This was an excellent story that really captivated me from the beginning. It begins in 1969 at a music festival in Massachusetts. Jesse is a famous singer on his way to perform when he gets into a motorcycle accident. Jane Quinn, a local singer and her band are brought on in a last minute scramble to replace Jesse. Fans are upset but as soon as Jane begins singing she captures the audience and her career is launched. Jesse and Jane eventually begin a relationship and struggle through the ups and downs of touring, drugs and losing their identity in a world consumed with an ideal image.
The story touches on the music industry and how it treated female singers as a commodity and they were not respected like male singers at the time. Mental illness and substance abuse were themes that also ran through this story. This was a well written story that stayed with me long after I ended it. I received a complimentary ebook from the publisher in exchange for a review.

I had a hard time with this book. I didn't love any of the characters and I found no chemistry between the two main characters yet was supposed to believe they were so in love. I DNF this one.

This book deserves absolutely ALL THE STARS!

Jane is a young woman with a musical gift who wants to do things her own way. This book addresses the sexism in the music industry and how the industry uses up their performers and controls them.

In addition to that, it's a love story, it's a story about mental health and protecting those we love and being strong enough to make the best decisions for ourselves.

It's amazing!!

Courtesy of Netgalley I received the ARC of Emma Brodie's debut novel, Songs in Ursa Major. I was immediately drawn into the musical era of the late 60's and 70's. From the talented musicians and their songs to the families and their relationships, this story also portrays the misogyny of the music industry and the drug culture. Creative and strong women dominate this book, though outcomes are not perfect. Emma Brodie's imagery and descriptions add to this entertaining journey.

Songs in Ursa Major by Emma Brodie is a wonderful, vibrant book inspired by the singer-songwriter folk scene of the late ‘60s-‘70s. From the start, I loved this one! I adored Jane Quinn and Jesse Reid and all of the secondary characters. The story revolves around Jane Quinn, an enigmatic talent from a coastal island of Massachusetts destined for greatness. Jane is strong, stubborn, and loyal to her matrilineal family and fledgling band. At the local folk festival, her band is asked to step in for Jesse Reid, a rising folk star, as he has just been in an accident. At this point, we realize Jane Quinn is about to catch fire and begin rising in prominence.

Jane gets to know Jesse while he is nearby recovering from his injury and it sparks a beautiful friendship and romance. To give some context, Jane and Jesse are loosely based on Joni Mitchell and James Taylor. Though their romance is troubled from the get go, I loved the undeniable magnetism of both Jane and Jesse. Songs in Ursa Major is about first loves and family and how deeply they affect us, shape us, and can change the trajectory of our lives.

It’s obvious the author truly loves music from the poetic descriptions of songs and beautiful lyrics contained throughout the book. I loved Jane’s world, from her matrilineal family to her band to descriptions of the music industry and new places. It reminded me of Taylor Jenkins Reid’s Daisy Jones and the Six. I listened to the audiobook, which was flawlessly and charmingly narrated by Kirsten Sieh. She is such an engaging narrator! I adored this novel, which is like pure sunshine. A perfect summer read!

Thank you Knopf Doubleday Publishing Group and NetGalley for providing this ARC.

I loved this book and everything about it t be honest. I loved the storyline and the characters in the book too were great…

Thanks to NetGalley and Knopf Doubleday for this ARC!
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There's a note at the beginning of this book that talks about the disappointment of wanting to listen to Spring Fling, and realizing it's not actually a real song. This resonated so much with me, because as I read, I constantly found myself reaching for my phone, opening Spotify to look for music from The Breakers, or Jesse.

This book has all the makings of a coming of age movie a la Almost Famous, in the best way. It was wonderful seeing the way Jane held herself among the men in the industry, especially in a time when it wasn't seen. The relationships were real, and wonderful, and painful.

I'm blown away that this is a debut novel, and cannot wait to see what's next for Brodie.

4.5 stars

I loved this book! The writing, the characters, the era it happened in, all of it encapsulated together.

I’m a sucker for angst in a book or romance that because of timing just doesn’t work. I especially think I like my heart ripped out or torn apart! Jane and Jesse had a relationship that just wouldn’t work out, and you could just feel the chemistry between them. Due to timing and personal reasons, they just couldn’t catch a break with love.

Another thing I’m a sucker for in a book is a musician. It seems they always come with so many issues or problems, but you can’t help but to fall helplessly in love with them.

Overall there were so many things I loved about this book, the writing, the genre, and the characters . If you love books that take place in the 60’s-70’s, a good musician with issues he just can’t seem to be free of and a strong female character who knows how to put her foot down, then this might be the book for you!

Beautifully written account of a flawed relationship between two rising music superstars. When Janie Quinn gets a chance to perform with her band at the Island Fest, replacing Jesse Reid, her star starts to shine. Jesse and Jane begin a relationship both a balm to their creativity, but also damaging to both. The state of music in the time frame of the story, starting in 1969, reveals the poor treatment of women in the music industry at the time. Drugs played a major role in destroying many artists, and the story takes on that topic as well. I really enjoyed this book, and as a fan of folk rock of the late 1960’s and early ‘70’s, I really appreciated it. Thanks to NetGalley for the opportunity to experience this book.

NetGalley ARC - Songs in Ursa Major brings the reader back to a folk music festival in 1969 when singer and musician Jane Quinn and her band, The Breakers, were discovered after giving a last minute performance when headliner, Jesse Reid, was unable to go on stage. The story chronically the rise and fall of the band, as well as Jane's own solo career; the resulting story is a complex historical fiction novel with complicated family relationships, plenty of romance and drama, and a little twist thrown in for good measure.

There were several places where the book fell short for me, however. The romance scenes in the book were both brief and repetitive, which ended up making the encounters seem awkward and surface level. The book also contained several inaccuracies that I hope were found by individuals other than myself and were edited before the final proof of the book was released. One reference in particular where the author called the main character Jane Quinn a "wild gelding" is one instance that still sticks out to me as odd and inaccurate, as geldings are essentially neutered male horses, which would not be found naturally in the wild and should probably not be used to describe a female character.

Overall, I enjoyed the story. If you're looking genuinely interested in the historical rock and roll period in the late 1960s and early 1970s, I think you would really enjoy this book. If you're looking for a read-alike in the realm of Daisy Jones and the Six or The Final Revival of Opal & Nev, you might leave disappointed.

Thank you to Knopf Doubleday Publishing Group, as well as NetGalley, for the Advanced Readers Copy.

Songs in Ursa Major by Emma Brodie is everything I love! This is the story of Jane Quinn and Jesse Reid. Jesse is the handsome folk singer. Jane is the beautiful lead singer of The Breakers. The two go on tour together, romance ensues, but with all bright stars, their love burns bright but can’t be sustained. This book is sex, drugs and rock and roll! It was a Star is Born meets Woodstock. I loved it!

Thank you to #netgalley and #knopfbooks for the advanced e-copy of #songsinursamajor!

3.5 stars

Brodie has a gift for writing characters. Jesse and Jane are incredibly realistic, as are all of the supporting cast. I never questioned their motives or actions, and it made it easy to relax into the story and enjoy the ride. That's not to say that I agree with all of their actions - Jesse and Jane both have very headstrong, artistic personalities, which don't always lead to the best decision making. However, this contributed to the story's authenticity - there's nothing worse than reading about perfect characters who never make mistakes.

I do wish that the tough subjects were addressed more directly. For example, mental illness, drug addiction, and sexism in the music industry are all mentioned, but they felt supplemental to the love story, not the main focus. Even when they directly contributed to problems in Jesse and Jane's relationship or their career, it still felt like there was a reluctance to discuss them in detail. I would have loved a deep dive into any or all of these topics rather than the feather-light touch used here.

Songs in Ursa Major by Emma Brodie is an amazing debut by a fantastic new author. Brodie crafted the perfect elements to keep the reader absolutely enthralled —- family drama, long held secrets revealed, and relatable characters. Seriously, this is a book that you will start and finish all in the same day. Carve out some time so you are ready!

The book opens with the 1969 Bayleen Island Folk Fest and an unexpected band to replace the iconic Jesse Reid. What is an initial disappointment soon becomes an unexpected discovery, Jane Quinn and her band are fabulous. Jane is a rare talent, with beauty and an instinctive knowledge of how to appeal to fans. She is soon catapulted into stardom and has struggles to find the balance between the music industry and being true to herself. To complicate things even further Jane finds herself in a loving relationship with Jesse Reid.

I have to admit I didn’t have much of a background with the exploits of 1970s rockstars. The illegal substances and free love were in full view. But, where Brodie truly shined was in creating such nuanced characters and insightful storytelling will stay with you long after you finish this book. Jane Quinn was unapologetically herself, a strong female, in an industry when women where definitely not in full view. Despite being given explicit warnings to protect her long term prospects with the record label Jane did not heed this advice, What follows is an epic journey that spans decades that you can not put down.

I was provided a free advance reader copy from Knopf Doubleday Publishing Group in exchange for my honest review on Net Galley. The opinions shared in this review are my own.

I don't know where the trend of historical fiction set in the 70's started but I am here. for. it! This book is like if Daisy Jones (Reid) and Mary Jane (Blau) had a groovy little baby.

I LOVE Songs in Ursa Major because it's just so raw and real, making the story seem something other than a work of fiction. I appreciated how the author didn’t hold back when it came to the addictions and how the music business can destroy personal lives. Jane is such a great character who lets the reader into her thoughts and inner struggle with the business and her relationships within it. I wish more real artists would do this because, it just shows that at the end of the day, celebrities are just people too. I was even more interested in the story after learning it was inspired by Joni Mitchell and James Taylor’s relationship. Both phenomenal artists and definitely a phenomenal book. My only regret is waiting until now to read this ARC!

It reminded me of books like Daisy Jones and the Six by TJR and The Unraveling of Cassidy Holmes by Elissa R. Sloan. A debut that instantly made it on my list of favorite books!

Songs in Ursa Major is about stardom, dashed dreams, love and holding out against all hope. A light and easy read, it tells the story of a woman bound and determined to follow her musical passion. Her tight knit family and finding lost love play a big role in the storyline, but doesn't stop her pursuit. I love that the ending wasn't expected and was a representation of real life. She could have taken the easy way out, but was true to herself. That is what's most important vs. the love of a man who may or may not be there for you when it matters most.

Songs in Ursa Major
Published June 22, 2021

Wow! This book!
Thank you to @netgalley @knopfdoubleday and @emma.c.brodie for the opportunity to read this amazing story.

It’s 1969 and the Bayleen Island Folk Festival. When Jesse Reid, rising star, no shows his performance because he is in an accident, local Jane Quinn and her band the Breakers, are tapped to fill in. It’s a moment that shows the world that Jane Quinn is going to be someone.

Jane and Jesse strike up a friendship that helps Jane begin navigating the music industry as the Breakers being touring with Jesse. Jane and Jesse fall in love but Jane struggles to deal with the dark side of the music… the sexism and a secret of Jesse’s. Their chemistry as lovers and musicians is undeniable but Jane steps away from it all.

If you liked Daisy Jones and the Six or Almost Famous, Songs in Ursa Major has the same vibes: the early 70s rock scene, musicians grappling with fame and notoriety. I wish Jane Quinn, Jesse Reid, and The Breakers were real because I wanted to hear the lyrics I was reading set to music. It is a beautifully written book. The best books are the ones that stir true emotion and this book does that. My heart physically ached at parts and I shed tears. Read this book!

What an awesome debut novel from Emma Brodie! Songs in Ursa Major follows the rise of talented folk singer Jane Quinn and her relationship with superstar Jesse Reid, which is loosely based off the affair between James Taylor and Joni Mitchell (I definitely fell into a Google searching rabbit hole on that affair after finishing this book, craving to learn more about what inspired Jane and Jesse’s characters).

Just like the rock and roll scene of the 1970s, Songs in Ursa Major is a wild ride. It’s full of emotional highs and lows as Jane navigates how to fulfill her musical ambitions. It’s also jam packed with events, yet the story never felt like it was trying to include too much. In fact, one of my only quibbles with it is I wanted more! I would have loved to see more of Jane and Jesse’s ending, which left me with more questions than answers.

I loved the complexity of the characters in this story. You can’t help but root for Jane as she fearlessly challenges the norms of the 1970s music industry dominated by men. But there were also moments where I wanted to scream in frustration at Jane for decisions she made when she didn’t quite get her way. Nearly every character Brodie wrote was similarly complex, even the supporting characters. It made for a really compelling read. There was also a little plot twist that I didn’t see coming!

If you’re looking for a rock and roll read full of triumph and heartbreak, you definitely need to pick this one up! 🎸

Songs In Ursa Major surprised me. I'm not sure what I was expecting when I started reading, but I know it wasn't to feel the heartache and passion devoted in the relationship between Jane and Jesse.

It was a slow start for me. I wasn't intrigued. I wasn't getting the comparisons. It was boring. I felt no life. But I kept going. I had to give it a chance. I love music. I love feeling passion from music. The love that transpired between Jesse and Jane was strong, beautiful, captivating. They felt real, like I was following them through their relationship.

The rest of the characters were just a side note. Didn't even seem necessary. And I imagine at times, Jesse and Jane felt the same way, that other people didn't matter.

I have to admit, the dissolving of their relationship was not something that made much sense. I guess it made sense for two young, self-centered people who were focused on their music career more than maintaining their relationship.

Thank you Netgalley for the opportunity to read this book.

This beautifully written debut tells a fictionalized, loosely based version of the relationship between James Taylor and Joni Mitchell in the late 1960s. This coming-of-age tale follows Jane Quinn, a talented singer, as she rockets to stardom, encounters extreme sexism in the music industry, battles with wanting to stay true to herself and her music, whether to choose love or a career, the stigma of mental illness, and more. Brodie brings the music of the era to life and had me wishing I could actually listen to Jane’s music. Songs in Ursa Major is truly stunning and is my favorite book of the year so far.