Today I bring you a review for A Song for Julia by author Charles Sheehan-Miles.  Charles has been a soldier, nonprofit executive, short order cook, IT manager and run a restaurant. He doesn’t believe in specialization. He currently works as a communications and outreach specialist for a law firm representing disabled veterans.

Synopsis:

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 delves deep into the past and emotions of the two main characters, Julia & Crank.  Julia grew up with a father who was a diplomat with a mother that didn’t really know much about mothering.  She endures a traumatic event when she is 14 which scars her emotionally and only in meeting Crank is she finally able to work through it all.  Crank isn’t the perfect guy, he has his own set of issues including a brother with Aspergers and his own parent issues.

I enjoyed the book and it made me stop and think about how good my life has been compared to these characters and even those around me.  To see Julia break through her shell and stop doing what everyone else wants her to do made me want to cheer her on.  Life wasn’t going to be easy but she was going to be in control.  Crank was another hot mess but being around Julia helped him resolve some of his own issues and helped him grow up as well.  Julia’s relationship with her mother is tenuous at best and her relationship with her sisters wasn’t much better.  I always like it when I see family coming together and sticking up for each other, even if it just a few…because sometimes that is all that it takes.

I give this book 4 paws, might be something you would like!