This review was originally posted on Books of My Heart


Review copy was received from NetGalley, Publisher. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.

I liked the characters in The Catch, eventually. At first, they felt like caricatures which were ridiculous, rather than real people, playing roles instead of feeling like banter. As they connected more as people, and talked to each other, it felt less like a performance and more like real life.

It also seemed like even though they stressed they didn't have money, both Evan and Melanie were able to take plenty of time off and spend money on things. Melanie passed on a paying job, using her own money for airfares and hotel, when she is out of money. It did not make sense to me.

There was also a bit of the "if only they talked about their concerns they could have avoided any difficulties." Communication is key in a relationship and they weren't always willing to do it, which does make sense for emotional reasons. Both characters seemed set on ideas initially which were not realistic long-term. I could have done with less of that part.

Evan's family was also not exactly realistic, again who can decide on a moments notice to just leave their jobs for a couple weeks. But I enjoyed them and how they gave Melanie the family she always wanted. In the end, the choices the couple made and their lifestyle made sense and was charming.

I struggled to get invested in this one. It had a few elements that I usually love - small town, fake dating - but then it also was very insta love with the whole story taking place in less than 2 weeks. It wasn’t enough time for me to be convinced. Plus I didn’t feel there were enough moments between them that felt romantic.

It didn’t help that I kind of compared it to It Happened One Summer. Admittedly not fair to compare the two books but there were some basic similarities(him a fisherman in a small town, her an influencer) where I couldn’t help it.

😊 strangers to lovers
💕 insta love
🏡 small town romance
💍 fake fiancés

single POV
3/5 stars ⭐️
1.5/5 spice level 🌶️

Thank you to Netgalley and Berkley for the eARC in exchange for my honest review!

Oh, this was so so cute! I think it was exactly the pick-me-up I needed after a really heavy read. It wasn’t super deep or intense but that was what was so charming about it. This is going to be a popular one and I love how it’s releasing around Valentine’s Day!

I really loved this enemies to lovers, opposites attract, grumpy sunshine story! I loved the setting in Nova Scotia. Mel and Evan had great banter and great chemistry. There was a little bit of spice. I liked that the secondary story was about family, it gave it a second layer. Loved the writing and looking forward to more stories from this author!

Thank you NetGalley and Berkley for this ARC.

THE CATCH – Book review!

This was such a fun conclusion to this little series and world! Mel Karlsen is a fashion/ lifestyle influencer who feels like she has hit a wall creativity wise. After a miscommunication of a sponsored trip to a Nova Scotia resort, Mel finds herself in the small fishing town of Cora’s Cove and staying at a quaint little B&B currently occupied by Evan Whaler. The two get off to a rocky start, but when an idea hatches to settle a long standing Whaler family feud, Mel and Evan agree to continue their unplanned fake-dating charade.

There were quite a few things that I enjoyed about this book. Firstly, I adored the small town setting of Cora’s Cove. It felt so cozy and homey and absolutely like a place I’d want to visit someday! Plus the Canadian setting made it extra special because all the references to poutine, Timbits, etc. made for some entertainment! Aside from that, I did also appreciate the mentions and discussions of grief and how it is different for everyone.

As for our two characters, there were also things about them that I liked. With Mel, I did like how realistic she felt and her vulnerabilities particularly when it came to her influencer lifestyle. As for Evan, he did come off as that very typical gruff and grumpy behemoth of a man, but he did have some layers to him and really was just another sweet love interest. While I did like following their stories and romance, there were some moments where I wished for just a little more from them.

The family aspect was also a nice touch too. While I didn’t necessarily get behind the ultimate reason for the fake dating, I think the element of a slightly dysfunctional but loving family who has dealt with tragedies did create some more complexity and made for an entertaining supporting cast.

Overall though, this was a fun read that had it’s fair share of hilarious moments. Plus I loved seeing some of our favorite couples from the previous books in this series and part of me is sad its over. However, I am very curious to see what will be next for this author! Perhaps more stories around Cora’s Cove?

A solid 3.5 stars- but I'm rounding up to 4.

Amy Lea's third and final installment in her "Influencer" series is fine. Solid use of tropes that seem to be universally enjoyed: enemies to lovers, fake dating/engagement, one bed, opposites attract. MCs are, for the most part, likeable enough, but I found it difficult to be emotionally invested, Protagonist Melanie keeps everyone at arm's length and, honestly, it felt like Lea was doing that with the reader as well. Her love interest, Evan, never quite evolves enough to be book boyfriend material for the reader. Appearances by other characters in the series- Crystal and Tara- are all too brief.

The book is engaging enough and interesting enough (and, for the most part, well written enough) to keep a reader's interest but only *just* enough. To be perfectly honest, neither "The Catch" nor it's predecessor, "Exes and Ohs" meet the bar established by the first in the series, "The Set Up."

A grumpy lobster fisherman tosses a fashion influencer’s impeccably curated life overboard in the next romantic comedy from international bestselling author Amy Lea.

This was a cute and light rom-com. I didn't find Melanie that compelling of a main character. Esp when she came in hot with the 30's being the end of your life in the influencer world. I liked Evan as the main hero, especially after he shed his prickly exterior and was very upfront with his feelings towards Melanie. I loved that both main characters had a struggling backstory. It made them more authentic main characters. I loved Evan's family. I found them upstaging the main characters at some point. They were so quirky and cute. I felt like this book was trying to hit too many secondary tropes. We get Opposites Attract, Grumpy/sunshine, fake dating, and small-town romance.

Lastly, I think I am just over the influencer heroine. This felt very similar to Love Naturally By Sophie Sullivan, except this adding some fake finance subplot. I didn't live either of them. What I think bothers me about it, is they end up feeling very one-dimensional or don't really understand what an influencer does. They also come in fixing all the hero's problems by being an influencer. For instance, she suggests getting on social media and advertising the hotel. Like that is marketing 101, it's not some genius cure-all. This was my first Amy Lea book. I will be going back to check out the first two books because I have heard great things about her other books.

Thanks to the publisher for the ARC in return for an honest review. This book releases 2/13

Fashion influencer Melanie gets thrown for a loop when she is forced to stay at a shabby B&B after unintentionally arriving a week early in Nova Scotia to promote a luxury resort. When the grumpy B&B owner and lobster fisherman Evan sustains an injury whilst taking Melanie whale watching, Melanie poses as Evan’s fiancé in order to be permitted into the ICU. The next day, Evan’s family, who are feuding over the fate of the B&B, arrive at the hospital excited to meet Melanie, whom they are told is Evan’s fiancé. With the hopes of easing this family conflict, Melanie agrees to pretend to be fake engaged to Evan for the remainder of the week in exchange for help with her social media content.

The Catch is the third installment of Amy Lea’s Influencer series but can be read as a standalone. The Catch is a contemporary small town rom-com featuring the grumpy x sunshine, opposites attract, forced proximity, and fake engagement tropes. It’s reminiscent of The Proposal movie, and it would be perfect for fans of small town or fake dating romances like In the Weeds by B.K. Borison, Unfortunately Yours by Tessa Bailey, Hopeless by Elsie Silver, Part of Your World by Abby Jimenez, The Spanish Love Deception by Elena Armas, or With You Forever by Chloe Liese. Themes and topics present include found family, vulnerability, abandonment, adoption, love and sacrifice, mental health, grief, appearance versus reality, confidence and self love, loneliness and isolation, conflict, vulnerability, and social media. Some potential trigger warnings include death of family members (off page), abandonment, and depression.

Out of all three books in Amy Lea’s The Influencer series, I think that The Catch was my favourite as it had a good mix of humour (including an embarrassing case of poison ivy), heartwarming family moments, and swoon-worthy romance. Even though the romance in The Catch was very much a slow burn (with a few spicy moments), the plot was relatively fast paced and engaging. Lastly, being Canadian myself, I appreciated the Nova Scotia setting and the Canadian references (like Timbits) as those aren’t things that I see in romance novels very often.

Some may think that The Catch may be too similar to Tessa Bailey’s It Happened One Summer (one of my all-time favourites) since the covers and descriptions seemed so alike, they do have some noticeable differences in the plots, whilst featuring the coastal small town and grumpy x sunshine vibes.

Overall, The Catch was enjoyable and perfect for fans of small town romances, grumpy x sunshine couples, and the fake engagement trope.

This book was It Happened One Summer by Tessa Bailey mixed with some scenes from 90s/2000s movies. I was hoping for something to happen that would set it apart, but it felt a bit predictable to me.

I enjoyed the *falling for him AND his family* aspect and I always love a meddling grandmother. I had a hard time relating to the characters and I never felt that attachment to them to make me care what would happen.

This is listed as book 3 in a series, but can definitely be read standalone. I’ve read both of the books prior, and could not remember how this one was tied to those.

I read this as an audiobook and enjoyed the performance. Thank you @prhaudio for the advanced review copy.

This one may not have been for me, but it may be for you!

Perfect for you if you like:
Hate to love
Falling fast/insta love
Found family
Fake engagement
Grumpy - grumpy
City girl, small town boy

One thing about me, is that I am a sucker for a grumpy MMC. Especially one who is an absolute sweetheart behind their growly exterior. This was such a sweet novel, it gave total Schitt’s Creek vibes and I thought it was a great story.

I can’t believe this is the last book of the series! This one was so good!! I loved Mel and Evan, I enjoyed the grumpiness and the fake dating as well. It was everything! Romantic, funny, amazing side characters, the spicy scenes, small town, opposites attract and enemies to lovers. Perfect formula here! Evan was sooo amazing, and sexy 👀 A lot of lobsters 🦞 and a lot of events that would make you love each character 🩷😍 Highly recommended!

Thank you NetGalley and Berkley Publishing for granting me access to the eARC in exchange for my honest review.

This is cute and fun read, Amy Lea did a great job on creating the characters. I stayed up late to finish it.

A wonderful addition to the Influencer series by Amy Lea! This grumpy/sunshine story was so cute, and I loved how their fake engagement brought the family together after years of being apart over a mutual loss.

Melanie and Evan couldn't be more opposite, and yet it's undeniable how perfect they are for each other. I highly enjoyed the look behind the life of an influencer, especially as she ventures out of her comfort zone to achieve some of her goals.

The audiobook was great and I loved the narrator, who brought Melanie to life and had me cheering for her happy ending!

In a desperate attempt to salvage her influencer career from the brink of irrelevance, Melanie travels to a rural fishing village on the east coast of Canada. Not a nature girlie, Melanie thinks that the only scary things she'll find are outside. She wasn't expecting the burly and bearded bed-and-breakfast owner and fisherman, Evan Whaler, who somehow ends up disproving the theory that all Canadians are "nice."

After an unfortunate boating accident lands Evan unconscious in the hospital, Mel steps up as Evan's fake fiancée to stay with him in the ICU. But Evan's quirky family, who are embroiled in a long-standing feud over the B&B, don't get the memo that these two aren't ACTUALLY engaged to be married. In a bold attempt to heal a family, Mel agrees to fake their engagement for one week in exchange for help with her social media content.

But spending time together in nature and opening up their vulnerabilities shows the two they have more alike than they realized and suddenly a week doesn't feel like enough time. But is Mel willing to sacrifice her life in the city for unfiltered love in the wild?

This was a fun, easy read that had so many things I love in a romance novel. Grumpy/sunshine, fake dating, a bed breakfast in an adorable smalltown, a community of side characters that make you laugh, and amazing romantic tension. The Catch reminded me of books I love like It Happened One Summer and the Queen's Cove series, but also had unique elements that added to the story. I liked the discussions of adoption, grief, and what it means to be vulnerable, online and in person.

I definitely recommend this book if you enjoyed the other titles I mentioned or you just want to get lost in Nova Scotia with a hot fisherman and the beautiful influencer he falls for!

Thank you to Berkley and NetGalley for the ARC!

Oh Evan was a delight. While I do not like Insta-Love books, I was a fan of this one....because of Evan. Melanie had an entertaining quality to her but she took too much on herself. Her mother was awful. I loved Evans whole clan and the way they banded together to get the couple back together. They were just a joy to read about.

I received an ARC from the publisher via NetGalley and am voluntarily posting a review. All opinions are my own.
The Catch is the third in Amy Lea’s “Influencer” series. It can be read as a standalone, but I do recommend reading them all, because the friendship dynamics are absolutely a highlight throughout all three books.
I didn’t have a lot of ideas about what I wanted for Mel going into this book, but I was glad to get to know her better. She’s a fashion influencer, but I love how she contradicts the stereotypes of notable IRL influencers within her niche, which has been a fairly consistent trend for the series so far. I appreciated the exploration of her backstory, from being adopted (with the concept of why she isn’t interested in finding her birth parents briefly touched on) to her mother abandoning the family, to her father’s death and her promise to him that she’d look after her younger brother, who has struggled to find his feet in the world. And even the fashion aspect had a lot of nuance, with her having built her brand after growing up relatively poor. All of the things she’s experienced have made her guarded and reluctant to let people in, with the exception of her two best friends, Crystal and Tara, the leads of the previous books.
Evan is a great counterpart for her, in spite of their initial surface-level lifestyle differences. While he has a very tight-knit family, they’re not without their own dysfunction, due to a death in the family, the circumstances of which Evan blames himself for. Like Mel, he’s also very guarded and even prickly, but at heart he really cares, and will “fall on his sword,” so to speak, to ensure his family is happy, similar to Mel’s own self-sacrificing nature where her brother is concerned.
And I really loved the romance, and how it ties all of this together. While their initial meeting isn’t the most auspicious, they slowly get under each other’s skin. Mel comes to find the full family unit she’s been searching for, and Evan makes peace with his guilt. And while their differences threaten to part them, I respect that both of them tried to do the right thing to fix the situation and atone for their wrongs.
As for supporting characters, I love Crystal and Tara as wingwomen, even from a distance, and both Scott and Trevor are also wonderful to see again. While this book lacked the presence of the delightful Grandma Flo, who was in the prior two books, she’s replaced here by Evan’s equally amazing Nana, who has a taste in fashion to rival Mel’s, and her past is very reminiscent of Mel’s present.
This was a delightful way to close out the series, and I’d recommend it to readers looking who enjoy contemporary romances, especially if you enjoy lead characters who are influencers, grumpy (yet secretly soft) heroes, and delightful family dynamics.

AMY LEA DOES IT AGAIN!

Read if you like:
- small town romance
- city girl x small town guy
- grumpy x sunshine
- fake engagement
- forced proximity
- third act breakup
- meet the fockers

I know some people didn't like this one because "it's been over done," but everything has been over done at this point so who cares. Evan and Mel are such an adorable couple. The banter and the angst are perfect. The family component (both Evan and Mel's) really make this story pop. I have nothing but good things to say about this book. I was kicking my feet, smiling, laughing, you name it. I looked like a totally idiot reading this but it was so worth it.

The Catch by Amy Lea
Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ (5 stars)

"The Catch" by Amy Lea proved to be a delightful surprise, especially for someone who typically shies away from the celebrity/influencer plot line. This was my first dive into Lea's literary world, and it certainly did not disappoint.

The narrative revolves around influencer Melanie, who finds herself in Canada for a collaboration, only to stumble upon a charmingly run-down inn and an encounter with the grumpy Evan. Despite my initial reservations about the plot, I found myself thoroughly engrossed in the tale of grumpy-meets-sunshine, fake dating, and the classic he-falls-first trope. Lea skillfully weaves these familiar elements into a refreshing and engaging storyline, leaving me wanting more with each turn of the page.

What truly sets "The Catch" apart is its humor and banter. The book had me laughing on virtually every page, creating a light-hearted and enjoyable reading experience. The emotional rollercoaster the story took me on was both unpredictable and satisfying – a ride I would gladly take again.

Melanie, the protagonist, emerged as my favorite character. Her witty and candid dialogue kept me entertained throughout. The chemistry between the characters was palpable, and Melanie's vibrant personality added an extra layer of charm to the narrative.

One noteworthy aspect is that "The Catch" can be enjoyed as a standalone, without the necessity of reading the other books in the series. This flexibility is a significant plus for readers who may be new to Amy Lea's works. Although I haven't delved into the preceding books, I am now eager to explore them, given the exceptional experience "The Catch" provided.

"The Catch" earns a solid 5/5 stars in my book. Amy Lea has crafted a delightful romantic comedy that successfully blends humor, engaging characters, and a captivating plot. Whether you're a fan of the influencer trope or not, "The Catch" is a must-read for those seeking a heartwarming and amusing escape into the world of contemporary romance.

I just reviewed The Catch by Amy Lea. #TheCatch #NetGalley

**EDIT: my sincerest apologies, I made a comment about the author being white clearly not having done my research. And that is totally my bad and I will absolutely be better about knowing who I’m talking about before I do. I just assumed and that was not okay and I take full accountability
and apologize!

Let me start by saying that the FMC, Melanie, might be my least favorite main character I have come across. She was so insufferable and all of my annotations include “girl, shut up” to maybe 90% of what she says in the book. She was so stuck in her ways about being abandoned and so hell-bent on “not letting anyone in”. Frankly, her issues were super annoying and very fixable if she worked on herself instead of literally running away from her issues. She physically ran away on multiple occasions when things were difficult.

I loved the story and I knew I would because I love “It Happened One Summer” from Tessa Bailey and this was pretty much the same plot. City girl ends up in a small coastal fishing town and is annoyed by the big, grumpy local fisherman as he is with her. But “The Catch” lacked the depth that Bailey writes. So much was just unexplained and we just moved on. Such as, when Melanie starts to develop feelings for Evan and realizes that she doesn’t hate him as much as she thought, we don’t hear much of her thinking about it and it’s like a switch was flipped and they all of the sudden they don’t hate each other anymore. It just didn’t feel flushed out. It felt unresolved and too instant.

Melanie also talks a lot about her struggles as a kid which then turned into over-mothering her brother, not opening up to others because “they are just going to leave anyway”, and insecurities about money making her do a job that her heart is not in. And not in the way you think, she’s an influencer who is tired of being fake online just to make money… I understand that her struggles growing up were real but if she didn’t stop pouting about it and go to therapy !!!!!!!

Also, she was Chinese which you would not be able to tell from the current cover. Or from the book at all. At one point Evan’s grandma wants to do her birth chart and asks what her birthday was but she doesn’t really know because she was adopted and the book says “It’s embarrassing how little I know about my origins and my past, including my own birthday.” WHY WOULD THAT BE EMBARRASSING? **Please don’t write characters of color unless you know what you’re doing like I can’t take it anymore.

There were just so many things she did that pissed me off, being upset that her best friend was moving like an hour away with her husband, she was so upset that she was able to easily talk to Evan, how she decided just to hate Evan so much from the start of the book, her being so disrespectful of the Canadian culture/norms, just her always over-explain everything to us (writer’s problem), how she magically fixes her thinking about her issues in like a random thought one day… BE REAL WITH ME ??!!

With all of this being said, I still did enjoy this book and finished it even if I didn’t think it flowed well, was repetitive, and the FMC made me want to pull my hair out.

Some of my annotations:
27% “What the f**k is wrong with her?”
46% “This like entry-level feminism is crazy and I hate it”
57% “The transition to them liking each other wasn’t it”
83% “Girl, love is about risks… also if all you can think about is eventually breaking up then you have no business being in a relationship”
88% “What a weird thing to say”

Read if you like:
🌏 Asian American Characters
🤳🏻 Influencers
🔀 Opposites Attract
💋 Forced Proximity
💍 Fake Dating/Engagement
🌤️ Grumpy x Sunshine

This is the book for you if you loved While You Were Sleeping and The Proposal!

This book combines vibes of both with the fake engagement story told to the family and hospital staff when Evan gets hurt and goes overboard while taking Mel on a whale watching excursion after their hate at first sight meeting when Mel ends up at his family’s Inn unexpectedly when her influencer trip to stay at Resort near by doesn’t go as planned and has to find alternative accommodation for a week.

I loved the elements of their fake dating and how it continues after Evan comes to at the hospital in order to use their ‘engagement’ to try to bring Evan’s family back together and to save the family inn from being sold in the midst of family drama.

I truly loved their love story with the grumpy x sunshine aspects, fake engagement, and forced proximity, as all of these classic tropes combined were so well done especially tied in with the small town romance with the FMC and MMC being opposites.

Thank you so much Berkley Romance for my ARC in exchange for my honest review!