WOW. I don’t even know where to start with this review. I feel like I have just been whacked across the head with an S.K. Munt shaped piece of wood. Hello book hangover, nice to see you again, it’s been a while! The story starts out simply, but turns many revealing corners along the way. I don’t want to give away too much of the story because I truly think it’s one of those stories that’s best to go into blind. Here’s a snippet of the blurb, which I think is going to be the best way to describe the story without being a spoiler –
It’s not easy being an adopted, astraphobic ballet dancer from Canada, trying to make friends in a new country, but when eight year old Callie Clay saved the boy at the gorge on her first day in Horizon, she scored two best friends, a red baseball cap, and a reputation for being a risk-taking weirdo.
Eight years later, Hunter and Ryan had been given pamphlets on what to do when they started noticing girls, but nothing could have prepared them for the changes that came over their tomboy friend and so they handled it as hormonal teenage boys do; badly. One moment, they were a band on the precipice of their first big gig and the next, Callie is having a nervous breakdown and running naked into the eye of Cyclone Addison.
When Callie returns, she’s no longer the girl next door but a goddess with one purpose; To shatter one of the hearts of the men she’s forbidden to love, by using the other- for the sake of The Harmony, and to save her own ass.
Phew! Sounds awesome right? It was. The start of this book seriously felt like an ode to my teenage years. I loved it! The music, the clothes, the posters – all of it was just so spot on that you couldn’t help losing yourself in it and taking a little stroll down memory lane. As the story progresses we learn more and more about the characters and each of their purposes in the story. There are so many ups and downs along the way and at times my heart broke for each and every one of the main characters.
Early on in this story I latched on to a clear favourite out of the boys. It wasn’t intentional, and I was trying to be fair to both characters, but I couldn’t help but adore the gentle nature and loving way of one the boys more. I wasn’t disappointed with how it panned out – they definitely got their moment together – but I almost felt like it wasn’t a big enough part of the story. More like he ended up being a supporting character rather than the main event.
The writing was so descriptive and beautiful in this story. It played out like a movie in my head and the authors descriptions of people and places are exquisite. Her world building is gorgeous and you feel like you’re right there alongside the characters watching the story happen. This book is tagged as paranormal romance but I don’t think you need to be a paranormal lover to adore it. I think romance fans will get just as much out of this story – maybe even more, as it focused heavily on character relationships.
Now, the ending. Hmm. I’m not sure if I got too eager reading this book and ended up missing something, but the ending did leave me with a burning unanswered question about one of the characters. Or two of them really. I’m not going to lie; I like my books to have happy endings where the 2 main characters ride off into the sunset together. I’m a sap. I can’t tell if I’m in denial here about the ending or what! But at this stage Unchained Melody is a stand-alone and a lot of readers will be happy with the way it worked out in the end. I officially love S. K. Munt and will read anything she writes in the future.
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