Based around the music scene of the 60’s/70’s Songs in Ursa Major is a novel to lose yourself in. Well written it was the final third that really brought the book together for me.
Thank you Netgalley for the ARC, a strong 3.75 stars for this.

A bit like “A Star is Born” initially, then became less formulaic and far more interesting.
This book kept me enthralled from start to finish, such an unusual tale, a very beautiful love story.

Songs in Ursa Major is one of the best books released this year and is a perfect summer read. If you liked Daisy Jones and the Six then you will probably really love this too. Loosely based off a high profile relationship in the 60's this is a book that oozes charm, romance and gives a brilliant insight into the industry. There is nothing bad to say about the book. It was a totally enjoyable read.

I struggled to become engaged with this book at first. Eventually I started to understand the characters. There were some unexpected revelations along the way which helped it flow. Sometimes I found the descriptions of albums rather too detailed and long winded.

What an atmospheric, rock and roll debut - the is is such an addictive read! Following the super-talent and all-round amazingness of Jane Quinn as she tries to break into the 1970s music scene, this is a love story for music lovers, as well as a look at the darker sides of the music industry.

I see Jane as a total feminist icon. She’s an incredible musician, she knows it, and is not afraid to go for exactly what she wants and deserves. Her chemistry with Jesse Reid is 🔥 and I love how she is the one who wants to keep their relationship a secret, completely disinterested in reflected glory and determined to make it on her own merit alone.

There’s a Spotify playlist to accompany the book, which I’d highly recommend having a listen to if you want to be fully transported to Jane and Jesse’s world.

A great summer read, one which I highly recommend.

If you loved Daisy Jones & The Six, then you're going to enjoy this one! It has the same behind the scenes vibes of the music industry, this time in the late '60's/early 70's, and while it didn't quite get me in the emotional way that Daisy did, then it did a wonderful job of transporting me back to a different world - there's also a Spotify Playlist linked to the book so if you get a chance to listen while you read I would highly recommend it! I loved it and it made for the perfect reading music!

This is a story partly based on the relationship between Joni Mitchell and James Taylor, and all centres around a folk festival in 1969 where the star of the show - Jesse Reid - is a late cancellation due to an serious accident, and a local band, led by Jane Quinn, get to stand in and steal the show and this sets her off on a journey of success and fame, alongside the downsides which come with that!

Jane is every bit not your 'diva' - she's hardworking and struggling for money, so when the chance to help out nurse Jesse back to full health she jumps at the chance, and he's blown over by her being normal around him! For someone with big success, that's a rarity. The more time they spend together, the closer they become and he begins to advise them on songs and gets them started in the music business.

I loved their chats together, how they opened up to one another and it was also striking how different she was treated in the music industry compared to her male contemporaries.

There's partying, sex, drugs & rock'n'roll and that's when we get to see different sides to these characters and cracks begin to appear in the relationship - and just how easily people can be replaced in the music industry if they don't play along and 'do as they're told'! There's also a look back at family secrets that added to the mix!

I really enjoyed the characters and the music scene setting and look forward to reading more from this author in the future!

Excellent book, great characters, to really care about and very well written. Learn about misogyny in the music industry, the creative process, mental illness, addiction but most of all this is a love story. Highly recommended

This book first appealed to me as it gave off a ‘Daisy Jones’ vibe. A book I loved. Songs In Ursa Major is loosely based on a well publicised affair between two high profile folk rock singers in the late 60s. It tells the story of Jane - the youngest of her all female family and a feisty firecracker of a character. Jane can sing, and write & play almost any instrument that she picks up. Jane lives on the remote Bayleen Island and works several jobs to make ends meet. This all changes when her band The Breakers have to step in for rising star Jesse Reid at the local island festival. This is the story of life on tour, band dynamics, a love affair between two damaged people, a matriarchal family battling their own demons & a woman who is determined to get what she deserves. I really liked this book - it was a lovely chance to escape to another time and another world. I liked Jane a lot - and her attitude to life in a male dominated industry.

Thanks to Netgalley and author for the arc in exchange for my unbiased opinion on the book. Love the book. Would love to read more from the author

On the face of it Songs in Ursa Major looks like a feel good love story based in the 60s / 70s folk music scene and Emma Brodie completely captures the spirit of this era. Her complex characters and their lives makes this so much more than a love story.

One of the best books I have read this year, a must for every ones summer reading list.

I was given a copy of Songs in Ursa Major by NetGalley and the publishers in return for an unbiased review.

Very well written, with well written characters that were reasonably well rounded characters, and some great song lyrics that make you wish they were real. I just didn't quite love it as much as other/similar books I've read about the music/music industry of that era and/or music/the music industry in general, as it covers a lot of similar ground.
Would still recommend giving it a try!
Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for review.

A good debut that reveals the inner workings of the music industry in the 1960s/ 1970s. The cover definitely fits the vibe of the novel - a summer, beachy read. I did find that there were quite a lot of characters to get track of but once the novel got going I quite liked the style of switching between people's point of view. I definitely felt for Jane as she tried to make a name for herself in the male-dominated music industry.

I would recommend for fans of Daisy Jones & The Six.

WOW! I think that this novel took me back to better days and reminded me about being young, carefree, and how wanting something so bad can actually turn out to be so good. By a fluke accident, Jane Quinn and her band will be onstage and playing their music in front of thousands who are waiting to see how they do. To her surprise, they rock it and a soundtrack is born. But not all is fun and games as Jane realizes that not everyone wants her to succeed. She finds love and redemption while rising to the top. But will she be able to continue with her love interest, or will he bring her back to the bottom? This is one rocking 60/70’s story that you will not want to forget and the lyrics inside will make you want to listen to the soundtrack while reading along.

This story's setting is in the 1960s/1970s, a time of change, freedom and unrest. Inspired partly by real individuals, it is plausible, and the attitudes to women within the entertainment industry and wider society believably explored.

A love story is at this story's heart and is portrayed with an engaging mix of coming of age expectations and realism. There are lots of characters, but they are relatable, and the story flows well. An enjoyable nostalgic summer read.

I received a copy of this book from Harper Fiction via NetGalley in return for an honest review.

Set in the late 60s/early 70s, young musician Jane Quinn and her band are suddenly thrown into the spotlight and given the chance to perform at the Bayleen Island Folk Festival after the scheduled artist Jesse Reid is involved in a motorcycle accident. The Breakers arena success and are offered the chance to produce an album. Will Janie Q take the industry by storm? Will she be able to stand up to the bullying producers?
The author has totally captured the scene, the novel is beautifully written, the song lyrics amazing (I would have loved to have listened to the soundtrack as I read this book). The budding romance between Jane and Jesse and how this will play out in the spotlight.
The book talks about the music scene, the sex, drugs and rock and roll of the time and I felt it was written authentically . There were some good insights into the music scene at the time, in particular how women were treated. It also talks about mental health issues and the stigma attached to them and how that made people behave.

I really enjoyed reading this book and would highly recommend. I am looking forward to finding more from this author.
Thanks go to Netgalley for the opportunity to read this book.

Thankyou to netgalley anfd the publisher for allowing me a copy of this book. Because i loved Daisy Jones and the Six i thought that i would also love this book in relation to it being about music, fame and relationships and it did not disappoint. I loved the plot and i loved the characters, I did find it a little slow to get into but i think that was because i had to get used to the characters, A great debut overall.

What a fabulous debut novel - it transports you back to the music scene of the late 1960s and 1970s, sweeps you up and carries you along on an emotional journey with unexpected depth and heart. While comparisons with Daisy Jones are inevitable, this topped it for me.

Based on the relationship between James Taylor and Joni Mitchell, it is clear that this is a well researched book and feels like an authentic depiction of the era. Brodie provides an interesting insight into the music industry of the time, in particular how it was for women and the pressure of life on tour and in the spotlight, as well as into the mechanics of songwriting. But what makes it even more powerful is that she creates a wonderful well-developed cast of characters, flawed but compelling. I found myself rooting for Jane and her desire to stand up what she believes and maintain her creative integrity, whilst at the same time sometimes groaning at her stubbornness and the decisions she makes. Her relationship with Jesse, complex and yet still somehow likeable, is captivating.

It is an emotional read at time as you feel Jane's struggles and the story of her relationship with her absent mother is revealed, as well as watching Jesse's battles with drugs. But the joy of the music and the expression it provides provide the perfect counterbalance.to make it the ideal summer read.

A definite "must-read" for fans of Daisy Jones and the Six! I did find it a little tough to get into, I think because there were so many characters in each scene, and the narrative flips between every individual: I found this tricky to follow before I knew the characters well, as with practically each sentence I had to ask myself "who was that again?" Having said that, it's really well written and the setting and premise are great,

This was an absorbing debut novel. Lots of interesting information linked to a very emotional story line. Some really good characters and great descriptions of supporting communities,

Jane Quinn had always wanted to be a singer-songwriter, since her mother had disappeared after her hit had been taken by another singer, and when she had her band, The Breakers, perform at the local Folk Festival, fame quickly follows. But as her relationship with star Jesse Reid threatens to overshadow her own success, Jane backs away. Has she lost the chance at stardom, or can she persuade the music moguls to give her a second chance?

I started reading Songs in Ursa Major expecting a typical romance - boy meets girl, share experiences, split up and then find each other again at the end - but this book is different. Yes, there is the boy meets girl and the split, but it didn’t feel so formulaic as so many stories do. I will admit that at times I found Jane a little annoying, with her attitude and assumption that she was always right, but overall I did care what happened to her. The revelations about what actually happened with her mother were an unexpected surprise, but not unbelievably so, and the final chapter tied everything up nicely.

Fun read.