This a really sweet romance. Shelby and Cameron were clearly meant to be together. You can practically see the sexual tension between them oozing off the page. They have an enviable network of friends and family who really care about them. However, that is not to say that everyone in this story is a good and admirable character that would be unrealistic. There are clearly likable characters and clearly unlikeable characters, however no in-betweens. Of course, this being more of a romantic comedy in book form than a romantic tragedy, good wins out and so does the reader.

Refreshing and FUN! I loved the characters in this one. They were relatable, real, and raw. The love story was charming. I loved the unique plot and the setting. This was a quick, heartfelt read and I loved it!

First I want to thank St. Martin's Press for providing me a copy of this book in exchange for my honest opinions.

Like many people in the US, I LOVE a good home renovation show and when I saw this book's description with second chance and home renovations I HAD to request it. This is a story about two former child costars Shelby and Cameron who are thrown back together to host a home renovation show in Shelby's home down.

4.5/5 stars
What I Loved:
- Second chance romance, they fell in love as kids and then reconnecting as adults its one of my favorite types of this trope
- Home renovation, I love these types of shows and the one they are creating is EXACTLY the types I seek out to watch....hello restoring historical homes
- Slow burn, it takes a while for them to find each other but goodness its worth it
- Friends, both Shelby and Cameron have amazing friends that support them and they bring a bit of levity throughout the story

Overall I love this book, and one of my absolute favorite parts is that was a bit off the standard romance "formula", I can't say what without spoiling it but it is the reason why I stayed up WAY to late to finish this book. The only reason why I didn't give if a full 5 stars is I didn't want to re-read it right away....but I know I willl be revisiting soon. If you are a fan of second chance romances with a side of home renovation and ex-famous people PLEASE pick this book up!

Second-chance childhood sweetheart romance

Although very sweet it’s just not very believable that they still harbor feelings for one another. They didn’t have any contact for a long time and just their behavior once they begin communicating once again falls short on convincing me they have deep feelings. Their love seems nostalgic and childish. Doesn’t seem like they are in love now that they are grown adults.

Second Chance romances are my favorite and I’ve been reading a lot of those lately, this one was just above and beyond adorable. I enjoyed all the characters and loved the immense growth that the characters had throughout the book. Can’t recommend it enough!

Former child co-stars reunite to star in a home improvement series.

I liked Shelby's POV better because she gave more insight and details into the construction and restoration of the house. That's what really had my interest.

This gave me Lovelight Farms vibes. It's two adults having conversations to resolve conflict and heal old wounds and move the relationship forward. I also love, loved their friends who weren't afraid to tell the mains to get their acts together. I really really REALLY liked that there wasn't a dumb overheard conversation or a misunderstand at the 3/4 mark to disrupt the relationship.

Looking forward to the next installment!

*I received an advance copy of this book from NetGalley and the publisher and I am required to disclose that in my review in compliance with federal law.

A huge thank you to St. Martins Press and NetGalley for the advanced copy of this book!
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I fell for Shelby and Cameron as soon as I met them on the page. They fell for each other as child stars on a hit television show, but have moved on and grown up outside the limelight. Forced back together to make a home-renovation show, that would definitely fit in on HGTV, not only do they have to renovate a house, they have to battle their ex-co-star Lyle as he sets out to make their lives a living hell.
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The pressure of being known in the public eye is an extra added pressure to a second-chance romance, and brought a fun dynamic to the trope. I loved hating Lyle, and couldn’t wait for him to get what was coming to him. The chemistry between Shelby and Cam was great, and the side characters made the story more engaging.

REVIEW: Built to Last by Erin Hahn

Child star Shelby Springfield has been through the wringer: she was in a high profile relationship with her former co-star Lyle Jessup, cheated on by him with her best friend in the business, and to top it all off, her mother is capitalizing off Shelby’s fame by writing a tell-all, exposing Shelby’s many dark secrets. Shelby has always had it bad for her other co-star and past secret love, Cameron Riggs, and when the 2 are put together by their ex co-star Lyle for a home renovation show, she is reluctant to put herself in the spotlight again.

But time and time again, Cameron shows up for her and the two begin to fall in love all over again, just as they did when they were kids. This second chance romance was filled with so much joy, Midwestern jokes, one or two semi open door steamy scenes, some sweet side characters, and vibes from all your favorite HGTV home renovation shows. It’s definitely a slow burn, but worth the wait for the sweet romance you get between Shelby and Cameron. I hear there are some other books coming from Erin Hahn centered on Lorelai and Maren, so I look forward to reading those next!

thank you netgalley for providing me with an ARC in exchange of an honest opinion

actual rating : 3.5 stars

i just realized i never posted my review on this book and i blame my busy life for this 😭

i’m usually not the biggest fan of second chance but i really enjoyed this one. the fact that they were childhood friends/sweethearts made everything better.

shelby and cam have an incredible such a good chemistry, the writers really outdid herself with that. their banter was everything and they had me rooting for them from the beginning

the only thing i would add would be a little more flashbacks/scenes from when the were younger but it was still really good to see them grow together and develop those feelings all over again.

overall it was a really cute book and if you’re a fan of renovation or renovating shows you’ll probably enjoy this book!

Shelby Springfield has a lot to prove. As a teenager, she starred on a popular teen sitcom named The World According to Jackson. It was a bubblegum show about being an American teenager. It starred Lyle Jessup, with Shelby as his girlfriend and Cameron Riggs as his best friend. Backstage, the sparks were flying between Shelby and Cameron, not Shelby and Lyle, but when the show ended, Cameron left Hollywood as fast as he could.

In the wake of Cam’s leaving, Shelby became a pop singer and started dating Lyle . They were social media sweethearts, until he dumped her for her best friend and then wrote a song about how the breakup had been all her fault. He had a hit song and a new love, and Shelby was publicly humiliated and vilified.

After burning out in Los Angeles, Shelby had moved back to Michigan, where her father taught her about rehabbing houses. She started working for him, helping to bring houses back to their former glory. Now they work as a team, with her father and his crew doing most of the work of the house while she works on restoring distinctive pieces that add to the beauty and informs the area’s history. Her latest project is a set of built-in bookshelves that she restored and is putting back in place before adding that last coat of varnish.

Now she’s thinking about getting back into television, but not back to Hollywood. She wants them to come to her, to film her and her father rehabbing houses in Michigan. There is some interest in the project, but her father just doesn’t have that same on-camera charm that she does. She needs another option, and when the idea comes up that Cameron Riggs be her cohost, she was willing to try. But would he be willing to?

In the years since the show ended, Cameron had gone a different direction. He attended college and then landed a job with National Geographic, working behind the camera, making documentaries all over the world. But after years of world travel, he got a call from Shelby and decided to take some time off to move home to Michigan. It’s an opportunity to connect with Shelby again and help her make the pilot for a reality house rehabbing show. But it’s also a chance to reconnect with his family, maybe even with the father he barely knew, who resented his success as a teenager and for splitting up the family all those years Cam and his mother spent in Hollywood. Plus, it’s Shelby. He could never say no to her.

But when they have a meeting with the producer, they realize that this new show will be more of a challenge than Shelby and Cameron realized, since Lyle has taken over as showrunner. He says he’s over all their teenage drama, but it’s clear that he still has something to prove. But will his machinations take down the show, and their growing feelings for each other, or will Shelby and Cameron be able to build something strong together, with a past they can celebrate and a future that has a strong foundation?

Built to Last is an addictive rom com that blends a story of child stars grown up and of reality home restoration show hosts into a fun and inventive tale of old friends who become new friends and so much more. These characters are smart and funny and strong, and when they learn to get out of their own way, they are almost unstoppable.

I devoured this book. I loved how Shelby was able to find something for herself, that she had built with her own two hands. I liked Cameron a lot, and I was really impressed with his years with Nat Geo. I loved watching them get together and try dating for real, with honesty and respect, taking the time to build something real, just like with the house they’re rehabbing. But the character that I thought stole all the scenes she appeared in was best friend Lorelai Jones, former country star. She was pitch-perfect and brightened up the story. So basically: loved the story, loved the characters, loved it all!

Egalleys for Built to Last were provided by St. Martin’s Griffin through NetGalley, with many thanks.

This just wasn't clicking with me. I was a bit bored, and kind of dreading picking it up. I could see myself coming around though.

I've been reading so many books with celebrity characters; I think it's hard not to compare them. This one just isn't as engaging as those. That's why I can see myself trying again; maybe when I'm not fresh off the heels of fictional celebrity books.

Years ago, Shelby Springfield and Cameron Riggs starred together on a teen television show, where they fell head over heels. But then Cameron went off to college, seemingly skipping town right after shebanging Shelby and she, heartbroken, ended up hooking up with Lyle Jessup, the star of the same television show. Think Topanga secretly dating Shawn from Boy Meets World and then hooking up with Cory later on.

Anyway, Lyle turns out to be a huge douchenozzle and writes a song about their relationship after they break up (all three of them can sing, because of course they can). Lyle’s song paints Shelby in a bad light, making her Public Enemy Number 1 in the age of social media. In an attempt to rid herself of both Lyle and her partying ways, Shelby returns to her hometown in Michigan, where she helps her dad by refurbishing furniture and flipping houses.

Enter Lyle, again, with this banger idea for a reality house-flipping show, starring his former co-stars.
Why the hell did he decide to do this show having no interest or experience in house flipping? Hell if I know. But in order to resuscitate their careers, both Shelby and Cameron (who now works for Nat Geo), agree to do the show. Not surprisingly, sparks fly and Shelby and Cameron are soon laying more than just tile. But will their relationship last, or will Lyle’s jealous streak cause him to sabotage the project?

I really enjoyed this one. Shelby and Cameron were too cute together, even though I wanted to smack the both of them over the head more than a few times. And Lyle. Well, Lyle is the epitome of small dick energy in the way he plays the victim and acts toward Shelby and Cameron. This is a slow burn, but once that spark ignites, it burns—but not in the uncomfortable way. I adored how Cameron always had Shelby’s back, and their character growth was fun to watch. I also enjoyed the whole child star aspect, though I found it hard to believe that Shelby and Cameron thought they could go out in public without being noticed. Recommend for lovers of second chance, friends-to-lovers romances.

I really enjoyed this book. This book is about two childhood tv sweathearts who find a second chance at romance. I love Hahn's book and when I heard she was writing an adult book, I knew I had to read it. I love her stories and she doesn't disappoint. The writing style was amazing in this book and I enjoy how Hahn still brings in the touch of character fame in her books. It really makes it special and unique to her writing style. I enjoyed the midwestern setting and the storyline which had my attention until the end.

The main characters in this book are Shelby and Cameron. Shelby is trying to change her image and Cameron left before they were separated. Both come together to fix houses and I loved how much development there was between them. They bantered which was so cute and they had such amazing chemistry. There is also great side characters and some you will not like but were greatly written for the book. There is great amount of family dynamics in this book and the romance is a second chance romance with a bit of spice.

The ending was great and I really enjoyed this story. As much as it was good there was something lacking. Though everything else was great and I'm so glad that the author is writing adult romance because she is already doing well. I totally recommend reading her books especially if you love cinnamon rolls with second chance romance.

This book was wonderful and I had a hard time putting it down. I enjoyed the chemistry between the two main characters greatly and enjoyed how their relationship grew during this second chance romance. I found the story interesting and the characters engaging.
My only issue with this book was it took me a while to get invested and feel the need to continue reading, once I was hooked though, I was hooked.

Shelby and Cameron’s love story was absolutely so sweet I thought my teeth would fall out of my head, it was absolutely delectable!

Shelby and Cameron have a bit of a complicated past but no matter where they go or what they do, they’re always tethered together at heart, then with a little lying Lyle Jessup brings them back together.

I loved watching Shelby and Cameron come to the truth of how they both felt, and for real this book was so unbelievably romantic and adorable. I need more books like this!

Built to Last by Erin Hahn was a surprise book to me. I have never been a fan of home repair stories, but this one was very well done. It is definitely a book with with low angst, which I was in need of, but fantastic pinning. I really liked Shelby's character because even though she was a famous child star, her feelings were understandable and I could relate. Cameron is one of my favorite MMC of this year and I just loved him. I also appreciated that there was not a third act break up because sometimes it isn't needed. I am excited for the hope for a second book in this series.

3.75 stars ☆ whenever there's a second chance childhood friends to lovers. I would read it immediately. It has my heart.

It was so slow at the beginning which made me a bit hard to get through it and focus on what was happening but I'm glad that I did push through cause Shelby and Cameron's relationship was so cute and sweet.

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for the ARC !!

I love a good home renovation show. I loved the idea of former child stars reconnecting and doing a show together. The renovation parts were enjoyable and her connection and love for her father was endearing.

While this is a redemption story for Shelby who had some issues with the media when her ex cheated on her with her best friend, Cameron is using the chance to be close to Shelby again.

They both have some issues to work out with their parents and their past their connection was never in doubt. However neither really talked about how they really felt about each other.

Cameron was my favorite of the characters. While he "ran away" to protect himself he was always there for Shelby when she needed him to be. He secretly kept his torch for her secret, never thinking he would have another chance with her.

While I loved some aspects of this story the ex who was constantly pulling stunts that were seriously damaging really did not sit well. While I am sure that was the point to make him the villain I didn't care for his cheating, gaslighting, and sabotaging the show numerous times. It made me so angry that Shelby just let so much of it happen and didn't stand up for herself. I don't like that in a female main character, and detracted from my overall enjoyment of the book.

Second chance romance and a home renovation show, this was the exact recipe I was looking for.

Cameron and Shelby had plenty of chemistry when they were younger and starred together with their co-star Lyle on a popular TV show. After years of working together Shelby found a quiet life away from the media because she was tired of being in the limelight and how she was portrayed.

Years later she's enjoying her quiet life flipping houses with her dad when the opportunity to be on a renovation show comes up. However she won't be filming with her dad, she will be filming with Cameron, her childhood first love.

I was rooting for Cameron and Shelby the whole time.

This was a sweet read and a great rom com!

Such a fun book! Weird and quirky, but a fun read! Looking forward to seeing more from Erin Hahn.