Maggie Dale lives a secret life in her small Idaho town. On the outside, she’s shy and reserved, hiding behind the walls of her dead-end office cubicle, stuck with how to talk to anyone. On the inside, she’s full of wild dreams, and her favorite singer, Savannah Grace, embodies all of them.
When Maggie gets two chance-of-a-lifetime tickets to Savannah’s stadium show, it turns quickly into a crisis. Making it to the show means an eleven hour drive through the desert, to the most stressful city on earth: Las Vegas. Even worse, fate sends her a terrifying ultimatum: ask August - her epically unrequited office crush - on a weekend road-trip to Vegas with her or miss the show altogether.
What would you do, if you had two tickets?
A standalone, sapphic romance, prequel novella to Falls From Grace.
The Grace Notes trilogy features interconnected sapphic romance stories in the orbit of country music star, Savannah Grace.
Ruby Landers is an independent author of sapphic contemporary romance. She lives in Meanjin (Brisbane) Australia. As you’re reading this, she is either typing a million daydreamy words a minute, giving someone a thousand-yard stare while secretly working out a plot twist, having a deep conversation with anyone four-legged, bargaining with an expert kindergartner negotiator, or feeling wildly grateful she got to quit her day job. Either way, there’ll be coffee. You can follow her at
**'Stories are often times journeys throughout an author's life. They are even looked upon as ideas also. So in the end, readers should think of them as fictions/imaginations..'
Okay read! An average start to the 'Grace Notes' series --- and i'm still trying to decipher the chemistry between the two leads (Maggie & August)...
Maggie is a big Twice Struck fan. I understand her passion because once upon a time, I would camp out all night on cold sidewalks to be first in line to buy tickets for my favorite bands. No need now, Maggie is fast enough on her employer’s computer to score Las Vegas seats. She and the hot photographer, August, take a road trip and discover some truths along the way to see country sweetheart, Savannah Grace. Excellent novella and prequel to the series.
I was so happy to get more from Ruby Landers in the Grace Notes series! Maggie and August as so freaking cute. I loved this novella and if you’re also a fan of the Grace Notes series, then I highly recommend this!
Written in third person with single POV. The audio for this is included at the end of Saving Graces. Narrated by Quinn Riley. Mental health rep, Bi FMC, Road Trip, One Bed, Femme/Femme. 1x Spicy Scene.
Sigh. I could stay in this universe for a long time. Ruby Landers has truly accomplished something special in this series. Two Tickets, while firmly a part of the Grace Notes world, however, feels like a standalone. And while it’s technically a prequel, I think it should be read after the trilogy. It will have greater impact that way.
I’ve spent the last several years chasing experiences over things. It’s the lesson death teaches you: we can’t take things with us and we’ll always regret what we didn’t do. Two Tickets captures why *being there* matters. Maggie and August and Savannah f*cking Grace are forever changed by this moment they shared. And it’s better than anything Maggie could have imagined for herself.
A note for Ruby Landers: I really won’t be mad to read more about any of the Grace Notes characters should the inspiration strike. Just sayin’.
This is supposed to be a teaser for the book Falls from Grace. As teasers go, this was more than adequate, more than appropriate to tease a reader to get with the program. The standalone story of two super fans of a music legend band is probably something everyone can relate to. The promise this novella dangles in front for what’s to come is….. *chef’s kiss*
I didn't expect to be emotionally wrecked by a prequel novella in this way, but Ruby Landers is an artist and master of her craft so that's what I get!
This was such a stunning way to end the Grace Notes Trilogy, it can be read as a standalone and technically takes place before the events of the Grace Notes trilogy, but it fits so much better into the story and adds so much depth when you read it as the final book.
This was a romance about finding your spark with somebody and about falling in love for the very first time, and it was sooo lovely 💕
Following Maggie and August on a road trip to see Twice Struck ( but let's be real it's really for Savannah Grace), we get to see them slowly open up to each other about deep and dark truths and see their chemistry ignite as they bond over their passion for music.
This was such a sweet and endearing romance. With so many cute little moments of tenderness and honesty between our two leads that when they finally kissed I could physically feel the burn of want and desire.
And then there was the moment with Savannah Grace that struck me right in the heart and I just knew that I was going to love this.
Overall 4.5 stars 🌟 🌟🌟🌟 ✨️
Wonderful pacing, really well done dialogue, and another great story.
There is a novella like Two Tickets that makes me emotionally invest in the two hours read and aching for more! I love the written style; the pacing is perfect, and the MCs are lovable. I love everything about this novella. I can’t wait to read Ruby Landers’s next release!
I really enjoyed this Novella. The story is really sweet with lovable MCs. This book is also a great teaser of what to come in "Falls From Grace" which I can't wait to read! Better go and pre-order the book now.
Maybe the first Novella I’ve ever loved, really sweet, authentic and wholesome— an enjoyable and unique way to introduce the characters coming up. I usually avoid Novellas like the plague but this was ADORABLE and didn’t feel pointless or cut short like how novellas usually do to me. Which is seriously high praise coming from me. The girls are loveable and funny, ‘She took up all the real estate in maggies brain’😂😂 The discussion on mental health and medication was spot on, and this was a wholly well written, wonderful read. I highly recommend it!
“Between art and artifice. Between truth and entertainment. Between love and… what we wish love was.”
‘Everything that lay dormant inside her sparked to life in those songs. Because of Twice Struck, Maggie knew heartbreak; she knew love and longing; she knew lust. She learned how to feel it all, deep in her bones, through her headphones as she walked the cookie-cutter streets of her hometown; pressing play on the videos over and over again in the silence of her small suburban bedroom; blasting through her car speakers in the parking lot as she steeled herself for the day ahead. Twice Struck was the real Maggie Dale, the one she was on the inside, the one that no one ever saw.’
I am absolutely obsessed with this and there’s no way I can be chill about it. You all need to read this. And guess what - you can find a free download link on the authors instagram!
Maggie was honestly SUCH a relatable character. Her anxiety felt so raw and real and honestly just her whole attitude towards life, herself, her favourite band, all felt so relatable it hurt a little, but in the best way possible.
And this romance. Hooboy. August is such a gorgeous love interest. The way she pries Maggie out of her shell, pushes her just a little yet sets her at ease in the same breath? Their chemistry is absolutely undeniable right from the first moment they’re on page together.
The whole road trip is just utter perfection and their moment at the concert made me genuinely tear up? Because??? It was just the most perfectly romantic fangirl moment ever????
I’m having many emotions about this story and I can’t wait to read Falls From Grace soon!
maggie and august so fucking nerdy and cute over savannah grace (i get it). and gasp there’s only one bed! this was honestly a perfect introduction to savannah grace and the grace notes world
i seriously need all the grace notes books NOW (ruby landers ily).
if yall see me rereading falls from grace, mind your business im too deep into this world
I probably wrote too much in the title but these characters remind me of me and that dreamy creature i found in my epic search for the perfect barista. On one hand i see Maggie as most introverts and on the other August is charming and willing to keep moving toward her goal, no matter the obstacles. Its an ancient love story with the right hearts beating together and then here comes Savanna f n Grace. Who would believe it? The picture was an awesome touch. I think Open Window called to Rubys love of Melissa E? But regardless I can see a blond country star gracing us with that little gem(see what i did there). This was a great romance novella-ish fast read with Ruby once again giving a precious gift of dipping us into the river of love and all its currents. Thanks Ruby.
This one definitely doesn't hit the same as Falls From Grace, and that's okay! This is a shorter read, coming in at 69 (hehe) pages on my Kindle, so I definitely wasn't expecting it to feel anything like the long warm, inviting, and slow burn of Falls From Grace. This is still a bit of a "slow" burn of a romance, but it felt entirely too rushed near the end. I also don't find the characters all that compelling or interesting or even dynamic. They feel a little more flat and formulaic than our two female MCs from Falls From Grace. And if I'm being totally honest, I found Maggie's initial consistent self-deprication slightly insufferable.
I still feel this deserves four stars though, as I did enjoy seeing this little romance blossom, and Ruby Landers SURE knows how to write a spicy scene.
I just think her full length novels are better, because I need more of her writing style 😭😭😭
This was a surprisingly deep (and lengthy) bonus novella, which I listened to as a bonus add-on to the third book in the Grace Notes series.
The novella is told in delightfully clever fashion from the perspective of a devoted yet shy fan of Savannah Grace. Maggie, whom we meet at the beginning of the novella, harnesses her connection with Savannah Grace’s music to give her the courage to reach way outside her anxiety-filled bubble to connect with a coworker she’d had a major crush on.
I found Maggie to be so relatable, and I completely understand the power of mutual interests to forge deep bonds (and chemistry!). Quinn Riley’s narration made Maggie’s anxiety and uncertainty palpable, and the development of the relationship so very satisfying. I would love to see more of Maggie and August in future books.
After reading the Grace Notes trilogy it was lovely to get a glimpse of the bands past with twice struck.
Maggie is a super fan, feels like she is missing a beat on life but gets tickets to see her favourite crush Savanna Grace live in Vagus, her buddy Jack breaks his leg so who better to invite than her office crush August.
They take a road trip that not only gets them closer to Maggie not being a desperate lonely lesbian but also a surprise stop for fuel and a concert with a name drop to her favourite song. Full blown making out sessions soon start with a journey to their HEA, and a great lead to the first novel in the trilogy.
Quick novella with a likeable standalone character, another enjoyable link into a favourite of the Grace notes series!
Rarely does a novella hit *all* the right notes -- it takes skill to mix all the ingredients for a good story into such a short word count -- but author Ruby Landers not only has two tickets to the best concert of the year, she's also singing, note perfect, from the stage. Everything about this story is spot on -- it's sweet, cute and adorable, but it also touches on big issues with grace and respect. It's funny and lighthearted, but will move you too. Most importantly, it's a skilled and thoroughly enjoyable opening number to what is certain to be a hit series from a very talented artist. I can't wait to read the rest of Ruby Landers' books!
Such a cute little addition to this series. The crossover is minimal but emotional and yet again I was fully invested in the characters even in such a brief time. The crossover we get is fucking beautiful, too. Very much recommended reading AFTER the series and not before. I think it makes it richer with that other context.
Plus, the dashes of nostalgia were a nice touch and these two were just so dang cute and nervous with each other. I just felt like I was squealing for them the whole time which also rolling my eyes in an affectionate way.