I think it’s always tough when you compare a book to not one but two very very popular works of fiction, Evelyn Hugo and Daisy Jones are essentially classics bound, so comparing The Ramblers set an impossible bar.

There was little to no character arc, these characters had that rock star story but no rock star sense, I needed much more development to even want to read about these people.

The strongest portions are the bits about ghost writing and I see this author is somewhat of an expert there so this makes absolute sense and I wish her editor and team found a way to take this aspect and carry it through all parts of the plot.

The audio narration was excellent and had I read this instead of listen I am not sure I would have stuck it out.

Thank you NetGalley and Macmillan Audio all opinions are my own.

I feel like I might be one of the few out there that loved this book. It wasn’t my normal genre but it definitely delivered. It’s not really about the band but about the writer. It introduces the world of the ghost writer and how complex of a relationship that can be. Very interesting tale that kept me hooked until the very end.

🌀Synopsis
Mari is a ghost writer which basically means she writes and others get the credit. She’s somehow managed to land the biggest job- Anke. Anke needs someone to write her memoir about her time with a famous band- The Midnight Ramblers. Not only that, but there’s the added twist that one of the members - that Anke had a romantic relationship with- is now dead too.
Mari starts writing the memoir but when Anke receives her first draft she hates it and fires her. She’s determined not to fail though so she seeks out another source to see if he can help her. This is where the story really begins. As another member of the band, he fills her in on a lot of details. He also helps her get her job with Anke back and helps to fill in the pieces of what happened to the now deceased member of the band.
Ultimately, Mari navigates a difficult path to get the memoir on the market and finally helps herself heal too.

Midnight Ramblers was a bit of a disappointment for me. I was expecting the story to be centered more around the band and Anke but we spend most of the book looking at things from the point of view of Mari, the ghost writer, and I didn't find her to be a very likable or compelling character. For a story billed as being about a famous band and their wild escapades, we spent most of the time listening to Mari's various worries and anxieties. It made it much harder get swept up in the past when it was dolled up in stops and starts. I found myself bored with the story pretty early on. I did like the narration and the interviews between Mari and Anke and the Ramblers had some interesting bit but overall this was a miss for me.

The audiobook is well read, but prob could have benefitted from a full cast. I liked the characters for the most part, each had a distinct voice in the story, but I never really felt fully invested. I liked the mystery aspect, it made the whole thing a little more interesting than just a ghostwriter writing a memoir.

I was very excited to read this when I saw it being compared to Daisy Jones and the Six and The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo. It definitely had those vibes, but I just couldn't get into the story or the characters as much as those stories. I did like the mystery aspect, and the narrator did a wonderful job. I still think patrons will enjoy this book and will still be recommending it.

Thank you for the opportunity to listen to and review this audio book.

"The Last Days of the Midnight Ramblers" delves into the tumultuous world of rock and roll, unveiling the secrets, scandals, and mysteries that surround the legendary band, the Midnight Ramblers. The narrative is cleverly structured, revolving around the tell-all memoir of Anke Berben, a legendary model and with romantic entanglements with three members of the band.

The plot follows Mari Hawthorn, the ghostwriter hired to pen Anke's memoir, as she works to uncover the truth behind the mysterious death of the band's founder and Anke's husband. Mari's determination to find the "voice of Anke and also reveal the hidden layers of the Midnight Ramblers' backstage drama adds a layer of suspense and intrigue to the storyline.

While it resembles parts of Daisy Jones & The Six and Almost Famous I did not find myself engaged in the rock and rock and roll elements. I found the storyline of a ghostwriter trying to emulate the voice of the memoir to be most interesting. The portrayal of Mari's struggle to maintain objectivity and integrity while navigating the challenging world of rock stars adds a relatable dimension to the story. Fans of music-driven narratives and those intrigued by the inner workings of legendary bands will find this novel entertaining.

Fans of rock-and-roll exposés and intricate character studies, grab your backstage passes – “The Last of the Midnight Ramblers” offers a front-row seat to the explosive memoirs of a legendary band and the ghostwriter caught in their tangled legacy.

This debut novel channels the spirit of “Daisy Jones & The Six”, “Final Review of Opal and Nev”, and “Almost Famous,” plunging us into the world of The Midnight Ramblers, icons whose music was as electrifying as their off-stage dramas. At the center stands Anke Berben, a captivating enigma who holds the key to the band’s most enduring mystery: the 1969 death of founder Mal, her own husband.

Enter Mari Hawthorn, a ghostwriter with a knack for navigating celebrity labyrinths, honed by a childhood spent dodging the emotional shrapnel of a narcissistic father. Mari’s mission is seemingly simple – ghostwrite Anke’s tell-all. But as she delves deeper, she becomes entranced by the band’s surviving members, each bearing the scars of past conflicts and harboring their own version of the truth.

Tomlinson masterfully weaves together two contrasting narratives: Anke’s glamorous yet turbulent past and Mari’s present-day investigation. Anke’s voice throbs with a seductive mix of vulnerability and defiance, while Mari’s sharp observations and internal struggles add a layer of relatable humanity.

✨ This book rocks! ✨ Grab your backstage pass & get ready for a front-row seat to the drama, the mystery, the music! ⚡️

I was excited to read The Last Days of the Midnight Ramblers because I thought it would be a cross between Daisy Jones and Evelyn Hugo. While it was similar, it was hard to get into. I didn't feel the connection with the characters. Overall it was decent, but not a five-star read for me.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing an eARC in exchange for an honest review.

3/5 stars

Thank you Macmillan Audio for the advanced listening copy!

SYNOPSIS -- Anke Berben, an icon in her own right, is probably best known for her romances with THREE members of the Midnight Ramblers, highly influential rock band. Finally ready for her tell-all, she's hired Mari Hawthorn to be her ghost writer, to the surprise of many. Mari is determined to tell Anke's story for what it is, including the truth of her husband, and Midnight Rambler's founder, Mal's death in 1969. With Anke's flair for mystery and drama, Mari needs to toe the line between digging deep and falling head first into the Rambler's crazy world.

First of all, I love the narrator - Helen Laser. Recently listened to THE SECOND CHANCE YEAR, which she also narrated, and loved her that time, too!

On the book overall -- I liked it, but didn't love it. Throughout the first 60-70% it felt like a knock off of THE SEVEN HUSBANDS OF EVELYN HUGO mixed with DAISY JONES & THE SIX. So many similarities that it was hard to get past. This book took some turns I didn't expect, which kept me listening to the end, though it was a bit too long for my liking.

I really liked all of the supporting characters; they were complex, dynamic and added a ton to the story, especially Mari's sister. The aspects with their Dad felt confusing to me... I kept feeling like I had missed something signaling his importance, because it seemed like mentions of him were random and haphazard.

Overall, a fairly interesting story with some surprises that kept me engaged. Not as unique as it wanted to be, but not bad by any means.

I am such a sucker for books about bands and will give them a try any chance I get!

First, the audio for this was great and I really felt connected to the story thanks to Helen Laser’s excellent narration. I really loved how this story was laid out. Having a ghost writer diving into the history of a seasoned group and this band, with its sordid and mysterious history, was completely addicting.

Once I started listening to this it was terribly hard to stop. I was so invested in the unraveling of the past that it felt like I was the writer. The story itself has a slower pace but I wanted and needed to know all the answers that it didn’t feel “slow”. I couldn’t stop listening until I’d found out everything and I felt very happy with how it all wrapped up in the end.

Tomlinson is a ghost writer herself so it makes sense why this felt so genuine. I really enjoyed her first foray into her own fiction novel!

Thank you Macmillan Audio for the alc via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review!

This one was so interesting. It follows Mari, a ghostwriter, who lands the job of writing the memoir of Anke and Dante.

Anke was involved in a romance with 3 members of a legendary rock band, The Ramblers. Dante was one of the members of the band.

Mari attempts to get info from both Anke and Dante. Each giving her their stories in their own way. She also tries to piece together the real reason for the death of a band member - Mal.

I liked seeing how Mari struggled with pulling together the story but kept at it. It was also interesting to hear about the band and how Anke fit in.

I really enjoyed this story and how it unfolded. Would definitely recommend for fans of Daisy Jones and Almost Famous (or any one who likes getting a behind the scenes look at rockstars in the 60s).

I loved Daisy Jones and The Six. To me as a music lover and former worker in the music business, it was the perfect combination of fantasy and reality in the music world. The way it was formatted, the Buckingham/Nicks feel of the romance ( Big Fleetwood Mac fan here ), I was one of those who praised the book. But just to let you know I am not a fan of Taylor Jenkins Reid, none of her other books have kept my attention.

So The Last Days of The Midnight Ramblers by Sarah Tomlinson seemed the perfect read for me. This review is going to be a hard write, because the entire book just fell flat for me. The biggest reason... there was hardly any music references in the story. These characters are telling their story to a ghost writer after, something like 50 years, and they barely mention albums, singles, concerts etc. At some point in the story something to the effect that the mythical band " The Ramblers " had Beatle like popularity...so wouldn't you think more than a casual mention here and there were to be had?

A little side note...I listened to the audio book, so many opportunities could have been taken. At the very end of the book there was a song played, there was no mention that this was a Ramblers song, but since the book was suppose to be about them, a band , you automatically think it was. I refuse to say I assumed it would be by them, because in this case it surely would make an ass out of me . Regardless, the song did not hold up to a song from a band that had Beatle like popularity. I don't know, maybe that one stupid line blew the entire book for me haha.

I will say this, the narrator, Helen Laser was the shining star of the story for me. Her voice was smooth and easy to listen to, and even if her foreign accent for Anka felt forced, it did not bother me as much as the characters did. I have to say I was not invested in any of them. Not the main ones, or the many smaller ones that were sprinkled throughout. I neither found them relatable or likable.

OK. With all that being said. I went into this book chasing the high I got from Daisy Jones, but there was no music, no sex drugs and rock and roll, but I do feel there is plenty of good in this book for a lot of people. There was plenty of messy relationships, plenty of secrets, and even a small bit of a mystery. So if you are going to read this, don't be like me, don't go into it thinking this is going to be the next Daisy Jones, it isn't, it isn't, but that doesn't make it a bad book. I killed this book myself, with all my preconceived expectations about it. I also learned a big lesson on doing just that.

I really liked this book! It had a Daisy Jones feel, but with a side of mystery to it. I enjoyed the characters, and I liked the premise of the ghost writer and the rock biographies. I will say it got a little weird at the end, and took an interesting turn that I don't really think is realistic, but that didn't detract too much from the overall story. Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC.

I couldn't get engaged in this storyline or the characters. Too bad as I had high hopes

Thank you to NetGalley and the Publisher for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Thank you, NetGalley, for an advanced audio copy of “The Last Days of the Midnight Ramblers” in exchange for my review.

When I hear something compared to “Daisy Jones and the Six”, I immediately have to have it. This was like, “let’s take Daisy Jones and make it utterly boring.” If not for it being audio, I don’t think I would have finished it. For a book about rockstars, there’s no mention of their music, and no flashbacks to the glory days. In fact, the main character is the insufferable memoir author who cares more about her job and financial situation than the actually story she’s tasked to write.

All in all, I’m quite disappointed. It lacked originality, but took all the worst parts from similar, successful books. I also felt no character development happened, so there wasn’t much of a difference from the start of the book to the end.

I really struggled with this book- there isn’t anything wrong with it but there isn’t anything about it that keeps you engaged. Save your money

Title: A Decent Read, but Lacking in Depth

I recently finished "The Last Days of the Midnight Ramblers," and while it had its moments, I found myself wanting more from the overall experience. The novel follows a group of intriguing characters as they navigate the challenges of their unique circumstances, but it falls short in delivering the depth and emotional resonance I crave in a good story.

One of the main issues I had was with the character development. While the author introduces us to a diverse cast, I felt that some characters remained one-dimensional throughout the narrative. It left me yearning for a more profound exploration of their motivations and backgrounds.

Additionally, the plot, while promising, seemed to lack a certain cohesion. The storyline meandered at times, making it difficult to stay fully engaged. I appreciate a good twist, but in this case, it felt forced and disconnected from the overall flow of the narrative.

On a positive note, the writing style is pleasant, and there are moments of genuine wit and humor scattered throughout the book. The author has a knack for crafting descriptive scenes that transport the reader into the world of the Midnight Ramblers. However, these bright spots weren't enough to elevate the novel to a higher rating for me.

In conclusion, "The Last Days of the Midnight Ramblers" is a decent read for those looking for a lighthearted exploration of a quirky group of characters. However, if you're seeking a more profound and tightly woven narrative, you might find yourself wanting more from this novel.

Thanks to @macmillian.audio and #NetGalley for the audio ARC of #MidnightRamblers. The opinions expressed here are entirely my own.

Comparisons to "Daisy Jones" and "Almost Famous" are inevitable because "Last Days" is centered around a late 60's mega-band. And there is an interview/writing aspect that is similar as well. But "Last Days" takes a different approach. Mari is a ghost writer in need of her first "best seller" to cement her reputation in publishing. She sees her opportunity with Anke Berben, who was intimately involved with the band Midnight Ramblers at the height of their popularity. But things are not straight forward and Mari soon finds herself in the middle, trying to discern the truth from some unreliable characters.

Overall, I enjoyed this. I liked that it was from the perspective of the ghost writer and the mystery around a characters death added some intrigue. But the pace was a bit slow and I found the sister storyline distracting and sad.

Good, but I feel like I’ve read this one before. I agree with other reviewers that this definitely wants to stand on the shoulders of Daisy Jones and the Six.

The audiobook was fine, but for a book that's obviously trying so hard to ride the coattails of the success of Daisy Jones & The Six, there wasn't enough originality to the story to make it distinct or to convince me to care. I enjoyed the premise of the ghostwriter being our narrator, as that was different from books in this vein I have read recently, but her narration was dry and wanting.