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.

This book was just so darn cute I couldn’t stop! I was lucky enough to also receive the audiobook so I read and listened; and I just adored it!

I enjoyed this book. As a mood reader I feel like it’s the right kind of book for after I’ve read something a bit darker or with a lot of angst. I haven’t read any of the authors other books (I get the impression that those that have maybe had different expectations for this one- so that’s worth considering ).

What I liked:
- fast paced
- good banter
- grumpy/sunshine
-forced proximity
- virgin MMC
-the addition of a bit of suspense
- no third act breakup

A few things that people might feel strongly about (not my favorites, but not deal breakers for me either).
- single POV
- a bit “insta-love”-y

3.5 rounded to 4

A quick, fun read with a building romance. I thought the ending was rushed and the hermit sitting for a makeover a bit unbelievable. Will look forward to more from this author.

This book was so good. My only complaint was the overuse of the word "hermit". lol. I loved how Dahlia and Winston's relationship played out. I loved the mystery aspect of them looking for Rose. Such a great read/listen!

Funny and sweet. Loved this book! Have not read anything by this author before but had so much fun with this read. Only a little suspense which was fine with me. The city girl goes camping thing is not a new troupe but was done incredibly well. She wasn't obnoxious and was always ready to jump in and do what she could without complaining. Also loved the running commentary from her and quiet humor from him. Fun easy read when you just want to relax with a good book. Can't wait to see what's next from this author!

4.5 stars

Finally! A new book from an author I love. Unless I’m missing something, she hasn’t published a book since 2019. While I wasn’t a fan of the single POV, I still greatly enjoyed this book.

Dahlia is such a joy! I wouldn’t quite characterize her as a “sunshine”, but she is hopeful and funny and witty. Her mind goes a mile a minute in so many interesting directions. On the other hand, Winston is steady and thinks long and hard before he speaks…if he even speaks at all. Their chemistry is amazing and I couldn’t get enough of them together.

Honestly, Winston is the star of this show. He is the biggest cinnamon roll but, as Dahlia notes, he’s a stealth cinnamon roll. He cannot help but press stealth kisses to Dahlia’s head, blurt out compliments when he didn’t even mean to speak, and do anything to see Dahlia smile. He’s growly and bossy and a natural alpha while also being tenderhearted and intuitive to Dahlia’s needs. Seriously, this man made me swoon.

I’m so happy to see this author publishing again.