More Than Maybe, by Erin Hahn
Goodreads ¦ Amazon
Series?: No
Publisher: Wednesday Books
Release Date: May 12, 2020
Length: 336 pages
Source: ARC
Format: Paperback
Times Read: 2
Rating: 450,000,000/5
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 READ THIS TOO FAST AND WAS DEVASTATED WHEN IT WAS OVER: THE STORY OF MY LIFE
♥ I looked LONG AND HARD for this book. I emailed publicity contacts, I entered contacts, I scoured the ARC trade pages on Twitter and Facebook, I was denied THREE TIMES on Edelweiss.
Then I saw that my author friend Liz Lawson (please go preorder her book it’s FABULOUS) received a copy from Erin and I knew this was it–THIS WAS MY CHANCE! Liz lives very close to me, so I begged her to let me borrow it and she did because she is the best. I read it in one day and never wanted it to end!
♥ I have loved Erin since she debuted last year with You’d Be Mine, but More Than Maybe spoke to my soul in a really deep and personal way. These aren’t country music kids. These are Counting Crows, Something Corporate, AJR kids. These are kids that spent the entirety of the book talking about, listening to, and sending back and forth the music of my heart. I wrote out a playlist of all the music, and there are over 50 songs mentioned individually.
All ya’ll who don’t get the Adam Duritz references sprinkled throughout? This is him. ♥
♥ The dual narration works really well here, because Luke and Vada’s chemistry is A+++++++++. Getting to see it through both of their eyes is perfect, because you know from the very beginning that they both like each other. They don’t realize it, but we do. And honestly, that makes all the difference. There’s no guessing, there’s no wondering what’s going to happen. There’s just being party to these two amazing humans figuring themselves out and getting to watch one of the slowest and sweetest burns from both points of view.
Actual footage of me every time Vada and Luke interacted.
♥ One of the best plotlines is about Vada’s dance classes and the way they ~somehow, very mysteriously~ involve Luke’s music. It’s a really nice way to get them spending time together, but more than that, it’s a way to explain how important, how relevant, dance can be. Vada uses dance as a way to help manage her emotions, to channel frustration and hurt. From the way she talks about dancing and not liking ballet much, I assume Vada does modern dance. I really enjoyed seeing her work through things as she danced, able to express herself in a way she just can’t quite do with words.
Basically, modern dance says “fuck it” to ballet and dances to their own interpretations of music and feelings instead of choreographed steps.
♥ There are some of the BEST side characters. Vada’s best friend, Meg, is a beautiful little soul who’s always there when she needs her. But the real MVP in her life is Phil, her boss and mom’s boyfriend. Her actual father is a shitshow, and Phil is the one who really helped to raise and protect her. He’s become her mentor, and Vada doesn’t take him for granted for a single second.
Luke has a twin brother, Cullen, the more outgoing and somewhat intrusive one. They host a podcast together every week and have a really good relationship with their parents, even if Luke’s dad does upset him a lot. And then, there’s Zack. Zack is Luke’s best friend, but after he met Cullen they fell in love and now they’re boyfriends. So Luke has to share his best friend with his brother, which is hard and problematic at times. But they both love Zack and honestly wouldn’t have it any other way.
“My brother is the hashtag pride and joy of the family…let’s just say we wear out rainbows face-out in this family, and Zack’s upgrade from best friend to best friend and boyfriend of their children was welcomed with wide open arms.”
Please picture this when you read about unicorn stickers.
♥ And finally, the all-around Empire Records vibes pouring out from the Loud Lizard. From the way the staff as a whole function as a family
If you’ve never seen this movie. I beg of you–go see this movie.
To the ~love~ tension
AJ and Corey, as iconic as Luke as Vada
To the way they’ll kinda hire anyone on the spot
You will never find out Warren’s real name, but if you’re paying attention you WILL find a *chef’s kiss* reference to it the book.
But really, it’s the end of the book that draws the biggest comparison to the movie. You’ll have to read it to see what I mean, but trust me–it fits.
Again, I beg of you–please see this movie
“I unlock my door with a beep and immediately lock it behind me.”
Favorite Quotes:“The fates can get fucked. I’ve got to try.”“Are you there, God? It’s me, Smitten.”“We don’t believe in fate.”
Pages and Pugs 
Oh how I want to read this book! I wish I could have gotten my hands on a copy!
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I highly recommend trying your luck with edelweiss!! I am ALWAYS denied there, but I have lots of friends who get stuff on there all the time!
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