While I love a book with dueling timelines, I struggled to connect with these characters. Perhaps if I had been a theater kid I might have been drawn into their story a bit more. Ryan certainly comes across as the villain, but I didn't feel that Kathleen, Harriet or Cal had the depth I wanted to see. The build to the romance also felt slow and lacked the cute coming around I normally like in an enemies to lovers trope.

Giving this book three stars because it was a light and entertaining read, and is still a good escape for the summer with a summer camp theme.

This book releases May 30. Thank you to NetGalley for an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.

This is a fun romance, great for fans of musical theater especially. We see Cal and Kathleen/Katee in three different timelines - as teens at camp, as young adults during the pop careers and tour, and as adults as they work to bring a musical to Broadway. By just a bit, the majority of the book is "now" as adults, but the flashbacks to the other two timelines add depth and understanding to their history with each other and their feelings. This is beyond a second chance, as they start the "now" hating each other over how they hurt each other 10 years before and destroyed her career.

2 stars

As a theatre kid named Kathleen, this book felt at first glance like it was written for me. The theatre camp flashbacks, the putting together of a Broadway show, and the many references to Broadway shows had my musical loving heart on cloud nine.

It's too bad that I didn't have any emotional connection with the romance.

I don't know if it was the three timelines or the lack of characterization or Sussman's writing style itself, but I truly didn't care about either of these characters getting together. I felt like I was constantly being told that they were meant to be and that they had gone through these insane trials to find their happily ever after, but I never felt like the emotional depths of their story were really fleshed out with the connective tissue necessary to bring all of the disparate aspects of the plot together.

Great concept, but not the best execution for me in the end.

Thank you to NetGalley and Dell for an ARC of this book in exchange for a fair and honest review!

This isn't the worst thing I've ever read but it's also not good. I was clearly supposed to be feeling something for the romance but I just didn't feel the chemistry. I also found Kathleen to be a bit annoying. I understood where she was coming from but it was like she never thought out any of her interactions.

I received an arc through netgalley.

Kathleen used to be known as Katie Rose, the pop star that broke her boy band boyfriend's heart by cheating on him with his bandmate, Cal. Now, she's the Broadway hopeful who has to make it through workshop, out of town, and show openings staring in her best friend's musical. The only problem? Cal is the director.

I loved this book! There is honestly so much to love that I've already been gushing about it to anyone who will listen!

Kathleen is deadpan, sarcastic, and openly honest with her opinions. I adored that. Her one-liners had me giggling. But underneath all of that, she has this vulnerability that was great to see on her journey.

Cal is a new book boyfriend, for sure. He is driven and kind. The way he loves Kathleen made my heart swoon!

The best of the rest:
I loved the musical background to this! Seeing how the theater works, with all the ins and outs of getting a show together was super cool.

The past chapters, when you get to see the pop star side of this story, were also really interesting. It made me wonder what people will do to keep fame.

This is definitely one to pick up! The spice is light but you have a pretty good scene to look forward to!

-Second chance
-Past and present chapters

Aaaah, I absolutely loved this book. It was just so good, and I got so incredibly invested in it. I mean, I probably got a bit too invested in it but what are you going to do about it. Anyway, I was so completely hooked by this book from the very first page and it completely did not let it go. I loved how it was told in two timelines. The flashbacks to the past were perfectly included in this book. It had great parallels to the present storyline as well. I really loved the setting of this book as well, the Broadway stuff in the present, as well as the popstar stuff in the past. I have always liked celebrity romances but I really loved how it was executed in this book. It's also friends (to lovers) to enemies to lovers, which is one of my favourite tropes as well and it was fantastically done as well. I also just really liked the characters, and the way the romance was developed as well. Ugh, I just loved everything about this book and I don't know how to put it into words. Just know I'm obsessed.

I really enjoyed this second chance romance for Katee (aka Kathleen) and Cal. We get to see different timelines (both past and present) and that really brought the story home for me. It also allowed us to see both of them and their growth over the years.

My favorite part of this book was its portrayal of female celebrities and the way it affects their mental health specifically. Kathleen’s fall from grace was plastered all over the media and she wasn’t able to just ignore it - it took a lot for her to overcome and I loved where she ended up in her life.

Thank you to NetGalley for an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.

I love that this is similar to the funny you should ask cover...I'm definitely a 'judge a book by its cover' person. Such a cute story!

Reading this novel felt a little like traveling back in time to my youth. It’s got major Britney Spears/Justin Timberlake/NSYNC/Wade Robson vibes and enjoyed every second of it. This was my first Sussman novel (although I own her first I haven’t read it year) and I enjoyed her conversational style of writing. I think she made the characters interesting—flawed, but mostly likable. The familiarity with similar celebrity drama and it’s repercussions I think added to how I felt about the leading characters. Still, I really like how much she delved into the leading lady’s psyche and the ups and downs of the whole experience. Obviously I loved all the little Jewish details. I’ve already recommended to a couple of people who I know will enjoy it as much as I did!

Unfortunately this is one that I DNF. I was disappointed that I could not reqlly get into/invested with this book like I did with the author’s first book.

I’m DNFing this one at 51% 😩
Why am I having such a hard time romances lately?? This is yet another one that by half way through, I just don’t care about the plot or characters.

So, why am I not liking this one? First off, I can’t stand the FMC. She’s flawed to the point of being unlikable and unrelatable for me. And another book where there’s this big *secret* something that happened between the main characters in the past that we don’t know yet and will probably end up being some kind of miscommunication that lasted years. I’m just not interested anymore.

I put off reading completely for 2 days because I can’t bring myself to care enough to pick this back up. Maybe I’m just in a slump. I don’t know. Don’t listen to me and read this for yourself. I’m just salty.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for sending me an arc for my honest review!

Katee Rose was America’s sweetheart popstar, dating Ryan LaNeve, lead singer for CrushZone. Then Ryan and Katee broke up and rumors spread that Katee had cheated in Ryan with his bandmate Cal Kirby.

Years have passed and Katee has the opportunity to relaunch her career with a stint on Broadway. The only hitch is that Cal is the director.

Told in 3 timelines, this is a charming, sexy, enemies to lovers, second chance romance. A+ banter and chemistry.

Elissa Sussman has become an auto-buy. If you love theater and/or pop stars, read this!

Once More with Feeling
By Elissa Sussman

Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/5

Publishing date: 5/30/23

Kathleen Rosenberg, who is about to star in her first Broadway production, is having a hard time getting the public to view her as a talented performer.  10 years ago, she was known as Katee Rose, the most famous pop star on the planet. At that time, she was dating Ryan, who was in a famous boy band, Crushzone.  Unfortunately, Kathleen couldn't control her feelings for fellow boy band member, Cal. Eventually, feelings progressed past friendship, and when boyfriend Ryan learned about Kathleen's infidelity, he announced to the world that Katee Rose had CHEATED. Cal and Kathleen blamed each other for their damaged reputations and haven't talked since.

Now, Cal is directing the Broadway production that Kathleen is starring in. Kathleen has promised not to develop feelings for Cal, but it's proving to be harder than she imagined.....

OK hold on the phone. I had no idea I would love this as much as I did!!!!! I had read "Funny you Should Ask" in 2022 (also by Sussman) and I didn't enjoy it.

BUT THIS?! OH MAN IT WAS GOOD!! Chefs kiss!

I am always drawn to books about fake celebs. And this is definitely going to be a favorite in that category!  I absolutely adored both Kathleen and Cal. I loved that it gives both "friends to lovers" AND "enemies to lovers".

The story bounces back and forth between THEN and NOW and it paints such a beautiful picture. I was totally sucked in and actually loved both time-frames.

You should definitely add this one to your tbr!! Loved loved LOVED!

Thank you SO much to @netgalley and @randomhouse for the fabulous arc!

Oh hi I AM OBSESSED WITH THIS BOOK! I didn't know how Elissa was going to top Funny You Should Ask but I think she might have managed it! As a musical theater nerd at heart, this book spoke to my soul. I laughed, I cried, I completely fell head over heels for all of these characters. This is going to be one of my favorite books of the year!

Absolutely love Sussman and her writing and this was such a perfect romance and follow up to her adult debut. Witty, sexy, and all the second chance glory the trope has to offer.

The author did such a good job of bringing together two of my favorite tropes, enemies to lovers and second chance romance. I really enjoyed being able to get the full timeline/picture of their relationship and feeling like I got to watch their relationship grow. Overall I think this story was so well written!

I was disappointed with this. I loved her first book so much, but this was a last down for me. The main female character was hard to like to be honest and the whole story line was a bit boring to me. It didn't have the same fire as her first one.

I loved Elissa Sussman's FUNNY YOU SHOULD ASK last year (as did a lot of people!) so I was thrilled we have another joyous celebrity love story from her this year as well (also, fun surprise - the books are part of the same universe!)

ONCE MORE WITH FEELING shifts from actors to pop stars, as a thinly veiled Britney Spears and Justin Timberlake-like romance comes back to haunt Kathleen (nee Katee) 20 years after a very public break-up. Kathleen was a solo pop star, Ryan in a famous boy band at the height of the late 90s when Kathleen cheats (or so the rumors say) on Ryan for Cal, one of his band mates.

Cut to now, as Kathleen has a second chance at fame by starring on Broadway but being directed by Cal (their relationship also turned sour thanks to the fallout). Sussman does a great job building this pop culture heavy world, as well as a slow-burn romance. It's a solid book, with a sweet second chance romance (much like FUNNY YOU SHOULD ASK), and a must-read if you love pop culture.

I just recently read Funny You Should Ask and I absolutely adored it. The tension, the sweetness, and the dual timeline were done so well. This one just missed the mark for me. I didn't feel connected to the characters and I wasn't invested in the outcome. Overall, just wasn't for me!

I honestly wasn't expecting it, but I enjoyed Once More with Feeling just as much as Funny You Should Ask. Some folks might fight against authors who pick a trope and go with it, but I enjoy the comfort of knowing what you're getting yourself into. This is the perfect, light, second chance enemies to lovers romance and I couldn't recommend it more.