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Whiskey Ridge #3
Your Worst Fear
When I first became a killer for hire, there were two things I never expected: to be knocked out and tied up by my new target, and for said target to be the man I’ve secretly stolen looks of from afar.
The worst part? My plans are quickly diverted when he blackmails me into helping him figure out who put a hit on his head. And even more terrible than that? He still plans to kill me when all of this is over.
Only, as we start to search, lines blur, and suddenly there’s no way either of us can keep our hands off each other. And I’m quickly losing my nerve to follow through with my orders and put an end to him.
The worst part? My plans are quickly diverted when he blackmails me into helping him figure out who put a hit on his head. And even more terrible than that? He still plans to kill me when all of this is over.
Only, as we start to search, lines blur, and suddenly there’s no way either of us can keep our hands off each other. And I’m quickly losing my nerve to follow through with my orders and put an end to him.
264 pages, Kindle Edition
Published May 28, 2026
About the author
Karley Brenna
14 books494 followersKarley Brenna lives in a tiny mountain town in the middle of nowhere out West with her fiancé, son, and herd of pets. Her hobbies include writing, reading countless books heavy on romance, and listening to country music for hours. If she’s not at home, she’s either at a bookstore or getting lost in the hills on horseback. To stay up to date with Karley’s future projects, follow her on social media @authorkarleybrenna.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 104 reviews
May 28, 2026
This was my first Dark Cowboy Romance and now I'm addicted. The tension in this book was thick, So much so you could cut it with a knife (Pun intended 🤣) I throughly enjoyed this to the point I will be pulling the rest of the series off KU. This is Book 3 but can be read as a standalone. This does contain Dark themes!! Please read the trigger warnings ⚠️ Thank you to author Karley Brenna for the arc and letting me be apart of the team 💜
May 15, 2026
Looking for a good time? Then this dark cowboy romance should be your next read!! Fast-paced, entertaining and with a healthy dose of spice, I flew through this in no time 🪴
Just like the previous books, Your Worst Fear delivers a good mix of action and spice 🔪 While I was hoping for something a little more distinct from the other two stories, I still had a fun time. At times, though, it felt almost like the same plot, just with different characters.
Ever since Henley was introduced in the first book, I was looking forward to his story, which is why I'm sorry to say, that this fell a bit flat. I have nothing against shorter books, but here it really felt like there was so much more to tell. Due to the short length, both main characters also lacked depth, especially our fmc Grace. I honestly feel like we never really got to know her - beyond the fact that she loves plants and is a killer for hire 😅
That said, the spice was great. That's something I can always count on with Karley's books. I mean, Grace has a vibrator attached to her Kindle 🤭
3 ⭐️ ARC Review
Just like the previous books, Your Worst Fear delivers a good mix of action and spice 🔪 While I was hoping for something a little more distinct from the other two stories, I still had a fun time. At times, though, it felt almost like the same plot, just with different characters.
Ever since Henley was introduced in the first book, I was looking forward to his story, which is why I'm sorry to say, that this fell a bit flat. I have nothing against shorter books, but here it really felt like there was so much more to tell. Due to the short length, both main characters also lacked depth, especially our fmc Grace. I honestly feel like we never really got to know her - beyond the fact that she loves plants and is a killer for hire 😅
That said, the spice was great. That's something I can always count on with Karley's books. I mean, Grace has a vibrator attached to her Kindle 🤭
3 ⭐️ ARC Review
May 28, 2026
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
I am definitely sad for this series to come to an end but I’m glad it ended the way it did.
We’ve met Grace and Henley briefly in previous books and it was clear there was chemistry there, so I was really excited to get their perspective in this one. When we met Grace in previous books, never did I picture her as a contract killer but I loved that for her. It was a perfect match to masked man Henley.
This definitely had a bit of a different vibe compared to the previous ones and the undertone was more sad, but watching them come together was so worth it. It was clear these two were perfect for each other and were able to bring out the best in each other.
I will say, Austin forever has my heart, but I’m definitely seeing Henley in a new light after this book. This series is definitely for the dark romance cowboy girlies who love a bit of mystery.
Thank you to Karley Brenna and Twisted Tale PR for an advanced copy of this book. I am leaving this review voluntarily.
I am definitely sad for this series to come to an end but I’m glad it ended the way it did.
We’ve met Grace and Henley briefly in previous books and it was clear there was chemistry there, so I was really excited to get their perspective in this one. When we met Grace in previous books, never did I picture her as a contract killer but I loved that for her. It was a perfect match to masked man Henley.
This definitely had a bit of a different vibe compared to the previous ones and the undertone was more sad, but watching them come together was so worth it. It was clear these two were perfect for each other and were able to bring out the best in each other.
I will say, Austin forever has my heart, but I’m definitely seeing Henley in a new light after this book. This series is definitely for the dark romance cowboy girlies who love a bit of mystery.
Thank you to Karley Brenna and Twisted Tale PR for an advanced copy of this book. I am leaving this review voluntarily.
May 26, 2026
Thank you to the author for the ARC of Your Worst Fear 🤠🖤
This was my first dark romance cowboy series and I really enjoyed it. The world of Whiskey Ridge completely pulled me in, and I loved getting introduced to all the cowboys and the small-town dynamics. Henley and Grace’s story especially kept me hooked as their chemistry, tension, and the darker elements blended together really well. I found myself invested in both of them pretty quickly, and I loved watching their relationship unfold.
If you enjoy dark romance with cowboys, small-town drama, emotional tension, and protective MMC energy, this is definitely worth checking out!
This was my first dark romance cowboy series and I really enjoyed it. The world of Whiskey Ridge completely pulled me in, and I loved getting introduced to all the cowboys and the small-town dynamics. Henley and Grace’s story especially kept me hooked as their chemistry, tension, and the darker elements blended together really well. I found myself invested in both of them pretty quickly, and I loved watching their relationship unfold.
If you enjoy dark romance with cowboys, small-town drama, emotional tension, and protective MMC energy, this is definitely worth checking out!
May 28, 2026
Thank you Karley for having me on your Sara team and for the ARC.
This is the third book in the Whiskey Ridge series. This can be read as a standalone, but I highly recommend reading the first two books before. Dark cowboy romance, so please check your triggers.
Grace and Henley from the minute they met had such a connection. Kill for hire FMC was so fun to read, a masked Cowboy MMC. I loved that these characters brought out the softer side of each other.
I thought the series was wrapped up so well. I think Karley nailed it in this genre.
This is the third book in the Whiskey Ridge series. This can be read as a standalone, but I highly recommend reading the first two books before. Dark cowboy romance, so please check your triggers.
Grace and Henley from the minute they met had such a connection. Kill for hire FMC was so fun to read, a masked Cowboy MMC. I loved that these characters brought out the softer side of each other.
I thought the series was wrapped up so well. I think Karley nailed it in this genre.
May 27, 2026
I ATE THIS UP!!!!
This completely consumed my whole reading time I’ve had the past week and I’m truly not ok that it’s over now🥲. This is the 3rd book of The Whiskey Ridge Series telling us about Grace and Henley’s story and I’ve totally fell for them both, I have to say my favourite characters of this series so far 🤭 , this was just an absolute excellent read , this author could NEVER disappoint at all.
If you love a dark romance and cowboys you will absolutely need this series in your tbr 😈.
This completely consumed my whole reading time I’ve had the past week and I’m truly not ok that it’s over now🥲. This is the 3rd book of The Whiskey Ridge Series telling us about Grace and Henley’s story and I’ve totally fell for them both, I have to say my favourite characters of this series so far 🤭 , this was just an absolute excellent read , this author could NEVER disappoint at all.
If you love a dark romance and cowboys you will absolutely need this series in your tbr 😈.
May 28, 2026
Henley has reached a point where he feels exhausted by the constant pressure of life. While his brothers, Booker and Austin, seem to have found happiness and settled into lives filled with love and stability, Henley feels like the one still struggling to keep everything together. He spends his days focused on the ranch, trying to shoulder responsibilities and avoid becoming the family problem everyone expects him to be. Everything changes when Austin’s girlfriend, McKenna, brings her cousin Grace into their lives. Grace appears sweet and somewhat lost, a woman with an intense love for plants and someone still trying to determine what she wants out of life. But beneath her quiet personality lies a dangerous secret, Grace is a killer for hire. And unfortunately for Henley, he’s her next assignment. For Grace, completing the job isn’t just another task, it feels like a matter of survival. Refusing an order could cost her everything. But when Henley discovers she’s been sent to kill him, his reaction isn’t exactly what Grace expects. Instead of turning her in or running, he forms a plan. He must uncover who wants him dead and stop the threat before dealing with everything else, including Grace. Henley finds himself drawn to the woman who was supposed to end his life, and Grace starts to see Henley as more than a target. What begins as necessity slowly shifts into something neither of them anticipated. But after one threat is dealt with, another emerges. Grace’s boss realizes she can no longer complete the job and decides they must both be eliminated. Now they’re fighting not only for their future together, but for their lives.
Henley is a deeply emotional MMC whose actions are shaped by a childhood spent without the love and security every child deserves. Growing up with parents who treated him poorly left him carrying emotional wounds that followed him into adulthood. Those experiences made him believe he wasn’t worthy of love or happiness, and because of that, he keeps his emotions tightly guarded. Grace challenges everything he believes about himself. She makes him feel wanted, needed, and understood in ways he never has before, and that vulnerability terrifies him. But Henley’s journey throughout the story is learning that the circumstances of his past do not determine his worth. Grace is equally compelling as an FMC. Her story is layered with pain and survival. Manipulated by an abusive ex-boyfriend and forced into a life she never chose, Grace has spent years feeling trapped and powerless. The emotional and physical abuse she endured deeply affected her confidence and her perception of herself, leaving her believing that survival meant simply enduring whatever came next. Henley becomes the first person to show her something different. He sees her as someone worth protecting, someone worth fighting for, and someone worthy of a future. For Grace, this kind of care and loyalty is unfamiliar territory.
In conclusion, I gave this book 5 stars because at its heart, Your Worst Fear is about overcoming the weight of the past and realizing that love can exist even after life has tried to convince you otherwise. Henley and Grace are both carrying years of pain, fear, and emotional scars, but together they find something they’ve both been missing, safety, understanding, and a place where they finally belong. As the conclusion to the series, this book provides a satisfying ending that brings everything full circle. After following Booker and Brynne, Austin and McKenna, and finally Henley and Grace, readers get to see each character overcome their own struggles and ultimately build the lives they once thought were out of reach.
Henley is a deeply emotional MMC whose actions are shaped by a childhood spent without the love and security every child deserves. Growing up with parents who treated him poorly left him carrying emotional wounds that followed him into adulthood. Those experiences made him believe he wasn’t worthy of love or happiness, and because of that, he keeps his emotions tightly guarded. Grace challenges everything he believes about himself. She makes him feel wanted, needed, and understood in ways he never has before, and that vulnerability terrifies him. But Henley’s journey throughout the story is learning that the circumstances of his past do not determine his worth. Grace is equally compelling as an FMC. Her story is layered with pain and survival. Manipulated by an abusive ex-boyfriend and forced into a life she never chose, Grace has spent years feeling trapped and powerless. The emotional and physical abuse she endured deeply affected her confidence and her perception of herself, leaving her believing that survival meant simply enduring whatever came next. Henley becomes the first person to show her something different. He sees her as someone worth protecting, someone worth fighting for, and someone worthy of a future. For Grace, this kind of care and loyalty is unfamiliar territory.
In conclusion, I gave this book 5 stars because at its heart, Your Worst Fear is about overcoming the weight of the past and realizing that love can exist even after life has tried to convince you otherwise. Henley and Grace are both carrying years of pain, fear, and emotional scars, but together they find something they’ve both been missing, safety, understanding, and a place where they finally belong. As the conclusion to the series, this book provides a satisfying ending that brings everything full circle. After following Booker and Brynne, Austin and McKenna, and finally Henley and Grace, readers get to see each character overcome their own struggles and ultimately build the lives they once thought were out of reach.
Review of advance copy received from Author
First, I want to thank Karley Brenna for having me on the arc team once again for Your Worst Fear. After reading the gifted eARC, I was able to come up with my honest and spoiler free review.
My Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️.5
My Thoughts:
I can’t believe that we are already on book 3 of the Whiskey Ridge series! This time around we follow the story of Henley and Grace and let me just tell you that their story was probably one of my favorites!
Grace and Henley have become some of my favorite characters that I’ve read in this series. Just the entire way that their relationship builds and how they manage to find each other working together is just incredible. Let me just say that I am so grateful that Karley made Grace a unaliver for hire. I love seeing a woman fit into a mold that has been mostly represented by men. The other thing about having Grace as an unaliver for hire was the backstory as to why she found herself in this line of work. Once it was revealed, I instantly felt pity for her but also proud of her for fighting to keep herself alive.
Working alongside Henley, you could see how the two of them started to chip away at each other’s walls that they so carefully fortified around themselves. Seeing them both become so protective over one another to the point that they would unalive for one another just proved that they both finally found someone that didn’t judge them and accepted them for who they were. I did also love seeing the found family in this series. The previous couples from the other two books were both present in this story and I did love how the women were protective over Grace and stood up to their boyfriends as well. There is just something about these strong unhinged men that melt for their women that just made me love this dark cowboy romance series that much more.
My Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️.5
My Thoughts:
I can’t believe that we are already on book 3 of the Whiskey Ridge series! This time around we follow the story of Henley and Grace and let me just tell you that their story was probably one of my favorites!
Grace and Henley have become some of my favorite characters that I’ve read in this series. Just the entire way that their relationship builds and how they manage to find each other working together is just incredible. Let me just say that I am so grateful that Karley made Grace a unaliver for hire. I love seeing a woman fit into a mold that has been mostly represented by men. The other thing about having Grace as an unaliver for hire was the backstory as to why she found herself in this line of work. Once it was revealed, I instantly felt pity for her but also proud of her for fighting to keep herself alive.
Working alongside Henley, you could see how the two of them started to chip away at each other’s walls that they so carefully fortified around themselves. Seeing them both become so protective over one another to the point that they would unalive for one another just proved that they both finally found someone that didn’t judge them and accepted them for who they were. I did also love seeing the found family in this series. The previous couples from the other two books were both present in this story and I did love how the women were protective over Grace and stood up to their boyfriends as well. There is just something about these strong unhinged men that melt for their women that just made me love this dark cowboy romance series that much more.
Review of advance copy received from Author
rating
4.75/5
Spice
5/5
If you are looking for a romantic suspense where the FMC is a killer for hire and a masked cowboy MMC, then this is the book for you. Your Worst fear is book 3 in the Whiskey Ridge series; it is an interconnected standalone series; however, I recommend reading books 1 and 2 before this one. Firstly, I would like to thank Twisted Pr and Karley Brenna for the ARC. Importantly, this book contains triggering content, so please check the trigger warnings before reading.
This is such a quick, fun read that has me absolutely obsessed with these characters and the story. The story has so many things that occur that I did not expect to happen, and I was shocked at how it all came to a head. The girls really showed another side to Grace, showing how she might be a tough girl, but deep down can still be that care free person . I could tell that this book has a small plot to an overarching plot that is throughout the series. How this book ended the series was done really well. I loved how, just from reading this book, I could see how it all comes together.
Grace and Henley's relationship has me absolutely obsessed with these two. I knew from the moment that they met that they had a connection. Seeing how these two come together and grow character wise, it was so good to see how they both had a softer side to each other. Grace's character, I loved seeing a kill for hire FMC, especially the opening scene, it was top tier. Henley was not what I was expecting in a good way. I loved how he also had the black cat energy. Throughout the book, you really see him care for her over time (even at times when he doesn't ). Overall, I love this book and hope you pick it up on release day.
4.75/5
Spice
5/5
If you are looking for a romantic suspense where the FMC is a killer for hire and a masked cowboy MMC, then this is the book for you. Your Worst fear is book 3 in the Whiskey Ridge series; it is an interconnected standalone series; however, I recommend reading books 1 and 2 before this one. Firstly, I would like to thank Twisted Pr and Karley Brenna for the ARC. Importantly, this book contains triggering content, so please check the trigger warnings before reading.
This is such a quick, fun read that has me absolutely obsessed with these characters and the story. The story has so many things that occur that I did not expect to happen, and I was shocked at how it all came to a head. The girls really showed another side to Grace, showing how she might be a tough girl, but deep down can still be that care free person . I could tell that this book has a small plot to an overarching plot that is throughout the series. How this book ended the series was done really well. I loved how, just from reading this book, I could see how it all comes together.
Grace and Henley's relationship has me absolutely obsessed with these two. I knew from the moment that they met that they had a connection. Seeing how these two come together and grow character wise, it was so good to see how they both had a softer side to each other. Grace's character, I loved seeing a kill for hire FMC, especially the opening scene, it was top tier. Henley was not what I was expecting in a good way. I loved how he also had the black cat energy. Throughout the book, you really see him care for her over time (even at times when he doesn't ). Overall, I love this book and hope you pick it up on release day.
Review of advance copy received from Author
Thank you to Karley Brenna and Twisted Tales PR for the opportunity to read/review Your Worst Fear prior to publication.
Your Worst Fear is book three in the Whiskey Ridge series and it is the perfect end to what I would consider an already pretty great series. It can be read as a standalone but you'd be so much better off if you read the first two books first.
Henley is the last of our three main men and he is going through it. Grace is our girl McKenna's cousin (remember her from book two?) and she has what I'd call a very interesting career. Now, how she got into said profession is a little bit of a kerfuffle so I won't spoil that for you. But you should know that Henley is her latest target and it turns out that they are both fighting a consuming attraction to each other while also not really wanting the other to be alive so much.
There's a lot going on here but the banter is top notch and the chemistry is on fire. Our favorite found family is also here in full gear and never letting these two get very far from being reminded that their backs are covered. Not only is there a ton of spice and humor, but there's also baggage, trauma, and healing while learning how to accept love from another person (or persons).
I read this book in one sitting - it's that good. Once again I encourage you to read the first two books to get the full experience, but if for some reason you can't - you should definitely still read this one.
Tropes:
* Bl**d Play
* Spit Play
* Dry H*mping
* G*n Play
* Small Town
* Dark Cowboy MMC
* Hitwoman FMC
* Reluctant Allies
* Found Family
Your Worst Fear is book three in the Whiskey Ridge series and it is the perfect end to what I would consider an already pretty great series. It can be read as a standalone but you'd be so much better off if you read the first two books first.
Henley is the last of our three main men and he is going through it. Grace is our girl McKenna's cousin (remember her from book two?) and she has what I'd call a very interesting career. Now, how she got into said profession is a little bit of a kerfuffle so I won't spoil that for you. But you should know that Henley is her latest target and it turns out that they are both fighting a consuming attraction to each other while also not really wanting the other to be alive so much.
There's a lot going on here but the banter is top notch and the chemistry is on fire. Our favorite found family is also here in full gear and never letting these two get very far from being reminded that their backs are covered. Not only is there a ton of spice and humor, but there's also baggage, trauma, and healing while learning how to accept love from another person (or persons).
I read this book in one sitting - it's that good. Once again I encourage you to read the first two books to get the full experience, but if for some reason you can't - you should definitely still read this one.
Tropes:
* Bl**d Play
* Spit Play
* Dry H*mping
* G*n Play
* Small Town
* Dark Cowboy MMC
* Hitwoman FMC
* Reluctant Allies
* Found Family
Review of advance copy received from Author
𝓐𝓡𝓒 𝓡𝓔𝓥𝓘𝓔𝓦
I devoured this book in one sitting 😮💨🖤 From the very beginning, it completely hooked me. The opening instantly pulled me in, and the story never really loosened its grip after that. Short, spicy, fast-paced, and ridiculously addictive😭
The dynamics between Henley and Grace were EVERYTHING. From the failed assassination attempts to the allies to lovers tension, every interaction between them felt charged. The chemistry, the possessiveness, the “touch her and die” energy??? Absolutely addictive. And Henley… that man was dangerously intense in the best way possible 😵💫🖤 The neck tattoo, the protective streak, the way he slowly softened for her while remaining intimidating as hell… yeah, I was gone.
Grace was equally iconic. A plant-loving hired killer who somehow keeps failing to kill the man she’s supposed to assassinate?? Obsessed 😭🖤 She was strong, dangerous, and fit the darker tone of the story perfectly. Watching both of them slowly lower their walls and finally find someone who accepted them exactly as they were made, their relationship hit even harder 🫠
I also loved how the book balanced the darker atmosphere with the banter and humorous little moments between them. One second, there’s tension so thick you could choke on it, the next I’m giggling because their version of a meet-cute is attempted murder 😭
this book was addictive, tense, emotional, unhinged, and ridiculously entertaining. If you love dark romance with cowboy vibes, morally grey characters, insane chemistry, possessive energy, and a couple that slowly becomes each other’s safe place… READ THIS🖤
I devoured this book in one sitting 😮💨🖤 From the very beginning, it completely hooked me. The opening instantly pulled me in, and the story never really loosened its grip after that. Short, spicy, fast-paced, and ridiculously addictive😭
The dynamics between Henley and Grace were EVERYTHING. From the failed assassination attempts to the allies to lovers tension, every interaction between them felt charged. The chemistry, the possessiveness, the “touch her and die” energy??? Absolutely addictive. And Henley… that man was dangerously intense in the best way possible 😵💫🖤 The neck tattoo, the protective streak, the way he slowly softened for her while remaining intimidating as hell… yeah, I was gone.
Grace was equally iconic. A plant-loving hired killer who somehow keeps failing to kill the man she’s supposed to assassinate?? Obsessed 😭🖤 She was strong, dangerous, and fit the darker tone of the story perfectly. Watching both of them slowly lower their walls and finally find someone who accepted them exactly as they were made, their relationship hit even harder 🫠
I also loved how the book balanced the darker atmosphere with the banter and humorous little moments between them. One second, there’s tension so thick you could choke on it, the next I’m giggling because their version of a meet-cute is attempted murder 😭
this book was addictive, tense, emotional, unhinged, and ridiculously entertaining. If you love dark romance with cowboy vibes, morally grey characters, insane chemistry, possessive energy, and a couple that slowly becomes each other’s safe place… READ THIS🖤
May 15, 2026
I am UNWELL about Henley and Grace. Like genuinely, spiritually, cosmically unwell, in the best possible way.
Henley has been lurking in the background of Whiskey Ridge like the quiet, broody man of my dreams — mysterious, traumatized, emotionally allergic to vulnerability — and I knew the second he got his own book he was going to ruin me. But THIS? This was emotional waterboarding and I said “thank you” and asked for more.
Grace walked into this book with her sarcasm locked and loaded like, “Hi, I’m here to verbally push this man into emotional growth,” and I fell in LOVE. Her one‑liners? Her timing? Her ability to roast Henley alive and then immediately make him soft? I was giggling like a gremlin in a cave, kicking my leg.
And the PUSH AND PULL between the two of them???
The banter was so sharp I’m pretty sure I got a papercut. Every time they got close, my soul left my body and hovered near the ceiling like, “kiss already you emotionally constipated disasters.”
Henley’s trauma?
Oh I was clutching my chest like I’d been shot. He is the MOST misunderstood man in Whiskey Ridge and I will personally fight anyone who disagrees. Watching him slowly let Grace in was like watching a feral cat learn to trust — painful, beautiful, and occasionally requiring snacks.
And when they finally admit they’re perfect for each other?
I ascended. I became a higher being powered solely by banter, longing, and emotional damage.
This book didn’t just give me feelings. It drop‑kicked me into them.
Henley has been lurking in the background of Whiskey Ridge like the quiet, broody man of my dreams — mysterious, traumatized, emotionally allergic to vulnerability — and I knew the second he got his own book he was going to ruin me. But THIS? This was emotional waterboarding and I said “thank you” and asked for more.
Grace walked into this book with her sarcasm locked and loaded like, “Hi, I’m here to verbally push this man into emotional growth,” and I fell in LOVE. Her one‑liners? Her timing? Her ability to roast Henley alive and then immediately make him soft? I was giggling like a gremlin in a cave, kicking my leg.
And the PUSH AND PULL between the two of them???
The banter was so sharp I’m pretty sure I got a papercut. Every time they got close, my soul left my body and hovered near the ceiling like, “kiss already you emotionally constipated disasters.”
Henley’s trauma?
Oh I was clutching my chest like I’d been shot. He is the MOST misunderstood man in Whiskey Ridge and I will personally fight anyone who disagrees. Watching him slowly let Grace in was like watching a feral cat learn to trust — painful, beautiful, and occasionally requiring snacks.
And when they finally admit they’re perfect for each other?
I ascended. I became a higher being powered solely by banter, longing, and emotional damage.
This book didn’t just give me feelings. It drop‑kicked me into them.
Review of advance copy received from Author
“Was love supposed to be pain in the sweetest of ways? Willing torture? Walking into fire? If so, burning had never felt so blissful.”
Do you love a morally grey MMC? Henley is definitely overachieving on this trope!! This book was overflowing with the best enemies to lovers vibes.
“Nothing is more important than you. Not to me. It’s best if you learn that.”
Henley was a perfect broody MMC. He struggles with his mental health and it literally takes a woman trying to un - alive him to slowly break through the ice surrounding his heart.
This is a dark romance so, please read the TW before diving in! Our leads mutually want to damage the other for a good portion of the book. That being said, I think it’s pretty obvious that their feelings were there for each other right from the beginning!
“You’re such a good girl, Grace.”
Karley Brenna did a great job riding the knife’s edge while writing Henley & Grace’s story! I couldn’t wait to see how their story played out.
“Have you been a mess since this morning, little killer?”
Also, I am such a sucker for a spicy reading scene and this one included an extra special kindle “accessory”! 🤭
“Move again, and I’ll make it hurt,” I warned. “Don’t tempt me with a good time.”
I am keeping all my fingers and toes crossed that Karley continues to write dark romance books in the future! I loved this series so much!
Tropes:
🔥 Enemies to Lovers
❤️🔥 Assassin x Target
🩶 Dark Romance
🤭 Full of K!nks
🐎 Masked Cowboy
🗡️ “Who Hurt You?”
🤭 He Reads Her Spicy Books
Do you love a morally grey MMC? Henley is definitely overachieving on this trope!! This book was overflowing with the best enemies to lovers vibes.
“Nothing is more important than you. Not to me. It’s best if you learn that.”
Henley was a perfect broody MMC. He struggles with his mental health and it literally takes a woman trying to un - alive him to slowly break through the ice surrounding his heart.
This is a dark romance so, please read the TW before diving in! Our leads mutually want to damage the other for a good portion of the book. That being said, I think it’s pretty obvious that their feelings were there for each other right from the beginning!
“You’re such a good girl, Grace.”
Karley Brenna did a great job riding the knife’s edge while writing Henley & Grace’s story! I couldn’t wait to see how their story played out.
“Have you been a mess since this morning, little killer?”
Also, I am such a sucker for a spicy reading scene and this one included an extra special kindle “accessory”! 🤭
“Move again, and I’ll make it hurt,” I warned. “Don’t tempt me with a good time.”
I am keeping all my fingers and toes crossed that Karley continues to write dark romance books in the future! I loved this series so much!
Tropes:
🔥 Enemies to Lovers
❤️🔥 Assassin x Target
🩶 Dark Romance
🤭 Full of K!nks
🐎 Masked Cowboy
🗡️ “Who Hurt You?”
🤭 He Reads Her Spicy Books
Review of advance copy received from Author
Your Worst Fear by Karley Brenna
ARC Review: release date 28th May
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
When I say I ate this up, we are talking a one sitting completion!
I adored this series so much and I am sad to be saying goodbye to my favourite cowboy trio. If you are looking for a fast-paced rodeo romance with great humour, tension and spice mixed throughout, this is 100% for you.
This series has such a fun blend of dark rom-com energy and chaotic cowboy charm, and this book really leaned into that. The chemistry between the characters was addictive, and I loved how even amongst all the chaos, danger and spice, the found family dynamic between the trio still felt like the heart of the story.
Karley Brenna has such an easy writing style to binge and I flew through this in hours because every chapter ended with me needing to know what happened next. I loved being able to get to know Grace and Henley more, and finally finding out about their backstories. For me, Henley has the biggest character arc throughout the series and I loved seeing him come into his own finally. And Grace being a Kindle girlie too? Just made her so relatable.
I won't say much more because I want to keep this as spoiler free as possible, but for anyone who picks this up.... I seriously need to know where Grace gets her kindle accessories from 🤭
Series is available on KU and I would highly recommend!
Huge thank you for the ARC - I’m officially fully converted into a cowboy romance girlie now 🤠✨
ARC Review: release date 28th May
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
When I say I ate this up, we are talking a one sitting completion!
I adored this series so much and I am sad to be saying goodbye to my favourite cowboy trio. If you are looking for a fast-paced rodeo romance with great humour, tension and spice mixed throughout, this is 100% for you.
This series has such a fun blend of dark rom-com energy and chaotic cowboy charm, and this book really leaned into that. The chemistry between the characters was addictive, and I loved how even amongst all the chaos, danger and spice, the found family dynamic between the trio still felt like the heart of the story.
Karley Brenna has such an easy writing style to binge and I flew through this in hours because every chapter ended with me needing to know what happened next. I loved being able to get to know Grace and Henley more, and finally finding out about their backstories. For me, Henley has the biggest character arc throughout the series and I loved seeing him come into his own finally. And Grace being a Kindle girlie too? Just made her so relatable.
I won't say much more because I want to keep this as spoiler free as possible, but for anyone who picks this up.... I seriously need to know where Grace gets her kindle accessories from 🤭
Series is available on KU and I would highly recommend!
Huge thank you for the ARC - I’m officially fully converted into a cowboy romance girlie now 🤠✨
Review of advance copy
🖤ARC Review🖤
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/5
Holy Hell! We are back in Whiskey Ridge, y’all!! I loved this series so much!! Booker, Austin, and Henley have been some of the best book boyfriends ever!! I loved getting introduced to all of them throughout the series and seeing how much they have grown since the beginning of the series. I’ve always been curious about Henley and Grace, and their story did not disappoint. I loved finding out Grace’s story, especially with the kill-for-hire part and how everything turned out. And Henley, this man was so much more than what we perceive of him in the first two books. He’s so smart, and his story has me wanting to give him the biggest hug. The tension between these two has, and the chemistry has you not wanting to put this book down. I found myself falling in love with them from the very beginning, and boy, I loved seeing them fall in love! This was such a fun and spicy read! Karley really had me with the plot twist towards the end of the book; I didn’t see them coming. I loved that not only in this book is there spice and humor, there is the trauma and the healing these two go through when they learn to accept the love they have for each other. I loved seeing the other couples in this book and the found family and love they all have for each other. You can go read this book and the rest of the series on Kindle Unlimited!!!
🖤Thank you so much for the ARC! This review is my opinion🖤
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/5
Holy Hell! We are back in Whiskey Ridge, y’all!! I loved this series so much!! Booker, Austin, and Henley have been some of the best book boyfriends ever!! I loved getting introduced to all of them throughout the series and seeing how much they have grown since the beginning of the series. I’ve always been curious about Henley and Grace, and their story did not disappoint. I loved finding out Grace’s story, especially with the kill-for-hire part and how everything turned out. And Henley, this man was so much more than what we perceive of him in the first two books. He’s so smart, and his story has me wanting to give him the biggest hug. The tension between these two has, and the chemistry has you not wanting to put this book down. I found myself falling in love with them from the very beginning, and boy, I loved seeing them fall in love! This was such a fun and spicy read! Karley really had me with the plot twist towards the end of the book; I didn’t see them coming. I loved that not only in this book is there spice and humor, there is the trauma and the healing these two go through when they learn to accept the love they have for each other. I loved seeing the other couples in this book and the found family and love they all have for each other. You can go read this book and the rest of the series on Kindle Unlimited!!!
🖤Thank you so much for the ARC! This review is my opinion🖤
May 27, 2026
Karley had me in a chokehold from chapter one. We find out Grace is a killer for hire and supposedly top tier at her job, but some of the things this woman does had me side eyeing her entire assassin resume like girl… are you sure you are good at your job? 😂 Then she gets assigned a new target…enter Henley, the morally gray menace himself. And when I say this man matched her crazy and then cranked it up a notch? I mean it. He is HANDS DOWN the darkest man in the entire series. The trauma. The attitude. The filthy mouth. Broody, dominant, and absolutely does not take a single ounce of nonsense from anyone. Honestly, every time he opened his mouth I understood why women ignore red flags for fun. And the sexy? Sinful is an understatement. This man is weaponized sexual tension wrapped in emotional damage and bad decisions. 🪭🥵
Watching these two team up to hunt down who wants Henley dead was honestly just foreplay. The banter, the teasing, the violence somehow made the tension even hotter. They were constantly toeing the line between throttling each other and ripping each other’s clothes off, and I ate up every second of it.
Absolutely loved it and honestly wasn’t ready for it to end. Kinda rude that this is the third and final book in the Whiskey Ridge series because I need more. 😭
Thank you Karley for the advanced copy to read 🫶
Watching these two team up to hunt down who wants Henley dead was honestly just foreplay. The banter, the teasing, the violence somehow made the tension even hotter. They were constantly toeing the line between throttling each other and ripping each other’s clothes off, and I ate up every second of it.
Absolutely loved it and honestly wasn’t ready for it to end. Kinda rude that this is the third and final book in the Whiskey Ridge series because I need more. 😭
Thank you Karley for the advanced copy to read 🫶
May 28, 2026
“O***sms make you stabby, huh?” - Henley
“You make me stabby” - Grace
The final book (# 3) in the Whiskey Ridge Series.
Genres & Tropes:
- Cowboy small town romance
- Hired Un-Aliver FMC
- Broody possessive MMC
- Enemies to partners in crime to lovers
- Suspenseful Romance
- interconnected stand alone about characters Henley and Grace
Spice: 🌶️🌶️
‼️Trigger Warnings. Please read before proceeding‼️
Review—
I was intrigued from the very first page and couldn’t put it down after that. The story flows easily and by the time I knew it I was half way through. There is suspense, comedy, healing, and gradual growth for both characters. I will say I did not read the first 2 books prior to reading this one and while there were areas I felt slightly confused due to references from the prior story lines, I was able to catch the general idea the characters were referring to. You do not need to read the other books to dive into this one, but I would highly recommend to follow the continuous story lines.
There are sensitive topics discussed in on and off page scenarios. Your mental health is # 1 so check those warnings. If you have no limit, like me ☺️, I suggest driving in head first. You don’t regret it.
Special thanks to author Karley Brenna and Twisted Tales PR for sending an advanced copy of this book for review.
✅ ALL OPINIONS ARE MY OWN ✅
“You make me stabby” - Grace
The final book (# 3) in the Whiskey Ridge Series.
Genres & Tropes:
- Cowboy small town romance
- Hired Un-Aliver FMC
- Broody possessive MMC
- Enemies to partners in crime to lovers
- Suspenseful Romance
- interconnected stand alone about characters Henley and Grace
Spice: 🌶️🌶️
‼️Trigger Warnings. Please read before proceeding‼️
Review—
I was intrigued from the very first page and couldn’t put it down after that. The story flows easily and by the time I knew it I was half way through. There is suspense, comedy, healing, and gradual growth for both characters. I will say I did not read the first 2 books prior to reading this one and while there were areas I felt slightly confused due to references from the prior story lines, I was able to catch the general idea the characters were referring to. You do not need to read the other books to dive into this one, but I would highly recommend to follow the continuous story lines.
There are sensitive topics discussed in on and off page scenarios. Your mental health is # 1 so check those warnings. If you have no limit, like me ☺️, I suggest driving in head first. You don’t regret it.
Special thanks to author Karley Brenna and Twisted Tales PR for sending an advanced copy of this book for review.
✅ ALL OPINIONS ARE MY OWN ✅
Review of advance copy received from Author
No way is that the end of this series. It couldn't possibly be... I am for sure going to miss these characters a lot, but maybe Karley could bring them back in the background of future books, possibly?!
Our final of our trilogy series follows our man Henley who is you have read the first two books of the series you will know we have all been impatiently wondering what his book would be like, that fine ranch man of a human being! His girl ends up being Grace, who he had met through being friends with the other guys girls, but that is not how this book goes at all.
Grace just so happens to be a killer for hire, who would have thought, definitely not me. Oh, and who is her next target, you may ask... None other than Henley, and when she tries to finish that job, lets say it doesn't go well and they end up working together to find out who wants Henley dead.
This book is all filled with twists and turns and plot lines you would not see coming and although this is a fairly short book, it will have you from the first sentence fully gripped until the end wanting more and more which is typical for Karley's books and has me coming back every time! This series has been wonderful to read and this was such a perfect book to end it off and I cannot wait to see what Karley writes next!!
Our final of our trilogy series follows our man Henley who is you have read the first two books of the series you will know we have all been impatiently wondering what his book would be like, that fine ranch man of a human being! His girl ends up being Grace, who he had met through being friends with the other guys girls, but that is not how this book goes at all.
Grace just so happens to be a killer for hire, who would have thought, definitely not me. Oh, and who is her next target, you may ask... None other than Henley, and when she tries to finish that job, lets say it doesn't go well and they end up working together to find out who wants Henley dead.
This book is all filled with twists and turns and plot lines you would not see coming and although this is a fairly short book, it will have you from the first sentence fully gripped until the end wanting more and more which is typical for Karley's books and has me coming back every time! This series has been wonderful to read and this was such a perfect book to end it off and I cannot wait to see what Karley writes next!!
Review of advance copy received from Author
I cannot believe we’ve reached the end of this series—and what a way to finish it.
This is Henley and Grace’s story. Henley is the last man standing on the ranch, and throughout the previous books he has always felt like the outsider. He’s the one who got everyone into trouble in the first place, and he carries more than his fair share of internal struggles.
Grace is McKenna’s cousin. We’ve met her a few times before, but we never really got to know her. That changes here in a big way when someone is hired to kill Henley… and Grace just happens to be a hired assassin. You can probably guess where things go from there.
I honestly had no idea what to expect from this book, but it completely blew me away.
The tension between Henley and Grace practically jumps off the page. Henley’s dominant side had me fanning myself, while Grace is an absolute badass who doesn’t need anyone to save her (although there are definitely moments where they both need each other).
And the spice? Oh. My. God.
I was not prepared, but I also could not put this book down.
The premise is strong, the characters are addictive, and the chemistry is off the charts. It was the perfect ending to a series that I have loved from the very beginning.
This is Henley and Grace’s story. Henley is the last man standing on the ranch, and throughout the previous books he has always felt like the outsider. He’s the one who got everyone into trouble in the first place, and he carries more than his fair share of internal struggles.
Grace is McKenna’s cousin. We’ve met her a few times before, but we never really got to know her. That changes here in a big way when someone is hired to kill Henley… and Grace just happens to be a hired assassin. You can probably guess where things go from there.
I honestly had no idea what to expect from this book, but it completely blew me away.
The tension between Henley and Grace practically jumps off the page. Henley’s dominant side had me fanning myself, while Grace is an absolute badass who doesn’t need anyone to save her (although there are definitely moments where they both need each other).
And the spice? Oh. My. God.
I was not prepared, but I also could not put this book down.
The premise is strong, the characters are addictive, and the chemistry is off the charts. It was the perfect ending to a series that I have loved from the very beginning.
Review of advance copy received from Author
happy release day and thank you so much for the advanced copy 🫶🏻
i know i've said it before but i'll say it again: karley never misses!! her writing just gets better with each book and each time i think i've found a new favourite, she comes out with another. there's just something about her writing that has me hooked from the first line; so much so that i had to save an evening just so i could read this book in one sitting because i can never put her books down (and this is no exception!)
your worst fear is the latest addition to my favourites shelf. it's a cowboy romance with a darker side... a girl who's a bit stabby and a boy who's fully supportive (and craves it)? we love to see it!
grace has a secret and it's a lot deadlier than expected. she's a contract killer and her latest target? the guy she's been crushing on in secret. she has no choice - if she doesn't do it, her life is at risk too - but... after some failed attempts, they end up teaming up instead to work out who's made the mystery hit.
this was such a wild and fun read, i genuinely could not put it down! i absolutely loved grace and henley - so many of their moments together had me legitimately giggling at my kindle screen. they are so so good together and we love a man who's supportive of his woman's hobbies, iykyk.
i highly recommend this series if you're looking for something a little different or if you're just looking for something fun. this is book three in the whiskey ridge series: they're all interconnected standalones. you don't have to read them all but i strongly suggest you do or you'll be missing out!
i know i've said it before but i'll say it again: karley never misses!! her writing just gets better with each book and each time i think i've found a new favourite, she comes out with another. there's just something about her writing that has me hooked from the first line; so much so that i had to save an evening just so i could read this book in one sitting because i can never put her books down (and this is no exception!)
your worst fear is the latest addition to my favourites shelf. it's a cowboy romance with a darker side... a girl who's a bit stabby and a boy who's fully supportive (and craves it)? we love to see it!
grace has a secret and it's a lot deadlier than expected. she's a contract killer and her latest target? the guy she's been crushing on in secret. she has no choice - if she doesn't do it, her life is at risk too - but... after some failed attempts, they end up teaming up instead to work out who's made the mystery hit.
this was such a wild and fun read, i genuinely could not put it down! i absolutely loved grace and henley - so many of their moments together had me legitimately giggling at my kindle screen. they are so so good together and we love a man who's supportive of his woman's hobbies, iykyk.
i highly recommend this series if you're looking for something a little different or if you're just looking for something fun. this is book three in the whiskey ridge series: they're all interconnected standalones. you don't have to read them all but i strongly suggest you do or you'll be missing out!
Review of advance copy received from Author
Wow, okay, my heart rate is finally slowing down! Your Worst Fear completely blew me away—Karley Brenna has written an absolute rollercoaster of a book. It’s dark, tense, incredibly clever, and features some of the best pacing I’ve read all year. I devoured this in just two sittings because I literally could not put it down.
This was my first time reading Karley Brenna, and she did not disappoint. I absolutely loved the dynamic between the main characters. Grace is the ultimate "black cat" lead—strong-willed, stubborn, and fiercely determined to do her job (even if that job means killing her friend). Then there's Henley: broody, dark, and dominant. He has absolutely met his match in Grace, and their dynamic is pure fire.
Not only is the physical chemistry between them an absolute inferno, but their sharp, stellar banter is next-level. Their constant push-and-pull acts as the perfect prelude to them finally admitting how hard and fast they've fallen for each other.
As a bonus for anyone hesitant about jumping into a series: I hadn't read the previous two books, but I was still completely able to follow along with the characters and the history. I can confidently say I'm a new fan, and I highly recommend this ride!
This was my first time reading Karley Brenna, and she did not disappoint. I absolutely loved the dynamic between the main characters. Grace is the ultimate "black cat" lead—strong-willed, stubborn, and fiercely determined to do her job (even if that job means killing her friend). Then there's Henley: broody, dark, and dominant. He has absolutely met his match in Grace, and their dynamic is pure fire.
Not only is the physical chemistry between them an absolute inferno, but their sharp, stellar banter is next-level. Their constant push-and-pull acts as the perfect prelude to them finally admitting how hard and fast they've fallen for each other.
As a bonus for anyone hesitant about jumping into a series: I hadn't read the previous two books, but I was still completely able to follow along with the characters and the history. I can confidently say I'm a new fan, and I highly recommend this ride!
May 13, 2026
I went into this ARC not knowing (or maybe I did and just forgot) it was part of a series that I hadn’t previously read any of. I didn’t actually know until I was halfway through, scrolling Instagram. 😅
With that being said: I felt like I missed nothing. Some series, even interconnected standalone series, have that “you’re missing something” vibe in some spots. This didn’t do that.
Now:
“If anyone was going to break her, it’d be me.” Yes. Uh-huh. Okay. Break me. 😅
Henley was hot. He wasn’t just hot. That man was on fire. Or maybe that…was just me?
“Ignorance was bliss until you were staring down the barrel of a .9mm after turning into a prune in a sauna.”
Dark. Cowboy. Romance. With spice AND some humor? It was such an enjoyable read. And so fxcking sexy. >> The scene with the…thing…at the place — damn.
I loved the tension between Grace and Henley so much. I devoured this book. Fingers licked and all. When the banter banters, I’m all in. I love a romance built off of loathing I guess. 🤣
Thank you for the opportunity to read this as an ARC. I am now going to adventure through the others.
With that being said: I felt like I missed nothing. Some series, even interconnected standalone series, have that “you’re missing something” vibe in some spots. This didn’t do that.
Now:
“If anyone was going to break her, it’d be me.” Yes. Uh-huh. Okay. Break me. 😅
Henley was hot. He wasn’t just hot. That man was on fire. Or maybe that…was just me?
“Ignorance was bliss until you were staring down the barrel of a .9mm after turning into a prune in a sauna.”
Dark. Cowboy. Romance. With spice AND some humor? It was such an enjoyable read. And so fxcking sexy. >> The scene with the…thing…at the place — damn.
I loved the tension between Grace and Henley so much. I devoured this book. Fingers licked and all. When the banter banters, I’m all in. I love a romance built off of loathing I guess. 🤣
Thank you for the opportunity to read this as an ARC. I am now going to adventure through the others.
Review of advance copy received from Author
I came for dark cowboy romance and stayed for the homicidal sexual tension.
A hitwoman falling for her target? Immediate yes.
Grace absolutely owned this book for me. Morally questionable women are having a moment, and I am here for it. She’s competent, dangerous, sharp-tongued, and fully capable of handling herself—which made the chemistry with Henley even better.
And Henley? Broody cowboy energy with enough dominance to make this a very enjoyable time.
Was this a deeply intricate plot masterpiece? No.
Was it vibes, banter, tension, and spice? Absolutely.
There’s a little insta-lust, but honestly? For a quick, dirty, fast-paced read, it works. Not every book needs a 700-page emotional slow burn to be fun.
The banter hit, the tension delivered, and the spice absolutely did what it needed to do 🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️
Bonus points because while it’s part of a series, it absolutely works as a standalone—which I always appreciate.
If you like:
✔️ dark cowboy romance
✔️ morally questionable FMCs
✔️ broody dominant MMCs
✔️ assassin x target tension
✔️ quick filthy reads
…this will probably work for you.
Solid ⭐️ 4 stars
A hitwoman falling for her target? Immediate yes.
Grace absolutely owned this book for me. Morally questionable women are having a moment, and I am here for it. She’s competent, dangerous, sharp-tongued, and fully capable of handling herself—which made the chemistry with Henley even better.
And Henley? Broody cowboy energy with enough dominance to make this a very enjoyable time.
Was this a deeply intricate plot masterpiece? No.
Was it vibes, banter, tension, and spice? Absolutely.
There’s a little insta-lust, but honestly? For a quick, dirty, fast-paced read, it works. Not every book needs a 700-page emotional slow burn to be fun.
The banter hit, the tension delivered, and the spice absolutely did what it needed to do 🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️
Bonus points because while it’s part of a series, it absolutely works as a standalone—which I always appreciate.
If you like:
✔️ dark cowboy romance
✔️ morally questionable FMCs
✔️ broody dominant MMCs
✔️ assassin x target tension
✔️ quick filthy reads
…this will probably work for you.
Solid ⭐️ 4 stars
Review of advance copy received from Author
The Whiskey Ridge trilogy has finally come to an end, and Your Worst Fear absolutely did not disappoint. It was such a great conclusion to an amazing series.
This final book follows Henley’s story, and wow… he is easily the darkest and most troubled of all the men we’ve met throughout the series. His past has left deep scars, making it difficult for him to open up to others and, at times, even harder for him to love himself.
We also get to know Grace more in this book, and honestly, her life and background were not what I expected. She was such an interesting FMC.
Watching Henley and Grace team up to uncover who wants him dead was the best part of the story. Their chemistry, banter, teasing and occasional violence 😂, was absolutely perfect. I loved the push and pull between them, and every moment they finally gave into their feelings was so damn hot 🔥
I’ve loved this entire series so much, and while I’m sad to say goodbye to these characters, this trilogy really did end with a bang. Such a satisfying conclusion 🖤
✨ What to expect:
🤠 Masked Cowboy
🖤 Dark Romance
🔪 She’s a Killer
🩸 Blood Play
⚔️ Reluctant Allies
😤 “Who Hurt You?”
Spice Rating: 4/5 🌶️
This final book follows Henley’s story, and wow… he is easily the darkest and most troubled of all the men we’ve met throughout the series. His past has left deep scars, making it difficult for him to open up to others and, at times, even harder for him to love himself.
We also get to know Grace more in this book, and honestly, her life and background were not what I expected. She was such an interesting FMC.
Watching Henley and Grace team up to uncover who wants him dead was the best part of the story. Their chemistry, banter, teasing and occasional violence 😂, was absolutely perfect. I loved the push and pull between them, and every moment they finally gave into their feelings was so damn hot 🔥
I’ve loved this entire series so much, and while I’m sad to say goodbye to these characters, this trilogy really did end with a bang. Such a satisfying conclusion 🖤
✨ What to expect:
🤠 Masked Cowboy
🖤 Dark Romance
🔪 She’s a Killer
🩸 Blood Play
⚔️ Reluctant Allies
😤 “Who Hurt You?”
Spice Rating: 4/5 🌶️
May 28, 2026
I received this book as an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
Your Worst Fear is the third book in the Whiskey Ridge series. This is the story of Gracie who became a killer for hire who receives photos of her targets before carrying out the job. Only problem, this time Grace receives the picture of Henley, someone she knows very very veeery well.
Since this is the third book in the series, I did find it a little difficult at first to fully get into the story and connect with some of the characters. That’s probably on me for not reading the first two books beforehand, especially since Henley apparently appears earlier in the series. After reading a few Goodreads reviews, it seems readers who followed the series already had more background on him.
That being said, I really enjoyed the banter between Gracie and Henley. Their chemistry was entertaining, witty, and definitely one of my favorite parts of the book. I personally would’ve liked a bit more enemies to lovers tension, but the dynamic between them still worked really well for me.
3/5 ⭐️ — A western enemies to lovers dark romance with fun banter and plenty of spice.
Your Worst Fear is the third book in the Whiskey Ridge series. This is the story of Gracie who became a killer for hire who receives photos of her targets before carrying out the job. Only problem, this time Grace receives the picture of Henley, someone she knows very very veeery well.
Since this is the third book in the series, I did find it a little difficult at first to fully get into the story and connect with some of the characters. That’s probably on me for not reading the first two books beforehand, especially since Henley apparently appears earlier in the series. After reading a few Goodreads reviews, it seems readers who followed the series already had more background on him.
That being said, I really enjoyed the banter between Gracie and Henley. Their chemistry was entertaining, witty, and definitely one of my favorite parts of the book. I personally would’ve liked a bit more enemies to lovers tension, but the dynamic between them still worked really well for me.
3/5 ⭐️ — A western enemies to lovers dark romance with fun banter and plenty of spice.
May 14, 2026
Review of advance copy received from author
I completely forgot that this ARC was book 3 of an interconnecting series. So usually I wouldn’t apply for it or make sure to read the previous books before reading the ARC. Here I absolutely forgot about it and, honestly, almost didn’t notice it till ~50% in🙈
The writing style is very immersive & it feels like I personally know the characters. Overall you see a great potential in the book and story, that the author really explored to the max. In my personal opinion it kinda felt a bit rushed to me. The story could have been drawn out more and explored from different angles and given me a bit more detail - as i loved the characters and kinda didn‘t get enough of them🙈
On the other hand, the plot was plotting, the spicy was mouthwatering and the end was the absolute cutest HEA I have ever read❤️ So all in all my conclusion would be 3,75 ⭐️
What you can expect:
🗡️ masked cowboy x hit woman
🗡️ dark romance
🗡️ bl00d play
🗡️ “who hurt you?”
🗡️ tons of banter
🗡️ reluctant allies
I completely forgot that this ARC was book 3 of an interconnecting series. So usually I wouldn’t apply for it or make sure to read the previous books before reading the ARC. Here I absolutely forgot about it and, honestly, almost didn’t notice it till ~50% in🙈
The writing style is very immersive & it feels like I personally know the characters. Overall you see a great potential in the book and story, that the author really explored to the max. In my personal opinion it kinda felt a bit rushed to me. The story could have been drawn out more and explored from different angles and given me a bit more detail - as i loved the characters and kinda didn‘t get enough of them🙈
On the other hand, the plot was plotting, the spicy was mouthwatering and the end was the absolute cutest HEA I have ever read❤️ So all in all my conclusion would be 3,75 ⭐️
What you can expect:
🗡️ masked cowboy x hit woman
🗡️ dark romance
🗡️ bl00d play
🗡️ “who hurt you?”
🗡️ tons of banter
🗡️ reluctant allies
Review of advance copy received from Author
First I want to say that this series is absolutely incredible and I recommend this to anyone who will listen to me! ✨
If you love dark romance, fast paced, funny yet also incredibly spicy then this series is 100% for you!
Now onto Henley and Grace! At the beginning when Grace thought to herself she would love a man like her cousin and best friends men who are feral for their women, that pulled on my heart strings then she got THAT text! As the story unwinds we find out why Grace does what she does. Henley is the last man standing in the trio of badass cowboys and has always felt like the outsider until there is a hit put out for him and who is the killer for hire? Yep you guessed it! Things spiral from there and the sexual tension and chemistry these 2 have absolutely jumps out the page and is written so well!
One word, Kindle... I will leave that there for you readers to enjoy finding when you read this book!
5⭐️ book and 5⭐️ series for me and I cannot wait to read what Karley brings out in the future!
Thank you so much for the ARC!
If you love dark romance, fast paced, funny yet also incredibly spicy then this series is 100% for you!
Now onto Henley and Grace! At the beginning when Grace thought to herself she would love a man like her cousin and best friends men who are feral for their women, that pulled on my heart strings then she got THAT text! As the story unwinds we find out why Grace does what she does. Henley is the last man standing in the trio of badass cowboys and has always felt like the outsider until there is a hit put out for him and who is the killer for hire? Yep you guessed it! Things spiral from there and the sexual tension and chemistry these 2 have absolutely jumps out the page and is written so well!
One word, Kindle... I will leave that there for you readers to enjoy finding when you read this book!
5⭐️ book and 5⭐️ series for me and I cannot wait to read what Karley brings out in the future!
Thank you so much for the ARC!
May 28, 2026
Gahh this book had me in a chokehold the entire time!! Karley what a masterpiece. I'm pretty bummed this is the last book in the series 😂
If you haven't started this series yet, put it on your TBR IMMEDIATELY!!
We learn that Grace is a killer for hire and we are led to believe that she's the best of the best, but there were some questionable moves by her that had me wondering how true that was. She is assigned a new target...Henley, the morally gray cowboy himself. He matched her crazy and then multiplied it by a 100. He has a crazy dark side. A filthy mouth, non stop banter, the attitude and he simply doesn't put up with nonsense from anyone.
These two team up to figure out who's behind who put the hit on him. Watching these two go about this was fantastic. The banter, the violence, the teasing made the sexual tension even better. The constant push and pull of wanting to either destroy each other or rip their clothes off had me sweatin.
I really enjoyed this book, and kept hoping the page count was off and there would be like 100 more pages 😂
If you haven't started this series yet, put it on your TBR IMMEDIATELY!!
We learn that Grace is a killer for hire and we are led to believe that she's the best of the best, but there were some questionable moves by her that had me wondering how true that was. She is assigned a new target...Henley, the morally gray cowboy himself. He matched her crazy and then multiplied it by a 100. He has a crazy dark side. A filthy mouth, non stop banter, the attitude and he simply doesn't put up with nonsense from anyone.
These two team up to figure out who's behind who put the hit on him. Watching these two go about this was fantastic. The banter, the violence, the teasing made the sexual tension even better. The constant push and pull of wanting to either destroy each other or rip their clothes off had me sweatin.
I really enjoyed this book, and kept hoping the page count was off and there would be like 100 more pages 😂
Review of advance copy
3.5 rounded up
This is my first book in the series, and although it was promoted as a standalone, I truly think it would be best enjoyed reading the two prior novels. I struggled with characters from previous books that seemed to be not the greatest people, and not supportive of the MMC, and what the dynamics were between the all of them.
I really enjoyed the FMC being an absolute badass killer for hire, but it was kind of disappointing for her to end up immediately becoming inexperienced and shoddy the second she's connected with the MMC. It had my interest waning a bit when he seemed to take the lead, until she redeems herself later on.
Either way, the story was interesting and fast-paced, and is a very instant-love bond as the novel takes place over less than a week before they're head over heels for each other.
All in all, it was a fun and fast-paced read, but not a top fave for me.
*****
I was sent a complimentary advanced reader copy. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
Thank you to the author for sending this my way!
This is my first book in the series, and although it was promoted as a standalone, I truly think it would be best enjoyed reading the two prior novels. I struggled with characters from previous books that seemed to be not the greatest people, and not supportive of the MMC, and what the dynamics were between the all of them.
I really enjoyed the FMC being an absolute badass killer for hire, but it was kind of disappointing for her to end up immediately becoming inexperienced and shoddy the second she's connected with the MMC. It had my interest waning a bit when he seemed to take the lead, until she redeems herself later on.
Either way, the story was interesting and fast-paced, and is a very instant-love bond as the novel takes place over less than a week before they're head over heels for each other.
All in all, it was a fun and fast-paced read, but not a top fave for me.
*****
I was sent a complimentary advanced reader copy. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
Thank you to the author for sending this my way!
Review of advance copy received from Author
Fast Paced. Entertaining. Banter.
This is such a fun read that had my salivating for more. I was absolutely obsessed with Henley and Grace.
Grace has a rather interesting vocation if you will and unfortunately, Henley is put into her crosshairs. While in close proximity of each other it becomes apparent that they have fantastic banter and and even better chemistry and attraction towards each other, barring a rather inconvenient desire to not really let the other live so much.
Grace is a firecracker, full of sass and sarcasm. The perfect combination to unravel the broody, emotionally unavailable and mysterious cowboy that his Henley. This man is misunderstood. Watching Henley slowly defrost the ice around his heart and let Grace in was beautiful.
Filled with plenty of plot twists that you don’t see coming, for a relatively short book, it doesn’t feel overdone at all.
The chemistry is addictive, the characters are perfect and the rom-com vibes I am here for.
This is such a fun read that had my salivating for more. I was absolutely obsessed with Henley and Grace.
Grace has a rather interesting vocation if you will and unfortunately, Henley is put into her crosshairs. While in close proximity of each other it becomes apparent that they have fantastic banter and and even better chemistry and attraction towards each other, barring a rather inconvenient desire to not really let the other live so much.
Grace is a firecracker, full of sass and sarcasm. The perfect combination to unravel the broody, emotionally unavailable and mysterious cowboy that his Henley. This man is misunderstood. Watching Henley slowly defrost the ice around his heart and let Grace in was beautiful.
Filled with plenty of plot twists that you don’t see coming, for a relatively short book, it doesn’t feel overdone at all.
The chemistry is addictive, the characters are perfect and the rom-com vibes I am here for.
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