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Encore Performance: An 831 Stories Romance
Emmy Gold—the frontwoman of an indie-sleaze breakout band who’s since gone solo—is back on tour with her former collaborator and first love, Bishop Ward. She's always trusted she can write a hit song, and now she’s finding out if she can rewrite her past.
Deja View, an iconic early-aughts indie trio that released one perfect album two decades ago, broke up at the peak of their stardom, thanks to an unexpected schism between Emmy, the lead singer, and Bishop, the bassist she yearned after for years. Since then, Emmy has gone on to a successful career as a singer-songwriter, one who never revisits her younger days—until a reunion tour to support their drummer’s medical bills forces her to reckon with who she and Bishop once were, and who they have since become.
Deja View, an iconic early-aughts indie trio that released one perfect album two decades ago, broke up at the peak of their stardom, thanks to an unexpected schism between Emmy, the lead singer, and Bishop, the bassist she yearned after for years. Since then, Emmy has gone on to a successful career as a singer-songwriter, one who never revisits her younger days—until a reunion tour to support their drummer’s medical bills forces her to reckon with who she and Bishop once were, and who they have since become.
240 pages, Paperback
Published October 13, 2026
About the author
Leila Sales
14 books951 followersLeila Sales was born in 1984 and grew up outside of Boston, Massachusetts. She graduated from the University of Chicago with a degree in psychology in 2006. Now she lives in Brooklyn, New York, and works in the mostly glamorous world of children's book publishing. Leila spends most of her time thinking about sleeping, kittens, dance parties, and stories that she wants to write.
***Please note that I do not respond to messages sent to me via Goodreads mail. I love hearing from readers, but would ask you to email me at leila@leilasales.com, or tweet at me @LeilaSalesBooks. Thank you!
***Please note that I do not respond to messages sent to me via Goodreads mail. I love hearing from readers, but would ask you to email me at leila@leilasales.com, or tweet at me @LeilaSalesBooks. Thank you!
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 126 reviews
August 3, 2026
This was absolutely delightful! This was rockstar romance done incredibly well! Emmy is our FMC who started out in an indie band and gone out on her own. She ends up reuniting with her former band mates, and first love, for a reunion tour where she has to grapple with her feelings for her former band mate.
I really enjoyed all of the characters in this! 831 Stories has been published a few recent novellas with older FMCs and MMCs and they’ve all been so well done including this one! Leila does such an amazing job at creating such a well rounded cast of characters, who are all dealing with different issues in their lives when they are brought back together.
I really enjoyed Bishop’s character. His story about the líon and how it represented his struggle with fame and the larger part that plays in the book was one of my favorite parts. This book does such an incredible job at showing how fame can quickly go to your head if you’re not careful.
I also really enjoyed the relationship between Emmy and Bishop! Emmy has had so many life changed at the beginning of the book and even after 20 years she’s still pining after Bishop. They both have a lot of baggage and it’s nice seeing them work through some of that together.
Overall, I definitely recommend this if you’re looking for a short, but sweet rockstar romance with a lot of depth. I will definitely be keeping an eye out for what Leila Sales does next!
Thank you so much to NetGalley and 831 Stories for an ARC in exchange for an honest review!
I really enjoyed all of the characters in this! 831 Stories has been published a few recent novellas with older FMCs and MMCs and they’ve all been so well done including this one! Leila does such an amazing job at creating such a well rounded cast of characters, who are all dealing with different issues in their lives when they are brought back together.
I really enjoyed Bishop’s character. His story about the líon and how it represented his struggle with fame and the larger part that plays in the book was one of my favorite parts. This book does such an incredible job at showing how fame can quickly go to your head if you’re not careful.
I also really enjoyed the relationship between Emmy and Bishop! Emmy has had so many life changed at the beginning of the book and even after 20 years she’s still pining after Bishop. They both have a lot of baggage and it’s nice seeing them work through some of that together.
Overall, I definitely recommend this if you’re looking for a short, but sweet rockstar romance with a lot of depth. I will definitely be keeping an eye out for what Leila Sales does next!
Thank you so much to NetGalley and 831 Stories for an ARC in exchange for an honest review!
August 9, 2026
4.75 - nearly perfect, the ending/redemption felt a teenie tiny bit rushed
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
„At some point in my thirties—maybe it was when I fell in love with Tom—I stopped viewing a partner as a prize to win by being the best; instead, I started seeing people as puzzle pieces that do or do not fit together.”
I honestly went into this with very little expectations, but it really exceeded them! It manages to pack so much in just about 250 pages.
„Encore Performance” tells the story of an acclaimed early-2000s indie band, Deja View, as it reunites for their twentieth anniversary to embark on a celebratory tour around the country. Our main character, Emmy Gold, is now a successful solo artist and somewhat recently divorced, while her two band mates, Bishop and Lawrence, have since transitioned to a regular life style. But the reunion comes with its tensions and friction, as Emmy and Bishop have to face their shared, intense history.
Honestly, this is as messy as it sounds, but what I was most surprised by was how retrospective it was. I loved that the story (and romance) is told from the perspective of a 44 year old woman, who has lived her life and achieved a great deal and messed up a lot. Emmy looks back a lot on who she had been when Deja View was first starting out, and all the mistakes she'd made then, and all the ways in which she wanted to avoid being that person again and making those same mistakes. Because, after all, who you are at 24 is not who you are at 44, and you can look back on it and admit all the ways in which you were wrong. But you can also sometimes overcorrect. And this doesn't just pertain to Emmy herself, but also Bishop, and to some extent Lawrence (although he was kinda just there; I wish we'd gotten a bit more of him). Finding a way to love and accept your messy young self is not easy, but it is needed in order to move on and try again and maybe make things right this time. This is kind of the central theme of the book, and I loved it!
The romance is also messy, but it felt realistic. Just because we've grown and we're aware of our mistakes and where we messed up doesn't mean we're perfect people now and that we can't mess up. I think some readers might be a bit put off by some of Bishops' actions (understandably & his character would agree), but he felt raw and real to me, and I liked that! I'm not a fan of overly perfect mmcs in romances, and he certainly isn't, but I think he's charming and he's trying to better himself.
I think my only overall gripe with the story is that I wish it were longer, especially the third act, because so much is happening! And I wish we'd spent more time with these characters. But, still, I think this does a great job for a book so short, especially since, like I said, it packs quite a lot. Everything is told in this kind of dual timeline, but in a way that mirrors and reflects all the ways in which Emmy tries to not follow the exact same trajectory.
A solid 4.5 stars! And I look foward to reading more from Lila Sales!
Thank you NetGalley and 831 Stories Romance for providing me with an e-ARC of this book. All opinions are my own.
I honestly went into this with very little expectations, but it really exceeded them! It manages to pack so much in just about 250 pages.
„Encore Performance” tells the story of an acclaimed early-2000s indie band, Deja View, as it reunites for their twentieth anniversary to embark on a celebratory tour around the country. Our main character, Emmy Gold, is now a successful solo artist and somewhat recently divorced, while her two band mates, Bishop and Lawrence, have since transitioned to a regular life style. But the reunion comes with its tensions and friction, as Emmy and Bishop have to face their shared, intense history.
Honestly, this is as messy as it sounds, but what I was most surprised by was how retrospective it was. I loved that the story (and romance) is told from the perspective of a 44 year old woman, who has lived her life and achieved a great deal and messed up a lot. Emmy looks back a lot on who she had been when Deja View was first starting out, and all the mistakes she'd made then, and all the ways in which she wanted to avoid being that person again and making those same mistakes. Because, after all, who you are at 24 is not who you are at 44, and you can look back on it and admit all the ways in which you were wrong. But you can also sometimes overcorrect. And this doesn't just pertain to Emmy herself, but also Bishop, and to some extent Lawrence (although he was kinda just there; I wish we'd gotten a bit more of him). Finding a way to love and accept your messy young self is not easy, but it is needed in order to move on and try again and maybe make things right this time. This is kind of the central theme of the book, and I loved it!
The romance is also messy, but it felt realistic. Just because we've grown and we're aware of our mistakes and where we messed up doesn't mean we're perfect people now and that we can't mess up. I think some readers might be a bit put off by some of Bishops' actions (understandably & his character would agree), but he felt raw and real to me, and I liked that! I'm not a fan of overly perfect mmcs in romances, and he certainly isn't, but I think he's charming and he's trying to better himself.
I think my only overall gripe with the story is that I wish it were longer, especially the third act, because so much is happening! And I wish we'd spent more time with these characters. But, still, I think this does a great job for a book so short, especially since, like I said, it packs quite a lot. Everything is told in this kind of dual timeline, but in a way that mirrors and reflects all the ways in which Emmy tries to not follow the exact same trajectory.
A solid 4.5 stars! And I look foward to reading more from Lila Sales!
Thank you NetGalley and 831 Stories Romance for providing me with an e-ARC of this book. All opinions are my own.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
I struggled to connect to this book but it picked up for me in the second half. And Emmy deserved better than Bishop I’m sorry
Review of advance copy
3.5 stars
so sweet!! a novella that encapsulates everything i love about second-chance romance: that feeling when someone you used to know comes back into your life and everything is the same but also so different, the messiness of the first chance, and the growth that makes the second chance possible--the realization that the one that got away might not, in fact, have gotten away. it's so angsty and i always eat it up!! i wish we would've lingered more on those last couple of chapters as the ending felt a bit rushed to me, but otherwise this was great!
so sweet!! a novella that encapsulates everything i love about second-chance romance: that feeling when someone you used to know comes back into your life and everything is the same but also so different, the messiness of the first chance, and the growth that makes the second chance possible--the realization that the one that got away might not, in fact, have gotten away. it's so angsty and i always eat it up!! i wish we would've lingered more on those last couple of chapters as the ending felt a bit rushed to me, but otherwise this was great!
August 23, 2026
Encore Performance by Leila Sales was probably one of my favorites among the 831 Stories I have read recently. This novella managed to be as close to a slow burn as is possible in a story this short, which is no small feat.
Encore Performance follows solo artist Emmy Gold after she is approached by her old bandmate about a reunion tour. At first, the idea is the farthest thing from where she sees her career going, but the drummer is persuasive, and pretty soon Emmy has agreed to 18 shows. One of the biggest reasons she is against it is that the tour will put her back in the same room as Bishop, the band's bassist, who broke her heart over and over again when she was desperately in love with him and he was, at most, ambivalent to her. As they get to know the current versions of each other and reckon with their pasts, they must figure out what the future looks like for them.
The way the sex scenes were written in this novel was perfect, and they aged with the characters. The first scene, when they were in their early 20s, was rushed, one-sided, and selfish. Two decades later, they were able to remedy that original encounter, and it was everything the first was not: communicative, open, and mutual. Sex is so often written into novels as an unrealistic display of unrestrained passion where the woman immediately gets off multiple times, and the man both lasts forever and can go 4+ rounds back-to-back. While some people may have that experience, most do not, and it was refreshing to read a story where all of it, minus the fame, felt within reach of real life.
Thank you to NetGalley and 831 Stories for an advance copy of this novella in exchange for my honest review.
Encore Performance follows solo artist Emmy Gold after she is approached by her old bandmate about a reunion tour. At first, the idea is the farthest thing from where she sees her career going, but the drummer is persuasive, and pretty soon Emmy has agreed to 18 shows. One of the biggest reasons she is against it is that the tour will put her back in the same room as Bishop, the band's bassist, who broke her heart over and over again when she was desperately in love with him and he was, at most, ambivalent to her. As they get to know the current versions of each other and reckon with their pasts, they must figure out what the future looks like for them.
The way the sex scenes were written in this novel was perfect, and they aged with the characters. The first scene, when they were in their early 20s, was rushed, one-sided, and selfish. Two decades later, they were able to remedy that original encounter, and it was everything the first was not: communicative, open, and mutual. Sex is so often written into novels as an unrealistic display of unrestrained passion where the woman immediately gets off multiple times, and the man both lasts forever and can go 4+ rounds back-to-back. While some people may have that experience, most do not, and it was refreshing to read a story where all of it, minus the fame, felt within reach of real life.
Thank you to NetGalley and 831 Stories for an advance copy of this novella in exchange for my honest review.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Short and sweet second chance rockstar romance that refreshingly features the main female character as the more successful musician. To me, a successful second chance romance is when the author convinces me that the characters are older and wiser and have learnt from their mistakes with that person from the past. And this novella successfully delivered that.
I adored Emmy and Bishop who are forced to reunite twenty years after their relationship and band fell apart. The complicated emotions stirring back to surface with all its messiness, insecurity and raw emotions was beautifully captured by the author. Including their chemistry as both love interests but also songwriting partners. I also loved the reveal that was slowly starting to twig for me as I was reading it (I do love a bit of bonkers thrown in).
Encore! I would love to read more from this new to me author.
I adored Emmy and Bishop who are forced to reunite twenty years after their relationship and band fell apart. The complicated emotions stirring back to surface with all its messiness, insecurity and raw emotions was beautifully captured by the author. Including their chemistry as both love interests but also songwriting partners. I also loved the reveal that was slowly starting to twig for me as I was reading it (I do love a bit of bonkers thrown in).
Encore! I would love to read more from this new to me author.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
4.5/5. This is my favorite 831 stories novella so far! Dual timeline, second chance all done in a short span of pages is honestly such an accomplishment for this author getting it right.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for my copy.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for my copy.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
thank you so much to netgalley for this arc!!
This novella follows Deja View, an iconic early-aughts indie trio that are going on a reunion tour twenty years after they peaked to support their drummers medical bills. For Emmy, the lead singer and songwriter, this is not an easy thing to do especially because she would have to face her first love that also happens to be the bands bassist, Bishop, and let’s say they left things on a bad note.
I wanted to start this review by saying that the things I didn’t really like about this book could possibly be a reason for someone else to like it since there are not inherently bad things. Just personal preferences. First I wanted to mention that the characters are in their mid forties and I thought I was okay with that but it bothered me more than I thought it would. I feel that same way about ya books, I’m just not at an age where I want to read about that. I’m am sure though that a lot of people would actually like seeing older characters since lately there has been an overflow of books with characters that are either in their 20s or 30s. The other thing that people might like but I personally didn’t was the whole band and fame aspect of the book. It made me realise that I don’t like reading books about famous people. It’s so not something I care about which by result also made me not care for the story and the characters. It was a well written and crafter story so if that’s something you like I say give this books a shot.
Now on to the more personal reason why I didn’t like this book. I so disliked our main love interest Bishop. God how I hated him and I truly don’t get why Emmy still was in love with him (I know it’s the point of the story, she’s yearning for something that’s bad for her blah blah blah) but I swear to god there was nothing about that man that was likable. And don’t even get me started on that ending. Sure he said all those things but all throughout the book he has been an asshole so I don’t see how any of that isn’t just empty words. He treated her like shit and then he supposedly has changed although he didn’t really do anything to prove that (I’m not counting that last bit because he did ditch her there). Also I’m so sorry but truly if you have been apart 20 years and after all that time still act like this in your 40s i have no respect for you. It’s not a romantic story.
Not necessarily a bad book but it was so not to my taste.
This novella follows Deja View, an iconic early-aughts indie trio that are going on a reunion tour twenty years after they peaked to support their drummers medical bills. For Emmy, the lead singer and songwriter, this is not an easy thing to do especially because she would have to face her first love that also happens to be the bands bassist, Bishop, and let’s say they left things on a bad note.
I wanted to start this review by saying that the things I didn’t really like about this book could possibly be a reason for someone else to like it since there are not inherently bad things. Just personal preferences. First I wanted to mention that the characters are in their mid forties and I thought I was okay with that but it bothered me more than I thought it would. I feel that same way about ya books, I’m just not at an age where I want to read about that. I’m am sure though that a lot of people would actually like seeing older characters since lately there has been an overflow of books with characters that are either in their 20s or 30s. The other thing that people might like but I personally didn’t was the whole band and fame aspect of the book. It made me realise that I don’t like reading books about famous people. It’s so not something I care about which by result also made me not care for the story and the characters. It was a well written and crafter story so if that’s something you like I say give this books a shot.
Now on to the more personal reason why I didn’t like this book. I so disliked our main love interest Bishop. God how I hated him and I truly don’t get why Emmy still was in love with him (I know it’s the point of the story, she’s yearning for something that’s bad for her blah blah blah) but I swear to god there was nothing about that man that was likable. And don’t even get me started on that ending. Sure he said all those things but all throughout the book he has been an asshole so I don’t see how any of that isn’t just empty words. He treated her like shit and then he supposedly has changed although he didn’t really do anything to prove that (I’m not counting that last bit because he did ditch her there). Also I’m so sorry but truly if you have been apart 20 years and after all that time still act like this in your 40s i have no respect for you. It’s not a romantic story.
Not necessarily a bad book but it was so not to my taste.
October 21, 2026
i enjoyed this one so much more than i thought i was going to, to be honest! i’m not typically a fan of rockstar romances, but this one proved me wrong. this was extremely easy to read and i binged it in a day.
i feel so strongly that novellas work best with second chance romances, or when the main characters were close friends prior to getting together, because it feels so much easier for me to believe in them and their love when they have actual history to build upon. this was exactly the case between Emmy & Bishop, and i think this is why i felt genuine and believable chemistry between Emmy & Bishop from the very beginning. because of that shared history, it doesn’t feel insta-lovey at all and there’s a real depth to their relationship that felt palpable. seeing the flashbacks to what pushed them apart initially, i lowkey wanted to punch Bishop in the face at times (and to be honest, i didn’t know if he was gonna be able to redeem himself). but, by the end, i was rooting for them to be together so hard.
the conflict with Lawrence was wild, and i feel like this was kinda just glossed over? i know they were on tour and busy with things, but after he’s honest with them about what’s going on, it felt like everyone just instantly moves on without confronting it, which felt weird. i do like the way his storyline wrapped up in the end, though.
my main criticism is that the ending felt a bit rushed. even 1-2 more chapters would’ve helped to develop the ending just a little bit more.
with that being said, i still really enjoyed this one!!
thank you 831 Stories for the advanced reading copy 🫶🏼
i feel so strongly that novellas work best with second chance romances, or when the main characters were close friends prior to getting together, because it feels so much easier for me to believe in them and their love when they have actual history to build upon. this was exactly the case between Emmy & Bishop, and i think this is why i felt genuine and believable chemistry between Emmy & Bishop from the very beginning. because of that shared history, it doesn’t feel insta-lovey at all and there’s a real depth to their relationship that felt palpable. seeing the flashbacks to what pushed them apart initially, i lowkey wanted to punch Bishop in the face at times (and to be honest, i didn’t know if he was gonna be able to redeem himself). but, by the end, i was rooting for them to be together so hard.
the conflict with Lawrence was wild, and i feel like this was kinda just glossed over? i know they were on tour and busy with things, but after he’s honest with them about what’s going on, it felt like everyone just instantly moves on without confronting it, which felt weird. i do like the way his storyline wrapped up in the end, though.
my main criticism is that the ending felt a bit rushed. even 1-2 more chapters would’ve helped to develop the ending just a little bit more.
with that being said, i still really enjoyed this one!!
thank you 831 Stories for the advanced reading copy 🫶🏼
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
There’s a reason I keep coming back to 831 Stories. Every novella manages to pack so much heart, romance, and character development into such a small package.
For me, Encore Performance would have fared better as a longer novel. I liked our FMC, but I needed more time with our MMC for his emotional growth to feel fully believable. A lot of the plot happens in the final 15%, and for a novella, that just isn’t a lot of pages to work with.
That said, I thoroughly enjoyed the story and am thrilled I had the opportunity to read it. I’m just a little less enamored with the MMC than the FMC is.
Thank you to NetGalley and 831 Stories for the advance reader copy. This review is voluntary, and all opinions are my own.
For me, Encore Performance would have fared better as a longer novel. I liked our FMC, but I needed more time with our MMC for his emotional growth to feel fully believable. A lot of the plot happens in the final 15%, and for a novella, that just isn’t a lot of pages to work with.
That said, I thoroughly enjoyed the story and am thrilled I had the opportunity to read it. I’m just a little less enamored with the MMC than the FMC is.
Thank you to NetGalley and 831 Stories for the advance reader copy. This review is voluntary, and all opinions are my own.
October 14, 2026
I've been enjoying this second-chance romance. It's a fast read, and I really liked that the main characters are older. There's something about reading a romance where the characters have lived different lives and taken different paths that makes their journey back to each other interesting.
It's also been a while since I've read a book told from only one POV. I usually prefer dual or multiple POVs, but I was okay with it here.
One recommendation if you're picking this one up: make sure you read the epilogue on the 831 Stories website. It gave me the full ending I was looking for, and I'm so glad I read it.
Thank you to NetGalley and 831 Stories for the uncorrected proof. All opinions are my own.
It's also been a while since I've read a book told from only one POV. I usually prefer dual or multiple POVs, but I was okay with it here.
One recommendation if you're picking this one up: make sure you read the epilogue on the 831 Stories website. It gave me the full ending I was looking for, and I'm so glad I read it.
Thank you to NetGalley and 831 Stories for the uncorrected proof. All opinions are my own.
August 31, 2026
Encore Performance by Leila Sales was a great second chance rockstar romance. I love the aspect of the story that they have lived so much life in the space between their time together- and I very much enjoy that the characters weren’t young- I feel like it gave them a deeper appreciation for one another to know what it’s like to live a life without each other and know they wouldn’t choose that for the remainder of their lives if it’s up to them! Thank you to NetGalley and 831 Stories for the ARC!
September 9, 2026
Thank you to NetGalley and 831 Stories for this eARC in exchange for my honest opinion!
I really enjoyed Emmy and how she evolved into her own persona and became a stronger musician. It was also interesting to see Bishop not pursuing the same career path but when you get into the flashbacks, it’s clear what his main focus was. The twist at the end was actually kind of funny and definitely made sense!
I did wish we had more of their present and also more of their past story fleshed out. That’s always my main issue; I want these stories to always be longer!
I really enjoyed Emmy and how she evolved into her own persona and became a stronger musician. It was also interesting to see Bishop not pursuing the same career path but when you get into the flashbacks, it’s clear what his main focus was. The twist at the end was actually kind of funny and definitely made sense!
I did wish we had more of their present and also more of their past story fleshed out. That’s always my main issue; I want these stories to always be longer!
October 19, 2026
Once again, 831 Stories CRUSHED IT!!!!! This novella was absolutely wonderful and a fabulous debut adult novel by Leila Sales!!
I really loved the plot of this book. I don’t read many pop star/band type novels, but this one was amazing!! Our FMC, Emmy, is asked by one of her old bandmates to go on a reunion tour for their indie trio band they formed back in their twenties. Reluctant at first, she finally agrees while knowing she has to come face to face with her other bandmate and first love who broke her heart twenty years ago, Bishop.
P.S. LOVED the little nod to another 831 Stories novella, Double Standard, with a mention of “Athena’s War” while the band was in Nashville!!
Thank you NetGalley, Leila Sales, and 831 Stories for an advance copy!
I really loved the plot of this book. I don’t read many pop star/band type novels, but this one was amazing!! Our FMC, Emmy, is asked by one of her old bandmates to go on a reunion tour for their indie trio band they formed back in their twenties. Reluctant at first, she finally agrees while knowing she has to come face to face with her other bandmate and first love who broke her heart twenty years ago, Bishop.
P.S. LOVED the little nod to another 831 Stories novella, Double Standard, with a mention of “Athena’s War” while the band was in Nashville!!
Thank you NetGalley, Leila Sales, and 831 Stories for an advance copy!
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
3.75 ⭐
ARC Review
If you loved Daisy Jones and the Six you must read this. Emmy, Bishop and Lawrence agree to get back together for a reunion tour for there band deja view nearly 20 years after the bad split.
I really enjoyed the time jumps throughout the book which helped you understand how the band got to be where they were today. I also loved the twist in the end even though it is not what I was thinking.
Thank you to Netgalley and 831 Stories for this advance copy.
ARC Review
If you loved Daisy Jones and the Six you must read this. Emmy, Bishop and Lawrence agree to get back together for a reunion tour for there band deja view nearly 20 years after the bad split.
I really enjoyed the time jumps throughout the book which helped you understand how the band got to be where they were today. I also loved the twist in the end even though it is not what I was thinking.
Thank you to Netgalley and 831 Stories for this advance copy.
September 21, 2026
I loved reading about Deja View and their origin story - mainly, Emmy Gold's progression to success and fame in her music career. To have Emmy's career be the most successful out of the three band members was a fun dynamic to read about as well.
I was excited to see how the romance with Bishop would play out, given the history that they shared and the chemistry that they supposedly had on stage. This was where disappointment set in. Bishop kept disappointing me, when in his twenties, and then again in his forties. I was expecting Emmy to be with a man, yet she kept pining for a boy.
I DID enjoy the twist at the end! It gave this novella some life (pun intended).
Thank you to NetGalley and 831 Stories for the ARC in exchange for my honest review.
I was excited to see how the romance with Bishop would play out, given the history that they shared and the chemistry that they supposedly had on stage. This was where disappointment set in. Bishop kept disappointing me, when in his twenties, and then again in his forties. I was expecting Emmy to be with a man, yet she kept pining for a boy.
I DID enjoy the twist at the end! It gave this novella some life (pun intended).
Thank you to NetGalley and 831 Stories for the ARC in exchange for my honest review.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Second chance romance done well.
There are so many ways second chance romance can take a left and end up not ringing true. The fact Leila Sales took Emmy and Bishop, two characters in their mid forties, and reconnected them in a way that makes perfect sense proves her to be a talent I hope to read more from in the future.
The fact that this is her first adult romance and the characters are mature and genuine is incredible.
Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for the advanced copy
There are so many ways second chance romance can take a left and end up not ringing true. The fact Leila Sales took Emmy and Bishop, two characters in their mid forties, and reconnected them in a way that makes perfect sense proves her to be a talent I hope to read more from in the future.
The fact that this is her first adult romance and the characters are mature and genuine is incredible.
Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for the advanced copy
October 16, 2026
Delightful. Unexpectedly affecting.
September 9, 2026
i think this book is phenomenal for a one narrator romance with such messy and deep background. i wanted more evidence of him yearning for her over the years, of him missing her every moment they were apart. but they way he redeemed himself was EVERYTHING!!!
August 31, 2026
⭐️ 3.75 ⭐️
Sometimes you just need a bite-sized-weekend-read romance!
This was my first 831 novella, and I knew it would be a hit as soon as I read it was a second-chance relationship between bandmates.
I did find the ending to be a bit rushed (I could’ve used a little more redemption from Lawrence [and honestly Bishop, too]). Though, that’s to be expected from a shorter romance. I might’ve disagreed with Emmy’s quick forgiveness, but I enjoy the messiness of it. I’m quite sure her and Bishop did not last more than a year.
Thank you to 831 Stories for the NetGalley e-ARC!
Sometimes you just need a bite-sized-weekend-read romance!
This was my first 831 novella, and I knew it would be a hit as soon as I read it was a second-chance relationship between bandmates.
I did find the ending to be a bit rushed (I could’ve used a little more redemption from Lawrence [and honestly Bishop, too]). Though, that’s to be expected from a shorter romance. I might’ve disagreed with Emmy’s quick forgiveness, but I enjoy the messiness of it. I’m quite sure her and Bishop did not last more than a year.
Thank you to 831 Stories for the NetGalley e-ARC!
October 1, 2026
Thank you 831 Stories for providing this book for review consideration via NetGalley. All opinions are my own.
https://jenninsf.wordpress.com/2026/0...
I think this might be my favorite novella I’ve read from 831 Stories yet! Maybe it’s tied with Grape Juice but recency bias gives this one the edge. This author knows how to get in, give you all the feels, and get out! It doesn’t hurt that our characters are in their mid-40s and are full realized PEOPLE who are also falling in love.
Emmy Gold is divorced, in her mid-40s, making an excellent living as a rock star, on the road more than she is home. Twenty years ago, she was part of a three-member band, Deja View, that sprang ruled the indie scene with a smash EP followed by a debut album. But they never made a second album because they broke up due to conflicts in the band. When one of the band members approaches her to do a reunion tour because he NEEDS to, she’s reluctant, but agrees. So now she and Bishop Ward are back in the same small rooms, buses, and soundchecks – are the feelings still there? Are they going to implode the tour before they can finish it? Or can 44-year-old Emmy finally get what 24-year-old Emmy wanted after all this time?
Told exclusively from Emmy’s POV, this story just picks up right in the middle and doesn’t let you go. The author is great a laying out little pieces that seem extraneous, but will come back to bite in a major way later in the story. I also loved how the author uses flashbacks to tell us what happened back in the day without hinting around it for ever and ever. As soon as something gets mentioned, Emmy’s gonna tell us what went down and how she thinks about it now.
It’s also so deeply, DEEPLY relatable to have that one guy from your youth, your teens/twenties that still makes you think what if. Maybe you hooked up, maybe you didn’t. Maybe you were needy, maybe he was oblivious, inconsiderate, or unavailable, but there was always SOMETHING between you that kept you thinking….maybe. And you want to believe that not being in your 20s anymore, things would be different; you’re smarter, stronger, more experienced, independent, and a rock star in your own way. But then he’s standing right there and whelp? Who could blame you really?
This story was a well-paced, fast read that I didn’t want to end.
https://jenninsf.wordpress.com/2026/0...
I think this might be my favorite novella I’ve read from 831 Stories yet! Maybe it’s tied with Grape Juice but recency bias gives this one the edge. This author knows how to get in, give you all the feels, and get out! It doesn’t hurt that our characters are in their mid-40s and are full realized PEOPLE who are also falling in love.
Emmy Gold is divorced, in her mid-40s, making an excellent living as a rock star, on the road more than she is home. Twenty years ago, she was part of a three-member band, Deja View, that sprang ruled the indie scene with a smash EP followed by a debut album. But they never made a second album because they broke up due to conflicts in the band. When one of the band members approaches her to do a reunion tour because he NEEDS to, she’s reluctant, but agrees. So now she and Bishop Ward are back in the same small rooms, buses, and soundchecks – are the feelings still there? Are they going to implode the tour before they can finish it? Or can 44-year-old Emmy finally get what 24-year-old Emmy wanted after all this time?
Told exclusively from Emmy’s POV, this story just picks up right in the middle and doesn’t let you go. The author is great a laying out little pieces that seem extraneous, but will come back to bite in a major way later in the story. I also loved how the author uses flashbacks to tell us what happened back in the day without hinting around it for ever and ever. As soon as something gets mentioned, Emmy’s gonna tell us what went down and how she thinks about it now.
It’s also so deeply, DEEPLY relatable to have that one guy from your youth, your teens/twenties that still makes you think what if. Maybe you hooked up, maybe you didn’t. Maybe you were needy, maybe he was oblivious, inconsiderate, or unavailable, but there was always SOMETHING between you that kept you thinking….maybe. And you want to believe that not being in your 20s anymore, things would be different; you’re smarter, stronger, more experienced, independent, and a rock star in your own way. But then he’s standing right there and whelp? Who could blame you really?
This story was a well-paced, fast read that I didn’t want to end.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Emmy Gold has figured out her career as a 40-year-old indie rock goddess. She tours, she has a beautiful home in Laurel Canyon, she has great friends, she doesn’t need to retrace her time with her first band Deja View. Everything changes when one of her old band mates turns up on her doorstep with a devastating medical diagnosis giving the band has a brief window to get back together for a reunion tour. Which means Emmy is going to have to come face to face with the man she yearned for in her youth, Bishop Ward. The tour brings up their shared past; allows them to reflect on who they were then and how that made them into the people they are today.
Overall, I really enjoyed this book, I am a sucker for a band romance, and as someone who was around for the “indie-sleaze” scene it was a real nostalgia hit. Emmy is a very cool, she maintains her stylish, confident front women persona in a way that feels grounded. Bishop of the present is adorable, and a lot of his charm comes from the fact he is a teacher. Bishop of the past was a classic 20- something band boy is all the worst ways. Emmy and Bishop’s past relationship felt slightly underdeveloped on his end. I understood that she yearned for him, but his feelings aren’t completely understood, even by the ending it was hard to buy that his feeling had any weight, which didn’t offer much for the ending to stand on. It was still enjoyable and delivered all the feels ones expects from 831 romances.
Thank you to NetGalley and 831 Stories Romance of the ARC of this e-book.
Overall, I really enjoyed this book, I am a sucker for a band romance, and as someone who was around for the “indie-sleaze” scene it was a real nostalgia hit. Emmy is a very cool, she maintains her stylish, confident front women persona in a way that feels grounded. Bishop of the present is adorable, and a lot of his charm comes from the fact he is a teacher. Bishop of the past was a classic 20- something band boy is all the worst ways. Emmy and Bishop’s past relationship felt slightly underdeveloped on his end. I understood that she yearned for him, but his feelings aren’t completely understood, even by the ending it was hard to buy that his feeling had any weight, which didn’t offer much for the ending to stand on. It was still enjoyable and delivered all the feels ones expects from 831 romances.
Thank you to NetGalley and 831 Stories Romance of the ARC of this e-book.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
**4.5 stars**
*Encore Performances* was such a cute, quick read that pulled me in almost immediately. The romance scenes had me genuinely giddy, and I loved watching the characters go on a journey that felt believable and earned.
The FMC occasionally frustrated me with how harshly she viewed her younger self, constantly describing that version of herself as needy, pathetic, or cringey. More than anything, though, it was sad to see someone carry so much shame for simply wanting to be loved. That ultimately made her growth even more meaningful. I loved reading about a woman in her forties looking back at the moments that once embarrassed her and finally learning to extend compassion to the person she was back then. She doesn’t erase her past—she heals from it and learns to love that younger version of herself.
The book also explores the darker sides of fame, including addiction and substance abuse, without losing the warmth of the romance. There are two sex scenes, and both felt appropriate to the characters’ ages and emotional development. The first, when they are in their twenties, is rushed and impulsive, while the second, in their forties, is sweet, tender, and heartfelt. That contrast beautifully captured how much they had matured.
Overall, this was a charming and emotional second-chance romance about growth, forgiveness, and releasing the shame we sometimes attach to our younger selves.
Thank you to NetGalley and 831 Stories for providing me with an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
*Encore Performances* was such a cute, quick read that pulled me in almost immediately. The romance scenes had me genuinely giddy, and I loved watching the characters go on a journey that felt believable and earned.
The FMC occasionally frustrated me with how harshly she viewed her younger self, constantly describing that version of herself as needy, pathetic, or cringey. More than anything, though, it was sad to see someone carry so much shame for simply wanting to be loved. That ultimately made her growth even more meaningful. I loved reading about a woman in her forties looking back at the moments that once embarrassed her and finally learning to extend compassion to the person she was back then. She doesn’t erase her past—she heals from it and learns to love that younger version of herself.
The book also explores the darker sides of fame, including addiction and substance abuse, without losing the warmth of the romance. There are two sex scenes, and both felt appropriate to the characters’ ages and emotional development. The first, when they are in their twenties, is rushed and impulsive, while the second, in their forties, is sweet, tender, and heartfelt. That contrast beautifully captured how much they had matured.
Overall, this was a charming and emotional second-chance romance about growth, forgiveness, and releasing the shame we sometimes attach to our younger selves.
Thank you to NetGalley and 831 Stories for providing me with an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Encore Performance is an 831 Stories romance novella, but it's really more about self-love than romance. Which is exactly what I loved about it.
Emmy is a solo artist who used to be one-third of early-aughts indie band Deja View. She's happy doing her own thing these days. But a crisis with a former bandmate pulls her back in for a reunion tour, and back into the orbit of Bishop, her bandmate she's had a complicated vibe with since they met.
What really resonated with me was Emmy's embarrassment about her younger self. The way she struggles to forgive baby Emmy for the things she did and said in her twenties. The way she has a hard time making peace with the person she used to be. It's so relatable. I wanted to hug her whenever she talked about that struggle.
There's a twist around the 80% mark that genuinely surprised me. But the last two percent felt very rushed – a complaint I have with 831 Stories novellas more broadly. The ending doesn't always have to be "I love you and want to spend the rest of my life with you." Something more like "I like you, I'm excited to see where this goes" can feel more honest at this length. An occasional restrained flash forward is good, too.
Still, this one stands out in the 831 catalog for feeling like something a little more substantial and adult. Recommend, especially for Gen X indie music lovers!
PS: Thank you to NetGalley and 831 Stories for providing me with an Advanced Reading Copy in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts and opinions are my own!
Emmy is a solo artist who used to be one-third of early-aughts indie band Deja View. She's happy doing her own thing these days. But a crisis with a former bandmate pulls her back in for a reunion tour, and back into the orbit of Bishop, her bandmate she's had a complicated vibe with since they met.
What really resonated with me was Emmy's embarrassment about her younger self. The way she struggles to forgive baby Emmy for the things she did and said in her twenties. The way she has a hard time making peace with the person she used to be. It's so relatable. I wanted to hug her whenever she talked about that struggle.
There's a twist around the 80% mark that genuinely surprised me. But the last two percent felt very rushed – a complaint I have with 831 Stories novellas more broadly. The ending doesn't always have to be "I love you and want to spend the rest of my life with you." Something more like "I like you, I'm excited to see where this goes" can feel more honest at this length. An occasional restrained flash forward is good, too.
Still, this one stands out in the 831 catalog for feeling like something a little more substantial and adult. Recommend, especially for Gen X indie music lovers!
PS: Thank you to NetGalley and 831 Stories for providing me with an Advanced Reading Copy in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts and opinions are my own!
October 13, 2026
If you know anything about me and my reading habits from over the last year, you know that I love 831 Stories and have read about a dozen of their published works so far. And Encore Performance is one of my new favorites.
Second chance romance usually isn’t my thing, but it worked really well with this story. Our FMC Emmy was very honestly written, and there’s beauty in the narrative of growing, changing, and becoming a better person while still offering grace and understanding to your younger self. Let’s just say I found Emmy’s emotional journey deeply relatable. But also be aware that the story also deals with addiction, cancer, and betrayal, so be kind to yourself if those happen to be sensitive topics for you. But wow, this one was well done, in my opinion.
I love the quick-paced refreshing vibes of many 831 Stories novellas, but this one hit a bit differently. While still the same length, Encore Performance has a slower vibe and is the least spicy of their novellas that I’ve read. The nonlinear narrative has us piecing together flashback scenes from twenty years ago, but the romance is definitely that of a slower burn for the brand. Which I love. I always say that 831 is perfect for palate cleansing or trying something new, and I love that every story is different so there’s something for everyone. And the slower vibe of Encore Performance really upholds and solidifies this opinion.
As always, I’m grateful and honored to be on the 831 arc team, having received a complimentary advance copy in exchange for my thoughts.
Second chance romance usually isn’t my thing, but it worked really well with this story. Our FMC Emmy was very honestly written, and there’s beauty in the narrative of growing, changing, and becoming a better person while still offering grace and understanding to your younger self. Let’s just say I found Emmy’s emotional journey deeply relatable. But also be aware that the story also deals with addiction, cancer, and betrayal, so be kind to yourself if those happen to be sensitive topics for you. But wow, this one was well done, in my opinion.
I love the quick-paced refreshing vibes of many 831 Stories novellas, but this one hit a bit differently. While still the same length, Encore Performance has a slower vibe and is the least spicy of their novellas that I’ve read. The nonlinear narrative has us piecing together flashback scenes from twenty years ago, but the romance is definitely that of a slower burn for the brand. Which I love. I always say that 831 is perfect for palate cleansing or trying something new, and I love that every story is different so there’s something for everyone. And the slower vibe of Encore Performance really upholds and solidifies this opinion.
As always, I’m grateful and honored to be on the 831 arc team, having received a complimentary advance copy in exchange for my thoughts.
October 5, 2026
Encore Performance 🎸 — 4.5⭐️
Thank you to 831 Stories for the copy!
I LOVED this book. I read it in just two sittings, and honestly, I didn’t want to put it down.
This is told from one POV, but somehow you still get such great character development and a really good understanding of everyone around the main character. I never felt like I was missing anything because we only got one perspective.
And THE PLOT TWIST?! My jaw was on the floor. I genuinely did not see it coming at all. I love when a book actually manages to surprise me, and this one absolutely did.
I also really enjoyed getting to read about a band getting back together and seeing what life on tour is actually like. It was interesting seeing the reality behind the music—the parts that aren’t always glamorous or exciting.
The addiction representation was also really well done and added a lot of depth to the story.
And the romance between Bishop and Emmy was SO cute. I loved the pace of their relationship and watching everything unfold between them. Emmy is a girl who folds VERY easily for her first love—even twenty years later—and honestly? I respect it. 😂
This would have easily been a 5⭐️ read for me, but I’m giving it 4.5⭐️ simply because there were a LOT of music and band references that I didn’t understand, and I have a weird personal thing about characters singing in books. 😂 It’s just not my favorite thing to read.
But overall, I loved this one so much and had such a fun time reading it!
Thank you to 831 Stories for the copy!
I LOVED this book. I read it in just two sittings, and honestly, I didn’t want to put it down.
This is told from one POV, but somehow you still get such great character development and a really good understanding of everyone around the main character. I never felt like I was missing anything because we only got one perspective.
And THE PLOT TWIST?! My jaw was on the floor. I genuinely did not see it coming at all. I love when a book actually manages to surprise me, and this one absolutely did.
I also really enjoyed getting to read about a band getting back together and seeing what life on tour is actually like. It was interesting seeing the reality behind the music—the parts that aren’t always glamorous or exciting.
The addiction representation was also really well done and added a lot of depth to the story.
And the romance between Bishop and Emmy was SO cute. I loved the pace of their relationship and watching everything unfold between them. Emmy is a girl who folds VERY easily for her first love—even twenty years later—and honestly? I respect it. 😂
This would have easily been a 5⭐️ read for me, but I’m giving it 4.5⭐️ simply because there were a LOT of music and band references that I didn’t understand, and I have a weird personal thing about characters singing in books. 😂 It’s just not my favorite thing to read.
But overall, I loved this one so much and had such a fun time reading it!
September 28, 2026
3⭐️
Emmy Gold was the lead singer of indie band Déjà View before they broke up in a pretty dramatic way. Years later, after mourning both the band and her contentious ending with fellow band member Bishop, the group reunites to tour their old songs. Will old sparks start flying again, or will the whole thing go up in flames?
First, the pacing of this book was spectacular. It’s a short, quick read, and I flew through it. I also really enjoyed the second-chance romance and the whole musician/rockstar aspect of the story. The band dynamics, touring, and complicated history between everyone felt really believable.
My biggest issue was Bishop. 😭 I don’t feel like he truly redeemed himself until maybe the final 15 pages, and that made it hard for me to completely root for the romance. I understood where the story wanted me to go with him, but I needed a little more groveling and a lot sooner!
That being said, I thought Emmy’s side of the relationship was really well written. I especially appreciated how realistic her resentment felt. She had been holding onto everything that happened for YEARS, and the book didn’t act like seeing Bishop again would magically erase all of that hurt. Even 10 or 20 years later, sometimes you’re still carrying the way someone made you feel, and I thought that came across really well.
Emmy Gold was the lead singer of indie band Déjà View before they broke up in a pretty dramatic way. Years later, after mourning both the band and her contentious ending with fellow band member Bishop, the group reunites to tour their old songs. Will old sparks start flying again, or will the whole thing go up in flames?
First, the pacing of this book was spectacular. It’s a short, quick read, and I flew through it. I also really enjoyed the second-chance romance and the whole musician/rockstar aspect of the story. The band dynamics, touring, and complicated history between everyone felt really believable.
My biggest issue was Bishop. 😭 I don’t feel like he truly redeemed himself until maybe the final 15 pages, and that made it hard for me to completely root for the romance. I understood where the story wanted me to go with him, but I needed a little more groveling and a lot sooner!
That being said, I thought Emmy’s side of the relationship was really well written. I especially appreciated how realistic her resentment felt. She had been holding onto everything that happened for YEARS, and the book didn’t act like seeing Bishop again would magically erase all of that hurt. Even 10 or 20 years later, sometimes you’re still carrying the way someone made you feel, and I thought that came across really well.
October 21, 2026
4⭐/5: Encore Performance by @leilasalesbooks
If you're an elder millennial like me, who loves bands like The Strokes, LCD Soundsystem, Yeah Yeah Yeahs, Justice, and MGMT, wore babydoll dresses with Docs, and lived a lifetime ago with the only social media being MySpace - then this is the novella for you!
Emmy is a solo rockstar who's living her best post-divorce life, writing her own music and touring wherever she wants. She is approached by her former bandmate from Deja View, a one album popular band from the early 2000s, to go out on a reunion tour to support his medical treatment. She has been resisting this tour, despite the drive from fans, but agrees to support Lawrence.
Unfortunately, reuniting means she must tour and perform with Bishop, a one time love with whom she had an epic fight and broke up the band over. This book is all about second chances, reconnecting, and truly discovering who you are in the context of your past.
I loved the throwback vibe - it spoke to my own love of this style of music and attending the Hidden in Pieces tour for the Yeah Yeah Yeahs in 2025. The majority of this book hits all the emotional feels. The third act breakup, and subsequent make up, feels a little rushed, but understandable given the novella format.
Thank you to @831stories for an ARC of this book as part of Team 831. I can't wait to see what Leila Sales writes next!
If you're an elder millennial like me, who loves bands like The Strokes, LCD Soundsystem, Yeah Yeah Yeahs, Justice, and MGMT, wore babydoll dresses with Docs, and lived a lifetime ago with the only social media being MySpace - then this is the novella for you!
Emmy is a solo rockstar who's living her best post-divorce life, writing her own music and touring wherever she wants. She is approached by her former bandmate from Deja View, a one album popular band from the early 2000s, to go out on a reunion tour to support his medical treatment. She has been resisting this tour, despite the drive from fans, but agrees to support Lawrence.
Unfortunately, reuniting means she must tour and perform with Bishop, a one time love with whom she had an epic fight and broke up the band over. This book is all about second chances, reconnecting, and truly discovering who you are in the context of your past.
I loved the throwback vibe - it spoke to my own love of this style of music and attending the Hidden in Pieces tour for the Yeah Yeah Yeahs in 2025. The majority of this book hits all the emotional feels. The third act breakup, and subsequent make up, feels a little rushed, but understandable given the novella format.
Thank you to @831stories for an ARC of this book as part of Team 831. I can't wait to see what Leila Sales writes next!
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