Overall Grade: ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️
If you have read Sarina Bowen’s Lies & Lullabies, book 1 of the Hush Note series, then you are already familiar with Jonah, Quinn, and Nixon, the members of Hush Note, the fictional band whose stories make up this series. In Devney Perry’s Rifts & Refrains, the second book of the series, it becomes clear that the message threaded through these stories is the idea that fame and fortune can never replace the need to be loved. Whether it’s Jonah or Quinn’s second chance romances, the focus of these books is the idea that we must love and be loved to live a fruitful and abundant life. And in a world where the title “influencer” is a new occupation and people are striving to achieve fame and fortune, it feels so very important. Add to that message the brilliance of a writer such as Devney Perry, and you are gifted a story such as Rifts & Refrains, the story of Quinn and Graham, her high school boyfriend.
From the very first page, I could not put this book down. This is common for me when I’m reading anything from Devney Perry. I began it in the late afternoon and almost finished it in the early morning hours of the next day, but my eyes didn’t allow it, so I woke up after four hours of sleep to finish it. There is something captivating about Quinn and Graham’s chemistry even when they try to avoid it. And it made me realize that Perry’s superpower lies in her talent in writing chemistry between her characters. I’ve read romances aplenty where the chemistry feels a bit contrived. It tends to lose steam at times. In R&R, that never happens. Instead, it builds and builds so that when Graham and Quinn must make a difficult decision, you can’t help but feel their discouragement immensely. One of the reasons I didn’t want to put this story down is the driving force of their chemistry throughout the totality of their journey. Perry doesn’t make it easy for you or them. They don’t readily pick up where they left off as high school sweethearts. No. Perry makes them run an emotional gauntlet, and as a reader, you feel every moment of it. That’s the depth of Perry’s superpower and the reason I will read every book she writes. She carefully crafts chemistry in such a way that she invests me in her characters’ journey. This isn’t easy, but yet, she makes it seem so.
Even more, Perry has the ability to create characters who, while fictional, seem so very real. In this story, Quinn is the superstar drummer of Hush Note. She should be larger than life, and Perry, in some ways, alludes to that. But she isn’t. Instead, Quinn’s sense of self and her place in her family is very, very real, and it makes seem minimized. I have no qualms about crying while reading a story. For me, that means that the writer has done their job, making a story so real that I empathize with their characters. Quinn’s story and her challenges were the moments where I found myself with tears running down my face. I understand her story even though I haven’t lived it. Perry’s ability to write a character that feels so much like a real person that I emotionally devote myself to her is the other reason I can never say “no” to a Perry romance. Graham’s characterization is no different. His hurt over Quinn’s life choices is visceral. You understand it even though Quinn’s choices make sense. In R&R, Perry allows the evolution of Quinn and Graham to be more fully realized in Graham’s character as he represents both her past and her future. This connects you to him more deeply, and you feel his pain more palpably as their future becomes endangered.
Finally, I am certain that Devney Perry writes the BEST epilogues of any romance writer. Honestly. And the epilogue for Rifts & Refrains is no different. For me, the last three lines of this book are gloriously crafted, and they gave me goosebumps further illustrating that Perry is, in my mind, the Queen of the Epilogue.
Over and over again, I’m reminded of Devney Perry’s prowess at writing romance. Rifts & Refrains is an apt example of that. It might be set in a different town, in a different setting, with different characters and story. However, her touch is found in her characters and their chemistry. She compels you to feel the pain and elation of her characters so that, when they find their happy ending, you want to shout to the rooftops a “congratulations” for their happily-ever-after.
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Popular Highlights in this book
“Marry me.” I ran my knuckles over her cheek. “Count stars with me until we’re too old to climb in the back of my truck.”Highlighted by 161 Kindle readers- “You set me free once, Graham. You let me fly. Now I’m coming home.” If a home is what she wanted, a home is what she’d find.Highlighted by 159 Kindle readers
- “You traded your family—me—for your band. I guess I wanted to know what I was worth. Sounds like a womanizer and a drug addict.”Highlighted by 146 Kindle readers
From the Publisher
Lies and Lullabies by Sarina Bowen
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Rifts and Refrains by Devney Perry
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Muses and Melodies by Rebecca Yarros
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| Price | $5.99 | $5.99 | $5.99 |
| Tropes | Single Parent, Second Chance, Small Town | Single Dad, Second Chance, Small Town | Rockstar, Bad Boy Reformed, Small Town |
| Audiobook Narrators | Erin Mallon & Tim Paige | Maxine Mitchell & Joe Arden | Carly Robbins & Tim Paige |
The Edens Series
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Clifton Forge Series
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Treasure State Wildcats Series
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Calamity Montana Series
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Lark Cove Series
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Runaway Series
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| Price | $6.99 | $6.99 | $6.99 | $6.99 | $6.99 | $2.99 |
| Summary | Love family sagas? This series follows a Montana family. Six books for six siblings. Perfect for fans of the television show Yellowstone. | These books are all about the romantic suspense. Small-town Montana with an added dash of mystery and motorcycles. | Sports romance, anyone? Small town, spicy stories about the coaches at the fictional Treasure State University. | These stories are standalone, small town romances with reader favorite tropes like single parent, forced proximity, marriage of convenience and more! | Captivating, spicy romances set on the sleepy shores of a small, Montana lakeside town. Read if you love the grumpy sunshine, billionaire, surprise baby, unrequited love or opposites attract tropes. | Follow one car on its journey across the country, and the five different woman who sit behind the wheel. Quick reads to fill your heart. |
About the author
Excellent rock star meets small town read
Review: Rifts & Refrains by Devney Perry (Hush Note book 2) ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Disclaimer about my mindset going into the Hush Note series: I’m usually not a rock star story fan, but I liked the authors (each book in the series is written by a different author) so I wanted to give it a chance. Book 1, Lies & Lullabies, was good, but not a favorite for me in part because I have a hard time with the secret baby trope, but if you like that kind of story you might love it—I’ve seen this trope done well before, & I did enjoy that book, but my issues with the secret baby storyline still probably had an impact on that rating. That being said, I was cautiously optimistic for book 2, and my goodness was I not disappointed. Quinn left home 9 years ago to pursue her music dreams, leaving a huge rift with her conservative father and family that felt she’d abandoned them. She also left behind her high school sweetheart, Graham (a now single dad), who she’s never fully been able to really move on from. Now, she’s headed back to Montana to say farewell to her beloved grandmother, while keeping her head down and trying to not further upset her past. This is a high school sweethearts-second chance-rock star & single dad-family trope fest, and I loved it. I’m excited for both Hush Note book 3, and Devney Perry’s upcoming releases (including her new series from Willa Nash)
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