A love story set in the 1990s alt rock scene that will appeal to those who believe that the 1990s are nostalgia. Carter and Evie are the star crossed lovers and their story is less interesting than the scaffolding around them. Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC. Over to others.

I loved so much about this book! It gave me so many feels and was a wild ride. I loved the way it was written, but it also had a troupe I detest and honestly, I wasn’t happy with how it ended. I get it, but I wish it was different.

Would recommend for fans of…
🎸 One True Loves
🎸 Almost Famous
🎸 What You Do to Me
🎸 One Day

It feels like more and more romance novels are featuring the celebrity trope these days, and Mayluna, a love story between a rock star and a journalist, is just the latest so I was curious to see how this story would distinguish itself from the rest.

To be honest, it was fairly middle of the road. The arc of the story and different milestones of Carter and Evie’s relationship was very predictable and the characters were pretty one-dimensional, which made it hard to love the book.

The thing I enjoyed most about the book was the amount of detail about the music industry McNeil included. She did a great job of building out a fictional celebrity universe that felt very authentic (which is always a very make-or-break aspect for me). I also appreciated getting the POV of both Carter and Evie, especially in the later parts of the story. But it was the emotional elements of the story that lost me. I’m not opposed to a heartbreaking romance, IF the emotional beats feel earned and I didn’t feel that way about Mayluna. Parts of it felt very manipulative, almost as if it was designed to make the reader cry. So, if you’re a fan of sad romances, this is the book for you!

Mayluna is out now, Thanks to Lake Union Publishing and NetGalley for the eARC in exchange for an honest review.

Like Daisy Jones and the Six but didn't have to try as hard...⁣
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I said it.⁣
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Summary⁣
“Mayluna” by Kelley McNeil is a captivating novel set against the vibrant backdrop of the 1990s music scene, intertwining the lives of Carter Wills, the charismatic lead singer of the English alt-rock band Mayluna, and Evie Waters, an ambitious young columnist. ⁣
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This one was such a fun one -- it had the 90s nostalgia that I love and a romance with some depth. Perfect book to time in between heavier reads BUT be warned this one did get some big tears out of me.⁣
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Thank you @netgalley for this free copy in exchange for my honest review. Mayluna was out on Feb 1, and hasn't gotten the buzz it deserves -- but with such a high goodreads rating those who have read it have been loving it!⁣
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If you liked Daisy Jones, like 90s and music in book, I highly recommend this one!⁣
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Format rec: I ended up mainly listening and I think I preferred the audio since it alternated narrators and the voice for Carter nailed the British accent ⁣
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Let me just start by saying that Mayluna is one of the best books of 2024. It’s a love letter to the late 90’s rock alternative era. It’s got me listening to music I haven’t heard in years, but have missed like an old friend. The story centers around Ev, who is telling her kids the story of her life. Going back and forth from 1998 to the present, we see Ev and her relationship to Mayluna and its lead singer Carter Wills. Mayluna became one of the biggest rock bands of their generation. The story is full of angst and longing, beautiful prose, and above all a beautiful love story. Five stars. I can’t wait to see what the author comes up with next.

When I started reading this book, I had no idea I would feel like I got gut-punched by the end of it. It took me a little while to get invested, but I am glad I stuck with it because it did not turn out at all like I expected.

If you’re looking for an angsty, heartbreaking read with Daisy Jones & The Six vibes, this book is for you.

Thank you to Lake Union Publishing and Netgalley for an eARC in exchange for an honest review.

4 stars

For me this was 3.5 rounded up to 4. I had really high expectations going into this seeing all of the 5 star reviews so I know I’m in the minority considering I didn’t absolutely love this one. Parts were beautifully written but my main issue was that I just didn’t feel that explosive chemistry I was expecting from the MC’s. Also, this was a story told to her daughter but the format felt disjointed and confusing more often than not. Overall, it was enjoyable but I needed a more believable romance. Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for this ARC in exchange for my review

Unfortunately this book was a DNF for me. At 27% in I’m so bored that I find myself unable to read anymore. The dialogue is borderline unbearable, the characters are bland. I was hoping for a Daisy Jones vibe but that’s not it.

Well, I think I need a big slab of chocolate right now to soothe my emotions. It has numbed me and I am evaluating my life, past relationships, and memories that I care about the most. Phew!
Initially I wasn't very sure about Mayluna to be this entertaining both concept and story wise, but as I kept pushing through the pages, I just couldn't stop reading. The first few pages aren't lucrative enough and the dual timeline makes the storytelling a little difficult to decipher. But when the real story begins in a similar style of the movie Titanic where the adult children of Evie Waters discover their mother's photograph with a famous singer, I was awestruck. My expectations sky rockets at that precise moment actually.
McNeil's writing is poetic, thought provoking, and impactfully nostalgic. I had stop at certain points to listen back to my favorite songs at some point (I listened mostly to Brayan Adams). This book has music, a lot of them and if you love music, you can't miss this book. It reminded me of the power of any special music which can transport us back in time!
Although the story is being compared to Daisy Jones and The Six which I haven't read it but I know people who have loved and are obsessed with that book. The trope of star-crossed lovers wrapped around a lot of music has made this book an absolutely an emotional reading experience. It somehow reminded me of The Bridges of the Madison County. There's a legendary band, an iconic lead singer, and a mysterious connection of the band with a woman whose love helped create the music of a generation is a story anything but simple. It's fabulous!

Favourite quote: The music of our lifetime is woven into the fabric of our existence, our own personal soundtrack behind our stories.
And, now here I am thinking about my recent reading choices, am I reading too much romance these days?

The book was published on 1st February 2024, and is available on Kindle Unlimited too on @amazondotin
Thank you @kelleylmcneil for writing such a heartfelt novel.
Thank you @netgalley for this arc.

Brilliant and beautiful, a love story for generations and weeping encounter of second chances. A rockstar, a musician, a world between loyalty and living.

This book is well worth taking the time to write a review! It was so so good and I loved every minute of it!

This book completely snuck up on me in a way I did not expect and absolutely broke my heart. I had heard a lot of early buzz around this one but was afraid of being over-hyped, which it definitely was not - this is definitely a must read and I look forward to reading more from McNeil.

4.5 Stars

Thank you to Lake Union for an advanced copy. All opinions are my own.

I have no words to convey how much I loved this book about two star crossed lovers, the lead singer of a legendary rock band and the mysterious love of his life from long ago.

Told in alternating perspectives and multiple timelines, this book is Almost Famous meets Daisy Jones and the Six meets The Idea of You. All the characters are so lovable and real that you feel like you know them in real life, and the story is, dare I say, trope free (so rare for a romance).

The first 10% of the book was a little slow to hook me, but then it did, and the chemistry of the main characters left me unable to put the book down until the very last page.

Go, read this book right now, and then tell all of your friends to read it, too, because I want all good things for the author – and I want more books from her soon!

Evie Waters is a budding journalist when she gets the chance to interview the up and coming rock band, Mayluna. On the cusp of stardom, Evie knows if she can snag the coveted conversation she just might turn a one off opportunity into a longterm career. But the minute she meets the band’s brooding lead singer, Carter Wills, a different kind of spark flies. Against all odds the two begin a whirlwind relationship full of first love and lofty lyrics.

But in the present day, Evie and Carter aren’t together. Instead, Evie has built a quiet life as a suburban mom of two. So when her grown children inadvertently stumble upon her life before, Evie realizes it’s finally time to let them in on her past, even if the truth isn’t music to anyone’s ears. And so goes the angst ridden tale of Mayluna-a love story full of regrets, heartache and a lifetime of living unsung.

I have always loved stories about bands and their rise to fame. And while this book is that, it’s also so much more. It’s a story of first love. It’s a story of second chances. But it’s a story of how life often gets messy, even if it all seems so simple when you’re twenty-five.

This isn’t the first book by @kelkeylmcneil, but with such a strong sophomore effort, I can only look forward to future releases after devouring this heartbreaking love story- one that is deserving of its own heavy rotation on TBR’s everywhere.

Mayluna by Kelley McNeil tells the story of two lovers, Evie and Carter. Evie was a music reviewer, rising on the music journalism scene, and Carter was the front man of the band Mayluna, opening on an American tour in the 1990s. The two meet when Evie is finally able to get an interview with Carter, who has been notorious for avoiding the press and it's an instant connection between then. Evie is then signed on to work on a documentary about the band as their star is rising. Everything comes crashing apart, though, and the story is told in alternating perspectives as Evie and Carter reflect on their history together and how their love impacted them and the work they've done. The writing was really conversational, which made it easy to read and the story was super engaging. This book will appeal to fans of Daisy Jones and the Six and Elin Hilderbrand.

This book has so many layers. It is a love story, a coming of age story and the story of the formation of a band. . It is a story of romantic love, parental love and the love of deep friendship. It is a story about the profound impacts our childhood experiences and the decisions we make throughout life have on ourselves and others. It includes love, loss and healing..

Mayluna, an up-and-coming band. Evie is a young columnist, who manages to get the interview with the lead singer. Such is a story that is both heartbreaking and heartwarming. The characters are so well done that you feel you know them. This book has multiple perspectives over two timelines. This, for me, helped me want to keep reading into the night.

Thank you to @LakeUnionPublishing and @NetGalley for a digital ARC of this title in exchange for my honest review. All opinions are my own.

#Mayluna #KelleyMcNeil

It was as if it would last forever.

Here I am, stepping away from my usual genres, again, but I really, really liked Mayluna! Yes, it had parts that were heartbreaking ... but it also had amazing and happy parts. The author has called it "A love story that is intensely tragic and yet hopeful" and I couldn't have said it better. (By the way, I loved Carter!! *swoon*)

Mayluna started in the summer when Evie was twenty-five. She was a columnist forging her career when she was able to nab a short interview with Carter Wills - the lead singer of Mayluna. It was a long-shot interview, which led to an almost cosmic connection with the enigmatic musician on the rise. It’s told in a partially retrospective, dual timeline, with multiple perspectives that all braid together at the end.

Such a great book!

Many thanks to both #LakeUnionPublishing and #NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review an early copy of Mayluna.

#KelleyMcNeil #StarCrossedLovers

“ It’s best to just trust that there are things at work in this universe we can’t begin to understand.” A Beautiful and haunting story of two soulmates who seem destined to be together. This is such a well-written novel and I was engaged in the story and its characters from page one. I am not sure my review will do it justice, but I absolutely loved this book. Definitely a 5-star read for me and one that will stay with me for a long time. I can’t wait for my reading buddies to get a chance to read this lovely book.

Mayluna | Kelley McNeil | ⭐⭐⭐⭐.75

**Thanks to @netgalley and @kelleylmcneil for an e-copy of the book in exchange for an honest review**

Every once in a lifetime or in a few, there's that love that comes to your life like a ravaging, ravenous, all-consuming evening storm after a hot, sweltering summer's day.
It regales you, entices you, enthralls you; and after destroying and destructing all your hopes and dreams in its wake, it leaves.

It leaves you with a sense of numbing calm, it leaves you with not a shred of reality or realism in your musings and it lingers languidly in your memories and creeps up on you at the most unsuspecting moments.

It leaves you with a thousand "if onlys", yet it manages to keep you shrouded in nostalgia and make you smile because you had known love.

Love, like they write about in story books and show in black and white movies, only better.

Because you were at the eye of this storm; your life now secretly bearing witness to its marauding, with all its cracks and crumbs, carefully painted over with flimsy coats of the dreary beige of normalcy.

Mayluna is about that kind of love.

There's also love that is sensible. That doesn't sweep you off your feet but grounds you. That becomes a silent part of your everyday life and makes that dreary beige your comfort zone.

Mayluna is also about that kind of love.

This is the story of a young musician and an aspiring journalist/film-maker, and how love, life and fame alters them both.
It's a story of love, sacrifice and loss told through powerful, moving writing, intelligently creative story-telling and captivating word-sorcery.

I saw this somewhere to be tagged as contemporary romance. But this is so not that.
This is about that one great love that cannot be confined to the realms of time and generation.

If you have ever loved and you have lost, Mayluna is for you.