Review: 'Good Catch' by Tracy Ann Lord (2013)

Maddie Chilton, the reigning queen of Miami’s hottest PR firm, has been dethroned. Now she’s roughing it at a fishing camp on a lake in the middle of rural Maine. This is what her co-workers chose as a going-away present? Maddie is not a “showers optional” kind of gal.
Not only is she surrounded by fish, but also a lot of fishy characters. There’s Flo, the opera-loving/customer-loathing cook, and Wayne, the too-handy handyman. Fortunately there’s also Cal Boretti, her handsome, skinny-dipping fishing guide.
Appearances, of course, can be deceiving, and Maddie soon discovers that the camp and its residents are about so much more than fishing. Between budding romance and an exciting new business opportunity, Maddie’s dim view of Lake Mooselookmeguntic is beginning to lighten up.
She may not have a knack for fishing, but Maddie is about to make the good catch of a lifetime.
In February I got the chance to interview author Karoline Barrett about her novel 'The Art of Being Rebekkah' which was published by E-Lit Books (click here to read the interview). Thanks to this introduction to E-Lit Books, I also received a review copy of another one of their releases, namely 'Good Catch' by Tracy Ann Lord. I hadn't heard anything about this October 2013 release, but the blurb sounded interesting and I was curious to give the book a try in exchange for an honest review!
Maddie Chilton has worked incredibly hard to get the PR career she always wanted, but now she unexpectedly finds herself being replaced by a younger version of herself. In order to get away from it all for a while, Maddie receives a trip to a location in Maine from her co-workers. However, instead of a relaxing stay at a luxurious spa, which would have been fitting, Maddie finds herself at a fishing camp in the middle of nowhere. At first, Maddie wants nothing more than run back to Miami, but knowing she has nothing further to lose, she decides to give the fishing camp and its slightly strange inhabitants a chance. 
The basic plotline of this novel is one of the classics within the world of chick lit; a female from the city ends up in a place in the middle of nowhere, somewhere she at first thinks she doesn't belong, but she decides to give it, and the people she meets there, a chance after all. The location in 'Good Catch' is an original one, though, namely a fishing camp. I have to admit, I wasn't too sure about this location at first, but Tracy Ann Lord really managed to turn it into a fascinating and enjoyable story, and I ended up quite loving the idea of this fishing camp!
Maddie is an interesting protagonist and I really enjoyed seeing her character develop throughout the novel. The mixed cast of secondary characters play a significant role in this and really added something to the plotline. I specifically warmed to handsome and slightly mysterious Cal and quirky cook Flo. The plotline is also more than just Maddie trying to survive a week at fishing camp and it had me captivated until the last page. 'Good Catch' is an enjoyable and intriguing romance read, ideal for a lazy afternoon!
Rating:

8/10

  For more information about this book: Amazon.co.uk / Amazon.com / Goodreads   Thanks to the publisher for providing me with a review copy in exchange for an honest review.