Review- A Song For Julia by Charles Sheehan-Miles

Summary-

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.

Review-

A Song For Julia is the second book I've read by Charles Sheehan-Miles. It is like a companion novel to Just Remember To Breathe which was a fantastic read. It is set ten years prior to the happenings in Just Remember To Breathe. We'd got a glimpse of Julia and Crank in Just Remember to Breathe but A Song For Julia contains their story.

Julia and Crank meet at an anti-war protest in Washington in the fall of 2002. Crank has left his home when he was sixteen to start a punk band. He's a struggling artist who's trying to get through and find his place in the world. Now at 22, he's still at odds with his father but he loves his younger brother Sean. Crank's relationship with Sean was an absolute pleasure to watch. The way he protected and cared for him which later also included Julia was amazing to watch.

Julia Thompson is now in her senior year at Harvard. She hides a horrible secret and a terribly sad past which no one knows behind her polite smiles and good girl image. She comes of as an ice queen. But when she meets Crank its like he can see through all of her walls. Julia was a sweet girl. When you get to know the real her you can see why she's been hiding from everyone all along. She was tired of being alone and just wanted someone who she could trust.

Neither of them is looking for love. But the connection between Crank and Julia is undeniable. Crank falls fast and hard for Julia but you can see how Julia is hesitant to trust him. When they finally admitted that they loved each other it was really very sweet and touching. There was also a lot of humor combined with Crank and Julia's witty banter which made the book enjoyable.

The book is set in 2002, so there were a lot of words used which were popular then. I was a kid then so I didn't know many of them. So I found it supremely amusing whenever I read the word "dungarees". It means jeans just FYI. A Song For Julia was a realistic book with the right amount of angst and drama. It was a book I thoroughly enjoyed. We also get well acquainted with the Thompson clan and I hope we get to read about the rest of the sisters as well. I am looking forward to reading more books by Charles Sheehan-Miles.

Janhvi