Wow! That is the word that keeps popping into my head every time I think about how to describe what I feel about Listen by Kris Bryant. This is a contemporary romance that starts out as a slow-burn, but once the two main characters finally connect, it quickly becomes a very steamy novel.
The tale is told in the first person from the point of view of Lily Croft, a former child musical prodigy who now works as an actuary, analyzing data, working with numbers, and trying desperately to forget her former life. That is hard to do once she meets Hope D’Marco, the founder of Leading Note, a foundation that helps bring music to needy children. The attraction is fierce between the two from the moment they finally meet, but music is Hope’s life, and music is something Lily wants nothing to do with…she thinks.
I normally don’t like to read stories in first person. To me, the narrative is normally very limiting, since you can only see the story through the eyes of one character. It takes an accomplished author to be able to tell a story successfully within the limitations of first person POV. Thankfully Ms. Bryant is not only accomplished, but is an exceptional author, and she did an outstanding job of describing this tale. This story had to be told through Lily’s eyes. We had to know her thoughts and feelings. We had to hear what she heard and feel what she felt. The story would not have worked if it had been written any other way. This form was perfect. I am in awe at how well this story is written. I haven’t read a book this well done in quite a while. If I could give this book more than five stars. I would. You must read this book. It has my highest recommendation.
I received this book as an ARC from NetGalley and Bold Strokes Books for an honest review. You can find a copy at Bold Strokes Books.
Rainbow Reflections 