Caroline Johnson has always been obsessed with handbags.  So she pursued her dream and went to college at Harvard School of Business where she met Mike.

Mike Barnsworth III is a rich kid who doesn't want to take over the family business.  He wants to own his own bar.  When he meets Caroline he immediately befriends her.

Mike has no trouble with the ladies.  His rule is no more than three dates.  Caroline on the other hand has nothing but trouble.  All she wants is to find someone she can hold onto, her "Clutch".  Caroline's only constant relationship is her best friend Mike.  So when Mike says he is moving to LA to start his dream of owning a bar, Caroline follows.  Friends till the end right?!

This story was hilarious.  A Friends to Lover romance.  These two characters were so enjoyable.  Mike with his smart banter and Caroline with her "handbags", dates.  Each guy in the book is labeled a handbag.  I think my favorite was fanny pack.  Mike really did not like him.  The dude was creepy.   Doctor Bag was a class a jerk.  I could go on and on, but lets not spoil the fun.

Mike was an amazing and fun character.  He was sexy and smart.  Mike and Caroline's friendship was strong and he always had her back no matter what.  Their witty banter will have you laughing out loud.  Almost like Will and Grace, except Mike is not gay.

Overall this book was so much fun to read.   A steady read that not only had humor, but had heart melting moments and many tears.  It was a unique style in the friends to lovers romance category.  I loved how the author created a handbag for each man Caroline dated.  A very short but easy read.  So is you are looking for a good time then this book is right up your alley.

*ARC provided by Netgalley, Lisa Becker & Xpresso Book Tours

Chick-Lit! Full review: bit.ly/PageBedtime

I received a complimentary copy of this book for review consideration. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.

I had high hopes for this book, even though it’s been sitting on my shelves for literal years at this point, but it really only took two chapters before I decided it wasn’t for me. It might be my mood but regardless, it wasn’t working for me. The dialogue was too stilted and the characters were working my nerves. I skipped to the end briefly to see if my hunch was correct and it was. That's when I decided to DNF. I felt like it was going to be too much back and forth with unnecessary drama when the right answer was literally right there all along.

3.5 Sweet & Funny Stars!
Clutch is a clever, sweet, and Funny romance. Caroline is a smart, creative, and funny southern bell who moves to LA with her best friend from college, Mike, to start her own line of handbags. She has enjoyed success with her business but not so much in the dating world. She meets and dates different men, some nice, and some not so nice, but all authentic and hilarious in their own way. I love how each man's personality is creatively compared to a style of handbag as she searches for the one true love she can 'clutch' and hold onto. Mike enjoys his own success with his popular bar and his womanizing ways. But he is always there and looking out for Caroline. They had a one time thing back in college and joke about it often. Now they have a close, loyal relationship, supporting each other unconditionally and their banter is so clever and hilarious. Suzanne Barbetta does an amazing job developing Caroline and Mike's relationship and bringing this hilarious, slow burn romance to life. Her different accents and dynamic voices were easy to follow, and her comedic timing is spot on. She made this quirky, clever, heartfelt romance even more enjoyable.

Light feel-good read

Light hearted, easy read. Great story line with relatable characters. Loved the dating disasters the h found herself in! Highly recommend for a feel-good read!

This book is so cute with all the men’s names being referred to as some kind of bag. I really love how the banter between both of the main characters are played out. These two people are definitely people I would like to know in person! Such a great book and the narration is great as well.

Clutch is a fun, light read. I enjoyed following Caroline on her journey to find the right one. It was predictable, I knew how it would end, but the story of getting there was entertaining. Her series of dates were entertaining, but I loved when her best friend, Mike, weighed in on them.

I loved Mike. His puns and jokes were perfect and he had me laughing. His banter with Caroline had me firmly in his corner. I do wish we had a bit more after where it ended. If you want something quick and fun, i'd recommend Clutch.

Suzanne Barbetta's narration was great. I loved the accent and clear delivery.

This book is written differently as what I usually read, making it really fun to do so, each chapter is a bag. Caroline and Mike story was hilarious, the audiobook made this book so enjoyable, the narration by Suzanne Barbetta was perfect.

This was quite a sweet read and it was fun but it was a little bit predictable but it is great for a lazy afternoon it was well written and the characters were good.It had me chuckling at times and I am looking forward to reading more from Lisa

A completely predictable, utterly enjoyable romantic comedy -- that is how I would like to describe this novel. Starting from Caroline's days at Harvard, it follows the friendship and witty banter she shares with Mike. Mike is a playboy who leaves behind a string of broken hearts everywhere while Caroline is in search of the Mr. Right or the 'Clutch'. Clutch is the name of her business venture, something she has built because she held onto her passion. Now she needs a man whom she can hold onto.
There follows a series of dating adventures with the chapter titles giving a rough notion about the suitors. The only downside is, we know it will all end badly, that is until we reach the chapter 'Clutch'. So a small advise: better not read this in one sitting, it tends to be a bit boring then.
More than Caroline, I liked the character of Mike. He has an insight that Caroline totally lacks. We can't but wonder how she became a successful businesswoman. Still, it was total fun reading about her dating blunders :)