This story centers around Kathleen aka former pop star sensation, Katy Rose navigating returning to the spotlight after a scandal in the past almost ruined her career. Told in a past/ present point of view, I could see how some people might be REALLY into this book.

Although the premise was interesting and gave me nostalgic feelings for the pop stars and boy bands of my youth, for me, the story was lacking. I didn’t feel invested in the characters and didn’t find myself rooting for them to end up together. I was disinterested the first 75% of the book and while it definitely picked up, it was a little too late to claim a spot in my “love” bookshelf.

Then: Katee Rose is a famous pop star with a famous boyfriend named Ryan. After ending up in the arms of Cal, another member of her boyfriend's band, her life and career implode.
Now: Katee goes by Kathleen and lives a quiet life, leaving her pop star career in the past. Until Cal shows up and offers her a role in a Broadway play he's directing.

I liked the relationship between Kathleen and Cal, and how it's a second chance type of story. They start out blaming each other for the events that occurred in the past but soon end up falling for each other. I liked that they were both flawed characters and to me, that made the story more realistic. Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the advanced copy.

Second chance romance. Friends to lovers to strangers to lovers. I found Kathleen a very sympathetic character and expected to be turned off by the cheating but wasnt. Very easy to root for her career and for her and Cal. Really enjoyed her relationship with her friend Harriett and their complicated relationship. Loved the musical theatre aspects and Jewish representation. Hated Ryan.

I was a big fan of Sussman's 'Funny You Should Ask,' so I had very high hopes for this book. It did not disappoint! I would have loved a bit more of an exploration into the pop star past of the characters, but I absolutely adored the theatre world setting.

I'm sorry to say, this book wasn't for me. I wanted to love it because I had seen so many great reviews but I struggled to relate to or even like either of the main characters and I'm not the biggest fan of a Then/Now plot anyways but it was made more difficult in this case when I would have rather we just stay in the present.

Sussman's first book was so-so for me, but the premise was there. I was willing to read this one because the first had me curious enough to read another. However, this fell flat. Nothing wrong and was a quick read, but the characters felt underdeveloped and the relationship wasn't super believable for me.

😃

Split timeline. Second chance romance.

Then: Kate’s (Kathleen) Rose is a mega pop star who is dating Ryan LaNeve, the lead of boy and Crushzone. But when she falls for Cal, another member of Crushzone, without breaking it off with Ryan first…. She was shunned and her career fizzled out. And she lost both men.

Now: Kathleen’s best friend Harriett has written a screenplay and wants her to play the lead…..with Cal as the director. Professionalism is tested. The each blame the other for the past. They have to decide if their attraction is worth another shot, with the possibility of ruining both their careers.

It was okay. Honestly, my biggest hiccup is that I really didn’t like Kathleen all that much. I just didn’t feel invested in her. The storyline was good.

Once More With Feeling by Elissa Sussman 🌿
⭐️⭐️⭐️✨ 3.5/5

A cute romance novel that doesn’t make me want to throw up, my favorite kind. Overall, I didn’t enjoy it as much as FYSA but would still recommend it to my fellow Sussman lovers. Very quick read and well written. I thought the timing of the passage explaining “the night on the roof” was great but the content of it fell flat. Might just be my preference, wanting some more spice. I felt like the novel was easy to read, even as a non theatre/musical kid, and had very lovable main characters. Some predictability as you can expect in a romance novel.

Shout out @netgalley and @randomhouse for the ARC. I did buy the physical copy about a week later though when it was released bc as always my phone gives me a headache.

Sigh.

This was disappointing, especially because I really enjoyed <I>Funny You Should Ask</I>. It pulled me in quickly and it was an extremely easy and quick read despite its length (is it really over 400?), but I am unsatisfied.

First, I couldn’t get past the MC, who felt annoying and childish without much context. Enjoying a romance MC is sort of a requirement, but I did not care about her. We really needed more backstory with her to care, and I did not get that.

Second, Cal was fine. I liked him more than Kathleen, but he was cardboard and had even less character development.

Finally, it suffered from a severe lack of emotion. It tried to do way too much (I.e. wtf was this friendship? Why did we need all these flashbacks? What did the final scene with Ryan serve? Why was there a mustache-twirling villain? I have so many questions.) and as a result, I felt nothing. It needed more showing vs telling. The sex scene would have been hotter if they had chemistry. I feel nothing.

Anyway, I am seeing some enjoyment around this one regardless of my lack of enthusiasm, so if you’ve enjoyed her first book, perhaps you’d enjoy this one too. Though, I don’t remember FYSA having the same issues.

Thanks to NetGalley for my ARC in exchange for my brutally honest review. Sorry it’s not a good rating. 😬

Thank you to the publisher for the gifted copy.

This book has major Britney/Justin vibes and I was HERE FOR IT. Kathleen Rosenburg, formerly known as Katee Rose, has been living a quiet life since her career was ruined by her ex boyfriend/boy band member Ryan. Until the guy she cheated on Ryan with years ago shows back up in her life as the director of the new Broadway musical that Kathleen is set to star in that was written by her bff, Harriett.

Told in Now/Then timelines that take us back to both the first time she met Cal way back at theater camp and during her career as a pop sensation, when she is dating Ryan and getting close to Cal. Ryan is a complete jerk and it's obvious that he's only dating Katee/Kathleen to further his own career. True, she didn't handle the situation with Cal the "right" way, and she owns up to it, but Ryan goes out of his way to destroy her career. The "Now" chapters take us from the inception of the musical through opening night, and show us how Kathleen and Cal navigate past mistakes to face their current feelings towards each other.

I flew through this book in less than a day, and I thoroughly enjoyed it. I love musicals so the behind the scenes snippets were fun, and the boyband/pop star situations gave me some fun 90's/00s feels.

4.5 stars.

Elissa Sussman has become an auto buy author for me! This was such a fast read and the character were very easy to connect too!

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the e-ARC I received in exchange for an honest review.

Celebrities … they’re just like us, right? Right?!

This is the story of a girl named Lucky. Actually, her name is Katee but the Britney vibes are strong. And her love triangle with members of the boyband, Crushzone, gave off some obvi NSYNC vibes in a way that I’m assuming was intentional.

But the story examines the “next chapter” for Lucky, errr Katee. Or, Kathleen rather. Theater, broadway, authenticity … all goals and aspirations that are unlike those of a decade ago,

This was a fun change of pace for me and also the first book I’ve read by this author so it felt fresh and new to me. Great beach read and will appeal to Britney and/or boy and fans I’m sure!

Another second chance romance from Elissa Sussman and it’s solid… mutual pining, banter, sexual tension you need a chainsaw to cut through… this time we have a pair of former pop stars who were friends to lovers to enemies to reluctant co-collaborators to lovers again.

When they were teens at the height of their careers, Kathleen Rosenberg aka Katee Rose was pop culture’s IT girl (think Britney) and Cal Kirby was part of CrushZone (think NSync) and her boyfriend’s Ryan’s bandmate. When the pair go from friends to lovers, while she’s still with Ryan, the world turns on her and she slithers away from the limelight to lead a quiet normal life. Years later, Kathleen is determined to finally make a name for herself in music the way she always intended… Broadway. But imagine the shock when she turns up at the first meeting about the production to find out the director is none other than Cal! With neither of them willing to give up their dream - hers to perform on Broadway and his to produce and direct - they’re forced to put aside their feelings and history in service of a common goal. But as they spend more and more time together, it’s impossible to ignore the past and their lingering mutual attraction. But with everything in the line… can they manage to keep it together?

This was a good read! I really enjoyed it as a summer read. I would recommend it to others and read more books from this author.

Second chance romance has quickly become one of my favorites. Elissa is nailing it! I really loved the connection between the male and female MCs and their childhood sweethearts like past. There was so much pining and I’m here for it. This was truly a sweet story.

Reviewed for NetGalley:

I tend to adore whatever Sussman writes, and this was no exception.

Kathleen Rosenberg, former pop star, Katee Rose, has always wanted to be on broadway. However, after a cheating scandal years ago, the former pop icon's celebrity status has plummeted.

However, when her best friend writes a musical with Kathleen in mind to star, what else can go wrong. Well, that is until they get Kathleen's former friend, now enemy, and former boy band member, Cal Kirby to direct the new show, only chaos can ensue.

I usually stay away from dual timelines, as I often find them unnecessary. But Sussman did a wonderful job with Kathleen and Cal's past, and slowly revealing details of where and why everything came crashing down so long ago.

Highly enjoyable read.

Elissa Sussman has become a must read author for me. I love her writing style, her book covers and her characters! Cal and Katee chemistry had me unable to put this book down!

If you are a child of the 90s like I am, you'll definitely love this book. Katee = Britney. CrushZone = NSYNC. You get the idea.

This was a really fun, cute book and I enjoyed it a lot. The characters were great and the story was well-paced. Katee/Kathleen was a liiiiiiiittle too defensive for my taste, but I guess that's what you need to create the tension. I would definitely recommend this book.

I received an ARC from NetGalley in exchange for my honest review.

Calling all thespians and musical lovers, do I have a book recommendation for you!

This book was such a fun read for me. As a person who has been known to love a good musical this book felt like such a warm hug on a cold winters day. We had amazing pining, a second chance romance, all with a dash of enemies to lovers. How could this not be amazing?

The beauty of this story is how easy it was for me to imagine it all and at times all I wanted was the soundtrack to be available to I could truly immerse myself into this story completely. I pictured it all in my head and if somehow this book doesn’t get itself turned into a musical then there is no justice in the world.

Another second chance celeb romance from Elissa Sussman and as expected I loved it! While this book is mostly told from present day, we get a peak into the time that Cal and Kathleen first meet at summer camp and where they meet again as popstars on tour together. Overall it left me wanting more, it didn't feel like we got enough time or development between Cal and Kathleen, to really see them together. But none the less I throughly enjoyed this book!