Sweet, soulful, and brimming with slow-burn tension, this romance hits all the right notes. Clementine and Halloran’s chemistry is as electric as the music they create, every moment on tour pulling them closer in ways neither expected. The clash between her practicality and his poetic soul makes for a dynamic, heart-tugging journey that feels as intimate as a whispered melody. I thoroughly enjoyed it.

This was FANTASTIC. Like, kicking my feet, cheeks hurt from smiling, blushing all the time, fantastic. I could not set this book down. If you ever want to read a book with a Hozier coded MMC, this is for you.

I loved that Halloran was a rock star, but was a sensitive sweet lanky flower. It’s different than a lot of other rockstar romances in this way. He was a fun character to read about and get to know. It was so sweet to watch him slowly open up over the course of the story.

I also really appreciated the growth the FMC, Clementine, goes through. You can really track her character arc and I was very satisfied with where she ended up by the epilogue. I had a lot of empathy for her and how she viewed herself.

This was achingly tender, sexy, and may or may not give you heart palpitations. Highly suggest giving this a read!

As a self proclaimed rockstar/celebrity romance hater I was convinced I wouldn’t enjoy this one…

But then Alex & Stephanie wouldn't stop talking about this book and I knew needed to give it a shot.

Someone get those girlies a gold medal because this book was f-ing EVERYTHING.

I’m kinda at a loss for words to be honest - the love story between these two MCs was so epic and utterly romantic. I stayed up till 3am reading. I was pretty much holding my breath, struggling to breathe the entire book.

THE YEARNING! THE PASSION!

I need to be revived after the madness that is this book.

Apparently the MMC is Hozier-coded and I am really bad at pop culture and celebrity stuff so aside from enjoying his music I couldn’t tell you anything about him - and thus I have no clue if this book is a good depiction of him.

WHAT I CAN TELL YOU! Is this MMC is everything. The most delicious, passionate, romantic mf-er EVER. Someone get the man-doh and build me a replica STAT.

Trust me when I say that this is a book you should absolutely read. Even if you’re a famous MC romance hater like me.

What’s to love…
- ummmm pretty much everything
- the TENSION
- the romance!!!!
- the delicious MMC
- the FMC
- the mom!
- the chronic pain rep!
- the kiss. and the other kiss. and all the other delicious things.
- side characters!
- the non-romantic relationships!
- beautiful prose and utterly quotable!

What’s not to love…
- the only reason I’m withholding the final bit to keep this from being a true 5⭐️is a tiny bit spoiler-y. I’ll be as vague as possible but reveal at your own risk.
- (view spoiler)

🌶️ - Ch 23 & 27 are the only chapters with truely explicit scenes but this whole book will have you on pins and needles and likely panting for more.

Sadly, i did not love this😔 i hated Clementine’s back and forth with Tom’s feelings, literally happened every other page. Making up stories in your head about his past love life without even talking to him, is just….. weird. I felt no chemistry between these two at all, like what exactly about Clementine made Tom fall in love with her after the first time talking???? Because all she does is talk badly about herself and how much she does not believe in love.

I did love the friendship with Molly and Indy though♥️ love when the girls aren’t at each other’s throats the whole book.

As one of my top anticipated releases I could not wait for this story. Kate Goldens first release in the contemporary world, with an Irish rockstar and a back up vocalist. I love a romance where she doesn’t believe in love and he is the romantic. It’s such a fun dynamic between the characters.

I absolutely devoured this book in one sitting. Kate has a way of completely transporting you to this world. With poetic writing, moving lyrics, and fantastic characters. I love that this book was structured so well following them on tour. You could feel the natural progression of their friendships and relationships. The chemistry and tension between these characters was off the charts. I love getting to know more about Tom slowly and the way both of our characters start opening up to each other.

I love Clementines story line of a chronic illness parent. As a child who grew up with a parent with fibromyalgia I felt my heart just breaking from Clem and how strong she’s been for putting herself on hold all these years. But I loved watching her find herself in her dreams, and the family she made along the way.


The romance was so swoony, I was giggling and squealing at most of their interactions and the spice was just the right amount to this story. There were softer moments that helped break up the tension and angst perfectly. This was such an enjoyable read!

I absolutely fell in love with Clem and Halloran, this book was a romance I didn't know I needed. I didn't love the misunderstanding at the end, but it makes some sense for what was going on within the band and everything with Halloran. Definitely going to pick this author up again!

This was impeccable and so well written. Clementine was such a great protagonist and I loved seeing the world through her eyes and watching her grow. Her chemistry with Tom was absolute perfection. The yearning! I was obsessed. This book hit all the right marks. I loved all of the side characters, as well as all of the Ireland references. The conflict in the story was also realistic and made sense for the characters from a growth perspective rather than being manufactured for the sake of drama like in some romance books. Overall such a great read and I am so looking forward to getting my hands on a physical copy when it's released!

Binge read this on a plane while listening to Hozier the whole time. The mmc was very obviously inspired by Hozier, but while I was reading it I imagined him as a whole different person. It didn't feel fanfic-y to me and I try not to imagine real life people as characters when reading. The story was fun with the fmc becoming a backup signer for the mmc on tour leading to lots of close proximity (they share a tour bus!). The side characters were fun and added to the story without overpowering it.

This was one of those books that works well as a single POV. I didn't feel like I was missing anything by not getting the mmc POV. The fmc goes through a lot of change in the book from finally leaving the small town she lives in and changing her view on relationships. She tries not to let herself get swept up in all the glamor and awe of being on tour with someone as talented as the mmc, but it's hard to ignore the chemistry between them on and off the stage.

I didn't love the conflict and how things played out at the end. It felt kind of cliche? The book probably would have been five stars for me if it went differently.

🎤 celebrity
🚙 roadtrip / on tour
😊 strangers to lovers
🤍 he falls first
🫂 found family

single POV
4/5 stars ⭐️
2/5 spice level 🌶️

If Not for My Baby by Kate Golden
5⭐️ | 3🌶️

-rockstar romance
-Irish accent
-hopeless romantic MMC
-cynic about love FMC
-he falls first
-flirty texting
-found family on a bus
-he protects her

When I heard @kategoldenauthor was writing a rockstar romance (after writing the epic Sacred Stones trilogy) I knew immediately I was going to love it. And I was right. And I don’t even read rockstar romances. But this was perfect. The Hozier vibes had me sold before I even read the summary.

Clementine is given the opportunity of a lifetime, pushing her way out of her comfortable little life she’s lived and challenging all those barricades guarding her heart.

“𝙄’𝙫𝙚 𝙣𝙤𝙩 𝙖 𝙘𝙡𝙪𝙚 𝙝𝙤𝙬 𝙄’𝙡𝙡 𝙨𝙡𝙚𝙚𝙥 𝙩𝙤𝙣𝙞𝙜𝙝𝙩.”
“𝙄’𝙙 𝙨𝙡𝙚𝙚𝙥 𝙗𝙚𝙩𝙩𝙚𝙧 𝙣𝙚𝙭𝙩 𝙩𝙤 𝙮𝙤𝙪.”
“𝙉𝙤, 𝙡𝙤𝙫𝙚. 𝙔𝙤𝙪 𝙬𝙤𝙪𝙡𝙙𝙣’𝙩 𝙨𝙡𝙚𝙚𝙥 𝙖𝙩 𝙖𝙡𝙡.”

Tom Halloran is guarded and private and a swoony, pensive romantic underneath it all, but he’s got his own struggles.

“𝘿𝙤𝙣’𝙩 𝙬𝙤𝙧𝙧𝙮, 𝙄’𝙢 𝙣𝙤𝙩 𝙜𝙤𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙩𝙤 𝙛𝙖𝙡𝙡 𝙞𝙣 𝙡𝙤𝙫𝙚 𝙬𝙞𝙩𝙝 𝙮𝙤𝙪.”
“𝘾𝙡𝙚𝙢… 𝙩𝙝𝙖𝙩’𝙨 𝙟𝙪𝙨𝙩 𝙬𝙝𝙖𝙩 𝙄’𝙢 𝙖𝙛𝙧𝙖𝙞𝙙 𝙤𝙛.”

“𝙒𝙝𝙚𝙣 𝙮𝙤𝙪 𝙞𝙣𝙩𝙧𝙤𝙙𝙪𝙘𝙚𝙙 𝙮𝙤𝙪𝙧𝙨𝙚𝙡𝙛 𝙩𝙤 𝙢𝙚 𝙄 𝙩𝙝𝙤𝙪𝙜𝙝𝙩 𝙮𝙤𝙪 𝙬𝙚𝙧𝙚 𝙖𝙣 𝙖𝙣𝙜𝙚𝙡 . . . 𝘾𝙤𝙢𝙚 𝙙𝙤𝙬𝙣 𝙛𝙧𝙤𝙢 𝙤𝙣 𝙝𝙞𝙜𝙝 𝙩𝙤 𝙧𝙪𝙞𝙣 𝙢𝙮 𝙡𝙞𝙛𝙚.”

Their forced proximity becomes this beautiful, healing, tension-packed, slowww burn story. The found family was the perfect touch to make this so heartfelt. The romance is so poetic and even gave me butterflies. I honestly didn’t want the book to end. Like can I get an extra epilogue or some bonus chapters please?

“𝙏𝙝𝙖𝙣𝙠 𝙮𝙤𝙪.”
“𝙒𝙝𝙖𝙩 𝙛𝙤𝙧?”
“𝙁𝙤𝙧 𝙗𝙧𝙞𝙣𝙜𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙢𝙚 𝙗𝙖𝙘𝙠.”

Thanks to @netgalley and Berkley Publishing for the arc! Releases August 5, 2024, available to request on NetGalley.

I really liked that this was based off Hozier. Such a delightful read. Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for gifting me this arc.

As an only child to a single mom, this book made me feel seen. I am not a huge music buff, but Tom and Clementine's shared love of music and the process was so beautiful. And I love how he falls first.
Kate Goldens first contemporary was just as good as her Romantasy and I can’t wait to read more from her.

Thank you to NetGalley for sending me an e-ARC in exchange for an honest review.

If Not for My Baby by Kate Golden follows a back up singer on her first tour with an enigmatic Irish rockstar that makes her question her view of romance for the first time.

As a huge Kate Golden fan (and Hozier fan), I’m not surprised how much I loved this! It was a very sweet romance, the relationship was nontoxic which I appreciate, and the found family of the crew/band was super endearing.

Overall, I gave this a four star rating because it was an easy, enjoyable read that I would highly recommend. If you love contemporary romance, this one won’t disappoint!

I have been waiting for this and so nervous but I was not disappointed. The MMC is dreamy and one of my favorite book boyfriends ever! The fmc is relatable and so cute.

3/5

With a Hozier coded love interest, If Not for My Baby was poised to be quite the hit for me. Unfortunately this didn't land the way I needed it to. Most of my issues stem from the degree of distance between the love interest, Tom Halloran, and the artist on which he was based, Hozier. This was more of a direct Hozier insert than I was comfortable with, than just a simple Hozier coded love interest, and as such I was left constantly being taken out of the romance. While his background was made slightly different there were clear calls to Hozier’s music and identity which led to me feeling quite uncomfortable while reading this. I did enjoy the narrative surrounding Clementine and Tom, but it all could have been the same with a character who stood on his own with just a flavor of Hozier-ness, instead of a direct insert. Given the strong characters, the exploration into the music industry and chronic illness, If Not for My Baby really hit some strong notes but was ultimately overburdened by its closeness to the artist on which the entire romance was based.

y'all i ate this up!!! i spent day reading as much as i could, and to find out a finished!?? i'm sad. this was so good, so fun, so relatable. i never read anything by kate golden but it will not be the last. i found myself laughing out loud and just having the best time. thank you netgalley for the arc!!!

I really enjoyed this book. Lots of fun angst between the main characters, and who doesn't love the rockstar troupe?! This was such a fun read!

Oh boy, that stunning, vivid cover, the steam, and the explosive chemistry between Clem and Tom set this entire story on fire, leaving readers absolutely breathless! Imagine a great love story infused with catchy, heartfelt lyrics, a touch of Daisy Jones & The Six and A Star Is Born—with the kind of electric chemistry that brings to mind Stevie Nicks and Lindsey Buckingham (but don’t worry, there’s nothing toxic about Tom and Clem’s fiery bond). Sound irresistible? It should be!

Meet Clementine Clark, a small-town Texas girl who has never left Cherry Grove. She’s spent years caring for her single mother, who suffers from fibromyalgia, a chronic condition that leaves her in constant pain. With expensive trial treatments they can’t afford, Clem puts her college dreams on hold, working as a waitress at a diner where her longtime friend—and ex—Mike is her boss. But when her best friend offers her a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to fill in as a vocalist on rising star Thomas Patrick Halloran’s first U.S. tour, Clem is forced out of her comfort zone. The eight-week gig could cover her mother’s medical expenses and reignite the musical dreams she buried long ago.

What she didn’t anticipate? Halloran himself.

Tom is like an Irish Jim Morrison meets Jesus-if-he-lived-in-the-forest—a mesmerizing force of nature who shakes up Clem’s world. And unlike the stereotypical rockstar drowning in excess, Tom is the opposite—introverted, bookish, and quietly magnetic. He keeps to himself, preferring solitude over partying and groupies. And yet, one late-night encounter at a vending machine sparks an unlikely friendship… and a passion that neither of them can ignore.

But Clem hesitates. She’s watched her mother suffer heartbreak after heartbreak, raised without a father, and she knows Tom thrives on turning heartache into music—he’s practically the male version of Taylor Swift. She’s supposed to return home, resume her old life. But what if there’s still a chance for her to chase her musical dreams? What if love with this captivating Irish musician is worth the risk? What if, against all odds, she actually deserves something beautiful?

Overall: I adored this passionate, electrifying, and deeply moving love story. Tom and Clem’s connection is pure magic, and this novel easily earns five blazing, fiery stars! One of the best romances of the year—I highly recommend grabbing a copy ASAP!

Many thanks to NetGalley and Berkley Publishing for providing this incredible romance’s digital review copy in exchange for my honest thoughts.

DNF@65

I'm so sorry but I couldn't re-pick it up; at first I really connected with the FMC but once the romance started ....nada. I felt no chemistry between the MCs I simply lost interest.AND I actually have no idea who Hozier is 🫣. it really had the potential. I'm so disappointed 🥲

⋆ ˚｡⋆୨୧˚𝕻𝖗𝖊-𝖗𝖊𝖆𝖉˚୨୧⋆｡˚ ⋆

Once I saw this beautiful cover I had to request it Thank you Netgalley and Berkley Publishing Group for approving my request 💋

Hozier inspired, say less!

This was quick moving and kept my attention the whole time, the characters adored each other and I loved the tour dynamic! I wish we got to see even more of them learning more about each other despite just loving to sing!

I recommend for the girlies who love a music tour romance. Fast paced and an easy read, the music component was a little bit too much at some parts but never overwhelming.

Unfortunately, I had to DNF at 30%. Is this not… weird and invasive to anyone else? I was getting the major ick and I wish I could have push forward but ultimately I could not