Love and Music : A novel of love, friendship and forgiveness set in the late twentieth century in the colorful world of opera

What would you give up to follow your dream?

Leonora has set her sights on a career on the international stage. In pursuit of her dream, she arrives in the romantic city of Munich to study with renowned voice teacher Maestro Roberto Mazzone. Encouraged by the Maestro's vision of her as a future Madam Butterfly, she begins to follow the path he lays out for her. And then she meets handsome tenor Walter Saville, and falls in love. With conflicting loyalties to the Maestro and Walter, Leonora struggles to stay true to her dream. When Walter forces her to choose between them, she faces a heart-breaking decision.

Love and Music is set against the backdrop of some of the most-loved operas (Aida, The Marriage of Figaro, Madame Butterfly). A tribute to friendship and the power of music, this novel opens a window to life backstage and what it can take to succeed as a singer.

Perfect for fans of Rosie Thomas (The Illusionists, The Kashmir Shawl).

"An engrossing portrait of a singer as she struggles to balance her life as a woman with the demands of her art. Patricia Ryan brings the backstage world to life with appealing characters and scenes that stay in the mind long after this beautifully written book is closed." - Julie Postance, author of Breaking the Sound Barriers