This is one of the MOST beautiful and devastating stories I have ever read. 🧡

"𝘞𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘸𝘦 𝘤𝘢𝘭𝘭 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘣𝘦𝘨𝘪𝘯𝘯𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘪𝘴 𝘰𝘧𝘵𝘦𝘯 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘦𝘯𝘥. 𝘈𝘯𝘥 𝘵𝘰 𝘮𝘢𝘬𝘦 𝘢𝘯 𝘦𝘯𝘥 𝘪𝘴 𝘵𝘰 𝘮𝘢𝘬𝘦 𝘢 𝘣𝘦𝘨𝘪𝘯𝘯𝘪𝘯𝘨. 𝘛𝘩𝘦 𝘦𝘯𝘥 𝘪𝘴 𝘸𝘩𝘦𝘳𝘦 𝘸𝘦 𝘴𝘵𝘢𝘳𝘵 𝘧𝘳𝘰𝘮."

This is a story about two childhood friends who are perfect for each other and compliment each other in the best ways, but for some reason the universe keeps pushing them a part in different ways.

I cried so many times during this book, I lost track, I would have tears streaming down my face and was still just continuing on like my entire world was not rocked by this story. Brisket, dude, brisket, who cries over brisket? I do, now, so that's a thing. I got a Dr. Pepper today, started crying. omg. Jennifer, what are you doing to me? This is only the second book SO FAR (because I will be reading them ALL) I have read from this author and she is now on my auto buy list. This book, man, I have no more words, just so many feelings. I am still crying over these characters and all of the events that took place and that ending, it was everything I could have hoped for.

If you love romances, that will break your heart, but also make you smile like crazy, and has an HEA, this is the one dude, this one right here.

- - -

Main points:
🧡first person pov
🧡dual pov - Ella & Max
🧡YA/NA romance
🧡friends to lovers
🧡slow burn
🧡he falls first
🧡found family

Max and Ella

"Catch the Sun" is Jennifer Hartmann's latest Young Adult novel about pain, loss and old love. This is Max and Ella's story.

This YA Novel deals with some pretty heavy themes and is not for anyone who can't handle pain, cruelty and loss. Therefore, take care of yourselves and take a look at the trigger warning!

I have to be honest and say that I'm pretty torn about this book. I'd be lying if I said that the story and the twists and turns didn't give me a stab through the heart every now and then.

However, I didn't feel the great love between Max and Ella. As a result, I unfortunately missed the depth. And I didn't like some of the twists that Jennifer Hartmann put into the story, especially with regard to one character 🙈

I really liked the characters Max and Ella. At 16, Ella has already had to put up with a lot. Her parents' divorce and the consequences of her brother's actions. Despite her pain and sadness, she tries to get on with her life somehow. Even if she has to distance herself from her classmates and put up with their bullying attacks. I liked Ella's development.
She has crawled out of the black hole more and more and has seen in Max someone with whom she is safe and loved.

But Max doesn't have it easy either. He continues to despair about caring for/dealing with his disabled father. At the same time, he tries to maintain his relationship with his twin brother. Max is a real sweetheart with a heart of gold! He takes care of the people he loves and is loyal like a Bernadina.

I give "Catch the Sun" 3 out of 5 stars.

Thank You to the publisher and NetGalley for providing me with an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

If you LOVED Say you Swear by Meagan Brandy, like I did, then you need to read this!!!!

Max is EVERYTHING!!! Book Boyfriend of the year!!
In True Jenn fashion, my heart was ripped apart multiple times and then slowly put back together. What a beautifully tragic story about love/hate.

5 STAR READ and NEW BOOK BOYFRIEND OF THE YEAR!!!
**book leans more toward NA than YA

JH can do no wrong. This book made me smile and cry. I think the MC from this book is my new favorite of hers. I was skeptical bc I don’t love a romance set before adulthood but this one was worth it!

4.5⭐️ - another day, another heartbreak from finishing a book by Jennifer Hartmann. This was a heavy read at times but I absolutely loved it and couldn’t put it down, I binged it in 24 hours!

Ella & Max were destined to be together from the moment they met as kids, until Ella is forced to move away. They don’t meet again until 10 years later, when they’ve endured a lot due to their family lives, that they both don’t want to ever entertain loving someone as it’s sure to lead to more heartbreak. But their chemistry makes it impossible to stay away from each other, resulting in a beautifully told childhood friends to lovers story that is tinged with grief and hard lessons.

Jennifer Hartmann writes such unique romances that are so devastating yet reassuring. Max and Ella’s story is one I’ll be thinking about for a while. It was heartfelt, so romantic and I loved the underlying message that unless you take the time to heal, the damage is always going to be there weighing you down. This story tackles bullying, navigating friendships and relationships as a teenager, complicated family relationships and trying to find your place in the world.

I would describe this as a coming of age / new adult story and in true Jennifer Hartmann fashion will break your heart into millions of pieces, with the promise it will be put back together by the end.

Thank you to Valentine PR for sending me an ARC copy of ‘Catch the Sun’ in exchange for my honest review!

This book took me on an emotional rollercoaster! It was both beautiful and devastating. I absolutely loved Ella and Max's story. Their bond is indescribable despite being tested over and over again. Once again Jennifer Hartmann did not disappoint.

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Shabby -BookBistroBlog's Reviews > Catch the Sun

Catch the Sun by Jennifer Hartmann
Catch the Sun
by Jennifer Hartmann (Goodreads Author)
26191846
Shabby -BookBistroBlog's review Jul 06, 2024 · edit
it was amazing
bookshelves: angsty-af, all-the-feels, arc, twin-brothers, tragedy-strikes, triggers, character-death, separation, young-love, second-chance-romance, young-adult, coming, coming-of-age

The Queen Of Angst slays again. STUNNING tale of childhood love, destroyed by fate and circumstances. Utterly heartbreaking, yet hope stays alive in this remarkable story woven with adorable parallels drawn from from Pooh & Piglet.

“What we call the beginning is often the end. And to make an end is to make a beginning. The end is where we start from.”


It will leave you breathless and gasping for air, as Jennifer rips you apart with her mighty words, only to put it back together again. Character development, pace & Attentive detailing have been meticulously crafted by Jen to make this story a masterpiece.
It is Searing, soul searching and sentimental overload. I got to experience every tiny emotion in the world, while completely engrossed in it from start to finish. I dare you to put it down even for a minute...you won'.t.

While her characters - Ella Sunbury and Max & McKay twins are young kids in school, their connection comes through with well rounded maturity. Ella is joy and sunshine personified. After her brother Jonah gets trapped in a tragic event, her life changes towards dismal future in their small town. Ridiculed and taunted at every step, she struggles to exist while her mother remains pre-occupied.
Only Max Pays attention. Actually his attention never left, just was overlooked by Ella, as he was shrouded in her grey cloud of misery.

"I made him leave before the sun came up. . The sun was harsh, unforgiving, too bright. It shone light on all of our shattered pieces that I couldn’t put back together, so I hid them away in the dark."

With Max's undying affection & patience those grey clouds part and rays of sunshine fall on Ella's neglected life. Time to bask & blossom again. But storm is on the horizon and it devours ALL. Their lives shattered and strewn like hay after a hurricane.

“I love you, but my love doesn’t conquer all. It doesn’t override the horrible things you did, the way you dismantled the life I was creating, the one I had just started rebuilding from the ground up. You tore it all down and left me shattered.”

In the midst of it all, one scene stands out like a bubble trapped in time. The bridge scene is so carefully executed. So many feathery sentiments are flying everywhere. Jen keeps the momentum intact but lets love tempo dictate the Speed. Two beating hearts find a respite and claim it, even if it's for fleeting minutes. That created memory becomes the north star for Ella & Max. This is what they look for throughout the story as their slice of heaven.

“Young Love......The purest fucking kind.”

Jen is known for her emotionally-charged narrative, she takes it a step further to a new height of agony. The hopeful path of forgiveness and redemption is tough to walk though. Both Ella and Max can't let go of their tragedies because they both are victims and villains of their own lives. How do they forgive themselves while hurting to their marrows in pain?

"My brother is gone, but so is hers. My world is rocked, but she’s in the same boat, getting tossed and thrown among tumultuous waves. We’re both victims, both drowning in the shadows, both trying to find the light. "

I've bawled during and especially at the last part of the story. My puffy eyes and choked breath are testament to the genius of her story writing prowess. Grief and loss might be the darkening mood, but trust Jen, clouds part and sun does shine again.

"The end is where we start from. Once there’s an end, you can never go back to the beginning, and that feels permanent. People latch on to the finality of that and overlook the deeper meaning, the hope that resides inside.
No, you can’t go back to the beginning… But you can always create a new one."

Jens prowess is creating relatable characters going through the pain process, evoking empathy from her readers. Sometimes detatchment does give closure and that's the most powerful message of the story. To give grace to yourself, heal thyself before finding solace for others.
I'm babbling, but this story deserves all the stars in the universe. Be sure to pick it up when it releases.
ALL THE STARS - the sky exploded a while ago!

Wow! I have no idea how Jennifer Hartmann can write such tragedy into a story line yet, make it so enthralling you simply can’t look away; THEN she heals you in a way you never thought possible after so much heartache…but I trust her…I know it’s her superpower and I know I will love it every time! Catch the Sun was absolutely that kind of story and I loved it so much!

Truth be told, I was a bit hesitant to pick up this book because it was marketed as YA but, the tragedies and trials these characters go through force a maturity that is well beyond their years as they struggle to keep the innocence that so frequently comes with being eighteen years old and seniors in high school. While Jennifer included that innocence in the setting such as, bonfires and school dances, and through secondary characters who bullied and alienated Ella at school; Max and Ella’s story had an emotional depth that tugged on my heart in a way that their ages became secondary and the YA factor I feared faded in to the tortured love story I always love from Jennifer Hartmann.

“…there is no love and war. Love is war. You fight until you win, or you fight until you lose. Imagine the victory after all that pain and struggle, after all those battle wounds…Let that be us.”

I knew when I opened the book that I was in for heartache! When you see a book broken into parts, you know big things are coming and this book was filled with twists and turns I didn’t see coming. Each trial testing Max and Ella’s connection one after another made me root so hard for their HEA with my heart in my throat! Their story required trust, forgiveness, sacrifice, and resilience; an ability to see beyond their circumstance to each other and the bond that formed when they first met at just seven years old, and it couldn’t have been written better. Filled with the nuances that make Jennifer’s books so captivating and memorable, Catch the Sun is a must read!

“Kissing you feels like catching the sun”

CW are abundant and listed in the front of the book. Please check before reading.

Thank you to Bloom, NetGalley, Jennifer Hartmann, and Valentine PR for the eARC. I’m leaving this review voluntarily and all thoughts are my own.

Jennifer Hartman is an automatic buy author more me and this did not disappoint. My heart was ripped out, thrown back together only to be ripped out again, just how I like to read Jennifer’s books.

Where to even begin - I am still absolutely smitten with Max and Ella nearly two weeks later.

Ella was hilarious - so sarcastic and she was constantly cracking me up, while Max was the best example of “it’s always been you”. Even as Ella continuously pushes him away, Max slowly works his way into her heart by writing notes, making lists and never giving up on her🫶🏻

Honestly, the family dynamics in this one are complicated and MESSY. It will take you on a roller coaster of emotions but it’s the way everything comes together to make the perfect ending that solidified it as one of my favorite JH’s 🥹

Read this if you love:
🧡friends to lovers
🧡”it’s always been you”
🧡Dr. Pepper
🧡complicated family dynamics
🧡cute nicknames
🧡MCs writing notes 🥹
🧡orange

🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟

Thank you so much @valentine_pr_ and @author.jenniferhartmann for allowing me to be an early reader!

jennifer hartman is one of my favorite authors for a reason. I adored this YA angsty romance. they had me in the feels, it was gut wrenching emotional and beautiful. I also bought myself a hard copy. I loved it so much!

Get ready for this EPIC read that needs to be at the top of your TBR list!! Your heart is ripped out right at the beginning of this book, it’s put back together, ripped out again, it’s put back together, ripped out again, and finally put back together again. Get the tissue box ready and prepare for an emotional roller coaster that is worth every moment!! I was worried about it being considered YA, but while the FMC and MMC are 17, this story is anything but YA.

Catching the Sun is one of those books that gave me all the feels. I love Jennifer Hartmann’s writing and this was heartbreaking at times, but the end left me so happy and hopeful.

Max and Ella met when they were children and they became best friends. They were separated when Ella moved away and didn’t see each other again until their teens. Ella’s life is a mess and Max’s isn’t easy either.

I don’t want to go too far into the plot because I liked not knowing what had happened or what was happening. It kept me on the edge of my seat and intrigued all the way through. I have some thoughts and theories (specifically about Ella’s brother).

This book was emotional, intriguing, and romantic. The love story was so beautiful. I love a devoted hero so much, and Max was perfection. Catching the Sun is a mature YA novel that you don’t want to miss out on!

DO NOT START THIS BOOK BEFORE BED OR YOU WILL END UP STAYING UP ALL NIGHT TO FINISH IT!! Once I got about 30% through the story I could not put it down, I was not expecting this story to go the way it did! I mean what?!?! Wow this has to be my favorite book by Hartmann so far! This was full of twists, drama and loss and I wanted to scream at the characters sometimes!! I highly recommend this book, it was incredible! I felt all the emotions throughout this entire story it never stopped getting crazier and crazier! No spoilers but READ THIS NOW!

💛Friends to lovers
💛Angsty & Emotional
💛Trauma Healing
💛Small Town
💛Bookworm X Popular Guy

I loved this book so much! Jennifer Hartmann did it again! I swear every book l've read by her is 5 Stars! I loved Ella poor sweet girl! And Max Manning is precious and must be protected at all cost! This book was super emotional and covers heavy topics. It breaks your heart and then puts it back together! I mean would it even be a Jennifer Hartmann book if it didn't? Please read this book! And if you haven't read her other books, read all those too!

One thing Jennifer Hartmanns is amazing at is being able to make a reader feel every emotion during a book. I went from ready beautiful scenes,to truly traumatic scenes,to scenes with anger ans jealousy, to scenes of love. This book is a true emotional rollercoaster! The trauma Elle has been through and goes through in this book jumps off the page and makes you truly FEEL it. Max has his own issues and as they spend time together they learn to help each other heal, but of course it's a Jennifer Hartmanns book so in true Jennifer fashion nothing happens easily they have to fight for their love and happily ever after.

Another hit from Jennifer! Every time I think she can’t top herself she does it again. This one had me all up in my feels. She did such a great job for being YA.

This will probably end up being my favorite read of 2024..

I was so sure that there was no way Jennifer could top Still Beating for me, and she’s done it. With a YA book at that! While this book is YA, the themes are extremely dark and there is definitely spice. I adored Ella and how much of a true survivor she was. She’s an incredibly strong FMC, and while she’s battling past and present trauma, we get to see Max be there for her every step of the way. Even when what she needs threatens to tear them apart. Max’s life is completely chaotic as well, and the way they lean on each other was such a privilege to read about.

I could write paragraph after paragraph about how much I adore this book, and I can tell you that there’s multiple people that have this book in their hands right now because I yelled at them or gently nudged them to buy it, and I don’t plan on stopping anytime soon.

Senior year, Ella moves back to the small town she suddenly left at age seven. She’s the outcast, the sister of a killer. And across the street lives Max, her once best friend, who’s experiencing his own familial pain. As Ella and Max spend time together, hope and light emerge. Their first love is sweet and built upon understanding, patience, and arm muscles (Ella, I can relate). But then their happiness and peace is threatened by the unexpected.

In a single book, Jennifer can write the loveliest scenes, filled with hope, humor or love…and also break your heart. Catch the Sun is a very emotional read (I cried several times) and deals with some tough situations I’m still thinking about.

I loved both Ella and Max! Ella is sarcastic and kept me laughing. Max is sweet and considerate, just so kind.

If you love your romance emotional, angsty, and hard fought, you’ll want to pick this one up! But please make sure to check content warnings.

I went into this book completely blind, sucked in by the beautiful cover. I’m not gonna lie, I did love the fact that the book starts off with a quote from Eeyore (my favorite Disney character).

I think the best way to describe this book without giving too much away is: Two teens living tumultuous lives and working through personal trauma and grief reignite a long lost friendship and find solace in each other.

This is my second foray into Jennifer Hartmann’s work. While Still Beating was not for me, I did enjoy this book a lot more. The character growth (and frankly relationship growth) of both Ella and Max was so inspiring to read. Even with everything going on in their lives, I still kept rooting for them! At times, the book was almost too heavy to read, so please proceed with care if you plan to pick this one up.

Just as a warning for those diving in to this book: this is only “young adult” in the sense that the main characters are 17/18 years old and in high school. This very much reads as a new adult/adult novel.

Thank you to Bloom Books and Netgalley for the ARC!