When the music changed: A novel

by Marie R. Reno

The Civil War. It transformed beautiful Miranda from a reckless girl into a fiercely determined woman rebelling against the restrictions place upon her in a world ruled by men. But even with all her energy devoted to noble causes she still remained vulnerable to the feelings and passions of the men who knew her intimately. Damon was the shy young Union soldier who marched away to war and died with her picture next to his heart. Her cousin Richard who loved her after his fashion became her partner in a marriage of convenience that soon became an icy prison of pretense. Only daring newspaper correspondent Cort Adams was a lover strong enough to conquer Miranda, but even he was unable to enslave her.

Genres: Civil War, Historical Romance, Historical Fiction, Romance

530 pages, Unknown Binding

First published January 1, 1980

Reviews

[Sarah Mac · Rating 2 out of 5]

Boring as hell with endless infodumps & political blather. It also features a truly obnoxious couple who end up ruining other lives rather than simply marrying when they have the chance. Yawn. 😴 It’s one thing if you’re featuring negative MCs in Gone With the Wind or the Game of Thrones books—their purpose is exploring bad behavior + the consequences that ripple outward. But clearly I’m supposed to like Miranda & Cort, so their annoying idiocy just makes me feel sorry for their future spouses.

NOPE. Moving on.


{Note: This book is part of my ongoing quest to pluck tomes I’ve had unread for 7+ years & either love-and-keep or DNF-and-donate.}

[Misfit · Rating 4 out of 5]

It was 1860 in old New York - the last, bright, feverish year before the music changed, before the sound of drum taps signaled the march to civil war.

At sixteen, Miranda Chase has it all, a father and brothers who adore her, a large extended family of cousins and plenty of beaus hoping to win her hand in marriage; but she's more interested in in saving the world and helping her father run his swanky hotel. Of the three most ardent suitors, the one who really lights her fire is the one she cannot have. Or can she? And if she does, can she handle the consequences?

This is a hard novel to review without giving away much of the plot points - so I'll keep this brief. The novel begins in 1860 and ends at the end of the war with Lincoln's assassination and funeral train, and is mainly focused on events on the home front and not on the battlefield (a refreshing change). Reno does a nice job of blending her fictional characters into real historical events (loved the ball for Prince Albert Edward), and especially some new-to-me factoids; the New York City draft riots of 1863 and the rebel attempt to burn New York City, with Miranda right in the thick of them all.

While there is a romantic element running through the novel, this is definitely more historical in nature and I wouldn't recommend reading it just for the romance; there are a couple of events early in the book that will likely inflame die-hard romance readers (if you have problems with adultery, this is not the book for you). I found myself losing sympathy for ------, that is until ------ came back into the Miranda's life. Even with those minor (for me) quibbles, I really enjoyed this and would recommend to those interested in this period and a strong female lead character.

[☀️Carden☀️ · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a nice book.

Quite overloaded with history. The Civil War is described in vivid details.

The herione Miranda isn’t exactly badass, but I still liked her.

The romance was...for the most part...nonexistent. If anything the main character is already married. Most of the plot is the war.

And it ends with Lincoln’s funeral and Miranda starting a future with Cort, her new husband.

[B needs coffee · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book always sweeps me away to another time and place..back to the chaos of the civil war and an era gone by..not as good as Gone with the Wind (few books are) but still good!

[Kathy · Rating 5 out of 5]

I remember reading this book years ago and it still sticks in my mind. It's an interesting take on the Civil War from a Northern point of view.

[Tcsd25 · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is one of my all time "sentimental" favorites & I generally go back to re-read beloved passages every year or so. I found it in the library stacks when I was teenager hunting for historical romances set during the Civil War and years later I luckily found a paperback copy for keeps in a used bookstore. My copy is always within easy reach on my bookshelf with a handful of other faves.

When the Music Changed is sweeping and epic, with shades of North and the South Civil War miniseries (or the even better Blue and the Grey if you prefer). In fact I used to think this would make an excellent miniseries. The love story of Miranda and Cort is years in the making with many twists and turns and lots of heartbreak. The characters are flawed but still likeable, and the sub-plots involving the minor players are just as moving. Plus the author weaves in historical details that really enhance the story, making it that much more rich and dramatic. This is the sort of book that requires an investment of time, like some of the other great novels of the 1970’s and 80’s, but ultimately offers a very satisfying, poignant conclusion.

Little side note - the cover in the picture is the same one that I have on my paperback & it always made me question who is pictured with Miranda. The gentleman looks more like what I imagine Richard to be, but it seems that Cort should be the one front and center.

[Aprill · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this book so much I decided to buy it so I could graduate from H.S. That was a long time ago. Obviously I love it. I like to read it at least once a year.