What do you think?
Rate this book
The Music of Us
Not yet published
Expected 2 Jun 26A fun and flirty contemporary YA novel between a cat café barista and a boy band pop star that hits all the right notes! The Music of Us is a laugh-out-loud friends-to-more romance perfect for fans of Kasie West, Beth Reekles, and Lynn Painter.
If life came with a playlist, Lucy's current era would be "stressed girl summer." While her friends are out enjoying the last summer before college, Lucy has her hands full managing her mom's quirky cat café. But with the fancy new coffee shop across the street, how will she attract enough customers to adopt the cats—or even pay the rent?
In a desperate moment, Lucy emails her ex-best friend (and first crush) Jake Moody, who’s now the resident bad boy in the massively popular boy band the Usual Suspects. Lucy hasn’t spoken to him in years—not since he kissed her and left for auditions without a backward glance. Which she’s totally not holding a grudge about, thanks for asking.
To her surprise, Jake is all in on hosting a livestream performance to raise support for the café—and salvage his image after his most recent scandal. As Jake and Lucy work together to corral his bandmates and plan the livestream, she finds her old feelings resurfacing despite her firm intentions to keep her distance. Is it possible the old Jake she knew is still hiding under his new rebellious image?
If life came with a playlist, Lucy's current era would be "stressed girl summer." While her friends are out enjoying the last summer before college, Lucy has her hands full managing her mom's quirky cat café. But with the fancy new coffee shop across the street, how will she attract enough customers to adopt the cats—or even pay the rent?
In a desperate moment, Lucy emails her ex-best friend (and first crush) Jake Moody, who’s now the resident bad boy in the massively popular boy band the Usual Suspects. Lucy hasn’t spoken to him in years—not since he kissed her and left for auditions without a backward glance. Which she’s totally not holding a grudge about, thanks for asking.
To her surprise, Jake is all in on hosting a livestream performance to raise support for the café—and salvage his image after his most recent scandal. As Jake and Lucy work together to corral his bandmates and plan the livestream, she finds her old feelings resurfacing despite her firm intentions to keep her distance. Is it possible the old Jake she knew is still hiding under his new rebellious image?
- GenresRomanceYoung Adult
336 pages, Hardcover
Expected publication June 2, 2026
1 person is currently reading
169 people want to read
About the author
Emerald Alexandrea
1 book3 followersEmerald believes in the power of love, music, and happy endings. You’re most likely to find her getting lost in a good book or a great song. She lives in California with her beloved packed bookshelves, vinyl collection, way too many coffee mugs, and the world’s best developmental editor, Midnight, who accepts payment in the form of tuna flakes. She’s currently working on her next novel, and is probably talking about plot points out loud to herself while her cat ignores her. To hear more about her books, cats, and coffee, connect with her insta: emeraldalexandrea
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 21 of 21 reviews
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
I recieved this as an ARC read for an honest review.
The Music of Us is a cute YA friends to lovers story. Jake and Lucy start off as friends in high school and Jake is on his way to becoming a well known musician in a boy band. It's giving One Direction vibes.
Jake becomes a well known pop-star with a group called US; Usual Suspects. Lucy feels forgotten about after many attempts of trying to get hold of him and their friendship falls apart.
During their separation, Lucy's mom gets involved in a car accident and is injured and needs help managing her cat Cafe 🐈 When Lucy realizes the Cafe is experiencing financial hardship she turns to her friend Amber for advice. They come up with a plan to get celebrity endorsement so they can try to save the cat Cafe which is their only source of income.
This is a cute YA Romance story. I really enjoyed the cats personalities and the fellow band members banter once they all get together to perform a live stream performance to help raise funds.
There is a ton of miscommunication and misunderstandings throughout the story and some hidden betrayal by someone you least expect!
It was a cozy read and I devoured it in a day.
The Music of Us is a cute YA friends to lovers story. Jake and Lucy start off as friends in high school and Jake is on his way to becoming a well known musician in a boy band. It's giving One Direction vibes.
Jake becomes a well known pop-star with a group called US; Usual Suspects. Lucy feels forgotten about after many attempts of trying to get hold of him and their friendship falls apart.
During their separation, Lucy's mom gets involved in a car accident and is injured and needs help managing her cat Cafe 🐈 When Lucy realizes the Cafe is experiencing financial hardship she turns to her friend Amber for advice. They come up with a plan to get celebrity endorsement so they can try to save the cat Cafe which is their only source of income.
This is a cute YA Romance story. I really enjoyed the cats personalities and the fellow band members banter once they all get together to perform a live stream performance to help raise funds.
There is a ton of miscommunication and misunderstandings throughout the story and some hidden betrayal by someone you least expect!
It was a cozy read and I devoured it in a day.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
Thank you NetGalley and Blink for the ARC in exchange for an honest review!
“The Music of Us” by Emerald Alexandrea is a warm, cozy YA romance that feels like a cup of tea or coffee in book form as it’s sweet, comforting, and filled with cats, music, and second chances. With its charming cat café setting, soft friends-to-lovers romance, and heartfelt emotional beats, this story is an easy read that still manages to tug at the heartstrings. I was immediately drawn to the cat café setting and while I stayed partly because of the cats, I also stayed because I fell in love with the love story (and all the cats).
At the center of the story is Lucy who runs a cat café with her mother and is facing a crossroads: should she leave behind the family business and the life she loves to go to college? That tension grounds the story in something very real, especially for young readers navigating expectations, independence, and change. Lucy’s relationship with her mother is refreshingly realistic and emotionally rich, adding depth beyond the romance.
Enter Jake, Lucy’s former best friend and crush, now a rising musician and member of a popular band. Their reunion sparks a slow-burn, ex-best-friends-to-lovers romance filled with witty banter, lingering feelings, and—yes—a major miscommunication trope. While the misunderstanding takes most of the book to unravel and can feel a bit obvious, it ultimately works thanks to the sincerity of the characters and the emotional payoff. When everything finally comes into the open, the resolution is tender, heartfelt, and deeply satisfying.
One of the book’s biggest delights is its atmosphere. The cat café isn’t just a gimmick; the cats are fully realized little personalities who add humor, warmth, and charm to nearly every scene. Likewise, the band members bring strong found-family energy, showcasing the close bonds and restrictive realities of life in the public eye. I loved the unique band members so much that I wish there are future spin-offs focused on the other band members.
While the story leans comfortably into rom-com tropes and can occasionally feel a bit preachy, especially around themes of future planning and responsibility, it never loses its cozy appeal. The humor lands well, the emotional moments feel earned, and the ending delivers exactly what it promises: a happy, hopeful conclusion.
Overall, “The Music of Us” is a feel-good YA romance full of heart, humor, and cat energy. Perfect for those who love friends-to-lovers stories, cozy settings, and soft, wholesome romances, this book is a charming reminder that sometimes love and the future sound best when you listen to your own rhythm.
“The Music of Us” by Emerald Alexandrea is a warm, cozy YA romance that feels like a cup of tea or coffee in book form as it’s sweet, comforting, and filled with cats, music, and second chances. With its charming cat café setting, soft friends-to-lovers romance, and heartfelt emotional beats, this story is an easy read that still manages to tug at the heartstrings. I was immediately drawn to the cat café setting and while I stayed partly because of the cats, I also stayed because I fell in love with the love story (and all the cats).
At the center of the story is Lucy who runs a cat café with her mother and is facing a crossroads: should she leave behind the family business and the life she loves to go to college? That tension grounds the story in something very real, especially for young readers navigating expectations, independence, and change. Lucy’s relationship with her mother is refreshingly realistic and emotionally rich, adding depth beyond the romance.
Enter Jake, Lucy’s former best friend and crush, now a rising musician and member of a popular band. Their reunion sparks a slow-burn, ex-best-friends-to-lovers romance filled with witty banter, lingering feelings, and—yes—a major miscommunication trope. While the misunderstanding takes most of the book to unravel and can feel a bit obvious, it ultimately works thanks to the sincerity of the characters and the emotional payoff. When everything finally comes into the open, the resolution is tender, heartfelt, and deeply satisfying.
One of the book’s biggest delights is its atmosphere. The cat café isn’t just a gimmick; the cats are fully realized little personalities who add humor, warmth, and charm to nearly every scene. Likewise, the band members bring strong found-family energy, showcasing the close bonds and restrictive realities of life in the public eye. I loved the unique band members so much that I wish there are future spin-offs focused on the other band members.
While the story leans comfortably into rom-com tropes and can occasionally feel a bit preachy, especially around themes of future planning and responsibility, it never loses its cozy appeal. The humor lands well, the emotional moments feel earned, and the ending delivers exactly what it promises: a happy, hopeful conclusion.
Overall, “The Music of Us” is a feel-good YA romance full of heart, humor, and cat energy. Perfect for those who love friends-to-lovers stories, cozy settings, and soft, wholesome romances, this book is a charming reminder that sometimes love and the future sound best when you listen to your own rhythm.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
3.5 stars
This book was honestly just cute chaos in the best way.
Lucy is having what I would call a certified stressed girl summer. While everyone else is enjoying their last months before college, she’s busy trying to keep her mom’s very adorable but very financially struggling cat café alive. And to make things worse, a shiny new coffee shop opens across the street like it’s personally trying to ruin her life.
Rude.
So in a moment of mild desperation, Lucy reaches out to someone she hasn’t talked to in years: her ex best friend and first crush, Jake Moody… who is now a boy band pop star in the massively famous group the Usual Suspects.
No big deal.
The last time she saw him he kissed her and then immediately left town for auditions and basically disappeared from her life, which is a totally normal thing to not hold a grudge about… obviously.
Anyway, Lucy asks him if he’d help the café by doing a livestream performance to bring attention (and hopefully customers) to the place. And somehow Jake is like yes actually that’s perfect because his own reputation could use a little polishing after his latest scandal.
So now they’re working together again, wrangling chaotic bandmates, planning this livestream, and trying very hard to pretend their history isn’t still sitting right there between them.
I really liked the vibe of this book. It’s very light, funny, and wholesome. The friends to more / second chance-ish dynamic between Lucy and Jake was sweet, and their banter felt natural. I also loved the cat café setting because any book that includes cats wandering around causing minor chaos automatically gets bonus points from me.
Jake was also surprisingly endearing under the whole “bad boy boyband member” image. Watching Lucy slowly realise that the boy she used to know might still be there was really cute.
That said, the story felt a little predictable at times and I wished we got a bit more emotional depth in some moments. Everything wrapped up pretty quickly, which made the romance feel slightly rushed.
But overall? It was fun, fluffy, and perfect if you want a quick feel good YA romance.
If you like:
* friends to lovers / second chance vibes
* boy band pop stars
* chaotic bandmates
* adorable small businesses
* cat café settings (honestly the real star)
then this is a really fun summer read.
Also… if a famous pop star offered to help my struggling café with a livestream concert I would also forgive him immediately. Lucy showed far more restraint than I would have.
This book was honestly just cute chaos in the best way.
Lucy is having what I would call a certified stressed girl summer. While everyone else is enjoying their last months before college, she’s busy trying to keep her mom’s very adorable but very financially struggling cat café alive. And to make things worse, a shiny new coffee shop opens across the street like it’s personally trying to ruin her life.
Rude.
So in a moment of mild desperation, Lucy reaches out to someone she hasn’t talked to in years: her ex best friend and first crush, Jake Moody… who is now a boy band pop star in the massively famous group the Usual Suspects.
No big deal.
The last time she saw him he kissed her and then immediately left town for auditions and basically disappeared from her life, which is a totally normal thing to not hold a grudge about… obviously.
Anyway, Lucy asks him if he’d help the café by doing a livestream performance to bring attention (and hopefully customers) to the place. And somehow Jake is like yes actually that’s perfect because his own reputation could use a little polishing after his latest scandal.
So now they’re working together again, wrangling chaotic bandmates, planning this livestream, and trying very hard to pretend their history isn’t still sitting right there between them.
I really liked the vibe of this book. It’s very light, funny, and wholesome. The friends to more / second chance-ish dynamic between Lucy and Jake was sweet, and their banter felt natural. I also loved the cat café setting because any book that includes cats wandering around causing minor chaos automatically gets bonus points from me.
Jake was also surprisingly endearing under the whole “bad boy boyband member” image. Watching Lucy slowly realise that the boy she used to know might still be there was really cute.
That said, the story felt a little predictable at times and I wished we got a bit more emotional depth in some moments. Everything wrapped up pretty quickly, which made the romance feel slightly rushed.
But overall? It was fun, fluffy, and perfect if you want a quick feel good YA romance.
If you like:
* friends to lovers / second chance vibes
* boy band pop stars
* chaotic bandmates
* adorable small businesses
* cat café settings (honestly the real star)
then this is a really fun summer read.
Also… if a famous pop star offered to help my struggling café with a livestream concert I would also forgive him immediately. Lucy showed far more restraint than I would have.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
If this isn’t the cutest YA romance, idk what is! Usually I try to steer clear of YA romance as I find them too juvenile as an adult, where the characters make bad decisions that frustrate me to no end just because they’re so young, but the synopsis for this book was just too good to pass up! I mean, using the power of music to save a cat cafe? Plus a little romance between a pop star bad boy and his long lost best friend? Say no more! Luckily, the characters are on the older edge of teens in this one and both were from life situations that caused them to be more mature, so I was able to thoroughly enjoy this novel! I honestly feel like this would make an amazing movie.
In this book, we follow Luciana, who finds herself abandoned by her best friend after he suddenly gets his big break as a singer in a new and very popular boy bad. Fast forward 4 years later, and Lucy’s still haunted by the loss of her friendship to Jake. Every time his songs come on the radio, she thinks of the past and what she could have done wrong to completely lose her best friend. In a last ditch effort to save her moms cat cafe, Lucy contacts Jake begging him to bring his hand for a PR stunt to bring in traffic to the cafe, and he shockingly shows up the next day. Will Jake and Lucy be able to save the cafe? Will they be able to rebuild the friendship they once had…and maybe possibly something more?
I loved the sweet, friends to lovers romance this book follows. Lucy and Jake are such great characters, and I was rooting for them the whole time. Jake’s band mates and Lucy’s friend Amber were also great because they were so supportive of their friends, and I love seeing teen books that feature positive friendships over toxic relationships. What’s more, this book focused on a small cast of characters so you really got to know each of them fairly well. I think this would be a great book for teens, as it instantly had me hooked from page 1, and I read it in 2 days (couldn’t put it down!) The romance and friendships were charming, and the characters were mature enough that I actually enjoyed reading it as an adult too!
5/5 Star
Thank you so much to NetGalley and the publisher for providing an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
In this book, we follow Luciana, who finds herself abandoned by her best friend after he suddenly gets his big break as a singer in a new and very popular boy bad. Fast forward 4 years later, and Lucy’s still haunted by the loss of her friendship to Jake. Every time his songs come on the radio, she thinks of the past and what she could have done wrong to completely lose her best friend. In a last ditch effort to save her moms cat cafe, Lucy contacts Jake begging him to bring his hand for a PR stunt to bring in traffic to the cafe, and he shockingly shows up the next day. Will Jake and Lucy be able to save the cafe? Will they be able to rebuild the friendship they once had…and maybe possibly something more?
I loved the sweet, friends to lovers romance this book follows. Lucy and Jake are such great characters, and I was rooting for them the whole time. Jake’s band mates and Lucy’s friend Amber were also great because they were so supportive of their friends, and I love seeing teen books that feature positive friendships over toxic relationships. What’s more, this book focused on a small cast of characters so you really got to know each of them fairly well. I think this would be a great book for teens, as it instantly had me hooked from page 1, and I read it in 2 days (couldn’t put it down!) The romance and friendships were charming, and the characters were mature enough that I actually enjoyed reading it as an adult too!
5/5 Star
Thank you so much to NetGalley and the publisher for providing an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
February 23, 2026
3 Stars.
🐈⬛ The vibes:
- Cat cafe
- Boy band
- YA contemporary romance
- Lots of lyrics
- Celebrity
- Childhood crush
- Closed door (kisses only)
🐈⬛ My thoughts:
When Lucy’s mom has an accident and needs knee surgery, Lucy volunteers to help run the cat cafe during the summer. When the cafe is financially struggling, Lucy calls Jake- an old friend (who is now in a famous boy band) and asks him to help her save the cat cafe.
🐈⬛ Ok, if you enjoy boy bands, cats, and YA romances, this one is fun. It’s very light and breezy with little stress along the way. There were moments that felt a bit repetitious and the miscommunication was pretty heavy handed here. I do think it makes sense for the ages of the characters (18), but it was a bit tedious for me at certain moments.
🐈⬛ There was clearly a really deep connection between Jake and Lucy in the past (ages 14-15 ish), but I didn’t see much of that on page so I struggled to feel a strong connection between the main characters. They had some cute moments in there but I mostly felt a nice friendship vibe between them.
🐈⬛ It’s important to not forget the target age for YA (13+), so I think it makes sense for the plot to stay fairly non-serious. I really appreciate that this book was wholesome and completely age appropriate. I think it wasn’t a great fit for me because I felt too old for some of the character interactions, but I would definitely feel comfortable handing this to a young teen.
Note / spice content: closed door (kisses only)
Release date: June 2, 2026.
Thank you so much to Emerald Alexandrea, Blink, and Netgalley for the gifted copy. I received this eARC from the author/publisher, but this honest review is voluntary.
🐈⬛ The vibes:
- Cat cafe
- Boy band
- YA contemporary romance
- Lots of lyrics
- Celebrity
- Childhood crush
- Closed door (kisses only)
🐈⬛ My thoughts:
When Lucy’s mom has an accident and needs knee surgery, Lucy volunteers to help run the cat cafe during the summer. When the cafe is financially struggling, Lucy calls Jake- an old friend (who is now in a famous boy band) and asks him to help her save the cat cafe.
🐈⬛ Ok, if you enjoy boy bands, cats, and YA romances, this one is fun. It’s very light and breezy with little stress along the way. There were moments that felt a bit repetitious and the miscommunication was pretty heavy handed here. I do think it makes sense for the ages of the characters (18), but it was a bit tedious for me at certain moments.
🐈⬛ There was clearly a really deep connection between Jake and Lucy in the past (ages 14-15 ish), but I didn’t see much of that on page so I struggled to feel a strong connection between the main characters. They had some cute moments in there but I mostly felt a nice friendship vibe between them.
🐈⬛ It’s important to not forget the target age for YA (13+), so I think it makes sense for the plot to stay fairly non-serious. I really appreciate that this book was wholesome and completely age appropriate. I think it wasn’t a great fit for me because I felt too old for some of the character interactions, but I would definitely feel comfortable handing this to a young teen.
Note / spice content: closed door (kisses only)
Release date: June 2, 2026.
Thank you so much to Emerald Alexandrea, Blink, and Netgalley for the gifted copy. I received this eARC from the author/publisher, but this honest review is voluntary.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
Thanks in advance to Alexandrea, Blink, and Netgalley for the ARC. I had a lot of fun reading this book!
This is a young adult romance about two childhood friends who lost touch. Jake is part of a pretty famous boy band (I was making comparisons to One Direction) and Lucy is a regular girl headed off to college in the fall who is trying to save her mom's cat cafe business that's falling apart. Lucy reaches out to Jake to ask for his help, which he surprisingly (to her), responds to.
This entire book covers how Lucy and Jake work together to try to get the cat cafe back on track financially. Along the way, they wrangle with their old feelings and the circumstances that led them to where they are currently.
I thought this was a super cozy and sweet read. It truly is a light romance, as it is young adult. I found the dialogue to be funny and the sequence of events to be believable. Without giving away too much, the reason why this book gets a 3/5 for me is due to the big moment of reveal. There were a lot of assumptions made by both parties that led to the downfall of their friendship that honestly, in real life, may have been easily avoided through a different mode/method of communication.
Regardless, I'd recommend this book to anyone who loves cats, boy bands, and a light and fluffy clean romance.
This is a young adult romance about two childhood friends who lost touch. Jake is part of a pretty famous boy band (I was making comparisons to One Direction) and Lucy is a regular girl headed off to college in the fall who is trying to save her mom's cat cafe business that's falling apart. Lucy reaches out to Jake to ask for his help, which he surprisingly (to her), responds to.
This entire book covers how Lucy and Jake work together to try to get the cat cafe back on track financially. Along the way, they wrangle with their old feelings and the circumstances that led them to where they are currently.
I thought this was a super cozy and sweet read. It truly is a light romance, as it is young adult. I found the dialogue to be funny and the sequence of events to be believable. Without giving away too much, the reason why this book gets a 3/5 for me is due to the big moment of reveal. There were a lot of assumptions made by both parties that led to the downfall of their friendship that honestly, in real life, may have been easily avoided through a different mode/method of communication.
Regardless, I'd recommend this book to anyone who loves cats, boy bands, and a light and fluffy clean romance.
March 11, 2026
(3.5 stars) Thank you to NetGalley for this ARC! It was cute! Very predictable and kinda slow but lots of sweet parts. A very slow burn until the last few pages! I loved his band members and the close relationship that Lucy had with her mom. I wish there had been a little more depth to the story but I did enjoy it. A swoony clean rom com!
“Musicians couldn't help but let their soul sink into their work.”
“Oh, I could build a home in your heartbeat.”
“He always had a way of seeing the ordinary and turning it into something beautiful.”
"We're made up of everyone who's ever meant something to us. And then, one day, we'll mean something to someone, and they'll take that trait from us that we borrowed from someone else, who learned it from yet another person. Like a string of never-ending echoes."
“I had no other option but to hope.”
“You're the sand in an hourglass Falling through my mind as the seconds pass Oh, honey, I don't got a chance.”
“Sometimes we failed at keeping what we wanted, no matter how hard we tried. Sometimes the people closest to us got hurt even when we had better intentions. Sometimes we lost our connections, and it wasn't even our choice.”
“Musicians couldn't help but let their soul sink into their work.”
“Oh, I could build a home in your heartbeat.”
“He always had a way of seeing the ordinary and turning it into something beautiful.”
"We're made up of everyone who's ever meant something to us. And then, one day, we'll mean something to someone, and they'll take that trait from us that we borrowed from someone else, who learned it from yet another person. Like a string of never-ending echoes."
“I had no other option but to hope.”
“You're the sand in an hourglass Falling through my mind as the seconds pass Oh, honey, I don't got a chance.”
“Sometimes we failed at keeping what we wanted, no matter how hard we tried. Sometimes the people closest to us got hurt even when we had better intentions. Sometimes we lost our connections, and it wasn't even our choice.”
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
A Sweet, Musical Romance With Extra Heart
I adored this story. The cat café setting already had my whole heart, but it felt especially meaningful because I actually adopted my own fur baby from a cat café — so watching Lucy fight to keep hers alive hit a little deeper for me. The mix of music, second‑chance friendship, and soft friends‑to-lovers vibes made this such a warm, feel‑good read.
Lucy and Jake’s chemistry is sweet and nostalgic, and their journey from old wounds to new beginnings felt genuine and hopeful. The bandmates and the cats add so much personality and charm, making the whole book feel cozy, funny, and full of life.
A delightful YA romance that hits all the right notes — and one that felt personally special to me. Five stars.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
I adored this story. The cat café setting already had my whole heart, but it felt especially meaningful because I actually adopted my own fur baby from a cat café — so watching Lucy fight to keep hers alive hit a little deeper for me. The mix of music, second‑chance friendship, and soft friends‑to-lovers vibes made this such a warm, feel‑good read.
Lucy and Jake’s chemistry is sweet and nostalgic, and their journey from old wounds to new beginnings felt genuine and hopeful. The bandmates and the cats add so much personality and charm, making the whole book feel cozy, funny, and full of life.
A delightful YA romance that hits all the right notes — and one that felt personally special to me. Five stars.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
**Thank you to Blink Publishing for giving me an ARC of this book via NetGalley in exchange for my honest review!**
I LOVED this book. I truly had so much fun reading, and I read more than half of it in 12 hours. The characters were so fun to read about. I related to Lucy a lot, and each of the boys was hilarious in different ways. I laughed out loud multiple times.
The romance was so cute, and this book was really clean both curse-word wise and also romantically. The plot was a little cliche, and the book is generally fairly predictable. But that didn't stop me from having an amazing time while reading!
I would highly recommend this book for anyone needing a quick, cute romcom-type book.
I LOVED this book. I truly had so much fun reading, and I read more than half of it in 12 hours. The characters were so fun to read about. I related to Lucy a lot, and each of the boys was hilarious in different ways. I laughed out loud multiple times.
The romance was so cute, and this book was really clean both curse-word wise and also romantically. The plot was a little cliche, and the book is generally fairly predictable. But that didn't stop me from having an amazing time while reading!
I would highly recommend this book for anyone needing a quick, cute romcom-type book.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
This is a cute YA/NA read following Lucy’s efforts to keep her family’s cat cafe afloat after her mom is injured. Cue her former best friend who is now a global pop star in a boy band. Though it is filled with all of the emotional drama you’d expect from someone in Lucy’s situation, plus the added drama of a celebrity romance, The Music of Us is largely character driven; there is something endearing and relatable about each of the characters, human and feline. This is a charming read full of hope and the power of friendship. Here’s hoping for more from the rest of Jake’s band.
I received an ARC of this novel from NetGalley.
I received an ARC of this novel from NetGalley.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
I requested this because it truly sounded good. Starting with the writing, Emerald Alexandrea did a good job with the writing and plot execution. YA romances have such a way with tugging at your heartstrings and this one did just that. Friends to lovers is one of my favorite tropes but this being ex best friends/crushes was such a sweet thing. The idea of them coming back together and falling in love is just one of those tropes that I love so much. Lucy and Jake were so good together and I enjoyed this book so much. I also wish goodreads allowed half stars because this was a 4.5 star for me.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
I had a little trouble with the formatting in The Music of Us but once I got into it, the story was really cute and sweet. The romance is soft and wholesome, and I loved how much personality the cats brought to the story. Each of them felt like their own little character, and they added a lot of charm and humor.
Overall, it’s an easy, feel-good read with adorable pets and a cozy vibe, even if the layout sometimes made it harder to settle in. Perfect if you’re looking for something light, comforting, and full of cat energy.
Overall, it’s an easy, feel-good read with adorable pets and a cozy vibe, even if the layout sometimes made it harder to settle in. Perfect if you’re looking for something light, comforting, and full of cat energy.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
Many thanks to NetGalley & the Publisher for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
This had the most adorable cover art, a cute premise, and fun characters. It fell a little flat for me because there was so much repetition and rumination about what had happened in the past. I feel like a lot of that could have been edited out for more current content and conversations. The constant stream of miscommunication was also frustrating. I think instead of wrapping things up so quickly in the end, I would have preferred to see more of the relationship unfold.
Overall, solid debut novel and a cute read.
This had the most adorable cover art, a cute premise, and fun characters. It fell a little flat for me because there was so much repetition and rumination about what had happened in the past. I feel like a lot of that could have been edited out for more current content and conversations. The constant stream of miscommunication was also frustrating. I think instead of wrapping things up so quickly in the end, I would have preferred to see more of the relationship unfold.
Overall, solid debut novel and a cute read.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
Loved this! My favorite trope with bonus cats. The MCs were super sweet (if a little obtuse) and the side characters, including the cats had great personalities.
I also enjoyed the sprinkling of pop culture references.
Will definitely read more from this author.
Recommended for anyone who needs something happy and cute.
I also enjoyed the sprinkling of pop culture references.
Will definitely read more from this author.
Recommended for anyone who needs something happy and cute.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
I am possibly just the wrong age for this book that is aimed at young adults. Way too much happens and the feelings are way too strong for these characters who haven't seen each other in years and only knew each other for a short while when they were 14. That all probably appeals to the readers it's aimed it. As a middle-aged woman I found it all too implausible.
November 11, 2025
Super grateful to have gotten a digital ARC of this book!!
I absolutely adored this book and I absolutely flew through it!! Can’t wait to read more from this author in the future and I’m so excited for it to come out so I can recommend it to everyone!!
I absolutely adored this book and I absolutely flew through it!! Can’t wait to read more from this author in the future and I’m so excited for it to come out so I can recommend it to everyone!!
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
Thank you NetGalley for the eARC!
This was very light and happy. Had a great time.
The minor characters were great too. Loved it soo much! Definitely recommend and will be reading more from this author
This was very light and happy. Had a great time.
The minor characters were great too. Loved it soo much! Definitely recommend and will be reading more from this author
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
A sweet YA second chance friend to lovers romance. Involving a cat themed cafe and animals in need finding homes. It was a fun read with a lot of fun characters, both cat and human, with different personalities.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
It is a very cosy read, just what I expect from books of this genre. There is something magical and nostalgic ( probably because I am old) about the way the characters talk. I love it and would recommend it to teenage readers and maybe even adult readers like me.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
what a sweet and funny YA romance! pop star boy band and a cafe full of cats, perfect!
March 18, 2026
Thank you to Netgalley for providing an advance reader ebook in exchange for a review. #netgalley
I thoroughly enjoyed this book. I was a big boyband lover when I was in my teens and I just know I would have been all over this book had it come out then. The characters are great and easy to love. I also love cat cafes and animal welfare, so this was like a mix of my favorite things. It is nice and light hearted too. A great summer read.
I thoroughly enjoyed this book. I was a big boyband lover when I was in my teens and I just know I would have been all over this book had it come out then. The characters are great and easy to love. I also love cat cafes and animal welfare, so this was like a mix of my favorite things. It is nice and light hearted too. A great summer read.
Displaying 1 - 21 of 21 reviews