Thank you so much to Penguin Random House/Ballentine for an advance copy of this book! 

This book dug deeper into heavier topics than I was expected! Sammy Espinoza returns back home after she is hanging on a thread in hopes that she can convince her former crush Max Ryan to give her the scoop on his solo album that could save her job. But coming back to her hometown is with mixed emotions as she is scared to confront her family history and meet the grandparents who never wanted her. 

I did end up really enjoy this book. When I was reading it, I was super into it but I wasn't finding myself itching to go back to it. It wasn't until I received the audio where I could listen in tandem where it really helped push my reading along. The narration from Victoria Villarreal was excellent! I thought they did such a wonderful job with all the characters! 

I really enjoyed the friendships in the book. Willa & Brook were such wonderful characters and I loved anytime they interacted with Sammy. And Willa's parents were such wonderful people!! I love when they were featured. 

One relationship that so wonderful to see the journey that Sammy develops with her grandmother. I love how we had such a negative assumption about her based off what we knew from Sammy. But Sammy herself was wrong about her because of the lies her mother was telling her. It was beautiful to see how close they came in such a short time & Sammy was able to learn about her grandfather and more importantly her father. 

The female main character frustrated me mostly because I wanted her to be honest about her intentions with Max Ryan right from the start. Whenever I think it was going to happen something got in the way. I would have been curious the direction the story would've gone in if she had confessed early. 

The love interest Max Ryan, made me so mad!!! Moreso towards the last quarter of the book. One thing I do not tolerate when it comes to any sort of relationship is ghosting. I understood why he suddenly disappeared but still could've left a note, a text message, SOMETHING. Despite that I really did love his character and come on I'm a sucker for a musician. 

It may seem like I did not like the book but I really did!!! I really love Sammy & Max together. They just connected in a way that felt genuine and at the root really connected by music. I think that is why I was so frustrated in why they harmed one another because they had such a good thing going when it all could've been avoided. Of course one of my favorite moments was when they were singing karaoke! You know I will always point that out in a review. 

If you are a fan of music, queer representation, found family, second chances this is the book for you!!!