Description
Kaylee McGrurd feels like life has left her behind. Her best friends have all moved out, married, or are in the process of matrimony. Meanwhile, she’s lost another job, and her daily diet consists of noodles that are better suited as packing material.
Then Kaylee’s ex, Gabe Sanders, enters the equation.
Gabe walked out on Kaylee without warning or explanation nine years earlier, but now he’s been brought back to the area for the unforeseen future. And he’s in need of new lead vocalist for his wedding band.
A dwindling account balance calls for desperate measures, and Kaylee reluctantly accepts Gabe’s offer. While the former couple works together in the midst of happy marriages and heartfelt melodies, secrets and the need for forgiveness highlight the strife between them…and the hope that maybe God’s rewriting the conclusion to their story.
About the Author:
Joy Palmer loves to write romantic and comedic stories that proclaim God’s deep love for us. She’s a member of American Christian Fiction Writers and an avid blogger. In her spare time, Joy loves to sing (especially Disney songs), drink large quantities of coffee, and take flowery photos for Bookstagram. When Joy isn’t fighting with fictional people, she’s hanging out with her husband and their adorable little girl. Connect with Joy via www.vjoypalmer.com!
Tia Angeline –
I have been waiting to read this book and it was so good! Marriage, Melodies, and Rewritten Conclusions is the third book in V. Joy Palmer’s series. Although I hadn’t read the first two books, I loved Marriage, Melodies, and Rewritten Conclusions! It is the first book that I have read written by V. Joy Palmer and I now want to read all of her books.
Kaylee McGrurd feels like life has left her behind. Her best friends have married or in the process of getting married, and to make matters worse she’s lost another job. However, things get worse when her ex, Gabe Sanders, walks back into her life. Gabe left Kaylee without warning of explanation, but now he is back in the area for the unforeseen future. He’s now in the need of a new vocalist for his wedding band. A dwindling account balance calls for desperate measures and Kaylee finds herself part of Gabe’s band. As Gabe and Kaylee work together in the midst of happy marriages and heartfelt melodies, they will need to work through secrets hidden in the past and hope that maybe God’s rewriting the conclusion to their story.
Kaylee was such a fun character! I loved her dialogue, I think that it made her so unique. She was introverted so it was hard for her to make friends, but she tried her best. I thought it was so cool how she loved Lord of the Rings, she mentioned it a lot. It was her little thing. She was an amazing singer and I loved her development as a character. She learned to forgive and to trust God.
I liked Gabe from the beginning. He was a nice guy and he truly cared for Kaylee. However, it was so frustrating to see him pushing Kaylee away. I thought that he was sweet, I especially liked how much he cared for his mom. He wanted to be better than his dad, but he felt like he was a failure. I felt bad for him, he was so caught up in his sin that he didn’t know how to trust God. Gabe had to learn how to forgive himself and put aside his chains, learning to give it all to God.
I liked reading about Kaylee and Gabe together. They were cute because they knew each other so well. I wanted them to get back together so badly, but I also knew that they had to work through their past secrets first. Kaylee’s friends were so sweet and I loved their relationship. Gabe’s band mates were hilarious but Natalya was so frustrating.
This was a great book! I loved the characters and I was intrigued by the plot. I couldn’t put it down, I read it in one day. I would definitely recommend Marriage, Melodies, and Rewritten Conclusions! This is a relatively clean Christian book, Gabe had some past sins that left a mark on him but it was only mentioned.
I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book which I received from the author. All views expressed are only my honest opinion, I was not required to write a positive review.
mindyhoung –
“But no matter what, we were still on the same side. We were still one. We still loved each other, and that if you and I remained committed to helping each other navigate those broken places, then nothing can tear us apart.”
I have missed reading V Joy Palmer’s witty, clever, pop culture-filled writing. I didn’t realize how much I’ve missed it until I started Kaylee’s journey and met up with all the other beautiful ladies in the previous books (Izze, Apryl, Courtney and their respective husbands/fiances). I loved Kaylee’s first person present tense voice which made it seem like a diary being played out. And her “inner DJ” that plays a song for every situation and scenario, whether real or imagined, was absolutely hilarious. Gabe presents his portion of the story in third person and his backstory slowly unfolds to let Kaylee and the reader figure out why he feels unforgivable. Kaylee and Gabe have a history back in high school, and, when they find themselves working together again in a wedding band, that history resurfaces but it also brings a truckload of baggage spanning at least a decade with it. It was refreshing and real to see that Kaylee and Gabe, though they’re confessing Christians, are not perfect and still struggle with God’s gift of grace and extending forgiveness to others. And the mysterious Lou strikes again in this book to knock some sense and God’s truth into the main characters when they need it the most. The book will enthrall you with plenty of snark, good-humored banter, laugh-out-loud moments, heart-breaking raw emotions and capture your heart with deep, abiding friendships and absolute spiritual truths, particularly about unconditional love. This book is the perfect romcom to curl up with on a rainy day.
It’s book 3 in the adventure that spans four best friends’ lives but it can definitely be read as a stand-alone. I’m hoping for a new series soon by the author! I received a copy of the book from the publisher via JustRead Publicity Tours and was under no obligation to post a positive review. All comments and opinions are solely my own.
Cheryl Hart –
Although it’s only January, I can confidently put Marriage Melodies and Rewritten Conclusions on my 2021 Favorites list. I adore this story and its endearing and memorable characters. But what I love most about this tale is the brilliant writer’s voice. I’m not a huge fan of present tense stories because oftentimes it distracts me, but V. Joy Palmer has mastered this first-person present-tense narration. The conversational tone brings this wholesome romance to life with personality, music, faith, wit, and tenderness.
I had so much fun reading this book. I enjoyed Kaylee’s individuality and the chemistry and snark she shares with Gabe. She’s easy to connect with and her emotions, as well as Gabe’s, feel authentic. I laughed repeatedly at the author’s humor and admire the thread of faith and forgiveness expertly woven throughout the story.
Sprinkled with comedy, faith, and delicate relationship dynamics, this Christian romance story shares important messages of forgiveness, redemption, and salvation. I enjoyed every minute of it!
This was a new-to-me author, and I can’t wait to read more of her outstanding work!
Dɪsᴄʟᴏsᴜʀᴇ: I ʀᴇᴄᴇɪᴠᴇᴅ ᴀ ᴄᴏᴍᴘʟɪᴍᴇɴᴛᴀʀʏ ᴄᴏᴘʏ ᴏғ ᴛʜɪs ʙᴏᴏᴋ. Mʏ ʀᴇᴠɪᴇᴡ ᴡᴀs ɴᴏᴛ ɪɴғʟᴜᴇɴᴄᴇᴅ.
cps1950 –
I first thought that this was a contemporary romance about a couple who loved, separated, and then, found themselves back in each other’s orbit. Learning the hurt and disappointments that they had endured, it seemed unlikely that Kaylee and Gabe could ever find a future together. Author V. Joy Palmer, however, proved me very wrong. Marriage, Melodies, and Rewritten Conclusions is a story of forgiveness and reconciliation: learning to forgive others, being able to forgive ourselves, and accepting that we all have human failings!
This is a book filled with intriguing characters, a plot that contains music and pop culture, and the daily conflicts of Kaylee, Gabe, and the other members of their wedding band.. More importantly, it is a story of second chances, both human and divine. Palmer reminds us that God loves us and He is always willing to give us a second chance. God is eager to share His wonderful gift of Grace!
This is such an inspiring story and I recommend Marriage, Melodies, and Rewritten Conclusions to all who enjoy contemporary Christian romance.
I received a complimentary copy of this book but there was no obligation to share a positive review. These are my own thoughts.