Emily Wibberley

Austin Siegemund-Broka

A rising-star musician has a second chance at love with an old flame she remembers all too well in this swoony romance from the acclaimed authors of The Roughest Draft. Riley Wynn went from a promising singer-songwriter to a superstar overnight, thanks to her breakup song concept album and its unforgettable lead single. When Riley’s ex-husband claims the hit song is about him, she does something she hasn’t in ten years and calls Max Harcourt, her college boyfriend and the real inspiration for the song of the summer. Max hasn’t spoken to Riley since their relationship ended. He’s content with managing the retirement home his family owns, but it’s not the life filled with music he dreamed of. When Riley asks him to go public as her songwriting muse, he agrees on one condition: he’ll join her band on tour. As they perform across the country, Max and Riley start to realize that while they hit some wrong notes in the past, their future could hold incredible things. And their rekindled relationship will either last forever or go down in flames.

The Breakup Tour

Rebecca Briesemeister

“You wrote a whole album about heartbreak- I’d like to hear a love song at some point” 

As I sing, I remind myself Max Harcourt isn't the love of my life. He's just a great song

I really really enjoyed this book. These 2 authors have a unique voice and plotting that just simply works for me. I got the 5 star tinglys when I first started this book and by the end it did fall slightly short but overall still loved. 

I loved that this was a second chance romance that explored a choice made by the MMC in the past vs an incident he had no choice over. So, essentially 10 years prior before the FMC has made it big as a pop star she’s about to go on her first self created tour with her then boyfriend (the MMC). At the last minute he decides the road musician life is not for him, he stays back to switch his major from piano to business in order to take over the retirement home family business. And like I mentioned this isn’t something he HAS to do at the time, his parents aren’t pressuring him, they don’t need him. So how do they reckon with this when they are brought back together in current time? Emily and Austin have such character driven work I just loved this conflict. Both characters have things to work through individually and together.

Let me be frank (especially based on some other reviews I saw), comparisons of the FMC to Taylor Swift does this book a disservice. This is not swiftie fan fic and as a Taylor swift fan I didn’t really hear her voice in the FMC anyway. Their careers are on different timelines and this FMC feels older to me, not in maturity just in her presence. I think the bigger comparison here is commentary on women in general, in public facing industries but also those in pursuit of their ideal life and dream. This MMC is not made for the spotlight but she fits right in and she’s not going to dim herself or apologize for it. 

Overall what fell a liiiittle flat was just repetitive metaphors to music. I get it, y’all are musicians, but at some point a look is just a look or a kiss is just a kiss and not always a 

Thank you to Berkley for sending me an ARC of this! I love the cover and feel of the paperback. I was really looking forward to this release because I am officially a fan of these authors- they will make you feel. 

Abigail

I really really enjoyed this book. These 2 authors have a unique voice and plotting that just simply works for me. I got the 5 star tinglys when I first started this book and by the end it did fall slightly short but overall still loved. 

I loved that this was a second chance romance that explored a choice made by the MMC in the past vs an incident he had no choice over. So, essentially 10 years prior before the FMC has made it big as a pop star she’s about to go on her first self created tour with her then boyfriend (the MMC). At the last minute he decides the road musician life is not for him, he stays back to switch his major from piano to business in order to take over the retirement home family business. And like I mentioned this isn’t something he HAS to do at the time, his parents aren’t pressuring him, they don’t need him. So how do they reckon with this when they are brought back together in current time? Emily and Austin have such character driven work I just loved this conflict. Both characters have things to work through individually and together.

Let me be frank (especially based on some other reviews I saw), comparisons of the FMC to Taylor Swift does this book a disservice. This is not swiftie fan fic and as a Taylor swift fan I didn’t really hear her voice in the FMC anyway. Their careers are on different timelines and this FMC feels older to me, not in maturity just in her presence. I think the bigger comparison here is commentary on women in general, in public facing industries but also those in pursuit of their ideal life and dream. This MMC is not made for the spotlight but she fits right in and she’s not going to dim herself or apologize for it. 

Overall what fell a liiiittle flat was just repetitive metaphors to music. I get it, y’all are musicians, but at some point a look is just a look or a kiss is just a kiss and not always a melody whispering in the wind when you glance at someone. 

Thank you to Berkley for sending me an ARC of this! I love the cover and feel of the paperback. I was really looking forward to this release because I am officially a fan of these authors- they will make you feel. 

The Breakup Tour

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