Taken from the book cover: Annie only ever really loved two men in her life. One broke her heart, the other married her. Four children and fifteen years later, Annie’s marriage is in jeopardy. Money is tight and her husband questions the very foundation of their relationship. When Annie is unexpectedly given the opportunity to see the young man who broke her heart — a man who is now a megastar in the music industry — Annie is faced with choices. Choices that will determine what is of more value — a second chance at lost love and unfulfilled dreams or commitment, trust, and love built on years of experience.
A psychologically subtle, yet compelling tale about how the instinct and need for love overcomes self-doubt and personal inadequacy.
April R Talley was born and raised in the Rubber City, Akron, Ohio in 1959. She is the youngest of six children. She attended Brigham Young University for a time, but withdrew to work fulltime for Osmond Productions in Orem, Utah as a member of The Osmond production staff. After a brief stint working in television, she returned to Akron to finish her education. She graduated with a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Mass Media Communications in 1981. April later worked as vice president and part owner of a dance and sportswear boutique. Married in 1982, she is the proud mother of seven children and is deeply involved in volunteer work for her church. April spends her time working on future projects, caring for home and family, and traveling. David’s Song is her debut novel and the first of a trilogy.
Praise from reviews on Goodreads.com
"Not just your typical romance novel" - Tracy Williams
"David's Song is great read that leaves you thinking about the story and pondering your own relationships". - Anna Pavkov
"Sucked me in from the 1st page" - Jill Walker
"Loved this book . . . could not put it down!" - Dana Vieira
GUEST POST
I asked the Author, A R Tally, about the significance of the piano on and in the book. I would like to thank her for taking the time to answer the question and talk about it, and here is what she had to say.
I think I'm at a loss for words! No one has ever asked about my piano experience before. I can answer that question 2 ways. First is my actual experience with the piano. I took lessons from the time I was 8 until I was about 14. Like Annie in the novel, once I was in high school I thought I was too cool for piano lessons. I regret it now and have periodically gone back and taken lessons again. I love the piano and wish I played it better than I do
Secondly, I chose a piano for the cover of the book mostly because I felt that it related well to the story. David's 1st love is piano. It's the instrument that he used to compose Annie's song. And the photo on the cover feels wistful to me, and I think there is something wistful in the story. There are so many choices we can make in life, so many things we might live to regret - and David did make choices that he ended up regretting. Now that I think about it, I could come up will all sorts of cheesy analogies to life and playing the piano....but I think I'll keep those to myself and hopefully save face.
Thank you, A R Tally, for your Guest Post today!
MY REVIEW:
3 Stars
This book pulled me in from the very beginning. This story was amazing! I was glued to the page! The story flowed very well, and I enjoyed it immensely. The book is written beautifully and extremely well written.
Annie is not happy with her marriage to Jeremy, and it just so happens she is headed off to Las Vegas with her girlfriends for a week long vacation. One of the nights they will be there they will be seeing a pianist by the name of David, which takes her back to her college days at BYU (Brigham Young University) in Utah where she first fell in love with David fifteen years earlier. It just so happened her and Jeremy were very close friends during this time, too. Annie is excited to go, get away with her girlfriends, but nervous about seeing David again.
At this point in the book it flashes back to those college days, the dance practices, dating David, her feelings for David and Jeremy, and the final decisions as to who they all end up marrying and the different ways they go.
I really enjoyed the story during the college days. No one likes to read about marriage difficulties, but you need the backstory to understand the current story, and everyone goes through marriage difficulties of some type at some time during their marriage. Perhaps not to this extreme degree, but we all have our little quirks, etc., so we can relate to some of it.
The only thing I don't like about this story is I felt it had a good solid ending until I read Chapter One of the 2nd book in this series. The author is going to make this story into a Trilogy. I hate to say this, but how much more are we going to read about Annie's indecision about her current marriage situation? She had the opportunity to choose twice, and she did. When she got married, and then again when she was in Las Vegas and saw her first love again, which stirred up feelings in her.
The author is stirring up feelings in Annie again to make this into a Trilogy. Divorce does happen, but how many times do you go through the process of deciding? Her husband has been more loving, and more than happy to help her around the house, even suggesting to get the kids involved in the housekeeping chores, but she turns it away because she knows she'll do a better job at it herself. They have gone to marriage counseling, although in the second book it states she did not like the counselor. Annie is unsettled. Is that reason for divorce? Especially when there are kids involved?
I don't know. Perhaps it's me. I'm tired of so many books being made into trilogies unless the book is from a different point of view. Why can't a story be written as 'one' complete story? This would have been perfect the way it was. If the author felt more should have been covered, then I feel she should have added it to this book. Yes, the book would have been longer, but so be it if that would cover the story completely.
It seems like there is something with authors today that want to stretch their stories into trilogies, but this is 'of my opinion.' I will not read the next two books. I feel this story was full and complete right where it ended. Why else would Annie have made the decision she did? This second book will give Annie a third choice to make. How many choices in your marriage do you make to keep it or end it?
However, if this author were to write more books as individual stories, I would definitely grab them up and read them right away. This is how much I do like her writing. She is very talented with her writing/storytelling skills. Well worth the reading her works, if not a trilogy. I received this book for FREE from the author in exchange to read and write a review about it. It is NOT required for this review to be either positive or negative, but of my own honest opinion. "Free" means I was provided with ZERO MONIES to read this book nor to write this review, but to enjoy the pure pleasure of reading it. I am disclosing this information in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission's 16 CFR, Part 255, http://www.access.gpo.gov/nara/cfr/waisidx_03/16cfr255_03.html Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.
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