I keep returning to the word “refreshing” when I think about my recent read of Erin Hahn’s CATCH AND KEEP.

As a Wisconsin native, one of my favorite things about this book was the setting. A lake resort in the Northwoods? Yep, I can picture that very well.

And the location isn’t just a backdrop, but integral to the personalities of both main characters. Maren is passionate about fishing and a successful guide. Joe is raising his two kids at his family’s resort, where he, too, grew up. Both have deep emotional ties to the place.

I also appreciated the inclusion and description of Joe’s young daughter, Lucy. She’s autistic with limited verbal communication and extremely sensitive to sensory overload. Hahn writes her as a fully developed character and avoids the generalizations and stereotypes. Lucy’s challenges aren’t minimized, but she’s also loved, respected, and admired for her strengths.

The one character that confused me was Liam, Maren’s brother and Joe’s best friend. His treatment of Maren didn’t make any sense to me. It was as if he knew a different character than I did, as the reader. I found myself wondering if some unrevealed backstory existed between the siblings to explain his behavior.

I didn’t realize this was the third in a series about three girlfriends. I do have Built to Last (book 2) on my shelf and look forward to going back and reading Shelby’s story.

Thank you St. Martin’s Press, St. Martin’s Griffith for my copy. All thoughts are my own.

Me: sees book is set at a lakeside resort

ADD 👏 TO 👏 CART

I’ve read the other books in this Interconnected romance world of three best friends and their lives and I think this has to be my favorite. It’s a single dad, second chance, brother’s best friend romance aka chock full of juicy tropes, spice, tension, and adorable kids. There were some lines and statements that made me a little weary, but overall, I found this book to be very entertaining and it kept me reading. It also is a great Fall book that features the major holidays of the ‘Ber Months but isn’t a Christmas book.

Synopsis:

“At thirty-three, Maren Laughlin's just turned down her boyfriend’s proposal, walked away from her decade-long position as a park ranger, and returned to her childhood playground in Northern Wisconsin to accept her inheritance: a decrepit waterfront bait shop. After a lifetime of letting things happen to her, she’s ready to start making her own moves, even if everyone else thinks she’s making the wrong ones. Well, not everyone—at least the local heartstopper and resort owner is on her side.Josiah Cole has made some missteps in his life, but he’s proud of what he has: two awesome kids and the keys to the kind of getaway spot that has families coming back every summer– their up north home away from home. After his marriage dissolved, leaving him a single dad, he feels he’s the last person to judge Maren for her recent transformation (even if his best friend, her brother, wants him to feel otherwise). Besides, he genuinely likes having her around. She’s a breath of fresh air, his kids adore her (not to mention her dog, Rogers), and it doesn’t hurt that she’s beautiful.Things between Maren and Joe are easy. So easy, they’re fully immersed in the middle before they even decide to begin. It’s not a question of should they, but rather can they make it last? Are things too easy, or is this just how real love works? In Erin Hahn’s heartwarmingly sexy Catch and Keep, Maren and Joe have to be brave enough to find out.” —NetGalley

What I Liked:

The Tropes and Setting—Brother’s best friend, second chance, and single dad? A reading cocktail for the ages. Plus, a lakeside resort town! So many of my favorite things in one delicious book.

The Pacing/Structure—Everything felt like it flowed well and felt natural to the characters. I love that with second chance, especially childhood friends second chance, is that it’s okay to sprinkle in epic pining early on because they already know each other.

The Chemistry—This characters made sense and I loved watching them discover their feelings for each other.

What Didn’t Work for Me:

A few lines that felt unnecessary regarding the military. Minor enough that I can’t recall them but enough that I took pause while reading.

POTENTIAL SPOILER; I felt like there was going to be a stalking/kidnaping plotline and maybe I’ve read a few too many romance suspenses, but I was disappointed a certain plot line didn’t have more weight. i’m glad Maren was able to stand up for herself at the end, and I do think it’s valuable to see female creators create boundaries with male audience members. But I felt like Bryce was too creepy to only watch from afar, if that makes sense. It doesn’t invalidate the fear surrounding sexual harassment online, I just felt like as a plot point, it felt unfinished.

Character Authenticity: 4/5 Spice Rating: 3/5 Overall Rating: 4/5

Content Warnings:

sexual harassment, toxic relationship, ableism, child abuse, bullying

⭐⭐⭐⭐
🌶️🌶️.5

*MMC: hot single dad, older brother's best friend, Bon Jovi impersonator
*FMC: recently proposed to (she said no in dramatic fashion), trying to get away from the drama in Michigan, she finds more drama in Wisconsin

Things I liked:
*the setting, as a Midwestern girly myself
*the two main characters
*her relationship with his kids

Things I disliked:
*the ex-wife and the older brother. They were both so over the top as villains, especially compared to the two perfect main characters. She forgave her brother way too easily, and that left me with a bad taste in my mouth, which is why I deducted one star.

Catch and Keep was my third adult romance by Erin Hahn, and while I don’t think it is my favourite by this author, it was still a solid and cute romance read with so many tropes I love — small town romance, brother’s best friend, single dad and written in dual POV!

I loved the outdoorsy and nature vibes that shined through this book as well as the small town setting. I enjoyed Maren as our main character and loved how quickly she fit right in with Joe and his family, filling gaps where they were needed. I loved seeing her relationship develop with not only Joe, but also his children.

There were some characters that I did not like at all throughout this one, but I enjoyed the interactions with Maren’s friends, Shelby and Lorelai, that each have their own stories in this interconnected, standalone series. There were some deeper and heavier topics throughout the book mixed in with some lighter and spicer ones too, which I thought was balanced well.

Overall, I enjoyed this one and rated it 3.5 to 4 stars. If you are looking for a cute small town, single parent, brother’s best friend romance with autism rep, check out Catch and Keep! I feel that Erin Hahn is an author that isn't read enough, so check out her books and you might just be pleasantly surprised!

Cute book, loved the series for what it was. Sweet romantic comedies. This one was my favorite of the series as the connection between Maren and Joe was natural and developed at a nice steady pace-no insta-love.
I enjoyed the relationship Maren developed with Joe's daughter as well. Such a cute book, definitely worth a read!

Rating: 5 stars!

The single dad thing isnt a cateogry of book I typically pick up. But this was executed SO. WELL! The love between all of the characters, the family dynamics, and the selflessness of everyone is captivating. Absolutely obsessed with this book.

Thank you NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Loved this one! Karen rejects her boyfriend’s proposal and quits her job and returns home. She is determined to make her own way and resurrect the bait shop. Josiah has 2 kids and has always liked Maren. His best friend is her brother. As their friendship picks back up everything is easy. They are immersed in it before they realize they are in love.

thank you netgalley for the e-arc. i really liked hahn's previous books so i was looking forward to reading this arc. i liked the setting/scene being wisconsin because you don't get much of a flyover state unless you read abby jimenez. about halfway through i realized her first and second books interweave with the third and now i wanna go back in with notating. i appreciated no third act breakup and the fact both characters could act their ages.

Maren, our heroine in this title is a refreshing character. She's a park ranger who at 33, seems to have it all. Her boyfriend has just "surprised" her with a proposal. Her response is to vomit all over his shoes! It seems that Maren HATES surprises, and has just found out that her boyfriend went behind her back and interviewed for her dream job, and will now be her boss! Nope, Maren is having none of that. She takes a leave of absence from her job and retreats to the place that she loves the best, a little camp in Wisconsin where she learned to fish and love nature while she was growing up. She loved it so much, in fact, that the old man who taught her to fish left her his fishing cabin when he passed away. Maren decides to fix up the business to give herself something to do while she thinks things out.

Up at Camp, is Joe - her brother's best friend, who is going through his own issues. He is trying to raise his two young children on his own, since his ex-wife couldn't handle the pressures of having a special needs child. (Joe's youngest, Lucy, is autistic.) Of course, Maren and Joe like each other, even though Maren's brother has told both of them that the other is "off limits." Can they make any possible relationship work?

Special Thanks to Net Galley and the publisher for the Advance Reader Copy of this title. Catch and Keep is available now!

Best romance read of 2024! Best title for a book.! You have to read this one!!!

This title had me hooked right away. LOL. The story lives up to the title, cover and description and is hard to put down. The beautiful setting adds to the story.

Both of the main characters (Maren & Joe) are amazing people and fun to get to know. They have known each other since childhood. Both of them have families that love them and are interested in their happiness. Neither of them are looking for love. There is more to this story than just the love that slowly grows. Both of them have lived interesting lives and so have their families.

Great at first, sweet and lovely. But then it gets all mussed up with nonsense for a bit and the romance isn’t as hot as it should be. What kind of adult still says finger bang? I kinda agreed with Liam that both Marne and Joe acted like kids for quite a bit. Maren proved them right too by running off at the first sign of trouble. Immaturity at its best. At least the setting and rest of the family stuff was nice.

I love this book!

5/5 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

After having an embarrassing and disastrous breakup Maren runs back to the place she always loved the most. She claims her inheritance of a run down apartment and bait shop in Wisconsin. While trying to fix it up she runs into her brothers best friend, Josiah. He’s a single dad with an autistic daughter living his life up on the lake running the family hotel. Maren starts to find that hanging around Josiah and his family is easy and lovely and just might be everything she ever wanted.

This book was so good! I loved maren and the growth she had. Her learning to stand up for herself was also really great. Josiah was a dreamboat! I love when young children are included in books and written well and Hahn did not disappoint in writing Anders and Lucy! I also thought she handled the topic of autism so delicately and well.

A little spoiler ahead ——
There was no third act breakup! I adore that! It made me kick my feet and giggle and just yessss 👏🏼👏🏼

Much appreciation to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for the ARC of this book.

I was hesitant at first because I’m not usually one for books fully based on things like sports and definitely not a fishing person, but I adored this book. I honestly was hooked (pun intended), and couldn’t stop reading.

I’m always a sucker for friends to lovers romance, but I enjoyed the care given toward the difficult things both had been through as well as the thoughtfulness around what it is like to date when you already have kids.

I really appreciated that it was the male lead, Josiah/Joe, who was the one with custody after the divorce. And I really loved seeing how he cared for his kids and family. It was refreshing as a child of a divorce.

The part that got me the most was the way the author discussed a child with autism and the challenges therein. I wasn’t expecting that part of the book nor did I expect how important a storyline it would be. I loved how people cared for Lucy and the juxtaposition of those who didn’t. But this line in particular as a mom with a child on the spectrum rung so true “Just like the rest of the human population, people with autism were unique in how they manifested their sensory habits. If they like something, they let you know. If they didn’t, they also let you know. The important thing was to let them reveal themselves to you and to give them a safe space to do so.” How beautiful to say they are just like the rest of the population, and if you give them a safe space they will reveal themselves. I loved watching Lucy evolve through this story.

Anders the other child as well. The love he has for his sister reminds me of my son with his sister. I love that they acknowledged his shrinking of himself and made sure he was able to do things he wanted too. Beautiful.

Of course the romance was also good. “We don’t speak but it doesn’t feel weird.” This is what love is. The way they carefully explore their feelings and give each other time to consider and make choices is beautiful.

Overall such an easy, cozy read that brought so many emotions with it.

Thanks to St Martins Press and Netgalley for this advanced copy!

I picked up this book not realizing I had already read the first book in this series (that maybe isn't a series?) and it was so nice to come back to this world. Maren and Joe are so adorable as they rediscover their friendship and what it means to find love. I really appreciated how the author brought them together and kept the barriers simple and not ridiculous. The storyline about the obsessed fan felt a little like an ad-on, but I appreciated how hit played into the ending and helped Joe and Maren present a united front. All in all, a cozy lovely read!

This was my first Erin Hahn book and it did. It disappoint. Thank you NetGalley for the opportunity to read this cutie of a book!!!

First of all, the relationships with the kids in this one just got me 🥹❤️. And the dog, wow. I loved how she wrote about them all.

Secondly, the setting was beautiful. I really felt like I was there, immersed in the breezy lake air.

Thirdly thank you for the no third act break up!!! I love a best friends brother, single dad romance and this delivered 👏🏼👏🏼👏🏼.

What an incredible book - can’t wait to pick up more by Erin!!

I wanted to love this. I kept pushing myself to read it and every time I had to put it down. I just didn’t vibe with it. After so many times of picking it up I am going to DNF. It is most likely just me!

It was fun and spicy and lake life perfection!

Maren is the girl next store and she’s incredible at fishing. Josiah is the single dad advocating for his children!

This is the outdoor girlie book I’ve been waiting for and you’re going to want to read this one if you’re looking for:

🎣 A outdoor girly that holds her own
🎣 A single dad advocating for his kids
🎣Lake life. Two kids growing up together, then falling as adults. ♥️
🎣 A meddling older brother
🎣 Happily Ever After (HEA)

“Catch and Keep" packs so much within its pages and Hahn writes it all flawlessly. Readers are gifted a small-town romance story with emotional depth. I found myself smiling so much and then hit with these powerful feels of protection for these characters. Hahn really did a number on me.

Some of my favorite tropes are written into this one: single dad, a strong-willed heroine, and a slow-burning romance. Add in the Fall setting of a lake side resort and I couldn't ask for more.

Leading lady Maren is a badass and I love how confident she is even in the moments where she is unsure. She never forgets she's capable. Josiah is the strong silent type and while his plate is so so so full, he has this amazing way of making others around him feel needed and appreciated. There's a lot of maturity in this book and as someone in her early 40's I really appreciate seeing older characters behaving in ways that seem genuine, that don't have me rolling my eyes at their drama.

I will say there is a villain in this novel and let me tell you, I wanted to knock some sense into HER.

Not my favorite of Erin Hahn's books, but I still really really liked it. I loved that Maren and Joe have history but are also fully grown adults with their own lives and needs and wants (yay for reading characters in their 30s!). I could have done without the overbearing brother and the villain ex-wife, and the autism rep was good (but I think could have been better). But Joe was such a good dad, and Maren and Joe were such realistic characters, and they felt like they fit so well.

Erin Hahn does not disappoint! This is actually interconnected with two of Erin's previous books, which I did not realize, one of which I have read and gave 4 stars (Built to Last) and the other I have not read (Friends Don't Fall in Love) but is on my TBR. One doesn't necessarily have to read the previous books prior to reading Catch and Keep, but the other couples from those books do make their happy-couple appearances in this book.

Aside from that, this book was the perfect read for mid-fall as the book spans from about September and through the Christmas holidays and into the next year. Maren returns to her childhood stomping grounds at a rustic lakefront resort after breaking up with her longtime boyfriend and being passed up for a promotion to her dream job. Here she runs in to her brother's best friend, Josiah, who works at the resort. He's all grown up--home from duty in Iraq and single dad to two kids. Maren and Josiah are so sweet and easy together. I loved seeing them combining their lives around the resort, in the outdoors, and in their home. Josiah's kids were great as characters and Maren was almost too good with them considering she had no previous experience with kids, let alone an autistic child. But hey, I'm easy to please. I like a nice, happy, sappy love story and Erin Hahn delivered.