Kathleen Rosenberg, the former pop star known as Katee Rose, has the chance to perform in a Broadway show written by her best friend Harriet and directed by Calvin Kirby, the boyband-er whose hook-up brought about her demise from show biz many years before. Kathleen and Calvin have a complicated history and haven't spoken since their younger days. Told in flashbacks and present day, they figure out what they mean to each other again and if they are willing to risk being together even if it might tank their Broadway show like it tanked their pop careers.

I liked the premise of this story much more than FUNNY YOU SHOULD ASK, as I found Kathleen and Calvin on much more equal footing than Chani and Gabe. The boy band/girl pop references of the late 90s and early 00s as well as theater camp (!!) were a blast, and I loved how neither was exactly perfect but accepted (in the present) their flaws. Like FUNNY, I felt the last quarter of the book kind of fell flat, but I really enjoyed the first 3/4. I also expected more oomph out of Kathleen and Harriet's relationship. They felt at odds for so much of the book and I wish they had had more time post-reconciliation. Still, I really enjoyed the story and where we ended up in the end.

Light on the spice, one open door scene. Definitely recommend for all romance readers!

Cute and fun premise!

Kathleen used to be a very famous bubble gum pop star, but drama derailed her career. Now, her best friend has written a musical with her as the lead, and hired none other than her childhood beau (and drama causer) to direct it! What could possibly go wrong!

Let’s start with what I liked: I loved the premise!! As a lover of Broadway and 2000s pop sensations (ala Brit Brit and JT), I loved the references and the nods to both those worlds! I loved the flashbacks - Kathleen and Harriet really came alive to me in those scenes!

Now what I didn’t like: Harriet in the present! She was pretty unlikeable for like 98% of the book. And I just really didn’t feel the chemistry between the love interests - part of that being because I didn’t understand their conversations (because they were inside jokes that we described in flashbacks after the fact. I wish the flashbacks would have come first so I would have understand the nostalgia of their conversations).

Overall, I liked it but I didn’t love it! My friends all loved it though so it’s probably a me problem!

3/5 bubblegum poppy stars!

Thank you NetGalley for the ARC of this book! All opinions are my own.

I was a huge fan of Funny You Should Ask, so I was thrilled to read her new novel, Once More with Feeling. When we meet Katee Rose, now known as Kathleen Rosenburg, she is a former pop sensation who's career was wrecked by scandal when she supposedly cheated on her famous boyfriend. Now, she is ready to put her Katee Rose days behind her and embrace Kathleen as she stars in a new Broadway show produced by Cal Kirby, also known as the reason for the scandal of her past. In Once More with Feeling, we get to see Kathleen and Cal both in their past and in their present. Sussman made it easy to fall in love with the characters in this novel. Yes, at times they can be frustrating, but ultimately the reader finds themselves truly rooting for Kathleen, Cal, and their friend Harriet (who easily became one of my favorite characters). This second chance romance was a delightful summer read, and although it didn't quite hit the mark for me like Funny You Should Ask, this was still a thoroughly enjoyable story that I would recommend!

Just like Funny You Should Ask, this book is really well written. It's beautiful and introspective. I appreciate the Jewish rep and loved getting to know Harriett. I was obsessed with Cal. I just really loved the whole concept or the book and am always up for dual timelines. My issue with the novel was the execution. This reads more like women's fiction to me than romance. A lot of the book is about Kathleen's professional life and the way that it has affected her personal life. The story is about her growth above all else. There is so much tension and angst that she's dealing with internally and with Harriet on top of everything with Cal. It's almost too much tension. I like my romances to be lighter than this one ever was. Kathleen is so stubborn and caught up in herself and her persona that it's hard to root for her, especially when there are much more interesting characters surrounding her. Though I love dual timelines, I think they can be hard to execute. Because there's so much angst in the present, I expect for there to be some more sweetness in the past. I want to know why Cal and Kathleen were together and why they deserve a second chance. I can put together why they were together, but I never actually saw it on the page. I don't want to have to put work in for the story to make sense but I did have to in order to come to some sort of understanding of how they would want to be together. I love the writing style and the beautiful prose, but I just didn't buy the romance and that's the most important part.

I enjoyed Elissa Sussman's sophomore release "Once More with Feeling" was an enjoyable read. The storyline was well planned and did a fantastic job of capturing the world of celebrity and also showing casing young stars and what they can encounter on their rise to fame. Sussman's writing is toned in feminism which is refreshing to read. The main characters growth and acceptance of herself and her past mistakes is apparent and Sussman does a great job of getting the read to feel and understand this growth as well. Seeing healthy friendships and relationships is not always something novels portray, but "Once More with Feeling" includes this tenfold and makes me want more books to follow in it's footsteps. If I had one critique it would only be to have gotten a chance to learn about the characters a little more outside of their careers. I can't wait for Elissa's next release!

As a musical theatre kid, my heart was bursting reading this book 🥰 I told myself I was uninterested in romance, and then I found this story! I value the fact that there was so much going on besides the romance between Cal and Kathleen - the development of Kathleen’s relationship with her best friend, the progression of the musical she stars in, flashbacks to theatre camp. I love that we see a whole world and are not just focused solely on Kathleen’s love story.

I will definitely be picking up Elissa Sussman’s first book.

Thank you so much to NetGalley for the arc.

Elissa Sussman's has grown in her writing and it shows in "Once More with Feeling." While I was not a fan of Sussman's "Funny You Should Ask" because of the lack of character development, the bland connection of Gabe and Chani, and the fluff chapters littered throughout the book. "Once More with Feeling" corrected a lot of these misgivings. I loved that the MCs seemed to actually have a connection and had a reasonable relationship from the get-go. There was still some fluff to the story, but the majority of the chapters added to the plot or to the characters' development and weren't just a weird news article. I also loved the plot of sexism, slut-shaming, and the way entertainment industries tear women down and rise men up. Overall, I would take "Once More with Feeling" over "Funny You Should Ask" any day of the year. (But also this is a book I probably wouldn't pick up again.)

This book was so sweet and fully made for you if you were the kind of high schooler who was more likely to be shout singing Wicked in your car than Fall Out Boy. I loved all of the theatre camp lore and references and the characters all piqued my interest! I also really love Sussman's witty, self-aware writing style and fell in lve with Funny You Should Ask last summer. This didn't quite hit the same heights for me; I wanted a little more in the past timeline AND in the present timeline to really know and understand and fall in love with these characters. The bones were there and they were great and I still really enjoyed reading this, but I wish there had been a little bit more to chew on, a little more time spent building the tension and chemistry between Kathleen and Cal. That said, this was still a great pool read for your summer tbr!

I swear Elissa Sussman never missed. I have been lucky enough to receive arcs of both of her books, and while I think this one is my favorite, they were both amazing. I loved getting to read about a pop star who lost it all reclaiming her fame by starring in a musical written by her best friend.

I chose to read this book solely based on the title and the cute cover. Other than that I went in blind. And I'm so glad I did. I devoured this book. Who knew that I needed a second chance/childhood friends to lovers story in my life. This was such a fun read.

Thank you to NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group-Ballantine for the E-ARC.

All thoughts and opinions are honest and my own.

4.5/4.75 stars! I am obsessed with this book!!!! Also I just love her covers too!??! I flew through it in one sitting. It is just so raw and real. I adored the characters and all of their drama! They were just written so well. Her first book has been on my TBR for so long and I definitely need to bump it up higher because this one was just too good. Thank you so much to NetGalley and Random House Publishing- Ballantine for this arc!

—o n c e m o r e w i t h f e e l i n g—⁣
Tell me your favorite musical (theater or movie). ⁣
—⁣
Boybands and pop stars. Theater camp. Broadway production. Two timelines. Second chance romance. Proper appreciation for Grease 2. This book has it all. ⁣
—⁣
Once More with Feeling is the latest from Elissa Sussman (author of one of my fave romances, Funny You Should Ask). The book follows Kathleen, fallen-from-grace 00s pop star as she is given a second chance at success and maybe love? ⁣
—⁣
I really enjoyed the multiple timelines here and the insider take on Broadway productions was fun for this self-identified theater nerd. I love Sussman’s storytelling and use of media in her books. I found the romance less compelling and the leads, Kathleen and Cal, less likable than Chani and Gabe from her previous book. I liked the friendship storyline though. ⁣
—⁣
A solid and enjoyable romance. For pop culture and Broadway lovers, this is a fun choice. ⁣
—⁣
Thanks @netgalley and @ballantinebooks for the chance to read. This one is out now! ⁣
—⁣
#bookreview

I love this book! The premise, the characters, all amazing. My one very small complaint was what I will call (for spoilers sake) the blip towards the end, before the very end. Not the biggest fan when a book does this, but the book was amazing altogether I love Elissa Sussman

“You’ve always done your best work in front of an audience…”

So good. For me this book was idyllic and sweet even though the main character Kathleen Rosenberg could sometimes rub me the wrong way. She is a former pop star that lost her fame suddenly and is trying to make a comeback in a Broadway musical written by her best friend. The director is none other than Calvin Tyler Kirby who knows Kathleen from their days of summer music camp. Cal also played a role in the demise of her career.

This enemies to lovers, second chance romance is smart, fun, and full of emotion. I enjoyed the story being told in “then” and “now” chapters because it gave us an understanding of what these characters have been through. Fame is fickle, friendships are tested, and first love never leaves the space it creates in our heart.

Once More with Feeling is the perfect escape into summer camp, the love of musicals, the infatuation with boy bands, first love, and the journey your life takes when things don’t always work out the way you planned. But most importantly this story conveys the message to never give up on your dreams. Such an entertaining book. (And the last chapter aka “Finale” made my romance loving heart burst!)

thank you netgalley for the eARC of this book!

this book's premise intrigued right from the beginning, seeing as it combines a second chance romance with musical theater and pop star drama which like I just found so interesting. the story is told in dual timelines, switching between past and present, as we see the relationship between kathleen and cal unfold over the years. going from childhood friends to lovers but then enemies to eventual lovers was such a rollercoaster but I thought the overall plotline was definitely intriguing.

however, there were some parts of the story that fell a bit flat for me. while I love a second chance romance, I hoped for a bit for development in their relationship. there were simply some points where I was no longer rooting for them as a couple and was not as invested in the outcome anymore. additionally, I would have liked to see more of the past timeline as I found those scenes brought across much more feeling. also the fact that this book contained the cheating trope immediately made me dock a star because it always frustrates me. I will say though that the way that specific trope was addressed was well done because while I think that cheating is unexcusable, characters and people are bound to mistakes but should also learn from them and should not always have to carry that blame. the whole discussion around how the media treated her as a result was super interesting and well written.

overall, this was a fun and quick read about two people who find their way back to each other but it simply wasn't a top read of the year as I did not feel as connected to the characters as I had hoped.

3.5/5 I'm not a big fan of second-chance romance, but this book really captivated me from the start. Although I was interested in the romance, it just felt meh and I didn't enjoy this book as much as Funny You Should Ask. I'll still keep reading Elissa Sussman's next books, but I'll keep my expectations lower. Thank you to Netgalley and PRH for this advanced digital copy!!

I wanted to love this one because I loved Funny you should ask. But I ended up hating this one. I think it's because I'm not a huge fan of rom coms that involve cheating. Plus Kathleen was not a likeable character at least to me. I was more interested in Harriet and when I like a side character more than the heroine I know I'm not going to like the book, and I'm going to be wishing for the side characters story.

Even though I didn't like the heroine and the storyline, I did find the story well written and the musical genius.

Once More With Feeling
By: Elissa Sussman
Thank you @randomhouse for the early review copy.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Then: Katee Rose is in the height of her career as a popular musical artist when her world comes crashing down. Turns out, when you cheat on your douche-y boyfriend with one of his band members (that you’ve known and maybe had a crush on since you were a kid) people kinda don’t like you.

Now: Kathleen (formerly Katee) has come out of hibernation to star in her best friends Broadway show. One problem- it’s being directed by the one and only Cal. Who is-you guessed it- the guy who broke her heart all those years ago when her life imploded.

I really enjoy Sussmans storytelling. The alternating timeline of then vs now worked well for me here. I enjoyed that aspect as well in her previous book, Funny You Should Ask (that I also loved!). If you aren’t a fan of miscommunication then this story isn’t for you. Oftentimes children/teens growing up in the industry lack emotional maturity even as adults as a result of the their wildly glamorized lifestyle. I thought that this book explored the way that the entertainment industry can manipulate and isolate young people and that was more how I read the “miscommunication” in this case. Overall, I really liked it!

a cute and charming musical romcom that was delightful.

thank you to netgalley and to the publisher for this review copy.

Once More with Feeling by Elissa Sussman

Synopsis:
Then - Katee Rose is America's number one pop star dating the hottest member of boy band CrushZone, Ryan LaNeve. Katee loves to perform (cue Applause by Lady Gaga) but hates the demands of stardom. Cal Kirby is another member of CrushZone who has been a good friend to Katee. One unforgettable night with Cal destroys her relationship with Ryan, her career, and life.

Now - Kathleen Rosenberg has been out of the spotlight since her life exploded. She has been living a normal life until she gets the opportunity to fulfill her dreams: a starring role in a Broadway show. The catch is ... Cal is the director, and they haven't spoken since the incident. Kathleen agrees to join the cast but is keeping her guard up around grownup Cal. Has their chemistry died like their careers, or is there a flicker of light for these two? What led up to that night?

Thoughts:
It is a similar formula to their first book, but the characters and story are unique. I was getting Britney Spears and Justin Timberlake early 2000s vibes between Katee and her boyfriend Ryan. I like how the characters had real problems even though they were famous. I loved that this was a love letter about Sussman's love of Broadway and theatre. I was entertained until the last page!

I would recommend to readers who like second chance romance with celebrities and a comeback story. It is a single POV that jumps between the past and present day. If you enjoyed their first book, Funny You Should Ask, then you will probably enjoy this one.

Thank you to NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine for sending me a free ARC for an honest review.