This book is sooooo nice! I loved it so much! I smiled the whole way through - well, at least till the complications part 3/4th of the way through. But, all's well that ends well. <3

Billy Perkins is a nice guy. And, usually nice guys finish last. But, not this time. :)

The reality is, this book is a love story, but not between Billy Perkins and Margot Hammer. It's a love story to Baltimore. I've been to Baltimore, but I've never really seen Baltimore. Matthew Norman shows the beautiful side of his city.

Thank you so much to Random House/Ballantine and NetGalley for the digital ARC in return for an honest review. .

Thank you to NetGalley, Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine and the author for the digital copy in exchange for my honest review.

This book was like a mash-up of Notting Hill and High Fidelity. Billy Perkins, an average piano teacher and single dad from Baltimore, comes face-to-face with his youthful celebrity crush: Margot Hammer, a former rock star/drummer turned recluse. After the most adorable meet-cute, both Billy and Margot soon realize that maybe they could make more than beautiful music together.

I loved the relationship dynamics between all of the characters. We get to see multiple points of view that give the book more depth than the average rom-com. I loved that this was a mature romance between two forty-somethings. So many rom-coms deal with new adults and it’s a nice change of pace to see two people my age - with baggage and experience - find love. There were so many funny moments that made me smile and laugh.

I was born and raised in the Riverside/South Baltimore area so this book really made me nostalgic for my childhood. Not just the musical references but the odes to the city and its culture. It’s like a love note to Baltimore as well as a romance. It really brought the “charm” to Charm City. Don’t think I didn’t notice the cover with its Maryland flag colors…

Were there cheesy, corny moments? Yes. But in the words of Iris from The Holiday, “I like corny. I’m looking for corny in my life.”

If you’re looking for a feel-good romantic comedy, this simply rocks.

4.5/5 stars

A rocking rom-com written with Xennials in mind. Notting Hill meets Daisy Jones & The Six is a decent point of reference, but not perfect. There is something really unique about this story. I love that the characters are mid-lifers, I loved the supporting cast, I loved that Baltimore is kind of its own character, I love that the woman is the celebrity in the pairing, and the meet-cute is priceless. Really enjoyed this one. Felt more like a wannabe screenplay than a book, but I'm not mad about it. This was fun to read, and I would enjoy seeing it as a movie.

This would be a great vacation or beach reach this summer.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the eARC, in exchange for this honest review.

LOVED this novel! Billy is a 40ish piano teacher in Baltimore who gets a funny meet cute with his long ago celebrity crush Margot, who used to be the drummer of a super famous all women rock band but has been living a somewhat reclusive life since the band broke up. Told from both Billy and Margot’s perspectives, along with the perspectives of Billy’s ex Robyn, their 18 year old son Caleb, and Margot’s famous actor ex Lawson, this book is not just a great romance book but also a family drama, a book about music and fame, a funny and quirky character book, and a love letter to the city of Baltimore. And I loved every minute of it!

I’m a big fan of Matthew Norman - I’ve read three of his four past books and loved them all, and he’s one of my husband’s favorite writers as well. I always describe his books by saying he writes the male version of contemporary women’s fiction, like authors like Jonathan Tropper, Nick Hornby, and Tom Perrotta. But this one just might be his best book yet, and though I’m always recommending his books to people, I hope this one is his big breakthrough to more readers!

And it blows my mind that a man wrote one of my favorite romances of the year so far! With it’s awesome celebrity romance of mature characters, it’s not unlike last summer’s Nora Goes Off Script, so if you loved that one, definitely add this to your list! But like I said above, there’s so much more to this book than romance as well, and all told with lots of humor and heart. A perfect summer read!

4.5 stars

This is the first book I've read by Matthew Norman and it was incredibly charming. Not only was it an adorable love story, but the relationships among everyone in the story were done wonderfully. Living in Maryland, I loved that it took place in Baltimore and all the references to the city were an added bonus!

(𝘛𝘩𝘢𝘯𝘬𝘴 𝘵𝘰 @𝘧𝘭𝘢𝘵𝘪𝘳𝘰𝘯𝘣𝘰𝘰𝘬𝘴 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘴 #𝘨𝘪𝘧𝘵𝘦𝘥 𝘣𝘰𝘰𝘬.) Over the years, after loving his books, Matthew Norman has become an autobuy author for me. He can be relied on to deliver a fun, smart, charming story, always perfect for summer reading. 𝗖𝗛𝗔𝗥𝗠 𝗖𝗜𝗧𝗬 𝗥𝗢𝗖𝗞𝗦 was no exception. ⁣
⁣
This is a quirky story about single dad Billy and the rock star crush of his youth, Margot Hammer. He’s happy, has a full life, but is a little lonely and his teenage son is worried that will only get worse when he leaves for college in the fall. Margot’s been a recluse for many years, misses music terribly, but can’t bring herself to admit it. Enter some meddling by well meaning folks and the paths of these two cross.⁣
⁣
There’s much more to the story including exes, co-dads, managers, a pretzel salesman, a basketball star and a very special grand piano. Plus, Charm City itself (Baltimore) has its own role. This book was such a breeze to read and had so many truly likable characters that I think throughout there was a smile on my face. It’s a perfect summer read whether at the beach, on a plane or in your own backyard, so if you’re on the hunt for fun, pick up 𝘊𝘩𝘢𝘳𝘮 𝘊𝘪𝘵𝘺 𝘙𝘰𝘤𝘬𝘴 and enjoy! ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Thank you Netgalley and Random House for access to this arc.

I’ll say straight off the bat that there is a romance in the book but I don’t see this as the main focus of the sometimes sprawling novel. There’s a lot more going on than I have mentioned. Caleb’s mom and her husband are having marital issues, Billy is missing the vibrant neighborhood he lived in before being ousted from his apartment for a coffee shop, Margot’s relationship with her ex-bandmates ended badly for Reasons one of which is her charismatic ex-husband who now regrets the woman he let get away. “Charm City Rocks” is more contemporary fiction than a romance.

The writing style is easy to sink into and I’d find myself 70-90 pages further along each time I put my ereader down.There are some things that happen along the way here that I kind of guessed how they’d play out (pun not really intended). These things were also fairly obviously included in order for the MCs to have learning experiences to help them decide what is or is not important to them. As I liked spending time with these characters, I ended up not minding as much as I would have otherwise.

I loved seeing the City of Baltimore shine and not be as “grim” as the visitors were expecting. In a book of a totally different genre I recently read, the author says that Baltimore is a mid sized city that feels cozy – or something near to that and that comes through in this book. The city is almost a character in the book at times. I also adore the relationship between Caleb and his parents. They might not have been able to make their relationship work but they’ve raised a great son – helped along by Billy’s “Dad’s Lessons in Art and Manhood” by which he tries to impart life lessons to Caleb so he won’t suck as a man and a human being. Caleb, his friends, and Margot’s daughter Poppy might look puzzled about some things and people their parents know but yay for the older relationships and MCs here. Billy and Margot, Robyn and Aaron, and Lawson are all in their mid forties. And though there are some famous characters in it, this is very much about ordinary people just living their lives.

“Charm City Rocks” is fun, funny, thoughtful, and maybe a little “you just have to go with it” (especially the scenes with Lawson) that flows along to an open ending that I found satisfying. I think it’s a wonderful beach/plane read and I mean that in the best sense of the phrase. B

I completely enjoyed this one from start to finish. If you like books about
•Single Dads
• Dual Pov
•Celebrities
•Second Chances
• Feel Good Romances
Then you will enjoy this book too!

This book was very charming. :-) I could totally see it playing out on the big screen or TV. It's a great romcom. Iff you've ever wondered what would happen if you met your celebrity crush, this one is for you. I enjoyed all of the characters. Billy and Margot are great leads but the side characters are just as fun.

Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for advanced copy, and I leave my review freely

Charm City Rocks by Matthew Norman was a big unexpected hit for me, I loved that this was a romance/rom com with a lot of common tropes but was also a little different with the male MC perspective being strong and really engaging. I was cheering for Billy, the cardigan piano guy the whole time but also for Margot, for her fierceness and pain and talent. I love a romance when I like each character as individuals, feel they have their own story and identity, and find each other in a way that is cute but also filled with more than lust but actual adult appreciation for each person and their lives/talents. I personally loved the music themes as well and even as the story was a bit predictable, it was predictable in a well cozy cardigan way, which was fine with me. Endearingly engaging, a great summer read... pick it up for your beach bag, for airport layovers/flights, and be ready for a smile.
Thank you to Random House for this delightful treat of a book!

Charm City Rocks by Matthew Norman is a 90s rom-com movie in a book. I started and couldn't stop. A romance based in Baltimore was a first for me. I don't know how to describe this book other than FUN! I recommend this book for something different and unexpected.

If you liked daisy jones then I think you will enjoy this book as well! What a fun book! The characters were likable and it was a very fun read!

I was totally surprised by how much I adored Charm City Rocks. I found myself laughing out loud SEVERAL times. The dialogue was very sharp and witty. I also really loved all the characters relationships with one another, especially Caleb and his dad. It was very heartwarming. I started this book early in the morning while my husband was still sleeping and spent the rest of the afternoon reading this book- I HAD to know how this book was going to end before I put it down. It was perfect.

Matthew Norman can do no wrong in his novels for me. Seriously, I have enjoyed everything he has written, and Charm City Rocks is no different. It is a wonderful love letter to the city of Baltimore and to 90s girl bands. Most of all it's about family, love and figuring out that sometimes you have to push yourself out of your comfort zone to live. I adored Billy, Cay and Margot; I mean you can't help yourself. The secondary cast of characters are wonderful and key to telling the story as well.

I really liked this book. It took a little bit to get into but once the story began to flow I had a hard time putting it down. I like how well all the characters were fleshed out and we are thrust into their lives and struggles. I was really invested in the characters and thought it was a nice read. It felt realistic and held my attention throughout the story. Definitely worth checking out.

Thanks to NetGalley and the Publisher for the ARC.

It's like a 90s rom-com movie, almost too spot on for one. I started and couldn't stop, enjoyed every second of it. Who knew a romance based in Baltimore would be one of my favorites of the year so far.

Charm City Rocks has that music store vibe that we love from High Fidelity and Empire Records. While not technically set in a record shop, the main character Billy lives above one in Baltimore where he teaches music lessons and lives a "happy" and fulfilled life. It isn't until his teenage son meddles in his love life that Billy realizes he isn't really living for himself.

This is a really cute love story about second chances and taking risks at a later stage in life. It is about accepting the past and learning to grow from your previous relationships while not letting them hold you back. It is about aging gracefully while still trying new things.

I think this book is a lovely romantic comedy for lovers of Rock N Roll! But there is something in here for everyone of all ages. Highly recommend for a fun summer read!

This was absolutely FUN. A mature adult, meet-cute, rom-com! Billy is a single dad that lives above a record store in Baltimore, and gives piano lessons. He's living a mostly happy life. He has a high school son, Caleb, who will be heading off to college. Billy has always had a crush on Margot Hunt, the drummer of one of his favorite rock bands, Burnt Flowers. Margot Hunt on the other hand has been living a more solitary, recluse life in NYC since her band broke up. Caleb thinks that he may have a way for his dad and Margot to actually meet and he sets it in motion. Can these two people become a thing?? Well I highly suggest you pick this up to find out, because you won't be sorry. This is a perfect book for summer. Completely entertaining, light, and adorable! Full of great characters and the setting at the record store was so great!

Out June 6.

Thank you to the publisher and netgalley for the gifted copy. All opinions are my own. My review will be posted on Instagram, Bookbub, Goodreads, and Amazon.

This book made me very happy. I loved all the references to the music of my twenties and the evident research that went into writing this book about someone who loves music, as Billy did. Billy was and is a nice man. He's cool, even though he would never admit it. He's one of those guys who hangs back, is not loud, and is the quietly cool people are drawn to. His story of meeting his rock and roll crush, Margo, is a fun tale that draws you in and settles you in to enjoy it like listening to both sides of your favorite album (that would be on vinyl) in one sitting. I thought this was a light-hearted book that kept things moving. Even when there was drama (or angst), it was handled without drawing out the blech.

Billy and Margot were so perfectly suited for each other. He was the perfect cardigan for her sharper edges and warmed her up to the world she had kept at a distance for a long time. Her daughter Poppy (who was an outstanding secondary character) was honest and backed her mom 1000%. She could see Billy's positive effect on her mom, which obviously made Poppy very happy. All the characters in the book played their part well and made the whole story just a fun, enjoyable read. If I have one complaint about the book, it would be I wanted more to the ending, but that is the romance reader in me talking. It did not stop me from finishing this book with a smile and knowing it was time well spent.

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for this ARC! Not to be punny, but this book was charming. It is a love letter to Baltimore and love story all wrapped into one. The jumping of perspective between all of the main characters gave me a touch of whiplash, but it was nice to see all of their perspectives. Parts of it also felt like a late-season sitcom where anyone that can show up does or any coupling can happen. But it all worked! This is just a book filled with (mostly) nice characters and is a delightful page turner.