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Catch and Cradle
Thou shalt not date thine teammates.
The UNS Women’s Lacrosse team doesn’t have an official policy against inter-teammate relationships, but those words might as well be carved into stone tablets in the middle of the field. After witnessing way too much drama in the past, Captain Becca Moore is intent on keeping her players� love lives out of the locker room.
Becca has no time or tolerance for any distractions from the game. Unfortunately, that’s exactly what Hope Hastings has been since the day she showed up for tryouts: one walking, talking, charismatically dorky and way-too-kissable distraction.
Hope knew she was headed straight to the danger zone from the moment she saw Becca’s flame-red hair and surly captain smirk. She’s spent the past two years writing off her attraction as a harmless crush, but starting a new semester fresh out of an awful relationship makes Hope realize just how far from harmless the heat between her and Becca really is.
The friendships of a tight-knit team and their shot at the title are all lying on the line, but as Hope and Becca get closer to bending rules they’ve sworn never to break, they realize they’ve put their hearts on that line too. Losing has never been an option, but winning might cost more than they’re willing to pay.
Catch and Cradle is a New Adult F/F romance from Katia Rose that’s filled with all the hilarity and heartache of finding your way through college while discovering love, friendship, and what it means to be yourself.
The UNS Women’s Lacrosse team doesn’t have an official policy against inter-teammate relationships, but those words might as well be carved into stone tablets in the middle of the field. After witnessing way too much drama in the past, Captain Becca Moore is intent on keeping her players� love lives out of the locker room.
Becca has no time or tolerance for any distractions from the game. Unfortunately, that’s exactly what Hope Hastings has been since the day she showed up for tryouts: one walking, talking, charismatically dorky and way-too-kissable distraction.
Hope knew she was headed straight to the danger zone from the moment she saw Becca’s flame-red hair and surly captain smirk. She’s spent the past two years writing off her attraction as a harmless crush, but starting a new semester fresh out of an awful relationship makes Hope realize just how far from harmless the heat between her and Becca really is.
The friendships of a tight-knit team and their shot at the title are all lying on the line, but as Hope and Becca get closer to bending rules they’ve sworn never to break, they realize they’ve put their hearts on that line too. Losing has never been an option, but winning might cost more than they’re willing to pay.
Catch and Cradle is a New Adult F/F romance from Katia Rose that’s filled with all the hilarity and heartache of finding your way through college while discovering love, friendship, and what it means to be yourself.
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First published June 8, 2021
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About the author
Katia Rose
26books939followersKatia Rose is not much of a Pina Colada person, but she does like getting caught in the rain. She loves to write romances that make her readers laugh, cry, and swoon (preferably in that order). She’s rarely found without a cup of tea nearby, and she’s more than a little obsessed with tiny plants. Katia is proudly bisexual and has a passion for writing about love in all its forms.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 619 reviews
June 6, 2021
4.5⭐️ � In the mood for adorable characters, angst, yearning and fuzzy feelings? This book has it all.
Becca swore she’d never date one of her teammates again after the debacle of her first year on the UNS Women’s Lacrosse team but she can’t get one of them out of her every thought. Hope is still reeling from the awful and very public way her boyfriend broke up with her a couple of months ago, yet for some reason, the harmless crush she’s had for two years on her team captain has recently morphed into a full-blown obsession. The timing may seem all wrong but is it, really?
This book is written in first-person present-tense from both MCs� POV, in alternate chapters. I liked the two mains from the start but there’s something about Becca that touched me the most in the way she sees Hope. There’s so much yearning and angst in her chapters and I loved it all. Lacrosse is everything to her and, in her second to last year of university in Halifax (Canada), she’s not sure she knows who she is without it. Hence her insistence on the no-dating rule and the terror she experiences at the mere idea of jeopardising the team or its chances at finally winning the title they’ve been working so hard to win. Becca’s life is all about rules and routines, and any change to the plan is scary. That what Hope is, change.
There’s this very pretty paragraph when Becca is thinking about Hope: “I’ve always felt her like a change in seasons, like a shift of scents and colours, of sounds in the air and wind on my skin. Sometimes she’s the first crackle of dried leaves in the fall and sometimes she’s the mud and melting of spring, but she’s always a change. She’s always a collection of warning signs there to remind me I spend every day of my life pulled around the sun by a force I can’t feel or see.�
Like everyone else, I fell for the superficial image Hope gives off at first. She’s sweet and loud and, at first glance, appears to be the fun and enthusiastic player who makes the whole team comfortable. Yet there’s a side of her not many people know. She’s dyslexic and it makes it hard for her to balance classes and the team. There’s a hidden depth to her character that I really enjoyed seeing come to the surface. I love the way her housemates support her in a very natural manner. Dyslexia is also hard on Hope’s self-esteem (as someone who was diagnosed even later with dyspraxia, I can attest to that frustrating feeling of trying to keep up) and Becca’s struggle with her past and the responsibility she thinks she has to bear in a messy situation that put the team in danger sometimes leads her to pull away, causing Hope to wonder if she did anything wrong and all her insecurities to flare up.
Miscommunication is my least favourite trope (how many times have I written this?) but I can accept it a lot more easily from younger characters. As these two are in their early twenties, I don’t have a problem with it, especially the way Rose wrote it. It’s not contrived, it’s not far-fetched, it’s consistent with both characters and their hang-ups.
And seriously, this is how you write chemistry. With both characters and especially when the author was writing in Becca’s voice, I could see and almost feel what they saw in the other that made their knees go weak � I’m keeping this review PG but the book itself isn’t, it’s hot.
The secondary characters � especially Hope’s roommates and friends (Iz, who just came out as nonbinary, stars in , a novella I’ll also be reviewing very soon), her brother and his girlfriend (whose story Katia Rose told in another book), Becca’s best friend, and the team coach � are well-fleshed and the kind of people you want around you when life isn’t as easy as you’d like it to be.
There’s enough sports talk to satisfy sports books fans but not so much that it will bore readers who don’t care about it. I didn’t even know what kind of sports lacrosse was before I read this book. I googled it and watch a couple of videos but Hope’s definition is my favourite: “chase a ball around and hit people with a stick�.
It may seem cliché for a New Adult book, but Catch and Cradle is a story of growth and finding who you are, even when you already thought you knew. It’s also a very sweet romance, with secondary characters who all feel like they deserve their own book.
ARC provided to for an honest review.
Becca swore she’d never date one of her teammates again after the debacle of her first year on the UNS Women’s Lacrosse team but she can’t get one of them out of her every thought. Hope is still reeling from the awful and very public way her boyfriend broke up with her a couple of months ago, yet for some reason, the harmless crush she’s had for two years on her team captain has recently morphed into a full-blown obsession. The timing may seem all wrong but is it, really?
This book is written in first-person present-tense from both MCs� POV, in alternate chapters. I liked the two mains from the start but there’s something about Becca that touched me the most in the way she sees Hope. There’s so much yearning and angst in her chapters and I loved it all. Lacrosse is everything to her and, in her second to last year of university in Halifax (Canada), she’s not sure she knows who she is without it. Hence her insistence on the no-dating rule and the terror she experiences at the mere idea of jeopardising the team or its chances at finally winning the title they’ve been working so hard to win. Becca’s life is all about rules and routines, and any change to the plan is scary. That what Hope is, change.
There’s this very pretty paragraph when Becca is thinking about Hope: “I’ve always felt her like a change in seasons, like a shift of scents and colours, of sounds in the air and wind on my skin. Sometimes she’s the first crackle of dried leaves in the fall and sometimes she’s the mud and melting of spring, but she’s always a change. She’s always a collection of warning signs there to remind me I spend every day of my life pulled around the sun by a force I can’t feel or see.�
Like everyone else, I fell for the superficial image Hope gives off at first. She’s sweet and loud and, at first glance, appears to be the fun and enthusiastic player who makes the whole team comfortable. Yet there’s a side of her not many people know. She’s dyslexic and it makes it hard for her to balance classes and the team. There’s a hidden depth to her character that I really enjoyed seeing come to the surface. I love the way her housemates support her in a very natural manner. Dyslexia is also hard on Hope’s self-esteem (as someone who was diagnosed even later with dyspraxia, I can attest to that frustrating feeling of trying to keep up) and Becca’s struggle with her past and the responsibility she thinks she has to bear in a messy situation that put the team in danger sometimes leads her to pull away, causing Hope to wonder if she did anything wrong and all her insecurities to flare up.
Miscommunication is my least favourite trope (how many times have I written this?) but I can accept it a lot more easily from younger characters. As these two are in their early twenties, I don’t have a problem with it, especially the way Rose wrote it. It’s not contrived, it’s not far-fetched, it’s consistent with both characters and their hang-ups.
And seriously, this is how you write chemistry. With both characters and especially when the author was writing in Becca’s voice, I could see and almost feel what they saw in the other that made their knees go weak � I’m keeping this review PG but the book itself isn’t, it’s hot.
The secondary characters � especially Hope’s roommates and friends (Iz, who just came out as nonbinary, stars in , a novella I’ll also be reviewing very soon), her brother and his girlfriend (whose story Katia Rose told in another book), Becca’s best friend, and the team coach � are well-fleshed and the kind of people you want around you when life isn’t as easy as you’d like it to be.
There’s enough sports talk to satisfy sports books fans but not so much that it will bore readers who don’t care about it. I didn’t even know what kind of sports lacrosse was before I read this book. I googled it and watch a couple of videos but Hope’s definition is my favourite: “chase a ball around and hit people with a stick�.
It may seem cliché for a New Adult book, but Catch and Cradle is a story of growth and finding who you are, even when you already thought you knew. It’s also a very sweet romance, with secondary characters who all feel like they deserve their own book.
ARC provided to for an honest review.
July 30, 2021
DNF at 62% (a little over Chapter 17 of 23).
I tried with this book, I really did.
Allow me to walk you through my notes as I was reading this.
The good (�) and the bad (𝗫):
𝗫 16%: Boring beginning. There didn't seem to be a plot. It was like watching someone go through their mundane, everyday life.
𝗫 21%: The MCs' chemistry felt off. Their initial awkwardness tried to be cute but came out forced.
𝗫 Most of the humor landed flat. The book was grasping at straws to be funny.
𝗫 30%: I almost quit here. Too many trifling details of things I couldn't care less about.
𝗫 35%: Still bored.
� 39%: Things started getting interesting here (Chapter 9) and I saw the beginnings of a plot.
� I loved how the book tore up gender binary through Iz (Hope's non-binary friend).
� Hope, Jane, Paulina, and Iz had an amazing friend support group.
𝗫 The MCs were so damn talkative while doing the deed, it disturbed the intimacy of the moment.
𝗫 55%: When I found out the reason why the "no dating a teammate" rule exists—and trust me, the author took her time to reveal this—I saw all that fuss about Becca’s personal entanglements affecting their team’s performance become a stretch. Also, if anyone has had enough of being dictated whom they should/shouldn't date, it's us queer folk.
𝗫 Becca became even more exasperating 'cause of her worries. She made dating a teammate seem like the end of the f*cking world.
𝗫 59%: Uh-oh. I saw markings of a contrived conflict up ahead.
𝗫 The way both MCs' minds ran away with them was annoying AF. They jumped from one terrible conclusion to another without discerning reason.
𝗫 62%: I couldn't take any more.
When I realized I was pushing myself to finish this, and majority of what I felt while reading was irritation, I had to stop.
Normally, I rate my DNFs 1 star. This doesn't belong in the worst stories I've read though. I'm simply learning to quit books I don't enjoy faster.
I tried with this book, I really did.
Allow me to walk you through my notes as I was reading this.
The good (�) and the bad (𝗫):
𝗫 16%: Boring beginning. There didn't seem to be a plot. It was like watching someone go through their mundane, everyday life.
𝗫 21%: The MCs' chemistry felt off. Their initial awkwardness tried to be cute but came out forced.
𝗫 Most of the humor landed flat. The book was grasping at straws to be funny.
𝗫 30%: I almost quit here. Too many trifling details of things I couldn't care less about.
𝗫 35%: Still bored.
� 39%: Things started getting interesting here (Chapter 9) and I saw the beginnings of a plot.
� I loved how the book tore up gender binary through Iz (Hope's non-binary friend).
� Hope, Jane, Paulina, and Iz had an amazing friend support group.
𝗫 The MCs were so damn talkative while doing the deed, it disturbed the intimacy of the moment.
𝗫 55%: When I found out the reason why the "no dating a teammate" rule exists—and trust me, the author took her time to reveal this—I saw all that fuss about Becca’s personal entanglements affecting their team’s performance become a stretch. Also, if anyone has had enough of being dictated whom they should/shouldn't date, it's us queer folk.
𝗫 Becca became even more exasperating 'cause of her worries. She made dating a teammate seem like the end of the f*cking world.
𝗫 59%: Uh-oh. I saw markings of a contrived conflict up ahead.
𝗫 The way both MCs' minds ran away with them was annoying AF. They jumped from one terrible conclusion to another without discerning reason.
𝗫 62%: I couldn't take any more.
When I realized I was pushing myself to finish this, and majority of what I felt while reading was irritation, I had to stop.
Normally, I rate my DNFs 1 star. This doesn't belong in the worst stories I've read though. I'm simply learning to quit books I don't enjoy faster.
July 1, 2022
TW// outing, abortion
“She’s a whole universe slowly unfolding itself in front of me, and there’s something humbling and precious about that.�
Wow!! My final read for this year’s pride month is officially the best sapphic romance I’ve ever read and I only picked this one up because I noticed it was on Kindle Unlimited. I’m so surprised by this book and I honestly couldn’t be happier with this book.
Catch and Cradle follows two lacrosse players who fall in love despite their team’s rule forbidding teammates from dating each other. Becca is the team captain who had a dramatic breakup in her first year on the lacrosse team and Hope is a member of the lacrosse team who has to deal with feeling like she isn’t good enough due to her dyslexia. Becca and Hope begin to fall in love over the course of a lacrosse season and not even the team’s no dating policy can stop their love for each other.
This book started off a little rocky and I was worried that I wouldn’t like it, but I’m glad that I stuck with it. There was definitely some cringey one liners at the start of the book, but the cringiness stopped after just a few chapters and that's when Katia Rose's writing abilities really started to shine.
There was fantastic representation in this book. There’s bisexual, lesbian, and non-binary representation. This story does a great job of showing how not everyone’s experiences with coming out are the same. There was also dyslexia representation in this book and that representation was done really well. You get to see into Hope’s mind and see how she’s figured out how to be sucessful in spite of her disability. You also get to see how her dyslexia impacts her self esteem.
Throughout the course of this story, I found that I really related to Becca. Becca appears really strong on the outside, but she has a complicated and somewhat traumatic past that caused her to have trust issues. I had something similair happen to Becca (but mine happened with one of my “best friends�), so I understood what she was going through and I got really emotional because this was the first time that I’ve felt like someone understood what happened to me. I turned to schoolwork instead of sports, but the way that Becca and I handled our messy history is pretty similair. Thank you, Katia, for making me feel seen.
Becca was fantastic, but I also really loved Hope. Hope was the type of character who I’d be best friends with if she were real. Her personality carried certain sections of this book and she seems like she would be really fun to hangout with.
Another thing I loved about this book was how this book dealt with college majors. The characters� passion for their college majors was beautiful and it’s something that I want to see portrayed more in college stories.
If you have Kindle Unlimited, I highly recommend reading this book. Katia has a way of developing characters that will make you feel so many emotions and I can’t wait to read more of her work in the future. I will forever cherish this story and all of the wonderful characters in this book.
“She’s a whole universe slowly unfolding itself in front of me, and there’s something humbling and precious about that.�
Wow!! My final read for this year’s pride month is officially the best sapphic romance I’ve ever read and I only picked this one up because I noticed it was on Kindle Unlimited. I’m so surprised by this book and I honestly couldn’t be happier with this book.
Catch and Cradle follows two lacrosse players who fall in love despite their team’s rule forbidding teammates from dating each other. Becca is the team captain who had a dramatic breakup in her first year on the lacrosse team and Hope is a member of the lacrosse team who has to deal with feeling like she isn’t good enough due to her dyslexia. Becca and Hope begin to fall in love over the course of a lacrosse season and not even the team’s no dating policy can stop their love for each other.
This book started off a little rocky and I was worried that I wouldn’t like it, but I’m glad that I stuck with it. There was definitely some cringey one liners at the start of the book, but the cringiness stopped after just a few chapters and that's when Katia Rose's writing abilities really started to shine.
There was fantastic representation in this book. There’s bisexual, lesbian, and non-binary representation. This story does a great job of showing how not everyone’s experiences with coming out are the same. There was also dyslexia representation in this book and that representation was done really well. You get to see into Hope’s mind and see how she’s figured out how to be sucessful in spite of her disability. You also get to see how her dyslexia impacts her self esteem.
Throughout the course of this story, I found that I really related to Becca. Becca appears really strong on the outside, but she has a complicated and somewhat traumatic past that caused her to have trust issues. I had something similair happen to Becca (but mine happened with one of my “best friends�), so I understood what she was going through and I got really emotional because this was the first time that I’ve felt like someone understood what happened to me. I turned to schoolwork instead of sports, but the way that Becca and I handled our messy history is pretty similair. Thank you, Katia, for making me feel seen.
Becca was fantastic, but I also really loved Hope. Hope was the type of character who I’d be best friends with if she were real. Her personality carried certain sections of this book and she seems like she would be really fun to hangout with.
Another thing I loved about this book was how this book dealt with college majors. The characters� passion for their college majors was beautiful and it’s something that I want to see portrayed more in college stories.
If you have Kindle Unlimited, I highly recommend reading this book. Katia has a way of developing characters that will make you feel so many emotions and I can’t wait to read more of her work in the future. I will forever cherish this story and all of the wonderful characters in this book.
June 17, 2021
4.5 stars
This is my first book by this author and it is a very good NA sports romance about a university lacrosse team in Halifax, Nova Scotia. I must admit, I had to watch a video about this sport to understand how the game works. It's an exciting and fast game.
Becca is the captain of the UNS Women's Lacrosse team and she is very pedantic when it comes to following rules (in Switzerland we would say she is a Tüpflischiesser), she has learned from past mistakes - she thinks. The team is like her family and she won't do anything to risk them. She has everything under control, including her emotions but there is only this one player in her team who could jeopardize her goals.
Hope Hastings has been on the team for two years and since day one she has had a secret crush on Becca. But it's pointless anyway, as the captain is adamant about the no-dating rule on the team - Becca would never do that. Hope is everybody's darling and has a natural gift for pulling the team together, she is a born leader. But she is much more complex than just the good buddy. Not many people know that she suffers from the disorder dyslexia, which makes her learning process much more difficult than for others.
I personally knew nothing about dyslexia until a little over a year ago. I only learned a lot about it when a good reader friend told me about her own experiences and problems with it. I am impressed by how the author addresses this disorder in Catch and Cradle without putting too much emphasis on it. We learn how it affects Hope and how her roommates help and support her. Nevertheless, it also has an impact on her self-confidence as she usually second-guesses herself.
Hope and Becca are an absolutely adorable couple, as adorable as young people can be. The extroverted Hope, who makes everyone laugh, and the reserved, controlled Becca, who shows more and more layers of herself the more time they spend together. The characters are complex and realistic, they are confident and yet sometimes insecure. There is miscommunication from missed opportunities to talk to each other that make the two women think about their problems critically.
The story is told alternately from the point of view of the two MCs. And that makes the story all the more endearing, as we get to hear the thoughts and desires and dreams of both. I really love it when a book makes me feel emotions, and together with Becca and Hope I've laughed, cried, cheered them on in lost and won games and celebrated with them. The way the author described the first love scene, especially because their sexual experiences were very different, was stunningly beautiful and steaming hot.
Lacrosse played a big role in the MC's life and there are some games and training sessions, but you can read it also if you aren't a sports fan. It addresses many issues that are extremely important for young people, such as trust, exposure, team spirit, acceptance, self-confidence, and what you can achieve together. And especially about finding your own way, not only defining yourself through (in this case) your sport and not being afraid to change your plans. The secondary characters are also very well developed, especially Hope's roommates and friends, who contribute a lot to this well-rounded story.
Lately, I've read a few very good YA/NA romances (for example: When Sparks Fly by Kristen Zimmer or The One To Hold Your Hand by Erica Lee), and it makes me happy that today young queer women can find themselves in books, which maybe have a positive impact on them.
ARC provided by the author to LezReviewBooks.com in exchange for an honest review.
This is my first book by this author and it is a very good NA sports romance about a university lacrosse team in Halifax, Nova Scotia. I must admit, I had to watch a video about this sport to understand how the game works. It's an exciting and fast game.
Becca is the captain of the UNS Women's Lacrosse team and she is very pedantic when it comes to following rules (in Switzerland we would say she is a Tüpflischiesser), she has learned from past mistakes - she thinks. The team is like her family and she won't do anything to risk them. She has everything under control, including her emotions but there is only this one player in her team who could jeopardize her goals.
Hope Hastings has been on the team for two years and since day one she has had a secret crush on Becca. But it's pointless anyway, as the captain is adamant about the no-dating rule on the team - Becca would never do that. Hope is everybody's darling and has a natural gift for pulling the team together, she is a born leader. But she is much more complex than just the good buddy. Not many people know that she suffers from the disorder dyslexia, which makes her learning process much more difficult than for others.
I personally knew nothing about dyslexia until a little over a year ago. I only learned a lot about it when a good reader friend told me about her own experiences and problems with it. I am impressed by how the author addresses this disorder in Catch and Cradle without putting too much emphasis on it. We learn how it affects Hope and how her roommates help and support her. Nevertheless, it also has an impact on her self-confidence as she usually second-guesses herself.
Hope and Becca are an absolutely adorable couple, as adorable as young people can be. The extroverted Hope, who makes everyone laugh, and the reserved, controlled Becca, who shows more and more layers of herself the more time they spend together. The characters are complex and realistic, they are confident and yet sometimes insecure. There is miscommunication from missed opportunities to talk to each other that make the two women think about their problems critically.
The story is told alternately from the point of view of the two MCs. And that makes the story all the more endearing, as we get to hear the thoughts and desires and dreams of both. I really love it when a book makes me feel emotions, and together with Becca and Hope I've laughed, cried, cheered them on in lost and won games and celebrated with them. The way the author described the first love scene, especially because their sexual experiences were very different, was stunningly beautiful and steaming hot.
Lacrosse played a big role in the MC's life and there are some games and training sessions, but you can read it also if you aren't a sports fan. It addresses many issues that are extremely important for young people, such as trust, exposure, team spirit, acceptance, self-confidence, and what you can achieve together. And especially about finding your own way, not only defining yourself through (in this case) your sport and not being afraid to change your plans. The secondary characters are also very well developed, especially Hope's roommates and friends, who contribute a lot to this well-rounded story.
Lately, I've read a few very good YA/NA romances (for example: When Sparks Fly by Kristen Zimmer or The One To Hold Your Hand by Erica Lee), and it makes me happy that today young queer women can find themselves in books, which maybe have a positive impact on them.
ARC provided by the author to LezReviewBooks.com in exchange for an honest review.
June 22, 2022
3.75 stars. No dating teammates! A rule like that is bound to be broken.
I’m not a big sports fan and also NA books are a hit or miss for me, but I enjoyed this book. However, after reading some of the raving reviews when this was released I have to admit that I had higher hopes.
I liked that the characters have several layers even though at first they seem very standard. Especially Hope’s storyline was interesting showing how she balances her life and sports with her courses that are complicated due to dyslexia. I also liked how this is set in Canada and that it’s about lacrosse, both points are not very familiar to me and it made for an interesting read. Also, there is sports but it is not too overwhelming and still enjoyable for a not sports fan.
The humor in this book didn’t always work well for me and it was too much or too forced at times, but I’m picky with humor in books, so this is probably on me. Another thing was that the no dating rule and the reason behind it felt stretched out somewhat too long.
Still this was a fun NA sports book that I think many will enjoy.
I’m not a big sports fan and also NA books are a hit or miss for me, but I enjoyed this book. However, after reading some of the raving reviews when this was released I have to admit that I had higher hopes.
I liked that the characters have several layers even though at first they seem very standard. Especially Hope’s storyline was interesting showing how she balances her life and sports with her courses that are complicated due to dyslexia. I also liked how this is set in Canada and that it’s about lacrosse, both points are not very familiar to me and it made for an interesting read. Also, there is sports but it is not too overwhelming and still enjoyable for a not sports fan.
The humor in this book didn’t always work well for me and it was too much or too forced at times, but I’m picky with humor in books, so this is probably on me. Another thing was that the no dating rule and the reason behind it felt stretched out somewhat too long.
Still this was a fun NA sports book that I think many will enjoy.
unfinished
July 14, 2021I'm crashing out at about a quarter in. It's fun and the characters are great. I love all the friendships and both protagonists. I have two concerns. One is that their attraction is a bit fast and a little much. It's not unreasonable, particularly for that age (early twenties). But that means that most romances have to move from that intense attraction to the relationship building phase and there's no real way for that to happen. Which leads to the major reason/concern and that's the negative motivation* attached to Becca. And it's not helped by how strongly she failed in the past (which I don't yet know the details of because the author is drip-drip-dripping them in) so there's a whole sense of personal failure attached to the strong "no" for her getting closer to Hope. And I just got tired of all that free-floating nope crashing into things all the time; largely because they were so well-suited that I couldn't wait for them to let go and start building something interesting.
And I have no idea how to rate this because it's really quite good. And the characters are interesting. And I feel like it's my own mood/impatience that crashed me out so I don't want to hold the book to that. So I'm going to call it "no rating" and just express how sad I am that I put it down and can't bear to pick it back up.
* Negative Motivations: I kind of hate that the term "negative motivation" isn't widespread, yet. Since it isn't, I'm going to save off this little jag to append to my reviews that feature the term. a bit back (or, if that link doesn't work, ) and it changed how I understand story. The problem with the term is that if you've never heard it before, you'd assume it meant motivations that are harmful or immoral. Not so. What it refers to is motivations not to do something. The thing is that many of us are motivated to not do things for a lot of different, perfectly valid and reasonable, reasons. The problem is that in a story motivations to not do things are a huge drag on the plot—particularly considering the fact that most negative motivations are overcome by the character simply deciding they don't care any more (or, rather, that they do care and are now motivated to do the thing). So not only do you have a counter to action but you also have a situation where to overcome it, all a character has to do is change their mind. Which means eventually, the reader is rooting for the character to get over him/herself already and do the thing we want them to do. Conflict drives story. Conflict between a reader and a main character drives readers away from story.
And I have no idea how to rate this because it's really quite good. And the characters are interesting. And I feel like it's my own mood/impatience that crashed me out so I don't want to hold the book to that. So I'm going to call it "no rating" and just express how sad I am that I put it down and can't bear to pick it back up.
* Negative Motivations: I kind of hate that the term "negative motivation" isn't widespread, yet. Since it isn't, I'm going to save off this little jag to append to my reviews that feature the term. a bit back (or, if that link doesn't work, ) and it changed how I understand story. The problem with the term is that if you've never heard it before, you'd assume it meant motivations that are harmful or immoral. Not so. What it refers to is motivations not to do something. The thing is that many of us are motivated to not do things for a lot of different, perfectly valid and reasonable, reasons. The problem is that in a story motivations to not do things are a huge drag on the plot—particularly considering the fact that most negative motivations are overcome by the character simply deciding they don't care any more (or, rather, that they do care and are now motivated to do the thing). So not only do you have a counter to action but you also have a situation where to overcome it, all a character has to do is change their mind. Which means eventually, the reader is rooting for the character to get over him/herself already and do the thing we want them to do. Conflict drives story. Conflict between a reader and a main character drives readers away from story.
September 24, 2021
Ok, so this missed the mark for me unfortunately. I love a good sports lesfic romance and I had great hopes for this one after all of the excellent reviews I kept seeing.
For me, this book felt very long and its pace was a bit too slow for me. There was a lot of time with Hope and her friends, which was lovely, but I would've become engaged with the romance if they had spent some more time together before big feelings were discussed early on in their pairing. This was a bit too instalove for me.
There was so much self-induced relationship angst within this novel, which made this book feel targeted to a younger age bracket then mine (which is fine, but I think this is why it missed the mark for me!). The lack of communication between the mains, as well as this weird thought process from Becca about having a relationship with another team member made this book feel very unbelievable.
As a positive, I really liked reading about Hope's struggles with and strategies for her dyslexia.
I can't help but mention that I found the conclusion disappointing too. I don't want to give away any spoilers but I truly thought the way it ended was unfair.
For me, this book felt very long and its pace was a bit too slow for me. There was a lot of time with Hope and her friends, which was lovely, but I would've become engaged with the romance if they had spent some more time together before big feelings were discussed early on in their pairing. This was a bit too instalove for me.
There was so much self-induced relationship angst within this novel, which made this book feel targeted to a younger age bracket then mine (which is fine, but I think this is why it missed the mark for me!). The lack of communication between the mains, as well as this weird thought process from Becca about having a relationship with another team member made this book feel very unbelievable.
As a positive, I really liked reading about Hope's struggles with and strategies for her dyslexia.
I can't help but mention that I found the conclusion disappointing too. I don't want to give away any spoilers but I truly thought the way it ended was unfair.
June 19, 2021
This was a very good sports new adult novel. Katia Rose is a seasoned author of mainly m/f romances and this is her first f/f novel.
Becca Moore is the captain of the University of Nova Scotia lacrose team and is adamant about the no dating between team members rule. Hope Hastings is a charismatic and talented member of the same team. Becca knew that Hope was trouble since the moment they met and both women try to fight their attraction for the team's sake until it's too strong to ignore...
This was an entertaining NA novel describing college and sport life in Nova Scotia, Canada. I admit I knew nothing about lacrose and had to watch a video on YouTube to familiarise myself with it but it was fun to learn about it. The author knows her craft and the sports descriptions are very well written and easy to follow. There are a few exciting sports moments that will keep you turning the pages.
The story balances college life, romance and sports scenes very well which makes this a very entertaining read. All the characters, mains and secondary, are very well fleshed out. I especially liked Hope who deals with dyslexia and her struggles with learning and her self esteem.
If you like this story, you can read Stop and Stare, a free novella that follows the story of non binary character Iz Sanchez and their best friend Marina. If you are into sports romances, Catch and Cradle is definitely for you. 4.5 stars.
ARC provided by the author to LezReviewBooks in exchange for an honest review.
Becca Moore is the captain of the University of Nova Scotia lacrose team and is adamant about the no dating between team members rule. Hope Hastings is a charismatic and talented member of the same team. Becca knew that Hope was trouble since the moment they met and both women try to fight their attraction for the team's sake until it's too strong to ignore...
This was an entertaining NA novel describing college and sport life in Nova Scotia, Canada. I admit I knew nothing about lacrose and had to watch a video on YouTube to familiarise myself with it but it was fun to learn about it. The author knows her craft and the sports descriptions are very well written and easy to follow. There are a few exciting sports moments that will keep you turning the pages.
The story balances college life, romance and sports scenes very well which makes this a very entertaining read. All the characters, mains and secondary, are very well fleshed out. I especially liked Hope who deals with dyslexia and her struggles with learning and her self esteem.
If you like this story, you can read Stop and Stare, a free novella that follows the story of non binary character Iz Sanchez and their best friend Marina. If you are into sports romances, Catch and Cradle is definitely for you. 4.5 stars.
ARC provided by the author to LezReviewBooks in exchange for an honest review.
June 21, 2021
Awesome read.
Please refer to Jude in the Stars� great review 'cause my "awesome read" just won't do.
Please refer to Jude in the Stars� great review 'cause my "awesome read" just won't do.
![Profile Image for Jessi ❤️ H. Vojsk [if villain, why hot?].](/_next/image?url=https%3A%2F%2Fi.gr-assets.com%2Fimages%2FS%2Fcompressed.photo.goodreads.com%2Fusers%2F1746468325i%2F66224803._UX200_CR0%2C0%2C200%2C200_.jpg&w=128&q=75)
June 4, 2022
what I'm really scared of is life,
and there's never a guarantee that will be safe.
Maybe that's all we have, though:
our promises to defend one another,
to count on each other,
to always remember we don't have to do it alone,
even if we've been hurt or let down before.
My second spicy wlw ❤️�
Definitely gonna read more! �
and there's never a guarantee that will be safe.
Maybe that's all we have, though:
our promises to defend one another,
to count on each other,
to always remember we don't have to do it alone,
even if we've been hurt or let down before.
My second spicy wlw ❤️�
Definitely gonna read more! �
January 31, 2022
oh my gosh
this book is so good
I love the lacrosse team, how they interacted with one another, how they all worked together, how chaotic they were. I loved them.
I was very happy with the non-binary rep, that was really cool. Iz is such a chaotic, amazing person. Love them.
Hope was really cool to read about too. She had a definitive personality, her own insecurities and stuff, but was still awesome. Although, she might want to get drunk less. Still amazing though.
Becca literally was a captain. Like her whole personality is what every team captain should strive for. And even as a human, she was amazing.
The Babe Cave? Iconic. CJ? Iconic. Lobsters? Iconic.
So, in conclusion, please either add this to your ever growing TBR, or read it now. It is so good!!!
EDIT: Just warning you, the spice literally hits out of nowhere. Be prepared.
this book is so good
I love the lacrosse team, how they interacted with one another, how they all worked together, how chaotic they were. I loved them.
I was very happy with the non-binary rep, that was really cool. Iz is such a chaotic, amazing person. Love them.
Hope was really cool to read about too. She had a definitive personality, her own insecurities and stuff, but was still awesome. Although, she might want to get drunk less. Still amazing though.
Becca literally was a captain. Like her whole personality is what every team captain should strive for. And even as a human, she was amazing.
The Babe Cave? Iconic. CJ? Iconic. Lobsters? Iconic.
So, in conclusion, please either add this to your ever growing TBR, or read it now. It is so good!!!
EDIT: Just warning you, the spice literally hits out of nowhere. Be prepared.
March 27, 2025
4 Stars for Catch and Cradle (audiobook) by Katia Rose read by Sophie Daniels.
It’s tough when you start falling for one of your teammates on your college lacrosse team. Particularly when you’re the captain and it was your previous relationship that got the rule about not dating teammates started. But you just can’t control who your heart falls for.
It’s tough when you start falling for one of your teammates on your college lacrosse team. Particularly when you’re the captain and it was your previous relationship that got the rule about not dating teammates started. But you just can’t control who your heart falls for.
August 28, 2022
What a great book! It made me want to travel to Canada even more than I already want to.
I enjoyed pretty much everything. The writing was fantastic with some sentences and paragraphs blowing me away. Hope and Becca were great characters with unique voices, and I liked both their individual arcs and romance. The side characters were good too. The author captured early 20's university housemates well imo.
My only issue with this book is the timeline, and I'm going to sound like a hypocrite here because it's literally the same as me and my wife hahaha. The book starts in August and ends in December with them saying their I love yous. It was just a touch too instalove for me. I would have liked seeing more of them together getting to know each other.
That being said, I really enjoyed it and can't wait to read more by this author!
Rep: Hope is bi, Becca is lesbian, non-binary side character. Hope is dyslexic too.
I enjoyed pretty much everything. The writing was fantastic with some sentences and paragraphs blowing me away. Hope and Becca were great characters with unique voices, and I liked both their individual arcs and romance. The side characters were good too. The author captured early 20's university housemates well imo.
My only issue with this book is the timeline, and I'm going to sound like a hypocrite here because it's literally the same as me and my wife hahaha. The book starts in August and ends in December with them saying their I love yous. It was just a touch too instalove for me. I would have liked seeing more of them together getting to know each other.
That being said, I really enjoyed it and can't wait to read more by this author!
Rep: Hope is bi, Becca is lesbian, non-binary side character. Hope is dyslexic too.
May 24, 2023
¡LIBRO LESBIANO Y SPICY CLARO QUE SI! Este libro nos cuenta la historia de dos jugadoras de Lacrosse, una de ellas es capitana del equipo y tiene la regla de no salir con sus compañeras. La otra tiene un crush en ella súper grande desde siempre. Después de una fiesta, van a besarse y todo se empieza a volver súper confuso y con mucha tensión entre ellas. Me encantan los romances deportivos y universitarios, este es súper adictivo, mientras lo leía sentía que se leía solo. Me gustó mucho la química entre las protagonistas y como se presentan juntas en una situación que se siente real. A pesar de que tú sabes que estás leyendo un romance súper cursi, hay muchísimas cosas en donde se me hizo súper fácil identificarme con las protagonistas y sus sentimientos. Es un libro bastante predecible, pero palomero, se los recomiendo si buscan una lectura fácil y lesbiana que les ayude con el bloqueo lector.
March 16, 2022
Was it the greatest book I ever read?
Probably not.
Whas it the right book at the right time?
Definitely yes.
It's a cozy, relatively short read. I love that the friends in this book are actually good friends. They are a support system and not a tool for a dramatic plottwist by doing something stupid or to ad even more hurt to the MCs situation. They are just wholesome good friends, who make mistakes but also see those mistakes and work on them.
Also as a queer Lacrosse player I love seeing myself represented in this book. Lacrosse is a relatively unknown sport where I'm from and stumbling across a book about lacrosse and one with queer MCs is amazing.
It's definitely a future reread and comfort-book for me
Probably not.
Whas it the right book at the right time?
Definitely yes.
It's a cozy, relatively short read. I love that the friends in this book are actually good friends. They are a support system and not a tool for a dramatic plottwist by doing something stupid or to ad even more hurt to the MCs situation. They are just wholesome good friends, who make mistakes but also see those mistakes and work on them.
Also as a queer Lacrosse player I love seeing myself represented in this book. Lacrosse is a relatively unknown sport where I'm from and stumbling across a book about lacrosse and one with queer MCs is amazing.
It's definitely a future reread and comfort-book for me
January 22, 2024
3,5 stars
The only obstacle between them dating was a rule one of them created years ago.
Was it a stupid rule? No, not with that backstory.
Can I understand clinging to it out of fear? Yes.
So unlike some other reviewers, I don't find it stupid or idiotic. It wasn't even proper miscommunication. Some people just need structure to cope with their hangups.
Otherwise well written, nice MCs, low on angst,... Good
The only obstacle between them dating was a rule one of them created years ago.
Was it a stupid rule? No, not with that backstory.
Can I understand clinging to it out of fear? Yes.
So unlike some other reviewers, I don't find it stupid or idiotic. It wasn't even proper miscommunication. Some people just need structure to cope with their hangups.
Otherwise well written, nice MCs, low on angst,... Good
June 4, 2021
OMG, yes!!! Yes!! This perfect sapphic NA romance was such an auspicious start to Pride Month! I loved this book so much and I’m swimming in fluffy happy feels after reading it. Throw lovable main/side characters, double-crush-to-lovers, forbidden love, lough-out-loud humor, and intense early-20’s soul-searching into a blender and you’ll get this refreshing, delicious smoothie. It’s also written in double-first-person POV, which I always love if it’s done well (spoiler alert: it's done well here).
Hope Hastings (20, bisexual, dyslexia), economics major and standout lacrosse player for the UNS Lobsters, is an absolute joy from the very first page. She’s full of fun, harebrained ideas, but she’s also hardworking and responsible. She’s been underestimated in the past due to her dyslexia, and when she has to sift through the messages she’s received, it’s painful and realistic. She’s one of those people who’s so joyous and lovely that she seems to attract people who also have that energy: namely, her roommates and fellow Lobsters, Iz (nonbinary), Jane, and Paulina. The four of them together are just magical and chaotic and had me laughing out loud multiple times. Becca Moore (lesbian), kinesiology major and lacrosse captain, is as stoic as Hope is bubbly and gives off serious no-nonsense vibes. Underneath that facade, though, is a woman with lots of emotional baggage who doesn’t know what she wants to do with her life after college. She’s pigeonholed herself for years and now that she’s starting to think beyond her self-imposed constraints, she’s in for an existential freak-out (sooo relatable). She also seems to struggle with anxiety, though the word isn’t explicitly stated in the book.
Hope and Becca are so mind-bogglingly adorable together that I wanted to throw my Kindle across the room multiple times! There’s something so satisfying and beautiful about a sunshine character and a grumpier character who yearn for each other in equal measures. The way they actively listen to each other is so wonderful and left me with a lump in my throat during a lot of their scenes (I will likely never shed a tear over a romance novel, so this is a big deal for me). There are also discussions of acceptance surrounding varying levels of sexual experience, which is absolutely important. While there is some miscommunication in this book, it didn’t annoy me because it didn’t come out of nowhere and there was a lot of baggage for the main characters to unpack. They’re also in college and have a lot on their plates, which also helped to contextualize the decisions they made.
I highlighted so many passages that, instead of the romance, were about internal soul-searching. This is why I think we need more NA books: it’s so beautiful being an early 20-something and reading about characters going through similar quarter-life crises. I’m looking forward to reading more NA romance from Katia Rose, because damn does she write it well!
For those wanting more of the Lobsters, there’s also a spinoff f/nb novella called featuring Iz, which is free if you join Katia’s newsletter! And since I’ll definitely be wanting more of this crew even after reading Stop and Stare, I’m hoping we get even more books featuring this lacrosse team (Paulina’s story, perhaps?) .
content warnings: alcohol (recreational), divorce (past), guilt, manipulation, toxic relationship (past), abortion (side character, past)
I received an ARC from Katia Rose in exchange for an honest review.
Hope Hastings (20, bisexual, dyslexia), economics major and standout lacrosse player for the UNS Lobsters, is an absolute joy from the very first page. She’s full of fun, harebrained ideas, but she’s also hardworking and responsible. She’s been underestimated in the past due to her dyslexia, and when she has to sift through the messages she’s received, it’s painful and realistic. She’s one of those people who’s so joyous and lovely that she seems to attract people who also have that energy: namely, her roommates and fellow Lobsters, Iz (nonbinary), Jane, and Paulina. The four of them together are just magical and chaotic and had me laughing out loud multiple times. Becca Moore (lesbian), kinesiology major and lacrosse captain, is as stoic as Hope is bubbly and gives off serious no-nonsense vibes. Underneath that facade, though, is a woman with lots of emotional baggage who doesn’t know what she wants to do with her life after college. She’s pigeonholed herself for years and now that she’s starting to think beyond her self-imposed constraints, she’s in for an existential freak-out (sooo relatable). She also seems to struggle with anxiety, though the word isn’t explicitly stated in the book.
Hope and Becca are so mind-bogglingly adorable together that I wanted to throw my Kindle across the room multiple times! There’s something so satisfying and beautiful about a sunshine character and a grumpier character who yearn for each other in equal measures. The way they actively listen to each other is so wonderful and left me with a lump in my throat during a lot of their scenes (I will likely never shed a tear over a romance novel, so this is a big deal for me). There are also discussions of acceptance surrounding varying levels of sexual experience, which is absolutely important. While there is some miscommunication in this book, it didn’t annoy me because it didn’t come out of nowhere and there was a lot of baggage for the main characters to unpack. They’re also in college and have a lot on their plates, which also helped to contextualize the decisions they made.
I highlighted so many passages that, instead of the romance, were about internal soul-searching. This is why I think we need more NA books: it’s so beautiful being an early 20-something and reading about characters going through similar quarter-life crises. I’m looking forward to reading more NA romance from Katia Rose, because damn does she write it well!
For those wanting more of the Lobsters, there’s also a spinoff f/nb novella called featuring Iz, which is free if you join Katia’s newsletter! And since I’ll definitely be wanting more of this crew even after reading Stop and Stare, I’m hoping we get even more books featuring this lacrosse team (Paulina’s story, perhaps?) .
content warnings: alcohol (recreational), divorce (past), guilt, manipulation, toxic relationship (past), abortion (side character, past)
I received an ARC from Katia Rose in exchange for an honest review.
April 24, 2022
A University sport romance based around lacrosse taking place in Halifax, Nova Scotia.
I enjoyed this well paced romance with Hope and Becca being star players on the UNS lacrosse team. I have never been to Halifax, but it has been on my wish list for a long time, the setting and support characters were good. I just felt the entire story and book faded badly towards the end after an excellent build up. Becca as captain had banned all inter team relationships after one she had had two years earlier had blown up badly and affected the entire team. So it's a reluctant romance on her part as the story unfolds in alternating narratives.
3.5 rounded up because who doesn't like a beautiful Canadian setting around lacrosse.
I enjoyed this well paced romance with Hope and Becca being star players on the UNS lacrosse team. I have never been to Halifax, but it has been on my wish list for a long time, the setting and support characters were good. I just felt the entire story and book faded badly towards the end after an excellent build up. Becca as captain had banned all inter team relationships after one she had had two years earlier had blown up badly and affected the entire team. So it's a reluctant romance on her part as the story unfolds in alternating narratives.
3.5 rounded up because who doesn't like a beautiful Canadian setting around lacrosse.
February 22, 2022
It was not the best. Everything went on too fast, I couldn't connect to the characters and it lacked the chemistry.
Really wanted it to work because I love sports romances and sapphic rep but sadly it just didn't do it for me.
Really wanted it to work because I love sports romances and sapphic rep but sadly it just didn't do it for me.
January 31, 2022
4.5*
Adorable romance with realistic depiction of college life and great representation (everything about mc having dyslexia was amazing and clearly researched)
Adorable romance with realistic depiction of college life and great representation (everything about mc having dyslexia was amazing and clearly researched)
June 25, 2021
This book was excellent! The main characters had amazing chemistry. It was believable and heart warming. My only suggestion would be to possibly post a warning regarding a topic in the story that could be triggering for some. I won’t be specific as to not spoil for others.
All in all, this book was excellent. I plan to read Iz’s novella and truly hope Katia Rose writes more f/f romances.
All in all, this book was excellent. I plan to read Iz’s novella and truly hope Katia Rose writes more f/f romances.
May 29, 2021
I didn’t know this author before and didn’t know what to expect. I usually don’t read New Adult stories anymore but I love sports and thought the blurb sounds very promising.
And wow I definitely didn’t expect all of this. I was sucked into the story right away and couldn’t put the book down. I loved that it was written in first person view and that we were able to see both MC‘s point of view.
Becca is the one that is used to put her feelings aside and subordinates everything to sports and school. And most of all she loves to play it safe. On the outside she seems to be too serious and like she doesn’t have any fun.
Hope is totally to opposite. She is used to letting lose and always being in the middle of party or the one that cheers others up with a joke. She is just the friend you want in your life. But after a bad break up she is struggling and questioning herself. Both were always secretly attracted to each other but never let their guard lose.
As the captain of the team Becca is used to boss others around. Which can be hot and a total turn on, as you will see in Hope. ☺️ You can feel the tension between them and how the pull gets stronger and stronger. And for all the lovers in the heat department, yes there are definitely some hot scenes in it. 🥵☺️
And wow how happy I was and still am with this beautiful writing style. Being autistic and not able to imagine things, the written words are even more important to me. How Katia Rose describes everything, like the waves of the ocean, the tension between the characters or just everything about lacrosse, is just so incredible beautiful. I knew almost nothing about this sports before but this totally changed by reading this book. I learned so much about it and went to look things up. At some point it was like I was there with them in the game and I was totally cheering for them.
Another wonderful surprise was that the story also dealt with dyslexia. How the author deals with this topic is just perfect.
When I got the end of the book I was happy and sad. Sad because there was no page left, but so happy because this is such an amazing book. This story is so much more than I thought it would be. It’s about finding who you really are. It’s about change, finding your own way and what makes you you. It’s about learning to believe in yourself, even if you don’t fit into the expected norm. It shows all the wonderful sides of team sports and friendships, but it also deals with the difficulties of it.
I honestly can’t recommend this story enough and hope many others get to read this beautiful book.
Personally I would love to see these characters again in the future. Maybe in a sequel where they are older. ☺️
I received an ARC of this book via StoryOrigin and am voluntarily leaving a review.
And wow I definitely didn’t expect all of this. I was sucked into the story right away and couldn’t put the book down. I loved that it was written in first person view and that we were able to see both MC‘s point of view.
Becca is the one that is used to put her feelings aside and subordinates everything to sports and school. And most of all she loves to play it safe. On the outside she seems to be too serious and like she doesn’t have any fun.
Hope is totally to opposite. She is used to letting lose and always being in the middle of party or the one that cheers others up with a joke. She is just the friend you want in your life. But after a bad break up she is struggling and questioning herself. Both were always secretly attracted to each other but never let their guard lose.
As the captain of the team Becca is used to boss others around. Which can be hot and a total turn on, as you will see in Hope. ☺️ You can feel the tension between them and how the pull gets stronger and stronger. And for all the lovers in the heat department, yes there are definitely some hot scenes in it. 🥵☺️
And wow how happy I was and still am with this beautiful writing style. Being autistic and not able to imagine things, the written words are even more important to me. How Katia Rose describes everything, like the waves of the ocean, the tension between the characters or just everything about lacrosse, is just so incredible beautiful. I knew almost nothing about this sports before but this totally changed by reading this book. I learned so much about it and went to look things up. At some point it was like I was there with them in the game and I was totally cheering for them.
Another wonderful surprise was that the story also dealt with dyslexia. How the author deals with this topic is just perfect.
When I got the end of the book I was happy and sad. Sad because there was no page left, but so happy because this is such an amazing book. This story is so much more than I thought it would be. It’s about finding who you really are. It’s about change, finding your own way and what makes you you. It’s about learning to believe in yourself, even if you don’t fit into the expected norm. It shows all the wonderful sides of team sports and friendships, but it also deals with the difficulties of it.
I honestly can’t recommend this story enough and hope many others get to read this beautiful book.
Personally I would love to see these characters again in the future. Maybe in a sequel where they are older. ☺️
I received an ARC of this book via StoryOrigin and am voluntarily leaving a review.
July 17, 2023
University lacrosse sapphic romance, this was so good! The characters were really well fleshed out and felt very realistic and relatable and loved that they both grew as individuals before they got together
Read
June 9, 2021
Catch and Cradle is now LIVE! The response to release day yesterday was absolutely magical. I'm beyond grateful to all the readers, bloggers, and fellow authors who made my debut in the queer romance world a truly special experience. I can't wait to continue serving up stories about ladies (and non-binary people!) falling in love with each other.
This story means more to me than I can say. It's the book I needed when I was twenty years old, figuring out some of the same things these characters are. It's the reflection of girls like me that I didn't see very often in what I was reading and watching back then. I may never have held a lacrosse stick myself or even finished college, but Hope and Becca's story is about more than that. It's about finding your joy as a queer person while also getting your first taste of what it means to be an adult.
I wrote this book for me. I wrote it for people like me. I wrote it for people who aren't like me but who are always down for a good romance.
I wrote it for you, whoever you might be and whoever you might love.
-Katia
November 27, 2022
An ARC of this book was given to the Sapphic Book Club for an honest review.
4.5 Stars
I really enjoyed this book! This story follows Hope and Becca who are on the same lacrosse team in college. There is a strict rule that the team upholds to the highest degree, no dating teammates. The book switches between Becca’s and hope’s POV, which provides a nice contrast and my personal favorite when it comes to romances.
This book really captures the feel of being on a tight knit team and the camaraderie. Hope and her friendship with her teammates/roommates is great and there are a lot of funny moments. There are some great quotes and team spirit that brought me right back to my time with team sports.
I really liked the characters, especially the secondary characters (shout out to CJ!). Becca and Hope were well written and seeing them grow was great. I did have one pet peeve when it came to the dramatic moment, but it wasn’t enough to effect my enjoyment of the book. The sports part was fun but also not overwhelming for anyone who doesn’t know lacrosse.
An excellent sports romance and I highly recommend this book.
4.5 Stars
I really enjoyed this book! This story follows Hope and Becca who are on the same lacrosse team in college. There is a strict rule that the team upholds to the highest degree, no dating teammates. The book switches between Becca’s and hope’s POV, which provides a nice contrast and my personal favorite when it comes to romances.
This book really captures the feel of being on a tight knit team and the camaraderie. Hope and her friendship with her teammates/roommates is great and there are a lot of funny moments. There are some great quotes and team spirit that brought me right back to my time with team sports.
I really liked the characters, especially the secondary characters (shout out to CJ!). Becca and Hope were well written and seeing them grow was great. I did have one pet peeve when it came to the dramatic moment, but it wasn’t enough to effect my enjoyment of the book. The sports part was fun but also not overwhelming for anyone who doesn’t know lacrosse.
An excellent sports romance and I highly recommend this book.
March 7, 2025
Katia Rose has become one of my top 3 WLW authors. When I’m in the mood for some new adult pining and a little bit of drama, she never does me wrong. While this book follows two lacrosse players, the sports aspect doesn’t feel forced. The sports and the love go hand in hand.
Becca and Hope are both on the lacrosse team at a Canadian university. They are both attracted to each other, pretty much from the start. Of course, circumstances keep them apart, even if those circumstances might be self-imposed and self-created by doubt and insecurity. They are both strong athletes but each has some growing pains to work through before we get the HEA.
Becca and Hope are both on the lacrosse team at a Canadian university. They are both attracted to each other, pretty much from the start. Of course, circumstances keep them apart, even if those circumstances might be self-imposed and self-created by doubt and insecurity. They are both strong athletes but each has some growing pains to work through before we get the HEA.
June 8, 2021
This was a pretty cute sports romance. I thought the main characters were pretty well fleshed out. They felt relatable as college students and even the secondary characters had a lot of personality. I enjoyed the fact that the main characters had a lot of personal growth before they were in a place they could really start a relationship. The drama also felt realistic and the story overall was well-paced.
July 2, 2021
This book initially annoyed me - but the more I read the more I loved it. (Have to say I sneaked the ending so was able to read with more confidence!) By the end had brought into the premise - Excellent - will look for more by Katia Rose.
May 16, 2022
This was boring, repetitive, and cringe. I came for smut and got a single sex scene. The humor was absolutely terrible, the characters had no chemistry, and this is more about the mind-numbingly boring inner-workings of lacrosse than romance. Terrible book!
June 24, 2022
- A quick thank you to Sapphic Book Club and the author for providing me with an Advanced Reader's Copy!-
A copy of the book was provided to in exchange for an honest review.
As one does after reading a summary, I had expectations going into this book. I thought it would be a relaxing and entertaining read about an overly-confident captain and a somewhat-withdrawn teammate who had the hots for each other, and though that was a part of it, I got so much more than I had bargained for- imperfect, complex, quintessentially human characters, carefully thought out arcs, realistic and organic dialogue, found family. Not to mention the hilarious situations; I don't believe I'll ever be able to look at a lobster again without thinking of Jim and cackling.
The characters are fleshed out from the first time they appear, each of them an undeniably unique person. We can tell they all have feelings and interior motives, especially Hope and Becca, as we see the most of who they are. Both of them have great depth and complex pasts and they act according to their own emotions about them, even when it leads to awkward and weird and hurtful outcomes, but they grow throughout the story and come out of it as better, steadier people, people who are beginning to find their path and place in the world.
I also enjoyed the little moments the others got to have- the hilarious snippet into Jane's sex life, Iz's insecurities about how others perceive them because they are non-binary, Paulina's mourning over her dead plants (F for basil), Kala's story (I especially loved how it was handled with such care, and how she pointed out herself that she owed it to nobody to tell them what happened, despite the fact she chose to).
All in all, Catch and Cradle was a fun read, with all its awkward and sad and happy (and horny- there was a LOT of horny in there) moments. I definitely recommend it to anyone looking for something angst-ish with a happy ending; just a forewarning, though- this story contains brief mentions of a side character having an abortion, a lot of horny stuff and some explicit scenes, miscommunication and mentions of past toxic relationships, so read at your own discretion.
A copy of the book was provided to in exchange for an honest review.
As one does after reading a summary, I had expectations going into this book. I thought it would be a relaxing and entertaining read about an overly-confident captain and a somewhat-withdrawn teammate who had the hots for each other, and though that was a part of it, I got so much more than I had bargained for- imperfect, complex, quintessentially human characters, carefully thought out arcs, realistic and organic dialogue, found family. Not to mention the hilarious situations; I don't believe I'll ever be able to look at a lobster again without thinking of Jim and cackling.
The characters are fleshed out from the first time they appear, each of them an undeniably unique person. We can tell they all have feelings and interior motives, especially Hope and Becca, as we see the most of who they are. Both of them have great depth and complex pasts and they act according to their own emotions about them, even when it leads to awkward and weird and hurtful outcomes, but they grow throughout the story and come out of it as better, steadier people, people who are beginning to find their path and place in the world.
I also enjoyed the little moments the others got to have- the hilarious snippet into Jane's sex life, Iz's insecurities about how others perceive them because they are non-binary, Paulina's mourning over her dead plants (F for basil), Kala's story (I especially loved how it was handled with such care, and how she pointed out herself that she owed it to nobody to tell them what happened, despite the fact she chose to).
All in all, Catch and Cradle was a fun read, with all its awkward and sad and happy (and horny- there was a LOT of horny in there) moments. I definitely recommend it to anyone looking for something angst-ish with a happy ending; just a forewarning, though- this story contains brief mentions of a side character having an abortion, a lot of horny stuff and some explicit scenes, miscommunication and mentions of past toxic relationships, so read at your own discretion.
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