Mayluna by Kelley McNeil tells the story of two lovers, Evie and Carter. Evie was a music reviewer, rising on the music journalism scene, and Carter was the front man of the band Mayluna, opening on an American tour in the 1990s. The two meet when Evie is finally able to get an interview with Carter, who has been notorious for avoiding the press and it's an instant connection between then. Evie is then signed on to work on a documentary about the band as their star is rising. Everything comes crashing apart, though, and the story is told in alternating perspectives as Evie and Carter reflect on their history together and how their love impacted them and the work they've done. The writing was really conversational, which made it easy to read and the story was super engaging. This book will appeal to fans of Daisy Jones and the Six and Elin Hilderbrand.

This book has so many layers. It is a love story, a coming of age story and the story of the formation of a band. . It is a story of romantic love, parental love and the love of deep friendship. It is a story about the profound impacts our childhood experiences and the decisions we make throughout life have on ourselves and others. It includes love, loss and healing..

Mayluna, an up-and-coming band. Evie is a young columnist, who manages to get the interview with the lead singer. Such is a story that is both heartbreaking and heartwarming. The characters are so well done that you feel you know them. This book has multiple perspectives over two timelines. This, for me, helped me want to keep reading into the night.

Thank you to @LakeUnionPublishing and @NetGalley for a digital ARC of this title in exchange for my honest review. All opinions are my own.

#Mayluna #KelleyMcNeil

It was as if it would last forever.

Here I am, stepping away from my usual genres, again, but I really, really liked Mayluna! Yes, it had parts that were heartbreaking ... but it also had amazing and happy parts. The author has called it "A love story that is intensely tragic and yet hopeful" and I couldn't have said it better. (By the way, I loved Carter!! *swoon*)

Mayluna started in the summer when Evie was twenty-five. She was a columnist forging her career when she was able to nab a short interview with Carter Wills - the lead singer of Mayluna. It was a long-shot interview, which led to an almost cosmic connection with the enigmatic musician on the rise. It’s told in a partially retrospective, dual timeline, with multiple perspectives that all braid together at the end.

Such a great book!

Many thanks to both #LakeUnionPublishing and #NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review an early copy of Mayluna.

#KelleyMcNeil #StarCrossedLovers

“ It’s best to just trust that there are things at work in this universe we can’t begin to understand.” A Beautiful and haunting story of two soulmates who seem destined to be together. This is such a well-written novel and I was engaged in the story and its characters from page one. I am not sure my review will do it justice, but I absolutely loved this book. Definitely a 5-star read for me and one that will stay with me for a long time. I can’t wait for my reading buddies to get a chance to read this lovely book.

Mayluna | Kelley McNeil | ⭐⭐⭐⭐.75

**Thanks to @netgalley and @kelleylmcneil for an e-copy of the book in exchange for an honest review**

Every once in a lifetime or in a few, there's that love that comes to your life like a ravaging, ravenous, all-consuming evening storm after a hot, sweltering summer's day.
It regales you, entices you, enthralls you; and after destroying and destructing all your hopes and dreams in its wake, it leaves.

It leaves you with a sense of numbing calm, it leaves you with not a shred of reality or realism in your musings and it lingers languidly in your memories and creeps up on you at the most unsuspecting moments.

It leaves you with a thousand "if onlys", yet it manages to keep you shrouded in nostalgia and make you smile because you had known love.

Love, like they write about in story books and show in black and white movies, only better.

Because you were at the eye of this storm; your life now secretly bearing witness to its marauding, with all its cracks and crumbs, carefully painted over with flimsy coats of the dreary beige of normalcy.

Mayluna is about that kind of love.

There's also love that is sensible. That doesn't sweep you off your feet but grounds you. That becomes a silent part of your everyday life and makes that dreary beige your comfort zone.

Mayluna is also about that kind of love.

This is the story of a young musician and an aspiring journalist/film-maker, and how love, life and fame alters them both.
It's a story of love, sacrifice and loss told through powerful, moving writing, intelligently creative story-telling and captivating word-sorcery.

I saw this somewhere to be tagged as contemporary romance. But this is so not that.
This is about that one great love that cannot be confined to the realms of time and generation.

If you have ever loved and you have lost, Mayluna is for you.

I’m not going to say much about Mayluna other than I went in blind and I think anyone who reads it should as well. I don’t want to give anything away.. This was seriously an unforgettable, nostalgic, heart-wrenching, amazing novel. The story within is so beautiful and well written, it’s hard to describe. I love reading books in which music is a significant part of the plot.
I have a trigger that isn’t used in stories often, and the last thing I expected was to have it be in this one. Once I could see it coming though I couldn’t stop, I had to know how everything ended, so I powered through. It was hard. But worth it. And now I have a book hangover. I received an arc thanks to @NetGalley and Lake Union Publishing. I also listened to the audiobook and the narrators were perfect!

Such a great story! It's a love story...a saga, really. The characters are intriguing, likeable, and have well-developed personalities. The plot is captivating and you'll find yourself wanting to read faster...until that moment when both stories collide and take your breath away. Don't dismiss this as a typical romance novel because of the cover; it's smarter than that.

This was so much fun! If you like celebrity vs non celebrity romance, this will be up your alley. It's told from two viewpoints, and we sort of work backward through the story. I loved the writing, loved the characters, but oh wow, this book will break your heart open. It's a story of love and family, and second chances, and how far we will go for love. LOVED it!

5 stars

Mayluna is my first 5 star read of 2024! This book is beautifully written, the story is so captivating. I read this story every chance I could and finished it in 2 days. If I had the time, it would have been sooner!

This author knows how to write. I can’t say one negative thing about the writing in this book. Every single character within the pages is likable. (Except maybe for Evie’s dad). The descriptions and emotions that the author illuminated through her characters was just off the charts. I went through a whole 360 of emotions, ups, downs, happy, sads. This book has a little of everything on the emotional chart.

Overall I would recommend this book. It’s a love story, it’s a rock band story, it’s a story of emotion and desperation and redemption. I give it all the stars I possible can!

***Thank you Netgalley and Lake Union Publishing for an ARC copy in return for an honest review***

Where do I begin? I’m not sure if my review can do this beautiful book justice. It gave me all the feels and reminded me of Daisy Jones. The writing is beautiful. As much as this story is about love, it’s also about motherhood and the stories parents keep hidden from their children. Highly recommend. Just make sure you have tissues ready.

Thank you to the publisher and netgalley for the arc! All opinions are my own.

In "Mayluna" by Kelley McNeil, the pulsating rhythm of a legendary band and the haunting lyrics of its lead singer, Carter Wills, unfold a tale of fate, regret, and enduring love.

The narrative weaves through the 1990s alt-rock scene, revealing the secret connection between Carter and Evie Waters, a woman whose love shaped the music of a generation.
As Evie's grown children stumble upon a mysterious photo, the past surfaces, unraveling a love story kept hidden for decades.

McNeil crafts a beautiful, nostalgic journey, blending wishful thinking, heartbreak, and the timeless spark of a profound connection. Reminiscent of Taylor Jenkins Reid, the novel captures the essence of second-chance romance, leaving me reeling by the enduring magic of love.

The engaging writing evokes a sense of joy, regret, and an unforgettable melody that lingers, much like the love at the heart of this unforgettable love story, making "Mayluna" a captivating read.

Mayluna by Kelly McNeil

Evie’s adult children think she’s a boring middle aged woman until she starts to tell them the story of her twenties and her connection with the megastars of British rock band Mayluna. Are they ready to hear secrets that have been long buried?

Oh my goodness, this book! Utter perfection…. Compulsive, addictive reading and what a story! It’s immediately gone onto my ‘favourites of all time’ list. I really hope it wins tons of awards and is made into a film. Very VERY highly recommended!

Thank you to NetGalley and the publishers for an ARC of this book.

"The music of our lifetime is woven into the fabric of our existence, our own personal soundtrack behind our stories".

Evie thought the soundtrack of her life was complete. A stay-at-home-mom content to enjoy the simplicities of life with her children. However, her past came back, and with it, Carter Mills.

The music, the characters, and the romance came together to make a love story for the ages, even though it was at times heartbreaking.

For readers who enjoyed Daisy Jones & The Six, Mayluna will provide the same nostalgic vibes.

Thank you to NetGalley and Amazon Publishing for allowing me to read this book!

I finished this book and had to sit with it a bit before writing a review. I had a really hard time coming up with the words that can convey the emotions of this book. It was beautiful, nostalgic, wistful, magical and heartbreaking. There are so many things in this story that struck a chord with me. And it was such an emotional look at the ripples in life that can come from one point in time decision.

The book definitely gave me classic Taylor Jenkins Reid vibes - especially Daisy Jones and the Six. The MMC is the lead singer of an alt rock band and a lot of the plot revolves around the music industry, touring, and a bands rise to fame. I loved the music and creative aspect of these characters. And I loved the emotion that just flowed through the whole story.

I’m not sure I can say much more without spoilers, but I definitely recommend this one and am so, so glad that I read it.

Thank you to NetGalley for the eARC.

All the stars! I enjoyed Kelley McNeil’s debut book A Day Like This, and I was excited to read Mayluna, her second novel. I heard of a few positive reviews, and I was thinking, do we really need another story similar to Daisy Jones & the Six, and The Songbook of Benny Lament? The answer is apparently, YES!! This perfectly paced book has it all, relatable characters, a powerful love story, humor, amazing friendships, twists and turns…
it will make you wonder about second chances, the different forms of love (and is one more compelling than the others), and choice vs. the universe’s plan for us all. I read almost 200 books in 2023, and did not give a perfect 10/10 score to any; now I have to wonder how the will the rest of the year measure up after this one?! 10/10

Thank you very much to Netgalley and Lake Union Publishing for the advanced reader’s copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

Mayluna by Kelley McNeil was an amazing and beautiful story.
I absolutely loved the writing. It flowed so beautifully and held me captive from the very beginning.
This was a pretty awesome book with great writing, awesome dialogues and characters.

"I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own."

Thank You NetGalley and Lake Union Publishing for your generosity and gifting me a copy of this amazing eARC!

Mayluna is definitely going to rip your heart out. There were a few times I wanted to knock some sense into the FMC, but after sitting with the story a little bit (I'm not a fan of the miscommunication trope), I really don't think I would have acted any differently if I were in her shoes. If you liked Daisy Jones and the Six for the behind the scenes kind of vibe, you will probably like Mayluna as well.

Thanks to Amazon Publishing and NetGalley for this copy of "Mayluna".

An incredible book! Prepare to have parts of this story linger and haunt you for a long time after you read it. Little details about Evie and Carter's love story will stray into your mind and leave you feeling so bittersweet.

Books about musicians and artists and their creative processes are fascinating to me. Combine it with a hidden, enigmatic, undying love story and it becomes amazing.

I finished it couple of hours ago and I am still not ok. It took me about half an hour to stop frantically sobbing. Now I just cant stop thinking about it. Daisy Jones? Really Ivana? You thought that was the best rock book ever? I know, I know. I admit. This is the best rock book ever. But not only that. Its one of the best epic romances ever.

The band. The girl. Lost hopes and dreams. Sacrifices. And love that surpasses all. Im sorry I can't be better with words atm. But I will take it personally if you dont pick up this book right away. Esp if you love books and movies like Almost Famous, Daisy Jones and the The Six, Mary Jane...And once when you're done with it and are a broken sobbing puddle of mess, come to me and we can talk about its beauty. Do we have a deal?