Built to Last is an adorable second chance romance about friends-to-lovers. This book has a great premise and the main characters are very likable. I was swept up in the author’s writing style – I’m totally hooked on Erin Hahn!
Shelby is a “ruined” child pop star, while Cameron is a traveling photographer for National Geographic. They have a lot of history between them, but they end up working on a home reno show together with Shelby’s ex (this dude adds a ton of drama). Not only do they rehash why Cameron left her twice but they also rekindle the spark they had in their teens.
There’s a ton of pining and angst in this one which is totally my jam! While the characters struggled to communicate, they both loved each other (quite obviously) and neither ever did anything so heinous that I couldn’t forgive them. I enjoyed seeing adult Shelby and Cameron come together in a more mature way, but I also loved the flashbacks of their teen years – they were just so darling and innocent.
The dialogue is sharp and snappy in this one. I felt like I was in a real place because Hahn is just such a wonderful storyteller. She shows the feelings and the plot rather than telling. I can’t wait to read more of her future work!
Trope-wise, this one has:
- Jealousy on both ends
- Valid miscommunications
- “Only one bed”
- Sex dreams
- Nicely descriptive sex scenes
- Really awesome side characters who jump off the page
Literally my only criticism is that the characters confessed their love a bit too quickly. Suddenly, they were both all-in but we had more plot to go. I would have rathered them get together but not actually profess their love so that I could remain a bit more interested. However, this is just a super small thing and I TOTALLY recommend this book overall!
This book will be available for purchase on October 18th, 2022.
