In a Flash: A Lesbian Romance Novel

by Kris Rugg

If you were given a second chance with the woman of your dreams, would you be brave enough to take it?

In an effort to escape her toxic ex, Mae Mack breaks out of her daily grind and sets off on her first trip out of Maine and into the heart of Grand Canyon’s backcountry. On her first day out, she is reconnected with Ranger Kes Wylde, a woman she met at a wedding years earlier.

Reunited, Mae and Kes are forced to confront their deep feelings for each other. Will they choose vulnerability in the face of self-doubt, the fear of heartbreak, and the threat of mother nature?

In this debut novel by author Kris Rugg, get lost in nature with Mae and Kes as they embark on a journey of self-discovery, wild adventures, deep love, and heart.

Genres: LGBT, Romance

292 pages, Kindle Edition

Published October 20, 2023

About the author

Contemporary Queer Fiction Author

Kris has lived and worked in national parks across the country for more than a decade. They’ve rafted the lower 200 miles of the Colorado River through the Grand Canyon, hiked every trail in Acadia, biked across Prince Edward Island end-to-end, eaten glacial ice while sitting in a kayak in Kenai Fjords, and helped release baby sea turtles at Cape Hatteras. More often than not Kris is somewhere in nature with a love story brewing in their mind.

Kris is queer, non-binary, deaf, and neurospicy. They are an advocate for full access to wild spaces for all people. Kris hopes their books help accurately represent the diversity of people who enjoy outdoor adventures and who find romance along the way.

Their writing was also featured in “On Foot: Grand Canyon Backpacking Stories.”

Reviews

[Tori · Rating 5 out of 5]

Hey, so my bestie WROTE A BOOK and it’s pretty wonderful! The thing I love the most about it is the space Kris creates for their characters to express and process their emotions. Their journey together is a beautiful one!

Also would die for Frankie. 🩷

[Kexx · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent recommendation from Aunt Missa. Two excellent MC with excellent cast, I was going to say good but one is far from that. Well worth a read and I’ll be watching this author.

[Tatiana Maria Corbitt · Rating 5 out of 5]

Accurate depictions of emotionally abusive relationships and the growth that comes after leaving bad situations? Check.
Thrilling lesbian sex scenes with correct anatomical terms and spicy details that have you lovingly reminiscing about your favorite trysts? Check.
Beautiful descriptions of the Sonoran Desert and its incredibly unique flora and fauna (with details that bring back the desert lover within?) Check.
Also depiction of queer chosen family, the struggles that come with being queer in traditional outdoor settings, and the emotional chaos that ensues when your own family can’t accept you for you who are? Check, check, check.
Loved this book, can’t wait to read what Kris Rugg writes next!

[bookster · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5

[Hoop · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thanks for this book, Kris! My partner and I read it together and we loved joining in on the adventures in the canyon (and now need to hike it too!). What a fun read

[Aunt Missa · Rating 5 out of 5]

Whatever you’re reading, put it down and go get this book. I feel like I found a hidden treasure with In A Flash. I can’t fathom the reason more people have not discovered this book. It’s on KU but I am going to buy the digital copy and never delete it. When I find it a bookstore, it’s MINE!

It’s a slow burn if you’re looking for spice. However, the payoff is just…chef’s kiss…mwah…magical. One of the most realistic scenes I’ve ever read. It is just incredibly tender and wonderful. It’s honestly everything great about reading WLW stories. Sometimes other books make me question “have I been lesbian-ing wrong for all these years?” (Looking at you, House of Crimson Hearts)

I’m absolutely not an outdoors girl. Roughing it for me is slow Wi-Fi and only one La Croix left in the fridge. Now I want to camp and hike in the Grand Canyon. The descriptions are just great and the writing just flowed with great word choice and intention. The paragraphs are just so beautifully structured and the tension described is purposeful.

The best part about the conflicts in the story is that they are internal battles and not miscommunication tropes. Mae and Kes are both broken in their own ways. Instead of me just yelling at my kindle saying “Get over yourself”, I was rooting for Kes and Mae. Their internal battles are real and their experiences are not glossed over in any way. They are kind to each other and the chemistry compliments the journey they both are taking. After reading In A Flash, I’m questioning other 5 star reviews I’ve given because now I am going to compare those books to this book.

[Skyler DeYoung · Rating 5 out of 5]

Kris’ story reminded me of the tenderness of love, the freedom found in time outdoors, and the closeness one can feel to others in the vast openness. This story is wild in nature and in heart; I loved it!

[Ellie Price · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was fun! I liked all the Grand Canyon and hiking details. The sex scene was great and the characters were lovable. There was maybe too much intro in Main for Mae and not enough set up for Kes to compare.

[britt britt · Rating 4 out of 5]

cute, fun, and spicy | 3.5 stars

[Kristen · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Grand Canyon + sapphic romance + no third act breakup!

On a mission to rediscover herself after a longterm toxic relationship, Mae leaves Maine for the first time in her life for a backpacking trip in the Grand Canyon.

Kes returns to her job as a park ranger after losing her best friend and is finding her new normal.

When Mae & Kes reconnect (having met at a wedding years prior) on their first day in the Canyon, they're forced to work through their feelings for each other.

Read if you love...
✨caretaking
🥾hiking
✨the Grand Canyon
👏🏼no third act breakup
✨one sleeping bag
🫶🏼found family

I slept on this one for way too long, especially considering I'm friends with the author and own a physical copy of it. Please don't hate me, @authorkrisrugg. ILYSM.

I adored this book.

I loved the personal growth Mae needed to go through, with the help of her best friend & the trip to the Grand Canyon he books for her. Coming out of a long term relationship with a narcisssist, Mae is refiguring out who she is and want she wants in life. And as someone who has a really good friend who went through this, I loved seeing Mae's growth.

I just wanted to hug Kes. Processing the death of her best friend and returning to work was such a challenge, especially was anxiety. Things were triggering for her and she had to figure out a new "normal" with the help of her found family in her coworkers.

The side characters were 10/10! I adore them. And lowkey really want each of their best friends to get their own book!

The setting was immaculate. And let me tell you, googling images of this very real place in the Grand Canyon only had me wanting to book a flight. Especially knowing the author is very, very familiar with the location so the details are accurate.

I could go on and on. So I highly recommend you pick up this sapphic romance!

📍Arizona & Maine
✨Representation: lesbian MCs; nonbinary side character
‼️Content: toxic relationship with narcissist, past but talked about; death of a friend, off page, past

[Katie · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was instantly sold on this book the moment I heard it featured lesbians and park rangers, and it lived up to and exceeded all of my expectations! I particularly appreciated all the accurate technical details (although I wanted Kes and Trudy to have radio numbers, haha). Please write one of these for every park!!

[Aspen · Rating 5 out of 5]

A wonderful sapphic romance

I really enjoyed reading through this book. The pov was a bit different than I'm use to reading but after the first couple chapters I grew to enjoy it. I love the story of redemption and finding one's self again. I felt close to Mae and they way she felt about herself with everything she was going through. Kes was a wonderfully written character with so much depth to her. I will be recommending this book to some friends so they can go on this wonderful journey of a book as well.

[Lindie · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a beautiful, thoughtful, and gripping read! I loved the depth of every character and watching them grow. Kris's words brought me right back into my own memories of the Grand Canyon and the indescribable beauty & magic to be found there. I absolutely could not put this book down. Nature, hiking, birds, sleeping under the stars, true friends, self-love, cinnamon rolls, and strong sexy queers - what more could you want?? :) Loved it!

[Dale · Rating 3 out of 5]

Book 45/101 for 2024. I like to broaden my horizons some times and read things that are a bit outside my normal consumption habits, so what could be better than a lesbian romance novel during Pride month? A very sweet and earnest story, with a pretty steamy consummation scene and a HEA ending. If that's your cup of tea, and/or you've ever been curious about the ins and outs of working as a park ranger in the Grand Canyon, check it out!

[Linnaea Lionel · Rating 5 out of 5]

I literally read this in one sitting. Kris does an amazing job of capturing the depth of human emotions and the beauty of the canyon. I fell in love with Mae and Kes immediately and couldn’t look away as they fell for each other. I intend to force everyone I know to read this book and can’t wait to see what Kris writes next!

[Jenny · Rating 5 out of 5]

Beautiful story. Beautiful setting with very cool insights into what it's like to be a park ranger (and a sexy, successful one, no less). I loved the plot twists. It had me laughing and then crying. And loving every character.

[Dole · Rating 5 out of 5]

Well-written, suspenseful and so endearing. Loved it.

[Kevin · Rating 3 out of 5]

⭐⭐⭐1/2

Really enjoyed this unique story, now I really want to hike the Grand Canyon.

The ninth book for my Sapphic Book Bingo Card.

[Amber Hudson · Rating 4 out of 5]

cute sapphic romance in nature!

This was a very sweet story! I loved the growth and journey both mains took personally and how their romance grew. Very soft and heart warming read!