Cute cover, cute story. Great representation. Enjoyed the feel of the book, the autumn vibes. The 80’s music references, the friends and found family parts of the book. Would have liked a bit more chemistry between Allie and Ryan. They were a cute couple but could have been so much more. Looking forward to the authors next book. Thanks netgalley and the publisher.

I really enjoyed this cute romance with a twist of 90’s punk music thrown in! Well rounded and well paced, it was just a delight to read!

This was a fun, easy read. The fmc Allie had a 90s punk rock vibe. I read this during the fall and it was the perfect romance for my mood. Ryan wasn't my favorite MC, but he was so sweet at trying to get Allie to reconnect with old friends. Sometimes we need loved ones to give us a good push.

I just wanted a bit more of a romantic story, or more chemistry between the characters. It missed the mark a bit for me.

✨ Golden Retriever / Alley Cat
✨ Barista / Dj
✨ He falls first
✨ Found family
✨ Rockstar / Fan

This was a charmingly cozy read, read in one sitting, and I adored it. It is a quick one, so I don't really want to spoil anything past the synopsis given by the author, but if you like the trope "found family" especially, this one is for you. I loved the supporting characters, I loved the representation, and I think this was a delightful book. Thank you to NetGalley and Penguin for letting me read this one early. (sorry the review is a few weeks late 😅)

This was a decent book! I thought it was well written, and loved the music references in it. It was very immersive, with engaging characters.

This was a fun quick read with a musical theme thrown in. I enjoyed it. I liked how it felt like a small town romance even though it was set in Brooklyn. I give it 3.5 stars!!

Man, this book was awesome! A romance filled with fun music references - what's not to love?! 4 stars!

A fun romantic story woven together with music. I love when it’s not just a straight up romance, and there is the fun musical theme going on here too.

I loved the music references but had a hard time getting into the book. It felt drawn out in some parts and the characters didn’t feel well developed. I wasn’t invested in Allie and Ryan’s romance as it needed more tension for a slow burn. After their first interaction with each other I didn’t feel a connection between them or understand out of the initial meet what made them continue.

A book full of music references?! I. Am. HERE. FOR. IT!

I loved the premise for this story, it felt cozy and nostalgic.

It's set in Brooklyn/NY (which I love) but still manages to have small-town vibes thanks to the cast and the cafe setting.

However, the characters felt a little flat in places...

Overall though, it was a fun and a solid 3 star GOOD read.

This is such a cute and heartwarming book. The found family trope really resonates with me. It's one of my favourite things to see when people make their own family and surround themselves with love. It was done really well in this book. And of course, the romance was great! I was really shipping them almost immediately but loved the slow burn of it all so much!!

I loved the premise of this book before I started reading and it didn't disappoint! a fun café setting, ‘80s vibes, and the perfect mix of love and self-discovery, it was impossible not to root for Allie’s second chance at both music and romance. I grew up recording songs off the radio and making mixtapes so this was right up my alley!

Thank you to Netgalley and Penguin Random House Canada for the eARC of this book in exchange for my honest review.

Oh my! I loved this sweet, funny book about found family and music. I know most people are music lovers, but this particular book really spoke to my soul.

Allie Andrews used to be known as Allie Jetski when she was a member of The Jetskis, a female punk band in the 00’s. The band broke up in ‘09 and she’s been working for her aunt’s Brooklyn coffee shop ever since. She delivers coffee to a studio nearby and the technician immediately recognizes her as Allie Jetski.

Thus begins a friendship to crush to more with Ryan Abernathy who is one of the sweetest, most adorable book boyfriends I’ve ever read. He’s a soft giant who says the right things and has a beautiful, exuberant personality. Allie is attracted to him right away, but Ryan puts them in the friend zone for reasons of his own.

But friends they are! And he and his gorgeous roommate, Anisha, start helping Allie find her former bandmates so she can have closure on a traumatic part of her life.

There’s a lot of fun and tension as they draw Allie out of her insular life. I was charmed by all the characters and the story itself felt realistic to me. I recommend you add it to your list. You won’t be sorry.

I received this eARC via #netgalley and @penguinrandomhouse. All thoughts are mine alone.

#romance #romancebooks #contemporaryromance #contemporaryfiction #makemeamixtape #jenniferwhiteford #bookrecs #bookreview #bookstagram

My love for music drew me to this book. And let’s not forget the title 😍 I’m not a huge fan of punk rock bands but Make Me A Mixtape was a cute, heartwarming story. It was a great mix of romance, music, found family, and the nostalgic moments of making a mixtape. When it comes to music, everything is digital nowadays so it was a trip down memory lane with the mixtapes.

Allie is former punk rocker who gave up on music and left her band, the Jetskis, 10 years ago. Since then, she took a job as a barista at her aunt’s cafe in Brooklyn in which she soon would have to take over once her aunt retires. Ryan was a die hard fan of Allie’s band. He’s determined to help her find her way back to music and come to terms with what happened all those years ago with her band.

This book was easy to relate to because it’s been times that I was upset when my favorite R&B groups broke up and I wanted to know why and if it was possible they would make music again later down the line. I didn’t want to give up their music and still listen to it faithfully. Overall, this was a cute story and I recommend it to all music lovers!

thank you for NetGalley and Penguin Random House Canada for this eARC!
this was my first ever arc and i’m so grateful to have received it in exchange for reviewing it :)

Allie and Ryan are a dream rom com couple. cheesy, wholesome, but also a little too surface level for me. I don’t enjoy insta lust and this book is definitely insta lust even though they don’t get together until near the end. this book is also in third person pov which makes it hard for me to feel connected to the characters.

i loved the settings in the book. the cafe, cozy apartments, lofts, etc. they were so cute and make the book so much more enjoyable! I also loved the musical aspect of the book and the little plot twist near the end :) iykyk.

the book is out now!! go support this wonderful canadian author :)

Thank you to NetGalley for the eARC of this book!

Even though I didn’t finish it before release date, I’m so happy I read through this one! It was cute, charming, romantic but still had some grit due to our FMC being a former punk. Every character in this story holds a place in my heart and even though their personalities are all so different the author made them all work together really well. A cozy book about falling in love, second chances, and taking risks.

I absolutely flew through this book! Allie and Ryan gave me all the feels. Allie was so in her own head she couldn't even see what was in front of her. After meeting Ryan, Allie was faced with her past and had to face it all head on. There were a lot of moments I wanted to throw my phone just from the frustration of Allie being in her own way! But I just couldn't put it down to the point I was up until 2AM reading just to finish it!

As someone who grew up in the time of mixtapes, this book tickled me like no other.

I've never been to New York but I can visualize the setting of this book so clearly. The author did a really great job setting the scene, and letting the reader live in the atmosphere of it all.

Allie & Ryan. Man, they are 2 messed up adults. They made me laugh. They made me cringe. They almost made me cry. They make me wish for a sequel!!!

I still have a box with mixtapes from high school boyfriends. I haven't listened to them in years, of course, but they hold a bit of nostalgia I don't want to let go.

Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC of this book in exchange for my honest review.

This was such a charming and sweet story! I absolutely adored Ryan and Allie and their friendship/romance. There's also a bit of a found family trope with all of the other characters and I love that! I wish I could hear all the songs that were being sung and what "Monster" sounds like!! There were some repetitive moments, but nothing that was super annoying. Thank you to NetGalley and to the publisher for my digital ARC!!

This book is a really sweet and cozy love story that will make you happy, especially if you love music! It's about a girl named Allie who used to be the lead singer of a punk rock band. But now, she's been hiding from her past for ten years, working in her aunt's café in Brooklyn. Allie likes her life because it's safe and quiet - until she bumps into Ryan, her biggest fan from back in the day, and suddenly her past comes rushing back.

Ryan really wants to help Allie find her love for music again, so they go on a journey to find her old bandmates and try to bring back the dreams she buried a long time ago. Allie and Ryan's love story starts slowly, with flirty banter. As they help each other through their journey, their connection grows stronger and becomes really sweet and genuine. Allie is a little prickly and doesn't let people get close to her, but Ryan is kind and always there for her, and eventually, he breaks down her walls.

I loved the music references throughout the book, and the soundtrack for the characters. With autumn vibes, holiday parties, and heartwarming moments that will make you feel all the feels, "Make Me a Mixtape" is the perfect book for anyone who loves feel-good romances with a little bit of depth. Whether you love music or just want to read a story about finding yourself and starting over, this book will definitely hit the right notes for you.

Thank you NetGalley for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.