When the Music Hits - by Amber Oliver (Hardcover)

Book Synopsis

In this soulful debut novel set in the hypnotic music scene of New York City, a young Black woman lands her dream job at a major label--only to discover just how treacherous a place made to birth stars can be.

"A decibel-raising debut that compellingly and hauntingly amplifies the unending conflict between striving for more and not losing your soul in the process."--Mateo Askaripour, New York Times bestselling author of Black Buck

Growing up in the Bronx, Billie Grand sought solace in music, finding herself in the pulsing beats, striking lyrics, and mesmerizing voices that saved her when money issues and familial strife proved deafening. When she finally lands a coveted A&R assistant role at Lit Music Productions, one of the largest music labels in the country, it initially seems like everything she's dreamed of--sleek offices, exclusive parties, flashy dealmaking--and she can't wait until it's her turn to find the next breakout headliner.

But as she continues to work at Lit, she discovers a dark side to all the glamour. The hours are long, the demands are insane, the microaggressions from her mostly white colleagues increasingly rattle her, and Billie can't shake the sense Lit's higher-ups are hiding something about their dealings. Then Billie stumbles upon a raspy-voiced, melodic singer and rapper who has the kind of fire to ignite stardom, who represents everything Billie got into this business for--supporting real music, with none of that pretending to be the culture. On the precipice of signing her first artist, a shake-up threatens everything and endangers Billie's already precarious place in the pecking order. The job has put her at odds with her boyfriend who questions her morality and her mother who relies on Billie to help with her bills, but Billie has her sights set on the stars. As a reckoning brews at the office and the costs of her dreams get ever higher, she will have to decide: Is finding success worth losing herself?

A riveting, poignant, and endlessly entertaining take on privilege and power, When the Music Hits is a moving anthem for making space where there was none before and introduces Amber Oliver as a blazing new talent to watch.

Review Quotes

"When the Music Hits compellingly and hauntingly amplifies the unending conflict between striving for more and not losing your soul in the process. Amber Oliver shatters preconceived notions about the music industry's glamour and romance, revealing truths that, despite everything, still comprise a song of hope. . . . A decibel-raising debut."--Mateo Askaripour, author of Black Buck

"A gritty homage to the perils and pitfalls of the music industry . . . Billie's determination to make her dreams come true felt very authentic, and I really rooted for her success. I'll never look at a debut artist the same way again."--Brendan Slocumb, author of The Violin Conspiracy

"Like your favorite playlist, this book is unequivocally, musically, culturally Black! Amber Oliver writes like an insider who knows firsthand the sexy allure of the music industry with its perks and downsides, and the deep cuts of disappointment when all that glitters isn't gold or a glamorous Grammy Award."--Jayne Allen, author of the Black Girls Must Die Exhausted series

"Wholly immersive with expertly doled insight . . . Readers will root for Billie as she navigates her job at Lit with determination in an uphill battle to make it while staying true to herself."--Natalie Sue, author of I Hope This Finds You Well

"When the Music Hits takes on the music industry, both the genius and glitz of those artists who make the soundtrack of our lives and the sometimes-dark power dynamics operating behind the scenes. Amber Oliver's powerhouse debut hits its groove and stays with it from the first to last page."--Laura Warrell, author of Sweet, Soft, Plenty Rhythm

About the Author

Amber Oliver is a writer and book editor. Born and raised in the Bronx, New York, she currently resides in Harlem. When the Music Hits is her first novel.