The Backtrack

by Erin La Rosa

Life, rewound …

Nearly twenty years ago, Sam Leto left her small hometown of Tybee Island, Georgia, to pursue her dreams of becoming a pilot. While she’d prefer to keep flying away from her painful childhood memories, her beloved grandmother Pearl decides it’s time to sell the family home. Reluctantly, Sam is summoned back to pack up the house.

The 2000s nostalgia from Sam’s old bedroom hits Fall Out Boy posters, drawers of roll-on body glitter and even her favorite CD player with a mixtape from her best friend, Damon Rocha. Damon was always a safe place and Sam often wonders what if her teenage self admitted her feelings for him back then…

Mysteriously, the CD player still works all these years later. And somehow it has the power to show Sam an alternate version of her life.

Song by song, Sam receives flashbacks from her past—senior prom, graduation, leaving home. But the memories aren’t as she remembers them; they show what could have been. Suddenly, Sam knows exactly what would have happened if she’d taken a chance with Damon—and she can’t help feeling she made a terrible mistake leaving Tybee all those years ago.

Genres: Romance, Magical Realism, Contemporary, Time Travel, Fantasy, Audiobook, Fiction

304 pages, Paperback

First published July 16, 2024

About the author

ERIN LA ROSA is the author of Plot Twist and For Butter or Worse, and on her way to writing romance, she’s also published two humorous nonfiction books, Womanskills and The Big Redhead Book. She lives in Los Angeles with her husband and four daughters (two humans, two felines). Find her on Twitter and Instagram @erinlarosalit and on TikTok @erinlarosawrites.

Be sure to follow Erin on BookBub for the latest sales as well https://www.bookbub.com/authors/erin-...

Reviews

[Jenny · Rating 4 out of 5]

I absolutely loved this story! In a small village, a long-ago romance between best friends became lovers is given a second chance, in addition with a dash of magical time travel.

Sam returns home after a long absence to help her grandmother Pearl with housecleaning before she moves into a retirement community. In addition, she hopes to get back in touch with Damon, her former best friend. She finds her old CD player and the last mix tape Damon prepared for her—which she has never listened to—while tidying her room. Every song immerses her in a different world, showing what may have happened if she had returned Damon's kiss when they were fifteen.

Although it sounds like a really sweet rom-com from the book synopsis, I believe there are also some deeper themes included. The idea of finding your own self before sharing your life with someone else, no matter how much you love them, is also explored in the book, as is the idea of being with the right person at the wrong moment.

The main characters were fantastic! They were very lovely and relatable, and, omg, Grandma Pearl was seriously hilarious!
The way that each song tied to a plot aspect in both the other universe and the present was such a amazing idea. Fantastic selections of music!

I really enjoyed the book and can't wait to read more books from this author!

[Sylvie {Semi-Hiatus}]

You had me at romcom and time travel.

[Danielle Kaitlin (daniallreads) · Rating 4 out of 5]

Did you have Paramore, Blink 182 and Panic at the Disco on repeat in high school? Was Twilight you're whole personality in 2008? Did you dye your hair an outrageous color at least once?

If this is you, "The Backtrack" by Erin La Rosa needs to be your next read!!!

Thank you Canary Street Press and Erin La Rosa for the early copy of this book!

This was my first Erin book. All I have to say is what cave have I been living in because her writing is filled with whimsy and most importantly nostalgia. THE NOSTALGIA! I was transported back to the glory days of high school. Truly, I have had the songs that our main character, Sam, listened to throughout the story on repeat in my head.

But I am getting ahead of myself, let me give you a quick ten second run down of this book. *deep breath*

Sam and Damon were best friends in high school. Flashback to a moment when they almost shared a kiss that could have changed the trajectory of their lives and adult Sam constantly wonders about how life would have been if her and Damon ever took the chance on each other back then. Fast forward to present day where Sam has escaped to Paris and is a pilot full time adventuring around the world. Her sassy grandma, Pearl, injures herself which brings Sam back to her hometown after thirty years. Anxiety rakes her as her past feelings for Damon come back to her knowing that she will see him again after all this time.

After an exhausting day of travel Erin finds herself in her childhood bedroom she discovers her cd player from high school with a mix tape that Damon curated just for her. When she drops her headphones on and presses play she is immediately transported back in time to high school but at the exact moment when she could have kissed Damon...and this time...she does. *Insert all the magical whimsy*

This story literally rocks...no pun intended. The fire music references. The magical cd player. The sweet romance. The mental health representation. The navigating through family struggles. The sassy grandma. The nostalgia from the 2000's. If head banging was a rating scale, my neck would be sore and I would probably have a migraine... so so so so so good.

I will say...and this may be shocking...why did I need more spicy scenes!? But it was the perfect amount of spice at the same time? Nothing hits harder than a good romantic scene but this story is so much more than just the sparks between Damon and Sam. "The Backtrack" embodies the quote "everything happens for a reason" and having the confidence that you are following the right path in life.

Erin, I am going to need that hurricane punch recipe to get me through my first storm this year. (IFYKYK)

💿 Ashley Poston and Rebecca Serle Fans will LOVE
💿 Early 2000s Nostalgia
💿 Emo & Punk Rock Music
💿 Magical Realism
💿 Time Travel
💿 Second Chance
💿 Small Town
💿 Friendship
💿 Poblano Spiced
💿 Slow Burn
💿 Sassy Grandma

[Abi · Rating 3 out of 5]

3🌟
.5/5🌶️
Even though it was boring I binged the last 50% of this.
ෆPlot
Sam is going back to her home town to basically take care of her grandmother and help her out. While she's there she runs into her childhood best friend/crush, Damon. While she's there she discovers a CD player full of songs that her and Damon created. Whenever she plays a song however she is transported back into the past and it shows her basically if she made a different decision at some point in life how her life would have turned out.
ෆCharacters
Damon - honestly he gave nothing I didn't find him attractive or different than any other basic white boy.
Sam - she's the type to avoid her problems and just pretend they don't exist. Again I didn't really feel a connection to her.
ෆWriting
The writing was very bland like plain rice cake bland. But luckily the last 50% of the plot kept me engaged enough to give this 3🌟.
Thank you netgalley, the publisher, and the author for an eARC in exchange for an honest review!

[Danielle (Life of a Literary Nerd) · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars

What a fun nostalgic read. If emo was not a phase for you either, you definitely need to give this romance a try - there's so many great nostalgic song and band references I need a playlist from the book asap. Great music aside, the story is simple but effective. I liked exploring the what ifs surrounding Sam's return to her hometown and best friend, Damon, reconnecting after a decade of not really speaking. The fated elements in the story were done satisfyingly and felt earned through Sam and Damon's past and present relationship.

[Nadine · Rating 2 out of 5]

The Backtrack sounded like the perfect romance novel for me: a 2000s emo nostalgia friends-to-lovers romance. Unfortunately, there was little to no chemistry between the main characters and the story itself left much to be desired.

The Backtrack follows Sam as she returns home for the first time to help her grandmother sell her house. Sam left her hometown as quickly as possible and abandoned her best friend, Damon, in the process. Sam has always wondered what would have happened if they dated all those years ago.

There was little to no chemistry between Sam and Damon throughout the entire novel. What little chemistry that had started to build during the flashbacks was quickly ruined as how the flashbacks progressed. Sam and Damon in the present were a mess together. La Rosa relied heavily on implied chemistry and connection from the past without ever showing readers.

Near the end of the novel, mental health played a prominent role in Sam’s relationship with another character. This portion of the novel should have been cut as La Rosa barely skimmed the surface of this relationship and the role mental health played in it. It felt like it was shoehorned in to check off the mental health representation box.

Spice level: 🌶️

Overall, The Backtrack was a disappointing 2000s nostalgia romance with a message about finding yourself before finding love that read as disingenuous considering the outcome of the flashbacks.

*** I received an ARC via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

[Sarah | Kerosene.Lit · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was cute! Reluctantly back home in Tybee Island, Georgia to assist her (absolutely hilarious) grandmother, Sam stumbles across her old Walkman still loaded with a burnt CD made by her childhood best friend, Damon.

... But when it turns on, Sam is transported to an alternate version of her life—one where she never left her small town eleven years ago. Through each emo anthem played, Sam receives a glimpse of what her life could have been, uncovering both the ups and downs of each path.

I liked that neither life was exactly perfect for Sam. In a way, it was a reminder that sometimes everything happens for a reason. The chemistry with Damon was more apparent in the alternate timeline, but I also just really loved the fun dive into pop culture during the 2000s. The fashion! What a time.

A bit more palpable tension between Sam and Damon in the present timeline would have been nice, I think, but overall I always love the concept of what if explored through magical realism, and this was a very enjoyable, lightly emotional take on it.

⭐⭐⭐💫 (3.5 stars)

(heat level: one open-door scene, explicit details)

I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own

[Lilly · Rating 5 out of 5]

After seeing reviews mentioning the nostalgia within this book, I knew it was going to be right up my alley and quickly went to see if this book was still on NetGalley to request (despite this being released on 7.16). I was approved right away and finished this in one sitting!!

Sam and Damon were best friends in high school, but after Sam rejected Damon's advances to be something more, she moved away and fulfilled her lifelong dream of becoming an international pilot. Now twenty years later, she returns to her hometown and finds a burned CD that Damon made her during their teenage years that she could never bring herself to listen to--until now. As Sam listens to each song, she is taken back to an alternate version of how her life could've played out during those years had she made a different choice. As Sam is confronted with the alternate version of her past with Damon, she must come to terms with her past choices, confront her still present feelings for Damon, and make new choices about if she wants a future with him after all these years.

This book was everything I'd hoped it would be and more. I think being the exact same age as the main characters made this an extra special reading experience as I understood every song and pop culture reference. I saw so much of my own high school experience reflected back to me in this book and just enjoyed this so so much. I wish I could go through song by song and talk about each one and why I thought it was perfect for this story, but in an effort to avoid spoilers, I won't--you'll just have to to trust me and read this. If you graduated high school around the 2010s--this book is especially made for you and I can assure you that you will likely find yourself smiling at the nostalgia as well.

I've already purchased a physical copy for my shelf and will absolutely be listening to a playlist of all of these songs on repeat (there's already playlist on Spotify btw!). I will definitely be reading more from Erin La Rosa in the future!

Thank you so much to the publisher and to NetGalley for the e-arc in exchange for an honest review.

[Lauren (lololovesthings) · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars.

"The Backtrack" by Erin La Rosa is the kind of book that is made for someone like me, full of 2000s era nostalgia and earmarkers of my youth. That's what drew me to this novel in the first place. I am of the age where all of the songs, bands, and cultural phenomenon discussed in this book we're relevant to me and my friend group. I love the idea of a possessed Walkman used as a conduit to show the main female character, Sam, what could have been if she had only done one thing differently in her life: kissed her best friend, Damon. When they were teenagers, Damon asked if he could kiss Sam... and she declined. Shortly after their high school graduation, she left their small Georgia town and never looked back. Since then she has become a pilot, But is seemingly haunted by her decision not to kiss Damon. Circumstances are such that she must return to her hometown after promising not to. She has to move her grandma Pearl ut of her childhood home and has come to help. This means drudging up old memories, including the ones attached to the mixtape/mix-CD Damon made for her when they were younger. Whenever sam listens to one of the tracks on her Walkman, She is transported into a timewarped alternate reality where she had kissed Damon and her life was drastically different, some good, some bad. I liked about fifty percent of this book. Once Sam's mom, Bonnie, comes back into the picture, I think the book's pacing really slows to a crawl. While I don't hate this storyline, I think it is so slowly paced ompared to the rest of the book that I almost did not finish it. I liked Sam and Damon as characters individually, but I did not feel a lot of chemistry between them as a couple. In both timelines, I did not feel anything for them. There is not a lot of banter and not a lot of pining despite years of time between them. Even when they finally get over all of the obstacles in their way in the present actual reality, I can't really say I was rooting for them or excited when they got together. I really liked how Sam wanted to take care of herself above all else because the role model she had in her mom growing up was not good/was absent. She wanted to be the complete opposite of Bonnie, and she managed to somewhat do that... but at what cost? Despite Bonnie showing up about sixty percent into the book, it feels like there is not a lot of resolution until the very last bit of the story. Sam gains a new perspective on Bonnie being a teenage mother and comes to terms with the fact that she was not there for her while she was growing up because of her own trauma related to being a teen mom and being scared. Apart from sam I did not have any big feelings towards any other character in this book. I did not like Sam's present day best friend, Rachel, at all. Though the circumstances were a little zany, I felt like she was not a very good, supportive friend to Sam. I was excited to see the saucy grandma character, Pearl, and learn about her shenanigans because I love a good nasty/dirty old lady character, but she felt flat for me as well. All in all, this book is a mixed bag.

Thank you to NetGalley, Erin La Rosa, Harlequin Trade Publishing, and Canary Street Press for the complimentary ARC of this book. All opinions are my own. I was not compensated for this review.

[Taylor · Rating 4 out of 5]

I had a blast reading this book. It took the magic from 13 going on 30 and turned it into something deeper and at times a bit painful.
Sam Leto left her small town years ago leaving everything she knew behind to pursue her career as a pilot. In her pursuit of happiness, she ended up abandoning not only her home on Tybee island but her best friend Damon Rocha, the boy she she knew she loved but wouldn't allow herself to stay for.
Now, she's back in town helping her grandmother pack up her childhood home to move into a retirement facility and all of what she left behind is suddenly rushing back to her and she's left wondering if she made the right decision.
While packing her old room, she comes across an old CD player that holds the mixtape Damon made for her when they were teenagers. Something is strange though. It plays without any batteries and will only play for her. Even weirder, when she listens to track one, she is transported into an alternate reality in which she sees what would have happened if she gave her relationship with Damon a chance...

This book was a delightful read.
Sam is a pessimistic dreamer with a soundtrack full of relatability. She grows so much and her relationship with Damon, as much as it is a main plot point, is not the only way in which she finds herself. Her estranged relationship with her mother, the guilt she feels surrounding her grandmother, and the self doubt she faces every day make her nuanced and believable in the midst of the extraordinary.
When it comes to her past and present with Damon, I loved seeing how some situations really are right person wrong time. They weren't ready when they were teenagers (as is the case with most people of that age), and they were able to grow into the people they were meant to be before committing to a life and a love they weren't ready for. This brought so much whimsy, romance, and the truest feeling of hope to the page.

I hope everyone picks this book up because it was truly delightful.

[Carrie · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Backtrack by Erin La Rosa is a contemporary romance story that has a touch of magical realism to it in the form of visions of how things might have been. The visions bringing up the past are triggered from an old CD player bringing a lot of nostalgia into the story with the soundtrack of the main character’s earlier life.

Sam Leto left her hometown of Tybee Island, Georgia nearly twenty years ago now with the dream of becoming a pilot. Sam saw her dreams come true and has been living in Paris as she flies around the world traveling nearly non stop but when her aging grandmother Pearl calls Sam for help she immediately knows she needs to return home.

Sam’s one regret after leaving Tybee Island was leaving behind her best friend, Damon Rocha. Sam knew though that the pull of becoming a pilot and not being trapped on the small island was greater than anything she could have had with Damon beyond friendship but there was always that little niggle of doubt of what could have been so when Sam picks up her old CD player and is transported back to those moments with Damon she can’t help but want to see more and more.

Having read another book by Erin La Rosa in the past which was strictly contemporary romance and really enjoying it I was immediately drawn to this new novel with the added touch of magical realism with being someone that enjoys mixing things up in my reads. This was a great second chance love story and I loved that the author chose to form this around music that would relate to the actions in the story and was completely engaged in watching how the alternate version of the couple would have been. Definitely an author I will return to again in the future.

I received an advance copy from the publisher via NetGalley.

For more reviews please visit https://carriesbookreviews.com/

[Julie - One Book More · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Backtrack is a charming and nostalgic contemporary romance with great characters and a sweet second-chance romance. Sam has returned to her hometown after 11 years away. Now a successful pilot, she goes home to help her grandmother and ends up facing her ex-best friend Damon, whose kiss she rejected in high school, irrevocably changing their relationship. When Sam plays an old mix tape Damon made, she’s transported into the past and sees what her life would be like if she had said yes to that kiss.

Each song Sam listens to transports her to an alternate past and answers some of her “What ifs.” What if she had kissed Damon on that fateful day? I have to say, the song choices are fantastic. This book as a whole has so much nostalgia from the song choices, hairstyles, and clothing choices – it all took me back! And the more I hear about Tybee Island, the more I feel like I need to visit. It sounds gorgeous, and it’s a fabulous backdrop to the story.

Sam’s grandmother and the other older ladies are fabulous too – so sassy and funny, and you never knew what they were going to say, which reminds me so much of some of my older relatives. They’re all hysterical. lol The romance is also very sweet. Damon and Sam have a wonderful connection, and though their lives went and are still going in very different directions, the feelings didn’t. I wasn’t sure if these two would be able to find their way back to each other, but I sure hoped they did because the chemistry was palpable.

As fun and nostalgic as the plot is, I also really liked Sam’s journey throughout the story. As she packs up her grandmother’s house, she end up unpacking a lot of her feelings about her past, feelings she really hasn’t faced before. It was deep and complex and emotional as she revisits her past, family issues, and a bunch of “What ifs” while taking a serious look at what (and who) she wants in her future. There are some deeper and more serious messages about finding the right person at the wrong time in your life, taking chances, the effects of depression on the sufferer and those around them, and loving yourself.

[Amanda G · Rating 4 out of 5]

I love a little magical realism and this book did it so well. Not only did I thoroughly appreciate all of the early 2000s pop culture references – and of course Sam’s love for Twilight – but I also was fully immersed in the plot as I read, and pretty consistently eager to find out what would happen next. Sam and Damon were great characters, and although I was less interested in Sam’s family dynamics, I liked the layer that they added to the story. I will definitely continue to follow this author and look forward to seeing what she releases next.

[livie☆ · Rating 4 out of 5]

i had such a fun time with this honestly. like i looooove a magical realism romance (like ashley poston) and i ate this up. it took me a while to get to it which is my bad but it was so fun and i loved all these music recs, it was just a fun little piece of history. i'm rooting so hard for sam and damon post-novel.

[Jana · Rating 1 out of 5]

DNF. I couldn’t get over how heavy handed the 90’s / 00s nostalgia core was, and also got an ick from romanticizing the missed-connection of 15 year olds.

[Jen Delago · Rating 3 out of 5]

A story full of Warped Tour, lip smackers, gel pens and mixed CDs? Count me in!




**SPOILERS BELOW**

The first 23-30% of the book really had me considering my DNF button. The writing was a little dry and repetitive for me. While it ended up getting better I didn’t not at any point feel totally invested. There were several chapters that I could have skipped over not have missed a thing.

The romance and chemistry were lacking. The romance was based heavily on teenage Sam and Damon which left the “chemistry” they shared as adults with much to be desired. They hadn’t seen each other in 11 years and they were still obsessed with the other without ever even kissing? I would have liked more substance than just being told they were still head over heels. Which left the sex scene lacking and awkward.

The conflict resolutions at the end felt rushed and I felt if they came to conclusion sooner throughout the book and not all at the same time instead of all in the last 3 chapters they would have made more sense.

I really enjoyed the alternate timeline and the magical CD player. The nostalgic references, even though were a tad overdone, were a cute touch. I liked how the FMC put herself first for a change. And Grandma Pearl was honestly the highlight of this book.

Overall if you were a scene kid, I would recommend this book. If not, it may be a little lacking for you.

3.5/5 ⭐️

[Kiran · Rating 3 out of 5]

I’ve really like Erin La Rosa’s books but while this one was not bad in anyway it also did not connect with me. I just did not feel invested really in the romance or the characters. I thought the conceit was incredibly clever ( a mix tape that song by song shows snippets of a life that might have been), and as a fellow millenial I loved the humor based on how these characters looked in 2005-2009 and what the songs actually were but I didn’t feel particularly engaged either. I really wanted to like this but just fell mostly flat.

[Shannon · Rating 3 out of 5]

While I love a good time twist novel, sadly this one fell flat for me. I did really enjoy the nostalgic 90s music references but I just felt the chemistry between the two MCs wasn't there. Okay on audio, this definitely wasn't my favorite by Erin La Rosa. Not a memorable read unfortunately and one you would be completely fine skipping. Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an early digital copy in exchange for my honest review!

[Yvonne Olson · Rating 2 out of 5]

I wanted to love this, but I really didn't vibe with this. The book kind of felt like nostalgia bait. Don't get me wrong, I love me some nostalgia, but this focused more on making you feel nostalgic and name-dropping than it focused on the characters.

[Danielle · Rating 2 out of 5]

a cute concept (and a bangin 2000s emo/pop punk nostalgia playlist) but the writing itself was as dry and bland as a low sodium saltine

[Cait | GoodeyReads · Rating 3 out of 5]

I TRIED.

BLOG || INSTAGRAM || TIKTOK

I really wanted to enjoy this one, but it felt very lackluster in the romance department. I thought the idea was clever and wasn’t bugged by the magical realism aspects (like I am known to be at times). I loved the nostalgic vibes this gave me and how seeing the flashbacks of what could have been didn’t show a “better” path, just a different one. I loved that message and theme throughout.

The romance was missing something. I didn’t feel that swoon and chemistry between Sam and Damon. They had this chance for reconnection, and did take it and I thought that would create some more heat.

The audiobook production was good and I liked that it was a quick listen. I also enjoyed that this was less spicy than the author’s previous books (personal preference). But I do find myself on the fence now about reading whatever’s next. I’m starting to have more misses than hits.

Overall audience notes:
- Contemporary Romance + Magical Realism
- Language: moderate
- Romance: 1 open door
- Content Warnings: brief mention of miscarriage, depression, parental abandonment

[Sarah · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book revolves around a magical cd player that transports the main character to an alternate universe where she can see what her life would have been like if she had made just ONE critical decision differently.

Does this description sound ridiculous? Definitely. Did I absolutely love this book from beginning to end? YES! This gets all the stars from me. A fun, millennial romp. This would make a fantastic summer read.

Thank you to NetGalley and Canary Street Press for the advanced copy.

[Ash · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow I loved this!!!!!!!!!!!!! As someone who went through an emo phase, this felt like the perfect nod to that era without making it more cringe than it already is LOL. The flash back memories felt so real and captured perfectly.

I love magical realism so I was very excited to read this to begin with & it rocked my world!!!!!!! The characters are easily lovable, the time line is very well written and easy to follow along with. I didn’t feel lost in the memories or timeline. I binged the audiobook straight through. 10/10 recommend this book !!

[Carly · Rating 2 out of 5]

I had high hopes for this one, but it was just… not good.

If I had to guess, the author was not a scene kid in the early 2000s.

[January · Rating 3 out of 5]

The Backtrack by Erin La Rosa
313-page Kindle Ebook

Genre: Fantasy > Time Travel, Romance

Featuring: Praise, Graphics, Book About Music, Tybee Island, Georgia; 2006, Paris, France; Childhood Friends, Teenagers, AirlinePilot, Alternative Life Trope, Atlanta, Georgia; Homecoming Trope, Grandma, Texts Graphics, Downsizing, Discman, Hot Topic, Band Kid, Abandonment Trope, Issues, Brand Name Dropping, Portuguese, Sex, Small Town Characters, Fugue Trope, Brewery, QR code to listen to SAM AND DAMON’S MAGICAL PLAYLIST and other music from The Backtrack, Acknowledgements With A Playlist (not listed here), Author's Bibliography

Rating as a movie: R for adult content

Songs for the soundtrack: "I Will Follow You Into The Dark" by Death Cab for Cutie, "Sugar, We’re Goin Down" by Fall Out Boy, "Déjà Vu" by Beyoncé, "Don't Worry Be Happy" by Bobby McFerrin, "Back To Black" by Amy Winehouse, "Blue Orchid" by The White Stripes, "Starlight" by Muse, "Basket Case" by Green Day, The Killers, "Bring Me To Life" by Evanescence, "Mansard Roof" by Vampire Weekend, "Wake Me Up When September Ends" by Green Day, "Teardrops on My Guitar" by Taylor Swift, "Do Somethin'" by Britney Spears, "Holler" by The Spice Girls. "My Songs Know What You Did In The Dark (Light Em Up)" by Fall Out Boy, “I Believe In A Thing Called Love” by The Darkness, “Supermassive Black Hole” by Muse, "Misery Business" by Paramore, "Want You Bad" by The Offspring, "Single Ladies (Put a Ring on It)" by Beyoncé, "Oba, Lá Vem Ela" by Jorge Ben Jor, ‘Love The Way You Lie" by Eminem featuring Rhianna, "MMMBop" by Hanson, "Ocean Avenue" by Yellowcard, "Dance, Dance" by Fall Out Boy, "Helena" by My Chemical Romance, "Who I Am Hates Who I've Been" by Relient K, “Sk8er Boi” by Avril Lavigne, “What the Hell” by Avril Lavigne, "Fell In Love With A Girl" by The White Stripes, "Read My Mind" by The Killers, "Over My Head (Cable Car)" by The Fray, "Maps" by Yeah Yeah Yeahs, "What's My Age Again?" by Blink-182, "Gives You Hell" by The All-American Rejects, "I Love College" by Asher Roth, "America's Suitehearts" by Fall Out Boy, "All the Small Things" by Blink-182, "The Curse of Curves" by Cute Is What We Aim For, “Silver Springs” by Fleetwood Mac, “My Happy Ending” by Avril Lavigne,
“I Write Sins Not Tragedies” by Panic! at the Disco, "Teenagers" by My Chemical Romance, "Back In Your Head" by Tegan and Sara, "Untitled (How Could This Happen to Me?)" by Simple Plan, All We Know" by Paramore, "A Decade Under the Influence" by Taking Back Sunday, "Light Up the Sky" by Yellowcard, "I Just Wanna Live" by Good Charlotte, “Always” by Blink-182, “Still Into You” by Paramore, "Kiss Me" by New Found Glory, "With Me" by Sum 41, "My Heart Will Go On" by Celine Dion, "I Drove All Night" by Celine Dion, "The Glory of Love" by New Found Glory

Books and Authors mentioned: Twilight Series by Stephenie Meyer, The Lord of the Rings by J. R. R. Tolkien (John Ronald Reuel Tolkien), Ladies Room by Robin Schiff (Romy and Michele's High School Reunion), Jumanji by Chris Van Allsburg, Charlie, and the Chocolate Factory by Roald Dahl, The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe by C. S. Lewis - The Chronicles of Narnia #1 published order #3 chronology, 13 Going on 30 by Cathy Yuspa and Josh Goldsmith, My Best Friend's Wedding by Ronald Bass,

My rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️💿🎶💖🎸👩‍✈️🍺

My thoughts: 🔖Page 43 of 313 [Chapter] 3 - It's okay. I hope I met the qualifications for Kindle because I'm too sleepy for print. This is where the action starts so you know I'm serious.
🔖136 [Chapter] 14 - This turned into a slow burn real fast, even the Fantasy portion is slow-moving.
🔖203 [Chapter] 24 - This must be a "friends finally get it on" cliche because these scenes are like checking off boxes in sequence order. The dirty grandma is getting old too. The music seems to be the highlight of the story. I'm going to go back to that audiobook I paused to build the desire to finish this book.

It was okay, one of those B-Movies with a good soundtrack.

Recommend to others: Yes, but if you don't like it don't blame me. I think most people will enjoy this story as long as they're not in the mood for something too deep.

[Rachel Nahabedian · Rating 5 out of 5]

all the stars possible

This is not my first or second Erin La Rosa book, but it's for sure my favorite. it's so nostalgic and I think Erin wrote Sam with me in mind because I was also a very emo band geek who's best friend was a guy who we lost contact after high school (except my phase was in the '90s and not the '00s haha). I've often played the what if game, but there's not one moment that I can go back to change our present.

HOWEVER, this book! Ugh! Part reverse 13 Going on 30 part summer A Christmas Carol. The freaking songs, the fashion, the feelings, all was just a warm hug and walk down memory lane. I gobbled this book up in less than 24 hours and now I'm so sad I'm done and it's over.

What I loved most about this book is that it's so much more than a second chance romance. It's about finding yourself and loving who you are before you can love someone else, it's about families and the tough decisions we make to protect the ones we love (or are we hurting them), it's about mental health, it's about trusting your instincts and being strong. The family dynamic part along with the flashbacks really, really hit me in the feels. I really can't say enough about this book (even the acknowledgements in the back written in a playlist form was genius), but I think Grandma Pearl deserves her own shout out.

- Second Chance Romance
- Family Drama
- Past Trauma
- It's Always Been You
- Finding Yourself
- Time Travel/Haunted CD Player
- Small Town
- Slow Burn

Thank you, NetGalley, Erin La Rosa, and Harlequin Trade Publishing for this ARC.

[Jessi Doerhoff · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Backtrack is the perfect novel for those who love second chances, “what ifs”, best friends, healing, finding yourself and all the 90s nostalgia.

Sam and her best friend, Damon, do everything together. They’re a bit in the “emo” group in high school but at least they have each other until… that moment comes when there is the opportunity to shift from the friend zone to more than friends. Sam is terrified of being stuck in small town Georgia. As soon as she has the opportunity to leave for flight school she does and never looks back.

Ten years later she has to return to her hometown to help her grandma who raised her. The “what ifs” linger in Sam’s head as she arrives. Should she reach out to Damon? What if he wants nothing to do with her after she broke his heart.

As if hurt grandmas and awkward old friendships wasn’t enough Sam now finds herself listening to her CD player and somehow back at her high school and reliving the past but only for a few minutes at a time. Is this alternate reality showing her she made the right choice or showing her what she missed out on?


Don’t walk but run to add this to novel to the top of your To Be Read pile. I flew through the pages and didn’t want the book to end. It was light hearted with a bit of time travel. Great read to show the impact that each decision has on your life. I will definitely be recommending this to all my book loving babes whether you’re a romance reader or not. July 16 can’t come fast enough. I’ll be on the lookout for more books by Erin. This will definitely be in my re-read pile! Thank you NetGalley and Erin La Rosa for allowing me this read in exchange for an honest review.

[Kelsey (keliterate) · Rating 3 out of 5]

truthfully, i found this a little undewhelming—probably because my own expectations were a bit high. the premise itself was really what’d new me to request it—i mean, a cd player that transports you to an alternate timeline that answers your biggest what if? friends-to-lovers? teenage emo phase? it had all the elements of the perfect romcom. i’m a sucker for what-ifs and alternate timelines, and am one (unfortunately) to love lingering in it. however, despite how interesting the plot was, the writing was kind of difficult to engage with.

while it seemed really promising, the execution kinda fell flat. i didn’t really find myself rooting for anyone here, nor did i find myself really invested in the romance. i just don’t think the characters were fleshed out in the right way—which led to the resolution and development of the romance being lackluster. i think my biggest gripe here is how the mental health angle was played out—kind of rushed, despite it being such a major plot point, and in that sense, it felt a little insensitive and unbelievable. i think a part of me is so used to other authors being able to flesh out their characters really well that this book felt so frustrating. i wanted to know what happened next, yes, but it doesn’t mean that i was invested in the characters. some parts of it felt unnecessary too; kind of like filler scenes that didn’t merit much to the overall plot. i just feel like with such an interesting plot line and set up, this could have played out so differently.

a miss for me, granted, i think my expectations were a bit too high. if you want to explore romances with this future/alternate reality, i’d suggest reading the good part by sophie cousens instead. thank you netgalley for my arc!

[Maggie · Rating 3 out of 5]

Pilot Sam has worked hard to leave her Tybee Island childhood behind her. But when her Grandmother needs her help Sam reluctantly heads home where she runs into her old best friend Damon who is far from the early 2000’s awkward teen she remembers. When Sam discovers an old mix CD Damon made her while sorting through things at home she decides to take a listen. Sam is then transported to an alternative life, a life that could have been if she and Damon had gotten together. Each song a new flashback of love, hurt and growth. But how will these flashbacks affect the current Sam and her relationship with Damon?

I enjoyed the early 2000’s music nods and the Tybee setting. I have to confess I didn’t really like Sam’s character and the alternative timeline has been used many times and didn’t distinguish this book from the others.

[Love_booksforlife Jen · Rating 4 out of 5]

Sam left Tybee Island for the big wide world the second she was able to, leaving behind her grandmother that raised her and the best friend she always harbored feelings for. Now, Sam is back to help her grandmother move and seeing all of her old high school stuff--and her extremely hot bff Damon--is getting her nostalgic. What she doesn't need is a magic Discman that shows her an alternate version of her life with each 2000's emo song.

This book was so much fun! Here's what I loved:

Sam. She was such a great character. I loved that she was a girl boss pilot! And that she was almost 6 ft tall. Both of these set her apart from your typical romcom FMCs. She's fierce but also has some anxiety and vulnerability that make her so relatable. You root for her no matter what it is she wants.

The nostalgia. When Sam listened to a song, I could immediately hear it in my head. It brought back so many good memories of my own... and maybe some questionable fashion choices. No matter what, it was fun to remember.

Damon. Book boyfriend. The end.

The comic relief. I adored Sam's grandmother and her BFF. Those two cracked me up! Beyond them, I adored the setting. All of the small town quirk is front and center.

All in all, this was an extremely entertaining romcom!!

Thank you to the author and publisher for the gifted copy!