The Songbook of Benny Lament by Amy Harmon
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
Summary from GoodReads
From the bestselling author of What the Wind Knows and From Sand and Ash comes a powerful love story about a musical duo who put everything on the line to be together.
New York, 1960: For Benny Lament, music is his entire life. With his father’s deep ties to the mob, the Bronx piano man has learned that love and family can get you in trouble. So he keeps to himself, writing songs for other musicians, avoiding the spotlight…until the night his father brings him to see Esther Mine sing.
Esther is a petite powerhouse with a gorgeous voice. And when Benny writes a hit song and performs it with her, their collaboration thrusts the duo onto the national stage…and stirs up old issues and new scrutiny that the mob—and Benny—would rather avoid.
It would be easier to walk away. But the music and the woman are too hard for the piano man to resist. Benny’s songs and Esther’s vocals are an explosive combination, a sound that fans can’t get enough of. But though America might love the music they make together, some people aren’t ready for Benny Lament and Esther Mine on—or off—the stage.
New York, 1960: For Benny Lament, music is his entire life. With his father’s deep ties to the mob, the Bronx piano man has learned that love and family can get you in trouble. So he keeps to himself, writing songs for other musicians, avoiding the spotlight…until the night his father brings him to see Esther Mine sing.
Esther is a petite powerhouse with a gorgeous voice. And when Benny writes a hit song and performs it with her, their collaboration thrusts the duo onto the national stage…and stirs up old issues and new scrutiny that the mob—and Benny—would rather avoid.
It would be easier to walk away. But the music and the woman are too hard for the piano man to resist. Benny’s songs and Esther’s vocals are an explosive combination, a sound that fans can’t get enough of. But though America might love the music they make together, some people aren’t ready for Benny Lament and Esther Mine on—or off—the stage.
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REVIEW
I received an e-ARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
Every Amy Harmon book is shot to my heart. Not only because of her poetic writing style and prose but also because it touches subjects that few authors have dealt with especially in historical-contemporary-based books. Some of her previous books dealt with WW II and the Jews, the Native American history, and also one had dealt with Ireland and its history via a theme similar to "Outlander". All loved, al amazing.
Now this beauty of a book takes place in America of the 60's with the segregation between 'white' and 'black' (other terms are also used in the book based on the society of that time, which I will not mention out of respect for the people and the history) and Benny Lament is a song-writter whose family is...the Italian Mafia.
Another aspect of life during that time was also connected t some famous gangsters of that period. In these times Benny meets Esther, a gorgeous woman with an even more amazing voice, one that makes Benny want to collaborate with her, despite what others say and what society also demands of them. As their songs become even stronger and more powerful they stir trouble from all sides, and the secrets Benny and Esther have may come to the surface.
I loved this book; it was of a steady pace with beautiful prose and through Benny's POV, I saw how he fell in love with Esther and how she rose above her skin color and what society wanted of her. Hearteningly beautiful and with a great message that surpasses the century this book is more contemporary than any other before.
Definitely recommended.
About the author:
Amy Harmon has written eighteen novels including the USA Today Bestsellers, Making Faces and Running Barefoot, as well as The Law of Moses, Infinity + One and the New York Times Bestseller, A Different Blue. Her fantasy novel, The Bird and the Sword, was a Goodreads Book of the Year finalist. Her newest release, What the Wind Knows, is an Amazon charts and Wall Street Journal bestseller. For updates on upcoming book releases, author posts and more, join Amy at www.authoramyharmon.com.
