e-Audio, 09:47:22
Narrated by: Tania Possick & Robb Moreira
Release Date: April 5, 2022
Published by: Hachette Book Group
Read from: April 18-20, 2022
Stand-alone
Source: Library’s Libby
TW: Death of a Parent, Immigration threat
For Readers Interested In: Contemporary, Romance, Realistic Fiction, Racial/Ethnic Diversity, Family Diversity, Tear Jerker, YAClap When You Land meets On the Come Up in this heart-gripping story about navigating first love and overcoming grief through the power of music.
Aarón Medrano has been haunted by the onstage persona of his favorite musician ever since his mother passed away. He seems to know all of Aarón’s deepest fears, like that his brain doesn’t work the way it should and that’s why his brother and father seems to be pushing him away. He thinks his ticket out is a scholarship to the prestigious Acadia School of Music. That is, if he can avoid blowing his audition.
Mia Villanueva has a haunting of her own and it’s the only family heirloom her parents left her: doubt. It’s the reason she can’t overcome her stage fright or believe that her music is worth making. Even though her trumpet teacher tells her she has a gift, she’s not sure if she’ll ever figure out how to use it or if she’s even deserving of it in the first place.
When Aarón and Mia cross paths, Aarón sees a chance to get close to the girl he’s had a crush on for years and to finally feel connected to someone since losing his mother. Mia sees a chance to hold herself accountable by making them both face their fears, and hopefully make their dreams come true. But soon they’ll realize there’s something much scarier than getting up on stage—falling in love with a broken heart.
*MY THOUGHTS*
I wasn’t prepared for this one. Her last book was good, but it didn’t make me cry. So because I’m me and I don’t read synopses of books where I’ve read the author before. So I added this and just read it as soon as I got the hold in from work with no regard to what was happening . And then I was promptly crying while I was listening. Trust me, you aren’t ready for this one.
Mia has been having issues with stage fright ever since she lost her parents. Aarón has been haunted by his favorite singer ever since his mother died. They both are trying to figure out ways to help them get past it. When they cross paths they realize that the thing they’ve been missing is each other. They use each other to hold the other accountable to do what they have to do to get over what’s plaguing them. What they don’t anticipate is finding love…..
The mood in this book is SO. SOMBER. From the very beginning I was sad and stayed that way throughout the book. Like if you can’t tell that this book is going to break you from like page 3, I need you to take another look at your emotions lol As the story goes on, you might also feel anger, love between friends and family, and so much more. This book will have you going! That’s definitely one of the best things about this book. Anything that makes me feel as much as this book does, I knew it was going to be a winner.
I also liked that it touched on larger issues. In this one, there is a lasting threat of immigration. Although it put me on edge and scared the crap out of me, I know that it’s a real fear of people in Texas cities/towns. I normally hate romance books that feature social justice because it overpowers the rest of the story, but the author nailed it. In this book it made it part of the story, so it can’t over power it. I know that sounds like it makes no sense, but if you’ve read it, you might know just what I mean.
The fact that this was a romance was what bothered me. I get it,…. They were there for each other when they needed the other,, But honestly, that was where it stopped for me. I liked them apart, but them together just wasn’t convincing. I didn’t feel anything with the two of them. I thought they worked better as friends. I thought that they should have been too busy emotionally to get together with anyone. I felt they needed tix themselves first.
This book was filled with things that I thought wouldn’t work together, but in the end they fit just fine. Although it wasn’t exactly sold to me, I can still say this will be a favorite of some people for many years to come!
Overall, I give this
