Title: The Lost Love Song
Author: Minnie Darke
Genre: Romance
Published On: October 13, 2020
Publisher: Ballantine Books
Source: digital
Pages: 384
Synopsis:
This is the story of a love song . . . And like any good love song, it has two parts.
In Australia, Arie Johnson waits impatiently for classical pianist Diana Clare to return from a world tour, hopeful that after seven years together she’ll finally agree to marry him.
On her travels, Diana composes a song for Arie. It’s the perfect way to express her love, knowing they’ll spend their lives together . . . Won’t they?
Then late one night, her love song is overheard, and begins its own journey across the world.
In Scotland, Evie Greenlees is drifting. It’s been years since she left Australia with a backpack, a one-way ticket and a dream of becoming a poet. Now she spends her days making coffee and her nights serving beer. And she’s not even sure whether the guy she lives with is really her boyfriend or just a flatmate.
Then one day she hears an exquisite love song. One that will connect her to a man with a broken heart . . .
My thoughts
(Spoiler free)
The Lost Love Song is refreshingly sweet, heartwarming, and hopeful. Minnie Darke magically weaves a tale of love that’s modern and unique. It feels like a classic love story, but new and different.
“…it seems to have been jumping from ear to ear and heart to heart, which is how all the best songs make their way across the world.”
Minnie Darke, The Lost Love Song
As the lost love song is passed from place to place and character to character, the reader gets the sense that the world is not so small, but it’s our connections with others that make it seem that way.
And that’s what I loved so much about this book: how all the stories were connected, how all the different types of loves were inspired and spurred from a simple love song. How something so seemingly small can have such a big impact. And that with each passing, the song grew and changed because the recipients loved it and made it their own.
I’m also discovering that I really just adore books set in Australia.
Our main two characters are Arie and Evie. They’re both well-rounded and flawed, making very human mistakes and choices. The same can be said for the secondary characters. It’s through them that the love song makes such a momentous journey. I love it when authors show that we learn from our mistakes, and sometimes it’s only through the mistakes that we arrive where we should be. Life is messy, and it shouldn’t be any other way.
As a hopeless romantic and a music lover, I am the perfect audience for this lovely story. Minnie Darke does such a beautiful job describing this most influential love song, I only wish we could hear it. The Lost Love Song was a joy to read, and I hope it gets all the attention it deserves.
Thank you to the publisher Ballantine Books and Netgalley for providing me with an advance copy.
(All quotes are taken from the advance copy and are subject to change in final print.)
My Rating:
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About the Author
A Song For A Book
On Bookstagram I created a hashtag for when I include a song that reminds me of the book I’m sharing, #ASongForABook, I thought I’d make it a regular feature on my reviews, too.
It came as no surprise that a book about a song had a playlist. The author has shared her very own playlist on Spotify, which I’ll share below. I also came across a great article written by the author where she talks about her favorite love songs on Booktopia. I’ve chosen to highlight “Lost Boy” by Ruth B. I think it wonderfully captures the character Arie.
There was a time when I was alone
Nowhere to go and no place to call home
My only friend was the man in the moon
And even sometimes he would go away, too
Have you read The Lost Love Song? Did you add it to your tbr? Let me know in the comments!
Happy Wandering!
I am really liking the sound of this one. Sounds like it would definitely break my heart but as a hopeless romantic a well, I think this one will be up my alley. I love books that involve music as well and I really don’t read enough of them. I love this song, too 🙂 Great review, Dedra!
Oh, I think you would love this one, too! And even though it’s heart wrenching it’s hopeful, as well. ❤️