Title: CHANGING THE RULES
Author(s): Catherine Bybee
Series: Richter Series #1
Also in this series: A Thin Disguise
Narrator(s): Lori Prince, Joe Arden
Published by Brilliance Audio, Montlake on 23 March 2021
Pages: 336
Length: 8hrs 43mins
Genre(s): Contemporary Romance, New Adult, Romantic Suspense
Source: Kindle Unlimited, Netgalley
Purchase: Amazon|B&N|Audible
Rating:
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From New York Times and USA Today bestselling author Catherine Bybee comes the steamy first novel in her new adrenaline-fueled Richter series.
As an employee of MacBain Security and Solutions, Claire Kelly can certainly hold her own. Armed with an impressive set of covert skills, she’s more than prepared to tackle any job that comes her way…except one involving Cooper Lockman.
Cooper and Claire used to work together before his feelings for her sent him packing to Europe for six long years. But now he’s back and determined to ignore the still-smoldering heat that lingers between them.
Their current mission: go undercover together at a California high school to root out the mastermind behind a prostitution ring targeting young girls. The closer they get to the truth and the closer they get to each other, however, the deadlier their task becomes. As Claire and Cooper risk their lives to bring down their target, will their hearts be the final casualties?
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🎧📚Changing the Rules is the first book in the Richter series. Catherine Bybee is not an author whose work I am familiar with. However, the synopsis hinted at an exciting read and with that in mind I jumped at the chance to read this book. The story delivered as expected.
While reading, I recognised that this was a spin-off of another series. Information I wish I had before jumping into this book. This in no way prevented me from enjoying 🎧📚Changing The Rules. However, if I had the chance to read the previous series, I would have had more information regarding the background of the main characters.
Claire and Cooper, the stars of the show, both work for McBain Security Solutions. Cooper left six years ago to work with the London team. His reason for leaving had to do with his intense feelings towards Claire, but now he is back hoping to win her heart. However, before he can accomplish that, they need to infiltrate a high school to uncover the mastermind behind a teenage prostitution ring.
The story captured my attention from start to finish. Throw in some dirty cops, shady teachers and misbehaving students and you get an intense story which will keep you on your toes.
I had an interesting time watching Claire re-inventing her high school experience. From what I gathered, her true experience was not so great. Cooper made a great coach. I loved how well the team worked together to bring down the culprits. The interactions and the banter between helped to lighten some of the moments in the story.
The romance, although not the focus of the story, could have benefited from a little more development. Cooper’s feelings were made clear from the get go, while Claire’s proved difficult to determine. One moment she sees him as a friend, then the next she is head over heels.
I alternated between the e-book and the audiobook. Lori Prince and Joe Arden narrated. While I didn’t mind the male narrator’s voice, the female narrator irked me. Her accents and her attempts to sound like a teenager were off-putting, which pulled me out of the story several times. The e-book saved me from giving up on the story, which made it the better choice.
Overall, 🎧📚Changing the Rules was a good story and one I would recommend to fans of romantic suspense.
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About Catherine Bybee
New York Times, Wall Street Journal, and USA Today bestselling author Catherine Bybee has written twenty-eight books that have collectively sold more than five million copies and have been translated into more than eighteen languages. Raised in Washington State, Bybee moved to Southern California in the hope of becoming a movie star. After growing bored with waiting tables, she returned to school and became a registered nurse, spending most of her career in urban emergency rooms. She now writes full-time and has penned the Not Quite Series, the Weekday Brides Series, the Most Likely To Series, and the First Wives Series.
Reading this book contributed to these challenges:
- 2021 Audio Book Challenge
- 2021 Kindle Unlimited Challenge
- 2021 Netgalley and Edelweiss Challenge
