I liked this book enough to read it quickly, in about a day and a half in chunks. But it left me feeling a little empty, which makes me sad.

August Lane is a second-chance romance focused on Luke Randall and August Lane, the daughter of country music star Jojo Lane, who rarely interacts with the main characters but in some ways dominates the book. Jojo’s induction into the Country Music Hall of Fame – the first Black woman to be so honored – sets the plot in motion.

The book starts with a trigger warning, and it needs to. There’s abuse, neglect, alcoholism, sexual assault (off page), tragic deaths (off page), mental health issues and violence. There’s an HEA, of course, but it’s not an easy one.

Luke made it big after performing an original song on a country music reality show – but the words were actually written by August, who never got credit. Luke’s career puttered out, and August’s never got started. She’s waiting tables back home.

The book toggles between 2009, when Luke and August are in high school, and 2023, when they reconnect. The structure didn’t work for me; I know the author is trying to connect then and now, but this got in the way of the story for me. The high school story – which is sweet until it ends badly – feels cluttered with secondary characters.

I did like the story, which has real stakes. The second chance feels real, and both August and Luke showed real growth, separately and together. I also enjoyed the focus on Black country music and singers; like the author, I enjoy Rissi Palmer’s Color Me Country show.

But I found the most compelling character to be Jojo. She appears mostly in transcripts of a podcast interview that bookend the book and pop up intermittently throughout. (The podcast is dated 2024, another time jump.) Jojo is direct, engaging and compellingly prickly. The transcripts crackle with energy. I wish more of the book were like that.

Rounded up from 3.5

August Lane is an interesting novel because while it is an adult romance, it is still filled with so much of the angst and tension typically present in YA narratives. That is not to say that it is juvenile because it most certainly is not. The two protagonists have known each other since high school in a very (and I mean very) small town in Arkansas and we are transported to their teenage years for backstory on how they ended up in their present circumstances.

There is always something a little bit claustrophobic about a small town story but August Lane details this in the best way. August and Luke, our protagonists, are both going through hell and thoroughly stressed me out as a reader! However, one of the things I love about this novel is that what makes the relationship between August and Luke so fraught is how intimately they know one another. The anger August still feels after their being estranged is not simply because he hurt her, but because this kind of hurt can only come from someone who knows you well. No spoilers!

This book has all the things: fraught parental relationships, teenage angst, second chance romance, small town, country music— all the things! Regina Black, you know how to write some mess; and I will devour it every single time.

I very much enjoyed this book. It is structured like a song which I found quite unique and loved that. Especially as the main theme in this book is country music. We get to read a podcast interview with Jojo as interludes between the plot that is set in 2009 and 2023 and tells August’s and Luke’s story. I found that to be very emotional and moving. Reading about the things that Luke had to experience as a teenager and the way August was left to live with there grandmother while her mother fosters her career was at times quite heartbreaking.

August as a character can be almost hotheaded and stubborn but kind and compassionate at the same time. She is also shy and doesn’t always believe in herself and her artistic capabilities and it is great to see her development over the course of the story. Luke made a mistake when he was young and is regretting it since. He cares deeply for August and wants to make things right. He came from a household that struggled with addiction and he did so as well, but made it out alive and well. Jojo I found to be a very mysterious character and element of the story, as we only get to know her bit by bit through those podcast mini-chapters. That was an element that kept me intrigued to where the story will go.

I liked how the book picked up speed and emotion about halfway through. The first half was almost a bit unstructured, but the story redeemed itself with the second half for me. I liked the characters and how they drag the reader in to feel with them. I loved the country music theme and the character growth in this book. The characters made this story very real and tangible in my opinion. All in all, this was my first book by Regina and I can recommend it to anyone loving country music and emotional love stories!

Regina Black does it again!

I fell in love with her writing in The Art of Scandal and have been on the edge of seat waiting for her next book. August Lane doesn’t disappoint!

These characters are so rich and multidimensional. I am not usually a fan of dual timeline stories but here it felt so necessary and I looked forward to the alternating chapters. By the end of August Lane I really felt like I knew these characters and just felt thrilled for them.

I already can’t wait for more from Regina Black. Until then, I’ll be rereading this one!

Thank you to Grand Central Publishing and NetGalley for the eARC!

Thank you, Netgalley and Grand Central Publishing. I am currently reading "August Lane," and so far, it's so good. This book has my emotions all over the place. One minute, I'm rooting for them; then the next, I don't want them to get back together. I love that this book gave a shout-out to black country music.

August Lane was my first time reading Regina Black and also my first experience with a musical second chance romance and I enjoyed it. The country music setting felt fresh and meaningful, especially with Black characters taking the spotlight in a genre where they’re rarely seen.

Some parts were a bit confusing at first, especially with the POVs switching between August and Luke. It took me a moment to adjust. I also usually don’t love books that shift between past and present, but here it made sense it helped show how much they’d been through and what was at stake.

Overall, this is a pretty sad story. Both characters deal with a lot alcohol, addiction, complicated and hurtful parents, domestic violence, trauma, and August’s grandmother’s dementia. It’s heavy at times, but that emotional weight also gives the story depth and meaning. I’ll definitely be reading more from Regina Black.

I knew around chapter seven that this is a slam dunk of a book. I loved everything about it. It highlights themes that are often shied away from or overlooked. Black country music stardom, matriarchal trauma, substance use, and child trauma were all present and explored with grace and care. I felt August’s heart be ripped out time and time again. But, throughout the story, it’s revealed why Jojo essentially refused to show up for her daughter. August Lane offered a front row seat to wounds being passed down lineages. Each Lane woman had their reasons for their decisions. By the end, I further understand why each character executed things the way they do.

For Birdie, she was doing her best to raise Jojo, who never wanted to be boxed in. This bred resentment between the two. Jojo exacts her resentment towards her mother onto August via hands-free parenting. Jojo felt so restrained that she let go completely with August. This along with how August was conceived scrambled together gives us August’s story. August had always felt she competed with Jojo’s career for her mother's attention. Yet, Jojo saw her absence as a form of protection from her career and herself. “I never wanted her to follow in my footsteps.” Jojo states explicitly that she truly never wanted to be a mother. However, August could not accept that, although her mother’s actions always told the truth.

Parallel to August, Luke and his mother’s history was also tainted from his conception. His mother was fine allowing his son to pay for the sins of his father. Too often, children are the collateral to their parents’ wars. I appreciated how this topic was handled; it was brave to hear Luke speak about his experiences, particularly as a Black man. Luke even mentions at one point that him being a “big, tall football player” was the natural choice as an abuser, as most people feel that women can’t be abusers. Being the only target for Ava’s abuse, this caused Luke to begin drinking as a teen. His substance use would be the cause of several mistakes made over the course of his career, along with predatory industry folks. From stealing “Another Love Song” to his marriage, he was under the influence during many of these decisions, which couldn’t soothe the pain from his childhood.

While trauma doesn’t negate harm, it helps to inform about why and how people are shaped. I could rave on about this book. But, if you like Black Country music stardom, second-chance romance, complex and complicated characters who you vacillate between loving and disliking, August Lane is the perfect choice.

I’d like to thank NetGalley for this ARC!

I had high hopes for this book but unfortunately I just don't think it was my cup of tea. Unfortunately the pacing was too slow and the amount of time jumps gave me a bit of whiplash and I found it hard to follow. Thank you to Grand Central Publishing and NetGalley for giving me this ARC in exchange for my honest review.

Hooked on this one immediately! Loved the two main characters and their story. I wish I could listen to the music from the book.

Thank you to NetGalley for an ARC.

I was excited to read August Lane by Regina Black after I saw that Kennedy Ryan recommended it. I was expecting a similar vibe book, which it wasn’t, and I was disappointed at first BUT checked my expectations and took a step back to appreciate the book for what it is.

If you’re looking for spice, you won’t really find it here. If you’re looking for banter, there’s not a lot of it, but there is heartfelt connection, there’s first love, there’s longing and missed connection and miscommunication.

Please check trigger warnings before reading as well.

It took me a bit to get into this book. It wasn’t until halfway through that we see that the main characters even like each other enough to kiss, so keep this in mind. But once the entire plot began to unravel, I was hooked.

This book is for those who enjoy complicated characters. And even more complicated secondary characters. I wouldn’t say the characters were lovable, but seeing them in their entirety, they begin to make sense.

I really enjoyed the ending, it wasn’t really what I expected and I can definitely appreciate that as well.

For me, I wish we had seen more of the connection between August and Luke as adults. Deeper conversations about forgiveness and missed connections. More open truths. I still recommend this book for its unique story line featuring Black country and folk singers and small towns.

4/5⭐️ for me

Regina Black is two for two with her sophmore novel August Lane. August Lane explores second chances in the protagonist's personal and professional life, illustrates the complexities of motherhood, and thewhat happens when unapologetic Black women demand space and recognition in a genre created by BW. It is a bittersweet and endearing novel. I would love to see this onscreen!

This was such a beautiful exploration of the messy, real lives that some people face, and it was done so well. I so appreciated how much the emotions of all the characters came off the page, and how layered each issue was. There was so much that needed to be worked through, and the author truly did an excellent job of illustrating how much trauma, both generational and lived events, impacts us.

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for an advance copy in exchange for an honest review.

This was so beautiful and all the feels. This was a beautifully layered story of healing from integenerational trauma, racism, abuse and also the ways black people are excluded from a genre of music that was theirs. And yet instead of being depressing, its was cathartic and heartfelt thanks to the slow-burn second chance romance.

I loved the care Regina Black has for her characters, they felt so real with all their flaws, mistakes and messiness. Even when Luke and Jojo have done wrong by August, you understand their actions and the decisions they had to make given the cards they were dealt with.

Touching, heartfelt and characters that had me thinking about them long after I finished the book.

Thanks to Grand Central Publishing and NetGalley for the ARC.

Some books you enjoy and move on from but this is one that stays with you. It’s characters come to you as you go about life, asking you to give others grace, to remind you that people’s actions are often about them and not the damage they might do to you. And most important that the love of those who are for you is what we need. Where we should focus.

This book was beautiful, read it!

Thank you to netgally and the publisher for this ARC.
This book really puts you through the emotions. I could feel the emotions of each character. The pain, regret, longing and love. Check your trigger warnings before reading, our author does touch on some heavy subjects. I enjoyed that this book was so real. The story is relatable and felt realistic. It read as a plot line that was special (famous singers) but with underlying issues that affect the everyday person ( racism, lost love, addiction, abuse). A very special and unique story.

This was one of those books that quietly breaks your heart and puts it back together. I loved the way the story was told, especially how it used third person while giving us both August and Lucas’s perspectives within the same chapter. I’ve only read one other book that used dual POV like this, and it worked so well here. It made the story feel more engaging in a really natural way. The dual timeline added a lot of depth and tension, and the interview transcripts from Jojo were such a great touch. They offered a bit of context into why she treated August the way she did, which helped me understand her a little more, even when I didn’t always agree with her behaviour.

The author did a really thoughtful job handling difficult topics like abandonment, grief, child abuse, addiction, and religion. Everything felt honest and respectful. I have a super soft spot for characters dealing with trauma and healing, and August and Lucas really hit home for me. Neither of them had the kind of love and support they deserved growing up, so watching them slowly build trust and lean on each other made me feel all the emotions. I love these two characters so much, and I’m still crying just thinking about them and everything they went through.

This story also did an amazing job bringing attention to the challenges Black country artists face in the music industry. It’s a real issue, and I’m glad the author wove it into such an emotional and powerful story. Overall, this was a beautifully layered book about pain, connection, forgiveness, and rediscovering love. I definitely recommend it if you’re into emotional, character-driven stories that’ll have you thinking about it for weeks after.

Thank you, NetGalley, and Grand Central Publishing for the eARC in exchange for an honest review.

Melancholy and soaked in Southern summer heat, this is a slow-burn, character-driven story about legacy, betrayal, and healing. It’s set in a dying Arkansas town where old wounds fester. The novel opens and immediately starts by addressing racism and microaggressions especially in the country music.

August is a woman who wants to be soft, wants to be loved, but life has made her anything but. Time and again, the people she’s trusted most have let her down, and she’s learned to carry their weight without complaint. She’s not messy, but she’s been marked by other people’s mess. She'll take the fall for others quietly, all while being misread as cold or difficult when she’s simply trying to protect what’s left of herself.

Luke, meanwhile, is a man who’s always been in survival mode. Growing up in a violent and neglectful home, he learned early on that it's about survival—so he buried his pain in alcohol and silence. Now sober, he’s still hiding, still hurting, but finally trying to reckon with the damage he caused. He’s a steady, quiet presence, but beneath that is someone deeply feeling, desperate to make things right—especially with August, the one person who ever really saw him.

The romance is emotional and slow burn, but at times did take a backseat to their healing and individual development. It honestly feels like the book could be double the length and we'd still be unfolding aspects of these characters and their paths. The plot unfolds slowly, but intentionally—woven through with complex family dynamics, racism, addiction, and grief. This really is about two people whose lives and damage didn't allow them to be together before, but now that they're healing maybe there's a chance.

This slow-burn, second-chance romance had a powerful premise, and I really appreciated the way it tackled themes like grief, addiction, religion, and recovery. Luke and August’s story unfolds through well-placed flashbacks, showing the weight of their history and the pain they’ve both carried. While I enjoyed the writing and emotional depth, the pacing felt uneven at times, and I found myself wanting more from the side characters who played key roles. Still, the journey was heartfelt, and I’m glad I picked this one up.

Thank you to NetGalley for the e-book in exchange for my honest review.

I’ve had ART OF SCANDAL on my radar for a while now, but hadn’t had an opportunity to read it before getting the opportunity to read AUGUST LANE and I fear I may have girlbossed too close to the sun because this book was incredible and wild. I’m not sure ART OF SCANDAL could be wilder than this, but I’m glad to be proven wrong.

Alright so look - I’m a second chance romance apologist, but not so much about country music given it’s very whitewashed and frankly conservative fanbase. So I wasn’t expecting to be so yee-haw about two country singers but the sociopolitical tale of Black women’s voices being hidden in the music industry under the romantic tension of a man who did her wrong - I was hooked. This was also particularly interesting to me as Black artists (most notably, perhaps, Beyonce) who have been trying to break into the country genre have been snubbed time and time again (Lil Nas X & Shaboozey also come to mind). As someone who has never been particularly interested in country music, it was also through this book that I learned the deep roots that country music has with Black - particularly African American - culture. It’s made me want to listen to country music more - but only by artists of color!

This story covers a lot of heavy topics, so do take care of trigger warnings when reading. The depth of emotional turmoil, fear and complexity of all the characters - not just August or Luke, but side characters as well - makes your heart seize, twinge, and ache at different intervals. This is definitely not a breezy beach read (though I did read it on vacation in Puerto Rico) but you can’t help but root for August and Luke despite the messiness of their history and their emotional turmoil that guides their decision making (like August, girl you’re fooling no one but yourself!). I loved this book so much and cannot wait to read more by Regina Black.

I absolutely loved The Art of Scandal, Regina’s debut, so I was really looking forward to reading August Lane. August Lane deserves all the stars! The plot is original and I was pulled into the story from first page. I loved the interview excerpts from JoJo and the alternating past and present chapters from both Luke and August’s perspectives. It really highlights their character development, growth, shows how their past shaped them individually and influenced their relationship. I appreciated how Regina builds empathy for August and Luke both on their own and as a couple. I couldn’t help but end up rooting for them the entire time. This is easily one of my top favorite reads of the year so far and I highly recommend picking up August Lane!