In Her Sights
by Katie Ruggle
Rocky Mountain Bounty Hunters - Book 1
Publisher: Sourcebooks Casablanca
Release Date: March 26, 2019
Reviewed by PJ
Five bounty-hunting sisters
Deep in the heart of the Rockies
Fighting to save each other
...and the men who steal their hearts
Bounty hunter Molly Pax fought hard for everything she has, turning the bail recovery business she shares with her sisters into an unqualified success. So when their sticky-fingered mother jumps bail and puts the childhood home up as collateral, Molly's horrified. To make matters worse, every two-bit criminal in the Rockies now sees her family's misfortune as their next big break.
She needs help, stat.
Enter rival bounty hunter John Carmondy: six feet of pure trouble, with a cocky grin to match. John's the most cheerfully, annoyingly gorgeous frenemy Molly's ever had the pleasure of defeating...and he may be her only hope of making it out of this mess alive.
My thoughts:
I have yet to meet a Katie Ruggle story that I didn't like and In Her Sights is no exception. Being the first in a series with an overarching mystery, this book naturally sets the stage for future books as well as introducing the cast of main characters yet at no time did I ever feel overwhelmed or confused by the number of characters in the book. Also, while Molly's sisters all have roles in this book and we begin to know each one's individual personalities and quirks within the family dynamic, the primary focus remains consistently on Molly and John.
Did I mention how much I adored Molly and John? These two are so much fun. I loved their chemistry, their banter, and how they oh so slowly move from rivals to temporary bounty hunting partners to friends and then more. Molly is independent, sarcastic, and a protective mama bear to her younger sisters. Her take-charge attitude has been ingrained since she was a young girl and it's not about to change now. But who takes care of Molly? Enter John Carmondy, a mountain of a man with a sweet smile, protective nature, and a marshmallow heart, at least when it comes to Molly.
"He's in loooove," Felicity cooed, and Molly jabbed her sister in the side with her elbow. "How have you not realized this? He basically has cartoon hearts where his pupils should be whenever he looks at you."
He's head over heels and, of course, Molly is the only one who doesn't see it. She thinks the only reason he seems to be around when things go sideways is because he's trying to steal her skips.
Nope. John's motivation is something else entirely. Watching these two strike sparks off one another was pure pleasure. Watching them finally come together was even better!
While the tone of this book is lighter than Ruggle's previous books, there's still plenty of action and a mystery at its core. Get ready for lots of twists and turns as Molly, John, and Molly's sisters all work together to discover what their criminal mother has actually done this time and where she's fled. Pieces of the mystery will be solved in this book but there are still questions to be answered in future ones. As for Molly and John, you can expect a smile-inducing, happy ending for those two and, undoubtedly, more shenanigans in the future.
Have you read any Katie Ruggle books yet? Do you have a favorite?
Do you enjoy your romantic suspense light and humorous or dark and twisty? Or perhaps, both?
In Her Sights (Rocky Mountain
Bounty Hunters #1)
Excerpt
2
The chilly air brushed against her damp face, making her realize how
warm the bar was. She peered down the dim alley, checking both directions.
Except for the dumpster that she’d warned John about, the narrow lane was
empty. Frustration rose in her chest, squeezing her lungs. Sonny’d had too much
time to get away. The crowd had succeeded in giving him enough of a head start
to escape. Without a direction, Molly knew they had no hope of finding him.
John made an irritated sound, and Molly turned to meet his gaze. “I
know. It sucks. At least we know he hasn’t left town…yet. Should we go back and
see what we can pry out of the zombies? Someone has to know where he’s been
crashing.”
He looked unhappy about this idea. “That’s a pretty hostile bunch.
You shouldn’t go back in there.”
Although a big part of her bristled at the implication that she
couldn’t take care of herself, an even bigger part was relieved. She didn’t
want to question the bar patrons, and John was giving her an out. She’d be an
idiot to insist on endangering them for a slight chance that someone in the
crowd was willing to talk.
Letting out a disappointed huff of air, she stepped into the alley.
When John didn’t immediately follow, she turned to raise a questioning eyebrow.
“You weren’t planning on staying, were you?” Her stomach churned with concern
at the thought of him alone in Dutch’s. Sure, he was a strong guy, but even he
couldn’t fight off dozens of people if they meant him harm. Who knew how many
were armed, too. The bouncer hadn’t checked the two of them for weapons, and
they weren’t even regulars.
“No.” John finally followed her out, and she released the door so it
swung shut behind him. “I was just surprised you didn’t insist on staying.”
She shrugged, not wanting to admit that she’d considered it out of
foolish pride, even though it had just been for a moment or two. “I have a
greater sense of self-preservation than that.”
“I…” Whatever he had been about to say was lost when his voice
trailed off, his eyes locked on the back of a neighboring building. Molly
followed his gaze to a door that was cracked open just an inch or two. Turning
her head, she exchanged a speaking look with John, and they both moved quietly
toward the barely open door.
“You armed?” he asked so quietly that she could barely hear him.
“Depends how you define arms.” Slipping her Taser from her pants
pocket, she held it at her side. “You?”
“No gun.” His gaze stayed fixed on the dark gap between the door and
the frame as they moved closer to the building. “I do have arms, though.”
She was pretty sure he flexed, although her attention, like his, was
focused on the slightly open door. A touch of amusement ran through her, but it
was quickly swallowed by apprehension. Who knew what kind of danger hid in the
shadows of the warehouse?
When they were just a few feet from the door, Molly reached her free
hand toward the edge, intending to push it open, but there was suddenly a huge
man in her way. With a glare at the broad back in front of her, blocking her
way and even her view of the entry, she dodged around him, giving him a sharp
elbow in the side. Even if he was just trying to be chivalrous, it was still a
ridiculous thing to do.
Easing the door open, she took a cautious step inside, grateful for
John’s watchful presence at her back. The murky ambient light illuminated the
interior just enough to see shadows and forms. Dust and the lingering hint of
old chemicals prickled her nose. Before she could take a second step, a darting
movement caught her attention. Molly sucked in a startled breath and spun to
face the threat, her entire focus was on who—or what—was in the dark space with
them. Before she could race after whoever it was, the world behind them lit up,
whiting out her vision. She didn’t have time to think or plan or even duck
before a ferocious boom sounded, so loud that she felt it
through her entire body.
John! her brain screamed, even as she knew it
was too late to help him. The explosion had already sent her flying forward,
weightless, from the force of the blast.
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Author Website: http://katieruggle.
