Thank you to the publisher for giving me an early copy to review.

My rating is a 3.5 rounded up to a 4 star.

I really enjoyed reading this romance; it was quite literally a lyrical book with great writing. The writing felt very mature, and incorporated lyrical descriptions when it came to the FMC and the MMC's relationship. You could tell there was genuine passion between the characters and quite a deep rooted relationship which was a great combination of flirty and raw.

The book does also touch on some more serious topics, which gave more depth not just to the plot but also to the relationship between the two main characters. There's a distinctive shift between Clementine's home life and tour life which helps the reader grasp a bit more reality and see her evolve throughout the book to recognise that she wants more from her life. You also see her flourish in finding her own 'family' on the road and building relationships with the side characters.

The romance was a bit fast paced in places, or sometimes the time jumps between some chapters could have been filled in a little bit more with context, however, it was still quite enjoyable despite this.

I also would not have known before reading this that it is based on a real life singer so I can say that as someone distanced from the artist, it is not noticeable that elements are based on real life people.

IF NOT FOR MY BABY
Kate Golden
4⭐️
3.5🌶️
➽─────────❥

Irish man? Sign me up 😭❤️

This book was so cute, whimsical and such a cosy read.

I loved the whole superstar, rockstar, celebrity vibe, to me it made real life celebrities more human.

I fell in love with every character in this book! There wasn’t anyone I disliked (normally there’s someone for me 😂)

Clem 😍 oh my sweetheart she is so relatable! Which helped me really connect with her in this book!
Halloran (tom)- my god what a MMC!! I love an older man & the fact he’s a rock star! He has my heart ❤️


Thank you NetGalley for allowing me to read this book, my review is my honest opinion.📕

I enjoyed this rockstar romance between an Irish star and his back up singer. I loved the author’s fantasy romance and this didn’t disappoint. Some anachronistic language use in the dialogue of the Irish characters (I’m Irish) that felt quite jarring, but still a good read. If you liked Laura Wood’s Under Your Spell, you’ll enjoy this too.

3.75! i loved clementine and tom so much!!! their love was so insanely beautiful, they were meant for each other. the found family on their little tour bus was the cutest thing ever. the writing was so lovely and poetic and easy to read, the whole time i was having so much fun reading.

If Not For My Baby is a cute rockstar romance that I read in one go. It's really easy to read and the descriptions of a life on tour were really vivid while not being repetitive. There were some funny moments and I was a fan of the banter between Clem and Tom. It wasn't super spicy, but the scenes and the progression of the relationship felt realistic and genuine.

Apparently this book is inspired by Hozier, who I know literally nothing about bar one song, so if there were a lot of references, then they certainly went over my head and weren't too obvious. Maybe if you're a fan, you might be able to spot all the nods.

There is a third act breakup though, and those aren't my favourite. Sometimes I don't mind them, if it feels organic, but because this one came from a place of self-sabotage and felt a bit forced, I wasn't really a fan of that aspect of the plot.

Disclaimer: I received an Advance Reader Copy from Quercus Books and NetGalley but this is my voluntary and honest review.

Note: I will publish my reviews on Goodreads, Fable and StoryGraph three weeks before release as requested in the publisher notes. I'll come back and update this feedback page with the review links at that time.

Note: Reviews now posted on the above sites - 17/07/25

Vibes? immaculate. MMC? a dreamboat. The romance? hot 🔥
It's been a little while since a book has had me up late, eyelids drooping, fighting for one more chapter - but INFMB has that star quality that makes it hard to put down! When Clementine gets swept away across the country as a last-minute replacement backing singer on the dreamy and talented singer Halloran's tour, she's doing it for the paycheck and for her mum. She doesn't expect to find love, in fact, she's actively avoiding it. But how long can she hold out whilst singing these songs with him every night?
-
I will say the inspiration is *strong* like, jarringly strong. But it's kind of iykyk, you know? if you're not into the inspo behind the book, you won't notice at all, and it won't affect your enjoyment. If you are familiar with the inspo, you'll be finding easter eggs and references in every chapter.
4.25⭐️

Massive thank you to Quercus via netgalley for the e-arc! 💜

If not for my baby by Kate Golden is the emotional story of Clementine, a waitress from Texas who learns that following her dreams doesn’t have to be the heartbreaking experience she thinks it might be.
This story is a discovery of the soul, the heart and of eternal love.

When Clem gets the opportunity to perform backing vocals for Irish rock star Tom Halloran on his American tour, she tries to turn it down like she has with every opportunity she’s ever been given. Once she discovers the salary will pay for a trail drug that could help alleviate symptoms for her mum’s chronic illness, she decides that she can’t pass up this chance of a lifetime.

Halloran is nothing like she had imagined. Quite the recluse on tour, she slowly finds herself intrigued in what makes his poetic lyrics sing to her in a way nothing else ever has.

This book has my entire heart and soul! A book with a heartfelt story line that grips you to your core but also with such poetry, raw emotion and passion.
A book that wrecks your heart and soul before making you fall in love.

‘A single, eloquent sound that serves to translate some of the most profound experiences of his life’

Forever grateful to Quercus Books, Kate Golden and NetGalley for the opportunity to read this ARC!

There were elements of this story that I enjoyed, I am a fan of rockstar/musical band romances and thought that this one would be full of yearning, angst and passion. Unfortunately this missed the mark on any of those points and just came across as a slightly cheesy, easy insta attraction rockstar romance.

Clementine is your usual small town girl, never left home, works in a diner. She’s never pursued her passions or experienced love and life for herself as she feels obligated to take care of her chronically ill Mum. The fibromyalgia representation in this story was a good one to see as so little is known about the illness and how it can truly debilitate someone. However this combined with Clem’s Mum having a history of dating the wrong men and putting Clem off of love just felt a little disjointed.

Clem finally gets to see the world (America) on tour with Halloran’s band. She discovers new cities and finally starts to have life experiences of her own. The friendships she makes with the band took a little time for me to warm up to, but I was happy to see women supporting women and the drama not being faced around competing with another woman.

So why was I expecting more angst, more longing and beautiful lyricism? Well Halloran’s backstory and recluse character should have been the perfect conduit to a deeply romantic, heartbreaking story. Unfortunately this just wasn’t the case. The instal-attraction was too much and I didn’t believe in their so called deep interactions because Clem just kept focusing on his appearance. Whilst I get that it was supposed to be a big reveal that the loss of love he writes about is due to a death rather than a messy breakup I wanted more to Halloran’s grief and home life outside of his fame.

There were a few enjoyable moments. Before they were together, I enjoyed the banter, the eyes locking across the room and the texting whilst on the same tour bus. This provided some feet kicking moments. But I really did want more from the descriptions of their performances together on stage - think Daisy Jones and the Six chemistry and electricity.

I think this was a case of wrong book or wrong reader, as a not too deep, easy, spicy romance read with a rockstar backdrop it was good, it just wasn’t great and left me wanting more.

I’m not sure entirely what I expected from this Hozier inspired rock star romance but somehow it was definitely less Hozier than we got.
I really wish Tom had felt a little more unique rather than a complete copy of the real Hozier.

The story starts well and I was pretty into the idea of the FMC being anti love but that got tired quickly. It never really felt like it fit the rest of the way she was written. Times when it felt like she was meant to be guarded ended up coming off a bit like. Wet blanket which just didn’t do it for me.

I wanted more bite, more tension. Instead we got soft and gentle indie boy and overly self involved manic pixie dream girl.

That being said I think the plot was good and it moved at a good pace. Definitely one for readers who love an MMC in touch with his gentle thoughtful side.

A HOZIER-INSPIRED ROCKSTAR ROMANCE?!?!?!?!?!? I am unwell. I read it in two days and was actually annoyed at real life for getting in the way, every time I put my kindle down I was yearning to read it again almost as much as Tom yearned for Clem.

INFMB follows Clementine, a waitress in Texas who spends her life looking after her chronically ill mum, hanging out with her ex (who is very much still in love with her) and basically just surviving. She used to dream of performing on Broadway but life kind of happened and got in the way. So when her best friend offers her the chance to join Irish folk rock megastar Tom Halloran on tour as a backing singer (for $80k 😳) she says yes. For the money. For her mum. DEFINITELY NOT for the hot brooding Irish musician. Nope. Not at all.

Anyway cue me SCREAMING into my pillow because Tom Halloran??? That man is giving Hozier meets PS I Love You Gerard Butler and I was NOT prepared 🥲🫠 At 30% in I texted my bookclub and said "girls, i have a new fave book boyfriend" and I wasn't kidding (sorry Cade Eaton).

He's poetic, quiet, intense, obsessive but in a gentle and loving way not a creepy forceful way and he's absolutely gone for Clem from the moment he lays eyes on her. Also, I'd never read a book with an Irish MMC before and it was so freaking (fecking? ;)) hot haha.

There's a scene where they start to text eachother on the tour bus and it just felt so real and nostalgic, we all know how it feels when you first start to fall for someone and you get that sickly sweet feeling every time you're around them, or you hear someone talk about them and I feel like Kate portrayed that so well in the book. It was like being 18 and having a crush on a boy all over again I loved it.

In fact, everything about the romance just worked for me. The pacing and timing of the way their relationship developed....the writing is just effortless in that deceptively simple way. I felt really connected to Tom and Clem and was just rooting for them to figure their shit out and confess their feelings. I do also want to add here that the spice was great, it was a refreshing change actually because it was gentle, kind, romantic and it furthered the plot. There wasn't too much or too little.

A big part of this book is obviously the influence of Hozier, he clearly inspires the MMC and this is evident from his look, characterisation and his music. I loved the way Kate wrote the lyrics scattered throughout the book, they were stunning. I wish I could listen to them honestly.

Another major theme is Clementine's fear of love and wanting things for herself. She’s watched her mum get hurt again and again, she’s seen how painful love can be and she’s completely shut herself off. She's also constantly putting other peoples needs before her own, looking after her mum and her friends. Watching her slowly open up, let herself want things, let herself hope.... ugh it was so beautiful.

"One day avoiding everything that could hurt you might just leave you with nothing at all."

There IS thirdact breakup which normally I hate but this one worked. It made sense for the characters, it added depth and it was resolved in a way that felt earned and satisfying.

This was my first Kate Golden book, and my first rockstar romance and I really bloody enjoyed it. And finally, I have to say, I cannot wait to see this book on my shelves because that cover is just absolutely gorgeous.

Thank you so much for the ARC copy! I can't wait to see what Kate writes next.

Romance, angst and a whole lot of singing — I read If Not for My Baby in one sitting

If Not for My Baby centres around Clementine — a small-town girl who used to have big dreams of singing in musical theatre, but is now drowning in her routine of working and caring for her mum, who's dealing with an autoimmune disease. Her friend, Evelyn, is offered a huge work opportunity, but needs to find a replacement for a job she had already agreed to as a backing vocalist for a famous musician, and that's where Clementine comes in. The musician is the one and only Halloran — an Irish, long-haired, tortured singer of love ballads (does this sound familiar?) — and the two have enough chemistry to light the stage on fire.

I love books set in the music world, so I was excited about this one, and I had a great time reading it. I found Clementine and Halloran's chemistry very compelling and believable. Their backstories truly made me understand them better, and I liked that they were both over 30, since I've just turned 30 myself. I will say the only aspect of the novel I struggled with was how heavily the characterisation of Halloran was based on Hozier. I get the appeal, but it was perhaps too on the nose, and that made me not connect with the characters as well as I wish I had; at times, this aspect made them feel a bit too much like tropes. With that said, I did feel the author was able to build Halloran well beyond his initial appeal and likeness to the Irish singer, but it took some effort for me to shake that first sentiment.

So, if you like romance novels with a touch of angst and/or ones set in the music world, then If Not for My Baby could be a good one for you.

Thank you very much to Quercus Books and NetGalley for the e-ARC!

The easiest 4.5 star read and maybe one of my fav contemporary romance books of the year.

I absolutely loved this so arc much. My first time reading with the mmc and fmc are both in the music industry and I enjoyed this plot so much more than I thought I would. I loved reading the lyrics and poetry that Halloran was saying to her. It had me giggling, kicking my feet and needing a singer songwriter to fall in love with me.

The yearning and chemistry between Halloran and Clementine had me hooked! Being on tour around America in a tight tour bus made the build up to the romance so much better. Halloran’s character is everything you need in a Romance book. Irish, poetic, empathetic, romantic and an old soul had me on my knees! WHAT A MAN! I will never stop falling in love with Irish men that can write poetry and really understand women. The spice in this was INCREDIBLE too. Nothing crazy over the top but the build up to the spice and them wanting each other so badly but not wanting to get caught had me PANTING!

I also loved Clementines character and the backstory with her mums experience with love and heartbreak. She really grew on me throughout the book and the twist with Hallorans ex was heartbreaking and not one I was expecting at all.

Thanks again to Quercus and net galley for the arc of this book. It was such a great read and I am recommending this to everyone who is in need for a summer romance.

If Not For My Baby - Kate Golden

I was up until 2:30am finishing this book this morning because it hooked me in, and I just refused to sleep, not knowing how it ended. I'm tired, but my god, was it worth it.

I feel like this book consumed my brain for the two days it took me to read it, and now I don't know what to do with my life.

Everything about this book was amazing. The romance, the passion for music, the characters, the emotions, and every little detail made this book a 5⭐️ read for me. It had me laughing out loud, welling up and kicking my feet.

A rockstar romance with a Hozier inspired MMC.. WOW. I didn't realise I needed him so much. I couldn't help but hear his voice as I was reading the lyrics throughout the book, which made it even better because I'm a little obsessed with his music. Tom is sweet, patient, and SO dreamy. How he understands the FMC Clem, I don't think I'll ever get over him 😂

Clementine is adorable, and I absolutely loved the relationship she has with her mum. An inspiring character who I was rooting for the whole time. I loved that she found her people when touring and chased her dreams.

Thank you so much, NetGalley and Quercus Books, for the ARC! I feel super lucky to have been able to read this book early and have a new book to tell everyone about 💛

This was hands down one of THE BEST contemporary romances I HAVE EVER READ!

HITS ALL THE RIGHT NOTES!! 😅

I'm trying to sit here and write a proper review but all I want to say is if you are curious about this book at all JUST GO READ IT! RIGHT NOWWWW!!

Here's why:
🇮🇪 Hot, tall, brooding, IRISH MMC who was honestly, FECKING IRESISTABLE! Why doesn't this guy EXIST? 🥵
🎸 Rockstar vibes were PERFECTION.
🎶 Lyrics that were EVERYTHING! SWOON!
🎤 FMC back-up singer who held her OWN!
🔥 Slow burn/fast burn/just generally BURNNNING
🌶️ Perfect amount of spice!
🗺️ Perfectly paced plot that kept you wanting MORE from the first page
🏡 Found family
🚐 Life on tour
💖 So many things I'm probably forgetting right now because I loved it so muuuucccchhh!

Honestly, this was just such a joy and so well written. I am obsessed with this. I am going to check out the authors other books but I realllly hope Kate Golden writes some contemporary romance too because this was just SO FECKING GOOOOD!!

Thank you to NetGalley, the publisher and author for the ARC in exchange for an honest review!

My goodness, this was incredible! I’ve never been a fan of long hair and man buns, but If Not For My Baby totally changed my mind!

Clem, a waitress, with a passion for singing, looks after her sick mum and has seen her fair share of heartbreaks from her mum's failed romances, and she’s convinced that love is just a recipe for disappointment. But when she’s asked to be a back up singer and go on tour with Irish rockstar and heartthrob Tom Hollaren, she does not expect to be convinced otherwise.

Tom is unlike the typical rockstar, he’s introverted, quiet and keeps to himself. But the two hit it off and a rockstar romance blossoms.

This was an absolute gem of a read; the lyrics, the chemistry, it was so poetic. Clem is so selfless and good, you can’t help but root for her happiness. And Tom, the broody Irish rockstar (who is perfect in every way) is exactly what Clem needs. This is quite simply my favourite read of the year so far. I literally have nothing negative to say about it, the pacing was spot on, the found family on tour, it was all perfect!

Let me tell you: I picked this up for the rockstar romance and stayed for the soul-deep yearning and ✨emotional growth✨.

If Not for My Baby is the kind of love story that sneaks up on you with a guitar riff and wrecks your heart in the best way.

Clementine Clark is the kind of heroine I want to hug and high-five. She's practical to a fault (thanks to growing up with a walking rom-com of a mom), and she’s buried her dreams so deep, she can’t even hear them anymore until an unexpected call yanks her into the spotlight, quite literally, as a backup singer on Thomas Halloran’s U.S. tour.

Cue the Irish rock god himself: Thomas is broody, poetic, and clearly wearing emotional armour under those stage lights.

Their chemistry? Immediate.
Their banter? Top tier.
Their emotional baggage? Excess weight fees, honey.

Over eight whirlwind weeks, the tour becomes less about the music and more about Clementine rediscovering her voice on stage and in love.

And Thomas? The man writes lyrics like they’re confessions. Be still my heart.

This one gave me Daisy Jones meets You Had Me at Hola vibes, with just enough behind-the-curtain drama to keep me flipping pages and whisper-screaming “just kiss already!” in public.

Encore? Yes. Absolutely yes.

THIS BOOOOK!!! If Not For My Baby is my first time reading a rockstar romance and it did NOT disappoint.

As a theatre nerd, this book felt like a warm hug. I absolutely loved the references to some of my favourite musicals and the rush of performing that nothing compares to. Life on the road was refreshing to read about and i really felt like i was part of the band, the side characters are so loveable and the theme of found family is so strong throughout the book.

There is a chronic illness representation with the FMC’s mother, and it is written about so well. You really understand the impact living with a chronic illness can have on a person and their loved ones. The heart-to-heart at the end between Clementine and Diane made me cry.

And let's not forget about the romance. Clem and Tom are everything! Their relationship was so beautiful and pure, I found myself highlighting so many things that Tom said because man, the dialogue was so poetic. The timing of their blossoming romance felt natural and when he fell, oh boy did he fall deep. I love the he-falls-first trope, and this book did it perfectly. You just can’t beat a man being so down bad for their woman.

I really enjoyed Clementine’s character development. The reason she is so relationship-averse made complete sense given her upbringing, and didn't feel over the top for characters sake.

It is the perfect summer read, taking you on a journey across America in a tour bus full of found family, banter, yearning and swoon-worthy romance.

Thank you so much to Quercus and Kate Golden for sending me an e-ARC.

⭐️⭐️⭐️✨ (3.5/5 stars)

This was a sweet and swoony read with a fun “small-town girl meets famous musician” vibe that felt both escapist and grounded. Clementine is a strong, relatable protagonist—devoted to her family and hesitant to chase her own dreams, which made her arc feel earned and emotionally resonant. Watching her step into the spotlight was genuinely satisfying.

The chemistry between Clementine and Halloran builds slowly but surely, and their dynamic—his brooding poet energy vs. her warmth and realism—made for some charming moments. Their connection definitely had sparks, but at times I found myself wanting a bit more depth in their conversations and emotional development. The whirlwind pace of the tour and romance made some of the relationship beats feel rushed, and I wished we’d gotten to linger a little more in those quieter, meaningful moments.

That said, the music and travel aspects were vivid and fun, and the story had a lot of heart. If you're into slow-burn romance with a touch of glam and a dash of vulnerability, this one hits a nice note—even if it doesn’t quite reach a full crescendo.

I went into this book having not read anything by Kate Golden before and had such a great time, it was such an easy read and kept me hooked the entire time.

I loved the characters and the setting, Tom was very very dreamy. I really like Clementine as well, both were enjoyable characters in their own right but my god I loved them together.

It did feel a little repetitive at times, some phrasing and descriptions etc, which occasionally took me out of the story itself. However, this didn’t ruin the read for me.

If you’re looking for an easy romance read, I definitely recommend this one.

Thank you to NetGalley and Quercus for the arc 💕

🎸 rockstar romance
💕 forced proximity
🎸 following your dreams
💕 age gap
🎸 spice

4.5⭐ rounded up!

I was pleasantly surprised by how much I loved this book! I'm a big fan of the inspiration behind the story, and wasn't entirely sure how I'd find reading this with that in mind. It ended up far exceeding my expectations!

I loved Clementine, our sweet and talented FMC. The issues she faced from her own life and upbringing combined with the whirlwind situation she'd found herself in was so real and relatable. Getting to experience this story from her POV was wonderful. The way she saw our MMC was so very whimsical, soft, safe and romantic.

Tom was everything and more. The Irish (I could hear everything he said in an accent in my mind from the way things were written, so fun), how thoughtful and kind he was, everything he did felt like it was sprinkled in magic and romance. I wish he was real lol.

The story was fast paced and very fun, I read most of this in one sitting. The romance was deep, emotional and spicy. The plot had some excellent antagonists and realistic life events and circumstances working against Tom and Clementine. By the end it all felt very earned and satisfying.

I will 100% be buying this when it gets published!

Thank you to Netgalley, Quercus Books & the talented author Kate Golden for this e-ARC of If Not for My Baby.