This was a fun one. Not my favorite of the 3 books, but I really enjoyed Raine and Jack's story. They had good chemistry and fun banter. It tied really well into book 2. I do think it was missing something for me but I can't place my finger on what it was. Don't get me wrong, I enjoyed the book a lot, but something just felt not there for my personal taste. I do love this author though and can't wait to see what else we get!

Not a typical light-hearted rom-com! Book 3 in the Love, Lists and Fancy Ships Series which hasn't disappointed me yet.

I loved the neurodivergent rep in this story about Jack, a pub owner with OCD, and Raine, a traveling busker with ADHD.
The author handled these issues well, and the dual POV helped in understand their internal struggles and insecurities in the face of their challenges. Feeling seen is a big part of their need in finding love, so it was great to see them recognize and accept each other. The other part of the story revolved around their family pressures and expectations. Each are running from something, and trying to find a place to land and be happy.

It gets a little heavy as Jack downslides into his OCD but overall the story has fun banter, and some cute moments with Raine's messy brain overhauling and bringing some life into the family pub, The Local. They're total opposites and I liked how they brought out the best in each other.

Thank you, NetGalley, for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

This was wonderful, like I knew it would be. I LOVE SARAH GRUNDER RUIZ, these characters and the books.

I loved this book. The author does such a wonderful job representing her characters' OCD and ADHD. It meant a lot to me as a reader. Of course, the characters and the book aren't defined by their diagnoses! This book is romantic and sexy and all the Ireland I needed to get me through the winter.

thank you to netgalley for the advanced reading copy. I really enjoyed this and will be getting copies for my shop.

Although I feel like Sarah Grunder Ruiz has a lot of potential with her writing, I really struggled with this one.

I loved the setting. Having lived and studied in Dublin, being transported back to Ireland in this book was a true delight. I absolutely loved the ADHD and OCD representation in this book. It painted a true intimate portrait of what it's like to struggle with all of these internal struggles on a daily basis. I loved the dual POV and how we got to see both of their individual struggles and how mental health affects people differently even though they have the same diagnosis. The nuance it creates is really helpful for people who can relate to these characters.

However, I just didn't like the set up of this book. I hate how she, an American woman, had this vision of how a Dublin pub should be like. It felt like an outsider/touristy point of view. Having had the lived experience of Irish pubs, this felt very inauthentic.

In the end this was a cute little romance with great rep but lacked the authenticity that I've come to love from Irish romance authors.

The characters were both a tad one-dimensional, but I still enjoyed this story. Although Raine was frustrating, it was great to see her vulnerability. And Jack was pretty dreamy. Planning on reading the rest of this series!

I adored LAST CALL AT THE LOCAL by Sarah Grunder Ruiz! It features neurodivergent protagonists and other characters in the story who were entertaining and fun. I was swept away from the first chapter when the Jack meets Raine. Their chemistry is magnetic. I love the way he flirts with her in the beginning. I was grinning from ear to ear.
Raine’s personality is spontaneous, she has ADHD, and I could totally relate to her. Jack on the other hand battles with OCD, but I learned about other challenges that Jack struggles with that are more mental.
I loved how these two worked to face their challenges and how they finally end together. It was a fun read. I couldn’t put the book down. It’s such a great story that I think it’ll be a book I read again.

Engaging, heart-warming romance between a messy, appealing heroine and an Irish hero to steal your heart. Great cast. Gorgeous setting. I love the way their issues (ADHD and OCD) are very much a part of the story without defining either their characterization or their relationship.

I think I may just have a new favorite book by Sarah Grunder Ruiz! I adored this book and especially the main characters, Raine and Jack. I also loved getting to revisit past characters Nina and Ollie. Their relationship developed in the sweetest way and I love how they both fully accepted the other for who they are. The mental health representation was done really well in this book and weaved so seamlessly into the story. If you love a sweet romance, with an adorable meet-cute, good banter, and in a dreamy location, then I highly suggest checking this one out!

All in all, this was an adorable, endearing, and just happy happy happy book. I loved it. It also has some spice!

Jack and Raine are the sweetesf and must be protected with bubble wrap. I loved their slow building relationship, the hilarious banter, and their mature support for each other. The mental health representation was also wonderfully done.

A nice character examination and build of friendship - liked that more/as much as the idea of a romance between these two. The setting was absorbing, and the mix of narrative and texting between different parts of the story worked well.

Everything I want in a Rom-Com and more. The main character, Raine, is a musician from Boston traveling Ireland as a busker. After having most of her equipment stolen, she finds herself at a crossroads sitting at a bar called The Local. I love Raine. The author’s portrayal of Raine’s ADHD in her narration is so relatable. And of course the guys who own the bar provide such fun banter! I am in love.

This was a sweet and fun read. I was unaware when I picked it up that it was part of a series and would not have known at all except my copy has an excerpt from the book before this one at the end. Can totally be read as a stand alone. Loved the atmosphere of this read and the characters as a whole. Even the side characters were easy to love. The growth of the main characters each with their own issues relating to OCD and ADHD waws well done and I loved who accepted they were by the people who love them and by each other. They both had a lot of self depreciation issues to work through but it was well done over all. A sweet quick read for anyone who needs a romance that is not all fluff. I also loved how their relationship while looking very different than more "conventional" relationships worked for them and that's all that matters.

It’s not everyday that you read a romance that has fantastic neurodiversity and mental health representation. Well done, Sarah Grunder Ruiz! LAST CALL AT THE LOCAL is a heartfelt story that follows singer-songwriter Raine Hart as she moves to Ireland and meets Jack Dunne, a local Irishman who inherited his family’s pub. While this is a standalone novel, you may recognize some characters from the LOVE, LISTS, AND FANCY SHIPS series which is so much fun. While Raine faces challenges with her ADHD, Jack lives with OCD and intrusive thoughts. I love the way the characters were able to share parts of themselves that felt vulnerable and authentic in their business and romantic pursuits. This was a great story that I highly recommend!

Many thanks to Berkley for an electronic ARC in exchange for an honest review.

A sweet and tender romance about people with messy hearts and even messier brains as they navigate love.

Did this one live up to my high hopes? Yes, I adored this story. A romance that has endearing complex characters with a home away from home newfound family vibe. And also throw in mental health representation (thank you!) and a charming setting in Ireland.

The MCs both are struggling with mental health challenges and I appreciate not just the awareness these characters present but that it actually makes them feel more human, I am always here for the perfectly imperfect trope in a romance. As a reader you get a glimpse into how living with ADHD and OCD impacts your daily life and relationships. I also love a character that appears tough on the outside but has a warm and sensitive soft center. Not to mention fantastic supporting characters and being it is a series you get reoccurring characters as well.

A down-on-her-luck musical performer gets her gear stolen and gets a job in a local pub to try and make enough to buy her guitar back without going back home to Boston. She is managing her ADHD and finds a friend, and maybe more, in local bar owner Jack.

I love this series with my whole heart! I nearly forgot that Ollie and Nina were related to Jack- but what a lovely surprise. I thought the mental health representation was decent- though I do wonder about the violent compulsions one character has. I'm worried it'll perpetuate a negative stereotype- but I know the author is very pro-therapy, so I understood the intent. Loved the Irish setting, loved the side characters- definitely would want the next story to be about the sister!

Raine Hart's solo European tour as a wandering musician comes to an abrupt end in Ireland when her guitar is stolen. Luckily, the pub she's wandered into needs a worker, and owner Jack is enthralled with her ideas to improve the place. She assists with some redesigns and begins to find a place for herself in the community. There is a nice mix of banter and deep conversation.

Ruiz's portrayal of living with ADHD and OCD, and the complications, doubts, and benefits that come along with their neuro-atypical diagnoses is raw, poignant, vulnerable and healing. The narrative has a slow burn but it's worth the wait.

This seemed to be a stand-alone book with references to characters from other books in the series Love, Lists & Fancy Ships; it's a solid, cozy read.

I received a free advance reader's review copy of #LastCallAtTheLocal from #NetGalley, courtesy of #Berkley Publishing Group.