I received an advanced copy of Charm City Rocks by Matthew Norman from the publisher Random House Ballantine via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

What It’s About: Billy Perkins is very happy, he has a fabulous apartment above Baltimore’s famed record shop, a wonderful job, and the coolest kid in his brainy son, Caleb. But he hasn’t really sought out the romance, but when a new documentary about his celebrity crush, Margot Hammer’s band appears on Netflix documentary, and he explains his crush to his son, his life starts to change. See, Caleb on his way to college worries his dad is lonely and decides to take action. Margot Hammer is far from happy, her famous rock band Burnt Flowers is defunct and she’s been living off the grid. When a request comes in from Baltimore for her to rock out with some little girls in a band, she takes the chance to get back out there and from there our beautiful romance.

What I Loved: Matthew Norman writes really good books. They always make me laugh and smile. The characters are always likable even when they have problems. I really connected with these characters and found them super compelling. The writing is just so lighthearted and feel with heart and seeing a rom-com from him was a special kind of delight. I really loved this sweet and thoughtful book.

What I Didn’t Like: The side story about Billy moving in with his ex-partner and her husband was a little weird and felt unnecessary but otherwise I got nothing, this book was a delight!

Who Should Read It: People who love a book with wonderful characters that feel like your friends.

Summary: A man gets a chance with his celebrity crush and it’s charming as heck.

I chose not to finish this book. Charm City Rocks features a clever premise and an intriguing inciting incident. The writer's voice is fresh and unique. His descriptions of life in Baltimore show a true appreciation for the city and made me feel like I was a part of the neighborhood. However, the excessive profanity detracts from the story, so I stopped reading. Thank you for the opportunity to read an early copy. Sadly, this book is not for me.

I’m a big fan of romance novels involving the celebrity trope. They are often escapist fun with the tiniest bit of drama thrown in, and I’m thrilled to see that more and more of these stories are popping up lately.

Charm City Rocks is one of these, but it flips a lot of the tropes around. I feel like many of the stories I read are about twenty-something starlets, and that they usually feature a famous man and a “normal” woman. However, Charm City Rocks focuses on characters who are a little older: Billy, a single dad who teaches music in Baltimore and Margot Hammer, the former drummer of a rock band who has faded from public view.

This story is a true romantic comedy, with a big emphasis on comedy. The dialogue is full of fun quips that flow easily between characters and as I read, I could definitely see this making a good Netflix rom com (I was picturing Paul Rudd and Lisa Kudrow as Billy and Margot the entire time). But even with all of the laughs and zany situations, there are many sweet moments throughout that keep the story focused on the impact of the burgeoning relationship between the two leads.

Seeing Billy and Margot’s relationship was my favorite part of the book. I’m a fan of complex, morally gray characters that are hard to root for but there’s something refreshing about reading a book with characters who are so easily likable.

Charm City Rocks is out now and is the perfect book if you’re looking for something light and sweet. Thanks to NetGalley and Penguin Random House for the eARC in exchange for an honest review.

I loved Charm City Rocks! As a former Baltimore citizen, the references to neighborhoods and customs were spot on. I wouldn't have minded even more references (Hon Fest, Artscape, etc) but the real star was the characters. Every single one was relatable and loveable. Billy with his cardigans and Margot trying to figure out being an aging rocker seemed liked they shouldn't go together but their relationship was something every one is looking for as they grow up and realize there is more to a person than their pretty face. It was great to read about a mature couple and see how they deal with ex spouses, grown children, and life!Definitely a story I didn't want to end. Can it be a Neflix series?

I adored this book! It's the story of ordinary people dealing with an extraordinary situation and it's relatable, believable and completely charming. I especially loved that it's a contemporary romance that features real adults. I only wish there was a soundtrack to go with it!

This is my first Matthew Norman read and I'm excited to dive into his backlist.

Thanks to Dell for the copy to review.

This is the third I've read by the author and my favorite of his! I really enjoyed the two characters, seeing their connection grow, finding what they have in common, and I loved the son who got them into their mess!

I loved the concept of this book. I thought it was pretty cute and charming. Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for an advanced copy.

I loved this book so much! The Baltimore details, the heartfelt and warm storytelling, characters that I rooted for, and a story that just kept me wanting to read more. This was such an enjoyable read and I can't wait to read more from this author in the future!

I was not expecting this to be THIS GOOD. I loved reading a love story between not 20 somethings. Plus celebrity/real person romance? I loved this cast of characters and would love spinoffs!

Charm City Rocks by Matthew Norman is a fun beach read! Happy Reading!

**I received an ARC of this book courtesy of NetGalley and the publisher. All opinions expressed in this review are my own and given freely**

Such a fun book! If Gilmore Girls was about a cute dad & daughter and took place in Baltimore, this would be it! Highly recommend for a feel-good romance for people that don't want anything too scandalous.

4.5 I really enjoyed this sweet love story between single dad Billy and former rock star Margot. This is a book that will have you rooting for the main characters. Billy is such a good guy, and I also really loved seeing his relationship with his teenage son. If you're a music fan, you'll also love all the music references throughout this one. And Baltimore! I don't know that I've ever read a book set in Baltimore, but the setting in this book really stands out as well.

Yes Billy, what do you know about Margot’s dreams?! I love when men think they are liberating women when they say this is not your dream, you can do better than me. I’m sorry, but why are you mansplaining women’s dreams? If a woman way above your league chooses you and you always wanted to be with that woman, you shut up and feel lucky that she chose you over anyone else.

Okay, not my TEDTalk is over, we can go back to the book. Netflix was doing what it always did: have a documentary on forgotten topics and people, make them hip again for a hot second until people stream another thing. Margot came back into Billy’s life like that. He was watching a docuseries about rock and roll and there she was. Taking father’s crush little too seriously, high boy Caleb tried to find a way to get Margot in Baltimore. Somehow he managed to do it, and things got little crazy after that.

It was bit cheesy but a fun read. I liked how coparenting was done here. One thing that bothered me was that it was always women questioned themselves while they were the more accomplished and put together ones. They portrayed like they were crumbling without men around.

Single dad meets his old crush, the drummer of a band he loved in the 90s. She’s basically a recluse now, having left the rock n roll celebrity life after breaking up the band. Margot Hammer learns to be happy again with regular old Billy Perkins who teaches piano and wears cardigans. But when fame comes knocking on her door again and the label wants to reunite the band, what will that mean for Margot & Billy? Toss in a messy situation involving exes and past indiscretions.

I wanted to like this but I just couldn’t get into it. The chapters are short though, so it’s got that going for it.

This book was so good! Working in the music industry I loved this book. I will say the switch between POVs got a little confusing, and the plot at the end got a little messy but over all this was great. I am also a sucker for the single dad trope😍

Billy has held onto his crush on a rockstar, Margot. This is a sweet read to see them come together with many pitfalls and work through their many issues. Very easy read and entertaining. Think of a sweet Hallmark movie and this is it in book form.

Billy Perkins is happy. He loves his smart 18-year-old son, Caleb, who’s about to graduate high school and is deciding where to attend college. He co-parents well with Caleb’s mom. He loves his job: he’s a music teacher who gets to work from home. He loves his home, an apartment above a music store in a bustling neighborhood of Baltimore. Life is good.

After father and son watch a music documentary that mentions a rock band called Burnt Flowers, Billy mentions he had a crush on the band’s drummer back in the day. Margot Hammer was talented and cool. Then Caleb gets a wild idea: he contacts Margot’s record company and concocts a scheme to get her down to Baltimore.

Margot, for her part, isn’t too happy. She lives alone in New York, long divorced from the father of her twenty-something daughter, Poppy. Her ex is a bona fide movie star with a string of love interests who keep getting younger. Now, the documentary that’s started running on Netflix calls her a recluse.

So when a woman from the record company contacts her and has a cool idea to get her some publicity, Margot takes a leap of faith and just goes for it. She travels to Baltimore and … finds out that the scheme one teenage boy came up with is not what she thought it was.

But she meets Billy and Caleb and sees the neighborhood. And she takes a chance. And then some more.

Charm City Rocks is a really sweet love story about two forty-somethings who could say their best days were behind them. Much like the many people following their romance through sightings posted online, I was rooting for them. I just loved the characters and this tale of what could seem a mismatch but is actually pretty perfect. I had no idea Baltimore was called Charm City, so that was a fun bit of info. And, yes, this book is chock-full of charm and music.

Should’ve known from the title that this was set in my home state but I wasn’t expecting it!! I have never really loved visiting Baltimore. It’s not my preferred city in Maryland. But it sure did make for a great setting for a romance novel! This book was super cute and gave me some daisy jones vibes just because of the music and scenes in the recording studio. A fun read!

Thank you Netgalley and Random House for the advanced eARC of this one!! It’s out now 😊

I tried three times to get into this book, but just couldn’t. I’m not sure why— so I will try again, but not any time soon. For this reason I’m giving three stars, it’s not a DNF but it’s also not something I’m getting pulled into.

Ah, this book was so ... charming ... and nostalgic. If you are needing a bit more of a rock band story after watching or reading Daisy Jones and the Six, CHARM CITY ROCKS scratches that itch.

I really enjoyed the story of single-dad Billy whose teenage son wants to see him with the woman of his dreams - the famous drummer, Margot Hammer, of a long-forgotten band. Through a series of mishaps we see average joe, Billy, make his rock-star fantasies come true.

We also get Margot's view of life being a washed-up drummer who suddenly becomes famous again. I love her anger at life (she never smiles) and her passion for drums.

I think this is a great example of what you can do with a romance plot involving "mature" characters. We see them deal with their baggage, ghosts of their past, their mistakes and regrets. The book is also a love letter to Baltimore and music.

The story could have ended any various number of ways and it would have been satisfying.

Thank you NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine for an e-copy of CHARM CITY ROCKS to review.

I rate CHARM CITY ROCKS four out of five stars.