The love curse that Melody McIntyre carries has long been a topic of speculation in her small town. Her reputation as a love expert is well-known, but little do people know about the pain and heartbreak she has endured in her own relationships. Melody seems to have an uncanny ability to bring couples together, but her own love life is a mess. From a young age, Melody seemed to be cursed in love. Every relationship she entered ended in heartbreak and disappointment. She gave her all to each partner, hoping that this time would be different, but time and time again, she found herself alone and brokenhearted.
Praise for PULP: Talley, already accomplished at weaving historical detail into engaging narratives, pulls off an expansive story encompassing a host of characters . A sweeping, engrossing drama full of important moments. Recommended for all library collections. — School Library Journal (starred review)
Praise for PULP Talley, already accomplished at weaving historical detail into engaging narratives, pulls off an expansive story encompassing a host of characters. For a lightweight novel with fun pacing, a well-researched backstory of high school theatre productions, and plenty of moon eyes, The Love Curse of Melody McIntyre is one to beat.
She gave her all to each partner, hoping that this time would be different, but time and time again, she found herself alone and brokenhearted. Friends and family started to question whether Melody was destined to be alone forever. Some said it was karma for all the hearts she had supposedly broken, while others believed she was just unlucky in love.
The Love Curse of Melody McIntyre (Paperback)
“Any theater nerd, especially those who enjoyed the epic highs and lows of high school theater, will gobble up this book and enjoy every second. Everything rang so true and felt incredibly real! I adored every character — and found myself listening to the Les Mis soundtrack while reading!”
— Abby Bennsky, Old Town Books, Alexandria, VA
Perfect for fans of Becky Albertalli and Nina LaCour, this romantic comedy from New York Times bestselling author Robin Talley has something for everyone: backstage rendezvous, deadly props, and a seemingly insurmountable obstacle to True Love.
Melody McIntyre, stage manager extraordinaire, has a plan for everything.
What she doesn’t have? Success with love. Every time she falls for someone during a school performance, both the romance and the show end in catastrophe. So, Mel swears off any entanglements until their upcoming production of Les Mis is over.
Of course, Mel didn’t count on Odile Rose, rising star in the acting world, auditioning for the spring performance. And she definitely didn’t expect Odile to be sweet and funny, and care as much about the play’s success as Mel.
Which means that Melody McIntyre’s only plan now is trying desperately not to fall in love.
Robin Talley is a queer author who grew up in southwest Virginia and now lives in Washington, DC, with her wife and their kids. She is the New York Times bestselling author of seven novels for teen readers: Music from Another World, Pulp, Our Own Private Universe, As I Descended, The Love Curse of Melody McIntyre, What We Left Behind, and Lies We Tell Ourselves. You can find her on the web at www.robintalley.com.
- Young Adult Fiction / Romance / Romantic Comedy
- Young Adult Fiction / Romance / LGBTQ+
- Young Adult Fiction / Performing Arts / Theater & Musicals
- Young Adult Fiction / Social Themes / Emotions & Feelings
- Kobo eBook (November 30th, 2020): $8.99
- Hardcover (December 1st, 2020): $17.99
- MP3 CD (December 1st, 2020): $39.99
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“Melody McIntyre's love of theater is entirely infectious…Tally's latest will instantly hook theater kids as well as readers who've never even heard a track from Les Mis glancing at their drama club sign-up sheet.” — Booklist
"A love letter to high school theater." — Kirkus Reviews
“Talley (Music from Another World) has fun portraying the details of running tech, the divide between techies and actors, and the teamwork that theater requires… A story that will entertain both true theater geeks and readers who’ve never considered life onstage or backstage.” — Publishers Weekly
Praise for AS I DESCENDED: “. A devastating marriage of the stunningly unexpected with the maddeningly inevitable. This adaptation’s bewitching intrigues and enthralling deceptions will whet the daggers of any reader’s mind.”
— Kirkus Reviews (starred review)
“Talley creates a dark and twisted gothic boarding school setting replete with vengeful spirits, drugs, and suicide in this Shakespeare-inspired tragedy… that lulls readers into a false sense of security while setting them up for the next chilling event.” — Publishers Weekly
“An intriguing, appropriately atmospheric take on one of Shakespeare’s most spine-tingling plays.”
— Booklist
“Those familiar with the source material will not be surprised at how the story plays out, but knowing the eventual outcomes does not diminish Talley’s dark tale about fate and ambition… Highly recommended.” — School Library Journal
“Fans of horror will find that Talley comes up with some genuinely creepy scares, and her Shakespeare-inspired story is solid and compelling.” — Voice of Youth Advocates (VOYA)
Praise for PULP: Talley, already accomplished at weaving historical detail into engaging narratives, pulls off an expansive story encompassing a host of characters . A sweeping, engrossing drama full of important moments. Recommended for all library collections. — School Library Journal (starred review)
Not many YA novels contain one lesbian romance, let alone four, but Talley’s newest pulls it off, while creatively — Booklist
The superlative pacing will hook readers. . Suspenseful parallel lesbian love stories deftly illuminate important events in LGBTQ history. — Kirkus Reviews
This ambitious novel is startlingly original. — The Guardian
Praise for OUR OWN PRIVATE UNIVERSE:
She’s dated plenty of people, but so far they haven’t quite measured up to the love of her life: musicals. In high school, the love of something like theater can be overwhelming. It’s a community, filled with people equally as passionate.
But Melody knew that there was something deeper at play. As a young girl, Melody had found an old family diary in her grandmother's attic. In it, she read about a curse that had been cast on their family generations ago. The curse stated that anyone with the name McIntyre would have the ability to bring people together in love, but they would never find their own true love. At first, Melody dismissed the curse as mere superstition, but as she grew older and experienced more heartbreak, she couldn't help but wonder if there was some truth to it. She started to avoid relationships, afraid that she would only bring pain to another person. Despite her own personal struggles, Melody continued to help others find love. It became her mission to ensure that everyone else experienced the happiness she so desperately craved. She became known as the go-to person for relationship advice, and many credited her for their own successful love stories. But deep down, Melody still longed for love of her own. She yearned to find that special someone who would break the curse and show her what it truly meant to be loved. She refused to believe that she was destined to be alone forever and held onto a glimmer of hope that one day the curse would be broken. So, as Melody continues to navigate the ups and downs of love, she carries the weight of the curse on her shoulders. She knows that finding true love may be a challenge, but she refuses to give up. She remains hopeful that one day, someone will see past the curse and love her unconditionally. In the meantime, Melody will continue to use her gift to bring happiness to others, even if she can't find it for herself. And maybe, just maybe, the universe will reward her for her selflessness and break the love curse that she carries..
Reviews for "The Eternal Dance of Love and Curse: Melody McIntyre's Destiny"
1. Amanda - Rating: 2/5
I was really excited to read "The Love Curse that Melody McIntyre Carries" as I had heard so many good things about it. However, I was left disappointed. The story felt incredibly predictable and lacked originality. The characters were one-dimensional, and I couldn't connect with any of them. The romance felt forced and lacked chemistry. Overall, I found the book to be underwhelming and didn't live up to my expectations.
2. John - Rating: 1/5
I found "The Love Curse that Melody McIntyre Carries" to be extremely boring and slow-paced. The plot dragged on without much happening, and the love curse aspect felt gimmicky and shallow. The writing style did not engage me, and I didn't care about the characters or their relationships. I would not recommend this book to anyone looking for an exciting or unique story.
3. Emma - Rating: 2/5
I had high hopes for "The Love Curse that Melody McIntyre Carries" based on the synopsis, but unfortunately, it didn't live up to its potential. The main character, Melody, was frustratingly indecisive, and her actions often didn't make sense. The love triangle felt forced and unnecessary. The writing style was repetitive, and the dialogue didn't flow well. I struggled to stay engaged with the story and ended up feeling unsatisfied.
4. Mark - Rating: 1/5
"The Love Curse that Melody McIntyre Carries" was such a disappointment. The characters felt like stereotypes, and their development was lacking. The supposed love curse was barely explored, and it seemed like an afterthought. The pacing was off, with the story dragging in some parts and rushing through others. The ending was unsatisfying and left too many loose ends. Overall, I found this book to be poorly executed and would not recommend it.