Catching Cassidy: New Adult Romance (Harborside Nights, #1)

by Melissa Foster

Harborside Nights are a series of stand-alone romances that may also be enjoyed as part of the larger Love in Bloom series.

IN CATCHING CASSIDY... 

Wyatt Armstrong never imagined that instead of celebrating his college graduation, he and his twin sister would be dealing with the death of their parents. Then again, Wyatt had never been one to think past tomorrow. He heads to their summer home in Harborside, Massachusetts, with his best friend Cassidy Lowell in tow, to deal with his parents' death and to try to figure out his next step. 

Six foot two, infuriatingly handsome, and flirtatious, Wyatt Armstrong has always been there for Cassidy, helping her pass her classes and fend off unwanted advances, while driving her insane with his one-night stands--but that's what best friends are for, isn't it? Having each other's backs. There was never any doubt that she would accompany him to his family's summer home--but she never expected to begin seeing Wyatt as more than a friend. Or has she been ignoring her feelings all along? 

It's impossible to ignore the sizzling heat between them as Wyatt and Cassidy get even closer, but Cassidy knows Wyatt's past, and she has a real job to begin in the fall. Wyatt may be a sure thing for the summer, but Cassidy needs more. For the first time in his life, Wyatt is forced to look toward the future if he doesn't want to lose the one woman who's shared his past and owns his heart. 

• ISBN10: 1941480071
• ISBN13: 9781941480076
• Publish Date: 11 June 2015
• Publish Status: Transferred
• Out of Print: 14 June 2023
• Publish Country: US
• Imprint: World Literary Press
• Format: Paperback (US Trade)
• Pages: 420
• Language: English

Reviews

[Nadz@Totally Addicted to Reading]

Being a fan of friends becoming lovers stories I was excited to read this title. From the moment I started reading I knew that this would be an emotional ride. The fact that it was written by Melissa Foster cemented that thought deeper in my mind.
 
This title is slightly different from her other series as it is geared towards college kids. However, this was where the difference ended. Like her other books Catching Cassidy tugs on your emotions and leave you wanting more. It was a pleasant surprise to see characters from her other series being included in this title.
 
As usual Melissa knows how to make her characters come alive. This ability enables readers to be able to relate to the characters. I enjoyed reading Wyatt’s and Cassidy’s story, although there were times when they both caused me no ends of frustration. Wyatt dealing with his parents’ loss brought back some painful memories for me. I understood the pain he was going through and could also relate to the regrets he was experiencing. This story reminded me that life goes on even after we have lost someone close and dear to us. I loved that Wyatt was able to recognize this. In the process, we see him growing from an irresponsible college kid into a mature young adult.
 
What frustrated me about the story was the interaction between Cassidy and Wyatt. These two have been friends for seventeen years. Cassidy has been in love with Wyatt for some time now, but she hid her feelings. Lately, Wyatt discovered that his feelings for Cassidy went beyond the realms of friendship. Cassidy is willing to take the risk to move from being just friends. Wyatt, however, is afraid to do so. He was not willing to risk losing his best friend. I understood why he felt this way. It was a huge risk because if things did not work out he stood to lose his best friend. However, life is all about risks. There are times when we have to take risks that we may not be comfortable with; failing to do so could result in one missing out on great opportunities. Now just when he finally acknowledges how he feels, Cassidy allows her insecurities, as it relates to her parents, to intrude on their newfound happiness.
 
The story is told from the POV of Cassidy and Wyatt. This was ok for me as it allowed me to have insight into their thoughts and emotions. However, the problem I had was there was no indication when POVs were being switched, as such there were moments when it took me some time to figure out which character was speaking.
 
As one would come to expect from Melissa Foster, Catching Cassidy is a beautifully written story of loss, friendships, love and growing up. This story speaks to the emotional journey that the leading characters were forced to undertake and how the bonds of friendship helped them to move beyond the pain and discover that loss is inevitable but life goes on no matter what.
 
I enjoyed this story immensely. It was believable and the character’s actions were relatable. It tugged at my heartstrings. There were times it made me cry and there were some laugh out loud moments and most of all it was very romantic. I highly recommend reading this book.

[whisperingchapters]

This review was originally posted on Latte Nights Reviews

Catching Cassidy is a great introductory story to the Harborside Nights series, seeing as it introduces the characters that will have their own story later on in the series. Catching Cassidy introduces us to our first couple: Cassidy and Wyatt, two best friends that have known each other since they were five-years-old and have kept their feelings hidden towards one another.

Cassidy, Wyatt and Wyatt's twin sister Delilah have just graduated college and each one of them is about to embark on their own journey but tragedy strikes Wyatt and Delilah when their parents die in a car accident and Cassidy is dealing with her own bad break up. All of them escape to Wyatt's and Delilah's summer home to escape reality for a while and just relax with their friends.

I have mixed feelings with Wyatt and Cassidy. The reason being that... I tried liking their romance. Hell, I loved it at the beginning but it got to a point where I felt like it kept being dragged on and on. In the end, I know I loved their story but there is a long time while reading the book that had me really thinking if they should be together or not. I'm glad that I learned to love and accept them because they are honestly cute together. I didn't really like Waytt's over-protectiveness over Cassidy and how he kept thinking it would be a major risk if he decided to give himself and Cassidy a chance. I wanted to slap his face but, of course, he realized it was better to give it a try to have Cassidy in his life.

"I was wrong. There is no me without you."

I really liked the secondary characters! I really loved Brandon and Tristan! Brandon is a... well, he is a complex character, I would say. He has sex with both women and men. He doesn't know what he likes more. What he does know for sure is his love for music and his guitar. Tristan is a funny character that I LOVED!!! He is a great friend to Cassidy and Wyatt. He puts his problems aside to be there for his friends. One of my favorite quotes by him is:

"We all feel like sluts sometimes. We're supposed to feel like sluts. God gave us lust, right? Well, we're only human, so we take that word and we mix up the letters."

Delilah is learning to deal with who she is, a closeted lesbian. No one but Cassidy and Wyatt know about her feelings and her deceased parents. Delilah is another character that I liked but felt like the author was pushing her story too much, which made me dislike it a bit but learned to deal with.

While I rate this book 3 stars, I really recommend it to readers. Melissa is a great author. I have enjoyed her previous work quite a lot. She always knows how to engage the reader and she brings on all the feels. This book is no exception when it comes to bringing the emotions to life. Even though this is a story that deals with loss, I found it to be a fun story nonetheless and quite enjoyable.

[Emma (SCR)]

This review was originally posted on Star Crossed Reviews I received this book for free for a Blog Tour in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.Thank you to JB for letting me take part in this tour. This is the first in a new series for Melissa and I've been very excited to see what this series will bring.

This book is set mainly in Harborside, a little beach town in Massachusetts. After the devastating loss of their parents Wyatt and Delilah can't bare to be in their house in Connecticut, any more. There are too many memories and too many ghosts. So Wyatt decides its time they went to Harborside. They have spent many summers here, they have a large house here and now their parents' bar, the Taproom, to take care of.

Wyatt is a strong man. He has just graduated college and after four years of partying and girls, he needs to grow up and fast. What Wyatt didn't count on was his feelings for Cass. Cassidy and Wyatt have been best friends since they were 5 years old. They know everything about each other. They have been there for each other through all the hard times. So why now have Wyatt's feelings changed and is it worth risking their friendship?

Cassidy has been in love with her best friend for as long as she can remember. She has spent years trying to hide it but after she catches her boyfriend of two years cheating on her she knows there's no denying it any more. While she may have cared for Kyle she didn't love him, how could she when she's in love with someone else, she's just angry at herself for not noticing he was cheating.

There is a great group of friends at Harborside. These guys will be there for each other when the going gets tough. Wyatt and Delilah need these guys right now and they are there for them every step of the way. They will do anything to help them get back to some resemblance of normality.

Melissa really tortures us with this book. Wyatt and Cassidy go through so many ordeals before they even come close to becoming a couple. I was 60% through the book before they even had their first kiss. I felt every agonising moment for each of them. They way their hearts were torn, broken and confused. Melissa has a way of writing that makes you feel every single emotion her characters are.

I love the new characters in this series and I can't wait to learn more about them.

[Lynn]

Catching Cassidy is a compelling and emotional coming of age story which will tug at your heartstrings.

Harborside, Massachusetts is small seaside town which has come to be a magnet for young people who fall outside of what is considered the norm for society. The fact that Wyatt and Delilah's parents own a beach house and a bar business in this diverse town is surprising considering their very conservative views on life.
At what should have been an exciting time in their lives after graduating college, Wyatt and Delilah Armstrong's lives change direction after the tragic death of their parents. Suddenly, they have business responsibilities and insurances to sort out whilst coming to terms with their loss. To get away from the family home which holds too many painful memories, the twins, along with Cassidy Lowell, head to this small town where they have spend so many long summers.

Cassidy Lowell is Wyatt Armstrong's best friend. They've known each other years and shared everything together including their beds occasionally, although their relationship has always been platonic. After finding her boyfriend Kyle in an uncompromising position, Cassidy, decides to spend summer with Wyatt and Delilah whilst waiting for a job offer in New York.

Witnessing Cassidy's boyfriend cheating on her triggered far more emotions in Wyatt than he expected. She's been his best friend since they were five years old and you just don't have those kind of feelings for a friend do you?

I love how the author develops the protagonists. Watching them mature during this sad and challenging time in their young lives. Wyatt is dealing with the loss of his parents, his feelings for Cassidy and the realisation, he is now solely responsible for making his own decisions in life. Coming to terms with not having parental interference and guidance, is a tough lesson for him to learn. Cassidy is understanding for the first time in her life that she needs to make decisions for herself and not to suit others, even if it means breaking her own heart in the process.
The secondary characters give us a glimpse into their own lives and challenges, painting a colourful scene in the daily life of the Harborside residents, where they are part of a community that shares and supports one another like a big extended family.

I've read a couple of Melissa Foster book before and this is by far my favourite. This first book in the Harborside Nights series covers grief, angst and deception as well as love, compassion and hope. All wrapped up in a plot that will keep you eagerly turning the pages. Additionally, we are given a tantalising glimpse of what to expect in future books in the series. I'm really looking forward to reading Delilah's story and very impressed by the sensitive way her character has been portrayed so far.

4½ Stars