[ARC Review] A Love Catastrophe by Helena Hunting

Publisher's synopsis: Kitty Hart has become internet famous as the Kitty Whisperer for her expertise on all things feline, and as a result, her cat-sitting business is booming. But lately, she has a terrible feeling that maybe her life isn’t quite going where it’s supposed to—especially after falling face-first into her newest client. Not exactly the best first impression.

Fortunately, Miles Thorn is just as bad at first impressions. Strike one: he doesn’t like cats, especially Prince Francis, the haughty and mischievous Sphynx his mom left in his care. Strike two: tackling Kitty to the floor in a misguided attempt to save the pet he continually calls “the gremlin.”

As awkwardness slides into attraction and things start to turn purr-sonal, will these two complete opposites ever be able to find their furry-tail ending?  

My thoughts: There are so many reasons why I loved this book. There were cats, there was an early opposites attract thing going on, and I was completely unprepared for how realistic and well done the common theme of loss and grief and moving on was going to be throughout the book. Our quirky Kitty and her dog-loving love interest sure gave me a lot of feelings, but it was beautiful and I couldn't put this book down. 

Right away, I knew I was going to love Kitty Hart. She was fun, owned her uniqueness, and deeply prioritized her family. Hunting did a fantastic job writing this character; Kitty's love for her feline clients was undeniable, and her inability to filter what came out of her mouth often brought a smile to my face. But Kitty wasn't without her faults, and I loved that Hunting really leaned into the eventual self-awareness that Kitty had when it came to her family, especially her mother. 

I also truly adored Miles' storyline. I don't want to give too much of the emotional plot away, so I will suffice to say that everything Miles went through really hit home for me. Miles might be fictional, but the journey he had to go on was very much real. I felt for him, even when Kitty didn't like him at the beginning, simply because of the choices he had to make and how hard that would be for anyone. 

Both Kitty and Miles mirrored each other so well. Normally, I wouldn't enjoy a romance where both main characters seemed so similar in terms of their emotions and where they're at in their careers, but both Kitty and Miles were hard not to enjoy. 

Hunting gave us spice, career drama, and a whole lot of real talk on familial relationships. I couldn't put this one down, even when on-page topics brought up real-life emotions. This one is a fantastic read for cat and dog lovers alike. 

[A huge thank you to Forever for providing a review copy of this title! All opinions are my own.]

--------------------

Release date: 6/13/23

Format: eARC

eARC provided via: NetGalley