Built to Last - Review

Built to Last

By: Erin Hahn

Publication: October 18th 2022 by St. Martin's Griffin

336 pages

Genre: Adult, Contemporary

Source: Publisher via NetGalley (Thank you!!)

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*Note: The above links to Amazon and Book Depository are affiliate links. Affiliate links support giveaways for Somewhere Only We Know readers.

Goodreads description--Two childhood sweethearts find a second chance at love in this adult romance debut from a critically acclaimed young adult author.

Shelby Springfield has spent the last ten years trying to overcome her past, sanding it away like she does the rough spots on the vintage furniture finds she makes over. But as a former child star, it’s hard to forget a mediocre pop career, a meltdown widely documented by the paparazzi, and a huge public break with her former co-star Lyle Jessup. It’s also hard to forget her other co-star and childhood sweetheart, Cameron Riggs -- the one who got away.

Anytime Shelby has called, Cameron has come running… And then he runs right off again to chase stories around the world by making documentaries, too scared to admit what he really wants. But when Lyle stirs the pot, getting the two back in the spotlight with a home renovation show, Cameron can't help but come on board.

There's something in it for everyone -- almost. Cameron wants to come home and set down some roots. Shelby wants to prove to the world she's not the messy party girl anymore. And Lyle wants to twist the screws on his two childhood friends who had more chemistry than he could dream of with anyone. Sparks and sawdust fly as Shelby and Cameron film the pilot for "Homemade" and battle Lyle’s shenanigans at every turn.

Erin Hahn’s sparkling rom com debut, Built to Last, is a second chance romance sure to have readers falling in love fast.

I guess I should start off with my personal drama first. In late 2020, we began researching an addition to our house which turned into an entire house remodel. I won't go into the details of how we landed on the contractor we did, but, the contractors themselves had been the financial backing for other projects but not done the work themselves. They hired workers and subcontractors. The workers for their actual crew had experience, but they didn't care enough to do the job right. And well, why would they when their bosses couldn't tell the difference? They could frame a wall, but not have it plumb. They could install a new door, but again not plumb or level. They could cut and nail trim work to the walls but not without 1/2 inch gaps in the corners that required large amounts of caulk. They could lay flooring but had no idea what to do around doors or transitions. They could hang cabinets but not level. They could install an island but not account for the swing of the refrigerator door. And the list goes on. So for me to believe that Cameron had a crash course apprenticeship under a skilled contractor within 2 weeks and actually came out capable of handling a TV show renovating houses, I scoff. There's so much more that goes into contracting than you think. At least in order to do it right. It helps that Cameron had the desire to do a good job. And, of course, Shelby's dad and others were a part of the team, so it is a little more feasible. But I feel sorry for anyone who gets a contractor who only has 2 weeks of experience behind them.

Aside from that completely unbelievable aspect, Built to Last had a lot of language. Why are so many f-words needed? I know some people love curse words. I'm convinced it's only because those people like to buck convention. Or they can't stand being told what not to say. I'm sure they argue that they're just words. Meh. I'm not one to moan about one or two, but sheesh. It felt excessive to me. Also, I'm coming off Georgie, All Along that was full of political statements, so I found some in Built to Last as well. Thankfully, they were more subtle and didn't try to take over the story. But annoying nonetheless.

A few of my complaints out of the way, I like how the story started with Cameron. Usually dual narratives begin with the female perspective. Starting with Cameron helps the reader to be sympathetic to him from the start whereas we might have had a skeptical reaction if we'd picked up with Shelby's perspective.

Shelby and Cameron were child/teen stars. They worked together on a TV show along with Lyle from the time they were about eleven until eighteen. Shelby and Lyle were the main stars, and Cameron played Lyle's character's best friend. We begin the book, as I mentioned, with Cameron coming the second Shelby calls him after breaking up with Lyle. Shelby is a wreck. She's not sober, and even though she comes onto Cameron, he stays strong and leaves without letting anything beyond some kissing take place.

Five years pass. Then we move into the now. Cameron has been working for National Georgraphic filming documentaries. I got the impression he was doing the camera work, but honestly, I don't think it was spelled out. Shelby is helping her dad flip houses, but mostly she restored furniture. Shelby attempted a reality TV show with her dad about the home renovation they do together, but her dad didn't have the star quality the network was looking for. She feels pressure to make sure he's taken care of, so she attempts to do the show but without her dad being her co-star. The network and show runner (namely Lyle) think Cameron would be the perfect fit for the co-host with Shelby.

I couldn't quite figure Lyle out. In some ways, he seemed angry at Shelby and Cameron. The characters seem to think he's out to get them. And I can see why. Yet he seems to spur both Shelby and Cameron into reconciling with each other and with some other broken relationships. Was he being manipulative and seeking to hurt them? Or was he playing puppet master and trying to force them into fixing past hurts? I don't feel like this was clear.

And I guess that's another complaint. I felt like I was missing information in more than one piece of the story. Cameron's involvement in the renovation process versus his involvement in the show as co-star and co-host. The business side of the show and what different people were trying to accomplish. And although I hate to do this, I've finished 3 books since I finished this one, and any time I read more books before writing my reviews, I start to forget things I wish I hadn't.

Favorite quotes:

-The sound strikes me right in the solar plexus--where I collect all my inconvenient feelings...

-"I can't be contained by a mere belt."

I guess ultimately for Built to Last I had more complaints than I have found positives for. Even though I liked Shelby and Cameron. I liked how both had past they had to work through to move forward. I liked how miscommunication and words not said between them caused problems. But I didn't like the language, descriptive scenes, subtle political statements, or story elements that were unclear. I guess I finally land on a 3.5 Star rating. Have you read Built to Last? What did you think? Let me know!

More than Maybe - Review

More Than Maybe

By: Erin Hahn

Publication: May 12th 2020 by Wednesday Books (Updated Release Date: July 21, 2020)

336 pages

Genre: Young Adult, Contemporary

Source: Publisher via Edelweiss (Thank you!!)

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*Note: The above links to Amazon and Book Depository are affiliate links. Affiliate links support giveaways for Somewhere Only We Know readers.

Goodreads description--Growing up under his punk rocker dad’s spotlight, eighteen-year-old Luke Greenly knows fame and wants nothing to do with it. His real love isn’t in front of a crowd, it’s on the page. Hiding his gift and secretly hoarding songs in his bedroom at night, he prefers the anonymous comfort of the locally popular podcast he co-hosts with his outgoing and meddling, far-too-jealousy-inspiringly-happy-with-his-long-term-boyfriend twin brother, Cullen. But that’s not Luke’s only secret. He also has a major un-requited crush on music blogger, Vada Carsewell.

Vada’s got a five year plan: secure a job at the Loud Lizard to learn from local legend (and her mom’s boyfriend) Phil Josephs (check), take over Phil’s music blog (double check), get accepted into Berkeley’s prestigious music journalism program (check, check, check), manage Ann Arbor’s summer concert series and secure a Rolling Stone internship. Luke Greenly is most definitely NOT on the list. So what if his self-deprecating charm and out-of-this-world music knowledge makes her dizzy? Or his brother just released a bootleg recording of Luke singing about some mystery girl on their podcast and she really, really wishes it was her?

I really enjoyed Erin Hahn's debut, You'd Be Mine, and to be honest, I requested More Than Maybe before I even read the book description. A few things gave me pause once I did read it so I began to worry about whether I would enjoy this one after all.

Luke and Vada have a similar situation as Husband and I. Not in every detail but in falling in love through sharing music back and forth. Of course, Luke and Vada's story has much more to it than that but so does our story.

Luke and Vada both have had crushes on each other from afar. For several years. Vada has a music review blog that Luke stalks, and Luke has a podcast with his twin brother that Vada listens to and even sometimes falls asleep to. Both are shy of the other and thus haven't interacted much in person until Luke's music composition class and Vada's dance class combine to do a collaboration project.

The silent concert thing (I don't even know what to call it) was a really cool concept and created some awesome tension. I do wish maybe the characters had been further along in their relationship when they experienced the concert because they were so new to each other that I felt the potential was a little unexplored here.

I do have to say that the language was just ridiculous. I don't remember a wide variety of words used, but the f-word seemed to be on every page. Geez, Louise! If ever there was a reason to DNF this book, the sheer number of f-bombs would be it. A quick search of the word in the e-galley version I received for review showed 80 results. 80! In 336 pages! Is that seriously needed? I really hope this book gets another pass through editing to reduce the amount of language.

Incidentally, More Than Maybe actually addresses God in a positive way. (I almost had to say this questioningly.) Vada's mother and best friend both have strong relationships with God. Yet Vada views Him as a last resort option that she hasn't gotten to yet. She has the realization that because of her relationship with her own dad is so strained and he's undependable, she has a hard time viewing God as a loving Father. I think so many can relate to this. Vada does have a moment of some kind that is mentioned but not expounded upon. The reader really has no specific information about Vada's moment or her thoughts regarding it besides her mentioning an attempt to attempt to be open.

Favorite quotes:

-I can imagine what is moving her, and I want to write that. I want to be the one who moves her. There are words, but self-preservation takes over, and I only have the energy to create the melody. One day, the words will come. Hopefully, I’ll be ready for them.

-“Never. Work. For. Free,” he says, tapping his desk with two fingers to accentuate each syllable. “If you don’t value your time, no one else will.

-It’s like when you say you’re cold and someone else tries to tell you it’s hot. It doesn’t matter what they think; you feel cold.

-But life’s unpredictable. Part of the ride is learning to roll with whatever comes our way. So, that’s what you’re going to do. Roll with it. Change what needs to change and make the best of what you’re handed.

More Than Maybe was better than I briefly worried it might be given my issues with the description. I appreciate stories that mix music so thoroughly with the story. But I wasn't familiar with all of the songs and I wasn't about to stop reading to look them all up as I might once have. I really liked Vada and Luke. And I probably have much more to say, but this is the gist of it. The f-bombs were a bit much, and it certainly wasn't a complete win in all areas, but I didn't want to put it down which is a big factor for me when deciding a rating. While reading, I think I was leaning towards a 4, but now that I've had time to contemplate it, I think More Than Maybe gets 3.5 Stars from me. Have you read More Than Maybe? What did you think? Let me know!

You'd Be Mine - Review

You'd Be Mine

By: Erin Hahn

Publication: April 2nd 2019 by Wednesday Books

304 pages

Genre: Young Adult, Contemporary

Source: Publisher via NetGalley (Thank you!!)

( Goodreads | Amazon | Book Depository )

*Note: The above links to Amazon and Book Depository are affiliate links. Affiliate links support giveaways for Somewhere Only We Know readers.

Goodreads description--"Witty and charming, with an off-the-charts, irresistible blend of romance, humor, and characters who steal your heart from page one. Erin Hahn is an author to watch." - Karen M. McManus, New York Times bestselling author of One of Us Is Lying

Annie Mathers is America’s sweetheart and heir to a country music legacy full of all the things her Gran warned her about. Superstar Clay Coolidge is most definitely going to end up one of those things.

But unfortunately for Clay, if he can’t convince Annie to join his summer tour, his music label is going to drop him. That’s what happens when your bad boy image turns into bad boy reality. Annie has been avoiding the spotlight after her parents’ tragic death, except on her skyrocketing YouTube channel. Clay’s label wants to land Annie, and Clay has to make it happen.

Swayed by Clay’s undeniable charm and good looks, Annie and her band agree to join the tour. From the start fans want them to be more than just tour mates, and Annie and Clay can’t help but wonder if the fans are right. But if there’s one part of fame Annie wants nothing to do with, it’s a high-profile relationship. She had a front row seat to her parents’ volatile marriage and isn’t interested in repeating history. If only she could convince her heart that Clay, with his painful past and head over heels inducing tenor, isn’t worth the risk.

Erin Hahn’s thrilling debut, You’d Be Mine, asks: can the right song and the perfect summer on the road make two broken hearts whole?

When I first read the description of You'd Be Mine, I was reminded of When it's Real by Erin Watt. I enjoyed that book, and while I always hope similar sounding books to those that have appealed to me in the past will also be winners, sometimes expecting a book to be like another can end up hurting my overall thoughts of the new one. In this case, I enjoyed You'd Be Mine for being unique in its own right even though it did end up having similarities.

So what are the similarities between these two books? Both revolve around the music industry and a bad boy who needs the girl to fix his image. How are the two different? In You'd Be Mine, Annie is also a musician. She has quite a tragic past that has kept her from the music industry until now. Annie and Clay are in the country music industry versus more rock/pop of When It's Real. Clay also has some tragic events spurring his bad choices whereas Oakley didn't have as much history (some, but not as much) driving his bad boy image.

Annie was a sweet girl. She's been through a lot in her young life. Her parents were both country music stars and seeing what the industry did to them kept her from pursuing her own music for a long time. Yet she couldn't stay away because music is in her soul. She's not a solo artist. Her cousin and her best friend complete her band. She does seem to have an insta-attraction to Clay, but the two don't have a fast path to a relationship. There's definitely a slow build.

Clay struggles with being who the world wants him to be and who he really is inside. He's on a downward path and no girl can save him from himself. Thankfully I appreciated this being the case. While we certainly have people in our lives who help us on our way, the work is always ours to do on our own.

In the end, You'd Be Mine was an enjoyable read for me. It was exactly what I needed at the time. I've been in a slump for a couple of months and I needed a relationship driven book to move me forward. You'd Be Mine gets 4 Stars. Have you read You'd Be Mine? What did you think? Let me know!