The Love Curse of Melody McIntyre - by Robin Talley (Paperback)

Book Synopsis

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.

Review Quotes

"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: Kirkus Reviews (starred review)

This pitch-perfect romance is all heart, touching on serious issues but never becoming too heavy, and will be a strong addition to any teen collection. -- School Library Journal

Reminiscent of Sara Ryan's Empress of the World (2001), Talley's latest is a sweet love story about discovering who you want to be with and, more important, who you want to be. -- Booklist