ARC Review: More Than Maybe by Erin Hahn

Title: More Than Maybe
Author: Erin Hahn
Publisher: Wednesday Books
Rating: 4/5 Stars
Hardcover, 336 Pages
Publication Date: July 21st, 2020


Summary: Growing up under his punk rocker dad's spotlight, eighteen-year-old Luke Greenly knows fame and wants nothing to do with it. His real love isn't in front of a crowd, it's on the page. Hiding his gift and secretly hoarding songs in his bedroom at night, he prefers the anonymous comfort of the locally popular podcast he co-hosts with his outgoing and meddling, far-too-jealousy-inspiringly-happy-with-his-long-term-boyfriend twin brother, Cullen. But that’s not Luke’s only secret. He also has a major un-requited crush on music blogger, Vada Carsewell. Vada's got a five year plan: secure a job at the Loud Lizard to learn from local legend (and her mom's boyfriend) Phil Josephs (check), take over Phil's music blog (double check), get accepted into Berkeley's prestigious music journalism program (check, check, check), manage Ann Arbor's summer concert series and secure a Rolling Stone internship. Luke Greenly is most definitely NOT on the list. So what if his self-deprecating charm and out-of-this-world music knowledge makes her dizzy? Or his brother just released a bootleg recording of Luke singing about some mystery girl on their podcast and she really, really wishes it was her?

I received an advanced copy of More Than Maybe from the publisher in exchange for an honest review, and I'm really glad that I did, since I also really enjoyed reading Erin's debut novel, You'd Be Mine, last year. So without further ado, let's get into my review!

As the summary explains, Vada knows what she wants in her life, and she's going to stop at nothing to get it. She wants to be big in the music world, securing an internship to Rolling Stone, go to college, and start a career in music journalism. She isn't expecting Luke Greenly to waltz in with his charm and his British accent and his adorable dorkiness to sweep her off her feet. Which is why she keeps her crush to herself. Even though she has no idea that maybe, just MAYBE, the mystery girl that Luke is caught singing about could possibly be about the very last person that she'd expect.

This book was such a delight to read. It's just about three hundred pages, which means it was super easy to devour. I parked myself in the sunshine one day last week with a cold glass of iced tea and this book and managed to read the whole thing. There's just something about Vada and Luke's story that is so intoxicating and makes your heart sing and your brain crave more. The way their stories intertwine, with both the complications and also the sweet little moments, makes for an adorable story that definitely kept me swooning.

Perhaps one of the biggest aspects of this book is the music, and normally I'm a bit weary about music-focused books since I don't know a lot of the references, which jars me a bit as a reader. However, that definitely wasn't the case with this book! I knew I was going to love this book when I was just a handful of pages in and there were already twenty one pilots references -- anyone that knows us personally knows that Emily and I are HUGE TOP fans. (Emily even has a TOP tattoo!) There were also references to other, some lesser-known bands that made my heart swoon because for once, you guys, I finally got the references. Even if you don't know every single song that is name-dropped in this book (I certainly didn't!), it definitely won't hinder the experience at all. But if you DO happen to know some of these songs, it adds another new little layer of meaning to make you smile while you read. 

And also don't think that reference to You'd Be Mine slipped by without me noticing it, either -- Annie's music makes an appearance alongside some of these real-world icons! 

Overall, I really enjoyed reading More Than Maybe. Erin Hahn's sophomore novel was a heartwarming delight that kept me pleased and swooning from start to finish, and it's safe to say that I'm definitely a fan of hers for life. If you're looking for a fresh new read to kick off your summer poolside reading and you want something that's sweet and super quick to breeze through and devour in one sitting, then I'd definitely recommend picking this one up! 



 

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