REVIEW: Catch Her If You Can by Tessa Bailey

Catch Her If You Can by Tessa Bailey: Madden has always been the steady, reliable one, the guy everyone can count on yet the one no one can claim. No one knows this better than Eve, having spent years silently watching the man she’s loved from afar, too scared to take a jump into the unknown… But life has a way of throwing curveballs that just push you out of your comfort zone and when Eve suddenly finds herself responsible for two kids and a struggling burlesque club, she needs a solution and fast. Enter Madden with a bold, unexpected proposal… a six-month marriage of convenience. What begins as a practical arrangement quickly turns into something far more complicated. Between playful banter, heated moments and quiet acts of devotion the lines between friendship, loyalty and love start to blur. As they navigate their makeshift family, past misunderstandings and the undeniable chemistry between them Madden and Eve discover that sometimes the heart knows what it wants long before the mind can catch up…

Bailey has once again stolen my heart with this adorably cute sports romance. From the very first chapter I was completely drawn into the world of Madden and Eve, their shared history, the tension simmering beneath the surface and the slow building romance that feels both inevitable and oh so exciting. Bailey has done a brilliant job in balancing wit, sass, warmth and steam in every interaction between Madden and Eve as they try to navigate their feelings with the very real pressures of everyday life.

Madden and Eve were both effortlessly magnetic and deeply relatable making following their story so easy to get lost in. Madden was steady, dependable and quietly protective. He was the kind of hero whose loyalty and understated charm make him irresistible. Mind you he was not perfect but it was his willingness to put the people that he loved first that truly made his character shine. As for our leading lady Eve well she was fiery, independent and endlessly resourceful. She juggled the challenges of running her burlesque club and caring for her niece and nephew with total grace and never once loses her humour or warmth. I loved the way she stepped up to take care of the kids and never thought of them as a burden, Eve was truly a darling. One of the things I really liked about getting to see these two coming together was the way their personalities balanced each other, with Madden’s calm and steadfast nature complementing Eve’s spark and determination.

I am a total sucker for the arranged marriage/marriage of convenience trope and Bailey did a stand out job with this one! The build up was just perfectly paced, Bailey teases their chemistry with witty banter, lingering glances and moments of vulnerability that hint at the love simmering just below the surface. Their relationship works because it was grounded in understanding and loyalty. Madden’s unwavering support gives Eve the space to be herself, while Eve’s fiery independence challenges Madden in ways that push him to open up emotionally. At the end there was just something very rewarding in getting to see these two finally finding their way to each other.

Catch Her If You Can was the perfect blend of laugh out loud moments, sizzling chemistry, slow burn emotions and two of the sweetest characters you will come across. A definite must read for me!
 

Book Info:

Publication: January 20, 2026 | Avon | Big Shots #5

Madden Donahue, the newest catcher for the Yankees, has been in love with Eve Mitchell since high school, but for some mysterious reason, the burlesque club owner always turns him down. That never stopped him from being her self-appointed protector. Case in point, now that Eve’s sister has left Eve with her two children indefinitely, Madden steps in with a proposition—marry him for the much needed health benefits.

Eve has secretly harbored feelings for Madden all along, but there’s one problem—her best friend Skylar called dibs on him when they were fourteen. Eve has always put their friendship above all else, and she’s not willing to risk losing Skylar over a man. Raised by the local strip club owner, Eve is woefully short on friends and treasures the ones she has. But with Skylar happily paired off, Eve finds herself accepting Madden’s proposal—on the condition that their marriage remains strictly private. She’s not about to let her unique profession and maligned reputation destroy Madden’s shiny new career.

Madden won’t let Eve get away that easily, though. What starts as a marriage of convenience soon ignites into something much hotter, and now it’s up to Madden to convince Eve that their connection is far more than a business arrangement. As the passion builds, can their fake marriage become the real deal?