After meeting Amy Poeppel at an author event here in Rhode Island a few years back, I was eager to take a look at this book. It did not disappoint. She's an author who can tap right into the mainstream.

I am so sorry to say this, but.... this book was extremely boring to me. (And I looooove slow burn books, I really am quite patient.)

There was too much filler that was completely unnecessary. There were also just too many characters, it was a bit much. (I mean, how many pets did we have to keep hearing about? 4? 5? Whatever the number, it was: Too. Many.) I was able to keep the characters straight, but it was hard to become deeply invested in any of them, though I really tried. Maybe it was also due to the fact that I just didn't find any of them to be extremely likable or even that interesting, really.

The ending was alright, if not a little too "perfect." (One of my pet peeves.) It was the highlight though, because the pace picked up considerably. I don't think it was worth the time it took to get there, however. This one just wasn't for me, it seems. I think this story had an interesting premise, it just needed more editing and perhaps a more exciting plot device somewhere to make it a bit more exciting.



Thank you to Netgalley and Atria Books for the complimentary copy of Musical Chairs in exchange for my honest review.

What a fascinating book. I was impressed by the storyline and the characters were all well written and complex. Where there are complex storylines combined with intriguing characters the reader experience is magnified tremendously. To have a book that is well written as well as entertaining is a delight. Reading is about escaping your world and entering another one. Here I forgot about my own life and was immersed in the world created by the author. I would recommend this book.

I received a free digital copy of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

This book was good, but the plot was lacking structure.

Thank you kindly to the author, the publisher, and NetGalley for this review copy.

A cute book that just wasn't for me, unfortunately. I just couldn't connect with the characters and found a hard time wanting to know how the story ends. The setting and music insidery stuff was fun though, just wasn't my speed all in all!

I read and loved Limelight last year so I have been excited for Musical Chairs. While I didn’t love it quite as much, I really liked it and I’m definitely a fan of Amy Poeppel now. She writes interesting, flawed characters who you want to root for and stories that keep you interested. I enjoyed reading about Bridget, Will, and all of the characters in this book. I’ll definitely be keeping an eye out for Poeppel’s next book!

After reading several dark novels, I was looking to read something a little more lighthearted, and this fit the bill perfectly. I've read several other books by this author, and I thoroughly enjoyed them all, this book included. I found myself truly invested in the characters and their lives, and I just adore Poeppel's writing style. Absolutely another hit.

It took me a little while to become invested in the story. We were introduced to a lot of character right from the start and I was not sure where the story was going until we got to know them more. I really liked when both the kids came back home to the country house, that is when I really started to connect with the characters and didn’t want to put it down. It became this heartwarming story that gave me all the feels.

This was more of a character driven plot, but they all had struggles to work through and it felt real. I liked Bridget’s POV the best and was happy that hers was more prominent throughout. She had such good growth and the ending really complimented it. Musical Chairs had a little bit of everything: heartbreak, romance, secrets and drama. Such a good well-rounded book, I am happy that I finally read it.

Thank you Atria Books and Netgalley for the gifted ARC.

When Bridget returns to her country home for a little R&R with her boyfriend, she discovers the folly in making plans. She hadn't expected a break-up, unexpected company, or her father's remarriage--events making this story cook.

Another tightly-woven, hilarious jaunt that could only be written by Amy Poeppel. With her signature wit and enviable ability to lure readers with relatable characters, Poeppel delivers the goods.

“Life is a perfect combination of chance and choreography.” This was a charming book full of family drama and quirky characters (so many characters!) that I grew to like and root for.

I like Amy Poeppel's writing style, and I really enjoyed her previous books. Several people I know listed this book as one of their Best of 2020 titles. I enjoyed it although it took me quite a while to get into it-I had a hard time keeping track of everyone and figuring out what the first few pages had to do with the rest of the book. I guess when push comes to shove, I just didn't love it because I find reading about rich people boring. Rich people problems always seem so trite! Will kept the book grounded for me-I appreciated his understanding of how his friendship worked. I also appreciated how grown-up the kids in this book are-they handled their problems with grace, so often millennial characters are painted so selfishly and one-dimensional.

This was such a fun read I cannot tell you how much I have enjoyed it. I loved that the main character Bridget is “older” and there are lots of age groups covered in the book.
The story was light but meaningful and made me laugh with tears and swoon for the characters.
A super enjoyable read!

I had seen so many good reviews on this book, which is why I requested the ARC. However, I was just never able to truly get into this book. I read it over the span of several months, because other books held my interest more. I’m glad others enjoyed this one, it just wasn’t for me.

This book is humor, wit, disfunction, and love all wrapped up in a story about a modern, if slightly unusual, family. My emotions were a little bit all over the place while reading this book - I went from laughing to crying in a matter of a few pages - which makes me realize how appropriate and realistic a portrayal of family this is.

I haven’t read any of Amy Poeppel’s books before this one, but I intend to read more in the future. I love the style and emotion of the book and hope to see it in more to come.

Not my favorite by this author but I think if I had more music knowledge I’d enjoy it more. Will read more by poepell

I enjoyed spending.a New England summer with these delightful characters. Getting a peek into the professional world of classical music was interesting. The stories and relationships were warm, funny and relatable. I liked how in the end everyone was able to find happiness in their own way, often in places they never expected.

This was exactly the book that I needed when I read it. It was warm and lighthearted, and I enjoy most stories with a musical element to them. It was just a feel good book with lovely characters finding happiness, and if you need a nice palette cleanser I highly recommend!

Musical Chairs was the first book that I'd read by Amy Poeppel but after reading it, I'm excited to read her backlist titles! It was fun and entertaining-a very engaging, heartwarming read that swept me away when I needed it the most. I loved the characters, Bridget, her grown kids, her father, her sister, her best friend and also the second part of their musical trio, Will, along with a bevy of others who made this a standout cast.

Summer in Connecticut is supposed to be relaxing for Bridget and just her boyfriend but things turn out a lot differently when her kids and best friend show up! There's a lot of family drama in the book as secrets come to light and changes take place in each of the character's lives. A lot of hilarity ensues as well, but there's also much heart-touching emotion. It was a joy to read, and I loved how the book revolved around classical music although you don't have to be a classical music lover to love the book!

Thank you NetGalley and Atria Books for the DRC. All opinions are my own.

Musical Chairs by Amy Poeppel
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Bridget is looking forward to a relaxing summer at her Connecticut house and having her boyfriend all to herself. But that’s not the summer she gets! 😂
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This book was a lot of fun to read. Bridget was a really cool character who was slow to get angry and was really great at rolling with the punches. Her best friend is Will, who is also her musical partner and they made a great team. But this book is all about CHANGE. Sometimes when things stay the same for a long time, you need to shake it up a bit.
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There were a lot of supporting characters in this book and the author did such a great job switching back and forth between them seamlessly.
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There was also a lot of past that was rehashed and secrets that came out and we all love when the secrets start spilling in books! There was one point in particular *spoilers* that was especially juicy.
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The ending pulled everything together and didn’t feel rushed and I really was happy with how things were for everyone. I feel like this book was very well written and really enjoyed it.
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4⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Thank you @netgalley for my digital copy to read and review.

I struggled to get into this book and the story. There were too many characters and storylines to keep straight