Member Reviews
Another Love Song by Olivia Wildenstein is a great story. I really liked it. I love Olivia's writing and this story wasn't an exception.
I received an arc of this title from NetGalley for an honest review. This was not for me, it was a bit too angsty for me, but I can see where the teens eat this up.
Disclaimer: I received an Advance Reader Copy at no cost from the publisher/author. All opinions in my review are my own.
I loved this book so much! I could not have chosen a more perfect book to lose myself in for a day. This was a sweet, fun, and completely heartwarming story.
Olivia Wildenstein is a new author for me and I was completely enchanted by her writing. It was so engaging and I was really drawn into the story. The pacing was perfect and the narration was smooth and welcoming. I really loved the plot of the story and all the conflict that surrounded it. I did figure out where the story was going early on while reading but that didn't take away from the enjoyment at all. I love that even though parts of the story may be predictable, the author tells the story in such a way that the reader doesn't even care. The reader can still feel all the feels.
I have so much love for the characters in this book. Angie and Ten were both so relatable and likable. I love that both main characters had a lot of depth. They also had a lot of character growth. I really connected with both of them. I very much adored the complex representation of family in this book. Angie and her mother had such a warm relationship. I liked that it showed that they didn't always agree but loved each other through the good and the bad. We get to see a different side of things with Ten and his estranged parent. There were also wonderful friendships in the book. I thought that the relationship that Angie had with Nev, Ten's little sister, was so heartwarming. The friendships that Angie had with her music teacher and her dance teacher were also beautiful. Plus her girlfriends at school supported her even when they had their own things going on. Just a whole lot of family and friendship in this book. It made me all warm inside.
This was very much a slow-burn romance. Things didn't start off the best between Angie and Ten but there was always this intrigue and interest between them. They had very electric chemistry with one another. They had excellent banter that always had me smiling. They had such a sweet love that you can't help but feel all the feels for.
Overall, this is an adorable and heartwarming story that is so memorable. These characters will win you over in a heartbeat and their story will really make your heart soar. I can't wait to read more from this author!
Not a favorite for me. It sort of felt like I could see the bones of the outline while reading and the characters weren't fully realized. I didn't really get a sense of who Ten is. I know he hates his mother and that he cooks and runs track, but as a person? I can't pick out how he would react to things or imagine him in his free time. Same with Angie, she's a Mona Stone super fan in the most basic of ways. I'm not sure the author has experience with current day super fans. There wasn't enough freak out when they came face to face..
NOT ANOTHER LOVE SONG is a YA contemporary romance focusing on a teenage girl’s, Angie’s, pursuit of her dream to become a famous singer. The romance between Angie and Ten is adorable and I'm sure it'll appeal to many YA romance readers. That is, it's a little shame that I don't enjoy the book as much as Olivia's other works, which mainly focus on (new adult) paranormal romance. I guess it's because my taste in books has shifted throughout last year (2020) and now I find it difficult to fully savor a high-school romance. However, just because I didn't like this book as much as most people did doesn't mean it's not worthy of recommending! Thus, please don't hesitate to pick this up if the blurb intrigued you. Or you could always start with Olivia's Angels of Elysium series. :)
P.S. According to Olivia, there’s an actual song, MADE, dedicated to Angie and was performed by Rebel Wilkin! You can find it on Spotify, Apple Music, Google Music, and other music streaming platforms.
This is not meant for someone my age so it doesn't surprise me that it felt angsty and dull. I could see a teen loving this though and enjoying all the angst. The cover is cute enough and looks like a typical teen romcom. I will add this to my list of maybes. I don't buy romcoms unless they get some notice because they are a dime a dozen and money is scarce these days.
This started off slow and felt like someone writing their fantasy but as it went on, it became more plausible. While not exactly groundbreaking, it is an entertaining story that covers realistic familial relationships while providing swoon-worthy, enemies-to-lovers, teen romance.
YA romance fans are going to fall in love with Olivia Wildenstein’s charming page-turner, Not Another Love Song.
Angie is passionate about music. Listening to her favorite tunes, writing lyrics and dreaming about making it is all Angie thinks about. Sure, she might hate being the center of attention, but that doesn’t stop her fantasizing about winning a Grammy or recording her own album. A huge fan of singer Mona Stone, Angie would love nothing more than to follow in her idol’s footsteps – much to her mother’s chagrin who would rather her daughter concentrated on her studies and aspired to a more sensible and practical profession. But Angie will not be deterred. Music is all she wants to do and when she hears of a competition to launch into the business spearheaded by Mona, Angie is determined to take part in this contest and triumph – regardless of what her mother thinks!
The last thing Angie needs is distracting from her objective to win this competition. Unlike many of her fellow students, Angie is not particularly fussed about getting herself a boyfriend. But when she meets new transfer student Ten, Angie cannot help but find herself drawn to him. Ten might be aloof and reserved, but sparks had started flying between him and Angie from the very first moment they clapped eyes on another. The more time they spend together, the more they find themselves falling for one another making Angie wonder whether there is more to life than music and making it in the business.
Angie wants nothing more than to be with the boy she loves, but will it mean giving up her dreams of stardom?
Will Angie end up losing her one shot at success for Ten’s sake? Or will the two of them find a way to be together?
Olivia Wildenstein’s Not Another Love Song is a fun, witty and compelling read about big dreams, taking chances and first love where the banter sparkles, the romance is sweet and magical and the characters simply leap off the pages. Angie and Ten’s love story is one readers will root for as it will having them laughing, sighing and cheering the two leads on to make all of their dreams a reality.
Olivia Wildenstein’s Not Another Love Song is a wonderful YA Romance that makes for great summertime reading!
Why did I have to develop feelings for someone who hates everything I love?
Not Another Love Song made me laugh, smile and fall in love. From just those first few pages, I knew this book was going to be an instant favorite. With an enemies to lovers vibe and music surrounding the story, I was mesmerized. The story flowed so seamlessly and easily wove its way into my heart. The relationships between friends, family and the romance......oh my gosh you guys, I found a new favorite author. I went and added all of Olivia Wildenstein's books to my tbr because she's a beautiful storyteller! If you're a fan of young adult and romance, then you definitely need to add this one to your tbr.
Tennessee strolls by us, his gait even and so damn self-assured. The child in me wants to trip him. Not that I’ve ever tripped anyone. But if I had to trip someone, Ten would be that someone.
Music was such a huge part of Angie Conrad's life. She played the piano, sang songs, wrote music and her idol was a famous musician, Mona Stone. Music ran in her blood and was woven into her life. At seventeen, Angie felt so real to me. Quirks and all. Yes she was naive and insecure at times, and sometimes she saw the world through rose colored glasses. But Angie's heart was huge and I loved how she stood up for others. Even when she was in the middle of an emotional mess in her own life. Plus I loved how Angie' thoughts could crack me up so easily, especially when it came to Tennessee Dylan.
“What about yourself, Tennessee Dylan? What sort of girls do it for you?”
“Hmm…” He lifts his hand, then runs the pad of his thumb over my chin, over the scab I camouflaged with foundation.
I think the band has stopped playing, but I could be wrong. The feel of his thumb, the smell of spice and soap lifting from his neck is confusing the heck out of my senses.
“Spirited ones,” he finally answers, voice so raspy my skin bursts into goose bumps.
The way Angie and Ten met, oh I loved it so much. Fate can be so funny at times, I laughed out loud when they ran into each other the next time! But you have to meet Ten, he had me from the first moment he graced the pages. Ten stole all of my attention and I was enamored with him. He was quiet yet mysterious. He was thoughtful and gave me butterflies. And he could be so swoon worthy, especially when he tried again and again with Angie. He kept pulling me in and I wanted to know every single thing there was about him! Ten was the ultimate book boyfriend who easily went on my favorites list!
I dip my chin and start playing it, wishing that every beat of the day were accompanied by a melody— a soundtrack to life. Music would spill from the sky, curl from the grass, and seep out of the asphalt.
Ten would hate it.
I falter and hit a wrong note.
Ten and Angie could butt heads so easily but at the same point, they meshed so perfectly. Any time they were around each other, there was something there. I melted when they talked, smiled when they were near each other and sighed when they didn't fight what was between them. So I desperately wanted to push them together. The magnetism and connection between them was inspiring and gave me so much hope. But there was a definite line in the sand, and my heart was holding out hope that Ten and Angie could make it work. Somehow.
“I really wish you could make it easier for me to dislike you.”
He stops walking and pulls his shoulders back, pulls his head up.
“Why?”
Oh …
No …
I said that out loud.
Secrets, friendship, lies, love and bullying splashed across the pages. Along with a mother daughter dynamic that was refreshing and true. Friendships that resonated with me. And a romance that I rooted for. I loved this book with my whole heart, and even when I felt like I was going to cry and everything was broken, there were still so many where I couldn't stop smiling. Not Another Love Song was a beautiful love story that pulled at my heart, I can't recommend it enough!
I might have to adjust my aim, shoot for the stars instead of the moon. Stars might not light up the world as brightly as the moon, but it doesn’t make their shine any less dazzling. I’d rather be a fleck of light in the darkness then not burn at all.
PS Nev. Oh she's a ray of sunshine and one of my favorites but I'm keeping my lips zipped about her. Other then be prepared to absolutely love her!
An aspiring singer + a boy who claims to hate music = one fun romance. If you're looking for a light-hearted book (who *doesn't* need that now?) this one will warm your heart.
This is my first YA contemporary romance from Olivia Wildenstein and it was every bit as captivating as her novel, Feather, a paranormal romance I reviewed last year.
Angie Conrad's all-consuming love for music is understandable since her father was a musician before he died and she lives in Nashville, Tennessee, home of the Grand Ole Opry and the Country Music Hall of Fame. It's her obsession with the famous singer, Mona Stone, that has created a rift with her mother, Jade. Jade considers Mona's personal choices to be reprehensible and doesn't want Angie to follow in her footsteps; therefore, encouraging Angie to apply to college instead. In addition, Angie doesn't have time for boys and dating, but the new kid in school, Tennessee "Ten" Dylan and his little sister, Nevada "Nev" have become very important to her. Little does Angie know the secrets they hold will change her life forever.
How could one not love the growing attraction between the capricious and funny Angie and the serious and brooding Ten? Watching Angie break down Ten's defenses in her no-nonsense and laid back way, is worth waiting for considering Ten is determined to keep his secrets from her. They are a lovable couple and Ten shows his romantic side more than once. Sigh!! As for Nev, she is adorable and Angie and Ten's fierce protection of her is noble and amazing. Other supporting characters like Lynn "Skittles", Angie's vocal coach and piano teacher, and Lynn's wife Steffi, Angie's dance teacher, are so supportive of Angie and her dream. Also, Jade, Angie's mom, is kind and caring and only wants what is best for her daughter. Last, but not least, the beautiful and popular Rae, Angie's best friend and confidant, is Angie's sounding board and loving support system.
I read this charming book straight through the night. I can relate to Angie's joy of music and I loved how she saw music in color. One disappointment was not being able to hear Angie's wonderful music, but I will settle for the beautiful lyrics instead. If you love YA romances with teenage angst and longing, give this delightful book a try.
Thank you to Ms. Wildenstein for giving me the opportunity to read this book with no expectation of a positive review.
Visit me at https://smadasbooksmack.blogspot.com/ for more book thoughts!
The romance in the story was an enemies to friends to lovers and I loved this slow burn! While there might have been some repressed romantic feelings, the romance did not even start until about 75% finished with the book. Instead of instalove, we got to meet the characters and get to know them individually as people and I loved both Angie and Ten separately and together and wanted to stand up and cheer when they finally admitted feelings.
The romance (while I loved it!) was not primarily the focus of the story. Instead, it was about Angie leaning about herself, including her talents and hopes. It was also about Angie and her mother's relationship growth, as well as Angie and her friends and the adorable sisterly relationship between Angie and Nev. This was very much a character driven novel, with so many well rounded side characters, I feel like these are my people and I love them all.
I have read basically everything from this author, be it werewolf, fae and angel but this was my first contemporary romance from her as well as my first YA by her. I can now say that she can write anything, be it high stakes fantasy with action or this super sweet, swoony feel good read that I never wanted to end. I never wanted to put the book down and ended up reading it in a few days because I was so wrapped up in the story and the plot was perfect paced to get lost in. It is confirmed that I am an official fan girl and I need to force this book on everyone who loves strong spunky girls who know what they want from life, a cute boy who grew up too quick but would do anything for his sister, all things music (especially country), and great relationship dynamics from all directions.
Angie dreams of being like her idol. She wants to be a singer like Mona Stone. She thinks her big break is within grasp when a competition comes to her hometown in Nashville but the new boy may change her goals.
Ten is running away from his past. He doesn’t want the constant reminder that comes with a town like Nashville. When he gets to know Angie he knows she’s different but can the girl so in love with her idol have room for someone like him.
I enjoyed the secrets in this book. It’s a sweet story about distinguishing dreams and reality. I’m a fan of this author and I enjoyed this book.
ARC in exchange for an honest review. 4 stars out of 5. I'm a fan of this author.
I really enjoyed this story about Angie and Tennessee and their blossoming relationship. The story itself was very sweet and definitely a story that will put a smile on your face, though I would have liked there to be a little more conflict or struggle. Still it was great to see Angie's relationships with not just Ten but with her mom and the fact that though they didn't always agree, she and her mom had a tight relationship and bond.
This is my first exposure to Wildenstein's writing and I found her style easy to read. I really enjoyed the flow to her writing and how seamlessly things moved. I will definitely pick up more from her in the future.
This story is about Angie who has a serious dream. A dream of writing songs. Songs that can be sung by artists like her idol, Mona Stone. She decides to enter a contest, launched by said idol, and has the chance of getting her music out there.
I really enjoyed how the author played this story out--I'll admit that I wasn't thinking of where she was going until she was pretty much right there... :)
Angie has to decide if her relationships or her budding career mean more to her. And I think that with all the people in Angie's life who care about her, but also realizing that she should follow her dreams--I think the author did a fabulous job in reconciling all of that.
The love story was sweet--the hero just enough of a grump to keep me interested. And the relationship between Angie and her mother is inspiring and lovely.
Thank you so much for the opportunity to read this book!
My review will be live, at the link given, on 7/9/20.
I haven’t read a lot of YA books this year, so I was really looking forward to reading Not Another Love Song. This was also the first book I read by Olivia Wildenstein, and I’m really impressed.
Sweet and cheesy love stories are my jam. So is country music. When I realized that this book is set in Nashville, and the female lead is an aspiring teenage singer, the “Hannah Montana and Taylor Swift” fangirl part of me literally screamed in happiness. That happy feeling stayed with me throughout the book.
Books which center around High School life are pretty cliched nowadays, and generally follow the ‘new guy enters the scene, boy and girl fall in love’ storyline. Not Another Love Song surprisingly added a new perspective and depth to this trope, and made me fall in love with romance books all over again. I loved how this book was not only about romance between Angie and Ten. Family, friendship, dreams, hope and heartbreak ~ each of these aspects were significant parts of the book.
The romance had the perfect amount of angst and I really liked seeing how it developed between Angie and Ten throughout the story. I kinda wished that things didn’t fall in place for them so easily, but that’s honestly the dramatic side of me speaking, cause I want love stories to be full of struggles, hehe. I am weird, I know.
The most important part of this book was definitely how Angie approached and dealt with the connection between fame and dreams She discovered her truest self along the way, and I loved seeing her journey.
Overall, this book was really sweet and adorable, but had the perfect touch of emotional depth and reality. My heart is full.
With chapters titled “Crash Into Me, Why Don’t You?” and “Killing Me Softly With Food” - how could this book not be good? I enjoyed the YA slow burn and cute love story. I couldn’t put it down! I would recommend this to any YA romance fan.
Angie has always dreamed of being a singer and songwriter. So when she gets the opportunity to enter her idol, Mona Stone’s songwriting competition, she jumps at the chance. But her pragmatic mother doesn’t approve of her plan, and actively tries to prevent her from entering. When new student Ten comes into Angie’s life, his disapproval of all things music infuriates Angie, but at the same time, he intrigues her. But what if she can’t have both Ten and her dream?
Not Another Love Song is told entirely in the first-person from Angie’s perspective. I really liked Angie and rooted for her throughout the entire book. My favorite part of this book was the relationship between Angie and Ten’s little sister Nev, who is also a singer. Nev is struggling to make friends and Angie takes her under her wing, forming the sweetest friendship. In my opinion, it should have been the main plot of the story, not that the romance was bad, it just wasn’t as enjoyable to read as the sections with Nev and Angie.
Fans of Erin Hahn’s You’d Be Mine, and the TV series Nashville would enjoy Not Another Love Song. It’s an incredibly light read with an enjoyable storyline.
Thank you to XPresso Tours, Netgalley, and Swoon Reads for the review copy. All opinions are my own.
4.5 Stars
If you like
YA Contemporary
Ambitious MC
Secrets
Fun Fast Paced Stories
Then this is the book for you!
I’ve read a couple of Olivia’s fantasy books but have never read one of her contemporary books, but I knew that I’d love this one because Olivia is such a great writer who’s able to hook you into stories almost instantly.
Angie is a girl who has big dreams of becoming a musician and given that she lives in Tennessee (the heart of country music, you’d think that her mom would be fine with it). Well Angie’s father was a musician before he pasted away and let the fame of his band affect his live and ultimately claiming it. But then, what could be the perfect opportunity shows itself when Angie’s music and personal role model announces a song writing competition, but her mother is against it. Hoping to change her mom’s mind, Angie continues to write her song in hopes that her mom will change her mind.
Then, to make matters even more interesting, Angie kind of befriends the new guy, Ten, who has more secrets than you’d think is possibly, but something about him keeps him the center of Angie’s mind. And no, it’s not because they first run in was when he hit her with his vehicle.
As they start to get to know one another bit by bit, a huge revelation was discovered about Ten on the night of homecoming. Shortly after Angie faces an internal struggle about who to believe and wonder who’s really at fault.
This is a bitter sweet book about a young girl struggling if she should follow her dream despite knowing her mom is so against it while finding out that there’s more to all of the stories she though was true.
Warning, biased review ! I love Olivia, I haven’t met a book she’s written that I haven’t adored and this is no exception. I am guaranteed when I pick up a book I will leave happy (sure there may be tears, drama, anxious bits but I know I’ll leave smiling and better for the experience) This is a great contemporary romance, but it is also about family, friendship, working at a relationship. It’s just wonderful and I recommend to anyone who has a heart and loves to read, you won’t be disappointed.
Thanks to netgalley and the publisher for a free copy for an honest opinion