Cover Image: Not a Love Song

Not a Love Song

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This book is very steamy. It was a fun quick read. It is a second chance romance with interesting characters.

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3 1/2 Stars for this second chance romance

Bree is a recording artist and Colin is a movie star. They dated briefly eight years ago and they still can’t forget one another. Colin comes to comfort Bree after a gruelling television interview. Will this be another start for their romance? Or will they end it once and for all?

This is a quick read that’s high in emotional tension. Although I liked Bree and Colin, I just didn’t love them. I also don’t understand why they didn’t make it the first time around. But the steam is at a ten!

I received a copy courtesy of Victory Editing NetGalley Co-op through NetGalley in exchange for a honest review.

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Great book! I recommend it to anyone who loves a good romance. I loved the storyline and characters.

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International pop star Bree Lane needs a break. After a wildly successful album release and a year of grieving, she just wants to spend the holiday by herself in a friend’s swanky penthouse in New York. But a blow up at a morning show brings up old pains and a topic no one can ever seem to leave alone: her actor ex-boyfriend, Colin Gabriel. Her angry reaction sends the internet wild and her into hiding.

When Colin sees the interview, he can’t resist coming to check on Bree, telling himself it’s just about her welfare. But the results are explosive, passionate and utterly unexpected after hearing her talk about how little the relationship meant for the last eight years. But he’s never been able to resist her and he isn’t about to start now.

Reunited lovers, exploring every desire together as they hide away in a secret world…only there are undercurrents of emotion that are always waiting to change everything…including their future together.

It was a quick, easy read and if you are looking for a quick, entertaining read then this is a great book for you! I received a free copy of this book from netgalley and the publisher in exchange for my honest review.

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Not a Love Song by Veronica Albright is a contemporary, second chance romance. It is the debut novel from Veronica Albright, a pseudonym of Jess Michaels.

International pop star Bree Lane needs a break. After a wildly successful album release and a year of grieving, she just wants to spend the holiday by herself in a friend’s swanky penthouse in New York. But a blow up at a morning show brings up old pains and a topic no one can ever seem to leave alone: her actor ex-boyfriend, Colin Gabriel. Her angry reaction sends the internet wild and her into hiding. When Colin sees the interview, he can’t resist coming to check on Bree, telling himself it’s just about her welfare. But the results are explosive, passionate and utterly unexpected after hearing her talk about how little the relationship meant for the last eight years. But he’s never been able to resist her and he isn’t about to start now. Reunited lovers, exploring every desire together as they hide away in a secret world…only there are undercurrents of emotion that are always waiting to change everything…including their future together.

Not a Love Song is a solid romance, with a good set up. The characters are good, even if Colin seems a little too perfect at times. I love that consent, birth control, and if tastes have changed are brought up and discussed at several points. I find checking to and that kind of respect to be very sexy and something that should be the norm rather than something of note. The amount of caring between Bree and Colin, even when they wont admit it is nice and well written. I thought the emotional conflict and resolution as well done as well, and I liked the way it all come together. However, for some reason I just never connected with the characters and became invested. I cannot point to anything wring with the writing, it could very well be it just was not the right book at the right time for me. I think fans of honest, high heat romance will really enjoy this read. Particularly is second chances is a favorite trope.

Not a Love Song is a sweet second chance romance with a nice balance of heat and emotion.

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If you like erotic books then you will like this one a lot. But be warned there are lots of hot scenes between the two main characters, Colin and Bree.

Its written by a new contemporary author who I have enjoyed reading her historicals and they are extremely hot so I was excited to read this one. Its a great second chance at love during the holidays and sorta snowed in. It was fun, hot and sexy.

In this story Bree and Colin were together 8 years before. He is an actor and she is a musician. The book starts and we see her falling apart and her ex sees that and tracks her down and they both use sex to let each other in and connect.

I prefer more of a story and drama but this was a fun story wih lots of hotness.

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This is a good book. The two main characters are Bree and Colin. Bree is a singer and Colin is an actor. They meet at one of her concerts eight years ago. They had a romance for six months and then broke up. Eight years later, they meet again. Colin declares his love for Bree. Bree writes Colin a song telling him how much she loves him.

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I just could not really get into this book, but that's not to say others wouldn't like it. If you're just in it for the spice, you'd probably enjoy it. I personally need a bit more than about 2 pages between spicy scenes.

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international Pop Star Bree needs a little alone time after a wildly successful album and then year of grieving over the loss of her mother. She has a spot on a morning show before she starts her time alone in a friend's New York Penthouse. On the morning show, the interviewer brings up an old boyfriend that causes her to have a blowup on the air. She then goes into hiding in the Penthouse. When the former boyfriend. Colin sees the interview he comes to check on Bree. The former lovers reunite their relationship and spend time at the Penthouse together. They realize that they still have feelings for each other. This is a good romance that I recommend.

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Is it possible for a Hollywood actor and a pop star to fall in love under the radar? I was excited to read this story because I enjoy reading stories about Hollywood and one about a pop star and a Hollywood actor, is even that much better.

I loved everything about this enchanting second chance romance. It’s about Colin, a movie star and Bree, a pop star. They dated for six months and when they met again, eight years later, they realized they still have strong feelings for each other.

Colin and Bree are wonderful together. They are both genuinely nice people, they have sizzling chemistry and their encounters are passionate and realistic. What I liked best about this story was how down to earth Colin and Bree are; even though they are big stars, just like all of us, they are vulnerable and afraid to have their heart broken. Colin and Bree are easy to like, I enjoyed all of their encounters and thought they were great together.

This story is the perfect combination of masterful storytelling and awesome characters. It’s an enjoyable story with characters that stole my heart and left me with a good feeling.

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A story about revenge served in the heat of anger. On social media. And with extreme prejudice. A woman breaks from stress and exhaustion, blames it on her ex, and blasts him in public. Despite this, he still needs to ensure she is healing and getting stronger. A good story with lots of angst, romance. There was enough unsureness in the story line to keep me reading, even if I thought I knew what was coming!
Thanks to NetGalley for this copy. This review is strictly my own opinion.

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This second chance romance set around the winter holidays is sure to grab a ton of readers. The story revolves around Bree, a music superstar, and her ex, Colin, a movie hunk. Eight years ago, she walked away from him and the relationship, and since then--to the best of everyone's knowledge--she hasn't written about him in her songs (though she's written about everyone else she's dated). On the day we meet Bree, a TV host asks her about Colin, and she walks out of the interview, choosing to go to a friend's penthouse and stay there for a few days. Cue the snowstorm that will keep her there. Cue the entrance of Colin.

I enjoyed the characters and their backstories and found their chemistry effective and enticing. And the sex scenes varied (and included the use of some accessories!).. My one critique is that I would have preferred a little bit more of a storyline and action; I wanted something to happen, and I wanted more conflict.

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A fun, quick read that takes place in New York over the holiday week. A storm brewing, a public meltdown, and an ex arrives in time to be snowed in.

Bree is in New York for a talk show appearance, some downtime over the Christmas break, and a New Years' appearance. Sounds simple, but when you are in the limelight, nothing is simple. So after the appearance goes sideways and a surprise at her door, her downtime is nothing as she expects.

Colin is in town as well for a talk show appearance on a different day! Bree and Colin have a history. Eight years is a long time. Will they have a different ending this time? Their connection is still deep and electric, and maturity is on their side.

Thank you to NetGalley and Victory Editing NetGalley Co-op for the advanced copy; this is my voluntary review.

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Not a Love Song by Veronica Albright

Had to read this because, well, I love Jess Michaels historical novels and had to see what her debut contemporary steamy story might hold in store for the future. As expected…it was what all that I hoped for and a wonderful way to spend the day!

What I liked:
* Bree: pop star, musician, protective, guarded, talented, beautiful, sensual, good friend, intriguing.
* Colin: movie star, handsome, talented, open, giving, knows what he wants, good friend, intriguing.
* Lena and Rob: personal assistants to Bree and Colin, there for the people they work for and admirable as well as good friends.
* The fact that Bree and Colin verbalized their needs and were consenting adults openly into one another throughout the days they spent together.
* The steamy bits…this author does them well
* That the couple had “the talk” before the steamy bits and were responsible and safe once agreement had been reached on what they were consenting to.
* That the couple had a connection that was obvious and deep even when it was not verbalized
* The fun the couple shared – in and out of the bedroom
* The whole holiday vibe
* The expected breakup and how it was resolved with
* The maturity of the main characters and their ability to communicate
* The supportive friends both had
* The epilogue put a smile on my face :)

What I didn’t like:
* Bree’s mother
* Thinking about the media’s impact on celebrities and how difficult it must make their lives

Did I like this book? Yes
Would I read more by this author? Definitely

Thank you to NetGalley and the author for the ARC – This is my honest review.

5 Stars

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Not a Love Song is a second chance romance set over the Christmas holidays. While on a live daytime talk show, Bree has a small meltdown when asked (again) about why she never wrote a breakup song about one of her exes, Colin, an actor who is having a successful year. After walking out of the interview, she plans to spend the holidays holed up alone in a friend’s penthouse.

Instead, Colin shows up at her door, concerned by what he saw in the interview. Of course he still has feelings for her and of course he wants to make sure she’s ok. A consoling hug turns into kitchen counter sex. And then they decide to spend the next few days together.

Colin is fairly open about still having feelings for Bree. Bree is more opaque, still attracted, but does she want a relationship? I really appreciate that Colin never made Bree responsible for his feelings, not does he expect anything from her in return. Not a Love Song is a well told second chance romance. I never clearly understood why their first relationship ended, but got the sense that Bree was very young and trying to to get out from under her mother’s controlling thumb. In a second chance romance, the author has to make the reader believe that whatever broke the couple apart, won’t break them up again. Albright skirts this by making Colin ok with the break up and the years apart.

There is a lot of on page sex, including some playing with toys. The consent is great and they are enthusiastic and creative lovers. Bree is dealing with the grief of losing her mother, with whom she had a complicated relationship. Sex is the way she is willing to connect and be vulnerable. Sometimes she felt so muted as a character that I had a hard time investigating in her happiness.

Veronica Albright is a pen name for historical romance author Jess Michaels. She does a nice lateral move from Dukes and Earls to contemporary celebrities.

CW: grief, past death of parent

I received this as an advance reader copy from NetGalley. My opinions are my own.

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I really enjoyed the characters of Bree and Colin. It was very interesting to set the plot around a singer and actor and I was so captivated by their lives. I think their dialogue and banter was good. The writing was the perfect combination of serious and saucy. I think the third person writing was extremely well done!

Here is why I gave it three stars (possible spoilers):
- There just wasn't much exploration of the characters or a dive into who they were or would be when their handful of days together would end (i.e. after the ending of the story). Perhaps that was the point, to just show a snapshot of a couple finding themselves back together, but it was too perfect for me to feel happier with it.
- I really liked the small reflections on their original relationship! If there were about three more of those, then I think that would have helped a lot.
-If sex was the way Bree liked to let Colin in emotionally, then I would have liked more emotion and connection during those scenes. Perhaps more dialogue or build up.
-Lastly, sex was just about sex in this book. It didn't broaden my understanding of the character or connect me emotionally. I understand this is an erotica, but when sex is a central part of their relationship's foundation, I want it to help me understand how they have such a strong relationship.

Overall, despite my critiques I enjoyed this book and am excited to see more from the author in the future!

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Not A Love Song, is very erotic. At first I thought is that all that they have to build a relationship on. Then I swear like the next chapter explained it all plus some. Well done!

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I loved this book! This is a captivating love story with an intense connection between Bree and Colin from the start. This is a debut novel from this author, and I can't wait to read more from her. I couldn't put this one down. Highly recommend!

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