4.5 Stars
Thank you to Eleanor Wells for accepting my request to read All Our Yesterdays from Net Galley in advance.

Cole, the rising musician from New York, I had a hard time liking or trusting throughout the novel. However, despite his issues I believe his attitude and actions are pivotal to the story and the lessons people should learn from it.
I loved the connection of the title to Shakespeare and the deeper meaning within the story.
I think many of us find ourselves in an aspect Marcy's situation at least once in our lives and I think its important that we instill that Marcy strength.

Overall, the author demonstrates creative and skilled writing. The story has something important to say and characters are well developed.

Beautiful read.

Every book centered around music instantly captures my interest, and this one was no exception. Often described as if Daisy Jones & The Six had a creative union with La La Land, the comparison feels surprisingly fitting—I could clearly see that vision come to life on the page.

The novel immerses you in nostalgic ’90s vibes, brought to life through richly drawn characters who evoke a full spectrum of emotion. It’s a beautifully told story that will resonate no any romantic and music lovers out there!

Story: 5 stars all around, and I do not say that lightly. I think this is the first ever advanced copy book that I have ever rated 5 stars, and I think it’s also my first 5 star read of 2026! I loved this book. I thought the story was beautifully written and the pacing was perfect. It put me through a rollercoaster of emotions and left me sobbing at the end (as a 5 star book should)! I will be thinking about these characters for a while, and i saw that this was the “velvet records book 1” and if that is the case then i cannot wait to read the rest of the series!!

Audio: i thought the audio was really well paced and the narrator fit the story perfectly. I have no notes

i’m such a fussy reader and i will die on the 4.5 ⭐️ hill but oh my god, i LOVED this book.

the story starts with an 18 year old Marcy who has just left school and is unsure on her next steps. that all quickly changes though when a trip to NYC in the summer of ‘99 ends up placing 20 year old musician, Cole into her life.

as their relationship blossoms, so does Cole’s music career and both Marcy and Cole are thrown into fame, fortune and a world that threatens their love.

the author was incredible at finding the perfect balance between exciting yet realistic and nothing felt too far-fetched or cheesy.

marcy is probably one of the most relatable characters i have ever come across and her character was so beautifully written. i found myself empathising with her and found that the author had conveyed concerns and fears through marcy that i’ve never found in a character before. her relationship with cole is nothing short of an adventure but i love how the author created a story for her outside of the relationship with a plethora of her own emotions and concerns that felt so real, relatable honestly, very refreshing.

i personally listened to this on audiobook and the narrator was amazing! i managed to get through this within around a day and a half 🥰

this is book 1 of a series and i can’t wait to continue the rest of the series!

thank you very much to eleanor wells and netgalley for accepting my request for this arc! i can’t wait to hopefully do another review when this has been released☺️

All Our Yesterdays should resonate with romance readers who crave a little harsh reality, especially if you've been in the throes of showbiz and have seen how easily it can corrupt (Like I have).

Eleanor Wells takes us on a nostalgic journey focusing on Marcy Lewis, a fledgling actress and artist, and Cole Hargrove, the soon-to-be next big hit in the music industry. The narrative follows their romance throughout the years through highs and lows all of which feeling, at least to me, incredibly relatable, especially from young showbiz folks. I do want to acknowledge that if you haven't been around peers who have had "throngs of screaming fans," Cole's actions and attitude as the book progresses might not seem realistic. Unfortunately, he is painfully realistic as he reminds me of an ex-best friend who is still in showbiz who will go unnamed.

Marcy Lewis, the POV character is a shining example of Well's ability to capture realism, and to be clear, that doesn't always mean she's universally relatable. Marcy certainly does some things that if you weren't in her shoes, or couldn't put yourself in her shoes, might feel a bit weird. Put yourself in the shoes of someone who's actually been through dating a super star like Cole, and she's painfully realistic. But that aside, Marcy is a genuine, kind human being where distance is simply a number. I loved how even though years had passed and distance divided, she still stayed close to her high school friends. (I'm the same with some of mine)


Now, for what makes this book special, and know that it will be a spoiler but more a spoiler in essence rather than in what happens, so unless you want to go in completely blind, take a peek:


All Our Yesterdays is not a Romance. While it does have similar vibes to La La Land, two pained artists spiraling through love and pain together, I don't think that's how I see it. I believe this is closer to a tragedy than anything, more akin to A Star is Born. A profound look at showbusiness and how easy it is to collapse under our own weight, while also examining the harsh reality of something as simple as "life"

All Our Yesterdays is a complicated story that appears simple on the surface, and that's hard to pull off. There is passion here that must not go unacknowledged. Take a look. Give it time, it's a slow burn and it's one of those books that just gets better the more you read it, and rewards you for making it to the end, and DO NOT SKIP THE CORRESPONDENTS!


Happy reading!