This book took my emotions for quite the rollercoaster ride. There was tragedy, a lot of drama, but then also a a little bit of hope?! The character arcs of Ella and Max were phenomenally written, their interactions with each other and the rest of the world were realistic and relatable (aside from the major twist!) I yearned for them to have a happily ever after-my interest in the plot never waned. This was my first book by this author and it won’t be the last.

Catch the Sun is a sweet, emotional, & unforgettable read! I was hooked & crying from the beginning. Max & Ella are beyond soulmates. Max is the sweetest, most thoughtful, most patient book bf there ever was! He is perfection! Ella has her flaws, just like all of us, but her loyalty knows no bounds, I would love to have her as my bestie. I had such a rollercoaster of emotions reading this, joy, sadness, anxiety, happiness! At one point I had to take a moment to compose myself & not bawl & in another I squealed from delight.
This book belongs in a prominent place on my bookshelf along with all my other “Greats”!

What the actual heck did I just read. Just when you think their happily ever after is right there all hell breaks loose in both of their lives and had me gasping.

A truly devastatingly beautiful story. Jennifer has a habit of creating those so grab your tissues.
I could NOT put this book down. There were twists and turns I never expected, and it got worse (emotionally speaking, lots of crying) before it got better.
Childhood best friends to lovers found their way through a string of tragedies. This is a story that will stick with me for quite some time. It ended so beautifully, but man it was heartbreaking to read.
"Young love."
"The purest fucking kind."
I will be recommending to anyone who will listen.

Don’t let the rating fool you. I enjoyed it! Again it might’ve taken me months to read but I really had a great time. First of all Max…he was in my eyes too perfect. I mean he fell in love with her as a child and never let go. He remembers her hopes and dreams like it’s nothing. Might he be a little over the top? Yes. Obsessed even? Sure. Did I still love him? Absolutely. The only thing that was meh was Jonah but I see how he and McKay nearly ruined things (is that a spoiler?). It had the right amount of spice which some complained about. It was great for me lol not really into spicy books. Anyway I recommend it

Catch The Sun*is an absolute masterpiece that left me emotionally shattered and profoundly moved in the best possible way. Jennifer Hartmann has created a story that is both devastating and beautiful, a delicate balance of grief, healing, and love that will stay with me forever. From the very first page, I was captivated by the depth of emotion and rawness of Ella and Max’s journey, and I couldn’t put the book down.

Ella Sunbury and Max Manning are the kind of characters you become deeply attached to. Their bond, formed as children, is poignant and unforgettable, and watching them reconnect after a decade apart is nothing short of magical. But Catch The Sun isn’t just about the rekindling of their friendship—it's about navigating the darkness and tragedy that both of them have endured over the years. Ella carries the weight of her brother’s crimes and the judgment of a town that has cast her aside, while Max struggles with his own family’s trauma. Despite all of this, Max is the embodiment of kindness and patience, and watching him carefully break down Ella’s walls was such a rewarding experience.

One of the most beautiful aspects of this book is the way Max supports Ella, respecting her boundaries and showing her the healing power of love without pushing her. Their slow-burn romance is full of tender moments and deep emotional connection. Max’s thoughtful gestures, like the lists he creates for Ella to help her navigate her emotions, are just the sweetest touches that truly highlight how much he cares for her. I loved every little detail like that—they just added layers of heart to the story.

The pain and heartbreak in this novel are incredibly real. Ella’s struggle to reconcile her love for her brother with the undeniable evidence of his guilt is heart-wrenching, and the emotional rollercoaster Hartmann takes you on feels so raw. The book is not without its intense, gut-wrenching moments, and my heart ached for these characters over and over again. But it’s also a story of growth—both Ella and Max’s character development is remarkable. They each face their demons, and together, they learn how to heal, forgive, and ultimately find each other in the light.

The writing is so powerful and beautiful, with each page layered with emotion. I found myself crying, laughing, and feeling deeply invested in their journey from start to finish. The story doesn’t shy away from the tough stuff, but it also gives you hope, love, and redemption, which is what makes it so special.

In short, Catch The Sun is one of the most beautiful YA contemporary romances I’ve ever read. Jennifer Hartmann’s ability to blend heartbreak with hope, and grief with healing, is unmatched. I will treasure this book in my heart forever. Thank you an incredible read.

Fantastic YA romance with all the feels.
I am a huge fan of this author's work so reading this was pure delight! Coming of age books just hit different.

This was unfortunately a DNF for me. I made it to chapter 15 and I found myself skimming through the dialogue uninterested. I hope to try another book by this author but this one was a miss for me.

Jennifer Hartmann truly has a gift to pull on your heart strings! This was such a beautiful story and I loved it. The characters make you want to hold their hands and make sure they’re okay.

2 Catch the Snore Stars
How is this book 450 pages but it felt like 1000? There is so much dead space in this.
The book starts off with 5 stars from me. Its a unique start, emotionally charged adn life altering.
and then NOTHING happens
and then we have rekindled a lost love
then NOTHING happens
Then something CRAZY Happens and I am hoping it redeems the book
and then NOTHING happens
and then a STUPID thing happens
and then I threw my kindle.

also this is very high school aged *in terms of character ages* and would have done better if the narrators were younger as well .. I didnt reduce stars for this but its just a thought I had.

This review is challenging to write because I truly love Jennifer Hartmann’s work. Her writing style is so distinctive and full of heart, and she handles angst like no one else. This book is no exception—it’s intense and heavy but still captivating, and Hartmann’s storytelling pulls you in from the first page.

The story follows Max and Ella, childhood friends who are torn apart when Ella’s father takes her away to live with him. Years later, Ella returns to their small town, though now marked as a "social outcast" because her brother is on death row. As the story unfolds, Max and Ella reconnect and rediscover their bond.

The plot is unique, deeply moving, and beautifully crafted. Yet, I found myself not quite as invested in the characters as I’d hoped. Perhaps the storyline felt a bit too bleak, and I kept wondering how much hardship one person could bear. Despite this, I loved the "found family" Max and Ella create—it’s sweet and adds a layer of warmth to the story.

Overall, I did enjoy this book, though it’s not one I’d reread. I’d recommend it to anyone in the mood for an emotionally heavy read.

Thank you to NetGalley, the author, and the publisher for providing a copy in exchange for my honest review.

This was such an emotional read which shattered my heart and mended it yet again.
Jennifer Hartmann always has such a unique way of writing, it makes me so emotional and I always feel with the characters.

Jennifer Hartmann truly knows how to get you in all the feels with her books. The writing is just remarkable and you can’t help but get so involved with her characters. This was considered YA I believe so a little out of my wheelhouse but she made the characters so mature and experience so much more at their age than they should ever have had to. There was such a surprise twist that had me SOBBING. So well done.

•Second chance romance
•Friends to lovers
•Close Proximity
•Slow burn

Such an emotional read. This one will break your heart and slowly put it back together. 4 stars.

INFINITY STARS!!!!


Beautifully tragic. Thats how I would describe this book. Just trying to write this review has me in tears. IT BROKE ME!!! I'm talking AN HOUR to read one chapter because I literally couldn't read the words through my tears and everytime I pulled my self together and attempted to carry on, I would start crying all over again. This is one of the most beautiful, heartwrenching stories i have EVER read.

I was invested in Max and Ella’s story from the get go and their journey and what they go through from childhood to young adult is one that will rip your heart from your chest, shatter it in a million pieces before slowly putting it back together again. I wanted to slip through the pages, wrap my arms around the pair of them and tell them everything will be ok in the end even though, I really didn't know if it would be.

This book is going to stay with me for a long time, and a little piece of my heart will always belong to these characters. I went in blind and would recommend that you do the same. Just make sure you have tissues by the truckload and check the trigger warnings as it deals with some sensitive topics.

Jennifer - my soul is destroyed and i will no longer be able to look at the following items without having a total breakdown. I will be sending you my therapy bill.

When I say nothing Jennifer writes is a skip I mean it and after reading this book I stand behind that statement 100%!

Now about the book itself! These characters made me feel every emotional possible. I would be giggling happy one second and absolutely in shock the next, especially towards the end of part 3, god come on I was in shock okay!

Ella and Max DESERVE every year they have together plus 15 more! I hope all of the guilt they share goes away in time and that they always come back to each other knowing that they love each other. Honestly I was a little nervous that it wasn’t gonna be an HEA but then you hit part four and just know it’s gotta be!!

Absolutely loved this book! Definitely check it out!!

https://www.instagram.com/p/C-nmIhcR-cn/?igsh=MWo0dzZpMWFycmU1Yg==

This YA novel explores the complicated dynamics of personal relationships, revolving around family conflicts and to what lengths one would be willing to go for true love. A tale that is both tragic yet also rewarding.
I did struggle with the pace of this book which did not keep me hooked. The self pity and lack of hopefulness from Ella drove me crazy but is true to how a teenage girl would react to the situations she was put in. The decet from family members was astonishing to me, however very realistic. It just made me want to rip the characters from the page for their own happy ending.

*Thank you to Elizabeth Lowham, SOURCEBOOKS Bloom Books | Bloom Books and Netgalley for the ARC copy. I am freely leaving my honest review.

Emotional, captivating, and ALL THE FEELS. If you are a fan of Colleen Hoover and emotional romances that will destroy you and then put you back together again, this read is FOR YOU.

This is such a difficult review to write because firstly I love Jennifer Hartmann's books. Her writing technique is unique, heart felt and she writes angst like no other. This book is no different. It is HEAVY, yes but it is still entertaining and Jennifer's writing grips you from the very first page.

This book tells the story of Max and Ella, two childhood friends until the day that Ella's father takes her away to live with him, seperating these two friends. Years later, Ella returns to the small town, where Max still lives, however this time, Ella is the "social outcast" as her brother is on death row. Events unfold and Max and Ella find their way back to each other.

I loved the plot, it was unique, entertaining and beautifully written, however I don't know what it was, but I wasn't as engaged with the characters as I thought I would be. The storyline was a little too depressing for me, maybe. At times I thought, how much more bad luck can one person handle. I will admit though I did enjoy the found family Ella and Max made. It was very sweet and endearing.

Overall I did enjoy this book. Will I reread it? No, sorry. Overall though I do recommend it as long as you are in the mood for some sad content.

Thank you to netgalley, the author and publisher for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

I am a big fan of Hartmann's other work, but this one did not sit well with me. I think the ages of the main characters made me uncomfortable with the material.