I absolutely adored this book! As a little tomboy that grew into outdoorsy woman, I really related with Maren’s character.

I’m not always a fan of the slow burn, but this one was executed so well! I loved the relationship that developed throughout the story — not only between Maren and Joe, but also between Maren and the kids. I am a sucker for the found family trope and this one was just absolutely precious! I love how effortlessly they fell into this family dynamic with each other.

One thing I freaking hated was Liam!!! Omg! What a dick! Maren handled him so well. But I’ve always wanted a brother and he made me glad I never got one. There’s a difference between being a protective brother and just being a condescending asshole. But I do love how that part of the story led to Joe standing up for Maren and bringing them closer.

I also appreciated that there was no 3rd act breakup and no miscommunication!!! Both main characters were super mature when handling the relationship.

Overall, this was easily a 5 star read for me!

Recently single former Park Ranger, Maren moves back to her favorite Northern Wisconsin summer resort town when she inherits a decrepit bait shop. Floundering in life, she didn't expect to fall for her older brother's best friend, Josiah, a single dad of two young kids, one a high needs autistic girl, who is struggling in his own right. Full of heart, heat and great emotional depth, this was an entertaining read that was good on audio and perfect for fans of authors like Maisey Eddings or Maggie North. Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an early digital and audio copy in exchange for my honest review. This was the third in a trilogy and can be read as a standalone.

Thank you NetGalley and Spotify Audiobooks for this advance copy! This book had Meet Me at the Lake vibes but with her brothers-best-friend and an outdoorswoman who knows her stuff. The tension is great and the characters felt like they had good backstories and connections with others. I didn't realize until the acknowledgements that this is a series. I had a feeling it was, just by the way some of the other characters were referenced, but I didn't feel like I was missing anything by not reading those first. This book felt complete as is, though I am excited to read Erin Hahn's other books as well. I highly recommend! This was a great romance that went that extra step.

Catch and Keep by Erin Hahn is a fast, fall read that will keep you feeling cozy this season.

There are some things that I found to be too much for me during the audiobook. I did not really enjoy the narrators when working through the children's dialogue it was a huge cringe for me. On top of that, the male narrator didn't do it for me either. There was something off about his voice with this character that didn't sit well with me.

But, I did enjoy the single dad trope as well as the brother's best friend even though these are not my favorite tropes. I didn't really care for Maren's (FMC) brother too much but I get the writing. Loved that Josiah (MMC) was such a great dad as well as Maren being so caring for his children.

Overall, a great palette cleanser romance that I would recommend.

Thank you to NetGalley and Spotify Audio for this gifted copy in exchange for an honest review.

I loved this novel and recommend it on audiobook as well, I always have a hard time with grown up doing children’s voices so be aware.

4.5⭐️

Cozy, soft, and sweet, Catch and Keep is the perfect book to curl up with this fall! Hahn’s writing was so charming, full of tenderness and heart, and embodied a feeling of home and safety. I loved how this story centered around belonging and home, which isn’t always a solitary place but rather the people we can turn to who fill our lives with laughter, support, and love. This story is bursting with love, family, and friendship, and I adored how tender and beautiful the love between Maren and Joe blossomed.

Overall, I really enjoyed the narration but there were times when the male narrator’s voice for Maren had a more juvenile tone that didn’t quite fit with the story.

I didn’t realize this was the third book in a series, BUT it worked well as a standalone and now I’m excited to dive into the first two books. From start to finish, this story envelopes you like the coziest, fluffiest blanket and will have your heart bursting with warm fuzzies.

Catch and Keep by Erin Hahn
Narrators: Zura Johnson, Michal Norman Johnson
Rating: 5 stars
Steam: 2 chilis
Pub date: 10/15

Thank you so much to St. Martin’s Press for my advanced copy and to Netgalley and Spotify Audiobooks for my complimentary audiobook.

Maren Laughlin, at thirty-three, is at a crossroads in life, having turned down a marriage proposal and left her career behind. Returning to her roots in Northern Wisconsin to revamp her inherited bait shop, she’s ready to take control of her life, even if others think she’s a bit crazy for it. But Josiah Cole, the local resort owner and single dad, definitely doesn’t think she’s crazy—he’s all in.

Single-dad romances are my kryptonite, and this book did not disappoint! What I loved most about this book is how naturally the romance between Maren and Joe develops. There’s no unnecessary drama, just two people figuring out how to make things work. Joe is sweet and supportive, and Maren is strong, independent, and relatable. The fact that there’s no dramatic third-act breakup was so refreshing! Instead, they deal with real issues by communicating and giving each other space when needed. More romances should take note!

I loved Joe’s kids, Maren’s dog, and revisiting with all my favorite characters from Hahn’s past books. Maren’s brother, Liam, and Joe’s ex, Kiley, add some extra tension to the story, but it makes you root for these two even more as they stand their ground and fight for their relationship.

This is the perfect mix of swoony romance and deeper emotional moments, with a nice balance of humor and heart. The audiobook was great to listen to, and I enjoyed the dual narration.

Read if you like:
*older brother’s best friend
*single dad
*forced proximity
*dual POV
*open door spice

Read this if you like:
•friend to lovers
•brothers best friend
•single dad
•small town romance

This book was so heartwarming. Maren is such a strong MFC. Joe is so great too. And the kids, oh my heart. I love the autistic representation too. It was so real and authentic. The communication was top notch and both characters were so mature, it was a breath of fresh air to read! Thank you NetGalley & St Martins Press for the eARC!

This book is a warm cozy fire under soft flannel blankets with quiet smiles and easy laughs. Erin Hahn is such a reliable author for cozy and heartfelt romances and I devoured Maren’s story. Jake was a perfect balance to Maren and I loved how mature their story was. There was so much depth to each character without being overly weighty and there was also so much kindness and joy. Both Maren and Jake clearly knew who they were at the start of the story but it was so nice to see them choose each other because they made each other lives’ richer. The children were adorable and I loved how they all had their own personalities too. I loved the continuation of the series without it being necessary to remember all of the previous books. The audio was lovely to listen to and I was happy to have this playing whenever I had the time. 5⭐️, 2🌶

This was wholesome and so sweet. I loved the found/blended family aspects, but on a personal level, I HATE the best friends little sister trope, especially when the brother is an unbearable jerk. The trope really reeks of misogyny, so it means a lot that I was still able to give this book 4⭐️

This week I read a nice little palette cleanser romance, Erin Hahn's new book Catch & Keep.

When Maron's boyfriend of a single year proposes in front of all her friends and family, she throws up on him and runs from California to Wisconsin, to the lake she grew up around. Her fishing mentor left her his old property (now in shambles), and she decided to tackle that project for awhile to get away from deuchetard. At the resort by the lake, Maron runs into his brother's best friend, single-dad Josiah. Since the property is in worse shape than she thought, he lets her stay in one of the resort cabins in exchange for her running some fishing tours for their customers, a symbiotic relationship that leaves them spending quite a lot of time together.

I wonder how it ends, guys!

This is the only book I can remember...ever...wanting to give a half star rating to (on Fable, I did). I liked this book so much, except for one thing: the antagonistic characters were just too dumb (Ian and Kylie). If they would have been more realistic, I think this would have been a five-star read.

One of my favorite things about this story was how Maron fell for Jo's kids, too. Maybe harder than she did for him. And Josiah is such a good dad. The way they fell into their relationship felt very natural and organic and I was all in for it.

The whole thing is kind of glazed in this film of escapism. It didn't feel super realistic to me, more escapist. I think I've been reading too much romance! But it's exactly what's popular right now, for sure. It doesn't look like this is technically part of a series, but I read the first book with characters mentioned in this one (Built to Last), and I have to say I liked this one far better. It was really nice. It's also nice when you get an advanced readers copy of a book you already have on pre-order too :-)

Erin Hahn, you have my thanks for this one, and I'll certainly be keeping my eye on you!

📖 𝐂𝐚𝐭𝐜𝐡 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐊𝐞𝐞𝐩 𝐛𝐲 𝐄𝐫𝐢𝐧 𝐇𝐚𝐡𝐧
🎧 𝐍𝐚𝐫𝐫𝐚𝐭𝐞𝐝 𝐛𝐲 𝐙𝐮𝐫𝐚 𝐉𝐨𝐡𝐧𝐬𝐨𝐧 & 𝐌𝐢𝐜𝐡𝐚𝐥 𝐍𝐨𝐫𝐦𝐚𝐧 𝐉𝐨𝐡𝐧𝐬𝐨𝐧

“𝘛𝘩𝘦𝘳𝘦 𝘪𝘴 𝘴𝘰𝘮𝘦𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘵𝘰 𝘣𝘦 𝘴𝘢𝘪𝘥 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘫𝘶𝘴𝘵 𝘩𝘰𝘸 𝘪𝘯𝘤𝘳𝘦𝘥𝘪𝘣𝘭𝘺 𝘴𝘦𝘹𝘺 𝘪𝘵 𝘪𝘴 𝘵𝘰 𝘩𝘢𝘷𝘦 𝘺𝘰𝘶𝘳 𝘤𝘭𝘰𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘴 𝘱𝘦𝘦𝘭𝘦𝘥 𝘰𝘧𝘧 𝘺𝘰𝘶𝘳 𝘣𝘰𝘥𝘺 𝘣𝘺 𝘴𝘰𝘮𝘦𝘰𝘯𝘦 𝘸𝘩𝘰 𝘭𝘰𝘰𝘬𝘴 𝘭𝘪𝘬𝘦 𝘩𝘦 𝘮𝘪𝘨𝘩𝘵 𝘤𝘰𝘮𝘣𝘶𝘴𝘵 𝘸𝘪𝘵𝘩 𝘦𝘷𝘦𝘳𝘺 𝘪𝘯𝘤𝘩 𝘰𝘧 𝘴𝘬𝘪𝘯 𝘳𝘦𝘷𝘦𝘢𝘭𝘦𝘥.”

This was a great fall comfort read! It had so many sweet moments between Maren, Joe and his kiddos. Seriously. My heart was melting at the relationship Maren builds with Anders and Lucy!

Lucy has Autism Spectrum Disorder and requires certain accommodations to feel comfortable. Maren never once faltered in trying to form a bond with her and I think that’s what really sealed the deal for Joe. He was already attracted to her, but seeing her latch onto his children so naturally had this man head over boots for her!

Maren fleas to Wisconsin after dumping her boyfriend. Now she’s trying to renovate an old cabin and bait shop that was left to her by her fishing partner. She always knew her brother’s best friend was a good guy, she just wasn’t ready for how drawn to him she was! Maren has a heart that loves to fish and share that love with others. I loved how supportive Joe was of her passions!

This is a slow burn romance with open door spice towards the end! 🔥

I loved all of the side characters except for Maren’s brother Liam and Joe’s ex. Liam redeems himself by the end which I was so thankful for because he really was acting like a tool! 😅

If you love sweet & spicy, friends to lovers stories, go add 𝐂𝐚𝐭𝐜𝐡 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐊𝐞𝐞𝐩, to your TBR today! The audiobook, narrated by 𝐙𝐮𝐫𝐚 𝐉𝐨𝐡𝐧𝐬𝐨𝐧 & 𝐌𝐢𝐜𝐡𝐚𝐥 𝐍𝐨𝐫𝐦𝐚𝐧 𝐉𝐨𝐡𝐧𝐬𝐨𝐧, was very enjoyable to listen to!

𝘛𝘳𝘰𝘱𝘦𝘴:
💋 𝘉𝘳𝘰𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘳’𝘴 𝘉𝘦𝘴𝘵 𝘍𝘳𝘪𝘦𝘯𝘥
🫶🏼 𝘍𝘳𝘪𝘦𝘯𝘥𝘴 𝘵𝘰 𝘓𝘰𝘷𝘦𝘳𝘴
💞 𝘚𝘪𝘯𝘨𝘭𝘦 𝘋𝘢𝘥
☕️ 𝘔𝘊𝘴 𝘪𝘯 𝘛𝘩𝘦𝘪𝘳 30𝘴
👏🏼 𝘕𝘰 3𝘳𝘥 𝘈𝘤𝘵 𝘉𝘳𝘦𝘢𝘬𝘶𝘱
✨ 𝘌𝘹-𝘔𝘢𝘳𝘪𝘯𝘦 𝘔𝘔𝘊
🎣 𝘍𝘪𝘴𝘩𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘓𝘰𝘷𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘍𝘔𝘊
🎧 𝘈𝘚𝘋 𝘙𝘦𝘱

I have long been a fan of Erin Hahn, recommending her books (both adult and YA) to all my friends. Catch and Keep rounds out her trilogy of interconnected adult romances, and even though I loved the other two to the moon and back, Catch and Keep *might* just be my favorite. Maren has just upended her life—rejected her boyfriend’s proposal and given up her job as a park ranger—to return to northern Wisconsin to rehab a waterfront bait shop she inherited from an old family friend. While there, she reconnects with her brother’s best friend Josiah—a blond hotty who is now a single dad to two adorable kids. While they know each other is “off limits,” their friendship naturally grows into more as they spend more and more time together. Maren fits seamlessly into Joe’s life and the lives of his kids—she naturally steps into the space left by the kids’ mother who abandoned them. Maren and Joe are in the middle of falling in love before they even realize it’s happening, but the question is, can something that feels this easy actually last?

Erin has done it. She made a blond man sexy. That alone is worth the five stars I’m giving Catch and Keep. I’d give it a hundred stars if I could. I loved the scenes with previous characters from the other books. It made the book feel connected to the others, even though I felt the pacing and the overall feel of this book was slower, cozier, maybe a little more tender than the other two. Sure, the connection between Maren and Joe was sexy, but what I loved even more was the entire family dynamic. The protectiveness she has for his kids. The daily showing up they both do for each other. This book was the DEFINITION of soft but steamy.

Genuinely, this book is a gem. And the audiobook, read by Zura Johnson and Michal Norman Johnson, was AMAZING. I couldn’t stop listening. I listen on 3x speed (it’s my ADHD superpower), so I listened for three hours straight—I didn’t pause it once. (And when I was done, my downstairs was sparklingly clean.)

Thank you Spotify Audiobooks and SMP Romance for my gifted copies. All opinions are my own.

I’ve enjoyed this entire series, but wow did I love this one!

First of all the narration by Zura Johnson and Michael Norman Johnson was so good! Their voices really fit their characters and those of Maren’s friends.

Maren’s world is turned upside down when her fiancée gets the job she’s always wanted (when she didn’t know he applied) and then he publicly proposes. She returns to the lake where she grew up to clean out and restore property she’s left. I loved how she stepped in to help Joe solo parent and how she loved his children. I really appreciated that they were slightly older and how their relationship developed from friends into more. I also loved seeing her friends from the first two books in the series.

I LOVE this book in written form and the audio just made it come alive. The narrators were wonderful and brought so much feeling to a story that was full of big feelings. 🩷🩷🩷
What a beautiful story of friendship,love and family. Josiah and Maren fall in love in a dreamy outdoor setting while his kids fall in love with her as she helps him navigate his single parent life. His kids, Anders and Lucy, are adorable and Maren’s ability to listen to and love them is just beautiful.
Her friends (who have their own books, which I will now go back and read 😉) are hilarious and help guide the two love shy main characters to their happiness.
This is my first book by Erin Hahn but it will definitely not be my last. 🥰

this was such a sweet, heartwarming story 🥰 between a woman who returns to her hometown & her brother’s best friend (who happens to be a single dad 😉).

📖 Catch and Keep by Erin Hahn
⭐️ rating: 5/5
🌶️: open door, a few scenes

💭 overall thoughts:
I love how their relationship developed - Maren literally just started showing up for Josiah, and seamlessly became a part of their family 🥰

As much as I loved the dynamic between Maren & Joe, seeing her fall for his children (and them for her) made the entire book for me 🥹

Both his children have their own unique characteristics, and Maren fully embraces them for who they are.

(their biological mother is AWFUL & I kinda h@te her 😡 she made me irrationally angry)

🎙️ audiobook thoughts:
Zura Johnson & Michael Norman Johnson perfectly captured the MCs 💜

read if you love:
💙 single dad & her brother’s best friend
🐠 fisherwoman
(both in their mid/late 30s)
🧠 autism rep - Joe’s daughter Lucy
🌳 return to (small) hometown
🫶🏼 family & found family
🙅🏻‍♀️ no 3rd act breakup
💞 dual 1st person pov

Thank you to St. Martin’s Press, Spotify Audiobooks & NetGalley for an advanced copy.
All opinions are my own.

I don't read a ton of contemporary romances these days, but I've now read 5 of Erin's books in the last year. I will read absolutely anything she writes.

She manages to write her characters in a way that feels so authentic. They may have challenges that they need to work through, but they are always met with realistic actions and care.

Catch and Keep is no different. At the beginning of the book, we meet Maren, who returns to her childhood summer stomping grounds after an epically terrible proposal and subsequent breakup. She sets out to renovate a property she inherited but doesn't anticipate how her life will also change. Enter Josiah Cole, her brother's best friend and single dad.

Now, there are a lot of tropes in this that aren't usually my thing (small town, brother's best friend, single dad), but I trusted Erin to take me on the journey and I'm so glad I did. I loved these two.

I loved that the audio was dual narrator. Getting a chance to hear both main characters is always a bonus and adds to the reading experience. The quality was good and narrators spoke clearly enough that I could bump up the speed without having issues understanding, and that is an audiobook necessity for me.

Erin is an auto-read author for me. Thanks to NetGalley and Spotify Audiobooks for an ALC of this audiobook for an honest review.

My first book by the author and I really enjoyed it. I’m a sucker for books with children and this one hit the spot. Really liked the characters and the setting. Plus the cover is so so pretty.

ALC Review: Catch and Keep by Erin Hahn
Pub Date: October 15, 2024

My goodness, I LOVED this book!! When Maren's boyfriend proposes to her in public, she realizes that this isn't what she wants. So she takes a leave of absence from her job and goes to the Northwoods of Wisconsin, the place her family visited every summer and her happy place. While she decides what to do next, she works on fixing up the cabin and bait shop that was left to her. She also reconnects with Joe, her brother's best friend, whose family owns the resort that they stayed at as kids. Joe is divorced and single parenting two kids and doesn't have space for something temporary. But as Maren and Joe continue to spend more time together rediscovering who they are now, the sparks can't be denied...

Listen - you know when a book seems like it might be designed specifically for you? Well, this book sure was written for me IMHO. I'm originally from WI and my family has a cottage up in the Northwoods - it literally is my happiest place. After spending almost 10 years on the east coast, I moved back to my home state about 6 months ago. Though I didn't move because of an unwanted proposal, I did move because I was looking for *something* that my life out there didn't have. So obviously I related to Maren a whole lot - though I haven't met a single dad (yet!).

I loved the evolution of Maren and Joe's relationship and how much she loves his kids. Kids for me are sometimes a tough sell in a romance - but I thought they were great additions here and never took over the storyline. I thought the representation of a child with autism was done really well and my heart melted when she accepted Maren and knew that she was a safe person.

I loved the narration by Zura Johnson, who I've listened to before, and Michal Norman Johnson. Highly recommend listening to this via audio

All in all, this was a book that hit all the marks for me! Swoony and bantery and just exactly what I needed. Highly, highly recommend this one

Thank you to SMP for the eARC of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

𝗙𝗶𝗿𝘀𝘁 𝘁𝗵𝗼𝘂𝗴𝗵𝘁: I enjoyed this one, I always love seeing MCs in their 30s finding love a second time around. The characters were relatable with real life issues and I loved the lake setting. If you like slow burn, vivid imagery that transports you and characters you want to root for, this one’s for you.

Maren just turned down her boyfriend’s proposal and headed off to her happy place, Northwoods Wi. She recently inherited a bait shop that’s on the lake waterfront but it’s not in an inhabitable condition. So she agreed to work with her brother best friend’s family who owns the local resort to run fishing tours as she’s an amazing fisherwomen, in exchange to live on their property while she fixes up her new property. One things she didn’t count on was the adult version of Joe.

Joe is a single dad struggling with his new norm. He went through a messy divorce and he has full custody of his two kids, Anders and Lucy. His ex gave him a lot of guilt that he’s learning to work through and parenting his son who enjoys more feminine things and his daughter who is autistic has been a learning curve.

Joe enjoys having Maren around his families resort, she interacts with his kids in a way that makes his heart melt. But she is off limits as she’s his best friend’s little sister. But things between Maren and Joe are just so easy and how can something so right not be meant to be.

See if Maren ends up being the catch of Joe’s life when this releases on October 15th.

𝑳𝒊𝒕𝒆𝒓𝒂𝒍𝒍𝒚 𝑻𝒉𝒆𝒎𝒆𝒔 𝒚𝒐𝒖’𝒍𝒍 𝒇𝒊𝒏𝒅:

* Friends to Lovers
* Older Brother’s Best Friend
* Single Dad
* Autism Rep
* Fisherwomen FMC
* Retired Marine MMC
* Lake Life - Wisconsin
* Dual POV
* Spicy 🌶️

🌲🎣🚤🌲🎣🚤🌲🎣🚤🌲🎣🚤🌲🎣🚤🌲