Sinfonía inacabada de ti y de mí

by Lucy Robinson

Sally Howlett es una chica sencilla, alegre e insegura, pero con una pasión muy escondida: la ópera. Tiene una voz maravillosa que se niega a mostrar y solo canta dentro de los armarios. Jamás lo haría en público, ¡antes preferiría salir desnuda a la calle! Después de una gira de verano, con su prima Fiona, por Estados Unidos, algo cambia en ella. Sally vive experiencias cargadas de amor y de situaciones que le harán rencontrarse a sí misma, enfrentarse a sus miedos y dejar de esconderse entre sus sombras. De regreso a Londres, decidirá que ya es hora de dedicarse a lo que le gusta y de cumplir la promesa que se hizo a sí misma: no esconder su voz. Tras apuntarse a un máster de bel canto, increíblemente, aprueba los exámenes de acceso a la Royal Opera House e ingresa como cantante. Pero cuando parece que su vida empieza encauzarse, reaparece el hombre que una vez amó y que creyó olvidar. ¿Cómo la ha encontrado? ¿Qué hace él en Londres? ¿Le podrá explicar la verdad de lo sucedido en Nueva York? Y con él en escena, ¿tendrá el valor de estar bajo los focos?

Genres: Romance, Chick Lit, Contemporary, Fiction, Music, Romantic Comedy, Adult

448 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2014

About the author

The Day We Disappeared is Lucy Robinson's fourth novel, following hot on the heels of the widely-acclaimed The Unfinished Symphony of You and Me - a Book of 2014 for several online and print media publications.

Lucy worked in theatre and then television documentaries before starting a blog for Marie Claire about her laughably unsuccessful foray into the world of online dating. She did not meet a man during this time but she did become a novelist: every cloud has a silver lining. She now lives in Bristol with her partner, The Man, whom she met when she took off to Buenos Aires to become a bohemian writer in 2010. She still works in television when time permits and does a lot of walking and strange healthy cooking, which you can laugh at via her social media channels:

TWITTER: @lucy_robinson
FACEBOOK: www.facebook.com/lucyrobinsonwriter
INSTAGRAM: @robinsonwriter
WEBSITE: www.lucy-robinson.co.uk

Reviews

[Alaina · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Unfinished Symphony of You and Me was another freaking cute book. Sally kind of reminded me of Lizzie McGuire sometimes. Which is probably a weird thing to mention but I mean.. the girl loved to sing, and was good, but only when no one was around. Instead of going to Europe.. she's off to New York. Kind of the same thing, right?

Sally is extremely passionate about her love of music. Just like me, sort of, but with books and wine. So in a way we are basically twinning in life. Now I've never heard opera music in person or on the radio but I don't think I would mind it if I came across it, ya know? It's definitely different than what I'm used to but I'm open to try it.

I know that when my sister studied abroad she took an opera class. She learned about the history and actually got to go see operas too. It was pretty cool that she got the opportunity to do so and I was a bit jealous that I never did. That being said, this book let me dive into that world for a little bit and I'm okay with that (for now).

Back to the book, I loved Sally. She was just so damn lovable and relatable. Even though she is shy and hasn't been able to get over her fears, I loved her. At some point, I knew she was going to get over what happened when she was a kid. I mean, she was young and I feel like that sort of thing is pretty common. I also really liked how her cousin Fiona finally got her to get back on stage.

After that, we get to meet the oh so lovely Julian. Unfortunately, he is Sally's ex-boyfriend but ugh, he was just the best and I loved him so much. So I was all about him being her teacher at this new school because I secretly wanted them back together. Okay, so it wasn't really a secret.

Other than that, this book definitely had some secrets come out and it was filled with a bunch of humor. It was a really cute rom-com that I definitely needed in my life and now I don't know what to do with my life.

[Sol (unlibroparamii) · Rating 5 out of 5]

Me encanto! Me encanto! Me encanto este libro!
Me gusto todo, desde el título, la portada, hasta lo que cuenta y sus personajes, todo! Adore a Sally y Julian y a Fi (a pesar de todo), me hicieron sufrir y enamorarme con ellos.
Es un libro tierno, divertido, triste, con amor y tragedia, como la ópera, es mucho mas de lo que yo esperaba y esta está escrito de una forma que te engancha, te mete de una y fuerte en la historia para querer siempre leer un capítulo mas, me costó despegarme de sus páginas.
Yo esperaba un libro chick-lit simple y sencillito, pero no, es mucho mas que eso, y además me encantó la forma de escribir de la autora, ojala lleguen mas libros de ella en español.
Es bastante largo, y cómo que da muchas vueltas porque va y viene en el tiempo, pero a mi jamás se me hizo pesado o repetitivo, al contrario creo esta forma de contar la historia de Sally fue lo que mas me gustó.
O sea, creo quedo claro que el libro me encanto y mucho!!!

[Agi · Rating 5 out of 5]

Aargh!!! And so here I am, sitting and biting my nails, and thinking, how should I write a review on a book that I absolutely ADORED and could sum up in following words: drop everything you do and read this book. It has blown my socks off, period. I am devastated. Devastated that this book has ended. I feel like giving it 20 out of 5 stars.

It's not a secret that I love Lucy with all my heart and if I could have three wishes, one of them would be to be a heroine in Lucy's book. She is my favorite Lucy in the world and I could read her new books every month.

At first I have thought, opera, my, Lucy, what's up? I was really scared that I'm not going to like this book but I was wrong, oh my, how wrong I was! I am a total newbie to the opera world but our Sally felt such a passionate love to this kind of music, and Lucy has written about the music, the singers, the opera itself with such a big heart and engagement that you can now consider me well, if not a big fan, than a beginner fan for sure.

I am really sorry if you think my review is too long, but I just want to tell you how much I loved this book in as many words as possible, although I think any words can do this book a justice. Be warned. Lucy is fabulous.

The Unfinished Symphony of You and Me centers around Sally, who is the best main character ever. She's not perfect, she's not Skinny - Minnie, and you just can't help but love her from the very beginning. She has a very soft spot for all things opera but only few people know that Sally can beautifully sing opera. However, because of some drama in her childhood and some wet accident at the school performance, Sally can only sing in her wardrobe. Her fear of performing in front of an audience is just not your usual stage fright. But she considers herself very lucky: she works as a wardrobe mistress at the Royal Opera in London and she feels like all her dreams came true to her. During her trip to New York she promises her beloved cousin Fiona to "seize the day" and try in an audition for the Royal College of Music. Never in a million years did she think she would get in, but she does of course and so she starts her course. However, it seems that her stage fright isn't the biggest problem right now, when she sees who's going to teach her...
Meet Julian. My new best book boyfriend. I had some soft spots on male characters in the past but I'm in love with Julian, literally. Anytime Julian entered the scenes my knees went wobbly and I was drooling. Julian happens to be Sally's ex - boyfriend, they met in New York when Sally and her troupe were on tour. But Sally thinks that Julian has awfully betrayed her and she doesn't want anything to do with him. And now he should be her teacher at the college...

There is a whole eclectic cast of characters in this book. Meet Jan Borsos, Sally's fellow student from Hungary who walked barefoot across Europe only to start at the College. The sex scene between Sally and Jan must be one of the best sex scenes in the world, the most hilarious and unusual one. Then we have Helen, Helen with a sharp as a knife tongue, down - to - earth Helen. The other characters, like Sally's parents, brother, people at the Opera or fellow student at the College were characters larger than life, all of them with their own personalities, relatable, vivid and brilliantly written. We can't forget Fiona, Sally's cousin here, who played a big part in Sally's life and she may seem to be a bad person who misguided Sally but oh my god, with her past, with her problems I just felt for her and wanted to squeeze her, not too hard because wouldn't like to break all her bones. And never in a million years have I expected her plot to end this way.

Those were the most enjoyable characters in the book ever. You couldn't not like Sally, she was so different to our usual heroines, but so likeable in her imperfectness, so real with her fears, and it was delightful to see how she was blossoming through the pages. She has also delivered - together with Julian and Jan - the best lines EVER! She was like a breath of fresh air among the size 0, perfect heroines, with her tendency to accidents and saying the wrong things.
I have already told you that I am flipping in lurve with Julian and I would marry him asap. His down - to - earth attitude has won me over immediately and the banter between him and Lucy was perhaps one of the best thing in this book. He was described in such a vivid, detailed way that I could actually hear how he laughs and see the way he moves. Because
Lucy can really describe her characters in such a delightful, engaging way!

I think it is only Lucy who can handle so many plots in one story. We have love, betrayal, dysfunctional family, secrets, insecurity, eating disorders, drugs and many, many more, and all of this brilliantly, wonderfully go together, intertwine with each other, perfectly complement each other. The book is told in five acts and every act is built in scenes, and there is some jumping back and forth, but after the initial confusion I was quickly back in the saddle and enjoyed every word of this incredible, original, fresh and unusual love story.

As I have already mentioned, the story is told in five acts and each act consists of scenes. It is alternating between the past and present and I soon found myself enjoying this jumping between now and then, but it also means that till the end we really don't know how this book is going to end and Sally's secrets are actually revealed at the end. Which means that I wanted to finish this book asap, still not wanting to finish it. Hope you're still with me.

But. Don't be mistaken. This book is not your typical mindless rom - com, oh no. This book is also in some ways sad, although Lucy and her writing skills let us to forget about this sadness. The story deals with some important and serious issues that I have already mentioned above.

Lucy has a delightful way with words and only she can write a simple sentence in a way that have you in paroxysm of laughter. She describes the way Sally changes her life, her overcoming her fears with a great subtlety and a brilliant dose of dry humor.

This book has sucked me in, hooked me and I enjoyed every word of this story. It doesn't often happen that I forget about everything when reading a book, and this was the case. So if my husband is really going to divorce me because of my reading and whingeing about new bookshelf, than Lucy, I am really up for the garage. This is a beautiful love story, gut wrenching, sad and uplifting at the same time and I would really like to be able to read it again and again as if it were a first time. I actually can't do this book a justice with my review, it was a brilliant, funny, original, intelligent read with exceptional plot and lovable characters and those of you who hasn't read it yet, are for a real treat.

Copy received from publisher in exchange for a review.

[Karen · Rating 4 out of 5]

The story begins with an Overture and an introduction to Sally and her current life. Sally Howlett is in her wardrobe, terrified and about to start her post-graduate diploma in opera at the Royal College of Music. Apart from a disastrous experience on stage as a child, the only singing she had done was in her wardrobe, with her teddy bear Carrot. The wardrobe is her sanctuary, where she can sing and feel safe. She is just an ordinary girl from a council estate in the Midlands who has an extraordinary talent for singing opera – however she has no self-confidence and despite others telling her how good she is, she refuses to sing in public. Sally lives with her flatmate Barry, a fabulously camp ballet dancer from Barry Island. The Overture ends with a mysterious man from Sally’s past appearing at her door and having an M&S pork belly dinner slung at him. With an introduction like that how can you not be hooked!

I very much enjoyed Lucy Robinson’s latest story. Sally is a very likeable, quirky character with insecurities and vulnerabilities that are familiar to all of us. The story jumps back and forth in time, starting with the back story to Sally’s childhood and family, focusing in particular on her relationship with her troubled cousin Fiona. Sally starts her opera career as a dresser with the Royal Opera House and Fiona was a soloist with the Royal Ballet. When all three - Barry, Sally and Fiona, are included on a Royal Ballet tour to America the story of their time there gradually emerges and we learn why Sally’s life changed so drastically.

There are some wonderful characters here that come into Sally’s life, some I loved and others I wanted to slap. Besides Barry and Fiona, there is the wonderful Jan Borsos – a Hungarian who walks his way across Europe to get to his place at the RCM; the two faced, spiteful Violet and the lovely Helen who becomes a great friend to Sally. Finally, the mysterious Julian Jefferson – who is he really and how does he fit into Sally’s life?

Despite the jumping timescale, the story is not at all difficult to follow and is very well structured. Part way through the book there was an “oh” moment, when suddenly everything fell into place. This took me completely by surprise and was very cleverly written.

I don’t want to give away any of the story as its best discovered through reading. The cover on my proof copy said “prepare for public-transport belly laughs” – I didn’t find the book hilariously funny but I did have many snort and chuckle moments - the writing is witty and enjoyable with depth and substance to the story and so much more than ‘fluffy chick lit’.


My thanks to Real Readers and Penguin for the paperback copy to review.

[Olga · Rating 1 out of 5]

No me ha gustado nada este libro, es lento y aburrido... la protagonista esta tan llena de complejos que es imposible crearla... las situaciones son absurdas rozando lo irreal y la historia de amor es uffff no se puede considerar asi... Empece el libro pensando que me iba a sorprender por la tematica pero nada de nada

[Luise · Rating 5 out of 5]

(The review might contain some spoilers.)

The beginning was a bit confusing as it took quite long until you get to know anything about the great mystery of New York. It seemed to be a huge deal so i wanted to know more at that point!
Finally there was something revealed about the mysterious guy from NY, but right away there was this new big thing regarding Fiona. I really liked the outcome of the Fiona-part. Fiona was dead the whole time and Sally a slightly insane person that talks to an imaginary person. Very interesting turn!

I didn't like the clarifying talk between Sally and Julian. There is this totally reasonable explanation for what happened in NY with him and Fiona and everyone. I mean I expected that there was just some sort of "huge misunderstanding" and blah, but that was a bit too easy for my taste.

Also quite unoriginal was the solution of the "Jan Borsos Problem". Suddenly there is his ex-wife as some sort of teacher at the college and they still love each other and so on... It's exactly the same as it was with Julian for Sally.

The way she sorts out her problems with her parents, however, was quite cute.

Anyway, I really enjoyed how Sally expresses herself - how she describes things. It was a really fun way. But, I prefered when she was negative/ annoyed/ sarcastic. Her big inspirational/ motivational/ etc speeches weren't as good.
What I don't understand is why she does something she truly hates for someone who caused a lot of stress and disappointment... but ok, I guess the fact that it was Fiona's wish before she died makes it a bit more reasonable.

Some minimal annoying things were for one Barry's "oh my days". I'm not a friend of that expression and he said this a bit too often. The other thing was this stupid focus on people's accents! I think after mentioning it about 573 times, it should be clear to everyone that Sally and Julian have special accents. It's not THAT essential to mention it on every single page of this book. (It felt like that.) You can say that if you meet a stranger, but not repeatedly to your cousin/ partner that you've known for years/ more than a few days.

But overall, I liked the story a lot. It was quite creative and had some interesting turns.

[Gogol · Rating 2 out of 5]

This was a very well written book that drew me in from the very first page. The character building was so incredibly done, the pacing, the tension, the feeling,....
But, the plot line was filled with obstacles of the protagonists’ doing, misunderstandings, miscommunications and angst. In fact during the first ten percent of the story you are still sorting through what’s what and who’s who, then there is eighty five percent of very frustrating angst and misunderstanding until they come together for only the last five percent of the book. It was lovely in a way because it took you through the heroine’s journey of revelation and transformation, but quite unsatisfying because during most of the book you wanted to bash both their heads in with a brick.

[Paula · Rating 4 out of 5]

Reseña completa:

Fue un libro al que compré por "rom-com" y qué sorpresa. A pesar de tener su romance, esta novela es más que nada una novela de aprendizaje y autosuperación.

La protagonista se sale de la chica linda y flaca, es una chica real con complejos sobre su cuerpo, tímida y que carga con varios problemas de su niñez. Su pasión es la ópera pero cantar es algo que realiza de la puerta para adentro. Durante el recorrido de la novela vamos a ver como Sally encuentra su voz, ayudada de momento especiales que vivió.

Los personajes secundarios son lo más. Adoré a Jan, cada vez que aparecía me hacía reír, era un aire fresco entre tanto drama. Sobretodo en la segunda mitad del libro.

En definitiva un libro que te puede llamar la atención la portada o el título pero no es lo que esperas. Es un poco largo, pero vale la pena. Si te gustan las historias de mujeres reales, con complejos, inseguridades y muchos obstáculos en la vida, pero que logra salir adelante este es un libro que te va a encantar.

[Canan]

Bitmeyen Senfoni'nin bitmesi uzun sürdü ama asıl sebebi araya bir webtoon'un girmesiydi.
Kitaba gelirsek hikayesi güzeldi.Ama zaman zaman geçmiş-gelecek arasında geçen süre benim canımı sıktı.Daha doğrusu sıkıldım :)
Kitaba karşı çok nötrüm.İşlenen hikaye çok iyiydi.Bir insanın kendine güvenmesi, hedeflerine ulaşması, bu yolda ki çabaları vs.Ama dediğim gibi nötrüm.Ne desem bilemiyorum :)

[Bookworman · Rating 2 out of 5]

Just couldn’t get into this one. Good thing it was a Kindle freebie.

[Hannah · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.8

[Sonia189 · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.4
It seemed this would be perfect but at a certain point, a certain detail made me annoyed.
Still, an engrossing read with very interesting characters and situations.

[Bookevin · Rating 5 out of 5]

www.iheart-chicklit.blogspot.com


I flipping love Lucy Robinson’s books. Ever since I read her incredibly funny, awfully sweary debut novel, The Greatest Love Story of All Time, I knew I have found another favourite author of mine. Let’s just say, reading Lucy Robinson’s books are one of the highlights of my year. Yep, she’s up there with Sophie Kinsella and Lindsey Kelk.

As usual, I was super excited to read Lucy’s new one and it’s such great company, especially when you’re travelling! Yep, I brought Lucy with me, people. After reading the first page, I knew it was love at first page. Really, when you know, you know. Immediately I was engrossed in the book and Lucy Robinson’s hilarious vocabulary and euphemisms, which I call "Lucy's Little Nuggets", really made me laugh, not sniggers and giggles but belly laughs. Imagine Pavarotti bellowing a tune.

The Unfinished Symphony of You and Me follows the story of Sally Howlett, an opera aficionado since young, who sings beautifully with emotion and passion. In her wardrobe. Don’t laugh at her for being a weirdo. It was not her fault. Haunted by a traumatic experience, Sally sings to her heart’s desire in her wardrobe. Instead of putting her talents to good use; performing in front of an audience in an opera house, she works behind the scenes as a wardrobe mistress at the Royal Opera House in London. This is a story of a girl making it big time, in a dress that makes her look like a lumpy banana.

Lucy Robinson’s sublime characters and plot made this book enjoyable, scratch that, flipping awesome. Her eccentric use of words (though some are non-existent) draws you in and will definitely rub on to you. I loved her extensive use of swear words, which has been watered down in this book, sadly. I guess what I’m trying to say is, Lucy Robinson has a unique voice which will compel you to laugh out loud and wet yourself. Did I just say that? (My new favourite word is wazzock). Lucy Robinson is such a creative writer, she wrote this book in five acts and I think it’s pretty genius as the readers are given glimpses of the alternating timelines, which allows them a clearer view of the storyline.

In Lucy Robinson’s third book, her characters are well-written and a seriously quirky bunch. Take, Sally for example, she’s a very different heroine, in my opinion, she’s very reserved and level-headed but she could be a total tit when she’s in close proximity with attractive men, but hey, nobody is perfect. I genuinely felt for her and I loved how she carried herself throughout the novel. Let’s talk about my book boyfriends, baby. Julian, oh my days. He is the epitome of the perfect male lead. He’s charismatic, funny and oh-so-bloody-charming-my-knees-go-weak-and-need-to-fan-myself. Then there’s Jan Borsos, the guy who trekked through Europe with only one shoe. God bless his fierce passion for singing and his misuse of words. My heart couldn’t take it, I had to fall in love with him too.

Well, it’s not all about the opera, people. OK, I’m totally bluffing. I must commend on the extensiveness of the research for this compilation of 484 pages. I can safely say that I know the difference between an aria and an arpeggio. OK? Back to the romance of the book, because I can’t hold it on any longer.

Be ready to be swept away by the most beautiful, adorable and purest love between Sally and Julian. I think Lucy Robinson really perfected the recipe for the most the loveliest, sweetest romance between two characters with their witty banter and fully utilising the magic of New York to bring two souls together. What am I saying? Just read it and fall in love with Julian, end of.

I laughed, I cheered, I welled up, I gasped, I giggled. I felt this book with all my heart. I loved this book. With the cleverest dialogue, piss-yourself humour and its buckets of charm and sass, I couldn’t stop laughing and turning the pages, Lucy Robinson has outdone herself. Be ready to be immersed into the world of opera, you'll surely fall head over heels for this book. Woman, if you’re reading this, I’ve got high expectations for your next one. If your editor is reading this, tell her I don't mind the swearing. AT ALL. *hops into wardrobe with Carrot, impatiently waiting*

Rating: 10/10

[Aneesa · Rating 2 out of 5]

I have to say, I was expecting a little bit more from this book. Considering I read the Author's previous two books I was looking forward to reading this book. It still contained all the drama, humour and romance. However, I did think the story was a bit slow for me and although I did eventually liked Fiona's character I didn't think she was making the story progress at all but delayed it. I found it difficult to get into the story with this one

[Lynsey Passmore · Rating 5 out of 5]

Warm, witty and absolutely fabulous. Chortled through this book and it made me bawl on the train home in a rather embarrassing during rush hour fashion. A must-read!

[Jules (Never enough time to read) · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved it!

[Leah · Rating 5 out of 5]

I LOVE Lucy Robinson. Seriously, peeps, she is one of the coolest, bestest writers out there! I just feel like I should say that right now, before we go any further, because this review will be an ODE to the wonderful, beautiful writing of Lucy Robinson and if you don’t want to hear it, please stop reading now (although why would you do that – because surely you must agree with me? I dare ANYONE to say a bad word about Lucy Robinson). She is a writing genius. I adored her debut novel The Greatest Love Story of All Time, I then devoured her second novel which was EVEN BLOODY BETTER A Passionate Love Affair With A Total Stranger so as soon as she announced her third novel The Unfinished Symphony of You & Me (AMAZING title – Lucy gets the BEST titles) I just couldn’t wait to read it. I COULDN’T WAIT, I tells you. As soon as it appeared on Netgalley, it appeared on my Kindle. INSTANTANEOUSLY. But I waited a bit to read it (because there’s always a little worry it might not be fan-flipping-tastic), but I had nothing to fear because this book was AMAZING.

The Unfinished Symphony of You and Me is one of the cleverest books I think I’ve ever had the pleasure to read! It’s told with such style, such panache, that I think I’ve fallen a little bit in love with Lucy Robinson (she says, delusionally because I was totally in love with her already). Because the novel is set around the opera-world, the novel is as such set out like an opera would be – or how I presume an opera must be since I have never, ever seen an opera in my life and I would have told you that was absolutely FINE until I read The Unfinished Symphony of You and Me, because now I simply MUST go see an opera. Preferably at the MET in New York. It’s the sort of novel that’s about a subject you would never expect and yet it works in so many ways, and, not only that, it makes YOU passionate about what the writer is writing about! It’s insane! I rather liked the structure of the novel, I can’t say I understood (not being an opera geek) but it made sense, and I liked the back-and-forth, how we saw Sally in the present, hiding in her wardrobe and then going to opera school but then we flashed back to her life as a kid, her stint in New York, etc, how it all came to be that Sally was terrified to sing anywhere other than a wardrobe, yet had somehow mustered the courage to go to an opera school.

To put it simply, the novel blew my mind. I was hooked immediately. The plot is fantastic, utterly fantastic, and I like that we were drip-fed Sally’s time in New York, because as it got to its inevitable conclusion, I was half-looking forward to and half-fearing where it would go next, because Sally’s time in New York sounded SO dream-like, so utterly perfect – working as a wardrobe mistress, falling in love with Julian Bell, spending the summer with her favourite people in the world – her cousin Fiona, who’s more like her sister; her best friend Barry; and the rich and eccentric Bea. It all seemed so perfect that it was like looking at it with a hazy glow, and I was terrified because we knew something had happened, something awful, something so awful that it meant Fiona was in New York, alone, and Julian and Sally had split up, and she could barely face him – which made it all the worse when he walked in to be a tutor at the opera school Sally is a student at. It was like one big complicated ball, slowly being unravelled and I had a lightbulb moment, about 60% into the novel where I knew exactly what had happened and I just found myself hoping and praying that I was wrong, that it was something entirely different. Never have I wished to be more wrong whilst reading a novel.

There is just SO MUCH to say about this wonderful novel! The present day bits set in the opera school are divine – with Sally making her way in a new world, and making new friends in the shape of Helen and Jan Borsos – oh, Jan Borsos! The crazy Hungarian dude, who walked across Europe with one shoe (!!!!!!) to get to the school! Who was married and divorced and penniless by the age of 23, but who had such a love for life, and for singing! I LOVED JAN BORSOS SO MUCH. He utterly captivated me, with his kooky ways. But it was Sally herself who was the real star. I have mucho admiration for everything she accomplishes in the book – after what she went through, even getting to the opera school was a massive achievement and I felt so connected to her, and I wanted to crawl into the wardrobe and sit beside her and tell her that it was totally cool to sing in a wardrobe – she could have totally made that the next big thing! Wardrobe singing! Her journey was the type of journey that makes an opera (at least, I think so) and where when you get to the end you stand up and give her a massive ovation because she’s just amazing. And Julian Bell! Oh, Julian Bell, do I love you, too! I pretty much loved all of the characters, it was the kind of cast where they all brought something to the novel, they all made an impact, and no one did that more than Fiona, or Freckle, as Sally calls her. Their relationship was amazing, through everything, they were each others rock to the best of their abilities and it wasn’t always easy, but that’s what you do with family, you be there.

The book had everything you could ever wish for in a novel! It made me laugh, it made me cry, it had singing in a WARDROBE for Christ’s sake!! SINGING IN A WARDROBE. My mind was blown. The two plots were very well paced, very well thought out and very well delivered, leaving me eagerly wanting more and fearing for more, especially the whole idyllic New York thing that wasn’t so idyllic, but can be viewed that way in parts. If I didn’t already love Lucy Robinson, this would have sealed the deal. She is an author who gets better with every book, and it’s quite amazing to see! The Unfinished Symphony of You and Me is probably one of the best books I’ve ever read, and is definitely up there as my favourite of 2014 without a shadow of a doubt. It will take something pretty bloody special to beat this novel, lemme tell you. It had it ALL and then some. I mean, can’t you tell? This is one of the longest reviews I have ever written, and it was a pleasure to write! I just adored this book all the way through, I was captivated from start to finish, and I was SO SAD to finish it! So sad to say goodbye to Sally, to Julian, to Jan (OH JAN BORSOS, I WILL MISS YOU!!!!), to Fiona, to Barry, to Helen. Even in the deepest darkest parts of the novel, even when Sally was doing stuff that was squirm-inducing like being with her parents, ever, it was such a delight. I can’t wait to get myself the paperback and tuck into this book once more, it’s a TREASURE. Thank you Lucy Robinson, you are the bestest writer, ever.

[Victoria · Rating 4 out of 5]

Just a thoroughly enjoyable book. A bit different and definitely a bit of an emotional rollercoaster but plenty of laughs to balance out the sad parts. Great characters!

[Kate Douglas · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved it!!

Amazing book. Made me laugh and cry and read into the early hours of the morning when I should have been sleeping. Definitely recommend!

[Rupali · Rating 4 out of 5]

What a lovely, lovely book!

[Kate’s Book Spot · Rating 5 out of 5]

Firstly I’d like to thank the publishers for sending me this book to read and share my honest opinion. I’ve enjoyed other books by Lucy Robinson (reviews on my blog) so I couldn’t wait to get started.

Right from the beginning I was hit by Lucy’s familiar humour and drawn in by some very vivid characters. I could tell that reading this book was going to be quite a ride! The comedy continued throughout the book and I must admit that it was my kind of humour. The writing style had a certain bluntness to it which simply made me laugh and I do love a book that makes me laugh out loud while I’m reading.

The opera side of the storyline was actually quite fascinating for me, I knew nothing about opera before reading this book and, while it certainly didn’t make me an expert, I do feel like I learned a few things about the world of opera.

There was an intense mystery surrounding Sally’s trip to New York and what had happened there. I came up with a few predictions as to what the big drama was (all of which were wrong) but in the end it all became too much for me and I found myself screaming (in my head of course because little one was asleep) WHAT HAPPENED IN NEW YORK??? There were snippets of information along the way but then just as I thought I was about to find out, I was whisked back to the present day – Lucy Robinson you certainly know how to tease your readers!

I mentioned that the characters were vivid – the most vivid of them all were Barry and Jan, let me tell you why…

Barry was just epic! I could picture him so clearly stood there talking to Sally and calling her ‘chicken’. His massive personality really jumped off the page and made me smile every time he spoke.
Jan was equally as epic (are we all picturing the epic strut right now? Because we should be)! I could almost hear his accented words whispering through the pages at me. He came out with the most entertaining sentences I think I’ve ever read in a book – “will you be dying in this moment” was one of my favourites.

That big mystery I told you about? Well, towards the end I started to get an inkling of what had happened because each piece of the puzzle had gradually begun to fit together. At that point I couldn’t help but think back to the story I’d just read and look at it with a completely different viewpoint, one that was far more emotional than I’d expected.

This was a cracking read, a laugh-out-loud sort of book that was sprinkled with some very emotional scenes.

[Samantha · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Unfinished Symphony of You and Me is Robinson’s third book. This is about a girl called Sally, she loves to sing opera; however she has a fear of singing in public and so takes refuge in her wardrobe where she knows no one can see or hear her, or so she thinks.

When I began reading this book, I was unsure if it was going to be for me. I have little interest in opera and it seemed that this was the key theme in the story; however I couldn’t have been more wrong.

The story jumps from present and the past to retell where Sally is at now; to begin with I found this very challenging to read, however once I got into the story it began to flow and I quickly got immersed in it and was enjoying it greatly.

I particularly enjoyed reading about Sally, Fiona and friends in New York, I felt I really got into this part of the story and could have been there with them. I liked reading about Sally meeting Julian, I could vividly see this happening, and the dialogue the characters shared was humorous and sweet.

Sally is a timid and shy character; I enjoyed seeing her develop through the story to come out of her shell more. Her cousin who is like a sister to her, Fiona is completely different, she is more outgoing and confident. Fiona wants to be a ballet dancer, her aunt; Sally’s mum is against performance and tries to keep Sally away from it.

I really liked Barry in the story, I thought he bought a fun element to it and humour. I did feel that some characters I didn’t really get to know very well, Bea being one of them and as I read further into the story I found out why this was necessary, but I do feel I would have liked to have gotten to ‘know’ her better.

Jan also bought fun and humour, his one liners really made me chuckle, especially when he went to visit Sally’s mum.

I did not find the story predictable at all, just over half way through the book I had a huge shock, which I was not expecting. This kept my interest alive for the book and I wanted to find out more.

Overall I did enjoy the story; my only negative is that I felt it was a little long. About 100 pages from the end I thought it was drawing to a close and it could have done. The extra was nice; however I felt there had been closure at this point.

I would like to thank the publisher for sending me this to review in exchange for an honest review.

[Kara-karina · Rating 5 out of 5]

I first heard of this book at Ellie's blog, and decided there and then I'd have to buy it. I haven't been reading much chick lit lately comparing to 5-6 years ago, but this was exceptionally good.

Absolutely wonderful, wry and touching writing style and amazing characters - warm and imperfect, and funny! Lucy Robinson writes about artists, singers, dancers, and this time it's the world of opera that draws her attention.

Sally is a plump wardrobe girl from up north, working her dream job in London opera house, and she carries a big secret. She has a beautiful voice and a huge fear of singing in public, so all she's been doing since she was a little girl is sing in wardrobes where nobody could see her, and watch opera workshops obsessively.

Then one summer she ends up in New York on exchange with Metropolitan Opera House and meets this charming, goofy and beautiful editor of local newspaper, falling head over heals in love with him. The consequent tragedy and heartbreak make her overcome her fear and follow her promise to apply for a school for opera singers in London so she can at last make her voice known and heard.

The book is split between the past and present, and we slowly find out what happened to lead her to her decision to learn how to sing professionally and to mourn the loss that happened in New York.



What separates this book from million other ones is its irresistible charm, kindness and atmosphere of mad, artistic talent. It's like one of those movies - The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel or The Quartet which leaves you a little bit lighter and happier in the end. Highly recommended. Also, the mad Hungarian is a bonus. *winks*

[Jaffareadstoo · Rating 5 out of 5]

As a child Sally had to quietly hide her skill and love of opera from her unimaginative parents and when as an adult she takes a job as assistant dresser at the prestigious Royal Opera House, she never reveals that actually she can sing opera like the best of the best. Only her teddy bear Carrot and the inside of her wardrobe know just how good Sally’s voice really is. Going to New York, on an opera tour opens up the possibility, of Sally actually pursuing her operatic dream, but there’s also the heady possibility of a love affair which could change her life forever.

This is a lovely warm, witty and intelligent summer read which has all the possibility of becoming one my favourite of Lucy Robinson’s books to date. She has created, in Sally, a slightly quirky heroine who warms your heart from the beginning and in whose company you feel a rosy glow. You can’t help but want her to succeed in her chosen career and continue to hope that she finds love somewhere along the line.

Once I started to read, I found that the pages sort of turned themselves; it’s an incredibly easy read and nicely divided into operatic segments with some nice musical references threaded through out the story. This is one of those lovely summer reads which is best read in glorious sunshine with a glass of something cold nearby.


My thanks to Penguin Books and Real Readers for my review copy of The Unfinished Symphony of You and Me.

[Rosie · Rating 5 out of 5]

‘The Unfinished Symphony of You and Me’ was a surprisingly delightful book. I started it not really knowing what to expect, since I don’t often read this kind of book, and by the end I absolutely loved it.

The book follows Sally, an overweight woman who is terrified of singing in public, as she starts on a course in opera singing. Before she has even begun, however, a man shows up on her doorstep with a link to her past. As the novel progresses, you are told the story of her life in the present as well as what happened on a fateful trip to New York the year before.

Lucy Robinson manages to write in a way that draws the reader in, yet maintains a friendly and humorous tone, all the while catching a wide range of emotions. I was so caught up in Sally’s story and, despite the over-the-top characterisations of some of the characters, I found myself relating to many aspects of the story. It made me laugh in some places and was truly heart-breaking in others. Not to mention, there is a twist at the end that will really make you catch your breath.

This is just a really easy, entertaining and delightful book to read. The tone is just right, the characters pull at your heartstrings and I came out of it feeling that I had learnt something about opera. There were moments when the eccentricities of the characters did pull me out of the story, and some parts seemed a bit unbelievable, but the rest of the story more than made up for them.

Rating: 4.5

[BestChickLit.com · Rating 5 out of 5]

I’m really not a fan of opera. I’ll have a bit of Ave Maria (I know this song is not technically opera) on in the background much as the next person but anything else and I tend to zone out. I am, however, a huge fan of this book.

The Unfinished Symphony of You and Me is not so much about opera as it is about how opera makes Sally feel, what it evokes from so deep within her she just can’t let it go. Wouldn’t we all love to be that passionate over something in our lives? Lucy Robinson does such a fantastic job at spilling Sally’s emotional well onto the pages that I was right there with her feeling every high and low on her path to self discovery. As I read, Sally simply became my mate; I rooted for her the entire time and was sorry to let her go at the end.

At it’s core, the book is quite poignant, although funny and heart breaking in equal measures. All the characters combined are like a cast from an American sitcom and I adored every single one of them. So as not to spoil the story, I won’t go into detail on the plot but I will tell you that you’ll laugh, grin like a loon, cry happy and sad tears and perform the odd triumphant air punch. And if you don’t . . . well, then I’m afraid you are a robot. Soz.

Reviewed by Charlotte Foreman on behalf of BestChickLit.com

[Bernadette Robinson · Rating 5 out of 5]

My thanks to NetGalley and the Publshers for the chance to read this in exchange for an honest review.

Firstly, can I start by saying I loved this. In one part it had me laughing, crying and then shortly after laughing again.

Sally is not the most likely of romantic heroines, as she's so normal and flawed. She doesn't fit the usual stereotypical romantic heroine, she has her flaws and prefers to shun the limelight. Sally has always had a love of Opera and can also sing quite well, but prefers to be the wardrobe mistress than the leading lady. She has a low lack of self esteem and has never been encouraged to follow her dreams. As the story unfolds we find out about not only Sally's past but the past of those around her.

I've never read any of Lucy Robinson's books before and I found this to be a great contemporary romantic read. It's extremely well written and I was full of many emotions as I read it. Sally was such an engaging heroine and you just willed things to go well for her along the way.

I look forward to reading more of her work and can thoroughly recommend this one to others.

[Eszter · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is one of my favourite chick-lit books. Certainly, the end of the story is predictable as it usually is with books in this genre. Still there are lots of surprises and interesting characters on the way. I really liked Jan Borsos, even if he is light years away from the typical Hungarian man. (Trust me, I have first hand experience with them.) But what I really liked about the book was how the love relationship developed between the two main characters. In addition, I looove operas, and while I was reading, I was constantly looking up the arias mentioned and listening to them. This book really made me fall in love with opera again. I wasn't completely happy with the ending though. I think the book should have ended ca. 100 pages earlier, after the heart-to-heart conversation in the wardrobe... I also had issues with the explanation as to why someone ignores someone else, even if they are in love with that person. Nevertheless, I highly recommend this book to fans of the opera and chick-lit.

[Eszter · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is one of my favourite chick-lit books. Certainly, the end of the story is predictable as it usually is with books in this genre. Still there are lots of surprises and interesting characters on the way. I really liked Jan Borsos, even if he is light years away from the typical Hungarian man. (Trust me, I have first hand experience with them.) But what I really liked about the book was how the love relationship developed between the two main characters. In addition, I looove operas, and while I was reading, I was constantly looking up the arias mentioned and listening to them. This book really made me fall in love with opera again. I wasn't completely happy with the ending though. I think the book should have ended ca. 100 pages earlier, after the heart-to-heart conversation in the wardrobe... I also had issues with the explanation as to why someone ignores someone else, even if they are in love with that person. Nevertheless, I highly recommend this book to fans of the opera and chick-lit. I also liked the narrator of this one.

[Gill's likes reading · Rating 5 out of 5]

Did I like this book? Well, I cried all the way through it, and that is something not many books do to me.

I was so enthralled and caught up in the story that I forgot that I dislike the slushiness of Romance books. But this is not just a book about romance, is is about opera, ballet, culture, council estates and much more.

Oh very clever is the way this book about a girl, another one, a boy, and another one, is set in the scenes of Opera. This is a book set to music, and would make a great film that I would watch over and over in my onsie whilst drinking hot chocolate with a box of tissues at my side. Not only that I would buy the album to play and relive every delicious memory of watching it.

Wrapped up with love, excitement, longing, laughter, humour, tragedy, sadness and fulfilment, I will tell all my friends they have to read this book.

Thanks to Netgalley for sending me this book for an honest review.