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The Music of Love

Sandine Tomas (Goodreads Author)

3.88 · Rating details · 25 ratings · 17 reviews

Sometimes the music of love skips a beat….

Paralegal by day, musician by night, Julian has an expiration date stamped on his forehead when it comes to love. No relationship has made it past a year, so Julian avoids romance like the plague and concentrates on his music instead.

Which works fine until gorgeous, smart, and funny Zachary joins Julian’s firm. One look at the man ...more

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ebook, 220 pages

Published June 19th 2018 by Dreamspinner Press

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· 25 ratings · 17 reviews

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Jun 21, 2018 Truuss rated it really liked it

Shelves: 2018, m-m

I loved it that both men had their specific peculiarities and habits and I loved it that this stayed strong throughout the whole journey.
It was a long and wide story. It had a lot of drama, really a lot! But... it had purpose because it made them grow.

Julian never reach longer than a year with relationships, on the date or nearby the date he just get dumped. Every time he falls deeply in love and every breakup hurts him and make him flee... literally. So he made up his mind... no more getting in ...more

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Jun 12, 2018 CrabbyPatty rated it liked it

Shelves: 2018-reads, angst-trauma-tragedy, arcs-received, dreamspinner-dsp-harmony, gaybookreviews, mm-music-band

Julian is a late 20's paralegal who ends up working an involved class action suit with Zachary, an early 20's newly-hired paralegal / law school student. Zachary is pretty much instantly smitten by Julian, but Julian is gun-shy since his last 3 relationships imploded shortly before the one-year mark and enlists his best friend / band mate Gabe to pose as his boyfriend to discourage any romance with Zachary.

I like the premise of the fake boyfriend and went into this story preparing to like the se ...more

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Aug 07, 2018 Carra rated it really liked it

Normally when I read the synopsis for a book and I can see there will be a character who will be setting themselves up for self-sabotage (in this case, Julian), I tend to skip it since those types of scenarios in a story frustrate me to no end. But something about this one still said “read me” to me, even though I knew I’d be putting up with some frustration.

And yes, Julian was exasperating with his “none of my relationships have lasted past a year, so why bother getting serious” attitude. He se ...more

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Jun 07, 2019 Becca rated it it was amazing

Wow what a story. So full of emotion. I didn't know whether to laugh, cry, or what half the time. I wanted to shake both the MCs and at the same time hug them or something. Shew. It was up and down.
Julian has been leary of relationships for a while. Each ex has told him he’s either not worth it, lied to him about other stuff or just plain left him...for a woman. It’s been one thing after another. So when Zachary shows up to his house to go over paperwork for the law firm they work for, Julian is Wow what a story. So full of emotion. I didn't know whether to laugh, cry, or what half the time. I wanted to shake both the MCs and at the same time hug them or something. Shew. It was up and down.
Julian has been leary of relationships for a while. Each ex has told him he’s either not worth it, lied to him about other stuff or just plain left him...for a woman. It’s been one thing after another. So when Zachary shows up to his house to go over paperwork for the law firm they work for, Julian is determined not to like him. He always falls fast and hard and it gets him in trouble. He even went so far as to have his best straight friend to play his boyfriend to keep Zachary at bay. And it did for a bit. But the guilt was too much for Julian and he confessed. These two end up in a relationship but it’s tumultuous. Between Julian’s doubts and fear, Zachary’s own insecurities, Zachary’s best friend, and the job, it’s all getting too much. There are fights, miscommunications, lack of trust and so forth. The one thing neither can deny is how much they love the other. But can love be enough to get past what they are dealing with?
I don’t know how Julian can date again, to be honest. It takes a lot. When you’ve suffered that much abuse and insults by exes, it tends to leave you very low. And for Julian to survive, he has to have his music. He sees music in everything around him. But with everything overwhelming him, he’s lost it. And it’s leaving him on a edge that’s not good. He feels like everything that happens is his fault and unfortunately, Zachary’s best friend and douche, Marc, doesn’t help things. His is constantly nitpicking at Julian and making him feel lower than dirt.
That’s my one complaint about Zachary. He was willing to give up family that didn’t like the fact that he was gay or had a boyfriend, but he wouldn’t tell Marc to just fuck off. He did stand up to him several times and defended Julian, but with what was said and what Julian heard, it was almost too little too late. I have no doubts he loves Julian. They have this chemistry that is unbelievable. And being apart is devastating to both of them. But sometimes, you’ve just got to nip certain things in the bud.
This is a good book, though. There’s lots of angst and points that will make you cry or want to slap someone. But in the end, it’s worth it. Like life, it has it’s ups and downs and will sometimes just go too far. But the end results can be well worth the risks.
http://lovebytesreviews.com/ ...more

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Jun 21, 2018 KristyAnne Norton rated it really liked it

The Music of Love by Sandine Tomas was a very good Contemporary romance. There were a few things that I could have done without, but there were also things I enjoyed. This story is told from Julian’s POV. Julian works as a paralegal to pay the bills and is a songwriter and musician by night. His true passion is his music, but he finds himself working sixty-plus hours a week doing a job that he doesn’t necessarily enjoy but is very good at. Julian grew up in Texas. However, three disastrous relat The Music of Love by Sandine Tomas was a very good Contemporary romance. There were a few things that I could have done without, but there were also things I enjoyed. This story is told from Julian’s POV. Julian works as a paralegal to pay the bills and is a songwriter and musician by night. His true passion is his music, but he finds himself working sixty-plus hours a week doing a job that he doesn’t necessarily enjoy but is very good at. Julian grew up in Texas. However, three disastrous relationships ending after a year have all had him running away to three different cities which eventually lands him in Washington D.C. He’s convinced that no man will ever love him past the one-year mark and he’s decided to give up on finding love. Plus the fact that he doesn’t want to move again has him set on avoiding any type of relationship outside of his two best friends and bandmates. The problem with this is that we don’t always know what fate has in store for us and sometimes love happens when you least expect it.

Zachary who also hails from the great state of Texas joins the same firm Julian works at as a paralegal while studying to become a lawyer. He decided at an early age that he wanted to become a lawyer so he can valiantly help out the poor and underprivileged while owning his own firm some day. When his new boss sends him to meet his new partner on a lawsuit case, he’s immediately charmed by the hungover and oddly endearing hot mess that is Julian. He’s instantly smitten and wants this man to be his.

Sparks fly from both sides, and even though Julian wants nothing more than to take the handsome and charming Zachary to bed, he decides that would be a mistake as he has a tendency to fall hard and fall fast. Which of course had led to disaster in the past and he’d rather just avoid it. He’s not willing to let history repeat itself. His heart can’t take another break.

The storyline was good. I really thought the description of the characters’ surroundings were very spot on. I could picture where they were, and that was definitely pleasing. The secondary characters were very well thought out as well as their places in the story. They were a little infuriating at times when they decided to meddle, but that added realism to the story. The chemistry Julian and Zachary shared was very well written and beautifully expressed. The conflict would happen, and then it was over, which we all know is never that easy, and then all is well with the lovebirds. Some of the conflicts were more juvenile than what I’d expect from two grown men. It was almost a little too cliché on the main characters’ conflicts. I’ve definitely seen this all done before.

I wish there was more depth to the storyline and not so much focus on having so many various conflicts. They fell head over heels pretty fast in the book and then it was like the focus became just entirely one drama after the next. The editing was great which I’ve come to expect of a Dreamspinner novel.

3.5 Optimumm Reviews ...more

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Jul 22, 2018 JoAnna G rated it really liked it · review of another edition

*~*~*4 What What Stars*~*~*

Oh my gosh this book was just so, everything. I loved it. Loved all the squishy love feels. I just loved everything about it. There was a lot going and we have some drama, but we love drama or we wouldn't read it. I loved the premise of this book. I love rock stars and I thought that's what I was getting and I did to a point but not really. I got a man you have a job to get by an pay his bills. He's a paralegal that sees music. Weird right? Not really it was great. T *~*~*4 What What Stars*~*~*

Oh my gosh this book was just so, everything. I loved it. Loved all the squishy love feels. I just loved everything about it. There was a lot going and we have some drama, but we love drama or we wouldn't read it. I loved the premise of this book. I love rock stars and I thought that's what I was getting and I did to a point but not really. I got a man you have a job to get by an pay his bills. He's a paralegal that sees music. Weird right? Not really it was great. They are both a bit complex and have things going on in the background. Julians makes him leary of love. When he falls he falls fast, deep and hard.

Julian is a paralegal, as I said, and when the book opens with him getting files for the case they are brought in by the new paralegal Zachary. They a bit of an instant connection. Julian is so leery. Afraid that with past failures it will be doomed before it even starts.

Now with all that being said, I loved them being rock solid. Yes, there are doubts always will be. It is nature. These two though are everything to each other. I loved the friendships. Gabe is a great friend to Julian. Julian friends are great as well. Though maybe not Marc so much. I totally could have gone without his meddling nature even if he means well.

When everything is going great Julian gets the opportunity to go on the road and tour with Gabe and Nick. This is where some of the drama comes in.

These two know each other tells as well as each very well. They are passionate, compassionate, and love with their whole heart. No one is more important to them than each other. Their worlds revolve around each other. The high the lows and even when someone or something brings them down they will sacrifice to make it what the other needs. They was so much romance at the same time he was rough and rugged men.

I really enjoyed this book and getting into the mind of Julian and his methods for his music and how it comes to him. I will leave it at this but this will be a re-read for me when I need a feel good, deep love story. ...more

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Jun 15, 2018 Tracy~Bayou Book Junkie rated it really liked it

Shelves: 2018-reads, arcs, fade-out-sex, hea-hfn, little-to-no-sex, mm, mm-na

3.75 Stars

Ugh, I’m so torn because I absolutely loved both Julian and Zachary, well, when I didn’t want to strangle one or both of them. I loved watching them fall in love and I really liked that even before the first half of the book they were an established couple, but this story had WAY TOO MUCH DRAMA!! It’s so anxiety-ridden, that I had to actually step away. It was either walk away for a bit and breathe or take a Xanax.

I love established couples, and while Zach and Julian meet at the begi ...more

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Sep 07, 2018 Mary Mary rated it really liked it

Shelves: m-m

It was a really good, entertaining read!

I can recommend it to people who like complicated stories with a happy endings :)
It's impossible not to fall in love with Zachary and Jules, even though they have BIG problems with communication and that leads to a lot of drama. All the time! From the very beginning. Yes, they are a little bit annoying. Yes, I think they move too fast. In the same time I miss them already and I finished this book yesterday. I got used to them, accepted their insecuriti It was a really good, entertaining read!

I can recommend it to people who like complicated stories with a happy endings :)
It's impossible not to fall in love with Zachary and Jules, even though they have BIG problems with communication and that leads to a lot of drama. All the time! From the very beginning. Yes, they are a little bit annoying. Yes, I think they move too fast. In the same time I miss them already and I finished this book yesterday. I got used to them, accepted their insecurities and wanted to know MORE and MORE.

It is a love story, but more importantly it is also the story about finding Yourself. During "The music of love" we can witness the change in Julian's life and his priorities.

It was a lovely story with likable and sexy characters, hot scenes, lots of funny moments and even more arguments. It is fast paced and well written. What I really loved was how nicely Julian's ability to "see" music was described. Moreover, top/bottom conversation and their first time was pretty awesome.

I was a little bit surprised by the amount of drama here and how insecure and self-sabotaging Julian was. I didn't see that coming after reading the blurb. At first it was pretty funny, they were trying sooooo hard. Then it was getting more and more annoying but somewhere around 70% I finally understood what Zach wanted and what Julian was so afraid of. In the same time I think everything happened too fast. As much as I wasn't surprised when "I love You" was said for the first time, I didn't expect (view spoiler) especially in the moment of crisis.

What I didn't like was the final conversation. If (view spoiler) I have no words to describe how it felt, I think my jaw is still lying on the floor. There was also Marc, at one point I was quite sure he had some feelings for Zach but in the end it turned out he was just rude.

I really liked this story and I am glad they found their happy ending.

* I won a copy of this book during Goodread's MM Romance Group Celebration * ...more

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Jun 17, 2018 Ashley rated it really liked it

Please note: I read an advance copy of this story.

No spoilers in the first paragraph:

Sandine has created a story around interesting and complex fully-developed characters that makes you want to keep reading right to the end and leaves you wanting more. I didn't want to put the story down! She made me care about them. It was a rollercoaster, but one I happily went along with.

Spoilers in the following review:

Because this story made me care about the characters, Julian's unrelenting self-doubt drov Please note: I read an advance copy of this story.

No spoilers in the first paragraph:

Sandine has created a story around interesting and complex fully-developed characters that makes you want to keep reading right to the end and leaves you wanting more. I didn't want to put the story down! She made me care about them. It was a rollercoaster, but one I happily went along with.

Spoilers in the following review:

Because this story made me care about the characters, Julian's unrelenting self-doubt drove me CRAZY and I wanted to smack him! However, it WAS effective in that his self-doubt was ALWAYS with him...and it was also always confronting the reader. I got the feeling it drove him crazy too. He didn't want to be like that. So, while maddening, it was effective. I kept wanting him to be the adult in the relationship though. Usually, Zachary (the slightly younger man) was the adult.

You got it 100% right about legalized gay marriage. I speak from experience. It's a big deal for those who were unable to have access to that right until 2014.

I found myself wishing for more detail in the sex scenes; especially early on...but that detail increased as the story went. Love that Zach blew Jules on the way to the wedding ceremony. There were a lot of great descriptions here; about their looks, their eyes...I found myself wanting more description in the wedding at the end. Did Zach get to wear that tux he marked in the magazine a few years before? How'd he look in it to Julian? I also found myself wanting to hear more about what Zachary was thinking (though I know this story was told from Julian's point of view).

This story has a very constant level of high drama...but I realize that well-adjusted people don't make for interesting characters! It was unclear to me how Jules' early emotional trauma would have left him that broken, so I wished for more information there. Outwardly, Jules, on paper, sounds like a total and insanely talented catch! I also wished for a few fewer moments of super-high drama as the constant drama sometimes decreased its effectiveness.

I loved the supporting character of Gabe and wanted more Randy too.

Overall, it was compelling. And hot. I wanted more "hot", but maybe that's just me. I really wanted to hear how things went down (literally) in the jacuzzi tub. :)

I really enjoyed reading about how Julian had to figure out how his life WORKED best...what was the combination where he'd have what he needed to be who he was, to write music, and to have the love he needed. I was happy he realized he couldn't be free to write music without also having Zachary with him.

And to comment on the very start...it was a great description of a completely and totally disgusting hangover. ...more

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Jun 19, 2018 Cat rated it liked it

Unique Perspectives and Interesting Characters

The Music of Love is as fun as it is frustrating. Complex main characters, wide assortment of secondary characters, and told from Julien’s point of view, there are many great aspects and a few not-so-great, but all in all, I enjoyed this read!

I was sucked in from the very beginning, which is a scene that I won’t even begin to describe, but which made me laugh heartily at the sheer realism of the situation. Julien is a character with the ability to Unique Perspectives and Interesting Characters

The Music of Love is as fun as it is frustrating. Complex main characters, wide assortment of secondary characters, and told from Julien’s point of view, there are many great aspects and a few not-so-great, but all in all, I enjoyed this read!

I was sucked in from the very beginning, which is a scene that I won’t even begin to describe, but which made me laugh heartily at the sheer realism of the situation. Julien is a character with the ability to see music when looking at objects, and this grants him some incredible insight to apply to his songwriting. Zachary is a man with a plan, his life laid out in five year increments that keep him driving forward toward his objectives. This plan, however, does not hinder his enjoyment of the now, and I loved that aspect, the freeness that brought fresh air into so many scenes.

The storyline is very nicely put together, and I loved so many pieces and parts that led to the whole of it. There is one aspect, however, that I could have done with significantly less of: Julien’s angst. It is a critical piece in progressing the tale, but I spent a goodly amount of time wanting to slap him upside the head and tell him to grow up already! His self-doubts are understandable, but his inability to move forward by separating them and only taking those parts that are necessary to his growth made him come off almost like a middle school drama-ridden early teen.

The multitude of secondary characters each added great things to the whole. From Gabe’s and Marc’s loyalty to and protectiveness of their best friends Julien and Zachary, respectively, to the office staff and one quirky drummer that allowed the truly wonderful Randy to enter the story, I enjoyed each and every one of them and their interactions within the story.

In the end, I’m rating this at three stars. This is really a good debut novel from an up and coming writer, I look forward to watching her continued growth in the literary world! If you like angst (which I certainly do, within reason), give this a read. If you are a music lover, definitely give this a read for the awesome perspectives of Julien’s music! If you’re looking for a new author, I definitely suggest Sandine Tomas!

I voluntarily read an ARC copy of this book for Divine Magazine from Dreamspinner Press with hopes for but no obligation to provide a review.

**Same worded review will appear on Goodreads, Amazon.co.uk and Amazon.com.** ...more

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Jul 25, 2018 Amy Tasukada rated it really liked it

video review can be found here https://youtu.be/OPZtO_yqbJA

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Jun 19, 2018 Elizabeth Wilfong rated it it was amazing

Boy meets boy…boy loses boy…boy regains boy and then lives happily ever after…Not so fast!

Sandine Tomas intensifies the standard rom-com story by giving Julian and Zachary more than superficial challenges in their relationship. Starting with one of the grossest meet-cute scenes I’ve ever read, her characters surprised me with unconventional yet endearing quirks and real-life dilemmas that required them to experience emotional growth before achieving their happy ending. That character development ...more

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Jun 20, 2018 Teri rated it it was amazing

What a great read! One of the things that really draws me in to a story is characters and situations feel real - they have ups and downs, it's not a straight shot to happiness. I wanted Julian and Zachary to be together - mistakes were made, feelings were hurt - but ultimately love won out.

Sandine Tomas' writing is crisp and her dialogue is wonderful, so believable, which is also something else that keeps me involved in a story. I couldn't stop reading until Julian and Zachary got their happily ...more

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Jun 18, 2018 Sarah Wilfong rated it it was amazing

Very fun read! No romance is complete without mix-ups and misunderstandings, and this story has them in spades. The writing is colorful and engaging, and the characters are wonderfully human, flaws and all. As a former touring musician, I can vouch for the authenticity of the descriptions of life on the road, and how that lifestyle can be a strain on relationships. Julian possesses a high level of insecurity and creates a lot of drama in his life, but I can also vouch for musicians having both o ...more

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Jun 19, 2018 Aubrey Gelpieryn rated it it was amazing

Well-developed RELATABLE characters, a great love story and a knack for hilarious snippets, Sandine Thomas has written a spectacular first book. It's a quick read, perfect for a day at the beach. As someone living in DC, I loved the little references to the local area. A must-read for anyone- regardless of whether or not they're familiar with the genre. There's something for everyone in The Music of Love.

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Aug 10, 2018 Lori rated it liked it

This book is a love story at its core. It’s about an all-consuming, can’t-live-without-each-other type of love. It’s not about a fake boyfriend ruse (per the synopsis), that was so little of what this story was about. It’s about two people who fall deeply in love almost at first sight.

Julian has been deeply hurt in past relationships and wants no part of another one. But when he meets Zachary, his looks, personality and charm are so lovable, Julian doesn’t trust himself to resist. His answer? T ...more

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Jun 15, 2018 Morgan Skye rated it liked it

This just wasn’t my cup of tea. I was really attracted to the blurb. I love books about music and throw in some hidden identity and fake boyfriend… YES!

But that really isn’t the main thrust of this and most of this is a lot of drama and angst which I just didn’t get too wrapped up in.

I’ve definitely read some reviews of folks who loved this, and the writing and character development were really good, but it just didn’t appeal to me. I recommend looking at other reviews if the blurb strikes your ...more

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About Sandine Tomas

Sandine Tomas

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Sandine Tomas grew up an unapologetic bookworm, making friends with characters from the ancient past to the farthest reaches of the universe. Her career as a marketing writer has given her insight into the divergence between what a person thinks they want and what they truly need.

Relationships are at the heart of her writing, and she enjoys creating characters who become so real that their storie ...more

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