Wonderful little rom-com and a good wrap up to the 'Influencer' trilogy. I laughed out loud a few times as well as held back some tears. This is a perfect opposites attract romance and is very similar to rom-coms of the mid-nineties. So, if you're a fan of those then this book is perfect for you.

Every time I picked up "The Catch", I was whisked away, and simply could not put this book down!

This is the first book I have read by Ms. Lea, and it certainly will not be my last. Her writing style is vivid, detailed, and her passion for the story she is telling is so clear, and there is so much heart in this story. Her characters have such depth, and they immediately jump right off of the page.

(Possible Spoilers!
Oh my gosh! This book truly has so much in it! Enemies-to-lovers turns into fake engagement, and Mel and Evan's story is filled with romance, deep emotional moments, family, and so much more. They truly help one another, understand each other in such a deep way, and the way they support each other is beautiful. This novel also discusses grief and healing, and these are such poignant parts of these characters lives that have shaped these two into whom they are. It is truly so moving.

I absolutely loved the setting of this novel as well! So quaint, special, and beautiful!

If you enjoy Contemporary Romance, I highly recommend this book! I so look forward to reading what Ms. Lea writes next!

Thank you so much to NetGalley and Berkley Publishing Group for the ARC of this novel, and to Berkley Publishing Group for having me on the blog tour! All opinions expressed in this review are my own.

This was a fun read. I liked Mel in the first two books so it was fun to learn more about her life and passions. I also liked this contained zero weird social media post pages. I don’t love insta-love as a trope and that is what this felt like, but you just have to suspend your disbelief and enjoy the ride. There are lots of charming and funny moments that endear you to Evan and help you believe in the chemistry with Mel. I still will never be a fan of fake dating but this book was a fun time. If you want a fun book that has AAPI rep, small town romance, and a grumpy-sunshine romance, pick this book up!

The Catch
by: Amy Lea
Berkley Publishing Group, Berkley

Atmosphere and attraction of opposites are everything in Amy Lea's book, The Catch. Female lead, Melanie, didn't plan to spend a week at a bed and breakfast in a remote fishing village on the Canadian coast. She also didn't plan to meet the likes of fisherman Evan. As a fashion influencer from Boston, Melanie is an upscale resort kind of woman.
Lea's story is a funny and engaging romantic comedy which was published during Valentine's week. The story has a significant spice factor at times, so keep that in mind. I would certainly read the first two books in Lea's "The Influencer" series.

Thank you to Net Galley and Berkley Publishing Group, Berkley for an advance reader copy. My review is my own.

This book was hilarious and heartfelt and so binge worthy. I read it in one sitting at my desk at work, clearly no work was being done. Amy’s stories are such a bright spot in the romance genre.

The final installment of Amy Lea's influencer romance series takes the reader to Canada with a fish out of water story that hooks the reader instantly.

"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.”"

Mel needs a rebrand to boost her influencer status but a mix up puts her in the path of the burly Evan. In Mel we meet a woman who is unsure of herself and hesitates to speak up in her personal life in the same way she does in her business life.

In her interactions with Evan we see her find a voice, of sorts, Lea utilizes the enemies to lovers and the fake dating but by creating unique and engaging characters the expected storylines are fresh and heartfelt.

The tension between them is palpable and take the reader through the anxious journey as they find their way.

There's an added bonus of getting an update on the characters from the previous books in this series.

Definitely a fun read!

A Summertime Hallmark Movie, with some added spice. I loved getting to spend time in Coral Cove with a burly fisherman who wears flannel. There's something about this small town that helped our heroine fall in love with not only a remote fishing village, but with the whole community. This feel good romance is sweet for summer.

Oh Amy, you had us at the lobsters!
FMC, Melanie Karlsen, finds herself out of Boston and off the east coast of Canada in an effort to save her influencer brand. Of course, everything goes awry! They booked her flight a week too early and they have no openings at her bougie lodge so she finds herself at a small fishing village bed-and-breakfast. Upon entering this bed-and-breakfast she runs into quirky little lobsters and a burly, bearded, grumpy fisherman. Grumpy fisherman, Evan Whaler, finds himself in a predicament at the hospital and ends up with a fake fiance, Melanie!
The moment we saw this was an available arc we jumped at the chance to read Amy Lea’s latest book in advance. After reading the other two Influencer books in the series we were so excited to get our hands on this one! It was so much fun being in Amy Lea’s world again, but set in a sea side village. It was definitely giving us some “It Happened One Summer” vibes with a dose of cute-sy little lobsters. Ugh, have I mentioned the lobsters enough?! If you can’t tell, we loved them! If you are looking for a sweet romance with a healthy dose of great side characters, strap yourself in for this read!
Happy release day and thanks for the advanced arc!!

Each book we get from Amy Lea's Influencer series is fantastic, and The Catch is my new favorite one! This grumpy/sunshine, enemies-to-lovers, fake dating/fiancé’s, and small-town romance caught my attention and reeled me in! I felt the chemistry between Mel and Evan, and it was intense!

Influencer Melanie is desperate enough to accept a trip to a remote Canadian resort, but a series of mishaps lands her at a closed B&B with a (hot but) terrifying fisherman owner. As she gets to know Evan and his sister, though, Melanie is determined to help them save their family business. A fun read, although I found Melanie's general well meaning but clumsy mien to be a little grating after a while.

Thanks to Netgalley, the publisher, and the author for the ARC to review. All opinions are my own.

I wanted to like this book. But it unfortunately fell flat for me. I adored Amy’s debut, didn’t get the chance to read the second book, but when this came available to me I jumped at the opportunity to read this. And I struggled

Mel, our FMC, is a fashion/lifestyle influencer. It’s basically her personality because in the 37% I read i saw no her. You know. What makes her laugh, what makes her cry, who is she outside of being an influencer, what does she do for fun that isn’t work? Would those have been answered if I finished the book? Maybe. The whole book is in her POV so I should have found something likable about her. But I didn’t

Evan, our MMC, is grumpy…and mean to the FMC. A MMC can be grumpy without being mean. I do believe he has more layers than just what Mel thinks about him. And if this book were dual POV I may have flown through this book

So while I thank Berkley Pub for an ARC, this book unfortunately didn’t work for me

4.5 Stars
Happy belated publication day to this book!
This one was probably my favorite installment of this series - Mel's character growth was great to see and it was impossible not to fall for Evan and I loved following their story. I also loved that this one was set in Nova Scotia, my sister lives in Yarmouth, NS right now and the East Coast has a special place in my heart (the seafood is fresh and so good, all the people are so friendly and the laid back vibes are so relaxing), so I totally get why Mel fell in love with it as well. I enjoyed how Amy Lea wrapped up the entire series in that epilogue (and I actually didn't hate the HEA ending in this one for once because it was realistic for the story) and will definitely keep an eye out for more from this author in the future!

Thank you NetGalley and Berkley Publishing Group for the ARC!

If you want a cute romcom for today, The Catch just came out yesterday and is a fun romp. It is the story of Mel, an influencer whose reservation at a resort in Canada gets messed up so she ends up at a family run B&B in a small town, complete with a surly fisherman running the place. Yeah, it is a grumpy meets sunshine, enemy to lovers trope. It has some While You Were Sleeping vibes with some fake dating thrown in there too. And overall, just some witty, flirty banter, sweet romance, entertaining side characters, a darling little town and a fun insider look at the influencer life. And the neighbor back in Boston stole the show!

My rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️

Spice level: 🌶️🌶️🌶️

Read if you like:
▫️grumpy x sunshine
▫️opposites attract
▫️small town
▫️fake relationship

This book was very similar to It Happened One Summer, but with an added element from the movie While You Were Sleeping. However, I liked both of those better.

Mel is a great protagonist. She basically devoted her entire life to raising her younger brother. She loves deeply and fiercely, but doesn’t let anyone in because she’s afraid of them leaving her. She’s a total city girl and is unashamedly high maintenance. She’s loves nice clothes, fake eyelashes, and makeup; and I fully support that! I feel like women are too often judged for liking those things.

Evan left something to be desired. He is the stereotypical broody, strong-and-silent, plaid-wearing, muscled hero.
He was pretty flat as a character and didn’t have any growth. The only interesting thing about him is that he’s a Canadian lobster fisherman who also plays the guitar and sings.

Mel and Evan initially hate each other, with
Evan being rude and dismissive and Mel sniping at him. There’s no buildup, tension, or pining. They go from dislike, to fake relationship, to being in love in the span of a week. Later, Evan claims that he didn’t hate her, he was just having a bad day.

Overall, the book was ok, but the romance was bland.

Thank you to Berkley, Berkley Romance, NetGalley, and Amy Lea for the ARC. I received an advanced copy for free, and am leaving this review voluntarily.

It’s here! Be sure to get your copy of The Catch by Amy Lea if you like opposites attract, fake relationship, close proximity tropes full of awkward situations, witty banter, and a little steam. I enjoy all of this, so I loved this book!
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Due to a miscommunication in dates, influencer Mel takes the only room available at an out of the way Airbnb. Instead of a week being papered at a plush resort, Mel is at a B & B under construction, with a grumpy lobster fisherman as the proprietor, and more time outdoors than she ever planned, or packed for.
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Evan is that grumpy proprietor who would agree to almost anything to keep his home and reunite a feuding family, including a fake engagement to Mel while she is staying in this quaint Canadian fishing town. Of course the two are drawn to each other, they are each quite the catch!

This book was so freakin' cute!!

I am sad to say I still have not read the first book in this series; but I loved the second one. And this was a perfect little follow up to that. I will definitely be going back to read the first!

I loved the differences in the main characters and how they interacted. It did feel a little predictable at times and yet I was eatinggg it upppp. I really really enjoyed them together.

I was a little worried about how the potential third act break up/ending was going to go - but I thought it was great. And the resolution was even better than I could have hoped for!

4.5 rounded to 4/5

Melanie, a Boston-based fashion influencer, has the opportunity to take a trip to Nova Scotia as part of a deal with a new resort, but a booking issue and the height is the tourist season leave her stranded. She eventually finds a bed and breakfast online and books it. When she does up, she's told there's a mistake, but she talks then into giving her a room anyways. This is just the beginning of the bickering and banter between Mel and Evan, a lobster fisherman whose family owns the local b&b that's the center of attention in the latest family feud. After a boating accident somehow leads to Evan's family believing Mel is his fiance, Mel agrees to play along if Evan helps her with her recent social media issues.

This book has a great, fun group of characters from the hunky lobster fisherman to the quirky small town residents. Add in your Boston city girl influencer and you have yourself this cute opposites attract rom com full of the bickering and banter we all love. I'm also a sucker for a book that digs deep into both main characters' pasts and we get to watch them unpack all their baggage together. This is also probably my first book where bugs could be considered a side character, but in a fun way. Definitely a cute read especially as the weather starts warming up!

I don't consider myself an influencer by any means, but I did relate to the need for social media content. As per typical Claire fashion, I don't usually read books from the same series in order. This is my first Amy Lea book, and while I've had her others on my TBR for too long, this is the one I had the opportunity to get started with and it makes me excited to jump into the others!

A big thank you to Berkley Romance and the author for letting me review this advanced copy! All thoughts are my own.

THIS BOOK IS FOR YOU IF: You enjoy fast paced, found family romances with adorable opposite attract vibes.

This felt like the quintessential grumpy/sunshine story with a few twists.

When Mel’s influencer work/vacation trip has a few mishaps, she ends up demanding to stay at a closed inn where the grumpy-lobster-fisherman owner already hates her and wants nothing to do with her. Or at least, that’s what he leads her to believe.

In an attempt to regroup, Mel begins to distance herself from “her world” of tech, social media, and photo editing—and instead begins to enjoy the world (and the people) around her, while also growing to appreciate herself more, too.

OH, and you can’t forget the fake dating wrench that Amy throws into the mix!

I love how each story in this interconnected series focuses on finding oneself, even if they hadn’t fully grasped they were lost in the first place. The romances that occur are a helpful aid in encouraging these women to feel comfortable in their own skin, not because they need the men in their lives, but rather because they feel at home with them and want them in their lives instead. There’s also the mental health representation in varying degrees in each book, which Amy Lea handles beautifully.

I enjoyed this one via ebook and audiobook, and narrator Kelsey Navarro Foster did a great job pulling me into each scene and making me feel as though I was falling off of the boat with both Mel and Evan…both times!

“I love everything about you. The real you.”

Tropes:
- Enemies to lovers
- Forced proximity
- Fake dating
- One bed
- Grumpy/sunshine

I have really enjoyed every book in this series! Amy Lea writes the most lovable and relatable female protagonists, the swooniest heroes, and I also enjoy the behind-the-scenes glimpses of life as an influencer.

Mel is a fashion-lifestyle influencer and when we first meet her, she is traveling from Boston to Nova Scotia to stay at a fancy hotel she is partnering with. When she arrives, however, there has been a mix-up and the hotel can’t accommodate her until the following week. Mel’s brand is in trouble - she really needs this gig and she cannot afford to travel all the way back to Boston so she looks for temporary accommodations. It’s the height of busy season there, however, and all she can find is a little Bed and Breakfast in a nearby rural fishing village that happens to be owned by Evan, the grumpiest of grumps. Mel has no other options though and decides to make the best of the situation, grump or not. She has no idea she’s in for one of the most eventful weeks of her life!

Enemies to lovers and grumpy-sunshine are two of my favorite tropes so I was already eating up this story, but when a boating accident that is Mel’s fault lands Evan in the hospital and his family mistakenly assumes Mel is Evan’s fiance, my fake relationship loving heart skipped a beat. Evan’s family has been estranged for years now so the fact that they were actually all at the hospital and talking is enough for Mel and Evan to decide to pretend they really are engaged.

I loved that both of their hearts were in the right place even if a little deception was involved. I’m also a huge sucker for when those fake feelings start to become real, so I very much enjoyed all of the classic rom-com moments that were part of that journey for Mel and Evan.

The Catch is another winner from Amy Lea and I can't wait to read more from her!

I really enjoyed this! The Catch was probably my favorite of Amy’s books so far. If you liked It Happened One Summer by Tessa Bailey you would probably like this as well, the books have lots of similarities. I liked all the characters and the fake engagement antics were fun. If you liked her previous two books I would recommend picking this up!