Counterpoint

Classical music, tender romance, and high drama combine, sometimes awkwardly, in this rocky but mostly agreeable contemporary. Alexandria Mickelson-Fitch and Nathaniel Calloway are both exceptionally talented classical pianists, but each struggles with issues that get in the way of successfully performing. Alex’s tyrannical father controls her life and career, and Nate is haunted by an airplane crash 15 years earlier: he was the only survivor and recovering from his injuries took years. Self-proclaimed “piano whisperer” and stereotypical Texan Wyatt McFadden brings both pianists to Austin, Tex., to study with him, hoping to help them overcome their problems. When Alex and Nate meet, their chemistry is immediate, but building trust is more complicated. Classical music broadcaster Rico (the Reverie trilogy) crafts soaring descriptions of music, but her characterizations are lacking. It’s jarring that the characters often don’t recognize Alex’s father’s behavior as abuse—Nate sneers, “Yeah, yeah, your daddy’s an asshole”—and no one seems to have much sympathy for Nate’s deep, lasting trauma from the crash. Fans of classical music seeking escape in others’ troubles might be won over by this sweet romance as long as they don’t expect it to seriously address its protagonists’ psychological struggles. (BookLife)