Jane's Harmony (Jane's Melody #2) by Ryan Winfield

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Sequel to the New York Times bestseller Jane's Melody. 

Starting over is hard to do.

That’s what forty-year-old Jane McKinney learns when she quits her job, sells her home, and leaves Seattle behind to start a new life and pursue the man she loves in Austin. After the death of her daughter, Melody, Jane never thought she would find happiness again – until she met Caleb Cummings. Sensitive, loving, and mature beyond his years, Caleb is a handsome young musician struggling to make ends meet. But when his fortunes take an unexpected and drastic turn for the better, Jane is left wondering where exactly she fits in.

Can you ever leave the past behind? Jane must now decide if she really is willing to commit to a new beginning with Caleb – or if some wounds are just too deep to ever truly mend.

I totally fell in love with Jane’s Melody, a bittersweet story about a woman living in the aftermath of her daughter’s death but eventually finding her own bliss. She follows that bliss which comes in the form of a musician named Caleb to Austin where reality sets in. Here he’s living out his dream of making music and performing to intimate audiences. Jane is still in the throes of new love but finds settling into this world a little harder than she expected. Bless her heart, she tries her best and Caleb does what he can to ease her worries.

Things continue to be hot and intense with them. It’s nice to see that hasn’t change. They’re ready to take their relationship to a new level when the opportunity of a lifetime comes along that he just cannot pass up. Jane is incredibly supportive and encouraging of him pursuing his dreams. I think her confidence comes from not only being older but also having lived through some devastating events that have given her great perspective. Caleb may be young but he’s mature beyond his years. This path that he’s going on will test his convictions and his commitment to Jane.  I could not help but be awed by Caleb’s love for her but also by Jane’s trust in her man.

Caleb isn’t the only one facing changes. Jane has her fair share and some of the changes aren't exactly welcome. Some of her old insecurities come back to haunt her and make her question her ability to overcome them. I was honestly surprised by, but not judgmental, of some of her decisions. Having gone through the whole gamut of emotions in Jane’s Melody, I understood where Jane’s head was at here and why she was spinning. 

Some familiar characters pop up here including that curmudgeonly former neighbor but sadly no goat. There is, however, a raccoon. Don’t ask. Trust me, it’s rather funny.

I recently got to meet Ryan Winfield at RT14. Honestly, I was a wee bit starstruck because “Oh my god, this is Ryan Winfield! The guy who wrote THE sweetest and most touching love scene I have ever read!” Yeah, that was running through my head but I don’t think I was able to string together any words in his presence. Embarrassing for me and most likely amusing for him. He was gracious, a gentleman and tall.  See!

If you're a die hard romantic, live for romantic gestures of all sorts and yearn for that sometimes elusive happily ever after, Jane's Harmony will deliver. I urge you to read Jane's Melody first if you haven't. I'll admit that that is my favourite of the two because despite the tragic circumstance of their meeting, what the two of them discover and start to build is such a beautiful and wondrous thing. Jane's Harmony is a lovely continuation of that with them writing a new chapter in their lives. Oh go on and read it. I'm going to step over to the side and quietly shed a tear of joy.

~ Bel

Jane's Melody by Ryan Winfield

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What boundaries would you cross for true love?

That's the question a grieving mother must answer when she takes in a young street musician she believes can shed light on her daughter's death—only to find herself falling for him. A sexy but touching love story that will leave you both tantalized and in tears, Jane's Melody follows a forty-year-old woman on a romantic journey of rediscovery after years of struggling alone.

Sometimes our greatest gifts come from our greatest pain. And now Jane must decide if it's too late for her to start over, or if true love really knows no limits.

Jane’s Melody is a surprisingly thoughtful and pleasant read despite the circumstances that start the events rolling. I must admit that even I wondered why I was taking on this book. I mean did I really need to drown myself in sorrow? Well I guess I did because I’m a glutton for punishment and I was bombarded by images of this book online. There you go – adverts on Facebook work!

Back to the story … Jane is desperate to find out more about Melody, the daughter she lost touch with because of Melody’s drug addiction. She’s clutching at straws when she invites a complete stranger into her household in the hopes of finding answers.  It’s a rough start. At first glance, it may look like Jane turned her back on her only child. But because of her own experience with living through her father's alcoholism and through attending AA meetings over the years, she has learned the hard fact that no addict can be saved until they admit they want and need the help. Winfield gently addresses the fallout of addiction from the point of view of the people who are affected by it. With that he gives Jane a sympathetic and objective perspective on Melody’s troubles.

Caleb is the guy she believes will help her get to know the real Melody. The whole circumstance of how she takes him into her household is a bit weird for me but I went with it. The relationship that develops is sweet.  He’s mum about himself but so very kind that she is drawn to his easy-going personality. He genuinely becomes a good friend to her and for once she starts to relax a bit. When their mutual attraction becomes undeniable, things really heat up. There’s plenty of magic time in this book but they’re described so beautifully. Jane’s hesitation to jump into a relationship with a younger man, and someone who she believes was close to Melody are understandable. But so is her attraction to Caleb. And oh my god when Caleb comes clean to her about his feelings I swear I myself became undone. There’s a very delicate scene involving repainting a room that was so touching that I shed a quiet tear or two. It’s impossible to not be affected by that significant moment.

Jane’s Melody isn’t just about a mother trying to connect the dots about her mysterious daughter. It’s about her own self-discovery and emancipation from the familial crap that’s held her back all her life. It’s about great friendships where the best of friends don’t judge but support each other and come through when most needed.  It’s also about a curmudgeonly old neighbor and a goat. You weren’t expecting that one were you? Neither was I and it provided for some hilarious moments!

Please don’t be fooled. Jane’s Melody may sound like a downer but it is most definitely not. Embracing change, moving on and declaring love are all handled with such care. If you’re in the mood for a sweet romance where the heroine figures out her own happily ever after, then I highly recommend this. And I’ll be reading more by Ryan Winfield in the near future!

~ Bel