From the publisher's blurb:

Clues to a hidden treasure. Clues to a family secret. Both lead to murder in a twisting novel of suspense

A national treasure hunt with a $2 million prize has driven obsessed fortune seekers to overrun the small town of Eagle’s Nest, Oregon. The hunt’s cryptic clues and the lure of wealth have exposed the desperate side of human greed: theft, fights, trespassing—and even the motive to kill. Police chief Truman Daly craves peace in his town but has a murder on his hands instead. Now the big prize isn’t the only thing hiding in the pines. So is a killer.

When a young boy walks into the local café and claims his mother and baby sister have been missing for weeks, FBI special agent Mercy Kilpatrick investigates and exposes a disturbing twist in his story. Deep family secrets and lies that started sixty years ago have burst into the present, bringing with them deadly consequences.

Mercy’s and Truman’s investigations lead down a path of murder, revenge, and buried secrets to uncover two intertwined mysteries as dark as an Oregon forest.

Publication date: August 16, 2022

My thoughts:
In the Pines is the 7th book in the Mercy Kilpatrick series and my third one by Kendra Elliot. The other two were short novellas, but I really like her attention to the emotional side, family lines and family dynamics to counter-balance action and very fast pace.

A teenage boy comes up to police Chief Truman Daly, Mercy's husband, and tells him that his mother Bridget Kerr and his 18two-month-old sister Molly are missing. Bridget had gone to visit her brother whom the children had never seen or heard of. As there is a missing child involved and two minors left behind, Truman involves FBI ( Mercy) straightaway and Mercy quickly finds the children's uncle closer to home than anyone could have guessed. Bridget disappeared/ran away from her family fourteen years ago and her brother knew nothing about her whereabouts, her lifestyle or his nephew and nieces.
The case happens to coincide with a National Treasure Hunt that brings countless hopeful to Truman and Mercy's little town. The clues left by an eccentric millionaire are confusing and seem to lead to the pines around the town. Truman's son Ollie and Mercy's niece also have their theories and try to decipher enigmatic instructions. But, very soon it becomes clear that there are some very dangerous people involved and the hunt starts claiming lives.

In the Pines is fast- paced, action-packed, with an interesting plot -no wonder it kept my attention from the first page to the last one. There is something about treasure hunts and figuring out clues and linguistic puzzles that is bound to engage even the laziest reader. Having said that, it isn't easy to come up with challenging clues. Using homonyms is fun, of course, but I would have loved the hunt plotline to be more developped. It wasn't immediately clear how the cases were connected and at times I thought the link is going to be too tenuous. I should have trusted the author as everything makes sense in the end and all the loose ends are tied in.

I'm looking forward to reading more books from the series!

Thank you to Netgalley and Montlake for the review copy provided in exchange for an honest opinion.

Synopsis:
A frantic chase to catch a grave robber reveals a startling discovery in this tenth installment of the Widow’s Island novella series by Wall Street Journal bestselling author Melinda Leigh.

Deputy Tessa Black spots a man disturbing a grave in the local cemetery and gives chase. But when Tessa catches him, she learns that the ghoulish trespasser wasn’t robbing graves; he was burying a box of bones.

With the help of her fiancé, park ranger Logan Wilde, Tessa discovers that the remains belong to a missing teenager from a nearby island. After the girl disappeared nine months ago, police labeled her a runaway. Now, though, it’s clear the teenager was murdered.

When the only witness is an uncooperative teenager, Tessa and Logan must find the killer before the boy becomes the next target.

Publisher: Montlake
Expected Publication Date: October 25th, 2022


Widow Island Series:
1 Close to the Bone
​2 A Bone to Pick
3 Whisper of Bones
​4 Bred in the Bone
5 Below the Bones
​6 A Broken Bone
​7 Buried Bones
​8 The Lost Bones
9 Bone Deep
10 The Wrong Bones

My thoughts:
The Wrong Bones is the tenth novella in Widow Island series written by Melinda Leigh and Kendra Elliot. If you have been following the series, you are surely going to enjoy this instalment and the happy event at the end of it. It was great to see how the stories from the two authors (Melinda Leigh wrote books 2,3, 6,7, and 10, Kendra Elliot -1,4,5,8, and 9) merge seemlessly.

Melinda Leigh's novella are written from the point of view of Deputy Tessa Black, while Kendra Elliot's ones focus on Tessa's best friend Cate, a former FBI agent, who also happens to be Tessa's fiance's sister.

Tessa Black has a complicated family life. Her mother has been diagnosed with an early onset dementia and Tessa is taking care of both her and Tessa's much younger half-sister Patience. While Tessa knows nothing is going to change the course of her mother's dementia, she tries to help Patience have as normal and stable life as possible in the circumstances. Luckily, Logan Wilde, Tessa's fiance and the only park ranger on the island, is her rock of strength, and the whole island community pulls together to take care of Tessa's mother.

Tessa responds to frantic calls of three kids who have spotted a stranger digging a grave at the island's cemetary. Although the chase Tessa gives the stranger isn't successful, the man drops a box he was trying to bury in the grave and the box is full of human bones.  The remains  belong to a teenage girl who was clearly murdered, but who is she and who is the monster behind the crime? Suspects abound and Tessa and Logan have to move fast to make sure the killer doesn't get away with the crime.

The pace was excellent and there was a lot of action packed into the story which culminated in a nail-biting finish that would have made Hollywood action movie writers proud. Fans of Melinda Leigh know she has a very engaging writing style that compels her readers to keep turning pages until the small hours.

Thank you to NetGalley and Montlake for the review copy, provided in exchange for an honest opinion.

Synopsis:

When two men kidnap former FBI agent Cate Wilde’s fiancé, the boldness of the crime rattles the community. Desperate to find the man she loves, Cate joins forces with the FBI and the local sheriff’s department to launch an investigation and bring Dr. Henry Powers home.

Cate soon learns that a brotherhood of bank robbers abducted Henry in the hopes that he might be able to save their youngest brother, who had been shot during a robbery. But this man is beyond saving, which spells life-threatening danger for Henry.

While Henry plots his escape, Cate uses her investigative skills and experience to track down her fiancé. Can she get to him in time, or will Widow’s Island live up to its name?

Widow Island Series:
1 Close to the Bone
​2 A Bone to Pick
3 Whisper of Bones
​4 Bred in the Bone
5 Below the Bones
​6 A Broken Bone
​7 Buried Bones
​8 The Lost Bones
9 Bone Deep
10 The Wrong Bones

Publisher: Montlake
Expected Publication Date: October 18th, 2022

My thoughts:

Bone Deep is the ninth novella in Widow Island series written by Melinda Leigh and Kendra Elliot. If you have been following the series, you know how the stories from the two authors (Melinda Leigh wrote books 2,3, 6,7, and 10, Kendra Elliot -1,4,5,8, and 9) intertwine and merge.
Kendra Elliot's novellas are told from the point of view of Cate Wilde, a former FBI agent who left her extremely dangerous and highly stressful job to come back to her tiny home island in the North Pacific and become a baker and bookstore owner. Her feelings towards her decision to leave FBI are still mixed, but she seems to have found real happiness in her close-knit community of Widow's Island. Cate and her brother Logan were raised by their grandmother Jane who plays an important role in everything that is happening on the island. Cate's best friends Samantha and Deputy Tessa Black also support Cate's decision. Melinda Leigh's novellas are written from the point of view of  Tessa.

If you're a newcomer to the series, don't worry- you won't be lost. It's amazing how the authors provide crucial recap details without overloading the narrative structure. Still, it is definitely better to read the series from the beginning and in order to keep up with the developments in the recurring characters' lives. Plus, we get to know the island itself, how it got its name, and little snippets on its history. This time we learn about Jane/Cate and Logan's ancestors and learn about one of the most long-standing feuds on the island.

The plot is based around the kidnapping of Cate's fiance Dr Henry Powers and we are thrown into action from the first page. Two masked men threaten Henry's assistant's life and lead him away at a gunpoint. all he knows he will have to take care of someone who's been shot, but for some reason can't (or won't) go to hospital. Needless to say, Henry's feelings are complex- he is terrified, he is trying to figure out who his kidnappers are and whether they will let him live, but he's also going to do his best to save 'his patient'. In the meantime Cate is going to do everything possible and possible to find him. We see how easy it is for her to slip back into the old role. We also see how much she has changed and how unlikely it is that she will ever go back to her old job.

As in all novellas in this series the pace is excellent. There's a great balance of action and slower, more private, intimate moments of reflection (and Cate is dealing with a huge change in her life which she still hasn't processed). Cate isn't just a tourist on the island- her roots are here as well as the most important people in her life- her childhood friends, including indomitable Tessa, her family and her community all come through in this moment of need.

Given the fact that these novellas are really short, it isn't surprising that action takes precedence over character  development and this is a good reason why I urge anyone interested in picking up the series to start from the beginning. You will see that the characters are well-differentiated- Cate may be missing the intellectual stimulation of being an FBI agent, but she also has few regrets and few doubts she is better suited to this calmer stage  in her life. Henry may have got a bit more than he bargained for when he took up his job on Widow's Island, but he's not a person who run away from a challenge. Tough Tessa has a lot to deal with at home, but she also appreciates her mother, her sister and Logan- she has a soft side and we see it clearly when she is helping Cate. Once again I was amazed at how well Kendra Elliot and Melinda Leigh merged their stories.

I am a bit sad that the series is coming to an end, but it was a great journey, and I am looking forward to finding out more about the authors' new projects!

Thank you to NetGalley and Montlake for the review copy, provided in exchange for an honest opinion.

Description
Another stunning cowboy novel from New York Times bestseller Donna Grant, That Cowboy of Mine!

Is he an enemy?

Dillon Young is proud that she inherited her aunt’s ranch. The problem: someone is trying to run her off and is willing to do whatever it takes. Strange, dangerous things keep happening. Dillion suspects her no-good neighbor and fellow wealthy rancher Hank Stephens. Never a man to get his hands dirty, he sends others to get the job done. So, when the irresistible Cal Bennett is found passed out drunk on her property, Dillion is on high alert. Until someone takes a shot at her and Cal springs to her rescue. When the hard-bodied, no-nonsense-talking cowboy points out that she may need some help, Dillion is inclined to reluctantly agree.

Or a lover?

Waking up on a stranger’s property with a shotgun in his face is not Cal Bennett’s idea of a good time. Never mind that the person on the other end of the barrel is one of the most fiercely beautiful women he has ever seen. Things get more interesting when he finds himself shielding her from flying bullets. It’s clear that this smart, savvy woman could use a hand and Cal is all too happy to lend any part of his body she requires. His proposal: pose as lovers until they find out who is after her ranch. As the danger rises and secrets are revealed, the passion explodes between them and there is no turning back.

Publisher: St.Martin's Press, St.Martin's Paperbacks
Publication Date:26 Apr 2022
9781250820280, 1250820286

Pre-Order/Purchase Link

My thoughts:

It's always a pleasure to read a Donna Grant book and this newest release isn't an exception:  the plot is full of passion and danger, the characters are strong and passionate, and the pace is great. If anything, this book is even more streamlined than Gran't previous romantic suspense Home for A Cowboy Christmas. This one is all about trust. Trust, loyalty, dreams, passion, and love, of course.

Cal Bennett wakes up with a shotgun aiming at hime and it is clear that Dillon Young means business. Someone stole her prized stallion Legacy and it happened while Cal was having his drink-induced nap on her land. Unfortunately, this rodeo champion doesn't remember anything from the night before, Then someone shoots at Dillon and Cal who yanks her out of the bullet's way at the very last moment. Dillon is torn between two contrasting feelings. Can she trust Cal who had an opportunity to sabotage her business? Can she not trust him after he saved her life? She has been burnt before and decided it was better to shut her feelings and focus on the ranch she inherited unexpectedly from her aunt Dolly. Dillon has been alone for too long and this charmer of a cowboy is only happy to help out at the ranch. A bit of insta-love/lust? perhaps, but wait till you read how comfortable they are with each other.
 
The protagonists are both people of great integrity and the more you read, the better you will understand where they are coming from. Not only is Dillon strong and independent, she also shows a lot of courage in face of danger. Cal also has his own backstory of following in his father's footsteps and perhaps never stopping long enough to work out what his own dreams are. Well, not until he meets Dillon.

The mystery/suspense element seems a bit stronger in this book, although do expect at leasy one hot and steamy scene. We find out who wants to harm Dillon and get her ranch by all means early on. Again, there are a few unexpected twists thrown in by master-storyteller Donna Grant who knows how to keep her reader engaged. The book was action-packed with a great pace from the beginning to its nailbiting climax and sweet epilogue. My only complaint was that the villains and their motivations seemed to be a bit one-dimensional. Having said that, the book was gripping and well-balanced.

A quick and enjoyable read for anyone who loves a good romantic suspense story. Can't wait to read Donna Grant's next book!

Thank you to NetGalley and St.Martin's Press for the review copy provided in exchange for an honest opinion.

About the author:

New York Times and USA Today bestselling author Donna Grant has penned ninety novels, novelettes, novellas, and short stories spanning multiple genres of romance including the exhilarating Dark King and Reaper paranormal series, the romantic suspense Sons of Texas series, the historical paranormal Kindred series, and the contemporary Heart of Texas series. She lives with her two children, a dog, and three cats in Texas.

Synopsis:

Family secrets and fresh romance collide in this heart-pounding Richter series installment by New York Times and USA Today bestselling author Catherine Bybee.

Jacqueline “Jax” Simon knows how to expose secrets: she’s a skilled operative with MacBain Security and Solutions. When Jax hears her parents are divorcing, she races to London to find out why. She’s determined to learn the truth, especially when her investigation uncovers why her parents sent her to Richter, the German military school that made her a fighter.

Andrew Craig collects Jax at Heathrow Airport as a favor. He’s heard she’s a handful, but he didn’t know she’s dangerously gorgeous too. His instant attraction could change his life…or end it.

Jax doesn’t want to fall for Andrew, but soon he’s worming his way into her life. Together, they infiltrate Richter to discover if it has returned to its covert purpose: training children to be spies and assassins and blackmailing parents to look the other way. As the attraction between the two intensifies, so do the secrets exploding all around them. How deadly are those secrets—and who will survive?

Publisher: Montlake
Publication Date: November 30th, 2021
365 pages
Series: Richter (#3)
9781542029568, 1542029562
Previous books in the series: Changing Rules, A Thin Disguise

My thoughts:

An Unexpected Distraction is the third book in Catherine Bybee's addictive series that deals with former alumni of a super secretive military boarding school called Richter. The first book Changing Rules focused on Claire Kelly who was sent on an undercover mission to bust a child trafficking ring. I absolutely adored her best friend Jax Simon and couldn't wait to read her story in An Unexpected Distraction.

All books in this fast-paced, gripping series can be read as standalones- a new reader gets enough background to understand how the protagonists are related to Richter, which for many years trained future spies, secret agents for various governments and private companies, and ...assassins. We met one of them- Olivia Nought in the second book A Thin Disguise. Claire and Jax were among the more fortunate ones- they were given a chance to be on the right side and good by working for Neil McBain's Security and Solutions team. Neil was also the man behind exposing what was going on in Richter and sending the former headmistress Lodovica to prison. But the legacy of Richter still lives on and not all secrets have been revealed.

The book starts with Neil's employees doing a teambuilding exercise- practising a scenario when one of them gets kidnapped. You get a good feeling of how how-close knit the team is and how much they trust each other. Then Jax gets a call from her brother Harry who is asking her to come to London and help him out with a family emergency which turns out to be their parents going through a separation. Things do not seem to add up and Jax's professional skills are being called upon. All through this Jax is dealing with an unexpected distraction- her brother's friend and former schoolmate Andrew is gradually becoming more and more important to her and suddenly going back to her life in Californis doesn't seem as appealing as it used to. As Neil reminds her, in Jax's line of work distractions can be fatal, especially when it becomes clear that the case isn't just about her own family, it has an unexpected connection to Richter.

I have to admit the first part of the book was unusually slow for what I've come to expect from Catherine Bybee, the ruling queen of romantic suspense. But then the pace picked up considerably in the second half and suddenly I was on the edge of my seat, gripped by the nailbiting finale.

The genre of romantic suspense calls for a fine balance of romance and mystery. Jax is a strong, independent woman, comfortable with her life choices, but even she has to deal with her own doubts and insecurities- do her family care for her and are just too reserved to show it? what is going to happen to her friendship with Claire now that Claire is getting married? Moving to California for work was a no-brainer for her given how much she loves her job and sunny weather, but does it mean there's nothing tying her back to England? The book is written from Jax's POV, so we do get to know Andrew only the way Jax sees him. Sometimes it felt as if there was only one protagonist and Andrew was just one of the secondary characters. Having said that, there are some very sweet and romantic moments.

While every book in the series is complete on its own, it's clear there is more to the story as the ending proves and I just can't wait to read the next instalment!

Thank you to NetGalley and Montlake for the ARC provided in exchange for an honest opinion.

Synopsis:
A brand new Christmas cowboy novel from New York Times bestseller Donna Grant!
Emmy is witness to a crime in Denver and under police protection after she’s threatened. When the criminals discover her whereabouts, the detective in charge decides to take her somewhere no one will think to look for her – Montana.
Dwight owes his buddy a favor, but he never expects his friend to bring a woman to his ranch to protect. What should be a walk in the park turns into something else entirely as he and Emmy grow closer, making his Christmas the best he’s ever had. The only problem is that those after her are closing in.

My thoughts:
A gripping romantic suspense with strong, independent, caring characters and great pace.
Donna Grant’s newest page-turner begins with Emmy’s heart-racing escape from Denver where she is supposed to testify against one of the most powerful mobsters and where, despite being placed into a witness program, she was held at gunpoint. Her handler Dalton Silva needs to find who in the Marshals office is leeking the information, but first and foremost he needs to hide Emmy and he even knows the best place- his old friend Dwight’s ranch. Dwight has a lot of military and Homeland Security experience and would anything to protect an innocent like Emmy. There is no safer place for Emmy, who is suffering from PTSD.
Donna Grant is a master of creating fast-paced stories with loyal, protective men and strong, independent women, and love born out of danger. If you enjoy the forced proximity trope, you’re going to love the way Emmy and Dwight develop feelings for each other. They feel safe and comfortable in each other’s company, understand each other without words, have the same values- perhaps these extreme circumstances brought together two soulmates who would have never met otherwise.
Add one of the most beautiful settings- Montana mountains around Thanksgiving-Christmas period of time and you have my heart melting. Well, there’s also a lot of heat in this perfect blend of romance and suspense, but, if you are a fan of Donna Grant’s, you probably expect some passionate scenes.
A quick and enjoyable read for any reader who loves a good romantic suspense story. Can’t wait to read Donna’s next book!
Thank you to NetGalley and St.Martin’s for the ARC provided in exchange for an honest opinion.

New York Times and USA Today bestselling author Donna Grant has penned over a hundred novels, novelettes, novellas, and short stories spanning multiple genres of romance including the exhilarating Dark King and Reaper paranormal series, the romantic suspense Sons of Texas series, the historical paranormal Kindred series, and the contemporary Heart of Texas series. She lives in Texas.

Synopsis:
From #1 New York Times bestselling author Lora Leigh comes Her Renegade Cowboy, the final book in the Moving Violations trilogy…

He will risk his life…

The oh-so-proper school teacher, Lily Donovan has learned, the hard way, that men are not to be trusted. Period. Until Levi Roberts, the new cowboy working at her cousin's ranch, tempts her carefully-built resolve and awakens an all-consuming passion she thought lay dormant. But when she discovers his deadly secret, and her own secrets come to light, Lily unwittingly joins the lethal cat and mouse race between Levi and the man he’s been hunting for weeks.

To save her heart…

Former Ranger Levi Roberts has seen his fair share of deadly trouble during his years as a tough-as-nails operative. The ultimate expert in undercover investigations, he’s been tasked to find a man with a dangerous agenda in town. Routine work has been boring…until he runs into Lily, the prickly school teacher who tempts him like no other. Getting under her skin has been deliciously satisfying for his red-hot desire, but when Lily lands in the hands of the very man he’s been investigating, Levi will have to fight with every ounce of his heart and soul to save her—and to heal the heart he broke.


Publisher: St. Martin's Paperbacks
Publication Date: September 28th, 2021
ISBN 9781250252012

My thoughts:
First of all, I love this cover and think it's a perfect representation of the protagonist of the book   Levi Roberts-  strong, confident and totally swoon-worthy....
I didn't realise that this was the third book in the series. If you are planning to read the previous ones, I think it is better to do it in order, as there are some spoilers for Book 2 Strong, Silent Cowboy. Having said that, it works perfectly fine as a standalone.

Schoolteacher Lily Donovan is hiding a big secret from anyone in her town apart from her sister Shay and her cousin's wife Sallie. While she was a student at college she was almost killed by one of her professors. Lily found strength to testify, but later refused to go into the Witness Protection Program as that would mean giving up everything and everyone she loves. She returned to her home town of Deer Haven, finished her degree online and started teaching, trying to move on with her life. When she gets a call from US Marshals Service Bureau informing her that her tormentor Graham Brisbee escaped from prison,Lily's nightmares return.

Levi Roberts is a new cowboy at her cousin Jacob's ranchand notonly is he gorgeous, it is also clear that he is interested in Lily despite her feisty reputation. Lily knows Jacob would never hire anyone without checking their background thoroughly, so he must be trustworthy despite his overconfident, cocky attitude, but she has been lied and manipulated before, can she really trust him enough to have more than a one-night stand?

To be honest, at the beginning I felt things were developing a bit too fast (lust at first sight?)and judgy me felt it was wrong of Levi to start anything with Lily given the vulnerability of her situation and his job.

 Levi is definitely a generous lover, although he guards his secrets a bit too well from one person he should have confided in. So, if you aren't looking for clean and wholesome, but rather the opposite, you're going to appreciate the physical attraction they are feeling for each other. Still, their secrets are just too big and too important for their identity to hide behind the physical side which gives them an illusion of closeness.

 The second part of the book proved that Levi's conflict of interests was the main point of the book- he knew that he was putting his job on line, but the desire to protect her was stronger than any common sense, professional experience or even the code of conduct he must have signed at some point in the past. The pace picked up and suddenly I was so engrossed in these action-packed final chapters that I couldn't put the book down for the life of me!

Recommended to any reader who likes romantic suspense with alpha male, protective characters,  small town setting, danger, pursuit, and lots of steamy scenes.

Thank you to NetGalley and St.Martin's Pressforthe ARC provided in exchange for an honest opinion.

Synopsis:
A former gun for hire and a federal agent find themselves on the right side of love but the wrong end of a bullet in this Richter installment from New York Times bestselling author Catherine Bybee.

On a fateful night in Las Vegas, FBI agent Leo Grant is working on a critical detail in a high-profile child prostitution trial when a beautiful woman jumps into the path of a bullet meant for him. Little does Leo know that the woman is Olivia, an ex-assassin who is seeking redemption one good deed at a time.

One minute, Olivia is lunging in front of Leo on the Vegas Strip. The next, she’s waking up in the hospital in a haze of pain with no memory of her past, her enemies, or even her own name.

With Olivia suffering from memory loss and completely unaware of the danger she is in, it’s up to Leo and Neil MacBain’s team of operatives to keep her safe. With Olivia and Leo both unaware of her past crimes, the two have little reason to avoid their growing attraction. Slowly her past seeps in through the cracks as she struggles to find the answers of who she is. When the veil is lifted and her dark past is staring her down, Olivia must turn her back on Leo and the love she can never allow herself to have, and race to find her would-be killer.

Publisher: Montlake
Publication Date: July 6th, 2021
348 pages
Series: Richter (#2)
9781542009959, 1542009952

Previous Book in the series: Changing Rules (my review)

My thoughts:
A Thin Disguise is Book 2 Catherine Bybee's fast-paced, addictive Richter series. Fans ofCatherine Bybee are going to be delighted with this newest addition. The book has the same gripping, 'can't-put-it-down' quality,and it was nice to see the familiar faces again.

This is the story of Olivia Nought, a graduate of the same military boarding school in Germany where Claire, the protagonist of the previous book, got her unusual set of skills. Olivia wasn't as lucky as Claire who was practically adopted by Neil McBain and given a chance to do good by working for McBain Security and Solutions.

Can this book be read as a standalone?  Yes, but if you have both books, it is better to start with Book 1, as the second book deals with the same human-trafficking  case Claire and Cooper solved in Changing Rules. Olivia is helping Neil's team protect Marie, the key witness in the case, before and during the trial. If Marie survives, she is supposed to go into a federal protection program and start a new life with a new identity. I'm not going to say anything else, to keep this review as spoiler-free as possible.

FBI agent Leo Grant is as invested in the case as Neil's team. When he gets a call from Claire to stop getting too close to one of the cousins of the powerful criminal on the trial, he isn't too happy. Apparently, he is interfering with Neil's 'maverick' security. Then while he is trying to work out who it is, Leo gets almost shot. A beautiful girl Leo has just been trying to chat up takes the bullet and has to be rushed to the hospital to save her life. Needless to say, Leo is feeling guilty and responsible for what happened to Jane Doe (the girl didn't have any documents on her). When she wakes up, she cannot remember anything. Something is connecting the girl to Neil's team, although nobody wants to confide in Leo. Neil persuades Leo that he and his people will take care of her until she gets back her memory and Leo takes sometime off his work to stay with them.

Leo and Olivia come from the opposite sides. A relationship that can never exist, can never work in real life, but there is a strong romantic attraction they can't do anything about. Leo needs to make some tough choices, while Olivia...she has a lot of past to put behind before she can allow herself get attached to anyone. If you've read Say it Again from Catherine Bybee's First Wives series, you know why Olivia is so cagey and quick to flee in order to protect people she cares about.

Similarly to the first book, Catherine Bybee strikes a fine balance between the romantic and mystery elements. The pace was a bit faster at the beginning when the narrative was action-movie -like and a bit slower in the middle to allow for Olivia's healing and the development of the relationships. The end was as thrilling and full of action as Catherine Bybee's faithful fans have come to expect from this author.

Can't wait to read the next book in the series!

Thank you to NetGalley and Montlake for the ARC provided in exchange for an  honest opinion.

Related titles:
1 Say it Again (First Wives #5)
2 Changing Rules (Richter #1)

About the Author:

New York Times, Wall Street Journal, and USA Today bestselling author Catherine Bybee has written thirty-five books that have collectively sold more than eight million copies and have been translated into more than twenty languages. Raised in Washington State, Bybee moved to Southern California in the hope of becoming a movie star. After growing bored with waiting tables, she returned to school and became a registered nurse, spending most of her career in urban emergency rooms. She now writes full time and has penned the Not Quite series, the Weekday Brides series, the Most Likely To series, and the First Wives series.

My thoughts:

This is my first book by Catherine Bybee and I was really impressed by how immersive, even addictive her writing is. I kept reading until the small hours and couldn't put the book down until the mystery was solved and everyone was safe (the final part was absolutely nailbiting in the best action movie tradition!).
In case you get the same strange feeling of being given the backstory on the go, while Changing Rules is the first book in Catherine Bybee's Richter series, Claire's mentor Sasha, Claire's boss Neil (the owner of MacBain Security and Solutions) and his family- they appeared in Catherine's previous books. It didn't spoil my enjoyment of Changing Rules.
24 year old Claire Kelly gets a new undercover assignment. The case deals with a human trafficking ring which recruits vulnerable girls from a high school. Neil's daughter Emma goes to a private school nearby and it appears that the traffickers have been targeting students from both schools. The police department  has their own undercover agents involved in this case and it ispossible that the agent/s have gone rogue. Claire and Jax, her best friend from their school days at Richter school, are sent to the schools with a double (triple? ) task- identify potential victims, identify the traffickers and their accomplices and flush out the rogue agent. I think you can already see how exciting this mystery/ suspense is.
They are not alone. Claire is paired with Cooper Lockman, who has recently come back from the London office of MacBain Security and Solutions. Claire and Cooper have known each other since she was eighteen and was rescued from the shady happenings at Richter.
While there is undeniable chemistry between Claire and Cooper and  their relationship develops  gradually during the case, Catherine Bybee manages to strike a great balance between the focus on the investigation and the romance elements.
The protagonists are both strong, decisive, independent and caring in equal parts-no wonder sparks fly when these two friends decide to take their relationship to the new level. I'm just going to say it again-nothing beats good old friends-to-lovers trope!
I really enjoyed Changing Rules and would love to read the continuation of the series. Whether you are a fan of Catherine Bybee, like a strong female lead or are just curious about the romantic suspense genre, I can definitely recommend this one.

Thankyou to NetGalley and Montlake for the ARC provided in exchange for an honest opinion.