Descending Thirds by Nicole Conn
“Playing piano is a dangerous life.”
Not because of the music itself, but because of the passions it awakens, the ambitions it fuels, and the hearts it inevitably breaks.
Set against the electrifying world of elite international piano competition in the 1960s, Descending Thirds is an epic tale of love, obsession, ambition, betrayal, and the devastating cost of greatness.
At its center is Alexandra von Triessen, a gifted young pianist whose life becomes forever entangled with two extraordinary brothers. Sebastian D’Antonio is charismatic, magnetic, and impossible to resist—a “finger-proud” lothario who commands every room he enters. Conrad D’Antonio, his adopted brother, is something altogether different: a quiet musical savant who writes transcendent music not for fame or applause, but because writing music is breathing for him.
Drawn to both men, Alexandra finds herself caught in a passionate and heartbreaking triangle that spans years, continents, and some of the most prestigious concert halls in the world.
As the competitors gather for the renowned Ketterling International Piano Competition, careers are made, dreams are shattered, and long-buried secrets begin to emerge. What follows is a sweeping story of forbidden love, family loyalty, artistic sacrifice, and the lengths people will go to protect the ones they love.
Richly researched and emotionally immersive, Descending Thirds invites readers into a rarely seen world where music becomes a language of desire, rivalry, heartbreak, and redemption. Along the way, readers will encounter unforgettable characters, stunning twists, and a love story that refuses to fit neatly into any category.
Perfect for readers who love emotionally powerful fiction, family sagas, historical drama, prestige television storytelling, and unforgettable romances, Descending Thirds has been praised for its cinematic scope, emotional depth, and page-turning narrative.
Multi award-winning and impossible to forget, Descending Thirds is a novel about the music that shapes us, the choices that define us, and the loves that haunt us forever.
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