When a California tech tycoon meets a Maine lobsterman, you wouldn’t expect sparks to fly… unless they are being written by Kate Canterbary, of course.

If you are a fan of the Walsh series by Kate Canterbary, then you already know the delights of her writing and will need no sales pitch from me to check out her latest. If you haven’t read her stuff before, then you are in for a most wonderful surprise. Fresh Catch is a wonderful example of how her books will have you laughing, crying, and fanning yourself in equal measure.

About ‘Fresh Catch’

Take a vacation, they said. Get away from Silicon Valley’s back-stabbing and power-grabbing. Recharge the innovative batteries. Unwind, then come back stronger than ever.

Instead, I got lost at sea and fell in love with an anti-social lobsterman.

There’s one small issue:

Owen Bartlett doesn’t know who I am. Who I really am.

I don’t like people.

I avoid small talk and socializing, and I kick my companions out of bed before the sun rises.

No strings, no promises, no problems.

Until Cole McClish’s boat drifts into Talbott’s Cove, and I bend all my rules for the sexy sailor.

I don’t know Cole’s story or what he’s running from, but one thing is certain:

I’m not letting him run away from me.

‘Fresh Catch’ book review

When it comes to Kate Canterbary’s books, there are two things you can always count on: they will be hot and absolutely bursting with heart. I first fell in love with Kate’s Walsh series thanks to a readers’ group recommendation, and I will never be the same.

Her books are fresh and smart, and bursting at the seams with authentic, well-earned, heart-wrenching turmoil in all the best ways. I love being ruined by Kate’s protagonists and that’s definitely true about her latest pairing, Owen and Cole.

Cole is in desperate need of the right man to help him put his priorities back in order. You can tell that he is at the point in his life where he wants to settle down a bit, but he just doesn’t know how to do this thing called life any differently than he has been. He is both literally and figuratively lost… and then he sails into Owen’s cove.

Owen and his grumpy-loner-ness is definitely something I can relate to. I may be a little more internet-addicted than him, but I understand the need to just curl up in my favorite place with a good book and a beer. You can tell from the start of this story that he values his alone time, but might just be ready for someone to come in and mess everything up. Enter Cole McClish and his very messy tendencies.

I could not have been more excited about Kate’s newest story, and I was definitely not disappointed. This wasn’t my first m/m novel, and it certainly won’t be my last, either. I loved getting to know these two men, and to see how they opened themselves up to experiences and perspectives far different from their own. Cole needed someone to tell him to slow down and look around, and Owen needed someone to ruffle his feathers and get in his way a bit.

I also loved that while Owen definitely starts this story as the grumpy sailor, he has outlets and places he can escape to where there’s nothing but joy and belonging in his life. I found it so incredibly refreshing that Owen, the lobsterman from Maine, is the Pride-going man, while Cole’s California-living self has never really considered it. Based solely on the descriptions of the characters before I read this book, I would have assumed the opposite, and I couldn’t have been more wrong. It seems so important to remind us that we are all different and should not be hemmed in by circumstance, location, mindset, or wealth. We make our own choices and experience life however we choose.

Kate Canterbary knows how to tell a love story. No matter who they are, how they meet, or where they’re from, she will have you begging for time to slow down so you can just fit in one more chapter before reality swallows you up again. I can’t wait to see what Kate has in store for us next, but rest assured I am definitely eager for wherever she wants to take me.

Fresh Catch is available now on Amazon, and is free for Kindle Unlimited members! And make sure to add it on Goodreads, too!