Catch Her If You Can by Tessa Bailey

A trope-driven romance that didn’t fully work for me.

Catch Her If You Can is a standalone friends-to-lovers, marriage-of-convenience romance with a strong emotional setup, even if it didn’t fully come together for me.

I liked Eve and Madden as individuals, and the years of mutual pining gave their relationship a solid foundation. Madden’s devotion to Eve was the highlight of the story. I also found the marriage of convenience believable given their long history. The book’s effort to be sex- and body-positive was another element I appreciated.

The execution, however, was uneven. Madden’s characterization sometimes felt exaggerated, which pulled me out of the story. Eve’s habit of putting everyone else first became frustrating as the plot progressed, especially since the central secret was easy to predict. I also struggled with the town itself. The way it treats Eve is harsh, and that negativity made it difficult to fully settle into the story.

Overall, this was an easy, readable romance built on tropes I usually enjoy, but it didn’t fully click for me. The side characters, especially Veda and Elton, were a bright spot, and I’d be interested in reading more stories set in this world.

You can find Catch Her If You Can wherever books are sold or request it from your local library.