As a book reviewer that runs a book review blog, my TBR is pretty hefty. I mean, if it was made up of actual printed books, the stack would tower over me. And while my list of favorite authors is somewhat a short one, that doesn’t stop me from giving new, and new-to-me, authors a chance. Especially when I’m in a book funk. And I’m not usually a fan of YA books, but something about this blurb (and the cover––I’m a bit of a cover whore!) made me take a chance on this new author. Sometimes that’s a hit or miss. But this time? A definite hit! And hit it out of the park, she did!

I think at some point in most of our young lives, we dreamt of meeting our celebrity crush. Or even performing with them on whatever stage they were a celebrity on. So I was intrigued by the blurb. Clay is a star. Annie is a rising YouTube star. She’s had a crush on him for quite some time but she’s not sure about working with him. He’s led a privileged life. She’s down to earth. The road is rocky….

This debut book by this author is one that, especially if you love YA books, you should NOT miss. The characters are wonderful, the world building is fantastic, and the story had me devouring it in about two days. And only because I had to put it down to cook for my kids one of those days! Erin Hahn did a great job depicting my teen fantasy, and I absolutely look forward to more books from her!

NICUnurse’s Rating: Definitely a 4.5-star rating from this bookworm! And I very rarely give 4.5 stars to YA books, so you’d better believe this is worth your money and more than worth your time!

As a fan of country music and YA, this book sounded like a perfect pick for me. Although they are young rising stars, Annie and Clay both have their own demons to face. Will they face them together and heal each other's broken hearts or shut each other out?

I loved that this book was a mix of a fun teenage love story and the more serious topics of loss and death. It wasn't all fun and games but when it was fun, it was really fun. Annie and Clay were the perfect hate to love match and their banter had me giggling at times. I mean, what's better than getting back at someone through song?

Oh, that's another thing, the songs! If only they were real songs. That's an album I would definitely listen to.

Aside from Annie and Clay, the side characters couldn't have been written better. They were true friends and the perfect sidekicks.

If you love country music, fun banter, and young love, don't miss this one!

Could this book be any more adorable?! It’s been awhile since I read a YA novel much less a romance one but I’m back on the train because I absolutely loved this one. It was sweet, cute and full of heart. And while I have your attention if you have any recs in this genre please let me know!

If you’re a country music fan you’ll appreciate this one, I am and I loved the insight into the industry through the eyes of an already established star and also an up and coming new artist. Besides the glitzy and not so glitzy side of the entertainment industry being showcased this had all the teen angst and drama and I am here for that! There was a lot of will they or won’t they going on, great chemistry and a whole lot of country charm.

This surprised me with the amount of depth and growth the characters experienced, both Clay and Annie have some pretty dark and heavy issues in their pasts which made it all the more realistic for me. If realistic means two teenagers as country stars, but you get what I mean. Overall a wildly enjoyable read for me and the perfect addition to your spring reading lists!

You’d Be Mine in three words: Adorable, Angsty and Enjoyable

Clay is the typical badboy superstar, a boy of humble origin and raised by his father, brings a great pain in the chest that leads him to always get involved in trouble and confusion. The problem is that his record company is tired of putting out his fire and drowning his fights and now demands that he bring famous daughter'of Cora and Robbie, Annie Mathers, to his tour.

Annie Mathers was raised by her grandmother after her parents passed away and despite loving a lot music and having a beautiful voice, she does not want to a life on stage. But Clay convinces her and this approach will bring many memories to Annie's mind about her parents' background. Annie with her golden voice and her sweetness conquers in each city of the tour a legion of fans and her presence and her posture on stage begin to mess a little more, as if this is possible, the famous superstar's mind.

Clay makes a point of treating the girl with indifference and distance even realizing that he is enchanted by her every song sung because his demons are stronger than him and the reader is left to hope that both Annie and Clay do not succumb with them.

I really enjoyed Annie, her band and Fitz, since Clay did not appeal to me very much and his rudeness annoyed me most of the book, but I found it interesting how the writer led the story.

The cover does not attract to the book and does not pass the right message of it either, which for me is more a strong drama than for a story as lightly as this model seems.

I was floored by this debut. I was immediately sucked into Annie's story and I couldn't put it down. I loved the complexity of Annie's struggles and desperate need not to follow in her parents' footsteps. Grief was a big part of this book and we got to see one person thriving while grieving, while another was drowning in their grief. We saw struggles with substance abuse as well.

I'm not much of a country music lover, but I sure would listen to either of the stars in this book. Watching their careers unfold and the choices they made were really comforting to me, especially as a college student trying to decide on her future.

Annie is a strong character and an even stronger woman. I loved watching her blossom into the star that she was meant to be, gaining confidence in herself and her abilities. We had great friendships and strong relationships throughout, whether romantic or family. The love that blossoms between her and Clay is swoon-worthy and I don't think I've rooted harder for two characters in a while.

Overall, it's a strong contemporary and debut. It tackles complex, real-world issues without losing the magic of a summer contemporary.

*I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher through NetGalley. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.*

I loved this story and discovering that this is the author's debut novel made me love it even more. There are a couple of areas throughout the book that I thought the writing could have been a bit tighter but overall I felt it was very well done with a nice pace and well developed characters. I thought Annie and Clay were amazing characters and adorable together. They are flawed, real, and honest. Clay is on a downward spiral and Annie going on tour with him is his last chance to keep his career afloat. Will the love they find on the road be enough to pull him back from the edge? Lovers of country music will really enjoy this book. It's one I highly recommend.

This was a really good read. It had all the elements needed to make a story that sticks with you after you have finished it. Full of himself bad boy? Check. Young girl overcoming tragedy? Check. Coming together and finding love…well, in the end, check. The beginning, the middle and the end are all believable, which to me makes for a good recipe for a great story. Do I recommend this book? Absolutely.
Thanks to netgalley and the publisher for an arc of this book for an honest opinion.

I'm not a country music lover, but I still loved this book! Hahn does masterful work with her characters, and weaves together heavy topics with grin-inducing humorous bits (sparring through songwriting! I LOVE IT.) This is a moving, satisfying debut.

Unfortunately, I did not finish this story. I had a very hard time connecting with the characters and believing in these characters. I struggled very hard with this plot. There was nothing that stuck out for me and nothing that pulled me into the story.

Annie Mathers is a country music legacy. Clay Coolidge is country music’s bad boy, throwing back drinks and throwing punches. When the two go on tour together everyone expects sparks are going to fly. They do but this isn’t just a happy easy contemporary romance. There is grief, tequila, jail time, and drugs. I did read through it quickly but because I was invested in what was going to happen between these two characters. I did feel like some of the secondary characters fell flat. Being members of Annie’s band I felt Kacey and Jason deserved a little more depth. If the author wrote followups about Jason or Kacey I would read to find out more about them.

This is an unfulfilled story to me. Annie and Clay did not really get together. They pined on and off, and Clay has a pseudo bedmate he cared for more than Annie. Of course as a music superstar he had a drinking problem, because he had a personal problem, etc etc. Annie also had a mom and pop problem. The end came and they really did not get together. I don’t know if there is going to be a sequel *shrug*. They are also awfully young. I can’t even pin down Clay’s age. I didn’t enjoy this. Much ado about nothing.

This is a total YA version of A Star is Born for me. There are some major differences such as Clay’s obligation to help Annie become big but it definitely has all the vibes. Major alcoholic rockstar bringing underrated new popstar to limelight. I found myself humming “Shallow” the entire time and getting it stuck in my head for nights on end all over again.

It’s a really good thing that I love and appreciate country music. As this book centers around the country music industry, there are a ton of references to music and not always country that a younger reader may get lost with if they don’t know who they are. June and Johnny, Reba, Dolly’s Jolene, and even my favorite Creedance Clearwater Revival are mentioned and as an adult, I loved it but as this is written for YA, this may be something that gets in the way of their love for the book. This book may need to be read by a teen with love for country or just some music knowledge. Am I that adult that is underestimating this current generation? I don’t know but being a teacher in Philadelphia may be hindering my faith in musical choices of this generation lol.

I loved following Clay and Annie’s story. They both have flaws but are super likable characters. I was rooting for them both the entire time. I absolutely loved their changes and how dynamic both of them were. Annie is so inspirational and definitely a prime example of a person who does not have to let their past and traumas define them. Her maturity level is amazing and I loved watching her blossom into her own person even when she is super conscious of not being comared to her parents.

I definitely reccomend this book. I enjoyed every second of it and it was an awesome refresher. It dealt with some pretty heavy expereinces for a Young Adult novel but was very realistic. It’s something I feel like more mature young adults could really enjoy.

Thanks to Netgalley and St. Martin's Press for a digital galley in exchange for an honest review.

5 Nashville stars for the new Johnny and June!

I realize that I am not the target audience for this YA country music romance. Then again, I am not the target audience for Riverdale or Pretty Little Liars, but I love those too! Terrific characters, great storyline, and music lyrics that I wish were on Spotify so I could download them.

Annie is trying to make her own way on the country music scene. A difficult feat when her parents were country music's power couple which ended in tragedy. Clay, is a country singer with plenty of vices, but he cannot resist the sway of Annie's music or Annie herself. During a summer tour across cities in the United States, the pair are being advertised as the new " Johnny Cash and June Carter." Although the two deny any type of relationship in public, behind the scenes tells a different story.

I just fell right into this story and Clay& Annie are definitely one of my favorite fictional country couples (right up there with Reva and Deacon). If you're looking a little romance with some richly written characters, look no further than You'd Be Mine.

***4 Stars***

The description hinted that there would be some...heavy situations, but the reality of what went on in the book with all of the characters was a quite intense. It was a bit of shock, but one that drew me in and had me wanting to not only see where these characters would find themselves in the end.

Annie and Clay were interesting characters. More weathered than their ages would suggest, haunted by their pasts and yet still young, despite it all in how they deal with the world around them. Annie, I really liked. She has this light, this goodness, inside her that comes through regardless of the demons from her past that chase her. Clay, I really liked as well, but he had his moments where he put the most petulant toddler having a temper tantrum to shame. His mercurial mood swings definitely kept me on my toes, but when he was ‘good’ he was a charmer and quite compassionate which had me rooting for him to figure his issues out and work at becoming more.

As for Annie and Clay’s romance, it was that perfect mix of angsty and sweet. Music was what tethered them to each other, and despite a good dose of push/pull going on, I really enjoyed watching their relationship evolve throughout the book. They both had some huge demons riding them hard and I liked how they ended up being each other’s safe place, even as they tended to be triggers for some heart breaking moments.

I have to give the author props for going big on her debut novel with the issues that are brought up throughout the book. Some will definitely be triggers for some readers, but I felt as if they were handled realistically as it pertained to the characters they impacted. The writing was engaging, though there were a couple spots where things dragged a bit for me and I liked the dual first person POV’s. The various characters that populate this world were all well written and brought a lot of depth to the story and I really liked Fitz, Kacey and Jason and definitely wouldn’t mind catching up with everyone in the future to see what they’re all up to.

~ Copy provided by the publisher via NetGalley & voluntarily reviewed ~

Rep: POC | TWs: DRUGS, SUICIDE, DEATH, GRIEF, ALCOHOL ABUSE, SUBSTANCE ABUSE

“I wrote this song for a boy. A boy I fell in love with against impossible odds. So this award is for you, Jefferson. If I had to choose my favorite, you'd be mine.”

Oh my goodness, what a super cute story! I really loved Annie and my heart truly went out to Jefferson/Clay. It was so well-written and sweet. I felt it truly captured the modern country music scene, as well. Annie's backstory is heartbreaking, but not too far off my own childhood. There is so much grief in this novel! Both Annie and Clay are dealing with loss in very different ways (you could actually argue he isn't truly dealing with it) and trying to cope while also taking on the country music scene and everything that goes along with it.

The alternation of chapters really allows you to get inside both of their stories rather than being entirely one sided. This truly is a story about them both and their intertwining journey to healthy places in themselves. They are truly beautiful together and I love it. Annie worries that her relationship with Clay will end up being as co-dependent as her parents' marriage. Clay thinks he's not good enough for Annie, seeing her for what she's worth. I felt that essentially tells you all you need to know about this story. There's a lot more to it, but they are so damaged in the beginning. This story shows them allowing each other to grow, amongst several setbacks, and heal from their individual traumas. It tells a story of how people respond very differently to trauma, but, when you have support, you can overcome nearly anything.

My favourite aspect was the theme of being better than your parents were. It reminded me a lot of my own journey. My parents both had their separate issues, but I like to think I've overcome my upbringing to become more successful than I could have been if I'd followed either of their paths. I saw a lot of myself in Annie. I also have a parent with a drug problem and it's hard to live with the thoughts that come with that. It's very clear the drugs come first and children are an afterthought for those types of people. There's nothing we (as their children) can do to change it. People have to want help before they'll get clean. It's definitely never easy.

I thoroughly enjoyed the addition of song lyrics. Although, I think the duet they sing is Kenny Rogers and Sheena Easton (not Dolly Parton - that was a different duet).

I've told so many people to add it to their lists, so if you haven't already, go check it out. I loved this FIVE STAR read.

Thank you again for allowing me to read this early!

I liked this book, though I struggled with connected with them as characters. Country singers hitting the road on tour, with lots of drinking (underage) and lots of damage for different reasons. A little heavy of a book, but I did like the ending and how it showed their development.

You’d Be Mine is an engaging and intense read aimed at older teens who love their fictional love interests damaged and slightly broken. Even though Clay does fit into some very obvious YA tropes (he drinks even though he’s underage, he sticks to hooks up instead of relationships, and has the bad boy rep around the studio executives), but as the novel progresses, we see he is more than this stereotype, and Hahn does an excellent job of drawing us into his troubles, and sympathising with him.

Annie is also damaged by parents, initially neglectful and now dead. She’s been unable to break free of their memory as huge country and western stars (particularly her mother), and this has stymied her own career. This pair of broken kids need each other, and so we go on a summer road trip with them, as they perform on stage and spend time together off stage.

It’s not an original plot for sure, but Clay and Annie are interesting and well developed. We also have many side characters who also play important roles, especially Annie’s band mates, who are both family and friend to her. Hahn includes some of both Clay’s and Annie’s song lyrics, and it’s a good way to demonstrate their feelings for each other, and their growing sense of identity.

You’d be Mine is a romance, but it’s also an insight into the lives of performing teenagers, and the pressures they put on themselves to succeed. There’s also a strong family element, and as both MCs have lost their closest family members, there’s a lot of grief and loss for them to overcome. It’s lovely to see Annie acknowledge her physical attraction to Clay, even though she isn’t one to act on impulse. Clay is also a gentleman (most of the time).

Thanks to Netgalley and publisher Wednesday Books for providing an advanced copy of this novel. Recommended for readers who love summer romance novels, with a darker edge, who love their female lead to be thoughtful and kind, but also one who stands up for herself. There’s detail here, so it doesn’t skim the surface, instead delving into issues such as drug and alcohol abuse, and suicide. But ultimately this is a love story, so you won’t be surprised that it’s a happy ending.

The Story
As you readers know I tend to pick a song as a "soundtrack" for each book. Sometimes that's easy, sometimes they just come to me. You'd Be Mine is almost in itself a song on it's own. Following the story of country singers had me listening to Hahn's own playlist that she put together (see her site for the playlist) and ultimately I have this strong desire to go to a country concert, a ho down, a rodeo, anything that will get my fingers tucked into my belt loops, kicking my feet and dancing with some cowboys and cowgirls. The funniest part of all of this? I've never really listened to country music. Now I am jumping out of my seat to get my butt to the next honkytonk. With all that being said, I can say that I was enthralled by this contemporary YA.

You'd be mine was a little more than just a romance between two country singers. It dealt with some heavier issues that made my cold heart hurt. Trigger warnings include: drug abuse, alcoholism, suicide, loss of war victims. As the tour continued I thought I would get tired of hearing about them being in a bus, on a stage singing, but through the character development the story progressed drawing you in. Through the story songs are included to help show what the characters were feeling as well as brought in the whole music bit back into the book. All I want is for some youtube singer to put a little diddy with it so the songs can be real.


The Characters
The dynamic between Clay (Jefferson) and Annie was definitely the driving factor of the book. And while I love a fun ya contemporary having a character driven book where the protagonists have to overcome their personal obstacles are my favorite. Annie and Clay both have their individual issues while simultaneously needing the world to love them for who they were. Annie needing the validation of her own talent outside of the shadow of her parents. Clay needing the love for who he is outside of just being a hot country singer. The combination of the two had my heart breaking so hard as Clay struggled with his self esteem, which is usually bestowed on female protagonists, with the draw that Annie had to just show him some genuine love. Ugh, my heart is clenching thinking about how much Annie helped him accept himself for who he was and to have a desire to be a good person in general.

Many thanks to Wednesday Books and Netgalley for the chance to read this book.

What an adorable story this was. In many ways, it reminded me of the movie Forever My Girl, but with both main characters living the country star life. A sweet, transportive story with song lyrics readers will be wishing they could hear in real life!

Unfortunately, three/three and a half star reviews are the hardest to write. While I enjoyed the book, I wasn't blown away by it. For me, it was simply okay - making it hard to elaborate much more. It is fair to say You'd Be Mine was a hopeful and quick read to break up the slow monotony I've been experiencing in my other current reads. I was impressed by Erin Hahn's ability to transport me completely into the world's of these two young country music stars. Even though heavy topics were discussed in this story, like suicide and addiction, the overall tone of this story felt positive and cheerful. The first half of the book held my interest well and I was eager to see where the budding romance between the two main characters would take me.

I think this would be a great novel for younger readers hoping to escape their everyday lives and instead imagine the lives of the rich and famous. Thankfully, the characters were more down-to-earth than one might imagine based on the blurb, making Annie and Clay more likable than I expected. However, I was kind of annoyed by the characters being from Northern states while playing up their deep Southern accents. I understood it was part of the persona, but for me, it detracted from the story.

Overall, I think this was a really cute read for it's intended audience. I would have enjoyed it immensely myself as a high school reader. As an adult, I appreciated reading a YA book that wasn't inundated with numerous sexual situations or descriptions. Though both characters were deeply flawed, I think this book set healthier expectations of what girls should look for in a relationship compared to many of the YA books I've read recently. Annie's standards were high and she refused to make the same mistakes as her parents or settle for anything less than she deserved. Kudos to the author for that!

You'd Be Mine releases tomorrow!

You'd Be Mine, by Erin Hahn, is set in the world of country music. This is a YA book full of romance, friendships, and finding one's own way in the world. This was a fun book to read, full of romance, friendships, and music.

What I Liked:

Setting:

I know absolutely nothing about the world of country music. But I now feel as though I do know a thing or two. The author clearly is a fan of the genre. And it shows in how lovingly she depicts not just the music scene now, but also how she gives the reader a sense of country music history.

I also liked her depiction of life on a summer music tour. Yes, there were the requisite groupies, booze, and drugs. But there were also times when the band got out of the tour bus to explore the places they were visiting. The author also did a great job of conveying how fun a summer concert is. It made me want to run out and buy tickets to a show!

Characters:

Annie is a very broken girl. Her parents were country music legends, but were all too human in real life. Most people in the music business can't see that. All they see is how much money they can make cashing in on Annie's pedigree and talent. She is understandable wary of the attention.

I liked that Annie was torn between her love of performing and getting caught up in the star-making machine that is the music business. I also liked that she was understanding of other people's views. She was very clear about not wanting to have sex before marriage. But she didn't feel the need to force her opinions on others.

I liked Annie's friends, Jason and Kacey. They were fully formed characters who were equal partners in their band, Under The Willows. I liked that the author referenced the problems Jason was facing, being mistaken for a roadie because he was a person of color. This was a nod to the fact that there isn't really much diversity in country music. Hopefully, this will change.

Behind The Scenes Look:

The most fun parts of the book were the behind the scenes look at the country music industry. Life on the road, writing songs, recording, doing photo shoots and interviews. There is so much asked of talented singers. Is it any wonder some get addicted to drugs and alcohol?


Besides showing all the work the singers do, the book also showcased the work of the tour managers, and record company representatives. I liked that the author did not make these people into caricatures, but presented them as actual people. They care about doing a good job, and about the performers. Many times, they sacrifice their personal time to fix problems that crop up. It takes more than just a talented signer to put on a show.

Descriptions Of Music:

I don't know how she achieves it, but the author does a wonderful job of describing the emotions behind a song. As Annie and Clay perform, we get a real sense of how they think about the music and how they convey that to a audience. I loved all the lyrics of the music, and wish that these song would be recorded. I would really want to listen to these songs!

Religion:

I found it refreshing that some characters really did go to church and prayed. I liked that this was just part of who they were. Annie is not a holier than thou kind of person, but she sticks to her beliefs about God, and sex before marriage. I also liked that the focus of the book was not how Annie would be tempted.

What I Was Mixed About:

Clay:

I wasn't overly fond of Clay. He was often a tremendous jerk to Annie and the other characters. Plus he seemed extremely jaded for an eighteen year-old. Maybe being in the music business will do that to a guy but I found his cynicism difficult to buy. I didn't see what the big deal was with him writing a few songs that were off brand. Considering the amount of money he was making for the record company, I think he shouldn't have been worried.

What I Didn't Like:

Set up:

The instigating incident of the book happens in the first chapter without much build up. Everything is very convenient. Clay needs to stay in the good graces of the record company, and he needs to get Annie to agree to tour with him over the summer. I wish there had been more background as to why Annie would be so reluctant for this opportunity that most people would kill for.