I love a romance with substance and heart and depth and pain. Ugh, so good! There are some romance authors who wouldn't be able to frame these two deeply flawed characters as romance hero/heroines, but Regina Black manages to do it. August is at the tail end of an affair with a married man when the book opens; Luke is a recovering alcoholic and a washed up country singer. But both of them are still perfect. Seriously beautiful and emotional and messy— my favorite kind of romance.

This was a super solid romance. This had some good angsty moments which I love in romance. I also really liked how music was incorporated into the story.

This book does have some heavy topics, so make sure to check trigger warnings if you need them.

This was easily my favorite book of the year! This was such an AMAZING story and I loved how it not only gave us romance but shed light on serious topics. I absolutely adored this story and will forever recommend it.

This was a really great read.

I absolutely love country music and to find a book with it AND a second chance romance? Immediate yes!

This was country music and romance and heartbreak. Regina Black didn't shy away from race and racism or trauma or addiction. My heart couldn't help but ache for August and Luke and what they'd been through, as teens and even through their 20s to where they ar now.

The dual POV and timeliness were so well done, and I loved the podcast transcripts to give us some insight into Jojo.
Regina's writing sucked me straight into this book. I can't wait to read more of her stuff.

Thank you to Netgalley and Grand Central Publishing for an eARC in exchange for my honest review.

August Lane is a book I HEAVILY recommend because I was immediately transported into every single character's shoes.

Luke Randall hates playing the song "Another love Song." It's a song he was forced to heavily promote back in the day because it's the one he realistically can't take credit for. He's singing it at random bars, watching his career go down the drain. Until one day, someone comes into a bar asking him to open up for his idol, JoJo Lane. The issue? He's gotta face August Lane-the woman who truly wrote his hit song.

August can't stand Luke and the way that he disappeared from his life. She hasn't seen him in ten years and now he's back. So she does what she thinks is best in the moment- threatens to expose him if he doesn't cowrite a song with him. Hopefully, all love lost and found will stay on the music and not float into reality.

This is a beautiful, emotionally haunting novel that I highly admit dropping everything and grabbing NOW. Regina Black's writing is magical, go experience it. But check those triggers first.

I really liked the idea for this book and while it was fine, I didn’t get pulled in like I’d hoped. There were times I got a little confused on the time jumps, possibly because the audiobook had dual narration (which I’m a fan of) as well as the two time lines. I may have enjoyed this more just reading as opposed to listening so that was easier to track? The narrators were really good, so I think this was just a situation of not catching the book at the right time for me. Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC and ALC.

Regina Black is such a beautiful writer - her prose is unmatched. And this was such a great premise. I loved the country music aspect, I loved watching August and Luke reconnect after so many years apart and I loved how Regina handled heavy topics with care and compassion. Definitely recommend this if you're looking for an emotional second change romance.

✨ARC Review✨

Is there much I love better than a mix of second chance, a mutual calling, and regret? Not really. And this beautifully written book had it all.

August Lane, daughter of *the* JoJo Lane, has been left in Arcadia, Arkansas. First by her mother. Then by Luke Randall. Her grandmother, Birdie, has recently died and August is at a crossroads. She’s serving tables at a diner and messily hooking up with men.

And then Luke is back in town to sing “Another Love Song” with JoJo at her Country Music Hall of Fame concert. The song he stole from her. The song that launched his career. The song she wrote for him.

I love dual timelines with second chance. I want to fall in love with them as they fall in love with each other and I did. I love them so much.

August and Luke as teenagers are dealing with so much even as they allow themselves to care for each other. The way the adult versions find their way back to each other is my favorite. They are not perfect, flawless people, but they’re loving and forgiving.

The way @reginablackwrites wove all these threads of past and present is masterful. I had mentioned in my stories that I was highlighting something on every other page and that stayed true to the end. What an incredible writer! I can’t wait to read The Art of Scandal too.

Highly recommended for lovers of second chances, good country music, and slow burn yearning. And I just found the playlist yesterday, so I’ll be enjoying that while I work today.

*Please read the author’s note or visit her website for content warnings.

I received this eARC via #netgalley and @grandcentralpub. All thoughts are mine alone.

romance novels | contemporary romance | Black romance | Black love | bipoc romance | August Lane | Regina Black | country music

Light and fluffy this book is not. August Lane starts heavy and stays heavy. Please check your trigger warnings. While I would in NO way call this a dark romance, or even morally grey, this book talks about really heavy things: alcoholism, parental abandonment, racism, child abuse, are just a few.

Luke is a washed up one hit wonder country pop singer. He got his big break on a talent show, had his one hit, and spiraled all the way down to the bottom. He's in Memphis barely scraping by. When he's invited to sing with Jojo Lane, the first black woman to be inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame, it's an opportunity he can't say no to. Even if it requires him to return to his home town, and Jojo's daughter August.

August grew up in the small town as the illegitimate daughter of country singer Jojo Lane. Her dreams of being a singer herself died when the grandmother who raised her was diagnosed with dementia and she became her full time caregiver. It's been a few months since her grandmother died and August feels stuck.

Ya'll, the emotional baggage these two have around each other could fill a whole baggage claim carousel. Each interaction for a good portion of this book, opens the infected wounds their relationship left in each other. And yet, they BURN for each other. The tension between them almost set my e-reader on fire.

They connected in high school on a soul deep level. When Luke returns to town, August is drawn to him. Initially to demand revenge, but in reality because she can't stay away.

This story is told in 3 ways: the present, the past, an interview with Jojo Lane that sets up each section. I really enjoyed the time jumps. I never felt like things were being hidden from me, but that things were being revealed.

This story is not a palate cleanser. But it will hook you from start to finish. You will root for August and Luke. You will boo the circumstances trying to keep them apart. The ending felt so well earned. I adored it.

4.25 ⭐️

Country music star Luke Randall is facing a career that is going nowhere, when he is given an opportunity to perform with country music queen Jojo Lane at her country music hall of fame concert. Agreeing to perform with Jojo puts him in the orbit of her daughter August, his first love and the woman whose lyrics he stole for his hit song.

This is my first book by this author and I am a new fan! This was such a beautiful, complex, love story. These characters seemed so real, they could've been people I grew up with in my small town. The book switches between August and Luke in high school and present day, I think the flashback chapters were important to truly understand the love between August and Luke, and where the hurt comes from. Luke was the first person to truly see August, and she was the first person to truly see Luke.

Luke is a recovering alcoholic who is trying to come to terms with an abusive childhood that forced him to leave in the first place. August had to come to terms with an absentee mother, and feeling like she was unwanted by the person who should want you most. When August and Luke are reunited there is a lot of anger and hurt that they have to work through and they put in that work.

This book deals with some very heavy topics; child abuse, drug and alcohol abuse, and racism in country music and each topic was handled with such care and added so much depth to these characters and this story.

These characters have to confront past demons and the hurt between them and it is messy but the result is such a beautiful love story.

August Lane was a fun road. The timing of me reading this book right after I went to Cowboy Carter was divine timing. I found the story jumping back and forth between JoJo's and August's stories intriguing, along with the dual timeline. The love story was also lovely to read. Their second-chance, slow-burn romance was bold, real, and incredibly rewarding. Adding this to my list of daring and demanding women that I love to read about.

August Lane was a delight to read for me because of the perfect timing. I really never listened to or paid much attention to country music or the black influence and presence until recently. It started at the Superbowl with Beyonce and then her Cowboy Carter tour. I think the timeliness of the book is perfection because the black influence on the genre is more widely known and appreciated. It also comes across in the book. It's a discussion point. I also appreciated the insight into the characters' points of view and the background of the story. Some major things were revealed throughout the book so it kept me engaged. And I also appreciated that the love between the two characters from their first meeting to the present. It was always a given. The forgiveness was not. I thought it was also humorous at times. I definitely recommend for the reader who appreciates a good love story that is intense but realistic and satisfying.

Harsh love, hurt love: Forgiveness and reconciliation. A powerful, emotional novel about a pair of marginalized country music singers with tawdry past that surfaces in the present. Luke seeks redemption years later after stealing his one and only hit song from August, his old flame. Told in a dual timeline, along with an interview format, their story was a poignant reflection on how the road to true love and a second chance can be emotional and messy but still end up with a happily ever after.

The Art of Scandal was one of my favorite reads of 2023, so I was very excited to read August Lane. This was such a different story - I love Regina’s brain!

The storytelling was so unique - dual-timeline, depicting August and Luke as teens when they met in 2009 and as adults reuniting in 2023. On top of that, we also had a podcast transcript for an interview Jojo (August’s mother) conducted in 2024. Not to mention, the original songs?! Incredible!

This mix of timelines and POVs added so much depth to this story. It was emotional, tender, devastating, and hopeful! I was really rooting for August and Luke to find their way back to each other, but also to have the love and lives they deserve.

Regina wrote another stunning novel. I absolutely loved her take on second chance romance, and I can’t wait to see what she does next!

This is honestly one of the best books I have read in years. The theme of Black musicians in Country music is so timely with everything happening in the industry currently.
There was tension, conflict, hope and romance but none of it was formulaic.
From beginning to end, the storylines - yes, plural - are engaging and complicated.
I would recommend this novel to everyone that loves a good story and excellent character development.

WOW, just wow...this was an amazing story. About two people, one song that changed their lives forever. Luc made millions of the song they both created, and August who stayed in their small town, crushing under her famous mother fame. She going to rewrite her story with the help of Lucy, or she will tell the world that he just wasn't the brains of the music that made him so famous and the chance to sing with her famous mother, that going to be inducted into the Country Hall of Fame. They still navigate their situation and feelings for each other, and see what happens.

Thank you to Book Sparks, Forever, and the author for the free book and to Hachette Audio for the complimentary audiobook. These opinions are my own.

This book centers on so much pain, betrayal, and trauma. Luke Randall's entire career as a singer is based on a lie that he wrote his first hit song. Instead, he had cowritten it with August Lane, the daughter of famous country singer JoJo Lane.

I was utterly engrossed in the story. It felt real and authentic. I could feel the heartache of the characters. There was so much angst and intensity. At times I didn't know how there could be a happily ever after or even if there should be one for all the characters. But that's the beauty of this story; it made me fall for characters in all their messiness. It reflected what love really looks like outside of novels.

The writing is spectacular with turns of phrase that are memorable. The characters and plot are gripping. I am so incredibly impressed with Regina Black. This is one of those books that I will keep thinking about long after I have put it down.

The audiobook production was equally well done with four narrators: William DeMeritt, Bahni Turpin, Stephanie Cannon, and January LaVoy. Bahni Turpin's voice is particularly recognizable, and she did a fantastic job narrating for August Lane.

CW: alcoholism, neglect

August Lane you will always be famous to me!!!! Holy moly this book was incredible. I really felt the connection between the characters and how powerful music can be. I loved it! I want to read it again!

Thank you NetGalley, Grand Central Publishing, and Regina Black for the ARC opportunity.

Wow. This is a read that you sit and reflect on. The story follows two main characters Luke Randall and August Lane over a dual timeline from 2009/2023, having a second chance encounter. It follows the premise of Luke stealing his only hit song from August Lane when they were younger, only to return to their hometown to perform with Jojo Lane (August's mother), leaving them both to face what happened all those years ago.

This book touches topics and themes of complex relationships, Substance use, abuse, racism, mental health, and intergenerational trauma. What was wonderful about this story was the depth of not just the main characters but the side ones (and their stories being told). The book was raw and provided slow tender moments between Luke & August. I really enjoyed both developments and how music was always at the forefront of their lives and acted as a saving grace. At first I felt Jojo's interview was not necessary, and as the story progressed, it was very important to add to the nuance and depth of August and Jojo's relationship.

Some notable quotes:
“Pain is a sign of life. If it hurts, that means there’s something worth saving.”
“It’s right there on paper. You see the world in colors I never knew existed. The rain plays you symphonies. You are so special, August Lane, and I can’t imagine anyone not seeing it.”

A true embodiment of finding your way back to the one who truly has your heart, however complex as it may be. Please read with care and check your content warnings.

3.75/5 stars, but rounded up to 4 stars for NetGalley! There were many parts of this book that I enjoyed, but the romance didn't resonate with me. One of the themes of this book was Black representation in country music. I appreciated this aspect, especially because it's so timely with recent discussions about who gets to be the face of country music. Jojo Lane's podcast transcripts were also the highlight of this book.

I enjoyed seeing August and Luke's relationship begin in the 2009 timeline, as it tackled deeper themes like addiction, child abuse, and depression. August and Luke have a deep connection, but I didn't feel as engaged when reading about their romance in the 2023 timeline. Despite this, I still think this book is worth reading if you're searching for a romance that has a lot of depth and cultural commentary.

Thank you, Grand Central Pub, for the e-ARC!