e-Audio, 10:10:38
Narrated by: Ellie Gossage
Release Date: June 10, 2025
Published by: Harlequin Audio
Read from: June 13-14, 2025
Stand-alone
Source: PRH Audio App (I received a free e-ALC from the publisher and their app. This did nothing to influence my review.)
Content Warning: Sexual Content, Toxic Relationship, Bullying, Child Abuse, Panic Attacks/Disorders, Alcoholism, Sexual Harassment, Violence, Death of a Parent
For Readers Interested In: Romance, Adult, Childhood Friends to Enemies to Lovers, Realistic FictionA band reunion may be enough to change two musicians’ tune on love in this electric romance from USA Today bestselling author Alicia Thompson.
Micah’s relationship to music is complicated. As teenagers, her band took off after being featured on a popular TV show, but the group barely released their sophomore album before breaking up. Now, over a decade later, the band is reuniting for one more performance on a themed cruise, and Micah is determined to learn from her past mistakes — no losing herself in the music, and no losing her heart along the way.
John misses playing in a band, and mostly he misses Micah, who’d been his best friend until the music stopped. Back then, he didn’t take the lead, either in his guitar parts or while he sat back and watched her date another bandmate. John’s never been one to rock the boat, but he’s faced with another chance now that this cruise has brought music — and Micah — back in his life.
Onboard, Micah can’t help but see John with brand new eyes, and John’s feelings only intensify as the discordant band’s tension grows to a breaking point. With five days at sea, there’s a ticking clock on anything that might develop between them, and they’ll have to decide if their relationship is destined to be more than a one-hit wonder.
*MY THOUGHTS*
I wanted to love this so bad….. LOL But I just couldn’t. I’ve only read her debut with the serial killer title, and I LOVED that one. SO when her next book came out, I didn’t even read it, I just bought it lol But now I’m thinking I need to read the others, because although I mostly liked this one, it wasn’t great………….
Ok so I think the issue here was the emotion? They were mad and toxic with each other most of the book, but we also saw them pining, but it wasn’t convincing? Not for the amount of stand-offishiness that was happening. It just felt like a lot and I didn’t like that. I never bought in to their romance. Which was pretty bad because that was truly the only thing happening.
When I say it was the only thing happening, there was also another plot line that was honestly more exciting than their love story. The whole plot bit about the ex I thought was so good! But like it was barely talked about and then skated over and it just got boring after that. I saw a different review that said it would have been more exciting if they fell off the ship, and I fully agree with this lmao I’m not gonna lie, I went looking for more reviews like mine because so many loved this. I thought I was the broken one.
I know next you’re going to ask, “why didn’t you DNF it?” Because, and I’m not going to lie to you….. I liked the spice lol After all this, Thompson still knows how to write the romance right. Well I mean if that’s all you liked? lol I liked it because I was already aware that it was all I was going to get out of it, so I just let go and enjoyed reading it. I also liked it because I’m someone that loves the “it has to happen right now because I can’t wait” microtropes, and the very scene on this cover made me put the book down and fan myself for a little bit lol
Will I be as eager to pick up her next ones? Probably not. Will I willingly pick up her older ones in case those were like her debut? Absolutely. I guess this is going to be like a game of chicken or something. If you’ve read any of her others, let me know. Which one do I start with to scratch the itch of her original work?
Overall, I give this
