In Heard It in a Love Song by Tracey Garvis Graves, Divorced and having now sworn off men 
for the foreseeable future, elementary school music teacher Layla Hilding is in the middle of figuring out who she is again–this time in her mid-thirties. She used to be the co-lead singer and guitarist for a local Minnesota rock band. Then her marriage to Liam took her in a totally different direction. And not a good one.
Layla grew tired of always being on the back burner, so after a huge breach of trust, she severed ties with Liam. While she’s excited to build a new life–and rediscovering her music–she’s also a tad lonely. Gaining friendships with the teachers at school has helped immensely but she’s wondering if the mutual attraction she feels for single dad Josh might be the start of something. Layla wants to believe he’s the good guy he appears to be. And that if they can become friends first then maybe they just might have a shot at something real.
‘For so long, Layla had doubted she would ever have fun again. And here she was, almost a year later, having the time of her life on a date with a man who might or might not be thinking about kissing her at the end of it.’
Josh honestly never thought he and his high school sweetheart Kimmy would ever part ways. But after two decades together they called it quits. In the middle of it all is his five-year-old daughter Sasha, who he now shares custody of with Kimmy. She’s their main concern. His social life doesn’t even factor as he works hard as a self-employed electrician and spends all his free time with his daughter. Then Josh runs into Sasha’s music teacher Layla at the school. Somehow it seems like the universe keeps pushing them together, one situation after another. He’s not sure he’s ready for another relationship just yet. But if they can build a solid foundation, who knows what the future might bring?
‘Right then, she looked like she was on fire, as if her joy had lit her from behind in vibrant oranges and fiery reds. It was a long song, but he wished it were longer.’
Tracey Garvis-Graves’ storytelling ability was proven once again with slow burn romance Heard It in a Love Song where raw and tender emotions met palpable chemistry.
‘Friends with potential was now something real, something deeper, as they took the first steps toward being in a romantic relationship.’
A former rock goddess from a local band and a self-employed electrician might sound like an odd pair but the air sizzled with attraction between Layla and Josh. Not that they acted on it right away. But it was a fun dance, watching the way they slowly formed a friendship that grew into something bigger and much more serious than either of them expected.
Because it evolved over time, the story itself seemed to move at a slow pace and might not be as explosive or exciting as some readers expect from Garvis-Graves. But I felt like overall it suited our kind-hearted lovebirds, Josh and Layla. They were both still healing their wounds from previous broken relationships–she was newly divorced, he was in the middle of one–so I applauded them for taking the time needed to see if a new relationship was something they wanted in their lives. It was further complicated a bit where Layla was a music teacher at Josh’s five-year-old daughter Sasha’s school. They wanted to make sure what was truly between them before making things public, as well as before telling Sasha, which I thought was the right thing to do.
For readers who are music lovers, I think you’ll have a great time with Layla’s parts of the story where she channels her inner rock goddess. (Think: Ann Wilson of Heart) Music was her passion and her outlet for her emotions. It was interesting to see the difference between how her ex-husband Liam and later on how Josh treated that part of her life–whether they nurtured that creativity or tried to hinder it. And FYI: the book title is actually pulled from Marshall Tucker Band’s hit song of the same name. Good luck getting the song unstuck from your head while reading this book. (You’re welcome! *grins*)
QOTD: Are you a fan of slow burn romance? If so, do you have any favorites that stand out above the rest?
Book Info:
Publication: Expected publication: November 2nd 2021 | by St. Martin’s Press |
From the bestselling author of The Girl He Used to Know comes a love song of a story about starting over and second chances.
Love doesn’t always wait until you’re ready.
Layla Hilding is thirty-five and recently divorced. Struggling to break free from the past—her glory days as the lead singer in a band and a ten-year marriage to a man who never put her first—Layla’s newly found independence feels a lot like loneliness.
Then there’s Josh, the single dad whose daughter attends the elementary school where Layla teaches music. Recently separated, he’s still processing the end of his twenty-year marriage to his high school sweetheart. He chats with Layla every morning at school and finds himself thinking about her more and more.
Equally cautious and confused about dating in a world that favors apps over meeting organically, Layla and Josh decide to be friends with the potential for something more. Sounds sensible and way too simple—but when two people are on the rebound, is it heartbreak or happiness that’s a love song away?
