Symphony of Salvation
Timber Creek Academy
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Symphony of Salvation
Narrated by:
Nick J. Russo
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Narrated by:
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Nick J. Russo
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By:
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Nicky James
About this listen
Music teacher Niles Edwidge gets the shock of his life when Maestro Augustus Castellanos, a world-renowned musician and composer, shows up at Timber Creek Academy. Not only has the maestro been asked to guest teach alongside Niles, but he’s brought his prodigy daughter and enrolled her as a student.
Niles has been waiting for the day the academy decided to replace him. His educational background falls short of the school’s usual demands, but a revered maestro? It doesn’t make sense. Why would such a prominent figure want to teach high school music?
Fearing for his job and envious of the other man’s career, Niles doesn’t give the maestro a warm welcome, but their feud doesn’t last when Niles learns the respectable musician is struggling with a mountain of problems and would prefer to be anywhere but Timber Creek.
As the truth about August’s troubled life surfaces, so too does a secret he has carried for decades. As a self-proclaimed repressed bisexual, August rarely allows himself the freedom to explore his sexuality, but an undeniable attraction to Timber Creek’s music teacher threatens to test his resolve. He can’t afford to fall for Niles. He has a life and responsibilities outside Timber Creek.
The minute his obligations are fulfilled, he’s out the door.
Unless he finds a reason to stay…
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Listener received this title free
I don't know if the two of them would have ever found common ground had it not been for August's daughter, Constance, but her soft spot for Niles was a bridge the two of them needed to let down their guards and try to make peace. Their tentative truce was enough to fan the flames of their mutual attraction to the point that neither of them could ignore it anymore, but an easy relationship wasn't in the cards for August and Niles. August's, in his own words, "repressed bisexuality" was another pulled-back layer that deconstructed the perfectly poised image he presented to the rest of the world and revealed the inner messiness of a man who was lonely but terrified that love wasn't meant for him. I loved seeing August shed all those layers one by one and be vulnerable around Niles, and the more he opened up the more Niles started to share in turn. The two of them fell into a wonderfully intimate relationship, one that lived and breathed music but was also full of delightfully steamy explorations and heart-to-hearts that made me feel incredibly close to both men.
Constance was a huge part of August and Niles's story as well, and through her involvement I saw August grow as a father figure and Niles begin to realize that the life of a teacher was a far better fit for him than any glitzy stage life. The big open question for August and Niles (and Constance) was whether August would stay in a tiny town when his symphony life in Chicago was calling him back, and boy did Nicky James make me stew in angsty half-promises before she delivered the resolution I'd been hoping and waiting for. I have to hand it to her -- Nicky James knows exactly how to build up the tension and make the stakes feel sky-high even when nothing particularly scary is going on, but she can also write the sweetest, swooniest love confessions to make it all worth it in the end. I especially love that music was the main constant throughout this entire story -- it's what brought Niles and August together, what almost ripped them apart, what allowed them to connect with Constance, and it was the vehicle they each used to express the depth of their feelings for each other when words alone wouldn't suffice.
Musicians in love
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Listener received this title free
The Story : In this case I firmly believe that Nicky James is the Maestro. Her ability to weave words together creates a vivid vibrant picture and for this beautiful romance, the picture comes even more alive with the use of music. Whether it be written musical notes, performed musical notes or random musical notes hummed quietly under one’s breath.
Niles and August are superb, imperfect, flawed and strongly developed characters with plenty of baggage who find themselves bouncing around each other in the music rooms of a private high school. Their story is not an easy one with plenty of uncertainties and doubts both from internal and external factors and the angst that this author is well known for. Niles and August had to overcome a fair few hurdles before they got their well deserved and hard earned HEA. It was a bit of a rollercoaster that gave me plenty of feel’s throughout leaving me relieved, happy and super smiley at the end.
Loved this so much 🥰
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Nicky James’s research leaves me quite breathless and I’m sure that to write such a beautiful story with a complicated musical backdrop she must have had at least some classical musical training herself. Having said that, if you search her backlist you will find a varied and extensive catalogue with some pretty impressive back stories, all superbly researched. Whatever, there’s never a dull moment; her stories are addictive and beautiful and I simply could not put Symphony of Salvation down until it was finished.
I went straight into the audio version with the hugely talented Nick Russo’s fabulous performance. He had quite a job on his hands as the story is set in a prestigious private school with a large supporting cast of children and teachers. Niles is feeling rather inferior to have the Maestro thrust upon him as a ‘guest teacher’ by the snobby Head teacher of Timber Creek Academy especially as his own position as head of the music department has always been somewhat precarious. Mr Russo expertly portrays this lack of confidence and the (to begin with), autocratic - apparently confident - Augustus.
All becomes clear though as the two work through their insecurities and deal with Augustus’s teenage daughter. Beautifully portrayed Nick Russo, Your accent for Augustus was swoony and I totally lost myself in these two gorgeous men who fought so hard to be together. If I have one criticism, and it is only one, and doesn’t downgrade the performance, I think, and perhaps it’s an American/Canadian thing (I’m British), that flautist (which was said many times), should be pronounced flawtist not fluteist.
A stunningly beautiful story Nicky James - oh my, that ending! And a fabulous performance by Nick Russo.
Simply stunning
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Listener received this title free
As always, the author's writing style is wonderful and she puts her heart and soul into what she writes.
This time it's about the music teacher Niles, who I really liked in the first volume. Niles fears for his job at Timber Creek Academy because his training is not at the level the private school usually hires their teachers at. This fear becomes very real when maestro Augustus Castellanos comes to teach alongside Niles as a guest teacher. Niles' welcome is correspondingly cool. Augustus wants to give his daughter Constance a normal life and she should therefore attend this school.
I absolutely loved how easy it was for Niles to deal with Constance. He has a very good understanding of the teenagers he teaches. Constance hasn't lived with her father Augustus for very long and he is having some difficulty adjusting to his role as a father. He only wants the best for his daughter, but the right path is very rocky. The more time Niles spends with Augustus, the more sympathetic he becomes to Augustus, as Niles sees that the maestro has very real problems.
Initial enmity turns into friendship. The two have great chemistry together and you can feel that as a listener. I also loved how natural Niles' interaction with Constance was and how easily he recognized her needs. In contrast to Augustus.
It took me a little longer to warm to Augustus, but his action near the end of the book was unnecessary in my eyes, or rather the lack of communication shouldn't have been. Niles and Constance deserved better.
But overall, I enjoyed the story again and Nicky James took me into the world of music with words, which was very intriguing.
Nick J. Russo is a fantastic narrator who did a great job of capturing the wide range of emotions and bringing them across to the listener. He chose appropriate voices for the different characters and I always knew who was speaking. It was an absolute pleasure to listen to Nick.
This book was very entertaining and engaging, very well written with lots of emotional moments and once I started listening I almost couldn't press the pause button. Highly recommended!
So stunning!
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Listener received this title free
Beautiful story
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Listener received this title free
Nicky James gives us another engaging, emotional and beautiful story I recommend so much.
Niles and August Brilliant
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Listener received this title free
The emotional descriptions of beautiful classical scores and 2 mature, talented, stubborn and vulnerable men finding happiness left my heart singing. Nick added layers of feelings to this wonderful story.
Maestro Castellanos is a famous musician and conductor but his world has turned upside down and he has to stop working and look after his daughter, so he is angry and frustrated and so judgmental. Constance is an angry teenager that hates her father and lets him know all the time, she has tons of issues and lots of resentment.
Lovely Niles is the music teacher in the pretentious private school who ends up clashing with the maestro and taking pity on his daughter. He manages to calm everyone and bring out their strengths and passions to the surface. He gets hurt along the way but my goodness that ending is well worth all the pain.
An excellent story and a wonderful narration.
Love, loved the feelings inspired by this book.
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Listener received this title free
I loved every moment the feels emotions and chemistry I felt every word of this story
Beautiful writing and beautiful performance
So stunning
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