‘Do what you love. Take risks. And when something doesn’t work, take a different one. But don’t stop taking them …. Sometimes it takes a while to find your own music, but believe me, it’s so worth it when you do. Otherwise, all you’re playing is notes.’
Thank you very much to Riptide Publishing for providing a copy of this novel in exchange for an honest review.
The Love Song of Sawyer Bell is an absolutely gorgeous novel that I couldn’t put down. This delightful book kept a smile on my face from start to finish and I could gush endlessly about it.
Victoria “Vix” Vincent has only two weeks to find a replacement fiddle player for her band’s summer tour. When classically trained violinist Sawyer Bell shows up for an audition, Vix is thrilled. Sawyer is talented, gorgeous, funny, and excited about playing indie rock instead of Beethoven. Their friendship soon blossoms into romance, even though Vix tries to remember that Sawyer’s presence is only temporary.
Sawyer’s parents think she’s spending the summer months touring Europe with a chamber ensemble. But Sawyer is in dire need of a break from the competitiveness of Juilliard, and desperately wants to rediscover her love of music. Going on tour with her secret high school crush is just an added bonus. Especially when Vix kisses her one night after a show, and they discover that the stage isn’t the only place they have chemistry.
But the tour won’t last forever, and as the summer winds down, Sawyer has to make a tough decision about her future—and what it means to follow her heart.
Almost immediately, I started shipping Vix and Sawyer. From their very first interaction, these girls have undeniable chemistry and Gale writes the development of their relationship – from friends to friends-with-benefits – perfectly. I also adored their little background history: they went to the same high school, but Vix was a few years older and Sawyer had had a crush on Vix for years. It was adorable.
What I love most about The Love Song of Sawyer Bell was how fun everything was, primarily Vix and Sawyer’s relationship. While there is a little angst, for a majority of the novel the two women are always joking and having fun, even during the middle of sex. It sends such a positive message to queer people everywhere: that our stories and our romances are not inherently tragic (as so many books and shows love to portray) – we can be happy and have fun too.
I really appreciated how realistic this novel was too. While the central of message of the book is that you should always follow your heart and no one else’s opinions, there was also plenty discussions of how sometimes the life you’ve always dreamed about just doesn’t work out, and that’s ok. Sawyer attends Julliard – the university she’s dreamed of going to since she was old enough to dream anything – and to her horror, she discovers she hates it there. She struggles so much confronting this, and deciding whether or not she should go back because she only has a year left, and this really struck a cord with me. So often the pervasive viewpoint in society is that you need to go to university if you want to be successful, and while university can be important for some people, it is not the be all and end all. It’s ok if you take a break from it, or leave permanently. Your life is not over – it’s a great message and one I wish more New Adult, and even YA, books promote.
The Love Song of Sawyer Bell is such a charming novel, and one I want more people to read. If you are a fan of Avon Gale’s works, I HIGHLY suggest you check out this gem. You won’t be disappointed.
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