| Title | : | Songwriter Night |
| Author | : | |
| Rating | : | |
| ISBN | : | - |
| Language | : | English |
| Format Type | : | Kindle Edition |
| Number of Pages | : | 93 |
| Publication | : | Published January 15, 2021 |
Songwriter Night Reviews
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Rating: 4.5/5.0
Ms. Driver has created a lively and well-orchestrated composition in this music-driven novella! T
Read full review in the
2021 Summer issue of InD'tale Magazine. -
I’ve never come across anything quite like this, and it’s a cool concept. I read the Kindle version of this book, but there’s also an audiobook which includes not just the story, but also twelve original songs. In the Kindle book the song lyrics are written, but if you’re a country music lover, you may prefer the audiobook version.
If you want to break into the music industry, lots of folks follow their dreams to Nashville, and that’s exactly what the two MCs in this novella are hoping to do. They meet in a coffee house where Trish immediately catches the eye of Lyle. He invites her to a songwriter night he and his roommate host monthly. Being new in town and wanting to meet people, Trish immediately accepts. Much of the story takes place on that evening when we meet several other characters – some of them very animated (George and Tammy especially). When Lyle’s former roommate, who’s recently experienced some success with his music, shows up, Lyle’s hopes for the evening quickly go off the rails.
Being familiar with Nashville, I enjoyed the references to local places, highways, and sections of the city. I’m not a country music fan, but I appreciated the song lyrics and how they add to the story. Trish and Lyle, each a little awkward and unsure, have an adorable meet cute and are very likeable and relatable. This was a novella, but I’d love to see what happens to these characters in the future and hope the author considers expanding on the story.
I received a complimentary copy of this book through Rosie’s Book Review Team. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own. -
I chose to read this short book as a member of Rosie Amber’s Book Review Team and I was sent a copy by the author. This does not alter my review in any way.
I should say at the beginning that I read the kindle version of this book but it features eleven original songs and one adaptation of a public domain folk song. To hear them played and sung you can get the full cast audiobook of Songwriter Night: a musical romance from Audible or wherever you like to get your audiobooks and podcasts.
This story is set in Nashville, Tennessee, the country music capital of the world. Two songwriters, hoping to make it big one day meet in a coffee house. Lyle is struggling to stay focused on his writing because of Trish who he’s struggling to keep his eyes off of from across the room. He buys her a drink and they get talking. She’s new in town and has few contacts so eventually Lyle invites her to come along to one of his songwriter nights that he hosts a couple of times a month.
The majority of this book is taken up with the events at the songwriter night, and it’s really entertaining. Only a few people attend but it’s clear they know each other well and get along. However, someone from the past turns up on this particularly evening and rocks the boat with their forthright opinions. Trish appears drawn to this character though and Lyle fears it’s not him she’s interested in after all.
The lyrics for the songs are throughout the book and I think it would have been really entertaining to have listened to the audio version of this. It’s a really great idea for a book and I thoroughly enjoyed it, even without the music.
Highly recommended for all those who love music and romance. -
Nashville, Tennessee is still the Country music capital of the world for those who want to do things the old fashioned way, while soaking up the atmosphere of the city. Aspiring singer/songwriter Trish is no exception. She’s working on the lyrics of a song as she quietly hums along, catching the attention of one of the two other occupants of the coffee house. Lyle, a Tennessee native, is distracted by Trish and can’t focus on his writing. Noticing she had just finished her latte he seizes the opportunity and buys her another.
Trish and Lyle start chatting and, since Trish is new to the area and has no contacts, Lyle invites her to the songwriter night he and his friend host every month at their house.
Songwriter Night is a sweet, easy to read novella, also available as an audio version with a full cast and original songs. Even with the kindle version it’s interesting to read the lyrics and the poetry from the eclectic and distinct group of people who gather at Lyle and Neil’s house, and that’s where the majority of the story takes place.
Trish and Lyle are likeable from the start, both a little unsure of themselves and their musical abilities, but the dedication of each is apparent. The songwriter night is going well until Aiden, a previous member who made good, decides to honour the group with his presence, and stir things up at the same time. -
A Beautifully Written But Short Novella
Songwriter Night is an exceptionally well-written, sweet romance novella that contains memorable characters and wonderful songs.
The Opening
In my opinion, the opening is a little rocky since it uses an omniscient narrator looking at the opening scene from outside before eventually settling into a limited third-person viewpoint seen through the eyes of the male protagonist.
I had difficulty getting into the story at first because of this form of introduction. However, once I was seeing the story through Lyle’s eyes, I was soon immersed in the story.
The Characters
Lyle is immediately likable because it’s clear the barista and the other customer are making fun of him as he attempts to make a connection with Trish. As the story develops, he becomes more interesting as we discover his dedication to music and his caring thoughts about other characters.
Trish’s humility is endearing. Though she’s clearly very talented, she somehow believes she’s not up to the same standards as the other wannabe songwriters in the group that develops.
Aiden makes a memorable antagonist. He’s just obnoxious enough to make the reader cringe and cheer Lyle on. However, maybe he isn’t as bad as Lyle thinks. It’s interesting to see the different ways in which Aiden is seen through Trish’s and Lyle’s separate viewpoint scenes.
There is a selection of other more minor characters, but all are distinct and memorable. Each one of them has an interesting personality, and a lot of minor conflicts are raised and resolved within a short time.
The Plot
This is not a long story, so there isn’t a lot of room for a complex main plot. Instead, we get a simple “three-act play” where the main conflict follows the difficult choice trope.
At some point in the story, Trish will be asked to make a decision. Even though the main action of the story only takes place over a few hours, and the whole story only covers a few weeks, this choice will dramatically alter the direction of her life.
For me, her decision was surprising but understandable. I enjoyed the ending immensely.
The Setting
There are only two locations in this novella: The inappropriately-named Music City Brew coffee house and Lyle’s house. Both are adequately sketched visually, but the author misses the opportunity to make better use of the senses of taste and smell given the actions that occur in the opening scene.
The Prose
Except for the first half of the opening chapter, the prose is fabulous. I especially enjoyed the song lyrics and Pearl’s poetry.
However, to be honest, one song did make me cringe. It was the main song, and it is featured twice in the story. The reason I reacted so badly to it was that it reminded me a little too much of Rebecca Black’s notorious song Friday.
My Opinion
Despite my negative feelings about the opening and the “Friday” song, overall I loved this story. I’m going to rate it as 9 out of 10. I don’t think it’s perfect, but it’s pretty close. On Amazon and Goodreads that will translate to 5 out of 5.
Notice:
I received an advance review copy for free, but this review is my honest opinion of the book. -
As a Book Reviewer, I received a copy of this book for my honest review.
Songwriter Night by D. G. Driver is a very unique story. I found it engaging and entertaining.
About the Book:
Trish is new in Nashville, TN. She's chasing her dream of becoming a songwriter in the Country Music capitol of the U.S.A. Not long after she arrives, she sits in a coffee shop working on some lyrics when she meets Lyle. Lyle is a native in Nashville, but he, too, is chasing the elusive songwriting dream. He's struck by her voice as he hears her humming a tune he's never heard before. They talk a little and he invites her to the house, he shares with a friend, for their monthly Friday night "songwriter night". She accepts.
From there, the reader is introduced to a small group of artistic people who all have a love for writing, mostly music. What an interesting group it is.
My Review:
D. G. Driver created a very simple plot line. It lacks the usual intensity, but there are some conflicts that keep the reader turning pages. The writing is also sparse on descriptive setting details, but there is enough for the reader to envision the two settings where the story takes place. Another uncommon aspect of the book are the descriptions told of the characters' actions.
The best thing about this read is that the characters are each so wonderfully distinct in personality and voice that they each paint their own quirkiness in the reader's mind. They also fascinate and bring an occasional chuckle and an occasional groan.
A very unique fun thing about this book is that D.G. Driver has included the original songs that each of her characters share at "Songwriter Night". She even has them recorded for audio readers to actually hear. I didn't receive the audio, but Ms. Driver has samples on her website that I listened to and I was impressed at the quality of the recordings. Made me almost wish I'd have gotten the audio.
After reading the story, I read the information about Ms. Driver at the back of the book. That's how I discovered why this story is so unusual and written the way that it is. In addition to writing, Ms. Driver is also very involved in theater, or was until Covid shut down live theaters. When that happened, Ms. Driver, who also thoroughly enjoys listening to cast albums of Broadway musicals, got the unique idea to write a book/audiobook in this one-of-a-kind, (as far as I know), story.
If you love cute romance stories unlike any others you've read, you're sure to enjoy Songwriter Night. If you are an artist or someone who appreciates the arts of music and writing, I'm sure you'll enjoy this story as well. If you're just someone looking for a fun, quick, easy read this book's for you too.
I give Songwriter Night 5 stars. -
This is the first multi cast audiobook that I have listened to and thoroughly enjoyed. I thought Lyle was such a likable character, but he is just one of many. Not to mention the pretty good performances they did throughout the book. I especially like the first song the whole group sang together it was a folk song and I don’t know if it was original to this book was already produced from long ago but it was great… Just like the book! As for the plot I love the way the narrator spoke in the background and wasn’t a key player and the drummer. Usually the narrator is also a character in the book but this is way better. This is about a young romance jealousy insecurity and eventually love. I highly recommend it.
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It was such a pleasure to read Songwriter Night: A Musical Romance by DG Driver. The story centers around a group of artists who meet monthly to share their musical and creative works. Anyone who has ever attended a small group will identify with the characters and try to cast their friends into the roles. The story is delightful, touching, romantic and very funny. A sweet original love story which I highly recommend.
Songwriter Night is also available as an audio book with the works performed in the audio.
I was given this book by the author and not required to write a positive review. -
Melt my heart
Driver's story is a sweet love story that pulls at your heart strings. Her story is full of poetry and music that makes me excited to hear the audio version. This is a quick and wonderful feel good read that I will definitely return to. -
Love the audio book with the songs. It was like listening to a full musical play. Must for a country music fan
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I voluntarily reviewed an Advance Reader Copy from the Author. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.Songwriter Night by DG Driver is a terrific story about love and music.
Will Lyle be able to tell Trish that he likes her even though they just met?
Lyle
Lyle is our main male lead, is trying to make it into the country music business despite not having a degree or anything else that might help him somehow. He has a friend that helps him out, and they are a good duo. Lyle seems like a good guy who had a tough break and is dealing with its aftermath. He hosts a songwriter's night that's not only for songwriters but for whoever is creative enough to share their work. Lyle tries to make it a safe environment for everyone. He is a good character who doesn't want to trust anyone too easily, but he wants her to trust him when it comes to Trish.
Trish
Trish is our main female lead, trying to make it into the country music business. She went to college and studied some things in music. Afterward, Trish thought she would be a teacher to teach the next generation until some people told her to try to make it in Nashville. Trish is a shy person who doesn't think that she's good and is worried that she's just wasting her own time if she isn't. She is a good person with flaws that would plague anyone even if they aren't trying to make it in the entertainment business. Trish is willing to try, and maybe with a guy like Lyle, it will be alright for her.
Three Stars
Songwriter Night by DG Driver is a great short read by this author. Ms. Driver had done a fantastic job on writing this book and having it be like when she was a little girl listening to a record that had a story as well. I didn't listen to the audible version, but I bet it's pretty good. The story and the songs were incredible, just reading them and figuring out how they would sound. I couldn't get into the storyit at first, and another thing that held it back from a better rating was that it reminded me of a Hallmark movie. I am giving Songwriter Night by DG Driver three stars.
Thank you for dropping by! I hope you enjoyed this review of Songwriter Night by DG Driver.
Until the next time,
Happy Reading!
This review was originally posted on Baroness' Book Trove -
Songwriter Night is a unique project that I created last year as a collaboration with composer/songwriter Caleb Dinger. In addition to writing, I'm also an actress/singer. When all the theaters closed and people were coming up with interesting ways to do virtual theater, I thought it might be interesting to write a musical story and record it as an audiobook. I wrote the story. Caleb and I wrote the songs. Then we asked a dozen actors from the Nashville theater scene to read the parts. It took about six months from concept to finished project, and it was a blast to create. The story is sweet, fun, and light-hearted. It's like listening to a play, but it has full narration like a novel. The audiobook is just shy of 3 hours in length and features 12 songs. It's available at all audiobook/podcast vendors.
To get the audiobook at Audible, I did need a book version. So, I reformatted the story into a novella. If you're not interested in audiobooks, there is an ebook an print version. Some reviewers are really enjoying just reading it, and that makes me happy. If you're curious about what the songs sound like, you can find a Songwriter Night "original cast album" of just the songs at all the music streaming services like Spotify, Apple Music, and YouTube
The idea for this story came out of my younger days when I when I sang in a folk/country act in Southern California. I really wanted to be a Country singer. After moving to Tennessee (but long after giving up that dream), I was invited to participate in a songwriter circle night at a church I was attending. I chickened out. But as I sat at home, I came up with the premise of this story. That was quite a while ago, and I'm so glad I found the perfect collaborator in Caleb Dinger to help me make this story come alive. We hope one day to put this story on the stage. Until then, I hope you'll take a listen and enjoy. -
Super creative love story. Made me wish I could attend a "Songwriter," though I would probably bring poetry. The story takes place over one evening when a group of creatives gather to share songs and offer suggestions and/or criticisms. Composer/singer Lyle invites gorgeous new girl Trish. The company of friends eventually put her at ease until rising country star Aiden Bronson arrives and turns the evening on its ear.
I truly felt as if this sort of evening was something I wanted to be a part of. I enjoyed the vibe. The characters were well developed and unique. The spark between Lyle and Trish is tangible, but can Trish resist Aiden's star power?
A charming and unique read. -
An unexpected compelling read. I know the author and she provided me a copy to review. I admit as a Nashville native I wasn’t super excited about a songwriter novel, but Driver pleasantly surprised me with likable, realistic characters and dialogue. It’s a quick read and I wasn’t ready for it to end. I liked it so much I bought the audiobook so I can hear the music the characters write. I’m looking forward to reading the next one!
