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kelly_e 's review for:
Sing Me Home to Carolina
by Joy Callaway
lighthearted
relaxing
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
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, toxic relationship
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, toxic relationship
Content Warnings
Moderate: Misogyny, Sexism, Toxic relationship
Minor: Medical trauma, Injury/Injury detail