You'd be Mine (Erin Hahn)

          You’d be Mine by Erin Hahn is a romance novel centered around two teens, ‘Clay’ Jefferson Coolidge and Annie Mathers. Clay is the newest bad boy heartthrob to have reached fame in the Nashville country scene, tall and blonde, and as Hahn repeatedly adds, “very long-legged.” He’s arrogant, of course - what teenage boy in his position wouldn’t be? He parties hard, drinks hard, and makes songs he dryly admits are catchy and fun, but shallow, only made for people to dance and hook up to. It’s enough for him. Yet at times there’s a hint of sadness, maybe emptiness or longing explain later in the novel that grounds his character into something more relatable to readers, something that is definitely likeable.
          Meanwhile, Annie is the daughter of two late, legendary singers. She is sweetly down-to-earth, and surprisingly human. While she easily could have, Hahn doesn’t write her as the demure, innocent girl of Clay’s dreams, but somebody whose past has driven a certain carefulness into her. Hahn is careful to work in the reason why she’s not wild and loose like Clay, a reason why she doesn’t casually hook up or drink, and why she is so afraid of stardom.
          When Clay’s ‘bad boy’ reputation starts working against him after a messy bar fight and unpleasant publicity, his label forces him to enlist Annie and her sweet, clean image on his tour to balance things out, maybe even fake a relationship on-screen to boost ratings even more. The only problem is, Annie’s decided to stay away from celebrity tour life, after seeing the messy way her parents ended. Yet, their scripted relationship somehow progresses into something a little more real, a little more into uncharted territory for both of them. It’s a charming take on two teenagers navigating the difficulties of love, with added difficulties of life in the spotlight.
          I picked up this book upon seeing the pleasantly rustic photograph on the cover of a girl spinning in a field of gold with blonde curls blurring in the camera, hoping for a satisfying romance, and I was not disappointed. Although I’m not a fan of country music, the book was still enjoyable, written surprisingly well with the smooth transitions between Annie and Clay’s points of view. Hahn effortlessy paints their romance with a sweet touch, and set before the sparkly backdrop of stardom against warm, homey nostalgia of country music and charmingly rural towns. Her prose is witty and charming, spotted with subtle jokes about the music industry and dry, self-aware observations that I enjoyed reading.
          Although the novel is not original by any means, Annie and Clay’s relationship is still fresh thanks to how realistic it is. Annie never tries to pose as Clay’s savior or ‘fix’ him. Instead, both take comfort in each other’s presence to help them through their respective struggles. Love stories about celebrities easily take mistaken turns where the characters become contrived, unrealistically perfect and beautiful, with an effortless relationship, but Hahn skillfully avoids this trope and manages to realize two very human characters. You’d be Mine is no literary masterpiece of modern literature, but even so, it was an enjoyable and heart-warming read, driving home the lesson that loving is not easy, but even so, we try our best.

- Tracy Li