By: Claudia Burgoa
Many thanks to Hambright PR for the ARC of this book!
“Because some people are stitched into your story before the first page. Star-crossed. Written in. Written deep. And no matter how far you run, how long you stay apart, you find each other again.”
My first read of 2026 and it was a 5 star read!! This book spoke to who I am as a person, it spoke to my soul. I’ve never been in situations as the main characters, but I’ve never connected more to characters that were so different from me.
As teenagers, Roderick and Kit had an amazing connection. They were first loves. He broke that, broke her heart. Now it’s 12 years later and he’s just got out of rehab and he’s back, wanting to get his career on track. They are pulled to each other, but try to keep their distance. Kit’s current boyfriend is “safe.” She starts talking on message boards to DeadStrings and she forms a connection with him. We feel their connection through their messages. She knows that Roderick isn’t good for her, he broke her heart once, she’s sure he will do it again. How does Kit choose between the boy who has had her heart forever, and someone she’s never met, but gives her hope?
The title of this books lets you know that this is a very music heavy book. The messages that are sent back and forth between Kit and DeadStrings discuss a lot of music – the songs, the sounds, what they mean, how they make them feel. THIS here is why I connected to the book so much. For me, music is the greatest form of expression. I LOVE finding songs that describe how I feel, especially when I can’t put my feelings into words. Through these messages, through the shared songs, the shared explanations for picking those songs, their souls connect and they feel seen like never before. It was SO beautiful.
There are some tough topics discussed in here, addiction and abuse. The author handles these topics with care. Honestly, when we learn more throughout the book, I wanted to go into the book and hug Roderick. This book made me FEEL (though, I did not cry).
I could go on and on gushing about the book, but I won’t put any spoilers here. So I’ll just say this, the ending was PERFECT. This is my first time reading this author, but it certainly won’t be my last.
Publish Date: December 30, 2025
Find the book here.
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