This was my first five star read of 2024 and I read it in one sitting! The characters were meant to be with one another and the author makes it so clear from the beginning.☺️

Raine and Jack are the best kind of opposites attract. Raine is full of life without a care in the world and Jack is only full of cares. When a random job proposal is struck between them, they try to keep their relationship strictly platonic. But as they continue to spend more and more time together sprucing up Jack’s pub they realize they’re meant to be with one another.

What I appreciated about this read was the heavy focus on mental health and its importance. Both of our main characters are working through their own diagnoses. Raine has ADHD and is working through not feeling enough, while Jack is struggling with his OCD. This is an integral part of the story and I thought it was really well done.

Highly recommend this to anyone looking for a light romance mixed with mental health representation!

A stellar add-on to this series! Great mental health rep and the chemistry was fantastic. While each character was far from "perfect" they were extremely lovable and I was rooting for them the whole time! Definitely recommend to romance fans.

Last Call at the Local was my first read from Sarah Grunder Ruiz, but it won't be my last! This book is an absolutely beautiful, swoony, and endearing friends-to-lovers romance set in a small town Irish pub.

The book starts with the reader meeting Raine Hart, a traveling musician with ADHD who is currently busking her way around Europe. When her instruments are stolen, she ends up stranded in a small town in Ireland, which is where she meets our MMC, Jack Dunne. Jack is now the inherited owner of his family's pub, The Local. He and Raine strike up a conversation over a pint of beer, where Raine 'insults' the state of the pub. Jack takes this as an opportunity to offer Raine a job helping him renovate the space, and obviously feelings eventually form.

I loved this book. The author does a fantastic job of showing how both character's neurodivergence (Raine with her ADHD and Jack with his OCD) affects their lives in both negative, but also positive ways. The chemistry between the two main characters is perfect. Their relationship grows in a way that feels organic and not too forced or too fast. Additionally, the small town, Irish pub setting is so quaint and charming, and I loved the found family Raine obtains throughout the novel.

All in all, I was completely taken with Last Call At The Local. The story was so sweet, heartwarming, and adorable, it's basically a free dose of serotonin. Highly recommend to all romance lovers!

Read if you like:
- dual POV
- mental health rep
- opposites attract
- friends to lovers
- Irish brogues

Thank you to NetGalley and Berkley for providing an advanced reading copy in exchange for an honest review.

This book had some ups and downs. I loved Raine's character and how she navigated living with ADHD. My husband was diagnosed when he was a kid along with Hyperactivity and Dyslexia so I understood her point of view a 100% While reading this book I realized all those little details about my husband that I don't see anymore and I wish I was able to tell Raine (if she was a real person) that there was nothing wrong with her, she was perfect just the way she is.

Then, there's Jack... Oh dear Jack... his story was a little too much for me at some points. The real magnitude of his OCD didn't show up until the second half of the book, and I felt like there were 2 Jacks instead of one. Maybe, that was the idea, and I clearly didn't understand it. This doesn't mean, that I don't think this character wasn't well written, on the contrary, what a great job making us understand how is it living with OCD and how important is to have the support from your family and friends.

I feel this book had a lot of triggers, and I would had love if there was a warning at the beginning of the book. I really liked that there wasn't a usual fight like the majority of rom-coms and the relationship between characters grew along with the story.

Thank you Netgalley and Berkley for the ARC in exchange of my honest opinion.

Unfortunately, this was a little too sweet for me.

I absolutely adored Luck & Last Resorts by the same author, but that one was funnier where this one was serious. Not that I can't appreciate a tender moment in a romance but... ew even writing that makes me want to die. I need all genuine love wrapped up in sarcastic retorts. To the author's credit, that's a me problem.

I initially wanted to give this book a try (despite my less than optimal history with romance books) because of the OCD representation. Even though a lot of the story didn't appeal to my taste, this aspect was really solid! It is certainly highly explained to a point that may be frustrating for people with OCD (myself included), but I think that's necessary for readers who are unfamiliar with what it really is. I especially loved how this was handled in the main sex scene (probably because while it is obviously a serious moment, Ruiz made it really funny):

"'You haven't given me your enthusiastic consent to let me do unspeakable things to you yet.'

'Oh, you definitely have my enthusiastic consent to do unspeakable things to me.'

She squints at me. 'I don't know... that didn't sound very enthusiastic to me.'

'You want enthusiasm?' I say. 'I'll show you enthusiasm, ciaróg.'"

Besides appreciating the OCD rep, I found this charming enough, but not my cup of tea. I did also especially enjoy the text format section in the third act.

While this isn't a favorite of mine, I can totally see it working for avid readers of the genre.

~ Thank you so much to Berkley (Penguin RandomHouse) and NetGalley for an early copy in exchange for an honest review! ~

Last Call at the Local is a slow-burn romance that is as cozy as a big hug. I absolutely loved Jack and Raine and their love story warmed my heart. Sarah Grunder Ruiz delivered some of the best ADHD rep and hands down the best OCD rep I’ve seen so far in Raine and Jack and it made this story truly special.

Raine Hart is a travelling musician making her way around Europe when she lands in Cobh, Ireland and has her stuff stolen. She ends up at the Local and when she gives her opinion of the rather empty pub to the owner. Instead of telling her to leave, he offers her a job. Like recognizes like, and as a fellow owner of a messy brain Jack Dunne sees possibilities rather than problems with Raine. Jack is a cat dad with an adorable floof named Sebastian and a pub that could use some revitalization. What follows is a sweet, funny, heartwarming story of finding someone who loves you for all that you are and not just when everything in your brain is perfect.

I loved watching Jack and Raine flirt and banter. Even more, I loved the realism that came from how their OCD and ADHD manifested. Grunder Ruiz skillfully weaves the challenges Jack and Raine face while never making them people who identify solely by their neurodivergence. Raine is a brilliant musician who is scared to take that leap into sharing her own music with the world. Jack is a tattoo artist as well as a pub owner, but his relapse has taken that joy from him. They are full and complete people separately but they really come into their own together, each giving the other courage and understanding that helps them grow.

I loved the world Grunder Ruiz creates in the Local. The family and friends of Jack and Raine are a delight and fill out the story perfectly. Jack and Raine are the heart of the book, however, and they charmed the heck out of me. Their chemistry is divine and their love story left me smiling. Raine and Jack aren’t perfect, but they’re the perfect characters to enjoy a truly lovely romance about. I loved Last Call at the Local from beginning to end and I cannot wait to read the rest of Grunder Ruiz’s Love, Lists & Fancy Ships series.

Thank you so much to Berkley Romance for the advance copy of the book!

This book was published on January 2nd.

This book was one that was on my radar simply from the cover and how cozy it looks! But my bookstagram friends were raving about how much they loved the audio. So of course I needed to find out for myself what it was all about. Gah I enjoyed it so much!! It was such an easy listen and naturally wanted me to go to a pub in Ireland.

I did not realize that this was not only part of a series but number 3 in a series so I will have to circle back and start from the beginning. Because I was not familiar with any of the characters from the prior books, I have no idea who pops up in this book. With that being said, the book did not feel like I was missing anything from not reading those prior books.

I love how different the two characters are but somehow it made perfect sense! I was fascinated by Raine’s free-spirited lifestyle. In a dream world, I could explore the world, work remote or find odd jobs and just meet all sorts of people but sadly I would have such anxiety not knowing I was getting a steady income so kudos to all those who can do that! We learned about Raine’s family life & a surprise visit from her sister brought a new level to their relationship.

You could tell Jack was smitten with Raine when she came into his pub. He had great trust in her to take her in not only as an employee but as someone staying in his place! He just knew that she was someone special.

I do not think I ever read a romance or any book that dealt with OCD. My heart broke for Jack as it felt like this endless cycle of thoughts that he just could not escape from. I also do not think I saw OCD represented the way it was done in the book. Normally it’s the counting and compulsively checking if something has been completed but not usually with the intrusive thoughts.

This book is a little over 350 pages and under 8 hours on audio which makes it such a quick read!

If you are looking for a cozy, romance that also mixes mental health & family drama – check this out!! And also check out

4.5

This was very ok. It started out with insta love which is never my favorite but both MCs are going through a lot of personal things in this book that to me took away from the romance. Definitely my least favorite in the series so far.

An entirely new spin on a romcom. ADHD and OCD. So relatable. The author did a great job making the characters authentic and his OCD was spot on. I love Jack. Raine was a good character too. The setting in Ireland was my favorite part of. I dream of going there. There was one steamy scene and oh my.

Thank you to NetGalley and Berkley Publishing for my complimentary eARC. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Last Call at the Local has all the swoon and angst of Sarah’s previous books.
I absolutely adored how Jack and Raine met at the bar, cats are the best! I love how their story unfolds. Be prepared to laugh out loud.

The mental health rep is top notch. Jack and Raine’s brains may not work like other people’s, but their hearts are huge.

Jack and Raine are my new favorite couple.

It was nice being able to catch up with Ollie and Nina’s lives in Ireland. Thank you Sarah!

"You're a friend until proven otherwise."

Last Call At The Local by romance author Sarah Grinder Ruiz oozes charm with its endearing lead characters Jack and Raine. Though book 3 of the Love, Lists & Fancy Ships series it's easily
a standalone.

Leaving med school and the U. S. to busk around Europe playing guitar, trying to get the courage to sing her original songs, Raine sits in the quiet bar, The Local, contemplating her next move since her guitar and money were stolen a few hours ago.

Enter the handsome and very tattooed Jack, co-owner of the pub who flirts, teases and somehow convinces Raine to help him and his brother Ollie revitalize The Local. She can take the apartment upstairs, that comes with the cuddly cat Sebastian, and help bring music, games and laughter back to the pub and maybe to Jack too.

As Jack and Raine grow close their mental health leaves them so vulnerable. In this first person dual POV this writer brilliantly puts us in their struggling minds. Raine's dealing with her ADHD but she almost sabotages opening night because she can't finish all the ideas she started at once; it nearly destroys any self confidence she has worked to believe in.

Jack's mind is even scarier because he tries to hide his OCD. When he can't he blames himself for the loss of control over his thoughts with such violent tirades at himself that it breaks your heart. "I want a little time to be Jack before I'm Jack with OCD...I just want you to think the best of me."

I learned so much about ADHD and OCD. Mainly that I have no idea what a struggle it is for those who suffer with it. I'll never again make a joke that I'm OCD about something. I fell in love with Jack and Raine. Don't wait for the last call to fall for them too.

I received a free copy of this book from #berkleypublishing via #NetGalley for a fair and honest review. All opinions are my own.

Thank you to Netgalley and Berkley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review

I would recommend if you're looking for (SPOILERS)

-m/f contemporary romance
-ADHD and OCD rep
-insta attraction
-workplace romance
-this is just a hookup
-an adorable cat
-a lot of missing socks

The third in this series of incredible standalones, Sarah takes us to Ireland this time and I loved every moment in this cozy pub with a cat and two people who brains work a bit differently and find love. The exploration of ADHD and OCD as bookends to this book about accepting yourself, finding someone who loves the aprts of you that you consider flaws but are part of who you are. That it's okay to accept what you deserve, to have different goals but find happiness together.

I adored the peaks of Nina and Ollie's HEA as well. I'll be sad to leave these characters behind but so excited to read whatever Sarah writes next.

In the third, and sadly, final book in this trilogy, we are in Ireland at Ollie's pub. Raine, a traveling musician, wanders into the pub after all her equipment and most of her possessions are stolen. When she sits down with the charming Jack and an even more handsome cat, she doesn't expect to stay. But when she tells her ideas for improving the pub, and it turns out Jack is Ollie's brother and the other owner of the pub, he hires her for eight weeks to transform the place. But as the weeks pass by, the two grow closer, their initial attraction from their very first meet simmering, but their incompatible lifestyles at the front of their minds. Raine, with her ADHD and passion for music, is destined to travel the world, but Jack's OCD prevents him from going anywhere. But will love conquer all?

I love this entire trilogy. Although the first book will always be nearest and dearest to my heart, this one takes a close second. It was nice to see some old characters returning, but this book can truly be read as a stand-alone. The representation of the two different mental conditions was interesting (and, from what I've heard, accurate). I also love that this couple managed to succeed in a modern, unconventional relationship and didn't have to have the picket fence life. Maybe that's a spoiler, but this is a romance, so there's an HEA, guys. I think this one will stick with me for a while.

Thanks to Berkley for my eARC! All thoughts and opinions are my own.

5 stars - 10/10

My first book of 2024 was an absolute 5 star winner! I’ve read the other two books in this series previously, but you can easily read this book as a standalone.

Raine is a busker who travels all over and ends up in Cobh, Ireland. She was just robbed and down on her luck, stumbles into the Local for a pint. She meets a floofy cat and as she’s talking to him, she meets his tattoed owner, Jack. After talking a bit, he offers her a job and a place to stay while she gets back on her feet. It turns out that Jack is one of the co-owners of the very pub she’s sitting in.

Raine was hired to help reinvent the Local. She changes the decor, adds some live music nights and pub trivia and just brings an energy to the place. As she’s doing so, she’s getting closer to Jack and she has to confess she has ADHD which makes it very hard to concentrate, but he admits he has OCD. Both characters have had other careers and had to stop because of their mental health. They both bond over their own flaws and are able to learn how the other thinks.

They have such incredible chemistry and they really understand each other. Sarah did an incredible job realistically sharing what life with ADHD, OCD and intrusive thoughts is like. I absolutely loved the pub and the location in Cobh. Sebastian the cat steals the show for me as the best character!

Thank you @berkleypub and @sarahgrunderruiz for my gifted ebook. Last Call at the Local is out now!

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

4.5★ Musician and former Pre-Med student Raine Hart knows what it’s like to live with ADHD. Upending her life to travel abroad, Raine prefers the nomadic life to settling down and ultimately disappointing herself and others. While in Ireland, she meets pub owner Jack Dunne, who suffers from OCD and anxiety. When a shared drink at the pub leads to a new job and living accomodations for Raine, she happily accept. But as their time together draws near, these two will have to figure out if their opposites attract romance can make it long past last call.

AH, this book spoke to me on so many levels. First and foremost, as someone who is neurodivergent myself (Autism), I appreciate this book on a fundamental level. So often, romances novels are about the idealized forms of love and relationships. This story is a romcom yes, but a romcom in the real world, full of angst, struggles, mental health issues and neurodiversity. This is real life love story - well as real as it gets in fiction.

Set in the cutest Irish village, with some of the most wonderful side characters including a floofball named Sebastian “ugly princess,” Last Call at the Local will steal your heart almost from the go. I loved how the author walks the line between insta love and slow burn in a way that allows us to get the best of both worlds. Even the mild open door was done to perfection (not too much, not too little). While this was my first book by Sarah Grunder Ruiz, it certainly will not be my last.

Read if you like:
•neurodiversity rep
•stories about starting over
•forced proximity
•opposites attract
•sunshine x grump
•Ireland setting

Thank you Berkley for my gifted copy.

Last Call at the Local by Sarah Grunder Ruiz is a fascinating & heartwarming romance mainly set amidst the background of a local pub in Ireland. A traveling musician/busker goes from down on their luck to the luck of the Irish with one chance meeting in an Irish pub.

This is book #3 in the Love, Lists and Fancy Ships series, but this is the first book I’ve read & it can easily be read as a standalone.

Last Call at the Local is perfect for fans of…
🇮🇪 Love Abroad, specifically Ireland
🇮🇪 Workplace Romance
🇮🇪 Mental Health Rep. (OCD & ADHD)
🇮🇪 Dual POV

This book begins like any great romance, but what unfolds is so much greater & deeper than that. I love a couple with great chemistry & that was apparent right from the start. The banter was quick-witted & a joy. I was ecstatic to learn that this pair both had mental health representation.

As someone with ADHD, I thought it was done so well. I related heavily to them & loved watching their love story. Like recognizes like & they gave me the warm & fuzzies. I cannot speak to the OCD representation, but I am very grateful to learn & understand more about it. I appreciated the depth in which it went into it & how it existed throughout.

I absolutely love characters that feel authentic & these two are the definition of that. They’re wonderful, delightfully messy & just so, so imperfectly real in the best way.

There’s also a pub cat, Sebastian, who is another standout character in this romance. If you’re looking to kick of your year with a unique romance sure to give you a smile, I highly recommend Last Call at the Local, which is out now!

Massive thanks to NetGalley & Berkley Publishing for the gifted copy, which I voluntarily read & reviewed.

It’s been a while since I’ve read an entire book in one day, but this had me in its thrall! A slow burn romance, but I absolutely adored it. With mental health reps for both main characters, I felt that this book took a step in making brain disease (they sound more serious like that, don’t they? But that’s what they are and they are serious 🤷🏼‍♀️) more commonplace and not taboo. Both characters also were late diagnosed (👋🏻) like a lot of our generation, and described a lot of the struggles that I myself have gone through with myself and others. But I love this more than just for the mental health reps, so I’ll step off my soapbox 😅 the sparks between the main characters were palpable, and every character (and the reader) could feel it. I honestly walked into this not knowing it was part of a series until I went to review it, so you can definitely check it out as a standalone. But I’m gonna check out the rest because I loved this one so much!

❤️ Tropes ❤️
💋 slow burn
💋 mental health rep x 2
💋 workplace romance
💋 a cat. What else do you need to know?

Raine is sitting at a pub in Ireland, not sure where to go from here. All of her instruments and music gear was stolen, she has no way to make money to continue the busking around Europe era of her life, and she has no place to sleep. But a cat jumps up on the next stool to her, followed by a very handsome Irish man. After talking all night, he offers her a chance to not have to go home with her tail between her legs and move back in with her parents. But this offer is ridiculous, there’s no way she can accept it… can she?

Cute, a lot of heart and a bit of spice, Last Call At The Local is my first read from this author, and even thought I have not read the first books in this series, it can be read as a stand alone.

Whilst yes, it is a romance, this is also a voyage of discovery for Raine and Jack, as they reconnect with who they want to be.

I enjoyed the secondary characters around Jack and Raine and I hope to get more of them in the future.

I’ve been anticipating this book since I first read the other books in this series!

📖𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗟𝗮𝘀𝘁 𝗖𝗮𝗹𝗹 𝗔𝘁 𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗟𝗼𝗰𝗮𝗹
🖊️Sarah Grunder-Ruiz
🗓️1.2.24
💘Contemporary Romance
★★★★½

💭𝗠𝗬 𝗧𝗛𝗢𝗨𝗚𝗛𝗧𝗦
I’ve enjoyed this series so much, and what a delight to be in Ireland with 𝘓𝘢𝘴𝘵 𝘊𝘢𝘭𝘭 𝘈𝘵 𝘛𝘩𝘦 𝘓𝘰𝘤𝘢𝘭, and reunited with Ollie and Nina. I loved the characters, the ADHD and OCD representation, and the adorable floofy cat Sebastian. Raine and Jack had immediate chemistry, and were so drawn to one another, and I could feel their intense bond right away. I loved that they were so honest about their struggles with one another and enjoyed watching their slow burn romance come alive.

🎧I paired the book with the audiobook and was so happy to discover it was narrated by Karissa Vacker, one of my faves. It was also a dual narration which I really enjoyed, and kept me completely engaged into the story.

𝗪𝗛𝗔𝗧 𝗧𝗢 𝗘𝗫𝗣𝗘𝗖𝗧
🍺sibling rivalry
💕workplace romance
📖neurodivergent rep
🐈an adorable cat as a roommate
🇮🇪small town Ireland setting

*many thanks to Berkley Romance, PRH Audio and Netgalley for the gifted copy for review

This book is everything. I absolutely adored it and I’m already sure it’s going to make my top 10 list for 2024 despite finishing it on Jan 2.

Raine is free-spirited, and more than a little chaotic. She quit medical school to busk her way around Europe. She never stays in one place too long until she gets to Cove, Ireland and is mugged for all her possessions. While drowning her sorrows in the nearest pub she is offered a job as the Entertainment Coordinator and a place to stay while she gets back on her feet. Despite her trepidation, in no small part to her ADHD, it turns out to be exactly what she needed.

Jack Dunne came home to run the family pub with his brother, after their father died. He’s always struggled with his OCD, but lately it has been getting a lot worse and he’s having trouble keeping the intrusive thoughts at bay. When Raine comes into his life he’s sure he’s not good enough for her, that she won’t want him if he’s not well. Jack and Raine are practically opposites, but they fit together so well and make the other feel seen and understood in a way they haven’t experienced before.

These characters gave me all the feels, and the supporting cast (including Bash the cat) are just wonderful. The book is also chock full of amazing banter (my absolute favorite thing) and their text exchanges had me snort laughing every time. I suddenly have the strongest urge to visit Ireland. 🤔