The Melody Thief

By: Shira Anthony

Narrated by: Peter B. Brooke

A Blue Notes Series novel

Cary Redding is a walking contradiction. On the surface he's a renowned cellist, sought after by conductors the world over. Underneath he's a troubled man flirting with addictions to alcohol and anonymous sex. The reason for the discord? Cary knows he's a liar, a cheat. He's the melody thief.

Cary manages his double life just fine until he gets mugged on a deserted Milan street. Things look grim until handsome lawyer Antonio Bianchi steps in and saves his life. When Antonio offers something foreign to Cary - romance - Cary doesn't know what to do. But then things get even more complicated. For one thing, Antonio has a six-year-old son. For another, Cary has to confess about his alter ego and hope Antonio forgives him.

Just when Cary thinks he's figured it all out, past and present collide, and he is forced to choose between the family he wanted as a boy and the one he has come to love as a man.

Note: Each Blue Notes novel is an independent story, although the characters all inhabit the same classical music universe. Books in the series can be read or listened to in any order.

©2012 Shira Anthony (P)2015 Dreamspinner Press

lovely series and narration

Carey is a cellist with amazing talent. His has no father to speak of and a mother who pushed him hard until the day she died. He lost his childhood to practicing and being the best he could and now that he’s an adult he wants to be free. He still loves his music and works hard at it, but when he’s not on stage he’s wild.

He runs into Antonio one night in a bar and the two hook up – sort-of. Antonio knows who he is, but lets Carey “fool him” with an alternate identity. Essentially giving him enough rope to hang himself.

Antonio is both Carey’s salvation and hope for the future. He helps him to settle down and become the man he can be, but he also adores and loves him.

Only the first 50% of this is Carey and Antonio getting to know one another. They fairly quickly realize they love one another and move in together. The rest of the book is dealing with the ghosts from Carey’s past and dealing with being in a relationship as adults when one travels more than he’s home.

**

Peter B Brooke did an amazing job with this narration. He has a gift with accents and Antonio’s is to die for. Even little Massi’s voice is done well. I thoroughly enjoyed the story as told by Peter even though it did drag through the middle, his narration breathed life into it.

For the audiobook I give it 4 of 5 stars

3.5 OH THE DRAMA! Stars

Any additional comments?

When Cary is mugged and hurt on the streets of Milan after a night of anonymous rough and dirty sex in a gay bar, his savior, lawyer Antonio Bianchi, takes him to the hospital where he's treated for a broken wrist (set and cast) and concussion. Cary tells Antonio his name is Connor Taylor, and when the doctor recommends Cary be looked after for a few days, Antonio takes "Connor" home with him to recuperate from his concussion.

So begins a series a lies and half-truths Cary tells Antonio so that Antonio will not find out "Connor" is actually Cary Taylor Redding, renowned cellist. Of course, Antonio is a patron of the arts so it turns out he already is well aware of who Cary is from the beginning.

But that's only the beginning...Cary is filled with self-loathing and is pretty self-destructive in his actions. Peter B. Brooke's narration rips your heart out. It broke my heart!

Once again, Brooke's narration is crisp, well enunciated and shows off his wonderful range of accents. I think it's hard when any narrator also has to do children's voices, so I don't really fault not caring for the voice Brooke does for Massi, Antonio's son.

Personally, even the good narration did not save me from nearly rolling my eyes out of their sockets on this one folks. Don't get me wrong, it's written well. This is a really good story with realistic, flawed characters. I just don't care for that much realism in my romance.

Thankfully there is a nice HEA to take away the sting of drama throughout the rest of the story.

Love the Performance boom was not good

This book could of been so much more. I hate that I wasted my money on it, but love the performance