I will say, as hard as I tried to not compare this to Funny You Should Ask, I really did not succeed. While this was an enjoyable cute read, it just felt like there were a few too many storylines jumbled together and sometimes that took away focus from the main pairing. But I would recommend this as a fun read if someone needed a celeb romance type book.

Thank you to Net Galley and Random House Publishing Group for the e-ARC in exchange for my honest review.
I read Funny You Should Ask by Elissa Sussman in 2022 and really enjoyed it, so I was excited to read another book by her. This book did not disappoint. As a theater and Broadway lover, I absolutely adored all of the theater references and Kathleen's journey to Broadway. I felt like I really got to know and connect with Kathleen and all of the layers of her character. I enjoyed Kathleen and Cal's connection as well and felt like I really understood their connection. I am not a fan of a cheating trope, so that was not my favorite; however, I overall really enjoyed this book and would 100% recommend it :)

Here’s what to expect from Once More With Feeling:

🎵 childhood friends to lovers
🎵 enemies to lovers
🎵 second chance romance
🎵 celebrity romance
🎵 Broadway musical theater vibes
🎵 past flashbacks and present timeline

This book had a LOT of tropes I love with one trope I really don’t like, but overall the story carried it through so I didn’t bother me as much - on paper this should have been a home run for me, but the reason this book didn’t work for me was I was hoping for more of an emotional connection with their relationship development, instead of just fights and kissing and that’s it. I love character development and prefer emotional romance over physical, in my opinion you really need both.

Thank you NetGalley and Random House for the ARC!You

DNF. I really liked the premise but the writing did not work for me at all. It wouldn't be fair to the book if I finished reading and gave it a low rating.

Once More With Feeling by Elissa Sussman is a captivating tale that takes readers on a journey through the lives of Cal and Kathleen, two former teen idols whose paths diverged dramatically (think Britney and Justin in the early 2000s).

The story unfolds through alternating timelines, as these estranged celebrities are reluctantly reunited to work together on a play that holds the potential to reignite their careers. Faced with unresolved anger and betrayal, they must navigate their complex history while striving to balance personal desires and professional aspirations.

This book is a delightful choice for those who have a background in theater or a fondness for second chance romances. The combination of enemies-to-lovers and friends-to-lovers tropes adds an enticing layer of complexity to the narrative, making it all the more engaging.

Additionally, I anticipated a more prominent exploration of misogyny and double standards in the entertainment industry, as it seemed to be an important theme hinted at throughout the book. Unfortunately, it fell short of my expectations and remained more of an observation rather than a powerful commentary. This aspect of the story felt like an underdeveloped idea, a missed opportunity for a meaningful denouement.

Despite these minor shortcomings, "Once More With Feeling" remains a fun read. The book is undeniably good, even if it didn't quite deliver the impact I had hoped for after the author's previous work, "Funny You Should Ask." While it may not reach the same level of resonance, it still offers an enjoyable experience and provides a glimpse into the complexities of fame, relationships, and the pursuit of dreams.

I’m love, love, loved this book!! Second chance romance, adult love, and career redemption all wrapped up into one fabulous book. For two years in a row, Sussman has written in one of my top 10 favorite books of the year. Also for all the musical theater geeks out there in the world this is the book for you. Additionally, it is so important when books show the importance of friendships, as well as romantic relationships.

Thank you #NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Things I loved:
-Jewish Representation (incl. a Jewish pop-star not wanting to perform Christmas music - thank you - this is how I feel every time I get pitched a Christmas romance...)
- Second chance romance - who does not love a second chance at first love!
- Female friendships - always love this component in a romance!
- LGBTQIA+ representation

Things that did not quite work for me:
- The theater. I am not a theatrical or musically inclined person (besides listening to 90s/2000s hip-hop on spotify constantly) so a lot of the book being set in the theater world (choreography, directing, acting, etc) was lost on me.

Ultimately, I enjoyed Once More with Feeling, but not quite as much as Sussman's debut!

Thank you to Random House for an advanced copy. All opinions are my own.

thank you NetGalley for my copy of Once More With Feeling!

i was excited for this book because i knew it was the same timeline structure as her other book & i liked the past & current stories lining up. but i had no idea that it was centered around musical theater. i am not a huge fan of musical theater & i only know the basics of the musicals, but i enjoyed this aspect of the story a lot. it did not encapsulate the story too much that i was out of the loop since i did not have much prior knowledge, but it made perfect sense & i loved it !

kathleen was at the top of the world as a pop star, until it broke out that she cheated on her boyfriend who was in a popular boyband. her career plummeted & her ex rose to fame. but in the present, she get an opportunity from someone who she went to camp with when she was younger, cal. kathleen & cal have a history & seeing it u fold in the past & present timelines was so fascinating.

i do think this book was one where i needed more from the ending. there are time where i love everything about the book, but the ending is lacking in detail so it doesn’t feel as finished to me. but this was such a great story, the writing was captivating, & the characters were very interesting.

A fun light romance- perfect for a summer read. I liked the theater setting and the multiple timelines of their relationship. Sill look forward to reading more from the author!

Funny You Should Ask was one of my favorite reads of 2022! I think because of that I expected SO MUCH from this year's release and while I really enjoyed this, like a lot, it wasn't as fab as FYSA...but that is a me thing.

This book was well writte, fun to read, enjoyable from start to finish and had characters that were just so relatable in their own way.

Thank you for the advanced copy! I am a Sussman fan for life!

Told in alternating timelines we follow Cal and Kathleen two previous teen idols, one of whose star burned out in spectacular fashion. They haven’t spoken for years, feeling both angry and betrayed by the other, all until they’re forced to work alongside together in a play that has the potential to reignite their careers. Their professionalism is tested as these old flames try to balance an unspoken and tumultuous past with their twin desires to make their dreams a reality.

OMWF was throughly enjoyable, but lacked the punch I hoped for after Funny You Should Ask. Though that said, Once More With Feeling captured me — I couldn’t put it down, was emotionally invested, and had such a blast reading it.

This might be for you if you:
🎭 Were a theater kid
🎭 Love second chance romances
🎭 Enemies to lovers meets friends to lovers

𝘚𝘱𝘰𝘪𝘭𝘦𝘳-𝘧𝘳𝘦𝘦 𝘳𝘦𝘷𝘪𝘦𝘸: (themes discussed but not direct plot points)

While Sussman’s writing propelled the story at the pace of a brisk allegro, I felt let down by the characters. I wanted more of their quirks, their idiosyncrasies, their insecurities. The thing that did work with the characters was how flawed they were — it made their lack of depth pretty forgivable from a reading perspective. They made mistakes, reaped the consequences and made new mistakes — they were people, and for that they felt pretty realistic. I just wanted more background. I wanted to relate to them.

I kept waiting for the commentary on misogyny and double standards in the entertainment industry to make a big splash in the story, but it was more or less an observation. It had the makings of a rising action, but never resulted in a meaningful dénouement. It was missed opportunity / underdeveloped idea.

It was 𝘢𝘭𝘮𝘰𝘴𝘵 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘳𝘦, but still so good and ultimately I’d still recommend this book.

I’d be remiss not to mention that I might’ve gone in with sky high expectations. FYSA resonated deeply with me, and I’d hoped for a repeat experience.

⭐️⭐️⭐️.75

ℝ𝕖𝕝𝕖𝕒𝕤𝕖 𝕕𝕒𝕥𝕖 𝟝-𝟛𝟘-𝟚𝟛

This book is like a love letter to my past! Theater summer camp, celebrity romance, childhood friends, enemies to lovers, second change slow burn romance, and workplace romance! Look at these tropes!

My favorite part of this story was the friendship between Kathleen and Harriet; forged in adolescent and transcending the peaks and low points of fame to a redeeming debut on broadway.
I don't typically love second chance romance, but this one was executed really well with a good redemption arc and sufficient character growth. I loved the past pop star and boy band references in addition to all of the musical theater references in the current timeline. The audiobook was fun, fresh, and engaging and I plan to go back and read the first book by this author.

I'm loving this author's books! I really enjoyed Funny You Should Ask and I'm so happy to say that Once More with Feeling lived up to the expectations that book set. I'm definitely getting ready to add her to my auto-buy romance list. She's so reliable when it comes to the second chance romance and celebrity/fame tropes. That kind of familiarity is so nice and definitely reminds me of how Ali Hazelwood uses a kind of formula for all of her books. It works every time without feeling repetitive.
Kathleen and Cal's story felt really genuine and heartwarming. They were both flawed characters but it was also easy to root for them. They had both been through so much and were really trying to grow from their past mistakes.
This was well-written and I loved the childhood friends aspect that was also woven with enemies to lovers.
Thank you to NetGalley, the author and the publisher for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review!

I’m usually not one for reading second chance romances but this one was so good. It was a fun quick read with Jewish representing and some Yiddish sprinkled in there.
Drama camp nerds to international celebrities to broadway director and star. This book tells the story of Kathleen who was once an international pop star who ended ostracized out of the spotlight after a scandal. She now has the chance to be on broadway and has to overcome the hurdles of working with her former camp sweetheart who was there when everything imploded. This book explores the fragility of fame and the dreams people have and the sacrifices they make to get there or to get somewhere similar.
I really enjoyed this book. Cal was adorable and definitely book boyfriend material. I love musicals and this book gave me a glimpse into that world.
The authors note at the end about it being a love letter to broadway and musicals which Elissa Sussman, and myself, will never be a part of but will still be a huge supporter and fan.

*Thank you netgalley and random house publishing for pricing me with an arc in exchange for an honest review.

I was so so excited about getting approved of this! I adored Funny You Should Ask by this author.

I think my favorite part of this book was the theatre camp vibes. It gave me all the nostalgia. It reminded me of Here for the Drama which I also really enjoyed.

I was worried about the premise because I know it's based on Britney and Justin. Our hero isn't Justin, but he still wasn't great tbh when it comes to the past. He was complicit in the fallout of Kathleen's career and I didn't want to root for them as a couple.

But I do think the slow burn was very sincere. I really liked letting them learn and bring their guards down. Would I have loved more groveling from Cal? 100%, but he did have a good learning arc and I can appreciate that.

Overall, I really have loved this author and look forward to what they'll come up with next.

5/5

ABSOLUTELY FRIGGEN ADORED THIS BOOK! Could NOT put it down! I love Elissa's books. The fact that this is a celeb romance but with Broadway absolutely send me over the edge. A second chance romance?! GOODBYE. Addicting. Perfectly executed.

This was cute -- I was expecting so much from this author's debut and was slightly disappointed with that book that I wasn't sure what to expect with this one but I enjoyed it! You will especially love it if you are a musical theater fan (I'm not) but it still was a great second chance romance. Enemies to lovers is also very hard to pull off and that wasn't my favorite part of this book but I could see it really working for others. Definitely a good beach read!

Once More With Feeling comes out next week on May 30, 2023 and you can purchase HERE.

Last night I'd stared at myself in the mirror for a good hour, looking for Katee Rose. Because I knew that's what everyone else would be doing.

Katee Rose had been beautiful and perfect and manufactured. Until she wasn't Then she'd been sad, sloppy, and embarrassing.

The woman in the mirror last night had wrinkles and sun damage, and, of fucking course, a zit on her chin.
Kathleen Rosenberg was imperfect. She was fine. She was alive.

Wow, what a fun read! It’s cute and lighthearted but also pulls a little on the heart strings. Although I never really did theatre, I could still relate as someone who has danced her whole life. It made the book feel a little bit nostalgic! I even liked it a little bit more than Funny You Should Ask! I found the characters a little more relatable, lovable, and memorable.

Things I liked:
•Dual timeline
•Second chance romance
•Workplace romance
•Enemies to lovers
•Celebrity romance
•Kathleen’s friendship with Harriet
•Cal because he is just the sweetest…and has incredible patience
•Short chapters!!!!

Things I wish were a little different:
I feel like it ended a little quickly. I would’ve liked to see one more chapter of Kathleen and Cal happy together!

As a big fan of Sussman's adult debut, Funny You Should Ask, I was thrilled to read this. While the cover and the premise drew me in, I ultimately felt let down by the characters and plot.

Katee Rose used to be a huge pop star who was dating a member of a huge boy band, Ryan. Thrown into stardom, Katee gets closer to another member of the boy band, Cal, blowing up her relationship with Ryan. Flash foward, Katee Rose is Kathleen Rosenberg, a woman living an ordinary life after falling from pop stardom because of her past relationship with Cal. Cal is now directing the Broadway show of her dreams, and he asks her to be the star. Because of their past, Kathleen and Cal keep their guards up, but with long hours of rehearsal will their reunion lead to something more?

I was drawn in by the first couple chapters, but I grew bored very quickly. The characters felt so flat, and even though there was some "chemistry" written on the pages, I felt absolutely none of it. I needed more romance, more chemistry, and more character description and development. I am still a fan of Elissa Sussman but unfortunately this one felt like a bit of a chore to read.

Thank you to Random House and NetGalley for this ARC in exchange for my honest review.

Thank you so much, NetGalley, for this ARC of Once More With Feeling.

Years after a cheating-scandal that put an end to her blossoming career as a pop-star, Kathleen Rosenberg’s dreams of becoming a Broadway star are just within reach. When Kathleen discovers that Cal, an ex-member of her ex-boyfriend’s old boy band, and the man she cheated on her boyfriend with, is set to direct and choreograph the musical she’s starring in, she must grapple with the past and manage her feelings for him. The show goes on, and the past mingles with the present asKathleen and Cal grow closer, and ultimately overcome all obstacles to be together.

The time jumps in this book allowed for a complex, intriguing manner of storytelling, and made this read a quick one. However, while the concept and descriptions of this book promised a rich, developed world in an intriguing setting, it did not deliver. The characters are incredibly shallow, and their desires are surface-level. The plot does not hold, throughout, and falls flat at times of drama and conflict.

The relationships in this book, namely those between Kathleen, Cal and Harriet, fall flat, as the conflict between them lacks depth, and holds no real meaning. I was left wondering why any of these people even interact, as the relationships feel very one-sided, Kathleen being the main perpetrator of love in every relationship she has. As a protagonist, Kathleen constantly tells us how authoritative and stubborn she is, but is more-often-than-not passive and reliant on others for decision making. Her lack of agency and the constant miscommunication between characters is disappointing, and made the plot move confusingly and haltingly.

The messiness of Funny You Should Ask compels readers in a way that shines a light on the authenticity and realness of the characters and the writing, and that was missing in Once More With Feeling.