This was a cute read! I’m a big fan of second chance romances, but I did have a hard time getting excited about the theater aspect of this story(just not a topic I’m super into!). 3.5/5

Katee Rose was a pop star icon in her younger years but after drama with her then boyband boyfriend, her career and life imploded. Now she’s just Kathleen Rosenberg… older, grayer, and guarded. At long last she’s been given an opportunity to live her musical theater dreams but it comes with a catch. The director is a man from her past and there is drama…

I loved this one. We follow three timelines but they flow so well together. We go to musical theater camp with Katee before she gets her first big break, go on tour as a pop star, and years later as a “has been.” The writing is funny and sarcastic. After the book is released I’ll be returning to include my two fav quotes. They were just so perfectly relatable to me. Though at times I felt like Kathleen’s behavior was so childish and eye roll worthy but probably true to the character of a child pop star with no appropriate parental guidance. 🤷🏻‍♀️

The rumor is that the Justin and Britney drama was the inspo for this story. And that’s definitely what I was channeling as I read it. Usually Hollywood drama is not my jam but I was here for it. Also the same can be said about the musical theater camp vibes… not something I really get into but I loved it.

Read if you like:
-90s/00s pop stars
-celebrity gossip vibes
-musical theater/broadway
-second chances
-enemies to lovers
-elder millennial humor
-Emily Henry

I absolutely think you should add it to your TBR. It is set to release May 30. It’ll be the perfect summer binge read.

Spice level: 🌶️🌶️🌶️

I was absolutely thrilled to get this e-Arc. I enjoyed Sussman’s previous book and this was a treat to receive. Thanks to @netgalley and @atrandombooks for the ARC in exchange for my honest review!

Elissa has done it again. She’s found the right formula and it works so well. Switching between then and now, two friends turned enemies are reunited on their road to Broadway.

What I loved most about this book is the banter and Kathleen’s inner dialogue – witty and relatable. I found myself laughing & smiling a lot while reading. It was a little slow at some points, but I was still hooked on the story.

Read if you like:
- Friends to enemies to lovers
- MUSICAL THEATRE!!
- Then and now storyline
- Funny You Should Ask ;)
- Reformed Popstars

My only dislike was how hard Kathleen was on herself even though that’s what makes her relatable, it made me sad/frustrated lol.

There are some discussions on harmful dieting.

Thank you so much to Random House Publishing and NetGalley for the opportunity to read Once More With Feeling!

I loved, loved, loved, Funny You Should Ask, so I was so excited to see this one pop into my Kindle. While really enjoyed the characters in this book, as well as the love shown to the performing arts, I still think I prefer FYSA.

The 'then' and 'now' storytelling is always hit and miss for me because I am IMPATIENT. I need to be fully bought in to the book in order for it to work for me, and with OMWF I would say I was halfway there. I do not regret reading this book at all, and look forward to doing an audio reread later this year.

I want to say 4⭐ because I did enjoy the writing and a lot of the book, but some parts really made me mad! 🫣 Fans of music and theatre will love all the theatre/movie/musical references and the Broadway plot theme.
There is a lot going on in this book, but the author does a good job pulling everything together while also making the timelines distinct.
We hear from the NOW timeline with Kathleen, Cal, and Harriet making a musical as adults that they hope will be on Broadway. We hear from Cal, Kathleen, and Harriet from when they were kids at camp. And we hear from them when they were in their early 20's at the peak of their careers as a pop star and boy band star. The dynamic is complex and I did enjoy seeing the different times in their lives.
I was a teen during the whole Britney Spears/Boy band phase so I loved this revival and play on those characters.
If you love second chance romance, enemies to lovers, Broadway musicals, theatre, or boy bands/pop stars you will enjoy this book.
Thank you to netgalley for an eARC to review.

The plot of this book was a little slow moving for me. But, I liked the back and forth between the past and present, and the little snippets of theater thrown in there.

thank you to random house/dell and netgalley for this arc of once more with feeling! when i saw that elissa sussman wrote another celebrity inspired book, with this one being about broadway, i instantly knew i had to read it.

once more with feeling follows kathleen, more popularly known as teen celebrity katee rose, and former secret love cal, choreographer and member of one of the hottest boy bands, as they reunite as older adults. kathleen’s best friend harriet has designed the most perfect broadway show, and has tapped cal to be her director and kathleen to star in the titular role. the only problem? kathleen despises cal after their secret affair caused her rapid fall from fame, and it seems like he left the experience without a scratch on his face. how are they ever going to survive this?

okay. let me just say this: this book is messyyyyyy. with a capital y and an exclamation point. both kathleen and cal are flawed deep characters with a whole lot of baggage, but they clearly were designed for each other and that is so easy to see (even if they can’t see it themselves!!). i adored the now and then timelines and found them simple to follow along with, which is always a plus.

overall if you are looking for a fast paced read this summer, filled with second chances and musical theatre galore, i would highly suggest once more with feeling! thanks again to random house for the early release!!

Ahh this book was just perfect!! I was in a reading slump and this helped me get out! This was such a cute read because the characters were so easy to love!! I absolutely loved funny you should ask so I knew I’d love this one !! Her writing style I just perfect. The story of Kathleen and Cals story was such a heartfelt and heartwarming story, this book was just so cute and I can’t wait for the release!! Thank you netgalley!

This book is like if you combined #haylor with camp rock, and made it a love letter to musical theater

While I find reading about singing inherently a bit cringy, this book was still fantastic

I requested this arc because i had read Funny You Should Ask, which I know this book is not a sequel to, but they feel like they go together. While I liked the plot of fysa better, I was much more engaged in this book. I felt more connected with the characters, and i just couldn’t put it down.

I really struggled with the best friend, and whether she was in the right, or just rude, but her relationship with the mc was similar and I liked how they tied up their relationship, very realistic

Overall I would definitely recommend, but musical haters beware, this might not be the book for you

4.8

I loved Funny You Should Ask, and read really excited to receive an ARC of Once More with Feeling. While the plot is fun and unique, it felt almost too similar to her first book. I love a good second-chance romance and was not upset to see that trope again, but the flashbacks, the fame.. it just felt very much like the first book but not as exciting. Also, the MC (at least in the present, not so much in the flashbacks) was super negative and complainy all the time. I didn't enjoy her character. While I am sure many people will love this book (including theatre kids!), it just didn't hit the mark for me. Still, I will check out Sussman's next book for sure.
Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

LOVED THIS SO MUCH. I thought that Funny You Should Ask was going to be my all time #1 romance book but this has taken the cake for sure. I loved the banter between Kathleen and Cal throughout the whole book.

A fun, nostalgic romcom for any theatre kid! Elissa Sussman captures the heightened drama of being a teenager in the flashback segments. I enjoyed seeing Kathleen’s journey back to performing and forgiving herself for her past. For the most part, it was well researched in terms of the rehearsal process for getting a show from workshop to Broadway, albeit a bit expedited. A feel-good read!

I loved Sussman's first book, so I knew I had to read her next one! If you went to theatre camp as a kid, this book will fill you with nostalgia while also giving you a look at the trials and tribulations of young pop stars. I immensely enjoyed the chemistry between the characters and the slow burn of the second-chance romance! Sussman is becoming one of my favorite rom-com writers, as her stories are not only fast reads, but are also extremely funny and the writing is sharp.

Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I loved Funny You Should Ask, and assumed that I would feel the same about Elissa's second adult novel. For me, this one didn't hit its mark. Perhaps it was the characters. Perhaps it was the plot. I really wanted to like it, but it felt like she was trying too hard to recreate Funny You Should Ask.

If you enjoyed Funny You Should Ask, then you’re probably going to enjoy this one too! Elissa Sussman follows a similar celebrity second chance romance formula, but it doesn’t feel redundant. I did notice at least two nods to Funny You Should Ask, so while these work as standalones, I think it’s more fun to read them together!

Kathleen Rosenberg, better known to the public as Katee Rose, was topping charts as a rising teen popstar. Her boyfriend, Ryan LaNeve, was a member of the beloved boyband CrushZone. Together, they were the IT couple, and all their dreams were coming true… until *gasp* scandal!! Katee was caught cheating with another member of CrushZone, Cal Kirby, effectively ending her relationship and her career.

That was then… Now, Kathleen has a second chance at reviving her career AND maybe her love life as well 👀

Overall, I really enjoyed this story. It is told in a dual timeline (actually more like 3 timelines), which isn’t really my favorite. I usually find one timeline more compelling, but that wasn’t the case here. I’m also not really a fan of cheating tropes, but I didn’t mind that here either. I didn’t really like Kathleen (girl is VERY self-destructive lol), but she grew on me. Basically, there were several elements that should have been off putting but somehow worked for me! It was a fun read 🤩

Big thanks to NetGalley and Random House for the ARC ☺️

Elissa Sussman knows how to write a celebrity story/romance. Funny You Should Ask was a favorite of mine last year so to get an early copy of this one I was beyond excited and lived up to all my expectations.

Bits…
A celeb comeback
Pop star/ Boybands
Theatre kids
Tons of Broadway talk!
Flashbacks to younger years… easy to follow!
Second chance romance with a dash of enemies to lovers.

I really loved this one!

As soon as this one is out I’m buying a print copy for my shelf because come on her covers are stunning!

Thank you Netgalley for an advanced ecopy!

Thank you to NetGalley and Elissa Sussman for sending me this book in exchange for an honest review.
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Kathleen Rosenberg, a former pop star, is given a chance at becoming a broadway star. Kathleen, formerly known as Katee, had a tough go as a pop star. She cheated on her pop star boyfriend with his band member, Cal, leading to the downfall of her career. Harriet, Kathleen’s bestie, is a fantastic songwriter. Harriet wrote a musical and wants Kathleen to star in it. Only problem is, Cal. Cal is directing the musical and wants Kathleen to audition for the role, which bothers Kathleen to no end because it was written for her to play! What happens when Kathleen crosses path with Cal? Also, did I mention that Cal is extremely attractive and a talented director/choreographer? The story is told in Kathleen’s POV, and goes back and forth from the present to the past.
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I LOVED this book. I thought it was so fun and cute! I was reading it slowly because I didn’t want it to end! I thought the characters were interesting. I do wish we could’ve gotten to know Harriet and Cal more though. I feel like they didn’t have as much depth as they could’ve. I think they’re both complex characters and I would’ve liked to know more about them; perhaps, even reading from their POVs? I thought Kathleen was a really great FMC. She is interesting, fun, and snappy. I liked the changes that are discussed with appearance as celebrities age. I think it made Kathleen appear more real.

I think the idea of this book is just so fun, as theatre and the entertainment business are fascinating!

The only thing I wish was different is the ending. I wanted more resolution with Cal and Kathleen. I thought the ending was super sweet, but I wanted more. This is just me not wanting the story to end, but I can’t help it.

I will definitely be purchasing a physical copy of this book.

Elissa Sussman's 2022 adult debut, "Funny You Should Ask," was one of my favorite books of 2022 because the character development was so strong and the characters seemed genuinely attracted to each other. Unfortunately, "Once More with Feeling" provided none of that.

The book seems almost unfinished or rushed at the very least. Cal's personality and history are non-existent and Kathleen's is not much better. We understand that they were both popstars, hooked up at the end of a tour, and then Kathleen's boyfriend blew up her life because of it but there are minimal details on the fallout from this besides cursory mentions that her agent dropped her and she's been living in relative obscurity since. Cal's life literally skips to him becoming a choreographer and that's it.

There's just enough backstory on why Cal and Kathleen like each other but nothing too dreamy or swoon-worthy.

Sussman's writing is still delightful enough for me to give this book 3.5 stars but I hope she is able to spend more time on her next adult endeavor.

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Once More With Feeling by Elissa Sussman is a fun lightheaded romance that captures you from the first few pages.

Following multiple timelines, the Once More With Feeling starts by following Kathleen and Cal as teenagers meeting at theater camp. While at camp they start to develop crushes. Years later, they reunite while touring as Kathleen becomes pop star Katee Rose and Cal joins the boy band touring alongside Katee Rose (and her current boyfriend!). After a love triangle fall out, Katee Rose loses everything, including her career.

Now years later, Cal is directing a musical written by Kathleen’s best friend and inspired Kathleen’s life. Cal is determined to convince Kathleen to star in this musical and Cal is also determined to get the show on Broadway.

Once More With Feeling combines the second chance romance and enemies to lovers tropes. In a similar vein Sussman’s first book, Funny You Should Ask, the characters have a past history. That history is teased throughout the story keeping you reading to find out what really happened years ago.

Sussman does a wonderful job making her stories fun and come to life. While somewhat formulaic, she does the celebrity angle well! Sussman has become a must read for me as her books keep me hooked and smiling!

Thank you to NetGalley and Random House/Dell for an advanced copy in exchange for my honest opinion.

I absolutely adored this book! Main characters, friends, foes, and lovers, are completely jumping off the page with charisma and chemistry. A true musical lovers delight!

Former pop star Kathleen is embarking on a new journey with her best friend, Harriet. They’re taking Harriet’s work to the next level-but why would Harriet want Kathleen’s former partner-in-public-meltdown Cal to be the next director?! How much worse could this get?!

With musical references abound, this book has everything you could want in a romantic comedy-sparks, choreography, flashbacks and friends turned family. As you learn of Kathleen, Cal and Harriet’s history, you’ll fall in love with each of them individually and together in their multitude of ways. An enjoyable, un-put-down-able read that I can’t wait for others to share the joy in!