Catch and Keep by Erin Hahn was a sexy, funny at times, yet comforting read. I did not want it to end!! To start, I loved the description of the setting in upper Wisconsin and could picture the entire area. I was obsessed with Josiah Cole and thought his relationship with Maren was both cute and had a lot of sexual tension that kept me avidly reading. I like how Maren is a strong independent main female character and enjoyed how she developed and matured in the story. I didn't care for the whole angle on Bryce Callahan. I thought the character was not well developed and I was hoping more would come from him, such as more obsession and insistence on his part. I was left both wanting more from this character and wishing he didn't have a part at all. There are some grammar errors throughout the book, but nothing that was super distracting. Overall I thoroughly enjoyed reading this book. I loved how one minute I was laughing out loud and the next I was on the seat of my chair wondering how the character's relationship would develop. I will absolutely be looking up other books written by Erin Hahn. Thanks for a super entertaining book!!!

I loved reading the final love story for this group of best friends! The lake setting had me planning a trip to Wisconsin in my spare time. Another hit from Erin Hahn.

It was cute for what it was. The main characters both got a little annoying after a while. We get it. You can’t be together for whatever reason you’re basically just making up but the book needs drama, I guess. I was bored of it after a while.

Catch and Keep by Erin Hahn definitely exceeded my expectations! The more I read romance, the harder I am to impress and I really enjoyed this. Usually, I find female main characters can have those annoying traits that drive me up the wall, but not Maren. She was great, and Joe was such a lovable character too! The dynamic between Maren and Joe's kids was just heart-melting to watch unfold. And props to Erin for tastefully including a child with autism spectrum disorder and showing how love and understanding can make all the difference. I usually don't reach for spicy novels on purpose, so I did skim through some of those parts, but if you like a spicy romance you WILL enjoy this! There are some very hot scenes.

Now, onto the little nitpicks. I felt like the whole "forbidden love" thing went on a bit too long and was so repetitive. Like, we get it, they can't date because of the whole brother's sister/best friend situation. And yeah, Maren's hot and men do disgusting things to her YouTube videos, we got it the first few times. A little too much fluff here and there, could have been shortened. But despite these small hiccups, it was still a solid read. Perfect for when you need something light and cute, like a palette cleanser or a beach day companion.

This was such a cute book. I loved this story. There were so many parts that pulled at my heart strings. I am a sucker for single dad/ brother’s best friend romances. I absolutely loved the autism representation with the youngest daughter. Thank you so much NetGalley and Erin for allowing me to review 💕

Maren has reached her limit- her boyfriend stole a promotion out from under her and then proposed to her publicly, causing her to throw up on him and flee MIchigan for the comfort of a Wisconsin lake resort, where she grew up spending summers fishing. Here she runs into Joe, her older brother's best friend and son of the resort's owners. He's a former marine and single parent of two, with one autistic daughter. I'm sure everyone knows just how much I love Erin Hahn's writing and this one is no exception. Her romances are light and fun, but with emotional depth that tackles issues head on. Her characters are well-drawn and full of life and I love spending time with them. This is the third book in a loosely connected series (Built to Last and Friends Don't Fall in Love) and is utterly charming.

5 stars!

Ugh, what a masterpiece!

I loved everything about this book - the characters (including the dog), the setting, the plot, etc. It had me swooning throughout. I don't know anything about fishing, so I found it interesting to learn a bit about it.
I absolutely loved the autism representation with the youngest daughter. I would not change a single thing about this book.

I will be recommending it for sure!

I can't wait to get my hands on another book by Erin Hahn!

my first fishing romance, and I have to say, it didn’t completely give. the first half of the book was a bit slow and lacking that attention grabbing moment. but once you hit the second half of the book, the pace picks up. you fall in love with the main characters, maren and joe. there are also a few spicy moments that grab your attention as well! this was an older brothers friend romance, friends to lovers. overall, it was a quick read, less than 300 pages, and there were enjoyable moments.

when maren suddenly leaves her ex-boyfriend moves back to her favorite childhood hometown, she’s on a journey of re-building her life and figuring out what next steps may look like. she throws herself into fixing up an old fishing shop/apartment that was left to her. but as she starts to spend more time with joe, a family friend, feelings and connections emerge that she wasn’t expecting. their relationship feels as though it started in the middle, and they’re left figuring out how to move forward with their future together.

Thank you so much St. Martin’s Press & NetGalley for this ARC! Friends, Catch and Keep has every single thing you could ask for. It’s a semi-second chance romance, brother's best friend, found family MASTERPIECE. I wish that I could properly put into words how much I loved this book. I knew I was going to like it but within the prologue I was hooked. By the third chapter it already gave me the feeling I get when I’m reading a new favorite. Now that I’ve finished, I can safely say that this is a book that I will reread over and over again. I really appreciated how Erin handled real, serious problems so delicately. I felt that every plot line that was introduced was fully wrapped up and you definitely can’t say that about all romance books! These characters were so well written that the characters you hate, you REALLY hate. And the characters you love, you adore with your whole heart. The relationship between Maren and Lucy really melted my heart. I LOVED that Joe wasn’t your typical alpha male that you read in a lot of romance books. He was protective of Maren but at the same time, he fully believed she could take care of herself and didn’t get in her way of doing that. And when Maren & Joe finally confess their love I genuinely got teary eyed. All in all, Catch and Keep is an incredible book and very much worth the wait. Make sure you go check it out in October!!!!

This was a happy, feel good romance. The book was well written, the characters were like able and well written and the plot kept me interested to the end.

Erin has done it again! A beautifully written tale with all of the human elements of being in love. I adore her nuanced portrayal of romantic love, friendship, and familial relationships. Outstanding!

I want to start by saying I truly loved this series and have nothing but admiration for Erin Hahn. The writing was outstanding, the plot line had a lot of unique elements and I enjoyed the narrative with the pushy brother immensely.

I would recommend this book generally overall, I think both the MMC and the FMC had growth, the MMCs daughter was an excellent representation of what I know of a parents love through autism.
With all of that said, I just couldn’t quite get past my personal takeaway of how the ex was written as a military spouse. It was made clear that she wasn’t well equipped to be a mother and not motivated to step up, his guilt for leaving her was also expressed a couple of times as well, so I’m advocating that it was a terrible misrepresentation. However, with that being said, after being left for years off and on myself while someone continually went overseas, I believe it would be nearly impossible to write one of this situations with the care it would require in real life. I think Erin Hahn did it well, and I will continue to lovingly read her works, but I don’t think I can get on board with the particular narrative regards of the exs other shitty actions.

Thank you NetGalley for the read, I truly appreciate getting the chance to support authors in this light.

Maren and her family came to Cole’s Landing Resort every summer. The resort’s son, Josiah, was Maren’s oldest brother Liam’s best friend. Maren found Josiah attractive but she was just Liam’s little sister. Maren’s fishing buddy was an older man who would take her out to fish. When he died, he gave the bait shop and apartment to Maren. Years later she returns to Cole’s Landing to refurbish her new property after quitting her job and refusing to accept her boyfriend’s proposal. She is happy to be back, sharing time with the Coles and surprised to see Josiah is divorced with two children. This is a wonderful book. Josiah’s 6-year-old daughter has autism and Maren pays attention to her needs and helps Josiah get his children ready for school. Anders loves to fish as much as Maren did as a child and they have an instant bond. Josiah is drawn to Maren, and she finds him very attractive. Now it is just getting Liam to accept them as a couple. I loved how patient Maren was with Josiah and his family. The support Josiah's parents gave him and the support given to Maren by her friends and parents was refreshing.
This book is about accepting what needs to be done, living the life you want, and sharing it with others.

This is the romance novel for the midwesterner’s soul. Maren has just rejected her boyfriend's proposal, left her job, and escaped to Northern Wisconsin where she spent her summers as a child. She goes there to figure out her life and in doing so sparks fly with her brother’s best friend.

I truly enjoyed this romance having spent many childhood vacations fishing and swimming in Wisconsin lakes. I loved both of the main characters and their instant connection. The only reason I give it 4 instead of 5 stars is because I couldn’t get behind Joe’s exes feelings and actions towards her children. I just really couldn’t fathom a mother acting that way. This book would make the perfect fall read as the leaves are changing color or reading while on vacation up at the lake.

Maren Laughlin has appeared as a side character in other books by Erin Hahn (Built to Last and Friends Don't Fall in Love), but has never been the main character. In Catch and Keep Maren takes center stage. Maren has been living in Michigan, but things have gone awry with both her job and her boyfriend. To get away from all that drama Maren takes a leave of absence to Wisconsin where she grew up. An old friend left her his bait shop/apartment when he died and she decides she'll focus on restoring that while she figures out what to do with her life. What she isn't counting on is Josiah Cole, her older brother's best friend. Maren finds herself spending time with Joe and his two kids on a daily basis, even though her brother, Liam, has told her to stay away from them.

The chapters alternate between Maren and Joe so we get to know what each of them is thinking and feeling. I love this type of writing style. The build up to the romance is slow, but worth it. Everything feels right and nothing feels rushed or ridiculous. Sometimes this type of story feels contrived, but not with Joe and Maren. I did not want to leave this world when the book was over.

If you love a slow burn romance this book is for you. It has some spice without being over the top. This is a great addition to the universe Hahn has built. I hope this isn't the end for this cast of characters. Maybe we need Liam's back story? Anything to keep me in the Michigan/Wisconsin world these characters reside in! Pick up your copy of Catch and Keep in October 2024! Thank you to netgalley for the ARC!

Wow! What a treat. Thank you NetGalley for allowing me to receive an ARC in exchange for an honest review. This story was full of love, laughter, and so much healing! I adored Maren and Josiah as they learned to love each-other while loving themselves. The family dynamics, the banter, the fishing references, the love!! Gosh I am such a fan. Maren is a wonderful character who isn't afraid to get her hands dirty, and is such a delight to learn more about. This journey is perfect for those who love the lake, fluffy romances, single dad tropes, lovable characters, self-growth, and healing. Erin, I AM IN LOVE!

This book was great!! I didn’t realize it was a part of a series, but to me did great as a standalone. I loved the small town/ lake romance. I was able to read this book on one setting. I was rooting for Jo and Maren the whole time I was reading. I love the brothers best friend trope so much.

ARC Review -


This was an okay read for me. I'm not going to get too critical here because I found it to be a very readable book. It just wasn't particularly gripping in my opinion. Maybe because I'm not a lake girl? And I don't fish? It sounded good when I read the blurb, but I didn't quite get there for me.

Anyway, brother's best friend/single dad MMC and former fishing YouTuber/best friend's little sister FMC. It felt a little soapy a time or two, and then at times not dramatic enough...but it had some cute moments as well.

If you grew up going to a lake with family or fishing, this could be a great read for you. It leans pretty heavy on the nostalgia factor more than the small town vibe.

While this was a no from me, I don’t think it will be a no for everyone, so I’m giving it a 2 ⭐️.

I’m biased against military romances — or in this case military-adjacent romances with a dad who is either currently or was previously in the military. As a navy brat who grew up with a very selfless, dedicated mother who took charge 99% of the time at home because my father was working, I just can’t get on board with the “my wife got tired of being home alone with the kids all day while I was serving my country and fighting for freedom.”

They tried to make Joe out to be so selfless, so perfect, so dedicated that it ended up making him completely one-dimensional. I’m sorry, in very, very rare instances will you find a military man who is okay with a son wearing pink and painting their nails while the mom has an issue with it. I just don’t think it was very realistic and gave a weird military propaganda-type feel.

(Again, this is probably a product of my own internal biases)

I appreciate the autistic representation, though there were instances of poor labeling (ex. Person with autism vs. autistic person). Again, back to the unrealistic nature, an autistic child is very rarely going to open up to a completely new person within an hour of meeting them, yet it happens straight away in this book. I think this may have just been a lack of thorough research on the author’s part. It was clear a surface-level Google search was done on autistic children and their triggers, but the social aspect of autism wasn’t done justice in this book.

And then there’s Maren— arguably the most unrealistic and one-dimensional character of them all. “Musky Maren” is her nickname which deserves jail time alone. I understand the reference to the fish, but come on… “musky” Maren. All I’m getting is that she smells.

If you like fishing and don’t mind cheesy dialogue, absolutely no stakes, and cringe-worthy inner monologues, I think you’ll enjoy this. I do love a lake resort setting, so that was a bonus point for this, I just think it lacked depth and emotion.

I think the author should stick with YA.

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

A sweet story of finding your place in the world. Maren flees her job and boyfriend for northern Wisconsin, where she plans to fix up the old bait shop and house that she recently inherited. She immediately runs into Joe, her older brother's childhood best friend, now a single dad running the local resort. They quickly fall into something like a relationship, but have to decide if this is just for the summer--or for keeps.

Thanks to Netgalley, the publisher, and the author for the ARC to review. All opinions are my own.