This is my most anticipated book of 2024. When I saw Myah Ariel post her book on Twitter last year, I thought the cover was so stunning. And I'm so happy I was able to read it and see that my love for the cover matches the story. I really enjoyed this book. I loved the unique perspective of the movie industry and attending film school and having dreams realized and crushed and redeemed. I think Myah Ariel is a great writer. She took me on a ride and I feel like she told a relatable story even if you're not in the movie industry. I related so much to Kaliya and how much she just wanted something for herself and how tiresome it is to be disappointed time and again. This is a book for the ambitious girl, I feel. Or anyone with big dreams waiting for their moment. I loved seeing that the author has a similar background to Kaliya and that she shared her motivations and inspirations for the book after experiencing her own loss. The conversation on grief in this book was so beautiful and real. Danny, at the beginning, as a love interest was 1000% dreamy but I worried for Kaliya and then went through typical romance rollercoaster ride that was satisfyingly tied with a bow in the end.

When I Think of You is a spectacular debut full of emotional depth and searing romance from author Myah Ariel. Fans of Kennedy Ryan will adore Ariel’s slow burn love story between college exes who reunite on a film set seven years after they last saw each other.

Kaliya Wilson has always dreamed of working in film production, but at 26 her career as a receptionist at a major film studio has stalled. Enter, Danny Prescott. A hotshot young director, hailing from Hollywood royalty, and Kaliya’s first love from film school. Danny offers Kaliya a position to join his new film and she jumps at the opportunity, ready to prove herself in the industry. As the pair begins working together, Kaliya and Danny must navigate their unresolved feelings while dodging jealous starlets, meddling friends, and dreadful execs in order to reach the coveted happily ever after.

I don’t know the ins and outs of film production, but the plot of this book delves deep into the behind the scenes of moviemaking which I thoroughly enjoyed. It provided a practical backdrop for the novel’s difficult conversations around grief, misogyny, nepotism, and racism both in and out of the industry. The emotion swirling amidst these pages is raw and relatable. I loved how Ariel was able to layer these poignant themes within such a heartfelt love story.

Highlights:
Second chance college sweethearts
Black filmmakers
Workplace romance
Grief representation
Slow burn
Hollywood drama

Thank you Berkley and NetGalley for the digital ARC and free copy in exchange for my honest review

Kaliya and Danny met in college and even though their whirlwind romance came to an end, it still stands out in Kaliya’s mind. When Danny shows up and offers her a job on his new movie, she isn’t sure how to react. She takes the job and immediately the intense connection they had in college comes back. But Hollywood is filled with politics and scandal and those things threaten to get in between them and potentially even ruin the movie.

I really enjoyed this second chance romance! I’ve read a few romances featuring a screenplay recently, and I am here for this trend. Seeing some of the behind the scenes of what goes into making a movie/TV show is fascinating! One thing that stands out about this book in particular is the discussion of sexism and racism within the entertainment industry. Kaliya, was such an inspiring character for many reasons, but in particular the way she handled the awful situations she was put in with class and strength. Her journey to finding her voice and passion was incredible and she really stole the show. Danny was the perfect match for her, they brought out the best in each other and really encouraged each other to fight for their dreams. His parents’ love story was beautiful and I loved how he wanted that for himself.

Thank you to Berkley Publishing and NetGalley for the advance copy.

Thank you Berkley Pub for the free book!

𝐓𝐢𝐭𝐥𝐞: 𝐖𝐡𝐞𝐧 𝐈 𝐓𝐡𝐢𝐧𝐤 𝐨𝐟 𝐘𝐨𝐮
𝐀𝐮𝐭𝐡𝐨𝐫: 𝐌𝐲𝐚𝐡 𝐀𝐫𝐢𝐞𝐥
𝐏𝐮𝐛 𝐃𝐚𝐭𝐞: 𝐀𝐩𝐫𝐢𝐥 𝟏𝟔, 𝟐𝟎𝟐𝟒

4.5★

Oh my heart! This book was so good!! I knew when I heard author Myah Ariel describe this one during the Spring Booked with Berkley event, I was going to love it, and it exceeded my expectations!

Kaliya has been behind the scenes working the reception desk for years at a flashy film studio. When the famous Danny Prescott walks in and offers her a job on his next production, she is in shock. Working with Danny would take her career to the next level. The only problem is, Kaliya and Danny had a whirlwind romance in college, and trusting him won’t come easy. As the two begin to work together again, they begin to feel a connection with each other again. But with Hollywood politics and a scandal at play, how much will Kaliya risk for her career? And what about for a second chance at love?

This book had some of my favorite elements and I could not get enough! I love a strong female character and I could not get enough of Kaliya. I just loved everything about her character and her vulnerabilities. As far as Danny, I literally just pictured Jesse Williams from Grey’s Anatomy in my mind the entire time!

💜Second Chance
💜Hollywood
💜Grief
💜Slow Burn
💜Self-Discovery
💜Workplace Romance
💜Scandal

Posted on Goodreads on April 15, 2024: https://www.goodreads.com/user/show/144922955?ref=nav_profile_l
**Posted on Instagram - Full Review- on or around April 16, 2024: http://www.instagram.com/nobookmark_noproblem
**Posted on Amazon on April 16, 2024
**-will post on designated date

Spectacular debut.

This book gives all the emotions I need for a second chance romance.
All the cultural aspects and especially historical shout outs were amazing.

Exploring aspects of grief also emotionally hooked me as well!

Great for fans of Kennedy Ryan.

What a beautiful second chance & Black romance book. This is perfect if you’re a fan of books like Reel/Queen Move by Kennedy Ryan or books by Tia Williams. Thankfully, I love both so I was right at home. Although this has elements of a celebrity romance, taking place in the world of movie making & film, it also felt very relatable. The romance itself was “right person, wrong time” and there were themes of grief and self worth being explored. I loved all the references to Black culture and artwork.
Thank you Berkley romance for an e-ARC of Myah’s debut & one of my most anticipated reads of the year.

3.5⭐

26 year old Kaliya's career in the Hollywood industry, isn't taking off as she would hope. Until after 7 year's, her college love, Danny; is thrust into her office and offer's her a job as his assistant director for his newest film. At first being conflicted, the answer seemed to be obvious. Stay a receptionist with little hope in moving up in the company or finally living out her hope's for the career she's worked hard towards.

But quickly she realizes, maybe her love and chemistry for Danny never went away. She soon gets a wake-up call that Danny is not single and she has to work alongside his current girlfriend, who has a big role in making this movie a success. Right away, Celine is extremely controlling and manipulative towards Kaliya no matter how respectful and professional she is.

There are many challenges for Kaliya professional but also romantically between her and Danny. Will they have a second chance? Will Kaliya be able to succeed in the industry that has racially discriminated against her?

There is so much to unpack with this story. First off, I think the author writes beautifully, especially when it came to the emotions Kaliya was going through.

This romance had a lot of tropes that weren't for me, and that's a personal issue on my part. I tried really hard to push my trouble with the tropes aside.

I felt it got a little excessive how many times Danny and Kaliya had challenges. Kaliya felt like she had a lot of insecurities and I wished she would have stood up for herself more, especially when it came to the way Celine treated her.
I loved the chemistry between Danny and Kaliya, but wished we got more scenes with them together.
I love spice in my romance's, so I wished there was more than one spicy scene in the story.
I'm not a fan of what felt like a cheating trope, made me uncomfortable.
I didn't like that when they finally gave their relationship a chance, that Kaliya ran off. I didn't feel that was necessary and for that long.
I felt the storyline with Eric either could have been cut or could have been ridden out a little longer. I felt like Eric didn't feel complete.

I did love the friendship with Kaliya, Neha and Bella. Go Bella!! Proud of her, her storyline was written perfectly! And Neha, loved her support too.

I also loved that racial inequalities, Jim Crow era and misogyny were highlighted. I think it was awesome the way Kaliya's career success took off.

So overall I did enjoy this beautiful black romance story, but I also feel like this one might not be for everyone when it comes to the tropes. Thank you Netgalley for the opportunity to an early review.

Short synopsis: Kaliya has always dreamed of making movies, when she’s given the chance to help make a major motion picture with Nathan Prescott her college sweetheart.

My thoughts: I don’t know much about the production of movies, this one gave us a great inside look to the ins and outs (and behind the scenes drama) that could unfold during the filmmaking process.

Being woman of color shut a lot of doors for for Kaliya, but I loved her drive to prove her story is important. She wasn’t raised with a silver spoon, she fought her way up the corporate Hollywood ladder despite racism and sexism to find her place.

Both Kaliya and Nathan were pretty flawed characters. Kaliya’s insecurities got the best of her through the majority of the book, and Nathan had a hard time seeing through the his privilege but ultimately they grew through these flaws and grew together.

Read if you love:
- Striving for more
- Hollywood setting
- Workplace/second chance romance
- Great best friend
- Then and now flashbacks

When I Think of You was a solid debut romance. 3.5 ⭐️. There were a few things about it that I didn’t really vibe with but they were my personal preferences really. The book is well written and the pace of the story is good. I love the Hollywood / film setting. I think people will really enjoy this!

The thing I didn’t like was that while technically no cheating took place, it was a little too close for comfort to at least emotional cheating for me. Danny is in another relationship at the start of the book. They break up before anything happens.

Thank you so much to Berkley Romance, NetGalley, and the author for the chance to read and review this book!

A few years after completing a degree in film studies, Kaliya Wilson is still stuck in a job as a receptionist with no prospects for truly breaking into the film industry. Even working for a flashy production company it feels like her shot will never come, until an unlikely reunion with her college romance, Danny. He is the next great director with Oscar buzz surrounding his new film. When he asks Kaliya to work with him it is the chance she has been waiting for, but she is weary to be so close to the man who broke her heart so many years ago.

I am always impressed when a debut novel brings so much heart! This story tackles many of the contemporary issues in Hollywood (#MeToo, white-washing, nepotism, etc.) with an entertaining plot and a tension filled romance. Told exclusively from Kaliya’s perspective, the mystery of their college days is given occasionally through our protagonist’s memories, and blends very well with their present-day interactions. The ending felt slightly rushed and a little too convenient, but the friendships and romance in this book are top tier!

"When I Think of You" can easily be pre-judged as a steamy romantic drama with lots of angst and turmoil, which is correct, but only scratches the surface of what Ariel has managed to accomplish in her debut. This story balances themes of healing from trauma, learning to regain trust in oneself, and even tackles the consequences and pitfalls of modern media consumption. All of this does not, however, push the underlying issues of racial tension to the background, but rather the main protagonist and her friend are shining examples of girls writing their own stories in their 20s and figuring out love, career, friendship, and everything in between. The last quarter of the book can tend toward feeling slightly rushed, but that may just be because after a point I was unable to put it down!

Awwww this was such a cute second chance romance 🥰 ! I really look forward to reading more from this author ❤️

Wow! I really loved this book! Nothing beats a BLACK, feel good Romance book. This book had me gasping, swooning, laughing, and screaming internally to find out what happened next. Kaliya and Danny’s love story definitely had a little struggle in it with the waiting but wow. When you’re attracted to someone and they’re your person, you just can’t deny that. I also loved Kaliya and Neha’s friendship. I hope we get Neha’s story next. I can’t wait to deep dive into the authors other work. This book had me missing sleep to find out what happened next and that’s the recipe for a great book! Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC. I really loved it!!

Kaliya and Danny be still my heart! I love a good second chance romance and this one was done so well. It also highlights the inequity found in the workforce for Black women specifically. It was raw and real and dealt with so many topics, and did it WELL. The only thing I would have liked is a dual POV, but that's just a personal preference.

DNF @50%

When I Think of You has so many amazing aspects, but I have unfortunately hit my level of grievances where I simply cannot forgive the book and continue on. It does not matter how good the second half of this book is, I’m too annoyed.

This book is for fans of stories like Sex and the City - where we watch a woman who is well into her career, but still has room for growth, and is still working on finding love. Kaliya is a really fascinating character, with a wonderful friend group, and an interesting film that she’s hired to work on.

Under the spoiler tag is my list of grievances that are definitely spoilers for specific plot moments:

1 - When the story starts, our love interest Danny is in a seemingly happy, long-term relationship. This continued for at least the first 40% of the story, so when Kaliya is thinking of them together, it gave me cheating energy (even though there is no cheating). While the text never explicitly says that Kaliya feels like she’d be better for Danny than his current relationship, it’s definitely implied. As a reader, this made me really uncomfortable.

2 - This is a second chance romance, and in the flashbacks young Kaliya is sexually inexperienced, which is often described as her being “pure.” I personally feel uncomfortable with the narrative of purity culture, and a dichotomy of virgin/pure and experienced/unpure or dirty.

3 - Kaliya finally finds out that Danny and his girlfriend broke up, and then goes on a date with his best friend. Again, I was just so uncomfortable with the introduction of this new potential relationships at 50% in the book. On the date, the best friend IMMEDIATELY starts questioning Kaliya about her past with Danny, and then decides FOR HER that she is currently still hung up on him.

For a different reader, this might feel really nitpicky. I wanted to see Danny and Kaliya spend more time together, and see a lot of the film industry. I was able to go to an author talk about this book and was really intrigued that the author had experience in the film industry.

As a romance reader, I really like romances where the two lovers get to spend a lot of on page time together throughout the entire book, so the focus being more on Kaliya’s journey then their journey together ended up not working for me.

I was in absolute awe of Myah Ariel’s debut novel. Kaliya and Danny’s second chance romance set amidst a film set while fighting back against racism, imposter syndrome and so much more tells a beautiful romance but also brings forth some very important topics.

I cannot wait to read more from this amazing new voice in the future.

Wow, what a gorgeous debut from Myah Ariel.

This book had me locked in from page one, and I loved falling deep into Kaliya and Danny's story. It was simultaneously heart-wrenching and funny, tender and angsty. I loved watching the author's background in film shine through in Kaliya's career in the field, and the commentary on diversity and equity in the industry. I also appreciated the authentic growth of these characters and how the author developed their voices and personalities throughout the story. Myah is truly an author to follow!

I did struggle with the pacing of the book at times, and felt like the last 15% of the book wrapped up too tidily, making it feel too fast and a bit unsatisfactory. And while I struggled with some of the character's decisions (the story didn't sell me on Danny until the very end, tbh), I recognize the realness of mistakes and personal development that the author was able to convey through her characters. It felt like a genuine love story.

Overall, a thoroughly readable, page-turning stunner of a story.

Thank you to Berkley and Netgalley for the e-ARC in exchange for my honest, unbiased review. WHEN I THINK OF YOU is out 4/16.

DNF at 15%. Between the authors note/CWs and the way the couple reunites, I'm not sure this book will be for me. However, I imagine this would be a good book for people who like Hollywood/movie behind the scenes and second chance romances. Thank you to PRH Audio and Berkley for review copies.

Thank you to Myah Ariel and to Netgalley for the ARC! This is a romance written by a film lover and it shows in all the best ways from movie references (Mo' Better Blues; Bamboozled; Carmen Jones) to the intimate description of being in a movie theater, film studies class, and making a film.

FMC Kaliya has been 'paying her dues' in Hollywood as the administrative go-to at a production company for years. She's often tasked with sorting packages while she dreams of being a producer. During her front desk shift, in walks MMC Danny, son of an Oscar winning director and Kaliya's former college boyfriend. Danny offers Kaliya a job on his newest film he is making about his parent's story as he (correctly!) suspects that she still dreams of being a filmmaker.

When I Think of You infuses Danny and Kaliya's past as college students in New York to their present as colleagues in Los Angeles. Both are unsure why things ended the way they did between them, but before they can explore a future together, they both need to understand their past. Each character is navigating their own stuff - Danny, his grief, and Kaliya, her so close yet so far dreams - which impact the way they can show up for one another. This book reminds us that true love will always have its time - it may not be as long as we'd want (like Danny's parents) or in the timing we'd prefer (like Danny & Kaliya), but its impact is forever.

This book does not just contain a love story between two people, but also a love story between a person and film. We see Kaliya's ambition and frustration in an industry that is not without its flaws. Myah tackles these excellently from nepotism to performative commitment to diversity & inclusion (with no intention of supporting underrepresented storytellers) to the harmful notion of being "too green" and needing to paying your dues.

As a woman living in LA and working in film, this book was extremely relatable and encouraging. It is a beautiful, but weird and intimidating environment to be in and Myah captured it perfectly - no doubt from her own experiences of working in Hollywood. Kaliya wants to be further along in her career by now, but despite her cinema studies degree, student film experience, and working at the Producers Guild, she continues to be dismissed. Kaliya's career journey gave me a lot to think about.

Thank you, Myah, for sharing your cinematic romance with us. Cannot wait wait for what is to come next <3 P.S. While writing this review and looking back through my book highlights, I was tearing up because this book is that lovely and heartfelt.

Loves:
- The parallels between Danny's parents' relationship to Danny and Kaliya's relationship. Danny's parents were different races - his dad was white and his mom was Black. Danny and Kaliya come from different backgrounds - Danny was born into a film family while Kaliya was not.
- Film references: from the Academy Awards, location scouting, staying seated through the credits, & "tell me your favorite movie, the best movie you've seen, and the best movie you haven't seen yet"
- Danny's curiosity and attunement to Kaliya: "I'm missing something here. Tell me." / "What are you not saying right now?"
- This book tackles dreams and grief and is also so FUNNY! Many laugh out loud while reading moments

LINK TO REVIEW: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/6154519068

What an amazingly well written second chance romance! The author's writing style, word arrangements, and over all plot were absolutely engaging start from finish. It was a little hard to keep fighting for the two character's with Kaliya constantly not believing Danny and running away. However the set up was perfect for the ending and I found myself smiling and really hoping she would get herself together. This is my first book by this author and I will be keeping an eye out for more!