Books for Christian Girls: "A Note Yet Unsung" by Tamera Alexander

About this book:

“A master violinist trained in Vienna, Rebekah Carrington manages to wheedle her way into an audition with the maestro at the newly-formed Nashville Philharmonic. But women are "far too fragile and frail" for the rigors of an orchestra, and Rebekah's hopes are swiftly dashed because the conductor--determined to leave his mark on the world of classical music--bows to public opinion. To make matters worse, Adelicia Acklen Cheatham, mistress of Belmont Mansion and Rebekah's new employer, agrees with him.
Nationally acclaimed conductor Nathaniel Tate Whitcomb is Nashville's new orchestra leader. And despite a reluctant muse--and a strange buzzing and recurring pain in his head--he must finish composing his symphony before the grand opening of the city's new opera hall. But far more pressing, he must finish it for the one who first inspired his love of music--his father, who is dying. As Tate's ailment worsens, he believes Rebekah can help him finish his symphony. But how do you win back a woman's trust when you've robbed her of her dream?”

Series: The last book in the “Belmont Mansion” series. Read reviews of Book #1 Here! & Book #2 Here!

Spiritual Content- Proverbs 5:21 at the beginning; Scriptures are quoted, referenced, read & talked about; A Hymn is played, sung & talked about many times; A song about going to see God is sung; Prayers & a Blessing over food; A bit of being witnessed to; Talks about God, His voice & gifts; ‘H’s are capital when referring to God (expect three aren’t); Rebekah isn’t sure God is patient & generous-hearted as her father always said, but starts praying; Many mentions of God, His plans & gifts from God; Mentions of prayers & praying; Mentions of churches, church going, services & songs; Mentions of Bibles; A few mentions of a missionary; A few mentions of blessings & blessing someone; A few mentions of Heaven; A mention of a cathedral;

*Note: A mention of a man looking like Adonis in the flesh.

Negative Content- Minor cussing including: a ‘blasted’, a ‘dumb’, a ‘n*gger’, and two forms of ‘idiot’; Sarcasm; Mentions of curses (said, not written); Pain (up to semi-detailed); Stabbing someone with a knife (self-defense, barely-above-not-detailed); Mentions of deaths, murders, beatings & blood (barely-above-not-detailed); Mentions of a death & wondering if it was murder; Mentions of the war, slaves, slavery, soldiers, deaths & killings; Mentions of mine accidents, deaths, injuries & violence (up to semi-detailed); Mentions of pain & bad headaches & illnesses; Mentions of alcohol, wine, drinking & a drunk; Mentions of moonshine, blood feuds, shooting someone & a slit throat (barely-above-not-detailed); Mentions of cigars, tobacco & smoking; Mentions of addictions, morphine, laudanum & opium dens; Mentions of a whipping & pain; Mentions of debts; Mentions of lying & lies; Mentions of throwing up; Mentions of squirrel hunting, skinning them & making stew out of them (barely-above-not-detailed); A few mentions of roasted a pig & a young girl feeling sad for him; A few mentions of jealousy & envy; A couple mentions of a poker game; A mention of a hog killing; A mention of a sound like a polecat begging to die.

Sexual Content- two finger-to-lips touches (up to semi-detailed), two almost kisses, a palm kiss, seven hand kisses, a cheek kiss, three forehead kisses, four barely-above-not-detailed kisses, two semi-detailed kisses, and three detailed kisses; Remembering kisses (semi-detailed); Wanting to & Thinking about touch/ing & kiss/ing someone (up to semi-detailed); Wanting to be kissed & desires (barely-above-not-detailed); Touches, Unwanted touches, Embraces & Warmth (up to semi-detailed); Noticing, Staring at lips, Smelling & Nearness (semi-detailed); Remembering touches & warmth (barely-above-not-detailed); Remembering & many mentions of when she was thirteen, Rebekah’s stepfather tried to rape her (semi-detailed, no true details but mentions of him being pulled off her & her bodice ripped); *Spoiler* He tries to touch her again her the end, mentioning how she felt & tasted before, but before anything else happens, she stabs him with a knife. *End of Spoiler*; Mentions of kisses, kissing & thinking about kissing someone (up to semi-detailed); Mentions of touches (barely-above-not-detailed); Mentions of reasons a man would be out late at night (none of them respectable); Mentions of noticing & staring; Mentions of flirting & a flirt; A few mentions of a married couple sharing or not sharing a bed (Rebekah also mentions that if she marries she’d want to share her husband’s bed); A few mentions of debauchery; A few mentions of jealousy; A few mentions of blushes; A couple mentions of gentlemen’s clubs & the women there; A couple mentions of young couples sparking mischief; A couple mentions of a stealing a kiss or two from a woman; A couple mentions of reputations & compromising someone; Love, falling in love & the emotions.

*Note: A few mentions of the painting of Beatrice Cenci & her story of being raped by family members (no details); A few mentions of a fifteen-year-old mother pulling a breast out of her shirt & nursing her infant; A couple mentions of a man’s crude comment about how a woman got a spot in an orchestra; A couple mentions of young women flaunting their womanly charms & then becoming warm-natured as they talked with Tate; A couple mentions of a woman arranging her bodice to show more of her décolletage & men staring at her plentiful assets; A couple mentions of a statue of a woman’s robe falling and showing a breast; A couple mentions of noticing Tate noticing Rebekah’s womanly curves; A couple mentions of the prostitute in the Bible; A mention of a woman’s curves; A mention of an ad for attractive female servers, but nothing on what they would be doing.

-Rebekah Carrington, age 23

-Nathaniel Tate Whitcomb, age 32
P.O.V. switches between them

Set in 1871
425 pages

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Pre Teens-

New Teens-

Early High School Teens-

Older High School Teens-

My personal Rating-

I was very hesitate over reviewing this novel due to the author’s last book having so much sexual content. However, I did highly enjoy the previous two books in this series. Add in that the orchestra and violin music was a large factor of this novel’s plot, I decided to take a chance and read it.

Before I go any further, I should say that I’m very weak for anything with a violin. It’s been my favorite instrument for longer than I can remember. {One reason I loved the quote on page 92, “There are places in the heart where only the violin can reach.”, on which I very much agree.}

I’ve seen other reviewers mention feeling that this book was slow, and while I can understand that, I didn’t feel that way. But, then again, I really do love classical music and orchestra details. Those who don’t feel the same, though, would most likely find all those parts in this story not as interesting as another part. The author also added to the novel by linking the pieces the characters would play in the book on her website so the reader can listen along. I truly appreciate that. :)

There were parts and things I didn’t like, though. And unfortunately those scenes reflect on my ratings. We see many flashbacks and mentions of when Rebekah’s stepfather tried to rape her when she was young. He later tries to corner her again. As Tate & Rebekah’s relationship grows their kisses lead to a few detailed kisses. (A detailed kiss is a kiss that is described in three or more sentences.)

I honestly would have been thrilled to give this novel a three- or four-star rating, but because of some of the content, I cannot even though I enjoyed quite a bit of this book and seeing Eleanor & Marcus and Claire & Edward again those few times.

See y’all on Wednesday with a new review!