Tracey Garvis Graves has become one of my favorite authors. Heard It in a Love Song is such a beautifully written endearing story with characters you will love. The Girl He Used to Know is my all time fave of hers, but this one is a very close second. Highly recommend!
Thank you to netgalley for the arc in exchange for an honest review!

This is the second book by this author and I really loved this story! So heartfelt and warm characters! Highly recommend

I hadn’t heard of this book, though I am familiar with the author, but the publisher sent me a netgalley widget to read and review it, and I was so happy that they did. Not only is the cover beautiful, but the story itself is well written. I really enjoyed it and glad that I was able to read it. I loved the characters, and even though I have never been married, I felt a strong connection to Layla and what she was going through. I really enjoyed this story and look forward to more from this author.

Love doesn’t always wait until you’re ready.

Layla Hilding is thirty-five and recently divorced. Struggling to break free from the past—her glory days as the lead singer in a band and a ten-year marriage to a man who never put her first—Layla’s newly found independence feels a lot like loneliness.

Then there's Josh, the single dad whose daughter attends the elementary school where Layla teaches music. Recently separated, he's still processing the end of his twenty-year marriage to his high school sweetheart. He chats with Layla every morning at school and finds himself thinking about her more and more.

Equally cautious and confused about dating in a world that favors apps over meeting organically, Layla and Josh decide to be friends with the potential for something more. Sounds sensible and way too simple—but when two people are on the rebound, is it heartbreak or happiness that’s a love song away?

I was so excited to receive a copy of this book, I absolutely loved Girl He Used to Know. This story is so sweet, with loveable characters.

I really enjoyed reading this book. Garvis Graves always creates complex and captivating characters. Some parts were a little slow for me, most likely because it switches between past and present. I would definitely recommend this book to those who enjoy reading women's fiction or romance. Also, I loved the cover and the music inspiration!

Before reading "Heard It in a Love Song" I thought I knew what I was getting myself into. I was looking for another Annika ("The Girl He Used to Know") or Anna ("On the Island") and Tracey didn't give me that. Instead she gave me Layla. Beautiful and simple Layla. And I found myself drawn a story of how life goes on after divorce, when you never imagined there ever being such a thing for you to wade through.

“Heard It in A Love Song” is a slow-burn romance between love cautious Layla and Josh as they navigate new circumstances, relationships and expectations. Layla and Josh’s friends-to-lovers story is simple. There is no angst, no drama. They've lived that once before and don't have space for it now in their post-divorce lives.

Tracey gives us alternating POV's along with a glimpse into each character's past. These romantic histories are what creates the need for the slow-burn feelings in this book, which I can completely appreciate. "Heard It in a Love Song" is a honest look at how a broken heart can heal when given the chance to love again.

My favorite quote: "She paid the full asking price for something she found herself wishing she could return later." Because isn't that how we all feel at the end of a relationship, especially one that we've invested so much time to.

Magical love story about second chances, music and magic. I absolutely love the story and fell in love with all of the characters. I highly recommend this book.

Loved The Girl He Used to Know, and this met my expectations. Sweet but also realistic. Main character was disarmingly relatable.

2.5 - 3 ⭐️

Layla is a recently divorced music teacher at the elementary school where Josh's kindergartener attends. Josh, who is going through a divorce himself, is trying to navigate life as a single parent and the new world of independence. With a past and present storyline, the author slowly explained why their marriages ended. During this time, the two start a friendship based upon commonalities. As things heated up and the friends turn into lovers, Layla decided to put their relationship with each other on hold until Josh's divorce was final.

Once Layla and Josh took a break, the story focused on the present and took on a new direction as it began exploring what Layla truly loved and what made her happy. We saw her flourish and come into her own after a terrible marriage and even more awful divorce. She began to accept responsibility for her role in her life and placed less blame on her ex.

At this point, Josh's storyline stopped in order to focus on Layla. We didn't get to watch him discovering who he was, what he liked, and who he wanted to be. Which I think would have lent so much to the story, especially since he was married when he graduated high school and was married for 20 years. There's a lot for him to unpack there, and we didn't get to witness that. This was especially noticeable because the present and past were about both Layla and Josh. Also, because they put their relationship on hold with one another until his divorce was final, I needed Josh's POV of what happened during that time. While I understand the author's intent with the ending of the book; and can appreciate the author taking the story in a different direction than my *non-authoring* experience wished for, by exploring not exploring more of Josh's present, I feel the reader missed out.

Despite the slow-burn buildup between Josh and Layla, this is more a story about coming into your own than it is a romance. While this book may have missed the mark for me, Tracey Garvis Graves is one of my favorite authors, and I've read and enjoyed all of her books.

This was a beautifully written story of Layla and Josh. The characters were rich with details and the situations realistic. Two people brough together in a common, yet unexpected place. I would recommend this book!

Heard it in a love song was everything that I expected and more.
The story follows Josh and Layla finding companionship, friendship and love after a painful ending to their long term relationships.
Josh, a single father that finds himself starting over after the end of a 20 year marriage to his high school girlfriend. Layla, a newly divorced elementary school music teacher that is looking to find her inner passion after putting it aside during her turbulent marriage.
The story of how each evolve personally and professionally and come together as friends and more was equally entertaining and heartwarming. A great read!

This romance story was a tad underwhelming for me. I enjoyed all the parts that took place in the present time, but the flashbacks stopped the story in its tracks. I don't feel like they were woven into the story well and actually took me out of the story.

I've been highly anticipating this read from Tracey since I'm a huge fan of hers. Ultimately this one came down to personal preferences when I read a book, and while some things didn't work for me, the ending had me quite fulfilled. And I couldn't have imagined a better ending.

One thing that I've always struggled with when reading is the back and forth between the past and the present. They tend to go really slow and it's a setback for me. I truly understand the why since it gave us the chance to know both characters during their marriages. And what lead to their divorces. But it felt like it went on much longer than I hoped. I was just really eager to finally get a bit more of the romance between Layla and Josh.

However, I loved the amount of growth they both went through and it was absolutely necessary if they wanted a relationship with nothing holding them back. I really liked seeing them take a stand for themselves and for once, just focus on themselves. Divorces are always a tough situation all around and it was a relief to not have any major underlying drama with the exes.

Even though I struggled with the pacing and the flashbacks, I still enjoyed this one and I think many will absolutely love this book!

3.5 / 5

This one was slow to get into, but ended up being really good! I kind of remember Tracey Garvis Graves other book being a little slow to get into, but then I loved it. I like how Graves really gives us background on these characters and we get a look into their past, as it adds up to what is happening in their future. This is definitely a slow burn romance between Layla and Josh, but I liked getting to know them as they got to know each other and I understand why they were cautious about falling in love again.
I think this is one a lot of people will love because Graves just creates good wholesome characters.

Thanks NetGalley for this ARC!

I’m always looking for something different, and HEARD IT IN A LOVE SONG was refreshingly different.

The book is an enjoyable and easy read with a wonderful friends to lovers love story. And slow burn romance fans rejoice, this book is for you. Also, lately I’m really into romance books about musicians. Singing and songwriting is such a passionate talent and I loved how deeply Layla cared about her music. Moreover I really liked the idea of a music teacher getting back into the music business.

Both, Josh and Layla’s story is all about new beginnings in a very touching and honest way. We get to read about the past and the present. And the reasons why both are at the beginning of something new. None are ready to jump in heads first, they have their doubts but are also hopeful for the future. I thought the slow burn was very well done, in a believable way.

The backstories, about their former relationships and why they failed, sounded realistic and were incredibly fleshed out. Maybe a little bit too fleshed out. Most of the time, their past was told in flashbacks. In rather long, drawn out flashbacks. I would have actually enjoyed the book more if more pages would have focused on the couple in the present times, instead of the past. But it also gives the book a different feel, which is something good!!

As always books by Tracey Garvis Graves are well written and unique in an ocean of romance novels. And that’s exactly what I’m looking for. An enjoyable book, low on drama, that will provide an easy escape and great writing. Also, who doesn’t believe in second chances.

When it comes to writing romance, author Tracey Garvis Graves definitely has the Midas touch! Her latest novel, “Heard It in A Love Song” is a slow-burning romance between two love-wary individuals trying to navigate their way towards a new future in the aftermath of divorce.

At its very core, Layla and Josh’s friends-to-lovers story is simple, beautiful, and pure. But the characters, themselves, are anything but one-dimensional. They are complex individuals who are very relatable with back story’s that are as old as time.

Switching between past and present and alternating POV’s, this story is a realistic depiction of both love gone wrong and love going right. There is hope on the heels of failure, and light that emerges from the dark.

There's not much of a plot here, just two people dealing with divorce who fall for each other. Their love story comes across as realistic, though the backstories are drawn out.

Thanks to St. Martin's Press and NetGalley for the ARC.

Special thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for a free, electronic ARC of this novel received in exchange for an honest review.
Expected publication date: November 2, 2021
Fans of Emily Giffin and Nicholas Sparks will enjoy Tracey Garvis Graves ninth novel, “Heard it in a Love Song”.
Layla is trying to start over after an acrimonious divorce with her husband. Now she’s working as a music teacher in an elementary school, putting her lifelong ambition of being a musician behind her. Josh is now a single dad, after recently splitting from his wife of nearly twenty years, and is trying to come to terms with this new stage in his life. When he meets Layla at the school entrance gates, sparks fly, but neither of them are ready for a new relationship. Or are they?
I fell in love with Garvis Graves after reading “The Girl He Used to Know”, and I expected great things from this novel as well. I did not find the connection to Layla as I did to Annika (from “Girl”), but that did not make her less charming or likable. Layla finds her escape through music, and she also uses it to connect to people. With “Love Song”, Layla must decide if her dreams of ten years ago are still as important as building a strong relationship with a partner and there are parts of Layla that anyone can relate to. Both Josh and Layla have good chemistry together and when their Hallmark-movie, saccharine-sweet relationship develops, you know the ending is going to be a happy one.
“Love Song” is told in alternating viewpoints (both Layla and Josh) so the reader gets to know each character as their own person and both partners as a couple. The narrations also take place in present day, with snippets of their past relationships with their exes. I didn’t mind this format, as the narrators and the time periods were clearly identified.
Overall, Garvis Graves provided an entertaining romantic fiction novel about starting over, living your dreams, and what really matters. It’s a lighthearted, fun-to-read story with sweet characters that will definitely provide a relaxing escape from reality (which is what we all look for, is it not?) Garvis Graves delivers another lovable novel that will surely be an instant favourite.

3.5 stars
There was definitely a lot to enjoy in Heard It in a Love Song, the fact that I got to see both the past and the present through Layla and Josh's eyes in the aftermath of their respective divorce is one of those things. I enjoyed getting to know the characters both through their actions in the present, and their reflections on the past.

However, the story was a little slow at times, possibly because of the switch between the past and the present - and while the story unfolded over quite a bit of time, the pace was still fairly slow.

The dual points of views worked well for me, because the characters kept a lot of their thoughts to themselves, but the reader is still privy to it all. I also found it interesting to read about the reasons why Josh and Layla's marriages failed - because there was no one single thing that made things go wrong - and that appeared very realistic to me.

The novel is well written, and the characters compelling, so if you're looking for something a tad different, with lots of music and introspection, but still some hope for the future and a possible new romance, you should definitely pick this one up!

Layla has just gone through a divorce, leaving the husband she gave everything up for in the last 10 years. Now that she’s single again, she wants to return to her musical passion, and likely keep that as her ONLY passion. But then she meets Josh, a man going through his own breakup after many years. The question to answer is if either are ready for a new relationship. I wanted to read this book since I absolutely loved The Girl He Used To Know by the same author. Although the characters are really well written and I enjoyed the overall storyline, the backstory for each character was just way too drawn out for my liking, to the point where I was fairly bored in parts. Still a good book, but not her best.

Special Note: Thank you to the publisher and to NetGalley for allowing me to read this book in exchange for an honest review.