4.5⭐️


✨Brother’s Best Friend

✨Childhood Crush to Lovers

✨Single Dad

✨Lake Life

✨Neurodivergent Kiddo


“Instead of learning who I was, he focused on making me who he wanted me to be, and I went along with it.”

“I’m definitely not in a good spot to be having cozy dinners with a single dad and his cute kids.”

“The truth is, Maren’d always been naturally pretty, even when she was annoying and too young for anyone to notice.”

“I miss being in a relationship. I don’t miss Shane, but I kind of miss having a Shane.”

“Simple. Masculine. No-nonsense. Handsome in his own understated way.”

“He gives and gives and gives and I want him to take for once. Take time and sunshine and beer and Jimmy Buffet. With a start, I realize I want to take care of him. Badly.”

“I get why she walked away from me. I can’t fathom how she could do it to them.”

“It feels like Maren is defending me? And I feel something loosen in the middle of my chest; something shaking my walls- but she’s still talking.”

“I’ve always felt like you can tell a lot about a person from the inside of their vehicle. It’s like a microcosm of their life.”

“And suddenly I realize he’s happy because I’m happy. Because he pulled this smile out of me.”

“She’s everything. Maren is beautiful inside and out. She’s… she calms me. When I’m with her, it feels like home. She gives me that.”

“You’re asking me to stay?”
“Yes.”
“With you.”
“With me.”
“Okay. I’ll stay.”

“I’ve never felt needed, and it turns out, I really enjoy being depended on. It suits me down to my bones.”

“I asked you to stay for me. It feels selfish and I know you could be anywhere doing anything, but I want you here, with me.”

“Maren. You were born with a middle-aged soul. It’s no surprise you would find someone with a ready-made family in need of extra care.”

“This is like my childhood dream come true. How did you know?”

“It seems like Joe and I got our start in the middle and once I stopped dreaming f out about it being wrong, I realized it felt overwhelmingly right.”

I enjoyed this romance book. Friends to lovers done right. I am thankful I was given this ARC to read!! I apologize it took so long for me to post this review. I didn’t realize this book was interconnected to another when I started it.

Didn't realize until I started reading that this was book two following one of my first netgalley ARCs, Built To Last. This one's a fun story about Maren, who returns to her hometown for a fresh start, and her brother's best friend, who she *definitely* shouldn't be attracted to!

Read if you love:
🤍 brother's best friend
🤍 single dad
🤍 ASD rep

Erin Hahn has become an auto-buy author for me. I’ve enjoyed her young adult books, but her adult romance books have been some of my favorites when I’ve read them. Catch and Keep fits right into that.

In Catch and Keep, we get Maren’s story. If you’ve read previous Erin Hahn romances, you’ll remember her as one of the side characters in Built to Last and Friends Don’t Fall in Love. We start Maren’s story after she’s just broken off her relationship with her boyfriend by turning down his proposal and taking a leave of absence from her job. In an effort to escape her day-to-day life, she returns to the lakeside resort that she grew up going to with her family, and where her brother’s best friend is running the vacation destination with his family. Add in his adorable kids and her adorably sweet dog, and it’s a recipe for a cozy romance with plenty of quiet but swoony moments.

I loved the development of the relationship between Maren and Josiah and the tension that existed due to their proximity to his family and his relationship with her family. The setting was a perfect complement for the characters, especially Maren as she set out to find new footing after her life turned upside down.

As always, Erin gives a beautiful balance of heart, coziness, and swoon that I just loved. I can’t wait to see what’s next from her.

RATING: 2.5/5 STARS

This book didn't quite stand out to me though I have enjoyed Erin Hahn's other novels. I didn't feel the chemistry from the two leads.

This was such a cute romance. I loved both Maren and Joe, and I also loved their dynamic together. They were incredibly cute together. Brother's best friend is a trope that I am growing to love quite a bit, and this was a really good version of it. I love the way that Erin Hahn writes. Her love interests are always so swoony. I highly recommend this one.

Oh my goodness I can't believe I forgot to review this one! I love Erin Hahn's books so damn much and this is no exception! I thought it balanced heavier topics with lighter scenes really well. I absolutely adored Maren, the FMC, because of her backbone and how she might've ran away but still did something really great after. And don't get me started on our MMC - single dad Josiah who is ALSO her brothers BFF. I absolutely adored his kids, the Wisconsin setting, and the romance. It's honestly so freaking good!
4.5 stars rounded up

This was a delightful feel-good romance with a side of spice! Loved the lake setting and Maren’s relationship with the kids.

I wish there had been a little more drama or pining in this. It was missing a little something for me. Definitely more of a cozy read, almost just a contemporary fiction novel with a side of romance at times.

4.5 stars

I’ve never been fishing, and I loved Catch and Keep. It cover a few tropes, brother’s best friend and friends to lovers, but does so I. A way that doesn’t feel recycled.

The heroine is smart, beautiful and a skilled fisher. The hero is kind, handsome, a great father and fantastic businessman. His kids are pretty adorable and written well, which is t always true for kids in romance novels. This is a real winner. Erin Hahn should be pretty proud. This is my second book from this author and definitely not my last.

I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

I'm well overdue for this review (ARC, had no effect on the review etc)

There was a lot to like about this book, I personally love the geography of the upper Midwest and strong cabin/lake culture. There was some interesting stuff re para social relationships. Some good if imperfect family dynamics.

But it was all a bit too much. I was never convinced on the chemistry. Overall, the book was a bit boring even outside of the external conflict (job, family, stalker-type) because that was boring too.

All hail the patriarchy? I'm sure this book wasn't defending it, but it leaned WAY in to it in ways that were spectacularly uncomfortable to me. The ex-wife is absent and unable to handle her children, and so is shockingly a selfish type that should be reviled. Maren, on the contrary,is a natural maternal type. None of this is... Bad? But I think it was specifically the way it felt arranged to make me feel that didn't succeed.

And that predominant issue-not only was Maren much younger and in many ways that is why pieces felt unconvincing to me (I never really see Joe fall for her other than the ways in which she complements his life) but there's a big brother. And he's a dick. And he's a huge reason for conflict

AND SIGH. I wanted to DNF. it's 2025. They are in their 30s! No one needs this forbidden angle. It is so gross.

I didn't enjoy it and based on the structure of the romance and writing, I'm not eager to pick up more hahn.

At 33, Maren, semi-famous as a then teenage fisherwoman, returns to where she grew up in the Northwoods of Wisconsin after quitting her job as a park ranger and turning down her boyfriend's proposal. She has come to fix up the old waterfront bait shop she got as an inheritance from an old man who taught her to fish, think about her next moves, and do some fishing.

Maren has always had a crush on Joe, her older brother's best friend, who she runs into when she gets back into town. Years later, he is now a single dad with two adorable and precocious kids while running the lakeside resort his family owns. Maren (and her dog!) finds their way into the lives and hearts of Joe, his kids, and the resort while rehabbing her bait shop. The slow burn of Maren and Joe was well done and I loved every bit of them together. I loved Maren's relationship with his kids and how while she gets back into fishing, starts to teach Joe's son to fish as well.

This is an interconnected book with Erin Hahn's two previous novels. While they are standalones, the other MCs in the two books do make a few appearances, which I liked because I loved those novels as well. Read this book if you love:

- The great outdoors
- Older brother's best friend
- Single dad
- Slow burn

Thanks to St. Martin's Press and NetGalley for this eARC. Catch and Keep is out now.

This was a really fun, easy (in a good way) read!! The love story was believable and the kids in the story absolutely made the story for me! I flew through this, and think it would be a really great read for anyone who loves romance or just needs a palate cleanser read. It had substance without being stuffy.

4.5 Stars

After enjoying the previous book, I had read by Erin Hahn I was excited to pick this one up and I’m so glad I did! I loved this one! I loved so much about the book but especially the setting and the romance! This is such a wholesome romance that blends in heavier topics well. It was the perfect mix of serious and lighthearted.

I appreciated that Hahn was more creative with the setting and the characters than I’m used to seeing in a romance. I think this is the first romance I have read where the FMC is a fisher! I loved both main characters! I liked Maren right from the start and liked how much of a backbone she had. I loved Joe as well. We saw how he had learned from the mistakes in his past which I appreciated. I loved the way their relationship developed, and I really loved that this one has no third act breakup!

Erin Hahn never disappoints me, and I can’t wait to work my way through her backlog.

An absolute delight to read , Catch and Keep is the perfect wholesome feel- good romance. The novel handled serious topics interwoven into the greater plot in a way that found me falling in love with the whole story.

I love that Erin Hahn gives us a cozy romance that hits all the points that you'd want without as much of the angst that you don't want to have because you're going to cry with the main character, ya know? I loved the small town feel of this and that we can fall in love with both Maren and Joe as quickly as I did.

This is my first time reading something by this author. If you’re looking for a warm and cozy romance to settle in with by the fire, then this is the perfect choice. This is a lovely story that's equal parts heart, humor, and healing—a slow, swoony burn nestled among pine trees, sun-dappled water, and second chances.

Maren is the kind of heroine you root for from the first page. She’s at a crossroads, having walked away from everything that once defined her—a long-term relationship, a steady job, and the version of herself she no longer recognizes. What does she gain after giving all that up? A run-down bait shop, an adorable dog named Rogers, and the chance to finally live life on her own terms. Josiah is the rugged, single-dad resort owner with a big heart. He’s kind, genuine, but possesses just enough flaws making him irresistible, but realistic an exactly what Maren needs.

The chemistry between Maren and Joe simply crackles with tension. What I like about their relationship is that it is built on quiet moments, authentic connection, and the gentle unfolding of something real. It’s the kind of love that sneaks up on you—comfortable yet electric. Their banter is charming, the tension deliciously subtle, and the emotional stakes feel grounded in the complexities of real life: family expectations, personal growth, and the vulnerability that comes with truly being seen.

The author does a great job of capturing small-town life with warmth and wit, painting vivid scenes of lakeside sunsets, bait shop mishaps, and family dinners filled with both love and the kind of chaos only siblings can create, giving you a cozy, familiar feeling, but with just the right edge of spice to keep things interesting.

An absolutely charming read to settle down with on a cold winter day with a hot beverage of your choice. The story is sure to give you all the feels and leave you with a warm and fuzzy feeling.

I received a complimentary copy from NetGalley and St. Martin's Press and am voluntarily leaving my review.

She’s a 10 but she’s starting over with her life. He’s a 10 but he is her brother’s best friend and now a single dad with a neurodivergent toddler.
Read it Now!

# Catch and Keep
# 1/15/2025 ~ 1/15/2025
# 4.0 / 5.0

I really want to check out more books by this author! I enjoyed this one - it felt cozy and right and there was a cute dog! I loved this. Thank you to the publisher for the ARC!

Catch & Keep By Erin Hahn 🎣🌲

Tropes:
Single Dad
Small Town
Brothers Best Friend
Autism Rep
Lake Resort
Childhood Crush

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ 4 Stars
🌶️.5 on the spice scale (IMO)

Synopsis:

Maren just turned down her boyfriend’s proposal, walking away from her current job, and returned to her childhood playground in Northern Wisconsin to accept her inheritance: a decrepit waterfront bait shop. Here she had run in’s with her childhood crush and older brother’s bff Josiah.
Josiah has made some missteps in his life, but he’s proud of what he has: two awesome kids. After his marriage dissolved, leaving him a single dad, he feels he’s the last person to judge Maren for her recent transformation. Besides, he genuinely likes having her around. She’s a breath of fresh air, his kids adore her, and it doesn’t hurt that she’s beautiful.

I just wanted to start with how I absolutely loved how Maren treating Joe’s children, she was so calm and loving and the author really made her an easy fit to this “ready made” family.

Joe was the green flag of all green flags, he was the picture of acceptance and actually paid attention to Maren. No weird miscommunication, no assumptions, they had actual conversations when they sensed something was off and planned TOGETHER how to handle it moving forward.

I don’t know who I dislike more… Kiley or Liam… Kiley is the absolute worst, her shaming of Lucy literally boiled my blood… but also Joe shouldn’t have let he have both children when he knows she can’t handle them… anyways Liam is also a complete douche and literally hold a double standard when it comes to his sister that goes way beyond “protective”.

I was a little put off the more I read this book as I feel like a lot of “hot button” topics were kind of just thrown in the mix just for the sake of it. Kiley comes of homophobic when her son decided he likes the color pink, and sees her daughter’s autism as her being spoiled with a bad attitude. Liam comes off a tad misogynistic, literally pinning his sister to the lowest standard and always putting her down for not understanding that SHE not good enough for HIS friend. They’re also is random one time mention of Liam not being aware that his young daughter is gay but everyone else knows. Which has literally zero to do with any plot.

I really enjoyed the book. A great fall-vibes feel-good romance and I can’t wait to read the stories of Marens two best friends!

I really enjoyed this slow burn, single dad, brother’s best friend trope! I enjoyed reading Maren & Joe’s relationship grow organically vs insta love. It felt mature & realistic especially everything both of them were enduring. I loved Lucy and how she was represented. We don’t get many books on how it is to deal with an autistic child.