ARC REVIEW In Safe Hands by Katie Ruggle

In Safe Hands is the conclusion to the story arc for the series. So far someone has tried blame Ian for the headless guys murder, someone has tried to kill Lou, and silence Ellie and her father. In the end of the last book, no I'm not going to say it although it was kind of an eye roll for me, it revealed the murder. Know with me being disappointed with the whodunnit I didn't know what to expect with this one. I was pleasantly surprised. Katie Ruggle kind of blended together Rear Window, Gaslight, and CopyCat with her own crazy good story. This book is definitely more of a thriller than a suspense. Daisy Little our heroine suffered a huge trauma and it left her agoraphobic. Afraid to leave the house she has trapped herself inside locking the world outside her house safely on the outside. Besides her father her only link to the outside world is Sheriff's Deputy Chris Jennings. Chris feels responsible for Daisy, not only because he love her but he was also the one who saved her all those years ago.

Much like Jimmy Stewart's character in Rear Window, Daisy watches her neighbors and one night sees something she can't explain. What looks like a man carrying a dead body out of the empty house next door and placing it in an official Sheriff's SUV. Daisy confides in Chris who starts looking into it but soon things start happening, things she can't prove things that are making her doubt her sanity. But Chris is there to reassure her that she is not, he even introduces her to Lou, Ellie, Rory and their significant others. Together they talk about the previous events and how they all connect and how Daisy's incidents are connected as well. They even figure out the common denominator in all of it which leads to a very exciting climactic conclusion.

Daisy and Chris are so cute the way they danced around each other. It's obvious they have feelings for each other but because what happened they both feel guilty for two different reasons and that is what's holding them back. But once the truth gets out there is no holding back for either of them. Overall, this exceeded my expectations. it was a great read and I hope this is not the end of the series.        

ARC REVIEW Gone to Deep by Katie Ruggle

Mmmmmm George. Ok Gone Too Deep is 3 in the Rocky Mountain Search & Rescue series by Katie Ruggle. I noticed something while reading this book. I really have a thing for the strong silent types. (probably because IRL my hubby won't shut up) I want a George of my own, I'm gonna hug you and kiss you and love you forever, sorry I sometimes channel Elmyra Duff.

The on going whodunnit finally reveals whodunndidit. I was disappointed with it, not so much the who but it was predictable. I just kind of rolled my eyes and thought eh go figure. I loved everything else about the book. I really love reading books where the main characters are freezing their asses off while I'm boiling in 100+ degree weather.

Ellie is the daughter of Baxter Price, the man who identified the victim in book one. He called Ellie to tell her he loved her and that they were after him and they were trying to kill him. Ellie knows her father suffers from paranoid delusions all part of his PTSD, and after that call she got really worried about him and tracked him down. She tracks him to the tiny town of Simpson, Colorado. Ellie strikes up an insta-friendship with Lou who helps her find out exactly where her father is. The only problem now is that Ellie now needs a guide to take her out there and while the over friendly and kind of creepy and unsettling Joseph Acconcio would be more than willing to take her, her best bet is the silent, broad, tall, gorgeous, and bearded George Holloway. George can't resist the over her head clueless Ellie he normally doesn't take people up the mountain but he's not going to let Joseph take her up. Everything goes relatively smoothly until they get robbed, yes robbed in the middle of the forest, George's camping gear is the only thing taken due to some quick thinking, then there is an avalanche and woo a bunch happens. They are are running for their lives because the thugs who robbed them are trying to kill George for...well reasons. George and Ellie fall for each other, of course, but with the differences between them they are both unsure how to handle everything when the journey is over.

Overall, move over Ian Walsh it's time for George! I loved how Ellie was able to draw out the shy George and get him from grunting to actually speaking in sentences. This was a really exciting book and the characters I just love all of them, well except for Joseph he's an ass. What I like about Katie Ruggle's writing she pulls you in, you really want to know what happens to these people next. She is also so knowledgeable about what she's writing about it makes it all the more realistic.      

ARC REVIEW Katie Ruggle's Rocky Mountain Search and Rescue series

Katie Ruggle's Rocky Mountain Search and Rescue series started the beginning of this year with the (still free!) prequel On His Watch followed by Hold Your Breath and Fan the Flames. With more to come this year. For the exception of the prequel there is a continuing mystery which keeps you reading the series. As a whole I love this series so far, the characters are all very relatable with their personal issues and attitude. The on going mystery starts with Callum and Lou in Hold Your Breath when Lou is going through a training exercise and accidentally finds a dead body weighted down in the frozen over lake. Lou a former lawyer decides that she's the only who can figure out what's going on. The mystery of the whodunit and the why are still a mystery that continue over into Fan the Flames where sexy sexy fireman/biker Ian is being framed for the murder of the dead guy. Even after the book is over the mystery continues, not that it leaves you with a cliffhanger this story arc is the only thing that carries through the books everything else ends, happily.

This is a great starter. It has a brief but funny intro to all the characters, an exciting plot, and some steamy chemistry. For Derek, Artemis has been and will be the only girl for him, but years ago he gave her up because he didn't want to drag her down with his criminal activities. Artemis moved on married someone else and then divorced that someone else and now has been longingly watching Derek from afar. But when the school organizes an educational field trip for the kids that involve the Search and Rescue team to explain what they do and how they do it brings Derek and Artemis together. Even more so after the demonstration turns into an actual search and rescue for two sisters. Derek and Artemis search together and get stuck in a snowstorm. Lots of mishaps happen and most importantly they talk. They talk about the past and what happened with her marriage and what led to the divorce, and why he did what he did; then they kiss and makeup.  

Overall this was a short, exciting, and fantastic read. I'll remind you again this one is still FREE!

The first book of the series is a great one. Lou and Callum have such a funny start. Louise Sparks is a firecracker! She brings a little bit of chaos into Callums clean and organized life. Lou doesn't see it right away because she's new and doesn't know Callum like everyone else but he acts differently around her and once it's pointed out to her she acts on her feelings. If it wasn't for her stalker things might have never happened. Lou's stalker is subtle at first but like most things quickly escalate and Callum is there to protect Lou. To top it all off Lou is trying to discover the identity of the dead guy she discovered. Lou is all for a fling with Callum but she just got out of a very controlling relationship and controlling parents she wants to embrace her freedom to do what she wants. And what she wants now is to find out who the dead guy is, who killed him, and why? Callum is stubborn and he isn't about to let Lou do all that on her own and risk her life doing it especially since she has a stalker on the loose. Callum just has to convince Lou that he doesn't want to control her just protect her.

Overall, I fell in love with this book. it is funny, exciting and Callum is sweet as hell.

Book two brings us Ian story. The bad boy biker Fireman, rwar. Ian is being framed for the murder of the dead guy Lou discovered in book one, but Lou knows for a fact that he is being framed because the so called "evidence" wasn't on the body when they first dragged it out of the lake. Ian is trying to figure it out on his own but the woman he has been in love with since he was a kid has become the focus of some stalker type problem. Rory was raised by paranoid doomsday preppers. She has been trained to be the same, never letting anybody close and always able to protect herself any given situation, even the zombie apocalypse. After her parents died and Rory was running the gun shop on her own Ian made himself a permanent fixture in her life slowly biding his time until she is comfortable enough around him to let him in. But her problems are linked to his MC and he is ready to turn against them and his step father to protect her. Rory never knew she had so many friends, being socially awkward she never knew how to communicate with people unless they were talking about guns but when Ian gets arrested she rallies the troops to help. Rory has alway been in love Ian and with a gentle push from Ian she finally lets him in.

Overall, this is a great story about a socially awkward woman and the wicked hot bad boy. The best part is that it's not over yet.