During the summer of 1963, JJ Green decides to take her destiny into her own hands. Encouraged by her parents to find a summer job, preferably at the family lawyer’s firm, she defies them by going against their wishes. As she follows her dreams, she finds an intern position in the Brill Building, which she hopes will help her songwriting career. JJ doesn’t listen to her parents’ warnings about the evils of the music industry until she finds herself part of a murder mystery. This is the story that unfolds in the recently released I’m Glad I Did by Cynthia Weil.

Knowing Weil wrote this book made me nervous to read it for fear her vernacular would be over my head. Fortunately, she realizes most readers’ lack of music knowledge. If you do not know her, Cynthia Weil is the songwriter behind many famous songs, including my favorite, “On Broadway.”

In her debut novel, Weil captures her audience quickly. As you turn the pages, you are enraptured by JJ Green and wish for her to succeed, but each step she takes comes with a price. I think that this book shows a great historical view of the music industry, including the tension between races during the civil rights movement as rock ’n’ roll came to life.

I rate the book 4/5 stars and recommend you look for this novel. As the novel says, I’m Glad I Did (read the book).