firewhiskeyreader

If you haven’t been here for two years, you’re probably confused about how in the world this is part two when there hasn’t been a part one. But there was. On March 21, 2021. I’m so sorry this second part has come SO much later. Anyway, here’s the link to Part One and given how long it’s been, I think it’s best if we just go ahead and dive in.

Better Than Revenge + Midnight Duet

Key Lyric: There is nothing I do better than revenge

So, my first choice for this prompt was actually Daughter of No Worlds by Carissa Broadbent, but I decided that it actually makes more sense for “Long Live” so then I settled on the absolutely brilliant pick of Midnight Duet by Jen Comfort. Erika is a former musical theatre star and this is a Phantom of the Opera inspired book. She is sort of determined to do whatever she can to cling to the life that she’s carved out for herself, but also, there’s this element of Erika being supremely confident in her talents… I’m not explaining this well, but I promise, this song fits Erika’s vibe.

Innocent + Iron and Magic

Key Lyric: Oh, who you are is not where you’ve been

Hugh D’Ambray is a villain in the Kate Daniels series so when I got to his spinoff, I was like, um… excuse me? And then I read it. And I fell desperately in love. I’m obsessed with this book. It’s arguably my favorite in the entire series, other than the joyous Wilmington Years mini-series. And if you’ve ever wanted to see a villain get a thorough in depth look at psychology and learn that maybe he’s not so bad after all? This is the book for you. It’s perfection.

But I also had to throw in Georgie, All Along because Kate Clayborn did such a magnificent job with Levi and Georgie both, really allowing them to show that they had grown since they were in high school. There is something to be said for the way a small town can stifle you by type-casting you while you’re still trying to figure out who you are and Clayborn perfectly captures that in this book. And, sort of similarly, Off the Map by Trish Doller is also a book about how you can get locked in to a role in your family and in your life even when it doesn’t really fit you anymore. It just feels like it really fits with the overall vibes of this song.

Haunted + Restore Me

Key Lyric: Can’t breathe whenever you’re gone, I can’t go back, I’m haunted

Restore Me and “Haunted” have a lot in common, in that Dominic is abolutely 100% haunted by Sloane, even if he tried so, so hard to never let his attraction to her, his fascination show because, you know, she’s his best friend’s widow. But there are some things that Sloane doesn’t remember that explain why he’s very much haunted by her nonetheless. This book is super angst-y in a way that also makes me feel like it fits the overall vibe of “Haunted,” which is one of my favorite songs in the world.

In a Jam by Kate Canterbary is about a marriage of convenience between friends from high school who haven’t seen each other in like over a decade. And… It’s fair to say that Noah definitely never forgot about Shay. I love this book for so many reasons that I can’t even begin to fully articulate. Just know that this book is truly a delight and you should absolutely give it a shot if you’re intrigued! Then we have Final Offer by Lauren Asher, which is a second chance romance and to say that Cal has never let go of Lana would almost be an understatement. That man is so in love with her and he never stopped, but he knows he’s not good for her because he’s really struggling to even be good to himself. He’s an alcoholic and has never really been able to get that under control, but now Cal and Lana are back in one another’s orbit and well, things go from there.

Last Kiss + Before I Let Go

Key Lyric: You told me you loved me so why did you go away?

On the one hand, I know I’m not telling you anything you don’t know by saying that “Last Kiss” and second chance romances go hand in hand, but on the other hand, what I’m also saying is that these three books really felt to me like ones where the relationship the first time really felt like the rug was unexpectedly pulled out from beneath these characters. And, because I have no chill, I’ve got another three below this paragraph where things also just sort of abruptly changed for these characters even though they all thought they had something that was the special kind of forever.

Long Live + Daughter of No Worlds

Key Lyric: I had the time of my life fighting dragons with you…

I don’t know if I can quite articulate how the found family and war fighting vibes in Daughter of No Worlds and the scene with the ship at the end of the book just scream “Long Live” to me. Like to the point that I’m struggling in book two because I just want to liev in this nice fantasy world where everything is okay and nothing bad can happen to these characters ever again. You know? Anyway, it does give me Long Live vibes so there’s that.

Hunt the Stars gives me Long Live vibes because it’s all about a crew completing a job together and I think that they are the cutest team and I love them all. And the Legends & Lattes also gives me that family vibe and it’s got a theme of rebuilding running through it, which feels fitting for this.

Ours + Wreckless

Key Lyric: People throw rocks at things that shine…

All three of these books have at least one, if not more, people from the outside looking in that really disapprove of their relationship. And in each of these instances, the main characters are like “but I don’t care cause right now you’re mine.” I love each of these books and would highly recommend them all.

Superman + Underneath it All

Key Lyric: I watch superman fly away, you’ve got a busy day today, go save the world, I’ll be around…

I mean, I just feel like Brick, Beckett, and Daddy Cade fit this vibe so well and I for one, am here for this vibe. This isn’t my favorite song, but these are some of my favorite fictional men and that’s basically the same thing.

Bonus Song: If This was a Movie

Key Lyric: Come back to me like you would if this was a movie

These are three more second chance romance novels that give me the whole pining element of “If This was a Movie” but are slightly less fated feeling that the ones I recommended in “Last Kiss.” Highly recommend all three though!

Closing Thoughts

I love doing these posts, but I feel like I need to be reading like a speed demon to always have new books to recommend! That said, please, please share with me the books that you think best fit these songs! And if you’re waiting for vault song comparisons, I’m working on a post for all of the vault songs so keep an eye out for that!

xx