REVIEW: Last Call at the Local by Sarah Grunder Ruiz

Last Call at the Local by Sarah Grunder Ruiz The nomadic lifestyle of a traveling musician had been working just fine for Raine Hart, that is until a careless mistake while in Ireland leaves her unable to perform. Now with no way to support herself, Raine has to face the very real possibility that she needs to give up her nomadic life. That is until she unintentionally winds up kind of insulting a local pub owner over a pint of beer. Jack Dunn loves his pub, the Local, and truly he has big plans of making the family pub truly his own now, but with a load of family baggage and his own OCD getting in the way, changing up the pub has become a lot harder said than done. Well that is until he meets Raine, while her assessment of the pub would come across as harsh to anyone else, but Jack cant help find her vision of what the pub could be refreshing and hopeful. Which is why he makes her the offer to bring the Local back to life. What started out as a mission to breath new life into a tired old family pub soon becomes the beginning of a budding romance between Jack and Raine, but with their working relationship soon coming to an end can these two merge their very different lifestyles to create their very own happily ever after?

A romance set in the picturesque Ireland, yes please! This book was super cute and easy to get immersed in much like all of Ruiz books. I will say that I did not expect this book to be such a sweet and warm read, but I will say I loved every moment of reading Jack and Raine’s story. Also can we just take a moment to mention how perfectly the cover captures what I would imagine Jack and Raine sitting down to have a pint to look like.

I loved both main characters, Jack and Raine were both easy to relate to and root on. I have to commend Ruiz on the way in which she explored and expressed the challenges faced by both Raine and Jack. We got to really understand and experience the struggles that Jack faced with dealing with his OCD and the pressures of taking over his family business, while also getting a glimpse into how difficult it can be for Raine to function with ADHD. I loved that both main characters faced these issues and that they were able to help each other face, overcome and deal with the challenges that these disorders presented. Seeing them help and accept each other flaws and all made this book heartwarming.

I loved the balance between the character growth of both Jack and Raine and seeing their relationship grow. These two had a very Hallmark, Leap Year type love story and I really enjoyed following them. There was a nice balance between the spicy romance and the heartwarming moments that made this a really easy read. One of the things that I really loved about this book was the setting, I just loved the fact that this was set in Ireland. The whole Irish pub vibe, sexy ascents and Jacks super cute Gaelic nicknames just stole my heart. There really wasn’t anything that I did not love about this book. I also loved getting to see Ollie and Nina again, these two really have come a long way since their book, Luck And Last Resorts, definitely also worth checking out.

Last Call At The Local is a total must read! This forced proximity, opposites attract, work place romance will melt your heart in no time at all. I absolutely loved reading Jack and Raine’s story, this cute romance is not to be missed!

Book Info:

Publication: January 2, 2024 | Berkley | Love, Lists & Fancy Ships #3

Raine Hart is used to the challenges of living with ADHD. It’s why she ditched her life in Boston to busk around Europe as a traveling musician. No boss. No schedule. No one to disappoint but herself. But when a careless mistake in Ireland leaves her unable to perform, she sees no other option but to give up her nomadic life.

Since inheriting the Local, Jack Dunne has wanted to make the pub his own. But the baggage of running a family business and the intrusive thoughts that stem from his OCD make changing things a challenge.

Over a pint with handsome, tattooed Jack, Raine accidentally insults him and the pub. Instead of taking offense, Jack, impressed by her vision of what the pub could be, offers her a job bringing it to life.

But when Raine and Jack develop feelings for one another their opposite lifestyles won’t accommodate, it becomes clear the pub isn’t the only thing that needs reinventing. As the end of their business collaboration draws near, they’ll have to find a way past the limits they’ve placed on themselves or let go of a love that could last a lifetime.