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The Sound Between The Notes: A Novel
The highly anticipated new novel from the multiple award-winning author of Queen of the Owls . . .
What if you had a second chance at the very thing you thought you’d renounced forever? How steep a price would you be willing to pay?
Susannah’s career as a pianist has been on hold for nearly sixteen years, ever since her son was born. An adoptee who’s never forgiven her birth mother for not putting her first, Susannah vowed to put her own child first, no matter what. And she did.
But now, suddenly, she has a chance to vault into that elite tier of “chosen” musicians. There’s just one problem: somewhere along the way, she lost the power and the magic that used to be hers at the keyboard. She needs to get them back. Now.
Her quest―what her husband calls her obsession―turns out to have a cost Susannah couldn’t have anticipated. Even her hand betrays her, as Susannah learns that she has a progressive hereditary disease that’s making her fingers cramp and curl―a curse waiting in her genes, legacy of a birth family that gave her little else. As her now-or-never concert draws near, Susannah is catapulted back to memories she’s never been able to purge―and forward, to choices she never thought she would have to make.
Told through the unique perspective of a musician, The Sound Between the Notes draws the reader deeper and deeper into the question Susannah can no longer silence: Who am I, and where do I belong?
What if you had a second chance at the very thing you thought you’d renounced forever? How steep a price would you be willing to pay?
Susannah’s career as a pianist has been on hold for nearly sixteen years, ever since her son was born. An adoptee who’s never forgiven her birth mother for not putting her first, Susannah vowed to put her own child first, no matter what. And she did.
But now, suddenly, she has a chance to vault into that elite tier of “chosen” musicians. There’s just one problem: somewhere along the way, she lost the power and the magic that used to be hers at the keyboard. She needs to get them back. Now.
Her quest―what her husband calls her obsession―turns out to have a cost Susannah couldn’t have anticipated. Even her hand betrays her, as Susannah learns that she has a progressive hereditary disease that’s making her fingers cramp and curl―a curse waiting in her genes, legacy of a birth family that gave her little else. As her now-or-never concert draws near, Susannah is catapulted back to memories she’s never been able to purge―and forward, to choices she never thought she would have to make.
Told through the unique perspective of a musician, The Sound Between the Notes draws the reader deeper and deeper into the question Susannah can no longer silence: Who am I, and where do I belong?
338 pages, Kindle Edition
First published April 6, 2021
59 people are currently reading
2535 people want to read
About the author
Barbara Linn Probst
5 books218 followersBarbara Linn Probst is an award-winning author of contemporary women’s fiction living on an historic dirt road in New York’s Hudson Valley. Her acclaimed novels QUEEN OF THE OWLS (2020) and TTHE SOUND BETWEEN THE NOTES (2021) were medalists for prestigious national awards, and THE SOUND BETWEEN THE NOTES was selected by Kirkus Reviews as one of the Best Indie Books of 2021. Barbara has also published over fifty essays on the craft of writing for sites such as Jane Friedman and Writer Unboxed, along with two nonfiction books. Her third novel THE COLOR OF ICE will be released in October 2022.
FUN FACT:
Barbara's first book was framed around the art and life of iconic American painter Georgia O'Keeffe, and her second book was framed around music and the piano. THE COLOR OF ICE, set among Iceland's thermal lagoons and blue icebergs, is framed around the magical art of glassblowing.
FUN FACT:
Barbara's first book was framed around the art and life of iconic American painter Georgia O'Keeffe, and her second book was framed around music and the piano. THE COLOR OF ICE, set among Iceland's thermal lagoons and blue icebergs, is framed around the magical art of glassblowing.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 125 reviews
May 30, 2021
I don’t even have words for this book yet because I’m only just now coming off of the high from reading it. But, I’m going to try nonetheless...
“Her fingers were already twitching. They could feel the music before she reached the keyboard.”
This is ultimately Susannah’s story about being a pianist and her love for music. But, it’s also the account of so much more.
The Sound Between The Notes tells the struggle of being a mom that choose her child over her career. Now that her son James is sixteen she has a chance to relive her dream all over again by playing her favorite piece at a huge charity event. The people attending could still provide her a big break, despite the pressure of her age.
But, a performance like this doesn’t come without obstacles. For it seems that focusing so intently on what she wants causes her to leave other people and important tasks on the back burner. Everything else can wait until “After the concert.”
“Why was everyone so worried that she might feel a glimmer of hope? Hope was the reason she’d auditioned-hope of restoring the magic she seemed to have lost.”
Susannah is also cursed with a debilitating health condition that seems to appear at the worst possible time. ( Don’t they always.) She then has to handle the push and pull of what kind of treatment or action she should or shouldn’t take, to ensure that her future in music isn’t compromised.
It also explores the strength of a family who has lost the key member that held them together. Susannah lost her mother, Dana, nine months ago and is struggling to figure out life without her by her side. Her father, Tyler, is also battling his own health problems on top of the grief in losing his partner in crime. I recently lost a parent so I know this heartache all too well.
“Her family and her music, the equation she’d never been able to solve.”
This book delves into marriage and pokes and prods at just how much two people can take, especially when each only considers their own feelings.
“Play the notes, but listen to the music.”
Told in dual timelines, then and now, Susannah also tells us the story of the hurdles she faced in trying to find out about her past, her birth parents, and her genetics.
I learned so much from this book that I never knew I needed in my life. I never thought of what children that are adopted must feel like when books are read in class about a bird finding it’s mother based upon them looking the same. ( “Are You My Mother?” ) While that book may be a beautiful addition to your home library, it’s not one that should be permissible in a setting where children come from a variety of different backgrounds. I also learned that it’s not proper and also thoughtless to say that a child is “put up for adoption” and rather one should state that the mother “made an adoption plan.”
“...Some babies grew in their mommy’s tummy and others grew in their mommy’s heart.”
Before this book I also had never heard of “Dupuytren’s Contracture” and I found myself googling it and educated myself on what our main character was experiencing. I have many invisible chronic illnesses, so I always strive to learn more about others and how they are affected by their physical and mental ailments.
I also found myself listening to Schubert’s B- Flat Major Sonata. Even having zero background in music I can feel the emotion behind the notes. I tried to place myself at Susannah’s concert and picture her fingers gliding through this story that he painted, eyes closed and fully in the moment.
My only critique would be that I wish the “Now” chapters had a countdown of “Days ‘Til Concert.” I found it hard to figure out how much time had gone by when the timeline switched back.
The Sound Between The Notes was truly brilliant and is a contender for one of my favorite books of the year! This was a hard-hitting contemporary that everyone should add to their TBR!
Thank you SO much to BookSparks, Barbara Linn Probst & She Writes Press for my gifted physical copy in exchange for an honest review.
“Her fingers were already twitching. They could feel the music before she reached the keyboard.”
This is ultimately Susannah’s story about being a pianist and her love for music. But, it’s also the account of so much more.
The Sound Between The Notes tells the struggle of being a mom that choose her child over her career. Now that her son James is sixteen she has a chance to relive her dream all over again by playing her favorite piece at a huge charity event. The people attending could still provide her a big break, despite the pressure of her age.
But, a performance like this doesn’t come without obstacles. For it seems that focusing so intently on what she wants causes her to leave other people and important tasks on the back burner. Everything else can wait until “After the concert.”
“Why was everyone so worried that she might feel a glimmer of hope? Hope was the reason she’d auditioned-hope of restoring the magic she seemed to have lost.”
Susannah is also cursed with a debilitating health condition that seems to appear at the worst possible time. ( Don’t they always.) She then has to handle the push and pull of what kind of treatment or action she should or shouldn’t take, to ensure that her future in music isn’t compromised.
It also explores the strength of a family who has lost the key member that held them together. Susannah lost her mother, Dana, nine months ago and is struggling to figure out life without her by her side. Her father, Tyler, is also battling his own health problems on top of the grief in losing his partner in crime. I recently lost a parent so I know this heartache all too well.
“Her family and her music, the equation she’d never been able to solve.”
This book delves into marriage and pokes and prods at just how much two people can take, especially when each only considers their own feelings.
“Play the notes, but listen to the music.”
Told in dual timelines, then and now, Susannah also tells us the story of the hurdles she faced in trying to find out about her past, her birth parents, and her genetics.
I learned so much from this book that I never knew I needed in my life. I never thought of what children that are adopted must feel like when books are read in class about a bird finding it’s mother based upon them looking the same. ( “Are You My Mother?” ) While that book may be a beautiful addition to your home library, it’s not one that should be permissible in a setting where children come from a variety of different backgrounds. I also learned that it’s not proper and also thoughtless to say that a child is “put up for adoption” and rather one should state that the mother “made an adoption plan.”
“...Some babies grew in their mommy’s tummy and others grew in their mommy’s heart.”
Before this book I also had never heard of “Dupuytren’s Contracture” and I found myself googling it and educated myself on what our main character was experiencing. I have many invisible chronic illnesses, so I always strive to learn more about others and how they are affected by their physical and mental ailments.
I also found myself listening to Schubert’s B- Flat Major Sonata. Even having zero background in music I can feel the emotion behind the notes. I tried to place myself at Susannah’s concert and picture her fingers gliding through this story that he painted, eyes closed and fully in the moment.
My only critique would be that I wish the “Now” chapters had a countdown of “Days ‘Til Concert.” I found it hard to figure out how much time had gone by when the timeline switched back.
The Sound Between The Notes was truly brilliant and is a contender for one of my favorite books of the year! This was a hard-hitting contemporary that everyone should add to their TBR!
Thank you SO much to BookSparks, Barbara Linn Probst & She Writes Press for my gifted physical copy in exchange for an honest review.
April 3, 2021
I so enjoyed the characters and the pace of The Sound Between Notes by Barbara Linn Probst; easy to read and a page turner for me, with a wonderful story that delves into a woman’s search for her identity and a longing for connection. Susannah gave up her promising career in music in order to raise her son, James. The choice for her was all or nothing in those younger years; as an adoptee she questioned why she was given away, haunted by rejection and vowed to ensure her son felt her love with no distraction. When an exceptional opportunity to play piano in front of a special audience arises, a desire she harbored from before she became a mom, her husband, Aaron is not as supportive as Susannah would have hoped. Struggling to discover who she is without her music, and haunted by the past, Susannah’s identity comes into question when she gets a scary medical diagnosis based on her genetics, and the urgency to discover who she really is reaches an all time high.
Adoption, tracing roots and meeting blood relatives, along with complex family relationships, the joy of music and a frightening medical diagnosis is a compelling combination! Author Barbara Linn Probst knows how to make the reader feel all the feels of the characters, from fear to elation and everything in between. I highly recommend this book! Author Q & A at https://booknationbyjen.com/2021/04/0...
Adoption, tracing roots and meeting blood relatives, along with complex family relationships, the joy of music and a frightening medical diagnosis is a compelling combination! Author Barbara Linn Probst knows how to make the reader feel all the feels of the characters, from fear to elation and everything in between. I highly recommend this book! Author Q & A at https://booknationbyjen.com/2021/04/0...
May 7, 2021
This was an emotional read for me. The storyline and the characters were so rich and so easy for me to connect with. I love when a character is trying to find themselves and we get to go along or the ride and watch it all unfold on the pages before us.
4 stars and I can't say this is a book that you will soon forget about.
The Mary Reader received this book from the publisher for review. A favorable review was not required and all views expressed are our own.
4 stars and I can't say this is a book that you will soon forget about.
The Mary Reader received this book from the publisher for review. A favorable review was not required and all views expressed are our own.
May 31, 2021
Quite a different book than what I usually read. A gifted pianist had a nodule on the palm, making it difficult for her to use her little finger. After 16 years of devoting to her home, she wanted to get back to concert life.
An opportunity arose and she wanted to take it. But Susannah had a lot of obstacles to surpass, including fights with husband, missed appointments, therapy for Dupuytren’s contracture that she was diagnosed with, failing her son’s wishes.
This was Susannah’s journey to achieve her dreams. But at what cost?
My first book by author Barbara Lynn Probst, I enjoyed the initial parts where she played for the audition without telling anyone. I liked her passion and talent.
The author dealt with a lot of social topics as Susannah was adopted and wanted to know the birth family along with their medical history. But they were least interested. And it affected her badly.
There was relationship identity issues where one wanted to break the wife and mother mold and the others couldn’t understand it. I liked how she still pursued her dreams.
Then came her desperation for the treatment, both real and experimental, for a slow progressive disease but which could potentially affect her career. But her husband was against it. I liked her bravery to try something new.
Emotions ebbed and flowed in the entire story likes the notes from the piano where I could understand certain facets of the main character. There was a fire burning in her, and I admired her for it. We all need that in our hearts.
But…
She lied and evaded a lot of things, instead of talking straight with the people around, including her family. Her father had episodes of memory losses, but she didn’t seem to bother much about it. She was supposed to be someone who was warm and kind, but she came across as someone who brushed all that away just to get to her dreams. I didn’t like such a facet shown. She didn’t come across as intelligent and endearing. If she had spoken straight, I would have enjoyed the book more.
There were a couple of lines which put me off her by her antiquated views, even at the age of forty. She wrongly thought her mother had been barren and hence had adopted her. And the lines below were her thoughts as quoted in the book.
She had always assumed her mother couldn’t have children. Secretly and not so secretly, she had viewed it as a defect, a missing capacity that belonged to women who were normal and whole. It made her pity and hate her mother in equal measures.
These were her thoughts about her mother’s so called ‘barrenness.’ A modern woman in our times thinking so just rubbed me raw.
The ending was quite rushed, so I couldn’t savor the change of hearts or experience the emotions of a family finding its way back to each other. The richness of music came across, but it failed to evoke my emotions. A pity!!
2.5 stars
An opportunity arose and she wanted to take it. But Susannah had a lot of obstacles to surpass, including fights with husband, missed appointments, therapy for Dupuytren’s contracture that she was diagnosed with, failing her son’s wishes.
This was Susannah’s journey to achieve her dreams. But at what cost?
My first book by author Barbara Lynn Probst, I enjoyed the initial parts where she played for the audition without telling anyone. I liked her passion and talent.
The author dealt with a lot of social topics as Susannah was adopted and wanted to know the birth family along with their medical history. But they were least interested. And it affected her badly.
There was relationship identity issues where one wanted to break the wife and mother mold and the others couldn’t understand it. I liked how she still pursued her dreams.
Then came her desperation for the treatment, both real and experimental, for a slow progressive disease but which could potentially affect her career. But her husband was against it. I liked her bravery to try something new.
Emotions ebbed and flowed in the entire story likes the notes from the piano where I could understand certain facets of the main character. There was a fire burning in her, and I admired her for it. We all need that in our hearts.
But…
She lied and evaded a lot of things, instead of talking straight with the people around, including her family. Her father had episodes of memory losses, but she didn’t seem to bother much about it. She was supposed to be someone who was warm and kind, but she came across as someone who brushed all that away just to get to her dreams. I didn’t like such a facet shown. She didn’t come across as intelligent and endearing. If she had spoken straight, I would have enjoyed the book more.
There were a couple of lines which put me off her by her antiquated views, even at the age of forty. She wrongly thought her mother had been barren and hence had adopted her. And the lines below were her thoughts as quoted in the book.
She had always assumed her mother couldn’t have children. Secretly and not so secretly, she had viewed it as a defect, a missing capacity that belonged to women who were normal and whole. It made her pity and hate her mother in equal measures.
These were her thoughts about her mother’s so called ‘barrenness.’ A modern woman in our times thinking so just rubbed me raw.
The ending was quite rushed, so I couldn’t savor the change of hearts or experience the emotions of a family finding its way back to each other. The richness of music came across, but it failed to evoke my emotions. A pity!!
2.5 stars
April 5, 2021
I enjoyed reading this wonderful story about Susannah, a woman at a crossroads who has been given a chance to perform once more as a concert pianist, a career she gave up sixteen years ago when her son James was born. As an adoptee she could never forgive her mother for giving her up, and made sure as a mother she would always put her child first. Told in two time lines, Probst was able to weave the then and now in a beautiful way that really tells the story of Susannah’s past as she tries to understand why she was given up.
This is a story about chosen families, the choices and sacrifices made as women in both personal and professional lives, about finding identity, and the connection whether nature vs nurture is what shape who we become. A deftly written novel - so readable that was hard to put down, and beautiful to the very last word.
This is a story about chosen families, the choices and sacrifices made as women in both personal and professional lives, about finding identity, and the connection whether nature vs nurture is what shape who we become. A deftly written novel - so readable that was hard to put down, and beautiful to the very last word.
April 6, 2021
4.5/5 stars. Once again Probst gets into the heart of the matter that many women face - who we are, and what we want our lives to be like. In this book, identity isn't just about a career or opportunities, but also about physical identity, and what an adopted person goes through to find out who they are. My full review is here. https://tcl-bookreviews.com/2021/04/0...
January 29, 2021
The Sound Between Notes reads like a piece of music—ebbing and flowing, quiet and loud, feeling each word as if it were a note I could feel physically and emotionally. Susannah is many things to many people: a wife and mother, a daughter, a protégée, and a gifted pianist whose second chance at a career could be derailed by a devastating condition. She is an adoptee who still struggles with feeling unwanted, impacting all facets of her life. Susannah was equal parts fascinating and frustrating to me: I truly wanted to hug away her pain, at the same time I wanted to yell at her to pay attention to what was happening to the people around her! But like Dorothy in Oz, Susannah had to figure it out herself, so that she could find her identity, and the path to her future, while maintaining her connection to those she loves most. Her journey is riveting and poignant, and I wanted to turn pages rapidly to see how it would turn out. But I had to slow down and savor the beautiful words and sentiments that were so wise and profound. The emotions in this book are raw and honest, powerful and passionate. Brava!
April 7, 2021
If you are looking for an emotional, beautifully chiseled novel, by a truly talented author, look no further than that of The Sound Between The Notes. Probst has woven a story that will grip you from the start, take you on a whirlwind ride, and deliver you an ending that will make you ready for her next novel.
I loved reading Susannah’s story, as she journeyed through life, trying to find out who she truly was meant to be. I loved the way Probst entwined the powerful messages of adoption and family into the story. As someone who has a biological sister somewhere out there, I truly felt the emotions of the adoption aspect, for sure!
This beautiful story brings the reader unforgettable characters, an emotionally moving plot line, makes you reflect on your life and the choices you’ve made. I am so glad that I had the opportunity to read this one and I look forward to more books just like this one from this amazingly talented author!
*I received a complimentary copy of this book from Author/Publisher and was under no obligation to post a review, positive or negative.*
I loved reading Susannah’s story, as she journeyed through life, trying to find out who she truly was meant to be. I loved the way Probst entwined the powerful messages of adoption and family into the story. As someone who has a biological sister somewhere out there, I truly felt the emotions of the adoption aspect, for sure!
This beautiful story brings the reader unforgettable characters, an emotionally moving plot line, makes you reflect on your life and the choices you’ve made. I am so glad that I had the opportunity to read this one and I look forward to more books just like this one from this amazingly talented author!
*I received a complimentary copy of this book from Author/Publisher and was under no obligation to post a review, positive or negative.*
March 12, 2021
Schubert knew he was dying when he wrote his B-flat major sonata. The piece was going to be Susannah's reentry into her lapsed career as a concert pianist. Her early gift had been set aside when she became a wife and mother. Now it was time to put music a priority in her life. Especially as there was a chance of being on a CD of composers who had died young.
But Susannah's little finger was not as responsive as it should be and a doctor delivered the horrible news: she had Dupuytren's contracture, and no one could predict how quickly it would progress or how severe it would become. There was no cure, and few treatments available.
Susannah would not to listen to the doctors, or her husband, and merely wait and see what developed. She would do everything to make her comeback a success and to prevent another sidelining of her career. Misha Dichter had overcome Dupuytren's. So would she.
I loved how the story is filled with music, composers, and the stories of the challenges they faced. I remember hearing some in concert, like Alicia de Larrocha and Vladamir Horowitz. The author is a serious amateur pianist and understands what she is writing about, and it shows. Susannah's search for just the right piano with the right touch struck home; I always had a challenge when I played a piano not my own.
When Susannah met her future husband Aaron he bonded with her father over Thomas Kuhn. I loved this reference! I had read Kuhn's book Structure of Scientific Revolutions in a Poly Sci class in my early college career.
Now, Susannah's father is losing his memory and will need to find Assisted Living soon. With her dad, preparing for her upcoming concert, her teenage son going his own way, and her husband trusting her to take care of all the domestic duties she had always been responsible for, the stress is building.
Aaron was the logical thinker, the scientist. Susannah was the creative one, the one who could speak through music. They had always relied on each other's strengths to balance. Now, by not listening to her husband's advice, a wedge had appeared between them. She had broken the unspoken contract; would their marriage survive it?
The Sound Between the Notes has great depth into human nature and family connections, including Susannah's feelings and relationships with her adoptive parents and biological family. The climax is dramatic and the resolution satisfying. Readers of women's fiction will enjoy this novel. Many of us will recognize the challenges of how changing marital roles require a paradigm shift that some couples overcome and others can not.
I previous read the author's novel The Queen of the Owls.
I received a free egalley from the publisher through NetGalley. My review is fair and unbiased.
February 16, 2021
It's difficult to describe this book beyond saying that it was one of the most beautifully written novels that I've read in a long time. I don't know anything about music or piano but I feel like the words in this novel were like the notes in a piece of music - each word and note carefully put together to create a work of art.
Also, I did gain some appreciation for classical music because after finishing this book, I listened to many of the pieces of music that were mentioned. I have long avoided classical music and after listening to the pieces mentioned in this book - I have no idea why I've avoided it -- it was beautiful.
Susannah quit her career as a pianist 16 years earlier when her son was born. She knew that she couldn't handle the difficult programs and contests and give her son the love and time that she felt he needed. She was an adoptee who was consumed with finding her birth family even though she had wonderful parents who adopted her as a baby. Still she felt that she'd been thrown away by her birth family and she wanted to make sure that her son never had the same feelings
Suddenly, she has the chance to audition for a charity function which would vault her back to a prestigious status. But she feels like she's lost some of the magic that she used to possess and strives to find it again. She finds out that she a a degenerative hereditary disease that makes her fingers cramp and is obsessed in finding a treatment. Will she be successful at her music while she tries to balance the needs of her husband and son?
This second book by Barbara Linn Probst shows again how fantastically she writes strong women characters who are successful in navigating the problems in their lives.
Also, I did gain some appreciation for classical music because after finishing this book, I listened to many of the pieces of music that were mentioned. I have long avoided classical music and after listening to the pieces mentioned in this book - I have no idea why I've avoided it -- it was beautiful.
Susannah quit her career as a pianist 16 years earlier when her son was born. She knew that she couldn't handle the difficult programs and contests and give her son the love and time that she felt he needed. She was an adoptee who was consumed with finding her birth family even though she had wonderful parents who adopted her as a baby. Still she felt that she'd been thrown away by her birth family and she wanted to make sure that her son never had the same feelings
Suddenly, she has the chance to audition for a charity function which would vault her back to a prestigious status. But she feels like she's lost some of the magic that she used to possess and strives to find it again. She finds out that she a a degenerative hereditary disease that makes her fingers cramp and is obsessed in finding a treatment. Will she be successful at her music while she tries to balance the needs of her husband and son?
This second book by Barbara Linn Probst shows again how fantastically she writes strong women characters who are successful in navigating the problems in their lives.
February 16, 2021
Come April 6th, 2021, book review clubs will have a spectacular opportunity to read and discuss Barbara Linn Probst’s new novel, ‘The Sound Between the Notes.’ I was fascinated by the many thought provoking themes including adoption, parenting, balancing professions, tracing family members, identity and the amazing world of classical & country music! I felt like I was sitting in a piano master class while absorbed in a complex family drama. Don’t miss this one .. brava!
April 7, 2021
Linda’s Book Obsession Reviews “The Sound Between the Notes” by Barbara Linn Probst, She Writes Press, April 6, 2021. On Tour with Suzy Approved Book Tours
Barbara Linn Probst, the author of “The Sound Between the Notes” has written an intriguing and memorable novel. I appreciate that the author has written a novel about the rhythm, balance, timbre, and feelings about life. Barbara Linn Probst also writes about nature vs. nature. The author is an amazing writer, who vividly describes the characters, events, and settings in the story. The genres for this story are literary fiction, women’s fiction, domestic fiction, and fiction. The author describes her dramatic characters as complex and complicated. Music sets the stage for this story.
The protagonist of this story, Susannah has set aside her passion and career of playing the piano, to be a wife and mother. As her son gets older, Susannah is given the opportunity to embrace a career as a pianist. When Susannah is auditioning, she “feels” something is off a few times with the notes she plays. She compensates the best that she can and is offered the chance to take a position. Susannah notices two small bumps in her hand, that don’t hurt her, but she does go to the doctor.
Susannah finds out that the small bumps are part of a genetic, inherited disease that possibly would make playing the piano difficult. When Susannah researches the disease and looks for cures, she becomes even more obsessed. Susannah is adopted and searches for her birth family to seek answers.
As Susannah tries to balance and practice the piano, she starts forgetting important everyday routines that her family expects her to do. Susannah searches to find herself. I would recommend this well-written, emotional, and thought-provoking novel for other readers.
Barbara Linn Probst, the author of “The Sound Between the Notes” has written an intriguing and memorable novel. I appreciate that the author has written a novel about the rhythm, balance, timbre, and feelings about life. Barbara Linn Probst also writes about nature vs. nature. The author is an amazing writer, who vividly describes the characters, events, and settings in the story. The genres for this story are literary fiction, women’s fiction, domestic fiction, and fiction. The author describes her dramatic characters as complex and complicated. Music sets the stage for this story.
The protagonist of this story, Susannah has set aside her passion and career of playing the piano, to be a wife and mother. As her son gets older, Susannah is given the opportunity to embrace a career as a pianist. When Susannah is auditioning, she “feels” something is off a few times with the notes she plays. She compensates the best that she can and is offered the chance to take a position. Susannah notices two small bumps in her hand, that don’t hurt her, but she does go to the doctor.
Susannah finds out that the small bumps are part of a genetic, inherited disease that possibly would make playing the piano difficult. When Susannah researches the disease and looks for cures, she becomes even more obsessed. Susannah is adopted and searches for her birth family to seek answers.
As Susannah tries to balance and practice the piano, she starts forgetting important everyday routines that her family expects her to do. Susannah searches to find herself. I would recommend this well-written, emotional, and thought-provoking novel for other readers.
April 7, 2021
There was so much packed into this one, and I enjoyed it so very much. Susannah put her career as a pianist on hold when she had her son, and is given the opportunity of a lifetime 16 years later to become an elite musician. Susannah is also an adoptee that never forgave her birth mother for giving her up, which is why she chose to put her son first and put her career on pause.
Now that she is focusing on her career again, there is desperately trying to get the ‘magic’ back that she once had, and while doing so she learns she has a progressive hereditary degenerative disease that makes her fingers cramp and curl, and it is incurable. As her opportunity draws closer, she is forced to revisit her past and deal with some of those unresolved feelings she thought she had pushed aside.
This was such a great book, and I might be a little biased as an adoptee myself and could understand the struggles that Susannah went through, and thought this was very well written. I also enjoyed the two timelines of then and now, revisiting Susannah’s past alongside her current day situation. The musical storyline was equally captivating, and to have Susannah find her footing right as she is diagnosed with this disease was heartbreaking but her determination was incredible.
This is out today, I recommend you add it to your list! Thank you to @booksparks for the #gifted copy!
Now that she is focusing on her career again, there is desperately trying to get the ‘magic’ back that she once had, and while doing so she learns she has a progressive hereditary degenerative disease that makes her fingers cramp and curl, and it is incurable. As her opportunity draws closer, she is forced to revisit her past and deal with some of those unresolved feelings she thought she had pushed aside.
This was such a great book, and I might be a little biased as an adoptee myself and could understand the struggles that Susannah went through, and thought this was very well written. I also enjoyed the two timelines of then and now, revisiting Susannah’s past alongside her current day situation. The musical storyline was equally captivating, and to have Susannah find her footing right as she is diagnosed with this disease was heartbreaking but her determination was incredible.
This is out today, I recommend you add it to your list! Thank you to @booksparks for the #gifted copy!
April 21, 2021
I was immediately captivated by Susannah’s struggles as she’s coming to terms with her present, reconciling her past and moving forward.
After finally being able to dedicate herself to playing the piano she finds out she has a hereditary disease affecting her hands.
I loved this story. The ups and downs, the negative and the positive taken from her relationships with her children, sister, parents adopted and biological. We don’t always get it right and we make many mistakes along the way.
I loved Susannah’s emotional journey from her stubbornness and sometimes self absorbed attitude to her resilience to make her dream come true.
There is so much detail, emotion and depth in this story and it’s characters that you can’t help but be totally absorbed by it.
After finally being able to dedicate herself to playing the piano she finds out she has a hereditary disease affecting her hands.
I loved this story. The ups and downs, the negative and the positive taken from her relationships with her children, sister, parents adopted and biological. We don’t always get it right and we make many mistakes along the way.
I loved Susannah’s emotional journey from her stubbornness and sometimes self absorbed attitude to her resilience to make her dream come true.
There is so much detail, emotion and depth in this story and it’s characters that you can’t help but be totally absorbed by it.
January 28, 2021
There is so much to love about Barbara Linn Probst’s second novel, The Sound Between the Notes. First and foremost is the unique perspective of the inner workings of the mind of classical pianist, Susannah, as she prepares for an important comeback performance. Every nuance of the composer’s intent, each touch of the keys, is conveyed beautifully. Next is the deep dive into the complex emotions surrounding adoption, for everyone involved—adopted child, the parents who raised her, as well as birth parents and extended family. And finally, between the notes of these alternating timelines, titled “now” (the music) and “then” (adoption), is the sound of a woman’s journey to wholeness. As Susannah feverishly prepares for her concert and struggles to make decisions about a degenerative health issue that could end her career, her role as devoted wife and mother, a role that she had excelled at for over sixteen years, is suddenly shaken. But just as she learns to “just play” the music, Susannah discovers how to “just love” not only those dear to her, but herself as well. You will enjoy the exquisite writing, the diverse complex characters, the interconnected stories of love and loss, but mostly, you will be utterly entranced with the music.
January 19, 2021
THE SOUND BETWEEN THE NOTES by Barbara Linn Probst is an emotional and heartfelt novel that kept me engrossed from beginning to end. It is a beautifully-written story of a woman’s sacrifices for her family and her journey to self-discovery. Susannah is a gifted classical pianist who set aside her promising career as a professional musician sixteen years ago upon the birth of her son, James. She has willingly put the needs of her husband and child ahead of her own all this time. Being an adoptee, she has never forgotten what it’s like to feel unwanted by your mother and she vows to do better for James. An unexpected call from her former piano teacher and mentor gives her a chance to audition for an opportunity open to only the most elite musicians. She becomes obsessed with returning to the stage. But while preparing for her audition, Susannah learns she has a progressive hereditary disease called Dupuytren’s contracture that can cause the fingers to bend over toward the palm. To better understand the devastating diagnosis, she becomes desperate to find members of her birth family, but doing so could risk everything important to her. Her choices have a dramatic effect on her family and career. This is a multi-layered story with complex characters. I enjoyed the musical theme woven throughout and insight into the worlds of classical and country music. The themes of family and adoption are also quite compelling. I enjoyed this thought-provoking book and highly recommend it. Thank you to the author for providing me with an early copy to read and review.
January 22, 2021
The thing that struck me most about this novel was that it might have been written by a classical concert pianist - the knowledge of music, the understanding of the way music is played to express what the composer intended, seemed completely authentic. The book isn't primarily about music, though it acts as a metaphor throughout the novel. It's about motherhood, mothers and daughters, a woman's identity, and her quest to find out who she is, in more ways than one. Some of these are familiar tropes, but they're handled in a completely new way here. The pacing is wonderful, and kept me up reading long past my bedtime. This would make a great book club read, with plenty to discuss and a list of questions to get groups started. I imagine the author would be happy to join your group if you decide to read it. Can't hurt to ask!
April 10, 2021
I really wanted to love this book. I did enjoy the main story but at times it felt piece meal. Susannah’s last was brought up, but not really resolved. Her marriage was never really resolved. And I felt the ending was just haphazardly thrown in.
May 8, 2021
Every single piece of drama you can possibly imagine was fit within this narrow character arc. As a result of this ambitious feat, absolutely nothing (besides Susannah’s propensity to overreact and self-destruct) is actually resolved in the end.
I really wanted to love this story and root for Susannah as she struggled with coming to terms with her progressive illness but the entire plot was distracting. The focus flickered from a difficult diagnosis and finding her birth mother to dealing with her father’s illness and marital problems while trying to launch a successful music career. Everything was thrown together in the end without much thought or closure.
I really wanted to love this story and root for Susannah as she struggled with coming to terms with her progressive illness but the entire plot was distracting. The focus flickered from a difficult diagnosis and finding her birth mother to dealing with her father’s illness and marital problems while trying to launch a successful music career. Everything was thrown together in the end without much thought or closure.
April 10, 2021
Barbara Linn Probst delivers a novel that tugged at my heart strings so often I could imagine the sound of music coming from my soul as I read.
Her reverence for women is remarkable!
While taking a break from reading, I would close my eyes, and visualize piano strings in movement, actually being able to touch “The Sound Between the Notes”.
Her message was delivered.
My heart in cadence with the life of Susannah.
This book felt personal to me, I dare a woman not to find herself somewhere.
I admire the melodious nature in which Probst shares this story.
Exceptional!
She treats a woman’s life in an amazingly ceremonious manner, no matter what part of the story she is telling.
In this, I learn that my life is always extraordinary. “I am woman, here me roar”!
Probst teaches us lessons!
While there are piercing moments there are soft edges, too. “The Sound Between the Notes” is truly an inspired work.
As we dig deeper into Susannah’s life, I realize that her life is like that of a piano chord. A chord is the combination of two or more notes played simultaneously.
This was her life’s struggle…wanting to hit that chord in her real life!
Hit two or more things at once successfully and make it sound and feel like wonder!!! She just wanted everything to work, and never feel neglect.
You must read this to learn the sound of her song. I bet you will learn a little bit more about yours.
I love a book that lives in you and moves your spirit. This is it!
I received a copy of this book in exchange for a fair and honest review.
Her reverence for women is remarkable!
While taking a break from reading, I would close my eyes, and visualize piano strings in movement, actually being able to touch “The Sound Between the Notes”.
Her message was delivered.
My heart in cadence with the life of Susannah.
This book felt personal to me, I dare a woman not to find herself somewhere.
I admire the melodious nature in which Probst shares this story.
Exceptional!
She treats a woman’s life in an amazingly ceremonious manner, no matter what part of the story she is telling.
In this, I learn that my life is always extraordinary. “I am woman, here me roar”!
Probst teaches us lessons!
While there are piercing moments there are soft edges, too. “The Sound Between the Notes” is truly an inspired work.
As we dig deeper into Susannah’s life, I realize that her life is like that of a piano chord. A chord is the combination of two or more notes played simultaneously.
This was her life’s struggle…wanting to hit that chord in her real life!
Hit two or more things at once successfully and make it sound and feel like wonder!!! She just wanted everything to work, and never feel neglect.
You must read this to learn the sound of her song. I bet you will learn a little bit more about yours.
I love a book that lives in you and moves your spirit. This is it!
I received a copy of this book in exchange for a fair and honest review.
January 1, 2022
I loved THE SOUND BETWEEN THE NOTES by Barbara Linn Probst! First of all, any title that refers to music has the ability to initially catch my attention, and then there's a question posed on the back of the volume: "What if you had a second chance at the very thing you'd renounced forever? How steep a price would you be willing to pay?" Hmmm...
The main character in THE SOUND BETWEEN THE NOTES left a promising career as a pianist in order to stay at home after the birth of her son. Susannah, who had never forgiven her birth mother for putting her up for adoption, was determined to be the perfect mother for her child. When an opportunity to "begin again" comes along once her son is in his teens, she is thrilled. But there are complications - including an issue with one of her hands. Also, her relationship with her husband - who has always been supportive of her endeavors - begins to crumble over Susannah's stubborn intent to go through an iffy procedure that might or might not improve the situation with the hand. Hubby is a scientist and he worries about what such an "unproven" treatment.
There's much more to this novel (her search for her birth mother, her discovery that she has a half-sister, her father's illness, etc.), and I enjoyed reading every bit of it. I've rated it at 5-stars on Goodreads. It is excellent writing, has a believable plot and well-thought-out characters, and is well researched. I didn't want to put it down!
The main character in THE SOUND BETWEEN THE NOTES left a promising career as a pianist in order to stay at home after the birth of her son. Susannah, who had never forgiven her birth mother for putting her up for adoption, was determined to be the perfect mother for her child. When an opportunity to "begin again" comes along once her son is in his teens, she is thrilled. But there are complications - including an issue with one of her hands. Also, her relationship with her husband - who has always been supportive of her endeavors - begins to crumble over Susannah's stubborn intent to go through an iffy procedure that might or might not improve the situation with the hand. Hubby is a scientist and he worries about what such an "unproven" treatment.
There's much more to this novel (her search for her birth mother, her discovery that she has a half-sister, her father's illness, etc.), and I enjoyed reading every bit of it. I've rated it at 5-stars on Goodreads. It is excellent writing, has a believable plot and well-thought-out characters, and is well researched. I didn't want to put it down!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
February 25, 2021
Solid Story, Could Have Used Better Structure. This was a solid story of a woman trying to find herself after putting her career on pause to raise her kid and give him a life she had never had. For me, though, the structure of the storytelling itself would have dramatically benefited from a slight variation of the technique here. Here, we get a mostly dual timeline story, a bit scattered at times (date stamps alone would have been useful in that regard, even if just "x years ago") but workable. What *really* could have elevated this story though would have been to take a page from another tale of another professional struggling to find his way and looking back on his life - Billy Chapel in the *movie* version of For Love Of The Game. (We shall not speak of the book - one of very few cases where the movie is by far the superior story.) There, the story is told in the same dual timeline approach that we get here - but with *both* timelines happening before the seminal event (in that case, the last game Billy Chapel will ever pitch as a professional baseball player, in this case an important concert), then some follow-up after the event itself. Ultimately just a tweak, though a significant one, that would have made the story flow so much better for at least this reader. Still, truly a worthy read and very much recommended.
May 21, 2023
The Sound Between the Notes by Barbara Linn Probst is the story of a pianist that has a comeback audition she keeps from her family. That's the beginning and a big clue to what is happening with the character Susannah Lewis. Throw in an hereditary disease and the trials of being adopted and this woman is having problems. The novel includes her quest to find her birth mother as a teenager then as an adult. Keeping secrets from her brilliant scientist husband and messing up with her son doesn't help her any. The career she put on hold while raising her son now has a possibility to come alive again if she can find the right notes.
I feel the character Susannah is far too intelligent an individual to do some of the things in this novel. Just didn't buy into the character as other readers have written in their reviews. Selected the book as the author's two other books were outstanding. This one fell short for me.
I feel the character Susannah is far too intelligent an individual to do some of the things in this novel. Just didn't buy into the character as other readers have written in their reviews. Selected the book as the author's two other books were outstanding. This one fell short for me.
April 8, 2021
What happens when you have a second chance at making your dreams come true?
Susannah put her career on hold as a pianist when her son was born 16 years ago but when she is given the opportunity to perform for an elite crowd that may give her the experience she's dreamed of she's excited but realizes she is missing her spark.
With only weeks to go before her performance, she becomes obsessed and when she notices something off with one of her fingers she's diagnosed with a progressive hereditary disease. This sends her thinking about her past as she was adopted as a child.
I loved the writing of the book. The way she writes almost felt lyrical and I was quickly drawn in to her writing style and this book. This book is about finding your identity, family, the choices we make, motherhood and understanding who you are.
Susannah put her career on hold as a pianist when her son was born 16 years ago but when she is given the opportunity to perform for an elite crowd that may give her the experience she's dreamed of she's excited but realizes she is missing her spark.
With only weeks to go before her performance, she becomes obsessed and when she notices something off with one of her fingers she's diagnosed with a progressive hereditary disease. This sends her thinking about her past as she was adopted as a child.
I loved the writing of the book. The way she writes almost felt lyrical and I was quickly drawn in to her writing style and this book. This book is about finding your identity, family, the choices we make, motherhood and understanding who you are.
May 12, 2021
This book is so eloquently written! It flows like music and it's a beautiful read. The storyline is as heartbreaking as it is wonderful.
Susannah gave up her dream of being a concert pianist when she had her son. She vowed that nothing would come before caring for her baby, and she stuck to that until he was in his teens. Then she got the call of a lifetime! A chance to audition for a very prestigious charity affair that would put her back on the radar of the elite groups. Shortly after her audition, she found out she had a hereditary disease that would eventually render her hands useless.
The main story is about Susannah trying to rediscover her dream while also taking care of her son and husband, and dealing with the fear that her hands will give out and any moment. The ups and downs with her family were so relatable. This book is just beautiful!
Susannah gave up her dream of being a concert pianist when she had her son. She vowed that nothing would come before caring for her baby, and she stuck to that until he was in his teens. Then she got the call of a lifetime! A chance to audition for a very prestigious charity affair that would put her back on the radar of the elite groups. Shortly after her audition, she found out she had a hereditary disease that would eventually render her hands useless.
The main story is about Susannah trying to rediscover her dream while also taking care of her son and husband, and dealing with the fear that her hands will give out and any moment. The ups and downs with her family were so relatable. This book is just beautiful!
February 6, 2021
The Sound between the Notes by Barbara Linn Probst is beautifully-written, engrossing, and emotional journey through a woman’s search for her own identify. Throughout the novel, Susannah’s choices have dramatic effects upon her family. Adopted at birth, the protagonist Susannah, has an adoptive mother who tells her that she was a special child, chosen to be their daughter. This woman sacrifices to give her daughter the education needed to become a great classical pianist. Despite having such a loving family, Susannah once she’s off at college, journeys back to Texas to discover her roots. Eventually, she gives up that search, but when she marries and becomes pregnant, she feels she has to do better by her son. She gives up her career as a promising musician to become a full-time mother.
As her son, James grows up, Susannah feels she can return to her former profession—only to discover she is having physical difficulties with playing a piece she’s played for ages. She soon learns that she has Dupuytren’s contracture, a progressive hereditary disease that causes the fingers to contract toward the palm of the hand. With this diagnosis, she becomes a bit obsessed about her future and resumes her search for her Texas family.
The author is a musician, and her love of music pervades the book: the marvelous descriptions of not just the notes of music, but the fingering, and the way Susannah thinks of everything in terms of music.
With the compelling theme of adoption and loss, this book would be well read in the company of Surrender: A Memoir of Nature, Nurture, and Love by Marylee MacDonald. Like Susannah, Marylee was a “chosen” child, yet playing against those feelings tied up in her adoption, sixteen-year-old MacDonald deals with giving up her own child when she was sixteen.
As her son, James grows up, Susannah feels she can return to her former profession—only to discover she is having physical difficulties with playing a piece she’s played for ages. She soon learns that she has Dupuytren’s contracture, a progressive hereditary disease that causes the fingers to contract toward the palm of the hand. With this diagnosis, she becomes a bit obsessed about her future and resumes her search for her Texas family.
The author is a musician, and her love of music pervades the book: the marvelous descriptions of not just the notes of music, but the fingering, and the way Susannah thinks of everything in terms of music.
With the compelling theme of adoption and loss, this book would be well read in the company of Surrender: A Memoir of Nature, Nurture, and Love by Marylee MacDonald. Like Susannah, Marylee was a “chosen” child, yet playing against those feelings tied up in her adoption, sixteen-year-old MacDonald deals with giving up her own child when she was sixteen.
April 28, 2021
Susannah is a pianist. She is an adoptee who’s never forgiven her birth mother for not putting her first. she gave up her promising career as a pianist sixteen years ago when her son James was born.
When given an extraordinary opportunity to perform once more for a special audience, she discovers that she has a progressive hereditary degenerative disease that makes her fingers cramp and curl, and it is not curable. As her opportunity draws closer, she is obliged to re-examine her past and deal with some of those unsettled emotions she thought she had pushed aside and ignored for years.
The story is told in a dual timeline. A page-turner, with diverse and complex characters. The plot is emotionally moving with a compelling theme of adoption and loss.
When given an extraordinary opportunity to perform once more for a special audience, she discovers that she has a progressive hereditary degenerative disease that makes her fingers cramp and curl, and it is not curable. As her opportunity draws closer, she is obliged to re-examine her past and deal with some of those unsettled emotions she thought she had pushed aside and ignored for years.
The story is told in a dual timeline. A page-turner, with diverse and complex characters. The plot is emotionally moving with a compelling theme of adoption and loss.
Read
April 7, 2021Adoption, tracing roots and meeting blood relatives, along with complex family relationships, the joy of music and a frightening medical diagnosis is a compelling combination! Probst knows how to make the reader feel the wide range of emotions her characters experience, from fear to elation and everything in between.
Read our full review here:
https://booktrib.com/2021/04/06/the-s...
Read our full review here:
https://booktrib.com/2021/04/06/the-s...
May 21, 2021
"The music is not in the notes, but in the silence between- Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart"
Oh how I wanted this to be as good as I felt Barbara Linn Probst's first book was. Unfortunately, I got tired enough of Susanna's whining and fear that I got 50% through it and relectantly abandoned the book. When your characters devolve, they end up just like these characters, and I have little patience anymore for this.
[This was a loan from NYPL and will be returned.]
Oh how I wanted this to be as good as I felt Barbara Linn Probst's first book was. Unfortunately, I got tired enough of Susanna's whining and fear that I got 50% through it and relectantly abandoned the book. When your characters devolve, they end up just like these characters, and I have little patience anymore for this.
[This was a loan from NYPL and will be returned.]
June 25, 2021
This beautiful, thoughtful novel sweeps you up from the very first chapter, as classical pianist Susannah Lewis waits alone for a life-changing audition. Moving from past to present, Susannah’s story explores choices and their consequences, nature vs. nurture, artistic passion and sacrifice, and the true meaning of family as she searches for her identity. The suspense builds with every page, but in this story the threat comes from deep within. And, oh, the music! Brava, Ms. Probst.
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