The Dylan Project

by K.J. Lyons

K J Lyons has a way with pulling at your heartstrings. From the author of Summertime Angel and Hope in the A 9/11 Novel Come fall in love with Dylan Hoffman and Lilah Manning as they put each other back together in Charleston, South Carolina.

Lilah Manning’s life is simple. Attend a prestigious music school, play the piano and get paid well for it. Her dream shatters when her aunt dies, leaving Delilah, her stage name, dead. The pain is too devastating to continue.

Lilah returns home to finish high school. Hiding Delilah, emerging family secrets, teaching piano to Dylan, her boyfriend’s sick brother and unintentionally betraying him, prove too much for her.

After Dylan retreats into his home, Lilah escapes to New York. Dylan’s the reason she began playing again. He’s the last person she wants to hurt. With that muse gone, she shuts everyone out. Only, someone doesn’t get the memo. Can this stranger help her find her muse again? Or will she become a recluse?

277 pages, Paperback

Published June 17, 2021

Reviews

[RainLady777]

I'm kind of irritated at the person who recommended this book to me. I would think they would have a little more class. Anyway, this contains a spoiler so please don't keep reading if that will make you angry. While the idea for the story was great, there were issues. One, I guess could be summed up by saying that this is yet another book by an author who had no formal education in the field of writing. For instance, there were some grammatical problems and sentence structure issues all through, as well as PUTTING WORDS ALL IN CAPS. It's a book, not an email. That simply isn't done. I don't know why people think they can write books without at least some courses or something. But anyway, all that I can sometimes overlook if the story is good and I kind of edit it as I go along. What ruined this book for me was one particularly disgusting scene. I don't know why any author anywhere would think that readers want to read about a special needs boy being taught how to masturbate by his music teacher because she feels sorry for his discomfort. That was just so far beyond the pale I don't even have words. I won't do a star rating because I don't want to drag the rating down for this book. I appreciate the effort that went into this story, but the writing is not professional and that scene had absolutely no redeeming value. I hope the author considers changing the words in all caps to a normal format for a novel and getting some editing help, and I certainly hope he or she will simply delete that other nauseating scene.

[Aliama · Rating 5 out of 5]

Delilah’s Aunt Maggie has just died and Delilah’s parents are taking her back home to Charleston. Delilah has spent the past five years in New York attending a prestigious music school. The death of her aunt, who was more of a mother to her, has been devastating to Delilah. She’s forced to attend school in her home town away from everything she’s known. Her mother and sister seem to hate her and her world is falling apart. She meets Dylan, a teen in a wheel chair who is dying from Brain tumours and Dylan’s brother Javen. Lilah/ Delilah ends up teaching music lessons in and out of school but can not bring herself to perform. This was an emotional read. It’s a story with twists and turns as Lilah/ Delilah learns to deal with everything going on in her life. The main characters had great connections and chemistry. Her family was not supportive and at time things were very explosive. This was a well written story that had you on the edge of your seat, routing for Delilah and hoping she will get through the mess that is her life and find her true self at the end of the tunnel. I received an arc copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.