3.5 rounded down.

It was a fun, quick read that kept me engaged. I’d recommend it to romance fans looking for a little thrill!

Premise - a professional vigilante, Dylan, gets the opportunity to take down the man who raped her sister many years ago. At the same time, her business partner, Daniel, is preparing to move on to a more family-friendly profession and a new wife-to-be. Can Dylan defeat the villain from her past and come to terms with her less-than-professional feelings for her coworker, before it’s too late?

The female vigilante character is a fun one, but while the thriller element started strong I felt it was dropped too much in favor of romance later in the story. I’d love to have seen the two elements married better. As it was, it felt like they were separate chapters: thriller turns into romance turns into thriller.

I didn’t like the execution of the third act breakup (and Daniel just wasn’t an appealing MMC to me). The prose was also a bit melodramatic, but it is a soap opera plot so she very well might have been going for that.

The villain was definitely hateable, though not three dimensional, and Dylan actually *was* a strong female character (too often that’s promised and not delivered, but Olson delivered).

I’d recommend this, but it’s not quite a 4 star/reread for me!

Thanks, NetGalley and Crooked Lane, for the free ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I liked this. The narrator was good. It was a kind of spice that I hadn't really come across lately, where it's sensual and well done without being super graphic (at times). I didn't love Dylan's character because I felt she made things harder than they needed to be. She also made silly decisions like turning her phone off when she was expecting someone to meet up with her. But overall, I liked this more than I thought I would.

Thank you to NetGalley for providing me with a copy in exchange for an honest review.

"Tits up. Knives out."

If your perfect idea book is a domestic thriller with a side of revenge and healthy serving of romance and spice, then this book is for you. This one took me a while to get into, but it had a very satisfying ending with lots of action. Olson's writing style is top-notch, delivering a realistic and immersive reading experience. This is definitely a suspense thriller but has elements of a spicy romance as well. This book masterfully balances the elements of suspense and romance, making it a must-read for those who enjoy a gripping domestic thriller with a side of spicy romance. I was originally gifted the eBook and then got the audiobook as well. The audiobook was well executed. The narrator spoke clearly and helped keep my attention throughout. The audio really added to the reading experience and made the words come to life. If you're in the mood for a well-crafted tale of revenge, intertwined with a healthy dose of passion and intrigue, "Close Enough to Hurt" should definitely be on your reading list. I look forward to reading more from this author! 4 stars!

Thank you to Katherine A. Olson, Dreamscape Media, and NetGalley for this gifted copy.

Okay, when I first started reading this book I really thought I was going to love it. It's a badass female who loves to get revenge on those that did her clients wrong. What's not to love? I knew based on the synopsis that she had a crush on her coworker, however I didn't realize the book was going to lose the entire revenge plot in the middle of the story, turn into a love story, then throw a tiny bit of revenge in at the end. It kind of sent my head spinning like the author forgot that the main part of the story was supposed to be the justice she was getting for her sister. The last half lost me and that makes me sad because I really was into the book in the beginning.

The audio was fantastic. Emma Love always does a phenomenal job, so I think this was a great choice.

I appreciate the opportunity to read and I will definitely give Ms. Olson a chance again in the future!

Thanks NetGalley for the ARC of this audiobook. The beginning of this book really hooked me! The plot, the characters and the premise was set up for an amazing thriller. The middle got really redundant and the ending didn’t really make up for the lack of story throughout the book. I thought it was good but unfortunately my attention fell halfway through.

This is a great debut! I would categorize it as a romantic suspense novel. I loved the banter between Dylan (Lady Justice) and Daniel (the PI). I would’ve liked to hear more between her and her target. There were lots of times he wasn’t mentioned at all and I felt like I was just reading a romance novel instead of a revenge story as the cover implies. Overall, it was a good read and the audiobook was done well.

Thank you to Netgalley, Crooked Lane Books and Dreamscape Media for the ARC/ALC!

Dylan - aka “Lady Justice” - is a revenge-for-hire freelancer along with her best friend (and hacker extraordinaire) Daniel. Though lately, she has found herself thinking about Daniel differently, especially as his family is pressuring him to settle down. When Dylan gets a calls to enact revenge on billionaire CEP Brent Wilder, this time it’s personal, as Brent attacked and injured Dylan’s sister years ago, Dylan is all too eager to worm her way into Brent’s life and make him pay. But at what cost?

First of all - I can’t believe this is a debut novel!! It’s not easy to pull off a truly exciting suspense story while developing a romance (and I am a hard sell on romance in thrillers), but Katharine Olson did it seamlessly! Dylan’s professional life and romantic life flowed together as she tried to navigate what was the right thing to do. Brought perfectly to life by Emma Love, Lady Justice is someone I would certainly want to have on my side. Katherine Olson’s writing style reminded me of Samantha Downing, and I can confidently say I will eagerly wait to see what she comes up with next!

This review will be shared to my Instagram blog (@books_by_the_bottle) shortly :)

Gah.

This book suffers from an identity crisis. I thought (based on the cover and description) I was getting a femme fatale vigilante-type story and there is a smidge of that, but it's mostly a poorly done "romance" WOOF.

I wanted a book exacting revenge on a SF white dude that assaults women and that's not what I got. If you're looking for that type of book, check out [book:Jane Doe|36531070]

Here the undeveloped and no-one-cares "romance" is the main part. (Note: Some of my favorite series have strong females (detectives, lawyers, etc) where the book mostly follows a case they are working, with a little side of their personal life woven in. That works. This isn't the scenario here though).

THIS story primarily revolves around the MC's love issues that she never shuts up about. Girl, FOCUS on the bad guy and your mission. The story also moved rather slowly, mostly because the MC has to do so much thinking about her feelings and repeating to herself why she must hide her feelings. She is annoying and exhausting and doesn't feel like a bad ass I want to hang with.

Then there was also the token sex scene which was not only too graphic and descriptive (VOMIT) it went on and on and on IT WAS AN ENTIRE LONG CHAPTER and even though I skipped and skipped it was carrying over again into the next chapter. There wasn't even a proper lead up with appropriate tension as one expects in the romance formula.

The writing was also really poor, even in the audio I found myself rolling my eyes at some of the lines uttered, for example "My sister deserved better than to meet a monster like you." My 12yo niece says things more... colorful. I also found the male characters rather unbelievable. They felt very "written by a woman" though it could be that the narrator wasn't very good at males/male voices. The "bad guy" Brent's voice was particularly bad.

Lastly, imho the cover makes no sense and doesn't evoke what the story is about. Thanks netgalley for my ARC ALC.

3.75 rounded to 4

Dylan Truman is a baddie to the max, she’s relentless in her quest to serve up justice to those who evade it so expertly. There’s a reason she’s known as “Lady Justice.” She’s not heartless, just appropriately ruthless. She’s an entrepreneur, has her own business called Dark Horse Consulting….you definitely don’t want to be in her sights. She doesn’t advertise and works solely on referrals.

I loved her sidekick, Daniel. Daniel is a PI who met Dylan early on in her career and earned her trust. Did Dylan make a mistake in trusting him?

Then there is Brent…𝗧𝗛𝗘 𝗧𝗔𝗥𝗚𝗘𝗧 𝗢𝗙 𝗔𝗟𝗟 𝗧𝗔𝗥𝗚𝗘𝗧𝗦. Brent assaulted Dylan’s sister and is the reason she has been hell bent on revenge in the first place. The problem with this slime ball is…he’s smart and has resources. He is legit the worst. Made me cringe the entire book. When the narrator was speaking as Brent she sounded like Squidward from SpongeBob 🤣😂🤣.

I loved the San Francisco setting and the reference to Point Bonita (it is gorgeous) but Dylan is right those waters can be treacherous.

The beginning had me hooked immediately. The revenge angle was perfectly executed!!! Unfortunately, I didn’t think the author capitalized plot point enough. She did it so well and I didn’t think we got enough of that. I was a little disappointed that the book took more of a romantic turn. I think sometimes with a debut, an author can try to do a little too much. I think if the story focused more on revenge with some subtle romance vibes / sexual tension, I would’ve liked it more and it would’ve felt like a more natural progression of the relationship. Towards the end I started losing interest a little and Dan’s character (despite how I liked his loyalty and his heart) fell a little flat for me.

I’m looking forward to checking out more books by this author and hope that she delves more into her thriller side or a follow up revenge book because I def need more of that!

There was quite a bit more romance that I expected (or tend to enjoy) but it was still well done! If you are into that, I wouldn’t be surprised if this was a 5star! I truly am in awe that this is a debut!

The story was gripping, the dialogue was realistic and enjoyable, and I cared about all of the main characters. I’m excited to see what the author doesn’t next!

I listened to this on audio, and the narrator did a great job there as well! Definitely caught the attitude of the main character lol

Excellent story. It’s a great combination between thriller and romance.

Dylan is a great female lead. She has dedicated her life to righting wrongs and helping others get revenge. Then one job gets personal for her. And in the midst of all this, her relationship with a coworker starts to evolve.

I really liked her determination. Her character growth from beginning to end was done well.

Wow, what a debut! CLOSE ENOUGH TO HURT blew me away! I loved that it was part thriller and part romance. It started off strong and ended just the way I had hoped it would. I really liked Dylan's determination. She wanted revenge and wasn't planning to give up until she got what she wanted. I felt her and Daniel made the perfect team. The narrator spoke clearly and made the story even more enjoyable for me. I'll definitely be looking forward to getting my hands on whatever Katherine A. Olsen writes in the future.

Many thanks to Dreamscape Media and Netgalley for my gifted ALC.

This review will be shared to my Instagram (@coffee.break.book.reviews) in the near future.

The thriller I recently experienced was a captivating literary journey that left a lasting impression. At first glance, one might mistake it for a romance, but it quickly became evident that this story was much more than that. The narrative was beautifully dynamic, with each page unfolding like a carefully orchestrated symphony of emotions and suspense.

The writing in this thriller was a standout feature. It possessed a rare quality that effortlessly transported me into the world of its characters. The author's ability to craft scenes with vivid descriptions and nuanced character development was truly commendable. This dynamic writing style kept me engaged from start to finish, making it difficult to put the book down.

While the story had its fair share of moments filled with sadness, it also offered a ray of hope that shone through the darkest of times. It delved into the complexities of human emotions and relationships, showing how characters can strive to do better and be better, even in the face of adversity. This thematic depth added a layer of richness to the narrative, making it a thought-provoking read.

What truly set this thriller apart, though, was its freshness and uniqueness. It defied conventional genre categorizations, blending elements of suspense, romance, and personal growth seamlessly. This unconventional approach breathed new life into the story, offering a refreshing and distinctive reading experience. It's a testament to the author's creative prowess that they managed to create something that felt both familiar and entirely original.

In conclusion, this thriller was a literary gem that I won't soon forget. Its dynamic writing, emotional depth, and unique storytelling combined to create a truly memorable reading experience. Whether you're a fan of thrillers or enjoy stories that challenge genre boundaries, this book is worth picking up for its ability to engage, entertain, and inspire.