The Mixtape by Brittainy C. Cherry

I have mixed feelings about this. It was a really cute premise and I actually liked both Emery and Oliver a lot. They were very cute together, even though their meeting was anything but a meet-cute and that man would never have made it back to my apartment after throwing up in my car. Emery is a better woman than I am that’s for sure! 

There is a lot to like in this book, the main couple as mentioned, Reese who was frankly adorable if a little direct (tbh I loved that about her the most), Emery’s incredible neighbour Abigail, Oliver’s parents Michelle and Richard, who were wonderful, Oliver’s assistant Kelly, who broke my heart and who’d I’d love to read more about. 

But the things I didn’t enjoy kind of enraged me. Emery’s family were the absolute worst and I was so incredibly angry with her for taking Reese back to her hometown where of course her parents would cause drama! It was such a bad move and made me lose respect for Emery.

And Cam, and that whole storyline, and then it just kind of ended with no real resolution. Sure we know she gets what’s coming to her but I wanted to witness her crash and burn and it was really disappointing that we didn’t. She caused very real harm and I needed to see that girl get her karma!!

That brings me to the writing overall, while it was good for the most part, it was very clunky in others. Things never being resolved or the same thing being explained in back to back chapters. It made it feel as if those chapters weren’t cohesive and were written as an afterthought. 

The parts that worked, worked well though. And a big part that worked well was the relationship development between Emery and Oliver, and Oliver and Reese. It was lovely to see them all grow, I’d actually have loved to see some more of them all just being a family. 

I also really liked that Emery didn’t magically fix Oliver, but she gave him room to heal. I loved that he went to therapy and didn’t make Emery his therapist, especially given how much drama she had going on. Oliver was drowning in grief and in a terribly toxic relationship, he needed professional help and thankfully Emery was able to help him find someone he could talk to. Would it be that easy in real life? No, but these two needed just one thing to be easy and thankfully Oliver getting his mental health dealt with was the relatively easy thing. 

Overall this wasn’t a bad read, it wasn’t a favourite but I’d absolutely pick up more from this author! 

Synopsis:

Since the death of his twin brother, Oliver’s caught between pleasing his fans and finding himself. Emery finds him first.

Emery has never felt more alone. Raising her daughter is both her pleasure and her pain as she struggles to hold on to her job as a bartender and keep a roof over their heads. With no one to help them—no support system—any unexpected expense or late bill could turn their whole world upside down.

Reeling from the death of his twin brother and bandmate, rock star Oliver Smith is trying to drink his problems away. Apparently he isn’t very good at it; they follow him wherever he goes. Also in hot pursuit are the paparazzi, who catch Oliver at his lowest low.

He could have walked into any bar in California, but he walked into hers. Emery helps Oliver lose the crowd, and they find themselves alone: two people whose paths are marked with loss and pain. However, they hold an unshakable hope for healing. They find solace together, but can their love withstand the world?