A book set in the summer of 69 I enjoyed reading. Though I enjoyed the musical aspect of the book more so than the characters.

A (not so) sweet and mellow spring fling with a morning star!

Local band The Breakers get the break of their lives when Jesse Reid is a no-show at Folk Fest 1969. They win everyone over – both the crowd and the music journalists - by singing Jesse’s hit song, then performing their own stuff, becoming an instant sensation. Soon, music managers and record producers start knocking at their door, offering them the world. They get to record their own music and open for Jesse Reid for his US tour.

Jesse Reid and Jane Quinn, frontman for The Breakers, fall in love during the tour. But Jesse’s and Jane’s secrets come between them, and they must decide if they can save their relationship or break up and go their separate ways.

Also worth mentioning, the author talks about how female artists were treated in the music industry during the 1970s.

Loosely based on the relationship between Joni Mitchell and James Taylor, comparisons to Daisy Jones and the Six are a bit unfair to Emma Brodie's Songs in Ursa Major. Readers who adore TJR might not appreciate the grittiness that Brodie brings to this depiction of the '70s music scene, but that doesn't take away from what she's accomplished here.

Many thanks to the author, publisher, and NetGalley for sharing this book with me. All thoughts are my own.

I didn’t know what to expect based on the inventive title, but Songs in Ursa Major is a richly crafted debut novel, and it was a pleasure to read a novel so well written and edited. After checking out the author’s bio, I understood why it was so well done. Emma Brodie is a pro. Currently an executive editor at Little Brown’s Voracious imprint, she has been in the publishing business for ten years.

Shot through with the lyrics, the icons, the lore, the adrenaline of the early 70s music scene, Songs in Ursa Major asks the question so many female artists must face: What are we willing to sacrifice for our dreams?

It is bittersweet and unconventional, both qualities I admire in a book. I also appreciate learning something as I read. Here, I developed a limited understanding of the inner workings of the music business and the power agents and labels wield over their artists. Being a recording artist—or any kind of artist—isn’t all sunshine and rainbows. It’s hard work that may never pay dividends. I should say, however, that there is too much detail on music, how to write a song, for example, and while citing fictional song lyrics illustrates the author’s creativity, they became tedious, and I eventually skipped past them.

There is also a romantic component to the novel, a complicated, messy one that is more akin to real life that most “romance novels.” (Incidentally, the chatter out there is that the relationship between Jane and Jesse is based on that between Joni Mitchell and James Taylor.) Oh, I almost forgot, there is even something for mystery buffs out there.

I anticipate more great books from Emma Brodie down the line. 4 stars.

Genre: Historical fiction, Romance
Read-alikes: Daisy Jones & the Six (Taylor Jenkins, Reid), The Story of John Nightly (Tot Taylor), and The Final Revival of Opal & Nev (Dawnie Walton)

I have picked this up probably 10 times and each time I cannot get past it not being Daisy Jones and the Six. I think I may be a bit burnt out on the exploration of music and bands of the past whether real or fictional. I hope to be able to resonate with it in the future. I appreciate the opportunity to have been able to check this book out and I look forward to future releases from Emma Brodie and Knopf. Thank you NetGalley for facilitating as well.

I loved this book right up til the ending then I was disappointed for the low curveball. Wihout that end, it was destined to be a 5, but sadly the ending made it a 3 1/2. . Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher!

I wanted to love this book however this was a dnf around page 125. I was hoping for something around the lines of daisy Jones but the plot just didn't really pull me in

I picked up Songs in Ursa Major because someone (I think Emily Henry?) compared it to Daisy Jones & The Six, aka my favorite book of all time. I can certainly understand the comparison and I think I should have loved this book more than I did, honestly, because the comparison feels solid. But the thing is, there's actually no reason I should love Daisy Jones. It's not a Jenica book, so I shouldn't really be surprised that Songs in Ursa Major didn't really compel me the whole way through. I mean, I took a two month break in the reading of this book. Just sat it down and didn't come back to it for two months. It's not that I didn't enjoy it fine when I was reading it, just that it wasn't as compelling as I would have liked for it to have been.

Basically, if what you liked about Daisy Jones was seeing the behind the scenes of things and some of the band drama and you want a little more romance, without caring if there's an HEA at the end of it, and you're okay with an exploration of mental health and addiction... Well, there's a good chance you'll like this book. The characters are interesting and engaging, but they didn't quite manage to come alive for me the same way Daisy Jones and The Six did. I feel like I'm doing this book a disservice by just comparing it to my favorite book, but here we are.

It was the summer of ’69… starting at a fictitious folk festival in Massachusetts...this novel is loosely based on the affair between James Taylor and Joni Mitchell and depicts the music scene of the late 1960’s/1970’s. Fans of "A Star Is Born", "Almost Famous" or "Daisy Jones and the Six" will like this book. The music scene of the time period, the sexism of the music industry, the struggles of being on tour, are all evoked well within the pages. Author Emma Brodie, has written an impressive debut about music, fame, fortune, and misfortune.

I loved the 70;s setting of this book, as that is my favorite decade. I feel the technical aspects of the musical industry were well written, but over my head, and I found myself skimming through those parts to get to the ones about the relationship between Jessie and Jane. I didn't feel any passion between them, except at the beginning of their relationship, where they both were attracted to the other but didn't act upon it.

I adored this book. The entire time I was reading, I kept wondering who the story was based on- my guess was Joni Mitchell and James Taylor and squealed when I read the author note and she thanked Mandy Moore for introducing her to Joni Mitchell! Cue to me immediately turning on my favorite album of hers, Blue, and being blow away by the author’s ability to pay homage to Joni while creating her own gorgeous lyrics for Jane.

I can see the obvious want to compare this to Daisy Jones and The Six. However, with the exception of focusing on female singer song writers in the 1970s, the stories are both completely their own. While Daisy was in the mix of true rock and roll- Jane is fighting to find her own sound when the world turned to soft rock.

Songs In Ursa Major worked on so many levels. It was so atmospheric. All settings- from the island to recording studios to tour buses, are described so beautifully, one might say lyrically, that readers are transported with Jane. Speaking of Jane, she is such a flawed character. But I adored her and loved her gumption.

I highly recommend this story. There is a few steamy moments, a strong backbone of family and family secrets, but mostly it’s the gorgeous story of a woman determined to find her own path in a male dominated world. I loved it!

Overall I enjoyed this book. There were a few things I felt needed more explanation and others that didn’t seem to add much to the story, but I found the characters likable.

Jane was the type of character you want to be in real life, tough, no nonsense, non conforming. She played by her rules even when she repeatedly got burnt. Surprises abound and does not follow your typical storybook romance ending. Enjoyable read and characters. I wish Rich could have found happiness.

I loved this debut from Emma Brodie! I was interested in the story and found it compelling to connect with characters in the music industry. It's neat to feel like you are getting a sneak peek into what comes with that lifestyle. I also love learning more about the 60s-70s era the book is set in, so that was another layer for me to be excited about!

Apparently I've found a new trope to love. Give me a novel with a female author centered on a band in the 1970s and a fiesty female protagonist and I'm yours. This is my third 5-star read with that premise so far in the last couple of years. Daisy Jones and the Six, The Final Revival of Opal & Nev, and now Songs in Ursa Major Even the trope adjacent Malibu Rising scored for me with a 4.5 star.

Now, you may be reading my initial paragraph thinking, "why would you read the same book so many times?" And there, you would be highly mistaken. The beauty of these books is that each one has taken it's own amazing spin on the trope. I will admit that, heading into Songs in Ursa Major, I had apprehensions of it being just another Daisy Jones, but I was incredibly wrong. Ursa is a gem all in its own right.

Brodie's writing blew me away and I really hope she starts putting a string of novels soon because I need more of what she has to offer. Badly. There is so much atmosphere and I just felt enveloped in the story. I L-O-V-E-D Jane. What a fantastic character. Strong (but still with those internal insecurities), brave, and out to take what she deserves. True, she occasionally makes questionable decisions, but that's just her being human. I appreciate the fact that she isn't perfect. Her flaws are what make her feel relatable.

The plot just raced along and I was really living in the world the book provided. This was one of those situations where I stayed up way too late at night and devoured the pages. I was invested in the characters and completely enamored with the scene. Ursa is a powerhouse. It has so much packed into it. History, romance, music, fame, addiction. It's a one-stop shop.

I am wholly impressed with this debut. It's a book that will definitely stand on my own bookshelves and I may shout its praises too the rooftops until those around me are annoyed by constantly hearing about it. Wonderful. Now...Emma Brodie...I need more of your brilliance soon. I'll be anxiously watching the publishing lists.

* Disclaimer: I received a copy of this novel from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. *

I really loved Daisy Jones and the Six and had hopes that I would love Songs in Ursa Major just as much. The idea of stories focusing on women in Music is immediately a draw for me.

So I’m a bit surprised why I didn’t enjoy Ursa Major more. It was just ok for me.

The timeframe was perfect – the era in which I grew up. I always think of Steve Nicks and Fleetwood Mac, Joan Jett, Madonna, so many great 70’s and 80’s female breakout artists that had no problem flipping the music industry the finger and still coming out on top.

*minor spoiler alert*

Jane was an awesome character, until she wasn’t. During most of the story, she was the one who stood up to the man! Loved it! She fought for what she believed in, what she wanted for her and her band. When she realized that her relationship was going nowhere, she stood up for herself.

Then, somewhere in the mix, she became a completely different character. She settled. And that sucked! I’m all about compromise but that’s not what happened in Jane’s story. I hated everything about the ending, as it felt like it was all for nothing. She gave up and accepted something that wasn’t good for her.

I know so many people love this book, but it was just ok for me. The ending was a huge let down.

Thank you to #KnopfDoubledayPublishing and #NetGalley for making this book available for review. All opinions expressed are my own.

This is the book I wanted Daisy Jones and the Six to be. The start of this story begin in 1969, when Jane Quinn and her band the Breakers is given the opportunity to perform on the main stage of the local Folk Fest when the infamous Jesse Reid has an accident and cannot make it. They have the performance of a lifetime and suddenly are given a record contract and a chance to be the opening act for Jesse’s tour going forward.

Prior to that tour Jane help Jesse heal along with her aunt and they develop a close bond that turns into love. On the tour, Jane shines, but certain cracks with her band and Jesse start to come through. And ultimately when Jesse’s biggest secret comes to light, Janes world starts to tumble down.

Jane is given a second chance and writes the album of a lifetime, Songs in Ursa Major, which becomes critically acclaimed. However, this is not what Jane imagines and she finds herself in a precarious position.

This is a story of a troubled woman, haunted by her history of her mother and her relationship with Jessie that seems to be ever evolving. I absolutely loved this book so much. The story flowed beautifully and Jane gave me all the feels, and I wanted to see her conquer her past. This is a beautiful story of a woman trying to overcome her past so she can be in the present. Just read this one, you won’t regret it.

Thank you NetGalley and Knopf Doubleday Publishing Group for an Advanced Reader’s Copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Early front runner for my favorite book of 2021. Pulled me in immediately - reminiscent of Taylor Jenkins Reid and Daisy Jones, this book pulled my heart out and stomped on it. I was rooting for Jane and Jesse and their story. Loved every minute of it.

I really loved this book. I have been chasing the high of Daisy Jones since I read it, and this book is the closest I've felt to capturing that magic. I loved Jane so much, even when she infuriated me. Jesse was such a broken man with such talent, and the author did an incredible job building out both Jane and Jesse's characters. I really liked the chapters from other character's viewpoints, and thought it brought to much to the novel. Overall, really enchanting, engrossing read that had me dying to hear these songs.

The summer of 69… need we say more? So much happening on the music scene, and through uncontrollable circumstances, Jesse and Jane become close.. I learned much about the music industry and appreciate the research that the author did for this book.
Many thanks to Knopf Doubleday Publishing group and to NetGalley for providing me with a galley in exchange for my honest opinion.