*I received a free copy of this book, with thanks to the author. The decision to review and my opinions are my own.*
Blurb: A former ‘80s rock singer is forced to excavate her mysterious past when her boomeranging adult daughter secretly — and successfully — posts her old music online.
Rock & roll stardom is something you dream about when you’re young, and for Libby Conlin the ‘80s and all their wild promise are ancient history. What pulls her attention now is the unexpected arrival of Bridget, her newly divorced daughter who’s home again despite their historically fractious relationship and the chaos it inspires. And, as if predestined, life quickly turns upside down when Bridget’s application to a local art school involves anonymously posting Libby’s old music online, music that’s good enough to garner the attention of industry gatekeepers. When Libby’s mysterious past—and all its dark secrets—comes roaring into the present, the reconfiguration of everything and everyone in her orbit is both bittersweet and life changing.
When fascination with rock & roll remains a never-ending draw, CHICK SINGER steps onto that stage with its raucous exploration of a complex mother/daughter relationship set against a backdrop of music, dreams, and love—and the art of redefining all three.
Halfway through reading Chick Singer I stopped to check Spotify and add Lorraine Devon Wilke to my Following list so that I could listen to her songs while I read (the perfect accompaniment!), and that was the only time I put the book down from beginning to end.
At the heart of Chick Singer – more so even than the music that suffuses it – is the main character Libby’s personal journey to reconnect with her daughter and her own past, and through doing so attempt to change her current trajectory into the future.
The story feels deeply personal and intimate, as Libby lets us in to her feelings about her empty nest and adult children, the prospect of dating after divorce, her long-time friendships, lost dreams and lifelong regrets with a raw honesty that totally resonated in my middle-ageish heart. And it wasn’t just Libby, all of the character felt believable, familiar even. I felt like I knew and empathised with them all (even those I didn’t necessarily agree with).
Wilke’s writing flows beautifully and totally immersed me in Libby’s secrets and struggles, along with those of her prickly daughter Bridget, and I left the story feeling thoughtful, slightly sad at the unescapable passing of time and opportunities, and hopeful that second chances and fresh starts can still be in the future at any age.
I enjoyed both of this author’s books that I have read previously – she has a knack for writing believable and readable mid-life struggles – but this one I loved. If you love stories about music, about family, about secrets and second chances, and about following your dreams and creating your own future, then this is the book for you too.
Release date: 4th April 2025
Available in ebook & paperback :
AMAZON • BARNES & NOBLE • APPLE BOOKS
RAKUTEN kobo • BOOKSHOP • BAM Books-a-Million
About the author
BORN IN CHICAGO, raised in the rolling farmland of northern Illinois, surrounded by the music, art, books, and theater her parents insisted be brought to the table, Devon Wilke learned early to listen to the call of her creative Muses. Never one to limit her artistic pursuits, she’s designed a career that intertwines theater and rock & roll, photography and design; screenwriting, journalism, and long-form fiction, bringing the sum total of her creative experience to each medium.
A longtime contributor to HuffPost and other news and media sites, her trademark “sass and sensibility” infuses her op-eds, essays, and social commentary with wit, candor, and occasional provocation. Her novels, short stories, and screenplays are rich in vivid characters, plots both unique and recognizable, with, always, an elemental mix of heart and soul.
Having left Illinois with a rock band heading west, Devon Wilke lives where she landed: in Los Angeles, with her husband, attorney/writer/producer, Pete Wilke; her son and other extended family nearby.
Website: https://lorrainedevonwilke.com/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lorrainedevonwilke/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/lorrainedevonwilke
X/Twitter: https://x.com/LorraineDWilke
Linktree: https://linktr.ee/lorrainedevonwilke
My reviews of previous novels:
