Synopsis
What if your dreams were so close you could reach out and touch them?
How could anyone resist Michael Tennant, with his hypnotic blue eyes and voice like molten chocolate? Jessie Simmons certainly can’t. But Jessie’s a single mum who can’t sing to save her life – there’s no way she’ll ever cross paths with the star tenor.
At least that’s what she thinks until she’s unexpectedly invited to take part in a new reality TV show. The premise? Professional singers teach hopeless amateurs how to sing. The surprise? Jessie’s partner is none other than Michael Tennant!
As she becomes better acquainted with the man behind the voice, will Jessie find out the hard way that you should never meet your idols? Or will she get more than she bargained for?
Kathryn Freeman
Kathryn was born in Wallingford, England but has spent most of her life living in a village near Windsor. After studying pharmacy in Brighton she began her working life as a retail pharmacist. She quickly realised that trying to decipher doctor’s handwriting wasn’t for her and left to join the pharmaceutical industry where she spent twenty happy years working in medical communications. In 2011, backed by her family, she left the world of pharmaceutical science to begin life as a self-employed writer, juggling the two disciplines of medical writing and romance. Some days a racing heart is a medical condition, others it’s the reaction to a hunky hero…
With two teenage boys and a husband who asks every Valentine’s Day whether he has to bother buying a card again this year (yes, he does) the romance in her life is all in her head. Then again, her husband’s unstinting support of her career change goes to prove that love isn’t always about hearts and flowers – and heroes can come in many disguises.
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Jessie can’t sing but is entered into a TV singing competition by her two sons. Members of the public are teamed up with professional singers who over the course of a week have to try and help them improve. It’s Jessie’s luck to be teamed up with her idol, Michael Tennant, or is it? This competition isn’t Michael’s idea and he is not about to make things easy for her. Both characters are complex, and as their relationship develops, their insecurities and misunderstandings and Michael’s personal assistant all throw up obstacles. This book was everything I wanted from a romantic novel. It was a pleasure to read. A great book that put a smile on my face. Thank you Kathryn.
Until “Reach for a Star” my favourite book by Kathryn Freeman has been “Too Charming”. I think I now have a new favourite as “Reach for a Star” really is a great escapist story. Clear your diary and settle down to enjoy this as leaving it unfinished is not an option. I am so lucky to be part of the Choc Lit panel and to have read this in return for an honest review.
Jessie is an ordinary middle aged single mum with two young boys and a dreadful singing voice. When she is thrust into the spotlight with a famous singer, sparks fly. This is a fabulous story with a lovely lead that you will like and can relate to. Is meeting your idol all it’s cracked up to be? I thoroughly enjoyed this novel and totally recommend it. The author, Kathryn Freeman, is a very talented story teller who creates great characters and plots. Highly recommended
I loved this novel, I just wanted to keep reading.
The characters were engaging, and felt real, they all had flaws. None of them changed their personalities in order to make a happy ending, but changed their points of view. Difficulties were overcome logically, without screechy handbrake turn into plot devices, and everything just read smoothly. I could almost see the action, it was kind of cinematic.
The story was different from anything I’ve read before, although it had all the normal romance go-tos like people who hate each other eventually realise they love each other, and the usual misunderstandings, but what it did so well was to show a little of the reasoning behind the two main conflicts, from both sides, so we weren’t just faced with a good v evil plot line, it was rounded out, and we saw both sides struggling to rationalise their argument in the face of the other’s logic.
Loved it, just loved it.
This story was a really believable story despite the highly unlikely synopsis. The interaction between all of the characters, not just the leading players was very well portrayed. The hero, Michael, and heroine, Jessie, were so well written I felt I knew them. The romance was so impossible that like Jessie, I believed that this story would have an unhappy ending. I will not say anything more as do not want to spoil your enjoyment of the read. Just make sure you have chocolate and tissues to hand!
I’m sure most of us have secret dreams of what it is actually like to be propelled into fame overnight, and what about those of us who have a kid or kids? Would we automatically turn down the fame for our child’s wellbeing? That is Jessie’s dilemma, navigating the path of fame and family.
I loved this book, and I didn’t want it to end. Michael is a celebrity who isn’t comfortable with fame and Jessie is a mother who cannot sing yet has won a competition to be taught be Michael, a world famous singer…….What could possibly go wrong pretty much everything.
My emotions were on a rollercoaster ride as Jessie battles all her fears , insecurities, and worries and that’s before she sings a note. Michael on the other hand, battles his own demons as he is on his own questionable quest to transform Jessie into someone who can sing a tune, a difficult feat when he learns Jessie can’t sing.
I wasn’t too sure really about this book to begin with, as I am not fond of this kind of plot (similarly with reality TV), but in view of the fact that I couldn’t give up on it, then got a bit emotional about it, I have decided it must be a good one!
The heroine is Jessie – mid thirties divorced single mum of 2 boys, working as a pharmacist, but who loves to sing, though her voice isn’t good, to say the least. She is a huge fan of Michael Tennant, classical/cross tenor, and unknown to her, her two boys enter her into a ‘reality’competition show – for which she is accepted, to sing with Michael after a week of practise. Michael is in fact a very private man, with a bad relationship experience in his past, reluctantly drawn to Jessie’s fresh and natural outlook on life. We have lots of ups and downs throughout but we do ‘reach’ (pun intended) a good full stop to the story. To sum up, it is certainly well worth 4 stars.
5* A delightful read
A fun tale about Jessie when she wins a chance to be taught to sing by a famous singer in a TV competition. Except that Jessie can’t sing, even her two sons complain when she tries, she’s to be coached by Michael Tennant, an internationally famous tenor and Jessie’s hero for years.
At Jessie’s first lesson she laughs at her inability to carry a tune, but Michael, who takes his profession very seriously, is horrified when he hears her voice. Both want to immediately leave the competition, but leaving would result in bad publicity for Michael and Jessie is up for a challenge. Sparks fly as they get to know each other with merely one week for Michael to make a singer out of Jessie. At the end of the week they have to sing a duet together on live TV. So no pressure on Michael.
Will Jessie manage to hold a few correct notes after a week of coaching by Michael, and when will Michael realise there is more to life than concert touring?
Excellent and thoroughly recommended.