I absolutely loved this fast, witty and adorable romcom by author Erin Hahn.

MCs, Shelby & Cameron, we’re child stars and sweethearts who parted ways and then reconnected after 10 years. As “fate” would have it, the couple reunite as they start to host a home renovation show and sparks immediately start to fly. The premise of the book is fun and right up my alley as I am a huge watcher of HGTV! This was a cute read in between heavier reads which I absolutely need every once in a while. Absolutely ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ for me!

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for the eARC version of this book in exchange for my honest review and opinion.

I’ve read and absolutely loved every Erin Hahn book, and had built up a lot of excitement over her debut romcom and it still managed to blow me away when a finished copy arrived yesterday and I had to drop everything to devour it. If you’re one of those readers who lives for the moment when you close the book to just sit and SWOON, this one’s for you!

Bringing her writing style that I’ve come to know and love, with incredible character depth and steamier scenes that I couldn’t wait to get from her, Hahn proves that she can write in this genre just as well, and I LOVED that this childhood crush to lovers romance gave us flashbacks of their younger years in the best way. I can only hope there are plenty more romcoms to come, and I greedily expect to get both them and her YAs in my TBR forever.

Being a child star threw our main characters in the spotlight full of heartbreak, betrayal, and rumors that make a comeback as Shelby Springfield and Cameron Riggs find themselves working together on a home-renovation show thanks to their former costar.

I’ve read a few home makeover/reality TV titles this past year, and I’m always impressed at how each take it so differently. For this story Shelby escaped fame and found her home back in Michigan, working alongside her father flipping houses and finding her passion in restoring furniture.

Cameron may have been running after his NatGeo documentary adventures all this time, but finding himself back near his family and facing the wrongs of his past has his thinking about forever if it means showing Shelby he’s here to stay.

“I had you first, and I’ll have you last.”
“You’ll have me forever.”

I mentioned already that Hahn writes their past into the book, but I have to say the pacing and how we discovered bits and pieces of their relationship, who they were then, and the people they met along the way to get where they are now was done so well it may have been what I loved most. The supporting cast of characters gave drama and support and set us up for a variety of hopeful future titles set in this world, and I loved each and every one of them!

Add in the second-chance romance that had me swooning, with characters who find themselves stronger together and able to support one another as they work through their own struggles. I found it refreshing to read something that showed the couple go from Hollywood lifestyle to down to earth country-vibes, with a fun to read romance that had me eager to read more.

Thank you SMP Romance for sending the finished copy & to NetGalley for the advance copy to read and review in exchange for my honest opinion. As always, happy to read and love on anything by Erin, cannot wait for her next one already!

I thought the synopsis for this book was cute: second chance romance, and a home renovation show. Here’s what I thought:

+ Second chance romances aren’t my favorite trope but this one is cute and the chemistry between Shelby and Cam is there and has been there since they were kids and tv stars on a show together. Ever since then it’s been rough for both of them but they find their way back together. The best thing about second chance romances is the history the two characters have with one another – which I feel make their bond stronger. I thought the romance between them was well done.

+ I love a rom-com with a good supporting cast and Shelby’s friends in this book are some fun characters. There is one in particular I’m wondering about – is she going to have her own story? Seems like the ending was hinting to that.

+ I don’t watch a lot of home improvement shows anymore but even I know the popularity of them, especially Chip and Joanna Gaines. I barely watched their show but I remember them blowing up and now they have a magazine, merch…an empire! I love that Shelby’s passion got her out of the Hollywood life and back into Cam’s arms. Same for Cam – seems like he was jumping around doing lots of things before realizing he just wanted to be where Shelby is.

~ It took me awhile to connect to Shelby and Cam only because there was a bunch of drama in their past involving their ex-costar and Shelby’s ex-boyfriend Lyle, who is such a jerk. Lots of things seemed to come in between Shelby and Cam – and they hold back a lot until Shelby decides not to.

~ Lyle – why did he have to be there? Why did they have to do a show with him as their “boss” so to speak? I would have said no. 😅 He’s such a drama starter.

Tropes: second chance romance, friends to lovers, childhood stars finding their way

Spice Level: 🌶🌶🌶

Why you should read it:
*a home renovation, second chance romance with a fun cast of characters (minus Lyle)
*if you like HGTV and all the home improvement/home reno shows, you’ll like this one
*Shelby and Cameron have a sweet romance

Why you might not want to read it:
*a bit of a slow start and too much drama with Lyle – I wish they just didn’t do business with him

My Thoughts:

This one was cute and you will adore it if you like the second chance romance trope. These two have always been into one another so there isn’t really anything stopping them from being together this time except for themselves. Lyle and Marcella got on my nerves but the rest of the characters were fun. Shelby and Cam have a sweet happy ever after and the ending is left open for one of Shelby’s friends.

Oh! My! Gosh! Where has @erinhahn_author been all my life? Oh I know, on my TBR shelf…and I also think just a few towns over! This was a heartwarming friends to lovers … to friends to lovers story and the romance I didn’t know I needed. Set in Michigan (bonus points), former child stars and sweethearts, Shelby and Cameron are unexpectedly reunited as hosts of a home renovation show produced by ex-boyfriend and fellow ex-child star, Lyle. Let the sexual tension, misunderstandings, and cozy antiquing trips to the UP commence! This was such a refreshing love story. No games, no using one another, some meddling by outside forces, but simply two people honestly trying to find each other again. Love! Love! Love! Repeatedly swooning and sighing throughout the final chapters. Five stars!

Thank you @netgalley and @stmartinspress for this early copy!

For friends of second-chance, childhood sweetheart/friends to lovers will eat this one up. Years ago Lyle Jessup, Shelby Springfield and Cameron Riggs rose to stardom as child actors. Shelby and Cameron had a connection but could never be public about it. Shelby and Lyle went on to have a very public relationship and subsequent split after Cameron left acting. Now years later Shelby is searching for financial security for her father after her mom-ager spent all her childhood earnings. Shelby works with her father rehabbing old homes and her specialty is rehabbing old furniture/woodwork.

When her first audition for a home renovation show flops she gets a second chance but it means re-uniting with Cameron on screen with Lyle calling the shots as the show runner. There is a lot of history to unpack with the three former stars and plenty of sparks still flying between Cameron and Shelby.

I thought this was a cute one with a bit of steam. It had me loving many of the side characters which is always something that ups a book in my mind.

In recent years I have noticed the new trend is home improvement/DIY protagonists. As a home improvement junkie and amateur DIYer, I really enjoy this trope. Erin Hahn‘s new book Built to Last mixes home improvement shows, long lost loves, and children child sitcom stars into one book. (It was a lot.). I liked the two main characters in our story Shelby and Cameron but sometimes it was hard for me to understand them. Sometimes one good conversation is all it takes to solve our main couples issues but then there wouldn’t be a book. Overall it was a really sweet read that I enjoyed.

Thank you @netgalley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Thanks to Netgalley and St. Martin's Press for the E-Arc. This was such a solid read I looovveed the story of the MC's. I honestly really enjoyed that there was no drama btw Cam and Shelby they did have to deal with drama but they were good. This story was so cute I actually felt like I was watching a reality show. Loved It

I received an ARC from the publisher via NetGalley and am voluntarily posting a review. All opinions are my own.

Built to Last is Erin Hahn’s adult romance debut, after having gotten her start in YA, and I really enjoyed it. And I appreciate that she started with a childhood friends-to-lovers/second chance story, as I feel like her background allowed her to flesh out the backstory well.

One of the things that makes the story shine is the intimate focus on the characters. There’s a lot of history between them and some other major characters, and I love the way this was developed. Shelby in particular is easy to like and root for. She’s a former teen actress and singer, and while she’s not a one-to-one stand-in for anyone in particular, I couldn’t help but get vibes of Jennette McCurdy in Shelby’s toxic relationship with her mom, mixed with a bit of Britney Spears in how the paparazzi and press hounded her…not to mention the scumbag ex, Lyle, who continues to try to defame her, when he was the one who did her wrong. I appreciate how she’s trying to prove herself and how she’s changed in her time away with this new home renovation project, even if the press is notoriously misogynistic and unforgiving.

Cameron is Shelby’s other former co-star, in addition to Lyle, and while he and Shelby had feelings for each other which they explored a bit back then, it was always the wrong time, what with the public shipping her and Lyle, since they were the main couple on their show. As a contrast to the mega-douche Lyle, Cameron is literally the sweetest and would do pretty much anything for Shelby.

The pacing of the book is a bit odd at times, because there will be moments where very little happens, then a lot happens. It toes the line between being low-angst and being high on romantic tension…it’s very centered on “will-they, won’t-they.” But one plus is that once they do, it’s for good, as there is no third-act breakup, and they really are “built to last,” with a firm foundation beneath them.

My one complaint is that I feel Lyle should have gotten more of a comeuppance. He’s just allowed to continue in his producer role and profit off the show, even if he’s put in his place somewhat. While I could see it being a logistical nightmare on the production side of things, I feel he should have been given more consequences.

This is a charming, fairly lighthearted read, and one I’d recommend to anyone who enjoys friends to lovers, second chance, and/or celebrity romances.

CWs: emotional manipulation, slut shaming, toxic parent, toxic relationship

If Erin Hahn writes it, I’m here to read it.
The story of Shelby and Cameron is so good. I loved watching them grow into themselves and into each other.
I’m always here for strong female friendships. I’m hoping this means Lorelai and Maren are going to get a book.
If you haven’t read any books by Erin, go pick them up now!!

3.5 almost 4 stars. It was cute and I liked the characters and the home renovation angle, but I recently read Homewreckers and it felt kind of similar but I liked Homewreckers better. He

Former child stars Shelby Springfield and Cameron Riggs find themselves working together again after years apart and years of missed connections and running away, as they are now filming a pilot of a home renovation show.

This book was so cute and I really enjoyed it! I loved Shelby and Cameron individually as well as their chemistry and interactions together (hashtag Spriggs). They had a complicated history to work through together and I liked the dual POV as we got to see them deal with their own personal family issues and trauma from the past as well. The supporting characters including Lorelei, Maren, Kevin and Beth were such good friends to Shelby and Cam. And I can't not mention Daniel and how encouraging he was to both of them, adding to the great cast of loveable characters. I really enjoyed the HGTV / home reno and antiquing aspect of the book too. Another one of my favourite elements was that each chapter had a song title to go with it which I thought captured the feelings of the chapter really well. The ending might have wrapped up almost too perfectly, but I still liked where things landed and that there was no third act breakup.

Overall, I enjoyed this one! If you are looking for a friends to lovers, second chance romance with a love triangle from the past which features a home renovation show that gives HGTV vibes and also has great supportive friends, check out Built to Last (out October 18, 2022)! I saw somewhere that we might be getting a Lorelei story AND a Maren story and I will definitely check out Hahn's future books.

Thank you to NetGalley, St.Martin's Press and Erin Hahn for an arc in exchange for an honest review.

Second chance romances are not my go-to trope. I love the idea of two characters meeting for the first time and falling for each other. But if anyone can make me love a second chance story, it’s Erin Hahn. She never misses.

Cameron and Shelby grew up together, playing friends on a tween sitcom and falling in love off-screen. They were each other’s first everything, but at eighteen, Cam leaves for college and to get away from Hollywood. Shelby stays, becoming another child star cautionary tale and dating their other costar, until she hits rock bottom and finally escapes the limelight. Five years later, her sleazy ex manipulates them into filming the pilot for a home renovation show, and all the old feelings are dredged back up to the surface.

I think this second chance worked so well for me because it’s easy to understand why two teenagers would fall apart and come back together as adults, once they have their lives figured out. Both Cam, a NetGeo documentarian, and Shelby, who has found her true calling restoring antique and historic furniture and homes, have full and interesting lives on their own. Being together makes them better, but they have a good balance. No one is trying to fix or save anyone else, and it was really nice to see such a mature relationship blossoming between them.

The characters and emotions always jump off the page in an Erin Hahn novel. My frustration grew with Cam and Shelby’s as the producers tried to manipulate the “reality” of their home flip. Hahn has crafted both great friendships and complicated family relationships along with a charming lead couple. I loved watching Shelby realizes she’s more and more sure of herself and where she should be, and Cam is swoony, both sweet and hot and the kind of good person you can’t help but root for.

The book easily sets up a follow up, and I’m already counting down the days until it’s announced. I can’t wait to visit this world again.

I love a good second chance romance, and this was perfect honestly! Super swoony and adorable with just the perfect amount of drama.

Cute concept but I don't know. I think that I had such a hard time with the evil ex and how over the top that entire plot line was and it took away from my enjoyment of the story. Loved the female main character's father and how he was involved. And of course, second chance romance, yes please. I think the whole former child star part of the plot was kind of weird and didn't work for me.

This story was very slow. It took a while to get going and I lost interest a few chapters in.

Thank you to St. Martin’s Press, Erin Hahn and NetGalley for this advanced copy in exchange for an honest review. This book realizes October 18, 2022.

Shelby Springfield just wants to move on from her past and be left alone to live the life she's created. Unfortunately life has other plans. Enter Lyle, her ex, and former co-star, who wants Shelby for a new home renovation show focusing on renewing old homes. Exactly what she's become so good at. It's not terrible, at least he's also enlisted Cameron Riggs. It's an appealing idea...even if Cameron isn't really handy (yet). Lyle seems genuine about his offer but their common history is more than enough reason to have reservations. Against their better judgement, they agree to the show. What's the worst that could happen while working closely with two former flames?

Oh my GOD this book! So charming, sweet, wholesome and the perfect amount of spicy. The chemistry between Shelby and Cameron was perfect and super believable. The chemistry between all the other characters was so much fun as well! (Even Lyle) I found myself laughing and smiling a lot while reading this, which doesn't seem to happen that often considering how many rom-coms I read. I loved Erin Hahn's breezy style of story-telling; it really felt like I was in the same room, hanging out with all these characters the whole time. She really painted a picture throughout the settings and situations. I could feel Shelby's butterfly's, I could hear the music in the bar, I even really began to understand their strong lack of trust in Lyle as the story unfolded. I loved how everything fell into place with the plot, organically. It never felt like, "Well of course that had to happen," as some often do. The best thing was there were even some surprises. I don't really read rom-coms for the surprises in the plot, more so the warm fuzzy feelings that come with reading about love, but it's definitely nice when there are some. I loved this book so much - it definitely is in my top 10, if not top 5 rom-coms of all time. I cannot wait to see what stories Erin Hahn tells next.

Built to Last by Erin Hahn

Published: October 18, 2022
St. Martin’s Griffin
Pages: 330
Genre: Romantic Comedy
KKECReads Rating: 4/5
I received a copy of this book for free, and I leave my review voluntarily.

Erin started writing her books when her little sister gave her shade about a country music-themed Twilight fanfic. By day, she gets to share her favorite stories with her elementary students. By night, she writes swoons. Erin married her own YA love interest, whom she met on her first day of college, and has two kids who are much, much cooler than she ever was at their age. She lives in Michigan, aka the greenest place on earth, and has a cat, Gus, who plays fetch.

“No ghosts here; only dusty sunbeams and rejection.”

Former child stars Shelby and Cameron have a complicated relationship. Despite having feelings for each other, things never seemed to fit. When an opportunity falls in their laps to cohost a renovation show together, they take the project. They are adults now, after all. But history does have a way of repeating itself.

The plot of this story was different, and it was interesting to read. It took me a while to get into the storyline, though. I didn’t connect with the characters, and I wasn’t overly drawn to their story.

I felt the character development between Shelby and Cameron should have gone a step further. For most of the book, they both came off as emotionally stunted. I know that was part of their development, but in the story's first half, I found them both kind of shallow.

The development does take off. And luckily, the side characters are all pretty great and add some flavor to the central plot. I think the idea of this book was a complicated theme to focus on because it had to be brought to life in a 3D way.

I did enjoy the sentimentality between Cameron and Shelby, and I enjoyed witnessing their coming together. The redemption they went through was fantastic. I was so glad they got their moment.

I do wish we had more time with Daniel, Shelby’s dad. He was such a fantastic character, and I love his purity. He was the perfect catalyst for the trauma both Shelby and Cameron had.

This was a sweet story, and I enjoyed the unique plot. I loved the way things fell together. Something I really found remarkable about this story was the absolute respect Cameron had for Shelby from the beginning. I love that their relationship was a partnership from the start. They truly brought out the best in each other, and their connection was genuine.

I loved the epilogue. It was the best way to bring this story to a close and give us some finality to this journey. I also like that it almost hinted at a possible spin-off featuring Lorelai and Drake. To be continued?

This is my first read from Erin Hah, and I’m going to be stalking her backlist now! It was very well-written, extremely enjoyable, super sweet and I read the entire thing in a single sitting because I didn’t want to go on with life without knowing what happened next in the story.

It’s a tale of two child/teen stars with a history but life took them in very, very different directions as they grew up and left the spotlight… brought them back together briefly and 10 years after their tv show wrapped, together again for a home renovation reality show along with the third actor from their old series as a producer, and the third point in a terrible love triangle.

While I don’t normally like to pick up books that have anything to do with a love triangle trope, this one is a triangle from the past, and even then it wasn’t a true one. Modern day situations between the three characters are them trying to navigate through being adults and thrust into a situation none of them want to be in, but old feelings still exist.

I’m definitely recommending this book (I think it’s a bit higher than a 4-star, leaning more to 4.25) - it’s just such a sweet second chance romance, with very low angst and basically no triggers. Easy to recommend to everyone!

n advance copy from NetGalley and St. Martin's Press, St. Martin's Griffin, and this is my honest review and feedback.

A swoony second chance romance! I really loved all the characters and watching their growth throughout this book, it felt real life. My biggest problem was all the miscommunication.. although it felt real it just drove me crazy at times. I love home reno shows so this book was fun in that aspect too!

Thank you netgalley and St Martin's Publishing for my e-arc in exchange for an honest review.

Shelby, Cameron and Lyle spent much of their teens starring on a TV show that made them famous. After the series was completed, life changed for them all. Shelby and Cameron who had a secret romance parted ways when Cameron went on to college. Shelby established herself as an actress and singer and went into a relationship with Lyle. Five years later when Lyle broke up with Shelby in a very public way it was Cameron that Shelby called. He did what he needed to do and went on his way.

Fast forward another five years. Shelby is now working with her father as a furniture restorer. Cameron is working for National Geographic making documentaries. Lyle is working in television and approaches Shelby and Cameron about doing a home renovation show pilot back in their home state of Michigan. Although they do not fully trust Lyle they sign on for the pilot.

The story is much about relationships that the characters have had with their parents and others in their lives. As positive a force that Shelby’s father was in her life, her mother was a stage mother who was there to reap the benefits of having a famous daughter. Cameron’s father on the other hand couldn’t see any of the work Cameron had ever done as being worthwhile. His mother is a supportive parent.

There is plenty of steam in this second-chance romance as Shelby and Cameron discuss their prior relationship and build on it. Lyle is a narcissist and opportunist who interferes in their relationship far outside the expectations of his role with the TV station. I loved the strength of Shelby and Cameron’s relationship and the supportive friends and family around them.

I enjoyed the outside of the filming scenes between Shelby and Cameron. A weekend trip to find antiques for the home, and the night of karaoke was particularly fun to read. I found the steam factor just perfect for my tastes.

I recommend Built To Last for those readers who enjoy romance.

I received an ARC of this book from the publisher but the thoughts and opinions expressed here are my own.

4.5 stars