To find proper words to describe this incredible book is hard. The characters are beyond stunning, wise beyond their years. The sharp minds, love, and pain that give them the depth of emotions created in this book are absolutely beautiful. The ability to overcome is inspiring beyond most people's capabilities. The writing is so eloquent, so many times I wanted to savor the sentiments written on each page. The wisdom written within the story is one everyone should take to heart. I needed to sleep many hours ago, but this story grabbed my mind and heart, and I just couldn't put it down. I am so thankful to have been blessed to read this book and meet these characters.

This book wrecked my heart and when you think it is being put back together, it shatters again.

This is a beautiful story of needing to make hard decisions in order to heal and move forward. I loved near the ending when Ella had to make a boundary with her brother even though it was hard for her. Sometimes we have to make those hard sacrifices in order to choose ourselves.

My plan is to post this book on my Instagram on July 16th.

https://www.instagram.com/robinashleyreads?igsh=MXczYmd6bmszdXN2Nw%3D%3D&utm_source=qr

Oh my heart! Sweet, sweet Max and Ella. These two! Oof my freaking heart bled and broke for these two. I devoured the book in half a day, I couldn’t put it down. Another Hartmann tragic love that hurt and healed me. So many sweet moments of love between these two and as siblings and parents/children. The Pooh references were so sweet and the goodbye quote in the epilogue-ugh! So perfect. Loved it! Jennifer has become one of my very favorite authors.

Where do I begin?! I have always loved Jennifer Hartmann 's writing, and I knew I was going to love Catching the Sun right away.
Ella and Max navigate their lives through trauma and find solace in each other. The things that they go threw at such a young age break my heart. I admire their strength and grace on how they pull through.
They loved each other so deeply, and you could feel that through their actions and words. I had to stop a few times because I was crying. I felt EVERY emotion coming from this book.
I was ABSOLUTELY not ready for the plot twist. I literally gasped and dropped my Kindle. I was in complete shock!
This is not just any love story. This is a very emotional and heavy love story, so be ready for a lot of tears (happy and sad) and heartbreak. But it's so worth it!
Cathing the Sun will always have special place in my heart. ♾️⭐️🥹🥺

This is my 1st Jennifer Hartmann read, I have heard about the heart crushing effect her books tend to have, but what I didn’t expect was for my own grief about things in my life to come swirling in as I was reading this story. There were so many things in this book that had me reminiscing and absolutely bawling my eyes out by the end. I finished this book 3 hours ago and I am still stuck, crying, laughing, sobbing. This one hit so close to my heart it’s not even funny. My own personal grief aside now…. This book was absolutely beautiful I think we can all relate to the first true love and all the heartbreak and fear that came with it. This is probably my favorite book I’ve ever read and I will definitely be checking out more of Hartmann’s work.

Thanks to Bloom books and VPR for providing me a eARC for Jennifer Hartmann’s Catch the Sun, through NetGalley, in return for my honest review.

Since meeting at 7 years old, Ella and Max are inseparable until she’s taken away suddenly. 10 years later, circumstances surrounding the crime and trial of her older brother has Ella back in the same town with Max. Not just same town and same school, but across the street neighbors. As they struggle to deal with life and the unfairness of it, they find solace in each other, where we witness love grow. A love that’s emerging like the sun in the sky, trying to shine its light through the dark clouds that surround their lives.

How to put into words the emotions that Jennifer Hartmann’s writing pulls from me in this book? I am shattered into pieces and slowly, very slowly, glued back together just to be broken again. Left hurting and reeling with little to no hope of seeing the light. But the sun shines bright. There is no light with no darkness, and no darkness with no light.

I loved this book.

Ya’ll get the tissues!!!
Oh the emotions in this one!! My heart was destroyed! I found myself sobbing more than once! And put back together and then shattered again!! I was also laughing out loud and swooning with the cuteness of these two characters at times.
I adored the Winnie the Pooh references. The quotes and sayings tied in PERFECTLY.

But omg I didn’t see the twist coming and was left gobsmacked! I was utterly shocked!

This is marketed as a YA book but it does have some triggers/content that should be taken into consideration before reading as it is HEAVY!!

Words cannot describe how much I LOVED this book! I 100000x recommend,
It deserves all the stars ⭐️♾️

Catch the sun was such a heartbreaking but beautiful story. I could not put it down, I had to know what would happen next. There’s so many twists and it was written sooo well.

This is definitely a story that will stick with me for a long time.

I really enjoyed the main characters Max and Ella ~
They met when Ella was 7 then got separated and re-met as teenagers. The two of them both go through so many devastating things at young ages & Their connection to one another was beautiful.

Catch the Sun is yet another gutwrenching, soul-crushing read Jennifer Hartmann has become known for. There is an abundance of angst as Ella Sunbury and Max Manning cross paths first as young children and then again as troubled teenagers. The collision of their lives at 17 brings back brief yet memorable memories of a sweet love that never truly left their hearts. Now as two people on the precipice of adulthood, despite the familiarity of finding their person again, getting to any semblance of happiness and peace is one rocky road. One that had me in tears a few times and a full-on fear of what could possibly happen to Ella and Max next. Hold on tight because what you will encounter is a whole lot of tragedy that I will admit rattled me a bit too often. But knowing Hartmann's work the way I do, I knew that if could just hang on through all the pain, that glorious and well-earned happily ever after would soothe my soul once more.

What Ella goes through in this book is almost impossible to fathom. A child of divorce was the least of her issues, as her brother Jonah, her fiercest protector and closest ally, turns her world upside down not once but twice. Both times with devastating consequences. It was interesting that Hartmann in a way made Jonah the focal point of the story since Ella couldn't escape his supposed violent actions as she tried her hardest to fade into the background as high school classmates tortured her relentlessly. That even when she found her footing again and started to feel the sun shine on her darkest of days, that both she and Max's worlds would collide in the most horrific of ways, spiraling out of control with no way to stop it for the foreseeable future.

With all the doom and gloom and trust me, there is plenty to digest here, there are bright spots that made me smile albeit briefly, from a few side characters who never gave up on Ella and Max. Brynn! is one such person, her bubbly personality and Christopher Robin eyes, making Ella her friend almost immediately and never giving up on her troubled bestie no matter what had occurred. Even Max's dad with all his problems and lapses of memory was still worthy of help and gave Max a purpose when everything and everyone around him didn't.

Then there is Max Manning. The very definition of a good soul. His patience. His understanding. His need to be caregiver to a broken family. The young man is a keeper and a half. The way he loves Ella. The way he remembers everything she says. How he supports her decisions and listens when things go awry. Always holding onto hope that they would come out of their mutual dumpster fires unscathed. He is the kind of book boyfriend you don't soon forget. And thankfully even as everything spirals out of control, that Ella didn't forget either, giving the last portion of this story the emotional end of their journey the happy resolution both deserved and needed.

I have to admit I was a bit torn with how to rate this book because of all that transpired, since most of it is riddled with tragedy. But as those last pages were read and my eyes were wet with satisfied tears, I realized that I truly did love these characters and really did appreciate all they endured and ultimately survived. That love does truly conquer all even when life hands you tough moments almost nonstop.

Catch the Sun offers up a rare kind of beauty beneath all the ugly as Ella and Max find love in the truest of forms, never giving up when perhaps the universe was telling them that they should. This is a book that will grab onto your emotions in a very raw way but when you are finished, I'm sure your heart will be forever full.

Catch the Sun: 4.5/5 (rounded down to 4)

Jennifer Hartmann's latest book is an emotional rollercoaster that had me hooked from start to finish. She's the only author guaranteed to make me cry, and this time was no different. The way she captures the raw pain and beauty of first love is truly something special. It's a rare talent to write about such an elusive feeling so perfectly, and Hartmann nails it.

The relationship between Max and Ella is so beautifully developed. From their connection as children to the flirty teenage banter and then the intense and heart-wrenching love they build -- every moment hits deeply. I also enjoyed that the balance between the emotional depth and the spicy moments is just right. The spice is there, but it's never overdone – it's all about adding to the plot and the emotional journey of the characters. Be warned, though, this book tackles some really intense and traumatic issues. While I could have handled it as a teen, it might be too heavy for some younger readers. You'll need a bit of maturity to fully appreciate and process everything going on.

One thing that drove me a little nuts was the female main character's habit of running away whenever things got emotional. It was frustrating, and had me yelling at the book more than once. But at the same time, it made her feel real, like a person with flaws and fears trying to navigate her way through tough situations. Despite wanting to shake her sometimes, I was rooting for her the whole way through.

I don't want to give too much away, but the ending left me with mixed feelings. It was powerful, but I couldn't help thinking it could have packed an even bigger emotional punch with a different resolution. All in all, this book is a must-read for anyone who loves a beautifully written, deeply emotional love story. Just be ready for an intense ride and keep some tissues nearby. It's perfect for readers who love great writing and aren't afraid to dive into the darker, more challenging sides of love and life.

Another masterpiece by Jennifer Hartmann!! This book will put you through the wringer - but oh man, it was BEAUTIFUL!! 🥹🥹🥹

Ella & Max were childhood best friends until they were torn apart, thinking they would never see each other again. But tragedy brings Ella back to the town of Juniper Falls 10 years later & she is content with keeping to herself & not letting anyone in.

Until she sees Max, who attends her HS, & these two are like moths to a flame. Slowly finding their way back to each other. He was so patient with her, gradually breaking down her walls to form a friendship with Ella… & eventually more?

BUT the things these two had to go through - it was one thing after another. My heart couldn’t handle it!! But their love was strong & Max was determined to CATCH THE SUN ☀️

SO incredibly heartbreaking, but beautiful!! I expect nothing less from J.Hartmann though! 5 ⭐️: this may be my favorite book by her yet - ABSOLUTELY pick this one up on release day: July 16th 💛

𝓑𝓸𝓸𝓴 𝓡𝓮𝓿𝓲𝓮𝔀 📚
Pᴜʙʟɪᴄᴀᴛɪᴏɴ ᴅᴀᴛᴇ: 7/16/24
🌟🌟🌟🌟💫

@author.jenniferhartmann you destroyed my heart with this story 💔. I don’t think I will ever forget Ella and maxs story as long as I live. When I say this plot was so well done. Whenever I see the color orange and see wine the pooh references I will forever think of these two characters.
I cried for these children I mean sobbed. If you want a book that is tragically beautiful this is the one. The plot twist, characters everything was so well done. My only thing was I wished I had more closure on one main character. Look if @johnmayer wrote gravity based on a book it was for this one! This was my first read by the author but it won’t be my last. Y’all this book has every trigger warning you can think of so I won’t even attempt to list them. Please be mindful of that. Thank you @read_bloom and @netgalley for this ARC.

ᖴᗩᐯOᖇITᗴ ᑫᑌOTᗴᔕ: "Forgiveness without love is one thing. but love without forgiveness ? That’s like a tree without roots. It can’t stand for long. It can never truly live. “
“I’d feel you in any lifetime, in any version of any reality. And I’d know without a doubt, without a shred of hesitation… that your soul was meant for mine.”

🏷️#catchthesun #johnmayer #gravity #murder #love #hope #healing #healing #read #books #horses #winniethepooh

This is a story of a boy and a girl who met as little kids and loved each other. They then separate for many years and finally live near each other again as teenagers. It’s a story of first love, but it is def not an easy love story.

There were a lot of heartbreaking twists in this book. There were times it was so sad & times it made me smile. I did not predict the twists that happened.

I honestly wish I could quote this book, but since it’s an advance copy I can’t, but there were sooo many beautiful quotes. In particular, there was one quote about innocence that I felt was one of the most beautiful things I have ever read.

For me the first half of the story was a little slow, but once it got going so much happened. If I could change one thing, I would make this book a little shorter and focus more on all the shocking parts in the second half.

Thank you to netgalley for the free advance copy in exchange for an honest review.

Jennifer Hartmann has yet to disappoint. Each book I have read by her has been a five stars for me and this book is no different. Jennifer has this beautiful way of writing that grabs you, mentally and emotionally bringing you into the story. This story made me feel EVERYthing the characters are feeling; the sadness, the fear, the resentment, the anger, and the love. For being young Max and Ella go through SO much I just want to hug them. They grieve in so many different ways but also take so many actions to better themselves. If you think this is going to be some fluffy romance, think again it has some deep topics and the twist that happens in this book left me with my mouth hanging open.

When I think of the word inevitable I will definitely think of these two. Max and Ella are so strong and you see through the choice they make for themselves. It’s been a while since I sobbed so hard yall.

There are also so many quotes I love from this story that I can’t wait to go back and highlight within my physical book. You guys this story is STUNNING and you need it, that’s all I have to say.

Jennifer Hartmann’s Catch the Sun is an exquisite exploration of friendship, love, and resilience. The novel follows Ella Sunbury and Max Manning, childhood best friends whose lives are torn apart, only to be brought back together under complicated circumstances.

Ella’s return to her hometown for her senior year of high school is far from a triumphant homecoming. The once carefree girl now carries the heavy burden of her brother's infamy—a felon on death row. Jennifer deftly captures Ella's struggle with societal judgment and her desire to remain unseen, creating a complex, sympathetic character that readers will root for from the start
.
Max, too, has faced his own share of challenges. With a disabled father and a distant twin brother, his life is full of responsibilities and distractions. Yet, Ella’s return sparks a deep, unshakeable desire within him to rekindle their friendship and potentially turn it into something more. Jennifer’s portrayal of Max is heartfelt and genuine, highlighting his determination and compassion.

The chemistry between Ella and Max is undeniable and beautifully rendered. Their journey from rekindling an old friendship to navigating a burgeoning romance is portrayed with authenticity and warmth. Jennifer excels in writing their relationship, which feels real and deeply emotional, filled with both tender moments and significant challenges.

The secondary characters add depth and texture to the narrative, each contributing to the protagonists’ growth. The novel does an excellent job of balancing the sweet, romantic moments with the stark realities of their lives. Jennifer’s writing is both poignant and gripping, drawing readers into the emotional highs and lows of Ella and Max’s journey.

As the story progresses, new tragedies test their bond, and the resilience of both characters shines through. The narrative’s climax is both heartbreaking and hopeful, providing a satisfying conclusion that underscores the themes of redemption and enduring love.

Catch the Sun is a testament to Jennifer Hartmann’s storytelling prowess. It's a moving, inspiring tale of finding light in the darkest of times. This book is a must-read for anyone who enjoys heartfelt, emotionally rich stories of love and friendship. Jennifer’s characters will stay with you long after you’ve turned the last page, reminding you of the power of perseverance and the beauty of enduring connections.

Thank you Valentine PR for a digital ARC of this book.

If there is one thing Jennifer Hartmann did exceptionally well for this novel, it was world building in a way that made me feel like I was there for everything. Like you could just feel the rain on your skin while reading the storm on the page.

Going into this book, I knew I had to be prepared for a rollercoaster of emotions but my gah does it still catch me off guard every single freaking time.

There was also an element of innocence and life inexperience of these characters that made the trauma, the pain, the laughs and the love so raw it was impossible to not feel every emotion these two had at any given moment.

The ONLY thing I feel like should be altered- this was definitely not a YA read to me. With the topics this book contains and the detailed content- I see it more New Adult.

Either way, 5 freaking stars and 0 complaints. Preordered the physical copy to add to my shelf of trophies 🖤🖤

4.5 ⭐️ ARC review
JENNIFER. WHY. For some reason I thought because this was a younger couple then she usually writes it would be a little lighter. Boy was I wrong. Ella and Max go through it. I love a childhood friends to lovers that delivers. They have loved each other since they were little but you can tell it doesn’t really hit until they have to go through some traumatic things together. And the grand gesture yall. THE GRAND GESTURE. It’s beautiful. Another stunner from JHartmann.

“Nobody ever really needs rescuing,” he says, our footsteps slowing. “But it feels nice sometimes.”

“Souls don’t see, Sunny. They feel. They feel, and they yearn, and they know.”

I fully expect Jennifer Hartmann books to put me through the wringer and this was no exception! This was a high angst YA romance - or at least, a romance where the characters are in high school but I’m not sure the audience for this is young teenagers.

Ella and Max were friends at a young age but they went their separate ways, only to be reunited as seniors in high school. Both have had a lot of trauma over the years and are entirely different people than the ones they once knew, but they’re both still drawn to each other.

It’s a slow burn romance, they become friends again first but Ella’s walls are very high up due to her family trauma and the emotional upheaval surrounding that. Max was a protector, a solid guy who tried to do what’s right by his family and by Ella.

Overall I think it was well written, I just don’t think I’m the target audience for. Open door young adult romance is a conundrum for me, I don’t enjoy reading about children having sex (to be clear- I’m not anti teenagers exploring, I just don’t want to be in the room for it) but think it was a good book in general, just not a new favorite.

There is a massive amount of triggers, including bullying, violence, gun violence, sexual assault, parental abandonment, alcoholism, underage alcohol use, and more.

Destruction. Any Jennifer Hartmann book has the power to destroy you and put you back together. I've yet to find one that doesn't do just that. This book is marked as young adult, however this is very much just based on the age of the MC's. Themes in this book are HEAVY, please read trigger warnings before diving in.

I don't typically annotate books but I highlighted a few parts that really stood out.
“Love always hurts, honey. That’s the price we pay to experience it."
"It's bright like the sun. And the sun is bright like you."
"Jesus, Ella, young love is the purest f****** kind..."

I devoured this book, I couldn't put it down. I struggled with needing to know what happened and wanting it to last forever. This book gave me physical emotions (beating heart, tears, happiness, anxiety).

Ella & Max are survivors, wise beyond their years - you absolutely need to read this book!

This book broke me and then put me back together in the best way.

I’ve only read one other book by Jennifer Hartmann, and it did the same thing. There is something amazing about her writing that takes you on a journey you didn’t think would happen through a book.

This book was heavy at times. But it was also lighthearted and carefree in the way young love is.
It took me on a rollercoaster of a ride.

Ella and Max met when they were young, but were separated for about a decade. When they are reunited later on, we get to see their story blossom through the good times and the bad. I loved these characters and how strong they were separate, but I also loved how they made each other strong too.

This book is one that I think will stick with me for a while.

Thank you Netgalley for this ARC.