Poignant and powerful, The Catch is a contemporary second-chance romance that effortlessly captures the nostalgia of young love and relatably reflects the trials that come with family, motherhood, and responsibility.
Julia Dunphy’s husband just left her for the second time, her thirteen-year-old won’t stop swearing in public, and to top it all off, her four-year-old just asked to buy condoms. Needless to say, this isn’t how she’d expected her life to pan out.
Then, Julia’s new work in an aquarium shop washes up old memories of a whale-watching business she once imagined – and of William Quinn, the man she imagined it with. William walked into her life with striking blue eyes and constant surprises. Before she knew it, she was head-over-heels in love. However, the realities of life eventually pulled them apart. When Julia and William’s paths cross again, despite their baggage, an undeniable spark remains.
When she learns that William has made a success of their ideas, she wonders if it’s too late to finally make a success of their relationship. But Julia has already blown her first two chances at happiness with William, so a third one seems like wishful thinking. Then she uses her prowess as a paralegal to save William’s business, and when he shows up to thank her, she dares to wonder – is another chance with him possible, after all?
My Rating:
Favorite Quotes:
That guy has probably been inside more vaginas than a gynecologist.
She lifted the pendant to take a closer look, and smiled. “A mermaid. Now why on earth would that make you think of me?” He squeezed her around the shoulders. “I’ll never forget that night as long as I live. I was so in love with you, and when I saw you, I really thought I could have died a happy man, right then and there.” Her chest flooded with a familiar warmth. She laced her fingers through his and kissed him. “You make me so happy,” she whispered. “Good,” he said, touching the pendant. “Wear it as long as you still feel that way.”
My Review:
Regardless of whether it was her first or her tenth published novel, and it was her first, the crafty minx calling herself Jenna Miles has blown me away. Her storylines were unusually compelling, unpredictable, and thorny, while populated with primary and secondary characters who were recognizable yet realistically authentic, aggravating, struggling, smart, troubled, deeply annoying, and magnetic. Their ongoing issues kept me tethered to my Kindle. I was ensnared, nettled, and captivated by this angsty tale, which is quite a rare occurrence for me as I am no fan of self-inflected misery, but I couldn’t bear to put this one down.
I adored and was completely enamored with William, yet I cannot recall a more vexing main character than Julia, I wanted to give her and her narrow-minded family a few good swats with my crocs to dislodge their craniums from their colons, and it would have taken effort as they were really wedged up there. Julia broke my heart, gave me hope, and shredded it yet again. I see on Ms. Miles’s website that she is penning a sequel. There must be something wrong with me as all my fingers and toes are crossed that she hurries.
An avid writer since she first picked up a crayon, Jenna Miles creates compelling, heartwarming stories that touch on themes of romance, mental health, and feminism. When she isn’t working or writing, Jenna loves to tend her garden and cook delicious, healthy meals for her three sassy daughters. Originally from Dallas, Texas, Jenna now resides in the San Francisco Bay Area, where she saves the world one calorie at a time as a Registered Dietitian. Her dream is to one day pursue an MFA in Creative Writing.
I am so honored and thrilled that you loved The Catch!! And you’ll be happy to know I have just resigned from my day job so I can focus on my writing career and on finishing the sequel! 😂 I am so grateful for your time and efforts in reading my book and posting about it. Thank you again so much! 🙏