"The Whole Way Home"--by Sarah Creech--a luminous 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" (see my review)

  

The Whole Way Home

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.

MY REVIEW:  Like the heroine of author Sarah Creech's "The Whole Way Home", I was born and raised in the mountains of Virginia. My home is still there, and I greatly looked forward to the tale of the mountain girl with an innate, undeniable gift of music who rises to the ranks of the country music greats. Joanne "Jo" Lover is a beautiful woman blessed with a voice of an angel and a magical touch on the fiddle. At a pivotal point in her life and career, she is suddenly reunited with J.D. Gunn, the first love who broke her heart when he left her behind on his own rocket ride to fame. Despite the heartaches, the bond of the soul and the pure musical harmony between Jo and J.D. is more powerful than ever--and so is the physical attraction. However, Jo is engaged to a music industry power broker who is also the son of big-time Nashville mover and shaker. To change everything and follow her heart could mean giving up all she has worked so hard to obtain--but will the heart have its way? The characters are memorable, and the story line is compelling, but the real star of this story is the rich detail of the history of country music and the Grand Old Opry and the Ryman Auditorium in Nashville. The author provides such a flavorful taste of the past and present of country music that you will definitely savor the flavor of this "Americana Pie".

Book Copy Gratis Library Thing

 

Sarah Creech

 

Born and raised in the foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains, Sarah Creech grew up in a house full of women who told stories about black cloud visions and other premonitions. Her work has appeared in storySouth, Literary Mama, Aroostook Review, Glass, and Glimmer Train. She received an MFA in 2008 and now teaches English and creative writing at Queens University of Charlotte. She currently lives in North Carolina with her two children and her husband, a poet. 

https://www.sarahcreech.org/