Love & Notes

by Corinne Edial

401 pages, Kindle Edition

Expected publication October 14, 2026

About the author

Corinne Edial is a romance author and classically trained pianist who has been playing the piano for over thirty years. Music has always been a constant in her life, and was the only world she wanted to write about for her debut novel. When she is not lost inside a book, Corinne can be found exploring the Pembrokeshire coastline with her husband, her son and their miniature Dachshund who has very strong opinions about the route.

Reviews

[Renee Quinn]

Absolutely compelling and incredibly heartfelt contemporary romance!

The story follows Ellise, the so called "golden girl" of the music conservatory. Everything about her is primed for perfection, and she carries so much quietly on her shoulders, including a disability that is straining her musical talents. She's immediately at odds with "bad boy" Julian, a rich piano prodigy who seemingly doesn't have a care in the world. When the two are forced to play a piece together at the conservatory showcase - forced proximity causes sparks to fly!

I absolutely loved getting to know the characters and I related to Ellise so much. The music and disability aspects were so beautifully woven through it felt like you could hear and feel exactly what the characters were going through. I love a story that packs an emotional punch, and this book delivers big time. Both Ellise and Juilan have trauma that helps bond and heal each of them, and I absolutely loved watching him fall so hard for her. Absolutely beautiful story from start to finish!

[Maitland]

Julian Thorne. Thats it. Thats the review.

There are no words 😮‍💨

Thank you Corinne for allowing me to be apart of your street team and one of your first-wave of ARC readers. I couldn’t have picked a better author for my first experience as a street team member! 🖤🎀

This was a FANTASTIC debut novel, and i am unwell 🎹

Shes the picture perfect violinist, he’s the bad boy prodigy pianist, both forced into a duet. Love & Notes puts all other rivals to lovers tropes to shame 🔥

The inner monologues are SO good and made me laugh so much! The dialogue between Julian & Ellise?!? FULL banter and quick comebacks!! My favorite!

I’m really unwell because what do you mean he wipes pizza sauce from the corner of her mouth with his thumb, and then proceeds like NOTHING HAPPENED 🥵 100% sure my pulse was racing too 😮‍💨

UGH. THE TENSION 🤌🏼

I also haven’t read a book that is set at a prestigious music college, but i loved the academic, moody, old money vibe i got from the setting!

Hypermobility is a new-to-me chronic illness and I really appreciated seeing it represented in a way that highlights the reality that disability doesn’t mean inability, and chronic illness doesn’t mean a lack of vitality.

As a mom to a disabled child, meaningful representation like this means so much to me🩷 I felt like this was handled with care, and I’m so grateful for the opportunity to see this kind of representation on the page.

Beautifully done Corinne 🩷🎀

Please consider adding this to your TBR! Release date is October 14th 🎹🖤

[T.S Rosewater]

Belrose Academy ARC review...

Ellise Vance and Julian Thorne are rivals to lovers in this classical romance. They are both musicians and have been paired up to create a showpiece for their final exam at Belrose Academy.

The yearning, the tension, the musical poetry is why I have given this max stars! I loved this and am so grateful I was one of the few who was able to read it first.

I adored this slow burn classical romance. Corinne describes music like poetry! The slow burn was such a delight that when they finally had their first kiss I was kicking my feet! This is a masterpiece I could not put down! I was obsessed!

[Jennifer Lowry]

Thank you Corinne for sharing this ARC with me!!! The TENSION between these two!! Omg! Julian is a hot English bad boy with a hot accent who is an incredibly talented piano player. Ellise is the good girl who plays the violin and suffers from hyper mobility. They are paired together for a music showcase and have to work together every day. The TENSION! This is such an absolutely excellent story with no third act break up and a HEA!

[Halee Schmidt]

✨Arc Review✨

4.5⭐️

Wow! What a debut novel! This was such a sweet story between two fierce musical rivals! Corinne did such an amazing job building tension between the characters during this slow burn romance! I really loved that both characters found solace in each other and shared the same struggles in grieving a parent. That moment allowed them to see they truly aren’t that different after all. I love how Julian was secretly yearning and Ellise just genuinely thought he hated her. To be fair, he was a dick but he had his reasons. Overall, this story was absolutely beautiful! Such a sweet and emotional journey walking along side these two characters.

[Ashleigh (tiger_reads)]

This contemporary romance is one that needs to be on your tbr immediately! In a world flooded with hockey and cowboy romances this classical music based romance is a breath of fresh air! 🥰

Bay boy x golden girl
Rivals to lovers
Spicy
He falls first and harder
He’ll do anything for her

I’m in love with the world, the musical academy and the whirlwind romance of Julian and Ellise and I know you will too! 💗🎀

[Katy]

Based in a prestigious musical academy, Love & Notes takes us on the journey between the school's resident "Golden Girl", Ellise, and the token "Bad Boy", Julian.

Julian is filthy rich, arrogant, follows no rules, and genuinely seems to care about nothing except annoying Ellise. Ellise on the other hand is a rigid rule follower attending on scholarship, who gives herself no room for anything less than perfection.

After Julian finally drives her beyond the brink with his antics, Ellise loses her cool publicly and unknowingly seals their fate when they are forced together for a duet.

As they spend time together, learning more about each other, there are unexpected discoveries that lead to a beautiful new beginning for them. Ellise has a hypermobility disorder, something I knew nothing about before this book, and when she shares this vulnerability with Julian, something between them shifts. They learn that they've each suffered the tragic loss of a parent, and we also learn about Julian's dad, a cold and detached prick of a man, whose absence and generally crappy parenting has contributed to Julian's cold hearted facade.

I absolutely loved Ellise's strong personality, confidence, and willingness to stand up for herself, and her BFF Maddie adds the most perfect best friend energy. Julian's self reflections and growth make him top book boyfriend material.

This is well written with brilliant inner monologues and banter. Julian's quips and Ellise's quick comebacks are electric.

Congratulations on your debut, Corinne, and thanks for letting me be part of your ARC reviews! I'll be following to see what happens next at Belrose Academy and really hope we get Maddie's story next!

[Briana smith]

4⭐️

Wow wow wow this was absolutely beautiful 🥹 This being Corinnes debut , she truly DID THAT😭

As a lover of music, this one really made my heart so warm.
The love and attention to detail for both of their passions truly showed. 😭💖

Ellise is such a gem in the music world. Being known as the good girl, she had a reputation to hold up to. All her focus and all her drive went to music and it showed. With her condition it made it so hard to play pain free and my heart ached for her😭 But she continued to push through no matter what since it was her one true love.
In comes Julian. This man was a storm cloud instantly. The first performance she noticed him in the crowd and the way he judged her had turned her off. From there on out she jad a vendetta against him. But the way she caved under him was so beautiful🤤

That forced proximity WOOOWEEEE having to work together and create a piece together was rough at first. But the more he showed up and proved to her hes not the guy she thought he was, things were smooth sailing. The facade he had towards her was always fake, the man was DOWN BAD and I am so obsessed 😭 I loved that he paid attention to her and her needs. Always checking on her with her pains and if she needed anything 🥹

With both of their families broken it was so beautiful to see them form such a strong bond. Building back up the missing and broken pieces. They truly needed eachother ❤️‍🩹

Im truly just so proud this being Corinnes debut 🥹💖
I cant wait for book 2 and just have a feeling on who it is hehe

[Nicole]

Thank you Corinne Edial for the arc read opportunity of this beautiful love story.

Summary:
Ellise Vance is the good-girl violinist trying to make it through her final year at Belrose Academy while navigating life with hypermobility. Julian is the bad-boy piano prodigy who keeps everyone at a distance. The two are complete opposites, but Julian has been captivated by Ellise for the past year. After a disruption in class, they’re forced to partner up for a duet in the spring showcase, meaning they’ll have to set their differences aside and learn to work together.

Thoughts:
• I know this is a “he falls first” book, but it’s actually more of a “he falls instantly” book. I could tell right away how much Julian cared for Ellise. Seeing a bad boy fall is always so good!
• Some of the big gestures Julian makes for Ellise had my heart melting into a puddle. 🥹
• The added classical music component of this book was so unique to me, and I really enjoyed every aspect of Belrose. I never realized how intense the world of classical music can be, or how much work, dedication, and love goes into perfecting and practicing an instrument. It was such a nice twist for a contemporary romance.
• Both characters have troubled family dynamics, and I love how they build each other up with love and unwavering support. Their friend groups are also so enjoyable and incredibly supportive. I always love when this happens in books.
• I’m already ready for book two!

[Nickole]

Rcvd an advanced reader copy from the author for giving my two cents.

Such a cute story, the golden girl and bad boy in forced proximity.

We meet Elise, violinist who is working on her Masters. First year performance she messes up bc of some dark and dangerous dude in the audience who had the audacity to speak. She vows to not let him get to her. We meet Julian, pianist with an attitude and his favourite thing is trying to get a reaction our of Bow Peep aka Ellise. He went to far in class and she verbally assaulted him which ended in both of them being told they will do a duet together for the Spring Recital. WTH! Ellise cant work with him, Julian is evil incarnate. Julian is beyond pissed that his passing relies on thr golden girl. While trying to work together Julian notices Ellise is in pain when she moves. Ellise reluctantly tells him about her hypermobility. She also sees Julian behind his grumpyiness and sarcasm. The more time they spend together the more they notice each wears a mask to the outside world. Together they must work together for the showcase but it's more about how to release expectations and be who you are meant to be. Great read.

[Savannah N]

⭐⭐⭐⭐.5

Love & Notes was such a beautiful love story! This was such a warm read, and I genuinely loved so much about it.

The tension between Ellise and Julian was so good. They definitely didn’t like each other at first, but being forced to work together gave them a chance to see each other differently. Julian had me smiling because he acted like he couldn’t stand Ellise while secretly caring so much about her!

I really loved the emotional side of this book too. Both Ellise and Julian were dealing with their own struggles, and watching them slowly open up to each other was so sweet. I loved seeing them become a source of comfort for one another.

The music academy setting was such a fun change from what I normally read! I loved how important music was to both of them. Ellise’s hypermobility was also handled with care, and I appreciated how it was part of her story without defining her.

Overall, this was such a warm and beautiful romance with great tension, a sweet slow burn, and plenty of emotional moments. I loved all of it and really enjoyed Corinne’s debut! I’m excited to see what comes next!

Thank you Corinne for the eARC!

[Amanda Mulling]

ARC READER BOOK COPY! Semi-spoilers…

I received an advanced copy of Love & Notes after being chosen as an ARC Reader. I was immediately pulled into the story and finished it in two days. It is a sweet love story with a slow burn and a little spice. I especially loved and appreciated how real the author described the struggles, the hiding, and debilitating nature of Ellise’s hypermobility, but also how she was able to power through, which is what so many people with chronic illnesses have to do. Julian, who initially came off as just another spoiled, guy completely redeemed himself. His desire to protect and become a helpmate for Ellise, treat her as an equal, made you completely fall hard for him. I also feel like this could become a series if the author so chose. The friends are interesting.

[Sarah Neese]

Love and Notes is such a beautifully written novel, and I was so lucky to read it before its publication. Julian Thorne is going to be so many people’s favorite MMC. He’s sexy, broody, talented, and gone for Ellise. I loved the push and pull between the two of them, and the slow burn was chef’s kiss!

As someone with a chronic illness, this book is so important. To watch Ellise struggle daily with her hyper mobility hit me right in the chest.

This novel made me laugh, cry, blush, and wanting to listen to every instrumental piece I could. You will not be disappointed!

[Breanna]

I was lucky enough to be a Beta reader for this one, and can't wait to see the finished version!! Thank you Corinne for trusting me the first version of your debut!

[Ashlan Harigel]

I loved this book! Absolutely a sucker for an enemies to lovers, forced proximity, good girl/bad boy trope. And he’s British?! 😮‍💨
Such an easy read! Will definitely be reading more of her work.