Review: Phenomenal Collaboration~
Rating: 5 out of 5
Date: 09 6, 2013
Let me start off my saying that I feel like I got to watch this book grow. I have had the privilege of being in Andrea and Charles' Facebook groups for the past 6 months and have witnessed the melding of minds. It is a beautiful thing! I stumbled across these authors at the beginning of the year, and completely devoured each of their books. Although I'm sure it isn't the case, their writing just translates as effortless. That is the best way I can think to describe it. Whether they are writing separately, or together, you become aware quickly that this is literary genius. You are there in the story, right alongside the characters, living in their world. You are taken for a ride, your heart a little dented, and if you are lucky, put back together again.~ You think music is this heartless engineering construct made of nothing but notes and rhythms pasted together by architects. It is not. Music is communications. It's emotion. It's passion and love and hate and expression.In their first joint venture, Andrea and Charles tell the story of Savannah and Gregory. Savannah is a musical protégé, entering into her first year at a prestigious music conservatory. Gregory, a few years her senior, is a professor at the school, as well as a cello protégé himself.  Right off the bat, Gregory see something special in Savannah's talent, though he would never admit it.~ Music gave life beauty. Music spoke the language of the human spirit for all to hear and understand.Savannah understand quite proficiently how powerful music is. How it is imbedded in every fiber of your being. She doesn't view it as science, more so fluidity. She challenges Gregory at every turn, and as you will see throughout the book, he is a stubborn arse.~ He was living music and didn't even know it. Tragic.What I love about Savannah is that she doesn't take any crap from anyone. She calls him on everything, and stands up for what she believes in. She may not know what she wants yet, or how she is going to get there, but she believes in herself.~ I wanted her. Savannah Marshall was dangerous.~ I knew, I was in love with him. And it was a horrible mistake.We are treated to dual POV's in this book, and I LOVE it! It is very refreshing to know what is going on in the minds of both characters. And even though you are laced with that information, you still have so many questions and frustrations with them. They love each other. That is all that matters. Right?~ I knew if I didn't blink then the tears couldn't fall, and he couldn't watch my heart breaking all the way down my cheeks. But, we all have to blink sometimes.Life isn't always so black and white, cut and dry. Love throws us curveballs, but sometimes we throw them ourselves. Gregory is truly his own worst enemy. Will he finally wake up and trust his heart?~I was lost to her in that moment, and I never wanted to find my way out of that hole.This story was truly phenomenal! I went into it with high expectations because I love these authors so much, and I most definitely was NOT disappointed. This is a story you will want to go back and read over time. It flows and ebbs and there is never a dull moment. There are strong relationships, friendships, loves, losses, grief, and bouts of happiness. But these two authors have wrapped it all in one place. I cannot wait to see what comes next from them!