“Like your favorite song, More Than Maybe burrows inside your heart and stays there. Vada and Luke’s story of music, family, and first love will shoot to the top of your book playlist. A rich, sweet, rock and roll ride.” – Kathleen Glasgow, New York Times bestselling author of Girl in Pieces and How to Make Friends With the Dark Growing up under his punk rocker dad’s spotlight, eighteen-year-old … 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?
In More Than Maybe, Erin Hahn’s swooniest book yet, Luke and Vada must decide how deep their feelings run and what it would mean to give love a try.
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I read Hahn’s debut and really enjoyed it. Unfortunately, I let some reviews dissuade me from reading this second release sooner. I had a lot of fun reading this one, as well. It was a cute read with some great characters. Similar to her first book, the author writes with some depth, but never goes anyplace dark. I was worried that the H/h’s love of music and indie bands would be cliched silliness, but it never felt that way. Luke was adorable with his British accent, shyness, and glasses. That he crushed on the ginger, freckled Vada, only solidified my attachment to him. The family strife that both characters endure assimilates easily into the storyline without feeling manufactured. Overall, a nice read that has me looking forward to this author’s upcoming release.
Have you ever sent songs to the one you like when you first start talking that convey your feelings? Because I have. A lot. Music is my life and this book was adorable. I swear Vada is me and this was one of the most relatable books I have read in a long time, minus the hate for my girl Stevie Nicks. Pssh.
Vada and Luke are both music lovers. When I say lovers, I mean that in the most extreme sense of the word. It is their lives. Vada wants to be a music blogger and works at a club that her mother’s boyfriend has had for years. She is all about new talent and knows the music scene. Luke’s dad is a retired musician and wants Luke to follow in his footsteps but Luke doesn’t want to be in the limelight. He prefers to be behind the scenes and wants the music to be for him, not everyone.
When his brother leaks a song he wrote during their podcast, Luke becomes an internet sensation and he isn’t keen on the idea of all the fame, especially when he’s finally getting close to the girl he wrote the song about. Luke has been pining for Vada for 3 years, and we find out that Vada has been doing the same for Luke. This book was so sweet that I feel l ike I ate a bag of candy. It was a cute little low angst YA read with quite a bit of family drama thrown in. I really wish we had a little more closure with Vada’s dad, but I realize that is asking a lot from someone who is a loser, so I will let what be.. be.
A musical journey you won’t forget! Luke and Vada both secretly harbor feelings for each other, so when they’re paired up together for a school assignment, feelings grow between the two.
The songs they send each other tell a story of their own and bring a whole new dimension to the book. I’ll definitely be making a playlist to listen to the next time I read this book.
A delightful story about chasing your dreams and stepping out of your comfort zone. I loved both of the main characters, and Cullen was a bonus treat! It took me a few pages to get hooked to the audiobook, but after that I couldn’t put it down!
Vada is a shy girl who loves to vent her feelings through dance. She has a blog about music and works at the stepfather and mentor themed bar and even with all the care and attention she receives from him and her mother, she still feels a great emptiness due to her father’s negligent behavior. She has a secret crush on the shy Luke.
Luke and his twin Cullen are sons of a famous punk rock singer who moved with his family from England to the United States because of his wife’s job. The twins record their podcast in the studio of the bar where Vada works. Luke is a discreet boy who does not like dramas and spotlights unlike his whole family and especially unlike his brother. Cullen is so outgoing that he has already been chosen as the king of the school ball and is successful with everyone, he has a dream romance with Luke’s best friend and does everything to encourage his brother’s talent in singing and composing. Luke doesn’t want any of that, he just wants to enjoy his music and inspiration alone but when a certain mysterious girl inspires him in one of his songs and that song leaks and goes viral, his whole life can change in the blink of an eye.
Meanwhile, he and Vada need to create an end-of-semester project for his composition and her dance class at the school together and this approach will make them see how much they have in common and create an exciting bond between them through an exchange of messages in the form of songs and magical moments that they will share.
The insecurity of both will hold them back and make us anxious but little by little they will no longer be able to hide their feelings for each other and even with all the pressure from Luke’s family because of the music and pressure that Vada feels to help her stepfather to not lose his bar, the two will create beautiful moments with connection and love.
This is one of those YA that I would love to see everyone reading, because the writer presents romances so sweetly and cute that it was a great pleasure to follow and makes me want to talk about it with several friends.
I loved the cover and the title.
5/5 stars
Like your favorite song, More Than Maybe burrows inside your heart and stays there. Vada and Luke’s story of music, family, and first love will shoot to the top of your book playlist. A rich, sweet, rock and roll ride.
More Than Maybe is the second book by Erin Hahn that I’ve read. She was a new-to-me author with You’d Be Mine, and I loved it so much, I knew More Than Maybe was going on my TBR list! I used to say that new adult romance wasn’t my thing, but so far, this author has made me change my tune (pun intended!).
NICUnurse’s Rating: It’s hard to put my finger on what it is that made me love this story so much. I’ve been sitting here trying to find the words, and if you follow any of my reviews at all, you know I usually don’t have a problem with words! Maybe suffice it to say that it was just the sum total of it all. More Than Maybe is a slow-build, friends-to-lovers story that just resonated with my music-loving soul. I loved Luke and Vada and their bond that grows over their love of music. Music has always been something that speaks to my soul and a story written about two people who are about as wrapped up in it as I am was just an automatic 1-click. And it didn’t disappoint. Despite my lack of words in this review, you should definitely dive headfirst into this story!
I give More Than Maybe by Erin Hahn 5 out of 5 stars!
3.5*
More Than Maybe was a cute, fun, sweet read. For the most part it was light-hearted, but both Luke and Vada had some family issues that weighed heavily on them, and brought some seriousness to the book. I think that helped to make this a well-rounded story.
I’m not much in the way of a true music fan, so a lot of the songs and artists mentioned in the book kind of went over my head, at least the more recent stuff- give me 70s and 80s tunes and I’m there! In saying that, it really didn’t detract from my enjoyment of the story at all. I liked how Vada and Luke shared their thoughts through songs, I think that was a cute way for them to communicate and get to know each other.
I really enjoyed the entire cast of characters, except Marcus of course! Vada’s mom, Phil, her friends, Luke and his family and friends, they all played integral parts to the story and weren’t just there as filler. They helped move the story along and show both Vada and Luke in different lights.
Luke and Vada were very sweet together. They crushed on each other without knowing the other was feeling the same way, and that was the cutest thing. The romance was a definite slow burn, but I liked the journey to get there. Overall I thought More Than Maybe was a very entertaining YA read. There wasn’t the typical over the top drama you find a lot in YA, it was just a nice story about 2 young people figuring things out and finding their way
I fell in love with Erin Hahn’s writing when I read her debut novel You’d Be Mine. So, when I heard that More Than Maybe was coming out, I couldn’t wait to get my hands on it and see what Erin Hahn brought to us in her Sophomore novel. And let me tell you, I was not disappointed. More Than Maybe is a sweet and swoon-worthy young adult novel. I found this story easy to connect with. I was reminded of simpler times and the sweetness of young love.
Erin Hahn gave us addictive writing and amazing characters in More Than Maybe. Yes, Luke and Vada had some insta-love going on, but it totally worked. You could feel the connection between the two of them and it was clear as day that these two were destined for one another.
I really enjoyed More Than Maybe and I loved getting swept up in the story this author created. It was fun. It was sweet. It was swoon-worthy. I just loved the music and the refreshing story-line. If you’re looking for a light-hearted young adult romance, then look no further. I hope you’ll check out More Than Maybe and that you will fall in love with these characters just as I have.
This story will have readers recalling their first major high school crush and smiling at and rooting for high school seniors Luke and Vada as they navigate their first non-date silent dance party and the ever-increasing connection between them. More Than Maybe is a sweet read about taking chances and finding oneself.
Vada and Luke have long harbored crushes for each other, but neither have braved to start a conversation. Although Luke is incredibly shy, he shares parts of his life in a podcast co-hosted with his brother. This is how Vada gets to know him and his taste in music. Likewise, Luke has gotten to know Vada through her blog posts about music. When they finally begin to get to know each other, it’s a sublimely sweet, slow-burn crossover from friendship to something more.
One of my favorite things about this reading experience is how Erin Hahn uses some very clever devices to convey the communication channels between these two, whether it be texts pointing each other to YouTube video’s or blog posts. The flirty messages are wonderful, the heart-felt confessions about life events, disappointments, their goals, and how important they’ve become to each other, show the reader their emotions.
The cast of secondary characters, Luke’s brother Cullen, his best friend Zach, and their families alike contribute much to the humor and direction of the story. I highly recommend this smart and YA read. 4 Stars!
*I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review*
Yes, please! More Than Maybe and all Erin Hahn has to offer please!!!! It doesn’t matter that I’m a full grown adult with kids almost Vada and Luke’s age. This book is heartwarming, swoony, and absolutely wonderful. Almost everyone has had a crush (whether or not it was so bad it debilitated them) so it’s super easy to empathize with them. It’s a chance to experience what happens when you click with that ONE person and it’s a chance to fall in love with love.
Hahn has definitely embraced what I can only assume is a vast knowledge or her inner music nerd for More Than Maybe. While her first novel proved a love for music, it seems Hahn has unearthed her knowledge and given us all some new songs to add to our playlists. Whether you “gel” with the new (or in some cases, old tunes), you will fall for these characters one quirky conversation at a time. I don’t just mean Vada and Luke. I’m not so secretly hoping Hahn would give us Cullen’s story too because I’m a sucker for HEA and my hopeless romantic soul needs Zach and Cull to be forever. Phil is a keeper as well and would love to see him in the future too. Or maybe…More Than Maybe I need to tell you that this book is everything you want, hope and love about young adult books- regardless of your age.
More than just a good book!
More Than Maybe starts with Luke and Vada as the oblivious kids in high school trying to be themselves. Vada has a five-year plan for her future and working at the Loud Lizard is the start especially when her mom is dating her boss and Luke is happy doing the small podcast with his twin brother that accidently goes viral.
I think this is one of the better teen books that I have read this year about music, family and interfering friends that make you realize that you have fallen in love with the characters
I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book from NetGalley. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
4.5 stars
More Than Maybe was so adorkably sweet and cute. I’m pretty sure I got at least a dozen cavities while reading it and there were so many times that I couldn’t wipe the dopey grin off my face. I fell in love with all the characters (well, besides Marcus), and it made my music loving heart rejoice.
I don’t need to rehash the synopsis because there are plenty of wonderful reviews out there for that. I want to talk about how this book made me feel. I admit that if you aren’t familiar with the songs referenced or mentioned in the book, it might be overwhelming. Music obviously plays a huge part in this novel and many times it is how our characters communicate with each other. I thought this added another wonderful layer to the feelings and moments Luke and Vada shared. Their sweet romance was captured so perfectly and Luke couldn’t have been more adorable.
There have been many times in my life that a song, or even a single line in a song, has hit me square in the chest. Songs that have burrowed so deep inside me that they are forever tied to moments in my life. Just hearing them brings all the emotions rushing back to me – for better or for worse. That’s how More Than Maybe made me feel. It reminded me of all the butterflies and wonder of young love. It reminded me of the uncertainty and fear that comes with making yourself vulnerable. It reminded me of the hope and excitement of possibility.
It’s rare for me to enjoy a cast of characters as much as I did in this book. Every single one of them shined and added to the story. Yes, the story centers around Luke and Vada and is told through their POV’s, but I loved how all these characters came together to create a family. They push when they need to, but they also steady and support. Meg, Phil, and Zack were particular favorites for me and I’m over the moon that Meg is getting her own book. Erin Hahn’s writing was amazing and I loved all the witty banter and hilarious inner monologues. This is my first book by the author, but I can’t wait to read more.
*I voluntarily read an advance review copy of this book*
How do you deal with the grief of fictional character death? If you’re me, I would say, read something cute and fluffy. I was really devastated by the death of one of my favorite characters in the book I read before this. I wanted something that would make me forget and squeal in happiness. More Than Maybe seemed cute enough so I moved it to the top of my reading list.
When I read the first chapter in this book, I knew that I would like it. Mutual pining and assuming feelings are unrequited? It’s one of the tropes I live for.
Although I liked the mutual pining in this book, it was a slow and steady progress. I think it makes it realistic but I would have preferred it if they got together earlier. I feel like the journey was really long and I wanted them to have more moments as a couple. But that’s just my preference and they were still cute, with all the texting and sending songs to each other.
Full review: https://kookbookery.wordpress.com/2020/07/03/a-sweet-tale-of-music-and-romance-more-than-maybe-by-erin-hahn-review
A swoony music romance worthy to follow up the joy of YOU’D BE MINE! I just LOVE how Hahn uses lyrics to express her characters’ emotions, and the back-and-forth between Vada and Luke was (heart eyes emoji). Snappy and plotty, MORE THAN MAYBE delves into deeper issues of belonging and community while painting an atmospheric portrait of a local music scene that’s guaranteed to make you want to get back into a show ASAP!
Wow, wow, wow! For her sophomore offering, Erin Hahn hit it out of the park. While I enjoyed her debut novel, You’d Be Mine, this one is even better.
Let’s start with location. This is the thing about the story that won’t speak to everyone the same way it spoke to me, but as a Michigan girl I loved that the book is set in Ann Arbor. So, right from the start, there were bonus points from me.
Okay, now that I have that out of the way, let me tell you about the connections. This story is about Vada and Luke, but I’m going to talk about other connections first. Vada was raised by her mom with her dad being more on the periphery. He’s a sometimes drunk with a new wife and twin toddlers who couldn’t wait until Vada’s 18th birthday so he could stop paying child support. He shows up in her life when it’s convenient for him…for babysitting, to lecture her, to try to steer her life to his liking. In other words, the man will be no help when it comes to her college tuition. On the other hand, her mom’s boyfriend Phil has always been there for Vada. Even when her mom and Phil were friends and nothing more, Phil has supported Vada’s hopes and dreams to the best of his ability. Not only does Phil champion Vada, he is also a champion of any rising talent he sees. His bar/club doesn’t make tons of money, but he gives many bands a venue they wouldn’t otherwise have. He helps young adults like Luke and his brother by providing them a place to record their podcast. He puts on a summer concert series to help bring music to his community. Phil is an all-around great guy and I loved watching him interact with all of the young people in his orbit.
As for the connection between Vada and Luke, it’s perfect. Not as in perfect, no flaws. As in perfect because it comes across the way it should. Two 18-year-old high school seniors who know what they want but are still unsure of themselves. The author writes their insecurities so beautifully it brought back memories of high school for me, and that was a very long time ago. Both Vada and Luke have a certain innocence about them when it comes to matters of the heart. I loved watching them forge a strong bond in friendship, not wanting to scare the other off so taking it slow. It was touching and gave me all the feels. Here’s an example of the amazingness of these two, a thought straight from Luke’s brain. “Science has shown, once you start noticing constellations in freckles, you’re fucked.” Gah!!! Yes!!! I love it!
There are so many complicated family relationships in this story. Luke has a twin brother who is wonderful but does a boneheaded thing thinking he’s helping. Luke’s parents are amazing, but his dad truly doesn’t understand him and, like his brother, does some idiotic things along the way. I feel as though Luke is really misunderstood by his whole family. Not because they’re bad people, but because they are different from him and have a hard time wrapping their heads around his introverted nature.
Before I wrap this up, I have to address the music. I am someone who loves music. I’m always humming and singing without even realizing it. But I know nothing about music. I’m also the type that is super curious and cannot just read the title of a song and keep reading if I don’t know what song is being referenced. Most of the music reference throughout this story is well-known, I’m just not good at artists and titles. I had to laugh at myself when I would look up a song and realize I knew the song, but sang it all the time. The author does a great job of giving a wide variety of genres that are known, but not the most popular of that artist. And once I got super excited when she referenced one of my favorite bands, Guster, which I find not many people know. (Again, I’m not expert. I only know them because many years ago they opened for another band I was seeing in concert and I fell in love with their music.)
This story was a lot of fun along with the young adult angst. I cannot wait to read more by this author. She has a knack for digging deep while keeping the reader engaged and not overwhelming the senses. I’ll be recommending this one to many.
**I received an ARC of this book courtesy of Net Galley and the publisher. All opinions expressed in this review are my own and given freely**
St. Martins reached out to me to see if I wanted to review this because I had also read “You’d Be Mine” this time last year and really dug it, so I was excited to read this one, and Hahn did not disappoint.
Luke’s father was a singer in a punk rock band, and while Luke loves writing songs, he has no intention of following in his footsteps. He despises being in the limelight and the more his father pushes him into the lifestyle, the more Luke wants nothing to do with it. He’s been low-key stalking Vada’s music blog. Vada has a 5-year plan to make her way in the music world. Luke is definitely not in that plan. But the more they find themselves together, the more she sees how compatible they really are.
All the characters in this were great, except for Meg, who wasn’t well-detailed and didn’t appear often. It wasn’t until she became more of an active character later on in the book that I started to see any personality from her. I especially loved Phil and his relationship with Vada. I think the world needs more step-parents and ‘would-be’ step-parents like Phil. I liked that Luke was into Vada long before they had these long, intimate conversations. I think Hahn was light on the angst, but the things Luke said and thought were swoony.
This book has interactive titles that you can click to take you to a Spotify song that goes along with the chapter. I adore having a playlist to go along with what I’m reading, and I love that music played such a huge role in this book. This was a slow-burn read that is going to leave you hanging for a while. But it gives you all the feels along the way. Their friendship is sweet and endearing, and the fact they both struggled with less than stellar parents was not only relatable, but it brought them closer together. I abandoned the two other books I had going once I started this because I did not want to put it down. Super fun read!
Disclaimer: I received an Advance Reader Copy at no cost from the publisher/author. All opinions in my review are my own.
This book was such a delightful little gem. I have such a soft spot for YA books that feature characters that have a passion and love for music. When I was in high school, music was my everything. It was my ultimate passion and what I lived for day to day. Reading this book was really nostalgic for me. I really felt every moment of this book so ardently.
These characters were truly something special. To say that they spoke to me would be a bit of an understatement. I was so wrapped up in these characters and I loved them so much. I loved that these characters had plenty of depth. They have so many layers and the author really brings out their complexity. I loved that the main characters had such tremendous growth in the story. This book also has an array of secondary characters that really made things interesting. I adored all the friendships and relationships in this book.
The romance in the story was very touching to me because the two main characters were so obviously perfect for each other. The romantic gesture in this book by one of the characters is just so damn romantic that it makes my heart want to burst. The two main characters are very attuned to one another. They have such beautiful chemistry and the reader can’t help but root for them.
The plot of the story really came together nicely. All the ducks were lined up nicely and everything was executed perfectly in the story. The story was very addicting. I was so entranced that I read the entire book in a single sitting. I couldn’t get enough. The storytelling was such a pleasure to read. I love the writing style and the author’s voice.
Overall, this is an atmospheric story that was a pleasure to get lost in. I was very much impressed with this book and I cannot wait to read more from this author!
More than Maybe is an engaging and charming novel containing all the joys, insecurities, angst, and charm of high school senior years. It’s a thoroughly enjoyable novel.
I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
Five Stars!
What a story!
I loved the characters.
I loved the side characters
I loved the storyline.
I loved the way these characters had a slow burn adorable romance.
I loved watching the videos and feeling every word of a song for a scene in the book.
I loved every single thing about this story.
A young adult story that will have you sucked in from the first few pages. Once you starting meeting the characters, you will fall, you will fall in love with each and every one.
Luke and Vada learn what it means to find their soulmate. And what a emotional journey!
Thank you to Net Galley for providing me a free advanced copy of this book in exchange for my honest and voluntary review.
There are novels that come along that defy their genres. That tap into a feeling so primal and deep that you can’t help but become completely immersed. To me, Erin Hahn’s More Than Maybe is one of those novels.
Luke Greenly loves music, but doesn’t want to be in the spotlight. The son of a famous punk rocker, Luke has all his father’s talent, with none of his desire for fame. He prefers to create music in secret, with no intention of ever performing for others. He also has a secret crush on music blogger, Vada Carsewell, whose witty reviews and expansive musical knowledge speak to his soul. Vada has big plans for her future, and she’s on course to achieve them all. She also has a secret crush on the charmingly shy Luke. When Vada and Luke decide to team up on a school project, they realize that there might be a whole lot more depth to their feelings than either of them anticipated.
Above all, this is a story about soulmates in all their forms. And I mean “soulmate” in a way that defies a romantic description; rather, it’s finding the people whom your soul connects with, be it romantically, fraternally, or platonically. The dynamics between Vada/Luke, Cullen/Zack, Vada/Meg, Zack/Luke, and Luke/Cullen are just a few examples of how this idea permeates throughout the story. Every relationship in this book is fully actualized and feels wholly authentic. It’s also about how music (or whatever muse you follow) can also be a soulmate of sorts. Vada and Luke connect on almost a cellular level, and as their story unfolds, you feel present every step of the way. Hahn creates supporting characters whose lives also feel essential to the story, which is a testament to Hahn’s adept storytelling and world-building abilities.
More Than Maybe is beautiful, layered, and brilliantly plotted. It’s a novel that I plan on revisiting often, and should be on everyone’s TBR list for 2020.
**Thank you, NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for providing me with an ARC in exchange for my honest (and, in this case, enthusiastic) review.**