I would like to express my gratitude to NetGalley and Erin Hahn for providing me with an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I really enjoyed the main characters in this story. They were well-written, and I appreciated the dual points of view that allowed me to understand their thoughts and feelings. The romance developed slowly, with a back-and-forth dynamic, although there were times when I wished it would move a bit faster. The detailed exploration of each character's life and backstory added depth to the story. While the plot followed a familiar path of not wanting to take risks in love, it still managed to engage me. Towards the end, Lorelei suddenly realizes she has been in love with Huck all along, making this realization feel a bit sudden. I personally didn't feel a strong chemistry between the two love interests in this book which made it hard for me to fall in love with it.

Love love love!!!! Erin Hahn is a phenomenal storyteller and did not disappoint with this book. Huck and Lorelai are fantastic and I really liked seeing Shelby, Cam and Maren again! I do wish Huck had pursued credit for the songs Drake essentially stole but the ending was perfect! I really liked the Nashville references as it reminded me of a trip I took there. Can’t wait to see what happens with Maren and the “inheritance” she seems to have gotten from a friend. This is definitely a must read!!

Hey how fun! I was happy to have the chance to read about Lorelia and craig’s redemption story!
I also appreciated the representation of celiac disease because that disease is knarly. I have a friend who has this and it is truly challenging.
The writing was fun and entertaining. Their relationship wasn’t exactly maturely written but I appreciated it none the less.
It’s not out until October but I feel like it will be nice to read then!

There’s nothing better than friendship growing into something more. This book was a multitude of pure country love between two friends in the music industry. This has always been one of my favorite troupes when friends become lovers.

We met Lorelai who is working her way back onto the country scene after being away for a while after a mishap in the past on her beliefs. She’s working with her old best friend Craig (Huck) who has had eyes for her for a very long time.

It was a joy to watch them grown with one another and their confidence grow as well. Not only as individuals but as a couple as well. When the final realization hits Lorelei on what they have she couldn’t hold back any further.

I really enjoyed the lyrics to the songs, the poems written secretly overall this book was fantastic and the characters were just wonderful to read about. I was definitely rooting for them from the very beginning and so was everyone else in their circle of friends and family.

Friends to lovers set around country music with dual POV. This is my second Erin Hahn book. My first was her previous Built to Last, which I loved. It was great to see these characters again! Unfortunately, the beginning of this novel just didn't flow for me, so it was difficult for me to get into. Open door romance (steamy).

Rating: 3.5/5

Thank you so much to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for an ARC of this book!

Ahhh I loved this so much!! Friends to lovers is my jam and this is it done to perfection! This is the perfect balance of mutual pining, self denial/will they won’t they, has it always been you?, don’t want to ruin the friendship, and so on. And even better it’s so well paced. There is building tension and angst but I loved how quickly lines got blurred vs some other friends to lovers act wayyy too responsibly about their friendship for way too long (on page anyway).

Some other feedback I have, although did not alter my enjoyment of how much I loved this: the time jumps at the beginning were a bit clunky. The rest of this utilizing flashbacks anyway so I think one time jump would’ve been sufficient. I was hooked on that first “6 years ago” jump but the rest were clearly explained later so it was just extra. There are also a few too many random character name drops for me. I’m assuming they are from other titles by this author which is totally fine, but the amount and detail drew me away from the main story a little bit more than I’d like. But overall not any reason to knock the rating.

I loved the whole music world of this. I definitely felt the setting and details of the industry and how they contributed to the story. I also loved the song references, they were done in such a cohesive way. For romance readers who are curious this is happily open door (yay). Also this has a main male character who is not a sports buff “perfect” bod bro, we get some lanky king energy. The epilogue is perfect by the way. Thank you to NetGalley and St Martin’s Press for this ARC!

Okay. Okay. I don’t know what I was expecting but it was not to cry??? Multiple times??? She calls him Huckleberry and I’m crying in the club.

To be entirely honest, I was not in love with the title. But their chemistry as friends was almost as off the charts as their chemistry as partners. Their wholehearted and genuine respect for each other. The fact that they want the other to be happy above all else. The fact that most of their miscommunication was legitimately them not being in the same place at the same time physically. I’m a mess. I cannot emotionally or psychologically handle how cute they are. I need to sob into my pillow.

Also, neither of them is reliant on the other for success. Huck sees how undeniably capable and incredible Lorelei is and she sees how astronomically talented he is and they support each other, but neither of them has to “fix” the other because people don’t need to be fixed, just loved and supported.

If you need me I’m gonna be in the dark bawling my eyes out, pls read this thanks

I love a good friends to lovers trope! If you’re a fan of music, especially country music, you will def enjoy this one! Craig and Lorelai have secretly pined after one another for years. Lorelai was essentially cancelled for ruffling some feathers. This was a fun and easy read! Def melted my heart!

I really loved the scenes between Craig and Lorelai. I felt their chemistry throughout the entire book. There was an ease to their friendship that I enjoyed. The progression of their relationship from friends to lovers was written perfectly. The nickname Lorelai had for Craig was one of my favorites.

Craig was such a huge supporter of Lorelai and her music. The musical element connected them in a meaningful way. Lorelai stood up for what she believed in, even though it hurt her career and relationship with her ex. She was a strong female heroine.

The beginning was confusing with the timeline so it took me a minute to get settled in. Also I don't think everyone in Nashville would have turned on Lorelai. I think in reality she would have received some support. The gun storyline was too polarizing for me at times.

A country love story with “it’s always been you”. I love this story so much. It’s cozy and light hearted and definitely a breathe of fresh air.

Friends do fall in love! Great read about being friends first. Sometimes something is right in front of you and you don't see it.
Thanks NetGalley!

Erin Hahn is a favorite author of mine and the thought of getting to revisit some favorite characters from YOU'D BE MINE in an adult romance was like catnip. And she really delivered. This is very much Lorelai's and Huck's book and you fall in love with both of them as they realize they're falling in love (have always been in love!) with each other. I loved watching their stumbling path towards being both best friends and partners. Plus, Annie! Jefferson! Kacey! Fitz! Can't say enough good things about this read. Highly recommend!

I am absolutely OBSESSED with Erin Hahn's books, and new I was going to love Friends Don't Fall in Love, and I was right! The chemistry between Lorelei and Craig is everything, and I swooned so hard!

I have never read a book by this author before. I instantly fell in love with the characters. I love being able to relate to the characters. It had me hooked from the very beginning. I will be looking for more books from this author

As a certified Erin Hahn stan, I have to admit this was not her best. This book had everything going for it: rockstar coming back into the spotlight, friend-to-lovers, celiac rep, and more. I'm so conflicted because on the one hand I appreciate that Hahn got the opportunity to speak on gun violence and school shootings as a teacher herself, but on the other hand I'm questioning whether that discussion had a place in this book. That's not to say I don't think we need to be having those discussions, but from a character and plot standpoint it didn't seem to make any sense. I wasn't fully sold on Lorelai leaving her established country singer stardom and becoming a teacher and then wanting to go back to singing. Maybe it was in the character development or something but those really important conversations and themes got quite lost in the story. I also found this book to be a bit repetitive. Meaning that this read A LOT like Built to Last, Hahn's last adult romance, which I loved. But because it used so many of the same plot devices: second chance-ish romance, long time pining, and crazy psycho ex I couldn't get past it. Overall, it was fine. I wish there were more opportunities for the romance to shine through because that I think was the book's strongest part. But for an Erin Hahn book, it was a real let down.

FRIENDS DON'T FALL IN LOVE was so much fun! It's Erin Hahn's upcoming adult romance and if you've read You'd Be Mine and Built to Last, there are just oodles of connections! It's like a shared universe, so all of the main characters from those books came back for cameos and it was lovely to spend time with them again.

But this was Lorelai Jones and Craig Boseman's story, and it was so sweet! They're close friends who have always supported one another and maybe got acquainted between the sheets (but just for that one time, of course...)

Lorelai was a country mega-star, up until she got too outspoken about gun violence and was essentially canceled, which caused her jerk of a fiancé (another country mega-star) to break up with her through a public IG post. Craig was the fiancé's bandmate and songwriter, although he never got credit. Years later, when Lorelai is ready to stage her comeback, Craig helps produce her album and they fight back against the conservative country media together, to come out on top.

There's a lot of story here to drive the plot forward, with Lorelai's fight to get back into Nashville, and Craig's journey to prove himself with his new record label and win credit for his hit songs that he was never named on. But in terms of the relationship, the stakes are pretty low. There's not a lot of angst here, which I appreciated. Ultimately, if you liked You'd Be Mine, country music, or friends who f***, you'll love this!!

Pick up if you like:

🎤 Friends to lovers
🎤 Friends with benefits
🎤 Boss bitches who speak their minds and stand up for what they believe in
🎤 Hahn's connected universe of characters
🎤 Celiac rep
🎤 Hunky hip rolling

Oh this was really good for a friends to lovers romance. I like how real the progress of the characters felt, it was just right. I enjoyed reading this and the relationship between Lorelei and Craig. It also had a good plot to the story.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an ARC of this book for an honest review!

Friends to lovers books have to work for it for me to like them. This one did that. I loved Huck and Lorelai's interactions and the cast of friends around them! I will be going back to read Erin's older books, for sure.

Posted to goodreads on 6/13

Thanks to St. Martin's Press for the free book.
This is the first time I have not loved a book by Hahn. I enjoyed Lorelai as a singer and definitely enjoyed more of her story here. She was a great character to root for and I was curious to see how her singing plot line would play out. I also really liked Huck and his part of the music industry. It was interesting to get a behind the scenes look. I also LOVED seeing Coolidge and Mathers again. So good. However, I didn't love Huck and Lorelai waffling for the entire book about wanting to be together or not. It just felt like such a low stakes romance, and I'm not sure I liked that aspect. The pacing of revealing of the will they/won't they also felt off, and I feel like the revelations could've been better explored. I think I just wanted more depth with them talking and less time with them having so much sex. I wanted this to work so badly for me, and after 75% it did, but I wished the first 75% did, too. I will continue to read her and can't wait to see what kind of story Maren gets next.

Lorelai Jones was a rising country superstar when she played a political protest song at a concert – and the entire music industry, plus her crappy fiance (also a rising country star), blacklisted her. Five years later, she decides she wants to make a comeback, and she calls up the one person who stuck by her, her friend (and ex-fiance’s former bandmate) Craig. Turns out Craig has had a crush on Lorelai for years, but he tries to put that aside to help her with her career. This is a sweet romance that has a good chunk of realism to it, and it’s told from both Lorelai and Craig’s perspectives, which keeps things moving quickly. I really liked the behind the scenes of country music, even if there were a few far-fetched plot points, and it was interesting to see what it takes to succeed in the music industry.