I love how patient Hope is with Lily, most of the time. And Lily's ability to stand up for herself when Hope is not. Stories like this, and factual stories, as well, will certainly go a long way toward better understanding people who are not well understood at this point. A beautiful love story.

This was my 8th read by Bryant, and for me, her books just get better and better. That is saying a lot because all of her books are great reads. I read two of her books back to back this time and both were absolutely awesome. I think she has moved into my top 5 authors. I am writing my reviews a while after reading the book, and just writing this review makes me want to reread the book again. The characters were great, the writing was amazing, and the story was perfect. I really felt the chemistry between the two mains. This book as well as, Falling… the second book by Bryant I read, are wonderful and anyone looking for an excellent romance should pick them both up immediately.

I loved this book Lily and Hope are great characters. Reading about them falling for each other was exciting. I am becoming a big fan of this author and have no problem recommending this book her work to my peers.

I think that this is probably my favourite Bryant novel so far - that is subject to change as there's few of her older novels that I haven't read yet.

For whatever reason, I ended up reading four or five music themed books in a month - Listen stood out as my favourite. The plot, the characters, the dialogue, the obstacles - all worked perfectly together and made this a memorable romance novel. Bryant has created a fantastic protagonist in Lily - a former prodigy, plagued by anxiety and hiding from the world - and how she manages to push through her past and take a chance with expanding her world.

Read it. Seriously. Stop scrolling through reviews to figure out if you'll like it. You will

Stevie‘s review of Listen by Kris Bryant
Contemporary Lesbian Romance published by Bold Strokes Books 12 Feb 19

Having noted that I hadn’t read any rock star romances lately, I came across two books featuring relationships between musicians in as many months. This, the second of the pair to be released doesn’t feature a rock star as such, although one of the protagonists was a famous musician and composer in her youth, before anxiety issues forced her to seek a new career away from the public eye. Since her breakdown, Lily Croft has avoided music altogether, finding comfort in numbers and doing as much of her actuarial work as possible from home in order to minimise her contact with other people. While on secondment to a purely office-based job, Lily hears a pianist practising, and is soon drawn into the world of the Leading Note Music Center, a non-profit organisation providing music therapy, and music lessons to children who would otherwise miss out on such opportunities. When Lily meets the pianist herself, she is attracted to the woman’s looks and personality as much as she was to her talent.


Hope D’Marco, like Lily, was encouraged to take music lessons by her parents, after showing interest following a trip to a concert. Unlike Lily, she wasn’t pushed beyond her comfort zone, and now she plays for pleasure, as well as teaching and performing in recitals with her young students. Hope appears entranced by Lily’s shy, awkward nature and encourages her to become more sociable just as Lily is taking steps to get to know her temporary co-workers.

The pair begin a relationship, although Lily worries about telling Hope about her past brush with fame – she changed her name after giving up music and mostly avoids events where she might be recognised by fans of her former self. Meanwhile, Hope worries what will happen to the music centre now that their major sponsor has pulled out due to a business relocation, and the rent on their premises is about to increase significantly. Lily makes plans to help, using both her own resources and the contacts she has through her employers. All is going well, until a revelation from Hope causes Lily to panic over whether she can really trust anyone she lets into her life.

While I had a lot of empathy for Lily and could completely understand why she would want to keep her past and present lives completely separate, I had a harder time figuring out Hope. I couldn’t understand why she both concealed an important fact from Lily and also set things up so the truth was bound to come out at the worst possible moment (maybe a little too much of a deus ex machina from the author?). Also, the glimpses we saw of her family didn’t completely fit with what we knew about her or the way she’d described them previously to Lily. Overall, this wasn’t a bad book, but I didn’t completely love it either.

Grade: C

Great read! Author clearly knows how to write good descriptions and dialogue. I look forward to reading more of what this author puts out!

5 stars. Probably the most accurate depiction of how it actually is to live with crippling anxiety I've ever read. As someone who has to deal with it daily, I can vouch it's exactly like that.

Beyond that, I loved the characters and I loved the story, and I loved their relationship. It grew naturally and focused on all the things I like in my romance books. The sexy times were enjoyable also.

The 80% conflict I usually dread was handled in a surprising way to me so props for that too. I felt it was handled in an organic way, rather than forced like it usually is.

Overall, a very pleasant read indeed. Kris Bryant's previous book was a 5 star read for me and so is this one. She just writes what I like, big hopes for her next book.

<a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/43541644-listen" style="float: left; padding-right: 20px"><img border="0" alt="Listen" src="https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1547257237m/43541644.jpg" /></a><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/43541644-listen">Listen</a> by <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/7813172.Kris_Bryant">Kris Bryant</a><br/>
My rating: <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/2746089037">5 of 5 stars</a><br /><br />
I rec' an ARC from NetGalley/Bold Strokes Books for review.<br />Ms. Bryant rarely disappoints and this was no exception. What's not to love about a book dealing with romance and music interspersed with angst and sex. Lily and Hope are beautifully written characters in a storyline that simply transports you. I took my time reading slowly to fully appreciate this one. Highly recommend with 5 stars.
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<a href="https://www.goodreads.com/review/list/31134832-gail">View all my reviews</a>

An honest review thanks to NetGalley. I really liked the originality of this read. Anxiety is a very real disorder that many people face and yet we don't see it a lot in pieces of literature. The romance between Lily and Hope was refreshing and sweet. This was an outstanding read by Kris Bryant that you will not regret picking up!

I thoroughly enjoyed this romance. From the very beginning, I did not want to set this book aside. The characters were so real. The plot was a slow, burning romance and the love scenes HOT!

The two main characters are Lily Croft, a former child music prodigy, and Hope D'Marco, a musician and founder of Leading Notes an organization that offers music instruction. The chemistry between the two principles is dynamic from the very beginning.

I highly recommend this book. Readers can expect to have several wonderful hours of reading. I rate this book 5 out of 5 stars.

I was given this ARC in exchange for a fair and honest review.

Lily is a former music prodigy who didn't have a great time at the end of her childhood spanning career and got as far as she could away from music in adulthood, becoming an actuary.

She meets Hope first, ironically, through Hope's music, Claire de Lune, specifically. Hope is the founder and force for The Leading Note, an organization that gives free music lessons and music therapy sessions to kids in the city of Chicago.

The problem with them meeting is that while Lily falls easily for Hope, it's much harder for her to reestablish her relationship with music.

I liked how the relationship between the two women was approached. It was very nuanced and the ebb and flow felt very real.

But, my favorite part of the book was definitely the music. A lot of the classical stuff I knew and could hear in my head when it was mentioned. (I do really really wish that I knew what Lily's composition was supposed to sound like).

It was a fun read, and I even wish we'd had more time with the two women and their lives post novel.

I received this book via Netgalley thanks to Bold Strokes Books.

5/5

Lily Croft loves analyzing data and numbers make sense to her, far, but not forgotten, is the life she had as a music prodigy in her youth. When Lily is given a temporary assignment and she has to transfer to another office which happens to be close to a concert Hall. Lily is forced to face her fears regarding music and attraction. Two things she was not expecting and not ready to face.

This book is written in first person and although I am not a fan of first person, I thought the book was really great at engaging you and getting you to like Lily right from the beginning. The book had a really good pace, not getting stuck in places and times and overly describing parts. That was a big plus and it kept you interested all throughout.

The romance was incredibly cute and believable. I loved the interaction between Lily and Hope. It made for a very cute and heart warming story.

Another great book by Kris Bryant.

A copy was provided by Netgalley and Bold Strokes Books Inc. for an honest review.

A compelling story in which I was happily immersed. Near the culmination, there was perhaps too much romance for me (who pursue lesbian stories but can be queasy about romance).

I really enjoyed this book. The main characters, Hope and Lily, meet by accident at a music school. Lily hears Hope playing and is drawn to her and her piano playing. The pace of this book from beginning to end is pleasing and is smooth. The main characters are fully fleshed out and you are drawn to them instantly with their characteristics and dialogue. I would recommend this to anyone looking for a romance.

I received an ARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

This is a wonderfully written book of an erstwhile famous musical prodigy, Lily Croft, who had a public meltdown leading her to become something of a recluse. Love extends hand to Lily in form of Hope D’Marco, who runs a centre to bring music into the lives of the young who cannot pursue this interest otherwise.

The relationship between the two MCs is tenderly treated and unfolds softly. One of the loveliest things about the book is the way both the women are inspirations for each other. However, the crisis point was a little difficult to understand. Lily has changed her name and identity from her previous life as a performer. She dilly-dallies on telling Hope the truth. In the meanwhile, she discovers that Hope knew all along who she was. As per us, Hope is the one who should’ve had a problem, but in the scenario Bryant builds, Lilly freaks out and breaks up. We truly cannot understand this.

Other than that one issue, the characters are well written and developed; though we do have a greater liking for Hope and her gentleness and openness.

On the whole, this was a pleasurable read.

How does a person respond when a gift is battered and not nurtured. While this read tells a sad story of a shattered gift, there is much to be admired and appreciated. Hope D'Marco, what a beautifully written character with depth and a heart focused on music, love, and making a difference in the lives of young people. Lily Croft is a character that has a story that must be told. We as individuals are not without our flaws whether inherited or put upon, it is important that we do not go through life alone. Day-to-day life is not easy and when you find that someone to share your life with, you need to hold on for the bumpy road of romance and love. Enjoyable romance that takes its' time.

A lovely romance from Ms Bryant that grabbed me from the first. Lily Croft, a former music prodigy spend her days working as an actuary. The stress from performing was just too much so she left music behind and now works with numbers instead. But with a new project to work on she must leave the safety of working from home and start actually working with others in a office setting. On her way home she drawn to the music coming from the Leading Note. It’s there that she meets Hope D’Marco. The problems with falling in love with Hope means also revisiting her passion for music. Does she hide from her past or does she confront her past? A very, very enjoyable read.
ARC via NetGalley

This is the first book that I've read by Kris Bryant. I found Bryant's writing to be very descriptive especially employing the concept of "listen" that she utilized thoughout the book. This technique had me paying attention to subtle details in the descriptions and dialogue. The subject of mental health was a focus on this novel and the healing power that love and acceptance plays for someone who is faced with those challenges in their life. Finally, the characters of Hope and Lily had wonderful chemistry with sweet, sexy love scenes. I highly recommend this book to others.

I received an ARC from NetGalley and Bold Strokes Books in exchange for an honest review.

Listen by Kris BryantListen by Kris Bryant

This book drew me to it for a few reasons:
* Loved the cover
* Music has been a big part of my life in the past
* The anxiety issue is part and parcel of one of my loved ones’ lives

Words I wrote down while reading this book:
* Sweet-ish
* Music
* Change
* Identity
* Structure
* Love
* New Adult?

Lily Croft was someone else earlier in her life. She had a pivotal moment around age fourteen that hugely impacted her leading her away from the concert stage to being an actuary working with numbers. She is pretty much a nervous Nelly and recluse who likes order and doesn’t like change. We never really heard much about the formative years of her life – not in detail – and we don’t hear much about her life from age 14 to 27 either - when the story begins. Personally, I might have enjoyed a few memories about those years although I didn’t need them to understand what happened and why the drastic changes took place.

The blurb about the book is fairly descriptive about the story line and what will happen. Lily and Hope will meet through music, they will get to know and fall for one another, there will be a situation that seems them apart for a space of time and eventually they end up back together again.

If you are looking for a sweet fairly predictable well written story then this book might be for you.

Thank you to NetGalley and Bold Stroke Books for the ARC – This is my honest review.

3-4 Stars

Kris Bryant did an outstanding job with this book. Her best work so far! Listen is so sweet and compelling you just cannot help but fall in love with the characters she has created.

Lily Croft is a 27-year-old hermit. She spends the majority of her time in her Chicago apartment with her rescued tomcat. Lily lives for math and she excels at her finance focused career. She does not interact with anyone other than basic conversations. With no friends or family, this amazingly talented woman has shut herself off from the world. Why? Lily is a child music prodigy. Leading symphonies by the time she was 11 years old. With that talent came unspeakable demands and abuse from her parents. Forced to play 24/7, Lily began to have mental health issues including social phobia. Therefore she cut everyone out of her life, including the music that she once loved so much. 

Hope De’Marco is also a musician. Hope runs a grant-funded music therapy studio that focuses on children with disabilities and inner-city kids. Lily just happens to be sub-contracted to a company that is right by Hope’s studio. One evening on her way home Lily hears Hope playing and it sparks curiosity in her and draws her to the music. She continues to go by the studio to hear the pianist play again. 

Hope and Lily have a charming romance. Its gentle pace has you rooting for Lily’s growth and cheering Hope’s gentleness. What Bryant really excels at with this story is letting the reader feel the emotions of Lily. You feel her anxiety rippling off the page. When she was in a social experience that sparked her anxiety you were right there with her feeling those heart-pounding emotions. You root for Lily’s growth, you are dazzled by Hope’s kindness and you are terrified for that inevitable shoe to drop. A great book that keeps you spellbound to the end. You leave this one with a massive smile on your face.

4.25 out of 5 stars