Cover Image: You'd Be Mine

You'd Be Mine

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A love story themed after country music stars, You'd Be Mine tells the story of a drunken playboy super star Clay Coolidge and daughter of two of the most famous country stars ever, Annie Mathers. They both have a past with the industry, both wanting fame but in completely different ways for completely different reasons. She to prove to herself that she is nothing like her dead and broken parents, and him to escape the tragic loss of his beloved brother. Together they try to reach stardom, becoming a team, rivals, friends and even more... Clay needs Annie to fix his image, and she needs him to jump start her career. This means they are stuck on tour together for the foreseeable future, no matter what they think/feel for each other.
Meh, it was okay. I feel quite neutral to this story. It was neither good nor bad. I found the romance uninteresting and rather bland. Annie wasn't bad as a character, she had interesting motives and pains, but she also didn't consistently make sense. She felt inconsistent to how she was described most of the time. She was built up as a paragon of restraint but she didn't seem to show much restraint at any point in the story. It made her hard to visualize. Also, the story just did not resonate with me in any way, but I could see it being fun for country music fans. All in all, You'd Be Mine was fine and I give it the rating of THREE AND A HALF STARS OUT OF FIVE!!!

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Trigger warnings for alcoholism, drug use, PTSD, suicide (graphic).
'You'd Be Mine' tells the story of two country musicians: Annie Mathers, rising online sensation and daughter of two music legends, and Clay Coolidge, the bad boy of country music. Two teenagers, scarred and hurt by their past, drawn together by their love of music. After one too many drunken arrests, Clay's label strikes a deal with him: get Annie Mathers to sign with them and tour together, or risk being dropped. Despite some early reservations, the two are almost instantly attracted to each other, though Annie doesn't want to meet the same fate as her parents and Clay has his own personal demons to fight.
I can see why 'You'd Be Mine' is getting rave reviews, but it just wasn't for me, unfortunately. From the beginning I felt Annie and Clay's relationship felt very much like insta-love, with little getting in the way between them. If there were so many differences between them surely there should have been a little friction standing in their way?
The characters also felt very flat, and at times did little to distract me from the lightness of the plot, despite this coming off to me as a character driven novel.
One thing I did appreciate about this novel was that there was no tired cliché of Annie's love "saving" Clay from grief and alcoholism, he gets help for himself, which I feel should be depicted more in novel.
Overall, 'You'd Be Mine' is a well written and thoughtful light read. I just wish I cared more for the characters, but will encourage my friends to pick up this novel.
Thank you to the author and the publisher for allowing me to review this early copy!

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A huge thanks goes out to Erin Hahn, her publishers and NetGalley for providing me with this piece of awesomeness!

Hahn did it, you guys. She actually made me feel like I was on the road with Annie and Clay. She made me cry, more than once and she portrayed everything I love about country music and the little world that comes with it, and -last but not least- pulled me out of what started to feel like a reading slump the size of the moon.

Clay is a troubled young country singer. He drinks, screws around and if it wasn’t for his friend Fitz, he’d be dropped from his label in a second.
Annie is everything good; sweet, loving and considerate. Her parents were huge country stars and Annie inherited that golden voice. Though she’s scared of becoming like her parents, she has to perform and so she goes on tour with her band and Clay...

You’d be mine is a book about growing up, learning how to grief and deal with emotions and .. well.. love. All with the help of words strung together in a song. We follow Annie and Clay and their best friends and learn along with them. I loved that!

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You'd Be Mine was a highly anticipated release of mine, so having the chance to review it was a total honor! In all I thought it was a fabulous read and one that I still can't get off my mind. The characters were so lovable and the plot was gripping. A fantastic debut!

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This book was pretty cute for what it was. I could have used more showing and less telling, especially concerning the romance. I just wanted more from it after going through all that with the characters. But overall it was a decent YA, borderline NA, contemporary. I know it was loosely based off of Johnny Cash and June Carter Cash's story, so I knew a little bit of what I was in for when I started it. I liked it. It didn't amaze me or make me swoon, but it was a solid book. I think people will really enjoy it.

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“I know the consequences of signing that contract. You’ve got even more to lose. My mom lost her life to country music. How could I lose more than that?”

You’d Be Mine is an astounding young adult contemporary novel by author Erin Hahn.

Annie Mathers is America’s sweetheart and heir to a country music legacy full of all the things her Gran warned her about.

Superstar Clay Coolidge is most definitely going to end up one of those things.

Unfortunately for Clay, his bad boy image is turning into bad boy reality, and if he can’t convince Annie to join his summer tour, his music label is going to drop him.

Annie has been avoiding the spotlight since her parent’s tragic deaths, except on her skyrocketing YouTube channel. Swayed by Clay’s undeniable charm and good looks, Annie and her band agree to join the tour, sparking rumours and fans wishes that she and Clay are more than just tour mates.

Annie grew up with a front seat to her parent’s volatile marriage and wants nothing to do with the high profile-relationships that seem to be an intrinsic part of fame. With repeating her parent’s history.

If only she could convince her heart that Clay, with his painful past and head over heels inducing tenor, isn’t worth the risk.

When I first read the blurb for this novel, I wasn’t really sure just what to expect from it, but I’m so glad to say that any of my expectations were so far surpassed I was literally speechless and sat in silence for a good long while after I finished the novel.

I loved the easy comradery and teasing between all the characters which helped to balance some of the heavier and more emotionally turbulent moments.

'I hold up a hand. “How about ‘Hey, man. Nice to see you. You look good. How’s it been? I like your new song. Are you growing a beard?’”
Fitz picks at his label. “Hey, man, nice to see you. You look better. I’ve always been a fan of your work, and you made me cry like a baby.” He raises a rusty eyebrow. “Would we call that a beard?” '

It was also so refreshing to read about two protagonists, particularly in a YA novel, take a realistic approach to what could have become a toxic relationship. To say that ‘enough is enough’ and focus on fixing themselves before starting a relationship, instead of clinging to one another and believing that love would be a magical cure-all to both Annie and Clay’s past troubles and trauma.

“All this time, without even meaning to, I’ve seen Annie as my salvation. My light at the end of this fucked-up tunnel. Her name would save my reputation. Her passion would inspire my music.
Her love would fix me.
And all this time, she’s seen me as her downfall. Her inevitable conclusion. I would break her, and she was going to let me.
Or we could have been. But we won’t be because now I know. I’m going to do what Robbie didn’t. I’m cutting her off at the start. She can’t be my sun. We’d never survive that. I crawl to my feet and stand, feeling resolute. Tomorrow is day one of the rest of my life.
And the rest of hers.”

A sensational and soulful novel about adversity, healing, love, redemption and hope. You’d Be Mine is a marvellous YA novel, filled with light-hearted banter, and heart-wrenchingly beautiful moments. Erin Hahn has done an absolutely outstanding job on her debut novel and I can’t wait to see what she writes next.

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ALL of the feels! I loved this book from start to finish! It was the perfect summer read for me. I recently finished watching Nashville and this filled the country love story void that it left. Annie and Clay are characters I can get behind. They are truely what brought this story to life. I will be recommending that my library purchases this one!

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"You'd Be Mine" was a super cute young adult read! This book is perfect if you want an easy, relaxing book to take with you to the beach.

The two protagonists, Clay and Annie, are adorable and well-developed. I really enjoyed their banter and chemistry. I also appreciated that Annie was a good girl but not preachy or on a high horse, while Clay was a bad boy but not a total jerk. The friend characters were also really enjoyable.

This was a very very sweet wish-fulfillment type of read - I definitely recommend!

Thank you NetGalley for the advanced copy!

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Clay and Annie, country music stars, are paired together by the record label. Clay needs Annie’s image, and Annie is a rising star. As each deals with the damage they have received from their families, Clay and Annie are drawn to each other in a sweet romance.

This is a really uplifting book. I especially enjoyed how they both separated and dealt with their own demons knowing that in their current states, a relationship wouldn’t be advisable. I’m not big into country music, but it made me wish I did.

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For me this book ticked so many boxes...I often try and avoid romantic YA novels due to the lack of sex scenes and the innocence of even the most complex love affairs but this book didn't need it.
Annie and Clay are such fun and yet complex characters that complemented and also expanded each other.
It was also extremely refreshing to read a romantic YA novel that focused on a different type of music scene as this year dance music , electronic and rave music have been all the go and it was great to see a different often overlooked music scene entering into YA fiction.
All in all i was beyond impressed with this novel and would highly recommend taking a chance on it.

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If you’re a fan of young adult romance and country music then this is definitely a book you need to get your hands on. When I saw that this a story inspired by Johnny Cash and June Carter Cash I knew I had to read it. I grew up on country music so it was really neat to read a story based in the country music world.

You’d Be Mine is told in dual perspectives of main characters, Annie and Clay. Clay is the stereotypical bad boy of country music, and in order to keep himself on the label he needs Annie to agree to join him on tour. I liked that the author didn’t try and hide the fact that there was a connection to Johnny and June. Instead she used it to make the connection between the main characters stronger. There were a lot of difficult subjects tackled throughout the story. I’m one of those readers who enjoys going into books blind so I’m not going to say which subjects, but I will say that I think a little more depth was needed. This book is targeted at Young Adults and I think that maybe the author downplayed some things because of that. I had a hard time with the main characters at times because there just wasn’t enough depth and background for me to fully care about what they were going through.

I thought the writing was really well done and I enjoyed the pace of the story. I do think that the story line got a little lost at times. I did really like how the author ended this story. She didn’t fall into the cliché story line that so many other authors do when dealing with this type of subject matter. The story isn’t about Annie “saving” Clay or vice versa, it’s about how they each deal with their issues in order to come together and I appreciated the way the author handled that.

While I did have some issues with this story, overall, it was an enjoyable read and it was really fun to enter into the country music world. I will definitely be looking out for future books by this author!

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Clay Coolidge is a country music star. After a night party his label is not happy. So he is forced to visit Annie Mathers and try to convince her to be on his tour.
She is a new promise in the country music. Both her parents were stars, too. And their story was quite tragic so she is a little reluctant.
I liked the story. Although it's a little slow in some parts, I enjoyed the world inside country music.
It ¡s a nice book.

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I have mixed feelings about this book. The plot sounded interesting and it started out strong in a lot of ways, but I never quite fell for either of the mains. Clay came across as interesting, but once we got further in, I had a hard time caring for him. Even though his demons were valid and his drinking problem portrayed realistically.... Annie had her own demons to wrestle, but she seemed to put her issues aside to help Clay in a way that didn't work for me. Or maybe it was the ending, which I couldn't quite wrap my head around. No spoilers though!

All that to say that there were a lot of good things about this book. The rock star romance is always going to get my vote. The fact that fiddlers had such a prominent spot in the story. And Annie's grandmother ....

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I often struggle with books set in the music industry and on tours, so when the blurb for this book took my eye, I sat up and took notice. I found all the characters really interesting, and although there are some harrowing and emotional backgrounds, the story and characterisation did not revolve around it. I found Annie so mature for her age, how she dealt with the pressures on her, the life she's had, and the things she faces on tour were quite something. When the moment comes where she acts her age, it feels like it is something that *had* to happen. As for Clay, I found him very honest, although he is running away from a lot off things in his life, he's honest about the things that count the most. By the end of the story it's impossible not be on his side.
One of the only things I struggled with was the time leaps between some chapters. Now don't get me wrong, every show in every city would have been repetitive overkill, but there are things brought up in some chapters which are later referenced as revolved. The biggest example of this comes from a meeting with a record company exec. When he is introduced, you sense something important is going to go down with him, yet you only get partial details about what has happened once he's out of the picture again.
Overall I thought this was a really enjoyable story with great main and side characters, a nicely built romance and an honest reflection of some very serious issues. I was given an ARC by the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

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Clay Coolidge, country music’s bad boy hero. Annie Mather’s, online rising sensation and daughter to two legendary music icons. Two teenagers both scarred by their troubled past are drawn together by their shared infatuation and intense passion for music.

Clay desperately needs a talented star in Annie Mathers to serve as front act in his summer tour, since his recent altercation in a bar had his label seriously considered dropping him for good. Annie, however, is reluctant, fearing a career in the music industry will only ruin her life, as was the tragic case with her famous parents. But music is truly in her blood, and before she knows it, she’s having the time of her life introducing her songs to the world and reconciling her growing attraction to their enigmatic concert headliner at the same time.

The story is told from the perspective of the two protagonists; it’s their shifting take on understanding the love they feel for each other despite the angst-ridden life they both have. Clay resorts to alcoholism after the death of his brother and grandfather, while Annie dreads she will end up like her parents whose stardom got into their head and destroyed them. Their personal issues are what hold them off from fully committing to each other, however how attracted they are to each other. Basically it is a blossoming love story of two musician teenagers while in the midst of battling their inner demons, with country music and country-wide concert tours for backdrop.

I appreciate the book for introducing me to the glitter and the not-so-glitter scene of country music; it’s something I wouldn’t have really known or taken much interest in had I not stumbled upon this read. True enough, I made online sidetrips for info on June and Johnny Cash, who are frequent mentions in the book, and also listened to a few country songs for good measure. However, the love, angst, and drama in the story are strewn over the place all at once that somehow it makes it difficult to point out which is central in the story. Also, the romance part could’ve felt more sincere and real had Clay and Annie been given more space to talk about their feelings in private. They practically declared their affection for each other in public before their screaming fans, and even then they still seem unsure about how one truly feels about the other. It’s a guessing game between them, and I’m not sure I still enjoy this kind of drama.

Still, You’d Be Mine is a pleasant and good read. I thank St. Martin’s Press, through NetGalley, for providing me an e-galley of this book.

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This was definitely an exciting YFiction story to read especially if you are a fan of southern romance with a little country twist. Our young readers have been asking about this book and I'm sure they will not be disappointed.

You'd Be Mine tells the story of Clay and Anne both superstars in the Country Music genre and they come across one another when Clay's career is at stake if Anne and her band do not go on his tour. Anne has agreed to join his tour and they work so well together that their fans are wishing that they become a power couple. They start to fall for one another with Anne having some reservations due to an experience from her past. Clay does whatever it takes to win Anne's heart and be one forever.

This I hope turns into a movie! This book was so entertaining and interesting to the point that you could not stop reading. You can't help but to fall in love with Clay and Anne and everything that they stand for. This will be a very refreshing treat for readers of the young teen and we can't wait to see how they will react to it. This will definitely have its place on our YFiction shelf and that is why we are giving this book 5 stars!

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I really loved story. It was a bit predictable and corny, but sometimes that’s perfect. Jefferson and Annie were such strong characters and I loved seeing there growth as they faced their demons.
There was on point a line that said “Iike my soul found its other f***en half” and I just didn’t care for that word at this point. I have no problems with cuss words, but at this particular line I felt it was uncalled for and ruined a good moment.
I got over that moment though I was brought to tears a few times as Annie and Jefferson hit some pivotal points in their life and had to face the past hurts.
Very well written. Cute story and I really enjoyed it.

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Posted on Goodreads on 9/23/18

This book is adorable. ❤️

You’d Be Mine is perfect for summer. And it’s coming out in April 2019, just in time for you to get a copy to bring with you on your road trip! It’ll make you want to blast country music in your car and sing along at the top of your lungs.

Clay is a teenage country music star who drinks a little too much. Annie is a rising star in the country music world who has been avoiding her destiny in the wake of her parents’ deaths. Everything changes when Clay asks Annie to tour with him.

“He reaches for my arm, and I ignore the electric jolt in my nerve endings at his touch. ‘Look,’ he says, exasperated, though his grip is gentle. ‘It shouldn’t matter what I want. This is about you and your future. Do you want this? Forget your name, forget your history, forget me and the label. Do you want this to happen? Because once you sign your name, it’s going to, and you can’t go back.’”

From the beginning, there’s majority chemistry between Clay and Annie. They’re drawn to each other’s singing voices:

“I shut my eyes, focusing on Annie’s smoky voice. She doesn’t sound seventeen. She sounds timeless. No showy vibrato, no American Idol-worthy runs. Her voice is pure. Unadulterated. Untainted. It’s the sound of sweet salvation.”

“Clay stands, legs spread at the hips, knees bending as if to absorb the force of his powerful voice. He growls into his mic a few lines before softening his plea so that it sends a chill dancing down my spine. I’m so stunned at the stark appeal in his eyes when he turns to face me, I almost miss my cue.”

*swoon*

But there’s some tension too - Clay only asked Annie to join the tour because his record label pressured him. He’s been getting too much bad press from all the drinking and bar fights, and Annie’s squeaky clean reputation is supposed to make up for his bad behavior. Things get even more complicated when rumors begin to fly that the two of them are romantically involved. It’s great for publicity, so the label encourages the rumors. The chemistry between Annie and Clay gets more intense with every show they perform together and the label pushes them to play June Carter and Johnny Cash. This book was actually inspired by the romance between Carter and Cash, and it’s easy to see this book as a YA version of Walk the Line.

Annie is cautious; she wants to be with Clay, but she doesn’t want to repeat her parents’ mistakes. Her parents were country superstars who after their suicides are now known as country’s biggest tragedy. And Clay wants to be with Annie, too, but he’s aware that he’s a bad boy, and he is afraid to hurt the good girl. ‘Clay’ is a stage name, and he desperately wants Annie to know the real him, Jefferson. Annie recognizes that Jefferson is just as broken as she is; he’s also lost people close to him, people he loved the most.

“[I]t’s become abundantly clear in the last twenty-four hours that Jefferson isn’t just some frat boy country star. He’s more than kissing in the dark and filled-out denim. He’s just as damaged as I am. He’s got heartache and grief and loneliness, and if i can’t survive him, he sure as hell can’t survive me.’

The country music scene is so glamorous! But this book also discusses the gritty reality behind the glamor of country music - the long days, late nights, and the early mornings on the tour bus. Annie and Clay are teenagers, but they are exposed to very adult things, such as drinking and drug use. Touring isn’t just a summerlong party, it’s a grueling job, and they are forced to grow up fast. But together they find love and redemption.

“It’s not just chemistry . . . No, what we have is something more; we have magnetism. Chemistry is give-and-take; magnetism sucks you in like a black hole. . . [P]utting us together singing a classic for all the world to see? I knew we’d never come back from that. Still, I couldn’t refuse. For as much as everyone else wanted to see what would happen, I needed to feel it for myself. To confirm what i already suspected.”

You’d Be Mine is an adorable summer romance. Pre-order now, it’s going to be one of the hot books of summer 2019.

Release date April 2019, available for pre-order now ❤️

ARC provided by Wednesday Books in exchange for an honest review.

The quotes above were taken from an ARC and are subject to change upon publication.

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It's been a little while since I've read a full-fledged YA Romance, but this was just what I needed right when I needed it.
What I Loved: Broken Characters...this book's got 'em. And I loved it. The characters were relate-able in their broken-ness. I shouldn't say broken characters...scarred characters would be a better description. These characters aren't broken...they are scarred by life's tough moments.
What I Liked: it was a sweet and predictable book...which was just what I wanted.
What I Hated: Can't say there was anything to hate.

Overall, just a good little read.
Actual stars: 4.5

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"Who wants the man behind the curtain when they can have the Wizard?"

"You'd Be Mine" is about two Country music stars trying to deal with their own problems in their own ways.

Annie wants nothing to do with Clay's bad boy image: She'd rather make her own path towards fame than be saddled with being in his lime-light. Clay needs Annie for her voice on his tour or else his career is history...

The beginning was great - It kept my attention, enraptured me with how the characters dynamics were being played out and how I wanted to know how they would change over the course of the book. Annie's personality was refreshing to Clay's bad boy persona. I liked how she brought out her witty banter whenever Clay tried to make her feel inferior.

In the middle to the end of the book is where I started to lose interest.

It felt like the last couple of chapters were just filler. There really was nothing substantial that the reader needed to know.
I think the only things worth keeping were the bonfire scene and the explanation about her parents and his brother for backstory.
Other then that, there was nothing really keeping my interest. It all just started to be about the tour and their music than about the character's growing relationship.

The grief plot line was one of the good things about this book. I liked how the author touched on how different grieving is for both of the main characters and the way that their grief could bring them closer together - because no one really knew how they both were feeling besides each other.

I also really liked the glimpse of how hard it is to be in the spotlight. How being in the public eye all the time takes a toll on the person behind the lights and the music. It made the story more real - tangible, even.

Overall, "You'd Be Mine" was more than just two teenagers stuck in the positives and negatives of fame. It was about grief and connection, passion and music. It was a refreshing take on the lives of two characters who are so different, but because of their shared passions and shared grievances, they started to fit into something more, something connected.

Thank you to NetGalley for giving me a chance to read this book early and share my thoughts on this story.
Look for "You'd Be Mine" when it comes out in April of 2019.

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