I love a second chance romance, and I always love a small town romance as well, so this book sounded perfect for me. And while it is a cute book with a great cast of secondary characters, I felt like there was something missing from it for me to truly enjoy it.

I understand that Sandy was doing everything to protect her own heart and push those who love her away, but it made me feel like she was kind of immature that she kept doing these things even though she knew she shouldn't. I really liked Hank and I felt like Sandy didn't deserve him because he was such a great guy and father who kept trying to prove to her that he was all in and she was finding every way to sabotage it. I would've liked if the chapters alternated perspectives between Sandy and Hank, I think it definitely would've helped having Hank's thoughts on both the past and present day storylines and maybe would've showed Sandy in a different light.

Despite my issues with Sandy, there were things I did enjoy and I thought the ending was fitting for the journey the characters were on.

A cute second chance romance, I really liked this one! I kind of understood why Sandy felt so hesitant in falling in love again with her first love whose returned, Hank, being a small town girlie myself, but I found that there was a lot that I liked about this book! Besides the small town feel, I loved the characters and their friendships with one another, I thought Honey was such a funny character, and I thought the romance was really sweet and overall, the story felt easy to read.

I was looking forward to this one as I very much enjoy country music and haven’t read many books where it is included. The blurb also sounded quite sweet with the second-chance romance and I couldn’t say no to that. Although there were some aspects I did enjoy about this book, it was all bogged down with the way the story is told and I just couldn’t feel anything for the characters or the plot.

The book is told from a dual timeline all being told by Sandy. She happens to run into her ex-boyfriend from high school and she still can’t help but feel some way towards him after so many years apart. I’m not going to lie, her name made me think of the movie Grease, especially because her friend does hair haha. I did think that her reactions to life, staying in the same place your whole life, was valid and can’t definitely understand why she envies those who has move on.

The second timeline mostly deals with interactions between her and Hank. It’s basically scenes that help draw a picture of what their relationship started as to the present timeline. Although I would usually like something like this, it just didn’t work for me. I felt it was more telling than showing and it never gave me a connection to their relationship. Sure, their were sweet moments, but not enough to convince me that their relationship was the bees knees. I think that the dual timeline kind of took away from the present and I would have liked them talking about what happened in the past to have been in the present. Also, Hank just felt too perfect. Not my thing.

I was here for all of the classic country songs though!

Overall, this was okay but not what I expected from the blurb and I just wasn’t feeling the dual timeline.

Thank you to Berkley Publishing Group and NetGalley for the advanced readers copy. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Just Another Love Song is a sweet, feel good second chance romance.

Sandy and Hank were high school sweethearts in the small town of Baileyville, Ohio. It's a town where everyone knows everyone else and news travels fast. Hank went off to college and Sandy stayed in town. She broke up with him as she felt she would only hold him back from pursuing his dreams and she wouldn't be leaving their small town.

This is told in past and present in the beginning, so we get to see Hank and Sandy in high school. He's back in town fifteen years later, divorced with a young son. He's still her only true love, but she tries to keep her distance from him. She knows he is only in town visiting his parents and she knows she's not leaving.

This is a pretty low angst, low conflict read. Hank is a pretty laidback guy for being a country music star. Most of the drama is coming from Sandy, but we only get her point of view. Her friendships and the townspeople were all so sweet. An enjoyable romance!

I enjoyed Winfrey’s YA books, but these days, I find myself looking forward to her adult romances. These books never fail to make me laugh, smile, and swoon, and Winfrey did it once again with Just Another Love Song.

Sandy had spent her years post-Hank building a life for herself in their hometown. She owned her own home and a successful business while also helping her parents with their B&B and being an active member of her community. She had it all except for when it came to her love life. Living in a small town, one quickly runs out of dating possibilities. Hank’s homecoming stirred up a lot of feelings for Sandy. Not only did she still carry a bit of flame for him, this event awakened those feeling of loss for the future she thought would be hers. This part of Sandy’s story tugged at my heartstrings. She really was a stupendous person with one of the biggest hearts. Easy to root for, I wanted her to have her cake and eat it too. This second chance was the stuff of my dreams, and it played out beautifully.

I liked that there were flashbacks which allowed me to see into Sandy and Hank’s past. It was precious watching them fall in love and painful living through their breakup. I won’t pretend that I didn’t hate the “why” of their breakup, but at least they were getting this second chance.

Though I can attribute a lot of this story’s charm to Sandy and Hank, I also have to give a nod to the fine citizens of Baileyville. Winfrey created a fantastic small town, a character in its own right, which was filled with wonderfully quirky characters and steadfast Sandy supporters. I spent a majority of this book laughing as it was jam packed with hilarious characters, snappy banter, and humorous moments. I also spent a lot of time smiling while my heart melted from all the warm and lovely moments I had the pleasure to experience.

I swear Kerry Winfrey’s romances never fail to make me grin and warm my heart. A second chance romance and a fabulous town filled with memorable characters made this a hit for me.

Just Another Love Song is the first book I've read by Kerry Winfrey. I was drawn to it by the blurb and positive reviews. A second chance romance between high school sweethearts who broke up when one left town to follow their country music dreams sounded right up my alley. After reading this book, I have to admit it was and wasn't my thing. 

I was happy to find that I was immediately pulled into the story by Winfrey's writing. It was smooth and engaging. (I even highlighted a couple of quotes that made me laugh.) The small town of Baileyville came to life in the best of ways. The imagery was so vivid that I could imagine myself smack dab in the middle of it. I adored the characters who lived in Baileyville. They added some hilarious moments to the story. I especially enjoyed "Burger", Ed, and Shelby. Sandy's relationship with her best friend Honey and her husband Brian was priceless. It was easy to understand how Sandy both loved and hated living in Baileyville. 

Despite enjoying so much of this book, there were some things about it that bothered me. I wasn't a fan of all of the flashbacks. They were an interruption and only added a tiny bit of value for me. I would have rather had a prologue. I also wasn't a big fan of Sandy's at times. She kept going on about her job keeping her in Baileyville and saying she was happy but not really being happy with how life turned out for her. She was stuck and she wouldn't admit it to herself or anyone else, but they knew. It was hard to feel bad for her when she had a big part in creating her own situation. I liked Hank, but I didn't love him because I didn't really get to know him other than Sandy's memories or interactions with him. I wish he would have had a POV.  

I don't normally comment on character name choices, but Sandy and Hank felt like outdated names for 33 year olds who would have been born around 1989/1990. All of the other names fit the time period, but those two stuck out like a sore thumb to me. Sandy more so than Hank. I guess what I'm saying is that it made me feel like I was reading about 63 year olds instead of 33 year olds. There was also some stuff with cell phones that didn't line up for the timeline. This is very nitpicky, so I am not including it in my rating of this book. I just thought I would point it out.

Overall, this was a good read. The writing was great, and the town/people helped bring the story to life. I'm glad Sandy finally got her HEA and can stop feeling like she missed out on life and Hank.

Sandy and Hank were high school sweethearts that went separate ways after graduation. Hank made it big in the Country Music world and Sandy stayed in their small town and cut out a niche for herself there.

When Hank comes back to their small town 15 years later to visit family and perform at their local fair, sparks still seem to fly. But can they make something work this time?

It was a cute summer read. I loved the small town characters; especially Sandy’s best friend Honey. She’s definitely the kind of best friend every girl deserves. And other quirky characters like Hotpants Ed and Burger just brought out that small town feel.

As for the main characters and their story: it was both rushed and not. The author gave us glimpses of their romance from the beginning by writing Sandy’s perspective in the past as well as present. So we saw her struggle, but never really got Hank’s perspective until the end. And since we only really got Sandy’s point of view, she made Hank seem a little too perfect.

It didn’t feel rushed in that it was a slow burn/ pining. But it felt rushed that their Happy Ever After was just there in the last few chapters. I mean, it’s great that they got together, but these two people had some things to figure out and it felt like it was just glossed over.

Overall, it was a quick and fun read and I give it 3.5 stars.

Special thanks to NetGalley and the publishers for releasing this arc to me in exchange for an honest review.

This was a sweet slow burn second chance small town romance that had some serious hallmark movie vibes. It was perfectly fine, but nothing stood out to me as amazing and the ending was way too rushed for my taste.

Just Another Love Song was a perfect feel-good, believe in love again. I loved the slow-burn and the second chance at love trope, which is not usually one I go for. I loved the characters and the setting. Baileyville reminded me of Stars Hollow from Gilmore Girls, one of my absolute favourite series. All in all, a brilliant read.

Thank you to Berkley Publishing Group and NetGalley for the advanced reader copy. These opinions are my own.

Sandy and her high school boyfriend, Hank, had big dreams about escaping Baileyville, Ohio to see the world and pursue their art. His dreams came true, as he became a well know singer. But she stayed behind. Fifteen years after their high school graduation, he is back in town.

This is a second chance romance that starts with dual timelines. It's first person from Sandy's perspective. I love that Sandy owns a garden shop and celebrates her independence as a small business owner and home owner.

This is a sweet romance. It's pretty low conflict and set in a lovely small town. The Baileyville Fair sounds like a great time. There's quite a soundtrack of songs mentioned throughout that made me nostalgic. It's a slow-paced, relaxing read.

Thank you Berkley Pub for a gifted copy of this book.

Kerry Winfrey keeps getting better and better! This is a sweet small town second chance romance that is filled with strong female friendship, low key drama and Amazing banter. The quips are on point! I binged it and wished there was more!

4.5 stars

This will undoubtedly be in my top book list this year! I love @kerrywinfrey witty banter and entertaining dialogue! Second chance romance tropes are quickly becoming my favorite, and throw in some high school romance, I’m sold! Then on top of all of that, it is based on my hometown and includes so many charming details! When she announced she would be writing this book, I preordered immediately and jumped at the chance to read and review it early thanks to @berkleyromance ! Having read all of Kerry’s book, I have to say this is my favorite. Her sense of humor is so on point and I found myself laughing and smiling throughout the book!
This book is going to be perfect for so many readers, it is not overly emotional which makes the book so much more enjoyable to me. The characters were so relatable and charming, I felt like we all could use a Honey in our lives! Hank, the love interest, is the ideal, perfect man. And while this love story is playing out, the MC, Sandy, is being forced to question her happiness and purpose in her small hometown.

I LOVED this book. This is my favorite from this author so far. I love the small town charm and the second chance romance, and especially the musician love interest! Literally all my favorite things. Can't wait to buy a copy of this for my shelf.

4.5 ⭐️

Growing up in small town Baileyville, high school sweethearts Hank and Sandy had big plans of leaving and pursuing their dreams—Hank with music and Sandy with art. But, when things didn’t work out as they planned, Sandy ends up staying in Baileyville, letting go of Hank instead of holding him back, and life continued on. 15 years later, Hank is back in Baileyville for a longer time, with his son Henry in tow. Working together for the town fair, could this be their second chance at love?

Ah! It’s been a minute since I’ve read a small town second chance romance that was just sweet and tasteful. I loved Hank. He was a total cinnamon roll, and the sacrifices Sandy made when they were younger made all the sense. I loved that the first half of the book had alternating timelines but the rest of the story was heavily focused on the present. Overall, I recommend to fans of LOVE AND OTHER WORDS, since it had similar vibes.

I love a small town romance, with an addition to a second chance romance, one of the best combinations. This was a sweet romance of realizing your true desires. While Sandy had to deal with a lot of issues after highschool, including breaking up with Hank, she really grew into such an amazing woman. Sandy had to deal with the feelings of not being adequate, being left behind, and wondering if she was really good enough for others. She found solitude in working hard, becoming a beloved member of her home town, and eventually she works on dealing with her past regrets. We don't get to know Hank as well in this book, but I still found him to be a sweet man who is always willingly to do things for other people. Sandy slowly realizes that while she felt rejected and left behind that Hank always loved and cared for her and never felt negatively for her. He waited for her til she was too late, but even then he never forgot her. I loved how they came together in the end, despite the ending being a little rushed back to the "I love you" when they hadn't spoken in so many years.

If small town romance is your thing, pick this one up. If it isn’t you thing (like me…it’s not my fav) STILL PICK IT UP!

This is a second chance romance full of humor and small town shenanigans that will leave you with the absolute biggest smile.

Sandy broke up with her one true love and high school boyfriend, Hank Tillman, when she realized she would have to stay behind in their hometown as he went off to college and to peruse his dream of becoming a musician. This shattered them both, forcing their lives onto paths they didn’t ever plan for. Fifteen years later, Sandy has made a comfortable life in Baileyville and Hank is back in town ready to upend it all. Oh, and this all coincides with their town’s biggest festival, forcing those two together to make the festival a success.

You know what this book gave me? Basically a season of Gilmore Girls where we only got the best parts of Lorelai Gilmore’s romances, the best of Lorelai and Sookie’s friendship, and the best of Taylor Doosey/Town Troubadour/Babette/Kirk. It was everything we LOVED about that show without all the crap we hated. The exact feeling I have when I would watch Lorelai walk through the town square to the calming “dah da dah da da das” of the soundtrack were the EXACT same calming feelings of nostalgia I had while reading this book. And the laughs? The banter? The whit? THE SWOONING?! Gosh it’s almost too perfect.

I absolutely loved this one and highly recommend it!

Another one of Kerry Winfeld books hits the heart. What a wonderful story about a young girl, Sandy, who makes a decision to let go her one true love which changes the course of her life in small town Baileyville. Her true love, Hank returns to the town 15 years later with his young son and Sandy must face her fears by accepting that her life is not all she believed it to be; she missed Hank and wants him back. With quick witty banter, Kerry Winfeld spins a story of friendship and love in a small Ohio town that touches my heart and brings a smile to my face throughout the entire book.

Thank you Netgalley and Berkeley for the advanced copy

JUST ANOTHER LOVE SONG was an engaging contemporary romance with moments of laugh-out-loud humor.

Sandy Macintosh and Hank Tillman had a sweet high school romance. They both had plans to leave Baileyville and make their marks on the larger world. Sandy had her art and Hank had his music. But when finances kept Sandy at home, she broke up with Hank so that she wouldn't hold him back. Her break-up broke both their hearts and threw Sandy into depression.

Encouraged by her friends, she came out of it determined to make a happy life for herself in Baileyville. She owns a successful greenhouse, helps her parents with their B&B, and volunteers for just about everything in town. She tries to convince herself that she's happy, but still loves Hank.

Hank, who went off to build his music career, has married, divorced and has a young son. He is also a successful musician. Now, he's come back home, ostensibly so that his son can spend time with his parents, but he also wants to see if he can rebuild his relationship with Sandy.

The story was filled with Sandy's reticence to risk her heart and Hank's persistence. There were lots of funny moments and some that were quite emotional and touching.

Fans of contemporary romance with enjoy this wonderful story.

A cute romcom with second-chance lovers. If you like second chance romance, high school sweethearts, and county music, there is a good chance you'll enjoy this book. Unforntually, I never really connected with the characters, and it fell flat for me. But I think it would be great for another reader.

I absolutely adore Kerry Winfrey as a person and as an author. She has such a distinctive sense of humor and detail. I really loved the way this book's dual timeline told the story of Sandy and Hank. I also loved how it was part small-town, part celeb romance due to Hank's success. Kerry's characters are so authentic and heartfelt. I am always here to read another one of her books!