This is a thrilling and romantic ride that will captivate readers who crave a mix of action, suspense, and steamy romance, particularly those who enjoy stories about strong-willed heroines and brooding heroes navigating complex relationships and high-stakes missions.

I must firstly apologise for the amount of time it has taken me to provide a review of this book, my health was rather bad for quite some time, something that had me in hospital on numerous occasions and simply didnt leave me with the time I once had to do what I love most.

Unfortunately that does mean I have missed the archive date for many of these books, so It would feel unjust throwing any review together without being able to pay attention to each novel properly.

However, I am now back to reading as before and look forward to sharing my honest reviews as always going forward. I thank you f0r the patience and understanding throughout x

Hello

Apologies for the late notice, but I have decided not to review this title. While I am certain it's obvious by now, I wanted to also clear this off NetGalley, so it's not showing as open for either of us.

I look forward to continuing to work with you in 2023 and beyond.

Laura

Claire is woking at MacBain security and will be working with local authorities to find missing girls. In order to work undercover, she will be going back and being a high schooler. Everything seems easy except she will be facing Cooper who she worked with 6 years ago and wanted him but he kept himself away due to her age even though she was 18 years old. Now she will be working closely with him, maybe this time will be different.
Cooper kept himself away from Claire and worked in Europe for last 6 years and finally back in US. This case will have him work closely with Claire and he is happy that he will be working together but his boss Neil may not be happy since he treats Claire like his daughter.
Claire and Cooper is uncovering sex trafficking ring and suspense doesn't stop until the very end. It does deal with sex trafficking and kidnapping. There are many secrets unravel regarding German school Richter. This was definitely a page turner and can't wait to read the next book. Great start of a new series.
Thansk to Netgalley and Montlake for ARC.

This is a well written suspense thriller with romance elements. It's an incredible page-turner, the first standalone of the Richter series.

There is great chemistry between Claire and Cooper. Read this for a heroine you’ll love in this new age “21 Jump Street”. (Which I loved, by the way. ) Can they infiltrate a high school and be believed and trusted to find out dark secrets? Can students, coaches, teachers, and friends be trusted? I loved the suspense. Claire is tough but lovable and I was paranoid she’d be the next victim for real. Great read.

I really enjoyed this book. I found it interesting to see the main character go undercover in a school where human trafficking exists and it was intriguing to watch her and the other main character fall in love through this journey too.

I feel like I have read ALL of Bybee's books. Each time I read one, I restart all the stories and gear up for the next one. I really look forward to her releases. Lots of emotion and believable story lines.
I received this book in exchange for an honest review I can't wait for the next one.

There's something utterly addictive about a Catherine Bybee novel, and I have been dying for this book ever since we found out that there would be a spin-off series from Sasha's story in Say It Again. We met eighteen-year-old Claire at Richter, the German military boarding school whose graduates used to be recruited as assassins, but we find her six years later working with Sasha for MacBain Security and Solutions. Clare's personal life comes second to her high-adrenaline job, until Cooper Lockman walks back into her life, and this time around, their age difference is not stopping him from declaring his intentions. As their undercover mission to infiltrate and dismantle a prostitution ring targeting young girls brings them closer and closer to the truth, their bond only grows stronger. Simply unputdownable!

I usually read and review anything Catherine Bybee writes as soon as it comes out on the other platforms. As always I forgot to leave my review here. I really loved the book.

Really enjoyed this book. It is a story about human trafficking with younger schools at high school.

The main character Claire is sent undercover to assist investigations alongside her estranged love Cooper. As the undercover operations goes on a romance blossoms between both of them which has been long awaited.

A great story and very engaging.

This was a really interesting and engrossing story that had me hooked from the first chapter. Claire Kelly is ready for any action that she can get working at MacBain Security and Solutions. She is given the assignment to pose as a high school student in order to gather information on a sex trafficking ring at the local schools. Joining her is her old friend Cooper Lockman. Having spent the last six years at MacBain’s London office, he returns to home. He left when his feelings for Claire became too intense as she was only 18 years old. Now that he is back he wants to see where they can go, but they need to find out who is involved in the trafficking ring. Wow, this was such a gripping story. The characters and the plot were absolutely fascinating. Loved seeing some of my favorite characters from other series. All in all, this was a wonderfully thrilling read.

I love when a new series starts as a spinoff from a new series. This book is the perfect mix. I loved seeing Claire working in full capacity and seeing how she has found her way in life. This was a great read and has much action, and suspense and it really hit all my needs in a book

Another good read from Catherine Bybee.
Changing the Rules and The Richter Series is an extension, to some extent, of her First Wives Series and we can even go back to the Weekday Bride Series to Book #3 Fiancé by Friday (Gwen and Neil's story). This book can be read alone but I would recommend you go back to Say it Again in the First Wives Series to get more background. You won't be disappointed.
Claire has found that family doesn't have to be blood. She is strong, smart, determined, and successful working for Neil's security company. Everyone there is like family and having each other's back is more than a job.
Shortly after Claire (18 years old at the time) escaped Richter in Europe having gone to the states, Cooper decides Claire is the one for him. With Neil acting as father to Claire he suggests Cooper ask for a transfer to Neil's European office. This was Neil being nice.
Cooper does that and 6 years later he is back.
There is a lot of flirting and sexual tension between Claire and Cooper and this is what Catherine Bybee writes perfectly. If you want straight up page after page sex you won't find it here. I'm so happy you don't. Personally, I think you can only read so many sex scenes before they are all sounding the same and you scroll through to get back to the story.
The security team goes undercover to help break up a prostitution ring targeting high school girls. Claire goes undercover as a senior at one high school, her friend and roommate Jax as a senior in another. Cooper is undercover as an auto shop teacher and track coach in the same school as Claire. They all play their roles undercover well. I loved Claire's snarky ways!
Claire and Jax meet two girls trying to find their way looking to attend as many parties as possible.
Unfortunately, they become targets of those looking for additions to the prostitution of underage girls.
Meanwhile, a girl that disappeared three years prior, taken by this group, ends up in a hospital in another state. Claire and Copper head that way.
It's unknown what students and staff are working for the bad guys and who might be undercover cops and who can't be trusted.
There is suspense and sweet romance and the story will having you reading all the way through to know what happens next.
I received this ARC from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

Catherine Bybee is one of my favorite authors and knowing she had a new series coming out was extremely exciting prospect and I'm thrilled to say that Changing the Rules is by far one of the best books I've read so far this year. I knew early on in this one that The Richter series was going to be a good one!

Changing the Rules is the first book in the Richter series by Catherine Bybee. We met Claire and Cooper in Say it Again and I was so happy when I heard they were getting a book! I loved Claire as soon as she said "Put it away Cooper. You're too old for me." And not only that, we get to see Neil, Gwen and Sasha again. I was so engaged with this story that I didn't want to put it down. Claire isn't a kid anymore. She's grown up, working for Neil and loving her job. Cooper left town for six years and now he's back. Claire hasn't seen him since and she's so happy to have her friend back. But Cooper can't hide his feeling for Claire anymore and when she sees what everyone else sees, she can't stop thinking about him. They have a job to do though and she's going undercover as a student and he as a teacher. While they are at school it's business, but after Cooper is just glad she's not eighteen anymore. They have a serious job to do, tracking down a group of sex trafficking people, some of which might be teachers or undercover cops. I didn't even know who to trust! I had my favorites and prayed it wasn't them! I loved Claire's teenage antics and her confidence and attitude. Cooper was swoonworthy as he put it all on the line with Claire. His honesty just made him sexier! And then she was saying "Put it away Cooper. We don't have time for that right now." I’m already loving the secondary characters and can't wait for more from this series (Give me Leo!) Overall, I loved Cooper and Claire. There were fun, hilarious, sexy and sweet!

4 stars

Changing the Rules by Catherine Bybee is a very enjoyable read and a great start to the Richter series.

The storyline in well written, entertaining from start to end and I loved getting to know the characters and watching them come together.

Overall, Changing the Rules is another good read by the talented Catherine Bybee and I'm looking forward to reading A Thin Disguise the next book in the series.

*Thank you to the publisher via NetGalley for the advance copy.*

What a gripping, intense, encompassing read Ms. Bybee has written in this book that pulled me in from the very beginning. It is a story that took me on a roller coaster of emotion and suspense that consumed me so much that I read this story in one sitting. Really, I could not put it down, especially since characters from previous linked series were in this book too helping the main characters.

Having been introduced to Claire in a previous series, The First Wives, I couldn't wait to read her story when I read that Catherine Bybee would be releasing it. In this first book of this new series for Ms. Bybee, Claire was such a strong and interesting heroine that proved she had what it took to be part of a security team and do whatever it takes to take down the bad guys. Certainly, there was plenty of danger and undercover work isn't easy, but Claire rises to the challenge while fighting her feelings for Cooper. Another danger that could pose just as much risk as the bad guys. Then again, this pair are so good for each other and prove that love is worth fighting for.

Cooper is one fine man. Definitely near the top of my list of favourite Bybee heroes. If not at the top. Not completely sure yet. I did really like AJ from Say It Again. And Rick from Taken by Tuesday. And Gill from Making It Right. What can I say? I have a soft spot for cops and security guys. Still, I loved Cooper. He's hot. A little vulnerable. Exceptional because of his determination to do what's right and protect those that need protecting.

Overall, Ms. Bybee has delivered a fantastic start to her new Richter series because of the witty banter, suspense-filled plot and great characters that are so deserving of happy ever after. Not only did Claire and Cooper make this a great story but so did the support characters in the security team. Furthermore, I can't wait to see what this author, who is an absolute 1-click for me, has in store for her readers next.

I felt a lack because I haven’t read all of the previous books in the series, but I was able to read the book without too many gaps of understanding. The human trafficking angle seemed far-fetched. The romance was solid.

Loved this read! Couldn't put it down and decided to read it all in one sitting, definatly did not disapoint! Thankyou author!