I really enjoyed this novel by Erin Hahn. It had all the things I love in story and such wonderful characters. Winnie has been trying her best to keep her family together and is working on a ranch owned by Case's family. Case is dealing with the loss of his best friend and in a bit of a downward spiral. They find themselves drawn together and find themselves both starting to heal through their friendship. This story had great characters and I loved the rodeo aspects as it is something I don't have a ton of knowledge about. This will be a book some of my students will definitely enjoy because of the horse riding elements and rodeo references. Thank you netgalley for this arc in exchange for my honest opinion.

Case is a rodeo star grieving the loss of his best friend Walker, and working through the crazy bucket list that Walker left for him. Winnie works with the horses at Case’s family ranch, and is trying to keep her head above water while also parenting her younger brother and sister, which she has been doing since she was 10 years old. They are both ignoring their dreams to care for other people but they end up as a support system to each other.
This is a sweet and heartfelt YA novel, mostly about grief and finding your way through life. The romance was a slow burn, but it still felt like a mature story. It made me laugh, cry, and want to hug Case and Winnie several times. And, in the end, things worked out, letting Case and Winnie getting their HEA.
I voluntarily read and reviewed a copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own. Thank you to Erin Hahn, NetGalley, and Wednesday Books.

This is a sweet YA novel about love and loss and responsibility. I thought it was good but nothing that I was dying to jump back into reading. I like Case's character and how he finds redemption.

Thank you to NetGalley for giving me a copy in exchange for an honest review.

It's a slowburn, closed door romance set in Texas in the ranch/ rodeo world, and I really enjoyed it - even more than Never Saw You Coming.
Highly recommended for the fans of friends-to-lovers trope who like their books heavy on heart and light on smut.

My Achilles heel is an emotion-filled YA romance.

Erin Hahn’s YA romances are truly special. I felt really seen in Never Saw You Coming, and Only If It Breaks Your Heart hit me in the feels several times. Erin has been calling this one “sad rodeo book” and I’d asterisk that to say the cowboy is sad but the book is hopeful.

Case is 19 and barely holding on. His best friend died of a terminal illness, leaving behind a list of things he didn’t get a chance to do that he made Case promise to finish for him. One of the items is to befriend Winnie, an employee at Case’s family’s ranch.

Winnie dreams of barrel racing but knows the reality is that she’ll only train horses for others to race since she is saddled with the responsibility of caring for her two younger siblings. Her mom left them when her younger sister was weeks old and her dad works the night shift and acts more like the third child than the parent.

Case sees Winnie race and talks her into joining the local rodeo circuit in hopes that she’ll fall in love with it and compete nationally. As they spend more time together at the ranch, they begin a friendship and begin to open their hearts to trust and rely on someone else for a change.

What follows is the sweetest friends-to-lovers romance on a ranch with a grumpy horse, 80s music, rodeos, grief, and growth.

I LOVED THIS BOOK. It was just so sweet and filled my heart. I loved the relationship between Case and Winnie and how genuine they both were.

This is a huge five star book for me and I highly recommend it, especially if you like angsty YA that makes you feel things.

Thank you to Wednesday Books for an eARC. All thoughts are my own.

I was pleasantly surprised by this. The romance was definitely slow burn and very tame but it still felt like a mature story. Both characters are dealing with A LOT and the portrayal of their struggles was really honest and level-headed. Nothing too dramatic (although I maybe would have liked a little more drama heh).
I do wish there were a few more scenes between Case and Winnie. Maybe it’s just because I’m in a slump and took way too long to get through this, but it felt like a lot of internal monologuing and not a lot of action. But when they do finally get together??? The CUTEST.

In support of the SMP boycott, I will be withholding my review of this title until SMP speaks out. If the boycott is resolved, I will update with a full review.

I think this is my favorite YA novel I’ve ever read.

This book is just really special - it tugged at my heartstrings and I got so attached to all of the characters, main & side (especially Winnie’s little sister Garrett).

📖 Even if it Breaks Your Heart
📝 Erin Hahn
🗓️ 02/06/2024
🐎 YA romance
Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️♾️
Spice:🚪 (kissing & behind closed doors)

Even if it Breaks Your Heart is such a lovely story. It’s a coming of age novel about 2 teens dealing with different things, and coming together to help heal.

“Not everyone can chase their dreams in the daytime.”

Case is dealing with the loss of his best friend, having no direction in life or responsibilities, and not even being sure what his dreams are.

Winnie is dealing with the opposite - having far too many responsibilities that shouldn’t be hers, and having no time to follow her own dreams.

They both need a friend, and find that and so much more in each other.

This book tackled some very heavy topics (definitely check trigger warnings, the main ones being childhood cancer, grief, and parental abandonment), yet still managed to make me smile quite often. Their banter is adorable!

I felt a very personal connection to this story, having lost one of my best friends far too young in life. I could relate to a lot of the thoughts that went through Case’s mind.

This book really showed the process of trying to move on from a big loss, how to live your life without that very important person in it anymore.
How to realize you are also an important person.

Tropes + topics:
🐎 Different worlds
🐎 Young adult
🐎 Friends to lovers
🐎 Grief & healing
🐎 Rodeo & horses
🐎 Rich boy/poor girl
🐎 Coming of age/self discovery
🐎 Slow burn
🐎 No 3rd act breakup
🐎 Dual POV/first person

Thank you to NetGalley & St. Martin’s Press for an advanced copy. All opinions are my own.

Chestnut Springs but make it YA.

I do wish we he more of Case and Winnie. We got a lot of individual development and internal thoughts, but I wanted MORE. I know it’s YA , but sometimes YA romance hits so much harder than more adult content, and while this was cute, I just wanted more sweet moments between the two. Both our main characters were so lovable. I also loved Garrett and Jesse, Pax, Maria, Kerry, Camilla, even Walker.

One thing I really don’t like with YA authors is when they include a bunch of pop culture references (Olivia Rodrigo, Taylor Swift, even Covid, TikTok, her iPhone 6, etc.). So that’s something I didn’t love, but that’s also personal preference for sure.

Overall this was super sweet and enjoyable! I’d rate it 3.75 stars probably, but rounding up to 4!

I saw the cover of Even if it Breaks Your Heart and quickly added it to my #TBR list, it's a pretty one. I flew through this story of a young man's journey through grief after the death of his best friend and his quest to make a new friend out of a young woman who he learns is dealing with trauma of her own. Set on a horse ranch and the rodeo circuit, this is a fast-paced, young adult romance, (that definitely leans more adult, lots of f-bombs and underage drinking), with characters you can't help but love. Will Case and Winnie end up following their own dreams or be stuck in the life paths that they already seem destined to muck their way through? Though topics of cancer and abandonment are forefront, this also feels like a story of hope and young love. I thoroughly enjoyed it!

I voluntarily read and reviewed a copy of this book, provided by Netgalley. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

I wasn't sure what to expect from this sad cowboy romance going into it. But I trust Erin Hahn, and I knew the book would be good. I completely wasn't expecting to be so profoundly sad from the first page. Case is lost and grieving the death of his best friend, Walker. See, Walker left this list, and Case assumes it's a list of things Walker thinks Case should do in his life. But the thing at the bottom of the list proves to be the most challenging. Case must befriend the tough, jaded Winnie. But can he crack her no BS exterior? Winnie reminded me of a country Fiona Gallagher (from the TV show Shameless). She took up the mantle of carrying for her father and siblings when her mom left, leaving very little time, money or energy for herself. She's got big dreams, but they are on hold for her family.

As Case and Winnie navigate their newfound friendship and their memories of Walker, they motivate each other to do what they've always wanted. Their chemistry burned off the page, and you could just feel the tension growing. This book was heartfelt and emotional, and I know I am better for experiencing it. I can't wait to add a paper copy to my home library!

I wasn’t sure what to expect from this as I sometimes don’t love teen, even older teen romances but it was so good!! Winnie was such a relatable and easy to connect with female character. I loved the relationship and it felt so real and sweet. The setting is wonderful as well. I appreciate how grief was handled and it really is also a coming of age novel. It felt a bit chestnut springs but with teens but that is okay since it was well done! Would for sure recommend this to people of many ages!

I thought this was gonna be real emotional but it was as not. I’m giving it a high 4 ⭐️. Yes a little sad but no tears and I really liked it. Have you had a best friend in your life? I have an it’s something. This was a closed door romance with two young adults trying to navigate their lives when they been knocked down. They were adorable and I loved all the things Case did. The banter was great and this didn’t have any unnecessary drama.
I definitely recommend it.
Thanks St. Martins Press via NetGalley.

Still reeling from his best friend’s death, Case Michaels finds an unlikely companion in Winnie Sutton. While Case struggles to continue bull riding, he encourages Winnie to pursue her dream of joining the rodeo circuit.

This book is simultaneously gutt-renchingly devastating and beautifully uplifting. Erin Hahn’s prose fleshes out such a wide range of emotions in these characters that readers can’t help but feel connected to them. While the romance is great, I truly appreciate the realistic progression of the MCs personal growth.

This is my first time reading any of Erin Hahn’s YA books but it definitely won’t be the last.

I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own. Thank you to Wednesday Books and Netgalley!

4.5 stars
I will read everything from Erin Hahn: YA, romance, you name it and I'm there. She crafts wonderfully interesting stories and characters that you come to really care about. Case and Winnie were a great couple who blossomed as individual people through their relationship together.

4 -⭐⭐⭐⭐

"Walker never wrote Fall for your friend on his list, but maybe ... it's meant to be taken more in the spirit of things. In which case, I have every intention of making Winnie Sutton my friend.

Even if It Break Your Heart is a YA contemporary cowgirl/cowboy standalone romance following Case and Winnie as stress and grief brought these two unlikely people together. Case is a nineteen year old who has recently loss his best friend to illness and struggles to enter the rodeo scene again after it brings back the memories of his loss. The one thing keeping him focused amidst the drinking and forgetting is the determination to complete his friend's bucket list, which leads him Winnie Sutton.

Winnie has the world on her shoulder has she takes on the responsibility of keeping her family together amidst the younger sister who idolized her, the younger brother who is close the being expelled, and the absentee father. She spends her days working Case's father's ranch and while her talent with riding is evident by all who see her sneak in the riding between shifts, she fears the consequences if she gives into her passion.

I went into this book with no expectations and it ended up being this beautiful sweet and moving story of character finding friendship and love at a time of great change. Winnie, having been forced into this parental role, is watching her life go by but the responsibility she bears is moving. She has talent, wit, and passion that are being stifled by expectations. She needed companionship and watching her blossom under it got to me.

Case is a character I really felt for. The loss he feels is evident so clearly in the opening chapter but he is trying. I loved seeing him find himself again and to find a new path for himself. His friendship with Winnie teaches him to be selfless but also aware of what he needs. Together they work so well.

This book is a YA romance so there is no spice. There is some kissing in the second half of the book but it is fade to black spice. The romance itself was PERFECTION as this hesitant acquaintances to friends to lovers. The banter, the connection, and the comfort between these two despite the denial was just the romance I needed in this book.

"Winnie pulls into a gas station before she leans over and kisses me.
'What's that for.'
'Does there need to be a reason.'"

The story itself is focused primarily on the characters and them finding themselves. There are moments of tension, competition, family matters, and more that were a pretty even pace for me. It gave me the feeling of refreshing beverage you know and love on the day you need it. There is nothing new but it doesn't need to be. I found the side characters were also a really good balance to the main characters to challenge them, even Winnie young sister. The dad had this interesting twist but I felt the execution of it was off. The ending rounded things off so well and had me feeling such good vibes at the end.

Overall if you want a comfort read with meaningful character growth, a sweet romance, and smooth pacing this book will hit the spot. Check your triggers as this book does address terminal illness.

Thank you the arc!

I don’t usually read books with teenagers anymore, but I like the author and the premise sounded good so I was in. I’m glad I dove in and read it, because this was a wonderful story.

It started off with the typical trope of rich boy and poor girl, but it was a touching book. Cam lost his best friend Walker a year ago and has been struggling with what to do next. Walker left a bucket list for Cam and on that list was befriending Winnie. Winnie has the world on her shoulders. With a barely present dad, she takes on the task of caring for her younger siblings. But she has dreams that she can’t imagine ever chasing.

Winnie can’t stand Cam at first, but of course things change as they fall for each other. I loved seeing them grow together.

Thanks as always to NetGalley for the ARC.

Erin Hahn does it again! Bringing us this remarkable new story Even If It Breaks Your Heart!
This was a fun and entertaining read.
Case and Winnie were such a delight. Their banter was phenomenal and the chemistry off the charts.
Hahn is an incredible author who has a magical way of developing characters.
A delightful blend of romance and self-discovery, filled with genuine emotions.
Erin Hahn's engaging storytelling and well-crafted characters make this novel a joy to read.
I love her contemporary romance stories and this one was a fun read that stole my heart.

Thank You NetGalley and Wednesday Books for your generosity and gifting me a copy of this amazing eARC!

Erin Hahn has quickly become a one-click author for me. I don't hesitate to pick up her books and have never been disappointed.

This one was a beautiful story of two people struggling with their own issues. Case is grieving his best friend's death and his struggle is tearing him apart. He's not quite sure what to do with the emotions he's feeling. Then he meets Winnie and there's something about her. Winnie, naturally, wants nothing to do with the poor little rich boy that she sees Case to be. She has problems of her own. She's busy trying to hold her family together with little help from her father. Money is an issue and her younger brother is acting up and putting the careful balance of everything at risk. She definitely doesn't have time for Case or his interest.

One thing they have in common is love of Case's ranch and the animals. They eventually find common ground and form a friendship and it will become the saving grace for both of them.

I simply loved this story and the natural way that Ms. Hahn let it flow and develop. it's a definite slow burn and was all the better for it.

Thank you to NetGalley for this ARC. I voluntarily chose to read and review it and the opinions contained within are my own.

This was a good look into teen grief and love. I appreciated Hahn's writing style. The characters were relatable and the story wasn't too juvenile for an adult to enjoy. Well done!

Thank you to Netgalley for an ARC in exchange for my honest opinion.