I went into this book looking for a bit of a palette cleanser and I would say it delivered in that regard. It was easy enough to read without having to think too much and was a good break from heavier reads although the book as a whole did feel a little flat for me, I would probably say it was my least favourite of the series (although I wasn't blown away by any of them particularly).

I think enemies to lovers as a trope can be really hard to get right and I especially find it hard when it's instant enemies, I think instant enemies is something I find even harder to get behind than insta-love and in this one it really impacted my connection to the characters. In terms of the strengths of this one I did enjoy the family dynamics and some of the conversations between the different family members and I think that's what carried the story for me (although I did have to try and forget how quick the connection was between Mel and the family too as this felt quite off putting).

I think this book did a lot of telling me rather than showing me which again stopped me being able to invest in the characters or their relationship as much as I might have liked to. Overall I didn't dislike this book but I wouldn't go out of my way to recommend it either

Thank you to Netgalley, the publisher and the author for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I was really looking forward to reading this book. It was well written and of course I loved the enemies to lovers. However, I now know that I am not a fan of the characters being influencers. I am not sure why but it is not for me, I did not find the main character likeable (although the side characters were).

We follow Melanie who is a fashion/beauty influencer who is given a paid opportunity in Canada. She flies out but it turns out the company got the dates wrong so she’s there a week too early and the resort has no availability.

It’s peak fishing and tourist season so she struggled to find somewhere to stay. She searches Air B&B and finds a place with availability an hour away, she drives over there to find that it’s quite run down and it’s run by a grumpy fisherman - Evan 🎣

It’s hard to say much more about the plot without running into spoiler 🤐

I really enjoyed Evan, he came across as grumpy in all the right ways. His family and friends were great characters and I found myself quite attached to them! I wasn’t as attached to Melanie but that may be because I’ve not read the first two books in the series? 📚

A slight negative for me was how their relationship progressed fairly quickly. We still got to see quite a bit of angst and longing, but I would have loved to have seen more of that 📖

I didn’t realise this was the third book in a series until looking into the book after I read it 😅 You can definitely read this as a stand-alone, but I am going to go back and read the first two as I really enjoyed this author’s writing 📝

A really fun third instalment in Amy Lea’s influencer series with one of my favourite tropes - fake dating! Or in this case, a fake engagement. Melanie and Evan definitely didn’t get off to a good start, and things don’t improve as they continue to run into each other and so when they find themselves embroiled in a fake engagement, they have a lot of work to do to be anywhere near convincing for Evan’s family. There’s plenty of awkwardness and I loved the outlandish lies Melanie comes out with when she panics and tries to cover for the secret her and Evan are keeping. The growing attraction between these two sizzles with chemistry but with a house full of people not everything goes smoothly and you can certainly sense Mel’s frustration. Through the insight into her childhood, her grief, and her family life, Mel is given depth as a character and though it’s clear she’s getting in her own way it’s easy to see why. The way these two communicate with each other and share their vulnerabilities really sells them as a couple - you can see their connection forming and their guards falling and it’s such a treat to watch their romance unfold!

I received a free copy of this book. All views are my own.

This one was just so incredibly lovely! There’s something about the way that Amy Lea writes men that really does something for me - Evan was just so wonderful and sweet and there were some really fantastic spicy scenes along the way in this one.

I also really loved the setting of this one, it was such a lovely and wholesome, small-town vibe and the entire family and cast of characters were just so heartwarming. It was lovely to watch Mel fall into this family life that she’s never really had and to watch the two of them stumble their way through a fake engagement whilst falling in love. Their back and forth dynamic and banter is just so much fun.

It was lovely and silly and I had the most wonderful time.

I do just have to say that it was a bit too insta-lovey for me. The whole book is set across the space of about two weeks, which is a bit ridiculous considering everything that happens. But if you put that fact aside then it really just was a perfect summer read. I would definitely recommend this one!

Really enjoyed this book but wasn’t on my favourites of the year. The romance was great and I really loved the characters but I felt the reason they stayed together maybe wasn’t the best and somewhat disappointed me. Overall enjoyed it.

I really loved this! It had the perfect formula for a cosy and heart-felt romance journey, with
such a lovely setting and cast of characters. There were so many elements to this that made
me love it even more - the main relationship and how they are complete opposites, the
family dynamics, the small town and the overall themes of finding yourself and rediscovering
what you are passionate about.

We follow social media influencer Mel, as she finds herself in the charming small town of
Cora’s Cove in Nova Scotia, following a mix up with a spa retreat she was meant to be sent
to. Mel arrives at the seemingly lost and run down Whaler Inn, run by cousins Evan and
Lucy. Initially deterred by each other’s contrasting personalities, Evan and Mel learn to live
together as she becomes a guest at the inn, and they soon find they have more in common
than they think and begin to embark on a cute, yet whirlwind, fake dating adventure.

I loved that this book brought in so many different aspects of the character’s lives to add
reality and depth to their situations. It helped build the tension at certain moments and also
further the emotional moments between characters.

Overall, I felt completely transported to this Canadian fishing village and really enjoyed
reading the city girl vs country boy storyline unfold.

This was a heartwarming, cheesy, and fun read which really took me by surprise. I wasn’t a huge fan of Set on You by Amy Lea, so I hadn’t yet got round to reading Exes and O’s, but thought I’d give this one a shot and I’m so glad I did! I totally fell for both main characters - despite it taking me a little time to warm up to Mel I ended up finding I really related to some of the things she struggled with and she handled things in what felt like a mature way (I’m so bored of childish disagreements in romance books lmao)! Also, something about Evan just clicked for me, he felt much better developed than the male MC in Set on You which was my main issue with that book, and he was just perfect book boyfriend material IMO. The plot was a bit corny and unrealistic at times but this didn’t hinder my enjoyment of the book.

Thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for letting me read an e-copy in exchange for an honest review.

REVIEW
cw: grief, anxiety, mention of depression, abandonment issues, adoption, mention of death
When a booking error causes fashion influencer Melanie Karlsen to end up in a small town in Nova Scotia, she immediately butts heads with grumpy fisherman Evan Whaler. When Evan takes her out on his boat, disaster strikes, and Mel pretends to be his fiancée, the lies begin to spiral, but soon neither is sure what they were ever lying about.
I have loved this series by Amy Lea, and although this one took a little longer to really get into, I absolutely loved Mel and Evan together. One of my favourite book boyfriend types is the big, seemingly-grumpy-but-actually-cinnamon-roll man. Evan is exactly that, and I really loved the little ways he showed how much he cared about Mel and his family. I also loved how open he was with his emotions. I empathised with Mel and her backstory, and I really loved the development of their dynamic, from snarky to sweet (and especially the star-rating banter).
There were lots of great supporting characters to enjoy, from catching up with Tara, Crystal, and their significant others, to new additions like the Whaler family, and Mel's brother. I adored Lucy immediately and loved Nana Whaler. And I cackled at Ian, Mel's lovesick neighbour.
I'm not a fan of third-act break-ups, but it made sense, and I really loved the resolution. And the epilogue was adorable.
Another wonderful addition to the series.

Overall Rating: ❤❤❤❤.5
Heat Rating: 🔥🔥
Emotional Rating: 😂🙈💔🙈😬😂💔😂😏😂💓😍🙈😂😏💓😬🙈😊🙈💓😏🥰😍💔😏😍😂💓🥰💓😂💓😊💓😍😊😍💓🥰😢💔💓🥰💓😢💓😍🥰😍💓😂💓🙈💓🥰😍💓😢💔💓👏🏻💓👏🏻😂💓🙈💓👏🏻😊💓🥰


*Thanks to NetGalley for the opportunity to leave an honest review. The Catch is published on 13th February 2024 in the UK*

Favourite Quotes:

“You’re never alone in this world while I’m in it, Mel.”

"I like you exactly how you are..."

He’s compromising for me in the small ways he can. And I guess he has since I arrived.

"If I choose him, I lose you,” I say, voice shaky.
He reaches to take my hand. “You won’t lose me, Mel. I’ll be here. Whenever you need.”

"Jack brought you to me. To all of us. And I’d be a fool not to follow you wherever you go.”

"I want to be your rock. The one at your side, always.”

I read Exes and O's when it was released and it was one of my favourite contemporary romances this year.
So I jumped at the chance to be able to read this book.
Such cosy, happy and lovely reads. I adore the grumpy x sunshine trope and Amy Lea does it so well!
Now I need to read Set on You asap!

Thank you NetGalley and Penguin for the arc in exchange for an honest review.

The final instalment of the The Influencer Series, three interconnected standalone novels following three friends as they each fall in love.

What to look forward to in The Catch:
Fake dating/engagement
'Enemies' to lovers
Small town
Grumpy x sunshine

Melanie Karlsen is a fashion/lifestyle influencer looking to expand her content in a last ditch effort to stay relevant online. After a brand trip mix-up, Mel finds herself in a rural village in Canada with only one Airbnb to stay in. Reluctantly, the owner agrees for her to stay even though the Inn is under renovations.

Enter Evan, burly fisherman who is the epitome of 'grumpy' in our grumpy x sunshine. A boating accident lands Evan in the hospital, and Mel wakes at his bedside to find his whole family believing she is his fiancée. This is a family that has been divided for years, and news of this surprise engagement seems to be bringing them together. Mel agrees to keep up the ruse for on week, but soon finds herself wondering if she could really leave this small town, and a certain fisherman, behind.

This was fun! I really liked the premise, and the setting was a nice change from the previous two books in the series. I did struggle to warm to Mel a little, but I enjoyed hers and Evan's interactions and watching their fake relationship develop. I liked how Mel was looking to make the most out of the mix-up with her trip and offered to help Evan and his cousin with content for the Inn if they helped her get some outdoorsy content for her account.

I did feel there were a few gaps in the plot for this one, some things not quite feeling finished or rushed through. Overall, this is still a really fun read and I would definitely recommend it.

I've really enjoyed this series. All of them have been quick, easy reads that I've read in one sitting. If you haven't already read Set on You or Exes and O's , I would definitely give those a read before The Catch releases early next year.

The Catch releases February 15th 2024. Thank you again NetGalley and Penguin for the arc.

3.5 stars rounded up to 4.

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for a copy of this book. All opinions are 100% my own.

I like a good fake dating story and this one provided its own unique take. Fake fiancés to end a family feud is a new trope for me and the author paced the fake dating to falling in love out perfectly. I was a huge fan of all the Canadian characters in this book, and it didn’t feel to forcefully Canadian.

This book made me realise how dislikeable the female main characters of the first two books in the series are.

I wish Melanie’s influencer career was a more prominent plot point, as apart from a few photoshoots, it felt like an afterthought. I wish there was some fallout from her extending her stay at the inn and cancelling her influencer trip to a resort.

This is by far the best book in this series and I look forward to seeing Amy Lea’s future work as her writing is getting better with each book!

I've read most of Amy Lea's books now and can for sure say she's become and autobuy author.

I liked the concept of these books being in an influencer series and liked that some of the characters overlapped and it was nice hearing little snippets from them crop up in this book. If you love the fake dating/forced proximity tropes this book is for you! I loved the small town and family vibes of this book too, I found it to be a nice easy comforting read and Evans family were great side characters. Also, Evan himself..😍 I'd say this book was probably the spicer one of the 3 in the influencer series but it wasn't too much so it felt well balanced.

I Love Amy Lea and I am so sad this series is ending. This was such a fun book and I just adored every second off it. Mel has been stranded in a small town after a problem with her booking and finds herself at a house with a grumpy hot fisherman.
When something happens and people think Mel is his fiance they have to work together to help the family get back together, get the house up to the way it once was and not get any feelings involved.

I just love Mel and Evan. The chemistry, the connection was just everything. They butt heads but they can't deny the attraction between them.

Amy is a fantastic writer and I just adored this story so much. Probably my favourite of the 3 and I can't wait to see what she writes next.

Mel is a bit of a high maintenance standoffish heroine as the book opens and it takes a while to get to know her and like her. Once I was in though, I was in! A fabulously disfunctional and made family on one side, and a sad lonely one on the other makes this a great read. Evan and Mel are a lovely couple and I couldn’t help but root for them.

The Catch is the final instalment in the influencer series. The first two being “Set on You” and “Exes and O’s”

A boating incident lands fisherman Evan in the hospital where Mel is mistaken for his fiancee. In exchange for Evan's help with her social media content, Mel agrees to fake their engagement for one week.

Another fabulous easy to read romance 📚

This wasn't quite the same vibe as the others in the series, but it was still sweet. Excited to read more from her!

I somehow didn’t realise Amy Lea’s books were somehow connected but here I am, having read my first book of hers and you can be sure I went back to read her previous two published books. I adored Mel and Evan and seeing their relationship bloom. Also, who doesn’t love a bit of grumpy sunshine?

Thank you NetGalley for the E-arc in exchange for an honest review. This was my favourite book of this series, I really related to Melanie and and I loved the romance between her and Evan. Some really cute moments, funny banter and really a really easy story to get into. Super readable and could have easily read it one sitting

Amy Lea is back with the last book in her Influencer series, The Catch. Melanie is a fashion influencer, a city girl through and through. In a last ditch attempt to rescue her brand, she finds herself stuck in a rural fishing village on the east coast of Canada in a run down hotel that is very much a work in progress run by a grumpy fisherman named Evan.

After a boating incident lands Evan in hospital, Melanie is mistaken for his fiancée by his quirky family. Mel agrees to fake her engagement to Evan for one week in exchange for Evan’s help with her social media content. But when both develop feelings for each other, is Mel willing to give up her life in the city for a change at love in the wild?

Who doesn’t love a funny romance story with a six foot four burly blonde fisherman who looks like he could fit perfectly in with the Deadliest Catch franchise?
Lea’s ability to write sassy and sarcastic female characters shines through once again. The banter and chemistry between Mel and Evan is perfection, the level of spice is just the right amount.

The Catch is a fun romantic comedy with some side characters who almost steal the show from Mel and Evan (looking at you Nana!). It features some of my favourite tropes, enemies to lovers, fake dating, forced proximity and grumpy vs sunshine. There are some big topics tackled in this book too – Mel is trying to figure out who she is and Evan is struggling to keep his family together.

You will fly through this book in one sitting so make sure to preorder your copy now. The Catch will be available to buy from February 15th 2024. It’s sure to be another massive hit for Amy!

Thanks to NetGalley and Penguin for the ARC. 4 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️