Wow. I have no words for this book. In August 2022 I decided to pick up Funny You Should Ask because I thought the cover was cute and it became one of my favorite books of all time. So when I went onto NetGalley and saw Once More With Feeling of course I had to request it.

Within 10 minutes of picking up this book I was already obsessed. It is so extremely well written and the plot is like nothing I’ve ever read before.

Once again Elissa wrote an amazing second romance with characters who have SO much chemistry. I can’t wait to tell everyone I know they need to read this.

Thank you Netgalley and Random house for this advanced copy!!

Rating 4.5 stars
Spice 3

Former pop star, Kathleen Rose, finds herself back in the spotlight when her best friend Harriet asks her to be in her Broadway play. Kathleen now lives a mostly ordinary life, having shed her pop star image but she is itching to perform again, the way she always wanted, in musical theater. The last thing she expects is former friend, Cal Kirby, to be directing the play.

Cal and Kathleen met as teens, at a theater camp for kids (think Camp Rock) and then reunited a few years later as young adults, when Kathleen had become a pop singer going by the name, Katee Rose. Cal himself rose to fame, being part of a boyband called CrushZone. Kathleen & Cal bond over their love of museums and musical theater. They realize their relationship is more than friends but its complicated by the fact that Kathleen is dating Ryan, Cals bandmate. Things come to a dramatic, headline making fall out, that ultimately ends Katee Roses career for good.

Present day Kathleen & Cal are dealing with the aftermath of their public fall out and trying to get this play ready for Broadway.

This book weaved three separate timelines together, all of which were interesting and engaging. Cal and Kathleen were flawed characters but showed layers and growth, making it easy to root for them.

If you enjoyed "Funny You Should Ask" then you will enjoy this. I actually liked this one better. Elissa Sussman has found a formula that works.

Enemies to lovers/friends to lovers
Second chance romance

Funny You Should Ask was easily one of the best romcoms of the past year. Once More with Feeling is no different. Both are homeruns for me, and I enjoyed every second of it. No notes a must read for sure.

'Funny You Should Ask' was one of my favorite five star romances of last year--and 'Once More with Feeling' is now following it its footsteps!

Sussman delivers another hollywood (is this a hollywood romance???) that i literally could not put down lol i accidentally read it in one whole workday whoops but it was SO GOOD

I loved the broadway aspect and the dual timelines and honestly all of it

five stars!!!

Once More with Feeling is a charming second-chance/enemies-to-lovers romance that had me wanting more! We meet Kathleen, a has-been pop star (think Robin Sparkles) whose career has taken a dive since she was blasted in the press for cheating on her former boy-bander boyfriend. Kathleen is eager to restart her career by starring in her best friend's new musical, but there's one problem: the director is former boy-bander Cal, who is part of the reason that Kathleen is in this mess.

Can Kathleen and Cal put aside their past experiences to make this show a Broadway hit?

Throughout this book, we encounter three separate timelines in Kathleen and Cal's history: musical theater summer camp, pop star/boy band era, and present. We also have quick nods to Elissa Sussman's other celebrity novel, Funny You Should Ask. I adored this book, mostly because I am also musical theater obsessed (when Kathleen sang Memory my heart leaped!). It was fun to see Kathleen and Cal's relationship evolve over the years and how fame affects everyone differently. I also enjoyed seeing some behind-the-scenes of the creation of a musical and how that process works. Overall, this is a fun, sweet romance that I would absolutely recommend!

Once More With Feeling is Elissa Sussman’s second adult romance book, and the perfect follow up to Funny You Should Ask.

Our main character is Kathleen Rosenberg, a former pop star who’s now attempting to make a comeback in her performing career after it crashed and burned years ago. Earning her dream role in a Broadway-bound show should be the second chance she needs- plus the opportunity to wow the world and perform in ways she was never able to in her pop star days. The only catch? The show is being directed by her “ex” of sorts, the man who had a hand in imploding her career the first time around. Throughout the book, the two juggle keeping their careers afloat with their storied past and deepening feelings for each other in a friends to lovers to enemies to lovers rom-com set against the NYC theatre scene.

If you enjoyed Funny You Should Ask, you should absolutely pick this book up. There’s something so addicting about Sussman’s books that I can’t get enough of. The settings and premises are so unique, and despite being inherently flawed people (who among us isn’t), I find her characters so extremely lovable.

Going into this book, I wanted to properly manage my expectations. Enemies to lovers is typically my least favorite romance trope, but I thought it was done so well in this book. Kathleen’s inner monologue has a refreshing amount of self-awareness, so the “enemies” banter between characters didn’t drive me crazy like it normally does. On the other hand, second chance romance is my *favorite* romance trope. It was so much fun to see how Kathleen and Cal’s underlying chemistry made each interaction so charged, and I love when a story gives the reader little bite-sized pieces of information about a relationship’s history until we finally find out what really happened. It’s such an exciting way to build tension and intrigue.

Also: It’s not a series or anything, but there’s a really fun Easter egg from Funny You Should Ask that made me squeal with excitement. I’m a sucker for that shit.

Really the *only* qualms I have about this book are that I would’ve liked a few more mixed media elements and I thought the pacing throughout was juuust a little too quick. But if my only complaint is that I wanted to spend *more* time in a made-up world, that’s a pretty darn good book in my opinion.

You should read this book if you:
-Are a former theatre kid or just love musical theatre
-Enjoy reading themes about fame and celebrity culture
-Love a rom-com with fun, witty banter

Low-key can’t believe I live in a world where I get to read one of my most anticipated reads of the year months early. THANK YOU to the publisher and NetGalley for the advanced reader’s copy in exchange for a review! This book publishes May 30, 2023.

I am all about celebrity romance and second-chances! I was a little skeptical about the triple timeline at first, but I actually enjoyed it! I thought both main characters, Cal and Kathleen, were relatable in their personal struggles despite their celebrity status. The romance, friendship, and emotions in this book were top notch, and I felt very invested in the characters and their journeys. It was hard not to fall in love with Cal and admire Kathleen for her strength after everything she’d been through publicly. The will-they-wont-they was perfect and the ending only left me wanting even more of them! I loved Elissa Sussman’s “Funny You Should Ask,” but I actually loved this book even more!

-second chance
-enemies to lovers
-now and then timelines

-Musical theater
-Celebrity romance


Oh, how I loved. this. book! It’s the “where are they now?” of contemporary romance.

Kathleen is a washed up former child star. Years ago, at summer camp, she met Cal, who later became part of a hit boy band that toured with her solo act. She also met her best friend Harriet at the camp. They are all adults now and Harriet has written a musical with a starring role for Kathleen. The only problem is that Cal is the director. Kathleen and Cal have a tumultuous history and she wants nothing to do with him. But, if she wants the part, she is going to have to work with him. To top it off, this is her chance to do the one thing she has always dreamed of but never accomplished: star in a Broadway show.

The skillful use of two timelines kept me reading, want to see how both the then and now stories ended. The “then” takes place at the camp and after, when Kathleen, as Kaytee, becomes a mega star. The youth of the characters is believable and treated with a dose of sweetness and understanding. In the “now,” they both have regrets, as we all do when we think back on our twenties, which is part of what makes Kathleen and Cal so relatable.

And the enemies-to-lovers which morphs into a second chance is so well played out. I am not a fan of enemies-to-lovers but in this case it was perfect. You knew they were angry at one another but there was still some thing there.

This is a fun, sentimental, face paced and uplifting read for fans of Glee, High School Musical, HSMTMTS (on screen and in real life), musical theater in general or fans of celebrity drama, on stage and in life.

Thank you to NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group for the advanced reader copy in exchange for my honest review.

I loved the concept of this book, show business romances are one of my favorite genres. I felt that this had great moments and then moments of great potential. I feel that we would have benefited immensely if we had duel POV. I felt that I didn’t really know who Cal was and how his journey shaped. I get that he had feelings for Kathleen but his I love you placement just felt a bit random. I also thought the conflict with Harriet should’ve been handled differently, I get that both ladies had pressure and anxiety going on but the miscommunication and then penultimate confrontation just felt off and a bit out of left field. The potential is there but it felt silly they didn’t hash it out earlier on in the book for people who claim to have been absolute best friends since they were 14. I loved that it was talked about how people were re-examining how Kathleen was treated all these years later but I think some sort of “news” article about it would’ve been nice. Overall 3.75 stars and always looking forward to the next book by Elissa.

Thank you NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group for this ARC! This was a highly anticipated read after I loved Funny You Should Ask. Once More With Feeling did not disappoint! I loved the enemies to lovers and it was done so well. The chemistry between Kathleen and Cal was adorable and I loved them both!

Elissa Sussman is an auto buy author for me and I highly recommend Once More With Feeling to any music/theatre lover!!

I loved this even more than Funny You Should Ask! Kathleen and Cal instantly became one of my favorite fictional couples. I am very picky about stories with dual timelines, but I absolutely couldn't get enough of this one. There was the perfect mix of present and past in order to give the reader a true understanding of their background while still giving us plenty of swoon worthy, tension filled angst from the present day. I read it in one day and couldn't put it down until I finished it.

3.75 stars rounded up!

In “Once More with Feeling,” author Elissa Sussman tells the story of Kathleen Rosenberg, a former pop idol who comes out of retirement/exile to star in a new stage musical. Years ago as Katee Rose, she had a successful music career, incredible fame, millions of fans, and an equally beloved boyfriend Ryan LaNeve, one-fifth of the boyband CrushZone. But all of that fell apart when news leaked that Katee had cheated on Ryan, and rumors swirled it was with his bandmate, the more serious-minded and dance-focused Calvin Tyler Kirby. Now in her late 30s, Kathleen’s coaxed out of a quiet existence living off of her pop star earnings and occasionally giving dance lessons with the possibility of a legitimate comeback—her longtime best friend Harriet is finally getting a show produced and she has a role for her. Unfortunately the show will be directed and choreographed by none other than Cal.

“Once More with Feeling” has a lot of interesting things going on. There is an abundance of tropes—Sussman throws in equal parts “friends to lovers” and “enemies to lovers,” with a good helping of “celebrity romance.” Adds in a few dashes of “workplace romance” and “second chance romance.” And sprinkles in a little of “childhood sweethearts.”

And of course those aren’t the only things that are simultaneously familiar yet intriguing. As a Millennial, it’s hard to miss the parallels between Kathleen’s rise and fall and that of Britney Spears. Like Britney, she grew up wanting to perform, appeared on a kids’ variety show, found success as an overly managed and manufactured pop star, and saw her popularity decline after a cheating scandal involving a celeb boyfriend and (allegedly) a work colleague close to both of them.

As a result, the novel is an entertaining page-turner. But there are a few flaws. First of all, while Kathleen and Cal do have chemistry, for me it wasn’t as palpable as the characters’ attraction in Sussman’s other romance “Funny You Should Ask.” Also, I felt like the characterization wasn’t as strong here either—though occasionally mentioned, the book doesn’t delve too deeply into Kathleen’s and Cal’s backgrounds and neuroses, so their personalities sometimes came off as a bit flat and undeveloped. And I believe there was a real missed opportunity to meaningfully address the misogynist aspects of the tabloid press and celebrity culture that played a part in Katee’s (and Britney’s) fall from grace.

That said, if you are in your 30s/early 40s, enjoyed or were at least aware of pop music and pop culture back in the late 90s and early 00s, and are looking for something fun and easy to read while on vacation or unwinding at home, this is a good option. “Once More with Feeling” is light and amusing. Just like a pop song.

Thank you to NetGalley and Dell Publishing for an advance reader copy in exchange for an honest review. My review was posted on February 20, 2023 to: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/5221063075.

Friends to lovers to enemies to lovers!!! Need I say more? This was such a heartfelt and engaging novel about Kathleen and Cal who meet at a summer theater camp as teens. The story follows their lives as artists as they rise and fall to fame and recover from the aftermath and continue again. I loved the characters and their relationship dynamic. The back and forth between past and present creates a mystery as to what really happened. I simply could not put down the book! This book is very reminiscent of Sussman’s other book, Funny You Should Ask, which I absolutely loved!!

Special thanks to NetGalley and Random House for providing me with a digital reviewer copy in exchange for my honest review.

I really enjoyed this book and flew through it in a few days. Like Elissa Sussman's other adult romance, Funny You Should Ask (which I loved), Once More with Feeling is a dual-timeline, second-chance romance with a celebrity element. This time, both the main character and the love interest are celebrities. I loved that this story was set in the theater world because I haven't read any celebrity romances with Broadway as a backdrop. (Although I'm sure they're out there!)

Kathleen Rosenberg and Cal Kirby met at theater camp as teenagers. A few years later, they meet again on tour. Kathleen is now pop star Katee Rose, and Cal is in a boy band called CrushZone. Kathleen is dating one of Cal's bandmates, Ryan, an absolute tool, while she actually has feelings for Cal, the boy she had a crush on at camp. When this love triangle blows up in spectacular fashion, she loses her entire career and retreats from the spotlight.

In the present day, Kathleen is set to star in a new musical written by her best friend — and Cal is the director. They haven't spoken in years and each blames the other for what happened between them. I loved the friends-to-enemies-to-friends-to-lovers setup of the book and getting glimpses of Cal and Kathleen's relationship in the past and present. The tension between them was delicious. (I mean, can we talk about that dance scene?!) This book is definitely a slow burn, which isn't always my favorite, but the buildup worked for me because of how much history these characters had and how much tension was between them.

Reading this book was addictive. I kept telling myself, "One more chapter and then I'll go to bed," but the chapters were short enough that I just kept reading. My only quibble here is that I would've liked to see more of Cal and Kathleen being a couple once they got together, and an epilogue that touched on what they're up to now. But that's pretty minor, and it absolutely didn't detract from my overall enjoyment of the book.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC.

Funny Y0u Should Ask by Elissa Sussman was one of my favorite books of 2022. So when I tell you I WHOOPED when I got my #netgalley approval email, I am not exaggerating. I already preordered the book, and am going to keep it to both support Sussman but also because I loved Once More With Feeling just SO damn much.

This premise ticked all the boxes for me. A former pop star and boy bander who reconnect many years to do a MUSICAL!!!! There is a LOT going on with this concept, and with a lesser writer and characters, it could easily feel too cheesy and forced. But that wasn't the case here.

I adore a book that has multiple timelines and tells the story through flashbacks. And this one kicks off with an article that sets the stage - pop star Katee Rose cheated on her CrushZone boyband boyfriend Ryan with *GASP* ANOTHER MEMBER OF THE BAND, Cal! Time to get out the popcorn.

I don't want to dig in too much on the plot to avoid spoilers. But I LOVED it. I stayed up too late and woke up too early to finish it - I just couldn't put it down. I got SO invested in Cal and Kathleen. I fell for them and rooted for them while also devouring their history. This was just such a FUN romance - really hit all the right notes for me.

Will post this review on Goodreads, my instagram @SCottonReads and on retailer sites.

Thank you so much for this ARC (Netgalley).

I was so happy to learn that this was in the same world as FYSA, and the references to actors or movies from that book felt like I was completely in this world that Elissa Sussman created. I love these books, they just make me happy and the feelings they give me don't make me want to evaluate them critically.

I love that Elissa Sussman writes flawed characters. I know this is common, but there's something so genuine about the flaws she writes. Kathleen is a former popstar who cheated on her boy band ex (think of the denim duo) with another member of his band, Cal, whom Kathleen had a long history with. Ryan (her ex) does everything to play the victim in the media and completely ruin her career.

Years later, Kathleen gets a chance to star in a musical, with hopes of going to Broadway. The musical is written by her best friend Harriet, and directed by her now nemesis, Cal. The friends to lovers to enemies to lovers trope was SO good. Kathleen is admittedly selfish and too concerned about what's happening in her world that she neglects to consider all the emotions her best friend is going through. I just found it all believable.

The characters all had great heart-to-hearts to heal their past wrongdoings, and become better people. It's wonderful watching people stumble with real life issues and learning how to solve their own problems.

I'm not a musical theater fan but I will continue to be an Elissa Sussman fan and I want five more books in this world.

Setting: New York
Rep: Jewish protagonist; queer Black side character

After devouring Funny You Should Ask yesterday I was really excited to get to this, hoping for another 5* read, but this one didn't quite hit the mark. It was another quick read about celebrity romance but I felt like something was missing, perhaps more of the feelings of the past (and the present, really) - I wanted more of Katee as a famous pop star, of why she and Ryan were ever together.

Thank you to Random House Publishing Group - Ballatine, Dell and Netgalley for this digital ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Kathleen and Cal are both former pop stars who are no longer in the limelight and are trying to move onto different things. Kathleen’s best friend wrote a musical and asked Cal to direct it, and Kathleen to star in it. The catch? Cal and Kathleen haven’t spoken to each other in years. As they try to navigate how to work with each other again, we get to see their past lives at the height of their career, and what led to those series of events where it all ended.

This one hurts. I am so sad. One of my most anticipated books of this year and I’m so disappointed. Without even comparing this to FYSA, which I adored, it just fell flat. I really did not like the back and forth storytelling as I felt like it only came when it was convenient, not at all consistent, and it was short scenes for a very specific reason. We get two past timelines and it’s not brought up chronologically, and somehow also never get brought up enough to add to the plot substantially.

I usually like the male MC even if I find the story boring but even Cal couldn’t save this. He’s so in awe and holds so much reverence towards the FMC but I never believed him, and when he told her he loved her in the current timeline…..why? We never saw them have any real/meaningful interactions and the flashbacks did not help at all and did not add any significant moments that would make us root for them as a couple in the present timeline.

Rant: I didn’t even have a chance to care when they got together because it was so short lived and over a few pages later (completely glossed over, too). The scene where Kathleen’s understudy fell and got hurt and Cal came through the door running and huffing because he thought it was Kathleen….oof. I mean, sure, someone got hurt but the convo between Cal and Kathleen after where he was gutted he thought it was her…I don’t know, it just didn’t work as we did not have enough interactions between the two, past or present, to make me believe he was /that/ devastated.

With a title like that I was expecting a Buffy reference somewhere in the book. A mustard one would have been iconic. Maybe I’ll revisit this again later in the year.

xposted to goodreads

ugh i knew i would love this book! sussman’s writing is top tier and i literally ended up finishing this in a day :) super fun, captivating, swoony read..definitely recommend!

read this book for:
an amazing, unbreakable friendship bond
swoony love interest
theater KID CAMP
nyc setting
relatable mc
captivating writing
celebrity mc!

thank u so so much NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group for this amazing ARC ;)

Enemies to lovers, friends to lovers, and second chance all in one.

Kathleen, once known as Katee Rose, is back on stage. This time in theater where Cal is the director. Kathleen’s and Cals paths crossed long ago and brought on scandal that ended Katee Roses career. Now Cal is directing a musical that Harriet (Kathleen’s best friend) wrote, and Kathleen is the leading lady.

A story of strength, forgiveness, moving forward, learning from the past, and following your dreams. The characters have flaws but that makes them more real. It’s looking past what you see on the outside and seeing what inside that matters most.