Songs in Ursa Major – Published 2021
“The year is 1969, and the Bayleen Island Folk Fest is abuzz with one name: Jesse Reid. Tall and soft-spoken, with eyes blue as stone-washed denim, Jesse Reid’s intricate guitar riffs and supple baritone are poised to tip from fame to legend with this one headlining performance. That is, until his motorcycle crashes on the way to the show.
Jane Quinn is a Bayleen Island local whose music flows as naturally as her long blond hair. When she and her bandmates are asked to play in Jesse Reid’s place at the festival, it almost doesn’t seem real. But Jane plants her bare feet on the Main Stage and delivers the performance of a lifetime, stopping Jesse’s disappointed fans in their tracks: A star is born.
Jesse stays on the island to recover from his near-fatal accident and he strikes up a friendship with Jane, coaching her through the production of her first record. As Jane contends with the music industry’s sexism, Jesse becomes her advocate, and what starts as a shared calling soon becomes a passionate love affair. On tour with Jesse, Jane is so captivated by the giant stadiums, the late nights, the wild parties, and the media attention, that she is blind-sided when she stumbles on the dark secret beneath Jesse’s music. With nowhere to turn, Jane must reckon with the shadows of her own past; what follows is the birth of one of most iconic albums of all time.” – Goodreads
THOUGHTS
Wowoww. Thank you to @PRHaudio for the ALC of this book. It is so, so good!
While is starts a tad slow, it definitely will grip you and hold your interest through til the end. It’s about growing up, love, mental health, addiction, and sexism. It’s about writing songs, taking chances, and taking care of yourself.
It does have some Daisy Jones vibes, especially with the song writing process, and while I LOVE Daisy, Jane Q as a person is easier to like. She’s not betraying anyone, being selfish, or dishonest – I was absolutely rooting for her the whole time.
I switched between audio and ebook, and found both to be wonderful. This is a debut book that blew me away. Read this book!
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