Jennifer absolutely does it again!!! 👏🏻
She beautifully lays the story out and I am literally asking myself “where is she going with this?”…..then BAM….I’m laughing, crying and screaming!!!!

This book does start off slowly, but when it takes off Jennifer does tie it all together with a beautiful bow!! This book will definitely stay with me in the best possible way!!

Deep breaths. This one is tough. Jennifer does it again. She has this amazing way of taking really deep dives and writing amazing characters and complicated storylines that suck you in, grip your heart and destroy you. Then piece by piece she puts you back together. This is another one of her masterpieces.

Ella and Max meet as young kids and begin an instant connection and friendship. They are inseparable, until that day. Ella's parents have other plans and the two are separated for 10 years. Reunited again after Ella moved back with her mom following a terrible tragedy, the two start to rekindle their once innocent friendship. This time, those feelings are more mature and they start to have romantic feelings.

Ella is carrying the heavy weight of her brother's actions. Max is the one in charge of his family and their secrets. The two teens are pulled together as both support and acceptance helps to make them feel some normalcy.

Unfortunately that can't last and their worlds spiral out of control and then collide in an explosive and excruciating way. The only way they see through it is to set their own paths. Healing is painful and while them being apart opens a wound, other ones heal.

The end is a very difficult, hard fought HEA that will warm your heart. I know that I took a very deep breath.

The story is so well written. Jennifer honestly understands trauma, trauma bonding and healing. She writes amazing interconnected stories in the bigger story. Her side characters are fantastic. I know that will think about this book for years to come.

Catch the Sun
Wow! Thank you to NetGalley and Bloom Books for the digital ARC copy. This story blew me away. Ella and Max's story is unforgettable. All the stars. If Jennifer writes it, I’ll be reading it.

Ella and Max form an inseparable bond as children. But soon enough Ella is forced to move away and they lose contact until they are late teenagers. But by this stage so much has changed. Ella is dealing with her older brother being sentenced to death and Max is taking on the man of the house role to try and support his twin brother and disabled father.

“Fun is a privilege. Fun is the result of good, wholesome living. I’m just trying to survive at this point”

This one really took me by surprise, it was so much deeper than I imagined it would be, especially for a YA book. Parts of this book were absolutely heart breaking. The plot had several different storyline’s within that all held their own.

The bond that Hartman was able to depict between the two main characters was so beautiful. I loved their banter and blossoming romance. Max was so patient with Ella and his attention to detail was so sweet. Near perfection for a devoted MMC.

“Live every day like its your first. Lasts are tragic. If you make everyday a celebration, you’ll never get bored in your own story”

I’ve read quite a few of this authors books and somehow they just keep getting better. Jennifer has a way of building up a storyline in such a way you feel like you are there alongside the characters.

Thank you for to the author and publisher for this ARC. 4.5 stars

“ᴋɪssɪɴɢ ʏᴏᴜ ғᴇᴇʟs ʟɪᴋᴇ ᴄᴀᴛᴄʜɪɴɢ ᴛʜᴇ sᴜɴ.”

I don't even know where to begin or how to convey the emotions from reading this book. I will say that I'm not one to normally pick up a YA book, but when it comes to Jennifer, I'll read whatever she writes because I know it will be worth it! If you take away anything from this review, it's.....read this book, experience this story, and LOVEEE like Max and Ella.....deeply!

“ʏᴏᴜʀ ᴇʏᴇs, ᴛʜᴇʏ ᴍᴀᴋᴇ ᴍᴇ ғᴇᴇʟ sᴇᴇɴ. ʏᴏᴜʀ sᴍɪʟᴇ ᴍᴀᴋᴇs ᴍᴇ ғᴇᴇʟ ᴄʜᴇʀɪsʜᴇᴅ. ᴀɴᴅ ʏᴏᴜʀ ᴀʀᴍs ᴍᴀᴋᴇ ᴍᴇ ғᴇᴇʟ sᴀғᴇ.”

This book was raw, angsty, emotional, and absolutely heart-wrenching, but underneath it all is honest, pure love. I bawled morning, noon, and night while reading. I was so captivated by Max and Ella that I had a hard time putting this book down, I didn't want to put this book down! Jennifer does something when she writes, she has this power to pull all those raw emotions out of the reader that they feel what the characters feel and it's perfection!

“sᴏᴜʟs ᴅᴏɴ'ᴛ sᴇᴇ. sᴏᴜʟs ғᴇᴇʟ. ᴛʜᴇʏ ғᴇᴇʟ, ᴀɴᴅ ᴛʜᴇʏ ʏᴇᴀʀɴ, ᴀɴᴅ ᴛʜᴇʏ ᴋɴᴏᴡ. ɪ'ᴅ ғᴇᴇʟ ʏᴏᴜ ɪɴ ᴀɴʏ ʟɪғᴇᴛɪᴍᴇ, ɪɴ ᴀɴʏ ᴠᴇʀsɪᴏɴ ᴏғ ᴀɴʏ ʀᴇᴀʟɪᴛʏ. ᴀɴᴅ ɪ'ᴅ ᴋɴᴏᴡ, ᴡɪᴛʜᴏᴜᴛ ᴀ ᴅᴏᴜʙᴛ, ᴡɪᴛʜᴏᴜᴛ ᴀ sʜʀᴇᴅ ᴏғ ʜᴇsɪᴛᴀᴛɪᴏɴ… ᴛʜᴀᴛ ʏᴏᴜʀ sᴏᴜʟ ᴡᴀs ᴍᴇᴀɴᴛ ғᴏʀ ᴍɪɴᴇ.”

Catch the Sun will be a book that stays with me long after reading, a book that will absolutely be on my TOP READS list for 2024, a book that I will 100% recommend and a story that will live in my heart! If you read anything this year, READ THIS BOOK and EXPERIENCE Max and Ella's story. I promise it's worth the tears!!

Catch the Sun by Jennifer Hartmann was very well written with well developed characters. I was really drawn into this YA novel (even though I'm not the target audience).

Ella and Max were close friends at 7 years old; then her parents separated and Ella moved away. A decade later her brother is on death row for two murders and Ella is back. Being the sibling of someone guilty of murder does not make for a very happy high school experience.

Max and Ella rekindle their friendship and Ella finds a friend in Max's twin's girlfriend.

Highly recommended. Beautiful cover.

Many thanks to NetGalley and Sourcebooks Bloom Books publishing for approving my request to read the advance review copy of Catch the Sun in exchange for an honest review. I would definitely read another book by Jennifer Hartmann. One of the things I love best about NetGalley is that it introduces me to (new to me) authors that I've neglected. I'm definitely going to be on the lookout for books by Jennifer Hartmann. Publication date is July 17, 2024. Approx 448 pages.

GoodReads indicates that Catch the Sun is $0 with Kindle Unlimited. Wow. Thats a steal.

I was given an ARC copy of this book and I was so excited to get a chance to read early and write a review for all of you! This is a YA romantic suspense book full of twists, self healing, childhood friends to lovers and a slow burn that’s worth the wait. The two main characters both have trauma that they are trying to work through and with this trauma they have a hard time knowing their self worth and that even though certain things happened to them, it doesn’t define who they are. This book shows how they navigate through life and how to come out stronger in the end. Catch The Sun will be in the recommendation rotation and I can’t wait for others to read as well!!

“Your soul was meant for mine.”

I’m just a girl reveling in a romance that quickly became my world. Catch the Sun is a shatteringly stunning tale of strength, survival, and second chances. It delves into the value of life and love, and the fragility of it all. This book is the best blend of ordinary and extraordinary. It’s all the feels … it’s enlightening … it’s everything!

I was instantly transported to small town Tennessee as I lived and breathed the characters Hartmann so seamlessly and stunningly brings to life. I was drawn to Ella and Max’s undeniable pull … a connection of kismet. I was mesmerized by the depth and raw vulnerability of this hero and heroine who awaken and save each other. Ella and Max held my heart the whole time reading.

“If there ever comes a day when we can’t be together, keep me in your heart. I’ll stay there forever.”

Catch the Sun claimed my heart, stole my breath and tears, and blew my mind. I was transfixed by the poetic and passionate prose that danced across the pages … pulling me in like a hypnotic spell. I could do nothing but succumb to every emotional word.

I dare you to not to catch feels for Catch the Sun. I am so in awe of this love story that I can’t stop breathing … can’t stop feeling. It’s not only a 2024 top romance but a top lifetime read. Incredible. Unputdownable. Unforgettable.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ catch the feels “but worth the brightest sun and the entire universe” stars

I was really looking forward to this book, but I'm sorry to say I was a little disappointed.

I have to admit that I'm not usually a fan of YA. However, the theme of the book really intrigued me at first. The characters were also really mature for their age. BUT, it started to drag a little and the plot seemed like all over the place. There were so many side plots and unnecessary twists in this book that I actually ended up being more interested in those than in the main one (the romance between Max and Ella).

I usually do enjoy reading about characters overcoming their past traumas, but there was A LOT going on in this book and I don’t think it was necesary to mix so many unfortune events in one book. In such a note, please, don’t forget to check TWs before diving into this one.

Many thanks to NetGalley, the publisher and the author for this ARC. All opinions are my own.

This book absolutely destroyed me!!!! I was on a rollercoaster of emotions. This was so raw, heartbreaking and beautiful altogether. There was tragedy after tragedy and I was on the edge of my seat wondering when Ella and Max would finally get their happy ending. When I think of the color orange now, I’ll think of them!!

Wow! This is one of my top reads of the year so far! Be prepared to cry!
It says YA but it does have some heavy topics and scenes , so I would say it more on the mature side.
Characters are easy to like, I fell in love with Max.
Jennifer Hartman did it again! I loved all her books and this one was a great one.

another amazing and emotional book by jennifer. her books never cease to amaze me. the way she is able to conjure so many emotions out of her readers in a way that we can feel exactly what the characters are feeling, always leaves me in awe.

ella and max’s story was gritty and heartbreaking. these two have experienced so much trauma in their young lives. there comes a point in their relationship where you wonder, can love truly overpower all of the hurt and anguish that these two have faced?? this was a beautiful story about love and 𝐡𝐞𝐚𝐥𝐢𝐧𝐠.

“𝙠𝙞𝙨𝙨𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙮𝙤𝙪 𝙛𝙚𝙚𝙡𝙨 𝙡𝙞𝙠𝙚 𝙘𝙖𝙩𝙘𝙝𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙨𝙪𝙣.”

5 Brutal stars

I always know pain is coming with Jennifer’s books, but holy dang I was not prepared for this one.

This heartbreaking story follows Max and Ella, who were childhood best friends until Ella’s father moved her away from Juniper Falls. Ella’s brother is a convicted murderer, which contributes to her bullying. Max is one of the only people who sees her for who she is, and not something her brother did.

Jennifer’s books are becoming an instant read for me, as every book hits so hard. Her writing is just so, so good. You feel the emotions with the characters. I did actually sniffle and tear up at this one, which is extremely rare for me. Even my husband goes “DID YOU SNIFFLE?” 😂

I could go on, but I won’t. Just pick this one up….you need to.

📚Catch The Sun (ARC)📚

By: @author.jenniferhartmann
Format: E-book (ARC) 📱
Genre: Romance
POV: Dual POV
Setting: Tennessee
Tropes: Second Chance, Friends to Lovers, Grief, Trauma, Bullying,

Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Spice: 🌶️🌶️

Review: I’ve never read a book by Jennifer Hartmann that didn’t put me through an emotional roller coaster, but I have always loved every second of it. She is incredible at making you go through all the feels in her deeply emotional romances, and “Catch the Sun” is no exception.

This story is about Ella and Max. These two met and became best friends when they were 7-years-old, but when Ella’s father moved her back to her mom’s horse ranch they thought they might never see each other again. When a horrible tragedy brings Ella back to Max the two are tainted by life’s cruelty and are now estranged. But there is still a magnetic pull that brings these two together.

This story is about friendship, compassion and love concurring all. It’s about trust, resilience and survival. When all of life’s circumstances want to tear these two apart, it’s about fighting to come back together.

I loved every minute of this story. I laughed, I cried, I was broken and then put back together. There is so much heart in this story and like most of Hartmann’s books, the beauty is in the tragedy. It’s how we survive and get back up, and how people can be completely broken and then heal.

If you love a great emotional romance then this book is one of the best!! If you haven’t read anything by Jennifer Hartmann definitely read this and check out her other amazing books like “Still Beating”. She will be your new favorite author 🥰.

If you already love Jennifer Hartmann, which of her books is your favorite?

Stars: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ out of 5
Spice: 🌶🌶 out of 5

Tropes:
❤️‍🩹Trauma & Healing
🧡Friends to Lovers
⏳️Coming of Age
💕Second Chance

Review:
Another emotionally wrecking and beautifully healing book from Jennifer 🥹 It's the story of a boy and a girl...of tragedy, loss, hope, love, heartbreak, and it's wrapped in a delicately woven narrative that just climbs into your heart.

Ella and Max were bonded childhood friends ripped apart then reunited after a decade. In the interim Ella's become a town pariah since her brother was convicted of a double murder. Max and her attempt a rekindling, albeit it is hesitant and with reservations,  as Ella is fearful to get too close to anyone and lose them as she did her brother. The two navigate much in terms of emotional turmoil, their own demons and secrets that dare to tear them apart irrevocably.

This story at times literally sucker punched me...I actually gasped and put my hand over my mouth at two parts...I don't think I've ever done that before! This is more than just a romance; there is true danger threatening our beloved characters, but there is also true powerful connection between these battered souls.

Max brims with his own sunshine (albeit a bit hidden at first). His determination to be a beacon and being back out that whisper of light within Ella is so incredibly endearing. Ella's journey becomes an especially harrowing one, with equal parts pain and healing. But Max broke me sometimes with the rawness of his words, his vulnerability...he has ghosts of his own but beneath it, his hearts rings of that of a gallant knight.

Read this now... go on their journey, be willing to be broken so that you can be put back together twice as strong by the power and beauty of this story!

Ladies and gentlemen she has done it again. The way Jennifer writes her books ALWAYS pulls me in, destroys me, and leaves me emotionally damaged. This story was beautiful, suspenseful, heartbreaking and had me questioning things left and right. I loved every second of this and devoured it. If you have read anything by Jennifer Hartmann and enjoyed it then you will absolutely love this book. Even if you haven’t read anything by her, you need to so you can become obsessed just like me

Encore une fois, Jennifer Hartmann a réussi à nous offrir une romance incroyable et pleine d’émotions!
Nous allons suivre Ella et Max, des amis d'enfance et voisins qui ont été séparés pendant plus de 10 ans. Ella revient en ville mais toute sa vie a été chamboulée par des événements traumatisants et Max doit accepter de gérer beaucoup de choses dans sa vie personnelle. Alors ensemble arriveront-ils à se comprendre et à s’aider?

Je ressors de ce livre avec les larmes aux yeux et les papillons au ventre. Ella et Max sont tout simplement incroyables : attachants, résilients, touchants, exceptionnels. Leur relation est belle et pleine d'émotions. J’ai beaucoup aimé les thèmes qu’a abordé Jennifer Hartmann dans ce livre, c’est profond et terriblement beau! J’espère vraiment qu’on aura une traduction française de cette histoire!

En bref, un coup de coeur!

Wow. What can I say except that this author knows how to rip me apart every time??? 😭😭😭 IM TALKING FULL BLOWN TEARS AT 1 AM.

This had to be one of the most tragically beautiful books l've read this year...or possibly since "Still Beating" (aka her other book which I HIGHLY recommend, but pls make sure to check the content warnings first before doing so!**)

Safe to say that this book will be stuck in my head until I read something as heart-stabbingly beautiful in a tragic but healing sort of way & or she can just write more books and i'll be forever (heartbroken) but happy-that's an option too🫶

Ella Sunbury's life has turned upside down from regular suburbia girl to tragic story girl. Once upon a time Max Manning was her best friend and then she moved away, only to return years later as somewhat of a social pariah. Now that they are neighbors, they can't entirely avoid one another. Ella has been through the wringer in terms of loss and the other kids at school treat her like a disease they might get infected with. Jennifer Hartmann knows how to set up a story that had my attention from the get go with these characters that I'm already empathizing with.

Max keeps his head down low and avoids excess interaction at all costs. He's a little wary of Ella, too, but despite her melancholy history, she maintains a fairly sunny disposition with a heavy side of sarcasm that is difficult not to be more curious about. I adored the relationship between Ella and Max. Here were 2 people who had been run over by life circumstances and trying to make the best of what they were dealt with. I did think the initial attempts at flirtation by Max were a bit inorganic and contrived, but after that, they were each other's glue and sounding board. I enjoyed the dialogue and the small gestures they did that spoke volumes.

If you like your stories where the main characters do not have a lot of push and pull between them and are solid, so that the drama comes from the people and environment around them, then this is your jam. For me, the 2 side characters with major twists in their arc felt a bit exaggerated. If the author intended to plant seeds along the lines of how no one truly knows another person and what they are capable of, then she succeeded, but it required a bit of suspension of disbelief for me. While I got the ending that I wanted for Ella and Max, there is a portion of it that is truly heartbreaking because when the heart makes choices, it needs to protect itself and that love at all costs.

“𝓚𝓲𝓼𝓼𝓲𝓷𝓰 𝔂𝓸𝓾 𝓯𝓮𝓮𝓵𝓼 𝓵𝓲𝓴𝓮 𝓬𝓪𝓽𝓬𝓱𝓲𝓷𝓰 𝓽𝓱𝓮 𝓼𝓾𝓷.”

This is a coming of age love story between Max and Ella. They are very likeable characters. This story has:

🔥 friendship
🔥 love
🔥 trauma
🔥 death/murder

This was definitely a page turner and I enjoyed the story. The content warning page mentions this book is intended for audiences age 16+. I do not agree with that. This book has explicit scenes that would not be intended for that age. This is not a YA book as it is marketed. I would say it is more of a New Adult rather than YA. Beautiful story though.