Michael Brown loved music, musical composition, and his darling departed fiancée, Sarah. But that man has been dead for decades by the time a young boy realizes Michael’s memories and feelings live inside him. At only 4 years old, Julian shocks his mother when he skillfully plays an unfamiliar song on the piano, one of Michael’s songs. Julian claims to know the song because he, as Michael, wrote the beautiful melody for Sarah. Concerned and confused, Elaine seeks counseling and professional guidance to sort out what’s happening with her preschooler. The experts agree that Michael’s memories are no threat to Julian’s well-being, so the boy slips into adulthood without giving much consideration to Michael, instead focusing on the joy in his heart and the music that fuels his soul. Elaine, no longer fretting over her son, is able to move on and find her own happiness. Meanwhile, Julian’s beautiful music brings a woman into his life, a woman he’s been searching for since before he was born. In an instant, they realize their love runs deeper than a single lifetime. Julian has come to terms with the man he is and the man he was, but for the songstress he adores, her past isn’t so eager to let her move forward. The couple will work through challenges, but sometimes fate can be a demanding master, orchestrating joy and sorrow into the same song.
A transcendent romance novel that is subtly spiritual, Kill Me with Your Music is sweet, wholesome, and gentle even through heartbreak. Crisp and streamlined, the story begins without fanfare, opening to a little boy only just beginning to understand something seemingly impossible. Though the plot is intriguing, the story lacks the nuance that comes from subtext, and the characters are somewhat limited in depth. Still, the central theme revolves around the enduring power of love, and the book’s unwavering focus effectively reinforces that idea. Readers quickly become enamored with Michael and Sarah and their tragic ending, and Julian’s realization of love only deepens those feelings. The tension is minimal, coming mainly in the form of perplexing questions or an abusive ex. Along with an approachable writing style, this keeps the tone of the novel warm, bright, and easy to read. A lovely second-chance tale imbued with music, Kill Me with Your Song is a melodic tribute to unending love.
