I enjoyed reading The Christmas Catch, a charming romance novella set in Georgia. Bebe was hurt by her cheating ex-husband and she struggles with his lack of interest in their seven-year-old daughter, Hope. Bebe’s renting her childhood home and her next door neighbours are Jahleel’s parents. Bebe and Jahleel were high school sweethearts who split up when Jahleel left town to go to college and pursue his NFL career aspirations.

The story opens with Jahleel moving back in with his parents to recover from injuries that threaten his NFL playing career. We journey with Bebe and Jahleel as they work through their issues and rediscover their old friendship that could become something more. I loved Hope’s optimistic attitude and her situation pulled on my heart strings. I appreciated how the characters prayed and sought His wisdom. I recommend The Christmas Catch to contemporary romance readers who like second chances and single parent Christmas romance novellas with an adorable seven-year-old and a strong faith element in the story.

Many thanks to Bethany House and NetGalley for the advanced reader copy.

I have never been disappointed by a Toni Shiloh book and The Christmas Catch was certainly no exception. I absolutely adored this story. I originally read this book when the author indie published it but it has since had an internal and external makeover thanks to Bethany House. The new cover is so cute and fun, and the inside is filled with so much goodness too! The Christmas Catch makes for a super cute and relatively quick read with plenty of the Christmas feels. There’s talk of Christmas decorations, cookie baking, Christmas music, a reindeer farm, and so much more. It’s a great read any time, but definitely worth adding to your Christmas TBR.

In addition to festive Christmas vibes is a heartwarming second chance romance. The fact that Bebe and Jahleel had known each other so long definitely helped the plot line because it otherwise may have felt too rushed, but I didn't feel that way at all. Their chemistry was great and I actually enjoyed that there was some tension about them giving their relationship a second chance, but there was not some huge drama fueled blow up that tends to happen in romance novels. I also enjoyed the sweet innocence of Bebe’s daughter. If you have never read a Toni Shiloh book, you should. Start with any of them because you can't go wrong.

I’m a huge fan of second chance romances and this one did not disappoint!

Jahleel and Bebe grew up next door to one another. They were also high school sweethearts. But a pre-college breakup and subsequent ghosting has left them in an awkward place. So when Jahleel and Bebe see one another for the first time in decades, Bebe’s left to figure out if she can truly forgive and forget.

Jahleel has some forgiving to do himself. A football injury has him back at home in Georgia with his parents—and his father feels like his worst critic. Will being back home cause the rift in their relationship to widen? Or will he risk being honest for the possibility of restoration?

I loved everything about this book! I enjoyed the setting, Bebe and Jahleel’s journey, the family elements, and the faith thread woven throughout.

I read Toni’s 2023 Christmas novella and she has become a go-to Christmas author for me. I LOVE Christmas and her stories are full of holiday festivities and general merriment! 🎄

Make sure to add this one to your holiday TBR!!

This book was so cute and I love how the author incorporates the best most realistic parts of the holiday season to make it whimsical but also have that Hallmark vibe. You’ll be dancing to the Temptations and relaxing to Toni Braxton! To say I’m obsessed is an understatement, and I’ll be adding that popcorn recipe to my real life eats. Jahleel and Bebe are a delight even if I did not so secretly want to see her punch Will.

Another delightful, heartwarming Christmas romance from Toni Shiloh! The Christmas Catch was a fun, second chance, girl next door romance with a handsome pro football player & a darling single mom. I thoroughly enjoyed this tender romance filled with faith, personal growth, repaired relationships, & lots of Christmas cheer.

Lucille “Bebe” Gordon is living in her childhood home with her daughter Hope after her divorce three years ago. Her world is turned upside down when her old high school sweetheart returns to Peachwood Bay, Georgia after a serious football injury looking as amazing as ever. Though she resents him for breaking up with her years ago, it hurts even more to know that their long standing friendship ended too. Now that he’s back, Bebe has to decide if she’s willing to risk another broken heart.

Jahleel Walker is forced to return to his parents’ home after a career ending injury takes him out of the football season. It’s the last place he wants to be considering his strained relationship with his preacher father. As he recovers, he’s surprised to find Bebe, the woman he never forgot living in her parents’ home next door. With lots of time on his hands, he does a lot of soul searching & decides he wants to rekindle his relationship with her, but what happens when he has to return to Texas. Will he be willing to give her up all over again?

I thoroughly enjoyed this story! It’s a quick read, charming novella with all the Christmas feels. I loved seeing “Jay” & Bebe rekindle their friendship & romance. Their history makes their relationship all the more enjoyable as they easily slip back into their familiar jokes & closeness. Bebe’s daughter Hope is an endearing seven year old who tugs on your heartstrings. I enjoyed seeing Jay taking such an active interest in her & supporting her not only because of her mother, but because he wants to really be there for her. I also appreciated the reconciliation that takes place between Jay & his father.

There were so many swoon worthy, touching moments with endearing characters who feel like friends. The author also weaves a beautiful faith narrative throughout that brings a spirit of forgiveness & second chances especially at Christmas time. Highly recommend to contemporary romance & romcom fans! I received an advanced complementary copy from the author & publisher. All opinions are my own & voluntarily provided.

The Christmas Catch gives all the holiday feels!! Toni Shiloh always gives the hallmark romance feel in her stories. These Characters felt like friends and left wanting more.

Such a cute story! Jay is hurt during his NFL career and returns to his home town to recover. He reconnects with his high school sweetheart, who has become a mother. Also has to deal with his minister father who is extremely nuts and overbearing! Cute love story with some football and Christmas balls thrown in.

A cute Christmas story! It was a quick read- I definitely recommend it to anyone who wants an easy Christmas story.

Jay and Bebe dated in high school but then he walked away without a backward glance, focused on his big football dreams. But then an injury sends him home again, right next door to Bebe and her daughter, Hope. They both feel the connection between them, but they each have their own hesitations over jumping into a relationship again, Bebe especially. I loved watching Jay decide to win her over and how he goes about it. Super sweet relationships in this book!

The Christmas Catch is a sweet and festive second chance romance. The meet cute at the beginning of the book was fun, as Jahleel “Jay”, was hyped up on pain meds when he saw his former high school sweetheart. He quipped that Bebe was a “fine Georgia peach” and had a “mini me” (her daughter) standing next to her. So funny!

But as Jay began to heal from his injury, he couldn’t help but think back to how he had treated Bebe when they graduated high school and he chose football over her and broke her heart. He realized that even though he loved playing football, he may have made the biggest mistake of his life. Could he possibly win her back?

Bebe had a wonderful little girl left over from her marriage, however, she also had been hurt by two men who were supposed to love her. Could she ever trust another man to be faithful after her husband broke his wedding vows? And she was definitely attracted to Jay, but he left her once before to pursue a career in football.

This story had lots of Christmas cheer and activities, as well as a solid faith thread. There was family drama that Jay had to work through, too. I enjoyed this second chance romance.

I received a complimentary copy of this book. All opinions are my own.

Such a sweet and cute holiday story. I loved that it included a couple of football references especially when Jay tried to work out a plan.

I didn’t expect the amount of God and prayer talk in the book but I found that it made the story feel more natural compared to other contemporary romance novels I’ve read.

Thank you so much to the team for sending me this early! Highly recommend if you’re a fan of the holidays and contemporary romance!

So, I enjoyed this one enough that my kids kept asking me what was so funny when I was supposed to be sitting next to them while they fell asleep last night. Obviously, I wasn't doing well at the boring, poker-faced presence that helps them give up for the day...

Second-chance romance is hard, when there's hurt and damaged trust to work through. Jay and Bebe were able to do that honestly, and while I'm sure they'll have struggles in the future, they faced a lot of tough things, and are doing their best to encourage and support each other now.

The extended family dynamics were fascinating, and seeing that much growth in a secondary character was impressive. Some false starts and old patterns, but the forward growth arc was great!

I received a copy of this book from Netgalley and chose to review it here. All thoughts are my own.

I really enjoyed this Christmas sports romance novella. This second chance romance had me rooting for BeBe and Jahleel to work through their past and to trust God with their future. The small town vibes were great, and the hallmark Christmas moments had me excited for the season.

Since it was a sports romance I thought Toni did a great job with Jahleel’s character as a professional football player, and I appreciated that the depictions of his playing were accurate and realistic to the sport.

I would definitely recommend putting this book on your Christmas TBR!

I received a complimentary copy of this book from NetGalley, Bethany House Publishers and Toni Shiloh. I was not required to provide a positive review. All opinions expressed are mine alone.

This book had two of my favorites in it - football and Christmas. Plus it was a second chance love story, which is my absolute favorite kind of romance.

Jahleel Walker (Jay) is a wide receiver in the NFL. He has a career ending injury which is how he ends up back in his hometown of Peachwood Bay, Georgia with his parents. He did not want to be there, as he left his parents' home on bad terms with his father. His father is the pastor of the local church, and he was sorely disappointed in his son's desire to play football.

Bebe Gordon is divorced with a 7 year old daughter, Hope. She moved back to Peachwood Bay after her divorce from her scuzzy husband. She is shocked when she sees Jay getting out of the car at his parents' home next door. They were high school sweethearts, and he broke her heart. Their first meeting in many years in his parents' driveway is definitely memorable and quite funny.

As they get re-acquainted, it is obvious that they both still have feelings for each other. But their lives are so very different. I enjoyed watching them get to know each other again. I loved Jay's instant connection with Hope. He was such a gentleman.

This was a light-hearted Christmas romance, but it also had a deeper message of forgiveness and learning about second chances, not just in romance. Both main characters completely captured my heart. I found myself cheering them on. It was the perfect mixture of a second chance romance, Christmas and most of all a wonderful inspirational message. This makes this Christmas novella a great start to my Christmas book binge reading season. This story would make a wonderful movie.

Thank you to Bethany House, NetGalley and the author for this ARC. I am leaving this review voluntarily.

Such a sweet, G-rated holiday read with some tissue-worthy moments and hefty nod to the reason for the season. 🎄

Here are five things I loved about this Christmas novella:

💃 There is a Christmas-themed ball which sounds like so much fun to plan and attend.

🍑 The small town setting: Peachwood Bay sounds like a town I would love to visit. The Reverend and Mrs. Walker will really grow on you as supporting characters. Also best friend May and Ryan, the physical therapist.

🏈 Just enough football for this KC Chiefs fan. Jay begins the book with a career-ending injury, but there was still enough of the game talk in the story for me.

🦌 There are reindeer in Georgia! Love the way the ball committee incorporates these festive animals into their entertainment. We recently came across a reindeer refuge while travelling in Latvia. Such a serendipitous find.

🌟 The Light of the world is at the center of the narrative. Bebe and her little girl Hope love the story of the Star in the East and how it pointed to the Christ child. BTW, I think Hope may have been my favorite character.

If you are looking for a new holiday read, give this one a try. I enjoyed it so much that I will be seeking out more books from Toni Shiloh in the future. She has a gift for presenting biblical truths without being preachy.

Thank you to Bethany House and NetGalley for a DRC in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.

The Christmas Catch is a contemporary Christmas romance novella by Toni Shiloh.

Summary: Jahleel Walker’s season-ending injury has him leaving his NFL team and returning to his hometown of Peachwood Bay, Georgia, to recover.

If only it was easy to recover when you were living with your overbearing preacher father, and next door to the gorgeous Bebe Gordon-the high school girlfriend Jahleel left behind to pursue his football dreams.

Will Jahleel ever play football again?

And can he get Bebe to give him another chance after he let her down all those years ago?

My Thoughts: This book was wonderful.

My one complaint is that Toni Shiloh’s Christmas novels are so much shorter than her other books. I just want to keep reading!

So, I guess that’s not really a complaint-I just really enjoy them!

I have come up with a solution to this problem.

She mentions watching Hallmark movies every Christmas in this book, and I have decided that she should write a Christmas novella every year. That way, I can get my fix just like with Hallmark movies. Hint. Hint. 🙂

ANYWAY, I really enjoyed this story. It is sweet, it is funny, has a great message of redemption, and a nice romance.

If you enjoy Christmas romance, this novella, along with last year’s You Make It Feel Like Christmas, would be wonderful books to pull out and enjoy during the Christmas season every year. They are both great.

I would like to thank Bethany House for providing me with a free digital copy of this book in exchange for my review. Thank you!

Christmas, football and second chances make this novella a must read for fans of Christian Christmas fiction! This story is another wonderful Christmas story by Toni Shiloh. The characters were well thought out and developed and the second chance romance is so sweet!

There are wonderful clean romance scenes, heartwarming family moments, hot chocolate, reindeer and so many Christian faith elements woven into this story. There are family drama moments but also heartwarming ones as well. I highly recommend this book to anyone looking for an enjoyable Christmas read this upcoming holiday season.

Thank you to the publisher for an opportunity to review an ARC of this book. All opinions expressed are my own.

I just can't get enough of Christmas centered romance books here lately. My favorite so far is this book right here - "The Christmas Catch".

It is a novella, but is very filling & detailed enough without being overwhelming. The pacing is perfect and the characters are all realistic - I felt as if I knew them all! I couldn't help but smile & feel all warm inside as I read about Jahleel & Bebe's second chance romance after being high school sweethearts.

I love how their story is centered around faith & the real reason for the holiday season. No hot & heavy love scenes, just innocent kisses & intimate talks on how they feel about each other. I ate this up!! The way Jahleel is so committed to showing Bebe he has changed without rushing things between them had me swooning!

I love how Jahleel & his father have a conversation to heal from their past mishaps & are able to move towards a healthier relationship. Communication is key!

Thank you to NetGalley & Bethany House Publishers for the eARC of this book in exchange for my honest review.❤️

Another fun and funny, and very heartwarming, story, it's almost like a hallmark Christmas movie. Except better!
Highly recommend!

Disclaimer: I receive complimentary books from various sources, including, publishers, publicists, authors, and/or NetGalley. I am not required to write a positive review, and have not received any compensation. The opinions shared here are my own entirely. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255

Thank you to Toni Shiloh, NetGalley, and Bethany House for this #gifted book!*
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Title: The Christmas Catch
Author: Toni Shiloh
Genre: Contemporary Romance
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Synopsis: “She blinked, then snorted softly to herself. This was no hallmark movie. Besides, she could think of only one holiday movie with a football star. Nothing in her situation matched that.” When Bebe Gordon runs into her ex-high school sweetheart back in her hometown, her emotions are falling like Christmas snow flurries—all over. Jahleel Walker, wide receiver for the, is out for the season…and possibly his career. But as the two come face to face with their past, both begin to realize that maybe God brought them both here for a reason. Could their story be a Hallmark movie after all?

Analysis: I’m a big fan of novellas for the Christmas season because we all know it can get crazy, and Toni’s book The Christmas Catch is exactly that! It’s not just the perfect length but also the perfect blend of humor, love, and faith. I loved the characters dealing with real life situations and overcoming them in this second chance romance. You’ll love the flirty banter, the Christmas settings (hot chocolate and reindeer anyone?!), and the way the characters always look to God first. If you enjoy Christmas movies, football, and happy endings, this is just the book to add to your holiday tbr!

Star Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

*I was given an ARC in exchange for my honest review. All thoughts and opinions ťexpressed in this review are my own.

Turano is one of my favorite authors. I wonder how she can create another set of unique characters yet she does it every time. The people made this book for me. I thought Owen's family were hilarious and wonderful and I appreciated that Camilla, a member of the 400, could see their qualities.

There are several romances going on and Owen is so protective of all the women in his family that he almost neglects his own possibility for love. I liked the witty banter between him and Camilla.

I enjoyed this series a lot. I'd highly recommend it.