Built to Last is Erin Hahn's first dabble into the Adult Romance genre, but it was also the first book I had read by her. The description of the book had pulled me in instantly and I can say with certainty, that this will not be the last book of hers that I will pick up.
Picture a show on HGTV with former Hollywood stars, sprinkle in some steamy scenes and lots of cute banter and great supporting actors, and you get Built to Last.
Cameron, Shelby and Lyle grew up together while working on a TV show, and there was always something between Cam and Shelby, but no one actually knew what was going on.
Now, many many years later, everyone (except Lyle) had time to mature and grow. Long days and nights working together on a home renovation show may just be what is needed to rekindle the romance from the past.

I loved this book and thought the characters were well thought out. No unnecessary drama to drive the story along and the steamy scenes... Ay caramba! ;)

Loved it! I really enjoyed the two MCs and their story. I loved the characters (minus Lyle, that jerk), the small town setting, the second chance romance and the hgtv style reality show. It was so fun and sweet and I definitely need more by this author. When will book 2 be coming?!? Haha!

The first chapter did not hit the vibe check.

This is me catching up on my arcs during the hurricane.

Thank you netgalley for the e-arc of this book.

This was a sweet second chance romance, on the set of a home renovation TV show. It was a slow start until everything happened all at once. I do wish it was better paced. I never fully believed the chemistry between the main characters either, wish we had more backstory and details about them when they were younger.

Thanks to NetGalley and publisher for an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.

This was my first book by Erin Hahn and I couldn't love it more. Reading this book feels like listening to a Taylor Swift song, and not just because there are Taylor Swift songs in thh chapter header playlist.
The only qualm I had with this book was the first couple chapters. Cameron's first chapter felt like an epilogue, and Shelby's first chapter was a bit of an info dump. But everything else in this book far surpasses those starting points, and once I really got reading, I was so obsessed that I couldn't stop thinking about this book for weeks.
Shelby and Cameron are the quintessential second chance romance. This book is also delightfully sex-positive and feminist. I cannot wait until this book is released so that I can make all my friends read the book I can't stop talking about.

Shelby and Cam’s story was so sweet with a sprinkle of spice. I love that their love for each other started off innocent as children and that they were finally able to reconnect as adults. The premise of them shooting a home renovation show was cute - I enjoyed hearing about how they were transforming the house. I had two favorite parts 1. the pining for each other. That made for a nice buildup. And 2. No third act breakup! Yes, there was conflict but I didn’t have to sit through 3-4 chapters of them breaking up/getting back together.

The timeline of this story is told through the projects on the house and I always assume everything just takes two days so it was harder for me to follow along BUT that was alright with me.

My only complaint is that when I reached the end, I wanted more! I could’ve easily read another 3-5 chapter of Shelby and Cam 🥰🥰🥰

“𝑪𝒉𝒊𝒍𝒅 𝒔𝒕𝒂𝒓𝒔 𝒉𝒂𝒗𝒆 𝒕𝒉𝒊𝒔 𝒘𝒆𝒊𝒓𝒅 𝒒𝒖𝒊𝒓𝒌 𝒘𝒉𝒆𝒓𝒆 𝒕𝒉𝒆𝒚'𝒓𝒆 𝒏𝒆𝒗𝒆𝒓 𝒓𝒆𝒂𝒍𝒍𝒚 𝒌𝒊𝒅𝒔 𝒕𝒐 𝒃𝒆𝒈𝒊𝒏 𝒘𝒊𝒕𝒉, 𝒃𝒖𝒕 𝒕𝒉𝒆𝒚 𝒏𝒆𝒗𝒆𝒓 𝒈𝒓𝒐𝒘 𝒖𝒑 𝒆𝒊𝒕𝒉𝒆𝒓.”

Shelby has spent the last 10 years trying to escape her past. She was a former child tv star who had a well documented meltdown because of a messy breakup with her ex and costar Lyle. It's hard for her to forget her first sweetheart and other co-star Cameron. Lyle, still bitter from 10 years ago, stirs the pot by inviting them both to be in a new renovation show called Homemade. This second chance romance is one you won't want to miss.

Such a cute story about childhood sweethearts that get a second chance at love. I really loved these characters and their chemistry. I loved the tv renovation show storyline and wished we could have seen more of it in the story. Lyle's character is the perfect "villain" in the story too. Overall a pretty solid read but not my favorite.

Shelby Springfield and Cameron Riggs are called to star in their own home renovation TV shows after spending years away from the spotlight. Not only is this their first time back in the spotlight, but this is also their first time seeing each other after breaking up.

I loved this second chance, childhood friends to lovers story that we had going on. This was cute and lighthearted, and I enjoyed it quite a lot despite not being a massive fan of second-chance romances. I think that the characters communicated well and were well-rounded, but I just wished they did more regarding Lyle Jessup. Either way, I loved Shelby and Cam together and I loved that there was no 3rd act breakup!!!!

Overall, this was a quick and fun read. Would definitely recommend it.

Thank you NetGalley and St. Martins Press for the ARC.

Built to Last is a fun contemporary romance about two child actors who reconnect after a decade to work on a home renovation show together. Cameron and Shelby are both likable and well-developed characters, and they have a chemistry-laden second chance romance.

I liked this romance, but I did find it a little hard to get into. Shelby isn’t the most likable character at the start of the book, and I hated how she used Cam. And the way Cam left her wasn’t a good look either. Fast forward several years, and Shelby is trying to prove she’s not the party girl that she used to be. She goes through a lot of growth throughout the story and becomes more likable, and it’s easy to see why she struggles so much. Dysfunctional family relationships and being in the spotlight from a young age definitely affects her emotional growth and well-being. The second half of the story picked up a bit, especially when it came to the romance and steam.

Shelby and Cam are in love with each other from the start, and I was a little frustrated that it took so long for them to work their issues out. If only they talked about their feelings, they could have prevented a lot of their problems much sooner than they did. Insecurities and lack of communication prove big hurdles for this couple, as do a few other characters.

I liked how the story focused on the home renovation show, and I think it will appeal to readers who enjoy HGTV. Also, some of the secondary characters are great, and I have a feeling several will be the focus of future books. Finally, the story delves into the struggles of child actors and toxic relationships and how both define, influence, and change people. Though these are heavy topics, the story as a whole is pretty light.

Thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for providing me with a copy of the book. All thoughts are my own.

I loved this book. It was a breath of fresh air filled with the perfect amount of slow burn, charm, and laughs. MC's Shelby and Cameron play off of each other perfectly. The tension between these two was played well without there being loads of "hate/love".

*ARC courtesy of the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts and opinions are my own. I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. I want to thank you to the valued author, the publisher who took a chance on the author, and Netgalley for providing a copy.*

3.5 stars, rounded up because I think Erin Hahn crafted some really great characters!

This second chance romance features child stars who come back together to film a home renovation show. Perfect for fans of HGTV and complete with a lot of Michigan love, I felt like I was on location with them!

It is clear that these two were in love from the very beginning, which is adorable and makes for a super sweet story, but I found it lacked a bit of tension for me as the reader. A lot of that was delivered through other folks/scenarios, and it just left me wanting more.

I did really love the characters and would be interested to see where Erin Hahn goes next with her adult romances!

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin's Griffin for the advanced copy and the opportunity to share my honest review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

This is the first of Hahn's books that I've read and I really enjoyed her writing style! The characters were all lovely, except for Lyle, Marcella & Ada Mae but they were supposed to be terrible.

Built to Last is a fun rom-com that features two star crossed child stars that come together to renovate a house for a TV pilot produced by their former co-star. You will laugh but also get annoyed by the producer. Small town in Michigan makes this the perfect setting.

Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC.

I've come to realize this book is not what I'm interested in at the moment, and this is not a negative reflection on the book or author. I'm unable to read this at this time.

DNF at 15%

I just honestly didn’t care. I didn’t care about the story or the relationship between our two main characters. It took a little too long for it to get started and I felt like it didn’t capture me within the time it should have.

Erin Hahn is an author I’m already familiar with and I love her wet romances, but this one is my new favorite. It’s fun, it’s sweet, and super sexy! If life is feeling a bit dark and overwhelming, take a break and curl up in a comfy chair on the porch with your favorite beverage and dive into Built to Last. Thing will bring back some light and joy into your life and I promise you wont regret it.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing a copy in exchange for an honest review.

Built to Last is a fun contemporary romance from Erin Hahn. Shelby Springfield and Cameron Riggs met on the set of a TV show. Behind the camera, their attraction grew. But as the side kick to Lyle Jessup, Cameron Riggs was never meant to get the girl. When he leaves the show, it pushes Shelby into Lyle's arms. Now, years later, Shelby burned out of Hollywood hard and returned to her Midwest family home while Cameron wanders the world as a photographer.

Lyle brings everyone back together with a new project - Homemade - a home improvement show. It allows Shelby to display her new passion of house-flipping, but puts her back into Cameron's orbit when he's cast as her new co-host. As their original attraction pulls them together, Lyle's scheming threatens to not only pull them apart, but ruin Shelby's new life.

This is my first book by Erin Hahn and I really enjoyed it. It reminded me a bit of a midwestern How to Fake It In Hollywood. Full of Hollywood drama, the comforting vibes of a good home improvement show, and sizzling chemistry, it's a great adult debut from Erin Hahn.

I enjoyed most of this book. There were parts I couldn't connect with but overall it held my attention and entertained in the way that helps you step out of reality for a few hours.

I loved this story! Two childhood friends who loved each other pretty much from the moment they met. Life got in the way, parental expectations and meddling, plus all the complications that come with fame drove them apart. Until they were put to work together again in their late 20’s and forced to revisit their feelings and what went wrong with their relationship.

The MCs both were very lovable characters. Shelby was so down to earth, strong in her convictions, wanting what (almost) all of us wish, for someone to make the effort to show them they love you. And Cam is such an honest, decent, and passionate man. I was beyond happy that their relationship (after their reconnection) was mature, they talked openly, and didn’t shy away from obstacles, instead they supported each other. The chemistry between Shelby and Cameron?! It was palpable and genuine.

Now, Lyle was so irritating. I know that’s the purpose of his character, so kudos to Erin Hahn because she really made me despise him. All the drama in the story came from him and not from the usual romcom plot, miscommunication and such.

This is a second-chance romance is a feel good, comfort story, perfect for when you’re craving to curl up with a warm blanket and read a book while sipping on a glass of wine of warm tea.

Thank you NetGalley for the ACR in exchange for an honest review.

Summary
Shelby, Lyle and Cameron were child actors on a popular show as kids. After the show ended, Cameron took off for college on the other side of the country, while Shelby and Lyle stayed in the Hollywood circles, making careers in pop music. Fast forward 10 years later, Shelby left Hollywood 5 years before and moved home to Michigan and started flipping houses and refurnishing old furniture. She wants the world to know she's not the party girl she once was. When Lyle gets involved on the production side of a house flipping show Shelby was being considered for, he brings in Cameron because of the crazy chemistry the two shared back in the day. Cameron has always had a soft spot for Shelby and to Shelby, he's the one that got away. How will it go making the pilot of this show' with Lyle getting involved and messing things up.

Review
Ugh, I adored this book! I love me some HGTV house flipping and mix in my favorite genre, romance, and I'm hooked. Lyle was right, the chemistry between Cameron and Shelby jumps off the page. Cameron is lost and trying to figure out his next steps in life. As a documentarian with National Geographic, he doesn't have a home base, friends or know what he wants for his future. Shelby found her dream when she left Hollywood, but besides her work, her dad and her friends, she's lonely. And when she and Cameron are together, they just click. It was sweet, it was heartwarming, it was spicy. I love the redemption story. I love that the main characters communicate in a healthy way when they talk. I love the female friendships with Shelby and her friends and wish there was more of that and more of the father-daughter relationship. I think that Cameron's relationship with his brother and father and Shelby's relationship with her mother could have been fleshed out more, but overall, I adored everything about this book and will read anything Erin Hahn writes!