Two caveats I wish I'd been aware of prior to reading this book. 1. This is being marketed as a romance. While is a love story, it isn't a romance (IMO) but more aligned to contemporary/women's fiction. 2. I understand the
eye-catching 'Daisy Jones' like retro cover since the female lead is a musician (that's where the similarity ends), but beyond that it just doesn't gel with the story.

Now that you have adjusted your expectations. . .

Layla is recently divorced. Josh is a single Dad about to finalize his divorce. Together they ponder the choices they made in the past and how it's helped or hindered who they are today. The story alternates between the past and present as it looks at marriage, relationships, and how people can change. Getting a glimpse into Layla and Josh's failed marriages alongside a new, budding relationship provided an interesting juxtaposition. Can they grab at a second chance at love?

HEARD IT IN A LOVE SONG is a simple, readable story with likeable characters and a cozy pace. Closed-door/fade-to-black/PG love story. If you enjoy Katherine Center or early Taylor Jenkins Reid this could be the book for you.

I really like this author so was thrilled to be given the opportunity to read and review prior to its release. This book met and exceeded my expectations. It is so nice to read about people with some life experience. Grown adults with life experiences warts and all and following them as they recover emotionally and move forward. I truly adored this book. Read this one and then do yourself a courtesy and read her whole catalog. She always does great research and writes with such eloquence about really life. I very much look forward to what comes next.

Let me start by saying that I love Tracey Garvis Graves. On The Island and The Girl You He Used to Know are some of my favorite books.

However, I am having a hard time with rating Heard It In A Love Song. From a character based perspective, the story is very well written and consumed me. I didn't realize the very first time I picked it up how far I had gotten into the book before I put it down. I found myself routing for Layla and Josh - both stuck in the aftermath of failed marriages - to grow as individuals and to grow together. At the end, I was left with a smile on my face.

From a plot driven perspective, Heard It In A Love Song was lacking. I was 32% in when I realized that nothing had happened. I was just reading about two people going through their daily / weekly activities. In the end, there was no real conflict. Just...I don't know....life things.

Overall, I think this book is a 3.5 or a 4 star read. Readers who love character-driven stories will love it. Readers who love plot-driven stories may struggle with it.

Thank you St Martin's Press and Netgalley for the advance copy. I love TGG's work and cannot wait for more.

Thirty-five-year-old divorcée Layla Hilding is at a turning point in her life, as she tries to leave her old marriage with the man that was never good enough for her behind. Josh, a father whose daughter attends the school where Layla teaches music is in the process of his own divorce, and the two soon form a connection. However, their pasts continue to cloud their memories, as they both struggle to move on and pursue their own happiness and dreams.

The novel is told from the alternating perspectives of Layla and Josh, in both their present and past timelines. Layla’s and Josh’s memories of the past are woven together seamlessly with their present day stories, and provide the essential foundation and backstories of their previous relationships and lives. I loved the dynamic between Layla and Josh, and how the author portrayed the development of a realistic relationship between the two. I truly appreciated how the novel focuses primarily on self-discovery and growth, with the romance aspect of the story falling secondary. This book was a great read, and I would definitely recommend it!

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for an advance copy of this novel in exchange for my honest review.

How do you know when your heart is ready for a second chance? Heard It in a Love Song might have the answer, if such an answer really exists.

Layla (no, she wasn’t named for the Eric Clapton song) has been licking her wounds since her 10-year marriage ended. She works as a music teacher but remembers all too well her time as the lead singer of a band. Her friends want her to get back out there and start dating, but the thought of starting over doesn’t appeal to her in the slightest.

Josh and his wife, whom he met in high school, recently separated after 20 years of marriage. He never thought there would be anyone for him but her, but now he devotes himself to shared custody of their young daughter, Sasha, who attends elementary school where Layla teaches.

Layla and Josh strike up conversation as he drops his daughter off at school every morning. Little by little, they start looking forward to seeing one another, and as their interest grows, they both wonder if they’re ready to start dating again.

Does everyone get a second chance at love? How do you know if it’s real or just a rebound romance? Could the right person come along at the wrong time?

Tracey Garvis Graves is an engaging storyteller (I loved her last book, The Girl He Used to Know) and you definitely find yourself rooting for these characters. There are a lot of flashbacks which come randomly in different chapters, as they trace Layla and Josh’s previous relationships, but sometimes I wished we could just focus on the story at hand. Still, this is an enjoyable story and I love any book that deals with music in whatever form.

Thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for the complimentary advance copy of the book in exchange for an unbiased review!

Heard It in a Love Song publishes 11/2.

Heard It in a Love Song by Tracey Garvis Graves

When I first started this story, I had trouble sticking with it. I'd put the book down and forget about it. It seemed pleasant enough while I was reading it but didn't grab me and and certainly didn't pull me back to it when I set it down.

But I stuck with it and got used to the fact that Layla and Josh were going to go 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. It seemed strange to be viewing their "today" through the filter of their "pasts" but I know we all do that, can't help doing that. This just seemed to separated from how life really works, these little memory vignettes. My brain is too much a mess of unsorted data and memories to work like that but I guess that would be how you'd portray it in a book.

Ok, enough about how scatterbrained I am! I did enjoy this book, once I got going and got hooked. Once I got into the groove of the way things were going to work, that this wasn't really a romance at all but, instead, self examination and self improvement for the future, to avoid making the same mistakes again, I was all in. I like smart, relatable people and I do think both Layla and Josh are smart, relatable, and likeable. I wanted what was best for them and what was best for each of them might not include the other, forever or for long. I like how Layla works her way back to what she always wanted to do but also realizes that the more she wants now can include what she already has. Josh knows what he doesn't want anymore, even if he isn't sure what he does want, other than his daughter in his life, as much as possible. I ended up really enjoying the book and a plus is a cute dog named Norton.

Thank you to St. Martin's Press and NetGalley for this ARC.

Layla is an elementary school music teacher, still recovering from her divorce a year ago. Before her marriage, she was an aspiring singer in a local band, but those dreams went by the wayside. Josh is a soon-to-be divorced single dad with a daughter at Layla's school. His marriage to his high school sweetheart has fallen apart and he's struggling to find his way. The two become "friends with potential" but is it too soon for both of them?

This is a sweet love story of two people who are not sure where they are headed, mostly because they aren't sure who they are now without their marriages. I am a HUGE fan of The Girl He Used to Know and this book did not disappoint. The two POVs were well done and I liked the flashbacks for providing history. It must have been an enormous task to write a background of not one, but TWO, marriages, but it was so necessary so we could see where Layla and Josh were coming from.

Overall, an excellent book that was exactly what I needed to read right now.

I received this from NetGalley and St. Martin's Press in exchange for an honest review.

Available November 2, 2021

First off, this cover gave me all the feels. I wondered how much I loved the cover would leave me disappointed in the book itself. But it did not. The book, too, gave me all the feels!

It was simple enough of a love story. But also that’s what made it so relatable. Two very relatable people with broken relationships and broken hearts. I actually really liked them both from the beginning. Josh’s venture into online dating actually made me laugh out loud. And I loved how music was weaved through the story, from the title to the prose to the beginning, middle and end. It made the romance not the only main focus, which I always appreciate in love stories. Gives them more depth. I would definitely recommend this one!

Having enjoyed 2 of the author's previous works, I was excited to dive into this one. Her writing and plots remind me of Colleen Hoover or very early Taylor Jenkins Reid novels. She writes stories about relationships, the good and messy, from both points of view, that lend a realness to her characters. This is no exception, and though it may not be one of my favorite of hers, it is a solid example. Many thanks to the author, publisher and Net Galley for the chance to read in exchange for my opinion.

Well, not my first Tracey book, however, after reading 4 now sadly it will be my last.

This one started out slow and stayed that way. I felt no connection to the characters. There was so much time in memories of why both characters marriage failed, it just felt cold. The memories went on forever, and I felt in the grand scheme of things held no bearing on the story. They married it didn't work, move on.

Layla, and Josh I'm sorry we're just boring people. I never felt thier love for another. The story to me wasn't even a romance. It was two people trying yo move on while living in the past. They only finally moved on 5 chapters from the end.

I know this one has som great reviews, but it was not for me. I must be on the out for this book. I was just bored throughout and it was a struggle to finish.

Heard It in a Love Song was a good read by Tracey Garvis Graves. Layla Hilding is struggling to break free from the past. She is thirty five and recently divorced. She was the lead singer in a band and spent ten years in a marriage with someone who never put her first. She meets Josh, a single dad who's daughter attends the school she teaches music. I really enjoyed reading this book and can't wait to read more by the author.

I loved The Girl He Used to Know so I was excited to receive the arc (thank you netgalley) for Heard It In a Love Song. Unfortunately, this story fell flat for me. I felt it was predictable and the characters were one dimensional. I did enjoy the multiple perspectives as it's rare to read the male's side in a love story. Even though it wasn't my favorite book, I did keep reading to confirm my predictions about whether Layla and Josh end up together.

Josh and Layla thought they had found their soulmates but fate had something else in store. Both are going through a divorce and trying to find themselves but with divorce brings complications of exes and a child. Layla and Josh decide to give it a go to see if they could be happy after divorce but it might just be too soon for both of them.

This was okay for me…I really enjoyed The Girl He Used to Know so my expectations were pretty high. I liked the characters and the story..it just didn’t grab me the same. 3.75⭐️

I was provided this book for free in exchange for my honest review.

Thank you to St Martins Press for a gifted copy of this book. All opinions are my own.

First, I would say this one is more women's fiction than romance. It largely focuses on self growth, finding one's passion and second chances. Layla and Josh are older and more mature so there is no crazy over the top conflict you often see in a romance. If you enjoy TJ Reid, I think you will enjoy this one a lot!

Layla and Josh are two lonely people trying to get through life after their divorces. Layla is a music teacher at an elementary school. Josh's daughter Sasha is a student in Layla's class. As Josh and Layla meet and become friends, you can see they are perfect for each other. I loved the characters and the dual time lines in this book. I loved watching Layla and Josh learn to live life again even though it is different than what they thought it would be. I received an advanced readers copy and all opinions are my own.

What a beautifully written story of two people processing the loss of their marriage and what moving forward looks like.

Layla was certainly the type of heroine that many will be able to relate to. The problems within her marriage were those that are shared among many others. Her journey to rise up and find out who she truly is, and what she wants, was filled with growing pains as she struggled with every step forward. I found her to be extremely likeable.

Josh was in a situation that had me wondering how it was all going to work out. There is definitely a sense that anything could happen between him and his wife. This author does not allow him to take the easy way out nor was he created in a way that’s commonly found among romance heroes. Yes, I liked him, but I was constantly on edge regarding how this was all going to turn out.

The main bulk of this story consists of back-flashes that reveal the relationship Layla and Josh had with their spouses. It highlights all the good, the bad and the ugly before moving this couple into the here and now and their own build up into a new relationship. There isn’t a lot of time spent on this development but it was written in a way that it felt organic when they finally took a serious step forward.

Definitely a book that’s light on romance and heavy on emotion.

Tracey Garvis Graves is one of those authors I will follow anywhere. She has a knack for creating worlds out of "normal people" that seem so real to the reader. This is why Heard It In A Love Song was one of my most anticipated reads for the second half of 2021. Unfortunately, the book didn't wow me like I wanted. Not to say it wasn't good, it just wasn't what I expected. The writing was beautiful and the way she took 2 characters going through divorces and made them 2 very different situations was completely realistic.

Josh is a single dad and has been with his soon to be ex-wife, Kimmy since high school. They were each other's first loves. They grew up together and figured themselves out together as they grew into adulthood. But in the middle of everything, they lost sight of being a couple and making one another happy like 'in the beginning'. Meanwhile, Layla is a music teacher at the school where Josh's daughter, Sasha attends. Her divorce from her ex husband, Liam is very different than Josh's. She changed her life for a man that she thought she loved, but for him it was always about money and appearances. For Layla, it was about music and happiness. I liked that Ms Garvis Graves didn't have young and rich characters, but 2 people that had been through life and were trying to navigate a new stage in their 30's. It made their journey and their stories more real and raw.

"...Because as women, when we start hiding our truth from other people, especially the people who should be aware of it the most, that's when we give them the power to diminish it."

This book wasn't so much of a love story, but more of a journey to figure out life and what people want out of life post-divorce. And for that aspect, it succeeded in what it set out to do. As for the romance between Josh and Layla? That was the part that kind of confused me. Because this story focused a great deal on their pasts and didn't allow me to feel their connection to one another in the present fully. The story is told in alternating chapters from Layla and Josh's point of views. But within those chapters, we get a lot of their pasts with their ex spouses along with some of the present. It seemed like we focused on too much of the past with their past partners and that part kept pulling me out of the present and out of the story developing between Layla and Josh. I wanted to see them together discovering themselves as new individuals and as a couple. I didn't need the past to see them succeed in a new relationship.

With all that said, I still liked this book, but not as a romance. It was a journey in self discovery. The characters were real and their situations were realistic. I enjoyed having the characters going through different divorces and being friends first before deciding on anything romantic. While it's not my favorite from this author, I am definitely looking forward to what she releases next. 3+ stars

I really enjoyed this story and the slow evolution of the characters growth - for both of the main characters.

The idea of this book was great, I love that the author was actually basing her story all around music, as a huge fan of music I was eager to read more into this story, I felt like there was something missing a little bit of more depth or more profound things around the music maybe a little more background but in general, the book was good. I really enjoyed and I felt like it was good to spend this summer reading this story.

still, I feel like something was missing but even though I felt like that I was really immersed in the characters and the story.

Layla is searching for herself, she is recently divorced and she is only dedicated to her music, different circumstances bring to her dors step a good samaritan or friend or neighbor that eventually bring so much joy to her life, one of the best characters of this book was Sasha I really enjoy her so much, she made laugh and cry but she was the best.

Josh is a single guy with a daughter that will melt your heart, he is kind and awesome someone perfects to be in Layla's life.

some of the situations really made me feel like I was about to see some jealousy rampage from Josh ex
but I'm so glad the author didn't go through that drama root.

overall it was a good summer read.

As a huge fan of On the Island, I jumped at the opportunity of reading Heard It in a Love Song.

Layla is a thirty-five-old woman recently divorced. She is still healing, her divorce took a toll on her. Her ex-husband never supported her dream of becoming a professional singer so for all the years they were married, she had to give it up. Now, she has decided to sing for herself. She changes her basement and makes it her studio. A place where she can play her guitar and sing her music without a disapproving glance or an explanation needed.

Josh is an electrician. He recently separated from his high school sweetheart. He is in his 40s and has a daughter who is going to kindergarten. Josh shares custody and loves the time he spends with her. Yet, his free time is another matter. He would like to have someone he can share things with.

Layla works at the school. She is the music teacher. She's also at the receiving end of drop-off time at school. Here is where she starts interacting with Josh when he drops his daughter every morning. Soon thereafter, a friendship with potential ensues.

I liked the story. It's more about realizing what your dreams are and resuming them. It's also about moving forward after a failed relationship and rediscovering who you are on your own. Learning to enjoy the time alone.

I wouldn't call this a romance per se since I felt the romance was secondary at times. Both Layla and Josh were cautious despite their attraction. They knew they wanted to avoid making a mistake in their new relationship. I liked their growth from strangers to friends to something more.

This was a buddy-read with my friend, Jayme.

Cliffhanger: No

4/5 Fangs

A complimentary copy was provided by St. Martin's Press via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.