Tempting fate is the first in the series for me and it drew me in. RayLene is used to getting whatever she wants. However as she entered adulthood her life has drastically turned. She isn’t welcome in Nugget but she has to come back for her brothers wedding. Gabe is Logan’s best friend. He’s been tasked to keep her out of trouble and protected.what his first impression of her is a spoiled brat it changes drastically as time passes in. She’s not what she seems and how the town views her is getting to him. Now on a hunt for gold from a legend, bad guys lurking, and a stubborn women he’s gonna have his hands full. Will their journey end in happily ever after? You’ll have to read to find out.

Tempting Fate by Stacy Finz
Nugget #10

I don’t usually start a series with the tenth book but this time seem to have done so. That said, having NOT read previous books might have allowed me to have a more accepting view of Raylene than those who have read of her previous negative behavior throughout the series. Sure, I was given hints of the horrible things she did and said but they did not slap me in the face like they might have if I was already prejudiced against her...as were most of the residents in Nugget.

This is the story of a woman who returns to Nugget to attend her half brother’s wedding while knowing that she will find it difficult to be there. She is in financial need, plans to sell inherited property while in town then head back to California as quickly as she can. Her fiscal irresponsibility kind of boggled my mind BUT I do know people that have had the ability to blow through money rather than conserving it so could see how it might happen. Little did she know that in addition to having to deal with the people in town she would also be involved in unexpected violence and fall in love.

I came away thinking that Raylene was a product of her experiences and choices and that she had not been given positive support and guidance most of her life. Where some people would overcome and be more...Raylene stayed focused on doing what it took to “please” at least two abusive men in her life. I found her immature in some ways and yet did like her and believed that the steps she was taking to make changes were wise and good and no doubt difficult. Her interactions with Gabe were interesting with some of them more believable than others. I enjoyed the epilogue and seeing how things came together for Gabe and Raylene...eventually.

Did I like this book? For the most part
Would I read more books by this author? Yes
Do you need to read the first nine books in this series to understand this one? No

Thank you to NetGalley and Kensington Lyrical Shine for the ARC – This is my honest review.

3-4 Stars

Recommended for readers of the series who want updates on other characters but not as a romance due to weak character and relationship growth.
I binged through this series from the library and wound up quite curious about Raylene in this book because she was so awful (false rape accusations and setting her ex up for murder charges, trying to prevent her newly discovered half-brother from receiving her inheritance awful) in previous books. Unfortunately she doesn’t show much growth and it makes it hard to believe how much she has really changed, seems more that she changes according to circumstances. Ultimately, I didn’t think it left her in a good place.
Raylene is back for her surprise brother Logan’s wedding and to search for gold on the land she inherited and is trying to sell. Everyone hates her in Nugget. I mean, she was awful, and some characters have legit reason to but a lot are just rushing all over themselves to judge her.
Gabe is Logan’s business partner and it’s his job to watch over her during the wedding. They kind of flirt and then wind up sleeping together but he still doesn’t believe anything good about her.
There is more of the Hope/Harper story in this book and a side story involving Drew and Kristy. Those sections will appeal to long time readers of the series.
Ultimately, while something happens to change perspective of Raylene, I didn’t buy that Nugget is a safe place for her. I also struggled with the whole wanting to have a business/support charities thing while completing blowing through her money at a ridiculous scale. She has more growing up to do, and Gabe alternated between being a jerk and underwhelming.
C- and it gets the C for readers who want to catch up with other characters, not Gabe/Raylene.

Raylene has been the most hated former resident of Nugget and for good reason; she has done awful things to many of the residents, including nearly sending her ex-boyfriend to prison for a murder he never committed. I know I never liked her at all, as well as most of the other readers of this series. So how there author was going to redeem her and make us actually like her in this latest book in the series, was beyond me. But Stacy Finz did a great job and wrote another good story It took me quite awhile to start liking her, but by the end, I think I could say I did. Many of her books although part of a series, could ultimately be stand-alones, but I feel this particular book is best read after reading the others, particularly Getting Lucky #5, so you can get a true sense of Raylene in the past.

Raylene and Gabe are terrific together. I feel so bad for Raylene knowing what happened when she was younger but her inner strength really shines. The love that blossoms between Raylene and Gabe is wonderful to read and he is my hero!

Another hit from one of my favorite authors! Love all the books written by her! Can’t wait to see what she comes up with next! Didn’t expect to like Raylene after the stunts she pulled previously but she won me over!

I've received a ARC from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

Its hard to put into words how phenomenal this novel is. The storyline, the characters, the setting - everything was comeplete perfection. I wasn't too sure on how things were going to turn out for Ray and how she was going to redeem herself from all of her past mistakes but I am seriously blown away.

This it my first Stacy Find novel and I have to applaud her on the great work. I will definitely be keeping a eye out for her and her future works.

Stacy Finz is one of my favorite authors and I have read all the books in the Nugget series so far. I have to say I was wondering how the author was going to handle a story about the mean girl Raylene returning to Nugget after all she had done to hurt the people in her hometown. Stacy Finz did a great job of redeeming Raylene and dealing with the subject of abuse and alcoholism in this story without it being an excuse for bad choices and behavior.
I am hoping there will be more stories to come in the Nugget series. Don't miss this one or any book by Stacy Finz.

Raylene burned her bridges in Nugget long ago and is only back in town to attend her brother's wedding. The whole town hates her but she holds her head high and tries to make amends for the damage she caused years ago. Gabe is her brothers best friend and his job for the weekend is to make sure Raylene doesn't bring her brand of drama to the event. It's a tall order but one he is determined to carry out. Raylene knows she deserves the scorn the town heaps upon her but loves her brother, and soon to be sister-in-law, too much to skip the wedding. She also has unfinished business in town but as soon as that is completed she's leaving Nugget for good. Great second chance story and budding romance between Raylene and Gabe.

When I started reading this book, I wondered how the author would be able to redeem such a “horrible” character, let alone make this character the heroine of the story. Leave it to author Stacy Finz to do all of this with style.

Raylene was a mean girl. You know the type. Spoiled and rich growing up, she left town with most of the population very happy to see her go. Now she’s back for her half-brother’s wedding. Raylene has plans: Attend the wedding, make amends where she can, find the gold, and get out of town. Falling in love is nowhere on that list. But, Gabe has other ideas.

I really enjoyed this trip to Nugget. I didn’t expect this story to grab me like it did. Take the chance. Read this one. You’ll be glad you did. Mean girls can make for a fun read!

I have loved every Nugget book written and have detested Raylene Rosser since she made her first appearance. I know redemption is possible, but I have to say that I found it hard to believe that I would be changing my feelings on Raylene.

I was WRONG. Stacy Finz has taken a character that everyone loved to hate and turned her into a character that you not only liked but also admired.

I might even go so far as to say this may have been my favorite Nugget book, but I'll be happy to read more.

Raylene goes back to Nugget, the town where she grew up. She is public enemy number 1 in that town, because of things she did in the past. She regrets it and wants to make amends. I liked this book, though at first Raylene annoyed me because she was so scared to face several people in town. Her selfe steem seemed pretty low. I liked the romance, which is why I kept reading. I hadn't realized this book was part of a series. It was hard to follow at first because I had no clue what Raylene had done. I think it's better to read the other books of the series before trying this one. I am not sure though if I want to read the rest of the series, even though I enjoyes this book

Finally I get to re-visit Nugget and delve into the town's bad girl Raylene Rosser, Logan's half-sister. This is so multi-layered, and I loved peeling those layers away. I read 'Tempting Fate' with a lot of anxiety, as I couldn't see how this could possibly end up with a positive ending. I learned my lesson, as others did about Raylene, that you can't judge without knowing someone's heart. Fortunately Gabe learned that lesson. Again, I had to skip over the graphic sex, but without that this was an entirely satisfying addition to Stacy Finz' wonderful Nugget series. I just hope there is more to come, I enjoy it there so much.

"Thank you Netgalley and the publisher for the advance copy of this book, in exchange for an honest review."

Loved this book very much. It had just enough sweet romance and the storyline was great! I highly recommend!

While I hadn't read any of Stacy Finz' Nugget stories previously, I think that they will definitely be on my read list now.

I really enjoyed Tempting Fate, the characters were relatable and you found yourself rooting for their love story. I read it in one sitting.

The book focuses on Raylene Rosser and Gabe Moretti., who Raylene's brother asked to watch her and watching their relationship develop was really sweet.

From what I can understand, as this is a series various characters pop in from other books, so I am sure that is fun for readers who have already experienced the town of Nugget.

All in all I think it is worth a read!

Gabe has been given the babysitting duty of Raylene, Logan's sister. Raylene left the town of Nugget as a disgrace and she has burned lots of bridges and she is hates and whispered about. Gabe thinks she is crazy, attractive but crazy and he can't wait for her to leave this town that he has begun to love, but he will do anything for his bestfriend Logan. Raylene regrets everything that she has done, and not that I am condoning what she did, but this girl did not have it as easy as everyone thought, her father was abusive, her husband who her father picked out was also abusive and cheating rat at that, now she is trying to help out a shelter for abused woman, because she knows how that feels to not have anyone. The town is unforgiving until Raylene ends up saving the day, and they all change their minds about her.

Finz takes readers back to small town, Nugget, California in Tempting Fate, the 10th book in this beloved series.

Raylene Rosser is back in Nugget for her brother's wedding. Could she possibly find redemption for the spoiled little rich girl she once was? Gabe Moretti is willing to help her find the gold, legend says is buried on her property, but he was not ready for the chemistry between them. There are people who don't want her in town, and are chronic reminders of a past best forgotten. When trouble comes to town, will Raylene be in the center of it or will she find a way to redeem herself.

The recurring characters lend depth to the well written and smartly paced story. I had trouble putting it down.

I highly recommend this book to fans of the contemporary romance genre.

I voluntarily read and reviewed a complementary copy of this book.

I’ve been reading Stacy’s books since the first Nugget novel was published, and I have really enjoyed them all. Some I have loved, some not quite as much, but this is the best work she’s ever published. It’s complex, it’s heart-wrenching, and it accomplishes what many of us thought was impossible: the plausible redemption of Raylene Rosser.

The story is brilliantly written and poignant. Raylene is still Raylene, but she’s had to do some hard thinking. And maybe, just maybe, not everyone in Nugget “knows” as much about her as they thought. This is a love story about Raylene and Gabe, for sure, but it’s also a love story about the Raylene and the town of Nugget, a relationship that’s been stretched past the breaking point. I loved seeing so much of our old friends, and Hope/Harper comes to life as her story was woven throughout. It was, in many ways, a more satisfying glimpse of her life and struggles in her new world than what we got in the story Hope for Christmas. We see much more of her father Drew and his wife, as well, which brings added dimension to the whole story. Gabe is a wonderful hero – not perfect, but willing to see Raylene for the woman she’s become. In each other, they find the real treasure of someone who can let them be genuine. I was so fortunate to receive an advance copy of this wonderful novel. It can be read as a standalone, but you’d be depriving yourself of hours of enjoyment with the lovely folks of Nugget, CA.

I adore this series and this book does not disappoint. This is Raylene’s Redemption! Finz gives every character layers and always allows old favorites to come back for a scene or two. Very satisfying. One of my favorite romance series ever and Finz is top of the romance heap.

My heart hurt for Raylene. Practically everyone thinks she is a horrible, evil person for something she did a while ago. She believes it most of the time too. Now it seems no matter what she does or says, they will only see the bad. Even Gabe is guilty of this. I admit it has been long enough in between books in this series that I don't remember what a villain she was in other stories. A happy ending saved the book for me.