The Love Song of Sawyer Bell by Avon Gale

The Love Song of Sawyer Bell by Avon Gale

My rating: 5 of 5 stars


Received this ARC from Netgalley and Riptide Publishing for an honest review

I've wanted to read this book since I first saw it - June 13 2017 - listed as 'upcoming' (or whatever it is Riptide calls their books that'll appear sometime in the future). The book looked super interesting. Course, I think I saw the second book first, which was something of a letdown - more because I noticed it looked interesting, then noticed that the lead character in that one was a man; then noticed this one had two women as main characters (and yes, both have their point of views on display). Riptide seems to like series that include multiple layers of the LGBT spectrum, but that's neither here nor there, let's get back to this specific book.

Right, were was I? Oh, yeah. I've wanted to read this book for four months now. But, there's a certain worry that develops, of course, when you are in that situation. Both in wanting to read a book, and in noticing that the book is in one of those mixed gender series (heh, that sounds weird, I meant FF books with MM books, with occasional MF mixed in with one or the other or both being transgender; plus, to ruin that use of 'both' that started this sentence, I kind of have a hate/love relationship with books related to music).

So - to recap this brilliant part of the review: 1) wanted to read this book long time; 2) some worry based on that and other things.

The book: Victoria “Vix” Vincent is about . . . oh, 25 or 26 years of age (she was a high school senior when the other main character, Sawyer Bell, was a freshman in high school, which, in most USA high schools, would make them 3 to 4 years apart in age (some high schools merge junior high and high school into one school, so there'd be a 5 to 6 year gap between the lowest level and top, but I don't think that's the case here). Gah. Let's try this again.

Vix Vincent is a 25/26 year old professional musician with a band named after herself. She's had this band for years now, about 8 at least (maybe ten, there was a comment that she's been performing since she was 16, though I don't think that literally meant the band is that old). The band has gotten a certain reputation, but it is nowhere near the top. Or even, really, the middle. But they are slowly inching up. Playing larger venues. Headlining . . . sometimes - sometimes performing as the opening band. All of this is important because the band is just about to go on the road again, in about 2 weeks. Basically for the summer. But their fiddle player went and got himself married and then got himself a baby to look after and is, therefore, taking time away from the band (maybe/probably permanently). So - they need a new fiddle player. Which is where the book opens, with Vix and her bandmates watching poor performer after poor performer play one after the other. And getting super depressed. Then another one appears, wearing a sundress and looking, maybe, 16 (actually, not sure how young she looked, but they did ask if she was old enough to be there).

That next up auditioning for the band is/was Sawyer Bell. Fiddler/Violinist. She looks real young (I'm probably overdoing that part), and when she talks - it's in a light barely heard whisper. The band kind of groans, but wave her on to perform. Which she does. She plays something classical. With authority. Blows away the band members with how good she plays. They try to trip her up by throwing out some band names and asking her to play something less classical, more rock; and she does. Masterfully. She, Sawyer, then mentions that she's a student at Juilliard, in between Junior and Senior years at college. One thing leads to another, and the 21 year old is a member of the band for the summer. Oh, and for those reading along, she also has her point of view presented.

There's one flashback in this book, occurs roughly about where we are information wise (near the beginning of the book; actually, that '7 years earlier' might have occurred twice in rapid succession - seeming as if one flashback). The flashback takes us back 7 years when both Sawyer and Vix were in high school. And show us readers that Vix and Sawyer had actually meet before, once, back in high school.

There's much humor, travel adventures, and 'getting to know you' explorations of a romantic nature. Oh, and sex, graphic in nature. And quite fun for me personally to read - since there was so much humor mixed in to those scenes. I like humor; I like the mix of humor and sex. Fun times.

Right, so - book is outstanding from beginning until the ever present need for conflict rears its ugly head and erupts in conflict. Um, poorly worded. Well, no matter. Conflict point was reached. Things got rough, this is a romance book though, not a tragedy, so . . ..

Great, super readable, enjoyable book. 99.9% of the time I really liked the two main characters, Vix and Sawyer (not 100% sure I particularly liked the others who popped up - like there's just something dislikable about Jeff (bandmate), and about Sawyer's parents (mostly the father and the jokes he was cracking during an emotional moment).

Rating: 4.88

September 20 2017




View all my reviews