Book Review
Play For Me by Celine Keating
Publisher: She Writes Press
Publication Date: April 21, 2015
Format: Paperback - 217 pages
Kindle - 1699 KB
Nook - 3 MB
ISBN: 978-1631529726
ASIN: B00TQMRAFGBNID: 978-1631529733
Genre: Literary Fiction / Women's Fiction
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Disclaimer: I received a copy of the book from the author / publisher in exchange for my honest review and participation in a virtual book tour event hosted by Premier Virtual Author Book Tours.
Book Description:
It happens without warning: At a folk-rock show at her son’s college, Lily becomes transfixed by the guitarist’s unassuming onstage presence and beautiful playing—and with his final note, something within her breaks loose.
After the concert, Lily returns to her comfortable life—an Upper West Side apartment, a job as a videographer, and a kind if distracted husband—but she can’t stop thinking about the music, or about the duo’s guitarist, JJ. Unable to resist the pull of either one, she rashly offers to make a film about the band in order to gain a place with them on tour. But when Lily dares to step out from behind her camera, she falls deep into JJ’s world—upsetting the tenuous balance between him and his bandmate, and filling a chasm of need she didn’t know she had.
Captivating and provocative, Play for Me captures the thrill and heartbreak of deciding to leave behind what you love to follow what you desire.
Praise For Play For Me by Céline Keating
“The author’s writing is exquisite and she was able to put together the story of a woman’s search for self and purpose, one with depth and complexity.”- Bookaholics Not-So-Anonymous Blog
“With a background as a music reviewer, Keating combines the soul-searching of Eat, Pray, Love with the rock ’n’ roll fable of Almost Famous to create a novel of midlife crisis with music at its core.”-Booklist
“Play for Me: “A best story of love, lust, and forgiveness.”- The Culturalist
“Play for Me is a serious, moving, and utterly delightful portrait of a woman wavering between the bonds of fidelity and the pull of desire. Céline Keating knows as much about the world of folk/rock music as she does about the workings of the heart.”- Hilma Wolitzer, author Summer Reading and An Available Man
Book Excerpt:
Chapter One: Excerpt Three
“A
digital video cam!” Stephen removed the camera from the box. “It’s not
top-of-the-line, but for what you’d use it for, I thought this was just about
perfect.”
“Wow,
incredible!” Why would he think she’d want a camera when she could borrow one
anytime?
“You
haven’t been able to do anything artistic all these years. I think you’ve been
a bit bored. Unchallenged.”
Lily
knew anyone with a real creative drive would have managed to find time.
“Now’s
your chance, with Colby gone.”
“I
don’t know what to say. I’m just stunned.”
“I
knew you’d be overwhelmed!” He pulled out the manual. “Let me show you a few
things.”
Lily had been a film
student in college, but that was because it had been such a cool major. She
hadn’t truly been serious, had she? She couldn’t remember the last time she had
even thought about making her own films. She should tell him they should return
it.
“Lily?”
His voice had a plea in it; his face had lost some of his animation. “I don’t
mean to pressure you to be arty. You can just have fun.”
She
moved the camera out of the way and wrapped her arms around him. “It’s an
amazing gift. So incredibly thoughtful of you.” She wouldn’t suggest they
return it after all.
So
here she was, two weeks later, lugging the camera along with her suitcase,
going to visit Colby while Stephen stayed home and worked on a grant proposal.
She assumed Stephen had instigated the invitation from Colby by letting on that
she’d been depressed since he’d left home. The train ride was pleasant, the
Hudson playing peekaboo out the window, small towns and suburbs whizzing by,
and Colby at the end, reaching for her suitcase, giving her a hug, already
looking more mature than when he’d left only three weeks before. He even
tolerated it when she smoothed a curl from his forehead.
“There’s
this cool bookstore-café I thought we’d have lunch. I borrowed a friend’s car.”
He loped ahead to a beat-up Volvo; the inside stank of sweat and corn chips.
They drove past boarded-up storefronts and along a thread of river lined with
spunky trees. In the bookstore, filled with chic, intense young people, lunch
was a shared platter of hummus and vegetables and pita and olives and a slice
of scrumptious spinach pie. Even the coffee was good.
Afterward,
they walked around campus and Colby pointed out where he had classes. “Mom, you
wouldn’t believe how challenging and interesting the courses are. Not like high
school. And get this—when the weather’s good, we do classes outside!”
His
face—like his father’s, normally pale beneath his freckles—was flushed. He had
always been shy, but he had found his niche, she thought. One day some
perceptive girl would fall madly in love with him. With him, at least, she had
done a job she could be proud of.
He
shoved her gently onto a bench and handed her a card. “Happy birthday!”
She
opened the card and a ticket fell out. “What’s this?”
“My
surprise. Tonight, this very night, James Taylor is playing—the school is
honoring him. Another band opening.”
Lily
had played James Taylor songs for Colby as far back as the cradle. He liked
sharing music with her, even through adolescence, when he introduced her to
progressive folk singers like Dar Williams. Lily thought his taste was unusual
for a boy his age, but he told her this was what the “alt” types were into.
At
her motel, just a few blocks from campus, she found herself humming “Carolina
in My Mind” as she showered, remembering singing it as she pushed Colby’s baby
carrier with her foot. She’d had an OK voice once; she’d sung in her high
school choir. But when she became pregnant she began to get winded, her voice
hoarse and wheezy. “Your body is going through changes,” her obstetrician
explained. “After you give birth it might reverse itself, but right now you
have asthma.”
Asthma?
From pregnancy? But the asthma never went away. The medication affected her
vocal chords, and she was left with a limited range. It was a range that James
Taylor’s songs fell into, so she sang to Colby and rocked away. She joked that
she had lost a voice and gained a son. It was a trade she never regretted.
When
was the last time she’d gone to a rock concert? she wondered, as she walked
through campus to meet Colby. Ten years earlier? Twenty? There had been a time
when concerts were the high point of her life—when had that changed? She hardly
listened to the radio anymore.
* * *
The
auditorium was packed, loud, buzzing, working up a head of steam. Lily was
suddenly aware of how much older she was than most of the audience. Not that
anyone noticed or cared; she was clearly invisible. Still, she wished she had
packed something dressier than her black pullover and pants, or at least
brought some funky jewelry. The boys all looked so young, so . . . raw,
somehow. She could almost smell the testosterone. And the girls—so pretty, so
confident in their bodies. Why was it that when she was their age, slender and
pretty herself, she hadn’t felt that way? She slid lower in her seat.
My Book Review:
Author Celine Keating weaves an intriguing women's fiction story that will easily keep the reader engaged and turning the pages. This wonderfully realistic story provides much food for thought as Lily has choices to make, and tries to figure out what she really wants in life in order to fulfill her desire and find happiness. Lily's story has a great mixture of humor, drama, angst, heartbreak, and crazy trials and tribulations, but her journey of personal discovery is realistic, compelling, and very empowering, it is the kind of story that anyone can relate to, and you can't help but cheer Lily on as she finds her way and embraces her true self.
Play For Me is a wonderful women's fiction story of personal self-discovery, and learning to make difficult choices in order to move forward in one's life.
RATING: 4 STARS
About The Author
Céline Keating is the author of novels Layla (2011) and Play for Me (2015), which was a finalist in the International Book Awards, the Indie Excellence Awards, and the USA Book Awards. Céline is also the co-editor of On Montauk: A Literary Celebration (2016).
Her short fiction has been published in many literary magazines, including Appearances, Echoes, Emry’s Journal, Mount Hope, The North Stone Review, Prairie Schooner, and the Santa Clara Review. Céline’s short story “Home” received the first-place 2014 Hackney Award for Short Fiction. Céline is also a music journalist whose work has appeared in Minor7th.com, Guitar World, and Acoustic Guitar magazines.
Author Website
Amazon Author Page
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Book Buzz Promo Page
Goodreads
Virtual Book Tour Event
Tour Schedule:
Teddy Rose Book Reviews Plus Apr 7 Kickoff & Giveaway
Infinite House of Books Apr 10 Interview & Excerpt
Indie Review Behind the Scenes Apr 21 Video Interview
Second Book to the Right Apr 24 Excerpt
Jersey Girl Book Reviews May 3 Review & Excerpt
Totally Addicted to Reading May 5 Review & Guest Post
Urban Book Reviews May 8 Review & Interview
Jean Amazon Reviewer May 10 Review
Nanja Amazon Reviewer May 11 Review
Turning The Pages May 15 Review & Giveaway
Teddy Rose Book Reviews Plus May 16 Review
Precisely Mine May 18 Review
Celticlady’s Reviews May 23 Excerpt & Giveaway
Lisa Amazon Reviewer May 31 Review
Life presents some difficult choices and this story sounds very realistic.
ReplyDeletesherry @ fundinmental
Hi Sherry! Thank you for stopping by my blog, I appreciate it. Hope you get a chance to read the book.
DeleteI'm so glad you enjoyed 'Play For Me'!
ReplyDeleteHi Teddy Rose! Thank you for the opportunity to host Play For Me, loved the book! :)
Delete