I really enjoyed this character-driven story. Antonia “Toni” Bennette wants nothing more than to leave small-town PA (and her neglectful parents) and play music…on her terms. No big stardom for her, she just wants to play her classic “Minx” guitar and rock out in Philly. She expected to make the journey with her childhood friend (and crush) Sebastian Quick…until he leaves their hometown without a word. Needing money to realize her dream of becoming part owner of a Philly recording studio, Toni becomes associated with The Lillys, an all-female rock band that’s on the cusp of stardom. Seb happens to be their acting manager. Can these two reconnect and will Toni let him into her heart, after he broke it?

Strong characters, particularly Toni, propel this story. I wish I was more versed in music…I don’t think I got as much out of those parts as I could have. Still, Axelrod, a musician herself, does a great job making it sound thrilling. While the scenes in the present did a great job of showing Toni and Seb’s strong chemistry, I felt like the short past scenes kept their shared childhood traumas from having maximum narrative impact. The members of the Lillys and their strong, female-centered dynamic was another highlight. All in all a rockin’ (if I say that, do I sound old?