The Rewind

by Nicole Stiling

Some choices break hearts. Others leave a body count.

Police detective Cami Lyons is finally doing okay following the devastating breakup of her relationship with crime reporter Alicia Flynn. Her work is mainly petty theft investigations and chasing down vandals, until a body is found in a nearby forest and everything changes. She has no choice but to pivot to homicide detective, and she’s in way over her head.

Alicia made a terrible mistake. When her existential crisis spiraled out of control, she left everything behind—her home, her family, her job, her longtime girlfriend—and ended up on the other side of the world. Time hasn’t healed her wounds and now she’s back. But the truth of all she’s lost may be too much to face.

With the captain, the mayor, the public, and the media breathing down Cami’s neck, her priority is figuring out who’s terrorizing their town, and fast. Sorting out her lingering feelings for Alicia? Definitely not a priority.

Genres: Crime, Second Chance, Romance, Lesbian, Queer, LGBT, Mystery

312 pages, Paperback

Published February 13, 2024

Reviews

[Tea · Rating 4 out of 5]

Alicia decides to leave her girlfriend of 6 years to move across the globe with very little warning. Early mid life crisis or not, she soon realizes what a mistake she made.

3 years later the reporter moves back to Oakview at the same time a murderer strikes. Detective Camille Lyons is not happy to have Alicia back in town and her mood doesn’t get any better when another dead body shows up.

- Second chance romance
- Detective/Reporter
- Serial(ish) killer on the loose
- Third pov
- Closed door
- No owd(+ non problematic f buddy makes a short apperance, no sex)

It took me a hot sec to get into the story (about 30% in my interest was caught)but I do belive that’s a me issue, this happens to me quite often.

The Mystery
Well done. Several suspects and no clear culprit. Kept me wondering what was going on.

The Love Story
From 0 to 20 to 100. They were really cute together but it felt a bit rushed. From ”civil” to ”it was a one time thing” to ”I love you” within a very short amount of time. The ”you hurt me” dragged on a bit too long.

I liked Alicia(37) more than Cami(42). Alicia was so sweet and caring from the start but Cami only grew on me later on. She was a bit immature to me when it came to her and Alicia’s ”conflict”. She did not always have the thought process of a 42 year old.

I do think Alicia was unfairly treated. Yes, she broke up with Cami on short notice but she did do it in person and she did it maturely. She, like everyone else have the right to break up with their significant other.
Sure, Cami gets to be hurt and not want to be near Alicia ever again but their friends acted like Alicia did something wrong. Which she did toward the friends(she didn’t tell them she were leaving) but not toward Cami. I do think her leaving was made out to be a bigger deal that it actually was, like she made a terrible and unforgiving choice. You should not be hated because you wanted to find happiness elsewhere.

A simple writing style I wasn’t a fan of. (Luckily) no 5 page descriptions of what their houses or something equally boring looked like. Quite a lot of dialogue, which I didn’t mind at all. Well paced. Would recommend.

I received an ARC in exchange for a review. All opinions here are my own.

3.75 stars

[Sandra · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.25⭐️
It's an exciting second-chance mystery romance with a surprising culprit.

[Jude Silberfeld-Grimaud · Rating 4 out of 5]

Nicole Stiling isn’t exactly an autobuy but she’s an author whose books I always look forward to. There’s something about her writing that really works for me even when I’m not entirely convinced by the story itself, as is the case with this one.

Three years ago, Alicia left her life in Oakview without warning. Her family, her friends, her job as a journalist for the local newspaper. And her girlfriend of six years, Cami. She’s back in town just as the dead body of an older woman is discovered. Cami is the detective in charge of the investigation, which is a far cry from what the small-town police force usually deals with. To add to Cami’s frustration, the reporter assigned to the story turns out to be Alicia.

The thriller arc is elaborate and tortuous, with what felt like the right mix of red herrings and actual hints. Towards the end, it kept me on the edge of my seat, as I was hoping it would.

For the romance, I really couldn’t, at first, see how Stiling was going to make the second chance work. I wasn’t sure I understood why Alicia had left, she kept making the wrong choices, I couldn’t imagine Cami forgiving her. After a while, however, it didn’t seem to matter anymore. Is it the chemistry? I can’t explain how it happened, but I suddenly believed that the relationship could actually be mended.

Despite requiring some suspension of disbelief, The Rewind is a good police procedural thriller and an enjoyable second-chance romance.

I received a copy from the publisher and I am voluntarily leaving a review.

Read all my reviews on my blog (and please buy from the affiliation links!): Jude in the Stars

[Kaye · Rating 4 out of 5]

Cami Lyons is a police detective in Oakview. She is used to dealing with small town crimes when a body is found. Cami’s job is made more difficult as she is liaison with the town’s new crime reporter Alicia Flynn. Cami’s world was blown apart three years ago when Alicia, her girlfriend for six years, left her and the country to find herself. Alicia would love to have Cami’s forgiveness but will settle for civility. She is trying to recover her life after leaving. But tension increases as another murder turns the case into a hunt for a potential serial killer.

I like this police procedural novel with a second chance, closed door, romance. There are a couple of red herrings but it is fairly easy to guess who the culprit is as there are fairly few people in the story. I liked the main characters and how they slowly begin to interact again. The hurt of the original breakup is more voiced by the friend group who were left to help Cami recover. I usually love epilogues but didn’t think this added much other than to show the couple is still together a year later. Thank you to NetGalley and Bold Strokes Books for the ARC and I am leaving a voluntary review.

[Aleana · Rating 5 out of 5]

Cami is a detective in a small town she rarely gets any crimes that’s worst than bar fights until now when a murder takes place. While investigating she realizes a serial killer is in her town and to top off her ex Alicia is back in town to see her and also assign to interview her and it’s doesn’t goes as smoothly because Cami is still hurt by Alicia leaving even though she supposedly move on. Alicia realizes she may been wrong to leave because she stills has feelings for Cami but at that time she needed to put herself first. Cami and Alicia have to navigate their past and present when the killer set their sight on Alicia this was a good read I love mystery thrillers especially when it’s with female lead and romance in it that don’t over shadow the mystery. I do think that everyone was bit much with Alicia I understand being hurt she didn’t say goodbye but to make leaving seems like it’s unforgivable and have her feel guilty for it was wrong. Sometimes you need to leave to realize where you belong.




I received an ARC copy of this book from the Publisher via Netgalley and voluntarily leaving my review.

[Carol Hutchinson · Rating 5 out of 5]

An intense mystery!

Cami, a police detective is exploring a new case after a body is found in the forest, which reacquaints her with her ex, Alicia, a crime reporter. Tensions are high between them, with Cami convinced Alicia has just come back to cause her pain, but when further murders happen and the case brings them closer together they find a way to reconnect.

This was an intense and chilling mystery, filled with uncertainties as the case developed with further murders and opportunities for the press to report on them. At first, there is no love lost between Cami and Alicia on Cami’s side, she was hurting and making her feelings very clear and known to Alicia. She got it in her head that Alicia was deliberately trying to mess with her carer until the case pulled Alicia in on a more personal level and they ended up spending more time together with their friends that meant she couldn’t avoid Alicia.

There were many unexpected twists and the clues had me suspecting quite a few characters, including Alicia. When Cami finally got pieces to fit together and the truth became realisation, I was completely shocked and hadn’t even expected it to turn out the way it did. I loved that this story kept me guessing, had that murky feel every good murder mystery had, but also had some moments to lighten the mood of the story and the intense feelings between Cami and Alicia because they were really well suited to one another and had a great connection.

Really enjoyable story, with unexpected twists and turns, and great complications when it came to Cami dealing with her feelings for Alicia.

[Jamie R. · Rating 5 out of 5]

Alicia Flynn experiences an existential crisis and decides to leave her partner of 6 years, Cami Lyons, to travel to Australia in search of herself. Cami is shocked and devastated and Alicia soon realizes she’s made a terrible mistake.
Three years later Alicia returns to town where Cami has worked hard to heal and rebuild her life. She is a detective that has been thrown into a homicide case and it soon becomes clear they have an active serial killer in their town. Alicia is the reporter assigned to follow the story and Cami is shocked when Alicia shows up to meet with her.
Both wrestle with the past hurt as they navigate their working together as the case intensifies and Alicia finds herself more involved in the case than she would like as it puts her in danger.
The story draws the reader in from the prologue and keeps you riveted throughout. A very good sapphic thriller! I look forward to reading more from this author.
Thanks you to Bold Stroke Books and NetGalley for the arc of this book.

[Shimere Alexander · Rating 5 out of 5]

I've been pleasantly surprised by some recent police mysteries, and this one stands out. From the beginning the author draws you in with some heartfelt drama. The dynamic between Cami and Alicia was compelling, showcasing forgiveness and vulnerability that led to a well-written romance. The mystery of the senseless crimes kept me guessing it was so puzzling with several suspects thrown in, making it a satisfying challenge to uncover the who and especially the why, which I never would have guessed. Overall, I thoroughly enjoyed the book and would welcome more with this duo.

[Sue Plant · Rating 4 out of 5]

would like to thank netgalley and the publisher for letting me read this book

when Police detective Cami Lyons personal life imploded her only course of action was to get on with her job and she did though she never really got over the split with her partner crime reporter Alicia Flynn, cami never really knew the reason why alicia went off as she did, it was just one of life little mysteries

when the first murder was discovered life became more difficult for cami with the pressure from everyone to discover who had done it and it was made worse when she was forced to work with alicia

could life get any worse .....

not a bad read from this author the dynamics from the characters were fun to read and i have to say i had a soft spot for cami....

[Michael Wells · Rating 5 out of 5]

Cami and Alicia are in love and then Alicia decides to leave without telling anyone. Cami's heart is broken and then Alicia returns. There are 2 plot lines in this story. Cami and Alicia's relationship and the search for a serial killer in their town. There are a few suspects. I found the book an enjoyable read and would recommend it to romance and thriller reads.

[Jazzy Davis · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you so much Bold Strokes Books, Inc. for giving me the opportunity to have an Advanced Reader Copy of The Rewind by Nicole Stiling. The Synopsis of this book is very well written, my jaw dropped at the struggles and drama that are to come. I already feel for Alicia as life as she knows is changing with the blink of an eye. Not to mention that Alicia has been in a lifelong relationship with a woman, bonus points for that. Will this be a mistake that she regrets, or will she be the hero everyone praises?
Nicole Stiling, I really love the genuine vibes that come across in your acknowledgments. I felt like I knew you and I really love that feeling of knowing an author. I could really relate to your dedication to your dad, and I feel like it just really adds to the book. This is the first book of yours that I have read, and I have to say It won’t be the last.
My heart breaks for Cami as she tries to fight for her relationship with Alicia, no matter how hard she fights she knows that there is no use. I also praise Alicia for following her heart and staying true to herself even if it means hurting Cami. I know she doesn’t want to hurt her but sometimes you must hurt others to find yourself. I’m so excited to be on this journey with Alicia and Cami to see if their love will last or if it will become a memory of the past.
I loved this book so much; I enjoyed being along for the ride with all the twists and turns. I rated this book 4.5 stars and I will definitely be reading this book again in the future. It was written so beautifully, and the details were perfect.

[Betty · Rating 5 out of 5]

I truly loved reading The Rewind by Nicole Stiling. I know this author writes wonderful mystery/romance novels. This book is another example of their excellent writing skills in these genres.

Take a serial killer terrifying the population of a small town with seemingly random murders. Add in a beautiful second-chance romance between the detective working the investigation (Cami Lyons) and the reporter covering the story for the local paper ( Alicia Flynn), and you have a recipe for a perfect combination of intrigue, mystery and romance. An idyllic small town as the unwilling backdrop to a rash of murders only adds to the suspense that kept me invested in the story.

Then you have Cami and Alicia meeting again after a heart-wrenching breakup of their relationship three years before. When they are forced to work together to find the murderer, things get really heated, both in the investigation and with each other.

I really enjoyed this book. The mystery grabbed my interest on the first page and kept me reading to the very end. I only figured out who the killer was near the end. I had a list of about three or four suspects, and the author really kept me guessing. If you enjoy a good murder mystery mixed with a lovely second chance love story, then make sure you read The Rewind by Nicole Stiling.

Thanks to NetGalley and Bold Strokes Books for allowing me to read and review this novel.

[Meghan · Rating 4 out of 5]

First book by this author, but won't be my last. I loved how she intertwined the romance in with the suspense and the murders. It was well written and kept me on the edge of my seat trying to figure out who the killer is and if they two MCS would get back together.

Cami Lyons is a detective in a small town and isn't used to a killer on a spree. She's tasked with finding a killer that's terrorizing her town, but she doesn't expect her ex to show back up in town after leaving abruptly years earlier. Cami tries to keep her distance and hold on to her anger, but it's easier said than done when there is a killer on the loose.

Alicia left her girlfriend and her whole life behind without so much as a heads up, but she regrets it and comes crawling back to try and repair all the relationships she ruined, especially with Cami. She is the crime reporter for the local newspaper and is tasked with interviewing Cami about the current murder which doesn't go well.

I enjoyed the storyline, even though I figured out who the killer was decently early, but Stilling did a good job of keeping it interesting and kept it intriguing.

I received an ARC from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

[Caitlin · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Rewind follows Cami, a detective in Oakville, a small town whose worst crimes are bar fights and property disputes, until recently when a murder occurred. To make matters worse, Cami's ex-girlfriend, Alicia, a crime reporter that returns to town after abruptly leaving Cami unexpectedly. As Cami works to solve the murder and deal with her feelings of seeing Alicia again, Alicia tries to figure out how to settle back into her old life after she left everyone behind.

This is a second chance romance with a murder investigation, which are some of my favorite tropes. I liked both of these elements in this book. The characters were well written, with Cami being my favorite, although some of her friends were great to. They provided good support to the story. The mystery around the killings was interesting and fun to figure out. I do wish there was a follow up between one of the main characters and one of the possible suspects, but otherwise I enjoyed the wrap up.

All in all, I enjoyed this romantic thriller. I would recommend this for fans of romantic blends/ thrillers.

Thank you to NetGalley for an ARC

[Anne · Rating 4 out of 5]

Alicia left unexpectedly and broke Cami’s heart. More than that really, Cami was destroyed as she believed it was the perfect relationship. Three years later, Alicia is back in town. She knows that leaving was a terrible mistake and now wishes that she and Cami can at least be friends. Cami is deep into a murder investigation and seeing Alicia again is not helpful. Cami’s friends are split. Some think Alicia has apologised enough… others think she can never be forgiven…

This is a fast paced and well written book. The plot is credible and I enjoyed trying to work out who the murderer might be. I didn’t get it till near the end. A strength in the story is Cami’s various friends. Katie is adamant that Alicia should not be welcomed back and Violet is more ambivalent. It allows the author to explore all the elements in a subtle way, and I liked that Katie was so protective. The plotting is clever, with Jade, Alicia’s boss at the newspaper, an angry aggressive, defensive character who may or may not be involved. There’s a lot going on and I’m really hoping we get more adventures with Alicia and Cami.

I was given a copy of this book by NetGalley

[Kennedy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Existential crisis is understood as a type of inner conflict. Where a person comes to the realization that life has no meaning or purpose. As a result, you have to get away from your current situation. Question: how to explain that to the person you love? Well, this read examines that and its impact on friends, family and the one you love left behind scattered. This read provided a different type of lesbian fiction that had me thinking about not only that but the mystery...who done it.

Alicia Flynn, journalist, struggling with life purpose and meaning. Detective Camille Lyons, devastated when the love of her life leaves with little notice. Alicia returns after three years realizing she made a huge mistake because everything she needs and wants is right where she started. Secondary characters play an important role in this read as supporters or being uncertain. Enjoyable second chance romance with depth and makes you think and in my opinion, that is a good thing.

ARC provided by Bold Strokes Books, Inc. via NetGalley

[Jennabeebs79 · Rating 3 out of 5]

⭐️⭐️⭐️1/2

The Rewind is set in a small New Hampshire where nothing particularly exciting happens, that is until a murder happens which leaves the whole town reeling and the local police scrambling for answers. The story blends its small-town setting with a gripping mystery and heartfelt romance. The main characters are wonderful women who deserve a happily ever after and the supporting characters, especially their group of friends, add another layer to their romance. The mystery surrounding the murders and the clues thrown in do a wonderful job of creating suspicion and tension. It’s a story that grips a hold from the start and doesn’t release until the final punctuation mark in the epilogue.

Check out my full review at TheLesbianReview.com

[Alice M. · Rating 4 out of 5]

A second chance/cop/murder/romance. Starts off quite angsty. I immediately don't like Alicia and feel for Cami.
3 years later Alicia is back. Still not liking her very much. A murder has been committed and Alicia interviews Cami. The resultant piece in the paper does not portray the police in a good light.. The story shows how Alicia and Cami relate to each other while the police investigate the murder and subsequent murders.. This book kept my interest. As the investigation progressed I kept trying to guess who the murderer was. I did eventually, just before the final denouement but had a few false starts before that. I got to quite like Alicia by the end of the book.

[Shannon Luchies · Rating 3 out of 5]

Cami Lyons, small town detective, is investigating a murder. Worse, her chief insists she talk to a reporter... who turns out to be her ex.

Alicia Flynn took off three years ago, on a quest to find herself. Now she's back, and wants to reconnect with Cami. However, she just trashed the police department in her first major story after coming back. Oops.

Decent, about mid range book. I kind of felt that the romance felt rushed at the end, nor did the mystery hugely satisfy me.

[Fran Sappharc · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really got in to this. There was a slight point near the middle when the romance was sort of still moving but slowly but the crime plot wasn’t really going anywhere, that I felt pacing wasn’t as tight. However the last quarter made up for that. I was so happy when the happy ending happened. 3.5 reflects the very slight drop in pace but up to 4 because I was pretty gripped for most. So much that, unusually for me I didn’t make any review notes as I was reading.

[Jens · Rating 4 out of 5]

The detective and the reporter. An enemies-to-lovers, second-chance romance. A serial killer on a spree in a small town. Two skillfully intertwined strands of action that are never too slow, thanks to the building tension and suspense. I liked this mix, the plot twists, and the grand finale! I am not a regular reader of crime novels but this here stands out.

(based on an ARC from NetGalley)

[Celina · Rating 4 out of 5]

𝗧𝗛𝗘𝗠𝗘𝗦: 𝚂𝙰𝙿𝙿𝙷𝙸𝙲. 𝙲𝚁𝙸𝙼𝙴. 𝙼𝚈𝚂𝚃𝙴𝚁𝚈. 𝚃𝙷𝚁𝙸𝙻𝙻𝙴𝚁. 𝚁𝙾𝙼𝙰𝙽𝙲𝙴. 𝙵𝙸𝚁𝚂𝚃 𝚁𝙴𝚂𝙿𝙾𝙽𝙳𝙴𝚁𝚂. 𝙵𝚁𝙸𝙴𝙽𝙳𝚂. 𝚂𝙴𝙲𝙾𝙽𝙳 𝙲𝙷𝙰𝙽𝙲𝙴. 𝙳𝙴𝚃𝙴𝙲𝚃𝙸𝚅𝙴/𝚁𝙴𝙿𝙾𝚁𝚃𝙴𝚁.
📚 ᴀʀᴄ 🏳️‍🌈⁠


𝚂𝚄𝙼𝙼𝙰𝚁𝚈:
"𝙎𝙤𝙢𝙚 𝙘𝙝𝙤𝙞𝙘𝙚𝙨 𝙗𝙧𝙚𝙖𝙠 𝙝𝙚𝙖𝙧𝙩𝙨. 𝙊𝙩𝙝𝙚𝙧𝙨 ���𝙚𝙖𝙫𝙚 𝙖 𝙗𝙤𝙙𝙮 𝙘𝙤𝙪𝙣𝙩."
"𝘗𝘰𝘭𝘪𝘤𝘦 𝘥𝘦𝘵𝘦𝘤𝘵𝘪𝘷𝘦 𝘊𝘢𝘮𝘪 𝘓𝘺𝘰𝘯𝘴 𝘪𝘴 𝘧𝘪𝘯𝘢𝘭𝘭𝘺 𝘥𝘰𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘰𝘬𝘢𝘺 𝘧𝘰𝘭𝘭𝘰𝘸𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘥𝘦𝘷𝘢𝘴𝘵𝘢𝘵𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘣𝘳𝘦𝘢𝘬𝘶𝘱 𝘰𝘧 𝘩𝘦𝘳 𝘳𝘦𝘭𝘢𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯𝘴𝘩𝘪𝘱 𝘸𝘪𝘵𝘩 𝘤𝘳𝘪𝘮𝘦 𝘳𝘦𝘱𝘰𝘳𝘵𝘦𝘳 𝘈𝘭𝘪𝘤𝘪𝘢 𝘍𝘭𝘺𝘯𝘯. 𝘼𝙡𝙞𝙘𝙞𝙖 𝙢𝙖𝙙𝙚 𝙖 𝙩𝙚𝙧𝙧𝙞𝙗𝙡𝙚 𝙢𝙞𝙨𝙩𝙖𝙠𝙚."

That was some mistake because the emotions Cami went through were just intense. The pacing and emotions are well-written. And the killings were really something intriguing and when the killer was revealed.. well, people can be crazy for sure.

𝗥𝗘𝗟𝗔𝗧𝗜𝗢𝗡𝗦𝗛𝗜𝗣𝗦:
For a minute there, I thought Katie was loving Cami because she was intense with her "hatred." But that ending was really sweet. I loved how the main characters were all connected with one another. Friendships can really save lives because Cami would have had it worse, were it not for her friends.

𝗥𝗘𝗖𝗢𝗡𝗖𝗜𝗟𝗜𝗔𝗧𝗜𝗢𝗡:
The friendship between Alicia and Cami's friends. You could feel how characters felt before and after Alicia's getaway and not only how that affected the MCs but also the friends. In all friendships, there is an ice queen, the sunshine, and the one who is a mixture of both, besides the MCs. Well, this was it. I am not one to believe in second chances to people but 𝗜 𝗱𝗼 𝗯𝗲𝗹𝗶𝗲𝘃𝗲 𝗶𝗻 𝘀𝗲𝗰𝗼𝗻𝗱, 𝘁𝗵𝗶𝗿𝗱 and 𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗻 𝗺𝗼𝗿𝗲 𝗰𝗵𝗮𝗻𝗰𝗲𝘀 𝘁𝗼 𝗹𝗼𝘃𝗲. I enjoyed how Stiling brought Cami and Alicia back together. The prologue was a thing of legends.

𝙏𝙝𝙖𝙣𝙠𝙨 𝙩𝙤 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙥𝙪𝙗𝙡𝙞𝙨𝙝𝙚𝙧 𝙛𝙤𝙧 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝘼𝙍𝘾 𝙘𝙤𝙥𝙮 𝙩𝙝𝙖𝙩 𝙄 𝙧𝙚𝙘𝙚𝙞𝙫𝙚𝙙 𝙫𝙞𝙖 𝙉𝙚𝙩𝙜𝙖𝙡𝙡𝙚𝙮 𝙨𝙤 𝙄 𝙖𝙢 𝙫𝙤𝙡𝙪𝙣𝙩𝙖𝙧𝙞𝙡𝙮 𝙡𝙚𝙖𝙫𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙢𝙮 𝙝𝙤𝙣𝙚𝙨𝙩 𝙧𝙚𝙫𝙞𝙚𝙬.

[Kay · Rating 4 out of 5]

An amazing thriller with great character development. It's filled with suspense and will keep you wondering what's going to happen next. I enjoyed every minute.


Thank you, Bold Strokes Books and NetGalley.

[Joyce · Rating 5 out of 5]

Enjoyable read

Very good mystery. Second chance romance. Characters are interesting and likable. Looks like a book two is possible. Thanks For a good read.

[Agirlcandream · Rating 4 out of 5]

Solid whodunnit with a second chance romance, some interesting secondary characters and all kinds of suspects.

4.25

[Red Dragon · Rating 4 out of 5]

I love a good murder mystery and this was a good one. I can usually get a feel for who the murderer is about half or two thirds of the way through most murder mysteries but not this one!
This book also has the possibility of a ‘second chance’ romance running through it which gives the story an extra layer to it.
A new author for me and I’ll be looking out for more of her books. In fact I would be happy to read a sequel or series coming from this book as I really liked the characters.
Thanks to Bold Strokes Books via NetGalley for the ARC. This review is my honest opinion.

[Sapphic Bookshelf]

Cami Lyons is a detective in small town, Oakview, who is finally doing okay after her girlfriend of six years abruptly breaks up with her to move halfway across the world.

Alicia is a journalist who leaves her entire life behind in search of happiness and basically regrets it immediately. Three years have passed and she’s moved back to Oakview where she’s now a crime reporter who works professionally with Cami.

Around the time of Alicia’s arrival back to town, a dead body is found. And it won’t be the last.

I found the mystery solving portion of the book to be very authentic and I could feel the frustration of the detectives as they struggled to find a break in the case.

This book is perfect for fans of police procedurals, mysteries involving catching a serial killer, second chance romances, and closed door romance.

Pub date: February 13th 2024

Thank you to NetGalley and Bold Strokes Books for a copy of this eARC in exchange for an honest review.