You'd Be Mine

This book made me want to jump in my car, put the windows down, and belt out the lyrics to my favorite country songs while driving on a country road—and so I did.
I was only a few chapters in when I texted Kyleigh and Lauren: This is the most Amanda book I’ve ever read. Romance? Country music? A Beauty and the Beast reference? IT’S ME, YOU GUYS! THIS BOOK WAS MADE FOR ME!
I loved every single moment of this book. It was such a fun read. I laughed, I teared up, and I had the most ridiculous grin on my face for the entire book. But most importantly, this book did the one thing I didn’t expect and didn’t even know I needed until I read it: You’d Be Mine made me remember why I love YA contemporaries.
I feel a lot of young adult contemporaries get a bad reputation because they’re about a girl who’s in high school who’s entire life revolves around a boy and it’s made out to be a life-or-death, end-of-the-world situation. Throw in the stereotypical mean girl and there it is: the stereotypical YA book that comes to mind when you even read the words “YA Contemporary.” And let’s be real, we’ve all read one of those.
But YA contemporaries are supposed to be fun. I would be willing to bet we’ve all had those moments of mean girls and crushes at some time. But as an older YA reader, it’s sometimes hard to remember those feelings of “How can I go on now?” when we are now faced with the problems that are more “adult.”
You’d Be Mine reminds me of the fun. It’s about a girl and a boy. It’s about charm and crushes. But it turns the YA contemporary stereotype on its head, because it’s not about a girl chasing a boy. It’s not about a girl begging a boy to notice her. It’s not about the end of the world as they know it. It’s about a girl who is a rising country music star. It’s about a boy who is a country music star. It’s about love of all kinds: love of friends and of family, romantic love, love of the work you do, and love of one’s faith.
Erin Hahn does an absolute fantastic job of presenting all of this in a story that is impossible to put down. I loved that characters, from Annie and Clay to all of the supporting characters. I loved the setting of concerts and the road-trip vibe. It was the ultimate summer read for me, and it made me long for Tennessee summers, cowboy boots, and country concerts.
I just have one request: I need a soundtrack from this book because I need to hear this songs.
I look forward to reading more from Erin Hahn in the future, and I have a strong feeling she will become one of the rare contemporary YA auto-buy authors for me.

In one word: PERFECTION

Hahn's cast of characters is irresistible.

Annie IS America's sweetheart: a wonderful balance of silly & mature, with a fresh personality that just defies all the pressure that builds up around her. She's so strong and pure-hearted, digging into the best of those around her even when they don't deserve it. Jason and Kacey, Annie's friends/family and bandmates, bring some lighthearted antics and balance to Annie's heavy baggage. As a group, they're a beautiful blend of personalities that have a palpable chemistry, and it's easy to feel the love between them.

Clay Coolidge aka America's county bad boy is charming and a bit broken. He can be a real jerk, but there's something so soft and vulnerable about him at the same time. He's grieving, and lost, and thinks so little of himself. Like many others, I just can't resist the broken ones.

Fitz, Clay's bandmate and surrogate big brother, is easygoing, full of energy, and shares the same suave charisma that Clay's been endowed with. What more could you want?

One of the things I liked most about You'd Be Mine is the way Hahn creates and handles the parallel between Annie/Clay and Annie's mother and father. You'd Be Mine is a story about an earnest and passionate singer's star shining bright, but it's also a story about a girl who falls into ill-advised love.

Addiction and toxic love are some hefty issues, and Hahn masterfully approaches them both in way that shares her characters' story without glorifying either. Annie's parents succumbed to the most vicious parts of their desires, putting their selfishness before their daughter, and we see the ripple effect that their snap decisions made through Annie's life.

When it comes to Annie & Clay, we get those elements of a whirlwind romance, the ones that make readers squeal and sigh with envy, but Hahn also takes care of her characters. Whirlwind might work in the average young adult romance, but it's not a perfect fit for these damaged teens. The way she resolves their romance and concludes the novel is so very well-done. I love that she kept all of the appealing romantic elements, but in a healthy way that doesn't let the romance take over reality.

Overall, I truly loved this book, and I wish it was coming out sooner, so the world could read it too.

I absolutely loved this book. It's perfect for anyone who loved the TV show Nashville. It's a behind-the-scenes of the country music industry story, but also a swoony romance, with flawed characters and well-drawn characters arcs. I flew through it, and my only complaint is that I wish I could have listened to the original songs.

Battling their own heartache, demons, and ghosts of the past, Clay Coolidge and Annie Mathers are thrown together on the summer's hottest tour. As the temperatures and concert numbers rise from city to city, so does the angst and tension between Clay and Annie. And let me tell you it is thicker than a Mississippi mud pie!

Mixed with golden country classics, we also get this amazing soundtrack of original music/lyrics that I would LEGIT pay for and listen to on repeat until my ears fell off. Seriously, take my money!

A story that instantly jumps out at you with a thought out plot, fleshed out characters, and the sheer realness of being on tour complete with the chaos and immediateness of it all. Clay and Annie's "on stage" chemistry is straight out of the Cash's playbook. SWOON.

Inspired by Johnny Cash and June Carter Cash, 'You'd Be Mine' strikes all the right cords and it is not to be missed!