This love story is so cute, you almost forget there’s a missing person! The setting is breathtaking, the characters’ banter is hilarious, and the romantic tension is captivating. The author creates characters you want to meet and befriend in real life.

A must read if you enjoyed Something Wilder by Christina Lauren, Along Came Holly by Cori Hall, and Not Bad for a Girl by Anastasia Ryan.

Thank you so much to the publisher for my eARC!

Dahlia's sister has gone missing in Colorado and has sent their secret SOS signal. She decides to hire the town grump and has to get past all of his house defenses first. Dane is a popular author living in anonymity in small town Colorado. Dahlia wears him down and he agrees to be her guide as she needs to hike out to her last known location. They will encounter weather, animals, and fight to deny their feelings for each other! This story was so much fun! I loved the adventure aspect of it as well as the romance. It was light hearted but not at all over the top. I enjoyed the tropes of forced proximity, grumpy/sunshine, and remote setting in the Colorado wilderness.

Dahlia is a chaotic, energetic, take charge woman on a mission to save her sister -- who no one else really believes is missing thanks to their secret SOS code. Winston is a grumpy hermit mountain man who lives alone in a boobytrapped house and gets pulled into Dahlia's rescue mission. I like that both MCs take honesty very seriously and while for Dahlia this means wearing her heart on her sleeve and her thoughts on her face -- also out loud because she can't seem to keep her thoughts contained -- Winston doesn't speak much but when he does it's with sincerity. Dahlia is a fun main character and I found myself highlighting a lot of her dialogue because of how absurd and funny it was. She has an interesting family background and a cool job that is perfectly suited to her. She's loud but kind and super loyal. Winston is harder to get a read on because he's presented as this stoic, quiet, grumpy man who has seemingly been an unwilling partner from the start, but he makes sure Dahlia is safe and comfortable and he believes her that her sister is missing. I found the plot to be a bit slow and it made little meaningful progress really until the end in my opinion but it's still a light read with a bit of suspense and lots of funny moments. The writing is great and I have heard the author's other books are really good so I'll be checking some more out soon.

Grumpy x sunshine
Family dynamics
Basically woman vs wild (but with a large, protective, survivalist guide)
Only one tent

Thank you Sourcebooks Casablanca for the digital ARC via NetGalley. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Thank you to Sourcebooks Casablanca for an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

I picked this one up Read Now a few months ago and was excited when I saw that the audiobook was available on Spotify! I was very sad to be completely turned off to this one based on the selected narrator and just could not get into it. I decided to DNF ay 10%.

It was OK. I enjoyed the writing style but the story got away from me about halfway through.
First, the mmc was written like a teen male. I understand that there are men out there who have no experience with women and are very immature but this guy was sooo cringe whenever there was a semi smut scene. Like the way he talked to our fmc and the way his mannerisms were almost like he had been living in the wild for his whole life when he has only been living as a hermit for maybe 3 years so he shouldn't be as awkward as he appears to be. Idk I just couldn't stand how cringe he talked and acted.
Also, the meth lab in the forest part was not particularly my favorite thing in a romcom story but ok.

I will be down to try a different story by this author as I did like the writing.
Thank you to the publisher for the copy.

I forced myself to finish this and realized it had been an utter waste of time. This book was not for me. Dahlia, more concerned with her makeup and her fashionista clothing, is ostensibly searching for her sister, Rose. Dahlia breaks into Winston's compound and convinces him to help her go on a mountain in the middle of a Colorado blizzard. Winston was prepared. Dahlia was not. Her cute little fashion boots did not hold up well and her cashmere went only so far. The cover shows a lake, summertime - none of this is true.

While this was not a typical Katie Ruggle book, it had plenty of the elements that make me love her writing. The enemies-to-lovers trope is a favorite and this book had that and more!

I wanted to like this book. I really did. Unfortunately, it just wasn’t for me.

I enjoyed the first half of the book. I found it to be well written, I connected with the characters, and the plot appeared to be right up my alley. However, the second half of the book took a turn and it was all downhill from there.

While I knew this was categorized as a romance mystery, I felt this book had somewhat of an identity crisis. It is primarily a romance with a splash of mystery added. It felt as if the author added it in as an afterthought. Had the secondary storyline been flushed out and lasted longer than a few chapters, I might have felt otherwise.

I also took issue with the main characters decision to engage in a physical relationship while on a rescue mission. It seemed far fetched that both of them would be able to disassociate from the situation long enough to have an affair in the woods. It seemed both out of character and irresponsible.

Needless to say this wasn’t a fit for me.

Special thanks to Netgalley, Katie Ruggle, and Sourcebooks Casablanca for allowing me to read this book in exchange for my honest review.

*Please don’t be discouraged from reading this book solely based on my review. I saw plenty of other reviews where readers enjoyed it. The beauty of reading is it’s subjective. What I consider a 3 star book just might be your five star.

I loved Winston and Dalhia's story!!! It was grumpy/sunshine romance with some hot spice. I loved it! This was one of the best spicy books I've read with a good plot and story line this spring. It was absolutely one of the best books!! I loved it!!
I just reviewed Fish Out of Water by Katie Ruggle. #NetGalley
[NetGalley URL]

Katie Ruggle is back in the house and boy have I missed her! Reading this book was like a warm welcome back and made me realise how much I missed her books! (And also how much I love a grumpy/sunshine trope).

Our heroine goes looking for her missing sister in a small town and enlists the help of the town hermit. Together they go in search to find her by hiking up a mounting, camping and just genuinely trying to survive the wilderness.

This book has forced proximity, grumpy hero/sunshine heroine and tent seggs. What more could you want? For fans of Katie Ruggle this book is lighter than sheer previous books but made it no less enjoyable to me.

This one wasn't a favourite for me sadly, the premise sounded interesting, but the execution wasn't the best. I thought the fmc was a bit strange - if I were in her position I wouldn't be able to focus on anything else besides finding my missing sibling. What I appreciated was the fact that she never gave up, and fully believed that she would find her, not for a single second did she doubt that.

This book would have been significantly better if it were dual pov! With only the fmc narrating, the mmc's character is sort of pushed into the background - I would have loved to learn more about him. I admired how comfortable he became with her, given the circumstances, and how accepting he is of her and all of her quirks, but I just felt like more detail was missing.

Thank you to NetGalley for the eARC, all opinions are my own.

Ruggle's writing is fast-paced and action-packed, with twists and turns that keep readers guessing until the very end. From adrenaline-fueled chase scenes to heart-pounding moments of suspense, she keeps the stakes high and the suspense palpable throughout the story. Her vivid descriptions of the Colorado wilderness also add depth and atmosphere to the narrative, immersing readers in the rugged beauty of the Rocky Mountains.

At its core, "Fish Out of Water" is a story about the power of love and redemption in the face of danger and adversity. It celebrates the resilience of the human spirit and the courage it takes to confront the darkness within and emerge stronger on the other side. Whether you're a fan of romantic suspense or simply looking for an edge-of-your-seat read, "Fish Out of Water" is sure to satisfy your craving for thrills and romance alike.

If Katie Ruggle's has no fans, that means I'm dead. I loved this story so much!! We follow Dahlia as she sets off into the Colorado Rockies to find her sister who has not been answering her calls. Dahlia knows she can't embark on this journey alone - incomes Winston Dane, the grouchy survival guide she blackmails into helping her. Dahlia and Winston has some of the best banter I have ever read. They had me giggling and kicking my feet. Also if you love the one bed trope throw that out the window because we have one SLEEPING BAG in this story. I'm going to need this as a new requirement for all camping romances to follow!

All in all I loved this story and it's literally perfect for any romance reader!

A big thank you to NetGalley and Sourcebooks/Casablanca for the eARC. I am voluntarily reviewing this book. This book made me laugh, which is always nice. I guess this is surprising as this was supposed to be a mystery-a missing person. Dahlia is looking for her sister, and for someone who does not do the outdoors-she has amazing stamina!! A non hiker who hikes over 5 miles without complaint? Winston is a grumpy writer. Interesting story with fun characters. Admittedly a little out there as I am sure not many people would have Dahlia's outlook. Who takes make up on a hiking trip? 4 stars

Grumpy mountain man who hates people?
A missing persons case?
Adventure to find this missing person?
Slow burn banter?
Tent sex?
All are included in this book :)

This was such a good and silly book. This mystery romance book was everything I didn’t know I needed. From the banter between the two main characters to the heartfelt moments within this book and the showing of how unbreakable the sister bond is was beautiful.

The writing is alright and the heroine is fun but without dual POV you totally lose any connection to the hero. He is entirely forgettable.

I loved Dahila and Winston. The banter between them was so well done. It made laugh out loud several times especially when she bribed him. She brought to live an introvert simply by being herself. I liked how most of the story takes place during the hike with Dahila and Winston getting to know each other.

This was a well written story and I have already listened to the audiobook. I enjoyed it just as much the second time through.

Rating: 3 ⭐️
Pub Date: February 13, 2024
How I Read It: 📱

Synopsis
Dahlia, an LA based makeover consultant, arrives at a small Colorado town to find her sister, who she believes is missing. Her sister, Rose, sent her a text message that said, “tell mom hi,” which was their code for “help!” but the people at the hotel think she’s crazy, as do the local cops. She decides to go find Winston, a grumpy survival expert/hermit, lumberjack, cozy mystery author. She blackmails him to help her find her sister and they embark on a trip through the woods to find Rose.

My Thoughts
The BANTER! Omg the BANTER! I loved it! This book was different. I thought it was weird that I was laughing while reading this, because the characters were looking for a missing person so I had a feeling that Dahlia’s sister was alive and well. There was other craziness going on in the book such as Dahlia putting makeup on a grumpy, rugged survival expert in the middle of the woods, which had me asking myself why on earth did she have makeup in the middle of the woods?

Final Thoughts
This book was a fun and quirky romcom! If you’re looking for a light, quick read with an outdoor setting, this one’s for you.

❗️Of Note
🌶️ It’s SPICY

Themes:
🏔️ Wilderness Adventure Romance
🌞 Grumpy/Sunshine
💛 Banter
💛 Opposites Attract

Thank you to Sourcebooks Casablanca and NetGalley for an advanced copy of this book!

This was definitely different than the Katie Ruggle I'm use to. There was lots of humor with just a hint of danger, so I'd qualify this as a romantic comedy (grump/sunshine trope) instead of her usual romantic suspense that she excels at. That said, I really enjoyed this book. It was lighter and sometimes that's just what you need.

Dahlia was hilarious. That whole 'Legends of the Hidden Temple' obstacle course chapter at the beginning really gave us a good look into her personality and I was laughing to myself the whole time at her resilience and commentary. At times the whole makeup thing was annoying (I am not one of those who wears makeup), but at least she was passionate about her chosen career. And somehow she managed to break down the walls Winston had erected as the grumpy hermit. Winston was adorable. It's not every day you read a book with a 30 something year old man that's a virgin. But he stole my heart with his silent demeanor. I can't say that I really know that much more about him since he was you know, silent most of the book. I would have definitely loved an epilogue of them in the future to see how they're faring in their new jointed life.