I am so lucky to have been given an early copy of this beautiful read, and I’m even more impressed that this is a debut novel! The author perfectly combined a heart-wrenching second chance romance with heavier hitting topics including interracial marriage, grief, and loss.

I also have read a few books with a film/movie set backdrop, and this is by far my favorite. I absolutely recommend this book and will continue to do so for time to come!

This was a super quick and easy read! The romance was good but what did it for me was the emotional aspect! It took me a bit to really get inot in because the characters weren't my favorite but I was eventually very invested in how it would end.

Look, I have to be honest about how I feel about this book. I didn’t hate it, but I didn’t love it either. I have mixed feelings about it.

I knew from the start that this romance book was going to be messy, but I never knew it was going to be messy messy. Like, how can you fall in love with someone when you are in a relationship? That’s emotional cheating. That should not be in any romance books. I don’t support any cheating from any of the characters, regardless of the situation. That’s why I was put off throughout the whole book.

Last, I didn’t like the constant back and forth between the timeline. We were so stuck in the past that we didn’t get to process what was happening in the present day. I needed more than what was given.

I love me a second chance romance and I couldn’t wait to read this book. I really enjoyed the story, but I felt Danny didn’t do enough to win Kaylia back in my opinion. He had some moments that had me shaking my head and Kaylia is like it’s all good. He would apologize but I needed more groveling on his part. This was a solid debut by Myah Ariel and I can’t wait to read what they wrote next! I also switched back and forth with the audio and the narrator did a great job with the story.

When I Think of You by Myah Ariel had well-developed characters and a plot that was engaging. This book was a great read. I highly recommend!

**Thank you to NetGalley and the Publisher for the e-ARC. All opinions expressed are voluntary and my own.**

Thank you to Berkley and NetGalley for this arc in exchange for an honest review.

DNF'd at 30%

I was very excited to read Myah Ariel's debut novel , the premise and tropes really appealed to me when I read the synopsis. But I did find myself having trouble staying engaged and wishing we had Danny's POV. I do plan to come back to this one at a later time because I am interested to see how everything unfolds and learning more about the movie they are making.

Disclaimer: I received this e-arc from the publisher. Thanks! All opinions are my own.

Book: When I Think Of You

Author: Myah Ariel

Book Series: Standalone

Rating: 5/5

Diversity: Black American MCs, Black American characters

Recommended For...: adult readers, romance, contemporary, chick lit

Publication Date: April 16, 2024

Genre: Contemporary Romance

Age Relevance: 18+ (sexual content, romance, language, alcohol consumption, racism, sex, parental death, grief)

Explanation of Above: This is an adult romance book, so there is sexual content, sex scenes, and romance. There is some alcohol consumption shown in the book. There is some strong language. There are moments of racism. Parental death is mentioned and grief is shown.

Spice: 2.5/5

Publisher: Berkley

Pages: 368

Synopsis: Kaliya Wilson has paid her dues. But all the years behind the reception desk at a flashy film studio have only pushed her movie-making dreams further out of reach. That is, until a surprise reunion presents an opportunity that could make her career, or break her heart…a second time. It’s been seven years since Kaliya’s whirlwind college romance with Danny Prescott went up in flames. While her passions have stalled, his career is taking off. So when the hot shot director reappears to offer her a job on his next production, it’s a shock to the system. Working with Danny may recapture the intensity of their film school days, but trusting him again won’t come as easily. As the pair allows themselves the openness and vulnerability to entrust their deepest truths to each other, the possibility of a true connection draws ever closer. But when Hollywood politics and scandal threaten to sink the production and her career, Kaliya may have to risk everything to do what’s right—even if it means letting go of the second chance love of a lifetime.

Review: This was a really good romance. Read. The book follows Kaliya, our main character. She works kind of works and the movie industry, but not where she wants to be. She works as a receptionist at this big film studio and she is very undervalued at her workplace. Her boss is a big jerk and no one really gives her any notice or anything. But when the director of a really hot project comes in, who is also a guy that she had kind of a thing with back in college, she and him reconnect and things go from there. I thought that This book was really sweet and cute. I like that it focused a lot on workplace romance and rekindling old flames. Book had older characters which you don't typically see in romance, so I was really excited about that. I typically don’t like this, but I thought that the back and forth timeline was really well handled and written. And I also just really enjoyed both of the characters and I enjoyed how well developed both of them were.

The only issue I did have was that sometimes the pacing was a little off. It was too slow in places or too quick in place. I also felt like there were little gaps of details here and there which you kind of had to fill in as a reader, but I did also have an early copy of this book so it might have completely been healed by now.

Verdict: I really liked this one. Highly recommend.

Soft and loving I love hearing about a black woman being loved correctly by a black me. A must read for anybody that loves that as well.

I loved this book. I loved how messy and real it felt. Second chance romances are hard, it's hard to buy into a story where the first breakup is so painful it leads to severed ties for years and then for that couple to somehow overcome that. It takes a lot of grace. But it was so honest and real and grownup for these characters to recognize that the first time around was the right thing at the wrong time and to still be imperfect and need to work on things like trust and communication. Every beat of this book was right and I loved it all.

DNF @ 25% - this felt like a carbon copy of every single one of jasmine guillory’s books, except I couldn’t get into the MCs at all. I wanted more from the characters and from the writing style of the author herself.

It was just ok. I really wanted to love it but I feel like we spent too much time with the MC’s not together. Kaliyah frustrated me at times because she was a little childish. Danny didn’t give “I want you back energy” at all and that’s one of the things I enjoy most about second chance reads. I think if we would have had Danny’s POV as well that would have changed things for me. I think Myah’s writing shined but the story itself fell a bit flat for me. I’ll be honest after that 3rd act breakup I almost didn’t finish it because what was the reason? I would absolutely read from Myah again, so I’m looking forward to what comes from her next.

The amount of details made me feel like I was there. Overall beautifully written and I will be reading again for sure! it was such a beautiful second chance love story. It was sweet, steamy and had so much emotion. There was so much charm and love in this novel, I couldn't get enough. I loved the characters so much I would love to see this as a movie or tv adaptation.

This was so swoony and sultry and I could not put it down! I can’t believe this was a debut, I truly can’t. Highly recommend to anyone who wants a second chance romance to pull on their heartstrings.

This book was so good and it made me cry. Those flashbacks were killing me. all the main characters were just perfection and i wish i was loved as much as both main characters love each other. the way fmc was just so perfect and strong and beautiful, i love her more characters like her please. mmc i loved him but i wish it was a little bit more like he actually crawled more? but they were perfect as couple and the flashbacks? i’m dead

Could it be a second chance for a girl with big dreams and the hot shot director?

For film studio receptionist, Kaliya, life after film school has yet to go the way she hoped. Hollywood politics have stifled her progress. After a chance meeting, her ex-boyfriend and former film school partner, director Danny Prescott, offers her a job on his latest production. Love and a dream career opportunity seem finally within her grasp until scandal threatens it all.

There’s so much I loved about this book! This second chance romance with an insider’s view of Hollywood and film making was everything I wanted and more from this debut.

Be forewarned, Kaliya and Danny are a couple you want to hug and shake. Their path isn’t smooth and they face some self-created challenges. Nevertheless, there is so much love, respect, and desire between them to succeed. Through the flashbacks, it was clear why these two never stopped loving each other despite seven years passing and an abrupt end to their college romance. I appreciated the growth of these characters.

Kaliya’s relationship with her bestie Neha is also special. Everyone needs a friend like Neha! She’s a ride-or-die friend that’s equal parts tough love and hype woman. My fingers are crossed for Neha’s book in the future.

The film and music references sprinkled throughout the book are a highlight. I was tempted to make a playlist.

I listened and read When I Think of You. Narrator DeWanda Wise did an excellent job! She portrayed Kailya’s desire to achieve her dreams despite the challenges of being a Black woman in Hollywood and her indecision about Danny perfectly. It was my first time listening to one of her books, but I will look for more from her.

I really enjoyed this book about finding love while pursuing your dreams regardless of the odds!

I honestly didn't enjoy this one at all. I wasn't very connected to the story and I don't think Kaliya and Danny are a good couple. They just don't have the chemistry that is necessary for a romance. I did however like that Kaliya took time to figure out who she was before diving into a relationship with Danny again. I think I just needed more from the characters in terms of why they are together and why their love is something worth fighting for.

I've been excited about this book since I heard Myah talk about it at Summer Book Fest last year, and let me tell you, it did not disappoint!

This one hit all the right notes for me. I love a second chance romance, especially when it's executed as well as this one is. I loved the tension that was present between Kaliya and Danny from the moment they reunited, their chemistry was delightful from start to finish, both in the flashbacks and in present day. Moreover, I loved how imperfect both characters were. As they come to terms with their past and how they fell apart, they recognize how they both played a role to some extent, and I appreciated the nuance that that realization added to their journey as a couple.

Kaliya's journey as a main character was wonderful. Her development as a character as she learns to find herself over the course of the story is so satisfying to see. She comes to realize that she is stuck in a job that she is way overqualified for, and continually gets passed over for opportunities she deserves, and I love how she eventually finds her purpose advocating for women who are marginalized in the film industry. In short, she's a badass and I love her.

Some of my favorite parts in this book were the flashbacks to Kaliya's time in film school. There were so many moments mixed in throughout the story that felt pulled straight from my experience studying film (when Kaliya said the best film she'd never watched was Citizen Kane I felt so SEEN), which made me love the book even more. I also just loved the Hollywood setting driven by the movie Danny is trying to make (I love movies, y'all, of course I'm going to love the film setting).

Overall, this debut was wonderful, and I am so excited to read more from this author!

I really enjoyed Myah's debut and once can quickly pick up on how she put her heart and soul into When I Think of You!

Kaliya has been seeking her big break in Hollywood. Now, she's got a shot but the catch? She has to work with who she thought was her college lover. She hasn't seen or heard from Danny in 7 years! But working with him on his screen writing project could be her big break. Agreeing to set aside the past and work together, everything seems as if the stars aligned, just like in a Hollywood flick, especially with passion heating up. But as opposition erupts, will it remind Kaliya why their romance should have stayed in the past?

As I was reading, I wondered on Myah's background as the imagery and Hollywood background seemed so realistic. BUT I couldn't get behind Kaliya's decision the last 25% of the book and felt that Danny deserved better. The lead up wtih the podcast reveal was a WIN but that third act breakup just didn't flow. I love the take Myah provided however; towards white privledge and the ability to be educated in a society that typically looks the other way. Overall, I enjoyed this read and look forward to reading whatever Myah puts out next.

I enjoyed this second chance romance. I appreciated the look at racism in hollywood and the conversation around privilege and the amount of sway it has in this industry. I also loved that our main character didn't just lie there and be a victim, but decided to take action when she saw a systemic problem. The steamy bits were delightful and I was rooting for this love to flourish. Overall good romance.

**ARC Review: Captivating Second Chance Romance**

Myah Ariel’s latest romance novel delivers a heartfelt and believable second chance love story. Danny and Kaliya’s journey, shaped by timing, circumstances, and miscommunications, unfolds beautifully, making their eventual reunion feel well-earned and genuine.

Set against the backdrop of the entertainment industry, particularly the world of movies, this story is a treat for fans of that scene. Kaliya and Danny first meet at NYU in a Cinema Studies course, only to cross paths again years later under vastly different circumstances. Kaliya, now a receptionist at a production studio, finds herself in a rut, while Danny has risen to prominence as a director, following in his father's illustrious footsteps. Their reconnection happens when Kaliya gets an opportunity to work on Danny’s film, which aims to tell the love story of his parents. The narrative does a great job of depicting the realistic drama and political maneuvers of the film industry.

Supporting characters like Bella and Neha add depth to the story, and I found myself hoping they get their own books in the future. And Eric? He definitely deserves his own love story too!

This book is a must-read for anyone who enjoys a well-crafted romance with a touch of Hollywood glamor. I’m excited to see what Myah Ariel comes up with next!