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.

Narration review

I was really impressed with the audiobook. I found it as enjoyable as the print version. The only thing I would have liked to be different is to have two narrators. Someone male for Josh’s point of view. I’ve just always preferred that when it comes to two points of view. However Andi Arndt does a great job doing both and it definitely didn’t lower my rating of the narration.

I enjoyed this book. I have read others by Tracey Garvis Graves, and while this one was good it was not my favorite. It was predictable, but an easy listen. Good to get away from real life.

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.

Ohh how I wanted to love this book. I adored the authors previous book so I had high expectations. The tone of the book is a retrospective one. You get flashes of both Layla’s and Josh’s life as they come together. It’s a quiet story and did keep my attention (most of the time). I just feel like it doesn’t have any staying power at all. This story and these characters will soon be forgotten. I’ll definitely give the author another chance but this was a miss for me.

This was a slow-burn romance between two individuals who are struggling through their lives. Layla was married for years to a man who never put her first at anything. She left her music career when she was married but now she teaches music at school and is starting to take back her life. Josh is a single dad and lives for his daughter and when he meets her teacher at drop off he is floored. They find themselves circling each other and soon they are interacting more than just at school. These two were something special and add in Josh's daughter and they made a great trio. It was great to see Layla embrace getting her music back, the feelings came across with the writing. Definitely a recommendation from me.

**Received this ARC for review in audio from the publisher via NetGalley**

I chose this book based on the cover mainly, but also because I found the description interesting. And the book was interesting. The storyline worked and it was sweet enough. It wasn't the story of a whirlwind romance, but something much more mature than that. It was sweet and slow and cautious. In other words, it was very true to the experience of many thirty-something people who are post-divorce, with children and/or baggage.

So, yes, the story was fine, but fine is the best I can say about it. The story was pleasant, the characters were relatable, the relationships were harmonious. Nice, but not always compelling. Similarly, the reading in the audiobook is okay - in fact, in some parts I really enjoyed it - however, the variety of character voices was a bit much.

This is a fast and easy read. The story flips back and forth, and sometimes it was confusing. Basically the flip is pre- and post-divorce.

I had the audiobook, and the narrator was really good.

There is the filth profanity and using God vulgarly as well. If it were not for those foolish rants this would have been a nice transition for a preteen.

The story is simple and not memorable. Three stars is generous given there was no need for the swearing.

Thank you NetGalley for accepting my request to read and review this book.

#NetGalley
#NarratorAndiArndt
#TraceyGarvisGraves
#MacmillanAudio
#StMartinsPress
#WomensFiction

I enjoyed this book.  Layla’s character is well developed and interesting.  Her music career is told in a series of reflections which were well presented and integrated well into the storyline.  I appreciated her focus shifting to self-care and her realization of the importance of performing to her sense of identity.

I loved the friendship that develops between Layla and Josh and cheered on the relationship as it moved to something more.  The two are each in their own transitional period after failed relationships and I appreciated the way the story presents this. The author does a great job of not rushing the relationship but developed it more naturally.

Heard It In A Love Song is a story about healing after a failed relationship, redefining one’s self, and moving on. It is an entertaining, engaging read and one I’ll be recommending to others.  I look forward to reading more books from this author.

I listened to the audiobook version of Heard It In A Love Song which was narrated by Andi Arndt.  Her pleasant tone, articulation and enthusiasm made for an excellent performance.  I would not hesitate to recommend this version of the book to those that appreciate this format.

Layla and Josh are both newly single and unsure about diving back into the dating scene. I enjoyed listening to this novel and and appreciated that it was not a rushed and dramatic romance, riddled with misunderstandings and heated exchanges but more of a slow-burn as they re-discovered who they were and what they wanted for their futures and from their relationships. .

I struggled a bit with the flashbacks (it was tough to keep track of which time they were in) but maybe this was a result of listening to it vs reading a hard copy and I did still enjoy the story.

Thank you to MacMillan Audio and NetGalley for allowing me to listen to a pre-release of this novel. My review is voluntary and all opinions are my own.

I’ll be honest, I read this book because of the cover. I’m not much of a romance reader, but this strikes me as a rarity within the genre. This story is a much more adult version of a romance. There are no over the top obstacles or cliched romantic rivals - just two people coming out of unhappy marriages and ready to start something new.

I was sent the audiobook and enjoyed listening while working, but I think I would have found it a little dull had I been reading a physical copy because not too much happens. The romance is sweet and I appreciated the storyline of Layla’s music career, but there just wasn’t enough to it to keep me fully invested.

I received the audio version of this book and I really enjoyed the narrator. Her voice made the characters come to life for me.

This book was not really a romance story, more like following the growth and changes in both a man and a woman as they each follow their own path during a divorce.

I will say that the back stories ended up being a bit overdone in my opinion, however, over all a nice read!

This cover is so perfect for fall! Thank you to Macmillan Audio and St. Martin's Press for my ALC on NetGalley!

Pub date: Nov 2

In one sentence: Music teacher Layla and single dad Josh are both recently divorced and trying to figure out what's next - is it too soon for them to fall in love?

I loved the author's previous book The Girl He Used to Know, and I'm a sucker for stories with musical elements, so I had to pick this one up. There's a trend of books that are not true romances, but more self-discovery stories with romantic elements. IMO this one falls squarely into that category. If you're looking for a true romance, you may be disappointed; this book doesn't suspend reality the way a lot of romances do. Instead, we get a deep look at Layla and Josh's pasts, what went wrong in their relationships, and the scars they carry today.

I enjoyed this story on audio - narrator Andi Arndt did a great job bringing the characters to life. It starts a little slow, but by 25% in I was invested. One thing to watch out for is the shifting timelines - the chapters aren't dated, so you have to pay attention to whether the action is happening in the past or the present.

This story reminded me a bit of The People We Keep in that it's not about the destination, but more about the characters and how they change along the way.

Review posted to Goodreads and Instagram on October 18th.

I received an ALC of this book from NetGalley.

I have mixed feelings about this book. I enjoyed the characters. I enjoyed the simplicity of the plot. Unlike a lot of romance novels, this was more of a love story with adult characters coming into themselves than a romance with tropes. That was something I appreciated SO much. I enjoyed the music aspect of the book as well. Some of the writing annoyed me though. The descriptions of physical appearances and clothing tended to be more like standard romance novels, which is also something that annoys me in romance novels. But it felt a little more out-of-place with a story that was a realistic love story of two people finding love after difficulty and working towards starting a relationship. It was the only aspect of this book that felt like a "romance". I think I would have LOVED this book as contemporary fiction if that had not been included though. In the end, this is still a great read and I do recommend it. 3.5 stars.

Thank you NetGalley for the opportunity to read this early.

This was my first Tracey Garvis Graves book and I was enthralled from the very beginning! I loved Layla so much and her story was amazing! Watching her heal and grow was so beautiful to watch! Then add Josh! I just loved Josh! I’m not one to post spoilers, but seeing him as a father was beautiful and then watching as he healed and grew and realized what he wanted was just amazing!

The only thing I had trouble with was the audiobook. I love audiobooks and listen to several throughout the year. This one had an echo at times that was distracting and it was hard to realize the breaks between past/present at times. I’ve never struggled with that before, but I would find myself realizing I was thinking this was present time - when in reality it was several years prior.

Heard It In A Love Song by Tracey Garvis Graves is a well-narrated audiobook. It's a character-driven story about finding your way back to love after having your heartbroken. Layla was in a marriage that ended and she's now just working on living her life on her terms. Enter Josh, a single dad who Layla gets to know through his daughter. The two navigate this new world of finding love the second time around. The narration was spot on with voices that didn't grate on your nerves. It was a pleasant listening experience. Read and enjoy!

Heard it in a Love Song is one of those books I would struggle to classify as a romance. It's almost like a coming of age story for adults. Layla and Josh are both recently divorced and not only do we get their present which is them becoming friends than very very slowly becoming more, we get their pasts as well.

I usually like having a characters backstory, but I wish so much of the book wouldn't have been flashbacks of Josh with his ex and Layla with her ex-husband. I could have cut that part in half, but that's just personal preference. By the time this couple was together I shouted finally!, then the book was pretty much over.

If you're looking for a story that's well written with a lot of character growth and finding yourself, this might be the perfect read for you! It wasn't exactly what I was looking for, but I still enjoyed it for the most part.

At our house, song lyrics and movie lines are sprinkled in with our dialog. There is always a song running through my head as I go about my day. Whenever I think of this book, I hum the title to the tune of "Love You Like a Love Song" by Selena Gomez & the Scene. Do you think I could get her to change her lyrics? Probably not. Anyway, this is not an exciting book. There are no care chases or mysteries to solve. Still I found it to be so enjoyable to spend time with the characters. I was hooked from the beginning. Who was Layla on stage with? What song were they singing? Why didn't she want to continue doing whatever she was doing? My format choice for this book was audiobook. I was hoping there might be some music bonus content. Unfortunately there was not. And as other reviewers have commented (like my GR friend MarilynW) it was a bit confusing at first as the characters were constantly reminiscing about the past. Sometimes I took me a minute or two to realize we were no longer in the present. In the print version I understand there are italics for those sections. Perhaps the audio version could have windchimes or some other sort of gentle sound to indicate the character's thoughts jumping to the past. Overall, I really liked the story and the way music especially brought Layla out of her shell. Josh sounds adorable as all get out. Love, love, love the cover.

Thank you to Macmillan Audio and NetGalley for a DRC in exchange for an honest review.

I adored The Girl He Used to Know and The Island and this was such a highly anticipated book for me! This is a sweet story about second chances, starting over, and finding yourself after being part of a relationship for years. This was compared to Daisy Jones and has a similar cover and blurb from TJR but I found the comparison to be nothing similar.

I read part of this in physical format and part through audio. I can't quite identify it, but something about the storytelling made it hard for me to connect to the story and characters. The flashbacks/italics, etc just felt a bit disjointed to me. I think I would have also preferred the flashbacks in separate chapters instead of woven into scenes in most chapters. It just didn't flow well for me. Once I switched to audio these issues didn't bother me and I was able to enjoy it much more.

Layla and Josh are both trying to move on with their lives. Both going through divorces they meet in the morning drop-off line as Josh's daughter goes to school where Layla teaches music.

When Josh's daughter invites Layla to dog-sit for their new-to-them elderly dog a friendship is forged. Their "relationship with potential" is a fun one to watch grow and develop. Their personal struggles with finding who they are after each losing a bit of themselves in their marriages is also an interesting read.

We take trips back with each of them as we see their past selves. We see their first marriage relationships form and learn how they fell back apart.

My one complaint on this book was that in listening to it the flashbacks were so sudden that sometimes it took me a minute to realize we had dipped back into Josh and Layla's memories. I'm not sure if they are marked in the book and it wasn't that big of a deal just something I needed to adjust to.

This was great! Fairly predictable but still fun with very likable characters you want to get their happy ending. I definitely recommend!