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The Encore
In 2003, at the prestigious Brookfield Conservatory in Boston, a chance encounter sparks an inimitable friendship between driven pianist and singer Anna Buckley and composer wunderkind Will Pendleton. Over the next four years, as they strive toward careers as professional musicians, their bond deepens both from shared prodigious skill and the inexplicable sense that they’re kindred souls. But on the precipice of graduation, one night forever alters the trajectory of their lives, destroying their relationship in the process.
Twenty years later in New York, 16-year-old piano virtuoso Lottie Thomas is grappling with the rigors of her elite prep school and the confounding disappearance of the woman who gave her up at birth. When Lottie suddenly discovers the startling truth of her identity, the revelation catalyzes a chain of events that not only reunites Lottie with her birth parents, but forces them together on a careening, cross-country rock and roll tour-bus journey. And it is there, trapped in these tight confines, that the three must finally reconcile with the irrevocable choices made a decade-and-a-half earlier.
Twenty years later in New York, 16-year-old piano virtuoso Lottie Thomas is grappling with the rigors of her elite prep school and the confounding disappearance of the woman who gave her up at birth. When Lottie suddenly discovers the startling truth of her identity, the revelation catalyzes a chain of events that not only reunites Lottie with her birth parents, but forces them together on a careening, cross-country rock and roll tour-bus journey. And it is there, trapped in these tight confines, that the three must finally reconcile with the irrevocable choices made a decade-and-a-half earlier.
368 pages, Paperback
Published March 3, 2026
15 people are currently reading
4682 people want to read
About the author
Juliet Izon
1 book26 followersJuliet Izon is a New York City and Hudson Valley-based journalist and author. Her work has appeared in national newspapers such as The New York Times and The Wall Street Journal, and magazines like Travel + Leisure, Food & Wine, and Architectural Digest. Her first novel, The Encore, will be published by Union Square & Co./Hachette in March 2026.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 52 reviews
August 4, 2025
I wrote this and it’s pretty awesome
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
3.5
Charlotte (Lottie) Thomas wakes up on her 16th birthday alone but that doesn't mean anyone has forgotten her birthday. Uncle Aidan, her guardian, has made sure that Lottie has a great party and on his return he gives Lottie something she has waited all her life for - the key to finding out who she is. Now Lottie can track down the mother who gave her up at birth and maybe she'll get some answers.
The Encore is Juliet Izon's debut novel and it tells a story of love and music that spans a couple of decades. Anna and Will are both musical virtuosos but Will loves classical and Anna is a rock/folk star. They are best friends. They support each other through Brookfield Academy and know that nothing will harm their friendship. But one night and one error of judgement threatens to cause a rift that may never heal.
A decade and a half later the decisions that Anna made are coming back to haunt her.
I enjoyed most of The Encore. It is engaging, readable story that will keep you turning the pages. Whilst all the characters are likeable, the decisions they sometimes take are questionable.
It was the latter third of the book that I struggled with - but that's merely because I'm not a romantic in any way shape or form. If you like a healthy dose of schmaltz with your reading then this is most definitely the book for you.
I would recommend this novel. It is easy reading along with an engaging story. There are some difficult subjects dealt with but they do not feature largely in what is, on the whole, a love story.
Thankyou to Netgalley and Union Square & Co for the digital review copy.
Charlotte (Lottie) Thomas wakes up on her 16th birthday alone but that doesn't mean anyone has forgotten her birthday. Uncle Aidan, her guardian, has made sure that Lottie has a great party and on his return he gives Lottie something she has waited all her life for - the key to finding out who she is. Now Lottie can track down the mother who gave her up at birth and maybe she'll get some answers.
The Encore is Juliet Izon's debut novel and it tells a story of love and music that spans a couple of decades. Anna and Will are both musical virtuosos but Will loves classical and Anna is a rock/folk star. They are best friends. They support each other through Brookfield Academy and know that nothing will harm their friendship. But one night and one error of judgement threatens to cause a rift that may never heal.
A decade and a half later the decisions that Anna made are coming back to haunt her.
I enjoyed most of The Encore. It is engaging, readable story that will keep you turning the pages. Whilst all the characters are likeable, the decisions they sometimes take are questionable.
It was the latter third of the book that I struggled with - but that's merely because I'm not a romantic in any way shape or form. If you like a healthy dose of schmaltz with your reading then this is most definitely the book for you.
I would recommend this novel. It is easy reading along with an engaging story. There are some difficult subjects dealt with but they do not feature largely in what is, on the whole, a love story.
Thankyou to Netgalley and Union Square & Co for the digital review copy.
November 17, 2025
i was picturing hayley williams the whole time
December 2, 2025
I loved this book from the first page. It accomplished what a book worth reading should shoot for. Fully flushed out characters, a page turning storyline, and an amazing amount of research effortlessly folded into the story.
Lottie is sixteen years old. Her adoptive mother died and she now lives with her uncle. She is a musical prodigy, independent, incredibly grounded but a bit reticent about taking up too much space in the world.. Her birth mother requested she not be found until she is emancipated at 18 but her uncle, Aidan, has given her those papers early. It will now be up to Lottie whether she wants to find her birth mother.
In the prologue, we see Anna as the Indie rock superstar she has become. When we move into the backstory of the birth parents, Anna and Will meet at an elite boarding school. Both have serious musical aspirations. Anna is a talented singer/songwriter, and Will is a classical composer and conductor. Flash forward to present and complications and insights begin to surface when Lottie finds Anna and Anna then finds Will. Both Lottie and Will decide to go on tour with her.
The story explores nurture versus nature. Lottie shares so many of their personality traits as well as musical talent. What is interesting is how they all grow as they weather unforeseen troubles together. It is also about love, ambition, how old wounds fester until they are healed, and most of all, forgiveness.
While there is a deep dive into both Anna and Lottie’s lives and thinking, we only see Will through their eyes and actions. Since Anna drives the story by the demanding force of her personality, it is interesting how the others change in the wake of her erratic behavior.
There is also quite a lot of detail about life on tour that I found fascinating. I never really thought about the constant demands both on and off the stage. It added context to the story.
The minor characters were sharply defined and added dimension. Those on the tour (particularly Kendall), Maeve, Will’s mother, Betsy, and Aiden. Had to love Aiden.
Kudos to you, Juliet Izon. A wonderful debut novel.
Many thanks to Netgalley and Union Square and Co for providing me with the ARC in exchange for an honest review.
Lottie is sixteen years old. Her adoptive mother died and she now lives with her uncle. She is a musical prodigy, independent, incredibly grounded but a bit reticent about taking up too much space in the world.. Her birth mother requested she not be found until she is emancipated at 18 but her uncle, Aidan, has given her those papers early. It will now be up to Lottie whether she wants to find her birth mother.
In the prologue, we see Anna as the Indie rock superstar she has become. When we move into the backstory of the birth parents, Anna and Will meet at an elite boarding school. Both have serious musical aspirations. Anna is a talented singer/songwriter, and Will is a classical composer and conductor. Flash forward to present and complications and insights begin to surface when Lottie finds Anna and Anna then finds Will. Both Lottie and Will decide to go on tour with her.
The story explores nurture versus nature. Lottie shares so many of their personality traits as well as musical talent. What is interesting is how they all grow as they weather unforeseen troubles together. It is also about love, ambition, how old wounds fester until they are healed, and most of all, forgiveness.
While there is a deep dive into both Anna and Lottie’s lives and thinking, we only see Will through their eyes and actions. Since Anna drives the story by the demanding force of her personality, it is interesting how the others change in the wake of her erratic behavior.
There is also quite a lot of detail about life on tour that I found fascinating. I never really thought about the constant demands both on and off the stage. It added context to the story.
The minor characters were sharply defined and added dimension. Those on the tour (particularly Kendall), Maeve, Will’s mother, Betsy, and Aiden. Had to love Aiden.
Kudos to you, Juliet Izon. A wonderful debut novel.
Many thanks to Netgalley and Union Square and Co for providing me with the ARC in exchange for an honest review.
February 22, 2026
easiest 5 stars i’ve given away in a while - music lovers will consume this story like water. i fell in love with anna, will and lottie and i just know the world will too <3
march 3rd release date!!
march 3rd release date!!
November 6, 2025
The Encore is a debut whose voice soars like a rock star from the first note and never lets go. Read this book now so you can be the person in your book club who gets to say you discovered Juliet Izon 'first'. Her writing will stop you in your tracks.
February 17, 2026
The Encore was a beautiful and emotional story that felt reminiscent of lots of my favourite stories from the last few years. It exists in a similar world to TJR’s books, Tomorrows and Tomorrow and Tomorrow, and even the newer release Loved Ones. I love a male-female friendship that cooooould be more, if not for dang miscommunication!
Lottie and Anna, our two protagonists, are a mother and daughter recently reunited after Anna puts Lottie up for adoption 16 years earlier at the start of her budding music career. Anna makes it big and when Lottie reenters her life, Anna tries to navigate that new dynamic while being reminded that, whoops! She actually never really told anyone Lottie existed, most importantly Lottie’s father- Will.
This was SO close to a 4.5-star read for me but I’d desperately wished it to go another way at the end and couldn’t quite get past it. It felt too tidy and wholesome. I don’t know if Will and Anna really reconciled any of their differences and would have preferred to see them work on their professional partnership first. I don’t think the epilogue was necessary at all.
Lottie and Anna are voiced beautifully in this audiobook. Both narrators are easy to listen to and bring the story to life.
Thank you to net galley and the publisher for an advanced copy of this audiobook in exchange for my honest review
Lottie and Anna, our two protagonists, are a mother and daughter recently reunited after Anna puts Lottie up for adoption 16 years earlier at the start of her budding music career. Anna makes it big and when Lottie reenters her life, Anna tries to navigate that new dynamic while being reminded that, whoops! She actually never really told anyone Lottie existed, most importantly Lottie’s father- Will.
This was SO close to a 4.5-star read for me but I’d desperately wished it to go another way at the end and couldn’t quite get past it. It felt too tidy and wholesome. I don’t know if Will and Anna really reconciled any of their differences and would have preferred to see them work on their professional partnership first. I don’t think the epilogue was necessary at all.
Lottie and Anna are voiced beautifully in this audiobook. Both narrators are easy to listen to and bring the story to life.
Thank you to net galley and the publisher for an advanced copy of this audiobook in exchange for my honest review
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
December 3, 2025
Lovedd this book! The author had a special talent to tell a story in such a way that is so realistic like a movie to a tv-show but interesting. I’m blessed to have been an ARC reader for this! This book was one going into I thought wouldn’t be for me, as I do not read general fiction commonly. But. This book was absolutely brilliant! With the characters and how you get to figure out their flaws, personalities, and so much more. The imperfect relationships and the way this felt soooo real. The book felt like something real. Something that could happen to anyone. It was so realistic, I could relate to some, learn from some, and just saw really how people are, how we react to situations. The way Anna had reacted to situations made sense because of her background, Will the way he acted made sense, same with Lottie, and so many more characters. Trying not to say too much, but as a fan of The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo, this book reminded me much of that book in the sense both were so realistic and felt real world. This book comes out in March of 2026, definitely go pre-order!
February 15, 2026
Aptly named, The Encore is about second chances to live the life the characters were meant to live. It’s about a 16 year-old girl being raised by her adopted uncle (after the woman who originally adopted her died), wondering about her birth mother. It’s about the birth mother’s trajectory to stardom and the hard choices she made along the way. We learn a lot about how wealthy teens navigate school and social life, how a band’s multi-city tour might operate, and how music conservatory students audition to find work.
The characters don’t lack for money, which makes their problems seem much easier. If it was a struggling musician or a teen who didn’t know where her next meal was coming from, it would have been a much different and darker story. There are several dark moments in this one, but it has a lovely and hopeful ending. The two excellent narrators made it clear immediately whose story we were hearing. In all, a very entertaining novel especially for those interested in music, families, adoption, New York City, or Nashville.
My thanks to the author, publisher, @HachetteAudio, and #NetGalley for early access to the audiobook of #TheEncore for review purposes. Publication date: 3 March 2026.
The characters don’t lack for money, which makes their problems seem much easier. If it was a struggling musician or a teen who didn’t know where her next meal was coming from, it would have been a much different and darker story. There are several dark moments in this one, but it has a lovely and hopeful ending. The two excellent narrators made it clear immediately whose story we were hearing. In all, a very entertaining novel especially for those interested in music, families, adoption, New York City, or Nashville.
My thanks to the author, publisher, @HachetteAudio, and #NetGalley for early access to the audiobook of #TheEncore for review purposes. Publication date: 3 March 2026.
December 13, 2025
Well, worth the read, Izon builds a tale that takes the reader deep into the history of a relationship that spans a lifetime. With characters richly crafted, the novel is a classic reminder that good can come in life. Wrapped around a love and talent for the pleasures of music, it’s hard to put down until the last page!
January 14, 2026
this book was def entertaining! there was spots and plot points where i had to tilt my head a little, but ngl i was hooked from beginning.
November 13, 2025
Be on the look out for this one! Absolutely gobbled it up, such a rich story of family, fame, and what it means to love someone
March 3, 2026
The Encore by Juliet Izon wasn’t initially on my radar, but when I saw it on NetGalley, I was instantly intrigued. It starts with Anna Buckley and Will Pendleton in 2003, when they’re both students at a prestigious school studying music. They’re friends, not lovers, but one hookup before they part ways leaves Anna pregnant. She’s not willing to raise a baby, and secretly gives her daughter up for adoption. Sixteen years later, Lottie Thomas is determined to finally learn who her birth parents are… and it turns out they’re both successful, even famous, musicians. The three of them end up on a tour bus together, but will this reunion create the family they never got to have, or break them up for good?
What I Liked:
- Deep dive into music. I always love books about music, especially novels like this one that really go into the music itself. The Encore shows three people who live and breathe music, two of them with perfect pitch. Anna is a famous indie rock singer with six albums to her name; Will is a composer with music in films and performed in orchestras around the world. We get to see the characters discuss music, compose it, perform it, and live the musician lifestyle. I loved every bit of it.
- Family history vs. prospect of motherhood. The central theme of this novel is what makes a family. Anna had an awful childhood that she never discusses, and when she’s pregnant, she sees no future for herself to be a mother. So she gives up baby Charlotte for adoption. But when Lottie is sixteen and tracks down her birth mother, Anna is forced to reconsider her past choices: both the adoption and never telling Will that she had the baby at all. Would Anna have been a good mother these past sixteen years? Can she be one now? What about Will being a father now?
- Running away from your problems. Another increasingly urgent theme is Anna’s coping mechanism of burying her traumas and fears. Her childhood was rough, and we don’t learn the extent of it until late in the book. But in 2024, with Will and Lottie suddenly in her life, it’s clear that Anna is not doing well. The version of her that the fans see on stage isn’t the woman behind the scenes. Substance abuse and shutting people out reach a volatile climax, leaving Anna at a crossroads.
Audiobook:
Mia Hutchinson Shaw and Carly Larson both do a marvelous job of narrating The Encore. The novel is divided between both Anna and Lottie’s points of view, with Anna’s moving from the past (2003) up until the present (2024). Each narrator captured their character’s voice so well: Lottie’s is suitably youthful and naive, yet courageous; Anna’s is more closed-off but defiant in her own way. Both really elevated the novel.
Final Thoughts
The Encore is a superb novel that is multilayered and full of feeling. I loved the themes of family, trauma, and music, and I fell in love with all the characters—not just Anna and Lottie, but also Will, Maeve, Aidan, and Kendall. This captured all the feelings and was at once a fun yet heart-rending read. I can’t wait to see more from Juliet Izon.
Special thanks to Union Square & Co., Hachette Audio, and NetGalley for providing me with an ARC of this book!
* Please read my full review on my blog, Amanda's Book Corner! *
What I Liked:
- Deep dive into music. I always love books about music, especially novels like this one that really go into the music itself. The Encore shows three people who live and breathe music, two of them with perfect pitch. Anna is a famous indie rock singer with six albums to her name; Will is a composer with music in films and performed in orchestras around the world. We get to see the characters discuss music, compose it, perform it, and live the musician lifestyle. I loved every bit of it.
- Family history vs. prospect of motherhood. The central theme of this novel is what makes a family. Anna had an awful childhood that she never discusses, and when she’s pregnant, she sees no future for herself to be a mother. So she gives up baby Charlotte for adoption. But when Lottie is sixteen and tracks down her birth mother, Anna is forced to reconsider her past choices: both the adoption and never telling Will that she had the baby at all. Would Anna have been a good mother these past sixteen years? Can she be one now? What about Will being a father now?
- Running away from your problems. Another increasingly urgent theme is Anna’s coping mechanism of burying her traumas and fears. Her childhood was rough, and we don’t learn the extent of it until late in the book. But in 2024, with Will and Lottie suddenly in her life, it’s clear that Anna is not doing well. The version of her that the fans see on stage isn’t the woman behind the scenes. Substance abuse and shutting people out reach a volatile climax, leaving Anna at a crossroads.
Audiobook:
Mia Hutchinson Shaw and Carly Larson both do a marvelous job of narrating The Encore. The novel is divided between both Anna and Lottie’s points of view, with Anna’s moving from the past (2003) up until the present (2024). Each narrator captured their character’s voice so well: Lottie’s is suitably youthful and naive, yet courageous; Anna’s is more closed-off but defiant in her own way. Both really elevated the novel.
Final Thoughts
The Encore is a superb novel that is multilayered and full of feeling. I loved the themes of family, trauma, and music, and I fell in love with all the characters—not just Anna and Lottie, but also Will, Maeve, Aidan, and Kendall. This captured all the feelings and was at once a fun yet heart-rending read. I can’t wait to see more from Juliet Izon.
Special thanks to Union Square & Co., Hachette Audio, and NetGalley for providing me with an ARC of this book!
* Please read my full review on my blog, Amanda's Book Corner! *
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
Juliet Izon’s The Encore is like pressing on a bruise — it’s tender and sometimes even a little raw, yet it feels oddly good to keep poking at it, as a gentle progress check on the path to healing. And make no mistake, there’s a lot of healing that needs to be done in this book. This story follows two estranged friends and an adopted girl searching for both identity and belonging.
At its heart, The Encore is about a fractured family finding their way back together while wading through emotional minefields and mistakes. Izon’s character development is strong — real humans with real blind spots — and it’s easy to root for them, even when you’re cringing at their choices (which is especially true in the case of rock musician Anna). The Encore carries several heavy themes, including coming-of-age identity, addiction, adoption, and the weight of dysfunctional family dynamics, but it balances that with the possibility of family forgiveness. There’s a strong “this would translate well on screen” vibe, and I found myself mentally wandering off to consider who I would cast in it.
My one complaint is the ending. Spoiler alert: Still, that’s a small point of contention for a book that overall landed well with me. Mia Hutchinson Shaw and Carly Larson knock it out of the park with narration and easily bring the characters to life.
Read this if you like family dramas with strong character development, messy-but-likable people, rise-to-riches stories, coming-of-age novels, and a light touch on darker emotional themes.
Thank you to Hachette Audio, Juliet Izon, and NetGalley for an advance listening copy for honest review.
At its heart, The Encore is about a fractured family finding their way back together while wading through emotional minefields and mistakes. Izon’s character development is strong — real humans with real blind spots — and it’s easy to root for them, even when you’re cringing at their choices (which is especially true in the case of rock musician Anna). The Encore carries several heavy themes, including coming-of-age identity, addiction, adoption, and the weight of dysfunctional family dynamics, but it balances that with the possibility of family forgiveness. There’s a strong “this would translate well on screen” vibe, and I found myself mentally wandering off to consider who I would cast in it.
My one complaint is the ending. Spoiler alert: Still, that’s a small point of contention for a book that overall landed well with me. Mia Hutchinson Shaw and Carly Larson knock it out of the park with narration and easily bring the characters to life.
Read this if you like family dramas with strong character development, messy-but-likable people, rise-to-riches stories, coming-of-age novels, and a light touch on darker emotional themes.
Thank you to Hachette Audio, Juliet Izon, and NetGalley for an advance listening copy for honest review.
Review of advance copy received from Author
Thank you to Juliet Izon and Hachette Books for the ARC!
If you want to get your heart ripped out, torn to pieces, and then put back together with kintsugi — then this is the book you've been looking for.
This is the story of Anna and Will, two musicians who form an unbreakable bond at a prestigious conservatory in Boston, only for one devastating night to blow everything apart. Twenty years later, their sixteen-year-old daughter Lottie — a piano prodigy — goes looking for the mother who gave her up, and suddenly all three of them are stuck on a cross-country tour bus forced to reckon with everything that happened.
I honestly didn't expect this one to hit me the way it did — I had no idea I was walking into something that would throw me into such a powerful whirlwind of emotions. But I'm so glad it did, because this book is deeply, deeply moving.
What got me was Anna. Understanding why she gave Lottie up, and then watching the sixteen-year ripple effect of that choice on everyone around her. There's this devastating contrast between who she is on stage — confident, powerful, magnetic — and who she is in real life, which is avoidant and deeply damaged. And the more you learn about her, the more you understand that the very things that brought her the most joy were tangled up in the same trauma that drove her to make the choices she made. Her childhood haunted every single decision.
What makes this book so hard to put down is that it asks you to hold Anna's perspective, Will's, and Lottie's all at once — and somehow you find yourself understanding and hurting for all of them, even when their pain is directly caused by each other. This one really resonated with me and I cannot wait for everyone to check it out.
If you want to get your heart ripped out, torn to pieces, and then put back together with kintsugi — then this is the book you've been looking for.
This is the story of Anna and Will, two musicians who form an unbreakable bond at a prestigious conservatory in Boston, only for one devastating night to blow everything apart. Twenty years later, their sixteen-year-old daughter Lottie — a piano prodigy — goes looking for the mother who gave her up, and suddenly all three of them are stuck on a cross-country tour bus forced to reckon with everything that happened.
I honestly didn't expect this one to hit me the way it did — I had no idea I was walking into something that would throw me into such a powerful whirlwind of emotions. But I'm so glad it did, because this book is deeply, deeply moving.
What got me was Anna. Understanding why she gave Lottie up, and then watching the sixteen-year ripple effect of that choice on everyone around her. There's this devastating contrast between who she is on stage — confident, powerful, magnetic — and who she is in real life, which is avoidant and deeply damaged. And the more you learn about her, the more you understand that the very things that brought her the most joy were tangled up in the same trauma that drove her to make the choices she made. Her childhood haunted every single decision.
What makes this book so hard to put down is that it asks you to hold Anna's perspective, Will's, and Lottie's all at once — and somehow you find yourself understanding and hurting for all of them, even when their pain is directly caused by each other. This one really resonated with me and I cannot wait for everyone to check it out.
February 22, 2026
Juliet Izon’s debut weaves together music, ambition, love, and family across dual timelines, anchored by questions of identity: who we are before our mistakes, who we become because of them, and whether the past ever truly loosens its grip. The shifts between Lottie’s present-day search for answers and Anna’s past give the story both momentum and depth, allowing choices to echo meaningfully across decades. As a child of a closed adoption, Lottie's journey resonated deeply with me but the ties between Anna and Will meant I couldn't put this book down!
The character work is where this novel truly shines. These people are flawed, human, and occasionally difficult to sit with — particularly Anna — but that discomfort feels intentional. Izon doesn’t ask us to excuse every choice, only to understand how love, harm, and regret can coexist. It reminded me very much of Tomorrow, and Tomorrow, and Tomorrow (which I loved) and where Tomorrow x 3 used game design to connect its characters, The Encore uses music in much the same way. Both are really about shared language, missed timing, and the ache of knowing someone in multiple versions of their life. The music backdrop is beautifully integrated, not just as setting but as language — a way for these characters to communicate when words fail them.
While the latter portion of the book resolves some threads a bit more neatly than the messier first half, it’s a minor note in an otherwise moving read.
The Encore is a confident, emotionally rich debut about second chances — not just in love, but in life. I’ll be very curious to see what Juliet Izon writes next.
Thank you to Union Square & Co and NetGalley for providing me with this ARC in exchange for an honest review.
The character work is where this novel truly shines. These people are flawed, human, and occasionally difficult to sit with — particularly Anna — but that discomfort feels intentional. Izon doesn’t ask us to excuse every choice, only to understand how love, harm, and regret can coexist. It reminded me very much of Tomorrow, and Tomorrow, and Tomorrow (which I loved) and where Tomorrow x 3 used game design to connect its characters, The Encore uses music in much the same way. Both are really about shared language, missed timing, and the ache of knowing someone in multiple versions of their life. The music backdrop is beautifully integrated, not just as setting but as language — a way for these characters to communicate when words fail them.
While the latter portion of the book resolves some threads a bit more neatly than the messier first half, it’s a minor note in an otherwise moving read.
The Encore is a confident, emotionally rich debut about second chances — not just in love, but in life. I’ll be very curious to see what Juliet Izon writes next.
Thank you to Union Square & Co and NetGalley for providing me with this ARC in exchange for an honest review.
March 2, 2026
🔥 Fade to black with innuendo
CW: underage substance use, birth, closed adoption, abusive father (in the past), substance abuse
Quick intro:
This stunning debut is a love letter to music, an ode to found family, and tackles the cost of chasing your dreams.
Quick thoughts:
HEAR YE HEAR YE HEAR YE. 2026 is the year of the debut. DANG! Honest to God, the writing was incredible. It should come as no surprise though, as the author is a journalist. I found the pacing to be perfect and truly lost myself when I was reading (when this happens - immediate five stars). The plot as well as the alternating POVs (and sometimes timelines) worked together beautifully to make for quite the propulsive read.
I found it to be full of heart and humor and just oozing with depth. All of the characters were so fully fleshed out - honest, messy, imperfect, and fumbling - just the way I like it. Their struggles felt realistic and hard. I ached for Anna, Will, and Lottie all along the way (and cheered! and awed! and laughed. and wept). And by golly, I wanted more of Maeve! IYKYK.
You really get a little bit of everything with this book. It’ll scratch your itch if you’re looking for something set in NYC, like a little bit of a campus setting, and dig getting a peek in on-the-road tour life. This book will work for you if you like band/musical books (think Mayluna and Daisy Jones and Start at the End - Emma Grey’s new book), books that tackle nature v nurture and adoption, second chances, and emotional character-driven stories.
CW: underage substance use, birth, closed adoption, abusive father (in the past), substance abuse
Quick intro:
This stunning debut is a love letter to music, an ode to found family, and tackles the cost of chasing your dreams.
Quick thoughts:
HEAR YE HEAR YE HEAR YE. 2026 is the year of the debut. DANG! Honest to God, the writing was incredible. It should come as no surprise though, as the author is a journalist. I found the pacing to be perfect and truly lost myself when I was reading (when this happens - immediate five stars). The plot as well as the alternating POVs (and sometimes timelines) worked together beautifully to make for quite the propulsive read.
I found it to be full of heart and humor and just oozing with depth. All of the characters were so fully fleshed out - honest, messy, imperfect, and fumbling - just the way I like it. Their struggles felt realistic and hard. I ached for Anna, Will, and Lottie all along the way (and cheered! and awed! and laughed. and wept). And by golly, I wanted more of Maeve! IYKYK.
You really get a little bit of everything with this book. It’ll scratch your itch if you’re looking for something set in NYC, like a little bit of a campus setting, and dig getting a peek in on-the-road tour life. This book will work for you if you like band/musical books (think Mayluna and Daisy Jones and Start at the End - Emma Grey’s new book), books that tackle nature v nurture and adoption, second chances, and emotional character-driven stories.
March 6, 2026
The cover caught my attention first, as a good cover does. And then I read the synopsis and thought *that sounds like a nice mashup of DAISY JONES AND THE SIX x THE PEOPLE WE KEEP.* There are so many parallels to those books, but it also stands on its own.
THE ENCORE is a deeply emotional exploration of nature vs. nurture, what family really means, and how so much of who we become is rooted in where we come from and the circumstances surrounding our most formative years. But it’s also a deep dive into how those formative years don’t have to define us if we’re bold enough to fight for the present and future we want.
It’s also so much about found family. The 3 main characters — Anna, Will and Lottie — are the stars of the show (pun intended), but the side characters pack a powerful punch, too. A few of my favorites (Kendall, Aidan and Betsy) make the story so much more full and add depth to the main characters’ stories, allowing them to jump from the page.
The writing is phenomenal, too. No surprise given the author is a journalist. Deeply emotive writing, believable and authentic characters, expert music details throughout — goodness it was all just so good. And there is one chapter in particular that is SO powerful because of a smart decision to switch to second person from third. I felt like it was my story. My story was the character’s. I was right there with her. It was so effective.
Y’all, I don’t know what else to say. Go buy this book. And thank me later.
Thank you so much to the publisher for my early copy of THE ENCORE. These thoughts are mine!
THE ENCORE is a deeply emotional exploration of nature vs. nurture, what family really means, and how so much of who we become is rooted in where we come from and the circumstances surrounding our most formative years. But it’s also a deep dive into how those formative years don’t have to define us if we’re bold enough to fight for the present and future we want.
It’s also so much about found family. The 3 main characters — Anna, Will and Lottie — are the stars of the show (pun intended), but the side characters pack a powerful punch, too. A few of my favorites (Kendall, Aidan and Betsy) make the story so much more full and add depth to the main characters’ stories, allowing them to jump from the page.
The writing is phenomenal, too. No surprise given the author is a journalist. Deeply emotive writing, believable and authentic characters, expert music details throughout — goodness it was all just so good. And there is one chapter in particular that is SO powerful because of a smart decision to switch to second person from third. I felt like it was my story. My story was the character’s. I was right there with her. It was so effective.
Y’all, I don’t know what else to say. Go buy this book. And thank me later.
Thank you so much to the publisher for my early copy of THE ENCORE. These thoughts are mine!
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
The first half of this was four stars, and second half was 2. I was going to average it, but I hated the epilogue so much that I'm leaving it at the lower rating.
The book changed at exactly the 50 percent mark. The first half is tightly told, and could be considered women's fiction, or just fiction. It's told in in two time frames - Anna's past and Lottie's present. Then we catch up from the past and have only the present, and the writing and plot change into a series of never-ending dramas. The problem with the second half included that, the blurb states 'forces them together on a rock tour-bus for a careening cross-country journey.". No, they chose to get on the bus in an illogical but effective way to move the plot forward. There is a whole lot of showing instead of telling, some of which would have been very effective if shown. And then there is a romance style epilogue, that undermines all the decisions Anna previously made. This was not marketed as a romance - if it was it would be a second chance romance, and I often don't like those. In this case I wasn't supportive of the two main characters getting together, since what kept them apart in the first place hadn't changed.
Thanks to NetGalley and the publishers for an e-Arc in exchange for an honest review.
The book changed at exactly the 50 percent mark. The first half is tightly told, and could be considered women's fiction, or just fiction. It's told in in two time frames - Anna's past and Lottie's present. Then we catch up from the past and have only the present, and the writing and plot change into a series of never-ending dramas. The problem with the second half included that, the blurb states 'forces them together on a rock tour-bus for a careening cross-country journey.". No, they chose to get on the bus in an illogical but effective way to move the plot forward. There is a whole lot of showing instead of telling, some of which would have been very effective if shown. And then there is a romance style epilogue, that undermines all the decisions Anna previously made. This was not marketed as a romance - if it was it would be a second chance romance, and I often don't like those. In this case I wasn't supportive of the two main characters getting together, since what kept them apart in the first place hadn't changed.
Thanks to NetGalley and the publishers for an e-Arc in exchange for an honest review.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
I wrestled with how to rate this one because I eventually accepted that it just wasn’t for me—and that’s okay. I can still be objective about how it may work for other readers. If the book had sustained the quality of its first half, it would have easily earned four stars. Instead, it felt like two completely different authors wrote the two halves of the story.
The beginning is tight, well-written, emotional, and genuinely engaging. The second half—the present timeline—becomes convoluted, with weaker writing, noticeable plot holes, and devices that feel more like convenient shortcuts than organic storytelling. Things happen simply because they need to, not because they make sense.
I listened to the audiobook narrated by Mia Hutchinson-Shaw and Carly Larson, and both did a solid job with the material. Their pacing worked well at 1x speed, though clarity dropped when I increased it to my usual 2x.
In the end, this was a story with a strong start and a weak finish—and for me, that imbalance was impossible to ignore. A great opening can hook you, but a disappointing second half is what you remember.
I am thankful to have received a complimentary ALC from Hachette Audio via NetGalley, which gave me the opportunity to share my voluntary thoughts.
The beginning is tight, well-written, emotional, and genuinely engaging. The second half—the present timeline—becomes convoluted, with weaker writing, noticeable plot holes, and devices that feel more like convenient shortcuts than organic storytelling. Things happen simply because they need to, not because they make sense.
I listened to the audiobook narrated by Mia Hutchinson-Shaw and Carly Larson, and both did a solid job with the material. Their pacing worked well at 1x speed, though clarity dropped when I increased it to my usual 2x.
In the end, this was a story with a strong start and a weak finish—and for me, that imbalance was impossible to ignore. A great opening can hook you, but a disappointing second half is what you remember.
I am thankful to have received a complimentary ALC from Hachette Audio via NetGalley, which gave me the opportunity to share my voluntary thoughts.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
I enjoyed the pacing of this novel and the story was enjoyable. It had an interesting backdrop. I liked the characters and though it felt a little predictable at times, it was a page turner and the story kept me engaged.
There were a few things in the plot that seemed a little out of kilter for me. The protagonist, Anna, makes a decision about her daughter very early in the book and it just didn't seem true or realistic. I kept wanting to understand why and there were reasons - but they seem to match the extreme choice she made. Mid way through the same character suddenly becomes unhinged. And that seemed more convenient for the plot than it fit with who she was. And then the resolution came all too quickly and predictably to be as satisfying as it might have.
Also Will, one of the other main characters, was a little too good to be true. Finally - the constant references to music and the musician's life - felt contrived and they took me out of the story at times. Less would have been more.
That said, I did enjoy it. And I can see that a lot of people would like this story.
Thanks to NetGalley and to Union Square & Co for the ARC.
There were a few things in the plot that seemed a little out of kilter for me. The protagonist, Anna, makes a decision about her daughter very early in the book and it just didn't seem true or realistic. I kept wanting to understand why and there were reasons - but they seem to match the extreme choice she made. Mid way through the same character suddenly becomes unhinged. And that seemed more convenient for the plot than it fit with who she was. And then the resolution came all too quickly and predictably to be as satisfying as it might have.
Also Will, one of the other main characters, was a little too good to be true. Finally - the constant references to music and the musician's life - felt contrived and they took me out of the story at times. Less would have been more.
That said, I did enjoy it. And I can see that a lot of people would like this story.
Thanks to NetGalley and to Union Square & Co for the ARC.
February 24, 2026
Wow. Such a powerful, emotional and beautifully written debut. This one had me in all the feels. I cried more times than I care to admit.
I liked the format of the alternating timelines (which stop after the reader reaches a major plot point) and the alternating POVs of Anna and Lottie (which continue throughout the book). All three main characters were so layered and well written. I loved seeing both women’s perspective as they navigated this new and tumultuous relationship. And while we don’t get Will’s perspective, he was also complex,strong, interesting and empathetic.
The narrative was engaging and fast paced and tackled lots of difficult subject matters. Check trigger warnings as the book delves into generational trauma, addiction, drugs and alcohol and adoption. I also loved that the author delved into the complex issue and stigma of women’s career ambition vs. motherhood.
Music features heavily in this book and I loved the symbolism it presented. It added another interesting layer and dynamic to an already well rounded novel.
I could not put this book down. I fell in love with all the characters. I felt their hurt, heartbreak, anger, joy and love. This was a stunning debut novel and I would highly recommend it. (5.0)
I liked the format of the alternating timelines (which stop after the reader reaches a major plot point) and the alternating POVs of Anna and Lottie (which continue throughout the book). All three main characters were so layered and well written. I loved seeing both women’s perspective as they navigated this new and tumultuous relationship. And while we don’t get Will’s perspective, he was also complex,strong, interesting and empathetic.
The narrative was engaging and fast paced and tackled lots of difficult subject matters. Check trigger warnings as the book delves into generational trauma, addiction, drugs and alcohol and adoption. I also loved that the author delved into the complex issue and stigma of women’s career ambition vs. motherhood.
Music features heavily in this book and I loved the symbolism it presented. It added another interesting layer and dynamic to an already well rounded novel.
I could not put this book down. I fell in love with all the characters. I felt their hurt, heartbreak, anger, joy and love. This was a stunning debut novel and I would highly recommend it. (5.0)
February 15, 2026
3.75⭐️
Thank you NetGalley, Hachette Audio, Union Square & Company, and Juliet Izon for this ALC!
Give me any novel that’s written about musicians, and I’ll always be entertained. The Encore, the debut novel by Juliet Izon, is an enjoyable and engaging ride from start to finish. There’s also quite a bit going on in terms of subject matter: adoption, family trauma, first-love and heartbreak, addiction, found-family.
This was a very pleasurable read but I’m not sure it packed the emotional punch I was looking for. The material was certainly there, and maybe there’s a disconnect because I listened to this one instead of reading it, but I just didn’t care all that much for any of the characters. I was expecting to feel overwhelmed emotionally with the material, especially having a mom who was adopted, but I never quite got there.
That being said, I still enjoyed this and think that anyone who loves reading books that focus on musicians and their personal hardships would enjoy this novel.
Thank you NetGalley, Hachette Audio, Union Square & Company, and Juliet Izon for this ALC!
Give me any novel that’s written about musicians, and I’ll always be entertained. The Encore, the debut novel by Juliet Izon, is an enjoyable and engaging ride from start to finish. There’s also quite a bit going on in terms of subject matter: adoption, family trauma, first-love and heartbreak, addiction, found-family.
This was a very pleasurable read but I’m not sure it packed the emotional punch I was looking for. The material was certainly there, and maybe there’s a disconnect because I listened to this one instead of reading it, but I just didn’t care all that much for any of the characters. I was expecting to feel overwhelmed emotionally with the material, especially having a mom who was adopted, but I never quite got there.
That being said, I still enjoyed this and think that anyone who loves reading books that focus on musicians and their personal hardships would enjoy this novel.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
Anna and Will meet at Brookfield Conservatory in Boston and become best friends and kindred spirits. About to graduate, one night changes their lives and destroys their relationship. Years later, Lottie Thomas discovers the truth about her birth parents leading to a reckoning. Can past choices be reconciled in the present?
I really enjoyed this story. I found it to be engaging and heartfelt. The three main characters are believable and I felt for all of them in this very difficult situation. Yes, they sometimes make questionable decisions, but Izon gives us enough of their backstory and inner world for the reader to get an idea of the experiences that have made them the way that they are.
This book is also a love letter to music. If you love music and are looking for a story with The Future Saints and Daisy Jones and the Six vibes, I think you’ll really like this one. I listened to this book and Mia Hutchinson Shaw and Carly Larson did a great job with the narration.
Pub date is Mar 3.
Thank you to NetGalley and Hachette Audio for an ALC in exchange for my honest review.
I really enjoyed this story. I found it to be engaging and heartfelt. The three main characters are believable and I felt for all of them in this very difficult situation. Yes, they sometimes make questionable decisions, but Izon gives us enough of their backstory and inner world for the reader to get an idea of the experiences that have made them the way that they are.
This book is also a love letter to music. If you love music and are looking for a story with The Future Saints and Daisy Jones and the Six vibes, I think you’ll really like this one. I listened to this book and Mia Hutchinson Shaw and Carly Larson did a great job with the narration.
Pub date is Mar 3.
Thank you to NetGalley and Hachette Audio for an ALC in exchange for my honest review.
March 4, 2026
3.5 rounded up
For the most part, I really enjoyed The Encore, a moving story of Anna and Will, two incredibly talented young musicians who are best friends until one event changes the course of both their lives. Twenty years later, they are reunited through a mutual connection with Lottie, a 16-year old musical prodigy. The story is told through dual POVs from Anna and Lottie. The characters are well-developed and, for the most part, likeable.
This book started out strong but about halfway through it seemed to lose its way. It seemed like an entirely different story. Lottie's character seemed to change and she appeared bossy and disrespectful at times (but, she WAS a teenager so ... ). At times, words or phrases were used that felt forced and out of sync with the tone of the story.
The narrators were fantastic and captured Lottie and Anna's personalities perfectly!
In general, this is a great debut and I do recommend it!
Thanks to NetGalley and Hachette Audio for the opportunity to listen to an advance copy of this audiobook!
For the most part, I really enjoyed The Encore, a moving story of Anna and Will, two incredibly talented young musicians who are best friends until one event changes the course of both their lives. Twenty years later, they are reunited through a mutual connection with Lottie, a 16-year old musical prodigy. The story is told through dual POVs from Anna and Lottie. The characters are well-developed and, for the most part, likeable.
This book started out strong but about halfway through it seemed to lose its way. It seemed like an entirely different story. Lottie's character seemed to change and she appeared bossy and disrespectful at times (but, she WAS a teenager so ... ). At times, words or phrases were used that felt forced and out of sync with the tone of the story.
The narrators were fantastic and captured Lottie and Anna's personalities perfectly!
In general, this is a great debut and I do recommend it!
Thanks to NetGalley and Hachette Audio for the opportunity to listen to an advance copy of this audiobook!
March 8, 2026
This was far-fetched and melodramatic at times, almost to the point of being silly. I found several things annoying but once I framed the story as YA, my objections mellowed and I landed on three stars.
The precocious 16 year-old's life in Manhattan was unbelievably glamorous a la Gossip Girl, with unsupervised coke parties and fashion internships in Paris.
The writing was fine and the story was well-paced, but the conflict felt contrived. The decision-making of all characters annoyed me.
The emotional immaturity of Anna in her thirties annoyed me greatly. Once we discover the likely cause of the immaturity I realized it resembles someone close to me, so it's possible that I was triggered from that and others will feel reasonably compassionate and allowing with Anna. But wow did she need therapy.
Narrators Mia Hutchinson Shaw and Carly Larson did a great job. The audiobook was well-produced.
Thanks to Hachette Audio, NetGalley, and author Juliet Izon for this audiobook to honestly review.
The precocious 16 year-old's life in Manhattan was unbelievably glamorous a la Gossip Girl, with unsupervised coke parties and fashion internships in Paris.
The writing was fine and the story was well-paced, but the conflict felt contrived. The decision-making of all characters annoyed me.
The emotional immaturity of Anna in her thirties annoyed me greatly. Once we discover the likely cause of the immaturity I realized it resembles someone close to me, so it's possible that I was triggered from that and others will feel reasonably compassionate and allowing with Anna. But wow did she need therapy.
Narrators Mia Hutchinson Shaw and Carly Larson did a great job. The audiobook was well-produced.
Thanks to Hachette Audio, NetGalley, and author Juliet Izon for this audiobook to honestly review.
Review of advance copy received from Publisher
This is one of those books that's hard to categorize and I think that's also what made it quite compelling. There is romance, but it isn't a romance in the traditional sense. It's certainly an exploration of relationships, what constitutes a family, and how ambition, love, and timing can shape and misshape an entire life. The characters are human and flawed, each struggling in their own way with self preservation and how to let someone in and share with them their deepest desires and dreams. There is trauma, but it's not sensationalized and the characters aren't rushed into convenient healing. Instead, they learn to live alongside what they've endured. Izon honestly depicts how they compartmentalize, deflect, and sometimes make damaging choices in the name of survival. With a dual timeline; settings that take you from idyllic New England college campuses to New York City to the countryside in Ireland and the tediousness and glitter of a rock 'n roll tour; and a deeply satisfying ending, this will appeal to readers with an interest in music who enjoy thoughtful, emotionally rich stories that linger.
Thank you to Union Square & Co and NetGalley for providing me with this ARC in exchange for an honest review.
Thank you to Union Square & Co and NetGalley for providing me with this ARC in exchange for an honest review.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
Thank you to the author, everyone involved in production of the audiobook, and @Hachette Audio for the ARC of the audiobook!
Wow. I flew through this audiobook.
This book shares some common DNA with Daisy Jones & The Six - in the most complimentary way. Very influence by music, and a sprinkle of the dangers that come with the “rockstar” lifestyle. If you enjoyed that I would certainly think you would enjoy this.
However - it really sets itself apart by telling a very different story, and introducing characters who are completely their own, who will have you rooting for them the whole way.
I found all of the main characters likable which certainly isn’t always the case. I found the dual perspectives to flow well and the narrating character’s perspectives and personalities to be different enough to really make this angle work.
The narrator also did wonderful work, with a very soothing voice. This made the audiobook an even easier binge listen.
Wow. I flew through this audiobook.
This book shares some common DNA with Daisy Jones & The Six - in the most complimentary way. Very influence by music, and a sprinkle of the dangers that come with the “rockstar” lifestyle. If you enjoyed that I would certainly think you would enjoy this.
However - it really sets itself apart by telling a very different story, and introducing characters who are completely their own, who will have you rooting for them the whole way.
I found all of the main characters likable which certainly isn’t always the case. I found the dual perspectives to flow well and the narrating character’s perspectives and personalities to be different enough to really make this angle work.
The narrator also did wonderful work, with a very soothing voice. This made the audiobook an even easier binge listen.
March 1, 2026
Thank you NetGalley and Juliet Izon for this arc
This was her debut novel and I can say with certainty that she will become a successful writer.
This book follows a 16 year old girl who was adopted and sadly lost her adopted mother. She has wanted to know more about her birth mother but never had the opportunity.. until now.
Her mom is a famous rockstar and she is completely intrigued to meet her.
This book follows music, second chances, found family, how one decision can change the outlook on life in so many ways. Can we become better parents than our own?
The multiple POVs and flashback/time jumps were done PERFECTLY. I never had any confusion on where we were in the story. She handled that seamlessly!
I do feel that the ending was a wee bit anticlimactic but I still enjoyed it and had a hard time putting it down.
3.75⭐️
"No one tells you it'll be like that, you know?
They tell you about the money, the fans, the fame. They don't tell you how alone you'll be."
“You don't always have to brave the storm alone, Anna. There are no bonus points in life for that.”
This was her debut novel and I can say with certainty that she will become a successful writer.
This book follows a 16 year old girl who was adopted and sadly lost her adopted mother. She has wanted to know more about her birth mother but never had the opportunity.. until now.
Her mom is a famous rockstar and she is completely intrigued to meet her.
This book follows music, second chances, found family, how one decision can change the outlook on life in so many ways. Can we become better parents than our own?
The multiple POVs and flashback/time jumps were done PERFECTLY. I never had any confusion on where we were in the story. She handled that seamlessly!
I do feel that the ending was a wee bit anticlimactic but I still enjoyed it and had a hard time putting it down.
3.75⭐️
"No one tells you it'll be like that, you know?
They tell you about the money, the fans, the fame. They don't tell you how alone you'll be."
“You don't always have to brave the storm alone, Anna. There are no bonus points in life for that.”
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
This is a very solid story! I love the music backdrop, and I especially loved Will, Lottie, and Anna. The story is compelling and heartfelt. My only issue is with Anna’s character. Her past seemed to kind of jump out suddenly part way through the book; I hadn’t really seen any glimpses until then. She also seemed like a pretty normal person, not an out of control musician who drank and did drugs. That aspect seemed to be kind of dropped in to give the story some conflict. It was done well (aside from being thrown in there). I think the book had enough drama going on where it wasn’t totally needed.
I definitely recommend this book! I found myself wanting to read it and see where the story goes!
Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC!
I definitely recommend this book! I found myself wanting to read it and see where the story goes!
Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC!
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