Jeff Zentner is an excellent YA author and I was so excited to read his first adult book. It didn’t disappoint. He writes characters with such heart. I loved the way he incorporated the past with the present. Bonus points for the footnotes about the dog. Genius!

If I could change anything, I’d make the book longer and explore their lives in more depth, particularly Colton’s years of becoming successful. For that reason, this book would be an excellent limited series on a streaming channel.

My hope when I add this book to our collection at the library is that it introduces adults to Jeff Zentner and they then read his YA books.

One last suggestion, a book from Luann’s perspective would be amazing! Hint, hint.

Ever since I saw the announcement for this book, I could not wait to read it. I've been a huge fan of Jeff Zentner ever since I read The Serpent King years ago when it first came out. He is an auto-buy author for me--I savor his books and re-read them, and as a writer myself, learn from them, too. His prose is always beautiful and poetic without being overwrought, but my favorite aspect of Zentner's writing is his ability to distill the feeling of wonder and beauty caught only in transitory glimpses we get of this world into words that can touch you again and again. To pack the enormity of that feeling into a sentence, a paragraph, is a true gift. Likewise, his insights into the human condition, into love and loss and grief, leave me feeling seen and understood and connected to others.
So when I saw he'd written an adult novel about a country star who took a stand against guns and lost everything he thought he wanted only to find himself and a new stage, both of.life and performance, I couldn't wait to get my grubby little hands on it. Oh, how this book delivered on everything Zentner excels at, while showcasing his talents on a new stage for him, too. This book made me laugh, cry, and swoon in equal measure. I loved Colton at his lowest and his best, cheering him every step of the way as he climbed back up. This book is about how even good people need redemption sometimes, and how grief can humble us and transform us into gentler, fuller versions of who we were always meant to be. It is beautiful and loving, and at moments, extremely hot. I will read anything Zentner writes, and I hope that this is the first of many more adult novels from him to come. If you are a Zentner fan, you will cherish this book. If you're not already a Zentner fan, you will be soon.

After years of working in the music industry, Colton Gentry finally got a break opening for big country star Brant Lucas. Mostly thanks to his country star wife, but still. However, having lost his best friend Duane in a mass shooting a few weeks earlier, he’s not at his best. With the help of alcohol, Colton makes his thoughts on guns known in front of a sold-out crowd. Which isn’t exactly the place to talk about gun control.

Overnight, Colton not only loses his music contracts, but also his wife. Now, he’s back in his Kentucky hometown trying to put the pieces back together. What he doesn’t expect is to find himself face-to-face with his high school sweetheart–who also offers him a job at her new farm-to-table restaurant. Will he be successful this time?

Thanks to Grand Central Publishing and NetGalley for an advanced copy of Colton Gentry’s Third Act by Jeff Zentner! A rare adult fiction review from me, purely because I absolutely love Jeff Zentner. And I was definitely going to jump on the chance to read his book early!

If you enjoy Zentner’s YA stuff, you’ll definitely enjoy his jump into adult fiction. His poetic writing style is one of my favorite things about his books, and it’s on full display in this book. There are just some gorgeous lines that hit right at the emotions the characters are feeling like: “Grief is an arsonist, stealing in under cover of dark to reduce you to ashes” and “Silence is fertile soil for grief to grow like creeping vines and cover you up.”

Characters are another thing that Zentner excels at, and your heart will ache for Colton right from the first page. Including flashbacks not only helps you to get his whole story, but also the other characters who play a major role in his life. What I appreciated about this book is that it shows that it’s never too late to start over; especially if you have people who are in your corner.

Also, much appreciated for the footnotes that assure you that Petey (the dog) will not die by the end of the book. In comparison to Zentner’s other books, this one is definitely not quite as sad, though that doesn’t mean you won’t feel a spectrum of emotions while reading it. Colton has plenty of ups and downs, but the running current through it all is hope. Hope that things will look up eventually.

All in all, Zentner’s foray into adult fiction is definitely a success, and I can’t wait for other people to read this book next spring!

If Emily Henry recommends a book, I will read it. I thoroughly enjoyed this. The balance of loss and love, the redemption narrative, the humor and quick conversation - it was all so great.

Thank you to NetGalley and Grand Central Publishing for the ARC.

This book is lovely - the charaters quickly wormed their way into my heart and stayed there. I had only read one Jeff Zentner book before, "In the Wild Light," a YA novel, and absolutely loved that, so was eager to try out his adult debut. I think if this were written by a woman, it may have gotten billed as a romance, but it has not gotten pigeon-holed like that & it is much more:

It's a beautiful story of friends, romance, a THIRD chance at getting things right, regrets, the absolute horror and grief of gun violence, alcoholism, and just a general feel-good book. I love the characters and the story, and it never gets TOO dark, but there is enough struggle in there that there's some tension. It definitely made me tear up a few times, and I appreciated the footnote that the dog would NOT die. I also live in Maine and started this book the week after the Lewiston shooting, so the early mention of Duane's death at a country music event, where a mass shooting occurs, hits hard & I'm glad that Zentner is taking on this topic in an unvarnished, unapologetic way. Kudos.

The twins are fantastic, especially Colton's easy relationship with them and nicknames for them - love this.

My few quibbles were there were a few points where the author hits you over the head a little too much with the pulling-on-your-heartstrings (I know I've mixed metaphors there...). For example, when Colton adopts the saddest, oldest dog at the shelter, he has a whole monologue at Petey (the dog) about why he got him - that just feels over the top - like, we already get it; you're showing us, you don't need to tell us all this again. However, on the next page when Colton gets home & his mom is surprised, and he just quietly says to his mom "I needed him. I'm sorry." THAT made me cry. Less is more.

There were also a couple times where the whole 'I'm going to be a chef now" seemed to come too easily to Colton to be realistic.

But - bottom line: if you need a warm hug of a book, that also deals with some deep and difficult issues, while also experiencing a most satisfying third chance & happily ever after romance, you CANNOT go wrong with this one.

Colton Gentry is a washed-up, drunk musician ever since that night on the stage when he couldn’t maintain his composure anymore. Those hecklers were too much for him.

As Colton moves back home, still grieving the loss of his best friend and also his celebrity wife, he spends time helping his mom and reminiscing about the “good ok’ days.”

Jeff Zentner weaves a story of loss, love, and moving on. The alternate timelines are interesting: present day Colton and “back when” Colton was starting out as a country singer. Characters are developed all the way down to the smallest details that readers will recognize and relate to. The language flows and the plot connects perfectly from the past to the present.

Readers will love this newest offering from Zentner - breaking out of the YA mold and into adult love stories. A must-read!

Jeff Zentner is quickly making a name for himself in the adult fiction world like he has done in the Young Adult fiction arena. I read this book in two days. This book makes my heart happy. Another winner from this author. Thank you to the author, publisher and NetGalley for providing me with an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Everything you love about Zentner's YA books- the rich descriptions and heart found in every detail of his characters and settings- is still present in his adult debut.

This book is very good. And so heartfelt. It takes a while to get into the present day romance, but it's worth the slow burn wait. I loved seeing Colton bounce back. I loved the thoughtful descriptions of grief and the loss of a true friend.

This book is Taylor Swift coded and also for anyone who was and is a fan of the Dixie Chicks denouncing the Iraq war.

This book is also significantly about alcohol addiction and recovery. There are lots of scenes that could be triggering to those in recovery, and there is a heavy emphasis on Alcoholics Anonymous. Please read with care.

This is a wonderful book about third chances. Colton lives for football in high school until a play injures him, football is over and so is his college career. Luann, his girlfriend, encourages him to seek a singing career since he loves music. He cuts off their relationship thinking she is better off without him. Colton is successful until one night on stage, drunk, he expresses his feelings about guns. His best friend was killed at a music festival, and he is consumed by drink and the need to express his feelings on guns. He is shunned by the music industry, his agent, and his wife. With no job and no funds, he heads back to his childhood home and his mother. When he finds out Luann opened a restaurant, he asks to meet with her. She needs a sous chef and offers to train him. He has no confidence anymore and I loved how his mother, Luann, his co-workers, and best friend from high school talked with him honestly and helped his get over himself. I loved the analogies of football playing and singing that Luann offered indicating with the same dedication he could succeed as a chef. The episodes where he interacted with Luann’s twin girls and his dog Petey really highlighted his warm, loving personality. Great book with lots of emotion and examples of true friendship and the gift of second chances.

If you’ve read Zentner’s books before, you know the man can write. In his debut adult fiction, we see the same. There are some absolutely beautiful lines throughout this story, and I definitely teared up at least one.

While this wasn’t my favorite of his books, it was still a great read, and I would not hesitate to recommend it to anyone. I didn’t feel the chemistry between Colton & Luann as much as I would have liked, and I was hoping for Colton to say more about gun reform. It seemed like it was brought up and his reason for it, and that was about it. Otherwise, I loved the setting and all of the food descriptions. Colton’s growth and recovery was beautiful to read — I have watched the struggle of recovery from many people in my life, and Zentner covered it well.

4.25⭐️

I really liked this one! I read in the wild light by zentner earlier and I really enjoyed it. Similarly, I found this book to be beautifully written with an important story.

Jeff Zentner did it again. He wrote another phenomenal, breathtaking, astounding, (insert every positive adjective here!) book that made me weep when I finished it. I honestly do not know how he writes such amazing books, and I will forever be in awe of him. This was definitely one of my favorite reads of the year <3

Colton Gentry's Third Act follows country singer Colton Gentry as he navigates life after the loss of his best friend, Duane, who was killed during a mass shooting. While on stage performing one night, Colton speaks out against guns and is booed off stage. He quickly loses his stardom and has no choice but to move back home to rural Kentucky, where he must rebuild his life and tackle sobriety. Colton comes face to face with the people he left behind, which leads to some hard conversations and beautiful moments. Also, the book has scenes from the past and the present, so you are fully immersed in Colton's life.

As always, Zentner's prose is GORGEOUS. I do not know how many times I highlighted and annotated lines in the book. I also do not know how many times I cried reading a heart-wrenching line. The way Zentner writes about grief is unparalleled, and the way he describes settings and emotions (and, in this book, the food) leaves you feeling raw and vulnerable (but in the best way possible.) You can truly picture where the characters are and how they are acting and feeling, and it makes for such an atmospheric read.

As equally awesome as the prose are the characters. Colton himself is such a flawed, broken character, but you cannot help but fall in love with him. He is so human. He has such a beautiful heart. He cares about people deeply, and you can sense that. Even from the beginning of the book - when his life is a mess - you are rooting for him to succeed. Also, Colton's mom, Derrick, Luann, the twins -- all of them are fully developed, inspiring characters who added a lot to the story. I wish we got more scenes with Duane, though.

The romance, per usual in Zentner's books, was swoonworthy. I really enjoyed watching Colton and Luann's relationship develop, both in the past and the present. I don't want to spoil anything about the romance, so I will leave it at that ;)

This is a MUST-READ! So, so incredibly grateful for this digital ARC! Thank you, Jeff Zentner, for writing this masterpiece. You are my favorite author!

Quintessentially a Jeff Zentner novel in that COLTON GENTRY’S THIRD ACT makes you feel *everything.* You’ll cry a lot, of course, sometimes because what you’re reading is hysterically funny and other times heartbreaking but you’ll always cry because what you’re reading is so incomprehensibly beautifully written.

Colton Gentry has been canceled. After losing his friend in a mass shooting, he got drunk and offered his unfiltered opinion on guns to his country music audience. Now he is home and trying to pick up the pieces, unsure where to start.

This is not something I would typically pick up, especially with the country music. However the controversy and dissonance of the gun control remarks within country star pop dom intrigued me and I wanted to read about that. I got drawn into Colton’s recovery and his development. I like a good coming home story. I loved Petey and was especially pleased about the footnote that he won’t die in the book (can we make these spoilers common?!)

“Choose beauty and sorrow over numbness and oblivion. Choose it again and again. Choose it as long as you have any choice.”

Colton Gentry’s Third Act comes out 4/30/24.

"Colton Gentry's Third Act" by Jeff Zentner is a heartfelt and emotionally resonant story of love, healing, and second chances. This novel beautifully captures the complexities of grief, the power of music, and the enduring bonds of friendship and love.

The story follows Colton Gentry, a country musician who is experiencing both career success and personal tragedy. After a traumatic event at a country music festival, Colton's life takes a downward spiral. He loses his career and his marriage, and he's left with few options but to return to his rural Kentucky hometown, where he faces the ghosts of his past. However, a chance encounter at a local restaurant leads to a job opportunity in the kitchen and a reconnection with his high school sweetheart, Luann.

The narrative is skillfully structured, weaving together three timelines: Colton's senior year of high school, his early days as a musician in Nashville, and the present. This multi-layered approach allows readers to fully understand Colton's journey, his past mistakes, and the events that shaped him. It also adds depth to the characters, particularly his friend Duane, whose presence looms large over Colton's life.

Jeff Zentner's writing is poignant and evocative, creating a vivid sense of place and emotion. The exploration of grief and trauma is handled with sensitivity, and readers will empathize with Colton as he grapples with his pain and seeks a path to healing.

The novel's themes of redemption, forgiveness, and the possibility of starting anew are beautifully conveyed. It serves as a reminder that even in the darkest moments, there can be hope for a brighter future. Colton's journey to rebuild his life and rekindle his relationship with Luann is heartwarming and uplifting.

"Colton Gentry's Third Act" is a touching and authentic portrayal of the human experience. It celebrates the resilience of the human spirit and the healing power of love and music. Jeff Zentner has crafted a moving and memorable story that will resonate with readers long after they've turned the final page.

I really liked this one when I started out reading, but it just didn’t hook me in as much as I would have liked.

Ah, that familiar sense of peace after sobbing through a Jeff Zentner book. Like all of Jeff’s books, I am left feeling more hopeful about humanity.

I hope booksellers sell the shit out of this and it gets turned into a movie because I want to watch all those sexy cooking scenes on the big screen!

This is my new favorite book. There's a poignancy and tenderness to Jeff Zentner's books that is unmatched by any other author. He finds the beauty in everything, even the painful parts so that to read him is to have your heart wrenched in the most exquisite way. Colton Gentry is a perfect potion of hope and love and sorrow and ache and beauty and humor and swoon that will leave your soul warm and full. I'm so excited to put this in readers' hands! Thank you to Netgalley and Grand Central for the ARC.

Jeff Zenter's first foray into adult fiction does not disappoint. After the death of his best friend, Duane, in a mass shooting event, Colton Gentry is not okay. Full of liquor and rage, Gentry speaks out in support of gun control from the stage and burns his career to the ground. After a stint in rehab, a parting gift from his soon to be ex-wife, Gentry finds himself back in his hometown in desperate need of a hand up. Finding a job at a new restaurant, working as a sous chef for his first love, Luann. Understanding the need for a new beginning more than anyone, Luann takes a pretty big chance on hiring Colton and on letting him back into her life. As the story unfolds, the chapters bounce back and forth between Colton's senior year of high school, his humble beginnings in Nashville and the story's present and we get insight into Colton and Luann's story and how it implodes as well as other scenes from his early days in Nashville with Duane, and his struggle to find his footing newly sober and back home in Kentucky.

Zentner's YA books always bring me to tears and his first adult novel, Colton Gentry's Third Act did the same. Zentner has a beautiful way with words and this story of grief, forgiveness, and starting over contains some beautiful turns of phrase. This slow-burn, second chance romance is full of realistic characters with flaws and who are struggling, learning, and growing.

Moments of humor and levity help keep this book from feeling too overwhelmingly grief-laden, and Zentner's footnote about the dog, Petey, was an added bonus to an already lovely story.