Elissa Sussman should run master classes on writing chemistry. Just like Funny You Should Ask, I was absolutely infatuated with the real, flawed, wonderful characters. I was completely invested with the story from page one, the jumps in timelines only adding to the story and pulling me in deeper. You can’t help but fall in love with Cal with his heart on his sleeve and stars in his eyes. And you can’t help but see yourself in Kathleen as she finds her happy. Elissa Sussman made me a fan with FYSA but solidified me as a fan for life with Once More With Feeling.

This book was at the top of my anticipated releases for this year and I was so lucky to receive an advanced digital copy from @RandomHouse & @ElissaSussman in exchange for an honest review. I will be preordering the hard copy of this book and CANNOT wait to read it again once it comes in. I will be posting a full review on my social media channels (@mel.reads.romance) after the books official release date.

Special thanks to NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group for this ARC!

Such a good (and dare I say even better) follow-up to 'Funny You Should Ask'! I LOVED the singer and boyband turned Broadway plot SO MUCH and all the little nerdy references were so fun for a former theater kid like myself. The back and forth between past and present wasn't hard to follow at all like I thought it maybe would be and I really enjoyed the little snippets of WAY back in the story. Such a good read and I can't wait for more from Elissa Sussman in the future!

Wowowowow I really loved this!! I am a sucker for a celebrity romance and this one definitely filled the hole in my heart that only celebrity romances can fill.

Once More With Feeling is a celebrity, popstar, broadway romance that shows Cal and Kathleen’s lives as they are growing up, rising to fame, and then later dealing with the aftermath of their public fall out (and Kathleen’s fall from fame). It is also second chance and childhood friends to lovers, which are some of my favorite romantic tropes. This story had three timelines: the present when Cal and Kathleen are working on a broadway production together to restart their careers, the past when they were touring together as popstars, and the past when they were kids in theatre camp. The “now and then” timelines flowed together seamlessly and I was dying to know what was going to happen in each one - I could not put the book down!

What I loved most about Cal and Kathleen is that they were both flawed characters but it was so easy to root for them because they had been through so much together and were trying to grow from their past mistakes. Kathleen’s decision making skills were mostly impaired and irritating, and although I think her character development was good, I think she needed to grovel more to earn back Cal’s good graces. Cal was a sweetheart and obviously down bad for Kathleen since the beginning even when they were arguing. Their relationship dynamic was so special because they had known each other for most of their lives and could see each other’s true selves despite the negative effects of being in the public eye. It was evident how much they loved one another even though they refused to admit it.

I highly recommend to anyone who loved “Funny You Should Ask,” wants a fast-paced, drama-filled romance, and enjoys a celebrity comeback story!

WOW! I am so grateful that I was given the opportunity to read this advanced copy of Once More With Feeling,

I am a big fan of Funny You Should Ask and was so excited to see what Elissa Sussman did next (loved the very subtle call back in Once More With Feeling to Funng You Should Ask!) This next entry is even better in my opinion!

The narrative story telling across 3 timelines was well executed and a creative way to get to know the main characters across their lives. The way their love story was expressed through these timelines was so compelling and hit me straight in the heart.

As a 90s baby and theatre dork myself this book was such a trip. And if you’re neither of these things, you’ll still enjoy the ride.

We’ll be happy to bring in Once More With Feeling to feature on our recommended summer reading shelf!

Thank you to NetGalley, Elissa Sussman & Dell for an arc of Once More With Feeling in exchange for an honest review. This review is wholly my own & may not be reproduced.

The Tik Tok sensation Funny You Should Ask was one of my favorite reads last year, so I was super excited to get an advance copy of Elissa Sussman’s newest novel.

This is a friend-to-lovers & then enemies-to-loves trope and I LOVED it!!
Katee is a No. 1 pop star living the dream, while dating the hottest member of a popular boy band, Ryan. But suddenly Katee is more attracted to a different member of that same band, Cal. They both give in to their feelings, but it ends up blowing up Katee’s relationship with Ryan (duh!) and both Katee’s and Cal’s careers. Flash forward – Katee now goes by Kathleen when Cal shows up wanting her to star in a Broadway show he is directing. She is reluctant because they basically hate each other because they both blame one another for the epic failures of their prior careers. But while working together, those feelings begin to resurface. Will they give in once again or keep their distance?

Ok – so I absolutely loved this book. Like LOVED it! The burn was great. The characters were so likeable & relatable. The pacing was great and it left me wanting more. I have no idea how I can wait until her next novel!!! Absolutely snag this one on May 30, 2023!

Full 5/5 Stars!

Once More with Feeling leaves something to be desired. There is just something between the writing and the cover that leaves me feeling as though the book should be in two different genres.

a good read and enjoyed this story. really liked it a lot and the love between this couple. i will read more of her books.

3 Stars Once More with Feeling is an angsty, emotional second chance, friends-to-lovers/enemies-to-lovers romance. Kathleen Rosenberg used to be Katee Rose, the biggest pop star on the planet and loved by millions. That is, until her career came crashing down around her after she cheated on her boyfriend, Ryan LaNeve, with his boy band mate, Cal Kirby. It’s been over a decade since the scandal, and although Kathleen still loves to perform, she’s had no opportunities except those who want an encore of Katee Rose’s crash and burn. Then, Cal approaches Kathleen with a chance—to adapt her best friend Harriet’s musical Riveted! with the part that was written just for Kathleen. She’s dreamed of Broadway since her, Harriet, and Cal were kids at theater camp, and this is her last shot to revive her career on her terms. The feelings are still there between Kathleen and Cal, who is directing the musical. Is Cal worth risking her career over—again?

This novel did a great job with making you feel how hurt Kathleen still was over everything that had happened with Ryan and Cal. She knew she had a part in what occurred, but she was also a victim of Ryan’s media war against her and was abandoned by Cal when it all went down. I wish we had gotten a bit more of a sneak peak into Kathleen and Cal’s HEA, especially seeing something like them at the Tony’s, winning awards left and right. It was still a satisfying ending and overall a good read.

Friends to lovers to enemies to lovers. I didn’t think Sussman’s writing was at her best here - the constant use of “said” dialogue tags feels grating to me - but it’s a solid follow up. This is a New York story told from Kathleen’s POV with triple timelines. We see the summer she met her crush Cal and best friend Harriet at theater camp, her young adulthood as a pop star alongside her boyfriend’s boy band (which Cal is also in), and a decade or so later when she reunites with Cal after he picks up the show Harriet wrote with Broadway dreams. Kathleen is cast in it as a role was written for her in Cal’s directorial debut, and the two are working together when they haven’t spoken in years because Kathleen cheated on her boyfriend with Cal, ruining her career with no support from Cal. The characters, especially Kathleen, aren’t always likable, but it’s an engaging read, sexier than Sussman’s last novel and full of pining.

The first half of the book is very strong and compelling, with a heroine made of sharp edges carrying the biggest chip on her shoulder. But the second part doesn’t know how to properly untangle the conflict and it fizzles out. There was little character growth, no real reckoning of what happened in the past between the heroine and her romantic lead, and it all felt flat and underbaked to the point that I don’t think this is a couple that will make it just by virtue of her not being as into it as he is. It sucks because all the potential was there on the page during that first half.

As an aside, I have no idea how any of the characters look like or how old they actually are beyond very vague descriptions, which is a valid choice that I don’t have to like, but then the heroine’s BFF, who is the most important secondary character after the hero/love interest, is only described as having “box braids pulled up away from her face in a towering twist” and I don’t know how I feel about the one character coded as Black having all her interiority devoted to being a foil to further what little character growth the white lead had. I also wonder if the heroine is supposed to be modeled after Britney Spears, if Britney were Jewish and Justin had completely derailed and ruined her career, and if so, I don’t know how I feel about it.

I liked Sussman's previous book better, but overall I really enjoy her voice and when her books work for me, they really do grab me.

Review copy provided by the publisher.

When a former pop star is given the role as the head actress in a broadway show she is forced to face an old flame that completely ruined her career while dealing with the emotional fall out of the past and the complicated feelings they have now. Katee Rose was America’s number one pop star, she had it all: a great career, a boyfriend from the hottest boy band CrushZone, and an amazing best friend.... but it’s all destroyed when she cheats on her boyfriend with a fellow member of his band, Cal Kirby. After her career is destroyed, she now goes by Kathleen Rosenberg and has been living an ordinary life... until her best friend’s broadway show is picked up.... and its being directed by the one and only Cal. Her best friend wants her to be the main actress, she wrote the role for her, and now Kathleen finds herself auditioning and confronting the man that broke her heart. Kathleen and Cal can’t help but constantly bicker and fight, their past impacting the way they feel about each other. But Kathleen’s best friend only ask her for one thing: do not sleep with Cal. But Kathleen can’t help the feelings being reignited by him, and their misunderstandings have to be cleared if they want to make it work... but can she make it work this time or will she not only break Cal’s heart again but destroy her friend’s broadway show? Unfortunately for me, I absolutely disliked Kathleen so much. First of all, I do not condone cheating, absolutely none of it, I agreed with Cal, just break up with the guy before starting a new relationship, Kathleen constantly kept making excuses to staying with her boyfriend while pursuing a relationship with Cal, it’s just gross, because as someone who has had that done to them, it’s hurtful, it’s wrong, and I can’t stand it. Kathleen is spoiled, acts bratty, and honestly does not act her age at all, and she’s a terrible friend. Her friend asks her to do one thing, just dont sleep with the director, especially one that she has a history with that could completely impact the show and how the public views the show.. and what does she immediately do? Sleep with him. I seriously, just could not with this woman. Honestly both Cal and Harriet ( her best friend) deserve so much better because this ain’t it babe. There was so much needless drama and honestly I just don’t get the appeal for a second chance romance from Cal’s perspective at all. So while this one didn’t work out for me if you like second chance romances with a bit of music added in, this one might be for you.

*Thanks Netgalley and Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine, Dell for sending me an arc in exchange for an honest review*

I was burning with curiosity to see what Sussman would do next after Funny You Should Ask. This was NOT the direction I was expecting, but I couldn't be more delighted with what she took on—a book set in the world of musical theater! Fun, sassy, and packed with the gossipy celebrity/industry (fictional) dirt that made her adult debut so much fun.

Once more with feeling is a cute friends to lovers to enemies to lovers book featuring Kathleen and Cal. After a whirlwind theatre camp romance when they were growing up, reuniting briefly as adults, they find themselves putting on a musical with the potential for broadway. I couldn’t help but root for Kathleen as she reinvented herself years after stardom. I also really loved the Jewish representation. I was never really a theatre kid so I feel as though I didn’t fully enjoy some of the references but still found it enjoyable. I liked this book even more than Elissa Sussman’s first, “Funny you should ask”. I would recommend this book for anyone looking for a light enemies to lovers read, especially for those interested in musical theatre/broadway.

Elissa Sussman, author with of "Funny You Should Ask", knocked it out of the park with "Once More With Feeling."

Katee is a former pop-princess. She's now working her way toward Broadway thanks to her BFF, Harriet, and former boy band member turned director, Cal. Cal and Katee have a long history; both have apprehensions of working together but believe that they can put the past behind them. Lovers of friends/enemies to lovers and second chance romance with devour this book.

Once More with Feeling gave me all of the feelings. It had humor, it had TENSION, it made me smile, and it just made me all around giddy. The flashbacks of summer camp and former stardom were a joy to read along with Katee and Cal trying their best to be successful in the current day. The timing of events and flashbacks were perfectly spaced. I throughly enjoyed this!

Thank you to NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group-Dell for the eARC! (I will be posting my review to my book-Instagram in May!)

Firstly, I'd like to give a big "thank you" to the staff at Penguin Random House's Dell imprint and NetGalley for sending me an eARC of this book. I was thrilled to receive it!

About one year ago, the cover of Elissa Sussman's "Funny You Should Ask" drew me in, and I devoured the book shortly after. Then, I discovered Sussman was due to release a second book, and when I looked up the cover... you can imagine my excitement. Thus, I had high expectations for "Once More with Feeling."

And Sussman fully delivered.

The minor issues I had with FYSA weren't present at all in OMwF (and to Sussman, I caught on to that quick reference to FYSA in chapter 10!) I loved the main character in this book, Kathleen. She's lively, dedicated, determined, and real. In fact, every character in this book felt real.

The romance was fun, Cal was a dreamboat, Harriet was a true friend, Ryan was ugh, and Fish was adorable. I wasn't the biggest fan of reading FYSA's constant articles, and I'm happy to report that Sussman mostly left those out of this book. I felt they took me out of the story quite often in FYSA.

I read this book cover to cover in one sitting, and I wish every book made me feel emotions the way this one did. I felt like I knew Kathleen, and I hurt when she hurt and felt happy when she was happy. Sussman is THAT good at her craft.

I recommend any romance-lovers to pick this up as soon as it's released. I know I'll be reaching for a copy to display on my bookshelf, right next to FYSA.

Pop star drama, musicals, friends to enemies to lovers trope… what’s not to love about this one? Readers who grew up during the 90s will love this one. Musical theater fans will love this one. The friendship between Kathleen and Harriet was an added bonus. I really enjoyed this one!

I have Elissa Sussman's book, Funny You Should Ask, to thank for getting me out of a reading slump last year, so I was thrilled when I saw that she would be coming out with another book this year. I was so excited to read this, and it truly didn't disappoint.

Like Funny You Should Ask, Once More With Feeling is centered in the entertainment industry, but this time it follows two former pop stars (and former friends/lovers) who are both attempting to make big steps in their respective careers, one as a director of a Broadway musical and the other as the star. It's an incredibly entertaining "friends to lovers to enemies to lovers" and "second chance" romance and I really enjoyed every second of it just as much as I thought I would.

Without going into too much detail, I really loved how this book touched on the subject of how women are often portrayed in the media after a scandal and how the men in their lives tend to let them take the fall for it. Kathleen's goal to be on Broadway and to be taken seriously years after the scandal that ruined her career reminded me of other celebrities that deserved to be treated with a lot more grace and empathy after difficult moments in their lives (ex. Britney, Pamela, etc), and it made me really love this book that much more for diving into that a bit.

Overall, I really loved this book and I feel so lucky to have been able to read it early. Thank you to NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine/Dell for the eARC. I can't wait to pick up the physical copy when it comes out!

Thank you to Dell Publishing for allowing me an eARC of this book!

I want to start by saying that this was most definitely as fun and engaging overall as I expected from Elissa Sussman's second novel. With a story following an ex pop star who fell from grace after a public cheating scandal now trying to make a comeback on Broadway, the concept is undeniably excellent. That said, I had a few issues this time around.

So. Here's the thing. This was definitely fun, and definitely engaging, and I don't doubt many people who loved Funny You Should Ask will love it. Elissa Sussman definitely has a specific vibe to her books, and this one stays consistent to the formula—second chance romance, multiple timelines, celebrity characters (except this time, they're all celebrities instead of just the MMC!), and overall, just a good time. You know you're going to have fun reading her books.

Something I don't remember thinking so often in Funny You Should Ask, however, was the amount of drama for the sake of it. A lot of the more climactic scenes felt over the top, for lack of a better phrase, but then again, I doubt anyone's really reading these for the realism? Some miscommunications end up largely unnecessary, and I had a hard time feeling like some of the character's reactions to big moments felt like the behavior of a real human.

Secondly, Kathleen, our main character, is honestly just a pretty terrible friend. Some of it is central to the plot, but it's a tough watch when we don't see much of any consequences for that in the grand scheme. Her best friend, for reasons perhaps prompted by Kathleen's bouts of forgetting her best friend exists, is also solely there to advance the plot. It was tough to see a character that could've been given some depth pop up only a few times at length throughout, and only when we needed a catalyst for a main character realization. In fact, I found most characters aside from Kathleen to be pretty underdeveloped, and I think that the issue I had as a whole while trying to buy into the story.

I really DID have fun and eat it up just as much as I did her first, but I think this one just wasn't for me. I'd be willing to bet that there's plenty who will disagree with me, though, and I'm sincerely still excited to see what Elissa Sussman comes up with for her next.

This book was a joy to read! The storyline centered on a second chance at love/enemy to lover trope that I could not put down.

Kathleen, a former pop princess, is still paying for mistakes from her adolescence. After admitting to an affair, her ex used Kathleen’s mistakes to bolster his own fame, which resulted in a quick end to her music career. She has spent the last decade avoiding the public and living a silent, but lonely life. When Kathleen is suddenly offered an opportunity of her dreams—to star on broadway, she jumps at the chance to rewrite her own narrative. The only catch, she has to work with a former friend, Cal, who betrayed her after her fall from grace. The story focuses on the broadway play and Kathleen and Cal’s relationship as they advance from hate to something else. I loved that this story focused on a women who wasn’t a hero..it reminds me of Taylor Swift’s song Anti Hero. Kathleen’s resilience and grit are to be admired. The book is written with a dual timeline, which I think flowed perfectly. Just like Sussman’s book, ‘Funny You Should Ask,” this is a must read!

I throughly enjoyed ONCE MORE WITH FEELING. An engaging, charming, second chance love story of Kathleen/Katee, a former popstar not only finding her spark again, but reconnecting with her match, Cal. Knowing that both Kathleen and Cal have hurt each other in the past, it was engrossing to see what it took for them to be able to trust again.

I fell in love with Kathleen and Cal's personalities right away and their genuine love for each other. Cool as a cucumber, Cal knows how to handle Kathleen's bristly and defensive side, softening her. It was fun to see Kathleen battle her feelings of either wanting to be angry with him or to start kissing him. Even despite their history, their belief in each other and their talent never waned. Together, I feel there is nothing they couldn't do that they have their hearts set on.

The ending was perfect, definitely a book that makes you feel so good after reading.

Many thanks to Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine/Dell and NetGalley for the digital ARC.