The Last Verse: A Novel

“A pitch-perfect read for fans of Taylor Swift.”

** —Katy Hays, New York Times bestselling author of The Cloisters**

A dream worth chasing. An impossible choice. The song that will change it all.

When aspiring musician Twyla Higgins arrives in Nashville, Tennessee, in 1977, the nineteen-year-old Texan is dazzled by the fringe-and-rhinestones country music scene. Live music flows from bars, open mic nights tempt with the chance of stardom, and record label execs seek the next hot new act.

With nothing but the songs in her head and her daddy's guitar, Twyla finds her way in the vibrant, but cutthroat, music business. A chance meeting with a rakish singer and son of blue-blooded Nashvillians veers Twyla off path and into a dizzying romance. Caught between the dream she’s always wanted and the affection she's always craved, Twyla must decide what future she wants for herself. But when her song is stolen by a rival and hits the country music charts, how much will she sacrifice to take back what's hers?

Seductive, bold, and immersive, The Last Verse is the story of a woman’s love, ambition, and determination to claim her voice.