A Song for Julia

Thompson Sisters #1

by Charles Sheehan-Miles

Everyone should have something to rebel against.

Crank Wilson left his South Boston home at sixteen to start a punk band and burn out his rage at the world. Six years later, he’s still at odds with his father, a Boston cop, and doesn’t ever speak to his mother. The only relationship that really matters is with his younger brother, but watching out for Sean can be a full-time job. The one thing Crank wants in life is to be left the hell alone to write his music and drive his band to success.

Julia Thompson left a secret behind in Beijing that exploded into scandal in Washington, DC, threatening her father's career and dominating her family's life. Now, in her senior year at Harvard, she's haunted by a voice from her past and refuses to ever lose control of her emotions again, especially when it comes to a guy.

When Julia and Crank meet at an anti-war protest in Washington in the fall of 2002, the connection between them is so powerful it threatens to tear everything apart.

Genres: New Adult, Romance, Contemporary, Contemporary Romance, Music, College, Young Adult

369 pages, Paperback

First published December 2, 2012

About the author

Charles Sheehan-Miles has been a soldier, computer programmer, short-order cook and non-profit executive, and is the author of several fiction and non-fiction books, including the indie bestsellers Just Remember to Breathe and Republic: A Novel of America's Future. Charles and his wife Andrea Randall live and write together in South Hadley, Massachusetts.

Find out more at http://www.sheehanmiles.com

You're also invited to join the Remember to Breathe Facebook group at https://www.facebook.com/groups/remem...

Reviews

[Karolina · Rating 4 out of 5]

It all started with a kiss...




After which Julia was all




And Crank




Yep that's his name, first more than up for it, all of a sudden said




At which point I was thinking




Than they both went back to their lives and Crank not being able to stop thinking about her writes a song




I'm thinking





But when Julia hears it she's all




And I'm like




Than there is loads of different drama after which Crank is all




And than Julia does something stupid like this




And I'm like




Than she's all why did I do that?




Finally Julia decides to sort her shit out, and I'm all




After which they both end up




And all I can do is




And at the same time

[Kristin (KC) · Rating 5 out of 5]

CURRENTLY FREE on AMAZON!
8/28/14
http://www.amazon.com/Song-Julia-Thom...

*5 Stars!*

A Song For Julia is a touching page turner that not only surrounds a poignant love story but impressively demonstrates the healing bonds of family and friendship. The characters were packed with charm and the pages were infused with inspiration. Although this story was not nearly as heartbreaking as many, I quite often found myself reduced to tears in the midst of its many candid, emotionally charged moments. I completely lost myself to the delicate power of this book.

Appearances don't mean everything...

To most of the outside world, Julia is a privileged Harvard princess whose rough exterior successfully wards off the people around her. No one knows the reason she keeps herself guarded, or what has caused her to become so emotionally paralyzed that she chooses not to trust.

Everyone should have something to rebel against.

Crank appears to be your typical, arrogant bad-boy:
Lead singer of a band: Check
An entourage of women: Check
Can't and won't settle down: Check, check.

Let me be clear. I don't get hung up on girls. They get hung up on me. I know that sounds all sexist and all, but I don't give a damn how it sounds. It's the way it is.

... But underneath this bad-boy persona hides a truly selfless hero who is a broken product of a painful past.

When these two meet, the judgement and bitterness is there — but so is an undeniable attraction. Their playful banter was flirty and argumentative, with a sexy demeanor. Their getting-to-know each other process was adorable and I found myself glued to the pages that followed. Julia's protective walls were difficult to chip away, but I found Crank's patient persistence endearing.

Before you go, you need to know—I'd do anything for you ... Even kiss you goodbye and watch you go.

There was so much reality in this book: characters who were severely flawed and made mistakes, insurmountable hurt, family disfunction, disappointment. Nothing was magically fixed in an instant after a lifetime of being broken. The story moved at a believable pace, and I found it to be one of the most honest and uplifting portrayals of broken souls redeemed that I've ever had the pleasure of reading. The musical aspect entwined was an incredible addition to this story.

I can't possibly end this review without complimenting the stunning writing; writing so raw and inspiring that I found myself sinking easily into its depths. There's so much insight to be found, yet it comes across as natural and completely unpretentious. The dialogue was engaging and the alternating perspective switch from hero to heroine was distinctive and FLAWLESS. Many of the secondary characters took center stage and stole my heart. Each one had their own obstacles to overcome, and the author brilliantly portrayed each circumstance. If you're someone who tends to shy away from romance written by men, please don't pass this one up: it is a truly outstanding, emotionally gripping, BEAUTIFUL story of life, love, trust, and forgiveness.

Home is where the people you love are. It's about finding the things that matter to you, holding on to them and taking care of them...

Book Stats:
▪ Genre/Category: Romance/ New Adult
▪ Steam Caliber: Mild steam
▪ Romance: Slow burn and hesitant. Tender and honest.
▪ Characters: Damaged and broken.
▪ Plot: Displays the power of friendship, forgiveness, trust and love. Strong element of music.
▪ Writing: Flawless, engaging, inspiring.
▪ POV: 1st Person: Dual perspectives
▪ Cliffhanger: None. Can be read as standalone.
▪ Next Installment: Character spinoff
▪ HEA? Yes

[Christy · Rating 5 out of 5]

5 stars!



If I could describe this book in one word, it would be unforgettable. The writing, the story, the characters. All of it. A truly beautiful and moving story about love, family, forgiveness, and healing.

Julia and Crank are two very different people. They do have something in common. They both stay clear of relationships.



They meet at an anti-war protest in Washington DC where Crank’s band is playing. Julia is helping to organize the event. Julia is a Harvard student, she appears to be the typical successful good girl. There is much more to her than that. Her life hasn’t been as easy as you would think. She doesn’t do relationships (with anyone, not just men) for a reason.

I’ve never liked feeling out of control. Not like that. I’d gone there once, head over heels in love, and it did so much damage to my life I didn’t think I’d ever recover. No way I’d ever go there again. Whatever else happened, I was in control of my life.

Crank is the rockstar/bad boy. He’s the lead singer of a rock band. He’s a high school drop out. He’s got the tattoo’s, the piercings etc. But there is so much more to this man than what appears.

“Appearances aren’t everything.”

Crank asks Julia out and for some reason, she says yes. The two of them really hit it off. For two people who don’t let anyone really in, they become intertwined in each others lives. After meeting Crank’s family just once, Julia gets pulled in. She doesn’t have a real relationship with her parents, but something with Crank’s father and brother click with her. Crank doesn’t ever bring girls around, so both the men in his life know Julia is special. For the first time in his life, Crank wants something different. He wants more. And he wants it with the one girl who may not be able to give it to him.

“Maybe I need something that means something.”

“I’m ready to take some risks.”

“We’ll take them together.”


Crank falls hard and fast for Julia. There is something about this girl. She’s different than anyone he’s ever known. As Crank’s music is starting to really take off, he realizes what is really important. His life isn’t just about the band and meaningless girls anymore. It’s about her. She inspires his music and his life. Julia isn’t ready to take that step yet. Crank is willing to do whatever it takes to keep Julia in his life. More than that, he wants to make sure she’s okay. That she’s happy. She has so many obstacles from her past that she has never been able to move forward from. Crank knows she needs to get past these issues before they can ever give it a real go, but it’s so hard to give someone you love that kind of space.



All those things that Crank feels for Julia, she feels right back for him. She just can’t admit it to him, or herself for that matter. But with the help of a friend, she realizes something important. Crank is the only place to her thats ever felt like home.

“Home's where the people you love are. It's about finding the things that matter to you, and holding on to them and taking care of them.”

Julia was a strong heroine. Things from the past made her the way she was, but I have a lot of respect for anyone that can come out of a situation like that with no support and continue to survive. It takes strength. What can I say about Crank? I adored him. He was kind, loving, patient, funny, sexy and sweet. The way he interacted with his brother, it showed a lot about his character. There was so much more than what meets the eye with Crank. He wasn’t the ‘typical’ hero, but he was a fantastic leading man. Not only did I love both of the main characters, but Crank’s brother and father, plus Julia’s sister, Carrie made the story for me. The connection Julia and Sean had was beautiful. I love how they were able to relate to one another.

I would classify this as a contemporary romance, but it was so much more than just your typical romance story. After finishing this book (which I completely devoured in one sitting), I had the biggest smile on my face. I love books that make me feel. I laughed, I cried, I felt for these characters. Everything about this book was beautiful. I loved the dual pov, the writing was flawless and the story was moving. This will be one of those books I will rave about to anyone who will listen. A story that will stay with me for a long time. A more than 5 star read for me!

[SueBee★bring me an alpha!★]

FREE on Amazon US today (6/24/2016)

Stand-alone.

BLURB:
Everyone should have something to rebel against.

Crank Wilson left his South Boston home at sixteen to start a punk band and burn out his rage at the world. Six years later, he’s still at odds with his father, a Boston cop, and doesn’t ever speak to his mother. The only relationship that really matters is with his younger brother, but watching out for Sean can be a full-time job. The one thing Crank wants in life is to be left the hell alone to write his music and drive his band to success.

Julia Thompson left a secret behind in Beijing that exploded into scandal in Washington, DC, threatening her father's career and dominating her family's life. Now, in her senior year at Harvard, she's haunted by a voice from her past and refuses to ever lose control of her emotions again, especially when it comes to a guy.

When Julia and Crank meet at an anti-war protest in Washington in the fall of 2002, the connection between them is so powerful it threatens to tear everything apart.

FREE: https://www.amazon.com/Song-Julia-Tho...


FREEBIES are often good for MORE than one day, I have gathered all my FREEBIES on a special shelf: Kindle-freebies (currently over 500 books)
https://www.goodreads.com/review/list...

[Angie - Angie's Dreamy Reads · Rating 5 out of 5]

THIS REVIEW HAS BEEN POSTED AT ANGIE'S DREAMY READS


5 UNBELIEVABLY BEAUTIFUL STARS

This book was completely FANTASTIC!!! I am in love with it. Please if you get a chance READ IT!!!

This was my first Charles Sheehan-Miles book and will not be my last. I can't even tell you how amazing and sweet and gratifying it was to read. This author's writing is beautiful, absolutely beautiful and eloquent. The story was sweet, heart warming and emotionally gripping. It made me feel so many fantastic emotions. It was one of those books that really leaves you feeling fulfilled and good at the end. The kind that is soul satisfying.

I loved it, loved it, loved it!!!!

"Sometimes things aren't what they appear. We all have hurts that we don't show."

Julia and Crank meet at an Anti War protest. Julia is the girl in charge of the speakers and bands that are performing at the event and Crank is a member of one of the bands called Morbid Obesity. It's a moment of lust at first sight for Crank and intrigue for Julia so they decide to meet up after the event for some lunch. As Julia and Crank hang out Crank finds himself really enjoying Julia’s company which for him is strange. He’s not the kind of guy that ever takes interest in a girl for more than one night but something about Julia is different and captivating (no it's NOT a love at first sight story ;) Even though it sounds like it). These are two damaged young people that are carrying around some pretty heavy emotional baggage from traumas and situations that they have experienced growing up. Their lunch goes well (and has a seriously surprising ending :O ) and Crank and Julia go separate ways with Julia wanting to never see Crank again BUT (hehehe) a couple days later in a very accidental way they meet again. And from there a relationship is slowly and painstakingly formed and the start of a truly beautiful and breathtaking love story begins!!



My heart broke for Julia in this book. This young girl had experienced some horrible emotional trauma and it ripped my heart out. Julia has built up these thick walls around her and does not let anyone get close. She does not allow herself to EVER fall in love because she believes that love only brings pain and disappointment that leads to serious consequences. She struggles to let Crank in not really giving the relationship a chance. It was extremely frustrating at times reading as she shut him down continually. I knew why she did it though, she never healed from the things that happened to her and the fear of loosing control in a relationship and giving someone that much power scared the hell out of her. Seeing Julia's emotional healing and experiencing her grief was incredible. The author wrote this character in such away that this girls feeling were palpable.

" I remember what it was like to have a hot, sexy, charismatic guy want me. I remembered what it was like to loose control, to feel that rush of emotion. To be overwhelmed.
I remember what it was like to have my heart torn out, to have my dreams smashed...
No matter how much I wanted this guy: I couldn't go back there. Not now. Not ever." ~ Julia

Crank (Let the swooning begin) .... Oh girls!! He was a sweet sexy bad boy that had a string of ladies at his beck and call. Is there anything sexier than a rock star??? NO there isn't. Cranks band is all he has going for himself. He left home at sixteen to get away from a rocky relationship with his dad. He lived on the bad side of town getting into a lot of trouble but eventually found his calling in music. This band is his life. Crank falls head over heels for Julia. At first he thinks "WHAT THE HELL AM I THINKING"!!! But the more he hangs out and see's Julia the more she gets under his skin and he can't get her out of his head and heart.

“What do you want from me, Crank?” Her voice was raw, desperate.
I looked at her. She was so close, but might as well have been a thousand miles away. I said, “I want you to love me.”

Julia and Cranks relationship is angsty and rough. There is a lot of back and forth. It's mostly Crank trying to get close and Julia wanting to run for the hills. It's beautiful though because you get to experience Cranks make up with his parents and Julia's personal healing from her traumatic experiences. Not only that you get to watch them fall in love and...sigh....it was just AMAZING.

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Overall I can say the only let down was that I wanted a little more steaminess in certain parts. I felt like the author lead us on a tiny bit and then never came through at the end. The sexual tension and emotional aspect was certainly there but a little more steam and a pay off at the end would have been nice. This did not in ANY way effect my rating of the book though. This authors writing was BEYOND incredible.

Angie :)

THIS QUOTE TO ME IS JULIA AND CRANK
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[Amy | Foxy Blogs · Rating 5 out of 5]

❖FREE❖ ➜ http://amzn.to/1pBQ1Q6
6/16/2014



**5 Heart-Felt Stars**

A Song for Julia is my first book by Charles Sheehan-Miles and it won't be my last. I was captivated from the very beginning by the writing and story.

A dual point of view of Crank and Julia's story. Crank is a struggling musician who is a notorious bad boy. He dropped out of high school to get away from his family and found himself playing music and hooking up with a different girl every night. Julia is a Harvard student who has created a life of solitude. Growing up her dad's job had them moving every 3 years leaving her feeling like a vagabond.

Julia had a horrible thing happen to her when she is 14 years old which haunts her even eight years later. She won't let others close to her because she fears being hurt again.

Crank's dad gives him advice about Julia.

"But if you love her ... you have to give her what she needs. Even if that means letting her go."

Julia's former bodyguard gives her advice.

"Family matter more than anything. Home's where the people you love are. It's about finding the things that matter to you, and holding on to the and taking care of them."

SERIES:

Can be read as standalones or as a series. If you want to read in chronological order follow the order above.

SPINOFF SERIES:

A three book spinoff of the Thompson Sisters series.

[Beverly · Rating 5 out of 5]

5++ Stars



I have friends who rank their top books for the year, season, and/or quarter. Well I am a little different I struggle to even rank my favorite books, but I will say this absolutely loved this book. It is by far one of my favorite books this year.

Julia Thompson has her life planned out for her, she is going to Harvard, she is going into the foreign service, and she is never going to fall in love or lose control again.

Crank Wilson is a struggle musician and losing control is what he does best. He meets Julia while performing at an antiwar rally, he thinks she’s wicked hot, but he knows the type of girl she is and he knows she is a lot of work. Crank isn’t about work he is about getting what he wants, when he wants it.

Crank and Julia end up going to dinner together, after some instigating from his bandmates. Julia is attracted to Crank, but that is the very reason she has to avoid him. While Crank thinks what the hell, I have nothing to lose.

This begins a series of events that keep bringing these two back into each other’s lives, eventually leading to them dating.

Now the fun part, why I love this book.

The story is told from both Crank and Julie’s point of view and I loved their thoughts and actions. Crank is a typical guy, and I loved that. He checks out girls, but afterwards calls himself a pig. He cares about Julia and then calls himself out for being emotional. So many times we have these male characters who are the opposite of any guy I have ever met, not Crank.



I loved Julia and her struggle. Julia has had real heartache, and I completely understand the armor she wears. Her wanting to protect herself is completely justifiable and she is always up front and honest with Crank.

I loved the way Julia adapted and fit in with Crank’s family. I loved Crank’s brother Sean! He has Aspergers and doesn’t have a lot of friends, but grasped onto Julia. I loved the parts of the story with Sean. Jack and Margo, Crank’s parents, the sacrificing and examples they were to Julia and Crank.



I loved how real this book was, it wasn’t complicated, the issues were relatable and similar to real life.The writing is phenomenal, and you are immediately sucked into this world.



I could go on and on about A Song for Julia, but I need to stop before this review needs cliff notes. Basically, the gist is you need to read this book!

“What do you want from me, Crank?”

“I want you to love me.”

[Kirsty · Rating 5 out of 5]

I just have to start off by saying thank you so much to Charles for gifting an ARC of this book to me.

Just Remember to Breathe was the first book I read by Charles and I was blown away by it. We were only slightly introduced to Julia and Crank so I wasn't overly enthused about reading their story but I was so wrong.

This is a story about learning to love again. It's painful, real and beautiful.

Julia is a very closed off person. She's had to move around all her life, she's been hurt terribly by an old love, her best friend betrays her and her mother is a witch. It is hardly surprising Julia is so against any kind of relationship. Until she meets Crank..

Crank is just wonderful. Easily one of my favourite book characters. On the outside he's a hard looking punk rocker - he is in his own band, has crazy hair and a string of woman to last him a lifetime. He's grown up with his own fair share of heartache and trouble but in some ways he's the total opposite of Julia. He's almost an open book. He's not afraid to let Julia see his softer side.

For the majority of this book Julia tries to fight her feelings for Crank whilst trying to do everything she possibly can to protect her family's precious image.

I felt so much for Julia all throughout this book. She had the weight of the world on her shoulders and just so desperately needed somebody to love and love her back.

Charles has a brilliant way of bringing his characters to life and really making you feel like you are there with them, living everything they are.
His writing brought out every emotion possible whilst reading. I laughed, almost to tears, I cried when the pain of their story was too much and my heart couldn't take it. I felt everything.

There is a character in this book, Sean, Crank's brother, who suffers from Aspergers. Charles portrays this character absolutely perfectly. I don't know much about Aspergers but the little I do know I could tell Charles knew exactly what he was talking about when he was describing this character. Everything about him was 100% believable. Sean and Crank's relationship was also one of the most real and loving relationships I have ever read. It sometimes had me in tears how much Crank wanted to protect his little brother.

If you want an emotional, loving story that deals with REAL issues then this is definitely the book for you. I could not recommend it enough.

Another huge 5 stars for Charles. A brilliant book well done!

[Jen · Rating 4 out of 5]

Julia is a college student at Harvard. While working at a anti-war protest in Washington D.C. she meets the lead singer of a local Boston band, Crank. They couldn't be more opposite, but end up going out together before they have to return to Boston.

"Appearances don't mean everything..."

Julia is the oldest of six daughters. Her father's job has taken them all around the world being a U.S. Embassador. To most, this sounds like a fascinating way to experience the world, but Julia feels the opposite. Every few years her family would move, so she's had to give up her friends, her life and start over. She's a very guarded person and doesn't get close to people, not even her college roommates. She's had to learn the hard way not to trust people.

Crank is the lead singer, guitarist and song writer of his band, Morbid Obesity. A high school dropout who flips burgers part time. A playboy. He's very up front with the girls he sleeps with. He doesn't do relationships.



After returning from D.C. and even though things didn't end the way he would've liked them to with Julia, Crank can't get her out of his head.

"I was so screwed. Because no matter how much I tried to think about Alicia or Candy or ... whatever that girl's name was with the leopard pumps ... all I could think about was Julia."

Soon these two begin hanging out together. The band even hires her as their manager. Crank falls for her pretty quickly which is unusual for him. When he professes his feelings to her she runs off. She can't fall in love. She can't lose control of her life like that now matter how she feels. So she immediately shuts Crank down. So pride set aside, Crank does what he thinks she wants and let's her go.

"You need to know that I'd do anything for you...even kiss you goodbye and watch you go."

Can they ever be anything more than just friends or colleagues even? Will she ever give up control and fall in love? Can she still manage the band, be around Crank and not give in to love?



I loved Julia's friendship with Crank's brother, Sean. He has Aspergers and has a hard time making friends. She treated him exactly how she would want to be treated. It was so simple, yet so special. I also loved how Crank's family took her in so easily. She has a strained relationship with her own parents, but I think Crank's family helps her conquer her fears. This was a fabulous read, one I would highly recommend.

[Lulu · Rating 5 out of 5]

EXQUISITE. Best book of 2012.

What a roller coaster. This took me on quite a tumultuous journey, but first, let me start with my journey in finding the book. I was notified by one of my Goodreads groups yesterday that they were about to start reading something called A Song for Julia. I was like, okay let's see what this one's about. The little blurb caught my attention, and then I saw on Goodreads there was an option to read an excerpt from the book, so I started with that. After reading just *two chapters* I was completely hooked. I then went to Amazon, and in my typical miserly-ways, checked the sampling of the book Amazon offered to see if there was more, and HALLELUJAH they had the hard-sought-after THIRD CHAPTER to preview. After reading that, there was no getting away from it. Setting aside the fact that I have 4 finals in the upcoming 10 days, I knew I had to get my hands on the full version of this book. But of course I couldn't go out to my local B&N and purchase a book copy, because that would have required me to move from the comfort of my double-padded dorm bed. No, I whipped out my dusty B&N gift card, downloaded Nook for Mac, googled how to transfer my GC money into Nook-able cash online, and paid a well-spent $3.99 on this gem. And if that didn't all make sense to you, just trust me on this - YOU NEED TO READ THIS BOOK. But let me get on with the actual review before I get too carried away.

********

Julia Thompson has grown up around the world. In her case, it's not the military that demands for her family to move around the globe. Instead, she and her five sisters (yes, it's getting Pride & Prejudice up in here) are "diplobrats," the products of a father heavily involved in the political world, one who once served as the ambassador for Russia. So every 3 years, they change locations. Julia, being the oldest, is the most affected by these moves. Never managing to find solid ground before having to become the new kid yet again, she believes she has finally found a home in Beijing at the age of 14. But due to some wild circumstances and a scandal that tears her family apart, Julia ends up being even more lonely and closed off than ever before.

Crank Wilson is a punk rock singer trying to become a punk rock star. The co-singer and guitarist of band Morbid Obesity, he left home at the tender age of 16 due to his own family problems. He's got the bad boy, don't-give-a-shit-about-relationships, angsty post teen thing down pat. His father is a Boston cop with anger issues, his brother is one who needs a bit more attention than most, and his mother is absent, so it's safe to say that his home life isn't as idyllic as can be.

Since the book is set in 2002, Julia and Crank meet in an anti-war protest in D.C. Sparks fly immediately, but the couple separate at the end of their stay in the capital to return to their respective "homes" - Julia to finish off her final year at Harvard, and Crank to his band's shared warehouse. After stalking each other's online profiles, the couple unexpectedly meet again in Boston, and their story continues from there.

It's funny how my expectations shifted during my reading of A Song for Julia. Honestly, I was expecting a run-of-the-mill romance with a political twist, but instead, I was met with a moving story about two families struggling to cope with loss, deception, and social ruin.

There was humor. Not only in the witty banter, but also in more subtle ways. I mean, if Julia's fraternal twin sisters don't remind you of a certain Mr. President's twin girls, you really do need to get out from under that rock and read the NYT or something. We also find that Julia's most recent relationship was with this completely straight-laced, milquetoast buffoon named Willard. Willard. I'm sorry if this is so politically incorrect, but this guy's life is just made for him. And the knee-slapping, make-me-gaffaw-in-public, shoot-milk-out-of-my-nose White House scene. Gee Willikers, I am proud to say I nearly wet my pants in uproarious laughter. *polite golf clap* Good show, my dear man, good show.

There was a surprising amount of diversity in the characters, too. There are Brits up the wazoo, but also a roommate from Sierra Leone, a singer (and drummer?) from India, a mother from Spain, and a couple of rowdy Irishmen thrown into the mix. Absolutely. Loved it. It's nice to know there are authors out there who actually realize there is more than one ethnicity (white), who include the minorities in actual, non-discriminatory roles. You all know what I mean.. Those YA books - and TV shows - that include the token black girl BFF (as a minor character, of course) who gets all shit-faced when somethin' ain't goin' her way, and says stuff like, "AWW, HEEEEEELL NAW!" Not that I don't enjoy those reads, but Sheehan-Miles brings a fresh reprieve from the norm with his newest book.

And lastly, there was plenty of heartwarming romance. Forget Julia and Crank, my own heart broke and repaired itself a hundred times during this book. To tell you the truth, when I was in the middle of reading a particularly sentimental scene between Julia and Crank, my first thought was, "Who WRITES this stuff?!" In the good way, of course. So I did a quick search and came up with.. Charles Sheehan-Miles. Undoubtably a man. Huh. So I'm going to upgrade from the golf clap to full on SNAPS, because the writing was simply superb. Just the right amount of push and pull to make a reader stay up for most of the night and the better half of a Sunday morning to finish reading. This then leads me to question why some female writers can't create a romantic scene quite as well.. But I'll save that pondering for another day.

Okay. And I'll finish off here with a couple of my favorite quotes from the book. But honestly, if neither the Goodreads excerpt nor the extended Amazon preview (for you cheapskates like me) persuaded you that this is a most fabulous read, we are at opposite ends of the Sheehan-Miles spectrum, and you flat-out just won't enjoy this book. But for those of you whose interests I have piqued via this review, I bid you adieu, as you'll probably spend the next day with your nose in this read.

“What do you want from me, Crank?” Her voice was raw, desperate.
I looked at her. She was so close, but might as well have been a thousand miles away. I said, “I want you to love me.”

“Why can’t you just leave well enough alone?” she asked. In a mocking tone, she said, “Hi, I’m Crank, and I’m irresistible. Let me take you to the beach and see if we can get sexy.”

She was all woman. Proud, and angry, and isolated, and in some ways, scary as hell, but this was no innocent girl. She’d been through the wringer.

[Mo · Rating 4 out of 5]

Ok, first off, I don't read a lot of books by male authors. I love Romance and the majority of romance books are written by female authors. I love Suspense but there has to be a bit of romance in there also so the majority of the Suspense books I read are by female authors. Ok, have read the old reliables, Dickens, Salinger in school, Patterson, Sparks, Russo .... so was a bit wary of reading a male author in the Romance genre - this did not disappoint. Had already read Just remember to Breathe and loved Crank and Julia in that so was delighted to catch up with them in this book. I loved it - won't go over the storyline but will just recommend it - really need to get into the gifs to give some good reviews like some of my GR friends...

[Jacek · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book reminded me of "The Sea of Tranquility". These two are probably the best books I've read this year.
I loved the writing. The prose was beautiful and the story was addicting. Julia is one of the best heroines I've read about. She's got so many sides to her that I couldn't decide which I love most. She's emotional but indifferent at the same time. Vulnerable but extremely strong and badass. She's hurt and her history is ugly but she doesn't take crap from anyone. None except the memories of her past (sad). And smart she is. Brilliantly intelligent. She's rebellious, funny, witty, caring, confident, logical, etc.... I think I may have a little girl-crush on Julia.

"Call me babe and I'll punch you right through the phone line, Crank." Julia Thompson.

Crank. I love him. He's definitely a rockstar badboy but that's nothing compared to his other qualities: caring, protective, perserverant, talented, charming, and a funny player at heart. Yep, he's damn irresistable.
I loved the romance. Nothing cheesy or corny. Definitely not an easy love but a lot of emotions involved, chasing required and sexual tension flaring.
I just loved this book.

[Funzee Shu · Rating 5 out of 5]

Definitely another 5 stars ! --> even before I finished it.....yet !
I'll give SEVEN if its possible ! (⌒˛⌒)

============EDITED==============

Finally...
My review...

I......I admit that….I have "bad" moment after reading this book....
I can't write any single words to start my review !
Its too overwhelming.....

Suddenly.....I lost my ability to express my feeling toward this book.
I become numb !
I just.....I feel.....
Geez.....
I keep staring at my computer for hours....and what I typed just the title of the book,A Song for Julia....

All scenes - my fave scenes - from the book keep playing in my mind over and over again like broken tape....
I saw those words that express my feeling,floating in the air....but I can't put one of those words to the screen.....

I remember it happened before....
At that time,I'm to overwhelmed by others book,Gabriel's Inferno...
It takes a week for me to finally finished my review.....

And now,it happen again with this book.....
I just want you - and other who haven't read this book - to know,that this book worth to read....worth to have and worth to BUY !!!!

It's beautifuly written....
Heart wrenching story with strong character.....
I'm in love with both Crank and Julia....
I laugh when they laugh
I sad when they sad
I mad when they mad.....
It squeeze my heart when they struggle to face their traumatic moments...
I even cried like crazy at some parts.....
And woke up with swollen eyes next morning.....
Oh I hate you - Charles for doing that to me,but.....at the same time.....I love him for doing that....
You are a genius,Charles !!
A genius who succeed made me cry like a fooL !!

Well,I won't give any spoilers for this book,YOU MUST read it by yourself !

But I ended my review with some quotes that I like from this book, hope you can have little bit "spoiler" from those quotes....

The first time we meet….

But when he stumbled off the stage and ended up what felt like three inches away from me, I couldn’t say no. I just couldn’t. I couldn’t say no, because for the first few seconds, I couldn’t even breathe. - Julia

The 1st song,my longing…

“Julia, where did you go?”

What do you want for her?

“I want her to be happy. I want her to … I want to see a smile on her face. Always.” - Crank

Me....Not worthy enough....

“Is there any hope for a future between a pit rat and a Harvard girl?” - Crank

We both screwed…

“Sometimes things aren’t what they appear. We all have hurts that we don’t show.” - Julia

Anything for you....

“You need to know that I’d do anything for you … even kiss you goodbye and watch you go...” - Crank

Struggle….

“Everyone has to have something to rebel against”. - Crank

A Place called "home"….

"Home’s where the people you love are. It’s about finding the things that matter to you, and holding on to them and taking care of them. You make your own home, wherever that is. Kid … you’re family as far as I’m concerned. Keep your chin up. You’ll find what you need.” - Corporal Barry Lewis,the "Big Brother"

--» reading this part make me wanna have someone to called "home" too....

I'll forgive you no matter what…

I leaned close to her ear. “There’s nothing to forgive. But even if there was, then yes. I’ll forgive you today, tomorrow, every day.” - Crank

Because you are wothy…

“Why would you risk that? Why would you risk me hurting you?”

I put my hands on either side of her face. “Because you make me better. You make me—you make me feel like I matter. Like my life matters. I feel like, with you, I can do anything in the world. That we can do anything in the world. And we will.” - Crank

A song….just for you…..

“Do you remember when I said I wanted to make music with you?”
“I’ve been working on this for a few weeks,but I couldn’t get it right. Help me?”
She smiled a crazy, happy smile, and nodded.
So I put the notes on the music stand. “Your part,” I said, pointing.
Then she saw the title of the song. A Song for Julia.
And she started to silently cry.

[M. · Rating 5 out of 5]

Maybe I need something that means something.

Wow. Charles Sheehan-Miles has impressed me once again. I don't know why I expected this book to be the least serious of all. It was such a beautiful, meaningful, inspiring, heartbreaking, heartwarming and thought-provoking story about love, friendship, family and forgiveness. There are so many great messages, themes and stories woven together in this one story. I am hereby officially declaring myself a fan of Charles.

If you want to read the books in the Thompson sister's series in chronological order, this is the book you should start with. Second book should be Just Remember to Breathe and the third is The Last Hour.

Julia is the oldest daughter of ambassador Thompson and has traveled most of her life because of her father's job. When she was 14 years old, living in Beijing, something happened that scarred her for life. Julia became isolated, alone, always on the defensive and had lots of trust-issues. She felt like she'd lost who she was. What is different about this book is that Julia actually had very good reasons to be that way. It wasn't just what happened that broke her. It was the aftermaths of it as well. Charles has the amazing ability to write a plausible story with a consistent relationship between cause and consequence.

It was bitter, like dust, a bare moonscape inside my heart instead of flowers or bunnies or hearts or whatever the hell other people wanted to feel like. But it was also survival; it was life. And it was mine.

Even though I was around people all the time, I just felt so damn alone.

Julia meets Crank. Her complete opposite. Crank is a singer and songwriter in a band called Morbid Obesity. He is wild, passionate and out of control. It scares the crap out of Julia. She is afraid to lose control, because she feels like it's the only thing she has left.

I know it’s not a good idea. That’s why we should do it.

Not just their personalities are different. Their families are like polar opposites too. Julia comes from a cold, indifferent and demanding family. Crank's family is broken, but still full of love. His brother, Sean, has Asperger's syndrome and his mom left them years ago. His dad, however, is the sweetest, kindest and most caring man ever.

I stood watching, marveling at the contrast of my own distant, controlling parents as this strong man held both of his sons in his arms, holding them together with love and a strength I couldn’t comprehend.

This is where I should tell you that even though Crank and Julia are not dating (yet), Julia gets involved with his family. His dad treats her like his own daughter and she even becomes friends with Sean.

I’d done everything I could for the last few years to avoid being needed by anyone. I’d done everything I could to avoid needing anyone. But something in the last few weeks made me realize I didn’t want to be alone.

What I absolutely loved was her friendship with Sean. Really, it added so much to the story. I loved how Charles managed to subtly shed a light on Asperger's syndrome and show us the similarities between Sean and Julia. They are both misunderstood, isolated, lonely, armored, on the defensive all the time, unable to connect to other people, have trust-issues and have been through some very rough times. At the same time they're both strong, courageous and special. They're different and while they both start out being isolated, they slowly crawl out of their shells. Sean is the first one who gets to hear what happened to Julia. When Sean asks her why she trusted him when she's never trusted anyone before, here's what she says:

Because you’re special. You’re just like me. So I know I can trust you.

I loved their connection and friendship. Another thing this story teaches us is that we shouldn't be quick to judge and instead look beneath the surface. Everyone has a story. Everyone wears a mask and if you wear it long enough, you won't be able to tell the difference anymore. But sometimes we meet people who see right through it. Sometimes we meet people who care to know the story and break through the surface. Nothing is what it seems.

Sometimes things aren’t what they appear. We all have hurts that we don’t show.

It's about taking the time to find out someone's story and letting go of the grudges you hold. It's about forgiving others, but also forgiving yourself.

I’ll forgive you today, tomorrow, every day.

Crank and Julia were such beautiful characters. I loved them with all my heart.

I wanted nothing more in the world than just to find a way to give her one minute, one hour, one day of happiness.

The character development was amazing. Not only Julia, but Crank and Sean came a long way too.

Wrapped up inside myself, protected so tight inside my own cocoon where nothing could hurt me, nothing could touch me. All these emotions felt … raw, dangerous, out of control. But those emotions … they also made me feel alive. And I was starting to want that. I was starting to want to live, to really live, to let myself be who I really was. Not wrapped up in protecting myself, not wrapped up in hating myself.

Julia had spent most of her life feeling like she lost herself, her identity, her family and her home until she met Crank. He showed her the real meaning of a home.

I feel like, with you, I can do anything in the world. That we can do anything in the world. And we will.

[Jill · Rating 4 out of 5]

****Only $ .99 on Amazon right now!!****
________________________________


We met Crank and Julia in Just Remember to Breathe. This is their story.

“Before you go, you need to know—I’d do anything for you. Even kiss you goodbye and watch you go.”
--Crank

This is a heartbreaking story about two broken people finding each other and falling in love. But having to tear down the walls they have built around themselves all their lives and learn to love and trust isn’t easy for either one of them.

At 22, Julia Thompson is a college senior at Harvard. Living under the control of her over barring and controlling parents, she is struggling to try to please them or at least keep the peace with them. Wanting to find her own path in life isn’t easy when it was already decided for her, but she seems to find her ways of rebellion. At an anti-war protest, she meets Crank Wilson. Crank is in the band, Morbid Obesity, scheduled to play during the protest. They are instantly drawn to each other.

Crank Wilson is a high school dropout. Living in Southie (a not-so-nice part of Boston), he is a singer and guitar playing trying to make it in the music business. Life hasn’t been so easy for him. His mother left him, his brother (who has Asperger’s Syndrome), and his father at a young age. Rebelling, Crank gets involved with the wrong crowd. Sex, drugs, and a different girl every night was just fine with him until he meets Julia.

Because you make me better. You make me—you make me feel like I matter. Like my life matters. I feel like, with you, I can do anything in the world. That we can do anything in the world. And we will.”
--Crank

Admitting their feelings doesn’t come easy for either Crank or Julia. They both need to learn how to put their past behind them and move forward. There is no instant love. It builds up over the course of the story. We hear from both Julia and Crank in alternating POV’s. It’s not overly dramatic, or depressing.

You will really feel for all of the characters in the book. Even the secondary characters are loveable and equally important. Especially Sean, Crank’s younger brother. I couldn’t help but love him. He has Asperger’s. I have a son with Autism and I felt the author did a good job portraying what it’s like for families who live with a child with Autism. My love of reading actually came from sitting in waiting rooms during doctor appointments, therapy appointments, and preschool. I love when I can relate to a book on a personal level.

I loved this book. I actually liked it a little better than Just Remember to Breathe ... although my reason for that might be a little biased. I do wish I read this book first. A Song for Julia and Just Remember to Breathe can both be read as a stand-alone or as part of the series. I only wish I read A Song for Julia first because Julia was Alex’s older sister and this story took place about 10 years before Just Remember to Breathe. But either way, you will love both stories. I definitely recommend this book!


”Promise you won’t give up on me, Crank?”
--Julia
"I’ll never give up on you. Do you hear me? Never.”
--Crank

[Fiction And Fashion Book Blog · Rating 4 out of 5]

I finished Charles Sheehan-Miles' Just Remember to Breath about a month ago and didn't realize there was a plan for another, let alone several more books in this series. I'll be honest, most of the time, I'm not a fan of series that don't carry on with the same characters from the first book, but Sheehan-Miles did a fantastic job of making A Song for Julia a great stand alone piece. It's noted that these books can be read in any order so pick your poison and read on!

A Song for Julia has many of my favorite things, hot boy {check}, tattoos {check}, rocker {check}...OK you get the point.

"I want you to love me."
"I don't even know you."
"Then I'll settle for a date. Bowling?”

The main characters Crank and Julia were first introduced in Just Remember to Breath as a married couple that I instantly connected with but didn't know very much about. I liked going into this book some what knowing they would overcome their obstacles to find each other.

“Before you think I'm a complete pig.. never mind. I am." - Crank

Crank is amazing with his words {I had a highlighting field day with him on my Kindle!}. His dedication to his family, Julia, and his band made the book a very consistent and heart warming read.

“I don't understand you. Is this how you get girls in bed?"
"No."
"So what's different?"
"I'm not trying to get you in bed. Well...I am. But not just temporarily.”

Julia, well, was Julia. I didn't find her nearly as annoying as I usually find the main female characters, but I did get frustrated with her when she just couldn't get over her past. Her stubbornness definitely made the end of the book, oh so good though!!

“Before you go, you need to know - I'd do anything for you. Even kis you goodbye and watch you go.”

The story line was interesting and had a little bit for everyone. Washington, politics, music industry, the underlying message of war since this takes place in 2002. This mix made a very interesting and intriguing read {I'm a closet politics fanatic and have several friends who are ex-military which only helps me connect to Sheehan-Miles books even more.}.

“And you won't write any more stupid songs about me?"
"Can't promise that. In fact, that may be all I do for the rest of my life.”

Overall a fantastic read, and I can't wait to see which Thompson sister or sisters :P will be next in the series!

P.S. Look for Crank in an upcoming Book Boyfriend post because he BEYOND made the cut!

Review By Brittany for www.fictionandfashion.com

http://fictionandfashion.com/2012/12/...

[A · Rating 4 out of 5]

Crank and Julia are two broken people from completely different backgrounds. Julia attends Harvard and her family is exceedingly wealthy, her father in international relations. But she carries a dark secret from when they were in Beijing that could have brought her father's career to a screeching halt when the scandal occurred, and it weighs heavily on the family's mind constantly. After that experience she's determined that she'll never fall for a guy again. Crank left home at sixteen to start a band and get away from his family; now he's still in the band, but it's only mildly successful. His arguments with his father remain frequent, he never speaks to or even sees his mother and when he's not not rehearsing or doing a gig, he's either flipping burgers for a small amount of money or looking after his brother, who has Asperger's Syndrome. The two meet at an anti-war protest and an unlikely relationship begins between them.

This took a little while for me to properly get into. For one thing, the alternating POVs didn't really seem to work for me - and those of you who know me know that I'm usually fine with them. I don't know what it was, if they just switched too quickly or if it was something else, but something about it didn't sit well. Also, it was very repetitive. I got slightly frustrated at hearing the same things over several times, over-emphasising certain aspects of the characters. The same hints of Julia's secret were brought up frequently, and I think the revealing of the secret could have been drawn out a little more. And as for Julia and Crank, I felt they were too quick to be so attracted with each other. I'm very hesitant to use the phrase 'insta-love' because I don't think it's necessarily as deep as that: as far as Crank's concerned, she's just another girl, someone else he can get into bed. In fact, scratch the insta-love. But I do think that Julia was very incautious to begin with for someone who's had such a traumatising experience. Having said that, she's still painfully broken and isn't willing to make the same mistake as before. The thing with A Song for Julia is that it starts out pretty flawed, but then when you get into it, that's when the magic starts.

What Julia went through in Beijing really is awful. Traumatising. I felt for her completely and utterly. I could not believe what she had been put through and then, making an already agonising situation unbearable, her family chose to believe the rumours and the press rather than actually ask Julia herself what happened. Her mother specifically. They of all people should have known how truth gets twisted in the media, and yet no-one bothered to ask her for her account of events. Her father was pushing her down a certain study path and career, and her mother was one of the coldest you will ever meet. She had no true affection for her daughters, and she couldn't even address them by their own names, instead barking orders at whichever 'young lady' she was unhappy with. Apart from bitterness, this woman has almost no emotion to her. I loved it when Julia started making a stand, putting forward her own thoughts and asserting her own control. Julia grows significantly throughout the novel, not only by making her own future, but also learning to take a chance and let go of her past.

Crank is not a bad boy. He is who he is. He doesn't put up a pretence, he doesn't try to be tough. He lives for his brother, his music and the girls. But with Julia he views her as more than just someone to have fun with for one night. I actually quite enjoyed seeing the relationship kind of turned around: usually we think of the guys as having commitment issues from what we see in books, movies, real life. But this time it was the girl, because of her experience. The development in their relationship and the way they each revealed more of themselves to the other was beautiful. I also adored the fact that Crank was close to his brother and tried to look out for him. The author expertly managed to write about Sean with his Asperger's Syndrome, and I grew very close to him. It was sweet to see him start to open up a little more, both within his family and with Julia. The friendship between Sean and Julia is incredibly endearing, and it's one that makes you appreciate Julia even more. Sheehan-Miles has been very successful in creating the relationships within this book.

This is a truly beautiful read. It's packed with different emotions, different relationships, ideas of love, acceptance, growth. I loved Crank, Julia and Sean, and even Crank's father, not to mention Crank's interaction with Julia's sisters and the way his family took her in like she was their own. I adored seeing Julia step in for her sisters, grow closer to them, and also the concept of how she and Crank met. It's quite an interesting mix of war or foreign affairs, and music, and the manner in which our two protagonists meet is definitely unusual. If you like character-driven and emotional books, I can definitely recommend this, and I can't wait to read more of this author's work.

This review is also posted on my blog.

[Anna · Rating 4 out of 5]

❤️ beautiful !

[Lise *friends don't flag* · Rating 4 out of 5]

I didn’t know how to say no Oh Julia, where did you go?

Charles Miles-Sheehan can write. This is the second book of his I have read and I am sure it will not be the last. The story of Julia and Crank was set in the year 2002, just one year after 9/11. I loved how Sheehan tied the whole storyline into the events of this time; from the circumstances of Julia and Cranks first meeting, to the jobs their Fathers have, just the whole atmosphere of life at this time felt so palpable through Charles’ writing.
All of the characters in this book were written with such depth and intensity. I fell in love with Sean, Crank’s 17-year-old brother who has Asperger’s syndrome. Crank’s Dad, Jack and his estranged Mother, Margot and all of the Morbid Obesity band mates, were pivotal to Julia and Crank getting together and this union was not an easy road.
Julia and Crank are both very damaged and have built many walls of survival due to the circumstances of what happened in their lives.
Julia’s story is especially gut-wrenching and it was difficult to relive her pain, but through Crank’s friendship and love, Julia started to let the walls fall and start to live her life for her and not for her parents.
There really is nothing I can write that would do this book justice, you just need to experience the beauty of this love story for yourself.

[Deea (Andreea) · Rating 4 out of 5]

First thoughts:

OMG! This book!!! I need to process it all but... *wipes tears* Wow, it was so heartbreaking and absolutely beautiful and just my kind of read! I loved it! 4.5 glowing stars!

P.S. Mr Charles Sheehan-Miles, you own me a box of tissues. ;)

Review:

A Song for Julia was a truly special book. I loved Just Remember to Breathe, but there was something so much more powerful and beautiful and touching about this story! I read it in one sitting and it left me a little lost after I finished it. I mean, you know that 'book hangover' feeling us book addicts get from time to time, right? That's what this book did to me. And I loved it!

But let me start at the beginning. Julia is Alex's (the heroine from Just Remember to Breathe) oldest sister. We got a glimpse of her in that book too and it was enough to intrigue me. I had a feeling she had her own good story, so I was very excited when I found out Charles Sheehan-Miles was writing it. And it was better than I expected! So, we go back in time a few years, in the early 2000s, when Julia and Crank first met. She was a proper, rich, perfect girl, he was a punk singer with family issues and a band that was struggling. They were so wrong, and yet so right for each other!

There was something about her, though. Sexy as hell, but that wasn’t really it. I looked at her, and it was like she was ready to explode. I’d lived on rage and adrenaline most of the last six years, and when I looked at Julia, I thought I saw someone who understood that. (Crank)

Julia and her story broke my heart. She had a troubled past, a very dark secret and a scarred soul that no one even knew about. In the past few years, she's been a shell of a person, trying to do the right thing for her controlling parents who never understood or helped her, trying to live as best as she could given the circumstances. Always in control of her thoughts, emotions, actions and reactions, never letting her guard down for anyone or anything. But all that was about to change.

I’ve never liked feeling out of control. Not like that. I’d gone there once, head over heels in love, and it did so much damage to my life I didn’t think I’d ever recover. No way I’d ever go there again. Whatever else happened, I was in control of my life. No one else. Certainly not some formless emotion and lust that can take away who you even are. (Julia)

She has friends, a big family with many sisters, but she's closed off from all of them. And then she meets Crank and realizes there might be more to life than what she was having. There can be passion, there can be someone who understands you, there can be someone worth leaving your defenses down for at least for a little while. There can be someone worth facing your past for. Someone who is the opposite of what everyone wants and expects for you. Someone you didn't know you needed until you met him.

Julia and Crank meet at an anti-war protest, away from home, and they just click. There are all sorts of signs telling them they should stay away from each other, not to mention that she's the oldest daughter of an Ambassador, a very smart Harvard girl and he's a player and a struggling band singer who hasn't even finished high school, but their connection is too intense and different from everything they've had before to ignore. They spend a great day in Washington, then they attempt to put it behind them and get back to their respective lives.

My life didn’t have room for someone like Crank. And from what he’d said, his didn’t have room either. This was all a little off-key, out of place, almost as if it was someone else out to dinner with him, and I was playing a role. I almost never go out with guys. And I never let my emotions get ahead of my brain. But tonight, as we tried to wave down a cab to head toward Georgetown, I was feeling a little out of control. (Julia)

But like the fact that they couldn't stop thinking about each other wasn't bad enough, they kept bumping into each other (sometimes literally) back in Boston as well. And that's how their crazy, beautiful, heartbreaking story began. Their banter was awesome, their relationship had its up and downs, there were harsh truths and high emotions all over the place, Crank and his band cracked me up, I hated Julia's parents with a passion (especially the mom, ugh - if there's a ever a book titled 'Things a Mother Should Never Ever Do/Say to her Daughter', Julia's mom made sure to do all of them and then some), I really felt for Crank's broken family, but it was the story behind all that what really got me. A beautiful story about healing, compassion, fighting your past once and for all and putting it behind you, about caring and fighting for someone even when they keep pushing you away, about breaking walls, barriers, customs and expectations, about finding your way in life and about not giving up when everything and everyone keeps hurting you or pushing you around and trying to control your life choices. About taking risks, trusting your heart, but most importantly, about trusting someone else with it again. About seeing beyond the carefully placed facade, beyond rumors and appearances, about learning that what's underneath it all is special and worth loving and fighting for. About not letting guilt, hurt and fear dictate how you live your life. About truth, freedom, rebellion, fighting against the odds and taking control of your own life. About passion, music and special relationships. In short, this is a story about trust, hope, love and healing. A true life lesson.

I'm not going to get into details, I get teary eyed just looking through my favorite quotes and passages and thinking about everything Julia went through, but you have to read it. One of the most deserved 'happily ever after's I've read in a long time! Oh, and yeah. Alternative POVs - you know I'm addicted to two POVs stories. ;)

The writing is brilliant too! Even Julia's POV is very well done, you can feel all the emotions pouring out from the page and pulling at your heart strings. They both have unique, but realistic, powerful and easy to relate to voices and personalities. An all around amazing book!

Other favorite quotes:

It’s amazing how you can say a lot of words that are all true, and completely obscure the truth at the same time. I was an expert at that. I spend my life spinning a web of half spoken truths; an armor weaved of words that do nothing but hide who I am.
He grinned and very gently shook his head. “Nothing to rebel against? Nothing at all?”
“Nope,” I replied. Except maybe my mother, who controlled every moment of my life. But that’s more than I was willing to say.
“That’s sad,” Cranks said. “Everyone should have something to rebel against.” (Julia)


It was official. Crank was crazy. Compelling, interesting, and damned good looking. But crazy. (Julia)


This was different. It was very different. Everything I’d seen of Julia fascinated me. She was kind, and compassionate, and smart as hell, and she was also one moody bitch. Call me crazy, but that combination was one hell of a turn-on. I wanted to break her out of that shell and find out what she was like underneath. (Crank)


“What did you do to her? Why did she leave like that?”
I took a deep breath and answered honestly.
“I told her I loved her.” (Crank) *tear*

4.5 stars review posted on my blog at http://deeas-journal.blogspot.ro/2012...

[Allison ❤️Will Never Conquer Her TBR❤️ · Rating 5 out of 5]

Amazon Freebie!
http://www.amazon.com/A-Song-Julia-Th...



Loved, loved, loved this story.....

Julia and Crank meet at an anti-war rally in Washington DC. Julia, a Harvard student helping to organize the rally, was instantly enthralled with the lead guitarist and singer for the band Morbid Obesity. They meet after the show and decide to get a bite to eat. Julia, a cultured, educated daughter of a US Ambassador can't be more different than the tattooed, pierced rocker. Opposites do attract.

Both characters have huge issues from their past that cause barriers to their communication, ensuing friendship or potential romantic relationship. Julia has secrets dating way back to age fourteen. She's just gaining a strong sense of control in her life nearing graduation from Harvard. She's not going to risk putting her heart on the line again...especially for some rock star! Wouldn't her father just croak! Everything is about image with her parents.



Crank can have any chick he wants but why has this feisty girl in a long skirt wreaking stuffy intellect captured his interest? He's interested in easy chicks, not librarians.



Crank plays the cool rockstar with Julia...untouchable. No commitments. But she can see thru his man-whore persona and see a guy who loves his family unconditionally, works day and night for his bandmates, and has a heart few people see.



But Crank is amazed how quickly his old one-and-done tactics fall away. He's got his eyes set on this enigma that is Julia. Something serious happened in her past. He's never seen walls of protection built like this girl. When he even starts to get close, she shuts down. Does she have anyone? It's clear she and her parents are estranged at best.



Can he break through her walls, help her, show her love is a good thing, not something you fear as a loss of control..a loss of yourself?



This book is such an awesome story of courage, family love, hardships, strife, and success for setting goals and fighting to achieve in the face of adversity. Both Julia and Crank have bad feelings harbored from their past, things their family has done to hurt them, but in the end, forgiveness for years of pain and suffering. A book filled with putting one foot in front of the other, head high, arms wide, embracing the ones you love...and freedom from forgiveness.

Absolutely stellar writing. I was captivated from page one. I would recommend this book for anyone that loves a true love story and happily ever after! It will leave you emotionally spent but so worth it! Bravo!

[AJ · Rating 4 out of 5]

“Sometimes things aren't what they appear. We all have hurts that we don't show.”

Julia is the eldest of the sisters in the Thompson Sisters series, and is a senior at Harvard, living the life that her parents planned out for her. She does her best to stay disconnected from people, having created ‘armour’ for herself which she uses to block out her past and to keep from feeling too much in the present.

She meets Crank Wilson at an anti-war rally. Crank (not his real name) is a bad boy punk rocker with a mildly successful band, and although they appear to be complete opposites, sparks fly, and then end up spending the evening together. .. Get your mind out of the gutter – not like ‘that’. They just spend time together, and when Julia suggests they spend the night together like ‘that’, Crank shocks them both by turning her down and saying goodbye.

“You don’t want to see me again,” he said.
I did. But I shook my head no.
“You don’t sleep with guys unless you’re serious with them,” he said.
“I don’t have room for serious in my life.”
He stepped close and brushed my lips with his, then spoke in a low tone. “I want you to be serious about me,” he said. “I can get a girl to sleep with my any time. But there’s something different about you.”

I love Crank! He may be a man whoring bad boy, but he has a heart of gold. He has his own demons which plague him, and a complicated family life, but he is absolutely committed to his Dad and his younger brother, while doing his best to make a life for himself. Meeting Julia is a life changing moment for him, and when they coincidentally (and literally) run into each other a week later, the connection is still there, and he is not so willing to let her go.

“I don’t want to be one of your conquests. I don’t want to be another fucking girl getting screwed....”
“I like it when you say ‘fucking’.”
I closed my eyes. “You’re impossible.”
“That’s why you love me.”
“I do not love you. I don’t even like you.”
“You will,” he said, his voice low and luscious. I could feel the vibration of that voice from my ears all the way down to my feet.
“Maybe,” I whispered. “But not tonight.”

Though Julia may not be interested in a relationship with Crank, she starts to become involved in his life – his family, his music, and his band, and I love the dynamic between them . Crank slowly worms his way into her heart, and she starts to trust him, and opens up to him, and it’s gorgeous! They are there for each other, and while she helps him deal with his family, he provides her with the strength and the opportunity to question what it is she really wants from her life. And I loved watching them move forward together, and how it all tied together so perfectly. But when Crank starts to really fall for her, and makes his feelings known, Julia’s old fears surface, and she pushes him away.

And Crank proves, once again, just how amazing he is when he comes out with this …

“I love you, and I want you to be happy, I want you to have the life you deserve. And if that means … if that means I have to stand here and watch you walk away, then I’ll do it. I won’t be happy about it. It’ll break my heart. But … if that’s what you really need, then we’re done.”

*sniff sniff*

I have to say, this sort of behaviour from a heroine usually really annoys me, but when Julia’s full backstory is revealed, I absolutely understand why she is the way that she is. Her history is brutal and traumatic, and my heart broke for her as she revealed everything that she had gone through. And through it all she had nobody to help her. She endured it all on her own, and her uninvolved and yet demanding family only added to the problem. They demand perfection from her, and her mother actually blames her for her past and the way it impacted negatively on her father’s political career – God, I was so annoyed with that woman! But it made it all the more awesome when Julia starts to take charge of her life, and there are definitely some fist pump moments that had me cheering for her.

Told from dual POV, Julia and Crank’s story is emotional, and their romance is beautiful (with lots of swoon, and even a little bit of steamy time). But there is also a lot of individual character development, and I enjoyed watching how the impact of their meeting changed both of their lives.

“You make me better. You make me – you make me feel like I matter. Like my life matters.”

Crank’s family are amazing! His Dad, and his younger brother, Sean, are fantastic characters, and have such a huge impact on Julia. We also get to meet the rest of Julia’s sisters, but seeing as though this book is set in 2002, they are all very young. But I enjoyed seeing the relationships between them, and look forward to watching them develop further.

This is the second book of the Thompson Sisters series, but chronologically, the events of this book happen years before Just Remember to Breathe. It probably doesn’t really matter which you read first, but I’m an OCD reader, so would suggest starting with this one.

I love how the books in this series all tie in. Definitely all linked, but they can be read as standalones. There is a happy ending with no cliffhanger, and I thought the whole thing was paced really well, but I would have liked to have seen a bit more story after the resolution. I know they got their happy ending, but they came together (for real) at such a late point in the book – 97%! - I wanted to see more of them together in a relationship, and working together with the band. But I’m a bit of a sap, so it’s probably just me :P .

I loved it, and am looking forward to more of the series.

4 stars

[Lelyana's Reviews · Rating 5 out of 5]

Absolutely, definitely 5 sparkling +++ stars...... I LOVE IT !

One of books you should read before you die !

Took sometimes to write this one, an overwhelming feeling after reading the book in only less than 24 hours...
It's definitely a heart wrenching, a heart throbbing , f*cking best love story ever !
*hm, did I sound like Crank?*

Crank Wilson and Julia Thompson met in Washington, when Julia was in anti war protest and Crank's band play for free.
They caught each other eyes and cannot hold back, suddenly they're having a lunch date that day, kissing,and the gossips spread.
Too bad the gossip was about Julia's past (which you must read for your self, or I will make my self crying all over again)

Their "relationship" begun at that very time, Crank , the bad boy, cannot set his eyes to any other girls...except one, Julia.

Crank wrote a song right after their meeting in Washington, and that song became a hit...

But Julia had a past, really bad past...until she reached at some point that she can't believe in any relationship anymore....until she found Sean, Crank's brother who suffer Asperger (an autism spectrum disorder (ASD) that is characterized by significant difficulties in social interaction, alongside restricted and repetitive patterns of behavior and interests. It differs from other autism spectrum disorders by its relative preservation of linguistic and cognitive development)

She met Crank's family that also had their own past issues.... But Julia, felt that she can link to the family, instead of her own family, especially her mother ( I also have issue about abandoned kid, so, its not easy for me read this part, actually,many part of the book that definitely successful made me cry...over, and over again)...

Would they be together conquer all the haunted past? Will their love strong enough to be together at last?
When finished the book, I knew it that I found treasure in this book. Maybe it's because I also struggle with some problems they had....but, on second thoughts, No, it's Charles...he's a genius...

And the relationship between them and Crank's family written in wonderful worlds that NO WAY , I will give you spoiler with this review..

Cry with me, love with me, laugh with me guys, you will never regret it ....

Damn, Charles ! You wrote beautifully...

[Mari · Rating 5 out of 5]

Overjoyed

"Before you go, you need to know - I'd do anything for you. Even kiss you goodbye and watch you go.”

After reading this my heart feels like it went through the wringer. What a powerful, emotional and heartwrenching read it was. Written so well, conveying the emotions and scenarios that isn't hard to digest. I'm sure some will find it a sensitive topic too, but Charles Sheehan-Miles handled it brilliantly and with tact. Oh, I should have probably read Just Remember to Breathe first according to some but I was drawn to this story.

I have to say Crank he grew from punk angry at the world rocker with no sense of the future to one who learns to be responsible and someone who believes in his own future. I can really see his heart and his goodness despite him just trying to be angry. Julia my heart goes out to her, she created this defense mechanism to not feel be indifferent stoic to not hurt again after all she went through. Her childhood easy, the way she was brought up wasn't abusive physically but on her emotions its there. What intrigued me in the story is Crank is one who makes Julia feel again and question what she really wants in life, despite them being total opposites. In fact they tried to so hard to fight the feelings they had, especially Julia. I read some review saying they spent most of the book figuring them out how that worked, but to me I enjoyed how they developed and grew together. Together they find their own way, slowly but surely. Despite Julia's fears about them, its not easy but Crank opens her up to maybe realize how good it can be.

I'm a definite fan of CSM now, can't wait to read more. His writing style is definitely one I can enjoy on a emotional and intellectual way. Id definitely recommend this book to everyone who enjoys a good emotional story that will make you feel, its real.

[Yaren Y. · Rating 5 out of 5]

5/5
Eksikleri olsa da Julia karakterini içselleştirmemden dolayı objektif olamıyorum. Kırılmış kalbini de onu da sarıp sarmalamak istiyorum 🥺

[Kim *Mo Chridhe* · Rating 4 out of 5]

One of the authors whose books I swore to read prior to attending the Toronto Author Signing was Charles Sheehan-Miles. I only knew that he was Andrea Randall's mentor, and after finishing In the Stillness and reading the preview for The Last Hour, I was intrigued. I bought that book when I caught it on sale earlier this summer, and while the books in this series are standalones, a reviewer I came across recommended to go with A Song for Julia first. For some reason, maybe largely due to 9/11's anniversary, I had this strong urge to start this yesterday. By the time I finished it it was 2 AM and my eyes were puffy and red already.

I'm so bummed to find out that CSM is no longer in the author lineup, but I'm positive I'll be reading his other books soon. It's fascinating for me to read romance written by a male author, probably because I haven't read many. At this time only Ian McEwan and Sylvain Reynard come to mind. A Song for Julia was done in alternating POVs, and Julia's voice sounded authentic to me. The distinction between her and Crank's narration was explicit in the beginning, but as the story progressed, there may have been an instance or two when Crank didn't sound male enough for me. I don't know. It could be because he had it bad for Julia by that time, and we all know how love can turn the coldest of us into a bunch of emo saps.

Julia may not be a heroine most people would instantly warm up to. But I easily connected with her, maybe because at one point in my life, I was that freshman with an emotionally-abusive senior boyfriend. On one hand, I wanted to shake her and tell her to just let her goddamn guard down a bit and let people in, and she did have moments of clarity, but I do understand that you can't undo many years of conditioning the moment a loving man comes along. I loved that their romance was slowly paced and that Crank was so patient with her.

And Crank. My goodness. That boy breaks my heart.

"What do you want from me, Crank?" Her voice was raw, desperate.

I looked at her. She was so close, but might as well have been a thousand miles away. I said, "I want you to love me."

He may be that stereotypical hero who was a manwhore prior to meeting the one. But his character has so many layers, from being the protective brother, to the rebellious yet respectful son, to being a struggling artist desperate to take the first crappy offer, to being an insecure boy who just needed someone to believe that he can do anything.

This is not a story of two people rescuing each other. It's about self-discovery and learning that people aren't always what they seem, and that things don't always go your way despite your best efforts. The relationships that Crank and Julia have with their families add so much insight into their characters, especially that with Sean, who brought tears to my eyes every time he said "sorry", and Julia's mother. I do feel that she was "villainified" quite extremely, but the point was definitely not missed. I thought that the inclusion of war as a subject was also sensitively handled, and I appreciated that instead of pushing a strong political opinion on the matter, it focused instead on the impact it had on the lives of the families left behind, Crank's in particular.

Given the influx of New Adult Contemporary Romance nowadays with little depth and highly sexually-charged pages, this was a welcome breath of fresh air. It was surprisingly meatier than I had anticipated and also as emotional and heart-tugging as I wanted. But if there's anything new to take away from this, it's that playing NIN's Closer is a sure way to get your date hot and bothered. Much less inexpensive than oysters and chocolate-dipped strawberries, no?

[Amanda · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book reminds me of Pushing the Limits, a book smart heroine and a low life hero. Of course, said heroes did have their redeeming qualities that await to uncover.

Julia, a Harvard student and basically an over-privileged young woman. Her dad is the US Ambassador and their family even dined with the President! However, behind every perfect cover, Julia was hiding an ugly scandal of her own that happened when she was fourteen. The scandal resulted in her mother resentful towards Julia and her inability to trust people.

Crank, a high school drop-out, flipping burgers at the diner and also the vocalist and guitarist of Morbid Obesity. Okay, I love punk rock, but what's up with the name. Weird. Crank and Julia met when she engage his band to play at her anti-war protest in Washington DC. Anyway, to say that poor Crank was outclassed was an understatement of the century. But the man seems to have enough self-confidence to ask Julia out and befriended her.

I like how Crank flat out wanted to date Julia despite her status and she was intrigued by him and his music. Who wouldn't fall for the guy who wrote a song about you? She kept him at arm length though and afraid to risk falling in love again.

Crank's family was a gem. His father, mother and his Asper's brother, Sean were awesome. I love their family dynamic, despite being dysfunctional at times. Crank's family was warm and loud, compare to Julia's family that was cold and quiet.

Home's where the people you love are.

I love Crank and Julia's friendship, their love for music and how they make each other a better person. This is the best kind of relationship, in my opinion. They plainly bring out the best in each other.

"I feel like, with you, I can do anything in the world."

I knocked away 1 star for the repetitiveness of the author describing Crank's previous man-whoring days. I thought it was better without emphasizing that fact over and over again.

Looking forward to check out the rest of the Thompson Sisters series.

[Wendy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Count me as a lucky girl!!! I got to read this one early.


Mr. Sheehan-Miles has a way to get you involved in his characters in such a way that you feel like you are a part of them. Their flaws make them totally loveable (some of the completely hateable) and you can't help but to get completely involved with their story. He deals with some touchy subjects in a very sensitive way. He makes you feel that you have gone through these things with the characters.

This book will make you laugh, cry, sigh and even cuss out loud! (Good thing I was able to control my urge to punch someone!)

Definitely a MUST read!

[Dhini · Rating 5 out of 5]

5 SPARKLING STARS..
❤❤❤❤❤

Definitely a beautifully written book.
It was a heartbreaking and absolutely beautiful story
After reading "Just Remember to Breathe" (and got myself deeply in loved with it), I decided to read another book by Charles Sheehan-Miles.
A Song for Julia was a stunning book.
I loved every page of it.

And I'm looking forward to reading his next book(s).

[Sibel Gandy · Rating 4 out of 5]

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