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Love Felt Like This
Not yet published
Expected 8 Sep 26A grumpy rock star and a joyful children’s show creator revive television magic in this cozy small-town romance.
Griffin Harvey lives his life in the spotlight. Reluctantly. The brooding famous singer-songwriter is on the cusp of composing his sophomore album . . . if only he could find the notes. But after gaining custody of his two-year-old daughter, the only music he’s writing is about shapes and counting to ten.
Enter Beverly, who lives her life in the background producing children’s television and laughter. Except joy is hard to find when her nonprofit loses funding. She sinks all of her savings to revive the children’s show by herself, but when her variety show appearance collides with Griffin’s, their banter and chemistry is caught on live television.
Suddenly, Griffin is singing a new tune. He needs a muse, and Beverly needs all the help she can get. With his secret daughter in tow, they hide out in her cozy mountain hometown, attempting to script, compose, and revive television magic. Their dynamic shouldn’t work. He’s all harsh tattoos and rough hands while she’s bright colors and gentle touches. Once their three months of work are done, they’ll return to their separate worlds. But what happens when it seems the true magic might be found in each other?
Griffin Harvey lives his life in the spotlight. Reluctantly. The brooding famous singer-songwriter is on the cusp of composing his sophomore album . . . if only he could find the notes. But after gaining custody of his two-year-old daughter, the only music he’s writing is about shapes and counting to ten.
Enter Beverly, who lives her life in the background producing children’s television and laughter. Except joy is hard to find when her nonprofit loses funding. She sinks all of her savings to revive the children’s show by herself, but when her variety show appearance collides with Griffin’s, their banter and chemistry is caught on live television.
Suddenly, Griffin is singing a new tune. He needs a muse, and Beverly needs all the help she can get. With his secret daughter in tow, they hide out in her cozy mountain hometown, attempting to script, compose, and revive television magic. Their dynamic shouldn’t work. He’s all harsh tattoos and rough hands while she’s bright colors and gentle touches. Once their three months of work are done, they’ll return to their separate worlds. But what happens when it seems the true magic might be found in each other?
Kindle Edition
Expected publication September 8, 2026
About the author
Julie Olivia
26 books3,431 followersJulie Olivia writes cozy love stories filled with humor, spice, and close friend groups that feel like a warm hug. She is a roller coaster fan, avid romance reader, and rainy day enthusiast.
Julie lives in Atlanta, Georgia with her husband and their very opinionated pets.
Sign-up for the newsletter for book updates, special offers, and VIP exclusives!: https://julieoliviaauthor.com/newslet...
She can be easily reached on Instagram at @JulieOliviaAuthor! Come say hi!
Visit her at JulieOliviaAuthor.com
Instagram: @JulieOliviaAuthor
Facebook: @JulieOliviaAuthor
Bookbub: https://bit.ly/2NbH7Jy
Julie lives in Atlanta, Georgia with her husband and their very opinionated pets.
Sign-up for the newsletter for book updates, special offers, and VIP exclusives!: https://julieoliviaauthor.com/newslet...
She can be easily reached on Instagram at @JulieOliviaAuthor! Come say hi!
Visit her at JulieOliviaAuthor.com
Instagram: @JulieOliviaAuthor
Facebook: @JulieOliviaAuthor
Bookbub: https://bit.ly/2NbH7Jy
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 449 reviews
May 18, 2026
i was super excited for this one, after having loved ‘it it makes you happy’, and i fear this one was even better!!
if you can look past my intense fear of puppets, this was a really sweet story. i always have a soft spot for ‘celebrity’ romances (in this case a singer), so i was hooked from the get go. i usually also have complaints when it comes to child characters in books (specifically romance ones), but Ava read like an actual child and brought so much heart to this story. the small town setting was super endearing as well, and there was plenty of drama. Griffin was a sweetie pie and i loved how intelligent, motivated and headstrong our female lead, Beverly, was. i read this in under 24 hours, i would highly recommend!
if you can look past my intense fear of puppets, this was a really sweet story. i always have a soft spot for ‘celebrity’ romances (in this case a singer), so i was hooked from the get go. i usually also have complaints when it comes to child characters in books (specifically romance ones), but Ava read like an actual child and brought so much heart to this story. the small town setting was super endearing as well, and there was plenty of drama. Griffin was a sweetie pie and i loved how intelligent, motivated and headstrong our female lead, Beverly, was. i read this in under 24 hours, i would highly recommend!
June 17, 2026
“There were feathers cupped in her hands and captured in her hair, like the softest brush against my skin. The lightest touch to my heart. Love felt weightless. Love felt fuzzy. Stitched onto my soul by her needle and thread. Deeply. Desperately. Hopelessly. 𝓛𝓸𝓿𝓮 𝓯𝓮𝓵𝓽 𝓵𝓲𝓴𝓮 𝓽𝓱𝓲𝓼.”
on repeat 𝄞 ࿐♬ 𓍢ִ🎧ྀི ᯓ ♪ˎˊ˗
"ʙʟᴏᴏᴍ" x ᴛʜᴇ ᴘᴀᴘᴇʀ ᴋɪᴛᴇs
0:49 ───♥──────── 3:30
beware... this 100% turned into an essay
(AND ITS THE SHORTENED VERSION 😭)
I genuinely do not know how Julie Olivia does it, but she literally embodies cozy stories. Like HOW are her books this nostalgic and comforting while still feeling so intensely real?? Reading this felt less like reading fiction and more like stepping into an actual place that exists somewhere in the mountains where the air smells like pine trees and coffee and there’s music humming softly in the background at all times. Her stories don’t even feel written to me at this point. They feel lived in.
And this?? Infinity stars. Absolute infinity stars.
This whole book honestly felt like a love letter written between two pieces of a soul who didn’t know they belonged to the same one. Watching them ache for each other while trying to convince themselves they were doing the “right thing” actually made me want to scream. Like my chest HURT for them.
I fell in love with this story almost immediately. I already knew within the first few chapters it was going to own me completely. The premise felt so unique and refreshing too because I have NEVER read about a puppeteer before, and getting insight into Beverly’s world was so interesting from the very beginning. There was something so magical about the contrast between her softness and Griffin’s quieter, guarded nature. And honestly? Calling this grumpy x sunshine almost feels misleading because Griffin is barely even grumpy 😭 he’s just private and overwhelmed and trying his best while the entire world assumes things about him.
One of my absolute favorite things about this book was how much it explored the idea of perception versus reality. Beverly initially thinks Griffin is cold and difficult because that’s the version of him the world sees—this famous rockstar who keeps everyone at arm’s length—but underneath all of that he’s just… a man trying desperately to protect the people he loves. Especially Ava 😭😭 The way he loved her absolutely destroyed me in the best way. Not only was he protective over her in the sweetest way possible, but he was attentive in all those tiny realistic parenting moments that made him feel real instead of idealized. The scenes with her never felt like the author trying to convince us he was a good dad. He just WAS one. You could feel how much he loved her in every exhausted thought and every tiny interaction.
AND HIS BANDMATES??? OBSESSED WITH THEM.
That entire dynamic felt so natural and lived-in and funny. The support they gave him when he was struggling and figuring out fatherhood genuinely melted me. They felt like a real family instead of side characters added for filler, and every interaction with them made the story feel even warmer.
Also THANK YOU for finally writing a toddler who actually acts like a toddler. Ava felt REAL. The exhaustion felt real. The stress felt real. Nobody magically had everything together after one emotional conversation. Beverly and Griffin are both overwhelmed in completely different ways and I loved that the story let them stay messy and tired and human through all of it.
I loved the way Griffin saw Bev so clearly. Like he noticed EVERYTHING. Every little shift in her mood, every uncomfortable moment, every insecurity she tried to brush off. He defended her without making it performative. He was direct and gentle and patient in a way that made every interaction between them feel intimate long before anything romantic even happened. There’s something so intimate about being truly seen by someone, and this book captured that feeling perfectly. He never tried to change who she was. He just quietly reminded her over and over that she deserved care too.
&& the slowburn in this book was genuinely PERFECT because it never relied on huge dramatic moments to make the romance feel intense. It was all built through friendship and trust and small moments that slowly became unbearable in the best way possible. Quiet flirting. Shared looks. Inside jokes. Taking care of each other without even thinking about it. 🥹Watching Griffin slowly realize Beverly was becoming his muse was one of the most romantic things I’ve ever read because music had basically abandoned him emotionally before her. Then suddenly she walks into his life and everything starts waking back up again. 🥹🥹 & the way the book continues building on that idea throughout the story made it even better. Beverly doesn’t just inspire him creatively... she makes him feel alive again. His feelings for her weren’t just attraction. They became woven into everything he created.
Her happiness is pulling music out of him again??? This is literally poetry. LIKE SHUT UP 😭 (no actually don’t. please i beg of you. keep going)🥹😭😭
And the craziest part is that despite how poetic and emotional all of this was, the romance still somehow felt grounded and natural. Nothing about their connection felt rushed or artificial. You could genuinely understand why they became each other’s safe place.
The yearning became genuinely unbearable at some points 😭 like this man was DOWN BAD in the most romantic devastating way possible.
Yeah. Cool. Fine. Whatever. (i’m emotionally ruined)
This book understands intimacy in such a quiet beautiful way. Not just physical attraction, but emotional intimacy too. The kind where someone slowly becomes stitched into every part of your daily life until suddenly they’re everywhere.
&& I can't leave out the freaking emotional destruction phase that dropped out of nowhere 😭 the way they loved each other so selflessly that they were both willing to hurt themselves if it meant protecting the other person’s future 😭😭the kind of pain that hits harder because there’s no villain. (OKAY PAUSEEEEEEEEEEE. BEAU IS TOTALLY VILLAIN MATERIAL THAT PIECE OF GARBAGE. YOULL KNOW WHY WHEN YOU READ IT. anyway 😇) Just two people loving each other so much they’re terrified of becoming the reason the other loses their dreams.
That’s what made the emotional climax of this story hit so hard for me too. By that point, Griffin’s feelings for Beverly had become woven into literally every part of his life. His music, his thoughts, the way he viewed the world around him—she was in all of it. And because he’s such a guarded character overall, every vulnerable thought he had about her felt HUGE
LIKE???????? HOW DO YOU EVEN RECOVER AFTER READING SOMETHING LIKE THAT???
&& Beverly’s feelings for him felt so visceral and just as consuming.😭😭
That line honestly feels like the entire story distilled down into one sentence to me.
Two exhausted people carrying years of loneliness and pressure and responsibility finally finding someone who understands the weight of them completely.
And maybe that’s why this book affected me so deeply in the end. Underneath all the cozy mountain-town charm and soft flirting and found family warmth, this was really a story about two people learning they didn’t have to earn love by overworking themselves or carrying everything alone. They could just be loved as they were.
&& that EPILOGUE????? I’m not okay. Actually not okay. Sweetest thing I’ve ever read. 😭 Such a good wrap up
This story felt like music drifting through an open window. Like laughter in a warm kitchen. A story stitched together with music and love and exhaustion and hope. It was soft and healing and emotional and SO full of heart. 🎶 🎹🎧
Everything I could ever want in a romance wrapped into one beautiful story. ✨🧡
things to know about the book ↓
✨ single dad
✨ musician MMC
✨ forced proximity
✨ friends to lovers
✨ she's his muse
✨ slowburn
✨ dual POV
✨ small town
✨ found family
✨ artistic soulmates
✨ cozy mountain town vibes
swearing: yes
spice rating: 🌶️🌶️
→ chapters: 27, 30
Thank you NetGalley, publisher & author for this arc in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
And to my most beautiful girl Cara. Thank you for buddy reading this one with me. You made the experience 10x better with our rants and screams 🥹🫶🏼😭💗 ily so much pretty girl!! mwah
⸻⸻⸻
・❥・⁀➷ 🧡✨🎶 𝕡𝕣𝕖-𝕣𝕖𝕒𝕕
no. way. I GOT THE FREAKING ARC EEEKKKKK
dropping everything rn!!! + i get to read it with my prettiest girl Cara?!?! YESSSS. So excited for us bestie 😽🧡
・❥・⁀➷ 𝕡𝕣𝕖-𝕣𝕖𝕝𝕖𝕒𝕤𝕖
oh hello there 🤭
I absolutely adored If It Makes You Happy, so seeing this especially with a cover just as beautiful already has me hooked. Add in music themes + a grumpy rockstar who’s a single dad?? I’m so seated for this
on repeat 𝄞 ࿐♬ 𓍢ִ🎧ྀི ᯓ ♪ˎˊ˗
"ʙʟᴏᴏᴍ" x ᴛʜᴇ ᴘᴀᴘᴇʀ ᴋɪᴛᴇs
0:49 ───♥──────── 3:30
beware... this 100% turned into an essay
(AND ITS THE SHORTENED VERSION 😭)
I genuinely do not know how Julie Olivia does it, but she literally embodies cozy stories. Like HOW are her books this nostalgic and comforting while still feeling so intensely real?? Reading this felt less like reading fiction and more like stepping into an actual place that exists somewhere in the mountains where the air smells like pine trees and coffee and there’s music humming softly in the background at all times. Her stories don’t even feel written to me at this point. They feel lived in.
And this?? Infinity stars. Absolute infinity stars.
This whole book honestly felt like a love letter written between two pieces of a soul who didn’t know they belonged to the same one. Watching them ache for each other while trying to convince themselves they were doing the “right thing” actually made me want to scream. Like my chest HURT for them.
I fell in love with this story almost immediately. I already knew within the first few chapters it was going to own me completely. The premise felt so unique and refreshing too because I have NEVER read about a puppeteer before, and getting insight into Beverly’s world was so interesting from the very beginning. There was something so magical about the contrast between her softness and Griffin’s quieter, guarded nature. And honestly? Calling this grumpy x sunshine almost feels misleading because Griffin is barely even grumpy 😭 he’s just private and overwhelmed and trying his best while the entire world assumes things about him.
One of my absolute favorite things about this book was how much it explored the idea of perception versus reality. Beverly initially thinks Griffin is cold and difficult because that’s the version of him the world sees—this famous rockstar who keeps everyone at arm’s length—but underneath all of that he’s just… a man trying desperately to protect the people he loves. Especially Ava 😭😭 The way he loved her absolutely destroyed me in the best way. Not only was he protective over her in the sweetest way possible, but he was attentive in all those tiny realistic parenting moments that made him feel real instead of idealized. The scenes with her never felt like the author trying to convince us he was a good dad. He just WAS one. You could feel how much he loved her in every exhausted thought and every tiny interaction.
AND HIS BANDMATES??? OBSESSED WITH THEM.
That entire dynamic felt so natural and lived-in and funny. The support they gave him when he was struggling and figuring out fatherhood genuinely melted me. They felt like a real family instead of side characters added for filler, and every interaction with them made the story feel even warmer.
Also THANK YOU for finally writing a toddler who actually acts like a toddler. Ava felt REAL. The exhaustion felt real. The stress felt real. Nobody magically had everything together after one emotional conversation. Beverly and Griffin are both overwhelmed in completely different ways and I loved that the story let them stay messy and tired and human through all of it.
I loved the way Griffin saw Bev so clearly. Like he noticed EVERYTHING. Every little shift in her mood, every uncomfortable moment, every insecurity she tried to brush off. He defended her without making it performative. He was direct and gentle and patient in a way that made every interaction between them feel intimate long before anything romantic even happened. There’s something so intimate about being truly seen by someone, and this book captured that feeling perfectly. He never tried to change who she was. He just quietly reminded her over and over that she deserved care too.
&& the slowburn in this book was genuinely PERFECT because it never relied on huge dramatic moments to make the romance feel intense. It was all built through friendship and trust and small moments that slowly became unbearable in the best way possible. Quiet flirting. Shared looks. Inside jokes. Taking care of each other without even thinking about it. 🥹Watching Griffin slowly realize Beverly was becoming his muse was one of the most romantic things I’ve ever read because music had basically abandoned him emotionally before her. Then suddenly she walks into his life and everything starts waking back up again. 🥹🥹 & the way the book continues building on that idea throughout the story made it even better. Beverly doesn’t just inspire him creatively... she makes him feel alive again. His feelings for her weren’t just attraction. They became woven into everything he created.
“I’m crooning new chords that echo memories of Beverly’s laughter that night at the bar. Every strum is my fingers entwining through hers. Every breathy note is the exhalations against her skin on the red carpet.”
Her happiness is pulling music out of him again??? This is literally poetry. LIKE SHUT UP 😭 (no actually don’t. please i beg of you. keep going)🥹😭😭
And the craziest part is that despite how poetic and emotional all of this was, the romance still somehow felt grounded and natural. Nothing about their connection felt rushed or artificial. You could genuinely understand why they became each other’s safe place.
The yearning became genuinely unbearable at some points 😭 like this man was DOWN BAD in the most romantic devastating way possible.
“She stitches puppets, while I dedicate songs to her. She laughs, while I search for excuses to hold her hand. She stares; I ache.”
Yeah. Cool. Fine. Whatever. (i’m emotionally ruined)
This book understands intimacy in such a quiet beautiful way. Not just physical attraction, but emotional intimacy too. The kind where someone slowly becomes stitched into every part of your daily life until suddenly they’re everywhere.
&& I can't leave out the freaking emotional destruction phase that dropped out of nowhere 😭 the way they loved each other so selflessly that they were both willing to hurt themselves if it meant protecting the other person’s future 😭😭the kind of pain that hits harder because there’s no villain. (OKAY PAUSEEEEEEEEEEE. BEAU IS TOTALLY VILLAIN MATERIAL THAT PIECE OF GARBAGE. YOULL KNOW WHY WHEN YOU READ IT. anyway 😇) Just two people loving each other so much they’re terrified of becoming the reason the other loses their dreams.
That’s what made the emotional climax of this story hit so hard for me too. By that point, Griffin’s feelings for Beverly had become woven into literally every part of his life. His music, his thoughts, the way he viewed the world around him—she was in all of it. And because he’s such a guarded character overall, every vulnerable thought he had about her felt HUGE
“I’ve never been a big believer of heaven. But, if I did believe, if I did think that there was a reason for most things, I might–just maybe–believe that Beverly Alice Lark is an angel dropped to this earth just for me.”
LIKE???????? HOW DO YOU EVEN RECOVER AFTER READING SOMETHING LIKE THAT???
&& Beverly’s feelings for him felt so visceral and just as consuming.😭😭
“I can feel my heart beating like fire in my chest. My heavy soul is calling for its match.”
That line honestly feels like the entire story distilled down into one sentence to me.
Two exhausted people carrying years of loneliness and pressure and responsibility finally finding someone who understands the weight of them completely.
And maybe that’s why this book affected me so deeply in the end. Underneath all the cozy mountain-town charm and soft flirting and found family warmth, this was really a story about two people learning they didn’t have to earn love by overworking themselves or carrying everything alone. They could just be loved as they were.
&& that EPILOGUE????? I’m not okay. Actually not okay. Sweetest thing I’ve ever read. 😭 Such a good wrap up
This story felt like music drifting through an open window. Like laughter in a warm kitchen. A story stitched together with music and love and exhaustion and hope. It was soft and healing and emotional and SO full of heart. 🎶 🎹🎧
Everything I could ever want in a romance wrapped into one beautiful story. ✨🧡
things to know about the book ↓
✨ single dad
✨ musician MMC
✨ forced proximity
✨ friends to lovers
✨ she's his muse
✨ slowburn
✨ dual POV
✨ small town
✨ found family
✨ artistic soulmates
✨ cozy mountain town vibes
swearing: yes
spice rating: 🌶️🌶️
→ chapters: 27, 30
Thank you NetGalley, publisher & author for this arc in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
And to my most beautiful girl Cara. Thank you for buddy reading this one with me. You made the experience 10x better with our rants and screams 🥹🫶🏼😭💗 ily so much pretty girl!! mwah
⸻⸻⸻
・❥・⁀➷ 🧡✨🎶 𝕡𝕣𝕖-𝕣𝕖𝕒𝕕
no. way. I GOT THE FREAKING ARC EEEKKKKK
dropping everything rn!!! + i get to read it with my prettiest girl Cara?!?! YESSSS. So excited for us bestie 😽🧡
・❥・⁀➷ 𝕡𝕣𝕖-𝕣𝕖𝕝𝕖𝕒𝕤𝕖
oh hello there 🤭
I absolutely adored If It Makes You Happy, so seeing this especially with a cover just as beautiful already has me hooked. Add in music themes + a grumpy rockstar who’s a single dad?? I’m so seated for this
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
REVIEW TO COME😍😍😭😭!!!!!!!!!
👯♀️🧸🎀🍓Buddy reading with my prettiest girl Cat👯♀️🧸🎀🍓!!!!!!
👯♀️🧸🎀🍓Buddy reading with my prettiest girl Cat👯♀️🧸🎀🍓!!!!!!
July 23, 2026
· ˚ 🎹⊹ ⌇ 5 stars.
Easiest five stars I’ve given in a long time. Julie Olivia’s concept for this book was so fresh and exciting and her writing is absolute magic.
The story follows Beverly Lark, a puppeteer trying to revive a children’s TV program. She only needs some time and some new music to prepare her pitch to a big network. Enter Griffin Harvey, the darker-haired, grumpy musician and single dad. During his writer’s block, he joins Beverly in her small hometown to write children’s songs for her new show.
· ˚ 🎹⊹ ⌇ thoughts.
The first few chapters, I felt like I couldn’t read it fast enough. The setup was so charming and funny and I was a like a starving person who needed to inhale every word. The writing was so binge-able and addictive. Julie Olivia writes banter so well. It didn’t feel awkward or stilted like so much of the banter I’ve been reading these days. Beverly was naturally witty and clever and was such a fun companion to Griffin’s dry humor. She was a very easy character to love and root for because she was so kindhearted and funny.
Julie Olivia’s writing feels so nostalgic and so deeply real. The settings are so comforting and the characters so easy to fall in love with. What I really appreciated was how she wrote Griffin’s two year old daughter, Ava. As someone who works with toddlers and preschoolers all day, I can always tell when an author has never been around small children. I don’t know if Julie Olivia is a mom, but it’s obvious from her character work on Ava that she knows a thing or two about toddlers. Ava was such a realistic representation of a toddler. From the meltdowns to the constant giggling, she was so authentic. I also loved how she depicted Ava’s grief. Losing her mom at such a young age, (1 year old) must’ve been extremely difficult . At that age, they don’t have the understanding, but they certainly have the hole in their heart, and Olivia did a great job portraying that.
And I saved the best for last….Griffin Harvey. Oh my days he was so sweet…and hot. 🥵 The dark long hair and the beard just did it for me. Paired with the gruff exterior and the heart of gold, he was just dreamy. And the way he interacted with his daughter was beyond precious. You could feel his fear of not being a good enough dad, and that to me was one of the biggest indicators that he was actually a great dad. There’s nothing sexier than someone who cares so deeply for his kid.
Ultimately, this story has all the elements and more of a five star book. Julie Olivia’s writing is magic and nobody can change my mind. This book is perfect for fans of small town, nostalgic feeling romance. Get ready to fall in love with Bev and Griffin and his daughter Ava. This book was so enjoyable, I honestly don’t have any critiques, which is so rare for me.
Thank you toNetGalley and Berkley Publishing Group for the eARC in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts are entirely my own.
📆 Publication Date: September 6, 2026
Easiest five stars I’ve given in a long time. Julie Olivia’s concept for this book was so fresh and exciting and her writing is absolute magic.
The story follows Beverly Lark, a puppeteer trying to revive a children’s TV program. She only needs some time and some new music to prepare her pitch to a big network. Enter Griffin Harvey, the darker-haired, grumpy musician and single dad. During his writer’s block, he joins Beverly in her small hometown to write children’s songs for her new show.
· ˚ 🎹⊹ ⌇ thoughts.
The first few chapters, I felt like I couldn’t read it fast enough. The setup was so charming and funny and I was a like a starving person who needed to inhale every word. The writing was so binge-able and addictive. Julie Olivia writes banter so well. It didn’t feel awkward or stilted like so much of the banter I’ve been reading these days. Beverly was naturally witty and clever and was such a fun companion to Griffin’s dry humor. She was a very easy character to love and root for because she was so kindhearted and funny.
Julie Olivia’s writing feels so nostalgic and so deeply real. The settings are so comforting and the characters so easy to fall in love with. What I really appreciated was how she wrote Griffin’s two year old daughter, Ava. As someone who works with toddlers and preschoolers all day, I can always tell when an author has never been around small children. I don’t know if Julie Olivia is a mom, but it’s obvious from her character work on Ava that she knows a thing or two about toddlers. Ava was such a realistic representation of a toddler. From the meltdowns to the constant giggling, she was so authentic. I also loved how she depicted Ava’s grief. Losing her mom at such a young age, (1 year old) must’ve been extremely difficult . At that age, they don’t have the understanding, but they certainly have the hole in their heart, and Olivia did a great job portraying that.
And I saved the best for last….Griffin Harvey. Oh my days he was so sweet…and hot. 🥵 The dark long hair and the beard just did it for me. Paired with the gruff exterior and the heart of gold, he was just dreamy. And the way he interacted with his daughter was beyond precious. You could feel his fear of not being a good enough dad, and that to me was one of the biggest indicators that he was actually a great dad. There’s nothing sexier than someone who cares so deeply for his kid.
Ultimately, this story has all the elements and more of a five star book. Julie Olivia’s writing is magic and nobody can change my mind. This book is perfect for fans of small town, nostalgic feeling romance. Get ready to fall in love with Bev and Griffin and his daughter Ava. This book was so enjoyable, I honestly don’t have any critiques, which is so rare for me.
Thank you toNetGalley and Berkley Publishing Group for the eARC in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts are entirely my own.
📆 Publication Date: September 6, 2026
Want to Read
March 9, 2026As someone who loved "If It Makes You Happy", I can't wait for this one! Both books have stunning covers, like, hello??
Watch me pretend the MMC is Hozier.
Watch me pretend the MMC is Hozier.
July 18, 2026
This was SO GOOD!! There is just something about Julie Olivia’s writing and storytelling that is so comforting. Her books feel like big hugs and this was no different! I literally loved everything about this story. I thought the puppeteer x musician premise was so unique and I thought it was done so well. I was so entertained and invested in Beverly reviving her grandfather’s show and I loved how Griffin played into that story. Their connection and relationship development felt so real and authentic. I LOVED the small town setting and Beverly’s family. They added so much to the story for me. Beverly was such an easy fmc to like and read about; I thought she was such a sweetheart and I was really invested in her story. Griffin!!!! Oh my. A man down bad. A man terribly in love!!! Truly one of my favorite mmcs I’ve ever read about. He was EVERYTHING. Their romance was SO GOOD. I also loved Ava and the role she played in this book. Truly every character made me happy and brought something special to this story!! I loved them all. This book was just honestly perfect to me. I have no complaints. I loved the writing, the pacing, the setting, the characters, the tropes, the premise. You name it. I loved it. I was literally smiling like a fool with goosebumps on my arms over half of this book. My review doesn’t do this book justice so I just need everyone to pick it up on release day in September to experience how perfect it is. Truly the coziest, sweetest romance that I know will be a huge hit this fall. LOVED is an understatement. Thank you to the publisher for the arc!!
August 8, 2026
equally didn’t want to put this book down and didn’t want it to end
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
For some reason, when I first saw this cover (which is absolutely gorgeous, by the way), I thought the MMC would be grumpy and kind of an asshole, but it turned out to be completely different. Griffin is a famous rock musician who writes songs and secretly raises his two-year-old daughter. I honestly wouldn’t even call him grumpy—to me, he’s just exhausted from the weight he carries on his shoulders. Even Beverly tells him that he takes care of everyone, and she wants to take care of him. At the same time, he’s incredibly sweet and kind, very responsible, and the best dad to his little girl. Also, finally a book where a two-year-old actually behaves like a two-year-old! For some reason, authors love giving children behavior that doesn’t match their age. I absolutely adored Ava!
Beverly is a puppeteer on a children’s TV show that’s on the verge of being cancelled. Their first meeting was hilarious. Beverly is also very hardworking and underestimates herself because of her jerk ex.
This romance turned out to be really cozy. I devoured the first half, but parts of the second half felt a little dragged out to me, and the third-act breakup felt slightly overdramatic. The characters didn’t actually break up, but they grew distant because of certain circumstances, and their behavior during that period felt a bit strange to me. Overall, though, it was an enjoyable book with adult characters dealing with adult problems.
𝐓𝐫𝐨𝐩𝐞𝐬:
✓grumpy x sunshine
✓single dad
✓fake dating
✓small mountain town
✓forced proximity
Thank you to NetGalley and Berkley Publishing Group (Berkley) for the eARC in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.
Beverly is a puppeteer on a children’s TV show that’s on the verge of being cancelled. Their first meeting was hilarious. Beverly is also very hardworking and underestimates herself because of her jerk ex.
This romance turned out to be really cozy. I devoured the first half, but parts of the second half felt a little dragged out to me, and the third-act breakup felt slightly overdramatic. The characters didn’t actually break up, but they grew distant because of certain circumstances, and their behavior during that period felt a bit strange to me. Overall, though, it was an enjoyable book with adult characters dealing with adult problems.
𝐓𝐫𝐨𝐩𝐞𝐬:
✓grumpy x sunshine
✓single dad
✓fake dating
✓small mountain town
✓forced proximity
Thank you to NetGalley and Berkley Publishing Group (Berkley) for the eARC in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.
Want to Read
July 11, 2026𐙚⋆°｡⋆♡ ── pre-release
release date - september 8th 2026
✧˖°🎸 ⋆｡˚꩜ 𝘁𝗿𝗼𝗽𝗲𝘀
⤷ grumpy x sunshine
⤷ single dad
⤷ small mountain town
⤷ children's tv puppeteer
⤷ rockstar musician
⤷ fake dating
⤷ found family
thank you so so much julia for having me on your arc team & berkley for sending the digital arc
___
THIS IS A NEED HELLO
THE COVER.
release date - september 8th 2026
✧˖°🎸 ⋆｡˚꩜ 𝘁𝗿𝗼𝗽𝗲𝘀
⤷ grumpy x sunshine
⤷ single dad
⤷ small mountain town
⤷ children's tv puppeteer
⤷ rockstar musician
⤷ fake dating
⤷ found family
thank you so so much julia for having me on your arc team & berkley for sending the digital arc
___
THIS IS A NEED HELLO
THE COVER.
Want to Read
December 11, 2025going back to my roots when this comes out with the rockstar musician trope😝😝
I was heavily obsessed with that trope years ago. Can’t wait for this one!!!! and it’s even better with single dad in it hehe🤸🏻♀️
I was heavily obsessed with that trope years ago. Can’t wait for this one!!!! and it’s even better with single dad in it hehe🤸🏻♀️
August 5, 2026
The immense joy this book brought me needs to be studied, because I genuinely had the BEST time. This was my first Julie Olivia and I’m so glad I have If It Makes You Happy on my bookshelf to read.
I went into this expecting cozy fall vibes, yearning, small town gossip. I got that and more. Griffin just wants the best for his daughter, being in the limelight is not the best environment for a child so that’s why he’s kept her a secret. He wants all her late-night giggles to himself. He also isn’t writing music lately, unless you count the improv lullabies or children songs for Ava. When he stumbles onto the set of a puppet show, makes a video go viral, he realizes he wants to write them. Children’s songs with Bernie’s puppeteer: Beverly. They’ve got hilarious chemistry on set, and the quiet longing off it.
If you enjoy the type of love that’s the lingering looks, minute details, small acts of kindness, aching thoughts, beautiful confessions, then this is for you. Griffin and Beverly’s love may be under the public eye, but only they know it’s true depth. It’s genuine, familiar, and they know each other better than anyone else. Griffin and Ava were so easily and effortlessly welcomed into Bev’s family, and the familial love really shines in the book too. Beverly’s grandma encourages her dreams, both career-wise and heart-wise. Her uncle is hilarious, and he’s a softy too. Beverly’s parents are the type of in love she’s been looking her whole life for, and her brother is the sweetest boy I’ve ever read about. The town feels like home, and when Griffin and Ava leave it doesn’t feel right. It’s your classic small town, with meddlers and gossip galore.
I really like how Julie writes romantic love, it doesn’t have to be this big thing (even though he is technically a famous singer and writes songs about her) but it really blooms in the late nights, hands under the table, leaning on the other. It makes your heart warm.
I went into this expecting cozy fall vibes, yearning, small town gossip. I got that and more. Griffin just wants the best for his daughter, being in the limelight is not the best environment for a child so that’s why he’s kept her a secret. He wants all her late-night giggles to himself. He also isn’t writing music lately, unless you count the improv lullabies or children songs for Ava. When he stumbles onto the set of a puppet show, makes a video go viral, he realizes he wants to write them. Children’s songs with Bernie’s puppeteer: Beverly. They’ve got hilarious chemistry on set, and the quiet longing off it.
If you enjoy the type of love that’s the lingering looks, minute details, small acts of kindness, aching thoughts, beautiful confessions, then this is for you. Griffin and Beverly’s love may be under the public eye, but only they know it’s true depth. It’s genuine, familiar, and they know each other better than anyone else. Griffin and Ava were so easily and effortlessly welcomed into Bev’s family, and the familial love really shines in the book too. Beverly’s grandma encourages her dreams, both career-wise and heart-wise. Her uncle is hilarious, and he’s a softy too. Beverly’s parents are the type of in love she’s been looking her whole life for, and her brother is the sweetest boy I’ve ever read about. The town feels like home, and when Griffin and Ava leave it doesn’t feel right. It’s your classic small town, with meddlers and gossip galore.
I really like how Julie writes romantic love, it doesn’t have to be this big thing (even though he is technically a famous singer and writes songs about her) but it really blooms in the late nights, hands under the table, leaning on the other. It makes your heart warm.
Want to Read
December 11, 2025YES HI HELLO 🎸🎤
2026
April 23, 2026Valentine's Day TBR
📱 Thank you to NetGalley and Berkley
📱 Thank you to NetGalley and Berkley
May 10, 2026
I’m in Julie Olivia’s ARC team and had the privilege to read this book months before release (it’s coming out on September 8). But it’s 100% an honest review 🤗.
Within the first few pages I was laughing out loud. I loved Beverly from the beginning and even Griffin had my heart that first stage moment 🤭. I have never read such an unique job before and I loved all the layers of the story. I mean: grumpy x sunshine/fake dating/forced proximity/single dad?! That’s everything we want right 😍?!
Yes, it was a slow burn, but it was definitely worth the wait. I loved every part of Beverly, Griffin, little Ava, the whole Lark family and the band members. I loved all the funny puns and wittiness and oh my, those last few chapters. It was amazing!
I will never not recommend any book by Julie Olivia and this one goes straight up my favourites list 💗.
Within the first few pages I was laughing out loud. I loved Beverly from the beginning and even Griffin had my heart that first stage moment 🤭. I have never read such an unique job before and I loved all the layers of the story. I mean: grumpy x sunshine/fake dating/forced proximity/single dad?! That’s everything we want right 😍?!
Yes, it was a slow burn, but it was definitely worth the wait. I loved every part of Beverly, Griffin, little Ava, the whole Lark family and the band members. I loved all the funny puns and wittiness and oh my, those last few chapters. It was amazing!
I will never not recommend any book by Julie Olivia and this one goes straight up my favourites list 💗.
May 23, 2026
Wow, wow, wow I loved this book so much 🥹
Read this in a day and could start back at the beginning. I was worried at the start about the idea of a puppeteer, I thought it might be too cheesy, but it was the cutest story line.
I love the way Julie writes her characters - they’re so genuine and full of emotion and life. She really writes them in a way that they could come off the page and interact with you.
And the way she writes the love interests - give me 1,000 more books just like this! It’s not cringey or weird, it’s so normal and wonderful and I love it so much 😭
The man that Griffen is…👏🏼😍
Thank you Netgalley for this ARC, I will be purchasing a physical copy when it gets published!!
Read this in a day and could start back at the beginning. I was worried at the start about the idea of a puppeteer, I thought it might be too cheesy, but it was the cutest story line.
I love the way Julie writes her characters - they’re so genuine and full of emotion and life. She really writes them in a way that they could come off the page and interact with you.
And the way she writes the love interests - give me 1,000 more books just like this! It’s not cringey or weird, it’s so normal and wonderful and I love it so much 😭
The man that Griffen is…👏🏼😍
Thank you Netgalley for this ARC, I will be purchasing a physical copy when it gets published!!
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Six stars, honestly.
This is one of my favorite contemporaries I’ve read this year. I absolutely loved it. And to think, I only picked it up because it went read now on NetGalley. Otherwise I probably wouldn’t have known about it.
If you love contemporary romance and want something a little different than the norm: flower shop, chef, business owner—please pick this one up when it comes out. The FMC is a puppeteer of all things and it just adds a lot of whimsy to the book that I ate up. The MMC is a reluctant, very private rock star. I kept picturing him as a more muscular Noah Kahan, if that helps anyone. The way his music was described reminded me of Noah’s. Idk.
They meet in the most unlikely circumstance and it spirals from there. Fake dating because her ex is an absolute villian. Beau sucks and does not get a redemption arc. There’s a wonderful small town with delightful characters. There’s a third act conflict that feels real and not forced. The epilogue gave me the warm fuzzies.
I only wished the animals had been more present because they were characterized interestingly. But that’s not even a complaint.
I’ve not been so enamored with a contemporary in a while, even the ones I’ve been anticipating. So for it to be one I randomly decided to give a try because the synopsis sounded different is surprising. Give this a chance if you love small town and a relationship that develops instead of just going from strangers to intimacy.
This is one of my favorite contemporaries I’ve read this year. I absolutely loved it. And to think, I only picked it up because it went read now on NetGalley. Otherwise I probably wouldn’t have known about it.
If you love contemporary romance and want something a little different than the norm: flower shop, chef, business owner—please pick this one up when it comes out. The FMC is a puppeteer of all things and it just adds a lot of whimsy to the book that I ate up. The MMC is a reluctant, very private rock star. I kept picturing him as a more muscular Noah Kahan, if that helps anyone. The way his music was described reminded me of Noah’s. Idk.
They meet in the most unlikely circumstance and it spirals from there. Fake dating because her ex is an absolute villian. Beau sucks and does not get a redemption arc. There’s a wonderful small town with delightful characters. There’s a third act conflict that feels real and not forced. The epilogue gave me the warm fuzzies.
I only wished the animals had been more present because they were characterized interestingly. But that’s not even a complaint.
I’ve not been so enamored with a contemporary in a while, even the ones I’ve been anticipating. So for it to be one I randomly decided to give a try because the synopsis sounded different is surprising. Give this a chance if you love small town and a relationship that develops instead of just going from strangers to intimacy.
May 5, 2026
A MILLION STARS.
Julie’s books become more and more alive each outing. These characters are so real I feel as though I could call them up in the real world and carry on conversations with them.
I loved everything about this and just adore how it is a celebration of niche passions and chasing lofty dreams. It celebrates kind hearted people and the joy of making someone laugh. It was a much needed break from everything going on in the world.
This novel was a massive comfort to me while reading. It took me back to my grandparents on a cozy winter night and to the Ozark mountains I visited as a child. It gave me the same feeling as a Glen Campbell song and for that it will remain gently on my mind for a long time.
A MUST read! (The companion playlist is a must as well)
Thank you so much to Julie Olivia and her team at Berkley for an eARC copy of this book.
Julie’s books become more and more alive each outing. These characters are so real I feel as though I could call them up in the real world and carry on conversations with them.
I loved everything about this and just adore how it is a celebration of niche passions and chasing lofty dreams. It celebrates kind hearted people and the joy of making someone laugh. It was a much needed break from everything going on in the world.
This novel was a massive comfort to me while reading. It took me back to my grandparents on a cozy winter night and to the Ozark mountains I visited as a child. It gave me the same feeling as a Glen Campbell song and for that it will remain gently on my mind for a long time.
A MUST read! (The companion playlist is a must as well)
Thank you so much to Julie Olivia and her team at Berkley for an eARC copy of this book.
July 22, 2026
Thank you to NetGalley and Berkley for the gifted ARC!
I absolutely adored If It Makes You Happy last year, so I have been eagerly waiting for Love Felt Like This ever since it was announced. And let me tell you… Julie Olivia did it again.
This book was everything I wanted and more. From the broody rockstar MMC, to the cutest little girl, to the woman who had her heart broken so badly she stopped believing in love, I loved every single piece of this story. Also, as a huge fan of The Muppets (RIP Muppets 3D at Hollywood Studios 😭), the little nods throughout made this extra special to me.
Beverly and Griffin completely stole my heart. I loved their dynamic from the very beginning. The grumpy/sunshine trope was done so well, and their relationship felt like so much more than just two people falling in love. They both had their own struggles and insecurities, but they were exactly what the other person needed. Beverly brought so much light into Griffin’s life, while Griffin reminded Beverly that she was worthy of being loved after everything she had been through.
And Griffin… 🥹 the man had my whole heart. A broody rockstar who is secretly the biggest softie and completely down bad for the woman he loves? Say less. Seeing him fall for Beverly and the way he showed up for her and Ava over and over again absolutely melted me. Speaking of Ava, she might be one of my favorite kids in a romance book. She was adorable, and I loved that she wasn’t just a side character but such an important part of the story. Seeing Griffin step into his role as a father and watching their relationship grow was such a sweet addition.
I also loved the cozy small-town setting, the found family, and watching Beverly bring her passion back to life. There was just something so comforting about this story. It made me laugh, it made me swoon, and it reminded me why I love romance books so much. This book completely stole my heart. If you love grumpy/sunshine, single dad romances, small-town charm, found family, and a romance that will leave you smiling long after you finish, this one is definitely worth picking up.
I absolutely adored If It Makes You Happy last year, so I have been eagerly waiting for Love Felt Like This ever since it was announced. And let me tell you… Julie Olivia did it again.
This book was everything I wanted and more. From the broody rockstar MMC, to the cutest little girl, to the woman who had her heart broken so badly she stopped believing in love, I loved every single piece of this story. Also, as a huge fan of The Muppets (RIP Muppets 3D at Hollywood Studios 😭), the little nods throughout made this extra special to me.
Beverly and Griffin completely stole my heart. I loved their dynamic from the very beginning. The grumpy/sunshine trope was done so well, and their relationship felt like so much more than just two people falling in love. They both had their own struggles and insecurities, but they were exactly what the other person needed. Beverly brought so much light into Griffin’s life, while Griffin reminded Beverly that she was worthy of being loved after everything she had been through.
And Griffin… 🥹 the man had my whole heart. A broody rockstar who is secretly the biggest softie and completely down bad for the woman he loves? Say less. Seeing him fall for Beverly and the way he showed up for her and Ava over and over again absolutely melted me. Speaking of Ava, she might be one of my favorite kids in a romance book. She was adorable, and I loved that she wasn’t just a side character but such an important part of the story. Seeing Griffin step into his role as a father and watching their relationship grow was such a sweet addition.
I also loved the cozy small-town setting, the found family, and watching Beverly bring her passion back to life. There was just something so comforting about this story. It made me laugh, it made me swoon, and it reminded me why I love romance books so much. This book completely stole my heart. If you love grumpy/sunshine, single dad romances, small-town charm, found family, and a romance that will leave you smiling long after you finish, this one is definitely worth picking up.
April 19, 2026
“𝐖𝐡𝐞𝐧 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐟𝐢𝐧𝐝 𝐬𝐨𝐦𝐞𝐨𝐧𝐞 𝐰𝐡𝐨 𝐥𝐚𝐮𝐠𝐡𝐬 𝐥𝐢𝐤𝐞 𝐁𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐥𝐲, 𝐰𝐡𝐨 𝐢𝐬 𝐤𝐢𝐧𝐝 𝐥𝐢𝐤𝐞 𝐡𝐞𝐫, 𝐰𝐡𝐨 𝐦𝐚𝐤𝐞𝐬 𝐬𝐢𝐥𝐥𝐲 𝐯𝐨𝐢𝐜𝐞𝐬 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐟𝐮𝐧 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐢𝐬 𝐬𝐨 𝐮𝐧𝐚𝐛𝐚𝐬𝐡𝐞𝐝𝐥𝐲 𝐠𝐞𝐧𝐮𝐢𝐧𝐞 𝐥𝐢𝐤𝐞 𝐡𝐞𝐫, 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐝𝐨𝐧’𝐭 𝐥𝐞𝐭 𝐭𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐠𝐨. 𝐌𝐲 𝐭𝐡𝐮𝐦𝐛 𝐬𝐭𝐫𝐨𝐤𝐞𝐬 𝐨𝐯𝐞𝐫 𝐡𝐞𝐫 𝐩𝐢𝐧𝐤 𝐜𝐡𝐞𝐞𝐤𝐬. 𝐈’𝐦 𝐝𝐫𝐚𝐰𝐧 𝐭𝐨 𝐡𝐞𝐫, 𝐥𝐢𝐤𝐞 𝐚 𝐠𝐫𝐞𝐞𝐝𝐲 𝐦𝐨𝐭𝐡 𝐭𝐨 𝐚 𝐛𝐫𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭, 𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐥𝐚𝐬𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐟𝐥𝐚𝐦𝐞.”
Julie never disappoints, and with Love Felt Like This she really outdid herself. Just like with If It Makes You Happy, I found myself swooning and completely falling in love with these fictional characters who somehow feel very real.
I don’t usually react outwardly to books, but this one got to me. I teared up and caught myself smiling so many times without even realising it.
I already have a soft spot for the single parent trope, but add that he’s a rock star too? Unmatched.
I’m utterly obsessed with Beverly and Griffin and if you see me watching The Muppets, mind your business. I love them so much your honour, just read this when it comes out in September!
the vibes ™:
- single dad x puppeteer
- small town
- coolest fmc with a 70s style
- pets!!
- the funniest banter
- wholesome
Thank you so much to the author for adding me to the permanent ARC-team - I’m so grateful and this feels so surreal to me 💌
Julie never disappoints, and with Love Felt Like This she really outdid herself. Just like with If It Makes You Happy, I found myself swooning and completely falling in love with these fictional characters who somehow feel very real.
I don’t usually react outwardly to books, but this one got to me. I teared up and caught myself smiling so many times without even realising it.
I already have a soft spot for the single parent trope, but add that he’s a rock star too? Unmatched.
I’m utterly obsessed with Beverly and Griffin and if you see me watching The Muppets, mind your business. I love them so much your honour, just read this when it comes out in September!
the vibes ™:
- single dad x puppeteer
- small town
- coolest fmc with a 70s style
- pets!!
- the funniest banter
- wholesome
Thank you so much to the author for adding me to the permanent ARC-team - I’m so grateful and this feels so surreal to me 💌
July 13, 2026
If there was an ambassador for cozy, warm, romantic and soft books, Julie Olivia would be it. Last year If It Makes You Happy was one of my top reads and I remember how pure and wholesome the entire reading experience was, and she’s done it again with Love Felt Like This. Julie gives us another heartwarming story about a single father who just wants to do right by his child and unexpectedly falls in love with the down on her luck puppeteer. Griffin and Beverly have undeniable chemistry, go bar for bar in banter, and make falling in love feel like a breath of fresh air.
When we first meet Beverly, she is grasping at the final chance for her show and career to succeed after losing funding. In a last ditch effort to try and find a new home for Birds on the Block (very Sesame Street coded), she appears on a variety show which leads to the run in of Griffin Harvey, notoriously grumpy rock star. He is unexpectedly thrust into her performance, but like most unexpected things nowadays, it goes viral and a plan is created to help him out of his writer’s block and to save her show. Even with their chaotic meeting, you can tell immediately that the connection between them is going to be powerful. Beverly is this quirky, bright and sunny person who wants to perform and continue her grandfather’s legacy, while also being extremely kind and understanding. Griffin, on the other hand, comes across as brash and grumpy, but once you get a closer look, he shows you that he is a dedicated and loving father who is full of unexpressed joy, so of course he would be drawn to Bev’s light.
Most of the story takes place in Beverly’s hometown of Elk Grove where she and Harvey decided to spend their time brainstorming and creating. Immediately, her family is introduced and you can tell just how much she takes after them. They are kooky and wild in the best way, extremely kind and caring, and the most eclectic and wholesome bunch of people. They welcome Griffin and his daughter with open arms and truly take care of them. This was one of my favorite parts in the entire book because found family is always something so special. Anything he or Ava (precious baby girl) needed, they showed up for with no hesitation. They become this village he allows himself to fall into and it tugs so hard on your heart. You can tell just how much of an influence they are to Beverly and where she gets her sunshine demeanor from. But, of course, this close proximity leads to thickest tension and yearning from both of them.
They are a push and pull of want and emotions, continually toeing the line of release. Being so secluded allows Griffin to ease up on some of his worries about his daughter and gets to experience what a quiet life could be like. A life he starts to imagine with Bev. The hottest thing this man does in the book is be a competent and present father and boy does it work for the story and the reader. The ease at which they both feel being away is obvious in their fun, easy, and flirty banter. He teases her but not unkindly, and expresses her uniqueness and light at any point he can. That man is down bad from the beginning and I adore that they are both so open about complimenting one another and offering reassurance. So when they finally give in, it is the sweetest of satisfactions. But, of course, in comes the third act conflict and then I was a mess from that point on. It's so raw and emotional on so many different levels and seeing how much they are yearning to just be together stabs you right in the gut. Julie Olivia is able to make you feel every ounce of angst, want, and love these two characters have for each other and you have no choice but to be utterly captivated.
Love Felt Like This was the perfect title for this book because if someone asked me to recommend something that felt like pure love and romance, I would suggest this one. It is filled with such genuine human emotions and the various journeys we are on together. Bev and Griffin are the perfect example of grumpy x sunshine, but are also characters who are acutely aware of their wants and emotions, which only leads to one of the most beautiful and supportive couples I’ve had the pleasure to read about. They are both sensitive, creative souls who only want for each other's happiness and I think the author brought them to life flawlessly. Oh and the epilogue was just the cherry on top of a perfect book and I cannot commend Julie enough for being so creative in writing them. I’m so excited for everyone to be able to read this book and fall in love with the entire cast of characters and bask in the warm affection that this story offers.
Thank you Berkley and NetGalley for this e-ARC in exchange for an honest review!
When we first meet Beverly, she is grasping at the final chance for her show and career to succeed after losing funding. In a last ditch effort to try and find a new home for Birds on the Block (very Sesame Street coded), she appears on a variety show which leads to the run in of Griffin Harvey, notoriously grumpy rock star. He is unexpectedly thrust into her performance, but like most unexpected things nowadays, it goes viral and a plan is created to help him out of his writer’s block and to save her show. Even with their chaotic meeting, you can tell immediately that the connection between them is going to be powerful. Beverly is this quirky, bright and sunny person who wants to perform and continue her grandfather’s legacy, while also being extremely kind and understanding. Griffin, on the other hand, comes across as brash and grumpy, but once you get a closer look, he shows you that he is a dedicated and loving father who is full of unexpressed joy, so of course he would be drawn to Bev’s light.
Most of the story takes place in Beverly’s hometown of Elk Grove where she and Harvey decided to spend their time brainstorming and creating. Immediately, her family is introduced and you can tell just how much she takes after them. They are kooky and wild in the best way, extremely kind and caring, and the most eclectic and wholesome bunch of people. They welcome Griffin and his daughter with open arms and truly take care of them. This was one of my favorite parts in the entire book because found family is always something so special. Anything he or Ava (precious baby girl) needed, they showed up for with no hesitation. They become this village he allows himself to fall into and it tugs so hard on your heart. You can tell just how much of an influence they are to Beverly and where she gets her sunshine demeanor from. But, of course, this close proximity leads to thickest tension and yearning from both of them.
They are a push and pull of want and emotions, continually toeing the line of release. Being so secluded allows Griffin to ease up on some of his worries about his daughter and gets to experience what a quiet life could be like. A life he starts to imagine with Bev. The hottest thing this man does in the book is be a competent and present father and boy does it work for the story and the reader. The ease at which they both feel being away is obvious in their fun, easy, and flirty banter. He teases her but not unkindly, and expresses her uniqueness and light at any point he can. That man is down bad from the beginning and I adore that they are both so open about complimenting one another and offering reassurance. So when they finally give in, it is the sweetest of satisfactions. But, of course, in comes the third act conflict and then I was a mess from that point on. It's so raw and emotional on so many different levels and seeing how much they are yearning to just be together stabs you right in the gut. Julie Olivia is able to make you feel every ounce of angst, want, and love these two characters have for each other and you have no choice but to be utterly captivated.
Love Felt Like This was the perfect title for this book because if someone asked me to recommend something that felt like pure love and romance, I would suggest this one. It is filled with such genuine human emotions and the various journeys we are on together. Bev and Griffin are the perfect example of grumpy x sunshine, but are also characters who are acutely aware of their wants and emotions, which only leads to one of the most beautiful and supportive couples I’ve had the pleasure to read about. They are both sensitive, creative souls who only want for each other's happiness and I think the author brought them to life flawlessly. Oh and the epilogue was just the cherry on top of a perfect book and I cannot commend Julie enough for being so creative in writing them. I’m so excited for everyone to be able to read this book and fall in love with the entire cast of characters and bask in the warm affection that this story offers.
Thank you Berkley and NetGalley for this e-ARC in exchange for an honest review!
May 14, 2026
I received an ARC of this book!? First of all thank you so much 💛💛
Julie, Julie, JULIEEE.
You have done it again. I’m obsessed with you. I’m obsessed with your writing!
I love when a book can transport me and oh girl this did exactly that. Dual POV is perfection. The characters are incredible, the slow burn is a chefs kiss. The last few chapters had me kicking my feet and screeching (my neighbors love me so much). Single dad?! I’m sat.
I love this book with all of my soul and I can’t wait to display my physical copy when it gets here! Please never stop writing 💛💛
Julie, Julie, JULIEEE.
You have done it again. I’m obsessed with you. I’m obsessed with your writing!
I love when a book can transport me and oh girl this did exactly that. Dual POV is perfection. The characters are incredible, the slow burn is a chefs kiss. The last few chapters had me kicking my feet and screeching (my neighbors love me so much). Single dad?! I’m sat.
I love this book with all of my soul and I can’t wait to display my physical copy when it gets here! Please never stop writing 💛💛
June 1, 2026
Thank you NetGalley for the arc.
5⭐️
J’ai trop aimé! Griffin>>>. C’était mon deuxième livre de l’auteur et les deux sont des 5⭐️. J’ai aimé que le personnage principal soit une marionnettiste parce que c’est vraiment hors du commun. Aussi, je déteste son ex, une chance qu’elle a rencontré Griffin. Pis Ava était trop mignonne j’adore le single dad trope qui sont vraiment bien fait.
5⭐️
J’ai trop aimé! Griffin>>>. C’était mon deuxième livre de l’auteur et les deux sont des 5⭐️. J’ai aimé que le personnage principal soit une marionnettiste parce que c’est vraiment hors du commun. Aussi, je déteste son ex, une chance qu’elle a rencontré Griffin. Pis Ava était trop mignonne j’adore le single dad trope qui sont vraiment bien fait.
Want to Read
July 6, 2026🎶Love Felt Like This 🎶
📖 Bookish Thoughts
A full review will be shared closer to the publication date.
✨ What to Expect
• Small Town Romance
• Grumpy x Sunshine
• Single Dad
• Celebrity Romance
• Opposites Attract
• Forced Proximity
• Cozy Romance
_ _ _ _
📅 Pub Date: September 8, 2026
Thank you to Berkley Publishing Group, and NetGalley for the advanced copy.
📖 Bookish Thoughts
A full review will be shared closer to the publication date.
✨ What to Expect
• Small Town Romance
• Grumpy x Sunshine
• Single Dad
• Celebrity Romance
• Opposites Attract
• Forced Proximity
• Cozy Romance
_ _ _ _
📅 Pub Date: September 8, 2026
Thank you to Berkley Publishing Group, and NetGalley for the advanced copy.
July 20, 2026
More to come but I’ll just say in I’ve been in such a reading slump and this book was everything I needed and more
July 27, 2026
I genuinely have no notes. Do yourself a favour and read this the moment it is published. Also, someone please make this into a movie because I am begging 🙏🙏🙏
Full review to come!!!
Full review to come!!!
Want to Read
February 19, 2026i am so seated!!
Want to Read
February 20, 2026Okay Hozier, I see you
Review of advance copy received from Author
Thank you so much to Julie and her team for the eARC!
I received the ARC to this months ago, but unfortunately had other ARCs I had to get to first and when I tell you I was trying to SPEED through those to get to this!!! If It Makes You Happy was one of my favorite books last year and I had high expectations for Love Felt Like This!!
I have zero idea what kind of drug Julie puts into her books, but each one leaves me in a state where I simply cannot put it down. And then once I do, I have to stare at a wall for at least 20 minutes comprehending the amazing love story I just read. I read 80% of Love Felt Like This in one sitting. And as a mom with two young toddlers, staying up until 1:30am on a Friday night was a choice. But I choice I do not regret because WOW!!!
Beverly and Griffin. Where do I even start?! Their love story felt so real. Their chemistry was palpable. Julie is able to explain real human emotion that isn’t superfluous. Some authors use 10+ descriptive words in one sentence to overtly explain the characters’ love for one another, to the point it feels unrealistic. She doesn’t need big words to describe this; instead she does it in a way that’s so simple using real life analogies that the reader themselves have experienced at some point in their lives, that we start to feel the love ourselves. I’m sure I was smiling to myself like a weirdo while reading this book. And as a self proclaimed fan girl (the small Jonas Brother shout out garnered a mini yelp from me), Griffin is everything I need in a book boyfriend. 😍
Elk Grove was the perfect setting for this cozy romance. Somehow Julie makes me feel nostalgia for a place I’ve never
experienced?! The side characters added so much LIFE to the story. Uncle Greg, Nana, her parents, Rob. They felt like a real family. And don’t even get me started on Ava. She was written like a real two year old (as a mom that has one). The only thing that threw me off was how she wasn’t sleeping in a crib 😂 but hey - I digress!!
I knew by page 10 that this was an easy 5 star read for me. I think I even liked it more than If It Makes You Happy?! Which I didn’t even know was possible.
brb while I go watch Sesame Street
I received the ARC to this months ago, but unfortunately had other ARCs I had to get to first and when I tell you I was trying to SPEED through those to get to this!!! If It Makes You Happy was one of my favorite books last year and I had high expectations for Love Felt Like This!!
I have zero idea what kind of drug Julie puts into her books, but each one leaves me in a state where I simply cannot put it down. And then once I do, I have to stare at a wall for at least 20 minutes comprehending the amazing love story I just read. I read 80% of Love Felt Like This in one sitting. And as a mom with two young toddlers, staying up until 1:30am on a Friday night was a choice. But I choice I do not regret because WOW!!!
Beverly and Griffin. Where do I even start?! Their love story felt so real. Their chemistry was palpable. Julie is able to explain real human emotion that isn’t superfluous. Some authors use 10+ descriptive words in one sentence to overtly explain the characters’ love for one another, to the point it feels unrealistic. She doesn’t need big words to describe this; instead she does it in a way that’s so simple using real life analogies that the reader themselves have experienced at some point in their lives, that we start to feel the love ourselves. I’m sure I was smiling to myself like a weirdo while reading this book. And as a self proclaimed fan girl (the small Jonas Brother shout out garnered a mini yelp from me), Griffin is everything I need in a book boyfriend. 😍
Elk Grove was the perfect setting for this cozy romance. Somehow Julie makes me feel nostalgia for a place I’ve never
experienced?! The side characters added so much LIFE to the story. Uncle Greg, Nana, her parents, Rob. They felt like a real family. And don’t even get me started on Ava. She was written like a real two year old (as a mom that has one). The only thing that threw me off was how she wasn’t sleeping in a crib 😂 but hey - I digress!!
I knew by page 10 that this was an easy 5 star read for me. I think I even liked it more than If It Makes You Happy?! Which I didn’t even know was possible.
brb while I go watch Sesame Street
July 19, 2026
Title: Love Felt Like This
Author: Julie Olivia
Format: NetGalley ebook
Genre: Contemporary, Romance
Overall score:⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Spice level:🌶️🌶️
POV’s: Beverly (FMC) & Griffin (MMC)
What to expect:
*Single dad rock star
*Forced proximity
*Fake dating
Safety:
No OW drama, OM drama from an ex-boyfriend. Three month breakup.
Review:
This is my second book by this author and I was worried about the rock star MMC. A lot of times that trope leads to OW drama, especially when said character is also a single father. However, Julie Olivia did a great job with this title and did not include any drama or jealousy from other women!
The FMC was written very insecure and naive. She just allowed her ex boyfriend bad mouth her for years because she didn’t want to speak up for herself. He continued to text her trying to cause problems between her and the MMC, and then acted like she didn’t know she could block him on her phone when her brother pointed out how the ex was treating her. I tend to be a little harsh with the female characters, so this is just a me thing.
Extreme slow burn, MC’s didn’t even have their first kiss until almost 70% into the story. No descriptive sex scenes.
The third act breakup was a little dramatic. I get that they both needed to work on their careers, but they couldn’t even pick up a phone to talk about how things ended?!?! At least they finally worked it out in the end, I adored the epilogue and final letter from Ava.
Thank you to the author, Berkley Publishing Group, and NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review this title!
Author: Julie Olivia
Format: NetGalley ebook
Genre: Contemporary, Romance
Overall score:⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Spice level:🌶️🌶️
POV’s: Beverly (FMC) & Griffin (MMC)
What to expect:
*Single dad rock star
*Forced proximity
*Fake dating
Safety:
No OW drama, OM drama from an ex-boyfriend. Three month breakup.
Review:
This is my second book by this author and I was worried about the rock star MMC. A lot of times that trope leads to OW drama, especially when said character is also a single father. However, Julie Olivia did a great job with this title and did not include any drama or jealousy from other women!
The FMC was written very insecure and naive. She just allowed her ex boyfriend bad mouth her for years because she didn’t want to speak up for herself. He continued to text her trying to cause problems between her and the MMC, and then acted like she didn’t know she could block him on her phone when her brother pointed out how the ex was treating her. I tend to be a little harsh with the female characters, so this is just a me thing.
Extreme slow burn, MC’s didn’t even have their first kiss until almost 70% into the story. No descriptive sex scenes.
The third act breakup was a little dramatic. I get that they both needed to work on their careers, but they couldn’t even pick up a phone to talk about how things ended?!?! At least they finally worked it out in the end, I adored the epilogue and final letter from Ava.
Thank you to the author, Berkley Publishing Group, and NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review this title!
August 6, 2026
New comfort read unlocked ✨ I cannot wait to wrap myself in a cosy blanket next to the fireplace and re-read this winter 🥹
If you’re looking for a heartwarming, comforting, cosy read then Love Felt Like This is the one for you 🧡
🍁 Slow burn
✨ Single dad
🍁 Fake dating
✨ Rock star mmc
🍁 Kids TV puppeteer fmc
✨ Grumpy x sunshine
🍁 Small town romance
This book has my entire heart 🧡 As someone who hasn’t read too much contemporary romance but is a sucker for musician fics this one was the perfect combo for success! And also rockstar x puppeteer is so niche and unique but somehow works so well??!
I basically devoured this book in 2 days and caught myself smiling so many times while reading 🥹 This is a slow paced, grounded and immersive read with amazing built up, it felt as if I was watching a romance film and I loved it.
Beverly and Griffin were such a good match, both driven individuals with so much softness and Ava was an incredibly written toddler who added so much to the story.
Beverly was sooo spot on as a character! Even though puppeteering is not something most of us can relate to, her struggles and drive is what gets you plus her 70s style was adorable 🧡
Griffin was just so calm, patient, kind and level-headed and felt so real? Basically everything I adore in a man PLUS I’m a sucker for musician mmcs 😭
Absolutely adored Steak the cat and Pudge the dog as well as all the other characters and their individuality! Julie truly has a talent in making you connect and care about each character and introducing important details that somehow tie in later on in the story to make these connections even stronger 🧡
The ending was also so sweet. The understanding between them that neither of them should have to give up their careers to be together made me so happy! Julie Olivia you are now one of my elite employees* 🤩
Thank you Siren Book Club & Penguin Michael Joseph for the gifted proof copy at Siren Fest!
{Gifted/PR}
*this is from a meme
Side note - at one point certain sights around the world were called pretty, one of them being London Bridge. I could be wrong but if the author meant the pretty bridge in London then it’s Tower Bridge (this is a common mistake people make and as a Londoner it made me giggle!).
If you’re looking for a heartwarming, comforting, cosy read then Love Felt Like This is the one for you 🧡
🍁 Slow burn
✨ Single dad
🍁 Fake dating
✨ Rock star mmc
🍁 Kids TV puppeteer fmc
✨ Grumpy x sunshine
🍁 Small town romance
This book has my entire heart 🧡 As someone who hasn’t read too much contemporary romance but is a sucker for musician fics this one was the perfect combo for success! And also rockstar x puppeteer is so niche and unique but somehow works so well??!
I basically devoured this book in 2 days and caught myself smiling so many times while reading 🥹 This is a slow paced, grounded and immersive read with amazing built up, it felt as if I was watching a romance film and I loved it.
Beverly and Griffin were such a good match, both driven individuals with so much softness and Ava was an incredibly written toddler who added so much to the story.
Beverly was sooo spot on as a character! Even though puppeteering is not something most of us can relate to, her struggles and drive is what gets you plus her 70s style was adorable 🧡
Griffin was just so calm, patient, kind and level-headed and felt so real? Basically everything I adore in a man PLUS I’m a sucker for musician mmcs 😭
Absolutely adored Steak the cat and Pudge the dog as well as all the other characters and their individuality! Julie truly has a talent in making you connect and care about each character and introducing important details that somehow tie in later on in the story to make these connections even stronger 🧡
The ending was also so sweet. The understanding between them that neither of them should have to give up their careers to be together made me so happy! Julie Olivia you are now one of my elite employees* 🤩
Thank you Siren Book Club & Penguin Michael Joseph for the gifted proof copy at Siren Fest!
{Gifted/PR}
*this is from a meme
Side note - at one point certain sights around the world were called pretty, one of them being London Bridge. I could be wrong but if the author meant the pretty bridge in London then it’s Tower Bridge (this is a common mistake people make and as a Londoner it made me giggle!).
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