Cover Image: Good Catch

Good Catch

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Member Reviews

While it is the second in the Harper Landing series, Good Catch can definitely be read as a stand-alone. I have not read Sweet Bliss, but considering how much I enjoyed this book, I am planning on going back to read the first in the series!

I love a good enemies-to-lovers story, so I was really excited to dive into Good Catch. Their experiences with online dating were really entertaining, and brought humor to the story. I enjoyed watching Ben and Marlo begin to see each other in a new light as adults, rather than how they perceived one another as childhood "enemies." The progression of their relationship once they started "dating" felt a bit unrealistic to me, but if you are someone that likes a fast-paced development of feelings, you will enjoy it.

As someone who has suffered a career-ending injury, I really related to Marlo. Her journey in finding passion in life after dance was inspiring, and provided me with hope for my own future. I also really admired Ben's love for and devotion to his career as a journalist.

I so badly wish I could take a trip to Harper Landing, the lovely small town in which Good Catch takes place. The map of the town at the beginning of the book was such a wonderful touch, and I really enjoyed being able to look back at it throughout my reading.

Definitely read Good Catch if you love any of the following: childhood enemies to lovers, slow burn, a small town romance

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My honest opinion about this book,easy read but kinda boring and too slow for my taste. I feel that if given more space to the main characters it would have been more atmospheric, more insightful,the kinda story you want to feel the characters, you want to get into their world,but the mashup of the stories,and the other characters made me get lost in some chapters and i was getting carried away from the main plot. But overall a i liked the idea,i even found interesting the way everything developed, I'm sure there are people out there who will love this book.

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An enjoyable easy read. If you like light fluffy romance novels you’ll love this one! Well written and with enough tension to really get you invested in their romance story. Really enjoyed this easy going romance story.

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“You’ve got to be bold to get what you want.”

Marlo and Ben were childhood enemies. Fast forward to a few years later. As they both spend more time together, sparks fly and they can’t seem to get enough of each other.

I did not how much I missed Harper Landing until I read this book; It feels so good to be back in this place! Ben and Marlo’s love story is short but sweet. Individually, I love how they are both good-hearted, passionate, and humorous characters. I enjoyed reading their funny banters and their heart-to-heart conversations; it made my heart go fuzzy. The storyline, plot structure, and character growth in the story were pretty good. Although the story pacing on the first few chapters felt moderately slow, the later part made up for it.

I am glad that I got the opportunity to read both Sweet Bliss and Good Catch because they are the exact definition of hidden gems! If you are into a small town and feel-good romance, then you will surely love this book series!

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ARC from Netgalley

Light, fluffy, and lively. This is definitely a Hallmark movie, but not one of the insane ones that you use to play drinking games. This is one you stumble across while hungover and feel yourself weirdly connecting to. It's clean and dorky and low stakes and low steam and fun with few unbearable moments (the emotional beats with the female lead's father did not work for me. I can't help but abhor a speech), and frankly it's cute and sugary, so if that's what you want, that's what you got here.

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The slow burn!!!

This book was very slow burn and kind of enemies to lovers...ish?? The main characters were archenemies in kindergarten, I don't know if that counts but anyways. This book I think just wasn't for me, it didn't really feel like a romance as much in my opinion plus it was a bit TOO slow for my liking, but that's ok! I'm sure someone else will be able to enjoy it more than me!

Thank you to NetGalley and Montlake for the earc in return for an honest review

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I enjoyed reading this book. This is the second book in the series but could be read as a standalone. It’s about Marlo and Ben who are struggling with their careers I different ways and are challenged by their parents to date someone out side if their zone. This is an enemies to lovers romance that involves a dating app which you don’t want to miss out on. I enjoyed the author’s writing for this book and thought it was amazing how she decided to write about the side characters in each book that all takes place in one city. Even though this is the second book, I felt like I was home as I knew what each place in the city was and understood the world. The pacing was well done in this book also the plot structure, storyline and characters. I also have to say that I LOVED getting information about what has happened to the first couple from book one and seeing them still be involved in the story.

I enjoyed the main characters, Marlo and Ben. This book is written from both of their povs and I enjoyed seeing how different their lives are plus how they were growing each day from it. Marlo is an injured ballerina and now works for her parents who don’t really listen to her ideas to grow their business while there is Ben who loves his journalist job but it doesn’t pay the bills. Social class plays a major role in this book which I really haven’t seen before and it shows how you can still fall in love for who they are instead of what they are. Each character grew so much and I loved it! There are some of the same side characters and some new ones that you meet who were also involved in the story. The romance is enemies to lovers and it was such a cute romance.

The ending was well done but I wonder who the next book will be about! I’m super excited to read book three even though I have no idea what it is. I do have to say that I enjoyed book one more then this one as book one has a better slow burn romance then this one plus there was a cute baby involved. I totally recommend checking this book out and even the first one as it is AMAZING!

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Ben and Marlo have been adversaries since elementary school. Marlo is from a family that appears to have it all. They own a fitness center and she teaches there after being unable to pursue her dream of being a ballerina after a heartbreaking injury. Ben is an investigative reporter whose family has barely made a living from the independent family-owned bakery where he helps out. After failed relationships, Ben and Marlo set out on a journey of dating that is fraught with interesting companions. Between the two of them, there is chemistry but will it be strong enough to overcome the past feelings of animosity they both harbor? Will they be able to help with the obstacles their families both face to a secure financial future? This book is an interesting and entertaining read, full of characters that are amusing and emotionally seeking love. For lovers of romance, this is a must-read. Thanks to #GoodCatch#NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review this book.

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Since I had really enjoyed Sweet Bliss, I was really excited to read Good Catch by this author too. The small town feeling I'm getting from the Harper Landing books, remind me why I really love small town romances. The feeling of the united community, it's just like the village life here.

This was a really sweet story, with slow burn and a few laugh out loud moments. I really loved Ben and I can relate with his character. Marlo was also a lovely character and I enjoyed their slow burn romance.

My only issue with the book was that it was too slow, as the biggest percentage of the book was about them trying the Good Catch app and going on dates with other people, instead of getting to see them together. I felt like I needed more romance or scenes with them getting closer.

Overall, it was a really nice and heartwarming story that I really enjoyed and I'm looking forward to reading more books by this author.

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3.4 stars
Good Catch is a sweet, slow burn love story with complicated characters. Marlo and Ben are the epitome of childhood enemies, who never really got to know one another, but are finally at a place in life where they can ‘see’ one another (enemies to lovers, my favourite trope!). It’s been a while since I read such a cozy, small-town story, and Jennifer did a such a good job of describing the town that I feel like I’ve been to Harpers Landing.

I struggled with the pacing of the story at times, as there was a lot of time spent on the details, descriptions, and scene setting, and for me personally I prefer more dialogue and less description so I found it difficult to stay engaged and invested in the story. BUT I can be a little impatient sometimes as a reader haha so if you are a detail-oriented reader, who thrives on slow burn stories you will probably love it!

Thanks to NetGalley, the author and Literary Bounds tours for the opportunity to read an ARC of Good Catch. All thoughts and opinions are my own and weren’t influenced by receiving an ARC of the book.

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3.5 stars

This was a cute, quick read with a small town romance at the center (which I'm a sucker for). The main characters of Marlo and Ben had good chemistry and I liked the enemies to lovers feel the story took on.

There was some level of "is this too-much" for me in terms of some of the dates/exes, especially Goldie and Brittany. Because one, Goldie is an ex of Ben's that really didn't feel useful to the plot at all (and the marginal humour she brought to the story felt forced) and whatever weird scheme Brittany was doing just seemed childish and also never got resolved.

What I thought was refreshing, however, was that there was no last-third breakup scene. I liked that once they got together, the characters stayed together!

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The story
Marlo is a former ballerina forced to quit being a professional after serious injury. She is working at her parents’s athletic centre teaching barre and spinning. When she attends the wedding of a friend the day after breaking up with her boyfriend who was cheating, her father challenges her to date someone for their personality rather than their looks. Her nemesis from school, Ben, is also at the table without his “plus one”. His parents challenge him to date someone more attractive for once. The dating game is on, when both use the Good Catch app, but is Ben too attractive for qualify as a date in Marlo’s challenge?

My thoughts
This is a sweet story set In Harper’s Landing on the outskirts of Seattle. Surrounded by the water and scenery, this is a story that deals with Ben’s struggle with dyslexia, the struggle of being a twenty-something finding a way to earn a living that pays the bills versus following your heart career-wise. It’s about finding love where there was misunderstanding. I kept waiting for something to derail the fledgling relationship, but thankfully kissing the frogs (both by Ben and Marlo) ended up with a sweet and kind relationship that worked for both in the end. ❤️

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What an absolutely fantastic sequel to Sweet Bliss. Good Catch by Jennifer Bardsley is book two in The Harper Landing series and it is definitely my favourite summer read.

The story takes place in Harper Landing an idyllic small town in the PNW. Marlo, a former ballerina, has moved back home after she suffers a devastating injury that put an end to her career as a ballerina. Marlo is now a fitness instructor at her parents gym and is trying to help them through potential financial ruin. Ben is a happy go lucky Seattle journalist, but journalism does not pay his bills. This results in Ben picking up shifts at his parents bakery in Harper Landing to earn extra money. Both Ben and Marlo have had terrible luck in the relationship department so their parents challenge them to date people that they would never normally date. Oh boy, what a hilarious, awkward, and uncomfortable ride that is! But eventually Ben and Marlo, who were once sworn enemies, discover they have way more in common then they ever realized.

This is such a sweet, romantic, funny, thoughtful and feel good book. I love how Jennifer Bardsley always addresses important issues in her novels, such as single parenting, Alzheimer’s, dyslexia, MS and stresses the importance of community, family and friendship.

Thank you so much Jennifer Bardsley, NetGalley and Montclair for sending me an electronic ARC copy of Good Catch. Definitely a five star read for me. I am keeping my fingers crossed that there will be a book 3 in the Harper Landing Series.

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I really enjoyed this story. It's a clean read, and on a similar line to pride and prejudice whereby first impressions can give you a mistaken view of someone, but it's a thoroughly modern story. Both characters were really likable, and the ex girlfriends were really funny due to their eccentricity. I almost wish the author hadn't given the side characters endings in this book so it could've spawned spin off stories for them, as I enjoyed it so much. I couldn't put it down and had to survive on caffeine the day after reading due to staying up too late to finish it, that's how much I liked it

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Good Catch by Jennifer Bardsley is a sweet and quick read. Marlo Jonas has returned to her hometown after an injury that ended her career as a professional dancer and is working at her parents fitness studio. Ben Wexler-Lowry is a reporter, who loves his job. They both experience a series of dating disasters, which provide them with some common ground. Marlo and Ben have been arch enemies since kindergarten, but this book ends up showing how misunderstandings and assumptions can really get in the way.

Thank you to NetGalley and Montlake for an ARC of this book, in exchange for an honest review.

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Jennifer Bardsley’s, Good Catch, is a sweet romance about finding out that who you want to be – and be with – has been within reach the whole time.
Marlo Jonas came back to live in her hometown after an injury ended her career as a professional dancer. In the wake of a bad breakup, her father – who is also her employer– challenges her to date men based on who they are rather than how they look.
Ben Wexler-Lowry loves his job as a reporter and his family and friends love him – but they don’t love watching his ex-girlfriends either mother him, stalk him, or menace him with balloon animals. He is challenged by his parents to date a woman based on her attractiveness and not her eccentricities.
At first, you’d think Marlo and Ben would commiserate but they’ve been arch enemies since grade school, and it takes a series of dating disasters before the two of them find common ground. As Ben helps Marlo figure out a way to make her parent’s gym profitable and find a deeper satisfaction in her new career path, they begin to clear up the misunderstandings that have kept them apart all these years. Readers will empathize with Marlo and Ben’s desire to find a little more separation from the people they love without alienating them.
Bardsley is a talented writer with a gift for conveying all the foibles and charms of small town life. Perfect for those who enjoyed her charming debut, Sweet Bliss, Bardsley’s standout sophomore effort is a wonderful romance with equal parts humor and heart.

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I genuinely loved this story. I feel like it could be the perfect Hallmark movie. I’m always a fan of enemies to lovers, and this book did not disappoint. The love interest is absolute perfection and quickly turned into my favorite and my top choice for Marlo! If you’re a fan of feel good romance stories with quirky exes and a beautiful plot line, then this is the book for you!

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- Book Review -⁣
Book: Good Catch (Jennifer Bardsley)⁣
Rating: 5⭐️
Genre: Sweet romance
Smut: -

Summary:⁣ Marlo, a former ballerina turned into fitness instructor, finds her boyfriend cheating on her and swears to date only guys based on their heart and not their looks. Ben, formerly dating only women that are on the crazy scale of interesting, promises to aim higher and only date ladies that are out of his league. So it is time to put the Good Catch app to use - and let the games begin!

Favourite character: Marlo.⁣

To whom: To fans of small-town charm, rivals to lovers (you honestly can't use the term "enemy" with this book!) and sweet stories!

Additional notes:⁣
Simply put: I adore Harper Landing. I admired how dyslexia was incorporated into the story and how I just could not stop turning the pages. Also, I’m a huge fan of the characters not swelling on obstacles life throws their way but instead always looking and moving forward! A solid 5 stars, add this book on your TBR!

Thank you so much Jennifer Bardsley, Montlake and NetGalley for sending me an ARC in exchange for an honest opinion!

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Good Catch is book 2 in the Harper Landing Series.  I suggest reading in order as you will enjoy them more.  I loved the 2nd book just as much as the first.  It's like being transported into another place.  The details and characters seem so real.  The story kept me turning pages!   Former Ballerina Marlo and reporter Ben have had some rocky relationships that never workout.  On a dare from their parents they have been challenged to date out of their normal comfort zone.  It is such a good book, I don't think 5 stars is enough!

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Return to Harper Landing and prepare to fall in love. Good Catch is a delightful story of childhood nemeses who are looking for love and turn to a dating app to find it. Bardsley's characters are entertaining, relatable and touch on important issues of empathy, friendship, loyalty and determination. Her brilliant portrayal of a small town community makes Good Catch a story readers can take to heart. Some may even catch glimpses of their own childhood towns, dreams and rivalries.

Marlo is a protagonist who is misunderstood by many. As her character unfolds, she reveals she's more than anyone expects her to become. Her awakening to not only her own potential but the realities and potential of others will draw you in and keep you turning pages throughout the book.

I enjoyed the first Harper Landing book, Sweet Bliss, but I believe Good Catch is even better. I sincerely hope a third installment of Harper Landing will be in the works next year.

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