Disclaimer: I received this e-arc from the publisher. Thanks! All opinions are my own.

Book: A Little Bit Country

Author: Brian D. Kennedy

Book Series: Standalone

Rating: 5/5

Diversity: 2 Gay MCs, Mexican American character, Hispanic characters, character with Multiple Sclerosis, f/f romance mentioned, Lesbian character, m/m romance

Recommended For...: young adult readers, contemporary, romance, LGBT, m/m romance, country music

Publication Date: June 7, 2022

Genre: YA Contemporary Romance

Age Relevance: 15+ (sexism, sexual harassment, sexual content, romance, micro aggressions, language, homophobia, gore, underage alcohol consumption, religion)

Explanation of Above: There are some mentions and comments about sexism. There is one brief sexual harassment comment made by an obvious slimey character to a side character. There is some sexual content in the book in the form of jokes and mentions, and there is one fade to black scene. There are a few curse words throughout the book, but not a lot. There is some slight homophobia in the book and homophobic comments. There is one moment with gore, blood, where two characters are hurt. There is one small scene of underage alcohol consumption. There is a brief mention of religion.

Publisher: Balzer and Bray

Pages: 351

Synopsis: Emmett Maguire wants to be country music’s biggest gay superstar – a far reach when you’re seventeen and living in Illinois. But for now, he’s happy to do the next best thing: Stay with his aunt in Jackson Hollow, Tennessee, for the summer and perform at the amusement park owned by his idol, country legend Wanda Jean Stubbs.

Luke Barnes hates country music. As the grandson of Verna Rose, the disgraced singer who had a famous falling out with Wanda Jean, Luke knows how much pain country music has brought his family. But when his mom’s medical bills start piling up, he takes a job at the last place he wants: a restaurant at Wanda World.

Neither boy is looking for romance, but sparks fly when they meet – and soon they’re inseparable. Until a long-lost secret about Verna and Wanda comes to light, threatening to unravel everything.

Will Emmett and Luke be able get past the truths they discover…or will their relationship go down in history as just another Sad Country Love Song?

Review: Overall I absolutely adored this read. It was a sweet romance between two gay characters and how country music/small town life affected that for both of them. The book is kind of a band book, but definitely a coming out journey and it’s perfect for fans of It This Gets Out or Kiss and Tell. Honestly, I don’t know what we did to deserve 3 gay boy band books this year but I’m loving it! There are a lot of pop culture references to country music in this, which is perfect for fans of the genre. The book is also Multi POV and the author did well to make sure that the characters had distinct voices, especially in how they talk (subtle northern/southern differences). The book is an insta-love romance with a happen chance meeting. The characters are well developed and the world building is good. I loved the writing and the book is definitely a page turner!

The only issue I had with the book is that it felt like some of the plot was a bit slow in the middle. I felt it dwindled down significantly and then really picked up about 15% left in the read. It really rushed the character development of a few people and I think some of that and a little of the plot was still left unresolved by the end. I think it would have been better a bit slower throughout or a bit faster throughout.

Verdict: It was great! Highly recommend!

Aspiring musician Emmett takes a summer job at a country-music theme park. There, he meets Luke, who's working to help his family make ends meet. The two fall for each other, but Luke isn't out, and Emmett is leaving once summer is over. Is their romance doomed to end when it's barely begun?

This emotional YA romance has a strong focus on family. Emmett and Luke are sweet together, and it's heart-wrenching to see them struggle. There's a nice twist near the end that I didn't see coming. This novel is a romantic and satisfying read.

Thanks, NetGalley, for the ARC I received. This is my honest and voluntary review.

This story of two boys falling in love was beautiful to read. This was heartwarming, sweet and made me smile constantly.

This had dual narrative, a beautiful setting, fun and at same time tear bringing atmosphere was well written. The songs included are so good. I totally recommend this one.

Here comes my favourite quotes :

"It’s like we’re standing at the edge of a cliff and I’m not afraid to fall."

"Believe in yourself. Be true to yourself. Never be afraid to show the world who you are."

"Nobody owes their story to the world. But maybe it’s not about owing your story. Maybe it’s about wanting other people to know."

When I came across A Little Bit Country, I was very excited for it. The premise looked so cool, and even though I’m not a fan of country music, it sounded like something I would immensely enjoy. And while I did have some issues with this story, ultimately, I did like it.

Right out of the bat, one of the main characters, Emmett, is quick to regale us with his big dreams and determination to see them through. I thought it was nice to see a young person so sure of their goals and ambitions, even if they seemed totally unattainable at times. You won’t know till you try, right? Emmett loved country music with a passion, and this was very apparent through the book. It dictated a lot of his actions and decisions…until he met Luke, that is. (I’ll get to this in a minute).

Then there’s Luke, who was dealing with financial issues at home because his mom was chronically ill and just had a flare up. But to make matters worse, he was also dealing with internal turmoil over being gay, since his family is religious, and he’s convinced they would never be able to accept him if he came out. Luke’s plot line was the most engaging part of the story, in my opinion. He had dreams of being a chef but was too afraid to pursue them because of his family’s situation. Even so, when he saw an opportunity to juggle both of these, he took it.

The connection between Luke’s family and a certain country star was also particularly interesting, and it led to one of my favorite parts of the book: the mystery. There was a lot of intrigue and several questions surrounding this, so the entire time, I was trying to piece the different clues together to figure out what had actually happened, which kept me engaged even during the parts I wasn’t a huge fan of. I won’t say too much about the mystery, because it was so fun during the big reveal, but I will say that this part was so well done. Even though it wasn’t always the main focus of the story, there were still small hints and different references throughout that made me realize it was pointing me closer and closer to uncovering the various questions.

Between Luke’s individual storyline, Emmett’s individual storyline, and the entire plot surrounding Wanda World and Luke’s relative, this was a really solid book. My favorite part was the last 30% when it was more focused on the individual journeys and resolving the mystery, because I was so hooked at this point.

This leads me to my least favorite part of the story, though, which was the romance. I don’t say this often, especially in reference to queer stories, but I kind of wish there hadn’t been a romance. I know a large part of the story was Luke dealing with his sexuality, which Emmett certainly helped him with, but I think this could have been done just as well as a platonic bond. Part of my issue was that I never really felt the chemistry between the two, and their relationship progressed so fast. It felt very insta-lovey, which I’m not always a fan of.

My least favorite part of the romance, though, was Emmett’s feelings toward Luke. I understand that teen love can feel all-consuming, but for someone who was so determined to become the world’s biggest gay country star (for most of his life, even), he was awfully quick in considering giving up his dreams for Luke, a guy he’d just met and may never see again after the summer.

I became frustrated during these moments, because up until this point, Emmett had always been so sure in his ambitions, and this just felt so out of character for him. Which is why I feel if A Little Bit Country had focused more on a platonic bond between the two, it could have made the story stronger.

However, I don’t want to say the romance won’t work for everyone because I’m sure it’ll be perfect for others. It just didn’t work for me, unfortunately.

Even so, I don’t regret reading A Little Bit Country at all. The parts I enjoyed, I did really enjoy. As I said before, the mystery part was done excellently, and both Emmett’s and Luke’s individual storylines were so well developed and explored. These parts of the story really made it shine, and as the book ended, I found myself smiling. I also loved the addition of song lyrics throughout. They were beautifully written, and even though I don’t like country music, had me wondering if I should change my mind!

While parts of this book may not have been for me, I just know other people will love it, which is one thing I find so fascinating about reading. So, even if you were really excited about this book and feel a little put off by my review, I’d still definitely recommend checking it out! You may feel entirely different from me.

I adored this love letter to country music! Kennedy weaves together the stories of Emmett and Luke so that they sing on the page. I so appreciated the nuanced characters and conversations around sexuality, financial insecurity, celebrity, toxic masculinity, and so much more. Readers will be rooting for Emmett and Luke the whole way through!

I loved the premise, but this book ended up feeling average. I loved how it mixed music and cooking into the plot, but ultimately the book did not hit the beats I could have. The writing was really good, though, so I’d be open to reading another book by this author.

A Little Bit Country is a sweet little summer lovin' book. It has a Dolly Parton-like protagonist, Wanda Jean Stubbs, that we don't get a lot of face time with, but whose presence looms large over our two main characters Emmett, a queer aspiring teen country star, (even though he's from the midwest) and Luke, a true country boy with a secret who is just trying to help his family, including his sick mom, survive. When the two meet at Wanda World in Tennessee (clearly meant as a stand in for Dollywood) at each of their respective summer jobs, sparks fly fast. Each boy is just trying to hold on to their own dreams, secrets, and aspirations, and they help each other find the peace to be themselves and live their authentic lives along the way.

I loved each of the main characters and how much they dream for themselves. My heart went out to Luke, who has to stay in the closet because of fear of family rejection. However, I thought Emmett was a little bit of a whiner who couldn't see his own privilege, coming from a stable and accepting family, until he was faced with Luke. The star of the show, as always, is Wanda Jean Stubbs, whose connection with Luke's grandmother makes for a fun little mystery that the boys get to unwind and solve over the course of the book.

My quibble is with Luke and Emmett, who become boyfriends after seeing each other only a couple of times. To me their connection wasn't as believable or swoony as it could have been, but by the end of the story I ended up believing in them.

This is a cute read for the summertime!

I've listened to "My Church" by Maren Morris about a million times since reading this book. A coincidence? I think not.
I feel like I would describe this book more as a coming of age story rather than a romance as it follows two boys who really grow and learn a lot throughout the course of this one summer while working and meeting at a theme park. Said theme-park is based on fictional country music icon Wanda Jean which just makes me think ... Taylor Swift World coming in 2030??

Do y’all see this cover?? 😍 I had to get that out of the way first. Now that I’ve raved about the cover, lemme rave about this sweet gay YA summer romance. There was a lot of angst, but unfortunately for a gay teenage boy from a holler down south, that’s pretty par for the course. This book was cute but it had substance, too. The characters had depth, real problems and flaws, and the plot was interesting and original. I guessed the end but I still loved it, and if it had turned out any different, I would’ve been disappointed. 4.5 stars. I definitely recommend it!

Thank you NetGalley, author and publisher for the ARC in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.

Characters I loved the characters in this novel. They were so sweet and so real. They both had family problems, and things that tried to bring them down. Readers will relate to Emmett and Luke because they are both characters who have actual feelings, and ones that are relatable.

 Plot- The plot of the story was fantastic. I loved how Emmett and Luke met, and followed their journey as they round love. The side plot about Wanda Jean and Emmett's family was a fantastic story to follow as well.

Writing-The writing in this novel was great. The lighter scenes had a light tone. A Little Bit of Country had some heavy moments as well, and these were seen in the novel by the tone as well. 

Romance The romance in this novel was so sweet. Luke and Emmett started off as two people who didn't know each other and then grew to find love over the course of a summer. A summer rom-com is perfect for this time of year, and the romance of this book hits all the vibes of a summer romance. Recommend For/

Enjoyment I recommend this book for those that enjoy LGBTQ+ stories. I really enjoyed this romance and I believe others who enjoy the same types of stories still as well.

This was a solid debut from Brian Kennedy. The characters were really fleshed out, flaws and all.

Luke is going through it. His family is dealing with financial insecurity, medical issues for his mom, stepping into a parental role with younger siblings, and is so desperately afraid someone will find out he's gay and everything will fall apart. This poor guy is wound so tight that it's shocking that he allowed himself to fall into Emmett's orbit at all. He's everything Luke isn't - his family is solid, he's working his dream job (for now) and is comfortable with himself.

I understood all of Luke's reasons for being the way he is but I didn't love a good chunk of his choices especially where he was hurting Emmett over and over by trying to keep him a secret. AND what he tried with Wanda Jean was too far. She is too good for this world.

Thank you to Books Forward for a copy in exchange for an honest review. My opinions are my own.

I enjoyed this YA romance novel quite a bit. It is the perfect summer read because it is set in the summer and a summer theme park. Great for fans of country and romance.

I am always cautious when I am reading an author's debut novel, even more so when that novel falls under the YA genre. It is hard to write YA and sometimes it can take a few stories for an author to get comfortable with it. A Little Bit Country is not a bad book by any means. The story itself is pretty creative and unique. However, the writing was not great. Kennedy, the author, tackled too many storylines and characters for a 350-page book. With that being said I would give his writing another chance in the future because I feel like he has more to bring to the LGBTQ+ fiction genre at the YA level.

This was an absolute delight! Kennedy writes with so much heart and that pours out of each page. Both Luke and Emmett are nuanced characters with their own complexities and had a compelling voice. Such a charming read that is perfect for the summer!

“Nobody owes their story to the world. But maybe it’s not about owing your story. Maybe it’s about wanting other people to know.”

A LITTLE BIT COUNTRY is a queer YA romance that celebrates gay love, coming out, and country music. Emmett is a midwestern boy spending the summer in a small town in Tennessee to work at Wanda World (an amusement park founded by the preeminent Wanda Jean Stubbs, who is this fictional world’s Dolly Parton) and get closer to his goal of being a gay country music superstar. Luke, who has always wanted to be a chef, is working his way up the ladder starting as a dishwasher at a restaurant in Wanda World and trying to keep his struggling family afloat financially while his mom manages her multiple sclerosis. He also happens to be the grandson of the late Verna Rose, Wanda’s former friend who’s best known for marrying Wanda’s ex-husband. Because of how Verna was burned by the industry in the aftermath, Luke’s family has always steered clear of country music, but his newfound romance with Emmett will challenge that in all kinds of surprising ways.

Emmett and Luke make a really strong gregarious/stoic pairing in this story. Their mutual affection is powerful (if a bit too instalove-ish for me) and they are great foils for each other; Emmett is ambitious and openly gay, encouraging Luke to follow his dreams, and Luke, saddled with too much responsibility at such a young age, bearing the weight of his family’s secrets and his own. Much of the conflict revolves around Luke’s internal debate about coming out and worrying how it will impact his family, and the way Emmett and Luke’s goals intersect and get messy. I adored the storyline about Wanda and Verna; they’re obviously reminiscent of Dolly and her best friend Judy Ogle, and knowing the rumors about that real life pair I guessed at where it was going (though I’ll leave it a mystery for those unfamiliar). I loved the way life in a small town, especially for a queer teen, is illustrated, the tender representation of masculinity, and how Kennedy demonstrates the power of queer ancestors. Thanks to Balzer + Bray/Harperteen for the review copy!

Content warnings: homophobia, fear of family rejection, chronic illness, hospitalization

This was a lot of fun! A light read in a fairground setting put to country music. For fans of Phil Stamper, Adam Silvera, Ryan La Sala, and Annabeth Albert.

Oh my goodness!! This book was completely, totally adorable! Emmett Maguire wants to be country music's biggest gay superstar, which is a bit of a reach when you're seventeen and living in Illinois. Until that happens, he's staying with his aunt in Jackson Hollow, Tennessee for the summer to perform at the amusement park owned by his idol, country legend Wanda Jean Stubbs.

Luke Barnes hates country music (I totally understand this). As the grandson of Verna Rose, the disgraced singer who had a famous falling out with Wanda Jean, Luke knows how much pain country music has brought his family. But his mom's medical bills start piling up, so he takes a job at the last place he wants: a restaurant at Wanda World.

Neither of these boys are looking for romance, but sparks fly when they meet and soon they're inseparable.

Again, this book is completely adorable, even for someone who isn't a fan of country music. It's mostly the racism, xenophobia, homophobia, sexism....really any -ism or -phobia that is super prevalent in country music. I used to listen to country music a lot, I did grow up in Texas and it was basically all I knew growing up. When I started branching out to find my own music in my teens, I turned to emo, indie, alternative bands. Country music was still something I would listen to every once and a while. Recently, I was listening to some country music on the radio on the way to work. Once at work, I texted my two best friends complaining about how horrible the songs were; it was a mix of new and old country music. The rest of the week was a similar pattern, and by the end of the week, I decided listening to country music wasn't something I needed to do anymore.

So why did I read a book that had a focus on country music? It was the queer romance plus the fact that Wanda Stubbs was slightly based off of Dolly Parton, who is a national treasure and should be protected at all costs.

The story was the right amount of emotion and realness of the two boys lives. I was a bit nervous when I started reading it because Luke's mom his very religious and it's alluded that she's not a fan of the LGBTQ+ community. I was afraid that it would turn into a gay trauma book, but it wasn't that at all. Luke did have moments of figuring out his relationship with Emmett while keeping it a secret, but everything works out in the end. There is no parents disowning or being angry at their son, Emmett's family is supportive and happy for him.

I was surprised by the long-lost secret about Verna and Wanda, and I feel a little oblivious that I didn't see it coming. However, it did make the whole book that much sweeter. I'll totally admit that I was in tears when I found out about Verna and Wanda.

Definitely, definitely recommend this book to those who like a (mostly) happy queer romance with a dash of country music thrown in!

A little hokie at times, but that goes with the territory of of the "Dolly-wood-inspired-world" Kennedy created. His imagery made the setting feel so real and relatable- even through alternating view points. It is easy to both love and hate something as grotesquely grandiose as Wanda World. The ending is satisfying and unexpected!

Charming. If you love country, you'll really enjoy this coming out, coming of age book about two boys in the country, Gabe is a visiting, aspiring country singer who wants to be the next best thing. The problem is that he's spending the summer at a country-themed park playing the role of the back on a donkey. While there, he charms Emmett, a small-town boy. There's a mystery involving the town's famous country singer and Emmett's family, but the crux of the story is between Gabe and Emmett's relationship. Gabe is out and proud, and wants to be able to share his relationship with Emmett with the world while also being understanding of Emmett's reluctance to come out in his small town. This is a good book to see.a portrayal of teens trying to figure out how to navigate homophobic beliefs in their community and families.

It's a short and sweet book overall.

Thank you NetGalley for the digital ARC.

3.5 Good for a cute gay read but the plot and writing needed more work.

Being gay can come with a lot of trauma and hardships as well as oppression which felt like it was handled pretty well. But when tackling racism and whiteness in country music, I feel like the main character ran face first into the point and still missed it. As a white person, he still has extreme privilege even if he’s gay. This point is further shown by Emmett contemplating hiding he’s gay and acting straight. The character spoke as if he had it the hardest ever in his quest to be a famous country singer when, as a white gay man, he has an option (however painful that can be) to pretend he’s straight to fit the mainstream audiences. POC don’t have the option to pretend to be white usually. It just irked me because it kept taking me out of the story when I kept thinking 'you’re literally a well off cis white man' when he was saying he needed "every advantage possible."

This issue of country being a very white only space was even brought up in the book via the small time two Black side characters had. This leads into my next issue with the book, the substance. Many different plot lines and events happened in this book. It felt like a lot but all of the plot lines were all hardly finished, delved into and were rushed. I think this book would’ve benefitted with editing of some ideas and focusing on really putting everything into the most important ideas.

The last few chapters of the book felt really rushed when the conflicts that are addressed in these chapters are problems that are the books major conflicts. Hardly anything is addressed.

I found the plot to be fairly okay but nothing shocked me about it. It was fairly standard.