TWO 4 Stars for Encore (Blue Notes #5) by Shira Anthony #MM #Romance @WriterShira @dreamspinners

Title: Encore (Blue Notes #5)
Author Name & Publisher: Shira Anthony (Dreamspinner Press)
Publication Date & Length: November 11, 2013 – 296 pgs

Cool kid violinist Roger Nelson doesn’t give a damn about anything. Wannabe conductor John Fuchs is awkward, effeminate, and just figuring out he’s gay. Despite their differences, they become friends—then lovers—and after college, they try to make it work. But it’s the 1970s, and Roger can’t bring himself to admit he’s gay. Worse, after his brother is killed in Vietnam, Roger tries to live up to his memory and be the perfect son. Then after suffering one tragedy too many, he makes the biggest mistake of his life: Roger pushes John away.

Through the years, they dance around the truth and in and out of each other’s lives, never quite able to let go. Twenty years later, Roger still carries the pain of losing his dream of a brilliant career with him, while John is a superstar conductor with a wild reputation. John’s off-stage antics get him plenty of attention, good and bad, though deep down, he wants only Roger. Finally determined to hold on to what really matters, Roger asks John for another chance, and when John panics and runs, Roger has to convince him to listen to his heart.

Hmmm, where to start.  This was both good and horrible… I had a very strong love/hate relationship with these main characters.  I loved how this book led us through their lives.  But, I REALLY REALLY hated the mixed signals.

Roger and John are sweet, confused, clueless, in love, lost and all the different emotions that young boys go through.

There were so many different emotions that I felt while reading this book.  While I am younger than when this book began, I could appreciate the different decades – the nuances of the story, the events that these characters went through.

There was a feeling of meanness that Roger gave off – and, while I can understand his pain, he handled it terribly.  Then you have John, who just tries to get on with his life – but through it all, they remain friends, which is something that I can truly appreciate.

Overall, I really enjoy this series and Anthony’s ability to draw the reader in.  So, while I have a love hate relationship with this story, I think many would appreciate it.

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So I will start of this review by saying I thought parts of this book were amazing and beautiful, while some parts of this book I have to be honest and say I really was not a huge fan of….

Roger and John meet at school. They start of as friends which slowly turns to more over time..

Now I thought this two men were honestly so beautiful together. They way they cared for each other and how you could really feel how much they love each other.
Which brings me to the part I was really not a huge fan of.. Which I cant really go into without spoiling this book. So it makes it hard for me to explain, all I can really say is I was not a fan of what Roger did and how it felt like he was throwing it into John’s face. At least to me personally that was what it felt like.
Let’s just say I went from loving this book to why!!! No why did he do that and ugh!! Lol
It did take me awhile to start liking Rogers character after that and I will leave it at that..

So I will leave this review with… I loved parts of this story and these characters this author created even though I was not a fan of Roger for awhile there. All together I really liked this book!

~Kara

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Shira Anthony is a complete sucker for a happily-ever-after, and rarely reads or writes a story without one. Never a fan of instalove, Shira likes to write stories about real men with real issues making real relationships work.

In her last incarnation, Shira was a professional opera singer, performing roles in such operas as “Tosca,” “Pagliacci,” and “La Traviata,” among others. Her Blue Notes Series is loosely based upon her own experiences as a professional musician.

Shira is married with two children and two insane dogs and when she’s not writing, she is usually in a courtroom trying to make the world safer for children. When she’s not working, she can be found aboard a 36’ catamaran at the Carolina coast with her favorite sexy captain at the wheel. She’s given up TV for evenings spent with her laptop, and she never goes anywhere without a pile of unread M/M romance on her Kindle.

Interested in hearing Shira sing? Here’s a link to a live performance of Shira singing an aria from Puccini’s “Tosca”: http://www.shiraanthony.com/wp-conten…

You can subscribe to Shira’s monthly newsletter for updates, free fiction, and subscriber-only contests here: http://www.shiraanthony.com/newsletter/

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