What do you think?
Groveling, Angst & Second Chances #3
A Song for Another Woman: A Grovel Second Chance Romance
The night my husband wins an award for singing a love song with another woman, the whole country watches my marriage fall apart.
For thirteen years, I have loved country music superstar Cade Tyler through empty bars, broken-down motels, number-one hits, and sold-out stadiums. I gave up my own dreams to help him chase his.
Now I sit in the audience while he looks at beautiful young singer Melody Hunter with the fire he used to save for me.
The cameras capture every second of my humiliation.
His arm around her. Her breathless smile. The emotional acceptance speech that makes her sound like his muse, and me like an obligation he almost forgot to thank.
Cade swears he never touched her.
But betrayal doesn’t always begin in a bed.
A leaked recording makes it sound as though our marriage is the only thing keeping him from the woman America already wants him to choose.
So I stop waiting for my husband to come home.
I leave Nashville, reclaim the voice I abandoned for his career, and take one life-changing secret with me, one that could bind us together forever.
A Song for Another Woman is a high-angst, marriage-in-crisis romance featuring a public humiliation, emotional betrayal, secret pregnancy, relentless grovel, and a hard-won second-chance HEA. There is no cheating.
For thirteen years, I have loved country music superstar Cade Tyler through empty bars, broken-down motels, number-one hits, and sold-out stadiums. I gave up my own dreams to help him chase his.
Now I sit in the audience while he looks at beautiful young singer Melody Hunter with the fire he used to save for me.
The cameras capture every second of my humiliation.
His arm around her. Her breathless smile. The emotional acceptance speech that makes her sound like his muse, and me like an obligation he almost forgot to thank.
Cade swears he never touched her.
But betrayal doesn’t always begin in a bed.
A leaked recording makes it sound as though our marriage is the only thing keeping him from the woman America already wants him to choose.
So I stop waiting for my husband to come home.
I leave Nashville, reclaim the voice I abandoned for his career, and take one life-changing secret with me, one that could bind us together forever.
A Song for Another Woman is a high-angst, marriage-in-crisis romance featuring a public humiliation, emotional betrayal, secret pregnancy, relentless grovel, and a hard-won second-chance HEA. There is no cheating.
218 pages, Kindle Edition
Published July 24, 2026
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 140 reviews
August 4, 2026
Nashville, Tennessee
Emmy met 25 year old Cade, at 19. He was a broke aspiring country singer. Emmy was a radio girl and a small time singer. They fell in love and got married.
Thirteen years later Cade was a country sensation and a songwriter. The couple lived in a mansion in Nashville. There was also a beach house, and a ranch.
A year ago, 38 year old Cade teamed up with 25 year old Melody. They had an amazing chemistry on stage, singing love songs together and the arena would go wild over their performances.
The whole industry had started whispering her name and his like they were a match. Sort of like a "Dolly and Kenny " kind of thing.
Cade was dazzled by the success, the spotlight and applause. He and Melody would go on tours together, have interviews together, social content, pictures, and spent late nights at the studio rehearsing.
His professional momentum came first, and Emmy second in his life.
For a year Emmy sat through watching him and Melody all but make love to each other on stage and the crowd would go crazy over them. Every night, every performance, every interview.
The industry pushed the narrative that there was a closer relationship between Cade and Melody, and he never denied it. He told Emmy that it was only promo.
At the award concert, Cade and Melody won first place. In his speech Cade said looking at Melody:
"This song wouldn't exist without you. You walked into the room and brought the match that lighted everything. I've spent a long time trying to find that fire again, and you reminded me it was still there! And, uh, my wife Emmy. Thank you for always supporting me"
Emmy spent months trying not to look jealous, hurt, look like she did not notice that her own husband forgot to choose her.
LIGHT SPOILERS
One night Emma's phone buzzed. A tagged video Melody took with her phone and posted on social media appeared. In the video Melody was saying "Everybody acts like l invented this. Like l broke into Cade Tyler's happy little house and stole his attention. I am not trying to be a home wrecker. I can't help what people see. I can't help what he feels "
Cade said "The only reason l am not with Melody is because l am married "
Emmy thought that after months of public humiliation the whole thing called marriage does not collapse with one sentence, but this sentence wasn't the beginning. It was the last brick. She was not going to beg a man to respect the promise he had made to her.
She left...
Emmy met 25 year old Cade, at 19. He was a broke aspiring country singer. Emmy was a radio girl and a small time singer. They fell in love and got married.
Thirteen years later Cade was a country sensation and a songwriter. The couple lived in a mansion in Nashville. There was also a beach house, and a ranch.
A year ago, 38 year old Cade teamed up with 25 year old Melody. They had an amazing chemistry on stage, singing love songs together and the arena would go wild over their performances.
The whole industry had started whispering her name and his like they were a match. Sort of like a "Dolly and Kenny " kind of thing.
Cade was dazzled by the success, the spotlight and applause. He and Melody would go on tours together, have interviews together, social content, pictures, and spent late nights at the studio rehearsing.
His professional momentum came first, and Emmy second in his life.
For a year Emmy sat through watching him and Melody all but make love to each other on stage and the crowd would go crazy over them. Every night, every performance, every interview.
The industry pushed the narrative that there was a closer relationship between Cade and Melody, and he never denied it. He told Emmy that it was only promo.
At the award concert, Cade and Melody won first place. In his speech Cade said looking at Melody:
"This song wouldn't exist without you. You walked into the room and brought the match that lighted everything. I've spent a long time trying to find that fire again, and you reminded me it was still there! And, uh, my wife Emmy. Thank you for always supporting me"
Emmy spent months trying not to look jealous, hurt, look like she did not notice that her own husband forgot to choose her.
LIGHT SPOILERS
One night Emma's phone buzzed. A tagged video Melody took with her phone and posted on social media appeared. In the video Melody was saying "Everybody acts like l invented this. Like l broke into Cade Tyler's happy little house and stole his attention. I am not trying to be a home wrecker. I can't help what people see. I can't help what he feels "
Cade said "The only reason l am not with Melody is because l am married "
Emmy thought that after months of public humiliation the whole thing called marriage does not collapse with one sentence, but this sentence wasn't the beginning. It was the last brick. She was not going to beg a man to respect the promise he had made to her.
She left...
August 6, 2026
The book is 21 chapters long, the fmc leaves the mmc in chapter 6, and they don't interact again until chapter 19😐😐
There was absolutely no grovel, he followed her to her home town, wrote her a couple songs and that was that, it somehow made up for 2 years of him neglecting her and prioritizing the OW and letting the world think he's with the OW, letting all his fans bully her and humiliate her because it was good for his career 😐, for 13 chapters he does NOTHING to see her or talk to her or try to get her back except writing 2 lame songs, SHE was the one who initiated a conversation after she found out she was pregnant and the OW came to see her to apologize.
There was absolutely no grovel, he followed her to her home town, wrote her a couple songs and that was that, it somehow made up for 2 years of him neglecting her and prioritizing the OW and letting the world think he's with the OW, letting all his fans bully her and humiliate her because it was good for his career 😐, for 13 chapters he does NOTHING to see her or talk to her or try to get her back except writing 2 lame songs, SHE was the one who initiated a conversation after she found out she was pregnant and the OW came to see her to apologize.
August 26, 2026
3 ish Stars
This was cute and had decent angst. I did actually really enjoy the main couple here. I believed in their connection and backstory.
I may or may not remember it next week, though, we shall see.
This was cute and had decent angst. I did actually really enjoy the main couple here. I believed in their connection and backstory.
I may or may not remember it next week, though, we shall see.
July 28, 2026
*Twirling on a mountain top singing * I love it, I love it, I LOVE IT!!! 🎶🎶🎶
Is it hormones? I don’t know. I recently started HRT, so maybe I’ve gone soft. But dang, this book hit me just right. Not gonna lie, I picked it up because the cover cracked me up… it’s just so on the nose. Then I looked closer at how hot the singer is and thought, ‘Yep, I’m in’, cause Shewee, he’s pretty!
Spoilery thoughts…
MMC and FMC have been together for a long time. Way before his fame. He’s turned into a country megastar. Now MMC has a hit song with a pretty little starlet where their chemistry is what’s selling. Management is pushing their fire chemistry narrative and MMC is all in, all while his wife is basically being humiliated. MMC completely loses himself to the spotlight and fame, and FMC is left in the shadows. I could totally see this happening IRL and it was tragic. The PAIN I felt for the FMC was soul crushing.
FMC turns out to not be a weak character. She never cared about fame and the spoils of his success. She rightfully leaves him and goes home to her tiny Tennessee hometown. I loved this town. They are equally nosy and protective of her. They were awesome.
His grovel absolutely worked for me. He completely changes his life. It wasn’t an insta fix, and she made him work for it. I may have teared up at their reunion (Damn hormones!).
Anyway, I clearly loved this book. I’m not really a country girl… I’m off to see AC/DC tonight (Woot!🤘), but I may have to bust out some old county tunes today so I can stay in my feels a bit longer. 🤠
Is it hormones? I don’t know. I recently started HRT, so maybe I’ve gone soft. But dang, this book hit me just right. Not gonna lie, I picked it up because the cover cracked me up… it’s just so on the nose. Then I looked closer at how hot the singer is and thought, ‘Yep, I’m in’, cause Shewee, he’s pretty!
Spoilery thoughts…
MMC and FMC have been together for a long time. Way before his fame. He’s turned into a country megastar. Now MMC has a hit song with a pretty little starlet where their chemistry is what’s selling. Management is pushing their fire chemistry narrative and MMC is all in, all while his wife is basically being humiliated. MMC completely loses himself to the spotlight and fame, and FMC is left in the shadows. I could totally see this happening IRL and it was tragic. The PAIN I felt for the FMC was soul crushing.
FMC turns out to not be a weak character. She never cared about fame and the spoils of his success. She rightfully leaves him and goes home to her tiny Tennessee hometown. I loved this town. They are equally nosy and protective of her. They were awesome.
His grovel absolutely worked for me. He completely changes his life. It wasn’t an insta fix, and she made him work for it. I may have teared up at their reunion (Damn hormones!).
Anyway, I clearly loved this book. I’m not really a country girl… I’m off to see AC/DC tonight (Woot!🤘), but I may have to bust out some old county tunes today so I can stay in my feels a bit longer. 🤠
August 4, 2026
The book could have been good if it had been written by a person and not AI. I can not stand the stilted conversations, confusing timelines, descriptions that are trying so hard to be deep but just end up making absolutely no sense, etc.
Example: “Men like you think not needing rescue is a negotiation.”
“He can bleed all over a guitar and call it honesty and maybe it is.”
“Concern is gossip in a clean dress around here”
“You are standing like a woman trying to convince gravity she’s management.”
“I make songs that don’t need her permission to exist and don’t require her labor to carry them.”
And on and on and on. The book could have been good. It wasn’t.
Example: “Men like you think not needing rescue is a negotiation.”
“He can bleed all over a guitar and call it honesty and maybe it is.”
“Concern is gossip in a clean dress around here”
“You are standing like a woman trying to convince gravity she’s management.”
“I make songs that don’t need her permission to exist and don’t require her labor to carry them.”
And on and on and on. The book could have been good. It wasn’t.
Read
August 1, 2026so kindle unlimited is awash these types of books lately, or at least it seems to me it is or because i keep reading some of them, they are constantly recommended. Anyways, this is AI, edited or at the very least partially edited. The signature tell tale signs are there but i will say it was one of the better edited ones, because there is no obvious errors as is the case with so many, but the way it is written in a lot of parts, its pretty blatant. The dialogue is off, the conversations are clipped and stilted and never feel real. anyways, the story itself was actually pretty good and i liked the mc's and felt the gut punch of the wife when she felt betrayed and the ow wasn't necessarily evil. The husband was an idiot and pulled his head out of his butt eventually but AI doesn't know how to write grovel and now that i think of it, the storyline reminds me of a groveltohea wattpad story. no actual cheating but still the husband wasn't all that great. Anyways, i liked it just can't rate it because yeah, its ai and even if the 'author' came up with the idea for the book, it still feels written by chat gpt.
July 29, 2026
Normally, I’m not a fan of celebrity stories, but I liked the first two books in the series enough to try this one and found myself pleasantly surprised.
The country music star hero is prioritizing his career and most recent duet with a younger woman over his wife. When he humiliates his wife one too many times, she leaves and goes back to her home town. Prior to their marriage she was an overnight DJ for a local country music station—she goes back to the overnight call in show. He follows her home, builds the little house she designed when they had nothing (not their Nashville mansion), he starts writing and recording new music, playing at a local bar, while letting her heal.
A well written sweet story, that I read in 1 sitting.
Maybe not 5 stars but I enjoyed it enough to go there.
The country music star hero is prioritizing his career and most recent duet with a younger woman over his wife. When he humiliates his wife one too many times, she leaves and goes back to her home town. Prior to their marriage she was an overnight DJ for a local country music station—she goes back to the overnight call in show. He follows her home, builds the little house she designed when they had nothing (not their Nashville mansion), he starts writing and recording new music, playing at a local bar, while letting her heal.
A well written sweet story, that I read in 1 sitting.
Maybe not 5 stars but I enjoyed it enough to go there.
July 30, 2026
This story was rec'd to me by my great friend Snafuzled, and she never steers me wrong. This story was so realistic, and the heartbreak of this heroine felt entirely real. I could TOTALLY see this scenario happening for real in this industry too. I loved the main characters, and I loved the Hero being vindicated in the end. I really wish the Evil OW had been more evil, and had caused a lot more shenanigans in this story. What she did was great, but I would have loved to feel more of her actions.
July 31, 2026
Was the Wildfire thing with Melody going on 1 or 2 years? It keeps changing. And there was really little to no indication of how time was passing. Things didn’t seem realistic. With his level of stardom, he’s not going to be able to play every weekend in a backwoods bar and not have people packing out the place from all over. A full house isn’t getting built in, what like 5 months? Again timeline is unclear.
I’m glad Cade never had feelings for Melody. That was one of the only highlights of the book.
I hated how they weren’t even together for the majority of the book. We get like two chapters in the beginning and then one chapter and an epilogue in the end. That’s it. They’re apart the rest of the time.
EDITED TO ADD THIS: the biggest hurt for me was him forgetting to thank his wife at the awards ceremony and tossing on some shitty little tack on statement when he realized after blathering about how Melody was the light or fire to his passion for the song or whatever romantic bs he said. And it’s never addressed that he did that.
Number one issue, the ai cover. Stop utilizing ai for shitty book covers. The story itself gave hints of being written or at least helped out by ai as well.
I’m glad Cade never had feelings for Melody. That was one of the only highlights of the book.
I hated how they weren’t even together for the majority of the book. We get like two chapters in the beginning and then one chapter and an epilogue in the end. That’s it. They’re apart the rest of the time.
EDITED TO ADD THIS: the biggest hurt for me was him forgetting to thank his wife at the awards ceremony and tossing on some shitty little tack on statement when he realized after blathering about how Melody was the light or fire to his passion for the song or whatever romantic bs he said. And it’s never addressed that he did that.
Number one issue, the ai cover. Stop utilizing ai for shitty book covers. The story itself gave hints of being written or at least helped out by ai as well.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
August 10, 2026
Very sweet country romance. Hero has made it big and has pressure to stay up there. His chemistry with a young and ambitious singer causes problems, lots of problems.
Heroine was strong in leaving, and H puts the time in to grovel.
My only complaint is the recent fad of turning everything into a metaphor. Are these metaphors? Anyway, becoming irritatingly common.
She met gravity with a plan".
For every time I saw the shape of this forming and told myself it was harmless because I knew the truth.
My last name still feels like a house key to a place I can’t go back to.
Heroine was strong in leaving, and H puts the time in to grovel.
My only complaint is the recent fad of turning everything into a metaphor. Are these metaphors? Anyway, becoming irritatingly common.
She met gravity with a plan".
For every time I saw the shape of this forming and told myself it was harmless because I knew the truth.
My last name still feels like a house key to a place I can’t go back to.
August 7, 2026
I keep reading this grovel books because I love a good grovel but all these feel the same. They have to be AI right? This one didn’t have errors like others I’ve noticed but they always feel repetitive and lack that soul or personality that a person gives a book.
July 31, 2026
3.5 this book definitely made me side eye all those men who are new country singers. They are married to their high school sweetheart when they hit the big time. It’s not long before you hear about their divorce…..and the man always has a new girlfriend who also happens to be a country singer. 🙃 The list is endless. I’d say this book is very realistic at least with that part.
Sadly, it’s unrealistic when it deals with the last 40% of this book because technically these men never grovel to get their ladies back. Nope, they stay with the vapid new woman. They rise to bigger and better things. Eventually, they trade that OW in for another OW who is a bigger celebrity than the first one. Or they go for it all, and pick the superstar model. They always end up with the superstar model. 🙃
The betrayal was heartbreaking but it wasn’t so heartbreaking that he couldn’t come back from it. The hero’s POV always let us know he did not have feelings for the OW. He messed up, he knew that, and he immediately set out to fix it once the heroine left him. I thought his “grovel” was okay. If anything, it was a little too long. I did love that he built her the house she’s always dreamed of. ❤️ That kind of groveling would definitely win my heart. I too want a mega hot country star to build me my dream home.
I don’t like this new type of grovel where the men don’t discuss forgiveness with the heroines; instead they do their grovel in secret or behind the scenes. To me- it’s like the man has a whole personality transplant. I did skim some of the inner dialogue the MCs had during the grovel period.
The book was written well and it didn’t sound robotic. There were a few minor plots that should’ve been expanded a little more. I did wonder a few time if this book was AI-assisted.
Two quotes by the hero
———-
“By midnight, somebody has slowed the clip down to the half second where Melody touches my forearm to get my attention,”
“I show Emmy the harmless version in bed because I want her to laugh”
———
Ugh! The “harmless” version. 🥴
This man knew the OW wanted him.
Idc what excuse he comes up with. I know this man LOVED the attention this younger, hotter woman gave him. His ego loved it. It’s a tale as old as time.
I did love what the hero’s friend said to him. YESSSS
“You got a wife who loved you when nobody cared if you could fill a room, and now that everybody cares again, you’re treating her like she’s supposed to clap and eat whatever shit's left over.”
Can somebody tell me if I missed it- did the hero ever fire his scummy manager?
Sadly, it’s unrealistic when it deals with the last 40% of this book because technically these men never grovel to get their ladies back. Nope, they stay with the vapid new woman. They rise to bigger and better things. Eventually, they trade that OW in for another OW who is a bigger celebrity than the first one. Or they go for it all, and pick the superstar model. They always end up with the superstar model. 🙃
The betrayal was heartbreaking but it wasn’t so heartbreaking that he couldn’t come back from it. The hero’s POV always let us know he did not have feelings for the OW. He messed up, he knew that, and he immediately set out to fix it once the heroine left him. I thought his “grovel” was okay. If anything, it was a little too long. I did love that he built her the house she’s always dreamed of. ❤️ That kind of groveling would definitely win my heart. I too want a mega hot country star to build me my dream home.
I don’t like this new type of grovel where the men don’t discuss forgiveness with the heroines; instead they do their grovel in secret or behind the scenes. To me- it’s like the man has a whole personality transplant. I did skim some of the inner dialogue the MCs had during the grovel period.
The book was written well and it didn’t sound robotic. There were a few minor plots that should’ve been expanded a little more. I did wonder a few time if this book was AI-assisted.
Two quotes by the hero
———-
“By midnight, somebody has slowed the clip down to the half second where Melody touches my forearm to get my attention,”
“I show Emmy the harmless version in bed because I want her to laugh”
———
Ugh! The “harmless” version. 🥴
This man knew the OW wanted him.
Idc what excuse he comes up with. I know this man LOVED the attention this younger, hotter woman gave him. His ego loved it. It’s a tale as old as time.
I did love what the hero’s friend said to him. YESSSS
“You got a wife who loved you when nobody cared if you could fill a room, and now that everybody cares again, you’re treating her like she’s supposed to clap and eat whatever shit's left over.”
Can somebody tell me if I missed it- did the hero ever fire his scummy manager?
September 10, 2026
I was hesitant to read this because the cover screams ai and I knew within the first few pages it was at least assisted, but it has really good reviews, so I decided to keep going, and I’m glad I did.
The blurb sets this up, Cade and Emmy have been together for 13ish years when he makes a hit love song with much younger Melody. I was a little confused if they were making an entire album because that should be the only reason they’ve been hanging out constantly for a year working on music… but Cade has been prioritizing his career and a sort of possible relationship narrative over his wife.
The Good
📗The first 6 chapters roughly 25% was REALLY good. The drama with Cade/Melody situation was intense and has me nervous.
📗Melody was a good instigator of drama.
📗 I liked having Cade’s POV while his life crashed and burned.
The Not-So Good
📕I wish Melody’s role was more fleshed out. Was she actually a wannabe OW or did she just purposely try to ruin their marriage to promote her career. And who actually posted the video? She said she didn’t but would have had to hand over the raw footage. I’m not sure which would make her worse, but I wanted the deets.
📕The separation was WAY TOO LONG. The couple broke up in chapter 6 and did not even interact again until chapter 19 that is insane. The book had 21 chapters!!
📕 The making amends was so unsatisfying because he basically just while having these long unnatural sounding inner musings.
There are mornings I don't know whether anything I do is repair or just another way of wanting. Wanting can dress itself up. Wanting can learn all the right words and still reach.
He kept saying stuff like he couldn’t force her or approach her, and it all needed to be on her time. Why was that? She never said leave me alone and never contact me ever. They were married was his plan to never speak to her again until she came to him. Why couldn’t he apologize, reach out?
Bottom Line- The first part was great, and I loved all the drama. But I hate when the wife goes off to lick her wounds by herself because that’s where all the good stuff is. The deep dive conversations, blaming, crying, yelling… THEN the work of amends through word and deed. Here we skipped over all that and lived in their heads as they monologued with deep abstract metaphors about life, and that doesn’t generate feels… unfortunately. *There is a level of just going with it that is required, it didn’t bother me at all because I read soap, but there are numerous things that are illogical even him, a superstar, singing at the hometown bar and no one showing up.
Not big. Not desperate. Just enough.
I knew how to hold silence, and I knew how to make a stranger feel less alone.
I listened every time you made my own hurt sound like a misunderstanding.”
I have the weight of every room where my pain was managed, corrected, softened,
…man who mistook applause for proof. Validation or approval
This file has his disgust in it, his exhaustion, the sound of a man naming a lie someone else wanted him to wear.
The blurb sets this up, Cade and Emmy have been together for 13ish years when he makes a hit love song with much younger Melody. I was a little confused if they were making an entire album because that should be the only reason they’ve been hanging out constantly for a year working on music… but Cade has been prioritizing his career and a sort of possible relationship narrative over his wife.
The Good
📗The first 6 chapters roughly 25% was REALLY good. The drama with Cade/Melody situation was intense and has me nervous.
📗Melody was a good instigator of drama.
📗 I liked having Cade’s POV while his life crashed and burned.
The Not-So Good
📕I wish Melody’s role was more fleshed out. Was she actually a wannabe OW or did she just purposely try to ruin their marriage to promote her career. And who actually posted the video? She said she didn’t but would have had to hand over the raw footage. I’m not sure which would make her worse, but I wanted the deets.
📕The separation was WAY TOO LONG. The couple broke up in chapter 6 and did not even interact again until chapter 19 that is insane. The book had 21 chapters!!
📕 The making amends was so unsatisfying because he basically just while having these long unnatural sounding inner musings.
There are mornings I don't know whether anything I do is repair or just another way of wanting. Wanting can dress itself up. Wanting can learn all the right words and still reach.
He kept saying stuff like he couldn’t force her or approach her, and it all needed to be on her time. Why was that? She never said leave me alone and never contact me ever. They were married was his plan to never speak to her again until she came to him. Why couldn’t he apologize, reach out?
Bottom Line- The first part was great, and I loved all the drama. But I hate when the wife goes off to lick her wounds by herself because that’s where all the good stuff is. The deep dive conversations, blaming, crying, yelling… THEN the work of amends through word and deed. Here we skipped over all that and lived in their heads as they monologued with deep abstract metaphors about life, and that doesn’t generate feels… unfortunately. *There is a level of just going with it that is required, it didn’t bother me at all because I read soap, but there are numerous things that are illogical even him, a superstar, singing at the hometown bar and no one showing up.
Not big. Not desperate. Just enough.
I knew how to hold silence, and I knew how to make a stranger feel less alone.
I listened every time you made my own hurt sound like a misunderstanding.”
I have the weight of every room where my pain was managed, corrected, softened,
…man who mistook applause for proof. Validation or approval
This file has his disgust in it, his exhaustion, the sound of a man naming a lie someone else wanted him to wear.
July 30, 2026
This was pretty good and I didn't regret buying it so that's a solid win in my book.
July 29, 2026
Wow, 5 stars, wow. Great story, excellent character development, outstanding editing. This is a must read. Can you tell I loved it?
Did Not Finish
August 2, 2026Most definitely AI assisted.
August 5, 2026
Crazy good
I really didn't think he was going to make it back from this but he did. He thanked everyone for his award, especially the wannabe ow, quite eloquently, and then says oh yeah and my wife. Thanks for her What an idiot. Then he stops coming home because he is working and he's letting the ow hit on him and playing along for publicity, until he lets it go too far. No touching but he just keeps putting her first. Until Emmy leaves. I was so proud of her. She doesn't talk or see him for almost five months but he starts realizing what he almost did. I'm not going to go on about all he did to get her back and how she went back to radio as a DJ. But it was good. My daughter is a radio DJ in Denver with a number one morning show so I have to see if she'll read it too. see if its right. I know I would listen to Emmys show if it was real. Glad I read this and its a new author for me so I am excited. It was really good.
I really didn't think he was going to make it back from this but he did. He thanked everyone for his award, especially the wannabe ow, quite eloquently, and then says oh yeah and my wife. Thanks for her What an idiot. Then he stops coming home because he is working and he's letting the ow hit on him and playing along for publicity, until he lets it go too far. No touching but he just keeps putting her first. Until Emmy leaves. I was so proud of her. She doesn't talk or see him for almost five months but he starts realizing what he almost did. I'm not going to go on about all he did to get her back and how she went back to radio as a DJ. But it was good. My daughter is a radio DJ in Denver with a number one morning show so I have to see if she'll read it too. see if its right. I know I would listen to Emmys show if it was real. Glad I read this and its a new author for me so I am excited. It was really good.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
August 2, 2026
Ok, this was pretty good!
Unique as far as betrayals go. Very believable.
I liked that the OW wasn’t evil. I liked his ownership & acknowledgment of his wrongs. Pretty solid!
Could certainly use an editor for some things that didn’t quite add up, repetition etc
Unique as far as betrayals go. Very believable.
I liked that the OW wasn’t evil. I liked his ownership & acknowledgment of his wrongs. Pretty solid!
Could certainly use an editor for some things that didn’t quite add up, repetition etc
August 5, 2026
This was angsty with all the gut punches I love in my reads. I inhaled all three of this author's books one after the other, I'm addicted!
September 30, 2026
⭐ 2.5
This is the third book I’ve read in this series, and while I’m powering through them, they are starting to feel VERY repetitive.
Wife is publicly embarrassed, humiliated, ignored and taken for granted. Husband loves his wife but somehow everything else comes before her. Wife leaves. Finds a cause to save. Rich/famous husband swoops in and makes something happen “anonymously.” Big gestures that aren't supposed to be big gestures even though that's exactly what they are.
And there ALWAYS seems to be a pregnancy/baby angle. The first book had miscarriages and then a baby. The second had years of infertility and then a baby. This one has a hidden pregnancy.
Then baby, makeup sex and HEA. Rinse and repeat.
There is NO affair in this one but there is implied emotional affair and implied physical affair if not longing and feelings for another woman.
The MMC Cade knew exactly what they were selling and he's SUCH an ass for this. His career was slowing down and he was becoming more of a country “legacy” act than the hot new thing. Then his duet with a much younger Melody blew up. Fans loved them together, the industry pushed the idea that something was happening, and Cade leaned into it because it made him relevant again.
Meanwhile, his actual wife got to sit there and be publicly humiliated while everyone shipped her husband with another woman.
The awards ceremony was probably the worst for me. Cade gives this heartfelt speech about Melody bringing back his fire and inspiration, then basically remembers, *oh yeah, I have a wife*, and tacks Emmy onto the end. Somehow THAT is never really addressed.
Then comes the recording where Cade says the only reason he isn't with Melody is because he's married. (It's edited heavily but again, HE put himself in that situation).
And Emmy is DONE. She leaves and goes back to her hometown which really isn't that far away from Nashville but is VERY different in big city vs small town vibes.
The first 25% was actually really good. The angst was there, the Melody situation had me nervous, and watching Cade's life start crashing down had so much potential.
Then Emmy leaves in **Chapter 6**.
Cade and Emmy don't interact again until **Chapter 19**.
THERE ARE 21 CHAPTERS.
Somewhere around 5–6 MONTHS pass without this married couple seeing or speaking to each other. Not once. Cade decides he can't push her and everything has to happen on her terms, except Emmy never told him never to contact her again. So instead of fighting for his marriage, apologizing, explaining himself, or having the emotional conversations I was waiting for...he writes some songs and does things behind the scenes.
This was a whole lot of **telling instead of showing**.
I wanted the confrontation. The anger. The crying. Cade explaining why staying relevant was worth humiliating his wife. Emmy telling him exactly what he'd done to her. Actual apologies and then actually SEEING him rebuild the marriage.
Instead, we spend most of the book inside their heads with long, abstract thoughts and metaphors while they're completely separated.
Then suddenly: pregnancy, reunion, makeup sex, HEA.
I'm sorry, but...bullshit. 😂 Five or six months of zero contact after 13 years together needed more than that.
There were also too many things that didn't make sense or were left unresolved. Was the Melody situation going on for one year or two? Who actually posted the recording? Why was there never a real public clearing of Emmy's humiliation like we got in the previous books? How did Cade walk away from millions in potential penalties after abandoning a tour/contracts? And how is this UBER-famous country star repeatedly playing a tiny hometown bar without people coming from everywhere to see him?
The timeline itself was fuzzy enough that I frequently had no idea how much time had passed.
The writing didn't help either. There are SO many sentences clearly intended to sound deep and profound that eventually they just started sounding unnatural. Everything becomes a metaphor about silence, gravity, fire, pain, wanting, applause, etc. It felt like the book was constantly *telling me* how emotionally devastating everything was instead of actually making me feel it.
And that's my biggest disappointment because the setup was GOOD.
Cade choosing fame and relevance over protecting his wife? Letting the world believe he might be having an affair because the speculation was good for his career? Emmy finally deciding she wasn't going to quietly accept being second place anymore?
Give me ALL of that.
But then make them actually deal with it.
You can't separate the couple for almost the entire book, skip the difficult conversations and repair work, throw in a baby and some makeup sex, and expect me to believe everything is suddenly fixed.
Especially when this is the third time I'm starting to recognize essentially the same formula.
This is the third book I’ve read in this series, and while I’m powering through them, they are starting to feel VERY repetitive.
Wife is publicly embarrassed, humiliated, ignored and taken for granted. Husband loves his wife but somehow everything else comes before her. Wife leaves. Finds a cause to save. Rich/famous husband swoops in and makes something happen “anonymously.” Big gestures that aren't supposed to be big gestures even though that's exactly what they are.
And there ALWAYS seems to be a pregnancy/baby angle. The first book had miscarriages and then a baby. The second had years of infertility and then a baby. This one has a hidden pregnancy.
Then baby, makeup sex and HEA. Rinse and repeat.
There is NO affair in this one but there is implied emotional affair and implied physical affair if not longing and feelings for another woman.
The MMC Cade knew exactly what they were selling and he's SUCH an ass for this. His career was slowing down and he was becoming more of a country “legacy” act than the hot new thing. Then his duet with a much younger Melody blew up. Fans loved them together, the industry pushed the idea that something was happening, and Cade leaned into it because it made him relevant again.
Meanwhile, his actual wife got to sit there and be publicly humiliated while everyone shipped her husband with another woman.
The awards ceremony was probably the worst for me. Cade gives this heartfelt speech about Melody bringing back his fire and inspiration, then basically remembers, *oh yeah, I have a wife*, and tacks Emmy onto the end. Somehow THAT is never really addressed.
Then comes the recording where Cade says the only reason he isn't with Melody is because he's married. (It's edited heavily but again, HE put himself in that situation).
And Emmy is DONE. She leaves and goes back to her hometown which really isn't that far away from Nashville but is VERY different in big city vs small town vibes.
The first 25% was actually really good. The angst was there, the Melody situation had me nervous, and watching Cade's life start crashing down had so much potential.
Then Emmy leaves in **Chapter 6**.
Cade and Emmy don't interact again until **Chapter 19**.
THERE ARE 21 CHAPTERS.
Somewhere around 5–6 MONTHS pass without this married couple seeing or speaking to each other. Not once. Cade decides he can't push her and everything has to happen on her terms, except Emmy never told him never to contact her again. So instead of fighting for his marriage, apologizing, explaining himself, or having the emotional conversations I was waiting for...he writes some songs and does things behind the scenes.
This was a whole lot of **telling instead of showing**.
I wanted the confrontation. The anger. The crying. Cade explaining why staying relevant was worth humiliating his wife. Emmy telling him exactly what he'd done to her. Actual apologies and then actually SEEING him rebuild the marriage.
Instead, we spend most of the book inside their heads with long, abstract thoughts and metaphors while they're completely separated.
Then suddenly: pregnancy, reunion, makeup sex, HEA.
I'm sorry, but...bullshit. 😂 Five or six months of zero contact after 13 years together needed more than that.
There were also too many things that didn't make sense or were left unresolved. Was the Melody situation going on for one year or two? Who actually posted the recording? Why was there never a real public clearing of Emmy's humiliation like we got in the previous books? How did Cade walk away from millions in potential penalties after abandoning a tour/contracts? And how is this UBER-famous country star repeatedly playing a tiny hometown bar without people coming from everywhere to see him?
The timeline itself was fuzzy enough that I frequently had no idea how much time had passed.
The writing didn't help either. There are SO many sentences clearly intended to sound deep and profound that eventually they just started sounding unnatural. Everything becomes a metaphor about silence, gravity, fire, pain, wanting, applause, etc. It felt like the book was constantly *telling me* how emotionally devastating everything was instead of actually making me feel it.
And that's my biggest disappointment because the setup was GOOD.
Cade choosing fame and relevance over protecting his wife? Letting the world believe he might be having an affair because the speculation was good for his career? Emmy finally deciding she wasn't going to quietly accept being second place anymore?
Give me ALL of that.
But then make them actually deal with it.
You can't separate the couple for almost the entire book, skip the difficult conversations and repair work, throw in a baby and some makeup sex, and expect me to believe everything is suddenly fixed.
Especially when this is the third time I'm starting to recognize essentially the same formula.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
August 5, 2026
This is HARD to rate. I think I have to go with 2.5 stars and rounding up to 3, but I also feel like that might be both a little generous, and really mean.
This writing just did not hit for me. It felt like the author was trying to go really deep all the time, and the thing is, super-deep sentences should be used sparingly -- like an accent wall. Just one wall that is maroon with gold curly cues can look kind of cool. But if you paint an entire room that way, it's way too much. That's how this book read to me and for me, it just didn't work. At first I thought maybe the author was using AI, but I'm pretty sure the quality is better than what AI would have put out. [EDIT: After talking to some other people, it sounds like this was EXACTLY the type of product AI would put out, so I'm definitely giving this some side-eye now.]
Huh? I mean, I do understand what the author was trying to say in these passages, but can you get why an entire book written like this would seem like too much?
The similes/metaphors were everywhere and didn't stop. It sort of felt like the author had tried to write a country song in book form, which is beautiful in theory, and no lie, she has talent, but just was too... prosy... in practice. I think it's fair to say this author's writing style isn't for me, although I would probably be willing to try again.
In addition, Emmy leaves Cade at 33% and the two have shared exactly two scenes together, including the confrontation that causes Emmy to leave. They do not speak again until 86% of the way through the book. Grovels are all well and good, but I need the characters to interact. It all caused me to feel really distant from what was happening, in spite of there being plenty of meaty drama.
Last, I was a little confused about a particular plot point. When Emmy leaves, she makes a big deal about taking the folder with the sketch of her dreamhouse and even goes to the effort of buckling it in the passenger seat. But then a few chapters later, Cade has the sketch(es?)? And there are enough to know which room is which even though all the descriptions are of the exterior -- with the exception of the reading nook above the kitchen? Did Emmy do multiple sketches that she saved?
Apropos of nothing, I did spend the first part of the book (while Cade is allowing the public to think the OW is moving in on his marriage), picturing Garth Brooks and Trisha Yearwood singing "In Another's Eyes" a year before he divorced his first wife.
This writing just did not hit for me. It felt like the author was trying to go really deep all the time, and the thing is, super-deep sentences should be used sparingly -- like an accent wall. Just one wall that is maroon with gold curly cues can look kind of cool. But if you paint an entire room that way, it's way too much. That's how this book read to me and for me, it just didn't work. At first I thought maybe the author was using AI, but I'm pretty sure the quality is better than what AI would have put out. [EDIT: After talking to some other people, it sounds like this was EXACTLY the type of product AI would put out, so I'm definitely giving this some side-eye now.]
Dinner sits covered beneath foil, neat as a reprimand Emmy would never make out loud.
*****
The praise hits me harder than it should. Not because she says it like a woman wanting a man, but because she says it like a room finding the version of me I thought I’d buried under platinum records and careful choices.
*****
Emmy told me once that dogwoods look like they remember being hurt and decided to flower anyway.
Huh? I mean, I do understand what the author was trying to say in these passages, but can you get why an entire book written like this would seem like too much?
The similes/metaphors were everywhere and didn't stop. It sort of felt like the author had tried to write a country song in book form, which is beautiful in theory, and no lie, she has talent, but just was too... prosy... in practice. I think it's fair to say this author's writing style isn't for me, although I would probably be willing to try again.
In addition, Emmy leaves Cade at 33% and the two have shared exactly two scenes together, including the confrontation that causes Emmy to leave. They do not speak again until 86% of the way through the book. Grovels are all well and good, but I need the characters to interact. It all caused me to feel really distant from what was happening, in spite of there being plenty of meaty drama.
Last, I was a little confused about a particular plot point. When Emmy leaves, she makes a big deal about taking the folder with the sketch of her dreamhouse and even goes to the effort of buckling it in the passenger seat. But then a few chapters later, Cade has the sketch(es?)? And there are enough to know which room is which even though all the descriptions are of the exterior -- with the exception of the reading nook above the kitchen? Did Emmy do multiple sketches that she saved?
Apropos of nothing, I did spend the first part of the book (while Cade is allowing the public to think the OW is moving in on his marriage), picturing Garth Brooks and Trisha Yearwood singing "In Another's Eyes" a year before he divorced his first wife.
August 26, 2026
Those reads like AI. How can I tell? The sentence structure and story telling that stacks like filler. Sentences like, "He said the word syndication like he knew what it meant." When discussing a serious offer for syndication. When the author describes things by listing what they aren't. Iskimmed so much of it because the first half of the book is redundancy after redundancy.
It is like someone put in a premise and AI was like okay here ya go. And then maybe they touched it up here and there.
I never come on here and say AI but I have listened to enough youtube stories to put you to sleep that are written by AI to know the patterns of AI because none of it is good or interesting on their own other than putting off the conclusion long enough to drive the listener crazy.
In conclusion, support writers who put effort and love into their craft and not people hoping to grab reads the lazy way.
It is like someone put in a premise and AI was like okay here ya go. And then maybe they touched it up here and there.
I never come on here and say AI but I have listened to enough youtube stories to put you to sleep that are written by AI to know the patterns of AI because none of it is good or interesting on their own other than putting off the conclusion long enough to drive the listener crazy.
In conclusion, support writers who put effort and love into their craft and not people hoping to grab reads the lazy way.
August 4, 2026
1. Definite AI vibes. Filled with sentences that sound good but have absolutely no meaning. Eg.
• “the truck was one pothole away from a country song”
• “The word is small but it changes the air anyway.”
• “Not a sob, not yet, but more like my body testing whether grief still has access.”
• “I’d become a man who slept on fabric with a thread count instead of a personality.”
• “I’ve been calling love a feeling while letting every choice say otherwise.”
• “I used to love that smell. Tonight it sits in the back of my throat like a dare.”
• “My last name still feels like a house key to a place I can’t go back to.”
• “My blood pressure can’t afford geography.”
• “Mrs. Jameson works the evening register with the alertness of a woman who can identify shame by brand and basket contents.”
• “Chosen learns the part of you it stopped seeing.”
• “… dogwoods look like they remember being hurt and decided to flower anyway.”
• “I’m going because if this town is going to keep putting a ghost in front of me, I’d rather see whether it has walls.”
• “I knew the way she held pain like a glass too full to lift.”
• “Honesty with no strategy is just bleeding in public.”
• “I make songs that don’t need her permission to exist and don’t require her labor to carry them.”
• “Wanting can learn all the right words and still reach.”
• “You are standing like a woman trying to convince gravity she’s management.”
• “Concern is gossip in a clean dress.”
• “Men like you think that not needing rescue is a negotiation.”
2. If AI is “intelligent”, why does it make so many glaring mistakes?
• Eg. Emmy was not an architect or even an architectural student yet she still managed to draw house plans perfectly to scale at 19 years old.
• The words from the Instagram video were NOT what Melody and Cade actually said in the studio.
• Cade was in the kitchen. His phone started ringing upstairs in the bedroom where he left it. Then, a voicemail “appeared” and he played it even though he hadn’t gone upstairs to get the phone.
• Melody asked Emmy if Cade knew that she was pregnant and Emmy answered, “No”. On the next page, Melody asked her again and once again, Emmy answered, “No”.
• Emmy told Cade that she didn’t tell him about the baby because she wanted to be sure that he “came back” because of her and not the baby. Cade wasn’t the one that left; Emmy did.
• Cade was on his knees with his hand on the baby and Emmy’s hand in his hair. Then, the book says, “Her forehead rests against mine.” ???
• “the truck was one pothole away from a country song”
• “The word is small but it changes the air anyway.”
• “Not a sob, not yet, but more like my body testing whether grief still has access.”
• “I’d become a man who slept on fabric with a thread count instead of a personality.”
• “I’ve been calling love a feeling while letting every choice say otherwise.”
• “I used to love that smell. Tonight it sits in the back of my throat like a dare.”
• “My last name still feels like a house key to a place I can’t go back to.”
• “My blood pressure can’t afford geography.”
• “Mrs. Jameson works the evening register with the alertness of a woman who can identify shame by brand and basket contents.”
• “Chosen learns the part of you it stopped seeing.”
• “… dogwoods look like they remember being hurt and decided to flower anyway.”
• “I’m going because if this town is going to keep putting a ghost in front of me, I’d rather see whether it has walls.”
• “I knew the way she held pain like a glass too full to lift.”
• “Honesty with no strategy is just bleeding in public.”
• “I make songs that don’t need her permission to exist and don’t require her labor to carry them.”
• “Wanting can learn all the right words and still reach.”
• “You are standing like a woman trying to convince gravity she’s management.”
• “Concern is gossip in a clean dress.”
• “Men like you think that not needing rescue is a negotiation.”
2. If AI is “intelligent”, why does it make so many glaring mistakes?
• Eg. Emmy was not an architect or even an architectural student yet she still managed to draw house plans perfectly to scale at 19 years old.
• The words from the Instagram video were NOT what Melody and Cade actually said in the studio.
• Cade was in the kitchen. His phone started ringing upstairs in the bedroom where he left it. Then, a voicemail “appeared” and he played it even though he hadn’t gone upstairs to get the phone.
• Melody asked Emmy if Cade knew that she was pregnant and Emmy answered, “No”. On the next page, Melody asked her again and once again, Emmy answered, “No”.
• Emmy told Cade that she didn’t tell him about the baby because she wanted to be sure that he “came back” because of her and not the baby. Cade wasn’t the one that left; Emmy did.
• Cade was on his knees with his hand on the baby and Emmy’s hand in his hair. Then, the book says, “Her forehead rests against mine.” ???
September 16, 2026
This had the potential to be really good, but I'm quite sure it's written by AI. The timelines are confusing, conversations are repeated and some of it just didn't make sense.
July 26, 2026
Ok, wow with this one as I’m surprised with how good it was bc it’s written well and the angst was not too shabby. The only hitch in this giddy up is that the MCs were separated like 85% percent of the book, still liked it though. (Bumped it up a star bc I still think about the home he built her).
August 7, 2026
Even if H turned into the perfect man after h ditched his sorry, dumb ass, there was still enough angst to keep the story interesting—even with a perfectly calm wife.
August 29, 2026
not even 1 ⭐️
To the Amazon reader who said this book doesn’t read like all the AI-slip grovel books: girl 😭😂🫠
I think my favorite part of this steaming pile was when the FMC drove off (in her grandfathers old truck, naturally) with a folder containing a handful of photocopies of a house drawing she made at nineteen BUCKLED IN to the passenger seat. How does one even attempt to buckle a folder??
I also enjoyed when the other woman (OW) asked the FMC if the MMC knew about the secret pregnancy. Twice. In the same conversation.
OW: does he know?
FMC: no.
FMC stands and messes around and OW stands and turns to leave.
OW: does he know?
FMC: no
Also loved the fmc’s past as not only a teenaged architect but also a late night rural Delilah. In one single tiny Tennessee town. How many truckers can possible be driving through for this to be a call in show?
Anyways this was v stupid.
To the Amazon reader who said this book doesn’t read like all the AI-slip grovel books: girl 😭😂🫠
I think my favorite part of this steaming pile was when the FMC drove off (in her grandfathers old truck, naturally) with a folder containing a handful of photocopies of a house drawing she made at nineteen BUCKLED IN to the passenger seat. How does one even attempt to buckle a folder??
I also enjoyed when the other woman (OW) asked the FMC if the MMC knew about the secret pregnancy. Twice. In the same conversation.
OW: does he know?
FMC: no.
FMC stands and messes around and OW stands and turns to leave.
OW: does he know?
FMC: no
Also loved the fmc’s past as not only a teenaged architect but also a late night rural Delilah. In one single tiny Tennessee town. How many truckers can possible be driving through for this to be a call in show?
Anyways this was v stupid.
August 13, 2026
1 Star ⭐️
Book possibly written by AI, at least in part.
Emmy and Cade are married. Cade is a musician, and for the past year or two, he's been promoting a new music with a beautiful young singer. During that time, he has basically turned his wife into an afterthought.
Emmy tells him that she's uncomfortable with the way the promo, interviews, and articles are portraying his relationship with the OW. Cade completely dismisses her concerns and tells her she has nothing to worry about.
Then comes the award acceptance speech.
Cade thanks his entire team and dedicates almost an entire paragraph to the OW, talking about how amazing she is... and then almost forgets to thank his wife.
Something along the lines of:
Oh, and thanks to my wife. That's it.
The OW later releases an edited video that makes it look like Cade admits he's only not with her because he's married to Emmy. The OW tells Emmy that she didn't release it, but... okay, then WHO DID? The book never gives us a convincing explanation, and there really isn't anyone else who makes sense.
Eventually, Emmy leaves Cade, and moves to a small town where she starts working at a radio station.
And this is where the supposed grovel should begin.
Except... it doesn't.
Cade doesn't really grovel. He simply travels to the small town, builds Emmy the house she's always dreamed of, she discovers she's pregnant, they have one conversation, and she forgives him.
That's it!!! That's the grovel
There were also SO MANY loose ends.
We never really see how Cade handles the public fallout or whether he gives interviews to clarify what actually happened with the video. His manager is awful, and we never find out what happens to him. Did Cade fire him? Did anyone do anything about this man?
Cade also had a tour scheduled, and we never really see what happens with that either.
Basically, the book introduces all these conflicts and then just... walks away from them.
The whole thing felt rushed and strangely incomplete.
I almost DNF'd this one. I didn't enjoy the characters, the grovel was practically nonexistent, the resolution was way too easy, and too many important plot points were left hanging.
And for a book literally marketed as a **Grovel Second Chance Romance**, I expected an actual grovel.
1 star. I don't recommend it.
Book possibly written by AI, at least in part.
Emmy and Cade are married. Cade is a musician, and for the past year or two, he's been promoting a new music with a beautiful young singer. During that time, he has basically turned his wife into an afterthought.
Emmy tells him that she's uncomfortable with the way the promo, interviews, and articles are portraying his relationship with the OW. Cade completely dismisses her concerns and tells her she has nothing to worry about.
Then comes the award acceptance speech.
Cade thanks his entire team and dedicates almost an entire paragraph to the OW, talking about how amazing she is... and then almost forgets to thank his wife.
Something along the lines of:
Oh, and thanks to my wife. That's it.
The OW later releases an edited video that makes it look like Cade admits he's only not with her because he's married to Emmy. The OW tells Emmy that she didn't release it, but... okay, then WHO DID? The book never gives us a convincing explanation, and there really isn't anyone else who makes sense.
Eventually, Emmy leaves Cade, and moves to a small town where she starts working at a radio station.
And this is where the supposed grovel should begin.
Except... it doesn't.
Cade doesn't really grovel. He simply travels to the small town, builds Emmy the house she's always dreamed of, she discovers she's pregnant, they have one conversation, and she forgives him.
That's it!!! That's the grovel
There were also SO MANY loose ends.
We never really see how Cade handles the public fallout or whether he gives interviews to clarify what actually happened with the video. His manager is awful, and we never find out what happens to him. Did Cade fire him? Did anyone do anything about this man?
Cade also had a tour scheduled, and we never really see what happens with that either.
Basically, the book introduces all these conflicts and then just... walks away from them.
The whole thing felt rushed and strangely incomplete.
I almost DNF'd this one. I didn't enjoy the characters, the grovel was practically nonexistent, the resolution was way too easy, and too many important plot points were left hanging.
And for a book literally marketed as a **Grovel Second Chance Romance**, I expected an actual grovel.
1 star. I don't recommend it.
August 9, 2026
Don't put "grovel" in your title if your hero isn't actually going to grovel. I've read plenty of grovel romances, and this book doesn't belong in that category.
To me, emotional cheating can be even more damaging than physical cheating. You give another person your attention, your time, your emotional intimacy, and your heart. The only thing missing is sex. Cade crossed that line with Melody.
The opening chapters were honestly painful. The way Cade and Melody performed together felt like watching two lovers. It instantly reminded me of Bradley Cooper and Lady Gaga's Shallow performance. Whether people like it or not, this kind of chemistry creates emotional boundaries that shouldn't be crossed when you're in a committed relationship.
After Emmy left, I kept waiting for the grovel. I expected Cade to fall apart. I expected him to publicly apologize, admit he had failed his wife, clear up the misunderstanding that the song was always about Emmy, and tell the fans the truth. Instead... nothing.
Building a house? Saving a café? Writing two songs? That's not groveling. Those are gestures. Groveling is taking responsibility, admitting your mistakes publicly, begging for forgiveness, and proving through actions that you understand the pain you caused. Cade never truly did any of that.
The biggest disappointment is that he never even corrected the public narrative. He let people believe Melody was his muse while Emmy carried the humiliation. If you embarrass your wife publicly, you should apologize publicly. Anything less is selfish.
And Melody? I couldn't stand her. Secretly recording private conversations is a massive invasion of privacy. Yet the story keeps trying to convince readers she's just an innocent 25-year-old. No. Someone who knowingly inserts herself into a married man's emotional life and then uses selective information to gain sympathy isn't naive. She's manipulative.
What frustrates me most is that Cade never really suffered. Emmy left, they barely communicated, and suddenly everything was okay. That's not an emotional payoff. That's skipping the most important part of the story.
If Emmy hadn't walked away, I honestly believe Cade would have continued crossing more boundaries with Melody because he clearly enjoyed the attention, validation, and admiration she gave him. That's exactly how emotional affairs grow.
This book had the perfect setup for one of the best grovel romances I've ever read. Instead, it wasted that opportunity. The redemption felt rushed, the apology was weak, and the accountability was almost nonexistent.
A grovel romance without real groveling is just a romance with a disappointed reader.
To me, emotional cheating can be even more damaging than physical cheating. You give another person your attention, your time, your emotional intimacy, and your heart. The only thing missing is sex. Cade crossed that line with Melody.
The opening chapters were honestly painful. The way Cade and Melody performed together felt like watching two lovers. It instantly reminded me of Bradley Cooper and Lady Gaga's Shallow performance. Whether people like it or not, this kind of chemistry creates emotional boundaries that shouldn't be crossed when you're in a committed relationship.
After Emmy left, I kept waiting for the grovel. I expected Cade to fall apart. I expected him to publicly apologize, admit he had failed his wife, clear up the misunderstanding that the song was always about Emmy, and tell the fans the truth. Instead... nothing.
Building a house? Saving a café? Writing two songs? That's not groveling. Those are gestures. Groveling is taking responsibility, admitting your mistakes publicly, begging for forgiveness, and proving through actions that you understand the pain you caused. Cade never truly did any of that.
The biggest disappointment is that he never even corrected the public narrative. He let people believe Melody was his muse while Emmy carried the humiliation. If you embarrass your wife publicly, you should apologize publicly. Anything less is selfish.
And Melody? I couldn't stand her. Secretly recording private conversations is a massive invasion of privacy. Yet the story keeps trying to convince readers she's just an innocent 25-year-old. No. Someone who knowingly inserts herself into a married man's emotional life and then uses selective information to gain sympathy isn't naive. She's manipulative.
What frustrates me most is that Cade never really suffered. Emmy left, they barely communicated, and suddenly everything was okay. That's not an emotional payoff. That's skipping the most important part of the story.
If Emmy hadn't walked away, I honestly believe Cade would have continued crossing more boundaries with Melody because he clearly enjoyed the attention, validation, and admiration she gave him. That's exactly how emotional affairs grow.
This book had the perfect setup for one of the best grovel romances I've ever read. Instead, it wasted that opportunity. The redemption felt rushed, the apology was weak, and the accountability was almost nonexistent.
A grovel romance without real groveling is just a romance with a disappointed reader.
August 10, 2026
This could have been much shorter and it feels very AI-written - the sentences are choppy, we see a lot of "MMC did X, FMC did Y", and it feels more like we're shown what happens than the MMC and FMC actually talking.
That said, the MMC humiliates the FMC nationally, the OW shows up 90% of the way through and plays the recording that humiliated the FMC, tries to apologize for it and the MMC didn't mean what he said in that recording and disappears for the rest of the book, the MMC doesn't really grovel, and the FMC takes the MMC back way too easily instead of serving him divorce papers, which she should have done.
That said, the MMC humiliates the FMC nationally, the OW shows up 90% of the way through and plays the recording that humiliated the FMC, tries to apologize for it and the MMC didn't mean what he said in that recording and disappears for the rest of the book, the MMC doesn't really grovel, and the FMC takes the MMC back way too easily instead of serving him divorce papers, which she should have done.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 140 reviews