Author: Sarah Creech
Publisher: William Morrow
Genre: Contemporary Fiction
Source: William Morrow
Goodreads: A ferocious talent on the brink of making it big in Nashville must confront her small town past and an old love she’s never forgotten in this engaging novel—a soulful ballad filled with romance, heartbreak, secrets, and scandal from the author of Season of the Dragonflies.
Playing to packed houses while her hit song rushes up the charts, country singer and fiddler Jo Lover is poised to become a big Nashville star like her idols, Loretta, Reba, and Sheryl. To ensure her success, Jo has carefully crafted her image: a pretty, sassy, down-to-earth girl from small-town Virginia who pours her heart into her songs.
But the stage persona she’s built is threatened when her independent label merges with big-time Capitol Records, bringing Nashville heartthrob JD McCoy—her first love—back into her life. Long ago Jo played with JD’s band. Then something went wrong, they parted ways and took their own crooked roads to stardom. Now, Jo’s excited—and terrified—to see him again.
When the label reunites them for a show, the old sparks fly, the duet they sing goes viral, and fans begin clamoring for more—igniting the media’s interest in the compelling singer. Why is a small-town girl like Jo so quiet about her past? When did she and JD first meet? What split them apart? All too soon, the painful secret she’s been hiding is uncovered; a shocking revelation that threatens to destroy her reputation and her dreams. To salvage her life and her career, Jo must finally face the past—and her feelings for JD—to become the true Nashville diva she was meant to be.
Ope’s Opinion: Recently my daughter and I were in Nashville and I went to the Ryman Auditorium. It really helped me picture Jo on stage, which made this story more enjoyable. Reading about the behind scenes of country music was interesting.
Jo, like most people, has things in her past that she doesn’t care to share with the world. Being famous makes it harder to keep secrets, being famous also makes it harder to know who to trust with those secrets.
This was a predictable story that had a nice even flow to it. I enjoyed the relaxed read and actually wanted the ending just the way it is.
