PLAYING AUTUMN
by Mina V. Esguerra
Genre: New Adult, Contemporary
Haley
Reese is going back home to Houston and she's dreading this trip. She
volunteers as a mentor to young musicians at an annual festival, and the
longer she's been doing it, the more she feels like a fraud. It's been
years since the web videos that made her sort-of famous first came out,
and she hasn't done anything else to pursue the career in music she's
always wanted. Things start looking up when she shares a plane ride with
Oliver Cabrera, music prodigy, rock star, and the reason why she picked
up an instrument in the first place.
Oliver
Cabrera hasn't called any place "home" since he started touring
professionally in his teens, but Houston is as close to it as any. He's
also nearly broke, his career just about over. When he gets the
invitation to mentor at the Breathe Music Festival again, he decides,
what the hell, he should finally show up. He meets Haley, Hot Piano Girl
herself, and finds her own fear of failure might be easier to fix than
his own.
Playing
Autumn was first released in 2013 in the Rock Gods of Romance ebook
anthology. This is a revised, expanded, and steamier edition.
Haley only imagined being able to share the same space with the Oliver Cabrera. Talk about flying and sitting together on a plane, spending the weekend, mentoring children music, it seems impossible to her. But it did happen but for her "Is this really happening?"
I am totally into music related books. Plus, having the opportunity to read something of Mina V. Esguerra's is something that I definitely won't miss.
I like both characters. Haley and Oliver have stories of their own and problems to face. They became the brief escape to each other's problems and were lead to rediscover themselves and their innate love for music through Breathe, the music festival for aspiring musicians. Breathe is definitely the kind of camp that I would definitely want to join. It looks so exciting and being able to just practice, improve and perform along with others would truly hone one's musical prowess.
However, there were times that left me a little bit confused and yet, despite those moments, I kept going. There were some side stories that I wanted to learn more of and I think that would have made the story a truly amazing.
Still, this book is a really good read. Some characters were introduced and I truly want to learn more of their story (particularly Olivia). I feel like Olivia's the type of girl that you'd definitely want to have as a friend (or best friend even). She loves her friends so much and is very passionate about what she does.
If you're the type of person who looks for music, romance, a music camp and awesome musicians in their book, then Playing Autumn is definitely for you.
She finds inspiration in the lives and experiences of other people, so the answer to "Is this story based on you?" is always, always "No."
Links:
Music-related books are not something I see often. I think I read one which was by Leila Sales! Have you tried that? :) Not sure if I want to invest time in this one but I will take note of the title in case I see in my next bookstore trip :3
ReplyDeleteFaye at The Social Potato