3.5 stars

I’ve read and loved all of this author’s YA romance. I was curious how her foray into adult contemporary romance would go, I’ve been rooting for her. While I found this story enjoyable, I had a harder time connecting with this story than I did with her previous stories.

First, I want to say that the characters are lovely and adorable. Cameron is a great big cinnamon roll of a lumberjack. Shelby is kind and thoughtful and just wants to be loved for who she is on the inside. These two suffered a lot from miscommunication. Or, rather, not communicating at all. It all makes sense since they were practically children when they fell in love. Worse, they were just out of childhood but had been treated like adults for far too many years. I love that current Shelby now speaks her mind. She may delay asking the hard questions or saying the potentially embarrassing things, but once she works it out in her head she goes for it because it’s better to know the truth than to fear the unknown. I have to give her props for that. There are a few times I felt she jumped to conclusions. She asked the question but didn’t listen to the answer, or misconstrued the answer because of her insecurities about the past. Yet always, every time, she would come back to it and realize she needed to think things through before assuming anything.

I was overwhelmed by the warmth and comfort these two brought to the page when they were together. That being said, I didn’t get inundated by butterflies or feel any infernos. There was a stable and steady presence in their relationship. There’s nothing wrong with that. As I said, it was a great comfort and that is exactly what a lot of readers are looking for. I just would have liked a tad bit more.

Being the mom of a 28-year-old, it needs to be said that whenever a movie or music reference was made by these characters it kind of took me out of the story. I felt as though the references used would not be used by people that age. Maybe I’m being nit-picky here, but it would throw me off and make me have to actively think about the ages of the characters.

All in all, this was a wonderful second chance romance. There was angst, but it had to do more with external forces and not the couple themselves. Both Shelby and Cameron had things to work through with each other and their families, but they really seemed to be level-headed and actively worked through their issues with each other. I’ll be giving this author’s next contemporary romance a shot, there’s a lot of promise there. For now, her YA romance will remain my favorite of hers though.

Being that I’m a fan of home makeover shows especially Joanna and Chip, I was excited about this book description! A book about childhood friends-to-lovers doing a home renovation TV show together. I enjoyed the banter between them. It was a slow burn read, but picked up towards the end. I found some difficulty to connect with the book at times. Overall, a cute romance read! Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Griffin for the ARC. All opinions are my own.

4.5 stars. I loved this read.

There’s just something about a second chance romance! And this one was extra sweet.

Shelby & Cameron are the cutest! Their banter! Their chemistry! Their honesty with each other! It was so refreshing to read.

Some great villains that you love to hate. And several great supporting characters in their friends and family that you just love. (I really need a Lorelei book next please and thank you.)

Thank you to netgalley and the publishers for the chance to read an advance copy.

This book was amazing. Shelby and Cameron were child stars on the same TV show. They were in love with each other from the very beginning as tweens and were each other's firsts in their later teens. Cam went off to college and then traveled the world working for Nat Geo and returned to Shelby's side after 5 years when she was spiraling out of control and contacted him. He encouraged her, in a note, to leave LA behind and then he went back to Alaska. Fast forward 5 years, and their previous costar Lyle wants them to do a home reno show. Shelby had left LA and returned to Michigan where she's been restoring furniture and working with her Dad who flips houses. I loved everything about this story. Funniest line, IMO, Cam is talking to his college friend Kevin who is a big guy and wears suspenders. Kevin says, "I'm 317 pounds of pure sex, Riggs." "I can't be contained by a mere belt." I liked all the supporting characters (not Lyle and his wife). I hope Lorelai's story gets told next.

Who loves a home-reno romance? I do, I do!
Who loves a celebrity romance? I do, I do!
Who loves a second chance romance? I do, I do!
Who loves a hot Patagonia/LL Bean model type heroine? I DO!

Child stars Cameron and Shelby were first loves starring on a hit show together. At 18 they went separate ways, him to college and her to a pop career and romance followed heavily by the tabloids. But she can still always count on Cameron to come running to her, especially when she hits rock bottom personally and professionally. Shelby takes off for a quieter life in Michigan where she picks up refinishing furniture and helping out her Dad's house flipping business, but she dreams of being on television again, this time showing her grown up, house-flipping self. And guess who she's paired with on the show? Sweet, sexy, first love, Cameron. 

This dual perspective story was such a fun tale with oodles of fantastic tropes. I found it funny, sexy, sweet and full of anecdotes about growing up and spreading your wings but holding onto your roots, reinventing yourself, but keeping that central core. There's karaoke, tabloids, TV drama, family antics, Upper Peninsula field trips, some small town vibes, and maybe some barn hanky-panky. This was my first book by this author and I'm definitely intrigued to check out some of her previous and upcoming work.

Shelby has finally made name for herself outside of her child stardom when a producer reaches out wanting to hire her for am pilot of a home Reno show. When she arrives to the meeting, she finds her ex Lyle, as well as her ex Cameron. Cameron has always been there for her even though their relationship was always kept a secret. Now Lyle is the director and Cameron is her co-star. Will they be able to make this show work?

This book was so dang cute. It was like watching your favorite tv stars meet later in life and fall in love, just as you wanted them to do while watching the show. I also love a good home Reno/flipping show, and the way Erin described Shelby’s gorgeous work made me want to get in line for one of her pieces. Either that, or hit up an estate sale and redo something myself! It was just the perfect story, and I absolutely adored hating Lyle!

Built to Last was a fantastic adult romance debut from YA author Erin Hahn! I love home renovation shows, and I also enjoy reality TV, so this book was the perfect mix for me. I liked Shelby and Cameron from the start, and I was rooting for their second chance romance throughout the book.

I love romance books, but I've been struggling with them lately because I feel like everything I'm reading is the same. I liked that things were done differently in this book, especially that there was no third act break up! Yes, there is miscommunication along the way, and Cameron did walk away from Shelby twice in the past, so she has alright to have her guard up around him, but once they put their feelings out there, I liked that they actually found a way to make things work like adults. It was so refreshing to read a book where both characters know where they did things wrong in the past and are working towards fixing it for their future.

I liked that the chapters alternated between both Shelby and Cameron's perspective, so you got not only their thoughts on each other, but got to follow their stories with their families as well. There were some great secondary characters with Shelby's dad Daniel and I loved the relationship him and Cameron formed, Shelby's best friends Lorelai and Maren, and Cameron's best friend Kevin and his wife Beth. Can I ask for a book two that follows Lorelai's story, I need to know what happens with her now! Highly recommend adding this one to your TBR if it isn't on it already!

Thank you Netgalley for the advanced reading copy! This was a cute, second chance contemporary meet-cute that probably would work for most people, but didn’t really work for me. Shelby and Cameron were childhood sweethearts, while also starring in a popular television show. They’re torn apart by Hollywood and life choices, and thrust back together to star in a reality show on home renovation (think Chip and Joanna type show). Though they’ve been apart for a long time, their chemistry is immediate. Add into the mix that an ex castmate and Shelby’s ex boyfriend is producing this television show and throwing many curve-balls their way. This book was cute and I enjoyed Shelby’s growth, but the couple did not really work for me - I just didn’t care that much when they finally worked out their reasons to not be together (which were pretty flimsy). To be clear, I think other people could really enjoy this book. I personally just don’t connect with the main themes of the book or the main characters: second chance romance and home renovation, and the characters were all somewhat famous. This is my first book from Hahn, and the writing was okay and actually made me laugh a couple of times (which is a plus for me). Though this book wasn’t my favorite, I do recommend this book for fans of second chance, contemporary romance, and home renovation reality television.

Erin Hahn writes magic. While this wasn't my favorite from her, it was still a solid rom com. I loved the premise and the set up of characters. That, honestly, was my favorite part. So unique and different than all the other romances out there.

Hahn is 100% a "read everything by her" author for me!

This is a heartwarming quick read that’s perfect for lovers of romance novels and HGTV! I like that this has former child stars and where they are now. It is an interesting storyline but not exactly original. I think the writing is good because it had nice flow, but some of the characters fell flat for me. I just wanted Lyle to be gone. I think he played too big of a role and it was hard to get into the chemistry of Cameron and Shelby. Plus it was a very VERY slow burn. A good read but not great, I won’t miss it. I voluntarily reviewed this after receiving a free copy.

Well to be honest I couldn’t even finish this book so it gets 1 star from me. I was very turned off from chapter 1 with all of the f-words. Six I believe in the first chapter alone. Other language, as well. Words like that add absolutely nothing to a book and alienate half of your audience that don’t care to read them. So yes, I wasn’t a fan of either of the main characters.

I wasn’t I totally sold on the premise of this book, but holy cow did the author pull it off! It’s second chance love, and it’s so swoony and romantic and mature and all of the wonderful things. A fantastic adult rom-com debut from the author, and I hope we get to revisit some more characters from northern Michigan in the future!

I received a copy of this book from the publisher through NetGalley.

This was simple, sweet rom com with lovable characters and a fun home renovation reality show theme. Both main characters are sweet and I liked that the majority of the conflict wasn't based on misunderstandings or miscommunication. I'd recommend this to any contemporary romance reader.

I’ve been in Austin this weekend for a nice, warm getaway before the chilly Northeast weather breaks through, and I am so happy that while I was here I decided to read Built to Last, the adult romance debut by Erin Hahn that publishes next month.
Maybe it’s due to being in the land of live music, but I’ve had two songs continuously running through my mind while reading - or maybe it’s because each chapter of the book shares its title with a song! I keep hearing The Chicks' Without You because of the LONGING between the main characters (told in dual POV) who were teenage sweethearts and after many years apart are finally working together. And, since the plot centers around home renovation and furniture restoration, I also heard Maren Morris' The Bones, the title of the final chapter that was in my head far before I got to it.
If you haven’t had the pleasure of reading Erin’s previous YA novels, let me tell you, you are in for a treat to discover them along with this adult romance. Her writing efforts bring out the best, and she doesn't shy away from a challenge, such as writing country lyrics for You’d Be Mine and exposing toxic purity culture in Never Saw You Coming. I was so excited to be offered a widget to read Built to Last from St Martin's Griffin and St Martin's Press via NetGalley and it more than lived up to my expectations. I can’t wait for others to check it out October 18th - if you’re a fan of HGTV I am willing to bet you’ll enjoy this second chance romance with former child star actors filming a pilot house flipping show in Michigan. I was reminded of my summers working at an overnight Girl Scout camp in Michigan. Thank you, Erin - and I can’t wait to read Lorelai’s story!!

⭐️: 4/5

Shelby, Cameron, and Lyle grew up together as the stars of a wildly popular kids show, until Cameron left the show to go to college and try to lead a normal life. Afterwards, Shelby, who was left heartbroken by Cameron’s departure, begins a tumultuous relationship with Lyle, until a public and embarrassing breakup prompts her to leave the public eye as well and return home to flip houses with her dad. Years later, a still jealous Lyle brings Cameron and Shelby back together as the prospective stars of a new house flipping show, HomeMade. Shelby wants the world to see that she’s grown up from the messy party girl she used to be, Cameron wants to find a place that he feels comfortable enough to settle down in and call home, and Lyle can’t help but cause issue after issue due to his jealousy.

I’m in the minority here, but there’s something about animated cover art that I really don’t like. I truly do try not to judge books by their covers (or titles) but sometimes I can’t help it. That being said, I found this little second chance romance story to be really cute and heartwarming, if a little tedious at times. All three characters had such intensive backstories that it was kind of hard to keep straight at first, and with all the explaining and reiterating of past events that have shaped the present narrative, it felt like honestly not much happened in the book plot wise. I was really expecting something bigger to happen towards the end, in the vein of the 11th hour breakup that predictably occurs in rom-com books. However, nothing of the sort happened, and the whole book was just kind of caught in one long, drawn out miscommunication trope storyline. I enjoyed the story and reading experience a lot more than what I just said may imply, but reflecting back on the book as a whole, it was really just…lacking something. I think it really does suffer from having too much of a backstory to explain, and the lack of a satisfactory explanation on WHY the main characters were acting the way they were acting. As a result, we as the readers don’t get the feeling of closure that comes from following along with the main characters overcoming some obstacle. It was just a sweet love story with no real teeth.

Thank you to @netgalley and @stmartinspress for this eARC in exchange for an honest review.

I'm going to call this one 3.5 stars.
I loved the premise of this book, a second chance romance between child stars who are reunited to film a new Chip-and-Joanna-style home makeover show. It had a lot of promise, and I thought the main characters, Shelby and Cameron, were wonderful, especially together, but some aspects of the premise fell a little flat to me.
Shelby's time as a child television star was dominated by an abusive mother and a manipulative co-star/boyfriend, and for some reason it's this same ex-boyfriend who uses his role as a producer to manipulate Shelby into filming a home renovation show that she's originally not that keen on, and he's constantly throwing roadblocks in her way, from pressuring Cameron to serve as her co-host to bringing her manipulative mother on set unannounced and generally trying to create drama on what is otherwise shaping up to be a thoughtful, carefully considered renovation show. Erin Hahn never presented the story as a love triangle, which I appreciated, but the ex-boyfriend loomed too large for my taste.
Both MCs had a lot of family drama to work through as a result of their time as child stars, not to mention the work that needed to be done on their own relationship, and it was these relationships that drove the plot. I especially liked seeing the life that Shelby built for herself post-child stardom: her friends were great, her furniture-making was great, her business with her dad was great. She was presented as competent and thriving, and although ultimately she's happy to make a new go of it on television, it seemed like she didn't need it, especially once her dad was pretty much cut out of the show.
Of course, the new show serves as a convenient plot point to bring Cameron back into her life, and the lives of his family members. He's been a National Geographic-type filmographer since their childhood show ended, and again, the show seemed more like a plot point than a logical career progression for Cameron too.
Nonetheless, the MCs had great chemistry. I loved the scenes on the weekend flea marketing trip, I loved how impressed Cameron was by Shelby's competence, and I really appreciated that the third-act conflict was pretty much entirely external, rather than internal.
On that note, the ex-boyfriend really didn't get enough comeuppance for my taste. But overall, it was a very enjoyable read, and provided a tantalising set-up for Shelby's friends to get romances of their own.

CW:
-emotional and financial manipulation of a child by a parent (in the past)
-alcoholism (in the early flashback)
-emotional and situational manipulation by an ex who is producing the show the MCs are working on

i feel so beyond grateful to have read yet another advanced copy of an erin hahn novel <3

erin hahn has become one of those “auto-buy” authors for, she never disappoints !!

friends to lovers is such a good trope the ANGST

OKAY FIRST OF ALL, i love how most of her books have some kind of music element, it makes the whole experience so much more fun

i adored this book and it’s characters so so so so much. i adored the friendships the most.

when previous characters were mentioned >>

i am so beyond excited for lorelei’s book!!

I'm a romcom lover so when one comes my way I always give it a chance. I believe this author usually writes YA so I wasn't sure when I heard she was going to have an adult book btu i'm soo glad i took a chance! I really really enjoyed this story and it was such a nice palette cleanser when I needed one. I loved the characters and I loved that I was engrossed in this story. 10/1o would recommend!

Gone are the days of the damsel in distress romance stories!! I love these modern love stories with strong women, and Built To Last didn't disappoint. Based on the book synopsis alone, I thought this book might be iffy, especially considering it involves celebrities and reality TV. BUT, I was pleasantly surprised! It has just the right amount of down to earth charm, thanks in large part to being set in Michigan flipping houses. I thoroughly enjoyed the main characters and how they navigated what came at them in an authentic way. Again, pleasantly surprised and I would absolutely recommend this book!

I loved the premise of featuring a home improvement show as the underlying setting for this story about rekindled love and second chances. After 10 years since the end of their run as child stars on a TV sitcom, Shelby and Cameron are reunited with another former child actor, Lyle (and ex-boyfriend of Shelby) to make a reality show on flipping houses featured in Michigan. As child actors, Shelby and Cameron had the sparks fly between them but it was Shelby and Kyle who became boyfriend and girlfriend until he cheated on her. Five years in, heartbroken and messed up, she reached out to Cameron who encouraged her to flee, to get out of LA, where she then fled to Michigan to be with her dad. Now 5 years later, she is a well-adjusted adult with a career in refurbishing furniture and flipping houses with her dad. Cameron is flying around the world filming documentaries. Kyle puts them together to make the reality show but with ulterior motives of his own, that is to undermine their success and get his revenge. But Shelby and Cameron succeed in spite of Kyle, and finally find love with each other as adults. There are lots of hot sizzling scenes with perhaps too many details that can easily be skipped. But the underlying passion between the two, their genuine support of each other as they deal with demons from their past and as they come to embrace who they are, makes this a heart-warming read. You can’t but help to root for the success of their endeavor but more so for Cameron and Shelby to make it as a couple. they are so lucky to have friends who are undyingly loyal and have grit. I would have liked to see the demise of Kyle though who is quite the sleazebag. I also liked Shelby’s dad, who is a wise soul.
Many thanks to #netgalley #builttolast #erinhahan #st.martinspress for the opportunity to read and review this book.