I often struggle with books set in the music industry and on tours, so when the blurb for this book took my eye, I sat up and took notice. I found all the characters really interesting, and although there are some harrowing and emotional backgrounds, the story and characterisation did not revolve around it. I found Annie so mature for her age, how she dealt with the pressures on her, the life she's had, and the things she faces on tour were quite something. When the moment comes where she acts her age, it feels like it is something that *had* to happen. As for Clay, I found him very honest, although he is running away from a lot off things in his life, he's honest about the things that count the most. By the end of the story it's impossible not be on his side.
One of the only things I struggled with was the time leaps between some chapters. Now don't get me wrong, every show in every city would have been repetitive overkill, but there are things brought up in some chapters which are later referenced as revolved. The biggest example of this comes from a meeting with a record company exec. When he is introduced, you sense something important is going to go down with him, yet you only get partial details about what has happened once he's out of the picture again.
Overall I thought this was a really enjoyable story with great main and side characters, a nicely built romance and an honest reflection of some very serious issues. I was given an ARC by the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

Clay Coolidge, country music’s bad boy hero. Annie Mather’s, online rising sensation and daughter to two legendary music icons. Two teenagers both scarred by their troubled past are drawn together by their shared infatuation and intense passion for music.

Clay desperately needs a talented star in Annie Mathers to serve as front act in his summer tour, since his recent altercation in a bar had his label seriously considered dropping him for good. Annie, however, is reluctant, fearing a career in the music industry will only ruin her life, as was the tragic case with her famous parents. But music is truly in her blood, and before she knows it, she’s having the time of her life introducing her songs to the world and reconciling her growing attraction to their enigmatic concert headliner at the same time.

The story is told from the perspective of the two protagonists; it’s their shifting take on understanding the love they feel for each other despite the angst-ridden life they both have. Clay resorts to alcoholism after the death of his brother and grandfather, while Annie dreads she will end up like her parents whose stardom got into their head and destroyed them. Their personal issues are what hold them off from fully committing to each other, however how attracted they are to each other. Basically it is a blossoming love story of two musician teenagers while in the midst of battling their inner demons, with country music and country-wide concert tours for backdrop.

I appreciate the book for introducing me to the glitter and the not-so-glitter scene of country music; it’s something I wouldn’t have really known or taken much interest in had I not stumbled upon this read. True enough, I made online sidetrips for info on June and Johnny Cash, who are frequent mentions in the book, and also listened to a few country songs for good measure. However, the love, angst, and drama in the story are strewn over the place all at once that somehow it makes it difficult to point out which is central in the story. Also, the romance part could’ve felt more sincere and real had Clay and Annie been given more space to talk about their feelings in private. They practically declared their affection for each other in public before their screaming fans, and even then they still seem unsure about how one truly feels about the other. It’s a guessing game between them, and I’m not sure I still enjoy this kind of drama.

Still, You’d Be Mine is a pleasant and good read. I thank St. Martin’s Press, through NetGalley, for providing me an e-galley of this book.

This was definitely an exciting YFiction story to read especially if you are a fan of southern romance with a little country twist. Our young readers have been asking about this book and I'm sure they will not be disappointed.

You'd Be Mine tells the story of Clay and Anne both superstars in the Country Music genre and they come across one another when Clay's career is at stake if Anne and her band do not go on his tour. Anne has agreed to join his tour and they work so well together that their fans are wishing that they become a power couple. They start to fall for one another with Anne having some reservations due to an experience from her past. Clay does whatever it takes to win Anne's heart and be one forever.

This I hope turns into a movie! This book was so entertaining and interesting to the point that you could not stop reading. You can't help but to fall in love with Clay and Anne and everything that they stand for. This will be a very refreshing treat for readers of the young teen and we can't wait to see how they will react to it. This will definitely have its place on our YFiction shelf and that is why we are giving this book 5 stars!

I really loved story. It was a bit predictable and corny, but sometimes that’s perfect. Jefferson and Annie were such strong characters and I loved seeing there growth as they faced their demons.
There was on point a line that said “Iike my soul found its other f***en half” and I just didn’t care for that word at this point. I have no problems with cuss words, but at this particular line I felt it was uncalled for and ruined a good moment.
I got over that moment though I was brought to tears a few times as Annie and Jefferson hit some pivotal points in their life and had to face the past hurts.
Very well written. Cute story and I really enjoyed it.

Posted on Goodreads on 9/23/18

This book is adorable. ❤️

You’d Be Mine is perfect for summer. And it’s coming out in April 2019, just in time for you to get a copy to bring with you on your road trip! It’ll make you want to blast country music in your car and sing along at the top of your lungs.

Clay is a teenage country music star who drinks a little too much. Annie is a rising star in the country music world who has been avoiding her destiny in the wake of her parents’ deaths. Everything changes when Clay asks Annie to tour with him.

“He reaches for my arm, and I ignore the electric jolt in my nerve endings at his touch. ‘Look,’ he says, exasperated, though his grip is gentle. ‘It shouldn’t matter what I want. This is about you and your future. Do you want this? Forget your name, forget your history, forget me and the label. Do you want this to happen? Because once you sign your name, it’s going to, and you can’t go back.’”

From the beginning, there’s majority chemistry between Clay and Annie. They’re drawn to each other’s singing voices:

“I shut my eyes, focusing on Annie’s smoky voice. She doesn’t sound seventeen. She sounds timeless. No showy vibrato, no American Idol-worthy runs. Her voice is pure. Unadulterated. Untainted. It’s the sound of sweet salvation.”

“Clay stands, legs spread at the hips, knees bending as if to absorb the force of his powerful voice. He growls into his mic a few lines before softening his plea so that it sends a chill dancing down my spine. I’m so stunned at the stark appeal in his eyes when he turns to face me, I almost miss my cue.”

*swoon*

But there’s some tension too - Clay only asked Annie to join the tour because his record label pressured him. He’s been getting too much bad press from all the drinking and bar fights, and Annie’s squeaky clean reputation is supposed to make up for his bad behavior. Things get even more complicated when rumors begin to fly that the two of them are romantically involved. It’s great for publicity, so the label encourages the rumors. The chemistry between Annie and Clay gets more intense with every show they perform together and the label pushes them to play June Carter and Johnny Cash. This book was actually inspired by the romance between Carter and Cash, and it’s easy to see this book as a YA version of Walk the Line.

Annie is cautious; she wants to be with Clay, but she doesn’t want to repeat her parents’ mistakes. Her parents were country superstars who after their suicides are now known as country’s biggest tragedy. And Clay wants to be with Annie, too, but he’s aware that he’s a bad boy, and he is afraid to hurt the good girl. ‘Clay’ is a stage name, and he desperately wants Annie to know the real him, Jefferson. Annie recognizes that Jefferson is just as broken as she is; he’s also lost people close to him, people he loved the most.

“[I]t’s become abundantly clear in the last twenty-four hours that Jefferson isn’t just some frat boy country star. He’s more than kissing in the dark and filled-out denim. He’s just as damaged as I am. He’s got heartache and grief and loneliness, and if i can’t survive him, he sure as hell can’t survive me.’

The country music scene is so glamorous! But this book also discusses the gritty reality behind the glamor of country music - the long days, late nights, and the early mornings on the tour bus. Annie and Clay are teenagers, but they are exposed to very adult things, such as drinking and drug use. Touring isn’t just a summerlong party, it’s a grueling job, and they are forced to grow up fast. But together they find love and redemption.

“It’s not just chemistry . . . No, what we have is something more; we have magnetism. Chemistry is give-and-take; magnetism sucks you in like a black hole. . . [P]utting us together singing a classic for all the world to see? I knew we’d never come back from that. Still, I couldn’t refuse. For as much as everyone else wanted to see what would happen, I needed to feel it for myself. To confirm what i already suspected.”

You’d Be Mine is an adorable summer romance. Pre-order now, it’s going to be one of the hot books of summer 2019.

Release date April 2019, available for pre-order now ❤️

ARC provided by Wednesday Books in exchange for an honest review.

The quotes above were taken from an ARC and are subject to change upon publication.

It's been a little while since I've read a full-fledged YA Romance, but this was just what I needed right when I needed it.
What I Loved: Broken Characters...this book's got 'em. And I loved it. The characters were relate-able in their broken-ness. I shouldn't say broken characters...scarred characters would be a better description. These characters aren't broken...they are scarred by life's tough moments.
What I Liked: it was a sweet and predictable book...which was just what I wanted.
What I Hated: Can't say there was anything to hate.

Overall, just a good little read.
Actual stars: 4.5

"Who wants the man behind the curtain when they can have the Wizard?"

"You'd Be Mine" is about two Country music stars trying to deal with their own problems in their own ways.

Annie wants nothing to do with Clay's bad boy image: She'd rather make her own path towards fame than be saddled with being in his lime-light. Clay needs Annie for her voice on his tour or else his career is history...

The beginning was great - It kept my attention, enraptured me with how the characters dynamics were being played out and how I wanted to know how they would change over the course of the book. Annie's personality was refreshing to Clay's bad boy persona. I liked how she brought out her witty banter whenever Clay tried to make her feel inferior.

In the middle to the end of the book is where I started to lose interest.

It felt like the last couple of chapters were just filler. There really was nothing substantial that the reader needed to know.
I think the only things worth keeping were the bonfire scene and the explanation about her parents and his brother for backstory.
Other then that, there was nothing really keeping my interest. It all just started to be about the tour and their music than about the character's growing relationship.

The grief plot line was one of the good things about this book. I liked how the author touched on how different grieving is for both of the main characters and the way that their grief could bring them closer together - because no one really knew how they both were feeling besides each other.

I also really liked the glimpse of how hard it is to be in the spotlight. How being in the public eye all the time takes a toll on the person behind the lights and the music. It made the story more real - tangible, even.

Overall, "You'd Be Mine" was more than just two teenagers stuck in the positives and negatives of fame. It was about grief and connection, passion and music. It was a refreshing take on the lives of two characters who are so different, but because of their shared passions and shared grievances, they started to fit into something more, something connected.

Thank you to NetGalley for giving me a chance to read this book early and share my thoughts on this story.
Look for "You'd Be Mine" when it comes out in April of 2019.

This is the first book I have read by this author and I truly enjoyed it. I am huge fan of country music so this book hit home with me. I was drawn to the characters right away. I was so sad for both of the characters and all the things they had both experienced but enjoyed going on the journey with them in the story. The characters were developed and believable and the plot was engaging and kept me wanting more. In all this book was very well written and exactly what I wanted to read.

This is the perfect book to read if you like Johnny Cash, June Carter, Country Music or summer's on the road. The live shows were well captured and felt clear, realistic and heart pounding. Highly recommend played the mentioned songs while reading this one, as it made the entire experience so immersive.

This is going to be an interesting one for me to write. I typically review primarily "Christian Fiction" books; this does not fall into that category. However, in my continued efforts to find just plain GOOD material - interesting story, compelling dialogue, witty repartee, strong plot, etc. for my teenage daughter, it is a constant challenge to discover books that would be considered (even remotely) clean. I loved the summary of this book and initially thought it might be a good fit.

I was wrong that the book would work for my girl (seriously, there is a tremendous amount of language/drug use/alcoholism/teenage sex, etc.); but for myself, I truly did enjoy the story. It was actually compelling. It is a good story. There is witty repartee and a strong plot. I also found it incredibly hard to believe that this is the author's first book, because it does not read like a first book AT ALL.

Country music royalty baby Annie Mathers is just about ready to make her professional music debut. Current country music superstar/heartthrob Clay Coolidge may also only be 18, but he's already lived quite a bit (and really, done a lot he shouldn't). In an effort to repair some of the damage to his image, Clay is "enlisted" to convince Annie that they should tour together, as his label wants nothing more than to sign her.

Annie's parents had an explosive relationship that ended tragically, and she is determined to never repeat their mistakes. But, she loves music more than anything - and decides to give the tour - and maybe a friendship with Clay, a shot. Clay is fighting demons he doesn't even recognize and is drawn to Annie's heart and character. He is drawn to her, but will he ultimately figure out who he loves more - Annie, or himself?

Couple of things to note:
This is a topic that (at first glance) has been done repeatedly, but there were numerous fresh takes to be found here.
IwishIwishIwish that authors everywhere would find a way to be "real" and "honest" and "true" without all of the extra dirt. Truly. There absolutely is a way to do this without all the naughty. Go a little deeper and figure it out. Note: I did, however, appreciate that if sexual experiences had to occur, she wrote it without the full descriptors. Kudos to Erin Hahn for that one.
I'll still recommend this book. I do not think it is for the YA market though - it reads like an adult novel, just with characters who are figuring out who they are, and are only 18. But this really shouldn't (please Jesus) be a book for teens.
The cover is gorgeous.

I was provided a complimentary copy of this book by Wednesday Books in exchange for my honest review.

I enjoyed Annie and Clay's battles with their pasts, but I was never 100% convinced of their relationship. Not being very versed in classic country, I felt a little disconnected to most of the musical references. I recognized the names, but am not familiar enough with the songs to be able to pick them out by their title. Over all I was compelled to finish the story. I liked it, but didn't love it.

Cute, if a bit melodramatic, country music tour romance. Much soul searching, much chemistry, very little action and a fairly satisfying conclusion.

There are some trigger warnings there’s mentions of suicide, alcoholism and drugs.

This book follows a girl named Annie who happens to be smart, genuine and talented daughter of country music legends. One day there is something tragic that happens when she’s 13 and leaves Annie all alone and shocked from the event, she refuses to follow in her parents footsteps.
Clay and he is the country swoon worthy bad boy. He gets drunk and arrested one night an his music label makes a deal with him. But he needs to convince Annie to sign to there label, will he be able to? Or will she run because she doesn’t want to be in the spot light?
I think this would be a great summer read to sit at the beach and read.
If you are a fan of country music you will love this book. so make sure to check it out in 2019.

CW: Suicide mentions, alcoholism, & drug addiction

I wanted to love this so bad. But, it just did not click with me.

This book follows Annie, an up and coming country music star and Clay who has been an artist for awhile. Clay of course is a “bad boy” and needs the innocence and allure of Annie to “save” his tour. Did I know going into this that this would be cliche? Yes and honestly there isn’t anything wrong with cliches. I was excited to see the girl being at the same level as the guy, rather than her being a normal girl. It was an interesting twist, but not enough to pull me in.

I could not connect with the characters. They don’t have much depth and are just not that likable. Both of them have gone through terrible tragedies and have serious baggage as a result. The thing is, the baggage is only mentioned when needed to advance the plot or cause “drama” between characters. Not that the characters need to be sad all the time, but they both have past traumas and it only surfaces at very specific times. I like character driven novels and the characters in this novel did nothing for me.

I think this would have been better as an adult romance novel or a new adult novel. Some of the themes were a little dark for a YA contemporary novel and the story would have had more of an impact if the characters were older. If this was aimed at a older audience we also could have explored the darker themes rather than just mentioning everything in a cryptic way.

Overall, it was an okay book. I see why some people like it and maybe if I was younger I might have enjoyed it more. The novel is strangely dark at times, especially considering I thought it was going to be a fluffy book about two country music stars. I would have liked to see the characters be slightly older so we could address the darker issues head on, rather than skirt around them.


Clay: I don’t deserve her
Me: You really don’t, but this is a YA book so just get with her so we can go home

You’d Be Mine is a modern young adult retelling of Johnny and June Carter Cash’s relationship - the bad boy with demons who hit it big and the girl who grew up in the spotlight of country music going on tour together. I thought this was a very sweet love story. Not gonna lie, it made me tear up a couple of times. And I enjoyed reading it next to my Amazon speaker and playing the old country songs that were referred throughout the book while I was reading. You can preorder this book now and it hits shelves April 2nd, 2019. I would give this book 4/5.
Thank you to @netgalley and @erinhahn_author for the advanced copy in exchange for a review.

Thank you to St. Martins Press for this ARC!
You'd be mine is a story about Annie Mathers, the talented daughter and heir of country music legends. Tragedy touches her life when her parents both die, leaving Annie orphaned, traumatized and left to pick up the pieces of her young life. Send in troubled country music bad-boy Clay Coolidge, and Annie is thrown for a tailspin. Clay knows that his label is fed-up with his philandering and trouble-making ways, so they give him an ultimatum. Convince Annie Mathers to sign with them and go on tour with Clay, or they will drop as an artist from their label. This is no easy task as Annie has been avoiding the spotlight since her parents deaths shook her. Annie is convinced by Clay's undeniable charm and swoon-worthy good looks, and she and her band eventually agree to join his tour. As Annie and Clay tour together across the country, fans are convinced that a romance is brewing between the two country stars, and Annie and Clay can't help but wonder if they should play into this idea. Feelings grow, and tensions rise. Will Annie and Clay over-come their demons and finally give-in to happiness they could find together? or will their pasts stop them?

I really enjoyed reading You'd be Mine by debut author Erin Hahn. This book had a sassy main female character in Annie and a swoon-worthy bad boy in Clay. The chemistry between the two was through the roof and when they connected with each other it was really sweet. Both of them had pasts that haunted them and changed the way they formed relationships with people, and each other. I really liked that not only was the character Annie giving her audience on tour an "education" in country music but I also, as a reader got an education in the genre. I loved all the characters in this book so much! They were funny and sassy and REAL (despite the whole celebrity thing)! It all made me love them and really had me rooting for everyone to find what (and who) made them happy! This book takes you on a journey of love, heartbreak and redemption and I encourage readers to open this book and dive in!

This book was sweet, sparky and enjoyable.

I enjoyed the story and how it mirrored the Johnny Cash and June Carter Cash and it was light enough to recommend to a teenage audience, only touching on some darker themes.

I wasn't keen on the song lyrics and found that they took up too much of the writing but other than that great. This would be a really nice summer read for a teenager or young adult.

I loved this book so much. It felt like my face was melting from smiling so much while reading it. I teared up a few times too (sometimes I teared up *while* smiling). This book is just amazing.

Annie is such an amazing character. Smart, opinionated, talented, loyal to her friends and herself, and genuine. I loved her immediately and rooted for her till the very end. She's amazing.

Clay is so layered (Shrek and Donkey would say he's like an onion) and well-written you can't help but want to know everything about him.

The side characters are perfectly written, the story is perfection, and the references to music will make you want to put on your boots and your best summer dress and go find some good music.

CWs: alcoholism, drug overdose, graphic description of suicide, PTSD, panic attack

You'd Be Mine tells the story of two country musicians: Annie Mathers, the daughter of two famous parents who died when she was 13, and Clay Coolidge, the bad boy in country music. After Clay is arrested drunk one time too many, his label makes a bargain with him - he convinces Annie Mathers to sign to them, and tour with her, and they don't drop him. Despite their reservations, they're attracted to each other from early on, though Annie doesn't want to end up like her parents and Clay has his own problems to deal with.

If I'm honest, I was, at the start at least, expecting something a little different to what I got. I don't know what exactly I was expecting, but it wasn't quite this. I think maybe it was that the MCs hit off so early, I was kind of wanting something with a little more slowburn. Perhaps with them not really liking each other to start, but growing on one another. But instead, they were attracted fairly early on. But then, their romance isn't that large a feature in the story, insofar as it's not the only plot. Instead, it's a fairly character-driven story, about Annie's rise to fame and Clay's dealing with his grief and alcoholism.

I liked that about this book. The characters were also so intriguing and realistic that I didn't feel like I got bored of the plot, or lightness of it, although the trope of sweet, innocent girl and bad boy is a little overdone and I did get somewhat bored by that. (Especially the whole "I'm not good for you" thing, which, okay, I understand in this context, but can we talk cliches?) I also really liked that Annie's love didn't "save" Clay from his alcoholism. Instead of falling into those tired, awful tropes, Clay gets himself help and afterwards they get together for real.

What I didn't really like about their relationship, however, was this: Clay at one point humiliates Annie in front of an enormous crowd - just before he hits rock bottom - but he never apologises for it. Not even after he's all better. It's just kind of brushed under the rug and never mentioned again. And I hated it. He treats her like shit in front of a whole stadium crowd and yet it's passed over, almost excused as a result of his alcoholism (and at this point, slight paranoia). Also brushed under the rug is the fact that he effectively cheats on Annie during the tour. Okay, so maybe that's a bit of an exaggeration, but he kisses Annie a few times and then, without talking to her, and without them obviously coming to the joint decision to stop, he hooks up with Lora. And, yes, all of this happens at the worst point of his addiction, just before he overdoses and hits rock bottom, but it's still on him. And he should still apologise to Annie. But he doesn't. After he's recovered, it all appears to be forgotten. So yeah. That kind of ruined the end for me.

Overall though, You'd Be Mine was an easy, well-written read. I just wish I'd cared a bit more about the relationship between the characters.

Country music fans will enjoy reading this story about a girl from music royalty who joins the tour of a boy who enjoys fighting and partying a little more than playing music.