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Six Ways to Write a Love Letter
Maybe America's Sweetheart is all fluff and no substance.
And maybe every guy she dates is fodder for her next breakup song.
But session drummer Remy Young doesn't care. Touring with Vivi Swan means more money than he and his brother could ever earn on their own. And he's smart enough to keep himself far away from drama.
Then a bus mix-up forces Remy and Vivi to spend hours together, and he's surprised to discover that she's nothing like the rumors said she'd be. When she asks for his help writing her next song, he's immediately on board—for professional reasons, of course.
Soon, it's clear that every variation of their song is just a different way to write a love letter, even as Remy wonders if he's setting himself up to be the next guy on her list of exes. And when Vivi's private life and public facade finally clash, a celebrity gossip blog threatens everything they've created together.
And maybe every guy she dates is fodder for her next breakup song.
But session drummer Remy Young doesn't care. Touring with Vivi Swan means more money than he and his brother could ever earn on their own. And he's smart enough to keep himself far away from drama.
Then a bus mix-up forces Remy and Vivi to spend hours together, and he's surprised to discover that she's nothing like the rumors said she'd be. When she asks for his help writing her next song, he's immediately on board—for professional reasons, of course.
Soon, it's clear that every variation of their song is just a different way to write a love letter, even as Remy wonders if he's setting himself up to be the next guy on her list of exes. And when Vivi's private life and public facade finally clash, a celebrity gossip blog threatens everything they've created together.
352 pages, Paperback
First published July 5, 2022
29 people are currently reading
6995 people want to read
About the author
Jackson Pearce
30 books2,612 followersI am not very active on Goodreads-- this is largely a placeholder account! Therefore, I do not read Goodreads mail. If you want to get in touch with me, please go here: CONTACT ME!
Jackson Pearce currently lives in Atlanta, Georgia, with a slightly cross-eyed cat and a lot of secondhand furniture. She recently graduated from the University of Georgia with a degree in English and a minor in Philosophy and currently works for a software company even though she auditioned for the circus (she juggled and twirled fire batons, but they still didn’t want her). Other jobs she’s had include obituaries writer, biker bar waitress, and receptionist.
Jackson began writing when she got angry that the school librarian couldn’t tell her of a book that contained a smart girl, horses, baby animals, and magic. Her solution was to write the book herself when she was twelve. Her parents thought it was cute at first, but have grown steadily more concerned for her ever since.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 225 reviews
October 3, 2022
So this was … fine. I guess. It’s single PoV (Remy) and he’s a strong voice and I was engaged with him pretty much from the start. He’s starting to branch into the career he wants to enter (as a producer) and seems to have some talent at it. So he’s a session drummer, yes, and that propels him into Vivi’s orbit. But it’s helping her iron out a song, and discussions about life and love around doing so, that draws them into something more. And that’d be a great wish-fulfillment story that you’d expect from a famous people romance.
But their interactions are hindered by the extreme secrecy. And she’s “dating” another musician for way too much of the story. And she’s more than a little opaque. Which is frustrating when the hype and paparazzi are all of their stress and conflict and it’s uncertain how much of that is coming from her or how much is coming from people around her or coming from her expectations or something I couldn’t see. So I was never able to relax into their relationship, even when it looked like it was solid.
And let me be clear, Remy was the draw because he was sweet and a little clueless and I liked that his brother (who was easy to write off earlier in the story) ended up being a help and support. But you could practically make out the brand of the shoe waiting to drop on their idyll. And then the shoe drops and the dark moment happens, and it’s one of those dark moments that goes on for months. Many months. So many months it broke me. Plus, Remy was the one who had to do the whole grand gesture and, frankly, he wasn’t the one needing to fix things.
And I would like to say that the ending dropped this to three stars but it was already pretty much three stars from the time the dark moment happens. But the ending was pretty freaking raw. I mean, grand gesture and done. We see none of their happiness. We have no clue what their life is going to look like. All we get is a stupid half-paragraph from a gossip site talking about rings. Man, remembering that I almost want to drop this to two stars. You know what, add in the completely useless flashbacks tacked onto some chapters that break momentum, added nothing to the story, and included religious nutjobs who aren’t even a good caricature of religious nutjobs and I think I can justify two stars. Seriously, this was made of miss.
A note about Chaste: There’s lots of kissing and even a naked scene. But the only steam in the naked bit was the sauna and some light touching. And since the sauna is in Finland proper, I’m prepared to overlook it. So it’s questionably chaste. Sex clearly happens, but it’s not actually on page.
But their interactions are hindered by the extreme secrecy. And she’s “dating” another musician for way too much of the story. And she’s more than a little opaque. Which is frustrating when the hype and paparazzi are all of their stress and conflict and it’s uncertain how much of that is coming from her or how much is coming from people around her or coming from her expectations or something I couldn’t see. So I was never able to relax into their relationship, even when it looked like it was solid.
And let me be clear, Remy was the draw because he was sweet and a little clueless and I liked that his brother (who was easy to write off earlier in the story) ended up being a help and support. But you could practically make out the brand of the shoe waiting to drop on their idyll. And then the shoe drops and the dark moment happens, and it’s one of those dark moments that goes on for months. Many months. So many months it broke me. Plus, Remy was the one who had to do the whole grand gesture and, frankly, he wasn’t the one needing to fix things.
And I would like to say that the ending dropped this to three stars but it was already pretty much three stars from the time the dark moment happens. But the ending was pretty freaking raw. I mean, grand gesture and done. We see none of their happiness. We have no clue what their life is going to look like. All we get is a stupid half-paragraph from a gossip site talking about rings. Man, remembering that I almost want to drop this to two stars. You know what, add in the completely useless flashbacks tacked onto some chapters that break momentum, added nothing to the story, and included religious nutjobs who aren’t even a good caricature of religious nutjobs and I think I can justify two stars. Seriously, this was made of miss.
A note about Chaste: There’s lots of kissing and even a naked scene. But the only steam in the naked bit was the sauna and some light touching. And since the sauna is in Finland proper, I’m prepared to overlook it. So it’s questionably chaste. Sex clearly happens, but it’s not actually on page.
May 17, 2022
Oh my goodness - I enjoyed this book so much more than I thought I was going to!
I always feel like that's maybe not necessarily a kind thing to say? But I mean it in the most delightful way that it can be taken. I had never read Jackson Pearce before. I was lured in by the blurb (because let's face it, I'm a sucker for a celebrity romance) but I knew I was still taking a chance.
It started a little slow for me. I wasn't very patient with it and I wasn't sure if I was going to connect with it. Then, suddenly - it all fell into place. Something clicked and once it clicked, I was all-in. It just worked for me. I was so intrigued by Vivi and so in love with Remy. I was so fascinated by the way they were drawn to each other and how achingly tender their relationship felt. It's such a fantasy, but it was written in a way that felt so authentic - it just pulled me in, held me in thrall, and left me with a giant smile and happy tears.
This story was beautifully written and I enjoyed it so much. It's a lovely romance, and a beautiful love story - yes, for Vivi and Remy, but also for Remy and Val (his brother). I didn't always connect with the flashbacks/brother's story but honestly their relationship evolution was almost more rewarding than the romance in the end.
If I have a complaint, it would be that I might have liked more of a resolution to the conflict for Vivi and Remy, and I think I needed to see a bit more of her walls come down and her fight for Remy with the same fire that she gave protecting her reputation. But even without those things I can appreciate the way it played out and honestly, it left me feeling completely heartwarmed and happy in the end.
I gobbled this story up voraciously and then was sad when I hit the end and it was time to leave them behind which I think means there's a bit of book magic in this book and I'm so so glad to have read it. ~ Shelly, 4 Stars
I always feel like that's maybe not necessarily a kind thing to say? But I mean it in the most delightful way that it can be taken. I had never read Jackson Pearce before. I was lured in by the blurb (because let's face it, I'm a sucker for a celebrity romance) but I knew I was still taking a chance.
It started a little slow for me. I wasn't very patient with it and I wasn't sure if I was going to connect with it. Then, suddenly - it all fell into place. Something clicked and once it clicked, I was all-in. It just worked for me. I was so intrigued by Vivi and so in love with Remy. I was so fascinated by the way they were drawn to each other and how achingly tender their relationship felt. It's such a fantasy, but it was written in a way that felt so authentic - it just pulled me in, held me in thrall, and left me with a giant smile and happy tears.
This story was beautifully written and I enjoyed it so much. It's a lovely romance, and a beautiful love story - yes, for Vivi and Remy, but also for Remy and Val (his brother). I didn't always connect with the flashbacks/brother's story but honestly their relationship evolution was almost more rewarding than the romance in the end.
If I have a complaint, it would be that I might have liked more of a resolution to the conflict for Vivi and Remy, and I think I needed to see a bit more of her walls come down and her fight for Remy with the same fire that she gave protecting her reputation. But even without those things I can appreciate the way it played out and honestly, it left me feeling completely heartwarmed and happy in the end.
I gobbled this story up voraciously and then was sad when I hit the end and it was time to leave them behind which I think means there's a bit of book magic in this book and I'm so so glad to have read it. ~ Shelly, 4 Stars
September 26, 2022
An absolute DELIGHT.
What happens if you, the drummer from a one-hit-wonder band get a sweet gig on the world tour for a glitzy pop star famous for her break up songs (clearly Taylor Swift)? And what happens if you end up sharing a tour bus together? And then maybe have some ideas for a song? And then . . . fall in love?
So fun, so dishy, so romantic!
I wanted a few more things to be said, about two thirds of the way through the book. I feel like Remy was too non-confrontational with basically everyone in his life, and needed to put. his. foot. down. and tell them they were being shitty. But the ending made literal hearts shoot out of my eyes . . . quite painful, really.
What happens if you, the drummer from a one-hit-wonder band get a sweet gig on the world tour for a glitzy pop star famous for her break up songs (clearly Taylor Swift)? And what happens if you end up sharing a tour bus together? And then maybe have some ideas for a song? And then . . . fall in love?
So fun, so dishy, so romantic!
I wanted a few more things to be said, about two thirds of the way through the book. I feel like Remy was too non-confrontational with basically everyone in his life, and needed to put. his. foot. down. and tell them they were being shitty. But the ending made literal hearts shoot out of my eyes . . . quite painful, really.
August 26, 2022
📚 Hello Book Friends! SIX WAYS TO WRITE A LOVE LETTER by Jackson Pearce is a cute read filled with lots of ups and downs. I enjoyed the character of Remy as a musician and wannabe producer. There was depth to him but not so much for the character of Vivi. She was cold and immature, and I do not understand why Remy was attracted to her. I enjoyed the information about the music tour and all the cities they visited. I wanted more of Celeste in the story. Her character as a saboteur was underplayed. I enjoyed the book but would have loved more from the story.
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January 9, 2023
Recieved this through giveaways, wasn't horrible but wasn't for me. It felt like it drug on forever while going to fast at the same time, and i just didn't really care for the characters.
April 25, 2022
This one was such a surprise!
From the title and cover, I was expecting a fluffy rom-com but it turned out to be much, more more.
Told from the Remy's male POV, the story has an underlying depth throughout, which includes the characters' backstories and the way they interact with one another.
Remy and Vivi become unlikely friends and co-writers as they start working on a song together. As their relationship deepens, so do the problems around them, escalating more and more.
The ending was super cute!
I received a copy from the publisher via NetGalley and this is my honest opinion.
From the title and cover, I was expecting a fluffy rom-com but it turned out to be much, more more.
Told from the Remy's male POV, the story has an underlying depth throughout, which includes the characters' backstories and the way they interact with one another.
Remy and Vivi become unlikely friends and co-writers as they start working on a song together. As their relationship deepens, so do the problems around them, escalating more and more.
The ending was super cute!
I received a copy from the publisher via NetGalley and this is my honest opinion.
July 5, 2022
2 stars
So when i pick this one up I wasn't aware this was heavily inspired by Taylor Swift and I mean this is her story with another name so, I was a little disappointed that this wasn't dual pov. We get the story through Remy and to be honest I'm not a TS fan (not my type of music) but a lot of very close friends of mine are and so I know her story and the struggles she has gone through so for Vivi here not to have A voice in her own story was not great and it's not me hating Remy because he was okay but I wanted/needed more.
I also struggle with the writing style, it feel too YA for me and there were certain Tropes that I didn't like here like the miscommunication and the cheating so that didn't help either.
I know some people will like this for sure but it wasn't really for me.
Thank you to Netgalley and the publishers for the chance to read this book in exchange for an honest review.
So when i pick this one up I wasn't aware this was heavily inspired by Taylor Swift and I mean this is her story with another name so, I was a little disappointed that this wasn't dual pov. We get the story through Remy and to be honest I'm not a TS fan (not my type of music) but a lot of very close friends of mine are and so I know her story and the struggles she has gone through so for Vivi here not to have A voice in her own story was not great and it's not me hating Remy because he was okay but I wanted/needed more.
I also struggle with the writing style, it feel too YA for me and there were certain Tropes that I didn't like here like the miscommunication and the cheating so that didn't help either.
I know some people will like this for sure but it wasn't really for me.
Thank you to Netgalley and the publishers for the chance to read this book in exchange for an honest review.
November 11, 2022
I admit, I had both the eBook and the audio of this book and I needed it. I tend to get squirrelly when an embarrassing or stressful situation pops up for the characters, if I care about them, so listening to get through to those bits and then picking up the book to plow through them, then listening again when I was ok with listening helped me to not DNF.
That is a "me" issue and not the book's issue, just to be clear. I can only handle so much (and honestly, since the Pandemic, I haven't been able to tolerate much), but I've learned ways to get around my hang ups so I can finish what is really a good and cute book instead of putting it down because I can't handle the scenes where the romance is at a cross-roads. I can't think of the term now, but it's where the bump in the road happens that the MCs have to get over so they can have their HEA.
What really shined for me was the fact that we were in Remy's head the entire time. It was completely from the MC H's POV, not the MC h. We saw his relationship with his brother, which I don't normally see in contemporary romance. It was done so well I actually thought the author was male, but just checked and NOPE a woman. Soooo...maybe not a realistic peak into a dude in love's head. But it FELT authentic.
Ok, kind of sad this isn't a contemporary romance from a male POV written by a guy. I want to see more romances written by men. They seem to be rather under-represented in the romance genre. But having the MC H being the POV the entire story is a good start. Even if it is written by a woman. I guess I just want to peak into the head of a man to try to understand them, lol.
I admit, I know NOTHING about Taylor Swift and this is apparently an imagining of her life, but when I read that in someone's review, I could see the parallels and it kind of made the story more REAL for me. Like, this happens to people who I will never meet, lol. So it was interesting and kind of sad in a way. It's a very PUBLIC way to live.
I enjoyed the different POV, the ending was sweet and it really made it clear that fame is something I am glad I will never have, lol. 3.5 stars, rounded down because DARN I wanted to this be by a guy. That's all my hang-up though. I give the audio 4 stars, the narrator did a good job and the brother sounded just how I would imagine a former hard partying rocker would sound, lol. So 4 stars en finale.
My thanks to NetGalley and Sourcebooks Casablanca for an eARC copy of this book to read and review. My thanks also to libro.fm and the publisher for an advanced Audio copy to listen to and review.
That is a "me" issue and not the book's issue, just to be clear. I can only handle so much (and honestly, since the Pandemic, I haven't been able to tolerate much), but I've learned ways to get around my hang ups so I can finish what is really a good and cute book instead of putting it down because I can't handle the scenes where the romance is at a cross-roads. I can't think of the term now, but it's where the bump in the road happens that the MCs have to get over so they can have their HEA.
What really shined for me was the fact that we were in Remy's head the entire time. It was completely from the MC H's POV, not the MC h. We saw his relationship with his brother, which I don't normally see in contemporary romance. It was done so well I actually thought the author was male, but just checked and NOPE a woman. Soooo...maybe not a realistic peak into a dude in love's head. But it FELT authentic.
Ok, kind of sad this isn't a contemporary romance from a male POV written by a guy. I want to see more romances written by men. They seem to be rather under-represented in the romance genre. But having the MC H being the POV the entire story is a good start. Even if it is written by a woman. I guess I just want to peak into the head of a man to try to understand them, lol.
I admit, I know NOTHING about Taylor Swift and this is apparently an imagining of her life, but when I read that in someone's review, I could see the parallels and it kind of made the story more REAL for me. Like, this happens to people who I will never meet, lol. So it was interesting and kind of sad in a way. It's a very PUBLIC way to live.
I enjoyed the different POV, the ending was sweet and it really made it clear that fame is something I am glad I will never have, lol. 3.5 stars, rounded down because DARN I wanted to this be by a guy. That's all my hang-up though. I give the audio 4 stars, the narrator did a good job and the brother sounded just how I would imagine a former hard partying rocker would sound, lol. So 4 stars en finale.
My thanks to NetGalley and Sourcebooks Casablanca for an eARC copy of this book to read and review. My thanks also to libro.fm and the publisher for an advanced Audio copy to listen to and review.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
July 1, 2022
(Thank you Netgalley and the publisher for the eARC in exchange for a honest review)
Publication date: 05 July 2022
Publisher: Sourcebooks Casablanca
Tropes: friends to lovers, slow burn
Triggers: addiction, cheating, misogyny
Plot
Vivi Swan's drummer, Remy Young knew that he could bring back more money for his brother and himself if he travelled with her, without any unnecessary problems or drama. One day, after spending hours together due to a bus mix-up, Remy is shocked to find that Vivi is not at all what the reports had suggested. He agreed right away when she asked for his assistance in creating her upcoming song—only because they worked together. What would happen next when Vivi's personal and professional life clash and everything she built is destroyed when it was published by a celebrity gossip blog?
Thoughts
This is not the kind of book I'd read to be honest, I didn't read Daisy Jones and the Six because I can't relate to the music industry but I picked this up because of its cover. I also didn't know this was a book inspired by Taylor Swift (Swifties, you should read this).
This book had a plotline of two brothers Remy and Val and another plotline of Remy and Vivi. I had a tough time being interested in the start but after the 1/4 mark into the book I could feel myself curious about the chemistry between Vivi and Remy and the brothers' background story as to why they had to resort to certain decisions. The book was also in a male POV which is rare and I do appreciate that.
However in terms of their characters, I felt that Vivi was not reciprocating as much as Remy especially towards fighting for him because she put more importance on her reputation and her image. The last conflict act also was unnecessary and even the way it was handled didn't feel like a proper closure. There also isn't much character development for Vivi as the book is told in Remy's POV, it would have been better to get dual POV to know her feelings.
Publication date: 05 July 2022
Publisher: Sourcebooks Casablanca
Tropes: friends to lovers, slow burn
Triggers: addiction, cheating, misogyny
Plot
Vivi Swan's drummer, Remy Young knew that he could bring back more money for his brother and himself if he travelled with her, without any unnecessary problems or drama. One day, after spending hours together due to a bus mix-up, Remy is shocked to find that Vivi is not at all what the reports had suggested. He agreed right away when she asked for his assistance in creating her upcoming song—only because they worked together. What would happen next when Vivi's personal and professional life clash and everything she built is destroyed when it was published by a celebrity gossip blog?
Thoughts
This is not the kind of book I'd read to be honest, I didn't read Daisy Jones and the Six because I can't relate to the music industry but I picked this up because of its cover. I also didn't know this was a book inspired by Taylor Swift (Swifties, you should read this).
This book had a plotline of two brothers Remy and Val and another plotline of Remy and Vivi. I had a tough time being interested in the start but after the 1/4 mark into the book I could feel myself curious about the chemistry between Vivi and Remy and the brothers' background story as to why they had to resort to certain decisions. The book was also in a male POV which is rare and I do appreciate that.
However in terms of their characters, I felt that Vivi was not reciprocating as much as Remy especially towards fighting for him because she put more importance on her reputation and her image. The last conflict act also was unnecessary and even the way it was handled didn't feel like a proper closure. There also isn't much character development for Vivi as the book is told in Remy's POV, it would have been better to get dual POV to know her feelings.
June 29, 2022
Unusual romance because it is entirely told from the man’s POV. Remy Young is a session drummer and plays with in a band with his brother. He gets called up to tour the mega star Vivi Swan. She is a country to pop crossover, think someone like Taylor Swift. She doesn’t usually mix with her crew, band or dancers but the two end up together on a tour bus for an evening. Remy wants to produce and so begins helping her with a new song she is writing.
I like the writing style and felt it told what life was like touring on the road well. Remy is very likable and I enjoyed Vivi. But you don’t get much character depth for her because of the singular POV. I also don’t love cheating in a story. I wasn’t clear if she was only with her boyfriend for controlled publicity for the two or if there was a real relationship that wasn’t working. So that bothered me. The flashback scenes of a fundamental Baptist childhood should have added depth for Remi but I was more interested in he and his brother’s short-lived success and his brother’s drug addiction. And while I liked Celeste I don’t believe she didn’t know the impact her story would cause. It is literally her business and livelihood and it was a betrayal.
Finally the ending was too open ended for me. There was no talking or resolution. Somehow I'm supposed to think his smallish gesture is enough. It didn’t resolve the conflict for me. This starts as one of the better books about a famous person, musical touring, and workplace romance. But it didn’t deliver for me when all is said and done. It is a closed door romance and there are mentions of drug use, addiction, cheating and religious fundamentalism.
Thank you to NetGalley and Sourcebooks Casablanca for an eARC in exchange for an honest review.
I like the writing style and felt it told what life was like touring on the road well. Remy is very likable and I enjoyed Vivi. But you don’t get much character depth for her because of the singular POV. I also don’t love cheating in a story. I wasn’t clear if she was only with her boyfriend for controlled publicity for the two or if there was a real relationship that wasn’t working. So that bothered me. The flashback scenes of a fundamental Baptist childhood should have added depth for Remi but I was more interested in he and his brother’s short-lived success and his brother’s drug addiction. And while I liked Celeste I don’t believe she didn’t know the impact her story would cause. It is literally her business and livelihood and it was a betrayal.
Finally the ending was too open ended for me. There was no talking or resolution. Somehow I'm supposed to think his smallish gesture is enough. It didn’t resolve the conflict for me. This starts as one of the better books about a famous person, musical touring, and workplace romance. But it didn’t deliver for me when all is said and done. It is a closed door romance and there are mentions of drug use, addiction, cheating and religious fundamentalism.
Thank you to NetGalley and Sourcebooks Casablanca for an eARC in exchange for an honest review.
July 25, 2022
Kind of sad after reading this, I wanted to love this, but I just couldn’t.
I was just not engaged. I know I picked this up because of the TS aspect. I didn’t like that it was basically one POV, the stereotyping and all and all just so much drama. The miscommunication, the cheating, all of it just made me negative where I was looking forward to something deep that leads to an upbeat, makes me wanna fall in-love type of romance. Serious topics are discussed, which is needed, but water them down for me later with some fluffy romance. By the end, everything felt rushed and squeezed in, and grand gestures replace actually talking about their issues. Afterwards I was like, these two won’t last. And that’s not the type of love story I want to read about, you know?
Thank you to NetGalley for this ARC.
I was just not engaged. I know I picked this up because of the TS aspect. I didn’t like that it was basically one POV, the stereotyping and all and all just so much drama. The miscommunication, the cheating, all of it just made me negative where I was looking forward to something deep that leads to an upbeat, makes me wanna fall in-love type of romance. Serious topics are discussed, which is needed, but water them down for me later with some fluffy romance. By the end, everything felt rushed and squeezed in, and grand gestures replace actually talking about their issues. Afterwards I was like, these two won’t last. And that’s not the type of love story I want to read about, you know?
Thank you to NetGalley for this ARC.
May 25, 2022
Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for providing me an ARC in exchange for my honest opinion and review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
Let me start off my saying I hate being the lone one star reviewer amongst people who enjoyed the book. It makes me feel like a hater. I want to make it clear that I love romance. I love a good love story. And in fact, I LOVE reading about characters in the music industry/hollywood. Bonus points if one or more of the characters are famous. I eat that shit up. Ok, let's move on.
In an effort to be fully transparent, I did a little speed read/breeze through with this one. Unfortunately, due to the chunks of pages I had to skip in order to get to the end, I will classify this as a DNF. I just wasn't engaged, okay?
I hate DNFing ARCs. I think I've only done it one time prior to this, so when I do, I like to thoroughly explain why.
This book was all over the place with the characterizations and the plot events. Let's all be honest with ourselves. We picked up this book because we are Taylor Swift fans. We were drawn to the fact that the main character is not-so-subtly inspired by Taylor Swift. If you're a diehard fan and you read even a fraction of this book, you will know that this inspiration goes down to even little details. This part was quite delightful actually. However, much to my own surprise, I found myself wishing the author had mixed in were more original aspects to her character. What I didn't expect was for Pearce to quite literally write Taylor Swift and slap a new name on top. I felt like I didn't know who Vivi was at all. I only know who Taylor Swift is, and all the missing parts of Vivi's character really showed through the cracks.
I was prepared for this book being primarily from Remy's POV, but only because I had glanced at a few reviews. I didn't personally hate this fundamentally. I just found myself wishing we got dual POV to see Vivi's motivations and thought processes. When you write a character with a big reputation (reference intended), it's nice to see an outsider's perspective as well as the actual character's thoughts and emotions. When it came to Remy, I just didn't particularly find his character original, interesting, or well-constructed. He felt very two-dimensional to me.
I felt that the writing was very juvenile. I really hated the presence of the age-old misogynistic stereotype of the female pop star who dates a lot of men, traps them in her web of toxicity, gets too clingy, and cries when they leave in a marble bathtub surrounded by pearls. but with a waterproof notepad situated next to the tub for ease of jotting down breakup lyrics (iykyk). I don't mind when this trope is present, but then later called out and addressed for how problematic it is. That was not the case from what I read of this novel.
There were so many layers that were thrown into the plot that were not justly elaborated upon. The religious family background, substance abuse, misogyny in the music industry, and the costs of fame (i.e. privacy and personal security).
Instead, at the end, we got grand gestures (x2) with no communication follow-up to resolve their issues, and a cheating plot line?
This is one of those books you read where you think to yourself, "Oh, these two characters most definitely break up 6 months after the last chapter."
Let me start off my saying I hate being the lone one star reviewer amongst people who enjoyed the book. It makes me feel like a hater. I want to make it clear that I love romance. I love a good love story. And in fact, I LOVE reading about characters in the music industry/hollywood. Bonus points if one or more of the characters are famous. I eat that shit up. Ok, let's move on.
In an effort to be fully transparent, I did a little speed read/breeze through with this one. Unfortunately, due to the chunks of pages I had to skip in order to get to the end, I will classify this as a DNF. I just wasn't engaged, okay?
I hate DNFing ARCs. I think I've only done it one time prior to this, so when I do, I like to thoroughly explain why.
This book was all over the place with the characterizations and the plot events. Let's all be honest with ourselves. We picked up this book because we are Taylor Swift fans. We were drawn to the fact that the main character is not-so-subtly inspired by Taylor Swift. If you're a diehard fan and you read even a fraction of this book, you will know that this inspiration goes down to even little details. This part was quite delightful actually. However, much to my own surprise, I found myself wishing the author had mixed in were more original aspects to her character. What I didn't expect was for Pearce to quite literally write Taylor Swift and slap a new name on top. I felt like I didn't know who Vivi was at all. I only know who Taylor Swift is, and all the missing parts of Vivi's character really showed through the cracks.
I was prepared for this book being primarily from Remy's POV, but only because I had glanced at a few reviews. I didn't personally hate this fundamentally. I just found myself wishing we got dual POV to see Vivi's motivations and thought processes. When you write a character with a big reputation (reference intended), it's nice to see an outsider's perspective as well as the actual character's thoughts and emotions. When it came to Remy, I just didn't particularly find his character original, interesting, or well-constructed. He felt very two-dimensional to me.
I felt that the writing was very juvenile. I really hated the presence of the age-old misogynistic stereotype of the female pop star who dates a lot of men, traps them in her web of toxicity, gets too clingy, and cries when they leave in a marble bathtub surrounded by pearls. but with a waterproof notepad situated next to the tub for ease of jotting down breakup lyrics (iykyk). I don't mind when this trope is present, but then later called out and addressed for how problematic it is. That was not the case from what I read of this novel.
There were so many layers that were thrown into the plot that were not justly elaborated upon. The religious family background, substance abuse, misogyny in the music industry, and the costs of fame (i.e. privacy and personal security).
Instead, at the end, we got grand gestures (x2) with no communication follow-up to resolve their issues, and a cheating plot line?
This is one of those books you read where you think to yourself, "Oh, these two characters most definitely break up 6 months after the last chapter."
February 28, 2023
Remy needs funds and needs them quickly.
He decides to take on Vivi Swan on her tour.
Then there was a mix up with the buses, he mistakenly got on Vivi's bus instead of the band bus and is forced to interact with her for hours upon hours.
They work together on a new song, but then he's not given credit and they have fight.
When she finally comes to her senses and so does he, they realize that the song they've written is just love letters to each other.
I just reviewed Six Ways to Write a Love Letter by Jackson Pearce. #NetGalley
He decides to take on Vivi Swan on her tour.
Then there was a mix up with the buses, he mistakenly got on Vivi's bus instead of the band bus and is forced to interact with her for hours upon hours.
They work together on a new song, but then he's not given credit and they have fight.
When she finally comes to her senses and so does he, they realize that the song they've written is just love letters to each other.
I just reviewed Six Ways to Write a Love Letter by Jackson Pearce. #NetGalley
April 11, 2022
I’m seeing a few reviews calling Six Ways to Write a Love Letter “fun” and “lighthearted,” and while that is what I would expect from the premise and the cover, that’s not really what I was feeling when I read it. Instead of a RomCom it was a romantic drama.
The story follows Remy Young who ran away with his brother, Val, from their strict religious family to start a band. They signed with a label but were eventually dropped and Val hasn’t been able to write songs since he got clean. Remy is used to being his brother’s anchor and when he’s offered the job to go on tour with famous pop star Vivi Swan he’s nervous to leave his brother behind. As much as this story is a romance, it is also a story about the brothers learning how to live without fear of feeling like they are abandoning the other. I was a little uncertain about how the strict religious homeschoolers storyline was going to go, but it wasn’t overdone.
I read this book in one day and part of what made it so addicting was the setting of the music tour. The particulars of the tour, and the way relationships are built and navigated while constantly on the move were so interesting. Pearce also explored the costs of fame and how much planning went into cultivating Vivi’s image while she also fought to have some aspects of her life personal. The romance begins when Vivi and Remy get stuck on a bus together after a mixup and they begin working on a song together. The romance is sweet, and I couldn’t help rooting for these two as they try to navigate the press and professionalism and their relationship.
I started this review by saying what I thought this book wasn’t, let me try and put into words what it is. Six Ways to Write a Love Letter is an addicting look at the music industry and the crazy grind of touring for months. It’s a heartfelt story about brothers as they are forced to find out who they are when they aren’t together. It’s an exploration of a pop star who must always keep up a façade and calculate every move she makes. It’s a sweet friendship and romance that grows through music and collaboration. The writing is beautiful and the story is cinematic. I highly recommend reading it while listening to a good pop soundtrack.
*Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for an e-ARC in exchange for an honest review.
The story follows Remy Young who ran away with his brother, Val, from their strict religious family to start a band. They signed with a label but were eventually dropped and Val hasn’t been able to write songs since he got clean. Remy is used to being his brother’s anchor and when he’s offered the job to go on tour with famous pop star Vivi Swan he’s nervous to leave his brother behind. As much as this story is a romance, it is also a story about the brothers learning how to live without fear of feeling like they are abandoning the other. I was a little uncertain about how the strict religious homeschoolers storyline was going to go, but it wasn’t overdone.
I read this book in one day and part of what made it so addicting was the setting of the music tour. The particulars of the tour, and the way relationships are built and navigated while constantly on the move were so interesting. Pearce also explored the costs of fame and how much planning went into cultivating Vivi’s image while she also fought to have some aspects of her life personal. The romance begins when Vivi and Remy get stuck on a bus together after a mixup and they begin working on a song together. The romance is sweet, and I couldn’t help rooting for these two as they try to navigate the press and professionalism and their relationship.
I started this review by saying what I thought this book wasn’t, let me try and put into words what it is. Six Ways to Write a Love Letter is an addicting look at the music industry and the crazy grind of touring for months. It’s a heartfelt story about brothers as they are forced to find out who they are when they aren’t together. It’s an exploration of a pop star who must always keep up a façade and calculate every move she makes. It’s a sweet friendship and romance that grows through music and collaboration. The writing is beautiful and the story is cinematic. I highly recommend reading it while listening to a good pop soundtrack.
*Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for an e-ARC in exchange for an honest review.
May 21, 2022
Six Ways to Write a Love Letter
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Genre: Romance
Format: Kindle eBook
Author: Jackson Pearce
Date Published: 7/5/22
Publisher: Sourcebooks
Pages: 352
Goodreads Rating: 3.77
TW ⚠️: Cheating
Thank you to NetGalley and Sourcebooks for providing a digital copy of the book for me to read in exchange for my honest opinion.
Synopsis: Remy Young touring with Vivi Swan means more money than he and his brother could ever earn on their own. And he's smart enough to keep himself far away from drama. Then a bus mix-up forces Remy and Vivi to spend hours together, and he's surprised to discover that she's nothing like the rumors said she'd be. When she asks for his help writing her next song, he's immediately on board—for professional reasons, of course. When Vivi's private life and public facade finally clash, a celebrity gossip blog threatens everything they've created together.
My Thoughts: The story is narrated by Remi, told in his POV. The author’s character development was amazing, they had a depth to them that I was able to connect with, especially Remy. I gravitate towards Rom-Com’s and one of the reasons I picked this book up, however, while it had some cute romantic moments, I think it was more of a romantic drama. The author’s writing was clear, creative, and authentic. I love how Pearce explored the music scene, speficially with the touring aspect and how hard it is on musicians, and then the cost of fame is explored a little. The book explores relationships, not only romantic but also the relationship of the brothers, which was nice to see. This was more of a slow burn, but still a good book overall that I enjoyed.
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Genre: Romance
Format: Kindle eBook
Author: Jackson Pearce
Date Published: 7/5/22
Publisher: Sourcebooks
Pages: 352
Goodreads Rating: 3.77
TW ⚠️: Cheating
Thank you to NetGalley and Sourcebooks for providing a digital copy of the book for me to read in exchange for my honest opinion.
Synopsis: Remy Young touring with Vivi Swan means more money than he and his brother could ever earn on their own. And he's smart enough to keep himself far away from drama. Then a bus mix-up forces Remy and Vivi to spend hours together, and he's surprised to discover that she's nothing like the rumors said she'd be. When she asks for his help writing her next song, he's immediately on board—for professional reasons, of course. When Vivi's private life and public facade finally clash, a celebrity gossip blog threatens everything they've created together.
My Thoughts: The story is narrated by Remi, told in his POV. The author’s character development was amazing, they had a depth to them that I was able to connect with, especially Remy. I gravitate towards Rom-Com’s and one of the reasons I picked this book up, however, while it had some cute romantic moments, I think it was more of a romantic drama. The author’s writing was clear, creative, and authentic. I love how Pearce explored the music scene, speficially with the touring aspect and how hard it is on musicians, and then the cost of fame is explored a little. The book explores relationships, not only romantic but also the relationship of the brothers, which was nice to see. This was more of a slow burn, but still a good book overall that I enjoyed.
July 20, 2022
I received a free copy of this book in exchange for a review from NetGalley.
At first, I had really high hopes for this. I have to say, I'm a big Taylor Swift fan, so I may be more sensitive to some of the criticisms of her in this book than other people.
Remy was a nice enough character but he wasn't compelling enough to be the only POV character. As other reviewers have pointed in out, in a book that partly revolves around female stars' (twisted) portrayals in the media, it seemed out of place to only have an outside perspective. What does Vivi think about all this? How does she deal with it?
The ending felt too fairytale-like and too easily resolved. I would've wished for some more nuanced discussion about what led to their conflict at the end of the book.
2.5 ⭐
At first, I had really high hopes for this. I have to say, I'm a big Taylor Swift fan, so I may be more sensitive to some of the criticisms of her in this book than other people.
Remy was a nice enough character but he wasn't compelling enough to be the only POV character. As other reviewers have pointed in out, in a book that partly revolves around female stars' (twisted) portrayals in the media, it seemed out of place to only have an outside perspective. What does Vivi think about all this? How does she deal with it?
The ending felt too fairytale-like and too easily resolved. I would've wished for some more nuanced discussion about what led to their conflict at the end of the book.
2.5 ⭐
September 10, 2022
2.5 stars.
The character i enjoyed in this story was Remy, but it was not enough to give it more stars or hold up the story. Because he and Vivi had no chemistrt whatsoever. Vivi was boring and uinteresting.
I got this eARC from Netgalley
The character i enjoyed in this story was Remy, but it was not enough to give it more stars or hold up the story. Because he and Vivi had no chemistrt whatsoever. Vivi was boring and uinteresting.
I got this eARC from Netgalley
April 28, 2022
I received an ARC from the publisher in exchange of an honest review.
I loved this book. I think the main character was inspired by Taylor Swift. Or at least if it's not her, they still have a lot of similarities.
It is so fun to follow the behind the scens of the tour and how the PR works on Vivi's side. I thought the relationship was growing in a realistic way. The book had me enticed and I couldn't wait to find out what would happen in the next chapter.
I loved this book. I think the main character was inspired by Taylor Swift. Or at least if it's not her, they still have a lot of similarities.
It is so fun to follow the behind the scens of the tour and how the PR works on Vivi's side. I thought the relationship was growing in a realistic way. The book had me enticed and I couldn't wait to find out what would happen in the next chapter.
July 22, 2022
This book was so cute
June 12, 2022
Aside from reading, music has always been one of my primary hobbies. I grew up playing various instruments in different bands and ensembles all through college. I avidly listen to music. I watch music critics who review music and dive into songwriting. I dabble in most areas except actually writing music or lyrics. All that to say this book was primed to either be a perfect read for me or a total miss, there was not going to be an in between. And I am delighted to say I adored this book.
All the music talk aside, that actually had nothing to do with why I picked this book up. This was an entirely blind pick up based purely on the author. Jackson Pearce used to write YA fantasy. And I used to be a huge fan of that YA fantasy when I was younger. Several of her books had spots on my favorite list for a while there. So when I was browsing Netgalley and stumbled up on this one I requested it without even reading the blurb. It has been a while since I've read a book by Jackson Pearce because my reading tastes started aging up and she did a foray in writing a middle grade series but with a jump to adult contemporary romance I was in. And I hope she writes more!
Now onto the actual book. In this book we're following Remy, a drummer who gets a last minute chance to fill in as the drummer on the North American leg of the tour of America's pop princess, Vivi. Vivi is very clearly inspired by Taylor Swift, and I was perfectly down for that, but I could see some people not jiving with that as a personal preference. Remy and Vivi end up stuck on the same tour bus together for a few hours one night earlier in the tour and they end up working on writing a song together and thus spending time together over the course of this tour leg.
And that's where I just fell in love with their story. I loved watching them connect through writing this song together. The way the words and meaning of it were tweaked and changed in response too things that were happening around them. And the way these two characters connected with each other when they had these writing session where it was just the two of them without the rest of the touring crew around. The way you could feel Vivi's public persona mask slipping off around Remy just felt so authentic.
This book wasn't without a few flaws for me, primarily surrounding the conflict which I had some mixed feelings about. What the conflict was about was what I had expected and what kind of just made the most sense in the context of the book so I was fine with that. And I liked that the inciting incident was a third party's actions instead of one of our main character's because it easily could have been an action on the part of one of the MCs which I would have been much more annoyed with because what happened was shitty. And I did think the third character got off a little too easy in the end. A little too forgive and forget for me. It was also a little frustrating because the situation was so preventable if just a little more common sense had been employed in this one specific scene from the beginning of the book.
But what pushed this book into being a 5 star despite some qualms was the two grand gestures we got from the MCs at the end of the book. It's been about a week between reading the book and when I had time to actually sit down and write this review and the whole ending of this book has lived in my mind rent free since then. I just cannot stop thinking about them because I loved them so much. I loved that both characters made a gesture as it felt very fitting given the context. And while VIvi's gesture was already melting my heart, Remy's is just playing on repeat in my head it was so good!!
This book has also made me realize that maybe I need to pick up more rock star/pop star/musician books. Because this is the second I've read and I've really enjoyed both
All the music talk aside, that actually had nothing to do with why I picked this book up. This was an entirely blind pick up based purely on the author. Jackson Pearce used to write YA fantasy. And I used to be a huge fan of that YA fantasy when I was younger. Several of her books had spots on my favorite list for a while there. So when I was browsing Netgalley and stumbled up on this one I requested it without even reading the blurb. It has been a while since I've read a book by Jackson Pearce because my reading tastes started aging up and she did a foray in writing a middle grade series but with a jump to adult contemporary romance I was in. And I hope she writes more!
Now onto the actual book. In this book we're following Remy, a drummer who gets a last minute chance to fill in as the drummer on the North American leg of the tour of America's pop princess, Vivi. Vivi is very clearly inspired by Taylor Swift, and I was perfectly down for that, but I could see some people not jiving with that as a personal preference. Remy and Vivi end up stuck on the same tour bus together for a few hours one night earlier in the tour and they end up working on writing a song together and thus spending time together over the course of this tour leg.
And that's where I just fell in love with their story. I loved watching them connect through writing this song together. The way the words and meaning of it were tweaked and changed in response too things that were happening around them. And the way these two characters connected with each other when they had these writing session where it was just the two of them without the rest of the touring crew around. The way you could feel Vivi's public persona mask slipping off around Remy just felt so authentic.
This book wasn't without a few flaws for me, primarily surrounding the conflict which I had some mixed feelings about. What the conflict was about was what I had expected and what kind of just made the most sense in the context of the book so I was fine with that. And I liked that the inciting incident was a third party's actions instead of one of our main character's because it easily could have been an action on the part of one of the MCs which I would have been much more annoyed with because what happened was shitty. And I did think the third character got off a little too easy in the end. A little too forgive and forget for me. It was also a little frustrating because the situation was so preventable if just a little more common sense had been employed in this one specific scene from the beginning of the book.
But what pushed this book into being a 5 star despite some qualms was the two grand gestures we got from the MCs at the end of the book. It's been about a week between reading the book and when I had time to actually sit down and write this review and the whole ending of this book has lived in my mind rent free since then. I just cannot stop thinking about them because I loved them so much. I loved that both characters made a gesture as it felt very fitting given the context. And while VIvi's gesture was already melting my heart, Remy's is just playing on repeat in my head it was so good!!
This book has also made me realize that maybe I need to pick up more rock star/pop star/musician books. Because this is the second I've read and I've really enjoyed both
July 2, 2022
I received an ARC from the publisher via NetGalley and am voluntarily posting a review. All opinions are my own.
Six Ways to Write a Love Letter has a fun premise, being an homage to Taylor Swift (it’s pretty obvious Vivi Swan is her with the serial numbers filed off), and the premise excited me. But I feel like the book could have done so much more exploring a Taylor-inspired character, and I feel that makes her a weird fit for the way this book was executed.
There are many occasions where the book comments on the misogyny Vivi is targeted with. We even get snippets from a gossip blog, highlighting “insider” info on her current romantic escapades, demonstrating how invasive the press is and how damaging it can be, but there’s no real catharsis or payoff, especially without getting intimate insights into her perspective.
Given the “women’s fic/chick lit” direction romance has taken in recent years, going for a more female-lead-centric focus, it’s an intriguing concept to turn things on its head and follow the male lead. But again, that doesn’t work when you’re following such a compelling (at surface level, anyway) heroine, who you don’t get enough depth to truly understand. It feels like the author decided to pay homage to the dynamics of popular romances like The Spanish Love Deception and The Hating Game, but with a “gender swap.” The results are equally uninspiring, and made even more so in context with the promised themes. There are some aspects of Remy’s past included, but the way they were explored in flashbacks didn’t flow very well with the overall narrative.
Despite my growing confusion with the book, it was an easy read, so I kept going in hopes that something I thought was missing would become clear. Unfortunately, that did not happen, and I feel using Taylor Swift for this story was a huge missed opportunity to explore her “reputation” with the media, when we don’t get to hear things from “her” side.
While I didn’t care for it, I am a Swiftie and will admit that colored my opinions in how issues were handled here. That’s not to say some other Taylor Swift fans (especially more casual fans) won’t enjoy it, but the lack of introspection may be a turnoff. If you’re a bit less invested in her, but are interested in celebrity romance, and don’t mind single-POV, it might be worth giving a chance.
Six Ways to Write a Love Letter has a fun premise, being an homage to Taylor Swift (it’s pretty obvious Vivi Swan is her with the serial numbers filed off), and the premise excited me. But I feel like the book could have done so much more exploring a Taylor-inspired character, and I feel that makes her a weird fit for the way this book was executed.
There are many occasions where the book comments on the misogyny Vivi is targeted with. We even get snippets from a gossip blog, highlighting “insider” info on her current romantic escapades, demonstrating how invasive the press is and how damaging it can be, but there’s no real catharsis or payoff, especially without getting intimate insights into her perspective.
Given the “women’s fic/chick lit” direction romance has taken in recent years, going for a more female-lead-centric focus, it’s an intriguing concept to turn things on its head and follow the male lead. But again, that doesn’t work when you’re following such a compelling (at surface level, anyway) heroine, who you don’t get enough depth to truly understand. It feels like the author decided to pay homage to the dynamics of popular romances like The Spanish Love Deception and The Hating Game, but with a “gender swap.” The results are equally uninspiring, and made even more so in context with the promised themes. There are some aspects of Remy’s past included, but the way they were explored in flashbacks didn’t flow very well with the overall narrative.
Despite my growing confusion with the book, it was an easy read, so I kept going in hopes that something I thought was missing would become clear. Unfortunately, that did not happen, and I feel using Taylor Swift for this story was a huge missed opportunity to explore her “reputation” with the media, when we don’t get to hear things from “her” side.
While I didn’t care for it, I am a Swiftie and will admit that colored my opinions in how issues were handled here. That’s not to say some other Taylor Swift fans (especially more casual fans) won’t enjoy it, but the lack of introspection may be a turnoff. If you’re a bit less invested in her, but are interested in celebrity romance, and don’t mind single-POV, it might be worth giving a chance.
April 23, 2022
First off, I want to thank Netgalley and the publisher for giving me an ARC in exchange for my honest opinion and review. Now, I'm not sure why but I didn't expect this to be from the male main character, Remy's, POV but it was a welcome surprise! This was a great, fun read against the backdrop of the music industry and was honestly addicting to read. The book was not as light-hearted as it originally suggests, which I really enjoyed because it adds nuance to the story. The religious family background and the story about Mercy was compelling and not overdone. The aspect of drug abuse was also a great way to add nuance to the story and making it more realistic. Also the cost of fame was explored, which I also loved. The female MC, Vivi, reminds me a lot of Taylor Swift (red lipstick, breakup songs, Nashville..etc.) which I am not complaining about, because I love t-swizzle. I do believe that the ending felt a little..rushed. I actually would've loved to give this book 4 stars, had the loose ends been tied up. I will say though, I loved the whole concept of how the book went about six ways to write a love letter.
**Spoilers ahead**
The somewhat bad is that I do not condone cheating, which there was some in the book (it was never specified if whats-his-face and Vivi were actually together or if it was fake, but...not a fan of cheating in stories). Also literally..Vivi and Remy at the end do a grand gesture for each other...but literally do not talk about the problems they had when they were together. And the worse part of that is that literally Remy even said in his POV it wasn't Celeste's fault (even though..it literally was a huge part of it) because there were problems in their relationship and they would've broken up eventually. None of these issues get addressed in the end. They just kiss and then that's it! Like, where is the communication? Is there an update on his freakin sister Mercy? You cannot just leave a sick sister in the picture hanging like that (I mean you can but it kinda sucks). For these reasons, especially with the lackluster ending...I went with a 3 star rating.
**Spoilers ahead**
The somewhat bad is that I do not condone cheating, which there was some in the book (it was never specified if whats-his-face and Vivi were actually together or if it was fake, but...not a fan of cheating in stories). Also literally..Vivi and Remy at the end do a grand gesture for each other...but literally do not talk about the problems they had when they were together. And the worse part of that is that literally Remy even said in his POV it wasn't Celeste's fault (even though..it literally was a huge part of it) because there were problems in their relationship and they would've broken up eventually. None of these issues get addressed in the end. They just kiss and then that's it! Like, where is the communication? Is there an update on his freakin sister Mercy? You cannot just leave a sick sister in the picture hanging like that (I mean you can but it kinda sucks). For these reasons, especially with the lackluster ending...I went with a 3 star rating.
July 2, 2022
Remy is a session drummer/one-hit-wonder looking to hang on and develop his career in a music industry. Landing a gig on tour with Vivi Swan (a barely-veiled Taylor Swift analog) is a great opportunity. He can pocket some cash for minimally demanding work while making contacts and building his resume. He didn't expect more than that, but an accidental encounter with Ms. Swan changes everything.
This is a very interesting look at the music business, touring life, and celebrity, but it wasn't exactly a feel-good story. This deals with heavy themes like addiction, childhood abuse, codependency, betrayal, forgiveness, and the cost of fame. The romance is a slow burn and very closed-door. With the story told only from Remy's POV (which was interesting as it's exceedingly rare in this genre) the reader shares a lot of the same uncertainty about other characters' feelings and motivations. As such, I didn't quite feel the connection between Remy and Vivi as much as I think I was supposed to. Their resolution was extremely rushed, with almost no direct or substantive communication.
What left me most troubled was the feeling that Remy had been done wrong by almost everyone in his life. His brother, his brother's partner, his parents, and definitely Vivi herself all treated him poorly and prioritized their interests over his. It was sometimes called out, but it never felt like amends were made or he got the apologies he deserved. Vivi's mistrust, her blithe privilege (yes, sweetheart, you ARE his boss), her betrayal of things he told her in confidence, her two-timing (faux-mance or not!), and her focus on her own image over his feelings or their relationship...it's hard to root for her as a good partner for him.
That said, it's a meaty enough story to provoke these kinds of thoughts! Readers who enjoy complex characters, dramas, and peeks behind the curtain of celebrity will find a lot to engage with here.
Many thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review!
This is a very interesting look at the music business, touring life, and celebrity, but it wasn't exactly a feel-good story. This deals with heavy themes like addiction, childhood abuse, codependency, betrayal, forgiveness, and the cost of fame. The romance is a slow burn and very closed-door. With the story told only from Remy's POV (which was interesting as it's exceedingly rare in this genre) the reader shares a lot of the same uncertainty about other characters' feelings and motivations. As such, I didn't quite feel the connection between Remy and Vivi as much as I think I was supposed to. Their resolution was extremely rushed, with almost no direct or substantive communication.
What left me most troubled was the feeling that Remy had been done wrong by almost everyone in his life. His brother, his brother's partner, his parents, and definitely Vivi herself all treated him poorly and prioritized their interests over his. It was sometimes called out, but it never felt like amends were made or he got the apologies he deserved. Vivi's mistrust, her blithe privilege (yes, sweetheart, you ARE his boss), her betrayal of things he told her in confidence, her two-timing (faux-mance or not!), and her focus on her own image over his feelings or their relationship...it's hard to root for her as a good partner for him.
That said, it's a meaty enough story to provoke these kinds of thoughts! Readers who enjoy complex characters, dramas, and peeks behind the curtain of celebrity will find a lot to engage with here.
Many thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review!
July 5, 2022
First, can I just say this cover grabbed my attention?! Then the book blurb on the back? Heck, yes, I’m in! Who’s this girl, and why does she demand my attention?
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/5 Stars
Trigger Warnings: Alcohol and Drug Use and Recovery, Religion
Initially, the flashbacks of Remy Young’s life growing up in Florida with extremely religious parents when he and his brother were younger felt like a heavy, wet blanket. Eventually, they helped bring the story together, developing the characters, solidifying their brotherly bond, and how Remy and his brother ended up in LA.
Remy was probably the most realistic character I’ve read in a long time. A man of few words, he was dedicated and loyal to his brother and his music - he wore the world on his back and didn’t want to disappoint anyone. All that seemed to shift, in the best way, when he met the infamous pop icon, Vivi Swan.
I loved Remy and Vivi’s dynamic from the start - the bus mixup - and how it developed from there, even though Vivi had a boyfriend. I found myself rooting for them despite the seemingly realistic woes of Vivi’s superstardom. 🥰
While reading, Vivi Swan seemed loosely based on Taylor Swift. Maybe I’m wrong, and it’s an amalgamation of many other pop stars to make up Vivi, but I loved her character and her constant struggle with who she could and couldn’t trust. I imagine it’s difficult as a celebrity to always “be on” in case someone happens to see you, and how difficult it must be to drop those defenses. I felt like Jackson Pearce captured that aspect perfectly. 💕
Highly recommended for anyone who enjoys a good forced proximity meet-cute, love triangles, and closed-door romances!
A huge thank you shoutout to @netgalley @sourcebookscasa and @jacksonpearce for an advance reader copy of Six Ways to Write a Love Letter in exchange for an honest review!
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/5 Stars
Trigger Warnings: Alcohol and Drug Use and Recovery, Religion
Initially, the flashbacks of Remy Young’s life growing up in Florida with extremely religious parents when he and his brother were younger felt like a heavy, wet blanket. Eventually, they helped bring the story together, developing the characters, solidifying their brotherly bond, and how Remy and his brother ended up in LA.
Remy was probably the most realistic character I’ve read in a long time. A man of few words, he was dedicated and loyal to his brother and his music - he wore the world on his back and didn’t want to disappoint anyone. All that seemed to shift, in the best way, when he met the infamous pop icon, Vivi Swan.
I loved Remy and Vivi’s dynamic from the start - the bus mixup - and how it developed from there, even though Vivi had a boyfriend. I found myself rooting for them despite the seemingly realistic woes of Vivi’s superstardom. 🥰
While reading, Vivi Swan seemed loosely based on Taylor Swift. Maybe I’m wrong, and it’s an amalgamation of many other pop stars to make up Vivi, but I loved her character and her constant struggle with who she could and couldn’t trust. I imagine it’s difficult as a celebrity to always “be on” in case someone happens to see you, and how difficult it must be to drop those defenses. I felt like Jackson Pearce captured that aspect perfectly. 💕
Highly recommended for anyone who enjoys a good forced proximity meet-cute, love triangles, and closed-door romances!
A huge thank you shoutout to @netgalley @sourcebookscasa and @jacksonpearce for an advance reader copy of Six Ways to Write a Love Letter in exchange for an honest review!
May 26, 2022
*thank you NetGalley & SourceBooks Casablanca for providing me with this arc in exchange for an honest review*
This book took me by surprise because I had no idea what it was about before going in, nor had I ever read anything by this author. It ended up being extremely well written & a romance that I think included a lot of other great elements. I honestly can say I felt good while reading – if that makes sense, it had a wholesome vibe to it (as well as some darker parts though). It was filled with drama & surprises along the way that kept me so interested.
If there is one thing I love as much as reading, it is pop culture & this book combined both of them so well. This story dove into the world of celebrity, fame, & the music industry, which I find absolutely fascinating. Trying to deal with a romance as well as all the PR & gossip that goes along with it? LOVED!
It was refreshing for me to read a whole romance from the guys POV (although it was technically 3rd person narration!). That is something I do not see a ton of in this genre & I think was very well done in a unique way. We got a great brotherly connection that was explored as well as some insight into a tough childhood leading to struggles with addiction.
All in all, this book was a beautiful story that I felt really matched well with me & my interests. My only real complaint is that I found the ending was extremely rushed. Sometimes I can understand how a story will wrap up quickly but this one just seemed so accelerated for me to fully enjoy it.
This book took me by surprise because I had no idea what it was about before going in, nor had I ever read anything by this author. It ended up being extremely well written & a romance that I think included a lot of other great elements. I honestly can say I felt good while reading – if that makes sense, it had a wholesome vibe to it (as well as some darker parts though). It was filled with drama & surprises along the way that kept me so interested.
If there is one thing I love as much as reading, it is pop culture & this book combined both of them so well. This story dove into the world of celebrity, fame, & the music industry, which I find absolutely fascinating. Trying to deal with a romance as well as all the PR & gossip that goes along with it? LOVED!
It was refreshing for me to read a whole romance from the guys POV (although it was technically 3rd person narration!). That is something I do not see a ton of in this genre & I think was very well done in a unique way. We got a great brotherly connection that was explored as well as some insight into a tough childhood leading to struggles with addiction.
All in all, this book was a beautiful story that I felt really matched well with me & my interests. My only real complaint is that I found the ending was extremely rushed. Sometimes I can understand how a story will wrap up quickly but this one just seemed so accelerated for me to fully enjoy it.
June 14, 2022
~~I received a free copy of this book to read and review for Wicked Reads ~~
This is a really engaging read, which follows some expected paths in the rockstar on tour route, but also creates a bubble of intimacy which is fun, if a little illicit!
Remy and his brother Val, are a close team along with Val's girlfriend Celeste - they share a house and perform in their band together. Then Remy gets an offer to fill in on drums for a tour of a popstar, Vivi Swan. Needing the money as much as the opportunity, Remy decides he should go, even if his brother is skeptical as to the value of the experience.
As we follow his adventures, we also get snippets of how the men grew up and got to LA in the first place, and we also see how Celeste and Val move on in their lives without Remy sharing the apartment with them - I thought the parallels were really smoothly and carefully written and worked very well.
As to the budding romance with the cut off/protected Vivi, well that is complicated in a whole other world way, and Remy is both naive and worldly in his approach to being with her. He is definitely the one who has very little support, and as it turns out that which he believes he has is maybe not what he had hoped. Trust is a difficult concept in this world, and the hurts from their childhood are not diminished in this scenario either.
An easy, light and perfect for a summer's day read.
This is a really engaging read, which follows some expected paths in the rockstar on tour route, but also creates a bubble of intimacy which is fun, if a little illicit!
Remy and his brother Val, are a close team along with Val's girlfriend Celeste - they share a house and perform in their band together. Then Remy gets an offer to fill in on drums for a tour of a popstar, Vivi Swan. Needing the money as much as the opportunity, Remy decides he should go, even if his brother is skeptical as to the value of the experience.
As we follow his adventures, we also get snippets of how the men grew up and got to LA in the first place, and we also see how Celeste and Val move on in their lives without Remy sharing the apartment with them - I thought the parallels were really smoothly and carefully written and worked very well.
As to the budding romance with the cut off/protected Vivi, well that is complicated in a whole other world way, and Remy is both naive and worldly in his approach to being with her. He is definitely the one who has very little support, and as it turns out that which he believes he has is maybe not what he had hoped. Trust is a difficult concept in this world, and the hurts from their childhood are not diminished in this scenario either.
An easy, light and perfect for a summer's day read.
June 23, 2022
Summary: A beautiful love story of an upcoming music producer and a very talented and famous singer, Vivi Swan. Remy and his brother, Val, produce their own songs and perform some gigs whenever possible.
Remy gets an offer from Vivi's team for a last minute sub for drummer. They both take off right from the start. Remy agrees to produce a song and works on it with her. In the mean time, the interest in each other turns into a relationship, which is actually cheating from vivi's side because the whole world knows she has a boyfriend.
No one knows about them except for his brother and Vivi's team. The news is out to the world one fine morning but not officially, which makes things between them end.
Vivi produces 6 versions of the song they worked on, 'May be It's me'. Each version is a love letter to Remy. After all he is not just an another breakup song for her.
Thoughts:
Vivi's character and the details of concert made me think of Taylor Swift often. There are many details about what happens behind the concerts and celebrities lives. All the characters are so pure at heart. Remy felt so sweet like he is incapable to hurt anyone.
But, to be honest, this is very long for a simple love story. Very slow-paced. I am not sure if it is because of writing or the way the story is narrated.
Other than that, I loved the story and would recommend to the readers who would like a light love story.
Thank you Netgalley and the publishers for the ARC
Remy gets an offer from Vivi's team for a last minute sub for drummer. They both take off right from the start. Remy agrees to produce a song and works on it with her. In the mean time, the interest in each other turns into a relationship, which is actually cheating from vivi's side because the whole world knows she has a boyfriend.
No one knows about them except for his brother and Vivi's team. The news is out to the world one fine morning but not officially, which makes things between them end.
Vivi produces 6 versions of the song they worked on, 'May be It's me'. Each version is a love letter to Remy. After all he is not just an another breakup song for her.
Thoughts:
Vivi's character and the details of concert made me think of Taylor Swift often. There are many details about what happens behind the concerts and celebrities lives. All the characters are so pure at heart. Remy felt so sweet like he is incapable to hurt anyone.
But, to be honest, this is very long for a simple love story. Very slow-paced. I am not sure if it is because of writing or the way the story is narrated.
Other than that, I loved the story and would recommend to the readers who would like a light love story.
Thank you Netgalley and the publishers for the ARC
September 6, 2022
Thank you to Sourcebooks and NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review
CW: deeply religious parents, neglect medical care of sibling due to religious beliefs, substance addiction (side-character), bullying my paparazzi, discussions of diet and exercise, cheating (physical and emotional)
I would recommend if you're looking for (SPOILERS)
-m/f contemporary romance
-celebrity romance
-slooooow burn
-close-proximity
-dual timelien
This was wonderful and I loved it. Thinly veiled and inspired by T Swift this was my catnip and I ate it up. Told entirely from the MMC, Remy's, POV I really enjoyed the contrast of where his career was and Vivi's. It was such a smart choice to really see the impact of celebrity and the pressures it puts on people from the outside looking in.
Remy was such a dynamic narrator. I really enjoyed his relationship with his brother, His past growing up in a super religious community and how that impacted his choices in life. How he slowly, accidentally fell for Vivi, while peeking inside her world. Tons of easter eggs for us T Swift fans but also not exactly aligned either. The third act had me breathless. I loved the way these two tried to resolve things through music which is so important to both of them.
Honestly just a great read and just what I needed.
Steam: 1
CW: deeply religious parents, neglect medical care of sibling due to religious beliefs, substance addiction (side-character), bullying my paparazzi, discussions of diet and exercise, cheating (physical and emotional)
I would recommend if you're looking for (SPOILERS)
-m/f contemporary romance
-celebrity romance
-slooooow burn
-close-proximity
-dual timelien
This was wonderful and I loved it. Thinly veiled and inspired by T Swift this was my catnip and I ate it up. Told entirely from the MMC, Remy's, POV I really enjoyed the contrast of where his career was and Vivi's. It was such a smart choice to really see the impact of celebrity and the pressures it puts on people from the outside looking in.
Remy was such a dynamic narrator. I really enjoyed his relationship with his brother, His past growing up in a super religious community and how that impacted his choices in life. How he slowly, accidentally fell for Vivi, while peeking inside her world. Tons of easter eggs for us T Swift fans but also not exactly aligned either. The third act had me breathless. I loved the way these two tried to resolve things through music which is so important to both of them.
Honestly just a great read and just what I needed.
Steam: 1
June 23, 2022
The premise of this story initially drew me in: Remy Young is a drummer/aspiring producer living in L.A and Vivi Swan is mega pop star, loosely inspired by Taylor Swift or Olivia Rodrigo- because everyone seems to think she's capitalizing on making break-up songs about her many ex's. A string of luck or fate has Vivi needing a replacement drummer for her upcoming tour. Enter: Remy. After attempting (and failing) to keep it strictly professional and all about the music, he finds himself stranded on the same tour bus with Vivi for hours and realizes hey, there may be more to her than meets the eye. And we're all shocked, truly. 😂
Everything Vivi does is calculated, as one who assume a celebrity would be. She's overly cautious about her public image, but several times throughout the book she says or does something that temporarily brings her down to earth. If I'm being overly critical, this might have been slightly more believable if we were able to break that wall and peek into her mind and motivations, however, the story was told completely from Remy's POV so her intentions were assumptions at best and left for our own imaginations. I do appreciate how this was unlike any book I've read so far, mostly because I don't usually gravitate towards male-POV stories unless it's a dual POV.
Overall, I was pleasantly surprised that I enjoyed this book and would recommend it to anyone looking for a easy read/light romance- especially music fans.
A huge thank you to Netgalley and Sourcebooks Casablanca for this ARC in exchange for my honest review/opinion.
Everything Vivi does is calculated, as one who assume a celebrity would be. She's overly cautious about her public image, but several times throughout the book she says or does something that temporarily brings her down to earth. If I'm being overly critical, this might have been slightly more believable if we were able to break that wall and peek into her mind and motivations, however, the story was told completely from Remy's POV so her intentions were assumptions at best and left for our own imaginations. I do appreciate how this was unlike any book I've read so far, mostly because I don't usually gravitate towards male-POV stories unless it's a dual POV.
Overall, I was pleasantly surprised that I enjoyed this book and would recommend it to anyone looking for a easy read/light romance- especially music fans.
A huge thank you to Netgalley and Sourcebooks Casablanca for this ARC in exchange for my honest review/opinion.
July 3, 2022
This book was not at all what I expected! It was so much more than your typical romance that took a unique take on the pop star character.
The book is told entirely from Remy’s point of view. He and his brother had a complicated relationship filled with toxic religious parents and a drug addiction. It’s had some “then” flashbacks that show how Remy and Val became the way they are and gave a more in-depth understanding to the characters,
It’s clear Vivi’s character is drawn from pop stars like Taylor Swift and Olivia Rodriquez. It touches on the unfairness of the media when it comes to celebrities and their break ups. While I didn’t always like Vivi or her choices, I came to understand why she did what she did, without getting her POV. This feels intentional on the authors part as this is what it feels like when reading about celebrities: you feel like you know them without breaking knowing them at all.
Against all odds, Remy and Vivi work together professionally and romantically. There’s plenty of romance, but it’s sweet with kisses and fade-to-black, implied intimacy where that part takes a back seat to the true heart of the story: trust, family, growth, and relationships.
Thank you NetGalley and Spourcebooks for a copy of the book!
The book is told entirely from Remy’s point of view. He and his brother had a complicated relationship filled with toxic religious parents and a drug addiction. It’s had some “then” flashbacks that show how Remy and Val became the way they are and gave a more in-depth understanding to the characters,
It’s clear Vivi’s character is drawn from pop stars like Taylor Swift and Olivia Rodriquez. It touches on the unfairness of the media when it comes to celebrities and their break ups. While I didn’t always like Vivi or her choices, I came to understand why she did what she did, without getting her POV. This feels intentional on the authors part as this is what it feels like when reading about celebrities: you feel like you know them without breaking knowing them at all.
Against all odds, Remy and Vivi work together professionally and romantically. There’s plenty of romance, but it’s sweet with kisses and fade-to-black, implied intimacy where that part takes a back seat to the true heart of the story: trust, family, growth, and relationships.
Thank you NetGalley and Spourcebooks for a copy of the book!
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