Amy Harmon has written another soulful and poignant tale. This story takes place in the 1960’s when racial tensions were high, mob bosses ruled the streets, and societal constraints shunned those who didn’t conform. In this era talented artists exploded onto the music scene. Among them were Esther and Benny, who asked the nation to confront its prejudices and change through song. I fell in love with Esther and Benny’s inspiring love story and their journey to change the culture. As Esther says, “If you want people to change show them what it looks like.” I believe the author tackled a difficult topic and time period and did with an engaging and well written novel. A powerful message that still needs to be heard today. As Benny says, “You can’t be mad at a man for who he is. Only what he is… and the choices he makes.”

I received a copy from the publisher through NetGalley. This review is my own opinion.

What a captivating book this was. As usual, Amy’s way with words is just beautiful. She is such a phenomenal author. The research she did was apparent. It was set in the 60’s and revolved around Motown type of music and the mob, with an incredible love story added in. Not a book I’d normally be drawn to, but I read everything by this author. And it did not disappoint. Along with the music, she highlighted the racism of those days. Given the current climate, it was the perfect book to read. 5 star all the way!!

Every time this author announces a new book coming, I am on pins and needles until it lands on my kindle. The words, the story, the lessons learned, the research going into writing all of this authors books is so obvious that not a I dotted or T crossed was missed. This author is truly amazing!

With that being said, I can honestly say, this was my favorite of her books. The story of Benny and Ester with everything stacked up against them set in New York in the 1960's is a must read, page turner, emotional journey!

Music, Mafia, and Benny with Ester made this book un-put-downable! Clear off your schedule and Dive Into this fantastic book.

This book was excellent! Every time I read an Amy Harmon book I can’t believe that I somehow forgot what a beautiful writer she is. She continues to just blow me away every time.

The story is told through Benny Lament’s first person POV with excerpts from a radio interview several years later between each chapter. I loved the use of the radio excerpts to help tell the story and I adored Benny. I really felt like I got to know and understand him and I just wanted good things for him. I loved his relationship with Esther, as well. Right from the start, they had terrific give and take and there wasn’t really a scene between them that I didn’t like.

One big thing that the synopsis doesn’t mention is that it’s not just Esther and Benny performing. Esther is part of a band, Minefield, with her three brothers, Money, Alvin, and Lee Otis and they are all there for the adventure. I really liked all they brought to the story, especially Alvin.

There’s a lot more to this book than just music, though. It’s set in the 60s, with a backdrop of the mob, corrupt politics, and the civil rights movement. Though it all happened decades ago, it felt incredibly relevant to today. While the world has come a long way in some regards, it definitely still has a long way to go. I felt like Harmon had a lot of issues to juggle and threads to connect and she did a good job with it. If there is one complaint that I have about the book, it’s that there is a reveal to a mystery that felt a little anti-climactic compared to everything else going on.

Overall, The Songbook of Benny Lament is a beautiful book. I have read and loved many books by Amy Harmon and this is without a doubt one of her best yet. I’m sure this will show up on my Best of 2021 list. I definitely recommend this one!

Overall Rating (out of 5): 4 Stars

I so enjoyed The Song Book of Benny Lament by Amy Harmon! The dual timeline switches between a radio interview and the narrative. We are brought into the music scene with connections to organized crime and watch an interracial romance develop between a songwriter and singer. The depth of emotion that Amy Harmon pours into this novel is palpable. The story is beautifully told - even when parts are painful. What are you willing to sacrifice and at what cost? This is a wonderful trip to the 1960’s including Motown music, the mob, segregation, suspense, and fashion. It would only be better if it had a soundtrack!

I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book. All opinions are my own.

The Songbook of Benny Lament is so much more than just a book it truly is an experience, and one you don't want to miss. Amy Harmon is a master at creating worlds, drawing you in and making you feel. She can bring out emotions like no other author. Her writing is always beautiful and moving. The Songbook of Benny Lament was no different- moving, beautiful and engulfing. You fall into the story and forget it is a book at all, you are there in the moment and you are moved.
Thank you Amy Harmon for another magnificent book. <3

I’m not going to lie: I have no idea how to review this book.

I’m not sure how to put into words the experience of reading it. It felt so important, and so relevant to the world right now, even though it was set in a time before I was born. It was fascinating and complex and sometimes edge-of-your-seat suspenseful. There were moments of beauty and tenderness, but also moments that felt chilling and brutal. It was thoughtfully written, the storyline seamlessly weaving actual people and events from the time period, with the fiction that was created as part of this stunning story. The final tapestry was so seamless that it felt like this could have been a true story. It felt true to me.

This wasn’t the kind of book that I devoured in a day. It actually took me a little bit to settle into it at first. But it was definitely the kind of book that seeped its way into my bones, consuming me to the point that tears streamed down my face as I I turned the last page. I wasn’t ready to say goodbye to my new friends, this new family I had become a part of over the course of their volatile journey. They were special, and important, and I felt the gravity of this book.

The Songbook of Benny Lament was different than anything I have read by this author before. I felt drawn completely into this moody, explosive historical era. The storytelling held an air of authenticity. From the dialogue between Benny and Esther – particularly their stage banter – which played out so vividly in my mind like I had a front row seat to one of their shows, to the gritty and almost dangerous undertones of Benny and Esther’s love story. Nothing was glossed over and it paid homage to the struggles that the people of that time went through to get to where we are today. And without even feeling like it was trying, it shed some insight into the continued struggles in this country today. I loved every minute of it. I loved Benny and Esther and her motley band of brothers. I loved their story, even as it cracked my heart wide open and then soothed the broken pieces.

This was a powerful story.

I’m so glad I had the opportunity to meet these amazing characters who came to mean so much to me. I feel like their story was big in a way that I haven’t even fully processed yet, but my heart is full from it. This is undoubtedly a 2021 MUST READ!

"You wanna change the world? You gotta show 'em what it looks like."

Amy Harmon has such a way with words, she pulls you completely inside the story she is telling. You become part of that story, you FEEL that story. Her latest novel is just another example of that.

This beautiful story of Benny & Esther will break your heart and put you all back together in the end. All of the characters in this book big or small, you'll know them. You'll love or hate them, but they will speak to you. In this book you will have a front row seat to the all the good and the bad that is the story of Benny Lament & Esther Minefield. Hopefully you'll be a better person for it in the end.

Simply wonderful. Ugly beautiful. It’s not just a book, it’s a life experience.

I had to tell myself I was reading a work of fiction and not a true story because every word felt true. I believed every single bit of it and it makes me so very sad that people in our world were, and are still treated like second class citizens. The planet is our planet, it belongs to us all equally.

“If you want people to change, you have to show them what it looks like.”

“None of us can help who we are. We are born into the world we are born into. The family. The skin. Nobody gets to choose those things. You can’t be mad at a man for who he is. Only what he is...and the choices he makes.”

Benny Lament is from an Italian mobster family. A gifted pianist and song writer. He admired his dad Jack Lomento’s boxing friend Bo Johnson. The big black guy who ended Jack’s boxing career.

Benny sees Esther Mine sing and just like that their lives are forever entwined. The big white pianist and the beautiful black songbird with the power shoes. They bicker and fight and make music. I so wanted to be in that club when they played their first set together. It was electric.

Every Amy Harmon book I’ve read has a feel to it. Mesmerising and beguiling, they play out like films in my head. I sees the scenes, I taste the chalk dust in the boxing gym. I smell the cigar smoke in the club. I see Fat Tony and Sticks. The piano plays. The lady sings. My heart fills.

I HAVE A NEW BOOK TO ADD TO MY FAVORITES LIST!!!

Amy Harmon consistently writes amazing works of art. It is always hard to pick a favorite book of hers, but The Songbook of Benny Lament just bulldozed right over all her other books to my top spot.

I loved EVERYTHING about this book. It alternates between chapters of radio interviews with Benny and his story of what happened along his way to fame. The radio chapters set up the story perfectly. They hinted at what was to come, making the story that followed all the sweeter. The story of Minecraft and Benny's relationship with Esther Mine built in the best of ways. I had all these ideas of where things were headed, but didn't even want to guess. I wanted to experience it all as I read it. It was such a fascinating love story set in the chaotic and violent times of the 1960's. I enjoyed the way it wove music, the mob, politics, racial injustices of the 1960's, and a sweet love story all into one package. There was even some humor!

The only book I can compare The Songbook of Benny Lament to is Daisy Jones and The Six by Taylor Jenkins Reid. If you loved that book, you will love this one. It gave me that same feeling. It had me forgetting that it was fiction and had me wanting to Google everyone and everything related to Benny Lament and Esther Mine. Their story felt real and true. I was so caught up in it that I forgot it was fiction. That's not to say that The Songbook of Benny Lament was a copycat of Daisy Jones and The Six. It wasn't. It was a completely different story. It just gave me similar vibes.

If you love books that revolve around music, complex love stories and a ton of heart you won't want to miss this book. Amy Harmon put so much heart into The Songbook of Benny Lament. It checked all my boxes. I will be thinking about it for a long time.

Amy Harmon is one of my favorite authors. Her characters and stories jump off the page and I always feel like I live full lives alongside the characters when reading her books. Her characters and their stories stick with me long after I have read them. This is another one that I think will be no exception. It is gorgeously written and I was sneaking in pages even at work (Shush. Don't tell). I endeavored to read slowly because I did not want to finish. I wanted to know I could still pick this book up to read.

Alas, I had to finish eventually. This was such an interesting plot. It was like if the movie The Godfather had a baby with Johnny and June Cash and then acted as a companion next to The Last Revival of Opal and Nev. This description totally makes sense, right? In all seriousness, The Last Revival... does a much better job of highlighting white supremacy and racism than this book does which is partly why I rated it higher. That said, this book is romantic and I still enjoyed it nonetheless.

Like I stated, this is not the perfect Amy Harmon book. There were times in the book where I felt like things came a little too easily to the characters. It felt a little unrealistic. I forgave this, however, because the story itself was so romantic and the characters so vivid. I could not help but root for our characters and, as previously stated, I had a difficult time wanting to finish the read because I enjoyed everyone so much.

I think if you are an Amy Harmon fan this will not disappoint. It is just as beautiful as her other works are and it will definitely stick with you long after you finish.

4 Compelling, hope-filled stars!

The Songbook of Benny Lament is a story about the son of a mobster during the height of the Civil Rights era. The titular Benny would brush off those ideas and tell you he’s just a guy trying to get all his song ideas into the world come hell or high water.

Benny isn’t always the sharpest tool in the shed, often missing some pretty obvious things that are happening around him or failing to notice the fact that he is falling (against his better judgement) for powerhouse songstress Esther Mine, but what he lacks in awareness, he makes up for in musical genius and the urge to do what is right during a time where ‘what is right’ often meant ‘illegal’.

This book is written in a fun narrative style interspersed with snippets from a radio interview that fans of Daisy Jones will be sure to enjoy. Benny’s perspective leads us throughout our journey dodging angry mob bosses, escaping rabid fans, and coming face to face with the overwhelming realities of racism in the States. Benny doesn’t start out with much racial awareness, but he does a good job working to understand the additional struggles of his Black band mates. Race is written about realistically and carefully by author Amy Harmon, who clearly put care into the depictions of her characters.

This was a wonderfully fleshed out romance that spanned a number of genres and appears to be well-researched. There’s a slow burn here that doesn’t ignore the difficulties of the time for an interracial couple, and instead of the plot feeling secondary to the romance, this feels the other way around. There’s also some elements of mystery, though they aren’t exactly central to the story. I haven’t read much Mafia-related fiction, but this has piqued my interest! I recommend it for anyone who appreciates historical fiction, romance, or stories about the workings of the mob.

Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC, and congratulations Amy Harmon for this wonderfully imagined book!

This book is so good! Where Daisy Jones and the Six had sex, drugs, and rock & roll, The Songbook of Benny Lament has segregation, the mob, and Motown. I was left with the same feeling that I had after reading Daisy: I wanted a soundtrack of the music, I wanted to hear their story. I grew up with Motown playing in the background at home, at family parties. The music and lyrics written about in this book are absolutely alive. Told from Benny’s perspective as memories are drawn up from an interview on New Year’s Eve 1969, we see his family’s involvement in the mob, his beautiful relationship develop with Esther and all the secrets that tie them together. From New York, Detroit and Chicago in the 1960’s, there is so much story here. I highly recommend!

Every time someone asks who my favorite authors are, I don't hesitate to list Amy Harmon near the top. Why? Because of books like this.
The author continues to reinvent herself with each release. In this one, she delivers a historical fictional story set in the 60s, with soul and a fast-paced beat.

The story itself is told in two parts with alternating chapters. The first part is Benny Lament's radio interview, answering questions about his career path and road to success. The second part is more detailed from Benny's POV, as we learn how he first came to meet Ester Mine, the woman who changed everything for him, and the rocky journey they take together.

While I liked Benny from the get-go, it took me some time to warm up to Ester. She is as independent as they come and doesn't take kindly to any sort of advice or direction. So, while she has asked Benny to become the manager for her band, Minefield, she doesn't make things easy for Benny. But what makes their story so special, has how they use the hostile bickering between them, and make it a theme in their musical direction. The process they put songs together was so fluid, and almost too easy. They were a natural fit, despite all the bickering.

Other than these two intriguing characters and their slow burn romance, the author created this musical storyline that was hindered by circumstances that were difficult to control.
Racism
Mob influence
Political aspirations
Family connections
All these factors came to play as Minefield grew in popularity, with some sort of threat to one or all of the band members becoming the norm. Despite the odds against them, the band and this couple weathered the storm and created something truly special.

Once again, I was blown away by this author's natural storytelling ability. Flawlessly written, with captivating characters and unexpected twists in their journey, this is a story is one I'd highly recommend to anyone and everyone.

Last spring, I was gifted a copy of Amy Harmon's book, Where the Lost Wander. I read it quickly, despite my attempts to savor the storytelling and characters I fell in love with. This was the book that made me desperate enough to use my husband's Kindle, even though I thought of myself as a "real books only" girl until then.
When my library closed, I was grateful for books I could easily read on the Kindle and read Amy Harmon's entire backlist that I hadn't read yet. It was a treat and I was sad when I reached the last book. Even as her books span genres, it is hard to pick a favorite. (If you pressed me though, I'd probably say What the Wind Knows and The Bird and the Sword.) Reading all her books was a treasure of the early days of quarantine and staying home.
Next week, another book by Amy Harmon is being released, The Songbook of Benny Lament. I had the privilege of reading an early copy and absolutely loved this one. And despite my best efforts to read slowly, I finished this one quickly. In the first chapter, I already felt connected to these characters and was eager to hear their story. 
Much like Daisy Jones and the Six, the one centers around the musical career of the main characters, and includes interview style writing intermixed between chapters of more traditional storytelling. But this one has less sex and drugs, and like all of her books brought more than just a story to life. I felt like I got transported to the 1960's: the challenges for an interracial couple, the music industry and the mafia of the time.
I always notice when I'm thinking about characters when I'm not reading about them. And I thought about Benny and Esther a lot when I wasn't reading. I'm honestly amazed that these are fictional characters. Their banter and dynamic was my favorite.  I'm honestly a little amazed that the songs Benny writes aren't real, because I feel like I know them and have listened to them on the radio after reading this book.  Esther and Benny's story is a history lesson, a love story and an immersive, real, messy story, all wrapped up in one. Such a good book.
A for me.
#gifted thanks to Netgalley for the review copy. My gushing opinions are my own.

Oh my heart, how I loved this book. Amy Harmon is one of my most favorite authors and her latest, The Songbook of Benny Lament does not disappoint. Loved the story and the characters from the very first page until the very end. HIGHLY recommend this beautifully written story!
Thank you to netgalley for the arc in exchange for an honest review.

There's no doubt this is a compelling book, a story of contrasts and absolutes, a narrative of two couples with everything stacked against them.

The main story is set in 1960 in New York. Benny Lament is a white musician and songwriter who has written lots of hits for others. Then his father takes him to see Esther Mine sing and Benny's life is never the same.
Esther is black, the daughter of a black boxing champion and a white socialite woman, and their story spills into the lives of Esther and Benny.

This is a story of contrasts told through the music that Benny and Esther make and the love that grows between them. The racial inequality issues almost take front stage as the two of them are pushed to stop, and we see how that affects everything.

I didn't see the revelation coming, but it was justified and it made sense.

I received a copy from the publisher via NetGalley and this is my honest opinion.

Where do I begin? I would give this 10 stars if I could. You know that book that you have that you think everyone should read? Well, this is that book for me. I know that Amy went out of her comfort zone to write Benny and Esther's story, but she should go out of her comfort zone more often. The song lyrics alone were enough for a five star review from me. I felt like I was in this book and it was gorgously written.
Benny is part of a well known mob family, but he wants to distance himself from that life. He is a piano man, through and through. One night, his Pop takes him to a show. The band is called Minefield and the lead singer is Esther Mine. Her voice immediately captures him and doesn't let go. Benny never wanted a committment, he knows what happens when you get too deep with someone, but he has a lot to learn. Sometimes you get steamrolled and realize exactly what you are willing to sacrifice.
Esther knows who Benny Lament is. He is a well known song writer and she won't let him get away without helping her first. She knows he is the key to her success. Things aren't going to be easy, though. Benny is white and Esther is black and in 1960 these things just don't happen.
This book isn't just about black and white, yes, the struggles are there and present and heartwrenching, but it is about a love so grand, that nothing will get in it's way. I loved uncovering more and more about this story with each page that I read. I found myself not wanting it to end, and prolonging fininishing because I wanted to savor every word. Do yourself a favor and pick this book up, you will not regret it for one second.
Thank you to Netgalley, Lake Union Publishing and Amy for an early copy of this book.

This the story of Benny and Esther a bi-racial musical couple. It's a book about families (his is mafia, hers is in their band) and race and music. This book is a bit of many things - a celebrity tale, a romance, an activists story, a family drama, an action adventure. Mainly it's a story with a strong plot, great characters and a bit of a message.
It reminded me a little of The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo, in the plot device of telling the story to a journalist (in this case a radio DJ) and also Utopia Avenue, even though this book is set in a different country and doesn't descend into magical realism. It's a rollicking read, gaining pace steadily throughout to a marvellous ending. I won't put any hints or spoilers here, but you know when you are reading a book and it's going well, and you have your fingers crossed going "don't screw up the ending, don't ruin it" and the author doesn't and it's SO GOOD. That's this book.

#TheSongbookofBennyLament #NetGalley

Special thanks to NetGalley and Lake Union Publishing for providing me with ARC.

DNF

I am Angry, Sad and Disappointed, i am big fan of Amy Harmon. I read a lot of her novels but this one is not good as i excpected.

I am waiting for this novel for so long but when i started to read it, i felt that there's something wrong and i tried hard to continue but in the end i leave it.