Each of the fifty-two chapters in my latest novel, SONGS OF SUMMER, begins with a song title, so curating a companion playlist for the book felt like an organic extension of the story. Early readers are loving the immersive experience of listening along—which is exactly what I had hoped for. I chose each track for a variety of reasons, ranging from the obvious to the nuanced. Here are six examples:
“The House That Built Me” by Miranda Lambert
One of the more lost characters in Songs of Summer returns to her childhood home in search of strength and comfort. With lines like, “I thought if I could touch this place or feel it, this brokenness inside of me might start healing” Lambert’s lyrics align perfectly with the chapter they introduce.
“Up on the Roof” by Carole King
An early scene in the novel features a blowout between estranged sisters—one of whom has taken to the roof. This song, an old favorite of mine, was an obvious choice and one of the first I selected.
“Float On” by Modest Mouse
Modest Mouse is an artist my oldest daughter introduced me to, and this song felt like the perfect fit for a wedding celebration that takes place on a ferry boat. I’ve always loved it, and it’s been a staple on our summer playlist for years.
“Flowers” by Miley Cyrus
This quintessential feminist anthem was the ideal choice for a chapter in which a character begins to believe in her own worth and independence. Bonus: her realization literally involves flowers!
“Into the Mystic” by Van Morrison
I played “Into the Mystic”—by one of my all-time favorite artists—on repeat while writing the beach wedding scene. I have to admit, I welled up more than once. The line, “And when that foghorn whistle blows, you know I will be coming home,” gets me every time. To me, marriage is all about having someone to come home to.
“Mother and Child Reunion” by Paul Simon
Songs of Summer is the story of Maggie Mae Wheeler, a vintage record store owner who travels to Fire Island to find her birth mother. This was the first song that popped into my head when I decided to begin each chapter with a song title—I just had to figure out where it fit best.
A young woman crashes the wedding of the summer on Fire Island in search of her birth mother—and gets a whole lot more than she bargained for—in this warm, heart-stopping getaway from Jane L. Rosen
Maggie Mae Wheeler is content with her life. At 30, she has grand plans for her vintage record shop in the charming Midwestern town where she grew up, and is soon to be engaged to her childhood best friend.
But when she discovers a letter she wrote to herself at thirteen, being content doesn’t feel like enough anymore—Maggie needs answers to figure out who she is and where she belongs. Since losing her parents, the only family she has ever known, Maggie decides that finding her birth mother is the best place to start.
Her search leads her to Fire Island, an idyllic summer getaway where her birth mother is attending a wedding. As Maggie observes her biological family from a distance, she sees that they come with a lot of… drama. Torn between diving deeper into their world or returning to her peaceful life and cozy relationship, her decision gets more complicated when a handsome local offers to take her to the wedding — if she will pose as his date.
Is it the magic of the island, the rush of the music, the fun of jumping into the weekend’s events with her fake beau? Suddenly, playing the part of his girlfriend starts to feel way too real, and the words to every love song seem to be about them.
Women's Fiction | Thriller Domestic | Romance [Berkley, On Sale: May 20, 2025, Trade Paperback / e-Book , ISBN: 9780593818787 / eISBN: 9780593818800]
Jane L. Rosen is the author of six novels, Nine Women, One Dress, Eliza Starts a Rumor, A Shoe Story, On Fire Island Seven Summer Weekends and Songs of Summer. She has a monthly column in the Fire Island and Great South Bay News called Cake Or Pie? where she whimsically interviews her fellow authors. She is also a screenwriter and New York Times, Tablet and Huffington Post contributor. She splits her time between The Hudson Valley and Fire Island.
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