Honestly, what an unusual book - I'm not sure if that's a compliment or not. It started off very rocky before simmering into something much better, but it couldn't quite work its way up to 4 stars for me. As a longtime fan of Hunting, I'm fully aware that she writes a variety of vibes and tropes, and I liked some of the concepts at play in this one. It's a (super) quirky, cat-themed comedy paired with a heavier exploration of dementia, caring for an ill parent, and the aftereffects of grief. The first third is WAY too over-the-top in its quirkiness, with SO MANY cat-related puns and references. We've got Kitty the Cat Whisperer and Kat the Cat Café owner, cats learning how to talk and use a toilet, a dog person feuding with a cat person (and he's allergic to cats!), and that's just the tip of the iceberg. It's too much. Way too much. I actually DNFed this pretty quickly before deciding to give it one more chance, and it definitely does smooth out in the back half. I enjoyed it a lot more on my second attempt. In fact, part of me considered a 4-star rating, but it's just too extreme in its tonal shifts and there are too many easy-to-identify issues.
The story follows Kitty, a woman who makes a living as a cat sitter. While many people scoff at her profession, she knows there's a lot more to cats than meets the eye. She's also internet famous, and has built up quite the reputation. So when she's hired to take care of a cat whose owner is an insufferable jerk (who doesn't seem to like cats!), Kitty isn't sure what to think. Turns out, the cat isn't actually Miles' - he's got his hands full dealing with his mom's dementia diagnosis, and he's doing the best he can to care for her cat. As someone who knows what it's like to deal with grief and complicated family issues, Kitty can empathize. The two strike up a tentative bond that feels like friendship with the spark of something more, and it's not long before they're growing closer.
Let's talk about what I liked for a minute, because there was a decent amount of it. As always, Hunting's writing style is easy to devour, and that made this a quick, bingeable read. I also loved that Miles is a hot nerd - he wears glasses, he crunches numbers for a living, and he's not great with women. He's actually kind of a sweetheart when he's not overwhelmed with all of his new responsibilities. Kitty is... well, she's a lot. Her personality is much more extreme in the first half, but I think a lot of the puns had mellowed out by the end. I definitely liked her a lot better in the back half. Then there's the tone of the book. As someone who loves a rom com with deeper, more complex elements, I can see where Hunting was going with this. It did not stick the landing, however. The juxtaposition between quirky and heavy was abrupt and jarring, with too many mundane details about caring for cats and caring for parents. There's even a whole lesson on how to use lip stain, which... I just wanted more romance, I didn't want that. So there's a lot of potential in the storyline, but much of it remains unfulfilled.