Oh my goodness! I absolutely love this book! Such a sweet story about the power of owning your story! Taking action to make the life you love rather than sitting back and accepting a life that is anything less than your dreams!

This was fairly successful as a novel about feeling unfulfilled and directionless in life and taking risks to change that, as well as one about how grief can be long-lasting and cruel and non-linear, but not as strong as a love story. I almost wanted it to drop that part of the plot altogether and just become a woman-finding-herself book. The instant soulmate connection between Serena and Julian really had to be taken on faith, since I didn't feel the chemistry between them, and with that as a centerpoint, the whole thing didn't quite work for me. Even if I didn't get fully pulled in by Serena's story (or, to be frank, by Deepa Samuel's narration) I did think it was fairly well-written and I appreciated some of the minor characters as well, particularly that they clearly had lives outside of this specific narrative; I'd love to get to check out the boutique from the book! Recommend to those looking more for character focus and deep themes than fun and bantery romance - although check to see if love at first sight is a dealbreaker.

I anticipated a comedic love story going into this book and while I didn't really get a love story, I did get a story about a woman trying to find herself. The premise of being able to find love in a small part of one night and then spending the next several months gradually upending the current lifestyle and romance to try and find this person seemed a bit ridiculous to me, but was mildly entertaining to listen to. I think this book would be better characterized as womens fiction.

Thank you so much to Harper Audio & Harper Perennial for an advance copy of this book!

This book will be published on May 2nd.

I was super excited to read this just knowing that some of it took place in New Orleans at a bachelorette party. Because honestly what could go wrong? And this did not let me down! I absolutely loved it and was sucked into the cat and mouse game of Serena trying to find Julian with whom she met at a bar and had an instant connection with. In serendipitous moment, when talking to Julian she finds out that he is not from Louisiana but Washington state and is not far away from where she lives in Seattle. Can she find him to see if their connection was the real deal or just a night of harmless flirting?

I recently learned the difference between romance and women's lit and I think I would classify this more so on the women's lit side. While there is romance in the beginning and at the end, the middle was more of Serena figuring out what she wants for herself as she approaches her 30th birthday. She broke up with a guy she was supposed to (eventually) marry, she quits her steady job and suddenly doesn't know what she wants all while trying to find this mystery. man she met in New Orleans.

Serena had put this pressure on herself to be a certain way to somehow not let down her deceased mother but had a looming interview for "Life at Thirty" from UW Daily (a publication at her alma mater). All the articles she had read previously shows well put together adults who knew what they wanted and she just wasn't altogether which is more of the norm than not. Heck even for myself at 35, I still have no plan for the future. I do not think one deep down doesn't ever really know. As Tubati-Alexander writes, "Thirty is not a magical number. It's not a litmus test for when we should have our lives in order. And what does "in order" really mean, anyway?"

My only qualm with the book was that is that I selfishly wanted just a smidge more of Serena and Julian.

In addition to reading the physical book, I paired it with the audio. It was narrated by Deepa Samuel and I thought she did a wonderful job!! They altered their voice depending on the character and made the listening experience better.

Also how cool is that the title of this book comes from an expected source - a Nirvana song! And after looking up the lyrics, I can totally see how perfect it is!

PS - How beautiful is this cover?! I absolutely love the colors and the simplicity of the design.

Bravo debut Neely!

4.5

Entering your 30s can be the strangest juxtaposition of finally getting comfortable in your own skin, and realizing there are so many untapped parts of who you are. This is exactly what Serena learns throughout the journey she takes in “Love Buzz”. I love that the author wrote a story for those of us who found ourselves asking “is okay good enough?” as we enter this stage of life. While Serena’s choices were definitely drastic (and definitely required some suspension of disbelief), the central messaging hit home.

That being said, while I did enjoy the story on both ends, the path it took to the end was a little too character driven for my taste. I felt that I couldn’t entire get why the MC did the things she did based on ONE chance encounter when it seemed that she was so level headed, but maybe that’s the point? Since so much of the middle of the plot was wrapped in Serena finding her own way, it feels really important to be able to see inside her mind, and I feel like it took a long time to get there. But it did land there eventually.

Serena was both a “window” and a “mirror” for me personally, as I’ve not lived the first generation immigrant experience, nor have I lost a parent. But I did definitely see so much of my own experience in her deciding her best path well after her college years.

This book was such a pleasant surprise! I connected with Serena’s character immediately and found myself alternately laughing and crying throughout as she struggled to figure out her work, family and romantic problems and find passion in her life. I really enjoyed the use of the chance encounter / love at first sight tropes and thought they were done well and felt realistic. Bonus points for the inclusion of Nirvana (one of my favorite bands) in the story. Overall this was one of my favorite debuts and I can’t wait to read what this author has in store next.

𝐋𝐨𝐯𝐞 𝐁𝐮𝐳𝐳
𝐁𝐲 𝐍𝐞𝐞𝐥𝐲 𝐓𝐮𝐛𝐚𝐭𝐢 𝐀𝐥𝐞𝐱𝐚𝐧𝐝𝐞𝐫
𝐏𝐮𝐛𝐥𝐢𝐬𝐡𝐞𝐫: 𝐇𝐚𝐫𝐩𝐞𝐫 𝐏𝐞𝐫𝐞𝐧𝐧𝐢𝐚𝐥
𝐏𝐮𝐛 𝐃𝐚𝐭𝐞: 𝟓.𝟐.𝟐𝟎𝟐𝟑 𝒞𝑜𝓂𝒾𝓃𝑔 𝒮𝑜𝑜𝓃!

Thank you @harperperennial for a gifted copy and @harperaudio for the complimentary audiobook.

I adored this book!

Serena only agrees to attend a four-day destination bachelorette party in New Orleans because she hopes to reconnect with her cousin. It happens to be Mardi Gras and the booze is flowing and the shirts are flying off.

On their last night, Serena meets Julian, a stranger in a crowded bar. But there is something about him, something she has never quite felt before, silly right? But then he is whisked away by his friends and the next morning she is on a plane home to Seattle.

But Serena becomes obsessed with finding Julian. It’s like a romantic scavenger hunt, and Julian is the prize. Here’s the thing, Serena only knows four things about this man; one is that he lives in Seattle too.

So besides being an entertaining romance, two absolutely delightful secondary characters make this book a must. Serena meets Odette on the plane ride home from New Orleans and she becomes Serena’s voice of reason - with an attitude (and mini-bar liquor in her bag). Then there is Clarence, Serena’s gay best friend who is the friend everyone should have. I wish I could tell you more, but it would spoil it. So fun, fresh, and cute - don’t miss it!



𝘐𝘧 𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘴 𝘪𝘴 𝘕𝘦𝘦𝘭𝘺 𝘛𝘶𝘣𝘢𝘵𝘪 𝘈𝘭𝘦𝘹𝘢𝘯𝘥𝘦𝘳’𝘴 𝘥𝘦𝘣𝘶𝘵, 𝘐 𝘤𝘢𝘯’𝘵 𝘸𝘢𝘪𝘵 𝘵𝘰 𝘴𝘦𝘦 𝘸𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘴𝘩𝘦 𝘸𝘳𝘪𝘵𝘦𝘴 𝘯𝘦𝘹𝘵!

I really enjoyed this audio book. It was funny and light hearted, yet spoke to real moments and directions in people's lives. I will certainly seek this author to read more. Thank you to NetGalley and Harper Audio for the ARC

This book was a total rollercoaster, that I ultimately loved and would ride again.

Love Buzz starts off with a great meet-cute between Serena and Julian, filled with witty banter and sizzle. However the next chunk of the book, with Serena attempting to find Julian (sort of a "missed connection" plotline) makes her character hard to root for. She comes across unhinged and wacky, and it's all shrouded in this mystery of why she has estranged herself from her cousin and aunt. Throw in a sex dream of sorts with Julian (which is hard to recognize at first as a dream), and I wasn't sure where the author was going with it.

By halfway through the book, I was feeling as if this was less of a romcom and more of a novel of self-discovery, simply focused on a woman finding herself and crafting a life she truly enjoys living, with Julian merely being the catalyst for the changes. I became more invested in Serena building a new career at the clothing boutique with Tatiana, and how she was working through her grief over her mother's passing years prior.

But then the author surprised me again and added more threads to the romance of the story, and I couldn't stop reading! Without sharing any spoilers, I can just say I loved how it all came together in the final quarter of the book. Each plot point was addressed and given proper attention.

The side characters in this book are great. Odette as the fairy godmother with airplane booze bottles, and Clarence and Terrance, were so much fun. I loved having the imagined conversations between Serena and her mother, and all of the family dynamics felt very real. Great Indian American representation. The author clearly knows her Seattle stuff too, with references to the Fremont Troll, Molly Moon ice cream, and lots of other touches that took me right to the Emerald City.

I would certainly recommend this to readers who enjoy women's fiction with a side of romance, witty funny writing,

If you loved the movie Serendipity, you need to add Love Buzz to your May TBR! This one was really cute. I enjoyed all of these characters and how it all came together in the end. This book is feel-good fun!

This book is being marketed as a romance, and it. is. not.

This book qualifies more as women’s fiction — after a quick conversation at the start of the book, Serena falls in love with Julian on Bourbon Street. I will admit, instalove isn’t for me. Serena meets the guy, travels back home, leaves her job, picks a job she is actually happy at, but still pines after this guy page after page. I also want to mention that Julian does not make a new appearance in the story until after 80% way through!! They also randomly switch to his POV for two seconds and then go back to Serena. Why?

Serena’s story was nice to read, and I did like her journey (hence this somewhat positive review). But I could also see this entire plot happen without Julien there… When he does finally re-enter the picture, they have an easy, breezy HAE. We were not given any reason to want her to be with him or get to know him at all. This book fails as a romance and because of that distraction, I give it 2.75⭐️ rounded up to 3.

The premise of Love Buzz had me so intrigued! Unfortunately, it fell a little flat for me. I never felt fully invested in this story or any of the characters. It wasn’t bad, it just wasn’t for me. Overall, 3 stars.

Thank you to @harperaudio and @harperperennial for my #gifted copy of this book!

Who is this girl reading romance books? What a refreshing change up this book was for me.

Synopsis: The book kicks off where Serena is at a bachelorette party for her cousin she used to be really close to. She feels a bit like an outsider trying to fit in amongst her cousins close friends. She has a run in at the bar with a guy named Julian and instantly feels a “Love Buzz”. The problem is, the Julian’s friends get kicked out and she realizes after it’s too late she never got his number or last name which leaves her unable to connect with him again. Fast forward and Serena isn’t willing to let that “soulmate” feeling go. As she struggles to find him she also realizes her current life isn’t really what she wants. Serena re-evaluates her life choices and makes some extreme changes she feels would make her late mother happy. She is loving her new lifestyle which leads her to find the spark, love and forgiveness she needed to move on.

Thoughts: This was such a wonderful, fun, lovely debut book! I was immediately swept away in Serena’s story and love that the focus was on her life reset. Serena was such a daily lovable character I found myself rooting for. I loved that the story was more than just a love story, it dealt with grief and forgiveness too.

I also want to give props to the supporting characters in this book! Oh my goodness were they a hoot! It made the book so much more endearing! If you’re looking for a book about self discovery, a book about soulmates, forgiveness and love New Orleans this book is for you!

The sun has popped through but I’m feeling the pull to stick closer to home today. So I decided to cuddle up with Love Buzz by @neelyalexanderwrites! I’m hoping this books gives me the warm fuzzies!

Thank you so much to @macmillanaudio for granting me access to the audiobook!

After a chance meeting with a handsome stranger in another city, Serena’s life feels turned upside down. She finds herself contemplating how she ended up where she is in a job she doesn’t love and with a man who isn’t the handsome stranger, Julian. Serena can’t get him off her mind.

This book was cute, it was laugh out loud funny, and it was contemplative. Made me seriously think about how dangerous it is to go through the motions in life because your eye is on the prize. What are you missing that’s going by in the blink of an eye?

Serena is learning what’s worth fighting for and what’s worth taking a chance on and pivoting.

I very much look forward to reading other books by this author. Serena was enjoyable to go on a life journey with! I can’t wait to see what protagonists Neely Tubati-Alexander cooks up next!

As someone in a very similar spot in life as Love Buzz’s main character Serena (in that we’re both about to turn 30, newly single, and figuring out our path), I highly recommend this read. On a bachelorette party in New Orleans, Serena Khan meets a man who shakes her whole world, and when she returns to reality, she’s no longer content to sit in just being okay—she quits her job, breaks up with her boyfriend, and goes out to the world to find what will bring her job. And in that journey, she hopes to come across the man who inspires this change in her. This book is a perfect mix of serendipitous romance and women’s fiction. There were times I felt like Serena lacked self awareness and it made her frustrating—I think she was also kind of judgy. But I adored her journey. She’s flawed and honest and just trying to find her path. The writing is raw and emotional, and it’s just a beautiful debut from the author. It’s funny, the characters feeling so relatable and honest, and it is so bingeable. The characters all had so much heart and chemistry and I loved how everything fell together. I was excited for where Serena’s journey would take her and really enjoyed the ride this book took me on.

This book is written in a way you feel like you are right in the book. The characters were realistic and relatable. You experience all the emotions they go through as you read.

This was hands down a phenomenal debut. This book takes on life, grief, and hope. Neely Tubati Alexander writes a book that will captivate your soul. I put myself into the characters' shoes and felt the emotions that she went through. I am the same age as the character in this novel, and i myself dont have my life figured out yet, and it's a very relatible experience i had with the character. This might be one of my favorite novels of the year.

Many thanks to the Harper Collins for sending me an ARC copy of this debut book from Neely Tubati Alexander!

I was so intrigued by the premise for this book: a woman falls for a complete stranger during Mardi Gras while she's there for a bachelorette party. The instant connection between Serena and Julian leaves Serena wondering 'what if' long after she returns home. But the only info she has about Julian is his name and where he works.

Part mid-life crisis story, part romance, this was a bit of a rocky read for me. I enjoyed the start and the end but struggled a bit through the middle. There was also a mistaken identity third act mix-up I didn't love but I did enjoy when the POV switched from Serena to Julian in the last part of the book.

Overall still an entertaining read and worth sticking out til the end. I liked the audio narration by Deepa Samuel too. Recommended for fans of 30 things I love about myself by Radhika Sanghani. I'll definitely be keeping an eye out for what this debut author writes next. Many thanks also to NetGalley for an early digital and audio copy of this book in exchange for my honest review!