Return of the Song

RETURN OF THE SONG by PHYLLIS CLARK NICHOLS is one of those books that really "stays with you"! It is a beautiful story, told with great sensitivity, and the characters are unforgettable. There is also sound Christian content running throughout and a feeling of God's hand being upon His children even when, like Caroline, they seem to have lost their faith.
I love the descriptions of life in the small town of Moss Point where Sam, the retired judge and his wife Angel, are the self appointed guardians of Caroline Carlyle, the musician who lives in their studio apartment. There are also the town busy bodies like the florist and the hairdresser who make it their business to know everything that is going on, and the twins, Ned and Fred, who are such lovable characters.
When Caroline finds an intruder playing a song on her piano that is known to no one but herself, and also when she makes enquiries about the whereabouts of her childhood piano, her well ordered and quiet life takes some new turns!
It is a truly memorable book and I am looking forward to the sequel.
I received a free copy of the book from Gilead Publishing through NetGalley. The opinions in this review are completely my own.

Reminiscent of Jan Karon's Mitford series, Phyllis Clark Nichols has woven a beautiful story with remarkable depth, gorgeous scenery and food description, and a small town filled with lovable, zany characters. While there is a romantic thread throughout the story, the main focus is the character development and the issues that Caroline deals with in the small town of Moss Point, Georgia. I would greatly recommend this book for readers of the Mitford series, as well as readers of Debbie Macomber and Southern fiction.

Please note, I received an ARC of this book and was not required to leave a positive review.

A brilliant read with a brilliant storyline and characters and I will look forward to reading more from you from this author thank you for my arc

Caroline Carlyle was waiting for her fiance to return from Guatemala when she got the news of his death. She had been in the process of writing a song for their wedding and the interest in the song just went away. She lives in a small town in Georgia, teaching piano to the children of the townspeople. Her best friends in town are her landlords--Sam and Angel--they have rented her Angel's studio as an apartment to live in.

Caroline has three goals on her bucket list--to finish David's Song, to play on the piano she grew up with, and to find her purpose. Her childhood piano is an antique concert grand that is worth more than $40,000. All she knows is that her parents sold it to pay for her college degree.

She launches a search to find out who owns the piano now and meets up with Roderick Adair. He offers to arrange for her to come to his Kentucky home and play a recital for his friends. When she gets to his place--a mansion in Kentucky, she finds out she will be playing for a large group of people. But, she also finds peace she has been searching for since David died.

Phyllis Clark Nichols has added one more significant plot element to the story--a non-communicative autistic girl who can play piano just by hearing the song played. Caroline sees more in Bella than most people would.

Return of the Song is such a tender book, well written, and leaves the reader waiting excitedly for the next book in the series.

Five Stars, Two Thumbs Up, and a song written just for you.

My thanks to Gilead Publishing for allowing me to read this book through NetGalley.com

This book is so much more than just a book about Caroline trying to finish writing her song. It will stir your heart and make you keep turning the pages to see what happens next. This is the first book by Phyllis Clark Nichols I've read, but it won't be the last. Thank you Gilead Publishing via NetGalley for the ARC copy of this book. I highly recommend this book to everybody. The opinions expressed in this review are my own.

"Return Of The Song" I believe that Phyllis Clark Nichols has created a great story line including love, loss and "the mystery of the musical savant". The reader will be both inspired and find himself\herself pulled into the mystery of a "lost" baby grand piano , the loss of a loved one and Bella's exceptional talent . . A prodigy. I recommend this book. The reader will not be disappointed. Publication is set for September 2018.

Thank you Netgalley and Gilead Publishing for the ARC.

This is a feelgood novel filled with kindness and goodwill. If only real life was this sweet. But a girl can dream right?

Caroline is a smalltown piano teacher living in the guesthouse on Sam and Angel's property. Life is relatively calm and quite predictable while she's getting over the loss of her fiancee David.
Then one night she comes home to find an intruder playing her piano, running out before she has a chance to catch the person. Mystery one is introduced.
Meanwhile Caroline has been after her childhood piano, and traces the stranger who purchased it. He invites her over for a recital. But who is this man? Can he be trusted? Another mystery to keep the reader entertained. The two eventually come together and make a wonderful story that gave me some enjoyable hours surrounded by tender care and gorgious music.

"Return of the Song" is a pleasant read filled with lovely characters, family dynamics and the small adventures that occur in ordinary life. I enjoyed the romance and am intrigued by the prodigy child. The book has an open ending with a follow up scheduled for 2019.

What an amazing, lovely story! Be prepared. I’m going to gush a little over this book.

I have to admit that I began this book with the idea that this would be an enjoyable, but “normal” Christian fiction romance. But this book is SO much more than that. The more I read, the more involved I became with the characters and the intriguing storyline that kept unfolding.

We view most of this story through Caroline’s eyes. She’s still grieving the death of her fiancé, and for the last six years, has been going through the motions of life. Her musical talent is a major part of this storyline. This talent leads her to intersect with Bella, who has a hidden musical gift, and from that point on, this story took over my heart.

This is a book that you’ll laugh and cry through. There’s some heavy things happening in this storyline: accidental death; spouse and child abuse; recovery from a heart attack. But there’s also moments of sweetness and humor to offset the more sorrowful emotions.

Don’t miss this book. You’ll fall in love with Caroline, Angel, Sam, Bella, and Gretchen. There’s friendship, faith, hope, and love in this story. Phyllis Clark Nichols has the beginning of a wonderful series here. A clean book with no foul language or embarrassing scenes. Fans of Jan Karon will love these characters and their town.

I received a copy of this book from the publisher. All opinions are my own.

Poetry in prose

Like a lovely melody, the words of this story lilted through my mind. It is poetry in prose. Return of the Song is such a rich, emotionally rewarding journey as Caroline finds her music again after six years of grief. There is a soft, comforting, yet melancholic, feel that had me basking in the experience. I was so hopeful through the story that things would work out well for everyone involved.

I was struck by the way so many of the characters had such deep love for one another. Sam and Angel are in their eighties, and after fifty-plus years of marriage are still deeply enamored with each other. They basically adopted Caroline and shower her with the rich kind of love and care that is rare even in families.

Ned and Fred, the bachelor twins, are a riot. With their Southern manners and small-town ways, they were simply charming. Though they can’t boast genius IQs, their hearts are so noble and heroic. And their conversations are always amusing.

There is a mystery at the beginning of the story – its resolution rocks Caroline’s world. Music and pain bind her with an unexpected new friend and their relationship changes the direction of her life.

The search for the piano she had as a child leads her in a surprising direction that just might give her back her music.


Read with a Preview at AmongTheReads.net


I was given a free copy of this item. This gift did not influence my opinion or review.

I had a song in my heart when I finished this beautiful book! Although, my first impressions were of what a great creative writer the author is, I soon became engrossed in the story, as well as the beautiful music I could hear in my head (It might help that I'm a concert pianist, myself). Clean with nothing objectionable, I love finding books I can recommend to family members!

Caroline is the piano teacher in the small town of Moss Point where everyone knows your business, not always a bad thing. Six years ago, Caroline was engaged to be married in six weeks when her fiance' died in a mudslide in Guatemala. A part of Caroline is now missing, although she smiles on the outside to hide all the hurt on the inside. She rents a small cottage on Sam and Angel's property and they are like family to one another.
Caroline has a bucket list and on that list is to find the baby grand piano she played on in her parents home until it was sold to pay her college expenses. She has looked up the value of the piano and the $45,000 price tag is something she knows she could never afford on her income, but she desires to find it and play it once more.
Also, on her list is to finish 'David's song,' a song she began writing for her fiance', but has never finished. The other item on her list is to find her goal.
One evening, she hears someone inside her home playing David's Song on her piano, stopping at the same point Caroline always stops at, as she hasn't completed the song. The intruder gets away before she can discover who it is. Nothing in her home has been taken or disrupted. Its seems only the piano was touched. Also, discovered, is that someone has been hiding outside a window at night listening to Caroline play.
It is finally discovered to be Bella, a child who lives with her grandparents nearby. Bella proves to be a mystery with her musical abilities. Caroline grows close to both Bella, as well as her grandmother.
Caroline eventually tracks down the antique piano from her childhood in Kentucky, belonging to Roderick Adair. She contacts him and is invited to his home to play a concert for his friends. Caroline's dull life is about to become much more exciting!
When I completed reading this book, my first thought was, 'What a delightful story!' I had not heard of the author, Phyllis Clark, before. I most certainly look forward to reading the sequel to this story.
I received a complimentary copy of this book from Gilead Publishing through NetGalley. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

Return of the Song is a beautiful story of loss and new beginnings. Loved the plot and enjoyed the author’s writing. Will be looking to read more of her books. I highly recommend this book. I received an arc from Netgalley and this is my unbiased review.

Return of the Song
by Phyllis Clark Nichols
Gilead Publishing
Christian , Women's Fiction
Pub Date 18 Sep 2018
I am reviewing a copy of Return of the Song through Gilead Publishing and Netgalley:
Caroline not only looses her true love but she also looses her music.


Caroline Carlyle's hopes and dreams die after she looses her fiancé David just six weeks before they were to be married.

Caroline's life is once again turned upside when a mysterious stranger enters her life and she is given a new purpose. Inspired by her new acquaintance she decided to track down the rare and beloved piano she played on as a You girl. She finds the piano in Rock-Water at the estate of a wealthy man, it is here that Caroline finds her heart may be composing a surprising new song.


I give Return to the Song five out of five stars!


Happy Reading!

A sweet story of love, loss and faith. Readers will come to love the characters in this quaint little town in Georgia where everyone knows everyone's business. After Caroline's fiance is killed just weeks before the wedding, Caroline struggles with moving on with her life. She fills her time giving piano lessons, playing for church, weddings and funerals. Her life takes an unexpected turn when she locates her childhood piano that was sold so she could pay for college. Very moving story that is hard to put down. It will be hard to wait for the next book in this series. Highly recommended!

The author gives us a book that begins in tragedy and ends with hope, but we are reading the in between, and it kept me page turning.
The main character has a heart for her fellow man, and has been given the gift of making awesome music by way of her piano.
Add in a plethora of other characters that will warm your heart, and some will make you laugh, all to support a wonderful read.
There was a time in the book that I was hoping that the break in was David, but that was not to be and it opened a whole new dimension to this read.
When Caroline moves out of the studio, I would love to move in, the descriptions of this place are awesome, and the couple who own it were wonderful!

I received this book through Net Galley and the Publisher Gilead and was not required to give a positive review.