Song of Salzburg

Romance on the Orient Express

By: Jen Geigle Johnson

Narrated by: Noah Wall

Length: 7 hrs and 22 mins

Publisher's summary

When talented violinist Freya Winter is chosen to take part in a musical celebration alongside some of the best instrumentalists in the world, she is thrilled. Performing in front of royalty is a breathtaking opportunity, but her true motivation for traveling to Salzburg is to fulfill an unlikely dream: to meet and train under the renowned Salzburg Maestro, a master musician shrouded in mystery.

Freya travels aboard the Orient Express to practice with the newly formed orchestra in Salzburg, and nothing can distract her — not her mother’s illness, nor her father’s domineering ways; however, when a handsome passenger becomes a regular fixture on her journeys, Freya feels her focus blurring. Conversation with Erich is easy, and their shared love of music draws them undeniably closer. But even as they open their hearts to each other, the harsh realities of her family life intrude on the future she’s envisioned, and Freya feels her dreams slipping through her fingers, threatening to rob her of everything she cherishes most.

©2021 Covenant Communications, Inc. (P)2021 Covenant Communications, Inc.

Sweet Love Story, missed opportunities…

It was an enjoyable story with passion for music surpassing even the love element, which was nice. It was chapter 10 or so before even the scantest description of Salzburg, the exquisite jewel box of a city in the alps, entered the picture. The work would have been seriously enhanced by naming the Salsach River, describing Getreidegasse, the main street of the old city, with its wrought iron signs still hanging there today as they did 400 years ago, naming, or at least describing, the mountains surrounding the city and crossing the river into the “new city “ (only 600 years old) to see Mirabelle Palace and Gardens.
The book was filled with many implausible details, such as an aristocratic English lady inviting a young woman of lower rank to use her first name, Victoria., while continuing to call the younger woman Miss Winter.
If the concert (for Royalty no less!) was the day after, there would never have been a three day weekend with no rehearsals during which she would have had time to travel to Paris, to see her grandmother who was coming to Salzburg the following day for her concert. Why would all European royalty be invited a student concert, etc. etc.
The author gave me the impression that she had never been there but instead had opened a travel guide and picked out only two sights, the cathedral (known as The Dom) and Mozart’s Birthplace to describe. Many missed opportunities.

Despite the reviews

I absolutely wasn’t expecting to love it as much as I did! The reviews were concerning but I love Jens books and decided to establish my own opinion and I’m SO GLAD I DID! Give this a try- it’s a sweet story with music all around. It’s a little easy to figure out(Atleast for me) but I still finished it through. The narrator did well and I really enjoyed the female and male leads. I love the friends as well. I loved the images I had flood my mind throughout the story. I will reread again.

It was lovely to hear about a love story brought together by a love of music.

I love the entire storyline. I wish there could be a sequel 💗 if my star review shows 4 I meant it to be a five. I enjoyed to reader💗

Disappointing!

This story was about two musicians that fall in love - but it was done very poorly. It's not often that one strongly dislikes the female protaganist, Freya, but I truly did!! She acted so stupidly! Her first boyfriend(!), And because they both have a lover of music, she falls inn love with him??! And he was so secretive and dishonest with her - I know I wouldn't like him! And as a previous reviewer pointed out, Freya didn't have any character development in this book - and come to think of it, neither did her boyfriend, Eric!
I disliked VERY much the voice and stress on words of the narrator - she sounded like she was on the verge of years most of the time!!! I really didn't like the narrator at all! Don't recommend this book!

Excellent storyline

I loved this story! The storyline was so sweet and loved following Freya Winter as she discovered her loves.

All The Stars

There aren’t enough stars to praise this book. 15/5
Highly recommend. You won’t regret this read!!

An Ok Book

I expected better from this book but it was ok I guess
So in this book we meet Freya, she loves to play the Violin and her wish is to live her life playing her music, so she goes to Salzburg to enter a program for teaching music under the great Maestro, on the train she meets Eric and she always meets him on the train and he helps her to be a better musician even if the Maestro is not meeting with her
Freya's character developed a bit throughout the book but I really couldn't care about her and Eric, I was more interested in the story of Gerty and the other lord's story
overall it was an OK read but I wouldn't have high expectations for as the previous one

The narrator was very monotone and barely performing .. but the book isn't worth much TBH