“oh please,” i said. “again. with feeling.”

wow. this book was SO. MUCH. FUN !!!!!!!!!! this is every theatre kid reader’s romantic dream book, myself included in that category. i’m absolutely floored. i simply adore this novel, it really shows both the glitz and glam of the theatre and the harder, more emotional side of doing theatre. i absolutely loved the flashbacks, and how the pop star post intertwined with the broadway darling present. i am simply obsessed with disgraced pop star turned broadway diva kathleen herself, and i adored her relationship with cal. overall this was a super fun story, perfect for anyone with a song in their heart and romantic dreams in their head.

thank you to netgalley & random house for providing me with an e-arc of this book to review.

One of the quintessential aspects of a good romance novel (in my opinion) is excellent chemistry between the characters. This book was chock full of excellent dialogue and fabulous chemistry that swept me completely up in the story.

Kathleen and Cal… and Harriet too, were characters whose world I’d love to continue existing within. I liked the aspect of them working in various areas of the entertainment industry as well. Fun, flirty, and also steamy read!

I voluntarily read an advanced copy of Once More With Feeling by Elissa Sussman. All thoughts and opinions are my own. Thank you to NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group for this ARC.

Kathleen and Cal were a flawed and interesting couple who kept me engaged with the story. So much so that I read it in one sitting. The celebrity has-been/ attempted comeback plot arc was a great setting for a redo of romance. And while there were not many surprises within the story, I still enjoyed it from start to end. I give this book 4/5 stars.

There's book was fun to read. But I didn't like how any woman was written. There was so little depth to all the characters, but the women all felt like they were written by someone who hates women.

Cute! Cute! Cute! This one gave me vibes of Jessica Simpson and Nick Lachey. Brittney and Justin. All those insanely talented Mouseketeers who were hooking up with each other back in the day. This was such a great light hearted romance about second chances and dreams coming true. It also teaches us to remember the humans behind the scandals the paparazzi conjures up! Pack this one in your beach bag!

I generally don’t seek out celebrity romances nor second-chance romances; nevertheless, I gobbled up Once More with Feeling like candy and am already ready for Sussman’s next novel! A pop phenomenon as a teenager, Kathleen (or rather Katee Rose) lost her career when the world learned she had cheated on her boy band boyfriend (think Britney and Justin vibes). After keeping her head down and living like a normal person for half her life, Kathleen is offered her dream role in a Broadway-bound musical. The catch? The guy that helped wreck her career fifteen years ago will be her new director.

This book reads like a love letter to 90’s boy bands and Broadway showstoppers. It’s not perfect – some of the qualities that make Kathleen an excellent actress make her a slightly less likable heroine, and the finale wrapped up a little too quickly for my liking. Even so, I loved the topic and this book was so much fun!

Thank you to Dell Books, Ballantine and Netgalley for the ARC – this book is now in bookstores!

Portions of this book were fun and engaging, second chance romance and celebrity/boy band. The female main character was not very likeable which affected my enjoyment of the story. Some issues with pacing and integration of past/present tineline was difficult to follow at times. Not a terrible read but not a favorite

This book was just okay for me. I've read other books by Sussman and didn't think it was her best work. It's especially hard to get into when I don't feel invested or like the characters too much, especially Kathleen. I couldn't get past her infidelity.

Once More with Feeling by Elissa Sussman
Genre: contemporary romance
Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Format: ebook

I loved Funny You Should Ask, so I was so dang excited to get an e-ARC (advanced reader’s copy) of Once More with Feeling! I loved this one just as much.

First off, can we take a moment to admire this cover?! I love that it’s the same style as her previous book.

Second, this book is perfect for any musical theater and pop lover.

You’ll like this book if you enjoy…
⭐️ dual timeline
⭐️ pop stars
⭐️ musical theater
⭐️ NYC setting
⭐️ cats named after other animals
⭐️ guys that can dance
⭐️ second chance romance
⭐️ celebrity drama
⭐️ realistic friendships
⭐️ friends that are like family

The only reason I didn’t rate this 5 stars is because of one main plot point I really don’t enjoy ever. HOWEVER, I think the way the author handled this was appropriate (with the way the character admitted to her mistakes) so I still enjoyed the book despite it. If you have more questions, feel free to DM me, I just don’t want to spoil the book for others!

I think you’ll especially enjoy this book if you’re a millennial - I loved the boy band and female pop star dynamic when reading the “then” chapters. It felt very early 2000s.

A big thank you to NetGalley and Penguin Random House for a free copy of this ebook in exchange for my honest review!

My review will be posted on Instagram on my account (@lorireadsastory) on Saturday, June 10th!

then & now alternating chapters ⏳
second chance romance 👩‍❤️‍👨
musical theater 🎭
former pop-star🎤
4.5/5⭐️

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for an early copy in exchange for an honest review.
Despite receiving an eARC of this novel, I waited 3 months before downloading it to my Kindle and taking the leap. I regret not doing it sooner!
This is my first Elissa Sussman novel, and it most certainly will not be the last.

The friends-to-lover-to-enemies-to-friends-to-lover pipeline was an absolute dream! Kathleen and Cal’s tumultuous relationship has the potential to give readers whiplash, but the alternating timelines made these transitions feel so smooth. It was impossible to not root for these two characters to be together.
I also really enjoyed Kathleen’s relationship with her best friend. Sussman did an amazing job writing about the complexities of friendship as well as chosen family. On the surface, this can easily seem like a fluffy romance, but the way the themes are handled really elevate this novel. The only reason I am not giving 5 stars is because I really wanted more! I feel like another chapter would have allowed me to part with these characters and feel like the storyline was tied up perfectly.

One More with Feeling released on May 20, 2023. Do yourself a favor and pick up this novel asap!

I really enjoyed Once More With Feeling.

I like stories about the life of famous people and hearing that that life isn’t all it’s cracked up to be sometimes especially with how much people envy them and want to be them.

Once More With Feeling is a comeback story…both in professionally and romantic.

Sometimes I didn’t really like Kathleen’s character but I think it was written like that on purpose. To see her struggling with confidence and being thrown back into the public eye.

My favorite part of the whole book was definitely the ending. I loooooved it so much 😍

Thanks to Netgalley and Dell for a copy of Once More With Feeling in exchange of an honest review.

Childhood friends to lovers to enemies to lovers?

I really enjoyed this book. I’m a big fan of then and now books and this one was great. It constantly had me turning the pages to see what happened next. I honestly think I may have liked it more than funny you should ask.

A great romance to pick up if you’re looking for a quick cute read.

*screams incoherently* I loved Once More with Feeling more than I thought possible. It's the PERFECT second-chance romance that warmed my formerly-teenaged-fangirl heart. Katee Rose--a very Britney Spears-esque popstar--is all grown up and trying to find her way, excited to finally perform on Broadway. After a cheating scandal ended her career and her ex did everything he could to ruin her, she's been living quietly under her real name--Kathleen Rosenberg--grateful she can live largely under the radar. This Broadway musical is supposed to be her fresh start--but everything becomes more complicated when the boy she fell for years ago agrees to be the director. It doesn't help that after he left her to bear the brunt of the judgment on her own after the scandal, she doesn't trust him as far as she could throw him.

I loved their dynamic. It felt so real--the slow rebuilding of trust and the delicious tension that they still feel, so many years later. The dual timelines added a depth of understanding--gradually revealing why they feel the way they do, explaining their reactions to different things that happen now in the present.

As a musical theater nerd and also a fan of 90s and early 2000s pop music, this book encapsulates my entire personality. I loved it so much. I couldn't put it down, and I stayed up way too late reading it. Like Kathleen, I'm not in my twenties anymore.

I do have to say I'm not a fan of cheating in romance books. In fact, it usually is one of my "no-gos." But I got it. I understood what happened and why it happened. They were both young when it happened, and I would say emotionally immature (especially Katee because of how she grew up), and her boyfriend was actually a manipulative little twerp.

This was enjoyable and while I waffled between three and four stars, I ultimately rounded down. The book covers a great amount of time and I feel like that hurts it, while simultaneously being necessary to show the course of the show on its way to Broadway. I also didn't love the flashbacks while made up a solid 30% of the book. They felt almost too much like snapshots and not enough like a cohesive story. That being said, I liked both Kathleen and Cal and all of the musical theater references, and I'm always a sucker for enemies to lovers, even when it's a second chance romance.

This is a fun read about a former teen singing sensation named Katee. She had a secret relationship with a guy in a boy band named Cal, and when the secret comes out her career got trashed.

Fast forward. Cal is now the director, and he’s putting on a Broadway musical written by Katee (now Kathleen’s) friend with a part in it written for Kathleen. She’s always wanted to sing in a Broadway musical, and this is her chance, if she can get the part and work with Cal again.

As they start rehearsals, they discover that their chemistry is as strong as ever. Kathleen wants to show her talent, and is afraid people will think she got the part because of their relationship.

I love all the behind the scenes descriptions, 4 stars.

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

i had high hopes after the first one but for me personally, it just fell a little short for my expectations and i DNF.

Another fun, sexy engrossing rom com from Elissa Susan. Where the theaters nerds at? This is the summer read for you. The fresh setting of a Broadway run makes the perfect backdrop for formers lovers reconnecting later in life. Sharp, contemporary writing. Really enjoyed this one.

Thoroughly enjoyed reading this - finished it in a day! As a fellow musical theatre lover, I loved their references and inside jokes - this book is very well-written, engaging, and a really fun read for all (though more if you like theatre!).

My only issue throughout the book was that I had no idea how old the protagonist (Kathleen) and her love interest (Cal) were. I kept looking for clues in the following phrases "in my advancing age", "I guess I could join social media", "He leaped over the stage like a man ten years younger" and "Wyatt has five kids now", and it was a little frustrating to not know for sure - are they thirty five and being dramatic about aging? Are they late forties? Sixties? It was very late into the book that I received a somewhat stronger hint and pieced together that they were in their thirties - I think, I'm still not 100% sure.

All in all, it was a pleasure - thank you Elissa, Random House Publishing, and Dell!

This book truly is a love letter to theater kids and I wish I were a theater kid because I just know I missed so many references.

I enjoyed Funny You Should Ask, but the one complaint I had about that book is that the romance/timeline felt unbelievable to me. I did not have that issue with this book. This is children friends to young adult lovers, with a second chance romance finale (one where the reason for their initial break up actually makes sense!). The characters are messy, and don’t always make the best choices, but that’s what makes this book a good read. I was heartbroken and stressed out for the characters, which I personally enjoy in a romance. My one complaint is how the third act conflict was handled and resolved, which is why I am giving this 4 stars. If you liked Funny You Should Ask, definitely pick this one up!

I'll preface by saying I love Elissa Sussman's work. If this book has flaws, which I know it does, I'm actively choosing not to harp on them. 🫣 If you liked Funny Feelings (which I did), you probably will also enjoy this one. In the same token, if you didn't like Funny Feelings, you most likely will not enjoy this one & that's ok!

Strictly vibes, this book is a 3.75. (childhood friends to lovers, celebrity romance, slow burn, workplace romance).

the main cast then/now:
- Kathleen "Katee Rose", once-beloved pop star
- Ryan (Katee's clout chasing boyfriend) & Cal Kirby (old theater camp flame and now broadway director/choreographer), ex-members of the boy band CrushZone
- Harriet, songwriter, and Kathleen's best friend

I enjoyed the preface, story, and characters as a whole- but not so much individually. Kathleen was incredibly difficult to root for throughout but despite that I still liked the banter and dynamic between her and Cal.. I just don't think Cal had a drop of accountability in the part he played in the "then" timeline and I can't get over that, but I digress, 🫢 It's something to be said about how women are unfairly crucified in the entertainment industry to their male counterparts.

Overall, while I did like the book, I think I may have enjoyed this even MORE if this was written as a screenplay. While I do enjoy reading, I think this book would translate beautifully into a movie or television show, especially with the character's singing and dancing (and all the musical/broadway references and nods). If one happens to pop up, remember I said manifested it here first. 😉