4.5 Stars

Wow!! Another phenomenal romance book by Jennifer Hartmann. I am convinced that she cannot write a bad book. Just like her other books, the love story between Ella and Max was a painful one yet beautiful. The only critique I have is although it was fun to see Jennifer do something different by writing a Y.A novel, I think I would have personally enjoyed this story if the characters were a bit older.

I've never read anything by Jennifer Hartmann before but I'm in love! I normally don't cry reading books, but this one got to me. I was so emotionally connected to the characters and loved seeing them grow, progress, and fall in love with each other. The characters are all so loveable, and the book is a super fast read. I thought it was going to be a typical coming-of-age story, high school romance, type of story. And while it was, the story include some dark points but doesn't distract from the romance and chemistry going on.

There are also diverse characters, including two gay dudes, and I love seeing diversity in books expanding!

I have mixed feelings about this one for my students. The love story and the healing aspects were moving, all the complicated family dynamics were as well, but many parts of the story were overly dramatic and not realistic. Hard to talk about without giving spoilers but that is way more than would happen in real life. The sexual content was a little too explicit for many of my students as well. It was a long book as well.

Rounded up from 4.5
Max and Ella were inseparable when they were kids. But her parents' divorce forced Ella to leave town without being able to say goodbye. When she is back in town 10 years later, she moves in across the street from him. But neither of them is the same. Ella's brother is a now a notorious fellon on death row, and Ella has to pay for her Jonah's mistakes, being shunned not only by her peers, but by her teachers too. Max is busy taking care of his disabled father, trying to give his twin brother McKay the teenage life he deserves. Nevertheless, he wants his friend back. But life being what it is, he will have to work hard to make things work between them.
This YA romance sure was a rollercoaster! It had lots of ups and downs, some very frustrating things (and characters), some heartbreaking things, so bubblegum and rainbow super cheese moments and some very dark moments. The pacing and balance between the two was a bit weird. I didn't like the more YA side of things, as I am not a big fan of YA in general, but I was willling to make an exception for this author (when you read a Jennifer Hartmann book, you're not there for sunshine and unicorns, right?). But the darker parts were pure genious. No need to say that you should look up the content warnings before diving in to this one. I feel like it could've been a 100 pages shorter and pack a bigger punch. The second half was much more interesting than the first half. My mind did go a bit further in the dark and twisted side of things as I was expecting certain things to happen that would've made for a stellar twist, but the author took another road. I really enjoyed it overall nonetheless!
I received an advance review copy of this book for free and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

This book will lead you down and emotional roller coaster ride and hold your hand while doing it. What a heart shattering read. It breaks you, and heals you and breaks you again. I have read a couple of Jennifer's books but this one might be my favorite. Max and Ella are certainly survivors and I just want to give both of them the biggest hug ever. I love all of the little things Max does for Ella, the rocks, the notes, the Dr. Pepper, he is just amazingly perfect and I'm so glad he gets to Catch his Sun. Ella is so strong and resilient and I feel for her so much. There is so much longing and heartache in this book, but the pain is worth the journey.

I have so much more to say but don't quite know how to put it in words. 6 Dr. Pepper stars!

Thank you NetGalley and SOURCEBOOKS Bloom Books | Bloom Books for access to the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Wow. Amazing. Lost for words. Jennifer Hartmann does it again, this book had me crying so many times my husband was concerned. Her writing is beautiful and her characters feel so real that you could just pluck them off the page. I stayed up late to finish this book and I wasn't disappointed. Easiest five star.

Thank you to Jennifer Hartmann, Bloom Books, and NetGalley for giving me an eARC of Catch the Sun in exchange for my honest review.

This book broke me and then put me back together again. It is so much more than just a romance book. Ella has moved back to the town she left behind a decade ago, never getting the chance to say goodbye to her best friend Max. Now a decade later Ella is back, but she has changed. Her brother is sitting on death's row, and that offense has broken her. Seen as the villain and an outcast, very few people want much of anything to do with Ella. But Max recognizes his pain in Ella as he struggles to care for his alcoholic father and his twin brother who has mentally checked out of their family. As the two reconnect and start to rebuild the relationship that they once had, tragedy strikes again, but this time it brings so much more pain with it.

Witnessing Ella and Max's relationship felt refreshing to me. There was so much pain there, and that pain was approached in what felt like a healthy manner. The relationship was not forced for the sake for giving a HEA, they both had their journeys to take to get to that end goal. I will say, this book is not for the faint of heart. I cried for like 75% of the book. It is a gut wrenching book that is so wonderfully written it takes your breath away. Hartmann tells a story about loss, pain, and suffering. I suggest that everyone look up trigger warnings before reading this book because it does broach some heavy topics. Hartmann handled those topics with a grace that is not always seen but do not put yourself in a situation where this book could be triggering to you. I do not think that this book should be considered young adult. The topics feel too heavy and some of the scenes feel too spicy for it to be a young adult book. Yes, the characters are the ages of characters in young adult books, but this feels more new adult if not an adult. Just something to be aware of.

I recommend this book to all who are even debating reading this. I read the synopses for this book and knew instantly that it did not matter what I had planned my next read to be, it was going to have to be Catch the Sun, and I have no regrets. Such an amazing book.

5🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟

Tropes:
🥕childhood friends to lovers
🖤small town
🥕slow burn
🖤bookworm x popular guy
🥕angst/ emotional
🖤trauma/ healing
🥕YA romance

There are a couple authors who I know break me and I should have tissues on stand by... one is Jennifer Hartmann.
I was not expecting this book to be like it was on my emotions, i started it thinking this was a young adult romance book but it was so more than that
.
Jennifer has a way of just touching your soul, and making you feel what the characters feel themselves. The only thing that was really YA in my opinion was the characters ages... everything else was very much grown.

Max and Ella had such a connection, and this connection began when they were just six years old... if you have ever read Jennifer, you know there will be a twist. Max and Ella had to fight for everything.. it wasn't a straight HEA.

There were a lot of twists and turns and my heart broke at different points for both Max and Ella and everything they went through. Jennifer has a way of wrecking you and putting you together again

Please read the TW although the story ends in a HEA there are events that can be triggering for some.
I absolutely loved this book thank you so much to NetGalley and Bloom Books for this copy

“ Maybe some people aren’t into heal or overcome.”

“ We didn’t break up, we just broke”

I don’t think there have been any two people who deserved to heal and overcome more than Max and Ella.
I think they fell in love at seven and didn’t see each other again until Ella had to move back to small unforgiving town, she moves back an outcast , whose brother is serving a life sentence on death row.
Max instantly falls for her again, although Max is dealing with a father who is an alcoholic and has dementia.
Life has not been easy for either of these two, and you will fall in love with them and cheer for them, cry for them, and pray that they get the happy ending they deserve.

This was my first time reading a book by Jennifer Hartmann and all I have to say is, "Where have you been all of my life?!" I could not put this book down. It put me through every emotion imaginable. I've never read a book where I was rooting for every single main character. And twists, turns and ending did not disappoint.

This books follows the journey of Max and Ella and they discover and rediscover each other. Their journey is like no other that I've read. I don't want to say too much because I don't want to give away any part of this incredible story. I went through every emotion and it has quickly become one of my favorite books of all time. I can't wait to read it again and again because there are so many hidden gems that should be a part of everyone's life. I don't want to forget about this book and just move on to the next. I want to embed each character into my memory and I wish I could recapture each emotion as I felt it for the first time. Jennifer, you have a new life long fan.

Anything by Jennifer Hartmann is an instant read for me, and this book was no exception - I loved it.
Catch the Sun follows Ella and Max, two childhood friends who are reunited after years apart. Through trauma and tragedy they form a bond, until the unthinkable happens and threatens to tear them apart.
I loved the two MC’s. Ella was the perfect amount of teenage angst yet humorous, and Max was so thoughtful and tender.
Always the Queen of emotions, Jennifer’s book will put you through the emotional wringer. I laughed, I cried, I swooned, I was angry, I was happy. Most of all, I was incredibly satisfied to read another beautiful J.H. book.
Thank you so much to NetGalley and Bloom Books for the eARC!

As soon as I saw that Catch the Sun was on read now, I had to snatch it up. I kept seeing that everyone was saying that they sobbed and without even reading the actual summary, I knew it was gonna be a wild ride. I am pretty sure I cried the entire second half of the book. Tears of sadness and happiness. I experienced way too much emotion.

Max is the definition of if he wanted to, he would. He stole my heart.

I’m just waiting patiently until July 16 when I can add this book to my bookshelf.

I CRIED ON THE AIRPLANE!!

I haven’t picked up a YA book in a HOT minute, but no one writes emotional angst I quite like Jennifer Hartmann.

there was SO many plot twists and I just could not put this book down. I seriously need EVERYONE to read this. One of the best books I have read this year HANDS DOWN.

Also I’ll never look at the color orange the same way ever again.

Jennifer Hartmann is the queen of contemporary romance with a heart wrenching and emotionally devastating journey. It is a mistake to start any of her books without a box of tissues!

Just when I think there is no other way she can hurt me, I read Catch the Sun, and oh my gosh! Jennifer really has a way with words. She can make you feel everything her characters feel. The connection between Max and Ella is palpable, and reading about them gives you that feeling of falling in love for the first time. But like with any of her books, it’s not all sunshine and orange roses. Ella and Max have to fight for their happy ending. I felt the their terror and anxiety so much at the climax of the story my stomach started to hurt! Jennifer Hartmann is just that good. (Don’t fear, she also writes the sweetest and most satisfying endings).

Tropes
• Slow burn
• Coming of age
• Childhood friends to lovers
• Reverse grumpy/sunshine (Max is such a cinnamon roll)

Thank you NetGalley and Bloom Books for an eARC of Catch the Sun! It was so good!

It is an amazing novel.Thank you so much netgallery for providing me arc of this novel.I feel truly blessed.There are some novels you read and love it so much that from time to time you go back to reread it to carry on with your day to day life so as to seek inspiration and encouragement from it.I feel this book by Jennifer hartmann resonates with this feeling and it will remain one of my favourite book throughout my life.The characters in this novel make you grow with them and teaches you how to face every trouble in your life and then bounce back from it with renewed energy.It makes you believe in everlasting love without any expectations .I hope every avid reader loves this book as much as i did .I can't recommend it enough to all the people out there .

***Thanks to NetGalley for providing a complimentary copy of CATCH THE SUN by Jennifer Hartmann in exchange for my honest review.***

3.5 STARS

The first and last halves of CATCH THE SUN almost seem as if they were written by two different people. The beginning crept at a snail’s pace using one of my least favorite tropes, damaged girl pushes everyone away, yet everyone keeps trying although she treats them poorly. I considered skipping to the end, which I’m glad I didn’t.

The second half is nonstop growth and action. I could barely take a break to eat something. I didn’t want to stop reading.

Jennifer Hartmann’s word building is particularly strong in CATCH THE SUN. Uneven pace, flat characters and very slow first half kept CATCH THE SUN from being a better book. I’d still recommend it to readers who enjoy contemporary young adult fiction with the caveat they should stay with the story because it gets much better.

A captivating portrayal of how love evolves from strangers to friends and ultimately to soulmates. I so loved and enjoyed reading it.

Jennifer Hartmann has done it again! I love and adore her books so much and this one was no exception. The story delivers an emotional journey of friendship, love, and rediscovery beautifully portrayed through exquisite writing. I’m in awe. Undoubtedly, one of my favourite book of the year already.