Hi there! I’m here today to talk about one of my most anticipated romance releases of 2022 that I was very excited to read an early copy of. **And every day we are reminded that discrimination against marginalized communities is still a serious problem, so click here to find a compilation of resources where you can donate your time, money, or whatever you can to support these communities. I still encourage you to research these causes on your own to educate yourself and find the best way to lend your support.**
If you were to ask me to make a list of my favorite authors, I have no doubt that Erin Hahn would be on it. Her sophomore novel More Than Maybe got me through the worst parts of the pandemic and will forever have a special place in my heart, her debut You’d Be Mine is continuously on my mind (and references are sprinkled throughout several of her other works), and her most recent YA release Never Saw You Coming hit this former Catholic-school girl right in the chest with its relatability and discussions of purity culture and the church. Her characters are by-far some of the strongest I’ve reads in YA books since I’ve gotten back into reading, and I commend her ability to make me feel a kaleidoscope of emotions with each new book. So when I heard she was delving into the adult romance scene with a second-chance romance involving two childhood sweethearts finding each other, I just knew I had to request Built to Last, and I am overjoyed to report that it absolutely did not disappoint.
Shelby Springfield can be found sanding over rough spots on the vintage furniture finds she makes over in a small Michigan town as she’s done for the past five years. But as a former child star, it’s been difficult to overcome her past – filled with a mediocre pop career, a meltdown widely documented by the paparazzi, and a huge public break-up 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… only to run 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, there’s something in the process that will benefit everyone – Shelby gets to prove she’s not the messy girl she once was, Cameron gets to put down roots for the longest time since college to figure out what he really wants from life, and Lyle? Well, he gets to pull the strings and prove his point that there’s always been chemistry between his two former co-stars. Will sparks be flying from more than just the renovation on set? You’ll have to read to find out.
When it comes to second chance romance, the author has to really establish a prior connection between the two main characters, pinpoint a reason (or multiple) why they could not be together then, re-establish a connection in the present day and make it believable enough so that a romance can bloom. Through dual POV, Erin Hahn brings us into the minds of Shelby and Cameron, two former child stars who grew close working on a television show, shared an intimate connection at 18, could have shared another moment 5 years later when Cameron came to Shelby’s side in a time of need, but come back together 5 years later (in the present) to create a home-improvement show pilot parroted by their former co-star. They both have something to prove to the world, or their family, but also acknowledge how much they haven’t stopped thinking about the other, for all these years. When the story starts, Shelby is broken – just after a very public breakup, she drunk-calls Cameron, and while it hurts him he leaves her while she sleeps with nothing but a note telling her to get out of Hollywood before it breaks her. Well, present-day Shelby knows her worth – she doesn’t let anyone, especially her ex Lyle, try to tell her what to do and who to be. She’s good at what she does (restoration, alongside her dad’s company) and lets her pieces and work speak for themselves. I loved how Cameron, upon seeing her for the first time in five years, acknowledges her growth and loves her more for it, because she’s happy, healthy, and the best version of herself. All of the side characters were equally fleshed out – I loved the supportive best friends on either side (Lorelai for Shelby, Kevin for Cameron), and also appreciated Shelby’s relationship with her dad, which highlighted the contrast of how her mother treated her as a child-star. It was also great to see him teach Cameron the ropes, and while he didn’t want to be on camera himself, he never let the project falter (even filling Cameron in on some ways the producers wanted to stir up drama). The banter never felt forced – it truly was like old friends coming back into contact after a while apart and picking right back up where they left off. And as an adult romance (an open-door one at that), Hahn really does write sexual tension super well – as someone who tends to skip over more intimate scenes if they happen too often, they never took away from my enjoyment of the story.
While Erin Hahn’s YA novels are definite hits for me, there is always a bittersweet undertone with every story. Annie and Clay find solace in each other in You’d Be Mine, but Annie has a difficult relationship with country music after her mom overdoses and her dad commits suicide, and Clay battles an addiction to alcohol to deal with his loneliness over losing his brother in combat. Vada and Luke are the best music nerds who find love in More Than Maybe, but Vada’s birth father refuses to acknowledge her existence unless intoxicated and belligerent, and Luke’s brother majorly invades his privacy by releasing a piece of music played in its incomplete form which reaches an wider audience than either of them could expect. And I absolutely adore Meg and Micah, the church kids in Never Saw You Coming, but wow does that book hit hard with the repercussions of purity culture, abuse in the church, and dealing with doubts about your faith. Built to Last does have its heavy moments – Shelby’s mother took advantage of her and the money her child career brought in until she emancipated herself and cut ties, while Cameron feels like his relationship with his father was strained due to his career keeping him away from home, and both have to deal with their pasts and society’s perception of who they used to be clouding judgement over just how much they’ve grown while being out of the spotlight. But Hahn herself said she’d written the book during a time of extreme loss and grief, when she needed something to bring her joy, and she hopes that it can bring readers joy and happiness upon its release as well.
In conclusion, Erin Hahn has truly pulled me in as a reader and given me everything I could’ve wanted in a romance. I loved these characters, and I can’t wait to see two of Shelby’s best friends find their happily ever afters in their own books coming in the next few years. If second-chance romance, home renovation, sassy banter, and tree-trunk thighs are some of your buzzwords, I highly recommend checking out Built to Last. It was released on October 18th, 2022, so please check it out if you’re interested. *Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher, St. Martin’s Press, for the e-copy, all thoughts and opinions are my own.*
Where to find Built to Last:
Bookshop
Amazon
Goodreads
Storygraph
Macmillan
Erin Hahn’s site
Thoughts About Things 