Susan F. (scoutmomskf) -
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
