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Search and Rescue #2
Fan the Flames
He's a firefighter.
He's a Motorcycle Club member.
And if a killer has his way...he'll take the fall for a murder he didn't commit.
Ian Walsh is used to riding the line between the good guys and the bad. He may owe the club his life, but his heart rests with his fire station brothers...and with the girl he's loved since they were kids. Ian would do anything for Rory. He'd die for her. Kill for her. Defend her to his last breath?and he may just have to.
Every con in the Rockies knows Rory is the go-to girl for less-than-legal firearms. When she defends herself against a brutal attack, Rory finds herself catapulted into the center of a gang war, with only Ian standing between her and a threat greater than either of them could have imagined.
In the remote Rocky Mountains, lives depend on the Search & Rescue brotherhood. But in a place this far off the map, trust is hard to come by and secrets can be murder...
450 pages, Kindle Edition
First published May 3, 2016
482 people are currently reading
1369 people want to read
About the author
Katie Ruggle
20 books1,212 followersA fan of the old adage “write what you know”, Katie Ruggle lived in an off-grid, solar- and wind-powered house in the Rocky Mountains until her family lured her back to Minnesota. When she’s not writing, Katie rides horses, trains her three dogs, cross-country skis (badly) and travels to warm places where she can scuba dive. A graduate of the Police Academy, Katie received her ice-rescue certification and can attest that the reservoirs in the Colorado mountains really are that cold. A fan of anything that makes her feel like a bad-ass, she has trained in Krav Maga, boxing and gymnastics. You can connect with Katie at http://katieruggle.com/, https://www.facebook.com/katieruggleb..., or on Twitter @KatieRuggle
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 412 reviews
May 25, 2017
Fan the Flames was a great read. The romance was a lot slower in this one than in the others, and that is saying something since all the books are slow burns. I loved Ian. Rory was a little off putting at times but I warmed to her. Loved all the action and the plot just keeps getting deeper and deeper. I am so glad that after I read George's book I went back and read the others. Really loved George in this book too. I really liked Chris in this book as well. I got to know him a little better. This book made me smile, laugh and you know it has sexy firefighters so Win! Glad I found this series and this author. I can't wait for book 4 to come out!!!
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June 20, 2016Indefinitely paused
I can't bring myself to DNF this book because it is wonderfully written and the suspense part is super intriguing. Unfortunately for my personal tastes it's too heavy on the suspense and too light on the romance. I struggled to feel a connection between the hero and heroine until well past 50% and even then it never quite clicked for me. I think I just need to be in the right sort of mood for something like this so I hope to get back to it later.
ARC courtesy of publisher in exchange for an honest review
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I can't bring myself to DNF this book because it is wonderfully written and the suspense part is super intriguing. Unfortunately for my personal tastes it's too heavy on the suspense and too light on the romance. I struggled to feel a connection between the hero and heroine until well past 50% and even then it never quite clicked for me. I think I just need to be in the right sort of mood for something like this so I hope to get back to it later.
ARC courtesy of publisher in exchange for an honest review
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did-not-finish
July 13, 2024 I’m calling it. DNF 25%
This was not very good. I was bored out of my mind and had no investment in the characters or the plot. I was interested in this firefighter/mc hero but he’s kind of a bulldozing douche and the heroine is all ‘not like other girls’ and we are told everything about their previous relationship but shown nothing. Plus it’s already hinting at them not being together because she thinks she isn’t good enough for him, I can’t with the negative motivation and characters with their heads up their asses. I’m also pretty sure she’s a grown ass adult virgin, I can’t stand that trope in contemporary. I thought this was going to be a high action suspense book but it’s just everything I hate in contemporary romance, plus guns (which I also have no interest in).
The first book was slightly boring for me, but this one was excruciatingly so. I made it to 25% and read over two dozen descriptions of guns and barely one of the heroine ffs. This book is guns guns guns guns guns, there is more gun information in this than a NRA newsletter (I’d imagine). Honestly, I get that the author is knowledgeable and wants to seem like a badass but this info dumping is killing me. I want to say this might be a geographic thing, because I’m Canadian and we don’t have any fascination or love for guns here, but I can’t imagine even American readers want this much technical gun information in their romance, yeesh.
This was a big nope for me. 😵💫 🔫
This was not very good. I was bored out of my mind and had no investment in the characters or the plot. I was interested in this firefighter/mc hero but he’s kind of a bulldozing douche and the heroine is all ‘not like other girls’ and we are told everything about their previous relationship but shown nothing. Plus it’s already hinting at them not being together because she thinks she isn’t good enough for him, I can’t with the negative motivation and characters with their heads up their asses. I’m also pretty sure she’s a grown ass adult virgin, I can’t stand that trope in contemporary. I thought this was going to be a high action suspense book but it’s just everything I hate in contemporary romance, plus guns (which I also have no interest in).
The first book was slightly boring for me, but this one was excruciatingly so. I made it to 25% and read over two dozen descriptions of guns and barely one of the heroine ffs. This book is guns guns guns guns guns, there is more gun information in this than a NRA newsletter (I’d imagine). Honestly, I get that the author is knowledgeable and wants to seem like a badass but this info dumping is killing me. I want to say this might be a geographic thing, because I’m Canadian and we don’t have any fascination or love for guns here, but I can’t imagine even American readers want this much technical gun information in their romance, yeesh.
This was a big nope for me. 😵💫 🔫
December 29, 2017
Cute love story. A bit long, but I did like the story. Rory was kind of a bad-ass!!
August 27, 2020
Excellent read loved this book of the search and rescue series. Ian has been in love with Rory since he was a child when he gave Rory a pink cupcake. Rory has had a crush on Ian since he gave her the pink cupcake in the car park. Rory has led a very sheltered life her parents where paranoid about zombies , apocalyptic. Rory owns a gun shop but she starting to have trouble with the alarms going off someone trying to get into her place. Ian is very protective of Rory but he arrested then charges dropped all to do with the work Rory did while he was in jail. Problems are getting worse around Rory and the gun shop but their relationship is steamy forward and feelings about each other are spoken as the pressure is building around the store and what the mc gang want from it and the extremes they are prepared to go get it.
June 15, 2016
Fan the Flames is the second book in the Search and Rescue series. This installment was full of danger and thrills and a sweet romance with a lot of heat! Katie Ruggle is very good at building tension and steam between a couple, heightening my anticipation for Ian and Rory’s romance!
Rory has been crushing on Ian for some time, but her social ineptness has made her miss clues that Ian’s been lusting after her, as well. Being raised by survival extremist parents (who are now dead) only prepared her for such things as the zombie apocalypse or a nuclear disaster. End of the world scenarios? Rory is your girl. Romance and relationships? Not so much. She is very cute, though, with her naiveté, and I really liked that she was kind of a badass. Owning the local gun shop puts her in the path of some violent and nutty people, one group being the Motorcycle Club that Ian was born into. An altercation with some of the MC members makes Rory a prime target and in serious danger. These men are bad news! Lucky for her, she has Ian at her back.
Ian nicknamed “Beauty” by his fellow firemen crew because he’s so good-looking doesn’t let his looks go to his head. There’s been one girl that he’s had in his sights, Rory Sorensen, and it seems like he’s finally going to get the girl. I wish we would’ve got more of his POV throughout the story instead of just at the very beginning, because I adored Ian! He’s patient and understanding with Rory’s social awkwardness, and would do anything for her. I loved that he was super protective over Rory and still had respect for her own ability to take care of herself.
My only complaint with this story and that was the constant mention of Rory blushing, flushing or turning red at any interaction with Ian. I knew she was inexperienced and I know it was put in to underscore that, but it was a little overboard. Other than that I loved this story! Katie Ruggle does a fabulous job balancing the plot and character development without sacrificing either. I cared for and liked both Rory and Ian. They had just enough quirks and flaws to make them feel real and relatable. As far as the plot, there was plenty of excitement and danger to glue me to the pages to see what would happen next! Can’t wait for the next one: Gone Too Deep!
A copy was kindly provided by Sourcebooks Casablanca via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
This review is also posted at The Readers Den.
Rory has been crushing on Ian for some time, but her social ineptness has made her miss clues that Ian’s been lusting after her, as well. Being raised by survival extremist parents (who are now dead) only prepared her for such things as the zombie apocalypse or a nuclear disaster. End of the world scenarios? Rory is your girl. Romance and relationships? Not so much. She is very cute, though, with her naiveté, and I really liked that she was kind of a badass. Owning the local gun shop puts her in the path of some violent and nutty people, one group being the Motorcycle Club that Ian was born into. An altercation with some of the MC members makes Rory a prime target and in serious danger. These men are bad news! Lucky for her, she has Ian at her back.
Ian nicknamed “Beauty” by his fellow firemen crew because he’s so good-looking doesn’t let his looks go to his head. There’s been one girl that he’s had in his sights, Rory Sorensen, and it seems like he’s finally going to get the girl. I wish we would’ve got more of his POV throughout the story instead of just at the very beginning, because I adored Ian! He’s patient and understanding with Rory’s social awkwardness, and would do anything for her. I loved that he was super protective over Rory and still had respect for her own ability to take care of herself.
My only complaint with this story and that was the constant mention of Rory blushing, flushing or turning red at any interaction with Ian. I knew she was inexperienced and I know it was put in to underscore that, but it was a little overboard. Other than that I loved this story! Katie Ruggle does a fabulous job balancing the plot and character development without sacrificing either. I cared for and liked both Rory and Ian. They had just enough quirks and flaws to make them feel real and relatable. As far as the plot, there was plenty of excitement and danger to glue me to the pages to see what would happen next! Can’t wait for the next one: Gone Too Deep!
A copy was kindly provided by Sourcebooks Casablanca via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
This review is also posted at The Readers Den.
November 6, 2025
Once the chemistry ignites, there is no holding it back for Rory and Ian.
Rory was the bomb! It is that simple. She was raised by extreme survivalists, saying they were preppers would be an understatement. And she even owns a gun shop. She might be socially awkward but the girl definitely knows her way around a gun…legal and the ones not so legal. Which leads her into some of the trouble that comes to find her.
Ian is a badass. Again, it’s that simple. By day, he is takes on fires, as of course a firefighter, and by choice he is a member of the local motorcycle club. Honor, duty and a thing for the shy Rory is the way Ian rolls.
Nudging her gently out of her comfort zone, Ian begins to break down the walls that have taken Rory a lifetime to build until death threats and arson shifts him into uber alpha over drive.
Fan the Flames is a wonderfully suspense filled romance that somehow manages to pull off an incredibly sweet and tender romance between a badass biker and a gun slinging introvert.
I received this ARC copy of Fan the Flames from Sourcebooks Casablanca in exchange for a honest review. This book is set for publication June 7, 2016.
Rory was the bomb! It is that simple. She was raised by extreme survivalists, saying they were preppers would be an understatement. And she even owns a gun shop. She might be socially awkward but the girl definitely knows her way around a gun…legal and the ones not so legal. Which leads her into some of the trouble that comes to find her.
Ian is a badass. Again, it’s that simple. By day, he is takes on fires, as of course a firefighter, and by choice he is a member of the local motorcycle club. Honor, duty and a thing for the shy Rory is the way Ian rolls.
Nudging her gently out of her comfort zone, Ian begins to break down the walls that have taken Rory a lifetime to build until death threats and arson shifts him into uber alpha over drive.
Fan the Flames is a wonderfully suspense filled romance that somehow manages to pull off an incredibly sweet and tender romance between a badass biker and a gun slinging introvert.
I received this ARC copy of Fan the Flames from Sourcebooks Casablanca in exchange for a honest review. This book is set for publication June 7, 2016.
August 29, 2016
Thank you to NetGalley, Sourcebooks Casablanca and Ms. Ruggle for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
It has actually taken me quite a while to write this review as I was really torn on what to say. I have asked myself was it the book or was it me. Did I build my expectations up too high? I like Ms. Ruggle's concept of the series arc, the setting of these stories and for the most part the characters. I really liked book 1, but for me, book 2 did not live up to the level of Book 1 and I was disappointed.
Although I am going to list a lot of things that didn't work for me and the "whys" of how this book didn't live up to my expectations, I do want to state that I enjoy Ms. Ruggles's writing style - it's a voice that I enjoy reading.
I really didn't feel like the continuing suspense plots made much progress. The fires from S&R .5 are just briefly touched on as an on-going investigation (lip service only - no investigation elements) and then there is the red herring of charging Ian for the murder of the HDG (headless dead guy). For me this felt flat. Charging Ian didn't feel like progress as from a reader perspective we "KNOW” IAN didn’t do it. The suspense of Ian being charged never felt real and was never ramped up so that we sweated for Ian. In fact I was really disappointed in how this element of the story went. Basically it felt like the magic show where a couple of rabbits are pulled out of a hat and the unimpressed audience makes dutiful clapping noise. We have Lou pulling an impressive attorney to represent Ian and "the proof" is just too convenient. There wasn't any suspense.
To make this even worse, we don't even get to see any courtroom drama at Ian's arraignment. They drive to some basically unidentified building, located somewhere and Ian and the attorney disappear into it. We pull a hot shot lawyer into the story and don't even get any courtroom drama!! No great dialogue, no nothing. In fact since the proof had already materialized this is all a non-event.
But what do we get? We get Lou (from book 1) and our current heroine, Rory chit chatting in the pick-up getting to know each other since they didn’t know each other well. However, everything being discussed is already known by the reader. This is where you can gloss over details. This is just filler. We, the reader, don't need this redundancy - it was boring. Instead Ms. Ruggle glossed over Ian’s courtroom drama which was where something new and interesting could be done. I was so extremely disappointed on this part of the plot, I almost gave up on the story.
So...the plot of Book 2 revolved around Rory's gun shop and the MC gang that wants to use her as their source. This plot is good, but it's better if you like guns. For me, that's a no. I don't have any fascination for guns or going to the shooting range and the story didn't raise either my level of awareness or my fascination.
The MC part of this story doesn't feel gritty or dangerous. I needed more to really emphasize that this is a really bad MC gang that would bring more tension and suspense to the plot. The mystery in the plot does not get enough attention. It’s like a back drop that is so shallow that you’re begging for more info. There are a few added tidbits of maybe a gang war between the MC and “someone” else represented by two brothers that’s all just hints for future stories. This part of the story works better for those who want romance only with the hero swooping in on a nonexistent motorcycle…oh wait it showed up in the first and last scenes.
Which brings me to Ian. Ian is hot looking and the book cover is scorching hot (kudos!). However, in the book Ian did not come off as if he was from a biker club…no residual biker elements for a guy who was raised in an MC. Even though we have characters from an MC, there really isn’t an MC element. Of course it’s a little hard to have the full bike effect in the middle of winter in Colorado. In fact, for me Ian was too sweet…more like the boy next door. I liked that he was really into Rory, but I wanted him to have darker edges and a more dangerous overtone.
I never warmed to Rory. Her character is unique and points to MS. Ruggle for that. She is brought up with limited social interactions and raised by survivalists. I wanted her to be all kinds of badass and she’s just sweet, naïve and clueless about social interactions. In some ways their romance was like that of two innocent 16 year olds. She's all about how handsome Ian is and there was a little too much about his brown eyes…I got it…again and again I got it. He's so good looking and she's not pretty enough for him, etc, etc.
For me there seemed to be a lack of depth and setting description in this book, the characters felt bland when they could have been so much more and although there are a couple of underlying suspense elements, they never get ramped up to where you feel the suspense. If you are going to have an arc that crosses over multiple books, there needs to be real development towards this plot line in each of the books within the series. Or what's the point other than to drag it out? I just don't feel that this happened in this book.
Ms. Ruggle is a "newer" writer and shows a lot of promise and potential. Her writing style is really nice and she has some new and creative ideas to bring to the romantic suspense genre. So even though this book disappointed me, I did really like Book 1 and I plan to continue reading this series and to continue supporting her writing.
It has actually taken me quite a while to write this review as I was really torn on what to say. I have asked myself was it the book or was it me. Did I build my expectations up too high? I like Ms. Ruggle's concept of the series arc, the setting of these stories and for the most part the characters. I really liked book 1, but for me, book 2 did not live up to the level of Book 1 and I was disappointed.
Although I am going to list a lot of things that didn't work for me and the "whys" of how this book didn't live up to my expectations, I do want to state that I enjoy Ms. Ruggles's writing style - it's a voice that I enjoy reading.
I really didn't feel like the continuing suspense plots made much progress. The fires from S&R .5 are just briefly touched on as an on-going investigation (lip service only - no investigation elements) and then there is the red herring of charging Ian for the murder of the HDG (headless dead guy). For me this felt flat. Charging Ian didn't feel like progress as from a reader perspective we "KNOW” IAN didn’t do it. The suspense of Ian being charged never felt real and was never ramped up so that we sweated for Ian. In fact I was really disappointed in how this element of the story went. Basically it felt like the magic show where a couple of rabbits are pulled out of a hat and the unimpressed audience makes dutiful clapping noise. We have Lou pulling an impressive attorney to represent Ian and "the proof" is just too convenient. There wasn't any suspense.
To make this even worse, we don't even get to see any courtroom drama at Ian's arraignment. They drive to some basically unidentified building, located somewhere and Ian and the attorney disappear into it. We pull a hot shot lawyer into the story and don't even get any courtroom drama!! No great dialogue, no nothing. In fact since the proof had already materialized this is all a non-event.
But what do we get? We get Lou (from book 1) and our current heroine, Rory chit chatting in the pick-up getting to know each other since they didn’t know each other well. However, everything being discussed is already known by the reader. This is where you can gloss over details. This is just filler. We, the reader, don't need this redundancy - it was boring. Instead Ms. Ruggle glossed over Ian’s courtroom drama which was where something new and interesting could be done. I was so extremely disappointed on this part of the plot, I almost gave up on the story.
So...the plot of Book 2 revolved around Rory's gun shop and the MC gang that wants to use her as their source. This plot is good, but it's better if you like guns. For me, that's a no. I don't have any fascination for guns or going to the shooting range and the story didn't raise either my level of awareness or my fascination.
The MC part of this story doesn't feel gritty or dangerous. I needed more to really emphasize that this is a really bad MC gang that would bring more tension and suspense to the plot. The mystery in the plot does not get enough attention. It’s like a back drop that is so shallow that you’re begging for more info. There are a few added tidbits of maybe a gang war between the MC and “someone” else represented by two brothers that’s all just hints for future stories. This part of the story works better for those who want romance only with the hero swooping in on a nonexistent motorcycle…oh wait it showed up in the first and last scenes.
Which brings me to Ian. Ian is hot looking and the book cover is scorching hot (kudos!). However, in the book Ian did not come off as if he was from a biker club…no residual biker elements for a guy who was raised in an MC. Even though we have characters from an MC, there really isn’t an MC element. Of course it’s a little hard to have the full bike effect in the middle of winter in Colorado. In fact, for me Ian was too sweet…more like the boy next door. I liked that he was really into Rory, but I wanted him to have darker edges and a more dangerous overtone.
I never warmed to Rory. Her character is unique and points to MS. Ruggle for that. She is brought up with limited social interactions and raised by survivalists. I wanted her to be all kinds of badass and she’s just sweet, naïve and clueless about social interactions. In some ways their romance was like that of two innocent 16 year olds. She's all about how handsome Ian is and there was a little too much about his brown eyes…I got it…again and again I got it. He's so good looking and she's not pretty enough for him, etc, etc.
For me there seemed to be a lack of depth and setting description in this book, the characters felt bland when they could have been so much more and although there are a couple of underlying suspense elements, they never get ramped up to where you feel the suspense. If you are going to have an arc that crosses over multiple books, there needs to be real development towards this plot line in each of the books within the series. Or what's the point other than to drag it out? I just don't feel that this happened in this book.
Ms. Ruggle is a "newer" writer and shows a lot of promise and potential. Her writing style is really nice and she has some new and creative ideas to bring to the romantic suspense genre. So even though this book disappointed me, I did really like Book 1 and I plan to continue reading this series and to continue supporting her writing.
May 24, 2016
With a slow and steady burn, one unlikely couple overcomes the odds against them to find the searing inferno of love. Fan the Flames by Katie Ruggle is filled with suspense, danger and romantic tension that runs between sweet and sassy as this tale develops.
Okay, truth, I loved Rory, it is so hard to believe that one young woman could have lived life so sheltered as the only child of two over-the-top survivalists, know a weapon forwards and back, and be the go-to girl for firearms! Her social ineptitude was at once endearing, heart-rending and yet her spine of steel in the world she lived in was the perfect contrast! As a person, Rory is one tough cookie, as a woman, life out of the seclusion of her upbringing makes her seem almost otherworldly, she is so innocent and clueless.
Ian, who has had feelings for Rory forever, is both a badass motorcycle club member and a firefighter, wears his heart on his sleeve. His honor is impeccable and what he is willing to do for Rory is a once in a lifetime thing. Through death threats, fires and the stubborn, hard-headed gumption of the woman he loves, he is there to be the wind beneath her fledgling wings as she tries to become part of a community she has stood aside from. When the MC takes their threats to the next level, their new love could be brought to an abrupt end.
Katie Ruggle holds her readers in suspense, takes us through the inferno of a deadly fire and lets us peek in on one of the sweetest romances ever!
I received an ARC edition of Fan the Flames from Sourcebooks Casablanca in exchange for my honest review.
Series: Search and Rescue - Book 2
Publication Date: June 7, 2016
Publisher: Sourcebooks Casablanca
ISBN-10: 1492628204
ISBN-13: 978-1492628200
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Print Length: 450 pages
Available from: Amazon | Barnes & Noble
For Reviews & More: http://tometender.blogspot.com
Okay, truth, I loved Rory, it is so hard to believe that one young woman could have lived life so sheltered as the only child of two over-the-top survivalists, know a weapon forwards and back, and be the go-to girl for firearms! Her social ineptitude was at once endearing, heart-rending and yet her spine of steel in the world she lived in was the perfect contrast! As a person, Rory is one tough cookie, as a woman, life out of the seclusion of her upbringing makes her seem almost otherworldly, she is so innocent and clueless.
Ian, who has had feelings for Rory forever, is both a badass motorcycle club member and a firefighter, wears his heart on his sleeve. His honor is impeccable and what he is willing to do for Rory is a once in a lifetime thing. Through death threats, fires and the stubborn, hard-headed gumption of the woman he loves, he is there to be the wind beneath her fledgling wings as she tries to become part of a community she has stood aside from. When the MC takes their threats to the next level, their new love could be brought to an abrupt end.
Katie Ruggle holds her readers in suspense, takes us through the inferno of a deadly fire and lets us peek in on one of the sweetest romances ever!
I received an ARC edition of Fan the Flames from Sourcebooks Casablanca in exchange for my honest review.
Series: Search and Rescue - Book 2
Publication Date: June 7, 2016
Publisher: Sourcebooks Casablanca
ISBN-10: 1492628204
ISBN-13: 978-1492628200
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Print Length: 450 pages
Available from: Amazon | Barnes & Noble
For Reviews & More: http://tometender.blogspot.com
February 27, 2017
Before reading:
Oh good lordy...that cover! Yowza!
After reading:
Sadly, this was a very boring/blah read for me.
Oh good lordy...that cover! Yowza!
After reading:
Sadly, this was a very boring/blah read for me.
June 25, 2016
Very enjoyable! Ruggle creates great characters that are unique and believable! I am enjoying this series a great deal! Full review on The Book Disciple
July 3, 2018
This was another amazing read! Rory & Ian are tied with Daisy and Chris (from In Safe Hands) for favorite couple in this series!
The romance was more front line than the previous book and I think that's why I enjoyed it so much more. Ian and Rory were the sweetest couple and they got plenty of page time together. I loved that they had this long friendship first that grew into love and watching the other firefighters accept Rory into their family was heartwarming. The villain in this piece was pretty low key but the HDG murder is still ongoing with a few more details being uncovered.
I love Ian's slow burn almost innocent flirting with Rory - it was charming and a bit swoon worthy (if I’m honest) how he would complement her so sweetly one minute and then tease her in the next. He had me blushing and feeling all aflutter, just like Rory. I thought after reading so many romances with heavy erotic scenes and some straight up smut, I would be immune to the more innocent seductions but Ian seduced me with his simple but packed with meaning handholding – of all things! There was something so powerful in that simple touch that kept the tension right on the edge. Loved how he gave her all the control regarding their "timeline" and how their relationship progressed throughout the story.
It was funny how some things would go completely over Rory's head when it came to Ian and his teasing and flirty banter. I thought her innocence was endearing. She was a very independent and capable person but also really sheltered and inexperienced when it came to socializing with others. It was very easy to fall for Ian but Rory was a woman I couldn’t help but root for.
The bad parenting trend continues with Rory's extreme survivalist parents committing suicide and trying to poison Rory when they failed to convince her it was better to go out then stick around. It explains a lot about Rory’s unusual habits and her wariness around others. She was one of the strongest female characters I’ve read in a while. She lives through a lot of hardships but she is also brave enough to venture outside her bunker and take a chance of Ian. Bottom line, I loved Ian and I loved Rory and I’m so happy I’ve finally getting a chance to read this series in its entirety.
Memorable Moments:
1.) The diner scene where a flustered Rory puts her foot in it and claims she isn’t dating Ian but rather just “satisfying their biological urges.” This had me laughing out loud :) She of course meant their biological need to eat but ends up embarrassed when she realizes what it actually sounds like.
2.) When Rory and Ian have their first fight/argument and she freaks out thinking they were breaking up. It about melted me how she wears her heart on her sleeve and that Callum of all people is the one to help her resolve these unfamiliar feelings.
3.) The whole timeline thing and how Ian and Rory both came together in their own time. No rushing or pressure. Another sweet moment between them.
4.) And last but not least – Caliente Callum! Lol, Lou and Callum make a few appearances but I loved that they are still that adorkable couple that we met in book one. Lou is still her crazy mile a minute conspiracy driven self and Callum is still that silent but totally capable man beast who loves his lady, crazy bits and all. It was good to see them again.
Would I recommend?
Yes! This series has been amazing so far. I'm dying to read George and Ellie's story next but I need some un-interrupted reading time! There's something about a quirky heroine and the badass lovable hero who accepts them as they are, intricacies and all, that gets me every time. One of my all-time favorite tropes.
SAFETY INFO:
The romance was more front line than the previous book and I think that's why I enjoyed it so much more. Ian and Rory were the sweetest couple and they got plenty of page time together. I loved that they had this long friendship first that grew into love and watching the other firefighters accept Rory into their family was heartwarming. The villain in this piece was pretty low key but the HDG murder is still ongoing with a few more details being uncovered.
I love Ian's slow burn almost innocent flirting with Rory - it was charming and a bit swoon worthy (if I’m honest) how he would complement her so sweetly one minute and then tease her in the next. He had me blushing and feeling all aflutter, just like Rory. I thought after reading so many romances with heavy erotic scenes and some straight up smut, I would be immune to the more innocent seductions but Ian seduced me with his simple but packed with meaning handholding – of all things! There was something so powerful in that simple touch that kept the tension right on the edge. Loved how he gave her all the control regarding their "timeline" and how their relationship progressed throughout the story.
It was funny how some things would go completely over Rory's head when it came to Ian and his teasing and flirty banter. I thought her innocence was endearing. She was a very independent and capable person but also really sheltered and inexperienced when it came to socializing with others. It was very easy to fall for Ian but Rory was a woman I couldn’t help but root for.
The bad parenting trend continues with Rory's extreme survivalist parents committing suicide and trying to poison Rory when they failed to convince her it was better to go out then stick around. It explains a lot about Rory’s unusual habits and her wariness around others. She was one of the strongest female characters I’ve read in a while. She lives through a lot of hardships but she is also brave enough to venture outside her bunker and take a chance of Ian. Bottom line, I loved Ian and I loved Rory and I’m so happy I’ve finally getting a chance to read this series in its entirety.
Memorable Moments:
1.) The diner scene where a flustered Rory puts her foot in it and claims she isn’t dating Ian but rather just “satisfying their biological urges.” This had me laughing out loud :) She of course meant their biological need to eat but ends up embarrassed when she realizes what it actually sounds like.
2.) When Rory and Ian have their first fight/argument and she freaks out thinking they were breaking up. It about melted me how she wears her heart on her sleeve and that Callum of all people is the one to help her resolve these unfamiliar feelings.
3.) The whole timeline thing and how Ian and Rory both came together in their own time. No rushing or pressure. Another sweet moment between them.
4.) And last but not least – Caliente Callum! Lol, Lou and Callum make a few appearances but I loved that they are still that adorkable couple that we met in book one. Lou is still her crazy mile a minute conspiracy driven self and Callum is still that silent but totally capable man beast who loves his lady, crazy bits and all. It was good to see them again.
Would I recommend?
Yes! This series has been amazing so far. I'm dying to read George and Ellie's story next but I need some un-interrupted reading time! There's something about a quirky heroine and the badass lovable hero who accepts them as they are, intricacies and all, that gets me every time. One of my all-time favorite tropes.
SAFETY INFO:
dnf
February 20, 2022I'm sure this book would have been just as good as the others in this series if I had given it a chance. I'm just really not into the MC thing in romance, so I didn't. Maybe one day.
February 26, 2016
ARC received for review
I haven't read the first book, but wasn't lost. There a lots of hints and details to know what happened, but make you want to go read it (I mean a headless dead guy at the bottom of a river..how, why).
Ian/Beauty was a smokin', hot fire fighter and MC member, and had been in like/lust/love with Rory since they were 12 years old. Rory grew up with doomsday prep-ing parents who had her doing zombie drills. Ian was great with Rory who never had friends, never went to school, had a birthday party and most especially never had a boyfriend. The rest of the fire fighters are great and make for a great pool to pull from for the rest of the series. I hope Steve is next.
No five stars when you leave holes and that ending...
I haven't read the first book, but wasn't lost. There a lots of hints and details to know what happened, but make you want to go read it (I mean a headless dead guy at the bottom of a river..how, why).
Ian/Beauty was a smokin', hot fire fighter and MC member, and had been in like/lust/love with Rory since they were 12 years old. Rory grew up with doomsday prep-ing parents who had her doing zombie drills. Ian was great with Rory who never had friends, never went to school, had a birthday party and most especially never had a boyfriend. The rest of the fire fighters are great and make for a great pool to pull from for the rest of the series. I hope Steve is next.
No five stars when you leave holes and that ending...
March 11, 2018
1.5 stars, ughughghg
tl;dr Major disappointment. This author can write, but the plot, characters, development, pacing, logic, was just all bad. Skip this and read George's book. That one is infinitely better.
Not tl;dr:
Going into this one, I wasn't as hyped. The story didn't sound too appealing to me, but since this is a series, I wanted to know more about this mystery, and I'm a fan of the author's style, I decided to give it a shot.
Right off the bat, the most annoying thing was visualizing placement. The whole opening scene with Rory and the potential threat outside her store was so confusing. I didn't know where her store was in relation to anything, where the greenhouse, bunker, or anything was in relation to each other. It felt all over the place, which was frustrating to be fighting through this book when I had to fight through picking it up in the first place x'D
Just a side thought that came up while reading this, but I find that romances that start with an already established interest in the leads to be more difficult to get into, especially if an author relies a lot on telling and not showing. There's history that we as the readers haven't seen, so if the authors want to go that route, they really gotta push the show and prove to us the interest with the leads. While the last book had the advantage of a super-semi-barely introduction for the two leads in the prequel novella, this one didn't. (I don't even remember Rory as a character in the last book.) So it's a bit difficult to find believability, and thus for me to care, about the relationship in this book. Feels too much like insta-lust, though not nearly as bad as the usual for that trope, despite their years of friendship. That might be why I liked the relationship in the third book best so far, since we actually got to see the build up from the start. (As I accidentally read the third book first in this series.)
The couple in this one is a little more bothersome, mainly Ian, our male lead. We know as the readers what Rory, our heroine, is thinking, but he doesn't. He, quite often, makes moves on her, invades her space, and the specific scene that bothered me: opened a closet to her in her underwear and despite her constant yelling at him to get out, he kept staring at her. "I'm going, I just need to take a mental picture first. I know what I'm dreaming about tonight." Like, gross! /We/ know she's into him, but /he/ doesn't! Almost every scene they're in together something like this comes up. She wants him gone or to stop something, he doesn't.
In the other books I've read in this series, the first novella and first and third book, the relationships weren't like that. They communicated and were mutual. If someone wanted space, they got space. The men had a better read on their counterparts and were more respectful.
Maybe this issue is stemming from us not seeing any of their relationship prior to where the book starts, and how the author only keeps /telling/ us and not /showing/ any of their companionship, but good god, was that closet scene just...blech. What a dick. Did I mention he slapped her ass earlier? Completely randomly? While they were still friends? Without any prior or post indication of that being just a thing that was okay? Yeah. He laughs a lot at her too, knowing she has major anxiety issues. Just not cool. (Post finishing book: He does get better, but really only because she is fine with having him around and getting more accustomed to his mannerisms. I do appreciate him going slow with her in their physical interactions though, knowing she's new to everything. Also bonus points for no mythical virgin blood post first sex, thank the lord.)
Thus far, the book has just been so slow. The writing in general is good, as always, but the content leaves much to be desired. I'm not sure what's going on with this one, why it's so different, when the other two books were so great! But this story is so boring, and nothing is happening. There's a lot of filler that doesn't seem to really drive the plot or character development. I'm halfway through, and the set up just feels slower than the other two books in this series. (Post finishing book: Yeah, still nothing has happened. Sooo...)
As a nit-pick, the author had apparently lost track of the placement of the dog. He had been left at Ian's place then magically teleported to them and then back again. Probably something that got lost in revisions, but was a bit confusing to read at the time.
It's also getting a bit old to read from Rory's perspective. Almost in every scene, something about her past comes up, and she's too embarrassed to talk about it, but then does it anyway with little push from Ian. She keeps questioning trusting him, since she trusts no one, but then continues to trust him? It's not as if he's broken her trust yet, but it's just awkward to read. They've known each other since they were children and been friends for the last several years. Surely some of these topics or issues have come up before (a lot of them are little nothings, and she gives little to no resistance in revealing them). It's like they'd never had a conversation until this book started, despite us being told they've been friends for the past 3-5 years. That's not a short amount of time. /Some/ conversations must have happened. And she still keeps being super embarrassed about everything, not wanting to tell him anything, but then telling him everything. It gets repetitive and she just looks stupid.
I can definitely see why the DNFs are high with this book. I keep having to put it down. For her other books, I tore through them like candy, but wow, this one is just...not good.
Everything Ian does, Rory blushes about it. He looks at her, she blushes. He talks to her, she blushes. Other people talk to her about Ian, she blushes. Ian smiles at her, she blushes. Ian kisses her, she blushes. Blush blush blush blush blush omg lady you need to stop. It gets obnoxious to read after a while. All she does is blush and be embarrassed. We don't need the play-by-play, break down something else about her thoughts and physical reactions. The same descriptions get old fast.
This book also seems to have the same issue as the first one, where it needs another sentence or two between minor and major scene transitions. I don't get nearly as lost in this one as I did in the first, but it's still there in a few spots.
Also, for future reference for the author: using a condom that's been in a wallet for god knows how long is about just as good as not using a condom at all. Those things are really fragile and tear easily.
Also also, god forbid characters cry. Nope. No crying. Not allowed. Crying means weakness. Blah blah blah. I fucking hate this trope -_-
A good way to summarize the pacing in this book: Honestly I just skipped those two pages. That's not suspense, that's poor writing. Watch Hitchcock movies to learn how to drive suspense, because this isn't it. If you have a fast paced scene, you have to chop details. Details slow things down which kills suspense and action. There is a time and place for details in a suspense scene, that wasn't it. And even if it was, that's not how you do it xD
The ending was all just meh. This whole book was meh. More than that, a real disappointment. This author can write, and she can do it well, but this book, she was so off her game here.
After a while, I kept wondering why Rory sold firearms illegally. I get that that was the set-up to a lot of the plot, but like, there was no reason for it? I thought maybe, as I reached the end, /something/ would come up to justify it, for her to explain why she chose that as a side job--it's a huge deal, not an easy thing to do, you've gotta be really committed to it, but nothing. That's just what she does. And for how much she hates crimes and those who hurt people, like, why the hell do you sell guns to gangs then? Her flimsy excuse was ignorance, she didn't know what they were doing therefore it was fine. Like?? Fucking what? XD Not only is that insanely stupid, it doesn't match up with her character. She's a fighter, but a goody-two-shoes, she'd never sell firearms illegally to criminals. But that aspect is never addressed. It feels like a weak way to get this plot going without any solid explanation behind it. It's not even as if the plot of this book couldn't have happened. They were ALREADY going to break in to her store anyway. She could've been doing everything by the books and it all could've played out exactly the same way. I get that the idea is supposed to be "oooh they both have a criminal side" but since that psychological aspect of their characters was never brought up between them either (not even as internal monologue), that also didn't matter?
Just ugh.
If any of ya'll reading this wanna know, the book with George goes back to being really good. Just skip this one, not much overarching plot happened anyway, and go to the next one.
tl;dr Major disappointment. This author can write, but the plot, characters, development, pacing, logic, was just all bad. Skip this and read George's book. That one is infinitely better.
Not tl;dr:
Going into this one, I wasn't as hyped. The story didn't sound too appealing to me, but since this is a series, I wanted to know more about this mystery, and I'm a fan of the author's style, I decided to give it a shot.
Right off the bat, the most annoying thing was visualizing placement. The whole opening scene with Rory and the potential threat outside her store was so confusing. I didn't know where her store was in relation to anything, where the greenhouse, bunker, or anything was in relation to each other. It felt all over the place, which was frustrating to be fighting through this book when I had to fight through picking it up in the first place x'D
Just a side thought that came up while reading this, but I find that romances that start with an already established interest in the leads to be more difficult to get into, especially if an author relies a lot on telling and not showing. There's history that we as the readers haven't seen, so if the authors want to go that route, they really gotta push the show and prove to us the interest with the leads. While the last book had the advantage of a super-semi-barely introduction for the two leads in the prequel novella, this one didn't. (I don't even remember Rory as a character in the last book.) So it's a bit difficult to find believability, and thus for me to care, about the relationship in this book. Feels too much like insta-lust, though not nearly as bad as the usual for that trope, despite their years of friendship. That might be why I liked the relationship in the third book best so far, since we actually got to see the build up from the start. (As I accidentally read the third book first in this series.)
The couple in this one is a little more bothersome, mainly Ian, our male lead. We know as the readers what Rory, our heroine, is thinking, but he doesn't. He, quite often, makes moves on her, invades her space, and the specific scene that bothered me: opened a closet to her in her underwear and despite her constant yelling at him to get out, he kept staring at her. "I'm going, I just need to take a mental picture first. I know what I'm dreaming about tonight." Like, gross! /We/ know she's into him, but /he/ doesn't! Almost every scene they're in together something like this comes up. She wants him gone or to stop something, he doesn't.
In the other books I've read in this series, the first novella and first and third book, the relationships weren't like that. They communicated and were mutual. If someone wanted space, they got space. The men had a better read on their counterparts and were more respectful.
Maybe this issue is stemming from us not seeing any of their relationship prior to where the book starts, and how the author only keeps /telling/ us and not /showing/ any of their companionship, but good god, was that closet scene just...blech. What a dick. Did I mention he slapped her ass earlier? Completely randomly? While they were still friends? Without any prior or post indication of that being just a thing that was okay? Yeah. He laughs a lot at her too, knowing she has major anxiety issues. Just not cool. (Post finishing book: He does get better, but really only because she is fine with having him around and getting more accustomed to his mannerisms. I do appreciate him going slow with her in their physical interactions though, knowing she's new to everything. Also bonus points for no mythical virgin blood post first sex, thank the lord.)
Thus far, the book has just been so slow. The writing in general is good, as always, but the content leaves much to be desired. I'm not sure what's going on with this one, why it's so different, when the other two books were so great! But this story is so boring, and nothing is happening. There's a lot of filler that doesn't seem to really drive the plot or character development. I'm halfway through, and the set up just feels slower than the other two books in this series. (Post finishing book: Yeah, still nothing has happened. Sooo...)
As a nit-pick, the author had apparently lost track of the placement of the dog. He had been left at Ian's place then magically teleported to them and then back again. Probably something that got lost in revisions, but was a bit confusing to read at the time.
It's also getting a bit old to read from Rory's perspective. Almost in every scene, something about her past comes up, and she's too embarrassed to talk about it, but then does it anyway with little push from Ian. She keeps questioning trusting him, since she trusts no one, but then continues to trust him? It's not as if he's broken her trust yet, but it's just awkward to read. They've known each other since they were children and been friends for the last several years. Surely some of these topics or issues have come up before (a lot of them are little nothings, and she gives little to no resistance in revealing them). It's like they'd never had a conversation until this book started, despite us being told they've been friends for the past 3-5 years. That's not a short amount of time. /Some/ conversations must have happened. And she still keeps being super embarrassed about everything, not wanting to tell him anything, but then telling him everything. It gets repetitive and she just looks stupid.
I can definitely see why the DNFs are high with this book. I keep having to put it down. For her other books, I tore through them like candy, but wow, this one is just...not good.
"You couldn't help having a nightmare. After everything, it'd be strange if you were dreaming about ponies and ice cream."
Pulling away from him enough that she could see his face, she raised her eyebrows. "Ponies and ice cream? Is that what your happy dreams are about?"
He grinned, his eyes lighting with that wicked spark. "Nah. My best dreams are more along the lines of--"
"Okay!" she interrupted, having a feeling his words would result in some serious blushing if she allowed him to finish.
Everything Ian does, Rory blushes about it. He looks at her, she blushes. He talks to her, she blushes. Other people talk to her about Ian, she blushes. Ian smiles at her, she blushes. Ian kisses her, she blushes. Blush blush blush blush blush omg lady you need to stop. It gets obnoxious to read after a while. All she does is blush and be embarrassed. We don't need the play-by-play, break down something else about her thoughts and physical reactions. The same descriptions get old fast.
This book also seems to have the same issue as the first one, where it needs another sentence or two between minor and major scene transitions. I don't get nearly as lost in this one as I did in the first, but it's still there in a few spots.
Also, for future reference for the author: using a condom that's been in a wallet for god knows how long is about just as good as not using a condom at all. Those things are really fragile and tear easily.
Also also, god forbid characters cry. Nope. No crying. Not allowed. Crying means weakness. Blah blah blah. I fucking hate this trope -_-
A good way to summarize the pacing in this book: Honestly I just skipped those two pages. That's not suspense, that's poor writing. Watch Hitchcock movies to learn how to drive suspense, because this isn't it. If you have a fast paced scene, you have to chop details. Details slow things down which kills suspense and action. There is a time and place for details in a suspense scene, that wasn't it. And even if it was, that's not how you do it xD
The ending was all just meh. This whole book was meh. More than that, a real disappointment. This author can write, and she can do it well, but this book, she was so off her game here.
After a while, I kept wondering why Rory sold firearms illegally. I get that that was the set-up to a lot of the plot, but like, there was no reason for it? I thought maybe, as I reached the end, /something/ would come up to justify it, for her to explain why she chose that as a side job--it's a huge deal, not an easy thing to do, you've gotta be really committed to it, but nothing. That's just what she does. And for how much she hates crimes and those who hurt people, like, why the hell do you sell guns to gangs then? Her flimsy excuse was ignorance, she didn't know what they were doing therefore it was fine. Like?? Fucking what? XD Not only is that insanely stupid, it doesn't match up with her character. She's a fighter, but a goody-two-shoes, she'd never sell firearms illegally to criminals. But that aspect is never addressed. It feels like a weak way to get this plot going without any solid explanation behind it. It's not even as if the plot of this book couldn't have happened. They were ALREADY going to break in to her store anyway. She could've been doing everything by the books and it all could've played out exactly the same way. I get that the idea is supposed to be "oooh they both have a criminal side" but since that psychological aspect of their characters was never brought up between them either (not even as internal monologue), that also didn't matter?
Just ugh.
If any of ya'll reading this wanna know, the book with George goes back to being really good. Just skip this one, not much overarching plot happened anyway, and go to the next one.
May 9, 2016
Ok this book is not exactly what I expected. Just look at that cover. An alpha male specimen if ever I saw one and them holy hotness to top it off he is a fireman who also just happens to be a member of a Motorcycle club! So you can imagine I'm expected lots of growling and dirty deeds. Well actually not in the way you'd think because Ian has depths I hadn't expected and a patience that needs rewarding and then of course there's the fact that this beautiful man is brave and kind, which kind of makes him the stuff that dreams are made of.
Rory has been alone since her parents died three years previously and now runs their gun store. Her delusional parents kept her isolated due to paranoia but Rory is a survivor . She might appear quiet and aloof but for far too many years her heart has been taken by the boy who once gave her a pink cupcake and guess what ? The fully grown Ian seems determined to be her friend! Ok Rory can pretend to keep a clear head but when the local MC start getting a little too close for comfort Ian is not going anywhere .
I won't lie this is a new author to me and I had no idea that this book is part of a series in which apparently a headless corpse was discovered during the first book Hold Your Breath. That plays a huge part in this story as the consequences are very far reaching. There's no resolution to the murder here but I spotted a small clue and yes that means it's kind of a cliff hanger which I know many readers hate.
There's a wealth of characters to smile at and even some who clearly need a good talking to! The guys Ian works with are simply adorable and I'd personally like to see Ians friend Steve get a happy ever after . Rory is quirky and such fun to read about. Whether it's her zombie apocalypse drills or even her lack of social skills she just doesn't see that so many in the town truly have her back. If you enjoy reading about small towns this mountain retreat will be a delight but I'd advise taking snow shoes! Yes I had fun reading this and guess it's a romantic suspense but the romance is sweet and slow. Hot guy and cute girl and all wrapped up in a murder mystery with more than one turbulent problem to deal with . As I mentioned the mystery continues and the ending here opens a whole new can of worms!
I was gifted a copy via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review
Rory has been alone since her parents died three years previously and now runs their gun store. Her delusional parents kept her isolated due to paranoia but Rory is a survivor . She might appear quiet and aloof but for far too many years her heart has been taken by the boy who once gave her a pink cupcake and guess what ? The fully grown Ian seems determined to be her friend! Ok Rory can pretend to keep a clear head but when the local MC start getting a little too close for comfort Ian is not going anywhere .
I won't lie this is a new author to me and I had no idea that this book is part of a series in which apparently a headless corpse was discovered during the first book Hold Your Breath. That plays a huge part in this story as the consequences are very far reaching. There's no resolution to the murder here but I spotted a small clue and yes that means it's kind of a cliff hanger which I know many readers hate.
There's a wealth of characters to smile at and even some who clearly need a good talking to! The guys Ian works with are simply adorable and I'd personally like to see Ians friend Steve get a happy ever after . Rory is quirky and such fun to read about. Whether it's her zombie apocalypse drills or even her lack of social skills she just doesn't see that so many in the town truly have her back. If you enjoy reading about small towns this mountain retreat will be a delight but I'd advise taking snow shoes! Yes I had fun reading this and guess it's a romantic suspense but the romance is sweet and slow. Hot guy and cute girl and all wrapped up in a murder mystery with more than one turbulent problem to deal with . As I mentioned the mystery continues and the ending here opens a whole new can of worms!
I was gifted a copy via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review
October 12, 2016
Argh! I hate it when this happens…When I love the first book in the series and then the second ruins all the good feels. All the feels.
I can’t even say I disliked the heroine. I didn’t. I didn’t like her, I didn’t dislike her, I felt nothing. And that’s the worse feeling of all. While Lou and her story were interesting, lively, funny, sexy, a little chaotic and funky, and gave the reader a glimpse (albeit not a full one, since the story was told from the heroine’s third-person POV) into the hero’s psyche and what made him tick, Rory’s story was all about Rory. About her gun shop (since I don’t understand or share the American fascination with everything gun related, my eyes glazed over every time the shop or the merchandise was mentioned), her windows-related paranoia, her bunker, her overall paranoia, her unconventional childhood, her social ineptitude...Blah blah blah. I suppose the reader is supposed to feel sympathy for the girl, but I simply didn’t care. It wasn’t endearing, it was simply annoying.
And since it was all about Rory and her (not-in-a-good-way) craziness, everything else suffered. The hero (he simply existed, catering to her Rory-ness), the story (slow, dull, and hole-y—Why did they target Rory’s shop, when she simply sold them everything they wanted? Why did no one look into the late-listed evidence/evidence tampering?), the overall murder arc was barely touched upon, the annoying characters (the deputy who I’m certain is crooked, the unfriendly fellow firefighter who I’m sure was the one to nick the pendant) became even more annoying thanks to the general un-appeal of the story...I won’t even mention the romance, because...What romance? The hero and heroine getting together and finally knocking boots was merely another plot device with no feeling, no depth, nothing.
I was seriously considering DNF-ing this one, but my stubborn streak kicked in and I wanted to see if the story got better. I wanted it to get better. Alas, I didn’t get my wish.
I can’t even say I disliked the heroine. I didn’t. I didn’t like her, I didn’t dislike her, I felt nothing. And that’s the worse feeling of all. While Lou and her story were interesting, lively, funny, sexy, a little chaotic and funky, and gave the reader a glimpse (albeit not a full one, since the story was told from the heroine’s third-person POV) into the hero’s psyche and what made him tick, Rory’s story was all about Rory. About her gun shop (since I don’t understand or share the American fascination with everything gun related, my eyes glazed over every time the shop or the merchandise was mentioned), her windows-related paranoia, her bunker, her overall paranoia, her unconventional childhood, her social ineptitude...Blah blah blah. I suppose the reader is supposed to feel sympathy for the girl, but I simply didn’t care. It wasn’t endearing, it was simply annoying.
And since it was all about Rory and her (not-in-a-good-way) craziness, everything else suffered. The hero (he simply existed, catering to her Rory-ness), the story (slow, dull, and hole-y—Why did they target Rory’s shop, when she simply sold them everything they wanted? Why did no one look into the late-listed evidence/evidence tampering?), the overall murder arc was barely touched upon, the annoying characters (the deputy who I’m certain is crooked, the unfriendly fellow firefighter who I’m sure was the one to nick the pendant) became even more annoying thanks to the general un-appeal of the story...I won’t even mention the romance, because...What romance? The hero and heroine getting together and finally knocking boots was merely another plot device with no feeling, no depth, nothing.
I was seriously considering DNF-ing this one, but my stubborn streak kicked in and I wanted to see if the story got better. I wanted it to get better. Alas, I didn’t get my wish.
April 14, 2016
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Copy received via netgalley in exchange or an honest review
★Book Basics★
Genre : - Cont. Romance
Series : - 2 in the series. (there is an ongoing suspense story arc from book 1)
Love triangle? -
Cheating? -
HEA? -
Would I read more by this author/or in this series? - Yes
Rating - 5
★Review★
Another great book in this series. Was so happy I got an ARC.
The heroine here was a little bit different. She owned a gun shop, had been home schooled, not really allowed friends, her paranoid parents had "trained" her for any sort of end of the world situation. She was a bit of a hermit and very socially awkward unless she was talking about guns.
And the hero Ian, I had been intrigued by him since the first book. And I loved him here. He was a fire-fighter in an MC and found both these sides of him caused conflict. He felt torn between the two. But what did not cause him conflict, was how much he adored Rory. It soon became obvious just how much he liked her, and had wanted her and waited for her for years.
Again, the story line regarding the body in the lake from book one continues here, with a storyline specific to this book with regards to troubles with the MC.
I am loving this series and it just gets better and better. Interesting, engaging, very different characters in each book so far.
It is building up to be a great romantic suspense series.
Copy received via netgalley in exchange or an honest review
★Book Basics★
Genre : - Cont. Romance
Series : - 2 in the series. (there is an ongoing suspense story arc from book 1)
Love triangle? -
Cheating? -
HEA? -
Would I read more by this author/or in this series? - Yes
Rating - 5
★Review★
Another great book in this series. Was so happy I got an ARC.
The heroine here was a little bit different. She owned a gun shop, had been home schooled, not really allowed friends, her paranoid parents had "trained" her for any sort of end of the world situation. She was a bit of a hermit and very socially awkward unless she was talking about guns.
And the hero Ian, I had been intrigued by him since the first book. And I loved him here. He was a fire-fighter in an MC and found both these sides of him caused conflict. He felt torn between the two. But what did not cause him conflict, was how much he adored Rory. It soon became obvious just how much he liked her, and had wanted her and waited for her for years.
Again, the story line regarding the body in the lake from book one continues here, with a storyline specific to this book with regards to troubles with the MC.
I am loving this series and it just gets better and better. Interesting, engaging, very different characters in each book so far.
It is building up to be a great romantic suspense series.
April 19, 2022
Note: This is book 2 of the series. While each book covers one couple and a mystery/suspense element, there’s also a mystery that threads through all four books. So you’ll need to read/listen to them all, in order, and be prepared for some unanswered questions at the end of this one.
Rory & Ian’s story is one of my favorites of the series. While there’s a prologue from Ian’s perspective, the rest is all Rory. It’s fun to listen to her realize that Ian’s interested in her as more than just a friend, having been raised by sheltering and paranoid parents she’s not accustomed to opening up to others.
The suspense elements are enjoyable in this one as well. The murder mystery extending from book 1, a motorcycle gang causing trouble, a break-in at Rory’s, and more. It does compel the relationship to progress at breakneck speed, but it worked for me.
I’m looking forward to George’s book next!
Narration:
I enjoyed Rachel Delude’s narration. Even though this is almost entirely from Rory’s perspective, there are a LOT of characters in the series and Delude does a good job of giving them all unique & distinct voices. Ian & Rory’s banter and especially Rory’s befuddlement are especially great.
Rory & Ian’s story is one of my favorites of the series. While there’s a prologue from Ian’s perspective, the rest is all Rory. It’s fun to listen to her realize that Ian’s interested in her as more than just a friend, having been raised by sheltering and paranoid parents she’s not accustomed to opening up to others.
The suspense elements are enjoyable in this one as well. The murder mystery extending from book 1, a motorcycle gang causing trouble, a break-in at Rory’s, and more. It does compel the relationship to progress at breakneck speed, but it worked for me.
I’m looking forward to George’s book next!
Narration:
I enjoyed Rachel Delude’s narration. Even though this is almost entirely from Rory’s perspective, there are a LOT of characters in the series and Delude does a good job of giving them all unique & distinct voices. Ian & Rory’s banter and especially Rory’s befuddlement are especially great.
June 25, 2016
Edit: I had originally thought this series was a debut effort by this author. I have since been informed that she also writes as Katie Allen...
3.5 Stars. This has been a pretty nice series so far. I can't believe this is only Ruggles third book; she's writing like a seasoned pro. The base of the series is the Search and Rescue teams located in the Rocky mountains of Colorado, in and around the town of Simpson.
This time around we have Ian, who is part of the local biker gang, but also a fireman. Rory runs a gun shop, and is not above selling a bit of inventory from the back of the store. After Rory and Ian get together, a couple of Ian's biker gang break into Rory's gun store, there is a gun battle where two of the bikers are killed by Rory and Ian. After this the biker gang begin to put several revenge plots into action.
There is a lot of interesting SAR action going on, and the investigation into the murder of the 'headless dead guy' found in the reservoir the first book continues.
This is some pretty good stuff. Not perfect, but I'm enjoying it. I'm liking this well-written, quite interesting series.
3.5 Stars. This has been a pretty nice series so far. I can't believe this is only Ruggles third book; she's writing like a seasoned pro. The base of the series is the Search and Rescue teams located in the Rocky mountains of Colorado, in and around the town of Simpson.
This time around we have Ian, who is part of the local biker gang, but also a fireman. Rory runs a gun shop, and is not above selling a bit of inventory from the back of the store. After Rory and Ian get together, a couple of Ian's biker gang break into Rory's gun store, there is a gun battle where two of the bikers are killed by Rory and Ian. After this the biker gang begin to put several revenge plots into action.
There is a lot of interesting SAR action going on, and the investigation into the murder of the 'headless dead guy' found in the reservoir the first book continues.
This is some pretty good stuff. Not perfect, but I'm enjoying it. I'm liking this well-written, quite interesting series.
August 1, 2018
4.5 ⭐️
January 16, 2019
Guns and motorcycle gangs. Two subjects for which I have absolutely no interest. None. I don't care about them. In the case of motorcycle gangs ... I don't get them at all. They make no sense to me. That matters in this story. This is a story where guns and motorcycle gangs play a huge role, so unfortunately I was not really all that engaged in the book for a good portion of it. I had a hard time relating to or caring about the two main characters of this story, Rory and Ian. I felt like I should have been more intrigued by them. Their histories should be fascinating ... Rory the daughter of isolationist survivalists who see danger and conspiracy all around them and Ian the product of the less-than-legally-minded motorcycle gang "family" juxtaposed with his job as a law-abiding firefighter. There were all sorts of opportunities to really dig into these complex histories and personalities, but instead I felt like Katie Ruggle relaxed and relied on stereotypes. The motorcycle gang members were all just so bad that they weren't all that interesting. Rory really didn't spend too much time digging into her past, and for as whacked out as her parents seemed to be, she seemed to jump right into society with barely a bleep. I am convinced that this is a book that will appeal to lots of people, but I didn't enjoy it nearly as much as I did the first book in the series. I didn't care for the main characters, even though there wasn't anything terribly wrong with them, so I didn't feel a huge drive to keep reading the story. I feel like there were some missed opportunities to make this a stronger story. I liked it well enough ... especially toward the latter third of the book. I am glad everyone got their HEA ending. But I don't think I'm going to continue on in this series at this time ... even though there is a little cliff hanger at the end of the book involving HDG, the murder victim from book one. We'll see how it goes. I might pick it up later someday. Three stars.
February 22, 2017
You can read my review here - https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
December 11, 2023
Sadly I didn’t enjoy this one as much as book 1 or 3.
I didn’t feel Ian and Rory’s connection as much as I wanted to. Ian was nice but I felt like I didn’t know that much about him. I wish we got more in depth backstory on him and his POV would’ve been great to have!
Rory’s parents are basically doomsday preppers and she’s never had friends or much social interaction. I thought that would make her more endearing, but we don’t see her initial “entering” society. I wanted to know how she started running her shop, how she became friends with Ian, etc. and we don’t get to see that.
So because we’re thrown in to them being friends already and Ian early on says he wants to be with her, there really wasn’t enough tension or payoff for me when they get together.
I do like that it’s realistic and she wants to go slow and feels uncomfortable with these situations so new to her. Ian was great in that respect and was happy just being with her.
The plot and danger was ok - I didn’t love the MC stuff and it never really had any great mystery.
I did like seeing Callum and Lou and sneak peeks of my main man George! ❤️
So overall, this one wasn’t my favorite but I still like the series as a whole.
I didn’t feel Ian and Rory’s connection as much as I wanted to. Ian was nice but I felt like I didn’t know that much about him. I wish we got more in depth backstory on him and his POV would’ve been great to have!
Rory’s parents are basically doomsday preppers and she’s never had friends or much social interaction. I thought that would make her more endearing, but we don’t see her initial “entering” society. I wanted to know how she started running her shop, how she became friends with Ian, etc. and we don’t get to see that.
So because we’re thrown in to them being friends already and Ian early on says he wants to be with her, there really wasn’t enough tension or payoff for me when they get together.
I do like that it’s realistic and she wants to go slow and feels uncomfortable with these situations so new to her. Ian was great in that respect and was happy just being with her.
The plot and danger was ok - I didn’t love the MC stuff and it never really had any great mystery.
I did like seeing Callum and Lou and sneak peeks of my main man George! ❤️
So overall, this one wasn’t my favorite but I still like the series as a whole.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
May 25, 2016
Talk about walking the line down the middle! Ian 'Beauty' Walsh is fire fighter for his day job and an MC brother in the shadows. And an absolutely scorching hot day dream of nearly every woman in town. The title says it, folks. This book fans the flames of actual fires, fires of passion, fires of revenge, and fires of friendship.
The first book's introduction to the series arc, setting, backdrop, and the main body of characters shouldn't be skipped even though a new couple has the lime light in this one.
Rory Sorenson runs the local gun shop dealing legally out the front and some illegal merchandise out the back. As a gun dealer, naturally the law glances her way occasionally, but at the same time she has to tip toe cautiously around the local criminal element. Rory is no pushover, though. Growing up with two paranoid, off the grid conspiracy theorists who taught her that the world is a dangerous place and how to live through anything, Rory can and has taken care of herself. While other kids went to school, had birthdays, shopped at malls, and ate Mac N Cheese out the box, she was being drilled and armed for the zombie-apocalypse. As an adult, she now flounders in social situations that don't involve talking guns or off-grid survival.
Ian Walsh knows he walks a fine line with his divided loyalties, but he has always been able to make it work. He's a dependable, tough, and hard-working firefighter and loves what he does, but there is another side. He grew up in and around the club becoming a brother just like his step-dad who has now lost all interest in life when Ian's mom died. Since he was a young teen, he has had an interest in Rory. He sees past her quirky, innocent and yet sad big eyes full of knowledge and wants this unspoiled and quiet beauty with a quiet inner strength.
Now, that Rory is in the cross hairs of his MC club and someone is prowling around her property at night, he takes the initiative to move one step from long-time friend to something more by being her big unwanted protector. Caution is required because Rory is skittish. Ian works to bring her out of her shell, not just accepting of him, but of joining in with the community where she can make friends and be a part of something. He knows she has what it takes to be a volunteer firefighter so coaxes her into training and bonus, he can watch over her. Rory can shoot better than any man including him, but Ian knows that Billy and the other members are gunning for her after she takes down one of their own.
Meanwhile, the whole town is on edge with Lou's stalker having been taken cared of, the ongoing murder investigation of Headless Dead Guy with Ian marked as the prime suspect, and also the continued suspicious fires being set. Meth lab. An MC club boiling over. And Ian and Rory right in the middle of it all.
Like the book before it, this one was a fantastic glimpse into the world of a small mountain town from the facet of it's search & rescue teams. In this book, the firefighters got the spotlight though the police and ice rescue are there in the background. I loved that the author didn't chintz on exciting fire rescue scenes that blended with the building relationship plot or daily life friends or home scenes.
It was also interesting to make Rory have such a unique background that left her socially innocent, but yet a very capable vibrant woman. Rory has to make a conscious choice to step out of her bunker-life and into the big wide world. I liked how she didn't alter in her basic ways. It was more like she figured out how to gather the best of both her worlds to her and this included Ian and the people of Search & Rescue. Ian, too, came from a different background with a similar choice. Only, he had to figure out if he could continue embracing both worlds or if he had to let one go.
Ian and Rory's romance was extremely slow-burn. Rory has never been kissed, casually touched, been out to eat let alone a date, had a girlfriend to share secrets and boy talk, or anything that would prepare her for a relationship with a man. Ian is this big, capable, intimidating looking man both in size and looks, but he is all in when it comes to gently and patiently, but firmly coaxing out Rory. And his intense focus leaves her feeling like prey who is safe in the wolf's hands. When she needed to step back and access, he let her. He thought she was adorable and never once was ashamed because she struggled so much to be 'normal'. But the passion even on simmer until near the end was palpable.
Callum and Lou who were the first book's pair are strong secondary characters and I loved getting the extra time with them along with a few other familiar faces (Phil, Phil, that man cracks me up). And the band of firefighters Ian works with? Too fun! Those guys are a bust up especially when they flirt with Rory to yank Ian's chain a bit.
The MC angle was mostly left as the catalyst that drove the action of the plot, but also forced Ian to make a choice as the downward progression happened as the President and certain other members of the MC lash out and things get unstable forcing loyal brothers to question where things are going.
As to the ongoing murder, there wasn't much advancement though it places a strong role in the story as the law has tapped Ian since his pendant was found in evidence near the body. But, Katie Ruggle! That last teaser at the end. Now I really need the next installment.
All in all, the follow-up books was a bang-up success as I just knew it would be after encountering Ian in book one. Those who love action-filed slow burn contemporary romance or light romantic suspense need to jump on these books.
My thanks to Sourcebooks Casablanca for the book in exchange for an honest review.
The first book's introduction to the series arc, setting, backdrop, and the main body of characters shouldn't be skipped even though a new couple has the lime light in this one.
Rory Sorenson runs the local gun shop dealing legally out the front and some illegal merchandise out the back. As a gun dealer, naturally the law glances her way occasionally, but at the same time she has to tip toe cautiously around the local criminal element. Rory is no pushover, though. Growing up with two paranoid, off the grid conspiracy theorists who taught her that the world is a dangerous place and how to live through anything, Rory can and has taken care of herself. While other kids went to school, had birthdays, shopped at malls, and ate Mac N Cheese out the box, she was being drilled and armed for the zombie-apocalypse. As an adult, she now flounders in social situations that don't involve talking guns or off-grid survival.
Ian Walsh knows he walks a fine line with his divided loyalties, but he has always been able to make it work. He's a dependable, tough, and hard-working firefighter and loves what he does, but there is another side. He grew up in and around the club becoming a brother just like his step-dad who has now lost all interest in life when Ian's mom died. Since he was a young teen, he has had an interest in Rory. He sees past her quirky, innocent and yet sad big eyes full of knowledge and wants this unspoiled and quiet beauty with a quiet inner strength.
Now, that Rory is in the cross hairs of his MC club and someone is prowling around her property at night, he takes the initiative to move one step from long-time friend to something more by being her big unwanted protector. Caution is required because Rory is skittish. Ian works to bring her out of her shell, not just accepting of him, but of joining in with the community where she can make friends and be a part of something. He knows she has what it takes to be a volunteer firefighter so coaxes her into training and bonus, he can watch over her. Rory can shoot better than any man including him, but Ian knows that Billy and the other members are gunning for her after she takes down one of their own.
Meanwhile, the whole town is on edge with Lou's stalker having been taken cared of, the ongoing murder investigation of Headless Dead Guy with Ian marked as the prime suspect, and also the continued suspicious fires being set. Meth lab. An MC club boiling over. And Ian and Rory right in the middle of it all.
Like the book before it, this one was a fantastic glimpse into the world of a small mountain town from the facet of it's search & rescue teams. In this book, the firefighters got the spotlight though the police and ice rescue are there in the background. I loved that the author didn't chintz on exciting fire rescue scenes that blended with the building relationship plot or daily life friends or home scenes.
It was also interesting to make Rory have such a unique background that left her socially innocent, but yet a very capable vibrant woman. Rory has to make a conscious choice to step out of her bunker-life and into the big wide world. I liked how she didn't alter in her basic ways. It was more like she figured out how to gather the best of both her worlds to her and this included Ian and the people of Search & Rescue. Ian, too, came from a different background with a similar choice. Only, he had to figure out if he could continue embracing both worlds or if he had to let one go.
Ian and Rory's romance was extremely slow-burn. Rory has never been kissed, casually touched, been out to eat let alone a date, had a girlfriend to share secrets and boy talk, or anything that would prepare her for a relationship with a man. Ian is this big, capable, intimidating looking man both in size and looks, but he is all in when it comes to gently and patiently, but firmly coaxing out Rory. And his intense focus leaves her feeling like prey who is safe in the wolf's hands. When she needed to step back and access, he let her. He thought she was adorable and never once was ashamed because she struggled so much to be 'normal'. But the passion even on simmer until near the end was palpable.
Callum and Lou who were the first book's pair are strong secondary characters and I loved getting the extra time with them along with a few other familiar faces (Phil, Phil, that man cracks me up). And the band of firefighters Ian works with? Too fun! Those guys are a bust up especially when they flirt with Rory to yank Ian's chain a bit.
The MC angle was mostly left as the catalyst that drove the action of the plot, but also forced Ian to make a choice as the downward progression happened as the President and certain other members of the MC lash out and things get unstable forcing loyal brothers to question where things are going.
As to the ongoing murder, there wasn't much advancement though it places a strong role in the story as the law has tapped Ian since his pendant was found in evidence near the body. But, Katie Ruggle! That last teaser at the end. Now I really need the next installment.
All in all, the follow-up books was a bang-up success as I just knew it would be after encountering Ian in book one. Those who love action-filed slow burn contemporary romance or light romantic suspense need to jump on these books.
My thanks to Sourcebooks Casablanca for the book in exchange for an honest review.
August 10, 2016
4.5 Stars. Good stuff! This is excellent romantic suspense. Loved Ian and Rory and all of the side characters. We also get to see Callum and Lou from book 1. I'm impressed with the more unique backgrounds of main characters in this series. It really adds to the story and relationship intrigue.
On to the next!
On to the next!
March 13, 2020
Dnf'ed at 31%.
Even the occasional cameos from Lou and Callum couldn't save this snoozefest. I was bored out of my mind, wondering when and if the story would ever pick up.
Even the occasional cameos from Lou and Callum couldn't save this snoozefest. I was bored out of my mind, wondering when and if the story would ever pick up.
April 11, 2017
4-4.5 stars
This was a really good story. I liked Ian in previous stories so I was happy to see his book come up. It was enjoyable while being interesting and engaging.
Rory is an unusual woman. She was born to parents that were disillusioned with the world and became preppers, getting ready for the time when society goes to hell. Rory lost her parents 3 years ago and she took over the family's gun shop. Unfortunately, after being home schooled and conditioned since childhood to keep to herself, Rory doesn't socialize much.
Ian is a fireman and also a member of a motorcycle club that isn't necessarily on the right side of the law. Ian got a lot out of the club when he was younger and has always felt he owed them. However, he also has the need to help people and his brothers in the club saw his job choice as being a slap in the face. Things have been tense for a while and Ian's been trying to straddle the line between his two lives.
Ian and Rory met for the first time when they were 12 years old. Rory's parents tried to be self-sufficient and didn't buy much in the store but Rory got to go along on a rare trip and met Ian. Ian bought Rory a cupcake and started her love for rarely attained sugary treats. They saw each other over the years but never got too close. When Ian comes around and hears that Rory has been having someone lurking around the gun store at night and setting off the alarm, Ian becomes very protective.
Rory is apprehensive because she's had a crush on Ian since he bought her the cupcake but never thought he's want her in return. Ian had basically the same thoughts about her so when he realizes that Rory is actually attracted to him, he makes it his mission to win her. Rory holds back of course and denies the blooming relationship with Ian when everyone in town is talking about it but no one truly believes her protestations. There is trouble to deal with, part of it was already coming but part of it got exacerbated by issues that take place in this story. Allegiances are tested and some fall apart while others stand strong. Ian and Rory get through a lot danger and a good amount of drama, coming out of it doing well and heading towards and HEA together.
This was a really enjoyable story. I liked Rory as the heroine. She grew up being trained to be ready to handle anything...except human interaction. I really liked seeing her get her bearings, making friends as well as getting together with Ian. Ian was a great hero and I liked how he did what was needed to protect those he cares about. Overall, this was a really good story that kept me engaged through to the end so I'd recommend it. :D
* note - I listened to the audio version of this story and the narrator did a pretty good job.
This was a really good story. I liked Ian in previous stories so I was happy to see his book come up. It was enjoyable while being interesting and engaging.
Rory is an unusual woman. She was born to parents that were disillusioned with the world and became preppers, getting ready for the time when society goes to hell. Rory lost her parents 3 years ago and she took over the family's gun shop. Unfortunately, after being home schooled and conditioned since childhood to keep to herself, Rory doesn't socialize much.
Ian is a fireman and also a member of a motorcycle club that isn't necessarily on the right side of the law. Ian got a lot out of the club when he was younger and has always felt he owed them. However, he also has the need to help people and his brothers in the club saw his job choice as being a slap in the face. Things have been tense for a while and Ian's been trying to straddle the line between his two lives.
Ian and Rory met for the first time when they were 12 years old. Rory's parents tried to be self-sufficient and didn't buy much in the store but Rory got to go along on a rare trip and met Ian. Ian bought Rory a cupcake and started her love for rarely attained sugary treats. They saw each other over the years but never got too close. When Ian comes around and hears that Rory has been having someone lurking around the gun store at night and setting off the alarm, Ian becomes very protective.
Rory is apprehensive because she's had a crush on Ian since he bought her the cupcake but never thought he's want her in return. Ian had basically the same thoughts about her so when he realizes that Rory is actually attracted to him, he makes it his mission to win her. Rory holds back of course and denies the blooming relationship with Ian when everyone in town is talking about it but no one truly believes her protestations. There is trouble to deal with, part of it was already coming but part of it got exacerbated by issues that take place in this story. Allegiances are tested and some fall apart while others stand strong. Ian and Rory get through a lot danger and a good amount of drama, coming out of it doing well and heading towards and HEA together.
This was a really enjoyable story. I liked Rory as the heroine. She grew up being trained to be ready to handle anything...except human interaction. I really liked seeing her get her bearings, making friends as well as getting together with Ian. Ian was a great hero and I liked how he did what was needed to protect those he cares about. Overall, this was a really good story that kept me engaged through to the end so I'd recommend it. :D
* note - I listened to the audio version of this story and the narrator did a pretty good job.
July 2, 2017
Gotta say I liked this one more than I thought I would after reading the reviews. Ian was awesome and I thought Rory was perfect for him. She also totally had his back. She is a little too weird for me to like her as much as I loved Lou (from book 1) but for someone with her upbringing and what her parents almost did to her - she was remarkably well adjusted. Another great edition to the series.
September 4, 2019
Ruggle rocks!
Ian Walsh is a fireman and also a biker he has been interested in Rory. Being a fireman and a biker means he will do anything to those he cares for. Who he loves. With Rory he may have too.
Rory Sorenson was raised by nut case survivalist parents who have a bunker under the gun store she now owns and runs. Everyone goes to Rory for their guns, even those who are looking for things you can't buy at many stores. This will lead to unsavory characters wanting more than she will sell and risk her store and her life.
Ian will need to fight to keep her safe maybe even losing his family in the process.
I love Ruggle books, A strong female, an alpha male and great secondary characters blended into a flowing, plotted, believable story line.
Loved it.
Ian Walsh is a fireman and also a biker he has been interested in Rory. Being a fireman and a biker means he will do anything to those he cares for. Who he loves. With Rory he may have too.
Rory Sorenson was raised by nut case survivalist parents who have a bunker under the gun store she now owns and runs. Everyone goes to Rory for their guns, even those who are looking for things you can't buy at many stores. This will lead to unsavory characters wanting more than she will sell and risk her store and her life.
Ian will need to fight to keep her safe maybe even losing his family in the process.
I love Ruggle books, A strong female, an alpha male and great secondary characters blended into a flowing, plotted, believable story line.
Loved it.
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