“As far as Green Valley is concerned, Kim Dae disappeared into the Wraiths a decade ago. They were sort of right. Kim has spent her life since Jethro fighting her curious nature and trying to blend into thebackground. Unfortunately for her, a mysterious Maestro comes totown and takes quick notice of her for reasons unknown to anybody. The masked conductor, known simply as Devlin, was already a … Devlin, was already a source
of much gossip thanks to his reputation for getting fired. Now, his
sudden interest in the quiet fourth chair cellist has added fuel to the
rumor fire. The new conductor of the symphony needs to learn to
control his temper and finish his latest musical masterpiece and only
the reluctant star of his symphony can help him do that. If Devlin can’t
convince Kim to help to finish his latest composition he’ll lose
everything.
Can Devlin and Kim compose without losing composure?
The Treble With Men is book #2 in the Scorned Women’s Society series. It is a full-length romantic comedy novel, and can be read as a standalone.
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This was such an enthralling story. Piper has once again given me characters that have depth, are real, have so much personality but also she takes the time to show their real side with the faults, insecurities and mistakes. Kim and Devlin will bring to life their version of the Phantom of the Opera . These characters each have their demons and pasts that still haunt them. Their love of music has always been their common ground and love . It made them aware of one another as teenagers and then has once again connected them on a whole new level as adults. I absolutely loved their world and the way that Piper brought them to life .
~~Michele McMullen ~~
Overall Rating:
“‘I think the past is tricky. It shapes so much of who we are. Mistakes, especially. But they’re necessary, you know? It’s a fine line between learning from them and being indebted to them […] But you can’t let it hold you prisoner. It was just a lesson, not a life sentence.’”
You know when you read a book that you love to your toes, and you become so effusive about it that it overwhelms the words for your review? Well, this reader/blogger is there. To say that I’m incredibly impressed with Piper Sheldon is an understatement. When I read the first book of her Scorned Women Society series for SmartyPants Romance, My Bare Lady, I appreciated two facets of it: her reworking of the My Fair Lady story and her sense of her self as a writer. I enjoyed that book, titillated by the fact that she chose one of my favorite stories to retell in the context of Penny Reid’s Winston Brothers universe. However, there were a few moments in her story that felt a little slow. I had a grand appreciation for that book, but I wouldn’t say that I would gush profusely over it.
Then, she wrote The Treble with Men. And I’m done.
This second book of her Scorned Women Society series is exponentially better than My Bare Lady. It is a treatise on control. Some of us struggle with embracing the message behind the popular Disney film, Frozen, in “letting go” of life, embracing the moments to connect and improve and feel a passion for life. This is the essence of The Treble with Men. Sheldon nestles this lesson within the world of Reid’s Tennessee and the world of music. Even more, like her My Bare Lady, she utilizes the vehicle of The Phantom of the Opera story to give it life. In doing so, she reimagines this oft-loved tale with a different ending, one that feels wildly better than the original. All of these attributes conspire to scream at the ingenuity of Sheldon’s storytelling. It is all of this and more that should compel you to “one-click” this book.
“I’d shown her my love in the lessons. In the music. I could tell her everything. I could tell her the truth of my love for her, but then what? It would still be me choosing for her. She needed to make a choice about her own life. I wouldn’t be another person telling her what to do. I wouldn’t hamper her growth. I loved her too much.”
What is it about The Treble with Men that makes it worthy of your time and energy? Here’s the list:
*At the most basic level, Piper Sheldon has the best cover of the SmartyPants Romance world. Bar none.
*Her retelling of The Phantom of the Opera is done in such a way to challenge our notions about the original. For many of us, the ending of that story is bittersweet, as we want Christine to choose the Phantom, but she doesn’t. <<>> Sheldon’s Kim Dae does, and it’s glorious. It suggests that the seemingly most difficult character of a story can also be loved. That’s the heartbreak of the original: that the Phantom is unworthy of love because he isn’t offered up in a neat pretty package. With Sheldon’s story, Devlin, the “phantom” character, hides behind a constructed persona as a defense and for good reason. As the reader, you empathize with him, and Sheldon allows us to do so because Kim (Christine Day) is never truly frightened by him; she is intrigued. She sees him better than everyone else in the story. Sheldon offers us an initial lesson that “nothing is ever as it seems,” and we, as human beings, should look deeper for a greater understanding: something missing from OG Phantom of the Opera. This, right here, magnifies Sheldon’s genius as the author of this story.
*The characters are compelling. Both Kim and Devlin are fighting for control of their lives. Kim does so at the expense of the depth of her talent. Thankfully, Devlin “sees” her (just as she fully “sees” him), and he challenges her control. As he encourages her to embrace her passion, this allows Devlin to feel his. These two drive each other forward, propelling them to greater heights, including their chemistry and eventual love for each other. Their feelings of lust and love heighten Sheldon’s story, and it engages the reader more deeply into the book’s pages.
*Secrets always make for greater suspense. The Treble with Men is a book of secrets. Both Devlin and Kim are holding onto them tightly. I won’t divulge anything here, as I don’t want to spoil the book for readers. What I want to do is give a nod to Sheldon’s use of it to build the tension of her book. Sometimes, stories divulge their secrets too quickly, and the pacing and depth of the book are lost. Sheldon suspends her readers for the right length of time that you find yourself enraptured in her story because you can’t wait to see how the secrets upend the lives of the characters. Since those secrets aren’t divulged until later in the story, this book becomes one that you simply can’t put down. Even after we know Devlin and Kim’s secrets, there is fall-out from them that keeps you engaged. Sheldon has paced this perfectly to grab the attention of her readers until the last page.
*And probably one of the most important aspects of this book is its diversity. For one, it is set in the world of music. Kim is a cellist, while Devlin is the conductor. There aren’t many romances written in this world, creating an interesting space to inhabit for the story. Secondly, Kim is a POC. As such, she doesn’t “look” like your average heroine. At a time when diversity is necessary for romance, I love this choice. Even more, while Kim is a driven perfectionist, this doesn’t read as a stereotype; instead, it suggests that it is a personality trait of Kim’s. Sheldon’s choice for her heroine feels important in our world.
I believe I have gushed enough over Piper Sheldon’s The Treble with Men enough. From its cover to its title to its characterizations to its storytelling, this book is another example of what SmartyPants Romance is doing right. It’s opening a world to more voices. In doing so, Penny Reid gives us new authors with new voices that need to be heard. Sheldon’s story is an important one because it reminds us that there is freedom in living our truth and our passions. We shouldn’t work so hard to control every aspect of our lives because we miss out on the prismatic colors of it. Devlin and Kim come to this understanding, and Sheldon’s story finds even greater heights. If you love the re-telling of a favorite story, then you will definitely love Piper Sheldon’s The Treble with Men. I know I did.
WOW
Look, I don’t know how it happened, but these two totally sucked me in! I know the story behind the Phantom of the Opera. I mean who doesn’t, right? But this was fresh and new and even more exciting. There were times throughout this book that I questioned my knowledge LOL That’s the spin the author put on the story. It was glorious! I loved it! WELL DONE!
The Treble With Men is both very different and very similar to the first book in Piper Sheldon’s Scorned Women Society series. This book is set in the world of music with Devlin as the symphony conductor and Kim as a cello player. The similarities come from the engrossing storytelling and watching two characters truly come into their own.
This book was really difficult for me to put down as the story unfolded. Kim is strong but also struggles with the impact she feels her past decisions have had on her life. Devlin has a quick temper and is easily frustrated, but he cares deeply. It is easy to see why they fit well together and what they have the potential to become. The character growth was realistic. People do not overcome their issues and change overnight. There was a little bit of one step forward, two steps back, but it didn’t feel over done.
The only thing I wished there was more of was the Scorned Women Society. We do get to see them throughout the book, but their scenes were so sweet and funny that I would have loved more.
Thank you to the author for providing an ARC for an honest review.
Piper Sheldon has graced us with another fantastic scorned woman story! I loved the first book in The Scorned Women’s Society series and loved this second book even more!
Kim and Devlin were fantastic characters and a perfect match as a couple. I loved that throughout the story you saw Kim slowly gain self-confidence and Devlin let down some of his intensity to show a more gentle side to his personality. The two complement each other superbly!
I love that Piper Sheldon always does an incredible job of creating an easy flow throughout the story. You can always keep up with the story, even with the twists and turns thrown in!
Simply put, I absolutely love this book! I give The Trebel With Men a five star, ten out of ten rating!
The Treble with Men was absolutely amazing! I loved watching Kim’s journey. She has overcome so much, but seeing her learn to trust herself was empowering (& emotional). And Devlin…he was the perfect brooding Hero. This whole book brought out so many feelings and I truly felt like I was part of their story.
I loved Pipers twist on Phantom of the Opera! She has an amazing gift that just woes me with each book and I’m so ready for more SWS books!
If you are a fan of The Phantom of the Opera (the musical) you will love this! I’ve seen the Broadway production several times and listened to the music on repeat about a zillion times. I even played the Music of the Night as a flute solo in 8th grade. I wanted to be Christine when I listened to the music, and I secretly kind of always wanted Christine to pick the Phantom.
This is sort of a retelling of Phantom, and I found it hard to put down. It follows Kim Dae/Christine Day, a fourth chair cellist at the local symphony and Devlin, the intimidating masked Maestro known for his anger management problems. When Devlin personally asks Kim to help him with his latest composition she is utterly confused. First, she isn’t quite sure how he knows her real name, she has been going by Christine Day since she put her wild days of running around with Jethro Winston behind her. Second, she isn’t the first chair, aka the best cellist in the symphony, she could be but she lets her demons of her past hold her back. Devlin has his own secrets and demons but he isn’t ready to let Kim know them yet, what he does know is that she is better than she is and he only accepts 150% from all of his musicians. He pushes her and all of the musicians at the SOOK to their limits. His methods aren’t exactly the most endearing, but he’s extremely talented. As he lets his guard down with Kim, she is able to let go of some of her past and let the music in.
I loved this!!! Kim and Devlin were amazing together. Their relationship was as slow burn as it gets. They are both stubborn, vulnerable, and the moments between them sizzle and burn. I also loved that both of them had great sounding boards when they needed support. Kim had the women of the SWS to help her and Devlin had the most wonderful family. They may not have taken their advice, but they had people who loved them as they were and not for what they could do for them, and they would call them out for being ridiculous. I loved watching these characters develop as individuals and as a couple. There are great side characters as well. The pace was great, when I wasn’t reading this I was trying to find ways to get back to this book.
Piper Sheldon’s writing keeps getting better and better and I can’t wait to see what she has in story for the rest of the Scorned Women Society.
I was provided and ARC in exchange for an honest review.
In times like this I always seek comfort in my favourites book families or characters and Green Valley is one of them.
I enjoyed this slow burn romance with its characters, different, challenging and interesting. Each one was depicted a bit different from what I was expecting especially when you think about Green Valley but the author has done a great job in building up so many layers to be discovered with each chapter in the book.
I loved to see Jethro again and a bit of his old self and story as well the closure he had with Kim.
Another great story in the must read series of Smartypants Romance
Kim was trying to piece her life back together one day at a time but lived in constant fear. Devlin had his own fears as well. Add in their connected pasts as well. What a great book about letting go, trusting yourself and living! Loved these two found each other!!
It was a beautiful story and it had some wonderful life lessons within it.
I definitely recommend this book, this series, and this author.