What an awesome story about a special small town and the people who love it. Things really can happen for a reason, even if it’s getting your truck stuck in the mud. The folks who live in Mountain View are wonderful and as in many small towns look out for and love each other. I love the way they come together. I received this book from NetGalley, but my opinion is my own.

This is one of those rare books that once you pick it up you can't put it down until you have finished it. I highly recommend reading this story. There are so many surprises wiring for you

Thank you for allowing me to read this title for an honest review.
Review also posted to goodreads.
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/7432474792

“Sing Me Home to Carolina” tells the story of Hattie as she comes back to her home to South Carolina to help save her parent’s failing farm. I only got about 15% in. I had a difficult time relating to the characters and found out his book wasn’t for me. Hopefully others enjoy!

A complementary copy was provided by the publisher and NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own

I loved this book. I read it in one day. It was a great story of small town folks who loved their town and had each others backs. Of course there's a love story in the mix too. A fun read.

"Sing Me Home to Carolina" by Joy Callaway is a charming Southern romance filled with heart, hometown nostalgia, and tough choices. Event planner Hattie Norwood returns to her small South Carolina town, caught between saving her family’s farm and supporting a stadium project that could change everything. Torn between an old flame and a mysterious newcomer, Hattie must navigate love, loyalty, and what home truly means. With warm, small-town vibes and engaging characters, this novel feels like a cozy hug—though some may find the pacing slow or the character development uneven. A sweet, heartfelt read for fans of Southern fiction! 🌿✨

If you love a southern romance you will enjoy Sing Me Home to Carolina by Joy Callaway. It tells the story of a girl named Hattie who grew up in the small town of Mountain View but now lives in the city of Charlotte and is a planner of large events.She comes home to Mountain View which is being considered as the site of a huge new sports stadium. Her parents farm has Ben tested and the soil has been depleted.The whole town is declining.Hattie feels the stadium would be good for the town but the rest of the town does not.Then there is the tension she feels about her feelings toward her ex from high school and Fox-the new owner of the hardware store.The ending seemed a little too fast and not as well developed as I would have liked but on the whole you will enjoy this easy to read story of coming home.Thank you NetGalley and Alcove Press for allowing me to read this ARC!

I liked the premise and the authors style of writing. It’s a plot that’s been done many times. Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher.

Sing Me Home to Carolina by Joy Callaway ⭐⭐⭐⭐

Alcove Press
Pub Date: 6-10-25

Thank you @netgalley, @alcovepress, and @joywcal for the opportunity to read this eARC.

Hattie returns to her small hometown and unexpectedly crosses paths with her first love, Lee. But with someone new in town, her heart may be pulled in a different direction.

I enjoyed my time in Mountain View with its collection of small town characters trying to find a way for their community to survive as their small farms are dying.

"We hadn’t been in town at the same time since the day we both left for college, and before that, we hadn’t been apart for even a day for four years. He was as home to me as my house, my family, Main Street, this town."

"The tune was slow and simple, the sort that stirred you. I watched his fingers on the frets. They moved effortlessly. They’d moved over my body the same way, as though he’d been born knowing how to love me."

I would like to thank Net Galley and Alcove Press for the opportunity to read this book as an ARC.This is the story of Hattie. She grew up in Mountain View SC , and moved after High School for College and then to Charlotte NC to work as an event planner. Her parents still live on their farm in Mountain View. Her exboyfriend, Lee was a baseball player with the Atlanta Braves, hurt his shoulder and is now back in Mountain View, working in a bank and playing with his band.Mountain view is one of two sites being considered for the new Carolina Panthers Stadium. No one in the town thinks it is a good idea , except for Hattie. Hattie’s parents farm is declining and they have just had the soil tested, to find out they can no longer grow peanuts.Hattie is torn between her family, her work, her ex and the new owner of the hardware store.It is really a jumble of story lines..The town was founded. by a songwriter whose truck got stuck , and he liked the area so much he stayed and founded the town(leaving the truck,where it was). The whole stadium story line comes and goes and sometimes we care about Hattie’s job, and sometimes we don’t. I think this is my problem with the book, there is nothing I care enough about, just a lot of people with quirks and folksy sayings.I don’t really care about any of them.

I wanted to like this book but the pace was too slow and the love connections didn’t have much chemistry. There was an overwhelming amount of time spent on the town’s struggle with a pending football stadium wanting to build in their town and how the town is fighting it. Fell flat for me.

ADORABLE!!! Definitely a fun and easy read! These characters and this story grab hold of you and have you wanting to read more. The story is set in a small town in upstate South Carolina and, as someone born in raised in upstate South Carolina, I adored everything this. I could easily picture these locations in my mind. The author did her research very well, she nailed it when it came to details that helped move this story along. There is a love triangle tangled into this story but the romance is not the main plot of this book. This is a coming home story and it was beautifully done. I would absolutely recommend to others.

Thank you to Joy Callaway and NetGalley for the advanced copy!

This was a nice, light break after reading several dark and creepy psychological thrillers!

Hattie Norwood grew up on a farm in what sounds like "Small Town USA" - very idyllic and wholesome, including her teen sweetheart becoming a pro Baseball player. Her parents received the farm from the Robinson's who were the founders of their town of Mountain View, SC. After learning their soil was not fertile enough to sustain ongoing crops, Hattie returns home for a quick visit.

But the visit turns out not to be so quick as news comes that the Carolina Panthers are making a final selection for their new stadium - either Mountain View or the other small town across the river. Their town is vehemently against it, but Hattie sees things differently in part due to her experience living in the "big city" and working as an event planner. She sees the down dying a slow death, and this will bring revitalization in. But she's pretty much the only one, and her opinion is incredibly unpopular.

Various happenings keep Hattie there beyond her planned visit, and of course, there's drama when it comes to her personal life. She's run into her old boyfriend after an injury forced him to quit playing ball. But wait, who is the new owner of the hardware store?

This was a fast and easy read, and made me really root for the main character - I found myself getting some butterflies for her! Having grown up in a small town, I could relate to how everyone was in everyone else's business, and how they band together to overcome hard times.

Thanks to NetGalley, Alcove Press and Joy Callaway for the eARC.

Pub Date Jun 10 2025 #SingMeHometoCarolina #NetGalley

*Sing Me Home Carolina* by Joy Callaway is a delightful small-town romance that weaves together family, love, and community with a dose of drama and heart. This story is perfect for fans of *Sweet Magnolias* and *Hart of Dixie*, as it transports readers to the charming town of Mountain View, South Carolina, where complicated relationships and new beginnings collide.

Hattie Norwood, a successful event planner from Charlotte, returns home to help her parents when their family peanut farm faces a crisis. What begins as a brief visit quickly evolves into a longer stay when Hattie is roped into organizing a musical benefit to oppose the construction of a new stadium. Although she personally supports the project, Hattie is caught in the middle of a community divided and unexpectedly finds herself at the center of a town drama. Adding to the tension, Hattie crosses paths with her old flame, Lee Lockhardt, a former MLB star who has returned to Mountain View after a career-ending injury. As the sparks fly between Hattie and Lee, the arrival of the enigmatic Fox Ryan, the new owner of Fox’s Hardware, adds even more complexity to Hattie’s emotional turmoil.

The romance is a central focus of the book, and readers will find themselves torn between Lee and Fox, both of whom are compelling and intriguing in their own ways. Lee, the charming former baseball star, represents Hattie's past—familiar, comforting, and full of shared history. Meanwhile, Fox is the mysterious new guy, a handsome entrepreneur with a vision for transforming the Norwood farm into a vibrant venue for music and events. Hattie’s struggle between rekindling an old love and exploring something new is relatable and adds emotional depth to the story.

The novel’s setting in the picturesque town of Mountain View provides the perfect backdrop for the romantic tension and community drama that unfolds. The quirky, memorable characters—ranging from Hattie's family to the colorful townspeople—give the book a warm, inviting atmosphere that readers will fall in love with. The story touches on themes of small-town life, the clash between tradition and progress, and the impact of family expectations.

Joy Callaway’s writing is engaging and filled with warmth and humor. The pacing of the novel is just right, balancing moments of introspection with lighter, feel-good scenes. The dynamic between the town’s residents, Hattie’s evolving relationships, and the high-stakes drama of the stadium project keeps the plot moving forward, while the emotional depth of Hattie’s personal journey makes for a rewarding read.

Fans of small-town romance, heartfelt family stories, and the irresistible pull of second chances will love *Sing Me Home Carolina*. Whether you’re rooting for Team Lee or Team Fox, this charming novel will leave you with a smile on your face and a song in your heart.

My first Joy Callaway novel and not a bad way to start. Pleased with this and the small town romance story. However I do like a little more spice in my novels and this was definitely a closed door romance, which if that’s your thing you will love this!! Overall this wasn’t anything life changing but a sweet and easy read!!! I’d recommend to my friends who are just getting into reading again!

First of all, I LOVED the cover! So beautiful!

I almost gave up on this story. I was quite bored at the beginning. I even set it aside for several weeks because I thought Lee was not worth the pages written about him. He seemed like such an unreal character - especially the mullet... I don't even know if they are still really a thing anymore? Maybe? And the story is about a town founded by a peanut farmer?? I didn't truly become invested in the story until Hattie & Lee got back together as adults. (They were highschool sweethearts that broke up on bad terms.) It was sweet to see them rekindle their lost love and have a second chance.

However, the love triangle angle kept me rooting for a happy ending. And a happy ending it was! I wasn't sure which fellow would keep her heart. The secondary love interest, Fox, was not actively persuing Hattie. It was just a beautiful developing relationship that kept me coming back for more.

I enjoyed the small town romance and the quirky characters, as well. I am glad I stuck with it.

**Thank you to Netgalley, the publisher Alcove Press, and the author for this advanced DRC**

I love Joy Callaway's books and just recently read her historical fiction book, Star of Camp Greene. This was totally different. To me, this would be the perfect summer read by the pool. It's a sweet little romance that takes place in a small town. It's a fun comfort book that will take you away to a much simpler place and time in your life. Worth the read!

I don't read many contemporary-based novels, but the cover looked so nice, I could not resist. It follows the "small town" trope, very Hallmark movie -like, set in the South and full of sweet and quirky characters. The book also mentions beautiful landscapes and lots of music, so it is beautifully setted. The love triangle got me very intrigued from the beginning, I had to know who Hattie was going to pick!! Thanks Netgalley for my Arc!

While I thought this was a cute book at times, I sometimes became a bit bored and wanted more for the plot. I was able to connect with the characters, but sometimes I wanted more development from them.

Hattie has left her hometown for greater city Charlotte where she works hard in an events agency. But she goes back temporarily to Mountain View to support her parents when it turns out that they have received an adverse opinion about the quality of their land and they can no longer grow peanut plants. Hattie wants to get out of this small town again as soon as possible, but her father's poor health throws a spanner in the works. Then she is confronted by her ex Leland Lockhardt who broke her heart when he left. He is back and love is not lost. But everything is different now and important choices must be made.

Sing me home to Carolina is a beautiful novel with a small-town trope. Returning to her birthplace and refinding an old love is a familiar trope in stories, but a very fine one. It produces a book where there is depth, and where characters develop. Hattie has to start thinking about who she is, where she stands in life and what she wants. Picking up contacts with the residents of Mountain view is a big part of that. And then there's a mysterious new owner of the hardware store who triggers her curiosity.

Mountain View has to deal with a big problem around the plans of a new stadium. Something that could help the small town survive, but it will come at the expense of everything Mountain View is now. The difference in pros and cons is worked out well and realistically. The big money seems to trump the opposition with great consequences. It is nice to see that the residents do not give up and stand strong together.

Sing me home to Carolina is a fine novel, with fine characters in a well-crafted setting and with a good plot. The book is full of music, which brings an extra layer to the story. A delightful novel to read.

If you love small-town romances set in the South with relatable characters and a compelling storyline, this book is a must-read. It has the charm of Sweet Magnolias and the quirky community spirit of Schitt’s Creek, all centered around a strong, determined heroine.

Hattie Norwood is a believable and likable protagonist—a successful professional who puts her family first. When she returns to her hometown of Mountain View, South Carolina, to support her aging parents, she’s faced with devastating news: the family’s peanut farm is no longer fertile. The weight of this crisis is overwhelming, especially as she balances her high-powered career in Charlotte with her deep-rooted love for home.

As if that weren’t enough, the entire town is in an uproar over the possibility of the Carolina Panthers building their new stadium in Mountain View. The project could bring much-needed revenue, and Hattie sees it as a lifeline for the struggling town. But her support for the stadium makes her an outsider in her own community—many of the townsfolk fear it will destroy their small-town charm, and they aren’t shy about showing their disapproval.

On top of the town drama, there’s an irresistible love triangle to navigate. Hattie’s old flame, former MLB star Lee Lockhardt, still stirs up feelings, but then there’s Fox Ryan, the enigmatic new owner of the hardware store. As Mountain View gears up for its beloved Founder’s Day—a scene straight out of a Hallmark movie—Hattie must make some tough choices, not just about love but about where she truly belongs.

This story kept me up late into the night—I simply had to know who Hattie would choose! If you’re looking for a heartfelt, feel-good romance with all the charm of a cozy Southern town, this book is for you..