1 star. This book was not for me.
Thank you to Ashley M. Coleman, Simon & Schuster, and NetGalley for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

This is one of those scenarios where I hadn't read the blurb in quite some time when I picked up the book to start reading, meaning that I was more in the dark about where it was headed than I might have been. The will they/won't they vibe worked a little too well on me. I couldn't tell if the R&B star chasing after Carli was a scumbag or a love interest, in large part due to the conflicting cues that she gets from him. More on that later, but let's back up. Carli's an aspiring songwriter with a day job, trying to balance security with chasing her dreams in New York City. When her 9-5 (that definitely goes past 5 most nights) has her crossing paths with the famous Tau Anderson, she's wary of his aggressive flirting. He's got a reputation for running through women, and she has no illusions about men in the music industry-- the boundaries they'll cross and the way they'll take down women's careers if spurned. As they work together on an ad campaign and Tau starts DMing her on Twitter, jealousy outs the secret love Carli's long-term friend and collaborator has been harboring for her. Enter the love triangle.

There's a lot to like about Carli as a protagonist. She's dedicated to her job even if she doesn't want to be there long-term, she stands up for herself, and she makes music as often as she can. I appreciated the Afro-Latina representation in her character, but I've read reviews that the author's portrayal of Colombian culture may not be well-informed, so keep that in mind. The book discusses sexual harassment in the music industry. Be aware that there is an on-page assault that is interrupted. Through Carli's experiences, the book explores the extra burdens on women of ensuring their own personal safety and emotional well-being in addition to following their ambitions in music.

One thing I liked about the story is that a big part of the conflict isn't even romantic. The story deals with some important choices Carli must make in terms of who to pursue romantically (if anyone), how to move forward in her relationships with her parents, how to chase the career she wants, and how to accept new directions in her life even if they are unexpected and don't fit her plan. Instead of orchestrated drama, it feels like real-life inner turmoil surrounding a big turning point.

I did have a few concerns with the story. The first is about personal preference. There's a strong religious component concerning Carli's Christian identity and her church community. There's nothing wrong with it, but it's not my cup of tea, so know what you're getting into there. On a deeper level, I was bothered by Carli's fixation on weight and body image at the beginning of the book. She has a vision board of her dream body which she would supposedly only achieve if she tried harder, and she often perceives other women as skinny, even calling her best friend "skinny minnie" as a compliment. This mindset thankfully disappeared later in the novel, but not because of a shift in Carli's point of view. It just gets left behind in favor of other stress. Finally, the single POV means Tau didn't have to experience any seismic growth, and I would have preferred he did. Since he isn't a protagonist, his iffy behaviors that had me questioning his status at the beginning of the book also just fade away once Carli decides to give him a chance. He has plenty of positive qualities like an interest in social justice, loyalty to his friends, and a hidden thoughtful side, but when Carli reminds him that he hit on her even after she said "no" on professional grounds, touching her hair and reaching out to her on social media, it doesn't develop into further conversation. And that seems like a major missed opportunity. Also, he only takes action against Carli's harasser once he sees her being physically assaulted, not earlier when she shared her past experience with him, something that could be construed as a reaction based on his ego rather than Carli's safety. Carli even has a thought to that effect which she doesn't pursue further. Also, while the harasser is taken off their current project, there isn't a sense that Tau intends to take any broader stance against him by using his industry clout, something that would protect other women from a known serial sleazebag.

As a parting note, the happily ever after is present, as expected in the genre, but it feels a bit unfinished or open-ended. It's also closed door. Depending on what you like in a love story, that might impact your reading, as well. I wish I could recommend this book based on its positive attributes, but they were outweighed for me by red flags.

I really struggled through this book and should have DNF. Although it was a romance I just didn’t buy their love for each other. I really wanted to like this book but it just fell flat for me.





Thank you to Netgalley for allowing me an ARC copy of this book.

Carli and Tau had very little chemistry. Tau just seemed very pushy and like he didn't care or respect Carli job or life. I didn't enjoy how one-sided their relationship seemed.

Love the representation. Love the premise. But didn't end up feeling like the book connected with me on a personal level. I just can't get into workplace romances 99% of the time. I wanted to love this so much, but it just didn't happen. Writing was good though.

Amazing story! The story started off slow and I though it would be a hard novel to finish but the author definitely came through. Love, art, and ambition, and Carli was so relatable. We see her soar and stumble as she realizes that achieving her dreams will be more complicated than she ever imagined. I love how the music industry is a background character in the book and how that dynamic shaped the story. Most of all, Carli and Tau's love story made me remember young, unexpected love and the choices we make.

A light and funny book about the choices we make. This is not my normal type of book but I did enjoy this.

I haven't read the books that is listed as comparable to this one, but I really enjoyed this story. From the music aspect, to the development of both characters, to the family and job characters, some were good, and some were not so much. This was a really good book for a first time author, and I will be looking for whatever she plans to publish in the future.

I enjoyed the writing and imagery and characters. It was like a snapshot into the music industry. I loved Carli as the main character. She was strong, smart, talented, ambitious, and warm. She had everything going for her and had to decide for herself what was most important. Take chances or play it safe?

I loved Carli’s chats with all the amazing women in her life — they were so heartfelt and wise. Carli’s character was really well developed and I gt got I got to know her.

Carli’s relationship with Tau, on the other hand, felt very distant. They were good together, but I wanted a bigger spark between them and a closer view into their life behind closed doors. They didn’t have a lot of dialogue together and I don’t feel like I really got to know their relationship. But I did enjoy their slowly developing vulnerability and attachment to each other.

It was fun to see Carli’s dreams coming true at the end, but there wasn’t a big moment or climax that grabbed my emotions. The story just kept slowly building and then ended with no resolution. It was a “use your own imagination” type of ending, which I’m not a fan of, but some people are.

If you like quieter books and are interested in a behind the scenes story in the music industry, then you’ll enjoy reading it. But don’t read it for the romance or for drama.

Thank you to NetGalley and Simon & Schuster for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Good Morning, Love by Ashley M. Coleman
⭐️⭐️⭐️
This book wasn’t for me. I didn’t care too much about the characters. Our main character Clarisa is a songwriter who doesn’t want to be in any relationship with anyone in the music industry until she meets Tau. Tau is a really popular singer. He tries convincing her to give him a chance even though it will jeopardize her career at the company she works for. He is her client at the company she’s working for. She has a choice to make whether she wants to continue working there or staying in her relationship with Tau.
Overall it was an okay story.
Thank you to @netgalley and @simonandschuster for providing me with an ebook for an exchange of my honest review.

I enjoyed the story of the book more than I enjoyed the book itself (if that makes sense). I love the idea of being whisked away by a millionaire that allows you to quit your job, follow your passions, travel, and get some wholesome loving. Thankfully, this was a quick read. Additionally, I am glad the author did not leave any loose ends or wanderings when the book ended.

This story was nice and I enjoyed the elements of the NYC music scene. I didn't feel like the chemistry was great between the two characters and just missed the mark for me (need more banter). I think this would be great for someone who loves music or NYC book settings.

This is a romance book featuring Carli who is in Marketing but really wants to be a songwriter and when she meets be star Tau she starts to see hope in her dreams.

I think this book was good. I enjoyed all the pop culture references! It did deal a lot with the entertainment industry (like the ins and outs) and I am just not very into that so it did lag in some parts for me.

I wasn't crazy about Tau. He was so cocky and pushy that's not my thing either lol. But I also don't think this is a true romance it is more general fiction and a story about a woman finding herself.

Overall, I think it is a cute book to pick up. And especially if you're into the entertainment industry.

Thank you to Netgalley and Simon and Schuster for this eARC in exchange for my honest review.

Good Morning, Love by Ashley M. Coleman. Pub Date: June 21, 2022. Rating: 3 stars. I thought the premise of this novel sounded intriguing and I really wanted to enjoy it, but I found it to be slow paced and lacking in depth. I think the minority representation in the book was solid, but the overall storyline was dry. The NY music scene was a great backdrop and I found myself more immersed in the intricate details of music rather than the storyline itself. Thanks to #NetGalley and #simonandschuster for this e-arc in exchange for my honest review.

I couldn’t get into this one. Too much insider slang for me I thought I’d enjoy the music industry aspect but I was wrong..

Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed as in this review are completely my own.

Is "Good Morning, Love" somewhat predictable? Yes, it certainly is. Is it also charming and original enough to keep you engaged? Absolutely! Coleman's book is sure to please romance fans in a perfect summer read!

Carli is an account executive at a media company in NYC. She is great at her job, but what she really wants to do is write music. She waffles a lot on this, and struggles to know if she should follow her dream.

Enter Tau, a rising star. Carli has a strict, no dating the talent, rule...but Tau makes her re-think that rule. Those lines become blurred and they are forced to hide their relationship, but one of Carli's co-workers rat her out, and Carli pays the price.

This book was just ok for me. I didn't really enjoy the romance between Carli and Tau. To me he seemed like a guy that wouldn't take no for an answer, pushy, and a little stalkerish. But I did like Carli's friends and enjoyed that part of the story. 3⭐

I had high hopes for this one. I was so excited to start it but my excitement quickly waned. I loved the characters but they were so one sided and almost felt like a caricature. The slang was so over the top I found myself rolling my eyes. A great idea but failed in the execution, unfortunately.

I really wanted to love this one but it was a bit of a miss for me. I love everything about the premise, but I felt like the pacing of the story made it hard for me to be engaged. I've heard it great on audio and so I might give that a try because it sounds really good, I

This book was a hit and miss for me. Some parts I enjoyed and some parts were kind of boring and slow. It took me while to get into the story. Carli felt like she was all over the place, but everyone felt like that at times. Tau is that guy who won’t take no for an answer. Which is not a good character trait in someone. It shows that he doesn’t understand boundaries. After reading this, I struggle to consider this book a romance. It lacked that defining moment for me.

Well, I hope you enjoy it.

And as always Happy reading!!