Reviews

A Little Bit Country by Brian D. Kennedy

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fieldfarmer's review against another edition

2.5

it does bother me, actually, that the author isn’t from the south at all and makes emmett, character from Not Tennessee, treat the south like some backwater side show for his entertainment and fame. each time i even remotely liked emmett he would screw it up and boom instant dislike again. i did like luke which may be because i have a thing for characters with issues. anyways. the only parts i even remotely enjoyed were luke (most of the time) and the ending but it did not make up for the sour taste in my mouth over the way the author treated the south

eb2114's review against another edition

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emotional funny lighthearted medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? It's complicated
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.75

jesikasbookshelf's review against another edition

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emotional hopeful lighthearted reflective relaxing medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? No

4.0

Country music romance? I need more of these books 🤣

Luke and Emmett are so different, but watching them fall for each other in amongst the chaos of an attraction park whilst they both struggle with growing up and dealing with more adult problems was great. They are so sweet and understanding of each other and the central mystery works out so well.

I would have loved an epilogue!

k_a_r_e_n_b's review against another edition

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challenging emotional funny hopeful inspiring lighthearted sad medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? It's complicated
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.5

breannasbooks's review against another edition

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Diverse cast of characters? Yes

4.0

drakoulis's review against another edition

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5.0

A beautiful debut book by Brian D. Kennedy!

Sweet, heartwarming and atmospheric, with an underlying sadness and anger, A Little Bit Country is a wonderful story of chasing your dreams, following your passion, resisting the pressure of your family, accepting yourself and finding love.

I'm not a fan of country music, or of the small-town American South, but this didn't make the book any less enjoyable for me. The writing is spot-on, and I especially loved Emmett's chapters.

A Little Bit Country also touches heavier themes like poverty, unemployment, chronic illness, discrimination in the music industry, past and present homophobia - fans of Sophie Gonzales will love this book.

It made me angry when reading some of Luke's chapters - not at him, but at parents who never care to give their kids the impression that they are safe to be themselves around them. It's not enough to be accepting, you have to somehow show your kid that you are.

The romance is really sweet and swoony, and I also loved the determination of both boys to chase their dreams. There is also a bittersweet backstory which reminds us that the world used to be a very cruel place.

Overall, Emmett and Luke's story is one of the best books of 2022 and I can't wait to read Brian Kennedy's next story!