Why Birds Sing

 

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Nina Berkhout

Women’s Fiction

280 pages

Published October 6, 2020 by ECW Press

Dawn doesn’t need complications in her life.  She’s busy brooding day after day over her flamed-out opera singing career, spending hours each day streaming her last, humiliating performance.  It wasn’t what she expected for herself, but she’s on hiatus now while her voice heals, and at least now she and her husband of five years, Ash, have time to start the family they’ve always wanted.  So, the last thing she needs is her brother-in-law, Tariq, whom she barely knows, moving in with them.  Nor does she want to tutor a bunch of quirky, amateur whistlers in need of a coach.

Tariq, who didn’t even attend their wedding, nor did he stay long at Ash and Tariq’s father’s funeral, shows up the very next day, with African Grey Parrot, Tulip, in tow.  And Dawn, who storms down to her agent’s office after meeting with the whistling group, finds out that her contract with the opera company requires her to work or she doesn’t get paid.  So, Dawn trudges back to meet with the amateur siffleurs (whistlers), angry and short-tempered in her dealings with them.  And, she gets roped into taking Tariq to his chemotherapy appointments, as her husband can’t cancel his twice daily stops at his aging mother’s house, both breakfast and dinner, for a visit.

My thoughts:

A beautiful novel of pain and loss, struggle and redemption, and finding that new path in life when you find out the one you believed you were on doesn’t lead you where you thought.  This one will hit you right in the feels.  Heart wrenching and heartwarming, you’ll savor this one slowly so as to enjoy the lyrical language, yet have to hold yourself back in racing through to the end to find out what fate has in store for Dawn, Ash, and Taliq.

Highly recommended by Desiree, Why Birds Sing in paperback dropped just two days ago on Tuesday, October 6, 2020, and is available now for purchase.  Drop us a Comment below and let us know what you thought of it!  Be sure to check out this free Book Club Guide as well.

A big thank you to #NinaBerkhout, #ECW Press, and #NetGalley for providing a free Advance Reader Copy in exchange for this honest review.