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Creative Differences
Not yet published
Expected 9 Mar 27Propulsive and sexy, Creative Differences is a sapphic second-chance romance for fans of Here We Go Again and Daisy Jones & The Six.
Swanboat was your favorite band's favorite band. But after one perfect record and one fraught, intimate tour, the confessional–indie rock trio—lead singer Amelia Wells, guitarist Ramona Sloane, and bassist Bea Fink—suddenly broke up.
Five years later, Amelia is a star: She's transitioned into mainstream pop music, performing sold-out shows for obsessed fans. It's everything she's convinced herself she should want . . . even though her fame has started to feel less like success and more like loneliness.
Ramona hasn't spoken to Amelia since the last night of the tour. She's content playing small crowds and avoiding Amelia's inescapable hit single, "Emergency Contact," during her slot at the local indie radio station.
When Amelia's record label suggests a Swanboat reunion tour, she and Ramona each have their own reasons for agreeing. And they'd both do anything for Bea, who still doesn't know about the kiss that broke their band apart. All Ramona and Amelia have to do is get through two months of playing the songs that made them fall in love in the first place . . . and try not to do it all over again.
Swanboat was your favorite band's favorite band. But after one perfect record and one fraught, intimate tour, the confessional–indie rock trio—lead singer Amelia Wells, guitarist Ramona Sloane, and bassist Bea Fink—suddenly broke up.
Five years later, Amelia is a star: She's transitioned into mainstream pop music, performing sold-out shows for obsessed fans. It's everything she's convinced herself she should want . . . even though her fame has started to feel less like success and more like loneliness.
Ramona hasn't spoken to Amelia since the last night of the tour. She's content playing small crowds and avoiding Amelia's inescapable hit single, "Emergency Contact," during her slot at the local indie radio station.
When Amelia's record label suggests a Swanboat reunion tour, she and Ramona each have their own reasons for agreeing. And they'd both do anything for Bea, who still doesn't know about the kiss that broke their band apart. All Ramona and Amelia have to do is get through two months of playing the songs that made them fall in love in the first place . . . and try not to do it all over again.
Kindle Edition
Expected publication March 9, 2027
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 142 reviews
Review of advance copy received from Publisher
I originally started reading this first week of July as a buddy read with a friend and while I wasn't gripped by the writing or plot progression,it was still not bad until I saw a Taylor Swift mention. Now usually that would warrant just a star docked off and I'd finish the book but I already wasn't enjoying it much so it was a dilemma. Because I was sent the book by the publisher,I decided to put it on pause and pick it up again at a later date.
It's now October and I tried reading it again but I can't stick with it. I'm not interested in any of the characters at 40% into the damn book, I won't like it anymore if I finish it.
~~~~~~~~~~~
Saw this on Instagram last week and set a reminder to request it on netgalley when it was uploaded only for the publisher to reach out to me with an arc. Thank you Bindery Books for sending me an arc.
It's now October and I tried reading it again but I can't stick with it. I'm not interested in any of the characters at 40% into the damn book, I won't like it anymore if I finish it.
~~~~~~~~~~~
Saw this on Instagram last week and set a reminder to request it on netgalley when it was uploaded only for the publisher to reach out to me with an arc. Thank you Bindery Books for sending me an arc.
July 20, 2026
ARC Copy from Netgalley
Investing heavily into this one. Big big potential.
Inject this into my veins. A unique venn diagram of my love for rockstar autobiographies, sapphic yearning, and messy second chance romance. Loved the characters - especially Bea!!! They were way too cool for the rest of the band. Such a fun vibrant novel. Funny, very real and made you feel as if you were on this adventure with them. Also the music references were very nostalgic and had me drifting back to my favourite L7 and Jack Off Jill albums that I loved myself at 21.
This is a dumb criticism for a romance novel but I didn’t enjoy how the characters kept creating problems for themselves in a way that was very true to life but I wish there had been some actual obstacles for them to cross.
I felt the rigidness of the narrative was holding the book back. This almost veered towards being more than a romance novel but didn’t seem eager to step fully outside the boundaries of the genre, just staring longingly out the window at perhaps sorta being a satire and commentary on the modern diy scene.
Investing heavily into this one. Big big potential.
Inject this into my veins. A unique venn diagram of my love for rockstar autobiographies, sapphic yearning, and messy second chance romance. Loved the characters - especially Bea!!! They were way too cool for the rest of the band. Such a fun vibrant novel. Funny, very real and made you feel as if you were on this adventure with them. Also the music references were very nostalgic and had me drifting back to my favourite L7 and Jack Off Jill albums that I loved myself at 21.
This is a dumb criticism for a romance novel but I didn’t enjoy how the characters kept creating problems for themselves in a way that was very true to life but I wish there had been some actual obstacles for them to cross.
I felt the rigidness of the narrative was holding the book back. This almost veered towards being more than a romance novel but didn’t seem eager to step fully outside the boundaries of the genre, just staring longingly out the window at perhaps sorta being a satire and commentary on the modern diy scene.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
The introduction of characters (especially Ramona) made me weary it was going to be a generic band book. Ramona was way too annoying (at the beginning), that tone inadvertently set my mood for the book. However, as the chapters flew by, the dynamic of the characters and the sapphic yearning was way too good that I lost my initial impression fast.
As a reader it was easy to feel familiar with the characters. They were relatable yet unique in their own way. The mental health rep was well written. The authors were true to the signs and symptoms which made the story feel authentic. In addition, the one thing that truly hooked me was how the characters portrayed their insecurities. It was genuine AND yet so very logical (as in their train of thoughts made sense).
Side note: THIS is the kind of story and writing that deserves swoony and a cult following because it is written well. Not that one “popular” author that makes my insides hurt by how indecisive her characters are.
As a reader it was easy to feel familiar with the characters. They were relatable yet unique in their own way. The mental health rep was well written. The authors were true to the signs and symptoms which made the story feel authentic. In addition, the one thing that truly hooked me was how the characters portrayed their insecurities. It was genuine AND yet so very logical (as in their train of thoughts made sense).
Side note: THIS is the kind of story and writing that deserves swoony and a cult following because it is written well. Not that one “popular” author that makes my insides hurt by how indecisive her characters are.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
As a fan of Heartstrings (the webcomic), I was psyched ro recieve this ARC on NetGalley. If you are also a fan of Heartstrings, you should also be psyched for this one!
The writing is quirky, fun, and engaging. The whole thing scream-sings queer culture, from the gay-ass cast to the jokes.
It would have been so easy to let the characters fall into stereotypes, but the authors didn't let them, which made for a more real and relatable read. Especially when it comes to Ramona, who could have been left a one-note aloof hottie with zero complaints from readers, but was instead humanised with serious anxiety and vulnerability.
Full of casual music references
" And yet here he is, gum be damned, towering above her with a look that says, I resent you more than Journey's 1981 single "Don't Stop Believing" "
humour around every corner
"Have you ever heard The tale of the cart and the horse, and what happens when they go in the wrong order?
and plenty of gay panic to bang your head against the wall (headbang, if you will) to, Creative Differences has the potential to become essential 2027 queer reading.
Thank you for the ARC! <3
The writing is quirky, fun, and engaging. The whole thing scream-sings queer culture, from the gay-ass cast to the jokes.
It would have been so easy to let the characters fall into stereotypes, but the authors didn't let them, which made for a more real and relatable read. Especially when it comes to Ramona, who could have been left a one-note aloof hottie with zero complaints from readers, but was instead humanised with serious anxiety and vulnerability.
Full of casual music references
" And yet here he is, gum be damned, towering above her with a look that says, I resent you more than Journey's 1981 single "Don't Stop Believing" "
humour around every corner
"Have you ever heard The tale of the cart and the horse, and what happens when they go in the wrong order?
and plenty of gay panic to bang your head against the wall (headbang, if you will) to, Creative Differences has the potential to become essential 2027 queer reading.
Thank you for the ARC! <3
July 13, 2026
Sometimes the need to smack both the MCs upside the head is so strong. Amelia and Ramona were so painfully in their own heads, and for two MCs who are supposed to be super confident, when it came to each other they weren’t.
I couldn’t get into either character, Bea ended up being my favorite since they were the least problematic. There wasn’t anything in particular about the two that was bad, but there wasn’t anything about them that I loved. Usually I latch on to at least one, but was at a loss.
Everything was wrote well, and it was easy to follow along with the story. I didn’t love the sex scenes, mainly the wording made it feel vulgar.
Following a queer band on their journey of getting back together was a cool experience to be part of, but I just wanted a biiiit more of them being all together and getting closer.
Thank you NetGalley and Bindery Books for the ARC!
I couldn’t get into either character, Bea ended up being my favorite since they were the least problematic. There wasn’t anything in particular about the two that was bad, but there wasn’t anything about them that I loved. Usually I latch on to at least one, but was at a loss.
Everything was wrote well, and it was easy to follow along with the story. I didn’t love the sex scenes, mainly the wording made it feel vulgar.
Following a queer band on their journey of getting back together was a cool experience to be part of, but I just wanted a biiiit more of them being all together and getting closer.
Thank you NetGalley and Bindery Books for the ARC!
July 29, 2026
Read for work, such a fun and earnest queer romance for sad girls everywhere!!
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Honest Review Provided in Exchange for ARC from NetGalley
This charming sapphic indie rock second-chance romance tells the story of Amelia and Ramona, two idiots-to-bandmates-to-lovers-to-enemies-back-to-bandmates-back-to-idiots-back-to-lovers-back-to-idiots-back-to-lovers who reunite after a five-year estrangement when their old band, Swanboat, gets back together for a reunion tour. WHAT COULD GO WRONG. (If your desired outcome is “women kissing,” the answer to this question is “nothing.”)
Amelia is a bisexual hot mess who, after Swanboat’s breakup, found pop crossover fame and a years-long situationship with indie rock himbo Declan, the particular breed of douchebag whose entire personality is “listens to Father John Misty” and who struggles with concepts like “boundaries” and “treating Amelia like a human being rather than a stepping stone for his own career.” Just atrocious.
Anyway, Swanboat’s reunion throws Amelia, Ramona, and Bea, their long-suffering nonbinary bandmate and unwitting third wheel, back together. Is Amelia and Ramona’s attraction a thing of the past, or will the forced proximity of it all rekindle the flame? (That is a rhetorical question. You know what time it is, sapphics.) Unfortunately, these may be the two least emotionally competent women on the face of the planet, and they require a little external intervention from an increasingly harassed bassist who simply wants to play the fucking songs already instead of everyone constantly exchanging glances freighted with five years of unresolved longing.
This is a cute read, even if I wanted to grab Amelia and Ramona by the shoulders at various points and yell things like GIRL WHAT ARE YOU DOING and THIS IS NOT HOW WE HANDLE OUR FEELINGS. I really enjoyed the ensemble cast, too, even the eminently hateable Declan, whose douchebaggery at least sets the stage for some genuinely funny moments. And, pour one out for Bea, the real MVP of this story.
4/5; recommended.
This charming sapphic indie rock second-chance romance tells the story of Amelia and Ramona, two idiots-to-bandmates-to-lovers-to-enemies-back-to-bandmates-back-to-idiots-back-to-lovers-back-to-idiots-back-to-lovers who reunite after a five-year estrangement when their old band, Swanboat, gets back together for a reunion tour. WHAT COULD GO WRONG. (If your desired outcome is “women kissing,” the answer to this question is “nothing.”)
Amelia is a bisexual hot mess who, after Swanboat’s breakup, found pop crossover fame and a years-long situationship with indie rock himbo Declan, the particular breed of douchebag whose entire personality is “listens to Father John Misty” and who struggles with concepts like “boundaries” and “treating Amelia like a human being rather than a stepping stone for his own career.” Just atrocious.
Anyway, Swanboat’s reunion throws Amelia, Ramona, and Bea, their long-suffering nonbinary bandmate and unwitting third wheel, back together. Is Amelia and Ramona’s attraction a thing of the past, or will the forced proximity of it all rekindle the flame? (That is a rhetorical question. You know what time it is, sapphics.) Unfortunately, these may be the two least emotionally competent women on the face of the planet, and they require a little external intervention from an increasingly harassed bassist who simply wants to play the fucking songs already instead of everyone constantly exchanging glances freighted with five years of unresolved longing.
This is a cute read, even if I wanted to grab Amelia and Ramona by the shoulders at various points and yell things like GIRL WHAT ARE YOU DOING and THIS IS NOT HOW WE HANDLE OUR FEELINGS. I really enjoyed the ensemble cast, too, even the eminently hateable Declan, whose douchebaggery at least sets the stage for some genuinely funny moments. And, pour one out for Bea, the real MVP of this story.
4/5; recommended.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Funnily enough, I too have a yeehaw edm bass drop headbang twang playlist!!
Probably the most fun romcom romp I’ve read in a while. It’s like if daisy jones and the six was instead about boygenius and muna, and idk something about it was so delicious that I ate it right up.
I don’t usually like second chance, but there was such a compelling cast here that I could not put this book down. Would love if I could get a sequel… and a tv show… and a real album of the songs… and another series all about bea’s farm life please and thanks!
Probably the most fun romcom romp I’ve read in a while. It’s like if daisy jones and the six was instead about boygenius and muna, and idk something about it was so delicious that I ate it right up.
I don’t usually like second chance, but there was such a compelling cast here that I could not put this book down. Would love if I could get a sequel… and a tv show… and a real album of the songs… and another series all about bea’s farm life please and thanks!
August 23, 2026
Thank you for the ARC!
Let me open with how much I absolutely love the cover art. Absolute wow factor. Gorgeous!
Now, let’s get into why I gave this 3 stars.
This book is straight up Taylor Swift fanfic and you cannot convince me otherwise. Will I elaborate? Absolutely. Buckle up.
The writing itself was easy read, but lacking in… well, just lacking. It has great mental health representation (particularly for anxiety) and wonderful Trans rep. The banter was good! Love the banter. It really did sound similar to how my friends and I would speak when we were in our twenties. I clocked the reference to Straight Edge, which I haven’t seen or heard anyone talk about in like fifteen years (showing my age here) which was fun!
Now the characters; Ramona’s one character trait was anxiety. Depression also, but definitely heavy on the anxiety. Amelia’s one character trait was being a “control freak”. Bea actually felt more fleshed out than either of them! I really liked Bea and I wish we got more page time with them. I understand that the story is about Ramona and Amelia, but Bea deserved better. #JusticeforBea
I did like the use of actual body part names in the sex scenes. Threw me for a second but honestly it was super refreshing.
As someone who knows entirely too much about Taylor Swift (and I’m married to a Swiftie) the parallels between Swift lore, more specifically Gaylor lore, are just too loud and too many to ignore. I’m not going to list all the lore drops through the book because I’d be here all day. I’ll list a few undeniable Swift/Gaylor lore references, but unless you know this lore yourself you won’t pick up on it in the book.
1) Amelia Wells’ fans are called “Wellies” (aka Swifties)
2) Amelia’s anticipated 3rd album is referred to as “AW3” (Swifties refer to Taylor’s albums by their chronological number in their release order before Taylor announces the album name)
3) Declan is Matt Healy. No I will not elaborate.
4) American Spirit is The 1975. See above.
There’s many more. Screw top wine. Tiny Desk. Kimmel. It’s actually mentioned quite early in the story that Amelia listens to Taylor Swift. There’s one more reference I want to list which is when Ramona says to Amelia “I’m pretty much exactly where you left me.” If you know, you know.
This book could have been so much more involved when it comes to the intricacies of being signed to a label and being on the road. Instead, we got a lot of internal monologuing and very little payoff when it comes to the characters interacting. Lots going on upstairs, very little comes out of their mouths. Needless to say, I did not enjoy the miscommunication trope. Or the third act breakup. Sweet baby Jesus please just have a conversation with each other.
The side characters aren’t very fleshed out or even utilised. For example, the only we learn about Nico is that he shows up unexpectedly sometimes. I can’t even tell you the names of the other side characters because they get so little page time. Quinn? I think Quinn was another musician in Swanboat? Or a roadie? I honestly don’t know.
To close out, I really wanted to like this book but it just wasn’t for me. I can absolutely see it having a very dedicated fanbase though! If you enjoy aaaalllll the yearning, this book is for you.
Let me open with how much I absolutely love the cover art. Absolute wow factor. Gorgeous!
Now, let’s get into why I gave this 3 stars.
This book is straight up Taylor Swift fanfic and you cannot convince me otherwise. Will I elaborate? Absolutely. Buckle up.
The writing itself was easy read, but lacking in… well, just lacking. It has great mental health representation (particularly for anxiety) and wonderful Trans rep. The banter was good! Love the banter. It really did sound similar to how my friends and I would speak when we were in our twenties. I clocked the reference to Straight Edge, which I haven’t seen or heard anyone talk about in like fifteen years (showing my age here) which was fun!
Now the characters; Ramona’s one character trait was anxiety. Depression also, but definitely heavy on the anxiety. Amelia’s one character trait was being a “control freak”. Bea actually felt more fleshed out than either of them! I really liked Bea and I wish we got more page time with them. I understand that the story is about Ramona and Amelia, but Bea deserved better. #JusticeforBea
I did like the use of actual body part names in the sex scenes. Threw me for a second but honestly it was super refreshing.
As someone who knows entirely too much about Taylor Swift (and I’m married to a Swiftie) the parallels between Swift lore, more specifically Gaylor lore, are just too loud and too many to ignore. I’m not going to list all the lore drops through the book because I’d be here all day. I’ll list a few undeniable Swift/Gaylor lore references, but unless you know this lore yourself you won’t pick up on it in the book.
1) Amelia Wells’ fans are called “Wellies” (aka Swifties)
2) Amelia’s anticipated 3rd album is referred to as “AW3” (Swifties refer to Taylor’s albums by their chronological number in their release order before Taylor announces the album name)
3) Declan is Matt Healy. No I will not elaborate.
4) American Spirit is The 1975. See above.
There’s many more. Screw top wine. Tiny Desk. Kimmel. It’s actually mentioned quite early in the story that Amelia listens to Taylor Swift. There’s one more reference I want to list which is when Ramona says to Amelia “I’m pretty much exactly where you left me.” If you know, you know.
This book could have been so much more involved when it comes to the intricacies of being signed to a label and being on the road. Instead, we got a lot of internal monologuing and very little payoff when it comes to the characters interacting. Lots going on upstairs, very little comes out of their mouths. Needless to say, I did not enjoy the miscommunication trope. Or the third act breakup. Sweet baby Jesus please just have a conversation with each other.
The side characters aren’t very fleshed out or even utilised. For example, the only we learn about Nico is that he shows up unexpectedly sometimes. I can’t even tell you the names of the other side characters because they get so little page time. Quinn? I think Quinn was another musician in Swanboat? Or a roadie? I honestly don’t know.
To close out, I really wanted to like this book but it just wasn’t for me. I can absolutely see it having a very dedicated fanbase though! If you enjoy aaaalllll the yearning, this book is for you.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
September 20, 2026
After one perfect record and a disastrous tour, Swanboat split and the members mostly went their separate ways. Five years later, lead singer Amelia, now pop singer Mia Wells, suggests a reunion tour.
Creative Differences is a sapphic, second‑chance romance set in an indie pop/rock scene. We follow the three members on a reunion tour as they work to rebuild their friendship. The story uses dual POV, switching between Amelia (the lead singer) and Ramona (the guitarist), while they work through their unresolved romantic tension. It is, after all, what originally fractured the band.
Amelia, now a successful pop singer, has the most compelling chapters: her perfectionism and pressure to write a new album create strong emotional stakes. Ramona’s chapters offer an intimate portrayal of mental health.
The tour scenes and music details make the band feel lived‑in, though sometimes specific references distracted me.
Overall, this was a fun, enjoyable read. I’d recommend it to readers who like sapphic romance, band dynamics, and second‑chance stories.
Creative Differences is a sapphic, second‑chance romance set in an indie pop/rock scene. We follow the three members on a reunion tour as they work to rebuild their friendship. The story uses dual POV, switching between Amelia (the lead singer) and Ramona (the guitarist), while they work through their unresolved romantic tension. It is, after all, what originally fractured the band.
Amelia, now a successful pop singer, has the most compelling chapters: her perfectionism and pressure to write a new album create strong emotional stakes. Ramona’s chapters offer an intimate portrayal of mental health.
The tour scenes and music details make the band feel lived‑in, though sometimes specific references distracted me.
Overall, this was a fun, enjoyable read. I’d recommend it to readers who like sapphic romance, band dynamics, and second‑chance stories.
August 11, 2026
Review of advanced reader copy received from NetGalley
Another great sapphic romcom from these authors! The road trip aspect of this book was well done and brought all the best aspects into the story including with a funny and original take on the one bed trope I haven’t seen before. If you like Muna or Boygenius you will like this book, it repeatedly had me thinking about both bands in the best way. I really appreciated the way that anxiety and depression was represented in Ramona and how it was also a factor in the relationship between her and Amelia. This story was a lovely mix of angst, fluffy romance, and plot with just the right amount of spice! The characters in this book were relatable and well thought out creating believe dynamics with friendship and romantic relationships with a group of people. I would have loved to read a chapter or 2 from Bea’s prospective on the tour or have a spinoff following them. Overall this book was incredibly enjoyable and perfectly showed a lovely friends to lovers story line with lots of sapphic yearning.
Another great sapphic romcom from these authors! The road trip aspect of this book was well done and brought all the best aspects into the story including with a funny and original take on the one bed trope I haven’t seen before. If you like Muna or Boygenius you will like this book, it repeatedly had me thinking about both bands in the best way. I really appreciated the way that anxiety and depression was represented in Ramona and how it was also a factor in the relationship between her and Amelia. This story was a lovely mix of angst, fluffy romance, and plot with just the right amount of spice! The characters in this book were relatable and well thought out creating believe dynamics with friendship and romantic relationships with a group of people. I would have loved to read a chapter or 2 from Bea’s prospective on the tour or have a spinoff following them. Overall this book was incredibly enjoyable and perfectly showed a lovely friends to lovers story line with lots of sapphic yearning.
September 5, 2026
As a big music lover and sapphic romance reader, I was thrilled to come across a new novel that combines both of these passions in an exciting way! Creative Differences revolves around the members of Swanboat, a fictional indie rock band that could have gone on to be big in their heyday if they hadn’t fallen apart. That’s because the romantic tension between the band’s guitarist Ramona Sloane and lead singer Amelia Wells caused things to come to a sudden end, with the truth of their dynamic unbeknownst to bassist Bea Fink. Flash forward several years and life looks decidedly different for the trio— especially Amelia, who now goes by Mia Wells and has a massive pop following, with a hit album, inescapable single, and big expectations from her label. Given the chance to perform as Swanboat again on a reunion tour, the three find themselves with an unexpected opportunity to revitalize the band and pick up where they left off. However, for Ramona and Amelia, this also means being forced to return to unresolved feelings, contending with their emotionally complex dynamic while touring the country.
One of the things I enjoyed most about Creative Differences is how authentically written the characters felt and that I was invested in their fictional music. It made me wish that Swanboat (and Mia Wells) were real so I could listen to them! When romance is a focus, I prefer chapters written from alternating perspectives as it gives you an insight into not only both characters’ individual lives, but the depth of their thoughts and feelings about each other. The chapters that focused on Amelia were my favourite because I found myself most interested in her character, with her internal struggle of perfectionism and trying to find her voice and identity feeling relatable. I also like the fact that this book doesn’t shy away from addressing mental health both in and out of the spotlight, with mention of anxiety attacks, burnout, and the cost of people pleasing.
While the relationship between Ramona and Amelia was really sweet, I did find myself frustrated with how both characters seemed incapable of making any kind of decision about what to do with their feelings for much of this book. (I was still rooting for them though!) It would have been nice to have an external factor continuing to drive the narrative tension forwards since this was resolved early on, with the rest of the conflict being more internal. That said, I still really liked Creative Differences and would read more from these authors in the future. I would recommend it to anyone wanting a fun sapphic read, especially if you’re a fan of books like Daisy Jones & The Six (which I can definitely see the comparison to!) and enjoy books about the struggle of maintaining both a private and public persona, especially when romantic feelings are involved!
Thank you to Bindery Books for providing this book for review consideration via NetGalley, all opinions are my own.
One of the things I enjoyed most about Creative Differences is how authentically written the characters felt and that I was invested in their fictional music. It made me wish that Swanboat (and Mia Wells) were real so I could listen to them! When romance is a focus, I prefer chapters written from alternating perspectives as it gives you an insight into not only both characters’ individual lives, but the depth of their thoughts and feelings about each other. The chapters that focused on Amelia were my favourite because I found myself most interested in her character, with her internal struggle of perfectionism and trying to find her voice and identity feeling relatable. I also like the fact that this book doesn’t shy away from addressing mental health both in and out of the spotlight, with mention of anxiety attacks, burnout, and the cost of people pleasing.
While the relationship between Ramona and Amelia was really sweet, I did find myself frustrated with how both characters seemed incapable of making any kind of decision about what to do with their feelings for much of this book. (I was still rooting for them though!) It would have been nice to have an external factor continuing to drive the narrative tension forwards since this was resolved early on, with the rest of the conflict being more internal. That said, I still really liked Creative Differences and would read more from these authors in the future. I would recommend it to anyone wanting a fun sapphic read, especially if you’re a fan of books like Daisy Jones & The Six (which I can definitely see the comparison to!) and enjoy books about the struggle of maintaining both a private and public persona, especially when romantic feelings are involved!
Thank you to Bindery Books for providing this book for review consideration via NetGalley, all opinions are my own.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Swanboat was the dream of 3 college friends (Amelia, Ramona, and Bea/Beatrix) for a shot of having a career in music. After independently releasing an album and touring the songs on a shoestring budget, Swanboat seemed to be on the verge of making it. But just as it was in their grasp, Swanboat suddenly disbanded. And only Amelia and Ramona know why.
6 years and various successes as independent artists later, Amelia's record label decides to fund a Swanboat reunion tour, which is supposed to give Amelia (aka budding superstar Mia Wells) time to write her third album. But none of this can happen unless down-on-her-luck Ramona agrees. And Ramona hasn't spoken to Amelia since the band broke up.
Annabel Paulsen and Lydia Wang are new-to-me authors, so l had no idea what to expect with Creative Differences, but l enjoyed reading this book. I honestly thought the tension between Amelia and Ramona would be greater, icier. But they were surprisingly mature about seeing each other again after so many years. Granted, they don’t immediately talk about their tension, so things remain awkward between them for much of the book. But this felt real to me in a way stories (especially romance) don’t. It would have been much easier to turn that tension way up—to make either Ramona or Amelia refuse to play nice, but that’s not the way life works. Sometimes you need to just suck it up and get it done. Plus, they still have great musical chemistry together. It helps that there’s also massive douchebag Declan there to take the villain role.
The novel isn't perfect. As much as I appreciate the fact that Swanboat's breakup is a secret only Ramona and Amelia can explain, I wish it had come to light earlier, only because it's obvious what happens and I felt unnecessarily strung along. I will also have to suspend my disbelief a bit at the whole premise because I don't know any record label that would pay for a tour for a band that had only mild, indie success. Even if they're simply trying to capitalize on Mia Wells' success. With only a week of rehearsals after 6 years not playing these songs, too? And as this is an ARC, I'm hoping for some formatting changes before it's published, mainly how text messages look in the book, which were hard to follow in their current format.
But overall, I liked it. I liked the nod to boygenious, i.e, a collaboration of solo artists for sporadic music magic.
Thank you, Bindery Books and Netgally, for an advance reader's copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
6 years and various successes as independent artists later, Amelia's record label decides to fund a Swanboat reunion tour, which is supposed to give Amelia (aka budding superstar Mia Wells) time to write her third album. But none of this can happen unless down-on-her-luck Ramona agrees. And Ramona hasn't spoken to Amelia since the band broke up.
Annabel Paulsen and Lydia Wang are new-to-me authors, so l had no idea what to expect with Creative Differences, but l enjoyed reading this book. I honestly thought the tension between Amelia and Ramona would be greater, icier. But they were surprisingly mature about seeing each other again after so many years. Granted, they don’t immediately talk about their tension, so things remain awkward between them for much of the book. But this felt real to me in a way stories (especially romance) don’t. It would have been much easier to turn that tension way up—to make either Ramona or Amelia refuse to play nice, but that’s not the way life works. Sometimes you need to just suck it up and get it done. Plus, they still have great musical chemistry together. It helps that there’s also massive douchebag Declan there to take the villain role.
The novel isn't perfect. As much as I appreciate the fact that Swanboat's breakup is a secret only Ramona and Amelia can explain, I wish it had come to light earlier, only because it's obvious what happens and I felt unnecessarily strung along. I will also have to suspend my disbelief a bit at the whole premise because I don't know any record label that would pay for a tour for a band that had only mild, indie success. Even if they're simply trying to capitalize on Mia Wells' success. With only a week of rehearsals after 6 years not playing these songs, too? And as this is an ARC, I'm hoping for some formatting changes before it's published, mainly how text messages look in the book, which were hard to follow in their current format.
But overall, I liked it. I liked the nod to boygenious, i.e, a collaboration of solo artists for sporadic music magic.
Thank you, Bindery Books and Netgally, for an advance reader's copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
August 19, 2026
Thank you Bindery Books and Netgalley for sending me an ARC!
2.75⭐️
I went into this book thinking I was going to love it because the premise sounds like something right up my street; A second chance romance following a indie-rock band who broke up years ago but now finds themselves back together for one last tour. There's a full queer cast, years of yearning and the only-one-bed trope.
This book was just fine. I had a lot of trouble connecting with the main characters Ameila and Ramona, so both ended up feeling very flat to me.
Ramona in particular was quite a boring underdeveloped character to follow, and I found myself being annoyed with her most of the time.
Amelia felt a lot more developed as a character and her inner monologue was a lot more interesting than Ramona's because it had more depth to it.
Amelia and Ramona together mostly pissed me off. They both feel a little immature and there was multiple times I wanted to shake them both and just tell them to TALK!!! There were some cute moments between them and the spicy scenes were well written but I'm sad to say that wasn't enough.
Bea, the third bandmate ended up being my favourite character because they were the least problematic.
Something I did love about this book is how unapologetically queer it is. The whole cast is full of queer characters and being queer was never made an issue. Reading books like that always makes me so happy! While I can appreciate reading about the difficulties of being queer, sometimes you just want a book that focus on the beauty and love of being queer.
Overall all this book is okay and despite my negative talk, I was enjoying it. I think I might've had too high expectations going into this based on what I have heard about it.
This wasn't the perfect book for me but I'm sure there's plenty of people out there who would love this book!
2.75⭐️
I went into this book thinking I was going to love it because the premise sounds like something right up my street; A second chance romance following a indie-rock band who broke up years ago but now finds themselves back together for one last tour. There's a full queer cast, years of yearning and the only-one-bed trope.
This book was just fine. I had a lot of trouble connecting with the main characters Ameila and Ramona, so both ended up feeling very flat to me.
Ramona in particular was quite a boring underdeveloped character to follow, and I found myself being annoyed with her most of the time.
Amelia felt a lot more developed as a character and her inner monologue was a lot more interesting than Ramona's because it had more depth to it.
Amelia and Ramona together mostly pissed me off. They both feel a little immature and there was multiple times I wanted to shake them both and just tell them to TALK!!! There were some cute moments between them and the spicy scenes were well written but I'm sad to say that wasn't enough.
Bea, the third bandmate ended up being my favourite character because they were the least problematic.
Something I did love about this book is how unapologetically queer it is. The whole cast is full of queer characters and being queer was never made an issue. Reading books like that always makes me so happy! While I can appreciate reading about the difficulties of being queer, sometimes you just want a book that focus on the beauty and love of being queer.
Overall all this book is okay and despite my negative talk, I was enjoying it. I think I might've had too high expectations going into this based on what I have heard about it.
This wasn't the perfect book for me but I'm sure there's plenty of people out there who would love this book!
August 10, 2026
Funny and super cute, and as the book description said, this really is perfect for Daisy Jones & The Six fans.. because I'm one of them.. I'd also add that Ramona and Amelia were very Mizisua to me.. #eyes👀
We have sapphic rockstar second chance romance.. with a whole lot of tension..
The plot itself was great, but I feel like what really made me love the book were the characters. I loved them a lot.. You can still feel the care and love they have for each other even though they're all completely different people with different lives, and even after so many years apart they still clicked together so easily.
Ramona's dry sense of humour. Bea who's always trying to "fix the group" by leaving Ramona and Amelia stuck together, and oh!! Amelia!! I walked out as a huge Amelia lover!! I love how she was written 🥹 Her relationship with band members, with her friends, fans, it all just felt so sweet.
I also liked how even though we didn't get Bea's pov, they're still a character we can grow to love, they weren't left out even if the focus wasn't on them.
I felt as if the author let the scenes "breathe" as in there weren't any annoying "too many details" kind of thing. We had just enough information and could create a scene in our heads and feel the story, kinda be there with the characters. I didn't feel like I was reading a book, I felt like I was watching them on stage in front of me and I was a #big fan of that.
There weren't many things i disliked, other than mentions of social media and the music artists that are popular today. I also felt like the book could've been a bit longer, maybe to put more focus on the band, them making music and just existing as a group of friends.
All in all, a really great read.. perfect for anyone who wants a quick band romance read with queer and very loveable characters!!
Huge thanks to Netgalley for providing me an arc in exchange for a review!! All thoughts are my own.
We have sapphic rockstar second chance romance.. with a whole lot of tension..
The plot itself was great, but I feel like what really made me love the book were the characters. I loved them a lot.. You can still feel the care and love they have for each other even though they're all completely different people with different lives, and even after so many years apart they still clicked together so easily.
Ramona's dry sense of humour. Bea who's always trying to "fix the group" by leaving Ramona and Amelia stuck together, and oh!! Amelia!! I walked out as a huge Amelia lover!! I love how she was written 🥹 Her relationship with band members, with her friends, fans, it all just felt so sweet.
I also liked how even though we didn't get Bea's pov, they're still a character we can grow to love, they weren't left out even if the focus wasn't on them.
I felt as if the author let the scenes "breathe" as in there weren't any annoying "too many details" kind of thing. We had just enough information and could create a scene in our heads and feel the story, kinda be there with the characters. I didn't feel like I was reading a book, I felt like I was watching them on stage in front of me and I was a #big fan of that.
There weren't many things i disliked, other than mentions of social media and the music artists that are popular today. I also felt like the book could've been a bit longer, maybe to put more focus on the band, them making music and just existing as a group of friends.
All in all, a really great read.. perfect for anyone who wants a quick band romance read with queer and very loveable characters!!
Huge thanks to Netgalley for providing me an arc in exchange for a review!! All thoughts are my own.
Read
October 8, 20264 stars; review to come March 2027
July 25, 2026
4.5 stars.
this is a digital advanced readers copy I received from netgalley and sapph-lit, this has no affect on my rating nor review.
five years after their indie rock band broke up, amelia and ramona along with their bassist beatrix are back for a reunion tour. each one of them has changed from their college years, and after ameila and ramona left things on bad terms five years ago, both must accept any feelings they have for each other.
yes!! this is what I wanted—a queer-centered story. I can never find anything like that, but this? yes ma’am.
I love the complexity of amelia and ramona‘s relationship. sometimes, they could have been a little bit dense about feelings, their own and each other’s, but I think it’s very realistic how complex their relationship is. I honestly love them and all of the other characters in this book, maybe except declan, but he wasn’t too bad. all of these characters are different and flawed, but they each fit the story well. this genre alone was very interesting, because I don’t see it too much, the band mates, having a “secret relationship.” when I first saw the arc on netgalley, it piqued my interest just because I don’t read a lot of stories about music and bands.
like I said before, sometimes, amelia and ramona were very dense about their feelings and things like that, but it’s not too worrisome because I find it to be really realistic and relatable. I also wanted to see more of the other band members. yes, the story is mainly about amelia and the amona‘s relationship, but I feel like we don’t know too much about the other characters and it’s almost like you can kind of take them out in the story would play out the same, especially fink and georgia.
something I thought about when I was reading was the possibility of adding more of the band and music element into the story to kind of balance that with the romance. I think this could have even further improved storyline and learn more about the characters and how their music reflects them. the critiques I have are very minor and they didn’t affect my overall enjoyment of the story. I really like this book and I think I would like to buy it when it releases.
this is a great book for queer people who want to see dynamics of queer relationships. relationships are complicated whether you’re straight or gay or lesbian, but I think dynamics are slightly different between straight and queer people
this is a digital advanced readers copy I received from netgalley and sapph-lit, this has no affect on my rating nor review.
five years after their indie rock band broke up, amelia and ramona along with their bassist beatrix are back for a reunion tour. each one of them has changed from their college years, and after ameila and ramona left things on bad terms five years ago, both must accept any feelings they have for each other.
yes!! this is what I wanted—a queer-centered story. I can never find anything like that, but this? yes ma’am.
I love the complexity of amelia and ramona‘s relationship. sometimes, they could have been a little bit dense about feelings, their own and each other’s, but I think it’s very realistic how complex their relationship is. I honestly love them and all of the other characters in this book, maybe except declan, but he wasn’t too bad. all of these characters are different and flawed, but they each fit the story well. this genre alone was very interesting, because I don’t see it too much, the band mates, having a “secret relationship.” when I first saw the arc on netgalley, it piqued my interest just because I don’t read a lot of stories about music and bands.
like I said before, sometimes, amelia and ramona were very dense about their feelings and things like that, but it’s not too worrisome because I find it to be really realistic and relatable. I also wanted to see more of the other band members. yes, the story is mainly about amelia and the amona‘s relationship, but I feel like we don’t know too much about the other characters and it’s almost like you can kind of take them out in the story would play out the same, especially fink and georgia.
something I thought about when I was reading was the possibility of adding more of the band and music element into the story to kind of balance that with the romance. I think this could have even further improved storyline and learn more about the characters and how their music reflects them. the critiques I have are very minor and they didn’t affect my overall enjoyment of the story. I really like this book and I think I would like to buy it when it releases.
this is a great book for queer people who want to see dynamics of queer relationships. relationships are complicated whether you’re straight or gay or lesbian, but I think dynamics are slightly different between straight and queer people
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Did Not Finish
September 11, 2026DNF at 45%.
I received a complimentary copy of this book from Bindery Books via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
The book follows Amelia and Ramona, band mates in an indie-rock band Swanboat, as they navigate their reunion tour after five years of no contact. It's marketed as "propulsive and sexy second chance romance", which I completely disagree with.
The writing style itself wasn't particularly interesting to me. It somehow managed not to be neither poetic and lyrical, nor engaging and fast-paced. It's written in the third person, with chapters alternately focusing on Amelia and Ramona. I would have preferred for it to be written in the first person, so we'd (hopefully) see more of their thoughts and feelings, or at least a sliver of yearning or attraction. This way, it simply fell flat.
Characters themselves weren't either likeable or interesting to me. They seem very one dimensional, they show almost no growth in the time they spent apart, and they read more like everyday, normal people than celebrities. And while I can acknowledge celebrities are, in fact, human beings like the rest of us, I would expect them to lead at least a little bit different lifestyle than a random person you'd pick off the street. Their alleged romance was also not believable at all. We don't actually see any of the romance, which is surprising as this is supposed to be a romance book. There was no tension or yearning at all, and absolutely no romantic or sexual attraction between them. I love a good slow burn normally, but this wasn't it. It gave nothing in the romance department.
I was bored. The main reason why I stopped reading where I did was because I felt like nothing happened in the story, and I was almost halfway through it. We kept getting the same few recycled memories, and nothing new or even remotely exciting happened in the present time. In fact, in the past either. It kept circling to the exact same point, without any growth or even interesting banter on the way.
I feel bad for being so harsh in my review, but I genuinely didn't like anything about this book. It's unfortunately a big miss for me. However, keep in mind that I only got halfway through and there might be a redemption in the second half. I'm simply not patient enough to read more and hope it would get better.
I received a complimentary copy of this book from Bindery Books via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
The book follows Amelia and Ramona, band mates in an indie-rock band Swanboat, as they navigate their reunion tour after five years of no contact. It's marketed as "propulsive and sexy second chance romance", which I completely disagree with.
The writing style itself wasn't particularly interesting to me. It somehow managed not to be neither poetic and lyrical, nor engaging and fast-paced. It's written in the third person, with chapters alternately focusing on Amelia and Ramona. I would have preferred for it to be written in the first person, so we'd (hopefully) see more of their thoughts and feelings, or at least a sliver of yearning or attraction. This way, it simply fell flat.
Characters themselves weren't either likeable or interesting to me. They seem very one dimensional, they show almost no growth in the time they spent apart, and they read more like everyday, normal people than celebrities. And while I can acknowledge celebrities are, in fact, human beings like the rest of us, I would expect them to lead at least a little bit different lifestyle than a random person you'd pick off the street. Their alleged romance was also not believable at all. We don't actually see any of the romance, which is surprising as this is supposed to be a romance book. There was no tension or yearning at all, and absolutely no romantic or sexual attraction between them. I love a good slow burn normally, but this wasn't it. It gave nothing in the romance department.
I was bored. The main reason why I stopped reading where I did was because I felt like nothing happened in the story, and I was almost halfway through it. We kept getting the same few recycled memories, and nothing new or even remotely exciting happened in the present time. In fact, in the past either. It kept circling to the exact same point, without any growth or even interesting banter on the way.
I feel bad for being so harsh in my review, but I genuinely didn't like anything about this book. It's unfortunately a big miss for me. However, keep in mind that I only got halfway through and there might be a redemption in the second half. I'm simply not patient enough to read more and hope it would get better.
September 21, 2026
I was pulled into requesting Creative Differences as an ARC by its fantastic cover and title; messy music industry drama with sapphic leads? Yes please. The synopsis only made me more interested, promising plenty of tension between our two leads, former bandmates Ramona and Amelia who reunite after years apart for one last tour together.
Actually reading through it definitely delivers on parts of its marketing promises, but I was left a little cold by the end. Yes, they're stuck in an elevator together, yes, there's only one bed, oh no, they have to deal with her ex-situationship showing up right when they're about to get together... but so many of these situations don't really take advantage of their full dramatic potential and were resolved far too quickly and easily for my liking.
I wanted tears, bitter feelings, and heartbreak before they got back together. And things were instead just... mostly fine?
A great example is even right in the book's title: I expected it to be a pat phrase that the protagonists use to explain the band's breakup when really it was about their romantic falling out, but instead it's only a reference to Ramona getting dropped by her label for not selling well. That just felt like a bizarre choice when the obvious conclusion most readers will have is that it's about the main romance. As I read, there were several choices like this that just left me scratching my head.
All of this really isn't necessarily a problem if you go into this looking for something low stakes. I definitely loved seeing the sweet moments between Amelia and Ramona, and rooted for their relationship throughout. I just wanted the road to them having those moments to be a little bumpier and more complicated.
Overall, I can definitely see plenty of readers enjoying this, but it wasn't to my taste because...
What can I say. I love mess.
Thank you to Bindery Books for my ARC provided through Netgalley.
Actually reading through it definitely delivers on parts of its marketing promises, but I was left a little cold by the end. Yes, they're stuck in an elevator together, yes, there's only one bed, oh no, they have to deal with her ex-situationship showing up right when they're about to get together... but so many of these situations don't really take advantage of their full dramatic potential and were resolved far too quickly and easily for my liking.
I wanted tears, bitter feelings, and heartbreak before they got back together. And things were instead just... mostly fine?
A great example is even right in the book's title: I expected it to be a pat phrase that the protagonists use to explain the band's breakup when really it was about their romantic falling out, but instead it's only a reference to Ramona getting dropped by her label for not selling well. That just felt like a bizarre choice when the obvious conclusion most readers will have is that it's about the main romance. As I read, there were several choices like this that just left me scratching my head.
All of this really isn't necessarily a problem if you go into this looking for something low stakes. I definitely loved seeing the sweet moments between Amelia and Ramona, and rooted for their relationship throughout. I just wanted the road to them having those moments to be a little bumpier and more complicated.
Overall, I can definitely see plenty of readers enjoying this, but it wasn't to my taste because...
What can I say. I love mess.
Thank you to Bindery Books for my ARC provided through Netgalley.
July 18, 2026
One thing about me? I’m gonna eat up a sapphic rockstar romance!
This was a lot of fun and a true slowburn which I adored. We really got to know Ramona and Amelia on a deeper level before the romance even started and that’s the kind of romance books I gravitate towards. There’s a great balance of character study and relationship dynamics here and it’s done super well.
The romance. Romana and Amelia are both dealing with their own insecurities when it comes to their personal and work life. These two have a great deal of history.First friends, then bandmates then lines were blurred and they went their own way. After Swanboat split up Romana went on to work in radio and Amelia went on to become one of the biggest pop stars in the world. The juxtaposition of their lives was very well done but they were also mirrors in a lot of ways. Watching these two grow and learn was great. I also appreciated the aspect of friendship that was woven through too. Their mutual friend and fellow bandmate Bea was at the forefront of their decisions too and I loved how they were written as a well rounded character with feelings and a life outside the band.
The sex. I thought the explicit scene were done super well, not cringe at all and very in character for these two. They didn’t feel like they were wearing masks when we finally got to the intimate scene. I also want to note the way the One Bed situation came to fruition was so so great and unique and FUNNY! Tropes like this can get tiring without putting a different twist on things and I loved how it was implemented here.
The writing. I am so so happy this was dual pov. More often than not we don’t get dual pov in sapphic romances and while I understand why that is, I also think having that second perspective can bring so much to the story and I think it was needed here so I’m glad we got both of these women’s voices.
The only thing that kept this from being a 5 star read was that I wished that they were aged up. They’re in their mid to late twenties when they reunite and I think if they’d have met up again in their 30’s there could have been a lot more angst and yearning involved.
Overall highly enjoyable and I cannot wait to see what Annabel and Lydia do next because I’ll be for sure following along.
Thank you to NetGalley and Bindery Books for sending me the arc. All opinions are my own.
This was a lot of fun and a true slowburn which I adored. We really got to know Ramona and Amelia on a deeper level before the romance even started and that’s the kind of romance books I gravitate towards. There’s a great balance of character study and relationship dynamics here and it’s done super well.
The romance. Romana and Amelia are both dealing with their own insecurities when it comes to their personal and work life. These two have a great deal of history.First friends, then bandmates then lines were blurred and they went their own way. After Swanboat split up Romana went on to work in radio and Amelia went on to become one of the biggest pop stars in the world. The juxtaposition of their lives was very well done but they were also mirrors in a lot of ways. Watching these two grow and learn was great. I also appreciated the aspect of friendship that was woven through too. Their mutual friend and fellow bandmate Bea was at the forefront of their decisions too and I loved how they were written as a well rounded character with feelings and a life outside the band.
The sex. I thought the explicit scene were done super well, not cringe at all and very in character for these two. They didn’t feel like they were wearing masks when we finally got to the intimate scene. I also want to note the way the One Bed situation came to fruition was so so great and unique and FUNNY! Tropes like this can get tiring without putting a different twist on things and I loved how it was implemented here.
The writing. I am so so happy this was dual pov. More often than not we don’t get dual pov in sapphic romances and while I understand why that is, I also think having that second perspective can bring so much to the story and I think it was needed here so I’m glad we got both of these women’s voices.
The only thing that kept this from being a 5 star read was that I wished that they were aged up. They’re in their mid to late twenties when they reunite and I think if they’d have met up again in their 30’s there could have been a lot more angst and yearning involved.
Overall highly enjoyable and I cannot wait to see what Annabel and Lydia do next because I’ll be for sure following along.
Thank you to NetGalley and Bindery Books for sending me the arc. All opinions are my own.
October 27, 2026
Thank you to NetGalley for kindly gifting me this ARC!
I believe this is my first wlw book and I loved it!! I think the story and music aspect was really beautiful and maybe it’s just because I’m a Boygenius fan but really kinda reminded me of that band which made me love it even more. Overall I’m so excited for this book to release and get the love it deserves.
I believe this is my first wlw book and I loved it!! I think the story and music aspect was really beautiful and maybe it’s just because I’m a Boygenius fan but really kinda reminded me of that band which made me love it even more. Overall I’m so excited for this book to release and get the love it deserves.
August 8, 2026
FIRE. I love a sapphic book where theyre musicians and kinda hate each other but also maybe not? I will admit this took me a bit to get in to, but once I got it, I Got It.
Thanks to Netgalley for providing a free copy in exchange for an honest review
Thanks to Netgalley for providing a free copy in exchange for an honest review
September 17, 2026
This was SO good!!! The storyline and the characters are so so so amazing and it is so well written. I love Amelia so much and I loved the ending. I hope we get more of them!!
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
This ones for the yearners, and the girlies with anxiety + avoidant tendencies!! As someone who ticks all three of those boxes, I loved a lot of this but sometimes got frustrated by the repetitive miscommunication.
Thank you to NetGalley and Bindery Books for the ARC:)
Thank you to NetGalley and Bindery Books for the ARC:)
Read
July 23, 2026Thank you to netgalley for providing an advance reader copy!
This book is about two avoidants who i wanted to slap in the face multiple times throughout the book.
This book is about two avoidants who i wanted to slap in the face multiple times throughout the book.
September 21, 2026
I have so much affection for every member in this band. As a fangirl, reading this felt like going on tour with your favorite band and getting a VIP backstage pass every day. It was so much fun. I found myself rooting not just for the romance, but for everything else going on in each of their lives as well. Every challenge that was raised was real and fully believable. I completely understood every feeling and why every decision made happened the way it did. I have read so many romances in my life, but this is one of the few times I have felt that I read a true love story. Amelia and Ramona’s connection feels so genuine that their love could be felt beyond the page. You can tell how deeply they care for not only each other, but also Bea and Swanboat as a whole. Also, so few books showcase best friendship, friendship trios or a deep level of platonic love. This story was incredible and I feel so lucky to have been able to read it early! Highly recommend picking this one up spring of 2027.
August 1, 2026
This book made me feel so seen! Paulsen & Wang are so talented at incorporating deep emotional themes into light, funny romance novels!
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Actual Rating: 4.5 Stars
Thank you to NetGalley and Bindery Books for the eARC in exchange for an honest review! Creative Differences comes out March 9th 2027.
Swanboat was your favorite band's favorite band. But after one perfect record and one fraught, intimate tour, the confessional indie rock trio, made up of lead singer Amelia Wells, guitarist Ramona Sloane, and bassist Bea Fin, suddenly broke up.
Five years later, when solo artist Amelia's record label suggests a Swanboat reunion tour, she and Ramona each have their own reasons for agreeing. And they'd both do anything for Bea, who still doesn't know about the kiss that broke their band apart. All Ramona and Amelia have to do is get through two months of playing the songs that made them fall in love in the first place… and try not to do it all over again.
So much of this book was amazing! I loved how messy and flawed both Ramona and Amelia were. I’m always a sucker for opposites attract and a good slow burn.
But perhaps the best part of this book for me was how much it focuses on friendship. So many romance novels sideline the romantic pairing’s friends, but Bea was a major character in this - present in practically every scene. You can feel how much these three love each other, both as friends and bandmates. Bea is also a great character, funny and talented in their own right. I also love that they called Ramona and Amelia out on their bullshit. Did I hate that there was a third act “breakup”? Yes! This romance is such a slow burn that it felt odd to have a “breakup” squeezed in at the end but it was satisfying to have Bea tear their actions apart!
This novel felt like it could have been a 4.5 or even 5 star for most of it but the “breakup” really bothered me. It felt entirely unnecessary and they weren’t even properly together yet (hence my use of quotation marks).
Still, this is a rare romance that isn’t cheesy and doesn’t have a perfect-in-every-way ending, which was refreshing! I highly recommend it for anyone looking for a good sapphic romance and/or loves a story about a band.
Thank you to NetGalley and Bindery Books for the eARC in exchange for an honest review! Creative Differences comes out March 9th 2027.
Swanboat was your favorite band's favorite band. But after one perfect record and one fraught, intimate tour, the confessional indie rock trio, made up of lead singer Amelia Wells, guitarist Ramona Sloane, and bassist Bea Fin, suddenly broke up.
Five years later, when solo artist Amelia's record label suggests a Swanboat reunion tour, she and Ramona each have their own reasons for agreeing. And they'd both do anything for Bea, who still doesn't know about the kiss that broke their band apart. All Ramona and Amelia have to do is get through two months of playing the songs that made them fall in love in the first place… and try not to do it all over again.
So much of this book was amazing! I loved how messy and flawed both Ramona and Amelia were. I’m always a sucker for opposites attract and a good slow burn.
But perhaps the best part of this book for me was how much it focuses on friendship. So many romance novels sideline the romantic pairing’s friends, but Bea was a major character in this - present in practically every scene. You can feel how much these three love each other, both as friends and bandmates. Bea is also a great character, funny and talented in their own right. I also love that they called Ramona and Amelia out on their bullshit. Did I hate that there was a third act “breakup”? Yes! This romance is such a slow burn that it felt odd to have a “breakup” squeezed in at the end but it was satisfying to have Bea tear their actions apart!
This novel felt like it could have been a 4.5 or even 5 star for most of it but the “breakup” really bothered me. It felt entirely unnecessary and they weren’t even properly together yet (hence my use of quotation marks).
Still, this is a rare romance that isn’t cheesy and doesn’t have a perfect-in-every-way ending, which was refreshing! I highly recommend it for anyone looking for a good sapphic romance and/or loves a story about a band.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
The mingling of vulnerability and comfort, or one that turns into the other over time; the slight shift in the angle, when you’re looking at the same image from a degree to the left.
More than a generic second-chance romance, Creative Differences explores how people can change without necessarily leaving who they once were behind. It understands vulnerability and comfort not as opposites, but as things that can slowly become intertwined until a slight shift in perspective is enough to make something familiar feel different.
What I think I loved most about this was the reality of it all. So many relationships are ruined not by external circumstances, but by our own minds — by the things we assume, the things we fail to say, and the versions of ourselves we haven’t yet outgrown. Amelia and Ramona’s relationship perfectly exemplifies how time apart can sometimes allow two people to grow into better versions of themselves, and ultimately, better for each other.
It took nearly half the book for the story to fully pull me in, but once I became attached, I could not put it down. Bea and Amelia were easily my favorites, each so distinctly themselves that their personalities seemed to shine through every scene they were in. Despite its clichéd premise, Creative Differences offers a thoughtful exploration of the mental and emotional struggles its characters navigate, while also touching on the realities of being queer in a society that does not always make room for them.
Thank you to NetGalley and Bindery Books for providing me with an ARC in exchange for an honest review!
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
I'm not quite sure how to rate this. I think it was pitched wrong, and that affected my reading.
In general, this is a nice book. It's more of a contemporary romance than anything else, and at this it succeeds. The two protagonists have the kind of relationship where they make each other better by being together, and much of their character growth comes through this. The time they spend together before the obligate "break-up" feels real to their characters and it absolutely satisfying after what they've been through both before the book begins and throughout the story up until then. The smut is great and is just enough to where it fits this story and its writing just enough.
But of course, this is as a contemporary romance itself. I definitely think this book was pitched too ambitiously, which made this underwhelming for me. The comparison to Daisy Jones and the Six did this book no favors.
The story has very low stakes: the band was only together for a short time, and they've only been broken up for five years. The characters are still quite young, in their 20s. The reason for the band breakup doesn't make much sense for it to be such a big deal. (Generally, Amelia and Ramona just can't stop getting in their own way.) The music is not a very big focus—the scenes of concerts are pretty short, and mostly consist of the band members interacting with each other and the audience on stage. I don't even get a good idea of how big these venues are that they're playing. We're told that Mia Wells is a huge star, but we don't see much of how this affects her life except for a few moments where she's recognized in public. I was so curious what kind of crowds she would draw to this reunion tour, but we never get a good idea of the size or if there's any disconnect between Mia Wells fans and Swanboat fans (which it seems like there would be, considering the difference in genre). She's a huge star, and yet the record label still books the band at motels with worn mattresses?
The side characters are either one-dimensional or virtually non-existent. I was never clear on who exactly the other instrumentalists were. Every time they were mentioned, I was surprised again to remember that they were part of the tour. I don't even remember who played what instrument. Bea was a fun character, and it would have been so great to get more depth to them. They made such good points near the end of the book while getting Ramona and Amelia to deal with their issues, and I wish this could have been touched on more earlier.
In all, this was pitched as more of a band reunion book, but it was very solidly a contemporary romance, which also left not much room for deeper exploration of the world these characters inhabited. I would say it's more of a road trip novel, with two old crushes/friends finding their way back to each other and finding a way to be together.
It was fine, just not what I expected going in!
Thanks to Bindery Books for the eARC through NetGalley!
In general, this is a nice book. It's more of a contemporary romance than anything else, and at this it succeeds. The two protagonists have the kind of relationship where they make each other better by being together, and much of their character growth comes through this. The time they spend together before the obligate "break-up" feels real to their characters and it absolutely satisfying after what they've been through both before the book begins and throughout the story up until then. The smut is great and is just enough to where it fits this story and its writing just enough.
But of course, this is as a contemporary romance itself. I definitely think this book was pitched too ambitiously, which made this underwhelming for me. The comparison to Daisy Jones and the Six did this book no favors.
The story has very low stakes: the band was only together for a short time, and they've only been broken up for five years. The characters are still quite young, in their 20s. The reason for the band breakup doesn't make much sense for it to be such a big deal. (Generally, Amelia and Ramona just can't stop getting in their own way.) The music is not a very big focus—the scenes of concerts are pretty short, and mostly consist of the band members interacting with each other and the audience on stage. I don't even get a good idea of how big these venues are that they're playing. We're told that Mia Wells is a huge star, but we don't see much of how this affects her life except for a few moments where she's recognized in public. I was so curious what kind of crowds she would draw to this reunion tour, but we never get a good idea of the size or if there's any disconnect between Mia Wells fans and Swanboat fans (which it seems like there would be, considering the difference in genre). She's a huge star, and yet the record label still books the band at motels with worn mattresses?
The side characters are either one-dimensional or virtually non-existent. I was never clear on who exactly the other instrumentalists were. Every time they were mentioned, I was surprised again to remember that they were part of the tour. I don't even remember who played what instrument. Bea was a fun character, and it would have been so great to get more depth to them. They made such good points near the end of the book while getting Ramona and Amelia to deal with their issues, and I wish this could have been touched on more earlier.
In all, this was pitched as more of a band reunion book, but it was very solidly a contemporary romance, which also left not much room for deeper exploration of the world these characters inhabited. I would say it's more of a road trip novel, with two old crushes/friends finding their way back to each other and finding a way to be together.
It was fine, just not what I expected going in!
Thanks to Bindery Books for the eARC through NetGalley!
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