This was a cute read. I didn't feel connected to Melanie much from the previous books in the series but Lea pulled out a solid character with her in The Catch.

I didn't so much connect with the social media influence bits but I know this will be very validating for many readers.

Evan was a quiet brood who I couldn't get enough of. Most of all, I adored his family and their tumultuous times.

Melanie and Evan took their time, but it was fireworks and I love this!

Thank you Berkeley for the advanced readers copy of The Catch.

Ahhh this was such a cute book. My favorite book for February. I loved her influencer series. I loved the extra Canadian aspects. I was laughing a crying in this one. A good fake engagement and enemies to lovers.

I started this one, and couldn't get into it, but I still finished! My library still purchased it, however; the book is right for someone, just not me, and that's okay! Thank you for early copy.

The influencer series is just delightful and so is this book. Melanie is a fashion influencer from Boston. When she somehow finds herself in a fishing village in Canada she tries to make the best of it. Of course, there’s a handsome grumpy fisherman. Some fake dating to save familiar relationships leads to what else, real love! This has a great cast of characters and I loved the setting. This is a great one for Valentine’s Day!
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Huge thanks to @berkleyromance and @netgalley for an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review. This one is out tomorrow!

Thank you so much for an advanced copy of The Catch by Amy Lea. I love Amy's writing, and this book is no exception.

I was completely swept away by this grump sunshine romance. I fell in love with the characters, the setting, everything! I love a good enemies to lovers tale too, and this book has some it as well! I think what I love the most about Amy's writing, though, is how well she pulls me in to the characters' world that she creates. I was completely invested in the characters and their outcome, and I could not put this book down. Love love love it!

I loved the meeting of Melanie and Evan. Melanie was such a kind but driven person. She tried to be gentle when turning down young stalkers, and she was willing to fake a relationship to help out a wounded man. Evan was definitely grumpy to start and had his own family issues to deal with. I enjoyed the witty conversations, sassiness, and taking a chance on someone different. Worth the read.

I received an ARC, and this is my unsolicited review.

I'm not a huge fan of books with the social media influencer as a character, but I think that Lea did an admirable job of fleshing out Melanie's character. The Enemies to Lovers trope didn't work the best for me here, but what really charmed me and kept me going during this reading experience was the family drama and the small town elements.

I went into this book with zero expectations as Instagram influenced lifestyle is the opposite of what I want to read about. Melanie stole the show and I immediately related to her fear of abandonment and desire for financial stability. Evan was a perfect blend or growly grumpy alpha and sweet cinnamon roll. I adored the whole Whaler family and the rom com aspects of this book. This is a very slow burn with delicious sexual tension. What a delightful surprise this book was.

Special thanks to Netgalley and Berkley Publishing Group for the ARC in exchange for an honest review!

This is the third book in the Influencers series by Amy Lea. I have enjoyed reading through Lea’s books over the past year or so. Each book has the perfect touch of both romance and humor. The diverse themes and well-rounded character development allow these books to compete with top names for the most influential Rom-Coms. (See what I did there…)

This book follows Melanie, a fashion/beauty lifestyle influencer who struggles with letting people see the true version of herself. Every angle has to be just right and every photo filtered just so if she wants to grow her following. But, when the filters aren’t doing it anymore, it makes her doubt both her content and herself.

Insert Evan Whaler - a tall, plaid-wearing, surly fisherman and suddenly perspectives start changing. With men getting knocked off of boats, fake engagements, forced proximity, and feuding families, The Catch is sure to leave you holding onto your ribs; whether from laughing too hard or crying for the cast of lovable characters, I’ll let you decide.

The Catch is perfect for fans of Amy Lea’s other works: Set on You & Exes and O’s. Other recommendations would be Tessa Bailey’s, It Happened One Summer (Fisherman/Influencer vibes). Chloe Liese’s, The Bergman Brothers series (Specifically, With You Forever, due to the forced proximity/cozy family vibes.) Also, if you want more recs with the crazy (and I mean crazy) family vibes, try The Knockemout series by Lucy Score.

Thank you @berkleyromance and @letstslkbookspromo for my arc and the #BerkleyBuddyReads opportunity!

This was a super fun, entertaining rom com which is actually third in the series by Amy Lea. I didn’t read the first two but had no problem with this as a standalone in her “Influencer” series.
It’s set in Canada, when social media travel/lifestyle influencer Mel has a scheduling snafu. She’s delayed from her promotional resort stay and ends up stumbling upon an off the road bed and breakfast. Here she meets grumpy, burly lobster fishermen and inn owner Evan and his quirky, friendly cousin. She begs to stay for the interim week, ends up in a fake engagement with Evan and well, you can guess where this goes 😉

It’s cute, funny and charming as well as being heartfelt as Mel discovers what really matters is not found on what’s portrayed in social media posts.
The only downside to me was the plot being very true love/emotional and romantically focused but the transition into over the top, spicy sexual encounter descriptions - it didn’t feel authentic to the theme. But it’s still a great read and an enjoyable romantic comedy.

⭐️ ⭐️⭐️⭐️

As the conclusion to this series by Amy Lea, this one just fell a little flat to me unfortunately. While I still enjoyed reading it, I struggled to connect with the characters or their storylines. Their chemistry never felt quite there to me. It didn't help how childish they both started out with their reactions to each other. And while I get the opposites attract trope, they just felt too opposite a lot of the time. I do always love when a MML is in touch with his emotions and can express himself, so I did appreciate that about Evan (and all the flannel wearing!). Mel being the typical influencer type and going to the wilderness and discovering that simple life can still bring her happiness felt unoriginal. I get that Lea was maybe trying to broach the topic of what people show online isn't always real or really how people are feeling or what they are going through, but again, Mel was a confusing character in that sense. She seemed to really really care about being an influencer and making it work one minute, and then totally lacking confidence and not even liking her job the next. It just felt out of sync with the other two books in the series. Also, I'm sure some people found Evan's family endearing, but I found them a little too involved and creepy.
Overall, not my favorite from Lea but I still look forward to her next book!
3.5 stars

I'm sad to see the Influencer series come to an end! I'm happy we got Mel's story and caught up with Crystal and Tara again. This was a swoony and cute enemies to lovers (with a fake enagement!) set in a charming small town in coastal Canada! Amy Lea has become one of my auto-buy romance authors and I can't wait until her next book!

I didn't realize this was the 3rd book, so maybe if I had read the first two it would have been better.

Like the current trend of "enemies-to-lovers" plots, the conflict between Evan and Melanie was entertaining to watch, but it was shallow and ultimately pointless. From the very beginning of the story, they were observing one another: from foes to lovers instalove. Their reunion after, what, four days? I was utterly bored for the remaining forty percent of the novel by that point. As if that weren't a warning, even the book's characters are suspicious that the couple is moving too quickly in their love.

Yeesh this was not my favorite. Primarily because the pacing is off so much and I don’t think we spend enough time with the two main characters getting to know each other. Their relationship isn’t believable and this would’ve been better achieved by a dual POV I think? Also Lea didn’t give us enough time with them as fake fiancés. Like it felt so short and rushed. And then you’ve got Evan being horribly rude for the first 45% and I’m supposed to be swooning over this guy and believe him when he says he’s been taken with her from the beginning???? Oof

I also just had a few not so great language issues: Melanie is supposed to be plus sized but says she “north of a size ten” which is still straight sized. The camping scene was so cringe and you can’t convince me she’d be in tip top sex shape within 2 days. Also the Ian kid was horribly creepy and idk why he was in so much of the book! Like talk about not understanding boundaries that’s horrifying.

*I started this review rating it at a 3 but keep going down and down lol*

Unfortunately this book just wasn’t for me.

Thank you to Berkley and NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review

This is the third book in the series but can be enjoyed entirely as a standalone

I would recommend if you're looking for (SPOILERS)

-m/f contemporary romance
-frenemies to lovers
-fake engagement
-small town romance
-opposites attract
-grumpy/sunshine

I just enjoy Amy Lea's writing so much. This was such a great story. Of two opposites who allow everyone around them to rely on them, but struggle to open up to others. Mel is an influencer always hustling to support herself and be a pillar her brother can lean on, while Evan is living with guilt after the loss of a family member, trying to keep his family together. ANd wiht a While you Were Sleeping Twist, these two who can't stand each other end up even more intertwined.

I adored the family aspect of this story, found and bilogical and just learning to fight for what you want too not just caring about others. Watching Evan and Mel open up too each other, become vulnerable, and just really see each other and appreciate each other for their differences was so sweet. I'm so dissapointed this series is over but i can't wait to read whatever Amy writes next.

This series is AMAZING and I can't wait to see what Amy Lea writes next. Everything she writes is flawless and easy to read, while also entertaining and heartfelt.

The final book in the Influencer series! I have been waiting for Mel's book. I loved the opposites attract & fake dating tropes. I think Evan was such a good grumpy fisherman character and though I don't normally like Influencer romances, Amy Lea does them right so I of course loved Mel's character. The whole book gave It Happened One Summer by Tessa Bailey vibes, though it was less spicy (still spicy but you know, not Tessa Bailey level).

I was not a fan of Evan's "you have to move here to be with me" attitude. Like right off the back he just assumed and didn't even consider thinking about him moving to Boston (I realize he wouldn't have his job, but still).

This is a personal thing but I have realized while I can get on board with a small town (especially a Canadian one), I do not like the quirky side characters that are usually part of said romances. Evan's family (apart from Lucy) bugged me, I was not a fan. Again I have realized that I don't like that plot point when it comes to small-town romances.

Thank you to Berkley for a copy of this book in exchange for a review.

I was entirely certain that this book would be three to four stars at the halfway mark because of Mel's bristley personality, but the antics and laughter caught up with me and it's now a very, very solid 5. This book is the perfect amalgam of everyone's favorite early 2000's romcoms and it reads like a warm hug. The family dynamics were realistic but hilarious and I am a sucker for a good fake-dating premise. There are so many sweet moments that had me sighing "awww" or shrieking with laughter like Mel shrieked every time she saw a bug. I wanted to jump into Evan's arms in the biggest bearhugs with every flex of his adorable thoughtfulness. He genuinely melted my cold, dead heart.

Everything flows easily and is fast paced, the writing style is relaxed and fun with a lot of self-deprecating jokes about the fake dating rom-com genre. Amy Lea writes like a veteran screenwriter in how well her banter and dialogue translates onto the page. The setting is realistic but unique and everything is easy to visualise playing out on a girl's movie night.

This was so sweet and fun and kitschy. It's irrational and illogical and love-at-first-sight -ey while delivering hefty doses of grand gestures and laugh out loud hijinks. Highly recommend.

This book is fun and witty, everything that I want in a Romance. A great escape from reality, I really enjoyed reading this.

First read of you love :
Grumpy X Grumpy
Nature has it out for me
Fake dating
Small town romance

It’s giving “it happened one summer” but grumpy x grumpy vibes (and I’m here for it) ALSO giving "While You're Sleeping" meets "The Proposal." (Seriously two of my favorite movies of all time)

Although i didn’t read the first two books in this series i honestly didn’t miss them(although i def plan on going back to read them) i love influencer vibes.

I really enjoyed this book, so much so that I found myself smiling a lot! I caught myself giggling at the banter between the two main characters. (We love some banter).
I loved the sleepy little coastal town in Canada that Melanie stumbled into and it made me long to be there. The grump fake dating trope with a meddling family was an added bonus. I really loved Evan and his family so I could see why Mel grew so attached to them.

There was some good spice 🥵
The soft sexy romance between these characters were *chefs kiss*

Again I’m sad i didn’t get to read the other books in the series first but i will def be going back to them.