In BUILT TO LAST, the title could mean the premise of rehabbing old houses, or rehabbing old relationships.

Or both.

Onetime childhood/teen actors Shelby Springfield, Cameron Riggs and Lyle Jessup were a trio in every sense of the word, with Shelby caught between the two boys on the set. One she falls in love with…one she falls into a toxic relationship with.

Fast forward twelve years and a lifetime of mistakes later and the once popular now disgraced teen idol Shelby is being given the chance at a reality tv comeback in the form of a house rehab show – something she now does with her father. The catches? One, the show is being produced by her notoriously ass-whole-y ex, Lyle and two, Cameron is asked to be the costar.

A lifetime of relationships and mistakes and growing up makes this story a darling one.

I truly hated Lyle. I don’t know who couldn’t after reading him- and I’ll admit, his douchiness was a little over the top to suspend my disbelief. But that’s just me and in no way takes away from the story.

This is a charming romance about second chances in life, in relationships, and in love.
Thanks to Netgalley and St Martins Press for a sneak peek. A solid 4 stars from me for this delightful read.

Thank you so much for allowing me to read and review your titles. I really not the opportunity!

I do appreciate it and continue to review books that I get the chance to read.
Thanks again!

Second chance childhood sweetheart stories are my greatest weakness, so I was beyond eager to pick this up.

The chemistry between Shelby and Cam is really well done. Every interaction they have is believable and feels genuine. I really enjoyed their banter and appreciated how their relationship developed. I was more than rooting for them and their home renovation show to work out.

So while this more than delivers with the second chance trope, I'm so bummed out that the childhood sweethearts aspect took a back seat. I would have loved to have more flashback scenes. Other than quick references, I think there's maybe like one and a half actual flashback scenes total throughout the entire book. And, because of this, it creates a lot of miss opportunities for character development, growth, and connection.

But even though this may not have lived up to all of my expectations or wants, this is still a decently sweet story with a lot of heart. Perfect for readers who are obsessed with home renovations shows!

This book was a cute friends-to-lovers story between two child actors who grew up in the public eye, and were forced to deal with the good and the bad that came with their profession. Well, until they didn't.

As a friends to lovers enthusiast, I really enjoyed this book, but that doesn't necessarily mean that I liked it. I didn't really fall in love with the characters on their own because I didn't understand why they were drawn to each other aside from the physical attraction. I couldn't find any depth in their relationship, but they we're kind of cute so that's that.

I can’t quite remember how I stumbled upon Erin Hahn but ever since randomly picking up "More Than Maybe", I’ve loyally and happily devoured the entirety of that semi-interconnected universe. So when I saw she was coming out with a new book, I automatically added it to my TBR and was thrilled when I received an early copy from NetGalley. I’ll admit, I was a little skeptical at first because the synopsis indicated it didn’t feature characters from any of her previous books, as a small part of me would have loved to read more about their lives. That being said, my least favorite part about More Than Maybe was how young they were so I was excited to see how Erin Hahn tackled adult relationships that I could hopefully relate to a bit more.

Cam and Shelby, the duo at the center of “Built to Last,” are a lot of things, though I’m not sure relatable would be the first word that comes to mind, given that they were former child stars on the same show. To be honest, their dynamic was frustrating to me, at first. In some of the initial scenes, I found myself wanting to yell at them “just talk to each other.” But as the story built, the other elements of the story won me over such that by the end I was fully on team #Spriggs. It’s a romance novel, after all, so I’m certainly in support of the romance. And yes of course I’d swoon if someone loved, supported and protected me the way these two ultimately did for each other. Just, in this case, I felt like what makes this book special were the way all the pieces fit together — not just the first lovers second chance/friends to lovers energy going on between Cam and Shelby but the way their friends and family interacted with it and how they handled the consistent undercurrent of chaos that was Shelby's ex, Luke Jessup. While it was clear from the beginning that his role was to create conflict, both for the show at the heart of the book and the book’s plot itself, I respected how Erin Hahn didn’t let that drag the storyline down. It was addressed and it was a definite factor driving some of the plot but it didn’t unnecessarily complicate things with manufactured drama or a miscommunication that, in my opinion, occurs too often in both romance novels and romantic comedies. The whole thing felt relatively normal (if you adjust for the fact that the primary characters were teen stars and the backdrop was Hollywood/reality tv) — from the breakfast debriefs with Shelby’s girl squad to the way the ex tried to be petty and was shut down by both the girl and her best friend (again, discounting the fact that he did this by leaking a biased story to the tabloids and the girl countered with a music video montage of her new relationship).

I was potentially predisposed to like this given that I have been a secret home renovation show fan girl since I was little (from TLC to HGTV’s Home Town), and I might be ignoring some issues as a result, but I enjoyed "Built to Last" nonetheless. I will be keeping an eye out for what I hope are at least two spin offs featuring the lovely side characters in this book (I’d put money on a Lorelai book next but wouldn’t say no to a prequel featuring Kevin and Beth or even a book set a few years in the future hashing out Lyle’s relationships). In the meantime, I’m going to go reread Erin Hahn’s YA series, starting with More Than Maybe.

Read if you liked The Honey Don't List, Fix Her Up and/or 99 Percent Mine.

T he premise was different than anything else I’ve read lately. a second chance at love for two former child stars, Shelby and Cameron. while they renovate a home for a tv show. I enjoyed most of the characters. Especially Shelby’s dad. He was so encouraging to Shelby and Cameron.
It was light and cute and sweet. I liked reading it!

It's been a few years since I've read an Erin Hahn novel and I'm so glad I picked up Built to Last. I zoomed through this novel on the nights when my jetlag kept me awake and it was the perfect companion on those sleepless nights.



I hooked on the story of Cameron and Shelby from the first few pages and as I got to know them and their history, I couldn't help but root for them. They were both so clearly smitten with each other and their on the page chemistry and friendship was fun to read. I really appreciated how together Shelby was and what a mess Cameron seemed to be--a nice reversal of what I think some readers expect in their characters. I loved how they worked together to foil their nemesis-a nice touch. Additionally, I found myself laughing out loud at some of the scenes between Cameron and Shelby and having not read an Erin Hahn novel in quite a while, I didn't know to expect that.



Overall, a sweet romance with some laughter = a perfect way to get through my haze of jetlag.

*I received a free ARC of this book from NetGallley in exchange for an honest review*

Former child star Shelby Springfield has been out of the public eye for years, finding happiness in her father's home renovation business and her own furniture refinishing. But everything changes when her former co-star (and ex-boyfriend) drags her into a house flipping show. To make matters worse, their other co-star, Cameron Riggs is brought on as co-host. There's more to Shelby and Cameron's relationship than anyone knows, and it's only a matter of time before the secret comes out on set...

I really enjoyed this book, it was full of heartfelt emotions and had an emotional depth that I really love as a reader. It explored more than just the relationship between Shelby and Cameron (and by extension between Shelby, Cameron, and Lyle). The commentary of the way we fetishize child actors, particularly young girls, was striking and very on-the-nose. Every time the characters looked back on the happy parts of their childhood, as the reader I could feel that same tug of nostalgia, and when they thought back on the less happy parts I could feel that sadness too. The author has done a spectacular job of making this book emotional.

I loved seeing Shelby grow up and stand up for herself throughout the novel, and I felt the appropriate level of hatred for Lyle too. The parental relationships in Shelby's life were also so well done, her mother is the absolute WORST and I liked that even though she had a great relationship with her dad (now) she held him accountable for his mistakes while she was growing up in Hollywood.

This book still had that bubblegum tween show feel to it, despite being really steamy and I thought that worked really well. It was a great choice on the author's part, and she executed it perfectly. I find as a reader my ratings hinge on the epilogues, and thankfully this book had a great one.

This book releases on October 18th, and I would definitely recommend it to my romance fans out there!

Thank you Netgalley and St. Martin’s Griffin for an e-arc of Built to Last by Erin Hahn.

I was instantly drawn to this book because it has my favourite type of cover for romcoms. I don’t know what it is about these covers but I am like a bee to flowers or a moth to a lamp.

There is also another aspect to this book I didn’t realize I love to read about. Books about reality tv shows. I have read a few books this year (and last year) about tv chefs and news anchors. I didn’t think this would be a trope that I enjoy, but here we are. I am apparently a fan!

In this book we follow two child actors that have left Hollywood in pursuit of happiness. We are first introduced to the characters in the midst of Shelby’s hardships. After being publicly broken up with and humiliated, she calls her old cast member, Cam, to come to her aid. It had been a few years since they had left the show they had stared on together and he was currently in Alaska working on a documentary for National Geographic. Still he received her plea for help and he caught the first flight he could. Shortly after arriving to her aid, Cam writes Shelby a letter and leaves for Alaska again. The story jumps years into the future. That’s where our two main leads find each other again and and try for their second chance.

Shelby Springfield is now happy, she works with her father flipping houses. She loves to restore old pieces and make them look new again. She has an idea to pitch what they do for a reality show.
Unfortunately the producer the channel has leading it, is her ex boyfriend Lyle. He was a terrible person in the past and Shelby doesn’t think he’s changed. Fortunately he chose Cam to be her co-star for the series.
Can Shelby and Cam work through their past for a second chance or will meddling Lyle ruin it?

I enjoyed this book. I found myself getting so angry at Lyle and I would have to remind myself that it was just a book, he was just a character in the book and I was reading it for fun. I was fully emersed in this world and all I wanted was for Shelby and Cam to be happy, finally admit their feelings and for the show to succeed.

Occasionally I found Cam to be a little to dense that is was almost to unbelievable, how many hints do you need man?!

Would I recommend this?
Yes. Definitely. If this is a genre you like, then you will most likely enjoy this novel.

Really enjoyed the character story and development throughout the book. The author took you on a journey from celebrity to navigating a “normal” life. It invoked so many different feelings throughout and I couldn’t put it down!! The villain was written so well. I hated him throughout the entire book. So well written!

Shelby and Cameron make for the most adorable couple, after they both got their heads out of their asses and learned how to communicate. In all reality, I adored this couple and their friendship. As someone who loves books AND home renovation shows, this was the best of both worlds! I would absolutely watch HomeMade in a heartbeat.

I really enjoyed this story of second chance love between two former child stars and childhood sweethearts. Particularly, I found the building of the house as a metaphor of the characters' building back their love. The characters read a bit juvenille which I suspect is because the author has previously written YA. I look forward to the author's next adult book.

Built to Last is a very sweet, fun second chance romance. The plot was interesting and I normally love second chance romances but ultimately the story fell a bit flat for me. I really enjoyed the side characters & I loved that you could feel the chemistry between Shelby & Cameron. This was a really cute, quick read if you’re a fan of HGTV.

Second chance romance with some forced proximity. I really liked this book and how well written it was. I hate miscommunication issues but it makes it even more realistic. Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC for an honest review.

Thank you NetGalley and St Martins Griffin for providing me an E-ARC in exchange for a honest review!

I enjoyed reading this book! This book is a second chance romance between two childhood actors who grow up to find themselves, and end up finding their way back to each other.

I enjoyed watching Shelby grow up and finding herself — and doing what she loves to do. Also, I enjoyed watching Cameron opening up about his feelings, and being able to communicate to Shelby.

The flirtiness between Cameron and Shelby was everything, even the little steaminess 🔥🔥

tw: cheating, alcoholism, verbal abuse

Built to Last seemed so adorable in its blurb, but it quickly became a DNF for me. The writing wasn't great and the premise of not speaking to someone in 5 years and then coming running based on a phone call was way too far fetched.

Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC for an honest review.

Built to Last by Erin Hahn is a second chance at love novel. The characters and their professions were really interesting and added a lot to the book. Overall, the book was okay although it is definitely not a clean romantic read. I received a digital copy of this book from the publisher with no obligations. These opinions are entirely my own.

I completely love a second chance romance, and it wasn't different this time. I loved the premise and thought the book did what it was supposed to do. It wasn't the best romance I've ever read but it wasn't the worst either. The plot was ok, I hate miscommunication and even though we understand what happened it didn't make it easier for me to read it. My only problem with the plot is that sometimes it felt like it could've been better executed. There were a lot of cringes scenes that made me roll my eyes multiple times. I also didn't like the references to "the real world", the popular brand names and social media. I think the main characters were really sweet too, but too perfect sometimes. I adored both of them.

Built To Last is a fun read that hits the right balance of lighthearted and serious. Having both Cameron and Shelby’s perspectives helped me to get to know both characters better. I also enjoyed going back and forth between the time lines. I’m hoping for a sequel!!

This is a sweet, entertaining and beautiful story of f second chance. The characters hooked me from the first words and I couldn't put it down for a single second.
Shelby and Cam were friends who had a relationship while they acted on a show together, sadly their relation ended because miscommunication, but now ten years later, they are offered the chance to do a home renovation reality show together,.

Now that they meet again the electrifying chemistry explodes and they can't help the feelings that were hidden, I loved them together, the slow burn romance is so sweet, swooned so hard , the author did an amazing job narrating their interactions, I couldn't get enough of them together.

Highly recommended for fans of
Second chance
Slow burn
Forced proximity
Coming age
Cute and funny
Friends to lovers