Sing Me Home to Carolina by Joy Callaway is a story of going back home. An intended short visit home to help her parents turns into a soul-searching return for Hattie. Encountering her high school love after not seeing him for eleven years resulted in her wondering could they recapture what they once had. On the verge of accomplishing all she had ever dreamed of in her career, a family emergency has everything coming to a screeching halt. What will Hattie's future entail? Will she return to her job, or will she give up her dream?

Strong characters, excellent plot, and a surprising ending.

Releases June 10th. I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

This was a sweet, cute smalltown romance. I couldn't decide most of the book which guy was the right guy for Hattie!

This was a sweet story of family & community that I don't think most people get to see or experience. Overall, it was a good read!

Thank you NetGalley and Alcove Press for providing this ARC for my honest review.

#NetGalley #SingMeHomeToCarolina #JoyCallaway

Event planner Hattie Norwood lives in Charlotte and she returns home to Mountain View, South Carolina to support her parents as they receive the devastating news their family peanut farm is infertile.

Hattie agrees to stay for a week and until the town’s Founder’s Day celebration, which is to be held in Mr. Norwood’s barn located on her family property and with help from Fox the new owner of the hardware store and volunteers it’s transformed and it gives her an idea for how her parents could make money and not have to sell or walk away from the farm.

Hattie’s former high school boyfriend Lee Lockhardt returns after his career ending injury and he’s keen for her to stick around and give their relationship another chance. Hattie’s torn between her dream job and progress as the NFL want to build a stadium in the area, her parents, Lee, and Fox who she finds intriguing and everyone have no idea the gigs in the barn will bring everything to a head and into the public spotlight and the situation escalates.

I received a copy of Sing Me Home to Carolina from Alcove Publishing and NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. The author Joy Callaway is known for writing historical fiction and I really enjoyed her foray into penning a romance novel and it's full of funny and charming southern characters.

A narrative about saving a town from developers, it makes you think about what’s really important and that's; heritage and history, family and home, old barns and using them as a venue, bluegrass music and the foot tapping energy it brings, and if you like books by Sherryl Woods and Viola Shipman I suggest reading Sing Me Home to Carolina. Five stars from me and I highly recommend and the story would be perfect for the Hallmark channel.

This was an enjoyable feel-good book.

I really liked the writing, the story, and the overall tone of the story. It felt believable, and full of love for a small town and all the people in it.

I would recommend this book.

Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC of this book in exchange for my honest review.

For anyone who loves Hallmark movies, Joy Callaway’s Sing Me Home to Carolina, is the book for you. Beautifully written and a gorgeous homage to the picturesque Carolinas, this is a quick and light read that will leave you smiling and optimistic after finishing. And bonus points for all of the fun Charlotte, NC, shoutouts.

Thank you netgalley for the chance to read. On paper, this is right up my alley: NFL stadium, southern set, similar to Hart of Dixie, second chance romance. But I found myself really struggling to get through this. I thought the romance was a bit stilted: I dont completely understand: the lead is indecisive but also confusing: I can accept indecision, but the rest is a bit difficult. I think Hattie was just hard for me to personally love, and I struggle when I can't connect to a lead. The small town is cute though, reminds me a lot of Stars Hallow.
I was excited for this book. I’m a big fan of Hart of Dixie and Sweet Magnolias and enjoy those stories. I can definitely see the connection in this book.

I read this book in under a day and loved all the references to Charlotte. This book is very fast paced and while I had an idea of how I wanted the book to go, I just wasn’t sure Joy felt the same as me (so of course I kept reading to find out). There are a lot of twists and turns and a kind-of-not-really love triangle

The small town of Mountain View, SC has a lot going on. Located right outside of Charlotte, home to the Carolina Panthers, Mountain View is being considered as the new location of the Panthers’ stadium. The town is slowly dying, yet in spite of that, the townspeople or townsfolk in southern, are vehemently opposed to the stadium making its home here.

Hattie, who grew up in Mountain View, but is now an event planner in Charlotte, is visiting her parent. Her parents get the devastating news that their farm is no longer able to produce peanuts. Hattie is there to help them figure out their next steps and sees the stadium as a way to reinvigorate the town. However being the one person in the entire town who isn’t against the new stadium makes her quite the pariah. The only people willing to speak to her (other than her family) are Fox, the new hardware store owner, and her ex-boyfriend and former major league shortstop, Lee.

Hattie struggles throughout this book trying to do what’s best for the town and her parents. She puts aside her own wants and needs to please others, and yet still feels like she isn’t doing enough. As the book follows her self discoveries and acceptances, it also helps her realize her past and future.

HattieNorwood, a professional event planner in Charlotte, reluctantly returns to her rural home in Mountain View, South Carolina. Her parents, who are farmers, are about to lose their farm to bankruptcy, and she needs to help them. She quickly realizes the town has not changed, and is itself in financial trouble. Her only true love Lee, who unceremoniously dumped her, senior year of high school, has returned to Mountain View after retiring from the Atlanta Braves. When she sees him, she realizes he still holds her heart.
The town of Mountain View wraps its arms around you, and you root for its survival. Can Hattie help save it? We root for her as she must decide where her heart and future belong.

This is a sweet small town romance story. Hattie comes back to town to help her parents figure out what to do with their farm that no longer can produce a crop and due to a bunch of different things happening, ends up staying longer than the weekend. Her high school sweetheart is back in town, too. Will she rekindle things with him or will she start fresh with a newcomer to town?

This was a cute love story with a mysterious background. It really reminded me of Sweet Home Alabama or Sweet Magnolias. I love the southern small town aspect. There were a few parts that I feel like were sped thru and would’ve gotten more attention. When Lee proposes and Hattie decides no, they have a quick 30 second conversation about why. And then he pretty much says ok and walks away and it’s fine. I think it would’ve been a longer conversation and more emotion with how in life they were.

Another fantastic, heartfelt story from Joy Callaway. A bit of a departure from her usual historical romance, this one has more of a Hallmark movie feel, but the story is incredible.

Hattie Norwood is an event planner working towards a promotion. And is back in her home town trying to help her parents after the soil wore out on their peanut farm and they're trying to find a way to keep the land and survive. She's only supposed to be in town a weekend, but it turns into longer when she's asked to help plan an event. On a night out with her friend, she runs into her old sweetheart and also meets Fox, the new owner of the hardware store. There is a lot going on in this story - the town is fighting for a new stadium to be built there, but Hattie is against it and that turns the town against her. She's determined to turn her parent's barn into a wedding venue and falls back in love with her old boyfriend - only to have him rush out of town to Nashville for a recording contract. It's a lot, but it flows easily and the characters are so interesting. It's a beautiful story.

Thank you to NetGalley, the author and publisher for a temporary, digital ARC in return for my review.

"Sing Me Home to Carolina" has a lot going for it—a cozy small-town setting, a heartfelt story about family and home, and a love triangle that keeps things interesting. Joy Callaway does a great job of capturing the charm of Mountain View and the community’s fight to preserve its identity. The event-planning elements add a fun and unique touch, making the backdrop feel lively and engaging.

However, while the premise is strong, the execution fell a bit flat for me. The characters, including Hattie, Lee, and Fox, felt underdeveloped, making it hard to feel fully invested in their journeys. Their motivations and emotional depth could have been explored more, especially given the personal and town-wide stakes. Additionally, the pacing lagged at times, and some of the secondary characters, while quirky, didn’t feel fully fleshed out.

Overall, this is an easy, pleasant read for fans of small-town romance, but it left me wanting more depth and character development.

What an awesome story about a special small town and the people who love it. Things really can happen for a reason, even if it’s getting your truck stuck in the mud. The folks who live in Mountain View are wonderful and as in many small towns look out for and love each other. I love the way they come together. I received this book from NetGalley, but my opinion is my own.

This is one of those rare books that once you pick it up you can't put it down until you have finished it. I highly recommend reading this story. There are so many surprises wiring for you

Thank you for allowing me to read this title for an honest review.
Review also posted to goodreads.
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/7432474792

“Sing Me Home to Carolina” tells the story of Hattie as she comes back to her home to South Carolina to help save her parent’s failing farm. I only got about 15% in. I had a difficult time relating to the characters and found out his book wasn’t for me. Hopefully others enjoy!

A complementary copy was provided by the publisher and NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own

I loved this book. I read it in one day. It was a great story of small town folks who loved their town and had each others backs. Of course there's a love story in the mix too. A fun read.

"Sing Me Home to Carolina" by Joy Callaway is a charming Southern romance filled with heart, hometown nostalgia, and tough choices. Event planner Hattie Norwood returns to her small South Carolina town, caught between saving her family’s farm and supporting a stadium project that could change everything. Torn between an old flame and a mysterious newcomer, Hattie must navigate love, loyalty, and what home truly means. With warm, small-town vibes and engaging characters, this novel feels like a cozy hug—though some may find the pacing slow or the character development uneven. A sweet, heartfelt read for fans of Southern fiction! 🌿✨

If you love a southern romance you will enjoy Sing Me Home to Carolina by Joy Callaway. It tells the story of a girl named Hattie who grew up in the small town of Mountain View but now lives in the city of Charlotte and is a planner of large events.She comes home to Mountain View which is being considered as the site of a huge new sports stadium. Her parents farm has Ben tested and the soil has been depleted.The whole town is declining.Hattie feels the stadium would be good for the town but the rest of the town does not.Then there is the tension she feels about her feelings toward her ex from high school and Fox-the new owner of the hardware store.The ending seemed a little too fast and not as well developed as I would have liked but on the whole you will enjoy this easy to read story of coming home.Thank you NetGalley and Alcove Press for allowing me to read this ARC!

I liked the premise and the authors style of writing. It’s a plot that’s been done many times. Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher.

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

Alcove Press
Pub Date: 6-10-25

Thank you @netgalley, @alcovepress, and @joywcal for the opportunity to read this eARC.

Hattie returns to her small hometown and unexpectedly crosses paths with her first love, Lee. But with someone new in town, her heart may be pulled in a different direction.

I enjoyed my time in Mountain View with its collection of small town characters trying to find a way for their community to survive as their small farms are dying.

"We hadn’t been in town at the same time since the day we both left for college, and before that, we hadn’t been apart for even a day for four years. He was as home to me as my house, my family, Main Street, this town."

"The tune was slow and simple, the sort that stirred you. I watched his fingers on the frets. They moved effortlessly. They’d moved over my body the same way, as though he’d been born knowing how to love me."