A review by jamieb_19
Not Catching Love by Saxon James

challenging emotional funny hopeful lighthearted reflective sad tense medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

He’s a real adult. Put together, stable, handsome, with a grown-up career and no demons in his closet.
But he’s also seen me at my worst, and here he is, choosing to spend time with me anyway.
Because Derek is my real-life Prince Charming.
Now, if only he’d do that part where he sweeps me off my feet.

This may have been my most anticipated book coming out in 2025. The Bertha Boys are one of my favorite found families ever, I’ve loved every single book and seeing this wonderful group of guys finding their people. And now it’s finally time for sweet Xander to have his own happily ever after. If you’re familiar with the series at all, you know that Xander has been a fan favorite from the beginning. I had high expectations for this book and it surpassed every single one. I could not have asked for a more perfect story for Xander and Derek. It wasn’t an easy road but it was exactly what needed to happen to get these men to their HEA. And it was a great send-off for this series, a series that I’m going to miss a lot! 

There aren’t a lot of people who make me feel safe, but Derek is one of them, and if it was up to me, I’d get to have him always. As mine. All mine.

Xander had a rough start in life and he’s still dealing with the aftermath of the neglect and trauma. Throughout the series, we’ve seen Xander’s trauma manifest through his health anxiety episodes. The only thing that seems to help is the calm, caring presence of Nurse Derek at the local pharmacy clinic. Derek has put the rest of his life on hold so he’s always available whenever he gets the call that Xander is being brought in. He feels stuck but he can’t bring himself to abandon Xander. 

When they find themselves both volunteering at the same retirement home, Derek sees a whole new side of Xander, and the feelings he’s had to bury due to their nurse/patient relationship get harder and harder to fight. Even after he stops treating him, if Derek wants to keep his job he needs to put space and time between him and Xander as nurse/patient and him and Xander as friends. But the more Xander opens up to him, the more difficult he becomes to resist.

With every little inch he gives me, I’ll go after two more. I’m greedy when it comes to what I want, and I’ve never wanted anyone the way I want Derek.

I loved how Xander’s mental illness and his journey to addressing his mental health were handled. The way his anxieties were written, seeing all the big and small ways his brain played tricks on him, was so realistic. It wasn’t easy to read at times because Xander is the type of character you want to wrap up and protect at all costs. That’s kind of what the other Bertha Boys did for him. For better or for worse, they did their best to shield him and take care of him when things got bad. Derek, as an outsider, had a different perspective and pushed hard to get Xander the professional help he needed. This was quite the push and pull but I loved how it all played out. It was exactly what needed to happen, there was no quick fix and these guys had to make the tough decisions and put in the hard work if they had any hope of creating a healthy relationship.

For obvious reasons, this book was a slow burn and it was perfect. I was giddy as Derek and Xander’s friendship grew. They were so adorable with their flirting and pining. I love in books when both characters are pining away but all parties are aware of it. That’s exactly what happened here. Both of them wanted each other so badly but couldn’t be together in the way they wanted, for a variety of reasons. It created a delicious tension that you couldn’t wait to see snap (and it was so worth it when it finally did!). 

“I’ve been waiting my whole life for you. Just you. I’m not going anywhere.”

Another aspect of this story that I loved so much was Xander’s relationship with Seven and Molly and how Derek now fits into that picture. Again, it was another bumpy road but there were a lot of great scenes and conversations between these characters and I loved where the four of them ended up. As sad as I am to have to say goodbye to the Bertha Boys, I’m happy to know that they’re all happy and living their best lives. I can’t ask for much more than that! 

“I’m yours. I’ve always been yours. I can’t believe you finally caught up.”