A romantic and heartwarming story with an underlying soundtrack. Joni Lark grew up in a musical family, playing piano at age four with her legs not even touching the floor. Her North Carolina childhood was spent with her family at the Revelry, their music venue. But now she is a famous songwriter experiencing some writer’s block. When she returns home, parts of a melody start entering her brain, as well as the voice of someone else, with whom she shares a musical psychic connection. Hearing the same song, they start writing it into a full song.
Sebastian is somewhat of a has-been, a former boy bander 15 years later. His father is a famous artist that he no longer has a relationship with.
Ashley Poston is one of the best writers of magical realism that is also romantic. While Sounds Like Love fits in with the rest of her works, this one is less paranormal and more about the connection that Sebastian and Joni share. There are plenty of references to songs from all the last 50 years, and guaranteed to get several of them stuck in your head. Symbolically, I know the feeling of wanting that special person to be with you when you wake up in the morning and the person you tell everything to.
The book is sweet, and I hope it is memorable. The author’s note at the end moved me to tears. I especially enjoyed several of the quotes and references to High School musical, the Bearnaked Ladies, and WOW- Five For Fighting. Now that was a blast from the past. Thematically, several conversations and references definitely activated something in my brain. So sharing a psychic connection with someone really doesn’t seem like a stretch.
This was one of my most anticipated books for 2025- while it lacked the magical narrative and surprising plot elements I loved in Novel Love Story and Seven Year Slip, it definitely is charming and just as romantic and touching.
Thank you to NetGalley and Berkley romance for the ARC. Book to be published June 17, 2025.
Leave a Reply