Maestro by Auden Dar
Contemporary Romance
November 22, 2022

Review by Jen

I kept hearing about this book. So many people, in all my feeds, loving on it. I gave in and was glad I did! Maestro by Auden Dar is a lonnnng haul, so be warned. Don’t start this one night and think you can put it down. It’s good and you won’t want to, and then you’ll be awake for days. The story spans many years, from pre-teens to adults, break ups, and make-ups. 

They’re soulmates, best friends to lovers, both musicians, and from very different worlds. Let’s start with the MC, Chadwick David. Chad is British, from a solid happily married mom and dad with great jobs and a nice home life. Aurelia Ramirez Preston is the child of an affair between her single mom and a wealthy married writer. Her mom is a nurse who works a lot to afford a good life and school for Aurelia.  

Chad and Aurelia meet during an audition to attend the #1 performing arts high school in NYC, LaGuardia. For those of a certain age…this was the school featured in the 80s movie, Fame. Side note- GREAT movie! 

Our two fantastically talented kids hit it off and become the best of friends. Chad is gorgeous and has a bad boy meets classical music vibe with tattoos and a muscled physique. They’re close to being a couple but it takes a long time for them to cave in. Aurelia clearly longs for Chad, but Chad plays it cool on the romance front. He dates around but always comes back to Aurelia, his best friend, and confidant. I loved how close they were, how much they shared, and the loyalty and dreams they had to stay in each other’s lives forever. 

They’re soul mates. Complete and total soul mates. Who can’t seem ever to find the right timing. Family members sabotaging them. Boyfriends. Girlfriends. One-night stands. Concert tours. Chad’s own ambition. Chad’s been told he’s a god. He’s a star. His life was meant to be on stage around the world, leading orchestras, winning awards, and being a celebrity. He wants to be that man. And, he wants Aurelia. She grapples with how to support him and not lose herself. 

Oh, how my heart hurt when they broke up that first time. I physically felt their pain. Do you know when you KNOW what’s coming? You can spot it a mile away and it STILL HURTS?? Yup. Just like that. I wanted to reach into the pages and throat punch some of the characters that got between these two loving teenagers. And it didn’t stop there. Nope. They kept finding each other and trying. And trying. And loving. And being hurt. I was right there with them, having to pause, take deep breaths, and carry on. It’s romance, there has to be a HEA. And, there was. A very hard fought happiness. 

Definitely read this book. Saying again…it’s epically long. I’m knocking back my grade a bit because I do think it could’ve been shorter. Not much. But some. 

Grade B+

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