Mayluna by Kelley McNeil
Summary (from the publisher): A legendary band, an iconic lead singer, and their mysterious connection to a woman whose love helped create the music of a generation. Timing is everything in a powerful novel about fate, regret, and moving on by the author of A Day Like This. In the 1990s, Carter Wills was the lead singer of the English alt-rock band Mayluna, securing his place among music legends. His tortured-heart lyrics struck a chord. And so did his secret connection to a woman whose love changed all their lives. Who was she? Evie Waters’s two grown children discover an iconic photo in an old magazine of a “mystery girl” with their mother. It all started in a wistful time and place for Evie, her twenty-fifth summer. A young columnist forging her career. Backstage euphoria. A long-shot interview. And an almost cosmic connection with an enigmatic musician on the rise. What happened between them is a hidden story no one, not even Evie’s family, knows. Until now. Worlds apart, Carter and Evie finally reveal the story―joyful, regretful, and unforgettable. It was a time when the stars aligned for a love so profound the whole world felt it. It was as if it would last forever.
Review: In the 1990s, Carter Wills is the up-and-coming lead singer of the English alt-rock band Mayluna. He is notoriously reticent about interviews, but a young columnist named Evie manages to get him to talk. Quickly, the two form a profound connection that alters the trajectories of both. In present day, Evie's two grown children believe she has always been a boring homebody until they find an iconic photo of a mystery girl with rock legend Carter Wells. For the first time, Evie reveals the story and love that defined her life.
I was really deeply struck by Carter and Evie's love story and found this deeply moving. This book reminded me a lot of Daisy Jones & The Six by Taylor Jenkins Reid and also The Idea of You by Robinne Lee. The tension and anxiety I felt as I read and desperately hoped the two would work it out was unparalleled. I especially appreciated the absolutely iconic scene when Carter recognizes her from on stage. While unlikely, it was such a screen worthy (and swoon worthy) image. Carter and Evie seem so deeply fleshed out and Evie's traumatic childhood helps explain a lot about why their love story proceeds the way that it does. That being said, I was still not prepared for the ending of this novel, which absolutely wrecked me.
Just a beautiful, if tragic, love story that plays on the fantasy of a great love that transcends time and differences. This also plays on the idea of falling for a famous, enigmatic, handsome singer who somehow becomes helplessly devoted to our leading lady. I appreciated that while both had other loves at times, the book does not vilify them or try to make love triangles out of those other relationships. Very well done. I just wish it had a happier ending for everyone.
Stars: 4
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