Title: You’d Be Mine by Erin Hahn
Publisher: Wednesday Books
Genre: Contemporary, Young Adult, Romance
Length: 281 pages
Book Rating: B+
Complimentary Review Copy Provided by Publisher Through NetGalley
Summary:
Annie Mathers is America’s sweetheart and heir to a country music legacy full of all the things her Gran warned her about. Superstar Clay Coolidge is most definitely going to end up one of those things.
But unfortunately for Clay, if he can’t convince Annie to join his summer tour, his music label is going to drop him. That’s what happens when your bad boy image turns into bad boy reality. Annie has been avoiding the spotlight after her parents’ tragic death, except on her skyrocketing YouTube channel. Clay’s label wants to land Annie, and Clay has to make it happen.
Swayed by Clay’s undeniable charm and good looks, Annie and her band agree to join the tour. From the start fans want them to be more than just tour mates, and Annie and Clay can’t help but wonder if the fans are right. But if there’s one part of fame Annie wants nothing to do with, it’s a high-profile relationship. She had a front row seat to her parents’ volatile marriage and isn’t interested in repeating history. If only she could convince her heart that Clay, with his painful past and head over heels inducing tenor, isn’t worth the risk.
Erin Hahn’s thrilling debut, You’d Be Mine, asks: can the right song and the perfect summer on the road make two broken hearts whole?
Review:
You’d Be Mine by Erin Hahn is a truly captivating young adult novel which stars two country music singers while on tour.
Clay Coolidge is the superstar sensation of his record label but he is in danger of being dropped after a drunken brawl. The only way to salvage his career is to persuade rising internet star Annie Mathers to join him for his summer tour. The two musicians are a study in contrasts with Clay singing the popular beer swilling country anthems while Annie writes her own songs drawn on her real life experiences. While their record label tries to publicly brand them as a modern day Johnny and June, Annie and Clay initially barely tolerate one another. But will a summer spent in close quarters change work its magic on the darlings of country music?
Clay is a charismatic singer whose life mirrors his songs. He is drinking too much but everyone loves his party songs and his bad boy image is a hit with his female fans. Clay is trying to outrun his past but will he lose his career in the process?
Annie is no stranger to the world of country music since both her parents were megastars. Since their heartrending deaths, she has lived a quiet life on her grandparents’ farm. But music is in her soul and Annie, her cousin Kacey and friend Jason have been playing together on the local scene. With firsthand experience with the darker side of the country music scene, Annie is reluctantly drawn into the life that destroyed her family.
Although Annie and Clay respect one another’s talent, they keep their distance from one another as they begin the tour. Annie is wary of Clay’s reputation so she tries to keep out of his way. Due to his troubles, Clay does not want to do anything to harm Annie’s reputation. They both soon realize they are kindred spirits and their camaraderie on stage soon spills over into real life. But as Annie’s star is rising, Clay’s demons begin to spin out of control. After experiencing so much heartache when she was younger, how will Annie react to Clay’s downward spiral?
You’d Be Mine is a compelling young adult novel with flawed yet endearing characters. Clay and Annie are vibrantly developed with realistic problems to overcome. Their relationship is messy, sometimes poignant and ultimately heartwarming. A well-written debut by Erin Hahn that music lovers are sure to love. Highly recommend to older teen and adult readers.
