Book Review: The Love Lyric by Kristina Forest.

A single mom x celebrity romance with all the warmth, chemistry, and heart-melting moments you could ask for. Add in slow-burn tension, emotional depth, and a swoon-worthy artist who literally writes songs about the woman he loves, and you’ve got a love story worth singing about!

TROPES YOU’LL LOVE

🎵 Forced Proximity
🎵 Slow Burn
🎵 He Falls First
🎵 Forbidden Romance
🎵 Age Gap (barely, but still fun)

Blush Meter:

🔥🔥 (2/5) – There’s steam, but it’s the emotional intimacy and adoration that steal the show.

Overall Rating:

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ – A beautifully crafted love story filled with heart, healing, and chemistry so thick you could bottle it up as perfume.

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Kristina Forest does it again, delivering a tender and deeply emotional romance that feels like a warm hug wrapped in song lyrics and late-night texts. The Love Lyric follows Iris, a driven corporate executive juggling a high-powered career and single motherhood, and Angel, an R&B superstar with a heart of gold who is determined to be a part of her world.

From the very first moment Angel lays eyes on Iris, he’s smitten—and not in the fleeting, superficial way celebrities often are. He sees her. He wants to know her, not just as a love interest but as a person. He writes songs about her. He sends her sweet little texts just to check in. And let me tell you, the man pines for her in a way that made me want to clutch my Kindle to my chest and sigh dramatically.

But Iris? She’s not exactly in the market for a romance—especially not with someone as famous as Angel. Having lost her husband and spent years prioritizing her daughter, Calla, Iris has built a life that doesn’t include the unpredictability of dating a global pop star. And that’s what makes this love story so special—Angel isn’t some alpha male steamrolling his way into her life. Instead, he waits. He listens. He earns his place beside her.

Why This Romance Worked for Me:

💖 Angel’s absolute devotion – He is the definition of a lovey dovey hero. His love for Iris is so pure, and he’s willing to be patient, kind, and endlessly supportive as she figures out what she wants.
💖 The family dynamics – The relationship between Iris and her daughter is beautifully written. Calla is not just a plot device; she has her own personality and moments that make her feel real. Seeing her warm up to Angel was the cherry on top.
💖 Depth beyond the romance – This book isn’t just about falling in love; it’s about healing, about moving forward while still honoring the past. Iris’s grief is handled with nuance, and Angel’s struggles with religious trauma and familial expectations add layers to his character.
💖 Therapy and emotional growth – Kristina Forest excels at writing about mental health in a real, meaningful way. There’s no magical “love fixes everything” moment—both Iris and Angel have to do the work to heal individually, and that makes their eventual union all the more powerful.

What Didn’t Quite Hit the Right Note:

I adored this book, but if I had one tiny critique, it would be that I wanted more time with Iris and Angel just being a couple. The slow burn was masterfully done, but by the time they finally got together, I would’ve loved just a few more cozy, domestic moments of them fully settled into their relationship.

(I’m greedy. I accept this.)

Final Thoughts

The Love Lyrics is a love story wrapped in music, healing, and genuine adoration. Angel is a dream of a leading man, and Iris’s journey toward allowing herself to embrace happiness again is so touching. Whether you love slow burns, soft yet passionate romances, or characters who grow individually before coming together, this book will hit all the right notes.

🎶 Read it if you love:

• Romances that feel like a favorite song on repeat

• MMCs who pine

• Thoughtful explorations of grief, healing, and self-discovery

• Low-angst, high-emotion love stories

📖 CW: Grief, loss of a spouse (in the past), religious trauma

Until the next swoon-worthy story… happy reading and happy romancing! 💕