REVIEW: For One Night Only by Jessica James

For One Night Only by Jessica James: Valarie has always had a bit of a love hate relationship with the press and at the moment the relationship is leaning a more on the hate side. With her current musical TV show on the chopping block, Val is desperate for some positive PR if she has any hope of clinging on to her fame, which is why she comes up with the crazy idea of bring her old band The Glitter Bats, back together for a one night only reunion show.

Getting the rest of the band back together is not too hard but convincing her once best friend and boyfriend, Caleb, the bands bass player, well that is proving to be another story all together. However Val is determined to spin all of the press attention in her favour and that means she needs this reunion to be an absolute hit. If that means she needs to face Caleb and their past heartbreak then that is exactly what she will do… as The Glitter Bats fall into an old rhythm of rehearsing and jamming together, so do Val and Caleb… with old feelings being rekindled the pair is forced to face the reason for their first failed relationship if they have any hope of changing the outcome this time round…

For One Night Only was definitely a different take on the second chance romance trope, this book had a lot more heart than I had expected going in and I for one have to say it was a rather good read. I loved the theme of found family and the way the band found their way to to each other and worked through their problems, if anything this book highlights the fact that real relationships are messy and they require work and effort to be fruitful. I really liked how real the characters felt and the authentic feeling that they created of life as a rock and roll group, with all the drama and personal antics.

Valarie was a great leading lady, she was so complex and I loved getting to see her character grow and open as the book progressed. While she had more than a few frustrating moments that annoyed me, I completely understood her reasons for making these choices, and largely I really couldn’t fault her. There was something very messy and real about her character and the journey that she needed to go on in order to really find her true happiness. While I grew to love her character and the train wreck that she was, there were also moments that I just wanted to shake some sense into her. Though over all I have to say I really liked our leading lady and the way she turned a possible bad situation into something beautiful. Now for our hottie bass player, Caleb, well there really was no way not to like this guy. His emotions just felt so real, I loved that we got to see his unfiltered view of life in the public eye and the anxiety that he faced. While he definitely leaned towards being a major people pleaser even if it meant hurting himself, at his core Caleb was a genuinely nice guy with a heart of gold.

I loved getting to see the relationship between Caleb and Val unfold. These two had such a beautiful connection and getting to see them explore something that they both though was closed, was really beautiful. While there was an old comfort with them being together they really had to put in a lot of work to fit what they had broken and why they had allowed their relationship to crumble in the first place. Aside from the forgiveness between Caleb and Val, I also really liked the way Val found her way back to her band, the people that were her real friends and her chosen family. This part of the book was just beautiful to read. I also have to say I loved they way James wrote all the musical aspects of this book, the though and care that went into crafting the lyrics and the overall musicality in this book was just perfection.

All in all I really enjoyed reading For One Night Only. This rock and roll second chance romance is a definite must read for me!

Book Info:

Publication: January 7, 2025 | Berkley |

GLITTER BATS REUNION CONCERT—SOLD OUT! When two former bandmates—and bedmates—are thrust back into each other’s lives in a fake dating scheme for publicity, they’ll be forced to face the music. After her recurring role in tabloid headlines, Valerie Quinn’s musical TV show is on the network chopping block. Desperate for good press, she hastily reassembles her wildly beloved pop punk band, Glitter Bats. A reunion concert could be the former lead vocalist’s ticket to a media makeover, especially if it renews public speculation around her iconic situationship with bassist Caleb Sloane.The only problem? They haven’t spoken in six years. Caleb had the makings of a rock god, but fallout from the messy Glitter Bats breakup left him broke, anxious, and resentful of the industry. But when Valerie shows up at Caleb’s doorstep with that devastating smile and a plea for help, he reluctantly agrees to put on one last show. So what if the fandom assumes the two of them are back together too? They’ll play along. You know…for the press. Making music together not only revives the harmony between them, but also the discord that led to the band’s downfall. With their futures—and the Glitter Bats—in the balance, can they survive a romantic reprise?