I feel like my review will be split in half for EVERY TIME YOU HEAR THAT SONG by Jenna Voris. Maybe I’ll attempt a sandwich, but let’s start with what made me happy.

Happy trails:

The top half of the cover. Tbh, I overlooked the bottom portion until I went to write this review 😅 I love the Dolly-esque lady - who we now know is Decklee Cassel (that name!! 😍🤩) - in the sky. 

The story was told using an alternating timeline. It was put together so well! Plus, the narration by Emily Lawerence and Allison Strong fits the characters perfectly. Listening to them tell Decklee and Darren’s stories made it interesting and fun to find the parallels. 

The reminder that the most important people will always be there even when you don’t realize it or deserve it. 

Frustrations:

The scavenger hunt was played up to be a more significant part, but I felt let down. Yes, it did move along the plot and where Darren and Kendall go to find clues, but I wish it was more fulfilling. Or maybe I just read too many scavenger hunt books that put people on the brink of death, so was this my fault for expecting too much? 

I always say I don’t mind an unlikeable lead and stand by that. Decklee was different. She was determined. She knew what she wanted and went for it, even if it hurt people who were faithful to her along the way. I know it was the 70s, so times were different than now, but I didn’t see part one of the twist coming. I saw her being many things but not making cruel, devastating ultimatums like that. I can’t go further into it without spoiling the twist or the last major one, which, omg 🤯 I did not see coming. 

Speaking of the final twist, I liked the book’s ending, especially the house (vague sentence here, lol), but I wish we had a little more time with the twist. A lot more could have been explored. 

Happiness vs Frustration:

Do I recommend this book? Yes. I think Jenna Voris has written a book worth reading, especially if you go with low stakes, not expecting a who’s next on the chopping block scavenger hunt and everyone finds their queer love dream-type novel. 

I think EVERY TIME YOU HEAR THAT SONG is an essential read for the queer and non-queer community alike because it shows queer characters in different eras figuring out who they are, what that means to their livelihood, and will their loved ones accept them once they figured it out. 

Books like this must exist. I may not have loved it, but I liked it enough to share and discuss it. The audiobook is excellent, and I got it from my local library via the Libby app!