5 star read!!! This must be my favourite of Amy Lea’s books. Rivals to lovers, forced proximity, fake dating??? SIGN ME UP!!! The tension between the characters was palpable and they had such great and deep back stories. Side characters are some of the best I’ve read about recently and wish we had more of them. Also LOVE how similar this was to The Proposal which is one of my all time favourite romcoms!

Thank you netgalley for giving me an arc!

3/5 ⭐️

I struggled to get invested in this one. It had a few things in the book that I usually love but then it also was very insta love with the whole story taking place in less than 2 weeks. It made it very hard for me to feel a connection between the characters. I liked Melanie and Evan. They're both good people with hurt pasts.

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

Overall i would recommend this book if you are looking for a fun and quick read!

Love the big city girl falling in love with the small town boy. The dialogue between them had me giggling out loud. A fun book about friends who are more like family.

this book felt so cozy! i would love to visit its setting!

however, i wasn’t the biggest fan of this being described as enemies to lovers, it felt more like annoyances? it was still a good romance, but the description seems wrong. i also disliked the third act breakup.

most of my problems are made better by how much i loved Mel! she was amazing to read about and i was excited for her book for ages

Amy lea does it again, i absolutely love her books. The covers are always amazing and the writing is always fantastic. Well developed characters and hot romances ❤️

This is the second Amy Lea book I’ve read and I really like her writing style; fun, light-hearted and feel-good, with just the right amount of smut.

Here’s what I enjoyed about this one:

🌲 The beautiful Canadian fishing village backdrop - I love nothing more than being by the water and in nature.

♥️ The small town vibes. Nosy town folk who know everyone’s business are my weakness.

🤫 I’m also such a sucker for a fake dating storyline! Yes, it’s far-fetched and predictable, but it had me smiling ear to ear throughout.

☀️ The grumpy x sunshine trope is also always a winner with me.

🔥 The lighthouse scene.

Fans of The Proposal movie will love this book.

If you’re in the mood for a cute and cheesy romance read to brighten up the long and dark winter days, this is an ideal choice!

🐠The Catch by Amy Lea🐠
•
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
•
After reading Exes and Os, I was so desperate to read The Catch so when Netgalley offered it to me I did not hesitate 🤭🤭🤭

This book follows the story of Melanie, an influencer who finds herself in Cora’s Cove after confusion over her stay in the city. This is when she finds herself at the Whaler Inn with a very grumpy, very sexy fisherman, Evan Whaler.

Amy Lea books are full of banter and little surprises. When I thought this book was going to go one way, it did a complete 360 on me and had me laughing so hard my abdomen hurt🤣
This is the perfect read for a quick and lighthearted bit of romance to have you smiling after a long week🤍 I loved every second of it and I can’t wait to read more!

Thank you NetGalley for this awesome arc!

The Catch is definitely my favourite of novels by Amy Lea. Her previous novels, Set On You and Exes and O’s are fantastic and I truly enjoyed them, but The Catch, with its wonderful characters, the beautiful small town setting, and the fake engagement kept me completely engrossed and I couldn’t put it down.

If you’ve read the author’s previous novels, you have already met Melanie. Fashion influencer in need to boost her brand and increase her followers, she accepts a partnership with a spa resort in Nova Scotia. However, things start going wrong from the beginning. First there is a mix-up with reservations at the spa, then she arrives in a dilapidated inn in a small fishing town where she clashes with the grumpy and handsome owner, Evan Whaler, and then she finds spiders in her bathroom and she is not a nature-loving person. But, following a boat accident and a small lie told in a moment of desperation, Melanie becomes Evan’s fake fiancée, accepting to keep up the farce to help his family solve a years-long feud and save the inn. Melanie is happy to help, after all they must pretend just for one week, right? What Melanie didn’t expect is to be welcomed into the Whaler family like one of their own. Her only family is her younger brother Julian, who she’s been taking care of all her life, and she is not used to having close relationships and unconditional love, especially when her feelings for Evan start to become more real than she would like to.

The Catch has everything I love in romance novels: fake engagement, enemies-to-lovers, forced proximity, and grumpy vs sunshine. Also, it reminds me of one of my favourite movies, The Proposal, so I kept picturing Evan as Ryan Reynolds (with a beard). Witty, steamy, and heart-warming, this is a story I didn’t want to end. Highly recommended!

I thoroughly enjoyed this book. I didn't realise that was the third book in the series going into it, but you can still read most of it despite that. I plan to look into Amy Lea's other pieces, after finishing this one. it's a book you can read in one sitting and just eat it up.
I got to watch their romance bloom despite the fact it moves quickly yet didn't feel rushed. Not only do you fall in love with the main character as you read the novel, but you also develop a deep affection for the small town and its residents.

Thank you to NetGalley for providing me with an e-ARC of The Catch by Amy Lea in exchange for an honest review.

Melanie has bagged a luxury spa stay which she is desperately hoping is going to help revitalise her influencer career which has been slowly losing engagement. However, when she arrives in Canada, she finds out there’s been an error and her reservation isn’t until the following week. She can’t afford to fly home and come back again so instead starts to frantically search for an Air B&B to stay in for 5 days. She ends up in a remote fishing village, but has another issue, technically her reservation request wasn’t accepted, and the grumpy air b&b owner doesn’t welcome her to stay.

Grumpy x sunshine, fake dating and cheesy romance combine to make an easy to read romcom in a lovely Canadian setting.

Thank you so much to Netgalley, the publishers and to Amy Lea for giving me the chance to read this book in exchange for an honest review.

After reading some other reviews and seeing the rating on goodreads, I was a little appreciative about starting this ... However, I was pleasantly surprised by how much I LOVED this small town romance!

Starting off with some of the best tropes: small town romance, guy falls first AND harder, and of course .. a sprinkle of everyone's favourite, enemies to lovers. I was hooked from the moment that Melanie met Evan after demanding she got to stay at the family inn while it was under construction. And I mean .. who doesn't love a grumpy man with good arms?

What I appreciated the most about this read was that it was the fmc, Mel, who struggled with intimacy and vulnerability not only with Evan, but with her friendships and family as well. I related so heavily to her and how she felt as an older sister, almost feeling like she had to take the role of her brother's mother .. and how she wasn't as open as she wanted and should have been with those who cared and loved her the most because she hated to sound like a burden to anyone .. like wow. Did Amy Lea reach into my brain and take all of my experiences and write this character?

Evan was a sweetheart. Like he was a grump at first but a true cuddly teddy bear at heart. I was squealing reading him go into detail about how he believed Jack brought Mel to him on the anniversary of his death, and how he would volunteer himself to take Mel whale watching to get her attention and how he was staring at her seductively eating her strawberries at breakfast while she thought he wanted to murder her?? Just brilliant.

I was so glad that I decided to listen to my own gut and go with my own opinion rather than listen to some reviewers because this book was adorable!!

Thank you again to Netgalley, the publishers and Amy for the arc!

I absolutely adored this book.

I am so grateful that I had the opportunity to read this early.

I am such a huge fan of this author and every time I read one of her books it becomes my favourite read!

I think the writing style of this book was incredible and the story line flowed so easily, there were some slower parts however these part were also filled with moments that were either hilarious or wholesome and I am soooo happy that one of my favourite tropes (grumpyxsunshine) made an appearance!

I am also a sucker for a small town romance and this book had the most perfect vibes.

One of my favourite parts of this book was the dialogue between the two main characters! my feet were KICKING and I have never audibly giggled so much throughout a book.

10/10 would recommend this book to anyone looking for a lighthearted pick me up!

I have devoured every book in Amy's influencers series, and this one was no different. It did give me 'It Happened One Summer' vibes, so if you liked that and the concept definitely give this a go. Exes & O's just tops the series for me - or it'd have been 5 stars!

I expected this book to be great and it was. A brilliant author for light, fun reading that doesn't feel trite.
Effortless chemistry between the main characters and a brilliant setting for a romance. Highly recommend.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publishers for this advanced copy to review. All thoughts and opinions are honest and my own.

The Catch is the final book in Amy Lea’s Influencer Trilogy- and a perfect 5 star end.

I’ve loved every book I this series, but when early reviews mentions While You Were Sleeping vibes, I *knew* I had to request an ARC Copy. ( I will be purchasing a copy when Afterlight do a special edition to go with the Exes and O’s special edition they did last year.) WYWS is one of my favourite films, and when a book is compared to it- I’m on it!!

And The Catch did not disappoint. We are finally on Mel’s story, a fashion influencer who we have seen glimpses of in previous books. She gets an all expenses paid trip to a resort in Canada. But add in a mix up of dates, a confusing Airbnb booking and you get a proper Grumpy/Sunshine meet cute.

Our grump is Evan, a rough and ready deep sea fisherman, his and Mel’s worlds could not be more different. But after an accident (the WYWS link) and a fun fiancée- esq mix up, their story truly begins.
They have great chemistry from day one, and their journey together is a really engaging read. Mel’s personal struggles, Evans family dynamics and a few mutual misunderstandings leads to really solid ( and spicy) story.

Cora’s Cove is a delightful setting, with a cast of fun locals and Evans family, all bringing so much to the final story in this brilliant trilogy.

I cannot wait to read whatever Amy Lea writes next!

This was such a cute enemies to lovers, fake dating set in a small town read. I loved the setting of this book how it was in a small fishing town and gah they have lobster fest. Truly the things of what dreams are made of. I throughly loved Evan & Melanie's banter and their journey from enemies to lovers to fake dating and then of course something more. This was by far my favourite of Amy Lea's books I have read thus far.

This book was such a pleasant surprise for me! I haven't read the others in this series (though I will be doing now!) and when I saw that it was called the 'infleuncer' series I did a little eye roll and wondered if I was about to regret my decision to request this book... but I was so wrong!

Mel is a lovely, relatable character who spends too much of her life relying on the validation and acceptance of her social media followers. Evan on the other hand, is a gruff, no nonsense fisherman who doesn't even have an Instagram account. Intro the most wonderfully mismatched couple! The chemistry between the two is off the charts, and their early banter makes them all the more endearing. My first impressions of Evan weren't great, but that soon changed as we grow to love him as we learn more about his life and his wonderful family, who this book would not be the same without. The Whaler family are just brilliant.

The setting of a small town in Canada was beautiful, and I loved the little adventures Mel and Evan went on, especially the hiking scene... love love love.

There is a good level of spice in this book (three or four open door scenes I think) which I thought were written really well and really helped to deepen that connection between the characters.

Think 'It Happend One Summer' by Tessa Bailey... but better! (in my opinion). I'd give this book a solid 4.5 stars.

With this book comes the end of The Influencer Series and let me tell you, it ends on a high! This is my favourite of the three books and I had lots of fun reading it!

I had completely forgotten what this book was about when I started it, after having it on my kindle for months so I had no idea what to expect but the book just kept getting better and better. I loved Evan and Mel’s banter and their chemistry! Even when they were bickering all the time, it was clear they cared about each other and the more I got to know them, the more I loved them and the more their actions made sense.

Whereas Mel had a really difficult childhood which resulted in some serious abandonment issues, Evan’s trauma was more recent (though no less valid). It was really nice to see them heal slowly and start believing in love and happiness again.

I also loved the found family trope! Even with all the arguments and tension, Evan’s family welcomed Mel with open arms and loved her as if she was part of the family from the start and it was heartwarming to see her finally get the big family she’s been wanting for so long.

This book also gave very strong The Proposal vibes, which was perfect for me because that’s one of my all-time favourite romcoms😍

If you’re looking for a great fake engagement romance with a hot fisherman and a strong found family trope set in a small town, make sure to check this one out!

A big thank you to Penguin General UK and Netgalley for sending me an arc in exchange for an honest review💙

Found a new favorite rom-com author!

Thanks NetGalley and Penguin General UK - Fig Tree, Hamish Hamilton, Viking, Penguin Life, Penguin Business, Penguin for ARC!

Synopsis –

Lifestyle influencer Melanie has one last chance at saving her social media relevance and she decides to take up the offer of a sea side resort in Nova Scotia, Canada. But her perception of Canada and spending time amidst nature goes for a toss when she has no choice but to stay at an Airbnb inn and meets the grumpy fisherman Evan. Will Melanie end up rescuing her brand or end up changing her whole life?

Review -

Ok, firstly I read this as a stand-alone and now I’m eager to get to the first two books in this Influencer series.

Oh this one was such a fun book – so enjoyable and entertaining! It had every single element I love in rom-com –

💓In-depth characterization – ‘substance’
💓multi trope combo executed brilliantly
💓gorgeous setting
💓humor
💓the right amount of 🌶️
💓 endearing cast of supporting characters

I loved how it blended several romance tropes - grumpy sunshine, fake dating, opposites attract, forced proximity, found family, small town vibes and holiday romance, so smoothly, that they worked wonders in making this a joyous swoon-worthy read.

I quickly warmed to Melanie – having been through a lot in her childhood, I admired her selflessness, warm, kind and caring persona and the lengths she would go to, to help strangers. Although I was irritated with the prickly Evan initially, I ended up falling for his good-natured sweetness, patience and of course his handsomeness.

The romance build up is slow burn, starting with a mix of awkward yet hilarious situations that Melanie gets into and sarcastic yet witty bickering - bringing in some great light-heartedness and laugh out loud humor.

Melanie’s journey of life/self-transformation begins when she agrees for an inevitable fake dating arrangement with Evan, to save his family’s inn and that’s when the fun begins.

Although I felt that by mid-way things could’ve moved faster and the chemistry between them could’ve sparked sooner (🔥🌶️) , I appreciated how the story was built up considering each of their pasts, future and the true love they discover for each other.

The ending made me go ‘aww’ for these two hopelessly in love beings and I enjoyed how it all culminated for Melanie and Evan – as they learnt to compromise, found in their togetherness, what they crave in the depths of their hearts – a family, a home, a rock to lean on and most importantly true love.

Definitely a must read for romance lovers!

3/3.5 stars.

Mel is a lifestyle influencer, and is offered a brand deal to go to a spa in rural Canada. They mess up the booking and she needs to find somewhere else to stay, so she ends up at a local Airbnb run by Lucy and the grumpiest person she’s ever met, Evan. The inn has been in the family for generations but is really run down, so Lucy’s mum is hoping to sell. For reasons she can’t understand, Mel agrees to be fake engaged to Evan to give the family something to focus on other than their fighting in the hopes of saving the inn.

I love the first two books in this series, and am sad this one didn’t hit the same for me. By nature Mel is not as likeable as Crystal or Tara as she protects herself from other people. Evan is very grumpy and we start with him and Mel as enemies (which never really works for me), but with constant references to how attractive Evan is. The reasons for agreeing to be fake engaged are a bit lose, but it is a lot more fun once this part picks up.

I found the sex scenes a bit average / repetitive - in fact I think this book in general needed a closer like edit to avoid repeating words (in one section we had the same word three times in two sentences).

I liked Mel’s back story and her relationship with Julian, it helped to give more context as to why Mel would agree to fake date a man she hates.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an arc of this book in exchange for my honest opinions.