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Every Time You Hear That Song
Seventeen-year-old aspiring journalist Darren Purchase is looking for a news story to launch her career and get her out of her stifling small town.
When her country music idol Decklee Cassel dies leaving behind a trail of cross-country musical clues to her final album, Darren sees her opportunity for fame and freedom. All she needs is a car, though the only driver she knows is her annoying co-worker, Kendall . . .
As Darren and Kendall get closer to the prize – and each other – everything Darren thought she knew about the woman she idolized begins to unravel.
What actually happened to Decklee’s songwriting partner? And who were all those soul-stirring love songs written for?
When her country music idol Decklee Cassel dies leaving behind a trail of cross-country musical clues to her final album, Darren sees her opportunity for fame and freedom. All she needs is a car, though the only driver she knows is her annoying co-worker, Kendall . . .
As Darren and Kendall get closer to the prize – and each other – everything Darren thought she knew about the woman she idolized begins to unravel.
What actually happened to Decklee’s songwriting partner? And who were all those soul-stirring love songs written for?
320 pages, Paperback
First published April 2, 2024
51 people are currently reading
11695 people want to read
About the author
Jenna Voris
4 books367 followersAuthor also publishes as J.M. Voris
Jenna Voris is the author of multiple young adult books including Every Time You Hear That Song, and Say A Little Prayer. Originally from Indiana, she now lives in northern Virginia in a 200-year-old townhouse overflowing with books and (allegedly) revolutionary war era ghosts.
Follow her online @JennaVoris and at jennamvoris.com.
Jenna Voris is the author of multiple young adult books including Every Time You Hear That Song, and Say A Little Prayer. Originally from Indiana, she now lives in northern Virginia in a 200-year-old townhouse overflowing with books and (allegedly) revolutionary war era ghosts.
Follow her online @JennaVoris and at jennamvoris.com.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 600 reviews
February 14, 2025
Dolly Parton meets Evelyn Hugo but make it a YA coming-of-age story. It was cute!
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October 9, 2024
A gorgeous, authentic story of country music and finding yourself
I really enjoyed this one. I am a sucker for stories involving country music, but when you add the lesbian romance angle, it's even better. Darren Purchase is seventeen and has loved country music singer Decklee Cassel her entire life. She's crushed when Decklee dies. Decklee's long-awaited time capsule should be revealed at her televised funeral, but instead, it's empty. Soon, she's putting her fans through a series of scavenger-hunt-style clues to track down the capsule and its associated $3M prize. Darren, an aspiring journalist, knows she has a shot at finding the capsule, so she teams up with her co-worker, Kendall, to track it down.
The story alternates between Darren and Kendall searching and following time capsule clues and Decklee Cassel and her journey to fame. Both timelines are captivating, though it's really hard not to be completely pulled in by our enigmatic country star, Decklee. Tracing her path to fame, Decklee's portions cover her friendship and eventual relationship with her songwriter, Mickenlee Hooper. Decklee is a deeply flawed character, mowing over anyone who gets in the way of her path to stardom. This includes a relationship with a woman in the 1970s and 1980s as a country star, and the book does a strong job of exploring the difficulty of two women being together in such a time.
Darren's story parallels Decklee, as she follows time capsule clues that align with Decklee's career. Both Darren and Decklee are from the small town of Mayberry, Arkansas, and Darren clings to the idea that if Decklee got out, so can she. Darren's so focused on getting out of Mayberry that she hasn't taken the time to see what it offers, including a friendship (or more) with Kendall, or the bonuses that small town life offers. She wants to win the money to go to journalism school and help her mom, who has battled cancer.
There's nothing conventional about this book, including its ending, and that's a huge compliment. Decklee and Darren are strongly characterized and individualistic, and Mickenlee is just as nuanced too. Decklee and Mickenlee's story is entrancing, and Kendall and Darren's burgeoning romance is adorable. This is a wonderful story for anyone who loves coming-of-age tales, queer romance, or country music. 4.5 stars.
I received a copy of this book from Netgalley and Viking Books for Young Readers in return for an unbiased review.
I really enjoyed this one. I am a sucker for stories involving country music, but when you add the lesbian romance angle, it's even better. Darren Purchase is seventeen and has loved country music singer Decklee Cassel her entire life. She's crushed when Decklee dies. Decklee's long-awaited time capsule should be revealed at her televised funeral, but instead, it's empty. Soon, she's putting her fans through a series of scavenger-hunt-style clues to track down the capsule and its associated $3M prize. Darren, an aspiring journalist, knows she has a shot at finding the capsule, so she teams up with her co-worker, Kendall, to track it down.
The story alternates between Darren and Kendall searching and following time capsule clues and Decklee Cassel and her journey to fame. Both timelines are captivating, though it's really hard not to be completely pulled in by our enigmatic country star, Decklee. Tracing her path to fame, Decklee's portions cover her friendship and eventual relationship with her songwriter, Mickenlee Hooper. Decklee is a deeply flawed character, mowing over anyone who gets in the way of her path to stardom. This includes a relationship with a woman in the 1970s and 1980s as a country star, and the book does a strong job of exploring the difficulty of two women being together in such a time.
Darren's story parallels Decklee, as she follows time capsule clues that align with Decklee's career. Both Darren and Decklee are from the small town of Mayberry, Arkansas, and Darren clings to the idea that if Decklee got out, so can she. Darren's so focused on getting out of Mayberry that she hasn't taken the time to see what it offers, including a friendship (or more) with Kendall, or the bonuses that small town life offers. She wants to win the money to go to journalism school and help her mom, who has battled cancer.
There's nothing conventional about this book, including its ending, and that's a huge compliment. Decklee and Darren are strongly characterized and individualistic, and Mickenlee is just as nuanced too. Decklee and Mickenlee's story is entrancing, and Kendall and Darren's burgeoning romance is adorable. This is a wonderful story for anyone who loves coming-of-age tales, queer romance, or country music. 4.5 stars.
I received a copy of this book from Netgalley and Viking Books for Young Readers in return for an unbiased review.
April 1, 2024
As someone who is a hard sell on a road trip story, I really enjoyed this! Every Time You Hear That Song is a nice blend of queer coming of age story with a light mystery element, and queer historical fiction.
A famous country singer- Decklee Cassel has died and left behind a scavenger hunt of clues leading to unpublished music and a cash prize. Darren is a teen journalist and huge fan, and she goes on a road trip to find clues with her co-worker. Then we flash back to the 1960's as Decklee is fleeing her hometown and getting her start, but sidelining relationships in her pursuit of fame and public adoration.
I was invested in both timelines and they wove together nicely as the story slowly unfolds. A very solid YA novel that will probably appeal to a lot of readers! I received a copy of this book for review from the publisher, all opinions are my own.
A famous country singer- Decklee Cassel has died and left behind a scavenger hunt of clues leading to unpublished music and a cash prize. Darren is a teen journalist and huge fan, and she goes on a road trip to find clues with her co-worker. Then we flash back to the 1960's as Decklee is fleeing her hometown and getting her start, but sidelining relationships in her pursuit of fame and public adoration.
I was invested in both timelines and they wove together nicely as the story slowly unfolds. A very solid YA novel that will probably appeal to a lot of readers! I received a copy of this book for review from the publisher, all opinions are my own.
April 17, 2024
I started the audiobook yesterday while making food which was a mistake because it had me crying into my sandwich early on. I was not expecting to get so emotional instantly, but well, this book really sucked me in.
There's a dual timeline, one following a country music superstar from her humble origins up until her death, and the other following one of the star's biggest fans who's from the same small town as her, trying to find her own way in the world.
Both timelines were equally compelling, though I wish we got more of Decklee. Her chapters felt shorter than Darren's (and probably were), and we didn't get to see as much of her and Mickinlee when compared to Darren and Kendall, because she was so career focused.
I didn't really buy the fact that Darren and Kendall developed such strong feelings for each other during a short road trip, but I did enjoy reading about their time capsule hunt. I think they were great as friends, and I don't mind them as more than that, I just wish the book was longer so that it would be more believable.
I saw the main twist coming, and I loved being proven right!! I wouldn't have seen it if it hadn't been for that one scene which I won't mention because then you'll know what to look out for, hah.
But still, it was a very fun listen, I knew I'd have a good time with it.
There's a dual timeline, one following a country music superstar from her humble origins up until her death, and the other following one of the star's biggest fans who's from the same small town as her, trying to find her own way in the world.
Both timelines were equally compelling, though I wish we got more of Decklee. Her chapters felt shorter than Darren's (and probably were), and we didn't get to see as much of her and Mickinlee when compared to Darren and Kendall, because she was so career focused.
I didn't really buy the fact that Darren and Kendall developed such strong feelings for each other during a short road trip, but I did enjoy reading about their time capsule hunt. I think they were great as friends, and I don't mind them as more than that, I just wish the book was longer so that it would be more believable.
I saw the main twist coming, and I loved being proven right!! I wouldn't have seen it if it hadn't been for that one scene which I won't mention because then you'll know what to look out for, hah.
But still, it was a very fun listen, I knew I'd have a good time with it.
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September 8, 2023My extremely accurate and honest blurb: "I absolutely loved this romantic, page-turning adventure about loving people and places who cannot love you back on your terms. If you've ever tried to make yourself smaller for a world that was never meant to contain you, this book will be a balm to your soul."—Dahlia Adler, author of Home Field Advantage
October 15, 2023
my small-town-big-dreams heart is weeping fr
July 9, 2024
This is such a fun, but emotional, scavenger hunt story told in a dual POV as we follow singer Decklee Cassel on her path to fame and struggles with her Queer identity, and Darren Purchase, who, years later, is on a scavenger hunt to find Decklee's lost songs, and lost lover, after Decklee passes away.
I love a scavenger hunt story and this one is so unique. Combining it with Queer culture and a Bisexual girl struggling to find her way out of her small town made this story so interesting, and I flew through the pages each time I picked it up. Although I usually dislike not being able to work out the clues for myself, I didn't mind with this story, and was happy to follow Darren.
There's so much hurt, and grief tied into this book that pushes it to a five star read for me. Decklee is shown to be a pretty terrible person, and Mickenlee has to decide if to continue being dragged along on Decklee's obsession with fame, or to break ties with her forever. Mickenlee is a strong, memorable character that I really grew attached to.
I love a scavenger hunt story and this one is so unique. Combining it with Queer culture and a Bisexual girl struggling to find her way out of her small town made this story so interesting, and I flew through the pages each time I picked it up. Although I usually dislike not being able to work out the clues for myself, I didn't mind with this story, and was happy to follow Darren.
There's so much hurt, and grief tied into this book that pushes it to a five star read for me. Decklee is shown to be a pretty terrible person, and Mickenlee has to decide if to continue being dragged along on Decklee's obsession with fame, or to break ties with her forever. Mickenlee is a strong, memorable character that I really grew attached to.
July 9, 2024
Told from a dual POV, we follow singer Decklee Cassel on her tumultuous journey to fame, grappling with her Queer identity, and Darren Purchase, who, years later, embarks on a scavenger hunt to uncover Decklee's lost songs and lover after her passing. As Darren embarks on this quest, she undergoes a profound self-discovery about her sexuality and her true feelings for Mayberry.
This book beautifully intertwines the lives of two women across decades, united by their love for country music and the enigmatic ties of their careers. Voris skillfully blends these narratives, offering a dual perspective that sheds light on the complexities of identity, ambition, and authenticity.
However, I felt the ending was somewhat rushed. I wished for more time to immerse in the characters' emotions post-twist. The scavenger hunt, although crucial to the plot, felt underwhelming at times. While it propelled Darren and Kendall's journey, it lacked the fulfillment I anticipated. Perhaps my expectations were too high, or maybe it was meant to unfold this way.
Although this book wasn't what I'd initially pick to read, I still rather enjoyed it. The exploration of identity and the emotional depth of the characters made it a captivating read.
Thank you to NetGalley for the chance to read this, all thoughts and opinions are my own.
This book beautifully intertwines the lives of two women across decades, united by their love for country music and the enigmatic ties of their careers. Voris skillfully blends these narratives, offering a dual perspective that sheds light on the complexities of identity, ambition, and authenticity.
However, I felt the ending was somewhat rushed. I wished for more time to immerse in the characters' emotions post-twist. The scavenger hunt, although crucial to the plot, felt underwhelming at times. While it propelled Darren and Kendall's journey, it lacked the fulfillment I anticipated. Perhaps my expectations were too high, or maybe it was meant to unfold this way.
Although this book wasn't what I'd initially pick to read, I still rather enjoyed it. The exploration of identity and the emotional depth of the characters made it a captivating read.
Thank you to NetGalley for the chance to read this, all thoughts and opinions are my own.
May 5, 2024
Oh this was fantastic. Loved every little bit of it. Supremely difficult, at times (a lot of times, actually), but all the better, imo, for it.
June 11, 2024
I am not emotionally okay after reading this book! I mean that in the best of ways, to be clear.
Darren's favourite singer, Decklee Cassel, has died. She didn't know Decklee, not really. But she feels like she knew her through her music and because Decklee, like Darren, was once a girl who dreamed of getting out of Mayberry, Arkansas, too--something Decklee actually accomplished so spectacularly that she never returned.
When news surfaces that there's an entire unreleased album of Decklee's to be found, along with a life-changing amount of money, Darren knows the music and the money is destined to be hers. So she embarks on her first trip outside of Arkansas with the only person she knows in town who has car: Kendall, her workplace proximity associate, the guy who threw away a full-ride tennis scholarship to university to work full time at a Mayberry gas station.
The novel alternates between Darren's hunt in the present and Decklee's narration of her life, of becoming Decklee Cassel: award-winning country singer beloved by millions of fans. It is inspiring, mysterious, maddening, heartbreaking, beautiful, queer. I didn't want to put it down.
My one criticism, apart from the fact that I solved the mystery early on (and I think that's okay btw) is Darren's believe that she can either stay in Mayberry or she has to leave--that she believed the very act of leaving at all meant she could never return. Or that if she stayed, it meant she could never leave. I just didn't get it. And had it been a passing thought, it would have been okay, but this was a major theme/plot point of the novel.
4.5 stars, rounding up for Mickenlee Hooper ♥
Darren's favourite singer, Decklee Cassel, has died. She didn't know Decklee, not really. But she feels like she knew her through her music and because Decklee, like Darren, was once a girl who dreamed of getting out of Mayberry, Arkansas, too--something Decklee actually accomplished so spectacularly that she never returned.
When news surfaces that there's an entire unreleased album of Decklee's to be found, along with a life-changing amount of money, Darren knows the music and the money is destined to be hers. So she embarks on her first trip outside of Arkansas with the only person she knows in town who has car: Kendall, her workplace proximity associate, the guy who threw away a full-ride tennis scholarship to university to work full time at a Mayberry gas station.
The novel alternates between Darren's hunt in the present and Decklee's narration of her life, of becoming Decklee Cassel: award-winning country singer beloved by millions of fans. It is inspiring, mysterious, maddening, heartbreaking, beautiful, queer. I didn't want to put it down.
My one criticism, apart from the fact that I solved the mystery early on (and I think that's okay btw) is Darren's believe that she can either stay in Mayberry or she has to leave--that she believed the very act of leaving at all meant she could never return. Or that if she stayed, it meant she could never leave. I just didn't get it. And had it been a passing thought, it would have been okay, but this was a major theme/plot point of the novel.
4.5 stars, rounding up for Mickenlee Hooper ♥
November 4, 2022
if jenna voris has one fan, it's me. if jenna voris has no fans, i've catapulted myself into the sun.
March 27, 2024
The premise of this sounds like it was handcrafted in a lab just for me. An ambitious queer teen stuck in her small, Southern hometown, embarking on a road trip to hunt down the last, posthumous album from her favorite musician (who was secretly queer, too). I was incredibly excited. From the first few pages, I started getting The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo vibes but make it Dolly Parton, and add a Taylor Swift easter egg-esque time capsule hunt. So many interesting concepts to work with, so I’m sad that this fell flat for me.
I think my biggest issues can be attributed to how little time we got to spend with the characters. It’s already a pretty short book, but then add in the alternating storylines, and I just felt like nobody got the time they deserved. I didn’t feel much chemistry between Darren and Kendall, and they could’ve had a lot of time for development on the road trip. Don’t get me wrong, they definitely did get to know each other better, but I didn’t get the impression that they were so close that a relationship would immediately come of it. I would’ve appreciated a deeper, more fleshed-out connection. Decklee and Mickinlee could’ve been this huge, sweeping, heartbreaking romance of a lifetime, but not only did we not see much of it, it never felt sustainable in the first place (because of the characterization). Maybe that was just me expecting something different from the story than it set out to do, though. I’m also tempted to chalk these issues up to me being too old for YA, but there’s plenty of YA I absolutely love, so maybe this is just on the younger end and I couldn’t connect with it.
It was still sweet and like I said, the premise is super interesting. Also, I always love queer people in the South coming to terms with their small towns. I appreciate how different perspectives are explored and Southerners aren’t lumped into one reductive stereotype. And the honest portrayal of the sacrifices that come with celebrity and the reality of a ruthless, insatiable appetite for fame and glory were appreciated, as well.
Thank you to Penguin Group and NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.
I think my biggest issues can be attributed to how little time we got to spend with the characters. It’s already a pretty short book, but then add in the alternating storylines, and I just felt like nobody got the time they deserved. I didn’t feel much chemistry between Darren and Kendall, and they could’ve had a lot of time for development on the road trip. Don’t get me wrong, they definitely did get to know each other better, but I didn’t get the impression that they were so close that a relationship would immediately come of it. I would’ve appreciated a deeper, more fleshed-out connection. Decklee and Mickinlee could’ve been this huge, sweeping, heartbreaking romance of a lifetime, but not only did we not see much of it, it never felt sustainable in the first place (because of the characterization). Maybe that was just me expecting something different from the story than it set out to do, though. I’m also tempted to chalk these issues up to me being too old for YA, but there’s plenty of YA I absolutely love, so maybe this is just on the younger end and I couldn’t connect with it.
It was still sweet and like I said, the premise is super interesting. Also, I always love queer people in the South coming to terms with their small towns. I appreciate how different perspectives are explored and Southerners aren’t lumped into one reductive stereotype. And the honest portrayal of the sacrifices that come with celebrity and the reality of a ruthless, insatiable appetite for fame and glory were appreciated, as well.
Thank you to Penguin Group and NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.
April 26, 2025
4.75
i am now convinced that
i giggled, i teared up, i gasped, i was bamboozled & i had a silly-goose™ time - what more do you want?? read it!!
i am now convinced that
i giggled, i teared up, i gasped, i was bamboozled & i had a silly-goose™ time - what more do you want?? read it!!
February 10, 2025
A girl with bi panic solving a mystery her favourite lesbian musician created from her deathbed?
I loved everything about this!
Music is one of my favourite things in this world so I’m always looking forward to books about musicians and this one did not disappoint.
We follow the two protagonists in two different time lines, with Decklees rise to fame in the 60s and Darren figuring out her mystery in the present.
While I totally get if people will dislike Decklee, I feel that all her story shows is how misogyny and homophobia deeply affected her (at the people who grew up like her). She didn’t have a chance at full happiness, she always had to choose between a career, a work she deeply loved and poured her everything in, or a private life. I do feel deeply sorry for her, even though some of her actions were of course extremely selfish and inconsiderate.
Darren was a much more likeable character and her trying to figure out her bisexuality was written in a beautiful way. The mystery and the road trip were absolutely gripping to read about and I rooted for her every step of the way.
I honestly wouldn’t have needed a romance in her part of the story, considering how the book ended it felt kind of unnecessary, but it was still nice to read about a bisexual girl falling for a guy.
I somehow didn’t really get why she decided to do what she did in the very end, when the whole trip showed her how much she really loved her hometown after all.
I’d highly recommend reading this to fans of Taylor Jenkins Reid’s books!
I loved everything about this!
Music is one of my favourite things in this world so I’m always looking forward to books about musicians and this one did not disappoint.
We follow the two protagonists in two different time lines, with Decklees rise to fame in the 60s and Darren figuring out her mystery in the present.
While I totally get if people will dislike Decklee, I feel that all her story shows is how misogyny and homophobia deeply affected her (at the people who grew up like her). She didn’t have a chance at full happiness, she always had to choose between a career, a work she deeply loved and poured her everything in, or a private life. I do feel deeply sorry for her, even though some of her actions were of course extremely selfish and inconsiderate.
Darren was a much more likeable character and her trying to figure out her bisexuality was written in a beautiful way. The mystery and the road trip were absolutely gripping to read about and I rooted for her every step of the way.
I honestly wouldn’t have needed a romance in her part of the story, considering how the book ended it felt kind of unnecessary, but it was still nice to read about a bisexual girl falling for a guy.
I somehow didn’t really get why she decided to do what she did in the very end, when the whole trip showed her how much she really loved her hometown after all.
I’d highly recommend reading this to fans of Taylor Jenkins Reid’s books!
April 16, 2024
It's been a long, long time since I read a book that had me staring at the wall after it was over. I'm so awestruck by this book that I literally cannot form words to review it. But I'll still try. Forgive me if it's a mess of words and feelings because that's how this book has left me.
Every Time You Hear That Song perfectly captures the essence of having sky-high ambitions, yearning to belong, and the desperation to succeed. The story is the about two queer girls originating from the same small town in Arkansas but in different timelines. One timeline follows the journey of a country music star, from the beginning of her career to her demise and, the other follows her fan (years later) who sets on a treasure hunt, searching for clues laid out by her star in music and history. On surface, it seems plain but it's so much more than that. It's this intricately woven tale that talks about identity, desires, ambition, sacrifices, success, fame and it's consequences.
Usually, I'm not a fan of alternating timelines. It always leaves me feeling disconnected with the characters and the storyline but this book is one of the rare gems that executed it perfectly. These are two stories really, running side by side and crossing paths through the treasure hunt. It was exhilarating to follow along on the treasure hunt, feeling the rush of finding a new clue and then a snippet from the past that was significant for the clue. I was so very invested in the story, that momentarily all of it felt real. Like Decklee Cassel was real and that if I look her up, I might find her and her songs. That I feel is the biggest indicator of how well the book was written.
The characters were flawed and made mistakes but that's what made them real. On more than one account, I saw myself in Darren. Her desire for something more in life resonated deeply with me. Decklee and Mickenlee's story was heart-wrenching. I felt my chest ache more than once for the predicament they were in. Especially for Mickenlee. The ending was bittersweet, leaving me with a lot of feels and food for thought.
Thank you so much Penguin Teen and NetGalley for an e-ARC. I can't believe I waited so long to read this book. But I'm glad and super grateful to have found it. I have a feeling that it's going to be my top read of 2024.
Every Time You Hear That Song perfectly captures the essence of having sky-high ambitions, yearning to belong, and the desperation to succeed. The story is the about two queer girls originating from the same small town in Arkansas but in different timelines. One timeline follows the journey of a country music star, from the beginning of her career to her demise and, the other follows her fan (years later) who sets on a treasure hunt, searching for clues laid out by her star in music and history. On surface, it seems plain but it's so much more than that. It's this intricately woven tale that talks about identity, desires, ambition, sacrifices, success, fame and it's consequences.
Usually, I'm not a fan of alternating timelines. It always leaves me feeling disconnected with the characters and the storyline but this book is one of the rare gems that executed it perfectly. These are two stories really, running side by side and crossing paths through the treasure hunt. It was exhilarating to follow along on the treasure hunt, feeling the rush of finding a new clue and then a snippet from the past that was significant for the clue. I was so very invested in the story, that momentarily all of it felt real. Like Decklee Cassel was real and that if I look her up, I might find her and her songs. That I feel is the biggest indicator of how well the book was written.
The characters were flawed and made mistakes but that's what made them real. On more than one account, I saw myself in Darren. Her desire for something more in life resonated deeply with me. Decklee and Mickenlee's story was heart-wrenching. I felt my chest ache more than once for the predicament they were in. Especially for Mickenlee. The ending was bittersweet, leaving me with a lot of feels and food for thought.
Thank you so much Penguin Teen and NetGalley for an e-ARC. I can't believe I waited so long to read this book. But I'm glad and super grateful to have found it. I have a feeling that it's going to be my top read of 2024.
March 3, 2024
thank you to Penguin Teen for providing me with an ARC in exchange for an honest review
Nothing could have prepared me for just how much I loved this book and how I read it at the exact right time in my life. Jenna Voris has captured something about growing up in a small town (and even more specifically for me, growing up in a small town in Arkansas), and looking to get out. Every place this book stopped had nostalgia for me, both geographically and metaphorically. On top of that, it’s full of yearning and heart and ambition and the character growth that comes with facing all of that. I cried while reading the very first chapter and I cried again throughout the book, both for the things I miss and for the things I’m so grateful I have. This book was a worthwhile read, and one that I think was necessary for me, and I’ll carry it with me just like I do the town I grew up in.
If it’s not already clear, this book checked a lot of boxes for me. It travels from Arkansas to Memphis, TN to Nashville, TN, to Mississippi, and back to Arkansas, and every stop along the way I found memories of my own to accompany those of Darren and Decklee. Both because of the sheer heart that Voris has written into this story and admittedly my own personal experiences, it felt like something I was experiencing along the way, even as I’m currently 5000 miles from home. It can be difficult to find genuine and heartfelt stories of queer teens in the South, even as that’s a reality that I’ve been living my entire life, and this book truly captures that.
EVERY TIME YOU HEAR THAT SONG is the story of two queer women (really teenagers, although Decklee grows up over the course of the book), on two similar paths from the same place. Both Darren and Decklee’s stories are what they are because of the people around them, and every supporting character is placed in the story with care and with purpose. The main characters screw up more than once, and we see them grow in the ways that they respond to friends and family actually trying to help them. Every little piece of the characters and their stories in this book seem to weave together to create an interconnected web that’s only visible once every strand is in place.
I could honestly talk for hours about this book and all the things I love about it. It’s a delightful exploration of queer identity, of fame and idols, of friendship and heartbreak, and the idea of home. I can’t say that I’ve always loved growing up and living in the South, but as I’ve gotten older I’ve grown to appreciate the complexity and the wealth of experience and people that live here, and I think that this book does a similar thing, forcing the characters to not just see the bleak vision of a small town they’ve conjured without also seeing the reality of where they are. It’s also just a really fun time to see Darren and Kendall trying to solve a scavenger hunt, and the lyricism in it all.
In short, I loved this book, and I can already tell it’s one of my favourites that I’ll read this year. It made me nostalgic and homesick in the best way possible, and I loved every moment I spent reading it. Basically, I can’t recommend it enough.
Nothing could have prepared me for just how much I loved this book and how I read it at the exact right time in my life. Jenna Voris has captured something about growing up in a small town (and even more specifically for me, growing up in a small town in Arkansas), and looking to get out. Every place this book stopped had nostalgia for me, both geographically and metaphorically. On top of that, it’s full of yearning and heart and ambition and the character growth that comes with facing all of that. I cried while reading the very first chapter and I cried again throughout the book, both for the things I miss and for the things I’m so grateful I have. This book was a worthwhile read, and one that I think was necessary for me, and I’ll carry it with me just like I do the town I grew up in.
If it’s not already clear, this book checked a lot of boxes for me. It travels from Arkansas to Memphis, TN to Nashville, TN, to Mississippi, and back to Arkansas, and every stop along the way I found memories of my own to accompany those of Darren and Decklee. Both because of the sheer heart that Voris has written into this story and admittedly my own personal experiences, it felt like something I was experiencing along the way, even as I’m currently 5000 miles from home. It can be difficult to find genuine and heartfelt stories of queer teens in the South, even as that’s a reality that I’ve been living my entire life, and this book truly captures that.
EVERY TIME YOU HEAR THAT SONG is the story of two queer women (really teenagers, although Decklee grows up over the course of the book), on two similar paths from the same place. Both Darren and Decklee’s stories are what they are because of the people around them, and every supporting character is placed in the story with care and with purpose. The main characters screw up more than once, and we see them grow in the ways that they respond to friends and family actually trying to help them. Every little piece of the characters and their stories in this book seem to weave together to create an interconnected web that’s only visible once every strand is in place.
I could honestly talk for hours about this book and all the things I love about it. It’s a delightful exploration of queer identity, of fame and idols, of friendship and heartbreak, and the idea of home. I can’t say that I’ve always loved growing up and living in the South, but as I’ve gotten older I’ve grown to appreciate the complexity and the wealth of experience and people that live here, and I think that this book does a similar thing, forcing the characters to not just see the bleak vision of a small town they’ve conjured without also seeing the reality of where they are. It’s also just a really fun time to see Darren and Kendall trying to solve a scavenger hunt, and the lyricism in it all.
In short, I loved this book, and I can already tell it’s one of my favourites that I’ll read this year. It made me nostalgic and homesick in the best way possible, and I loved every moment I spent reading it. Basically, I can’t recommend it enough.
April 17, 2024
Cute, clever, funny, romantic, realistic - I did really love it! Place is written incredibly well in this book - enough to make me homesick for my own Mayberry, and I loved the alternating perspectives which just made it a full story.
August 29, 2025
I read this in one day and it was soooo fun, I highly recommend!! 🤩I don’t understand why this book isn’t more popular ?? It’s gooood 🫶🏼
April 19, 2024
what an unexpected delight! i read this in one sitting while killing time waiting to listen to the new taylor swift album at midnight (truly, couldn’t think of a more perfect reading scenario for this particular story), and i loved every second. this had so many of my favorite tropes— road trip, celebrities, music, coming-of-age vibes, a main character discovering their queerness, cute romance subplot— and all the parts were woven together into such a sweet (and honestly somewhat bittersweet) whole. i couldn’t put it down.
Read
July 18, 2024I won’t be able to get through this review without mentioning The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo, so let me get the comparison out of the way now. Like Evelyn Hugo, this cover likely doesn’t scream “queer story,” but it is—twice over, actually. Like Evelyn Hugo, we’re alternating between two stories, one of which is an ambitious queer woman trying to make it in an industry and time period that required being closeted. I’m definitely tempted to recommend this one to fans of Evelyn Hugo, but it has some big differences, not least of which is that this is a young adult novel.
Last time, I promise: like Evelyn Hugo, Decklee Castle is a fascinating character. She’s ruthlessly ambitious and loves nothing more than to be on stage. She’s willing to sacrifice a lot—almost everything—for fame. When she and songwriter Mickenlee Hooper fall for each other, she goes to great lengths to conceal their relationship from the press. Decklee isn’t a likable character. She’s believable, but she’s not exactly sympathetic. To be honest, I find that refreshing in a queer character. Decklee is talented and hardworking, but she is also callous and selfish. Darren considers her a role model because she got out of Mayberry and also because Dareen suspects Decklee was queer and Darren is trying to come to grips with her own bisexuality. The more she learns about her, though, the more she begins to realize that her image of Decklee isn’t true to life.
I could easily pitch this as a road trip story, a scavenger hunt, a tell-all about a fictional celebrity, but that doesn’t really match the vibes. Above all, this is about relationships, ambition, and what you’re willing to sacrifice to get what you want. While both Decklee and Dareen have love stories, this isn’t a romance. It’s bittersweet, and Decklee’s story is a warning for Darren.
I listened the audiobook, and I think it works well that way: there are two different narrators, so it’s easy to keep the stories separate. I highly recommend this one.
Full review at the Lesbrary.
Last time, I promise: like Evelyn Hugo, Decklee Castle is a fascinating character. She’s ruthlessly ambitious and loves nothing more than to be on stage. She’s willing to sacrifice a lot—almost everything—for fame. When she and songwriter Mickenlee Hooper fall for each other, she goes to great lengths to conceal their relationship from the press. Decklee isn’t a likable character. She’s believable, but she’s not exactly sympathetic. To be honest, I find that refreshing in a queer character. Decklee is talented and hardworking, but she is also callous and selfish. Darren considers her a role model because she got out of Mayberry and also because Dareen suspects Decklee was queer and Darren is trying to come to grips with her own bisexuality. The more she learns about her, though, the more she begins to realize that her image of Decklee isn’t true to life.
I could easily pitch this as a road trip story, a scavenger hunt, a tell-all about a fictional celebrity, but that doesn’t really match the vibes. Above all, this is about relationships, ambition, and what you’re willing to sacrifice to get what you want. While both Decklee and Dareen have love stories, this isn’t a romance. It’s bittersweet, and Decklee’s story is a warning for Darren.
I listened the audiobook, and I think it works well that way: there are two different narrators, so it’s easy to keep the stories separate. I highly recommend this one.
Full review at the Lesbrary.
Want to read
December 14, 2022"pitched as Daisy Jones and the Six meets The Inheritance Games, about an enigmatic country music legend who leaves her entire fortune to whoever can solve her complicated, cross-country scavenger hunt—and two teens who just might have a shot at winning it all."
January 11, 2025
delightful!
February 23, 2024
5 Stars
This book had no business being as good as it was. People are going to complain (more so than they already are, after publication) about these leading ladies being "unlikable." They'll really just mean prickly and unapologetically ambitious in a way that they wouldn't mind in a man but somehow find off-putting in women. These characters have sharp edges, and they make mistakes, and that makes for good characters. Especially queer women coming out of the small town South. There's not much of a choice, is there? They've got to protect themselves if they want to dream big.
This book reads like a love letter to old country music, but not to I-like-my-big-tractor-and-girls-in-daisy-dukes style of country. And it reads like a love letter to the South as well--to the actual people who live there, and the actual lives that are led there. This is a book about characters who aren't afraid to dream but who also don't necessarily find those dreams coming true for people like them. It is a book full of disappointment, in a bittersweet and very real way.
Anyway, it's been a long, long time (early 2022!) since I read a 10/10 book for Gateway Reviews, but this is it. My full review will contain more, and it will be available March 29, 2024 right here. Stop by if you get a chance!
Note: I was provided with an ARC by the publisher through Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. All opinions here are my own.
This book had no business being as good as it was. People are going to complain (more so than they already are, after publication) about these leading ladies being "unlikable." They'll really just mean prickly and unapologetically ambitious in a way that they wouldn't mind in a man but somehow find off-putting in women. These characters have sharp edges, and they make mistakes, and that makes for good characters. Especially queer women coming out of the small town South. There's not much of a choice, is there? They've got to protect themselves if they want to dream big.
This book reads like a love letter to old country music, but not to I-like-my-big-tractor-and-girls-in-daisy-dukes style of country. And it reads like a love letter to the South as well--to the actual people who live there, and the actual lives that are led there. This is a book about characters who aren't afraid to dream but who also don't necessarily find those dreams coming true for people like them. It is a book full of disappointment, in a bittersweet and very real way.
Anyway, it's been a long, long time (early 2022!) since I read a 10/10 book for Gateway Reviews, but this is it. My full review will contain more, and it will be available March 29, 2024 right here. Stop by if you get a chance!
Note: I was provided with an ARC by the publisher through Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. All opinions here are my own.
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August 22, 2024
In the five months I have been sitting on this review, I have come up with ZERO coherent thoughts, so instead I'll leave you with three of my most favorite quotes from Every Time You Hear That Song.
╰› She told me to take it slow, that everyone learns at their own pace, but my pace is wildfire. My pace is lightning and luck and all the desperate longing of the universe.
There are other wildfire girls, I'm sure, ones in the audience who'll burn like me one day, but tonight it's my turn.
╰› Sometimes the only things you need to bring are a packed bag, a guitar case, and a dream too big to fit in either.
╰›"I, for one, love an open-ended road trip."
──✒ pre review initial thoughts
i have big feelings that i want to sit with before giving this book a star rating
╰› She told me to take it slow, that everyone learns at their own pace, but my pace is wildfire. My pace is lightning and luck and all the desperate longing of the universe.
There are other wildfire girls, I'm sure, ones in the audience who'll burn like me one day, but tonight it's my turn.
╰› Sometimes the only things you need to bring are a packed bag, a guitar case, and a dream too big to fit in either.
╰›"I, for one, love an open-ended road trip."
──✒ pre review initial thoughts
i have big feelings that i want to sit with before giving this book a star rating
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
June 17, 2024
3.5
I enjoyed this but something was definitely missing, and that something was romantic chemistry between Kendall and Darren. It felt like we were told they were falling in love more than actually being shown that. To me it seemed really forced and I think it would’ve been a better story without that romance/for it to have been written better than it was.
But yay for kind of evil gay Dolly Parton!
I enjoyed this but something was definitely missing, and that something was romantic chemistry between Kendall and Darren. It felt like we were told they were falling in love more than actually being shown that. To me it seemed really forced and I think it would’ve been a better story without that romance/for it to have been written better than it was.
But yay for kind of evil gay Dolly Parton!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
April 4, 2025
evelyn hugo (yeehaw edition)
June 28, 2024
This story is set in a part of America that holds a special place in my heart. Arkansas, Tennessee, Mississippi…if I wasn’t sick I’d still go there once a year like I did in my twenties. It’s also the place where I first heard and fell in love with country music. Reading this book took me back to my own road trip memories.
This story is about (fictional) country music superstar, Decklee Cassel. After she passes away in her late seventies, she leaves behind a scavenger hunt for a time capsule and 3 million dollars. Darren, a high school senior and Decklee fan, is eager to get out of her small town and into journalism school. But her dream colleges cost money, which she doesn’t have. Her mom is also sick and might need treatment. So these 3 million dollars would be very welcome.
The scavenger hunt story, set in current time, is interspersed with flash backs to Decklee’s life and career. It takes us from her small home town of Mayberry to Texarkana, Memphis, Nashville, Tupelo and back to Mayberry. The story contains a lot of different elements. There’s mystery, coming of age, navigating being different, balancing a career and personal life, being a woman in a man’s world and so much more. It reminded me a bit of Taylor Jenkins Reid’s The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo. Which I also loved. I was very much sucked into the story, which is why I planned to give it 5 stars. But the ending left a bit to be desired. Not because it was unexpected, which I actually loved, but it left me feeling very unsatisfied. Some things didn’t quite go how I wanted and there were also a bunch of little loose ends as well as rushed wrap ups.
Still, 4.5 stars! But rounding up here, because it was still a very good book overall.
This story is about (fictional) country music superstar, Decklee Cassel. After she passes away in her late seventies, she leaves behind a scavenger hunt for a time capsule and 3 million dollars. Darren, a high school senior and Decklee fan, is eager to get out of her small town and into journalism school. But her dream colleges cost money, which she doesn’t have. Her mom is also sick and might need treatment. So these 3 million dollars would be very welcome.
The scavenger hunt story, set in current time, is interspersed with flash backs to Decklee’s life and career. It takes us from her small home town of Mayberry to Texarkana, Memphis, Nashville, Tupelo and back to Mayberry. The story contains a lot of different elements. There’s mystery, coming of age, navigating being different, balancing a career and personal life, being a woman in a man’s world and so much more. It reminded me a bit of Taylor Jenkins Reid’s The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo. Which I also loved. I was very much sucked into the story, which is why I planned to give it 5 stars. But the ending left a bit to be desired. Not because it was unexpected, which I actually loved, but it left me feeling very unsatisfied. Some things didn’t quite go how I wanted and there were also a bunch of little loose ends as well as rushed wrap ups.
Still, 4.5 stars! But rounding up here, because it was still a very good book overall.
May 27, 2024
Oh my gosh I loved this book so much!!! This is a beautiful young adult novel centered around small towns, fame, secrets and country music.
Decklee's story is set in the past, she is a country singer coming into her fame. Darren s story is set in the present, she is a big fan of Decklee's music. Decklee's story parrallels with Darren's story very well. They are both from the same small town, and desperately want to leave it. Darren is searching for a time capsule that Decklee has left behind. The stories of each timeline were beautiful and meaningful and they flowed so well together. I loved all of the characters. Decklee was definitely a flawed character, but her chapters were so compelling and left me wanting more!
"Maybe everyone has little roots inside them. Curled up clippings of different lives. Different loves."
🎧 ᴀᴜᴅɪᴏʙᴏᴏᴋ ʀᴇᴠɪᴇᴡ: I loved Decklee's narrator. Her voice was beautiful and she did a great job with the story! At first, Darren's narrator annoyed me with her Southern accent, but it eventually grew on me and I enjoyed her parts too (just not the word "anything"...🙃).
𝙍𝙚𝙖𝙙 𝙞𝙛 𝙮𝙤𝙪 𝙚𝙣𝙟𝙤𝙮:
• scavenger hunts
• ya romance
• small towns
• road trips
• flawed character
• country music
• celebrities
• multiple POVSs
• dual timelines
"I used to think hearts were like, glass shiny and sharp and so very breakable. Now I think the only person I was terrified of breaking was me."
𝙏𝙝𝙖𝙣𝙠 𝙔𝙤𝙪 @prhaudio & @penguinteen for my complimentary copies!
TW: homophobia, cancer, death.
Decklee's story is set in the past, she is a country singer coming into her fame. Darren s story is set in the present, she is a big fan of Decklee's music. Decklee's story parrallels with Darren's story very well. They are both from the same small town, and desperately want to leave it. Darren is searching for a time capsule that Decklee has left behind. The stories of each timeline were beautiful and meaningful and they flowed so well together. I loved all of the characters. Decklee was definitely a flawed character, but her chapters were so compelling and left me wanting more!
"Maybe everyone has little roots inside them. Curled up clippings of different lives. Different loves."
🎧 ᴀᴜᴅɪᴏʙᴏᴏᴋ ʀᴇᴠɪᴇᴡ: I loved Decklee's narrator. Her voice was beautiful and she did a great job with the story! At first, Darren's narrator annoyed me with her Southern accent, but it eventually grew on me and I enjoyed her parts too (just not the word "anything"...🙃).
𝙍𝙚𝙖𝙙 𝙞𝙛 𝙮𝙤𝙪 𝙚𝙣𝙟𝙤𝙮:
• scavenger hunts
• ya romance
• small towns
• road trips
• flawed character
• country music
• celebrities
• multiple POVSs
• dual timelines
"I used to think hearts were like, glass shiny and sharp and so very breakable. Now I think the only person I was terrified of breaking was me."
𝙏𝙝𝙖𝙣𝙠 𝙔𝙤𝙪 @prhaudio & @penguinteen for my complimentary copies!
TW: homophobia, cancer, death.
December 5, 2023
Thank you to netgalley and the publisher for an earky copy of this book.
This is one of my most anticipated reads of 2024, I'm so glad i got to read it early it did not only reacg expectations but surpass them. I'm a sucker for celebrity/musician novels and this was just so good.
Every time you hear that song is about Darren who wants to leave her town behind, it's Decklee Cassel and about listening, about loving music and healing .
Jenna Voris writes a really compelling story with a witty and quick style, I absolutely adored this book, it made me swoon and laugh and just feel seen, i felt so connected to the characters and I was hooked by the first line and never let go till the last line.
"They say to never meet your idols. But should you upend your life for a quest designed by one?
Seventeen-year-old aspiring journalist Darren Purchase has been a lifelong fan of country music legend Decklee Cassel, who's as famous for her classic hits as she is for her partnership with songwriter Mickenlee Hooper. The same Mickenlee who mysteriously backed out of the limelight at the height of their careers, never to be heard from again.
Now, Decklee's televised funeral marks the unveiling of her long-awaited time capsule. But when it's revealed to be empty, a long trail of scavenger hunt clues unfolds, leading to a whopping cash prize for whoever finds the real thing. Darren knows there's a story there-and she's going to be the one to break it. Even if it means a spontaneous road trip with her annoying co-worker, Kendall.
Flashback to 1963, where a young, runaway Decklee has her sights set on fame and glory. She claws her way to the top over the years that follow, but it's Mickenlee's lyrics that help rocket her to stardom. But as their relationship evolves beyond the professional, it threatens everything Decklee has worked for. What else will she sacrifice to hold on to her dreams? "
This is one of my most anticipated reads of 2024, I'm so glad i got to read it early it did not only reacg expectations but surpass them. I'm a sucker for celebrity/musician novels and this was just so good.
Every time you hear that song is about Darren who wants to leave her town behind, it's Decklee Cassel and about listening, about loving music and healing .
Jenna Voris writes a really compelling story with a witty and quick style, I absolutely adored this book, it made me swoon and laugh and just feel seen, i felt so connected to the characters and I was hooked by the first line and never let go till the last line.
"They say to never meet your idols. But should you upend your life for a quest designed by one?
Seventeen-year-old aspiring journalist Darren Purchase has been a lifelong fan of country music legend Decklee Cassel, who's as famous for her classic hits as she is for her partnership with songwriter Mickenlee Hooper. The same Mickenlee who mysteriously backed out of the limelight at the height of their careers, never to be heard from again.
Now, Decklee's televised funeral marks the unveiling of her long-awaited time capsule. But when it's revealed to be empty, a long trail of scavenger hunt clues unfolds, leading to a whopping cash prize for whoever finds the real thing. Darren knows there's a story there-and she's going to be the one to break it. Even if it means a spontaneous road trip with her annoying co-worker, Kendall.
Flashback to 1963, where a young, runaway Decklee has her sights set on fame and glory. She claws her way to the top over the years that follow, but it's Mickenlee's lyrics that help rocket her to stardom. But as their relationship evolves beyond the professional, it threatens everything Decklee has worked for. What else will she sacrifice to hold on to her dreams? "
could-not-finish
March 29, 2024Ack, I’m so sad to DNF this because it was one I was highly anticipating, but both the main characters are…unlikeable? They both are ambitious and want to “rise above,” I get that. But they’re currently both doing that by being super jerky to friends and people around them. It’s hard to write a good character growth arc, and I’m sure they will end up as nice people. But I can’t deal with them now, so I won’t make it to find out.
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