eARC review of Catch the Sun by Jennifer Hartman

All the ⭐️'s

Reasons why I LOVE this book (IYKYK)
1) It caused "my heart to dribble out of me and leave a gooey puddle at my feet"
2) The quotes in this book are top tier!
3) Max is everything. Understanding. Patient. Attentive. Selfless. Amazing. Loving, and so much more. He also has really nice arms!
4) The emotional rollercoaster of a journey this book took me through was exhilarating, exciting, and heartbreaking - it hurt so bad and good at the same time.

“Love always hurts, honey. That’s the price we pay to experience it. Sometimes that hurt is on a smaller scale, and sometimes it’s big enough to move mountains. Either way, it hurts. You have to think of it as a cruel gift. Nothing good in life is ever free. There are always sacrifices and tough blows. And even if we never fully recover from those blows, we can appreciate the love while it was still sweet and untainted. After all, it was there first. It’s the conduit for every raw, passionate, ugly heartache we experience in this life.”

✨️✨️✨️

Thank you so much to @author.jenniferhartmann, NetGalley and @valentine_pr_ for the opportunity to ARC read Catch the Sun. I will carry this story with me forever, "with the rise and fall of every sun... and on every bridge."

4.5 ⭐️

Why is it that every time I read a Jennifer Hartmann book, my heart breaks into a million pieces, only to be glued back together again, then broken again, then glued back together again, and so on?

This book is beautiful, even magnificent, but it is also hard. It will undoubtedly stay with me for a long time. Ella’s pain is so intense that we feel it too, and the same goes for Max. But when they are together, the pain disappears and there is peace in the fragile cocoon they share.

Ella and Max are the kinds of characters I love at first sight. I think I have a special fondness for souls broken by life. Is it because we feel closer to characters who are like us? Who knows?

This book was so gripping that I couldn’t put it down until I’d finished it. It was 3 a.m. and I had to get up 3 hours later. There were also many, many tears. So, imagine the state of my ringed and puffy eyes the next morning 🥲

I do have a small reservation about the book being YA though. Would I have read it at 16 (the recommended age)? Yes, as I didn’t have parents monitoring my reading, but would I tell the parents of a 16-year-old that this book is appropriate for that age? Well, maybe not.

I wouldn’t recommend it to everyone, as the CWs are something you have to read and take very seriously, but if you feel able to read it despite the CWs, then I highly recommend this book.

Thanks to Jennifer Hartmann and Valentine PR for allowing me to read an ARC of this book in exchange for my honest review.

When you pick up a Jennifer Hartman novel, you know you will experience an emotional journey. This one did not disappoint. There was a lot happening in this book. I feel it is best to go in blind, like I did having received an ARC of this book. I think that even giving some hints to the plot takes away from the development. But if you have triggers, then look for a list as this story contains many.
Even though this book was more YA than some of her previous work, as Max and Ella are in high school for most of the story, it did not read YA to me. Difficult subjects were explored and you can feel the pain and triumph through the writing. I appreciated that healing and growth did not happen overnight, that true trauma takes time. Thank you to NetGalley and Bloom Books for an advanced copy.

Catch the Sun was the most incredible rollercoaster ride! We follow angsty, tortured-spirit Ella, and broody, quiet Max in their journey through their senior year of high school. The kicker, the two were best friends in childhood before being unexpectedly ripped apart. I loved this pair endlessly and spent the entire book rooting for them. This story is a journey of true love, childhood trauma, and healing. I laughed, I cried, I stayed awake until 2am just to finish! ✨I could NOT put it down✨

This was absolutely a five star read for me and rivals my love for Still Beating. This story healed something in my heart and left me feeling more whole than I started. A beautiful tale indeed.

⭐️⭐️⭐️.5

I don't usually pick up YA books. They're not for me. I did, however, grab this one because I've recently found this author, and I've loved everything I've read so far. Catch the Sun is no different. This book deals with some dark and heavy topics, so please check the triggers.

Although I really enjoyed this book, it did feel like it dragged a little in the first half.

ARC Review
Catch The Sun by Jennifer Hartmann
Releases 7.16

♾️/5 ⭐️
1/5 🌶️

Jennifer does it again! She wrote a masterpiece of a story. This is another one that I will think about on repeat! Jennifer has a way of building you up, tearing you apart, and then putting the pieces back together again. She is just amazing! Do yourself a favor and pick this book up!

I have so many thoughts swirling in my head after finishing this. Ella and Max separately as characters great but together amazing. Each one has their own demons, have their own complex back stories, and yet when they are brought together they are the perfect puzzle.

I loved that Ella was a strong character with her own soft interior. And Max was trying to be the savior to everyone. Their lives intertwined so beautifully.

This book has everything and gives you all the feels. I am not a crier but Jennifer does it to me every time!

Thank you Jennifer and valentine pr for the opportunity to receive this ARC!

𝐂𝐚𝐭𝐜𝐡 𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐒𝐮𝐧 | 𝐽𝑒𝑛𝑛𝑖𝑓𝑒𝑟 𝐻𝑎𝑟𝑡𝑚𝑎𝑛𝑛 🧡

𝐀𝐧𝐨𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐫 𝐦𝐚𝐬𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐩𝐢𝐞𝐜𝐞 𝐬𝐡𝐚𝐫𝐞𝐝 𝐰𝐢𝐭𝐡 𝐮𝐬! 𝐈 𝐚𝐛𝐬𝐨𝐥𝐮𝐭𝐞𝐥𝐲 𝐥𝐨𝐯𝐞𝐝 𝐌𝐚𝐱 & 𝐄𝐥𝐥𝐚’𝐬 𝐬𝐭𝐨𝐫𝐲. 𝐓𝐡𝐢𝐬 𝐝𝐮𝐨 𝐰𝐢𝐥𝐥 𝐟𝐨𝐫𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐫 𝐡𝐨𝐥𝐝 𝐚 𝐬𝐩𝐞𝐜𝐢𝐚𝐥 𝐩𝐥𝐚𝐜𝐞 𝐢𝐧 𝐦𝐲 𝐡𝐞𝐚𝐫𝐭! 𝐓𝐡𝐞𝐫𝐞 𝐰𝐞𝐫𝐞 𝐬𝐨 𝐦𝐚𝐧𝐲 𝐬𝐜𝐞𝐧𝐞𝐬 𝐭𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐣𝐮𝐬𝐭 𝐡𝐢𝐭 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐰𝐢𝐭𝐡 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐦𝐨𝐬𝐭 𝐡𝐞𝐚𝐫𝐭𝐰𝐚𝐫𝐦𝐢𝐧𝐠 & 𝐢𝐧𝐭𝐞𝐧𝐬𝐞 𝐟𝐞𝐞𝐥𝐬. 𝐈𝐭’𝐬 𝐚𝐧 𝐞𝐦𝐨𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐚𝐥 𝐫𝐨𝐥𝐥𝐞𝐫𝐜𝐨𝐚𝐬𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝐰𝐢𝐭𝐡 𝐚 𝐟𝐞𝐰 𝐜𝐫𝐚𝐳𝐲 𝐩𝐥𝐨𝐭 𝐭𝐰𝐢𝐬𝐭, 𝐲𝐨𝐮𝐧𝐠 𝐥𝐨𝐯𝐞, 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐚𝐧 𝐮𝐧𝐟𝐨𝐫𝐠𝐞𝐭𝐭𝐚𝐛𝐥𝐞 𝐬𝐭𝐨𝐫𝐲! 𝐈𝐭’𝐬 𝐣𝐮𝐬𝐭 𝐬𝐨 𝐦𝐮𝐜𝐡 𝐦𝐨𝐫𝐞 𝐭𝐡𝐚𝐧 𝐚 𝐫𝐨𝐦𝐚𝐧𝐜𝐞 𝐛𝐨𝐨𝐤. 𝐘𝐨𝐮 𝐠𝐞𝐭 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐰𝐡𝐨𝐥𝐞 𝐞𝐧𝐜𝐡𝐢𝐥𝐚𝐝𝐚! 𝐈𝐭’𝐬 𝐛𝐞𝐚𝐮𝐭𝐢𝐟𝐮𝐥𝐥𝐲 𝐰𝐫𝐢𝐭𝐭𝐞𝐧. 𝐏𝐥𝐨𝐭 𝐝𝐫𝐢𝐯𝐞𝐧. 𝐀𝐥𝐨𝐧𝐠 𝐰𝐢𝐭𝐡 𝐬𝐨𝐦𝐞 𝐰𝐨𝐧𝐝𝐞𝐫𝐟𝐮𝐥 & 𝐡𝐢𝐥𝐚𝐫𝐢𝐨𝐮𝐬 𝐪𝐮𝐨𝐭𝐞𝐬. 𝐈 𝐰𝐢𝐥𝐥 𝐧𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐫 𝐥𝐨𝐨𝐤 𝐚𝐭 𝐨𝐫𝐚𝐧𝐠𝐞 𝐜𝐫𝐚𝐲𝐨𝐧𝐬 🖍️ 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐬𝐚𝐦𝐞! 𝐓𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐞𝐧𝐝𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐰𝐚𝐬 𝐏𝐄𝐑𝐅𝐄𝐂𝐓𝐈𝐎𝐍! 𝐘𝐨𝐮 𝐰𝐢𝐥𝐥 𝐜𝐥𝐨𝐬𝐞 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐛𝐨𝐨𝐤 & 𝐢𝐭 𝐰𝐢𝐥𝐥 𝐥𝐞𝐚𝐯𝐞 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐬𝐭𝐮𝐧𝐧𝐞𝐝. ℍ𝕚𝕘𝕙𝕝𝕪 ℝ𝕖𝕔𝕠𝕞𝕞𝕖𝕟𝕕! Infinity ♾️ ⭐️

JENNIFER HARTMANN CAN DO SOMETHING
THAT VERY FEW AUTHORS CAN... BLOW MY
ABSOLUTE SOCKS OFF. LIKE MANY OTHERS, THIS BOOK TOOK ME ON A JOURNEY OF GRIEF, TRIUMPH, & LOVE. YES, I GAVE IT 4 STARS BECAUSE THE BEGINNING WAS A BIT SLOW, BUT REGARDLESS, I THINK VERY HIGHLY OF THIS NOVEL. IT IS ABSOLUTELY GUT WRENCHING & WILL TEAR YOU TO PIECES. & WHILE THIS BOOK IS BEING MARKETED AS "YA" I DON'T THINK IT IS. THE CHARACTERS ARE YOUNG & IT HAS A HEAVY FOCUS ON TEENAGE LOVE, BUT THE TOPICS ARE HEAVY & THERE IS SPICE (I GAVE IT A 2.5 SPICY). THIS IS A FRIENDS TO LOVERS, SECOND CHANCE, SMALL TOWN, NEIGHBORS ROMANCE WITH FOUND FAMILY & A LOT OF HEAVY TOPICS. PLEASE CHECK THOSE OUT BEFORE READING. WHAT I LOVED MOST WAS THE VERY VULNERABLE, INTIMATE MOMENTS BETWEEN MCS. IT'S AN OTT STORY THAT WILL MAKE YOU FEEL ALL OF THE EMOTIONS.

To find proper words to describe this incredible book is hard. The characters are beyond stunning, wise beyond their years. The sharp minds, love, and pain that give them the depth of emotions created in this book are absolutely beautiful. The ability to overcome is inspiring beyond most people's capabilities. The writing is so eloquent, so many times I wanted to savor the sentiments written on each page. The wisdom written within the story is one everyone should take to heart. I needed to sleep many hours ago, but this story grabbed my mind and heart, and I just couldn't put it down. I am so thankful to have been blessed to read this book and meet these characters.

This book wrecked my heart and when you think it is being put back together, it shatters again.

This is a beautiful story of needing to make hard decisions in order to heal and move forward. I loved near the ending when Ella had to make a boundary with her brother even though it was hard for her. Sometimes we have to make those hard sacrifices in order to choose ourselves.

My plan is to post this book on my Instagram on July 16th.

https://www.instagram.com/robinashleyreads?igsh=MXczYmd6bmszdXN2Nw%3D%3D&utm_source=qr

Oh my heart! Sweet, sweet Max and Ella. These two! Oof my freaking heart bled and broke for these two. I devoured the book in half a day, I couldn’t put it down. Another Hartmann tragic love that hurt and healed me. So many sweet moments of love between these two and as siblings and parents/children. The Pooh references were so sweet and the goodbye quote in the epilogue-ugh! So perfect. Loved it! Jennifer has become one of my very favorite authors.

Where do I begin?! I have always loved Jennifer Hartmann 's writing, and I knew I was going to love Catching the Sun right away.
Ella and Max navigate their lives through trauma and find solace in each other. The things that they go threw at such a young age break my heart. I admire their strength and grace on how they pull through.
They loved each other so deeply, and you could feel that through their actions and words. I had to stop a few times because I was crying. I felt EVERY emotion coming from this book.
I was ABSOLUTELY not ready for the plot twist. I literally gasped and dropped my Kindle. I was in complete shock!
This is not just any love story. This is a very emotional and heavy love story, so be ready for a lot of tears (happy and sad) and heartbreak. But it's so worth it!
Cathing the Sun will always have special place in my heart. ♾️⭐️🥹🥺

This is my 1st Jennifer Hartmann read, I have heard about the heart crushing effect her books tend to have, but what I didn’t expect was for my own grief about things in my life to come swirling in as I was reading this story. There were so many things in this book that had me reminiscing and absolutely bawling my eyes out by the end. I finished this book 3 hours ago and I am still stuck, crying, laughing, sobbing. This one hit so close to my heart it’s not even funny. My own personal grief aside now…. This book was absolutely beautiful I think we can all relate to the first true love and all the heartbreak and fear that came with it. This is probably my favorite book I’ve ever read and I will definitely be checking out more of Hartmann’s work.

Thanks to Bloom books and VPR for providing me a eARC for Jennifer Hartmann’s Catch the Sun, through NetGalley, in return for my honest review.

Since meeting at 7 years old, Ella and Max are inseparable until she’s taken away suddenly. 10 years later, circumstances surrounding the crime and trial of her older brother has Ella back in the same town with Max. Not just same town and same school, but across the street neighbors. As they struggle to deal with life and the unfairness of it, they find solace in each other, where we witness love grow. A love that’s emerging like the sun in the sky, trying to shine its light through the dark clouds that surround their lives.

How to put into words the emotions that Jennifer Hartmann’s writing pulls from me in this book? I am shattered into pieces and slowly, very slowly, glued back together just to be broken again. Left hurting and reeling with little to no hope of seeing the light. But the sun shines bright. There is no light with no darkness, and no darkness with no light.

I loved this book.

Ya’ll get the tissues!!!
Oh the emotions in this one!! My heart was destroyed! I found myself sobbing more than once! And put back together and then shattered again!! I was also laughing out loud and swooning with the cuteness of these two characters at times.
I adored the Winnie the Pooh references. The quotes and sayings tied in PERFECTLY.

But omg I didn’t see the twist coming and was left gobsmacked! I was utterly shocked!

This is marketed as a YA book but it does have some triggers/content that should be taken into consideration before reading as it is HEAVY!!

Words cannot describe how much I LOVED this book! I 100000x recommend,
It deserves all the stars ⭐️♾️

Catch the sun was such a heartbreaking but beautiful story. I could not put it down, I had to know what would happen next. There’s so many twists and it was written sooo well.

This is definitely a story that will stick with me for a long time.

I really enjoyed the main characters Max and Ella ~
They met when Ella was 7 then got separated and re-met as teenagers. The two of them both go through so many devastating things at young ages & Their connection to one another was beautiful.

Catch the Sun is yet another gutwrenching, soul-crushing read Jennifer Hartmann has become known for. There is an abundance of angst as Ella Sunbury and Max Manning cross paths first as young children and then again as troubled teenagers. The collision of their lives at 17 brings back brief yet memorable memories of a sweet love that never truly left their hearts. Now as two people on the precipice of adulthood, despite the familiarity of finding their person again, getting to any semblance of happiness and peace is one rocky road. One that had me in tears a few times and a full-on fear of what could possibly happen to Ella and Max next. Hold on tight because what you will encounter is a whole lot of tragedy that I will admit rattled me a bit too often. But knowing Hartmann's work the way I do, I knew that if could just hang on through all the pain, that glorious and well-earned happily ever after would soothe my soul once more.

What Ella goes through in this book is almost impossible to fathom. A child of divorce was the least of her issues, as her brother Jonah, her fiercest protector and closest ally, turns her world upside down not once but twice. Both times with devastating consequences. It was interesting that Hartmann in a way made Jonah the focal point of the story since Ella couldn't escape his supposed violent actions as she tried her hardest to fade into the background as high school classmates tortured her relentlessly. That even when she found her footing again and started to feel the sun shine on her darkest of days, that both she and Max's worlds would collide in the most horrific of ways, spiraling out of control with no way to stop it for the foreseeable future.

With all the doom and gloom and trust me, there is plenty to digest here, there are bright spots that made me smile albeit briefly, from a few side characters who never gave up on Ella and Max. Brynn! is one such person, her bubbly personality and Christopher Robin eyes, making Ella her friend almost immediately and never giving up on her troubled bestie no matter what had occurred. Even Max's dad with all his problems and lapses of memory was still worthy of help and gave Max a purpose when everything and everyone around him didn't.

Then there is Max Manning. The very definition of a good soul. His patience. His understanding. His need to be caregiver to a broken family. The young man is a keeper and a half. The way he loves Ella. The way he remembers everything she says. How he supports her decisions and listens when things go awry. Always holding onto hope that they would come out of their mutual dumpster fires unscathed. He is the kind of book boyfriend you don't soon forget. And thankfully even as everything spirals out of control, that Ella didn't forget either, giving the last portion of this story the emotional end of their journey the happy resolution both deserved and needed.

I have to admit I was a bit torn with how to rate this book because of all that transpired, since most of it is riddled with tragedy. But as those last pages were read and my eyes were wet with satisfied tears, I realized that I truly did love these characters and really did appreciate all they endured and ultimately survived. That love does truly conquer all even when life hands you tough moments almost nonstop.

Catch the Sun offers up a rare kind of beauty beneath all the ugly as Ella and Max find love in the truest of forms, never giving up when perhaps the universe was telling them that they should. This is a book that will grab onto your emotions in a very raw way but when you are finished, I'm sure your heart will be forever full.

Catch the Sun: 4.5/5 (rounded down to 4)

Jennifer Hartmann's latest book is an emotional rollercoaster that had me hooked from start to finish. She's the only author guaranteed to make me cry, and this time was no different. The way she captures the raw pain and beauty of first love is truly something special. It's a rare talent to write about such an elusive feeling so perfectly, and Hartmann nails it.

The relationship between Max and Ella is so beautifully developed. From their connection as children to the flirty teenage banter and then the intense and heart-wrenching love they build -- every moment hits deeply. I also enjoyed that the balance between the emotional depth and the spicy moments is just right. The spice is there, but it's never overdone – it's all about adding to the plot and the emotional journey of the characters. Be warned, though, this book tackles some really intense and traumatic issues. While I could have handled it as a teen, it might be too heavy for some younger readers. You'll need a bit of maturity to fully appreciate and process everything going on.

One thing that drove me a little nuts was the female main character's habit of running away whenever things got emotional. It was frustrating, and had me yelling at the book more than once. But at the same time, it made her feel real, like a person with flaws and fears trying to navigate her way through tough situations. Despite wanting to shake her sometimes, I was rooting for her the whole way through.

I don't want to give too much away, but the ending left me with mixed feelings. It was powerful, but I couldn't help thinking it could have packed an even bigger emotional punch with a different resolution. All in all, this book is a must-read for anyone who loves a beautifully written, deeply emotional love story. Just be ready for an intense ride and keep some tissues nearby. It's perfect for readers who love great writing and aren't afraid to dive into the darker, more challenging sides of love and life.

Another masterpiece by Jennifer Hartmann!! This book will put you through the wringer - but oh man, it was BEAUTIFUL!! 🥹🥹🥹

Ella & Max were childhood best friends until they were torn apart, thinking they would never see each other again. But tragedy brings Ella back to the town of Juniper Falls 10 years later & she is content with keeping to herself & not letting anyone in.

Until she sees Max, who attends her HS, & these two are like moths to a flame. Slowly finding their way back to each other. He was so patient with her, gradually breaking down her walls to form a friendship with Ella… & eventually more?

BUT the things these two had to go through - it was one thing after another. My heart couldn’t handle it!! But their love was strong & Max was determined to CATCH THE SUN ☀️

SO incredibly heartbreaking, but beautiful!! I expect nothing less from J.Hartmann though! 5 ⭐️: this may be my favorite book by her yet - ABSOLUTELY pick this one up on release day: July 16th 💛

𝓑𝓸𝓸𝓴 𝓡𝓮𝓿𝓲𝓮𝔀 📚
Pᴜʙʟɪᴄᴀᴛɪᴏɴ ᴅᴀᴛᴇ: 7/16/24
🌟🌟🌟🌟💫

@author.jenniferhartmann you destroyed my heart with this story 💔. I don’t think I will ever forget Ella and maxs story as long as I live. When I say this plot was so well done. Whenever I see the color orange and see wine the pooh references I will forever think of these two characters.
I cried for these children I mean sobbed. If you want a book that is tragically beautiful this is the one. The plot twist, characters everything was so well done. My only thing was I wished I had more closure on one main character. Look if @johnmayer wrote gravity based on a book it was for this one! This was my first read by the author but it won’t be my last. Y’all this book has every trigger warning you can think of so I won’t even attempt to list them. Please be mindful of that. Thank you @read_bloom and @netgalley for this ARC.

ᖴᗩᐯOᖇITᗴ ᑫᑌOTᗴᔕ: "Forgiveness without love is one thing. but love without forgiveness ? That’s like a tree without roots. It can’t stand for long. It can never truly live. “
“I’d feel you in any lifetime, in any version of any reality. And I’d know without a doubt, without a shred of hesitation… that your soul was meant for mine.”

🏷️#catchthesun #johnmayer #gravity #murder #love #hope #healing #healing #read #books #horses #winniethepooh