Still Into You by Erin Connor Review

Two exes reunite for a make-or-break interview that will either bring them back together... or drive them apart forever.
 

Sloane Donavan dreamed of being a rock journalist ever since she posted her first MySpace blog. Now, one journalism degree, a failed internship, and dozens of backstage passes later, she’s struggling to land a full-time staff position. So when punk rock’s most notorious and elusive frontman offers her his first interview in eight years, Sloane should be jumping at the opportunity—but taking it would mean reconnecting with the only guy she’s ever loved (and lost), Dax Nakamura.
 

Unable to pass up a shot at making her name—and helping Dax clear the reputation that’s plagued his—Sloane agrees. It’s only a conflict of interest if anyone finds out. But the article Dax wants and the salacious tell-all Sloane’s editor is expecting are two completely different stories. And as old feelings resurface, Sloane’s journalistic integrity hangs in the balance. This is the career-making piece she’s been waiting for, but it comes with a the chance to rewrite the ending with her first and only love.

This review is based on a complimentary Advanced Reader Copy provided by Forever, an imprint of Grand Central Publishing.

As a genre, contemporary romance has been crossed with just about every topic and premise under the sun. Romance with musical elements is nothing new, but Erin Connor’s take on the concept is uniquely distinctive thanks to its commitment to the metal band focus. Where most star-crossed romance novels have swoony and smooth vocals, this book features mosh pits, overstuffed tour vans, and adrenaline-fueled passion that can only be found in a hardcore battle of the bands music festival. Centered around a second chance romance storyline and forced proximity through professional work trope, Still Into You is a solid romance novel with a swoony romance and well-written music industry storylines that are far more developed and insightful than expected.

I originally picked up this book based on the positive reception around Connor’s debut novel Unromance that I had never gotten around to reading when it was first published. Going into her second book blind, I was immediately impressed by Still Into You’s compelling music and band elements that go much further than typical for the romance genre (spent too long trying to figure out if the title was a Paramore reference, surely it must be). This book juggles two main storylines that play off each other, the first being music journalist Sloane Donavan’s reunion with her ex Dax Nakamura, the lead vocalist of the now famous metal band Final Revelations. While the second chance romance between Sloane and Dax is good, it’s the book’s second main storyline that pleasantly surprised me. Tasked with writing a high-profile article covering the gossip and details around Final Revelations’s return to the music scene following a multi-year and controversial hiatus, Sloane interviews chronicle the band’s formation, growth, and struggles over the years from the perspective of both a professional writer as well as a hardcore fan.

While I wasn’t aware of it considering her first published novel revolved around the writing and acting romance industry, Connor is a punk and metalhead, and it very clearly shows in this book’s plotting and details. The way each Final Revelation member recaps the band’s origin story, Sloane’s fond memories of attending shows and the music element that serves as the base for her life aspirations and friendships, the level of detail and nuance was unexpectedly really good! I found myself almost more interested in the band’s highly anticipated comeback, album writing/recording process, and their tumultuous relationship with the press very compelling. Torn between writing an article that does the band and their story justice vs a headline-stealing viral one desired by the magazine industry, the book’s music angle is not just for aesthetic flavor but is integral to the story Connor is trying to tell. There were many moments where I felt like the story of the band and Sloane’s relationship to the music industry was the true intent of the story, with the journalism and romance built around it rather than the usual reverse conception. For those that love music gigs and shows, this is an excellent book to pick up!

Besides serving as a great proxy for readers that grew up around punk rock/metal music of the late 90’s and early 2000’s, the book’s romance also did not disappoint. Full of wandering gazes, sizzling tension, and rekindling of passionate feelings, Sloane and Dax have great chemistry throughout the story. Connor’s portrayal of the struggling writer is great, and Sloane’s character is a nice mix of music enthusiast groupie and driven yet overthinking lone wolf. The balance between one’s aspirations, happiness wants, and responsibilities are blended together in her conflicted, yet often comedic head. Dax on the other hand is an effective mix of a charismatic and smooth rockstar with soft puppy energy that’s showcased during the band’s history. This book is also refreshing where it’s the FMC that’s more resistant to their attraction to each other and living in the future vs the present rather than the more common trend of the MMC being aloof, cold, or uncertain of what they want. Although actual spicy scenes are relatively few in quantity, the book has no shortage of swoon-worthy moments. While I wouldn’t necessarily call this book a feel-good read, the romance and plotting are such that it definitely has a comforting feeling to it where you know things will work out in the end. There’s tension and the expected third act conflict to be expected for a romance novel, but the way it’s written and executed feels wholesome and doesn’t throw out unnecessary angst, miscommunication, or other lazy tactics that would cheapen the ambition of the story for mere shock value. More importantly, the book properly pulls off the second chance romance storyline that can be deceptively difficult to do, given that they must have a good reason to have broken up originally and plausible explanations to why it’ll work a second time around. I really liked Connor’s approach to their breakup and reunion that felt believable and fitting for the story

As an added bonus on top of its compelling music industry plot and strong romance, this book also has a wonderful, albeit sometimes underutilized supporting group of characters. Besides the various members of Final Revelations that Sloane interviews and knows per her past relationship with Dax, there’s also Sloane’s own childhood friend group that are their own indie touring band and Sloane’s family consisting of four older brothers. Across Final Revelations’ lineup and Sloane’s friends, there’s a recurring theme of bonding through music and found family that is often quite heartwarming and wholesome. I loved the way Connor wrote and portrayed her character’s adolescent years as misunderstood or lonely outcasts who found their ride and die crew through musical passion and channeling feelings into art. I also found her portrayal of male friendships, banter, rivalry, and fooling around to be well above average, an area I often find poorly executed or lacking in many FMC-led romance books written by women. The book also has good representation, the most notable being Dax’s biracial Black and Asian background which is not common in the romance genre (Sloane’s apartment being over a pho restaurant and her love for ramen is random but an oddly fun detail).

While the book has a lot of great elements that are all interwoven together, I occasionally felt like Sloane sometimes felt forgotten in her own story, and I would’ve liked it if the book spent a little more time on her character. Serving as a great proxy for the reader and fans of band culture, I felt like the back half of the book’s character development was a bit rushed, especially from when she flies home for Thanksgiving with her family and onward. The narrative content that Connor presented itself was great, I just wanted more of it! Plotlines involving Sloane’s Mom leaving their family for her own aspirations, her relationships and childhood pact with her brothers, and her amicable but withheld relationship with her father, the concepts and execution were good but felt like they had the potential to be even more substantial and nuanced with more time. The same could be said about Final Revelations’ s comeback and Sloane’s final article that both felt like they were wrapped too too quickly and cleanly for how well they were set up throughout the rest of the book. Dax’s personal demons that influenced the trajectory of his life, the band, and contributed to their original breakup were great in theory, but again I felt like they were skimming the surface compared to where they could’ve gone. While I understand this book is first and foremost a romance novel, I couldn’t help but wish it spent less time on the rekindled romance itself and more on the music, band members, and Sloane’s character journey.

With a well-written second chance romance and excellent plot elements based around the music industry and band gig scene, Still Into You is a great romance read, particularly for millennials and music fans of the early 2000’s (the music scene and fan experience I’d imagine is too different for gen z folks). Its highlighted focus on metal music and the journalism industry are substantial parts of the narrative rather than a lightly dressed premise more common for the romance genre. While I wished the book went a bit farther with its non-romance story elements that could’ve pushed the book from great to outstanding, it is perhaps an indirect compliment to Connor’s plotting that I’m left wanting so much more. Hitting all the necessary marks to satisfy most readers, this is an overall excellent rockstar romance book!