Every single Jennifer Hartmann book wrecks me more than the last. Every single Jennifer Hartmann book makes me adore her more than the last. I cannot get over how much I LOVE her writing. The amount of pure heart and soul she puts into these stories, into these characters is just mind blowing. Once again, sobbed hysterically over the depth of emotions created between Ella and Max. I just, it’s hard to form words sometimes when reviewing Jennifer’s books but I will say this….. there are very few books that stick with you and that you think about frequently after reading them. Sometimes even extended periods of time later, for me? All of the books I have read by Jennifer fall into that category. Infinite stars.

“kissing you feels like catching the sun”

THIS is exactly why Jennifer Hartmann is one of my favourite authors. If you don’t read anything else this year READ THIS. I’ve had to sit on this review for days because I don’t know how to fully put into words how much I adore this book. The two MCs are childhood best friends but they got split apart due to circumstance but fate brought them right back to each other 10 years down the line. Ella and Max really have stole my heart even though they broke it they mended it also. This was such a tragic but beautiful story, the trauma both of the characters went through individually and together ripped me to pieces. This is a gorgeous story on breaking apart but also healing and mending and it was so delicately told and I can assure you it will have you sobbing happy and sad tears. Tell me why I was crying the majority of the time even at the bits that weren’t sad because I am so obsessed with everything to do with this book.

Ella was such a beautiful character I don’t think Hartmann could’ve described her any better than “bright like the sun” I will never be able to think of Orange without thinking of her again.

Max my poor heart he just held every problem on his shoulders and pushed through trying not to bother anyone. But when he had Ella he started to glow like the sun as well and it sincerely hurt my heart in the best way.

They were down bad for each other and watching them rekindle their friendship which turns into a relationship felt like an honour. It could’ve been insta lovey because they knew each other before but Hartmann knows exactly what she’s doing and makes you not only fall in love with the MCs together but also individually.

ALSO Winnie the Pooh was my favourite as a kid and that just added the icing to the cake when Ella and Max played Pooh sticks I was kicking my feet smiling like a mad woman.

Some favourite quotes
- ““Yeah. It’s bright like the sun,” he says, glancing skyward. “And the sun is bright like you.”
- And maybe it’s silly, but I’m determined to be the cause of that dimpled, toothy grin.
- The sound of her laughter at the lake the other day hasn’t left my mind since it spilled out of her, all bare-boned joy and raw feeling. The echo of it lingers, inciting a yearning to be the one who makes her laugh like that again.
- “What we call the beginning is often the end. And to make an end is to make a beginning. The end is where we start from.”
- Maybe it’s Ella. She’s allowed me to believe that broken things don’t always need to stay in ruins.
- “You rarely win, but sometimes you do.”
- Ella makes this house finally feel like a home.
- She’s my light and I’m hers. My sweet Sunny Girl.
- “You’re the only thing that will repair this goddamn hole in my heart.” “I’m not the answer. I’m not—” “You’re my answer, Sunny.”
- “Souls don’t see, Sunny. Souls feel.”
- Weightless. Nothing felt heavy when she looked at me. Nothing felt like too much when her hand was clasped with mine.
- “What we call the beginning is often the end. And to make an end is to make a beginning. The end is where we start from.”
- “You’re right, Sunny. It is bullshit,” I tell her, cupping her face between my palms and forcing her eyes on mine. “You’re right because there is no love and war. Love is war. You fight until you win, or you fight until you lose. Imagine the victory after all that pain and struggle, after all those battle wounds.”
- And love stabs me right in the heart as I read over Max’s handwriting scrawled at the bottom: Dear Jonah, Today I fell in love with a boy who finally caught the sun. And he never let her go. THE END

Reading the first chapter it felt like this is going to be an awesome read. But then it slowed down and I could not get into it until way to long later in the book. It also does not feel appropriate enough to be targeted as an YA, more like an New Adult book. But I liked the ending and the story, although slow, it's still heartbreaking.

Amazing. This story was unlike anything I have ever read before. It also had me in tears at some parts, which doesn’t usually happen for me! Will be recommending to everyone!

This is my most favorite read by Jennifer Hartmann! It was sweet and whitty while also having that broken love story that we all know and love by her. I highly recommend this book.

Review:
4.5 stars.
Catch the Sun is a beautiful love story of childhood friends to lover (one of my favorite tropes!). I absolutely adored Max and Ella. Their resilience upon never ending tragedy is something to be admired. The quotes in this books were superior! So beautifully done and you can't help but fall in love with these characters. This is a character driven story, so it is more of a slow burn especially at the beginning. I think that it could have been shortened a little and I would still have felt that same connection with the characters. But, once it picks up in the second half, it does not slow down! The tragedy in this book is intense and I did not see it coming, but it was very well done!

I’ve said it before and I will say it again, Jennifer Hartmann’s brand of romance is why I love reading this genre so much. The emotion. The heartbreak. The longing. This novel shattered and healed me simultaneously. A poignant and exquisitely written journey. Truly a masterpiece. I haven't encountered a book this remarkable in a long time, and now I’m emotionally overwhelmed. Depleted. Just … wow!

Max is the epitome of perfection. His love for Ella is profound, evident almost every time he spoke with or about her. And the trauma both Ella and Max had t live through … well, it devastated me, shattering my heart into countless fragments. These two never seemed to be allowed to catch a break. Seriously.

A beautifully crafted, emotionally charged, powerful tale of love and sorrow, chronicling the lives of Ella and Max as they bear the weight of their grief and strive to navigate their tumultuous journey. I loved every single second of reading it, despite the pain, and now I’ll be anxiously awaiting whichever story Ms. Hartmann is going to tell next.

This was such a sweet, yet heartbreaking read. At first I wasn’t super interested in it because it starts in high school but as the story goes on, you feel so many emotions.

The writing was incredibly emotional, the characters were great and well developed, and the story was interesting and keeps you drawn in.

Thank you to NetGalley, Sourcebooks Bloom Books and Jennifer Hartmann for the eARC of Catch the Sun, available now!

Comforting. That's what I felt in the story. Since day one, they knew they were meant for each other. It was also painful seeing the many struggles they went through in their lives and family situations. They chose to grow and wait for the right time to be happy. They were both victims, both drowning in shadows, both trying to find the light, and it's wonderful that they found that light together. Everything happens for a reason, and "love conquers all" is the message you'll feel in this story. The beautiful pain of forgiveness, loving yourself, and rebuilding yourself so you can have the courage to love others again.

* trauma and healing
* First love
* Coming of age
* Second chance


This didn’t feel like a YA book to me. Such a beautiful, emotional read. The growth these characters had was so well written. Jennifer Hartmann just knows how to write a book that will make you cry.

This was a super cute but also incredibly heartbreaking of a romance. I have learned that Jennifer Hartmann books will cause me emotional damage guaranteed.

I know this book is being marketed as YA/16+ and the cast of characters are in high school through most of this story. I ✨️personally✨️ think this book should be marketed as NA (New Adult) as it does contain some explicity content and features some heavy and darker themes.

Intense, sentimental and gripping, this swoony YA romance is full of angst and yearning, tenderness and lust. If you enjoy coming-of-age novels or the childhood friends to lovers trope you are going to want to add this book to your tbr. Perfect for CoHo fans, the witty/sarcastic banter really gave off a similar vibe which I wholeheartedly adored. A bingeable book that I could not (and would not) put down, this steamy, heartbreaking read is full of unexpected plot twists that truly caught me by surprise.

Thank you NetGalley and Sourcebooks Bloom for access to the e-copy in exchange for an honest review.

This book is crazy emotional, that goes far beyond a typical young adult romance.
Ella Sunbury and Max Manning were inseparable as kids until Ella suddenly left town. Then Ten years later, she’s back for their senior year, but she’s not the same girl Max once knew.
Her brother is on death row, and she’s, unfortunately, living with this impacting her life in a negative lighy. She’s carrying the weight of his infamous past, leaving her alone, and isolated from everyone.

Max has his own family struggles, but when Ella returns, he feels that old connection spark again. He’s determined to rekindle their friendship and hopefully something more. But as they grow closer, life throws new tragedies their way, threatening to pull them apart. To find happiness, they’ll have to face their darkest fears together.

Jennifer Hartmann’s writing hits hard, pulling you into a whirlwind of emotions. This book might be marketed as a young adult romance, but it’s so much more. The struggles Ella and Max face feel real and raw, and you can’t help but feel deeply for them. The story unfolds like a vivid dream, full of unexpected twists that keep you hooked, balancing the beauty of their relationship with heartbreaking moments.

A word of warning: pay attention to the trigger warnings. "Catch the Sun" will break your heart, but it’s a journey that stays with you long after you’ve finished. 📚💔

**Trigger Warnings:** Death row, family struggles, intense emotions

Thank you to NetGalley and SOURCEBOOKS Bloom Books.

I fell in love with Jennifer Hartmann’s writing earlier this year when I read Older and have been more and more impressed with each book I devour. While most of her books are steeped in heavier themes of trauma and grief, I think Catch the Sun, as a YA novel, strikes a balance of the heavier with the lighter (trauma juxtaposed with the hope of young love).

This book is noted as a YA novel, but I would not allow my teenager to read this book due to the heavy content. This would be best for anyone over 18. Jennifer Hartmann is one of my favorite authors. She writes deep, emotional stories that make the reader feel. This book is no exception.

- Childhood neighbors to lovers
- Boy falls first
- Romantic suspense
- Dual POV

Rating: 4 stars, 2 spicy pepper emojis

✨ARC Review✨ I’ve been in a glass case of emotion for two days. I’m going to need a rom com after this heartbreaker of a book.

So, we have Ella and Max who were best friends when they were seven. Ella moved away after a year. Ten years later she’s back in town, but is a broken husk of the girl she was, after her brother has been convicted of murdering two people.

She doesn’t want love. She thinks romantic love leads to darkness and ruin. Max has been caring for his disabled dad and his twin brother for years. He doesn’t have time nor energy for girls and romance.

Ah, but can they resist that pull? That never-broken tether to each other? No, of course not. This is a Romance novel.

Max is the sweetest, bestest boy and Ella is such a glorious black cat. I love all the ways they reach out to each other. I adore their slide back into friendship and love. There are delightful pieces of this story that I want you to unfurl on your own, but I will say the lists will stay in my heart.

But without giving too much away, there are serious complications in their journey and it’s not all easy breezy.

It’s not a perfect book, but it is compulsively readable. I think if you’re in the mood to have your heart broken a few times and then quietly put back together, you should give this one a go.

Listen, there is a whole lot going on in this book. Please check CWs. There are definitely things that can be triggering for some people.

I see that Amazon has this classified as young adult. I’m no prude and I was reading “bodice rippers” well before high school, but I was surprised at the open door content for a YA novel. Let’s just say this is no “To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before.”

I was given this ARC via #netgalley and @read_bloom. All thoughts are mine alone.

#romance #romancebooks #yaromance #newadultromance #contemporaryromance #booksbooksbooks #bookreview #bookrecs #bookstagram #arc

If this isn’t 5 star worthy, I don’t know what is. This had me sweating, crying, pacing, screaming, gasping, etc. through the last 50%.

Hartmann has a way of making you love & hate her stories all at the same time which makes her work some of my absolute favorite to read.

This is a standalone story of two teenage loners who happen to find each other at the most tragic time in their lives. Although it is classified as YA/NA I would definitely recommend it for mature readers & to check out the content warnings before diving in.

Here’s what you can look forward to reading in Catch the Sun:
- Dual POV
- First Love
- Second Chance
- He Falls First
- Friends to Lovers
- Small Town
- TRAUMA & Healing

Overall this was an emotional roller coaster to say the least but I absolutely loved every minute of it.

A sincere thank you to NetGalley, SOURCEBOOKS, & of course Jennifer Hartmann for an eARC of this incredible book!

Thank you Netgalley and publisher for this ARC!

This was my 2nd book by Jennifer Hartmann and it did not disappoint! This book ruined me in all of the best ways! So heartwrenching but so beautiful at the same time! Many many tears!

5/5

🍊Childhood Friends to Lovers
🍊Protective MMC
🍊Outcast Heroine
🍊Intense connection
🍊They are it for each other

Gosh when I thought, oh this will be a Ya romance it’s not going to make me an emotional mess, I was wrong. This book put me through it a little bit and I literally had no idea where it was going at points… but man my jaw was on the floor at points.

This story is one of my favorite story dynamics. An outcast Character, with a Protective hero, who cannot fight the connection they share.
When we first meet these two they are children, without a worry in the world, time wasn’t easy to these two, which in some ways I find makes their bond stronger.

Both Max and Ella both have obstacles to overcome, and letting people get close doesn’t come easy to them…. The rekindling of their friendship, max trying to get Ella to be his friend… were some of the sweetest moments… I loved seeing their relationship grow into this strong “it’s always been you” kind of love.

Like a lot of Jennifer’s stories there’s heart breaking moments, that are so raw and real… as well as when you think things are going one way, they completely go another. I love being kept on my toes like that. I also forgot how much I miss the angst of a Ya romance… and seeing first love is so comforting to me. This story as I say often is a new favorite from Jennifer, it’s completely different dynamic wise then any of her other books, but it’s still very much the writing we expect and love from Jennifer Hartmann.

Grab a tissue or 5… enjoy the ride. Like all of this authors books she will put the broken pieces back together.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️.75
Ok wow that was something. So much more than I expected going into it. It’s been a while since I read a JH book and I forget how powerful her stories are and how much love in all its forms is present. This one had me hooked from start to finish.

Ella and Max’s relationship was beautifully told. From the innocence of being childhood friends to reconnecting 10 years later when both are a little broken by the world. The slowburn of their friends to lovers relationship was such a joy to read even if some of it was painful. With this author, you know something horrible is coming, but nothing quite prepares you for when it hits. Heartache and angst galore, this story broke my heart and put it back together.

My heart beats for Max - that man did everything to show Ella how much he loved and cared for her, never pushing her for more than she was willing to give. Urgh he loved her in both the loudest and the quietest way.

Ella had so many demons to defeat and her hesitancy to open up herself to Max was executed so well. Her learning to love again just needed the right person to teach her how to do so. She was one of the strongest FMCs I’ve read about in a while.

A beautiful heartbreaking story. Jennifer does it the best.

I’m knocking .25 ⭐️ off only because I saw some of the twists coming and in previous Jennifer books I’ve been completely taken by surprise.