Are you a fan of country music? How about guitar players? Although I don’t listen to much country music, I do love and respect anyone who can pick out a tune on a guitar. I guess you could say it didn’t take much for me to fall in love with our hero Hank in Just Another Love Song.
Give Second Chance a… Chance
After reading Waiting for Tom Hanks, I was a Kerry Winfrey fan for life. Even so, I was a little hesitant to pick up Just Another Love Song. I used to think I wasn’t a fan of second chance romances. I tend to hold a grudge, and the idea of forgiving and forgetting just wasn’t something I was fully on board with. Well, I must have just been reading some really unlikeable characters, because most recent second chance romances I’ve read have really resonated with me! Maybe it’s because I’m at a place in my life with a little more perspective on personal growth, but I just love the idea that two people can part ways and find their way back to each other at just the right time in their lives.
Even if you’re not the biggest fan of the second chance trope, you may want to give Just Another Love Song a shot. Kerry Winfrey has a way of just bringing you into the fold of an established group of characters, and making them feel like old friends you’ll root for no matter what. Her writing is truly like a warm hug!
First of all, I love Kerry’s Ohio settings. I’m just across the Ohio River border in West Virginia, so Columbus and the surrounding areas are a place I’m familiar with. While I didn’t necessarily grow up in a small town, I did grow up in a close knit community of a small-ish city, so I could relate to many of the aspects in JALS. Kerry does an excellent job of writing secondary characters who feel just as knowable as her primary ones.
What to Love About Just Another Love Song
Our main characters, Sandy Macintosh and Hank Tilllman were high school sweethearts. They each had big dreams–Sandy of becoming an artist, and Hank a musician. Only Hank was able to pursue those dreams, and Sandy ends up severing ties to– in her eyes– set Hank free.
Fifteen years later, Hank’s a famous singer, a single dad, and apparently back in their small town. Sandy thinks she’s content running a successful greenhouse and helping out her parents with their Ohio-themed B & B, but Hank reignites the flame that never quite got fully extinguished. It was so sweet to see them get to know each other again, and fill in the blanks of the last decade (plus). The interactions with Hank’s son were super adorable, and I really enjoyed the nostalgic elements from their past.
Just Another Love Song Audio Review
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I listened to much of the book on audio. The audiobook is narrated by Justis Bolding. It’s 9 hours and 51 minutes, and excellent on audio! I listened via the PRHAudio app at 2.0x speed, and Justis does the charming story, well, justice. She has a sweet but strong voice, with just the slightest twang that brings life to the small town setting. I think this is my first listen by her, and I love that more than a decade into starting my love affair with audiobooks, I’m STILL finding fresh, new voices to listen to!
I’m so thankful that Berkley included me in the blog tour for Just Another Love Song! You can find it on Amazon, Bookshop.org, at your favorite local spot, or on audio via Audible, LibroFM, Google Play, and more!