Songwriter Night

Author: D.G. Driver
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Release Date: January 16, 2021

In this sweet romance novella, Lyle and Trish are two aspiring Country music songwriters that meet at a Nashville coffee house. With Trish being new in town, Lyle invites her to his monthly gathering of songwriters to get to know her better. The evening of quirky characters and light-hearted singing is interrupted by the arrival of Aiden Bronson. He’s got a hit song on the radio, and he’s back to show off, stirring up some rivalry while he’s at it. How will Lyle compete against Aiden’s charisma and talent in order to win Trish’s heart?

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Reviewer: Sara Beth Williams

It was apparent within the first chapter that this wasn't just any novelization. I recommend reading the author's note before reading the actual story. This story reads like a play and was converted from a script into a novelization, or rather, a novella. As I read it in that format, I'm reviewing it as such. However, I recommend, as does Driver in the author's note section, that you check out the audio version, which Driver says consists of a full cast of characters, with all original songs sung with instrumental accompaniment: the whole shebang as it were. 

As a novelization, however, I don't think this works well. The 'novel' had only two settings, which unfortunately contributed to a slow pace. 

I enjoyed the characters, their quirkiness, their musical talents, and their friendly interactions. I enjoyed the idea of the premise. I thought the romantic arc was sweet at times. But it wasn't a full romantic arc. They only meet twice in the two settings throughout the story.

Music is my jam (pun intended) but the many songs, though original, weren't particularly moving or interesting to me. Songs with more unique, thought-provoking, or culturally or religiously relevant lyrics would make this story, and the play itself, much more memorable overall. That, for me, was the drawback to the novelization. 

While it was sweet and romantic, I could count on one hand how many inspirational references there were throughout. For me, this is something I look for. 

While I really liked the idea of the promise of Songwriter Night, I was hoping for so much more. 

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