Heard It in a Love Song by Tracey Garvis Graves is the kind of romance I can appreciate! It provides carefully developed characters with quality depth in relationships that makes the narrative believable and even relatable. It wasn't over-saturated with sex like far too many romances are these days but rather it gave actual care and attention to the relationships themselves. I love this whole story!!

3-3.5 stars

First of all, don't take this rating as bad. To me 3 stars is average. I didn't dislike it but I didn't LOVE it either.

I liked the storyline and the message/journey it portrayed. I found it meaningful and pertinent and I did like the two main characters. My disappointment comes with more of the delivery and the way it was written. This book was completely devoid of emotional attachment for me. I wasn't compelled to pick it up when I had free time to read, it just didn't pull me into the story. The book had a lot of introspection for the characters and while they were in those moments that often led to a flashback. Typically I enjoy flashbacks in books but these just seemed ill timed and sort of flat. There was no juicy drama the author was building up to, it was just what happened to lead to the demise of each of their marriages. This lack of emotional connection will likely make this a pretty unmemorable read for me.

This friends to lovers romance was relatable and enjoyable. I would have preferred a little more development of their together story. This tale focused on the pieces of the past that led them to where they are now. I didn't enjoy the past setting as much as the present. I really loved how Layla learned listen to her inner self and follow her own passions. This is my first story by Tracey Garvis Graves and I will be checking her other books out.

Layla is recently divorced after a ten-year marriage to a man who never truly appreciated her and subjected her to constant financial and emotional stress. Once a lead singer in a rock band, Layla is now an elementary music teacher struggling to find her place in the world. One thing that brightens her day is her interactions with Josh, the father of one of her students. A single father, Josh was married to his high school sweetheart, Kimmy, for nearly twenty years. He too is trying to find his way now that he's single. Both wary about getting back into the dating grind, Layla and Josh decide to be "friends with potential." But with all their baggage, are they destined for heartbreak?

"And she wasn't lonely, not really. Layla had been lonely for years while she was married, and she'd take being alone over lonely any day."

I didn't dislike this book, but it wasn't the sweeping romance I was hoping for. This one redefined slow burner, as Josh and Layla sloowly made their way toward one another. Most of this is the format--told from both Layla and Josh's point of view, each chapter breaks off to delve into how that particular's character's marriage fell apart. So we may get a few moments of them in the present and then--boom--it quickly flashes back to Josh and Kimmy in high school or Layla and her ex-husband, Liam, meeting when Layla is singing in her band. Each piece is just a snippet, slowly parsed out per chapter and building up to the end of the marriage, so both the past and the present is a build-up. I admire the style, but wow... everything takes time. A lot of time! It made the story feel quite plodding at times.

And, I just couldn't quite find the spark between Layla and Josh. Individually, they were great people, and I liked and rooted for their characters to move on from their past relationships. Together, I just didn't feel that they had "it"--that special something that really makes you want a particular couple to succeed. I certainly desired for each to find themselves again, but I didn't necessarily need it to be with one another. I did, however, have great fondness for Norton, the older dog Josh adopts, and whom Layla often dog-sits. So there you go.

This isn't a bad book, and I know lots of people who enjoyed it. It received a 3-star rating from me, which is *not* a poor rating. It just wasn't what I was hoping for, and I had wanted more passion. But if you enjoy a character-driven read, especially one that really delves into the characters' pasts, you'll find a lot to love here. (Also the cover is simply gorgeous.)

This story was okay, but not my fave of hers. I wanted more & wanted to feel more - while I loved Layla's growth, I am not sure I needed to read this story. It's a sweet story but I don't think I'd go out of my way to recommend.

This book was simply beautiful. It brings together two lonely souls who are both trying to find their way through heartbreak. They each are suffering through the breakup of a marriage. It looks different for each of them and therefore, their journey might be different as well. They find comfort in one another - - but will they end up together. That is the real question. Or will their time together just be a bridge to get each of them to the "other side" of life after divorce.

Layla was married for ten years to a man who never seemed to value or understand her. When she was finally slapped in the face with the reality of his lack of commitment, she left him and filed for divorce. She's been gradually finding her way back to rediscovering herself since then.

Josh was married for twenty years to his high school sweetheart. They never really took time to decide if they were still in love. They just kept moving ahead to the next thing. Life was always move on to the next thing -- find a new job, have a baby, go to school. Then one day, his wife decides maybe she missed out on some things in life and she wants a divorce. Josh was left figuring out how to share custody with their daughter, being single after twenty years and not knowing who he really was.

The thing about this book that I really enjoyed was that has an easy flow. There's no big "wow moment." It's a slow and casual unfolding of the story. It's real and a little heartbreaking. I found it to be a beautiful and honest account of two lonely people connecting and trying to find their way in a new relationship after both being broken.

Thank you to NetGalley for this ARC. I voluntarily chose to review it and the opinions contained within are my own.

AUDIOBOOK REVIEW: I also listened to the audiobook and really enjoyed it. I always find Andi Arndt to be a talented narrator. Her narration lended itself to this book and made it an even more enjoyable experience. Plus, this book is one that is easily enjoyed as an audio. 5 stars.

I have really liked books by Tracey Garvis Graves in the past but this one just made me sad. I think it was probably a realistic portrayal of getting back to yourself after divorce but something about it just felt too melancholy to me. I think I was hoping for a bit more spark, spontaneity and rock n roll rather than single meals, long winters and divorce dad dating. I hope you have better luck!

Heard It In A Love Song comes out next month on November 9, 2021, and you can purchase HERE.

But you learned a lot more about a person at a relationship's demise than you ever knew about them at its inception, including how badly they could wound you with their words.

4.5/ 5 stars

I absolutely loved The Girl He Used To Know. So I was beyond excited to read this book. I would classify it as somewhere between women's fiction and contemporary romance.

This book has both the female and male 3rd person POVs. The female POV is 35 year old Layla. She is an elementary school music teacher. And she was formerly the lead singer in a band. Music is her passion. The male POV is 37 year old Josh. He is an electrician and has a daughter in kindergarten.

This book is about friendship. And failed relationships. And learning to find yourself again.

I really liked both Josh and Layla. And it was interesting to see them try to figure out how to live again after their respective marriages were over.

But there was one part of the book that I enjoyed less. There is a lot of the past in this book. However it's not the usual past/present chapters. There are flashbacks of the past within the chapters set in the present. There were a lot of these memories/thinking about the past. And it was my least favorite part of the book. In the second half of the book these looks at the past were definitely more interesting. But unfortunately at times I was taken out of the story.

But there was still much to enjoy. I adored Josh's daughter Sasha. She was such a sweet girl. And I honestly wish that she had been in the book more. There was also an amazing dog, Norton... I enjoyed this dog so much!

Also music plays a big part in the story. And I loved that too! I was really invested in Layla's passion.

There is definitely romance in this book. But at times it's not the focus. But I didn't mind that at all. I think that a lot of people will be able to relate to what the characters had to deal with in terms of divorce, sharing custody with your ex... and I think all of that added so much to the story. Overall, it was an interesting book with really likable narrators.

I switched from reading and listening this one and I have to say I definitely preferred the audiobook. It flowed a lot better on audio thanks to the great narration. While I did like the characters, I felt the story was lacking for me. The ending was so underwhelming and that made me sad because I absolutely loved this author’s previous book. The highlight of this one was definitely seeing Layla and Josh’s friendship unfold.

Thank you to the publishers and @netgalley for providing a free advanced copy of this ebook and audiobook in exchange for an honest review.

HEARD IT IN A LOVE SONG by Tracey Garvis Graves grabbed me from the very beginning and never let go through a heart-wrenching, encouraging story about a broken woman who once lived for performing songs and a heartbroken man who grabbed home and love the first chance he had and clung to it long after the magic was gone. Memories and dreams define who they are until they let go of what they once wanted and reach for what is possible now. There is more to that electrician and that elementary school music teacher than one might expect -- and when the two meet and get to know one another, a whole new song is sung, one that includes the past and the present and possibility. I read an advance reader copy of this book and my review is voluntary and unbiased.

This author has been a favorite of mine for years, but again, it’s another book that’s third person when the author usually writes in first person. I did eventually get into this book, but it was very slow going for me. I can usually finish a book in a day or two, this took me over a week. It was just okay for me. Third person is just so hard for me to get into.

Thank you to St. Martin's Press for an early copy of Heard it in a Love Song! After adoring The Girl He Used to Know, I was excited to read Tracey Garvis Graves' latest book which releases on 11/2/21.

Layla and Josh are in their mid-thirties and both recently divorced. They meet one day when Josh drops off his daughter Sasha at the school where Layla is a music teacher. They become friends who are possibly interested in more, yet both are cautious after their marriages ended in heartbreak and hard feelings. Will love blossom for this pair?

The cover was deceiving on this one - I was expecting a 70's or 80s-era love story mixed with a rock band saga. Although the novel touched on these themes, it was a heartwarming story with down-to-earth characters trying to rebuild their lives after crushing divorces. The theme of loneliness and the importance of companionship, whether romantic or friendly, was palpable. I loved the flashbacks to Layla's musician days, and how Josh and Kimmy's relationship first blossomed. I absolutely hated Liam and Suzanne! However, the cameos by Norton the dog and Sasha were adorable.

I highly recommend this book! I finished it in a day, and it was the perfect escape from real life. Tracey Garvis Graves has a gift for writing books that are equal parts heartwarming and captivating.

This was such a sweet story of former rock star/current music teacher Layla and electrician Josh, father to one of Layla’s students. Layla is recently divorced and Josh is in the process of divorcing his high school sweetheart when they meet in the school drop off line. The story goes back and forth between Layla and Josh, telling their current story while providing flashbacks to each of their marriages. While I enjoyed this format, I found myself skimming the flashbacks to return to the current story. This is a quick, enjoyable read, but probably one that won’t stick with me for long.

The narrator of the audiobook version was wonderful.

Thank you to Net Galley for an advance copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

I wasn’t sure what to expect going into this book, but I found myself struggling to get into the story. It just wasn’t the book for me, but I am sure it will be the book for someone else.
Layla is divorced, a music teacher. When she was married she changed her life for her then husband and really, he just cared about money and status, the opposite of what Layla cared about. Josh is a single father, just going through a divorce himself. His daughter is in Layla’s class which is how the two of them cross paths.
I enjoyed the friendship that Layla and Josh formed over the course of this story and the journey they experienced together and individually. This story felt real. It felt like anyone could be going through the same thing as Layla or Josh when it comes to their divorces and just learning how to navigate through life again and finding yourself.
The story itself wasn’t bad, I just had a hard time really getting into the story, but it may be the perfect story for someone else.

One of the best romance novels I’ve read this year. I really enjoyed I heard it in a love song. The story itself is told from two points of view, one from Layla and one from Josh, but also from different time periods in their lives. Both have flash backs to when they met their previous spouses and their marriages but also the present as they meet and get to know each other while dealing with the past struggles. It’s a deeper story of healing and moving on from a past you thought was your forever.

Layla is a strong character. She’s very independent and I love watching her find herself again in this story while also watching how she lost herself in the first place. She’s a great female lead character.

Then you have Josh who is still trying to figure out the part of a father who wants to make sure his daughter has a happy childhood. Hes still trying to get his bearings on single life and finish his divorce.

Both are very relatable and real characters. The story would not be nearly as good if there had been any changes to them. It’s pulled together so well with them and the plot itself. I heard it in a love song is a realistic story about starting over and becoming yourself again.

This was a good book. It was slow going for most of it for me. I liked how it was low drama between characters. The flashbacks were a bit much. I enjoyed the music aspect of the story. I loved how Josh saved Norton. He was a sweet aspect of the story. I loved in the end how Layla realized exactly what she wanted and needed.

This is the book that broke my reading slump!!!

I picked this book up and devoured it in 24 hours. This was an easy and enjoyable read.

Layla & Josh's characters were well-written. I enjoyed that the book explored their past relationships and their present relationship. The dual timelines of past and present work really well together. Both characters are mature enough to make good decisions, to take their time and to make their needs known.

Also, I loved Norton - the dog!!!

Tracey Garvis Graves never lets me down!

This book was a nice read. I have read others by the author that were better, but it was a good break from reality. Parts of it were very predictible.

I happen to love Tracey Garvis Graves. I mean, really, really, really, love her. I have from the first time I read "Heart-Shaped Hack" and swooned my way through that book and then just continued on through whatever I could get my hands on [On the Island was simply amazing]. I thought that no book could break my heart like "The Girl He Used to Know" [that book is her best IMO. So unexpected and truly shows what love and friendship and caring is really about], and then I started this book and realized I was very, very, wrong. This book just about broke me - I am not sure I can write a coherent review to be honest; I can only hope that I can do the book justice. Because this was a really good read.

I love the character Layla [NOT named after the song]; I could absolutely relate to her and her life. I was married to a "Liam" and unfortunately, my life did not end up as well as Layla's does, though it does give me hope [maybe someday]. I loved how she realizes that she doesn't need a man [though she misses aspects of being in a relationship - something I could ABSOLUTELY relate to] and that she can can do whatever she needs to do to move forward, that she is a strong person underneath all that Liam tried to make her into.

That is where the story finds her - she is working as a teacher, she is playing guitar and singing again and she is learning to be comfortable in her own skin and her life, and that life is good. Enter Josh, who's young daughter is at Layla's school. He is in the midst of a divorce, trying to be a good dad and working to fill the empty spaces not having a full family life has left open. He needs help boarding his dog and Layla volunteers; what results is two lonely people who find friendship in a way they never expected and it is glorious to watch.

There are moments that take some getting used to - Layla and Josh often went off into memory land, in the middle of conversations with people. Just zone out and off they'd go, lost in their head full of memories. Initially, it was really off-putting [as I didn't really realize what was happening] and then during one of them, I realized I was having the same thing happening to me as what was happening in the book [Layla was in the past and I found myself comparing what was going on with something that had happened in my own marriage and I finally GOT what this little voyages off into memories were and the book really picked up for me. HOW many time have you been talking to someone to find they have have zoned out? Or that you yourself have zoned out into memoryland? Yeah. That is all this is and you end finding how much it adds to the story.

I absolutely loved Andi Arnt as the narrator of this book - she really brought Layla to life and I loved that she didn't try to do some weird male voice for Josh. She tells the story so well and brings out all the emotion that is needed so that you feel all the feels you are supposed to, no matter what the emotion. I am so glad I was able to get this audiobook - it really made the story shine.

Really good read - I highly recommend it. ♥

Thank you to NetGalley, Tracey Garvis Graves, St. Martin's Press, and Macmillan Audio for providing the ARC and the Audiobook ARC in exchange for an honest review.

A bit of an underwhelming book, unfortunately, which is a shame since I loved THE GIRL HE USED TO KNOW from Tracey Garvis Graves. In this one, we follow Layla and Josh, two recent divorcees, who are working on moving on with their lives and come across each other in an unexpected way (Layla is Josh's daughter's music teacher). A romance very slowly blooms as we move backwards and forwards between their current love story, and how their divorces came to be. I had a lot of trouble connecting with the characters though, and often found the story to be a bit boring. Certainly a case of "it just wasn't for me" though! I can see how a straightforward love story about thirty-somethings looking to date again and figure out what comes next after long marriages is an enticing story. There just wasn't anything *there* for me to latch on to and care about the story.