Rating: 5 stars
Buy Link:
Amazon | iBooks | Amazon UK
Length: Novel


At the age of nineteen, Sage had a music career that was making him a legend. His words and his voice and his music gave him lots of fans and his concerts were sold out. Then, a brutal attack left him permanently scarred, his singing voice silenced, and his bodyguard, who was like a brother to him, dead. Sage has spent the last four years at his family’s home on a farm in Vermont trying to heal. The healing takes many forms and Sage has also been writing new songs and he and his closest friend, Shiloh, are ready to take their new act public. Sage and Shiloh are doing a small tour of local places in Vermont, but security is needed and Sage turns to Antonio Callahan, the brother of his former bodyguard.

The heat is on the moment Sage and Antonio meet and Sage is a complication Antonio wasn’t expecting. Antonio has one foot out of the security business as the dream is not the same without his brother, but he has no intention of saying no to Sage. Everything about Sage calls to Antonio, even his broken voice, but Antonio lives in a different part of the country and has taken a large role in raising his nephews. As Sage’s second chance in the music business is on the rise, the men have to decide where they want to be and find the courage to make it happen.

Only sometimes do you read a book and a piece of it gets in and it becomes the book for you. Second Song hit all the most perfect notes for me and I liked everything about it.

We meet up with Sage four years after an attack claimed everything but his life. His voice will never sing again and his body will never be the same as it was and it’s been a long journey for him. He has his family and his best friend, Shiloh, and the two of them are starting a new adventure. Although, it might not be exactly what everyone thinks it is. Sage has been completely out of the spotlight as he recovered and while he moves forward, his heart is heavy.

Antonio and Sage have never met, although they know about each other and Sage is a benefactor for Antonio’s nephews. Antonio went right into super uncle mode after the death of his brother, Marco, and he certainly wouldn’t trade the time with his nephews, but the hole left by Marco never leaves him.

The book is poignant, and lyrical, and melancholy, and hopeful, with a strong atmosphere of Sage’s life in Vermont. The relationship between the men is sparked so high right from the beginning, but it’s a slow burn, and an aching story of true love. The title becomes clear right from the start and that only adds to the complete picture. Marco is not seen on page, but his presence resonates and echoes with those left behind and a lot of choices are made in honor of his memory, so he will never be forgotten. Shiloh fits into Sage’s life and is an important person to him and the series will continue on with more from him and that should be something to see as well.

The book has a strong sense of family and love from different people in different forms and the book carries a warm feeling, even though the story is forged out of tragedy. Books like this are a gift and if you pick it up, maybe a small piece can attach itself to you as well.