Cover Image: An Unexpected Distraction

An Unexpected Distraction

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Member Reviews

I've loved every Catherine Bybee book I've read. This is Jax Simon's story, third in the Richter series. Jax goes to London to find out why her parents separated after all these years. She meets Andrew, who picks her up at the airport. She thinks he is a hired driver her brother hired, but in reality he's her brother's friend. There is suspense about what may or may not be happening at Richter, and how her parents may be involved. It takes Jax a while to unravel everything.

Loved Jax and Andrew's story! Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for this ARC. This is my honest review.

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A great romantic suspense story with a good balance of both elements, something Catherine Bybee achieves consistently well. It is part of a series, but written in a way that you can jump in without getting lost about the backstory.

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When I think of romance, I think of books just like this one, that gives all the feels and satisfies every romance junkies' heart. This is a perfect book to snuggle up with on any day.

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I didn't read the previous two books in this series so I am sure there is some backstory that I didn't get but I felt like this could be a standalone read, as well.

Jax was a skilled operative who had been trained at a German boarding school in her youth. Now her skills were well-honed and used in a security firm where she felt like a member of the family. When her brother called her and asked her to come home, she left her home in sunny California for London. Upon her arrive, she met Andrew, a friend of her brother's doing him a favor by picking up Jax at the airport. There was an immediate attraction between them that neither really wanted but couldn't seem to deny.

Jax's parents were separated and she needed to know why. As she delved deeper in the secrets, the secrets seemed to be connected to alma mater and the secrets were dangerous enough to get them killed. This was a fairly fast-paced read, especially the last 10-15% of the book. While there was resolution to some of the story, it was left with a little bit of a cliffhanger leaving you wanting to know the next part of the story.

There are some descriptive sex scenes and a number of f-bombs to be aware of as you read if those are not your speed. I don't believe them to be necessary, personally, and the story was sound and good without them.

I was given an arc copy of this book and I willingly offer my honest review.

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Ahhh I loved Jax and Andrew! This series has been so much fun and this was the perfect final book. I had been waiting for Jax's book and this did not disappoint!

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ARC for honest review with no compensation 4.5 stars Received from NetGalley and Montlake

An Unexpected Distraction is book 3in the Richter series by Catherine Bybee and while about different couple, reading in order will give you a better understanding of this series.

Up next is Jax and Andrew, more secrets to uncover, infiltrating Richter, romance grows slowly, see friends from McBain Security and so much more! The ending….can’t wait for the next book!!

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It was fun getting into Jax’s story. I enjoy reading about the whole team. The London setting was enjoyable. Wonder how the next Richter book will go.

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Another fantastic book in this series! Mysteries, secrets, and intrigue kept me turning the pages. I loved Jax and Andrew. I loved their banter and their chemistry and that Jax was the badass in the book. So many times the H does all the rescuing but Jax is more than capable of taking care of herself and I loved that Catherine Bybee let her be the woman that she is. The repairing of the relationship of Jax and her mom was a bonus! I can’t wait to read the next book in this series!

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Another great read in the series! Loved getting to know more about Jax.

Thank you NetGalley for this ARC.

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I don’t think you can go wrong with a Catherine Bybee story, they are all good and this one is included. I love Jax and I’m so glad we got to know more of her background and her relationship with Andrew was so good. I also love that while there is drama it’s not with the relationship so it still has that fun, loving atmosphere even in the middle of some huge drama. Also the ending is somewhat of a cliffhanger so it will be interesting to see how they are going to spin it, and who the next couple will be.

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The romance was the best part of this book. So fun. Andrew was HOT, hot. He made Jax laugh and I love that. The way they met was fun and their witty banter was perfection. It's the rest of the plot that was slightly disappointing. Maybe because I haven't read the previous 2 books in their entirety? Not sure, but it was difficult to follow at times and a little boring if I'm being honest.

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I love me a romantic suspense story. The main characters, Jax and Andrew have to go through a lot in order to find one another. Andrew is a numbers man and doesn’t understand Jax’s job or the danger her job puts her in. As he starts to learn more about her career she gets sidetracked by her parents problem. I became immersed in this book and didn’t want to put it down.

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Another great installment in this world. It was fun, exciting, and full of twists and turns. These two are perfect for each other. I love getting more of Jax's story as well as seeing some old favorites. If you like romantic suspense, then definitely check out this book and this series.

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I loved this book! Catherine Bybee is one my favorite authors for a reason! I highly recommend.

I voluntarily reviewed this book.

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Thanks Netgalley and the Publisher. I really like this authors books.
It was a really good read as I hoped it would be. I love Bybee's writing style. 4 stars read.

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An Unexpected Distraction is the third book in the Richter series by Catherine Bybee. I've been waiting for Jax's story and it was everything I wanted it to be and more. She's such a great character. Fun, loyal, and kicks major butt. When she's called home for a family emergency, the driver who picks her up is actually her brother's friend, Andrew, but she doesn’t know that. There's an instant attraction and he seems like someone she can spend time with while she's back in London. But when something leads them back to Richter and she gets closer to Andrew, it seems she might not be running back to LA anytime soon. Andrew never thought he'd fall for his friend’s sister. It was just a favor that changed his life. He didn't realize how dangerous her job is, but he not put off by it. Even when the danger hits very close to home. Jax knows something more is going on with her parents and she gets to see a different side of her mom and I loved their relationship! I loved seeing Jax with her family, her friends and of course Andrew. It was also great seeing Neil, Gwen, Claire, Cooper and the others. I’ve missed them all! I loved Jax and Andrew’s story! It’s fun, action packed, a little sexy and heartwarming. Hoping to see more from these characters again!

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From the moment Andrew picks up Jax at Heathrow airport and she thinks he's a chauffeur I got sucked into the sparkling dialog, the sheer romance of this perfect couple with a story that has enough suspense to keep the adrenaline flowing.  I started reading the author with this series, but I discovered that Ms. Bybee has a lot of books to her credit, and I look forward to exploring some of these other books by the author. 
Jax is an agent with McBain Securities in California. She has just wrapped up a sex trafficking case when her brother Harry calls her to come out to England on an urgent family matter that he can't disclose over the phone.  She's disappointed to find that her brother couldn't make the effort to pick her up at the airport through she's definitely intrigued with the handsome chauffeur. Soon it turns out that her parents are having marital troubles and Andrew is actually Harry's friend and not a chauffeur.
The story just takes off from there and sweeps up the reader along for the most delightful ride. Richter is a military school where children were taught spy Craft and hacking and all other manner of things. McBain Securities and her fellow agents have had a hand in getting all the illegal activities and abuse that was happening at Richter shut down, but Jax has always wondered how she ended up as a paying student there considering her parent's affluence and status.
Now as she tries to dig into the troubles between her parents and reports of resumed activities at Richter she digs into her own roots. The story takes readers from the US to England to Europe and Andrew might be a stockbroker, but he's determined to stick by Jax and support her in her investigation. This is an excellent chapter in the Richter series of which I hope there will be more.

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Love Jax’s story! Jax’s brother begs her to come home and help him with a family issue and she soon finds herself immersed in figuring out what secrets her parents hide and how it connects to their decision to send her to Richter years earlier and always keep her at arms length.

Andrew is a great hero and the way he and Jax meet is incredibly awesome! I really enjoyed his reactions and acceptance of what Jax’s job is.

I love this series and seeing so many favorite characters from previous stories! Can’t wait to see what’s next!!

Thanks to the publisher for a review copy via NetGalley.

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I finally picked up this up to read and I couldn’t put it down.
Family circumstances leads Jax back to England at her brother’s request. Andrew is a welcome distraction and proves to be a worthy mate. As the web of secrets untangle in this action packed story, family in all that it means proves to be the backbone.

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Catherine Bybee hits it out of the park with another heart-tugging, breath-stealing story that kept me glued to the pages from start to finish. From the early meet cute to the explosive conclusion, I was so deeply immersed in the lives of these characters that I completely lost track of time.

I really enjoyed Andrew. I loved his personality, his playfulness, and his absolute respect for all the facets of who Jax is. The chemistry between these two sizzles, as does the banter. Their scenes in Germany show how great a couple they are, in all situations.

Jax is a very complex character. It was fun to peel back the layers and watch her evolve both personally and professionally. I enjoyed the multi-layered relationships within her family and how that all played out, especially her changing relationship with her mother.

The suspense portion of the book is well plotted, with plenty of red herrings to keep me guessing. There's a suspense sub-plot that is concluded within this book but also an overlying one that will continue to play out in future book(s). I am fully invested in the outcome and will be buying all future books in this series. She has me hooked!

This is the third book of a series with a romantic thread that stands on its own and offers a happy ending in this book. The suspense thread, however, is part of an arc that continues throughout the series and, while the portion pertaining to Jax and Andrew is concluded in this story, there were times when I felt I was missing critical information that would have deepened my understanding of the overall mystery. For that reason, and also to better understand some secondary characters whose stories have already been told, I would suggest reading the books within the series in order. I have already downloaded book one, Changing the Rules, and book two, A Thin Disguise, and will be reading them soon. All three are available for purchase or in Kindle Unlimited.

4.5 stars
*ARC received for fair and unbiased review

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