Thank you to Simon and Schuster for the review copy of Good Morning Love on NetGalley. I enjoyed this book and appreciated the representation of Black identities and voices, this matters to me and was one reason I wanted to support this book. Overall I enjoyed the story of Carli and her engagement with music and navigation of early adulthood and appreciated some of the ways Carli was written, Ms. Coleman did the character justice in many ways by allowing her to explore her goals while remaining true to herself.

The book though fell a bit flat for me, remaining at the liked it but not loved it level, as I wanted more depth to Carli's experiences and to her growth, perhaps some more conflict or mistakes/challenges that forced some reconsideration of self. I also was perhaps outside the target demographic as I truly did struggle to understand generational slang and phrasing (that's me, that's a plus for another reader perhaps!). Language and wording/phrasing can engaged or distance a reader and for me the slang created distance and disconnection.

I would though recommend this for readers who are in Gen Z or readers who simply are looking for representation and young adult lives in a fun, light read. I do appreciate the book in some ways and know that this book as an audience waiting for it.

(2.5 stars) The description of this book seemed like something that would be right up my ally. A songwriter who’s world collides with a charming R&B Popstar. Unfortunately the book seemed to fall a little flat for me and I didn’t enjoy it as much as I thought I would. I wouldn’t say I disliked it though. The story was cute but I found it to be more of a self discovery novel then a romance. I didn’t really connect to the main characters of Tau or Carli. There was nothing that really stood out about them to me and I found them both a little self centered and egotistic at times. I also didn’t really feel much chemistry between the two of them. I did enjoy the character of Talia, Carli’s roommate. She was sweet, fun and a really good friend to Carli.

I guess this book wasn’t exactly what I was expecting. I wouldn’t consider it a romance. It seemed to be a more of a follow your dreams story. If you are looking for a self discovery novel or are interested in the music industry you may enjoy this one more then I did.

Thank you NetGalley and Simon & Schuster, for allowing me to read an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

This beautiful novel is much more than a simple rom com.
it explores the world of contemporary black artists, musicians, song writers and the people who have their backs
A celebration of friends and family and an impressive display of all the details of a life lived in the public eye.
Well realized non-streotyped characters whom readers will understand and root for.
A thoroughly delightful, hope-filled slice of modern life for the very young and not-so-young.
Would LOVE to have it with music accompanying it....perhaps when it is recorded.

Thank you to Simon & Schuster and NetGalley for the temporary loan of GOOD MORNING LOVE by a new to me author Ashley M. Coleman.

Good Morning, Love, was a solid, light hearted read. While the slang takes a bit to get used to (I work with teenagers so that helped), once the novel started, I loved how it was an appreciation of Black artists in music and culture. I can picture a lot of my readers loving this book- the fashion, the music, the romance. The prose isn't the smoothest, I didn't learn any satisfying life lessons, but I did appreciate that Coleman stayed true to Carli through the end of the title. She was indecisive and trying to figure her life out which is a lesson that will resonate with the young adult crowd.

I wasn’t the right reader for this book, I found it slow paced and I found the mmc to be an alpha male who wouldn’t accept “no” as an answer.

This one wasn’t for me.

This was cute, enjoyable, but not incredibly memorable.

The slang. I was out. I didn't get it. Too many trips to Urban Dictionary and it just felt unnecessary?

I was clearly not the right demographic for this one, I guess?

2 ⭐

I did not love this book. Mostly, I did not love the male love interest. I found him annoying and whiny and the overuse of slang was too much for me. I am Generation Z and even I didn't understand the "young" slang they were using. Additionally, I found that when the protagonist was singing or writing that it was awkwardly written.

Gave it two stars because I love a full circle romance and I love that its set in the music industry.

I enjoyed this book and found it very relatable, however, it was a bit slow for my taste. I love when I can relate to characters and in this case, I related to her uncertainty in her future. While the book was enjoyable I would have liked to see her struggle a bit more and also see the plot move a bit faster.

The plot was great, and the characters were adorable! I would definitely recommend this book to a friend!

Good Morning, Love is a story of finding your place in the world. Carli is living in New York, pursuing her dream of being a songwriter but stuck working at a big media company to pay the bills. When Carli is introduced to R&B star Tau Anderson, she has to decide between her job and giving in to the attraction she feels for him.
Disclaimer: This book is different from what I normally read. I honestly felt like I wasn't "hip" enough to fully get it. A lot of the slang and lingo was unfamiliar to this 30 something country girl. That being said, while I didn't completely enjoy the book, I feel like there are plenty who will. The story was a perfect blend of romance and self-discovery. Even though it's a story of regular girl meets pop star, it all happened in a very believable way. Tau and Carli had great chemistry and a very naturally developing relationship. Supporting characters like Red, Dylan, and even Ryan had their own stories going on behind the scenes of the main story. They could easily be featured in novels themselves (similarly to how Emily Giffin writes stories of former supporting characters).
One major negative I see to this book is its potentially limited audience. Good Morning, Love seems to be targeted at 20-somethings who live in the city, regularly hit the clubs, and eat at all the hole-in-the-wall places. As a 30-something who lives in a Southern suburb, I just couldn't connect to the scene set by this book. However, if the city life is more your scene, I think you will thoroughly enjoy this sweet story.

What I wanted from this book was a big blow up. I wanted Carli to struggle a little bit more. There are a lot of opportunities for things to go wrong, but they instead go pretty swimmingly for her. Which is great; I really liked Carli. But this is a book and when I'm reading books I like conflict to keep me entertained.

Love the music industry aspect and want more books about it but again, I wanted Carli to struggle. I wanted to see her really work for it.

This is an insider's look at the music industry and a rom-com. The story fell short for me but it was a generational thing. I would not hesitate to recommend this for young adults. Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Carlisa "Carli" Henton is an aspiring songwriter who works at Garter Media, a creative agency. Although Carli is efficient and great at her job, it's only supposed to serve as her financial backing as she tries to make it in the music industry. The problem is that, because she's so good at her job, she continues to get drawn into important projects, which puts her up for promotions that make it hard to leave the agency UNTIL she meets Tau Anderson at his concert (she got backstage access because her boss, Dawn, wants to get him to work with them).

There are some things that worked well and others that fell flat for me. The plot itself was interesting and kept me interested long enough to finish reading the book. Tau's character development felt more fleshed out than Carli's, which felt odd since I assume that it was Carli's story. Similarly, the romantic relationship between Carli and Tau felt odd because it felt like Tau was just a creep who didn't understand the meaning of "no thanks". I understand where Coleman was going, though, and I liked the way the book ended on a semi-cliffhanger.

Overall, the book was ok. I wouldn't say I wouldn't recommend it, but it wouldn't be the first book I would think to recommend. Thank you to Netgalley and Simon & Schuster for the ARC!

Fabulous read! Loved the story line, the characters, and the flow of the book. Can not wait for more by author. Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for allowing me to read this fantastic book.

This book had all the elements that I should love. As a former musician and talent manager, the musical backdrop to the story should be right up my alley. The book references things I know. It’s a Black love story. Unfortunately, much of the story didn’t connect with me.

I enjoyed Carli’s relationship with everyone else around her. I enjoyed reading about her struggles balancing her passion against what pays the bills. Those parts felt relatable. I appreciated that the intimidate portions weren’t explicit. Ashley M. Coleman’s writing style was clear and easy to follow. But overall, I didn’t really enjoy the book.

Our protagonist, Carli Henton, is a professional in the entertainment industry with dreams of being a songwriter. Tau, the superstar love-interest, immediately rubbed me the wrong way as those advances came at Carli’s expense. His pursuit of Carli was not admirable, and I felt it mirrored what many real-world women struggle to articulate as problematic. Narratives like this suggest that it’s okay for men not to accept no for an answer because it will work out for them. It was hard to find the rest of the romance cute. And since that’s the main point of a romance novel…I struggled through the rest of the book.

The love triangle also felt a bit forced. While we were introduced to the spec one love interest and knew of his friendship with Carli. I didn’t know enough about him to care.

Also, while I am the target audience for the book, I found the constant references a bit overwhelming. They date the book tremendously and not in a classic way. While I can appreciate the desire to connect with your target audience, it wasn’t for me and often felt gratuitous.

The ending felt a little rushed or incomplete. I didn’t leave the book feeling inspired or encouraged and would have loved to see something a bit more independent from the main character.

Thank you NetGalley and Simon & Schuster for the advanced copy.

What a smart, well-written fantastic story by Ashley M. Coleman! Good Morning, Love was a book that appealed to me because of the topic of the music industry and a woman protagonist where many women would relate.. Carli is a modern woman and carving a path for her against so many obstacles and distractions The self-discovery and digging deep so she doesn't get in the way of herself succeeding but in the meantime, a romance intertwined within this richly dug story of incredible depth. I adored it. Especially how Ashley Coleman tackled a complex story with the richness of place, subject, and purpose Carli is a creative soul, a songwriter who is so responsible and driven but feeling the pull of something that could distract her from her ambition, her dream and her passion of her music is captivating. I want to go back and read this rich story full of nuances, place, and dialogue. There was a lot to take in and like a lot of good stories you want not to miss a thing.

I can't think of one thing I would change as a reader. This was a true gift for me to read and I thank the publisher Simon & Schuster for the opportunity and for the gift of writing from its author Ashley M. Coleman. Even the first sentence I related and the book touched me and had me in it from that sentence on. Thank you.

This is a hit-or-miss novel for me. Some portions were enjoyable, while others were tedious. Even though it isn't, it felt like a slow-paced novel. Carli had the impression that she was all over the place. In fact, everyone felt all over the place. Tau is the type of person that will not accept no for an answer, and it shows. Carli, on the other hand, had no idea what she wanted from him. Tau had a special place in her heart, but with Dylan, she suspects there's something there, but he's quickly dismissed. For me, music industry romances are hit or miss, and this one felt a lot more like someone who works in the industry than a 50/50 mix of both.

Thank you NG for the advance copy. This is the first time reading anything by Ashley Coleman. For me it was hard to get into. It started slow and half way through I just couldn't get into the characters. It wasn't a romance book, which is what I thought it was. It did have alot of self reflection, and lessons on life.

"I wanted to write songs the whole world would sing." // Ashley M. Coleman

Carli and Tau meet through work - he's a rising R&B star and she's a media company account manager with aspirations to be a songwriter someday instead. But dating clients is against the rules. Insert romcom magic and big life choices. Def read this one if you love:

- Music and songwriting, especially R&B
- Main characters who love their moms
- Women supporting women

The ending felt rushed to me, but ultimately it was a fun and charming ride with lots of cute moments and chances taken on life and love. Definitely check it out when it comes out this June!

And thanks to @simonbooks and @netgalley for this early copy of Good Morning, Love!

Carli Henton is a musician to her core. With lifetime roots in the business, she spends her days as a junior account manager for a major media company and her evenings helping others make their music dreams a reality. Until she catches the eye of one of music's biggest names, suddenly she finds herself juggling love, her career, and elusive fame. Author Ashley M. Coleman has created a believable cast of characters and a fresh look at the New York music industry. A good read and worth picking up for those interested in the music industry.