Hello, welcome to another review where I eat my words.
I am vocal about my distaste for third person narration in romance novels. This narrative often makes me feel removed from the character(s). I should have known that this wasn’t going to be an issue with Colton’s story, as it is a Jeff Zentner novel after all.

Jeff Zentner’s writing balances humor and heartfelt, creating such vivid characters and settings that you can smell, taste, hear, and see the words on the page. This story examines politics, cancel culture, second chances, and mental health in a beautiful, respectful way that I cannot imagine anybody finding fault.

THIS NOVEL, Y’ALL. I don’t think I can describe what this story did me. While reading this I could just imagine what a massive hit this novel could and should be. This is the 2024 release you do not want to miss! Colton’s story was made for the big screen, or better yet, a limited series.

I really enjoyed this story. I found it compelling, and didn't want to put it down. I hadn't read anything else by the author, so didn't know what to expect. His use of language was beautiful.

I enjoyed the characters, except for Colton's lapses into self-pity (one of my pet peeves). I enjoyed the way the author made a story that created meaningful links between the various "acts" of the MMC's life.

I found the ending somewhat disappointing, it wrapped up very quickly & then went to an epilogue that was a flashback instead of a flashforward.

I received this as a free advanced reader's copy from Net Galley, but these are my authentic opinions about the book.

Thank you to Netgalley and Grand Central Publishing for an eARC of this book!

This book is fantastic! It is full of classic Jeff Zentner charm and passion, making it an excellent adult debut. I think fans of The Seven Year Slip would LOVE this book! It has many similar themes, like deep topics, romance, switching time pov's, and cooking.

I will preface the rest of this review with the fact that I am not a country-music fan, but because I loved the author already and really wanted an ARC, I immediately went to request it from Netgalley. If you're looking at the cover and seeing how country this is, don't let that deter you from reading it! I didn't feel as if I was outside of any references.

The strength of this story is how deeply Jeff Zentner imbues important themes into his writing. He did this in The Serpent King, and he did it again here. This author doesn't shy away from the hard-hitting topics, and that is extremely admirable. Not only is it important in YA, it also is important in the adult genre!

Jeff Zentner is a top-tier author, and not only will I be interested in everything he writes, I can trust that it is richly filled with passion, perspective, and verve to talk about topics that might scare some people because of their controversy. And that is exactly the purpose behind literature!

This book showed how someone can breakdown after losing someone close to them and then going through changes to improve their life. I enjoyed this book.

This was something different from what I usually read, but I enjoyed this quite a bit! Jeff Zentner's writing voice is strong and descriptive, the plot of the three different acts felt pretty unique and interesting, and I wasn't cringed out by the way he wrote any of his female characters so that's a major plus. I hope he'll write more contemporary romance adjacent books, I'd be excited to see what he comes up with next!

I absolutely loved this book, but that wasn"t a surprise because I am a fan of Jeff Zentner, and how he writes. This is a story about second chances, and third chances, and reinventing one's life. To try again. It's the story of a boy and a girl who once loved each other, and maybe never stopped. After some bumps and bruises and missteps they're trying to figure out who they are to each other, and what they want from the lives they have lived, and sometimes chosen, but sometimes ended up with by default. The writing is rich and evocative; the story moves along at a steady pace until you are compelled to read until the end.

A crossover from his usual YA novels into a more "Adult" title, although there remains a good part of the book rooted in a high school romance. Colton Gentry has been a football star and lost his chance at college ball to an injury, an up-and-coming country music star who loses his contracts after a pro-gun control rant onstage, and now...what? He's lost his best friend in a mass shooting, his superstar wife to a hockey player, and he's a recovering alcoholic. He moves home to his mom's house and looks for a job despite his lack of marketable skills. Colton's "third act" comes in the form of food-a trendy new farm-to-table restaurant located in the unlikely spot of Venice, Kentucky. Turns out, he and the chef have personal history, and perhaps a future? A feel-good redemption romance, for fans of Nicholas Sparks or Hallmark movies, this book will bring the tears and the swooning! Also, bring your appetite for the most amazing Southern-inspired menus you've EVER read!

While I love Jeff Zentner’s YA novels, Colton Gentry’s Third Act didn’t pack the emotional punch that I’ve come to expect. This wasn’t a book that I feel compelled to read multiple times as I have with Zentner’s other works. It filled a Saturday afternoon, and I’m glad that I read it; however, I’ve come to expect more from Zentner.

First and foremost, I appreciate the publisher and Netgalley allowing the opportunity to read and review this book. I've enjoyed Jeff Zentner's writing in the past, and I was very curious to see where and how this new novel would go.

In a one-sentence synopsis: Colton Gentry loses his career to alcohol and tragedy only to find himself back home where he probably belonged in the first place.

There's trauma. There's drama. There's romance. There's redemption. There is also enough talk of fine dining and delicious foods, I might have gained a pound or two just reading about it.

The beauty of Jeff's writing is in the way he finds the most poignant, poetic way to describe to most mundane things. Which, in turn, makes you look up from the page and just reflect for a moment on all the things in life we take for granted. It's not a claustrophobic book. It isn't the heaviest subject matter. It's a dude just trying to fix what got broke.

I think any fan of Nicholas Sparks and/or romantic dramadies would find a place in their hearts and book shelves for Jeff's work.

Jeff Zentner is a familiar and well-loved name in the YA world, and it is good to see that he is growing up along with his readers, as well as attracting brand new ones, with his first book written for the adult market. We follow Colton Gentry, a musician, through three phases of his life -- his school years, his early years in the country music world, and the present. As the story begins, a mega-successful Colton is basically "cancelled" after an unfortunate incident at one of his concerts. He starts anew on the ground floor to rebuild his life. I think readers will get so wrapped up with this wonderful, real, relatable character and will not be able to put this book down.

When I first read the synopsis for Colton Gentry’s Third Act, I had to read it. This seemed like a romance with some real life substance to it.

Colton Gentry should be enjoying life. His music is on the radio, he’s married to a music star, and he’s currently on tour opening for a major country music artist. However, just a few weeks ago, his best friend was killed in a mass shooting at a country music festival. Drowning his grief in alcohol, he steps on stage and voices his opinions on guns. This leads to him being dropped by essentially everyone in his personal and professional career. Now, divorced, unemployed, and fresh out of rehab, Colton finds himself back in his hometown. When his old high school sweetheart gives him a job at her restaurant, Colton wonders if he can begin putting back the pieces of his life.

I think I had too high of hopes for this book. Based on the synopsis I expected the topic of gun violence and gun control to be more prevalent. Instead it’s just a hurdle that Colton encounters and eventually is no longer addressed. I probably wouldn’t have expected more had it not been in the synopsis and just discovered as I read. I enjoyed the occasional Nashville setting, living in the area now it was fun to see the little mentions of the town. Colton’s battle with alcoholism and sobriety was treated gently and with great support. The dialog could be clunky at times. I fully admit that I’m still getting used to the southern way of speaking. It could be totally authentic, but I struggled staying immersed, especially when Colton spoke. Luann was a very enjoyable character and I feel like I would’ve loved to hang out with her in high school. 2.5 stars rounded up.

Review will be posted to Goodreads 4/1/2024

“Sometimes, on the grand cosmic scale, the certainty of joy must outweigh the mere possibility of catastrophe.”

What a beautiful book. It was long enough that all of the characters were beautifully developed. The kind of book about fate and love where you find yourself pondering your own love story—how you ended up where you are right now, and where you might be twenty years in the future.

My first five star rating in months.

Everything Jeff Zentner writes is gold, and this switch from YA to adult is no different. He writes with such depth and emotion I immediately cared about Colton like he was someone I knew. Every time I had to stop reading, I thought about him and what would happen next.

Jeff Zentner's debut adult novel is a gorgeous mediation on grief, dreams, second (and third) and chances, and love. Colton's story is told with grace, charm, and a humor that often bubbled up and took me by surprise. I found myself homesick for places I haven't been, and hungry for a dozen dishes I'd love to try. Because yes: not only is Jeff Zentner a master storyteller and a talented poet -- he can also put together a menu like you wouldn't believe? So glad I was able to kick off 2024 reading Colton Gentry's Third Act -- out 4/30/24! Thanks to NetGalley for the opportunity.

As a long time fan of Jeff Zentner's YA novels, I was incredibly excited to hear he was releasing an adult novel. Hearing that this book would be focused on a country singer speaking out against guns, I knew I had to get my hands on it immediately. This book was everything I hoped for and more - I loved the main characters, the secondary characters, the pets... I truly hope Zentner will continue writing adult fiction.

Thank you to Grand Central for an advanced copy. All opinions are my own.

This book is an absolute gem! I don’t know if I want to characterize this as romance or literary fiction, but whatever it is, it’s like a warm hug. Colton Gentry has fallen on hard times after a loss and some personal choices. We get to see him hit rock bottom and slowly wade back to a life he wants to live. I loved the supporting cast of characters and the small town setting. And OMG I was so hungry reading this book. The food descriptions were absolutely lovely. The second chance romance in this was sweet, but also careful to include the bumpiness of real life. I was cheering for the HEA the whole time.

Writing reviews is a tricky business, encouraging the reader to read a great book without spoiling the plot. This is Zentner's first attempt at an adult novel and he doesn't disappoint. If you've read some of his other title, you know how brilliant he is at writing characters, and dialogue the completely draws you into the story. I'm not going to go into details of the plot and spoil something for you, reader. Just know that it's a story love and loss and all the pain that happens along the way.

Personal plea to the author: Dude! Promise us that the footnotes on the dog will make it to the final printing of the book when it's released in April. Also, nice touch with the "Dearly" mention. You ROCK!

If you've never read a Jeff Zentner book, <i>Colton Gentry's Third Act</i> is an excellent place to start - unless the current date is before April 30, 2024. In that case, go pick up any of his other books to get an idea of what you're in for. Then when the end of April rolls around, go grab a copy of this book, set aside a day or two, and settle in for a beautiful read.

Colton Gentry is the opening act on tour for a country superstar. He's married to a widely - and wildly - popular country and crossover singer. But caught in a downward spiral that goes deep after the death of his best friend, Gentry hits rock bottom when he drunkenly antagonizes a concert-going crowd with anti-gun statements, gets kicked off the tour, and gets kicked out by his wife.

After a stint in rehab - his ex's parting gift - Colton heads home to rural Kentucky. He moves in with his mother as his bank account drains and his life collapses. But then he reconnects with his best friend from high school. He also encounters his first girlfriend. From there, Colton begins the slow journey to piecing his life back together, to reinventing himself. He's no longer the high school football star. He's no longer the successful country singer. And he's still the target of those who believe his First-Amendment right to speak against Second-Amendment supporters is a step too far.

Zentner presents a man who is deeply flawed but also deeply regretful for how he's treated people. Gentry is struggling to maintain sobriety, to find meaning in life, and maybe to even find peace. Zentner is compassionate in his depiction of Gentry while not absolving him of his actions as a younger man. Zentner is also a poet. His words conjure images and evoke feelings. Culinary descriptions are perhaps the most detailed and enticing I've ever read in a work of fiction. Zentner treats not only his characters with care, but so many aspects of their lives such as food, music, and animals.

It's been a while since a book called for a binge. I'm glad I started it over the Thanksgiving break so that I could spend 24 hours immersing myself in Colton Gentry's world. It was blissful.

Readers may be surprised to discover that Jeff Zentner is firmly planting his feet in the romance world with his first small-town romance written for adult readers.

This earnest second-chance love story opens with an emotionally charged moment when a drunken Colton Gentry professes outrage against gun violence on the microphone at a sold-out show that he is performing. The reason for this outburst is not politically driven but personally driven because his best friend was murdered onstage by a mass shooter at a country music festival.

As Colton's drunken rant begins, his team cuts his microphone midsentence, unleashing a cancellation by the country music industry for his public stance against gun rights.

With his personal life in shambles, a defeated Colton returns home to live with his mother, trying to find a new purpose and financial freedom away from his infamous past.

Luann, left behind by Colton when the two struggled to navigate a long-distance romance when they were kids, is now the proud owner of a local farm-to-table restaurant whose dishes wow Colton's dishes when he visits as a patron. Still smarting from the loss years ago, Luann sets aside her misgivings to allow Colton to work as a sous chef for the restaurant.

But how will this impact Luann's world when Colton becomes the punching bag for a media circus that trails him? And, after leaving her, is he deserving of this redemption story?

The book offers readers a slow-burn romance as Luann and Colton rekindle their relationship.

There is a familiarity that Zentner believably builds, but it is no surprise that this magic is best captured when they are kids. As Zenter is a young adult writer, it allowed him to sit comfortably in his wheelhouse while exploring a more grown-up story of navigating divorce, kids, and sobriety in their grown-up moments.

Like J. Ryan Stradal's writing of Midwestern food details, the novel offers our book stacks a well-researched Southern food scene. But where he shines is a coming-of-age story that develops on the page, celebrating the defining moments of a man coming to know himself and who matters most in his thirties.

Despite the opener, the story stays surprisingly neutral as Colton finds commonality with everyone, which many readers will find comforting. It could be an excellent book club book for those who want starter conversations for their groups around the gun rights topic.

This novel will more than satisfy Jeff Zentner fans. I'm thrilled to have gotten my hands on a copy!

Colton Gentry was riding high-he had a hit single on the country charts, he's married to the hottest female country artist, and he's touring with one of the top acts. But that was before his best friend was a victim in a mass shooting. Since Duane died, Colton's been struggling. And he may have gone on a rant about gun control that quickly went viral. Oh, and then his wife left him for a pro athlete. The act he was opening for asked him not to come back. So now, Colton Gentry finds himself back in his home town and living with his mom. He's unsure of how to even start again, but he knows he has to do something. When his ex-girlfriend from high school offers him a job in the kitchen of her new restaurant, he knows it's not the best idea but doesn't have another option. Can returning to where he came from be the answer he was looking for all along?