Wow, this was a fun book! I loved the dynamic of the two main characters and them reconnecting five years later after the drama they both went through. I haven't read this author before, but have purchased her YA books based on friends recommendations. I'll definitely be moving those higher up on my TBR now!

Thank you SMP Romance and NetGalley for the eARC of Built to Last. All opinions in this review are my own.

I read Built to Last by Erin Hahn and absolutely loved it! Unfortunately, I think it was a one time thing for this author because I DNFed her YA book Never Saw You Coming. I had high hopes for Friends Don't Fall in Love but from the start, I didn't like how school shootings were included in the book. I know they aren't explicitly described on the page, but it felt out of place to be in a romance book about country stars. I wanted a lighthearted read and this reminder took me out of it.

DNF at 14%

Friends Don't Fall in Love was a friends to lovers romance with lots of frustrating moments. Lots. Of. them.
These to just couldn’t get it together so I was quit frustrated myself. I love this author and her romances but I didn’t love this one.
Thanks St. Martin’s Press via NetGalley.

Read this while listening to a playlist consisting of The Chicks, Miranda Lambert, and Johnny Cash. Thank me later.

CW: discussion of gun control and references to school shootings, toxic ex

The way I was foaming at the mouth for Lorelei's book ever since we met her in Built to Last and then Erin Hahn delivers a book both swoony and steamy, exactly as I wanted it to be.

Can someone please explain to me how motorcycle sex works because I am afraid to google that but also I am SO curious 👀

I consider myself and the author to be sorta friends, so I did slide into her DMs a few times to scream about things. (No, not the mechanics of motorcycle sex, I do have boundaries.) Here were the things:

1. Is Drake Colter inspired by Morgan Wallen, or are they both just assholes? (Answer: BAHAHAHA no, they just both suck)

2. Has your songwriting ever been brought to life? (Answer: YES they literally produced Jonesin' for the audiobook and I keeled over with swoons)

3. What came first, the erotic poetry or the book? (Answer: the book, she slotted in the poems where it felt right)

Did I know that I needed a motorcycle riding, songwriting, inheritance owning, erotic poet as a love interest? I did not until last week when I picked this up. And now I definitely DO.

FRIENDS DON'T FALL IN LOVE has many fun tropes, including friends-to-lovers (shocker), one night stand, flashbacks, caretaking!!, friends with benefits/get it out of our systems, neighbors (they share a duplex), workplace romance, he falls first, and rockstar romance (except she's a country singer).

There's also cameos from previous books, including Hahn's YA You'd Be Mine, so I quickly skimmed my copy of that one to refresh. I will say, all the cameos make it hard to read as a standalone, so if this was your entry to Erin Hahn, give her another shot where you enter the book on the same page as everyone else. I'm up to date on her releases and it took me a minute to remember all the characters from before.

Lorelei was a country starlet who let her anger and lack of a filter speak for herself when she played a gun control protest song at a concert and subsequently blacklisted herself all over Nashville, à la The Chicks and their Bush comment. She ran away to Michigan to become a third grade teacher, and after a school shooting (this is only implied) she retired and returned to Nashville with a heart full of lyrics and a determination to return to the scene. Her best friend in the industry, Craig "Huck" Boseman, recently inherited a bunch of money and now owns his own record label. Together they piece her career back together and come to terms with their tangled feelings for each other.

I read along with the reading playlist, which is a fabulous experience. The final chapter and that Maren Morris song almost made me cry. I love a grand gesture in the form of a song. I love the big confessions. I love a sassy, confident, ambitious, loud-mouthed lead and her soft teddy bear counterpart. I love a messy, but lovable, friends to lovers.

I wish we could have seen Lorelei as a teacher, even if just in a flashback. That part of her life is clearly so important to her, but we never see in her action and it's mostly just references to "maybe my student is watching" or something. I also wanted the conversation about school shootings to go a bit deeper, personally. I know Hahn wanted to be less heavy with the subject matters in these adult romcoms, which is probably why it's mostly brushed over, but I think there was opportunity to go below the surface a little and still maintain the low-angst tone of the book.

Overall, a very solid and sexy friends-to-lovers, with astonishingly good erotic poetry and country lyrics. I didn't consider myself an erotica lover before this book, but now I'm reconsidering. I wish the book delved more into certain areas, and it's hard to read without some context, but it was very fun and truly does a wonderful job capturing Nashville. I felt like I was back on those streets, and now I desperately want to return.

Rep: main character with celiac disease, gay side couple, lesbian side character

Thank you Griffin for the early copy of the book, both digital and physical, in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.

I was not able to finish the book and therefore do not feel that I can give an unbiased review about the book, its plot, characters, or the author's work. I might revisit this book at a later time and finish it then, but not right now.

I wanted to read this book because I loved Erin Hahn's Built to Last.

Lorelai Jones was a country starlet who fell from grace over a political performance that was not well-received. Several years later she is back in Nashville and trying to revive her music career with the help of long-time friend and music producer Craig/Huck. This is a friends to lovers story which happens to be one of my favorite tropes. I love a Nashville setting and the fun country music references - lots of song lyrics!

I read this ARC in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.
This story actually reminded me of Daisy Jones, but in a better, happier, less messier kind of way. I was glad that the ex wasn't an issue, and that the two main characters, Lorelai and Craig had their own demons to battle.
It was fun to read about the whole country music scene, and it seems like it's harder to navigate than the normal top charts.
Lorelai and Craig, were easy to like. They definitely had chemistry, that's for sure.

A great story! This book is in the same friend universe as last year's Built to Last. This time it's Lorelai's second chance - at a career in music after a very unforgiving fan base doesn't approve of her singing a protest song and dropped her. Her career over she heads to Michigan to teach third graders (where she's friends with Shelby and Maren) for five years, then she calls Craig, her old friend and bandmate to her douchy ex. Lorelai wants to try to rebuild her singing career and thinks Craig can help. Craig, meanwhile has been carrying a torch for Lorelai as long as he can remember. He also dumped Lorelai's ex which means the douche doesn't have a song writer anymore. Craig and Lorelai reconnect and give in to an attraction that causes all kinds of problems, as they each have their demons to slay in the romance department. Unfortunately, they both make wrong assumptions without ever talking to each other, messing up everything. Luckily, there's an HEA at the end. I loved each character individually and how they reacted with friends and family, but they had a lot to learn together in the end. I was cheering for both Lorelai and Craig (Huckleberry).

Thank you to St Martin's Press/St Martin's Griffin for providing an eARC. All opinions are my own.

Erin Hahn was a new-to-me author with You’d Be Mine, the first book of hers I read, and I loved it so much I’ve been hooked on her words ever since. I was curious how well she’d make the jump from YA to adult contemporary romance, and I really enjoyed Built to Last. The end felt like an excellent setup for a follow-on book for one of the secondary characters, and it was, much to my delight. While I had wished for more of the main characters’ backstory in the previous release, she more than delivered in this one. It’s an unrequited love, friends-to-more-to-best friends, best friends-to-more contemporary romance. I’m sure I left out a trope somewhere, but there is so much to this incredibly emotional epic tale. It’s a coming of age, coming into your own for the hero and heroine, along with that age-old tale of figuring out who you are separately so you can be so much better together while maintaining your own hard-fought-for identity. Since it’s a romance, we know the main characters ultimately get their HEA, but the journey Ms. Hahn takes us on before allowing it is incredibly emotional and heartfelt. I couldn’t put this book down and read it in just a few hours as I could not stop turning the pages. It’s an incredibly well-written, circumspect account of life in the country music industry when it chews you up and spits you out and how each character deals with the fallout.

NICUnurse’s Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Well, here we are. Me. All the way in love with Craig Huckleberry Boseman. Positively charmed by “Huck” and Lorelei’s sweet, heated chemistry. But mostly with full-on heart-eyeballs for the steadfast, supportive, slightly nerdy but insanely sexy Huck. Good gravy, how I loved him.

I sometimes struggle with friends-to-lovers because I’m not a patient enough reader. The miscommunication, the stubborn refusal to see what’s right in front of them, it can make me absolutely crazy! And I found some of that here. Huck and Lorelei’s inability to get out of their own way when it came to each other – sometimes felt like a bit much. I might have liked them to have figured it out a little sooner. To have not held themselves back for so much of the book. To have really seen what Huck was capable of (because, hot dang, I suspect he might have ruined my ovaries in the very best way).

That said, I still really enjoyed this book. I absolutely adore Erin Hahn’s writing. I fall into it so effortlessly, it’s exactly the perfect amount of witty humor, and characters I can’t help but adore. While some of the middle parts seemed to drag for me, the ending was everything and my heart was so happy.

It’s hard to explain, and I don’t mean this in a bad way at all, but this story felt lazy to me. Like spending a lazy day reading in front of a fire or in a hammock. It meandered around and had comfy and snuggly parts and parts with some angst, but not to an overwhelming degree.

I love how Lorelai and Craig communicate through songs, lyrics, and poems. I also hate how Lorelai and Craig don’t communicate because they are both so scared to speak their true feelings out loud. I get it. They don’t want to lose the beautiful relationship they have as friends and how well they work together to make amazing music. Yet sometimes they left me wanting to bang my head against the wall. When these two are in synch it’s a beautiful thing. There is chemistry from their attraction, but also their friendship. They get each other on a level nobody else can.

The author has a lot to say in this story. While she doesn’t cram it down our throats, she does use Lorelai and her experience teaching and being in schools with children to address some big issues. Her adamant belief that there needs to be something concrete done about gun violence in the US is the whole reason Lorelai was shunned by the country music community. She’s ready to make a comeback but that may mean apologizing for voicing her opinion. Lorelai has a very strong personality and it was interesting to watch her struggle with finding her way back to her music career and staying true to her morals and beliefs.

If you have read this author’s other books, there are some familiar faces that help Lorelai find her confidence again. Not only are her friends from Built to Last supportive from afar, but she makes new friends that we’ve seen before.

When Craig and Lorelai are together they are combustible. Overall I thoroughly enjoyed this story. I wish the duo had more time together on the page as a couple. Although their pining is superbly written.

Cute and Spicy read!

Friends to lovers for sure but I love when he loves her first! And from afar. Craig!! Loved him and all the ways he was there for her! This however is a slow burn!! So if that is not for skip 😅

I overall enjoyed and recommend this for anyone who is looking for a sweet, finally happened love story!

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for a chance to read.

This book took me a moment to get into, I didn't understand the rhythm, no pun intended. But once I did, it was pretty hard to put down.

If you like stories that take place in Nashville, stories that have to do with musicians, stories that involve decade old friendships with strong women? Then this is for you.

3 1/2 solid stars.

I loved this book so much! Erin Hahn's books are like warm hugs for me. They are automatic reads and I get excited when a new one is announced.

Lorelia and Huck were an adorable couple, but it was their friendship that really solidified it for me. There were times that I wish they would just actually communicate with one another because that got a little frustrating, but overall I loved the way that they interacted with one another. Because they had been friends for so long, I did believe that they struggled to communicate out of fear/anxiety.

I loved Hahn's foray into steamy scenes. I think she did a good job and I was glad to be back in the fictional world with Annie, Clay, Shelby, and Cameron!

Thank you to St. Martin's Press and NetGalley for an eARC in exchange for an honest review!

This was literally the sweetest love story ever. This book has it all.
* Friends to lovers
* He falls first
* He falls harder
* Sunshine FMC
* Cinnamon Roll MMC
* Spicy

This book has it all. Angst, tension, banter, steam, pining. All the things that make a book amazing. It does have some of the miscommunication trope, too, so watch out for that one! There were also so time jumps in the beginning that had me a little confused.

Overall, a super cute story that fans of friends to lovers and he falls first will definitely eat up!

Many thanks to NetGalley and SMPRomance for an ARC of this book in return for an honest review.

Don't let the cutsie cover fool you. This story has plenty of romance, angst, and steam. Lorelei and Craig have been friends for years and one night changed everything-in more ways than one- for both of them. The fear they both have of losing their amazing friendship keep them friend zoned. As they both try to move forward with their lives and forge new futures, they will have to make decisions that scare them both. Often funny with great banter, I enjoyed the story very much and look forward to reading more

Lorelai saw her entire life turned upside down when she played a protest song at one of her concerts. Five years later, she is still holding on to her dreams and gives a call to Craig, her former's fiancé's co-writer and bandmade, the one that always stuck by her. Craig has been in love with Lorelai for years, but he knows that he could never get the girl. However, things are different now.
This is a friends to lovers, one night stand, spicy romance, where he falls first and hard, and he's a total cinnamon roll. But... I really couldn't feel the connection or the tension between the two main characters. I felt at times, the story was a bit choppy and hard to follow. I would have loved to see them get together earlier and see them as a couple for a bigger part of the book. They had nothing to lose by getting together earlier so I don't understand why it took so long. But it was a cute and quick read.
I received an advance review copy of this book for free and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

What a great story! Lorelei and Huckleberry and Drake and country music careers in Nashville! Loved all of it!

If you enjoy reading friends to lovers, country music star references and more this book is for you!

I loved Lorelai’s strong female character and Huckleberry’’s bad boy turned good! Don’t want to give away any spoilers but I really loved this story!

I’ve always enjoyed novels by Erin Hahn. Her writing is so easy to read, the rhythm and flow of her words totally appealing, especially in a book with music at its center. Lorelei was a character who was also very easy to like. She and I have the same politics, so that helps, but she’s also someone who took a stand even though she lost everything by doing that. Craig or “Huckleberry” as Lorelei calls him, is just an average guy with a lot of talent for writing hit songs. He was one of Lorelei’s best friends and it was easy for them to pick up where they left off, but both of them had feelings for each other that couldn’t be ignored. Their transition from friends to lovers was not without its hiccups but it too had an easy flow that fit with the style of writing by Ms. Hahn.

Living in Nashville and reading novels set in Nashville are always kind of fun. It’s interesting to see someone’s take on my city and in this case I think the author viewed downtown through slightly roses tinted glasses, but you could tell she loved what she was writing and I really appreciated that. I also really loved the romance that was told through lyrics a wonderful way of styling this novel and really making it feel authentic. I really didn’t find a note wrong with this novel and if I could sing a lick, I’d be howling at the moon.

I absolutely loved listening to this book on scribd! I followed along on my kindle! There was a song that was included that goes with the story and you get a snippet in the beginning! Let me tell you I was excited to get to the end of the book to hear the full song, it was worth the wait!! It’s a great song and it was so different to hear that in an audiobook! This was such a cute country romance! The high tension and longing between Lorelei and Craig was “Chef’s Kiss” The slow burn, friends to lovers was done fantastically. There is nothing I love more than dual pov, so I was excited to see it! I highly recommend this book!