You'd Be MIne by Erin Hahn

4*

Clay Coolidge is a bad boy of country music, drinking, sleeping around, and fighting too much, mostly to mask his feelings of abandonment and grief. He needs to clean up his image before his fledgling career is derailed, so the record label wants him to convince Annie Mathers to join his tour. Annie’s parents were country music royalty, but the dark side of the industry led to their tragic deaths. She’s determined to avoid a volatile relationship like theirs, so she’s very hesitant being Clay’s opening act on the summer fair circuit, even if it will help her career. Although this is billed as a YA romance, it’s a very slow burn with the main emphasis on country music and friendship. For much of the book, it was hard to warm up to Clay because he continued to sleep with his casual hook-up even after being blown away by his first kiss with Annie. He teases her, then pulls away several times, but he has some heavy emotional baggage that masks his goodness. It’s hard to watch this young man spiral. In contrast, Annie is very mature, sweet and focused on her goals. Hahn’s debut novel is extremely well-written and packs an emotional punch with heart and humor, much of it provided by friends of the main protagonists. Even if you’re not a fan of country music, pick this one up.

I received a complimentary ARC of this book from Wednesday Books through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Opinions expressed are completely my own.