Perfectly paced with a very good plot and lush imagery. I intend to go back and start at the first book in the. series.
Many thanks to Dragonbooks Publishing House and to Netgalley for providing me with a galley in exchange for my honest opinion.

This was Avery and Coles story. Avery undercover for DEA has her cover blown by FBI agent .Cole. Friends for years they became distant when an argument started over Avery joking the DEA. Avery has a trained rat named Miss Marple. A fun and suspenseful read

I received a complimentary copy of this book from NetGalley. The opinions expressed in this review are completely my own

Virginia Fox delivers a lot of interesting characters, engaging storylines, and a deep sense of setting. Rocky Mountain Secrets Book 5 by Virginia Fox is a must for fans of her delightful writing style. So great to see these books translated and made available for the US market.

I wanted to like this book, but I just don't think I was the right reader for it.

I went into it thinking that it was a romantic suspense, but it's not. It's a closed-door romance where the characters happen to be solving a crime. In romantic suspense, the crime takes center stage, and the romance comes second. Here, it's the romance that's front and center. The crime just seems like an afterthought, especially when you have multiple chapters that focus on other characters, who are not involved in solving the crime, and their love lives.

All that said, I have some other issues with this book. I was worried going into it, because the author does not live in the United States, but her book is set in both San Diego and Independence, Colorado. Because of that, you do see some issues where things are said inaccurately, or the setting is not clear. For instance, a character is described as getting their Ph.D. from "the university in Denver." I want to believe that the author meant the University of Denver, but there are multiple universities in Denver, several of which have Denver in their titles. In another scene, the characters are at the police department, which is run by the sheriff. That is simply not how things work here in the US. Maybe some of these issues are translation errors, but they just didn't land well with me as a result.

I really wanted to like this book, as I like both romance and romantic suspense novels, but it just didn't work for me.

The Rocky Mountain series never fails to deliver on romance and suspense! I love how the characters and storyline has evolved with each book!
Avery and Cole are partners, solving crime in the town of Independence, where mystery abounds. Avery’s pet rat ‘Miss Marple’ helps sniff out the good and bad, a welcome helper!
Avery and Cole work hard to solve their case, the list of suspects grow, as does the attraction between them!
A fabulous read, bringing together old and new characters, a well written series!

Huge thanks and congratulations to the publisher and Virginia Fox for providing readers with an amazing series.
I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

I'm a big fan of the Rocky Mountain Romances series. I enjoy cozy reads, reads that are relaxing yet interesting. I love following this series which started off on the romance side, but now I see more of the cozy mystery side, and I love the evolution. I enjoy the new "cast" of characters with each book, yet you see the return of characters you fell in love with in the last books. Plus each book has a new and adorable pet ! This book, book 5, is another great read and I'm looking forward to book 6!