A review by nadiamasood
Catch the Sun by Jennifer Hartmann

challenging dark emotional hopeful inspiring sad tense medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

If you tend to cry easily, have a box of tissues nearby! This book will shatter your heart. There's a lot of emotional trauma, angst, pain, loss, and betrayal. But then there's also hope, moving on, healing, and love.

This angst-filled, contemporary YA survivor romance features main characters who are 17/18-year-olds. For such young individuals, their lives are filled with such an overwhelming amount of pain! I particularly found the second half of the book more compelling, with plenty of action and significant character growth.

Max Manning. The male protagonist is such an amazing character! He embodies the ultimate green flag—someone you should never let go of once you find them. He is what kept me hooked and the reason I was able to finish this book. Max is truly the heart and soul of this story.

Some of my issues with this book:

I agree with reviewers who say that this book shouldn't be classified as a YA novel. I understand YA novels are generally targeted at readers aged 12 to 18. Well, despite the main characters being 17 and 18 for most of the story, the heavy themes and multiple sexually explicit content are clearly not appropriate for younger readers. 

Too much emphasis on the orange color. We get it, she loves everything orange but we don't need a reminder every few pages. And then there's "Brynn!" (yes, with an apostrophe) that I found quite irritating, to be honest.

Is this book for you?

There is a satisfying happily ever after, so if enjoy stories of troubled teens overcoming adversity and finding something good in their lives, this book's for you. 

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