This was so amazing. This is story about Benny and Esther. He is known piano man and Esther wants him to be her manager. He just wants to play piano and write songs. When they perform together, they are so much more. I loved both of these characters. There were also some interesting side characters. Esther's brothers were so great. I really liked how this book was written.

I’m a big Amy Harmon fan, so picking this book was a no-brainer. All of her books have such different personalities. Benny and Esther’s book is no different. I tend to read a lot of historical fiction, but not recent historical fiction, if that makes sense. The 60’s don’t seem like that long ago, but this book reminds us just how different things were.
The story is told with a lot of honesty and heart. How could you not fall in love with Benny (and his crazy family), and Esther (and her crazy family)? There’s action, a love story and music. I can’t think of another thing to add to this story to make it any more exciting.
Amy Harmon is on my “pre-order without details” list, and this book only reinforces that!
Thanks to NetGalley and Lake Union Publishing for the opportunity to read this ARC!

Thank you to NetGalley And Lake Union Publishing for an opportunity to read The Last Song of Benny Lament

Book Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️💫
Amy Harmon is quickly becoming one of my favourite authors ! Last year, it was the unexpectedly amazing Where the Lost Wander, where she took us to the 1850 and the Oregon Trail. This year, we are in NYC in the 60s, where music, mobsters, and and interracial romance are centre stage .


✔️ the beautiful story telling
✔️ it’s easy to see that the author has done in-depth research for this book
✔️ amazing characters I wanted to know more about

This is a book about family, friendship, loyalty, music, and love ❤️

Amy Harmon is one of my favorite authors, I always enjoy her books and look forward to reading more from her. The Songbook of Benny Lament was one of my most anticipated books. It's a poignant and tumultuous love story between a white songwriter Benny Lament and a black singer Esther Mine, set during the 1960s. Benny and Esther's love is not easy and their happy ending seems unattainable because so many people don't want them together. Benny and Esther themselves know their love will never have an easy pass and fight their feelings for each other.

I enjoyed The Songbook of Benny Lament very much. The book is set more than 50 years ago but the racism and the inequality that Black people experienced then are still here today. I thought that Amy Harmon told the story of a biracial couple with care and consideration.

The one thing that I didn't love about this book is the format it was written in. The story is told by Benny in the form of a radio interview. Because of that, it suffers from the "telling not showing" problem, in my opinion. We only get Benny's point of view and never Esther's. I would have preferred if the book was written in the third person. I am giving the storyline 5 stars and the storytelling 4 stars. The Songbook of Benny Lament is another compelling read from Amy Harmon. If you haven't read any of her books yet, you are missing out!

A panoramic spectacular story set against the backdrop of motown music, mafia & segregation.
There is no single passage in this profoundly researched book that one could actually fault. Even though I haven't lived in that Era in this country, yet every scene had me awestruck in its weighty philosophy. Every chapter, every situation dug deep in my soul and pulled all The chords of my feelings.

“Chords are like families. The notes go together, and there’s a million combinations.”

It definitely will become a classic Love story. It is beautifully written and meticulously researched. The information, the insights, the humanity it portrays of history's most important events are impeccable. And then Amy Contemporizes the key underlying social proclivities and the ugly truth is there for all to see. I could've been reading about 1940s, 1970s or 2020!! The comparison brought goosebumps and chills down my spine.

“It’s a story in Lee Otis’s book. The girl, Pandora, is told not to open the box. All manner of trouble and trials are in the box. But she’s curious. She can’t resist. So she tries to just take a peek. But once the box is opened, it’s too late. She can’t put the trouble back in the box.”

So many wonderful characters, factual and fictitious alike, are introduced to provide colour and authenticity. Majorly, Benny Lament and Esther Mine's controversial (at that time)love story are at the forefront but at no moment are they left alone.
Their band of Brothers- Minefield is always with them and it's a stroke of genius storytelling that all these characters experience the same scene from multiple vantage points, lending it different Perspectives.

"They were always on edge in a new place. It was almost as if they expected mistreatment. Like they braced themselves for it. Even if most of the time it didn’t come. Even if the majority of people were fine, courteous, kind even. It had clearly happened enough, for long enough, that they never relaxed."

Benny is steadfast, moralistic, unwavering songwriter who gets enamored by Little Bitty Lady, great big voice Esther . Their Verbal Wrestling kept the music, their connection, their chemistry alive. It was a refreshing novelty for them to be seen together, singing together
Esther particularly stands out with her erect spine, straightening her shoulders and lifting her chin, that refuses to bend under pressure, refusing to let go of her mic in the segregated music world, she's literally singing for her life. Power walking into the scene on her high heels, it's her supremely talented and confidant gait that grabs the attention but her powerfull voice sustains and maintains that in the readers and listeners alike.

“He's cajoling, she’s cutting, she’s hot, you’re cold. Or maybe you’re hot, and she’s cold.” He shrugged. “Physically you look great together, but it’s more than that. It’s the sizzle and the slap.”

When did their language break off from music and translated into love, is hard to pinpoint at the exact location. But the very talent Esther possessed and Benny bolstered - Singing. Which started As a revolution soon becomes a noose around their neck, painting a target on their backs. Somebody wants to stop them, permanently!!

"Politics is an ugly business. I’d cross a gangster before I’d cross a politician. Any day."

The ensuing plot-knots of deadly secrets untangle and unravel, leaving you agape and agog.
The ruthless political scene is unrelenting & uncompromising, its tentacles reaching far and deep in all walks of life, art and literature.
Countered only by the flawless narration with sufficient gravitas to be compelling, it's easily the most readable book of the year . . . it is a measure of the accomplishment, that knowing the end of the story as all of us do, we are still so immersed that the mounting action is as powerful as it must have been to the participants.

“If you want people to change, you have to show them what it looks like.”

We are directly aware of the tension, suspense, and irony of the experience. You will be moved by the descriptions and want to read The Songbook of Benny Lament to witness what history allowed to survive.
As always Ms Harmon makes me feel enriched, blessed and fortunate enough to live in the same Era where she pens these topical, historic books and I feel privileged enough to read them. All her books are momentous and thought provoking, but this timely tale will make us all think hard at where our priorities lie and the road to achieve a tolerant society.
5 Major Chords And Acapella Stars

The Song Book of Benny Lament by Amy Harmon
My Rating: 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟
Pub Day: March 16,2021

“If you want people to change, you have to show them what it looks like”- Esther Mine
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I don’t even know how to begin my review. Just like everytime I finished any Amy Harmon’s book, I am speechless. If you want a story, this author is marvelous storyteller. Heck, she does not even need introduction. She has easily delivered another five star read. A ten-star even, if only bookrating goes that way.
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This book is wild, gripping, and incredibly beautiful. The perfect flow, the sophistication and elegance of the writing always blows me away. The set is in the 1960’s and the subject that includes diversity and belongingness was utterly inspiring, eye-opening and heart breaking all at the same time. The version of interracial couples always captures me. I am happily in one and my hurdles may not be the same as Benny and Esther’s but all the same. There is difference in race, in upbringing, in expectation and of course in color. The highlight, is the determination and will of a woman in color trying to make her existence known in a place, a generation, and an industry where she was never wanted. Another big leap for girl power and woman pride back in the days, I would say and it just made me love Esther even more.
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Amy Harmon has a way of molding characters that leave their mark. The character that would make you stop and contemplate with emotions. The character that pulls all the right feelings out of your heart,makes you realize what it truly feels to be human capable of loving,hurting and caring for all the world to see.
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Lastly,
Dear @amy.harmon2 , if my review gets to you, Congrats!This is another powerful writing. You are truly among the best! I am glad it is finally pub day and Amazon will deliver my pre-ordered copy so the iPad on top of my stack will be replaced with a physical book. I can’t get an ARC and my requests never get to the right people. So, please, when you write another masterpiece, remember me and let me read a physical ARC.
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Thanks to #netgalley and #lakeunionpublishing for the advance readers copy.
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#amyharmon #amyharmon2books #thesongbookofbennylament
#lakeunionbooks #bookstagram #netgalley #netgalleyreads #netgalleyreviewer #booklove

I've championed so many books in my life. Some that broke my heart and made me cry, some that made me happy and good inside, and some that simply stood out and left their mark. But this? This is all of those things combined.

It's as if Amy Harmon knew the chords to my heart. She wrote down the melody, plucked the strings and made the music fly. This book took me to 1960's New York, made me listen to Esther Mine sing, and watched from the sidelines as Benny Lament found the one thing he wasn't even looking for. This is an interracial love story meant to speak for those who have remained silent for so long and create change even when fear takes over. A story that explains family connections, how damaging those connections can sometimes be, the chances we have but never took, and the steps we take to reach our dreams. It was breathtakingly phenomenal. It felt to me like a vintage film with Motown music playing on the background. Every line, every character, every interaction felt alive. Intense, relevant and genuine. This is historical fiction at its best.

Thank you Lake Union Publishing and Netgalley for the earc! This book releases today!

"The Songbook of Benny Lament" - Amy Harmon

CW: violence, racism, gangs, death, murder, mutilation

Publishing date: March 16th

Thank you to NetGalley and Lake Union Publishing for a free e-copy of this book in exchange for an honest review!

It's December 30th, 1969, and Benny Lament is on the Barry Gray radio talk show to discuss all things music from the last decade. With a huge focus on his involvement with Esther Mine and her band of literal brothers, Minefield, he talks about the complexities of mixing race and music in the public eye. Benny was also raised in a gang, in which appearances are everything, and trouble seems to follow every risk taken.

This book was special. I loved that Benny went on a journey of growth and love, and though he was the main character, other characters were just as strong. Esther was the ideal leading lady, with enough conflict to cause a bit of tension and keep the story interesting. Her brothers were all unique, adding different things to the story, as were all of the people they met on their musical journey. Race was discussed openly with characters seeking to understand, and the way that interracial marriage was talked about just tied it all together.

I really feel like this story has a lot to give, and I absolutely recommend it to everyone.

‘If you want people to change, you have to show them what it looks like’

This story begins with a radio interview in 1969 NYE, on the cusp of the 70’s. Benny Lament, a singer, songwriter and producer is reflecting on the last 10 years of his life and career in the music industry. We then jump back to 1960 and where things really changed for him. Benny was born into a family very much immersed in mob life and from early on he had a talent for music, along with his father. At 29 years old he is a much sought after songwriter. He is also a wonderful musician, able to play several instruments but more often than not he plays the piano. He frequents a lot of music venues, seeking out new acts and watching many known to him.

One night his father takes him to watch an act he hasn’t seen before and this is where he meets Esther Mine. She is the lead singer in her family band, Minefield. She is completely captivating, her voice is like nothing he has ever imagined but her presence is what really draws him in. Benny hangs onto every lyric that comes out of Esther’s mouth. He soon discovers there is so much more to Esther Mine, this lady has gumption and a dream - one that he can help her and her brothers realise.

‘She delivered the song slowly, intently. She sang it with all the pain of the banished, outcast, and reviled.. And all the triumph too. But Esther was no suppliant child. She was no maiden mild. She was a woman who needed no permission and no allowances. She didn’t beg, she bled. She didn’t whimper, she warned.’

The 1960’s is an interesting era in the history of the USA, the civil rights movement brought with it lots of unrest and protests, the Vietnam war was happening, JFK and Martin Luther King were assassinated and towards the end of the 60’s, man first walked on the moon. It was also the beginnings of desegregation with the implementation of the Civil Rights Act and Voting Rights Act for African Americans.

Benny comes up against a lot of obstacles in his pursuit to make a record with Minefield - his family, people from Esther’s past and the fact that he is a white man with a music group of African Americans. Performing with them means they are one of very few mixed race music acts. However, the talent they have and belief that they can make it is what keeps them going. They have their own unique thing going on, no one else is offering entertainment the way Minefield does.

‘Esther and her brothers were uneasy, though, and it struck me that everywhere we went it was the same. They were always on edge in a new place. It was almost as if they expected mistreatment. Like they braced themselves for it.’

‘I don’t know if it’s something you can understand. It’s something you would have to experience, every day of your life. It’s … easier … for you to look past it’ ‘Look past what?’ ‘Colour,’

The people that do believe in them are all that matters. Once they begin to make some inroads, there is no stopping them, the momentum just keeps on building and they forge their own path - showing the world what change can look like. Difficult roads lead to beautiful destinations and this could not be more true for Benny and Esther - yes, a gorgeous romance is also weaved into this fabulous story.

‘The thing is … when you’re close to me, everything inside me goes still. My heart stops. My breath slows. And my mind opens up, like I’m pushing open the windows and breathing in spring. Everything is so quiet and it’s … loud. So loud that it drowns out everything else. That’s what you do to me. And I like it.’

I love how Amy mixed historical fiction with a bit of non fiction with some cameos of famous music industry people, it just added to this story and because I could imagine those moments putting faces to the names as they appeared.

This story is very topical with the recent spotlight on the BLM movement. Many indigenous people in countries all over the world have had struggles with the colonizers who arrived onto their land seeking a new life. No matter where you live in the world, this story will resonate with you. If we want change, we have to show our future generations what it looks like. Several times a year I come across a story like no other and this was definitely one of those few occasions. This story re-educated me, reminding me not to forget the past as I enjoy living in a new future. Once this book had it’s hold on me I simply was powerless to stop reading until the last page. I can’t think of a better way to spend a weekend.

‘This is what it looks like. This is what love looks like. And it’s okay.’

The Song Book of Benny Lament by Amy Harmon is one of the best books I’ve read in a long time. The Song Book of Benny Lament is a story of love, race, and music. The story alternates between a radio interview of Benny Lament on The Barry Gray Show and the past explaining the full story behind the songs and stories. I love music and am always trying to imagine the stories behind songs, so this book was a dream come true. The book takes place during the 1960s and race is a huge part of the story. Benny is white while Esther and the rest of their band is black. Their songs were controversial and brought up events from the past that people wanted to stay hidden. They kept fighting for what they believe in and are making a stand with their music. Some of the race problems in the book still exist today. This story was told so beautifully and was very impactful. The characters are all great. Esther and Benny are opposites that bring out the best of each other. I enjoyed their interactions and how they changed over time. They have to decide if they want to be together or listen to all their fears. Benny is a songwriter and pianist while Esther is a singer. Benny starts singing and Esther starts writing songs. The rest of the band members have different personalities. Family is an important part of the book. My review doesn’t do this book justice but I highly recommend The Song Book of Benny Lament.

Thank you Lake Union Publishing and Amazon Publishing for The Song Book of Benny Lament.

"Ugly beautiful. That’s what you are.”

Amy Harmon has written a meticulously researched and absolutely uplifting romance set in a turbulent time in American history.

Cleverly divided into chapters set between a fictional 1969 appearance on The Barry Gray Show (a real-life radio host), this story explores the relationship between Benny Lament and singer Esther Mine. Benny is the son of a mobster and the nephew of a powerful organized crime figure. He has a tormented relationship with his father, who introduces him to the stunning talent of Esther Mine.

Benny is a talented and well-known songwriter who immediately recognizes Esther's unique and amazing talent. She and her brothers face prejudice and hardship as they try and make it onto the radio, and get their music heard. Benny knows his love for Esther will bring them both heartache but he cannot resist her. He is a man who has never formed a connection with any woman.

"I used the same technique all the time. If you told the truth like it didn’t matter, it hurt less."

There are real characters interwoven with fictional ones. Barry Gordy, Ray Charles, famous mobsters and real historical figures all make appearances here in a fascinating story about the music business and the difficulties that an interracial couple faced only a few short years ago. The background of crime families and the turbulent 1960's all make a wonderful historical romance that is exciting, heartfelt and touching. Tragedy and loss are balanced perfectly by the slow-burn romance between Benny and Esther. Highly recommend this one for all historical romance fans.

“It all works together. Like our music. It shouldn’t make sense. But it does.”

4.5 / 5 stars

The Songbook of Benny Lament is a story set in the 1960s. I would classify it as either General Fiction, Women's Fiction or Historical Fiction (if you consider the 60s historical).

This book is from Benny's 1st POV. His chapters from 1960 alternate with an interview he did on the Barry Gray Show (from December 30, 1969).

Benny is a songwriter, producer and entertainer. The book focuses a lot on music. And race relations. There is also a major mobster element. And there is romance. The author seamlessly weaves all of these components together. And it makes for a very compelling read.

My preference is reading contemporary. However, I will read anything that this author writes. And I was not disappointed with this book.

The main female character is 21 year old songstress Esther Mine. Esther is biracial (she is pictured on the cover). And Benny is white. I was fascinated by this aspect of this book. And I loved everything to do with them singing together/collaborating.

I wouldn't normally love the Barry Gray show interview elements. But I actually loved this part of the story. I think that the key was that these chapters were quite short and concise.

Overall this was an emotional and powerful book. I think that fans of music and the time period will love it. And I think that fans of the author will be amazed.

Wow! Five times five stars!

Set during the 1960s, a time of political turmoil, segregation, and race riots in the US, a black singer and a white songwriter/piano man will just about anything to become a famous band and an interracial couple while their very lives are being threatened by the mob and dirty politicians.

I don’t want to say anything else without spoiling the story for other readers but please note that this book is fantastic! The race issue was discussed in such a respectful but impactful way. The contrast between how black members of the band were treated compared to Benny should be required reading for everyone. Especially since the race issue is still so relevant 60+ years later.

Great book!

I have no words. Absolute perfection and so timely. I felt the push and pull of Benny and Esther's relationship - as well as their relationships with their respective families - right along with them. Well done, Amy Harmon.

5 Huge "Ugly Beautiful" Stars!!

Let me start by saying I have read and enjoyed many of Amy Harmon's books. A few of them even occupy a spot on my "all-time favorite reads" shelf. However, nothing prepared me for The Songbook of Benny Lament and how much it would touch my heart.. This is a special book set during a volatile and painful time in our country's history - - the 1960's.

"You can't be mad at a man for who he is. Only what he is....and the choices he makes."

This book focuses on a young man, Benny, who is the son of a boxer turned mafia enforcer. He's also the son of a man who loved his family unconditionally and never stopped demonstrating that love - - even when his wife died and even when his son wasn't watching. Benny never wanted to be anything like his family or his father. He wanted to distance himself as far from the mafia as he could. His passion was music and he was crazy talented. He could write a song from one word and it would be amazing. Through Benny's father, he is introduced to Esther and the group, Minefield. He initially wants nothing to do with them, but then he can't turn his back on Esther's talent. Later, he won't be able to ignore anything about Esther.

"There's always gotta be someone who shows the world how it's done."

Not only is this a beautiful love story. It's a story about finding your way in the music industry at a time where nothing came easy. It is also the story of a young man learning who he really is, what's important in life and how to stand up for what you believe instead of walking away. It's a story about a biracial relationship and all the complications present in the 1960's.

"Some things are worth saving. Some things aren't."

Ms. Harmon wrote these characters in a such a way that they could have stepped off the page. They felt real and authentic. The time period during which this story took place felt like a character in itself because the events of that time were critical to the storyline.. The way everything worked together made its feel as if these characters really lived during that time and were living, breathing people who lived, loved and created a legacy.

Ms. Harmon's words often feel magical to me. The ones that flowed through The Songbook of Benny Lament were no exception. The storyline was incredible. In addition, Ms. Harmon basically wrote several songs within this book. Lyrics that would be fabulous if put to music. Lyrics I could hear in my head. I could imagine Benny and Esther bantering back and forth on stage while singing these songs. All of this blends together to make this so much more than just a book. .

Lastly, I have to say I wasn't ready for this book to end, so I read into Ms. Harmon's Author's Note section. I confess I don't always do that. It was in this section that I found my favorite quote from the entire book - -

"May we seek to learn each other's stories so that we might love each other a little better."

To me, that says it all.....

Thank you to NetGalley, Lake Union Publishing and Ms. Harmon for this ARC. I appreciated the opportunity to read this book early and voluntarily chose to review it.

Thank you to Lake Union Publishing for an advanced copy of The Songbook of Benny Lament by Amy Harmon.

This book has the wonderful storytelling and writing of Amy Harmon that you love about her books.

I found it a little slow and took a bit to get used to the style of this book, but was the story all comes together you don't want to put the book down.

There is a lot in this book with the family drama, romance, mobster, interracial relationships, and racism but it is so many of the issues in this book are poignant today.

-"If you want to know what's happening in a nation, look at the music".-

I recently just finished this book and felt like I had my heart handed to me on a platter. And it isn't pretty. I had my heart broken, then pieced hastily together and then a smashed a bit all within that process. My words and thoughts won't be adequate for what I just read and experienced, but know that it definitely has a different feel to it. It's historical fiction but with real people included and from a time not so long ago. There's beauty and darkness and it felt true and honest. So important to the past and even more important and relevant to our world today.

The Songbook of Benny Lament was told in a back and forth past/present sort of manner and completely from Benny's POV. Preceding each chapter, we have The Barry Gray Show interviewing Benny Lament on December 30, 1969. He tells the story of meeting Esther Mine and the band Minefield in 1960 and how they came to be a group, activists, and a love story. But within that interview, we also get Benny's past, Benny's dad and "the family". Because all of those people in the past had some sort of connection to the future and what Benny was to experience with Esther. And what a journey and experience it was. Filled with music, banter, a couple interracial relationships, family and mafia family. It was flawlessly written and the characters seemed so real.

This book was so very evident in that Amy Harmon knows how to research an era and make you feel a part of it. She made Minefield and all the characters feel real. I expected to look back on my vinyl and see that some of the songs were written by Benny Lament. He was a song writer and a gifted one at that. His fingers could dance across the piano keys making up a song in minutes. He wrote hundreds of songs for the likes of Ray Charles, Smokey Robinson and many other Motown greats. This was the height and beginning of Motown music and Benny was already a part of it. But when he first hears Esther belt out her music, he feels it deep in his bones. It's unlike anything he's ever heard before. The fact that his father brought him to see Esther the first time is something that plays all throughout the book and we have to figure out the ties that bind everyone together. When Benny and Esther finally come together to create music, they are pure magic. They played off each other like an old married couple and wrote about truth and did it flawlessly.

This is a book about a different time and music that spoke to the generation. The colors were beginning to cross lines and blur, much to the dismay of some. Secrets were being hidden all around, but when death comes knocking, secrets have a way of getting out.

Ms Harmon did not shy away from any hard subjects in this book. From the mafia life in NY/Chicago to an interracial relationship, she pushed forward, head first into the deep end. She created a man that didn't see color, but saw a future. Benny never wanted to care too deeply for anyone, but when you find that magic, you take it. He wanted to take care of and protect Esther. It started out a song, but became a life. A life that he wholeheartedly devoted himself to. And their music and love became a "bomb". It was gritty and difficult and ultimately life changing for not only the both of them, but for their families and the world.

I took my time with this book and got to know each of the characters throughout their journey. I've found with Amy Harmon's books that I need to slow down and read each and every word she puts on the page. Everything has meaning. Because this book wasn't only Benny and Esther's story, it was Pops', it was Sal's, it was the record producers', it was Minefield's, it was Bo Johnson's, it's the nation's. It was a story of an era and of music that touched many and opened up the possibility of so much more. Amy crafted this unique world very carefully and with such dedication to the people and their story being told. It's captivating, beautiful, yet difficult to read at times. I'm happy that my heart and head got to experience the journey. My words can do no justice to what you will experience during this reading, but I hope you enjoy the complexities of all the relationships and how they got there.
Dive in and be immersed into a different time. It's worth every moment.

"How can we ever learn to love each other if we don't know each other's stories."

"My Father once told me that men are put on this earth to protect and provide. If a man can't protect and provide it'll make him mean... or it'll drive him crazy. I thought that was just an excuse until I loved someone so much that I would do anything to protect them."

"Do you want me to look at you and see Ester or just the color of your skin?"

This book is so beautifully written! I love how Amy worked so hard to bring us into this story, to show so much diversity in writing, to write in a way that many authors are afraid to!

"You know how change happens, Money?"
"You show people what it looks like."

This story is showing people some of that change!

Set in New York I'm the 1960s music is life for both Benny Lament and Ester Mine. Benny's father's mob ties have taught him everything he feels he needs to know about love and family. After hearing Ester and her brothers sing he is determined to help them make it further by writing them a hit song. No one could have predicted just how their story would unfold or how much they would be connected.

What a great read!

This book is a historical fiction romance (true to Amy Harmon form) set in the 1960s in the era of motown and mafia men (and women). This musical love story touches on issues of race and family. I've enjoyed every book by Amy Harmon and this one is no exception. It is little different from her prior works as it has a slightly more "modern" setting, but it still worked.

Thank you to Netgalley and Lake Union Publishing for the electronic advanced copy. This book publishes on March 16.

"None of us can help who we are. We are born into the world we are born into. The family. The skin. Nobody can choose those things. You can't be made at a man for who he is. Only what he is... and the choices he makes."

This book! I've seen people compare it to Daisy Jones & the Six and I can see why - it's the story of a band and the music they write and each chapter begins with part of an interview that Benny Lament is giving in December 1969, right before a new decade beings, reflecting back on the impact he made over the past 10 years - but The Songbook of Benny Lament is more than that parallel gives it credit for.

Benny (born Benito Lamento) chose not to go into the "family business" (the mafia), instead becoming a successful musician and songwriter happy to not have any attachments. When his father brings him to see a young singer named Esther Mine, Benny's life is turned upside down and they become a duo both on-stage and off. But Esther's backstory is complicated and being an interracial couple in the 1960s make things even more challenging. Family loyalty, racial injustice, lost loves and the changing music world all collide in this beautifully written and unputdownable story.

Amy Harmon writes such wonderful and vivid characters and the banter between Benny and Esther is sublime. The two write songs together based off their conversations and you feel like you're there with them, almost hearing the music come to life as you read the lyrics. The interviews between Benny and a radio DJ at the beginning of the chapters give context to the flashbacks that come after, each one slowly revealing more of the story and leaving me desperately hoping that Benny and Esther would have a happy ending. I won't ruin what happens because you need to read this book for yourself. I couldn't put it down and I didn't want it to end - I hope it gets adapted into a movie or TV series because I'm not ready to let these characters go!