I won this 4 years ago from LibraryThing and never read it. I guess I just wasn't in the mood to read this type of book. Not sure if I want to go back and try again.

It was a fluff book about country music that I just couldn't get into and I knew what was going to happen, sort of.

I'm usually in the minority of books in reviews. ( )

4.5 stars.

The Whole Way Home by Sarah Creech is a compelling novel set against the backdrop of the country music scene.

Joanne "Jo" Lover has remained true to the country music she began playing as an up and coming star. Signed with independent label, Asphalt Record, she has retained creative control over her music and she is definitely on track for hitting it big. Engaged to marry her music producer, Nick Sullivan, she is dismayed to learn that her future father-in-law who also owns Asphalt, has just signed a deal with her childhood friend, first musical collaborator-and her first love-J.D. Gunn. Their parting of ways was less than amicable and Jo has been extremely vocal in her belief that J.D. sold out when he stopped writing his own songs in order to churn out the typical beer drinking, pick-up truck and girl chasing songs that are so popular in country music today. After they perform a duet at an event, the video goes viral and now Asphalt Record wants them to collaborate on a new album together. In the midst of this professional turmoil, Jo cannot forget what J.D. once meant to her and a reporter is trying to dig up dirt on her long ago past.

Jo is an extremely talented singer/songwriter and she has amassed an incredibly loyal fan base. She has never compromised her musical integrity in order to fill Nashville's vision of today's country music. She is an ardent champion of female country artists and she is quite outspoken in her belief that women singers deserve equal airtime with their male counterparts. Jo has never regretted her decision to sign with Asphalt Record and she is grateful for Nick's assistance in helping shape her career. Despite their long standing acquaintance and her admiration for her new fiancé, she has not confided certain aspects of her past to him. With utterly disparate backgrounds, Jo has no doubt there is no way he can understand certain aspects of her life before she moved to Nashville.

J.D. and his band the Empty Shells are wildly popular but he is at the point where he wants to regain creative control over his career. Ready to return to his roots, he is eager to begin working on their next album. It has been several years since his path last crossed with Jo but he is well aware of her opinion that he is a sellout. He is surprised when his old feelings for Jo immediately rise to the surface and while he would not deliberately sabotage her relationship with Nick, he does not hesitate to bring up memories of their time together as children and their early years together in Nashville. He is quick to take advantage of an opportunity for them to perform together but J.D. is disappointed when their first attempts to write new material do not go well.

The Whole Way Home is a captivating novel with wonderful cast of eclectic characters and an engaging storyline. Sarah Creech provides readers with an intriguing behind the scenes peek into the country music industry that is quite fascinating and very illuminating. Jo's relationship with J.D. is heartwarming yet troubled due to their complicated history. A shocking plot twist late in the story threatens to destroy everything Jo holds dear and the future of her career hangs in the balance.

A thoroughly engrossing, feel good story that will to appeal to music lovers of all types.
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What a great novel! Sarah Creech knows how to write a good beach read. The characters were relatable and the flow of the story was fantastic. ( )

Interesting and entertaining book. An easy read, perfect for the beach or a rainy afternoon. Characters had depth and were vulnerable with flaws and problems. But they were still likeable and you found yourself rooting for them. No big surprises in the plot, but it was still fun getting there with the characters. ( )

I simply love when a book surprises me, when it takes twists and turns I didn't see coming, when it builds in such a way that without realizing it slowly is far more then I'd anticipated. The Whole Way Home, by Sarah Creech, fits this description. I was really thrilled to have been selected by Library Thing and William Morrow as an Early Reviewer and I'd like to thank them for the opportunity.
Jo Lover is a rising star of the Nashville country music world when her label merges with the label of her first love, JD Gunn. Seeing an opportunity the label reunites them. Sarah Creech is a master story teller and she really shines in this genre, the messy relationships, heartache, history, love and loss, moments that can haunt us, baggage we carry. She excels at relating real life, the human experience we all can relate to. Clearly, I'm a fan. There are elements of all of these as we learn why these two didn't make it, what happened so long ago, how it made them who they are now, and if they can reconcile that in present day to find a way together.
I throughly enjoyed this book and highly recommend to anyone who loves romance, stories that present location as key element, country music, and relationships. There is a plot element that may be triggering to those that are highly sensitive to sexual violence. It is short, not extreme, but it does exists. If this is a concern be aware. ( )