Katee Rose is a pop sensation living her dream of world tours, magazine covers, and having anything she could possibly want at her fingertips. Her boyfriend, Ryan, is a member of the hottest boyband Crush Zone. Everything is perfect until Katee finds herself becoming attracted to Cal, one of Ryan’s bandmates and one night changes ever hit by.
Fast forward to Kathleen, formerly Katee, not quite still living the dream but doing fine. When she gets the opportunity of a lifetime (for a disgraced popstar) to audition for the lead of a Broadway show, she knows her luck might finally be turning around. She wants nothing more than to prove to everyone she’s no longer the Katee Rose they all remember. But there’s a problem. The director? Well that’s none other than Cal Kirby, who she hasn’t seen since that one night.

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Give me all the late 90s/early 2k nostalgia of Britney, Justin and NSYNC - I LOVE IT. The pop culture hints in this one were incredible. Elissa Sussman is the 👑 of second chance and enemies to lovers romance. I was legit cheering for Kathleen and loved that she got her much deserved second chance. Society shaming women, especially young women, and letting men ride off into the sunset with no accountability is lame and needs to stop! I was reliving Britney catching all the smoke and Justin just boo-hooing and stepping on her all the way to the top. So yay for Kathleen, yay for the very excellent chemistry/tension and yay for Cal. This was a great read and I can’t wait for Elissa’s next one.

Thanks NetGalley for the Arc in exchange for my honest review.

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enemies to lovers, second chance romance, dual timeline, childhood friends to lovers

I was jumping up and down when I received this ARC and it did not disappoint. I am the target audience for this book. Musical theatre? Yes. Enemies-to-lovers? Yes. Annoying(ly attractive) MMC? Yes.

The plot was actually sensible? I love Kathleen chasing her dreams. The character development made me smile, but I didn’t like all of the characters so much. Kathleen irked me a bit, and Harriet’s character and actions were too similar to Janis from Mean Girls if I’m honest. HOWEVER the rest of the story made up for this. Very enjoyable and entertaining.

4 stars!

Simply put, Once More With Feeling is for the theatre kids. It’s for the kids who grew up listening to Original Broadway Cast Recordings with wide eyes and big dreams. I was LIVING for all the musical references, especially the nods to the great Stephen Sondheim. The sense of place that the main characters are searching for in the theatre is a universal concept and even if theatre isn’t your thing, many readers will be able to relate.

This book was just a complete joyride of fun. I adored Funny You Should Ask and devoured this book just as readily. As a 90’s baby, I loved the past storyline that draws on the Britney/Justin era of pop music but it was Kathleen and Cal’s magnetic chemistry that kept me feverishly flipping pages. I found Kathleen’s journey towards forgiveness (both to herself and others) to be both impactful and realistic. I do wish we could have seen certain scenes from Cal’s POV but all in all, Kathleen was a wonderful protagonist who I rooted for the entire time.

Elissa Sussman hits all the necessary notes that pulled at the heartstrings without sacrificing the playfulness and familiarity that make second chance romances thrive. Sussman proves she is a formidable voice in the romance genre and I look forward to reading whatever she writes next!

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for providing me with this review copy!

Fans of the author’s first novel will love this one too!

Sussman has found her formula and loves giving audiences tumultuous second chance romances. Though this one also has a touch of an enemies to lovers arc as the two MCs cannot go a few pages without wanting to get at each other. (but also in a sexy way)

Just like “Funny You Should Ask” This novel also explores fictional celebrities and the intricacies of dating in the public eye and how people treat women in the spotlight. Though the drama in “Once More With Feeling” is certainly heightened by the fact that everyone involved are theatre kids that never stopped being theatre kids.

I was not a massive fan of the female MC, she has self destructive tendencies and a bit of an ego (but so does the male MC) - but who doesn’t support Women’s Wrongs! It’s a bit of a frustrating read in that if the two characters sat down like adult and talked things wouldn’t get so messy. But what romance novel doesn’t have some form of miscommunication/refusal of communication - they’re theatre kids after all! (saying this as an ex theatre kid)

Overall “Once More With Feeling” is a fun and short read! And it’s a solid 3.5 ⭐️ for me. With a spicy score of 1.5🌶 there is only one spicy scene but the tension between the two MCs could be cut with a knife.

Thank you Random House/Dell for the Arc ✨

I think when I first finished this book, it was a solid 3 stars. I enjoyed the characters, the pacing was snappy, and I think I had fun.

And then I kept thinking and little things started to ding at me.

How the male love interest had no real conflict besides the show.

How the best friend was legit sidelined even though she and the main character were SUPER besties and how much more I wanted to see of it.

How the main character was ... if I'm being a touch honest, a bit boring.

I loved the back story and I'm okay with second chance romances and dual timelines, but it was so strange watching the dual timeline and realizing that like oh - not only were they in love, but the ~big thing that happened in the past~ did not effect Cal at all. And not only did it not effect him, but he's living his best life and is annoyed that Katee would still be frustrated by what happened.

So, idk. The more I think about this book, the more frustrated I get. Which is fine. Maybe it just wasn't my cup of tea today. Either way, I'll give it a 2.5, rounding up to three. I was entertained when I fully shut my brain off.

Thank you to Dell/Random House and NetGalley for an ARC for a chance to read and review.

Thank you to NetGalley for the eARC in exchange for an honest review. I truly enjoyed this book. I loved the long term friendships/relationships that everyone had. I enjoyed both the love of musicals and Broadway and movies and Hollywood. I enjoyed the growth that each of the characters went through.

I recommend Funny You Should Ask to everyone I know who enjoys romance because it was a book that I could not put down. I was so excited to have received this ARC and to be able to read another of Elissa Sussman's books. Once More with Feeling was very enjoyable. I really loved Kathleen's character. She was fallible and funny and self-deprecating in a way that felt familiar. She was a character that I would be happy to get a drink with. Cal was lovable and kind, and I enjoyed seeing their ups and downs. That being said, I felt that the beginning of the book was a little slow and it took me a minute to get into. This may not be the fault of the book, and it could have been where I was at as a reader. I recently read The Unraveling of Cassidy Holmes which is also about a pop group, so I think it might've taken me a minute to untangle myself from the pop groups of that book and transition to the world of CrushZone and Katee Rose. Once I got into the book I couldn't put it down. The tension between Kathleen and Cal was very well done, and Kathleen's relationship with Harriet was one that I also enjoyed. While this book probably doesn't pass the Bechdel test, I thought it was very enjoyable and would recommend it. One thing I don't understand is that many times the book mentioned that Kathleen was a large-chested/curvy woman and I really wasn't sure why. If it was to make a point that she was over-sexualized, I feel like the mark was missed a little. Thank you to NetGalley and Dell for this ARC.

Thanks to netgalley and publisher for this arc.

I don't care for musical theatre and that was what a lot of this book had. I was intrigued by the plot of the two lead characters and really liked them together but the slow burn was too slow and didn't like pacing of the flashbacks to finally figure out their past! Also hate when it's not dual pov, I would have loveddd to see his thoughts and feelings and it would have helped the book significantly.

I am such a fan of Elissa Sussman's ideas for books. I was a sucker for Funny You Should Ask and I am a sucker for Once More with Feeling. I mean, you have everything, second chance romance, enemies to lovers, and Broadway??? You have my attention. I couldn't put this book down. It was exactly what I needed at that moment and I didn't even know it. You need to read this one!!!

This book gets an automatic reward for being so intensely readable that I finished it in *almost* one sitting. If you're looking for second-chance romance, and maybe a *bit*of enemies to lovers, Sussman is the romance author for you. Once More with Feeling follows a former pop star who is reunited with a former boy band member (and co-summer camp attendee) with whom there *may* have been some sparks years ago, as they work on amusical that everyone hopes will make it to Broadway. If you love lots of nods to musical theater, you are in for a real treat with this book, which leans into the theater-kid nerd vibe so hard (and I'm here for it!).

The protagonists, Katherine and Cal, are lovingly drawn protagonists that have somehting to prove to themselves and each other, years after their careers diverged along different paths. My favorite character was Harriet, the best friend stuck in the middle of the two knuckleheaded leads, who has written the show at the heart of the story. I would have loved to see more of her throughout the book.

This didn't quite match the love I had for Sussman's last book, Funny You Should Ask, which may be in part because of the simliar style (switching between past and present) that didn't feel quite as new, and a tension that didn't seem quite as electric in the present as that between Chani and Gabe (the best scenes for me were those taking place at summer camp!). However, it certaintly didn't stop my from gobbling up this book, and you can bet that I'll read anything else by Sussman in the future

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an early review copy, all opinions are my own.

my thoughts:
things i liked about the book:
• that we got flashbacks to what happened before cal and kathleen reconnected!!!
• the enemies to lovers concept (i would say it's a very soft e2| story since there wasn't that much hate for each other imo)
• this is a second chance romance so of course i liked that
things i didn't like:
• kathleen was being such a bad friend cause she didn't acknowledge her friends feelings
• kathleen's personality kind of annoyed me (i liked her best friend & cal's personalities more)
• the ending felt kinda rushed to me but i still liked the concept of it.
thank you to netgalley and random house publishing for this arc in exchange for an honest review. pub date is: may 30, 2023

I have really conflicted feelings about this one. This was definitely fun, and definitely engrossing. But, the characters also just fell flat. The miscommunication between all the characters felt juvenile and frustrating, especially given how much time had passed.

Thank you Netgalley and Random House Publishing- Ballantine, Dell publishing for the ARC of this book! I was so excited to receive it! All thoughts are my own!

These authors knows how to write books that i just fly through. I love the way Elissa Sussman writes. I also enjoyed the Jewish character representation. This is the story of Cal, Kathleen and Harriet. They are such cute characters! I enjoyed most of this one. The only thing I didn't love how Kathleen got a bit annoying at the beginning. However I quickly got over it and enjoyed how Kathleen evolved and forgave herself.

Content: cheating, language (some f words), a few open door scenes

Read this if you enjoy:
🎹Musicals
🔄Second chances
💕It's always been you
🦪Character development
🫂Long lasting friendships
🕺Boy bands

I think I liked this one even more than "Funny You Should Ask!" The characters were likable and relatable, and the writing had me tearing up in one chapter, and laughing out loud in the next. Would definitely recommend!

Thank you to NetGalley and Random House Publishing for the Arc.

Once More With Feeling was an anticipated book of mine after reading Funny You Should Ask and it didn’t disappoint. The past and present was very engaging and I loved the singer and boy and plot.

Like Funny You Should Ask, this book is clearly rooted in real-life events and people. There's something unsettling about a book that mines real events as the basis for a story about what happens when a young pop princess is exploited and shamed for her sexuality while the men in her life--including the shitty boy band singer she is dating--get off scot-free. Almost like there's a level of exploitation going on here as well...

Of course, Kathleen "Katee Rose" Rosenberg is not Britney, and Ryan (her self-centered boyfriend) is not Justin--although you would not be way in left field if you thought so. Katee cheats on Ryan with Cal, her one-time theatre camp crush and current friend, and Ryan's fellow boy-bander. Katee is pilloried in the press, Ryan gets to whinge about her infidelity and reaps the rewards, and Cal goes off to a solid career in choreography and directing. Cut to ten years later, when Kathleen's best friend, Harriet, has roped in Cal to direct a musical she's written--one with a character written for Kathleen. Kathleen and Cal broke each other's hearts a decade ago, but they agree to be professional for the sake of this amazing play. And you can imagine where it goes from there.

And like Funny You Should Ask, this second-chance romance hops back and forth in time--from theatre camp, to pop star days, to present day. Kathleen and Cal don't seem to have much chemistry in any era, but apparently can't resist each other in present day. Kathleen is also a diva and shitty friend to Harriet at every age. I guess even for unlikeable people who don't respect others' feelings deserve a happy ending.

It's an average romance that presumes the attraction between the leads before actually showing it. Between the unsubtle nods to Britney/Justin and the random time-hopping, this book spends too much time on the gimmicks and not enough on the heart of the romance.

Having enjoyed Funny You Should Ask, I was shocked and excited when I heard about Elissa Sussman's new book. I heard this described as taking inspiration from a popular 90s "It-Couple," with descriptions of pop stars growing up in the spotlight and how it feels to fall from the grace of fame. This book is the story of a comeback, damning misogyny, and those who weaponize it and choose to back down in the face of it, and it has you rooting for Kathleen amidst bad decisions and coping and ultimately healing. I also specifically enjoyed how this was told in different timelines. I think Elissa Sussman is truly skilled in unfurling a story layer by layer and keeping the stakes high as more information is revealed to the reader.

I was pleasantly surprised by how well this story piqued my interest and held it the entire time, with the main characters being both frustratingly stubborn and stupidly endearing (all in good ways, I promise). Highly highly recommend Once More With Feeling with a 4/5 star rating!

Thank you to Netgalley and PUBLISHER for letting me read an eARC of this!

LOVED! I enjoyed this one even more than Sussman's first novel. It was so bingeable and easy to read. I loved the then and now timeline. I enjoyed both the pop star and musical theater backgrounds/setting.

I had high hopes for this book after enjoying Sussman's last rom com. I liked a lot of elements of this book - second chance, celebrity romance etc but it did fall a little flat for me. The present day parts felt rushed and unrealistic but I was rooting for the two MCs to get it together (and get together). This was fun to read in one sitting but it wasn't my favorite.

Once More With Feeling is a second-chance romance. One-time teen pop star, Katee Rose - now going by her given name, Kathleen Rosenberg - finds herself back in the spotlight after being offered a starring role in a Broadway show, directed by none other than her old flame, Cal Kirby.

While I devoured Sussman's previous book, Funny You Should Ask, I trouble connecting with the characters and storyline in this latest novel. I'm not much of a theater aficionado and I just didn't buy the attraction between Kathleen and Cal. Harriet, Kathleen's childhood best friend, seemed to thrown in for good measure, but I'm not sure of the purpose of her character other than to create a little tension in the story. The back and forth to present day, camp days, and teen days felt a little unnecessary and disjointed.

Overall - three stars. I just didn't find myself reaching for this book every night - but it was a quick and easy read once the story picked up. Thanks to NetGalley and Penguin Random House for providing an electronic ARC of this book in exchange for my honest review.