I think if someone where to ask what book to start with if they were dipping a toe into the romance genre Ashley Poston would always be at the top of my list! After I read a Novel Love Story and became so obsessed, I didn't know if her next book would meet my high expectations, but I was so glad to be proven wrong! Poston has a beautiful way with words to describe love, all types of love, and all kinds of experiences and backgrounds. Joni and Sebasation's love story is sprinkled with humor, talent, magic, and beauty. More importantly, it is also a love story to creativity and more powerfully, to mothers. I finished it in one sitting and can't wait to reread my favorite parts just like I did with a Novel Love Story when I add it to my collection!

Thank you publishers and Net Galley, for the ARC!

I loved The Seven Year Slip so I was so excited to be approved for this one! I really enjoyed this. I loved the small town vibe, the musical aspect, and the family/friendship aspect. I wanted a bit more from the romance though but overall an enjoyable and fun read.

This author has done it again—Sounds Like Love was pure magic. This book was a breathtaking blend of romance, music, and fate, wrapped in the author's signature heartfelt and whimsical storytelling. From the very first page, I was completely swept up in Joni’s world, feeling every bit of her creative frustration, her longing for something more, and her deep-rooted love for the place she once called home.
Joni was such a beautifully complex character. As a wildly successful but currently blocked songwriter, she carried so much pressure on her shoulders, and returning to Vienna Shores only seemed to add to that weight. Her mother’s declining memory and the impending closure of The Revelry made my heart ache for her, and I loved how the setting—this nostalgic, seaside town steeped in music—became such an integral part of the story.
And then there was the inexplicable connection. The way Joni started hearing the voice of a stranger, someone who felt just as lost as she did, was nothing short of mesmerizing. The romance between Joni and the mysterious musician was slow-burn perfection—filled with tension, banter, and an undeniable pull that neither of them could fully understand. The duality of their connection (the sweet, almost dreamlike voice in her head vs. the very real, very guarded man who appears in town) was so well done. I loved watching them navigate their strange bond, trying to fight it while also clinging to the solace it provided.
And the music—oh, the music! The author wove lyrics and melodies into the story in a way that made it feel alive. The act of songwriting, of chasing inspiration, of finding meaning in the notes and words—it was all so vividly and beautifully captured.
If I could change anything, it would only be that I never wanted this book to end. The emotional depth, the touch of magic, the raw and real love story—it all came together in such a stunning way. Sounds Like Love was an unforgettable symphony of longing, healing, and finding your way back to yourself. Absolutely a must-read!
Thank you to NetGalley, the author and the publisher for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review!

emotional hopeful reflective sad medium-paced
Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
4.75 stars

A beautiful contemporary romance with elements of magical realism that will make for a super fun summer read.

Putting aside the characters, the magical realism elements, and the overall storyline, my absolute favorite thing about this story was that the chapters have names (not just “1….2….3….etc.” They really frame the corresponding chapter beautifully & just adds another layer of care and thought from the author.

This work is nostalgic and heartbreaking and so beautifully deserved!

Thank you to NetGalley and Berkley Books (imprint of Penguin Random House) for an eARC of this titles in exchange for an honest review.

Enjoyable middle of the road read! Great chemistry between the characters and intriguing secondary storylines. Another solid Ashley Poston novel.

It felt so nice to be back in the world Ashley Poston has created! She writes love in the most whimsical and magical way, and this one was no different. I loved her take on telepathy and how it could shape a rom-com.

Sasha. Oh, Sasha. Protect this man at all costs. This was one of those romances where you know, without a shadow of a doubt, that these two are soulmates. They were complex and flawed, but they complimented and healed each other in a way that made them feel even more real.

This was a work of making a time in someone's life that is so dark and helpless and made it into a beautiful tribute to those who have lost loved ones too soon. Ashley handled this feat of emotion with so much grace and care that I think a lot of people will feel comforted by her words.

This was such an interesting premise! I haven't read a book like it, so I was excited. I just don't think Ashley Poston's books are my cup of tea. I really enjoyed Novel Love Story, but the other books I've read by her haven't been my favorite. I didn't love this one so much. I had a lot of questions that never really got answered, and I found that I couldn't suspend my disbelief enough to enjoy the story. I thought Joni's relationship with her mom was sweet and special, but most of her other relationships fell flat for me. Thank you NetGalley and Berkley for this ARC!

"I can weather storms, bird -- I want to weather them. With you. Besides you. So we don't have to do it alone."

I absolutely loved this! A magical & musical romance with elements of friendship, greif, love and so much more. Ashley has a way of writing about heavy topics, blending them in seamlessly amongst a love story and journey to self discovery, that makes the story feel magical. I eat it up every time! This book made me giggle, cry, and smile. I can't recommend it enough.

A few highlights:
•songwriter X musician
•magical realism
•telepathic connection
•music nostalgia
•slow burn romance

A huge thank you to Netgalley and Barkley for the ARC. My day was made when I saw the approval.

Hm... I'm underwhelmed. I was HYPED for this one, as I absolutely love Ashley Poston's writing (as does basically everyone else, let's be real). Not to mention, the music elements with her usual magical realism twist? It sounded so up my alley that it was sure to be 5 stars. Perhaps the hype I had in my head hindered my reading experience, as I don't feel like this quite lived up.

I want to preface with: This was not at all a bad book. Ashley Poston's writing is still a delight, and the magical realism she adds to her romances brings such a whimsical and unique twist to the story. I thought that the magic of literally being in each other's minds/able to hear each other's thoughts was a fun concept.

The music references (even down to themed chapter titles) were SUCH a highlight for me. I absolutely loved the nostalgia of it, and I hugely want to make a playlist for this book because I just know it'd be a bop from start to finish.

Unfortunately, to me everything else felt a little bit half-baked. I wasn't really sold on the romance because somehow it didn't feel like we got enough time to get to know them together. I wanted a bit more out of their mind-reading situation as well. That could've been such a recipe for some really adorable moments to make me giddy, and I didn't really think much of any of it at all. None of these moments stand out in my head whatsoever.

Additionally, we were introduced to a lot of different people, dynamics between family and friends, etc. but not quite enough to get attached. I basically feel like we got a small sampling of about a million different things in this book, but I needed us to really dive into something (preferably the romance, I guess?) in order for me to connect to it, and it remained pretty surface level from start to finish. I still don't really feel like I know anyone.

With that said: I also don't understand how the magic in this even works. This definitely didn't dive into the characters heavily, so IMO it needed a really banging plot. In order for that to happen, I need to understand how things work. How could they read each other's minds sometimes, but not others? The consistency was not there. This is sort of traditional Ashley Poston style (you never get a real explanation as to why the apartment can time travel in The Seven Year Slip for example--you kind of just have to suspend your disbelief a bit), however in the past we REALLY got to know the characters and spend a lot of time getting to know and understand them and what makes them tick. This didn't do either for me, so I just feel disconnected from the story overall.

I can't wait to hear others' thoughts on this one when it comes out. I know so many people love Ashley Poston and will read anything she writes (sameeee) so take this review with a grain of salt. I still think there's so much good in this story and it's worth the read!

Thank you so much to Berkley Publishing Group and NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review! This was such an exciting one to receive and I'm incredibly grateful. 💜

3.25 stars rounded down

Thank you so much NetGalley for providing me with this arc!! I feel utterly blessed to receive this 😭😭

Ok let’s hop in because the queen is back!! Ashley has done it again just utterly spoiling us in magical plot and characters that just make you feel so so much in so little time.

I’m obsessed with the magic in this one. Hearing each other’s thoughts???? What??? Ok, tension. Ok, banter. I see y’all. It was executed flawlessly. The way everything just unfolded was so twisty and turny and fun.

Also the couple’s first encounter being so messy was just *chefs kiss* because here I am like “omg are they even gonna fix this” which just was the perfect plot line to add. And the emotional touches and everything intertwined into that just left me teary eyed.

I would 100% recommend this!! I cannot wait to run to the bookstore on release day to get this (or maybe preorder depending on my bank account 🤭🤭).

Thank you so much again NetGalley and Berkley and Ashley Poston for allowing me an advanced copy of this!!

This book was a really sweet romance, perfect for a quick and enjoyable read. It captures those summer vibes effortlessly, blending the lightheartedness of a cute romance with an emotional plot full of nostalgia. I found it easy to get swept up in the story, and the pacing made it fly by. However, I couldn’t shake the feeling that the characters were much younger than they were supposed to be. For some reason, in my mind, they felt like they were 17, and their behavior didn’t quite match their supposed age. I’m not sure if it’s just me, but the way they acted didn’t align with being in their 30s, which was a bit off-putting for me.

Ashley Poston's romance novels are an interesting combination of romance, magical realism, and ruminations on grief. Romance is of course the device that moves the plot along, but the common thread that runs through all of her romances so far is how people deal with grief and failure (or fear of failure). Sounds Like Love is another wonderfully satisfying look at this topic, with two flawed but endearing leads.

Joni Lark is a songwriter in LA. She recently wrote a mega-hit, and her career seems destined for bigger and bigger things...except for the fact that her mother has been diagnosed with early onset dementia, and she hasn't been able to write a word since. As the story begins Joni is heading home to coastal North Carolina and her family's concert venue The Revelry, hoping she can both revisit her childhood and spend one last "good" summer with her mom. Of course Joni quickly learns that despite her idyllic and somewhat static view of home, home has changed without her input. Her best friend seems annoyed with her for unknown reasons, her parents seem to be ignoring the looming specter of dementia, and worst of all, they are planning to close The Revelry at the end of the summer. Oh, and Joni has also begun to hear a voice in her head, and an unfinished song that won't leave her (or the man in her head, who calls himself Sasha) alone.

Watching Joni slowly start to figure herself out is wonderfully satisfying, as she slowly unravels her past failures and heartbreaks, her fears for the future of her family, and her fear that maybe this career she worked so hard for isn't the thing she's supposed to be doing with her life. The relationship that develops between herself and Sasha (who is just as afraid and vulnerable) is rewarding and founded on common interests and experience. Woven through the entire story is the power of music to bring people together, and to ground our memories. Sounds Like Love is another stellar and very human romance from Ashley Poston, and a good entry point if you've never experienced her work before.

I sat on this one for a few days after finishing because I wasn’t sure how to feel…

Although the first half of the book had me pretty intrigued, I felt this book fell completely flat. With the whole concept of being able to hear each other’s thoughts, I really thought they’d form a deep, meaningful relationship. But somehow the characters & their relationship never had much development. These characters felt FLAT. We honestly got more of her best friend & brother than we did her. Even the parents had more personality.

At multiple points, I asked myself if AI wrote this because it didn’t feel like Ashley Poston at all, & also seemed like it was written by multiple different people.

I know she did a lot of research into the music industry for this one, & I fear maybe she focused too much on those logistics vs forming characters & a plot that made sense // went beyond surface level.

The nickname SASHA for Sebastian honestly gave me the biggest ick. What WAS THAT?

I thought the family aspect was the only redeemable quality here. Between her mom’s early onset dementia, her parents undying love & playful marriage, the best friend being with her brother, & the eclectic uncle— I was invested.

I just wish that the two main characters brought more to the story, rather than weak emotional connection & cringe-worthy miscommunication the second they weren’t in each other’s thoughts.

It was A LOT of build up to get to this finished song & the plot DRAGGED ON FOREVER with it. Just for it to be barely a big deal & thrown in at the end of the book.

Disappointed for sure.
I fear The Seven Year Slip feeling will never be recreated, but this is easily my least favorite from her.

If there’s one thing I know for certain, I know that when I pick up a Ashley Poston book I’m going to have a good time but also probably cry and that was just as true with Sounds Like Love and it was with her other books.

This book started off a little rough for me, I’m not going to lie but once our MC got back to her hometown, I got so much more invested in the story and the characters.

This book will make you laugh, but it will also break your heart.

I always enjoy reading any of Ashley Poston's books. She just knows how to write emotional romance books. And Ashley knows how to write about grief so well that it always tears me up.

I will say that this book is a bit different from her usual emotional romance books. It's a tad slower pace that you don't feel the deeper feeling between the characters. It's not a bad thing. It's just not what you expect that throws you off a bit, but that's why I am letting you know now. You have been warned so it won't throw you off, and you will actually enjoy the story. It's mainly Joni's journey about what she truly wants in her. It's something we all go through at one point or another.

I'm not usually a fan of magical realism, but I make an exception for Ashley Poston every time and this one might be my favourite yet. I loved the beachy setting and the songwriting efforts. I want to know what happens to Gigi next!

A HUGE THANK YOU to the author and Berkley Pub for the gifted ARC in exchange for my honest thoughts! 💗

I don’t know what to say...

It’s as if all my words were taken away; I wanted to convey the thoughts and feelings just like the main characters.

I could write about the style, the plot, the characters, and how you really need to read this book.

But honestly, this book made me laugh and smile through the first half, and by the end, I was in tears because I took everything to heart.

I am emotional, and I said no more books with the trope of losing a loved one, but I see Ashley's books, and I don’t care what the content is...

This book is more romantic, with a strong theme of music and, as always, the search for oneself.

"Who are you and who are you destined to be?"

That’s the main theme.

And now should I talk about the characters?
Sasha's voice: "Breathe."

They were lovely, their interactions and moments were heartwarming—I love them!
I also liked the FMC's parents.

It was atmospheric, pleasant, comfortable, and painful all at once!

There aren’t enough words, not enough ways to describe my feelings for this book, as everyone has their own unique experience...

Ashley Poston has done it yet again. Sasha and Joni are some of the most complex characters she's written by far. The way this novel deals with preemptive grieving is phenomenal, I cried quite a few tears. Definitely in my top three Ashley Poston books. (Also, I'm not normally a man bun girly...but this one....)

4.5 Stars

Okay, I loved this one a lot more than A Novel Love Story. Nothing will top The Seven Year Slip, but this came pretty close

This book was so sweet, but also had some emotional moments. The way that Ashley Poston writes about grief, makes it feel so real. I loved the story and the magical realism within it. The characters were likable and I loved Joni's parents. It wasn't too incredibly dramatic and I couldn't put it down once I started. I did predict the "twist" towards the end but this was still a really enjoyable read.

Thank you to NetGalley and Berkley Publishing Group.

I am a die-hard Ashley Poston reader, ever since The Dead Romantics. I am devastated to say that Sounds Like a Love Story fell flat for me. I could tell that Poston put so much emotion and love into this story, but I think it was churned out too fast. The writing needs more editing and the story needs a bit more guidance. I loved all of the elements: the setting, the romance, the family, the friends, yet it all felt disjointed. I will still recommend this book to fellow romance readers & patrons, but it, sadly, was not my favorite.