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Perfect Tunes
The perfect song. The biggest dream. The love of her life.
It’s the early days of the new millennium, and Laura has arrived in New York City’s East Village in the hopes of recording her first album. A songwriter with a one-of-a-kind talent, she’s just beginning to book gigs with her beautiful best friend when she falls hard for a troubled but magnetic musician whose star is on the rise. Their time together is stormy and short-lived – but will reverberate for the rest of Laura’s life.
Fifteen years later, Laura’s teenage daughter is asking questions about her father, questions Laura does not want to answer. Laura has built a stable life in Brooklyn that bears little resemblance to the one she envisioned all those years ago, and she’s taken pains to close the door on what was and what might have been. When her best friend – now a famous musician – comes to town, opportunity knocks for Laura for a second time. Has growing older changed who she is and what she most wants? After all the sacrifices and compromises she’s made along the way, how much is she still that girl from Ohio, with big talent and big dreams?
Funny, wise and tender-hearted, Perfect Tunes explores the fault lines in our most important relationships, and asks whether dreams deferred can ever be reclaimed.
It’s the early days of the new millennium, and Laura has arrived in New York City’s East Village in the hopes of recording her first album. A songwriter with a one-of-a-kind talent, she’s just beginning to book gigs with her beautiful best friend when she falls hard for a troubled but magnetic musician whose star is on the rise. Their time together is stormy and short-lived – but will reverberate for the rest of Laura’s life.
Fifteen years later, Laura’s teenage daughter is asking questions about her father, questions Laura does not want to answer. Laura has built a stable life in Brooklyn that bears little resemblance to the one she envisioned all those years ago, and she’s taken pains to close the door on what was and what might have been. When her best friend – now a famous musician – comes to town, opportunity knocks for Laura for a second time. Has growing older changed who she is and what she most wants? After all the sacrifices and compromises she’s made along the way, how much is she still that girl from Ohio, with big talent and big dreams?
Funny, wise and tender-hearted, Perfect Tunes explores the fault lines in our most important relationships, and asks whether dreams deferred can ever be reclaimed.
288 pages, Hardcover
First published April 14, 2020
319 people are currently reading
11179 people want to read
About the author
Emily Gould
16 books637 followersEmily Gould was born and raised in Silver Spring, Maryland. She went to Kenyon College for two years, then completed her B.A. at Eugene Lang College (The New School for Liberal Arts) in New York City. She has lived in NYC - first in the East Village, then in Greenpoint, and now in Bed-Stuy, Brooklyn -- since May 2001.
Since moving to New York Emily has had a number of jobs, including work at Hyperion Books and Gawker.com. In 2008 she completed Alison West's 200 hour yoga teacher training and in 2010 she completed her basic back care yoga certification. She runs Emily Books, a feminist publishing project (www.emilybooks.com).
Besides yoga, she loves going to museums especially PS1, birdwatching and karaoke.
Since moving to New York Emily has had a number of jobs, including work at Hyperion Books and Gawker.com. In 2008 she completed Alison West's 200 hour yoga teacher training and in 2010 she completed her basic back care yoga certification. She runs Emily Books, a feminist publishing project (www.emilybooks.com).
Besides yoga, she loves going to museums especially PS1, birdwatching and karaoke.
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June 25, 2020I like the premise. I would have liked to say the story fleshed out more and fuller character development. The reader is expected to take a lot for granted which makes for an uneven read but there are nicely observed moments throughout and the overall idea is solid.
March 15, 2023
What started out as an intoxicating sad girl read.. morphed into a toxic sad girl read. I really thought this was going to be so much different.
THOUGHTS:
- The character development is really good. We're quickly introduced to the main characters, their flaws and motivations.. but somehow, I didn't connect with a single character. Not one character felt like the hero?
- The plot of this is just really sad overall. Lackluster marriages, loveless semi-passionate relationships, drug abuse, and the sadness of unfulfilled dreams.
- I think the best part of this is that sometimes life is just that.. life.. even with the horrible and the ugly parts. There are moments of happy, but overall these characters just seem sad and like they have no motivation or dreams anymore.
NOTES:
- TWs: attempted s3xual assault, drug abuse, alcoholism, bad in-law relationships, mentions of the aftermath of life around 9/11
- Very meandering long time line. Truly a character-driven novel. Things do happen, but they almost happen in the main characters subconsciousness?
THOUGHTS:
- The character development is really good. We're quickly introduced to the main characters, their flaws and motivations.. but somehow, I didn't connect with a single character. Not one character felt like the hero?
- The plot of this is just really sad overall. Lackluster marriages, loveless semi-passionate relationships, drug abuse, and the sadness of unfulfilled dreams.
- I think the best part of this is that sometimes life is just that.. life.. even with the horrible and the ugly parts. There are moments of happy, but overall these characters just seem sad and like they have no motivation or dreams anymore.
NOTES:
- TWs: attempted s3xual assault, drug abuse, alcoholism, bad in-law relationships, mentions of the aftermath of life around 9/11
- Very meandering long time line. Truly a character-driven novel. Things do happen, but they almost happen in the main characters subconsciousness?
September 28, 2020
Eh. I don't really understand why this book exists, why is this a story I should want to read? It is competently written (perhaps better than competent), in a heavily workshopped way but I can't think who would care about the story told. The whole is so navel gazey and mundane. It is so Brooklyn! Now, I love Brooklyn, heart and soul. I spent much of my 20's living there, first in Boerum Hill (when it was still dangerous - before it was home to so many literary stars) feet away from the entrance to the Gowanus projects (RIP) and then in the upper reaches of Park Slope. I still spend a lot of time there. I am a card carrying member of the Brooklyn Museum and BAM, and I love a good Emily burger. But. Brooklyn has an obsession with "authenticity" that is absurd. Word to the wise, if you think about whether you are being authentic, you are not being authentic. Also, authenticity often sucks. Trump is his authentic self every day, and I would be thrilled if he pretended to be a decent human being with a dash of intellect and a soupcon of public policy expertise. Some of the worst Indian food I have ever had was on the street in Kolkata. Authentic yes, and featuring the meat of (well seasoned) scrawny, tough, fly covered chickens. Anyway, my point is there is an earnest authenticity here that I would like to trade in for some style, some flavor, some generosity, some point. All of the characters are authentic, and all are just boring. Everything that happens to them is authentic, and still boring. So if the goal was to write an authentic story, well done. If the point was to write a compelling worthwhile story, this did not work.
April 25, 2020
No soul. No logic. No point.
November 13, 2019
A really great concept for this book but I feel like it fell short for me... the character’s connections really lacked in my opinion. I felt like there wasn’t very much dialog between characters that was meaningful and it was hard for me to feel connected to them. I also think the book may need to divide up into a few more chapters, a lot of the book felt like a run on. I think this book has a lot of potential though!
I received an ARC of this book through netgalley.
I received an ARC of this book through netgalley.
January 4, 2020
I received this book free from Netgalley.
I found this book particularly difficult together into. The characters are flat and one-dimensional and the story felt like it had been done so many times before. There were some grammatical errors too, which was off-putting. Cannot recommend this book.
I found this book particularly difficult together into. The characters are flat and one-dimensional and the story felt like it had been done so many times before. There were some grammatical errors too, which was off-putting. Cannot recommend this book.
August 31, 2020
3.5 stars
Sometimes life gets in the way of your dreams.
Laura has always wanted to be a musician. Growing up in Ohio, she used to write songs for fun, and when she moves to New York City after graduation, she’s ready to finally pursue her dreams. But although she’s a talented singer, guitarist, and writer, she struggles with confidence and motivation, although thanks to her best friend Callie, she is able to get some small pops of opportunity.
When she meets Dylan, the handsome, enigmatic, troubled front man of a band poised for greatness, she is instantly drawn to him. As the band becomes more popular, Laura’s feelings intensify, as do Dylan’s struggles. She’s not sure what she wants, from life or their relationship, but in some ways, decisions are made for her.
Fifteen years later, Laura has a comfortable life unlike the one she dreamed of. While she occasionally writes songs for her friend, she mostly deals with the struggles of her teenage daughter, who is forever pushing the boundaries of their relationship.
As Laura realizes the key to the future is unpacking some of her past, she also realizes that she is entitled to pursue her dreams, too, and that living and loving doesn’t always mean sacrifice.
Perfect Tunes is a well-written book about relationships—parental, romantic, platonic—and the sacrifices we make to try and ensure they succeed. It’s also a story about mental health, self-confidence, and both the beauty and fear that come from going after your dreams.
I liked this book but I didn’t really feel a connection to the characters as much as I wanted to. Laura’s indecisiveness irritated me from time to time, but Emily Gould’s storytelling really lifted the story up.
Check out my list of the best books I read in 2019 at https://itseithersadnessoreuphoria.blogspot.com/2020/01/the-best-books-i-read-in-2019.html.
Check out my list of the best books of the decade at https://itseithersadnessoreuphoria.blogspot.com/2020/01/my-favorite-books-of-decade.html.
See all of my reviews at itseithersadnessoreuphoria.blogspot.com.
Follow me on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/the.bookishworld.of.yrralh/.
Sometimes life gets in the way of your dreams.
Laura has always wanted to be a musician. Growing up in Ohio, she used to write songs for fun, and when she moves to New York City after graduation, she’s ready to finally pursue her dreams. But although she’s a talented singer, guitarist, and writer, she struggles with confidence and motivation, although thanks to her best friend Callie, she is able to get some small pops of opportunity.
When she meets Dylan, the handsome, enigmatic, troubled front man of a band poised for greatness, she is instantly drawn to him. As the band becomes more popular, Laura’s feelings intensify, as do Dylan’s struggles. She’s not sure what she wants, from life or their relationship, but in some ways, decisions are made for her.
Fifteen years later, Laura has a comfortable life unlike the one she dreamed of. While she occasionally writes songs for her friend, she mostly deals with the struggles of her teenage daughter, who is forever pushing the boundaries of their relationship.
As Laura realizes the key to the future is unpacking some of her past, she also realizes that she is entitled to pursue her dreams, too, and that living and loving doesn’t always mean sacrifice.
Perfect Tunes is a well-written book about relationships—parental, romantic, platonic—and the sacrifices we make to try and ensure they succeed. It’s also a story about mental health, self-confidence, and both the beauty and fear that come from going after your dreams.
I liked this book but I didn’t really feel a connection to the characters as much as I wanted to. Laura’s indecisiveness irritated me from time to time, but Emily Gould’s storytelling really lifted the story up.
Check out my list of the best books I read in 2019 at https://itseithersadnessoreuphoria.blogspot.com/2020/01/the-best-books-i-read-in-2019.html.
Check out my list of the best books of the decade at https://itseithersadnessoreuphoria.blogspot.com/2020/01/my-favorite-books-of-decade.html.
See all of my reviews at itseithersadnessoreuphoria.blogspot.com.
Follow me on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/the.bookishworld.of.yrralh/.
May 13, 2020
read in one night as - i think - a form of self-inflicted punishment. not good.
March 7, 2020
*DO NOT read the jacket summary!* I did but fortunately after I’d already read past the spoiler revealed that happens 100 or so pages in. Just go in knowing that this is a great mix of the musician’s life of Daisy Jones & the Six with the writing expertise of Ask Again, Yes or Everything I Never Told You which are two of my all-time favorite fiction books written for other writers.
This was my first time reading Gould I’m quite envious of her because she managed to write the book I wished to. The small cast of main characters is balanced by the NYC setting which could have swallowed the story whole, but didn’t— it just feels right.
Laura is a singer and songwriter and she always has been. She wrote the best song in high school and expected to be a career musician. She moves to New York with a push from her hometown friend, Callie, who has a “room” (New Yorkers will get this; it’s technically a 2-bedroom, but not really) open up in her apartment. Laura gets a gig as a hostess in a dark, swanky restaurant downtown and is soon making just enough money to pay for rent and not much else. Being friends with Callie is hard because of how everyone gravities towards her beauty and presence over Laura’s, but it is her love connection to a drummer in an up-and-coming band that Laura meets her next boyfriend, Dylan. They have great sex and spend all their free time at odd hours together but he’s about to start a drug-fueled tour and he’s not very good at being a boyfriend. No matter, at the very least she can try to get back to making music. Inspired by and jealous of Dylan’s band success and prodded by an old friend to get him to agree to an interview, Laura decides she has to use his connections to get herself a gig. Though barely listening at the time, he agrees to let her band open for his, but first she has to enlist Callie for the sex appeal and a drummer to back her guitar and just like that, Laura is back on track to pursuing her dream.
Next 9/11 happens and the couples take a brief hiatus from the city to regroup but at this point, after so many tour stops, it’s obvious that Dylan isn’t well. He’s never sober, he barely wants to sleep with Laura, and his mother hates her, so she and Callie head back home. Life more or less returns to normal, though normal post-9/11 is relative, and Laura gets promoted to a server and she’s playing gigs around the city, writing songs, getting her groove. Her relationship is so-so, but there’s potential for them both. Everything is ok, until Callie shares the news that will pop their optimistic bubble and force Laura to confront what she has been denying for weeks.
CW: depression & suicidal ideation
This was my first time reading Gould I’m quite envious of her because she managed to write the book I wished to. The small cast of main characters is balanced by the NYC setting which could have swallowed the story whole, but didn’t— it just feels right.
Laura is a singer and songwriter and she always has been. She wrote the best song in high school and expected to be a career musician. She moves to New York with a push from her hometown friend, Callie, who has a “room” (New Yorkers will get this; it’s technically a 2-bedroom, but not really) open up in her apartment. Laura gets a gig as a hostess in a dark, swanky restaurant downtown and is soon making just enough money to pay for rent and not much else. Being friends with Callie is hard because of how everyone gravities towards her beauty and presence over Laura’s, but it is her love connection to a drummer in an up-and-coming band that Laura meets her next boyfriend, Dylan. They have great sex and spend all their free time at odd hours together but he’s about to start a drug-fueled tour and he’s not very good at being a boyfriend. No matter, at the very least she can try to get back to making music. Inspired by and jealous of Dylan’s band success and prodded by an old friend to get him to agree to an interview, Laura decides she has to use his connections to get herself a gig. Though barely listening at the time, he agrees to let her band open for his, but first she has to enlist Callie for the sex appeal and a drummer to back her guitar and just like that, Laura is back on track to pursuing her dream.
Next 9/11 happens and the couples take a brief hiatus from the city to regroup but at this point, after so many tour stops, it’s obvious that Dylan isn’t well. He’s never sober, he barely wants to sleep with Laura, and his mother hates her, so she and Callie head back home. Life more or less returns to normal, though normal post-9/11 is relative, and Laura gets promoted to a server and she’s playing gigs around the city, writing songs, getting her groove. Her relationship is so-so, but there’s potential for them both. Everything is ok, until Callie shares the news that will pop their optimistic bubble and force Laura to confront what she has been denying for weeks.
CW: depression & suicidal ideation
October 1, 2025
#️⃣5️⃣3️⃣0️⃣ Read & Reviewed in 2025 🍩🧁
Date : 🗓️ Wednesday, October 1, 2025 🎁💐🍝
Word Count📃: 73k Words 🎉🍬✨
— !! 𖦹「 ✦ 🍪 Happy Birthday🎂 ✦ 」✮ ⋆ ˚｡𖦹 ⋆｡°✩
My 5th read in "IT'S MY BIRTHDAY MONTH!!! :DDDD 👏🍭🍨" October.
5️⃣🌟, like mother like daughter in the perfect sense 😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭
——————————————————————
➕➖0️⃣1️⃣2️⃣3️⃣4️⃣5️⃣6️⃣7️⃣8️⃣9️⃣🔟✖️➗
Perfect Tunes is like one of the best books i have ever read because it not only talks about the journey of one person but also the continuation and the parallels from your childhood to the time where you will become a parent and raise a child of your own. Laura was a great song writer when she was young and now that she has her kids of her own, that songwriting future is now taken on a hiatus (may be permanent) and now she can only tell stories about the past to her daughter Maria,. Now on the halfway point of the book, the book is now focusing on Maria and not Laura. It was quite sad and nostalgic when that happened because now we're looking at the continuation of the journey of what could have been Laura's successful future. But even then, the songwriting capabilities and the past songs that she wrote can be passed down to her daughter and the stories told by the songs can have a new home and a new meaning through the young love that Maria is currently experiencing, which is also parallel to the story of love that Maria's parents once had. The dad is not really present in this story but there is a sad and tragic reason why. Overall this is a great story and i love all the parallels between mother and daughter and how Laura gets to guide her daughter and help her when it comes to how love works, it's very cute and heartwearing for a mother to teach her daughter on topics such as thisss.
Date : 🗓️ Wednesday, October 1, 2025 🎁💐🍝
Word Count📃: 73k Words 🎉🍬✨
— !! 𖦹「 ✦ 🍪 Happy Birthday🎂 ✦ 」✮ ⋆ ˚｡𖦹 ⋆｡°✩
My 5th read in "IT'S MY BIRTHDAY MONTH!!! :DDDD 👏🍭🍨" October.
5️⃣🌟, like mother like daughter in the perfect sense 😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭
——————————————————————
➕➖0️⃣1️⃣2️⃣3️⃣4️⃣5️⃣6️⃣7️⃣8️⃣9️⃣🔟✖️➗
Perfect Tunes is like one of the best books i have ever read because it not only talks about the journey of one person but also the continuation and the parallels from your childhood to the time where you will become a parent and raise a child of your own. Laura was a great song writer when she was young and now that she has her kids of her own, that songwriting future is now taken on a hiatus (may be permanent) and now she can only tell stories about the past to her daughter Maria,. Now on the halfway point of the book, the book is now focusing on Maria and not Laura. It was quite sad and nostalgic when that happened because now we're looking at the continuation of the journey of what could have been Laura's successful future. But even then, the songwriting capabilities and the past songs that she wrote can be passed down to her daughter and the stories told by the songs can have a new home and a new meaning through the young love that Maria is currently experiencing, which is also parallel to the story of love that Maria's parents once had. The dad is not really present in this story but there is a sad and tragic reason why. Overall this is a great story and i love all the parallels between mother and daughter and how Laura gets to guide her daughter and help her when it comes to how love works, it's very cute and heartwearing for a mother to teach her daughter on topics such as thisss.
May 7, 2020
I can't tell if it's me or the book, but it really didn't work for me. It had moments of potential, but overall lacked depth. I also don't relate that much to the toxic early 20s romantic relationships dynamic between Laura and Dylan at the beginning, so it could have been more meaningful if I did. The characters Callie and Daisy fell flat to me, only serving a purpose for us to get to know Laura better, but even Laura felt like a mystery or overly judgmental. I read all of it, but it's not a book for me.
May 10, 2020
3.75⭐️ A page turning story mostly about motherhood and setting aside your dreams for your child. Part 1 reminded me a bit of Sweetbitter. I adored Part 2 which was about our main character and her bond with her baby/toddler. Part 3 was also good with an ending that doesn’t necessarily tie it all up in a bow. I won an ARC in a Goodreads give away.
June 24, 2020
This had some nice moments. I liked the main character's arc and there were some nice insights, especially near the end, about creative inspiration and motherhood. But I was mostly disappointed. Some writers I respect gushed on the book jacket and I only found it so-so.
July 18, 2020
This book is for those of us who have unfulfilled dreams because we decided to raise children. At times depressing, especially when discussing the banalities of baby vomit and diarrhea, the book is actually hopeful. Mom never loses sight of her dream and it doesn’t ever really die, it just sinks below the surface of her everyday life like a seedling waiting to grow. Mom doesn’t live a life of regret, instead folding herself inside the life of her daughter while allowing her to grow up to be her own person. The sacrifice of motherhood is beautifully portrayed without bitterness.
Gould walked the razor’s edge by having Mom’s best friend grab hold of her dream and make it her own. She handles this delicate friendship beautifully. She asks who is more successful? The beautiful best friend who trades off Mom’s musical talent and lands lots of concert gigs, or Mom for raising a beautiful daughter? Gould showed how motherhood transforms a woman into a less selfish human being while retaining the essence of who she is.
Gould also does a good job of describing overwhelming depression and how it can be inherited. Her depiction of teenagers is spot on. I found it really engrossing and read it in a day.
Gould walked the razor’s edge by having Mom’s best friend grab hold of her dream and make it her own. She handles this delicate friendship beautifully. She asks who is more successful? The beautiful best friend who trades off Mom’s musical talent and lands lots of concert gigs, or Mom for raising a beautiful daughter? Gould showed how motherhood transforms a woman into a less selfish human being while retaining the essence of who she is.
Gould also does a good job of describing overwhelming depression and how it can be inherited. Her depiction of teenagers is spot on. I found it really engrossing and read it in a day.
April 14, 2020
A big thanks to Avid Reader Press for the free advance reader’s edition!
I’ve been excited to read this novel for months and, I am happy to report, it did NOT disappoint! Emily Gould’s writing is fantastic and I absolutely fell in love with her characters, especially Laura who is the novel’s primary narrator/protagonist.
While this will certainly appeal to those who have experienced life after children, and what it looks like to set aside certain dreams and goals while your children are young, this story, to me, has universal appeal and relatability. In addition, if you love stories set in NYC with lots of creative flair, you have to give this one a try!
I can’t say enough good things about PERFECT TUNES. I started reading another book, once I was about halfway in, so that I could force myself to slow down and not completely devour it; I never wanted the experience to end. Highly recommend!
I’ve been excited to read this novel for months and, I am happy to report, it did NOT disappoint! Emily Gould’s writing is fantastic and I absolutely fell in love with her characters, especially Laura who is the novel’s primary narrator/protagonist.
While this will certainly appeal to those who have experienced life after children, and what it looks like to set aside certain dreams and goals while your children are young, this story, to me, has universal appeal and relatability. In addition, if you love stories set in NYC with lots of creative flair, you have to give this one a try!
I can’t say enough good things about PERFECT TUNES. I started reading another book, once I was about halfway in, so that I could force myself to slow down and not completely devour it; I never wanted the experience to end. Highly recommend!
December 4, 2020
QUICK TAKE: a case of #bookstagrammademedoit, PERFECT TUNES is GILMORE GIRLS meets DAISY JONES AND THE SIX. It starts out as a story about a young woman making a name for herself as a musician in NYC, ends up being a really emotional mother/daughter story with an unexpected dive into mental illness. Great character-development and well-written, grounded relationships and a solid story about the sacrifices mothers make for their children.
July 30, 2020
This was a very nice pandemic read, in that it was comfy and easy and absorbing and fine. My lasting affection for Emily is well documented, and while I continue to find her fiction somewhat surface-y, the emotional intimacy and tenderness for her characters shines through and makes her books reliably enjoyable.
February 6, 2020
The description of this book sounded so good. I was really excited to read it, and tried so hard to love it. Unfortunately, I found it bland and was not able to feel invested in the story or connect to the characters.
April 10, 2021
I am ruthless with books that disappoint me this month. Another book that I tried hard to get into but lost interest.
A singer songwriter moving to NYC. Falls in love with a brooding musician. Sounds great.
It wasn’t great.
It was just so dull. Nothing really happened.
Finished about half way, after starting and restarting several times.
A singer songwriter moving to NYC. Falls in love with a brooding musician. Sounds great.
It wasn’t great.
It was just so dull. Nothing really happened.
Finished about half way, after starting and restarting several times.
August 5, 2020
The description, and the first chapter or two of this book had me completely and utterly suckered. I thought this was going to be a story about art, music, songwriting and why they can be such difficult things to chase. The cover was stunning (no, seriously, kudos to whomever at Simon and Schuster put this one together, it's gorgeous). If only what was sandwiched between was as colorful or intriguing (it's not).
Like so many other books, this is a book of how an incredibly boring human being is surrounded by more interesting human beings and resists with their entire being any way of becoming an interesting person. Further, in an absolutely astounding turn of talent, the author makes time spent in the East Village of New York City in the early 2000s (back when it still had just enough grit to a little interesting and a lot of fun) completely devoid of any spark or excitement; as dull as this timid milquetoast of a main character. Laura (said protagonist), says "um" a lot. She is too afraid to say anything at all. The only thing she hates more than praise is being the center of attention, which is absolutely mind-boggling considering that she came to New York to write and perform music. Unless the hundreds of venues I've been to in my lifetime have been lying to me, the only way to perform is to literally be the center of attention. And to top it off, she's about as dumb as the sack of flour that she resembles. She takes a job she doesn't like despite her reservations because she doesn't want to ask her far more savvy, interesting roommate (why, oh, why couldn't this book have been about Callie?) for help or advice. And the worst of all, she falls in lust(love?) with Timothy Chalamet stand-in Dylan. The Dylan section of the book was possibly the best part of this slog, as they provided many (inadvertent) laugh-out-loud funny moments. The mere fact that Dylan had "the most beautiful dick in the world," had me in stitches (and writing parodies of Prince songs). Our heroine continues to brush off chance after chance to make her music an actual thing, because like, reasons? Tell me, if Laura (our hero) wrote the perfect song, and liked writing songs, why didn't she do anything with it? She doesn't tell Dylan all of how she feels because like, wow, feelings are like, weird, you know?
When Boring Sack of Flour and Beautiful Dick are separated, our heroine finds out that oops! She's having his baby. And decides to keep it, for reasons that are completely incomprehensible to anyone who has been a 20-year-old woman living in New York City and trying to pay bills (something I have some experience with). She falls neatly into the category of being too damn stupid to understand the black hole of time and money that having a child can be, and proceeds to flail about for chapters as we are treated to endless paragraphs about the variant bodily fluids that a child is full of and how expensive it is to have one. That goes on for an endless amount of time, while she pushes off any and all opportunities to revive the career that was supposed to be SO important to her, all because a capricious toddler knew exactly how to manipulate her, and she couldn't even stand up to a fucking three-year-old. Eventually we meet that three year old 11 years later for some reason that never becomes clear, Something Else Melodramatic Happens and then the book ends.
The worst thing about this book is that we're not given any room to understand the motivation of these characters, why they do the things they do or live the lives they lead. The main character denies herself anything resembling agency or self-ownership so often that it's incomprehensible as to why we should even root for her ever, or at all. The other characters are there to prod the story along, mostly because the lead is too meek to even do that much.
Avoid, avoid, avoid.
Like so many other books, this is a book of how an incredibly boring human being is surrounded by more interesting human beings and resists with their entire being any way of becoming an interesting person. Further, in an absolutely astounding turn of talent, the author makes time spent in the East Village of New York City in the early 2000s (back when it still had just enough grit to a little interesting and a lot of fun) completely devoid of any spark or excitement; as dull as this timid milquetoast of a main character. Laura (said protagonist), says "um" a lot. She is too afraid to say anything at all. The only thing she hates more than praise is being the center of attention, which is absolutely mind-boggling considering that she came to New York to write and perform music. Unless the hundreds of venues I've been to in my lifetime have been lying to me, the only way to perform is to literally be the center of attention. And to top it off, she's about as dumb as the sack of flour that she resembles. She takes a job she doesn't like despite her reservations because she doesn't want to ask her far more savvy, interesting roommate (why, oh, why couldn't this book have been about Callie?) for help or advice. And the worst of all, she falls in lust(love?) with Timothy Chalamet stand-in Dylan. The Dylan section of the book was possibly the best part of this slog, as they provided many (inadvertent) laugh-out-loud funny moments. The mere fact that Dylan had "the most beautiful dick in the world," had me in stitches (and writing parodies of Prince songs). Our heroine continues to brush off chance after chance to make her music an actual thing, because like, reasons? Tell me, if Laura (our hero) wrote the perfect song, and liked writing songs, why didn't she do anything with it? She doesn't tell Dylan all of how she feels because like, wow, feelings are like, weird, you know?
When Boring Sack of Flour and Beautiful Dick are separated, our heroine finds out that oops! She's having his baby. And decides to keep it, for reasons that are completely incomprehensible to anyone who has been a 20-year-old woman living in New York City and trying to pay bills (something I have some experience with). She falls neatly into the category of being too damn stupid to understand the black hole of time and money that having a child can be, and proceeds to flail about for chapters as we are treated to endless paragraphs about the variant bodily fluids that a child is full of and how expensive it is to have one. That goes on for an endless amount of time, while she pushes off any and all opportunities to revive the career that was supposed to be SO important to her, all because a capricious toddler knew exactly how to manipulate her, and she couldn't even stand up to a fucking three-year-old. Eventually we meet that three year old 11 years later for some reason that never becomes clear, Something Else Melodramatic Happens and then the book ends.
The worst thing about this book is that we're not given any room to understand the motivation of these characters, why they do the things they do or live the lives they lead. The main character denies herself anything resembling agency or self-ownership so often that it's incomprehensible as to why we should even root for her ever, or at all. The other characters are there to prod the story along, mostly because the lead is too meek to even do that much.
Avoid, avoid, avoid.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
July 4, 2021
2.5 stars. It sounded like the perfect book for me at the moment. A little music artist mixed with a lot of mother daughter relationship drama. But unfortunately it didn't quite hit as well as I hoped. It didn't feelt quite done, like it needed more work to it for it to be perfect but I can see potential in it so I might read something else by Emily Gould, old or newer.
April 11, 2020
“Perfect Notes” by Emily Gould is an astute as it is poignant. Through Laura and Marie, she perfectly captures the desire we all have for fulfillment and understanding in our lives. She doesn’t skimp on the euphoric, heady feelings that accompany youthful passion and love. Nor does she gloss over the the deep, all-encompassing love that comes with parenthood.
“Perfect Tunes” depicts the mother-child bond with emotion and accuracy. Laura sets aside her own dreams of becoming a singer-songwriter to make Marie her priority. She teaches music to children to pay the rent. She gives up a chance to tour with Callie for her daughter’s security and stability. Even her marriage to single dad Matt feels more like an attempt to give Marie a two-parent home than love. The affection between Matt and Marie is obvious, but romance between Laura and Matt never occurs.
By the time a fourteen year old Marie takes over the story, it’s clear that “Perfect Tunes” has less to do with music and more about life’s ability to take us full circle. Marie’s more like her father than ever imagined. Her dark moods and rebellion take Laura back to the past — and to finding empathy and common ground with someone she once despised. At the same time, Laura finds herself attracted to yet another up-and-coming musician, as well as the possibility of a second chance at her own music career.
There are some books that you read for the story. You meet the characters and keep turning the pages to learn what happens to them. When it’s over, you move on. However, there are some books you read that take you deeper. There’s meaning behind the story, and it stays with you long after you finish. “Perfect Tunes” by Emily Gould is the latter.
“Perfect Tunes” depicts the mother-child bond with emotion and accuracy. Laura sets aside her own dreams of becoming a singer-songwriter to make Marie her priority. She teaches music to children to pay the rent. She gives up a chance to tour with Callie for her daughter’s security and stability. Even her marriage to single dad Matt feels more like an attempt to give Marie a two-parent home than love. The affection between Matt and Marie is obvious, but romance between Laura and Matt never occurs.
By the time a fourteen year old Marie takes over the story, it’s clear that “Perfect Tunes” has less to do with music and more about life’s ability to take us full circle. Marie’s more like her father than ever imagined. Her dark moods and rebellion take Laura back to the past — and to finding empathy and common ground with someone she once despised. At the same time, Laura finds herself attracted to yet another up-and-coming musician, as well as the possibility of a second chance at her own music career.
There are some books that you read for the story. You meet the characters and keep turning the pages to learn what happens to them. When it’s over, you move on. However, there are some books you read that take you deeper. There’s meaning behind the story, and it stays with you long after you finish. “Perfect Tunes” by Emily Gould is the latter.
April 16, 2020
[4.25 stars]
Thanks to Avid Reader Press for an advanced copy of this book.
I’ll admit my plot summary is the tip of the iceberg about this book…and there’s a reason for that. I went into Perfect Tunes fairly blind and, when I read the publisher’s synopsis after finishing the book, I was shocked how much it gave away. Let me say this…if the theme of women struggling to pursue their dreams while being mothers and wives appeals to you (and you like character-driven novels), read this book. The story begins with a toxic relationship that reminded me of the one in Sweetbitter (my review) and turns into an exploration of motherhood and balancing time and attention to children with pursuing a dream of your own. Perfect Tunes packs a lot of themes and a long timespan into a small package, but the story and characters still feel fleshed out. It was the book about pursuing an artistic dream that I wanted Writers & Lovers (my review) to be…but, I identified with Laura far more than the main character in Writers & Lovers. Plus, pair it with Why We Can’t Sleep by Ada Calhoun (which I happened to be listening to on audio at the same time as I was reading this in print), which addresses similar struggles women have from a nonfiction perspective.
Visit https://www.sarahsbookshelves.com for more reviews.
Thanks to Avid Reader Press for an advanced copy of this book.
I’ll admit my plot summary is the tip of the iceberg about this book…and there’s a reason for that. I went into Perfect Tunes fairly blind and, when I read the publisher’s synopsis after finishing the book, I was shocked how much it gave away. Let me say this…if the theme of women struggling to pursue their dreams while being mothers and wives appeals to you (and you like character-driven novels), read this book. The story begins with a toxic relationship that reminded me of the one in Sweetbitter (my review) and turns into an exploration of motherhood and balancing time and attention to children with pursuing a dream of your own. Perfect Tunes packs a lot of themes and a long timespan into a small package, but the story and characters still feel fleshed out. It was the book about pursuing an artistic dream that I wanted Writers & Lovers (my review) to be…but, I identified with Laura far more than the main character in Writers & Lovers. Plus, pair it with Why We Can’t Sleep by Ada Calhoun (which I happened to be listening to on audio at the same time as I was reading this in print), which addresses similar struggles women have from a nonfiction perspective.
Visit https://www.sarahsbookshelves.com for more reviews.
April 14, 2020
Without sounding like a broken record (wink wink), I want ya’ll to know what a fabulous book this novel is from Emily Gould. It is in fact so well-tuned (pun intended) that you find yourself forgetting your phone and all responsibilities. The writing is seamless and just so readable. I was fully immersed in Laura’s journey and found her very relatable. My only complaint was that I wanted more. I think I could have easily read another hundred pages.
Laura is just 22 and new to NYC and the music world. She’s soon completely head over heels in love with a musician named Dylan. From the synopsis you know that this relationship is one that manages to stay with Laura long after. How will this relationship shape and define the person she wants to be?
I definitely recommend picking this one up if you are looking for a well written story of motherhood, music and finding your way.
4 stars
Laura is just 22 and new to NYC and the music world. She’s soon completely head over heels in love with a musician named Dylan. From the synopsis you know that this relationship is one that manages to stay with Laura long after. How will this relationship shape and define the person she wants to be?
I definitely recommend picking this one up if you are looking for a well written story of motherhood, music and finding your way.
4 stars
April 4, 2020
Perfect Tunes is a beautiful book that drew me in from start to finish. Gould’s writing is so descriptive, assaulting my senses in all of the best ways. I felt so many emotions while reading this, and I was left wanting more upon finishing it. Thank you to Avid Reader Press for the gifted copy.
**My apologies for the short review. I'm still processing my thoughts and emotions about this book.
**My apologies for the short review. I'm still processing my thoughts and emotions about this book.
May 12, 2020
Perfect, crushable read for isolation. I hope to rediscover myself at 37 and be open to fLiRtInG with a younger cutie who knows about my niche celebrity status.
June 14, 2020
A poignant and warm-hearted story of motherhood, of deferred dreams that forever seem out of reach, and of trying to live a creative life when ‘real’ life gets in the way....
I enjoyed reading this story, full of lovely nostalgia for me, reminding me of a specific time in my life, living with my best friend, trying to make a go of things in the big city, working in a bar, dating boys in bands, and getting into all kinds of trouble..... good times....💕
I enjoyed reading this story, full of lovely nostalgia for me, reminding me of a specific time in my life, living with my best friend, trying to make a go of things in the big city, working in a bar, dating boys in bands, and getting into all kinds of trouble..... good times....💕
September 25, 2020
Emily Gould has a way of writing about city dwelling ladies in their 20s & 30s that I enjoy and find very relatable. I started reading this before bed, expecting to read a couple chapters, and ended up staying up late, reading the whole thing. The beginning pulled me in, really reminding me of those aimless days of your early 20s, and I loved following Laura through those days into motherhood and through into beginning to follow her own dreams while better understanding her daughter as well. The descriptions of depression were well done, not being over the top or drawn out, but simple and straightforward, as depression can often be.
Read
February 19, 2024I read emily gould's viral messy almost divorce article that everyone hated and thought it was good so checked out one of her books and it was also good! this is a me problem but I wished the book had followed her being a musician and her life as an artist for longer, instead of veering off to be about middle aged angst, even though the whole point is that becoming a mother and wife kept her from perusing those things.
September 23, 2024
Probably 3.5 ⭐️ I was really into it at the beginning but then it dragged a little
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