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The Encore: A Novel
A captivating journey of love, sacrifice, and destiny playing out in the world of music.
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. As they strive toward careers as professional musicians, their bond deepens both from shared skill and the inexplicable sense that they’re kindred souls. But soon after graduation, one night forever alters the trajectory of their lives, destroying their relationship in the process.
Twenty years later in New York, sixteen-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 rock tour-bus for a careening cross-country journey. It is there, trapped in these tight confines, that the three must finally reconcile with irrevocable choices from the past.
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. As they strive toward careers as professional musicians, their bond deepens both from shared skill and the inexplicable sense that they’re kindred souls. But soon after graduation, one night forever alters the trajectory of their lives, destroying their relationship in the process.
Twenty years later in New York, sixteen-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 rock tour-bus for a careening cross-country journey. It is there, trapped in these tight confines, that the three must finally reconcile with irrevocable choices from the past.
361 pages, Kindle Edition
Published March 3, 2026
About the author
Juliet Izon
1 book56 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 126 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
March 12, 2026
The Encore by Juliet Izon (March 3, 2026) Thank you, @unionsqandco @grandcentralpub and @hachetteaudio for the gifted print and audiobook copies of one of my absolute favorites of the year so far! #hachetteaudioinflucencer
It is 2003. Aspiring singer Anna Buckley and composer wunderkind Will Pendleton are college students at the prestigious Brookfield Conservatory in Boston. They spend 4 years as best friends fueling each other’s art and passions. Then, on the eve of graduation, one night changes everything.
Flash forward 20 year and 16yo piano virtuoso Lottie Thomas is living a NYC Gossip Girl life while also trying to deal with the pressures of high school, emotions about the death of her adoptive mother almost a decade ago and living with her famous uncle - all while struggling with the questions about a birth mother who gave her up. But when she discovers the identity of her mother, she could never have imagined she would find herself on a cross country tour bus with a rock and roll icon and the opportunity to understand her birth parents as they all navigate love, loss, secrets and forgiveness during their unexpected journey.
You know those books where you are like - I REALLY NEED YOU TO READ THIS BECAUSE I REALLY WANT TO TALK ABOUT IT! - that’s this book for me. Anna and Will are such deeply engrossing characters in the past and the present. Lottie is a charming, wild yet grounded teen that is navigating the unfathomable. It is a bold, over the top story of excess (fame, addiction, wealth) and quiet tenderness as all of the characters navigate love (friendship, romantic, familial) in so many different ways. This book is about nature vs nurture, addition and therapy, sorrow and forgiveness. I won’t soon forget this one. For my friends who love Colton Gentry’s Third Act - it has similar emotional vibes while also being very different.
🎧 Audiobook Thoughts: Mia Hutchinson Shaw (rapidly becoming a go-to favorite narrator) and Carly Larson (a delightful new-to-me narrator) are pitch perfect narrating Anna and Lottie’s POVs throughout the book.
Book: 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟
🎧 Audio performance: 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟
It is 2003. Aspiring singer Anna Buckley and composer wunderkind Will Pendleton are college students at the prestigious Brookfield Conservatory in Boston. They spend 4 years as best friends fueling each other’s art and passions. Then, on the eve of graduation, one night changes everything.
Flash forward 20 year and 16yo piano virtuoso Lottie Thomas is living a NYC Gossip Girl life while also trying to deal with the pressures of high school, emotions about the death of her adoptive mother almost a decade ago and living with her famous uncle - all while struggling with the questions about a birth mother who gave her up. But when she discovers the identity of her mother, she could never have imagined she would find herself on a cross country tour bus with a rock and roll icon and the opportunity to understand her birth parents as they all navigate love, loss, secrets and forgiveness during their unexpected journey.
You know those books where you are like - I REALLY NEED YOU TO READ THIS BECAUSE I REALLY WANT TO TALK ABOUT IT! - that’s this book for me. Anna and Will are such deeply engrossing characters in the past and the present. Lottie is a charming, wild yet grounded teen that is navigating the unfathomable. It is a bold, over the top story of excess (fame, addiction, wealth) and quiet tenderness as all of the characters navigate love (friendship, romantic, familial) in so many different ways. This book is about nature vs nurture, addition and therapy, sorrow and forgiveness. I won’t soon forget this one. For my friends who love Colton Gentry’s Third Act - it has similar emotional vibes while also being very different.
🎧 Audiobook Thoughts: Mia Hutchinson Shaw (rapidly becoming a go-to favorite narrator) and Carly Larson (a delightful new-to-me narrator) are pitch perfect narrating Anna and Lottie’s POVs throughout the book.
Book: 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟
🎧 Audio performance: 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟
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.
March 15, 2026
2.5 Very engaging and readable but I kinda didn’t care about anyone at all? The ending was sweet but kinda hate the trope where a woman doesn’t want a child her whole life and then suddenly meets someone and has a baby. I guess it’s a bit of a different situation in this book but the trope in general invalidates women who don’t want children reducing them to not being able to find the right person idkkkkk maybe I’m too woke. I think I would have liked it more if I knew more about music. Interesting exploration of nature vs nurture but kinda made me feel sick and think about how no one is truly unique and we all are tied to those who came before us (kinda sweet in a way but also like takes away agency) and do we really get to chose our life paths or have they always been set for us? The book definitely tried to tackle that question and say that you can chose your own path but it didn’t really feel like it succeeded in expressing individuality idk I’m just typing words
Also it felt like they didn’t resolve any of their issues and just had a child? Feels wrong
One more thing ….. I don’t like when books are soooo situated in a time (mentions COVID, love is blind, drag race, some other stuff I’m forgetting) but it makes me worry about its longevity and it just takes me out of the world kind of even tho it’s world building ? Idk I just don’t like that
Also it felt like they didn’t resolve any of their issues and just had a child? Feels wrong
One more thing ….. I don’t like when books are soooo situated in a time (mentions COVID, love is blind, drag race, some other stuff I’m forgetting) but it makes me worry about its longevity and it just takes me out of the world kind of even tho it’s world building ? Idk I just don’t like that
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
April 6, 2026
6 STARS!! I received an ARC through The Bookshelf in Thomasville, GA (THANK YOU FOR LETTING ME TAKE IT!!)
Quick update: there's a playlist. This book is now 10 stars.
"It was so strange to think they'd shared a pulse at one point. How they were still almost strangers to one another, but that Anna had breathed for her. Lottie realized, then, that regardless of any physical distance, there will always be this incomprehensible, inexorable pull they'd exert on the other. Fighting it would be useless."
I don't think I've ever sat with a novel and had to reflect with it as much as I did with this one. It's been awhile since I've read a book with such depth that was so beautifully composed.
Anna and Lottie's journey and relationship development almost reminds me of Across the Stars from the Star Wars franchise (the music appeal is strong for me); a heartbreakingly addicting melody with an incomplete resolution (although the book doesn't have that final piece). Will's role in the novel was the perfect balance to Lottie's need for understanding and Anna's need for stability; he is by far a fantastic example of how to provide and care for others in the right ways.
The conflicts and messaging throughout this book I'm sure resonate with many audiences in many ways, and Izon addresses each one fully, which I assume can be hard to do, especially in a debut novel. As Izon said, the book "ultimately...is about love; and as any musician or music aficionado will tell you, that emotion and how it's translated into song can often feel on in the same."
In response to the letter to the reader: Juliet Izon (if you ever read this), I greatly enjoyed discovering the glittering, electrifying world of The Encore. Thank you.
Quick update: there's a playlist. This book is now 10 stars.
"It was so strange to think they'd shared a pulse at one point. How they were still almost strangers to one another, but that Anna had breathed for her. Lottie realized, then, that regardless of any physical distance, there will always be this incomprehensible, inexorable pull they'd exert on the other. Fighting it would be useless."
I don't think I've ever sat with a novel and had to reflect with it as much as I did with this one. It's been awhile since I've read a book with such depth that was so beautifully composed.
Anna and Lottie's journey and relationship development almost reminds me of Across the Stars from the Star Wars franchise (the music appeal is strong for me); a heartbreakingly addicting melody with an incomplete resolution (although the book doesn't have that final piece). Will's role in the novel was the perfect balance to Lottie's need for understanding and Anna's need for stability; he is by far a fantastic example of how to provide and care for others in the right ways.
The conflicts and messaging throughout this book I'm sure resonate with many audiences in many ways, and Izon addresses each one fully, which I assume can be hard to do, especially in a debut novel. As Izon said, the book "ultimately...is about love; and as any musician or music aficionado will tell you, that emotion and how it's translated into song can often feel on in the same."
In response to the letter to the reader: Juliet Izon (if you ever read this), I greatly enjoyed discovering the glittering, electrifying world of The Encore. Thank you.
March 16, 2026
Ugh. The first half of this book was ok and then the second half lost me. It was full of cliches and the end of the novel was tied up in an unbelievably perfect little bow. I mean…Anna overdosed and then a few months later she gives birth again and is raising a child?? Hello???
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
April 13, 2026
Love love love! I could read a 5000 page version of this story. Shout out to Juliet's husband who talked a girl on the subway into reading it who shared it on TikTok so we could all give it the recognition it deserves🙂↕️
March 30, 2026
Wow, I am speechless. ENCORE! I’m going to need everyone to pick up this story — whether you love Litfic, rockstar romances, or just a raw and beautiful story that will have you in an absolute trance after the first page, this is for you.
It is currently almost 1am and after being in a reading slump for a month, devouring this book in just a day is a testament to how completely enthralled I was.
I’ll expand on my review once I’m awake and have processed this masterpiece but this is absolutely going into my hall of fame of books.
It is currently almost 1am and after being in a reading slump for a month, devouring this book in just a day is a testament to how completely enthralled I was.
I’ll expand on my review once I’m awake and have processed this masterpiece but this is absolutely going into my hall of fame of books.
April 9, 2026
I heard about this book because the author’s husband walked up to someone on the subway and suggested it when he saw she was reading. The TikTok-er showed a flash of a flyer and I bought it right away.
I always go into books blind, so I’m not sure how much of this story is shared in the synopsis - but Anna and Will are musicians who are best friends until circumstances pull them apart. They find themselves together years later and have to overcome past hurts and traumas.
It did get a little long and saccharine at the end, but overall I really did enjoy this story! I’m glad I happened upon the random TikTok and took a chance!
I always go into books blind, so I’m not sure how much of this story is shared in the synopsis - but Anna and Will are musicians who are best friends until circumstances pull them apart. They find themselves together years later and have to overcome past hurts and traumas.
It did get a little long and saccharine at the end, but overall I really did enjoy this story! I’m glad I happened upon the random TikTok and took a chance!
April 17, 2026
4.5/5⭐️
Endearing, fun, and immersive. Little to no separation between musical & romantic bond for the main characters, which was new for me to read, and I liked it! Reminded me of Daisy Jones & The Six but modern. Slightly exaggerated ending and epilogue.
I'm excited to read what follows Izon's lovely debut!!
Endearing, fun, and immersive. Little to no separation between musical & romantic bond for the main characters, which was new for me to read, and I liked it! Reminded me of Daisy Jones & The Six but modern. Slightly exaggerated ending and epilogue.
I'm excited to read what follows Izon's lovely debut!!
March 15, 2026
Really enjoyed this book, the story was very good as well as pacing. My only slight complaint was that the dialogue could be a bit corny at times, but other than great book.
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!!
March 13, 2026
Closer to 2.5 stars but im feeling generous. Easy airport read. Liked the characters, did not like the ending, felt rushed and trite.
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.
April 18, 2026
Given the proliferation of these messy personal lives of musicians novels we’ve been barraged with of late, it seems like it’s time we start demanding a bit more from them.
For the most part these are all the same, vaguely off-putting in their petty drama and formulaic in how the relationships sort themselves out in the end. Credit to Izon for at least giving us a more unusual setup as far as how the central characters connect to one another.
But the problem is that this setup is so unrealistic that it edges on absurd. There is just no chance that this particular woman in this particular situation chooses to have a baby, and that renders the entire story almost goofily unrealistic.
What comes after makes more sense in terms of how the characters behave, but it’s a house of cards built on a completely non-workable premise that collapses the whole thing.
I liked Lottie, but Will is exactly the sort of mild and bland male character we get too many of in novels like this, and Anna is just a problem in so many ways. On top of the aforementioned absurdly unrealistic decision, she then makes a near endless series of choices which she claims are best for everyone else that are really just best for her. In addition to acting as further proof that this woman never has this kid in the first place, it makes her hard to sympathize with and hard to like, and she’s just not interesting enough to make up for the fact that she isn’t likable.
A bright spot in this is that Izon clearly does really know and love music, and that comes through in the story. This is something most books in this subgenre fail miserably at, and it rescues this book and makes it worth a read despite the flaws in the plot.
Izon is clearly a good writer and I have no doubt she has a good novel in her. This one just teetered atop a premise that couldn’t support the rest of the story.
*I received an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.*
For the most part these are all the same, vaguely off-putting in their petty drama and formulaic in how the relationships sort themselves out in the end. Credit to Izon for at least giving us a more unusual setup as far as how the central characters connect to one another.
But the problem is that this setup is so unrealistic that it edges on absurd. There is just no chance that this particular woman in this particular situation chooses to have a baby, and that renders the entire story almost goofily unrealistic.
What comes after makes more sense in terms of how the characters behave, but it’s a house of cards built on a completely non-workable premise that collapses the whole thing.
I liked Lottie, but Will is exactly the sort of mild and bland male character we get too many of in novels like this, and Anna is just a problem in so many ways. On top of the aforementioned absurdly unrealistic decision, she then makes a near endless series of choices which she claims are best for everyone else that are really just best for her. In addition to acting as further proof that this woman never has this kid in the first place, it makes her hard to sympathize with and hard to like, and she’s just not interesting enough to make up for the fact that she isn’t likable.
A bright spot in this is that Izon clearly does really know and love music, and that comes through in the story. This is something most books in this subgenre fail miserably at, and it rescues this book and makes it worth a read despite the flaws in the plot.
Izon is clearly a good writer and I have no doubt she has a good novel in her. This one just teetered atop a premise that couldn’t support the rest of the story.
*I received an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.*
March 11, 2026
I love it when I’m wrong.
Okay, that’s not true. I hate being wrong. I’m breaking out in hives just thinking about it.
Let’s rephrase: I love being pleasantly surprised.
THE ENCORE by @julietizon
Thank you to @unionsqandco and @hachetteaudio for the review copies. Available now.
This one almost didn’t happen.
Stories about musicians don’t usually pull me in, and I’ve discovered that at the tender age of fifty-COUGH, the classic “coming of age” arc doesn’t always resonate the way it used to.
So when debut author Juliet Izon reached out to me directly and asked if I’d consider reading her book, I hesitated.
But I also thought… how confident!
And honestly? I’m really glad she did.
Because I loved this.
THE ENCORE follows Anna, a driven pianist and singer, and Will, a brilliant young composer, whose friendship begins at a Boston conservatory and evolves through ambition, creativity, heartbreak, and the long echoes of choices made when you’re young.
What won me over wasn’t just the music world. It was the emotion. The characters feel real, the relationships feel earned, and the story hits all my favorite notes: creativity, found family (my catnip), redemption (my other catnip), and a truly satisfying ending.
And the audiobook? Absolutely immersive.
Narrated by Mia Hutchinson Shaw and Carly Larson, the performances pulled me so completely into the story that I was literally vacuuming pollen off my patio furniture just to keep listening.
That’s a #FiveSpongeAudiobook if I’ve ever heard one. 🧽🧽🧽🧽🧽
Also… this would be a fantastic book club pick. Music, ambition, complicated friendships, and big life choices? So much to talk about.
Sometimes the best reading experiences come from the books you didn’t expect to love.
Okay, that’s not true. I hate being wrong. I’m breaking out in hives just thinking about it.
Let’s rephrase: I love being pleasantly surprised.
THE ENCORE by @julietizon
Thank you to @unionsqandco and @hachetteaudio for the review copies. Available now.
This one almost didn’t happen.
Stories about musicians don’t usually pull me in, and I’ve discovered that at the tender age of fifty-COUGH, the classic “coming of age” arc doesn’t always resonate the way it used to.
So when debut author Juliet Izon reached out to me directly and asked if I’d consider reading her book, I hesitated.
But I also thought… how confident!
And honestly? I’m really glad she did.
Because I loved this.
THE ENCORE follows Anna, a driven pianist and singer, and Will, a brilliant young composer, whose friendship begins at a Boston conservatory and evolves through ambition, creativity, heartbreak, and the long echoes of choices made when you’re young.
What won me over wasn’t just the music world. It was the emotion. The characters feel real, the relationships feel earned, and the story hits all my favorite notes: creativity, found family (my catnip), redemption (my other catnip), and a truly satisfying ending.
And the audiobook? Absolutely immersive.
Narrated by Mia Hutchinson Shaw and Carly Larson, the performances pulled me so completely into the story that I was literally vacuuming pollen off my patio furniture just to keep listening.
That’s a #FiveSpongeAudiobook if I’ve ever heard one. 🧽🧽🧽🧽🧽
Also… this would be a fantastic book club pick. Music, ambition, complicated friendships, and big life choices? So much to talk about.
Sometimes the best reading experiences come from the books you didn’t expect to love.
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!
April 14, 2026
The Encore by Juliet Izon, is a remarkably written story of what it takes to hope and achieve happiness. There are many ghosts in Anna Buckley's past but she is determined to achieve greatness in her music. She wants to change her past, and looks for a bright future. Finding her best friend Will helps her stay on the path creating a life with promise of musical beauty. When it is time to be adults however something happens that can change both of their lives course. Izon did not steer away from life's painful or happiness, and for that the story kept me hooked til the end. This one mixed music, friends, family and becoming your true self. I loved every page.
March 24, 2026
4.5 Stars
What It’s About
In 2003, two gifted students at a prestigious Boston conservatory, pianist and singer Anna Buckley and composer Will Pendleton, form a deep friendship as they pursue careers in music. One life changing night after graduation shatters their bond and alters the course of their lives.
Twenty years later, a teenage piano prodigy uncovers the truth about her birth parents, setting in motion a reunion that brings them together on a cross country tour bus and opening the door to long buried truths and the consequences of choices made years before.
My Thoughts
I loved this one. The characters were exceptionally well developed, and I really enjoyed the musical element and how each of the three main characters had their own prodigious abilities. The alternating timelines and shifting points of view worked beautifully, gradually revealing the layers of the story as it unfolded.
I read this immersively and both the audio and print versions were excellent. The narration was great overall, with Mia Hutchinson Shaw really standing out and bringing Anna’s character to life.
It had a very strong start and kept me engaged throughout. The ending felt a bit rushed and a little too convenient. That said, I devoured this story in less than 24 hours and rated it 4.5 stars. I did not want to put it down. What an impressive debut!
What It’s About
In 2003, two gifted students at a prestigious Boston conservatory, pianist and singer Anna Buckley and composer Will Pendleton, form a deep friendship as they pursue careers in music. One life changing night after graduation shatters their bond and alters the course of their lives.
Twenty years later, a teenage piano prodigy uncovers the truth about her birth parents, setting in motion a reunion that brings them together on a cross country tour bus and opening the door to long buried truths and the consequences of choices made years before.
My Thoughts
I loved this one. The characters were exceptionally well developed, and I really enjoyed the musical element and how each of the three main characters had their own prodigious abilities. The alternating timelines and shifting points of view worked beautifully, gradually revealing the layers of the story as it unfolded.
I read this immersively and both the audio and print versions were excellent. The narration was great overall, with Mia Hutchinson Shaw really standing out and bringing Anna’s character to life.
It had a very strong start and kept me engaged throughout. The ending felt a bit rushed and a little too convenient. That said, I devoured this story in less than 24 hours and rated it 4.5 stars. I did not want to put it down. What an impressive debut!
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!
March 16, 2026
The story & characters were interesting but there were a couple of parts in chapter 34 where the scene jumped and I got momentarily lost. All it needed was a literal line break
———
to indicate time passed. That threw me off and after that I lost the flow and it got predictable.
———
to indicate time passed. That threw me off and after that I lost the flow and it got predictable.
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.
March 18, 2026
I read this book in about 36 hours and could not put it down!
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.”
March 21, 2026
I couldn’t put this book down (until I started reading slower so I could stay with the characters longer). If we don’t get to hear Anna, Will, Lottie songs in a movie/tv series, I’m going to scream.
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
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