Reviews

A pretty swoony second chance romance involving classical music. Unfortunately, the third act breakup kinda derailed it for me (while warranted, I think they both could have handled it better). But it was a quick read, I was invested in their relationship, and the sex scenes were great.

allisonwonderlandreads's review

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emotional lighthearted relaxing fast-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes

3.0

Is this... a second chance romance I actually liked? Maybe I was so excited about a cellist protagonist that I became overwhelmed in a good way. But actually, I think it was the thoughtful writing, raw emotion, and steamy tension that led me to this unusual, wondrous place. This read is pure escapism in its finest, distilled form. It's about Angie and Joshua, who were forced apart in college by Angie's father, who gave her an impossible decision to make. They are thrown together in the present because of the classical music that once connected them. Angie discovers Joshua is secretly a well-known, mysterious composer that could save the local chamber music society if he wrote a piece for her and her sisters to play in their string trio. Meanwhile, Joshua's grandfather is recovering from a heart attack, and Joshua asks Angie to come play for him a couple times a week to bring some joy to his convalescence. Despite Joshua's antagonism due to the past breakup, something starts to spark to life between them.

I appreciated the depth and range of feelings between the two characters. I also thought the level of intensity in the present made it less bothersome to me that there was a history between them where I'm not privy to all the details (a struggle I have whenever the second chance trope rolls around). My only complaint has to do with the second half. While the first part had a nice buildup of tension and a natural feeling of progression, the latter part feels like waiting for the other shoe to drop. The conflict between the two is ultimately about their insecurities, and they start winding up to their big separation moment early by privately worrying about their inevitable but unnecessary breakup. They fight their feelings and ignore the potential for something more.

This is a light, frothy, classical music-driven romance. I enjoyed the two main leads and their growing bond. If you aren't bothered by this style of angst, I think this is the perfect book vacation for you. Thanks to Harlequin for my copy to read and review.

Content Warnings

bookwormbullet's review

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emotional hopeful lighthearted reflective medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? It's complicated
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

Content Warnings

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