I wanted to like You’d Be Mine so much more than I did. It has a lot to like about it – compulsively readable prose, a group of characters that are both fun and take care of each other, and the perfect concept – a country music tour with a headliner who’s a cocky charmer and a opening band with country royalty who has real, raw talent. I really did like Clay and Annie together and I enjoyed the cute moments of this book, from their best friends getting together, to the camaraderie they create on tour.

I think the issue is that You’d Be Mine is YA that reads like a New Adult book – full of angst and dark emotion – but you never get the payoff of an NA with the romance. I wanted it to go a lot further than it did physically, and I also wanted the romance to feel as intense and passionate as the rest of the book does with its themes of abandonment, death, and grief. It just…never really rang as true with the romance as it did with the grief, and that’s where it failed. But for a quick, addictive read, it was enjoyable and full of country music call outs. A decent summer book for people looking for the intensity of new adult without the sexuality of it.

I love music and I love stories. Combine those two elements together and you have me practically eating out of your hands. So you’d understand my excitement over Erin Hahn’s debut You’d Be Mine.

And it was a treat to read.

Summer, music, the sweetness of first love – You’d Be Mine has it all. I can’t remember the last time I fell in love so quickly with a YA contemporary. It completely reeled me in with its first few pages and had me swooning by chapter four. All of these was largely due to the story’s main characters, Annie and Clay.

Annie and Clay were interesting characters. They were different from one another with their contrasting personalities and temperament, and yet they were still similar. Both had some serious emotional baggage – Annie with her parents and Clay with his brother. These unresolved issues and the different way they dealt and coped with them kept Annie and Clay from really acting on their obvious attraction. At the start, at least. The two young country stars, getting to know each other more and growing closer during their summer tour, eventually getting together close to the end.

I really enjoyed reading this book. The sweet, satisfying ending of course factors in, but it was more than that. You’d Be Mine tackled grief and trauma, and the different ways people handle these two issues. Clay turned to alcohol to numb the pain of losing his grandfather and brother almost simultaneously. He was close to the edge, driving himself to his own destruction. Annie, meanwhile, became too careful, setting strict rules and boundaries for herself wanting to steer away from the path her parents took. These – their grief and trauma – was a big part of Annie and Clay’s story, and Erin Hahn did a great job tackling this element of their characters. It was realistic but was still handled with great care and sensitivity, something that I hugely appreciate as it opens up avenues for discussions in relation to these to very real issues.

This was a character-driven story – Annie and Clay doing most of the labor with supporting characters adding more color and nuance - but it did not take anything away from the plot. It was still fun and sweet. The glimpses into the inner workings of the country music scene was definitely intriguing. Other readers got A Star is Born vibes from this book, and while I agree it did have that going for it, I was more reminded of two of my old time favorites – Nashville and ­Hart of Dixie – which was nice surprise for me.

With characters you’d cheer for and a swoony romance, You’d Be Mine is the perfect summer read for YA contemporary lovers. Trust me, this book will definitely give you that funny butterflies-in-the-stomach feeling just by reading it. Erin Hahn may just be a new auto-buy author for me. I’m definitely going to look forward to any of other future works from her.

DNFed after 4-5 chapters due to a lack of interest in the characters, especially the male POV

I rated this book 3 stars because I think it would have been an OK read, but I wanted to move on; the star rating is a guess of what I would have rated it if I finished.

This book made me cry, made me laugh, had me putting on all my old country music and dancing. I love these characters and related so hard to family problems. I would recommend this book to everyone and its just one of my favorites this year

You'd Be Mine reads exactly like a country music festival! I know that many people will say, "well yes, it is about a country music tour," but I am talking more about the vibe of the whole book. It is fun, emotional, and it feels like the middle of summer!

You'd Be Mine is precisely what a YA romance contemporary should be like! It checks off every one of the requirements for a great contemporary. There is an excellent cast of characters, a dramatic storyline, a great pace that keeps readers reading, and the bad boy, good girl trope. While this trope may initially turn people off of this book, I think that it is one of the times when the trope is done well. Annie is grounded, has her own opinions and voice. Annie is also not begging Clay to notice her; she is confident and knows her worth. Too many times I have put down a book with this trope as the girl is too helpless and just blindly falls into the relationship. To me, that's not what the trope should be, but unfortunately, that is how it ends up being for the most part. Besides, it makes for a much better read when there is some friction between the characters; one character shouldn't be falling over to please the other.

To begin, the characters are done exceptionally well. The characters' personalities balance each other throughout the novel. The easiest way to explain this is by imagining a spectrum of character personalities, with one side being perfect and making good decisions and the other side is making bad decisions and being far from perfect. On this spectrum, Annie is on the good decision-making side while Clay is on the other end. Their band members are sprinkled throughout it.
Additionally, all of the characters are messed up in some way or other. Throughout the novel, the pasts of the characters come up, contributing to a more authentic feel. Their problems are relatable which makes their growth feel more realistic.
I also read the dialogue as something teenagers would actually say. Sometimes, YA books have dialogue that doesn't make sense for the age range, which can throw me off.

There were also two POVs in this novel. It switches between Clay and Annie, and for a story like You'd Be Mine, it is almost necessary! The changing perspectives give the reader valuable insight into Clay and Annie's growth throughout the book, as there is often more going on than what is externally shown. The POV differences also provide additional reasons for the characters' actions, something that is more important as the tour progresses.

The pacing also worked perfectly with the storyline. As I've mentioned before, the story feels like one big concert. There is an intro that sets the reader up for a fantastic book, downtime between acts to enhance the read, and electric, heart rate increasing moments that leave the reader needing more!

Hands down my most favorite part of this entire book are the performances that Clay and Annie put on. Their dynamics during these times are constantly changing, providing a look at their relationship and personal issues. It is during times like these where I love the changing POVs. As it switches between Clay and Annie, I can feel the confusion, anger, and hurt that they are feeling. Hahn also includes songs during the performances, and they are AMAZING! I want to get the soundtrack!

While this is a YA romance, the primary focus isn't the romance. There is much more of a slow burn that occurs while the music and the friendship between the bands is center stage.

In conclusion, I couldn't recommend this book more! As a country-pop music fan, a lover of YA contemporaries, and a supporter of the bad boy, good girl trope (done well of course) this book was practically made for me! You'd Be Mine has a slow burn romance, friendships, mistakes, and country music. What more could you want? The female MC, Annie, is a strong and independent character who isn't falling heals with Clay, the male MC. The other supporting characters are well developed and are not just in the book as filler. They have their own backstory and secrets that are shown throughout the book. There were two POVs, Clay and Annie's, that helped me to fully understand their motivations and fears. In a book like You'd Be Mine, the dual prospectives are so crucial as the MCs are often complete opposites of each other. Hahn also included their performances, complete with songs! These performances were undoubtedly my favorite part of the book. The dynamics between the bands are constantly changing and their performances reflect it. This book is superb, and I will highly recommend it to everyone!

I enjoyed this book, for something lighter, and less dark to read. It fit the bill perfectly. I had never heard of this author before, and I am really impressed. I found this book to be well written, and rich in it's plot. Not my typical read, but I am so glad that I picked this one up.

This book grabs your heart strings from page one. You mourne, you laugh and you cry within this book.

Erin Hahn had me hooked from the first page. With country music, a whole lot of courage at overcoming personal struggles, and some serious chemistry Hahn weaves a plotline that has you rooting not only for the romance, but for each character's individual grown and success. AMAZING imagery and a moving tale.

I would highly recommend to all firmly rooted in the YA realm of things... in terms of age and content.

I now have a new obsession and that obsession is You’d Be Mine by Erin Hahn. What a heck of a debut novel! This book has all my favorite things. You’d Be Mine has country music, solid friendships, travel on the road, personal issues, and main character chemistry. So, you know, all the requirements for a perfect pool read.

Hahn’s debut is told in alternating chapters between Clay and Annie. Clay has been famous for about a year and sings frat boy country. Unfortunately, his reputation has him in trouble with his record company and so he has to go on tour with Annie Mathers. Annie is essentially the product of country music royalty. Both of her parents were famous stars. Unfortunately, they died and so Annie will make her debut without them in the wings. But, she can more than get by on her own talent and her squeaky clean image. Anyways, Clay and Annie’s band Under The Willows hit the road together for a summer tour.

Okay, so I really did love basically everything about You’d Be Mine. It is such a fast read, like it took me three weekdays to get through which is no time at all when you factor in work and home obligations. I feel very hard for both Annie and Clay. They’re good kids who have interesting pasts and well, futures. Both have different vulnerabilities that made them interesting. There were parts whereI definitely teared up, but that’s also probably because I am overemotional as a reader?

Regardless, if you want a book that is THE perfect summer read, you’ll need to get your hands on Hahn’s You’d Be Mine. Like, while reading this I kept wishing the songs were real and I had some kind of Spotify soundtrack to listen. I can’t wait to see what’s next from Hahn and am glad there’s a new contemporary author to add to my favorites list.

I was so excited to read this book because it had been receiving such incredible praise and I was super intrigued about the premise, and since I’m a sucker for anything that had to do with music bands or anything related to music making I decided to give it a go, and though there were some things that I enjoyed about it, I overall was expecting much more from it and ended up a bit disappointed with it.

It was a very fast paced story and it didn’t take me long to finish, which is something I always appreciate in contemporaries, and it had a hate-to-love romance that was so angsty and it was actually really well written and it progressed in a realistic way throughout the story. I enjoyed the interactions between these two characters and basically how smoothly done that evolution was, like I said before.

However, I hated the male protagonist. It’s true he did have some type of development as the story continued, but I just didn’t like him at all. He was such an asshole with the female character and so prejudiced and even though he had a redeemable scene, I couldn’t see past his toxicity. There were times where I found the romance so problematic and toxic, and I just wasn’t the biggest fan of that.

Still, I enjoyed how focused this book was on music, and how important it was for the two main characters. It was present throughout the entire story, and basically I really enjoyed how real those feelings and scenes were.

I loved this book. It was a fast read. I didn't even realize that it was a teen book until I started reading it. I love the story and how everything works out in the end. I wouldn't even mind a sequel!

I'm not usually a fan of the rockstar storyline in books but the writing and plot of YOU'D BE MINE was definitely entertaining. This book was definitely way more than I expected it. It's swoony, has a lot of music and lots of feelings. The characters are likeable and they were charming. The writing is great and definitely won me over. YOU’D BE MINE is a sweet and charming novel, I definitely recommend it!

I received an Advance Reader Copy from the publisher. This in no way impacted on my view.



This was a book that I hadn't initially heard much about, but will admit that the gorgeous cover is one of the main reasons I sent in the NetGalley request, and I'm really glad I did, as You'd Be Mine was such a quick and enjoyable read, especially considering I read this in November, when the weather wasn't the best, and was looking for a book somewhat similar to A Star is Born.



In You'd Be Mine, Annie, who's parents had both been country music stars, is America's Sweetheart, but just because she comes from such a musical family, doesn't mean everything is handed to her on a platter. She has to work for her career, and it's a good thing she loves singing and performing. However, she knows exactly what that lifestyle can do to a person, and she needs to do anything to avoid making the same mistakes her parents did. Clay, on the other hand, is not a sweetheart, but rather a bad boy, who's fallen to the vices that can plague stars, and he seriously needs to clean up his act. When the record label decides that their two biggest acts - Annie and Clay - should perform and tour together, it's as if its a train wreck waiting to happen, but instead, magic and chemistry could save the day.



I really liked both characters, Annie more than Clay, and enjoyed how they were complex people, with difficult backstories that we began to see as they grow closer to each other. From the off, there is chemistry between the two, and they both try to fight it, for different reasons, but it's just too much and, honestly, they're better people together. Facing their difficult pasts, and knowing that the other person understands the pressure they're under, allows each character to grow, and they are really realistic in the way they face each issue.



Now, country music has never really been a big genre for me - I don't know if it's just because it doesn't exactly have a huge following here in the UK - but I did like the way the music was fully integrated into the plot, and it felt natural to be reading the lyrics on the page. I'm definitely glad I requested this book, and am looking forward to reading more from this author in the future.

I don’t know if it was the way in which I read this book or the book itself, but I was left feeling kind of meh.

Clay Coolidge is a young country music star with a drinking problem. His label tells him he needs to get Annie Mathers, daughter of country star legends, to open for his summer tour in order to help his reputation. Of course, Clay is gorgeous, so Annie, against her best intentions, ends up falling for Clay.

Starting with what I liked about this story is that it is more than what it seems. In addition to being a country star and rising country star, they have pretty serious backstories. And while they were serious, I feel like Hahn did a really great job with them. I never felt like “OMG even more terrible things happened to these people?” It was realistic and well fleshed out. I also felt like their story/character building was very well done because I truly felt like I got to know Annie and Clay. It could’ve been irritating, but it wasn’t.

On the other hand, some of the secondary characters fell by the wayside. Felix, Clay’s best friend and bandmate was pretty well built, but I still feel like I barely know Annie’s bandmates Kacey and Jason.

Just for a bit of explanation, I started reading this book on the Kindle app on my phone a while before I marked it as read on Goodreads. It was one of those books that I was reading simultaneously without ever really committing to fully focusing on it until more recently. I liked having a book on my phone that if I was out without a book I had something to read. So, I don’t know if it’s because I didn’t give this book my full attention from the beginning or what, but I just felt like even though I knew the characters, I didn’t connect with them.

I never felt like I wanted this book to be my main focus and I almost felt like I could’ve left this book without finishing it. I didn’t feel the connection between Annie and Clay so I never got behind their romance. Again, I wasn’t quite sure if this was me or the writing, but after reading a Christina Lauren book in which I immediately got sucked into and involved in the characters’ relationship, I’m thinking it’s the writing.

This is Hahn’s debut and I do think there are a lot of strengths in this book, but overall missed the mark for me. I liked the writing style and found it to be a fun book, but the emotion behind the romance was lacking a little bit. I’m hopeful that Hahn will have stronger books in the future because I can see the potential! If you are very into country music YA, I would still say check this out. Maybe it was just me. Otherwise, I would give this book a pass.

3.5-4 Stars

A somewhat angsty, compelling romance perfect for young adult readers who want more mature circumstances. I read this in a couple sittings since I became instantly drawn toward the characters and their world. This is a musical romance with lyrics included, so a few moments were corny for me, as is the case when I have to read saccharine verses. Nevertheless, I became invested in the characters' story and wanted to know how it would unfold.

Overall, this was an entertaining and touching read for me and I do recommend it.

I enjoy country music a lot and I’m a big fan of Faith Hill, Rascall Flatts, Lady Antebellum so when I saw this YA Contemporary story centered on country music, I was quite intrigued. I’ve read YA stories featuring rock stars but this is my first time reading a YA story centering on country music.

Clay was your typical bad boy, dragging a painful past behind him, hell-bent on a path of self-destruction. One of his latest transgressions led him into meeting Annie, a seemingly good girl. Their paths collided and only time would tell whether they’d complement each other or destroy one another.

Annie was the daughter of a famous singer and she grew up in the limelight. She got out and tried a different path but the lure of music was too hard to resist. When Clay came to convince her to come back and sing, she already wanted to and so started their tour together.

They both had their pasts and issues to work through. This story emphasized the beauty of music, the art of it, how it affected people. But also showed the darker side of the music world—the stress and pressure, the depression and the temptation to take the easy way.

I appreciated that the author showed the gritty side of the show business but there was a certain depth lacking in the words that would have given the story more impact. The writing style made the issues feel less dark instead of intensifying the impact.

That said, “You’d Be Mine” was a pretty good story, dealing with serious issues that impact teens and musicians. Also, throughout the book, one part of my mind kept trying to work out the significance of the title before I finally got it.

I received an Advanced Review Copy of You'd Be Mine by Erin Hahn from the publisher St. Martin's Press through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

What It’s About: This is a cute young adult book, about two teenage country music stars, Clay and Annie. Both of these characters have faced tragedy and are deeply impacted by these tragedies: Clay is spiraling out of control with drinking and partying, while Annie works hard to avoid this problem by being the typical good girl. This is the story of their summer on tour.

What I Loved: This book is cute and the characters are likeable enough. I kind of liked the setting of the world of country music and being on tour, it was a fun to read and a nice distraction.

What I didn’t like so much: This w book was a bit cheesy and over-dramatic at times. I felt like the book got a bit preachy and it annoyed me but overall I just took it as a fun book set in the world of country music.

Who Should Read It: People who like YA and country music and don't mind a bit of cheese.

General Summary: A cute romance set in the world of country music.

I read this a while ago and rated it 4 stars on Goodreads. I always love a good romance and add a bit of country music and I will fall in love. This story falls in line with my favorite Miranda Kennelly novels and Erin Hahn is now an author I will be on the lookout for in the future. Have already shared this title with a few students!

This was a great book! It reminded me of one of my favorite movies country strong. I love the storyline of two country singers and their different styles and careers it was sweet but not overly mushy just the way I like my romance I loved the sort of enemies to lovers romance between Annie and Clay and the behind the stage look into characters in the music career this book was a fun fast read that I feel for instantly and I already miss the characters!

I thought this book was so cute. They took real life issues like loss and alcoholism, mix it with love and music and it was definitely a book I fell in love with. I love the characters and wonder what the future holds for them. I look forward to reading more from Ms. Hahn.