This one really wasn't for me. I didn't care for the characters so it was hard to become invested in the story and keep reading.

If you like a bit of angst in your story, where characters hit rock bottom and climb back out, this might be for you! I didn't feel a lot of suspense from the story, and the romance is a very slow burn. Things don't peak much until after half way through the book.

The story is well written...a lot of character development, a strong plot. Lots of good to this one, just not for me :)

Second chance romance with emotional elements. I really like this book!

The story starts with Grey Dalton leaving all of her luxury lives after repeated cheating of her husband, a miscarriage, losing a job, and dealing with alcohol. In the first 1/3 of the book, we learned about Grey's life and how she strongly made a decision to get a grip of herself. It's not until 40% of the book we finally meet the love interest, Declan. Who also happened to have a tragic past. I love the whole romance thing is building up and it feels realistic. Declan is super sweet and I somehow smiling when he does something so simple yet awed me.

The romance scenes are not very steamy. One of them is fade to black, and nothing super explicit written in the book.

There is also a mystery in it, which I really enjoy the twist at the end even though I kinda figured it out. I was so surprised that there is a hint of a ghost, but it wasn't scary.

❗Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review❗

I read this book a couple of weeks ago now but haven't had a chance to write the review now and even then, I am struggling a bit. As this book had captured my attention from the cover and also the fact it had said it would be a "romantic suspense". However, going into it - I clashed with the main female lead as I found her one of those spoiled housewives who eventually realize that she doesn't like the way she has turned out and so she packs and leaves and starts again. Our main character didn't come from money and was at a point a hard worker and then she married a rich and wealthy husband, course the next part is very cliched - she fell into the role as a rich man's wife and then one day, experienced a tragedy that caused her to wake up from her stupor and discover her whole life was a sham and then she leaves her husband and settles into a small-town where she secretly had brought a fixer-upper cottage for herself. We also learn that due to Grey's life with her husband, the bottle aka alcohol became her best friend and soon she will find herself always needing that next fix, and soon the drinking will cause her to lose everything including a job she did at one time love, but as she won't stoop to the level of the others and sleep with the boss - that was at a standstill too. Of course, while she is in town - Grey will discover a couple of potential love interests in either Lucas - the developer, and Declan- the neighbour. Rattlesnake Road is one of those slow slow-burn romances as it doesn't seem to hit any peak until about 60% through the story which personally for me is too late in the novel to pick up as normally, I would have quit within the first couple of chapters if things haven't picked up as I am more attuned to faster-paced novels. Overall, if you love books that focus more on the character development and growth than romance and action – then you will feel right at home with Rattlesnake Road by Amanda McKinney.

Wholly Cow, I think Rattlesnake Road is the most intense book I've ever read! The storyline was superb and the characters so real. It took me longer to read this book than most because it was so emotional and mysterious, and romantic that I was emotionally drained after reading several chapters, it was that real and intense. Well done Amanda!

Rattlesnake Road was a complete whirlwind of emotions for me from the get-go. We are introduced to Grey in the midst of her deciding to leave her husband due to his serial cheating, and lack of support during the loss of a pregnancy, all whilst she is dealing with her own addiction. Completely uprooting herself to deal with her demons she meets 2 men: one rich and reminiscent of the husband Grey has just left, and the other a local man ruled by his own morality. This choice combined with the uncovering of a cold-case as a sub-plot kept me on toes throughout this novel.
This book had my emotions all over the place: sad, happy, and sometimes anger at Grey for acting irresponsibly. It deals with sensitive topics extremely well and was a brilliant introduction for myself to this author. I can't wait to continue this series!

Beware of the spoilers in other reviews!

Difficult topics dealt with sensitively, becoming your authentic self through amazing character growth, overcoming devastating losses, small town romance with a cold case murder mystery thrown in. And in no way did I feel that all of this overwhelmed the story. Amanda McKinney did an excellent job in keeping the threads together while gently pulling the reader along; this book combines great Female Literature with Cozy Mystery under the broad umbrella of Romance.

Some reviews have spoilers that can ruin the crumbs the author left the reader - so be careful what you read before deciding to buy this book.

The story is told only in Grey's point of view and given her struggles and the demons she fights this is perfect for this book. Declan is introduced to us quite late in the book but this does not mean that he and his story features any less. Together, I do think that each builds the other up in some way - less obvious for Declan as we are not privy to his thoughts. I loved the way their relationship developed. Yes there is a moment that I worried that Declan would be too much of a crutch for Grey, but his ease in just accepting with limits clearly drawn in certain instances is what makes this relationship progression so real. It really is not the hot, quick, flat character driven romances that we see so much of. ( Not that there is anything wrong with those, I need the escapism as much as anybody else that they give) This is a story with substance - and substance abuse, and heavy topics - so be aware but enjoy a really good book.

I received a copy from Netgalley in exchange for my honest review.

I wanted to like this book but the choices our Heroine made although understandable, I just... it was frustrating. This book put me in a bit of a slump because it drained me reading about Grey's self destruction. Declan felt fishy for me. There were things about him that were a bit red flag-ish so I never fully liked him.
This story is dark and sad for the most part.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publishers for the chance to read this book in exchange for an honest review.

This was a good read. A little dark but a strong hero willing to wait for his woman to find herself, Well written and believable, likeable characters. Great mystery solved after decades.

Our heroine in this story is Grey Dalton who moves to a southern town to start her life over. Marriage is over and her career was ruined so Grey did what she thought was best. Buy a cabin and pick herself up by her Louboutins. Little did she know she was about to embark on a complete new lifestyle and along the way meet a host of characters in this new chapter in her life, some good and some who are not what they seem.
I loved the way Amanda wore her storytelling into one of suspense and romance, with twists and turns throughout the book. I love a good romance and mystery and Rattlesnake Road certainly fit the bill.

A surprisingly good book with some dark emotional elements. Why surprising? Not all authors can handle the subject matter as dark as this and leave me wanting to continue reading. Half the time, it feels like authors are trying to use darker topics to show how "edgy" they are. No, thank you.

Amanda McKinney handled the darker elements of this book (miscarriage, alcoholism, mental health issues) skillfully enough that she had me cheering along for the heroine as she took the steps towards getting her life back together.

A few things bothered me, and most of them could have been helped by adding considerably to the length of the book. Declan's continued interest after seeing her self destruct and who she did it with didn't make sense to me. I can see him helping her but fully trusting her straight away? Nope don't get that. I felt like she should have had to regain his trust as part of her journey. Plus, the divorce seemed to have come through VERY quickly, not to mention that she's instantly successful in a completely new to her business. Adding some length to the book would allow the author more room to give character development room to breathe. The subject matter was there, and the author seems to have innate skill with weaving a story.

The only other issue I had was the occasional, albeit very preachy, mentions of Christianity. They snapped me right out of the storyline. I would have binged this book in one sitting except for those. They weren't bad enough for me to DNF the book, but this book may not be for you if you're sensitive to Christianity references.

So not a quick, easy read but really enjoyable. I'll be heading off now to check out what else the author has written.

Disclaimer: I received this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Best book yet by this author. Strong but flawed heroine, protective good guy, smooth operator not all he appears, danger lurking - just another day in Berry Springs!!!

Grey has put up with a lot from her husband - serial cheating, using her ideas as his own, browbeating her with his money and good standing but the worst and last she'll take - he abandoned her when she was miscarrying their baby!

She is done taking orders from anyone, relying on money to prop up her self-esteem and chase away the memories of her crappy childhood. She buys a house pretty much unseen in Berry Springs and hightails it out of NYC. She's barely in the house before she realises that she has bitten off more than she can chew. But between a hunky mechanic, nosey but caring neighbours and a potential new carer, Grey may just survive this maelstrom.

But there are creepy letters to be found and investigated. Her hunky neighbour may not be the knight in shining armour she thought and then there is the smooth developer, who reminds her all too much of the dirtbag husband.

Grey may not thinks she is much once she strips away the rich-girl trappings but she has a spine of steel and heart made for loving. She has struggles, she fails, just like anyone does. She slips off the wagon and does some damn foolish things putting herself in jeopardy but she never claims to be an angel and she owns her mistakes. Declan may be seen as the bad-boy of Berry Springs but he has a heart of gold and I just loved him! God love an older, wiser, heart-stealing hero! His assistant mechanic comes over all kinds of stalker at first but she is just a teddybear wearing a jaggy suit of barbed wire LOL.

Etta, well what can I say about her except I'd love my own Etta! I just kept envisioning the one and only Betty White I must admit.

I will definitely continue to read everything this author does. Even though all the books have taken place in Berry Springs and the surrounding area, they all have their very own distinct flavour. SUPERB!

I really enjoyed this book. There was just something about it that grabbed me from the moment that I picked it up. It is a romance story, but one that opens with Grey, our heroine, taking medication after suffering a miscarriage. It's clear right from the first page that this isn't a light and fluffy romance.
Grey has had a lot to deal with in her life and now she's running away to make a fresh start. When she arrives in her new town, it's not clear if the men that she meets are right for her. There's rich Lucas, who seems to be much like her ex-husband, he might be able to offer her the financial security that she has always craved, but what else can he offer. Then there's reformed, bad boy Declan. He's nothing like the men that she's usually attracted to, but she can't deny the draw she feels towards him.
There is an old mystery woven through these pages as well. This takes a back seat to the story of Grey sorting out her life. It all comes together in the end though.
There are heavy moments to this book, but overall it doesn't feel like a dark and heavy read. Part of this is down to the humour. Etta, one of Grey's new neighbours, is delightful. She actually had me laughing out loud with some of the things she came out with. It helped keep the balance of this read just right.
Overall, this was a brilliant read and one that I highly recommend.
I received a complimentary copy of this book through NetGalley. The opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

This book is less of a straight romance and more women’s lit. It follows Grey, an alcoholic who has had some traumatic times including a cheating husband and a miscarriage. She escapes and buys a rundown house on Rattlesnake road. Her destructive behavior continues, although with moments of light and levity as she builds up the house and hopefully herself. In it, she has a relationship with two men (something I admit I don’t like in my romances) and in part, this dynamic is a reflection of her self destructive behavior. So really, the focus of this book is on her growth. I adored Declan, a neighbor who tried to help her, as well as Etta, another neighbor who is so sweet (and brings sweets!) to Grey. Overall, it was a well written story that draws the reader in. Thanks to NetGalley for an early read!

* Thank you Netgalley for providing an E-ARC of this book, all the opinions are mine*
Rattlesnake Road will grip you from start till the end! This was such a fabulous story of a second chance romance filled with mystery, darkness, edge gripping, emotional read. The emotions and trauma Grey went through gutted me, It was so raw and turbulent. This is definitely not one of your typical romances. This one actually has some substance behind it, This romance book is done extremely well and I prefer my books like this. Grey leaves behind everything after a tragic event and miscarriage to start fresh in a new city, new self, new love, new experience. But her past keeps reminding her of all the things she has endured and she is afraid to move on, but she is determined to leave behind her past where it is. What I really loved about this this book is how Grey's personal struggles really come to play throughout the whole book. This whole book is driven by Grey's internal struggle against herself and her desire to clean up her life and live it to the fullest. It was only at 40% that Declan enters the plot and it was refreshing to see them both work and solve their past. Trying to move on, Declan himself has a mystery and past himself which he keeps it hidden. I wished Declan's POV was more informative and I expected more in the ending, but none the less this book was a ride.

It's great to be back in Berry Springs! I have read just about all of this author's other works and really enjoyed them! This one was good, although I'll admit there were a few things I didn't love. While there is a romance, this is really the story of Grey's journey. In fact, we don't even meet the hero until about 40% in. I did really like him and think he's a great hero. The story starts with Grey pretty much at rock bottom, and we see her reclaim her life. My biggest complaint is that I don't love sex scenes between someone other than the main couple. I do understand why they were included, but they still bothered me a bit.

Overall, it was a powerful journey that ended with such a nice HEA! Can't wait for more in this series!

*I received an advanced copy. All opinions are my own.

This book really had it all. Cheating husband, starting over, hot guys, love, sex, mystery, and bad guys too. Grey comes from a painful past, alcoholic mother, cheating husband, and loss of a child. She makes a clean break and just leaves and drives to Berry Springs down south. (I don’t think we know where for sure). She buys a cabin on some acreage she plans to renovate. Really, she needs to renovate herself. She goes through many ups and downs, meets new people that both help her and hold her back. She doesn’t trust herself and can’t tell who she should cling to and who to push away.
The book over at a nice easy pace and had a satisfying ending. I just wanted more in the end! Great writing, really pulled me in.

I greatly enjoyed this one! There were a few parts that seemed a bit slow to me so I did ‘fast forward’ through them, but otherwise, I enjoyed this story. The characters were easy to fall in love with and I loved the twist!

For me, the appeal of this book was lost in the first chapter as, in my opinion, the author tried to put a lighthearted spin on something tragic. From there, the story was just OK for me.

To Whom This May Concern:

I would first like to say that this is a standalone book from Amanda McKinney. Also, this is the first time I am a reading a product of Amanda McKinney.

The couple in this book is Grey Dalton and Declan Montgomery. Grey is going through what I would like to say as a mid-life crisis between a divorce, sobriety, and a miscarriage. Things that are completely relatable. I, myself, can deeply related to Grey’s struggle with sobriety and how it ties into her decision for everything that she does. The author eloquently wrote Grey to be somebody that the readers can sympathize and some empathize with. Grey is trying to find her footing in a small town where the last of her family is. On the other hand, Declan was not introduced into this plot line until more than 30%-40% of the story. I felt like his character could have been developed more. Declan just professed all who he was to Grey when there was so much build up to the mystery of himself. It doesn’t deter our interest as readers to him however.

The plot line of the story was not what I expected. The struggles that Grey faced when she was moving into the town as well as adjusting to her new environment was the main focused of the book alongside a small town murder mystery that didn’t really become significant until finishing the book. The “mystery” in the book was so meticulously placed that it never caused the readers to become scared to question if this book was part of the romance genre or not. I would like to give the author snaps for this amazing feat. Also, this book is written only in Grey’s point of view. Furthermore, I would like to mention that there are a lot of chapters in this book. However, there are chapters that are like only 2 to 3 pages. The book is written more descriptively than dialogue based. As a reader, we introspectively learned about the characters and plot than being told what is happening.

The “romance” scene was not very steamy. I will never judge on the amount of romance scenes in a book, but more the quality of the scenes themselves. There are about 3 sexual scenes per se in the book. However, the scenes are very brief. This is more of s l o w burn type of book than intense, grab-the-sheets- type of story.

The ending of the book was well written and ties everything together. However, it felt rushed compared to how long it took to introduce the characters and plot line. There could have been more cushioned towards the end, but still the ending sufficed to give the readers closure.

With that being said, I give the book a 5 out of 5.

With thanks.

Disclaimer: I did get this book for free through NetGalley. However, I did not get paid for a skewed review. This is an honest review with no intentions to sway readers to persuade sales.

I really liked this title! It wasn't quite what I was expecting, but so much more. It was nice to see a character hit rock bottom. Too often the difficulties are glossed over. The proper steps were in place for recovery and I appreciated the direct effort this took. Of course, Dec is to-die-for and I am very glad it was a stand-alone title. I know there will be more in a series. This one left me satisfied and waiting for the next!