Book Review: Deep Cuts by Holly Brickley

Shameless were spot on when they described Deep Cuts as Daisy Jones and the Six meets One Day. This book delivers a complicated, aching love story between two people whose lives are completely entwined with music—and with each other. It’s messy, nostalgic, and painfully real in that way that sneaks up on you.

Holly Brickley does an incredible job capturing the essence of youth: the intensity of early love, the way friendships and relationships blur together, and that bittersweet in-between feeling of knowing something is special but not knowing how to hold onto it. The characters are so beautifully flawed and relatable—you’ll root for them, get mad at them, and see parts of yourself in their chaos.

The entire story is told through the lens of music, with songs acting as timestamps, emotional undercurrents, and narrative devices. I’ll be honest, I didn’t know most of the songs they referenced, which probably affected my connection to certain moments—but that didn’t take away from how much I enjoyed the way music was used to deepen the characters’ bond and bring extra texture to their story. You don’t need to know the tracks to feel the heartbreak behind them.

This is one of those books that sneaks into your head and lingers—like that one song you hear at the wrong (or maybe right?) time. I really enjoyed it, and I’d absolutely recommend it to anyone who loves character-driven fiction, unconventional romances, and stories that don’t shy away from emotional messiness.

3.75 stars from me—emotional, layered, and quietly powerful.