What do you think?
Rate this book
All the Right Notes
In this hilarious and joyous rom com, sparks fly when a piano genius and a Hollywood heartthrob are thrown together for a charity performance of solos, heartfelt duets, and a big, showstopping finale.
Quito Cruz might be a genius piano player and composer in New York City now but it doesn’t mean that he’s any closer to his Broadway dream. Although Quito knows what the problem is. Or rather who . Because ever since that night in college—with pretty-boy jock Emmett Aoki—his inspiration has been completely MIA . . .
Now Quito’s dad wants him to put on a charity performance in his hometown. And there’s one hella big string convince Emmett—now one of Hollywood’s hottest celebrities—to perform.
It’s all shaping up to be the biggest musical fiasco of Quito’s life. Especially when Emmett agrees to attend, and Quito realizes that undeniable vibe between them is stronger than ever. Because there’s nothing simple about falling for a movie star . . . even when he’s pitch-perfect.
Quito Cruz might be a genius piano player and composer in New York City now but it doesn’t mean that he’s any closer to his Broadway dream. Although Quito knows what the problem is. Or rather who . Because ever since that night in college—with pretty-boy jock Emmett Aoki—his inspiration has been completely MIA . . .
Now Quito’s dad wants him to put on a charity performance in his hometown. And there’s one hella big string convince Emmett—now one of Hollywood’s hottest celebrities—to perform.
It’s all shaping up to be the biggest musical fiasco of Quito’s life. Especially when Emmett agrees to attend, and Quito realizes that undeniable vibe between them is stronger than ever. Because there’s nothing simple about falling for a movie star . . . even when he’s pitch-perfect.
384 pages, Paperback
First published June 6, 2023
About the author
Dominic Lim
2 books134 followers Dominic Lim has enjoyed a lifelong love affair with music. He holds a master’s from Indiana University Jacobs School of Music, is an alum of the Oberlin Conservatory of Music, and has sung with numerous professional choral ensembles. As a proud member of the Actors’ Equity Association, Dominic has performed Off-Broadway and in regional productions throughout the US.
Although he probably shouldn’t admit to having favorites, the thrill of singing “This is the Hour” in the chorus of Miss Saigon still pops up in his dreams. He supports his local writing community as a member of the Writers Grotto and as co-host of San Francisco’s Babylon Salon. Dominic lives in Oakland with his loving and supportive husband, Peter, and their whiny cat, Phoebe.
Although he probably shouldn’t admit to having favorites, the thrill of singing “This is the Hour” in the chorus of Miss Saigon still pops up in his dreams. He supports his local writing community as a member of the Writers Grotto and as co-host of San Francisco’s Babylon Salon. Dominic lives in Oakland with his loving and supportive husband, Peter, and their whiny cat, Phoebe.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 469 reviews
March 16, 2023
Actual rating 4.5 stars.
Sometimes I just want to immerse myself in a book. Because I feel down. Or because I’m tired. Or, like now, because my previous read consumed me wholly and still haunts me. All the Right Notes is the perfect book to read at times like these.
Told in a dual timeline, senior year in high school and twenty years later, All the Right Notes is a story about two men who once bonded over music and fell in love and meet again, still feeling that tingling vibe between them from the past.
Like I said, I needed a book like this. It’s a wonderful debut. The almost blunt writing, the relatively short chapters, and the alternation between now and then made me sit on the edge of my seat, and the palpable chemistry between Quito and Emmett made me want to devour this story in just one sitting. That heavy feeling in my chest from my previous read slowly disappeared. Instead, a fuzzy fondness entered my body, and a smile started to tug at my lips. Not only because of Quito and Emmett but also because of the side characters. I immediately fell in love with Quito’s sweet and supportive dad and Jee, OMG, Jee. They reminded me so much of ‘glitterbal’ Jacob from First Time for Everything (Henry Fry). And can I gush about Emmett for a moment? He was so cute; no wonder that he had so many fans! Last but not least, I shouldn’t forget to mention that Dominic Lim is a Filipino-American author, and Filipino food is interwoven throughout the story.
If you love dual timelines, music, a slow-burn second chance romance with little steam but lots of yearning, and fully fleshed-out characters, then you should definitely read this great debut! Dominic, I can’t wait for what you have in store for us next!
I received an ARC from Forever and NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
Follow me on Instagram
Sometimes I just want to immerse myself in a book. Because I feel down. Or because I’m tired. Or, like now, because my previous read consumed me wholly and still haunts me. All the Right Notes is the perfect book to read at times like these.
Told in a dual timeline, senior year in high school and twenty years later, All the Right Notes is a story about two men who once bonded over music and fell in love and meet again, still feeling that tingling vibe between them from the past.
Like I said, I needed a book like this. It’s a wonderful debut. The almost blunt writing, the relatively short chapters, and the alternation between now and then made me sit on the edge of my seat, and the palpable chemistry between Quito and Emmett made me want to devour this story in just one sitting. That heavy feeling in my chest from my previous read slowly disappeared. Instead, a fuzzy fondness entered my body, and a smile started to tug at my lips. Not only because of Quito and Emmett but also because of the side characters. I immediately fell in love with Quito’s sweet and supportive dad and Jee, OMG, Jee. They reminded me so much of ‘glitterbal’ Jacob from First Time for Everything (Henry Fry). And can I gush about Emmett for a moment? He was so cute; no wonder that he had so many fans! Last but not least, I shouldn’t forget to mention that Dominic Lim is a Filipino-American author, and Filipino food is interwoven throughout the story.
If you love dual timelines, music, a slow-burn second chance romance with little steam but lots of yearning, and fully fleshed-out characters, then you should definitely read this great debut! Dominic, I can’t wait for what you have in store for us next!
I received an ARC from Forever and NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
Follow me on Instagram
February 22, 2023
Need to get my thoughts into a more coherent space for a blurb, but PHEW. This destroyed me in the most wonderful, cathartic way. (There are many CWs for this one, which Lim lists in thoughtful detail at the beginning of the book, but the biggest one to probably know is parental death.) Most of this book is told alternating between current day narration & flashbacks, & it crafts Quito and Emmett’s slow burn love story so, so well, so that I had a hard time putting it down.
This is such a passionate love letter to music, from classical to Broadway show tunes to pop, especially the art of singing, and a tribute to the legacy of good music teachers. Anyone who still feels emotionally connected to their high school choir memories will be destroyed by this one, I think. It is also such a loving portrait of Filipino-American culture, especially via food; I was so hungry for so much of this lol. I was also obsessed with Ujima & am sad they don’t actually exist so we can’t be friends. Overall: so lovely, and so great as well to have more gay romance written by gay authors of color in the world of traditional publishing.
This is such a passionate love letter to music, from classical to Broadway show tunes to pop, especially the art of singing, and a tribute to the legacy of good music teachers. Anyone who still feels emotionally connected to their high school choir memories will be destroyed by this one, I think. It is also such a loving portrait of Filipino-American culture, especially via food; I was so hungry for so much of this lol. I was also obsessed with Ujima & am sad they don’t actually exist so we can’t be friends. Overall: so lovely, and so great as well to have more gay romance written by gay authors of color in the world of traditional publishing.
June 7, 2023
Happy release day to this book! I had the privilege of reading this sonorous queer, Filipino romance early and can verify its worth the read! Please pick this up at your local bookstore or at your local library!
E-ARC generously provided by Forever via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. Thank you so much!
4 stars. Combining a story that’s all heart with a musical exploration of Filipino culture, All The Right Notes hits almost every chromatic note, one key at a time.
E-ARC generously provided by Forever via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. Thank you so much!
4 stars. Combining a story that’s all heart with a musical exploration of Filipino culture, All The Right Notes hits almost every chromatic note, one key at a time.
May 9, 2023
Warnings for parental death and the mortifying ordeal of being a poorly written teenager.
This is the first time I have ever given a book I actually bothered to finish one star. Why? Because I was going to dnf and one star pages in but kept going "for the sake of the review". Note to future self: if I can tell that a book will be bad immediately, I am correct. The book will, in fact, be bad.
Let's start with that I possibly liked about this book, so that I can say I was fair to it:
- Emmett was fine
- Mr. Cruz was cool
-
- When Quito is hiding in a closet for (reasons I forget) and Emmett shows up and is like "why are you in the closet" and Quito says "I'm not in the closet. You're in the closet." That part was funny.
Alright. That's it for things I enjoyed. Now let's move onto all the shit I didn't like (how to we know I hated this book? It took me over a month to read. Most books I read in 2-4 days so you know that means something). I'm going to sort this into sections so it becomes at least kind of orderly.
The Plot/ Random Shit
- Tries way too hard. Overly poetic prose. It was annoying and unnecessary and pulled me out of the book to imagine characters actually thinking like that. Absolutely stupid writing choice.
- The time jumps. So this book alternates from high school/ current day (switching every chapter). But it's like a twenty year (?? not actually sure) time jump. So this book was trying to be both YA and adult, and failed at both. Quito wasn't convincing as a high schooler or as a thirty-some year old man.
- I honestly just don't get the plot choices in this book.
- The whole popular boy walks into the nerd class and everyone is stunned/ drawn to him/ basically dies on the spot is quite possibly one of the most ridiculous things I have ever read. Hate to say it but no teenage boy is a "god". And this was just the first scene. My my did we start off weak.
- This random person whose name I can't remember saying the words "over my dead, lesbian body". Who the fuck talks like that. Honestly. Absurd. Kill me please.
- Overwhelmingly stereotyped
- All the women are horribly written and/or dead.
- When Mark sends Quito a personal message in the form of an actual formatted email. Sorry if my significant other communicated with me like that they would no longer be my significant other. Oops.
- Typing out "hahahahahahahahahaha" to indicate laughter.
- Not knowing how instagram works. Photos do not trend on instagram and you don't look up a "user" (source: I am 22 and grew up on instagram)
- In a single scene Mr. Cruz is wearing both jeans and sweatpants without ever getting changed. Good for him I guess?
- The phrase "walking off calories". Go die in a hole.
- When Mr. Cruz tells the story of Quito coming out like it's something funny. I mean the whole story around that was stupid as fuck but I think that coming out and stories around that are for the queer person to choose to tell.
- When
Quito as a Person
- The most annoying, hateful person I have ever met. He is constantly judging literally everything and everyone, including the clothes worn by teenagers (let's not say that a high school girl's dress is hiding her figure please. I don't care if you're gay it's fucking creepy). In the first couple of chapters, Quito judges a girl's makeup, and he keeps doing that throughout the book
- So fucking dramatic and into long-winded unnecessary music metaphors. Jesus Christ get over yourself.
- Basically he is super judgemental and way too into himself in a plagued with self-doubt sort of way and it all combines to make him the most unlikeable character you can imagine. What Emmett sees in him I cannot even begin to figure out.
- Not sure if this is Quito the character or the book I'm mad at. But why does he identify groups of people as things like "a trio of gays"? Or when he describes Ujima's hair as a "giant gay mop"? (I am a gay person. I hate this.)
- His whole piano prodigy deal is exhausting. I get it you're special now shut up.
- When Quito knew the name of Emmett's cologne in high school and could recognise it and name it by smell. That's now how high school works and also not how people work.
- That time Quito is like "I don't want to show Emmett my room so instead we will look at photo albums of my dead mom" excuse me? (paraphrasing here) and then Quito is weird about Emmett asking about her my dude you showed him the photos of her! What did you expect!
- Normally we talk about "not like other girls" as an issue but Quito has a crippling case of "not like other boys"
How Ujima was Treated
- Nonbinary/ gender queer characters exist for more than comic relief and educational purposes!
- Actually most of my stuff here is more Quito hate because of how Quito is towards his supposedly best friend. The rest of it is how this character is written.
- When Quito is like "it took me a while to get used to Ujima's preferred pronouns of they and them" (I am paraphrasing). 1. they are not preferred pronouns they are pronouns. 2. I don't care that you think you got over your transphobia because quite clearly you did not. This is your best friend and roommate and you don't even really respect their identity
- I hated it when Ujima was like "that man is too pretty to be straight". What the fuck???
- Quito loves to point of how Weird and Nonbinary Ujima is and it made me feel extremely icky.
- Ujima saying "my flawless black ass" in response to I don't remember what. Does a person talk like that? (I am not Black so this isn't like the "over my dead, lesbian body thing" because of how I am in fact a lesbian. Still seemed weird? But I am ready to be wrong here)
- Ujima flirts with literally everyone but in a creepy way. Did not love it.
- Quito misgenders Ujima twice when thinking about them (185, 220 in my copy). Then, Quito is quite literally unable to properly introduce his BEST FRIEND because he doesn't know how to introduce someone whose pronouns are they/them. Atrocious.
-
Anyways. I hated this book. Which makes me sad, but what's a girl to do when there is so much here to hate and nothing to love. My apologies to anyone who reads this book.
This is the first time I have ever given a book I actually bothered to finish one star. Why? Because I was going to dnf and one star pages in but kept going "for the sake of the review". Note to future self: if I can tell that a book will be bad immediately, I am correct. The book will, in fact, be bad.
Let's start with that I possibly liked about this book, so that I can say I was fair to it:
- Emmett was fine
- Mr. Cruz was cool
-
- When Quito is hiding in a closet for (reasons I forget) and Emmett shows up and is like "why are you in the closet" and Quito says "I'm not in the closet. You're in the closet." That part was funny.
Alright. That's it for things I enjoyed. Now let's move onto all the shit I didn't like (how to we know I hated this book? It took me over a month to read. Most books I read in 2-4 days so you know that means something). I'm going to sort this into sections so it becomes at least kind of orderly.
The Plot/ Random Shit
- Tries way too hard. Overly poetic prose. It was annoying and unnecessary and pulled me out of the book to imagine characters actually thinking like that. Absolutely stupid writing choice.
- The time jumps. So this book alternates from high school/ current day (switching every chapter). But it's like a twenty year (?? not actually sure) time jump. So this book was trying to be both YA and adult, and failed at both. Quito wasn't convincing as a high schooler or as a thirty-some year old man.
- I honestly just don't get the plot choices in this book.
- The whole popular boy walks into the nerd class and everyone is stunned/ drawn to him/ basically dies on the spot is quite possibly one of the most ridiculous things I have ever read. Hate to say it but no teenage boy is a "god". And this was just the first scene. My my did we start off weak.
- This random person whose name I can't remember saying the words "over my dead, lesbian body". Who the fuck talks like that. Honestly. Absurd. Kill me please.
- Overwhelmingly stereotyped
- All the women are horribly written and/or dead.
- When Mark sends Quito a personal message in the form of an actual formatted email. Sorry if my significant other communicated with me like that they would no longer be my significant other. Oops.
- Typing out "hahahahahahahahahaha" to indicate laughter.
- Not knowing how instagram works. Photos do not trend on instagram and you don't look up a "user" (source: I am 22 and grew up on instagram)
- In a single scene Mr. Cruz is wearing both jeans and sweatpants without ever getting changed. Good for him I guess?
- The phrase "walking off calories". Go die in a hole.
- When Mr. Cruz tells the story of Quito coming out like it's something funny. I mean the whole story around that was stupid as fuck but I think that coming out and stories around that are for the queer person to choose to tell.
- When
Quito as a Person
- The most annoying, hateful person I have ever met. He is constantly judging literally everything and everyone, including the clothes worn by teenagers (let's not say that a high school girl's dress is hiding her figure please. I don't care if you're gay it's fucking creepy). In the first couple of chapters, Quito judges a girl's makeup, and he keeps doing that throughout the book
- So fucking dramatic and into long-winded unnecessary music metaphors. Jesus Christ get over yourself.
- Basically he is super judgemental and way too into himself in a plagued with self-doubt sort of way and it all combines to make him the most unlikeable character you can imagine. What Emmett sees in him I cannot even begin to figure out.
- Not sure if this is Quito the character or the book I'm mad at. But why does he identify groups of people as things like "a trio of gays"? Or when he describes Ujima's hair as a "giant gay mop"? (I am a gay person. I hate this.)
- His whole piano prodigy deal is exhausting. I get it you're special now shut up.
- When Quito knew the name of Emmett's cologne in high school and could recognise it and name it by smell. That's now how high school works and also not how people work.
- That time Quito is like "I don't want to show Emmett my room so instead we will look at photo albums of my dead mom" excuse me? (paraphrasing here) and then Quito is weird about Emmett asking about her my dude you showed him the photos of her! What did you expect!
- Normally we talk about "not like other girls" as an issue but Quito has a crippling case of "not like other boys"
How Ujima was Treated
- Nonbinary/ gender queer characters exist for more than comic relief and educational purposes!
- Actually most of my stuff here is more Quito hate because of how Quito is towards his supposedly best friend. The rest of it is how this character is written.
- When Quito is like "it took me a while to get used to Ujima's preferred pronouns of they and them" (I am paraphrasing). 1. they are not preferred pronouns they are pronouns. 2. I don't care that you think you got over your transphobia because quite clearly you did not. This is your best friend and roommate and you don't even really respect their identity
- I hated it when Ujima was like "that man is too pretty to be straight". What the fuck???
- Quito loves to point of how Weird and Nonbinary Ujima is and it made me feel extremely icky.
- Ujima saying "my flawless black ass" in response to I don't remember what. Does a person talk like that? (I am not Black so this isn't like the "over my dead, lesbian body thing" because of how I am in fact a lesbian. Still seemed weird? But I am ready to be wrong here)
- Ujima flirts with literally everyone but in a creepy way. Did not love it.
- Quito misgenders Ujima twice when thinking about them (185, 220 in my copy). Then, Quito is quite literally unable to properly introduce his BEST FRIEND because he doesn't know how to introduce someone whose pronouns are they/them. Atrocious.
-
Anyways. I hated this book. Which makes me sad, but what's a girl to do when there is so much here to hate and nothing to love. My apologies to anyone who reads this book.
Shelved as 'dnf'
October 6, 2023DNF @150 pages (and flipped through the rest of the book to skim what happens)
Reading reviews I'm not really sure why so many people loved this as much as they did, but clearly your mileage may vary. This book is described as a "hilarious and joyous rom-com" but I did not find it to be either of those things. At all. It's kind of sad and weirdly paced with a main character who is pretty insufferable. It's half chapters flashing back to high school, half present day which I don't love as a choice. It makes it really slow and tonally dissonant. And it does this thing I don't like of developing a romance while one person is still in a relationship, then making it seem okay because their significant other is a shitty person too. I'm also kind of uncomfortable with how the non-binary best friend is handled. I wanted to like this because a gay romance with Filipino and Japanese main characters sounds great and I did like the way it integrated Filipino food and culture. But I disliked the characters and felt like it was overwritten and not remotely funny or joyful. A miss for me unfortunately. I received a copy of this book for review, all opinions are my own.
Reading reviews I'm not really sure why so many people loved this as much as they did, but clearly your mileage may vary. This book is described as a "hilarious and joyous rom-com" but I did not find it to be either of those things. At all. It's kind of sad and weirdly paced with a main character who is pretty insufferable. It's half chapters flashing back to high school, half present day which I don't love as a choice. It makes it really slow and tonally dissonant. And it does this thing I don't like of developing a romance while one person is still in a relationship, then making it seem okay because their significant other is a shitty person too. I'm also kind of uncomfortable with how the non-binary best friend is handled. I wanted to like this because a gay romance with Filipino and Japanese main characters sounds great and I did like the way it integrated Filipino food and culture. But I disliked the characters and felt like it was overwritten and not remotely funny or joyful. A miss for me unfortunately. I received a copy of this book for review, all opinions are my own.
Shelved as '2023'
July 11, 2024$12.99 audiobook sale @ Libro.fm
📱 Thank you to NetGalley and Forever
📱 Thank you to NetGalley and Forever
August 24, 2023
Well this book was delightful. This is Dominic Lim’s first novel and I am looking forward to seeing what he writes next. I rarely comment on book covers, but seriously this one is so beautiful and fits the book so perfectly.
This book alternates between present day and the past, and does a really good job of developing the characters and relationship in both timelines. Quito is a sort of nerdy piano prodigy growing up in a supportive Filipino family, and loses his mom at a young age. His dad teaches choir at his high school, and one day Emmett, a gorgeous popular jock joins the choir and upends Quito’s world. I loved Quito a lot as a character, I wanted to wrap him in a cozy blanket.
In present day, Quito works as an accompanist pianist in a piano bar in NYC, and Emmett went on to become a movie star. Quito’s dad is planning a fundraising concert for their former house school choir, bringing Quito and Emmett back in each other’s lives after something went sideways in their past. I am a sucker for second chance romance, and this one was excellent.
I am not a choir nerd, but I have been learning the piano for the last two years, and this book made me want to practice harder and perhaps try singing, even though I have a truly terrible singing voice. I just want one of these characters to teach/coach me!!! Also this book made me want to learn to cook Filipino food! And wish I saw colours when I play/hear music.
Check the CW for this book if that’s a thing you seek out.
This book alternates between present day and the past, and does a really good job of developing the characters and relationship in both timelines. Quito is a sort of nerdy piano prodigy growing up in a supportive Filipino family, and loses his mom at a young age. His dad teaches choir at his high school, and one day Emmett, a gorgeous popular jock joins the choir and upends Quito’s world. I loved Quito a lot as a character, I wanted to wrap him in a cozy blanket.
In present day, Quito works as an accompanist pianist in a piano bar in NYC, and Emmett went on to become a movie star. Quito’s dad is planning a fundraising concert for their former house school choir, bringing Quito and Emmett back in each other’s lives after something went sideways in their past. I am a sucker for second chance romance, and this one was excellent.
I am not a choir nerd, but I have been learning the piano for the last two years, and this book made me want to practice harder and perhaps try singing, even though I have a truly terrible singing voice. I just want one of these characters to teach/coach me!!! Also this book made me want to learn to cook Filipino food! And wish I saw colours when I play/hear music.
Check the CW for this book if that’s a thing you seek out.
December 10, 2023
5 stars.
This book snuck up on me. It was a 3.5-4 star for most of my reading time, and then, at a point about 80% in, I realized my cheeks were moist!! And as the end came, I began sobbing much more openly. Most definitely recommend.
This book snuck up on me. It was a 3.5-4 star for most of my reading time, and then, at a point about 80% in, I realized my cheeks were moist!! And as the end came, I began sobbing much more openly. Most definitely recommend.
October 25, 2023
So much is so right.
So gloss inconsistencies,
focus on romance.
So gloss inconsistencies,
focus on romance.
June 23, 2023
4 stars (rounded up)
All The Right Notes hit a lot of the right notes for me. The two main characters are Quito, a Filipino-American and Emmett, whose father is Japanese and whose mother is white. I enjoyed the diversity of these characters. There’s also a ton of music in this story, so that’s another plus for me. Quito and Emmett have a super-slow burn of a love story. So slow that they haven’t talked to each other since an incident in college almost 20 years ago.
My main frustration was with how the story was told, with every other chapter labeled THEN and NOW, because I really wanted to know what had happened to ruin their friendship/relationship.
Although I never participated in a high school choir, I loved those scenes in this book. I also loved how much Filipino culture and food were highlighted.
Quito and Emmett got to know each other in their senior year of high school in the San Francisco Bay area, via the choir. They go to different colleges and lose touch with each other. Quito is a gifted pianist and composer and winds up at Oberlin. After college, he moves to NY and works odd musical jobs.
Emmett becomes a movie star. The story of how they get back together is lovely and revolves around their love for music as well as their mutual love for Quito’s father, who was the HS choir director. I thought the trajectory of how coming out as gay affects a celebrity was very interesting.
Thank you to NetGalley and Forever for the opportunity to read an advance readers copy of this book. All opinions are my own.
All The Right Notes hit a lot of the right notes for me. The two main characters are Quito, a Filipino-American and Emmett, whose father is Japanese and whose mother is white. I enjoyed the diversity of these characters. There’s also a ton of music in this story, so that’s another plus for me. Quito and Emmett have a super-slow burn of a love story. So slow that they haven’t talked to each other since an incident in college almost 20 years ago.
My main frustration was with how the story was told, with every other chapter labeled THEN and NOW, because I really wanted to know what had happened to ruin their friendship/relationship.
Although I never participated in a high school choir, I loved those scenes in this book. I also loved how much Filipino culture and food were highlighted.
Quito and Emmett got to know each other in their senior year of high school in the San Francisco Bay area, via the choir. They go to different colleges and lose touch with each other. Quito is a gifted pianist and composer and winds up at Oberlin. After college, he moves to NY and works odd musical jobs.
Emmett becomes a movie star. The story of how they get back together is lovely and revolves around their love for music as well as their mutual love for Quito’s father, who was the HS choir director. I thought the trajectory of how coming out as gay affects a celebrity was very interesting.
Thank you to NetGalley and Forever for the opportunity to read an advance readers copy of this book. All opinions are my own.
June 6, 2023
Dominic Lim’s All the Right Notes is a love letter and an ode to music, immigrant parents, and music teachers wrapped up in this queer Filipino-American slow burn second chance romance. Quito Cruz is a piano player and composer who hopes to one day compose his own musical on Broadway. However, he’s been unable to compose anything new since that last night in college that he saw popular high school jock and crush, Emmett Aoki, who was once Quito’s inspiration but is now one of Hollywood’s biggest movie stars. Quito’s dad, his hometown high school’s choir teacher, wants Quito to come home to help put on a charity fundraiser and asks him to enlist Emmett to perform. Emmett agrees, and Quito finds that even though the past is not quite how he remembers it, the reprise he’s found himself in holds the same melody of feelings.
Quito and Emmett have undeniable chemistry, no matter how much Quito tries to convince himself otherwise. Their story is written in a dual timeline. (Think The Last Five Years!!) Lim’s imagery and humor scratched a part of my brain in all the right ways and had me smiling to myself and laughing out loud. Quito is a character who is still learning to trust his instincts and feelings, and the people he surrounds himself with are the pillars for all types of love in his life. The world is in desperate need of queer joy, and this story writes queer joy in the form of love from one’s parents and best friend in found family as well as the continually growing and deepening romantic love that Quito and Emmett have for one another and the ensuing consequences from that love. And that joy can also be found in the emotional moments that brought me to TEARS. Suffice to say, I cried a good few times lmao
As a Filipina American lifelong reader, I have read vastly, and in recent years, I have become largely set as a romance reader. Yet so few of those stories feature Fil-Am joy and love. Only in recent years have I found books that address what it means to be part of a Filipinx family in the diaspora, and even fewer of those stories focus on the joy without centering the trauma. Seeing my culture, my values, my language, the funny logic Filipinx folks use to find their nicknames, and the way Filipinx people point with their lips written on the pages of a book—that feels so validating!! We exist!! Reading the sacrifice that immigrant Filipinx parents make for their children to have more opportunities!! We’re seen!! Even reading the dynamic between Quito and his father— the underlying demands from Quito’s father posing as questions because the pressure to fulfill family obligations and unquestioningly respect one’s elders is drilled into at least this (yes, me) child of immigrants. I feel that!! There is something so special and heartwarming about reading books that reflect my family and the families of my fellow Fil-Am friends. Also all the food!! Ang sarap!! The food of my people!! There were times I tried to complete chapters before dinner, and what a mistake that was because my stomach was literally growling. Reading about the very food that my own family makes and loves was healing to my inner child and made me that much more ravenous for not just my mom’s cooking but for more stories that include this on page representation.
Regarding music and choir, the immense respect, passion, and love that Lim has for each sings beautifully throughout the book. I was once one of those middle and high school sopranos sitting on a plastic chair on the risers, and the love and nostalgia had me smiling as I was reading as I remembered my own time singing Handel’s “Hallelujah” as well as drunkenly belting along to classic pop songs at the local dueling piano bar (San Diego’s Shout House, oh how I’ve missed you since moving away) as soon as I hit adulthood.
As a former choir kid, musical theatre lover, and Filipina American reader who is constantly and actively in search of finding reflections of myself in the books I read, I just want to say maraming salamat, Dominic Lim, for bringing this Fil-Am queer joy love story to life. We love reading Asian American queer joy!! I am so excited to read more of Lim’s writing in the future!! Thank you Forever and Netgalley for the ARC!
cw: (major) homophobia, f slur, parental death; (moderate) infidelity, casual transphobia, sexual assault, abandonment, outing; (minor) mentions of emotional abuse, mentions of alcohol abuse, car accident, abandonment, blood, injury, ableist language*
(non plot spoilery quotes from the uncorrected copy included below)
*Please keep in mind that I read an uncorrected advanced copy! But I found ableist language in this book in two forms: the use of the derogatory term “spaz” as well as shame for adults who need to use adult incontinence pads. For the former, Quito is told, “Don’t be a spaz.” The term “spaz” is specifically a derogatory term against folks with cerebral palsy since its root word “spastic” is in reference to the inability for a disabled person to control their movements. Please look into how Lizzo responded to backlash for using this term in 2022! The second use of ableist language is when Quito thinks to himself, “The sight of a packed auditorium can make the idea of adult incontinence pads seem perfectly acceptable.” This implies that anyone who uses this product are unrespectable and implies shame. Whether elderly folks or disabled folks or perhaps people recovering from surgery or pregnancy and have bladder incontinence need adult incontinence pads, saying that the idea of them seeming “perfectly acceptable” is ableist, and no one should be shamed for something that helps them live their lives. Again, I just want to emphasize that these come from an uncorrected advanced copy, so hopefully these can be fixed for the final copy!!
Quito and Emmett have undeniable chemistry, no matter how much Quito tries to convince himself otherwise. Their story is written in a dual timeline. (Think The Last Five Years!!) Lim’s imagery and humor scratched a part of my brain in all the right ways and had me smiling to myself and laughing out loud. Quito is a character who is still learning to trust his instincts and feelings, and the people he surrounds himself with are the pillars for all types of love in his life. The world is in desperate need of queer joy, and this story writes queer joy in the form of love from one’s parents and best friend in found family as well as the continually growing and deepening romantic love that Quito and Emmett have for one another and the ensuing consequences from that love. And that joy can also be found in the emotional moments that brought me to TEARS. Suffice to say, I cried a good few times lmao
As a Filipina American lifelong reader, I have read vastly, and in recent years, I have become largely set as a romance reader. Yet so few of those stories feature Fil-Am joy and love. Only in recent years have I found books that address what it means to be part of a Filipinx family in the diaspora, and even fewer of those stories focus on the joy without centering the trauma. Seeing my culture, my values, my language, the funny logic Filipinx folks use to find their nicknames, and the way Filipinx people point with their lips written on the pages of a book—that feels so validating!! We exist!! Reading the sacrifice that immigrant Filipinx parents make for their children to have more opportunities!! We’re seen!! Even reading the dynamic between Quito and his father— the underlying demands from Quito’s father posing as questions because the pressure to fulfill family obligations and unquestioningly respect one’s elders is drilled into at least this (yes, me) child of immigrants. I feel that!! There is something so special and heartwarming about reading books that reflect my family and the families of my fellow Fil-Am friends. Also all the food!! Ang sarap!! The food of my people!! There were times I tried to complete chapters before dinner, and what a mistake that was because my stomach was literally growling. Reading about the very food that my own family makes and loves was healing to my inner child and made me that much more ravenous for not just my mom’s cooking but for more stories that include this on page representation.
Regarding music and choir, the immense respect, passion, and love that Lim has for each sings beautifully throughout the book. I was once one of those middle and high school sopranos sitting on a plastic chair on the risers, and the love and nostalgia had me smiling as I was reading as I remembered my own time singing Handel’s “Hallelujah” as well as drunkenly belting along to classic pop songs at the local dueling piano bar (San Diego’s Shout House, oh how I’ve missed you since moving away) as soon as I hit adulthood.
As a former choir kid, musical theatre lover, and Filipina American reader who is constantly and actively in search of finding reflections of myself in the books I read, I just want to say maraming salamat, Dominic Lim, for bringing this Fil-Am queer joy love story to life. We love reading Asian American queer joy!! I am so excited to read more of Lim’s writing in the future!! Thank you Forever and Netgalley for the ARC!
cw: (major) homophobia, f slur, parental death; (moderate) infidelity, casual transphobia, sexual assault, abandonment, outing; (minor) mentions of emotional abuse, mentions of alcohol abuse, car accident, abandonment, blood, injury, ableist language*
(non plot spoilery quotes from the uncorrected copy included below)
*Please keep in mind that I read an uncorrected advanced copy! But I found ableist language in this book in two forms: the use of the derogatory term “spaz” as well as shame for adults who need to use adult incontinence pads. For the former, Quito is told, “Don’t be a spaz.” The term “spaz” is specifically a derogatory term against folks with cerebral palsy since its root word “spastic” is in reference to the inability for a disabled person to control their movements. Please look into how Lizzo responded to backlash for using this term in 2022! The second use of ableist language is when Quito thinks to himself, “The sight of a packed auditorium can make the idea of adult incontinence pads seem perfectly acceptable.” This implies that anyone who uses this product are unrespectable and implies shame. Whether elderly folks or disabled folks or perhaps people recovering from surgery or pregnancy and have bladder incontinence need adult incontinence pads, saying that the idea of them seeming “perfectly acceptable” is ableist, and no one should be shamed for something that helps them live their lives. Again, I just want to emphasize that these come from an uncorrected advanced copy, so hopefully these can be fixed for the final copy!!
May 26, 2023
I really wanted to love this book, but I can't because of the central problem in the story. The main problem is miscommunication that has to do with consent, and I just can't justify that as a plot device. Consent is to be taken seriously, and it wasn't in this book. The fact that Quito and Emmett didn't talk for twenty years because of it just doesn't make any sense to me. Why wouldn't one of them reach out during that time? Also, if Emmett had been talking to Quito's dad for all of this time, why didn't he bring it up with him? I'm so confused by the characters' motivations. I don't know why either of them was happy to see the other, if they believe that there was a lack of consent. Why would you be happy to see someone who did that to you? I'm so confused!
I don't think that anyone in this story was a fully realized character, and because of this, I couldn't connect to or root for anyone.
The back and forth timeline between then and now was very jarring, and it was difficult to follow. I did cry during the book, but even then, I didn't feel like the characters had time to process their grief. It just happened, and then, everyone seemed to move on.
Overall, I love musicals, choirs, and Broadway. I wanted to feel connected to all of those things and a second chance romance, but it just didn't happen for me in this story.
Thanks to NetGalley and Forever Publishing for an ARC of this book.
I don't think that anyone in this story was a fully realized character, and because of this, I couldn't connect to or root for anyone.
The back and forth timeline between then and now was very jarring, and it was difficult to follow. I did cry during the book, but even then, I didn't feel like the characters had time to process their grief. It just happened, and then, everyone seemed to move on.
Overall, I love musicals, choirs, and Broadway. I wanted to feel connected to all of those things and a second chance romance, but it just didn't happen for me in this story.
Thanks to NetGalley and Forever Publishing for an ARC of this book.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
April 1, 2023
Pub date: 6/6/23
Genre: romance (m/m, second chance)
Quick summary: Composer and pianist Quito lives in NYC and dreams of Broadway stardom. But his life is turned upside down when he runs into old crush Emmett Aoki - now a famous celebrity.
Second chance romance is having a moment - and I am here for it! I loved seeing Quito and Emmett's stories unfold in the high school and present day timelines. The musical elements in the book were well done - I enjoyed Quito's piano bar side hustle, the choir scenes from high school, and the present-day concert. There's great queer representation in the book, including the MCs and Quito's BFF Ujima. This is a low-steam, high-feels romance that music fans may enjoy! 3.5 stars rounded up.
Thank you to Forever Publishing for providing an e-ARC in exchange for an honest review.
Genre: romance (m/m, second chance)
Quick summary: Composer and pianist Quito lives in NYC and dreams of Broadway stardom. But his life is turned upside down when he runs into old crush Emmett Aoki - now a famous celebrity.
Second chance romance is having a moment - and I am here for it! I loved seeing Quito and Emmett's stories unfold in the high school and present day timelines. The musical elements in the book were well done - I enjoyed Quito's piano bar side hustle, the choir scenes from high school, and the present-day concert. There's great queer representation in the book, including the MCs and Quito's BFF Ujima. This is a low-steam, high-feels romance that music fans may enjoy! 3.5 stars rounded up.
Thank you to Forever Publishing for providing an e-ARC in exchange for an honest review.
Read
October 31, 2023There's a lot of joy and tenderness in All the Right Notes and I love Lim's author's note of writing the book that he wanted to see: a rom-com with a Filipino lead who gets another chance for love, whose story isn't about struggle and pain. I love to see it.
But? It was just fine. This book is slow-burn, and I usually do love slow-burn, but it just didn't get enough momentum for me. Though it missed a bit for me, I still recommend this sweet rom-com.
But? It was just fine. This book is slow-burn, and I usually do love slow-burn, but it just didn't get enough momentum for me. Though it missed a bit for me, I still recommend this sweet rom-com.
June 29, 2023
This book was amazing! It was a cute romcom while also addressing many serious topics and ultimately it both broke my heart and gave me a feel good ending all at the same time!
September 21, 2023
one of the sweetest, most tender, precious romances i've read this year 🥺
January 16, 2024
First 75% I was dialed in and loved being able to see my culture and similar thoughts on being a Filipino queer man. Emmett had me feeling so kilig…
But the last quarter of the book had some decisions and dialogue that left me unsure and just like hmmm…
But the last quarter of the book had some decisions and dialogue that left me unsure and just like hmmm…
July 5, 2023
Trigger Warnings: alcohol/bar, past death of a parent, homophobia, bullying, drunk driving accident, marijuana, past underage drinking, infidelity, vomit, sex, discussion of possible past sexual assault, cursing, outing, hospital, poor health of a parent, death of a parent, injury/blood
Representation: Gay, Filipino, Filipino-American, Lesbian, they/them pronouns, Drag, Japanese-American
All the Right Notes is a queer, contemporary romance about Quito Cruz, who might be a genius piano player and composer in New York City now but it doesn’t mean that he’s any closer to his Broadway dream. Quito knows what the problem is, or rather who, because ever since that night in college—with pretty-boy jock Emmett Aoki—his inspiration has been completely MIA. Now Quito’s dad wants him to put on a charity performance in his hometown. And there’s one hella big string: convince Emmett—now one of Hollywood’s hottest celebrities—to perform.
It’s all shaping up to be the biggest musical fiasco of Quito’s life. Especially when Emmett agrees to attend, and Quito realizes that undeniable vibe between them is stronger than ever. Quito knows there’s nothing simple about falling for a movie star, even when he’s pitch-perfect.
This finished copy was provided by the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
This is such a wonderful debut. The writing is very straight forward and the chapters are relatively short. I was not a fan of the alternation between now and then because it often confused me where in the timeline we were. I preferred the chapters set in the present, but I understand how the past helped flesh out the relationships in the present. Quito and Emmett have such great chemistry and I fell in love with Quito’s dad and Jee. The best parts of this book were the relationships and I loved the incorporation of music. The story uses dual timelines and of course has a HEA. It has a little steam but mostly yearning.
Representation: Gay, Filipino, Filipino-American, Lesbian, they/them pronouns, Drag, Japanese-American
All the Right Notes is a queer, contemporary romance about Quito Cruz, who might be a genius piano player and composer in New York City now but it doesn’t mean that he’s any closer to his Broadway dream. Quito knows what the problem is, or rather who, because ever since that night in college—with pretty-boy jock Emmett Aoki—his inspiration has been completely MIA. Now Quito’s dad wants him to put on a charity performance in his hometown. And there’s one hella big string: convince Emmett—now one of Hollywood’s hottest celebrities—to perform.
It’s all shaping up to be the biggest musical fiasco of Quito’s life. Especially when Emmett agrees to attend, and Quito realizes that undeniable vibe between them is stronger than ever. Quito knows there’s nothing simple about falling for a movie star, even when he’s pitch-perfect.
This finished copy was provided by the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
This is such a wonderful debut. The writing is very straight forward and the chapters are relatively short. I was not a fan of the alternation between now and then because it often confused me where in the timeline we were. I preferred the chapters set in the present, but I understand how the past helped flesh out the relationships in the present. Quito and Emmett have such great chemistry and I fell in love with Quito’s dad and Jee. The best parts of this book were the relationships and I loved the incorporation of music. The story uses dual timelines and of course has a HEA. It has a little steam but mostly yearning.
October 17, 2024
Emotionally compelling debut gay romance between a Filipino American pianist and his former high school bff / secret crush turned Hollywood’s first Asian mega star.
This works best as a love letter to music and the power of singing together. I thought the romance was a little weak, both because it’s told from a single pov and because the h/h don’t spend much time together in the present timeline. And also the love interest’s character is way underdeveloped. The pacing was a little off. And it’s definitely heavier than the light hearted cover implies.
Content note for the death of a parent (the narrator is grieving his mother's relatively recent death in the past timeline and his father is sick in the present timeline)
This works best as a love letter to music and the power of singing together. I thought the romance was a little weak, both because it’s told from a single pov and because the h/h don’t spend much time together in the present timeline. And also the love interest’s character is way underdeveloped. The pacing was a little off. And it’s definitely heavier than the light hearted cover implies.
Content note for the death of a parent (the narrator is grieving his mother's relatively recent death in the past timeline and his father is sick in the present timeline)
July 3, 2023
the audiobook production of this book is the way to go! the singing, sound effects, and general narration really brought a lot to the story. these characters are so lovable and it was so lovely to watch them reconnect and fall in love again. this one is for the theater kids!
*thank you to forever for the gifted copy!
*thank you to forever for the gifted copy!
October 3, 2023
This book was truly a beaut - all the good good second chance then and now and forever feels, deeply passionate colorful descriptions of music that made the feels even deeper, and a cast of characters who were impossible not to love. A little pining, the smallest bit of meddling, a complete love letter to what it means to be Filipino-American and to love and to lose. My heart! This book is the perfect reminder of why it's so important to hear queer love stories by queer men - more, please!
July 9, 2023
There's plenty to like here, but also enough that I very much disliked.
I loved: the dad. The food. Tagalog throughout. The mom.
I liked:
the music parts*
The pining (mostly) except when I was like, my God, just communicate
Jee
*Ok except WTAF when Melvin the choir kid is like, my voice range doesn't fit this and then Quito was all "whaaaaaat there's no such thing as higher than a tenor!!" and then Jee is like "gender is vast" and it's all metaphor? MY DUDE COUNTERTENORS ARE REAL there's no way you wouldn't know that!
I did NOT like:
(SPOILERS)
ok so the massive main conflict is that Quito believes/has believed since he was 19 that he sexually assaulted Emmett while drunk/high. After this incident, Emmett then freaks and ghosts him right before his big academic music thing, which Q consequently fails and drops out of music school after. They haven't talked since. So when Emmett confirms that 1) he himself was sober and 2) it was in fact consensual and 3) he just freaked out and left because gay stuff, there's this moment when Q finds out that his entire sense of himself as a monster who has done this unforgivable thing is wrong. And it's over in like, two sentences. E is like, nah, it was cool. And never once does he really apologize for letting Q believe that about himself, nor is he horrified (or even kinda upset) by the misunderstanding. Honestly I don't think he apologizes enough for ghosting- it wasn't like he was there for moral support, he was a central, vital part of the exam.
Also. Teacher certification is a thing. You can't just like show up and take over your dad's job! Jee was apparently a middle school music teacher -- I would like to know more about THAT -- so they at least should know about logistics. The awkward "let's sit down with The Youth for a Talk about Pronouns" was also kinda weirdly handled, esp since apparently Celeste also uses they/them pronouns? He writes that his brother is a beloved high school music teacher...I wonder if he didn't check the logistics? Or maybe it's a private school?? That doesn't really track though.
And... maybe I'm remembering this wrong, I have a terrible memory, but... does Quito not have aunties and uncles and cousins and an extended family/community? At one point he mentions cousins etc in the context of nicknames so they must exist, but they never show up in person. His mom and dad are isolated from extended family and Filipino community... in the Bay?? Maybe I misread or just misremember.
The author said in the afterword how he was so excited to write a romcom but nothing about this felt like a romcom to me. Rom-dram, sure. But esp to end on the sudden dad dying... nope. It felt transparently manipulative.
So, yeah. Not my fave. But the food was great. And I adore representations of loving parents and families, esp of LGBTQIA+ youth and esp esp in BIPOC communities. So yay for the dad and mom. I just wish they'd all talked more.
I loved: the dad. The food. Tagalog throughout. The mom.
I liked:
the music parts*
The pining (mostly) except when I was like, my God, just communicate
Jee
*Ok except WTAF when Melvin the choir kid is like, my voice range doesn't fit this and then Quito was all "whaaaaaat there's no such thing as higher than a tenor!!" and then Jee is like "gender is vast" and it's all metaphor? MY DUDE COUNTERTENORS ARE REAL there's no way you wouldn't know that!
I did NOT like:
(SPOILERS)
ok so the massive main conflict is that Quito believes/has believed since he was 19 that he sexually assaulted Emmett while drunk/high. After this incident, Emmett then freaks and ghosts him right before his big academic music thing, which Q consequently fails and drops out of music school after. They haven't talked since. So when Emmett confirms that 1) he himself was sober and 2) it was in fact consensual and 3) he just freaked out and left because gay stuff, there's this moment when Q finds out that his entire sense of himself as a monster who has done this unforgivable thing is wrong. And it's over in like, two sentences. E is like, nah, it was cool. And never once does he really apologize for letting Q believe that about himself, nor is he horrified (or even kinda upset) by the misunderstanding. Honestly I don't think he apologizes enough for ghosting- it wasn't like he was there for moral support, he was a central, vital part of the exam.
Also. Teacher certification is a thing. You can't just like show up and take over your dad's job! Jee was apparently a middle school music teacher -- I would like to know more about THAT -- so they at least should know about logistics. The awkward "let's sit down with The Youth for a Talk about Pronouns" was also kinda weirdly handled, esp since apparently Celeste also uses they/them pronouns? He writes that his brother is a beloved high school music teacher...I wonder if he didn't check the logistics? Or maybe it's a private school?? That doesn't really track though.
And... maybe I'm remembering this wrong, I have a terrible memory, but... does Quito not have aunties and uncles and cousins and an extended family/community? At one point he mentions cousins etc in the context of nicknames so they must exist, but they never show up in person. His mom and dad are isolated from extended family and Filipino community... in the Bay?? Maybe I misread or just misremember.
The author said in the afterword how he was so excited to write a romcom but nothing about this felt like a romcom to me. Rom-dram, sure. But esp to end on the sudden dad dying... nope. It felt transparently manipulative.
So, yeah. Not my fave. But the food was great. And I adore representations of loving parents and families, esp of LGBTQIA+ youth and esp esp in BIPOC communities. So yay for the dad and mom. I just wish they'd all talked more.
June 22, 2023
This was a nice, light, sweet summer read.
I loved that it centered music (choir kids FTW!) and Quito’s dad. I loved the glimpses into Filipino culture Lim gave us. I loved the chemistry between Quito and Emmett, and Jee was hilarious, albeit with a touch of Magical Black Friend that made me a little uncomfortable. I raced through it and found many moments to love.
What I didn’t love: that the whole book was founded on communication, namely the lack thereof. It is my least favorite trope. Like, I hate it. The Big Misunderstanding is my least favorite trope, but Not Letting the Other Person Explain and Jumping to Conclusions is an execrable subset of it.
I also wasn’t a fan of the fact that Quito didn’t seem to have matured emotionally since he was a teenager (the book is told in flashbacks of Then and Now). It’s unclear when Now is (I’m thinking they’re in their 40s?), but Quito’s awkward self-doubt is not as endearing Now as it was when he was Then.
I also think the boyfriend he has at the beginning of the book was possibly unnecessary — we knew he was a goner when Lim tells us he smells of “designer cologne covering a slightly acrid musk.” Bye, boy.
So, a nice read but had some wrinkles to iron out.
I loved that it centered music (choir kids FTW!) and Quito’s dad. I loved the glimpses into Filipino culture Lim gave us. I loved the chemistry between Quito and Emmett, and Jee was hilarious, albeit with a touch of Magical Black Friend that made me a little uncomfortable. I raced through it and found many moments to love.
What I didn’t love: that the whole book was founded on communication, namely the lack thereof. It is my least favorite trope. Like, I hate it. The Big Misunderstanding is my least favorite trope, but Not Letting the Other Person Explain and Jumping to Conclusions is an execrable subset of it.
I also wasn’t a fan of the fact that Quito didn’t seem to have matured emotionally since he was a teenager (the book is told in flashbacks of Then and Now). It’s unclear when Now is (I’m thinking they’re in their 40s?), but Quito’s awkward self-doubt is not as endearing Now as it was when he was Then.
I also think the boyfriend he has at the beginning of the book was possibly unnecessary — we knew he was a goner when Lim tells us he smells of “designer cologne covering a slightly acrid musk.” Bye, boy.
So, a nice read but had some wrinkles to iron out.
May 31, 2023
“But the most important thing anyone can ever do is to truly see themselves and to love what they see.”
Thank you to Forever Publishing and NetGalley for an eARC in exchange for an honest review.
By all accounts, this is the type of book that I normally love. I was really excited to get to it, and I’ve seen good reviews for it. Unfortunately, this fell a bit flat for me.
Quito is such a sweet character, and I loved getting the dual timelines. I thought the juxtaposition with his high school experienced and the present was portrayed really well. We got a lot of insight into his relationship with Emmett and how that affected him into adulthood.
I just didn’t feel the chemistry as deeply between them. I love tension and charged moments, and I didn’t get that here. They were certainly lovable, but it didn’t get my heart racing like other romances I’ve read lately. I think this suffers from trying to have too many plot lines, some of which we never dive deep enough into for me to get truly invested.
However, I would read an entire book about Jee. They were a phenomenal side character and I would love more about their journey.
Thank you to Forever Publishing and NetGalley for an eARC in exchange for an honest review.
By all accounts, this is the type of book that I normally love. I was really excited to get to it, and I’ve seen good reviews for it. Unfortunately, this fell a bit flat for me.
Quito is such a sweet character, and I loved getting the dual timelines. I thought the juxtaposition with his high school experienced and the present was portrayed really well. We got a lot of insight into his relationship with Emmett and how that affected him into adulthood.
I just didn’t feel the chemistry as deeply between them. I love tension and charged moments, and I didn’t get that here. They were certainly lovable, but it didn’t get my heart racing like other romances I’ve read lately. I think this suffers from trying to have too many plot lines, some of which we never dive deep enough into for me to get truly invested.
However, I would read an entire book about Jee. They were a phenomenal side character and I would love more about their journey.
June 10, 2023
2.75⭐️
I really, truly, DESPERATELY wanted to love this book. It had so much potential but didn’t hit any of the marks I was hoping it would.
There were many issues I had with this story. One being that Quito’s roommate, Ujima, is non-binary and is used solely for comedic effect. Big ick, especially as someone who is non-binary. Secondly, Quito’s and Emmett’s relationship had zero chemistry. I felt nothing when reading about the flashbacks to when they were younger.
Overall, the writing was lackluster. Nothing about it grabbed my attention and I kind of wanted to DNF. I had enough interest to keep going because I did want to know how Emmett and Quito’s relationship panned out.
Biiiiig sigh. This just wasn’t the book for me.
I really, truly, DESPERATELY wanted to love this book. It had so much potential but didn’t hit any of the marks I was hoping it would.
There were many issues I had with this story. One being that Quito’s roommate, Ujima, is non-binary and is used solely for comedic effect. Big ick, especially as someone who is non-binary. Secondly, Quito’s and Emmett’s relationship had zero chemistry. I felt nothing when reading about the flashbacks to when they were younger.
Overall, the writing was lackluster. Nothing about it grabbed my attention and I kind of wanted to DNF. I had enough interest to keep going because I did want to know how Emmett and Quito’s relationship panned out.
Biiiiig sigh. This just wasn’t the book for me.
July 29, 2023
Good, predictable fun
This was such a cute story about family and love. While majority of it was fairly predictable, it felt comfortable to get to know the characters and felt intimate at times as well. Overall, a sweet story!
This was such a cute story about family and love. While majority of it was fairly predictable, it felt comfortable to get to know the characters and felt intimate at times as well. Overall, a sweet story!
June 12, 2023
thank you to Forever for the finished copy!
This was such an enjoyable and heartfelt queer romance! Told through recounts of the past present, ALL THE RIGHT NOTES is a decades-long romance in the making with some absolutely fantastic supporting characters that honestly vaulted the second half of the book head and shoulders above the first for me. This book also largely focuses on an older queer relationship, something that I love seeing, along with a clear love for music and Filipino food (seriously, don’t read this book hungry). I really enjoyed the overall character development, and the elements of familial love and grief were some of my favourite parts. All in all, this is a great debut romance to check out!
There were a few moments where I wished that the scenes set in New York or Quito’s in-the-moment decisions had made more sense, but there wasn’t anything that detracted from the overall reading experience for me, just things that I wish I’d seen more of.
Undoubtedly the best parts of this book were the relationships, but especially the relationships with and through music. It is so clear that Lim has a profound connection to music, and it makes those parts of the books all the more enjoyable to read. Music has a place in the identity of all the main characters, and it’s something that brings them together, creating beautiful familial, romantic, and platonic relationships. And while I certainly enjoyed the chapters set in the present versus the past, I can still appreciate how they helped flesh out the relationships in the present.
While I did love Quito and Emmett’s romance (one that I would say is built on a lot of character development), I just have to specifically mention Ujima who I LOVED. I love when the supporting characters in romances get to have their own journeys and stories, and Jee’s journey with identity was one I really enjoyed getting to see.
This was definitely worth the read for me, and especially worth checking out if you want a queer romance that reads a bit older than a lot of popular ones (in my opinion!)
This was such an enjoyable and heartfelt queer romance! Told through recounts of the past present, ALL THE RIGHT NOTES is a decades-long romance in the making with some absolutely fantastic supporting characters that honestly vaulted the second half of the book head and shoulders above the first for me. This book also largely focuses on an older queer relationship, something that I love seeing, along with a clear love for music and Filipino food (seriously, don’t read this book hungry). I really enjoyed the overall character development, and the elements of familial love and grief were some of my favourite parts. All in all, this is a great debut romance to check out!
There were a few moments where I wished that the scenes set in New York or Quito’s in-the-moment decisions had made more sense, but there wasn’t anything that detracted from the overall reading experience for me, just things that I wish I’d seen more of.
Undoubtedly the best parts of this book were the relationships, but especially the relationships with and through music. It is so clear that Lim has a profound connection to music, and it makes those parts of the books all the more enjoyable to read. Music has a place in the identity of all the main characters, and it’s something that brings them together, creating beautiful familial, romantic, and platonic relationships. And while I certainly enjoyed the chapters set in the present versus the past, I can still appreciate how they helped flesh out the relationships in the present.
While I did love Quito and Emmett’s romance (one that I would say is built on a lot of character development), I just have to specifically mention Ujima who I LOVED. I love when the supporting characters in romances get to have their own journeys and stories, and Jee’s journey with identity was one I really enjoyed getting to see.
This was definitely worth the read for me, and especially worth checking out if you want a queer romance that reads a bit older than a lot of popular ones (in my opinion!)
May 14, 2024
A hometown concert becomes a second chance for two estranged friends to reunite and rediscover their rhythm among other things 😉
What a super duper sweet read!
With beautiful songs, extravagant performances, a colorful cast of side characters, and two clueless but loveable MCs, there’s a lot to love about this one.
The main character, Quito, is a total sweetheart. I found him sweet and understandably apprehensive about…everything. I wanted him to find his happiness, however that looked.
I need to talk about the side characters in this read. They are AMAZING! Quito’s flamboyant and fearless best friend Ujima is everything and more while his sweet, meddling father Mr.Cruz sees everything and supports Quito from start to finish. They’re also both so messy and fun, and had me kicking my feet in laughter and glee 😂
Outside of characters, the plot really was something. It kept me interested and was relatively fast paced. We get dual timelines and various events to get things moving and get to know the characters more.
There is big miscommunication. I didn’t expect it but it makes sense why these two fell out and I appreciated the resolution.
Also the way the ending had my eyes BURNING from unshed tears in public!? 🥲Unforgivable! Grab the tissues yall!
My only hang up is that I feel like it would’ve benefited from dual POVs. I liked the love interest, Emmett, quite a bit but wish we got to know more about him. He’s the typical former prom king turned action movie star and he does offer some insight into his home life but I wanted more from Adult Emmett. There were a lot of hints about his feelings but I wanted him to be more vocal about his feelings, his desires, and what he’s been going through the last 20 years. Feel like it was a wordy read and wish more of those words were spent on Emmett.
Besides that, I enjoyed the gay and Asian representation. This is a love letter to Filipino culture, language, and food. And being able to see gay, Asian men represented in a mainstream publisher supported book is amazing and I want more!
READ FOR
🌈 AAPI Representation
🌈 Gay Romance
🌈 Meddling Friends & Family
🌈 Second Chance Romance
🌈 Celebrity Romance
🌈 Musically Inclined MCs
What a super duper sweet read!
With beautiful songs, extravagant performances, a colorful cast of side characters, and two clueless but loveable MCs, there’s a lot to love about this one.
The main character, Quito, is a total sweetheart. I found him sweet and understandably apprehensive about…everything. I wanted him to find his happiness, however that looked.
I need to talk about the side characters in this read. They are AMAZING! Quito’s flamboyant and fearless best friend Ujima is everything and more while his sweet, meddling father Mr.Cruz sees everything and supports Quito from start to finish. They’re also both so messy and fun, and had me kicking my feet in laughter and glee 😂
Outside of characters, the plot really was something. It kept me interested and was relatively fast paced. We get dual timelines and various events to get things moving and get to know the characters more.
There is big miscommunication. I didn’t expect it but it makes sense why these two fell out and I appreciated the resolution.
Also the way the ending had my eyes BURNING from unshed tears in public!? 🥲Unforgivable! Grab the tissues yall!
My only hang up is that I feel like it would’ve benefited from dual POVs. I liked the love interest, Emmett, quite a bit but wish we got to know more about him. He’s the typical former prom king turned action movie star and he does offer some insight into his home life but I wanted more from Adult Emmett. There were a lot of hints about his feelings but I wanted him to be more vocal about his feelings, his desires, and what he’s been going through the last 20 years. Feel like it was a wordy read and wish more of those words were spent on Emmett.
Besides that, I enjoyed the gay and Asian representation. This is a love letter to Filipino culture, language, and food. And being able to see gay, Asian men represented in a mainstream publisher supported book is amazing and I want more!
READ FOR
🌈 AAPI Representation
🌈 Gay Romance
🌈 Meddling Friends & Family
🌈 Second Chance Romance
🌈 Celebrity Romance
🌈 Musically Inclined MCs
May 8, 2024
All the Right Notes is a gay contemporary romcom about best friends and second chances by a Filipino-American author. Quito Cruz is a piano-playing prodigy who isn’t quite living his big NYC dream playing piano in bars and as a back-up or accompaniment. He lost his muse and best friend (and unrequited crush) Emmett Aoki after one terrible night in college years ago. Now, his dad wants him to come back home to lead a charity concert for his retirement with Emmett performing alongside him. The problem? Emmett is now a Hollywood heartthrob who is way out of his league. Quito must reconnect with Emmett, convince him to do the concert, and finally deal with their past.
I started out really loving this book as it told its story in two timelines—the past and present. I thought it was charming and cute (from their past not-so meet cute to Quito’s present life), but as that incident in the past was revealed, it really was not it for me. I don’t understand why the author chose that to be the “incident”, and it didn’t sit right with me (probably just a personal preference of mine). Otherwise, I enjoyed the rest of the book—I had some laughs, I cried, and it still hit me in the feels.
I appreciated that both lead were Asian men. Quito is a second generation Filipino American immigrant while Emmett is a mixed race Japanese-American. The book also delivered distinctly Filipino culture elements (especially the food), but some of the Tagalog did feel forced. I liked their romance, although Quito definitely has some issues—he’s a bit of a mess IMO.
I started out really loving this book as it told its story in two timelines—the past and present. I thought it was charming and cute (from their past not-so meet cute to Quito’s present life), but as that incident in the past was revealed, it really was not it for me. I don’t understand why the author chose that to be the “incident”, and it didn’t sit right with me (probably just a personal preference of mine). Otherwise, I enjoyed the rest of the book—I had some laughs, I cried, and it still hit me in the feels.
I appreciated that both lead were Asian men. Quito is a second generation Filipino American immigrant while Emmett is a mixed race Japanese-American. The book also delivered distinctly Filipino culture elements (especially the food), but some of the Tagalog did feel forced. I liked their romance, although Quito definitely has some issues—he’s a bit of a mess IMO.
May 7, 2023
ALL THE RIGHT NOTES by Dominic Lim is a swoony, slow burn second-chance romance featuring the sweetest characters. I fell hard for this story of Quito Cruz, a talented pianist who is struggling to feel inspired and compose his own music, and Emmett Aoki, a famous movie star who disappeared from Quito’s life twenty years before.
Let me just start by saying, the pining is excellent. The story unfolds in Then and Now chapters, alternating from how Quito and Emmett met and became friends in high school and the present day when Quito’s dad wants him to reunite with Emmett for his retirement concert. I was completely charmed reading this book and found myself laughing out loud throughout. I absolutely adore the Filipino American and biracial representation! And what a cast of characters. From Quito to Emmett to Quito’s dad (Mr. Cruz) and Ujima—you can’t help but love all of them. What a beautiful love letter to family, Broadway musicals and show tunes, Filipino cuisine, and the way music bonds and transforms us. Lim’s book will make you laugh, cry, swoon, and crave a delicious homecooked meal.
Thanks to Forever and Dominic Lim for the advanced reading copy. All opinions are my own.
Let me just start by saying, the pining is excellent. The story unfolds in Then and Now chapters, alternating from how Quito and Emmett met and became friends in high school and the present day when Quito’s dad wants him to reunite with Emmett for his retirement concert. I was completely charmed reading this book and found myself laughing out loud throughout. I absolutely adore the Filipino American and biracial representation! And what a cast of characters. From Quito to Emmett to Quito’s dad (Mr. Cruz) and Ujima—you can’t help but love all of them. What a beautiful love letter to family, Broadway musicals and show tunes, Filipino cuisine, and the way music bonds and transforms us. Lim’s book will make you laugh, cry, swoon, and crave a delicious homecooked meal.
Thanks to Forever and Dominic Lim for the advanced reading copy. All opinions are my own.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 469 reviews