If you love rockstar romance, FOR ONE NIGHT ONLY delivers and *then some*. I was entranced by Caleb and Valerie, and the delicious second-chance sexual tension they brought to every scene. Jessica’s prose glitters on the page, and the exploration of Caleb’s anxiety was nuanced and hit close to home. This is a love story that feels both fresh and nostalgic, thoroughly modern and speckled with pop culture references but still artistic and timeless. Fans of Elissa Sussman, Emily Wibberley & Austin Siegemund-Broka, and Falon Ballard are going to be obsessed with the behind-the-scenes celebrity drama and found family of the Glitter Bats and #CalErie’s swoony love story. I can’t wait for Jessica’s next romance!

Thank you to NetGalley and Berkley for an ARC in exchange for my honest review!

For One Night Only is a fun story about the GlitterBats. I am in a phase at the moment where I love all the nostalgic feeling rock group based books that have been coming out recently. Caleb was the true star of the book while Valarie moved the plot along. I wish we had more of the backstories of the other members of the band, but maybe we will get a sequel to explore them more. I am not sure how much character development there was, but it was an enjoyable second chance romance that I am sure romance fans will love.

Thank you to NetGalley and Berkley Publishing for an eARC copy of this title.

Thank you so much to NetGalley, the author, and the publisher for an early copy in exchange for an honest review.

This book was amazing.
Full of found family and learning how to forgive, I had so so much fun with this book.
To be honest, I read this a while ago so I'm forgetting a bunch, but what I can't forget is the vibes!

Second chance romance, rockstar vibes, found family, learning how to heal, writing that makes you feel like you're at the show... it was just a really well done book full of pining and angst and everything that we could hope from a book about tortured rock stars.

Thanks to NetGalley and Berkley for a DRC of this title.

Years after their band imploded on the brink of superstardom, bandmates and former lovers Valerie and Caleb find themselves back in each other’s orbits after their band reassembles for a reunion concert and must contend with old feelings (and old hurts) in the process.

Though I might’ve wished Valerie did more to make amends to her bandmates and the bandmates’ forgiveness wasn’t given quite so quickly or easily, I think fans of complicated female characters and rockstar romance will really enjoy this one. A lot here that contemporary romance readers can really sink their teeth into— and that cover’s gorgeous! Not a total home run for me, but I’ll look forward to reading what James writes next. 3.5/5.

3.5 stars. I'm pretty picky about contemporary romance but I enjoyed this for the most part. Loved the bi representation and how the description of the MMC is not the same as every other romance book. These characters have lots of ups and downs and I found myself stressed by some of their poor communication and actions. Also, there's a moment where it's revealed that one side character has feelings for another side character, and I assumed that by the end they would at least confess those feelings, but it was never brought up again? I enjoyed the spice as well, except for one thing: "folds." While this wasn't my favorite romance, I think many people would enjoy this. Thank you Netgalley for the ARC!

I went into this yearning for a fake dating trope, but because these are exes fake dating I feel like you miss all the fun. They’re just residually still in love with each other so while there’s definitely pining, we just skipped over the best parts of dating and falling in love. Loved Caleb. Strongly disliked Valerie. As a reality dating show would say, “she’s not here for the right reasons.”

Also … my face reading the fake band’s lyrics 😬

Also… my fave reading the ending 😬🫠😑

Free ARC from NetGalley, Berkley Romance & Penguin Random House

Debut novel
Dual POV
Second Chance Romance
Celebrity/Rock Star Romance
Third Act Breakups

I love the cover and the description of the book, and I love to read a debut. It’s what led me to request it.

Ooh the momager taking all the bands money? Straight out of the Grateful Dead’s history.

Val is very self centered. It’s very hard to like her or even forgive her. The whole premise of the Glitter Bats reunion is for her to gain good press, but never really a focus on what’s in it for everyone else.

The story felt very immature between the two MCs, Valerie and Caleb.

I don’t love how quickly Caleb changes his tune for anything revolving Valerie and her attention. It’s not healthy. It makes me question when he is being true to himself and what he wants?

This whole story felt too fanfic. While I felt the tension between the band, I didn’t feel the romance between Valerie and Caleb. I skimmed through the explicit scenes because their shownance/romance wasn’t believable to me. (And I loveeee me a good explicit scene, but I just couldn’t buy into their toxic story).

I think James has a lot of promise as a writer and I will read future works by her.

Thank you NetGalley and Berkley for this eARC.

I was hooked by how the story wove their past heartbreak with the excitement of their reunion concert. The way the author captures the raw, messy emotions of rekindled relationships had me on edge, and screaming. I was utterly invested in whether these two could find their harmony again. And, they happily did. So loved and enjoyed it.

fake dating is such a fun trope this was so fun!!! i really liked the band name being glitter bats and valerie and caleb were so cute together! i think the writing style was also really good

I thought this was a cute read and I’d definitely pick it up if you want a cute romance with lots of representation, a behind the scenes look at celebrities lives, and a friend group rediscovering themselves again.

A fun and delightful book. While some of the story is predictable, it is exactly what you want it to be!

I have been looking forward to reading this book ever since I heard the premise (second chance romance amid a "let's get the band back together" backdrop!) and saw this absolutely STUNNING cover. I'm happy to say, Jessica James DID NOT disappoint!

It's always fun and a bit nerve-wracking to read a debut because you can approach the book without any preconceived expectations, and James met every one of mine and more. If I had to describe this book in one word, it would be longing:

Valerie longing for the renewal of her tv show
Caleb longing to have his "normal life" AND somehow his career in the entertainment industry
Valerie and Caleb longing for each other
The whole band longing for the friendships-- and magic-- they once had together

And longing is universal, right? We all know what it's like to pine for something (or someone) we can't have. Given this, James' characters are refreshingly real-- showing, with vulnerability, a really relatable navigation of the tension that exists between wanting, having, and letting go.

I may be biased because I love a second chance romance AND I love pop culture, but this book was just a fun, funny, heartwarming, steamy, satisfying read. Will be recommending to friends!

I would give this a 3.5 but alas no half stars.

A great premise where a paramore like band has a one night reunion to help bolster the lead singers reputation and also leads to a reunion between the two leads of the band who were once in love. There were a lot of
Positives about this book. The supporting characters are super engaging. The romance has a lot of
Chemistry. I love a messy heroine, but some things kept it from being a slam dunk for me.
1) I love a messy heroine but at
Times this one was almost too annoying? She didn’t seem like a good friend or a good partner and she didn’t seem to have a ton of growth.
2) too many questions about this bands place in the fame landscape and questions about the way fame in general worked in this world. This band is famous enough to crash ticket master with the news of a reunion but its former heartthrob is able to completely disappear and become a music teacher? And no one finds out what happened to him? In the age of TMZ? And the idea of the Lead singer pivoting to a musical tv show involving super heroes was a bit too wtf for me. I recognize these issues are probably me being far too online.

I look forward to the next book from this author. I think this is a very good debut with a major publisher and there’s enough here to make me enthusiastic about whatever comes next.

I was able to snag an eARC of “For One Night Only” a few weeks ago and I’m glad I got the chance to read it! 💕 This is Jessica James’ debut novel, that comes out in January 2025.

I loved the representation this novel had, it’s what first pulled me in. Valerie is a bi-girl whose reputation has been on blast by the media. Her only hope at saving it is to get the band she started in high school back together after a six year hiatus. It’s a tough journey with lots of ups and downs and plenty of mistakes. Her band mate, and former lover, Caleb, has anxiety and they both struggle to navigate their relationship (both in and out of the public eye).

I loved how the characters were shown and that we got to see their thought process behind actions and how they affected not only themselves but those around them.

The only thing I didn’t like is that there is little character growth and I felt like no one learned from their mistakes and kept making them over and over again. It was really hard for me to keep reading and I struggled with wanting to pick it up again each time I stopped.

Overall I thought this was a cute read and I’d definitely pick it up if you want a cute romance with lots of representation, a behind the scenes look at celebrities lives, and a friend group rediscovering themselves again.

This was music to my ears (eyes?)

I confess, the beautiful artwork on the cover is what initially piqued my interest. The characters were well fleshed out and oh so charming. Valerie and Caleb's romance was raw and honest, and I fell in love with them as a pair almost immediately. Romances with a musical theme just hit so strongly with me; I love how music is its own love language. Using elements of social media was a nice touch in fleshing out the story as well. It made it seem more authentic.

I related so hard to Valerie's struggles with self-worth and a controlling, narcissistic mother. Caleb's anxiety challenges also hit so close to home.

Also, can we talk about the songwriting? I need these songs recorded for real. Glitterbug Nichole reporting for duty!

This debut from Jessica James really made my heart sing.
Thank you to NetGalley and Berkley Publishing Group for the digital ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I don't know what I'm more obsessed with: the book or its gorgeous cover. This was SUCH a fun story. The romance is top notch, with characters who leap off the page, but what I especially loved is how fleshed out and engrossing the plot involving the band getting back together was. It was the perfect backdrop for Caleb and Valerie's reunion, and I loved getting to experience it through both of their POVs. This book is fun, flirty, and sure to be a winner.

I honestly did not know what to expect with this book but I absolutely loved it!!
Jessica James did such a fantastic job setting up Valerie and Caleb’s past and current relationship and I felt so invested with the characters. I loved that they changed through time but still kept the bases of their characters intact.
The pacing was strong and both kept me attached to the story and eager to see what was going to come next.
I seriously will be recommending this book to my friends!!

I absolutely adored this book!

I mean, I've always had a thing for books centering around the arts in some regard, but there's something so very special about an author who can make you *feel* the music on the page without your hearing a sound. And Jess is phenomenal at this.

The lyrics. THE LYRICS.

The Glitter Bats (what a clever name, right?) are SO full of charm. I'm not sure how someone could pick up this book and not absolutely adore each and every one of them.

I loved Val so much--I felt so close to her passion--and I love how we could FEEL the history between her and Caleb between the lines of every page, before we even know it in full. There's so much wound up tension and hurt, and of course I was churning through pages SO FAST to see what becomes of them. One thing I especially loved, though, was seeing how they had already grown so much through the years (especially with communication), so that when they reconnect, it really is a different experience. Like, so many books that do this trope do it in such a way that the years have barely changed the main characters. But this? It's excellent. And yet there's still that glorious thread of tension.

Anyway, I never really reveal plot points in my reviews, but I needed to scream about all the beauty that is this book, and believe me when I say you need to own a copy. (And like, come on, that cover? It might be my favorite romance cover in the history of ever.

This story is so much different than any other story I’ve read and I loved it! I’ve wanted a book focused on people in Hollywood and the life they live and show that process and I loved every minute of this book. It took me two days to finish.

The relationship between Valerie and the rest of the Glitter Bats was really believable and felt organic. And the chemistry between Valerie and Caleb keeps you entertained the whole time.

But the whole plot line was is very original and something I haven’t seen in a book but I wish there was more like it! Definitely recommend this book!

Pheewww! I need to take a cold shower because this book is HOT! Spice aside, I absolutely fell in love with Valerie, Caleb and the rest of the Glitterbats crew. Caleb was the ultimate romantic icon and such a beautifully crafted character. Valerie's struggles for validation felt so relatable to me. I thought her arc was handled so well. The entire Glitterbats crew were fun to be with! I loved spending time with them on the page, and as someone who doesn't know much about the music world, this really captured the essence of the process. Gorgeous debut. Devoured this book!