I was really looking forward to this story about black country singer/songwriters getting their time to shine and the recognition they deserve. However, the storytelling devices (interviews spliced in with different timelines) made things hard to follow for me. I also didn’t feel the chemistry between the MCs very strongly. I liked them on their own and they had strong character development, but then together? I didn’t see it.

CW/TW: child abuse, addiction, assault, domestic abuse, abortion, rape, infidelity, bullying, racism, death of a parent, abandonment, terminal illness, dementia

'Falling in love is so messy. And embarrassing. You'd have to be the bravest person alive to talk about how you love in a song.'

You know when you find an author that digs deep and sees beyond the page? Beyond the person? Digs down deep into the emotional aspect in such a lyrical way? I feel like that is what I found when I read Regina Black's first book. And now with her sophomore book, August Lane, we get a whole other world, but something that is just as painful and beautiful, yet hard fought and relevant to the times we are living.

Told in dual timelines from both the MMC and the FMC with a dash of present podcast interview from the FMC's famous mother, we get a story of relationships, music, small town, betrayal and the juxtaposition of Black singers within the country music industry. It's angsty and tender with unforgettable characters that take us on a journey of love, hurt, trust, betrayal and yet a beauty within.

Luke Randall is a washed up country singer that never did anything past winning a TV talent show. He's still performing his one hit wonder, because that's what people pay to see, but it breaks a piece of his heart each time he has to perform Another Love Song. It reminds him of home, a first love and the way he betrayed her. When he is approached with a deal he can't pass up, he must confront his past and put an end to the life he is currently living.

August Lane is the daughter of Country music star Jojo Lane. She still lives in her small home town after the death of her grandmother who raised her and the boy who ran away from her without looking back. She's always dreamed of bigger things, but when Luke left her, she felt betrayed and all alone. Now with Luke returning back to their small home town of Arcadia and Jojo set to perform with Luke for her induction into the Hall of Fame, August is feeling all sorts of ways.

August Lane is told in past present timelines from both 2009 and 2023 with a dash of 2024 podcast interviews from Jojo Lane. 2009 takes us back to when August and Luke first met and befriended one another in high school and how they connected when their lives were dark. We get to experience a friendship that was built around lies, truths, trust and music and it slowly turned into a great love that had to be left behind. While 2023 is the present and we get to see what took place in between those years and if the 2 characters can come together once again after experiencing heartache and betrayal.

Second chances aren't always my favorite, but the way Black took us back in the past and had the characters work for their HEA was truly heartbreaking. Flawed characters that had been broken by those that should've loved them most had my heart grasping for them to end the vicious cycle and find one another in the storm. And they did. But there were years more of storms to get through before they could come together again. And boy, did they have to work for it. It was over 10 years in the making with lies and hurt. And it wasn't easy.

I really liked seeing Luke take a chance on his past, even if it hurt him. He was a man that although full of flaws, was willing to make it work in the simplest of ways. And August? That woman had been through the trenches. To only want one thing and not get it is truly heartbreaking. But when Luke and August are interacting whether in the past or present, they are true and utter magic. These characters are complicated, but more than anything, they are real and raw and come with baggage that only they can feel and understand. You can't help but root for them after everything they've experienced.

"People take a sweet thing for granted. But no one forgets what makes them cry."

August Lanemay be an angsty, second chance romance, but it is also a heavy book filled with many different issues that are important to distinguish and discuss. Sometimes when I love a story, I binge it and can't put it down until I finish it. Other times, I have to put the book down, sit with it and really think about what I just read. It takes me a little longer to read, but I don't love it any less than a book I can't put down. The latter was the case with August Lane as I had a lot to unpack with each character and their history. From August to Luke to Jojo, there was a lot of trauma and yet there was different kinds of love they all got to experience.

If you are one that doesn't shy away from the harder topics and likes a second chance romance that spans over 10 years with some trauma and secrets, I would definitely check out August Lane. 4.25 stars

Like many Romance novels, this book displays ordinary lives with dark and light challenges one can experience throughout this journey called life.

Going in I didn’t know what to expect because I hadn’t read about a black country singer before. But then I thought this was the perfect time to read it as the Cowboy Carter Tour is ongoing. You know how books just fall in your lap at the PERFECT time? This one was that for me. Though, I didn’t and don’t plan to attend the tour. 🤣🤣

This story is told in multiple timelines, one being past, the other being present AND it includes a podcast element which I loved! The podcast element was put into place to give us more clarity on both timelines. Basically allowing one of the main characters that were talked about heavily the opportunity to tell her side of the story and I loved it.

Both August and Luke had heartbreaking stories. At times I had to sit the book down because I couldn’t imagine the things that were happening. So please check triggers before picking this book up.

But then the author perfectly displays how a song can mean so many things to different people. And how we as the listener never truly know the story the artist is telling us in their song. We either can relate or we can’t.

I absolutely LOVED this book. I highlighted in my kindle so many things that I definitely need to transfer over to a physical copy. If you read The Art of Scandal by the author, this book is definitely the best of the two.

I highly recommend picking it up!

This was a really good read! I was immediately drawn to the second chance romance between Luke and August. I also loved how music was woven throughout the story.

The dual timelines were so well done in this. I’m usually more invested in one timeline over the other, but in this novel, I genuinely enjoyed both.

One thing I think makes a second chance romance work is when the story gives you glimpses into the past relationship. It allows you to fully feel the weight of the history and emotion when the characters reconnect, and this book did that so well.

The podcast elements added an extra layer to this narrative that I really appreciated. This was a well-crafted novel.

Ugh, all I can really say about this book is that it is beautiful. It’s a second chance romance with enough tension and heartbreak and romance to draw any reader in to the story.

You’ve got a complicated mother-daughter relationship with Jojo (the mother) and August (the daughter). Jojo is a famous Black country artist who had August very young and left her to be raised by Birdie, August’s grandmother. There are excerpts throughout the book of a podcast with Jojo, and it really helps to bring her character to life and dive into her feelings and motivations.

Then you’ve got August and Luke, who fell in love when they were 18 but ended up not speaking for years when Luke left and took credit for a song that August wrote. Luke’s complicated and traumatic upbringing is woven into the story in a way that makes you fall in love with him for all that he’s survived while also having your heart break for him.

The past and present POVs are beautifully written, and while the romance is fantastically done, there is so much more to this book that really drew me in. I know I’ll be thinking about this one for a long time.

Thank you to Grand Central Publishing for my gifted copy!

Thank you to Hachette Audio and Grand Central Publishing for the advanced arc and audio copies of this book.

Tension-filled, with so much yearning, and the main characters addressing both internal and external conflict, August Lane by Regina Black is likely going to be competing for one of my favorite books of the year.

There was something utterly captivating about Black's portrayal of August and Luke’s relationship. Told in alternating POV and timelines, the dual timelines complemented each other, but also reinforced the growth arc of both characters. What I loved about the comparison between their high school relationship and the present was that their core personality traits of loving each other and kindness remain the same.

August and Luke had such beautiful chemistry. I tend to love second chances, but I particularly enjoy second chances where it’s clear that the characters have grown on themselves prior to coming together. I felt both Luke and August had to reckon with why and how their relationship fell apart, as well as how outside forces could make them incompatible. Luke’s challenges with addiction were a thoughtful portrayal of those living in recovery.

Regina Black’s portrayal of the country music industry was fantastic. I appreciated the way she had her characters occupy space in a place that traditionally did not accept them, and the nuance with which she discussed the contributions of Black artists to country music and the music industry in general.

The audiobook was an incredible production with the multiple narrators easily guiding the reader between different vignettes. William DeMerritt’s voice was utter perfection for this former one-hit wonder country star, Luke. His angst and yearning for August could be felt in my bones. Additionally, Bahni Turpin and January LaVoy also gave captivating performances. Each narrator heightened the tension-filled writing, and I enjoyed how they complemented each other‘s voices. I highly recommend the audiobook.

Overall, Regina Blacks August Lane is a must-read second chance romance. I look forward to you experiencing Luke and August’s story.

A second chance romance where teenagers with a fraught and emotional young love come back together over a decade later. This is a deep love story that grapples with heavy topics but comes out at the end with a very tender relationship.

Luke escaped his home town and abusive mother to hit it famous on a singing reality show. However he left behind August, the girl he loves and who wrote the lyrics of his hit song. August is the daughter of a famous singer also who was eased by her grandmother and feels abandoned by her mother that didn’t want her and now also Luck. Luke hits rock bottom and gets sober but is still a washed up country singer with no career until he is offered a second chance. The catch is he has to return home to sing the song he stole from August with her mother at a music festival.

Circumstances bring them together again and I liked the way the romance was developed in this book. You get both the current and the high school romance so in duel timelines see how love started as it’s also being rekindled.

The characters are complex and enduring. You get to understand them both individually and together in a deep and meaningful way so that we not only love them together but for themselves.

I received an eARC from publisher through NetGally, all options are my own.

August Lane was everything that I hoped it would be. I particularly enjoyed how the interviews intertwined through the story and created a literal bridge between the then and the now. The yearning was palpable and kept me on the edge of my seat. Country music, country towns, country people and it feels like country through and through. It was a love story where secret parts of me felt visible and loved out loud!

What an incredibly moving and devastatingly raw story about two musicians who experienced such hardships and uncertainty while so young. August and Luke remained so true and caring despite all that they both endured. I know Ava wins the worst mother of the book award but Jojo was truly terrible in her own selfish ways.

Sometimes it’s difficult to retain interest during dual timelines but I found myself equally excited for both past and present versions of August and Luke. Parental neglect and how it shapes everything a child becomes is a massive theme. August realizing that Luke cannot write a love song because he’s never been shown love before is so heartbreaking. I spent most of the book just wanting to give Luke and his brother a huge hug, my heart hurt for them both. Jojo’s reveal about August’s father and the true nature of their relationship was also difficult and sadly too common for young girls.

Overall, I absolutely loved this book so much. The writing is absolutely beautiful and flowed so beautifully. I really enjoyed the breaking the contents of the book down like a song and the podcast/interview format with Jojo as well. I also learned about Black country artists that I otherwise may not have heard of before. I think this may also be the one time I think an author should definitely include a playlist!

Thank you to NetGalley and Grand Central Publishing and Regina Black for this eARC in exchange for my honest review.

August Lane by Regina Black was simply incredible. The book is dual timeline and the past is key to understanding the present, as it often is and how people’s pasts shape who they become. While this book is a romance and a very slow burn one at that, it is also a book that sheds light on the messiness of being human, survival and the visibility of Black women’s voices in country music. The book also with some tough topics including addiction, parental neglect/child abuse, abortion and bullying.

Thank you to the publisher, Grand Central Publishing, NetGalley and the author for an eARC of this book, in exchange for an honest review. It was very hard to put this book down.

4.25 / 5 Stars
I will be thinking about this book for a long time. “August Lane” starts with Luke Randall, a Black country music star who competed on a reality tv singing show years ago and is now washed up, as he sings his one hit wonder song, “Another Love Song,” in the bar of a hotel. It's his best known song but also his most painful to sing. After his performance, he gets the opportunity of a lifetime – to sing with Jojo Lane, a famous Black country music star who is getting inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame. He just has to go back to his hometown, which deeply triggers him, and see August Lane (Jojo’s daughter), his first love and the woman he betrayed. See, Luke wrote the music to “Another Love Song,” but August wrote the lyrics and she’s never gotten credit for it. So August hates Luke A LOT. But she sees this as a chance to finally have her voice heard. With a bit of light blackmail, she convinces Luke to write a different song with her that he’ll perform with Jojo instead and that will be August’s chance to finally get the credit she deserves. But we all know that below hate are some deep rooted feelings and August and Luke have to figure out who they are as people now and what they want to be to each other.

You will probably like this book if you like:
🎤 High school classmates to best friends to enemies to lovers
🎵 They’re each other’s muses
🎤 Second chance romance
🎵 Flawed, deeply complex characters
🎤 Dual timeline (2009 and 2023)
🎵 Angst and aching
🎤 Heavy topics written thoughtfully
🎵 Country music and its history

I loved August and Luke. They are deeply human in their flaws and emotions. Because of the dual timelines, you get to see how they were shaped from kids to adults by the consequences of the adults around them and then their own adult choices. Luke is a recovering alcoholic who grew up in an abusive household. August is a recovering Jojo pleaser (I was going to say people pleaser but she really only cares about pleasing Jojo) who spent years giving up in order to survive the heartache of wanting something you can’t have. I felt so deeply for both of them and was heartbroken on their behalf.

Their love story was complicated but real and raw. Luke was the first person to fully and completely see August for exactly who she was and same for August with Luke and that level of being seen was both scary and soul defining for them as teens. As adults, being so fully seen means that August and Luke know exactly what knives to use and where to stick them to make it hurt as much as possible. You’re both rooting for them and hoping that they don’t hurt each other more.

I loved the writing style and writing structure. I love a dual timeline though sometimes I just wanted to see more of the present because I just want them to get to happy faster. The book also had transcripts of an interview Jojo did which was an interesting way to learn about Jojo and add more information to the plot in both timelines. Regina Black is also an expert in scene and character building. You get just the perfect amount of information to keep things understandable and interesting. She’s one of those authors that has that perfect button at the end of a paragraph that sums up what you just learned in the most creative and telling way.

The book is an exploration of race in country music, which was super interesting and thought provoking, and it also touched on the intersection of race and all aspects of life. It mentions race and disparities in medical diagnoses and treatment with Luke’s mom. It mentions racism and food deserts with the only grocery store within the city limits of a historically Black town being in jeopardy of shutting down. It touches on the history of black homeownership and mortgages. It does it in a matter of fact way that doesn’t exploit these characters but doesn’t shy away from their reality.

But know before you read, this book is heavy. It is done in a thoughtful and authentic way but moments of happiness are few and far between. I sometimes had to put the book down and take a break from it (which I acknowledge is a position of privilege because there are other folks who don’t just get to leave this reality by putting the book down). Take a look at the content warning too. I am happy where I ended up but like August and Luke’s journey, it was a tough road to get there.

Thank you Grand Central Publishing and NetGalley for providing the eARC! All opinions are my own.

This book. This book is a “hurts so good” kind of read. It is heavy, raw, and painful, but it is also incredibly beautiful.

Before getting deep into the characters and their stories, I want to say that the way the book is laid out to mirror the structure of a song is such an impressive choice of how to craft this story that is so deeply rooted in music. The fact that it follows that path in two different timelines only intensifies the intention of the choice. I love it.

Character time. The complexities of these characters cannot be understated. There is so much to both August and Luke’s individual stories in addition to the story of *them*. I won’t say too much about everything August experiences and everything Luke faces because A) I can’t do it justice with regard to how it impacts them and B) if I tried, this review would be a novella. I can saw that they are genuine, deeply formed characters who feel so viscerally real, it’s like being in the room with them. Their pain is bone-deep, especially in their youth timeline. It hurts to read, but it is so essential to who they were in the past, who they have become in their time apart, and who they’re trying to be moving forward. Among the pain there are moments of beauty that strike the heart, and in the end it makes the wins feel that much sweeter because of how hard they have fought to get there.

One more character I want to talk about and the impactful storytelling choice associated with her is JoJo Lane. JoJo is primarily shared through interview transcripts with each ‘section’ of the song layout for the story. What is so impressive to me about that is that even if those limited pages, so much is unveiled about JoJo as a person, an artist, and a mother. It’s not a lot of real estate to work with overall, yet it is maximized to take up every inch of space available.

This book is not a light read, and if it was, it wouldn’t do the story being told justice. All respect and admiration to Regina Black for the way she told this story.

Thank you to Grand Central Publishing for the eARC via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

I loved Regina’s first book and I couldn’t wait to read August Lane. Luke is a Black country music star who is having a hard time making ends meet and finally catches a lucky break. August Lane is a songwriter and wants to make a name for herself. The story is told from a past and present timeline with some podcast segments mixed in. There are definitely some heavy topics covered which Regina handled in a delicate and respectful manor. I enjoyed learning more about August and Luke’s backstories and their characters were well developed. There’s themes of country music, complex family dynamics, love and healing. Regina’s writing is beautiful, emotional, raw and complex.
Read if you like:
🎸 small town vibes
🎸second chance romance
🎸slow burn
🎸dual pov

“Love shouldn’t be hard.” “If it’s easy, how do you know it’s real?”

Thank you Grand Central Publishing for providing this book for review via NetGalley. All opinions are my own.

Officially adding Regina Black to my list of favorite authors! Her writing is absolutely beautiful and I heavily enjoyed both The Art of Scandal and now August Lane. I love a well-thought out story and August Lane delivered that perfectly. The entire story felt so intentional and the characters, particularly August and Luke, felt really real to me. Watching the two of them fight to convince themselves that they were worthy of love despite what their mothers raised them to feel was so heart wrenching. The format of the book, a blend of flashbacks and flash forwards alongside current day, was executed so well and really helped with understanding what drove the main character’s decisions (especially Jojo).

Fingers crossed this book is chosen for a TV or movie adaptation because I *need* to hear August and Luke’s songs live. Plus it’d be a great chance to share the long overdue spotlight on Black country singers.

I loved this book so much and I can’t wait to witness more people fall in love with it like I did.

It’s safe to say @reginablackwrites has, once again, bewitched me, mind, body and soul. This book is one of the most beautiful works of art I’ve ever read, in all the ways you can imagine. The writing is poetic yet accessible, full of the most gorgeous imagery and the ability to say so much between the lines. Luke and August are two of the most beautifully flawed characters, both dealing with that quiet childhood trauma that alters your very being but is a runaway train you can’t escape. The cultural subtext is deep and meaningful and so important right now, with black country music history taking centre stage. And the emotions this book evokes are fulsome and varied and so raw.

I couldn’t put August and Luke down. I didn’t want to. I wanted them to heal and find love and forgive, and I wanted them both to be able to go back and hug their younger selves. This story is told in a dual timeline that is so effective and sweet and heartbreaking. Two kids who were just trying to survive somehow find each other. The magic here is that their stories don’t feel unique or incredibly hard to believe. They feel like every quiet pain kids with hard home lives go through.

And as adults, after they’ve both made choices they can’t escape, their reckoning is slow and quiet and full of human emotion. I appreciate so much what Regina did here with the stories of addiction and childhood trauma and the different ways someone can self-medicate. It was done with care and heart.

This releases at the end of July and I will be screaming about it more between now and then. But for now, know that this is an easy top read for me this year, and I am grateful we live in a world where we have Regina’s voice.

Thank you @grandcentralpub for the early copy!

Thank you to Grand Central Publishing for providing a free digital ARC for review.

This was my first time reading Regina Black and it will not be my last! Black created a story that felt deeply textured and true. I admittedly didn't know what to expect, but I'm so glad I read this beautiful book!
August and Luke are flawed, complex humans facing challenging circumstances. It's at times emotionally charged and it took time for me to read and sit with my thoughts.

Please pay attention to the author's note, this story includes difficult subject matter that may be triggering for some readers.

It was a Tyler Perry movie in book form.

I had a really hard time liking either of the main characters. I understand the trauma that August experienced and the trauma that Luke experienced. So there was clear character development for both of them, as people as well as a relationship.

There was just too many things I don't think should be forgiven, and I couldn't bring myself to care about the main characters as people, or in a relationship. The drama was just overbearing.

I loved it even more than The Art of Scandal! I think I liked the added layer of family drama. The characters felt achingly real, and the topic seems so timely with the Cowboy Carter tour going on this summer.

August Lane was an interesting story of the essence of Black culture in country music,,the story of having to face your past.

AUGUST LANE by Regina Black was the first book I read by the author; and I absolutely loved every second of the read.

Regina’s writing and storytelling is honestly beautiful and captivating. I was completely drawn to the story from the start. There is so much emotion and vulnerability in each scene that you can’t help but feel as you reading each word she wrote.

She brought forth the important discussion of the position black musician have in the music industry country music. Specifically, the lack of respect and representation they have especially when it comes to country music.

Her characters felt so real and human. They were complex, raw, and vulnerability that anyone who reads their journey could understand and relate with.

The characters endure so much as the story unfolds; from heartbreak, to love, to self-acceptance, forgiveness, and recognizing when to let go.

August and Luke’s love story was beautiful, the pacing of their relationship was done really well . There was so much hurt, resolved emotions, and residual emotions between them they was resolved in a realistic way. You can’t deny their chemistry, they were each others support system and seems like they can only rely on each other during the moments of hurt and pain.

This book was beautiful, I really loved every moment of this book. It really shows that one story will never be perfect, there will be moments of pain and sadness but if you understand your worth and have at lease one person by your side it can make the pain and anguish better

Will definitely read more of Regina Blacks work in the future

Thank you Netgalley and the publishers for this copy.