I got a Berkely A R C, yay!

So grateful to get one of my most anticipated reads early.

I’ve tried to write this review dozens of times and it’s been the literary version of scattered and stuttered speech.

This. Book. It’s just beautiful. Heart wrenching. Heart wrecking.

I was mad at Kaliya and Danny at different parts of the book. I screamed at the people making their lives difficult. I cried at their losses. I laughed at many moments between Kaliya and her roommate.

Danny’s mouth! Whether it’s sharing his heart or behind closed doors, he takes me out. It’s. Just. Perfection.

Kaliya’s career journey is so relatable, especially as (me being) a Black woman. I’m sick at how long she had to endure but so appreciative of getting to see her take the time that she needs to build a career proactively instead of reactively.

I normally hate third-act breakups but but the sign of a good book is making me love something I hate. This one felt worthwhile and the getting back together was SOOOO worth it. Some of the most poignant declarations of love came after the break-up and them making their way back to one another.

When I Think of You is a frighteningly beautiful story and I’m afraid I’ll spend the rest of my days recovering from it.

I can’t wait to reread when it comes out and then literally everything Myah Ariel ever writes in the future.

P.S. If you’re someone who very pettily wants the villains to get their comeuppance, it happens in this book.

This was enjoyable. The chemistry between Danny and Kaliya was evident from page one and their love story was one I was rooting for. I do wish we got more from Danny’s point of view but I’ll always prefer a dual point of view when it comes to romance no matter the book. The longing between the two leads was the part of the romance that I think was the most well done, and there could’ve been more longing and angst added to the story to really pack a larger emotional punch. I don’t think this book makes any large leaps in terms of the genre but it’s worth the read, if not for the romance but for the social justice elements relating to inclusivity in Hollywood and the struggles that come with being a woman of color in any field.

Kaliya is working a thankless job as a receptionist at a film studio. When Danny Prescott shows up at her desk seven years since they've seen each other, she is surprised by the feelings that come back to her. Their college romance is still something she hasn't recovered from. Danny offers Kaliya a job on his next directorial project and Kaliya reluctantly agrees, knowing she will have to work daily with the man she was enamored with. As they work together on the project, they discover new and old things they love about each other.

I really enjoyed this one! I love books that feature behind-the-scenes looks at the film industry. The glitz and glamour of film is enjoyable but I find the makings of a movie even more intriguing. Myah Ariel has a background in film and her expertise was evident in this book.

Kaliya and Danny had amazing chemistry. They had an intense attraction and tension from the moment they saw each other again after seven years. How could Kaliya not fall all over herself after Danny? He was smooth, kind, and he had a confidence that was very sexy. Danny had this other side of him in the bedroom that was a surprise to both Kaliya and me. When he first whispered those things in her ear, my jaw dropped!

Pick this one up for a sweet and sexy second-chance romance!

Steam level: 🔥🔥🔥
⚠️: mention of infidelity

This one is for the second chance romance lovers...and third and fourth chance romance lovers.

If you enjoyed Regina Black’s The Art of Scandal, I think you’ll like this too. It has:
Nepo Babies
Back-Stabbing
Break-Ups to Make-Ups

There’s also some great commentary in here about the film industry!

These characters couldn’t seem to stop hurting each other! It was not intentional or mean-spirited but at points I was like OMG PLEASE GO AWAY FROM EACH OTHER IF ONLY FOR MY SAKE! These two had issues, miscommunications and missteps without being toxic and they came to realize they needed to take a step back so they could love each other the right way. I was relieved when the characters took time to heal before their HEA - it was vital and I think the author expressed that point very well.

Also, Kaliya works for Wide Angle Pictures, casually referred to as WAP.The author absolutely knew what she was doing here and I had a Leslie Jordan level jump scare and cackle every time the acronym appeared.

This is an awesome romance debut novel that was well written and an interesting second chance. When I Think Of You follows Kaliya, the FMC who is trying to make her way into the movie industry and gets an opportunity to work with her first love, Danny, on his movie production. They reconnect about Danny's movie and emotions, and the vulnerability that they both still have from the past comes to the surface when they realize they are still attracted to each other. I really liked the movie industry setting and issues like race and nepotism, passion, and career that were explored. There was also good workplace drama that made it even more interesting. The romance is a slow burn with some past moments that showed how their relationship started and dissolved. My only quip was the epilogue, which was a little jarring and confusing. Overall, this was a really good read that explored grief, race, and the movie industry. I'm excited to see what the author writes next. Thanks to Berkley for this arc for an honest review.

Tropes/themes:
- Second chance romance
- Black fmc/biracial mmc
- Movie industry setting
- Workplace drama
- Workplace romance

I really enjoyed this book! I loved seeing Kaliya’s passion come back to her. In the work place black woman are really working hard and are getting passed up! The passion and dreams can really start to dim.

The romance is slow but I think because the focus is a little on their friendship first. Danny and Kaliya are building new memories and trust with one another throughout the book. Some of the new memories are definitely intertwined with their past and I enjoyed some of the flashbacks that Kaliya had throughout the book.

While the novel primarily focuses on Kaliya's perspective,I wish I could have gotten more insight into Danny's thoughts and emotions, there are times where I just wanted to know how he was feeling especially since seven years has gone by. This book would resonate well with fans of second chance romances and those fascinated by the inner workings of the entertainment industry!

This romance was a quick read! I liked the writing. It flowed very naturally and easily. I appreciated the conflicts based on the glass ceiling for people of color in all industry but especially the film industry in this case, and the exploration of the love story of the biracial main character's parents. That was a lovely subplot. I did not quite understand the female main character's reluctance to get to together with her love. I felt her motivation was not well explicated. Other than that, though, this was a very satisfying romance and I will definitely recommend it to romance lovers at our bookstore!

Thanks so much to publisher and NetGalley for the ARC!

A romance that will break you and put you back together again.

Hits:

- This was a nicely done slow burn. The pacing was good and not agonizingly slow.

- The character banter and Kaliya’s internal dialogue were hilarious.

- The friendship dynamics - Kaliya and Neah’s friendship was so genuine and warm.

- I loved that the FMC was a black woman in film, as I don’t see a lot of books reflecting that.

- I loved how Danny never let Kaliya doubt herself or her potential and didn’t let her settle for less. He always reminded her of how good she is at what she does and to be confident in her work. I also loved how he never let anyone disrespect her and always did things to remind her that she belonged at the table.

- Kaliya was such a relatable character, and I saw myself in her in so many ways.

- Shed light on important issues that can occur in the film industry, including discrimination, racism, and misogyny/misogynoir.

- Sensitive topics like grief were handled with care and represented well.

- The illustration of healing in both Danny and Kaliya. Danny with his emotional unavailability, and Kaliya with her fear of abandonment. They came to realizations about these things, communicated about them, and took accountability.

- Showed a realistic portrait of a second chance relationship, how sometimes it’s just not the right time, and you have to take a step back to heal first.

Misses:

- While I liked Danny, he fell flat for me in some ways. Based on his actions at times, it seemed he had some things he still needed to work through. It felt like he was playing emotional mind games with Kaliya as he blindsided her multiple times and then came to apologize like it was just an “oopsie.” It started to feel intentional and became annoying and triggering. I also felt like he tried to guilt-trip her once she spoke her mind and made her decision. It felt like he didn’t really take the time to understand the magnitude of the effect the situation would have on her.

- I felt like we didn’t really get to see Danny and Kaliya full force in their second chance due to everything that was happening around them. I hope we get another book, so we can really see them bask in it.

- Celine (She didn't make or break the book for me; I just couldn’t stand her and wish her nothing but the worst in life).

Overall, this debut was a great read that pulled at my heart from start to finish. I truly enjoyed it.

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for an ARC of this novel; all opinions are my own.

I love the writing style of this novel. The author knows how to write, that is for sure. I just didn’t like the story itself.

I unfortunately DNF’d this at 50%. Beyond the emotional cheating that occurs, I just didn't like our heroine or our hero. I just finished A Chance at Love by Beverly Jenkins which features a strong, independent, driven woman and then moved on to this novel featuring Kaliya who I was fully rooting for, but who ended up being a doormat. Kaliya is waiting for a man (Danny) to step in and save the day, save her career, validate her, and just give her a chance. Danny flaked on her years ago, almost ruined her career in the beginning of this novel, emotionally cheats on his girlfriend with her, and then continues to string her along. Now, I know they’ll end up together because it’s a romance novel, but in this day and age I don’t want to read about a woman chasing a man and waiting for him to decide to be with her.

When I Think Of You by Myah Ariel is a second chance romance between two former college flames who have not seen or spoken to each other for seven years. Kaliya Wilson has been working reception at a big film studio, though she has “paid her dues” to move on to something more directly related to movie making (which is her dream since studying at NYU) rather than making coffee and copies. Danny Prescott, her former college lover, is a director who reappears in her life and offers her a job on his newest production. It’s an opportunity for Kaliya to finally get from behind the reception desk, but it requires trusting Danny again. Allowing herself to leap out on faith, she agrees to the job. Yet “Hollywood politics and scandal” could damage both Kaliya’s career and the production, so she has to decide if she’s going to do what’s right — even if it means she’ll miss out on this second chance at love.

I am well aware that this is a romance novel, and I know that romance is the focus of this book. However, I cared about nearly everything else in this story way more than the romance. This is not to say that I do not believe this book should be classified as a romance novel because it is. Rather, I just think the story was so rich with other elements outside of the romance that it really didn’t matter to me whether Kaliya ended up with Danny. I may be in the minority on that thought, but the excitement of Kaliya finally getting her chance to work on a film and advancing her career was the more compelling storyline for me. I wanted to see her win professionally. If she also won romantically that was just an added bonus.

The book is an easy read and I did not feel at any point I was laboring to finish. I was engaged from beginning to end, even without caring about the romance. In other romance books I’ve read, I was deeply bothered by not being invested in the romance plot of the book because oftentimes, it is the only part of the book that has substance. With When I Think Of You, this was not the case because all of the other subplots were so richly detailed, interesting, and compelling. This is a testament to Myah Ariel intimately knowing the backdrop of her novel, movie production in Hollywood.

My favorite thing about this book is that Kaliya was very aware of her own feelings and when she realized what she needed, took the time to take care of herself. It was very empowering to read about a woman who understands that taking care of yourself is just as important as being in and having love.

This is likely just a thing that happens in a lot of romance stories, but the end portion of the book felt like it flew by. The last 20% of the book advanced a lot timewise and things I wish I could have seen the character go through would have made the ending more satisfying for me. I felt I was not given enough time to see how the FMC and MMC were dealing with the things before I was getting to the end of the book. It felt like a summary of things that happened in an “in-between” time. In particular, I would have loved to see more on the process of Kaliya creating the professional life she wanted for herself. Having said this, the ending was also somewhat satisfying for me because of getting some closure for the other subplots of the book that I felt more connected to than the romance.

People who enjoy medium-burn (is that even a thing?) second chance workplace romance would love this book. I’d gladly read other works by Myah Ariel in the future.

When I Think of You is a phenomenal debut from Myah Ariel. This story is a second chance romance between Kaliyah and Danny who grew to share a strong bond during their time in film school at NYU, but due to misunderstanding this led to them losing contact with each other for seven years. Their love for filmmaking brings them back together and even have to work together.

I enjoyed this story a lot. Though the two protagonist had a lot to work through together, I enjoyed seeing them grow together during their time a part even as friends and have the chance to work through their feelings and have each others back when no one else would. One of my favorite parts of the book even outside of the romance was the conversation on the film industry in general and how often times black creatives can be overlooked and ideas can be put on the back burners because the men at the top don't deem it as good enough. Even when you have the privilege of nepotism like Danny, you will still be pushed to the side and walked all over if they believe your story is not palatable.

I did feel slightly underwhelmed by the big reveal of Danny's explanation behind what Kaliyah saw the day she chose to end things on her own, but at the same time it felt very realistic. Even though what Kaliyah saw was somewhat exactly what it looked like, it would've been resolved sooner had she given Danny the chance to explain. I felt that despite this fact Kaliyah's reaction was normal especially for her age and her experience or lack during this time. I guess I just wanted more after being on the edge of my seat waiting to find out what happened, but it still felt natural and realistic.

Overall, I really enjoyed this book and I am excited to get my copy of the official release in April.

Thank you to Myah Ariel and Berkley Romance for allowing me the opportunity to read the e-ARC of When I Think of You!

Thank you Berkley Publishing for the free book! #BerkleyPartner

As I always say, I am not a huge second-chance romance person and by that I mean I don’t typically gravitate towards it or seek it out. When I do read it I always end up enjoying the book. This one wasn’t any different, it was a good read! I also really love a Hollywood story because I’m a huge fangirl and so I am familiar with a lot of it.

Danny is grieving his late father and plans to make a movie about his parent’s beautiful forbidden love. Now that part I loved so much… the way his parents' love was talked about, how they met as children in the Jim Crow South. His mother being the only Black girl to attend his father’s all-white school. And how from then they faced challenges but their love always held them through. Kaliya is the down-on-her-luck receptionist in the industry that she wants to move up in. She met Danny on her first day of film school in NYC and sadly was not the nepo-baby that Danny was so she could not move as quickly in the industry as he was. Both were good characters who were heartbroken over each other and the hands they were dealt. It was a great piece on how the film industry treats Black artists, especially those who are women, as less or unworthy of telling their stories.

Sometimes I felt like the book was a little over the place. It had beautiful lines here and there but other times I felt the writing or dialogue was a little cringy. In the end, it felt rushed. When they broke up for the second time they needed time apart to find themselves without each other at the center and then the next chapter all of a sudden Kaliya had it all figured out and she was moving up in the world. The build-up was there and we spent so much time making this movie but then we moved on and fast forward in just a few pages. This can be done in books and often is but it didn’t translate well in this one. There were also times that made me question if they should even be together. They talked about loving each other but sometimes I wasn’t sure …

Overall, it was a great story with good characters.

(This is more of a 3.75 star rating for me). I really loved the insight into Hollywood and working for a movie studio. It was clear that Myah Ariel was speaking for experience (even before reading the author's note). and it was so compelling. However, the romance fell really flat. Honestly, if this was just about Kaliya's experience in the industry, it probably would have been a 5 star reading. Unfortunately, I just didn't see the couple lasting forever, considering it took them forever to get together and then they broke up like 2 more times after they got together.

I could not finish this due to the trigger warning of parental death/grief.

Thank you for the opportunity to read early.

Solid 4 ⭐️

I was so excited to read this and it did not disappoint. Some of the things I adored were Kal and Neha’s sisterhood, their ability to keep each other accountable and honest. The lack of competitiveness and true ride or die spirit between Bella and Kal was refreshing to see. Minnie was an absolute gem and her words really touched my heart. Kal’s road to self discovery and sitting in her worth and finding her own healing was beautiful to read on page.

I wish we were able to see more of Danny and his POV. Due to it being a second chance romance, I think it’s important for the reader to be able to see and hear his side of the story in real time. We learned of his feelings and his actions through the lens of Kal, when I feel like it should’ve been his story to tell. The thing that made me the most angry was the lack of real consequences for Celine and Jim. I also understand that that’s our reality, people in positions of power and privilege getting let off easy but I would’ve really loved to see them burn.

All in all, an amazing debut novel and I’m so grateful to have been gifted with this ARC by Myah Ariel.

This was such a fun and cute second chance romance!

Danny works in the film space and wants to produce a movie based off of his parent’s love story and reaches out to Kaliya (the prev love of his life from seven years ago) who also works in the film industry to help create his dream movie and honor his father who passed away.

This book had some funny parts where I found myself laughing at the FMC dialogue because her inner monologues were so witty. I loved her relationship with her friend too they were funny without being too cheesy!

Seeing the couple come together after so many years was interesting to read because you don’t really know why they truly broke up in the first place. So you’re just rooting for them to be together!!

I wasn’t a huge fan of the 3rd act break up and didn’t like some of the choices some characters made in the relationship but overall I had such a fun time reading this!

There’s a scene of the manuscript of Danny’s parents from the movie he’s filming where Nathan (Danny’s father who is white) defends Minnie (Danny’s mom) by getting into a fight because of someone at work being racist towards her and there’s a part where she tells him what if something happens to him and says:
“and then where does that leave me?”
“It leaves me without you”.
And Danny’s father responds saying he’s her husband he should be defending her and she says,

“But where does that leave us if I don’t have you?”

AND I WANTED TO SOB MY GUTS OUT????

Def check TWs there are topics of racism discussed in the book that are central to the plot.

Thank you Berkley for the ARC!!

Good debut novel. It was a little wordy at times. Loved how the author incorporated inner dialogue and flashbacks to give more insight into the FMC. It also showed how miscommunication and grief affects relationships. I really wanted to see the characters marry and/have children. I also wouldn’t mind a story about Nathan and Minnie.

Overall: 4
Spicy Level 2 - Closed door

This was story about two people finding their way back to each other after seven years of miscommunication. FMC and MMC met when during her first year of college. Unfortunately poor timing and the death of his father lead them to loose touch with each other. Seven years later they meet again while FMC is working as a receptionist at a local company. MMC tries to set things straight and offer FMC a position as his assistant. Continued miscommunication leads to additional complicated situation which causes the MMC new film his new film project at risk and testing the strengthen of their new relationship.

This a great book about trying to live up to your family expectations and still living your own life. The importance of being open and honest in communication even when you think so will cause additional harm. This was a slow burn, with dual point of views about finding self love and self acceptance.

3.5 stars rounded up.

This is a really solid debut. Strong characters, incorporating themes beyond the romance (privilege, class, race, grief) and handling those well, some swoony and steamy moments that mostly move the plot forward. It's flaws are pretty typical for a debut: overstuffed plot that causes pacing issues (it drags a bit in parts), over-reliance on tropes, clumsy writing (especially at the beginning) as the scenes and characters are being set. I always wanted to know how it would end, though. I'm excited to see what Ariel works on next.

Thanks to Netgalley for the advance copy.

I really wanted to like this one! Unfortunately, I couldn't get past the MMC. Danny's hot and cold behavior towards Kaliya was frustrating to read. I also didn't like how he was acting with Kaliya while he was still in a relationship. That didn't sit well with me. Overall, I just wasn't captivated by this one. Thank you to Berkley for the ARC.