Oh. My. Goodness. This book broke my soul, then healed it, then broke it again.

Childhood friends Ella Sunbury and and Max Manning reunite in high school ten years after life sent them separate ways. Ella returns to the small town of Juniper Falls, TN as a lonely 17-year-old reeling from the highly publicized trial of her brother, who is a convicted felon on death row. Though she is shunned and bullied by her peers for her association with her brother, she and Max rekindle their friendship and lean on one another for support.

I'm not a big reader of YA books, but this one caught my eye, and honestly, the only thing "YA" about this book is the age of the charactes for most of the story. This story tackles TOUGH issues and is not an "easy" read, but it is BEAUTIFUL. The writing is superb, full of life and color and feeling. I loved how the author weaved so many sweet little details into the narrative, making you fall hard for the characters. There were times I wanted to rip my hair out at some of the characters' decisions, but the challenges they face and how they heal was very compelling. I think Max has become my all-time favorite MMC!

Thank you NetGalley and Bloom Books for the opportunity to read this wonderful story and provide my honest review!

I tiptoed around this book for a few days now. Reading Catch the Sun by J. Hartmann, published by Sourcebooks Bloom Books - I just knew it would tear me apart. And I was right. It did - in best way imaginable.
Ella and Max are friends since age 7. But Ella had to leave. Now, 10 years later she's back and moved in just across the road from Max. But she changed. She's just a shadow of her old self. She just wants to be invisible, following the huge scandal her brother is responsible for.
A raw and gritty ya contemporary romance full of twists that had me guessing til the very last page.
A masterfully crafted, epic, outstanding novel, one of my very few fav in 24, I recommend the book.

Title: Catch The Sun

Author: Jennifer Hartmann
Genre: Romance

Rating: ★★★★★

Wow, wow, wow…… one hour after finishing this and I’m still crying!!!!!! What a story!

At seven years old, Ella Sunbury and Max Manning were inseparable best friends. Life scattered them in different directions when Ella abruptly left town. Now, a decade later, she’s back for their senior year of high school, moving in right across the street from Max.

But Ella’s not the same girl Max once knew. She now carries the weight of her brother's notorious crime, which shook the nation and left her living in his shadow. Shunned by her peers and desperate to blend into the background, all Ella wants is to survive her last year of high school in peace.
Max, on the other hand, has his hands full with a disabled father and a distant twin brother. Despite his many responsibilities, Ella's return rekindles old feelings. He’s determined to be close to her again, to understand her struggles, and maybe even turn their friendship into something more.

As their relationship blossoms, new tragedies threaten to disrupt their lives once more. Together, they must navigate the darkness to find the light and rediscover the bond that once made them inseparable.

"Kissing you feels like catching the sun…" is a heartfelt story about rekindled friendships, overcoming past shadows, and finding love in the most unexpected places.

From the very first page, Catch the Sun by Jennifer Hartmann had me hooked. This beautifully written novel took me on such an emotional rollercoaster ride, with all the feels from heartache to hope, and everything in between.

What I loved about this book is the depth of the characters. Max's unwavering support for Ella, despite his own burdens, is touching. Ella's struggle to reclaim her identity amidst her brother's shadow is realistic, heartbreaking and relatable. Their journey from childhood friends to something more is filled with tender moments and heart-wrenching challenges.

The romance blossoms naturally, with Hartmann masterfully building tension and connection between Ella and Max. Just when you think they've found their footing, new tragedies strike, testing their bond and their resilience. The emotional stakes are high, and the author doesn’t shy away from exploring the dark moments, which makes the eventual light feel all the more rewarding.

I cried so much throughout this book... and I'm still tearing up just thinking about it. The raw, emotional honesty of Catch the Sun makes it a standout read. It's a five-star journey of love, loss, and the enduring power of friendship. If you’re looking for a story that will stay with you long after you turn the last page, this is it.


Thank you to Blooms Books, The Author Jennifer Hartmann & Netgalley for an advanced reader copy (ARC) in exchange for my honest review.

I knew Jennifer Hartmann was gonna take me on this journey of whole earth shattering heartbreak and I still sign up because I love her writing so much!!!! I absolutely binge read this book and loved every minute of it !!! The development of characters and plot was done beautifully

Make sure you are prepared for some deep trauma and love that is truly tested with this story. Our FMC, Ella, is mourning her brother. He didn’t die, at least not yet, but he is sitting on death row. And our MMC, Max, is dealing with a difficult home life as he cares for his father and brother. Neither is interested in love, but once upon a time they had been best friends and that friendship doesn’t seem to want to let them go. This story was complicated and extremely compelling. Max and Ella were continuously drawn to each other as the only bright spots in their otherwise dark lives. Such a great read!

Catch the Sun by @author.jenniferhartmann comes out July 16, 2024. Thank you @valentine_pr_ and @netgalley for sending me an eARC of this book!

Please read trigger warnings prior to beginning this book.

Max and Ella were inseparable as kids, but her parents' divorce forced Ella to leave town abruptly, without a chance to say goodbye. Now, ten years later, Ella returns and moves in across the street from Max. However, time has changed them both. Ella is stigmatized due to her brother Jonah, who is now a notorious felon on death row. She faces ostracism not just from her peers, but also from her teachers. Meanwhile, Max is preoccupied with caring for his disabled father and trying to ensure his twin brother McKay enjoys a normal teenage life. Despite these challenges, Max yearns to rekindle his friendship with Ella. Yet, life’s complexities mean he must put in considerable effort to make things work between them.

This YA romance is quite the emotional rollercoaster! It features numerous ups and downs, with some frustrating and heartbreaking moments, along with some overly sweet and cheesy ones, and a few very dark scenes. The darker elements were truly brilliant. However, be sure to check content warnings before diving into this one.

I will admit that the second half was far more compelling than the first. I found the first 30% a struggle to get through. This was my first book by Jennifer Hartman even though I have been seeing her books all over Bookstagram. I am so glad I received a chance to read this early as I thoroughly enjoyed the book! I am 100% going to be reading her other releases ASAP!

“Grudges are a burden on the heart, so I turned my heart to stone”

As always, this book ripped my heart out. The characters in this book are seniors in high school. It is themed around young adults, but this book is FULL of heart ache, some dark themes, and some on page spice. I would say good new adult aged and up book because of this.

Ella and Max meet in grade school age and are separated for awhile due to life changes. When Ella has to move back to where Max is they re connect.

Ella is a black cat, and has a very tragic past and I loved seeing max peel around her outer layers to help her open up. Max also has plenty of heart ache and well above his age in terms of responsibilities.

This book has lots of suspense and twists that were literally jaw dropping to me, and was written phenomenally not that I’m at all surprised by that!

This is my favorite Jennifer Hartmann yet.


“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.”

Catch the Sun is listed on NetGalley as a YA novel. While I have read 36 YA novels this year, Catch the Sun is not one of them. It is very much a true romance novel spanning about 15 years and containing multiple sexually explicit scenes. The only thing YA about this novel is the ages of the main characters for the bulk of the narrative, which is quite long at 448pgs.
None of this is meant to be negative. In fact, this book was a fairly quick read despite its length, and the story was very compelling. I especially loved Ella's backstory as the little sister of a notorious murderer on death row. I did find the characters to be a little too one dimensional, especially the side characters. I know Kai bakes and is a great artist, for example, but I don't think he had more than 3 scenes of dialogue in this entire book despite being present for most of it.
Catch the Sun is a great read for anyone who loves a deep, long-term romance wrought with serious obstacles but ultimately a happy ending 💖
Thanks to NetGalley and SOURCEBOOKS Bloom Books for this ARC!

4.5 Stars

Wow!! Another phenomenal romance book by Jennifer Hartmann. I am convinced that she cannot write a bad book. Just like her other books, the love story between Ella and Max was a painful one yet beautiful. The only critique I have is although it was fun to see Jennifer do something different by writing a Y.A novel, I think I would have personally enjoyed this story if the characters were a bit older.

I've never read anything by Jennifer Hartmann before but I'm in love! I normally don't cry reading books, but this one got to me. I was so emotionally connected to the characters and loved seeing them grow, progress, and fall in love with each other. The characters are all so loveable, and the book is a super fast read. I thought it was going to be a typical coming-of-age story, high school romance, type of story. And while it was, the story include some dark points but doesn't distract from the romance and chemistry going on.

There are also diverse characters, including two gay dudes, and I love seeing diversity in books expanding!

I have mixed feelings about this one for my students. The love story and the healing aspects were moving, all the complicated family dynamics were as well, but many parts of the story were overly dramatic and not realistic. Hard to talk about without giving spoilers but that is way more than would happen in real life. The sexual content was a little too explicit for many of my students as well. It was a long book as well.

Rounded up from 4.5
Max and Ella were inseparable when they were kids. But her parents' divorce forced Ella to leave town without being able to say goodbye. When she is back in town 10 years later, she moves in across the street from him. But neither of them is the same. Ella's brother is a now a notorious fellon on death row, and Ella has to pay for her Jonah's mistakes, being shunned not only by her peers, but by her teachers too. Max is busy taking care of his disabled father, trying to give his twin brother McKay the teenage life he deserves. Nevertheless, he wants his friend back. But life being what it is, he will have to work hard to make things work between them.
This YA romance sure was a rollercoaster! It had lots of ups and downs, some very frustrating things (and characters), some heartbreaking things, so bubblegum and rainbow super cheese moments and some very dark moments. The pacing and balance between the two was a bit weird. I didn't like the more YA side of things, as I am not a big fan of YA in general, but I was willling to make an exception for this author (when you read a Jennifer Hartmann book, you're not there for sunshine and unicorns, right?). But the darker parts were pure genious. No need to say that you should look up the content warnings before diving in to this one. I feel like it could've been a 100 pages shorter and pack a bigger punch. The second half was much more interesting than the first half. My mind did go a bit further in the dark and twisted side of things as I was expecting certain things to happen that would've made for a stellar twist, but the author took another road. I really enjoyed it overall nonetheless!
I received an advance review copy of this book for free and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

This book will lead you down and emotional roller coaster ride and hold your hand while doing it. What a heart shattering read. It breaks you, and heals you and breaks you again. I have read a couple of Jennifer's books but this one might be my favorite. Max and Ella are certainly survivors and I just want to give both of them the biggest hug ever. I love all of the little things Max does for Ella, the rocks, the notes, the Dr. Pepper, he is just amazingly perfect and I'm so glad he gets to Catch his Sun. Ella is so strong and resilient and I feel for her so much. There is so much longing and heartache in this book, but the pain is worth the journey.

I have so much more to say but don't quite know how to put it in words. 6 Dr. Pepper stars!

Thank you NetGalley and SOURCEBOOKS Bloom Books | Bloom Books for access to the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Wow. Amazing. Lost for words. Jennifer Hartmann does it again, this book had me crying so many times my husband was concerned. Her writing is beautiful and her characters feel so real that you could just pluck them off the page. I stayed up late to finish this book and I wasn't disappointed. Easiest five star.

Thank you to Jennifer Hartmann, Bloom Books, and NetGalley for giving me an eARC of Catch the Sun in exchange for my honest review.

This book broke me and then put me back together again. It is so much more than just a romance book. Ella has moved back to the town she left behind a decade ago, never getting the chance to say goodbye to her best friend Max. Now a decade later Ella is back, but she has changed. Her brother is sitting on death's row, and that offense has broken her. Seen as the villain and an outcast, very few people want much of anything to do with Ella. But Max recognizes his pain in Ella as he struggles to care for his alcoholic father and his twin brother who has mentally checked out of their family. As the two reconnect and start to rebuild the relationship that they once had, tragedy strikes again, but this time it brings so much more pain with it.

Witnessing Ella and Max's relationship felt refreshing to me. There was so much pain there, and that pain was approached in what felt like a healthy manner. The relationship was not forced for the sake for giving a HEA, they both had their journeys to take to get to that end goal. I will say, this book is not for the faint of heart. I cried for like 75% of the book. It is a gut wrenching book that is so wonderfully written it takes your breath away. Hartmann tells a story about loss, pain, and suffering. I suggest that everyone look up trigger warnings before reading this book because it does broach some heavy topics. Hartmann handled those topics with a grace that is not always seen but do not put yourself in a situation where this book could be triggering to you. I do not think that this book should be considered young adult. The topics feel too heavy and some of the scenes feel too spicy for it to be a young adult book. Yes, the characters are the ages of characters in young adult books, but this feels more new adult if not an adult. Just something to be aware of.

I recommend this book to all who are even debating reading this. I read the synopses for this book and knew instantly that it did not matter what I had planned my next read to be, it was going to have to be Catch the Sun, and I have no regrets. Such an amazing book.

5🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟

Tropes:
🥕childhood friends to lovers
🖤small town
🥕slow burn
🖤bookworm x popular guy
🥕angst/ emotional
🖤trauma/ healing
🥕YA romance

There are a couple authors who I know break me and I should have tissues on stand by... one is Jennifer Hartmann.
I was not expecting this book to be like it was on my emotions, i started it thinking this was a young adult romance book but it was so more than that
.
Jennifer has a way of just touching your soul, and making you feel what the characters feel themselves. The only thing that was really YA in my opinion was the characters ages... everything else was very much grown.

Max and Ella had such a connection, and this connection began when they were just six years old... if you have ever read Jennifer, you know there will be a twist. Max and Ella had to fight for everything.. it wasn't a straight HEA.

There were a lot of twists and turns and my heart broke at different points for both Max and Ella and everything they went through. Jennifer has a way of wrecking you and putting you together again

Please read the TW although the story ends in a HEA there are events that can be triggering for some.
I absolutely loved this book thank you so much to NetGalley and Bloom Books for this copy

“ Maybe some people aren’t into heal or overcome.”

“ We didn’t break up, we just broke”

I don’t think there have been any two people who deserved to heal and overcome more than Max and Ella.
I think they fell in love at seven and didn’t see each other again until Ella had to move back to small unforgiving town, she moves back an outcast , whose brother is serving a life sentence on death row.
Max instantly falls for her again, although Max is dealing with a father who is an alcoholic and has dementia.
Life has not been easy for either of these two, and you will fall in love with them and cheer for them, cry for them, and pray that they get the happy ending they deserve.

This was my first time reading a book by Jennifer Hartmann and all I have to say is, "Where have you been all of my life?!" I could not put this book down. It put me through every emotion imaginable. I've never read a book where I was rooting for every single main character. And twists, turns and ending did not disappoint.

This books follows the journey of Max and Ella and they discover and rediscover each other. Their journey is like no other that I've read. I don't want to say too much because I don't want to give away any part of this incredible story. I went through every emotion and it has quickly become one of my favorite books of all time. I can't wait to read it again and again because there are so many hidden gems that should be a part of everyone's life. I don't want to forget about this book and just move on to the next. I want to embed each character into my memory and I wish I could recapture each emotion as I felt it for the first time. Jennifer, you have a new life long fan.

Anything by Jennifer Hartmann is an instant read for me, and this book was no exception - I loved it.
Catch the Sun follows Ella and Max, two childhood friends who are reunited after years apart. Through trauma and tragedy they form a bond, until the unthinkable happens and threatens to tear them apart.
I loved the two MC’s. Ella was the perfect amount of teenage angst yet humorous, and Max was so thoughtful and tender.
Always the Queen of emotions, Jennifer’s book will put you through the emotional wringer. I laughed, I cried, I swooned, I was angry, I was happy. Most of all, I was incredibly satisfied to read another beautiful J.H. book.
Thank you so much to NetGalley and Bloom Books for the eARC!

As soon as I saw that Catch the Sun was on read now, I had to snatch it up. I kept seeing that everyone was saying that they sobbed and without even reading the actual summary, I knew it was gonna be a wild ride. I am pretty sure I cried the entire second half of the book. Tears of sadness and happiness. I experienced way too much emotion.

Max is the definition of if he wanted to, he would. He stole my heart.

I’m just waiting patiently until July 16 when I can add this book to my bookshelf.