Why am I passionate about this?

I love reading and I love music. The books I’ve listed here have brought me great joy in that they combine two things that make me happy.


I wrote

Book cover of Mary Jane

What is my book about?

In 1970s Baltimore, Mary Jane loves cooking, singing in church, and listening to showtunes. Shy and sheltered, she’s happy to…

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The books I picked & why

Book cover of This Bird Has Flown

Jessica Anya Blau Why I love this book

This is a fast, fun, star-studded read.

Hoffs is one of the founding members of The Bangles, and one can’t help but imagine that it is all true in one way or another. There’s a character who is an awful lot like Prince and...well, that makes the story particularly fun for me. 

By Susanna Hoffs ,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked This Bird Has Flown as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

A delightfully funny and romantic debut novel from Susanna Hoffs, the celebrated performer and co-founder of The Bangles

'A little bit romance, a little bit rock-and-roll-this isn't just a book, it's a love song, and it should come as no surprise that Susanna Hoffs has crafted the perfect one to put on your playlist.' Christina Lauren, New York Times bestselling author of The Unhoneymooners

'...the smart, ferocious rock-chick redemption romance you didn't know you needed' New York Times

Jane Start is thirty-three, broke, and recently single. Ten years prior, she had a hit song-written by world-famous superstar Jonesy-but Jane hasn't…


Book cover of Lady Sunshine

Jessica Anya Blau Why I love this book

I love the ’70s vibe happening in this book. And it takes place in California, where I grew up.

There’s mystery and suspense woven throughout these pages. Jackie, our protagonist, tries to reconcile her memories and past “truths” with what she eventually discovers really happened in those years. You won’t be able to stop reading—this is a fast book that pulls you along like a riptide.

By Amy Mason Doan ,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked Lady Sunshine as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

“A delicious daydream of a book.” —Elin Hilderbrand, New York Times bestselling author of 28 Summers

“With lyrical writing and a page-turning plot, this sun-dappled book has it all.” —Karen Dukess, author of The Last Book Party

ONE ICONIC FAMILY. ONE SUMMER OF SECRETS. THE DAZZLING SPIRIT OF 1970S CALIFORNIA.

For Jackie Pierce, everything changed the summer of 1979, when she spent three months of infinite freedom at her bohemian uncle’s sprawling estate on the California coast. As musicians, artists, and free spirits gathered at The Sandcastle for the season in pursuit of inspiration and communal living, Jackie and her…


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Book cover of The Duke's Christmas Redemption

The Duke's Christmas Redemption by Arietta Richmond,

A Duke who has rejected love, a Lady who dreams of a love match, an arranged marriage, a house full of secrets, a most unneighborly neighbor, a plot to destroy reputations, an unexpected love that redeems it all.

Lady Charlotte Wyndham, given in an arranged marriage to a man she…

Book cover of The Lightning Bottles

Jessica Anya Blau Why I love this book

You’re thrown into the world of grunge music here with a couple, Jane and Elijah, who meet in a chat room (historical fiction!).

Soon enough, the couple is worldwide famous, something Jane had always wanted. Jane, who writes the songs, is misunderstood and underappreciated, while Elijah takes center stage. That’s okay with Jane until Elijah disappears, and Jane is heartbroken and lost while also being demonized by their fans.

This is a wonderfully compelling page-turner with likeable characters and some dislikeable ones, too.

By Marissa Stapley ,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked The Lightning Bottles as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

The author of New York Times bestseller and Reese’s Book Club pick Lucky, a “fiercely visceral and exquisitely written” (People) story of rock ‘n’ roll and star-crossed love—about grunge-era musician Jane Pyre’s journey to unravel the secrets behind her husband’s mysterious disappearance.

He was the troubled face of rock ‘n’ roll…until he suddenly disappeared without a trace.

Jane Pyre was once half of the famous rock ‘n’ roll duo, the Lightning Bottles. Years later, she’s perhaps the most hated—and least understood—woman in music. She was never as popular with fans as her bandmate (and soulmate), Elijah Hart—even if Jane was…


Book cover of Charm City Rocks

Jessica Anya Blau Why I love this book

This book takes place in Baltimore, which always fascinates me (I lived there for a couple of decades).

There’s a fan (a father, who’s a music teacher), a kid (his son, who wants his dad to be happy), and a female rockstar (the drummer from the music teacher’s favorite band) who’s been in hiding for decades. Of course, they all come together (what more could you want?!).

In the end, this is the sweetest love story I’ve read in years.

By Matthew Norman ,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked Charm City Rocks as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

When a single dad meets the former rock-star crush of his youth, everything they thought they knew about happiness and love is thrown into chaos in this hopeful, heartwarming romantic comedy.

“Bound to charm readers from page one . . . You’ll root for everyone in this sweet love story.”—Elissa Sussman, bestselling author of Funny You Should Ask

Billy Perkins is happy. And why wouldn’t he be? He loves his job as an independent music teacher and his apartment in Baltimore above a record shop called Charm City Rocks. Most of all, he loves his brainy teenage son, Caleb.

Margot…


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Book cover of Trusting Her Duke

Trusting Her Duke by Arietta Richmond,

A Duke with rigid opinions, a Lady whose beliefs conflict with his, a long disputed parcel of land, a conniving neighbour, a desperate collaboration, a failure of trust, a love found despite it all.

Alexander Cavendish, Duke of Ravensworth, returned from war to find that his father and brother had…

Book cover of Life

Jessica Anya Blau Why I love this book

I love this memoir.

It’s open, honest, and really helps you get inside the head of someone who wants to play guitar, maybe more than anything. There’s great insight into addiction, too. And, of course, it has the gossipy rock and roll stuff that can’t be avoided when you’re a member of The Rolling Stones.

The book covers many decades; it’s an intimate look at a long, creative life.

By Keith Richards , James Fox ,

Why should I read it?

8 authors picked Life as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

As lead guitarist of the Rolling Stones, Keith Richards created the riffs, the lyrics, and the songs that roused the world. A true and towering original, he has always walked his own path, spoken his mind, and done things his own way.Now at last Richards pauses to tell his story in the most anticipated autobiography in decades. And what a story! Listening obsessively to Chuck Berry and Muddy Waters records in a coldwater flat with Mick Jagger and Brian Jones, building a sound and a band out of music they loved. Finding fame and success as a bad-boy band, only…


Explore my book 😀

Book cover of Mary Jane

What is my book about?

In 1970s Baltimore, Mary Jane loves cooking, singing in church, and listening to showtunes. Shy and sheltered, she’s happy to land a summer job nannying for the daughter of a local doctor. A respectable home, Mary Jane’s mother says. 

Things may look respectable on the outside, but inside there is clutter on every surface; rotten food in the fridge; joints in the ashtrays; and cereal for dinner. It turns out, the doctor is a psychiatrist who has taken in for intensive treatment a famous rock star and his celebrity wife. Like travelling to another country, a summer with this blended family changes the ways in which Mary Jane sees the world and, more importantly, sees herself. 

Book cover of This Bird Has Flown
Book cover of Lady Sunshine
Book cover of The Lightning Bottles

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Interested in romantic love, rock music, and The Rolling Stones?

Romantic Love 985 books
Rock Music 263 books