Built to Last is a fun rom-com that features two star crossed child stars that come together to renovate a house for a TV pilot produced by their former co-star. You will laugh but also get annoyed by the producer. Small town in Michigan makes this the perfect setting.

Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC.

I've come to realize this book is not what I'm interested in at the moment, and this is not a negative reflection on the book or author. I'm unable to read this at this time.

DNF at 15%

I just honestly didn’t care. I didn’t care about the story or the relationship between our two main characters. It took a little too long for it to get started and I felt like it didn’t capture me within the time it should have.

Erin Hahn is an author I’m already familiar with and I love her wet romances, but this one is my new favorite. It’s fun, it’s sweet, and super sexy! If life is feeling a bit dark and overwhelming, take a break and curl up in a comfy chair on the porch with your favorite beverage and dive into Built to Last. Thing will bring back some light and joy into your life and I promise you wont regret it.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing a copy in exchange for an honest review.

Built to Last is a fun contemporary romance from Erin Hahn. Shelby Springfield and Cameron Riggs met on the set of a TV show. Behind the camera, their attraction grew. But as the side kick to Lyle Jessup, Cameron Riggs was never meant to get the girl. When he leaves the show, it pushes Shelby into Lyle's arms. Now, years later, Shelby burned out of Hollywood hard and returned to her Midwest family home while Cameron wanders the world as a photographer.

Lyle brings everyone back together with a new project - Homemade - a home improvement show. It allows Shelby to display her new passion of house-flipping, but puts her back into Cameron's orbit when he's cast as her new co-host. As their original attraction pulls them together, Lyle's scheming threatens to not only pull them apart, but ruin Shelby's new life.

This is my first book by Erin Hahn and I really enjoyed it. It reminded me a bit of a midwestern How to Fake It In Hollywood. Full of Hollywood drama, the comforting vibes of a good home improvement show, and sizzling chemistry, it's a great adult debut from Erin Hahn.

I enjoyed most of this book. There were parts I couldn't connect with but overall it held my attention and entertained in the way that helps you step out of reality for a few hours.

I loved this story! Two childhood friends who loved each other pretty much from the moment they met. Life got in the way, parental expectations and meddling, plus all the complications that come with fame drove them apart. Until they were put to work together again in their late 20’s and forced to revisit their feelings and what went wrong with their relationship.

The MCs both were very lovable characters. Shelby was so down to earth, strong in her convictions, wanting what (almost) all of us wish, for someone to make the effort to show them they love you. And Cam is such an honest, decent, and passionate man. I was beyond happy that their relationship (after their reconnection) was mature, they talked openly, and didn’t shy away from obstacles, instead they supported each other. The chemistry between Shelby and Cameron?! It was palpable and genuine.

Now, Lyle was so irritating. I know that’s the purpose of his character, so kudos to Erin Hahn because she really made me despise him. All the drama in the story came from him and not from the usual romcom plot, miscommunication and such.

This is a second-chance romance is a feel good, comfort story, perfect for when you’re craving to curl up with a warm blanket and read a book while sipping on a glass of wine of warm tea.

Thank you NetGalley for the ACR in exchange for an honest review.

Summary
Shelby, Lyle and Cameron were child actors on a popular show as kids. After the show ended, Cameron took off for college on the other side of the country, while Shelby and Lyle stayed in the Hollywood circles, making careers in pop music. Fast forward 10 years later, Shelby left Hollywood 5 years before and moved home to Michigan and started flipping houses and refurnishing old furniture. She wants the world to know she's not the party girl she once was. When Lyle gets involved on the production side of a house flipping show Shelby was being considered for, he brings in Cameron because of the crazy chemistry the two shared back in the day. Cameron has always had a soft spot for Shelby and to Shelby, he's the one that got away. How will it go making the pilot of this show' with Lyle getting involved and messing things up.

Review
Ugh, I adored this book! I love me some HGTV house flipping and mix in my favorite genre, romance, and I'm hooked. Lyle was right, the chemistry between Cameron and Shelby jumps off the page. Cameron is lost and trying to figure out his next steps in life. As a documentarian with National Geographic, he doesn't have a home base, friends or know what he wants for his future. Shelby found her dream when she left Hollywood, but besides her work, her dad and her friends, she's lonely. And when she and Cameron are together, they just click. It was sweet, it was heartwarming, it was spicy. I love the redemption story. I love that the main characters communicate in a healthy way when they talk. I love the female friendships with Shelby and her friends and wish there was more of that and more of the father-daughter relationship. I think that Cameron's relationship with his brother and father and Shelby's relationship with her mother could have been fleshed out more, but overall, I adored everything about this book and will read anything Erin Hahn writes!

This was super cute. I'm a sucker for a second chance romance and the chemistry between Cam and Shelby was on point! Will we see Lorelai's story next?!

How much did I love this book (and how much did I love Cameron and Shelby?
A) so much I blushed
B) so much I swooned
C) ALL OF THE ABOVE

Cameron was a kid with a crush and *by the way* it was mutual. My face went up in flames as much as Cam’s did whenever someone mentioned his infatuation with Shelby. So adorable! I absolutely loved the childhood friends to first love to redemption tropes. Cameron and Shelby's story just hit my heart in every direction. I also adored the supporting characters and the storylines that went along with them as well. Lyle was a snake who was written with such smarm that we knew to hate him. Every character was so well thought out and so well written.

I Ioved the dual point of view. Loved revisiting first love and growing up. The first I love you. I could go on and on but I'll just end that I loved Everything (even the fun, lyrical chapter titles!).

There is so much to love in Built to Last! Shelby Springfield is a former child star who has rebuilt her life in Michigan, working with her dad renovating furniture and houses. Cameron Riggs, her former costar and current nature documentarian, always comes when Shelby calls, so when the chance to do a home renovation show comes up, the two are given a second chance. I love a second chance romance and this is a perfect example why. The characters just felt so genuine and their relationship felt so natural. Shelby’s journey is so well rounded. She’s so smart and good-hearted and I was just really rooting for her. And Cameron is so sweet. I feel like there was some good growth on his end too and I thought their individual stories really worked together, but Shelby was really the star here! She is just a joy of a character. And their chemistry is so strong and engaging, and cameron just supports Shelby so well—I love the way he cared for her and how open these characters are. They have a good mix of sexy and adorable banter too. I loved these two felt like friends first and grew into their romance. I felt like conflict was a little drawn out and didn’t feel fully closed up, but I like how it helped these two grow and find each other. The father/daughter relationship was also just beautifully done, but in contrast, I wanted a little more with Cameron’s family. The side characters too added so much and I was really invested in everyone. Honestly though, this book is so endearing and sweet and just a lot of fun! I genuinely couldn’t put it down!

Celebrity/Chip&Joanna Gaines style second-chance romance, maybe past its peak, but a fun, low-stakes, but ultimately satisfying read. Child co-stars Shelby and Cam eventually grow into a teen crush but drift apart as life implodes, but come together again to build an adult relationship. They had good chemistry and good growth arcs; they both were willing to try and try again by changing what didn't work.

The plot itself really was a bit of a fantasy: Lyle's manipulations seemed far-fetched (I didn't really understand why Cam and Shelby relented to being involved); it seems quite unlikely that Shelby would have reached the level of expertise she claims in a mere 5 years, with zero prior experience. Cam's transformation from Nat Geo documentarian to master contractor/flipper was a little less unlikely, as he really showed a good work ethic.

Actual rating: 1.5 stars.

Although this may be some readers' cup of tea, this was not mine, despite how much the premise initially drew me in. Normally I love second chance romances with a hollywood (or movie/tv star) premise/setting. I have read a couple of good or even great romances this year with these themes, but this absolutely fell short.

Built to Last is a dual POV second chance romance between two main characters who are former child stars being reunited for a new home renovation show. Shelby left the lime light to move to small town Michigan to help her father with his home renovation and restoration business after her acting career imploded and her ex-boyfriend (another former co-star) cheated on her. Cameron was her first love and another co-star on the television show who left her when she attempted to rebound with him. The cheating ex-boyfriend reaches out to propose that the two former co-stars and lovers reunite for a home renovation show. Shelby wants to prove that she is a new woman, that she has grown, and that she has moved on from hollywood. Cameron wants to be with Shelby and so he decides to drop everything to join the show.

This book has a LOT going on, and overall it just seemed a bit of a mess. There are some flashbacks but these flashbacks actually don't help explain Shelby and Cameron's history fully. There is no worthwhile development here. The reader is simply told that Shelby and Cameron care about each other and we are just supposed to believe it, because the chemistry does not flow naturally here. And there is so much other stuff going on, and the renovation plot itself is a bit of a snooze. Between Shelby's dad, Shelby's mom, Shelby's ex-boyfriend, Shelby's ex-friend, Cameron's dad, Cameron's mom, Cameron's college friend, Shelby's famous friend, Cameron's brother, Shelby's renovation business, etc. etc. there just isn't enough left to make me feel the pay off between Shelby and Cameron in the end.

Can someone, eager to stir up drama for ratings, actually play a role in bringing a couple back together?
That is the overall theme in this charming second chance romance.

Shelby Springfield and Cameron Riggs first met on the set of The World According to Jackson as teenagers. While young love blossomed, they ended up going their separate ways for reasons I won't get into. Fast forward years later, when the two are brought back together for a reality/home renovation show by her ex, Lyle Jessup. It is clear early on that Lyle is a shit stirrer and will do whatever it takes to drum up drama. What I loved was how Shelby and Cameron worked together to overcome that drama.

As a big fan of home renovation shows, this author did a great job of bringing Shelby's enthusiasm for furniture restoration to the page. And Cameron fed on that enthusiasm, delving into this unknown world of flipping a home without hesitation. Reviving Shelby's reputation may have been the reason for his dedication to the project, but his feelings for her were an obvious motivator.
The connection and confessions Shelby and Cameron shared felt real and long overdue. I loved how they approached their second chance romance and found ways to minimize the drama caused by Lyle.

Based on how this book ends, I'm assuming Shelby's friend Lorelei Jones may get her own story, fingers crossed. We shall see if I'm right . . .

I am so excited to have finished this delightful adult rom-com debut by Erin Hahn. Built to Last has so many things I love in a good romance:
• Childhood sweethearts (while child actors!)
• First Love
• Second chance romance
• Total cinnamon roll love interest
• Friends to lovers
• Steamy chemistry
• Home renovation/reality TV show setting!

And so many things I just adore in a good book:, like the Michigan setting thrills this Michigander and all of the Midwestern charm.

I really loved everything about this one. The main conflicts in this were much more internal/emotional and it was really well done. The characters had heart and depth, it was such a feel-good love story.

I adored the side characters and finishing this book made me so excited that Hahn is continuing this series with Lorelai’s story. This was a fantastic comfort read and I will absolutely be reading more of Erin Hahn’s adult romances.

Huge thank you to NetGalley and St Martins Press for providing me an e-arc of this book.

DNF - this just wasn't for me. I know a great deal of readers who will adore this premise & the plot as a whole.

This book was adorable! It made me feel like I was reading the love story for Chip and Joana Gaines or something like that.

There were so many wonderful tropes in this book that added up to create a lovely rom-com. A few for your reference include:
- second chance romance
- celebrity romance
- friends to lovers
- mild miscommunication
- It's always been you

This book was a true rom-com in my opinion. It had lots of really cute, romantic moments, but also had many moments that made me laugh out loud. Shelby was a funny character to get to know and so fun to hear the thoughts of. She was a recovering child actor with things to overcome and relationships to mend. I loved seeing how she handled her past when it showed up at her doorstep five years later.

This book had so much angst and pining and I loved every second of it. The romance, as I mentioned above, had a few different tropes that it drew from and I thought it suited it well. Additionally, there was no third act break up. I always have mixed feelings about that because I like the drama and heartache, but I know others hate the breakups. This would be a good book for those people. The romance was amplified in my opinion because of the dual pov. Hahn did the pov of Cam very well. His thoughts felt different than Shelby's which I was so happy about.

I have to put in a plug about Cam. He was the absolute sweetest man ever. I fell in love with him from page one for so many reasons. One big one though was because of his heart. He was running from his demons for most of the book, but that didn't stop him from being so sweet and kind and loving.

I do wish there had been more specifics talked about on-page before Shelby and Cam jumped into things. Like, it was all implied (you'll know what I mean when you read the book), but I would have liked to have it spelled out on page.

Overall, I really enjoyed this book and will now have to go back and read Hahn's YA novels.

This was such a lovely contemporary romance. It was a bit slow to start for me, but I did really like it as the pace picked up. Some parts were less believable - it didn't make a lot of sense to me that Lyle all the sudden got out of their way - but it was overall really enjoyable.

3.5 stars

This is the first of Hahn's books that I've read and I really enjoyed her writing style! The characters were all lovely, except for Lyle, Marcella & Ada Mae but they were supposed to be terrible.

I loved the two MCs, Shelby & Cameron. Seeing their growth from child stars to adults outside of the film industry to co-stars again & lovers worked so well.

I also loved the TV reno show aspect. I love reno shows but I find books involving that can be a little lacking but it really worked in this one because there was so much more than just the show.

More romance books need to skip the third act break up 👏

I did find it was slow to get into the book. But once I got into it I enjoyed it. And while the ending was good, what it did wrap up it did so too nicely and some stuff it didn't fully conclude IMO.

Unfortunately this book was not for me. The characters felt VERY immature and selfish, and I could not enjoy their behavior and interactions enough to continue with the book past a few chapters. With the dynamic they already had in place, I couldn’t see how their relationship could evolve in an enjoyable way that would keep me engaged.