Let It Be Me

by Kelly Hennelly, Alissa DeGregorio (Illustrator)

What if home isn't a place, it's a person?

Tally Aden's grand arrival in Savannah starts with her vomiting on a stranger's sculpture—and it only gets worse from there.

Pregnant, newly single, and crashing at her brother's place, Tally's hitting rock bottom in spectacular fashion. She's spent years drifting from city to city, always one step ahead of settling down. But Savannah keeps pulling her in, and for the first time, she's not sure she wants to run. She just doesn't know if a girl like her could ever really belong here.

Charlie Pruitt is an artist who moonlights as everyone's savior. His sister's bar is about to go under, and he's working himself to the bone trying to save it. Never asks for anything for himself, because wanting something feels selfish when the people he loves are barely hanging on.

Then Tally destroys months of his work in one mortifying moment, and somehow he can't stop showing up for her. She's chaos in human form—sharp wit wrapped around a tender heart she tries to hide—and she makes him laugh in a way he hasn't in years. For the first time, Charlie wants something that's just his.

But Tally's never believed she's someone people choose. And Charlie's convinced happiness isn't something he gets to keep.

Set in Savannah, Let It Be Me is packed with Southern charm, laugh-out-loud moments, and a love worth staying for.

405 pages, Kindle Edition

Expected publication January 23, 2026

About the author

Kelly Hennelly is a writer who loves to craft stories filled with heart, humor, and just a dash of chaos. With a passion for creating relatable characters, Kelly takes readers on unforgettable journeys of love, laughter, and the messy, beautiful moments that make life worth living. When not writing, she can be found spending time with her husband and kids, wrangling two cats and two dogs, traveling, and laying on the beach, always looking for the next story to tell.

Kelly’s books are a mix of heartfelt romance and playful humor, with characters you'll fall for and a plot that will keep you hooked. Our Song is her debut novel, where childhood sweethearts reunite and discover that the past isn’t quite as far behind as they thought.

To learn more about Kelly's upcoming books and musings, follow along on Facebook, Goodreads, Instagram, TikTok or visit authorkellyhennelly.com.

Reviews

[inspiredbyriii · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.25 ⭐️

406 pages
Ebook (ARC)
The Savannah Sweethearts Series

Highlights:
- Spice: closed door
- Tropes: dual POV, found family, small town romance, he falls first, forced proximity, single mom/pregnancy, and not his baby
- Recommend? Yes - I received and read this as an ARC. Found family tropes always get me. The storyline, character development, and just it being a feel good, comforting read made it an enjoyable read. *You should totally read “Our Song” first as there are many side characters that show up in this book and add to the storyline!

💬 Quotes that stood out to me:
“Because when you're stuck in the middle of one of life's messes, it's hard to see straight. And sometimes the people who sound the most critical are the ones trying hardest to look out for you. Even if they don't always get it right."
“You keep asking for someone to love you, but don’t you see? You are love.”

Thank you KH for allowing to read this beauty of a work early. 🥰

[Bryanna Buff · Rating 4 out of 5]

Let It Be Me ended up being such a comforting read for me. I’m usually picky about the “not his baby” trope, but this one really worked because it felt handled with care. Tally is far from perfect and carries a lot of emotional weight, which made her feel very real, and Charlie’s steady, patient presence was honestly my favorite part of the book. I loved watching him choose her again and again, even when things weren’t easy. The found-family vibes were a nice bonus, and overall this just felt like a warm, heartfelt romance that stuck with me after I finished.

[Emily Arriola · Rating 4 out of 5]

The “not his baby” is one of my favorite tropes and I think it was done really well in Let It Be Me! Tally’s character was messy and emotional but Charlie didn’t let that keep him from keeping her steady!


❤️not his baby
❤️he falls first
❤️forced proximity
❤️found family

[Jessica Kelly · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was such a sweet story written with so much love from both Charlie's & Tally's perspectives. I loved following Charlie & Tally's story! A definite read!