A review by vicwaltz
Friends Don't Fall in Love by Erin Hahn
emotional
funny
hopeful
inspiring
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.75
Erin Hahn is an easy auto-read for me, no matter if it's YA or adult. There is something so wonderful about how she crafts her stories. They're sweet and romantic and whimsical but also deal with real problems and real feelings. Having followed her books since the first, it's SO cool to see her come into her own as an adult romance author with a very real stance on very real issues.
Friends Don't has all the Hahn charm. The base idea is very similar to Built to Last - once upon a time best friends who always were kind of more reuniting as adults to do something cool in entertainment - but the nuances and details are different enough that it doesn't feel at all like a repeat. It *is* one of those romances where if the characters had an honest conversation with each other and their feelings then the book would be way shorter, but, that's the nature of the friends-to-lovers slow-burn trope and Hahn handles it really well. The building tension is sooo strong and both characters have things to work through before they can have that conversation. Plus, both Lorelai and Craig are full humans with stories that are interesting on their own. I have no idea if this is an accurate portrayal of country music, but I'm here for it!
Also I will never say no to a Jefferson Coolidge or Annie Mathers cameo. Or Trina. Give me all of the Trina content.
Extreme thanks to St. Martins press for reaching out with an ARC!
Friends Don't has all the Hahn charm. The base idea is very similar to Built to Last - once upon a time best friends who always were kind of more reuniting as adults to do something cool in entertainment - but the nuances and details are different enough that it doesn't feel at all like a repeat. It *is* one of those romances where if the characters had an honest conversation with each other and their feelings then the book would be way shorter, but, that's the nature of the friends-to-lovers slow-burn trope and Hahn handles it really well. The building tension is sooo strong and both characters have things to work through before they can have that conversation. Plus, both Lorelai and Craig are full humans with stories that are interesting on their own. I have no idea if this is an accurate portrayal of country music, but I'm here for it!
Also I will never say no to a Jefferson Coolidge or Annie Mathers cameo. Or Trina. Give me all of the Trina content.
Extreme thanks to St. Martins press for reaching out with an ARC!
Content Warnings
Moderate: Sexual content