it felt like a sweet-movie in my head, and then the plot went all over the place for the main character mid-way, something which didn't hook me to keep reading. Beautiful narration, huge dramatics and antics, and the constant back-and-forth between the main interests, felt a bit redundant. Overall, didn't hit the right romance notes for me, was a bit slow, but a fun slow read with characters who have a lot of heart in their disposition.

Event planner Hattie Norwood returns home to help out when her parents receive the life changing news that their land, that has supported them for decades, is no longer fertile and will no longer be able to yield a return. With plans to return to her life in Charlotte, Hattie is roped into hosting the Founders’ Day celebration even as her family attempts to reinvent the family farm. But returning to Mountain View means running into her ex-boyfriend, Lee, and meeting Fox, the new owner of the Hardware store.

I enjoyed this light, small town read particularly the events hosted at the barn and the role of music in the book - both with the events and the music industry. And while I think I’ve discovered that the love triangle trope is perhaps not my favourite, that is most definitely a me thing and not a reflection of the book. Overall the characters are likeable though Hattie is fairly self-centered. While she expected the man in her life to support her job and dreams I felt that she struggled or was afraid to support the men in her life through much of the story if it went against her wishes (but perhaps a large part of that comes from her past hurts). That said, there is character growth and you don’t find out who she will end up with until almost the end of the book. I really enjoyed the mystery of Fox and the interactions between the three main characters.

I was immediately drawn to this book because of the gorgeous cover. Thank you @alcovepress for the complimentary ebook of #singmehometocarolina

this is a tender, lovely, cozy story about home and heart. I really loved the familial roots and warmth that comes from community. I’m not a big fan of the love- triangle trope, and while that wasn’t a focus of this book per se, it’s still not my favorite. I did love the romantic elements between a second chance story for Hattie and Lee though. I always love a second chance.
I loved the joy and humor in this story. how Hattie is able to rediscover her roots and why they mean so much to her.
thank you for the arc.

Sing Me Home to Carolina was my first read by author Joy Callaway. I will read pretty much anything set in the Carolinas.

This is your typical small town girls goes to the big city to live and work, but returns to her hometown when her parents need help. She is caught between the worlds of the small town life and friends and her big city job and apartment. It's a little bit second chance romance, a beautiful barn venue in the making, a little bit country music scene and a whole lot of love for small town NC.

This was an enjoyable read, full of nostalgic small town family vibes.

This is a good book. The two main characters are Hattie and Fox. There is an instant attraction when they meet. Hattie is an event planner in Charlotte. Fox owns the local hardware store. Hattie comes home one weekend, her father has a heartache. She delays going back to work and lands up losing her job. Fox is helping her family to turn their barn into an entertainment venue. They start dating. They fall in love.

I was immediately intrigued by this one thanks to the Carolina setting, I grew up in NC and always love a book that makes me nostalgic for the place. And I am a huge Hart of Dixie fan and adored all those weekly small-town shenanigans!

However, in reading this I realized I like the cheesy Hallmark-type feel more on the screen than on the page. Hattie wasn’t very likable and threw a lot of tantrums, and the love triangle was off-putting with all the past history and misunderstandings. I also felt that the town’s attitude came off as incredibly conformist and exclusionary, and the quirky stuff didn’t feel amusing or charming like I expected it to. Good potential for sure, but just didn’t work for me.

Thank you NetGalley and Alcove Press for sending this DRC for review consideration.

This book was a real surprise for me – fresh, vibrant, and full of life. It promises small-town romance but delivers so much more: a dilemma between home and career, conflict between community and progress, and a protagonist whose decisions I sometimes supported and sometimes watched in bewilderment – but always wondered what she would do next.

Hattie Norwood is a successful event planner living in Charlotte who returns to her home in Mountain View for only a short visit to help her parents when she discovers that the family peanut farm has gone out of business. She's sure she'll be back in the big city in a few days, but a series of unexpected events force her to stay – including the organisation of a music charity event that could be a game-changer for the local community.

Hattie's past and present come crashing into her life at the same time. Her former high school sweetheart, Lee Lockhardt, who had to give up his MLB career due to injury, returns to Mountain View and wants a new chance for their relationship. At the same time, she meets the mysterious new owner of the hardware store, Fox Ryan, who not only has new ideas but a charming personality and a unique voice.

The plot twists kept the story moving, and I really enjoyed that it wasn't predictable. There were times when I was sure Lee was going to be endgame – especially when he first sang, and I thought it was a clear reference to the title – but then Fox came in with his own wonderful voice and completely shook up the setup. I didn't know what to root for: old love or new opportunity? Staying with the roots or moving on to the big city dream? Even the fate of Mountain View was in question – and it all unfolded in a thrilling, captivating way.

The strength of the book lies not only in the romantic threads – though they are undoubtedly pronounced – but also in the supporting characters, who bring a distinct life to the pages. The townspeople are colourful, committed, and courageous in their opinions. Through them, the novel makes us reflect on values such as heritage, history, community, family, and the community-building power of music. I particularly liked how the farm, previously on the verge of destruction, takes on a new meaning when it is revived as an event venue – a thread that gives hope and shows a real alternative to the balance between development and preservation of the past.

Hattie is a strong, determined character who stands by her decisions even when an entire small town tries to convince her otherwise. There were many times I disagreed with her, but I always respected her courage. “Sing Me Home to Carolina” is not only a love story, but also a novel about a small town, community, and identity. It surprised me, captivated me, and stayed with me for a long time – and that's what I expect from a really good book.

I had a really hard time getting into this book. But in the end it was okay. It just didn’t capture me from the start.
I received an ARC copy of this book and all opinions are my own.

A high school romance rekindled….
I always enjoy reading a fun romance based in a small town. Sing Me Home to Carolina gave me all the feels for sure.
Main characters are Hattie and Lee. Reuniting with Lee was not what Hattie had in mind.

Tight knit community
Quirky characters
Cozy small town vibes
Closed door romance
Romance

Perfect summer/beach reading!

Thank you NetGalley, the publisher and author for the opportunity to read this book for my honest review. All opinions expressed are my own.

Hattie returns home to help with her parents failing business where she her heart volleys between her old flame and the new handsome yet mysterious guy, all the while trying to convince the town that change is good. Although full of southern charm and sweetness and the setting beautifully mastered, the story lagged a bit in the romance arena, there wasn’t much tension between the FMC and the two MMCs (what I would have thought to be a big part of the plot as a why chose or love triangle type of story) and my interest wavered midway, but the conclusion was good.

Title: Sing Me Home to Carolina
Author: Joy Callaway
Genre: Romance
Rating: 2.25
Pub Date: June 10, 2025

I received a complimentary eARC from Alcove Press via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own. #Gifted

T H R E E • W O R D S

Southern • Lighthearted • Dramatic

📖 S Y N O P S I S

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.

💭 T H O U G H T S

There is no denying I chose to request an early copy of Sing Me Home to Carolina because the cover was absolutely stunning. This was my first time reading Joy Callaway and I do love a good Southern romance every now and again, so I decided to give this one a go.

I absolutely loved the small town setting, the idea of a NFL stadium overtaking said small town, and the repurposed barn as an event space. There was a level of charm I was invested in. Unfortunately, the good ends there.

I failed to connect with Hattie, honestly, she was insufferable. In fact, none of the characters were that likeable. The plot was all over the place, shifting focus from one thing to the next. For instance, the focus starts with the town coming together to stop the new stadium being built, but this element disappears through a lot of the second half, only to reappear at the end.

Then there was the romance, which I just didn't believe. There was so much yo-yoing between both male characters that made very little sense from a plot standpoint. I kept feeling like I was getting whiplash from trying to keep track of where Hattie's heart was at. It literally felt like the romance was thrown in as an after thought.

Sing Me Home to Carolina was an entirely lackluster experience for me. It's of judging a book by its cover and it turning out to be an absolute dud. If the author had focused on one thing maybe it would have been better. There is certainly an audience out there who will enjoy it more than I did, but I would find it hard to recommend to anyone.

📚 R E A D • I F • Y O U • L I K E
• Sweet Magnolias
• love triangles

⚠️ CW: misogyny, medical trauma, injury/injury detail

Hattie Norwood has returned to her home town of Mountain View, South Carolina to help her parents when they find out there farmland is no longer productive. She finds herself quickly immersed in small town politics, and torn between two locals as she is asked to host a founders day celebration in an attempt to save the town from the state’s attempt to build the new football stadium on their land.

This was a hallmark-esque small southern town romance with all the inherent charm and drama. I loved the southern feel and the close knit community. I did need to suspend disbelief at times given the coincidences and the quick passing of time that made hard things seem super simple. But I don’t know that it detracted from the overall story, which was still engaging. The main characters seemed slightly flat, but colorful and I definitely had a preference for who the FMC should choose. Overall, a good summer romance for those that love a sweet small town romance.

Thanks to Alcove Press for an advanced copy of Sing Me Home to Carolina by Joy Callaway.

I've really enjoyed her historical fiction, so I was looking forward to this contemporary book, but there were a few things I struggled with in this book.

I loved the sweet town, but didn't get Hattie at all. She was so selfish and then the romance aspect - I wasn't expecting that love triangle. It all just felt off to me.

I struggled with the setting and that they were trying to move the Carolina Pathers stadium, if it was any other type of stadium it would have made more sense to me. I know Mountain View was a fictional town, but where they were saying the town was just doesn't make sense for an NFL stadium and that really bothered me the whole book.

Unfortunately, this was a miss for me.

If you're looking for the perfect summer read with some of your favorite tropes, look no further than Sing Me Home To Carolina! Small town charm, a woman going back home to find her true self and purpose, the family farm in need of rescue and a dash of clean romance thrown in via an old flame resurfacing while a possible new flame appears on the scene.

Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️.5

I don’t even know how to fully describe this book, everything about it just worked. Every character, whether main or side, played a meaningful role and added something special to the story.

Hattie returns to her hometown of Mountain View, South Carolina, to support her parents through a difficult time. She plans to head back to Charlotte soon, but the town has other ideas. They ask her to use her event planning skills to help breathe life back into the community, and that’s where the story really takes off.

There’s a bit of a love story, but more importantly, this is Hattie’s story. It’s about her figuring out life when it looks totally different than she expected, and learning to embrace the unexpected along the way.

Thank you NetGalley and Alcove Press

The publisher provided ARC via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review

Synopsis
Event planner Hattie Norwood goes back home to Mountain View, South Carolina to support her parents and their failing farm and finds herself in the middle of a town battle because they don’t want their small town to become home to a new Carolina Panthers stadium, but Hattie is actually in favor of it. While home, she can’t believe her eyes when she sees her old flame, former MLB standout Lee Lockhardt, who’s returned home after career-ending injury.
But there’s also the hunky and mysterious new owner of Fox’s Hardware, Fox. Are you Team Lee or Team Fox?

My Thoughts
The second I started reading this book, I got Sweet Home Alabama vibes! It’s one of my favorite movies, and I picked this up because I love a good book set in the south. This book did not disappoint. It’s got small town southern charm, high school love, a mysterious handsome new man in town that has that rugged charm with his beard, country music, farms, and barns all mixed in. It was a cute Hallmark-type romance and the characters were the fun neighborly rural small town kind. Do you like Heart of Dixie or Sweet Magnolias? If yes, you’ll love this book!

Themes
Family
Old Love
Love Triangle

Ratings
Characters: 5 ⭐️
Pace: 4 ⭐️
Enjoyability: 4 ⭐️

Thank you Alcove Press and NetGalley for an advanced copy of this book!

Thank you to Joy Callaway, Alcove Press, and Netgalley for the ARC.

I found this story to be slow moving initially. I did like the book. I found it hard to engage in the hero/heroine/hero story. Hattie seemed to jump between Fox/Lee. I may have been the wrong audience for the storyline.

A sweet story about coming home and rediscovering yourself, worthy of a Hallmark mock up. Leaving a small town for the bright lights and big city isn’t all that it seems, and Hattie ends up realizing what she loves most is what she left behind.
The plot keeps moving along, the characters are charming and they keep it interesting, and the love all around made this an enjoyable, light read. Perfect beach read material!

What a heartwarming and enjoyable read! Joy Callaway’s first contemporary novel, Sing Me Home to Carolina, features a charming, though economically challenged, rural small town and a delightful cast of characters. It would have benefited from some streamlining, in my humble opinion, and some of the plot seemed a bit unrealistic. That said, I will be looking forward to future contemporary works from Callaway - perhaps also set in Mountain View?

Many thanks to NetGalley and Alcove Press for the privilege of a complementary ARC. Opinions are my own.

Cute book about a hometown girl returning home. She is getting to know the town again and is trying to help them with a benefit. A new man in town has her eye and now we watch where it goes. It reads a lot like a book I just finished so I had to stop from time to time to remind myself which book I was reading. I was hoping to check out the audiobook as well to see if it would make the story more exciting but was unable to get it.
I can definitively see this as being a Hallmark movie or show.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the arc.