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Piping Her Tune
Abby Benton thought she’d have the last laugh when her portrait of the arrogant Victoria Myers is complete. The casual viewer sees the beautiful, poised CEO. But Abby’s brushstrokes also reveal a woman as cold and hard as the minerals that come from her company’s mines.
When their paths cross again it’s Victoria’s chance to turn the tables with a job offer and a bonus that Abby can’t refuse. For six months of grueling travel, Abby will be at Victoria’s beck and call.
If it weren’t for her dependent mother, Abby would have a graphic response to Ms. Myers’ offer, but she can’t say no to the stability the income would mean. So she keeps telling herself that it’s only temporary…
When their paths cross again it’s Victoria’s chance to turn the tables with a job offer and a bonus that Abby can’t refuse. For six months of grueling travel, Abby will be at Victoria’s beck and call.
If it weren’t for her dependent mother, Abby would have a graphic response to Ms. Myers’ offer, but she can’t say no to the stability the income would mean. So she keeps telling herself that it’s only temporary…
240 pages, Paperback
First published September 29, 2015
31 people are currently reading
249 people want to read
About the author
Maggie Brown
15 books117 followersBorn and bred in Queensland, Australia, Maggie Brown has always been an advocate for women’s rights. An avid reader, she only discovered lesbian literature ten years ago, which opened a whole new world to her. A long-term artist, she turned her hand to writing for a different challenge. It’s become her passion, and she now has eight books on the shelves, two of which were finalists in the Golden Crown Literary awards. Her novels vary from thrillers to romances. Maggie loves dotting her pages with lots of interesting characters, and writes about relationships with a humorous eye. When she’s not writing, she’s a golf hacker, card sharp and movie buff, and particularly likes to chill out at night with a glass of wine and a good book.
Librarian note: There is more than one author in the Goodreads database with this name.
Librarian note: There is more than one author in the Goodreads database with this name.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 36 reviews
June 2, 2019
My first 1 star review!
My god this was awful. This is possibly the worst written book I have ever read and I've read 50 shades, all three of them! Why do I make that comparison? Because Abby is in her early 30's and never even kissed another woman despite knowing she liked women since she was approximately 16. She backs that up by saying the following:
“No, I never met anyone who was a lesbian when I left school, though I wouldn’t have recognized one if I fell over them. No one ever approached me and so I did what every other girl was doing, I dated boys."
The entire plot of this book is just utterly ridiculous and unrealistic. It all revolves around Victoria needing someone to accompany her abroad for 6 months. The main reasons claiming to be companionship and security. Since when does a grown woman need another woman's company for protection? Isn't that what personal security/ bodyguards are for?
These women truly act like a bunch of immature teenagers around each other. If you already know you're in love with someone and you know she has feelings for you, why the hell would you try and make her jealous by spending time with someone else?
Here are just a few things that just don't make sense or are simply ridiculous to me:
- The women who don't get picked to go on the trip will get a 2 weeks all expenses paid trip to anywhere in Australia. Why? Who does that?
- Payment is 150,000 for 6 months plus Vic adds another 100,000 an yet Abby is being a brat in regards to the terms and conditions despite needing the money for her sick mother.
- Tons of Aussie slang that just got annoying at one point.
- Words / phrases used like "far out" and "chick". What year is this story taking place?
- Stephanie the flight attendant who while at work literally has her hands all over Vic. Has she never heard of sexual harassment? And why can't Vic tell her to stop instead of needing Abby to tell her to stop?
- Why does Fiona, Vic's assistant, think it's ok for her to stick her nose into her boss's relationship?
Even though it's a super slow burn with an unsatisfying ending the book kept me reading (ok more skimming than reading), It was like the literary equivalent of a car crash, you can't help but look/skim. I am honestly struck dumb as to why this book has such a high rating. Maybe i'm too much of a nitpicker. Oh well you can't win 'em all.
My god this was awful. This is possibly the worst written book I have ever read and I've read 50 shades, all three of them! Why do I make that comparison? Because Abby is in her early 30's and never even kissed another woman despite knowing she liked women since she was approximately 16. She backs that up by saying the following:
“No, I never met anyone who was a lesbian when I left school, though I wouldn’t have recognized one if I fell over them. No one ever approached me and so I did what every other girl was doing, I dated boys."
The entire plot of this book is just utterly ridiculous and unrealistic. It all revolves around Victoria needing someone to accompany her abroad for 6 months. The main reasons claiming to be companionship and security. Since when does a grown woman need another woman's company for protection? Isn't that what personal security/ bodyguards are for?
These women truly act like a bunch of immature teenagers around each other. If you already know you're in love with someone and you know she has feelings for you, why the hell would you try and make her jealous by spending time with someone else?
Here are just a few things that just don't make sense or are simply ridiculous to me:
- The women who don't get picked to go on the trip will get a 2 weeks all expenses paid trip to anywhere in Australia. Why? Who does that?
- Payment is 150,000 for 6 months plus Vic adds another 100,000 an yet Abby is being a brat in regards to the terms and conditions despite needing the money for her sick mother.
- Tons of Aussie slang that just got annoying at one point.
- Words / phrases used like "far out" and "chick". What year is this story taking place?
- Stephanie the flight attendant who while at work literally has her hands all over Vic. Has she never heard of sexual harassment? And why can't Vic tell her to stop instead of needing Abby to tell her to stop?
- Why does Fiona, Vic's assistant, think it's ok for her to stick her nose into her boss's relationship?
Even though it's a super slow burn with an unsatisfying ending the book kept me reading (ok more skimming than reading), It was like the literary equivalent of a car crash, you can't help but look/skim. I am honestly struck dumb as to why this book has such a high rating. Maybe i'm too much of a nitpicker. Oh well you can't win 'em all.
July 27, 2016
I quite enjoyed this. If you are looking for a romance with a good amount of angst, than this book is for you. This had so much angst that I started to wonder if there was any chance for a relationship to even happen, but I enjoyed every second anyway.
I think what I enjoyed most was this was not a love at first site book. In fact the two characters can't stand each other. Their banter and arguments were witty and well written and you couldn't help but fall for both of these characters. The slow building chemistry was there and very believable. And I enjoyed, as a reader, watching their romance grow.
The characters weren't perfect, they both had their flaws, but you still liked them and rooted for them, even when you wanted to knock some sense into them.
This is the first book I have read by Brown, and I'm excited to try her others. I just bought I Can't Dance Alone so hopefully it's as good as this was.
I recommend this to any romance fans that like some angst, you will get your fill and hopefully enjoy this story, as much as I did.
I think what I enjoyed most was this was not a love at first site book. In fact the two characters can't stand each other. Their banter and arguments were witty and well written and you couldn't help but fall for both of these characters. The slow building chemistry was there and very believable. And I enjoyed, as a reader, watching their romance grow.
The characters weren't perfect, they both had their flaws, but you still liked them and rooted for them, even when you wanted to knock some sense into them.
This is the first book I have read by Brown, and I'm excited to try her others. I just bought I Can't Dance Alone so hopefully it's as good as this was.
I recommend this to any romance fans that like some angst, you will get your fill and hopefully enjoy this story, as much as I did.
March 12, 2018
Oh dear... what a drag.
And I really hoped the book would shape up, because the writing was actually pretty good... as long as the author stayed away from the romance between Victoria and Abby, because that was the most tedious, soul destroying part of the plot.
f/f explicit... but at this point who cares anymore
Themes: Australia, I loved what she wrote about their trip to northern Australia and abroad, I hated the romance, it was immature, needlessly stretched into these angsty scenarios, convoluted, with all these irritating twat-blocking people, and of course the failure to communicate. And don't ever play Celine Dion when you want to get into my panties... like ever.
1.8 stars
And I really hoped the book would shape up, because the writing was actually pretty good... as long as the author stayed away from the romance between Victoria and Abby, because that was the most tedious, soul destroying part of the plot.
f/f explicit... but at this point who cares anymore
Themes: Australia, I loved what she wrote about their trip to northern Australia and abroad, I hated the romance, it was immature, needlessly stretched into these angsty scenarios, convoluted, with all these irritating twat-blocking people, and of course the failure to communicate. And don't ever play Celine Dion when you want to get into my panties... like ever.
1.8 stars
June 2, 2019
I must admit I do enjoy reading piping her tune. Especially the 1st half of the book with the love/hate, pull/push factors between wealthy big-wig Victoria and artistic Abby. Hmm....though being an artist is not all Abby does - she’s a superwoman who is IT literate (seems like an expert who saved $$ for the company), linguist, business-savvy among her many talents. A bit far-fetched 🤔 but what the hell...we (or maybe it’s more Me??) like to fantasize and have protagonist who is Ms Perfect sometimes and forget about all the imperfections in the real world... Throw in a little angst, some teasing/flirting moments between MCs with other characters and with each other, hot-sexy powerful femme (Victoria, point in case), hot sexy scene and you’ll come up with a fairly good recipe which I totally devoured in 1 sitting - especially given that I have nothing much to do and home bound with a nasty flu!
February 19, 2020
'The zip, the zing, the thrill' was undeniable between Vic and Abby. It started out as a good enemies to lovers with witty banter. But then the jealousy and possessiveness got too much. Vic was jealous of Patsy, Chantal, her own bff and that one guy for showing interest in Abby. Abby was the same way with Vic, although a tad less immature. Also them calling each other honey and sweetie felt completely OOC. The book burned out at about 70% and then I was just praying for it to end.
February 1, 2016
Let me just say this book is excellent. Maggie Brown is an exceptional writer that built characters that were intelligent and sassy, and not afraid to show it. This book is an absolute gem!
Abby Benton is a struggling artist. Her paintings are excellent, but she does not have enough steady work to keep the rent paid and the pantry stocked. Her heart and soul are dependent upon her art, but unfortunately it cannot pay her mounting bills. After entering a portrait contest, she writes to uber-successful business magnet Victoria Myers to be her muse. Ms. Myers accepts Abby’s request to paint her and this is where the story begins.
Victoria is basically a first-rate a$$hole the entire time Abby is trying to paint her likeness. She’s either being verbally dismissive or she’s on the phone. Our spitfire artist doesn’t let her get away with it, she tears the businesswoman a new one, and they take parting shots at each other as Victoria goes on her way. These confrontations play out on Abby’s canvas, and let’s just say, Victoria Myers ends up looking like the Lucifer himself, but the painting is really good and becomes quite popular. Chapter One!
So the story really takes flight with both of these ladies being royally pissed off at each other. TENSION!!! Guess what else? Both of these women are gorgeous, smart, witty, and can throw out a zinger with the best of them. Life continues to throw these two together, and a set of unusual circumstances force Victoria to hire Abby to travel with her on a six month traveling business trip. Talk about throwing two lions in a den together.
These two verbally spar throughout the book. They both respect each other, but miscommunication and a variety of secondary characters make troubles continue to arise. The mounting tension is palatable and you can feel each of our protagonists about to burst. I loved that the author kept these two ladies apart romantically well into the book. The pressure of hiding their attraction to each other was what made the book stellar (I am a sucker for angst, when it’s done right). I also liked that fact that both Victoria and Abby were resilient, clever women with backbones and strong opinions. There is no weakling here, one is rich and one is poor but neither put much stock into it.
All in all this book is great. I highly recommend it. You will not be wasting your time on this one, but you may need the biggest Americano you can get your hands on the next morning. This book made me read well into the night and if Monday mornings aren’t hard enough already, self-induced sleep deprivation doesn’t make it any easier.
My exact rating would be a 4.5
Abby Benton is a struggling artist. Her paintings are excellent, but she does not have enough steady work to keep the rent paid and the pantry stocked. Her heart and soul are dependent upon her art, but unfortunately it cannot pay her mounting bills. After entering a portrait contest, she writes to uber-successful business magnet Victoria Myers to be her muse. Ms. Myers accepts Abby’s request to paint her and this is where the story begins.
Victoria is basically a first-rate a$$hole the entire time Abby is trying to paint her likeness. She’s either being verbally dismissive or she’s on the phone. Our spitfire artist doesn’t let her get away with it, she tears the businesswoman a new one, and they take parting shots at each other as Victoria goes on her way. These confrontations play out on Abby’s canvas, and let’s just say, Victoria Myers ends up looking like the Lucifer himself, but the painting is really good and becomes quite popular. Chapter One!
So the story really takes flight with both of these ladies being royally pissed off at each other. TENSION!!! Guess what else? Both of these women are gorgeous, smart, witty, and can throw out a zinger with the best of them. Life continues to throw these two together, and a set of unusual circumstances force Victoria to hire Abby to travel with her on a six month traveling business trip. Talk about throwing two lions in a den together.
These two verbally spar throughout the book. They both respect each other, but miscommunication and a variety of secondary characters make troubles continue to arise. The mounting tension is palatable and you can feel each of our protagonists about to burst. I loved that the author kept these two ladies apart romantically well into the book. The pressure of hiding their attraction to each other was what made the book stellar (I am a sucker for angst, when it’s done right). I also liked that fact that both Victoria and Abby were resilient, clever women with backbones and strong opinions. There is no weakling here, one is rich and one is poor but neither put much stock into it.
All in all this book is great. I highly recommend it. You will not be wasting your time on this one, but you may need the biggest Americano you can get your hands on the next morning. This book made me read well into the night and if Monday mornings aren’t hard enough already, self-induced sleep deprivation doesn’t make it any easier.
My exact rating would be a 4.5
November 1, 2015
Lovely book filled with wit and humor. Abby has started with the wrong foot with the mining tycoon Victoria by depicting her like a devil in a portrait. That left Victoria fuming and wanted to get back to Abby. An unusual opening came up with Victoria's company, and against all odds, Abby end up getting the position and thus being stuck on the road for 6 months with Vic.
I've thoroughly enjoyed the dissing and banter between the two, it was so so so entertaining and made me just laugh out loud a few times. Supporting cast's been great as well, especially the Scottish secretary. Admittedly, I didn't find Vic very likable, but I guess the humor and the chemistry between Abby and Vic made up the rest. I did like the first half of the book far better than the second half though. Recommend this if you'd like to have a lighthearted read.
I've thoroughly enjoyed the dissing and banter between the two, it was so so so entertaining and made me just laugh out loud a few times. Supporting cast's been great as well, especially the Scottish secretary. Admittedly, I didn't find Vic very likable, but I guess the humor and the chemistry between Abby and Vic made up the rest. I did like the first half of the book far better than the second half though. Recommend this if you'd like to have a lighthearted read.
November 28, 2015
This was an amazing read, it only took me a couple hours and I couldn't have been happier. This was a quick amazing lesbian romance that I will probably read over and over again. Before I read it I wasn't sure if I should continue with the other reviews that I saw but it was amazing. The chemistry between the two main characters was overwhelming and I found that I fell for both of them along with the author Maggie Brown.
April 6, 2018
It would have actually been an awesome story, but the pacing was terrible until half of the book. I wasn't sucked into the story, I always had the feeling something was missing to get into the flow. Sometimes more is better, the characters could have been more likeable, deeper, slower, a little more of everything.It's getting better after half of the book, so stick to it ;)
October 27, 2015
I really enjoyed this book. I needed a lighthearted read and Piping Her Tune was the answer. I read it from start to finish in one sitting, although I must say I found the first half of the book better than the second.
Yes, there were a few typos, however not enough to deter this reader.
Yes, there were a few typos, however not enough to deter this reader.
April 10, 2016
Meh...
December 15, 2015
I found this an excellent book. It was funny and smart and kept me interested all the way through. The characters seemed real people, and the plot was certainly not the usual formulaic romance. When Abby paints Victoria in a not so flattering light, Victoria tries to get her own back when Abby is employed to accompany her on a business trip as her 'partner'. They bicker and banter they're way around Australia and Asia, and gradually fall in love. It was a delightful love story. Well done Ms Brown.
December 5, 2015
This is a really fun book. Ms Brown writes well. The story is told with wit and is downright funny in a couple of places, especially the kitchen scene. The women are likeable and the romance captured my interest. It has some other great characters, especially the Scottish admin. I'll be looking forward to Ms Brown's next book.
September 4, 2015
Piping Her Tune was entertaining and well written. I have enjoyed this Authors previous books for the light banter between the characters as well as the romance, so it comes as no surprise that this latest story was just as enjoyable and the characters just as charming. Good job.
October 26, 2015
Great book. Loved how it was exciting and witty. Recommend it as a really good read.
April 14, 2017
Second read and although I enjoyed the story it just lacked a finesse that would lift it to 5 stars for me.
July 2, 2017
Loved it!
Very good story! Loved the characters. There was a lot of humor in the story as well as very enjoyable descriptions of all the areas they visited. Abby and Vic were very believable characters and Fiona was totally adorable! Well done!
Very good story! Loved the characters. There was a lot of humor in the story as well as very enjoyable descriptions of all the areas they visited. Abby and Vic were very believable characters and Fiona was totally adorable! Well done!
July 7, 2019
I finished this a few days ago. I remember not liking it a lot. But I remember nothing else about to...
September 16, 2015
I really loved this book. It was smart,funny and kept me interested the whole way through. It was also very well edited contrary to another reviewer's opinion. It was produced by Bella Books who are thorough with their proof reading. I actually don't know where she was coming from as I didn't' find these myriads of errors she was alluding to. What I found appealing about this novel was that there was no part of the book that flagged but moved on with the story. I also liked the fact the two women were not betrayed as too syrupy and sweet but had flaws like any normal person. I thought it an excellent read and would certainly recommend it to readers.
September 16, 2015
I thought this was a really great book. It had everything: humour and an exciting story. Certainly not a formulaic novel that is so often written in this genre. The women were believable and the supporting cast, especially the Scottish admin assistant, were delightful. Well done Ms Brown.
May 19, 2020
2nd reading and still a great book, I love the dynamics between the MC's and certainly the sharp sarcastic banter
February 22, 2017
I'm not sure how to rate this. I loved the idea, te concept, but the execution, the reality of the book just wasn't for me.
can-t-finish-or-can-t-rating
May 26, 2018Can't finish
July 7, 2023
Good read
A frustratingly slow burn story. Expected some explosive steamy encounters from MC's as it was portrait from their fantasies and was left disappointed. There was not enough focused on the lovers but i liked the book. It could have been so much more and think the MC's deserve so much more from this story. 3🌟, so sad to give it that. Could have been an excuasive 5
A frustratingly slow burn story. Expected some explosive steamy encounters from MC's as it was portrait from their fantasies and was left disappointed. There was not enough focused on the lovers but i liked the book. It could have been so much more and think the MC's deserve so much more from this story. 3🌟, so sad to give it that. Could have been an excuasive 5
March 15, 2018
Loved this book. Funny, smart and well written. Great romance with angst, and I liked how the author didn't have them falling in love immediately. There are good secondary characters and I particularly liked the Scottish PA, Fiona. I thought it an excellent read.
December 5, 2018
Wow
Wow that was a wonderful great written book it had a great slow burn to it i could put it down i loved how they went from could stand each other to falling in love i hop we get to here more about them and were they go from here
Wow that was a wonderful great written book it had a great slow burn to it i could put it down i loved how they went from could stand each other to falling in love i hop we get to here more about them and were they go from here
March 16, 2019
I had a hard time remembering that Abby was in her 30tees. she seemed in her early 20t or just growing up from 18 tbh. and the last drama made no sense to me. the way they got back also make 0 sense to me. overall it's not bad as a book the writing was ok. in truth i give it 2.8 Stars
October 9, 2023
Incredible
I loved this book immediately and became enthralled with Vic and Abby. If you love strong independent women on a wonderful journey to find love, don’t miss this wonderful story.
I loved this book immediately and became enthralled with Vic and Abby. If you love strong independent women on a wonderful journey to find love, don’t miss this wonderful story.
October 29, 2017
3.5 fun characters and I loved Victoria but it could've been better written with a clearer more realistic plot, but I still liked it.
September 2, 2018
one of my favorite books. Loved all the characters. Not the average fluffy romance but had a really good plot.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 36 reviews