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The Influencer #3
The Catch
A grumpy lobster fisherman tosses a fashion influencer’s impeccably curated life overboard in the next romantic comedy from international bestselling author Amy Lea.
In a last-ditch effort to rescue her brand from the brink of irrelevance, Boston fashion influencer Melanie Karlsen finds herself in a rural fishing village on the east coast of Canada. The only thing scarier than nature itself? The burly and bearded bed-and-breakfast owner and fisherman, Evan Whaler—who single-handedly disproves the theory that Canadians are “nice.”
After a boating accident lands Evan unconscious in the hospital, Mel is mistaken for his fiancée by his welcoming yet quirky family, who are embroiled in a long-standing feud over the B&B. In a bold attempt to mend family fences, Mel agrees to fake their engagement for one week in exchange for Evan’s help with her social media content.
Amid long hikes and campfire chats, reeling in their budding feelings for each other proves more difficult by the day. But is Mel willing to sacrifice her picture-perfect life in the city for a chance at a true, unfiltered love in the wild?
In a last-ditch effort to rescue her brand from the brink of irrelevance, Boston fashion influencer Melanie Karlsen finds herself in a rural fishing village on the east coast of Canada. The only thing scarier than nature itself? The burly and bearded bed-and-breakfast owner and fisherman, Evan Whaler—who single-handedly disproves the theory that Canadians are “nice.”
After a boating accident lands Evan unconscious in the hospital, Mel is mistaken for his fiancée by his welcoming yet quirky family, who are embroiled in a long-standing feud over the B&B. In a bold attempt to mend family fences, Mel agrees to fake their engagement for one week in exchange for Evan’s help with her social media content.
Amid long hikes and campfire chats, reeling in their budding feelings for each other proves more difficult by the day. But is Mel willing to sacrifice her picture-perfect life in the city for a chance at a true, unfiltered love in the wild?
416 pages, Paperback
First published February 13, 2024
About the author
Amy Lea
6 books2,664 followersAmy Lea is the international bestselling author of romantic comedies for adults and teens, including Set on You, Exes and O’s, and Mindy Kaling’s Book Studio selection Woke Up Like This.
Her acclaimed works have been featured in USA Today, Entertainment Weekly, Cosmopolitan, Elle Magazine and has been long listed as a CBC Canada Reads finalist. They have also been optioned for film and sold to over a dozen foreign territories.
When Amy is not writing, she can be found fan-girling over other romance books on Instagram (@amyleabooks), eating potato chips with reckless abandon, and snuggling with her husband and two goldendoodles in Ottawa, Canada.
Amy is represented by Kim Lionetti at BookEnds Literary Agency.
Her acclaimed works have been featured in USA Today, Entertainment Weekly, Cosmopolitan, Elle Magazine and has been long listed as a CBC Canada Reads finalist. They have also been optioned for film and sold to over a dozen foreign territories.
When Amy is not writing, she can be found fan-girling over other romance books on Instagram (@amyleabooks), eating potato chips with reckless abandon, and snuggling with her husband and two goldendoodles in Ottawa, Canada.
Amy is represented by Kim Lionetti at BookEnds Literary Agency.
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April 2, 2024dnf
February 12, 2024
I believe this romcom formula is the ultimate recipe that no die-hard fan can resist its charm. Imagine "While You’re Sleeping" meets "The Proposal." I can practically hear all the Bullock fans joining in to chant with me in celebration of this wonderful tribute to her two iconic romcom stories. And guess what? We've got it all right here in this delightful package. My favorite tropes are neatly tucked into Amy Lea’s front pocket: enemies-to-lovers, grumpy meets the sunshine, opposites attract, forced proximity, and of course, the classic "fake-dating."
This book truly stands out as the crown jewel of the Influencer series!
Enter Melanie Karlsen, a woman in her late twenties who finds herself in a financial bind due to a decline in followers and partnerships, a nightmare for any powerful influencer. Then comes a golden opportunity: a partnership offer to promote Seaside Resorts in Nova Scotia, Canada. All expenses paid, a luxurious getaway in exchange for sharing her experiences and content on social media. Of course, she can't pass this up, even though leaving her younger brother during a tough time after their dad's passing feels a bit uneasy. Still, she trusts he'll be okay for the week she'll be away.
But her plans take a wild turn as soon as she arrives in the Canadian town. A mix-up with her reservation forces her to wait another week to check in. She's faced with a dilemma: fly back home at her own expense or find temporary lodging. With a lobster festival causing a hotel shortage, she miraculously lands an Airbnb listing for a B&B located an hour and a half away. However, when she arrives at the place, it's a dilapidated, haunted-looking house filled with taxidermies and eccentric decorations. Her hesitation is overheard by Evan Whaler, the handsome but brooding owner of the inn, who clearly despises everything she represents as a city girl and social media influencer. Her arachnophobia doesn't exactly help her case.
This is a classic tale of hate at first sight, or rather, a not-so-cute encounter with Evan. He's like a storm cloud of disdain for her lifestyle, job, and even her fear of spiders, which he finds rather amusing. Things take an unfortunate turn when a boating accident leaves Evan in a coma after trying to save Mel's life. Consumed by guilt, she fibs that Evan is her fiancé to stay by his side in the ICU. Things get complicated when Evan's family arrives, and in order to keep up the facade, she's roped into playing his fake fiancée to save the inn and resolve a long-standing family feud between her mother and aunt.
However, Evan's family takes things to another level, treating Mel like one of their own. They throw engagement parties, offer sweet treats, and even provide free horoscope readings. For someone who has battled loneliness for so long and struggled to maintain financial stability while raising her brother, this warmth and tight-knit connection feel like a dream come true for Mel. As she spends more time with the brooding fisherman, she discovers that there's more to him than meets the eye. He's a gentle soul hidden behind a rough exterior, and their growing attraction begins to dismantle the walls they've both erected. But with so much at stake, including the inn and her heart, they must navigate a tricky path.
Evan's risk of losing the inn and his family's trust is matched by Mel's fear of losing her heart to the entire Whaler family, who show her the unconditional love she's longed for. This heartwarming story showcases the power of family bonds and the transformative nature of love, all wrapped up in a package of pure entertainment.
Overall: This is highly enjoyable, heartwarming romance that you simply cannot afford to miss.
I extend my heartfelt gratitude to NetGalley and Berkley Publishing for granting me access to this digital ARC in exchange for my honest review.
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This book truly stands out as the crown jewel of the Influencer series!
Enter Melanie Karlsen, a woman in her late twenties who finds herself in a financial bind due to a decline in followers and partnerships, a nightmare for any powerful influencer. Then comes a golden opportunity: a partnership offer to promote Seaside Resorts in Nova Scotia, Canada. All expenses paid, a luxurious getaway in exchange for sharing her experiences and content on social media. Of course, she can't pass this up, even though leaving her younger brother during a tough time after their dad's passing feels a bit uneasy. Still, she trusts he'll be okay for the week she'll be away.
But her plans take a wild turn as soon as she arrives in the Canadian town. A mix-up with her reservation forces her to wait another week to check in. She's faced with a dilemma: fly back home at her own expense or find temporary lodging. With a lobster festival causing a hotel shortage, she miraculously lands an Airbnb listing for a B&B located an hour and a half away. However, when she arrives at the place, it's a dilapidated, haunted-looking house filled with taxidermies and eccentric decorations. Her hesitation is overheard by Evan Whaler, the handsome but brooding owner of the inn, who clearly despises everything she represents as a city girl and social media influencer. Her arachnophobia doesn't exactly help her case.
This is a classic tale of hate at first sight, or rather, a not-so-cute encounter with Evan. He's like a storm cloud of disdain for her lifestyle, job, and even her fear of spiders, which he finds rather amusing. Things take an unfortunate turn when a boating accident leaves Evan in a coma after trying to save Mel's life. Consumed by guilt, she fibs that Evan is her fiancé to stay by his side in the ICU. Things get complicated when Evan's family arrives, and in order to keep up the facade, she's roped into playing his fake fiancée to save the inn and resolve a long-standing family feud between her mother and aunt.
However, Evan's family takes things to another level, treating Mel like one of their own. They throw engagement parties, offer sweet treats, and even provide free horoscope readings. For someone who has battled loneliness for so long and struggled to maintain financial stability while raising her brother, this warmth and tight-knit connection feel like a dream come true for Mel. As she spends more time with the brooding fisherman, she discovers that there's more to him than meets the eye. He's a gentle soul hidden behind a rough exterior, and their growing attraction begins to dismantle the walls they've both erected. But with so much at stake, including the inn and her heart, they must navigate a tricky path.
Evan's risk of losing the inn and his family's trust is matched by Mel's fear of losing her heart to the entire Whaler family, who show her the unconditional love she's longed for. This heartwarming story showcases the power of family bonds and the transformative nature of love, all wrapped up in a package of pure entertainment.
Overall: This is highly enjoyable, heartwarming romance that you simply cannot afford to miss.
I extend my heartfelt gratitude to NetGalley and Berkley Publishing for granting me access to this digital ARC in exchange for my honest review.
Follow me on medium.com to read my articles about books, movies, streaming series, astrology:
medium blog
June 11, 2024
writing: fine | plot: basically It Happened One Summer | ending: ight let's relax
my opinion
To be fair my memory is the equivalent of a sticky note that lost all stickiness, so I don't have much to say except this is a tamer but just as (if not more??) insta-lovey version of It Happened One Summer by Tessa Bailey.
I really enjoyed Exes and O's despite the Gen-Zs skewering it in their reviews and claiming it was the least funny thing they ever read (all love though, enjoy your youth). Unfortunately, this one wasn't as funny (so maybe the Gen-Zs will like it???), the chemistry was stale, and the characters were quarter-baked at best.
Melanie could've been a compelling character: an influencer struggling to remain relevant and therefore at risk of falling down a few tax brackets, adopted from China by a white mom who then chucked the deuces up and left the fam, and struggled with opening up to others. However when the arc should've been arcing, it focused more on the ridiculous insta-lovey relationship that had her throwing all caution and common sense to the wind.
Also the MMC was rude to her because he liked her too much....... Are we in grade one? Boy, BYE.
pros & cons
pros: idk didn't really irk me too much... very middle of the road read for the airport
cons: in theory Melanie's character was flushed out but failed to properly explore and resolve several of her flaws, pretty much a rip off of Tessa Bailey's book, girlies do NOT move countries for a boy you've know for less than a moon cycle, need the contact deets for their immigration lawyer because the whole thing wasn't making a lick of sense
__
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my opinion
To be fair my memory is the equivalent of a sticky note that lost all stickiness, so I don't have much to say except this is a tamer but just as (if not more??) insta-lovey version of It Happened One Summer by Tessa Bailey.
I really enjoyed Exes and O's despite the Gen-Zs skewering it in their reviews and claiming it was the least funny thing they ever read (all love though, enjoy your youth). Unfortunately, this one wasn't as funny (so maybe the Gen-Zs will like it???), the chemistry was stale, and the characters were quarter-baked at best.
Melanie could've been a compelling character: an influencer struggling to remain relevant and therefore at risk of falling down a few tax brackets, adopted from China by a white mom who then chucked the deuces up and left the fam, and struggled with opening up to others. However when the arc should've been arcing, it focused more on the ridiculous insta-lovey relationship that had her throwing all caution and common sense to the wind.
Also the MMC was rude to her because he liked her too much....... Are we in grade one? Boy, BYE.
pros & cons
pros: idk didn't really irk me too much... very middle of the road read for the airport
cons: in theory Melanie's character was flushed out but failed to properly explore and resolve several of her flaws, pretty much a rip off of Tessa Bailey's book, girlies do NOT move countries for a boy you've know for less than a moon cycle, need the contact deets for their immigration lawyer because the whole thing wasn't making a lick of sense
__
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February 13, 2024
this is such a disappointing conclusion to the series. wow.
from the offset, i knew i wouldn’t love this book because this type of “enemies” to lovers never works for me. it’s lacklustre, petty and juvenile, holds no real grit or bite, so ultimately the chemistry doesn’t shine through— only their bland childishness does.
Mel and Evan felt surface level to me, like every other “enemies” to lovers that’s rooted in nothing substantial and two grown adults just act like small whining kids, instead. it was truly mind-numbing to read. im just so over contemporary enemies to lovers where they act in such an unsavoury manner, like why does a fisherman have beef with a random pretty woman he doesn’t know…
byeeee. sorry no, please come up with a better plot. i truly cannot stand reading romances like this where the couple consists of two judgmental, irritating individuals who refuse to act their age.
i was just frustrated the entire time— i wasn’t invested at all, i wasn’t rooting for them as a couple, they really didn’t have any chemistry for me and i just didn’t like Evan. i am thoroughly sick and TIRED of the man child grumpy hero who hates the heroine for the most superficial reasons imaginable but has the gall to call her vapid and shallow… it just felt old, stale and uninspired. he’s been in her presence for less than a minute and thinks he’s got her all figured out… it truly boils my blood when they’re enemies based on petty assumptions and nothing more.
Amy Lea has been a success for me with the previous two books, an auto-buy author, to be honest… but i physically could not read this. like it truly pained me to force my eyes to read the words and listen to Mel and Evan be whiny little losers.
from the offset, i knew i wouldn’t love this book because this type of “enemies” to lovers never works for me. it’s lacklustre, petty and juvenile, holds no real grit or bite, so ultimately the chemistry doesn’t shine through— only their bland childishness does.
Mel and Evan felt surface level to me, like every other “enemies” to lovers that’s rooted in nothing substantial and two grown adults just act like small whining kids, instead. it was truly mind-numbing to read. im just so over contemporary enemies to lovers where they act in such an unsavoury manner, like why does a fisherman have beef with a random pretty woman he doesn’t know…
byeeee. sorry no, please come up with a better plot. i truly cannot stand reading romances like this where the couple consists of two judgmental, irritating individuals who refuse to act their age.
i was just frustrated the entire time— i wasn’t invested at all, i wasn’t rooting for them as a couple, they really didn’t have any chemistry for me and i just didn’t like Evan. i am thoroughly sick and TIRED of the man child grumpy hero who hates the heroine for the most superficial reasons imaginable but has the gall to call her vapid and shallow… it just felt old, stale and uninspired. he’s been in her presence for less than a minute and thinks he’s got her all figured out… it truly boils my blood when they’re enemies based on petty assumptions and nothing more.
Amy Lea has been a success for me with the previous two books, an auto-buy author, to be honest… but i physically could not read this. like it truly pained me to force my eyes to read the words and listen to Mel and Evan be whiny little losers.
April 10, 2024
✨You’re gonna need a (hot lobster fisherman with a) bigger boat✨
I want to build a home inside this book and live there forever and ever and ever with a hot fisherman and cozy b&b and all the poutine I could ever eat and a charming if slightly dysfunctional family and fresh air that smells like pine trees and maple syrup and lobster. God so much lobster. I’ve never wanted to move to Canada so badly. The “what is health insurance?” joke hurt just a little bit too much. Nova Scotia I will be inside you.
Anyways, The Catch was such a fun blend of While You Were Sleeping meets The Proposal in the best way possible. It embodied romcom humor SO WELL. I could pick out similar scenes from each of the movies while reading, but it was completely its own thing. (For those who don’t know, Lea’s Woke Up Like This is a YA 13 Going on 30 masterpiece!)
I know there will be more books and new series (and I will be SAT!!!) but how am I to move on??? Especially when Evan and Mel were so lovely and the book so atmospheric. Again, I just want to live in it! My favorite part was just the chosen family—similar to how Sandra Bullock craves it in both While You Were Sleeping and The Proposal. But it was also definitely the hottest book in the series.
So while I’m so sad to see this series end, what a lovely send off it was. We saw brief cameos of all the past characters, and I feel such an attachment to their patchwork friend group. I cried a few times, but I definitely cried just knowing the series was over because I’m become SO ATTACHED to the way Lea writes such soft and sexy romance. I think you could read this without reading the first two, but I think the emotions will emotion the best if read in order!
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/5 🌶️🌶️.75*/5
*Multiple open-door scenes, language was sometimes vague and sometimes explicit. Great dirty talk and various locations.
**Spoiler**
I just need to mention the bag of false eyelashes. I won’t say anything more but once you read it YOU’LL KNOW WHAT IT DID TO MY HEART.
Thanks so much to the publisher for an eARC via NetGalley. All opinions are honest and my own.
I want to build a home inside this book and live there forever and ever and ever with a hot fisherman and cozy b&b and all the poutine I could ever eat and a charming if slightly dysfunctional family and fresh air that smells like pine trees and maple syrup and lobster. God so much lobster. I’ve never wanted to move to Canada so badly. The “what is health insurance?” joke hurt just a little bit too much. Nova Scotia I will be inside you.
Anyways, The Catch was such a fun blend of While You Were Sleeping meets The Proposal in the best way possible. It embodied romcom humor SO WELL. I could pick out similar scenes from each of the movies while reading, but it was completely its own thing. (For those who don’t know, Lea’s Woke Up Like This is a YA 13 Going on 30 masterpiece!)
I know there will be more books and new series (and I will be SAT!!!) but how am I to move on??? Especially when Evan and Mel were so lovely and the book so atmospheric. Again, I just want to live in it! My favorite part was just the chosen family—similar to how Sandra Bullock craves it in both While You Were Sleeping and The Proposal. But it was also definitely the hottest book in the series.
So while I’m so sad to see this series end, what a lovely send off it was. We saw brief cameos of all the past characters, and I feel such an attachment to their patchwork friend group. I cried a few times, but I definitely cried just knowing the series was over because I’m become SO ATTACHED to the way Lea writes such soft and sexy romance. I think you could read this without reading the first two, but I think the emotions will emotion the best if read in order!
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/5 🌶️🌶️.75*/5
*Multiple open-door scenes, language was sometimes vague and sometimes explicit. Great dirty talk and various locations.
**Spoiler**
I just need to mention the bag of false eyelashes. I won’t say anything more but once you read it YOU’LL KNOW WHAT IT DID TO MY HEART.
Thanks so much to the publisher for an eARC via NetGalley. All opinions are honest and my own.
January 22, 2024
2.5 ⭐️ Sadly, this was not for me.
"Fake dating always leads to true love. Fact. I don't make the rules."
WHAT TO EXPECT:
✨ small town romance
✨ a not so meet cute
✨ she’s a big influencer from Boston
✨ he’s a small town fisherman in Nova Scotia
✨ city girl x small town guy
✨ dislike to lovers
✨ grumpy x sunshine
✨ fake engagement
✨ forced proximity
✨ opposite attract
✨ 2.5/5 spice
✨ third act breakup
✨ HEA
✨ POC rep - FMC is Chinese
✨ cameos from characters in previous books
✨ TW: death of parent, death of family member, grief, depression, estranged parent, family strife, near drowning,
*There are some slight spoilers in this review so read at your own risk*
My Thoughts:
After reading the previous books, Set On You and Exes and O's, I was really excited about Melanie’s book. And while the premise is fun, I was ultimately disappointed.
This type of story has been done so many times and I was bored with how it was done here. So here's the thing, I really did like the premise of a high maintenance, big city influencer going to a small town where she's roped into becoming the fake fiance of a grumpy fisherman who lives in a dilapidated inn. However, this really gave me It Happened One Summer Vibes by Tessa Bailey. And while, yes, I know the details of the stories are different, it just didn't feel that original to me.
My biggest issue is that I didn’t really like either MC, nor was there any chemistry between them.
First, let's talk about Melanie. She is just so overly dramatic. For example, she has a phobia of spiders (and any other bug really), and the way she would react was childish. There's a moment where she's freaking out about a spider and says "the eight-legged monster can't escape and plant eggs in my face." I have phobias and I know there isn't always logic to them, but surely a grown woman can realize spiders do not plant eggs in human faces. Also, her referencing horror movies 10 times throughout the story was overkill. We get it, she would not survive a horror film scenario. Again, she's just being dramatic.
Now, onto Evan. Look, I really tried, but I just did not like him. He's a grumpy fisherman who plays guitar and struggles with grief. That's his whole personality. He was such an asshole and the reasoning wasn't good enough. And his anger and irritation towards Melanie felt so forced. I also didn't understand why he softens towards her eventually. Because she's 'charming'? The girl who legitimately says she doesn't connect with people and has a hard time making friends and has a resting bitch face is . . . charming? Doesn't make sense. I feel like this story would have been better if we got his POV.
There was no chemistry between Evan and Melanie. It's all 'I hate you' for the first few days and then when he takes her to go hiking, they actually talk to each other like regular human beings and suddenly, everything changes. What? This guy was such a fucking asshole and now, because he got you to open up (which you never do) you go, hmmmm maybe there's more to this guy. No babe. No. And even when they talk, there's no spark. It's just conversations anyone would have with someone they're spending time with. I did not feel any chemistry.
At the end of the day, these characters were just too opposite from one another and mean to believe that in a week, they went from immensely disliking each other to lovers. And by lovers, I mean feeling like they were 'the one'. Their relationship is just so ridiculous and far-fetched.
The Whaler family was fine at first but then it got weird. They're way too in each other's business. But what gave me the ick was when Evan and Melanie do the deed, and then shortly after the family comes into the room, sits on the edge of the bed while they are naked and sweaty, and proceeds to chat with them. WHAT??? So gross . This family has no boundaries, oh, and they hold massive grudges. I would legit be running for the hills if this is the family of the guy I was screwing. Sorry, but dysfunction isn't cute or charming.
Melanie's child stalker was so creepy and should have been left out of this story. This twelve(?) year old lives in her building, is in love with her, follows her around, stalks her IG, writes her poem, and tries to flirt with her. And what was weird is that while Melanie also finds this creepy, she puts up with it and sometimes find amusement with his infatuation. Someone makes a joke about how she might need a restraining order against him but then she laughs about it. But really, it's not funny. It's weird. This kid is so inappropriate. I would ignore this kid and have a serious conversation with his father where I'd threaten to get an actual restraining order against him.
What's even weirder, is that Melanie has her breakthrough moment of realizing she wants to be with Evan while having a heart to heart with this child! Seriously? Melanie doesn't open up to people ever but she's going to talk about her love life with a child stalker? WTF? I just . . . I don't understand why this kid needed to be in the story AT ALL.
I was a full time travel influencer and photographer for six years, so I’m very familiar with that world, and there were a lot of things that happened that weren’t 100% realistic or didn’t make sense.
1. Melanie getting an offer for an all expense paid trip would not have been a shock. She has 500k followers. If anything, she would have laughed at the offer because someone with her amount of followers would be getting paid an insane amount on top of the free trip. No lie, influencers with 500k followers charge anywhere between $5,000 - $10,000 per post (depending on engagement)! So yeah, her getting a free trip and being excited about it is ridiculous.
2. Melanie decides to stay in Cora's Cove because paying for another flight would have been too expensive. But I'm here to tell you that flights from Boston to Halifax would not be more expensive than staying at an Airbnb for an entire week. In all honesty, it probably would have been more expensive.
3. When Melanie moves Evan's boat equipment for the shot. I know there are influencers who might do this without asking but the fact she asked, he said no, and still decided to move it didn't seem realistic to me.
4. Melanie canceling her work trip to just stay with Evan did not make sense. She says she needs this job, but this hard working girl is going to throw that all away for some dick? No, this doesn't align with her character.
I also want to note that the writing itself was perfectly fine. The story was easy to follow and well-written. However, I did end up skimming a lot of the non-dialogue just because I had lost interest in the characters and overall story
Thank you Netgalley for providing an eARC in exchange for an honest review! As always, all opinions are my own.
Favorite Quotes:
I'm not sure if he wants to choke me out or give me a swift kick to the shin. Probably both.
_______
Turns out, being fake engaged to Evan sucks, but kissing him isn't half bad.
_______
There's beauty in holding on . . . as long as you're not trapped in the past.
_______
"You're never alone in this world while I'm in it, Mel."
_______
"Fake dating always leads to true love. Fact. I don't make the rules."
WHAT TO EXPECT:
✨ small town romance
✨ a not so meet cute
✨ she’s a big influencer from Boston
✨ he’s a small town fisherman in Nova Scotia
✨ city girl x small town guy
✨ dislike to lovers
✨ grumpy x sunshine
✨ fake engagement
✨ forced proximity
✨ opposite attract
✨ 2.5/5 spice
✨ third act breakup
✨ HEA
✨ POC rep - FMC is Chinese
✨ cameos from characters in previous books
✨ TW: death of parent, death of family member, grief, depression, estranged parent, family strife, near drowning,
*There are some slight spoilers in this review so read at your own risk*
My Thoughts:
After reading the previous books, Set On You and Exes and O's, I was really excited about Melanie’s book. And while the premise is fun, I was ultimately disappointed.
This type of story has been done so many times and I was bored with how it was done here. So here's the thing, I really did like the premise of a high maintenance, big city influencer going to a small town where she's roped into becoming the fake fiance of a grumpy fisherman who lives in a dilapidated inn. However, this really gave me It Happened One Summer Vibes by Tessa Bailey. And while, yes, I know the details of the stories are different, it just didn't feel that original to me.
My biggest issue is that I didn’t really like either MC, nor was there any chemistry between them.
First, let's talk about Melanie. She is just so overly dramatic. For example, she has a phobia of spiders (and any other bug really), and the way she would react was childish. There's a moment where she's freaking out about a spider and says "the eight-legged monster can't escape and plant eggs in my face." I have phobias and I know there isn't always logic to them, but surely a grown woman can realize spiders do not plant eggs in human faces. Also, her referencing horror movies 10 times throughout the story was overkill. We get it, she would not survive a horror film scenario. Again, she's just being dramatic.
Now, onto Evan. Look, I really tried, but I just did not like him. He's a grumpy fisherman who plays guitar and struggles with grief. That's his whole personality. He was such an asshole and the reasoning wasn't good enough. And his anger and irritation towards Melanie felt so forced. I also didn't understand why he softens towards her eventually. Because she's 'charming'? The girl who legitimately says she doesn't connect with people and has a hard time making friends and has a resting bitch face is . . . charming? Doesn't make sense. I feel like this story would have been better if we got his POV.
There was no chemistry between Evan and Melanie. It's all 'I hate you' for the first few days and then when he takes her to go hiking, they actually talk to each other like regular human beings and suddenly, everything changes. What? This guy was such a fucking asshole and now, because he got you to open up (which you never do) you go, hmmmm maybe there's more to this guy. No babe. No. And even when they talk, there's no spark. It's just conversations anyone would have with someone they're spending time with. I did not feel any chemistry.
At the end of the day, these characters were just too opposite from one another and mean to believe that in a week, they went from immensely disliking each other to lovers. And by lovers, I mean feeling like they were 'the one'. Their relationship is just so ridiculous and far-fetched.
The Whaler family was fine at first but then it got weird. They're way too in each other's business. But what gave me the ick was when Evan and Melanie do the deed, and then shortly after the family comes into the room, sits on the edge of the bed while they are naked and sweaty, and proceeds to chat with them. WHAT??? So gross . This family has no boundaries, oh, and they hold massive grudges. I would legit be running for the hills if this is the family of the guy I was screwing. Sorry, but dysfunction isn't cute or charming.
Melanie's child stalker was so creepy and should have been left out of this story. This twelve(?) year old lives in her building, is in love with her, follows her around, stalks her IG, writes her poem, and tries to flirt with her. And what was weird is that while Melanie also finds this creepy, she puts up with it and sometimes find amusement with his infatuation. Someone makes a joke about how she might need a restraining order against him but then she laughs about it. But really, it's not funny. It's weird. This kid is so inappropriate. I would ignore this kid and have a serious conversation with his father where I'd threaten to get an actual restraining order against him.
What's even weirder, is that Melanie has her breakthrough moment of realizing she wants to be with Evan while having a heart to heart with this child! Seriously? Melanie doesn't open up to people ever but she's going to talk about her love life with a child stalker? WTF? I just . . . I don't understand why this kid needed to be in the story AT ALL.
I was a full time travel influencer and photographer for six years, so I’m very familiar with that world, and there were a lot of things that happened that weren’t 100% realistic or didn’t make sense.
1. Melanie getting an offer for an all expense paid trip would not have been a shock. She has 500k followers. If anything, she would have laughed at the offer because someone with her amount of followers would be getting paid an insane amount on top of the free trip. No lie, influencers with 500k followers charge anywhere between $5,000 - $10,000 per post (depending on engagement)! So yeah, her getting a free trip and being excited about it is ridiculous.
2. Melanie decides to stay in Cora's Cove because paying for another flight would have been too expensive. But I'm here to tell you that flights from Boston to Halifax would not be more expensive than staying at an Airbnb for an entire week. In all honesty, it probably would have been more expensive.
3. When Melanie moves Evan's boat equipment for the shot. I know there are influencers who might do this without asking but the fact she asked, he said no, and still decided to move it didn't seem realistic to me.
4. Melanie canceling her work trip to just stay with Evan did not make sense. She says she needs this job, but this hard working girl is going to throw that all away for some dick? No, this doesn't align with her character.
I also want to note that the writing itself was perfectly fine. The story was easy to follow and well-written. However, I did end up skimming a lot of the non-dialogue just because I had lost interest in the characters and overall story
Thank you Netgalley for providing an eARC in exchange for an honest review! As always, all opinions are my own.
Favorite Quotes:
I'm not sure if he wants to choke me out or give me a swift kick to the shin. Probably both.
_______
Turns out, being fake engaged to Evan sucks, but kissing him isn't half bad.
_______
There's beauty in holding on . . . as long as you're not trapped in the past.
_______
"You're never alone in this world while I'm in it, Mel."
_______
January 14, 2024
3.5 stars
I have been a fan of Amy Lea’s ‘The Influencer’ series from the start, and though The Catch wasn’t my favorite of the three (Exes and O’s is by far the best imo) it was still enjoyable overall.
Melanie is a different kind of influencer than her two best friends. The kind you think of when influencers come to mind. Highly edited photos, fashion, travel, etc. She is sort of at a crossroads with her career and goes out of the country to review a resort, but not everything goes to plan.
Mel ends up at an only partially operational AirBnB run by two cousins, Lucy and Evan. Evan is a grumpy fisherman but there are sparks between him and Mel, even if neither wants to admit it. Evan was the best part of this book. I adored him. And his entire family. The fake dating was fun, but some of the third-act stuff made me eye-roll some.
The ending of this book was bittersweet. I was happy with how things turned out for this couple, but I’ll miss these characters!
I have been a fan of Amy Lea’s ‘The Influencer’ series from the start, and though The Catch wasn’t my favorite of the three (Exes and O’s is by far the best imo) it was still enjoyable overall.
Melanie is a different kind of influencer than her two best friends. The kind you think of when influencers come to mind. Highly edited photos, fashion, travel, etc. She is sort of at a crossroads with her career and goes out of the country to review a resort, but not everything goes to plan.
Mel ends up at an only partially operational AirBnB run by two cousins, Lucy and Evan. Evan is a grumpy fisherman but there are sparks between him and Mel, even if neither wants to admit it. Evan was the best part of this book. I adored him. And his entire family. The fake dating was fun, but some of the third-act stuff made me eye-roll some.
The ending of this book was bittersweet. I was happy with how things turned out for this couple, but I’ll miss these characters!
February 15, 2024
wow, color me surprised. i really enjoyed the first two books in the influencer series but this was so lackluster.
the most dissatisfying part of this book was by far the chemistry between the two main leads, or the lack thereof. not once in this book did i swoon over them, or feel remotely invested in their relationship. they’re obviously too different from each other and not in a cute ‘opposites attract’ way. they’re just too different. not to mention horribly childish most of the time. throughout reading this book, i kept thinking about how this relationship will not stand the test of time because mind you this all takes place in like two weeks. makes you wonder how it will turn out once the honeymoon phase is over.
also, the fact that mel gave up her livelihood (aka the whole reason she went there in the first place) to spend time with evan when she has intense money trauma from her childhood is an INSANE choice, not to mention completely unprofessional. i seriously can’t believe she did that. in fact, i believe she lacked professionalism as it didn’t seem like she was that passionate about her job, in comparison to crystal and tara that actually kept trying.
another ick this book gave me was evan’s family. i’m sorry but why are grown ass adults talking about his sex life so freely? his mother makes some incredibly weird remarks about how ‘good in bed’ he is and how he can always improve um hello? and then joining them in bed after they’ve clearly just had sex… just weird.
i was super excited for this book and feel let down but i will still read more from this author because i know she has it in her. i just hope the next book is a vast improvement from this one.
the most dissatisfying part of this book was by far the chemistry between the two main leads, or the lack thereof. not once in this book did i swoon over them, or feel remotely invested in their relationship. they’re obviously too different from each other and not in a cute ‘opposites attract’ way. they’re just too different. not to mention horribly childish most of the time. throughout reading this book, i kept thinking about how this relationship will not stand the test of time because mind you this all takes place in like two weeks. makes you wonder how it will turn out once the honeymoon phase is over.
also, the fact that mel gave up her livelihood (aka the whole reason she went there in the first place) to spend time with evan when she has intense money trauma from her childhood is an INSANE choice, not to mention completely unprofessional. i seriously can’t believe she did that. in fact, i believe she lacked professionalism as it didn’t seem like she was that passionate about her job, in comparison to crystal and tara that actually kept trying.
another ick this book gave me was evan’s family. i’m sorry but why are grown ass adults talking about his sex life so freely? his mother makes some incredibly weird remarks about how ‘good in bed’ he is and how he can always improve um hello? and then joining them in bed after they’ve clearly just had sex… just weird.
i was super excited for this book and feel let down but i will still read more from this author because i know she has it in her. i just hope the next book is a vast improvement from this one.
July 23, 2024
someone please knock a book on my head............. that book being babel................. which i absolutely need to get to................ but im also absolutely terrified !
anyways no more no less than i expected except the third act breakup actually made sense because whos gonna pack their whole life into a suitcase and travel to a small town in canada just for a man with pretty eyes........ well she did do that...... but thought about it??? i think???
anyways no more no less than i expected except the third act breakup actually made sense because whos gonna pack their whole life into a suitcase and travel to a small town in canada just for a man with pretty eyes........ well she did do that...... but thought about it??? i think???
February 11, 2024
This was such a cute enemies to lovers, fake dating set in a small town read. I loved the setting of this book how it was in a small fishing town and gah they have lobster fest. Truly the things of what dreams are made of.
I throughly loved Evan & Melanie's banter and their journey from enemies to lovers to fake dating and then of course something more.
This was by far my favorite of Amy Lea's books I have read thus far.
I throughly loved Evan & Melanie's banter and their journey from enemies to lovers to fake dating and then of course something more.
This was by far my favorite of Amy Lea's books I have read thus far.
August 21, 2024
ੈ♡˳ rating: four of five stars
ੈ♡˳ thoughts:
i actually really like amy lea books. i skipped the second book in this series for no reason other than i didn’t know it existed until after i began reading this one, but other than that i will read anything that amy lea puts out. the steam was there, more than i rememebr in her first book and it was actually pretty hot for being so subtle.
something that irrirated me in this book was for some reason i got the idea that the fmc was plus sized, because of some of the things that were said in the book but it was never actually confirmed. and if it was their idea of plus sized was probably someone who wore a large shirt and not actually a plus sized woman.
this book was pretty good though. the main character had a decent enough backstory and you really see her overcome her previous fears about love and relationships throughout the book which i really like.
i didn’t expect to like this book as much as i did honestly.
ੈ♡˳ tropes
ꕥ fake dating
ꕥ he falls first.
ꕥ grumpy x sunshine
ꕥ enemies to lovers
ꕥ small town romance
ꕥ small town boy x city girl
ੈ♡˳ fave quotes
“ೃ⁀➷ “you're never alone in this world while i'm in it, mel.”
“ೃ⁀➷ his eyes darken. “yeah? and what’s your theory?” “i think you’re purposely channeling the lumbersexual vibe.” “lumbersexual?” “the ply of your flannels is good quality, so it’s not like you’re opting for the less expensive brands. you wear different-colored ones every day. and you tend to match the wash of your jeans for every occasion. i think you know what you’re doing, rolling your sleeves, flaunting your forearms, strumming your guitar like some tragic nicholas sparks character”
◡̈ ◡̈ ◡̈
July 5, 2024
This was so cute! I loved the cozy vibes at a bed and breakfast that was struggling to stay afloat. She's an influencer and he is a fisherman whose family owns the bed and breakfast. It's immediately hate to love, but they end up having to fake date and he's trying to hold his family together. I had fun with the story and would recommend the audiobook!
Want to read
January 22, 2023i need this rn!!!! 😭
February 14, 2024
I'm sorry, but this series is just not for me.....
August 22, 2023
I ATE this book up, I was so happily surprised by how much I enjoyed this! Truthfully, when I requested this on NetGalley I had no idea it's the third installment of the author's series, the book cover and description just intrigued me so much. I haven't read anything by Amy Lea prior to this, but I'm definitely going to look into her other works! This was a fast, palate cleanser kind of romance. Mel gets "trapped" in a small-town village Bed and Breakfast after her influencer vacation's itinerary gets mixed up, and she meets Evan, a grumpy fisherman who sounds like he wants Mel out ASAP. They get themselves into a fake dating situation for the good of Evan's family, and I thought all of it was just adorable!! I didn't want to put this down after getting into the meat of it all.
Although their love story escalates fast, I surprisingly didn't mind the fast pace. Mel is a headstrong woman who is constantly standing up for herself and fighting for her best interests - I loved that so much about her. Evan is also a stubborn character who knows what he wants and won't take any crap from anyone. The side characters were all very earnest and endearing, you fall in love with the small town just as much as our main characters do. They talk a lot about compromise, and I liked how Lea at least acknowledged the speedy nature of their relationship and addressed it. It was an easy read and I liked how the two constantly look out for one another! I'll definitely be looking into the other books of this series.
Thank you to NetGalley and Berkley for this e-arc in exchange for my honest opinion!
---
RTC but cjdbdjxsjnwbwlz I enjoyed this SOOO MUCCCHHHHH
Although their love story escalates fast, I surprisingly didn't mind the fast pace. Mel is a headstrong woman who is constantly standing up for herself and fighting for her best interests - I loved that so much about her. Evan is also a stubborn character who knows what he wants and won't take any crap from anyone. The side characters were all very earnest and endearing, you fall in love with the small town just as much as our main characters do. They talk a lot about compromise, and I liked how Lea at least acknowledged the speedy nature of their relationship and addressed it. It was an easy read and I liked how the two constantly look out for one another! I'll definitely be looking into the other books of this series.
Thank you to NetGalley and Berkley for this e-arc in exchange for my honest opinion!
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RTC but cjdbdjxsjnwbwlz I enjoyed this SOOO MUCCCHHHHH
March 12, 2024
Ol’ Momma Nature has been teasing my part of flyover country with near 80 degree temperatures some days (followed by snow and single digits the next, but we’ll pretend those aren’t happening). When those hints of springtime occur my TBR immediately turns toward beachy reads like Elin Hilderbrand or rom coms.
I actually knew this was about an influencer who would fall for some gruff and grumbly lobsterman and I’m happy to report if you’re thinking about picking this one up because it reminds you somewhat of It Happened One Summer, I don’t think you’ll be disappointed. The bit of blurb I read had me thinking this was going to be a grumpy/sunshine, but it turned out it was more of a fake dating (or engagement, as the case was here) trope instead with teeny little shoutouts to favorites like . . .
And . . . .
And . . .
Along with some Hallmarky good vibes about a small town where everyone knows/likes each other and a dilapidated B&B with plenty of potential. Per usual, I skimmed all the smexuals because I really have to be in the mood to get down with the dirty talk and I could have really lived without the brother subplot, but all in all this was a cute one.
And if you’re REALLY looking for some fun – try Woke Up Like This by this author. Oh be still my 13 Going on 30 ever loving heart!
3.5 Stars
ARC provided by the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
I actually knew this was about an influencer who would fall for some gruff and grumbly lobsterman and I’m happy to report if you’re thinking about picking this one up because it reminds you somewhat of It Happened One Summer, I don’t think you’ll be disappointed. The bit of blurb I read had me thinking this was going to be a grumpy/sunshine, but it turned out it was more of a fake dating (or engagement, as the case was here) trope instead with teeny little shoutouts to favorites like . . .
And . . . .
And . . .
Along with some Hallmarky good vibes about a small town where everyone knows/likes each other and a dilapidated B&B with plenty of potential. Per usual, I skimmed all the smexuals because I really have to be in the mood to get down with the dirty talk and I could have really lived without the brother subplot, but all in all this was a cute one.
And if you’re REALLY looking for some fun – try Woke Up Like This by this author. Oh be still my 13 Going on 30 ever loving heart!
3.5 Stars
ARC provided by the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
March 22, 2024
I loved book 1 & 2 so I was SO disappointed by this 😭 it really felt like an It Happened One Summer retelling & I realllllllly don’t like that book 🥲 BUT if you do, you’ll love this
August 21, 2023
This third and final book in Amy Lea's Influencer series has been one of my MOST anticipated reads and I sped through my eARC copy so fast when it landed on my kindle early!!
A perfect blend of the movies, While you were sleeping and The proposal (two of my FAV Sandra Bullock romcoms), sees Boston lifestyle influencer, Mel, traveling to Nova Scotia to help promote a boutique hotel.
Once there though she realizes the dates got mixed up and she has to find somewhere else to stay for a week. Cue Cora's Cove, a small town outside Halifax where she's able to find the only Airbnb with a room available AND where she meets Evan, her hot, grumpy fisherman host.
What follows is an enemies to lovers, grumpy/sunshine, fake dating, insta love story full of all sorts of Canadian East Coast summery goodness, including:
-a big meddling extended family
-only one bed
-a Settlers of Catan showdown
-a rundown family Inn that needs saving
-poutine, lobster festivals & steamy lighthouse make out sessions
-hiking, camping, fishing, whale watching and SO much more
Insta love can be really hard to pull off but Amy does it in a way that's believable and oh so heartwarming. Evan is grieving his cousin's death and Mel has always struggled opening up to others after being forced into an early caregiving role for her younger brother when her adopted mother ran off and later her father died unexpectedly.
While this book could be read as a standalone, I definitely recommend reading the first two influencer books first to better appreciate the wonderful friendship between Crystal, Tara and Mel.
The catch is Amy Lea at the top of her game and firmly cements her as an auto-buy, auto-read favorite author for me! Many thanks to NetGalley and Berkley for my early digital copy in exchange for my honest review!
Steam level: open door with LOTS of heat and emotional depth
A perfect blend of the movies, While you were sleeping and The proposal (two of my FAV Sandra Bullock romcoms), sees Boston lifestyle influencer, Mel, traveling to Nova Scotia to help promote a boutique hotel.
Once there though she realizes the dates got mixed up and she has to find somewhere else to stay for a week. Cue Cora's Cove, a small town outside Halifax where she's able to find the only Airbnb with a room available AND where she meets Evan, her hot, grumpy fisherman host.
What follows is an enemies to lovers, grumpy/sunshine, fake dating, insta love story full of all sorts of Canadian East Coast summery goodness, including:
-a big meddling extended family
-only one bed
-a Settlers of Catan showdown
-a rundown family Inn that needs saving
-poutine, lobster festivals & steamy lighthouse make out sessions
-hiking, camping, fishing, whale watching and SO much more
Insta love can be really hard to pull off but Amy does it in a way that's believable and oh so heartwarming. Evan is grieving his cousin's death and Mel has always struggled opening up to others after being forced into an early caregiving role for her younger brother when her adopted mother ran off and later her father died unexpectedly.
While this book could be read as a standalone, I definitely recommend reading the first two influencer books first to better appreciate the wonderful friendship between Crystal, Tara and Mel.
The catch is Amy Lea at the top of her game and firmly cements her as an auto-buy, auto-read favorite author for me! Many thanks to NetGalley and Berkley for my early digital copy in exchange for my honest review!
Steam level: open door with LOTS of heat and emotional depth
December 19, 2023
2.5 stars
Not the glow up I expected from Amy Lea after loving her latest release...
This had all the right elements but the execution didn't work at all. It's definitely a me thing, but I prefer when the romance is supported by some kind of plotline, and not it standing on its own. Just the fact that Melanie and Evan started fake dating to stop his family from fighting, and them still fighting right after announcing their fake engagement tells it all lol. It was such a ridiculous excuse that I thought it would later be revealed that the cousin just wanted them to be together and invented a reason for a forced proximity thing. Guess not? Pretty much nothing made sense.
I enjoyed the rivalry between Evan and Melanie, but it didn't last long and it wasn't real to begin with, as it's happening lately with the enemies-to-lovers trope. They were checking each other out from basically the first chapters:enemies to lovers instalove. Them getting together after what, four days only?, had me bored out of my mind for the last 40% of the book. Even the characters in the book are dubious about the relationship moving too fast, if that's not a sign...
I liked that this book had no social media content because that was one thing I didn't like about this series, however fingering and blow jobs in public? I see things are getting worse here. I wished for Amy Lea to stop writing her characters having sex in the most unhygienic places and then I get this.
I think this series could have wide appeal and I still recommend it for hardcore romance readers. I'm just not the right audience at this point, my romance needs to have more plot and less spicy content. If that's what you like definitely go for it.
Not the glow up I expected from Amy Lea after loving her latest release...
This had all the right elements but the execution didn't work at all. It's definitely a me thing, but I prefer when the romance is supported by some kind of plotline, and not it standing on its own. Just the fact that Melanie and Evan started fake dating to stop his family from fighting, and them still fighting right after announcing their fake engagement tells it all lol. It was such a ridiculous excuse that I thought it would later be revealed that the cousin just wanted them to be together and invented a reason for a forced proximity thing. Guess not? Pretty much nothing made sense.
I enjoyed the rivalry between Evan and Melanie, but it didn't last long and it wasn't real to begin with, as it's happening lately with the enemies-to-lovers trope. They were checking each other out from basically the first chapters:
I liked that this book had no social media content because that was one thing I didn't like about this series, however fingering and blow jobs in public? I see things are getting worse here. I wished for Amy Lea to stop writing her characters having sex in the most unhygienic places and then I get this.
I think this series could have wide appeal and I still recommend it for hardcore romance readers. I'm just not the right audience at this point, my romance needs to have more plot and less spicy content. If that's what you like definitely go for it.
May 20, 2024
3.25 ☆
"This is classic. Fake dating always leads to true love. Fact. I don't make the rules."
Overall I had a fun time with this. I liked the found family and the characters. This was fluffy but also had depth🩷. This did take me a bit to get through, but that might just be because of my reading slump. Warning: This is very insta-everything because it all takes place in the span of around 2 weeks. Somehow it didn't feel like it though.
☼ ☼ ☼
Short to the point synopsis
A beauty/fashion influencer goes to a small fishing town for inspiration for her account. She meets a grumpy bed-and-breakfast owner/fisherman. A boating incident takes place landing the mmc (Evan) in the hospital. The fmc (Melanie) then tells the people they are fiancés so she can go back into the hospital with him. So this leads to them fake-dating for different reasons. Will they keep butting heads along the way or will they fall in love?
☼ ☼ ☼
I do, however, feel like some of the things in this book were written weirdly. I was getting confused at some points. For example, they were in the truck driving somewhere then the next sentence is them at this fishing spot. I don’t know when they got there. Another example is when they were kissing and he had his hands holding her wrist above her head then the next sentence he let go but then in the next paragraph, he had his hands back on her wrist and let go again. Maybe I am just tired but that confused me. I also got confused about the sex parts of the book and what position they were in lol.
☼ ☼ ☼
Trigger Warnings
•Death of a family member (off-page)
•Grief and depression
•On-page watercraft-related accident
"This is classic. Fake dating always leads to true love. Fact. I don't make the rules."
Overall I had a fun time with this. I liked the found family and the characters. This was fluffy but also had depth🩷. This did take me a bit to get through, but that might just be because of my reading slump. Warning: This is very insta-everything because it all takes place in the span of around 2 weeks. Somehow it didn't feel like it though.
☼ ☼ ☼
Short to the point synopsis
A beauty/fashion influencer goes to a small fishing town for inspiration for her account. She meets a grumpy bed-and-breakfast owner/fisherman. A boating incident takes place landing the mmc (Evan) in the hospital. The fmc (Melanie) then tells the people they are fiancés so she can go back into the hospital with him. So this leads to them fake-dating for different reasons. Will they keep butting heads along the way or will they fall in love?
☼ ☼ ☼
I do, however, feel like some of the things in this book were written weirdly. I was getting confused at some points. For example, they were in the truck driving somewhere then the next sentence is them at this fishing spot. I don’t know when they got there. Another example is when they were kissing and he had his hands holding her wrist above her head then the next sentence he let go but then in the next paragraph, he had his hands back on her wrist and let go again. Maybe I am just tired but that confused me. I also got confused about the sex parts of the book and what position they were in lol.
☼ ☼ ☼
Trigger Warnings
•Death of a family member (off-page)
•Grief and depression
•On-page watercraft-related accident
February 10, 2024
every romance amy lea writes HITS
February 18, 2024
3.75⭑
Tropes;
- fake dating
- grumpy x sunshine
- small town romance
- single POV
The Catch is the last instalment of Amy Lea’s Influencer Series and I highly enjoyed it.
We follow Melanie, a side character from books 1&2, who is a fashion social media influencer and who has just been offered a paid opportunity to stay and review a new resort in Canada. However, due to a booking mix up, she doesn’t have anywhere to stay and looks on Air BnB for a local place to stay… which turns out to be a bit run down compared to the photos
This is where we meet our very grumpy fishermen/Air BnB Host love interest, Evan. Mel & Evan don’t start on the right foot and end up bickering back and forwards with each other for the first couple of days - their banter was so fun and you could tell they were crushing on each other but trying to hide it.
They decide to fake date to help Evan’s family come together to help restore their BnB. Their fake dating scheme came with the typical forced to hold hands, hug and kiss a little in public to make it seem real, all the while they are falling for each other.
I loved the entire set of side characters - being able to revisit the couples from books 1&2 and the new side characters, Evan’s family. They were so entertaining and added so much fun to the story.
My only critique is how fast Mel & Evan’s relationship developed. It all happened in the space of two weeks and everyone knows I’m just not a fan of insta love relationships in books. For me personally, it always makes the relationship feel rushed and a little underdeveloped.
However, if this is something that doesn’t bother you then you will enjoy this book just as much as Set on You and Exes & O’s.
Thank you NetGalley & Viking Penguin UK for sending me an early copy in exchange for my honest review.
Tropes;
- fake dating
- grumpy x sunshine
- small town romance
- single POV
The Catch is the last instalment of Amy Lea’s Influencer Series and I highly enjoyed it.
We follow Melanie, a side character from books 1&2, who is a fashion social media influencer and who has just been offered a paid opportunity to stay and review a new resort in Canada. However, due to a booking mix up, she doesn’t have anywhere to stay and looks on Air BnB for a local place to stay… which turns out to be a bit run down compared to the photos
This is where we meet our very grumpy fishermen/Air BnB Host love interest, Evan. Mel & Evan don’t start on the right foot and end up bickering back and forwards with each other for the first couple of days - their banter was so fun and you could tell they were crushing on each other but trying to hide it.
They decide to fake date to help Evan’s family come together to help restore their BnB. Their fake dating scheme came with the typical forced to hold hands, hug and kiss a little in public to make it seem real, all the while they are falling for each other.
I loved the entire set of side characters - being able to revisit the couples from books 1&2 and the new side characters, Evan’s family. They were so entertaining and added so much fun to the story.
My only critique is how fast Mel & Evan’s relationship developed. It all happened in the space of two weeks and everyone knows I’m just not a fan of insta love relationships in books. For me personally, it always makes the relationship feel rushed and a little underdeveloped.
However, if this is something that doesn’t bother you then you will enjoy this book just as much as Set on You and Exes & O’s.
Thank you NetGalley & Viking Penguin UK for sending me an early copy in exchange for my honest review.
January 11, 2024
The Catch is my first time reading this author and sadly this was a miss.
What drew me to this book was the synopsis and the tropes. Grumpy/sunshine and fake dating. What’s not to like. Sadly the whole premise for Mel and Evan fake dating was a little far fetched. But my main reason for this story not working was the lack of chemistry, tension between the two of them and an interesting storyline. Them constantly bickering didn’t create tension, it only made me care less about them and the story which never took off.
Mel and Evan as characters felt superficial and I think for me it’s something to do with the writing. It simply wasn’t working for me. It’s written in single pov and I don’t mind it but then the writing has to do a good job at showing instead of telling. The Catch did a lot of telling especially through Mel’s inner thoughts which sadly made the story drag.
There’s a group of side characters such as Julian who’s Mel’s brother, Lucy who’s Evan’s cousin and their parents. Because of my lack of investment in the story they didn’t make a huge impact on me.
The Catch didn’t meet my expectations but that doesn’t mean I won’t try the author again in the future. This book simply wasn’t for me.
*The ARC was provided by the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review*
What drew me to this book was the synopsis and the tropes. Grumpy/sunshine and fake dating. What’s not to like. Sadly the whole premise for Mel and Evan fake dating was a little far fetched. But my main reason for this story not working was the lack of chemistry, tension between the two of them and an interesting storyline. Them constantly bickering didn’t create tension, it only made me care less about them and the story which never took off.
Mel and Evan as characters felt superficial and I think for me it’s something to do with the writing. It simply wasn’t working for me. It’s written in single pov and I don’t mind it but then the writing has to do a good job at showing instead of telling. The Catch did a lot of telling especially through Mel’s inner thoughts which sadly made the story drag.
There’s a group of side characters such as Julian who’s Mel’s brother, Lucy who’s Evan’s cousin and their parents. Because of my lack of investment in the story they didn’t make a huge impact on me.
The Catch didn’t meet my expectations but that doesn’t mean I won’t try the author again in the future. This book simply wasn’t for me.
*The ARC was provided by the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review*
January 6, 2024
Review coming soon.
February 13, 2024
Happy release week...Thanks to Berkley for a copy to review. The Catch will be out February 13th. Rating represents two and a half stars rounded down.
If you like judgy, unpleasant lady leads and as many bad takes on Canada as can fit on the pages, this might be for you!
So to begin with, I don't find the sorts of Canadian jokes that this story uses as its foundations amusing at all, and the writing only went downhill from there. There was a line like "There’s a decent chance I could take a murderer, particularly a Canadian murderer" that was completely baffling. And in another passage: “Best of luck with that,” he says cryptically. “It’s fishing season.”
A statement is absolutely not cryptic if you explain yourself a syllable later.
Some of it simply doesn't make sense - someone from Boston acting like Halifax is a culture shock? Both are coastal hubs in the same general area with maritime industries; it'd have been much more plausible if Melanie was from Arizona or something. There were sentences awkwardly worded - "the entire ascent up the stairs"? Where was the editor?
It was a struggle to get to the actual romance and steamier parts, which were the better done half of the book, but not worth the slog.
If you like judgy, unpleasant lady leads and as many bad takes on Canada as can fit on the pages, this might be for you!
So to begin with, I don't find the sorts of Canadian jokes that this story uses as its foundations amusing at all, and the writing only went downhill from there. There was a line like "There’s a decent chance I could take a murderer, particularly a Canadian murderer" that was completely baffling. And in another passage: “Best of luck with that,” he says cryptically. “It’s fishing season.”
A statement is absolutely not cryptic if you explain yourself a syllable later.
Some of it simply doesn't make sense - someone from Boston acting like Halifax is a culture shock? Both are coastal hubs in the same general area with maritime industries; it'd have been much more plausible if Melanie was from Arizona or something. There were sentences awkwardly worded - "the entire ascent up the stairs"? Where was the editor?
It was a struggle to get to the actual romance and steamier parts, which were the better done half of the book, but not worth the slog.
March 17, 2024
It might sound like The Catch has a lot of moving parts, but it’s actually very smooth reading. As a romance, it’s both swoony and spicy, though a rather slow burn (by my standards, anyway). It’s well-written and heartfelt without being cloying or annoying, which is a tricky balance to maintain. The Catch is the perfect escapist romance that won’t insult your intelligence.
My full review of The Catch is up now on Keeping Up With The Penguins.
My full review of The Catch is up now on Keeping Up With The Penguins.
May 3, 2024
I do enjoy this book, but I just can't imagine uprooting my life and moving to a new country for a guy I met for a couple of months. The author made all of these arguments about how Mel was miserable in Boston, even her friends and brother assured her that she needed to choose happiness and go to this remote fishing village for a guy, I just didn't buy it.
Like Mel, I'm a city girl through and through. I can't imagine not having food delivery service, cinema or something as simple as internet access. So imagine my horror when Mel says that she can imagine living there. Maybe it's the scepticism in me, but why must she be the one who uprooted her life and not him? Yeah I know he has his family and his career and she can work anywhere, but.... sorry I just can't. I just don't think this relationship will last.
But I like how Mel is written though. As the eldest sister, she feels the need to take care of everything and everyone and it's nice that with Evan, she doesn't need to do anything because he's there to take care of her. And omg, the fact that he went all the way to get her fake lashes because she mentioned that she wanted one. A+ for effort.
As much as I like the relationship, I just don't think the relationship is feasible.
Like Mel, I'm a city girl through and through. I can't imagine not having food delivery service, cinema or something as simple as internet access. So imagine my horror when Mel says that she can imagine living there. Maybe it's the scepticism in me, but why must she be the one who uprooted her life and not him? Yeah I know he has his family and his career and she can work anywhere, but.... sorry I just can't. I just don't think this relationship will last.
But I like how Mel is written though. As the eldest sister, she feels the need to take care of everything and everyone and it's nice that with Evan, she doesn't need to do anything because he's there to take care of her. And omg, the fact that he went all the way to get her fake lashes because she mentioned that she wanted one. A+ for effort.
As much as I like the relationship, I just don't think the relationship is feasible.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
August 15, 2024
3.5 stars. This was a quick and easy read. I really liked that it was set in Canada and some of the references were great (as a Canadian it’s nice to see this and when the authors get it right)! Like when they gave her Timbits (donut holes for those who aren’t Canadian). Not sure I liked the fake dating trope in this but it worked. And I liked how are main FMC realized she can rely on her friends for help and not do everything herself. Not sure I liked the ending but it was okay.
July 22, 2024
DNF after the MMC said “I don’t want to hear you bitch”
Grumpy sunshine does NOT equal asshole
Grumpy sunshine does NOT equal asshole
March 4, 2024
Nana was an icon 💅🏻
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