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Play for Me: A Novel
It happens without warning: At a folk-rock show at her son’s college, Lily becomes transfixed by the guitarist’s unassuming onstage presence and beautiful playing—and with his final note, something within her breaks loose.
After the concert, Lily returns to her comfortable life—an Upper West Side apartment, a job as a videographer, and a kind if distracted husband—but she can’t stop thinking about the music, or about the duo’s guitarist, JJ. Unable to resist the pull of either one, she rashly offers to make a film about the band in order to gain a place with them on tour. But when Lily dares to step out from behind her camera, she falls deep into JJ’s world—upsetting the tenuous balance between him and his bandmate, and filling a chasm of need she didn’t know she had.
Captivating and provocative, Play for Me captures the thrill and heartbreak of deciding to leave behind what you love to follow what you desire.
After the concert, Lily returns to her comfortable life—an Upper West Side apartment, a job as a videographer, and a kind if distracted husband—but she can’t stop thinking about the music, or about the duo’s guitarist, JJ. Unable to resist the pull of either one, she rashly offers to make a film about the band in order to gain a place with them on tour. But when Lily dares to step out from behind her camera, she falls deep into JJ’s world—upsetting the tenuous balance between him and his bandmate, and filling a chasm of need she didn’t know she had.
Captivating and provocative, Play for Me captures the thrill and heartbreak of deciding to leave behind what you love to follow what you desire.
- GenresFiction
230 pages, Kindle Edition
First published April 21, 2015
7 people are currently reading
371 people want to read
About the author
Celine Keating
4 books46 followersCeline Keating is an award-winning author living in Rhode Island. Her most recent novel is THE STARK BEAUTY OF LAST THINGS (2023). Portions of the novel awarded her first place winner of the Tucson Literary Festival Award in fiction in 2021 and the 2014 first place winner of the Hackney Literary Award in short fiction. Keating's second novel, Play for Me (2015) was an International Book Award finalist in literary fiction; her first novel, Layla, published in June, 2011, was chosen by both HuffPost and Poets & Writers as a must-read book. Keating is also the co-editor of On Montauk: A Literary Celebration, an anthology of prose and poetry. Her stories and other writing have appeared in Echoes, Emrys Journal, Mount Hope, The North Stone Review, Prairie Schooner, Santa Clara Review, Poets & Writers, Coastal Living, and the Wising Up anthology.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 35 reviews
May 6, 2017
Play for Me by Celine Keating is not a novel I generally read. Now and then, I will read a book that brings me outside my comfort zone and I concluded that this book was going to be one for this year. My choice to read this book arose after reading the blurb, which I found fascinating. I was curious to find out what could inspire a woman to leave her husband of 23 years to pursue what she was convinced was a long-lost dream. My feelings on this book are variedI started out liking it, but by the end, it left me feeling disappointed. The book is about a 49-year-old married woman who is experiencing empty nest syndrome after her only child left for college. Suddenly her life is no longer satisfying. She now has time to reflect on her past choices. She feels she had given up her dreams, which consisted of her passion for music for family. She believes she is living a life of mediocrity and she needed to make changes. To rediscover herself, she got caught up in the world of guitarist John Jackson (JJ) to the point of obsession. Nothing gave her life meaning like JJ and his music did. Therefore, she embarked on a journey that permits her to get more of this soul-stirring music leaving the life she built for 23 years behind.First, I should warn you that there is cheating, so if this is something that will disturb you then it's best you avoid this book.I enjoyed the author’s writing style, which I found delightful and entertaining. The manner in which she portrayed Lilly’s journey of self-discovery and her pursuit of purpose was intense. I found myself glued to the pages as my curiosity levels kept spiking. When I first met Lilly, I was drawn to her, and I was interested in discovering what made her tick. Unfortunately, as the story evolved my like for her morphed into annoyance and by the end of the story, I had no sympathy for her. For the life of me, I cannot believe someone could be so stupid. If it were possible to reach into my kindle, hold her, and shake some sense into her I would have done so. Not only was she stupid, she was selfish. Her journey was one of self-gratification. Not once did she give thought to the effect her actions would have on her family. The only thing that mattered was the fulfilment of her desires through JJ and his music.I liked that she owned up to her mistakes, even though it was after she realised that JJ was not who she perceived him in her mind to be.. It was good she took responsibility for her actions and tried to make amends for the hurt she caused, which would not be an easy task. The ending was not what I expected. The manner in which the story wrapped up leaves readers to make their own interpretation.The story aptly demonstrated the consequences of making poor and selfish choices. It shows how truthful and profound the phrase ‘the grass isn't always greener on the other side’ is. ‘Play for Me’ is a story I will not forget anytime soon and despite it being outside of my norm I found it to be an interesting read
June 30, 2015
This is a story of second chances. Lilly is content, she thinks, or thinks she should think, although obviously experiencing the first pangs of the “empty nest syndrome” as her son leaves for college. And then she falls, heavily, adolescently, for a hippy musician (as we all do at least once but sometimes more frequently). The truth of this, that even very n mature, sensible women can suffer these crushes, is honestly portrayed, and even if this particular musician doesn’t rock every reader’s boat, Lilly’s feelings will ring true. She takes the risk and follows the band, risking her content marriage and learning hard lessons along the way. The ending could go either way? Read it and see.
April 17, 2015
I don't have an empty nest yet, but from the opening pages of this book I felt completely sympatico with the heroine of this thoughtful, moving story about midlife and personal evolution. I also truly admired the author's ability to write beautifully and evocatively about music, something that is very hard to do! Enjoyable and thought-provoking read.
May 8, 2015
Note: This ebook was provided by She Writes Press in exchange for an honest review.
Play for Me is a novel by Céline Keating about a woman named Lily whose life goes in a completely different direction when she hears the guitar playing of a musician named JJ. She has what appears to be the ideal life but to her, it has lost meaning when her son Colby goes off to college. It's almost as if she loses her purpose, no longer able to be the mother she was when Colby was living at home. Even as her husband Stephen tries to refocus her energies by buying her a video camera and encouraging her to get back to the creative side she's put on hold for years, nothing calls to her like JJ and his enchanting music.
The author's writing is exquisite and she was able to put together the story of a woman's search for self and purpose, one with depth and complexity. The thing is, and this pains me to write this, I had no connection with the lead character I'm sorry to say that I felt absolutely nothing for her at any point in the story and this has nothing to do with the cheating angle in the book. She just seemed more like a stalker fan in the first half of the story and by the time we begin to dig a little deeper as to her motivations for her actions, I simply had stopped trying to feel something, anything, for her. Yup, I admit it. I gave up on her.
Was Lily selfish? Yes, she was, but it is possible that in her quest to have some sort of better footing on her life as it was now, she did what she felt was necessary for herself, not sparing any or much thought to how it would affect her marriage or her job. Sometimes, we all make choices that other people don't agree with but we think it's what's best for us. Whether those choices prove to be wrong or right, they're part of the journey we take and lessons should be learned along the way. While I wish I enjoyed this more, I suggest you give it a try yourselves because every reading experience is different. Play for Me gets three stars. ♥
Play for Me is a novel by Céline Keating about a woman named Lily whose life goes in a completely different direction when she hears the guitar playing of a musician named JJ. She has what appears to be the ideal life but to her, it has lost meaning when her son Colby goes off to college. It's almost as if she loses her purpose, no longer able to be the mother she was when Colby was living at home. Even as her husband Stephen tries to refocus her energies by buying her a video camera and encouraging her to get back to the creative side she's put on hold for years, nothing calls to her like JJ and his enchanting music.
The author's writing is exquisite and she was able to put together the story of a woman's search for self and purpose, one with depth and complexity. The thing is, and this pains me to write this, I had no connection with the lead character I'm sorry to say that I felt absolutely nothing for her at any point in the story and this has nothing to do with the cheating angle in the book. She just seemed more like a stalker fan in the first half of the story and by the time we begin to dig a little deeper as to her motivations for her actions, I simply had stopped trying to feel something, anything, for her. Yup, I admit it. I gave up on her.
Was Lily selfish? Yes, she was, but it is possible that in her quest to have some sort of better footing on her life as it was now, she did what she felt was necessary for herself, not sparing any or much thought to how it would affect her marriage or her job. Sometimes, we all make choices that other people don't agree with but we think it's what's best for us. Whether those choices prove to be wrong or right, they're part of the journey we take and lessons should be learned along the way. While I wish I enjoyed this more, I suggest you give it a try yourselves because every reading experience is different. Play for Me gets three stars. ♥
August 31, 2015
Review for Chick Lit Central (www.chicklitcentral.com)
I felt the constant struggle within Lily. Recently an empty-nester, there’s a void within her that she has suppressed for many years. Her son’s new life at college has reminded her of the life she had given up when she’d decided to leave behind her own passions in order to take care of her family. There is something about the music, touching parts of her soul, making it an instant obsession. The reality of what’s right and wrong becomes blurred and isn’t tangible. She has everything to lose, whether she decides to give up the music or hold onto it for dear life.
I felt JJ represented lost youth for Lily. He lives his dream, even when it’s not ideal. A musician’s life can be a very marred, an ugly existence at times. Lily lives comfortably and safe, never pushing the envelope or attempting to achieve her own dreams. She can live vicariously through JJ, enabling an odd connection between the two of them. In his own right, he feels he’s struggling, too, and she’s a life preserver. Normal, and grounded. Will Lily do the unthinkable, damaging everything she’s ever known, or will she break out of her shell and let everything go?
I enjoyed this book immensely, finding it very difficult to put down. There are so many emotions, so many black and white scenarios blurred into a messy gray. Céline Keating knows just how to carry you through a woman’s journey, into what essentially becomes a re-discovery for Lily, and for most of us who have ever teetered on the “grass is greener” fence line of life.
I felt the constant struggle within Lily. Recently an empty-nester, there’s a void within her that she has suppressed for many years. Her son’s new life at college has reminded her of the life she had given up when she’d decided to leave behind her own passions in order to take care of her family. There is something about the music, touching parts of her soul, making it an instant obsession. The reality of what’s right and wrong becomes blurred and isn’t tangible. She has everything to lose, whether she decides to give up the music or hold onto it for dear life.
I felt JJ represented lost youth for Lily. He lives his dream, even when it’s not ideal. A musician’s life can be a very marred, an ugly existence at times. Lily lives comfortably and safe, never pushing the envelope or attempting to achieve her own dreams. She can live vicariously through JJ, enabling an odd connection between the two of them. In his own right, he feels he’s struggling, too, and she’s a life preserver. Normal, and grounded. Will Lily do the unthinkable, damaging everything she’s ever known, or will she break out of her shell and let everything go?
I enjoyed this book immensely, finding it very difficult to put down. There are so many emotions, so many black and white scenarios blurred into a messy gray. Céline Keating knows just how to carry you through a woman’s journey, into what essentially becomes a re-discovery for Lily, and for most of us who have ever teetered on the “grass is greener” fence line of life.
April 23, 2015
What a great book! I sat down yesterday to read a few chapters of Play With Me, and to my surprise, finished it before the day was through. Lily's life and adventure captivated me from beginning to end - I didn't want to put it down. I found myself chuckling early on in the book - realizing how often I could relate to Lily's comments. I hated for it to end, it's the kind of story that really gets you thinking, and stays with you long after you've finished.
April 15, 2015
This novel sings! When empty-nester Lily hears a duo perform in concert at her son’s college, she is captivated by the guitarist, the lure of music and the magic of performance. Keating writes about music with the knowledge of a music critic and the soul of a musician; she totally drew me into Lily’s life-changing enchantment with music and those who create it.
June 29, 2015
I devoured this terrific novel on my flight home from CA, barely lifting my head until the moment we touched down. What a well-written, expertly paced, and utterly immersive book. At many points I actually forgotten I was reading, that is how vividly the story unfolded for me. I can already picture how this would translate beautifully to the big screen. Brava, Celine!
August 24, 2015
2 stars for the plot/characters that I didn't connect to but the writing was very good! I highlighted several quotes about marriage and motherhood.
May 25, 2017
Is Lily having a mid-life crisis? If not, why would she uproot her life of comfort and success for a folk-rock guitarist? This is just what she does after attending a concert at her son’s college. She uses the pretense of making a film of the band, to join them on the road.
It doesn’t take long for Lily’s once strong ethical compass to go askew and for sparks to fly. A musician’s life is usually a difficult one, even that of a famous one. JJ is certainly not famous but he is young and talented. How can Lily not be drawn to that. However, it is one thing to imagine uprooting your settled life to go after the youth you have lost, than to actually act on it.
‘Play For Me’ is a thought provoking study on a woman who gains an obsession. It is well written with a great cast of characters. It has some great psychological tension and build up to its final conclusion. It was a bit of a departure from the kind of book I usually read but I am so glad I took it. I highly recommend ‘Play For Me’ to those who love literary fiction with a bit of suspense.
It doesn’t take long for Lily’s once strong ethical compass to go askew and for sparks to fly. A musician’s life is usually a difficult one, even that of a famous one. JJ is certainly not famous but he is young and talented. How can Lily not be drawn to that. However, it is one thing to imagine uprooting your settled life to go after the youth you have lost, than to actually act on it.
‘Play For Me’ is a thought provoking study on a woman who gains an obsession. It is well written with a great cast of characters. It has some great psychological tension and build up to its final conclusion. It was a bit of a departure from the kind of book I usually read but I am so glad I took it. I highly recommend ‘Play For Me’ to those who love literary fiction with a bit of suspense.
September 14, 2015
Who, of a certain age, would not relate to this story? It's as though Keating has a lens into my own fantasies about being swept up by a provocative guitar player in a hip band! But she also has a lens into the trepidation we all feel if/when faced with actually stepping into a fantasy, and she uses this lens to tell Lily's story authentically. Solid writing and honest characters make Play For Me a great read.
April 27, 2015
From the first sentence of this book, when Lily watches her son's "loose, jaunty shamble" as he walks away from her and into his new life at college, you know you're in the hands of a masterful storyteller. PLAY FOR ME is a real, deep, wrenching and often funny novel about a woman's midlife romance. A great read -- highly recommended.
June 14, 2015
While I am far from the empty nest stage of life, I was drawn into Lilly's story from the first line. Play for Me is well-written and insightful. Keating strums the ties that bind and the limits of fidelity and personal growth like a guitarist moving through a ballad. I recommend this book to anyone who's ever asked 'what's next?'.
June 20, 2015
A good summer read!
May 10, 2017
Celine Keating's novel is set in New York. The primary character is Lily, who lives in downtown Manhattan. She has a job, she has good friends, and she has a loving husband and a son. However, somehow something seems to be missing.
The story is eloquently spun, set within one year of Lily's life, beginning with the season of autumn. She and her husband are on their way to bring their son to college for his first year. During that trip Lily is mesmerized by a folk rock duo she hears at his school. The music washes over her and re ignites her passions for music and fun. The next weekend is her birthday, and she receives a video camera from her husband.
Lily has basically living the same life since her college years. Suddenly her heart is pierced by the excitement and beauty of the music she hears from the rock duo. She buys all their CDs and becomes obsessed with the guitarist, who is seven years younger than she is.
In winter, she follows their tour to film them. When they see her video camera, they ask her to accompany them on a part of their tour.
Lily becomes more and more distanced from her husband, son and sister as she follows this dream, fine tuning her skills and continuing to have her powerful sensual obsession with JJ, the guitarist.
In Spring, she heads back home, fearful that she has lost her husband.
It is not easy to know what will happen to Lily and her marriage. The direction of her life has changed has changed dramatically since the beginning of the book.
It seems to me that this is the point of the Play for Me: how one small thing can alter everything in a person's life. I liked the book and sympathized with Lily, although I felt at times that her lack of understanding of herself was a punishment in and of itself. At the end we wonder if she will lose everything which was a part of her life before she fell into the excitement which swept her up during the tour with the folk rock duo. She knows it won't last and it could easily have ruined her marriage. She made a risky choice, understandable but harsh. There is a glimmer of hope that she and her husband may get back together at the end of this honest and well written book but it isn't a certainty. Perhaps it isn't the right choice even if attainable, but it is the most feasible one.
We know from earlier in the book that she is wise enough to realize that she will never be a rock groupie at her age. Where will she turn? What are her choices?
In Play for Me, author Celine Keating has made a good argument for being careful what you wish for.
The story is eloquently spun, set within one year of Lily's life, beginning with the season of autumn. She and her husband are on their way to bring their son to college for his first year. During that trip Lily is mesmerized by a folk rock duo she hears at his school. The music washes over her and re ignites her passions for music and fun. The next weekend is her birthday, and she receives a video camera from her husband.
Lily has basically living the same life since her college years. Suddenly her heart is pierced by the excitement and beauty of the music she hears from the rock duo. She buys all their CDs and becomes obsessed with the guitarist, who is seven years younger than she is.
In winter, she follows their tour to film them. When they see her video camera, they ask her to accompany them on a part of their tour.
Lily becomes more and more distanced from her husband, son and sister as she follows this dream, fine tuning her skills and continuing to have her powerful sensual obsession with JJ, the guitarist.
In Spring, she heads back home, fearful that she has lost her husband.
It is not easy to know what will happen to Lily and her marriage. The direction of her life has changed has changed dramatically since the beginning of the book.
It seems to me that this is the point of the Play for Me: how one small thing can alter everything in a person's life. I liked the book and sympathized with Lily, although I felt at times that her lack of understanding of herself was a punishment in and of itself. At the end we wonder if she will lose everything which was a part of her life before she fell into the excitement which swept her up during the tour with the folk rock duo. She knows it won't last and it could easily have ruined her marriage. She made a risky choice, understandable but harsh. There is a glimmer of hope that she and her husband may get back together at the end of this honest and well written book but it isn't a certainty. Perhaps it isn't the right choice even if attainable, but it is the most feasible one.
We know from earlier in the book that she is wise enough to realize that she will never be a rock groupie at her age. Where will she turn? What are her choices?
In Play for Me, author Celine Keating has made a good argument for being careful what you wish for.
May 18, 2017
Play For Me centers around Lily who becomes distraught after sending her only child, Colby, off to college. To make her feel better, Colby invites his mom for a visit and during that visit he takes her to a James Taylor concert where up-and-coming folk rocker Blaise Raleigh would be opening. During Blaise's performance, Lily becomes captivated by her guitarist, Jackson Johnson (JJ). At the end of one particular song, the last note that JJ played seemed to shoot like an arrow straight to Lily's heart and in that one split second she would never be the same again.
Overcome with emotion and a desire she couldn't quite understand, Lily used her job as a videographer with MKT Productions as a way to join Blaise and JJ's tour by offering to make them a professional concert film. During the tour, Lily becomes even more enthralled by the music and Blaise and JJ's world and over time she becomes unsure if she wants to return back to her comfortable life and she can't even fathom leaving JJ behind.
In the end, Lily realizes that her obsession with JJ was because right from the start, from the second that she had connected with his music, that she had inexplicably fallen in love with him. But she had to decide to either work on her marriage with Stephen or to carry the love she had for JJ and the pain it brought her, inside her forever.
For me, Play For Me was definitely a page turner and the author is a great storyteller. The author's love and knowledge for music was really evident. I loved Lily's character and in many ways I could relate to her wholeheartedly. The author really puts into perspective just how quickly life can change, which is both scary and exciting at the same time. I really thought Lily was a very well written and resilient character and I liked following her through her journey. Blaise and JJ were very well written and strong characters as well. Right up until the end, I wasn't quite sure who Lily was going to pick. Either way, she was going to have some amount of heartbreak but I'm happy with the choice that she made and I think this path will bring her the most happiness.
Overcome with emotion and a desire she couldn't quite understand, Lily used her job as a videographer with MKT Productions as a way to join Blaise and JJ's tour by offering to make them a professional concert film. During the tour, Lily becomes even more enthralled by the music and Blaise and JJ's world and over time she becomes unsure if she wants to return back to her comfortable life and she can't even fathom leaving JJ behind.
In the end, Lily realizes that her obsession with JJ was because right from the start, from the second that she had connected with his music, that she had inexplicably fallen in love with him. But she had to decide to either work on her marriage with Stephen or to carry the love she had for JJ and the pain it brought her, inside her forever.
For me, Play For Me was definitely a page turner and the author is a great storyteller. The author's love and knowledge for music was really evident. I loved Lily's character and in many ways I could relate to her wholeheartedly. The author really puts into perspective just how quickly life can change, which is both scary and exciting at the same time. I really thought Lily was a very well written and resilient character and I liked following her through her journey. Blaise and JJ were very well written and strong characters as well. Right up until the end, I wasn't quite sure who Lily was going to pick. Either way, she was going to have some amount of heartbreak but I'm happy with the choice that she made and I think this path will bring her the most happiness.
July 12, 2018
Such a great read with a stunning conclusion! I honestly expected to take my time getting through this one but once I started I couldn't stop until the end. I wound up getting through it in only a few hours time. I'm not even much of a reader, so you know it has to be good if I can say that!
From the get-go the books main character, Lily pulled me in. Lily leaves her job and her husband to join a folk-rock band after she sees them playing at her son's college. She becomes sort of hypnotized by the guitarist of the band and feels that the music does something to her. She tries to forget about it and goes back home but the memory of the music—and the guitarist—won't leave her alone. She ends up impulsively offering to make a short film about the band so she can be close to them and try and figure out what it is about their music that transfixes her. This involves her going along on tour with them.
I gotta admit, the premise isn't my usual thing. But this book was sexy with just the right amount of darkness and edge, sort of like rock music itself. I found Lily really sympathetic and captivating and the guitarist, J.J. totally fascinating.
The whole book had this message of following your heart and choosing who you want to be that I found beautiful and inspiring. Lily's need to find herself again after her grown kids had left her with an empty nest was universally understandable, even though I don't have an empty nest myself.
I give this book five stars, for sure! Would recommend to anyone that wants a quick read that isn't silly or fluffy but will capture your heart and make it sing!
From the get-go the books main character, Lily pulled me in. Lily leaves her job and her husband to join a folk-rock band after she sees them playing at her son's college. She becomes sort of hypnotized by the guitarist of the band and feels that the music does something to her. She tries to forget about it and goes back home but the memory of the music—and the guitarist—won't leave her alone. She ends up impulsively offering to make a short film about the band so she can be close to them and try and figure out what it is about their music that transfixes her. This involves her going along on tour with them.
I gotta admit, the premise isn't my usual thing. But this book was sexy with just the right amount of darkness and edge, sort of like rock music itself. I found Lily really sympathetic and captivating and the guitarist, J.J. totally fascinating.
The whole book had this message of following your heart and choosing who you want to be that I found beautiful and inspiring. Lily's need to find herself again after her grown kids had left her with an empty nest was universally understandable, even though I don't have an empty nest myself.
I give this book five stars, for sure! Would recommend to anyone that wants a quick read that isn't silly or fluffy but will capture your heart and make it sing!
May 10, 2017
Play for Me by Celine Keating is a contemporary piece written mostly for women. I can feel the main characters' emotions as the scenes played out...I also noticed that the writer's book held her passion for music. Deep, entertaining, and well-told. As I followed the main character, Lily, I got lost within her story. She goes out doing what she loves and ends up entangled in her own problems. Decisions have to be made....and the consequences are intense. Making the novel's atmosphere that more electrifying. Romance between two that shouldn't occur, a marriage held by a strong, and destruction of her daughter's life lay ahead. As I read through the pages and wasn't sure what advice I would give to Lily. I felt her pain as the plot continued. Celine Keating has a way of luring readers like myself further into the book.
Play for Me is exactly as it states and the options get harder as one wife slash mother tries living her life and balancing the old with the new. But as with reality, life has a way of knocking us back down to earth. Overall, great read for women everywhere. Easy to relate to and connect with the characters.
Play for Me is exactly as it states and the options get harder as one wife slash mother tries living her life and balancing the old with the new. But as with reality, life has a way of knocking us back down to earth. Overall, great read for women everywhere. Easy to relate to and connect with the characters.
March 1, 2022
I had a free copy & just reread it. This was kind of a drawn out story. Lily who was so bored with her video editing job, she was tired of business videos and jumped at the chance to follow Blaise & JJ’s music group. She was mesmerized by JJ and so star struck. Unbelievably she took a week to follow them & do a free video for them. Then she took another week, which to me was ridiculous. The story so clogged with her doing the same things making the videos and of course it doesn’t end well. The ending was kind of abrupt.
August 22, 2022
I loved this book. Lily, the main character of the novel grapples with her life, her purpose and meaning after she and her husband bring their son to college. She takes a job taping music concerts for two musicians while they are touring. While on the tour she makes decisions that will change her life in both good and bad ways. Celine writes beautifully: with humor, with wit and with emotional honesty. I highly recommend this book.
November 3, 2023
I loved this book. I forgot about the angst real musicians can cause in one’s heart until I read about Lily. After her only son left for college, Lily lost herself in a band and the guitarist.
Celine does a wonderful job making the reader feel the music and the pull of another world from the one you are living. Loved the ending. Well done.
Celine does a wonderful job making the reader feel the music and the pull of another world from the one you are living. Loved the ending. Well done.
February 23, 2025
I loved this book. I forgot about the angst real musicians can cause in one’s heart until I read about Lily. After her only son left for college, Lily lost herself in a band and the guitarist.
Celine does a wonderful job making the reader feel the music and the pull of another world from the one you are living. Loved the ending. Well done.
Celine does a wonderful job making the reader feel the music and the pull of another world from the one you are living. Loved the ending. Well done.
April 5, 2025
I loved this book. I forgot about the angst real musicians can cause in one’s heart until I read about Lily. After her only son left for college, Lily lost herself in a band and the guitarist.
Celine does a wonderful job making the reader feel the music and the pull of another world from the one you are living. Loved the ending. Well done.
Celine does a wonderful job making the reader feel the music and the pull of another world from the one you are living. Loved the ending. Well done.
August 5, 2018
3.5 stars
November 6, 2015
Lily’s story opens with Lily and her husband, Stephen, dropping their only son, Colby, off at college. Lily isn’t ready for an empty nest; Stephen is. Stephen has his work as a planner for the city of Manhattan. Lily creates educational and business videos for a small Manhattan firm. She struggles with her newly empty life.
Colby invites his mother to a James Taylor concert. Lily jumps at the chance to be with her son. However, it’s the opening band that changes Lily’s life forever. The guitarist is able to reach down to the bottom of her soul and reawaken her passions and her desires for more creative outlets. I can’t remember the name of the duo, but lead singer Blaise and guitarist JJ, especially the way JJ plays, opens her heart and soul as they haven’t been opened in years.
Lily finds herself seduced by JJ’s playing; she begins to follow the band and catch their shows wherever they are appearing. She feels stupid for her desire to hear JJ play as much as she possible can. Then she gets the idea of creating a documentary about the pair. One she gets Blaise to agree, Lily goes on the road with them. Although it’s only for a week, Lily knows this is the most important thing she has ever done.
As they travel through New England and into Canada, Lily realizes she is endangering her marriage. At first, Stephen thinks it’s a fantastic opportunity, but as the phone calls home become less and the conversations strained, he begins to wonder what is really happening.
Keating does a wonderful job in exploring what many women go through: the re-identification of herself after the kids are grown and gone. The story built both slowly and quickly. Blaise’s initial outburst when she discovered Lily taping one of their concerts seems over-the-top, but as the story progresses, readers understand her action. A fast read, the story grabbed hold of me from Page 1 and never let up until I reached the conclusion. Keating left enough wiggle room at the end for a sequel, and I hope she is writing it.
October 30, 2015
I started this book and it really was a surprise to me, this book was one I didn't want to put down. The main character sends her son off the college and she is alone at home with her husband. She goes to a performance and the guitar player her spins his web with his music. She can't get him out of her head and she goes to a second performance. She finally puts in for time off work, she works as a videographer and tells her her husband that she has decided to travel with the band and tape them and make a video of their work. She has told them she will do this for them, they of course tell her sure come along. She finds herself more wound up with her guitarist, and thinks less of her husband. Will she leave her husband to go with the guitar player? You will have to read the book to find out. I did really enjoy the book. I won it but can't remember who sent it to me. Anyway it was sent to me in exchange for an honest review.
The description of the book as found here on Good Reads is as follows:
It happens without warning: At a folk-rock show at her son s college, Lily becomes transfixed by the guitarist s unassuming onstage presence and beautiful playing and with his final note, something within her breaks loose. After the concert, Lily returns to her comfortable life an Upper West Side apartment, a job as a videographer, and a kind if distracted husband but she can t stop thinking about the music, or about the duo s guitarist, JJ. Unable to resist the pull of either one, she rashly offers to make a film about the band in order to gain a place with them on tour. But when Lily dares to step out from behind her camera, she falls deep into JJ s world upsetting the tenuous balance between he and his bandmate, and filling a chasm of need she didn t know she had. Captivating and provocative, Play for Me captures the thrill and heartbreak of deciding to leave behind what you love to follow what you desire." (less)
The description of the book as found here on Good Reads is as follows:
It happens without warning: At a folk-rock show at her son s college, Lily becomes transfixed by the guitarist s unassuming onstage presence and beautiful playing and with his final note, something within her breaks loose. After the concert, Lily returns to her comfortable life an Upper West Side apartment, a job as a videographer, and a kind if distracted husband but she can t stop thinking about the music, or about the duo s guitarist, JJ. Unable to resist the pull of either one, she rashly offers to make a film about the band in order to gain a place with them on tour. But when Lily dares to step out from behind her camera, she falls deep into JJ s world upsetting the tenuous balance between he and his bandmate, and filling a chasm of need she didn t know she had. Captivating and provocative, Play for Me captures the thrill and heartbreak of deciding to leave behind what you love to follow what you desire." (less)
February 17, 2017
I would actually give this 3.5 stars, I almost "really liked it" but would get frustrated with the main character at times. I was intrigued by this story since I first learned of it a couple of years ago. I could identify with some of what the main character was going through, but could never really sympathize with what she did and why. I would like to read more from this author.
December 15, 2015
I won this book in a Dear Reader contest.
Lily goes to visit her son at college and they go to a concert where she is taken with the guitar player. When she returns home she cannot get him out of her mind. She is a videographer who uses her profession to get close to him. I think she was going through a mid-life empty nest crises and needed the excitement he offered. He was younger than her so maybe she was looking for someone else to take care of. The problem is that she is married and she compromises her marriage for temporary happiness.
Unfortunately, at the end she finds out she has been used by the guitarist. She had fallen in love with him and he had used her. She had also alienated the lead singer, because even though they don't tell her or act it, they were a couple.
I felt sorry for her and her husband. They realize they still love each other but it is going to take a lot of counseling for her to figure out what happened and why and for him to forgive her.
Lily goes to visit her son at college and they go to a concert where she is taken with the guitar player. When she returns home she cannot get him out of her mind. She is a videographer who uses her profession to get close to him. I think she was going through a mid-life empty nest crises and needed the excitement he offered. He was younger than her so maybe she was looking for someone else to take care of. The problem is that she is married and she compromises her marriage for temporary happiness.
Unfortunately, at the end she finds out she has been used by the guitarist. She had fallen in love with him and he had used her. She had also alienated the lead singer, because even though they don't tell her or act it, they were a couple.
I felt sorry for her and her husband. They realize they still love each other but it is going to take a lot of counseling for her to figure out what happened and why and for him to forgive her.
March 21, 2016
Lily! What are you thinking? You have a wonderful marriage with Stephen, a great son in Colby and (lucky you!) an incredible relationship with him -- amazing, given that he is now beginning his own life in college, and a wonderful job. And now you want to throw it all away for what you know will be a precarious relationship, at best, with JJ. If it sounds like I'm talking to a real person, it's because Celine Keating has created such amazing characters. The plot is great, rich in detail. The dialog is beautifully written, never stilted. And the best part is the ending, wonderfully vague. You (or at least I) hope she works things out with Stephen, but you don't know. Celine, I don't suppose you can write a sequel. Maybe a year or two past the ending. Does Lily get her new business going? How would that affect her (please, Celine, mended?) relationship with Stephen? Can Colby forgive his mother? Can Lily come to terms with her changed life?
July 28, 2015
This novel reminded me of Erica Jong's Fear of Flying. No, the husband isn't boring and self-absorbed. But this is the story of a woman at a moment when her reason for living has moved on without her, and she needs to find what to care about again. It's a "grab your joy" or "make your own joy" novel without a tidy ending (thank goodness). BTW, every sentence is a pleasure.
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