I requested this book because both the cover and the description appealed to me, but after more than a year I cannot even finish it, and I've been deciding if I should post a review of a book I didn't finish. The first part of the book was extremely slow, full of unnecessary descriptions, and I couldn't care about the main character. By the time the second part started I wasn't even interested in what happened to them.
Seeing the great reviews, it's clearly my issue, and maybe at some point I'll pick it up again and finish it, but it doesn't seem likely.

I love this author's books with how descriptive they are. She richly describes the setting and you can fully imagine yourself there.
Very romantic , an epic love story.
A talented young music therapist accepts an assignment that could be her undoing.
She carries a secret with her about her past that if found out could put at risk everything she has worked so hard towards or bring her an unbelievable happiness. She must decide what it's worth and how to proceed.
I have read many books by this author and they are so well written, just unforgettable!

Pub Date 01 Aug 2019
I was given a complimentary copy of this book. Thank you.
All opinions expressed are my own

An interesting read. Excellent story telling. Both Umberto and Catriona are very well developed characters and the storytelling is very expansive. Sometimes I felt that the descriptions are a bit way too much. Otherwise a very good read

Having seen other reviews of Concerto, I am definitely in the minority in rating this book with 2 stars. I requested it after I read the description on NetGalley as I thought I would like it, but what the description didn’t tell me is that it is full of descriptions of everything – what the characters look like, what they are wearing each time they appear, and their emotions, plus pages and pages describing the locations, the buildings, the rooms, the scenery, the weather and so on. In addition it is not just plain description – in most instances it is accompanied by at least four adjectives and in the most fulsome and vivid terms. I like description but this is just too much.

The plot is a simple one, but it is padded out with stories and myths about so many people and places that, whilst these are interesting, they add next to nothing to the story They just slow the action down to practically zero. But the sad thing is that the plot is too simple, unconvincing and it is so easy to predict what will happen. It is full of cliches and the characters are for the most part stereotypes – particularly Umberto. It is a book full of angst, sensuality and passion, but the over-writing and repetition just killed it for me.

I was thinking of giving the book just 1 star but I thought the explanation of how music therapy works was interesting and I did like the descriptions of the Italian landscape to a certain extent. But, if like so many others, you love long, slow books, full of romance and passion with lovers being swept off their feet in the splendour of music, emotion and sensuality then you’ll probably enjoy it much more than I did.

This book was amazing !
I totally loved this book and the characters within. Just the right amount of light and darkness. This was my first time reading a book by Hannah Fielding and I truly enjoyed all the hard work she put into describing the places, the music, and the feelings of her characters. I definitely recommend reading this book if your looking for something with more sustenance than your regular romantic fiction book.
I volunteered to read this book from London Wall Publishing in return for my honest feedback. The thoughts and opinions expressed within are my own.

Hannah Fielding does it again. A beautiful feel good romantic story which transports you to the Rivera and the Italian Lakes. Just the book to take on holiday with you.
A story of first love which survives through time.,Secrets ,lies and tragedy are all in the mix but will love conquer all.
Can’t recommend it enough.
Five stars all the way.

This was an ARC courtesy of netgalley - the opinions below are unbiased and my own

I really loved this - This is very well written, loved the characters

Vivid imagery, evocative language - I was swept away by this

‘Concerto’ follows Catriona, a music therapist, who is set to become famous, and pursue her dream of becoming an opera singer. She then meets composer Umberto Monteverdi and after a night spent together, he leaves her. Ten years pass and she is called upon by Umberto’s mother to help him rediscover his musical passion, having been blinded in a car accident. When they meet again, Catriona finds herself once again drawn to Umberto, despite his resistance to her efforts to help him. She also is struggling to hide her own secrets.
The backdrop of Italy was vividly described and suited this sumptuous novel. The romance between Umberto and Catriona, beautifully told, making for an enjoyable reading experience.
I received an advanced review copy from NetGalley in exchange for my honest review.

3.5 Stars! Passionate, mysterious, and exceptionally descriptive!

Concerto is a captivating, enigmatic tale about the power of love; the lengths that one will go to for it and the unimaginable things one often does in the name of it.

The prose is evocative and lush. The characters are fervent, secretive, and flawed. And the plot, although a little slow at times, is a sweeping saga laced from start to finish with palpable emotion, colourful imagery, longing, desperation, heartbreak, greed, jealousy, first loves, and heartwrenching romance.

Overall, Concerto is a dramatic, mysterious, enticing, love story that does a wonderful job of highlighting the magic of music and its ability to, universally, heal the mind, body, heart, and soul.

This was an interesting and enjoyable book to read. It had a good storyline which kept me interested. The characters were normal and believable. Although it had a happy ending there was drama and tension before you got to the end .I would recommend this book to be read if you wanted a good read.

This is another wonderful, escapist book from Hannah Fielding, with a gorgeous, romantic setting. A beautiful read.

This was such an interesting read. A great love story and the location is somewhere I have never been to.

Romance with music at it's heart.Good characters with human flaws,a little mystery,some twists and a happy ending.

My rating:
Story: 4 out of 5 stars
Writing: 4 out of 5 stars
Character development: 4 out of 5 stars
Overall: 4 out of 5 stars

Review:

This book is very captivating. The author artfully creates a vivid world describing sights and sounds, smells and tastes. The plot is full of emotion, intrigue, and passion. It almost feels like you are actually there yourself. The characters are well developed which makes them realistic and easy to relate to. I would recommend this to anyone who enjoys a will written romance novel.

This novel is about finding love while going through many hardships. Both Cayriona and Umberto are very likable. They both have many problems and are mad at the world. However, they find hope when they meet and fall in love. I thought the novel was slow but very emotional. The love story was very sweet. I recommend this for those that love reading simple love stories.

This book just serves as a reminder that not all is lost when it comes to love and sometimes, the journey to healing takes the most unexpected route. For Umberto, losing his sight and not being able to play music takes a toll on him, but when the woman who comes to serve as his Therapist, turns out to be the girl he loved, he's faced with not one nightmare but many more that he's got to resolve towards healing.
I like how it starts and the pace seemed to drag on somewhere mid-story, then picked up towards the end.
Thanks Netgalley for the eARC.

This book opened with the request of a famous opera singer to a music therapist to help her son. The son whose past linked to the music therapist itself. The plot actually cliche, you can predict the twist and the ending of course.

The flow for me also too slow, author spend two chapter that it felt like several more chapters of the past of the opera singer's son and music therapist at the beginning of the novel. Then it forward with how they interact in the present. Authour has rich description in the setting, be it the opera house or the house the character reside.

This book unfortunately is not my cup of tea, but for readers who like music, and do not mind a slow pace, the book might be more suitable.

Thank you netgalley for providing the arc.

This was a really sweet romance. To me, it felt like an extra long Harlequin romance. Now I happen to like them, but it's not everyone's cup of tea. I could picture The characters and was invested in them achieving their HEA.

Catriona and Umberto met while she was studying opera at a French conservatory and he was a visiting concert pianist. They had one very brief, but intense night together before Umberto left for the states. Catriona gave birth to a son who resulted from their night together. She gave up opera to raise him, while studying psychology. Catriona became a renowned music therapist who was asked by Umberto’s dying mother to treat him for suicidal tendencies that resulted from the blindness that resulted from a car accident. The story took many twists and turns as Catriona and Umberto cameto know one another once again.

This well-written novel reminded me a great deal of Danielle Steel’s work. Fans of Ms. Steel’s work will enjoy this novel a great deal.