Perfect Harmony: A Small Town Coming of Age novel

by Claire Doyle

A wee Scottish island. A big TV talent show. And the Great British Heatwave of 1976.

It’s 1976, the heatwave is blazing, and the tiny Scottish Isle of Cumbrae is simmering with excitement.

Shy teenager Harmony McVeigh never imagined she'd make it this far. Against all odds, she's clinched a spot in the semi-final of the national TV talent show, Young Faces. Her unlikely success is thanks to the guidance of her dashing and enigmatic music teacher, whose passion for Chopin has unlocked her hidden talents.

With the Grand Final just one week later, Harmony escapes on a school trip to the sultry shores of Majorca—the original love island. But beneath the sun-drenched paradise, she stumbles upon a tangled web of musical intrigue and discovers a magical gift she never knew she had.

As Harmony grapples with her newfound abilities, questions Who orchestrated her rise to fame? Was she always meant to compete against the rebellious, proto-punk sensation, Annie London? Amidst the glamour and romance, Harmony must unravel the secrets that surround her and find her true voice.

Join Harmony on a journey of self-discovery, romance, and mystery in Perfect Harmony, where the small-town charm of Cumbrae meets the dazzling allure of a 1970s summer adventure.

201 pages, Kindle Edition

Published June 10, 2024

Reviews

[Jennyfer · Rating 3 out of 5]

In the summer of 1976, 17 yo music student Harmony McVeigh dreams of being a songwriter, like Barry Gibb or Bernie Taupin. While her music teacher enters her into the tv competition Young Faces, Harmony enters a song into a songwriting competition. With her song gaining interest, and the pressure of the television show, Harmony's world is turned upside down.

There was a lot going on in this book - the central plot of the Young Faces competition; her crush on her music teacher; the seedy underside of the music industry; the summer heatwave; Mallorca; and a thousand names of people Harmony meets on her way. Oh, and Chopin. There was a lot about Chopin, too.

I really wanted to like this one, as I do like a good vintage music story, but unfortunately I found this one a bit too all over the place for my tastes. It read like excerpts from a diary, and I struggled to connect with the characters. It didn't feel like a mystery or a romance, and there just seemed to be too many different threads and incidental tangents for me to concentrate on the story.

Wasn't for me, but I do hope other readers enjoy it more.

~Many thanks to Netgalley for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review ~

[Susan Johnston · Rating 5 out of 5]

Princess Fuzzypants here; All Harmony wants to do is write music. Somehow, through the machinations of her family and her music teacher, she finds herself on New Voices, a talent show that gives up and coming artists their big break. Never expecting to make it through the first round, Harmony is amazed each time she goes on to the next round. In the end she and her rival are the two to beat. A trip to Mallorca in between the semi final and the final turns her world upside down.

Things change dramatically and she learns some tough lessons but she also gets the inspiration to write “the” song she knew she had within her. She discovers at the final that another song she wrote also has “legs’ but that realization almost scuppers her. She learns that not everything is on the up and up and that power and influence can be bought. But talent, talent lives on regardless of whatever else gets in the way. The end is uplifting and I longed to learn what happened next in Harmony’s life.

A lot of fun for anyone with a soft spot for Scotland or fond memories of the middle 1970s in Britain. Guilty as charged. Five purrs and two paws up.

[Emily · Rating 3 out of 5]

Set in Scotland, 1976. Harmony wants to be a songwriter. She enters a nationally televised competition for young voices. Her teacher encourages her to reach within and tap into her potential, which she does. All of this happens during the summer.

Harmony is a typical seventeen-year-old whose life revolves around her family, her friends, school, her crushes, and her hopes and dreams. Plus, there's the question of how she's doing so well in the competition to keep her occupied.

All of that is sweet and relatable, but this book is written with the attention span of a teenager. It's hard to follow. It's like being a new kid in school and you meet this girl who befriends you. Then you follow her around while she tells you all about her life.

So, it's entertaining and enjoyable but incredibly hard to follow. This would be a good book for a teenager. It's something I would have liked a lot when I was about fifteen. It's for anyone who wants light reading instead of something that will draw them deep inside a story.

[Kathy · Rating 4 out of 5]

In the summer of 1976, Harmony McVeigh dreams of being a songwriter. Her Chopin loving music teacher enters her into Fresh Faces, a televised talent competition. Shy and self-conscious, she’d prefer not to be in the limelight. No one is more surprised than her to make it to the finals as an audience favorite. As the heat rises she searches for inspiration for her gala final showpiece. On a school trip to Mallorca, she has an almost mystical experience playing Chopin’s piano. Will the words that flow out of her be her ticket to stardom?

While not a mystery in the traditional sense, Harmony does try to puzzle out who is pulling the strings in the competition. This is more of a coming of age story. The story builds slowly with an almost lyrical quality. The place descriptions of Scotland and Spain bring the scenery to life. References to the music and cultural events of 1976 give the story a nostalgic feel.

I received a free copy of this book and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Jane litherland · Rating 5 out of 5]

Harmony McVeigh a shy teenager with a lot of talent , never thought in her wildest dreams she’d be in a semi final spot on Young Faces. But here she is living the dream… A wee Scottish Island . A Big Talent Show all with the backdrop of the summer of ‘76 a great British heatwave that was! With the grand final a week away Harmony has escaped on a school trip to Majorca. Here she stumbles upon a magical gift she was unaware she had and finds herself competing against the rebellious proto punk Annie London. In this instalment there’s intrigue , mystery and self finding as well as a little romance. Very well written with a musical voice and an ear for mystery. Well written with good characters and descriptions. Leaving my review voluntarily in my own words.

[Kendall · Rating 4 out of 5]

How can you not like a story that has a dog named Elvis? And mentions Barry Manilow! Two of my favorites. I also learned two new words: Curlew and cormorant, both are birds that I never heard of before.

The story itself was okay. A little slow moving and predictable for me. I think tweens and teens will be able to relate to Harmony better than I was able to. I enjoyed taking a little trip to Scotland in reading this book. If you want a nice beach read give it a try.

I received a complementary copy from the author via Hidden Gems Books for a voluntary review.

[Valerie Contreras · Rating 1 out of 5]

Sadly, I wasn’t much of a fan of this book. It was a little too slow for me which made most of it boring. I came close to DNF but I decided to push through in hopes it would get better. I didn’t really get a sense of mystery or romance like it was promised.

I would still encourage others to try this book out and see if maybe they will like it especially people that are more musically inclined.

Thank you to the author, the publisher, and NetGalley for this e-ARC.

[Tanya · Rating 5 out of 5]

A shy young girl has reached the finals of a tv talent show and she is surprised she has got so far. It has been with the help of her music teacher but she is about to discover a new talent and a secret on the island. What is that talent? How will she get on? Can she win the contest? See how she gets on
I received an advance copy from hidden gems and I want to review

[Jan · Rating 3 out of 5]

Shy teenager Harmony McVeigh lives on the Scottish Isle of Cumbrae and is somewhat overwhelmed at placing in the semi-final of the national TV talent show in 1976. She skips away to Mallorca with friends and finds that she has more talent than she believed. Good characters.
I requested and received a free temporary EARC from BooksGoSocial via NetGalley. Thanks.
#PerfectHarmony #NetGalley

[Cherie Melbourne · Rating 4 out of 5]

A new author to me and while I liked the writing style, I found the story a little slow. I liked the era, the music, the Scottish island and the characters.
An enjoyable read.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this honest review voluntarily.

[Riley Rae · Rating 4 out of 5]

I liked it a lot, it was sort of a 1970s version of High School Musical.
It also made summer feel more like summer.
I liked the plot, and the characters. It was a really good story.
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