Sounds Like Love

Sounds Like Love is a contemporary romance novel by American novelist Ashley Poston. Published in June 2025 by Berkley Romance, Sounds Like Love traces protagonist Joni Lark as she chases her dreams in the music industry. Joni has established herself as a professional lyricist in Los Angeles, California, but hasn’t been able to write a new song since her mom was diagnosed with early-onset dementia. After an impromptu kiss with boy-band icon Sebastian (Sasha) Fell, Joni starts hearing mysterious melodies in her mind. Her subsequent trip home to Vienna Shores, North Carolina, compels her to rediscover her love for music and catalyzes her burgeoning romance with Sasha. Written from Joni’s first-person point of view, Sounds Like Love explores themes related to self-expression, healing, transformation, and love.

This guide refers to the 2025 Berkley Romance paperback edition.

Content Warning: Both the source text and this guide include cursing, sexual content, depictions of substance use, chronic illness, and discussion of childhood trauma and death.

Plot Summary

Thirty-something Joni Lark has been living in Los Angeles, California, for nine years. She has worked hard to establish a reputation as a skilled lyricist in the Hollywood music industry, but she isn’t happy. Ever since learning that her mom, Wynona Lark, was diagnosed with early-onset dementia, Joni hasn’t been able to write a new song. When she attends pop icon Willa Grey’s concert one night, she feels tired and ornery. Willa is performing Joni’s last hit song, “If You Stayed.” Joni used to be proud of the title, but now feels disconnected from it. When Willa calls her onstage, Joni is shocked to find herself standing next to former boy-band star Sebastian Fell. The crowd chants for them to kiss. Joni gives in, and the two share a passionate, electric embrace.

The next day, Joni flies home to Vienna Shores, North Carolina, to spend a few weeks with her family. On the way, she thinks about Sebastian but tries to forget their kiss. Her best friend, Gigi, picks her up from the airport and drives her back to her parents’ music venue, the Revelry. Joni is thrilled to return to the Rev and reunite with her mother, her father (Hank), and her brother (Mitch). However, she’s devastated when her family announces that they plan to close the Rev by the end of the summer.

After the Rev closes for the night, Joni stays at the venue alone, drinking. While tinkering on the piano and stewing over her uncertain future, a voice appears in her head. The voice introduces himself as Sasha, and he and Joni converse telepathically. This mysterious connection remains over the following days. Joni doesn’t understand where Sasha came from or who he is, but she appreciates his presence. One day, Sasha suggests that they meet in person.

The next day, Sasha arrives at the Rev. Joni is shocked to discover that he’s Sebastian Fell. Over the following days, Joni starts spending all her time with him. They deduce that their kiss at Willa’s concert ignited their telepathic connection, and they discover that they’ve both been hearing a melody in their heads. They decide to collaborate on a new song to revive their struggling music careers.

The more time Joni spends with Sasha, the more attached she feels to him. However, she keeps running into her ex-boyfriend Van Erickson in town. She and Van dated through high school and college, but he broke up with her two weeks before graduation. In the present, Joni wonders if she still has feelings for him and accepts his invitation to go out on a date. Her complex feelings for Van confuse her developing feelings for Sasha. She asks for Gigi’s advice, and Gigi recommends that Joni move on from Van.

Meanwhile, Joni and Sasha spend evenings at the Rev or Sasha’s rental house and work on their song. When they feel stuck, they exchange stories from their personal lives. Sasha opens up about how his mom, Ami McKellen, died when he was 13 and about his fraught relationship with his father, rock star Roman Fell. Joni appreciates Sasha’s honesty and openness, and she talks about her concerns over her mom’s health and her disappointment over losing the Rev.

Joni has another date with Van, during which she realizes that she isn’t heartbroken over him anymore. She ends their relationship and drives to Sasha’s house. They have sex. In the morning, Joni wakes up inspired. She and Sasha delve into their song and finally complete the project.

A hurricane blows into Vienna Shores, forcing the townspeople to hole up at the Rev. While there, Joni learns that Wynona was good friends with Sasha’s late mother. Then Joni and Sasha perform their new song. Wynona reveals that she and Ami began a similar collaboration years ago.

After the storm, Joni and Sasha profess their love for each other and inform Joni’s parents that they want to take over the Rev. They spend the following weeks packing up their lives in LA and settling into Vienna Shores. Meanwhile, Joni spends as much time with Wynona as she can before her death.

Two years later, Joni and Sasha are living a happy life together, and the Rev is doing well. Most evenings, Joni studies a photograph of Wynona and Ami on the venue wall and reflects on her love for her mom.