I received an ALC of this book and I really enjoyed it. The narration was very good and I found myself completely immersed in the story. The story started off as a chance meeting/college vibe and I thought that was the way the whole story would be which is fine by me, I love that trope. But it developed into a really emotional journey for both of the main characters. Skye and Dante both faced some real tragedy and trauma in their lives and it was an invisible string that drew them together. They were able to really understand what each other had gone through. I loved all the deep song/music references. It really added an interesting aspect to the story. And hanging around the radio station brought an Empire Records vibe. :)

Dante and Skye are both college students and end up working together at the college’s radio station. There is immediate attraction. However, they each have their own personal baggage to deal with it. Dante’s is his past and Skye is struggling with losing her basketball career and finding her own new path. While there is a lot of chemistry between these two, they definitely struggle with communication. I loved Dante until he disrespected Skye. I did love all of the song references throughout the book. Be aware that this book deals with bad parental relationships, cancer, death of a parent, and rape. Thank you NetGalley for providing me with an ARC in exchange for my honest review.

This books explores many things from love, healing and the power of music to heal all wounds and get you through the hard times. I really enjoyed the musical references at the beginning of each chapter and felt that this really help set the tone for each one. I loved both Syke and Dante's passion for music and their attraction to one another. They both were navigating traumas from their past and while they were not completely open to letting each other in at first, it was amazing watching them grow and eventually opening their hearts completely to each other.

I felt that the narrators delivered outstanding performances and they just brought life to these amazing characters. The emotion that each narrator put into the characters was easily felt and made this an unforgettable experience.

There is also some spice in this book, which I wasn't expecting but I was here for it.

Music really is a universal language and can help just about anyone get through just about anything.

Read if you enjoy:
- Strong FMC
- Redemption
- Spicy romance
- Music themed books
- Dual POV

Thank you @macmillan.audio and @sarahcastilleauthor for the #gifted audiobook.

This one was good. Like really good. It was different than your typical romance in that it give music references at every turn and gives the characters something to bond over that is not usually something I've seen in romance books.

With that said, there is just about every other trope imaginable in this book which is both fun and also a smidge overstimulating. I felt like the middle could have been less traumatic for the characters if they weren't both dealt such a tragic deck of cards to handle. Things would work out and then BAM one of them gets hit with life altering news… things settle and then BAM the other gets earth shattering news…. It was all dealt with appropriately but also felt heavier than it needed to be. The way the characters come together is natural and fun and swoony. All the side characters are perfect and supportive. From start to finish, it's a gem- middle was just a little wonky for me.

I enjoyed all the mosaic references and the banter between characters, and if you love music this one's for you!

Audiobook review: narrated by Thomas Oakley and Lila Winters
4 stars for story / 5 stars for performance

This was a beautifully written coming of age romance. These characters are easy to love and I was genuinely rooting for them both. Dante is a great guy and has overcome a lot in his young life. Skye is also working really hard at staying in school despite losing a basketball scholarship after a fatal car accident in which she lost her dad. They bond over their mutual love of music. The plot is great and well timed. There are plenty of points of contention that keep interest high and I was tuned in for hours.

The audio aspect was top notch. These narrators were great at bringing the emotions to the forefront and I literally felt the characters brought to life. I highly recommend this one in audio if you are able to listen!!

This one kept my attention but felt longer than it needed to be. But the spice was A+. It was contemporary romance with open door romance that was well done. Definitely plan on reading more from this author! I really enjoyed the female narrator but the male narrator took a bit to get used to, but that’s probably just a personal preference!

Marketed as "A Star is Born" meets "Good Girl Complex," I was immediately drawn to the premise of The Sound of Us, which is that music is the universal language, and music connects us in so many different ways. The characters in The Sound of Us had both endured traumas of different kinds, but their connection to music was the bridge that brought them together and ultimately saved them both. Skye and Dante don't make sense on paper, but their connection and their chemistry is off the charts. The Sound of Us is perfect for fans of the After series or other new age college romances with broody heroes and heroines who bring the sunshine.

I listened to the audiobook and the narration by Lila Winters and Thomas Oakley was very well done. They both delivered stunning performances that brought the book and its characters to life.

Thank you to Macmillan Audio for my advance listening copy.

This book definitely took me on an emotional roller coaster ride. The song choices to go with the chapters are on point.👍🏾
I really enjoyed this story and would recommend this one.
Thank you Netgalley for providing me with an ARC Audiobook in exchange for my honest review

This is definitely a beautiful roller coaster ride of emotion. It really doesn't have a lot of rockstar vibes in it, but it is a great story. Trauma, healing and being able to move on into and through a healthy relationship are the challenges these two face throughout their story. If you like emotional reads, you will love this one.

✨ College Romance
✨ Workplace Romance
✨ He falls first
✨ Bad boy musician
✨ Sports
✨ Forbidden




This was an emotional and angsty story of two people with pasts that include tragedy and perseverance.

Skye Jordan was always looking for acceptance and love. She has major daddy issues. She was always trying to impress him and gain his love through basketball. It wasn’t her passion like journalism but it was a connection to her father. She worked hard and was mildly successful but tragedy struck and she had a major setback. Now she needs a miracle to stay in school.
Dante Romano, loner and night DJ for the independent school radio station. He is focused on a law degree. Music is his passion but revenge is in his heart.

Skye and Dante connect through their love of music. It was fun when they bantered back and forth about music and bands.
The story deals with the loss of loved ones, hurt and heartbreak. Two people trying to keep promises to the past. Overcoming guilt and tragedy. We get a brooding MMC, mystery and a HEA.,

My expectations were high, but I ended up feeling let down. The story felt overly cheesy, and although it was a struggle to continue listening, I held onto hope that it would improve. The dynamics between the characters and their individual struggles were well-crafted, making them relatable. Naming each chapter after a song was also a clever touch. However, the dialogue and behavior of Dante and Skye seemed over the top. I would like to express my gratitude to NetGalley for providing the ARC audiobook.

The Sound of Us has all the morally gray MMCs that we want (i.e. like all the MMCs we know and love from the Twisted Series or Kings of Sin series 👀). It's a romance at its base BUT there's a lot of grief, trauma, suspense, etc. that twist around the romance line and makes it a much deeper story. I loved the relationship and that the main characters kinda found each other's safe space in one another AND all of the awesome music vibes! There's a lot that goes on but it's a pretty good story and I really loved the audiobook! Thank you so much to Macmillan Audio for a copy of this audiobook in exchange for an unbiased review!💞

Super spicy college romance that does dabble into more serious topics like traumatic injuries, assault, and violence. These two characters have deep seeded issues but together they can begin to heal.

Skye is a former basketball athlete who was in a car accident that derailed her future, she meets Dante the hottest radio DJ on campus who happens to be infatuated with her on site. When she interviews for a job at the station they need to hide their romance or do they. Lots of highs and lows but with the steamy connection it is enviable they belong together.

Title: The Sound of Us
Series: n/a
Author(S): Sarah Castille
Genre: Romance- College
Narrator(s): Lila Winters; Thomas Oakley
Publication Date: November 26, 2024
Publishing Co.: Macmillan Audio
Length: 320 pages/ 43 chapters
Rating: 4.25 ⭐️ / 3-3.5 🌶️

Trigger Warnings:
* Trauma
* Violence
* Murder
* Suicide

Tropes:
* slow burn
* coming of age
* friends to lovers
* found family
* dual pov

Skye Jordan is a budding journalism student, while DJ Dante Romano is a bass guitarist with his own college radio show who also happens to be a law student. Despite their different fields, they have more in common than they realize. Their chance meeting reveals both of their passions for music, but they ultimately bond over their shared experiences of music as well as dealing with traumatic losses. The characters, plot are both relatable and well-developed. This was my first ever book written by Ms. Castille and I wouldn't be opposed to checking out her other works. I would recommend The Sound of Us to family and friends who love slow-burn romances, with spice and a love of music undertone.




I'd like to thank Netgalley, MacMillian Audio Company & Sarah Castille for an advanced copy of The Sound of Us in exchange for an honest review.

The Story of Us is a dual narrative between college students Dante Romano and Skye Jordan on their journey to recovery. Narrators Lila Winters and Thomas Oakley do a wonderful job portraying these two characters. Dante is your ultimate bad boy in a rock band, DJ of a late night radio show, and ladies man. Skye Jordan is a struggling journalism student who is recovering from a car accident that has cost her the basketball scholarship that paid for school. The two meet at a bar Dante is playing at and the chemistry is instant. Their worlds collide when Skye takes an internship at the radio station to help pay her way thru school and then the book gets steamy. Get ready for several intense love scenes. which are excellently narrated. Sarah Castille explores how trust issues can truly impact the relationships we build and the life we think we want. Skye and Dante have to learn to trust themselves as well as others to save the radio station ans their potential relationship. I loved how the story unfolds and I thought the ending was brilliant.

Skye has a bright future ahead of her, journalism and college basketball. After a car accident that takes the life of her father and leaves her unable to walk her life is changed tremendously. After 18 months of rehab she is ready to get her life back in line. She is back in college and ready to try out for the basketball team again. She runs into a mysterious music man named Dante at a local bar. They quickly fall for one another over their shared love of music. The two of them quickly become unseperable, things were finally looking up for Skye.

When she shows up to tryouts she realizes that she isn't nearly as close to being back to her old self as she thought. Her injuries have left her unable to perform as she needs to. Her fears are solidified when she gets the news that she didn't make the basketball team. She is now forced to figure out how she is going to continue going to college.

Skye is now forced to figure things out on her own. Will she figure out how to pay for schooling and explore the relationship with Dante or will she pack it all away and move home?

The steamy parts are STEAMING! Skye is a very relatable character. Life kept throwing things at her but she continued to fight and make things right. Dante was a little harsh at times (some women are into that) but I was relieved when Skye finally took some power. I liked the storyline and the characters. Listening to the songs at the beginning of each chapter also helps add to the story and I really like that extra detail.

I’ve read Castille’s Redemption series years ago and loved it. I thought this book would follow suit, but it fell kinda flat for me. I did love the music aspect of this book, the actual conflict was just not strong enough to connect for me. Overall, a solid read, but not one that will stick with me.

The cover of this book is what initially caught my attention. After reading the blurb I decided to give this new to me author a try.

I enjoyed this college romance that focused on the relationship of Dante and Skye.

They say opposites attract but these two share a love of music and past trauma in their family lives that forge a friendship that turns to more.

Skye is trying to find her way after losing her basketball dream. On the verge of losing everything , she takes an internship at the radio station that Dante works at.
Dante gets lost in music to ease the pain in his life inflicted by the hands of his father. His mind set on righting some wrongs.

This was an engaging story full of angst, miscommunication, secrets, understanding and love. They say music soothes your soul, in this instance I believe it helps Dante and Skye find their way to a HEA.

Overall.. I enjoyed this story because I like a romance with some serious emotional grit to it. This story is giving the same vibe as an early 2000’s teen movie in the best way — Think Save the Last Dance or Raise Your Voice. We have a two college-aged main characters who have faced horrible tragedies and they are both knocking down each other’s walls as they learn to trust each other. The audiobook production was great and I really enjoyed both narrators. This book is decently spicy— Much more than I was expecting. There were some cringy lines that had me laughing a bit, but overall I liked it. If you were a fan of those early 2000’s romance teeny-bopper movies, I think you will love it too!

I am in no way assosiated with or paid for my review.

I enjoyed this book! it did start out a little slower than what i am used to. Overall For me this book was a decent mix of spice and nice. With that said I would not listen to this book with young ear around.
They say music is the universal language and this book brought it home!