I think what I love most about small town stories, romantic or not, is there's an inherent found family aspect to it, that sense of a community that's willing to help each other out in their hardest moments but also uplifting in joyous ones, and this is something Joy Callaway executes perfectly in Sing Me Home to Carolina. As someone who loves Hart of Dixie, those same vibes were emulated throughout this novel and that was something I thoroughly enjoyed as well as the romance(s) that were present.

Thank you Alcove Press and Netgalley for the ARC.

This was the first book by Joy Calloway I’ve read and I really enjoyed it! The comparison to Sweet Magnolias or Hart of Dixie really intrigued be as I’ve watched both of those shows.
While I found the book a bit slow to build, once it got going I was invested in the different relationships within the small town. The storyline had depth and emotion as Hattie and the town navigate the possibility/impact of the town being the site of the football stadium. Hattie also has to work to balance family and her own career ambitions, while battling her own heart.
Thank you NetGalley for the electronic advance copy of this book - all opinions are my own!

This was such a sweet small-town romance with just the right amount of tension and heart. Hattie never thought she’d return home, but when she does, she’s thrown back into the mess of her past—including her ex, the one who broke her heart over trust issues before college.

While navigating old feelings, she also strikes up a friendship with the charming new guy in town who runs the local store and is all about saving the community. Hattie’s torn between supporting new development to help struggling farms and respecting the locals’ wishes to preserve their way of life.

As she helps her parents and works alongside familiar faces, she slowly rediscovers her love for the town—and finds herself caught between two very different men, one from her past and one who might just be her future.

Thank you to NetGalley and Alcove press for this free advanced copy. I am leaving this review voluntarily

Joy Calloway is a new author for me and as a bonus, she is a local North Carolina author (I live in North Carolina) and I do love to discover more and more local authors. This book's genre is labelled southern and chick-lit, so sounds like fun.

Description:
A small town girl turned big city businesswoman returns home to help her parents, only to find her heart being tugged between her old flame and the town’s mysterious new guy.

This witty and effervescent novel is perfect for readers of Viola Shipman and fans of Sweet Magnolias and Hart of Dixie.

Event planner Hattie Norwood only came back home to Mountain View, South Carolina to support her parents as they receive word that the family peanut farm is infertile. This news doesn’t come as a surprise to Hattie, and she plans to return to Charlotte at the weekend’s end.

But then the town councilwoman begs Hattie to use her event-planning prowess to help Mountain View put on a musical benefit to stop the construction of the new Carolina Panthers stadium—a project Hattie is actually in favor of, much to the dismay of the locals—and she finds herself agreeing to stay until the town’s Founder’s Day celebration a week later, just as her old flame, former MLB standout Lee Lockhardt, materializes in town after a career-ending injury.

When the hunky and mysterious new owner of Fox’s Hardware, Fox Ryan, suggests the Founder’s Day celebration be moved to the Norwoods’ barn in an attempt to reinvent the failing farm as a music and event venue, Hattie agrees, unaware this move will thrust the town, her love life, and the brewing tension over the stadium into a very public spotlight.

Fans of small-town romance and quirky casts of characters will be rooting for Team Lee or Team Fox as Hattie decides if love, like most music, is meant to fade or last forever.

My Thoughts:
This book was fun, though heart-wrenching at times with the proposed new Panthers stadium threatening to take land from the locals and many locals believing they will destroy the town and it will never feel the same. I liked Hattie's character who showed strength, ambition, initiative, and a lot of heart. I enjoyed the mystery of Fox - who would have suspected? That mystery and Hattie's heart pulling her in a couple of directions made the romantic vibes intense. Overall I enjoyed the story, the plot, and the characters and would recommend to anyone who likes a good romance.

Thanks to Alcove Press through Netgalley for an advance copy.

This book was a cute, small town romance that felt like a hallmark movie. Was it amazing, mind-blowing, or life changing? No. It was entertaining, though.

Hattie grew up in a small town, and her home is at risk of being lost due to a stadium that could end up being built smack dab in the middle of her family's farm. Reluctantly leaving a job opportunity of a lifetime, Hattie returns home to help out her parents and runs into her ex, who had broken her heart when she was young, Lee. Could the romance be rekindled? Or is the new guy in town for her? As developments occur that keep her home away from her dreams, Hattie figures out what it is that she really wants in more ways than one.

Definitely Hallmark material.

Uh…

Hattie returns to her small home town in South Carolina to help her parents after they found out their peanut farm is no longer productive. While there, her town is dealing with the possibility of the Carolina Panthers choosing them as the location for their new stadium. On top of that, she runs into her old high school love and also a new handsome man in town. She has to juggle romance, family duties, and her job back in Charlotte.

Everybody in this town sucks. Hattie, Lee, the Mayor. All of them. The only one who doesn’t is Fox, and he isn’t even from the town. When she comes back for a weekend visit, Hattie refuses to sign the town petition protesting the new stadium because she feels like the town will fail without it. The town immediately turns on her and of course, if her single signuature isn’t on the petition, then the state will look at that as weakness and say that the town isn’t 100% against the stadium so they’re going to build there anyway. Cue the biggest eye roll ever. The reaction these people had to her not wanting to sign was extreme. They legit went to her house and protested her! In front of her parents!

On top of that, Lee, he ex-boyfriend from high school turned pro MLB player, is back in town. He is such a douche. I’ve seen people online say that when you’re online dating, instead of asking a man if he’s dating anyone, you should ask them if there is anyone out there who thinks that they are in a relationship with you. That’s how I feel about Lee. He is seeing Willow, claims that she knos it’s casual and that they’re not exclusive and is therefore trying to makeout with Hattie, yet every time Willow comes around she is all over Lee and glaring at Hattie. I also didn’t understand how two people could claim to be so madly in love with each other for years and yet neither of them tried to get in touch with the other. I never wanted them to end up together and they were together and “in love” for 80% of the book.

Fox, the other love interest was interesting. He seemed to immediately fall in love with Hattie and she sort of did too? Yet she was also in love with Lee? It was so weird. Because she didn’t even know Fox, yet she was crushing on him. He also had a mysterious past as he had shown up in the town and bought the hardware story and didn’t even have people calling him by his real name.

Then there’s this entire storyline about Lee getting discovered by a record label, immediately moving to Nashville and getting signed and then immediately going on tour in Europe as an opener. Hattie makes zero effort to continue this relationship while Lee is out of town, even though she claims to have been in love with him for 10 years.

Have I vented about this book enough? I found the writing to be terrible and the characters insufferable. I wanted so much more from a small town romance but this was not it. I don’t see how people can find any of these characters likable or find a single person to route for. I couldn’t even cheer for the romance!

Don’t pick this one up. If you’ve been missing Hart of Dixie or another small town romance, just give those a rewatch. I never want to visit this town or these people and feel they deserve everything bad tha comes to them about refusing progression.

The cover and synopsis immediately grabbed my attention. I loved a previous book written by Joy Callaway so I was excited to read this one. Unfortunately, the writing wasn't for me. I had trouble getting the storyline and ultimately did not finish it.

As a native South Carolinians I found tis book to be a fun, quick read. Will he a great summertime beach or poolside read. Not completely about romance it does have some family dynamics and he little quirks of small town life. I actually think I know a couple of little areas in the Upstate of SC (which was referenced ) that might be similar in size and population. The train business to Charlotte NC from "podunk" SC is totally unrealistic. Nobody except the homeless or invalid don't have cars in SC and pleease. .. there might be one passenger train that passes through the upstate and probably no more than that operates in the entire state, Way off base there. Otherwise characters were fun, conversational and a totally crazy twist on the guys. As for he Panthers stadium, probably a teeny bit of truth there as there was a lot of controversy when they moved their training camp from Wofford to a proposed site around Rock Hill. Anyway, fun quick read, not to get too serious about. I was invited to read this book as an advanced reader copy but was under no obligation to write a review. The opinions expressed are my own. Thanks o the author, publisher and NetGalley for the read. Enjoyed!

This book had all the things I love in my romance—small town, second chance romance with all the feels! I enjoyed every second of this book. This is my first read by this author, but it won’t be my last. This book was well written with great conflict and so much heart! It’s the perfect summer read!
I received this book from Alcove Press and Netgalley. All opinions are my own!

Sing Me Home to Carolina
by: Joy Callaway
Alcove Press
General Fiction (Adult), Romance, Women's Fiction
Pub Date: June 10, 2025

With a small town setting of Mountain View, South Carolina, a quirky cast of locals, Calloway's novel is full of Southern charm, humor, and romance. Main character Hattie, an event planner in Charlotte, North Carolina, returns to her roots in South Carolina to help her parents through a crisis.
The plot also centers around conflict surrounding the building of a sports stadium in the community.

Callaway really created the atmosphere of a little town in her fictional setting, and the descriptions of the businesses and natural environment of river and farmland bring it to life. The book is an enjoyable, cozy read that delivers lightheartedness and laughter along with a romantic triangle, family heritage, and community spirit.

I received an advance reader's copy from Net Galley and Alcove Press. My review is my own.

#SingMeHometoCarolina #NetGalley #JoyCallaway

Hattie has gone home to her tiny, dying town for what was to be a short visit. The town is under consideration for a new, very much unwanted stadium. Her high school love is home. He'd been a star major league baseball player. But an injury ended his career. The town is being supported by the new guy in town - the hardware store owner. He's always jumping in to help, both manually and financially. Serious family issues force Hattie into decisions she didn't want to make. Life makes other decisions mandatory.

The story is full of quirky individuals, a second chance romance, perhaps a new romance, a tiny town on the precipice of change. It's also full of angst. This is a great read.

I have the e-book and the audio book. The narrator is great.

5/5 ⭐️

This was my first book by Joy and adored every word. Hattie has to return to her hometown to help save the family farm. While there, they receive news that the Panthers are looking to relocate their stadium. Running into an old flame and one of the new men in town, the love triangle begins.

This small-town romance will give you one of the biggest hugs you'll ever have! Pick this up for one of your Summer reads!

A heartfelt that will have you swaying to the music and screaming for joy.
I thought it was very unfair the entire town guilt tripped Hattie just because she had a different view.
I thought Lee was always the wrong choice because he was weak. Plus he was never around when Hattie needed him.
Fox was fiiiine! Fox showed up every single time! I was ready to toss Hattie in the river as she was torn between two men. Nope! No contest whatsoever.
I laughed at the perfectly awful and ghastly casserole concoctions from old cookbooks!
Mountain View could be any small town that’s struggling but the people made it special.
Can I take a ride in the hot dog mobile with Rocky and Dolly??!

"Southern Small-Town Charm with Hallmark Movie Vibes! Fans of Virgin River, Schitt's Creek, and Chesapeake Shores will delight."

Joy Callaway, (favorite author), known for her captivating historical fiction, introduces SING ME HOME TO CAROLINA —the author's smashing foray into the romcom, family, Southern, feel-good small-town fiction genre with a cast of cozy characters that draw you in, characters you'll feel like you've known your entire life.

About...

Hattie Norwood is a small-town gal from Mountain View, SC, who is now a businesswoman and event planner in the larger Southern city of Charlotte and returns home to help her parents with their struggling family business.

However, she finds there are challenges with a new Carolina Panthers stadium up for bid in Mountain View as a possible location site, and the town urges her to utilize her skills as an event planner to help host a musical benefit to stop the construction (even though she thinks it could benefit the town).

So she agrees to the extended stay until the town's upcoming Founder's Day celebration a week later. She must come up with a plan.

To complicate things even further, she runs into her former boyfriend, MLB Lee Lockhardt (baseball player), after he moved back due to his injury that ended his career.

While working on the event, she meets the hot new, mysterious owner of Fox's Hardware, Fox Ryan, who suggests they move the celebration to the Norwoods' barn to also help with her parents' failing business as a music and event venue.

Two guys, her parents' business, her real job, a fight for a new project possibly coming to town, and an upcoming important event to plan. Will the event save the town, her family's business, and perhaps a chance at love?

My thoughts...

Being that I am from the Carolinas and a massive fan of the author, I was delighted to read her latest, SING ME HOME TO CAROLINA!

With a perfect mix of small-town romance, second chances, wit, history, charm, quirky, compelling characters, a love triangle, family bonds, a quaint Southern town, music, and love, this one has it all for a heartwarming and uplifting summer beach read. Ideal for book clubs.

If you are from the South, you will appreciate the church cookbooks and the beauty parlor gossip, among all the other charms, where everyone knows everyone's business with Joy's creative Southern storytelling.

The red barn reminded me of past events at the Tanglewood Park Red Barn, Clemmons, NC, and WinMock at Kinderton, Bermuda Run, NC.

Heartwarming, nostalgic, and big-hearted, with an adorable storyline where a town comes together, fostering a sense of community. I enjoyed the inspiration behind the book! I can't wait to see what she comes up with next.

Recs...

SING ME HOME TO CAROLINA is for fans of the author and small town romances and those who enjoy works by Viola Shipman, Robyn Carr, Kristy Woodson Harvey, Katherine Center, and Sherryl Woods.

Special thanks to Alcove Press for a gifted advanced reading copy via NetGalley for my honest thoughts.

Also, check out my #AuthorElevatorSeries QA with Joy and The Star of Camp Greene (where she talks about Sing Me Home to Carolina) as well.

Blog review posted @
JudithDCollins.com
@JudithDCollins | #JDCMustReadBooks
Pub Date: June 10, 2025
My Rating: 5 Stars
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For me the plot and characters were ok. I really liked Fox and didn’t care for playboy Lee. I often felt frustrated with Hattie’s indecision to pick a guy. I was satisfied when she finally chose the best man for her at the end. This book is filled with drama as well as tender moments. The songs mentioned throughout the story were fun to listen to and added to the ambience of the storyline.

Thank you to NetGalley and Alcove Press for the ARC in exchange for my honest review!

Umm… why did this sweet, small-town Hallmark-style story suddenly turn into a "why choose" romance at around 80%? It felt completely out of left field. Honestly, the plot was already all over the place, and that twist was the final straw. I would’ve DNFed right then, but I was too close to the end—so I just skimmed the rest. Disappointing and confusing.

Thank you NetGalley and Alcove for the eARC!
I enjoyed this! It was a little heavy on saying what songs were playing and I was annoyed by that, but other than that, I liked it. I kinda had a feeling of who Hattie was going to end up with, because I don’t feel like her and Lee really had a connection and she didn’t know what she wanted, and made it quite obvious she wasn’t sure she wanted to be with Lee or not.
The setting was perfect. I adore small town romances, especially old style ones on farms. I’m all for small towns, everyone knows everyone type of things, so i absolutely loved that aspect of it.
There wasn’t really anything I didn’t like, but I wish there was a little more action or drama than what there was.
Overall, it was pretty good.

Sing Me Home to Carolina is the second chance romance meets small town drama that will hook you from page one.

As her hometown is on the brink of insolvency, Hattie Norwood returns to Mountain View, South Carolina for the weekend to comfort her parents and their failing peanut farm. But emotions fly high when she returns home to find her childhood sweetheart, who broke her heart a decade ago, is back in town and still holds a flame for her. Divided between her successful city career, her love for her hometown, the one that got away, and a new mysterious resident, Hattie’s life gets upended in unexpected ways.

I loved the characters, small town drama and community feel of this book. I easily became invested in saving the town and reuniting Hattie and her first love. This was an easy and enjoyable read with a Hallmark Rom-com feel.

The one part that may have needed more development was the Hattie & Fox relationship. It was less believable for me.

Thank you to NetGalley, Alcove Press and the author for an advanced digital copy.

P.S. Happy publication day! This one is a winner!

Excuse me one minute, this is Joy's first contemporary romance!? Love her as a HF author and now THIS beauty!? Sign me up for everything Joy writes forever and always!

When Hattie comes home to visit her home town of Mountain View, she is welcomed with open arms by family and friends who never left and an ex that was never supposed to come back. Cue: Instant Drama!

The family farm and founder's land is in peril. An athletic stadium is going to be built in one of two places and, of course, the farm land is being considered as an option. The people of Mountain View come together to sign petitions and stand united against this "progressive move" that they fear will ruin everything in their quiet little town.

Joy's roots and attention to detail shine through as this book has everything: spam (not the kind that shows up in your inbox,) ramps (not the kind that slope up and down,) streaking (not on snapchat,) and anything in between - including a triangle (not the one that rings you in to dinner.)

The romance(s) woven throughout this story are so rich and touching. I still find myself thinking about the characters, hoping they're doing well - they felt that real!!!

What an exceptional entry into the contemporary romance scene! Brava, Joy!!

Such a great story! I thoroughly enjoyed the author's writing style, and how she presented the story.
Joy Callaway did such a good job of bringing characters and their setting to life.
An excellent read that kept me captivated from the very start.