Survive the Night by Katie Ruggle is a great fit for readers who enjoy romantic suspense stories with a focus on law enforcement officers, particularly those who work with animals, as they protect vulnerable individuals from danger while finding love in the process.

A snowstorm, explosions, helicopters, a horse, a goat and a pack of dogs. This romantic suspense has it all!

A slow burn that brings Alice into a world of heartfelt friends who will stop at nothing to protect her. Secrets that could destroy more than those she loves threaten the safety of the town but Otto, a local officer can't find a reason to not be with her.

Every book in this series delivers action, suspense, romance, and characters that tug at your heart. What would you do to protect someone you love?

Survive the Night features Otto, a tall silent type, and another of Theo’s partners from books 1 & 2. He loves animals and is completely devoted to helping his family and friends. When Jules and her family take in another occupant, Otto, who’s never been in love, falls head-over-heals. He knows Sarah is the one for him and when duty calls, he’s right there to answer.

Sarah is the sister of a crime boss. When she has the chance to escape, Sarah become part of the large family in the rundown house in a small Colorado town. Knowing her brother will scour the ends of the earth to find her, she is constantly on guard. Sarah also discovers that there are people in this world who will fight with her and for her against those who come calling.

Survive the Night is the most anxiety-filled story in this series so far. I enjoyed the content, the pacing, characters, and world building. There is wonderful character development. The dynamics between the three cops in the series are wonderful. They truly are brothers in all ways that matter whether they are sporting the uniform or not. Jules and her family accepted Sarah immediately and she became one of the family.

There is continued character development in Survive the Night with both the new character and everyone we met in previous books. I was able to feel the emotions of the characters - Sarah becoming accustomed to her new home, anxiety surrounding being found by her brother or his associates, Otto’s feelings for Sarah, and the continued build-up of Jules’ situation. The world-building also allows for clear visualization of the story as I read along. I enjoyed another action and emotion-filled novel by Katie Ruggle.

This was a good romantic thriller. I enjoyed the twist with crime families and the romance. I liked Sarah, and that is saying something because typically romantic suspense heroines can be annoying. Overall a very enjoyable read.

I have followed the Rocky Mountain K9 series from the start and was eager to read Otto’s story.

This installment differed from the first two as the focus was on the action and suspense arc while less attention was given to character development.

Survive the Night tells the story of Alice/Sarah who is a victim of abuse at the hands of her brother. She was a prisoner in her own home and was not allowed any social interaction with her peers. She longed for the day when she could escape. That day was closer than she thought. Her opportunity for escape came from an unlikely source. Here was a chance for freedom and a life without fear. This opportunity opened new doors for her. She made new friends and for the first time in her life; she knew what it meant to be in love. However, the thing she thought she had escaped would threaten her newfound happiness. Will she stand and fight for her happiness or will give up and accept what she believes is her fate to save those she loves.

The first ten percent of the story was heart pounding. There was a slight break in the action and suspense as the author focused on the developing relationship between Otto and Sarah. The action picked up again and what a ride it took me on. I have to admit though there were parts I found exaggerated. The scenes rivalled those one would expect to see in a movie.

I enjoyed spending time with the characters. It was pleasure catching up with those from the previous books. Otto and Sarah were delightful together. Otto was such a sweetheart. A lover of animals, kindhearted, gentle but can be a beast when those he loved are threatened. He was just the person Sarah needed in her corner.

I admired Sarah immensely. Despite her fears, her determination conquered. A taste freedom was enough to get her putting on her armour, push part her fears and claim the life she so desired.

As stated earlier less attention was given to character development, which was disappointing. I hoped to learn more about Otto. The information provided was minimal at best and it left me wanting to learn more.

The ending gives readers a brief view of what to expect in the next installment. I cannot wait to see what next Ms. Ruggle offers in regards to this series.

Conclusion/Recommendation
Fans of romantic suspense featuring a sweet romance, a sexy heart throb and intense action will enjoy Survive the Night

I have my ups and downs with this author, but when she brings it, she brings it HARD! This book was pretty amazing! It was totally action packed and kept me on the edge of my seat for most of it!

I loved Otto! Granted, he's hard to get to know, but you can tell that he's just so sweet and gentle. I liked how he took to Sarah/Alice and how quickly she took to him. It was like watching a flower bloom when it came to Sarah and how she was away from her "prison".

All the couples from the previous books had a moment in the spotlight, which I enjoyed, since the book seemed to be a pretty pivotal one. I can't wait to see where the author takes the series next! I hope to see Mr. Espina get a book!

Survive the Night is a rollercoaster of a ride. I enjoyed Otto's story very much. I liked Alice, I liked her a lot, but Otto made this story for me. Such a kind, caring and gentle hero. Alice thought he as going to derail her plans and in the end Otto's kept her on track and the town and all the people of Monroe work together and enrich the story and save the day.. I haven't read any of the previous books in this series, but still loved all of the secondary characters. Thank you for sharing.

Things I liked about Survive the Night:

1.  Otto and Sarah/Alice have some hilariously awkward initial interactions. Both are adorkable!
2.  Fun animals throughout the story! Baby puppies, cats, dogs, a horse, and even a goat round out this fun menagerie!
3. Previous characters play important secondary characters in Otto and Sarah's story and I love getting to check back in with all of them.
4.  Lots of danger and action!
Now, listen, if you are one of those readers who like realistic fiction, you will struggle with the main events of the story that unfold in the last 70%. Its a bit overly dramatic (helicopters, bombs, mercenaries, etc). However, if, like me, you can overlook that over the top type of action for the pure enjoyment of the story, you will really love this! Otto and Sarah are sweet and so are all their crazy animals!

If you like beta heroes, Otto is perfect! Survive the Night is a delightful story of romance and danger that will have you flipping pages non stop!

If in “On The Chase” (Book 2 Rocky Mountain K9 Unit series), Katie Ruggle showed readers her wicked sense of humor, then on “Survive the Night,” she demonstrated that she can write romantic suspense that can give Jason Bourne a run for his money.

The book opens with our heroine Alice a.k.a Sarah Clifton trying to escape from her house in Dallas which was more of a prison than home. (You go girl! It’s an escape worthy of Jason Bourne. Dallas girls rock! And yes, I’m from Dallas).

Next time we see Sarah, she was in Monroe laying low. But, she did not escape K9 Officer Otto Gunnersen’s radar. The chemistry between them sizzles. To note, this is one of Ruggle’s strengths as a storyteller. She can transition the storyline seamlessly from adrenaline pumping action to swoon worthy scenes when the hero and heroine meet. Each scene segues to the next without losing continuity. This is the reason why “Survive the Night” stands out.

I will not write a synopsis because I might giveaway part of the plot. Every incident counts to the buildup. The description below gives enough info on how Sara and Otto’s story unfold.

“Survive the Night” is Rated M for Mature due to violence.

3 stars

Synopsis: Sarah is on the run from her brother, who wants to marry her off to another crime family in order to solidify their presence in the crime world. She is taken out of that world and given the name Sarah, then placed in a safe area where no one will think to look for her.
Otto is a K9 officer who is currently without a K9 partner. He makes a career out of rescuing animals that no one else wants. He doesn't think that there is someone out there for him until he meets Sarah. Then all Otto wants to do is keep her safe and protected.

What I liked: the description of the wilderness and the outdoors. When the elk bugling was described, it was spot on, and made me stop reading to bugle for about 5 minutes. I'm sure my neighbours really appreciated it. The isolation of a mountain town was also well depicted, as well as the citizens of a small town.
Otto was very sweet and gentle with Sarah. And Sarah was strong and resourceful, especially considering what her brother put her through.

What I didn't like: Otto and Sarah didn't really get a lot of time to know each other within the story, as they seemed to be always on the run. All of a sudden, Sarah's brother was there and after her. I thought that it was a dream, as this would generally be the denouement. But no, it was actually happening. And I never understood how her brother found her, as she wasn't placed within the justice system, so there really wasn't anyone to report her.

Overall impression: this was very much insta-love, and I didn't really connect with it.

*I received a copy through Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.*

I've been following this series since its inception, and I gave the first novel in this series 3-stars. I gave the second novel, which I liked better, a 4-star rating, and I can't imagine a more rip-roaring, un-put-down-able thrill ride of a read than this third novel in Katie Ruggle's innovative, charming, exciting, sweet, sexy, and heartwarming series, which is why I'm happy to give Survive the Night a 5-star rating.

Alice has been a virtual prisoner of her psychopathic, sociopathic, evil, menacing and violent older brother Aaron since the death of their parents. Aaron is also power-hungry and his latest plan is to marry Alice off to Logan Jovanovic, son of the head of a powerful and wealthy crime family. Luckily, through the intervention of the mysterious Mr. Espina, she manages to escape Aaron's clutches and soon finds herself miles and miles from her Texas home and in the small mountain town of Monroe, Colorado. If you've been following this series, you already know that Monroe is the place to which other heroines have escaped and found comfort and love. Within a week, Alice has moved into the rickety but loving and warm home shared by Jules and Grace, a number of children (Jules' younger siblings) and quite a varied array of pets. She's now known as Sarah, thanks again to Mr. Espina, savior of at-risk women.

Sarah is just settling in when she meets one of the members of Monroe's police force--big, strong, Otto, whom she describes as a Viking lumberjack, while his friends on the force refer to him as a Viking Paul Bunyan. Either way, he's shy, soft spoken, more comfortable around animals than people and quite taken with Sarah, and she with him. It's hard not to love this gentle giant with his kind heart and his menagerie of wounded, mistreated and misunderstood animals--a horse, chickens, a cat, dogs, and even a goat named Hortense. But as his attraction to Sarah continues to develop, he also knows how to protect her. It's knowledge he'll need, because Sarah's lunatic brother Aaron and his soon-to-be brother-in-law, Logan, are hot on her trail, and Sarah knows that what Aaron wants, Aaron gets, and he wants to get in with the powerful Jovanovic crime family, and he doesn't care who he has to hurt to do so. Also, if you've been following this series, the Jovanovic name will ring a few bells too--Sarah isn't the only resident of Monroe in danger.

It doesn't take long before Sarah is found, which is tense enough in itself, but just when you think the bad guys are done for, Aaron's in jail, Logan is being hunted by the FBI, and Sarah and her friends are safe, think again, because that's just the tip of the iceberg in Ms. Ruggle's capable hands. If you bite your nails, put on a pair of mittens, not just because much of the action takes place during a blizzard, but because by the time this incredibly exciting, danger-filled, and suspenseful novel concludes, your fingers will be little more than stumps.

I loved getting to revisit the wonderful characters from the previous novels in this series and I loved that there was more than one HEA at the end of this one, but be forewarned, the epilogue gives you just a taste of the trouble that lurking on the horizon in the next novel in the series, and quite frankly, I simply can't wait to read it.

I voluntarily read an advance reader copy of this novel. The opinions expressed are my own.

I have been waiting on this one. I really have enjoyed this author's world building. Some seems a tad bit far fetched but still enjoyable.

Once again Katie Ruggle has done it with make a series that I can't get enough of, love the characters, the story ,love every thing about it. Will be.picking up this series when I can.

An exciting addition to the Rocky Mountain K-9 Unit series! You'll see several familiar faces in this story if you've been reading this series by Katie Ruggle. The extended characters are a fun group of colleagues and friends who have formed their own little family of wayward souls who they will protect no matter what. When we first see Otto and Sarah together, we know there's going to be something there because he's treating her differently than he ever has anyone previously. It's a fun connection to watch develop. It was a little rushed because danger arrived quickly in their relationship, but it was an enjoyable read!

K-9 Officer Otto Gunnersen loves his little piece of heaven in small town Monroe, Colorado. He has a great group of friends, a job he loves, and he's as content as he's ever been in life ... and then he lays eyes on the new woman in town and realizes all that he's been missing! He'd do anything to make her his, and will lay down his life to keep her safe when danger comes knocking!

Sarah Clifton would be thrilled if the simple things in life that she's enjoying here in Monroe could become a reality for her, but her past is chasing at her heels faster than she can turn around. All that she wants is to get away from her crime family and the feuding life they constantly lead ... but is thinking a future could ever include a bit of happiness too much to ask?

Sarah lived an absolutely horrifying life before a slightly shady acquaintance helps her flee.  Said contact, who also helped both Jules & Grace (from the first two books), gets her hidden … unfortunately her brother has a big reach and she doesn’t stay hidden for long.  At that point the shenanigans begin.  And what action-packed shenanigans they are!  Luckily for Sarah she has Otto, along with Theo & Hugh, on her side.  And there’s not much that those guys can’t handle.   

Some of Otto’s development and back-story might have been rushed a little bit, what with all the bad guys trying to get them.  But we do get a little glimpse of what made him such a gentle giant, with a big heart and a huge protective streak.  And it takes him all of about half a second to decide he wanted to give all his love and protection to Sarah.  He’ll take on just about anything to keep her safe and in his arms.  And he might have to. 

I will admit that I was a little sad that the romance wasn’t as detailed as the action portion of this one.  It seemed to me that Ruggle balanced them a little bit better in the first two books … but man did she deliver an edge of your seat thrill ride with Otto & Sarah’s story.  I found myself glued to the pages and wanting to read just a little bit more, no matter how late it got.  That last third just about gave me an ulcer from all of the stress!  If you are looking for an exciting read, this one definitely cranks things up.   

(While technically this one can stand on its own it does tie in to the first two stories.  Both Jules and Grace’s pasts come back into play and is tied in, well & logically, with Sarah’s.)

*** I voluntarily read a Review Copy of this book. All opinions stated are solely my own and no one else’s. ***

4.5 stars
Otto Gunnersen has been craving the peace the small town of Monroe used to provide. Unfortunately when his eyes met Sarahs’ eyes, he knew his world was about to be rocked. Otto has a way to work with abused animals and he sees something in Sarah that makes him jump into protection mode. A strong yet scared woman who has his heart in knots will push every button he has, passionate to protective to ruthless. Sarah had no intentions of falling in love with Otto or bringing Monroe into the nastiness that is her family.

Sarah has dreamed of escaping the hellhole her life has become, always under someone else’s control. After years of abuse Sarah is unable to picture her life the way it’s planned out, she risks it all to have a small slice of freedom. Something about Otto makes her feel safe, like living and loving again. Sarah knows it will be a fight for her life to escape the holds her brother has on her, its down to fight or flight. Otto is her strong, loving, gentle giant who ignites a passion to live and is willing to lose it all to prove he’s worth her heart.

Otto and Sarah is the couple that fights with everything they have to make it. The plot is packed with twist and turns, betrayal, and explosions. Ms. Ruggle expertly weaves former friends and community members throughout the novel allowing us to feel as if we’ve never left. Readers will be drawn in from page one and will be kept hostage until the very last page. What keeps the readers on their toes from fear and hope will leave them happy and satisfied that Otto and Sarah will have their happily ever after. Survive the Night would be easily recommended to anyone who enjoys a great suspenseful romance novel with a small town setting.

4 Stars

Survive The Night is the third title of the Rocky Mountain K9 Unit, set in the small town of Monroe, Colorado and features Otto and Sarah.

Otto is a gentle giant, there's no other way to describe him. He champions for the vulnerable and neglected, be they human or animal and has a history of dealing with wounded and battered souls. With this hero, still waters definitely run deep. Otto is large, muscular, burly man who's tough exterior hides an incredibly shy, kind of awkward but very gentle, kind, patient, caring and compassionate man.

Sarah is a survivor, having escaped the clutches of her evil family, she's quite insecure and vulnerable. I really enjoyed watching her character grow in strength and evolve over the course of the story line and seeing her grasp her independence despite her fears. Sarah is much like Otto, they both share a painful past and she is just as sweet, kind, shy and socially awkward as her male counterpart.

I found this to be quite a fun, entertaining, enjoyable, sweet read that is packed full of drama, action and intrigue. I loved that the previous characters appeared so frequently within the story line. Towards the end a few clues are dropped regarding the focus of the next title, which I look forward to reading.

A woman needing a place to hide, a strong silent cop with a penchant for strays, and ruthless organized criminals who will do what it takes. Survive the Night shaped up to be something pretty spectacular.
Review

As the third book in the Rocky Mountain K9 unit, Survive the Night isn’t the best book to read standalone or out of order. It has new leads, but the series arc is quite strong through all these books.

Alice gets away from her evil criminal brother with the help of a mysterious benefactor who leaves her in the care of Jules in the small mountain town of Monroe, Colorado. She is terrified of her own shadow until she locks eyes with silent Viking giant, Otto Gunnersen. His tender care of his adopted menagerie and ease to be around pull her in and slowly make her feel safe. Otto is smitten from the first moment and can’t seem to find words when he’s near ‘Sarah’, but he knows Sarah has secrets and they might very well catch up with her.

This latest installment of the series starts off much like the last two with a woman hiding from big, bad trouble in Monroe and the three K-9 cops right there in the middle of it. Then things rush into overdrive and this turned into a wintry mountain town thriller where a small town becomes ground zero for high danger and death. I spent nearly half of it in shock at the unexpectedness of it all until near the end when a betrayal makes sense of it all.

In the middle, though, this one had slowed down to give the reader a good strong look at both Otto and Sarah (Alice). Their romance wasn’t torchy or dramatic, but it just was and fit well for this pair. Otto is the best hero of this group though I do love Theo and Hugh. He’s just too much with his gentle giant icy blond hair blue-eyed animal-loving generous self. He is befuddled around Sarah and it was just a whole new layer of cute as a result. They take their time and it works with the suspense side of the story.

I enjoyed this one thoroughly and the action was great. I loved seeing what happened when ignorant professional killers made the mistake of getting arrogant about taking this small town by storm. But, in the back of my mind, I kept wondering at the motive of those behind it. Was it all like Sarah thought? It just seemed so extreme and would draw all sorts of unwanted attention afterward. I didn’t see them getting away with it long-term and I felt organized crime lords would be smarter about that sort of thing. Maybe… oh never mind. Haha! It was good thriller action and we’ll leave it at that.

I wasn’t sure if this would be the last book, but its not. That ominous teaser of an epilogue set things up for what is to come. I can’t wait for the next release. Those who enjoy mostly mild romance and suspense in a quirky small mountain town setting and adorable animal characters should definitely get going on this series.

My thanks to Sourcebooks Casablanca for the opportunity to read this book in exchange for an honest review.

I really had trouble getting into the book initially and getting caught up in the emotions of the characters. The storyline was good, but it just didn’t stand out in my mind amongst other books in the genre. The blurb was great, but overall the book just fell flat for me.

Of all three K9 officers in the Monroe police department, Otto Gunnersen is the one I've been most intrigued by. I have been waiting for his book and I have to say that Katie Ruggle has delivered once again and I can't be happier with this book.

Sarah (or Alice in her previous life) is like the women in the previous book, hiding from someone. She wants the chance of a real life and after finally tasting some freedom she doesn't want to give it up. Otto for his part is struggling with making headway with his rescue animals and when he sees Sarah he has the need to rescue her just as he does his animals.

This book for me reads more like a contemporary romance than a romantic suspense since we know from the beginning who is trying to kill the characters. Even so, I loved the interaction between Otto and Sarah, the camaraderie that's always there for the three K9 officers and transformation of Sarah from helpless victim to strong woman fighting for those she loves.

I just realized with this book that Ruggle's Serch and Rescue series is connected to this one and I am beyond happy. I love that series too. The ending of this book gave me hope that the series doesn't end here. I can't wait to see if it's true and see what else Katie Ruggle comes up with for this rowdy bunch.