Billy was a big fan of Margot when she was the drummer for Burnt Flowers. When they happen to cross each other's paths later on in life and sparks fly, can the two overcome the real world obstacles standing in their way to a HEA?

This was my first Matthew Norman book and it won't be my last. I adored Charm City Rocks. It was reminiscent of one of my favorites from last year, Nora Goes Off Script. I read it in one day. I enjoyed all of the side characters, father/son relationship, the feeling like this was a love letter to Balitmore itself, etc.... There's little to no spice in this one if that matters to you one way or another. Recommend adding this one to your Summer TBR!

Special thanks to @netgalley and penguin randomhouse -ballantine for the ARC and to @PRHAudio for the ALC. All opinions are my own.

Charm City Rocks by Matthew Norman is such a sweet, refreshing story about later-in-life romance between happy-go-lucky piano teacher Billy Perkins and former drummer for the girl group Burnt Flame Margot Hammer.

Billy had a crush on Margot when she was a rockstar, but after her husband cheated on her with the lead singer of the band, she went into hiding. Almost 20 years later, Billy and Caleb watch a docuseries that covers her band briefly, and Billy tells Caleb he used to have a thing for Margot. That night, Caleb gets into his dad’s weed gummies and e-mails Margot’s publicist, posing as a tween girl group, trying to get Margot to Baltimore and set her up with his dad.

Margot arrives, and even though she quickly learns it’s not what it seems, she’s drawn to Billy’s positivity. Thus begins their very unconventional love story.

This book gave me warm fuzzies. I fell in love with Billy and Margot, and the surrounding characters are delightful. My only gripe would be that we spent too much time with the side characters, and I would have loved to see more of Billy and Margot, especially in the second half of the book.

Four stars for the huge smile it put on my face. Thanks to NetGalley and Random House for the ARC.

Thank you to Matthew Norman, NetGalley, and Dell books for this ARC in exchange for my honest opinion.

Single dad, music, and rock and roll, all in one book. This book was cute and funny, but the writing wasn't a hit for me. There was something off. It could have been that it was in third person and I am used to reading first person? I don't know. But I will recommend this one.

This book was so cute! As a music lover, I really enjoyed the premise. The characters were so easy to love and understand. I don’t think I’ll be able to look at a cardigan and not think about Billy and his story for a while. My only criticism is that the ending seemed a bit rushed. I loved how Robyn and Lawson’s story seemed to conclude but everything with Billy and Margot seemed so incredibly rushed. When I hit the last page on my kindle, I was expecting another chapter but it opened to the acknowledgment page and I was legitimately surprised. It just didn’t feel like an ending that either character deserved after following them for the whole book.

Charm City Rocks is the perfect romcom! I seriously hope they adapt this into a movie! It reminded me so much of Notting Hill mixed with Sleepless in Seattle and I was SO invested!

I lived in Baltimore for over 10 years and my love for Charm City came rushing back to me. I remember going to The Horse You Came in On Saloon and Mustang Alleys, walking the cobblestone streets of Fells Point, and was immediately transported back to that time in my life.

Margot and Billy's story is beautifully crafted with layered character development and vulnerability.

“He’s been really into cardigans lately, too, because cardigans are the perfect garment, like, the convertible of sweaters.”

As a therapist that pretty much lives in cardigans, Billy immediately had my heart when he said this. Also, who doesn't love a leading man that loves to wear cardigans with John Cusak’s vibe from the movie High Fidelity?? Margot is sassy and strong and I loved when we got glimpses of her softer side. I also loved the side characters! They really added so much warmth and laughter to the story.

This is my first Matthew Norman book and I cannot wait to devour his backlist now!

Thank you @netgalley and @randomhouse for the early copy

4.5 stars

Grab your copy out 6/6!

This was a GREAT romance/rom com with more mature characters (bless you Matthew Norman) and miscommunication at a minimum, I loved the handsome but not too handsome but lovable dad character (Billy), his relationship with his son Caleb and Billys love of a rock star for who she is and not what she looks like.The brits , including a famous actor who reminded me a bit of Russell Brand from Forgetting Sarah Marshall. The writing is sharp and funny and overall just a really fun, sweet read that would be an amazing book to throw in a beach bag. For a cynic like me this was perfection.

Charm City Rocks by Matthew Norman is an absolutely charming novel told from multiple POVs. I loved reading a "rockstar" romance that was on the other side of fame, and that the instigator is the rockstar's adult son who worries his dad is lonely. Such a fun book! And now I need to take a road trip to Baltimore- a city I've never visited!!! (And after reading CCR, I will definitely be listening to a book from Norman's backlist as I drive!) Highly recommend!!

A love story that incorporates a music shop and musicians? Sign me up! I LOVED this book. I definitely was getting High Fidelity vibes with this book, but the characters were definitely more charming and lovable. I flew through this is one day. Highly recommend.

I absolutely cannot say enough good things about Charm City Rocks. The characters all leap off the page, wanting to get to know you and tell you who they are. It's crazy, but I quickly felt like one of the gang - hanging out with Daquan, Billy, Octavio, and Caleb.

The author brings Baltimore into the book like its a separate character, which is very cool. And thank you Matthew Norman, I now want to buy a cardigan for my husband and to own a drum kit. Mr. Norman made those things so cool that they're now on my bucket list...

Not only does this book have great characters and a wonderful setting, but the storyline is so good. It's all about growth, change, happines, and finding your own way in the world being just who you are. Charm City Rocks goes near the top of my list for 2023's best reads and I'm sure if you give it a shot, you'll feel just the same.

Thank you tht eauthor, publisher, and Netgalley for an ARC at my request. All thoughts are my own.

Thank you so much to the publisher and to NetGalley for the ARC of this book. All opinions are my own.

I really enjoyed this! I thought it was fun and it kept me entertained. I couldn't ask for anything more. I enjoyed every single page and I would happily read this again and again just to feel the happiness I felt while reading. Matthew really knocked it out of the park!

This book was quite different from a lot of romance I’ve read, in a really good way. While it may not be for everyone, I really enjoyed the 3rd person POV, as well as the writing style. It felt quite unique, almost like reading a script at times. I loved the “adultness” of the book; the characters are all full/blown adults, and it’s a nice change of pace to late 20 year olds finding love. Margot is very likable, and while there’s a little bit of “not like other girls” vibe, she feels like a very real person. Billy is sweet and caring and creative, and comes across as such a positive person. The author does a good job of setting the scene and describing Baltimore, as well as all the characters, so it felt like the book came to life. A really fun read! Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the opportunity to provide my honest review.

Aw, this was a really heartwarming read! I'm a huge fan of celebrity romances where they fall for a normal person (i.e., Notting Hill, Music & Lyrics, Win a Date With Tad Hamilton, etc) and it's a trope I love in books as well. So, picking this up was a no-brainer.

I know it's technically a love story, but it's actually so much more than that. This was a love letter to Baltimore and did well highlighting unconventional family dynamics, the relationship between father and son, and just knowing that you can be absolutely clueless about where your life is going at any age. I do wish there was more of a focus on the actual romance at times because I never completely felt the chemistry between Billy and Margot. I enjoyed Margot's storyline a lot more than Billy's (hello, she's a rock star) and I felt more of a kinship with her. There was a lot of lulls in the storyline, and I think the story could've benefited from a few more climatic moments. But overall, I enjoyed this one! I'll definitely check out Norman's other books.

3.5 stars, rounded up.

Billy Perkins is an independent music teacher living above Charm City Rocks, a record store in Baltimore. He is happy and loves his life. Margot Hammer is a previous rock star turned recluse in New York City. Caleb- Billy’s sun cooks up a plan for the two meet so that his dad doesn’t have to be lonely anymore. This is the story of Billy and Margot meeting and also of Billy and Margot discovering themselves even at 40. Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for this early release. I enjoyed this romance read, it had so much depth and character development.

I really enjoyed this positive and warm story. Billy Perkins is a happy single dad, teaching music lessons and living above a record shop in Baltimore. Through a misunderstanding he gets the opportunity to meet his celebrity music crush and falls in love. This book is really readable and I finished it in two days. I enjoyed the celebration of Baltimore and the music references. Sometimes, nice guys don’t finish last.

Thank you for the advanced reader copy Netgalley and Dell Books.

4.5 stars

This is a romance that lives up to its name: utterly charming with a solid through line of rock!

While Billy is new to Margot since she meets him early in the novel after a hilarious mishap, Margot is not new to Billy. She's a relatively famous former rockstar, and Billy has been crushing on her for a long time: like two decades. When they finally meet, both are single, though their exes are quite present in untraditional ways, and this adds several layers of fun to everyone's stories. Through music, timing, and generally finding themselves at this new stage of their lives, Billy and Margot connect.

The central romance is super readable, and as truly every character notes, Billy, especially, is universally likeable. But it's the secondary characters that made this an extra fun read for me; they are fantastic. Caleb, Billy and Robyn's son, is round enough to root for but also brings in some profound and entertaining insights about his father. Margot's daughter, Poppy, plays unexpected roles in developing relationships. And the many relationship offshoots - personal and professional - each add to rather than detract from the richness of this story.

When I started this read, it took me a moment to get invested, and I worried that the storyline and characters were going to be too predictable. That experience changed dramatically over the course of what turned out to be a truly charming book that folks who want to see a win for the good eggs will also enjoy.

When a single dad meets the former rock star crush of his youth, everything they thought they knew about happiness and love is thrown into chaos.

I received an unsolicited advanced copy of this book from the publisher and didn’t know what to expect. Instead, I got a delightful story about two adults getting a second chance at love. What makes this story unique is that the main character, Billy Perkins, meets and falls in love with his favorite rock star, whom he has had a crush on for many years. And by the way, her ex-husband is a famous actor.

In addition to down-to-earth romance, we see Billy’s relationship with his college-bound son and trying to co-parent with his former girlfriend. They have everyday struggles that regular people have. The characters are authentic and people I’d want to know.

I’m so glad that I took a chance to read this book. It was a great choice, and I highly recommend it.


**Will post to Instagram on 05/23/2023

This is my fifth book by this author and I have loved them all, he is an automatic go-to when I need a laugh or pick me up. Matthew Norman writes about ordinary life with extraordinary characters. I am always invested in his characters and I loved that the romantic partners in this one are on the older side. I appreciated how the sexy time was implied instead of being shoved down your throat. Norman creates situations where you don't have to be hit over the head to appreciate chemistry.

We get the story from multiple points of view, getting inside each character's head and their thoughts and feelings. The writing style is so easy to get into that you get sucked into the story. Charm City Rocks is a charming romance that is actually a love letter to Baltimore. I've been there many times and the city gets a bad rap, it is so much more than crab legs and crime. I enjoyed how the author used the city as a character in and of itself. And being on the older side I really got into the old music mentioned. This book was really fun and I enjoyed it immensely.

Absolutely completely delightful. There wasn't one thing I didn't love about Charm City Rocks. The music theme coupled with sparkling dialogue and real, vibrant middle-age characters was just absolutely wonderful.

If you like music and romance I would suggest this book. I really enjoyed this one. Thank you to the publisher for the advanced copy.

A single dad who teaches music meets a former rock star, and they fall in love. Now, how to handle family and friends and careers - that makes the story.