Book Reviews

Book Blurb

Giovanni Boca was destined to go down in history as an opera legend until a vocal chord injury abruptly ended his career. Now he teaches voice lessons at a prestigious New York City music school. During auditions for his summer opera workshop, he finds his protégé in fourteen-year-old Emma McPhee. Just as intriguing to Gio is Emma's father Mike, a blue-collar guy who runs a business renovating the kitchens and bathrooms of New York's elite to finance his daughter's dream.

Mike’s partner was killed when Emma was a toddler, and Gio mourns the beautiful voice he will never have again, so coping with loss is something they have in common. Their initial physical attraction quickly grows to something more as each hopes to fill the gap that loss and grief has left in his life. Although Mike wonders if he can truly fit into Gio's upperclass world, their bond grows stronger. Then, trouble strikes from outside when the machinations of an unscrupulous stage mother threaten to tear Gio and Mike apart—and ruin Emma's bright future.

 

Book Review

There are times in everyone's lives when they feel that the rug is being pulled out from under them. A time such as this came to Giovani Boca, world famous opera singer, from 'The Stars That Tremble' by Kate McMurray, when an injury ended his singing career. What could have been the end for him becomes another beginning when he meets Mike McPhee, who had also had a great tragedy in his life. Both men need a second chance at happiness.

Gio is a talented, cultured man who was once an opera star. When he lost his voice, he mourned, but then picked himself up and became an opera teacher instead. His fall from fame could have broken him, but he's trying to make the best of it living, somewhat vicariously, through his students. Many of the men he dated before his injury desert him because they are only interested in the fame he achieved and not in him as a person. When he meets Mike, Emma's father and one of his students, he is instantly attracted to him. Gio is delighted when he finds out that Mike is gay, but questions the appropriateness of being interested in a student's father. When Mike asks him out, Gio isn't able to refuse and they strike up a friendship. For propriety's sake, they try to keep it a secret, but Emma finds out and is distressed, worrying about how this will affect her chances of studying opera. There are differences to overcome, but Gio and Mike are making progress until a stage mother with an untalented daughter tries to ruin not only their relationship, but Emma's and Gio's as well. At this point, they have serious decisions to make about what's best for everyone.

Since his partner died twelve years ago, Mike has dedicated his life to raising his child, Emma. For him, nothing or no one is more important than her happiness. Since she loves opera so much, Mike has scrimped and saved in order to pay for her voice lessons. Emma has a marvelous voice and potential to do very well. Mike's feelings for Gio bring up a myriad of problems which he's tried to bury but are now coming to the forefront. As he falls in love with Gio, he begins to think about what will happen when Emma goes off to college and he's left alone. He misses his first lover and feels guilty, as if loving Gio is somehow dishonoring him. Mike also wonders what Gio sees in him, especially since they are so very different; he's a carpenter who barely finished high school and Gio is an educated and cultured man. He can't see how either of them would fit into the other's lifestyle.

This is a good story about an unlikely match between two very different men and their journey through their pain and into helping each other heal. I liked Gio and Mike and, seeing how lonely they were, wanted them to make it. I am not that knowledgeable about opera so I especially appreciated the brief education to the subject offered in this story. I love music in general and am automatically drawn to any story with a musical theme. It was interesting to see how Kate used opera-related terms to portray a lovemaking session between Gio and Mike, although it felt a bit like they had an announcer in the bedroom giving a play-by-play description. If you like opera you will easily relate to this book. I recommend it to anyone who wants a simple, somewhat angsty read with a happy ending. Thank you, Kate.

 

 

 

 

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Additional Information

Format	ebook and print
Length	Novel, 200 pages/67748 words
Heat Level
Publication Date	30-September-2013
Price	$6.99 ebook, $14.99 paperback, $14.99 bundle
Buy Link	https://www.dreamspinnerpress.com/books/the-stars-that-tremble-by-kate-mcmurray-5519-b