A Little Bit Country

Brian D. Kennedy

Jun 2022 · Balzer + Bray · Narrated by Mark Sanderlin and Andrew Gibson

About this audiobook

Dumplin' meets Simon vs. the Homo Sapiens Agenda in this heartfelt and funny contemporary romance inspired by Dollywood, about two boys who fall in love against the backdrop of a country music-themed amusement park, from debut author Brian D. Kennedy. Perfect for fans of Erin Hahn, Phil Stamper, and David Levithan.

Emmett Maguire wants to be country music’s biggest gay superstar—a far reach when you’re seventeen and living in Illinois. But for now, he’s happy to do the next best thing: Stay with his aunt in Jackson Hollow, Tennessee, for the summer and perform at the amusement park owned by his idol, country legend Wanda Jean Stubbs.

Luke Barnes hates country music. As the grandson of Verna Rose, the disgraced singer who had a famous falling out with Wanda Jean, Luke knows how much pain country music has brought his family. But when his mom’s medical bills start piling up, he takes a job at the last place he wants: a restaurant at Wanda World.

Neither boy is looking for romance, but sparks fly when they meet—and soon they’re inseparable. Until a long-lost secret about Verna and Wanda comes to light, threatening to unravel everything.

Will Emmett and Luke be able get past the truths they discover...or will their relationship go down in history as just another Sad Country Love Song? 

Ratings and reviews

This is a really great YA story and the performers did a fantastic job. The story pulled me in right from the beginning and their voices kept me listening straight through without stopping. The setting of the story in a country and western theme park was a new one for me and I thought it worked really well. Young love can be so overwhelming, add to that a fear of coming out and I felt so bad for what Luke was going through. A copy was provided to me but my review was voluntary.

I liked it. You don't have to like country music to get into the story. The obvious Dollywood inspiration made this really fun to listen to.

About the author

Brian D. Kennedy was born and raised in Minnesota and now lives in New York City with his husband and their miniature Schnauzer. When not writing, he can be found working at an LGBTQ nonprofit. His slightly unhealthy obsessions include: seeing as many Broadway shows as possible, buying weird trinkets off eBay, and all things Dolly Parton. Brian is the author of the YA novels A Little Bit Country and My Fair Brady. You can visit Brian online at briandkennedybooks.com.