Heartbreak Symphony

Book Info:

Heartbreak Symphony by Laekan Zea Kemp

Genre: Young Adult Contemporary Romance

Publishing Date: April 5, 2022

Synopsis:

Clap When You Land meets On the Come Up in this heart-gripping story about navigating first love and overcoming grief through the power of music.

Aarón Medrano has been haunted by the onstage persona of his favorite musician ever since his mother passed away. He seems to know all of Aarón’s deepest fears, like that his brain doesn’t work the way it should and that’s why his brother and father seems to be pushing him away. He thinks his ticket out is a scholarship to the prestigious Acadia School of Music. That is, if he can avoid blowing his audition.

Mia Villanueva has a haunting of her own and it’s the only family heirloom her parents left her: doubt. It’s the reason she can’t overcome her stage fright or believe that her music is worth making. Even though her trumpet teacher tells her she has a gift, she’s not sure if she’ll ever figure out how to use it or if she’s even deserving of it in the first place.

When Aarón and Mia cross paths, Aarón sees a chance to get close to the girl he’s had a crush on for years and to finally feel connected to someone since losing his mother. Mia sees a chance to hold herself accountable by making them both face their fears, and hopefully make their dreams come true. But soon they’ll realize there’s something much scarier than getting up on stage—falling in love with a broken heart.

Review:

This book touches on so many heartbreaking subjects. From the moment these two run away from the audition,there lives intertwine. Dealing with such great loss at a young age is almost unfathomable. They realize that they may be able to help each other. These character are absolutely loveable, and you can not help but root for them to succeed. I can’t even begin to imagine loss like this. This book is both heartbreaking and beautful. Music is a big part of my families life and music can definitely help you cope and express your feelings. I love how these two use the music to deal with their feelings. Add in the outside factors of being scared of family being stolen away, I was definitely on the edge of my seat throughtout this story. I highly recommend this book.

Book Links:

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/58064774-heartbreak-symphony

Amazon: https://www.amazon.ca/gp/product/B09BN37NV9/ref=x_gr_w_bb_sin?ie=UTF8&tag=x_gr_w_bb_sin_ca-20&linkCode=as2&camp=15121&creative=330641

Barnes & Noble: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/heartbreak-symphony-laekan-zea-kemp/1139954927?ean=9780316460385

Book Depository: https://www.bookdepository.com/Heartbreak-Symphony-Laekan-Z-Kemp/9780316460385?ref=grid-view&qid=1643563242174&sr=1-3

Indigo: https://www.chapters.indigo.ca/en-ca/books/heartbreak-symphony/9780316460385-item.html?ikwid=heartbreak+symphony&ikwsec=Home&ikwidx=0#algoliaQueryId=c4dd022f07478ef91e8ce0292d289d10

IndieBound: https://www.indiebound.org/book/9780316460385

About the Author:

Laekan Zea Kemp is a writer living in Austin, Texas. Her debut novel, Somewhere Between Bitter and Sweet was a 2021 Pura Belpré Honor Recipient. In addition to writing she’s also the creator and host of the Author Pep Talks podcast, as well as a contributor to the Las Musas podcast. She has three objectives when it comes to storytelling: to make people laugh, cry, and crave Mexican food. Her work celebrates Chicane grit, resilience, creativity, and joy while exploring themes of identity and mental health.