Sofia

by Jo Brodie

Hazel's baby sister Sofie is all grown up now at 20, but just as incorrigible as ever. Like her mother, Debbie Stewart, she's turned out to be a hugely talented musician and is trying to establish herself professionally. But unlike Deb, and her two older sisters, she doesn't want to be in a band. She's ferociously self reliant and determined to make it as a solo artist. On the whole, she's a happy and confident young woman with a mischievous sense of humor. But she's haunted by the loss of her first love, Amber, who abandoned her for, of all things, a man. Other relationships don't exactly go well either, especially when she dates the evil Jade. Even so, she remains best friends with her old school-mate, Andrew, who she's more than a little bit confused about. She becomes very close to Hazel and Tina's friend, Katie, now a famous actress, but whose own love life is as bewildering as ever. A wealthy theater owner takes her under her wing and her music career starts to really take off. Then she begins recording her second album and gets to know a distinctly eccentric sound engineer. As ever in Saltbury there are laughs and tears throughout while Martine, Sofie's other mother, tries hard to keep some sort of order.

Kindle Edition

Published March 13, 2024

About the author

Whilst still missing darkest Wiltshire, Jo Brodie is now an accidental Mancunian, having never quite got round to leaving the city after studying at Manchester University. They write widely under various pen names, on topics that range from Roman and Victorian history to Rock music, and Jo has recently become a regular writer for feminist music Web site ‘Hera Says‘. Jo’s lesbian novels and shorter stories, which are collectively entitled ‘The Saltbury Chronicles’, centre on a diverse cast of characters from the mythical Wiltshire market town of Saltbury. They are love stories, but they are more than just escapism, often exploring serious LGBTQ, gender and other issues along the way. In private life, Jo is happily married with two cats. They play bass and guitar (very badly) and yearn to learn drums, if only the neighbours would understand!

The Saltbury books contain a character called Debbie Stewart, a true Rock guitar heroine. Debbie is not based on any particular real life guitarist. In fact Jo’s actual guitar heroine is a very different figure: Marissa Paternoster of the ‘Screaming Females’. Debbie, though, is who Jo wishes they could be – if only – and you can tell a lot about someone from who they would like to be.

Reviews

[Patricia · Rating 5 out of 5]

Time is surely flying fast

Time is surely flying

Gawd, I cannot believe Monster is so grown up.
Getting used to Hazel and Anne's pace, having watched them grow up throughout several books got me spoiled, because even though I had the bestest of time, it still felt like too little time this time. One day Monster is like 8 going on 30, the other she's an adult full of attitude, but also so so soft. The best though, the little shit is too funny/witty.

Now, because of the timeline, it was a ride! But I'll be honest, at first I wasn't giving Amber much credit, why would I? I've never heard of her before, but after the rainy day she only grew on me, and I couldn't stop myself going back to the letter and feeling for her, for both of them having to write/read it. So painful to witness, imagine to live it, even if fictionally. And boy, not me crying all over chapter 10. That gotta hurt, badly..

Then the bit with A and T, my goodness, that one I never saw it coming. Like, I was even accepting already her first love to be the one, long term, but this ending.. it had me gagged and even though I'm not into it, it makes sense, I love that this might be a thing and all that it entails and drama it can bring.

On another note, one thing I specially loved was Monster conversations with Haze. Something about them, whatever they were talking, just got me me the biggest smiles. I suppose it's because frequently, just like Erin from Derry girls, all Sofie wanted was be seen as an individual and Hazel actually did that, saw her as her own person not just a kid.

To end my ramblings, I'm not gonna lie, I had a massive change of heart towards Katie. I suppose it's easier to see her woes as an adult than asa teen/young woman. I went from "can't stand the character" to "we must protect her at all cost and find her love" and instead of being really mad at her after that premier night I cried the tears Jenny couldn't. Their story is heartbreaking on so many levels. Then chapter 9 arrived and I was screaming fuck you, Kate LMAO, but thank goodness for small mercies by the author and the conclusion of it, or is it?

To the next one!

[Jo Brodie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Little Sofie Fauld was always hilarious as a child and she still is as an adult. But there's a lot more to her than that. She's talented, caring and romantic, and like Jane Austen's Emma she thinks she's a really good matchmaker. Sometimes she almost is too, but not always. As ever, Saltbury is full of wonderful and often eccentric characters that will have you crying and laughing, sometimes at the same time.