Friends Don't Fall in Love
Erin Hahn’s Friends Don’t Fall in Love is about long-time friends, taking chances, and finding out that, sometimes, your perfect person was right there in your corner all along.
Lorelai Jones had it all: a thriving country music career and a superstar fiancé. Then she played one teenie tiny protest song at a concert and ruined her entire future, including her impending celebrity marriage. But five years later, she refuses to be done with her dreams and calls up the one person who stuck by her, her dear friend and her former fiancé’s co-writer and bandmate, Craig.
Craig Boseman’s held a torch for Lorelai for years, but even he knows the backup bass player never gets the girl. Things are different now, though. Craig owns his own indie record label and his songwriting career is taking off. If he can confront his past and embrace his gifts, he might just be able to help Lorelai earn the comeback she deserves—and maybe win her heart in the process.
But when the two reunite to rebuild her career and finally scratch that itch that’s been building between them for years, Lorelai realizes a lot about what friends don’t do. For one, friends don’t have scratch-that-itch sex. They also don’t almost-kiss on street corners, publish secret erotic poetry about each other, have counter-top sex, write songs for each other, have no-strings motorcycle sex, or go on dates. And they sure as heck don't fall in love... right?
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Community Reviews
I breezed through this dual point-of-view story, especially enchanted by Lorelai’s love interest Craig, or Huck as he’s better known thanks to his horrible middle name Huckleberry (who does that to their child??), who is an absolute cinnamon roll, despite having his own flaws. Neither one of our leads is perfect, but that’s what keeps this story interesting and relatable.
While this romance contains the often dreaded miscommunication trope, thankfully it doesn’t drag out. However, I did laugh out loud when it took a preteen boy to point out to Huck that maybe they just needed to communicate.
Friends Don’t Fall in Love does touch on some serious subjects, like Lorelai’s recent celiac diagnosis, but it maintains a lighter touch. I wouldn’t have minded more depth, but it was also nice just staying on the surface.
Being set in Nashville, along with Lorelai’s and Huck’s jobs in the country music industry, there are a ton of music references. And some original song lyrics, which I thought were quite good, actually. Perhaps Erin Hahn moonlights as a songwriter?? AND just like in Built to Last, the chapter titles are song titles. I’m always a fan of books that tie into music, although I’m not a big fan of the celebrity trope. Lorelai’s and Huck’s celebrity status isn’t a big focus, though, so it didn’t influence my reading experience.
I did struggle a bit with why Lorelai longed to return to the country music scene when it had treated her so badly, but who am I to argue with a fictional character’s dream, right?!
If you were a fan of Built to Last, rest assured we get plenty of time with Shelby and Cameron, as well. Entertaining and relaxing, I had fun returning to this tight friend group.
I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own. Thank you to St. Martin’s Griffin and Netgalley for providing me with an advance copy.
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