I love Amy's writing and wasn't disappointed in the slightest. I loved the tone of the book. It transported me to the time and the feel of that time.

Set against the backdrop of segregation and Motown music, Amy Harmon's immersive writing takes you on a journey following Benny Lament and Esther Mine. Benny Lament has followed his love of music and song writing to escape his family connection to the mafia. One night, he is taken by his Pop to see Esther Mine perform and as he falls in love with her voice his life is forever changed. Their meeting brings past events back to the surface and together, Esther and Benny overcome obstacles and prejudice put in their way.

The story of Esther and Benny has absolutely filled my heart. The level of research that has clearly gone into this story really brings it to life and it is beautifully written. The inter-racial romance between Esther and Benny is full of chemistry and the banter between the characters is a joy to read. Esther has become one of my favourite female characters as she is the complete embodiment of 'small but mighty'. She is strong, vulnerable and isn't afraid to fight for what she wants in a world that makes that difficult.

I found this book difficult to put down and it was a story that pulled on my heartstrings. I won't forget this book in a hurry.

The Songbook of Benny Lament is another beautiful book by the wonderful Amy Harmon. I always have high expectations for Amy’s books, and this one did not disappoint. Beautiful writing and a beautiful story!

Thank you to NetGalley and Lake Union Publishing for the opportunity to read this book for an honest review.

Amy Harmon is such a wonderful storyteller, and I’ve read and loved all of her books, with the exception of the two in the fantasy genre which I didn’t try. So when I saw that she had written a new book, I was very excited to read it. With The Songbook of Benny Lament, Ms. Harmon has approached a subject that must have required her to do extensive research. It is set in the 60’s, which she admits was before her time. It deals with Motown music and New York City mob families and also broaches the subject of segregation during that timeframe. I grew up in the 60’s, and though I was not personally affected by the mob families or racial discrimination, I definitely was influenced by Motown music, Even though I found the premise of this novel interesting, I just didn’t get drawn into the story as I usually do with Ms. Harmon’s books. I didn’t feel anything for the characters, and even though it was a love story it was not one that moved me. Unfortunately, I will recommend all of Amy Harmon’s books except this one.

This book was amazing!! I loved how two different worlds collided to make such a beautiful love story! I thought the radio interview was a brilliant idea, it made you so invested in finding out the story behind what he was talking about. The author made you love all the characters, even the ones that were a little loose in the moral department. I just couldn't get enough of this one and I absolutely loved it!

I got the arc from NetGalley. In this book, Amy Harmon demonstrates her versatility as an author and my honest opinion is that she is capable of writing any genre . I did feel transported into the story and the characters came alive in her storytelling. I highly recommend this book and rate it 5 stars.

Another great novel by Amy Harmon. I get excited every time she comes out with a new one.
All of AH books are different and written so well. She’s quickly becoming one of my favorite authors. A very talented story teller.
This was a look at our history, full of discrimination. It’s not pretty how as Americans we were treating each other. It made me crazy. And it’s unthinkable to me that people could be this way. It was also about loss, love and the music industry during the 60’s. I really enjoyed it and highly recommended it.
Thanks to Lake Union Publishing via Netgalley for this. I’m voluntarily leaving my review. All opinions are my own.

Amy Harmon is magic, is kind, and a true storyteller, she guides you until you immerse yourself in her deep wonderful world, you will feel Every single thing her characters are going in through and that's why I love her writing so much.

The Songbook of Benny Lament was another magical world to discover, this is a very different book from what we're used to reading, by Amy but still has the same amount of deepness, powerful and a deep message that makes this another great hit.

Benny was the son of a mafia man, he practically was raised around mafia gangs and chiefs, but he was a very kind soul, he didn't want to live the same life as his father had, so he focused all his love and energy on the thing that he loves the most, his music, his piano, his women.

Esther a great singer that is trying to get the gig of her life so someone will discover her and her brothers, she had a history like all of us, she never met her mother and didn't have any clue about her childhood, but things were about to change, life and circumstances will bring so much light to her, that she finally will find so many answers that she has been looking for.

Benny and Esther's story is beautiful, is raw with many obstacles that life and especially other people were always putting for them to stumble. it was the end of the 1960s and at that time people were against mixed-race marriages, so every time they were having a gig something about that nature will rise, tired of this Benny is looking for something that will help them to be free and continue singing and playing for their audience.

I love this book so much especially the way was written, how we feel like we are actually on the WMCA radio show with Barry Gray, listening to Benny, his voice, his answers, narrating his life, and how was he able to be in the right place at the right time to meet the love of his life.

Another great thing about this book is the banter between Benny and Esther, I love it they really made me laugh and smile so much, the chemistry between them was so amazing especially at those moments where they were about to sing.

so many great characters that made this book so good, Leo, Money, Teresa, Uncle Sam, The Tonies, The bomb all of them added so much to the story and making it greater.

I loveee this story so much, it is a book for dreamers, for hope, for faith for people that are looking to find something kind in their life. it is a book that will make you feel alive.

It’s like Goodfellas, Daisy Jones and segregating racism had a baby. This is my first time reading mobster romance. I admit the tough guy voice was a hard sell on me at first and I was not totally invested for the first part of the book. It took some time to get used to the narrator. But in the end, I loved the story. Enjoyed the characters and would totally watch the show if it makes it to tv.

I get weak knees trying to read stories that involve the racism and the segregation that happened in this country. And it really was not that long ago which is sad beyond sad. I appreciate the author forcing this topic on me (even if it makes me uncomfortable.)

Thanks @Netgalley!

From the moment that I turned the first page, I just knew that The Songbook of Benny Lament was going to be a special read. The kind of story that would move me and find a place in my list of favorites. I was right!

This is Benny’s story but its also Esther’s, the Minefield’s, Bo Johnson’s. Its a story of love, hate, revenge and music. Benny Lament writes music and has made a name for himself in the industry. However, Benny isn’t your usual musician. He has roots and a past that connects him to a darker world. Benny met Esther and her brothers while they were singing in a little known club. He took them on to try and give a successful musical career and together they made music and tried to change the world. Nonetheless, the past kept knocking them at each turn.

There is a lot that I can say about the characters. They were so deftly crafted that I at times forgot that they are fictional. I wanted to Google pint-size Esther in her ‘power’ heels and see pictures of ugly, beautiful, big Benny. The author did such an amazing job with the characterization. She made me care about the characters and this made me enjoy the story even more. It wasn’t just the main characters, even the support characters were memorable. I loved Esther’s brothers and especially Alvin and his prayers. I was also intrigued by the mob family and missed Jack as if he is someone I know in real life.

The story is gripping. With chapters alternating between a radio interview and Benny’s narration, I was captivated. I wanted to know Benny’s journey but I was scared of the danger that seemed to follow him. I like how the Radio Show interview cleverly acted as an interlude and introduced different turns of Benny’s story. The narrative style worked out perfectly.

There is a lot to love about this book. From the characters to the story and the description of the times, I loved it all. I never really know how to aptly describe a book that I absolutely love so let me just say that y’all need to read this book. Its a story that will stay with you. The enchanting writing will haunt you and the characters will steal a place in your heart and mind. Please read The Songbook of Benny Lament by Amy Lament !

Taking you back to a different time, this stunning book completely envelopes you into this musical world. Told through a mix of formats, this will keep you engaged right till the last page.

Netgalley provided this ARC.

Benny Lament is an amazing and successful pianist in 1960. His father, a member of an Italian mob faction in NYC, introduces Benny to Esther Mine, who has a small body but a loud, amazing voice. It is Jack's hope that Benny will take Esther and her brothers who play in the band Minefield and make them famous. Except, Jack doesn't always tell the whole story, and the explosive interracial relationship between Benny and Esther is nothing compared to the fallout of her revealing the story of her parentage. This novel explores race relations and the music of the 1960s, which waz fascinating to read about. While Lament, Esther, and the main characters are fictional, many supporting characters, from the music executives to the bad guy politician Rudolph Alexander and champion boxer Bo Johnson, were real.

The story of Benny Lament and Esther Mine was amazing! I blew through this book, Amy Harmon is becoming one of my favorite authors and will probably be an auto buy author for me honestly. I enjoyed the way this book had Benny in a talk show settings and him telling the story of how he met Esther and everything that happens since that moment. There were several times I couldn’t put the book down I just needed to keep reading to find out what would happen next. Amy Harmon imagery and storytelling abilities are just fantastic. This may be my favorite book of the year and it’s only March.

I am speechless. There just aren't words to express how phenomenal this story is. Every word was significant. I am trying to find something to say that will come close to explaining why you must read this, but all I can say is to read it or listen to it. Just know this story. If you're on the fence don't be. This story was written for me and those like me. I wish I could do something more than rate this book to show Amy how thankful I am for this story.

YES!!! This book was everything I had hoped for when I heard Amy Harmon had a book coming out about a songwriter and a singer that is set in New York City in the 1960s.

I love podcasts and this book starts out with Benny Lament being interviewed on the radio. Benny tells the story of how he came from a mob family to becoming famous. Another favorite of mine is autobiographies/memoirs/biographies and now that I'm done with the book I can see how it had that feeling too. The Songbook of Benny Lament had a good mixture of podcasts (radio) and memoir vibes.

Esther Mine is a powerhouse singer. She's small in stature but her voice is big. As a Black woman navigating the music world she experiences plenty of racial injustices and biases. New York City in the '60s had its fair share of violence and racial discrimination. I wasn't alive in the '60s but it is crazy to me that some of these same issues are still happening today.

I love when a book feels so real that you want to google the people so you can see photos and find out tidbits about them but then you remember this a fiction book.

I enjoyed this so much I have it in 3 forms: paperback, kindle, and audiobook. I recently listened to it and loved it. You can't go wrong with whatever version you decide to read.

Amy Harmon writes beautiful, grounded characters that I immediately fall in love with. She also makes familial connection a very significant part of her storyline and i personally love it.

Her stories always start in a very unsuspecting way and then creates such huge impact in the end. This one is no exception.

Esther wants to sing and be famous. But that doesn’t come easy. Her past as well as the fact that she is a woman of colour singing and flirting with a white man ruffles many feathers. Esther and Benny their own part in normalising interracial marriage.

Some of the dialogues by Esther and her family are simple, yet very powerful. Even the way Benny and Esther face everything is rather subtle, but doesn’t fail to convey what courage it requires.

This is what I love about Amy Harmon books, the subtlety.

Thanks to @netgalley for ARC. The book is published already and do check it out if interested.

https://bit.ly/3eZTnvFAll Benny Lament (Benito Lamento) has wanted to do is play piano, write songs and be independent of the family business. When he hears Esther Mine sing, it resonates in his soul and when they interact, they are like fire and ice.

“Maybe together, we won’t be afraid of anything. Or we’ll be afraid of everything.”

Narrated by from Benny’s POV, the story spans nine years and offers impressionable scenes from Benny’s childhood. Though Benny made choices based on his past experiences, he begins to reinterpret what he believes. Testing him along the way is Esther and the reality they must face as an interracial couple in the 1960s, along with the pressure of family secrets.

“Nobody gives a damn, Esther. They haven’t walked in your shoes, and they’re never going to. They’re your shoes.”

What I liked about this book was the different struggles the characters faced. For me, the relationship between Benny and his father held the strongest ties. I loved his father and the sacrifices he made. The collaborative energy between Benny and Esther definitely sizzled and getting a feel for the recording and performance process was entertaining. Though the plot took a certain trajectory, defining family was still the overlying theme. Set during the turbulent times of the civil rights movement, the impact was felt but could have been probed further, for my preference.

In the genre of historical fiction, The Songbook of Benny Lament explores the tribulations of choices and sacrifices. This book would appeal to those seeking a story where the odds are stacked against the characters.

All Benny Lament wanted to do was make great music from behind the scene. But the moment he heard Esther Mine sang, he was powerless to stop the forces that would change not only their lives but those around them.

I’m not familiar with the era or the real songs featured in this book, but I still managed to enjoy the world presented. However, the book is very long especially with the interview parts which I felt only lessened the impact of the actual story. The ending also felt anti-climatic.

Benny and Esther were the complete opposite of each other, and I loved the way they banter. I also enjoyed the presence of characters significant to the couple’s lives. I liked seeing the lifestyle and the era’s predicament the characters had to endure.

The Songbook of Benny Lament is a tale of hope and determination. It would appeal to readers who enjoy Historical Fiction with the backdrop of music in a tumultuous era.

I've been in a terrible reading slump the last several weeks, unable to read at all, which has played havoc with my Goodreads Reading Challenge count for the year. {sigh} Next up on my TBR was The Songbook of Benny Lament, and now I'm kicking myself for not diving in sooner because it catapulted me out of my slump. I read this book in one day, and wow, Amy Harmon has written a powerful testament to love.

The story takes place between 1960 and 1969, centers around a young man with ties to the mob who wants nothing to do with that life. Writing music is life until his father takes him to see a stunning young black woman singing at a club, and their lives are about to be entwined, more than they can know.

I was mesmerized from the very first page reading Benny's recollections of his life with his father "in the life" and throughout the book. Benny fights his pull to Esther for a long time as she does her pull to him, but their destiny is set, much to the anger of powerful outside forces. Don't forgo reading this thinking it is just a love story because it is not just that. It is an incredible story of those times; race, politics, music, mobsters, and family ties all blended together to create a story for all times.

I was a young girl and pre-teen during this time frame and remember it a bit, but I'm not a good reteller of those times. While I certainly know that racial injustices existed in the 1960s, reading about them is a painful, eye-opening experience. We have come a long way since then, but not nearly far enough. I can't recommend this book enough, and I don't think you will be disappointed. I thank NetGalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read this excellent book that will stick with me for a very long time. I gave it five stars!

Get ready for a journey during a different time. An era that is forever etched in the lives of those who struggled during a time in history when things were different and divided. It’s a time when music shaped the course of those struggles and trailblazers were meant to be heard.

During the 1960s in New York, the mob was a central part of the comings and going in neighborhoods. For Benny Lament – the ruthless side of life in the mob was the furthest thing on his mind. The siren’s call for Benny came from the piano. The heart and soul of his song writing. Those epic notes that became hits for other musicians. The spotlight wasn’t at the forefront of Benny’s life, but one night would forever change how Benny viewed his music.

Esther Mine was an epic singer that drew Benny into a trance with her sultry voice. The small but fierce singer had stars in her eyes in spite of the limitations that segregation would have on her career. When Benny walked into the club that night, everything changed for Esther. There was finally a man she could call her ‘equal’. With Benny’s reputation and Esther’s soulful voice, a new collaboration was born. A duo that would heat up the charts faster than a rocket.

Benny never planned for this to happen. Fighting the spotlight was always easier when he walked away, but there was no turning away from Esther Mine. This collaboration would force secrets from the past that would affect not only their careers but would bring the mob to their front doors. Benny’s magic notes combined with Esther’s spitfire personality and voice would bring the weight of the world down on their shoulders. Through it all, the music carried them through the tough times. The spotlight was shining bright, but would their push for the truth dim their time on the stage??

The Songbook of Benny Lament is the latest release by author Amy Harmon. This love story delves into a time in history when all was not ‘right’ with the world. It is a journey that deals with making it big in a time when all the cards were stacked against you. Told in part interview form, The Songbook of Benny Lament was simple phenomenal.

Step back into a time when civil right was at the forefront of America. An epic story that Amy Harmon has once again penned with reverence, love, and most of all MUSIC!! Each turn of the page left me longing for more. Where would Benny and Esther find their paths leading in a time when everything was stacked against their love and devotion?

Discover the story and delve into a world that only Amy Harmon could create. A tale that transports you back to a time when Motown was on the rise, mobs reigned supreme, and love could be labeled as ‘forbidden’. A phenomenal story that will leave your heart soaring when you read the last page.