Member Reviews
Shelby and Cameron were child co-stars in star-studded LA, but that life left them longing. Through a never-ending connection they are brought back together living a much more simple and private life as home reno flippers, and their incredible love story is given another chance to shine.
I found myself rooting for "Spriggs" at every fork in the road of their relationship! The writing truly captured the essence of a couple worth fighting for and the imagery was beautiful. It's not often that a romance novel keeps me turning the pages in the way this one did. I loved the aspect of Cameron finding his own niche and learning a trade that kept him right by Shelby's side. In addition to reading I am a huge fan of home reno shows, as are many, so I feel this novel will truly appeal to the masses.
Read this book if :
💗you like stories about first love conquering time and distance and winning in the end
💗you like light romance novels (with a little bit of detail 😉)
💗you like an easy read
💗 you like happy endings
This story is about 3 child stars (Cam, Shelby & Lyle) many years after the TV show ended. Cam and Shelby had a crush on each other (and one night together) when they were filming the TV show. But, life always seemed to be against them.
Cam & Shelby went on their separate ways after the show ended. Shelby and Lyle ended up dating for about 5 years before he left her for her best friend.
Years after the breakup, Lyle reaches out to both Shelby and Cam to do a home renovation show. Shelby did restore antique furniture for a living but Cam worked for NatGeo. Lyle tries to ruin their relationship during the filming of the pilot episode. Can their relationship survive?
I thought this story was very cute and I loved the happy ever after ending. 💗
This book about two former childhood stars turned home renovators was so much MORE than I was expecting! I absolutely adored the connection between Shelby and Cameron, and I was rooting for them from the very first chapter. The plot was substantial enough that the sprinkling of spice was more than enough. Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for the eARC of this title!
4.5 cute stars. This book was super cute with a little steam factor. I connected with the characters and was really invested in their story. I loved the setting too. It was different and cute. Overall, I really enjoyed this light read. Hope there’s a second! Thank you NetGalley for this advanced copy of this book. I will definitely be recommending to friends and family.
Super cute book and I enjoyed the story line. I wish it had a few more surprises in it to keep my interest more. I loved the authors writing style, and would love to read more of her books,
Thank you NetGalley and st martens publishing for the ARC in exchange for my honest opinion.
This book was everything. I loved it so much. Hahn's adult romance debut is a home run. There is so much to be had here. I couldn't get enough. Child stars growing up and discovering how to live in the public and still keep a private life. This was just a beautiful balance.
Shelby and Cameron, child stars who fell in love as teens, have never got their timing right. Over the years, they have pined for each other even while being worlds apart. Shelby now lives a quiet life in Michigan restoring old furniture, while Cameron has spent their years apart trotting the globe for National Geographic.
But when their old costar (and Shelby’s ex) Lyle brings them together for a reality home renovation show, it seems like the stars are finally aligned. While working alongside each other, they find that together, they can build something that lasts.
I always enjoy second chance romances, and when you add in the unrequited love factor, I enjoy it even more. I liked Shelby and Cameron’s characters, and I also liked all of their friends. The only thing missing for me was a little more conflict between Shelby & Cameron.. Once they were together, there was really no questioning their relationship or where the book was headed. Overall, it was a cute, lighthearted read with a sweet happy ever after.
Thank you to St. Martin’s Press & NetGalley for this arc in exchange for my honest review.
Do you love romance books and HGTV? Then this is the book for you. It was so freaking adorable. Shelby and Cam are the cutest couple on the planet. I think this is the fluffiest book I ever read. The ending was a bit predictable but it doesnt take anything away from the story. I would LOVE to see this a movie.
Build to Last comes out Oct 18 and I hope everyone gets a copy! #Spriggs
ARC provided by Net Galley
I loved the premise of this book and the emotional arcs that the main hero and heroine went through. A little fast-paced, but the background provided at the start established the relationship. I loved both the hero and heroine and felt that they balanced each other out. It had funny dialogue and good development for the hero and heroine both individually as well as a couple. I laughed and teared up at the end. I really hope that the author continues with the side characters in the same universe. I enjoyed this book and am looking forward to more from this author. X
I’d give this a 3.75/5. Not quite a full four stars for me, because while it was enjoyable, it took me some time to start rooting for the characters. They had great physical chemistry, but the miscommunication in the beginning made it a little harder to really feel their emotional connection. Overall, a fun, light read and I definitely look forward to reading more from Erin Hahn, especially if she gives us Lorelai’s story.
Such a fun, light read! I’ve been loving the rom-coms lately and this was a fun spin on what can be a repetitive genre. It was so easy to fall in love with the characters, and I’m actually a little disappointed HomeMade isn’t a real show I can binge!
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/4621160429
Excellent read! I love that Shelby didn’t sit around waiting for what she wanted. This story was adorable and fun, with a really great HEA. Now I can’t wait for Erin Hahn’s next book!
3.5-4 stars! Okay i absolutely loved the whole concept of this book. For anyone who’s a fan of the show Fixer Upper, this book was written for you! The whole childhood best friends working together to flip houses for a tv show gave off such a chip and joanna vibe, which i adored. There was so much sexual tension and build up between the main characters the first 50% of the book, I just loved the overall angst of the relationship. THE SPICE, OH MY GOD, THE SPICE. The only thing that made this a 3 star instead of 4-5 star read, was that sometimes it kind of dragged on and on and got a little boring at times. Overall, I genuinely enjoyed this book. Lastly, let me end this with a quote that melted my whole heart; “I have never not wanted you… You are stuck with me. You told me you loved me and i’m all in, Shelby. No take backs”. Thank you so much to Netgalley and St. Martins Press for providing me with this digital ARC!
This one was super fun. If you like home renovation shows or are interested in the lives of child stars, this one had elements of both. I loved the romance element, and couldn't help rooting for Cameron and Shelby, separately and together. There was definitely some depth and I loved seeing the growth and work that our main characters did in their own lives. While there certainly were elements of happy endings and money not feeling like much of an issue, it felt more believable than many romances as it felt hard won. And there are definitely some steamy parts!
I've loved Erin Hahn's YA books, so I was excited to try this new romance book, and wasn't disappointed.
I couldn’t put this down as it was that enjoyable and loveable for me. It served second chance romance, and it’s one of me favourite tropes. I really loved all the angst, chemistry and the sweeping romance. But, most importantly I loved the character arc and growth of both the MCs as that’s something I very much look forward to in the books. So, in a nutshell, it’s a definite 5 stars read for me.
This novel is amazing to say the least! I was so drawn to this author from Never Saw You Coming and she did not disappoint. The whole story like had me hooked from page 1!! Thank you Erin Hahn for another amazing read!!
Thank you NetGalley for the eARC in exchange for a review!!
^^posted on goodreads
I was so lucky to receive an ARC of this book and it was my first Erin Hahn book. I was NOT disappointed! I absolutely adored the back and forth of history and the present, the second chance romance mixed with home reno and each person overcoming both their own struggles and a mutual shared past. Shelby comes into her own beautifully and I love her personality and flare. Cameron is sexy and a MAN, but he has his own insecurities, too. Plus, I love the supporting cast: Lorelei is a firecracker, Kevin and Beth are adorable and hilarious, Daniel is steadfast and strong, and the rest all play their parts beautifully! Built to Last was a heartwarming love story and a tale of friends and family, too!
“Built to Last” is an adorably heartwarming “right one, wrong time” romance about former child actors and costars Cameron and Shelby. They first fell for each other on set as kids, but now they’re about to work together again filming a home reno show; this time 10 years later, after they’ve disappeared from Hollywood, and each other.
This story is primarily a second-chance/friends to lovers (and there’s even a one-bed scene done hilariously well). The chemistry between the two main characters is quite lovely, and their dialogue felt very natural. The pair also has some wonderful “supporting cast” of great friends that were introduced. I especially loved Shelby’s dad. I finished it in one go, and it definitely put a smile on my face.
My only real critique of the book is that I did not like their “first time” flashback- it weirded me out a bit because it was pretty detailed and I believe they were both teens at the time.
Overall this was a very sweet and well written romance with great bits of humor throughout. A smidge of spice, a taste of country life, and peek into the world of home renovation made for the perfect light read.
Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for the Arc!
Thank you to the publisher and Netgalley for the opportunity to read and review this book. I love home reno & HGTV as much as the next person and especially Chip and Joanna, so I was excited to give this one a go. Honesty, it was just a little too much drama for me. It also took almost 70% of the way for the MC's to get romantic and I thought that just was too long for being a romance. There was plenty of heavy flirting along the way creating the build-up, but I wanted to DNF several times. However, I did enjoy the writing and the premise of the book. I would give Hahn a second chance.
The premise of this book sounded SO good to me. I love second chance/first love romance. I really loved that we got a dual POV. After finishing the book, I felt like there were a lot of unanswered questions to the plot. I wish there had been more build up/tension between Cameron and Shelby. I wanted to understand more of Cameron's motivations in his past mistakes and leaving Shelby. They seemed to get past it all so easily without a ton of explanation. I also didn't fully understand Lyle's involvement in the home improvement show. It just seemed random for a child actor to be this show runner of this new reality show with his old costars as the hosts? And it's his ex? who he had a terrible break up with? I thought he was going to redeem himself or there was going to be a reason for it all and I felt like it was just random and pointless.
With that being said - I did like Shelby and Cameron and watching how they had grown since being in the Hollywood spotlight. I just wish there had been more depth, I wanted to know more.