Elissa Sussman should really be a more polarizing author than she appears to be. She writes about a--holes and invites us to root for them. And look at me doing just that because the writing is so compulsively readable. 

Go ahead and fight me on this. But in this book, Cal is terrible to Kathleen. Kathleen is terrible to Harriet. 

Sussman takes risks in her writing: Three timelines! Solo POV! Unlikeable decisions! But the writing propels me forward in a way that is irresistible and the story unfurls in a way that provides many moments of delight as I discover something new about the characters and their backstories every chapter. 

I'd say this book is more plot-driven than character-driven, which may put off those who prefer the latter in their romance. For me, Sussman is one of those writers who makes me want to be one.

Thank you Netgalley and Random House Publishing Group for allowing me to read and review this book! All thoughts and opinions are my own.

There will be spoilers ahead!

"... I would have literally bent over backward if I thought it meant everyone around me would be happy and satisfied. Now? I didn't really care. I wasn't mean or cruel or thoughtless. I just didn't put everyone else's needs before my own anymore."

Kathleen is a former pop star from what would be called the "Brittney/Justin" era. When she is caught cheating on her equally popular boy band boyfriend with another bandmate, her world turns upside down and her life and career is left in ruins. Years later she is given the opportunity to return to theater with the chance to star in her best friend's play. There's one catch: Kathleen has to agree to work under the man who she cheated with back in the day when everything went wrong. Reluctantly she agrees and both of them have to figure out how to work together to bring their friend's play to life while also dealing with unresolved resentment and possible sparks...

I truly love Elissa Sussman's Funny You Should Ask. Both books have a second chance romance and well-developed characters with many flaws. I literally read Once More with Feeling in a day. I was so caught up in the emotions, the bitterness and confused feelings between Kathleen and Cal. It was very easy to be swept up in their story and to want to root for both of them, separately and together.

I only have one negative and that's the ending.

While I love Elissa's writing technique, and the overall story, the ending failed to meet expectations. Harriet, Kathleen's best friend since childhood, has always wanted to be acknowledged for her music writing and while living in the shadows of Kathleen's pop star years and the tragedy that followed, she asks Kathleen to not be romantic with Cal as that could overshadow the credit Harriet finally deserves. Of course, Kathleen and Cal were going to get together and they both decided to keep it a secret from Harriet. Harriet eventually finds out and is mad at Kathleen and doesn't talk with her for about a week. During that week Cal and Kathleen repeat their own history by breaking up and avoiding each other. The way the issue is resolved between Harriet and Kathleen felt too fast and made me feel like I didn't really need to care about Harriet's situation. Same with the resolution between Cal and Kathleen, it happened so fast that the impact of the break up felt anti climatic and rushed.

I know rom-com books almost always have a "third-act breakup/make-up" and the way it was written in Once More with Feeling came across as an after-thought and it just wasn't executed properly.

Besides the disappointment with the ending, I did really like Once More with Feeling. I love the way Elissa Sussman writes her flawed characters and the second chance romance felt believable between Kathleen and Cal. I loved the tension and the spice! I wish we had more tension filled dancing scenes or moments where they both worked a lot closer together.

If you enjoyed Funny You Should Ask, I definitely think you should pick up Once More With Feeling.

4 stars

I wanted to love this like I loved “Funny You Should Ask” but it didn’t hit me the same way. It seemed to lack the same heart and depth, but the characters were likable and I enjoyed the Broadway musical setting. 3.5/5

While I found Funny You Should Ask to be funny, and at times, charming, I think Once More with Feeling really missed the mark for me. It had so much potential, and so many things I love: musical theatre, second chance romance — but I just struggled to connect with the characters. Perhaps people who don't love musical theatre/aren't as familiar with the world of theatre will enjoy this more than I did, but I just really struggled to get through it.

Elissa Sussman's first hit novel, Funny You Should Ask, was amazing. I really thought that anything else was going to pale in comparison to that romance novel. However, Once More with Feeling was a great novel that combines teenage popstar drama with Broadway musical love. Much appreciated read in the doldrums of winter.

If you enjoyed Funny You Should Ask then you will definitely enjoy Once More With Feeling.

Sussman follows a similar paradigm in ONMWF as in FYSA which works perfectly with the story. The dual timeline helps you understand the characters more in depth and make them more like able after the dramatic end to Katee Roses career.

Notes: I received a copy of this book as an advanced reader but all thoughts and opinions are my own. This is the second book from Elissa Sussman that I’ve read & I enjoyed it just as much as her first novel! I love how she alternates between the past and the present. I think it helps you understand the characters and their motivations, It didn’t take me long to get invested into the two main characters and story! I absolutely love when a hero who pines for the heroine since childhood! Overall, I really enjoyed this book and can’t wait to read more from this author!

Both famous pop stars whose relationship torpedoed each other, Cal and Kathleen come together years later over a Broadway play. Cal’s the director and Kathleen the star. But there is so much troubled water under the bridge. We’ve got friends to lovers to enemies to lovers going on here. Can they get past that?

The story is told in the present and past. I enjoy the relationship-building of that kind of storytelling. Kathleen is a sparkling endearing hero. Sussman makes her so human and sympathetic both as Kathleen would be as young star. Sussman does an equally good job portraying her as an older woman; her feelings, her motivations and her actions. Cal is a genuine and appealing hero himself. Through the present day and flashbacks it is easy to root for these two.

Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for this ARC in exchange for my honest opinion.

I loved Kathleen’s character, her progression from teenage hopeful to pop star to reinvented performer. Kathleen, Harriet and Cal are so appealing to me because Sussman doesn’t mute their flaws or minimize their mistakes, they’ve all made poor choices and are forced to deal with them which makes even a former pop star relatable.

This was the Britney/Justin cheating scandal meets SMASH. This is all you need to know.

Kathleen Rosenberg, better known as pop superstar Katee Rose, fell out of the limelight a decade ago when she caused a scandal by cheating on her boy band heartthrob boyfriend with one of his bandmates, Cal Kirby. After facing constant rejection due to her "reputation," she finally has the chance to fulfill her childhood dreams of being on Broadway. The only problem? The show is being directed by none other than Cal Kirby, who pretty much let her take all the heat for their actions all those years ago.

This was extremely fun for me, specifically, as both a boy band kid and a theater kid. This author does such a good job of repackaging real celebrity drama and turning it into cute romcoms, and I think this was even better than Funny You Should Ask. We are following THREE timelines (Kathleen and Cal at theater camp as teens, their days on tour as popstars, and present day working on their Broadway show), but it never felt difficult to keep track of where we were, and frankly the transitions were much less jarring than I found them to be in Funny You Should Ask. And because we're seeing them together at all these different points in their lives, there are so many opportunities to create romantic tension.

Kathleen is sometimes hard to root for – particularly when it feels like she's not being a very good friend to her best friend Harriet – and that can be frustrating. But I really enjoy a story where the author can get me on board with a hard-to-like protagonist, and Kathleen does show some growth throughout. My main gripe is that the ending felt just a bit rushed/abrupt, and somehow both Cal and Kathleen should have had to do a bit more groveling for their past wrongs.

Overall, this is so cute and so fun. Highly recommend for anyone who hates Justin Timberlake, tbh.

**Thank you to Random House Publishing Group and NetGalley for the arc in exchange for an honest review

If you were (are) a boy band, pop princess, pop music fan then you'll appreciate this one from Elissa Sussman! This book takes you on a second-chance romance journey with Kathleen Rosenberg (aka Katee Rose) as she finds herself presently auditioning for a chance to live her dream of being on Broadway while also flashing back to her pop music past and the decisions made that led her to where she is today. Kathleen is given the opportunity to make the comeback of her dreams thanks to her writer/composer best friend Harriet. The only catch is that it is being directed by the man who played a role in her pop princess downfall, Cal Kirby. While I did like Kathleen's character, I really adored Cal and Harriets characters the most. I appreciate how Sussman transitions from now and then which allows us to live through the experiences as opposed to just being told by the main characters what took place. I read most of this book in one day, I was hooked! This is my first time reading a book by this author but I am definitely going to check out her previous work because I absolutely enjoyed this one!

What I liked:
- Now and then timeline
- Second chance romance
- Jewish summer camp and representation
- Characters in their 30's. Unfortunately, in this book that didn't mean they were more mature.
- NYC setting (Hall of Gems! Chocolate rugelach!)
- The cat was my favorite character who showed the most growth and stayed out of the drama

What I didn't like:
- Washed up pop stars
- Repetitive conversations
- Single POV
- Cheating
- Fat shaming/body image issues weren't addressed fully
- Miscommunication
- Messy relationships, no one learned anything the first time around
- The acting/theater references were over my head, I skimmed through many of those conversations. I was bored and this was a niche topic that may not engage many readers.

I loved 'Funny You Should Ask', so was excited to get the chance to read Elissa Sussman's next book. The two share a lot of qualities in common - we've got a shared history between our characters, we've got flashbacks to what could have been, we've got celebrity intrigue, and of course, we've got the looming question of what could be now.

I appreciated this story's exploration of a romance between flawed characters. The beginning and demise of their past relationship felt grounded and plausible. The added social commentary on how much more a past mistake would be held against a woman than a man also felt very realistic. The novel managed to utilize the second chance romance, forced proximity, and enemies-to-lover tropes all without coming off cheesy.

But, at times I wished that I had felt the developing connection between the two love interests more. I definitely felt it in the flashbacks, but in the present day, I wasn't totally swooning for their love story. It made sense to me why they would work through their issues to work together, but I wasn't totally invested in them ending up together. Even so, I enjoyed reading their story and wish I could see their play brought to life!

**Thanks to Netgalley and Random House for providing an arc in exchange for an honest review**

(I plan to post on my tiktok @__joyreads and my blog tygreperl.com for publication day)

A huge fan of Sussman's previous work Funny You Should Ask, Once More With Feeling is just okay.

A decade after losing her popstar career, Kathleen Rosenburg is done with being Katee Rose, but she is forced to face the past when former fling, boy band member, and reason she lost it all Cal Kirby is her new Broadway director

I struggled with this book. Although the premise is interesting (a kind of callback to Britney/Justin) and the pure drama and mess of it all held my attention, I can't say I loved the reading experience.

I'm not a fan of second chance romance especially given the circumstances of Cal and Kathleen's relationship. Too much baggage. Too much hurt. I truly didn't feel invested in them getting back together. I felt like this was a case of been there, done that, learned from my mistakes, and now it's time to put my big girl panties on, hire a therapist, and MOVE ON.

The characters also just fell flat. There wasn't much growth or accountability in any of them. The miscommunication between all the characters felt juvenile and frustrating, especially given how much time had passed. Although fast paced and bingeable, the plot also didn't feel quite right with events and moments that felt more cringe than realistic.

I was missing that extra oomph and self awareness that Funny You Should Ask had in this one. Once More With Feeling is an easy, messy read, but with a little less heart and realism than what I come to expect from Sussman.

Thank you NetGalley and Random House Publishing for an advance reader's e-copy in exchange for my honest review.

I really enjoyed reading Once More with Feeling! Kathleen Rosenberg is a former teen idol turned Broadway hopeful. After falling from stardom because of an affair with her boy band boyfriend’s band mate, Kathleen begins the work to rebuild her career into what she really wants-to be a Broadway star. Kathleen has one problem, though- the director of the musical she hopes to land a role in is Cal, the man she lost everything over. I loved the way that Sussman intertwined the story with flashbacks from Kathleen’s past and “excerpts” from popular news media. It added a a fun energy to the text and broke things up between chapters. Sussman is excellent at building believable characters and plots. Both main characters were well developed and made me want to keep reading. This book is heavy on the theater references, but you don’t have to know anything about show choir to keep up! 4/5 stars!

📚✨Book Review✨📚

Once More With Feeling
Author: Elissa Sussman

Rating:⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️.💫

Notes: I received a copy of this book as an advanced reader but all thoughts and opinions are my own.

What I Liked:
🎭This is the second book from Elissa Sussman that I’ve read. I really enjoy her style, particularly how she alternates between the past and the present. I think it helps you understand the characters and their motivations, while also acting as a juxtaposition for where they are currently in life.

🎭Man do I love a hero who pines for the heroine since childhood. This book does that so well!

🎭This book does a great job addressing that sometimes what we see as a public persona is not really who someone is. Especially in a world that revolves around social media, the reminder is important.

What I Didn’t Like:
🎭 I really wish that when we see Ryan in present day, time had hit him. I mean, is balding too much to ask for?? 👨🏼‍🦲

🎭Never a huge fan of a third act breakup. I could tell it was coming, but man sometimes I wish it wasn’t so inevitable.

Final Thoughts:
🎭This book took me by surprise. It was more emotional than I was expecting. Also this should come with a warning, that you will immediately want to start adding musical soundtracks to your Spotify playlist (Certainly not complaining about that one!)





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I loved Elissa Sussman's debut novel, Funny You Should Ask, so I was so excited to get to read Once More With Feeling! Unfortunately, this book just wasn't what I wanted it to be. The book is about Kathleen, a "washed up" music star who gets a second chance on Broadway later in life with the man who didn't stand by her when the scandal hit, destroying her career. I liked the characters in general, but the things they said and did to each other was awful. Towards the end of the book, Kathleen gets into a screaming match with her best friend, and they say some truly awful things to each other. Kathleen and Cal (our love interest) never discuss the things they did to each other when they were younger. She just seemingly is over it, even as she's actively upset about it at the beginning. Further, the timing just doesn't make sense with their careers- when they went to camp, boy bands starting at college seems a bit too old, and Kathleen is discussed as the main singer while the boy band is the opening act, but then Kathleen discussed opening for the band at the end of the book.
Overall, this book fell flat and wasn't as good as Sussman's debut, in my opinion.

Really liked this one-possibly even more than her first! Elissa tells a wonderful comeback story that is sure to hook fans, especially fans of theater. I also enjoyed how she tied in the story of what appeared to be the culture surrounding 90s/2000s pop artists, which I was a huge fan of. Elissa also did a great job of creating the romantic tension between Kathleen and Cal. This book is way more than a romance, it also touches on friendship and the main characters own personal growth. Great story.

this book was SO GOOD i think i give it 4.5 stars instead of 4 or 5 but man cal was hot. like oooooh he was given love torn heart sick hottie i adored adored this book! and our queen Kathleen was a DIVA and i LOVED it! i love this author's interest in second chance Hollywood romance and I'll forever continue to read their books!!

"You come alive on stage," he said. "I've never seen anything like it."


Katee Rose was the biggest pop star, sold out concerts, screaming fans type of big. Every dream was finally coming true, but it was all getting too much, and the person she wanted to turn to was Cal Kirby.

It all came crashing down when she broke Ryan LaNeve's heart, her boyfriend, and member of the same band Cal is in. When she cheated on him, he let the whole world know and the public rallied around their favorite CrushZone member.

It's years and years later, and she's ready to come out, this time as Kathleen Rosenberg, and finally chase what makes her happy. The only problem is her happiness comes with strings.. strings named Cal Kirby. She finally is going to Broadway, but Cal is the director and she's not sure how she can stand to be around him after his role in the destruction of her career. But all that time together... it's hard not to let those old feelings come to the surface.

___________________

The buildup in this story is soooo good. Sussman writing this book in three different timelines was perfect, because every piece of Cal and Kathleen's story is essential to their character arcs.

I love flawed and messy characters. Most of the time, this means we get to see their character arc, and we get layers. I think Elissa Sussman nailed that with these two characters. We know right off the bat they cheated with each other, but the rest of the story is them trying to come back from that. There's no excuses, just trying to move on. I loved their dynamic so much. These two who were friends when they were younger, then fell for each other, and ultimately resenting each other? There's so much understanding and feeling. There's no way they werent going to find their way back to each other... even if it meant a lot of bickering along the way.

This book tops Funny You Should Ask for me. I loved the side characters in this one. Harriet is Kathleen's best friend, the one who helped write her music, and wrote the Broadway play they're all working on together. I love that we get to see the way other people's mistakes effect not just themselves and their romantic partners, but the other people close to them too.

This book is filled with all things Broadway, lots of tension, and fantastic character development. Elissa Sussman excels with second chance romance and this book was addicting and fun. I cannot wait for everyone to get their hands on this, no doubt a perfect read if you're a fan of second chance romance, forced proximity, friends to lovers to enemies to lovers again, Broadway in any shape or form, and overall great character arcs

Thank you Netgalley, Elissa Sussman, and Random House Ballantine for this ARC in exchange for an honest review!

-4.75 stars