Ok Angel is a delight and I liked Iris so much better in this story compared to the first. You get to see what happened to her and why she is the way she is. I loved watching their relationship unfold. Angel might have had insta-love but their story came to be in a believable way.

My favorite scene was when Iris stood up to Cora for how she treats Angel. I was grinning and cheering her on.

However my next favorite scene may or may not be right after his birthday party. IYKYK.

Aw! Iris’ story was probably my favorite of the 3. Widowed, perfectionist, single mom? I’ll take it.

Angel was just the sweetest. I enjoyed reading their love story.

More than anything, I enjoyed reading about Angel’s experience with church and religion. It was very relatable and I felt seen in those pages. I think it was such a good theme to bring to the book because so many of us struggle with the same things Angel dealt with.

Of course, reading about the other Greene sisters warmed my heart.

4.5/5 stars -This was such a great way to wrap up the Greene Sisters trilogy!! The Love Lyric is officially my favorite in the series. Angel and Iris’ love story was so sweet and wholesome. I loved how Iris navigated her journey with grief to ultimately find love again after a major loss. I also enjoyed the side plot with Angel’s faith and his mother. One of my favorite aspects of this book was the emphasis on healthy communication between Angel and Iris! Read if you enjoy:

-Forced proximity
-Workplace romances
-Finding love after loss
-Sweet yet steamy romances!

Kristina Forest delivers a heartfelt conclusion to the Greene Sisters trilogy with *The Love Lyric*, earning a solid 4.5 stars. This final installment focuses on Iris Greene, the eldest sister, whose journey through grief and rediscovery of love is both tender and empowering.

Iris, a widow and the mother of the wonderfully spunky Callah, has always been described by her sisters, Lily and Violet, as the most accomplished and put-together of the three. Yet, beneath the polished exterior lies a vulnerability rooted in the loss of her husband, a grief she has been too busy to truly confront.

Enter Angel, a charming and sensitive singer who has quietly admired Iris from afar for three years. While her sisters caution him against pursuing her, fate intervenes when he becomes the brand ambassador for Iris’s company. A one-week domestic tour places the two in close proximity, igniting sparks that neither can ignore.

Watching Angel fall first was an absolute joy. His childhood trauma and strained relationship with narcissistic parents have made him wary of love, but Iris fiercely defends him and helps him find confidence and self-worth. The way their relationship blossoms, despite all the reasons it shouldn’t work, feels authentic and deeply rewarding.

The slow-burn romance is beautifully paced, making every moment worth the wait. Witnessing Iris’s journey to love again after loss was especially moving, and the emotional depth of the story pulled at my heartstrings in the best way.

Kristina Forest has crafted a poignant and memorable story that celebrates healing, self-love, and the power of opening your heart again. *The Love Lyric* is a must-read for fans of the series and anyone who loves a romance that’s as emotional as it is swoon-worthy.

***Thank you so much NetGalley and Berkley Romance for the opportunity to read this eARC.***
I absolutely loved The Love Lyric! As a fan of the first two books in this series, I was so happy that Iris and Angel got their happy ending.
The love and care that Angel showed for Iris throughout this entire series before she even knew it, kept a smile on my face! I loved how grief, church hurt and difficult parent relationships were handled. This was absolutely a joy to read. I am so sad this wraps up the series but glad that I can always return to the Greene sisters and start the journey over.
The chapters can be a bit lengthy, but overall this was not a major issue for me.

Thanks so much, Berley Pub for the ARC copy!

𝐼𝑡’𝑠 𝑜𝑘 𝑡𝑜 𝑎𝑑𝑗𝑢𝑠𝑡 𝑎𝑛𝑑 𝑒𝑚𝑏𝑟𝑎𝑐𝑒 𝑠𝑜𝑚𝑒𝑡ℎ𝑖𝑛𝑔 𝑛𝑒𝑤.

Iris once had big dreams but life had other plans. After losing her husband, her priorities shifted to raising her daughter, Calla, on her own and building her career. She holds it together for everyone… but forgets to care for herself first.

Angel is a R&B/pop star artist who seems to have it all together. But under the spotlight, he struggles to be his true authentic self in an industry that demands “perfection” (If you’ve read the earlier books in the series, you’re aware of who Angel is but you don’t really know him know him until now!)

Two words collide to create a beautiful love story of two embracing the possibility of something new

I’ll admit, I was nervous after seeing a few early low rating reviews but I’m convinced we did not read the same book! The Love Lyric was such a sweet, beautifully written love story! Angel’s patience, understanding, and respect for Iris was everything. Their chemistry was fire!🔥
Iris’s character as the one who holds it together for others is so relatable. So many women (myself included) can relate to being the “strong” sister, friend, or daughter who takes care of everyone around her before prioritizing her own needs. When Angels asked her “𝑊ℎ𝑜 𝑡𝑎𝑘𝑒𝑠 𝑐𝑎𝑟𝑒 𝑜𝑓 𝑦𝑜𝑢 𝑜𝑓 𝑦𝑜𝑢 𝑤ℎ𝑒𝑛 𝑦𝑜𝑢 𝑛𝑒𝑒𝑑 𝑖𝑡?” I melted 🥰. The discussions around grief were real, too. It truly impacts every decision you make.

I think this may be my favorite of The Greene Sisters series

Highly recommend to my lover girls! 💕

This beautifully woven romance is between Iris, a successful businesswoman, and Angel, an R&B singer who is the new brand ambassador for the company Iris works for. As a busy single mother and a widow, Iris finally decides she wants to make time for love again, but that she needs to find something simple. But when she's sent on the road with the hot new brand ambassador, whose fame and success make him anything but simple, she can't seem to stop thinking about him. And Angel, oh ANGEL, I love a man who is down bad from the very start. He's just so genuinely sweet and patient and supportive. I loved how much space Angel held for Iris to still be sad about the loss of her husband, and reluctant to move on with her life, all the while also supporting her when she realizes she deserves and wants passion and love again. This is the third book in an interconnected universe, and though I haven't yet read the first or second, I do feel like they are enjoyable out of order and I will be returning for the others!

Thank you to Kristina Forest, Penguin Random House, and NetGalley for a free copy of this eARC in exchange for my honest review.

“The Love Lyric” by Kristina Forest was one of my most anticipated reads of the year and it didn’t disappoint. This is the third of the “Greene sisters” books (the first two being “The Neighbor Favor” and “The Partner Plot”) and while I was excited for Iris to get her love story, I initially wasn’t sure about how I’d feel about the whole R&B singer angle. After being introduced to Angel’s character, I got over that very quickly and did not want to put this book down. I started this book on Saturday and was able to stay up finishing it on Sunday thanks to the snow day today. I love how in addition to Iris and Angel’s love story this book also explores grief and difficult family relationships. This was a great end to the Greene sisters books and I’m looking forward to more adult romance from Kristina Forest.

Iris Greene met the love of her life when she was twenty-four. They got pregnant, got married, and started to create a life together, but within a year and a half, Iris found herself widowed. Now, she's spent years grinding to earn her spot at the top rung of a beauty company, all while raising her six-year-old daughter, Calla. Despite her full life, Iris still feels lonely but hesitates to bring a new person into her carefully constructed fold. Angel Harrison is a successful R&B singer who just landed a brand ambassador deal with Iris's company. He's also worked with Iris's younger sister, and the pair shared an intimate dance at her wedding. The pair have hovered around one another for years, and Angel has been smitten since the beginning, but when they're thrown together for an ad campaign tour, the chemistry amps up. Iris knows she should keep things professional, but with Angel writing songs about her and seeing her like no man has ever since her late husband, it's hard to deny the itch to follow her heart.

I've adored this series since the first book, and I've been looking forward to getting Iris's story. She's gone through a lot, and I couldn't wait to see her get her HEA. Iris has spent so much time closed off to the possibility of love, so watching her open up to Angel was the highlight. Angel was so patient and willing to meet Iris wherever she was comfortable. You could tell how much he cared for her, and it was so sweet. I liked the added dynamic of them working close to one another while trying to hide their growing feelings. It did lead to the relationship being more slow burn than I would've liked, but I thought it allowed them to learn more about the other on a deeper level. It wasn't my favorite installment in the series, but I still enjoyed it and recommend checking it out.

Being the last book in the series, The Love Lyric was fantastic as a standalone. I can confidently say I’m now emotionally invested in the characters and will definitely be reading the other two. Iris and Angel’s love story feels so real. The author ties in genuine issues like grief, social status, and toxic family relationships in such a loving way. The story flows easily and keeps you engaged with both characters’ points of view. Finding love is tough, and when it unexpectedly falls into your lap, it can be scary. I’m really proud of Iris for having the courage to maintain her boundaries.

I’m so grateful to have received an ARC copy of The Love Lyric as Iris’s story is one I was most looking forward to. I admire Iris the most out of the Greene sisters - a mom, ambitious and career driven. I was rooting for her happily ever after and I’m so glad that she got hers. I’ll admit that Angel, as he is described is not who I imagined Iris to be with. But opposites attract right?! I’m glad that it was brought up in the book; the differences between them (looks, age, careers, etc). I also how enjoyed how Kristina Forest showed difficult parent relationships and how everyone grows up and are raised differently. I loved how she showed that one can also set boundaries with parents. I feel this book was a perfect completion to the Greene sisters series and worth the read! Thank you Berkley Publishing, Net Galley & Kristina Forest for this ARC copy of The Love Lyric.

I loved this book so much! The Partner Plot was one of my favorite books of last year and this one is going on my 2025 list. I have loved getting to know the Greene sisters so much. Kristina really writes magic and it was clear once again in this book! Iris and Angel were the perfect ending!

Angel and Iris were absolutely WONDERFUL! Their instant chemistry and the fact that they were really able to see the other so well and so easily was so beautiful. They were really just two people who were meant to be. Angel was a little more open and willing to give his love than Iris, but she had a little more at stake!! And they were able to have FUN together!! Angel got her out of her comfort zone a little!!

They also both had tough pasts. Angel’s complicated relationship with his family was written so well. I loved that Iris immediately defended him, he desperately needed someone in his corner. And Iris was so cautious with love because of the loss of her husband. But Angel was so sweet and allowed her talk about him and he asked questions and he never over stepped. They were opposites in a lot of ways but they were also both so SOFT, they were the perfect match.

I’ve already preordered a copy and I cannot wait to have it on my shelf!!!

Thank you so much to Berkley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review!!

Thanks so much to Berkley Pub, Berkley Romance, and Ace Books Pub for the free book!
#BerkleyPartner #AceBooksPartner

The Love Lyric was an absolute joy to read! Forest's first adult romance series started off strong and has only gotten better, more dynamic, more touching, with every book. I adored Lily and Violet, but Iris' story was so heart-warming, gut-wrenching, and all-consuming. The bubble her and Angel exist within throughout the duration of this novel was pure and wonderful to read about. Even the spice felt like ~more~ in The Love Lyric. They were passionate and loving and lovely.

This book is a love story for eldest Black daughters who seldom know how to let others care for them, show up for them, and take care of them; who have no one to tell them if they're modeling Black girlhood well enough for their sisters, or making their parents proud. This series is an ode to Black sisterhood, Black joy, Black love, and carving your own path toward excellence instead of trying to fit within the strict binaries others place you between. The Greene's family dynamic as a whole was strong, supportive, and loving, which is always a nice dynamic to see in fictional Black families.

I really enjoyed how Angel was written—his background as someone with religious trauma living a life in protest of how they were raised is timely and poignant social commentary. Despite this, he is kind, loving, open-hearted, and a real, true lover boy. Iris' growth as a woman and mother as she lives with the trauma of losing her spouse was compassionately presented and well-written.

This was one of my most anticipated reads of 2025 and I am absolutely honored that I received an ARC for it; I can't wait to reread upon its release and have it join Lily and Violet's books on my shelves!

5 ⭐️s
2 🌶️
🚨 Pub: 2/4/25

What a delightful trio these books have been. Sad to see them end!

First of all I have to admit that I kept picturing Angel as Aaron Pierre the entire time..and it did things for me. Respectfully I would fight for Angel; he’s an ideal romance MMC. Iris is your classic oldest daughter trying to out everyone else first before herself and neglecting her own happiness. The only time I really couldn’t relate was when she picked her job over love. Also respectfully…f them people at that job 🤣🤣🤣. A lot of my interests collided here: nap dresses. SpongeBob. Meela still catching strays. A great time!


Thanks so much to @berkleypub @berkleyromance for the free book!

I am grateful to have received an advanced reader copy of the third and final installment in the Greene Sisters series. 4 stars!

Summary:
Iris is a young widow raising her daughter Calla and working at Save Face Beauty ("SFB"). Her younger sister Violet is a stylist for a *very* famous RnB singer named Angel. Angel and Iris share a moment at a wedding but don't see each other for a while thereafter. Then, SFB hires Angel as a brand ambassador and Iris gets sent on a press tour with Angel. Both Angel and Iris are dealing with personal struggles (Angel's uber-religous southern mom does NOT approve of his career and Iris has lost her spark for her job, which was previously her entire life). Over the course of the tour they grow close, but it seems impossible that they could work in the real world. What are they willing to give up and what will their relationship teach them about themselves?

Review:
I had a great time reading this and I love Angel and Iris. There is a predictable plot line, but that is not a bad thing in my opinion. The real treat is seeing Iris and Angel develop as people in their personal lives and relationship; the way they show up for each other is just so *swoons* heartfelt. I think at its core, this book is about loving and trusting yourself and what you feel is right for you, despite obstacles or other people's opinions. I also love that we get meaningful cameos from characters in the other books in the series. This can definitely be read as a stand alone, but it is so satisfying to see all of the Greene sisters find their person. I also loved how relatable this book was. I highlighted so many passages thinking "wow this could be me." I felt really seen as a Black woman, older sibling, and New Yorker.

Overall, I really enjoyed this. The only drawbacks for me were that it felt a little too long/drawn out at points, and I don't love third person narration generally. However, I did like that the third person narration allowed you get perspectives from both Angel and Iris in the same chapter instead of needing to switch narrators throughout the book. I am a Kristina Forest fan.

Oh I sure do love me some Greene Sisters 👏🏽💕 thank you to Kristina and Berkely for giving us the opportunity to read the arc of the Love Lyric. ‘Twas truly a lovely experience 🥰

I thought this book was so cute! I really liked the whole celebrity romance/secret dating trope. It's not something I usually read, but this was one of the best hands down. I thought it was so sweet how even though Angel and Iris were opposites, he turned out to be the perfect person for her and they were so good at giving the other exactly what they needed. 🥲💕

And tbh, I thought it was perfectly fine how they both literally said f his mom 😅 like that’s so fine to me bc she was really on some bs. And real talk, some family just won’t change no matter how hard you try. So I completely agree to skip over the back and forth and just let them be ya know.

But all in all, I feel very complete with this final installment of the Greene sisters series 😇 it makes my little heart happy to know that Lily, Violet, and Iris are all so loved in their cute and healthy relationships with some of the sweetest black men ever written.

Thanks again Kristina for writing the cutest sister series 🥰 I can’t wait to post more about this closer to the release date!

I’m literally obsessed with this series and Kristina Forest! Every single book that I’ve read of hers is so hard to put down. I think this book just might be my favorite out of the series. Iris’ story is the saddest and this book really pulls on your heart strings. I absolutely love Angel and the celebrity storyline. So well written. One of my favorite reads of the year.

This was so cute!!! I've loved reading this series and I loved each of the 3 siblings. It felt different than your usual story where one person is rich and famous, which I liked. Overall a really cute read that I enjoyed!

The Love Lyric is the third book in The Greene Sisters series. This time we focus on the eldest of the bunch, Iris Greene. She’s a single mom -who works too hard- and an executive at Save Face Beauty, a cosmetics company.

Angel is a world famous crooner that could have any woman he wants.

These two have to work together now that Angel is the face of Save Face Beauty.

I know perfection doesn’t exist, but this book is close to it! The build-up of tension in the will-they, won’t-they game. The witty banter. The real life family struggles a lot of us deal with on a daily basis. This author strikes the perfect balance while delivering a great love story.

Thank you Berkley foremost for this ARC!!
Mrs. Kristina Forest has done it again for me. I literally went through all the emotions reading this book. I loved Angel and Iris's relationship. It was such a great pallet cleanser from the last book I read. Spoiler Alert: The Love Lyric is such a perfect title for this book because the way Angel wrote songs for Iris had me melting and smiling from ear to ear because I too would feel the way Iris did when I found out someone wrote a song for me. I loved their dynamic and how they just completed each other even though they have two different lives. I just love the way the author writes her books, she has you believing that love is so possible no matter if it is by fate, second chance, or just proximity. I loved the way the story was written, if you want to feel all the feels then this book is definitely the one for you. I was crying, smiling, laughing, and sad all throughout the book, I loved how grief was discussed in this book because I know sometimes its a hard subject to touch. I loved that even though Iris grieved Terry, she still had another chance to love again despite all her fears. I would definitely re-read this book again!!!!!