orelai Jones has a thriving country music career, as long as she obeys her fiancé. When she gets in trouble she takes off to her dear friend Craig, a music producer. He’s always had a crush on her and he wants to help her get her career back, and maybe explore the connection they’ve always shared. But friends don’t do the things they’re talking about, do they?

Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley, I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my

I have had this review done for a while, but Erin Hahn is such an icon.

This book, I seen in Barnes and Noble yesterday, and bought it because I loved it so much when I first read it, I had to read again with it physically in my hands. Something about getting an arc for a book you wanted to read, and then getting to see it in a bookstore has me so :)

BUT TO THE BOOK:
Friends to Lovers is one of my favorite tropes because you get to watch their relationship develop from platonic to romantic and get to follow along the angst, the nervousness, the anxiety, the love, the entire way,. The fact that sometimes your perfect person is right next to you all along, really makes you stop and look around and see who you surround yourself with. Such a cute, light, easy read, and I don't know why so many people went so hard on the book in the ratings. This is definitely a 4.5 star (Rounding up to 5 for me)

Erin Hahn can't write a bad book, and I Stand on that.

a solid 4 stars!

the book follows longtime friends lorelei and craig aka huck, who have always had feelings for one another but through so many different experiences, have never found the right time or the right words for one another.

the angst between the two really create such an emotional and sweet story to blossom. the angst isn't too heavy but the miscommunication adds to it and although some people don't like miscommunication, i love it! lorelai and craig continuing to be there for another and finally find each other really makes the HEA well deserved.

lorelai was also someone i loved because she has such strong values and is clearly very talented. craig is swoon worthy and such a great hero.

i love this universe that erin hahn has created and i can't wait to read more from her!

thank you netgalley and the publisher for sending an arc in return for an honest review.

Made it 20% into the book and was so confused the entire time about the timeline and couldn’t convince myself to continue. I may try again one day because I LOVE friends to lovers…but I just couldn’t do it this time around.

I loved Hahn's Built to Last, which unfortunately set high expectations that Friends Don't Fall in Love did not meet. It was similar in its premise as a former celebrity makes a comeback with the help of an old friend. This was another friends to lovers book but starts with unrequited love then turns into friends with benefits before finally becoming love.

The evolution of Lorelai and Craig's relationship was somewhat unsettling to me because Lorelai and I were not on the same page. I thought they were headed into a relationship when it was just with benefits, so I had to double back to confirm what has happening. The book did not tug at me the way the first book had nor was I as invested in Lorelai's singing career. I was left with something missing--the extra oomph that would have made this book better. I could not make the connection with Lorelai and Craig. I still appreciated the writing and thought the story was well-thought out. This was just one of those cases of having different expectations.

3.5 This steamy country singer romance had me flying through this book. This book follows Lorelei a country singer who after protesting gun violence had her country career ruined and her famous country fiancé running for the hills causing her to go back to teaching school. That is except Craig her ex fiancé base player and song writer after hooking up once after her career is ruined we follow these two as the reunite many years later with Craig as an indie music producer and Lorelei ready to give it another shot.

I loved the story in this one it was engaging easy to follow and I loved all the music and song writing through out this book. I don’t read many music romances but really enjoyed this one. The characters were great I loved Lorelei and her energy. The romance in this one was HOT this is definitely on the spicer side of contemporary romance but thought it was done well just be warned if you like a more closed door romance. This was my first book by this author but hope to pick up more from her in the future. I would like to thank net galley and the publishers for a chance to read this book for an honest review.

Here's the problem with the title: Friends actually fall in love all the time.

I probably shouldn't have asked for this galley, but I read 'You'd Be Mine' by this author and it was set in the same universe, so I thought 'why not'. Unfortunately, it wasn't as good, mainly because these two people wouldn't TALK to each other. The older I get, the more I can't tolerate this "oh, but what if it ruins our friendship" hemming and hawing that a lot of romance books seem to use to prolong the moment when they actually get together. If it ruins your friendship, then it does, but at least you can move on then. But what if it doesn't?

I really enjoyed reading this book.
I read it over a few days, and couldn't wait till I got free time to read it more.

I received this book as an ARC from NetGalley.

Lorelai Jones was at the start of her music career - she was skyrocketing to the top and had a music star fiancée. At the end of one of her concerts, fed up with the gun violence in our country, she sang a protest song at the end of her show. The world turned on her, her fiancée turned on her, everyone but Huck.

Craig Huckleberry Boseman (Huck) prefers to stay out of the limelight. He is a great musician and lyricist, but is happy letting everyone else take credit for his work. In one passionate night after Lorelai explodes her career, they part ways. She heads back to Michigan to restart her life, and he builds a career as a producer in Nashville.

Five years down the road, Lorelai realizes she is not done with music and heads back to Nashville to see if she can restart her career. Time has not been kind to her - everyone still "hates" her - but she does have a loyal following. As they walk the fine line - they realize, maybe they can have it all.

Friends Don't Fall In Love by Erin Hahn is a second-chance romance of sorts. Lorelai had a fantastic country music career. She then played a protest song at a concert and ruined her entire future. Five years later, she refuses to be done with her dreams and calls up the one person who stuck by her, her dear friend and her former fiancé’s co-writer and bandmate, Craig. He always had a thing for Lorelai but knew he'd never get the girl, except for one night long ago. Now they are friends living next to each other with a spark lighting up between them. Can they just remain friends or will it be something more?

I have read all of Erin Hahn's books and she has such a way of writing characters to feel real. You are right there with them in every emotion. I was rooting for Lorelai every step of the way. She is fierce and knows what she wants. Craig is such a sweetheart and someone who you just love. This book had a nice bit of spice to it. I cannot wait for the next book in the series.

Thanks to NetGalley and St Martins Press for the e-ARC of this book. This review is my own opinion.

Thank you NetGalley for the eARC.

Until SMP boycott reaches a resolution, I will not be reviewing this title.

This is such a swoon-worthy read! Set in the world of country music, this book hits all the right notes. I loved the plot and the interaction between characters. Many thanks to NetGalley for the ARC.

Erin Hahn’s novel Friends Don't Fall in Love is the story of Lorelai Jones who has it all – an amazing music career and a famous fiancé. That is until she is cancelled because she played a protest song. I voluntarily read and reviewed a complimentary copy of this book about love, second chances, loyalty, and friendship.

Friends Don’t Fall in Love has everything I love! It’s a second chance, friends to lovers romantic comedy set in Nashville with a background of country music. Lorelei Jones and Craig Boseman have not only the most perfect friendship and working relationship, but their chemistry is off the charts. I read it in two days because I just couldn’t get enough of their story, and I was thrilled reading the author’s notes that Maren, Lorelei’s best friend is getting her own book this fall. I can’t wait to read it.

This book was published by St. Martin's Press, which is unfortunately being boycotted. If the boycott reaches a resolution, I hope to come back and review this book.

Erin Hahn’s Friends Don’t Fall in Love is an adorable Hallmark style friends to lovers romance set in the world of country music. It follows Lorelia, a former country darling trying to rebuild her career after playing a protest song at a concert, and Craig, her long time friend and music producer who has been in love with her for years. Throughout the book they try to navigate not only their careers, but also their feelings for each other.

This book is absolutely adorable and there was a lot to love. Here are some of my favorite things about this book:

- Lorelai: I loved her from the moment I met her on the page, and I rooted for her to get her comeback through the entire story. She’s funny, endearing, and I loved watching her work through her past as part of her character development in this book.

- Craig: Definitely the golden retriever type you want in a friends to lovers romance. He’s been Lorelai’s best friend for years, and is that person who is always there for her regardless of the consequences. As the nice guy you don’t want to see him get hurt while you’re reading and also, his writing is pretty steamy which only adds to the appeal.

- The supporting cast: This book has an amazing and diverse cast of supporting characters. Most of them were extremely likable and interesting and I can’t help but hope to see more of them in future books.

What I wasn’t so fond of:

- When writing in first person there is always the temptation to break the fourth wall and speak directly to the audience. This is usually done as an aside, and it’s meant to be funny. For me personally though it takes me out of the story, so I’m not a fan of this style choice.

- The beginning: The start of this story jumps around a bit in the timeline, and it could be a bit confusing. I think the first few chapters were meant to be more of a prologue, but it made settling into the actual story a bit more difficult.

Overall: ⭐⭐⭐⭐
Spice: 🌶️🌶️.5

I really liked this book overall, and I’ll definitely be checking out more of Hahn’s work. If you like a sweet romance with a bit of steam, this is a good choice for you as I think Lorelai and Craig will quickly steal your heart.

Overall, I really enjoyed this book! I loved the country music aspect of it as well as the history that the main characters had. I also enjoyed the introduction of newer characters in the mix to bring perspective to the storyline.

While I was not a big fan of the conflict surrounding Lorelei’s music career, I appreciated the fact that she didn’t give up and it ultimately brought her back to where she needed to be.

This book was truly a good read for me! With all of the times that I sat this book down, I never gave up or lost interest in this story!

Unfortunately, this book confirmed that Erin Hahn's books and writing style just aren't for me.

For starters, the plot was all over the place, and I felt like the inciting conflict of the incident years ago just didn't feel big enough to warrant tanking Lorelai's entire career. There just didn't really seem to be any action driving the plot and I was bored for a good portion of the book.

Secondly, I just can't with characters being unable to be honest about their feelings for the sake of the friendship. If these are characters that are supposed to be in their mid-30s, it's frustrating to not have those ages matched with the appropriate level of maturity.

Lastly, the writing style does my least favorite thing, which is tell the reader what the character is saying/thinking flat out rather than working it into the narrative of the story. Too much of Lorelai's narrative was just her telling us how she feels, rather than us getting that organically. There was also an interview scene near the end of the book where, instead of the interview being dialogue, the interview was just pages of us being told what was happening, which detached me a lot from the overall narrative and made me struggle to connect with the story.

Overall, this book just wasn't for me.

I’m not sure how I feel about this one still. I liked it while I was reading it but I found it very forgettable. I did really like the characters and the story line.

## Friends Don't Fall in Love: A Second Chance Melody

Erin Hahn's "Friends Don't Fall in Love" strikes a sweet chord for fans of friends-to-lovers romances and the country music scene. Our protagonist, Lorelai Jones, is a fallen star desperate for a comeback. After a public misstep derailed her career, she turns to her oldest friend, Craig, for help. Craig, a talented songwriter with his own demons, hesitantly agrees.

As they navigate the music industry and rekindle their bond, the line between friendship and love blurs. Hahn excels at building tension through witty banter and sizzling chemistry. The couple's songwriting sessions become a delightful dance of unspoken emotions, fueled by steamy secret poetry.

The friends-to-lovers trope unfolds at a satisfying pace, allowing the characters' deep connection to blossom organically. The supporting cast, including Lorelai's fierce girlfriends and Craig's supportive family, adds warmth and humor to the story.

Hahn's background shines through in her authentic portrayal of the Nashville music scene. From the collaborative energy of songwriting sessions to the cutthroat realities of the industry, the reader gets a behind-the-scenes glimpse into this captivating world.

**If you're looking for:**

* A slow-burn romance with a satisfying payoff
* Well-developed characters with relatable struggles
* A steamy escape into the world of country music

Then "Friends Don't Fall in Love" is a perfect pick. Be prepared to root for Lorelai and Craig as they rewrite their song, both on the charts and in their hearts.

**Minor quibbles:**

* Some readers might find the pacing a little slow in the middle sections.
* The ending, while heartwarming, could feel a touch predictable for some.

**Overall, "Friends Don't Fall in Love" is a charming and heartwarming romance that will leave you wanting more.**