"When the Music Hits” is by Amber Oliver. This book follows Billie, as she tries to find a way into the music industry - not as a singer, but as a talent representative (A&R in the music industry). Billie gets a job as an assistant, but she has dreams of not only finding good talent in the NYC music scene, but also getting real and authentic talent into the limelight, opposed to those she considers fakers or generated musicians. The company she works for, Lit, may not be the best, but it’s a foot in the door. This book covers a lot of ground - mainly the music scene in NYC, but also family ties (and family responsibilities), the power of friendship (at times it felt like only Alicia was in Billie’s corner), and dealing with being a Black woman in the corporate world. I liked Billie a lot - her get-go, her insightful inner monologues about music and her co-workers. In some ways I liked the book and in other ways, I didn’t. I don’t know the music industry, but found the “doing your dues” (though the overtime bit was, um, interesting - make her salaried?), and what goes into promoting someone and all that part very interesting. Some of the side stories while important for Billie’s growth, I felt took away from the main story. Overall, an interesting read and I think for a debut novel this was a pretty solidly written book.

As a lover of urban music, the title and cover art reeled me in immediately. From page 1, I knew I wouldn’t be disappointed. Having a front row seat in Billie’s life evoked all levels of my emotional inventory. I cheered for her ambition and the motivation she possessed to overcome, better herself, and succeed despite her familial circumstances. I cursed her decision-making when it came to her personal life. My heart leaped for the one real friend she had in her corner amidst the many wolves that surrounded her. I felt utter disdain at some of the experiences that Billie endured as she tried to make it in the music industry. My heart leaped with joy at her ability to stay true to herself, and I applauded when she was able to stand up for herself. Lastly, I felt the nostalgia that was created with all the descriptions of NYC and the urban music scene. Simply phenomenal!

I truly enjoyed this book and appreciated the storyline, theme and apparent research that went into writing it. I enjoyed the romance theme and the depiction of healthy love emerging which overshadowed the toxicity in Billie’s life and breathed life into her. I would’ve loved to know a little more background on a few of these characters probably because I now feel personally invested in Billie’s world. I would definitely recommend this book. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Thank you NetGalley and Ballantine Books for the ARC!

I feel like first I should say I'm probably not the target audience for this book, I'm over 50 and don't listen to music a lot, but I did enjoy Billie's experiences in the world of A&R.

Except for some very clunky similes, the writing was solid. I appreciated how ambitious Billie was and the external forces working against her -- struggles to help her mom, her not always supportive boyfriend and an industry with historic disparities against Brown and Black people. Because I was rooting for her success, I spent a lot of time waiting for the other shoe to drop and for something to go wrong for her.

I was very happy that her colleague Nina was a true mentor to her and their relationship was one of my favorite aspects of the book. I think the last section of the novel was the strongest and I was really happy at how it ended and what may come next for Billie.


(Note, I think there must have been a character name change or a placeholder inserted at some point because there was repeated references to an MM and Mariah who I think was actually the singer Billie was trying to sign.)

~~ I received an ARC copy of "When the Music Hits" in exchange for an honest review ~~

This is a pretty easy read. Oliver creates the story of Billie, an aspiring A&R representative who has dreams of providing opportunities for black artists in a cutthroat music industry. The story reads quickly and features a varied cast of characters. The main character battles the reality of the dark side of the music industry and how people's dreams at times can be weaponized against them. Oliver's story is very New York based, and for natives, it's easy to transport themselves through the different settings and the story she's trying to tell. Billie's focused on the grind, but also trying not to lose herself which is a reality in many creative industries.

This was a good debut! It follows Billie who is trying to make in the music industry while also being true to who she is. I feel like the book articulated well the barriers that black women can face based on assumptions about our identities, and how at times we are expected to compromise ourselves or become smaller to be able to achieve certain goals.

The author does a great job with writing complex relationships and characters by giving her foil and mirror characters throughout the story. I really enjoyed this book and I'm interested in seeing what the author does next!

What an amazing debut novel! I wish that I had not read it yet so that I could read it again. I will certainly tell everyone I know that they must read this book!

Billie Grand has had music in her veins since she was a child. Her dream has always been to become an A&R rep at a major record label. She has the ear and degrees to prove it and just looking for a chance. She finally gets the opportunity as an assistant at Lit Records to learn the business and start paying her dues.

Working at Lit lets her see the dark underbelly of the music industry and places everything in her world in crisis. Relationships with family and her boyfriend are tested as she tries to figure out whether or not her dream is what she really wants.

I really enjoyed this read. I loved Billie and could really relate to her as a black woman in corporate America. Without giving anything up....I didn't care for any of the people closest to her except her bestie Alicia. She was the only one who had her back. This book is going be out on June 17th! Definitely worth a pick up.

Thank you to Random House and Ballentine Books for providing this eARC for review consideration via NetGalley. All opinions are my own

Billie Grand has finally landed her dream job working at a record label. She's balancing family and relationship issues and is coming to realize that working in the music industry may not be everything she thought it would be. The pacing of the story moved rather slowly for me, and I guess I was waiting for more to happen. I would definitely recommend to readers who are interested in the music industry and that subculture. Thanks to NetGalley and Ballantine Books for the ARC.

4 stars

A great debut does two things for me: (1) it stands on its own as a compelling read and (2) it makes me excited to read more from the author. _When the Music Hits_ easily meets both goals.

Billie Grand, named after Billie Holiday, is working toward her own iconic status. Like many, Billie has an incredible love for music and sees herself supporting new artists and nurturing their careers. The road to this goal is lengthy and challenging, and while Billie is rationally prepared for some of those realities, living them is a whole other experience. When Billie gets an entry-level opportunity at a major label, she perceives that she is on the verge of achieving her larger goals, but in this position, she becomes even more aware of how much her identities and the nature of the industry are barriers to her success.

Along with Billie's professional challenges, which are largely at the heart of her experience, she has two major relationships - and a third that is also compelling - that really shape her and the novel overall. Billie's romantic relationship reveals a different side of her that is in some ways more open and vulnerable than she can be at work (though a major issue in this relationship is how detached she's become as she focuses more on her career). Billie's relationship with her mother is also a highlight. Her mom is not good at adulting, and Billie is too used to cleaning up after the same mess her mom keeps finding herself in. Because of the repeat offenses, this becomes a really easy and intriguing way to chart Billie's progress. In the same situation, will she continue to respond as she has been and grow increasingly frustrating? Alternatively, will she establish a boundary and do what is right for her instead of constantly sacrificing herself? The third relationship is with a coworker who shares many similarities with Billie. This person helps Billie see what the future may hold and also helps her feel less isolated in a novel that is very much about how alone one can feel on the path to finding themselves.

In a relatively compact package, Oliver creates a layered character whose coming of age journey feels authentic, and while it is incomplete, it is still satisfying. I recommend this read, and I'll be looking forward to more from Amber Oliver.

I love stories about the music industry and this one did not disappoint! Amber Oliver provides a beautifully written account of the complexities and realities of the music business as seen through the eyes of a strong female character. You will find it hard to put this one down and I promise you will think about the characters long after you finish it. Highly recommend!

Amber Oliver’s When the Music Hits follows Billie Grand as she chases her dream job in NYC’s music industry—only to confront tough choices, identity struggles, and industry pressures. Bold, smart, and heartfelt, it’s a striking debut about ambition and staying true to yourself.

This one is for those music lovers. It’s modern day self discovery. Amber Oliver does a wonderful job of telling Billie’s story of finding for what right even when it could cost you your dream. Luckily Billie has a few people to hold her down like Lucas and Alicia. I enjoyed this read and would read it again.

Thank you Random House Publishing Group, Ballantine, for providing the copy of When The Music Hits by Amber Oliver. I love debuts and this one exceeded my expectations. I loved how Billie hustled to make her dreams come true and how focused she was on her job. Getting a look inside the music business was fun and eye-opening, and I loved hearing about all of the artists Billie listened to. This is a great book about how planning and taking chances can pay off. 4 stars for this amazing main character!

3.5⭐️s. I liked the culture and authenticity in the book, as Billie tries to follow her dream working in the music industry and navigating the intensity, dysfunction, and corruption, but also the joy and fulfillment of working with artists and making a difference with something you love.

The cultural and racial struggles she faced were really well presented and I liked seeing and learning of the world from Billie’s and other characters’ perspectives. I also enjoyed her friendships a lot in the book - I loved the support and honesty she and her friends invested in each other.

I did struggle with the very elaborate sections of the music industry mechanics - so many artist and band names, music theory and genre details. I am not really in that world so it felt like reading a technical document often and I ended up losing the plot a little. On the opposite end it kind of skimmed thru other parts of Billie’s story like starting her job or leading up to that part of the story that would help round it out instead.

Overall the writing was well done and I enjoyed the story, but I got kind of stuck on the minutiae. Thanks to Netgalley for the advanced copy of this book. All opinions are mine.

Billie has long thought about a career as a music rep. When she lands a job as an assistant at Lit Music Productions, she immediately dreams about discovering and signing new artists. Her relationship begins to suffer as she works all hours of the day, often running across town at the last minute.

This seemed like a fun young adult novel. However, it wasn’t really my style. I found the constant name dropping of songs a bit off-putting. The use of songs to set the mood doesn’t really work unless the reader knows the artist and songs. Despite this criticism, I think many will enjoy this book. Overall, 4 out of 5 stars.

A pleasant read with a lot of insight into the world of big time music. And a bit nostalgic, remembering what it felt like to be young, artistic, ambitious and willing to focus on a single goal. But also quite unrealistic in that everything comes together with very, very few setbacks and sacrifice.

Adding Amber Oliver to my list of authors to watch in the coming years! This debut gave me so much to reflect on, and as someone fascinated by the music industry, this was such interesting commentary on what happens behind closed doors.

At its core, this book is a love letter to music and the memories it can create through generations. However, this book also highlights the idea of whether it’s possible to change a system from the inside. While Billie’s passion to support underrepresented artists makes her a character to root for, Oliver doesn’t shy away from the harsh realities: how record labels take advantage of young talent, how people in power go after virality over longevity, and how black artistry is co-opted when convenient and criticized when threatening the status quo. There were so many times when I paused reading this story from the anger I felt knowing that this happens to so many artists on a regular basis, but it was also cathartic to see it called out.

I also really enjoyed the conversations about the effects that choosing your career can have on yourself and your personal relationships. I think a lot of people of color can relate to the emotional toll of being in professional spaces full of people that don’t look like them, and the work you have to put in to make yourself seem “worthy” of the opportunity. The conversation about how women in relationships and families are often criticized for choosing their careers was also interesting. The tension that arose over time between her boyfriend Lucas and her mother felt real, as both parties had valid concerns about her “leaving behind” her old life for the sake of a company not treating her well. I think that subplot added a nice layer to Billie’s growth throughout the novel as she chose herself, but I think a scene or two more (especially with the mother) would’ve helped me feel more engaged with it in comparison to her time at Lit. Also, while the artist/song references scattered throughout helped enhance the musical tone, at times they felt a bit overly-descriptive and took me out of the story.

Overall though, I felt really seen by so many parts of this book, and there were so many quotes that I highlighted that spoke to me. I can’t wait to get my hands on a physical copy and to see what else the author has in the works!

Such a well-written book! I loved the behind-the-scenes feeling of reading Billie's dreams coming true only to find out that not all that glitters is gold. Thank you to NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine | Ballantine Books for a copy of this book for an honest review.

Amber Oliver's When the Music Hits feels like a backstage pass to the New York music scene — the good, the bad, and the ugly. It's the kind of story that makes you lean in close, like someone's spilling industry secrets over drinks after hours.

The plot's simple enough: Black woman lands dream job at big record label, discovers dream might actually be a nightmare. But Oliver, who grew up between the Bronx and Harlem, turns this familiar setup into something electric. She writes like someone who's seen behind the curtain and lived to tell about it.

What makes this book sing is how real it feels. The dialogue crackles with authenticity — you can practically hear the studio sessions and boardroom battles. Oliver nails the little details: the passive-aggressive emails, the subtle power plays, the way success in the music industry often means leaving pieces of yourself at the door.

This isn't just another "making it in the big city" story. It's about what happens when you finally get that seat at the table, only to realize you're expected to play by rules you never agreed to. Oliver asks the hard questions: Can you change a system from the inside? What's the real cost of success? And at what point does compromise become surrender?

At 288 pages, the book moves like a well-produced track — no filler, all killer. Sure, some subplots could use more airtime, but the main story hits hard and stays with you.

For a debut novel, this one's got serious replay value. Oliver might play it safe occasionally, but her voice is fresh and her perspective is exactly what contemporary fiction needs. If you've ever wondered what really goes on behind those platinum records and glossy music videos, this book's got your answer — and it might make you think twice about what "making it" really means.

Breezy novel. A inside look at the sordid music business through the eyes of protagonist Billie Grand. Billie has always loved music and set her sights early on to become an A&R executive at a major record label. There are myriad references to music theory, styles, instruments, mixing, etc., all designed to infuse the book with authenticity. Those references sometimes feel forced which blunts the hoped for authenticity. But the emotional moments and the feelings we get along Billie’s journey are real and sits you inside the story like a comfortable recliner. The author’s obvious passion for music is contagious and Billie’s universal relatability makes this story compelling. An exciting debut. Thanks to Netgalley and Ballantine for an advanced DRC. Book hits June 17,2025