I am so glad I got to read songs for your mother. I fell in love with it straight away and could not put it down. I finished reading it a day because it was so addictive. You definitely go on emotional rollcoster reading this book it makes you laugh and cry. It’s definitely will make you cry. If you not read it I definitely recommend you do. The end of the book I wanted to know so much more . I have lots of unanswered questions. I am hoping the author does second book. There was few twits I didn’t see coming which kept me guessing. Jonny is main character and is goes on trip with his best friend in America and meets a lady called lauren where is life changes forever. The writing style is excellent and keeps you wanting to read more and the characters are easy to warm to. I will definitely read more of Gordon MacMillan books in the future.
Thank you NetGalley for letting me read this book.

A trip to the USA is supposed to be the an epic journey between two best friends. Johnny & Will are in California and while in Santa Cruz, Johnny meets Lauren and a connection is made. They spend the night together and learn all about each other. They learn about likes, dislikes and everything in between. In the morning when they part Johnny promises to meet up with Will and come back to her. While convincing Will to head back tragedy strikes and Johnny finds himself back in England. After years of struggle Johnny feels he is settle back into his life and is living in London. Things are good not great but he is in such a better place until a woman and a little boy show up at his doorstep. Johnny takes one look at the little one and has a feeling he knows who he is. He learns that Lauren and he created this little boy all those years ago. He learns that Lauren is very sick and near death. He knows that her friend doesn’t have such a great opinion of her and he is flabbergasted when she leaves the boy with him. Johnny jumps write into parenting. Figuring out the ins and out of raising a little boy. Play dates, tantrums and sleepless nights. He is doing a pretty good job but there is something missing. He has letters from Lauren to help him raise the boy but he wants to see if he can find her. To see if she has passed away. To try to bring this family back together once again.. this story made me laugh and cry.. it was well written and I really did like the characters. I would absolutely read an other book by this author. I want to thank Netgalley & Gordon MacMillan for my advanced copy..

This book will grab your heart and pull you in
An emotional read but a blummin good one
Absolutely loved this book
Keep the tissues handy
Thanks NetGalley

This is just wonderful. I recommend this book for anyone who wants a nice sad full of tears read!
I cry until there's no tears left. it hurts to read this book but it's good!!
Look at the title and the premise! it's so so good!
it's a beautifully written , emotional but heart-warming book!

Thanks to Netgalley and publishers for the ARC!

thanks to netgalley and the publisher for providing me with the e-ARC in exchange for an honest review.

what a heartful read! i'm sad and crying a river. it was so touching to read that i'm rubbed out of words, was also such a quick read i read it in one sitting and loved it.

An emotional feel good read. Well written, sad, funny, sweet and sensitive.My thanks to NetGalley, the publisher and the author for an advance copy in exchange for an honest review.

This is an amazing book, I didn't read the blurb on the back before reading it, so I had no idea what it was about. I was blessed to be able to get it via #Netgally.
What can I say, I was completely engrossed in this story and at some points the misfortunes took me down and I felt I was actually living it.
As a Parent to an almost 18 year old I can agree with a lot of the sentiments, hurt, loss, happiness, joy and inspiration.

I feel if I write too much about the characters, I will give too much away and this book is best enjoyed in it's unspoiled state.

Get your tissues out and enjoy.

I was granted a free copy of this text by Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. I LOVED this text! MacMillan is a great author that sucks in the reader to this heartwarming book. Men, women, anyone should read this book.

'Songs For Your Mother' is a quick read, which had me wanting to read to the end, it was entertaining, it had me very interested in the concept from the description, however, I felt it slightly missed out and did not quite live up to its potential.
You meet the one of your dreams who you could see yourself with forever, you promise you will return, but circumstances keep you from doing so. Six years later a five year old child turns up on your doorstep and they are your son, you are a father and did not know it, you need to adapt to fatherhood and full time parenting, immediately. Will Johnny live up to expectations? Will Luke get the parenting he desperately needs?
An enjoyable, quick read, which in my view could have been deeper and have more substance.
Thanks to NetGalley for a Kindle copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

This was such a lovely read. It seemed real even though 5 year old Luke being delivered to Johnny in London was a very dramatic touch. Basing the love story around song was so appropriate for the characters concerned. My heart strings were pulled and I cried. A lovely story of friendship between Johnny and Will, and then with TSP and Susan, and the friendship between Georgia and Luke is heartwarming. Just a lovely read. #netgalley #songsforyourmother

“Intriguing is always interesting as a place to start, as you never know where it might take you.”

This quote is taken from the book and definitely sums up how I felt during the opening pages. Johnny is on a physical journey: a road trip with his best pal Will. However, a chance encounter with Lauren makes it clear that Johnny may be about to embark on an entirely different, emotional and life changing journey…

The characters in the book are wonderful. I really felt empathy for Johnny from the beginning and thought Lauren came across really well.

There were some really upsetting and shocking twists in this book and that definitely kept me gripped and captivated. There are also some beautiful and emotional scenes that show the power of human connection.

I loved that the story skipped time frame so we were able to see into the future of Johnny’s life and what happens when Luke arrives. These scenes remind me a little of one of my favourite films, Big Daddy, in that there was some soft humour but also touching scenes and an honest exploration of the change and chaos, but also joy, that being a parent brings to your life.

Overall, this has been a beautiful, heart-warming and dramatic book that I have enjoyed from beginning to end. I loved the emotion that was packed into the ending. I would definitely recommend this book to fans of authors such as Rachel Marks and JoJo Moyes.

First, I want to thank Gordon MacMillan, Hera Books, NetGalley and Rachel’s Random Resources for providing me with this book so I can bring you this review.

WOW!! I instantly fell head over heels in love with Gordon MacMillan’s beautifully written debut’s novel Songs For Your Mother!! His book will pull hard on all of your heart strings big time to the point where you may shed a tear or two (at least I did).

The graphic designers did a fantastic job capturing the essence of the book and the characters. I loved how it was done in cartoonish characters too.

Gordon hooked my attention right away within the prologue and just needed to know what happened leading up to those events. Needless to say I knew I was going to fall in love with this book just by that prologue and I was correct!

If you are a music fan then you will love this book. Songs For Your Mother is strongly based around music and song writing. There were many references to pop culture music references such as Say Anything. I couldn’t stop smiling at that reference as I am a huge fan of that movie. Infact, in the back of the book Gordon posts some of the song titles and lyrics used in the book. I thought that was such a unique twist.

One of the best storylines in the book was when Lauren and Johnny met.

Gordon brings awareness to many very important topics in Songs For Your

There were some wicked time jumps with shocking out of the blue outcomes that left me emotional.

However, nothing prepared me for the big climatic shocker that not only blew my mind but of other characters as well. It was this one storyline that Gordon really shined as an author on many different levels. He brought out so many emotions in so many characters on so many levels it was just amazing how he handled each situation.

What was truly beautiful to see this storyline come full circle into something magnificent.

Thank you to the author, Hera Books and NetGalley for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

This was a heartwrenching, heartwarming story of a young man forced by circumstance to become an instant dad. It's a quick read - it's emotional and the author hits the tone just right in terms of giving the characters their own voice. Yes, I would have liked a bit more resolution, and a bit more insight into the two close female friends of the dad, but overall this is a lovely read about growing into responsibility and love.

What a beautiful and emotional story. Definitely a book I'll be recommending to my book club group.
First time I've read this author but will definitely be seeing what other books are available

This review has been made possible thanks to NetGalley and Hera Books. Thank you for giving me the chance to review the book honestly prior to its publication.

I was originally drawn in by the stunning cover (ignoring what they say about judging books by their covers) because it conveyed a sense of melancholy in its simplicity. And I am always partial to some minimalist colour-blocked covers! The second thing that appealed to me what the concept - Johnny opens his door to his five year old son, a byproduct of one night with the girl he’s certain was the love of his life while on a road trip around the US with his best friend Will. It gave off very strong Three Men and a Baby or Baby Daddy vibes, just with a five year old Luke instead.

The rest of the book focuses on Johnny stepping up to be a parent, with the help of his friends and family - as they say, it takes a village to raise a child. He was also coming to terms with missing out on the years he could have spent with Lauren, raising their child together, and Luke’s early years and first milestones, which he writes up in songs to and about her. Another fun aspect of the novel was the imagined conversations between Johnny and Lauren, through the letters she left with Luke, answering any questions he would have about parenting.

I found that the book was really quick to read, I finished it in less than a day, the writing flowed smoothly and the chapters divided different scenes and time periods well. At points, I did find the characterisation of the children as too mature in their speech or too infantile, and the adults felt like they fell within tropes and were a bit one-dimensional. I was also hoping there would be a resolution regarding Johnny and Lauren, or someone else as a potential partner for him but was disappointed. There were also a few moments that felt a bit forced or too serendipitous, such as songs conveniently coming on the radio, very specific movie choices etc.

On the whole, it was a sweet story about kismet between two people, a man coming to terms with suddenly being responsible for a child, and a community coming together to help him raise Luke. I would have loved to read more about Johnny’s friend TSP (though I did not like her name) and her relationship with Will, as well as their other friend Susan and her personality outside of her career.

I would definitely recommend this book to anyone who’s in the mood for something bittersweet, a little bit melancholy and who loves music and song lyrics.

👨‍👦Instant father, trying times mixed with joy😍

4.5🌟 stars
This novel has some brutally sad moments and lots of regret about the road not taken, but it's a great story. Told from a man's point of view, lead protagonist Jon is realistically flawed and haunted by Lauren, the woman he left behind. As he takes on the responsibility of raising their young son Luke, the story realistically portrays his fears, misgivings and challenges right along with the sublime father-son moments like helping his son learn to ride a bike and sharing their love of broccoli. There's so much poignancy and emotion in his fatherhood journey, with good days and terrible tantrums.

Despite the sadness underlying the short-lived romance and Lauren's illness, I really enjoyed Songs For Your Mother but it did seem a bit slow at times. Still, A very worthwhile read.

Thanks to Hera Books and NetGalley for providing a complimentary advance copy of the book; this is my voluntary and honest review.

I thought this book was delightful. It pulled at my heart strings and I would totally recommend this as a feel good book.

On the roadtrip through the United States, Johnny meets Lauren. Despite his promise to return, he's unable to and the two never speak again. One day, six years later, a young boy named Luke shows up on his door. In an instant, Johnny becomes a father to five-year-old Luke and is tangentially reunited with Lauren, who is now dying and unable to care for their son.

I thought the premise and the characters were unique. I loved the use of songwriting throughout the novel. My only qualm was the time skips. We see the first few days that Johnny and Luke live together, and I felt like I would have enjoyed seeing more of their relationship development.

What a beautiful and heartbreaking story!
I fell in love with this book!
I honestly enjoyed everything about this book!
The writing! The romance. The friendship that's built! Amazing job well done here!

One night when travelling in America, Jon met and fell for a girl (Lauren) he met in California. They had plans to meet up again but Jon and his best friend were in a car crash which left Jon in a coma and killed his best friend. Almost six years later in England, a five year old boy is deposited at Jon's house with a letter informing him that this is his son, the mother is terminally ill with cancer and he has to take care of him now. This is quite a pleasant read as Jon gets to know his young son and fill in some of the blanks of the last five years. Jon and Lauren bonded over a shared love of music and he shares this with his son. It's a bit of a sappy book but a nice enough read and I got through it quite quickly.

This book touched my very soul. It was beautiful and heart breaking at the same time.
A love story that takes place in less than 24 hours but aligns two souls so perfectly and creates a bond that holds them together for a life time, Johnny and Luke are so beautiful together, they are thrown together and besides bring father and son they are bonded over the love of one woman. The songs throughout the book are poignant and those lyrics speak volumes more than pages of feelings. Pure love and admiration are in those few specially chosen words that capture how Johnny and Lauren truly feel.

I knew there could never be a happy ending with Lauren’s diagnoses, yet some how by the end, through the tears there was a happiness. They were reunited, no matter how briefly it may be and they get to be a family and they their love shine.

An absolute must read and I know it will stay with me for a long time to come.