August Lane - by Regina Black (Paperback)

Book Synopsis

A Southern small-town romance about the visibility of Black women's voices in country music, perfect for fans of Beyonce's Cowboy Carter and The Final Revival of Opal & Nev.

"The best romance I've read all year." --The New York Times

A New York Times Notable Book

Every Thursday night, former country music heartthrob Luke Randall has to sing "Another Love Song." God, he hates that song. But performing his lone hit at an interstate motel lounge is the only regular money he still has. Following another lackluster performance at the rock bottom of his career, Luke receives the opportunity of his dreams, opening for his childhood idol--90's era Black country music star, JoJo Lane, who's being inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame. But the concert is in Arcadia, Arkansas, the small hometown he swore he'd never see again. Going back means facing a painful past of abuse and neglect. It also means facing JoJo's daughter, August Lane--the woman who wrote the lyrics he's always claimed as his own.

August also hates that song. But she hates Luke Randall even more. When he shows up ten years too late to apologize for his betrayal, she isn't interested in making amends. Instead, she threatens to expose his lies unless he co-writes a new song with her and performs it at the concert, something she hopes will launch her out of her mother's shadow and into a songwriting career of her own. Desperate to keep his secret, Luke agrees to put on the rogue performance, despite the risk of losing his shot at a new record deal.

When Luke's guitar reunites with August's soulful alto, neither can deny that the passionate bond they formed as teenagers is still there. As the concert nears, August will have to choose between an overdue public reckoning with the boy who betrayed her, or trusting the man he's become to write a different love song.

An instant USA Today bestseller
An NPR 2025 Book We Love
A New York Times Notable Book of 2025
A Book Riot Best Book of 2025
A Publishers Weekly Best Romance Book of 2025
A Chicago Public Library 2025 Must-Read Romance

Review Quotes

"In the wake of Ryan Coogler's Sinners and Beyoncé's Cowboy Carter tour, this book about the resilience of Black art comes at a perfect time in the cultural zeitgeist."--Myah Ariel, author of No Ordinary Love

Praise for August Lane

"August Lane is taut, voicy, emotional, and propulsive. In a word: spectacular. Regina Black is hands-down one of romance's must-read authors."
--Christina Lauren, New York Times bestselling authors of The Unhoneymooners

Praise for The Art of Scandal

"As poignant as it is passionate, this marks Black as a writer to watch."--Publishers Weekly

"August Lane is acoustic soul. August and Luke set the pages on fire with sultry chemistry as thick as any southern summer night. Whether you have guitar strings or heart strings, August expertly plucks them both. A love letter to the South and Black Southerners who stayed, August Lane cements Regina Black as the new vanguard of Black romance authors."--Nikki Payne, author of Sex, Lies, and Sensibility

"August Lane, like a good country song it breaks your heart and mends it all at once. A deeply emotional second chance romance that honors the place of Black artists in country music and affirms that no matter the how far you've drifted from your dreams there is always a chance to make a comeback."--Adriana Herrera, USA Today bestselling author of An Island Princess Starts a Scandal

"The Art of Scandal is a one-of-a-kind story! Sexy and smart with messy yet relatable characters, this is the book you need in your life! Regina Black is a force!"--Catherine Adel West, Author of The Two Lives of Sara

"The Art of Scandal is devastatingly beautiful and captivatingly romantic. Every so often, a book strikes the perfect chord of touching, poignant, sexy, and thrilling and this is that book. Black's storytelling draws you in and holds you close and her diverse cast of characters shine with three-dimensional emotion and sizzling chemistry. This one is not to be missed."--Denise Williams, author of How to Fail at Flirting

"'Obsessed' doesn't even begin to cover how I feel about Regina Black's books. Impeccably written, exquisitely angsty, and populated with characters so raw and real I had to remind myself I couldn't lose hours googling them, August Lane is easily a new all-time favorite."--Ava Wilder, author of Will They or Won't They

"A seductive, sweltering debut. Regina Black crafts such decadent tension between her characters and their opposing worlds, each word chosen for maximum impact. Achingly raw and beautifully messy--this book is a work of art."--Rachel Lynn Solomon, New York Times bestselling author of The Ex Talk

"Alternatively funny and poignant, thrilling and salacious."--Kennedy Ryan, author of Before I Let Go

"As a hopeless romantic, Regina Black's The Art of Scandal hit every beat for me. This wildly steamy, utterly heartwarming novel is all about finding transcendent love and passion where you least expect it--and the ways in which art can transform our lives. Rachel and Nathan are incredibly drawn, flawed-but-lovable characters, and their love story will stay with me for ages. Such dreamy escapism!"--Tia Williams, New York Times bestselling author of Seven Days in June

"August and Luke are magnetic--raw, beautifully flawed, and palpable enough to jump off the page in perfect harmony. You'll demand an encore."--Taj McCoy, author of The Good Ones Are Taken

"Black (The Art of Scandal) wows with this showstopping contemporary romance that doubles as both a love letter to and a critique of the country music scene...Full of heart and unafraid of wading into thorny territory, this is a tour de force." (starred review)--Publishers Weekly

"Black's emotionally resonant and swoon-worthy prose will keep you captivated and eager for more!"--Terah Shelton Harris, author of One Summer in Savannah

"I need Regina Black's words fresh when they drop, because I know I'm always about to have my mind blown and my heart cracked open in the best possible way. It's a beautifully crafted story of yearning and angst, forgiveness and down-bad devotion worthy of any country song."--Alicia Thompson, USA Today bestselling author of The Art of Catching Feelings

"In this small town, country music-themed romance novel, the topics of a second chance at love and blackmail set the tone for a riveting read. [August Lane] is a great fit for lovers of Black Country and Folk music, and those who love a good, down-home read."--Essence

"Regina Black's sophomore novel August Lane showcases romance writing at its finest. On one hand, it's a story about two lonely people who initially connect through the power of music, but it also speaks to the vulnerabilities and fears we all feel when opening our hearts to falling in love and taking chances. August Lane is a true tour de force, and Regina Black is a singular talent. We are so lucky to have her work!"--Kristina Forest, USA Today bestselling author of The Love Lyric

"Richly characterized and beautifully depicted, Black brings the political drama and electric chemistry of Shonda Rhimes' Scandal to this novel of two starkly different individuals learning to find themselves in each other."--Shirlene Obuobi, author of On Rotation

"Right out the gate, Regina Black charges in to bring drama and sensuality. Black's dazzling use of language creates a compelling novel of heartbreak, passion, and rediscovery. Justice for Rachel Abbott is as delicious as it is scandalous. Readers are going to cheer for her the whole way!"--Charish Reid, author of The Write Escape and Hearts on Hold

"Smart, sexy, and absolutely sizzling with steamy scenes, this book makes the list as one of my all-time favorite romances. Art, scandal, and finding love where one leasts expects it--what's not to adore?"--Ashley Herring Blake, author of Delilah Green Doesn't Care

"The combination of complex characters, gorgeous prose, and a compulsively readable plot made The Art of Scandal one of my top romances of all time. It was an ache in my throat, a crackling tension in the air, a haunting melody in my head long after I'd finished reading. I absolutely inhaled every word and am ready for everything and anything Regina Black writes in the future."--Alicia Thompson, national bestselling author of Love in the Time of Serial Killers

About the Author

Regina Black is a former civil litigator, current law school administrator, and life long romance reader who has always been passionate about the depiction of Black women in popular culture. She currently resides in Little Rock, Arkansas with her husband and daughter.