Title: The Music of Bees
Author: Eileen Garvin
Publisher: Hachette Australia
Genre: General Fiction
Year of release: 2021
Release Date: 11th of May 2021
Rating 
Synopsis
After the sudden death of her husband, Alice Holtzman finds herself a social outsider. Reclusive, middle-aged, childless, and with only 850,000 honeybees for company.
On the other side of town, Jake Stevenson and his enormous black mohawk had a bright future in front of them studying music, all until an accident at a high school party leaves him in a wheelchair.
So when Alice nearly crashes her pick-up truck, packed with thousands of restless honeybees, into Jake, the last thing she expects from the near-miss is to find
Review
Oregon, USA, Alice Holtzman has become somewhat of a recluse, no husband or children to keep her company, her only companions are 850,000 honeybees. 18 year old Jake Stevenson is struggling to come to terms with his new reality, after an accident at a party left him paralysed and in a wheelchair.
One night Jake is out in searching for relief from the tensions of home and hoping to come up with a solution to his biggest problem, what is his purpose? Alice Holzman is returning to her farm with her newest addition to her hives when she comes off the road and almost collides with Jake Stevenson.
The pair soon discover they have a common interest and could each provide a solution the other problems.
Have you ever seen a book and felt an instant connection towards it? I was drawn to the title and cover. I was keen to learn more about Alice Holtzman and her honeybees.
I appreciate a strong plotline in books but the thing that I look for most is a character-based story, The Music of Bees is that book! It has three well thought out characters, thanks to the Authors writing I was able to view these characters as individuals. I believe this helped me genuinely care about them as the plot progressed rather than just in bits and pieces.
Author Eileen Garvin has managed to extract a story where the reader cares about all sides of the story, the plotline was delightfully original and believable.
One of the themes of this novel was the value in second chances and standing up for what is right no matter what it might cost or the feathers you might ruffle along the way.
The Music of Bees pacts a punch whilst still managing to show warmth and heart, as a reader I loved the love and respect shown to the bees which I believe are the world’s tinniest heroes.
On one hand I was eager to read this story but on the other I wanted to avoid it as it’s a little close to home; but Jake Stevenson become my stand-out character. The Author has covered disability with great care and respect and acknowledges the issues he faces are real and met with proper solutions. This is such a refreshing element in novels, I only hope more Author’s venture down this path in the future.
If you’re looking for a character-based feel-good novel with heart, then look into The Music of Bees, this is Eileen Garvin’s first novel and I hope it won’t be her last.
With continued thanks to Hachette Australia for sending this copy to read and review.