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

Synopsis:

“Joni Lark has a secret. She’s one of the most coveted songwriters in LA, and yet she can’t write. There’s an emptiness inside her, and nothing seems to fill it.When she returns to her hometown of Vienna Shores, North Carolina, she hopes that the sand, the surf, and the concerts at The Revelry, her family’s music venue, will spark inspiration. But when Joni gets there, nothing is how she left it. Her best friend is hiding something, her mother’s memories are fading fast, and The Revelry is closing.How can Joni write when her world is leaving her behind?Until she hears it. A melody in her head, lyric-less and half-formed, and an alluring and addictive voice to go with it—belonging, apparently, to a wry musician with an emptiness of his own.Surely, he’s a figment of Joni’s overworked imagination.Then a very real man shows up in Vienna Shores. He’s arrogant and guarded—nothing like the sweet, funny voice in Joni’s head—and he has a plan for breaking their inconvenient telepathic connection: finish the song haunting them both and hope they don’t risk their hearts—or their secrets—in the process.Because that melody, the one drawing them together . . . what if it’s there for a reason?” —NetGalley

What I Liked:

The Concept—I love a famous person/normal person trope, especially mixed with a little “fish out of water” moment.

The Pacing—I could not stop reading, which is a GREAT feeling these days.

The Magical-ish element—My favorite part of Ashley Poston’s books are that they’re real, but have a little bit of magic to them that makes them extra special.

What Didn’t Work for Me:

Nothing! I was SO happy to have some cameos from previous books as well. It made my heart sing.

Character Authenticity: 5/5 Spice Rating: 1/5 Overall Rating: 5/5

Content Warnings:

dementia

I loved this book so much! Ashley’s writing is so magical 🩷 Magical realism has quickly become a favorite of mines. I really enjoyed the brief scene with Clementine and Iwan. I loved their story so much so it was sweet to see a glimpse into their life together. The small town setting was one of my favorite elements to the book. Other than the special connection that Joni and Sasha share - the love they have for their mothers was really special 🥹 and the connection revealed in the end was so sweet. The concept was so unique to me. My husband is a big music lover so I loved that the main characters were as well. So many great quotes! I listened to the audio for most of the book and I really enjoyed the narration and the singing. Patti held my attention and I could really hear the emotion. Another great read from Ashley!

4 ⭐️

Wow, if there’s one thing Ashley Poston does well, it’s writing a novel filled with magic and this one is no exception!!! I cried multiple times reading this because not only is it a romance but it also showcased our FMC, Joni’s, love for her mom. I have such a close relationship with my own mother and this really hit me in my feels. I loved the setting of the North Carolina coast and I really enjoyed the characters. Just a great book all around!!!

Thanks NetGalley and Berkley for an ARC!

Read If You Like Books That Have/Explore:
🎶 Songwriting/Music Themes
🏘️ Small Town Settings
✨ Magical Realism
🎸 Family Music Hall/Bar Business
💕 Forced Proximity
✍🏻 Feeling Burnt Out with Work

Joni Lark was working to become one of LA’s hottest songwriters—until creative burnout forced her to start using old songs and avoiding writing new ones. Luckily only her manager knows, but also unluckily her manager knows… her last night in town she goes to the concert of one of the singers she has written with, and meets (and kisses on a kiss cam at the concert) the infamous son of music legend whom her mom long ago sang backup vocals for on tour before she met Joni’s dad.

Now back in her small hometown of Vienna Shores, North Carolina, for her annual summer trip back home, she’s grappling with her mother’s fading memory as dementia takes its hits, the weight of a struggling family music venue/bar, and her creative well that’s run dry and she starts to hear a song in her head that sounds like it’s playing on the radio.

But then something strange happens: it’s not a song she can’t get out of her head, it’s the voice of a stranger named Sasha in her head, and she is in his too. As they work to finish the song that binds them, they build a close bond with the forced proximity of their connection and a surprising emotional connection surfaces—forcing them to face what they’ve both been running from personally and professionally.

I really loved the way Joni’s burnout was written as it was so relatable as someone who has had a very demanding and rough year professionally. It’s like Ashley wrote this one for me! 🤣

I also really loved the way she handled the interpersonal aspects of your best friend dating your brother, underlying resentments, complicated family relationships as your mother fades away from dementia, and loss of a family business you’ve come to see as an extension of your home and childhood.

Ashely did it again with Sounds Like Love! It is a tender story about connection, both emotional and creative. With its perfect blend of magical realism and grounded heartache, it explores how we find our way back to ourselves—and each other—through grief, art, and unexpected intimacy. It’s a gentle, heartfelt romance that hums with a quiet magic.

Sounds Like Love is a perfect melding of gentle magical realism that Ashley Poston has perfected. A journey through song and connection - Poston gives "I can't get that song out of my head" new meaning.

I have to say, this one is my favorite of her magical realism books. I don’t even know what it is about it either. I just could not put it down. It was so good! Not that it was a surprise or anything, but magical realism isn’t really my jam, and her last like 2 weren’t my faves, so I went in thinking this would be one of the same. But it was the complete opposite.

Ok so the main thing I loved about this? The inside each other’s head thing. That was crazy. My husband and I are sort of in sync after like 15 years together, but NOT LIKE THIS obviously lol But also I could not imagine this happening with my husband. I just know we would get on each other’s nerves. There was no peace! And they had to basically just tamp down their feelings, but even then they could still hear it. I would be mortified, even with my husband lol Idk, this would drive me up a wall! My brain is too busy by itself. Can you imagine adding another person to it? Lordt lol And the way she wrote it was cool too. She made it to where they had to complete the task before they could part, and only if it was put together correctly. And I loved that so much.

I did like the characters too. They were so real. As someone who has someone close to them that has dementia, this hit home. It started out small and everything just like her parent. I gotta say, it was so very heart-breaking to read this and also be watching it in real time in real life. And I loved the fact that she had to make those hard decisions about where to stay and that kind of thing. I felt that was weird too because I once had to do the same. (Right after college. Me and hubs met in college) NOTHING is wrapped up neatly and stays that way. HOWEVER, I did feel like they were a bit too damn calm when they found someone else’s thoughts in their heads lol I would have been in the psych ward, because what do you meannnnnn

The romance was cute. Again, I don’t know how they didn’t start attacking each other for being in each other’s heads all day, but it was still cute. It did seem like a bit of instalove, but I know that was because of the plot. I just know that someone people may not like this aspect, but I loved it! They were both so down to Earth and it was easy to see that they loved each other from the beginning. But watching them write together, and learn to work and listen to each other was so precious to see. I loved the way they both had to learn and they had to cooperate with each other before they got it right.

I DO wish we got more of the setting, but as an island girl I know it’s just because I wanted to know what the island life was like. I know we saw the hurricane, but I wanted to know more than just that. I did like the mention of cheerwine. The first time she said it I thought it was actual wine lol So here’s to still learning things from books!

This book was a lot of fun. After writing this review, I stand by saying this was my favorite of her magical realism books. Ok, so maybe not my favorite….. Maybe a tie with Dead Romantics. But no matter the order, I loved this book and I hope y’all will too.

Damn you, Ashley Poston, for making me sob again. This one hit me almost as hard as The Dead Romantics and, as much as I hate crying, I know I'm going to end up reading it again and calling my mama.

📖 Sounds Like Love
✍🏼 Ashley Poston
Method Read: Ebook📱& Audiobook 🎧

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️.💫5 {4.5}

Thanks so much to @berkleyromance for the free book!

Joni Lark, a songwriter, returns to her hometown of Vienna Shores, where she hopes returning to the place she’s known and loved for many years + her family’s music venue The Revelry, will spark some songwriting inspiration - what she has been lacking for quite some time. When she returns home, so much is different, challenges in her friendships, her mom’s memory is fading and a voice in her head that she just can’t shake. When that voice in her head comes to Vienna Shores, he is a gruff on the outside man, but his voice in her head is sweet & funny. The two are determined to break whatever this connection is - and not risk breaking their hearts in the process.

As someone who is a self proclaimed “not the biggest fan of magic realism” - there is something about Ashley Poston’s books that makes that throws that statement out the window for me! I’m not sure if it’s the way in which it is so delicately done, or the beauty in her writing and storylines, but dang, she’s blown me away with the two books of hers that I’ve been fortunate enough to read! 🤯

It took me a bit to get into this book (my rationale for the .5⭐️ deduction) but once I did - it was such an easy & fun read! The characters were funny, likeable and witty, while also bringing in emotional complexities that stirred many feelings within me about love, loss and challenging diagnoses.

If you’re looking for your next musically themed and inspired read, with a lot of heart, look no further! 🤍


#BerkleyPartner

This was such a good book! I loved the premise where Joni keeps hearing a mans voice in her head. And the fact that it's a real person and not just her imagination was the icing on the cake. It touched on some deep subjects too that put more dept and meat on the story. In all it was an excellent book!

Joni Lark is a song writer living her dream but currently she is facing a writer's block. So, she visits her hometown to find motivation only to discover that fate has different plans for her.

One fine day, she realises that her mind is connected with someone else, giving them full access to go through each of her thoughts and vice versa. Interacting with this stranger was quite overwhelming and intimate as he was able to listen all the things going through her mind. Was he an illusion or real?

So, he suggests a plan to meet her and while she was giving details to her childhood love, now ex, he jots it down and books a flight to her place to meet her.

And when they meet, the magic unfolds more and more, the unfamiliar tune and the unfinished song which binded them together reveals their link which is beautiful and soulful. The bond that the magic helped to bloom wasn't a thing of their generation but beyond that, a bond formed solely over music and song with love, fondness and affection.

The first half focuses deeply on the development of the background and our characters of the plotline and the second half was quite fast paced as it was plot driven ✨💫🤌 where all the magic and mystery unfolds leaving me speechless plus the song atthe end was a cherry on the cake 😍❤️ best thing I have come across in a book 🪄🎶🤌

I just love Ashley's books so much! She creates the most whimsical reads and I just feel like I can escape from reality every time! I'm not usually someone who will read a book about musicians or celebrities, but since Ashley wrote it I gave it a chance. I really did enjoy our characters and the magical realism aspect. This was a 4 star read for me just because I'm not always the best target audience for musicians books BUT I'll gladly read anything by this author.

After not vibing with Ashley Poston’s previous novel, I was nervous to start this one - but I absolutely shouldn’t have been. She’s worked her magic again with Sounds Like Love, a beautifully written and magic touched story.

Joni Lark is a songwriter living in LA, who meets former boy band sensation and nepo baby Sebastian Fell. Their chance encounter leads to something magical between them - they can hear each other’s thoughts, and also a melody demanding to be explored. Together in Joni’s hometown of Vienna Shores, North Carolina, they work to find out how to sever this unexpected bond between them, and also write the song.

In the backdrop of the story is Joni’s family’s business, a music venue called The Revelry, which her parents have decided to close amidst her mother’s diagnosis of dementia.

Despite the romance between Joni and Sebastian being the focal point of the book, I found the story of Joni and her mom navigating the loss of her mother’s memories to be the most poignant and compelling. I cried throughout the last few chapters, and that is the part that will stay with me the most.

4/5 Stars 2/5 Spice

Tropes:
Magical Realism
Small Town
Rockstar Romance
Forced Proximity

Jo & Sasha 🥰🥰 i loved this story. ashley poston has a way of writing that has so much depth while still feeling light & beautiful. i really loved the songwriter x musician vibes & of course their journey with telepathy was super cool. i loved how it intertwined with joni’s healing. i thought the dementia storyline was done very well - it felt very raw & i liked that counterbalance of depth in the story. i could gush about these two forever but overall if you love a story that keeps you wrapped up & characters that feel relatable with a hint of magic - this one’s for you.

Thank you to NetGalley, Berkley, and the author for this eARC in exchange for my honest review.

This was a 4.5 for me. Ashley Poston has a gift for weaving magic into heartwarming romances. This book is a love letter not only to music lovers, but to anyone who has fond memories of their local music venues. Poston perfectly describes the places that host acts before they hit it big. They aren’t glamorous but they are full of heart. That is also the best way to describe the main character Joni and her family. I love the way Poston showed how home can be a place you leave to make your dreams come true or the place you need to return to for that very reason. There are many beautiful quotes but my favorite is “grief is a love story backward”. I adored the way Joni’s bond with Sebastian strengthened through music and songwriting. Needless to say, I can’t wait to read what Ashley writes next!

This story had so many things I love. It was impossible not to enjoy: music, magical realism, lovable characters, and a vivid setting. I have no idea why this is my first Ashley Poston book, but I’ll definitely be reading more.
The story completely captivated me. It was fun, emotional, and engaging, with just the right touch of magic. I turned the last page with a smile on my face.

2.75 out of 5 stars (rounded up)| Sounds Like Love by Ashley Poston is a magical realism book following a rising songwriter out of LA who returns home to the Outer Banks for the summer to help her family's music venue business, find inspiration that she has been lacking, and spend quality time with her mother who has been diagnosed with dementia. The book follows her journey throughout this summer and the readers get to face grief, turmoil, heartache, love, and magic alongside our FMC.

I am a big Ashley Poston & magical realism fan after reading Seven Year Slip but unfortunately, I did not feel the same emotional pull towards this story. For me, the journey of the summer seemed almost stretched out and I would have preferred more backstory on both characters (maybe flashback chapters) and less details of the more mundane times during the summer.

The love story in this book also felt slightly forced and although it is clear that the magical realism component brought the FMC and MMC together - I did not feel their connection otherwise.

Overall, this is the perfect beach read book, especially due to the summer timeframe and the beach setting but for me, it does not hold the elements to create a character attachment which I generally need in order to really like a romance book.

I don’t know what is in the water, but I have read so many books recently that are musician romances, and I have loved every single one! Sounds Like Love is a songwriter - singer romance with a magical realism twist. When Joni meets Sasha in a VIP area of a concert, sparks fly, and not necessarily in a good way. He is arrogant and a bit rude, but when the kiss cam lands on them, a mysterious connection forms. Not thinking anything of it, Joni returns home for the summer to spend time with her mother who has early onset of dementia. After struggling to write any new music, Joni suddenly finds there is a song in her head, only half-formed but there. But the song isn’t the only thing in her head, as she soon discovers the kiss she shared with Sasha formed a connection between them, and she an now hear his thoughts as well. Determined to figure out what happened and to break this connection, Sasha shows up in Vienna Shores. As the two spend the summer writing, they find that maybe their first impressions were wrong, and that song in their head might be the start of something new.

This was my first Ashley Poston book and I can see why people love her so much! There was something truly beautiful in how she wrote this story. It was a slower love that grew on you, but it worked so well in this context. The setting of this book was truly magical, and I really felt like I was in a small town, with this old music venue that had seen many of the greats pass through. Ashley is so good at writing with imagery and creativity that I truly felt like I was in Vienna Shores.

I really enjoyed Joni and Sasha’s relationship and how they grew in their friendship and relationship. Being in each other’s heads meant they knew what the other was thinking, and so they really had to work hard on communicating those thoughts so the other understood what they meant. It was such a unique take on miscommunication and I really appreciated all the small moments between them too.

Ashley also handled a very sensitive and tough topic with such grace and honesty as well. Her portrayal of Joni’s mother was so well done, and the way everyone handled the situation was so raw and heartbreaking. There is so much grief that comes with dementia, in knowing what is to come and trying to take advantage of the time you have left. I thought this was such a real and well done aspect to this story.

I did this one on audio and really enjoyed it! I did have to slow it down when the FMC sang though, as it sounded a bit too chipmunky to enjoy when it was set at a faster speed. The song as the end was GORGEOUS and I love that the audio narrator was able to record it with her husband so we could hear what the song they wrote sounded like!

This book was really sweet and whimsical, with a lot of heart and emotion to it. I loved how it handled so many different aspects and I cannot wait to read more from Ashley!

Thank you Berkley Romance and PRH Audio for the arc/alc!

Sounds like love in an enduring story that I found myself lost in from the very beginning. The characters were well-written and had so much depth, even the supporting characters. The storyline was well laid out and clear throughout the novel. One of my favorite things about Poston's novels is the magical realism that makes it so much more than a contemporary romantic comedy. Additionally, Poston provides excellent insight and background regarding the grief experience that impacts the readers. All in all, I loved this book and would recommend it to anyone.

Calling all musical romance lovers… Sounds Like Love by Ashley Poston will be right up your alley 😘🎶🎤

▫️Genre: Romance / Magical Realism
▫️Rating: 🌟🌟🌟💫 (3.5/5)
▫️Pub day: 6/17/25
#gifted @berkleyromance ty!!

Ashley Poston is a talented author. All of her books have read magical, cozy, and charming! 💕 While her two latest titles haven’t compared to my beloved favorite, The Seven Year Slip, I still always look forward to a new release by her!

Sounds Like Love was a heartwarming musical romance! 🎶 When songwriter Joni travels back home to her small coastal town, she’s hoping to find writing inspiration for a new hit song. Instead, she meets Sebastian aka “Sasha”, former boy band pop-star and there’s a sudden ✨magical✨ connection that sparks between them.

This romance was sweet!! 😊 But it did feel a little long to me, since it’s over 350 pages! I personally could have used a little more chemistry between our two MCs too. I actually loved the family elements the most in this story ❤️‍🩹 the dementia rep was so tender and reminded me of a loved one.

Read if you like: coastal towns, dementia rep, pop music/culture, songwriting, enemies-to-friends-to-lovers, magical realism, close family bonds

The great thing about Ashley Poston books are that they have a little bit of magic added to them. Not enough to take over the story but just enough to make them stand out. It’s kind of like having a cupcake with sprinkles!!

This latest book continues to cement Poston as a romance favorite. This was a great story filled with compelling characters with great backstories as well as family and friendships that played an integral part.
The setting was fabulous and I enjoyed it overall.

4 ⭐️