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Road Kings #6
Songs to Break Up To
When a pop star meets a rock princess, all bets are off.
Juliet Barstow has a problem—actually, she has a list. She’s never been taken seriously as a bass player despite years in the business. Every ex-boyfriend she’s ever had has been trash. And her uptight mom and goody-two-shoes sister have never approved of her rock ’n’ roll career.
But her biggest problem is Finn Wiley. He’s a former teen idol whose career fizzled a decade ago, when he vanished from the public eye. Finn’s brother is marrying Juliet’s sister, and not only is Juliet being dragged to the wedding—she is expected to be the maid of honor, alongside Finn as the best man.
It’s going to be a disaster.
Finn is rich, spoiled, and perfect. Also, it isn’t fair that grown-up Finn is very, very fine. But as Juliet and Finn spend time together, they have more in common than they thought they did. Things like old scars, hard heartbreaks, and good music.
Their lives are nothing alike. Their music is nothing alike. So why does this feel like the best song ever written?
Juliet Barstow has a problem—actually, she has a list. She’s never been taken seriously as a bass player despite years in the business. Every ex-boyfriend she’s ever had has been trash. And her uptight mom and goody-two-shoes sister have never approved of her rock ’n’ roll career.
But her biggest problem is Finn Wiley. He’s a former teen idol whose career fizzled a decade ago, when he vanished from the public eye. Finn’s brother is marrying Juliet’s sister, and not only is Juliet being dragged to the wedding—she is expected to be the maid of honor, alongside Finn as the best man.
It’s going to be a disaster.
Finn is rich, spoiled, and perfect. Also, it isn’t fair that grown-up Finn is very, very fine. But as Juliet and Finn spend time together, they have more in common than they thought they did. Things like old scars, hard heartbreaks, and good music.
Their lives are nothing alike. Their music is nothing alike. So why does this feel like the best song ever written?
238 pages, Kindle Edition
Published June 27, 2024
56 people are currently reading
72 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 20 of 20 reviews
July 21, 2024
I love every single book in this series. This was one I didn't expect and loved it even more because of it.
July 5, 2024
Soooooo gooood!!
OMG, omg!! I just finished Songs to Break Up To, the last Road Kings book and those last few chapters and epilogue did me in!
I'm wiping tears as I write this, sitting in a doctors office 'cos I just HAD to finish this book!
Love Julie Kriss's massive talent for making me feel EVERY single emotion while engrossed completely in pop star Finn and bad to the bone Road Kings fill in bassist, Juliet. These two and their sunshine/ grumpy relationship, in one way or another, beginning in those angsty teen years and then crossing paths again in their thirties. Just wow.
Hold onto your seats, RK's lovers. There's a new girl in town! And a a new guy too. I loved hanging with them again and absolutely loved Finn, Juliet and everything that came along with their meant to be romance! Ugh, I can't recommend this one enough!
OMG, omg!! I just finished Songs to Break Up To, the last Road Kings book and those last few chapters and epilogue did me in!
I'm wiping tears as I write this, sitting in a doctors office 'cos I just HAD to finish this book!
Love Julie Kriss's massive talent for making me feel EVERY single emotion while engrossed completely in pop star Finn and bad to the bone Road Kings fill in bassist, Juliet. These two and their sunshine/ grumpy relationship, in one way or another, beginning in those angsty teen years and then crossing paths again in their thirties. Just wow.
Hold onto your seats, RK's lovers. There's a new girl in town! And a a new guy too. I loved hanging with them again and absolutely loved Finn, Juliet and everything that came along with their meant to be romance! Ugh, I can't recommend this one enough!
February 1, 2025
As with just about every book I read by this author, I adore this book.
Finn and Juliette first meet in the prologue. At 19, he’s a popular pop singer with a huge hit under his belt. He travels around a lot but in the first scene he’s home for a brief visit in a home he’s purchased and lives in with his father and brother. His brother is throwing a party. He runs into Juliette, whose sister is dating his brother. Juliette is also a musician whose world, like Finns centres around music. She plays bass in an all girls punk band and has that whole angry vibe about her. Immediately there is an intense connection between them. But he’s on his way out of town so nothing comes of it.
Fast forward a few years and Finn’s career has crashed. He’s been forgotten and is mostly mentioned in “whatever happened to” stories. He’s left his music career completely.
Now we come to the story. Finn and Juliette haven’t seen each other since that one memorable night years ago though neither has forgotten their brief meeting. It’s rather odd that they haven’t run into the other as their siblings are still dating and now getting married. Finn is the best man and Juliette the maid of honour. Finn’s current lifestyle is rather vague but Juliette is still deeply into music - and still very anti-establishment and angry. She doesn’t have a close relationship with either her mother or sister and the last thing she wants is to be a maid of honour.
When Finn and Juliette meet again after all this time, the intensity is still there. Juliette tries to ignore it and at times is quite biting with Finn. Finn, on the other hand, sees and completely ‘gets’ Juliette. Juliette struggles with this as no one in her life has truly seen and understood her as Finn does.
I love both these two characters so much. They are both beautifully and believably written. Every interaction they have is so fascinating. Juliette is a very prickly heroine, a type I love, and Finn so patient and tender with her.
This book takes place in the Road Kings world. This is a simply amazing series about four friends that were in an underground band together, very successful, break up only to get back together years later. I’ve read every book in that series multiple times and highly recommend, highly recommend it. In this book, their bass player is taking a break for a while to be a stay at home father to his newborn son. Juliette is filling in with them while he’s on his paternity break. Being with these guys is such a wonderful treat. You can read Songs To Break Up to without having read the series no problem but I’m willing to bet you want to read it after this one.
This book came out Wednesday I believe and I inhaled it yesterday. Julie Kriss is my numero uno autobuy author and I was doing the happy dance when it dropped in the middle of the night and I woke up to it loaded in my Kindle. I have so many authors whose books I love and though it’s next to impossible to choose a favourite, based on the number read, my level of enjoyment while reading them and resulting grade, combined with number of times I’ve reread most of the books on her backlist, I give Julie Kriss the number one spot. Yet I see so little buzz about her.
When I’m reading one of her books for either the first time or rereading one for the fifth time, I’m in my happy place. I say it in every review, if you haven’t read a book she’s written, you really should.
She also has a number of books out as audio books, though not this particular book - yet, I also have a number of them and equally love them as well as her written books.
Her books are all available on KU so if you are thinking of trying one, well, it’s easy and free.
Finn and Juliette first meet in the prologue. At 19, he’s a popular pop singer with a huge hit under his belt. He travels around a lot but in the first scene he’s home for a brief visit in a home he’s purchased and lives in with his father and brother. His brother is throwing a party. He runs into Juliette, whose sister is dating his brother. Juliette is also a musician whose world, like Finns centres around music. She plays bass in an all girls punk band and has that whole angry vibe about her. Immediately there is an intense connection between them. But he’s on his way out of town so nothing comes of it.
Fast forward a few years and Finn’s career has crashed. He’s been forgotten and is mostly mentioned in “whatever happened to” stories. He’s left his music career completely.
Now we come to the story. Finn and Juliette haven’t seen each other since that one memorable night years ago though neither has forgotten their brief meeting. It’s rather odd that they haven’t run into the other as their siblings are still dating and now getting married. Finn is the best man and Juliette the maid of honour. Finn’s current lifestyle is rather vague but Juliette is still deeply into music - and still very anti-establishment and angry. She doesn’t have a close relationship with either her mother or sister and the last thing she wants is to be a maid of honour.
When Finn and Juliette meet again after all this time, the intensity is still there. Juliette tries to ignore it and at times is quite biting with Finn. Finn, on the other hand, sees and completely ‘gets’ Juliette. Juliette struggles with this as no one in her life has truly seen and understood her as Finn does.
I love both these two characters so much. They are both beautifully and believably written. Every interaction they have is so fascinating. Juliette is a very prickly heroine, a type I love, and Finn so patient and tender with her.
This book takes place in the Road Kings world. This is a simply amazing series about four friends that were in an underground band together, very successful, break up only to get back together years later. I’ve read every book in that series multiple times and highly recommend, highly recommend it. In this book, their bass player is taking a break for a while to be a stay at home father to his newborn son. Juliette is filling in with them while he’s on his paternity break. Being with these guys is such a wonderful treat. You can read Songs To Break Up to without having read the series no problem but I’m willing to bet you want to read it after this one.
This book came out Wednesday I believe and I inhaled it yesterday. Julie Kriss is my numero uno autobuy author and I was doing the happy dance when it dropped in the middle of the night and I woke up to it loaded in my Kindle. I have so many authors whose books I love and though it’s next to impossible to choose a favourite, based on the number read, my level of enjoyment while reading them and resulting grade, combined with number of times I’ve reread most of the books on her backlist, I give Julie Kriss the number one spot. Yet I see so little buzz about her.
When I’m reading one of her books for either the first time or rereading one for the fifth time, I’m in my happy place. I say it in every review, if you haven’t read a book she’s written, you really should.
She also has a number of books out as audio books, though not this particular book - yet, I also have a number of them and equally love them as well as her written books.
Her books are all available on KU so if you are thinking of trying one, well, it’s easy and free.
June 30, 2024
Keep writing Julie, I'll keep reading!
The problem with a new release in the world of The Road Kings is that I have to clear my calendar for marathon reading and a reading hangover.
This time, we have Juliet Barstow (the relief bass player the Road Kings have hired to cover Neil's paternity leave) and Fin (former teenage popstar). Both our MMC and MFC have heart-wrenching backstories, which should impede their journey to an HEA, but thanks to Fin's determination, they make it there.
The most fascinating aspect of this series is how Ms Kriss' storytelling has changed to reflect the emotional nature of each books' romantic leads. This time, Juliet's tendency to get lost in her head when overwhelmed by her emotions adds a "distance" to the tone; while at the same time, Fin has recently dealt with a possible health scare that mirrors a life-hreatening condition from his youth entirely on his own. The trauma of life in the worldwide spotlight has taught Fin to protect himself by retreating from the world and depend only on himself. These two difficult but sensitive souls challenged Ms Kriss' narrative skills, but her storytelling reflects both voices beautifully and adds an intense dreaminess to their interactions. Also, every glimpse of the band members makes any new installment in this world a must-read for me.
Now, the greatest challenge of all for me regarding this series....having to wait for the next one!
The problem with a new release in the world of The Road Kings is that I have to clear my calendar for marathon reading and a reading hangover.
This time, we have Juliet Barstow (the relief bass player the Road Kings have hired to cover Neil's paternity leave) and Fin (former teenage popstar). Both our MMC and MFC have heart-wrenching backstories, which should impede their journey to an HEA, but thanks to Fin's determination, they make it there.
The most fascinating aspect of this series is how Ms Kriss' storytelling has changed to reflect the emotional nature of each books' romantic leads. This time, Juliet's tendency to get lost in her head when overwhelmed by her emotions adds a "distance" to the tone; while at the same time, Fin has recently dealt with a possible health scare that mirrors a life-hreatening condition from his youth entirely on his own. The trauma of life in the worldwide spotlight has taught Fin to protect himself by retreating from the world and depend only on himself. These two difficult but sensitive souls challenged Ms Kriss' narrative skills, but her storytelling reflects both voices beautifully and adds an intense dreaminess to their interactions. Also, every glimpse of the band members makes any new installment in this world a must-read for me.
Now, the greatest challenge of all for me regarding this series....having to wait for the next one!
July 5, 2024
This author has the incredible ability to suck you into the story with just the first lines. The characters she develops are just so likable and relatable! And it helps that this book is another installment on the Road King’s series which has been so fantastic.
Finn and Juliet met when they were nineteen, he was a pop star whose career was beginning to tank, she was the misunderstood artist who had problems connecting to her mother and sister. They had a moment, and when they said goodbye, it felt it would be forever, but with a pang because the attraction was so strong.
Thirteen years later, Juliet’s sister is marrying Finn’s brother, and the rest is epic, romantic and emotional.
Finn is a pop star has-been and Juliet had gone through a similar phase, but was now having a second chance, playing bass with the Road Kings. Both are a little broken, both are medicine to each other. Juliet is snarky, defensive, hobo-style dressed musician. Finn is a loner, absent from life after several issues. I love the way they see each other, bring the other back to life, help with each other’s issues, and bring unity to their family.
This was Julie Kriss writing as best as she does, delighting us with these two riveting characters and spending some time with the Road Kings. I read it in one day, that says it all how enthralling I found it. One of my 2024 favorites!
Finn and Juliet met when they were nineteen, he was a pop star whose career was beginning to tank, she was the misunderstood artist who had problems connecting to her mother and sister. They had a moment, and when they said goodbye, it felt it would be forever, but with a pang because the attraction was so strong.
Thirteen years later, Juliet’s sister is marrying Finn’s brother, and the rest is epic, romantic and emotional.
Finn is a pop star has-been and Juliet had gone through a similar phase, but was now having a second chance, playing bass with the Road Kings. Both are a little broken, both are medicine to each other. Juliet is snarky, defensive, hobo-style dressed musician. Finn is a loner, absent from life after several issues. I love the way they see each other, bring the other back to life, help with each other’s issues, and bring unity to their family.
This was Julie Kriss writing as best as she does, delighting us with these two riveting characters and spending some time with the Road Kings. I read it in one day, that says it all how enthralling I found it. One of my 2024 favorites!
July 3, 2024
Aaaand she's back
4.5 stars
I was lukewarm about Will's story, so I was a little hesitant about reading this one. But it's awesome.
I loved Juliet. Finn was also amazing. The story was sweet and satisfying. The secondary characters were also interesting. And it was great to see the road kings again.
I'll admit I thought that Juliet was needlessly mean to Finn at first, but Juliet also figured that out on her own :)
I was puzzled by Juliet's comments in road kings 4, where she said she takes antidepressants. While she does mention therapy, she doesn't mention depression or medication at all.
In any case, thoroughly enjoyed this one.
Standalone (cameos from the road kings but not necessary to read them first). 1st person dual pov. No violence. Steamy.
4.5 stars
I was lukewarm about Will's story, so I was a little hesitant about reading this one. But it's awesome.
I loved Juliet. Finn was also amazing. The story was sweet and satisfying. The secondary characters were also interesting. And it was great to see the road kings again.
I'll admit I thought that Juliet was needlessly mean to Finn at first, but Juliet also figured that out on her own :)
I was puzzled by Juliet's comments in road kings 4, where she said she takes antidepressants. While she does mention therapy, she doesn't mention depression or medication at all.
In any case, thoroughly enjoyed this one.
Standalone (cameos from the road kings but not necessary to read them first). 1st person dual pov. No violence. Steamy.
December 2, 2025
This book has it all
As I finish this book, I am wiping my eyes. The ending is perfection.
Juliet and Finn are 2 characters who need each other. Without knowing it, both are searching for someone to understand and love them. Juliet's transformation is beautiful. Finn's dedication to her is sweet. He is a nice guy and really has his head screwed on right.
I thoroughly loved this book and this series. It is well written, original and captivating. Well done.
As I finish this book, I am wiping my eyes. The ending is perfection.
Juliet and Finn are 2 characters who need each other. Without knowing it, both are searching for someone to understand and love them. Juliet's transformation is beautiful. Finn's dedication to her is sweet. He is a nice guy and really has his head screwed on right.
I thoroughly loved this book and this series. It is well written, original and captivating. Well done.
June 29, 2024
Another Exceptional Read!
Every book in the Road Kings series is awesome. Somehow it just keeps getting better and better and I didn’t think anything could top Denver’s story! It’s always fun to see the Pop world and the Rock & Roll world collide. Love the banter between Juliet and Finn! Perfectly written for each other!
Every book in the Road Kings series is awesome. Somehow it just keeps getting better and better and I didn’t think anything could top Denver’s story! It’s always fun to see the Pop world and the Rock & Roll world collide. Love the banter between Juliet and Finn! Perfectly written for each other!
June 30, 2024
Awesome book for Juliet!!!
The Road Kings series is my absolute favorite series. It is extremely low angse and written about strong people who know what they want. Juliet (Nepal's temporary replacement) gets a wonderful story with someone from her past. It hit all right notes, it was difficult to put down.
The Road Kings series is my absolute favorite series. It is extremely low angse and written about strong people who know what they want. Juliet (Nepal's temporary replacement) gets a wonderful story with someone from her past. It hit all right notes, it was difficult to put down.
July 9, 2024
I have to say that I LOVE anything that Julie Kriss writes and am already looking forward to her next book. I was not a huge fan, however, of the heroine, Juliet, because I felt she played "hard to get" for too long in the story. I really did like the hero, Finn though. Thought he was almost perfect! I will reread some of her other books while I'm waiting for Ms Kriss' next book.
July 21, 2024
Good story
I really liked Flinn . His story was very interesting and heart felt. I feel the record industry should go down as it uses the talent up till they can't perform. I didn't like her sister asking about her private life as that was Juliet's business. Glad for the happy ending. Gonna miss these guys till I reread their stories again.
I really liked Flinn . His story was very interesting and heart felt. I feel the record industry should go down as it uses the talent up till they can't perform. I didn't like her sister asking about her private life as that was Juliet's business. Glad for the happy ending. Gonna miss these guys till I reread their stories again.
November 29, 2025
I liked how Juliet and Finn reconnected in Songs to Break Up To and how their relationship developed. I liked how both had stagnated a bit and started to venture beyond self-imposed boundaries for themselves. I especially enjoyed near the end of the “worst breakup and we never even dated.” Their lives had interesting trajectories. The story also felt lived in.
July 2, 2024
love this series
So happy to see this new release. Sweet characters and lovely romance. Looking forward to the next installment in the Road Kings universe.
So happy to see this new release. Sweet characters and lovely romance. Looking forward to the next installment in the Road Kings universe.
July 4, 2024
Please write Travis’s story next!
I’m not ready for this RK tour to end just yet. Please keep writing…let the music continue a little longer!
I’m not ready for this RK tour to end just yet. Please keep writing…let the music continue a little longer!
July 9, 2024
I loved everything about this wonderful story!!
September 8, 2024
Kris’s does not disappoint
This author writes relationships that show maturity and depth beyond most romance novels. I can’t wait for the next novel.
This author writes relationships that show maturity and depth beyond most romance novels. I can’t wait for the next novel.
December 10, 2024
Sometimes it’s hard to overcome your upbringing or lack there of
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
February 20, 2025
I'm a quarter of the way through the book and absolutely nothing has happened and I'm bored.
DNF
DNF
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
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February 24, 20252/14/2025
December 20, 2025
2.5, some nice moments strung together, but not much depth.
Displaying 1 - 20 of 20 reviews