REVIEW: Love Felt Like This by Julie Olivia

In Love Felt Like This by Julie Olivia, Becoming a puppeteer and following in her grandfather’s footsteps was always the plan for Beverly Lark. She couldn’t love his long-running children’s show Birds on the Block anymore if she had created it herself–which is why when funding falls through to continue her grandfather’s legacy, Beverly scrambles for new ideas. L.A. is full of investors and money. Surely someone will see the need for wholesome content and pitch in, right? Not so much. Beverly’s potential saving grace comes in the unexpected form of rock star Griffin Harvey. He’s at a standstill trying to write his newest album but has some children’s songs ready to record inspired by his two-year-old daughter, Ava. Beverly is stunned to find out that big, broody Griffin is a dad. A great dad, as it turns out. And the fact that he’s willing to travel back to her teeny hometown of Elk Grove, North Carolina, to write kid’s music in the cold mountains? Amazing. But as they spend more time together, and her feelings become part of the equation, Beverly wonders if her gamble on the show also now puts her heart at risk.

‘I’m just me. A small-town mountain girl with a love for puppetry. Friends with a big musician? Tried that already. They don’t have time for girls like me.’

Griffin didn’t really think things through when he decided to follow Beverly to North Carolina and work on the songs that are pouring out of his fingers, rather than working on the follow up to his first hit album. He could have put not only his career in jeopardy, but the identity of his daughter, Ava, on the line as well. It’s a good thing Griffin’s instincts were right about Beverly and her family. They welcomed him and Ava into their fold like they were meant to be there. And the music? It’s been amazing to see someone else who works nonstop like he does, seeing Beverly come up with scripts, voices, and fit his songs into her children’s show seamlessly. That kind of describes their relationship, too, if he’s being honest. They just fit. But with their complicated lives, Griffin isn’t sure how they can make things work between them long-term. Although, he’s willing to do just about anything to keep the sunshine that is Beverly in his and Ava’s lives as long as possible.

‘When you find someone who laughs like Beverly, who is kind like her, who makes silly voices for fun and is so unabashedly genuine like her, you don’t let that go.’

LOVE FELT LIKE THIS was a stunner of a contemporary romance that had a nostalgic 70s vibe along with a slow burn attraction that sizzled on the pages–and I was all in right from the start.

Author Julie Olivia infused so much heart into everything the characters did, said, and went through. Told from dual POVs, we couldn’t have asked for a hero and heroine who were more thoughtful or kind. Seriously. Yes, rock star Griffin seemed like a broody grump in interviews and backstage at events. But what the public didn’t know was the huge life-changing shifts he’d contended with in the past year, including taking on full custody of his adorable *secret* two-year-old daughter, Ava. It was a lot to handle. Griffin, though, didn’t think twice about fitting his life around Ava while still keeping her existence a secret for as long as possible. Getting his true thoughts on his hopes, dreams, and worries over what his crazy career would mean for her was utterly swoon-worthy and proof that he was a great father.

Then there was our heroine Beverly who, aside from her grandfather’s long-running children’s show (think: Sesame Street or The Muppets), was most of the source of the 70s feel this novel had. Sweet, kind-hearted, a workaholic who had a natural talent for making people laugh and entertaining them in seemingly simple ways, she dressed and looked like the 1970s were still alive and thriving. And her quirkiness worked. It fit Beverly’s tiny hometown up in the mountains of North Carolina that was kind of stuck in the past, and it fit her career, taking over the puppet show and trying to keep funding to take it further into the future.

TROPES/VIBES:
🎸 Single Dad Rock Star
☀️ Grumpy × Sunshine
🏡 Forced Proximity
💋 Fake Dating
🏔️ Picturesque Mountain Small Town
👀 Nosy, Entertaining Locals
🕺 70s Nostalgia

CW: View Spoiler »Grief & loss, parental death (off-page, historical), online bullying, cheating (historical, non-MC) « Hide Spoiler

I’ll admit I was worried the puppeteering aspect might be a bit too offbeat. But it was so fun and reminiscent of childhood that I think readers will love the cozy feel it brings to the page–as well as how it brought shy little Ava out of her shell. There was something wholesome about Beverly’s show that played off of Griffin’s rock star world, showing not only the differences between it all but also how music can connect people and convey emotions that can be difficult to put into words. And speaking of music, be sure to check out the killer playlist of 70s classics Olivia included!

An absolutely charming, heartfelt slow burn romance where a Grumpy x Sunshine pair holed up in the chilly mountains of North Carolina to create music only to fall head over heels, LOVE FELT LIKE THIS is a can’t miss feel-good novel.

QOTD: What was your favorite children’s show growing up (puppets or animated)?
 

Book Info:

Publication: Published: September 8th, 2026 | Berkley |

A grumpy rock star and a joyful children’s show creator revive television magic in this cozy small-town romance.

Griffin Harvey lives his life in the spotlight. Reluctantly. The brooding famous singer-songwriter is on the cusp of composing his sophomore album . . . if only he could find the notes. But after gaining custody of his two-year-old daughter, the only music he’s writing is about shapes and counting to ten.

Enter Beverly, who lives her life in the background producing children’s television and laughter. Except joy is hard to find when her nonprofit loses funding. She sinks all of her savings to revive the children’s show by herself, but when her variety show appearance collides with Griffin’s, their banter and chemistry is caught on live television.

Suddenly, Griffin is singing a new tune. He needs a muse, and Beverly needs all the help she can get. With his secret daughter in tow, they hide out in her cozy mountain hometown, attempting to script, compose, and revive television magic. Their dynamic shouldn’t work. He’s all harsh tattoos and rough hands while she’s bright colors and gentle touches. Once their three months of work are done, they’ll return to their separate worlds. But what happens when it seems the true magic might be found in each other?