This is an intriguing story about friendship, fame, and the cost of both. The writing is lush and beautifully descriptive, however, I didn’t feel connected to any of the main characters.

Thanks to NetGalley, the author and publisher for an advanced reading copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

3.5 stars: Highly readable novel that definitely gave me “Taylor Swift’ feels as it is the journey, from childhood to super stardom, of a singer who also moves through the varied music genres of country/pop/rock.

At the same time, however, there is a mystery of her best friend from high school - a body is found in today’s timeline, and the book spends the rest of the plot line traveling back and forth to expose where Dylan came from and how she arrived at her Icon status.

At times, the constant time-switching was hard to follow, but the story was compelling, believable, and kept me turning pages. I was entertained:)

Thank you to Thoughts From a Page podcast and Mariner Books for the advanced copy of Once More from the Top! When given a chance to read an advanced copy of Emily Layden’s new novel I took it based on the description. I didn’t realize she was the author of another favorite, All Girls, which I loved a few years ago.

Once From the Top is a story that draws you in through country star Dylan Read’s memories of her best friend in high school, Kelsey, Kelsey’s tragic accident and Dylan’s rise to fame along with the present day news of Kelsey’s accident and its impact on Dylan’s life and relationship. Layden creates a believable story of fame that brings to mind Daisy Jones and the Six as well as Colton Gentry’s Third Act while also building suspense and pulling the reader into a 15 year old mystery. I strongly recommend this book and look forward to more from Layden in the future!

I wanted to love Once More from the Top, but ultimately it felt like two different books to me.

One is the rise of a singer (whose career mirrors a real-life pop star's) and how her career was influenced by her childhood best friend. The other is a woman revisiting her hometown in connection to the discovery of her best friend's body. Both are compelling ideas, but the way they are utilized here, neither has a real narrative. I wish it would have felt more like a true mystery or more of a singer carving her path in the music world. Instead, I was frustrated by what seemed like two half-stories.

My issues with the plot aside, the writing is beautiful. The characters and settings were very well-written, and would have been incredible if the plot served them in a stronger way. I'll definitely read the author's next book.