A story of loss, grief, and finding your way.

Case Michaels doesn’t know how to move on after the death of his best friend Walker. Luckily Walker left him a list, even if some of the things on it are a little… life threatening. Case is drowning in alcohol, bitterness and grief, and can only think about living out his best friend’s dreams. But what’s left for him afterwards?

Winnie Sutton has already given up on her dreams. With a mom who abandoned them, and a dad who avoids them, there’s no one left but her to raise her two younger siblings. She’s had no choice but to put her life on hold, and when her brother starts skipping school, she’s left with even fewer choices.

One of the items on Walker’s list is that Case befriend Winnie, the girl who works on his father’s ranch that he’s never noticed. Can the two encourage each other live their own lives, and take the chance at finding their own dreams?

Includes unlikely friendships; a sweet, no drama romance; horses, ranch, and rodeo life.

A heartening stand alone novel with lots of personal growth and learning how to move on.

First of all, the cover for this book is GORGEOUS. What’s inside is equally beautiful.

Case and Winnie are two teens facing very adult issues and responsibilities. Case is reeling from the loss of his best friend at the age of 17. Winnie is essentially parenting her younger siblings and running their household as their dad is mostly an absentee father and their mom is entirely absent. Together they navigate discovering their own dreams and finding ways to make them happen while learning about themselves and each other.

This book is categorized as YA, but to me it read more like closed-door contemporary romance. I think because Case and Winnie both had to grow up fast in their individual circumstances, it was easy to forget they were supposed to be teenagers.

I thought Case’s journey with grief and his growth has he came to terms with his loss was a beautiful thing. He found a purpose and matured in a very authentic way throughout the book. I admired Winnie’s resilience and determination to be a stable and supportive presence in her siblings lives. She took on far more responsibility for her family than anyone at that age should need to and she carried herself with poise and grace. I liked seeing her find a way to eventually accept help and chase her own dreams as well.

There were quite a few secondary characters thrown in throughout the book and I kept wondering who might play an important role in the story later on that I needed to remember. There weren’t many that served deep purpose, so they ended up being more of a distraction than anything, but I liked Pax and Maria and the friendship they offered to Case and Winnie respectively.

This will be a great book for teens who love horses or are into the bull riding scene. There is a lot of sadness, but the characters ring true.

This is an incredibly sweet and heartfelt YA novel. I didn’t expect to hurt so quickly over these characters and their stories. I did really appreciate the character growth that we got with Case and how everything worked out for the characters too.

I did find the pacing was off to me, which is why I haven’t rated this higher.

But that aside is a story perfect for fans of HEA’s and cowboy vibes.

3.5/5⭐️

I loved this one. This was definitely a YA book for me. If you are a fan of reading about teenagers having to grow up too fast and take on the world together this one is for you. Feels very Texan with the whole rodeo aspects. There was a lot of heart in this and I really felt seen with this one. When this comes out I will be sure to shove it into everyone's hands. Thanks Netgalley for the e arc of this one.

Thank you to NetGalley for providing me with this ARC in exchange for an honest, spoiler-free review!

Themes: Pursuing Your Dreams, Grief, Money
Representation: Grief
Content Warnings: Grief, Cancer, Teen Drinking

PERSONAL COMMENTS
As a teen who enjoys and consumes a lot of YA books, this book is it! Although the characters are a bit older, this book perfectly encapsulates YA. It focuses a lot on dreams and pursuing dreams, something that is very relevant to teens today. It features the awkwardness, tenderness and sweetness of young love. Both main characters, Case and Winnie, deal with super-relevant teenage problems and are genuinely likeable, well-developed characters. Winnie deals with money issues and Case deals with grief.

So, although this book wasn’t 100% perfect, it was pretty great.

CHARACTERS
As I said before, I think the characters are well-developed.

For Case, the book focuses on his grief after losing his best friend, Walker, to cancer. The author does a pretty good representation of grief, showing how much Case still misses his friend. And it shows that grief isn’t something you can get over in a day. It shows that you do some dumb things because of grief. It doesn’t invalidate Case’s grief. But it does show the growth of his character and how he is dealing with it.

For Winnie, her problem is that she has to take care of her younger siblings. She is pretty badass and treats her siblings pretty well. And her relationship with her siblings is super cute as well. I think the author does a good job of showing Winnie’s frustration with having to be the primary caregiver through her internal monologue. Like Case, she too, also grows. And learns that she doesn’t have to sacrifice her dreams for her family.

Finally, I enjoyed the relationships between all the characters. I loved how Case and Winnie supported each other. I loved how much Winnie loved her siblings. And I also loved their relationships with their friends.

Overall, amazing characters!

PLOT
Though this book is more character-based, it still follows a plot. What, with chasing your dreams and all?

There were definitely slower moments in the plot of the book, but those are generally balanced out by pacing and character development.

Although the book could be hard to read at times, the ending of the book is whimsical and cheerful.

So if you like a good, hopeful cowboy story set in Texas, then you’ll like this one!

OTHER
The book is written in the first person present tense with dual perspectives. There are lots of flashbacks which can add to the depth of the characters and help build the story. Since many YA books are written in the first person, it is fitting. It is also fitting as many romance books have dual perspectives.

Other than that, there isn’t really anything memorable about the format of the book, nor is there anything else that the author added to the beginning or the end of the book (eg. maps, playlists, etc.). BUT, there are definitely quotable moments!

RATINGS
Personal Rating: 4.5/5
Characters: 5/5
Plot: 4/5
Formatting: 4/5
Final Rating: 4.4/5 (round to 4 stars)

Erin Hahn is an auto read for me. I don't even have to know what it's about before I pick it up. This story did not disappoint. It gave all the feels. Case and Winnie's story was well done and I enjoyed reading both point of views the pacing was excellent. They both have some trauma to work through, but everything worked out perfectly.

This book was OK — it wasn’t my thing. I didn’t connect with the story and the characters as much as I would have hoped. I’ve read Erin’s books via audio and I think I enjoy them better that way, it’s something about that format!

Thank you to NetGalley and Wednesday Books for an ARC of this book. All opinions in this review are my own.

Erin whyyyyyyyyyyyy??????? How can you write such a tragically beautiful book and just let us read it? This story follows Case and Winnie, in alternating points of view, as they struggle with responsibility, loss, and opportunities that could change their world. I (somehow) didn’t cry while reading this book, but my heartstrings were significantly tugged. This book balances the hurt and pain of unfair life situations with the optimism of youth that needs to be protected & cherished. This book takes place post-pandemic, and recognizes the pandemic as a world event, but doesn’t do it in a way that feels forced or jarring. The points of view were balanced – I would love more of both, but I didn’t feel like it was lacking in any way with either POV. I want to note that there are trigger warnings primarily for childhood death and parent abandonment, but it is handled in a beautiful and careful way. As always, I want more from the world, the characters, more everything from Erin. All of the new books she is releasing are just 100% insta-buys for me and I will reread them when I need to feel something. 10/10 will read and be emotional again.

This is a story of friendship, young love, and finding yourself when it feels like the universe has turned its back on you. The author created a beautiful story about two characters I won’t soon be forgetting.

Right off the bat in this novel I have mixed feelings about Case. At first he comes across as a snobby rich boy who just wants to party, drink, and sleep with every girl he can find (but only once). Then we see him with Winnie and he is a complete gentleman and even stands up for her when Christine starts to say horrible things about Winnie and her family. Then, he goes back to party and finding a woman mode…it was quite the tilt-a-whirl.

Winnie is such a strong character. I liked everything about her. She has to take care of her family, but at no point does she either want people to pity her or acts like she can’t accept help from anyone. I like how she interacts with Case and does not instantly fall in love with him.

The alternative POVs really worked in my opinion. I also liked how we sometimes got more from Case rather than Winnie.

Winnie’s siblings and home life really added to the story. I was frustrated with Jesse but I’m happy he stepped up when he needed to. Garrett was a funny, smart character I hope someday gets her own book.

The romance aspect of this book was not the main plot. I found this interesting, but it absolutely worked. At the 60% mark I said, “huh, there’s been no romance so far. Hmmm.” I realized this is because Case and Winnie first had to establish their friendship, spend time together platonically, and figure out what they wanted in life before venturing into the romantic aspects of their life.

I adored this book. It’s a light read and will make you evaluate many aspects in your own life while hoping this young couple figures things out. I will 100% be reading this author again.

**An ARC was provided from NetGalley and the Publisher for an honest review.

3.5 stars

I think this book had some really sweet moments and some emotional high points, but the dual POV just didn't work for me.

I liked Case, but I didn't need to be in his head. I feel like because we had to split the time between two characters it really stilted the plot. It just wasn't efficient and I think we could have had a stronger plot and more fleshed-out secondary characters if we didn't have the dual POV.

As always, thank you to Wednesday Books and NetGalley for an arc in exchange for an honest review.

This was such a good book. I read it in one day! I loved the development of the characters and the storyline! I would definitely recommend this book!

No matter what Erin Hahn writes I love. Although Even If It Breaks Your Heart is YA it’s a perfect read for any age.

Themes of loss, parental neglect and abandonment are present but it doesn’t define the story.

The characters a lovable and though they are teenagers they show the vulnerability of having to act older than they are.

The amount of excitement I had for this book was met with the sad, cowboy romance of my dreams.

I’m not sure how she does it, but Hahn is able to capture your heart with these characters without any warning. As I read, I found myself growing more and more attached to Winnie, and especially to Case. She knows how to tug at your heartstrings, make you laugh, and also pull you back in time to the feeling of first falling in love with someone, or honestly, yourself. The way grief was handled was also something that stuck with me. Case was so dynamic in his feelings and the way he showcased them — I felt for him and his struggles. While the path wasn’t linear, it was eye opening and a joy to read about him healing.

The romance was pure and sweet and funny. Thank you authors that write sincere men! That write women who don’t want to change themselves in order to gain approval!

I shed a few tears and really savored my time reading this. Working my way through all of Hahn’s stories is going to be a blast.

(Also Erin, if you see this, please have mercy and give me a Brody book. I beg of you.)

📌 eARC Review 📌

🔥 Never before has a title been so on point for me with a book! Erin Hahn does it yet again! The story of Winnie & Case is so perfect that it breaks my heart to read that this is the last YA book from Ms. Hahn.

➡️ Fulfilling the bucket list of his late best friend, Case befriends Winnie, who couldn't come from a more opposite background than he does. While Winnie doesn't realize she's part of the bucket list, Case realizes his late friend put her on there for him.

🫶 “….[Walker] knew she needed a friend, too. I lost my best friend, but she doesn’t have one either.” 🫶

💗 Their story is one of growing up, finding yourself, holding on & letting go. It's a rollercoaster that will have you rooting for Case and Winnie as individuals and as a couple. Well done as always, Ms. Hahn. I tip my cowgirl hat to you yet again.

⭐️ 5/5
🗓️ Releases 2/6/24

Thanks to #NetGalley & #StJamesPress for the eARC.

I adore this author’s YA books. I loved how, here, the setting felt like it’s own character. Their journey towards each other was so sweet. The moments of self discovery and growth sprinkled in made the story feel all the more real! The secondary characters felt real and relatable as well and added heart and depth to the story! The plot was paced well and had me invested in the story from the beginning. Highly enjoyed it.

Even if it Beaks Your Heart by Erin Hahn is a great easy read in the YA romance genre . The characters face some very tough situations and I thought it provided extra depth to the romance that made it unique in the genre. I loved the growth of the characters and how they evolve through the course of the novel.

For a YA romance, this book was so beautiful. Seeing two characters with different struggles come together to grow as a couple and as individuals really made my heart happy. The author tackled very tough subjects such as loss of a friend and parent, difficult family dynamics, financial insecurity etc in a real and meaningful way. Nothing was sugar coated, but it was still written in a way that gave hope to the readers. I loved watching Winnie and Case become friends and really want success for each other. I do think there could have been a little bit more about the bull riding and horseback aspects since that was one of the main themes, but it was still done tastefully! The writing was done very well and wasn’t too cliche. For a YA book, it did read well too and didn’t feel like I was reading a middle schooler’s journal or something. I wanted to laugh, cry, hug and root for all the characters in the book as they all worked for their own versions of success. It was a great read that I could not get enough of!

Thank you NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for and Advanced Readers Copy.

I usually avoid books that might make me cry, but I love Erin Hahn enough that I picked this one up anyway. And I'm so glad I did - I adored Winnie and Case, and although sad in parts this story was overwhelmingly heartwarming. A beautiful coming of age romance!

Thank you to the publisher for providing a review copy

i loved this book it was such a fun read and you could feel cases heartbreak for his friend and you could feel Winnies maternal instincts for her siblings and how both of these people are going through something at the same time and also helping each other be better.