I really enjoyed this one! Not only was it a cute romance, but I loved that both main characters were going through things and that they were able to help each other out. You can't go wrong with a brother's best friend, single dad romance. I also really enjoyed the setting of this one. It felt like the perfect book to read transitioning from summer to fall. I recommend to any romance readers looking for a bingeable and sweet read.

I want every time I read this book to be like the first time. This will be my book recommendation for the rest of the year.

This book has it all brother’s best friend, single dad, ex military, and starting over.

Maren finds her way back to the place she most feels herself after a failed proposal and some upsetting life events. Taking on the task of renovating her inheritance she runs into her brother’s annoying best friend, Josiah, but Joe is anything but annoying now.

I’d like to scream from the rooftops how much I love this book. Maren’s growth was super inspiring. The kids are literally everything, I fell in love with every little detail about them and somewhat spoiler I wanted to claw Kiley’s face off too. The easiness of everyone in the book’s relationship made everything so much more enjoyable too. Joe character is also great, he’s the right amount of protective and possessive and he’s damage is not something that is pushed to the side, he’s forced to face it as well.

Thanks Erin Hahn, St Martin’s Press and NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review this book.

Cute rom-com with friends to lovers and brother best friend trope among a few. I liked the main characters a lot and felt invested in the story probably would've been more invested if I had read the other books in the series. It is standalone so you don't need to read the previous books but there is mention of past characters. All in all enjoyed this book and liked it tackled some tougher issues would recommend 3/3.5 stars. I want to thank NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for the arc in exchange for an honest review.

Maren is a 33 year old park ranger in Michigan who's boyfriend of one year applies for the same job as her and gets it and then proposes to her. She says no, throws up on his shoes, and leaves to return to her home state of Wisconsin and the property she was left by Fost, the old fisherman she spent a lot of time fishing with in her younger years. Maren loves the lake but she has work to do to fix up the property so she can sell it and decide what's next. On one of her first days there, she sees a guy and two children nearby. Turns out the guy is Josiah Cole and his two children. Josiah is 5 years older then Maren, a childhood crush, and her brother Liam's best friend. Josiah is divorced and his younger child Lucy is on the spectrum. The interactions between Maren and the children, Anders and Lucy are touching. The ex-wife Kiley is hard to like. I love the name Josiah so to have him called Joe was a bummer. Loved the story - plenty of heartfelt family moments. 4 1/2 stars.

Though it took me a few chapters before I started to really get into this story, I’m so glad I gave this sweet and swoony romance a chance! I might as well have been a musky, because I was hooked!

Catch and Keep is the perfect cozy read to transition you from summer to fall. The lakeside setting had me wanting to visit Northern Wisconsin- especially if I could find a resort like Josiah’s. And the gentle love story felt like such a hug! It made my heart so happy.

I loved the foundation Maren and Josiah built together to create their strong, well-developed relationship. Whenever a character’s mere presence makes the other feel calm, I’m sold. It was so easy to fall in love with not only the two of them as individuals, but also their relationship. And Maren’s relationship with his kids? It stole my heart!

A few other things I loved:
💕the humor
💕no third act breakup!!!
💕THE GRAND GESTURE?? 😍😍😍- SO GOOD.

I cannot wait to read more of her books!

Catch and Keep comes out October 15, 2024. Thank you St. Martin's Griffin and NetGalley for the opportunity to read this friends-to-lovers, slow burn romance early! All opinions are my own.

4.5 out of 5 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️💫

Thank you to NetGalley and St Martin’s Press for the ARC of Catch and Keep by Erin Hahn.

If you like the don’t date the older brother’s friend, divorced/single dad tropes, this a good pick for you. Do NOT be put off by the fishing themes and mentions of bait shops and park rangers. Yes there is an undercurrent of fishing related content but it’s not so overwhelming that it makes this a bad read. It actually adds to the cute factor in my opinion.

Maren, aka Mare or Musky Maren, is the girl who grew up loving to fish and play in the dirt, always chasing after her older brothers. Little did she know when she grew up she’d end up back at the resort that her one brother’s friend now owns. Said brother’s friend, Josiah or Joe, is the divorced and single dad. So many things could keep them apart but yet they keep seeming to come together despite all of it. And later in the kids who just seem to melt your heart as you read about them.

On top of the romance this book takes you along for the ride on, it is also great for anyone who grew up going to lakes over the summer. Spending time with family in the woods, swimming and boating in the lake and the feelings that come along with it as summer turns to fall. It gave me a very nostalgic feeling for memories I had growing up. Overall, an enjoyable read and another new author I’d like to read more books from.

First of all, I adore these MCs in their mid- and late-thirties. We are not out here figuring out who we are and bringing other people along for that messy ride. These characters are unapologetically themselves, and the only way they're letting a partner in is for someone who wants the same life they do. AND WE LOVE THAT FOR THEM.

Single dads do it for me. Every time. It's the competency. There's a scene where Joe loads the dishwasher **and immediately starts it** and Maren gets hung up on it. GIRL SAME.

I can always tell when an author has kids by how realistically they write them, and Erin Hahn is 1000% a mom. These kids are precious. And if you tell me you didn't shed a tear at "I'm Maren's baby" I'll tell you you're a dirty liar.

And the spice is funnnn!! It's on the lighter side, and it really leans into that ~teenagers fooling around trying not to get caught~ energy.

I want to thank St. Martin's Press and NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review this arc.

This book was so cute, it hurts. I love some older brother's best friend, but this was just perfect. The beginning was hilarious. Picture my comically agape mouth when she projectile vomits on her boyfriend after he proposes.

Maren was such a great FMC. She's sweet, she's kind, her relationship with her dog was precious. She's her own boat daddy. What more could somebody ask for?

Joe was perfect. He's a single dad, and he handles his daughter's sensory needs with ease (autism rep was done so well!). The way the relationship unfolded between him and Maren was so cozy, and it felt so natural. I need more of this in my life.

Super great romance!!
Slow burn but high chemistry immediately
Loved all characters!!
Unique romance with problems but no break up!!

This single dad romance was exactly the dose of sweetness and spice I needed in my fall TBR.
Full review to come via Bookbub and Goodreads.
Links will be added.

Catch and Keep by Erin Hahn was given to me for an honest review.

Joe Cole is a single father, retired marine, and a businessman running the family fishing lodge in Wisconsin. Marren Laughlin has just been passed over for a promotion and thrown up on her now ex-boyfriend during his marriage proposal. She's leaving her current shatter life to return to the lake she loved as a child and find her brother's best friend, Joe Cole.

This was such a fun read. I loved the relationship between Marren and Joe's kids. This book was such a fresh romance without a single miscommunication which I loved so much.

I will definitely read more of Erin Hahn in the future.

The perfect fall romance does exist!
-Childhood friends to lovers
-Brother's best friend
-Single dad
-Lake life
-Autism representation
-Heartwarmingly wholesome, but still HOT

I love romances with characters in their 30's with chaotic messy lives because I can relate to them so easily. Maren and Josiah are childhood friends who reconnect when she moves back to the lake after a broken engagement. Josiah is a single dad to two children, one with Autism, while running his family's lake resort. Their friendship is just easy; each bringing something to the other that is both needed and desired. But is it easy because it is familiar? Or is this how love is supposed to feel? Both characters were so easy to root for, and the fall lake setting was so beautiful. There is even some holiday magic, and the swooniest epilogues. Contemporary romance lovers who enjoy moderate on-page steam will adore this new release.

I really enjoyed this! I picked this because the blurb said that it was set in the Northwoods, and sometimes the desert heat makes me homesick for trees and cheese curds. Lately I'm into romances between real people who have real people problems, and this definitely fit the bill. I loved the characters of Maren and Joe, and the supporting characters of their family and friends. It was also nice to see autistic characters represented so respectfully. Was the ending predictable? Sure. But I thoroughly enjoyed this book and finished it in 2 sittings.
I will be recommending this to others.

Thank you to NetGalley and St Martin's Press for the ARC!

Thank you Net Galley, St. Martin's Press and Erin Hahn for the ARC in exchange for my honest review.

I loved this book! Not being a fisherwoman myself, I wasn't quite sure how much fishing would be included in the book. I'm here to tell you, it's not an overwhelming amount, actually, I think it's just right!

Maren is a newly single woman who runs to the Northwoods of Wisconsin after her most recent breakup. There, she finds Josiah Cole, her brother's best friend and a sexy, divorced, single dad with two kids. They reconnect and sparks fly as they become ingrained in each others' lives.

This story is so much more realistic than most romance novels and I loved that! There's no insta-love, there's no rushing into sex. They build a solid foundation and then realize what they are to each other. The two MCs are well developed, imperfect individuals who each each have baggage (one more than the other) and learn that by helping each other, it lightens the load. The supporting characters of friends and family were well-written and so realistic. I don't know any brother that would be happy about his best friend dating his younger sister. At least, not at first. Don't get me wrong, Liam was a jerk, but I was glad to see his character development.

The entire book, I was thinking 'this is a 4.5-5 star, how do I choose?' The thing that pushed it to 5 was the use of "ope!" It's so charmingly specific to the Midwest that anyone from Wisconsin or Michigan just had to smile. I know I sure did!

Catch and Keep is a cutest rom-com about a woman named Maren who hightails it out to an inherited run down cabin, after being publicly proposed to by her boyfriend. She denied the engagement and decided she wanted to go fix up the cabin and tackle shop her “chosen” uncle left to her. While there she started to become close with her brothers best friend Josiah and his children- one of which has autism and usually has struggles with certain things. The kids become very connected to Maren, as does Josiah. From there they have to figure out if a relationship is something worth having, and if Maren even wants to stay in town after the renovations are concluded. This book was very cute and heartwarming. Please take the time to read it because you won’t regret it!

Get ready to fall head over heels for Catch and Keep, because this book was an absolute gem to read. Filled with love and a whole lot of heart, this story is perfect for kicking off the cozy season.

Set in the Northwoods of Wisconsin, this book will transport you right there, on the side of a lake, covered in a blanket while you’re sipping a hot cider! This story was the perfect blend of found family, second chances and an oh so delicious slow burn romance!

Marren was a knockout of a character. She was beautifully written : well-rounded and flawed in the best ways. Essentially, she was unapologetically human and that made her incredibly relatable. Joe was an absolute treat. Loving single father who is completely devoted to his children? Sign me up.

All in all, this book was amazing. If you’re a fan of small town settings and single dad romances,this book will hit you right in the feels.

Thank you NetGalley for providing me an eARC of this book in exchange for my honest opinion!

This is the perfect book to read this fall. It's a super swoony, sweet and heartwarming romance that also touched on some deeper issues, but it struck the perfect balance between serious and joyful moments.

This book hit several topics that I don’t usually see in romance novels that surprised me- in a good way.

Both main characters were amazing. From the start, I really liked Maren – she had such a strong personality all while being a stunning, outdoorsy baddie. She was independent and tough, but deep down, she just wanted to belong and feel loved. Then ther'es Joe-the ex-Marine single dad—soft, kind, and refreshingly free of red flags—raising 2 kids after his ex-wife walked out. The standout for me, though, was the representation of the daughter being on the autism spectrum. It’s rare to see, and even rarer to see it handled with such care and thoughtfulness.

I enjoyed watching the relationship between the two MCs develop, despite the older brother’s constant interference (seriously, he was so annoying—I wouldn’t have forgiven him as easily).The dynamic between the two main characters was perfect, and it was so heartwarming to see how the FMC noticed the small ways she could support the family right from the start. It was beautifully done. I loved how the relationship developed so organically and NO THIRD ACT BREAKUP.

The epilogue was perfect and just what the story needed to wrap it all together.

Huge thanks to NetGalley, St. Martin’s Press and Erin Hahn for this Negalley in exchange for my honest review.

This was a delightful rom-com that just gave feel good, wholesome vibes. The love was sweet and the romance was definitely a slow burn. There was so much more to the story though with deeper issues impacting the main characters. Thank you NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for the opportunity to read and review this arc!

ɴᴇᴛɢᴀʟʟᴇʏ ʀᴇᴠɪᴇᴡ || CATCH AND KEEP [thank you to @stmartinspress and @netgalley for my #gifted copy!]

Title: Catch and Keep
Author: Erin Hahn
Genre: Romance
Format: Digital
Star Rating: ★★★★★

ꜱᴜᴍᴍᴀʀʏ:
At thirty-three, Maren Laughlin has just turned down a proposal, left her decade-long job as a park ranger, and returned to Northern Wisconsin to claim her unexpected inheritance: a rundown bait shop. Ready to take control of her life, despite what others think, Maren finds support in local resort owner Josiah Cole, who knows a thing or two about second chances.

A single dad with two kids and a successful business, Joe isn’t one to judge Maren’s choices. Their connection is effortless, and before they know it, they’re more than just friends. But can something this easy really last, or is it too good to be true?

ᴍʏ ᴛʜᴏᴜɢʜᴛꜱ:
Falling in love with your big brother’s best friend in the Wisconsin Northwoods? Sign me up! This was a delicious little love story filled with heart, fish, and found family! Once I started it, I couldn’t put it down!

But what really did it for me was Lucy & Joe. I don’t think I’ve ever related to a male MC before, but I RELATED to Joe. As a mother of an autistic toddler, I saw myself in every choice Joe made - from buying specific clothes (and then mutilating them by cutting out tags) to having a very regular schedule to being delayed in that schedule when the slightest mishap occurs. And through all of that, I loved seeing that Hahn allowed Joe to feel his feelings (because we all have them). He was allowed to be upset, he was allowed to be confused and frustrated, but, ultimately, you saw he loved through it all. In his words, “Lucy was not something [he] was going through. Lucy was his daughter.”

Marin seeing Joe doing that, and stepping in to fill the holes and just wordlessly going along with whatever Joe and Lucy needed her to do and to be…it was beautiful. I don’t know that I’ve ever read a love story that’s between a family and a woman, but I was here for it.

Thank you Erin for showing this story - and thank you so much for not putting me through a Third Act Breakup. I don’t think my heart could have handled it.

ʀᴇᴀᴅ ɪꜰ ʏᴏᴜ ʟɪᴋᴇ:
No Third Act Breakup
Small Town Romance
Brother’s Best Friend
Fishing Photos
Autumn in Wisconsin

ᴅᴇᴛᴀɪʟꜱ:
GR: 4.30 ⭐️
# of Pages: 320
Pub Date: October 15, 2024

Genre: Spicy Romance
Rating: 4.5/5⭐️
Spice: 2/5🌶️

Summary: Maren has just walked away from her long time boyfriend and career to fix up a bait shop her fishing mentor left her. She runs into her brother’s best friend, Joe, who is navigating his own life changes. They start to lean on one another despite her brother asking her to stay away.

Thoughts: This book was absolutely delightful. The characters and their relationship felt so mature and real. It was refreshing to see such honest, authentic interactions between the main characters, and the emotional depth they both brought to the table made me truly invested.

I loved how the relationship developed organically, creating a connection that felt earned. The found family aspect was heartwarming and added layers to the story. Watching the main characters find strength in each other and in the bonds they created was truly touching.

There were a couple background characters that brought in challenges and I loved how Maren and Joe navigated them together. It gave the story a realistic edge, the author didn’t try to tie it all up in a pretty bow. It was raw and messy in the best way. Overall, this was such a heartwarming, well-balanced read that left me smiling.