreciated that this one was dually narrated which was perfect for this couple! This being the third installment to this trilogy, I love that we also hear from the other Greene sisters which makes the story even more enjoyable!

Excuse me Kristina Forest, this book was freaking adorable.

This book is the 3rd in the Greene sisters serious and she was a good one.
The story sets it up real quick that were about to get into - and my friends once its all laid out you will not want to stop!! This story starts with a right person wrong time kinda vibe and then the entire rest of the story your like RIGHT TIME IS RIGHT NOW.

Iris is a hard working corporate business woman, single mom & grieving love lost - Angel is a popstar, feeling blocked from his full potential, who will steal your heart with his love for Iris (seriously, this guy). They both experience grief and growth in the most wholesome ways.
The way Iris and Angel's budding relationship evolves, you can feel the pull these two have towards one another. Their connection is incredibly natural and honest. The relationship that evolves is vulnerable and heartfelt - its humourous and kind and their is so much care and compassion both in words and in actions!!

Thoughts:
- bring back romance that includes guys writing songs for you pls
-as soon as her boss was like "it would look bad but i know you would never do that" - i was like ITS OOONNN
- "who takes care of you?" sir i was a puddle
- the future talk...? dead
- normalize mint chocolate chip ice cream being top tier

This book is so heartfelt and will leave you sighing with happy love. Promise.
If you've yet to read Kristina Forest, get on it.

Thank you BerkleyRomance and BerkleyPub for the free book!! :)

I want to send a huge thank you to Berkley Publishing and NetGalley for sending me an advanced reader copy of this book.

Thank you so much to NetGalley and Berkley Publishing for sending me an advanced reader copy of this book.

This is the third book in the Greene Sisters series, and I really enjoyed Iris and Angel's story.

Iris is a single-mom who lost her husband a few years ago.

Not too long after his death, she meets Angel who is an up and coming singer at the time. Fast forward three years and the two reunite for a work trip. Angel is the brand ambassador for Iris' job.

I loved how Iris and Angel were written.

One thing I loved about this story is how Iris prioritized her mental health, and I loved seeing her vocalize her thoughts and fears in therapy. Also, I loved diving into Angel's relationship with his family and how he was able to learn that those who don't want to accept him for who he is do not deserve space in his life.

MOST IMPORTANTLY, I LOVE SEEING A BLACK WOMAN BEING LOVED OUT LOUD!

This book was everything. I will definitely be reading more from Kristina Forest!

#TheLoveLyric #NetGalley

This was such a sweet read. I laughed a bunch with the someone nostalgia. I loved their story and the single mom trope. I loved how gentle they were with each other and it was such a heartwarming beautiful story.

I have loved all three Greene sisters, but Iris is definitely my favorite! This relationship was hinted at in book 1 and it was worth the wait. This book was full of vulnerability and growth, love and humor, grief and healing. Thank you to NetGalley and Berkley for this free arc, all opinions are mine.

Iris found the love of her life at 24 years old, got married, and had a sweet baby girl with him, only to suddenly become a widow a few years later. Angel, a famous and soulful R&B artist, is interested in getting to know Iris. They end up traveling together for work, where he is the brand ambassador for the makeup company she works for. Her job is to make sure things run smoothly and make sure Angel has everything he needs, but it turns out what he really needs is her. Iris is torn between choosing love over her career and up-ending her daughter's life.

I loved this one! It is book 3 of the Greene Sisters series, but my first Kristina Forest book. Iris is so completely relatable as a hardworking mom who would do anything for her little girl, and who completely hesitates to be with a famous person. She is someone that is so fierce about the ones she loves and always speaks what is on her mind. Angel is such a sweet and thoughtful character and I love how he treats Iris. I highly recommend this!

Favorite Line: "I felt like you could use a song."

Thank you NetGalley, Berkley Romance, and the author for an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.

4.5 stars

This was my first Kristina Forest book and it certainly will not be my last! I was hooked from the prologue!! Overall, this book emanated joy and warmth.

Angel, our pop R&B artist, has been interested in Iris for years. Then, his career skyrockets and he signs on as an ambassador for the cosmetic company that she works for. Iris is our career-focused, single mom, and young widow who loves gardening. The communication, therapy appointments, honesty, and maturity of these two beautiful characters was so refreshing to read. They balanced each other out so well and it felt very natural.

This book is gentle and caring in its portrayal of grief and life after loss. The other side plot line is Angel's relationship with church, his faith, and his mother.

I'm super excited to go back to the first two books in this series and learn more about Violet and Lily. For those curious, this can absolutely be read as a standalone, but if you know these characters already, I think you will be happy with their appearances!

Look Forward To:
Forced Proximity, Slow Burn, Celebrity x Single Mom, Forbidden Workplace Romance, Opposites Attract, He Falls First, Young Widow


Thank you to Berkley Publishing for a free digital copy.

this romance was so sweet and thoughtful and I love that it was teased since the first book!!!

this is definitely a me thing, but this book was a little *too* sweet for me and didn't have the build up or tension that the first two books had. also, (for me) there was too much church-y talk, but I know that might appeal to some people!

even though this wasn't my favorite Greene sister book, I still enjoyed Kristina Forest's writing and am excited to see what she puts out next!

thank you Berkley Romance for the e-arc and finished copy!!

The Love Lyric by Kristina Forest captivated me from the very start. The story has such charming "meet cute" energy, especially with Angel’s instant reaction when he sees Iris' daughter run toward them — in that moment, he believes he might have a chance with Iris. The dynamic between the sisters is also incredibly heartwarming; their support for one another is a lovely thread throughout the story.
Angel’s musical talent is a standout, especially when he writes a song for Iris, which adds an extra layer of sweetness to their connection. I'm always a fan of forced proximity, so the moment Iris has to go on tour with Angel, I was completely invested. I also appreciated learning more about Angel’s background — his upbringing, his faith, and his relationship with his mother all contribute so much depth to his character. Despite being a bit younger than Iris, their bond feels like it was truly meant to be. Their chemistry is undeniable, and it’s clear they’re perfect for each other.
I thought the Partner Plot was going o be my favorite, but this one topped it off!!!!
Read this book if you like:
* Forced Proximity
* He Falls First
* Slow Burn
* Celebrity MMC
* Opposites Attract
* Single Mother/ Young Widow
* Forbidden Workplace Romance

Thank You to BerkleyPublishing & Netgalley for this e-arc in exchange for my honest review.

“Every time that he made Iris laugh, Angel felt like the sun had peeked out from behind the clouds and beamed down on him. He had a feeling that Iris’s laughter wasn’t easily won. The fact that he’d caused her to laugh more than once over the last couple days seemed like a victory.”

ANGEL IS PROBABLY ONE OF THE MOST PATIENT AND CARING MMCS ever. He’s always had his eye on Iris since day 1 and their chemistry was really undeniable. This was such a healthy relationship and I really enjoyed their story. This was such a quick and sweet read!

Tropes/Themes:
-Celebrity x Single mom
-Workplace romance (he’s a brand ambassador and she’s the director of partnerships)

Truly heartfelt.
This has that secret ingredient of years long secret pining that my heart just about bursted open. I love this couple's dynamic! Their love is truly worth staying in tune with each part of the book's evolution.

I love the respect they had for each other first and foremost, then the sensuality that just turns on so well when they finally give in.

This has all the heart and soul to revive me from any blues I may be feeling.

The Love Lyric is the 3rd book in the Greene Sisters series and this was so cute! I loved The Neighbor Favor in this series and was excited to see this story play out. We followed a widowed, single mom heroine and a successful R&B singer hero!

Iris is a beauty corporate executive, on top of being a single mom to her daughter. Angel is a super successful R&B singer who is the new celeb brand ambassador for the company she works at. Their pairing felt so natural and real, and I loved how he falls first! He’s just a little bit younger than her (he’s 29, she’s 32). And I loved how he is inspired by her to write songs about her. We get to see their cute texts to one another about their days and I just loved how much they want to get to know one another on a real level (their likes, histories, favorites, etc).

CW: grief from losing a partner

✨ARC REVIEW✨

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
🌶️🌶️

🎤 single mom/widow
🎤 r&b singer
🎤 workplace romance
🎤 he falls first
🎤 opposites attract
🎤 slow burn

I’m sad the see the Greene sisters story come to an end. This book does a great job at showing us two sides to grief. One in losing a spouse and two in losing respect/acceptance to your family due to religion. On paper, Iris and Angel are opposites but you find it really compliments them well in forming a relationship. I enjoyed seeing Iris and Calla’s relationship but I wish we got just a bit more of it. Overall the book and series are fantastic and I do think that this book wrapped it up perfectly.

Thank you NetGalley for the ARC

Oh my goodness this was the perfect ending to the Greene sisters series. Throughout the other books I was so intrigued by Iris and couldn’t wait to read her story. I think Kristina did an excellent job of handling losing a spouse and wrote that part of the story with so much care and compassion. I loved Angel’s storyline of growing up in a religious setting but still pursuing his passion even if it wasn’t what his mother prefer. The romance between Angel and Iris was so endearing and heartwarming. The pacing made sense for them as a couple and even though I hate when couples break up in a book theirs made sense for what they were experiencing and it made all the more sweeter when they got back together. 10/10 recommend.

3.5 stars!

If he doesn't write a love song about you before even getting the chance to date you, and that song becomes a billboard hit, is he really the one?

Angel, you romantic!

It was great to be reunited with the Greene sisters, and to finally hear Iris' love story. This book had a slow start for me, and it was steadily paced to where it almost felt empty at some points. While I enjoyed seeing how Iris and Angel's love story started to develop, I didn't feel much for the couple overall. Also, the third act breakup was kind of frustrating; I feel like the characters could have still reached their resolution and life epiphanies without needing to go through that.

The characters were great and it was nice reading about previous well known characters while also being introduced to new ones. I loved Angel's sister and could not stand his mother.

The story handled grief very well, but I wish there was more depth to Iris than just that. Her identity centered around being organized, being a widow and being a single mother, and although those are important in her identity, I wanted to get more of her. I think Angel's backstory was interesting and definitely captivated me. And his religious upbringing and the struggles he had to balance with that and his musical career was intriguing to read about, especially since his religious upbringing and faith-heavy parents was relatable to me.

All in all, a sweet ending to the Greene sisters' love stories. Neighbor Favor will always be my favorite, but this was a nice read as well.

Thank you to NetGalley & Berkley Publishing Group for the eARC of this book in exchange for my honest review!

This story pulled me in from the very start. Iris, a devoted single mom, is holding it all together after the heartbreak of losing her husband several years ago. It made perfect sense that she would be a control freak, fiercely guarding her life and family . Enter Angel , a big-time recording artist, whom she meets at a family wedding and again as the ambassador for the beauty brand she works for. When they go on the road together for the campaign, their connection is undeniable.
It was definitely more of a forbidden slow burn romance. It was romantic as their emotional connection and friendship grew before the romance ignited. My favorite part was how Angel communicated his feelings through songs written for Iris- pure magic ! Everything about Angel is sexy, especially his voice on audio. I couldn't help but root wildly for their Happily Ever After.

This book gave me all the warm and happy romance vibes I've come to expect from Kristina Forest. I thoroughly enjoyed my time with Iris and Angel and I’m sad to see this beautiful series come to an end. 

Thanks to the easter eggs in the first two books we already know a little about Angel and his feelings for Iris. Forest did a great job of building on what she's already shown us and crafting a sweet love story around it.

Forest could have easily embraced the obvious trope (famous man with the girl next door) and made it the sole conflict of the story. Instead, she added additional layers, which I really appreciated because it kept this story fresh and interesting.

The author has a great skill for creating binge-worthy storylines that seem to fly by and leave you wanting more.

Special thanks to NetGalley and Berkley Romance for the advanced copy of this novel in exchange for an honest review.

Music superstar Angel has had a crush on widowed single mom Iris since the moment he first met her. Iris isn’t interested in dating after losing her husband, but Angel is entranced. When he writes a song inspired by her that shoots up the charts, Iris is taken aback and finds herself wanting to know more about Angel.

The Love Lyric is book three in the Greene Sisters series by Kristina Forest and I definitely recommend reading them in order to fully appreciate them.

I loved Angel and Iris! Angel had been pining for Iris since the first moment he met her in The Partner Plot, and I was rooting for him to get his girl. I did not love the third act conflict at all and I found myself wishing it had been handled differently. The resolution was lovely though and I was happy that Angel and Iris found their way.