Last Call at the Local
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4.3 • 7 Ratings
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- $13.99
Publisher Description
Opposites attract when a free-spirited American singer-songwriter with ADHD teams up with a charming Irishman to revitalize his family's pub in the next heartfelt romance from the author of Luck and Last Resorts.
Raine Hart is used to the challenges of living with ADHD. It’s why she ditched her life in Boston to busk around Europe as a traveling musician. No boss. No schedule. No one to disappoint but herself. But when a careless mistake in Ireland leaves her unable to perform, she sees no other option but to give up her nomadic life.
Since inheriting the Local, Jack Dunne has wanted to make the pub his own. But the baggage of running a family business and the intrusive thoughts that stem from his OCD make changing things a challenge.
Over a pint with handsome, tattooed Jack, Raine accidentally insults him and the pub. Instead of taking offense, Jack, impressed by her vision of what the pub could be, offers her a job bringing it to life.
But when Raine and Jack develop feelings for one another their opposite lifestyles won’t accommodate, it becomes clear the pub isn’t the only thing that needs reinventing. As the end of their business collaboration draws near, they’ll have to find a way past the limits they’ve placed on themselves or let go of a love that could last a lifetime.
APPLE BOOKS REVIEW
It’s hard to resist a lighthearted romance with a picturesque Irish setting, and Sarah Grunder Ruiz takes this one to the next level. Free-spirited Boston native Raine has been busking her way across Europe—until somebody steals her backpack and guitar in an Irish harbor town, where she meets Jack, a second-generation pub owner who longs to open his own tattoo parlor. Grunder Ruiz creates two likable, neuroatypical characters and realistically portrays their experiences: Raine’s ADHD is an asset in her nomadic life, while Jack’s OCD creates a believable obstacle to realizing his dreams. We also loved the book’s memorable side characters, especially Jack’s charmingly gruff brother, Ollie. As cozy as a fisherman’s sweater, Last Call at the Local is a brilliant way to spend a quiet evening in.
PUBLISHERS WEEKLY
Ruiz (Luck and Last Resorts) shines in this moving and adorable tale of neurodivergent love in a cozy Irish town. American med school dropout Raine Hart is busking her way through Europe as a musician when, in quaint Cobh, Ireland, all of her equipment is stolen, including the cherished guitar given to her by her late grandfather. She stumbles into a pub, the Local, where she meets hunky Irishman Jack Dunne. Not knowing that Jack co-owns the place with his brother, Ollie, Raine rants to him about its unrealized potential—and Jack is taken with her vision of all the bar could be. Chemistry sparks as Jack hires Raine to help revamp the pub, but Jack is worried that Raine won't be able to handle his OCD, having been burned before. Raine is equally uncertain about how her ADHD will effect their budding relationship. Ruiz handles her characters' intrusive thoughts and exaggerated fears with uncommon grace and sensitivity and makes it clear throughout that, despite their anxieties, these two are perfect for each other. Supporting characters—particularly haughty feline Sebastian, grumpy bartender Ollie, and Ollie's free-spirited wife, Nina—add humor and charm. The touching happily-ever-after for these heart-stealing characters is a delight.
