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Mixtape-Reihe #2
The Mixtape
Since the death of his twin brother, Oliver’s caught between pleasing his fans and finding himself. Emery finds him first.
Emery has never felt more alone. Raising her daughter is both her pleasure and her pain as she struggles to hold on to her job as a bartender and keep a roof over their heads. With no one to help them—no support system—any unexpected expense or late bill could turn their whole world upside down.
Reeling from the death of his twin brother and bandmate, rock star Oliver Smith is trying to drink his problems away. Apparently he isn’t very good at it; they follow him wherever he goes. Also in hot pursuit are the paparazzi, who catch Oliver at his lowest low.
He could have walked into any bar in California, but he walked into hers. Emery helps Oliver lose the crowd, and they find themselves alone: two people whose paths are marked with loss and pain. However, they hold an unshakable hope for healing. They find solace together, but can their love withstand the world?
Emery has never felt more alone. Raising her daughter is both her pleasure and her pain as she struggles to hold on to her job as a bartender and keep a roof over their heads. With no one to help them—no support system—any unexpected expense or late bill could turn their whole world upside down.
Reeling from the death of his twin brother and bandmate, rock star Oliver Smith is trying to drink his problems away. Apparently he isn’t very good at it; they follow him wherever he goes. Also in hot pursuit are the paparazzi, who catch Oliver at his lowest low.
He could have walked into any bar in California, but he walked into hers. Emery helps Oliver lose the crowd, and they find themselves alone: two people whose paths are marked with loss and pain. However, they hold an unshakable hope for healing. They find solace together, but can their love withstand the world?
333 pages, Kindle Edition
First published July 1, 2021
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 3,670 reviews
June 21, 2021
5 stars
Once again, Brittainy Cherry brought the feels with her newest release, The Mixtape. This story is about two people, Oliver and Emery who are both struggling in different ways.
Oliver hasn’t been the same since he lost his twin brother. Not only did he lose half of his musical duo, it feels like he’s lost half of himself. Emery is struggling in a different way. She’s a single mother who is trying to keep it all together, but it’s been hard. Harder than normal lately. When these two find each other, they’re not in the best place.
Even though Emery is having a hard time, Oliver is much more of a mess in a way. Emery is just the person he needs in his life. Someone who doesn’t want anything from him and is just there for him. Oliver and Emery connect on a way he hasn’t connected with anyone in a long time.
I loved this couple together and I adored Emery’s daughter being thrown in the mix. I’m always here for a great single parent romance. There were so many fantastic moments in this story. I thought the friends to lovers aspect was so well done and even though Oliver was a famous musician, it didn’t have that feel as a rockstar romance normally does, and I mean that in the best way.
If you’re looking for a beautiful romance that will give you all the feels and keep a smile on your face look no further than The Mixtape.
Every person in this world has a mixtape of sorts, a collection of tracks that defines their lives. Each memory is a song, and they all come together to create a masterpiece. So, tell me about your story.
Once again, Brittainy Cherry brought the feels with her newest release, The Mixtape. This story is about two people, Oliver and Emery who are both struggling in different ways.
Oliver hasn’t been the same since he lost his twin brother. Not only did he lose half of his musical duo, it feels like he’s lost half of himself. Emery is struggling in a different way. She’s a single mother who is trying to keep it all together, but it’s been hard. Harder than normal lately. When these two find each other, they’re not in the best place.
Even though Emery is having a hard time, Oliver is much more of a mess in a way. Emery is just the person he needs in his life. Someone who doesn’t want anything from him and is just there for him. Oliver and Emery connect on a way he hasn’t connected with anyone in a long time.
The oddest thing about life was how something could show up out of nowhere and change everything in a split second of time.
I loved this couple together and I adored Emery’s daughter being thrown in the mix. I’m always here for a great single parent romance. There were so many fantastic moments in this story. I thought the friends to lovers aspect was so well done and even though Oliver was a famous musician, it didn’t have that feel as a rockstar romance normally does, and I mean that in the best way.
If you’re looking for a beautiful romance that will give you all the feels and keep a smile on your face look no further than The Mixtape.
September 20, 2021
3.5 stars
A highlight in the book was Reese, the heroine’s daughter. She was adorable and her interactions in the book always made me smile at least.
Both Oliver and Emery were good main characters. Emery was kind and Oliver was just as kind but more tortured. He was having a hard time accepting a few things that happened but mostly he had a hard time accepting himself the way he was. I always love a good self discovery journey in my books, especially those that end with acceptance. There’s nothing better than reading about someone who learns to love themselves.
I liked everything about this book except the romance.
I don’t mean that there was a problem with the relationship, it’s just that the focus was on so many other issues such as: loss, grief, motherhood, familial bonds, music and how it can affect us, depression etc, I’m sure I could think of 5 other themes at least. And honestly, there’s nothing wrong with that, I loved reading about it but there was not much space for the developing relationship. I would have loved it more if it focused on Oliver and his journey through depression and grief because that was written so beautifully.
In their whole relationship, I think I liked the meet cute the most. The rest was sort of smooth sailing and while there was nothing wrong with that, there was also nothing to hold my interest and emotions captive.
A highlight in the book was Reese, the heroine’s daughter. She was adorable and her interactions in the book always made me smile at least.
Both Oliver and Emery were good main characters. Emery was kind and Oliver was just as kind but more tortured. He was having a hard time accepting a few things that happened but mostly he had a hard time accepting himself the way he was. I always love a good self discovery journey in my books, especially those that end with acceptance. There’s nothing better than reading about someone who learns to love themselves.
I liked everything about this book except the romance.
I don’t mean that there was a problem with the relationship, it’s just that the focus was on so many other issues such as: loss, grief, motherhood, familial bonds, music and how it can affect us, depression etc, I’m sure I could think of 5 other themes at least. And honestly, there’s nothing wrong with that, I loved reading about it but there was not much space for the developing relationship. I would have loved it more if it focused on Oliver and his journey through depression and grief because that was written so beautifully.
In their whole relationship, I think I liked the meet cute the most. The rest was sort of smooth sailing and while there was nothing wrong with that, there was also nothing to hold my interest and emotions captive.
March 14, 2022
4.75 ⭐️ omfg the way I did NOT expect to love this book as much as I did. this was so much more than a romance, it was a story about loss & grief and finding yourself in the hardest moments of your life. the quotes in here were so beautiful, i literally felt the words within my soul! Emery was an amazing female mc, she was so strong, kind hearted & independent. Oliver was incredible as well, and I loved following him through his journey. & Reese was the highlight of it all for me, she was an angel. I adored seeing both characters develop and become the best versions of themselves. & I lowkey teared up several times. I only wish we got a lil more of them all together.
“you’re my favorite song on my mixtape”
“you’re my favorite song on my mixtape”
August 11, 2022
MY OH MY!!!! This book was a tough one to read. I have never read a book by Brittainy C. Cherry before, but this certainly won't be my last. The Mixtape was such perfection. I can't believe I waited so long to read this book, but i'm happy I finally picked it up. With every twist and turn that was thrown at me, I felt like I was on an emotional roller coaster ride. I truly don't know if i'm happy or sad, because Emery and Oliver both deserve the absolute world, where as Oliver's ex girlfriend, and Emery's parents are the absolutely worst people I have ever met reading a book. There's nothing worse than having someone tell you you're not good enough. The way Emery's parents treated her is so uncalled for. If you decide to read this book, which I highly recommend everyone do, please check TW'S: mental and physical abuse, rape, depression/grief, and heavy drinking. I loved every minute of this book, but damn my heart hurts yet once again.
"You probably feel like you're falling apart, but in truth, this is you falling together, sweetheart. Sometimes, part of the healing journey involves falling apart. That doesn't make you weak; it makes you strong".
Oliver and Alex Smith are the iconic Oliver and Alex music duo. Their music has helped fans all over the world with their depression, they basically speak to their fans hearts. Oliver and Alex grew up in a very loving family, their dad introduced them to music at a very young age. One night after a concert, Oliver and Alex were driving home when they were in a car accident, where Alex lost his life. Oliver and Alex were twins and basically did everything together. Since the death of his twin brother, Oliver's caught between pleasing his fans and finding himself. Oliver loves his fans and doesn't want to disappoint them by not writing music anymore, but his depression is so bad he can't handle it. In the process of Oliver finding himself, Emery finds him first. One night Oliver steps into the bar that Emery is working at, but a whole fiasco breaks out. Oliver gets into a fight, the paparazzi find him.
Emery decides to shut the bar down for the night and kicks everyone out. Oliver is so drunk he can't drive himself home, so Emery takes Oliver to her house for the night. Oliver is so so drunk he decides to pee in Emery's houseplant. The next day Emery gets fired from her job at the bar because of this whole argument. When Oliver learns that Emery got fired and she's struggling with money and paying her bills, he decides to hire Emery as his personal chef, and pays her rent for the rest of her lease. Emery has never felt more alone. Raising her daughter, Reese is both her pleasure and her pain as she struggles to hold on to her job as a bartender and keep a roof over their heads. With no one to help them out, and no support system any unexpected expense or late bill could turn their whole lives upside down in a heart beat.
I absolutely adore the bond Oliver, Emery, and Reese formed. At times they were hilarious, but at times they broke my heart with their pain and struggles. Oliver's ex-girlfriend was just with him for the fame and money. Emery's parents were insanely rude, always talking down to her and telling her she was never good enough. I love how the author wrote a book about two broken souls who come together and help each other out no matter the circumstance. I thought it was so cute how when Oliver and Emery started texting each other, they would always send each other songs based on how they were feeling that day. The ending of this book made my heart so happy!!! Please do yourself a favor and pick up a copy of this book and a cozy blanket because once you start reading, you won't want to stop. The romance between Oliver and Emery was just the best. Reese, that little girl was just so freaking adorable, the conversations Reese and Oliver had made my heart so happy.
"You probably feel like you're falling apart, but in truth, this is you falling together, sweetheart. Sometimes, part of the healing journey involves falling apart. That doesn't make you weak; it makes you strong".
Oliver and Alex Smith are the iconic Oliver and Alex music duo. Their music has helped fans all over the world with their depression, they basically speak to their fans hearts. Oliver and Alex grew up in a very loving family, their dad introduced them to music at a very young age. One night after a concert, Oliver and Alex were driving home when they were in a car accident, where Alex lost his life. Oliver and Alex were twins and basically did everything together. Since the death of his twin brother, Oliver's caught between pleasing his fans and finding himself. Oliver loves his fans and doesn't want to disappoint them by not writing music anymore, but his depression is so bad he can't handle it. In the process of Oliver finding himself, Emery finds him first. One night Oliver steps into the bar that Emery is working at, but a whole fiasco breaks out. Oliver gets into a fight, the paparazzi find him.
Emery decides to shut the bar down for the night and kicks everyone out. Oliver is so drunk he can't drive himself home, so Emery takes Oliver to her house for the night. Oliver is so so drunk he decides to pee in Emery's houseplant. The next day Emery gets fired from her job at the bar because of this whole argument. When Oliver learns that Emery got fired and she's struggling with money and paying her bills, he decides to hire Emery as his personal chef, and pays her rent for the rest of her lease. Emery has never felt more alone. Raising her daughter, Reese is both her pleasure and her pain as she struggles to hold on to her job as a bartender and keep a roof over their heads. With no one to help them out, and no support system any unexpected expense or late bill could turn their whole lives upside down in a heart beat.
I absolutely adore the bond Oliver, Emery, and Reese formed. At times they were hilarious, but at times they broke my heart with their pain and struggles. Oliver's ex-girlfriend was just with him for the fame and money. Emery's parents were insanely rude, always talking down to her and telling her she was never good enough. I love how the author wrote a book about two broken souls who come together and help each other out no matter the circumstance. I thought it was so cute how when Oliver and Emery started texting each other, they would always send each other songs based on how they were feeling that day. The ending of this book made my heart so happy!!! Please do yourself a favor and pick up a copy of this book and a cozy blanket because once you start reading, you won't want to stop. The romance between Oliver and Emery was just the best. Reese, that little girl was just so freaking adorable, the conversations Reese and Oliver had made my heart so happy.
June 22, 2021
3 stars
So, this book is about Oliver (H), a successful musician, and Emery (h), a single mom. Oliver is struggling with the loss of his twin brother, Alex, who is killed in a car accident. One night, while in a hole-in-the-wall bar, Oliver meets Emery who’s working as a bartender. Emery is struggling with her own problems like money and family drama. But that all changes when Emery helps Oliver escape a mob of angry fans and gives him a place to stay. To thank Emery and also help her, Oliver hires her as his personal chef. This boss/employee relationship doesn't last long, like at all, because they eventually come to terms with their true feelings for each other, all while fighting their own battles.
Now, the reason for the 3-star rating has less to do with the main characters and more to do with the way the romance between Oliver and Emery was shown. To me, this is the most important part of any romance no matter who great the plot is.
What I liked
Oliver
Oliver was a really well written hero. The struggles that he goes through throughout the book were incredibly written. I believed his pain and the love he had for Alex. Oliver is referred to throughout the book as an introvert and socially awkward. Meanwhile, his brother is the complete opposite. The media and fans are constantly comparing the both of them and often refer to Oliver as the lesser brother because he comes off as ‘cold’. This is something I’ve personally struggled with and it’s one of those things I’m really insecure about so reading Oliver’s inner-monologue talk about how much he wishes he could be like more like his brother, I completely understand it.
At the very beginning of the book, Alex and Oliver are at a party celebrating the release of their third album (they are part of a duo group) when Oliver decides to leave early because I didn’t want to be there anymore. Alex decides to leave with him and while they are being driven home, they get into a car accident, causing Alex to pass away. For this reason, Oliver blames himself of his brother’s death.
The most heartbreaking thing I read in this book was why Oliver chose to cover all the mirrors in his home after his twin passed
This is probably the most beautifully written line of the book. It really puts it into perspective what twins must feel when their other half passes away, especially in Oliver’s case where he and the whole world blame him for his death. Oliver’s everlasting love for Alex is my favorite thing about this book.
Oliver's relationship with Emery's daughter, Reese, is sooooo freaking cute. I loved their banter, like, Oliver constantly correcting Reese when she called him 'Mr. 'Mith' instead of 'Mr. Smith' and Reese telling Oliver to stop calling her kid.
Another example...
Emery
I don’t have much to say about Emery, she was a good heroine. I felt that Oliver's character was the more interesting one. I loved the relationship between her and Reese. She's one of those characters who always tries to see the best in people, even when they might not deserve it. The drama with Emery's family was enjoyable to read, but it's honestly personal preference and this kinda goes into my issue with the lack of romance where the plot was good, but the romance was too lacking.
Meet-cute
The first meeting between Oliver and Emery was amazing and hilarious. I love that he didn't automatically come off as perfect and dreamy, which Emery was expecting as she was a fan of his. Oliver tries to fight this huge guy while piss drunk and gets punched. When Emery helps him, he throws up in her car, pisses in her plant and strips naked, all in the same night.
What I DIDN'T like
As I said, the romance wasn’t there for me. I'm trying to read a romance novel, but got more of the struggles of 2 people that happen to fall in love. There also seemed to be a lot more showing and not telling. This seems to be an issue in romance that are more plot based. I want to read all the cute interactions and conversations between the MCs, not read it in the inner monologues as a passing thought. This might be a lot of people's thing, it just wasn't for me.
There's also OW Drama. Oliver's ex is actually his girlfriend for freaking 40 PERCENT OF THE BOOK. Not only this, but his ex is a fucking bitch and also emotionally abusive to Oliver. Oliver literally takes this abuse for years and doesn't break up with her until she throws a drink on Emery and tries to pretend like she did it to herself. Oliver also acknowledges that he doesn't love her anymore, but he wanted to be with her still. It just bothered me that the author would decide to not have him break up with her on his own terms. The drama lasts to the near end of the book since his ex goes on this media frenzy where she accuses and suggests that Oliver was emotionally and physically abusive to her. The whole drama bothered me cause I've just never cared for OW/OM drama. If I catch Oliver's ex on the street...
Okay this is kind of random, but there was a random plot hole in the book. In one chapter there's a 5 year flashback to one of Alex & Oliver's early concerts. At the concert they meet 2 fans that are sisters, one of which is pregnant. All the sudden, the fans water breaks and some of it gets on Oliver's shoe. The girl says she's sorry and Oliver jokes 'it's okay, as long as you name the kid after me and not Alex like you want'. Alex's middle name is Reese. Now this isn't brought up at any point in the book and Emery says later on in the book that she wishes she met Alex. But she literally did????? I am truly confused.
Anyway, ignore that I suck ass at writing about why I like a book.
So, this book is about Oliver (H), a successful musician, and Emery (h), a single mom. Oliver is struggling with the loss of his twin brother, Alex, who is killed in a car accident. One night, while in a hole-in-the-wall bar, Oliver meets Emery who’s working as a bartender. Emery is struggling with her own problems like money and family drama. But that all changes when Emery helps Oliver escape a mob of angry fans and gives him a place to stay. To thank Emery and also help her, Oliver hires her as his personal chef. This boss/employee relationship doesn't last long, like at all, because they eventually come to terms with their true feelings for each other, all while fighting their own battles.
Now, the reason for the 3-star rating has less to do with the main characters and more to do with the way the romance between Oliver and Emery was shown. To me, this is the most important part of any romance no matter who great the plot is.
What I liked
Oliver
Oliver was a really well written hero. The struggles that he goes through throughout the book were incredibly written. I believed his pain and the love he had for Alex. Oliver is referred to throughout the book as an introvert and socially awkward. Meanwhile, his brother is the complete opposite. The media and fans are constantly comparing the both of them and often refer to Oliver as the lesser brother because he comes off as ‘cold’. This is something I’ve personally struggled with and it’s one of those things I’m really insecure about so reading Oliver’s inner-monologue talk about how much he wishes he could be like more like his brother, I completely understand it.
At the very beginning of the book, Alex and Oliver are at a party celebrating the release of their third album (they are part of a duo group) when Oliver decides to leave early because I didn’t want to be there anymore. Alex decides to leave with him and while they are being driven home, they get into a car accident, causing Alex to pass away. For this reason, Oliver blames himself of his brother’s death.
The most heartbreaking thing I read in this book was why Oliver chose to cover all the mirrors in his home after his twin passed
Most of the mirrors in my house were covered with sheets. I hardly looked in mirrors in such a long time, because in every single one, Alex was staring back my way
This is probably the most beautifully written line of the book. It really puts it into perspective what twins must feel when their other half passes away, especially in Oliver’s case where he and the whole world blame him for his death. Oliver’s everlasting love for Alex is my favorite thing about this book.
Oliver's relationship with Emery's daughter, Reese, is sooooo freaking cute. I loved their banter, like, Oliver constantly correcting Reese when she called him 'Mr. 'Mith' instead of 'Mr. Smith' and Reese telling Oliver to stop calling her kid.
”Hey, Mr. Mith?" Reese asked, tugging on my shirtsleeve.
"Smith."
"What's what I said. Hey, Mr. Mith, do you think you'll ever make good music again?"
Another example...
"Stop calling me 'kid'—I'm 5 years old. I'm a big girl."
"I'll stop calling you 'kid' when you stop calling me 'Mith'."
"Okay, Mr. Mith!"
Emery
I don’t have much to say about Emery, she was a good heroine. I felt that Oliver's character was the more interesting one. I loved the relationship between her and Reese. She's one of those characters who always tries to see the best in people, even when they might not deserve it. The drama with Emery's family was enjoyable to read, but it's honestly personal preference and this kinda goes into my issue with the lack of romance where the plot was good, but the romance was too lacking.
Meet-cute
The first meeting between Oliver and Emery was amazing and hilarious. I love that he didn't automatically come off as perfect and dreamy, which Emery was expecting as she was a fan of his. Oliver tries to fight this huge guy while piss drunk and gets punched. When Emery helps him, he throws up in her car, pisses in her plant and strips naked, all in the same night.
What I DIDN'T like
As I said, the romance wasn’t there for me. I'm trying to read a romance novel, but got more of the struggles of 2 people that happen to fall in love. There also seemed to be a lot more showing and not telling. This seems to be an issue in romance that are more plot based. I want to read all the cute interactions and conversations between the MCs, not read it in the inner monologues as a passing thought. This might be a lot of people's thing, it just wasn't for me.
There's also OW Drama. Oliver's ex is actually his girlfriend for freaking 40 PERCENT OF THE BOOK. Not only this, but his ex is a fucking bitch and also emotionally abusive to Oliver. Oliver literally takes this abuse for years and doesn't break up with her until she throws a drink on Emery and tries to pretend like she did it to herself. Oliver also acknowledges that he doesn't love her anymore, but he wanted to be with her still. It just bothered me that the author would decide to not have him break up with her on his own terms. The drama lasts to the near end of the book since his ex goes on this media frenzy where she accuses and suggests that Oliver was emotionally and physically abusive to her. The whole drama bothered me cause I've just never cared for OW/OM drama. If I catch Oliver's ex on the street...
Okay this is kind of random, but there was a random plot hole in the book. In one chapter there's a 5 year flashback to one of Alex & Oliver's early concerts. At the concert they meet 2 fans that are sisters, one of which is pregnant. All the sudden, the fans water breaks and some of it gets on Oliver's shoe. The girl says she's sorry and Oliver jokes 'it's okay, as long as you name the kid after me and not Alex like you want'. Alex's middle name is Reese. Now this isn't brought up at any point in the book and Emery says later on in the book that she wishes she met Alex. But she literally did????? I am truly confused.
Anyway, ignore that I suck ass at writing about why I like a book.
June 3, 2021
Book: The Mixtape
Rating: 3.5 stars
Trigger Warning: Rape, Depression, Physical and Verbal Abuse
Summary
The music world lost another great at 27; Alex from the duo Alex & Oliver, passed away from a car accident. Losing his best friend and brother hasn’t been easy on Oliver Smith. Alex was everything to Oliver, he didn’t know what to do without him, let alone make music. He was feeling lost in the world, a part of him was even sure what living meant anymore. Those thoughts lead him to a bar one night, where he meets Emery Taylor. Emery Taylor is barely keeping a roof over her head as she takes care of her daughter; she has already lost one job while she tries to work her shift where she comes face to face with the Oliver Smith. Neither Oliver nor Emery would know it, but that one interaction would change their lives. The only thing is, are they ready to face this unpredictable world together?
Review
This definitely has not been my best reading year so far. Don’t get me wrong, I have read some good books but giving a Brittainy book three stars kills me. Up until this year, I have never given a Brittainy C Cherry book less than 4 stars, but this is the second book I’ve read this year were I sadly had to give her 3 stars. Sure, it could be worse it’s not like I hated this book, but it was still disappointing in some ways. This was one of my most anticipated reads of this year, it was good – I even shed a tear or two, I just didn’t love it.
This was definitely a bit of a depressing book. But let’s be honest, what Brittainy book isn’t? Oliver is going through the lost of his twin brother and the family issues Emery was facing were hard to read; however, Brittainy did what she does best – she wrote an amazingly beautiful story of two souls coming together and becoming stronger. It was nicely written and even hit home in some ways. Nonetheless, it was a bit slow at times especially in the beginning. I just found the pacing to be a bit dull and it was hard to get into at times. Overall, I thought the writing and plot was nice enough. Oliver and Emery’s separate and individual journeys were amazing to see and well written!
Emery was such a cute heroine. More often than not I love Brittainy’s heroines, and Emery was another great one! She has so much love and courage in her heart; she was really inspiring. She was just such a great mother, and the compassion she showed to everyone was remarkable to see. Emery dealt with raising her daughter and those struggles as well as family issues from her very unsupportive family. Even though, Oliver definitely had more of a character arc in terms of his depression, Emery’s growth through happiness was captivating to read as well. In all she was just a really sweet and even funny at times heroine to read!
Oliver’s pain was hard to read. I shed tears for him. Losing a sibling is never easy; when that sibling is also your coworker and your twin, I can’t even begin to comprehend the pain he must have felt. What Brittainy has always been able to do well is write characters who are experiencing mental issues like depression, as someone who experiences it as well, I love how accurate she writes the feelings through the pages. Oliver finding his passion for music again and learning to love life again was really nice to read – very heart warming. I loved the person he became at the end, and I was just happy that he was happy.
I also do want to talk about Emery’s daughter, Reese. I don’t love kids in romances, but I can’t lie Reese was amazing! She was just so cute and hilarious; for such a young kid, she was so sassy! I loved the relationship she had with Emery and Oliver. They all just made such a cute family!
The romance is where the book was lacking a bit to me. I didn’t really feel the connection towards Emery and Oliver that much. I could see how they were helping each other but I just didn’t feel the chemistry. They had some cute moments, and like I said they made an adorable family, but I just felt like something was missing. Nonetheless, I enjoyed them as much as I could.
In all, my expectations were a little too high for this since Brittainy has written some of my favorite books of all time, but I still enjoyed it. I thought it was a great story about healing and finding happiness!
Rating: 3.5 stars
Trigger Warning: Rape, Depression, Physical and Verbal Abuse
Summary
The music world lost another great at 27; Alex from the duo Alex & Oliver, passed away from a car accident. Losing his best friend and brother hasn’t been easy on Oliver Smith. Alex was everything to Oliver, he didn’t know what to do without him, let alone make music. He was feeling lost in the world, a part of him was even sure what living meant anymore. Those thoughts lead him to a bar one night, where he meets Emery Taylor. Emery Taylor is barely keeping a roof over her head as she takes care of her daughter; she has already lost one job while she tries to work her shift where she comes face to face with the Oliver Smith. Neither Oliver nor Emery would know it, but that one interaction would change their lives. The only thing is, are they ready to face this unpredictable world together?
Review
This definitely has not been my best reading year so far. Don’t get me wrong, I have read some good books but giving a Brittainy book three stars kills me. Up until this year, I have never given a Brittainy C Cherry book less than 4 stars, but this is the second book I’ve read this year were I sadly had to give her 3 stars. Sure, it could be worse it’s not like I hated this book, but it was still disappointing in some ways. This was one of my most anticipated reads of this year, it was good – I even shed a tear or two, I just didn’t love it.
”When I got out of the shower, I didn’t look in the mirror. Most of the mirrors in my house were covered with sheets. I hadn’t looked in mirrors in such a long time, because in every single one, Alex was staring back my way.”
This was definitely a bit of a depressing book. But let’s be honest, what Brittainy book isn’t? Oliver is going through the lost of his twin brother and the family issues Emery was facing were hard to read; however, Brittainy did what she does best – she wrote an amazingly beautiful story of two souls coming together and becoming stronger. It was nicely written and even hit home in some ways. Nonetheless, it was a bit slow at times especially in the beginning. I just found the pacing to be a bit dull and it was hard to get into at times. Overall, I thought the writing and plot was nice enough. Oliver and Emery’s separate and individual journeys were amazing to see and well written!
“Yes,” I said, nodding as if he could see me. “But someday it won’t be. Someday you’ll be okay.” “What makes you think that?” “I just get the feeling that someday you’re going to find it—your happy ending. This is just a temporary thing. Your sadness.”
Emery was such a cute heroine. More often than not I love Brittainy’s heroines, and Emery was another great one! She has so much love and courage in her heart; she was really inspiring. She was just such a great mother, and the compassion she showed to everyone was remarkable to see. Emery dealt with raising her daughter and those struggles as well as family issues from her very unsupportive family. Even though, Oliver definitely had more of a character arc in terms of his depression, Emery’s growth through happiness was captivating to read as well. In all she was just a really sweet and even funny at times heroine to read!
“Yeah. I don’t know how to start this, so I’m just going to say it. I like you, Emery. I like you so fucking much. I like the way you care for others. I like the way you don’t judge. I like how when you’re happy with the meals you cook, you do a little jig. I like how you listen. I like how you love your daughter. I like how you stay around when I’m at my lows. I like how you laugh. How you smile. How you exist. I. Like. You.”
Oliver’s pain was hard to read. I shed tears for him. Losing a sibling is never easy; when that sibling is also your coworker and your twin, I can’t even begin to comprehend the pain he must have felt. What Brittainy has always been able to do well is write characters who are experiencing mental issues like depression, as someone who experiences it as well, I love how accurate she writes the feelings through the pages. Oliver finding his passion for music again and learning to love life again was really nice to read – very heart warming. I loved the person he became at the end, and I was just happy that he was happy.
“He cares about others more than he cares about himself. He pours everything he has into our music, into the lyrics, into the songs that everyone loves. Maybe I do better in certain situations than he does, but it goes both ways. He has more heart than me. He feels deeper than me, he understands people more than I do, even though he’d never admit it. I might be the hype man of Alex & Oliver, but Oliver is truly the mastermind.”
I also do want to talk about Emery’s daughter, Reese. I don’t love kids in romances, but I can’t lie Reese was amazing! She was just so cute and hilarious; for such a young kid, she was so sassy! I loved the relationship she had with Emery and Oliver. They all just made such a cute family!
“This was my brother’s, and it means the world to me, so I wanted to give it to the little girl who means the world to me too. I wanted you to know that you have half of my heartbeats, and I’d spend forever protecting you if you’ll have me.”
The romance is where the book was lacking a bit to me. I didn’t really feel the connection towards Emery and Oliver that much. I could see how they were helping each other but I just didn’t feel the chemistry. They had some cute moments, and like I said they made an adorable family, but I just felt like something was missing. Nonetheless, I enjoyed them as much as I could.
“Which was exactly why it was going to last forever. Before, they stamped my heartbeats, and those stamps would last forever.”
In all, my expectations were a little too high for this since Brittainy has written some of my favorite books of all time, but I still enjoyed it. I thought it was a great story about healing and finding happiness!
March 28, 2022
Sometimes we have to fall apart before we can fall back together.
- Oliver
This was a beautifully written story that addressed many issues, such as death, depression, weird religion, forgiveness, sexual assault and true unconditional love just to name a few. Oliver and Emery are my favorite couple so far this year! Two lost souls who find each other. Emery shows Oliver his true worth and helps teach him how to deal with his depression. I love the way this story unfolded and dealt with each person's issues. Bring tissues if you decide to read this one!
- Oliver
This was a beautifully written story that addressed many issues, such as death, depression, weird religion, forgiveness, sexual assault and true unconditional love just to name a few. Oliver and Emery are my favorite couple so far this year! Two lost souls who find each other. Emery shows Oliver his true worth and helps teach him how to deal with his depression. I love the way this story unfolded and dealt with each person's issues. Bring tissues if you decide to read this one!
March 12, 2023
5+ “heart stamps” stars!
I am struggling with how to even articulate a review worthy of this amazing book. This was next level Brittainy Cherry right here. This book dug deep into my heart and soul, pulling things from my past that Brittainy seemed to have insight into without even knowing anything about me.
This book was real. It was raw, and very unpretty at times, and messy, but that is life.
“The hardest truth to learn in life was that not everyone loved the same way you did.”
So many truths that hit home. Talks of generational curses, and breaking those chains is something that I myself have had to do. To quote BC, “if the generational curse stayed in place, if we didn’t change our future by speaking and healing from our past, we’d keep that loop going.” This is real—period!
Emery’s religious background, her narcissistic parents..this was everything I grew up around in the Deep South. I felt like Emery in that like she did, I had to physically remove myself from this toxic environment, and break these evil chains. Blood family doesn’t matter. If they are the ones doing harm then that’s when we have to re evaluate what true family is, and make our own.
“In that moment, I knew the truth about family. There wasn’t one cookie-cutter way to create love bonds. Families came in all shapes, forms, and sizes. Some were tied together by blood, and others by heartbeats. At the end of the day, it didn’t matter how you came together; it only mattered that you stayed together. That you looked out for one another and loved in an unconditional way.”
Oliver & Emery are my fave BC couple to date. This story is locked safe in my heart, and I will reread often. All the complexities, heartache and soul mending..heart healing is so worth it.
“You found me when my heartbeats were hardly there, and you stamped them. You stamped my heart, and that’s why it’s still beating.”
I am struggling with how to even articulate a review worthy of this amazing book. This was next level Brittainy Cherry right here. This book dug deep into my heart and soul, pulling things from my past that Brittainy seemed to have insight into without even knowing anything about me.
This book was real. It was raw, and very unpretty at times, and messy, but that is life.
“The hardest truth to learn in life was that not everyone loved the same way you did.”
So many truths that hit home. Talks of generational curses, and breaking those chains is something that I myself have had to do. To quote BC, “if the generational curse stayed in place, if we didn’t change our future by speaking and healing from our past, we’d keep that loop going.” This is real—period!
Emery’s religious background, her narcissistic parents..this was everything I grew up around in the Deep South. I felt like Emery in that like she did, I had to physically remove myself from this toxic environment, and break these evil chains. Blood family doesn’t matter. If they are the ones doing harm then that’s when we have to re evaluate what true family is, and make our own.
“In that moment, I knew the truth about family. There wasn’t one cookie-cutter way to create love bonds. Families came in all shapes, forms, and sizes. Some were tied together by blood, and others by heartbeats. At the end of the day, it didn’t matter how you came together; it only mattered that you stayed together. That you looked out for one another and loved in an unconditional way.”
Oliver & Emery are my fave BC couple to date. This story is locked safe in my heart, and I will reread often. All the complexities, heartache and soul mending..heart healing is so worth it.
“You found me when my heartbeats were hardly there, and you stamped them. You stamped my heart, and that’s why it’s still beating.”
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
August 1, 2022
This rock star romance had a really intriguing hook. Oliver was part of a popular band with his twin brother Alex, who was the more popular of the two. After Alex is killed in a car accident, Oliver self-destructs.
Emery is a plucky single mom who is struggling to pay her bills. She’s also a major fan of Alex and Oliver, and when Oliver comes into her bar drunk one night and hiding from fans who are pissed he no-showed to a concert, she can’t help but pity him. When Emery loses her job because of the night Oliver came to her bar, he offers her a job as his personal chef. And so the beginnings of a slow burn romance commence.
What I really loved in this, besides the connection between Oliver and Emery, was the characterizations of each of them individually and their complex backstories. Emery, as the story is further revealed, we see comes from a deeply religious family, and has an estranged sister that she is worried about. She is highly protective of Reese, her daughter, and as the pieces about their history (which I LOVED) are slowly revealed, we see how amazing and giving Emery is. I just really thought the way the backstories were put together in this one worked so well, and as Oliver and Emery slowly grew closer, and grew to be a found family (adorable scenes with Reese and “Mr. Mith”) they helped each other heal through their pain. Brittainy C Cherry is one of my favorite women’s fiction/romance writers. She always writes a great novel.
Emery is a plucky single mom who is struggling to pay her bills. She’s also a major fan of Alex and Oliver, and when Oliver comes into her bar drunk one night and hiding from fans who are pissed he no-showed to a concert, she can’t help but pity him. When Emery loses her job because of the night Oliver came to her bar, he offers her a job as his personal chef. And so the beginnings of a slow burn romance commence.
What I really loved in this, besides the connection between Oliver and Emery, was the characterizations of each of them individually and their complex backstories. Emery, as the story is further revealed, we see comes from a deeply religious family, and has an estranged sister that she is worried about. She is highly protective of Reese, her daughter, and as the pieces about their history (which I LOVED) are slowly revealed, we see how amazing and giving Emery is. I just really thought the way the backstories were put together in this one worked so well, and as Oliver and Emery slowly grew closer, and grew to be a found family (adorable scenes with Reese and “Mr. Mith”) they helped each other heal through their pain. Brittainy C Cherry is one of my favorite women’s fiction/romance writers. She always writes a great novel.
August 12, 2021
***5 Heart Stamps STARS***
Este libro ha sido HERMOSO.
Brittainy C. Cherry con su bonita escritura siempre remueve mis emociones y especialmente este libro provocó que salieran ALL MY FEELINGS estuvieron a flor de piel y cuando un libro provoca eso en mí, definitivamente es un 5 estrellas. Se fue directo a mi corazón y lo apachurró
Rara vez un libro me hace llorar y con este lloré como magdalena.
Venía con tan bajas expectativas pensando que no me iba a gustar y POOR FOOL es Brittainy.
HISTORIA
Es de las historias más bonitas y emocionales que he leído este año.
A pesar de que a primera impresión puede ser cliché, un cantante famoso se enamora de su fan pero la manera de abordar la historia desarrollarla e irte llevando es muy lindo.
Oliver ha perdido a su hermano gemelo y con el que tenía un dúo, ha sido una pérdida dolorosa y su duelo muy difícil, la prensa y la mala opinión de la gente no se lo ha hecho fácil.
Está sumido en un bucle en una espiral de dolor por lo que se refugia en el alcohol y por azares del destino va a dar en el bar donde trabaja Emery una madre soltera que no la está pasando nada bien sobreviviendo al día a día con su hija de 5 años.
Emery ayuda a Oliver librándolo de los paparazzis, en este primer encuentro él esta borracho no se ha portado nada bien con ella más sin embargo ella lo ayuda densiteresadamente y como no ayudarlo si ha sido su ídolo desde siempre.
Por ciertas circunstancias se vuelven a encontrar y ella termina trabajando con él.
PERSONAJES
Emery: Ella es una mujer fantástica, aguerrida, que nunca se rinde ante nada siempre luchan ante la adveridad.
Es cálida y amorosa, siempre está ahí para quien la necesite, es la mejor hermana, amiga y como madre es excepcional, da todo por todos a los que ama.
Emery es de las mejores protagonistas que he leído.
Oliver: Él me encantó, provocó que me quiera meter al libro para abrazarlo, es un hombre que siempre ha sufrido de depresión, siempre ha sido el bicho raro a la sombra de su hermano gemelo que irradiaba luz mientras él era frío y oscuro.
Pero nada más alejado de la verdad Oliver, siempre se preocupa, siente demasiado y no sabe cómo externarlo.
Esta historia más que de romance, es de superación, aceptación de amistad y de amor.
Si hay romance es un slow burn saben que no soy muy fan pero la manera como se manejó, de ellos primero conocerse, apoyarse, desarrollando una amistad, la autora les dio su tiempo y cuando llegó el momento de decirse te amo, se lo creímos porque vimos cómo fue naciendo ese amor.
Emery y Oliver eran demasiado lindos yo fui enamorando junto con ellos.
Y la cereza en esta historia fue Reese la niña de Emery, era una niña vivaz y la relación que se dio con Oliver fue demasiado cute, los adoré juntos, varias escenas de ellos dos me sacaron lágrimas.
No sé qué tiene esta autora que siempre hace que me identifique con sus libros al menos la mayoría y los siento tan personales que por eso siempre termino con el corazón en un puño.
En este caso me identifique mucho con Oliver con su constante tristeza, su baja autoestima, menospreciándose, overthinking , porque yo toda mi vida me he sentido así, por eso me llegó muy profundo y terminé ugly crying, además que ando muy hormonal.
No puedo expresar con palabras todo lo que sentí y me voy a quedar corta en esta reseña
Simplemente tienen que leerlo
Pd.
Pensé que por ser un prota de raza negra no me iba a gustar OJO no es racismo simplemente es como decir que no me gustan los rubios o los asiáticos PERO terminé amando a Oliver
Este libro ha sido HERMOSO.
Brittainy C. Cherry con su bonita escritura siempre remueve mis emociones y especialmente este libro provocó que salieran ALL MY FEELINGS estuvieron a flor de piel y cuando un libro provoca eso en mí, definitivamente es un 5 estrellas. Se fue directo a mi corazón y lo apachurró
Rara vez un libro me hace llorar y con este lloré como magdalena.
Venía con tan bajas expectativas pensando que no me iba a gustar y POOR FOOL es Brittainy.
HISTORIA
Es de las historias más bonitas y emocionales que he leído este año.
A pesar de que a primera impresión puede ser cliché, un cantante famoso se enamora de su fan pero la manera de abordar la historia desarrollarla e irte llevando es muy lindo.
Oliver ha perdido a su hermano gemelo y con el que tenía un dúo, ha sido una pérdida dolorosa y su duelo muy difícil, la prensa y la mala opinión de la gente no se lo ha hecho fácil.
Está sumido en un bucle en una espiral de dolor por lo que se refugia en el alcohol y por azares del destino va a dar en el bar donde trabaja Emery una madre soltera que no la está pasando nada bien sobreviviendo al día a día con su hija de 5 años.
Emery ayuda a Oliver librándolo de los paparazzis, en este primer encuentro él esta borracho no se ha portado nada bien con ella más sin embargo ella lo ayuda densiteresadamente y como no ayudarlo si ha sido su ídolo desde siempre.
Por ciertas circunstancias se vuelven a encontrar y ella termina trabajando con él.
PERSONAJES
Emery: Ella es una mujer fantástica, aguerrida, que nunca se rinde ante nada siempre luchan ante la adveridad.
Es cálida y amorosa, siempre está ahí para quien la necesite, es la mejor hermana, amiga y como madre es excepcional, da todo por todos a los que ama.
Emery es de las mejores protagonistas que he leído.
Oliver: Él me encantó, provocó que me quiera meter al libro para abrazarlo, es un hombre que siempre ha sufrido de depresión, siempre ha sido el bicho raro a la sombra de su hermano gemelo que irradiaba luz mientras él era frío y oscuro.
Pero nada más alejado de la verdad Oliver, siempre se preocupa, siente demasiado y no sabe cómo externarlo.
Esta historia más que de romance, es de superación, aceptación de amistad y de amor.
Si hay romance es un slow burn saben que no soy muy fan pero la manera como se manejó, de ellos primero conocerse, apoyarse, desarrollando una amistad, la autora les dio su tiempo y cuando llegó el momento de decirse te amo, se lo creímos porque vimos cómo fue naciendo ese amor.
Emery y Oliver eran demasiado lindos yo fui enamorando junto con ellos.
Y la cereza en esta historia fue Reese la niña de Emery, era una niña vivaz y la relación que se dio con Oliver fue demasiado cute, los adoré juntos, varias escenas de ellos dos me sacaron lágrimas.
No sé qué tiene esta autora que siempre hace que me identifique con sus libros al menos la mayoría y los siento tan personales que por eso siempre termino con el corazón en un puño.
En este caso me identifique mucho con Oliver con su constante tristeza, su baja autoestima, menospreciándose, overthinking , porque yo toda mi vida me he sentido así, por eso me llegó muy profundo y terminé ugly crying, además que ando muy hormonal.
No puedo expresar con palabras todo lo que sentí y me voy a quedar corta en esta reseña
Simplemente tienen que leerlo
Pd.
Pensé que por ser un prota de raza negra no me iba a gustar OJO no es racismo simplemente es como decir que no me gustan los rubios o los asiáticos PERO terminé amando a Oliver
July 3, 2021
4.5 Stars!
(ARC provided by author)
-When it rains, it pours, but the rain always stops, and the sun comes out again.
Oliver Smith is one of the biggest musicians in Hollywood. He was thrust into the limelight and now had money, fame and success, but when he loses his twin brother his world feels like it's crashing down around him. His brother was his other half in their family and their careers. Now the once popular music duo is no more. While Oliver tries to pick up the pieces of his life, he feels empty and lost. He's drowning in pain and not sure if he can ever perform again. Music was always his lifeline, and the largest part of who he was. Just when he's not sure where to turn he meets a woman named Emery. She's exactly what he needs in that moment in time. She's a breath of fresh air he so desperately craves, and becomes his safe place in the storm.
Emery is single mom trying to make ends meet and doing everything alone. Her little girl is her world, but she's extremely overwhelmed with no support system and struggling to provide for her. While at work she meets her top celebrity crush at his lowest point, and tries to help him escape from the paparazzi. Oliver is a painfully handsome, quiet, shy introvert who often overthinks things. They are two people whose paths cross and begin to smile again. Will they find happiness together or will outside forces be too much for them to handle?
-She was the first woman who'd made my heart feel things that I hadn't known hearts could feel.
-He was a beautiful man with a beautifully scarred soul, and the best part about it was that he hadn't even known how beautiful he had been. The broken pieces of his story were exactly what made him shine.
The Mixtape by Brittainy Cherry is an emotional friends to lovers, rock star, single parent, slow burn romance about friendship, heartbreak, healing, love, loss and hope. I loved this story and this man is truly something special. His beautiful heart and kind soul will capture your heart from the start.
***NOW AVAILABLE***
https://amzn.to/3AdLMlo
(ARC provided by author)
-When it rains, it pours, but the rain always stops, and the sun comes out again.
Oliver Smith is one of the biggest musicians in Hollywood. He was thrust into the limelight and now had money, fame and success, but when he loses his twin brother his world feels like it's crashing down around him. His brother was his other half in their family and their careers. Now the once popular music duo is no more. While Oliver tries to pick up the pieces of his life, he feels empty and lost. He's drowning in pain and not sure if he can ever perform again. Music was always his lifeline, and the largest part of who he was. Just when he's not sure where to turn he meets a woman named Emery. She's exactly what he needs in that moment in time. She's a breath of fresh air he so desperately craves, and becomes his safe place in the storm.
Emery is single mom trying to make ends meet and doing everything alone. Her little girl is her world, but she's extremely overwhelmed with no support system and struggling to provide for her. While at work she meets her top celebrity crush at his lowest point, and tries to help him escape from the paparazzi. Oliver is a painfully handsome, quiet, shy introvert who often overthinks things. They are two people whose paths cross and begin to smile again. Will they find happiness together or will outside forces be too much for them to handle?
-She was the first woman who'd made my heart feel things that I hadn't known hearts could feel.
-He was a beautiful man with a beautifully scarred soul, and the best part about it was that he hadn't even known how beautiful he had been. The broken pieces of his story were exactly what made him shine.
The Mixtape by Brittainy Cherry is an emotional friends to lovers, rock star, single parent, slow burn romance about friendship, heartbreak, healing, love, loss and hope. I loved this story and this man is truly something special. His beautiful heart and kind soul will capture your heart from the start.
***NOW AVAILABLE***
https://amzn.to/3AdLMlo
August 20, 2021
Miss Cherry done it again. The Mixtape is a story that full of moral messages. Just like Miss Cherry wrote at the beginning of the book, this book is for all the young girls, women out there who struggle to find their place in this world. The romance is nice adding bonus.
Even the story is more focusing on woman struggle, I like Oliver. He is that type of hero who gives all his love and support for his girls. Emery is a modern woman who born and raised in a wrong family. Her family is strict and religious. And yet she stood out with her wisdom. I do like how Miss Cherry gives her readers an equal hero and heroine. They both deserves each other.
Book like The Mixtape is what I am craving from Miss Cherry.
5 stars
Even the story is more focusing on woman struggle, I like Oliver. He is that type of hero who gives all his love and support for his girls. Emery is a modern woman who born and raised in a wrong family. Her family is strict and religious. And yet she stood out with her wisdom. I do like how Miss Cherry gives her readers an equal hero and heroine. They both deserves each other.
Book like The Mixtape is what I am craving from Miss Cherry.
5 stars
July 4, 2021
This type of books warms my heart. Seeing broken people get better thanks to being surrounded by caring people just gets me 🥺
And if you add in to the mix a cute little kid, makes the book even better.
“When it rains, it pours, but the rain always stops, and the sun comes out again.”
And if you add in to the mix a cute little kid, makes the book even better.
“When it rains, it pours, but the rain always stops, and the sun comes out again.”
April 12, 2023
my heart hurts so bad rn
May 16, 2023
4.5⭐️
I felt every emotion possible while reading this!
I felt every emotion possible while reading this!
April 25, 2022
Emery + Oliver.
Emery and her five year old daughter have been busy just surviving these last years. Emery works very hard just to pay rent and to feed her little girl.
Her dream is to be a chef - but she's just bartending for now.
That's where she meets him one night. Oliver.
The hero of her teenage years.
Oliver was the not-so-popular part of the famous music duo Alex + Oliver.
His twin brother Alex died six months ago and Oliver hasn't really dealt with things yet.
═════════════════
Another beautiful Brittainy book!
A very heartbreaking rock-stary love story drama.
I just loved Emery and little Reese. And Oliver and his parents. An amazing couple. Most parents in books these days are horrible. Which Emery's parents are unfortunately. Ew. I ... ugh. Horror people!
The story was so sweet and adorable and funny and rock-starish and cook-ish and cindarella-ish. But at the same time it's all so sad with Alex dying and Oliver being so sad and depressed. And the horrible ex-girlfriend and the press and 'fans'.
And Emery has her own problems. Money. Her sister. Her parents. Her job.
It's not easy for our darlings. But of course we'll fight for that happy end.
I really enjoyed reading this.
I didn't love the many religious moments. That's a hard limit in my books. There was too much praying and talking about religion.
And the whole romance part was a bit meh. The sparks between them could've been better and the first kiss could've happened a lot sooner. It was a very slow romance.
There were a lot of things that didn't work in the story. I know I read an uncorrected copy and I don't usually mention those things about uncorrected books, but jeez. Really bad. I hope that the last proofreader and editor will fix things. Timeline problems. Typos. Wrong grammar. Et cetera.
Two things that I thought were so weird - I'll hide them for those who haven't read it yet 😉
But still - I loved the story!
READ IT!
THE MIXTAPE was another beautiful Brittainy Cherry love story. Heartbreaking. Funny. Romantic. Adorable. Full of music, good food, hope and love.
Run to your nearest amazon for your own Oliver - this one is MINE! ☺
💜
💜
July 7, 2021
This author is the queen of emotional stories and I can always count on her to bring me all the feels. This story was everything I was hoping for. I cried, my heart broke, I got mad, I got furious, I jumped for joy, I chuckled a bit and I fell in love. Kudos Ms. Cherry - you did it again!
”Every person in this world has a mixtape of sorts, a collection of tracks that defines their lives. Each memory is a song, and they all come together to create a masterpiece. So, tell me about your story. What lyrics, what melodies, live on your mixtape?”
“If humans knew how damaging words could be to someone’s mental health and stability, then maybe they would’ve chosen them differently.”
**Synopsis:**
While working at a hole-in-the-wall bar, Emery meets a drunk Oliver. First impressions weren’t good, but when she finds out he skipped his own concert to wallow in his unhappiness in a bar, things definitely get worse. When the bar patrons and angry fans take their frustrations out on him, Emery comes to his rescue.
The next day when Oliver finds out Emery was fired for helping him, he realizes he can come to her rescue by offering her a position as his cook.
Oliver is finding it difficult to get over the loss of his twin and Emery has some family and finance issues that are causing her some stress. So both of these two are in desperate need of someone to provide support and care. Emery’s position in Oliver’s home is the perfect opportunity for these two to build a slow and steady friendship which eventually turns into much more.
~ ”I don’t know how long it’s going to take me to work through my troubles. I fall apart and struggle through normal activities. I am the complete opposite of what normal is. Some days I struggle to get out of bed, and others I struggle to breathe. But you make it easier. You make it better”
~“You’re my favorite song on my mixtape.”
** The following are my thoughts about this book: **
* * the twins…oh how I loved both of them. The Oliver / Alex aspect of this story was beautiful and heartbreaking.
* * Emery’s parents were awful. If you don’t like religion mentioned at all in a book, this may be an issue for you. Her parents were religious fanatics who were hypocritical, mean, crazy wackos.
* * it was a slow burn, and I was ok with that. Emery and Oliver were both struggling with some personal things and they needed to sort some of that out before they could be ready for a long lasting relationship. I thought they were really good together and brought out the best in each other.
~ “I can’t erase your fear, Emery, but I need you to know that you did this to me,” he said, taking my hands into his and laying them against his chest. “You found me when my heartbeats were hardly there, and you stamped them. You stamped my heart, and that’s why it’s still beating.”
~ “Oliver,” she sighed as she placed a palm against my face. “Don’t you get it? So much of your beauty comes from those broken pieces. In those cracks is where you shine.”
* * the therapist had so much insight and wisdom. Adding that character into the story really helped the reader connect to who Oliver thought he was. Also, the things the therapist suggested for healing and changing your mindset were great pieces of advice not only Oliver, but also for the reader to think about.
~ ”Healing doesn’t walk a linear line; it takes the messy route. I believe that healing comes during both the dark days and the bright ones. It’s not all rainbows. Sometimes healing means slicing open the scars that made you hurt so much before and examining them to fully understand yourself. Why did the cut hurt you in the past? How did it change you into who you are today? What can we learn from the pain of your yesterdays to better your tomorrows?”
~”Why do you turn to the negative opinions of others rather than the positive ones?”
I shrugged and clasped my hands together. “I don’t know.”
“You do,” she disagreed. “You just don’t want to admit it. You turn to the negative because that’s what you’ve spent so much of your life believing. But you know the cool thing about this narrative? It’s never too late to change it. If you hear a song on the radio that you hate, do you just continue to let it play? No. You change the station. So, go ahead, Oliver. Change the station.”
* * speaking of slow burns, Oliver‘s healing was also gradual. I thought that lent authenticity to the story. Yes, Emery‘s presence in his life started the change, but it wasn’t like she walked in his life and then Bam he was better. I really did appreciate the author taking time with this character and allowing him to heal and get better with time and the help of others.
* * I really wish we could have seen some repercussions for the horrible ex
* * Reese, the five year old daughter, was so adorable and her interactions with Oliver were cute. They had a special little bond. Her scenes brought lightness to the story.
* * if you are looking for a typical rockstar story, this isn’t it. It’s a story about a famous musician, but it’s not the typical sex, drugs and rock-n-roll type story. In my opinion, so much better!
**Overview:**
- Content Warning: depression, death of twin, verbal abuse, and rape (off page)
- Setting: California
- POV: Dual POV
- Who is the Hero? Oliver Smith (age: 27). Part of the famous music duo Alex and Oliver. Alex and Oliver are twins
* The following words/phrases were used to describe Hero: introvert, not into parties and would prefer to be home in sweats watching documentaries, struggles with only believing the negative things people say about him, feels lost without his twin, at the edge of despair
* H likable? Yes. My heart broke for him. He not only lost the other half of his music duo, but his twin brother who he deeply loved.
~ ”I didn’t look in the mirror. Most of the mirrors in my house were covered with sheets. I hadn’t looked in mirrors in such a long time, because in every single one, Alex was staring back my way.”
- Who is the Heroine? Emery Taylor (age: mid to late 20’s). Emery is a single mom raising her 5 year old daughter Reese. She was going to school to be a chef before she had to drop out
* The following words/phrases were used to describe Heroine: doesn’t judge people, takes care of people, good listener, great mom, strong, she makes the saddest souls want to feel better
* h likable? Yes. I’m glad her self worth was not wrapped up in her parents warped opinions about her. She was a strong character, with an easy- going attitude and very easy to like.
- h virgin? No
- First time they kiss: 69%
- First time they sleep together: 80%
- First time they say I Love You 85%
- steamy? There wasn’t a ton of steam, but they had strong chemistry The focus was on the characters and not the bedroom scenes.
- OW/OM drama? some. There was another woman that was hanging around with Oliver at the time he met Emery. But honestly, the woman was using him and he didn’t seem to care much about her and there certainly wasn’t any touchy-feely stuff happening between them, so I didn’t even really feel like she mattered to him.
- H/h cheat? No
- Time apart? A few weeks
- Did I skip pages? No
- Big secrets? there was a little surprising revelation around 57%. The reader didn’t know until it was revealed.
- Did I cry? yes. But it wasn’t an ugly cry. Just a few tears
- Did I laugh? there were some cute moments with the five year old. It brought lightness to the story.
- Did I swoon🥰? Yes. Oliver is downright swoony!!
- Cliffhanger? No
- HEA? Yes
- Epilogue? 1 year later and 2 years later
- Recommend? Yes. So many feels.
~ “No day was perfect. Not every day ended with slow dances and laughter, or smiles and happiness, but each day was worth it. Each day was worth living because it led to the better tomorrows, the brighter days, the happily ever after. This was our life. It had its ups and downs, but without question, it was ours. This was our mixtape, and I was damn proud of it.”
**Quotes**
“I wanted to know what made a person tick. I wanted to not only see them in the sunlight, but I wanted to see their rain clouds too.”
“No life is better than another. They are all just uniquely different.”
“Sometimes the best way to move forward is to leave some things behind.”
“You’re every single good thing in the world wrapped in one person.”
“What do you want to do today, Oliver?”
“Be around you.”
“You probably feel like you’re falling apart, but in truth, this is you falling together, sweetheart. Sometimes, part of the healing journey involves falling apart. That doesn’t make you weak; it makes you strong. So, fall apart tonight, and you’ll be stronger for tomorrow.”
“I’m learning in life that you don’t have to be ready for every situation. You just have to be brave enough to try.”
“In that moment, I knew the truth about family. There wasn’t one cookie-cutter way to create love bonds. Families came in all shapes, forms, and sizes. Some were tied together by blood, and others by heartbeats. At the end of the day, it didn’t matter how you came together; it only mattered that you stayed together. That you looked out for one another and loved in an unconditional way.”
“ Each year on my birthday, the family went to Alex’s grave site, and we’d play him our favorite songs of the current year and talk to him. We’d tell him the ups and downs of life and celebrate him. Every time a breeze passed, I knew he was there with us. Even though we couldn’t see him, I felt his spirit surrounding me.” ❤️
”Every person in this world has a mixtape of sorts, a collection of tracks that defines their lives. Each memory is a song, and they all come together to create a masterpiece. So, tell me about your story. What lyrics, what melodies, live on your mixtape?”
“If humans knew how damaging words could be to someone’s mental health and stability, then maybe they would’ve chosen them differently.”
**Synopsis:**
While working at a hole-in-the-wall bar, Emery meets a drunk Oliver. First impressions weren’t good, but when she finds out he skipped his own concert to wallow in his unhappiness in a bar, things definitely get worse. When the bar patrons and angry fans take their frustrations out on him, Emery comes to his rescue.
The next day when Oliver finds out Emery was fired for helping him, he realizes he can come to her rescue by offering her a position as his cook.
Oliver is finding it difficult to get over the loss of his twin and Emery has some family and finance issues that are causing her some stress. So both of these two are in desperate need of someone to provide support and care. Emery’s position in Oliver’s home is the perfect opportunity for these two to build a slow and steady friendship which eventually turns into much more.
~ ”I don’t know how long it’s going to take me to work through my troubles. I fall apart and struggle through normal activities. I am the complete opposite of what normal is. Some days I struggle to get out of bed, and others I struggle to breathe. But you make it easier. You make it better”
~“You’re my favorite song on my mixtape.”
** The following are my thoughts about this book: **
* * the twins…oh how I loved both of them. The Oliver / Alex aspect of this story was beautiful and heartbreaking.
* * Emery’s parents were awful. If you don’t like religion mentioned at all in a book, this may be an issue for you. Her parents were religious fanatics who were hypocritical, mean, crazy wackos.
* * it was a slow burn, and I was ok with that. Emery and Oliver were both struggling with some personal things and they needed to sort some of that out before they could be ready for a long lasting relationship. I thought they were really good together and brought out the best in each other.
~ “I can’t erase your fear, Emery, but I need you to know that you did this to me,” he said, taking my hands into his and laying them against his chest. “You found me when my heartbeats were hardly there, and you stamped them. You stamped my heart, and that’s why it’s still beating.”
~ “Oliver,” she sighed as she placed a palm against my face. “Don’t you get it? So much of your beauty comes from those broken pieces. In those cracks is where you shine.”
* * the therapist had so much insight and wisdom. Adding that character into the story really helped the reader connect to who Oliver thought he was. Also, the things the therapist suggested for healing and changing your mindset were great pieces of advice not only Oliver, but also for the reader to think about.
~ ”Healing doesn’t walk a linear line; it takes the messy route. I believe that healing comes during both the dark days and the bright ones. It’s not all rainbows. Sometimes healing means slicing open the scars that made you hurt so much before and examining them to fully understand yourself. Why did the cut hurt you in the past? How did it change you into who you are today? What can we learn from the pain of your yesterdays to better your tomorrows?”
~”Why do you turn to the negative opinions of others rather than the positive ones?”
I shrugged and clasped my hands together. “I don’t know.”
“You do,” she disagreed. “You just don’t want to admit it. You turn to the negative because that’s what you’ve spent so much of your life believing. But you know the cool thing about this narrative? It’s never too late to change it. If you hear a song on the radio that you hate, do you just continue to let it play? No. You change the station. So, go ahead, Oliver. Change the station.”
* * speaking of slow burns, Oliver‘s healing was also gradual. I thought that lent authenticity to the story. Yes, Emery‘s presence in his life started the change, but it wasn’t like she walked in his life and then Bam he was better. I really did appreciate the author taking time with this character and allowing him to heal and get better with time and the help of others.
* * I really wish we could have seen some repercussions for the horrible ex
* * Reese, the five year old daughter, was so adorable and her interactions with Oliver were cute. They had a special little bond. Her scenes brought lightness to the story.
* * if you are looking for a typical rockstar story, this isn’t it. It’s a story about a famous musician, but it’s not the typical sex, drugs and rock-n-roll type story. In my opinion, so much better!
**Overview:**
- Content Warning: depression, death of twin, verbal abuse, and rape (off page)
- Setting: California
- POV: Dual POV
- Who is the Hero? Oliver Smith (age: 27). Part of the famous music duo Alex and Oliver. Alex and Oliver are twins
* The following words/phrases were used to describe Hero: introvert, not into parties and would prefer to be home in sweats watching documentaries, struggles with only believing the negative things people say about him, feels lost without his twin, at the edge of despair
* H likable? Yes. My heart broke for him. He not only lost the other half of his music duo, but his twin brother who he deeply loved.
~ ”I didn’t look in the mirror. Most of the mirrors in my house were covered with sheets. I hadn’t looked in mirrors in such a long time, because in every single one, Alex was staring back my way.”
- Who is the Heroine? Emery Taylor (age: mid to late 20’s). Emery is a single mom raising her 5 year old daughter Reese. She was going to school to be a chef before she had to drop out
* The following words/phrases were used to describe Heroine: doesn’t judge people, takes care of people, good listener, great mom, strong, she makes the saddest souls want to feel better
* h likable? Yes. I’m glad her self worth was not wrapped up in her parents warped opinions about her. She was a strong character, with an easy- going attitude and very easy to like.
- h virgin? No
- First time they kiss: 69%
- First time they sleep together: 80%
- First time they say I Love You 85%
- steamy? There wasn’t a ton of steam, but they had strong chemistry The focus was on the characters and not the bedroom scenes.
- OW/OM drama? some. There was another woman that was hanging around with Oliver at the time he met Emery. But honestly, the woman was using him and he didn’t seem to care much about her and there certainly wasn’t any touchy-feely stuff happening between them, so I didn’t even really feel like she mattered to him.
- H/h cheat? No
- Time apart? A few weeks
- Did I skip pages? No
- Big secrets? there was a little surprising revelation around 57%. The reader didn’t know until it was revealed.
- Did I cry? yes. But it wasn’t an ugly cry. Just a few tears
- Did I laugh? there were some cute moments with the five year old. It brought lightness to the story.
- Did I swoon🥰? Yes. Oliver is downright swoony!!
- Cliffhanger? No
- HEA? Yes
- Epilogue? 1 year later and 2 years later
- Recommend? Yes. So many feels.
~ “No day was perfect. Not every day ended with slow dances and laughter, or smiles and happiness, but each day was worth it. Each day was worth living because it led to the better tomorrows, the brighter days, the happily ever after. This was our life. It had its ups and downs, but without question, it was ours. This was our mixtape, and I was damn proud of it.”
**Quotes**
“I wanted to know what made a person tick. I wanted to not only see them in the sunlight, but I wanted to see their rain clouds too.”
“No life is better than another. They are all just uniquely different.”
“Sometimes the best way to move forward is to leave some things behind.”
“You’re every single good thing in the world wrapped in one person.”
“What do you want to do today, Oliver?”
“Be around you.”
“You probably feel like you’re falling apart, but in truth, this is you falling together, sweetheart. Sometimes, part of the healing journey involves falling apart. That doesn’t make you weak; it makes you strong. So, fall apart tonight, and you’ll be stronger for tomorrow.”
“I’m learning in life that you don’t have to be ready for every situation. You just have to be brave enough to try.”
“In that moment, I knew the truth about family. There wasn’t one cookie-cutter way to create love bonds. Families came in all shapes, forms, and sizes. Some were tied together by blood, and others by heartbeats. At the end of the day, it didn’t matter how you came together; it only mattered that you stayed together. That you looked out for one another and loved in an unconditional way.”
“ Each year on my birthday, the family went to Alex’s grave site, and we’d play him our favorite songs of the current year and talk to him. We’d tell him the ups and downs of life and celebrate him. Every time a breeze passed, I knew he was there with us. Even though we couldn’t see him, I felt his spirit surrounding me.” ❤️
July 4, 2021
Whilst I always rate, I don't always review, not because many books aren't worth it but just sometimes life gets in the way. Having said that I do feel moved to leave some words about this book.
I love Brittainy C. Cherry. I have loved every book of hers I've read. But I was NOT going to read this book. Ever. Even though it was a Buddy Read and I love my BRs. Not because I don't love her writing but because on the whole I don't like the whole musician / rock star trope. I also really, really dislike the whole rich musician, poor heroine trope (really especially when their only skill is to cook / bake cupcakes or cookies). Do you think its possible that a woman can sometimes be more than a waitress or bartender and cook????? Puhlease!!!!!I've also just come off a run of books about really broken people. I also read the backstory from Brittainy and wasn't sure my heart was up for it.
But then I read this from Radd. And she hasn't steered me wrong yet! So I decided "OK, I'll give it a go" despite some very significant reservations.
So, this really wasn't a rock star book. Others have said this and I agree. This is the story of a man so broken by grief as to be barely functioning. The fact that he is a musician is secondary in a sense. We have a lot of music shared woven through the story but its not about life as a rock star, its just about a man and a woman who find and save each other. The music just adds to the picture.
Oliver is reeling from the death of his twin and music partner. Emery is struggling to survive and bringing up a child having needed to (you guessed it) drop out of culinary school. Upon finding Oliver in her bar and saving him from the wrath of an angry crowd, she loses her job, only for Oliver to then give her one (presumably out of guilt). From there, friendship develops, healing for both progresses and inevitably they fall in love.
There is some family and OW drama (no cheating), an adorable daughter, some (I felt unresolved) aspects of Emery having been a massive fan of the music duo (another trope I hate, "Oh my music crush falls in love with little old me"...) which was really just not talked about at all, some truly evil parents and some perfect parents.
Yet despite this story having so many components that I hate, really hate in a book (did any of you miss that 😂 ), I completely and utterly loved it! I devoured this book. I felt every single inch of Oliver's pain and Emery's heartbreak. I adored how they were with each other; how Emery was Oliver's light without being made to seem completely over the top. Brittainy has written Oliver's despair so painfully truthfully and if you have ever been there, you'll see how terrifyingly accurate this portrayal is.
I shed tears of sadness and then cried tears of joy throughout this book and for me that's no easy feat to elicit.
So, even if you the hate rock star, poor bartending female MC, adorable daughter, perfect parents, my-music-crush-fell-for-me trope, read this one. It's well worth the journey.
Beautiful and heartfelt.
I love Brittainy C. Cherry. I have loved every book of hers I've read. But I was NOT going to read this book. Ever. Even though it was a Buddy Read and I love my BRs. Not because I don't love her writing but because on the whole I don't like the whole musician / rock star trope. I also really, really dislike the whole rich musician, poor heroine trope (really especially when their only skill is to cook / bake cupcakes or cookies). Do you think its possible that a woman can sometimes be more than a waitress or bartender and cook????? Puhlease!!!!!I've also just come off a run of books about really broken people. I also read the backstory from Brittainy and wasn't sure my heart was up for it.
But then I read this from Radd. And she hasn't steered me wrong yet! So I decided "OK, I'll give it a go" despite some very significant reservations.
So, this really wasn't a rock star book. Others have said this and I agree. This is the story of a man so broken by grief as to be barely functioning. The fact that he is a musician is secondary in a sense. We have a lot of music shared woven through the story but its not about life as a rock star, its just about a man and a woman who find and save each other. The music just adds to the picture.
Oliver is reeling from the death of his twin and music partner. Emery is struggling to survive and bringing up a child having needed to (you guessed it) drop out of culinary school. Upon finding Oliver in her bar and saving him from the wrath of an angry crowd, she loses her job, only for Oliver to then give her one (presumably out of guilt). From there, friendship develops, healing for both progresses and inevitably they fall in love.
There is some family and OW drama (no cheating), an adorable daughter, some (I felt unresolved) aspects of Emery having been a massive fan of the music duo (another trope I hate, "Oh my music crush falls in love with little old me"...) which was really just not talked about at all, some truly evil parents and some perfect parents.
Yet despite this story having so many components that I hate, really hate in a book (did any of you miss that 😂 ), I completely and utterly loved it! I devoured this book. I felt every single inch of Oliver's pain and Emery's heartbreak. I adored how they were with each other; how Emery was Oliver's light without being made to seem completely over the top. Brittainy has written Oliver's despair so painfully truthfully and if you have ever been there, you'll see how terrifyingly accurate this portrayal is.
I shed tears of sadness and then cried tears of joy throughout this book and for me that's no easy feat to elicit.
So, even if you the hate rock star, poor bartending female MC, adorable daughter, perfect parents, my-music-crush-fell-for-me trope, read this one. It's well worth the journey.
Beautiful and heartfelt.
July 25, 2022
4.5 ⭐️ rounded up
THIS 👏🏼WAS 👏🏼SO 👏🏼GOOD👏🏼!!
I’m honestly surprised by how much I enjoyed reading this novel!! I laughed, I cried, I was grinning like a fool staring at my kindle. The character growth in this novel was wonderfully written. I loved this one and I’m so glad my kindle recommended it for me!<3
I loooveee the idol/ celebrity to lover trope!!
⚠️TW: abusive parents (verbal, physical), rape (not the mc), victim blaming, car accident, death, grief
THIS 👏🏼WAS 👏🏼SO 👏🏼GOOD👏🏼!!
I’m honestly surprised by how much I enjoyed reading this novel!! I laughed, I cried, I was grinning like a fool staring at my kindle. The character growth in this novel was wonderfully written. I loved this one and I’m so glad my kindle recommended it for me!<3
I loooveee the idol/ celebrity to lover trope!!
⚠️TW: abusive parents (verbal, physical), rape (not the mc), victim blaming, car accident, death, grief
July 4, 2021
Oh my heart!
Brittainy C. Cherry did it again! Wow! She always delivers an emotionally charged story that leaves me both in tears and also full of joy.
Mixtape is an apropos title because we got a mix bag in this story. There was grief but healing, hate but love, abuse but survival, and most of all, a real family emerged.
I love Emery so much. She is such a strong person and full of love to give. She had so much depth that I felt strongly that Reese would be okay.
I guffawed at the “butt of the bread” comments because my kids won’t eat the ends of bread either. So many things made this story relatable because my kids have asked me if we were poor too and I said the same thing that Emery said, you are not poor if you have love!
My heart broke for Oliver. What a painful trauma to deal with so publicly. People can be so heartless with comments and celebrities endure a lot. He was lucky to get a second chance to heal and find his purpose again. Oliver owed a great deal of his survival to his support system who never gave up on him. From his parents to his assistants, Oliver had people who truly loved him and believed in him. They were the wind beneath his broken wings.
Thank you to the author to include therapy as a necessary vehicle to healing after trauma. It’s important to normalize mental health issues and treatments. It really laid a believable groundwork to Emery and Oliver connecting in a healthy way.
Sammie and Emery’s parents were something else. That was the most difficult part of this book because generational curses are real. What an awesome story and epic ending. Books like this is why I love romance, because love finds a way most of the time. I loved this story.
Brittainy C. Cherry did it again! Wow! She always delivers an emotionally charged story that leaves me both in tears and also full of joy.
Mixtape is an apropos title because we got a mix bag in this story. There was grief but healing, hate but love, abuse but survival, and most of all, a real family emerged.
I love Emery so much. She is such a strong person and full of love to give. She had so much depth that I felt strongly that Reese would be okay.
I guffawed at the “butt of the bread” comments because my kids won’t eat the ends of bread either. So many things made this story relatable because my kids have asked me if we were poor too and I said the same thing that Emery said, you are not poor if you have love!
My heart broke for Oliver. What a painful trauma to deal with so publicly. People can be so heartless with comments and celebrities endure a lot. He was lucky to get a second chance to heal and find his purpose again. Oliver owed a great deal of his survival to his support system who never gave up on him. From his parents to his assistants, Oliver had people who truly loved him and believed in him. They were the wind beneath his broken wings.
Thank you to the author to include therapy as a necessary vehicle to healing after trauma. It’s important to normalize mental health issues and treatments. It really laid a believable groundwork to Emery and Oliver connecting in a healthy way.
Sammie and Emery’s parents were something else. That was the most difficult part of this book because generational curses are real. What an awesome story and epic ending. Books like this is why I love romance, because love finds a way most of the time. I loved this story.
September 17, 2021
“Todo el mundo se rompe a veces. Es parte de la vida. A veces tenemos que derrumbarnos antes de volver a estar completos”
Oliver Smith está completamente roto desde la muerte de su hermano gemelo, su mejor amigo, su otra mitad y una parte vital de Alex & Oliver. Desde entonces él ya no se reconoce a sí mismo, está atrapado en un profundo dolor y no quiere salir de ahí, por eso para amortiguar esas heridas se refugia en el alcohol, aunque esto cada vez lo está destruyendo más y los paparazzi cada vez más influyendo en los rumores de su mal estado. Oliver está en su punto más bajo sin encontrar una salida.
Emery Taylor tiene una lucha cada día, entre pagar las facturas, mantener su trabajo y brindarle a su preciosa hija una estabilidad. Ella está completamente sola, sin un sistema de apoyo, y el dinero bastante escaso.
La vida de estas dos personas se encuentra, ella de camarera en un bar y él buscando el alcohol más que nunca. Cuando los paparazzi se enteran de que Oliver Smith se encuentra en ese bar no lo dejan en paz, y es aquí en donde Emery lo ayuda a alejarlo de toda esa multitud. Dos personas viviendo situaciones completamente distintas, pero los une un profundo dolor. Aunque, encontrarán consuelo en el otro, y para que su amor funcione deberán sanar.
“Pedir ayuda no te convierte en un fracasado”
¡Me ha gustado mucho! Esta autora no defrauda, transmite tantos sentimientos en las páginas de un libro que es muy hermoso, leyendo la historia tenia las emociones a flor de piel.
Emery, la protagonista, es una guerrera, tan optimista, tan fuerte, no deja de tener esperanza a pesar de que a veces las situaciones la sobrepasan. Me ha encantado y he conectado muchísimo con ella. Emery es una gran madre, que lucha con todo lo que puede para mantener un techo y darle a su hija una mejor vida. Reese, su pequeña hija es tan adorable, esta niña se ganó completamente mi corazón, es que sus ocurrencias, el decir las cosas sin filtro, con una sinceridad tan bonita, la he amado mucho.
Oliver, el protagonista, vivía en un dolor profundo, es que podía sentir sus emociones, dolía completamente. El perder a su mitad, uff, que triste. Con esto él se sentía muy solo y su vida con la fama es bastante tormentosa, es que las personas pueden ser demasiado crueles, los comentarios que le hacían, como: “Debiste morir tú en vez de tú hermano, él era el mejor”, entonces Oliver sentía muchísima culpa por el accidente, y o sea un auto se cruzó en su camino y los golpeó muy fuerte, y el que no pudo sobrevivir fue su hermano, es que había unos “fans” demasiados crueles. Él es bastante tímido, le costaba socializar con las demás personas las cuales no tenía confianza y cuando estaba en estas situaciones se aislaba en sus pensamientos. También conecté con él, pude sentir su dolor, y me gustó mucho como protagonista, es que era un amor.
“Me encontraste cuando mis latidos apenas estaban allí, y los hiciste de nuevo. Hiciste latir mi corazón, y por eso sigue latiendo”
En cuanto a la relación de Emery y Oliver la pude disfrutar, su primer encuentro fue muy divertido, es que él completamente borracho y ella tratando de ayudarlo, todo fue muy gracioso. Y pude sentir que desde el principio hubo como una conexión, una chispa entre ellos. Y todo fluyó entre ellos de a poco, no lo vi forzado por ningún lado, fueron haciendo su lazo cada vez más fuerte. Desde ir sintiendo atracción el uno por el otro, hasta profundizar más los sentimientos. Es que sus vidas se toparon en una situación en el que se necesitaban, y se dieron consuelo mutuamente. Todo fue muy creíble. Oliver y Reese eran muy lindo juntos, los encuentros entre ellos, las bromas que se hacían, todo era muy adorable, es que esta niña era asombrosa, un amor.
“El amor verdadero es incondicional. No estableces pautas sobre como tienes que actuar para ser amado”
Los personajes secundarios también aportan en el desarrollo de la historia, Abigail la vecina de Emery que es terapeuta ayudó muchísimo, ella me gustó. Los padres de Oliver eran un amor, y su relación muy hermosa. Cam, la exnovia de Oliver era mala! Uish, me cayó demasiado mal y lo trataba muy mal, ni siquiera le importaba, solo era para tener más popularidad. Otros personajes que odié fueron a los padres de Emery, eran muy desagradables y la trataban como si fuera basura. Kelly y Tyler, eran la asistente y el manager de Oliver, ellos me agradaron también.
Otro punto que me gustó mucho de esta historia eran las canciones que se mencionaban, es que los protagonistas tenían como unas listas de reproducción con su música favorita y cada día se iban enviando canciones para momentos específicos, por ejemplo: si tuviste un gran día recomendaban una canción, si te sientes solo escucha esta y así. Me agradó que la autora incluyera esto, es que yo sentía que me la estaban recomendando y cuando las mencionaban enseguida las iba escuchando. Con esto la lectura se me hizo bastante amena.
“- ¿Cómo piensas tú en mí?
-Como si fueras todo lo bueno del mundo envuelto en una sola persona”
Oliver Smith está completamente roto desde la muerte de su hermano gemelo, su mejor amigo, su otra mitad y una parte vital de Alex & Oliver. Desde entonces él ya no se reconoce a sí mismo, está atrapado en un profundo dolor y no quiere salir de ahí, por eso para amortiguar esas heridas se refugia en el alcohol, aunque esto cada vez lo está destruyendo más y los paparazzi cada vez más influyendo en los rumores de su mal estado. Oliver está en su punto más bajo sin encontrar una salida.
Emery Taylor tiene una lucha cada día, entre pagar las facturas, mantener su trabajo y brindarle a su preciosa hija una estabilidad. Ella está completamente sola, sin un sistema de apoyo, y el dinero bastante escaso.
La vida de estas dos personas se encuentra, ella de camarera en un bar y él buscando el alcohol más que nunca. Cuando los paparazzi se enteran de que Oliver Smith se encuentra en ese bar no lo dejan en paz, y es aquí en donde Emery lo ayuda a alejarlo de toda esa multitud. Dos personas viviendo situaciones completamente distintas, pero los une un profundo dolor. Aunque, encontrarán consuelo en el otro, y para que su amor funcione deberán sanar.
“Pedir ayuda no te convierte en un fracasado”
¡Me ha gustado mucho! Esta autora no defrauda, transmite tantos sentimientos en las páginas de un libro que es muy hermoso, leyendo la historia tenia las emociones a flor de piel.
Emery, la protagonista, es una guerrera, tan optimista, tan fuerte, no deja de tener esperanza a pesar de que a veces las situaciones la sobrepasan. Me ha encantado y he conectado muchísimo con ella. Emery es una gran madre, que lucha con todo lo que puede para mantener un techo y darle a su hija una mejor vida. Reese, su pequeña hija es tan adorable, esta niña se ganó completamente mi corazón, es que sus ocurrencias, el decir las cosas sin filtro, con una sinceridad tan bonita, la he amado mucho.
Oliver, el protagonista, vivía en un dolor profundo, es que podía sentir sus emociones, dolía completamente. El perder a su mitad, uff, que triste. Con esto él se sentía muy solo y su vida con la fama es bastante tormentosa, es que las personas pueden ser demasiado crueles, los comentarios que le hacían, como: “Debiste morir tú en vez de tú hermano, él era el mejor”, entonces Oliver sentía muchísima culpa por el accidente, y o sea un auto se cruzó en su camino y los golpeó muy fuerte, y el que no pudo sobrevivir fue su hermano, es que había unos “fans” demasiados crueles. Él es bastante tímido, le costaba socializar con las demás personas las cuales no tenía confianza y cuando estaba en estas situaciones se aislaba en sus pensamientos. También conecté con él, pude sentir su dolor, y me gustó mucho como protagonista, es que era un amor.
“Me encontraste cuando mis latidos apenas estaban allí, y los hiciste de nuevo. Hiciste latir mi corazón, y por eso sigue latiendo”
En cuanto a la relación de Emery y Oliver la pude disfrutar, su primer encuentro fue muy divertido, es que él completamente borracho y ella tratando de ayudarlo, todo fue muy gracioso. Y pude sentir que desde el principio hubo como una conexión, una chispa entre ellos. Y todo fluyó entre ellos de a poco, no lo vi forzado por ningún lado, fueron haciendo su lazo cada vez más fuerte. Desde ir sintiendo atracción el uno por el otro, hasta profundizar más los sentimientos. Es que sus vidas se toparon en una situación en el que se necesitaban, y se dieron consuelo mutuamente. Todo fue muy creíble. Oliver y Reese eran muy lindo juntos, los encuentros entre ellos, las bromas que se hacían, todo era muy adorable, es que esta niña era asombrosa, un amor.
“El amor verdadero es incondicional. No estableces pautas sobre como tienes que actuar para ser amado”
Los personajes secundarios también aportan en el desarrollo de la historia, Abigail la vecina de Emery que es terapeuta ayudó muchísimo, ella me gustó. Los padres de Oliver eran un amor, y su relación muy hermosa. Cam, la exnovia de Oliver era mala! Uish, me cayó demasiado mal y lo trataba muy mal, ni siquiera le importaba, solo era para tener más popularidad. Otros personajes que odié fueron a los padres de Emery, eran muy desagradables y la trataban como si fuera basura. Kelly y Tyler, eran la asistente y el manager de Oliver, ellos me agradaron también.
Otro punto que me gustó mucho de esta historia eran las canciones que se mencionaban, es que los protagonistas tenían como unas listas de reproducción con su música favorita y cada día se iban enviando canciones para momentos específicos, por ejemplo: si tuviste un gran día recomendaban una canción, si te sientes solo escucha esta y así. Me agradó que la autora incluyera esto, es que yo sentía que me la estaban recomendando y cuando las mencionaban enseguida las iba escuchando. Con esto la lectura se me hizo bastante amena.
“- ¿Cómo piensas tú en mí?
-Como si fueras todo lo bueno del mundo envuelto en una sola persona”
October 31, 2021
THE MIXTAPE
♦ friends to lovers
♦ rockstar / personal chef
♦ single mom to 5-year-old Reese
♦ both hero & heroines relationship with their siblings
♦ family drama
♦ the best next-door neighbor
There were a couple of parts at the end of the book that dealt with the heroine and her sister that got me choked up. As with Ms. Cherry's books, you know you're in for an emotional ride. The emotions started flowing towards the end when past hurts were being dealt with. The sisters combating past trauma to prevent it from repeating in the future was powerful.
Earlier this week I read Ms. Cherry's debut novel written in 2013. The Mixtape is her newest release and it has been fun seeing how much her writing has changed and evolved in the last 8 years. I'm almost done reading Ms. Cherry's backlist.
♦ friends to lovers
♦ rockstar / personal chef
♦ single mom to 5-year-old Reese
♦ both hero & heroines relationship with their siblings
♦ family drama
♦ the best next-door neighbor
There were a couple of parts at the end of the book that dealt with the heroine and her sister that got me choked up. As with Ms. Cherry's books, you know you're in for an emotional ride. The emotions started flowing towards the end when past hurts were being dealt with. The sisters combating past trauma to prevent it from repeating in the future was powerful.
Earlier this week I read Ms. Cherry's debut novel written in 2013. The Mixtape is her newest release and it has been fun seeing how much her writing has changed and evolved in the last 8 years. I'm almost done reading Ms. Cherry's backlist.
Audiobook source: Audible
Narrator:Jordan Cobb & James Shippy
Length: 10H 30M
February 25, 2022
5 ++++STARS
This author has a way of ripping out your heart, stomping on it, putting it through a meat grinder and after all that, it still beats!! I went through every emotion reading/listening to this story, but I think that happens with most of Ms. Cherry’s books that I read.
Most of the time, I struggle with M/F books because the heroine drives me crazy. She can be whiney, weak, or she can get on my nerves. In this book, I absolutely adored Emery as well as the hero, Oliver. They both had their own struggles to battle. Oliver just had a devastating loss and was battling depression. Yet, Emery was able to sooth his thoughts. When Emery needed Oliver the most, he was always there.
I don’t want to say much more about this story. I was just a beautiful story that you really need to read for yourself.
FYI: There are a few trigger warnings
This author has a way of ripping out your heart, stomping on it, putting it through a meat grinder and after all that, it still beats!! I went through every emotion reading/listening to this story, but I think that happens with most of Ms. Cherry’s books that I read.
Most of the time, I struggle with M/F books because the heroine drives me crazy. She can be whiney, weak, or she can get on my nerves. In this book, I absolutely adored Emery as well as the hero, Oliver. They both had their own struggles to battle. Oliver just had a devastating loss and was battling depression. Yet, Emery was able to sooth his thoughts. When Emery needed Oliver the most, he was always there.
I don’t want to say much more about this story. I was just a beautiful story that you really need to read for yourself.
FYI: There are a few trigger warnings
July 2, 2021
DNF @40% I just can't keep reading.
I had high hopes because I've seen a lot of love for Brittainy Cherry's books, but the writing, plot, and characters are a disappointment.
There are a lot of rave reviews of The Mixtape so maybe it's just me...
A copy was kindly provided by Montlake in exchange for an honest review.
I had high hopes because I've seen a lot of love for Brittainy Cherry's books, but the writing, plot, and characters are a disappointment.
There are a lot of rave reviews of The Mixtape so maybe it's just me...
A copy was kindly provided by Montlake in exchange for an honest review.
February 4, 2024
ೃ⁀➷
I’ve honestly been on a roll with these deep emotional books😭. Like where do I even start… first off MISS BRITTAINY CHERRY WHY DO YOU BE PULLING ON MY HEARTSTRINGS??? LIKE LET ME BREATH A SEC???
Let me start off with Oliver, whew! Like sir you made me wanna cry every other page like my heart truly. Seeing how he felt so worthless without his other half Alex broke my heart. Let me not even talk about how Alex's death wrecked me even though I knew it was coming because of the blurb😖. Anyways, can I say how much of an angel Abigail was? The way she was able to talk to Oliver and help him realize, at the end of the day, it is not his fault and that he is worthy of being alive and enjoying what life has to bring.
My babes Emery, oh how I adore and admire her. Being a single mother is not easy and the way she made sure that Reese was always taken care of and found ways to have gratitude even when things were tough was touching. I truly love how she had the effect of being there for people whose souls were broken, being a listening ear, and providing comfort. Seeing how her family dynamics were with her parents and sister was sad. At first, I was extremely frustrated with her sister until we found out why she acted the way she did. It’s crazy how much generational trauma keeps happening, but people tend to brush it aside. However, I was delighted how she did not want to continue this generational trauma with her daughter and wanted to be the change so her daughter could have a happy and healthy life.
Now Oliver and Emery together were such a beautiful thing to read about, likeee I couldn't stop blushing🥰. The way they speak to each other inside and out and how Emery was able to help Oliver not be shy about communicating his thoughts or simply using music to help convey his emotions was so cute. Oliver was always so attentive to Emery and could automatically sense when she was not feeling her best, and he would just be there for her to provide her comfort the same way she did for him🥹. Can I speak to how super freaking cute Reese and Oliver's relationship was? The constant bickering between them made me laugh, and how they were so protective of each other melted my heart. Anyway, I truly love this story with all my heart, though it was deep and made me emotional. I believe this is truly a beautiful story that everyone should read.
: ̗̀➛Pre-Review: Starting off black history month with this one, I hear so many great things and I'm ready to get emotional🫡
“You found me when my heartbeats were hardly there, and you stamped them. You stamped my heart, and that’s why it’s still beating.”
“You’re my favorite song on my mixtape.”
I’ve honestly been on a roll with these deep emotional books😭. Like where do I even start… first off MISS BRITTAINY CHERRY WHY DO YOU BE PULLING ON MY HEARTSTRINGS??? LIKE LET ME BREATH A SEC???
Let me start off with Oliver, whew! Like sir you made me wanna cry every other page like my heart truly. Seeing how he felt so worthless without his other half Alex broke my heart. Let me not even talk about how Alex's death wrecked me even though I knew it was coming because of the blurb😖. Anyways, can I say how much of an angel Abigail was? The way she was able to talk to Oliver and help him realize, at the end of the day, it is not his fault and that he is worthy of being alive and enjoying what life has to bring.
“Because you got to the point of being tired of being tired. You are at the edge of despair, and you are looking for light. And when you start looking, it’s good to know that the light is always there for you.”
“Healing doesn’t walk a linear line; it takes the messy route. I believe that healing comes during both the dark days and the bright ones.”
My babes Emery, oh how I adore and admire her. Being a single mother is not easy and the way she made sure that Reese was always taken care of and found ways to have gratitude even when things were tough was touching. I truly love how she had the effect of being there for people whose souls were broken, being a listening ear, and providing comfort. Seeing how her family dynamics were with her parents and sister was sad. At first, I was extremely frustrated with her sister until we found out why she acted the way she did. It’s crazy how much generational trauma keeps happening, but people tend to brush it aside. However, I was delighted how she did not want to continue this generational trauma with her daughter and wanted to be the change so her daughter could have a happy and healthy life.
“He was a beautiful man with a beautifully scarred soul, and the best part about it was that he didn’t even know how beautiful he was. The broken pieces of his story were exactly what made him shine.”
Now Oliver and Emery together were such a beautiful thing to read about, likeee I couldn't stop blushing🥰. The way they speak to each other inside and out and how Emery was able to help Oliver not be shy about communicating his thoughts or simply using music to help convey his emotions was so cute. Oliver was always so attentive to Emery and could automatically sense when she was not feeling her best, and he would just be there for her to provide her comfort the same way she did for him🥹. Can I speak to how super freaking cute Reese and Oliver's relationship was? The constant bickering between them made me laugh, and how they were so protective of each other melted my heart. Anyway, I truly love this story with all my heart, though it was deep and made me emotional. I believe this is truly a beautiful story that everyone should read.
“I love so many pieces of you, Emery Taylor. I love the quiet parts, and the loud ones too. I love how you give your all to everyone around you, and also save some love for yourself.”
: ̗̀➛Pre-Review: Starting off black history month with this one, I hear so many great things and I'm ready to get emotional🫡
August 18, 2021
Who wouldn't love to read a story about two lost souls: A struggling single mother and a famous singer dealing with the death of his twin brother, cross paths and realize they need each other.
My heart ache for Oliver. It didn’t help that his fans blamed him for the death of his brother and the ex-girlfriend who emotionally abused him dated him solely for the sake of boosting her career. I loved how we got to see Oliver's journey from deep depression to finding his light, all because of Emery and Reese.
My heart ache for Oliver. It didn’t help that his fans blamed him for the death of his brother and the ex-girlfriend who emotionally abused him dated him solely for the sake of boosting her career. I loved how we got to see Oliver's journey from deep depression to finding his light, all because of Emery and Reese.
July 10, 2022
Who do I speak with about reclaiming my time because, someone owes me a refund for the 10 plus hours I just wasted on this book. The Mixtape was horrible. This is why I don’t do recommendations. I’m picky with books like most people are picky with food. But, I fault myself for not doing research on the author before I purchased this book. Let me just say, I am not a fan of inclusion. I will NEVER support any black author who does not write for us and considering the majority of this author’s books features white men and white couples on the covers, black women are clearly not her target audience. Do NOT be fooled by the melanin skin and dreads. This author is NOT for us. What really pisses me off is, when she finally does write a book about a black couple, she doesn’t feature them on the cover! So, you can put Ken and Karen on your covers but, the melanin couple gets cover art?!!! That shyt put a bad taste in my mouth and, quite honestly, pissed me off. That’s enough for me to never buy another book by this author. If I could return it, I would and I don’t return books. On top of that, it just wasn’t a good book. The writing, the characters, the plot, and the cringy sex scenes were horrible. The storyline was overly dramatic, unrealistic, corny, and, boring as hell. The narrators were bad too. I’m giving myself major cool points for even finishing it. The Mixtape is my first and last book by Brittainy C. Cherry. She will definitely be moved to the top of my DNR list.
December 4, 2021
Sweet story of friends to love
As of the time of this review, this book was available on Kindle Unlimited in both ebook and audiobook.
Oliver Smith was 1/2 of the famed duo Alex and Oliver. These twins have done everything together, including releasing several hit albums. One night, Alex, the more outgoing of the pair is tragically killed in an accident. Oliver struggles to move on. One fateful night, Oliver and Emory world's intersect. Can they help each other find a bit of happiness in their lives.
First note -- if you are looking for a light, fluffy romance, this is not the book. The book deals with several issues including rape, emotional abuse, and the loss of a sibling.
If you are looking for a book that dives into a complex relationship, this is for you. The characters are lovable, even though they are each going through their own pain at the moment. From start to finish, the story grabs you and you are cheering for the characters. You can't help it!
As of the time of this review, this book was available on Kindle Unlimited in both ebook and audiobook.
Oliver Smith was 1/2 of the famed duo Alex and Oliver. These twins have done everything together, including releasing several hit albums. One night, Alex, the more outgoing of the pair is tragically killed in an accident. Oliver struggles to move on. One fateful night, Oliver and Emory world's intersect. Can they help each other find a bit of happiness in their lives.
First note -- if you are looking for a light, fluffy romance, this is not the book. The book deals with several issues including rape, emotional abuse, and the loss of a sibling.
If you are looking for a book that dives into a complex relationship, this is for you. The characters are lovable, even though they are each going through their own pain at the moment. From start to finish, the story grabs you and you are cheering for the characters. You can't help it!
July 18, 2021
Recensione in Anteprima sulla mia pagina Bookstagram
https://www.instagram.com/p/CReHjyQno...
Oliver Smith aveva paura a stare da solo, perché quelli erano i momenti in cui la sua mente sprofondava sempre più nel baratro. Da quando aveva tragicamente perso suo fratello faceva fatica anche a respirare, figurarsi a vivere facendo finta che tutto andasse bene.
Si sentiva come avesse passato gli ultimi mesi a esistere, ma senza essere completamente vivo. L’unica cosa su cui era riuscito a concentrarsi era stata la musica, perché era la sua rete di sicurezza. Senza di essa probabilmente sarebbe colato a picco, preda di pensieri distruttivi. Ma quella musica che tanto aveva amato fare insieme ad Alex non riuscì a lenire del tutto il dolore straziante che ormai lo stava consumando.
La sofferenza per la perdita di Alex venne poi amplificata dai penosi commenti che giravano su Twitter dopo le rivelazioni terribili e fasulle che erano state fatte su di lui.
«Loro non mi conoscevano. Come osavano giudicarmi da dietro le loro tastiere come se loro fossero dei santi? Come osavano ferirmi senza avere la minima idea di quanto male potessero fare le parole?».
Fu in un momento di totale offuscamento dalla realtà che si imbatté in Emery, una dolce ragazza che lavorava nel bar dove si stava estraniando, e che in quel frangente lo aiutò a sfuggire alla folla dei curiosi.
Emery nella sua vita aveva dovuto sempre combattere con mille difficoltà. Una famiglia fredda e indifferente ai suoi problemi, il lavoro che scarseggiava e non bastava a pagare le bollette, ed una bambina da dover crescere, dolcissima, affatto esigente ma tanto curiosa.
Tante volte era caduta a pezzi e si era smarrita, ma era stato proprio in quei momenti che aveva imparato a trovare se stessa e la forza di combattere le avversità.
Due persone dallo stile di vita diametralmente opposto, ma accomunate da un animo generoso ed altruista, fragili ma al contempo determinati a vincere le proprie battaglie.
🖋️La guarigione dall’abbattimento emotivo non è un percorso lineare, spesso bisogna prendere la strada più tortuosa per arrivare ad un punto di svolta, cadere per poi rialzarsi più forte di prima. La Cherry è indubbiamente una maestra a far comprendere questo concetto tramite le vicissitudini con cui dà vita ai suoi personaggi, che risultano imperfetti ma al contempo esemplari.
“A volte guarire significa riaprire cicatrici che ci hanno ferito molto in passato ed esaminarle per capire a pieno sé stessi”.
🖋️Emery ha dato dimostrazione di essere una madre straordinaria. Anche mentre affrontava la sua tempesta personale, ha sempre trovato il tempo per aiutare gli altri, senza chiedere mai niente in cambio.
Il personaggio di Abigail è stato strutturato in modo meraviglioso. Una donna buona, dal cuore d’oro e saggia, le sue parole d’amore e i suoi gesti disinteressati mi hanno profondamente colpita.
Ho trovato terrificanti i genitori di Emery, persone con poco amore né spirito di abnegazione.
Sammy invece mi ha spezzato il cuore. È stata sopraffatta dai sensi di colpa e inghiottita dall’oscurità. La sua vita le è stata rubata e le persone che avrebbero dovuto proteggerla sono state proprio quelle che non le hanno dato pace.
🖋️"Non esiste uno stampino con cui creare i legami affettivi. Le famiglie possono avere differenti forme e dimensioni. Alla fine dei conti importa soltanto che ci si prenda cura l’uno dell’altro e ci si ami in modo incondizionato”.
Amo profondamente i messaggi che l’autrice trasmette con i suoi stupendi romanzi.
Consiglio assolutamente questo romanzo dove l’amore, in ogni sua forma, è stato decantato in modo eccellente.
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
*Ringrazio la CE per la copia ARC *
https://www.instagram.com/p/CReHjyQno...
Oliver Smith aveva paura a stare da solo, perché quelli erano i momenti in cui la sua mente sprofondava sempre più nel baratro. Da quando aveva tragicamente perso suo fratello faceva fatica anche a respirare, figurarsi a vivere facendo finta che tutto andasse bene.
Si sentiva come avesse passato gli ultimi mesi a esistere, ma senza essere completamente vivo. L’unica cosa su cui era riuscito a concentrarsi era stata la musica, perché era la sua rete di sicurezza. Senza di essa probabilmente sarebbe colato a picco, preda di pensieri distruttivi. Ma quella musica che tanto aveva amato fare insieme ad Alex non riuscì a lenire del tutto il dolore straziante che ormai lo stava consumando.
La sofferenza per la perdita di Alex venne poi amplificata dai penosi commenti che giravano su Twitter dopo le rivelazioni terribili e fasulle che erano state fatte su di lui.
«Loro non mi conoscevano. Come osavano giudicarmi da dietro le loro tastiere come se loro fossero dei santi? Come osavano ferirmi senza avere la minima idea di quanto male potessero fare le parole?».
Fu in un momento di totale offuscamento dalla realtà che si imbatté in Emery, una dolce ragazza che lavorava nel bar dove si stava estraniando, e che in quel frangente lo aiutò a sfuggire alla folla dei curiosi.
Emery nella sua vita aveva dovuto sempre combattere con mille difficoltà. Una famiglia fredda e indifferente ai suoi problemi, il lavoro che scarseggiava e non bastava a pagare le bollette, ed una bambina da dover crescere, dolcissima, affatto esigente ma tanto curiosa.
Tante volte era caduta a pezzi e si era smarrita, ma era stato proprio in quei momenti che aveva imparato a trovare se stessa e la forza di combattere le avversità.
Due persone dallo stile di vita diametralmente opposto, ma accomunate da un animo generoso ed altruista, fragili ma al contempo determinati a vincere le proprie battaglie.
🖋️La guarigione dall’abbattimento emotivo non è un percorso lineare, spesso bisogna prendere la strada più tortuosa per arrivare ad un punto di svolta, cadere per poi rialzarsi più forte di prima. La Cherry è indubbiamente una maestra a far comprendere questo concetto tramite le vicissitudini con cui dà vita ai suoi personaggi, che risultano imperfetti ma al contempo esemplari.
“A volte guarire significa riaprire cicatrici che ci hanno ferito molto in passato ed esaminarle per capire a pieno sé stessi”.
🖋️Emery ha dato dimostrazione di essere una madre straordinaria. Anche mentre affrontava la sua tempesta personale, ha sempre trovato il tempo per aiutare gli altri, senza chiedere mai niente in cambio.
Il personaggio di Abigail è stato strutturato in modo meraviglioso. Una donna buona, dal cuore d’oro e saggia, le sue parole d’amore e i suoi gesti disinteressati mi hanno profondamente colpita.
Ho trovato terrificanti i genitori di Emery, persone con poco amore né spirito di abnegazione.
Sammy invece mi ha spezzato il cuore. È stata sopraffatta dai sensi di colpa e inghiottita dall’oscurità. La sua vita le è stata rubata e le persone che avrebbero dovuto proteggerla sono state proprio quelle che non le hanno dato pace.
🖋️"Non esiste uno stampino con cui creare i legami affettivi. Le famiglie possono avere differenti forme e dimensioni. Alla fine dei conti importa soltanto che ci si prenda cura l’uno dell’altro e ci si ami in modo incondizionato”.
Amo profondamente i messaggi che l’autrice trasmette con i suoi stupendi romanzi.
Consiglio assolutamente questo romanzo dove l’amore, in ogni sua forma, è stato decantato in modo eccellente.
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
*Ringrazio la CE per la copia ARC *
February 13, 2023
Check out all my reviews at: https://www.avonnalovesgenres.com
THE MIXTAPE (Mixtape-Reihe Book #2) by Brittainy Cherry is an emotionally intense rock star contemporary romance that is heartbreaking in so many ways. You will need the tissues for this read. While this rock star romance is the second in the series, the characters are completely different from book one The Wreckage of Us in the series and stands on its own.
Emery is a single mother working as a bartender barely making ends meet, but she is a strong, kind-hearted and loves her little girl more than anything. Five-year-old Reese is Emery’s light and with the help of a neighbor in her apartment building, who is also a therapist, she is dealing with her fear of not being enough for her daughter and other personal issues.
Oliver is half of the twin duo of super pop stars. When his brother, Alex is killed in a car accident that he survives, he falls into an intense depression for months. Skipping a return concert, Oliver is drunk and while Emery helps him escape paparazzi, she loses her job as a result. When Oliver finds out what he has done, he hires Emery as his cook and she begins to show Oliver that he can trust her and with help, he can learn to deal with his anxiety and depression.
The main characters in this romance both start off in different places with difficult lives but are able to come together and help each other to move forward in their journeys. Music also plays an integral role in their entire lives and aids in their coming together and healing. You learn through flashbacks that Emery is dealing with so much more than just being a single mother and it is amazing that she is the loving and giving person she is in the present. Reese is a spot of sunshine and laughter when things get too heavy. All the secondary characters where fully fleshed and realistic, good and bad. The sex scenes are explicit, but not gratuitous. I feel all the exceptionally difficult mental health issues interwoven throughout this story were handled in a believable manner by this author.
I highly recommend this emotional roller-coaster rock star contemporary romance!
THE MIXTAPE (Mixtape-Reihe Book #2) by Brittainy Cherry is an emotionally intense rock star contemporary romance that is heartbreaking in so many ways. You will need the tissues for this read. While this rock star romance is the second in the series, the characters are completely different from book one The Wreckage of Us in the series and stands on its own.
Emery is a single mother working as a bartender barely making ends meet, but she is a strong, kind-hearted and loves her little girl more than anything. Five-year-old Reese is Emery’s light and with the help of a neighbor in her apartment building, who is also a therapist, she is dealing with her fear of not being enough for her daughter and other personal issues.
Oliver is half of the twin duo of super pop stars. When his brother, Alex is killed in a car accident that he survives, he falls into an intense depression for months. Skipping a return concert, Oliver is drunk and while Emery helps him escape paparazzi, she loses her job as a result. When Oliver finds out what he has done, he hires Emery as his cook and she begins to show Oliver that he can trust her and with help, he can learn to deal with his anxiety and depression.
The main characters in this romance both start off in different places with difficult lives but are able to come together and help each other to move forward in their journeys. Music also plays an integral role in their entire lives and aids in their coming together and healing. You learn through flashbacks that Emery is dealing with so much more than just being a single mother and it is amazing that she is the loving and giving person she is in the present. Reese is a spot of sunshine and laughter when things get too heavy. All the secondary characters where fully fleshed and realistic, good and bad. The sex scenes are explicit, but not gratuitous. I feel all the exceptionally difficult mental health issues interwoven throughout this story were handled in a believable manner by this author.
I highly recommend this emotional roller-coaster rock star contemporary romance!
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