I have tried and tried to read this book several times, but I just can't get into it. I don’t know if it is the writing style, the plot, or the back and forth timelines, but it is just not for me. The synopsis sounded like my ideal book, but the execution just wasn't for me.

Rachel Joyce has mastered the art of writing fiction that is slightly quirky and is populated by characters about whom readers care. This was certainly true in the two books of this author that I previously read, The Unlikely Pilgrimage of Harold Fry, and Miss Benson’s Beetle.

The Music Shop, which takes place in the late 80s, is another story that embraces characters with whom readers will enjoy spending time. Protagonist Frank’s music store has been a haven to those who are searching for just the right record. All seems to flow smoothly until one day Ilse comes in and asks Frank to teach her about music. But, Ilse is not like Frank’s other patrons. Where will their encounters lead? How will their encounters impact them? Readers will root for both as they find out.

Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for this title. All opinions are my own.

Thank you for an advanced copy of this book.

The novel centres around the staff and patrons of The Music Shop. They are quirky, loveable and we can all identify with at least one of the characters.

I am now a fan of Ms. Joyce and will be sure to read her other novels and I hope there are many more to come!

3.5 stars

Thank you to Net Galley and Random House for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
At the center of this book is a lovely and heartwarming story of a group of lost souls who found each other and created a safe community for this group of quirky yet loveable characters. Add on top of that a love story between two people who are full of passion and yearning, yet are reluctant to give into their feelings and take a chance on love.
This book was full of endearing yet misguided characters who have found a home and family and saving grace in the form of a music shop and the journey a song can take you on. This was a delightful read.

It is 1988, and the rest of the world is gravitating toward listening to music on CDs, while Frank, the owner of a quaint music shop, holds on to vinyl with a vengeance. His specialty as a shop owner is matching people to music. Frank introduces them to music they might not otherwise have chosen and teaches them how to really listen to music. His reluctance to add CDs to his shop proves to be a financial mistake causing him to struggle to keep the shop open. He is set in his ways and feels life is fine until one day when Isle walks into his shop. Suddenly his world is shaken.

Rachel Joyce has a talent for writing character-driven books about interesting characters and depicting them in such a way I feel I really know them. I loved watching the relationship between Frank and Isle develop, as well as Frank’s growth. Even though I love listening to music, I would love to meet someone like Frank, who could teach me how to really listen to music and get more out of it. The sense of community is outstanding as well in this book. This heart-warming book gave me the same feeling some of my favorite British movies that have charming, quirky characters and a strong sense of community. If you are a music lover, the music references are a bonus.

This is a wonderful story about Frank, the music store owner with great empathy for others and an uncanny knack for finding the music his customers need.. Despite his talent for understanding others, he is a lonely man reluctant to risk disappointment in personal relationships. The story really begins when a mysterious woman, Ilsa Brochman, faints in front of his shop and Frank and others bring her into the store. She disappears without explanation then reappears weeks later, says she's engaged, but asks Frank to give her personal lectures about music. How their attachment grows through her weekly music lessons draws you in to wonder about their eventual fate. I recommend this book..

Music has been such a huge part of my life so this book was such a fun read for me. Definitely a must read.

I have tried to read this book on three separate occasions and I think I'm finally calling it quits. On the surface this should be a book that I love. It is almost like the music shop version of A.J. Fikry, which is one of my all-time favorites. I'm about 30% into the book and I think I'm realizing that I'm not enjoying all of the jumping around in the timeline. It's detracting from the community found in the "present" portion of the story, which is thereby detracting from my connection to the story at all. Not a book for me, but I can see how others might enjoy it.

Where Ms. Joyce really shines is in her literary ability to bring music to life — all forms of music. The solace and joy of music. Why we listen and why we need music in our lives. But most importantly — how music can change a life and perhaps even save one.

This has a simple plot, but with a great deal of heart. The Music Shop is a book you’ll read with a smile. This is the type of book I love reading and I suspect you will too.

Heartwarming and a bit quirky. Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Beautifully woven love story with musically driven references that is accentuated best with a Spotify playlist...a recipe for the soul!

The Music Shop is a love story, but it is not your typical Chick-Lit.  It is edgier and a lot slower pace.  Once I get used to the writing style, the book is very enjoyable.  I recommend this book to all fans of music.  

I really like the way Joyce describes music, from pop to classical.  I learned so much from it.  It made me want to listen to Beethoven's moonlight sonata after the lesson.  I felt like I was not enjoying its full content.  Now I want to listen to all the songs that the book has mentioned.

3.5 out of 5 stars
Received a free eCopy from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

I really wanted to like this one, but found that it just didn't capture my attention. I finished it, but by the end, I was really just skimming through it so that I could say I'd read it.

Heartwarming read, I grew up with vinyl records at home and still have a collection at home. Music and it’s healing powers. Great book and recommend.
Thank you for the opportunity to read this book.

I'm not sure what genre this book fits into, or how I would describe it to someone. But I know it's an interesting read, and that's not nothing.

This was a sweet book. Fans of Joyce will not be disappointed in her new quirky characters. I especially liked the setting, both time and place. The 80's was a changing time for music.

Full disclosure- I am going to turn 59 in a few months. That said, I was raised on vinyl records and continue to love the sound and everything about them. I also have wonderful memories of hours browsing through the stacks of albums in music stores. Thus, I couldn't pass up the chance to read this book. It was a step back in time for me to a memorable place.
This author has such a skill at creating characters that are unique and interesting. You can't help but care about these people, but they are one of a kind. She moves as well from one emotion to another with the challenges, failures, and successes of her characters. Much like her previous title, "The Love Song of Miss Queenie Hennessy", she makes heroes out of underdogs and the ordinary people. If like me, you love to cheer on society's losers, you should not miss this book.
Many thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review this title.

A heartwarming story. I had to stop as I was reading to listen to all the songs. Another great story by Rachel Joyce.

It's 1980-something, and Frank is struggling to keep his beloved record shop open. He loves music and has a knack for knowing exactly the right tune a person needs to hear the moment he meets them, but unfortunately his quirky talent isn't paying the bills. Located on a dead-end street with other shops that are just as derelict as his own, Frank's store is losing money, month after month, due to fewer customers and, lately, increased crime. It doesn't help that Frank absolutely refuses to sell CDs, which he considers a passing fad, and will only stock vinyl records...that nobody seems to want.

Frank is young---mid-thirties at most---but he's very isolated. Still grieving the death of his mother from many years earlier, he prefers to keep his distance and avoid the pain of close relationships. Well, that's the plan, anyway, until a beautiful stranger in a green coat randomly passes out in front of his shop one day. It takes Frank some time to figure out her story, but after meeting Ilse, Frank is changed. He's still scared to pursue a relationship with this new person, but he also can't seem to quite shake his feelings of, well, love. As Frank tries to understand and cope with this unfamiliar situation, he must also figure out a way to keep his shop open and out of the clutches of a big shot developer who can't wait to raze his store to the ground.

 *   *   *   *   *  

I had high hopes for this book, but it ended up being just okay. I love the quirkiness of Frank and some of the other characters, but, unfortunately, their endearing eccentricities couldn't distract me from the slow pace of the story and the odd, manufactured drama between Frank and Ilse. The book had such a great start but then took forever to go somewhere already. I also didn't think the flashbacks to Frank's time with his unconventional mother, Peg, were that interesting either.

Truthfully, I think author Rachel Joyce got so caught up in making a "story about music!" that she forgot to make a good story. I felt a connection to Frank, but Peg and Ilse, the two main women in his life, fell completely flat and never seemed like real people to me. So ultimately, The Music Shop has a fun premise but a boring and underdeveloped story. I'd skip it.

(I would, however, listen to Aretha Franklin's album Spirit In the Dark because that shit is bomb.)

In theory The Music Shop by Rachel Joyce should have been a complete love match for me. I wanted to fall in love. I was ready, totally prepared. I thrive on quirky and when I think I’ve found it, that awkward little gem, I get unreasonably excited. I carve out a block of time I won’t be interrupted, get appropriate comfort food, comfortable favorite cozy clothes, put out the DND sign, and get ready for a total immersion literary experience. You know what I’m talking about. It’s a book lovers nirvana. Perhaps this was the problem, I built it up too much. The book is good, quite good, it’s just not a match for me. 3.5 *’s rounded up

Frank runs a music shop that is committed completely to vinyl records. He’s the music whisperer, matching just the right piece of music to each person. The location is used beautifully as a character in its own right. We have a cast of supporting characters who are quirky, and finally the love interest Ilsa. It took me a while to articulate what didn’t quite work for me. It’s leading the reader to conclusions that can makes things flat. There’s no discovery. As the book progresses we see a romance develop, Frank stand up to progress in the face of a failing business, all with the backdrop of amazing musical references. The music geek in me really appreciated this. For me it was too much, a lack of nuance, that didn’t allow me to really dive in. I think the book also suffers from comparison to Joyce’s other books which are absolutely exceptional. I’m a fan, and highly recommend this author. This simply isn’t my favorite book of hers.

I received an advanced reader copy (eGalley) from Random House through NetGalley. This review reflects my honest and unbiased opinions.