This book is hurt by all the marketing comparing it to Taylor Swift. Yes the FMC writes breakup songs and yes she is very famous, but that's pretty much the extent of the comparisons? And even those are only surface level.

That being said this book is fine. A lot of suspension of disbelief that this could actually happen based on the FMC's level of fame and the ending is something right out of a JLo romcom... super unbelievable, but overall it was okay.

There are some interesting insights where the author tries to explain why the MFC does things/writes songs so closely and obviously based on her life where you can see she's trying to get into T.Swift's head. ( )

Max Harcourt and Riley Wynn met in college and fell in love. Both were very good musicians which was one of the things that drew them together. But when Riley tried to convince Max to go with her to try to make it big in Nashville, Max decided that his role in his family's old folks home was more important to him than music. The two split and built their own lives.

Riley became famous for her music and her string of failed relationships which led her to become the queen of breakup songs. Max immersed himself in the family business and never could make a commitment to another woman.

Riley's latest album is a massive hit and the song she wrote about her and Max's relationship is all over the radio. With Harcourt Homes losing money and facing possible closure, Max has the idea of auditioning to go on Riley's tour to play their breakup song together which will let him earn the money he needs to keep the home open.

Neither Max or Riley have ever stopped loving each other but their life goals are radically different. Riley seems to go into relationships with the goal of writing a breakup song. She only feels real and alive when she is on the stage performing. Max needs to convince her that she's more than her stage persona and that love can be real and can last. It isn't always necessary to write a breakup song.

The story was infused with music and songwriting. The writing style was lyrical. I enjoyed that story but felt that Riley was a little too introspective and wondered if she could ever change enough to take a chance on a relationship that had a happy ending. ( )