Playing the Maestro by Aubrie Dionne
Publication Date:February 11th 2013
Publisher:Entangled Publishing (Bliss)
Edition:ebook, 190 pages
Useful Info: Goodreads, Author's Website
Let's face it, I have a thing for all Entangled's titles, especially those of the Bliss imprint. It's no secret! I love how sweet and cute and at the same time sexy they are without having any really hot sex scenes in them. So, when I read the premise of Playing the Maestro I couldn't wait to get started with it. I mean I knew I would read a cute and romantic story plus, as far as an interesting setting is concerned, one couldn't hope for a better, seeing this one is about a maestro! I haven't read anything like that before, so naturally I was beyond intrigued!
And while Playing the Maestro is fresh and unique in it's own way, it's cute and sweet, everything I had hoped for exactly, still, it failed to impress me or catch my interest. After a point, I couldn't care less about what happened in the story. Not because it was a bad one or the writing was bad but simply because I was bored. And I'm terribly sorry to say that but despite how fresh is the idea behind this story, still, the result was a lukewarm romance and a plot that didn't have anything exciting in it. It was terribly predictable, following every single cliche out there that even a gorgeous maestro or a cute flutist couldn't save the day. I may enjoyed reading about how the orchestra operated or Wolf's ideas to make kids care about classical music, but other than that there was little else I enjoyed in this book. Not that I hated everything else, I just had read everything before so there was nothing to keep my interest there. And if it wasn't a rather short story, I would have put it aside before even reaching the middle, but since it was a quick one, I decided I might as well finish it.
The plot like I said isn't anything fresh or interesting. Full of cliches and as predictable as one could get. The writing style, may be decent, but still I couldn't really appreciate it or give much thought to it since for most of the time, I just read for the sake of reading. With no real interest or a mind set to what I was reading. Too many things just went unnoticed truth be told.
The characters were ok I guess. I liked them. But I wasn't thrilled with them. And like with everything else in this story, I didn't care for them. And that is the main problem. That the author couldn't make me care about anything. Why? Maybe because despite the fresh setting, everything else was presented with in a rush way. Wolf hasn't even met Melody and he's set on impressing her even though he reminds him of his dreaded ex while Melody on the first page of the story vows to never date another musician and a little later she dreams about her dreamy boss... I get that this is a rather short story, but if you can't built your characters and a decent romantic plot in so few lines, use more pages or just don't do it at all. Honestly, at the time I picked up this book I was already tired of romances that just were on fast forward so maybe my judgement is a little bit harsher about this one specifically. But I just can't help it and I'm sorry about that.
All in all, Playing the Maestro is a sweet romantic title but nothing unique or fresh except for the fact that here the main hero is a maestro - and that is something you don't read about every day. Other than that, this story is exactly like a thousand others out there.
* This title was provided for a review from the publisher.
Useful Info: Goodreads, Author's Website
Melody Mires has sworn off dating musicians, but when the sexy European conductor Wolf Braun takes over her struggling symphony, her hesitation almost flies out the window with the notes of her flute—until he opens his mouth. Wolf is arrogant, haughty, and seems to have a personal vendetta against Melody. Oh, and he’s her boss. If she wants to keep her job as principal flutist, she’ll have to impress Wolf while simultaneously keeping her undeniable attraction to herself.
Wolf came to America to get as far away from his past as possible, and to recover some of the swagger he had as one of the world’s best maestros. He never imagined being forced to reassess the entire orchestra’s talent—and potentially fire anyone who doesn’t make his cut. Dating the attractive flutist is out of the question, but as their feelings reach a fever pitch, can they risk both their careers for a chance at love?
Let's face it, I have a thing for all Entangled's titles, especially those of the Bliss imprint. It's no secret! I love how sweet and cute and at the same time sexy they are without having any really hot sex scenes in them. So, when I read the premise of Playing the Maestro I couldn't wait to get started with it. I mean I knew I would read a cute and romantic story plus, as far as an interesting setting is concerned, one couldn't hope for a better, seeing this one is about a maestro! I haven't read anything like that before, so naturally I was beyond intrigued!
And while Playing the Maestro is fresh and unique in it's own way, it's cute and sweet, everything I had hoped for exactly, still, it failed to impress me or catch my interest. After a point, I couldn't care less about what happened in the story. Not because it was a bad one or the writing was bad but simply because I was bored. And I'm terribly sorry to say that but despite how fresh is the idea behind this story, still, the result was a lukewarm romance and a plot that didn't have anything exciting in it. It was terribly predictable, following every single cliche out there that even a gorgeous maestro or a cute flutist couldn't save the day. I may enjoyed reading about how the orchestra operated or Wolf's ideas to make kids care about classical music, but other than that there was little else I enjoyed in this book. Not that I hated everything else, I just had read everything before so there was nothing to keep my interest there. And if it wasn't a rather short story, I would have put it aside before even reaching the middle, but since it was a quick one, I decided I might as well finish it.
The plot like I said isn't anything fresh or interesting. Full of cliches and as predictable as one could get. The writing style, may be decent, but still I couldn't really appreciate it or give much thought to it since for most of the time, I just read for the sake of reading. With no real interest or a mind set to what I was reading. Too many things just went unnoticed truth be told.
The characters were ok I guess. I liked them. But I wasn't thrilled with them. And like with everything else in this story, I didn't care for them. And that is the main problem. That the author couldn't make me care about anything. Why? Maybe because despite the fresh setting, everything else was presented with in a rush way. Wolf hasn't even met Melody and he's set on impressing her even though he reminds him of his dreaded ex while Melody on the first page of the story vows to never date another musician and a little later she dreams about her dreamy boss... I get that this is a rather short story, but if you can't built your characters and a decent romantic plot in so few lines, use more pages or just don't do it at all. Honestly, at the time I picked up this book I was already tired of romances that just were on fast forward so maybe my judgement is a little bit harsher about this one specifically. But I just can't help it and I'm sorry about that.
All in all, Playing the Maestro is a sweet romantic title but nothing unique or fresh except for the fact that here the main hero is a maestro - and that is something you don't read about every day. Other than that, this story is exactly like a thousand others out there.
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