⭐⭐⭐☆
A group of Sadie's mother's friends drop by for a regular coupon-exchange and chat session and led when Sadie starts playing her drums, led by one of the women Marley Moran, the group ends up having an impromptu jam session. Sadie is delighted to see her mother joining in and thinks that music is the way to help her mom back. She floats the idea of the group performing and Marley is happy to create an opportunity at her annual party.
Marley is in the business of manufacturing vodka. Her daughter, Jessica, a couple of years older than Sadie is studying business and keen on joining her mother's business as soon as she finishes studies. Home for the holidays, Jess is a little discomfited by the new development viz. her mom performing in public with a band and she is also madly attracted to the woman creating this turbulence, viz. Sadie.
This is a very well written book. While the romance is front and centre the relationships of both the girls with their mothers also are important threads. Characterisations of every single person, including those making very brief appearances, are so well done that you can practically see everyone.
Sadie and Jess are very likeable. This is a new adult book, which means both the women are in a transitory phase between teen and adult. So they have the teen ability to love and forgive. Despite Jess' blow-hot-blow-cold behaviour, Sadie is able to be totally into her. Both of them want to be responsible and take care of their mothers but are a little clueless, a little too young and a little ham-handed in how they do it. All this just makes it all so real and both of them endearing. Kudos to Ritz for the way she's written Sadie and Jess keeping them so perfectly in character.
We really enjoyed this one.
⭐⭐⭐☆
