Disclaimer: NetGalley and Wednesday Books provided me with an advance copy of the book in exchange for an unbiased review. Thanks for making it available!!

I am not normally a fan of high school romances but this book charmed the pants off of me. As a native Michigander, I'm predisposed to love the setting (Pinball Pete's is a classic!) but Hahn builds such an interesting and dynamic world, where the two main characters -- Vada and Luke -- tackle not just their growing feelings for each other but the trials and tribulations of dealing with one's family.

It's the family dynamics that truly set More Than Maybe apart, as Vada attempts to traverse her complicated family dynamics, with an absentee father who doesn't want to pay for her college tuition but gladly drinks for free at The Loud Lizard, the bar where she works. Luke, on the other hand, has to deal with the escalating expectations of his father for Luke to follow in his footsteps and become a famous musician -- which is the exact OPPOSITE of what Luke wants to do. These plot lines aren't new or unique to this novel but Hahn deploys them in a way that really resonates in a true and authentic way.

The only criticism I have is that sometimes the constant music references can feel a little inside baseball at times. I had to google the lyrics to many of the songs Vada and Luke sent to each other -- I'm sorry, but I'm just not an Adam Duritz aficionado! But this is a minor complaint about an otherwise throughly delightful book -- plus the cover is so so beautiful. Highly recommend picking up this book when its released July!


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Oh Lordy. I am absolutely in love with this story! It was ADORABLE. PERFECTION. I couldn’t get enough of it! Told from alternating povs, Vada and Luke, are so precious and the slow building of their relationship was amazing. The YEARNING. My goodness I can go on and on about how absolutely adorable this book is. I loved the story and I loved the characters. Everyone was sweet and lovable except for (you know who) when you read it. I highly recommend this book! Perfect for all you music and romance lovers out there! This definitely hit the spot for me! Vada is a strong girl just trying to get the funds to go to school and work her dream job in Music Journalism while Luke is trying to hide from his past fame and focus on his goal of song writing. I felt for Vada’s struggles and I loved the support between these two characters.
*thank you netgalley for sending me an early arc in exchange for an honest review *

Oscillating between 3 and 4, so I'm going to call it a 3.5 and round it up to 4 stars because I have a soft heart. This is a really cute story and definitely something I'd recommend to fans of YA romance. It's heart achingly sweet, has the romantic grand gestures we all love, and the happy ending for all.

While most of it is pretty lighthearted, I was also really touched by the side plot of Vada dealing with her deadbeat dad, while Phil, her future stepfather, steps into the role. Pour one out for kids of deadbeat dads everywhere.

I had a hard time falling in love with the characters. Don't get me wrong, I liked them and I was rooting for them, but I didn't really love them the way I wanted to. I think partly because I'm about 95% sure I would be incredibly annoyed with them if I knew them in real life lol But that's very much a me thing so others might end up loving them!

The characters is really the thing that kept me from falling head over heels with this book, but even despite that, I had a great time reading it. A little cliche as romance tends to be, but in the best way possible. A good sweet read for a long summer.

**Disclaimer: I received a free early advanced reader's copy of More Than Maybe by Erin Hahn in exchange for a honest review through NetGalley.  Thank you to NetGalley and the publishers for this opportunity.

More Than Maybe by Erin Hahn is a YA contemporary romance novel.  It features a dual point of view with both of our main love interests, and takes place in Michigan.  The novel features Hahn's signature mix of music and romance, and was a sweet and fun read.  I gave it 5 stars on GoodReads.  It publishes on July 21st, 2020.

Here's the summary from GoodReads:

Growing up under his punk rocker dad's spotlight, eighteen-year-old Luke Greenly knows fame and wants nothing to do with it. His real love isn't in front of a crowd, it's on the page. Hiding his gift and secretly hoarding songs in his bedroom at night, he prefers the anonymous comfort of the locally popular podcast he co-hosts with his outgoing and meddling, far-too-jealousy-inspiringly-happy-with-his-long-term-boyfriend twin brother, Cullen. But that’s not Luke’s only secret. He also has a major un-requited crush on music blogger, Vada Carsewell.
Vada's got a five year plan: secure a job at the Loud Lizard to learn from local legend (and her mom's boyfriend) Phil Josephs (check), take over Phil's music blog (double check), get accepted into Berkeley's prestigious music journalism program (check, check, check), manage Ann Arbor's summer concert series and secure a Rolling Stone internship. Luke Greenly is most definitely NOT on the list. So what if his self-deprecating charm and out-of-this-world music knowledge makes her dizzy? Or his brother just released a bootleg recording of Luke singing about some mystery girl on their podcast and she really, really wishes it was her?

I was so excited when I heard Erin Hahn was coming out with a second book.  I loved You'd Be Mine, her debut, and I knew that I needed to read her second book.  Pretty much as soon as I heard it was coming out, I hopped on NetGalley to request it and I was so excited to find out I got approved.  I had high expectations for this book and I absolutely was not disappointed.  It was the perfect read for me right now.

I want to start with the fact that I loved both of the main characters.  Luke and Vada were both precious, and I loved how fully developed and real they felt. Each of their perspectives were unique and I really loved how they came together. I also liked watching them develop over the course of the novel, and seeing how they dealt with the various problems that arose.  I felt like their reactions were realistic and natural.  None of it felt forced.

The romance in this novel was delightful.  I loved that it was a slowburn just as much as I loved the fact that Erin Hahn promises a happily ever after.  You find out early on that both Luke and Vada have a crush on the other and so you're eagerly rooting for them to figure it out and finally get together.  The romance grows and develops, and I found myself really devouring the story because I absolutely needed to know what happened next.

There was a part of me that predicted how things were going to play out, but I'm not a reader who is typically bothered by this.  I like trying to guess, and I'm fine if I'm wrong but also fine if I'm right.  In this case I was fine to be right, though I definitely didn't predict the exact way things would play out.  I just loved having ideas about what was going to happen, and overall it was just such a fun read.

I also really enjoyed most of the side characters in this book.  Each of them felt well developed and not tropey.  I loved Cullen and Zack together.  They were really cute.  I also loved the dynamics between Vada and Phil.  He was such a good role model/father figure for her.  I had all of the squishy feels about their family.

Music was also such a huge part of this book.  The way that Erin Hahn incorporates music into her stories always really impresses me.  It makes me wish I was more interested in music or that I had more musical talent.  I like that she includes songs in her book.

Overall, this was an amazing read.  I had such a fun time reading it, and seeing Luke and Vada grow together.  If you're looking for a sweet romance, I highly recommend this one.  Make sure to check it out when it releases on July 21st.

This is the first Erin Hahn book I've read and I must go back and read more. It's totally addictive. The story itself is simple but sweet, there are ups and downs, but overall you feel like you're being carried along on a wave of a swoon-worthy love story. It's not overly sentimental, pitched at just the right level of romance and awkwardness.

As the reader you're definitely rooting for Vada and Luke to get together, right from the beginning. As well as a healthy dose of romance, the soundtrack to the book is exceptional. Vada and Luke both have a brilliant taste in music.

Unlike a lot of YA romance it steers clear of clichés like clumsy girl, popular guy, or sweet girl and bad boy. I realise it's actually quite rare to get a teen narrative where two people come together from shared interests and are equal in every way. More books like this please!

Luke Greenly is a music-loving SK8RBOI with a killer British accent whose podcast with his gay twin brother (not to mention their connection to their father who used to be the lead singer of a popular punk band in his youth) has quite the viral following. Luke is actually quite the talented singer/songwriter himself, but he wants nothing to do with fame. He loves the music but not the spotlight. Vada Carsewell works at a popular club in town, learning the ropes of promoting musical acts and writing concert reviews, hoping to earn a spot writing for Rolling Stone. Sparks fly when Luke and Vada pair up for a school showcase, and they discover that their deep knowledge of musical trivia and song lyrics might make them perfect for each other. Then one of Luke's songs leaks online and the crappy club that is Vada's second home is in danger of going under. Can they spin these personal disasters into a musical finale where they both get what they want?

I just re-read my review of Hahn's first book. My main critique then was that the supporting characters had more personality and life than the hero/heroine, and I couldn't really understand why we were supposed to care so much about them. I am so happy to say that that was not at all a problem here! Both Vada and Luke are larger than life, with individual passions that bring them together but also with very real personal issues that are relatable and compelling. Now, don't get me wrong: the supporting cast here is also EXCELLENT. Cullen (Luke's twin) and his boyfriend, Zack, are adorable, and Phil, the crusty club owner who has mentored Vada for years and loved her mom from afar was SO well-drawn and sweet. Meg, Vada's colorful best friend is a study in contrasts: homeschooled, religious girl with dyed hair extensions and fairy wings, and while she seems to be so different from Vada in a lot of ways, together they absolutely worked. (Part of me hopes that Meg gets her own book!)

The song suggestions with meaningful lyrics that Vada and Luke send back and forth were a great addition, too. I didn't know a lot of the songs so I had to look them up to see what they were trying to say, and while maybe that sounds like an annoying extra step, I really enjoyed it. Hahn is clearly a deep lover of music herself, which comes across here in the descriptions of full immersion in song experiences and how the perfect lyrics at the right time can really define a life event. I'm not nearly the music nut these characters are, but it was fun to read about their obsession and how it defines almost everything they do.

So, kudos to Erin Hahn for a huge step in the right direction with this second novel. I fell in love with the characters, their problems and their swoon, and it was a really fun world to hang out in for a while. I'll be looking forward to reading more from this author in the future.

***Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for the ARC in exchange for my honest review.***

I'm so sad I can't post my review until closer to the new release date in July!! BUT, I decided to still post it here so that other people can request this book and fall in love too!

Ahhhh, this book made me so happy! One of my biggest fears when I fall in love with an author (especially an author's first book) is that what they write next won't live up to my expectations. I'm so happy to say that More Than Maybe definitely lived up to my hopes after Hahn's first novel, You'd Be Mine. The characters and concept are so different that readers can't make comparisons between books, which I loved because I could fully commit to enjoying this book.

Excellent and Fully Developed Characters
Hahn has once again done a great job creating characters with depth and interests that have personal goals, and relationships, outside their relationship with each other. Luke is a beautiful songwriter and singer, but hates performing -- something that his father doesn't understand, or really believe. I loved their interactions and how Luke's relationship with his dad and brother change over the course of the book. Likewise, Vada has some problems with her father, primarily that he's a complete dead-beat who prefers to assume that now that he has a new family, his daughter can fend for herself...until he needs her. Fighting to follow her dreams and go away to school, Vada has to deal with a lot of crap from her dad but also, endless support from Phil and her mom. It was great to read about.

So Many Lovely Relationships
So I loved Vada and Luke and I'm SO glad we didn't have to wait the entire book for them to go on a date (although I would have liked a few more of these moments between them!), but I also really enjoyed the other relationships in this book. Luke's parents are seriously adorable and personal couple goals for the future (there's a hilarious moment involving shower sex that kills me whenever I read it), while Vada's mom and Phil are just so sweet because we get to watch them come together and Phil fully fill a parental role in Vada's life. And obviously, Cullen and Zack are beyond adorable. I'm so happy Hahn included them as a couple because they are hilarious in the way they are so in love, even while they are filling different roles in Luke's life.

Drama Is A Little Light
So the "climatic drama" that happens to cause Vada and Luke to get in a fight (no spoilers, but this is obviously to be expected) was a little bit light for me. While I understand why Vada gets upset, it's a little unfair to blame Luke and cut him off so completely for the mistake. I DID appreciate Luke and his father finally having it out, and Cullen coming to fully understand and support Luke, but the Vada/Luke fight didn't seem like a big enough "thing" to me. That said, I still buy it because people are do and say things they regret in the heat of the moment and have to deal with the fallout later, so it's not super out of nowhere.

Overall, this was such a fun book! I loved reading about Vada and Luke and can't wait for More Than Maybe to hit bookstore so I can add it to my own bookshelf. I'd recommend this to anyone who loved You'd Be Mine, to fans of Morgan Matson and Jenny Han, or to people just looking for a fun YA romance with well developed characters and a happy ending!

More Than Maybe comes out July 2020​!

Thank you Netgalley for the gifted copy.

A sweet YA book about a music blogger/aspiring journalist and a podcast cohost/musician that doesn't like performing, and their friendship turned romance. Their chemistry was intense yet not overdone, and I was pulling for them to get together SO HARD. But talk about a slowwwwwwwwww. burn. Jeez Louise.

The best part about this book was all of the songs and lyrics! I pulled more than a few songs up on my phone to listen to while I was reading, because I needed the reference. I would definitely recommend doing so, as it adds so much to the book. Luke's lyrics were great, and I really want to hear his song for real!

I really enjoyed this one - I would have liked it more if there was a little more "action" but I do think that might have taken away from some of the meaning of the book. It's just personal preference.

The Quick Cut: A musically inclined guy and girl find their paths cross.

A Real Review:
Thank you to St. Martin's Press for providing the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

When you're a career oriented person, an important secret to success is knowing what your goals are and taking the steps necessary to achieving them. However, what would you do if you found as person similarly interested standing in your path? This is the story for Vada and Luke.

Vada has a passion for music and a goal in mind: an internship at Rolling Stone magazine. She's already achieved many of the steps needed to getting there when a school project puts her and a boy named Luke together, the boy whose father used to be in a pink rock band. Will they find their mutual love for music creates sparks or creates chaos instead?

Theoretically, this book should've worked for me. I went to college near Ann Arbor, so I'm familiar with the territory. I listen to music almost non-stop, and enjoy a romantic story with the best of them. However, something about this one not only didn't resonate... it made me want to disconnect from it.

I know that sometimes it's our mutual interests that bring people together, but Vada and Luke are almost too mutual that way. Their musical interest is so connecting that there is very little territory that shows how they are their own person. Their narrative was so similar that at moments I struggled to remember who was talking.

I never read the author's debut novel, but I get the suspicion a part of the disconnect is writing style. For that reason, I'm unlikely to go back and read it.

Two musically inclined people who didn't sing to me with their words.

My rating: 2 out of 5

4.5 stars, rounded up.

More Than Maybe, Erin Hahn's upcoming book, is a terrific story about music, love, family, and the freedom to follow—or not follow—your passions.

Vada has had a crush on Luke Greenly for a while. It’s not just his accent (his family moved to Michigan from the UK when he was younger) or his looks; it’s his soulfulness, his personality, and of course, the passion for music they share.

Luke has always been partial to gingers so of course Vada catches his eye every time he and his brother record their podcast at the bar where she works. But Vada’s passion for music—her music blog is one of Luke’s obsessions—fuels his crush on her.

The two pair up for a senior assignment and they learn more about each other’s vulnerabilities and ambitions, and try to fight the undeniable chemistry between them. Vada wants to be a music journalist and Luke wants to write music—but not sing it—despite his musician father’s desire that Luke pursue stardom he could so obviously achieve.

When Luke’s brother secretly releases a recording of Luke singing a love song he wrote, it sets off a ton of ripples that affect everyone. And Vada isn’t (too) embarrassed to admit she wishes he was singing to her.

While the book took a little bit to hit its groove, I really loved it. These characters were just so appealing and weren’t overly erudite or sarcastic so they felt very real to me. I read this until late the other night and was totally choking up in the dark. (I'm a sap, so whatever.)

I love the way Erin Hahn writes. Her first book, You’d Be Mine, was amazing, too. (Loved the mentions of that book in this one!) If you love books about music and love, here’s one for you!!

NetGalley and Wednesday Books provided me with an advance copy of the book in exchange for an unbiased review. Thanks for making it available!!

The book publishes July 21.

Vada Carsewell has a plan: work at the Loud Lizard and learn from the best (who happens to be her mom’s boyfriend), run a successful music blog, get into Berkeley’s music journalism program. The goal? Writing for The Rolling Stones. Luke Greenly is the son of a former punk rock singer with a desire to create music for others rather than grace the stage himself (much to his father’s dismay). What ties Vada and Luke together is music, and the fact they both harbor secret crushes on the other. They’re on each other’s radar but when a school project brings them together, they let the music speak for them when words won’t do.

I can’t say much for this book other than it was ok. Looking back in my Goodreads account I saw that I had read Erin Hahn’s debut novel, “You’d Be Mine”, and wasn’t a fan of that one either. So I think this author must not be my cup of tea.

I think part of my problem with this book is that Vada and Luke read like the same character, their voices are too similar. Although you always know when you’re reading from Luke’s perspective with the overdone usage of cliché British idioms. Because one of his personality traits is being British. They both know exactly what they want in life and are entirely too self aware for high school students. Not to belittle teens in any way, but it always felt like these characters were always out there being like WE AREN’T LIKE OTHER PEOPLE, WE ARE UNIQUE.

Their relationship never felt really developed. They went from not talking to talking and then *boom* that was it. They both already secretly liked each other at the beginning of the book, so the instalove tone was set from page one. I’m glad there was no angsty rollercoaster in this book, but I needed more. There was no tension, no obstacles, no build up, and no growth. So by the time they got together, the pay off just wasn’t there. I wasn’t invested or interested.

It would have been nice if the secondary characters had been more developed. Every one seemed to be an archetype: drunk dad, secondary father figure, manic pixie best friend, etc. None of them resonated off the page. I will say romance between Vada’s mother and her mentor Phil was one of my favorite parts about this book. It was sweet, and more interesting than that of Luke and Vada. A good portion of the book is dedicated to Vada’s complicated relationship with her emotionally unavailable father with a drinking problem. This storyline never really gets a conclusion, which is too bad because I would have loved if Vada could have told him off for her own sake

The pacing of the book was done well, but plot was pretty contrived. I did have issues with the writing style at times as it was overly prosey and waxing in sentimentalities especially during the many sections dedicated to the descriptions of dancing and song writing.

However, I did like the weaving of blog posts and podcasts into the story. That part helped bring the story alive a bit more. Unfortunately, the rest of this book falls flat.

So cute. Some musical references that were lost on me but a nice message throughout. Family, love, friendship all have an integral part in the story. More Than Maybe is simply a straightforward YA romance. Vada and Luke have fun banter and innocent touches. Their romance was sweet. Phil, Mary, Meg, Cullen, Zack, Kazi and Ben are delightful side characters. I especially loved the relationship between Phil and Vada.

Overall an easy and enjoyable read.

I expected to love More Than Maybe, I did not expect it to steal my heart. The characters, the story, the music, the sheer friendship and love. This is by far the first YA book in a really long time I can say completely swept me a way in just about every way a girl, a reader, can be swept away.

And yes, dear author, I want a Phil! And a Cullen, and a Zach, and a Mia, and yes, especially a Luke!

This was so much more than I was expecting and everything I needed, when I needed it, without even realizing it. Such a sweet story that will stick with me long after the book has been read, and the review has been submitted.

More than Maybe by Erin Hahn was swoon worthy! I loved the characters, though I think Luke and Phil were my favorites. I liked how encouraging Phil was for Vada’s dreams.

He didn’t tell her she couldn’t do it, and he allowed her to manage his club sometimes.

I liked the slow build for the romance between Luke and Vada, I thought it was believable.

I also liked the brief mentions for the You’d be mine characters, there was just a couple.

More than maybe was four swoon worthy stars. I would definitely recommend it to anybody who enjoys romance.

More Than Maybe is a story of two high school seniors, Luke Greenly, who co-hosts a popular podcast with his twin brother, & Vada, who bartends and blogs for the music club where Luke records his podcast. These two have always been aware of one another, both with an unspoken crush on the other. When a school project brings them together, their crushes move from the back seat to full focus.

The book isn't very plot-heavy, in that the plot is really just the growth of the relationship between Vada and Luke, but that simplicity works well in this instance. Their shared love of music plays a big part in the story and if you're less lazy than me, I'm sure it would be worthwhile to look up all the music references made. Vada and Luke use music to communicate when they don't have the right words themselves. We can all relate to that.

Full disclosure- I am a 54 year old mom who wasn’t into rock music as a kid. But I loved this book. Vada and Luke are the kind of people we need more of in this world. I loved their maturity and ability to see beyond themselves. I loved their great relationships with their parents (except the sperm donor) High school is not for the faint of heart but Vada and Luke handle it great. Throw in a bunch of great love stories and we have ourselves a winner.

This is a cute love story about a girl and guy set in a dive club and involving a lot of music. While I am not much of a music person, I can totally see the appeal of a book with a playlist and love the way music was woven into the story. The chapters alternate between the two leading characters who are both struggling to understand themselves and deal with fathers who aren't as supportive as they like. The cast of supporting characters, from a strong single mother to a father figure boss, to happily accepted gay couple friends, are wonderful and well-fleshed out. While I have no idea why this British family ended up in Michigan (the book could have easily been set in the UK and maybe made more sense), it all worked. Also, for a book set in a bar, there was no drinking and no sex, which appeals to this middle school librarian!

I really expected to love this book. The rating for it is pretty high so far, and I've heard nothing but good things about it. Unfortunately it just didn't work for me. I never felt connected to the characters, although I really wanted to.

Vada was a little intense and all over the place, and just seemed a little bit too manic pixie dream girl for me. Quirky music junky girl works at a bar in high school somehow (is that even legal?), writes insanely awesome music blog that gets huge recognition, and she was apparently a serious dancer for a long time but just decided to quit? There was a lot to her character but it always felt contrived and flat. I liked Luke initially but he ended up being kind of whiny and not very interesting, and again not super believable as a Michigan high school student. Apparently he could have also chosen be famous at any point but decided to just turn that down, because reasons. Super relatable...not so much. That's not saying they didn't have actual issues to deal with in their lives, I just struggled to stay interested. I also thought they were both a little over the top melodramatic just in general.

There's not a super compelling plot to fall back on, so basically if you don't love the characters or the romance, there's not going to be much here to interest you. This wasn't a horrible book. The writing is fine, everything about it is just fine. Not terrible, but not terribly engaging either. It was very easy for me to put this book down for long stretches and not think about it or want to find out what happened.

"I need to put a stop to this before I do something mental like press a kiss to her bare shoulder or spout the lyrics to 'Anna Begins.' Which, by the way, is the best of Adam Duritz's decade-long collection of works.)"

Do you ever read a book and think, if I was going to write a book, this would be that book? That these characters are ones you want to know, ones you want to be, ones you want to love? This is one of those books for me, like Rachel Joyce's Music Shop in 2017.

I adore people who speak through music and obsess about lyrics. High Fidelity is one of my top 5 favorite movies; Vada and Luke are like Rob Gordon and Marie De Salle. Music underlines their every moment and punctuates their every emotion. There were so many highlighted quotables for me with an emphasis on Counting Crows and Foo Fighters which totally resonated with high school me... and to be honest current old lady me too.

YA Romance generally is not my bag, because often the characters rush into 'I Love You's' and being head over heels, ride or die loves in 0-60. This story is a much more realistic slow burn with a generous helping of witty (high school level) banter. There are no uncomfortable overly, graphic steam moments or atrocious hard eye roll moments that generally shut me down in these type of novels. It's a beautiful novel and I would so love to hear more from these characters!

I received an ARC of this novel via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

I want to start this review by saying that I was predisposed to like More Than Maybe. I really enjoyed Erin Hahn's first book, You'd Be Mine, and was excited to read her sophomore novel. Since this one is also about music, I expected Hahn to knock it out of the park again. I wanted so badly to like More Than Maybe, I really did. But, unfortunately, I did not.

I don't know where to begin with my issues with this book. It's weird because I liked the characters, especially Vada, and I did find myself rooting for them to get together. But something about the writing style of this book was just...annoying. I feel bad saying that, but I was truly annoyed by it!

More Than Maybe is chock-full of references to real-life musicians, because both characters are deeply invested in and moved by music. Maybe this is a ME problem and not the book's problem, but I am extremely picky about how music is used in books, especially when it's real-life music. The characters in this book repeatedly cite specific songs, whether texting them to each other or listening to them on the radio. For me, this is extremely amateur. I shouldn't have to search up some old Metric song to understand why the characters are feeling emotional about it. Like, I needed a companion playlist while I was reading this and that is not a compliment. It made me think of old fanfiction.net-era songfics where the lyrics are interspersed with the story. It was bad then and it's bad now.

I also had a big, big issue with the way the male romantic lead, Luke, talked. He and his twin brother are British, but don't worry, you will know from the moment they appear on the page, because it feels like every other word out of their mouth is 'bollocks' or 'arse' or 'shite' or 'bloody'. Again, this felt like bad fanfiction! It's as if Hahn decided she wanted to write a British character, so she googled 'British slang', picked the first result, and then liberally sprinkled it throughout the book, instead of doing literally anything else to make these characters feel authentically British. Just, beyond the fact that Luke had very little personality, I was annoyed when he was speaking because he felt like someone's Sherlock fanfiction self-insert OC or something. Ugh. ANNOYING.

Also: THE TEXTING. There is a lot of texting in this book, which I'm not inherently opposed to, but I think that if you're going to put some sort of multimedia element in your book like this (or the music, for that matter), you need to be sure to do it right. I don't think Hahn does it right. I haven't snooped on any teenagers' texts recently, but I know that when I was a teen I was using emoticons all over the place and not using a ton of punctuation and not writing in complete sentences. Am I nitpicking here? Maybe. But it just doesn't feel realistic! There was not an 'lol' or 'lmao' to be found in these texts. ARE YOU KIDDING? I don't believe it. Annoying annoying annoying.

More Than Maybe is also blindingly white! BLINDINGLY! It's certainly possible I missed a description somewhere, but both romantic leads are repeatedly described as 'pale' and much is made of the fact that Vada is red-haired and Luke is blonde. Mmmmkayyyyyy. Literally the only character I can think of now that MIGHT not be white is Kazi, because he's mentioned to have dreads multiple times, but like, maybe he's a terrible white dude with dreads! Every other description of him is negative, so it would certainly fit! I didn't notice this until like halfway through the book, but once I did, I couldn't stop focusing on it. I really think you have to go out of your way these days to have an all-white cast, but it's possible that More Than Maybe accomplished it.

Those are my big gripes. I have smaller plot-related gripes about the final conflict and resolution of the book, but in the interest of keeping this review spoiler-free, I'll skip over that for now. I was really disappointed by More Than Maybe, and I'm sad to see such mediocre storytelling from Erin Hahn. I don't know if I will read something of hers in the future, and I cannot in good conscience recommend that anyone read More Than Maybe. 2.5 stars rounded down.