Speechless by Lindsey Lanza was a powerful and emotional read that tackled some difficult topics with sensitivity and grace. The main character's struggle with selective mutism was depicted in a realistic and sympathetic way, and I appreciated the author's efforts to raise awareness about this condition. The writing was engaging and the pacing was solid, with enough tension and conflict to keep me invested in the story. The only reason I'm not giving this book a five-star review is that I felt the resolution of some of the plot threads was a bit rushed and could have been more fully developed. However, overall, I would definitely recommend this book to anyone looking for a thought-provoking and heartfelt read.

UGH A ROMANCE WITH DUAL POV ALWAYS HAS MY HEART. I loved both Lucy and Henry so much, they were very complex characters who just handled it all so well. This was definitely your classic feel good romance with good humor, heart string moments, and two characters who you truly enjoy cover to cover. There were a few places that this book felt a little slow, but overall my love for the characters kept me going. Definitely recommend if you love cute love stories!

Preliminary 5-star review. Will post a full review and adjust the rating accordingly after I finish the book.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing an e-ARC copy of this book, in exchange for this honest review.

This line from the book is a much better intro than I could give so here we go: “At first glance, my life looks like the start of a romance novel. Girl starting over after a devastating breakup suddenly winds up living in a mansion with five gorgeous men. One who happens to be the celebrity crush she never knew she’s had for years!”

I pretty much just want this book to be real life. I want to read Lucy’s dark fairy tale retellings. I want to listen to both Henry’s beautiful music and his silly food songs. I want to live in that house on the beach. Is that all too much to ask for? If so, at least give this to me as a show or movie.

This book has such a wonderful group of found family. HAAM, as Henry lovingly calls them, are all the best in their own unique ways as they play different roles in Lucy’s life. I love how protective they all are of each other.

As for Lucy and Henry, they are both so broken and struggling to reveal why. But Henry is the most gentle, kind, caring soul.

Read this book for
-found family
-subtle Jewish touches
-endometriosis and anxiety rep
-slow burn
-an adorable dog

Thank you netgalley and the publisher for an eARC in exchange for an honest review.

This is a really great vacation read! I especially liked how the theme of music was a thread throughout the whole book and that it came with a recommended playlist (which I listened to and enjoyed!). The book had elements that were a bit far fetched for me, but I really appreciated the physical health rep for the FMC and the mental health rep for the MMC. A solid debut from a first time writer.

This is a nice, easy read for a summer holiday lying by the pool. The storyline is entertaining and is worth a read.
Thank you to Lindsey Lanza and NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review this book.

This was an easy and quick read however I do not feel like the plot kept me entertained for the whole book, I did love the characters and the dynamics between them however I do feel like this book was slightly slacking for plot, I do however still recommend this book if you are looking for something fun to read

This was so good!! I love when rom coms can hit me in the feels, but also be funny and lighthearted at the same time.

From the first time Lucy and Henry met, I thought this was going to be some fan girl living her dream of dating someone famous, but it was so much more than that. I adored their chemistry together and I loved all of HAAM (minus Craig). Everyone had great character development and I think the infertility in the story was well written.

I'm just glad the Matzo ball soup the guys made for Lucy was worthy. I was getting a little nervous for them LOL

Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for the eARC!

4.5 stars rounded up to 5 for the sweetest book I’ve read in awhile. This book has wayyyy more to offer than your typical romance; themes such as found family and topics surrounding disabilities and fertility were woven throughout. I truly adored each of the wonderful characters in Lucy’s new crew, but of course Graham managed to steal the show. This is one I’ll be recommending to just about anyone who even remotely enjoys romance!

This debut was a bright spot in my holiday reading list, and an absolute delight of a romance. Novelist, Lucy, is recently single and without a place to live. She meets multimillionaire music composer, Henry, and they instantly click, despite his usual anxiety. She moves into his mansion and meets his group of roommates/friends/employees and she builds herself a cute little found family. It’s sweet and fun, but also touches on deeper notes like chronic illness, selective mutism, and adoption.

I met Lindsey online (while we discussed lovelight farms) and requested her book from netgalley right away! It surpassed my expectations and touches on contemporary romance tropes without feeling too heavy handed or ridiculous. Great job Lindsey, I’ll definitely be reading your next book. If you want a fun beach or poolside read, or an escape from winter, try Speechless!

I will say though, there was a bit of a missed opportunity to end the book with a little mermaid novel reference, since that’s Lucy’s fav fairy tale and it’s based on the idea of being selectively mute, like our Henry. I was waiting for it from chapter one and was surprised when her books were beauty and the beast and Alice and wonderland themed.

I wasn't sure what to expect going into this book but I definitely enjoyed it.
It is a slow burn but I found myself smiling so many times throughout, which is definitely the sign of a good romance.
I particularly appreciated the representation that we get in this story.
Seeing our main character deal with endometriosis, infertility issues and the possibility of adoption, was something different but handled very sensitively.
The same can be said for mental health and chronic illness more generally for both our main characters.
I also really liked the side characters and would be open to reading more about this group in the future, if the author chooses to expand on this story with a series, for example.
Let's just say, I will be keeping an eye out for what Lindsey Lanza does next.
Thank you to Netgalley for providing me with an advanced copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

This is such a beautiful story!! I loved the growth with both main characters and I absolutely loved the friends/roommates! Lucy and Henry have both been through a lot and I enjoyed how they came together in an unexpected way. Henry's roommates, who also work with him, added a lot to this story. I loved how there was that "found family" aspect.
There were so many little instances throughout this book that made it feel so special to me- cute nicknames, some pop culture and book loving references, Jewish rep (and a yummy matzo ball soup scene). The chronic illness rep was done so well and I had all the feels while reading this one! I definitely recommend picking this one up when you're in the mood for a good romance!

I absolutely loved everything about this book. I loved Henry and Lucy as individuals and as a couple. Their relationship development was done so well and I loved how they communicated their issues when they were ready. And the side characters, especially Graham and Adamma, were amazing! I need more books based on all of these characters!

What a lovely debut! We get to follow Lucy, and her sweet service dog, as she deals with her recent divorce and moves to LA for a fresh start. After her living situation falls through she chances living with Henry giving us the good ol' forced proximity trope! Lucy and Henry were the sweetest things and perfect for each other. They accepted each other for who they were and their story was so unique. I admire both of their strength and evolution of their characters.

I appreciated the mental and physical health representation and addressing the stigma around both in this book. Looking forward to reading more from this author in the future!

Excellent debut!! I don’t know why it took me so long to read this book! I loved the found family Lucy unexpectedly finds when her life is in ruin and she agrees to stay at the home of her favorite composer. I just want to reach into the pages of this book and hug them both especially Henry. The representation in this book is done so beautifully and meaningfully giving authentic perspective to each incident. This story is so much more than a love story where the story ends at the happily ever after. This is the story of what happens when it doesn’t go as planned and how the heroine picks herself up, with the help of her friends, and rewrites her own story and chooses happiness.


Thank you publishers and @netgalley for this eARC in exchange for my honest feedback.

Gosh, what a debut! I absolutely adored this. I went into it thinking, it would be a casual, cute rom com and then it turned out to be so much more than that. Absolutely gorgeously written and beautifully told.

Happy #FunFriday!
⠀
To me romcoms are just fun! Occasionally they have some depth that touches my heart and I laugh and feel all the fuzzy feelings. That is what Speechless by Lindsey Lanza was for me.
⠀
On the surface, think “New Girl” set in Malibu, where Lucy has moved with her adorable service pup, Rowan, after her divorce. She is ready to start a fresh new life, but nothing is easy. After all her plans fall through, she ends up as the guest of her music idol and his band of merry music makers.
⠀
I want to meet these guys, they are the best group she could have fallen in with and I was so happy they were there for her, and she was there for them. Pick any one of the four for a romance, I really hope we get to see them again, hint hint…
⠀
Alongside the romance, we see the good and the bad in friendships, insecurities, acceptance, self image and hope. It was refreshing to see characters with real life, major issues live their lives and have them portrayed pretty realistically. Back to the romance, there are some definite swoon worthy lines and a little taste of spice.
⠀
Bookstagrammer, @readwithli, turned author and did a great job with this debut novel. Her book came out this week, be sure to grab a copy, support one of our own, and enjoy!
⠀

Speechless was a delightful debut novel that was unique and full of heart. While it took me longer than I would have liked to finish it, I still enjoyed it very much!

What I loved:
💚 there were lots of different tropes we don’t see as often: insta love, pseudo-celebrity romance, strangers to lovers.
💚 the representation in this novel was everything! The MMC suffered with anxiety and the FMC had severe endometriosis. Infertility and adoption were other heavy topics that were handled with care. As someone struggling with infertility, seeing these struggles be discussed meant a ton to me.
💚 I loved Henry’s band mates and how they included Lucy and her dog Rowan as one of their own. Found family is one of my favorite elements in books, and this was no exception.

The reason I didn’t give this one 5 stars though was because the writing was a bit clunky for me. This could have used more editing, but for being this author’s debut novel, it is something that can definitely be improved in future books. I’m hoping that Lindsey Lanza decides to write more books about this crew!

Looking for a sweet beachside romance with a whole bunch of big hearted hunky men? Look no further. Thank you so much to @netgalley and @readwithli for the digital ARC of Speechless! It was my privilege to get to read your debut romance novel!

Things I loved:
🐶 Once he comes out of the basement, Henry is the dream book boyfriend. Kind, handsome, smart, talented, and just happens to be incredibly successful? Yes please. I love a man that wears his heart on his sleeve.
🐶 Lucy is an incredible woman who has been dealt such a terrible hand. I was so glad to see all of her genuine moments of joy, from writing silly songs, to baking, to trying and failing to surf, to binging tv shows with some real friends.
🐶 A romance centering the most adorable service puppy. I could not stop giggling over every single male character's desperate need to pamper Rowan. I think Rowan and my Noé would get along quote nicely.
🐶 Excellent anxiety and chronic illness representation in both Henry and Lucy. Their care for one another felt very genuine and supportive throughout, especially in the moments out to eat and in the hospital.
🐶 I'm obsessed with the side characters, especially Graham and Adamma. I am begging you for a sequel with him or Jayce.
🐶 Lindsey, you are the first to write a romance where all of the musical references are precious, romantic, and silly, instead of throwing cringey music puns everywhere. From the bottom of my heart, this choir director thanks you.
🐶 I really appreciated and loved the twist at the end that took place where you would normally have the miscommunication trope. I think it spoke a lot to why both Henry and Lucy behave the way they do when they're scared. I'm so glad they got their happily ever after.

Amazing debut novel from Lindsey Lanza. Lucy is a bestselling author who writes fairy tales with happy endings for a living, but her own happy ending has yet to happen. She is just out of a divorce and on her was to LA for a fresh start when her plans fall through. Henry, a very successful and accomplished composer comes in to rescue her and offers her a room in his home to stay. Their love story is just too cute.

HAAM made this book! I loved the relationships she built with each roommate. She did a wonderful job addressing mental health and chronic illness. Looking forward to reading more from this author.

Thank you NetGalley for this ARC.