Thank you to NetGalley and SMP for the ARC in exchange for an honest review

CW: toxic relationship with parent, parental neglect, brief mentions of disordered eating (past), food shaming, paparazzi bullying, family tensions, past relationship with cheating and gaslighting

I would recommend if you're looking for (SPOILERS)

-m/f contemporary romance
-childhood crush
-estranged childhood best friends to lovers
-former child stars
-forced proximity
-lumbersexual
-home restoration
-mutual pining

This book had so many of my favorite tropes. Two childhood crushes forced back together and just pining away for each other. I loved the twist that they were former child stars and are now working on an HGTV type show. This book is both their internal redemptions for themselves, and the restoration of their relationship.

This book could have been really angsty and it wasn't. Just two people getting horny, and a bit horny for home repair, and deciding what they want next from their lives. I adored Shelby's group of friends and really appreciated just how solid they were, always there for her. The family dynamics were messy but lovely as well.

I adored Cameron. Pining away, believing he and Shelby had already had their moment. That they both could recognize that their issues were communicating and they had to learn who these new older selves were was just lovely. So much lumber sexual appreciation. I'm curious to see what happens if this ends up being a series.

Steam: 3

Set aside an afternoon for this one! Built to Last has it all - an HGTV ready home show, a hunky actor and National Geographic reporter turned carpenter, a hard partying former child star who has reinvented herself as a furniture restorer, family disfunction, social media…what else do you want? Oh, sex? There’s plenty and it’s good.

When her former boyfriend Lyle (he wrote a nasty and untrue breakup song about her) reaches out to Shelby Springfield about HomeMade, a new and not totally original house makeover show, he neglects to tell her that her co-star will be her first love Cameron Riggs, who starred with her (and Lyle) on a long-running series when they were young. When Cameron left the show, Shelby’s life descended into tabloid fodder. Shelby doesn’t want to do the show but she needs the money. Cameron needs Shelby.

What follows is a delightful, leaves you with a smile, tale of rediscovered love. Of friendships, relatives, small towns and..sex. It’s quick read but you’ll want it to last longer. And you’ll want to see the HomeMade TV show. Or the movie. And you’ll want to read whatever Erin Hahn writes next. 5 stars.

Thank you to NetGalley, St. Martin’s Press and Erin Hahn for this ARC.

A good solid romance novel about kid stars who reunite a decade later to film a home remodeling show controlled by a jealous and Machiavellian former cast mate who does his best to create painful emotional conflicts. There is playful and flirtatious verbal interplay and a lack of conflict between the couple who steadily progress to their HEA.

Erin Hahn has written a heartfelt, emotional, sweet, second chance romance about childhood sweethearts Cameron and Shelby who once co-starred on a teen tv show. Erin has written a beautiful story that also had me on the edge of my seat and unable to put the book down. The storyline was so much fun and engaging. I was cheering for love and hoping it would work out in the end.

The story of Cam and Shelby starts when her character was romantic with another on screen character and the public ate it up and eventually that relationship blossomed in real life. After a few years in the spotlight and a number of years of destructive behavior Shelby moved out of Hollywood and back home. Cam took a job working for National Geographic speaking to Shelby only once after the show's end. The other man, Lyle forgotten.

Then a number of years later Shelby is invited to do a pilot for a fix-er-upper styles tv show as she now renovates furniture and her father is a General contractor. But to her surprise Cam is her surprise co-star. And they work through some of their history. And they deal with some of their familial issues. But is true love in the cards for them? Read Built to Last and find out if old Hollywood gets love.

Erin Hahn is a new to me author, but the book looked and sounded cute so I took a chance on it and I'm glad I did.

I really enjoyed this book. It's a super sweet and feel good, second chance/friends to lovers romance. I didn't want to put it down, once I started it. If you're looking for something light hearted, with almost no angst, this is the perfect read for you.

The two MCs are cute whenever they're together and I love how supportive they are of each other. Shelby's BFFs and Cameron's college buddy and wife were a great bunch of side characters and I love how supportive they all were too. There were no major conflicts and any smaller conflicts, either between the two MCs or other characters, were dealt with immediately.

I would read more from the author and hope we'll see a book in Lorelai's future because she definitely needs her HEA. I also thought that the song titles for the chapter headings were a cute touch.

Thank you to St. Martin's Press and NetGalley. I voluntarily read an early copy of this book.
4.25 Stars

Shelby and Cameron are childhood sweethearts and best friends who co-starred on a popular children’s show and are brought back together 10 years later to work with each other on a new home-improvement show. Shelby has been working on herself, and trying to forget her former Hollywood life, while Cameron is a successful documentarian who is known for running from his past. Erin Hahn’s debut adult novel Built to Last is perfect for fans of HGTV with a little HEA thrown in for good measure, and for anyone who loves a second chance romance. Get ready for a super slow burn, but the wait is worth it! I loved, loved, loved all of the supporting characters ( except Lyle – you know what you did) and am hoping that Lorelai gets her own book and HEA. I would have preferred there there been a little more of the backstory/flashbacks of younger Shelby and Cameron to develop their relationship a little more, but all in all I really enjoyed this book and can’t wait to see what other adult novels she writes in the future.

I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book provided to me through NetGalley. All thoughts and opinions are my own. Thank you to Erin Hahn and St. Martin’s Press for giving me the opportunity to read this book!

Thank you to NetGalley and St martens press for this e-arc

Friends to lovers is one of my favorite tropes and this one was adorably sweet and very enjoyable.

Shelby and Cameron's relationship was absolutely adorable. The home renovation aspect was super enjoyable and was doffereent for this genre. What I especially liked was there was no 3rd act drama/breakup etc. Although I love the trope that frustrates me in a lot of this genre.

3.5 solid stars rounded up to 4.

I was really excited to read this book based on the description (thinking Chip and Joanna vibes) and it kind of was, but with childhood sweethearts. Unfortunately, I found the writing to be a bit YA and the dialogue a little too awkward for an adult book. I liked Cameron’s character more than anybody and I liked reading about him and Shelby’s dad. I think each of the main characters personalities could have been flushed out a little more because Shelby fell a tad flat. But this was a cute book overall.

This was a feel-good, dual POV, second chance, friends to lovers romance between two childhood co-stars who are reunited years after their tv show ended when they agree to be on a reality renovation show. Shelby and Cameron fell hard in their teens but when Cameron left unexpectedly Shelby moved on. This new tv show provides an opportunity for these two to resolve their past and see if they might have a chance a real relationship in the present. Much thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an early digital copy of this book in exchange for my honest review! This was my first Erin Hahn book and was good on audio too. I'm looking forward to seeing what's next from this talented author.
Recommended for fans of Maggie moves on by Lucy Score or Homewreckers by Mary Kay Andrews.

This was a sweet story with a hint of spice that I really liked reading over the course of a weekend. As a person who watches a lot of home renovation shows, I like that we get a bit of a behind-the-scenes look at how they actually work (more realistic than some reality TV!) and the child star angle added another little hit of Hollywood that I enjoyed. Cameron is a bit of a dreamboat, too.

Speaking of Cameron, I felt like I didn’t get enough about why he and Shelby had such strong feelings for each other. I mean, I get that when you’re young and in the spotlight, you would gravitate toward each other, but beyond that, what really made them click? They were protective of each other, for sure, but there needs to be more than that and sexual attraction to make a relationship work. That being said, it was nice to see their relationship blossom. And then there’s Lyle. I hoped there was going to be more to him than just “bad guy” but he was just a trope that wasn’t really well developed. Plus, in what world would a child star/”bad boy” all of a sudden be the showrunner of a home renovation show? That made no sense to me.

This might be weird, but I really loved Shelby’s relationships with her dad and with her friends. I want to get into those relationships more. I’m not sure at this moment whether there will be another book in this series, but I would be happy if it focused on her best friend.

At the end of the day, this was a cute read.

3.5 STARS

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

Author Erin Hahn, has definitely made me a new fan with her adult debut!

This well written, second chance romance, has me laughing out loud multiple times through out the book. The pacing was spot on, and I had the hardest time making myself out this book down!

The author did a superb job of writing complex relationships, romantic, friendship, and family. The side characters were fleshed out in a way that I sincerely hope we get books following their HEA.

Do not let the illustrated cover fool you, there is definitely tension and plenty of spice in this book. One of my favorite things about this book is that even though there is a slightly miscommunication early in the book, once Shelby and Cameron are together, they are a united front. We get to see them as a couple work through external drama.

I was immediately drawn into this story, and it left me with a smile on my face. It’s a low angst, low relationship drama, feel good romance!

Second chance childhood sweethearts story done right! I loved Shelby & Cam right away and the author did a great job of showing all sides to both of them. The side characters were great too and I'm hoping for a book 2 with Lorelai!

Okay, this was CUTE. It might actually get me to watch home improvement/design shows. I really liked the premise of this! Ex child stars from a beloved kids show all grown up and back together for a new home improvement show? I dig it. I enjoyed both Cameron and Shelby’s POVs and I liked the flashbacks we got to see how they had grown up on the show and how their relationship began. The only flashback I thought was a little confusing (only because of where it’s placed) was the opening chapter. It was well written, but I felt like it could have been put somewhere else to really give more of an impact. I liked the juxtaposition of Shelby and Cameron’s parents and how one parent was a typical stage mom, practically shoving Shelby into the spotlight and with Cameron’s dad, he was almost embarrassed about Cameron being an actor. That made for an interesting dynamic. I adored Shelby’s dad. He was a gem. Shelby and Cameron definitely have a sloooooooow burn second chance romance, but their banter was great and I thought it was nice to see them go slow and get to know each other all over again. As much as I hated him, I would have liked more Lyle as far as the conflict of the story went. Which there really didn’t seem to be a big conflict in this story other than Shelby reclaiming her narrative and Cameron not running away anymore. There wasn’t really any big dramatic moment which I think would have really worked here. But it was definitely a very sweet story and it will certainly give you all the feels and make you want to build a house.


Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for an advanced digital reader’s copy in exchange for an honest review!

I really enjoyed reading this sweet second-chance, dual POV romance about former childhood TV stars and first loves reconnecting while filming a pilot for a home renovation show. It felt like pulling on the softest, coziest cardigan and settling in for a quiet night.

The HGTV vibes and many music references added a lot of creativity to the story, and the lead characters, Shelby and Cameron, were fun to root for. All the friends and family we get to know added so much warmth to the story, too.

This book sets up a few characters for additional books, and I’m excited to read their stories! Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for this e-ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I received an advanced copy of this book through NetGalley and the publisher in exchange for an honest review. I've read Hahn's YA books and this being her first adult romance with actual sex scenes, was pretty good. If you like HGTV shows and friends to lovers / slow burn you will like Built to Last.

Shelby, Lyle and Cameron were only 11 when they did their hit kiddy show on Nickelodeon or whatever channel, I presume. They grew up together on the show. We meet them first 5 years after the show ended, so they're 22 or so. Lyle has just cheated on and dumped Shelby for her "best" friend Marcella, and Shelby drowns herself in alcohol and calls her friend Cameron, who is in Alaska doing documentaries for Nat Geo. He helps Shelby by being there for her. She sobers up and goes home to her dad in *ichigan. Her awful mom was a typical stage mom / momager. Shelby learns how to restore old furniture and help her dad flip houses. She has a knack for it and makes a career out of it.

6 years later Shelby is 27 or so (the math doesn't quite work unless I had her age wrong) and trying to get a home renovation show ordered. The pilot gets ordered but only after she flies to L A. and discovers the producer is her ex Lyle and he brought in Cameron to be her cohost because her dad doesn't want to be on camera / didn't test well. Cameron has to learn how to do house demo and renovation stuff and he learns from Shelby's dad who likes him. Cameron has to address how he left Shelby and they had a secret relationship before she got together with Lyle. In fact she lost her virginity to him and then he left for college. They have good chemistry and I liked her best friends Maren and Lorelai.

The author did a decent job trying to describe the house that they were renovating even though we can't actually see it. The antagonist in this book is Lyle. At every turn his envy and jealousy is spurring him to sabotage Shelby and Cameron. What doesn't make sense since he's a producer/ showrunner. I couldn't get any idea beyond caricature of his character. If you grow up working on a kid show with 2 other people- how do you get so bitter and spiteful? Especially with the success he has after his child actor career. He tried to paint Shelby as a "drunken slut" even as HE cheated on her constantly. Her poor self esteem from having a horrible mother until she went home to her dad, went through therapy and became an adult and found her thing. I enjoyed the love story though. 4/5☆

3.5 stars

I’ve read and loved all of this author’s YA romance. I was curious how her foray into adult contemporary romance would go, I’ve been rooting for her. While I found this story enjoyable, I had a harder time connecting with this story than I did with her previous stories.

First, I want to say that the characters are lovely and adorable. Cameron is a great big cinnamon roll of a lumberjack. Shelby is kind and thoughtful and just wants to be loved for who she is on the inside. These two suffered a lot from miscommunication. Or, rather, not communicating at all. It all makes sense since they were practically children when they fell in love. Worse, they were just out of childhood but had been treated like adults for far too many years. I love that current Shelby now speaks her mind. She may delay asking the hard questions or saying the potentially embarrassing things, but once she works it out in her head she goes for it because it’s better to know the truth than to fear the unknown. I have to give her props for that. There are a few times I felt she jumped to conclusions. She asked the question but didn’t listen to the answer, or misconstrued the answer because of her insecurities about the past. Yet always, every time, she would come back to it and realize she needed to think things through before assuming anything.

I was overwhelmed by the warmth and comfort these two brought to the page when they were together. That being said, I didn’t get inundated by butterflies or feel any infernos. There was a stable and steady presence in their relationship. There’s nothing wrong with that. As I said, it was a great comfort and that is exactly what a lot of readers are looking for. I just would have liked a tad bit more.

Being the mom of a 28-year-old, it needs to be said that whenever a movie or music reference was made by these characters it kind of took me out of the story. I felt as though the references used would not be used by people that age. Maybe I’m being nit-picky here, but it would throw me off and make me have to actively think about the ages of the characters.

All in all, this was a wonderful second chance romance. There was angst, but it had to do more with external forces and not the couple themselves. Both Shelby and Cameron had things to work through with each other and their families, but they really seemed to be level-headed and actively worked through their issues with each other. I’ll be giving this author’s next contemporary romance a shot, there’s a lot of promise there. For now, her YA romance will remain my favorite of hers though.

Being that I’m a fan of home makeover shows especially Joanna and Chip, I was excited about this book description! A book about childhood friends-to-lovers doing a home renovation TV show together. I enjoyed the banter between them. It was a slow burn read, but picked up towards the end. I found some difficulty to connect with the book at times. Overall, a cute romance read! Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Griffin for the ARC. All opinions are my own.

4.5 stars. I loved this read.

There’s just something about a second chance romance! And this one was extra sweet.

Shelby & Cameron are the cutest! Their banter! Their chemistry! Their honesty with each other! It was so refreshing to read.

Some great villains that you love to hate. And several great supporting characters in their friends and family that you just love. (I really need a Lorelei book next please and thank you.)

Thank you to netgalley and the publishers for the chance to read an advance copy.

This book was amazing. Shelby and Cameron were child stars on the same TV show. They were in love with each other from the very beginning as tweens and were each other's firsts in their later teens. Cam went off to college and then traveled the world working for Nat Geo and returned to Shelby's side after 5 years when she was spiraling out of control and contacted him. He encouraged her, in a note, to leave LA behind and then he went back to Alaska. Fast forward 5 years, and their previous costar Lyle wants them to do a home reno show. Shelby had left LA and returned to Michigan where she's been restoring furniture and working with her Dad who flips houses. I loved everything about this story. Funniest line, IMO, Cam is talking to his college friend Kevin who is a big guy and wears suspenders. Kevin says, "I'm 317 pounds of pure sex, Riggs." "I can't be contained by a mere belt." I liked all the supporting characters (not Lyle and his wife). I hope Lorelai's story gets told next.

Who loves a home-reno romance? I do, I do!
Who loves a celebrity romance? I do, I do!
Who loves a second chance romance? I do, I do!
Who loves a hot Patagonia/LL Bean model type heroine? I DO!

Child stars Cameron and Shelby were first loves starring on a hit show together. At 18 they went separate ways, him to college and her to a pop career and romance followed heavily by the tabloids. But she can still always count on Cameron to come running to her, especially when she hits rock bottom personally and professionally. Shelby takes off for a quieter life in Michigan where she picks up refinishing furniture and helping out her Dad's house flipping business, but she dreams of being on television again, this time showing her grown up, house-flipping self. And guess who she's paired with on the show? Sweet, sexy, first love, Cameron. 

This dual perspective story was such a fun tale with oodles of fantastic tropes. I found it funny, sexy, sweet and full of anecdotes about growing up and spreading your wings but holding onto your roots, reinventing yourself, but keeping that central core. There's karaoke, tabloids, TV drama, family antics, Upper Peninsula field trips, some small town vibes, and maybe some barn hanky-panky. This was my first book by this author and I'm definitely intrigued to check out some of her previous and upcoming work.