Built To Last by Erin Hahn is a sweet second chance/childhood sweetheart love story about estranged childhood co-stars who reunite to work on a new project.

Written in dual POV, this story is a romance intertwined with a home improvement reality show 🏠🪴.

A sweet and enjoyable read.

🔨 🅁🄴🅅🄸🄴🅆 🔨

𝗕𝘂𝗶𝗹𝘁 𝘁𝗼 𝗟𝗮𝘀𝘁
𝗕𝘆 𝗘𝗿𝗶𝗻 𝗛𝗮𝗵𝗻
𝟯𝟯𝟲 𝗽𝗮𝗴𝗲𝘀
𝗣𝘂𝗯: 𝗢𝗰𝘁 𝟭𝟴, 𝟮𝟬𝟮𝟮

🎧 𝗔𝘂𝗱𝗶𝗼𝗯𝗼𝗼𝗸:
𝟴 𝗵𝗼𝘂𝗿𝘀 𝟯𝟱 𝗺𝗶𝗻𝘀
𝗡𝗮𝗿𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗲𝗱 𝗯𝘆 𝗟𝗶𝘀𝗮 𝗭𝗶𝗺𝗺𝗲𝗿𝗺𝗮𝗻 & 𝗞𝗮𝗹𝗲 𝗪𝗶𝗹𝗹𝗶𝗮𝗺𝘀

𝑻𝒘𝒐 𝒄𝒉𝒊𝒍𝒅𝒉𝒐𝒐𝒅 𝒔𝒘𝒆𝒆𝒕𝒉𝒆𝒂𝒓𝒕𝒔 𝒇𝒊𝒏𝒅 𝒂 𝒔𝒆𝒄𝒐𝒏𝒅 𝒄𝒉𝒂𝒏𝒄𝒆 𝒂𝒕 𝒍𝒐𝒗𝒆 𝒊𝒏 𝒕𝒉𝒊𝒔 𝒂𝒅𝒖𝒍𝒕 𝒓𝒐𝒎𝒂𝒏𝒄𝒆 𝒅𝒆𝒃𝒖𝒕 𝒇𝒓𝒐𝒎 𝒂 𝒄𝒓𝒊𝒕𝒊𝒄𝒂𝒍𝒍𝒚 𝒂𝒄𝒄𝒍𝒂𝒊𝒎𝒆𝒅 𝒚𝒐𝒖𝒏𝒈 𝒂𝒅𝒖𝒍𝒕 𝒂𝒖𝒕𝒉𝒐𝒓.

⭐⭐⭐⭐ • 4/5 stars

•𝗖𝗵𝗶𝗹𝗱𝗵𝗼𝗼𝗱 𝘀𝘄𝗲𝗲𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗮𝗿𝘁𝘀
•𝗦𝗲𝗰𝗼𝗻𝗱-𝗖𝗵𝗮𝗻𝗰𝗲 𝗥𝗼𝗺𝗮𝗻𝗰𝗲
•𝗖𝗲𝗹𝗲𝗯𝗿𝗶𝘁𝘆 𝗥𝗼𝗺𝗮𝗻𝗰𝗲
•𝗛𝗚𝗧𝗩 / 𝗿𝗲𝗮𝗹𝗶𝘁𝘆 𝗧𝗩 𝘃𝗶𝗯𝗲𝘀

Shelby and Cameron were childhood actors, co-staring on a popular family TV show when they were young. After a Hollywood scandal rocks their young worlds, both stars have moved on with their lives -- separately. Cam works for Nat Geo, filming documentaries around the world. Shelby does house flips with her dad, Daniel. Both have aimed to stay out of the celebrity spotlight.

But when an opportunity to film a pilot for a reality TV home reno show (think HGTV-style) presents itself, Cameron and Shelby are back in the spotlight, together. They're forced to confront their messy past, as well as the feelings they've carried for one another all this time. 💕

This was such a great read!! For starters, the MC and I share a name, which is always fun! 😉 Both MCs are really likeable characters, and I couldn't help but root for them. The chemistry is palpable, and their dialogue was really natural and well written. The drama that unfolds really helped keep me invested. There was the perfect amount of spice here (for me).

I did a combination of audiobook and ebook, enjoying each format equally. The narrators both did a fantastic job! 👏 I love the added layer that's provided by a well-narrated audiobook. Well done!!!!

Overall, this was a very enjoyable, contemporary romance and I definitely recommend!!

Thank you so much to @netgalley
@stmartinspress and @orangeskyaudio for my gifted ARC and ALC in exchange for my honest review. 💕
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This is like the best mis of HGTV and romance ever! Cameron and Shelby were childhood sweethearts on the set of their Disney-esque television show. Now the’ve been thrown together after being estranged for years, but never far from each other’s heart. Who wouldn’t jump at the chance to revamp a house with your first love, while the vindictive ex pulls all the strings?!

So much to love about this one! Shelby overcomes a lot to start over with her step dad rehabbing old furniture. She decision to leave Hollywood, at the urging of Cameron, changed her life for the better. Shelby’s simple life in Michigan gets a lot more complicated as they develop their reality show “Hometown.”

Cameron is the globe-trotting NatGeo photographer who is still in love Shelby. He has made his share of mistakes with her over the years and I love how he works hard to atone for those in a way that matters to Shelby. He has a lot to learn about being a general contractor and he gives it his all.

This is such a heart warming story with a nice bit of steam and easily identified villains to hate. You also get the happiest of happy endings. You cannot help but hope that Shelby’s bestie Lorelei gets her own story!

I requested an early reader copy of this book and these are my honest opinions.

This novel is my first from the author and it did not disappoint. I enjoyed getting to know the characters and how they interacted with each other. This romcom definitely will hold your interest and keep you reading.

I received a copy of this from the publisher in exchange for fair and honest review.

Thanks to St. Martin's Griffin for the copy of this book.

I've been very into both the celebrity romance and childhood friends-to-lovers trope this year, and was very excited to see both were in Built to Last, along with home renovation. A combination of so many amazing things, with songs at the start of each chapter creating a perfect playlist to listen to while reading. This was a cute and predictable read and ended up in the middle of the road for me, as it was fine but not something that will stick with me long-term.

Childhood co-stars get a second chance at romance in this smart, fun, contemporary romance. Shelby Springfield and Cameron Riggs were co-stars on a popular tv show. The knew each other from 11 till he leaves for college. He was the sidekick in an on screen friendship trio. The two were briefly together before he leaves for school and to start a career making documentaries. She became the childhood star who didn’t transition well to adult actor.

Fast forward years later and she lives in Michigan working as a house flipper with her dad. She’s living sober, has good friends and loves her work. She pitches a reality tv makeover shop to a network. They’re interested but only if Cameron will come back and be her co-star. They haven’t seen each other in years but the underlying friendship is there. This is sweet with honest communication and good self awareness of past mistakes. It is in mid range for steaminess, starting hot and then going behind closed doors. It is refreshing to have a story where feelings are acknowledged mid way through the book and there isn’t a mandatory break-up at the 80 percent point.

I think the only thing I didn’t like was Lyle as their boss. Of course you’re not meant to like him. It didn’t make sense for him to intentionally sabotage the show that is giving him work. I could understand if he caused issues not wanting to have a successful return to her Hollywood career or he wanted to be part of the show instead of Cameron. But I couldn’t see how it benefits him to make Shelby look bad.

All in all I liked the story, the main characters, best friends, and a refreshing take on successful trope. I’m looking forward to the next in the series. Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for an eARC in exchange for an honest review.

Former co-stars and teenage lovers, Shelby & Cameron are roped into doing a renovation show by Lyle, who happens to be their co-star during their teenage days and also Shelby's ex.
There's something in it for everyone. Cameron wants to come home and set down some roots. Shelby wants to prove to the world she's not the messy party girl anymore. And Lyle wants to twist the screws on his two childhood friends who had more chemistry than he could dream of with anyone.

If you enjoy second-chance romances then this is just the one for you. Second chance mixed with home reno made it an entertaining read.
I liked seeing Shelby & Cameron's past flashbacks, how they became friends to lovers, sneaking around the set, dealing with audiences, etc.

The thing I loved the most was how mature the MCs were. They learned from their past mistakes & miscommunication & didn't assume things in the present with each other. This factor definitely made the 3rd act conflict WAY better.

Thank you Netgalley and publisher for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

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.