Thanks #NetGalley for the advanced copy of #APerfectFifth by Jaycie Morrison in exchange for an honest review.

There were things I really enjoyed about this book like the music-ness of it all but I had a hard time with a couple of things about this book. 1) I have no idea when this book was set and that kept me pre-occupied with looking for clues in the text rather than enjoying the story. 2) I feel like this book could have been a novella instead of a full length novel. It seemed to drag and I lost interest. Don't get me wrong, there were some great things about this book - I felt like the character arc of Clive was well put together. He's not a likable character in the beginning and while you don't love him in the end, you can see that he's truly trying to be a better person. There was only 1 thing that he never atoned for which if he had come clean about it, I would have loved his arc all the more.

It’s 1969, and Zara Keller has been working her way across the Atlantic as a piano player. She’s got an audition at the Royal College of Music, and as a poor survivor, this is her big shot. An invitation from a friendly passenger for a place to crash before the audition will change her entire life. Jillian Stansfield, Lady of the Manor is always on and usually wearing a very refined mask. When she meets Zara, though, the two instantly click and become fast friends. But, Zara is a lesbian, a lower-class, poorer lesbian, and Jillian’s attraction for her could jeopardize her position, and her future. A single moment changes their lives forever, and as forces try to keep them apart, they’ll have to overcome so many obstacles in order to build something meaningful.

I stayed up way too late reading this the other night. I had to finish it before following asleep. I loved all of it! The characters. The romance. The pacing. The friendships. The angst and lesbian drama. It was amazing! I loved the slow burn romance and then the obstacles that kept the two apart about broke my own heart. I was rooting hard for them, and all of the other elements/characters worked perfectly to move the story along. Definitely recommend.

The beginning of the book had me a bit confused as there were some different POV's than the MC's.

Once we get to the story of Zara and Jillian, I was on their journey but it did have some bumps along the road.

Overall a good read and a great couple. Can't say the same for Jillian's friends although they do redeem themselves at the end.

I received an ARC via Netgalley in return of an honest review.

ARC received via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

I haven’t read this author before but the blurb intrigued me. Unfortunately it’s misleading, as I hadn’t realised this was set in the 70s when I picked it and I wouldn’t have chosen it if I’d known, I’m not a huge fan of books set in the past.

This features MCs Zara, a pianist on a cruise ship who is about to audition for a prestigious music school in England and Jillian, British aristocracy, who is also studying to be a scientist. Jillian’s BFF, Constance meets Zara on the cruise and invites her back to stay with Jillian, Constance’s beau Nelson and Jillian’s other long time friend Clive, who everyone assumes Jillian will end up with.

Zara is an out and proud lesbian, but that doesn’t stop her and Jillian being smitten with each other from first glance. There’s some pretty big hurdles in their way though, including the time period this takes place in and their class differences. The plot switches perspective between the five mains and this was a bit hit and miss for me depending on who the focus was, because I cared little for some of these characters. I enjoyed Zara and Jill in most of their scenes together, but found large stretches of the plot either overly contrived to insert drama (really just being lesbians from different classes was enough to overcome without the many and varied events and communication issues that cropped up).

There was way too much miscommunication or just a lack of communication between the characters that could easily have been addressed but lead to large periods of estrangement for my liking. The machinations of two of the male characters during these periods were also a bit much. Some of the supporting characters play large roles, but I didn’t find any of them particularly appealing.

I did like both MCs and enjoyed them together, I just thought the author put too much energy into creating issues to force them apart. The ending also wrapped up a bit too neatly. Readers who enjoy past settings and class drama might enjoy this more than I did. 3 stars.

Thank you to NetGalley, Jaycie Morrison, and Bold Strokes Books for providing this e-ARC in exchange for my honest review.

It took me a little bit to get into this book. There were a lot of shifting perspectives and quite a few characters to get to know. Once I got into it, I really enjoyed the character development in this story. It was well written. It was a period piece with complex characters and themes.

This review will be posted to my Goodreads and Amazon accounts immediately and to my instagram account (@ginganinja333), and to my newly created bookstagram (@paulas.book.nook) as well.

Big thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an eARC copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Overall, I think that was fun. I had a few issues but not enough to detract from the book as a whole. I think this would a good addition to a collection that had similar titles.

I received this book through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. ARC provided by Bold Strokes Book.

Two divides perfectly into four, not five Zara Keller is a survivor turned piano phenomenon living for a big dream. When she is invited to spend the weekend with four long-time friends outside of London, she has little use for luxurious Fullerhill Manor—but Lady Jillian Stansfield might be a different story.

The obligations thrust on Jillian Stansfield as Lady of the Manor center on home and family. Even her best friends expect her to put aside the desire for a meaningful life and carry on her legacy through marriage and children. Will the arrival of a fifth person be enough to tip the balance of their “gang of four” in her favor?

Zara challenges Jillian to pursue grander plans and stirs something new and profound, compelling Jillian to be true to herself and make the hardest decisions of her life. But when tragedy strikes, saving Jillian may cost Zara the goal of a position at the Royal College of Music, and the chance at love.

This is a slow burn romance that explores sexuality and identity, challenged by homphobia and manipulative men. The side characters would have benefitted from being more developed and they were not likeable. I found the writing dramatic, giving glimpses of relationships, maneuverings, friendship and betrayal. We get lots of lovely details about both Zara and Jillian, but the other people seem to be slightly forgotten. I also think the author chose an interesting time period and creates a gripping atmosphere. Another issue that I had was there were way too many narrators, which got so confusing. A careful and thoughtful edit of the book could have reduced the number a narrators down. It was an enjoyable read but definitely a miss for me.

This book was written well and had wonderful character development. There were some great interactions between the main characters! I definitely recommend this if you want to read a book that is period piece with complex themes and characters that had to overcome trauma. Great read!

It took me a little bit to get into this book as it had quite a few characters and shifting perspectives. However, once I did, I was completely taken with Zara and Jillian’s romance. It’s complex and layered, but that’s the appeal. They are strong women with vastly different lifestyles and experiences, yet they have a connection that can not be denied. No matter how hard others try to discourage the romance, it seems the flame between them can not be extinguished. Their desire for one another is too strong. All of the family drama and tangled friendships only help add to this compelling romance.

Though some of the secondary characters were a tad unappealing, I enjoyed both leading ladies very much. Jillian and Zara are interesting, likable characters and they work well in this romance. What makes them stand out is their chemistry; it’s strong, but not forced. The romance could be declared somewhat angsty, but it doesn’t bog the romance down at all. Ultimately, readers are drawn to Zara and Jillian and want them together.

Overall the storytelling in A Perfect Fifth is solid; Morrison is a strong writer. However, her greatest strength in this novel is her elegant and magical use of music. She integrates it into the narrative quite beautifully. Its inclusion gives the story a depth that most music lovers will not be able to resist.

Final remarks…

A Perfect Fifth is a nice book for a lazy day of reading, especially if you like the London scene and music. No doubt Zara and Jillian’s romance will scratch your happily ever after itch.

Strengths…

Solidly written
Unique storyline
Interesting drama among the cast of characters
Strong romantic leads
Lovely integration of music into the storytelling

I thought this was a beautiful story and the author did a great job. The main characters were strong and had chemistry.


Thank you NetGalley and Bold Strokes Books

A Perfect Fifth is an absolutely beautiful, heartfelt story. The love that develops between the characters overcomes social class, typical genders norms of the time period, and the opinion of everyone around them. The characters go through hard lessons, but through their time together and apart, they learn more about themselves than they could have ever imagined.

Thank you Net galley for providing me with a free copy of a perfect fifth in exchange for a honest review.


"a perfect fifth" is an easy in terms of writing book, handling the rough topics of homophobia, trauma, and prejudice against those suffering from poverty. The pacing of the story successfully managed to portray the complicated romance between the two Mcs, along with their back stories. The side characters also got enough attention for the reader to get to know them well enough to understand the reasoning behind their actions.

Overall this could of easily been a five star read my only complain of it being the way everything got resolved at the end in a bit of a rushed manner.

Wasn’t my usual type of read but it was well written and easy to follow. I personally just enjoy a more contemporary time period. I’ve enjoyed books by this author in the past. Maybe I just wasn’t feeling this one. But I’d recommend if you’re looking for a romance angst in the. 70s.

Romance set in England in the 1970s. It’s isn’t old enough to be historical fiction but instead an I’d call it an earlier time period. The characters include two upper crust couples, Constance and Nelson who are engaged, and Jillian and Clive who have a long time understanding. They are all entering their last year at Cambridge. Constance meets Zara an American who is a pianist on a cruise ship. She is extremely talented and is coming to England to audition for the Royal College of Music. She invites Zara to a house party at Jillian's giving her a place to stay till her audition. When Zara is an overt lesbian and Jillian’s interest in her causes unexpected consequences.

I found the writing dramatic, giving glimpses of relationships, maneuverings, friendship and betrayal. I didn’t always understand Constance insistence that they had to settle into the paired couple-hood. Nelson comes off as the most understanding of the group. But there were scenes that were missing. I would like to have seen Jillian’s confrontation with her father but instead the book jumps a few years with little catch up. And because there are a few villainous acts I wanted more comeuppance or explanation. Her father and Clive get away with truly horrible things with little revealed consequences. A couple of things are fessed up but it isn’t enough. I was also confused how Clive gets out of his family money problems too.

I think the author chose an interesting time period and creates a gripping atmosphere. She also shows differences between the classes. Jillian and Zara are both strong and captivating characters but I felt I had to read between the lines too often and it wasn't satisfying to me. Thank you to NetGalley and Bold Strokes Books for an eARC in exchange for an honest review.

Lovely f/f period piece set in England‘s 1970s
A Perfect Fifth is a lovely period piece with a f/f romance. The novel is set in the early 1970s in England and transports us readers from the outset into the rigid British class structure - its friendships, pretensions. in-breeding and vast chasm to the working class. The very talented and dirt-poor American pianist Zara comes to London to audition for a fellowship at Royal College of Music and enters the close circle of the four friends Jillian, Constance, Nelson and Clive who are all part of the British upperclass and students at prestigious Cambridge (sigh, Cambridge, the other place! please!). Zara is a Lesbian and stirs a hornet‘s nest when she enters this circle. Awakenings and dramatic events follow which are heart-rending.

The story gets more and more gripping and realistically encompasses the rigid times and mores of the 70s and the special rules governing the upper class. Having lived there in the 1980s I can attest to the fact that the differences were even more pronounced than Morrison, an American herself, shows us in her story. And even the language differences would have been more pronounced (posh and working class not even begins to cover it). The writing is well-done and Morrison pulls off a multi-POV narrative which actually helps to better understand the main characters and their motivation albeit misguided in some cases.

It was a jolly good read after the first two chapters where the premise is a bit „muddled“ (Constance wants somehow Zara via her music to kindle the passion in Jillian). The story is gripping and shows the anguish of times past when coming out and being out was difficult and a stigma.

Thanks for the ARC via netgalley and Bold Strokes Books. The review is left voluntarily.

𝗦𝗧𝗢𝗥𝗬;
I enjoyed the story. The piano scenes were so brilliant. I loved the emotions that were painted in those scenes. I have never had any appreciation for piano music, but Zara as the artist, I probably would develop the understanding and love. There were a few subplots and all these friends getting their own POVs also enriched the plot in a way. Majorly, I don't know what the main plot was, but everything added up rather well, so I won't complain. Much.


𝗖𝗛𝗔𝗥𝗔𝗖𝗧𝗘𝗥;
𝘔𝘢𝘪𝘯 𝘤𝘩𝘢𝘳𝘢𝘤𝘵𝘦𝘳𝘴: 𝘓𝘢𝘥𝘺 𝘑𝘪𝘭𝘭𝘪𝘢𝘯 𝘚𝘵𝘢𝘯𝘴𝘧𝘪𝘦𝘭𝘥 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘡𝘢𝘳𝘢 𝘒𝘦𝘭𝘭𝘦𝘳.
They were solid as a brick. I liked their character development and how their individual and "together" relationships were built.

𝘚𝘶𝘣-𝘤𝘩𝘢𝘳𝘢𝘤𝘵𝘦𝘳𝘴:
There were a few characters but my god did everyone have an opinion and that was annoying as fuck. Esp those whose opinion was homophobic, like will you please keep that toxic stuff to yourself. You know how in the synopsis there is no mention of Lady Jillian Stansfield's female friend, well you can imagine my reaction when she was allover the first chapter and everywhere.


𝗖𝗢𝗠𝗣𝗟𝗔𝗜𝗡𝗧:
The resolution of the angst reduced the book's impact on me. I LOVE DRAMA. I LOVE TEARS. I LOVE CONFESSIONS. I LOOOOOVE DRAMA. I CRAVE HEART-WRENCHING ANGST. But I was denied that, 2 times. The drama that Jill's father and Clive (or sth) created, *growls dramatically* Woulda been nice.


𝙄 𝙧𝙚𝙘𝙚𝙞𝙫𝙚𝙙 𝙖𝙣 𝘼𝙍𝘾 𝙛𝙧𝙤𝙢 𝘽𝙤𝙡𝙙 𝙎𝙩𝙧𝙤𝙠𝙚 𝘽𝙤𝙤𝙠𝙨 𝙩𝙝𝙧𝙤𝙪𝙜𝙝 𝙉𝙚𝙩𝙜𝙖𝙡𝙡𝙚𝙮 𝙞𝙣 𝙚𝙭𝙘𝙝𝙖𝙣𝙜𝙚 𝙛𝙤𝙧 𝙖𝙣 𝙝𝙤𝙣𝙚𝙨𝙩 𝙧𝙚𝙫𝙞𝙚𝙬.

Hello! I want to thank NetGalley for providing me with a copy of this book to review.

This was an alright read for me. Honestly, I was very confused about what timeframe this was set in as it wasn’t stated nor was it “shown.”

I love a solid lesbian romance, especially with 2 strong FMC’s but the background characters were very offputting in my opinion. The best friend was not kind, all of the men in the book were very creepy, and there was a lot of homophobia that was brought up in the book (understandable if this is a historical fiction). As a music lover I did enjoy the accurate descriptions in the book and the writing was beautiful 🥰

I will hopefully be able to come back and link a future post on my Instagram!

I received an ARC copy of this book from the Publisher via Netgalley and voluntarily leaving my review.

Zara is musician who had okay childhood up until she was sixteen. She meets Constance on cruise where she was playing the piano and Constance invite her to her friend Lady Jillian estate. Zara decides to join and upon meeting Jillian they feel something. As they both get to know each other Zara challenge Jillian like no one has before and have her questioning wether to live by what her family and friends what her to be or live by her own dreams. I enjoy the read but I’ll never understand why you have to be this way to fit into society people only should judge on how you treat others not who you want them to be because even if they become what you want you’ll still find something to judge so why not accept people for they are if the world could only do that it might be better place. I like that at the end Jillian family and friends loved her for who she is not who they want her to be.

Cute historical romance!

Overall an enjoyable read! This is a slow burn romance that explores sexuality and identity, challenged by homphobia and manipulative men. The side characters would have benefitted from being more developed, I think. We get lots of lovely details about both Zara and Jillian, but the other people seem to be slightly forgotten. Which seems like a miss when they're still used as occasional narrators. I did enjoy the different POVs, as I feel like they give a good overview of the story, but if all of them had been as thought through as the main characters it would have been more exciting to read.

As a musician, I thank the author for the moments of accurate music theory. There are way too many books out there that are painful to read, because of the lack of musical understanding...

There's a little pet peeve for me in this story, albeit a tiny detail. In my personal opinion, whenever an author tries to write how a foreigner speaks English, it's either a hit or a miss. This time it's unfortunately a miss. Somewhere along the line Zara meets a German woman and the brief dialogue between the two was written in what I call ”General foreign”; Imagine understandable English, but with obvious grammar or word mistakes that doesn't match the character's original language structure. This doesn't in any way drag down the rating for me, becuase it's not a vital part of the story, but as someone who doesn't have English as her first language, it's always going to annoy me when I read it.

Thank you to Netgalley for providing me with an eARC in exchange for an honest review! I enjoyed reading it.