I received this book from netgalley. I have not read any book's from this author. I liked it will have to read more from her.
great story, I loved the character's.

4.5 stars rounded up!

The Lost Love Song is refreshingly sweet, heartwarming, and hopeful. Minnie Darke magically weaves a tale of love that’s modern and unique. It feels like a classic love story, but new and different.

As the lost love song is passed from place to place and character to character, the reader gets the sense that the world is not so small, but it’s our connections with others that make it seem that way.

And that’s what I loved so much about this book: how all the stories were connected, how all the different types of loves were inspired and spurred from a simple love song. How something so seemingly small can have such a big impact. And that with each passing, the song grew and changed because the recipients loved it and made it their own.

I’m also discovering that I really just adore books set in Australia.

Our main two characters are Arie and Evie. They’re both well-rounded and flawed, making very human mistakes and choices. The same can be said for the secondary characters. It’s through them that the love song makes such a momentous journey. I love it when authors show that we learn from our mistakes, and sometimes it’s only through the mistakes that we arrive where we should be. Life is messy, and it shouldn’t be any other way.

As a hopeless romantic and a music lover, I am the perfect audience for this lovely story. Minnie Darke does such a beautiful job describing this most influential love song, I only wish we could hear it. The Lost Love Song was a joy to read, and I hope it gets all the attention it deserves.

I almost quit reading around 20% in because there is so much sadness in this book, and I have too much of that in real life right now! I kept going because I was crazy about the author's last novel and I hoped this would be worth sticking with. It was, but the overall tone of the novel remains one of melancholy.

This is the story of a love song. It follows the song through conception and out into the world. It's a powerful look into how music affects and influences our hearts and minds. We meet different characters as they encounter the song all over the world. The novel's style is the same as the author's previous and movies like Love Actually and Valentine's Day. I enjoy this style a lot, especially as the different threads start to come together and we learn how the seemingly separate characters are connected.

Besides being about the power of music, this is also a book about love and loss. It explores the ways grieving and healing are different for each person.

The writing flows well and the story is definitely worth sticking with. I recommend it for readers of literary fiction, and anyone who likes a bit of heaviness with a love story.

This starts with great tragedy and winds its way through to a new great love. The night before she boarded what would be her final flight, Diana played the piano at a hotel in Singapore- working on a new song. Bene heard it and recovered the notebook she left behind. His daughter Beatrice finds the notebook and, with her teen love Felix, plays the song in the train station in Edinburgh, where Evie hears it. Evie's been traveling and working her way around the world from Australia and when she finally goes home, she moves in next to Arie, Diana's lover, who is still devastated two years on. THere's no need to explain more- these are wonderful characters and the story is just so perfect. I loved Evie's poetry (read the end piece for more info but the phrase- billowing keen of grief- is, well just one that resonated). This makes good use of place (love the Australian and Tasmanian settings). Darkest has a deft touch, especially with Arie and Belinda's grief. Her storytelling style sucks you in and keeps you reading. Thanks to netgalley for the ARC. There were several spots at the end where I broke out in a grin (and wiped a small tear)- it was just the thing for the days we've been having.

I want to first thank author Minnie Darke, publisher Penguin Random House/Ballantine Books, and NetGalley for allowing me to read an E-Arc of this book in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts and opinions are my own. First, make sure to have a box of tissues ready before you sit down to read this book, because you are going to need them.
This book was simply beautiful and heart-wrenching. This book follows the relationships of different people around the world that are tried by a love song that was written by Diana, a famous pianist for the love of her life Arie. But before Diana is able to perform her song for Arie, tragedy strikes . While the author of the song meets a tragic end, the love song begins to make its journey around the world and makes it impact on couples at all different stages of their relationships. From teens, who are in the early days of young love to a couple that have been on again off again for over ten years and finally to Arie, who might have a second chance at love in Evie. Can a song bring love to the world?
This book was quite a surprise! This was my first book by this author and it will not be my last. The author had a wonderful ability to draw the reader in with relatable characters and an engaging story ranging in topics such as friendship, love, second chances, grief, and the strength and pull of music and art. This book kept my attention from start to finish. The story covers many different couples in different places in the world. Some of the couples only made short appearances within the story, but they were needed in order to move the plot along. The ending was amazing and had me in tears. Overall, I enjoyed taking the journey around the world with the love song. I would highly recommend this book for those who enjoy reading about the ties that connect people to other people. I can't wait to read more books by this author!

Many thanks to NetGalley, Random House/Ballantine Books for the opportunity to read this wonderful story by Minnie Darke - 4.5 stars!

Diana Clare is a famous pianist, engaged to Arie for years. Arie is pushing her to get married and as she leaves for a tour to Singapore and Paris, he asks her for an answer when she returns. Diana started writing a love song to let Arie know better than her words how she feels about him, but he was never able to hear the ending. In Scotland, Evie has been traveling around, not putting down ties, since she left Australia. She writes poems and ekes out a living with whatever jobs she can get. One day she hears a young couple play a song - a love song - and she can't get it out of her mind. This song travels around from person to person, opening hearts and minds, giving second chances to those that hear it.

Just a wonderfully written story - I pretty much sat and read this book in one sitting. I loved all the chance interactions between so many characters, all pulled together with one love song. Isn't that what music does to us? There was not an unlikeable character in this book - they are all charming in their own ways and you will be rooting for many happily ever afters.

Minnie Darke has such a way with characters. Just like in her debut novel, Star-Crossed, she brings together a kaleidoscope of people and moments that wink in and out, some longer than others. This story follows the path of a love song as it travels around the world to bring two lost and lonely people together - each story arc is lovely, but the main arc of Evie and Arie holds the novel together.

I know. That sounds really cheesy, but honestly it's not. I cannot stand emotionally manipulative books, so let me tell you that is *not* what this is. It's wistful, and a bit dreamy, and maybe a bit rose-tinted at times but mostly a story about how love lets us come alive again. It reads like an invitation to think about fate and how the pieces of our lives fall into place. For a personal example - I don't believe in "the one," but whenever I tell the story about how my husband and I met I find myself mentioning all the improbabilities of us ever meeting, and how we met anyways. It's like that sensation.

An unexpected part of this, for me, was reading about a poet as a main character - this book focuses heavily on art, and it was so satisfying and even inspiring to fall into the mind of a poet who is turning over words and images and using her poems to make sense of the world. All of this meaning - Minnie Darke has become a definite favorite author of mine, and now I'm looking forward to see how she uses her voice and unique storytelling in her next novel!

The Lost Love Song is sad. It has some beautiful parts, and some amazing lines. Arie's grief and Evie's loneliness are palpable. I felt the musical parts might have been explained in more laymen's terms, I was lost on those. And maybe too many people connecting, I can see where it went, but I kept thinking I missed something. I did enjoy it and I smiled at the ending.

I was told this is for the fans of The Two Lives of Lydia Bird, and that is 100% true. I felt the same anguish, the same sadness I felt while reading Lydia.

I, of course, don’t want to give too much away, but I started the ugly cry and can’t stop it. Then, a couple kissed on the television and it sent me over the edge to continue to cry for a ridiculous amount of time.

This is literally the sweetest concept. With every beautiful love song, there’s always some inspiration behind it. Imagine your significant other composed the most amazing ode to you, and dies before they give you the gift. The beauty is passed from person to person hoping to one day make it to it’s one true owner, the inspiration. The characters were beautifully flawed, and not too “woe is me”. The descriptions around the plot were magnificent, I just will continue to gush.

This is so much more than just about love and loss. It’s about hope, and coping, and finding the beauty in the darkness. I’m crying again 🙄 😂 by just recalling how beautiful this story was. Thank you so much Ballentine & NetGalley for the gifted copy.

This is a sweet novel that consistently goes for the emotions, perfect for fans of Josie Silver. I will say it took me a while to figure out the thread of the story. It has a very "Love, Actually" feel with the way it connects the various characters and how their stories intersect. There's a central theme of music connecting us across the globe and how it can have a powerful impact on lives, which is mirrored in the intersections of the various characters. It was interesting to read a book where so much of the story focused away from the "main" plot and I did enjoy it. Make sure to have tissues ready because it's one of those.

✈Superb tale of serendipity rising out of tragic loss😌

🎼What a well-woven tale of lives intersecting randomly to carry an outpouring of love around the planet! The sadness from the beginning of Arie's story remains present throughout but morphs, with the help of time and a well-traveled tune, to a bittersweet remembrance and allows him to rebuild a life open to new romantic possibilities.

I really adored the way the author snaked her way around the globe, from Melbourne and Singapore to the United Kingdom, Canada, the U.S. and even through several states in Australia. And the randomness of how Diana's tribute to her feelings for Arie gets released to the public. It's imaginative and a plot that seems difficult to assemble, like the pieces of a jigsaw puzzle that individually don't make sense but, with time and patience, finally come together seamlessly.

The secondary players in Arie's story, befittingly many of whom are amateur or professional musicians, add some side interest and an extra zing of romance, but Evie and Arie are, without question, the focus and heart of this emotional and wonderful novel. Bittersweet but hopeful: yes, that's the way I'd sum up my feelings at its conclusion. And I think I will be ready and waiting for the next work Minnie Darke has in store.

Thanks to Random House/Ballantine publishers and NetGalley for providing an advance copy of the book; this is my voluntary and honest review.

When Diana, an accomplished pianist, and Arie, an IT guy, meet for the first time, it's love at first sight. Seven years later they are engaged, living together in the home they bought, and happier than ever. But Arie is confused as to why Diana still won't make the ultimate commitment and marry him. Desperate to convey her feelings for him but undecided about the tradition of marriage, Diana composes a hauntingly beautiful love song that she begins to play for him before she's whisked away for another concert series across the world.

During her travels, Diana finishes composing the song at her hotel, unaware that an onlooker has become completely transfixed with the moving melody. Exhausted and distracted, Diana forgets her manuscript with the written composition at the hotel piano. The onlooker notices and with the intent to return it to her, pockets it and quickly forgets all about it.

On her way to Paris, the flight Diana is on malfunctions and the entire flight dies from oxygen deprivation. The ghost flight is escorted to its watery grave at the bottom of the Atlantic. Wrecked and inconsolable, Arie must live the rest of his days without the love of his life. Meanwhile, Diana's love song takes on a life of its own, passing from one stranger to the next, one lover to another.

This was a moving and heart wrenching story about love, loss, and grief. The writing was extremely artistic and poetic and it was easy to get lost in the beautiful language and story lines. The story followed Arie in his journey of grief and self-healing. It also followed the life of the song as it moved from musician to musician and changed not only in how the song was interpreted and played, but also in how it continued to impact the people it touched.

Though the underlying story was sad, this was a beautiful novel about the power of love and the healing power of music. There were quite a lot of characters in this novel, many not introduced until the last third of the book which is generally something I dislike. However, the connections and ties between the characters and the song was well done and added a lot of depth to the story. The varying story lines also added levity and hope to an otherwise sad story.

Thank you to NetGalley and Penguin Random House for a copy of this book.

The night before Diana leaves for her tour as a famous pianist, she and Arie have the discussion again. After seven years, will she finally marry him? To avoid the discussion Diana heads to her happy place, the piano, and the the music take her where it will. The evening ends with a new love song. While on her tour however, Diana’s plane goes down and her song is lost forever with her...or is it?

3.5 stars. I really loved that the song in this book brought so many people together. I enjoyed the many characters and seeing how hey all connected in the end, but there was just a little something missing for me. I wish I could hear this song, because reading about it just gave me all the feels! Overall I really enjoyed this one, I just wish it had that extra something to push it to the 4 star mark.

Huge thank you to Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine for allowing me to read an e-ARC of this gem of a book!

This one comes out on October 13th and should absolutely be on your TBR! I feel like I have not seen or heard much about it and it feels like such a miss! This story was incredible and I enjoyed every second of this book!!!

Diana, a concert pianist composes a song to tell her fiance Arie just how much she loves him (maybe the most romantic thing ever!). However, she is never able to play him this song, as tragedy happens and both her and the song are lost. That is at least until someone comes across the song and it gets passed from musician to musician all over the world.

Arie, sick with grief, meets Evie who is also battling with grief of her own. Through this common thread of loss and grief, the two are drawn together -- maybe through the very song that his love Diana wrote for him.

I said it once and I will say it again! Put this on your TBR now! For any helpless romantic or really anyone with a heart that beat, this story was such a fun one to get lost in! The writing and storyline are so intricate and woven together. The characters were so well developed and the story was emotional, heartwarming and wonderful.

🎶An unexpected gem of a story🎶
I cannot believe this one hasn’t gotten more hype here on bookstagram, because I ADORED it!

One night, concert pianist Diana composes a song to tell her fiancé Arie how much she loves him. But tragedy strikes and both Diana and the song are lost...until someone unexpected comes across her music. This sets off a sequence of interrelated events as the song is passed from musician to musician all over the world. Meanwhile Arie, still struggling to cope with his overwhelming grief, meets Evie, a woman with her own losses, and the two are drawn to each other. Will the song eventually bring them together? You’ll have to read it to find out!

The book was absolutely lovely! It’s a story about love and loss, grief and moving forward, and above all, the power of music. The prose is tender and gorgeous, the plot is intricately woven, and the characters felt like old friends. I soaked up every bit of this heartwarming, emotional, beautifully told story and I think you should read it!

Coming October 13. Many thanks to @netgalley and Ballantine books for my digital copy.

[Note: while this is a romantic read, all sex scenes fade to black]

The only regret I have about this book is not having enough time to read it quicker.

Minnie Darke has written a wonderful story. It had heartbreak, love, healing, and hope. This book took us through several characters and somehow they were all linked by this Lost Love Song. Quite honestly I wish I could listen to it. The way the story unfolds and how the author describes how the characters are drawn to it, I could feel how powerful it was as well. Diane Clare writes a beautiful live song for her love Arie whom is home waiting for her and her answer about marrying him. When tragedy hits and Arie will never get her answer. Fast forward through how this song has been heard and traveled amongst people it touched. Evie being one of those people. She comes in Arie’s life. He is surprised by his feelings for her, and yet hasn’t fully let go of Diane. You definitely need to read this book to see how this story ends.

This book was super good. It was super original and I flew through it. It didn't feel like anything I've read in the past. Can't wait to read more from the author!!

4.25/5⭐️

The cover is a bit misleading as the story is not all happy and light (tissues, maybe?)...but I loved it.

It’s fiction, so if you can look at far-fetched instances as “fate”, luck, coincidence or a God-thing, underneath it all are multiple stories of how (as Forrest would put it), “Life is like a box of chocolates. You never know what you’re gonna get.”

It all centers on a lost love song and how it touches characters during different times/experiences in their lives. Foremost there’s love, but also restlessness, loneliness and loss, and ultimately hope as they each deal differently with the messiness of life. So while at its core it’s a “feel-good” story, there’s a lot of things to get through along the way there.

Beautifully written and highly recommended.

Thanks very much to #NetGalley and #BallantineBooks for providing me the ARC. The opinions are strictly my own.

I love this book! What a beautiful story. I do like books where there are many interconnected stories, but I have never read one that has been told in this creative way with the structure of a song bringing together many different characters and pieces of both the song and how it comes to be.

I loved Star-Crossed and was eager to get into this book. It was definitely a different style and I love how the writing was so musical and poetic.

This was a beautiful story and I can’t wait to suggest this one when it comes out! Thank you to the publisher and netgalley for the advance copy.

This book was cute! Based on the summary I thought it was going to be mostly about Diane and Arie. But it was more about a whole cast of characters instead. It reminds me of a book version the Love Actually or New Years Eve. It has that same premise of a big cast of characters and most or all of them overlap in someway. It kept the mystery of the book alive and it felt so satisfying when you found out how each person connects to each other. However, with that premise I sometimes feel like it can give less time to details and really getting to know each character. For instance we only heard about Red in the last couple chapters, or Flynn and Beatrix. What happened to them? Why weren't they discussed more? I felt like it left a lot of characters unresolved. Over all it was cute and enjoyable. It wasn't a suspenseful page turner that I couldn't put down, but it was enjoyable overall. 3.5 stars!