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Magnum Opus #1
Verismo
Two men, shaped by the demons of their past, find their lives inexplicably intertwined.
Nicolas Michaud, the prodigy composer and pianist, grew up apart from the world. A mother who neglected him, and a father who never met him. But when he's suddenly orphaned, Nicolas is taken from his comfortable home and thrown into a life where no one understands him. Consumed by his desire to find the perfect musician for his Magnum Opus, he turns away from human relationships, and it turns him cold. Taking a job at the University in the United States, Nicolas is met with disappointment and regret.
Until he meets Cedric Blum, a young chemical engineering student with a secret talent for music like Nicolas has never seen. But Cedric has his own past to overcome. With the help of an old friend, and new relationships, the pair begin their journey toward love, life, and the Magnum Opus.
In the end, will Cedric's happy nature thaw Nicolas' icy exterior, or will Nicolas find himself consumed by his fear of love?
Nicolas Michaud, the prodigy composer and pianist, grew up apart from the world. A mother who neglected him, and a father who never met him. But when he's suddenly orphaned, Nicolas is taken from his comfortable home and thrown into a life where no one understands him. Consumed by his desire to find the perfect musician for his Magnum Opus, he turns away from human relationships, and it turns him cold. Taking a job at the University in the United States, Nicolas is met with disappointment and regret.
Until he meets Cedric Blum, a young chemical engineering student with a secret talent for music like Nicolas has never seen. But Cedric has his own past to overcome. With the help of an old friend, and new relationships, the pair begin their journey toward love, life, and the Magnum Opus.
In the end, will Cedric's happy nature thaw Nicolas' icy exterior, or will Nicolas find himself consumed by his fear of love?
378 pages, Kindle Edition
First published August 31, 2015
74 people are currently reading
624 people want to read
About the author
E.M. Lindsey
143 books1,383 followersE.M. Lindsey is the author of MM contemporary romance. She presently lives and works in the southeastern United States.
EM Lindsey also writes MM Paranormal Romance under the pseudonym Ariel Millar.
EM Lindsey also writes MM Paranormal Romance under the pseudonym Ariel Millar.
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February 16, 2018
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️! Verismo (stand-alone). Musical prodigies Nicolas & Cedric are fated to make beautiful music together, but will tragic pasts & prejudices stand in the way?
“I mean, we don’t know the future. I might break your heart, you might break mine. But neither one of us is weak.”
Verismo (stand-alone) spans twenty-five years following two musical prodigies from childhood until their fateful meeting and beyond.
Born blind with set-backs from recent eye surgery student Cedric Blum has finally escaped home and a turbulent upbringing that denied his musical talent and tried to inhibit his sexuality.
World-renowned pianist, composer and current guest professor Nicolas Michaud, Nicky, though orphaned, was allowed to blossom in his talent and with money and power the musical world laid at his feet.
Fated to make music together there is no denying their intense attraction and connection, but so much stand in their way; tragic pasts, prejudices, abuse, neglect and the risk of scandal.
Told from dual POVs, it’s a beautiful tale, with a fairy-tale feel, about two well-deserving lonely individuals with more than their fair share of setbacks getting a chance at happiness. Set against the backdrop of them working together on a masterpiece performance it’s a journey of overcoming, taking chances and surrendering it all for love.
“Come on, the best part about crossing the whole fuck line is getting to cuddle after.”
***
Hero: ★★★★
Heroine: ★★★★
Plot: ★★★★
Storytelling: ★★★★1/2
Sexual tension: ★★★★
Sex scenes: ★★★★
Story ending: ★★★★
******************************************
OVERALL RATING: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Angst: | MEDIUM FOCUS |
Darkness: | LOW FOCUS |
Humor: | LOW FOCUS |
Kink: | LOW FOCUS |
Romance: | MEDIUM FOCUS |
Sex frequency: | MEDIUM FOCUS |
Suspense: | LOW FOCUS |
Read
July 13, 2018DNF at 10% because:
Issue nr 1:
We are talking about a gay couple having an issue that their adopted son is gay. Are you kidding me?
“I know. But…it’s so weird. I mean, your parents are two gay dudes. How can they possibly be upset that you’re gay?” “I don’t know,” he replied. “They’ve never said anything to my face. But every time I brought up being like them, they’d just say crap like, ‘Oh don’t worry about it. It’s not something that’s going to happen to you.’ Like being gay is something you catch.”
“Prom. With Ben?” Isaak was pacing the living room while Cedric sat on the couch, one foot up on the low table. He’d mentioned the dance to his fathers, and while Noel didn’t have a problem with it, he told Cedric to ask his Vati, and Isaak was bothered. “You don’t have a girl you can take?”
Noel’s voice was exasperated and tired. “You honestly are trying to tell me that you think him playing piano makes him gay?” “I’m telling you I think if he’d been better exposed to normal boy things as a child, he might not be inclined that way. I’m not going to sit here and be okay with this.
Issue nr 2:
Cedric is blind but he can assess height, weight and age by the sound of someone's voice.
"The other scoffed, and his voice was a little deeper, sounding a year or two older."
"By the sound of his voice, Ben was taller than Charlie, and larger overall."
Issue nr 3:
“Pleased to meet you. Would you like to go for a coffee?” Swallowing, Nicolas knew he had very little time to waste, so instead he eyed a nearby supply closet and with purposeful movements, yanked Dimitris inside. He slammed the door, twisting the lock, and turned around. It was hardly bigger than a broom cupboard, but there was enough room to move, which he did as he dove for the zip on Dimitris’ jeans."
"With careful fingers, Nicolas freed the hard length from the confines of the boxers, and took a moment to admire it. He’d only really explored his own, and this one was shorter, but with more girth. His balls hung low, and a mass of dark curls surrounded the entire thing. “I could write an entire aria to your cock,” Nicolas muttered before he bent forward to take it into his mouth. Being that this was his first time, it was awkward."
Spoiler alert! He does write an aria for that cock....
Issue nr 4:
Cedric is blind but the moment he touches the piano he can play Fur Elise.
At 5 Nicolas can play complex piano concertos without having any lessons. At a grand piano that existed in his room. A grand piano his mother had no idea existed in her son's room.
Dammit, I really wanted to read a good MM story with classical music. Do you have any recommendations?
Issue nr 1:
We are talking about a gay couple having an issue that their adopted son is gay. Are you kidding me?
“I know. But…it’s so weird. I mean, your parents are two gay dudes. How can they possibly be upset that you’re gay?” “I don’t know,” he replied. “They’ve never said anything to my face. But every time I brought up being like them, they’d just say crap like, ‘Oh don’t worry about it. It’s not something that’s going to happen to you.’ Like being gay is something you catch.”
“Prom. With Ben?” Isaak was pacing the living room while Cedric sat on the couch, one foot up on the low table. He’d mentioned the dance to his fathers, and while Noel didn’t have a problem with it, he told Cedric to ask his Vati, and Isaak was bothered. “You don’t have a girl you can take?”
Noel’s voice was exasperated and tired. “You honestly are trying to tell me that you think him playing piano makes him gay?” “I’m telling you I think if he’d been better exposed to normal boy things as a child, he might not be inclined that way. I’m not going to sit here and be okay with this.
Issue nr 2:
Cedric is blind but he can assess height, weight and age by the sound of someone's voice.
"The other scoffed, and his voice was a little deeper, sounding a year or two older."
"By the sound of his voice, Ben was taller than Charlie, and larger overall."
Issue nr 3:
“Pleased to meet you. Would you like to go for a coffee?” Swallowing, Nicolas knew he had very little time to waste, so instead he eyed a nearby supply closet and with purposeful movements, yanked Dimitris inside. He slammed the door, twisting the lock, and turned around. It was hardly bigger than a broom cupboard, but there was enough room to move, which he did as he dove for the zip on Dimitris’ jeans."
"With careful fingers, Nicolas freed the hard length from the confines of the boxers, and took a moment to admire it. He’d only really explored his own, and this one was shorter, but with more girth. His balls hung low, and a mass of dark curls surrounded the entire thing. “I could write an entire aria to your cock,” Nicolas muttered before he bent forward to take it into his mouth. Being that this was his first time, it was awkward."
Spoiler alert! He does write an aria for that cock....
Issue nr 4:
Cedric is blind but the moment he touches the piano he can play Fur Elise.
At 5 Nicolas can play complex piano concertos without having any lessons. At a grand piano that existed in his room. A grand piano his mother had no idea existed in her son's room.
Dammit, I really wanted to read a good MM story with classical music. Do you have any recommendations?
October 4, 2015
Wow just wow. This book was amazing. Not a lot of steam so if that's what you are looking for, look elsewhere. This story was amazing. Two boys, both with horrible childhoods, both musical geniuses, weaving through a life that can only lead to each other. Cedric a blind orphan adopted by a gay couple, and Nicolas the son of a politician and his mistress, both discover at a young age that they are musical geniuses. Their lives head in completely different directions, but like most truly great love stories it is clear they are destined to meet and be apart of each others lives. This is a story of passion and love of music and finding that one person that understands you like no one else. The book is very well written in my opinion and the story flows effortlessly keeping you burning for the love story both mc's deserve. I loved this book. Their love is plagued by misfortune and misunderstandings but ultimately you just know they are no good for anyone else. Like I said earlier it's not high on steam but the romance is sexy and honest. I highly recommend this book.
August 21, 2016
Oh boy, oh boy, oh boy, what am I going to do with this review? I hate writing reviews like that.
I'm kind of torn between "It's me and not the book" but then again, yeah, it is the bloody book as well. But everybody and their little sister seems to love it and I don't.
So, first the usual caveat - I'm not a huge fan of Romance for romance's sake and I wouldn't even have gotten the book if it hadn't been a freebie. I wasn't really in love with the only other book that I'd read by the author (Time and Tide) so really, no offense, I only got it because I'm in a book slump and I didn't think that the author was terrible. Just that the first book was not really my cuppa. There are lots of people who love this book and they have their reasons, which I even can see. It just so happens that I didn't. The same is true for this book.
It's late and I'm getting tired, so lets just cut to the chase.
I'm deducting one star for: The writing is decent but the editing is sloppy on all levels.
I'm deducting the second star for: Nicolas is an asshole. Yes, he is the tall, dark and handsome brooding type of asshole that might or might not be on the autism spectrum but as long as this isn't even hinted at, he remains an asshole that I don't even care one whit about. And no, being a European, artistic type doesn't automatically require assholeness. I'm European and I can attest to the fact that those people exist but, really, it's not a requirement. One can be a European artist without being an asshole. I didn't like the stereotype but more importantly - I didn't like Nicholas and I just couldn't make myself care for him.
I'm deducting the third star for: There are major plot points that are so painfully contrived that I can't even... I'm perfectly aware of the fact that really nobody cares about this. If you don't care, you don't care. Never mind me. Enjoy the book. I wish you all the happiness you can get from it.
There are several but I'm just too tired to remember them. But here is a crucial one - it was a really, really seriously bad idea to hitch a major plot point on the fact that Cedric can't read musical notes. Because - nobody gives a shit. Notes are just a very poor representations of music. They are - well - notes. They help people to remember. But if a person can remember and reproduce a piece of music just by hearing it they are just one step ahead of other mere mortals. THIS IS NOT WORTHY OF BEING A MAJOR PLOT DEVICE. If you are worth your salt as a musician, you'll learn the music by heart anyway. Or if you don't, you'll just get hints of where you are in the piece. That's helpful if you are sitting in an orchestra pit and have just about 5 minutes before you need to bang those cymbals again but as a soloist? Naaaaww, not really.
As I said - that's super contrived, I'm a musician, no me gusta.
Whatever - hence two stars.
I'm kind of torn between "It's me and not the book" but then again, yeah, it is the bloody book as well. But everybody and their little sister seems to love it and I don't.
So, first the usual caveat - I'm not a huge fan of Romance for romance's sake and I wouldn't even have gotten the book if it hadn't been a freebie. I wasn't really in love with the only other book that I'd read by the author (Time and Tide) so really, no offense, I only got it because I'm in a book slump and I didn't think that the author was terrible. Just that the first book was not really my cuppa. There are lots of people who love this book and they have their reasons, which I even can see. It just so happens that I didn't. The same is true for this book.
It's late and I'm getting tired, so lets just cut to the chase.
I'm deducting one star for: The writing is decent but the editing is sloppy on all levels.
I'm deducting the second star for: Nicolas is an asshole. Yes, he is the tall, dark and handsome brooding type of asshole that might or might not be on the autism spectrum but as long as this isn't even hinted at, he remains an asshole that I don't even care one whit about. And no, being a European, artistic type doesn't automatically require assholeness. I'm European and I can attest to the fact that those people exist but, really, it's not a requirement. One can be a European artist without being an asshole. I didn't like the stereotype but more importantly - I didn't like Nicholas and I just couldn't make myself care for him.
I'm deducting the third star for: There are major plot points that are so painfully contrived that I can't even... I'm perfectly aware of the fact that really nobody cares about this. If you don't care, you don't care. Never mind me. Enjoy the book. I wish you all the happiness you can get from it.
There are several but I'm just too tired to remember them. But here is a crucial one - it was a really, really seriously bad idea to hitch a major plot point on the fact that Cedric can't read musical notes. Because - nobody gives a shit. Notes are just a very poor representations of music. They are - well - notes. They help people to remember. But if a person can remember and reproduce a piece of music just by hearing it they are just one step ahead of other mere mortals. THIS IS NOT WORTHY OF BEING A MAJOR PLOT DEVICE. If you are worth your salt as a musician, you'll learn the music by heart anyway. Or if you don't, you'll just get hints of where you are in the piece. That's helpful if you are sitting in an orchestra pit and have just about 5 minutes before you need to bang those cymbals again but as a soloist? Naaaaww, not really.
As I said - that's super contrived, I'm a musician, no me gusta.
Whatever - hence two stars.
March 2, 2016
Loved it! Completely capturing story by E.M. Lindsey. Stayed up late as I could considering I had fever, that's how much I couldn't put it down.
I do wish this author would trust her stories to one of two proof readers who could catch some minor mistakes though.
I do wish this author would trust her stories to one of two proof readers who could catch some minor mistakes though.
probably-not-but-freebie
November 27, 2018Freebie at the zon.com right now: https://smile.amazon.com/Verismo-Magn...
May 9, 2020
This is probably the lowest I have ever rated one of EM Lindsey’s books. And it isn’t because it wasn’t wonderful, because she wrote another masterpiece. But I kind of hated it because of the abusive dad. There was a trigger warning at the beginning, but I guess I just didn’t realize how much it would affect me. Perhaps because it was more emotional abuse than physical? At any rate, it left me feeling kind of ragey at times. The good news is, Cedric eventually stands up for himself. And honestly, he was never weak against the abuser because he was a child. No the person I was most upset with was the non-abusive parent that kept allowing this to go on. I was really proud of Cedric for standing up to both of his fathers.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
October 1, 2017
I absolutely adored everything about this book! It is absolutely beautiful! Both MCs suffer such heartbreak through their younger years. They share heartache and a love for music few can understand. One is a world-renowned musician, and another had his music taken from him by his father. One helps the other find his music again, and the other helps him find his heart. I laughed, I smiled, and I cried tears of sadness and tears of joy. I re-read this book about once a week. It never disappoints me.
August 20, 2016
Update: 20/August so apparentely Verismo was only free on kindle for some days ahh well, don't I have a good aim
--
Okay... What do I have to say about this masterpiece? Words fail me, and they don't often do. This book is too good to be true, too good to be free even though I'm so grateful to E.M. Lindsey that it was. It's 300+ pages of wonderful writing coupled with a love story for the ages, with music as its lifeline, and a whole lot of sweet, sweet pain. It's unlike most books I've read, it's a lot of "show" and not a lot of "tell", which is what makes it so big and so beautiful and exactly how it should be. The characters are toubled, as most great musicians and artists probably are, and their stories are amazing and touched me very deeply. I think this might just be my new favorite stand alone book, right up there with Anyta Sunday's Rock, even though they're completely different stories.
This deserves a standing ovation.
--
Okay... What do I have to say about this masterpiece? Words fail me, and they don't often do. This book is too good to be true, too good to be free even though I'm so grateful to E.M. Lindsey that it was. It's 300+ pages of wonderful writing coupled with a love story for the ages, with music as its lifeline, and a whole lot of sweet, sweet pain. It's unlike most books I've read, it's a lot of "show" and not a lot of "tell", which is what makes it so big and so beautiful and exactly how it should be. The characters are toubled, as most great musicians and artists probably are, and their stories are amazing and touched me very deeply. I think this might just be my new favorite stand alone book, right up there with Anyta Sunday's Rock, even though they're completely different stories.
This deserves a standing ovation.
February 6, 2017
2,8 it was ok Stars
I think my problem was I went with high expectations and a different idea of what was gonna be like. Don't get me wrong the romance at the end is kinda sweet, but dude the first 45% of the book was literally nothing, yeah sure you try to make the reader sympathize with the characters, but not even that was accomplished completely. I do appreciate the diversity representation, but I believe that Nicolas was not a great love interest at all, he was seriously messed up. Plus can you believe someone who hates love, fall in love after a kiss, like really? Nop thanks. The only thing I can save is the musical part, I loved how focused is in what is the classical musician lifestyle.
I think my problem was I went with high expectations and a different idea of what was gonna be like. Don't get me wrong the romance at the end is kinda sweet, but dude the first 45% of the book was literally nothing, yeah sure you try to make the reader sympathize with the characters, but not even that was accomplished completely. I do appreciate the diversity representation, but I believe that Nicolas was not a great love interest at all, he was seriously messed up. Plus can you believe someone who hates love, fall in love after a kiss, like really? Nop thanks. The only thing I can save is the musical part, I loved how focused is in what is the classical musician lifestyle.
November 1, 2016
2.5 stars ... I liked some parts of this story, and was interested to see how things would work out between the two main characters. However, it dragged at times, and the angst and misunderstandings became a little frustrating.
It could do with some editing, as pronouns are quite often used instead of proper nouns, and I had to stop to work out who was saying or doing what.
I did like the music theme throughout; that worked for me as I love piano music.
It could do with some editing, as pronouns are quite often used instead of proper nouns, and I had to stop to work out who was saying or doing what.
I did like the music theme throughout; that worked for me as I love piano music.
August 23, 2016
I just ... ugh, I don't even know :-/!!
November 17, 2016
O mio babino caro, mi piace, è bello bello. Yes, this book is worth an aria, I loved it. It’s been out a while and I have eventually got around to reading it and boy am I delighted I did. It sometimes takes me a little longer but I get there in the end. I love books that accompany characters from childhood to adulthood. Why? Well, when you understand where the characters have come from and what they have been through then it gives the reader a greater depth of their behaviour and the reasons behind it when they become adult.
Here we have two characters, Nicolas and Cedric, both having less than happy childhoods to say the least. The circumstances of Cedric’s birth, his subsequent adoption, then add on top of this his disability, my heart just went out to him. He captured it for the whole book and just didn’t leave go. As for Nicolas? Again he also had less than the normal happy childhood but he didn’t capture my heart like Cedric’s did. Why? well, more about that later. What do this two have in common? It’s their burning passion for music, all consuming. Forsaking almost everyone and everything for their love of music. It is then by a twist of fate that brings these two characters together. It is such a delight to read how the paths of these two boys, worlds apart, become closer and closer geographical speaking until fate brings them to the same place.
Due to a forbearing father Cedric is forced to give up his music, sacrificing his own happiness in order to please his father, it’s as if he acquiesces to his father’s demands in order to have a quiet life. A father who professes he only has Cedric’s best interests at heart, a truly toxic kind of love. Put on top of this Cedric trying to cope the best way he can with his disability and I just wanted to whisk him away myself and offer him the love that he has been denied at home. Oh how my heart bled for Cedric and how I hated his father, what a truly miserable man but also with obvious issues of his own. Through all of his teenage years he is supported by his friends, two brothers Charlie and Ben, and at least they can provide some comfort in what would otherwise be an unbearable situation at home. Despite all of this Cedric makes it to University, Charlie is already there and his girlfriend is studying music. So now he has escaped from home he can now explore what he wants to be, but the music is still inside him despite his father’s best attempts at trying to knock it out of him.
Nicolas on the other hand is a musical genius, famous and well known. His talent being discovered at an early age and from there on developed and going on to study with some of the best musicians known. He is a musical genius but knows it. He is your very worst or I should say maybe typical example of artistic temperament. Conceited, self-absorbed, egoistical, emotionally cold to others, no idea of tact and diplomacy; yes, he is to be honest not a nice person to know. Quite detestable actually. When he is offered the job of being music professor at the University where Cedric is then he soon gets a reputation for being a complete tyrant. He reduces his students to tears, forces and drives them to their limits but all this due to the fact that he is trying to find a worthy equal and until now no one has come up to scratch. His one burning desire to find someone who can match him and play his composition, a duet for piano, his Magnum Opus. Then his life’s work will be complete.
This book is so intricate it’s almost impossible to write a review to include all the nuances in the story that I felt while reading it. We are taken on a journey When and how Cedric and Nicolas eventually meet is nicely done and form there on in we are treated to a feast of emotions as these at first, quite literally, dance a tango around each other. Geez, the suspense nearly killed me not mention the sexual tension. It takes two mediators if you will, two very good friends Rémy and Alessio, to give them a push in the right direction. When they do get together it’s still not all roses, neither are easy but Nicolas has to learn how to become more human. I loved watching how these two characters develop, how they change a form each other. Especially how Nicolas becomes more human as he can no longer deny the one thing he has tried to avoid his whole life and that is love.
Nicolas has denied himself any kind of love or affection mainly due to his childhood and doesn’t want someone to have that much power over him. He sees being or falling in love as giving up control and this is something he can’t do, he always has to be in control. So I went from not liking him at all to by the end of the book he is now tolerable as a person, but this was only made possible after he let himself go, fall in love with Cedric and take that leap of faith. But in all of this relationship drama the one main focus for them both is still their music and the preparations for the end of semester concert. It binds them together in a way that nothing else can, so even if they have trouble expressing emotions to each other the one common denominator remains music.
This book is a wonderful character study on how two people develop over time, how the people around them affect their lives and in the end how they both affect each other. Like a musical composition itself, always in transition with undulating tones, fluid and flowing, a juxtaposition of overtones that are constantly criss-crossing each other, a relationship that starts off very dissonant but then harmonises to form something wonderful.
Here we have two characters, Nicolas and Cedric, both having less than happy childhoods to say the least. The circumstances of Cedric’s birth, his subsequent adoption, then add on top of this his disability, my heart just went out to him. He captured it for the whole book and just didn’t leave go. As for Nicolas? Again he also had less than the normal happy childhood but he didn’t capture my heart like Cedric’s did. Why? well, more about that later. What do this two have in common? It’s their burning passion for music, all consuming. Forsaking almost everyone and everything for their love of music. It is then by a twist of fate that brings these two characters together. It is such a delight to read how the paths of these two boys, worlds apart, become closer and closer geographical speaking until fate brings them to the same place.
Due to a forbearing father Cedric is forced to give up his music, sacrificing his own happiness in order to please his father, it’s as if he acquiesces to his father’s demands in order to have a quiet life. A father who professes he only has Cedric’s best interests at heart, a truly toxic kind of love. Put on top of this Cedric trying to cope the best way he can with his disability and I just wanted to whisk him away myself and offer him the love that he has been denied at home. Oh how my heart bled for Cedric and how I hated his father, what a truly miserable man but also with obvious issues of his own. Through all of his teenage years he is supported by his friends, two brothers Charlie and Ben, and at least they can provide some comfort in what would otherwise be an unbearable situation at home. Despite all of this Cedric makes it to University, Charlie is already there and his girlfriend is studying music. So now he has escaped from home he can now explore what he wants to be, but the music is still inside him despite his father’s best attempts at trying to knock it out of him.
Nicolas on the other hand is a musical genius, famous and well known. His talent being discovered at an early age and from there on developed and going on to study with some of the best musicians known. He is a musical genius but knows it. He is your very worst or I should say maybe typical example of artistic temperament. Conceited, self-absorbed, egoistical, emotionally cold to others, no idea of tact and diplomacy; yes, he is to be honest not a nice person to know. Quite detestable actually. When he is offered the job of being music professor at the University where Cedric is then he soon gets a reputation for being a complete tyrant. He reduces his students to tears, forces and drives them to their limits but all this due to the fact that he is trying to find a worthy equal and until now no one has come up to scratch. His one burning desire to find someone who can match him and play his composition, a duet for piano, his Magnum Opus. Then his life’s work will be complete.
This book is so intricate it’s almost impossible to write a review to include all the nuances in the story that I felt while reading it. We are taken on a journey When and how Cedric and Nicolas eventually meet is nicely done and form there on in we are treated to a feast of emotions as these at first, quite literally, dance a tango around each other. Geez, the suspense nearly killed me not mention the sexual tension. It takes two mediators if you will, two very good friends Rémy and Alessio, to give them a push in the right direction. When they do get together it’s still not all roses, neither are easy but Nicolas has to learn how to become more human. I loved watching how these two characters develop, how they change a form each other. Especially how Nicolas becomes more human as he can no longer deny the one thing he has tried to avoid his whole life and that is love.
Nicolas has denied himself any kind of love or affection mainly due to his childhood and doesn’t want someone to have that much power over him. He sees being or falling in love as giving up control and this is something he can’t do, he always has to be in control. So I went from not liking him at all to by the end of the book he is now tolerable as a person, but this was only made possible after he let himself go, fall in love with Cedric and take that leap of faith. But in all of this relationship drama the one main focus for them both is still their music and the preparations for the end of semester concert. It binds them together in a way that nothing else can, so even if they have trouble expressing emotions to each other the one common denominator remains music.
This book is a wonderful character study on how two people develop over time, how the people around them affect their lives and in the end how they both affect each other. Like a musical composition itself, always in transition with undulating tones, fluid and flowing, a juxtaposition of overtones that are constantly criss-crossing each other, a relationship that starts off very dissonant but then harmonises to form something wonderful.
February 21, 2023
Gah! The feels! THE FEELS!!! I just said that my previous read didn't give me enough of a feel for the characters in that book, but E.M. Lindsey made up for it in spades in this brilliant slow-burn romance. It was absolute genius. It gave me a real feel for both heroes and it made me root so hard for them that by the time they finally were ready to admit their feelings to one another, I was long gone and begging for them to do it.
I usually don't like it that much when the main characters haven't even met rather early on, but this time round I felt that it was really necessary for Lindsey to tell the readers more about Nicolas' and Cedric's past, their background and how they've become the way they are. I didn't mind that there were others before they met each other, because somehow it made their relationship so much sweeter when it finally developed. It was slow, it was full of (sexual) tension and it was awesome!!!! Gah! It's everything I love about reading (romance)!
I have read some reviews where the reviewer has a musical background and they say that it's not as perfect as it could be, but as I am not very musically inclined (there may have been an elephant or two involved), I thought that this book was pure genius bordering on brilliant. Because who cares about some teeny tiny fact when the writing itself draws you in and doesn't let you out till you've finished the story. And maybe not even then as I find myself thinking more and more about Nicolas and Cedric and wishing that there had been more.
Cedric is all sweet and adorable. Nicolas is gruff and uncaring. But they share a passion for music and deep feelings for one another. At first they don't seem like they should belong together as they're so vastly different, but they complement each other so well and I just adore them together.
... Did I say I want more?
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I usually don't like it that much when the main characters haven't even met rather early on, but this time round I felt that it was really necessary for Lindsey to tell the readers more about Nicolas' and Cedric's past, their background and how they've become the way they are. I didn't mind that there were others before they met each other, because somehow it made their relationship so much sweeter when it finally developed. It was slow, it was full of (sexual) tension and it was awesome!!!! Gah! It's everything I love about reading (romance)!
I have read some reviews where the reviewer has a musical background and they say that it's not as perfect as it could be, but as I am not very musically inclined (there may have been an elephant or two involved), I thought that this book was pure genius bordering on brilliant. Because who cares about some teeny tiny fact when the writing itself draws you in and doesn't let you out till you've finished the story. And maybe not even then as I find myself thinking more and more about Nicolas and Cedric and wishing that there had been more.
Cedric is all sweet and adorable. Nicolas is gruff and uncaring. But they share a passion for music and deep feelings for one another. At first they don't seem like they should belong together as they're so vastly different, but they complement each other so well and I just adore them together.
... Did I say I want more?
The Book Challengers blog // The Book Challengers Instagram // The Book Challengers Twitter
May 13, 2021
5 stars
I’ve read 2 other books by this author and found them to be average. I’m glad I didn’t review my past reading experiences with this author as I may have skipped this book. And that would have been a slight tragedy.
This story takes its time. And many readers may not enjoy that kind of pace. Hell, on a different day, I may not have liked it. During the first half the book, we learn about the two MCs, Nicolas and Cedric, as separate individuals; beginning as young boys. We learn about their less than ideal family lives, their personalities, their relationships, their struggles, and yes—their talents.
I loved this style, just because we DO get to see these men as separate people. Not just how they are as two men circling each other. This makes the decisions and actions they make once meeting, much more poignant.
There’s a lot going on in this book. And yes, I’ve read reviews where they’ve felt that there are some contrived aspects to this book. These men meet by chance. Serendipity? Fate? Coincidence? Who knows how the universe works.
Cedric struggles with his eyesight and trying to appease his dads. Nicolas struggles with being an asshole. Ok, he doesn’t really struggle with it. But the death of his mother haunts him and continues to dictate his actions. Both men are both broken and works of art.
It’s a beautiful read.
I’ve read 2 other books by this author and found them to be average. I’m glad I didn’t review my past reading experiences with this author as I may have skipped this book. And that would have been a slight tragedy.
This story takes its time. And many readers may not enjoy that kind of pace. Hell, on a different day, I may not have liked it. During the first half the book, we learn about the two MCs, Nicolas and Cedric, as separate individuals; beginning as young boys. We learn about their less than ideal family lives, their personalities, their relationships, their struggles, and yes—their talents.
I loved this style, just because we DO get to see these men as separate people. Not just how they are as two men circling each other. This makes the decisions and actions they make once meeting, much more poignant.
There’s a lot going on in this book. And yes, I’ve read reviews where they’ve felt that there are some contrived aspects to this book. These men meet by chance. Serendipity? Fate? Coincidence? Who knows how the universe works.
Cedric struggles with his eyesight and trying to appease his dads. Nicolas struggles with being an asshole. Ok, he doesn’t really struggle with it. But the death of his mother haunts him and continues to dictate his actions. Both men are both broken and works of art.
It’s a beautiful read.
November 28, 2016
Okay first off the editing in this book was horrible, and second I live in Washington State and when the author can't get WSU, and University of Washington right that just sets me up to be irritated already. Secondly I didn't like Nicholas as all as a character he was just an asshole for no apparent reason, so I didn't like or care about him at all. Therefore, I couldn't connect to either of the characters. There was so much contrived drama surrounding them. Everything they said, did, experienced was dramatic. It got to the point that I was rolling my eyes as I read. This book just wasn't for me.
December 20, 2016
Desperately needs copy editing. Beyond that, the author acknowledges at the beginning that she is not an expert in classical music. And yes, there are many mistakes or misconceptions about the music she's writing about. But I wondered about one of the bigger plot points in the story--that Nicolas insists Cedric learn to read music. Why should he, though, if he can reproduce anything he hears? This isn't a question of musical literacy, it's sloppy story writing. I also wondered if the title was an unconscious acknowledgement that there's nothing realistic about this story at all.
October 10, 2016
アメリカの大学ではぶろーじょぶがそんなにありふれたことでどこにでも転がっていて秘密にすることでもなんでもなくて、みんな知ってる、というのが私の驚いたところ。
August 29, 2019
Very moving, very different
I did enjoy so much of this and it was incredibly emotional, particularly the course of Cedric’s life. His father was a piece of work and I never thought of how damaging internalized homophobia could be. It was so unbelievable to me but in the way that truth is often stranger than fiction, I could believe it.
The extended push and pull between Cedric and Nicolas was frustrating and went on far too long for my taste. Nicolas didn’t suffer the same type of damage that Cedric lived through but it made his narrow view of life truly bizarre. I’m glad the author gave them friends to show how to be family and Nicolas how to be human. Really good.
I did enjoy so much of this and it was incredibly emotional, particularly the course of Cedric’s life. His father was a piece of work and I never thought of how damaging internalized homophobia could be. It was so unbelievable to me but in the way that truth is often stranger than fiction, I could believe it.
The extended push and pull between Cedric and Nicolas was frustrating and went on far too long for my taste. Nicolas didn’t suffer the same type of damage that Cedric lived through but it made his narrow view of life truly bizarre. I’m glad the author gave them friends to show how to be family and Nicolas how to be human. Really good.
February 26, 2021
The first half of the book was okay, but then it started to get boring and repetitive. I wasn't really invested in the relationship between the MCs, and it was progressing too slowly, and I didn't care about any of this characters. This was supposed to be an angsty and romantic story, but it failed to make me feel anything.
March 27, 2021
Sorry, it's just not my cuppa.
Maybe when I'm in the mood for this sub-genre, I'll be back :/
June 8, 2019
New to me author. This is a mm contemporary story set mainly in USA. Making characters are gifted musicians Cedric and Nicolas. This is a slow burn story with an amazingly tragic start for both characters. I’ll read more from this author.
March 1, 2017
I stayed up late to finish this - absolutely worth it. A slow-burn story that starts at the beginning to show how life formed two damaged individuals. Yet we were never made to feel sorry for what life had thrown at them for they both fought to become individuals and follow their dreams. Together they made beautiful music.
5 stars
5 stars
October 30, 2016
There are so many things to love about this novel. The narrative is strong, the characters are lovely, and the setting is my favorite one. Classical music.
We get to follow two characters with troubled pasts, Cedric Blum and Nicholas Machaud. I fell for Cedric, and I could definitely see what he saw in Nicholas, but...here's the but that pushed this from a five star to a four star for me, Nicholas doesn't convince me.
I should be the last person to say this, and maybe this story made me realize a thing or two about some reviews I've received concerning Dante, but Nicholas shifts from being self-absorbed and extremely difficult to reach, to something else entirely. I wouldn't say the shift was a total disaster, but perhaps sometimes our difficult characters deserve to stay difficult even as they develop. We want their happy endings, but sometimes they don't ring entirely true.
Notwithstanding, this novel is amazing. I got lost in the back story to begin with, finding it too slow and told rather than showed. That's mostly a sign that I've read too many fast paced novels that move straight into action. This novel laid out all the parts you needed to move on and understand the latter parts. Maybe we could have been spoonfed some of it later in the novel without much trouble, but I can understand the author's wish to narrate their past in full.
Seriously, I'm probably the most negative sounding in reviews where I love love love the story but selfishly wish for something to have been just a little different. So, take home message : This novel is fantastic and definitely worth a read. I'm thinking of buying the paperback so I can have it in my shelf and read it over and over again.
We get to follow two characters with troubled pasts, Cedric Blum and Nicholas Machaud. I fell for Cedric, and I could definitely see what he saw in Nicholas, but...here's the but that pushed this from a five star to a four star for me, Nicholas doesn't convince me.
I should be the last person to say this, and maybe this story made me realize a thing or two about some reviews I've received concerning Dante, but Nicholas shifts from being self-absorbed and extremely difficult to reach, to something else entirely. I wouldn't say the shift was a total disaster, but perhaps sometimes our difficult characters deserve to stay difficult even as they develop. We want their happy endings, but sometimes they don't ring entirely true.
Notwithstanding, this novel is amazing. I got lost in the back story to begin with, finding it too slow and told rather than showed. That's mostly a sign that I've read too many fast paced novels that move straight into action. This novel laid out all the parts you needed to move on and understand the latter parts. Maybe we could have been spoonfed some of it later in the novel without much trouble, but I can understand the author's wish to narrate their past in full.
Seriously, I'm probably the most negative sounding in reviews where I love love love the story but selfishly wish for something to have been just a little different. So, take home message : This novel is fantastic and definitely worth a read. I'm thinking of buying the paperback so I can have it in my shelf and read it over and over again.
December 1, 2016
What a wonderful surprise! I picked this book on a whim just because I liked the cover and was intrigued from the blurb. I was looking for something different. Something different from the same old-same old formulaic storyline. Seems once you've read a few hundred they all seems to read the same. I took a chance on this one and WOW! I was well rewarded.
This is a beautifully written novel that kept me turning page after page wanting more. After I finished reading the book I just sat there, closed the book and said.....wow, what a book. WHAT A FREAKING GREAT BOOK! It will take me a few days before I can even think about reading anything else. It was that good!
So, do yourself a solid and check out this book. This was my first book I've read from E. M. Lindsey but I will definitely be reading her other books now. She's a brilliant classic storyteller.
*****Five brilliantly orchestrated stars*****
This is a beautifully written novel that kept me turning page after page wanting more. After I finished reading the book I just sat there, closed the book and said.....wow, what a book. WHAT A FREAKING GREAT BOOK! It will take me a few days before I can even think about reading anything else. It was that good!
So, do yourself a solid and check out this book. This was my first book I've read from E. M. Lindsey but I will definitely be reading her other books now. She's a brilliant classic storyteller.
*****Five brilliantly orchestrated stars*****
January 19, 2016
Heart wrenching... Spectacular.... I'm almost speechless having just finished this book.
While I highly recommend this dramatic, heart wrenching story to most people....
I do feel the need to warn those who grew up with childhood abuse. This did bring on one of the worst panic attacks of my life. Even my prescription medication couldn't calm me down much at all. Even though my past is far behind me and my abuser is long dead Watching Cedric suffer with so many of the same issues that I did brought back all of the emotions. My heart is broken for him because Though I know he can rise above it all and live the wonderful life that he was born to live he will never forget or be able to forgive that which is truly unforgivable.
This hauntingly beautiful story will live with me forever.
While I highly recommend this dramatic, heart wrenching story to most people....
I do feel the need to warn those who grew up with childhood abuse. This did bring on one of the worst panic attacks of my life. Even my prescription medication couldn't calm me down much at all. Even though my past is far behind me and my abuser is long dead Watching Cedric suffer with so many of the same issues that I did brought back all of the emotions. My heart is broken for him because Though I know he can rise above it all and live the wonderful life that he was born to live he will never forget or be able to forgive that which is truly unforgivable.
This hauntingly beautiful story will live with me forever.
July 27, 2016
Wonderful book!!!
More detailed review to follow.
August 20, 2016
The best part for me was the beginning where we see the mc's as children. I wish the rest of the book had been more that tone.
October 1, 2017
Beautifully written. Great character development. But the angst outweighed the romance.
August 10, 2023
Page after page of angst and drama and abuse and wicked stepfathers. It felt like there wasn't a single happy moment in the first 100 pages. Not for me.
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