Winter Symphony: Overtures Book One: A Second-Chance, Musical Holiday Romance

by Jean Maxwell

Flutist Jenna Brophy has it all--a musical career she loves, a husband and two grown children. When the resentments and struggles of a twenty year marriage crescendo into irreconcilable breakdown, can she make the choice to end it? With her emotions in turmoil, she focuses on preparing for a big holiday concert, until her orchestra's conductor is called away on a family emergency. His replacement? Her high-school sweetheart, Brandon Marsh, now a well-respected session musician and the one man Jenna can never forget.
Brandon hasn't seen Jenna in years, his career pursuits sending him out of the country and out of her life right after graduation. He's made some mistakes, but none bigger than marrying the wrong woman--twice. Struggling with his own issues, including a chilling medical diagnosis, a familiar face in the orchestra he's been asked to take over strikes a chord in him stronger than he's ever felt before.
Winter may be a time of endings, but in whatever time signature the rest of their lives might be written, can Jenna and Brandon compose a new beginning, take the repeat and play the final Coda together?

Watch the heartwarming video trailer for Winter Symphony on Jean Maxwell's Author Central amazon.com/author/jeanmaxwell

150 pages, Paperback

Published December 1, 2018

Reviews

[The TBR Pile *Book review site*]

Jenna, oh Jenna. I want to scoop her up into a hug. Her husband’s a jerk and then Brand is back in her life. Total swoon. Talk about complicated. He’s also got a medical secret that’s really heartbreaking. Oh, Jenna’s got a freaking huge secret of her own. When Jenna final breaks it off with her husband she knows life is too short to pass on what she wants. And what she wants is Brand.

FULL REVIEW - http://thetbrpile.weebly.com/reviews/...

[Richard Fossey]

Winter Symphony is a great read! JMs writing style is smart, crisp and sexy. Her characters are realistic and well developed. Jenna is truly believable; you feel like you are part of the story as Jenna works to deal with her broken marriage, make sense of her long-repressed love and passion for her first true love (who has re-entered her life unexpectedly) and, manage her relationship with her kids. As a musician, I really appreciated the realistic and accurate musical references. I would love to hear Jenna play! I’m looking forward to Overtures Book Two.

[Rick]

Life is complicated., but there is hope. And romance. We all may have someone left behind, for ... reasons. Someone we wish our history had been different, better, if only we had taken chances. Always well written with strong characters, the story flows and molds the plot. Enjoyable, entertaining and a well-told fantasy. One roots for the central characters especially during the more stressful periods. JM always has a good read.

[Sandra]

I liked the main characters being in their fifties & still having a life esp a hot one. It is a very engaging second chance read with the timing being just not right for both April & Brandon.

April is suffiering in a dead marriage with her husband Matt being away for work most of the time. He's also very critical of her & her musical career. That's how she meets up again with Brandon as he's offered a job with her orchestra. This then sets off a chain of events which sends April off on an independent path. Just when things were looking good, of course there has to be a twist or two.

It's a pity things didn't initially work for our two as they had a very good connection. But her kids were the only good thing to come out of her marriage. I'm not sure if Aprils actions at times were a good choice however she has to bear the consequences.

This is definitely a story that would appeal to a more mature reader in the sense that the characters are middle aged & they have more life experience. It's not overly angsty either. You do get a look at their pasts & at times a dual POV, which I like. A very touching second chance read.

I received a complimentary copy for review from Voracious Readers Only.

[Judy Munoz]

I received a review copy of this book from the author through Voracious Readers.
This is a wonderful and engaging story! I thoroughly enjoyed it. The characters were all well-developed and believable and very likeable. I especially appreciated that the main characters were older - not twenty somethings - and they were portrayed with such endearing passion. The complexities of real life, such as kids and divorce and illness, were handled with sensitivity and realism. And although this is a shorter novel and a quick and easy read, the story was heartfelt and believable, with a lot of twists and turns, and a touch of steamy romance. The writing was sharp and witty and compelling. A fantastic story!