When Hattie Norwood returns home to her small town as a show of support for her parents' failing farm, she doesn't plan on staying long. Except she gets pulled into helping save the town itself from outside development projects. Complicating matters is Hattie's love life with the return of an old flame and the new owner of the hardware store showing her romantic interest. With her home town watching, Hattie must save the town while also following her heart

I love a good small town romance, especially when it involves a high school romance that is rekindled. While this is one aspect of Sing Me Home to Carolina, the author added an interesting twist to the 'home town boy returns' trope, with the addition of a very sexy local hardware store owner with a mysterious past.

I must admit, I am solidly on Team Fox, even though there is nothing that made me dislike Lee. The love triangle/why choose storyline is one I have never encountered in a closed door romance and it made me a little uncomfortable with Hattie at times. Both Lee and Fox were good guys, both loved Hattie, she loved them both in return, and it upset me that she was going to have to hurt one of them.

I enjoyed very much Mountain View's characters and the Save Our Town campaign. It made me want to move to a little farming town, myself.

Thank you to Netgalley and Alcove Press for the digital ARC of Sing Me Home to Carolina. The opinions in this review are my own.

Event planner Hattie Norwood is in to Mountain View, South Carolina to support her parents when their farm is found infertile. It seems that the Carolina Panthers are looking for a place for a new stadium and she thinks it will save the small town. Since Hattie will not sign the petition to stop the stadium everyone is mad at her. Lee Lockhardt her former high school boyfriend is back in town his career in the MLB has ended. Lee is attracted to Hattie, but the new guy Fox in town is also interested. When Fox suggest that the Norwood use their barn to hold a Founders Day celebration. Wonderful story of going home and trying to decide if you need to stay or go back the Charlotte.

Joy is one of my favorite authors, and I just adore her lovely historical fiction novels. Her newest novel is her first contemporary book, and it is just as compelling! I felt like I knew Hattie inside and out since I grew up in a small Carolina town similar to Mountain View. The push and pull of a small town, from the people who know you all too well to the memories that you can never seem to get away from, are at the heart of this novel, and I enjoyed every minute. Joy knows her Carolina slang as many of the phrases her characters use could have come out of my mouth when I’m back in my hometown.

This book is an emotional and heartwarming tale of what it truly means to be at home whether it’s a location or a person. If you’re looking for a swoony romance with a fun cast of truly unique characters and a strong sense of place, this is the book for you! I hope Joy continues writing both historical and contemporary novels as I can’t get enough of her writing!

Honestly DNFd this book at 21%. Hattie and Lee were annoying and the book already seemed longer than it needed to be.

A second chance romane in a small town divided over a possible football stadium. Hattie has come home. She didn't expect that her high school flame Lee would be there too or Fox, the new owner of the hardware store. Nor did she expect to become involved in the community debate about the construction of an NFL stadium, The stadium could be good for her parents but what about for everyone else? Callaway has a nice way with characters, creating people you can relate to (even if they are former MLB players) and a good small town atmosphere. Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC. This is an easy read for a lazy day.

Man. I definitely wanted to like this book more than I did. There were elements of it that I really enjoyed! The small-town vibe and the cast of eclectic minor characters was really fun. But part of what took away from the enjoyment for me was the romantic subplot. It took too much of the story and there was so much angst involved. I didn’t see how it could possibly end happily for any of the characters. It was just overall very distracting from the really compelling storyline of saving Mountain View.

I also didn’t like how the town (and Hattie’s parents) treated her most of the time. First of all, why did she need to sign the petition so bad? She doesn’t even live there. If she didn’t HAPPEN to be in town, they wouldn’t be chasing her down in Charlotte to get her to sign, right?? And everyone was just making her feel so guilty for trying to do HER JOB. The thing she gets PAID TO DO. She can’t go ahead and lose her income just because her parents have lost theirs! I just felt like everyone was so judgy but I would have felt the same way as Hattie. Which made it hard for me when she started having a change of heart and priorities. I didn’t really feel like her heart or priorities were askew in the first place, so it soured the later parts of the book for me.

Overall, there were some really delightful parts to this book. However, there were too many things that didn’t sit right with me which kept me from really loving it.

Note: I received an ARC from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

I absolutely loved this book. It was very cute and I already feel like I need a follow up to the ending. It was slightly weird reading names of towns in my area but kind of cool at the same time. Loved this book. Thank you for the arc.

Sing Me Home to Carolina was my first book by Joy Callaway and it won’t be my last. The beautiful cover invitingly draws you in to Mountainview and the Robinson’s barn. I really enjoyed the story of Hattie and her attempt to help save her family’s farm. Fans of Gilmore Girls will enjoy the romantic tension.

Thanks to NetGalley and Alcove Press for an early copy. All opinions are my own.

Hattie, returns to her hometown. Her parents are stressed that their peanut farm will no longer be able to grow crops. The whole town is upset a nfl team is thinking about building a stadium in their town. And Hattie ex, former mlb player Lee, also had returned home.

Hattie is struggling with wanting to help her family but also trying to maintain her life and job home. Lee is wanted to try again, but also there a handsome new resident in town she finds her self getting closer too.

While there was some aspects of the book I loved (especially who she needs up) and how she grew to fall in love with her hometown again. I felt like some of parts of these books were rushed, some weren't explored enough, and the amount of side characters was a little much. It reminds of Hallmark-ish romance, it's a book that doesn't hit it out of the ballpark but it was a good way to pass the time.

3.75 stars.

**Sing Me Home to Carolina**
by Joy Callaway

I truly wanted to embrace this book, but I find myself regrettably unable to say I even liked it. My main struggle centred around the character of Hattie Norwood. She is portrayed as a dynamic woman who initially thrives in the bustling life of a big city. However, her journey quickly becomes muddled as she finds herself torn between her fulfilling career and the deep-rooted family responsibilities that call her back home.

The love story at the heart of this story also fell flat for me. Hattie's affections seem to oscillate between two men. Her relationship with her high school ex-boyfriend, Lee, a once-promising baseball player for the Atlanta Braves, felt rushed and underdeveloped. His return home after a career-ending injury aims to evoke a sense of nostalgia and emotional depth, yet I found myself disconnected from the evolution of their connection. The romance lacks substantial build-up, ultimately making the sudden shift in her affections feel out of place and unearned.

Additionally, there's a subplot involving Fox, the new owner of the local hardware store, who gets involved in the planning of the town's Founders Day celebration at Hattie’s family farm. While this element had the potential to create a sense of community and warmth, it didn’t quite resonate as I hoped it would.

I made the decision not to finish the book, but I did skim through the last two chapters to discover Hattie's eventual choice. Unfortunately, my lack of connection with the characters and the overall story left me feeling indifferent, and I found it challenging to commit to reading the entire book at this time.

Small southern town stories always feel cozy to me, and I was instantly drawn to this book after reading the synopsis. There’s something heartwarming about the close-knit community, the sense of togetherness, and the familiarity that small towns bring. While I truly enjoyed the setting and found most of the characters engaging, I felt a bit conflicted overall.

The main female character’s indecisiveness—caught between her old flame and a charming new love interest—tended to overshadow the central plot, which focused on a large corporation threatening to take over the town. In addition to her romantic turmoil, she also wrestled with the choice between staying in the comfort of her hometown or pursuing her career in the big city.

These internal (and often external) struggles made her feel scattered, and as a result, the larger story lost some of its impact. I would have loved a more balanced narrative that gave other characters and their relationships more space to develop.

A heartwarming reminder of small town communities sticking together and making wonderful memories!
The characters are all relatable and fiercely passionate about their beloved town, the challenges of change and second chances are faced head on.
The main character Hattie is drawn into her parent’s world of failing farmlands and determined townsfolk, wanting to keep their town free from destruction and development.
Hattie is torn between helping the township develop, avoiding past loves and new relationships and finds herself staying, just until a fundraiser can be arranged.
The storyline steers Hattie and her family into decision making and then it falls to Hattie to decide on her own future. A feel good story with heart, second chances and working on solutions!

Thank you to Alcove Press, NetGalley and the author for the opportunity to read and review an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

** spoiler alert ** I was very excited to read Sing Me Home to Carolina as a current North Carolinian. Unfortunately, I am rating this a one-star.

Things I Liked:
* All of the callouts of familiar NC and SC towns and cities
* The premise of a new NFL stadium being built in a crumbling small town and bringing a possible revival

Things I Didn't Like:
* Hattie's back-and-forth romances. I could NOT believe she accepted Lee's proposal on-camera to save face, then immediately broke up with him. Despicable.
* The first 30% of the book really emphasized the possibility of a stadium and what it would do for the town and it felt like that was completely forgotten in the latter half of the book
* The romance aspect didn't blend well with the other components of the story

Thank you to NetGalley and Alcove Press for the advanced copy. Sing Me Home to Carolina hits shelves on June 10, 2025.

3.5 stars actually. It was a cute and fun story with Sweet Home Alabama vibes. But the plot wasn’t exactly plotting at some points. I felt like the author lost the path she was on and took the long way back to the fork in the road.

Too much was happening for a rom com. A lot of it came together in the end in an unexpected and unemotional way. Things came together way too fast unrealistically quick.

I did enjoy the characters but had a hard time emotionally connecting with them.

Felt like it should have been two different stories instead of one book.

But just because I felt that way doesn’t mean others aren’t going love it and rate it five stars.

Thanks Netgalley for an advanced copy for an honest review.

Sing Me Home to Carolina was my first Joy Callaway novel, and it delivered a heartwarming, small-town story filled with charm, second chances, and just the right amount of romantic tension.

Hattie Norwood returns to her hometown of Mountain View, South Carolina, after learning her parents' peanut farm is no longer viable. Now a successful event planner, Hattie left town right after high school and never imagined coming back permanently. But Mountain View has other plans.

Soon after her return, her former high school sweetheart—retired MLB star Lee Lockhardt—reappears, nursing a career-ending injury and uncertain about his next steps. As if that weren’t enough change, the town is abuzz with the news that the Carolina Panthers are considering Mountain View as the site for their new stadium. Hattie is all in, but most of the locals aren't so sure.

To help her parents repurpose their barn into an event venue, Hattie enlists the help of Fox Ryan, the mysterious and quietly capable owner of Fox Hardware. Though everyone knows “Fox” isn’t his real name, the town affectionately calls him that in honor of the store’s legacy.

As the story unfolds, Hattie reconnects with Lee, builds a growing rapport with Fox, and navigates the mounting tension over the potential stadium. I found myself rooting for Hattie and Fox—there was a quiet compatibility between them that felt natural and earned—though I could also understand the lingering pull Lee had on her heart.

The book’s multiple storylines tied together beautifully, and I appreciated how the ending felt both satisfying and true to the characters. A lovely, feel-good read for fans of second chances and Southern charm.

This is novel is a sweet story of coming home to deal with issues and seeing what keeps you coming back. There were more twists in this story than I expected so this kept me interested through the end. This is a perfect summer read for the beach or the porch!

Thank you Net Galley, Joy Callaway and Alcove Press for the opportunity to preview this title. The opinions shared are my own.
Sing Me Home To Carolina is expected to be released June 10, 2025 just in time for summer reading!

Thank you to NetGalley and Alcove Press for the opportunity to read and review Singe Me Home to Carolina by Joy Callaway.

Keys words here for me were fans of Hart of Dixie, small town romance, and quirky characters. All descriptions that will pique my interest. Our main character Hattie is an event planner and has come home to help her parents with their farm. Returning to her hometown brings up many memories she might not want to remember. One memory has to do with a previous boyfriend that left her after graduation and become a major league ball player. Thank goodness he won't be in town she things, but she finds out real quick that isn't the case, and he is back. With typical smalltown fashion her friends talk her into staying in town longer than expected to help save the town from a possible stadium being built that they do not want.

This is a perfect read for those of us that love smalltown novels with lots of characters, romance and a save the town kind of theme. Perfect palette cleanser for me between horror and heavy lit reads. Love books with these themes and that take place in the South. Romance readers will for sure love this one. Sing Me Home to Carolina will be available at all major book retailers on June 10th. Happy reading!!!!!!

You might be surprised to see me, a dedicated mystery lover, be reading a sweet small town Southern romance. But during the pandemic I watched all four seasons of Hart of Dixie and fell in love with Bluebell Alabama.

Sing Me Home to Carolina really reminded me of that heartwarming and funny show. Main character Hattie has left her hometown of Mountainview to move to Charlotte. She only takes a break from her event planning job and returns home reluctantly to visit her parents. And she definitely has Zoe's "get on the wrong side of everyone" personality.

A main part of the plot of Sing Me Home is the possibility that a huge stadium will be built in Mountainview, much to the dismay of the locals. (I'm pretty sure H of D also had a storyline about a big supermarket chain wanting to move in and ruin the town.) And of course there's a BIG love triangle between Zoe, George and Wade. Ditto in this book, so if you are REALLY opposed to love triangles (rectangles?) proceed with caution.

But Joy Callaway makes Mountainview South Carolina its own unique place, complete with quirky residences, small businesses, and small town traditions. Hattie is relatable flawed: a little scatterbrained at times, but full of creative ideas. The romance plot is rocky but ends up where I hoped it would.

This makes a great, heartwarming summery read, so check it out!

I enjoyed the Southern, small town vibe of this Romance, although it was a bit overdone and "stereotyped").
I also liked the way the town's residents pulled together to try to save their hometown from big-time development.
This book had LOTS of characters; so many that I sometimes had a hard time keeping up with them all. And I didn't really feel connected or invested in their storyline. Perhaps the author tried to do too much instead of developing a stronger plot.
Overall, it's a feels good story, and if you enjoy country music, that's a bonus!
Thank you to NetGalley for the advance read.