Catch the Sun

A brand new YA/crossover standalone survivor romance from Jennifer Hartmann, the fan-favorite author of Still Beating, Lotus, and June First, packed with the same light-in-the-dark hope for healing in the face of tragedy. Perfect for fans of If He Had Been With Me, A Thousand Boy Kisses, and Binding 13.

"Kissing you feels like catching the sun..."

At seven years old, Ella Sunbury and Max Manning were inseparable--until life scattered them in different directions, forcing Ella to abruptly leave town. A decade later, she returns for their senior year of high school, moving in across the street from her childhood best friend.

But she's not the same girl Max once knew.

She now lives in the shadow of her brother: a notorious felon on death row, convicted of a crime that shook the nation. Reeling from the fallout and shunned by her peers, all Ella wants is to fade into the background.

Max has little room for distractions, juggling responsibilities for a disabled father and a distant twin brother. But Ella's return reignites something within him. He wants to be close to her again, to understand her...and to turn their friendship into more.

But as their relationship blossoms, new tragedy strikes, and darkness threatens to tip their delicate balance. In order to find the light, they'll have to navigate the shadows.

And to catch the sun...they must first endure the flames.

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Published Jul 16, 2024

448 pages

Average rating: 7.93

29 RATINGS

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Community Reviews

Gail_71
Jul 16, 2025
10/10 stars
If you’re lucky, you read a book that alters your brain chemistry. ‘Catch The Sun’ is one of those transformative reads for me. Jennifer Hartmann’s beautiful imagery and metaphors had me highlighting everything Max Manning said! This book is incredibly quotable and evokes a whirlwind of emotions. The angst, trauma, and healing are handled with delicacy, and there were shocking moments that had me gasping in disbelief. The relationship between Max and Ella is both heartbreaking and beautifully crafted. They didn’t deserve their struggles, and their tragic circumstances had me sobbing into my paperback. “𝕀’𝕧𝕖 𝕔𝕒𝕣𝕣𝕚𝕖𝕕 𝕪𝕠𝕦 𝕨𝕚𝕥𝕙 𝕞𝕖, 𝕒𝕝𝕝 𝕥𝕙𝕚𝕤 𝕥𝕚𝕞𝕖. 𝕐𝕠𝕦 𝕣𝕚𝕤𝕖 𝕒𝕟𝕕 𝕗𝕒𝕝𝕝 𝕨𝕚𝕥𝕙 𝕖𝕧𝕖𝕣𝕪 𝕤𝕦𝕟. 𝕐𝕠𝕦’𝕝𝕝 𝕓𝕖𝕥𝕨𝕖𝕖𝕟 𝕥𝕙𝕖 𝕡𝕒𝕘𝕖𝕤 𝕠𝕗 𝕖𝕧𝕖𝕣𝕪 𝕓𝕠𝕠𝕜 𝕚 𝕣𝕖𝕒𝕕. 𝕐𝕠𝕦’𝕝𝕝 𝕓𝕖 𝕨𝕚𝕥𝕙 𝕞𝕖 𝕠𝕟 𝕖𝕧𝕖𝕣𝕪 𝕓𝕣𝕚𝕕𝕘𝕖, 𝕒𝕟𝕕 𝕪𝕠𝕦’𝕝𝕝 𝕓𝕖 𝕚𝕟 𝕥𝕙𝕖 𝕧𝕖𝕣𝕤𝕖𝕤 𝕠𝕗 𝕖𝕧𝕖𝕣𝕪 𝕤𝕠𝕟𝕘 𝕥𝕙𝕒𝕥 𝕡𝕝𝕒𝕪𝕤.” The intricate details tie the story together beautifully, showcasing Jennifer’s talent for giving profound meanings to the mundane. I might not capture its brilliance perfectly, but definitely add ‘Catch The Sun’ to your shelves!
1mrsbeck
Jun 17, 2025
7/10 stars
Good love story with a lot of tragedy. More pages than it needed to be.
MaggieParedes
Feb 10, 2025
10/10 stars
This book is hands-down, my favorite book of 2024. It’s raw, emotional, relatable, tragic, and the love between Max and Ella is absolutely unmatchable. Thank you @author.jenniferhartmann for writing such a beautiful book!
Noveladdictzw
Jan 16, 2025
10/10 stars
Beautiful heart wrenching master piece, I fell in love with the storyline and characters. This story had a soul and that is just beautiful to say the least. For a young adult novel it had so much rawness in it
CharleyB
Sep 12, 2024
10/10 stars
Wow. What a book. Moving and powerful. Highly recommend. 10/10

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