Author: Regina Black
Year published: 2025
Category: Adult fiction (romance); audiobook
Pages: 448 pages
Rating: 4 out of 5
Location: (my 2025 Google Reading map): USA (AR, LA)
Summary: Every Thursday night, former country music heartthrob Luke Randall has to sing “Another Love Song.” God, he hates that song. But performing his lone hit at an interstate motel lounge is the only regular money he still has. Following another lackluster performance at the rock bottom of his career, Luke receives the opportunity of his dreams, opening for his childhood idol—90’s era Black country music star, JoJo Lane, who’s being inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame. But the concert is in Arcadia, Arkansas, the small hometown he swore he’d never see again. Going back means facing a painful past of abuse and neglect. It also means facing JoJo’s daughter, August Lane—the woman who wrote the lyrics he’s always claimed as his own.
August also hates that song. But she hates Luke Randall even more. When he shows up ten years too late to apologize for his betrayal, she isn’t interested in making amends. Instead, she threatens to expose his lies unless he co-writes a new song with her and performs it at the concert, something she hopes will launch her out of her mother's shadow and into a songwriting career of her own. Desperate to keep his secret, Luke agrees to put on the rogue performance, despite the risk of losing his shot at a new record deal.
When Luke’s guitar reunites with August’s soulful alto, neither can deny that the passionate bond they formed as teenagers is still there. As the concert nears, August will have to choose between an overdue public reckoning with the boy who betrayed her, or trusting the man he’s become to write a different love song.
Review: I read a review of this book in the NY Times headlined the "best romance book." Well, count me in!
This one worked well for me in audio form with the multiple narrators playing certain characters. I also liked that it had podcast episodes as part of the story, giving us additional insights into one of the characters. Speaking of characters, I liked them even if their actions sometimes frustrated me. There are people who struggle with alchol, those in the music industry, family members who are supportive (and those who are not), as well as a host of small town neighbors who seem to add fuel to the gossip mill.
August is a character that I immediately felt drawn to. She has had a tough life and has learned not to expect anything from anyone so seeing her open herself up to others was nice. Her mother is not going to win any awards for leaving August when she was small though they both seem to be trying to repair the relationship. Luke is trying to keep everyone (except himself) happy and safe. That has got to be exhausting.
The romance exists in the novel, but is certainly not it's only feature. This is a family affair, a small town affair, a story that deals with racism and music industry expectations and acceptances.
Challenges for which this counts:
- 20 Books of Summer
- Cover Love (The name of a month in the title, design, or author's name)
- Diversity (main characters are Black)
- Literary Escapes--Louisiana
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