This was my first book of Sarah’s. This book was written beautifully. I loved the musical references in each chapter.

Sky had her whole life planned out, but tragedy happened and changed it all. She bumps into Dante, an on campus dj, they have more of a connection than just music. Neither of them have time for a relationship, but they can’t deny the spark between them either.

I really enjoyed this emotional and steamy college romance.

I love reading #NetGalley arc books because I’m exposed to new-to-me authors and get to enjoy books that I may not read otherwise. And I’m so glad I read Sarah Castille’s latest novel, The Sound of Us. It was emotional, angsty, filled with romance and if you’re a music lover like I am, music references were scattered throughout.
The story follows two university students who are battling their own dark demons. They meet one night and have an instant connection, but when they start working together, there’s a strict no-dating policy. Can they resist the temptation?! If you’re looking for book about broken hearts and redemption, this novel is for you.

The Sound of Us is a steamy college romance story with a touch of mystery. This book deals with some pretty heavy topics like death of a parent, suicide and rape. This should be noted as trigger warnings if required!

Skye Jordan is back at school after a horrific car accident that killed her adoptive father and mangled her leg. As an aspiring basketball player that lost her place on the team after the accident, Skye is desperate to get it back. After all, basketball was her father’s dream.

Dante Romano has lost everyone in his life who cared. After both his mother and sister pass away under suspicious circumstances, he cuts out his father and changed his name. He also vowed to never let anyone else in. That is until he runs into Skye at a bar his band is playing and can’t get her out of his mind.

Dante and Skye connect over their love of music and undeniable chemistry but as their dreams crash in around them, they need to determine if the dreams they have been chasing truly belong to them and if there is room in their future for each other.

This was an angsty college romance with some pretty heavy topics. I liked the idea of the story but wasn’t fully connecting with the characters or their relationship. I did enjoy this authors writing though. This is a 3.5 star read for me.

Disclaimer: I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

#NetGalley #sarahcastille #thesoundofus

The Sound of Us (Havencrest U) by Sarah Castille
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐/5

The Sound of Us, tells the story of Dante and Skye, how even though they are opposite of each other they do share the love of music. I really enjoyed reading this story full of angst, love, misunderstandings, and secrets. I love the passion both Skye and Dante share for music. How that helps them communicate with each other. This was such a great read, Sarah did a great job of developing a great story with the perfect characters that fit to it.

For Skye, this is her life of second chances, and this time she is determined not to let anyone stand in her way, especially not a sexy musician named Dante. During the summer, Skye was on her way to becoming an amazing basketballer and had a scholarship for Havencrest. That was until a car crash happened and caused Skye to become an invalid and her dad to die. Now Skye after months of PT has come back to Havencrest as a last resort to get her spot back on the Basketball team and continue her journalism major. However, what will happen when she misses her shot now, she is scrambling to try and find a way to stay at Havencrest. Enter Dante, he has inherited a chunk of money from his grandmother and he sees it as blood money. When he hears that the radio station he loves might be going under, he offers the station owner some money to keep it afloat and creates an extra scholarship spot for a journalism intern - this is exactly what Skye needs to stay in school - but can she do radio journalism as her specialty is print journalism? With her love of music and journalism, this might just be the perfect spot for her and who knows can she fall in love and vice versa with a sexy musician named Dante? Like most New Adult romances, this one talks about trauma, abuse, estranged family ties, and suicide. Reading this book, I felt this quote summed up The Sound of Us by Sarah Castille perfectly "Music speaks what cannot be expressed, soothes the mind and gives it rest: heals the heart and makes it whole, flows from heaven to the soul". If you love edgy New Adult Romance and creating the perfect music playlist for all situations then you will love Sarah Castille's The Sound of Us - Book #1 in the Havencrest Series.

This is my first book by the author and I am a fan! I loved how the story flowed so well, almost like I was right beside the characters. This storyline was a unique one and I absolutely adored the musical references. The chemistry between Skye and Dante was palpable, the angst was great, and the suspense was perfect. I also really enjoyed the peripheral characters and hope to see more from them! I was sent a complimentary copy and I am choosing to leave my honest review.

This angsty college/workplace romance captivated me with its emotional depth and relatable characters. Both main characters bonded over their shared love of music, using it as a coping mechanism for their personal struggles. Their journey toward healing was filled with ups and downs, making for a compelling read. While there was a fair amount of miscommunication and push-and-pull dynamics, their easy banter highlighted their genuine connection despite misunderstandings. The level of spice was just right, and the storyline kept me engaged throughout. This was my first Sarah Castille book, but it certainly won't be my last. I highly recommend it to anyone who enjoys a story infused with music and themes of rebuilding after hardship.

Skye and Dante are two college students pursuing “their dreams”. Skye is trying to get back on the basketball team after a car accident and majoring in journalism. Dante works at the radio station but is pursuing a law degree.

They seem to be two totally different people but the one thing they have in common is their love of music. Skye is known for creating epic playlists for every occasion or mood and Dante is a bass player in a band. I liked that Sara wrote both MCs to be dealing with some sort or trauma or less than ideal past. This was a great angsty, new adult workplace romance. Skye and Dante were able to work through their individual troubles and be supportive of each other as a couple in a beautiful and complex way.

There is bickering, banter, secret sex, music, passion, and healing in this book. This was my first book of Sara’s to read and I would definitely be interested in reading more of her stories!

i literally want to cry because of how much i loved this book. dante and skye are so beyond perfect together! they speak their own kind of language and i absolutely loved reading their journey to their happy ending! they both have had such a rough life and such intense pressures on their shoulders so seeing that weight lessen throughout the book was so beautiful to see.

this book made me feel every emotion under the sun and i loved every second of it. i absolutely recommend this book especially for all the music lovers out there🩷

If you like music, this is the book for you! Skye, with her dreams of playing in the WNBA, and Dante, with his plans of becoming a lawyer, couldn't be more different. The one overwhelming thing pulling them together? Music. Follow the two on a journey that leads to self-discovery and love. I honestly haven't heard of most of the bands, but I enjoyed their passion. Word of warning, there is a r*pe in the book. It is a major plot line but is not described on the page.
🌶 4/5

<b>Mustang Skye</b>

4.5 stars - This was fantastic! It's been too long since I've read a book from Sarah. While I love her MMA and other books, she pulled off this good girl / lonely and broken man college romance with flying colors. All the feels come out to play as their insecurities are unraveled, past hurts to them and others revealed, and mysteries are solved.

Skye Jordan and Dante (Rossi) Romano have an instant connection. Their love language is music. I love how they get lost in their banter on multiple occasions as they debate artists and songs. I also love how their passion for music and each other spilled over in a variety of places, private and semi-public. So hot! 🔥🔥

<blockquote><i><b>I was a down-to-earth, practical person who preferred facts to fiction, reality to fantasy. Never in my life had I met a man who so utterly and completely overwhelmed all my senses.</b></i>
-- Skye Jordan</blockquote>
I truly didn't know what to expect from this book. As I mentioned, it's been many years since I've read Sarah's work, but I'm so glad I took a chance on it. The relationships are all terrific. The praise kink and good girl / bad boy trope play out fabulously.

In between all of Skye and Dante's angsty journey lies another relationship that is struggling to bud. I absolutely love Nick's patience, protectiveness, and perseverance as he plays the long game in his attempts to win over Isla. I can understand what drives each of them and love seeing how that develops.

Now, to go beg Sarah to give us the book's playlist. I didn't think to build it as I went and am regretting that. Fingers crossed that she's already got it queued and ready to go. If not, I'll put on my Rusted Root (When I Woke is a *chef's kiss* album but perhaps too engaging for this task; we shall see) and see what I can come up with.

H = 23; h = 20

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ - 5 Stars
🌶🌶 - Spice Level

Skye and Dante meet at a local bar where he's playing a gig with a band that's falling apart. They both jive together when talking about their musical playlists. Skye doesn't make the college basketball team her junior year due to an auto accident where she lost her father. Dante is another junior himself with some trauma as well. Both try to put their attraction and chemistry aside but give into the frenzy and later a relationship. Skye gets the internship at the Indie College radio station that Dante silently paid for and works there as well.

I truly enjoyed reading about these two falling in love together and the encouragement each gives the other for theie futures. The characters are well developed, especially when they talk playlists like a bunch of music nerds. This story brings me back to my college days of also being a Radio DJ for the years I was there. I enjoyed having a Top 20 mainstream rock countdown even though we barely were eeking out a broader due to the real transmitter being sold years before after a previous dj went on a tirade of cursing which caused FCC to fine the University. I did chuckle when the two finally were having spicy scenes in bed because most of their coupling was in dark basements, up against storage closet doors, on the radio couches, in dark secret passageway, and later the desk in the office. The journalism investigation parts were a nice addition to their story as well.

This is a perfect fit for readers who crave a deeply emotional and angsty romance that explores the complexities of love, loss, and vulnerability, with a strong focus on the healing power of music and human connection.

This is an angsty, new adult romance and although it was different from the usual gritty, MMA books that I have read from Sarah, I did like it.

Dante & Skye were both flawed in a beautiful way, dealing with past tragedies & just trying to move on with their lives in the best way they could. I really enjoyed reading their backstories and getting a feel for each of them. Having them work at the same radio station played into my love of workplace romances.

The premise of the universal belief of music healing wounds and bringing people together was prevalent in this story and worked so well.
I really enjoyed the musical reference for each chapter and setting the pace for it.

This story played on my emotions with Dante and Skye's struggles, passion, and learning to communicate with one another if they ever hoped to have a thriving relationship.

They had a lot of things to work out as a couple - communication being the primary, with a lot of angst, jealousy, bickering and back and forth in their relationship. I really wanted them to find some healing and to be happy.

I continue to be a big fan of Sarah's books and look forward to what she has in store next.

The Sound of Us🎶

I absolutely loved Dante and Skye’s story❣️

A musical aide to a college education and finding your soul mate who speaks your language is just a quick glimpse into this poignant masterpiece.

Skye is on a scholarship for basketball🏀 But after a car accident leaves her injured, she’s struggling to ensure she gets back on the team while trying to figure out what her future might hold. Her bestie, Isla, takes her to a bar to drink away her worries - where she meets Dante by accident outside the bar.

Dante had had a rough life and isn’t looking for any type of relationship. The minute he meets Skye, he knows she’s special and there’s something different about her that speaks to his soul❤️‍🩹 Loved it and I’m excited to read about Skye’s other bestie, Haley🙌

I received an advanced copy from the author and Netgalley and voluntarily leave my honest review🤩

3.5 stars. I got an arc of this and it was my first book by this author. I liked the characters and the storyline. It held many emotions and it definitely made me tear up. This book was very heavy on music. I like music in general like most people however it was somewhat hard for me to follow and I definitely didn't know at least half of the songs mentioned. Tropes/themes in this book include college romance, bad boy musician, workplace, he falls first, light sports and forbidden. Content warnings: mention of drug use, cancer, abuse, murder, suicide, sexual assault/rape, grief, car accident and injury.

THE SOUND OF US by Sarah Castille is a contemporary, new adult, erotic, romance story line focusing on journalism student Skye Jordan, and twenty-three year old, law student/ DJ Dante Romano.

NOTE: Due to the nature of the story line premise, there may be triggers for more sensitive readers.

Told from dual first person perspectives (Skye and Dante) THE SOUND OF US follows the building relationship between on journalism student Skye Jordan, and twenty-three year old, law student/ DJ Dante Romano. Approximately eighteen months ago, in an instant, Skye Jordan’s life spiralled out of control. Fast forward to present day, after a leave of absence, in the hopes of making the women’s basketball team, Skye returns to Havencrest U, where she will meet bad boy and DJ Dante Romano but all does not go according to plan, and Skye finds herself on the precipice of change, including the possibility of starting over somewhere else. At the proverbial eleventh hour, Skye is offered a journalism scholarship, an internship at the campus radio station where she will fall for a man whose own demons are dangerous and dark. As Skye begins to research a series of questionable events for her journalism assignments, our couple find themselves struggling to move on from the past.

The world building focuses on several pathways including the revelation of Dante’s demons, and Skye’s past but as Skye begins to dig deeper into a couple of stories, everything becomes personal and dangerous for the people she loves. Meanwhile, Dante is battling his father for control, a man who doesn’t like to be told no.

The relationship between Dante and Skye is one of immediate attraction based on a love of music. Their back and forth communication using song lyrics, titles and playlists was complex; their lack of communication and misunderstandings were the catalysts for many arguments and withdrawals. The $ex scenes are intimate and impassioned.

There is a large ensemble cast of colorful and energetic secondary and supporting characters including co-workers, friends, family, athletes, and mentors, all who play a significant role in our couple’s lives. I hope the author has plans for some of the other characters.

THE SOUND OF US is a story of secrets and lies, betrayal and obsession, power and control, family and friendships, acceptance and love. The premise is dramatic, haunting, emotional and thought-provoking; the romance is spicy and seductive; the characters are animated, sassy and determined.


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I just want to wrap my arms around Skye and Dante, two college age students who have been through so much, and find themselves connected by music. This book will get you in the feels have tissues near. This is not a light read, yet I could not put it down. Skye is strong, she has been through a lot, but never backs down, but she does need to be pushed, that is what best friends do best. Even as circumstances derail her path, one her father wanted, she discovers her happiness with a pivot.

Skye and Dante struggle in the beginning with miscommunication and perception. Their love of music will bring them back, as that is how they communicate best.

Song titles cleverly lead us in every chapter, communication, and job interview. The spice level is high, the topics included can be troubling to some, do your research. The story is deeply emotional but worth the read. I finished this book a few days ago, and the characters and story are still with me.

My first time reading this author, and I plan to read more.

Thank you to the Author for the advanced copy; this is my voluntary review.

The Sound of Us is a contemporary college, workplace romance and follows Skye and Dante We are taken on an emotional journey with these two, who forged a connection through their shared love for music.
While they both have past traumas to overcome the undeniable attraction they feel towards each other draws them together.
Both characters were likable and well developed and I loved seeing their growth both individually and together.
I loved the music references throughout the story and at the start of each chapter and I loved the found family aspect of the story.
This was an enjoyable tale filled with angst, miscommunication, secrets, love and music. I enjoyed it and would recommend it to romance lovers.

“I had always imagined meeting someone who wanted to hear the soundtrack of my life—the roadmap of the major milestones that got me to where I was at that moment in time—because it meant they truly wanted to know me. There was no point denying it existed, and I was sure he had one, too."

The Sound of Music is a New Adult/College Romance about two young adults who are learning how to navigate life on their own after shattered dreams and horrific childhoods. It’s also about found family, hope, healing, and the power of music. Told through dual POV, the physically and emotionally broken characters learn how to live with the scars from their past and how to rewrite the lyrics for the soundtracks of their lives.

I am a huge music lover, so I really enjoyed the representation of the power of music and the passion for music that the MCs shared. I also loved how each chapter was titled the name of a song. There were music/song references galore, which I loved.

The first half of the story was heavy and mostly character development which felt a little longer than necessary. However, once the plot picked up it had me hooked. I was interested in both of the characters' backstories, but honestly wasn’t too invested in their relationship story together. Their lack of communication, angst, bickering, immature jealousy and the on again/off again roller coaster relationship was just too much for me. Lack of communication is definitely one of my least favorite tropes, plus the spice was over the top, eye rolling, cringe. I am sure these were more ‘me problems’ and that the story will appeal more to young adults, but the story as a whole just wasn’t for this older adult.

The narrators did a great job bringing the story to life. They portrayed the characters exactly how I had envisioned them.

Thank you to @netgalley, @macmillanaudio, and @torpublishing for the #gifted ARC/ALC in exchange for an honest review.