Review - - The Catch

The Catch

by Amy Lea

The Influencer Series - Book 3

Publisher: Berkley

Release Date: February 13, 2024

Reviewed by Hellie

 

 

In a last-ditch effort to rescue her brand from the brink of irrelevance, Boston fashion influencer Melanie Karlsen finds herself in a rural fishing village on the east coast of Canada. The only thing scarier than nature itself? The burly and bearded bed-and-breakfast owner and fisherman, Evan Whaler—who single-handedly disproves the theory that Canadians are “nice.”

After a boating accident lands Evan unconscious in the hospital, Mel is mistaken for his fiancée by his welcoming yet quirky family, who are embroiled in a long-standing feud over the B&B. In a bold attempt to mend family fences, Mel agrees to fake their engagement for one week in exchange for Evan’s help with her social media content.

Amid long hikes and campfire chats, reeling in their budding feelings for each other proves more difficult by the day. But is Mel willing to sacrifice her picture-perfect life in the city for a chance at a true, unfiltered love in the wild?

Hellie’s Heeds:

I’ll be honest–I read this for the fisherman. Mel’s profession is such that I was like, “Ugh, so she’s basically a Kardashian?” and I almost passed up this gem. However, I have to commend Amy Lea for creating a character so likable and even relatable that I was on Team Amy by the end of the third chapter. Evan is a delightfully grumpy fisherman–but oh, so much more. It could be that I too adore a great plaid flannel shirt and that I don’t understand the allure of multiple steps for makeup and serums to create the “perfect flawless look.” I mean, sure, yes, people who do all those steps do have a very flawless pretty look–but at what cost? 

This premise was basically a premise of the famous rom-coms, While You Were Sleeping and The Proposal–taking the best of both worlds (i.e. Sandra Bullock, most beloved heroine of all time; and Betty White, most beloved mamaw of all time) and adding laugh-out-loud scenarios like The Time Evan Took Mel on a Boat and She Nearly Drowned Him and also, What Not to Do When Peeing in the Woods. There is lots of laughter and also lots of poignant and thoughtful moments that really humanize both Evan and Mel–they feel like your besties that you hope will work out in the end. 

I also live for a heart-tugging Black Moment for our characters–and it was there in spades–but also, oh, the Make Up (Grovel) scene! This was just a very satisfying story that hit all its beats that felt true to the characters and the stories. Please add it to your reading list–I don’t think you’ll be disappointed.