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 … 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.
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If you read The Spire then you know Owen Bartlett and this is a story that I have been waiting for. His stoicism and grumpiness hide a man who just want to be loved. Cole McClish was the perfect match for him and broke through his quiet existence.
It’s everything you come to expect from her, she creates such vivid imagery and strong prose that you are drawn into this tiny cove in Maine and not want to leave.
If you have never read M/M stories don’t be intimidated by it because In Kate’s hand their story builds and builds with her strong prose that will draw you in. It’s swoon-worthy and a guarantee book hangover.
Kate decided to dip her toes in the water with Cole & Owen as her first M/M novel. Kate executed a perfect swan dive with this one. The evolution of their relationship from strangers, to friends, to lovers was seamless and very well written. Well done once again Kate.
This book!!!! From the first words I read I was caught. Am I surprised? Nope. This is a Kate Canterbary book after all. Cole and Owen owned me! They are two so completely opposite people, hell they even live on opposite coasts! But love doesn’t care, love takes hold when we least expect it. Cole, the boy genius billionaire from California, set off to lick his wounds and maybe find himself. He found Owen, a lobsterman in Maine. This author truly has writing magic. She wove their story together so perfectly and created an epic love story that I loved watching unfold. Fresh Catch was not lacking in all the feels. Kate Canterbary has this way of really making you feel what her characters are feeling, I was cringing at Cole’s sometimes awkwardness, laughing with Owen’s inner thoughts and crying when I could feel their hurt. Just so many feels throughout this book and yes there are definitely some steamy sexy times! Obviously this is a M/M book and it’s not everyone’s cup of tea but if you ever wanted to take a chance and check out a M/M story this is the one to take the chance with.
I read the short story in Incognito awhile back and I couldn’t tell the author enough how much I loved it and her ability to seamlessly venture into M/M stories. Fresh Catch has absolutely everything we love most about Kate’s writing. It is witty beyond belief-the way she words things that you inevitably think but never know how to say in away that nearly always makes you giggle in some way or go “darn girl, that’s exactly what I would have said, if I’d been able to pull those words out of my hat”. She also has a way of putting that love feeling or that lust feeling into words that illicit the deepest feelings for you or have you thinking, “THAT is exactly how I feel about my significant other”.
“We want to be accepted, cherished, adored. We want someone to recognize our messy,
complicated souls, and love us for those messes and complications.”
I have so many highlighted sections that say LOVE THIS, THIS <3 because she has all the words. The Owen and Cole love story expanded here is one for the ages. Watching 'salty' Owen, drop his walls, flip over and bare his belly was an absolutely beautiful thing. As always with Kate, there is plenty of steam. If I could, I'd give this easily more than 5 stars.
Owen Bartlett had settled in for a solitary life. Content with his choices and happy in his refuge, he never expected for the love of his life to come crashing in and change everything he knows.
Cole McLish, for the first time in his life, has no direction both metaphorically and literally. On a forced sabbatical, Cole finds himself adrift and completely lost at sea. The brusque lobsterman rescues him in more than one way.
I don’t normally read M/M romances, but for this author I’m happy to have taken the leap. Her narrative is very descriptive and quite captivating. Her ability to bring characters and storylines to life is truly a gift. I applaud her ability to maintain the varied perspectives of both characters.
I loved Owen’s guarded personality and witnessing it slowly fade away into a loving and compassionate man. Cole’s insecurity and his braininess are quite the combination though no less endearing.
Please do yourself a favor and read this book. It’s indirectly connected to the Walsh series and can be read as a standalone.
Kate Canterbary has penned a remarkably tender love story. It’s heartwarming, poignant and beautiful in its simplicity. Cole McClish is the wunderkind internet royalty of today. Owen Bartlett is a stoic Maine lobsterman who’s resigned himseld to a solitary life. That is until Cole and his boat come limping into Owen’s life. Seizing the chance to really step away from his high pressured life, Cole becomes Owen’s deckhand. The more they learn about each other, their feelings for each other grow into a wonderfully loving and fulfilling relationship. Though it’s not without its challenges.
As with all her books, these characters are richly multilayered, strong and genuine. The story so well written that you are immediately drawn in and charmed as it unfolds.
I really enjoyed this tale of curmudgeonly love between Owen, crusty fisherman and Cole, internet royalty and hottie nerd. The biggest strength of this story is the buildup, the undeniable sexual tension between Cole and Owen that culminates in some spectacular love scenes. I mean, the sex is fantastic and does not shy away from the descriptive, but the emotional ties between Cole and Owen before they give in, truly gives their sexy times that extra oomph that made me squirm in the best of ways.
If I have a critique of the story, it’s the internal “big” obstacle was very mild, and other than sexual tension, there wasn’t alot of tension in the story overall. I did think the climax came late, and was resolved very quickly and easily. But having said that, I wasn’t really mad at it, it fit these relatively low key characters and their relationship.
If you’re in the mood for a solid, character-driven romance with a crusty lobsterman and his geeky hot tech love, I highly recommend this.
**ARC provided by author for review**
Owen and Cole find the kind of love that we dream about.
The angst, the sexual tension, the sweetness… All of it is conveyed expertly by the author.
I can’t recommend this book enough.
Also. Neera steals the show. She’s exactly like I imagine Kate to be via text.
In 2016, Run Aground was included in the now unpublished Incognito/Revealed anthology. Without knowing who the author was, I was gushing about how much I loved Run Aground and wanted more than just the brief contribution in the anthology. The reveal made me realize that Kate Canterbary is my favorite author because even when I didn’t know the words were hers, I absolutely loved them. I could barely contain my excitement when it was announced that Cole and Owen would get a full length book in Fresh Catch.
My favorite thing about Cole and Owen is they are complete opposites. One the strong silent type who doesn’t have internet at home and is happy to spend his evenings sitting outside reading a book. The other is all about the tech, talks more than anyone ever, and is usually surrounded by people. These differences made these two men the perfect balance for each, helping each other slow down or speed up when they need to. And the chemistry, oh. my. god. Heat, so much heat!!
Fresh Catch is definitely going down as one of my favorite books of 2018!!
Cole McClish . . . lost at sea and seemingly lost a bit in life too. Almost running aground in Talbott’s Cove, Maine is just the wake-up call Cole needs. And he really needs the grumpy, surly, local lobsterman, Owen Bartlett.
Owen is very used to living a solitary life. One where he thinks he’s happy. Or as happy as he can be living in his small, coastal Maine town. He loves what he does, loves his town, and lets loose when he feels the walls closing in on him a bit. So Owen is completely unprepared when Cole almost crashes into his life.
Owen has no idea the man who’s sleeping in his spare room (for now) is quite well known in his Silicon Valley world. And Cole is greatly enjoying the anonymity that small town living has afforded him. He’s able to be his real self. Really live in the moment and just enjoy life. And trust me, he’s really enjoying Owen. But what happen when his identity is revealed? How will Owen react to the news? And how will Cole prove that the person he is in Talbott’s Cove is the real person behind the Silicon Valley veneer?
Seriously, Fresh Catch is magic from the first page to the last. I couldn’t read Owen and Cole’s story fast enough. I loved how each man tried to resist the other, but their connection, their attraction was just too much. Owen came out of his solitary shell and Cole removed his veil of corporate leader and their friendship and relationship just developed through mutual respect . . . oh, and some serious lust too. Cole and Owen seemed so genuine, so amazing, so perfect. I laughed, cringed, swooned and hoped for a terrific future right along with them. I loved every minute.
Kate did it again! Fresh Catch was a “refreshing” love story in a genre that can get a little monotonous. Don’t get me wrong, I LOVE romance, but the story lines can get a little old. There’s just something about a man that works with his hands…Owen had it all! He was strong, sweet, and a growly romantic to the core. You could totally see Cole through Kate’s writing. He was the perfect nerdy, self conscious, yet crazy brilliant man. Together they were wonderful and made for an enjoyable, entertaining, sexy, passionate read!
This is my first read of a full-length M/M book and I am so happy with my choice. I have loved all of Kate Canterbary’s works, so I just knew going in that she would not disappoint. I was right. I LOVED Fresh Catch!
We first got a brief intro to Owen Bartlett in The Spire and I was very excited to hear his story. At first he comes across a just a burly, gruff lobsterman, but once he rescues Cole McLish before he runs aground in the cove near his home in Maine we get to discover the many layers of this amazing man. He truly has a soft center underneath all that snarl and muscle. Cole is out to rediscover himself and get his life in order when he literally drifts into Owen’s life. Once they both come clean about their growing feelings for one another, the two men discover a deep love for one another. Will it be enought to hold Cole in Maine at the end of the summer, or will he head back to his life in Silicon Valley? Can they each be what the other has longed for for so long, yet never imagined they would find?
As with all of her other works, Kate brings the heat but also shows the true emotion shared by each character. 5 wonderful stars!!
One thing I always know when I pick up a Kate Canterbary book- it’s going to be incredibly well written, complex, and insanely sexy. Fresh Catch is simply magic. Kate’s heroes are always so delicious. When there are two of them? They just combust when they are together.
Fresh Catch is the first, and I *really* hope not the last, M/M pairing from Ms. Canterbary, and is one of her best books yet. I was captivated by this story. Cole and Owen have a spark between them, and everything about them and their journey is unique. From the setting, to who they are, it’s different and refreshing. It feels normal, but still a world so easy to get lost in.
Fresh Catch is a story that is well thought out, and all encompassing. The characters are interesting, and a few have me hoping they make a reappearance in the future. I would recommend Fresh Catch to the reader looking for a story featuring two sexy men in an opposites attract romance.
Fresh Catch is an amazing love story of two people from different worlds who are brought together by fate and you know they are just meant for each other.
There is gruff and quiet Owen the taciturn fisherman who is comfortable in his busy but quiet life in Talbott’s Cove, Maine.
“You’re salty. Surly. Moody. Curmudgeonly.”
“You’re cute when you’re irritable,” I replied. “Lucky for me, you’re always irritable.”
Out of his element and washed up in Owen’s cove is snarky, never-shut-up, a quip always at the ready, Cole McClish, a wealthy (and sexy) businessman sailor.
“He was secrets and mysteries, and one complicated mess after another. He was single-handedly ruining my quiet, comfortable existence with his questions and noise and obscene abs,”
Add in banter to the Nth degree and of course some Red Sox mentions and this New England girl was in love with this story and these characters.
“My dick was pitching a tent that could comfortably sleep a family of four and their elderly beagle”
As a fan of Kate Canterbary’s Walsh family series I was expecting great writing and an amazing story and I was not disappointed. This story is definitely a top favorite story for me and will be on my reread list.
-6 Stars!!-
-Diane-
“Summer love wasn’t for me, and neither was this man. He wasn’t here to stay, and he wasn’t here for me.”
Owen, the generous working class man, has never had a romance last beyond summer & is afraid to wish for more only to be disappointed again. Cole, the ridiculously successful businessman, feels nobody wants to be be bothered to see beneath the surface to the real him. Each man has his own insecurities, unsure of the next move that might reveal too much. When theses two vulnerable men from very different worlds stumble upon each other, they both find the piece of their lives they didn’t know they were missing.
Let me start by saying, I wasn’t sure I wanted to read this book. Not that I had any qualms about the authors writing abilities. On the contrary, Kate Canterbary is one of my favorite authors. No, I was hesitant because this is a M/M book and just not my thing- I couldn’t relate. Wow, was I wrong! Yes, the M/M sex is explosively hot, but their relationship is not written to just be trendy & titillating. It’s smart and funny with page after page of snappy & emotional dialogue. When all is said and done, I’m so glad I took the leap of faith to read this book! I was moved by this wonderfully endearing couple and their love for each other is what make this an unforgettable romance!
Fresh Catch is the latest book by Kate Canterbary and it’s a little something different from The Laydee Writer, but as with all her books, I was not disappointed!
I am a regular MM reader but I can understand how someone who hasn’t read this genre may be hesitant to read an MM book as they might feel like they have no frame of reference or understanding of a romance between two men. They might ask questions like “could it be hot?” or “would I feel their struggle or understand their love?”. Here’s what I have learned from reading MM: A superbly written romance story will transcend virtually all limitations you set on your likes/dislikes. This isn’t an incredible m/m (male/male) story, it’s an amazing HUMAN story.
Fresh Catch hits all the notes for me. The love story, the detail, the humor, the trademark Laydee Writer banter, hot guys, some angst/drama, and the love scenes? Thermonuclear hot. PERIOD. Owen and Cole’s story isn’t an easy or simple one, but in the end love is love.
I am so glad that the Laydee Writer decided there was more in store for the salty but gentle-at-heart Owen who we briefly glimpsed in The Spire and in turn wrote a gorgeous, intense, slow burning book that reinforces -in my eyes – her standing as one of the most witty, intelligent authors out there today. Do yourself a favour and read this book!!
Owen finally gets his own book and I couldn’t be happier!! Fans of Kate Canterbary will remember the lobster captain from Erin & Nick’s book of the Walshes series, The Spire, but don’t worry Fresh Catch stands on its own if you’re new to her work.
Cole and Owen were just everything!! I’m not about plot recaps and spoilers, but I will tell you that Fresh Catch is definitely some Kate’s best work! I loved everything about this book; timing, prose, subject matter…everything! Pick this one up, you will not be disappointed!
ARC for honest review with no compensation
Fresh Catch by Kate Canterbury is another well researched and written book.
Owen and Cole are from two totally different worlds but upon meeting they find an extension of themselves in each other. Both are wanting someone to understand them, be a partner, and find unconditional love. Can these two find a safe harbor together and a HEA or will the catch slip away?
We want to be loved. Whether or not we go looking for it, think we have time for it, or even deserve it, weighs in on the effort. These men have a (somewhat) comfortable existence in their lives. They know what they want and need. It the joy and heartache of a romantic relationship they feel is for other men. It’s just the tide hasn’t washed in the right man yet.
Both characters are out. Not out and loud out. But out. Kate Canterbary though shows these men as not ‘out’ with who they really want to be – this is Owen and Cole’s story. Circumstances bring them together. There is a draw. However, too much unsaid hangs between them. Can they both take a chance at exposing their soft underbellies to the other? Are they willing to risk the hurt to gain the deep affection they deserve?
There is so much more to these characters then what you can see from the top of the waters. Kate takes the reader’s hand down the distance line and dives deeper than their surface. You understand the characters hesitation and missteps. But after you reach near the end of your line, Kate guides the readers and characters to a perfect break in the surface to have something to hold onto forever.
Once again, Ms Canterbary amazes me with the depth of her characters, brilliance in writing a story that will touch you and linger there for days. It’s a love story to be savored not devoured. If you are a new reader to Kate, this is a great introduction to her writing genius and devotion to telling a fantastic story. If you are a fan but new to MM genre, you’ll see its all love. For fans of her Walsh series, she gives us an Easter egg that is always fun to read from another characters POV. Regardless, this is a story not to be missed.
This is my very first MM book. In my humble opinion there is no better author to start with. Kate’s books are so well thought out, researched and put together. I have never read a book of Kate’s that I didn’t love.
On to Owen and Cole. Their heat is off the charts. I will again say that I have never read a MM book and just tell you that the sexiness is off the charts! As usual everything tastefully done by Kate. I love that they are opposite but equal. Both needing someone to love and be loved and they happen to stumble upon one another. You will laugh and be in love with them both before the end. This is a good read!