Sammy Espinoza’s Last Review | ARC Review

A music critic stuck in a spiral of epic proportions targets her teenage crush for a career comeback and a chance at revenge. What could possibly go wrong?

Sammy Espinoza’s life is a raging dumpster fire. Her desperate attempt to win back her singer ex-girlfriend has landed her in hot water at work, and she has one last chance before her editor cuts her column. Luckily, Sammy has a plan to redeem herself, but it won’t be easy.

Rumor has it that Max Ryan, the former rock god, is secretly recording his first-ever solo album years after he dramatically quit performing. And it just so happens that he and Sammy have Right before Max got his big break, he and Sammy spent an unforgettable night together.

Exclusive access to Max’s new music would guarantee Sammy’s professional comeback and, even better, give her the opportunity to serve some long-awaited revenge for his traumatic ghosting.

But Max lives in Ridley Falls, Washington, and Sammy has history there as a family that never wanted her and a million unanswered questions. Going back would mean confronting it all—but what else does she have to lose?

This was a really lovely read. Lots of hard topics are brought up and covered here (loss, parental emotional abuse, alcoholism, etc.) so it has a more serious tone than I normally read, but still really good.

Sammy was an interesting character to hear this story through. She’s on the brink of losing her job, she’s grown up with a flighty mom and almost no one else, and now she’s being strong-armed into returning to the only town that kinda felt like home. She goes through a lot in this book. She’s forced to confront lies she always thought truth, her past demons, the people who were in her life but maybe didn’t really care for her, and more. It’s a lot happening to her and Mejia handles it all beautifully. This book really could have been bogged down with Sammy’s internal and external problems, but there were still light and heartfelt moments that kept me from feeling in down in the dumps about everything.

Also, I loved getting to know Max, our love interest. He’s an ex-rock star so I expected him to be super arrogant and demanding and maybe abrasive, but he wasn’t at all. He was soft and nervous and forward yet considerate. He really took me by surprise which doesn’t happen all too often.

Overall, this is a definite read for those who enjoy realistic romances and plots. I typically enjoy something more lighthearted and comedic, but I still sped through this book in a couple of days. Two thumbs up from me.

Disclaimer: I voluntarily read and reviewed a gifted and advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

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To check out my other reviews, click here. Or to check out more books by Tehlor Kay Mejia, go to her Goodreads profile or visit her website.