Erin Hahn's Even If It Breaks Your Heart is a poignant exploration of grief, friendship, and the pursuit of dreams. The novel follows Case Michaels, a young rodeo rider grappling with the loss of his best friend, Walker. Driven by a list of unfulfilled ambitions left behind by Walker, Case embarks on a perilous journey of self-discovery.

Hahn's writing is both tender and raw, capturing the complexities of grief with authenticity. The slow-burn romance between Case and Winnie, a free-spirited horsewoman, adds depth and warmth to the story. Their connection is built on mutual support and understanding, creating a believable and heartwarming relationship.

While the novel effectively delves into themes of loss and healing, some readers might find the pacing slightly uneven. However, the emotional core of the story is undeniable, and Hahn's ability to portray the characters' struggles with authenticity is commendable.

Ultimately, Even If It Breaks Your Heart is a heartwarming and uplifting story about finding strength in the face of adversity. It's a novel that will resonate with readers who appreciate stories of friendship, love, and the power of human resilience.

4.5 stars. I’ve read Erin Hahn’s adult romance so I shouldn’t be surprised that her YA books will also rip your heart right out. In a good way. Watching Winnie and Case grow up and find each other was a delight. Plus horses. So many horses.

Thanks to Netgalley, the publisher, and the author for the ARC to review. All opinions are my own.

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cowboy romance but young adult!!! loved this so much

- rodeo & horses galore
- rich boy/poor girl
- grief and healing
- slow burn
- terrible parents
- she works for his family
- a cute 10-year-old genius
- no third act breakup
- rock music

another wonderful erin hahn book! this was such a fun, young adult romance while also dealing so well with some harder topics, tackling issues of grief and family struggles throughout. case and winnie were both such well-developed characters, each with their own strong back story and own sub plots of personal growth and discovery which I love within a story. though the romance was obviously a large part of the story, they were not dependent upon one another and took the time to find themselves and what they want to do as individuals as well throughout the story. the setting was also just so fun, taking place in a rodeo environment, which was not something I knew I wanted to read about until I picked this story up! and ofc the romance - the way their friendship grew and continued into more was so sweet and just overall well done. such a lovely book that I would recommend for lovers of a cowboy, contemporary, young adult romance!

This story had some hard topics for both main characters to fight through. It's something that most young adults wouldn't be able to make it through, especially together. I enjoyed the story, but I never felt the connection of the two main characters and that's a huge factor for me liking a romance.

This book was heart wrenching in the best way, (That opening section though!!!) Even If It Breaks Your Heart is a must read for those who crave a love story with two grieving main characters helping each other heal. Watching the journey unfold between Winnie and Case was a beautiful experience, one where the reader really feels a spectrum of emotion alongside the characters. I’ll be looking for more from Erin Hahn in the future!

Even If It Breaks Your Heart is a beautiful blend of romance, grief, and the growth that blooms between the two. The characters are deeply created, the scenery rich, and the overall vibe of the book is a happy/sad cowboy mixture that warms my heart!

listen. ya will always have my heart but i fear ive just grown out of it. i love erin hahn and her writing. i’ve read everything she’s ever released. but i am withholding any review until further notice due to the smp boycott

I've loved just about every book Erin Hahn has published, but this one just didn't meet my expectations. It wasn't bad, and I did enjoy it overall, but it never really pulled me in the way her books have in the past. Like I was just cursing along the surface instead of being completely absorbed. I will say that I wasn't a fan of the fast paced timeline. Because of how much time passes, I just never really fell for the characters.

Even if it Breaks Your Heart was a fun read, and a hard book to put down. Both Winnie and Case were lovable characters, but each fighting their own personal struggles on their own. Though from very different situations, they bond over their love of horses and riding in the rodeo circuit, and eventually realize they have more in common than they thought.

I really enjoyed this book and the development of both characters. I would definitely recommend it to my student.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read and review this book!

A sweet YA about love, loss, and I can completely see why others call this Erin Hahn's sad rodeo book.
I loved the characters and as always, Hahn knows how to pull at the heart strings.

3.5 stars

This was such a sweet little YA cowboy romance, when it delved into romance.

Case and Winnie are well fleshed characters grappling with adulthood, figuring out their dreams and whether or not they can make them a reality. Case is reeling from the loss of his best friend Walker, while Winnie is basically Fiona Gallagher with a deadbeat father as she takes cares of her two young siblings and works a backbreaking job at CMB Ranch. The same ranch where Case is a rich ranchers son who hasn't even noticed Winnie as she worked there the past two years.

Upon Walkers death he leaves a bucket list for Case to fulfill which ranges from tackling a bull outside an arena to jumping off a corn silo. But, the most important item on the list is to befriend Winnie. Drowning in grief Case attempts to fulfil these items and builds a deep and meaningful friendship with Winnie as she navigates her own expectations from her family and herself. Winnie has constantly put herself on the backburner and Case gives her a taste of what it means to recognize and embrace your dreams. To say he's supportive is an understatement, from babysitting her siblings to helping her achieve her dreams, he's a boy who supports his girl in every aspect possible.

While the pacing was a bit weird towards the back end this was a cute ya romance that delved into deeper topics of surviving grief, building friendship and growing up. The romance however is a pretty slow burn and doesn't start kicking in until around 75%. I wish we had more romantic moments between these two but I really appreciated the foundation they grew of friendship.

Charming read and I definitely recommend it.

Thanks Wednesday Books, and NetGalley for the ARC.

I absolutely adore Erin Hahn and her writing, and if this is her last YA novel I'll be said to see her go from the space but welcome her with full open arms in whatever audience / genre she chooses to publish in next.

I have had the pleasure of reading every book (so far) from Erin Hahn and this may be my favorite to date! Case and Winnie definitely go through it and my heart ached for each of them. While this is YA it didn't read like YA and with their lives they were more mature. I don't normally love epilogues but I wouldn't have minded one from like 10 years down the road to see where they are now.

Erin Hahn writes the sweetest books. Even when dealing with difficult topics she does it so well and in such a way that I think it can be read in an impactful way by anyone. Winn and Case were written so well, starting with friendship and building into more through mutual affection for Walker. This was a story of healing and chasing your dreams, about friendship and love, and I had an incredible time taking this personal journey. I absolutely recommend this book! Such a great read

Do you know when you see a book cover and think, “That will be cute on my bookshelf!” That is what I felt when I saw EVEN IF IT BREAKS YOUR HEART by Erin Hahn. Then I read the book blurb and realized she was trying to distract me with the cute cover, so I didn’t pay attention to the title because Erin Hahn was truly trying to break my heart. Spoiler alert regarding me: she did; I cried a lot.

Erin Hahn’s talent for character development shines in the book. I was quickly drawn to Case and Winnie, rooting for them individually throughout the book and, eventually, as a couple. Their distinct personalities made it easy for me to imagine them as my friends. The side characters, too, added depth to the story, making it more meaningful.

This book is an excellent, EX-CELL-ENT representation of different types of grief and how people cope. Hahn also writes a beautiful representation of the sick-kid friendship and how important it is to both sides, but also tolling. I am the sick-kid, so Walker’s reactions felt real to me. I have a couple of friends like Case who mean more to me than they know.

I didn’t expect EVEN IF IT BREAKS YOUR HEART to be such an emotional ride. I thought it would be a cute, fun cowboy romance. I mean, look at the cover!?! While there were lots of laughs and cute moments, it’s a heavy book (hence the title…), and it’s definitely one I will read again. I loved every emotional moment, laughter, and tears the characters pulled from me.

Thanks, Wednesday Books, for the book!

I love a good western romance so of course I had to read this one. It is YA so obviously the spice isn't there like in adult western romances but that doesn't take away from the book at all! This is an angsty read, full of grief and young adults with far more on their shoulders than they should have. Winnie and Case are fabulous characters that you can't help but root for

Even if it Breaks Your Heart was a sweet story. Our FMC, Winnie Sutton, has had to raise her siblings for the last 10 years after their mom took off and their father refusing to step up. She's been putting her dreams on hold because she can't leave them out to dry just like her mother did to them. She works at a local ranch leading trail rides and training horses to barrel race. She's a loner and really only talks to her siblings or her boss. Our MMC is Case Michels and his dad own the ranch Winnie works for. Case is drowning in sorrow and sadness because his best friend Walker died of cancer the year before. Walker left behind a list of things he wanted to do before he died and Case is trying to complete it for him. He's stumbling through it and also trying to process his grief and move on with his life. After a wild night of Partying, Case is punished by mucking out stalls in the stables along side Winnie. The 2 strike up a loose antagonistic friendship and Case ends up helping Winnie with her siblings a few times before getting involved in her life more. The 2 quickly start to fall for each other and push each other to be better. Case convinces his dad to sponsor Winnie in the next local rodeo for barrel racing which throws her life into chaos between what she wants and what she thinks she should be doing with her life. The rest of the story is how the 2 struggle to figure out what they want and push each other to reach for those wants. I enjoyed it overall and would definitely recommend this to a YA/NA audience looking for a cowboy/rodeo romance.

I am extremely picky when it comes to YA books. I have a particular list of things that work for me (and what doesn't, of course), and Hahn knocked it out of the park with "Even If It Breaks Your Heart".

Case and Winnie couldn't be more different - they come from such mismatched backgrounds - yet they bring the very best out in each other. I love that they are respectful of boundaries and feelings, especially since they both are so young and have been dealt terrible heartaches in life.

Winnie is the true shining star in EIIBYH. I love how she cared for her siblings, how she leaned into her role as eldest sibling without hesitation (I know this role all too well). I love that she was tough and hard, but loved big and openly. She's wise beyond her years and I absolutely love her character.

Grief and loss are present within the pages of this book, but Hahn handles both with humor and heart, with so much grace. She gives readers just want we need in a book without truly diving into the weeds. Maybe that's because this is a YA book, but I appreciate it. I prefer to not have my heart broken too often with fictional characters.