My theatre loving heart absolutely adored this book. It was so close to a 5 star (and I might changed my mind and round up). I love anything MT and this was a legit ODE to everything musicals - from the movie musical date nights to the performances to the rocky horror of it all. Just a CLASSIC for anyone who nerds out on all things Broadway.

“Musicals were just so big. Big and bold and fun and yes, a little nuts too. And I loved it.”

Cal was so swoony. Kathleen was so stubborn and honestly a bit of a mess the entire book. I liked that their age was somewhat ambiguous - just like a mid to late 30s vibe which, FAB. I wish the musical Harriett writes was real and that I could see it.

I also loved the way this takes on the entertainment industry. It has some The Daydreams vibes (which I peeped Laura’s name in the acknowledgements!) in the way it talks about how young women in particular are just at the whim of nasty execs and horrible fans.

“Then again, that was showbiz. There was nothing fair about this industry.”

I think the first 70% of this is much stronger than the ending. I also felt like harriett was just there - and as the only Black and gay string secondary character, I wish her story was more fleshed out. Also it seems like box braids are going to be the one indicator that a side character is Black moving forward and I hate it (Emily Henry did it in HP too). I also didn’t love the 3rd act breakup but Atleast it was short.

Overall, if you love MT, this is a must read. And if you love a swoony man with a sensitive and prickly woman who takes a while to get her head on straight, dive in.

Unfortunately, I could not finish this book. I DNF'd after the third chapter. I was actually excited when I heard it was going to be loosely based on JT and Britney. I was hopeful, I wanted to love this story as much as I loved Funny You Should Ask but unfortunately it fell flat for me. It was reading like a Wattpad story (specifically it was giving me 1D fanfic flashbacks) and no offense to Wattpad I loved reading Wattpad novels and fanfiction in my teen years but it felt too underdeveloped for me.

A huge thanks to NetGalley, I received an ARC of this book from them in exchange for an honest review.

I enjoyed Elissa Sussman's debut novel Funny You Should Ask and jumped at the chance to read an ARC of Once More with Feeling!

While I felt that the premise was unique, the story fell a bit flat for me. Maybe, first and foremost, because I am not knowledgeable or passionate about theatre. I also wish that the major point of conflict had been more clearly resolved or discussed. Overall, this may be a read better suited to Broadway, theater, and/or musical fans.

While this wasn't my favorite read, I am looking forward to seeing what Sussman writes next. Thank you to Netgalley and Random House Publishing for the ARC in exchange for my honest review!

I loved the premise of this book and was very excited to read it. This book was not well flushed out and I did not love it as much as her last book. It felt very surface level and I did not connect to the characters. The first book is worth a shot but this book I struggled to read.

Thanks to Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine, Dell for the copy of this ARC!

I thought this was a cute read and one where I liked both leads, Cal and Kathleen, which is rare for me.

Kathleen is a former teenage pop star who ends up dating a singer, Ryan, who is in a band with her former camp crush, Cal. The book jumps around from their days at camp back as teenagers, to their time touring together, to the present day. The present day was my favorite storyline because Cal is directing a musical that Kathleen is starring in and I don't think we get enough books with a musical setting.

My only complaint is that I felt like the characters were all very surface-level. I liked them all but just wanted to know more about them.

This is now the FIFTH(!) book I’ve read that was released in 2023 and that was about a “washed-up” female musician who was a pop star/famous in her teens, had a big career blowup, and who makes a comeback in her 30s/40s/50s. This one was the one that solved the mystery for me: “Free Britney” happened in fall 2021. I think most, if not all, of these authors were inspired by her story.

“Once More With Feeling” is the most “on the nose” for Britney’s story, complete with boy band ex-boyfriend. I only wish Britney had been as estranged from her family as Kathleen was - maybe things would have turned out differently.

For Kathleen in this story, I loved her journey to Broadway and to her HEA (it is a contemporary romance, after all). The back story of kids at theater camp was cute, and I loved Kathleen’s spunk and how she focused on her love of performing even through all of the extraneous noise of gossip and paparazzi. I would recommend this one!

This was an easy five stars for me. I love Elissa Sussman. She has perfected the second chance romance. Cal and Kathleen were so heart breaking to read about. I couldn’t stop rooting for them no matter how jaded the past was for them. They clearly belonged together. I can’t wait to read more from Sussman

Once More With Feeling captures the friends to lovers/enemies to lovers trope perfectly.

Not only was I just completely enraptured by the characters but I loved getting to know Kathleen and Cal. Reading Funny You Should Ask and this one consecutively really made me appreciate the author’s writing && made me love the articles in between chapters as well as the back and forth timelines. Getting to know the characters both in the past and present and seeing how they got to be the people they were in the present really gave me so much more of the storyline.

I loved this book so much!! Cal and Kathleen are both gorgeous MCs to read. I couldn't put this it down at all, and now that it's over, I'm craving for more.

Our POV character is Kathleen- previously a pop star whose career was seemingly destroyed by an affair with a man who then proceeded to dump her. Cut to present, Kathleen's best friend has written a musical tailored for her as the heroine, but there's a catch. Her director is Cal- the ex she despises so much. How will they work together admist such animosity and resurfacing of old feelings?

Second chance romance is now one of my favourite tropes and Sussman uses it to perfection. The chemistry between the characters is sizzling from the very first scene, and every moment felt so natural. I found the side characters to be well crafted too, and especially loved Harriet and all of her internal conflict.

Writing style is one of Sussman's biggest strengths as she alternates between timelines with great ease. Her descriptions of the showbiz industry, paparazzi, and Broadway are flawless and captivating. Despite being someone with little interest in western music and musicals, I was hooked by the brilliance in her writing. It is safe to say that I was so hypnotised by the power she holds in her words, that I was unable to pin point a single error<3

The cover looks stunning, and alongside Funny You Should Ask, it is mind-blowing. I can't wait to put this beauty on my shelf. Brownie points for the lovely title which starts making sense in a while new way once you start reading!

Many thanks to NetGalley and the publishers for the complimentary e-ARC in exchange for an honest review. And Elissa Sussman, you are GOLD! Thank you for being an author and writing this book!

NETGALLEY REVIEW: ONCE MORE WITH FEELING BY ELISSA SUSSMAN - June 3, 2023

Summary of book:

This is the story of Kathleen Rosenburg (Katee Rose) and Cal Kirby, who were previously involved in a scandal that resulted in the destruction of her career. Now, Katee has left her pop star image behind and is living an ordinary life as Kathleen Rosenberg. However, Cal reappears in her life with an opportunity to star in a Broadway show he’s directing written by her best friend specifically for her.

As the story unfolds, Kathleen is torn between her desire to pursue her dreams of performing and her apprehension about working with Cal again. Both characters blame each other for their past, creating a tense and ego-driven atmosphere during rehearsals. Despite their reservations, Kathleen and Cal find themselves drawn to each other once again, unable to deny the chemistry between them.

The story’s central question revolves around whether it’s a good idea for Kathleen to rekindle her relationship with Cal, considering their history of being burned by their past choices. This theme explores the complexities of second chances, forgiveness, and the risks involved in pursuing one’s passions.

The story blends elements of romance, drama, and the entertainment industry, delving into the challenges and pressures faced by celebrities. It also explores themes of personal growth, self-discovery, and the pursuit of happiness.

General Review:

I take handwritten notes for my Netgalley reviews, but this book literally has two lines in my notebook. I was so into Sussman’s book that I stopped thinking in terms of a review and just fell into this story. I stayed up until I was finished because I loved these characters so much and the story had so many of my favorite tropes and plot points. I enjoyed the Then/Now structure which gives what happened then tension to the story. Enemies to Lovers and Second Chance romance tropes are done so well here. The anger Kathleen has for a system that punishes her for her choices is so relatable and her anger at Cal for not stepping up for her drives the story in a way that is relatable and believable.

Characters:

Loved the fleshed-out main characters and unlike so many other stories found the secondary characters multi-dimensional and realistic. Harriet’s wrestling with the baggage of her friend and the man who holds her musical’s success in his hands was well done and totally human.

Tropes and Triggers: Friends to lovers to enemies to lovers, Second Chances / Infidelity, Panic attacks/disorders, Body shaming, Eating disorder

Quotes:

“His mouth found my throat and I found myself thanking whatever lovers he’d had between then and now, because this? This wasn’t a boy unsure of himself.”

“I just wanted you to know. That I love you. Harriet thinks I have been in love with you since we were kids and I think she’s right.”

Stars:

This book feed into my theater kid and boyband obsessed tendencies. A fun book with quick chapters that makes it a great summer read. I really enjoy second chance romances and non-sequential timelines when they are done right and they were done right here.

Kathleen Rosenberg is Katee Rose, pop star when she’s younger. She dates Ryan from a boy band but seems to connect with Cal in the band as well. She had know him since they were in summer camp together. This leads to a night together & a major blow up with Ryan that derails her career. Her best friend, Harriet, has written a musical that she wrote the lead for Kathleen. The question is can Kathleen get beyond her past & have Cal as her director. This was a good read & entertaining.

Thanks to NetGalley & the publisher for advanced copy, & I give my opinion freely

Kathleen Rosenberg, or as she was once know as Katee Rose, was a pop star till her career ended after a huge scandal involving her boyfriend and his band mate Cal. Now, they are much older and working to get a show on Broadway. The attraction between them might cause just as much of a scandal now as it did back then.

This was a cute story. I loved the before and after layout for the story. The characters were nicely written and shows some of the issues of getting older in the spotlight. This book was a cute and easy read but not at the top of my list.

Elissa Sussman is now two for two on delivering lighthearted yet emotional celebrity romances. It says a lot that I really love her books because second chance is one of my least favorite tropes. But I love how Sussman doesn’t bog down her stories by rehashing the past too much and making it as painful as possible. She keeps the ‘Then’ chapters short and sweet and focuses on the present and untangling the character’s histories with each other.

The romance was sweet and the friendships were awesome. I’m only dropping one star because I wanted Cal to fight for her more. Yes, most of what happened between them was Kathleen’s fault but he was just a little too passive for me.

<I>Thank you to NetGalley and Random House for an ARC of this book!</I>

📖 Contemporary Romance
⭐ 4.25/5
🌶️ 🌶️

➡ Teen pop sensation Katee Rose had it all: the moves, the hit songs, the worldwide tour and the perfect romance with boyband heartthrob Ryan LaNeve until she blew everything up by cheating on him with his bandmate Cal Kirby. Years later, now living in NYC under her given name Kathleen Rosenberg, things are much quieter. Her career never recovered from the scandal and she and Cal haven't spoken since the day that everything fell apart. When the opportunity to make her real dream of being on Broadway is presented in the form of Cal directing her best friend Harriet's musical, Kathleen reluctantly agrees to audition despite her hesitations about working with Cal.

They begin work on the musical and while their past is never fully out of their minds, rehearsals run long, touches turn to something more and the reasons they fell for each other in the first place seem to resurface. Will their past be too much to overcome or will their deep connection and chemistry with each other finally be too much to resist?
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🙏 Thank you to Netgalley and Ballantine Books (Random House) for the eARC of Once More with Feeling in exchange for an honest review.
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🎯 What I loved: If the TV show SMASH had a baby with Britney & Justin's romance, this would be it! This was such a fun premise for a romance- theater camp friends to teen pop stars to a powerhouse Broadway trio. The flashback scenes which created a triple timeline were unique and timed well and gave more context to the story at the perfect pace. What I really appreciated though was that this wasn't just about Cal and Kathleen, it was as much about the evolution of Kathleen's friendship with Harriet as it was about their romance; something that felt authentic, rich and poignant.

🙅‍♀️ What I didn't: Kathleen was difficult for me to connect to: she was confident to the point of cockiness sometimes and wasn't super considerate of the people around her. But, having an unlikeable protagonist and flipping the script so that you are actually rooting for them by the end is something not very many authors can pull off. I do wish that Ryan had played a slightly bigger role in the plot as I think resolving their conflict was important to the character development.
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Read if you love:
* musical theater
* early 2000s boy bands/pop music
* second chance romances
*enemies to lovers
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See also: The Reunion, Roomies, Love Scenes, Carrie Soto is Back

I am a big fan of Elissa Stussman’s debut novel and was especially excited to read this book. Elissa’s book formula of taking a fairly famous point of pop culture and developing it into captivating story is a formula that’s going to keep me around as a fan.

Kathleen and Cal’s story from childhood camp crushes to pop stars to broadway was heartbreaking and heartwarming.

I loved this book! The characters and story were so good. The switch between past and present was written perfectly. What happened to the characters in the past made the reader understand the conflicts and emotions that were happening in the present. I will be reading more from Elissa Sussman very soon! Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for letting me read this book.

This was pretty good, but I think I would have enjoyed it more without the three alternating timelines (past, then, now). I liked the second chance romance but having the chapters rotating timelines so much was hard to follow sometimes. I really enjoyed this premise though along with having it take place creating a Broadway show. Overall, I enjoyed this author’s first book “Funny You Should Ask” more than this one.

Something about Sussman's writing is so very addictive to me, so I was drawn in by the chemistry and complex storyline... even if there were a lot of things that felt toxic and messy to me. I didn't particularly like either character and I had trouble rooting for their relationship, but I was intrigued by the multiple timelines and slow reveal of their dynamic. Seeing the contrasts between their former and present selves was really interesting, and Sussman does a great job weaving a memorable, immersive story. It's got some excellent commentary on pop culture and fame, and I liked how the characters had taken their time to find their authentic selves. However - and this is a big however - there were a LOT of things that drove me crazy, particularly in the first half. It really did feel toxic, and I was not emotionally connected to the romance in any way. I was curious, but I was not invested. And I probably would've left this one unfinished had I not loved Funny You Should Ask so much. So definite mixed feelings from me.

The story follows Kathleen, a former pop star who is hoping to have her second big break. Back in the day, she wore a bubbly, friendly persona and was on top of the world. But her career came to a devastating and swift end when the public discovered that she cheated on her universally adored boyfriend with a member of his own boy band. Nothing ruins a reputation quite like that, and Kathleen's career has never recovered. Years later, she's up for the lead in a new musical production, and the only major obstacle in her way is the man who played a role in her demise. Cal and Kathleen have been dancing around each other for years, and they've never liked each other less than they do now. Through flashbacks and scenes in present day, we piece together the complex nature of their relationship.

Let's talk about the good for a minute, because there definitely is some. I love how multi-faceted Sussman's characters are, and how they all act in shades of gray. Kathleen might not be the most likable heroine, but she certainly makes an interesting one. I also liked the use of flashbacks to tell the full story, though there were a lot of moving parts and slow reveals. Their chemistry was excellent. But here's the thing. There were two elements that drove me crazy, and they overrode everything else. First, Kathleen. Not only did she get a bad reputation for cheating on her boyfriend with the hero, but she's genuinely a nasty person throughout most of the book, and she repeatedly acts in ways that I just couldn't get behind. The story is told exclusively from her point of view, so it's difficult to become emotionally invested in a romance when you don't like the main character or her actions. Secondly, the writing itself was a problem, particularly the use of the word "said." I listened to the audiobook for Funny You Should Ask, so maybe that made Sussman's writing style more palatable for me, but the EXTREMELY frequent use of "said" was noticeable from the start in Once More With Feeling, and once it jumped out to me I couldn't ignore it. I actually had an ARC copy, but I waited to write my review until I saw the finished version, just to give it the benefit of the doubt. But my Kindle wouldn't even count high enough to cover all of the instances of "said" - it just noted "1,000+" mentions. Checking two other contemporary romance books of a similar length, each had around 250 mentions of the word. That's... a significant difference. So, not only was I not loving the romance, but the writing/editing also grated on me. And that's not the recipe for a successful read. I do think there's a lot of good stuff going on in this, but it's overshadowed by some of the more troublesome elements.

I wish there were half stars so I could give this 4.5. I thought the character development was great and I loved the sexual tension between Cal and Kathleen. I thought it was funny and not too raunchy. Exactly what i'm looking for in a fun easy romantic comedy read.