This book was a real surprise for me – fresh, vibrant, and full of life. It promises small-town romance but delivers so much more: a dilemma between home and career, conflict between community and progress, and a protagonist whose decisions I sometimes supported and sometimes watched in bewilderment – but always wondered what she would do next.

Hattie Norwood is a successful event planner living in Charlotte who returns to her home in Mountain View for only a short visit to help her parents when she discovers that the family peanut farm has gone out of business. She's sure she'll be back in the big city in a few days, but a series of unexpected events force her to stay – including the organisation of a music charity event that could be a game-changer for the local community.

Hattie's past and present come crashing into her life at the same time. Her former high school sweetheart, Lee Lockhardt, who had to give up his MLB career due to injury, returns to Mountain View and wants a new chance for their relationship. At the same time, she meets the mysterious new owner of the hardware store, Fox Ryan, who not only has new ideas but a charming personality and a unique voice.

The plot twists kept the story moving, and I really enjoyed that it wasn't predictable. There were times when I was sure Lee was going to be endgame – especially when he first sang, and I thought it was a clear reference to the title – but then Fox came in with his own wonderful voice and completely shook up the setup. I didn't know what to root for: old love or new opportunity? Staying with the roots or moving on to the big city dream? Even the fate of Mountain View was in question – and it all unfolded in a thrilling, captivating way.

The strength of the book lies not only in the romantic threads – though they are undoubtedly pronounced – but also in the supporting characters, who bring a distinct life to the pages. The townspeople are colourful, committed, and courageous in their opinions. Through them, the novel makes us reflect on values such as heritage, history, community, family, and the community-building power of music. I particularly liked how the farm, previously on the verge of destruction, takes on a new meaning when it is revived as an event venue – a thread that gives hope and shows a real alternative to the balance between development and preservation of the past.

Hattie is a strong, determined character who stands by her decisions even when an entire small town tries to convince her otherwise. There were many times I disagreed with her, but I always respected her courage. “Sing Me Home to Carolina” is not only a love story, but also a novel about a small town, community, and identity. It surprised me, captivated me, and stayed with me for a long time – and that's what I expect from a really good book.

I had a really hard time getting into this book. But in the end it was okay. It just didn’t capture me from the start.
I received an ARC copy of this book and all opinions are my own.

A high school romance rekindled….
I always enjoy reading a fun romance based in a small town. Sing Me Home to Carolina gave me all the feels for sure.
Main characters are Hattie and Lee. Reuniting with Lee was not what Hattie had in mind.

Tight knit community
Quirky characters
Cozy small town vibes
Closed door romance
Romance

Perfect summer/beach reading!

Thank you NetGalley, the publisher and author for the opportunity to read this book for my honest review. All opinions expressed are my own.

Hattie returns home to help with her parents failing business where she her heart volleys between her old flame and the new handsome yet mysterious guy, all the while trying to convince the town that change is good. Although full of southern charm and sweetness and the setting beautifully mastered, the story lagged a bit in the romance arena, there wasn’t much tension between the FMC and the two MMCs (what I would have thought to be a big part of the plot as a why chose or love triangle type of story) and my interest wavered midway, but the conclusion was good.

Title: Sing Me Home to Carolina
Author: Joy Callaway
Genre: Romance
Rating: 2.25
Pub Date: June 10, 2025

I received a complimentary eARC from Alcove Press via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own. #Gifted

T H R E E • W O R D S

Southern • Lighthearted • Dramatic

📖 S Y N O P S I S

Event planner Hattie Norwood only came back home to Mountain View, South Carolina to support her parents as they receive word that the family peanut farm is infertile. This news doesn’t come as a surprise to Hattie, and she plans to return to Charlotte at the weekend’s end.

But then the town councilwoman begs Hattie to use her event planning prowess to help Mountain View put on a musical benefit to stop the construction of the new Carolina Panthers stadium—a project Hattie is actually in favor of, much to the dismay of the locals—and she finds herself agreeing to stay until the town’s Founder’s Day celebration a week later, just as her old flame, former MLB standout Lee Lockhardt, materializes in town after a career-ending injury.

When the hunky and mysterious new owner of Fox’s Hardware, Fox Ryan, suggests the Founder’s Day celebration be moved to the Norwoods’ barn in an attempt to reinvent the failing farm as a music and event venue, Hattie agrees, unaware this move will thrust the town, her love life, and the brewing tension over the stadium into a very public spotlight.

💭 T H O U G H T S

There is no denying I chose to request an early copy of Sing Me Home to Carolina because the cover was absolutely stunning. This was my first time reading Joy Callaway and I do love a good Southern romance every now and again, so I decided to give this one a go.

I absolutely loved the small town setting, the idea of a NFL stadium overtaking said small town, and the repurposed barn as an event space. There was a level of charm I was invested in. Unfortunately, the good ends there.

I failed to connect with Hattie, honestly, she was insufferable. In fact, none of the characters were that likeable. The plot was all over the place, shifting focus from one thing to the next. For instance, the focus starts with the town coming together to stop the new stadium being built, but this element disappears through a lot of the second half, only to reappear at the end.

Then there was the romance, which I just didn't believe. There was so much yo-yoing between both male characters that made very little sense from a plot standpoint. I kept feeling like I was getting whiplash from trying to keep track of where Hattie's heart was at. It literally felt like the romance was thrown in as an after thought.

Sing Me Home to Carolina was an entirely lackluster experience for me. It's of judging a book by its cover and it turning out to be an absolute dud. If the author had focused on one thing maybe it would have been better. There is certainly an audience out there who will enjoy it more than I did, but I would find it hard to recommend to anyone.

📚 R E A D • I F • Y O U • L I K E
• Sweet Magnolias
• love triangles

⚠️ CW: misogyny, medical trauma, injury/injury detail

Hattie Norwood has returned to her home town of Mountain View, South Carolina to help her parents when they find out there farmland is no longer productive. She finds herself quickly immersed in small town politics, and torn between two locals as she is asked to host a founders day celebration in an attempt to save the town from the state’s attempt to build the new football stadium on their land.

This was a hallmark-esque small southern town romance with all the inherent charm and drama. I loved the southern feel and the close knit community. I did need to suspend disbelief at times given the coincidences and the quick passing of time that made hard things seem super simple. But I don’t know that it detracted from the overall story, which was still engaging. The main characters seemed slightly flat, but colorful and I definitely had a preference for who the FMC should choose. Overall, a good summer romance for those that love a sweet small town romance.

Thanks to Alcove Press for an advanced copy of Sing Me Home to Carolina by Joy Callaway.

I've really enjoyed her historical fiction, so I was looking forward to this contemporary book, but there were a few things I struggled with in this book.

I loved the sweet town, but didn't get Hattie at all. She was so selfish and then the romance aspect - I wasn't expecting that love triangle. It all just felt off to me.

I struggled with the setting and that they were trying to move the Carolina Pathers stadium, if it was any other type of stadium it would have made more sense to me. I know Mountain View was a fictional town, but where they were saying the town was just doesn't make sense for an NFL stadium and that really bothered me the whole book.

Unfortunately, this was a miss for me.

If you're looking for the perfect summer read with some of your favorite tropes, look no further than Sing Me Home To Carolina! Small town charm, a woman going back home to find her true self and purpose, the family farm in need of rescue and a dash of clean romance thrown in via an old flame resurfacing while a possible new flame appears on the scene.

Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️.5

I don’t even know how to fully describe this book, everything about it just worked. Every character, whether main or side, played a meaningful role and added something special to the story.

Hattie returns to her hometown of Mountain View, South Carolina, to support her parents through a difficult time. She plans to head back to Charlotte soon, but the town has other ideas. They ask her to use her event planning skills to help breathe life back into the community, and that’s where the story really takes off.

There’s a bit of a love story, but more importantly, this is Hattie’s story. It’s about her figuring out life when it looks totally different than she expected, and learning to embrace the unexpected along the way.

Thank you NetGalley and Alcove Press

The publisher provided ARC via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review

Synopsis
Event planner Hattie Norwood goes back home to Mountain View, South Carolina to support her parents and their failing farm and finds herself in the middle of a town battle because they don’t want their small town to become home to a new Carolina Panthers stadium, but Hattie is actually in favor of it. While home, she can’t believe her eyes when she sees her old flame, former MLB standout Lee Lockhardt, who’s returned home after career-ending injury.
But there’s also the hunky and mysterious new owner of Fox’s Hardware, Fox. Are you Team Lee or Team Fox?

My Thoughts
The second I started reading this book, I got Sweet Home Alabama vibes! It’s one of my favorite movies, and I picked this up because I love a good book set in the south. This book did not disappoint. It’s got small town southern charm, high school love, a mysterious handsome new man in town that has that rugged charm with his beard, country music, farms, and barns all mixed in. It was a cute Hallmark-type romance and the characters were the fun neighborly rural small town kind. Do you like Heart of Dixie or Sweet Magnolias? If yes, you’ll love this book!

Themes
Family
Old Love
Love Triangle

Ratings
Characters: 5 ⭐️
Pace: 4 ⭐️
Enjoyability: 4 ⭐️

Thank you Alcove Press and NetGalley for an advanced copy of this book!

Thank you to Joy Callaway, Alcove Press, and Netgalley for the ARC.

I found this story to be slow moving initially. I did like the book. I found it hard to engage in the hero/heroine/hero story. Hattie seemed to jump between Fox/Lee. I may have been the wrong audience for the storyline.

A sweet story about coming home and rediscovering yourself, worthy of a Hallmark mock up. Leaving a small town for the bright lights and big city isn’t all that it seems, and Hattie ends up realizing what she loves most is what she left behind.
The plot keeps moving along, the characters are charming and they keep it interesting, and the love all around made this an enjoyable, light read. Perfect beach read material!

What a heartwarming and enjoyable read! Joy Callaway’s first contemporary novel, Sing Me Home to Carolina, features a charming, though economically challenged, rural small town and a delightful cast of characters. It would have benefited from some streamlining, in my humble opinion, and some of the plot seemed a bit unrealistic. That said, I will be looking forward to future contemporary works from Callaway - perhaps also set in Mountain View?

Many thanks to NetGalley and Alcove Press for the privilege of a complementary ARC. Opinions are my own.

Cute book about a hometown girl returning home. She is getting to know the town again and is trying to help them with a benefit. A new man in town has her eye and now we watch where it goes. It reads a lot like a book I just finished so I had to stop from time to time to remind myself which book I was reading. I was hoping to check out the audiobook as well to see if it would make the story more exciting but was unable to get it.
I can definitively see this as being a Hallmark movie or show.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the arc.

Sing Me Home, Carolina is a beautifully written historical novel that gracefully intertwines Southern charm, emotional depth, and a compelling dual-timeline narrative. Joy Calloway brings the Carolina Lowcountry vividly to life with lush descriptions and a palpable sense of place that transports the reader to both past and present with ease.

The story follows the lives of women navigating the complexities of tradition, family, and the pull of dreams that don’t always align with expectations. The characters are well-developed and emotionally resonant, particularly the female leads, whose strength and vulnerability are portrayed with nuance. The novel excels at capturing the tensions between duty and desire, history and progress, and the push and pull of home.

Though the pacing slows at times, and certain plot points feel somewhat predictable, the emotional payoff is worth it. Calloway's prose is lyrical without being overwrought, and her exploration of generational ties and the enduring power of place makes this book both touching and thought-provoking.

A lovely read for fans of historical fiction with heart and atmosphere.

Sing Me Home to Carolina by Joy Callaway is a beautifully written, enjoyable story of going back home.

I loved the characters, community, romance and small town drama of this book.

Thank you to NetGalley and Alcove Press for the ARC copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are my own and completely voluntary.

This is definitely my favorite @joywcal novel so far! I will just be over here packing my bag to go live in this little fictional town of Mountain View! Thank you @alcovepress for my early listening and reading copies of SING ME HOME TO CAROLINA, out now!

I loved Hattie’s storyline: living her life in the big city even though she’s from a small town. The struggle she has is still being “in love” with her HS sweetheart, even though he did the unthinkable breaking up with her as he headed off to college, eventually becoming a big baseball star.

What I loved even more? The small town of Mountain View, its slower pace of life, and the love everyone in the town had for their way of life. I can see both Hattie’s perspective on the town, and I can also see the town’s perspective,

What I didn’t bargain for? Lee Lockhardt the baseball star (washed up and injured) coming home, wrecking Hattie’s life and then somehow becoming a great musician and going on a world tour with his band. *eye roll* He strikes me as a man of convenience, if you know what I mean.

Now, let’s talk about Fox Ryan, the mysterious hardware store owner. Now HE was a solid individual. And given that he bails Hattie out of a couple predicaments with his strong singing and helps her build a wedding/music venue that brings so many visitors to the town. Win-win in my book.

Well done, Joy, well done, I loved it!

Things I enjoyed:
Lighthearted
Small town vibes
Likeable characters
Country music
Love story
Closed door romance

This is my second book I have read by author Joy Callaway. I loved this emotional love story that kept me turning the pages! I kept staring at the cover as I was reading the story. Gorgeous! If you are looking for your next poolside or beach read, Sing Me Home to Carolina would be perfect.

I received a complimentary advanced electronic copy from Netgalley and publisher Alcove Press. Thank you for the opportunity to preview this book.

A Return to Mountain View

This small-town, contemporary, and clean romance follows Hattie’s return to the rustic hills and quiet charm of Mountain View, South Carolina. The scent of honeysuckle and hay still lingers in the air, a familiar comfort against the ache of a decade away. Raised on the family’s struggling farm, Hattie once believed she had to leave to become someone more. But now, with her parents in need and the fields overgrown with uncertainty, she's come back—not as the girl who left, but as a woman bearing the weight of dreams deferred and roots unearthed.

First Love, Second Chances

However, when she returns she finds out quickly that her old love has also returned and with it their connection to one another is fueling again. Lee is her first love and a man she will never be able to get out of her heart, but both of their futures are in question as Lee might leave town again and with it, breaking her heart all over again. Their connection is still there, raw and unfiltered, like the humid Southern air thick with memory. But while their hearts remember, their futures remain uncertain. Will Lee stay? Or is she once again bracing for the heartbreak that never fully healed?

Sparks, Pain, and Possibilities

The pain that Hattie went through when they broke up after high school has devastated her for a decade and has left a mark on her ability to love anyone other than him. Their reunion is not to be taken lightly and is filled with lots of fireworks, past pain, and emotional conversations.

A Town on the Brink of Change

The Mountain View of today is not the town Hattie remembers. The looming construction of a modern football stadium threatens to bulldoze not just farmland but the very soul of the community. Her family’s farm—sun-baked, weather-worn, and full of whispered stories—stands on the edge of survival. And at the heart of it all is the barn, an aged beauty of weathered wood and sagging beams, where dances, fundraisers, and memories unfold. It’s more than a structure—it’s the last beating heart of a town fighting to stay whole.

Enter Fox: The Steady Stranger

As things start to crumble around Hattie's perfectly crafted world, she finds a balance and support in the mysterious new hardware shop owner, Fox. He's stable and loves this town - even if no one seems to know his real past or how he ended up in this corner of the country. But that doesn't matter to Hattie, he's always there to support her and help when needed, which is exactly what she needs in these circumstances.

Roots, Growth, and Finding Home

The deeper Hattie sinks into life in Mountain View, the more she begins to realize that growth doesn’t always mean leaving. Sometimes it means staying and planting deeper roots. She’s torn between the woman she wanted to be and the one she’s becoming—the one who finds beauty in morning fog over the fields, who treasures family dinners around the scratched-up kitchen table, who dares to dream a little differently. The family barn, once just a landmark, becomes her symbol of possibility. A gathering place for neighbors, a pulse of connection, and maybe…a way forward.

The Love Triangle That Tore Me Apart

The tug between Lee and Fox is more than a romantic dilemma—it’s a battle of identity. Lee represents history, passion, and the unresolved ache of a first love. Fox offers steadiness, compassion, and the unknown comfort of someone new. Watching Hattie navigate this tension is as gripping as it is gut-wrenching. You feel her heart split with every glance, every gesture, every whispered what if. I had my favorite early on, and I was holding my breath until the very end. The payoff? Worth every single page.

A Journey of Strength and Self-Discovery

Hattie’s evolution is powerful and deeply moving. She doesn’t just find love—she finds herself. Her journey is muddy and real, like the dirt roads she once ran down barefoot as a child. She faces hard truths, makes messy decisions, and rises again—each time stronger, wiser, more whole. By the final chapter, I didn’t just admire her—I believed in her. This story isn’t just about choosing the right man. It’s about choosing the right version of yourself.

I think what I love most about small town stories, romantic or not, is there's an inherent found family aspect to it, that sense of a community that's willing to help each other out in their hardest moments but also uplifting in joyous ones, and this is something Joy Callaway executes perfectly in Sing Me Home to Carolina. As someone who loves Hart of Dixie, those same vibes were emulated throughout this novel and that was something I thoroughly enjoyed as well as the romance(s) that were present.

Thank you Alcove Press and Netgalley for the ARC.