Musical Chairs by Amy Poeppel Review. Thank you Atria Books and Netgalley for the free review copy! This is such a fun summer read about family – the one we’re born into and the ones we choose.
Summary from the publisher…
Bridget and Will have the kind of relationship that people envy: they’re loving, compatible, and completely devoted to each other. The fact that they’re strictly friends seems to get lost on nearly everyone; after all, they’re as good as married in (almost) every way. For three decades, they’ve nurtured their baby, the Forsyth Trio—a chamber group they created as students with their Juilliard classmate Gavin Glantz. In the intervening years, Gavin has gone on to become one of the classical music world’s reigning stars, while Bridget and Will have learned to embrace the warm reviews and smaller venues that accompany modest success.
Bridget has been dreaming of spending the summer at her well-worn Connecticut country home with her boyfriend Sterling. But her plans are upended when Sterling, dutifully following his ex-wife’s advice, breaks up with her over email and her twin twenty-somethings arrive unannounced, filling her empty nest with their big dogs, dirty laundry, and respective crises.
Bridget has problems of her own: her elderly father announces he’s getting married, and the Forsyth Trio is once again missing its violinist. She concocts a plan to host her dad’s wedding on her ramshackle property, while putting the Forsyth Trio back into the spotlight. But to catch the attention of the music world, she and Will place their bets on luring back Gavin, whom they’ve both avoided ever since their stormy parting.
Review…
Ensemble casts stories really go one way or the other for me. I find myself either becoming disinterested by all of the characters or I want to be welcomed into their fold by the end of the book. This was the latter for me. Although there are a lot of characters to follow, I didn’t find it confusing and I appreciated that they all revolve around the central character of Bridget. A dilapidated house in country, quirky characters, and not knowing where the relationships would lead, all helped make this a win for me.
4 stars – I really liked it. It’s not necessarily a quick read, so I’d recommend picking it up when you’re wanting to relax into a story. Not a musician? Not a problem. This won’t feel over your head if you didn’t attend Juillard like the characters in the story! Pick this up for an enjoyable summertime story!
The details…
Rating: 4 Stars
ISBN: 9781501176418
Get the hardcopy at: Bookshop.org or Amazon or Book Depository
Get the audiobook from: Audible or Libro.fm (use my code lfm122316 to get your first audiobook free from Libro.fm!)
Publication date: July 21, 2020
This blog uses affiliate links. For more on affiliate links, please visit our Policies page. Thank you!
Musical Chairs by Amy Poeppel Review
