Description
Magnolia
On my twenty-fourth birthday, I’ve come to terms with my fate. When a kind stranger gives me a hint of encouragement, I decide to splurge and find myself at a karaoke bar. An avid lover of music, I choose to make the night meaningful.
One song. One chance to do something I always wanted to.
What I didn’t expect was how much I enjoy singing with Linc.
Linc
I’m stuck in a rut. At the request of my best friend, I go out and do something different, leading me to a bar where a karaoke competition is holding auditions.
I’m paired up with Magnolia: a quiet, unsure-of-herself woman. From the start, I know there’s more to her story.
One song. What could it hurt?
Never did we picture having such explosive chemistry.
Never did I expect that I would get so invested in her life and that we would connect in every way.
I wasn’t supposed to let her get so close, not when I have so much at stake.
When I’m found out, I don’t know how she’ll handle it, but there’s more to my story, too. More than she’ll ever understand, unless I tell her first.
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Magnolia’s life has been a downward trajectory for the past seven years. First came the firing, the arrest, and then homelessness. On the eve of her 24th birthday, a good Samaritan hands her some money, only to have it stolen within minutes, and leaving Magnolia physically beaten down even more. She makes a promise that she will treat herself to one hot meal at a local tavern. It happens to be Karaoke night. The owner has decided to shake things up a bit by sponsoring a special duets contest. Partners to be drawn randomly.
Linc also happens on the bar. His mental health has also been a bit shaky. It was only his friend Kyle’s pestering that got him out tonight. There he meets Magnolia and they strike up a conversation. She’s feeling more than a little awkward due to a pronounced speech impediment, one which disappears the moment she sings. The two are partnered and a deep connection begins to form. Music has “always brought joy to both”. They easily make it to round two, and a video of their performance takes YouTube by storm. Soon their individual past comes creeping out of the woodwork.
Barrett does a tremendous job of capturing the feel of individuals experiencing depression, anxiety, hopelessness and panic. At times I found myself feeling uncomfortable internally as she describes the random symptoms, attacks or “triggers”. Both main characters are well defined as they fight their individual and joint demons. Magnolia quickly gained my empathy, while Linc, though well intended, initially came off as a bit domineering. We soon learn how/why both have come to embody these traits. There are a number of twists in the story. Angsty conversations (internal and external) could have been pared back a bit, however, the plot steadily moves onward with a few surprises at the end, thereby setting the characters up for a sequel. (See – The Karaoke King) This is a great book for the lover of Cinderella stories, knights in shining armor and music.