Heartfelt and engaging. A recommended purchase for YA and HS collections where contemporary romance is popular.

**Review will be published on my site and socials release week!!**

ABSOLUTELY LOVED.

This is now my new favorite Erin Hahn book. I love the way she writes new adult stories and wow did this one just hit every single thing right. I LOVED the setting and all of the cowboy content. The ranch and horses, bull riding and rodeos, it was all magnetic and I was entranced.

And the romance?? ARE YOU KIDDING ME. This was the softest friends to lovers. That genuine, I am here to be your friend, and then realizing that person means a whole lot more to you. Oh my gosh I was WEAK. I adored Case, I loved seeing his grief and his awakenings and the way he cares for those he loves. And how he found what made him passionate and the future he wanted to pursue (which also was one of the 10 reasons I was tearing up reading this). Winnie was also spectacular. I was cheering her on from the beginning. Her tenacity and strength, bless her for finding ways to lets others help in her life too. I loved the deep sibling bond she had with Garrett and Jesse and the way everything worked out for them in the end.

This book was pure magic. I have zero complaints. NO NOTES. It was everything I needed when I picked it up. I loved the story and how Walker was woven in. I loved the friends and so many small moments that packed a punch and really brought this entire book together. There’s even no third act nonsense, AND IT WAS BLISS Y’ALL. The whole book, just go read it. Thank me later.

Overall audience notes:

NA Contemporary Romance
Language: strong and high
Romance: 2 closed door scenes
Violence: low
Trigger/Content Warnings: loss of a friend (grief depictions throughout), underage drinking, absentee father

I would literally read Erin Hahn's grocery lists! I adore everything she writes! This book was fantastic! I highly recommend!

Thank you to the publisher for a gifted copy of this book.

This is a heartwarming YA novel about grief, difficult family situations and finding your own path in life. While the rodeo stuff mentioned were over my head, the characters were enjoyable and I still enjoyed it.

𝐏𝐥𝐨𝐭: 𝟑.𝟓 ★
𝐂𝐡𝐚𝐫𝐚𝐜𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐬: 𝟒 ★
𝐏𝐚𝐜𝐞: 𝟒 ★
𝐎𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐚𝐥𝐥: 𝟒 ★

To start off, I actually enjoyed reading this book, me being an avid Romantasy reader. It definitely was giving off the chestnut springs series but YA, not because of the writing but the setting. We have our MMC, Case, who is a rodeo star and is suffering from the loss of his best friend. I think it was sad/sweet that his best friend, Walker, left him a bucket list. I think that left room for an amazing plot to be written and we were able to see that when one of the things on the list was, befriending Winnie Sutton. 😘

I loved their dynamic since the beginning of the book. They had amazing banter but also you could tell from the writing that they would’ve connected on a deeper level. The romance was definitely mild compared to other books I’ve read, but I’m happy that the plot and writing was intriguing enough to stay invested in the story. From a personal perspective, I would’ve liked if there was more romance between Case and Winnie. I would’ve liked more action within the book, especially when writing, I believe there should be a good balance between “action” and internal monologue.

All in all, I did enjoy the book and would recommend it to anyone who loves small town romances, slow burn, rodeo and horses. Thank you to Net Galley, Wednesday Books and Erin Hahn for sending this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I thought Even If It Breaks Your Heart was all right. The first half of the book started off strong. I was invested in the story and the characters. As the story progressed, the book started to go downhill for me. The writing style felt different to me in the second half of the book. I also felt like there could have been more insight into what the characters were feeling. It read a little out of left field when Case and Winnie suddenly mentioned love in their inner monologues. Despite these issues, I did like Case and Winnie. I enjoyed seeing their growth throughout the story. I thought Hahn did a great job portraying grief and family issues. Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for the ARC.

E-ARC from NetGalley

I loved loved loved this book! Best of all, its HEA!

Plot: Case is a 19 year old who is still reeling over the death of his best friend Walker. The two were inseparable on the rodeo circuit, and knowing he was dying, Walker left his friend a bucket list to complete for him. Most of the tasks on the bucket list were all the stupid things a dying 17 yr old would wish to complete (getting drunk, jumping off a grain bin, partying, etc), but the last item he wrote was to befriend Winnie. Winnie is 19 going on 35 and a step in mom for her two younger sibling who have never had that stability. Winnie works long hours at Case's family ranch training horses for barrel racing. But she knows girls like her are not destined for the barrel racing circuit so why dream?

Definitely a bit of a fluffy YA romance, but it was a really fun read (especially if you are a horse person!).

As always, another excellent Erin Hahn novel for old and new fans alike. I've been looking forward to Sad Rodeo for LITERAL YEARS and it did NOT disappoint. I know Erin is taking a break from YA for now, but GOSH this makes me cross all my fingers and toes that she returns soon!

Even If It Breaks Your Heart has stuck with me these last few weeks.

Hahn writes very realistic and relatable characters, so I could easily picture Case Michaels and Winnie Sutton in my mind's eye. I cheered Case and Winnie on from the beginning, and I was very happy that Hahn chose for them to be happy throughout the novel. Hahn doesn't shy away from how teenagers speak, so this does contain quite a bit of profanity if that is something that bothers you.

I would definitely add this to a high school library collection and offer it to more advanced teen readers.

This book got me out of my reading slump! It was just what I needed.
The story of Case and Winnie was funny and heartwarming. Case is trying to find his way without his best friend Walker. Winnie is just trying to survive taking care of her two younger siblings. They come from two different worlds but have so many things in common. Watching their friendship turn into love was a pure delight.

I think I am the wrong demographic for this book, but I had fun reading it! A cute, feel-good read.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing an e-ARC copy of this book, in exchange for this honest review.

Thank you Wednesday Books for the gifted eARC

I read Even if it Breaks Your Heart over the summer and it was a standout for me. At a time where I was struggling to find a book to hold my interest, this one sucked me in immediately and I was sad when it was over. It’s a timeless story about loss, grief, and first love.

Read for:
• Rodeos and cowboys
• Dismantling toxic masculinity
• Great secondary characters
• No unnecessary miscommunication
• Characters you’ll feel genuinely invested in

I’ve been a big fan of Hahn’s YA books. I think she does a really good job of conveying the strong emotions of young adults and this was no exception. If you want to read a book in her backlist while you wait for this one, You’d Be Mine is my personal favorite.

TW/CW: death of a best friend/grief. Mentions of childhood cancer. Parental abandonment and neglect. Language

Anyone who poo-poos happy endings is dead wrong. As I sit here, tears rolling down my face, bursting with joy for these characters, I know they are wrong.

I have been a longtime fan of Hahn's work, and this book is a prime example of why I adore her books. Hahn has crafted a beautiful story of grief and love and dreams which was elevated by its amazing characters and rodeo highlights.

I was never a horsey girl, but by golly, I had a great time on the ranch. I loved meeting all the horses, attending training sessions, and going to the rodeo. It's a VERY different world from where this Brooklyn-born east coaster grew up, but I was fascinated by it all. Hahn included just the right number of details to give a clear picture of this world while not making me feel lost in it.

As a reader, I need to feel invested in story, and Case and Winnie quickly won my heart. Sad cowboy Case was still grieving the loss of his best friend. When Walker handed Case a list of things he would never be able to accomplish, Case felt obligated to fulfill Walker's dreams. That included pursuing a career on the Professional Bull Riders circuit, but Case recognized his future did not include bulls.

Winnie was sacrificing her dreams to care for her siblings. When her mother left, Winnie went from being a nine year old to a mom serving as caretaker for her younger sister and brother and working to support them. When her talent as a barrel racer was recognized, an opportunity arose which she felt she had to decline in order to continue supporting her family.

The beauty of the relationship that was born between Winnie and Case was that they developed a strong friendship first. Linked by their mutual affection for Walker, something wholly their own blossomed between them and eventually turned from friendship to love. I adored all the ooey-gooey parts. It was really sweet when they both started acting on their feelings, but I also found their support for one another really special. It was fantastic the way they encouraged and pushed each other to pursue their dreams, and heck, that's why I was crying at the end. How can you not be overjoyed to see people excel and succeed? It made me happy.

This was a story of healing and chasing your dreams, about friendship and love, and I had an incredible time taking this personal journey with Case and Winnie. I ached for them, hoped for them, and reveled in their successes. I secretly hope Hahn will return to this world. I saw someone else mention, and maybe Hahn will consider a book for Brody. (please!)

3.25/5

If you are interested in a cute YA cowboy romance with some depth, I would recommend this book. There are a lot of things to like about the story and characters. Both the main characters are dealing with serious problems in their lives with natural responses. Case is dealing with the death of his best friend, while Winnie is handling being the "mom" for her family after her mother passed away. They seem realistic in how they deal with those issues throughout the book, and they learn from their experiences. There are also fun scenes at the rodeo shows, and the characters become friends over time instead of rushing a relationship. And they have friendships outside of just their relationship.

I gave this book 3.25 stars mainly because the ending felt very rushed to wrap up, so everything just suddenly came together for the characters. Also, I did not like the ghost aspect of the book where the main character "saw" his friend (although I appreciate that it was acknowledged by Case that he knew his friend wasn't actually there and it was more him coping).

Thank you to Netgalley and Wednesday Books for providing an ARC copy!

This was such a good story! At first I was unsure if I would like it but within the first 20 pages or so it hooked me to continue to read. I really found that both Case and Winnie were two peas in a pod. While there are stark differences between them they both have experienced traumas that help establish their connection to each other in a way that makes it more important and special. While this story does focus on the really difficult situations that these two are experiencing it still has a balance of fun late teenage angst when it comes to what do relationships even look like at 19. I definitely think this is a great intro into cowboy romances for young adults that aren’t quite sure if it’s for them or not.

A touching young romance that develops over time and will captivate you on many levels. The burdens of one character blend with the grief of another to create a story of friendship, trust, and love.
I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Thank you to St Martins Press and NetGalley for the ARC of this book.

I will happily leave a review for this when the racist remarks by one of their employees is addressed. I want to support the author, but also want to know they don’t support this behavior.

Case Michaels loses his best friend Walker to cancer but before he passes he gives Case a list of things to do “for him”. Last thing on that list was “befriend Winnie Sutton”. Winnie graduated early so she could work more hours and support her family since her dad is usually MIA and her siblings need someone to care. When Case and Winnie finally start getting to know each other there’s a chemistry they just can’t deny. Going from friends to lovers could be a thing, couldn’t it??

This was so sweet and so precious. I absolutely loved watching their relationship grow and how her siblings also grew. I don’t understand a lot about rodeos but this was super fun to read and I thoroughly enjoyed it!

Erin Hahn is truly a craftsman at contemporary emotional romance. Her YA characters reek of authenticity and charm. In this case, the setting is the Texas panhandle. The starring characters are two teens who are on the opposite ends of the socioeconomic scale but both are grieving and motherless. Part of their journey is trying to make that transition from adolescence to adulthood. Winnie has been the 'responsible adult' pretty much from the age of 10, when her mom abandoned her, her younger brother, and newborn sister. Her dad is around but not really present, basically another person to care for (though he does work). Her number one priority is her family and making sure their needs are met. She refuses to dream a single minute for herself. But the more lead character is Case, whose best friend dies a year before and sends him into a slightly self-destructive spiral. Don't worry - Case is going to come out of the fog of grief. He's going to start seeing things around him. He's going to find his way and he's definitely going to find Winnie, who has been working at his families ranch for years already. Case is going to help Winnie find a way too. The story is beautiful and emotionally mature. It's realistic in how it reflects teens of this age where they are, on the cusp of their adult lives but facing heavy burdens, handling things and moving forward. It's sad but also so very hopeful. If this is truly Erin Hahn's last YA for any other reason than her own choice, that is a darn shame.
For my fellow librarian friends wondering if this book would be 'challenged' - please buy it. There are no explicitly descriptive sex scenes. Yes, they do develop an intimate relationship, but it's closed door. Our teens have so much heavy stuff they are going through and Hahn has taken her personal grief experience (I'm assuming) and given birth to these characters dealing with them in (eventually) healthy ways with a very hopeful outcome for their lives. Kids need books like this right now.
Love, love, loved it.
Thanks so much for the ARC!

I followed Erin on her journey to write this book before it had a title. I watched the reels and have been invested in her "Sad Rodeo" book for a couple of years. It's been highly anticipated for me as a big big fan of her YA books AND of cowboy/rodeo romance in general.

Good news - it's not that sad. The characters are sad. Case is up to his ears in grief. Winnie has had a tough hand dealt her in her family life. Both are struggling just to get by. But when they find friendship with each other, proximity and unflinching honesty from both of them lead to more. Hahn writes deeply emotional YA books with heart and depth. I love how easy they are to sink into and how quickly I fall in love with her kids. This book will go right into the hands of my favorite teens....when I am ready to let them go.