This one is as a little too cheesy and cliche for me. It was hard to get through. I didn’t love the characters, they were annoying and couldn’t relate to them.

Second-chance romance is my thing, so when it came to this book, I could not wait. The chemistry was perfect. Every interaction between the two felt genuine and a serious reconstruction of their relationship. The book focuses on the present and future, but less on the past. I wish it had leaned a bit more into the childhood sweethearts storyline, so we could really understand how influential this reunion was.
This book still deserves a five though. I loved the development and the story.

Super fun premise with lots of good tropes to explore. A juicy, fun read with leads to root for, funny sidekicks and a really obnoxious villain.

𝐁𝐮𝐢𝐥𝐭 𝐭𝐨 𝐋𝐚𝐬𝐭 by @erinhahn_author
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
🌶️🌶️🌶️

𝗧𝗵𝗮𝘁'𝘀 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝘁𝗵𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗮𝗯𝗼𝘂𝘁 𝗠𝗶𝗱𝘄𝗲𝘀𝘁-𝗲𝗿𝗻𝗲𝗿𝘀. 𝗪𝗲'𝗿𝗲 𝗮 𝗽𝗼𝗹𝗶𝘁𝗲 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗴𝗲𝗻𝗲𝗿𝗮𝗹𝗹𝘆 𝗽𝗹𝗲𝗮𝘀𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗽𝗲𝗼𝗽𝗹𝗲, 𝗯𝘂𝘁 𝗳*𝗰𝗸 𝘄𝗶𝘁𝗵 𝗼𝗻𝗲 𝗼𝗳 𝘂𝘀, 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝘄𝗲'𝗹𝗹 𝘁𝗮𝗸𝗲 𝘁𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗼𝗳𝗳𝗲𝗻𝘀𝗲 𝘁𝗼 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗴𝗿𝗮𝘃𝗲, 𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗻 𝗰𝗿𝗲𝗺𝗮𝘁𝗲 𝗶𝘁 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝘀𝗽𝗿𝗶𝗻𝗸𝗹𝗲 𝗶𝘁 𝗶𝗻 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗰𝗼𝗳𝗳𝗲𝗲 𝘄𝗶𝘁𝗵 𝗺𝗮𝗽𝗹𝗲 𝘀𝘆𝗿𝘂𝗽.

Can any of you Midwesterners relate to this quote? 😂

𝚁𝚎𝚊𝚍 𝚒𝚏 𝚢𝚘𝚞 𝚕𝚒𝚔𝚎:

💝 𝗖𝗵𝗶𝗹𝗱𝗵𝗼𝗼𝗱 𝗳𝗿𝗶𝗲𝗻𝗱𝘀/ s𝗲𝗰𝗼𝗻𝗱 𝗰𝗵𝗮𝗻𝗰𝗲 𝗿𝗼𝗺𝗮𝗻𝗰𝗲
The childhood friends trope is just so special. I am not a big fan of second chance romance but I am slowly being converted especially when I see the growth between the two MCs. The character development of the leads here were written really well.

🏡𝗕𝗮𝗰𝗸 𝘁𝗼 𝗛𝗼𝗺𝗲
Cameron films NatGeo documentaries for a living. He has never settled in one place for more than 6 months, and now he has to go back to his hometown for a project. And yes, SMALL TOWN trope lovers, this book will make you happy!

🍿𝗖𝗲𝗹𝗲𝗯𝗿𝗶𝘁𝘆 𝗿𝗼𝗺𝗮𝗻𝗰𝗲
I’ve just noticed that most stories with this trope can be too dramatic for me - but I did like how the female MC handled the drama here so it didn’t really stress me out lol

🔨𝗛𝗚𝗧𝗩
And if you’re into home renovation shows, this book is for you!

Cam and Shelby were both costars in a popular show when they were still kids. Growing up under the Hollywood spotlight took a toll on them and they somehow grew separately. Fast forward to years later, Shelby now has a booming business of renovating houses. In order to secure her dad’s retirement, she agreed to make an HGTV show - what she didn’t know is that working with two of her exes comes with the project..

I finished this in a day, guys! It was such an easy and heartwarming read. It has the greatest supporting characters. Also, I smell a sequel! Please let there be a sequel lol.

Thank you so much for @stmartinspress for sending me a copy of this book!

So cute!! Absolutely loved the ending. For some reason however I had a hard time really connecting with the story. So it made reading really slow.

Ex-costars reunited to star in the house flipping show of dreams, while expertly navigating their rocky pasts and also their killer chemistry. Sounds easy right ? Not when another ex-costar is in the mix trying to stir the pot. Shelby and Cameron have spent their entire childhoods in the spotlight and have left LA behind, when an offer they can’t refuse comes through in the form of their ex costar.

The first half of this book was a little slow, however the second half was full throttle. Shelby and Cameron were so sweet together and the supporting cast was such a lovely addition. If second chance romance and friends to lovers is your thing, this one is definitely for you.

Shelby Springfield, Lyle Jessup, and Cameron Riggs were all TV child stars together. But things imploded, ending with a very public breakup between Shelby and Lyle. Shelby has spent the last ten years working with her dad, making furniture and avoiding the spotlight--while trying to ignore her feelings for Cameron, her first love. Cameron, meanwhile, travels around making documentaries, but he's always been able to come to Shelby's rescue when she calls. When Lyle comes up with a harebrained scheme to reunite Shelby and Cameron on a home renovation show, both are hesitant. But it gives Cameron a chance to come home to Michigan and Shelby to prove she's not a washed up party girl. Can they pull the show off--even with Lyle pulling their strings?

This was slow to start, but totally won me over! I was not sure I would like Shelby at first, which is a major block for a romance, but she definitely grew on me. In fact, she and Cameron have sparkling and fun chemistry, and I found the two of them to be totally charming. It was nice to have a (female) character in Shelby who knew her way around home reno and furniture making. Both Cameron and Shelby had their own wounds, of course, leading to their hesitancy in moving forward with romance. But watching them grow--and flirt--was a lot of fun!

The home renovation angle here was enjoyable--who doesn't love a good home renovation reality show, right? The book is populated with wonderful side characters in Cameron and Shelby's friends. (Very excited that one of them, Lorelei, is getting her story told next!) It's told from Shelby and Cameron's points of view, along with a smattering of news stories--a format which works really well. I enjoyed a chance to hear from both of our main characters. Lyle is a good villain and just makes it even easier to root for our charming couple!

Overall, this is a fun romance that just made me happy. You need those sometimes.

Even though I received the e-book here, I also listened to the audiobook and it was AMAZING. Re: Kale Williams: give this man more romance/romcom novels. His narration was lively and perfect, and he’s great with delivering the humorous banter and dialogue that Hahn always delivers. It grabbed me right away and kept me interested.

I’m not a big celeb follower, but from what I’ve seen over the decades, Hahn nails the entertainment industry. All we have to do is watch Brittney Spears or the Coreys (Feldman and the deceased Haim) to see how Hollywood sets up and tears down child actors. Also, you’re deemed a failure whether you have trouble staying in the limelight (or attempt to return after a long absence), or choose to walk away and do something different altogether. Plus we have a new genre to add to the horror that is reality television: home makeover shows. Our plot has an older and wiser Shelby trying to endure said gossip, as well as endure her manipulative slime of an ex, Lyle, for the sake of making some extra cash so her professional renovator father can retire. Cameron is there for Shelby, which Lyle also takes advantage of.

I loved the chemistry between Cameron and Shelby, and the chapters that dealt with them as teen co-stars (especially how Shelby loses her virginity to Cameron) were sweet. I bought the chemistry and felt the slow burn between them. Hahn lets her characters gently slide into each other’s spaces, even when circumstances might toss them harshly together. I see Hahn attempting more steam in her adult romances and it’s getting better. I’m glad the plot-contrived obstacle you see at the three quarter mark in most romance novels was for both Shelby AND Cameron, and not BETWEEN Shelby and Cameron, because given our connection to the characters it would’ve been a needle scratch on a record. And the ending was sweet. Loved it all around.

I thought that this book was so cute. I am someone who is a sucker for childhood friends to lovers so I really enjoyed this. My only thing that I would say is that at times the pacing was a little all over the place, and part of me wishes we had more of them together but all in all I think that this is a read that is just so cute. I definitely want to reread in the future.

This second chance romance was really cute and satisfying to read. The history and dynamic between the two characters was interesting. Although it took a me a little longer than I usually prefer to get into the story, I did end up enjoying where it took me. The friendship was sweet, the setting and circumstances engaging, and the writing was well done.

This was a great rom-com that felt perfect for fans of home renovation shows or Chip and Joanna Gaines. Highly recommend!

If you're a fan of home reno shows, and even more so if you love a home reno show featuring a power couple like Chip and Joanna, you will enjoy Built to Last. Honestly, even if you're not a fan, this a fun story of two former child stars who are brought together years later to join forces on the show HomeMade. A lot of hijinks ensue since the showrunner was also part of the same TV show as Shelby and Riggs, and is jealous of their relationship.

I really enjoyed the story and loved watching the relationship between Shelby and Riggs grow. Not only is this a romance, but it goes a lot into personal growth. It's truly a wonderful book.

Thank you, St. Martins Press and NetGalley for the eARC!

This was a good book for me, just good though. I thought the first few chapters of the book were tough to get through. I wanted there to be more character building but it was a lot of plot writing, feelings, etc. I will say though that the further I got into it the more I enjoyed it. I like the concept and plot.

Loved this book! I’m a sucker for home renovation shows and second-chance romance and this hit the sweet spot of heartwarming, funny and steamy. I loved seeing Shelby and Cameron’s relationship develop from hurt to reluctant co-stars to best friends again to falling deeply back in love with each. Also enjoyed their friends and family dynamics to provide needed emotional depth and comedic relief. Maybe we can get a sequel with Lorelei? (Hint hint)

A mostly low angst, lower steam, and extremely horny adult romance centered on two child stars finally accepting their years-long love for each other when they reunite for a home renovation show, HomeMade. This was a very anticipated read for me, but unfortunately I wasn't enthralled. Erin Hahn is not an author I can rely on for a new favorite sadly. I was let down by You'd Be Mine but LOVED Never Saw You Coming. I have no idea what to expect going into her next few books.

TW: toxic/neglectful parent, past cheating

If you like the Midwest or you're homesick for it, this book will cure that. The story is set in Michigan, with many nods to being Midwestern that I don't understand (I've never even been to the Midwest haha). And I know from the early readers that actually finished this before the release date, Lorelei is really the best character and I'm so glad she's getting her own book!

I just can't believe I'm saying this, but I thought Tessa Bailey's Tools of Engagement did the home renovation show angle a bit better. I got bored a few times reading this, but the rest was still pleasant and I had an enjoyable time. I absolutely LOVE Shelby and Cam together, especially Cam.

The angst comes mainly from Shelby's ex Lyle being the showrunner of HomeMade and screwing everything up. The show was a main focus of the story, but the beginning started off with flashback chapters I would have liked to see more of to really sell the second chance romance. Shelby and Cameron were cute, but I left feeling unsatisfied in more ways than one.

Thank you to St. Martin's Griffin and Netgalley for the early copy. All opinions are my own.

I tried several times to read this and could not get past the first few chapters -- wasn't engaged with the premise, the setting, the characters or the writing.

This second chance romance will pull at your heart strings. It's funny and incredibly sweet. Once you start reading you'll become obsessed with Shelby and Cameron, trust me!

If you haven't read any of Erin's books before, her take on two childhood TV stars who come back together to do a home renovation show will make you an instant fan.

Now I need Lorelai and Maren to each have their own book!

Thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin's Griffin for an arc of this book in exchange for my honest opinion.

This was a touching and emotional book. Great second chance friends to lovers story that was cute. I liked the story and where the author took it.

Thank you to NetGalley, St. Martin's Griffin, & St. Martin's Press for the opportunity to read and review this book before it's publication date! This in no way affected my review, opinions are my own.

This is such a bummer for me, but it really feels like one of those "did I read the same book as everyone else?" type of books - Built to Last has a 4.1 rating on Goodreads and I just don't get it. I didn't buy into their love story and didn't feel as though there was enough of a reason for them to pine after one another the way they did. It also felt like a lot of angsty spicy times - which I don't necessarily mind - for absolutely no reason which gave a feel of their relationship being built on a physical attraction and not much else.

The strongest parts of this book, for me, were those discussing the home reno aspects - I loved reading about the restorations that Shelby did, and loved all of the parts talking about the specific home renovation project they were working on for the TV show. (But in my opinion that was not enough to carry the book)

All of that being said: I like Erin Hahn's writing and as this was her debut adult novel, I would definitely try another by her - which we will get, because this is a first in a series! Erin has stated that the second book will feature Lorelai and the third Maren, so I will definitely give Lorelai's book a try before making my final judgment on EH's foray into adult novels.

Also all of THAT being said, I am super in the minority here so if the synopsis speaks to you I would still give it a shot! I think you'll know pretty early on if you're going to have the same issues that I did.

I absolutely loved this romance between two former child stars. As a Michigander, I loved the small town Michigan setting and could easily imagine Shelby and Cameron in real life. Cameron made me swoon and I can't wait to read more of Hahn's future romances!