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Book Review by Gillian Young and the girls 🐾

This week's book review is The Old Familiar Places by Sam Emony.


Story time with Gillian Young and the girls 🐾

Hello again!


Thank you for joining us this week for another book review. This week features Sam Emony's debut novel, The Old Familiar Places.


Sam Emony

Here's a brief bio on the man himself, Sam Emony.

Sam is a jazz promoter who dreamed about writing novels for over 40 years. He's built and managed his own software business and started The Cinnamon Club in Altrincham in January 2003. In 2020, Sam sold the club so as to focus on his writing career.

 

The author's love of jazz runs throughout his novel, and each chapter is a song title. The Old Familiar Places is inspired by a line in a song called ‘I’ll be seeing you.'

 

Sam Emony is a pen name to keep his jazz/music, and author/writing careers separate. Emony is Sam's maternal grandfather’s surname.

 

The Old Familiar Places is Sam's debut novel and was published through a successful crowdfunding campaign on Indiegogo.

 

Sam lives in Ramsbottom, Lancashire and is the proud father of four.


The Old Familiar Places by Sam Emony.


BOOK BLURB:

Shy, bookish Sonny Jackson attends a family funeral and, in that instant, transforms his future. From a student pianist to playing with legends, this is the tale of how one extraordinary meeting can change your life.

Ruby, the striking young widow, tears up the rule book and pushes Sonny to believe he can escape his semi-detached suburban hell in Manchester. Ruby pulls the strings, schemes with others and manipulates Sonny as she sees fit.

London’s calling and New York is on the horizon, but behind the fancy façade lie dark secrets. Hang on tight as the past catches up with the present.

 

MY REVIEW:

As one door closes, another opens. The Old Familiar Places begins with a funeral, bidding a dear loved one goodbye, yet this is not an end but a new beginning for both Sonny Jackson and Ruby, the beautiful young widow.

This story follows the life of a talented musician, Sonny Jackson. We join him as he faces personal and professional challenges of loss, friendship, love and learning to move forward. This is a book brimming with emotion that everyone, at some time or another, can relate to.

It’s hard not to feel for Sonny in his ups and downs. I felt his pain as he struggled with his

relationship with his father. I felt his joy as his career soared through friends and acquaintances and seizing the opportunities that came his way.

The Old Familiar Places is a story full of highs and lows, a real rollercoaster. There was never a dull moment in this book. All the characters worked well together and were so believable that I finished the book feeling like I knew these characters well.

It’s a wonderful read filled with every emotion under the sun and all woven within the fabric of a terrific musical background.


For those who enjoy a coming-of-age story filled with emotion, then The Old Familiar Places by Sam Emony is just for you.


My rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐


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