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andrea_author's review against another edition
5.0
College sweethearts Angie and Joshua were torn apart by chance. Eight years later, they cross paths again, and their emotions still run high. Angie knows he can't forgive her, but she makes him an offer he can't refuse in order to gain his help in saving her chamber music society. As they spend time together, the sparks between them turn into a flame. Is it just a fling, or can they find forever together?
This is a swoony story with a nice amount of steam. Angie and Joshua were both strong, likeable, and endearing characters who deserved their happy ending. Looking forward to more in this series!
Thanks, NetGalley, for the ARC I received. This is my honest and voluntary review.
This is a swoony story with a nice amount of steam. Angie and Joshua were both strong, likeable, and endearing characters who deserved their happy ending. Looking forward to more in this series!
Thanks, NetGalley, for the ARC I received. This is my honest and voluntary review.
scoutmomskf's review against another edition
4.0
A good second chance love story, and opener for the Hana Trio series. The book opens with an emotional scene where Joshua and Angie see each other again for the first time in ten years, at a fundraiser for the local chamber music society. Angie and her sisters are among the performers, and Joshua is one of the attendees in place of his sick grandfather. Joshua is swamped by the memories of their college romance where they bonded over their music and gave in to the attraction that burned between them. He also remembers her walking away from him, his heartbreak destroying his ability to make music. When they come face-to-face, Joshua hides his still-simmering attraction to her behind anger and coldness when Angie asks him if he's happy.
Two months later, Angie receives the devastating news that the chamber music society may have to close. Their operating funds are dangerously low due to the pandemic, and their fundraising efforts have not kept up. After her estranged father refused to donate without Angie giving up her hard-fought independence, she was at a loss on how to help. Then, while listening to a piece from an anonymous new composer, Angie heard a musical phrase she never expected to hear again. I loved her determination to take what she knew and ask Joshua to compose a piece for the Society season-opening and ached at his stubborn refusal. But when Joshua's beloved grandfather has a heart attack, Joshua offers to write the piece in exchange for Angie playing her cello as music therapy for him.
Spending time together with his grandfather and working on his composition rekindles the attraction that still burns between them. Neither can resist the pull and decide that they can satisfy it with a no-strings affair. Each is determined to keep emotions out of it, but we all know how well that works. I loved seeing the quiet times they spent together and their collaborative efforts for his contribution. It didn't take long for Joshua's anger to fade, though he fought hard against acknowledging the love that had never gone away. Angie begins to feel the strain of pretending she doesn't want more than the affair they agreed to.
The emotional intensity ramped up when the secrecy failed. Joshua and Angie's world began to implode. I hurt for Angie, who faced the double pain of Joshua rejecting her love and believing her capable of revealing his secret. The depth of her pain dripped off the pages, and I was grateful for the closeness she shared with her sisters. I loved their support as she tried to overcome her heartbreak. I wanted to be mad at Joshua, but he faced his own Armageddon. Not only had he lost Angie through his stubborn blindness, but he also ran the risk of losing his promotion to CEO of the family business. I loved seeing him realize the truth of his feelings for Angie and her place in his life and how he used that to prepare his fight for his job. To my delight, he rocked the scene in the boardroom. Even better, I loved how his focus moved on to finding a way to win Angie back. I wasn't surprised by his method, but the details showed how well he knew her and how much she meant to him. The openness and honesty of Joshua's confession to her were intensely emotional and went a long way toward making up for the hurt he caused. I loved the ending and hope to see more of them in her sisters' books.
#netgalley
Two months later, Angie receives the devastating news that the chamber music society may have to close. Their operating funds are dangerously low due to the pandemic, and their fundraising efforts have not kept up. After her estranged father refused to donate without Angie giving up her hard-fought independence, she was at a loss on how to help. Then, while listening to a piece from an anonymous new composer, Angie heard a musical phrase she never expected to hear again. I loved her determination to take what she knew and ask Joshua to compose a piece for the Society season-opening and ached at his stubborn refusal. But when Joshua's beloved grandfather has a heart attack, Joshua offers to write the piece in exchange for Angie playing her cello as music therapy for him.
Spending time together with his grandfather and working on his composition rekindles the attraction that still burns between them. Neither can resist the pull and decide that they can satisfy it with a no-strings affair. Each is determined to keep emotions out of it, but we all know how well that works. I loved seeing the quiet times they spent together and their collaborative efforts for his contribution. It didn't take long for Joshua's anger to fade, though he fought hard against acknowledging the love that had never gone away. Angie begins to feel the strain of pretending she doesn't want more than the affair they agreed to.
The emotional intensity ramped up when the secrecy failed. Joshua and Angie's world began to implode. I hurt for Angie, who faced the double pain of Joshua rejecting her love and believing her capable of revealing his secret. The depth of her pain dripped off the pages, and I was grateful for the closeness she shared with her sisters. I loved their support as she tried to overcome her heartbreak. I wanted to be mad at Joshua, but he faced his own Armageddon. Not only had he lost Angie through his stubborn blindness, but he also ran the risk of losing his promotion to CEO of the family business. I loved seeing him realize the truth of his feelings for Angie and her place in his life and how he used that to prepare his fight for his job. To my delight, he rocked the scene in the boardroom. Even better, I loved how his focus moved on to finding a way to win Angie back. I wasn't surprised by his method, but the details showed how well he knew her and how much she meant to him. The openness and honesty of Joshua's confession to her were intensely emotional and went a long way toward making up for the hurt he caused. I loved the ending and hope to see more of them in her sisters' books.
#netgalley
pn_hinton's review against another edition
4.0
I really enjoyed this read, both as a classical music lover and a romance novel fan. Also it was a second chance romance which is always nice. The third act confusion was one that was expected and the ending seemed a bit too rushed in how quickly they got back together but then again they were both also at a point where they didn't want to waste more time, having lost ten years already, so I could understand it a little bit. Can't wait for the other two in the series!
hannas_heas47's review against another edition
4.0
This was a fun romance based around the love of music. Second chance romance where a composer falls again for his muse. It was a lovely story with some high emotions and very little angst. Four stars.
I received a complimentary copy to read and voluntarily left a review.
I received a complimentary copy to read and voluntarily left a review.
spicygeek's review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
lighthearted
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
seventhchariot's review
4.0
Thank you to Netgalley and the publishers for providing me with an eARC in exchange for an honest review!
A Song of Secrets was a pleasant surprise! I've read [b:A Sweet Mess|51164758|A Sweet Mess|Jayci Lee|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1572057842l/51164758._SY75_.jpg|72729609] by this author before and thought it was just okay, but A Song of Secrets really hit me in my feels! It's a second-chance romance that was just amazing and had a lot of emotion packed into it! I'm definitely going to need to pick up more from this author's backlist!
Also, random sidenote: reading a romance book where the main character shares your name is an odd experience lol
Rating: 4/5
A Song of Secrets was a pleasant surprise! I've read [b:A Sweet Mess|51164758|A Sweet Mess|Jayci Lee|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1572057842l/51164758._SY75_.jpg|72729609] by this author before and thought it was just okay, but A Song of Secrets really hit me in my feels! It's a second-chance romance that was just amazing and had a lot of emotion packed into it! I'm definitely going to need to pick up more from this author's backlist!
Also, random sidenote: reading a romance book where the main character shares your name is an odd experience lol
Rating: 4/5
lovelynovellas's review
lighthearted
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
noellelovesbooks's review
3.25
A cute second chance romance between old college flames. It's been 10 years since one broke the other ones heart...but neither have forgotten about each other.
A quick and fun romance...perfect for a beach read!
A quick and fun romance...perfect for a beach read!
Content Warnings
Moderate: Cancer
Minor: Death of parent
pintofbooks's review against another edition
medium-paced
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
3.0
A Song of Secrets was very bland- 3 stars
Midnight Son was much better, but had one of the worst rushed endings I’ve come across... The last four pages for the main “argument, run away, confession and proposal.” Ughhhh. 3.5 stars.
Midnight Son was much better, but had one of the worst rushed endings I’ve come across... The last four pages for the main “argument, run away, confession and proposal.” Ughhhh. 3.5 stars.
devyn_everts's review
emotional
hopeful
reflective
sad
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.25