Joni Lark is an LA songwriter who has lost the ability to write since her mum’s early dementia diagnosis. At a gig where a singer is performing a song she wrote, she flirts with and kisses ex boyband star Sebastian, but immediately thinks it’s a mistake. She returns home for a ‘holiday’ desperate to find her writing mojo again but is instead faced with the realities of her family suffering such a difficult time. It’s made even worse when she realises she can hear a voice in her head, and it’s not hers but that of Sebastian.

This is a lovely magical realism story about music, love and grief. It covers a lot of plot with all of the story elements and it’s clear Ashley handed these with care as they’re close to her own story. There’s a lot of lovely, poignant moments for several of the characters and the location is really fleshed out - I felt like I was on the beach. Hearing each other’s thoughts could have got confusing but I personally found it fine to follow and enjoyed especially hearing how Sebastian spoke about Joni when he thought she couldn’t hear.

I did find Joni difficult at times, she struggles with the grief of losing her mum before she’s let her and feels her parents aren’t taking it seriously enough which was just hard to see as the reader because I felt we could see they were just living in the moment.

The writing is a little too flowery for my personal taste and I’m not enough of a music fan to truly internalise this experience as I just don’t know enough of the references. It was also so centered on writing a particular song and without being able to hear it I felt we slightly lost the magic for ourselves.

Thank you to NetGalley for an ARC of this book in exchange for my honest review.

Sounds Like Love by Ashley Poston
I give this book 4.5 stars.

When her parents decide to close the family music venue, Joni’s life begins to fall off key – she couldn’t possibly write another song. Until a melody comes to her, half-formed, and with an imagined voice in her head.
But then the very real man behind the voice shows up in Vienna Shores
To get out of each other’s heads, they’ll have to finish the song haunting them both. But there’s just one problem – they can’t agree on anything!

“Grief is a love song in reverse “
This book really resonated with me, the author delivers a romance with a unique concept of how two people can interact with each other and a more serious message (coping with early dementia)
Music playing a pivotal role in this story was a huge part of my enjoyment, I loved the chapter titles being a reference to music. The intertwining bond between Joni (Bird) a songwriter and Sebastian (Sasha) a former boy band member, their personal struggles and falling for each other. But most importantly how music has the power to connect and heals us on so many levels in so many different ways.
The perfect small town setting, the complications of family, illness,friendships and love. A journey through burnout,regret, and most importantly growth and understanding.
An enchanting tale that i recommend if you’re looking for a heartfelt summer read.
The author mentions at the end that this is her long goodbye for her Oma ❤️
With thanks to Netgalley, Ashley Poston and HQ for my chance to read and review this book.

This was a beautiful story centred around two musicians who meet at a mutual friend's concert and inexplicably end up in each other's heads... literally.

Joni Lark, a songwriter, has been surrounded by music all her life and a long over due trip home causes her to face up to the fact of her mums dementia diagnosis.

Sebastian Fall, former boy band star, is lost. A fractuous relationship with his superstar father and no idea how to find his way back to music.

The author writes beautiful surreal stories and this was no exception. The themes of dementia and loss of parents was delicately managed too.

Ashley Poston just has a way of bringing magic to life. I love it, I love her, and whatever she puts into her books- I need it injected into my brain.

This is close to The Seven Year Slip in terms of favorites. The connection through music (and a kiss!) was so much fun and so interesting. But, of course, it wouldn't be an Ashley Poston book if it wasn't emotional, with a few gut punch moments throughout the story. I've read a few books dealing with the very difficult topic of having a loved one deal with dementia, and Sounds Like Love did a phenomenal job of delicately handling the topic. There was care and sensitivity in approaching the topic, which I really appreciated (especially as someone who is going through this myself).

I didn't want to like the MMC. I was certain that there was no way that she could make us love him, let alone feel the chemistry between him and Joni. And I was proven wrong. I loved them, I loved them so much 😭 I loved all the characters and was *fully* invested in the side plots.

Also I need to hear this song now. I feel like it would change my life.

4⭐️

Okay, I just cried my way through the last 15% of this. Please read the authors note when you finish it, you can tell how much of herself Ashley put into aspects of the book.

I was halfway through the book saying I was expecting it to hit me in my feelings more, and the book really said, "Shut up and get the tissues out love." It came together brilliantly, and I loved the ending, bittersweet as it is.

I really liked our two main characters. Joni especially was a great person's head to be in. But sasha was perfect, I would have loved to get into his POV. They complimented each other really well, and the chemistry was woven into every meeting they had from the first one.

I loved Jonis parents. They're such bright characters even with the way their lives are changing, and you can't help but love them. Having them there really helped flesh Joni out. They provided both the humour and the emotion, and I have always loved characters like that.

I dont read a lot of magical realism, so I was worried that might take me out of the story but honestly I didn't find myself thinking about it too much. You sort of just accept that someone, somewhere decided that these two people needed to hear each other's thoughts to write this song. Especially once you reach the end.

My one issue with it was the miscommunication it somehow still managed to cause. It felt a little like repeating the same moment over, and it was taking me out of the romance a little. I wasn't a huge fan of the storyline with the ex either.

I initially wasn't a fan of the fact that they could hear every thought and, therefore, the dirty ones too. But I actually liked the way that came into play during the intimate scene on a more emotional level. I also really love that it isn't an explicit scene but also not fade to black. I'm sure some people won't, but I think it fits the story well.

Overall, I really enjoyed the book, and I'll probably be thinking about how emotional it made me for a while. But the middle of the romance let it down for me, and so I just can't give it more than 4 stars.

I received an advance review copy of this book, and this review represents my honest opinion. Thank you to netgalley, the author, and the publisher for the opportunity to read this book.

This one was sensational🎶
Joni Lark creates songs for other people to sing, unforgettable, timeless songs.
She has always had inspiration from her hometown but suddenly there is nothing and then her family decide to close the music venue they have had for a lifetime. She has a song stuck in her head and then one day a voice also shows up but it is attached to a very real person and they can't deny some connection.

I will not reveal more, save for spoilers! The atmosphere and settings the author created in this novel were captivating. The characters and their connections, including the complex family relationship, also drew me in right away. The music aspect created such a wonderful ambience in the story and this was one I completely fell in love with! Highly recommend.

I had the best time reading this book! I adored the magical realism element in this one and the summer Vienna Shores vibes were just perfect. This felt like a sweet, cozy, and comforting hug.
I loved the romance between Joni and Sasha.
I liked how Ashley Poston showed the reality of chasing our dreams even when life gets confusing and we don’t know what makes us truly happy anymore really hit me. The themes of grief were beautiful and the ending had me tearing up.
For me, this story shows how the magic of music connects us to all the moments of our lives and lets our memories live on.
Thank you so much Netgalley and the HQ team for this e-arc💕

Ashley Poston is incredibly talented and while I didn't love this one as much as her previous romances (not a big musician girly, I'm sorry), I still had a great time reading. Incredibly emotional, unique and heartwarming, I would highly recommend this to any lover of romance.

Thanks to HQ and Netgalley for the earc!

I’ve always been a big fan of Poston’s adult books and she will forever be an auto-buy author for me. But I honestly haven’t fallen in love with her last two releases, with this one sadly being one of them.

I’m a massive music lover so when I read the synopsis, I knew I needed to read this. It just fell a bit short. Sasha was suddenly in Joni’s head and it felt like their relationship was a smidge two dimensional. They surely fell in love but there wasn’t much behind it. I wanted more of a story to back it up. To make it make sense.

The relationship between Joni and her mum, Wyn, won me over though. It was so beautifully written that it felt like their proper love story of the book.

4.25 stars, arc review. I really enjoyed this one especially the magical realism aspect I loved the emotional connection it gave Joni and Sasha. The themes of family and finding that spark again for your job and hobbies was done really well. The writing as always was brilliant. Also the little snippet with Lemon and Iwan was perfect, I miss them both. Thank you to netgalley and hq for the early copy :)

Thank you to HQ and Netgalley for providing me with an eArc in exchange for an honest review.

I LOVED THIS!.

The setting was one of my favourites, perfect for a sunny day in the summer by the beach.
I really like the female main character Joni, who is a songwriter and goes back to her hometown, after living in LA, for the summer to help her Mum, who is struggling with dementia.

Joni is so relatable, she loves her hometown and family, but in order to pursue what she thought was her dream, moves to LA to become a songwriter. However she never feels like she really fits in with LA and it's only when she returns home she realises how homesick she has been for her family and all the time she has lost with her mum.

The dynamic between her and Sasha was so well written! I loved the magical realism element that Ashely has in all of her books, as it makes them so unique and memorable.

This is one of her best works yet!

✨4 stars✨

This is my first time reading a book by Ashley Poston but it definitely won’t be the last one because I really enjoyed this!

I adored the development between the FMC and the MMC and their relationship. The plot device of being to hear each other’s thoughts and feelings added a unique twist to the story.

The exploration of grief and loss also added another layer that added to the heartfelt tone of the book that I really enjoyed.

I would definitely recommend this book!

I received an ARC from the publishers via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Thank you!

A musical romance interlaced with magical realism. Ashley Poston has written the literary equivalent of a warm hug in Sounds Like Love.

“Old love was like riding a bike, after all. You never quite forgot how it felt.”

A successful song writer meets a washed-up boyband member – it could almost be a cliche. But Poston’s writing has the ability to make even the most basic tropes feel complex and magical. Joni and Sebastian are no exception. And although the plot seemed almost predictable in its journey, it didn’t lessen the emotion it brought with it.

Joni returns to her hometown of Vienna Shores after suffering writers’ block and accepting that it could potentially be her last summer to make memories with her mother after a dementia diagnosis. The Revelry, her family’s music venue, and the place that made her fall in love with songwriting, is one of my favourite parts about this book. An old building, crumbling and dying a death, yet kept alive by a community that understands the importance of good music.

An unfortunate run in with has-been boyband member, Sebastian, before Joni’s return home results in an unusual, yet magical connection. This is what kept me hooked.

Linked through thoughts, and even more so through music, Joni and Sebastian find themselves having to bring to life something that only the two of them can understand. There is no deeper connection than understanding the complexities of somebody’s mind, especially whilst they navigate their own personal turmoil, and there is no better way to bring two people together.

“It’s not given, it’s not stolen – love is borrowed, she always said. It’s borrowed and how lucky are to be afraid of losing it.”

Joni as a main character was the perfect fit. A lover of music, struggling to put her own feelings and words into song.

“Being in love with the idea of existing in this moment. Or, really, being in love at all. I’m not sure what changed – me, or the music?”

Imagine – you've got a song stuck in your head that you can’t put a name to, but it just won’t leave. Like unfinished business. We’ve all been there. Except, Joni and Sebastian’s connection leave them with no choice but to chase the tune that always seems to be in the background of their thoughts.

A story about navigating family life knowing the good times are limited, whilst trying to fall back in love with what runs through your blood. Seeing your hometown, that you felt you escaped and realising, running wasn’t the right decision after all. Grieving for things and people that haven’t left yet. Coming to terms with the boy who broke your heart. Sounds Like Love is about falling back in love with yourself and where you came from.

“Sometimes the dreams you come with aren’t the dreams you leave with, and sometimes you just don’t leave at all.”

It is so much more than your regular romance. The magical twist adds layers to the slow-burning inevitable love story. The realities of family life, and growing older, and the things that you thought would always be there, changing.

“Grief is just a love song in reverse.”

The entirety of this was beautifully written. If it wasn’t for the slight predictability of the plot, it would be 5 stars. But the characters, the realism, the magical twist was perfect in a way that reading it felt immersive.

Thank you NetGalley and HQ, Harper Collins for the arc in exchange for an honest review!

I love it when music and magic are parts of the story and this one has both in spades.

After an encounter at their common friends concert Joni and Sebastian share a conversation and a life changing kiss.

They can now hear a melody inside their heads and also communicate telepathically, the only way to fix this is by working together in order to write the song that has stuck in their heads.

Joni is a songwriter that has a writer's block, the only lyrics she can think are for the song that connects her with Sebastian. She thinks writing this song can be the answer to her problem, especially since the summer is shaping very different than what she initially planned.

Sebastian is the son of a very famous singer who also had his own band but everything went down the drain after an incident, he is ready to make a comeback and hopefully it will help him to get away from his father shadow. The only thing he should do in order for that to happen is to move for the summer in Joni's small town and write a song that will be a success.

I love magical elements in romance stories, especially when they are able to communicate telepathically, this is a very beautiful and unique way that I don't see often in books, but I love it each time.

The romance was incredible, I enjoyed their journey and the special way they got closer, being in each other's head, while they get to listen to their most inner thoughts.

The story is also very emotional, since Joni is spending the summer back home, with her family and her sick mother. I found it very touching and it gave a whole different direction to the story.

I have loved many of Ashley Poston books so it is no that I loved this one as well.



* I received an ARC and this is my honest opinion.

Ashley Poston has truly outdone herself again. Somehow she manages to make me tear up many times but leave me uplifted by the last page. Like her previous books, she continues an exploration of grief – though this time anticipatory grief - all while wrapped up in a swoony, slow-burn magical realism romance. It’s also a story about how our dreams can change or evolve, and that we have to follow our hearts and not what others want for us.

Joni Lark is a hit songwriter with a bad case of writers block ever since her mother’s dementia diagnosis. Moving home to her beachside North Carolina hometown for ‘one last good summer’, she learns her parents are selling the family’s music venue. And weirdly, Joni finds herself able to communicate via thought with Sasha, who also can hear the same song as she is.

I was hooked from the first sentence. I loved the way there were so many invisible connections between the characters (some of which I guessed easily but the charm was waiting for the characters to discover them). Joni and Sasha were perfect for each other, with Sasha able to calm Joni’s anxiety about her future as well as musical collaborator. If I had any quibble it would be a bit of the ending. I love that Joni got the best of both worlds and that Sasha supported it, but I was surprised he was going between places.

Thanks to HQ and NetGalley for the ARC.

I absolutely adored this book. I love Ashley’s books, the dead romantics and the seven year slip are some of my all time favourites and this one does not disappoint. It was such a beautiful moving story about family and what really matters and seeing her relationship with her mum really broke my heart. I also loved her relationship with Sebastian and how they helped eachother navigate the scary parts of their lives. I’m so ready for her next book!

I was lucky enough to receive Sounds Like Love as an ARC, and from the moment I read the synopsis, I just knew it would be something special. I’ve read Ashley Poston before and loved her writing and this book reminded me exactly why. I read it in under 10 hours because I simply couldn’t put it down.

This story made me feel everything. It was gut-wrenching in the way it handled grief and dementia, but also soft and full of light, the kind of book that balances heartache with hope so effortlessly. I loved how it explored the weight of coming home, family, memory, and letting go. The magical realism was such a beautiful touch, subtle but powerful and made the story feel like it existed somewhere between reality and a dream.

Jo was a protagonist I instantly connected with. She was strong, vulnerable, and so easy to root for. Her journey felt deeply personal. And Seb? I truly didn’t expect to fall as hard as I did. Their romance had me smiling, kicking my feet, and melting at the smallest moments. The chemistry, the shared music, the history between them, it was all so perfectly done.

This isn’t just a love story. It’s about healing, rediscovery, and holding on to the people and memories that shape us even when we have to learn to let them go.

If you love books that are emotional, whimsical, and quietly powerful, Sounds Like Love is the one. It lingers like a song you didn’t know you needed and now never want to forget.

Huge thank you to HQ for providing me with the eArc of this amazing book

First of all, I would just like to thank Ashley Poston, HQ and Netgalley for an ARC of “Sounds Like Love” in exchange for an honest review.

Unfortunately, this was a miss for me. I found myself reading this book and forgetting that Ashley was the one who wrote it- it didn’t feel like her at all.

I struggled to connect to our two main characters, particularly Joni, and the banter wasn’t bantering the way I loved in her previous books. I didn’t feel the connection between the two of them, and so struggled to care about the relationship.

The humour also fell-flat for me, which I don’t think helped the banter.

But then again, this is just my opinion, don’t let my review dissuade you!

Thank you NetGalley for the E-arc in exchange for an honest review.

I absolutely loved this! I just love Ashley Poston’s writing, she has such a way of mixing the romance between Joni and Sebastian along with the unique magical realism that she creates. This book made me laugh out loud and cry ugly tears. I loved Joni’s relationship with her mother, they had so many heartwarming scenes together

4.5 🌟
Another charming, beautifully written book by Ashley Poston.

The magic of her storylines never gets old for me. I just fall in love with her writing every single time.

“I wish I could write a song that you can never forget,” I whispered. “One that will make you remember. What’s the point of any of this if you’re not here?”

Whilst I enjoyed the romantic element to this, it was the relationship between Joni and her mum (who has been diagnosed with dementia) that got to me. I know first hand how soul destroying it is to grieve someone who is still alive so this was particularly heartbreaking for me. Joni's fears about her mum were so real and relatable.
I didn't think I was going to cry at this one, but Ashley managed to get a sob out of me in the end! It was so Bittersweet.

The only reason I haven't given 5 stars was because sometimes it wasn't always clear to me when Joni & Sasha were talking in their heads to each other or in person.

If you love music driven stories, this is one for you! A dreamy summer read that'll make you laugh and sob with gentle reminders what's important in life.