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Crescendo
A piano virtuoso and his twin sister become rivals for a new spotlight—the adoration of a mysterious French patron—during the hot Parisian summer of 1957.
“An enthralling literary symphony of ambition, desire, and obsession.” —Layne Fargo, bestselling author of The Favorites and They Never Learn
Twins Natasha and Max Kitson have lived their lives on the road, together building Max's career as a world-renowned pianist, famous for bringing even the most stalwart audience members to tears. But when, at age 20, the former prodigy begins making uncharacteristic mistakes, he abruptly cancels his remaining concerts and moves himself and his sister into the home of an enigmatic French patron, never realizing that Henri has been his sister's lover.
In Paris, over the course of one summer, Natasha's long-simmering resentments and Max's deep insecurities drive the siblings apart as each vie for Henri's attentions. But neither twin can have their host entirely to themselves, because while, during the day, Henri woos Natasha with lavish gifts and trips to the ballet, it's Max's music that draws Henri from bed each night.
One part delicious family drama, and one part twisted love triangle, Crescendo is an altogether un-put-downable escape to the concert halls, ballet theaters, and bedrooms of 1950s France.
“An enthralling literary symphony of ambition, desire, and obsession.” —Layne Fargo, bestselling author of The Favorites and They Never Learn
Twins Natasha and Max Kitson have lived their lives on the road, together building Max's career as a world-renowned pianist, famous for bringing even the most stalwart audience members to tears. But when, at age 20, the former prodigy begins making uncharacteristic mistakes, he abruptly cancels his remaining concerts and moves himself and his sister into the home of an enigmatic French patron, never realizing that Henri has been his sister's lover.
In Paris, over the course of one summer, Natasha's long-simmering resentments and Max's deep insecurities drive the siblings apart as each vie for Henri's attentions. But neither twin can have their host entirely to themselves, because while, during the day, Henri woos Natasha with lavish gifts and trips to the ballet, it's Max's music that draws Henri from bed each night.
One part delicious family drama, and one part twisted love triangle, Crescendo is an altogether un-put-downable escape to the concert halls, ballet theaters, and bedrooms of 1950s France.
320 pages, Hardcover
First published June 2, 2026
About the author
Jane Healey
3 books292 followersJane Healey studied English Literature at Warwick University and writing in the MFA program at CUNY Brooklyn College. Her short fiction has been shortlisted for the Bristol Short Story Prize, the Costa Short Story Award and the Commonwealth Short Story Prize.
The Ophelia Girls is her second novel. Her first, The Animals at Lockwood Manor, was published in 2020 and won the HWA Debut Crown Award.
She lives in Edinburgh.
The Ophelia Girls is her second novel. Her first, The Animals at Lockwood Manor, was published in 2020 and won the HWA Debut Crown Award.
She lives in Edinburgh.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 52 reviews
June 22, 2026
2.5
While I LOVED the atmosphere of this book, and how Jane Healey set the scene - I unfortunately continued to lose steam as the book went on.
Set in 1950s France, amidst opera houses, concerts & ballet - I was so excited to dive in because it felt like this book was a PERFECT fit for me. We follow a pair of twins as they navigate through the scene of music & performing arts in this time and fight against personal feelings of obsession, jealously, and temptation. Sounds perfect - right? I was expecting something like a combination of Black Swan x Whiplash.
However, as we went on through the story, we didn't seem to dive deeper into that obsession & jealousy that our characters were feeling. We just continued to see them act on their toxic temptations and we saw their downward spiral, but I just couldn't see the deeper layers of what was happening. With stories like this, I feel like the pacing either needs to be super tight, OR we need to develop complex characters, OR we need some amount of social commentary. And I just don't think we got any of these.
The writing was luscious, and again I feel like set the vibe very well. I just wanted to GO somewhere. In the end it unfortunately felt a bit monotone, with just the same obsession theme running throughout.
While I LOVED the atmosphere of this book, and how Jane Healey set the scene - I unfortunately continued to lose steam as the book went on.
Set in 1950s France, amidst opera houses, concerts & ballet - I was so excited to dive in because it felt like this book was a PERFECT fit for me. We follow a pair of twins as they navigate through the scene of music & performing arts in this time and fight against personal feelings of obsession, jealously, and temptation. Sounds perfect - right? I was expecting something like a combination of Black Swan x Whiplash.
However, as we went on through the story, we didn't seem to dive deeper into that obsession & jealousy that our characters were feeling. We just continued to see them act on their toxic temptations and we saw their downward spiral, but I just couldn't see the deeper layers of what was happening. With stories like this, I feel like the pacing either needs to be super tight, OR we need to develop complex characters, OR we need some amount of social commentary. And I just don't think we got any of these.
The writing was luscious, and again I feel like set the vibe very well. I just wanted to GO somewhere. In the end it unfortunately felt a bit monotone, with just the same obsession theme running throughout.
June 5, 2026
Crescendo is a great book but it’s definitely for a certain kind of person. It’s historical fiction based in 1950s France and the characters are two siblings who both love and hate each other. It’s about love, hate, revenge, paranoia, rivalry, and MUSIC. As I write this, I am listening to Tchaikovsky’s Piano Concerto No.1 as inspiration and boy does it really reflect that story. If you haven’t heard it - you must go listen! Better yet, listen while you are reading this book. What a time to be alive.
June 4, 2026
Humans are messy.
July 3, 2026
I'll admit it took some time before I got into this book. The characters just weren't all that likeable. But, honestly, are rich, entitled people ever really likeable? No. Do they live interesting lives? Absolutely.
In the end, the life situation grabbed me before the characters eventually did. But when they did grab me, I was all in.
Having twins on the international classical music circuit also drew me in. Maxim, a piano prodigy, and his sister, Natasha, manager and wall flower, together worked the world scene. Still in their twenties in 1957, she booked the concert halls and hotels, and while he filled the seats; she looked after him while they both entertained different lovers in different ports. But when it came to Henri, the French count, they were both stopped in their "gala-vanting" tracks. He invited them both to his mansion in Paris for Maxim to regain his confidence and play packed concert halls again while Natasha realized she didn't have a life that didn't include supporting her brother's gift.
After one mistake at his last performance, Maxim wasn't sure how to handle life if his ability to enthrall audiences with his piano-playing genius didn't return.
It was the underlying reason why the twins were so broken that really captured the depth of the story. Henri's manipulating role in the siblings' relationship blew the doors off their unhealthy codependence.
While Maxim and Natasha are equally attracted to Henri, only Natasha wonders if he could love her long-term.
What also struck me about this story set in the 1950s was how seldom characters were interrupted. No cell phone rang. No social media post caused panic. News came a day late, if at all. People still miscommunicated, but they did it at a leisurely pace.
Lastly, if you've ever wanted to understand what drives a concert pianist, this book is for you.
In the end, the life situation grabbed me before the characters eventually did. But when they did grab me, I was all in.
Having twins on the international classical music circuit also drew me in. Maxim, a piano prodigy, and his sister, Natasha, manager and wall flower, together worked the world scene. Still in their twenties in 1957, she booked the concert halls and hotels, and while he filled the seats; she looked after him while they both entertained different lovers in different ports. But when it came to Henri, the French count, they were both stopped in their "gala-vanting" tracks. He invited them both to his mansion in Paris for Maxim to regain his confidence and play packed concert halls again while Natasha realized she didn't have a life that didn't include supporting her brother's gift.
After one mistake at his last performance, Maxim wasn't sure how to handle life if his ability to enthrall audiences with his piano-playing genius didn't return.
"I don't believe in God. I admit I have prayed to him once or twice—what person hasn't on the darkest of days, in a moment of crisis when everything you knew or wanted or had was gone from you, when you were truly alone—but I wasn't alone then in 1957, and I hadn't reached a moment of crisis, I had simply fumbled a single performance."
It was the underlying reason why the twins were so broken that really captured the depth of the story. Henri's manipulating role in the siblings' relationship blew the doors off their unhealthy codependence.
"That's love for you, it makes all of us into madmen," Henri muses.
While Maxim and Natasha are equally attracted to Henri, only Natasha wonders if he could love her long-term.
"She thinks of telling him [Henri] that although they [Natasha & Maxim] never fought, a few times when she was young and very unhappy, she had the notion of slamming his hands in a hotel-room door, of breaking his fingers so he could never play again.But he'd never understand a dark thought like that, even though it was just a thought.
She wants Henri to know her completely, all the darkness, the pettiness, the wretchedness. To know her and love her still. But that's impossible, isn't it? she thinks. If we really knew each other that well, we could never love someone."
What also struck me about this story set in the 1950s was how seldom characters were interrupted. No cell phone rang. No social media post caused panic. News came a day late, if at all. People still miscommunicated, but they did it at a leisurely pace.
Lastly, if you've ever wanted to understand what drives a concert pianist, this book is for you.
June 24, 2026
Maxim and Natasha Kitson are twins. He is a brilliant concert pianist with an international reputation. She is his manager and caretaker, traveling everywhere with him. Their relationship is a close one, but there are undercurrents of resentment, especially on Natasha’s part. She sometimes feels taken for granted by Max, unappreciated, her individuality stifled and stunted. When the attractive and fabulously wealthy Henri, Comte de Montaigu, an ardent music lover, appears at one of Max’s concerts in Sao Paolo while on business, he shows interest in both twins. He offers his palatial mansion in Paris as a refuge for the two of them, while Max takes a break from his concertizing and studies with a renowned piano teacher. The old saying ‘Two’s company, three’s a crowd’ takes on fraught meaning as Henri’s presence radically changes the dynamics of the twins’ relationship, exposing fissures long hidden and ignored. – The author has done a fine job in depicting the nuances of interpersonal interactions. This is a compelling novel. Recommended, especially for lovers of classical music.
June 6, 2026
I'm always drawn to historical fiction, and the premise of this book was unique and compelling. The musical setting, and the main characters being siblings, and twins, added another level of intrigue for me.
I enjoyed the author's writing style and thought it fit the story perfectly. The dialogue reminded me of an old Hollywood movie, which I loved! I also enjoyed the history and musical details in the book. I thought the different POVs were very effective, although I was confused at times about who was narrating. Max and Natasha were definitely not likeable, but that is part of what made the story compelling. However, their relationship was too toxic for my liking, and I think something more creative than a love triangle actually would have made the drama between them more interesting.
I would recommend this to fans of family drama and even suspense/thriller readers. If you loved The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo, I think you'll love Crescendo.
Thank you Bloomsbury Publishing and NetGalley for the gifted copy of this book. All opinions are my own.
I enjoyed the author's writing style and thought it fit the story perfectly. The dialogue reminded me of an old Hollywood movie, which I loved! I also enjoyed the history and musical details in the book. I thought the different POVs were very effective, although I was confused at times about who was narrating. Max and Natasha were definitely not likeable, but that is part of what made the story compelling. However, their relationship was too toxic for my liking, and I think something more creative than a love triangle actually would have made the drama between them more interesting.
I would recommend this to fans of family drama and even suspense/thriller readers. If you loved The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo, I think you'll love Crescendo.
Thank you Bloomsbury Publishing and NetGalley for the gifted copy of this book. All opinions are my own.
June 20, 2026
3 stars~
kinda disappointed I expected more. The story itself was good, the writing just was not really compelling to me. It was not really captivatingly written... and there was not really a big OMG moment for me
kinda disappointed I expected more. The story itself was good, the writing just was not really compelling to me. It was not really captivatingly written... and there was not really a big OMG moment for me
July 6, 2026
this book had a lot of potential - 1950s paris, sibling rivalry, compared to taylor jenkins reid - but unfortunately i felt like it was just too slow-paced and the plot wasn’t engaging enough to ever fully immerse me in the story
Review of advance copy received from Publisher
It is 1957. Max is a piano virtuoso, a consummate performer in constant demand, but he has his insecurities. Natasha is his twin sister, less musically talented but a ruthlessly efficient manager and no-one knows Max better. In return for Natasha being there for him, every day, every concert, Max has pledged to give his twin half of all his earnings. Their bond, forged in the womb, trumps all other relationships. But Natasha is forever the unnoticed one in the long shadow cast by her brilliant brother.
Henri, Comte de Montaigu, has wealth, privilege and the resources to seemingly make anything happen that he chooses. So when Max makes some inexplicable if minor errors mid-performance, it is Henri who is on hand to offer to host the twins in his Paris mansion while Max takes time away from touring to reset. Henri has designs on each of them. As Max’s patron and as Natasha’s lover.
No-one has come between the siblings before quite like this. And it’s an interposition that will have profound and far-reaching consequences all the way to the final chapter, which I thought was an artful conclusion.
Crescendo is a tale of wants, needs and desires, what makes and breaks relationships and how jealousy, resentment, the fear of losing what you have and never gaining what you want, clouds judgement and causes insidious fractures in the strongest of foundations. It engagingly explores themes of identity, exclusivity, ambition and obsession.
The propulsive writing creates absorbing storytelling embodying the ebb and flow of emotions, the tautening and slackening of tensions. There are passages of soaring intensity and breathlessness, others of quiet reflection and introspection plagued by a sense of impermanence and fragility.
I think this page-turner of a read will make quite a noise when it is published in the UK on 4th June. Bravo Jane Healey.
Thank you so much to Vintage Books and Jane Healey for the opportunity to read an early copy of Crescendo.
Henri, Comte de Montaigu, has wealth, privilege and the resources to seemingly make anything happen that he chooses. So when Max makes some inexplicable if minor errors mid-performance, it is Henri who is on hand to offer to host the twins in his Paris mansion while Max takes time away from touring to reset. Henri has designs on each of them. As Max’s patron and as Natasha’s lover.
No-one has come between the siblings before quite like this. And it’s an interposition that will have profound and far-reaching consequences all the way to the final chapter, which I thought was an artful conclusion.
Crescendo is a tale of wants, needs and desires, what makes and breaks relationships and how jealousy, resentment, the fear of losing what you have and never gaining what you want, clouds judgement and causes insidious fractures in the strongest of foundations. It engagingly explores themes of identity, exclusivity, ambition and obsession.
The propulsive writing creates absorbing storytelling embodying the ebb and flow of emotions, the tautening and slackening of tensions. There are passages of soaring intensity and breathlessness, others of quiet reflection and introspection plagued by a sense of impermanence and fragility.
I think this page-turner of a read will make quite a noise when it is published in the UK on 4th June. Bravo Jane Healey.
Thank you so much to Vintage Books and Jane Healey for the opportunity to read an early copy of Crescendo.
June 30, 2026
4.75 Behind every great man there's a great woman.
This is not an easy one to review. It has many layers, and those who have gone through some of the obsessions (even if not the same) will relate to and understand this book best.
It left me very sad and melancholy. A kind of sadness when one looks back at years passed and sees what has been lost, what has been given away, wasted, and scorned.
It is an historical fiction, so the expectations from males and females are well portrayed.
Dedication of a lifetime to the wrong priorities for the sake of others.
They are twins who feel like a single entity divided. One took the talent, the male presence, the success, while the other was forced into a life in the shadow as a secretary, sister, wife, mother.
At that time, marriage was a security for women. We could say her choices were false. She still plays the part of a mother/wife, but at least she chose to whom. Because this is from the perspective of musicians and creatives I took it quite to the heart and the most powerful thing to me in the book is when the character says that music or an artwork without the one it's for is just that, an empty tool, the fulfillment is in the listener's or readers reaction, adoration or rapture (an emotion that can't be faked, acted). Many times I tried to explain this to people, but those who are more pragmatic and less creative confuse it with wanting fame and attention. It has nothing to do with that. It may look like it, but it's more. From a well-executed recipe, to a nocturne or even a novel... the author captures the emptiness of the artists who have reached a point that is so hard to surpass. The author made me feel sad for the life the main character could have had if someone had given her a chance, and what her twin brother conquered and lost, leaving a life of emptiness and loneliness.
The novel drags a bit in the middle, but something perhaps we don't notice in the audiobook version.
This is not an easy one to review. It has many layers, and those who have gone through some of the obsessions (even if not the same) will relate to and understand this book best.
It left me very sad and melancholy. A kind of sadness when one looks back at years passed and sees what has been lost, what has been given away, wasted, and scorned.
It is an historical fiction, so the expectations from males and females are well portrayed.
Dedication of a lifetime to the wrong priorities for the sake of others.
They are twins who feel like a single entity divided. One took the talent, the male presence, the success, while the other was forced into a life in the shadow as a secretary, sister, wife, mother.
At that time, marriage was a security for women. We could say her choices were false. She still plays the part of a mother/wife, but at least she chose to whom. Because this is from the perspective of musicians and creatives I took it quite to the heart and the most powerful thing to me in the book is when the character says that music or an artwork without the one it's for is just that, an empty tool, the fulfillment is in the listener's or readers reaction, adoration or rapture (an emotion that can't be faked, acted). Many times I tried to explain this to people, but those who are more pragmatic and less creative confuse it with wanting fame and attention. It has nothing to do with that. It may look like it, but it's more. From a well-executed recipe, to a nocturne or even a novel... the author captures the emptiness of the artists who have reached a point that is so hard to surpass. The author made me feel sad for the life the main character could have had if someone had given her a chance, and what her twin brother conquered and lost, leaving a life of emptiness and loneliness.
The novel drags a bit in the middle, but something perhaps we don't notice in the audiobook version.
June 15, 2026
Reading this novel was an intense, claustrophobic experience. The simmering resentments, the jealousy, the barely repressed desire all create a maelstrom of feeling which you sense from the outset will eventually erupt.
Maxim is a prodigious concert pianist and a tortured soul, touring concert halls and lavish hotels across the Western world with twin sister Natasha at his side as his tour manager. There’s fifties glamour and decadence in the settings and much attention to the detail of costume in this novel that gives a real old Hollywood cinematic feel. The claustrophobia comes from the fact the main players are largely confined to concert halls, limousines, hotel suites and fine dining rooms with lots of close dialogue, glimpses through doorways or listening in darkness.
Whilst on tour performing in São Paulo, the siblings first meet the ‘Comte’. He is charming, rich and clearly fascinated by Max and attracted to his twin. During that night’s performance, Max falters and Natasha grows more unnerved by his fragility. The Comte invites them to stay with him in Paris and offers to act as Maxim’s patron which he decides to accept without first consulting his sister.
The Count Henri’s mansion house in Paris becomes a gilded cage of sorts and sees the twins’ rivalry, grudges and jealousies amplify. Henri is drawn to and collects artistic tortured souls in the same way he collects beautiful furniture and works of art. He seems to feed off Maxim’s passion and pain like a parasitic patrician. Yet in return, he gives the twins all they desire. He showers Natasha with gifts and allows Max to use his first-class pianos to practise at all hours of the day and night.
No-one is especially likeable in this story but it does play out like a morality tale and I did find myself feeling some sympathy for the main players by the final curtain. An impressive novel for those who like stories that sizzle with intensity and passion infused with black and white fifties glamour. It held me enthralled.
Huge thanks to @vintagebooks for the proof copy in exchange for my honest review.
Maxim is a prodigious concert pianist and a tortured soul, touring concert halls and lavish hotels across the Western world with twin sister Natasha at his side as his tour manager. There’s fifties glamour and decadence in the settings and much attention to the detail of costume in this novel that gives a real old Hollywood cinematic feel. The claustrophobia comes from the fact the main players are largely confined to concert halls, limousines, hotel suites and fine dining rooms with lots of close dialogue, glimpses through doorways or listening in darkness.
Whilst on tour performing in São Paulo, the siblings first meet the ‘Comte’. He is charming, rich and clearly fascinated by Max and attracted to his twin. During that night’s performance, Max falters and Natasha grows more unnerved by his fragility. The Comte invites them to stay with him in Paris and offers to act as Maxim’s patron which he decides to accept without first consulting his sister.
The Count Henri’s mansion house in Paris becomes a gilded cage of sorts and sees the twins’ rivalry, grudges and jealousies amplify. Henri is drawn to and collects artistic tortured souls in the same way he collects beautiful furniture and works of art. He seems to feed off Maxim’s passion and pain like a parasitic patrician. Yet in return, he gives the twins all they desire. He showers Natasha with gifts and allows Max to use his first-class pianos to practise at all hours of the day and night.
No-one is especially likeable in this story but it does play out like a morality tale and I did find myself feeling some sympathy for the main players by the final curtain. An impressive novel for those who like stories that sizzle with intensity and passion infused with black and white fifties glamour. It held me enthralled.
Huge thanks to @vintagebooks for the proof copy in exchange for my honest review.
June 3, 2026
Historical fiction usually never fails me, but I struggled with this one. It’s hard to connect with a story when you intensely dislike all the characters—even the minor ones. That said, Healey does an outstanding job bringing the setting to life. I felt as though I were right there in the Paris Opera listening to gifted musicians.
Natasha and Max are twins who, as cliché as it sounds, have always been there for each other. However, it’s clear that no boundaries were ever established to help them develop as individuals rather than as a unit. Their codependency is extreme, especially considering they continue to spend most of their time together as adults. Max is a musical prodigy performing around the world, while Natasha serves as his manager, but their unbalanced relationship breeds insecurity and resentment. When they meet Henri, Comte de Montaigu, during a tour and he offers to become Max’s patron, their carefully constructed world begins to unravel.
Set against a backdrop of wealth and privilege in Paris, the novel explores the deep-rooted rivalry between the siblings, a conflict Henri seems all too happy to encourage. Filled with family drama, simmering resentment, questionable morals, and a twisted love triangle destined for disaster, this is a dark story of obsession, jealousy, and destructive relationships.
Thank you to NetGalley, Bloomsbury Publishing, and author Jane Healey for the advanced copy of the book. Crescendo is out now. All opinions are my own.
http://www.instagram.com/passionforprose
Natasha and Max are twins who, as cliché as it sounds, have always been there for each other. However, it’s clear that no boundaries were ever established to help them develop as individuals rather than as a unit. Their codependency is extreme, especially considering they continue to spend most of their time together as adults. Max is a musical prodigy performing around the world, while Natasha serves as his manager, but their unbalanced relationship breeds insecurity and resentment. When they meet Henri, Comte de Montaigu, during a tour and he offers to become Max’s patron, their carefully constructed world begins to unravel.
Set against a backdrop of wealth and privilege in Paris, the novel explores the deep-rooted rivalry between the siblings, a conflict Henri seems all too happy to encourage. Filled with family drama, simmering resentment, questionable morals, and a twisted love triangle destined for disaster, this is a dark story of obsession, jealousy, and destructive relationships.
Thank you to NetGalley, Bloomsbury Publishing, and author Jane Healey for the advanced copy of the book. Crescendo is out now. All opinions are my own.
http://www.instagram.com/passionforprose
June 4, 2026
Crescendo is a powderkeg of emotions. I don't smoke, but boy did the drama in this one make me want a cigarette. Right away, you know it's going to get messy between the three main characters.
Max is a piano prodigy and Natasha, his twin sister, travels with him as his manager and emotional support person. Their family dynamics are complicated from the very beginning with lots of blurred lines throughout the book. They are on tour in South America when they meet Henri, a French count and patron of the arts. From that point on, Crescendo is a death spiral of selfishness and jealousy. While I did not find any one particular main character particularly likeable, I was captivated by their story.
I enjoyed the unique writing style and found myself drawn in by the mixed POVs. The reader is given a front row seat to the inner workings of a child prodigy's mind though Max's first person, often epistolary chapters, whereas Natasha's POV is told from the third person. The characters are, at face value, incredibly selfish, but when you consider the backstory of each, you see that most are simply longing to be loved in their own flawed way.
Loved the drama of The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo but wished for a little more Saltburn/Wuthering Heights level obsession? Crescendo may be what you're looking for! I could absolutely see this book being adapted to screen by Emerald Fennell.
Save for your TBR if you love:
🇫🇷 1950's Paris glamour
🎭 Family drama
🎶 Child prodigy
🌹Twisted love triangle
Thank you to Bloomsbury for the #gifted PR box and finished copy! I am also grateful to Bloomsbury and NetGalley for the eARC. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
Max is a piano prodigy and Natasha, his twin sister, travels with him as his manager and emotional support person. Their family dynamics are complicated from the very beginning with lots of blurred lines throughout the book. They are on tour in South America when they meet Henri, a French count and patron of the arts. From that point on, Crescendo is a death spiral of selfishness and jealousy. While I did not find any one particular main character particularly likeable, I was captivated by their story.
I enjoyed the unique writing style and found myself drawn in by the mixed POVs. The reader is given a front row seat to the inner workings of a child prodigy's mind though Max's first person, often epistolary chapters, whereas Natasha's POV is told from the third person. The characters are, at face value, incredibly selfish, but when you consider the backstory of each, you see that most are simply longing to be loved in their own flawed way.
Loved the drama of The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo but wished for a little more Saltburn/Wuthering Heights level obsession? Crescendo may be what you're looking for! I could absolutely see this book being adapted to screen by Emerald Fennell.
Save for your TBR if you love:
🇫🇷 1950's Paris glamour
🎭 Family drama
🎶 Child prodigy
🌹Twisted love triangle
Thank you to Bloomsbury for the #gifted PR box and finished copy! I am also grateful to Bloomsbury and NetGalley for the eARC. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
June 6, 2026
lots of surface-level things for me to like about this one and infinitely more technical and practical components that just did not hit in the slightest. the dual POVs make sense, the switching between tense and all three person far less so. by the very nature of this choice, as well as the way the two romances here are structured, max becomes exceptionally more sympathetic and tragic to read about, whereas natasha just comes off a bit shallow and irritating. the sanctimonious fucking ending was frankly absurd. overall, just not that strong of a writing style and so many fumbled choices. does it make sense to say that victor hugo could've saved this? it needs a broader perspective, more engagement with the world/history around these three characters to properly illuminate their characteristics and decisions. literature of the intimate and personal like crescendo works best for me when it shows awareness of the grand-scheme meaninglessness of it all—makes it feel so much less narcissistic on the part of the writer, while painting a clear portrait of the self-interest of the characters themselves. should've been 600 pages and way more boring and written 200 years ago probably but that's just my opinion!
Review of advance copy received from Publisher
This book alternates between beautiful and deeply unsettling.
The Parisian setting was incredibly immersive, but it’s really the emotional tension that drove the plot. The story dug into the cost of genius—especially in the music world—and how success could quietly distort family relationships until love and obligation blur beyond recognition.
The twin dynamic was the heart of the novel. From the beginning Natasha and Max’s relationship was caught between love and hate: familial love tangled with dependence, resentment layered over loyalty, and identity so intertwined it was hard to separate where one ended and the other began.
And the arrival of Henri was the like a match to kindling. He exacerbated the tensions between the twins, almost playing them against each other as he sought to possess them both.
The atmosphere throughout the book was seductive, tense, and increasingly uneasy in a way that lingered even after the book was done.
If you enjoyed:
* The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo
* Daisy Jones & The Six
but wanted something dark, this is a good pick
The Parisian setting was incredibly immersive, but it’s really the emotional tension that drove the plot. The story dug into the cost of genius—especially in the music world—and how success could quietly distort family relationships until love and obligation blur beyond recognition.
The twin dynamic was the heart of the novel. From the beginning Natasha and Max’s relationship was caught between love and hate: familial love tangled with dependence, resentment layered over loyalty, and identity so intertwined it was hard to separate where one ended and the other began.
And the arrival of Henri was the like a match to kindling. He exacerbated the tensions between the twins, almost playing them against each other as he sought to possess them both.
The atmosphere throughout the book was seductive, tense, and increasingly uneasy in a way that lingered even after the book was done.
If you enjoyed:
* The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo
* Daisy Jones & The Six
but wanted something dark, this is a good pick
June 12, 2026
Crescendo pulled me in and did not let go. Set against the opulence of 1950s Paris, this is ultimately a story about two people who have been so fused together their entire lives that neither knows where one ends and the other begins.
Natasha and Max are twins defined entirely by their codependency. Max has built his entire identity around being the sun that Natasha orbits, and the moment that dynamic is threatened, he starts to unravel in ways that feel almost inevitable. Watching him inch toward self-destruction just to keep her attention was genuinely unsettling in the best way.
Henri entering the picture doesn’t just complicate things romantically, it cracks the whole foundation open. Both siblings want to break free. Both think Henri might be their way out. But the truth neither can fully face is that they’ll never really be free of each other, and deep down, part of them doesn’t want to be.
This is a dark, obsessive, morally messy read, and I loved every page of it. The atmosphere is lush and the tension barely lets up.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Celebrated pianist Maxim finds himself making unheard of errors during his latest tour. He flees to Paris to take time out for a teacher, and is reluctantly accompanied by his twin sister Natasha. For the last 10 years she has put her life on hold, acting as his manager and making sure he eats. Jealousy eats away at her. Max is feted by fans and admiring socialites wherever he goes. In Paris they stay at the luxurious home of patron Henri. Henri is fascinated by Max's talent and Natasha decides to make him hers. During the summer a cauldron of tension and emotions simmers and must eventually explode, with devastating results. Healey does a great job in prolonging the resentment and tension between the siblings, and Henri's role in it. I gained further enjoyment by accompanying my reading with some of the great piano concertos mentioned.
Thanks to NetGalley and the publishers for the advance digital copy.
Thanks to NetGalley and the publishers for the advance digital copy.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Historical Fiction-1950's Adult
Twins Max and Natasha have traveled most of their lives and are inseperable. Max is a famous pianist and Natasha is his manager. When Max uncharacteristically missing a few notes at a performance, he decides to take a break with some lessons in Paris. The twins are staying with Henri, who has generously offered his home to stay and pay for anything that they may need. Max begins to feel jealous when Henri spends more time woo-ing his sister instead of listening to him practice the piano. Is he more mad at the possibility of losing his sister or losing a love interest in Henri. It's a love triangle that can't possibly end well.
The anger and jealousy that is throughout this book between a brother and sister just wasn't enjoyable to read. In fact, I found none of the characters very well developed at all. The ending chapter was the only redeeming part of this book where I found a trace of love and forgiveness.
Twins Max and Natasha have traveled most of their lives and are inseperable. Max is a famous pianist and Natasha is his manager. When Max uncharacteristically missing a few notes at a performance, he decides to take a break with some lessons in Paris. The twins are staying with Henri, who has generously offered his home to stay and pay for anything that they may need. Max begins to feel jealous when Henri spends more time woo-ing his sister instead of listening to him practice the piano. Is he more mad at the possibility of losing his sister or losing a love interest in Henri. It's a love triangle that can't possibly end well.
The anger and jealousy that is throughout this book between a brother and sister just wasn't enjoyable to read. In fact, I found none of the characters very well developed at all. The ending chapter was the only redeeming part of this book where I found a trace of love and forgiveness.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
I wanted to like this book.
When I read the premise—I was intrigued! Paris in the 50s! A piano virtuoso!! A summer at a count’s chateau!!! A simmering thriller (which it’s not, by the way, there is nothing thrilling or tension-driven about the novel).
You never gain an ounce of empathy for Natasha or Max; both come off far too entitled. Real Housewives complaining about drama they created because they do not exist in the real world. The glitter and glamor fade under the self-involved immaturity of the twins who desperately need to grow up and face a dose of reality.
Overall, the characters are just icky to travel with and the drama limps along. What you think is going to be the tension is – and it comes off possessive, self-involved, and lacking umph. The only person I semi-felt anything for was the count. But overall, just leave them to their unhappy lives.
(Review of advance copy received via NetGalley)
When I read the premise—I was intrigued! Paris in the 50s! A piano virtuoso!! A summer at a count’s chateau!!! A simmering thriller (which it’s not, by the way, there is nothing thrilling or tension-driven about the novel).
You never gain an ounce of empathy for Natasha or Max; both come off far too entitled. Real Housewives complaining about drama they created because they do not exist in the real world. The glitter and glamor fade under the self-involved immaturity of the twins who desperately need to grow up and face a dose of reality.
Overall, the characters are just icky to travel with and the drama limps along. What you think is going to be the tension is – and it comes off possessive, self-involved, and lacking umph. The only person I semi-felt anything for was the count. But overall, just leave them to their unhappy lives.
(Review of advance copy received via NetGalley)
June 2, 2026
If twins truly feel the bond that both Nathsha and Max feel, I think I might just be very afraid for them. These two twins are just so unhealthily connected to each other. Fueled by love, envy, and on a certain level hatred. This is a toxic dynamic if ever there was one. Does it make for a fantastic story. Yes, it does. But if there is anyone out there who ever feels like these two people do, please look for help.
Toxic relationship aside I truly did enjoy this book. The story bouncing back and forth between each sibling telling the story was masterfully done and laid out in a way that the story flowed perfectly and nothing was left hanging. These twins are truly two sides to a coin and watching them fall apart was really enjoyable. I think that readers are just truly going to fall in love with this book.
Thank you so much to Bloomsbury USA and Netgalley for allowing me to read an advance copy of this title.
Toxic relationship aside I truly did enjoy this book. The story bouncing back and forth between each sibling telling the story was masterfully done and laid out in a way that the story flowed perfectly and nothing was left hanging. These twins are truly two sides to a coin and watching them fall apart was really enjoyable. I think that readers are just truly going to fall in love with this book.
Thank you so much to Bloomsbury USA and Netgalley for allowing me to read an advance copy of this title.
June 23, 2026
This book is aptly named as I could feel the characters and plot slowly but inevitably building to a crisis/turning point in their lives. Twins Natasha and Max are touring the world with Max's career as a piano virtuoso and his sister serving as his manager. Close doesn't even begin to describe their relationship, which extends to always sleeping in the same hotel room while on tour, although not the same bed. While in South America, Max realizes that his talent may be slipping and decides to take time off to study with a piano teacher in Paris. He doesn't run this by Natasha nor do either of them mention his slight mistakes in recent performances. Enter a kindly (?) benefactor in the person of Comte Henri, who becomes the center of a sibling rivalry that has been simmering for years. Ultimately, the love triangle erupts into unforgiveable actions that will divide the twins forever.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
This is an absolute page turner. Loved the setting and premise. A musical genius who needs to reinvent after an error. A strong sibling relationship with undecurrents of rivalry that keeps magnifying. The impact of a sibling living under the shadows while taking care of their sibling's every need. A complete recipe of for a pending disaster.
Loved how the narrative is created and the leads. The siblings competing for attention while for different reasons was absolutely gripping and interesting. I was quite hooked by how the locations were fleshed out. The locations with its richness and characters were well scripted. Especially the complexities. Loved the music angle and the underlying themes of passion, family, love and self. Absolutely recommend!
Thank you Random House UK, Vintage and NetGalley for this e-arc in exchange of my unbiased review.
Loved how the narrative is created and the leads. The siblings competing for attention while for different reasons was absolutely gripping and interesting. I was quite hooked by how the locations were fleshed out. The locations with its richness and characters were well scripted. Especially the complexities. Loved the music angle and the underlying themes of passion, family, love and self. Absolutely recommend!
Thank you Random House UK, Vintage and NetGalley for this e-arc in exchange of my unbiased review.
June 3, 2026
Crescendo follows siblings, Max and Natasha, as Max makes his way in the world as a pianist and Natasha as his manager.
The way Jane has written this books is beautiful.
It felt so realistic and whimsical at the same time and this amazing flow to the narrative.
I have never read a book that explores being siblings and the raw emotions and feelings that were expressed throughout brought so much depth to the story and made it that so much more heart breaking 💔
The addition of Henry really made the book and brought the drama and emotions of the story forward, it’s such a dramatic story line but the way it’s been told made me really feel connected to the characters and feel like I was right in the book with them.
Safe to say this book exceeded my expectations 🫶🏻
It was giving the favourite mixed with daisy jones and the six in the best possible way!
The way Jane has written this books is beautiful.
It felt so realistic and whimsical at the same time and this amazing flow to the narrative.
I have never read a book that explores being siblings and the raw emotions and feelings that were expressed throughout brought so much depth to the story and made it that so much more heart breaking 💔
The addition of Henry really made the book and brought the drama and emotions of the story forward, it’s such a dramatic story line but the way it’s been told made me really feel connected to the characters and feel like I was right in the book with them.
Safe to say this book exceeded my expectations 🫶🏻
It was giving the favourite mixed with daisy jones and the six in the best possible way!
Review of advance copy received from Publisher
Thank you to Bloomsbury for gifting me an advance copy of this book!
By the end of this book, I had such a lump in my throat, an uncomfortable tightness in my chest—because this is just utterly devastating. I was reminded of Lucy Gayheart by Willa Cather, the rise and fall of this musical prodigy, this damnation of giving so much of yourself to one person, only for that person to give only a fraction of themselves to you. The sick and perverse prison of that. It was a strangely intoxicating thing to read about that with this set of twins.
On a more informal note, I’ve seen some reviews saying how they didn’t enjoy reading about 2 siblings arguing and fighting the whole time….maybe don’t read a book centered around sibling rivalry then?
By the end of this book, I had such a lump in my throat, an uncomfortable tightness in my chest—because this is just utterly devastating. I was reminded of Lucy Gayheart by Willa Cather, the rise and fall of this musical prodigy, this damnation of giving so much of yourself to one person, only for that person to give only a fraction of themselves to you. The sick and perverse prison of that. It was a strangely intoxicating thing to read about that with this set of twins.
On a more informal note, I’ve seen some reviews saying how they didn’t enjoy reading about 2 siblings arguing and fighting the whole time….maybe don’t read a book centered around sibling rivalry then?
July 6, 2026
I found this difficult because the characters were just so unsympathetic. There was a real streak of selfish self interest in each of them, which was just so unattractive, despite the descriptions of physical beauty.
This is a book about being, supporting, and desiring power over, an artistic genius. It's also a book about the impact of sensuality and sexuality upon relationships, how jealousy and the need to control others can absolutely ruin relationships.
The story arc contains a shocking act of self destruction and an ending with a note of great optimism.
It's worth reading but it's a challenge, making the reader think again about the impact of true genius upon the individual as well as those around them.
This is a book about being, supporting, and desiring power over, an artistic genius. It's also a book about the impact of sensuality and sexuality upon relationships, how jealousy and the need to control others can absolutely ruin relationships.
The story arc contains a shocking act of self destruction and an ending with a note of great optimism.
It's worth reading but it's a challenge, making the reader think again about the impact of true genius upon the individual as well as those around them.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Thank you to Bloomsbury for the advance copy!
This novel was fantastic — between the romantic setting of 1950s Paris, the pressure of musical genius, and a love-hate (to put it mildly) relationship between siblings — it was nearly impossible to put down.
Each character was deeply complicated, and though none were wholly “likable,” it’s in the way that you want to keep reading to try and understand them. I also really enjoyed the difference in perspective between the Kitson twins — not only does it serve to further build their characters, but it adds an important layer of retrospection to the ‘tortured artist’ theme.
This novel was fantastic — between the romantic setting of 1950s Paris, the pressure of musical genius, and a love-hate (to put it mildly) relationship between siblings — it was nearly impossible to put down.
Each character was deeply complicated, and though none were wholly “likable,” it’s in the way that you want to keep reading to try and understand them. I also really enjoyed the difference in perspective between the Kitson twins — not only does it serve to further build their characters, but it adds an important layer of retrospection to the ‘tortured artist’ theme.
July 8, 2026
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I'm a commission-based comic and manga artist, and I can help with character designs, book covers, or even turn your story into a webtoon. Webtoons are growing fast these days, and many authors are finding great success through them.
Why not give it a try? I genuinely think you won't regret it. If you're interested, feel free to reach out to me at llunarlibrary@ gmail , and I'll share my portfolio with you there. or you can contact me via inst@gr@m : lunarlibrary23
June 10, 2026
4.25 ⭐️
If MESSY and BLURRED LINES had a book next to its definition, you’d have this one.
Max, a world famous gifted pianist, and his manager twin sister Natasha, both consumed in a mixture of jealousy, resentment, competition, and bitterness that all comes off as bit lusty. Throw in a Count who sexualizes both of them in different ways and feeds off their simmering feud? A MESS I couldn’t turn away from.
If MESSY and BLURRED LINES had a book next to its definition, you’d have this one.
Max, a world famous gifted pianist, and his manager twin sister Natasha, both consumed in a mixture of jealousy, resentment, competition, and bitterness that all comes off as bit lusty. Throw in a Count who sexualizes both of them in different ways and feeds off their simmering feud? A MESS I couldn’t turn away from.
Review of advance copy received from Publisher
I adored Crescendo. It saved me from a brutal reading slump.
It is a compulsive tale of sibling rivalry set un the world of classical music. The prose was at once a reminder of my favourite 20th century classics but with a modern edge. I read it a year ago and scenes come back to me often with such clarity. The ending was beautiful and had me almost crying.
It is a compulsive tale of sibling rivalry set un the world of classical music. The prose was at once a reminder of my favourite 20th century classics but with a modern edge. I read it a year ago and scenes come back to me often with such clarity. The ending was beautiful and had me almost crying.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
Unfortunately I was not able to connect with or even find any of the characters remotely likeable. I was hoping to see more inside an artists mind then just being egotistical and/or self-loathing. I did think the descriptions of places and architecture were beautiful and vivid. The ending raised a lot of concerns and I am still thinking about them.
Thank you Netgalley for the Arc opportunity.
Thank you Netgalley for the Arc opportunity.
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