The details…
- Title: A Perfect Fifth
- Author: Jaycie Morrison
- Publisher: Bold Strokes Books
- Publication date: September 13, 2022
- ISBN: 1636791328
- Available formats: ebook, paperback
- File size: 1301 KB
- Print length: 295 pages
- Genre: romance
- Themes: women loving women, music, homophobia, families of privilege, coming out
- Tropes: rich girl/poor girl
The blurb from the publisher…
Two divides perfectly into four, not five.
Zara Keller is a survivor turned piano phenomenon living for a big dream. When she’s invited to spend the weekend with four long-time friends outside of London, she has little use for luxurious Fullerhill Manor—but Lady Jillian Stansfield might be a different story.
The obligations thrust on Jillian Stansfield as Lady of the Manor center on home and family. Even her best friends expect her to put aside the desire for a meaningful life and carry on her legacy through marriage and children. Will the arrival of a fifth person be enough to tip the balance of their “gang of four” in her favor?
Zara challenges Jillian to pursue grander plans and stirs something new and profound, compelling Jillian to be true to herself and make the hardest decisions of her life. But when tragedy strikes, saving Jillian may cost Zara the goal of a position at the Royal College of Music, and the chance at love.
Content advisory: This book contains instances of trauma and homophobia.
My thoughts…
It took me a little bit to get into this book as it had quite a few characters and shifting perspectives. However once I did, I was completely taken with Zara and Jillian’s romance. It’s complex and layered, but that’s the appeal. They are strong women with vastly different lifestyles and experiences, yet they have a connection that can not be denied. No matter how hard others try to discourage the romance, it seems the flame between them can not be extinguished. Their desire for one another is too strong. All of the family drama and tangled friendships only help add to this compelling romance.
Though some of the secondary characters were a tad unappealing, I enjoyed both leading ladies very much. Jillian and Zara are interesting, likable characters and they work well in this romance. What makes them stand out is their chemistry; it’s strong, but not forced. The romance could be declared somewhat angsty, but it doesn’t bog the romance down at all. Ultimately, readers are drawn to Zara and Jillian and want them together.
Overall the storytelling in A Perfect Fifth is solid; Morrison is a strong writer. However, her greatest strength in this novel is her elegant and magical use of music. She integrates it into the narrative quite beautifully. Its inclusion gives the story a depth that most music lovers will not be able to resist.
Final remarks…
A Perfect Fifth is a nice book for a lazy day of reading, especially if you like the London scene and music. No doubt Zara and Jillian’s romance will scratch your happily ever after itch.
Strengths…
- Solidly written
- Unique storyline
- Interesting drama among the cast of characters
- Strong romantic leads
- Lovely integration of music into the storyline
A peek inside…
“I care for you, Jill. You’ve been on my mind ever since…well, ever since we met. And I’ll never forget the night we spent together. But I won’t live a false life, not even if I’d get to be with you. Nothing and no one is worth sacrificing my real self.”
Jillian took in the shape of her, thinner than before, it seemed, but still extremely alluring. She thought about what Zara was asking and wondered if she had it in her to be that fearless…
She tried to imagine what it would be like to be in a relationship with Zara. With no other experience in romance, she had nothing to compare. She just knew she’d never been with anyone who made her feel alive like Zara did, both emotionally and physically. Along with their one night of incredible passion, they’d had such wonderfully deep conversations. Zara was such an intent listener. It felt as if they were the only two people in the world when Jillian talked about her plans, her ideas, and her dreams, and she could hear in Zara’s declarations that she believed in them too. She made Jillian feel strong, like she could take on the real world and come out unscathed.
Zara made her laugh without being cruel and made her want to cry when she’d revealed the hardships she’d endured. And the way they’d been with each other [that night] had made her feel all the things that she’d heard in songs and had read about in poems and in the books Constance had loaned her. While she might not know everything about being with Zara, she knew all too well what it was like to be without her. Her world became barren and tiresome, her heart hurting in a seemingly irreparable way.
That thought alone drove her into the kitchen, where she pressed herself lightly against Zara’s back. The little sound Zara made gave her the courage to say what she’d been thinking ever since she’d seen her through the taxi window. “I want to spend time with you again. I want to be with you like we were at Fullerhill that night. I’ll do whatever it takes.” Zara didn’t move away, so Jillian slipped her arms around her, linking her hands under Zara’s breasts. “Please,” she whispered in her ear. “I think about you all the time. My work is suffering, but I can’t bring myself to care. Nothing has been right since…I’ve never missed anyone like I’ve missed—”
Before she could finish, Zara turned in her arms and covered her mouth in a kiss that was almost fierce. After a second of shock, Jillian matched her passion for passion. When she felt Zara’s hands come into her hair, her arms automatically tightened, and her own need to touch Zara everywhere heightened. She ran her hands up Zara’s back, letting loose the want she’d been holding back. Leaning away just enough to get her fingers on the buttons of Zara’s shirt, she barely restrained a cry when Zara’s mouth left hers.
“Okay, yeah,” Zara panted. “I’ve been given second chances in my life, so you get one too. I’m going to trust that you really want this, and we’ll agree that if something isn’t working for either of us, we’ll say so. Okay?”
“Yes, of course,” Jillian answered automatically.
“And there’s one other thing I need to tell you…We’re going to date first.”
Zara took in a deep breath and eased herself a half step back. “Date…first?” Jillian’s brain wasn’t fully reengaged yet.
“Yes.” Zara separated from her completely, and Jillian held back a whimper. “Before we, uh, before we’re intimate again, we’re going to go out in public. Like, have dinner together or go to a movie. The way people do when they’re interested in each other.”
“Oh. I see.” Jillian tried hard to keep the frustration out of her voice.
Zara touched Jillian’s cheek, her voice gentle. “Don’t misunderstand me, Jill. I’m already interested in you. Any time we had together, just the two of us, I never wanted it to end. Not only the sex, but the hikes, the conversations, all of it. And once upon a time, I’d be taking you to bed right now. But…I’m seeing a lot of things differently [now]…That’s why I’m asking you for more, for a real relationship. And why I think it’s best we take some time to make sure this is what you want. What we both want.”
Jillian nodded solemnly before allowing a tiny smile to cross her lips. “You want me to court you, is that it?”
Zara grinned back…“I want us to court each other.”
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A bit about the author…
Jaycie Morrison recently made the move to Colorado-trading the heat of her lifetime big-city home of Dallas, Texas, for the cool beauty of a small town in the mountains. Her Love and Courage series, Basic Training of the Heart, Heart’s Orders, and Guarding Hearts, is set during World War II, combining her interest in history with her love of the written word. The Found Jar was her first foray into contemporary romance, but definitely not her last. Her latest, A Perfect Fifth, is set in the 1970’s, primarily in London, and features music, wealth, drama, sacrifice and, of course, love. When not writing, Jaycie can be found traveling, experimenting with gluten-free cooking, or pretending to be a rock star.
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