Book Review: Guitar Notes by Mary Amato

On odd days, Tripp Broody uses a school practice room to let loose on a borrowed guitar. Eyes closed, strumming that beat-up instrument, Tripp escapes to a world where only the music matters.

On even days, Lyla Marks uses the same practice room. To Tripp, she’s trying to become even more perfect—she’s already a straight-A student and an award-winning cellist. But when Lyla begins leaving notes for him in between the strings of the guitar, his life intersects with hers in a way he never expected.

What starts as a series of snippy notes quickly blossoms into the sharing of interests and secrets and dreams, and the forging of a very unlikely friendship.

Challenging each other to write songs, they begin to connect, even though circumstances threaten to tear them apart.

What  a sweet book! Absolutely loved it.  Loved it.  It's been a while since I've read a contemporary fiction book and a really long while since a book has been this sweet.  You can clearly read romance into the whole thing, but that's not really what it's about a friendship that develops over a period of time AND about doing what matters to you.  The way it was written, the characters and the plot were just not something I've read in awhile, and it was a breath of fresh air!

The main characters: Lyla was great.  Funny and real and determined and sweet.  I liked her a lot.  She wasn't perfect, although everyone at school thinks she is.  Her struggle was so believable.  I felt for her.  She wants to make everyone happy, but is finding that in doing so she's not happy herself.  But like most teenagers, she doesn't know how to change anything.  No Tripp - he's great too.  Super funny and if he was a girl I'd call him a spitfire! What he does to get back at his mom is great! But what I really liked was the depth to his character.  I gained an understanding about why he behaved how he did, and it was wonderful to have that depth build into him. 

The two of them together were a perfect match (and not really in the romantic way!).  It was so great to watch their friendship grow and see how they pushed each other.  Wonderful.  I was actually sad at the end of the book, because I wanted to experience them more.  Their story was just a great place to be.  

And if that isn't enough to get you to read the book - I read it in one evening.  That RARELY happens with me!