IF NOT FOR MY BABY 🎸❤️‍🔥

First time reading a rockstar romance and I’m NOT disappointed. Full of love, emotion and cheekiness that I didn’t see coming at all.

Golden retriever MMC Tom is the main singer in a band needing a backup vocalist. Stay at home FMC Clem who works as a waitress and looks after her mum, gets pushed into this opportunity by her best friend who has connections to the band.

I did find it quite slow at the beginning and took a while to really get into it, but when I did, I fell in love. I really connected well with both of the main characters but especially Tom. There’s just so many unexpected layers to him, having the expectation he’s going to be this self righteous guy when that is far from the truth. He’s emotionally available, dreamy personality and fine as hell. Also I absolutely love that he’s Irish.

The slow burn is giving SLOW BURN (in a good way) so much tension and yearning it’s written so perfectly and poetically making me wanting more.

Clem is such a relatable FMC the character development throughout from Clem being completely afraid of commitments in relationships as well as being vulnerable. I do feel she will connect with so many readers including myself.

I love the banter on the bus driving from venue to venue with the band, it’s really how I would imagine how singers/ rockstars would be in real life so it’s really easy to imagine and immerse myself into the story whilst reading.

Overall, this is a great easy read that’s full of passion, relationships and emotion. Highly recommend.

Things I love

🎸 ROCKSTAR ROMANCE
❤️‍🔥 GOLDEN RETRIEVER MMC
🎸 HE FALLS FIRST
❤️‍🔥 FOUND FAMILY
🎸 AGE GAP
❤️‍🔥 EMOTIONAL

Thank you so much Quercus Books for the E-ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I really enjoyed this book, it felt like something different! I know nothing about hozier, but i really didnt need to this story was great.

I need to start this by saying I’m a huge Hozier fan. So it was super obvious from the outset (ignoring the marketing) that Halloran was Hozier - the lyrics, interviews, stage presence and references to him being an otherworldly creature etc.

That being said, as a fan it made me feel uncomfortable - there was nothing unique to Halloran to separate him from Hozier. It’s not ‘inspired by’ it’s full on written about Andrew Hozier-Byrne. Taking inspiration is fine, but I wanted Halloran to be his own person. Also knowing how private Hozier is makes this feel double icky to me.

If you try to look at it without the Hozier lens (which is very, very hard to do), it’s a rockstar romance where Clementine (our FMC) falls for a famous Irish singer after being pulled in last minute to support his tour. She’s anti-love and he’s a poetic genius and romantic. I wish I could have stuck it out to the end but I dnf’d at 68%. Potentially if you go into this not knowing who Hozier is you’d enjoy it - but to me it feels very invasive and creepy.


Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for the arc.

The premise and the gorgeous cover pulled me in. I love stories about characters who put others first, so Clementine’s selflessness in caring for her mother immediately made her incredibly relatable. The dynamic of between Tom/Halloran and Clementine was captivating. Lots of good tension, a slow burn and chemistry made for an engaging read. 3.5 ⭐️

The best book I’ve read in a long time. Poetic, scorchingly slow burn, and that addictive, chest-clenching kind of story that lingers long after the final page.

When her best friend has to drop out unexpectedly, Clementine steps in as a backing singer on reclusive Irish rockstar Tom Halloran’s eight-week tour. From the moment they meet, the connection between them is electric — a pull that goes deeper than shared talent or musical chemistry. It’s raw, magnetic, and utterly irresistible.

Tom Halloran was such a standout character — incredibly earnest, wearing his heart on his sleeve, while trying his best to keep Clementine from breaking it. He falls hard, and he falls deep. His quiet intensity, emotional depth, and unwavering affection for Clem made him unforgettable.

Clementine, in contrast, has spent her life guarding herself and those she loves. With a mother battling chronic illness and years spent believing love wasn’t for her, she’s forced to reckon with the fact that Tom might just be the best thing to ever happen to her — if only she’s brave enough to trust herself and take the leap.

The development between them was absolutely tantalising. Every look, every moment, was soaked in slow-burning tension and emotional intimacy. I couldn’t put my Kindle down — I was utterly swept away.

A beautiful, heartfelt, and scorchingly romantic read. Completely unmissable.

I’ll be honest—rock star romances aren’t usually my thing. Something about the eyeliner, the emotional baggage, the inevitable groupies… just not my jam. But I’d been hearing buzz about If Not for My Baby, and when I saw that absolutely stunning cover, I gave in. I’m glad I did.

🎤 Clementine Clark: Cynic, Caretaker, X-Files Enthusiast

Our heroine, Clementine, might call herself a realist (others might say cynic), but honestly? Anyone who mainlines The X-Files is an instant friend of mine. Clem’s got a killer voice and big dreams of a career in musical theatre, but life hasn’t exactly gone to plan. She’s living in small-town Cherry Grove, slinging tacos at the local Mexican restaurant while also caring for her chronically ill mum. She’s grounded, a little guarded, and—despite her fierce independence—just starting to figure herself out.

🎸Enter Tom Halloran: Irish Heartthrob, Literal Panty Melter

So when Clem’s friend ropes her into filling in as a backup singer for the Tom Halloran, the Irish singer-songwriter who’s hotter than a deep-fried jalapeño, it’s not a hard sell. The money’s good, and she needs a break. But of course, Tom is very off-limits. Which is, of course, half the problem.

Kate Golden writes Tom like he’s every reader’s new book boyfriend. He’s deep, sensual (seriously, someone get this man a “professor/rock god sensuality” merch line), thoughtful, and funny. You can see him falling for Clementine from the first moment. Not because she’s the usual ingenue, but because she’s real—silly, sharp, emotionally complex, and trying so hard to protect her heart.

🚐 Tour Bus Shenanigans & Slow-Burn Sizzle

The romance is a bit of a slow burn at first—Clem’s early tour bus days are peppered with new friendships, a little sightseeing, a lot of homesickness, and the usual emotional landmines that come with stepping outside your comfort zone. Side characters like Indy, Molly, and Lionel add texture, but it was Grayson who gave me the ick right away. Too familiar. You’ll know what I mean when you meet him.

There’s real growth in Clem’s journey—she’s young (24), and while responsible in many ways, emotionally she’s still catching up. You feel the eight-year age gap between her and Tom at times, especially when the third-act breakup hits. But honestly, I didn’t hate it. It felt true to where she was in her life, even if I was mentally yelling, “Girl, give yourself a second to breathe!”

💔 Favourite Quotes

A couple of lines that really stuck with me:

“At some point I decided it was easier to be a dreamless person than a disappointed one—except somewhere along the way I became both.”
— Clementine, perfectly summing up her emotional damage and millennial vibes in one neat sentence.


“Don’t knock the hell out of heartache. It’s rare to feel anything in life as severely as longing. I’ve broken bones that hurt less.”
— Tom, being poetic and sexy as hell.

🎶 Final Thoughts

The ending is pretty predictable, but satisfyingly so. This wasn’t a perfect read for me, but I enjoyed it more than I expected—especially given the genre isn’t a personal go-to. I’ll definitely be keeping an eye on Kate Golden; her writing has heart, heat, and a voice that feels fresh.

So yeah, not a hopeless romantic like Clem (or maybe just as much of one), but I’m glad I took this ride.

This Hozier-inspired rockstar romance is sizzling with chemistry that should appeal to fans of the artist – but I regret to inform you he is less a muse here and more a whole blueprint. 🎸 While it has tropes like opposites attract, he falls first, yearning, “don’t touch her” along with found family, and it makes for a touching read, there were some things about this that didn’t sit well with me. 🎶

I have such deeply mixed feelings about this book. It’s been a while since I’ve read rockstar romances, and I was so eager to dig in when I discovered this was Hozier-inspired, he’s one of my favourite artists (and honestly who doesn’t love him?).

I loved most of the way this was written (see my favourite quotes below because the descriptions were *chefs kiss*), especially the moment where Clem and Tom sing that different version of If Not for My Baby – the tension and desire were off the charts. The yearning that Tom has as well was so swoon-worthy – as well as his depth of a character, being more than a superstar and in fact a humble man with a traumatic past who shot to fame because of it. I was invested in a few secondary characters like Molly, and Indy and her ex (despite there not being much plot concerning that). The found family that Clem gets through the band is charming. There were a few great and intriguing aspects like what is Molly hiding, what is Tom’s past. And there were some excellent plot twists at the end that I didn’t anticipate.

What really worked was the realistic elements of plot itself. The representation of chronic illness via Clem’s mother was another very touching aspect and as someone who knows people with chronic health issues where it is so difficult to get a diagnosis, this was especially handled well. I relate very much to Clem’s arc in terms of the burdens of looking after family and guilt when she is away from them.

Women being seen as only being talented or working their way to the top not on their own merit but through sleeping with men was a great issue raised here. I like that it was, because it draws relevant attention to the unfair scrutiny and double standards women face even today in male-dominated industries. Beyond that, the book also effectively highlights the scary everyday issue of men who cannot handle rejection from women and become abusive towards them as an outcome.

The issue itself lies in the fact Halloran is far too similar to Hozier that it’s not an inspiration, it’s a direct clone of him. And that I think pushes boundaries and causes a lot of discomfort for some readers. Halloran’s looks, personality and habits like his maintenance of privacy, intellectualism, reading poets like Yeats, and connection to nature mirror Hozier’s persona almost exactly. His song lyrics echo Hozier’s distinctive blend of wildlife and spiritual and sensual themes, with titles like Heart of Darkness (“your heart, love, has such darkness” from De Selby Pt 2), Consume My Heart Away (Eat Your Young), and Meadowlark (Shrike). My rating truly went from 5 to 4 to 3 as the book went on because of this. I wouldn’t have minded if he had the Jesus image but had a completely different music genre, personality (grumpy instead of shy), the songs subjects being more about mythology, or his origin.

I really love rockstar romances so it was good to see this, and I have shelved it under my favourites because some of this I can personally overlook and I adore the descriptions in here. However, I don’t think this fanfiction should have been published as a book without it being discussed with the inspiration in question.

Book Review: If Not For My Baby by Kate Golden 💔✨

Kate Golden stomped all over my heart, and then somehow stitched it back together with pure magic by the end of this emotional rollercoaster. This book wrecked me, in the best possible way. I loved every moment: the heartbreak, the healing, and everything in between.

Clementine and Halloran? Literal perfection. 🥹 They’re the kind of couple that makes you feel, like, deeply. Clem especially resonated with me, her fear of commitment, her vulnerability… she reminded me so much of my younger self. It made me reflect on my own journey in the most unexpectedly healing way.

And can we talk about the found family vibes in the band? SO wholesome. I loved the twist with the unexpected villain, and how everything came together so beautifully in the end. ✨

Kate Golden’s writing is just chef’s kiss, so intimate, so full of heart. I got all the tummy flutters, the giddy smiles, and that warm, full-heart feeling. I closed the book grinning like an idiot. 😍

Highly recommend if you're looking for something raw, romantic, and utterly unforgettable

I was looking forward to reading this book, but as I read through the first 11%, something felt a little off. The main male character, Tom. felt familiar in too many ways for it to just be coincidence or deja-vu, so I looked in to reviews on Goodreads to see if anyone felt the same. There were quite a few people, and in my search I discovered that this book is quite literally Hozier inspired, While this can be a good thing - I quite like Hozier - it also makes me a little uncomfortable because Hozier is a very private person in real life, and having someone inspired by him be put into sexual situation just doesn't sit well with me.

I am sure so many people will love this book, but I cannot continue on with it for the reasons stated above. Nothing to do with the writing, it was very nice, and I liked what I saw of Clementine's character, plus the representation of a chronic illness through her mother, but for my own comfort, I cannot read on.

Thank you for giving me the opportunity to read this book anyway, I appreciate it very much!

I just want to start by saying a HUGE thank you to NetGalley and Quercus books for allowing me to read an early copy of this book. As soon as I saw this book announced I was so excited to read it. The premise and setting has been something I’ve been craving in a romance book and this book delivered exactly what I was looking for.

We follow Clementine a waitress, who works and works scraping by so she can help look after her chronically ill mum and pay for her medications. She’s stuck in her small town just floating through life. She did have aspirations of going off to college for performing and singing but due to her responsibilities she laid that dream to rest. Until her friend has to pull out of her job as a back up singer for Irish megastar Halloran and asks Clementine to take her place. With a little push from her mum and friends and knowing that the money she’d make would be more than enough to pay for a medical trial for her mum she takes the job. I loved how fast paced the start is you get swept up in the story and before you know it she’s backstage getting ready to step on stage for her first performance.

That first performance scene and the build up to Clementine seeing Halloran for the first time was so visceral and real and electric. I felt like I was at the concert with Clementine and the anticipation really added to the mysteriousness of Halloran. I loved Clementine and related to her self worth issues and how she feels that she doesn’t deserve the things she wants out of life so she pushes it all down and pushes people away to make it easier. But deep down the dreams she has for herself and the things she wants are still there and this job that she takes relights it and cracks her wide open. Halloran was introspective and creative and emotional and poetic. A breath of fresh air as a MMC. You could see his cheekiness peek through during his first proper conversation with Clementine. They bounced off each other well and you could tell they didn’t see each other coming this connection blindsided the both of them. It was intense, full of yearning, full of longing, steamy and full of tension. The relationship between these two characters was so beautiful. A quiet understanding of another person and a yearning for a deeper connection with this person who’s unwilling to give in because of past trauma. And the patience and understanding of allowing that person the time to work through it and choose happiness for themselves and to choose that with you. The reunion at the end was definitely one of my favourite parts. It was intimate, honest, earthy, painfully and beautifully realistic.

The found family on the road was another highlight and all of the side characters were fully fleshed out and I loved the relationship that Clementine formed with Indy and Molly in particular. The whole touring vibe is something I’m going to be trying to find in other books after this because I loved it so much. How Kate Golden describes the scenery of them touring was so vivid and I felt like I was on tour with them. It felt like a love letter to the American Landscape. She also wove the music and lyrics beautifully into the story mirroring what was happening within the plot and how music is food for the soul and can help us heal or put into words things we couldn’t ourselves. You can tell Halloran was heavily inspired by Hozier which for me wasn’t a problem but it did take me out of the story sometimes as the similarities weren’t subtle. I liked the commentary on fame the intrusiveness of it and treating people as commodities and creatives as bottomless pits to exploit for their work. How actually notoriety and being expected to create can take the love and joy out of it. Beautiful art cannot be forced.

I can’t wait to read more of Kate Golden's work and will definitely be rereading this book in the future.

I have mixed feelings about this one, the writing drew me in at the start and I was looking forward to seeing where things were going to go. However, once we meet Halloran, and particularly once we start getting entire passages of song lyrics, the book seems to be trying to be profound, but mostly comes off as cheesy instead.

The romance a bit too insta-love for a story with a main character who self describes herself as having "deep-seated relationship reservations" and has been in a friends with benefits relationship with her best friend (who is, of course, in love with her) for years without it ever developing into anything more serious on her end... The sudden 180 from being anti-relationship to being in love with the MMC didn't really feel authentic, particularly given the limited amount of time they'd actually spent together by the time the relationship progresses.

The tone often swung from overly earnest to unintentionally hilarious... Some lines really made me raise my eyebrows, such as: “his mastery of the one-handed lane change could have me chewing through iron” or "I know that I need him. Physically, religiously, unspeakably. A neutering couldn’t help me at this point". I did genuinely laugh out loud at the obligatory Romance™ MMC masculine scent description: “more male than all other men combined.”

Overall it was entertaining in parts, but hard to take particularly seriously. Would suit readers who enjoy a touch of melodrama, and don't mind suspending disbelief!

Now this was different from my usual reads from this author! A rockstar romance love!

Explosive chemistry between Clem and Tom, a great cast of characters a true image of real life situations with plentiful spice.

Love the authors playlist too.
A different read for most people but definitely interesting worth recommending!

Now this was one of my most anticipated books….. i wish it wasn’t l. I get that it was inspired by a singer but the main male character needed his own traits and HIS OWN PERSONALITY. Yes you get your inspiration from a person but when writing give the character his own unique characteristics, that’s what makes it special.
ON TOP OF THAT!?? THE WRITING?? IM SORY BUT WHAT HAPPENED WITH THE WRITING it was wattpad writing 1/1 from 2014. It was disappointing to say the least.
Overall very disappointed with this one and i had very high expectations.
Im so sad i didnt like this unfortunately


Thank you to the publisher for the arc

Oh boy I don't even know where to begin with this one! This story had me captivated from the minute I started reading. Although this is a rockstar romance, I've never read anything quite like this before. It was an immediate 5 Star read.

This story follows Clementine, a small town American girl with a heart of gold. She constantly goes out of her way to help others even when it sometimes affects the dreams she once had. She decided to abandon her plans to chase her musical dreams in order to stay in her hometown to help care for her mum who has a chronic illness that affects her quality of life and ability to complete mundane tasks during particularly bad flare ups. When Clem's best friend offers her the opportunity of a lifetime to take her spot as a backup singer on the popular rockstars upcoming tour she accepts in order to afford a clinical trial for her mum. This story follows the 8 weeks she spends on the road, singing her heart out and having the time of her life.

Then enter Tom Halloran. He is the Irish rockstar who captivated the worlds hearts. He is genuine in his interactions with his fans, humble unlike some other rockstars and a bit of an introvert who likes to keep his personal life private. Tom is heavily influenced by poetry and incorporates that into his songs although many think there are underlying meanings to them.

When these two have an embarrassing late night encounter at the hotel vending machine during a stopover in the tour, their worlds quiet literally collide. This encounter started off their somewhat unconventional friendship and from there things continued to spiral in the best way.

The undeniable chemistry between these two both on and off the stage had me swooning! Where Tom likes to shy away from the spotlight and try to disregard the impact his music has on others, Clementine is there to hype him up and share just how captivating and relatable his songs are to not only her but to millions of his fans. She changes his entire outlook on the rockstar lifestyle he was thrust into. On the other hand, Tom slowly breaks down all the walls around Clem's heart and shows her that it's okay to let someone in and that it's okay to fall in love despite being a cynic.

The YEARNING in this book was everything! I absolutely adored the passion these two have for music and for each other, the instant connection they had despite trying to resist at first and watching them learn to let each other in even when it means sharing your fears and your pain with the other.

There was so much banter in this book between Tom and Clem as well as the other singers and bandmates on tour. The aspect of found family in this book was also done so incredibly well. Although there are a few heavier topics and emotions depicted throughout this book, there are also some incredibly finny moments that had me laughing along and genuinely having a good time while reading. This is definitely one of my favourite reads so far this year!

Thankyou so much NetGalley for the opportunity to read this book as an early copy.

Arc Review - I went into this with an open mind and even though the cover shows the MMC looking like Hozier and it being marketed as 'Hozier inspired' I hoped that was where the comparison would end. I was sorely disappointed.

Unfortunately the MMC is just a rip off of Hozier, I mean his stage name is Halloran for goodness sake. While that elicited several eye rolls from me. I preserved. It did not get better. Even inspiration for some of Halloran's song were repackaged Hozier song inspiration. It made me very uncomfortable to read about the relationship between the characters when it felt very much like a self-insert fanfic with the MMC taking the place Hozier.

The FMC was okay, but also nothing really special. She was all I don't believe in love and relationships and blah blah blah, only to immediately fold for the MMC. I'm not a fan of insta love and that's what this book felt like to me. They didn't really talk much at the beginning and I'm supposed to believe they have this profound connection that will completely change her world view on love and relationships? Within a couple of weeks? I'm not buying it.

I found the writing awkward as well and I'm not the sort of person who picks up on if something is "well written" or not, I mostly just enjoy what I'm reading for what it is, but I couldn't get away with it in this book. It could have been at least 100 pages shorter as well. Having 3 or 4 scenes of them performing the same set/songs over and over again wasn't even remotely necessary and it was just the same thing rehashed in each scene, like okay we got it the first time. The pacing felt strange as it was fast paced some of the time but then slow at others. If this wasn't an ARC I would have DNF'd this book.

Easily one of the best books I’ve read this year! I fell in love with Tom and Clementine - I don’t usually like a soft MMC but he was both quiet and SO sexy. Absolutely loved it and their ending was so perfect. No notes.

I enjoyed this book, it was different from other rockstar romances, it was very music/tour based. I liked the connection between the two main characters and thought they had good chemistry. I didn't love some of the issues towards the end but overall was a good book.

*♡Thank you to to Kate Golden, Quercus Books and Netgalley for the ARC of this book in exchange for my honest opinion♡*
This one had my heart in a chokehold 😭💔 It’s emotional, raw, and beautifully written — a story about love, loss, and holding on when everything feels like it’s slipping away.

Kate Golden knows how to hit you right in the feels without overdoing it. I loved the depth of the characters and the steady, heartfelt pacing. It’s definitely one of those books that stays with you after the last page.

Kate Golden sure can write a swoon worthy male lead! I enjoyed this book overall though the romance did feel a bit rushed. Every scene with Tom and Clem was gorgeously written.

Thanks to Quercus books and Netgalley for this eARC.

I love Hozier. I love romance books. Therefore, this book was something I was SO excited for, and I really enjoyed reading!