The Whole Way Home: A Novel

A radiant 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.

Playing to packed houses while her hit song rushes up the charts, country singer and fiddler Jo Lover is poised to become a one-name Nashville star like her idols, Loretta, Reba, and Dolly. 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 Gunn—her first love—back into her life. Long ago Jo played with JD’s band. But 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.

A luminous talent on the brink of country music stardom must confront small-town scandal, old heartbreak, and second chances . . . all while singing her heart out in Nashville

Wearing her trusty red cowboy boots and playing to sold-out audiences, rising country singer Joanne Lover is poised to become a one-name Nashville star like her idols—Loretta, Reba, and Dolly. To ensure her success, Jo has carefully honed her public image as a long-haired, sassy, down-to-earth girl from the mountains of Virginia who pours her heart into her songs.

But Jo’s perfect world is threatened when a tribute concert brings Nashville heartthrob J. D. Gunn—her first love—back into her life. Jo and J. D. grew up together but parted ways to carve out their own crooked roads to stardom. When they’re forced back together, sparks fly, igniting a flurry of tabloid rumors. What drove Jo and J. D. apart? Why don’t they ever go back to their hometown? What secrets are they hiding?

The perfect ballad of romance, scandal, and redemption, The Whole Way Home is a love letter to country music, first love, and rising stars.

Praise for Season of the Dragonflies: “Sarah Creech weaves together a magical tale of sisters and mothers and the power of human love. Season of the Dragonflies is a rich, deeply satisfying debut. - Beatriz Williams, author of The Secret Life of Violet Grant

“Amazing Debut Author Alert! Picked the book and finished it in one day. Loved the characters, the plot, and all the action. Love, suspense and a twist all set in our Blue Ridge Mountains. Sarah Creech is an amazing new talent, you can compare her to Alice Hoffman or Sarah Addison Allen but Creech makes this her own slightly wicked and fun territory!” - Sally Brewster, Park Road Books, Charlotte, NC

“As summer nears and we migrate to the beach this book needs to be in every beach bag. A wonderful story about the Blue Ridge Mountains and the families who call it home. Mystic overtones complement the family dynamics.” - Jackie at Fiction Addiction (Greenville, SC)

“By turns charming and suspenseful, this is a memorable first novel.” - Publishers Weekly

“Season of the Dragonflies is a magical, romantic, and riveting novel. You won’t be able to put it down, and as soon as you finish reading, you’ll begin waiting for Sarah Creech’s next book. What a dazzling new talent!” - Nina de Gramont, author of Meet Me at the River