Joy Callaway’s “Sing Me Home to Carolina” was the first book I read of hers. Hattie Norwood returns to her hometown of Mountain View, South Carolina after her parents find out their peanut farm is infertile. Hattie is an event planner who left town after her high school graduation and has never wanted to move back on a full-time basis.

While back in town, Hattie’s high school sweetheart, former MLB star Lee Lockhardt, shows up. He had a career-ending injury and is trying to decide what his future holds. Shortly after Hattie’s arrival, an announcement is also made the Carolina Panthers are looking to build a new stadium and the new location will either be Mountain View or a nearby town. Hattie is in favor of the new stadium, but the residents of Mountain View are not.

Lee has the idea the Norwoods could repurpose their barn as an event venue. To make that happen, Hattie and her parents come to rely on Fox Ryan, the relatively new owner of Fox Hardware. Everyone knows his name really isn’t Fox, but he’s called that as a nod to the original owner of Fox Hardware.

The book follows Hattie and Lee reconnecting after years apart, Hattie getting to know Fox better as he helps her parents get their barn ready for events, and the tension over where the new stadium will be built.

As I read the book, I thought Hattie and Fox were a better match, but also understood the appeal Lee held for Hattie. I liked how the book’s storylines were wrapped up.

Overall, I recommend this book. Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for my ARC.

If you’re a fan of small town love stories this is a book for you.
Personally I found it a slow burn with way too much filler information than it really needed.
I enjoyed how the whole town comes together to help save her home. The love story itself takes a turn that I really didn’t want.
But if your looking for a sweet romance palette cleaner this is a book you might enjoy

This book had a lot of really good moments but there were also a decent amount of times were I was somewhat bored and didn't fully care about where the story was going. Overall I liked the story and characters but it definitely wasn't an all time favorite

If you like the following tropes, this book is for you:
-slow burn
-closed door spice
-love triangle (no physical cheating)
-second chance on one side of the triangle, friends to lovers on the other side.

The biggest thing I didn’t like was all of the use of contractions, but I understand why they were there. I could hear my own family talking in the wording the FMC used. There may or may not be tears, so have tissues ready just in case.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the eARC.

This was a good comfort read that centers around a girl who’s returned home and is asked to help fight for the expansion of the small town when a football stadium is proposed. There is tension, slight romance, and the elements of a cozy southern read. The agriculture parts were sort of not organized and well researched but I could see where readers would breeze over that. I loved the characters and the overall story.

When Hattie Norwood visits her parents in fictional Mountain View, South Carolina, having learned their farm fields are too depleted to grow peanuts any longer, she is confronted with a big challenge on behalf of her hometown in Sing Me Home to Carolina by Joy Callaway coming out June 10.

Although Hattie just planned to stay the weekend, the mayor wants Hattie to use her skills as an event planner in Charlotte, North Carolina, to help the small town fight the proposed building of the new Carolina Panthers football stadium in their town. Hattie resists because she thinks the stadium would be a big boost to Mountain View, while town folks like their town just like it is.

To complicate things further for Hattie, her former boyfriend Lee, is back in town after his career in the Atlanta Braves was brought to an end thanks to a shoulder injury. Not only is she still attracted to Lee even though they broke up 11 years ago, but also she is curious about the new guy in town, Fox.

Rather than let her friends and neighbors down, Hattie agrees to stay in town long enough to help put on a benefit to stop the stadium during the annual Founder’s Day celebration. Lee makes the suggestion that the celebration be held at the Norwoods’ barn thinking the farm could transition from a peanut farm to a music and event venue. He even insists on paying for improvements to the old barn.

Who might win in this small town vs a football stadium competition? How might the Norwoods adapt from farming to running an event center? Will Hattie stay in her hometown and settle down with Lee…or Fox…or will she return to Charlotte?

Joy Callaway writes historical fiction and southern contemporary romance novels. With a degree in journalism, she served as a marketing director for a wealth management company. She resides in Charlotte, North Carolina, with her family.

My review will be posted on Goodreads starting May 5, 2025.

I would like to thank Alcove Press and NetGalley for providing me with an ARC in return for an objective review.

I really enjoyed "Sing Me Home to Carolina" by Joy Callaway. Good mixture of romance and tension about the fate of a small town. Callaway does a good job describing struggles that the main character goes through in terms of whether to leave or stay home and how that affects her relationships.

I know too much about agriculture for me to enjoy this book. I wish it had been researched a little better. The use of “soil expert” as a term was just grinding my gears lol. A soil fertility specialist would be the one to tell them the soil was too depleted to grow anything, but that’s very extreme. I would say they probably wouldn’t be able to monocrop it anymore but with some amendments, a good cover crop and a healthier rotation they could probably get the soil back to an okay place…

I ramble but I just know too much about ag for them to say the farm is unsavable 😂. If you know nothing about agriculture you’d probably like this one! The writing is good and it has a good small town vibe! Just needs better researching.

I DNF this book, I just couldn’t get into the story. The story didn’t keep my attention! Too slow moving for me. Therefore, I will let other reviewers who enjoy this book promote it, so I will not be posting on social media or reviews on retail sites. That way, this book gets much deserved attention from those reviewers who loved

What a refreshing story! I’m new to Joy Callaway’s books and really enjoyed the storyline with all its small town flavor. From the start of this fast read I decided that I wanted to see the small town win in its battle to keep its heritage intact. I half guessed that the ending might make me smile and I was not disappointed in the least! Great book. Thank you NetGalley for letting me discover a new author’s stories to read.

I appreciate getting an advanced reader copy from Alcove Publishing and NetGalley for Sing Me Home Carolina.

Overall, I’m giving this one 4 stars. If you adore stories of homecoming, old flames, small town romance and tight‑knit communities ), you’ll find yourself rooting for Hattie to follow both her head—and her heart—right back to Carolina.

It's warm, small‑town romance that feels like a hug, This story follows big‑city event planner Hattie as she returns to home and faces the choice between progress and preserving her hometown’s charm. Reuniting with her first love, Lee, adds all the right sparks, and the town’s Founder’s Day festivities bring delightful community vibes. Predictable? Maybe—but sometimes that’s not a bad thing. I'd recommend this book to others.

Sing Me Home to Carolina
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Joy does it again. This was a fun sweet story. I couldn't put it down! Such a great feel good story . You will cheer on the characters. This might be my favorite, even though I LOVE all of Joy's books! Hurry & get this one for your perfect Summer read.
Thank you NetGalley

Any book set in a small southern town is a book for me! I love romance books, and this had to all for me. The characters were all so wonderful and I felt connected to them. I am so glad I got to read this book, and I will recommend it to all.
Thank you #Netgalley, #SingMeHometoCarolina, and #JoyCallaway #AlocvePress for the book. This is my personal review.

Who says you can’t write across multiple genres?!! While I absolutely loved the historical fiction THE STAR OF CAMP GREENE earlier this month by Joy Callaway - I also loved the Southern charm and love story in SING ME HOME TO CAROLINA. ❤️ Both books are out this summer!

Hattie returns to her hometown after hearing her parent's farm is at risk for closure. She is an event planner by trade, so it’s no surprise that the town has asked her to use her skills to put together an event as a last-ditch effort to save the town. To Hattie’s surprise Lee, her high school sweetheart, who broke her heart has returned to Mountain View as well. The small town is full of quirky characters, including the new owner of the hardware store, Fox. Pick up a copy this June to find a sweet happily ever after.

This book reminds us that you can always come home to find your family, friends, love and when you’re lucky — even yourself ❤️❤️


“It was one thing to love the only place you’d ever known, but to love a place you’d chosen was different”

“I didn’t really want to sail off into the sunset. I just wanted her to be there when I got home.”

“A town’s history – the good and the bad – was its soul. Take that away, and it’s life went with it.”

#btptravelingarc #btpbookclub #aileenonbookz #bookpeoplearethebestpeople #toomanybooksnotenoughtime

Thank you to NetGalley and @AlcovePress for this ARC. Charlotte event planner Hattie Norwood is home for the weekend. Her parent's peanut farm has died away, the Panthers are wanting to build a big stadium in their slice of heaven and her high school ex-boyfriend is home from the majors after an injury. She was hoping to just stay for the weekend and get back to huge event that can secure her career in the industry when her father has a heart attack. Staying home in this small town is the only option but what does her future hold here? Sweet, sweet story. I love Joy Callaway books! #SingMeHometoCarolina #JoyCallaway #AlocvePress #June2025

DNF.

This is not what I was expecting…

I had super high hopes for this one for numerous reasons, but I had to stop reading this about halfway in. There was too much filler and not enough of what was promised in the blurb.

No hate to the author! This just wasn’t the right read for me.

𝙏𝙝𝙖𝙣𝙠 𝙮𝙤𝙪 𝙩𝙤 𝙉𝙚𝙩𝙂𝙖𝙡𝙡𝙚𝙮 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙥𝙪𝙗𝙡𝙞𝙨𝙝𝙚𝙧 𝙛𝙤𝙧 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝘼𝙍𝘾.

I absolutely loved this book! I’ve read a lot of books set in a small town, but this one truly captured the unique aspects of a southern small town and all of its charm. The characters, the language, the descriptions….i felt like I was actually there. I loved the characters and their history and growth, and balancing family and individual lives. It was everything I had hoped it would be.

Yet another charming novel by Joy Callaway! Atmospheric, engaging, and a satisfying ending. What more could you want!

This story is perfect for fans of Sweet Home Alabama! The community is full of characters that make you smile, laugh, shake your head, and yell at the pages. It was great following Hattie on her journey and seeing her grow. I was so happy she ended up with the character I wanted for her. I loved this southern romance.

Joy never disappoints. I thoroughly enjoyed this different take on her writing and enjoyed the plot and characters. Thank you for the arc and I had access to an arc in hand to enjoying the end with my bookclub!