You Are My Song is
the final book in my “Carousel
Trilogy,” a trio of books about three high school students whose lives are
changed by a small town tragedy in the 1950s. When we first meet Jamie Logan,
in How I Grew Up, he is performing
the role of Billy Bigelow in Carousel.
His leading lady is Melanie Stewart, a high school senior whose parents have
just been shot to death by her estranged brother-in-law.
My thanks to Anita Lock for this excellent review of the
book in this week’s issue of Underground Book Reviews, a great website which
encourages and promotes independent authors in many ways. It was exciting that
this was the second book the website selected for an in-depth review. Eli’s Heart was also reviewed by Ms.
Lock.
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The Rundown
Jamie Logan’s love for singing was set in place at a young age. By high school Jamie gets involved in theater and his lilting tenor voice wins him the lead role in Rodgers and Hammerstein’s Carousel. Although he’s attracted to the lead lady in the musical, Jamie is too enamored of Sarah, his longtime sweetheart—so much so that Jamie dreams of the day when he will be a dad. A few years pass and Jamie and Sarah finally wed. But the marriage is not a happy one since Sarah forbids Jamie to pursue his other dream of singing. Dissension brews eventually leading to divorce. Now with his dreams dashed, Jamie feels like a failure, especially when Sarah snidely comments that maybe he’ll “find a job as a professional rainbow chaser.”
Jamie Logan’s love for singing was set in place at a young age. By high school Jamie gets involved in theater and his lilting tenor voice wins him the lead role in Rodgers and Hammerstein’s Carousel. Although he’s attracted to the lead lady in the musical, Jamie is too enamored of Sarah, his longtime sweetheart—so much so that Jamie dreams of the day when he will be a dad. A few years pass and Jamie and Sarah finally wed. But the marriage is not a happy one since Sarah forbids Jamie to pursue his other dream of singing. Dissension brews eventually leading to divorce. Now with his dreams dashed, Jamie feels like a failure, especially when Sarah snidely comments that maybe he’ll “find a job as a professional rainbow chaser.”
Getting
back on his feet, Jamie decides to contact Ed Davidson, his high school vocal
teacher who inspires him to train for entrance into the University’s opera
program. Passing with flying colors, Jamie slowly begins to build his career as
an opera singer. Yet as highly talented as he is, Jamie has no idea the trials
he will have to face on his musical journey. Jamie periodically finds himself
plagued with nervousness prior to performances and low self-esteem as
competition auditions become more taxing. It doesn’t help that a family crisis gets
added to the mix. Amid all his problems, Jamie knows that the only one who can
help him achieve the highest career goal is the woman he loves. But whether or not
Jamie can overcome his worst enemy in the process will be his ultimate
challenge.
In
the final novel of The Carousel
Trilogy, Jordan gathers the featured characters (Melanie Stewart, Krissy
Porter, and Jamie Logan) from her series together in one glorious romance tale.
Based on her “experiences as a voice teacher and stage director” and “inspired
by real people she has encountered,” Jordan’s 1960’s plot shines a light on the
complexities of professionals in the opera realm. While men and women’s roles
were defined differently in general as well as in the musical arena, so too
were issues of race and gender—all thought provoking concepts for readers to
ruminate on to compare then and now. As she weaves in these troubling aspects
in the midst of Jamie’s intriguing life, Jordan includes a delightful array of
all things opera.
The Recommendation
You Are My Song creates a nice closure to a great trilogy! There is no doubt that the largest draw of readers will come from those who are musically inclined—whether instrumentalists or listeners. Yet Jordan incorporates so much more than the opera scene to grab the attention of anyone looking for a captivating read.
You Are My Song creates a nice closure to a great trilogy! There is no doubt that the largest draw of readers will come from those who are musically inclined—whether instrumentalists or listeners. Yet Jordan incorporates so much more than the opera scene to grab the attention of anyone looking for a captivating read.
The Rating Reviewer
Rating: 5 Stars
5 Stars (out of 5): Highly recommended. This book did exactly what it set out to do, with originality, style, and maybe even a twist. It stands out next to popular, traditionally published novels in its genre.
The Pros & Cons
Pros: Believable, Characterization, Page Turner
5 Stars (out of 5): Highly recommended. This book did exactly what it set out to do, with originality, style, and maybe even a twist. It stands out next to popular, traditionally published novels in its genre.
The Pros & Cons
Pros: Believable, Characterization, Page Turner
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Here's a link to the page: https://www.undergroundbookreviews.org/review-of-you-are-m…/
You Are My Song (Kindle
edition) is currently on sale on Amazon for ninety-nine cents. A great chance
to pick up the book!
Cover by Tristan Flanagan
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