Erin Hahn is so good at what she does! This love letter to us Michigan lake girl did not disappoint. I loved the characters. Maren is a an outdoorsy park ranger turned fishing guide and Joe is super lovable single dad. They reconnect on their childhood lakeside resort. Maren's brother is horrible. Joe's ex wife is even worse. But Joe's two children captured my heart. I thought Hahn captured the experience of raising an autistic child very well. And her dialog is funny, sarcastic, and touching at the same time. She wrote two very believable adult characters who handle the challenges of being in a relationship in a very realistic way. Loved it!

4.5 stars - I liked Catch and Keep alot. The relationship between the two likeable leads is easy and grows organically from friends reconnecting to more. It was also nice that there was no contrived third act breakup. This is the third in a loosely connected series with three friends (Built to Last is the first).

ARC courtesy of the publisher via NetGalley. This is an unpaid review.

Title: Catch and Keep
Author: Erin Hahn
Series: Smitten in the Mitten #3
Genre: Romance
Rating: 4.00
Pub Date: October 15, 2024

I received a complimentary eARC from St. Martin's Press via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own. #Gifted

T H R E E • W O R D S

Authentic • Heartwarming • Refreshing

📖 S Y N O P S I S

At thirty-three, Maren Laughlin's just turned down her boyfriend’s proposal, walked away from her decade-long position as a park ranger, and returned to her childhood playground in Northern Wisconsin to accept her inheritance: a decrepit waterfront bait shop. After a lifetime of letting things happen to her, she’s ready to start making her own moves, even if everyone else thinks she’s making the wrong ones. Well, not everyone—at least the local heartstopper and resort owner is on her side.

Josiah Cole has made some missteps in his life, but he’s proud of what he has: two awesome kids and the keys to the kind of getaway spot that has families coming back every summer– their up north home away from home. After his marriage dissolved, leaving him a single dad, he feels he’s the last person to judge Maren for her recent transformation (even if his best friend, her brother, wants him to feel otherwise). Besides, he genuinely likes having her around. She’s a breath of fresh air, his kids adore her (not to mention her dog, Rogers), and it doesn’t hurt that she’s beautiful.

Things between Maren and Joe are easy. So easy, they’re fully immersed in the middle before they even decide to begin. It’s not a question of should they, but rather can they make it last? Are things too easy, or is this just how real love works?

💭 T H O U G H T S

Catch and Keep, book 3 in Erin Hahn's adult romance series, was a complete cover choice for me. I'd previously read book 1 in this companion series but didn't have plans of carrying on with it until I saw this one. And I am so glad I decided to pick this one up as it was a pleasant surprise and a such a delightful reading experience.

Told through dual POVs, it checks the boxes for so many of my favourite romance tropes: small town and outdoorsy vibes, second chances, brother's best friend, and adorable kids. It strikes the perfect balance between story and romance. And each of the main characters were likeable and relatable - Maren being down-on-her-luck and Joe navigating being a single dad to his two kids, one of which has significant needs. The kids are written with depth and accuracy and the moment Maren shows up to help his son catch the bus, I was hooked. There are a handful of heartfelt and swoony moments, yet there are also some real life hard moments. The scene with the kid's mom towards the end of the book absolutely broke my heart and was hard to read.

Catch and Keep took me by complete surprise and I am so glad the cover caught my eye. So many elements came together to create a special story and I was eagerly awaiting their happily ever after. I certainly enjoyed this one more than Built to Last and I am not curious to go back and explore Book 2 of the series.

📚 R E A D • I F • Y O U • L I K E
• the outdoors (particularly fishing)
• Maggie North and/or Sophie Sullivan
• cute kids

⚠️ CW: sexual content, ableism, sexual harassment, toxic relationship, stalking, child abuse, emotional abuse, parental abandonment, gaslighting

This was such an entertaining and charming read, packed with all the fun tropes I love, a good dose of spice, and adorable kids who really add to the story.

The chemistry between the leads was strong and believable, and I was fully invested in their connection from the start. The fall vibes were spot on too including cozy moments, and a lakeside setting that felt like the perfect backdrop for a romance to unfold.

If you’re looking for a book that’s equal parts sweet, steamy, and seasonally atmospheric, this one totally delivers.

I love this book so much! I feel like it’s such an underrated gem and I hope others pick this wonderful book up!

Catch and Keep is such a great story. Maren is a wonderful protagonist and I loved reading her and seeing her develop throughout the story. I also love the brothers friend trope and was excited to see her relationship with Joe (and his adorable kids!) develop. I appreciated the autism representation and felt it was well written and as someone who loves and works with autistic individuals felt it was written with care.

Definitely recommend you add this one to your tbrs!

CATCH AND KEEP by Erin Hahn is the third book in her Smitten in the Mitten series of interconnected standalones, so if you've read the previous ones like I did, this is a huge payoff! If not, this is still a heartwarming, read for anyone looking for a cozy, low angst story giving Fall lake vibes.

The story starts with Maren throwing up on and then running away from her terrible boyfriend, who proposed to her in front of their entire families. They were obviously not a good fit, so she retreats to the lakeside resort where she spent her summers, to a bait shop + apartment combo that her mentor left her in his will.

There, she reconnects with Joe, her brother's best friend and teenage crush, who has since married his first love, had two kids, and divorced. He's raising them with the help of his parents as he manages the resort and they ask Maren to work as a fishing guide while she fixes up the bait shop to sell.

Of course, Maren falls in love with Joe's kids (one of whom is autistic) and loves her job and finds herself in this place where she's always felt at home. There's some tension with her brother thinking she's not ready to take on the responsibility of Joe's kids, and a social media stalker and with Joe's awful ex. But overall, once Maren and Joe finally connect, there's really no third act break up or major misunderstanding, which I really liked. This was a beautiful story of a woman finding her place in life and I just loved it!

Pick up if you like:

🐟 Brother's best friend
🐟 Single dad
🐟 Being a lake girl
🐟 Blond MMC
🐟 Low angst
🐟 Autism rep

This was a solid wrap up to Erin Hahn’s series of best friends. Maren is an easy character to like—she’s an outdoorsy tomboy who just so happened to grow up to be a knockout. It doesn’t escape her brother’s best friend Josiah’s attention when Maren moves to his small lake town in Wisconsin after inheriting a bait shop. Hahn really shines when representing Joe’s kids and his relationship with his ex; I easily fell in love with him and his family and any man that steps up to fight for his kids earns a gold star in my book. Maren just fits in so well with him and I loved her special relationship with Lucy. Known for her YouTube fishing videos, Muskie Maren has earned her reputation as a fishing expert. I found the side story with her creeper fan interesting and thought Hahn did a good job of dealing with his unwanted attention. Maren’s brother Liam is another male who gives Maren grief and can’t see her as a grown up, calling her youngish nicknames. It seems Maren has to prove herself time and again and her patience with these men is pretty amazing. Joe and Maren’s relationship escalates one night due to, ahem, forced proximity and I always know I’m going to get a perfect amount of spice even if I have to wait for it. This is an easy to enjoy open door small town romance where family comes first with a guaranteed HEA. I received a copy from the publisher. All opinions are my own.

This is the third book of Erin Hahn that I have read, and this is also the third book in a series of interconnected standalones. I really enjoyed the setting of this book, taking place in a lake community up north in Wisconsin. This reminds me of summers vacationing with my family, so it made me feel nostalgic. I liked the story line, the level of spice and the found family aspect. The author did a really good job at making the creep in this book just creepy enough. She also did a good job at making the older brother in this book just unlikeable enough. I was rooting for Maren and Joe and Anders and Lucy and I was happy with the ending. I can't wait to see what is next from this author, as she is quickly becoming an auto-buy author for me.

I received an arc of this title from NetGalley for an honest review. This book was a well-written cute story with great characters, plot, and a genuine love story.

Delightful, swoony romance

Tropes: single dad, brother's best friend , slow burn, found family , friends to lovers

FMC and MMC are individually adorable and likable -- together they are delightful .Mild spice with great banter . Feel good romance , main characters have great chemistry . The characters show growth throughout the book which adds to the satisfying romance . Perfect, fun , sweet story. Read this book!

Thanks NetGalley for the ARC . Opinions are my own.

Erin Hahn’s Catch and Keep is a sun-drenched, big-hearted romance that captures the quiet power of starting over—and the thrill of falling into something that feels effortlessly right. With her signature warmth and a dash of steamy sweetness, Hahn brings us Maren and Josiah: two adults who’ve weathered enough storms to recognize the calm when it finally comes.

Maren is the kind of heroine you root for from page one: freshly single, newly unemployed by choice, and boldly reclaiming her life by way of a crumbling bait shop. Her journey toward self-reliance is honest and empowering, layered with uncertainty but brimming with hope. Opposite her is Josiah, the steady single dad who wears his heart (and a flannel) on his sleeve. He’s the kind of romantic lead who radiates quiet strength and genuine charm—and their chemistry is impossible to resist.

What makes their love story sing is its realism. Hahn doesn’t need dramatic twists; instead, she finds magic in the everyday—the slow build of trust, the blending of families, the joy of an unexpected second act. The Northwoods setting, complete with fishing docks and cabin nostalgia, adds the perfect cozy backdrop for this emotionally rich tale.

Catch and Keep is about more than romance—it’s about reclaiming your narrative, loving bravely, and recognizing that sometimes, the easiest thing is also the most right.

A beautifully crafted romance that offers a heartfelt exploration of love, identity, and the sacrifices that come with following your dreams. Hahn, known for her emotional depth and nuanced characters, delivers once again with a story that is both tender and gripping.

Love an FMC going through a crisis and a level-headed MMC being the one to break through and bring her back to ground. This setting was so romantic and lovable. I loved this book so much

No one writes better romances than Erin Hahn! I love how every one of the characters are so well fleshed out. There are no stereotypes and they each feel things— and make the reader as well!— so hard. The romance is swoony, the characters unforgettable.

A heartwarming, realistic romance with a beautiful outdoor setting. Maren, newly single and without a job (by choice) sets to fix up a cabin bequest to her in an inheritance in her childhood vacation town. She wants to reset but doesn’t expect to connect with her brother’s high school friend, Joe, who is now a single dad to two adorable kids. I was smitten with how very real this novel was: from how the characters acted, to the situations they encountered to the natural progression of their romance. Also, ten extra stars for the Wisconsin north woods setting, mentions of the terrifying fish called Muskellunge, and neurodivergent representation. I really enjoyed this novel, it wrapped me in a big hug and welcomed me home.

Give me all of Erin Hahn’s stories!! I adored the northern Wisconsin lake vibes, I wanted to be Maren’s best friend and Josiah was truly swoon worthy.

I was provided a complimentary e-galley by St Martin’s Griffin on NetGalley.

a lovely, warm and cozy romance. Marren and her brother's best friend Joe (Josiah) have known each other almost their whole lives, yet are near strangers when thrown together after Marren's life seemingly implodes. This romance follows their bond start to grow, then strengthens, then becomes unbreakable.

I loved the character growth not only from Joe and Marren, but from the side characters as well. I loved the chosen family and representation. This was a feasible and realistic story of finding and choosing love.

Many thanks to SMP and NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Loved everything about this! Super smooth experience from start to finish. Everything went better than I expected, and you can tell real care went into it. Great quality, friendly vibes, and just overall really solid. It’s rare to find something that actually lives up to the hype, but this totally did. I’ll definitely be coming back (or ordering again, depending on what this is lol). Five stars without a doubt. Highly recommend if you’re on the fence — just go for it, you won’t regret it. Big thanks to the team behind this!

I really like Erin Hahn. She writes parenthood well as well as kids' dynamics. I love a story that includes real life situations. Beautiful setting. Steamy chemistry. This one was a hit.

I have read several by Erin Hahn, and i think this one might be my favorite! It has the small town vibes, it is cozy and just so swoony! I loved the dynamics with him and his kids. The special needs aspect was so sweet and handled with grace. And my favorite part? LOW DRAMA! No 3rd act break up! There is no miscommunication and it is just a lovely romance! I seriously loved this story!