Lonely for You Only

Lancaster Prep #6

by Monica Murphy

Young heiress Scarlett Lancaster is delighted when her father tells her he hired a famous pop star and former boy band member to play at her eighteenth birthday. But delight becomes utter disappointment when it turns out he wasn't talking about Harry Styles. No, Scarlett's dad hired Tate Ramsey, former lead singer of the band Five Car Pileup, who hasn't been popular for years. Tate, after years of alcohol- and drug-fueled partying, is sober and ready for a comeback. He is in top form at Scarlett's party and blows the audience away with his performance--though Scarlett herself still isn't impressed. But when they talk after he leaves the stage, their encounter ends in a kiss that surprises them both--and immediately goes viral. The viral kiss and the video of Tate singing at the party do wonders for both of their burgeoning careers. So after some careful negotiation, the two of them agree to start a fake relationship. But before long they discover their feelings might not be fake after all ...

Genres: Romance, Fake Dating, Contemporary, Audiobook, Contemporary Romance, New Adult, Dark Romance

360 pages, Paperback

First published February 6, 2024

About the author

New York Times, USA Today and international bestselling author. A believer in kissing. A believer of love.

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Reviews

[Nilufer Ozmekik · Rating 3 out of 5]

Well, who can say no to a Harry Styles-vibed hero meeting a privileged princess still searching for her true identity while trying to escape her family's intimidating wealth and power? It sounds like a fantastic fan fiction, a boy band romance with well-executed enemies-to-lovers and fake dating tropes, all mixed with dysfunctional family drama, presented in Murphy's talented writing style.

The premise of the story, with its intriguing mix of a privileged heiress and a troubled boy band star, immediately draws you in. It's a classic case of opposites attract, but it's executed with a fresh and contemporary twist. Scarlett Lancaster, the heiress in question, may have all the privileges that wealth and power bring, but she's determined to find her own identity outside the confines of her family's expectations. Tate Ramsey, the lead singer of the intriguingly named boy band Five Car Pileup, is burdened by his own past mistakes and seeks redemption.

Their initial meeting, filled with sparks and sealed with an unexpected kiss, sets the stage for a rollercoaster of events. The idea of their encounter going viral and leading to a fauxmance for the sake of reputation management adds an element of modernity to the story. It's a plot device that's both entertaining and thought-provoking, as it explores the impact of social media on our lives.

As the story unfolds, we witness the gradual transformation of what starts as a fake relationship into something genuine. This evolution is where the heart of the story lies. Scarlett and Tate must confront their personal demons and learn to navigate the complexities of love, all while dealing with the expectations placed upon them.

The book offers moments of humor, tenderness, and self-discovery that make it an engaging read. Murphy's writing style is easygoing and accessible, making it perfect for those looking for a light and enjoyable romance. The pacing keeps you turning the pages, eager to see how Scarlett and Tate's relationship will develop.

However, it's worth noting that some readers may find the conflict that arises in the final third of the book a bit agitating. While conflicts are essential in romance novels to create tension and resolution, personal preferences can vary, and not everyone may connect with the characters during these moments.

Overall,I'm awarding this book three lighthearted, easy-to-read stars! It's an enjoyable popcorn read, a lovely romance, but the conflict in the final third of the book left me a little agitated, and I couldn't completely connect with the characters. Overall, it's still a fast and enjoyable romcom that you should definitely give a try.

Many thanks to NetGalley and Blackstone Publishing for sharing this digital reviewer copy with me in exchange for my honest thoughts.

[lexie · Rating 2 out of 5]

forgot about this bad boy but she was an absolute no. i did like a million kisses though 🫣

[Kursed Reads · Rating 4 out of 5]

When the has-been lead singer of Five Car Pileup, Tate Ramsey, books a gig performing at Scarlett Lancaster’s eighteenth birthday party, it seemed too good to be true.

Always in the shadow of her parents, Scarlett has been dreaming of a way to standout on her own. When Tate proposes a relationship, it seems the solution to help them both get what they’re after.

A light, low-angst read, perfect for cleansing your palate.

Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Burn: 🔥
Darkness: 🤍
Heat: 🌶️
Range of Emotions: 🥺🥳🤭😊😍
Ending: 💗 {HEA}
POV: 👫🏻 {Dual}

🗄️ Genre: Contemporary Romance
🗂️ Subgenre(s): New Adult

✨ Tropes: Bad Boy x Good Girl, Coming of Age, Enemies-to-Lovers. Fake Relationship, Forced Proximity
💫 Microtropes: Billionaire/Rich AF, Rockstar

💋 Kinks: n/a

⚠️ Warning: The angst in this slow-burn will edge you to the point of combustion!

🚩 Safety Squad: n/a

📣 Type: Lonely For You Only is a standalone.

🛑 Be Advised: My Goodreads shelves are … explicit in both senses. As such, they could be considered spoiler-y.

[ReneeReads · Rating 2 out of 5]

I think I have to DNF this one. I just have the ick and I don't like the characters at all. 50% in and just not feeling it.

Many thanks to NetGalley for the eARC in exchange for an honest review.

[bookworm ˚୨୧⋆｡˚ ⋆ · Rating 4 out of 5]

LONELY FOR YOU ONLY (LANCASTER FAMILY NOVEL)
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

pretty boy by isabel larosa now playing

“people are eating this shit up. they’re saying you two are the next it couple”

a quick easy and sweet read. i definitely recommend! i love all of monica murphy’s books and forever will. while everything happened a bit fast, it was exactly what i needed. just a cute mindless story.

🎶TATE RAMSEY🎶

“if you were mine, i’d never let you out of my sight”

i loved him! he was a boy obsessed as rachel said 🤭 he was so sweet and patient with scarlett and i loved that he was so protective of her as well and complimented her when she was feeling down. unlike some of monica murphy’s other mmcs he wasn’t a cold bastard (i still love you whit) and it was so cute! scarlett drives him towards his dreams and always brings him back when he doubts himself.

”no, i’m not interested in anyone else”
“oh yeah?”
“yeah, i’m only interested in you”

🛍️SCARLETT LANCASTER🛍️

“i believe in you” she says with an encouraging smile

i know that she gets a lot of hate for being only “a rich girl”, which she literally tries to go against the whole book. but i loved it. she was still down to earth, sweet and doubted herself a lot. and i don’t know but, compared to other fmcs from this family, (i still love them) she was just nice and supportive. she was never mean, unless it was deserved. omg i love how much she encouraged and believed in tate!!! 🤭🤭

🍺FITZY LANCASTER🍺

“he’ll take care of you? honey you can take care of yourself for the rest of your life, and all your future generations as well. you don’t need a man to help you out in life”

omg i’m cackling he’s so funny. it was definitely true when it was said he was better or different from his cold hearted family, he’s such a jokester! i know that scarlett was trying to escape his shadow but at least he was a good father. he may have been a bit odd but we love him 😘

“i think you’ve hit the jackpot with this one. he seems like a winner. you’re a lucky girl”

[Dyson · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.75 ⭐️

I absolutely love the Lancaster Prep series. Since this book is adjacent to them, I had to pick it up.
I love Scarlett and Tate, but their relationship alone could not save the whole book for me.
Again, the characters were not the issue! The time in which the plot began to pick us up was. Even the big 'plot twists' near the end happened seemingly out of nowhere.
Also, a few things said to be a big deal near the beginning fizzled out and were not addressed. Like where is Ian???
With all of this, I am still a sucker for musicians in books. I wish I could listen to Tate's album!
At the very least, this makes me want to revisit the Lancaster Series and read the newer additions to it.

[BookAddict · Rating 2 out of 5]

The hype over this author has been around for a while, so when I saw this book I was eager to dive in. It had to be great, right? And a rock star romance, one of my favorite tropes, well, I couldn’t resist.

Unfortunately, this has to be one of the most boring romance books I’ve ever read. So much “blah, blah, blah" that I had to wade through an ocean of extraneous words to get to responding dialog and the meat of the story.

But I powered through, only to realize I was at seventy percent and nothing had happened. The fake romance was established and Scarlett went to LA with Tate. It took three quarters of the book to get to this point! It's a shame, because the characters were likeable and this had so much potential. Maybe this acclaimed author's indie published work is better, but save your pennies on this one.

*Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an early copy.

[jordane · Rating 3 out of 5]

I love the Lancaster Prep series, but I couldn't get attached to these characters and their relationship 😐

[Laura.has.too.many.books · Rating 3 out of 5]

* I've read this book without reading the other books in this series.

Wealthy heiress Scarlett Lancaster is throwing her 18th birthday party and she sees it as the opportunity to tell her longtime crush about her feelings. However, her father has booked the infamous Tate Ramsey, the singer of her favorite teenage band as a surprise and even though Scarlett has different plans, she gets caught in a compromising picture with Tate. It launches Tate's second chance at a career, but he needs Scarlett and so they set up a fake dating agreement. Both of them are propelled into stardom, but what if their feelings are not fake after all?

Pro's:
+ The writing was really good, I've read this book in one sitting and I was not bored at all. It is really sappy and even though that is usually not my thing, I was entertained. The switching POV's between Scarlett and Tate were fun, I like it when we see the story through the eyes of both characters.
+ The parents of Scarlett are a bit over the top and I love it. The dad is extra AF and even though you can see he comes from a good place, he is a bit wild.

Cons:
- There is a lot of stuff that does not get adressed in the ending at all and there are certain portions of the story that are so unbelievable, it felt more like a fanfic story than anything else. Like, lets barely go into Tate's alcohol and drugs past and glance over it as another minor issue. I just can't, not in the way this was written.

Not one of the best rockstar romances I've ever read I'm afraid. Even though it was very easy to read and the writing was engaging and fun, it was mediocre at best. Also, this is apparently a series and there was not a lot that pointed to that. Got this is a mystery bookbox and therefore it was fine and I was able to read it as a standalone, but I'm currently not inclined to pick-up more from this author. There were so many loose ends, that never get adressed again, it just felt rushed and bland at the end. It was fine, but nothing more.

[Melanie (mells_view) · Rating 4 out of 5]

”Every song. Every lyric. Every word. It all has to do with you.”

Lonely for you Only was the perfect read for those who love classic new adult romances with well loved tropes like fake dating. Scarlett is a young socialite trying to break out of the “party girl” expectations that come along with being her father’s daughter and get the guy she’s been crushing on for years to finally make a move. Tate Ramsey is just trying to get through his first live performance since he tanked his once thriving career. What neither of them know is that a well intentioned spur of the moment kiss at Scarlett’s birthday party, after Tate’s epic performance, is about the change both of their lives.

I enjoyed this one and think anyone who enjoys new adult will like it. The characters definitely read as angsty and are still in that becoming adults and figuring it out part of life. I thought Scarlett and Tate’s back and forth was fun, because trust even though they have a spark from the start, they are not feeling one another at first. I will say that this one is pretty slow burn and I feel like the characters get to know each other more off page than anything, but I still enjoyed it and I’m glad with how it all worked out.

I read this one as an e-book and an audio book and I absolutely loved the audiobook version of this story. I think it was much easier to picture these two characters and the voice actors did a fantastic job communicating their feelings through their narration.

Sidenote - if Scarlett and Tate are still looking for a ship name, then I vote Scramsey 😂

AVAILABLE NOW!
*ARC ebook provided by NetGalley
*ALC provided by Libro.fm

[May ✿ · Rating 4 out of 5]

I finished the Lancaster prep series😭
Loved this one Tate and Scarlett my cuties💓

[Noa · Rating 1 out of 5]

I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

I couldn’t finish this book… the plot was very shallow and the characters are shit. All I understood was “I’m so rich, tho my daddy couldn’t make harry styles to preform for me, boo hoo😭”.

I just couldn’t. I’m sorry.

[Violetschronicle · Rating 1 out of 5]

I don’t know why I keep doing this to myself.

The Lancaster’s used to be cool, my favorite was arch ofc but now it’s so over saturated I’m just so tired of it. I expected it to flow into arch’s siblings since they’re still at Lancaster prep and then be done with it.

They had no chemistry at all, this was 100% a money grab Im so tired

[Joana (joanasbookshelf) · Rating 4 out of 5]

this was such a sweet book. this was another great book by Monica Murphy.
this a coming of age romance between a rock star and a heiress. I found this to be different from the other books in the series, a little bit more slow burn but truly cute.
I loved how the story played out without major drama or complications. this was truly a sweet romance (but with a little bit of spice).
their relationship changed a lot and I loved to see them grow as individuals and then as couple.
this is a easy read if you are looking for a cute and sweet romance.

thank you Valentine PR and Monica Murphy for the ARC.

[Samantha ♡ ( Percy’s Version ) · Rating 4 out of 5]

4/5⭐️

Audiobook 🎧

The way I thought this was going to be awful because I’ve heard so many people hate “A Million Kisses in Your Lifetime” by this author. But it was actually pretty good.

[Cindy Rivera · Rating 4 out of 5]

Audio 🎧

[amari · Rating 3 out of 5]

3⭐️

This book was just okay for me. This book follows the rich Scarlet Lancaster who has always lived in her parent’s shadow, and Tate Ramsey, a ex member of the hit band Five Car Pileup. After a scandal with Five Car Pileup Tate was left with no career for years, but when asked to perform at Scarlet’s 18th birthday party as a surprise from her father things change. This is a reformed playboy, fake dating romance. I personally felt like the book dragged on and both characters were toxic and annoying. Overall just an average book for me.

Favorite Quote:
“I wrote that for you, Scar. And I meant every word I said. I am lonely for only you.”

Special thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for giving me an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

[TheSassyNerdBlog · Rating 5 out of 5]

A beautiful heiress and an ex-boy band singer? YES PLEASE. Sign me the hell up!

Tate and Scarlett were so cute trying to handle and work their way through the drama and mayhem the viral video was bringing into their life! What started as a fake relationship doesn’t take very long to turn into something very very real. Sparks fly, tension rises and the chemistry between these two is intense and pure.

This story was such a cute and heartfelt read. I was swooning through the entire thing! Tate and Scarlett now hold a very special place in my heart. This was absolutely adorable. It was beautiful, sweet and low in angst, a real palette cleanser that I didn’t know I needed!

Highly recommend!

5 STARS!

[CherryReads · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.50 ⭐️

Scarlett Lancaster, a young heiress, is excited when her father hires Tate Ramsey, a former pop star, to perform at her eighteenth birthday. However, she's disappointed it's not Harry Styles. Tate, a reformed partygoer, wows the audience and shares a surprising kiss with Scarlett. The viral kiss boosts their careers, leading them to agree on a fake relationship that eventually reveals genuine feelings.

I really enjoyed reading this book. And i must admit, the cover drew me in, and the synopsis hooked me even more. The fake dating storyline is a personal favorite, and I have to say, the author's writing style is fantastic. The story kicks off on Scarlett's eighteenth birthday and beyond, tracing her journey over time. Tate initially bored me a bit; he talked as if he were fifty, but I grew to like him as I turned the pages.

The book is written from both characters' perspectives, which is amazing. It comprises 38 chapters. I would have loved to have a little playlist, especially since music is an integral part of the narrative.

Scarlett's character is portrayed in a way that captures the challenges of her privileged life as she searches for her true identity beyond her family's wealth. Tate's journey from a troubled past to a place of redemption and new opportunities adds emotional depth and resonance to the story. The chemistry between the characters and the depth of their emotions make it easy to root for them as they strive for happiness and overcome their pasts.

[Jess - Reader of Books · Rating 4 out of 5]

Lonely For You Only by Monica Murphy 💕
Lancaster Prep
Standalone

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
NA • Romance
ARC Review
343 pages
🗓️ February 6th

🎶 rockstar romance
👗 dislike to love
🎤 fake dating
🎶 close proximity
👗 bad boy/good girl
🎤 dual POV
🎶 HEA

📍”What we’re doing isn’t supposed to be real, but why does it feel like that?”

Sweet, nice heiress meets Harry Styles. I mean, meets Tate Ramsey. And the rest is history. Well, not really. She really didn’t like him at first. But he had a proposition that was too good to pass up. But fake dating turns real pretty fast and reality soon follows too.

And while you see this and say, “must read now” — which you’re not wrong — let me tell you first what’s this truly about.

This book is about Scarlett. She makes this book with her coming of age story. With her growth. With every step she takes of freeing herself from expectations. Seeing her discover herself and above all stand up for herself was magical. Inspirational even. Scarlett has a quiet strength that spoke volumes.

And how perfect is that I’m posting this the same day as the Grammys 🤌🏼🫶🏼🖤 Couldn’t have planned it better if I tried 😁

[Lise Derboven · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book turned out to be a really enjoyable read! I’ll admit, I wasn’t sure it would be my kind of book at first — the characters are quite young, and I usually prefer slightly older protagonists. But I was pleasantly surprised by how easily I got into the story. The writing flows really well, and I found myself completely drawn in. I read it in 2 days but if I had more time it would be easily a 1 day read.

One thing I especially loved is the fake relationship trope — it’s one of my favorites, and it was done so well here. The chemistry between the characters felt natural, and watching their dynamic evolve kept me hooked the whole time. And also: The spice was spicing!

Overall, this book was a great surprise. It’s fast-paced, heartfelt, and full of swoon-worthy moments. Definitely worth reading if you enjoy romance with a bit of drama and one of the best tropes out there!

[Reading Jeanette · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was a sweet romance read with a solid plot and some fun tropes. It's a billionaire heir romance (she's the rich girl) and he's a has been boy band singer who she had a crush on as a kid, hired to sing at her birthday. Fake dating ensues, they fall in love for real...its adorable and spicy near the end. I liked it and would recommend this book to anyone looking for an easy romance read that's very modern and has a Hollywood-ish backdrop. Characters are 18 and 21.

[Rosite Sony · Rating 5 out of 5]

I like my time reading this story. It was a nice romance, when they fake date and come to love each other I liked it a lot. Seeing him singing at her birthday party, someone she had a crush on. It was crazy how she found herself where anyone as a fan will like to be.

[clémence · Rating 5 out of 5]

c’était sympa mais j’en attendais plus pour l’épilogue

[Kaitlyn · Rating 3 out of 5]

the small sprinkles of every other character in this world is what keeps me going tbh 🫡🧎🏼‍♀️‍➡️

[nadia · Rating 4 out of 5]

i’ve finished this god foresaken series
i kinda like it etc
the last 10 percent i skimmed because pmo

[Life on Readpeat · Rating 4 out of 5]

𝐋𝐨𝐧𝐞𝐥𝐲 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐘𝐨𝐮 𝐎𝐧𝐥𝐲 by Monica Murphy had it 𝐀𝐋𝐋 — (light) angst, enemies-to-lovers vibes, fake dating, slow burn (and that’s just to name a few) — and I loved every 𝐅𝐑𝐄𝐀𝐊𝐈𝐍𝐆 second of it! This story 𝐂𝐀𝐏��𝐈𝐕𝐀𝐓𝐄𝐃 me from the very beginning and it gave me the 𝐁𝐄𝐒𝐓 case of 𝒘𝒂𝒓𝒎 𝒇𝒖𝒛𝒛𝒊𝒆𝒔 as inhaled all the words of this 𝐬𝐰𝐞𝐞𝐭 love story! A 𝒒𝒖𝒊𝒄𝒌 and 𝒅𝒆𝒍𝒊𝒄𝒊𝒐𝒖𝒔 read that you won’t be able to put down.

Tate Ramsey, ex-boy band member of 𝐅𝐢𝐯𝐞 𝐂𝐚𝐫 𝐏𝐢𝐥𝐞𝐮𝐩, books a gig singing at heiress, Scarlett Lancaster’s 18th birthday party. What he never expected was that it was going to be the gig of a 𝐋𝐈𝐅𝐄𝐓𝐈𝐌𝐄 — one that would launch him back into stardom after an unexpected kiss with the birthday girl. There’s just one 𝒔𝒍𝒊𝒈𝒉𝒕 𝒍𝒊𝒕𝒕𝒍𝒆 𝒑𝒓𝒐𝒃𝒍𝒆𝒎 — the whole world thinks they’re in a relationship. If he can’t convince her to go along with this 𝒇𝒂𝒌𝒆 𝒅𝒂𝒕𝒊𝒏𝒈 facade — then there’s 𝐍𝐎 𝐂𝐇𝐀𝐍𝐂𝐄 that his career will take off again…

Can they convince the world that they’re in 𝒍𝒐𝒗𝒆 or will their 𝒔𝒆𝒄𝒓𝒆𝒕 be exposed? 𝐀𝐍𝐃 — what happens when their 𝒇𝒂𝒌𝒆 𝒓𝒆𝒍𝒂𝒕𝒊𝒐𝒏𝒔𝒉𝒊𝒑, soon 𝒃𝒍𝒐𝒔𝒔𝒐𝒎𝒔 into something 𝒓𝒆𝒂𝒍 when 𝒔𝒑𝒂𝒓𝒌𝒔 𝒃𝒆𝒈𝒊𝒏 𝒕𝒐 𝒇𝒍𝒚… Will they make it or will they end in 𝒉𝒆𝒂𝒓𝒕𝒃𝒓𝒆𝒂𝒌? You’ll just have to read 𝐋𝐨𝐧𝐞𝐥𝐲 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐘𝐨𝐮 𝐎𝐧𝐥𝐲 to find out (and trust me you’re going to 𝐋𝐎𝐕𝐄 it)!

Although this story is 𝒕𝒆𝒄𝒉𝒏𝒊𝒄𝒂𝒍𝒍𝒚 part of the 𝐋𝐚𝐧𝐜𝐚𝐬𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝐮𝐧𝐢𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐬𝐞, it’s 𝒐𝒏𝒆-𝒐𝒇-𝒂-𝒌𝒊𝒏𝒅 and in a completely different 𝒘𝒉𝒆𝒆𝒍𝒉𝒐𝒖𝒔𝒆 then the 𝐋𝐚𝐧𝐜𝐚𝐬𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝐏𝐫𝐞𝐩 series. Whether you are a fan of the 𝐋𝐚𝐧𝐜𝐚𝐬𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝐮𝐧𝐢𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐬𝐞 or a new Monica Murphy reader — you’ll love this 𝒖𝒏𝒊𝒒𝒖𝒆 and 𝒍𝒊𝒈𝒉𝒕𝒉𝒆𝒂𝒓𝒕𝒆𝒅 storyline. I couldn’t help but imagine how 𝒔𝒘𝒆𝒆𝒕 it would be to fall for the ex-boy band member that used to hang the walls of my bedroom growing up 😍.

[Carrie McConn · Rating 2 out of 5]

Fun premise, but too cheesy for this old lady.
I lost interest when many of the conversations felt like this:
"I really like you."
"You really like me?"
"It's sunny outside."
"You think it's sunny outside?"
"The fans love this new song."
"Oh, I bet the fans really love this song!"

[Chiara Servaty · Rating 3 out of 5]

Why does EVERY romance book HAVE to mention Taylor Swift? I‘m tired of reading that name😩

[Lise · Rating 2 out of 5]

I love lancaster prep but this was not it