Fiction Friday | Home Town Melody by Milla Holt

Happy Valentine’s Day! For Fiction Friday I’m sharing a contemporary romance book recommendation for Home Town Melody by Milla Holt, Book 1 in her Rhapsody of Grace series set in England.

Here’s the Book Description:

Everything is at stake when a Christian recording artist learns he fathered a child during a one-night stand.

It was just one lapse in self-control, one poor decision, one night when he was in a dark place.

Since then, Levi Falconer has done his best to move past that almost-forgotten illicit encounter. No one knows what he did, and he and his brothers are bringing their contemporary Christian music band back together for a long-awaited reunion album. But he’s about to learn that his night of forbidden passion resulted in a little boy.

Highschool dropout Adria Baines got her real education from the school of hard knocks. After aging out of foster care, she’s no stranger to struggles. She planned on making her own way, even after a surprise pregnancy. But when she runs out of options, she realizes she’ll have to do the one thing she swore she’d never do: get help from the father of her child.

Levi and Adria never should have met. But their lives are on a collision course once again as they learn how God can transpose the broken chords of their mistakes into a beautiful melody.

Narelle’s Thoughts:

I enjoyed reading Home Town Melody and read it quickly because I was hooked into the story from the opening page. 

Adria is a single mother who’s living in a rundown flat with her 22-month-old son, Owen, on a government housing estate in England. She’d love to move somewhere cleaner and safer, but her overnight fast food shifts barely cover her bills. Her best friend looks after her son while she’s at work and her gruelling schedule is exhausting. 

Adria’s living situation becomes untenable, and she seeks help from a solicitor to reach out to Owen’s celebrity father for child support. Her previous attempts to contact him had failed. Child support money would help Adria move to a private rental in a safer area. 

Levi is a musician in a popular Christian band with his older brothers. He’s a worship leader at church and is preparing to release a new album. Adria’s legal letter rocks him to the core. He made a reckless decision when his family was dealing with a crisis and he has always regretted his one-night stand with Adria. Now he’s facing paternity tests and the career implications of his moral failing. 

I loved how Adria and Levi prioritised Owen’s welfare in how they set up their co-parenting arrangements. They’re forced to interact and build a relationship, for Owen’s sake. The initial attraction that began this entire sequence of events is undeniable. They both have emotional baggage to deal with that creates obstacles in their friends-to-more romance.

I appreciated how Levi sought wise counsel from his family, their pastor, and their supportive church community who extended grace rather than judgment. Adria’s faith journey was beautiful, and I loved how Levi’s mother welcomed Adria and Owen into their family. 

I recommend Home Town Melody to contemporary romance readers who like secret baby celebrity musician stories with an adorable toddler and a strong faith element in the story. 

Learn more about Milla Holt and her books at her online store.