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Mayluna

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A legendary band, an iconic lead singer, and their mysterious connection to a woman whose love helped create the music of a generation. Timing is everything in a powerful novel about fate, regret, and moving on by the author of A Day Like This.

In the 1990s, Carter Wills was the lead singer of the English alt-rock band Mayluna, securing his place among music legends. His tortured-heart lyrics struck a chord. And so did his secret connection to a woman whose love changed all their lives. Who was she?

Evie Waters’s two grown children discover an iconic photo in an old magazine of a “mystery girl” with their mother. It all started in a wistful time and place for Evie, her twenty-fifth summer. A young columnist forging her career. Backstage euphoria. A long-shot interview. And an almost cosmic connection with an enigmatic musician on the rise.

What happened between them is a hidden story no one, not even Evie’s family, knows. Until now. Worlds apart, Carter and Evie finally reveal the story—joyful, regretful, and unforgettable. It was a time when the stars aligned for a love so profound the whole world felt it. It was as if it would last forever.

391 pages, Kindle Edition

First published February 1, 2024

About the author

Kelley McNeil

2 books565 followers
Kelley McNeil is an American author known for her book club fiction, which includes the chart-topping novels, "A Day Like This," and "Mayluna." Her writing is often inspired by the interconnected themes of intuition and the ongoing journey toward personal growth and happiness.

In her latest novel, "Mayluna," these themes are woven together once more, this time with a dose of insight into the behind-the-scenes world of rock & roll, drawing from Kelley's former career in the music industry.

Originally a native of Pittsburgh, these days you'll often find Kelley in sunny South Florida, her current home, where she can be seen immersed in her notebook with her daughters and a menagerie of beloved animals nearby; or sitting with her laptop at a café in London, a place she considers her second home.

Stay connected with Kelley through her newsletter, where she offers behind-the-scenes glimpses into her writing process, shares bonus features, book recommendations, playlists, and glimpses of life. She also enjoys engaging with her readers on social media, where you can find her on Insta at @kelleylmcneil or kelleymcneilauthor on TT & FB.

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5 stars
7,762 (61%)
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3 stars
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 1,652 reviews
Profile Image for aleksandra.
589 reviews2,766 followers
April 9, 2024
5/5

I HATE THIS BOOK. I HATE THIS BOOK. I HATE THIS BOOK. I HATE THIS BOOK.



(my favorite read of the year so far)



(please read it at your own risk, I’m a shell of a person now)
Profile Image for bruna.
116 reviews1,989 followers
April 8, 2024
★ 3.25 stars

🎧 alexa, play the 1 by taylor swift.

pardon my language, but FUCK THIS BOOK.

i don’t plan on writing a full review, sorry. all i can say is that this is a heartfelt, captivating and beautifully written story that kept me hooked from beginning to end — but i lowkey wish i had never read it. make of that what you will, i won’t elaborate. read it and you’ll find out.

─────────────────────

➷ pre-read:

i was looking for a book that would tore my heart into a million tiny pieces and give me emotional damage (what can i say? i love pain <3) and i’ve heard this one will deliver what i want so here we go! hope it doesn’t disappoint me 😫
Profile Image for Emily Simpson.
47 reviews22 followers
January 6, 2024
After reading the blurb about this book while considering which Amazon First Reads to pick, I knew I had to select this one and read it right away.
One might be worried it’s too similar to Daisy Jones and The Six, and while there are certainly uncanny similarities they each stand apart. I don’t think there’s much denying TJR pens the better songs, and while I have loved everything I have read of hers thus far, McNeil just may have the upper hand in creating a heartbreakingly beautiful pair of people who deserve more. I enjoyed the characters of this book, the confession/interview storytelling, and the view of stardom and love through a different lens. This was a quick and easy read, leaving me desperate to turn the next page, the next chapter to see what would happen next. To feel that sense of excitement of dreams coming true, the nostalgia of impenetrable sibling-like friendships, the relationships of a tight knit group of meant to be people ever evolving, the will they-won’t they, and then the utter heart shattering moment that results in a well deserved dollop of love and peace, for a lover, a daughter, a friend, a fan.
Would 100% recommend. Not a bad way to start the new year, but talk about setting a high bar.
Profile Image for Kristine.
221 reviews2 followers
January 10, 2024
Wow. I was not expecting much from an Amazon first reads pick but I loved this from the start. I wish I had started this on a day I could just read the day away because I hated putting this story down. I do not give out 5 stars often but these characters felt real to me and I could picture their camaraderie and Evie’s place in their lives so easily. I loved the arc of watching them rise to fame and our insight into those special early days that created so much magic. I am so emotional with this ending that I will be thinking about it for days. Wish I could say more on that but will keep this spoiler free.

McNeil knows how to weave a story and created such a realistic, heartbreaking, and memorable novel. Her insights on motherhood and love were beautiful. I will need to sit with this for a day or two before starting another book which is a high compliment to how this touched me!
Profile Image for Christy.
4,191 reviews35k followers
February 16, 2024
4.25 stars

I loved so much about this book! It gave me so many feels and was a wild ride. I loved the way it was written, but it also had a troupe I detest and honestly, I wasn’t happy with how it ended. I get it, but I wish it was different.

This is my first book by Kelley McNeil and I’m sure I’ll be reading more from her in the future. Evie and Carter are unforgettable characters and the whole cast of Mayluna was great. The audio was wonderful and if you’re interested in reading it, I highly recommend listening!
Audio book source: Audible
Story Rating: 4.25 stars
Narrators: Amanda Leigh Cobb & Kevin Kemp
Narration Rating: 4.5 stars
Genre: Historical
Length: 11h 13m


Profile Image for Claire Rachel.
162 reviews2 followers
January 2, 2024
I was not prepared for the sadness this book brought on! It had Daisy and the Jones vibes from the offset and I was hooked instantly! Never have I ever skipped to the end of a book before but I could not bear the anticipation of will they/won’t they, only to have my hopes and dreams crushed!!! I’m devastated that they never got their happy ever after. I am so happy for Evie who found peace in the end, but the band, they just didn’t deserve their ending. I will be grieving for them for a long time! Now I must go and convince myself of an alternative ending and forget this ever happened. I look forward to reading more by this author but will tread carefully and maybe be more prepared for heartbreak.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Profile Image for Destiney Bomberry.
321 reviews1,791 followers
May 22, 2024
WHAT IN THE EMOTIONAL DAMAGE?!! This book HURT! Whoever recommended me this, count your days!!!

The way I chewed this up in less than 24 hours, the moment I picked it up I was on the edge, I had to know what was going to happen next and now I’m just a wreck.

Honestly go into this blind! All you need to know is rockstar vibes, kinda gave me Daisy Jones feels!

4.75 maybe even 5?!

Profile Image for Violet.
369 reviews98 followers
June 11, 2024
This book!!!
I cannot put into words how much I loved it.

•Past/present timelines
•Opposites attract
•Dual POV
•Rockstar romance

I went in blindly and don't want to spoil anything. I will say I'd recommend it to anyone! If you like 90's music...British rock...Almost Famous...Daisy Jones + The Six...epic love stories. Read this! 5 stars
Profile Image for Keri Kobus.
46 reviews4 followers
January 16, 2024
Cathartic. That is the single best word to describe this book for me.

I’m not sure I’ve ever had a book affect me quite like this one has. The similarities to my personal life experiences are uncanny.

I chose it as my January first read so I went in totally blind, and I am so grateful for that. That was the universe at work as Carter would say! I would have been too fearful to read it if I would have known, worried about the memories it would have drawn up that I keep buried down deep. I highlighted countless quotes that felt like the author was pulling straight from my soul.

This story is going to rise straight to the top and I am excited to think that I was one of the first to experience it.

Big thank you to this author whose words healed a little part of me and will stay with me forever.
Profile Image for Hoda.
165 reviews1,144 followers
April 22, 2024
- I don’t have much to say tbh. I had such a high expectations for this since everyone was giving it five stars and i did enjoy reading it but.. it was very predictable since the author already made it very clear from the beginning how the end is going to be. Yess i felt said and i shed a-lot of tears but at the same time i was very bored because I already know how it’s going to end 😭

-The writing was very very good. I loved it so much but at the same time it was very descriptive and a little repetitive like okay i love knowing all the details and I don’t mind when things get repetitive but I wanted more dialogue and less description.

- but also i’m not saying that the book was bad the plot is actually so good and it maybe a me problem because my finals are SO close and i’m just stressing over them and it kinda of made me not in the mood for it 😭💔 but i still enjoyed it 🫶🏻

Profile Image for Karen Wrobel.
409 reviews5 followers
January 18, 2024
I’m torn over this one, there were parts that were lovely and sweet, and other sections that I had serious issues with. I enjoyed the overall story, but thought the main character was a complete mess; I also had serious problems with her decisions, particularly the central plot line - there was absolutely no justification for what she did, it doesn’t matter how the author twisted everything around to make it ‘for love’. I don’t know who I felt worse for - Carter or Steve. I know it was supposed to be tragic, but I hated what the author chose to do to the secondary main character, it felt like tragedy for the sake of saying ‘it was so tragic’ as opposed to a truly necessary piece of the story, although I guess it was needed so Evie could re-establish her career (I can think of multiple other ways to do that). Anyway, it was a little too long, and the main character didn’t make a particularly good narrator. It’s a toss up between 2.5 and 3 stars, although the potential is there for more. January Amazon first read.
Profile Image for Maren’s Reads.
792 reviews1,250 followers
February 21, 2024
When Evie Waters’s adult children discover a photo of their mother with famous musician Carter Willis, she shares with them the story of a reporter, a band, and the love of a lifetime.

This was as absolutely heartwarming as it was heartbreaking, but I enjoyed every moment of it. In fact, I am still thinking about these characters days later. If you are someone who loves an angsty, emotional and complicated romance, I think you would enjoy this one as much as I did.

Read if you like:
•rock star romances
•reporter/band dynamic
•messy and emotional love stories
•dual timelines

Thank you Amazon Publishing and Brilliance Audio for my gifted copies.
Profile Image for Oriell.
48 reviews
January 12, 2024
I think I have to rate this 4.5 STARS.

I still am unwell. I have never been this awestruck and dumbfounded by a book. EVER.

I did have low expectations while initially reading the book and had initially complained on some of the storytelling elements. But, literally everything in this book is for a reason! As soon as I thought I knew where this was going, it turned out that I KNEW NOTHING.

I’m so glad that I continued to read this. What a GREAT way to start this book year. I already want to reread this one.

This author is a genius.
Profile Image for MELISSA.
19 reviews1 follower
January 12, 2024
I'm too emotional to give it a review at the moment, so this will be continued when I can properly gather my thoughts. But this is one of the best books I have ever read. My jaw is on the ground. Wow
Profile Image for Ana | SheSaidYestoBooks.
1,698 reviews126 followers
June 22, 2024
Tropes: rockstar; second chances; nontraditional hea.

What??? Nooooo! Seriously, why did you do this, Kelley McNeil?!!!! 😩😭

Mayluna was so heartbreakingly-beautiful. It has Daisy Jones vibes all the way and I was instantly hooked. I was just not expecting that ending! It’s with tears in my eyes that I give Mayluna 5 stars
Profile Image for Addison Briann.
30 reviews1,017 followers
February 19, 2024
I wish I could go back to the person I was before reading this. I will never be the same ever again
Profile Image for Bailee Latham.
163 reviews1,027 followers
May 25, 2024
4.5 stars

A love story that I will remember for the foreseeable future.
Carter is the lead singer of Mayluna, a band from the UK that is growing in popularity in the US. Evie is a reporter, but what she really wants is to be a filmmaker, specifically making documentaries about bands who love what they do. The stars align one day and they meet and the connection they have is undeniable to all who witness them together.

I loved this book. I especially loved the relationships that Evie grew with the entire band, her little found family. That trope gets me every single time. Carter and Evie had a connection that seeped off of the pages and jumped straight into my heart. I loved them. They made mistakes, but through everything they loved each other wholly and deeply. The ending made me sob, but it honestly was fulfilling. I loved the way this story was told. What a beautiful book.
Profile Image for Valleri.
885 reviews20 followers
February 20, 2024
It was as if it would last forever.

Here I am, stepping away from my usual genres, again, but I really, really liked Mayluna! Yes, it had parts that were heartbreaking ... but it also had amazing and happy parts. The author has called it "A love story that is intensely tragic and yet hopeful" and I couldn't have said it better. (By the way, I loved Carter!! *swoon*)

Mayluna started in the summer when Evie was twenty-five. She was a columnist forging her career when she was able to nab a short interview with Carter Wills - the lead singer of Mayluna. It was a long-shot interview, which led to an almost cosmic connection with the enigmatic musician on the rise. It’s told in a partially retrospective, dual timeline, with multiple perspectives that all braid together at the end.

Such a great book!

Many thanks to both #LakeUnionPublishing and #NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review an early copy of Mayluna.

#KelleyMcNeil #StarCrossedLovers
Profile Image for Hulya Kara Yuksel.
1,011 reviews1,237 followers
July 18, 2024


OK, I'm going to be honest with you. I've never heard of this book nor this author earlier. And I wasn't even planning to pick up this book but I give it a shot just because it was available on KU read & listen for free category. :)

My God, I'm so glad I give it a chance to this beautiful book because in the end it turned out to be an unforgettable journey for me. And I think I'll put this book into my Top 10 books list in 2024. I really, really loved this story. <3


*** I listened the audiobook and the narrators were amazing. You should listen the audiobook if you can. I highly recommend it!

*** I'll be definitely reading this author's other book "A Day Like This" very soon.
Profile Image for Eve.
718 reviews48 followers
February 9, 2024
Narrated by: Amanda Leigh Cobb, Kevin Kemp
Length: 11 hrs and 13 mins

I really enjoyed A Day Like This. So I looked forward reading Kelley McNeil's newest book MAYLUNA. I'm not very fond of books with the rock/film/sport stars in the lead, so I was a bit hesitant when I saw that this story was about a rock star, Carter Wills, and a young columnist Cameron/Evie Waters but I hoped for the best.

Sadly this story never grabbed me. The style of this book was difficult to follow at times and I kept waiting for something to happen that would hook me ... but the story just dragged on, was all over the place and was kinda messy.

I hated how I was told instead of shown what happened between Cameron/Evie and Carter. Mix to that past/present timeline, switching POVs. Perhaps if the story had progressed chronologically, it would have made me more invested in the story and the characters? The way MAYLUNA was written...the way I was told that this and that happened back in the 90s...this sort of writing took away from the emotion and connection with the characters, was tiresome to read. And like all that back and forth between Evie and Carter wasn't enough, author had to come up with this sort of ending? Why??? I'm sure there are lots of readers who will enjoy this sort of books and this sort of resolution, but this story just wasn't for me. Hope that author's next book will be more enjoyable.

Narrators: not fan of male narrator's inarticulate breathy voice that sometimes was difficult to understand. Even Amanda Leigh Cobb could not save this book for me.

MAYLUNA and Simply the Best are two of my most anticipated romance books of 2024. After MAYLUNA dissapointed me, I really hope that Susan Elizabeth Phillips won't let me down with her newest book!!!
Profile Image for Dawn Porter.
193 reviews
January 31, 2024
Pft... started off well, then got boring.. saw the end coming , but i did feel what was the point in it all. Their love affair wasn' t really that epic, and then she killed the whole band at the end.

And she originally left him cause he became a famous rockstar who didn't have any time for her she didnt give him much of a chance...and isn't the whole I tried to tell you i was pregnant but couldnt get hold of you is a bit tiresome done to death?

The FMC retelling didn't feel like she was talking to her kids, and then randomly, a sentence was thrown in to show she was. This was too Daisy Jones and the Six for me I'd rather it had just been a normal novel.

I do think the author can write some beautiful words, but the story felt all over the place without real depth.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
June 29, 2024
My favorite book I’ve ever read. Hands down.
♾️♾️♾️♾️ ⭐️
The beautiful writing, the deeply emotional love, the found family, the woven storyline… just EVERYTHING. I am heartbroken and sobbing writing this but the author also pieced my heart together in the last 5 pages to make it a little better.

The story starts off with a man (Carter) getting interviewed about a girl he loved, and also a woman (Evie) telling her children about her past. THEN most of the book is spent starting in 1998 about Evie being a journalist for the music industry and interviewing this small band called Mayluna. She then tells the story of how the lead singer, Carter,
and her grew their love. It was such a beautiful love to watch grow. I just am obsessed with them and their band.

Warning: you WILL cry.. over and over again BUT it’s so worth it. Knowing this story and reading it was worth all of my tears.

This book took a little piece of my heart happily because it is now forever engrained in my memory.
Profile Image for Aly Lauck.
117 reviews13 followers
May 25, 2024
Hype this one up! So sweet, sad, and poignant. Great read. Enjoyed a lot!
Profile Image for Amy | Foxy Blogs.
1,655 reviews1,032 followers
February 16, 2024
Mayluna has the essence of both 'Daisy Jones & the Six' and ‘The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo’.

Similar to 'Daisy Jones & the Six,' Mayluna delves into the dynamics of a rock band from years ago. Drawing parallels with 'Evelyn Hugo & her Seven Husbands,' the narrative explores the main female character harboring a secret from those closest to her. In this case, Evie kept her past hidden from her adult children until a memorable discovery prompts them to question what transpired. Mayluna unfolds its story with a confessional style.

However, as the story progressed, I found myself growing frustrated with Evie for keeping the secret that affected those around her the most. By the end of the book, my frustration extended to the entire situation. I've debated on my rating because while the writing was commendable, the story proved to be infuriating. So, for the story, I give it 2.5 stars, and for the writing, I’ll bump it up to 3 stars.


Audiobook source: Audible
Narrator: Amanda Leigh Cobb & Kevin Kemp
Length: 11H 13M
228 reviews
January 6, 2024
Notes mostly for myself - This story was too plodding and too much of a yearning downer for me to enjoy reading it or having read it. The way the main characters were sharing the story was a bit clumsy, and the story being told didn’t engross me. I ended up jumping to the end at about 30%, then jumping back into the middle to find key events. Not a terrible book just not my cup of tea. I don’t feel compelled to read more by this author.
Profile Image for sky • thebookgreenery.
450 reviews216 followers
June 2, 2024
”…think I started writing songs about her before I ever knew she existed. somehow, I knew she was out there. and it was as if the music led me to her.

warning: read this only if you wish to sob.

a devastatingly beautiful tale.
January 16, 2024
This is a must read for anyone who wants to be swept into a remarkable love story. I don’t want to give any details and give any hints or spoilers … but you won’t want to put this one down.
Profile Image for Ally Wysocki.
24 reviews
January 12, 2024
For an Amazon first reads, this book blew away my expectations. From the beginning I was instantly hooked. The story of Evie and Carter was so beautifully tragic. The author did such a great job of bringing the story of the band to life. It felt genuine in so many ways. I was not expecting the ending to bring me so many mixed emotions. It left me feeling both devastated, but happy that Evie had peace.
Profile Image for Morgan.
210 reviews111 followers
January 29, 2024
I am in PAIN.

OH MY GOD THIS BOOK. I was not expecting that at all and I fully ugly cried reading the last couple chapters.

This was truly such a fun book but also so devastating. The whole story is as if Daisy Jones and Almost Famous had a 90s English rock baby. I loved getting to know these characters and see Carter and Evie's relationship in a dual POV.

It's just a beautiful story of love, loss, second chances, and missed connections.

I truly can't reread or think about the last couple chapters without sobbing.

Thank you Kelley McNeil and BookSparks for this ARC in exchange for my honest review.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 1,652 reviews

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