Carolyn Brown delivers another charming, heartwarming tale with The Party Line, blending small-town charm, romance, and a touch of nostalgia. The characters are vibrant and full of life, making it easy to get invested in their stories. Brown’s signature humor and Southern warmth shine through, making this a delightful read that transports you straight into the heart of a close-knit community.

The only reason this isn't a full five stars is that some parts felt a bit predictable, and the pacing slowed in a few spots. However, the witty dialogue and lovable characters more than make up for it. If you're a fan of small-town romances with plenty of heart and a sprinkle of drama, this one is definitely worth picking up!

Set in a tiny town in Texas, you are easily swept into the community where everyone knows everyone and knows everything about you and your family.

I love the characters and development of them throughout the story. The stories, the love, the strength and passion for the family business, new friends.

The Party Line is a beautiful story of family ties and an amazing connection between them. I love the romance development and the short, direct conversations. This totally makes the story interesting and tough to put down!

The Party Line by Carolyn Brown is a light, easy read with a charming small-town setting. The characters have a fun dynamic, and the dialogue brings some humor, but the story itself feels a bit predictable. While the writing is engaging, the plot doesn’t offer many surprises, and some moments drag. It’s an enjoyable read, but not particularly memorable. A solid 3 stars

EXCERPT: A memory surfaced, and I tried to give that black phone the same look she did when she told me about it. I was a little girl back then, and overheard Mama telling Madge, who was her boss at the café where she had cooked and waitressed since before I was even born, that she didn't understand how anyone could live in a house full of ghosts and secrets.
I thought it would be great to find a real ghost, so for a whole year, I prowled through all the nooks and crannies in the whole two-story house, looking for one. I'm not sure what I would have done if an eerie figure had popped out from behind a dresser or even from behind a door - probably turned tail and run, screeching like I did when the spider showed up in the bathroom.
I also never did find what the big secret was; it was only whispered about behind those fans at church with Jesus on one side and a big bowl of strawberries on the other. That morning, almost two decades later, I wondered if somewhere, hidden away safely, there might be a diary or a journal, or maybe even a piece of paper with SECRET written in big letters on the front and an explanation on the back.

ABOUT 'THE PARTY LINE': A niece’s inheritance comes with family secrets, new romance, and sweet Texas strawberries.

Returning home to Ditto, Texas, is bittersweet for Lila Matthews. Her dear and feisty aunt Gracie has passed away, leaving Lila her estate. That includes a centuries-old house, a field of the freshest strawberries in Atascosa County, more money than Lila can count, and a secret Aunt Gracie took to her grave. All the angels in heaven won’t be able to pry it out of her.

For more than eighty years, generations of folks in Ditto have whispered and gossiped about what the secret could be. When Lila inherits Aunt Gracie’s legacy, ears perk up and tongues start wagging. As Lila reacquaints herself with locals, finds warmth in family—extended and otherwise—and cozies up to a handsome new neighbor, she begins collecting clues to the past. They’re revealing an Aunt Gracie nobody knew—and a life of rebellion, broken hearts, and selfless love that affected more people than anyone realized.

Whatever reason Aunt Gracie had for leaving Lila the secret, will it now be Lila’s secret to keep?

MY THOUGHTS: Pour yourself a long glass of sweet tea and settle down with a plate of warm, fragrant cinnamon rolls or strawberry shortcake and The Party Line by Carolyn Brown, a sweet and satisfying story that will leave you smiling and happy.

I love living in small communities and Ditto, Texas is one of these - the kind of place where everyone knows everyone else and all of their business. Anything they don't know, they're inclined to speculate on . . . which is just what happens in The Party Line. There is some BIG secret about Lila's recently deceased Aunt Gracie, and since no one actually knows the secret - Aunt Gracie took it to the grave with her - there's a whole lot of speculation going on. The sort of speculation that has conversations stop when Lila walks into a room. Lila was aware of the existence of a secret even as a child and now that she has inherited Aunt Gracie's big old home, she is sure she will find the answer somewhere within.

I loved all the characters, with one or two notable exceptions - two men who were after Gracie's land and were prepared to stop at nothing to get it - and although we don't get to meet Aunt Gracie, we sure do hear a lot about her. She was a strong-willed, direct and generous woman who supported other women in need. The first woman she rescued would appear to have been Sarah, Lila's mother. I would have liked her a lot had I met her in real life.

Lila is very much following in her aunt's footsteps. She takes care of Aunt Gracie's friend Jasper, who lives next door, taking him meals and running errands for him, as well as taking him to church. Jasper is gruff but also has a heart of gold, but that side of him only comes out when he decides he can trust someone, and that can take a long time.

Lila also has trust issues and she's not entirely sure she can trust Connor - he, too, may just be after her land - but he sure is easy on the eye and there is a definite spark of attraction between them.

Carolyn Brown gives us a wonderful sense of small-town life, romance and mystery in The Party Line; a mystery that is begun by a conversation overheard on the party line . . .

Make sure you read the author's acknowledgements. I loved Carolyn Brown's explanation of how this particular book came about. As someone who grew up with party lines, I could appreciate it.

Two quotes that resonated with me: . . . you (can't) ever get rid of the past, but you (don't) have to drag it out and let it ruin the future. and,
Experience is what we get, when we (don't) get what we want.

⭐⭐⭐.9

#ThePartyLine #NetGalley

MEET THE AUTHOR: I love writing romance because it's about emotions and relationships. Human nature hasn't changed a bit since Eve coveted the fruit in the Garden of Eden. Settings change. Plots change. Names change. Times change. But love is love and men and women have been falling in and out of it forever. Romance is about emotions: love, hate, anger, laughter... all of it. If I can make you laugh until your sides ache or grab a tissue, then I've touched your emotions and accomplished what every writer sets out to do.

DISCLOSURE: Thank you to Montlake via NetGalley for providing an e-ARC of The Party Line by Carolyn Brown for review. All opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own personal opinions.

The Party Line by Carolyn Brown was published November 2024.

This is another good book from Carolyn Brown. It is a book that you can’t put down, you have to read it till the end. It is a story about a family, that involves an aunt, her niece and her great niece. The aunt has been a big part of the niece’s and her daughter’s life. The aunt passes away and leaves her house and money to the great niece. She leaves her niece enough money to never have to work again. This family is really close. It is about finding love.

This was the first Carolyn Brown I've read and there was a lot I enjoyed. I feel like the characters were so identifiable and relatable. But I do wish there was more backstory or more information and focus on the slow burn romance evolving. Sometimes I got a little lost as to the characters' motivations. I just wanted more. I may also be too used to dual p.o.v. and I missed getting to know the male main character that way, only seeing him through Lila's eyes.

The Party Line by Carolyn Brown is a delightful and heartwarming contemporary romance that explores the power of friendship, love, and community. Set in a small town, the story follows a group of women who come together to support each other through life’s challenges, discovering love and self-empowerment along the way. Brown’s writing is engaging and full of warmth, with relatable characters and a feel-good plot. The Party Line is a charming, feel-good read for fans of uplifting romances with strong, supportive friendships.

this story got me hooked from the beginning. making the character discover the big secret alongside the reader was the right choice for this book. rural lifestyle in the modern world was very well replicated. can only recommend.

The story follows Lila Matthews, who returns to Ditto, Texas, after inheriting property from her aunt. What begins as a simple inheritance soon unfolds into a rich tapestry of family history and hidden truths. The characters discover an Aunt Gracie they never knew—uncovering a life filled with rebellion, broken hearts, and selfless love that touched more lives than anyone realized.

This book is well written with endearing characters and yes there’s a secret. Carolyn Brown does a good job transporting the reader to the past and back to the present. I was invested in what happened to the characters and didn’t want it to end. It takes a while to learn the secret and I was surprised. The Party Line is a great story that focuses on family, friendship, and women empowering women.

CB is an auto read and auto buy for me.
I find much comfort in her straight forward characters and folksy plots.
I loved Jasper in the book! He was my favorite characters. Although he had a dog he named Sassy, Jasper was saucy all day long.
The big secret was revealed toward the end but the comraderie and dialogue make the book.
I love that people prefer DQ over the fancy schmancy new cafes.

Thanks to NetGalley, Montlake, and the author for the chance to read this book.

This is a book about long-held family secrets. It's a closed door romance book. It's set over a fairly short time period, so the romance aspect does move quite fast.
Some of the storyline felt disjointed, but I guess part of that was the main characters mental thoughts and the way they constantly lept around while she is processing her grief and some major life choices.

It was a good book but not one I'd read again.

I found this book to be a good read that kept me engaged.
The storyline is sweet, heartwarming, and feel-good.
I loved the characters.
This book has secrets, friendships,and romance.
Perfect reading for those of us that remember party lines on the phone🤗

I loved the small town characters and small town vibe. The story seemed a little slow and predictable at times but the slow go romance was fun. Thanks#NetGalley

THE PARTY LINE is Carolyn Brown’s way of reminding us how quite different times were back in the day – as she would likely say. Folks were so judgmental. And candidly fearful of what they didn’t understand, what was indeed foreign to them, or their traditions, or lifestyles. The cache system was alive and well, even in small American towns. A hierarchy of citizens you could say. And never more apparent that an THE PARTY LINE by Carolyn Brown.
Young folk have no concept of the lack of technology. The fact that we are speaking about less than one hundred years ago seems almost surreal. I often laugh at a reference to a dial on the phone. And I remember when phone numbers were only seven digits long and the first three were letters not numbers. I know archaic.
It is the reference to the party line that helps you position the characters at the place Poteet Texas. Small town America was not so long ago. Sadly, some of these ideals still exist. No one should think themselves better than others because of wealth or lineage. But it happens.
So when Aunt Gracie passes her niece Lila her house and acreage with it, it opens this small town along with Lila herself to many unforeseen changes. There were literally acres of strawberries. Lila is an accountant who leaves her career somewhat behind her to head to Aunt Gracie’s town. Lila had spent much of her life there with her mother Sarah, Gracie, and their circle of friends. She isn’t the only one returning to town. Conner, whose grandfather owned a neighboring farm, returns from his military career. He is looking for a sign that this is where he now belongs.
Family secrets abound in this town. And the party line was the original means of correspondence to any of these areas, and the conduit for lots of gossip. The problem was the lack of privacy. And that’s where we wind up in our search, along with Lila, to get to the center of a generation’s long secret.
As always Carolyn Brown brings a sense of goodwill to THE PARTY LINE. Even though we suspect that the secret would probably be better left buried, there is a desire to have it resurface so that it can ultimately be dismissed. There is as always amazing dialog and reflection on music, faith, and trust. Can’t have a Carolyn Brown story without an amazing song list. The characters are wonderfully flawed but with a heart of pure gold. Surely whatever secret might get uncovered will be handled with respect.

Carolyn Brown's latest book brought back memories of my own childhood in the 50s when we had party lines and I spent a lot of time with my Great-Aunt Grace in the family homestead dating back to 1860. How fun it would be to re-visit that time in my life! I find Carolyn's stories to be quick, easy reads with a touch of romance and strong family connections. Thanks to NetGalley, Montlake and the author for a copy to read and review.

When her old aunt passes away, a woman comes back to her small town to claim her inheritance. Family secrets and a new promise of love and new start on life are there waiting if she’s willing to take a chance on change. Carolyn Brown is an autobuy author for me particularly when it comes to the cozy, country charm of her small town women’s fiction with a smattering of romance and humor.

The Party Line is set in a town that isn’t on most maps where everyone knows each other and all the secrets, but one. Aunt Gracie had a secret that has the town stirred up again when they think Lila will discover it after she moves into Gracie’s house. Lila has been an accountant in the big city, content with her job and acquaintances, but she feels the difference between contentment and deep-seated happiness when she sorts through Gracie’s past, reacquaints herself with the neighbors, spends time with her mother and Gracie’s friends. The strawberry fields behind the house and the new young foreman have her attention and tempt her to try something new.

Gently paced and full of all sorts of heartwarming moments, The Party Line is a book that the reader can sit back, relax, and feel- feel the summer heat and taste the sweet strawberries, appreciate family, friends, and romance, and then dig a little deeper into bittersweet truths the past generations had to face. Not a book for high entertainment or drama, but well satisfying all the same. The Party Line is for those who like the crossover of women’s fic and romance in a country town setting.

Man, I wanted to love this book so much once I found out it was set in a small town in Texas. It's very near a town I know of, near where my mom grew up, Poteet, so that made it that much more interesting to me. Sadly, that wasn't enough to save this book.

I don't have a better way to describe it than to say the writing felt clunky. Things didn't seem to flow, and there were unexplained jumps as well. The author also wasted space describing things that didn't need explaining, at all. I don't know, there was just a lot of nothing for me in this book.

Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC of this book in exchange for my honest review l.

The Party Line by Carolyn Brown is a fun and enjoyable read! The story centers around Lila Matthew’s and how she inherits pretty much everything from her Aunt Gracie who actually isn’t her aunt at all. This story shows that family doesn’t always have to be blood, it can be chosen. Aunt Gracie had lived a long life that was filled with pain and heartache and she chose to keep some pretty big family secrets. Despite all of this, she was a very kind, generous and loving person. She did have a wild and feisty side that was depicted in her love of the color red. The authors reference to the telephones party lines was a nice touch that brought back many fond memories from days gone by. This really is a great story and it’s one I highly recommend. I’d like to thank Montlake Publishing and NetGalley for the arc to read and review. It’s an enjoyable story with a touch of southern flair that I’m giving a 5 star rating.

An enjoyable read! A sweet story with romance and a little mystery. Definitely a slow build but really a good story. And the audio was phenomenal!