ARC Review: An Unexpected Distraction by Catherine Bybee

An Unexpected Distraction
Author: Catherine Bybee
Series: Richter (Book 3)
Publication: Montlake (November 30, 2021)

Description: Family secrets and fresh romance collide in this heart-pounding Richter series installment by New York Times and USA Today bestselling author Catherine Bybee.

Jacqueline “Jax” Simon knows how to expose secrets: she’s a skilled operative with MacBain Security and Solutions. When Jax hears her parents are divorcing, she races to London to find out why. She’s determined to learn the truth, especially when her investigation uncovers why her parents sent her to Richter, the German military school that made her a fighter.

Andrew Craig collects Jax at Heathrow Airport as a favor. He’s heard she’s a handful, but he didn’t know she’s dangerously gorgeous too. His instant attraction could change his life…or end it.

Jax doesn’t want to fall for Andrew, but soon he’s worming his way into her life. Together, they infiltrate Richter to discover if it has returned to its covert purpose: training children to be spies and assassins and blackmailing parents to look the other way. As the attraction between the two intensifies, so do the secrets exploding all around them. How deadly are those secrets―and who will survive?

My Thoughts: The third Richter story stars Jax Simon. She is called home by her brother to let her know that her parents are planning to divorce. Jax is surprised since they seemed all right. But what would she know? She was sent to Richter at 12 and hadn't lived at home for any extended period of time since then. The last six years have been spent in California and working for McBain Security and Solutions with her best friend Claire.

McBain Security and Solutions has let her use a lot of the skills she developed at Richter. She speaks five languages, uses a gun, and is an expert computer hacker. She's a female James Bond without the government ties. 

Since Richter was outed as a school that sometimes trained students who ended up working as assassins for the wrong side, McBain has been watching it to see that it doesn't drift back to its evil ways. Now, there are hints that it may be leaning back to the dark side. Jax still doesn't know why her parents decided to send her to Richter, but the possibility of family secrets needing concealment is not off the table.

Along with her brother Harry's good friend Andrew, Jax is trying to uncover the reasons for her parents' divorce and whether those reasons have anything to do with her attendance at Richter. Jax and Andrew's relationship got off to a less than stellar beginning when he met her at the airport and she mistook him for a hired driver. The romance began after that misunderstanding was cleared up. 

This was an enjoyable, fast-paced and suspenseful romantic suspense title. I liked both Jax and Andrew and thought they were well matched despite the many differences they have. 

Favorite Quote:

In the movies, 007 was always a man and the busty blonde was the one on the sidelines waiting for the danger to pass while the man did the hard work. 

How Andrew had become the busty blonde in this scenario was beyond him.

I received this one in exchange for an honest review from NetGalley. You can buy your copy here.