An Unexpected Distraction is the third book in Catherine Bybee’s addictive series that deals with former alumni of a super secretive military boarding school called Richter. The first book Changing Rules focused on Claire Kelly who was sent on an undercover mission to bust a child trafficking ring. I absolutely adored her best friend Jax Simon and couldn’t wait to read her story in An Unexpected Distraction.

All books in this fast-paced, gripping series can be read as standalones- a new reader gets enough background to understand how the protagonists are related to Richter, which for many years trained future spies, secret agents for various governments, and …assassins. We met one of them- Olivia Nought- in the second book, called A Thin Disguise. Claire and Jax were among the more fortunate ones- they were given a chance to be on the right side and good by working for Neil McBain’s Security and Solutions team. Neil was also the man behind exposing what was going on in Richter and sending the former headmistress Lodovica to prison. But the legacy of Richter still lives on and not all secrets have been revealed.

The book starts with Neil’s employees doing a teambuilding exercise- practising a scenario when one of them gets kidnapped. You get a good feeling of how how-close knit the team is and how much they trust each other. Then Jax gets a call from her brother Harry who is asking her to come to London and help him out with a family emergency.Things do not seem to add up and Jax’s professional skills are being called upon. All through this Jax is dealing with an unexpected distraction- her brother’s friend Andrew is gradually becoming more and more important to her. As Neil reminds her, in Jax’s line of work distractions can be fatal, especially, since the case isn’t just about her own family, it has an unexpected connection to Richter.

I have to admit the first part of the book was unusually slow for what I’ve come to expect from Catherine Bybee. But then the pace picked up considerably in the second half and suddenly I was on the edge of my seat, gripped by the action-packed, thrilling finale.

Romantic suspense calls for a fine balance of romance and mystery and Catherine Bybee is one of the best writers in this genre. Jax is a strong, independent woman, comfortable with her life choices, but even she has to deal with her own doubts and insecurities. The book is written from Jax’s POV, so we do get to know Andrew only the way Jax sees him. Sometimes it felt as if there was only one protagonist and Andrew was just one of the secondary characters. Having said that, there are some very sweet and romantic moments interwoven with the mystery and action.

While every book in the series is complete on its own, it’s clear there is more to the Richter story as the ending proves and I can’t wait to read the next instalment!

I received an advanced reader copy to leave an honest review of this book. I have read the entire "Richter" series to date and this one is definitely one of my favorites. I have read most of Bybee's works and love her writing style, romance and humor in the books. I would highly recommend all of them but the Richter series definitely has a fast plot and some intrigue along with the romance.

This book follows Jax, a former Richter student, who heads back home to England when she finds out her parents are getting divorced. Jax has never been close to her parents but this is still a big surprise since her parents are all about appearances in society. While in England, her boss decides to utilize her talents to do some investigating at her old school which was once used to recruit orphans for the skills they learned at the military type school for shady dealings. The school was cleaned up (see previous books/series for this story line) but it appears there may be someone back pulling strings.

Of course while back in England, Jax unwittingly connects with her "driver" from the airport. What she doesn't know is that Andrew is her brother's friend just doing a favor. It's a great meet cute and their relationship develops from there. Andrew appears to be fascinated with her job until the danger gets real.

Add in a lot of intrigue, the romance and humor of the entire team and you have a great book. Overall a fast read. Definitely recommend.

Catherine Bybee is a much loved author with a justifiable following! The goods have once again been delivered, a fabulous book to immerse yourself in!
The storyline, characters and suspense are exciting and enjoyable, another Bybee masterpiece!

A huge congratulations to Montlake and Catherine Bybee on this fabulous page turner, it’s truly an honour to read your books!

I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Reviews by the Wicked Reads Review Team

Ruthie – ☆☆☆☆☆
This is the third book in the series, and I highly recommend that you read them in order. We first learned of Richter from Sasha in the First Wives series, so you might want to start there... they are all very worthwhile reading!

Jax was unexpectedly sent to Richter by her wealthy parents. Years later, her life has been shaped by what she learned there, but she does now act for good, working for MacBain Security and Solutions. In this story the underlying plot of who is directing the actions of the educators at Richter continues to develop – and we find ourselves back there again – but at the same time, Jax gets to discover something very, very unexpected about herself.

Perhaps more interesting though, is how Jax and her brother's best friend, Andrew, find that there is strong chemistry between them. It is a bad time to discover this as so much is going on in Jax's life. But as we find out, Andrew is a solid, safe, and loving guy, who lives a quite normal and stable life... until he takes a holiday to Richter with Jax.

I love these books with such a dark undertone, and yet also the fun of love and their family of choice, as well as the learning of how one's own family may have failed or been blackmailed. It was great to catch up with the MacBain family too – everyone is a lot happier than they were in book one!

So many loose ends, I do hope that the next book in the series will be released soon!


Mary – ☆☆☆☆☆
I have waited for Jax's story, and it was an unexpected surprise. When her brother calls and needs her help, she doesn't hesitate to jump on a plane and fly back to London.

As she learns about her parent's separation, she also learns more about herself. Along the way, she meets her brother's best friend. Andrew is mistaken for a hired driver sent to pick her up at the airport and look after her until she meets up with her brother.

The sparks begin to fly from the moment Jax and Andrew meet. She doesn't hold it against him that he didn't tell her from the start who he really was. As they spend more time together, they learn more about each other and that they want to be there for the other. When they head back to Richter and things get a little hairy, Andrew learns a little about what Jax's job is.

I loved the first two stories but this one is my favorite so far. It was filled with suspense, intrigue, and more romance than the others. Jax and Andrew were the perfect couple, almost to the point of finishing each other's sentences. I hope there will be more to continue this series, I want more. I highly recommend reading them in order, you do not want to miss anything.


Avid Reader – ☆☆☆☆☆
4.5 stars
M/F Romance
Triggers: Kidnapping

Jax is now working for MacBain Security and Solutions. She is a highly trained operative and uses all of the skills she learned at Richter. Despite Jax's wealthy family, she was unexpectedly sent to the boarding school. Now, as an adult, she is asked to come home amidst a family situation and learns so much more about her time away from home.

Someone at Richter is orchestrating the undertone again and Jax and MacBain are trying to prevent other girls from similar fates that Sasha and others have lived.

What Jax isn't expecting is to find that her brother's best friend, Andrew, is a strong, confident partner and when he is needed for her ruse, how reliable he is. Andrew is a fun character who has his eyes opened to what Jax is truly capable of.

Together, they uncover a mystery and begin a journey of love. It's a great book and I highly recommend that you start at the beginning of the series. You won't regret it!

I was so excited to finally read Jax's story and did not disappoint. So many questions answered from her past. Jax is called back home by her brother for family issues and is soon engrossed with secrets from her past and why she was sent to Richter years ago.

Loved Andrew, he is the perfect match for Jax. Loved their slow build romance. It was great catching up with the other girls from Richter.

I highly recommend this book along with the rest of the series. This is a stand alone but would be enjoyed more reading the previous books first.

3.5 Stars

I’m a huge fan of Catherine Bybee. I’ve read a dozen of her contemporary romances. But she’s a bit newer to the romantic suspense genre and as such, and this one was a mixed bag for me.

It helped that this story had characters from previous books (and even another series) that I already know and love. An Unexpected Distraction brings back Sasha from the First Wives series, and involves Ricther, the private boarding school in Germany that secretly trains students for nefarious purposes.

The first part of this book set up the story and moved at a rather slow pace. I couldn’t understand how the heroine jumped from her parents having marital troubles to “something sinister is happening again with Richter.” I’m still not convinced the first half of the book isn’t much more than filler.

But the second half was action packed and suspense filled . The developing relationship between the heroine and hero was classic Catherine Bybee, filled with witty dialogue, a kick-ass heroine, and a dashing hero. The ending also left us with a hint that things at Richter aren’t as benign as they lead people to believe - maybe even back to the old training tactics - with possibly more to come.

I’m still a bigger fan of Ms. Bybee’s contemporary romances, but she’s done a pretty good job with these suspenses! I’ll always be looking forward to the next Catherine Bybee book.

* thank you to NetGalley and Montlake for providing an ARC in exchange for an honest review

Jax, one of the operatives of Mac Bain Security, travels back home after her brother’s panicked phone call. He won’t say much, but Jax quickly discovers all is not right with her parents and they’re headed for divorce. It soon becomes apparent that the divorce and the reason they sent Jax to the military boarding school, Richter, are intertwined. With rumors swirling that Richter may be going back to their nefarious ways, training the students to be deadly agents/assassins, the whole team gets involved with Jax’s investigation into her family’s past.

After a fun action packed start the story shifted and was very much focused on Jax and her family relationships, and the budding romance between her and Andrew. The trouble between Jax’s parents brings her relationship with them into focus and at first, I was really miffed at them. They shipped Jax off to a boarding school and didn’t really take an interest in her. The reasons behind that were revealed. I was pleased with changes between Jax and her mother. Her father was another story.

As more information is uncovered it’s decided a team must travel to Richter and see if they can ferret out information and see if the school is tuning back to their old ways. Jax and Andrew have the perfect cover: a couple in love. Not hard to pass off when the two are really falling for each other. Even though their relationship is new, it’s the kind you just know is right. Their time in Germany was playful, passionate, and steamy! I just loved it!

I’ve enjoyed all three books of the Richter series, a spinoff to Catherine Bybee’s First Wives series, mainly the last book, Say It Again. I think in a pinch you could read An Unexpected Distraction as a standalone, but you’d miss out on the previous romances and the history of Richter and how it played a part in this close-knit group of operatives. All three books are available through Kindle Unlimited as “read and listen for free” if you belong to that program.

An Unexpected Distraction was easy to get into and hard to put down! I stayed up late to finish as all hell was breaking loose and I had to see how it all turned out! While Jax and Andrew’s story wraps up, the ending made it imperative we get more! I look forward to the next one!

Wonderful romantic suspense story. The main characters, Jax and Andrew have to go through a lot in order to find one another. Andrew is a numbers man and doesn’t understand Jax’s job or the peril said job puts her in. As he starts to learn more about her career she gets sidetracked by her parents problem. Ms. Bybee develops the characters so that they feel real. You become immersed in this book and don’t want to put it down. I received a complimentary copy of the book and chose to write a review.

I knew Jax story would be a great one and did it ever deliver. I love how resourceful and independent she is. How strong she is even in the face of her parents seemingly reluctance to have her there. But once she finds out the family secrets she finds a relationship with her mother, and an unexpected distraction in Andrew.

Never wanting to settle for the kind of man her parents want for her, Jax has always went the complete opposite. But when her brother calls her back to England for a family emergency she doesn’t know what to expect. And she finds things aren’t always what they seem.

Andrew is not at all what she thought. He may be in an office but he isn’t t the stodgy man one would think. He’s sexy, and strong and up for just about anything Jax throws at him.

Even in the face of her family secrets and the dangers of her job he stands firm thru it all. Their chemistry is off the charts and catching her off guard is wonderful.

When things go bad and Jax faces her biggest threat, Andrews unwavering strength and love help her to face it all. I loved this book and the whole series and can’t wait for more!

After her parents sent her to Richter the emotional and physical distance between them grew but she has found a great support system withing McBain Security where she now works. When her brother asks her to come home as he believes that there is much more to their parent’s divorce than they are sharing she agrees to return to England.

Andrew is Jax’s brother’s best friend, and he isn’t about to let the misunderstanding between them stand in the way of them spending time together. When her professional and personal lives clash, he is determined to show her that she is his perfect partner in every way.

Suspense and romance combine as Andrew and Jax not only try to find out the truth about her parents but get embroiled in another assignment as well and he proves to be exactly the man she can trust with her heart and her life.

This is book 3 in a series and I only read the first book which is about Jax's best friend and roomie. In this book we get to know Jax and find out she actually is from England. She is sent home when her brother calls and asks for some help in dealing with her divorcing parents.

This series is about Richter kids, Richter is a private German school that taught kids skills that made them killers or at least military skills. Jax was sent to the school at age 6 and no one really knows why. Now she works for a private security company that exposed what was happening at Richter years ago and they are concerned that things might be going on that could be dangerous for students.

But first Jax goes back home to help her family, She meets her brothers bestie, Andrew and Jax and him share an attraction. She decides to stick around to get to know her family and ends up with the assignment at Richter,

This was a fantastic drama filled suspense story with a hot and sweet romance between Jax and Andrew. In it Jax finally discovers why she was sent away and the plot twist was pretty awesome.

After the previous books in the Richter series, I was so excited to read Jax's story. I knew her experience at Richter was different than those that attended as orphans, trained and recruited for top level spy work that was not always on the up and up. But Jax was sent to the school by her family, so she was in no real danger of being pulled into the darker side of Richter uncovered in Sasha's (First Wives) book.

After a frantic call from her brother, Jax rushes home to England to discover the family emergency is a pending divorce between her parents. And while her relationship with both of them is strained, she's determined to get to the bottom of the issue that's come between the two. The last thing she anticipates is the ties back to Richter that brought about the current family drama.

As Jax and the team work to uncover what mysteries may be held within the walls of Richter, she finds herself growing ever closer to Andrew, a college friend of her brother. The development of their relationship is absolute perfection. Andrew proves to be so much stronger and supportive than any man from Jax's past. Their relationship is natural, and they fall into an easy rhythm.

One of my favorite things about An Unexpected Distraction is the development of the relationship between Jax and her mother, bridging the gap that was built on year apart while Jax was in school. The closer they become, the more her mom opens up. Discovering their new normal is one of my favorite journeys in the book.

While the stories of the women we met as students in Sasha's book have been told, Bybee has left room to explore more in the Richter world. I truly hope we are treated to more stories surrounding the school.

An Unexpected Distraction is a must read - you do not want to miss out on all of the character development throughout this book.

I love this book. Learning more about Jax was mind blowing. She is talented and really knows her stuff. It was good to read more about Richter. There is a lot more stuff going on there and I can't wait to see what is going on. It leaves you wondering. Andrew was a nice surprise. Them two together is so good. They are fun and really work good together especially with all of the intense going on. He handled it very well. Jax kicks butt like always. Another great read Catherine Bybee. I highly recommend this book/series. I can't wait to see what is next.

The third book in the Richter Series by Catherine Bybee, this one answers many questions for Jacqueline 'Jax' Simon. Not knowing exactly why she was sent to Richter, the private school that educates its students on much more than academics, her parent's issues soon show her what happened and why.

Jax is a take no prisoners operative for a security firm, a typical alpha, although female, not male. Go in, get the job done,, and take names kind of person. Andrew is more of a softie...I loved some of his responses when Jax had to get 'real' with the bad guys! He is in awe of Jax and the perfect fit for her!

There are many twists and turns in this book and while it can be read as a standalone, I think the story works best when you have some background from the previous books.

When we think everything is tied up in a pretty box, the girls from Richter that we know from the previous books have all made their matches and are in healthy relationships, and we're sighing as we watch two people get married...the last 4 paragraphs of the epilogue let us know not all is as it seems. GAHHHH...

Can't wait to see what happens next!!

I was gifted an ARC of this book by the author and NetGalley. The review is my own.

First of all I’m so sad this is the last book in the series, or is it? Also, I really think Ms Bybee infiltrated the CIA, or shadowed someone. Her accurate descriptions of espionage, is amazing! I have always loved mystery and romance.

In this book we get to know Jacqueline (Jax) and her background story. Of the three friends, Jax is the only one that is not an orphan. Her parents sent her to the German military school, Richter, which is something she wants to investigate more. First, her brother summons her to England with an emergency. Her parents are separating and he needs her help. Upon arrival, she thinks her brother sent a car service, when in reality, he’s the best friend, Andrew. Andrew is also smitten with Jax and decides he wants to get to know her better. At the same time, Neil from McBain Security Company, contacts her and puts her on a mission to investigate Richter. Jax relationship with her parents was always strained. Now that her father has moved in with her brother, making his life miserable, she is staying with her mother and trying to figure out what is going on. She is also getting to know Andrew and liking the man he is. When Jax goes to Germany to investigate Richter, Andrew goes with her pretending to be a married couple as a possible school to send their future children to.

The details that Catherine Bybee writes in her books is amazing. In my heart I believe there will be another book in this series, specially the way it ended. I hope!

I received this ARC from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

Catherine has not disappointed her fans with the Richter series. As always, she has delivered yet another intriguing book with the third and final book, “An Unexpected Distraction.”

Book 3 is about Jacqueline (Jax). Unlike Claire and Olivia, Jax’s two best friends, she was not an orphan attending Richter. When Jax returns home for a family crisis, she discovers why her parents sent her to the boarding school in Germany.

Jax’s return home changes her life in more than one way. Not only does she discover deep-seated secrets about her father, but she also meets Andrew and heals her relationship with her mother.

I loved this book! There was plenty of action, mystery, and slowly falling in love. Andrew was the perfect fit for Jax. He was patient, understanding, and accepted Jax 100 percent. The whole person. The good, bad, and raw sides of her.

However, the reader will find a little surprise at the end. The question remains, is the Richter series truly over?

This book is a must-read! It doesn’t disappoint.
I thank the author and NetGalley for an ARC for an honest review.

AN UNEXPECTED DISTRACTION (Richter Series Book #3) by Catherine Bybee is an exciting, fast-paced romantic suspense featuring another of the elite, highly trained women from Richter Academy who now works for McBain Security. While each book has a unique romance and subplot at that point in time, I feel it is better to read these books in order for maximum understanding.

Jacqueline “Jax” Simon’s world is changing. Her best friend through Richter Academy, Claire is getting married. As they begin their wedding plans, Jax receives a mysterious call from her brother to return home to London. Her parents have separated and since neither will talk about why, Jax begins to investigate. What she may discover as she investigates their separation and pasts may also be the reason why they sent her to Richter.

Andrew Craig is doing Jax’s brother a favor by picking her up at Heathrow Airport. He is instantly taken with this blonde beauty who is frank about her family and who believes Andrew is just her driver and not a family friend. He knows Jax wants to return to California, but he is on a mission to make her want to stay in England. This man of finance does not know the full extent of Jax’s life, but he is about to learn some truths quickly.

As the attraction between Jax and Andrew grows, so does the threat of secrets unknown.

I really love this series. It is fun to read all the suspense and intrigue involved in the McBain Security investigations. Unlimited money and gadgets, world travel and always a kick-butt female Richter graduate right in in the middle of the action. Jax’s world on the surface is familiar to Andrew, but as he learns more, he realizes that there is much more to discover and when he does, he does not run the other way. There are sex scenes, but they are not explicit. I was glad Jax was able to connect with her family on a more personal level. I also enjoy catching up with all the other characters in this series from previous books. The men and women of McBain Security are always there for each other. I am very happy there will be at least one more book in this series foreshadowed by the slight cliff-hanger ending regarding Richter.

I highly recommend this third Richter book and the entire series!

OH MY HEAVENS!! I think this was my favorite book from Catherine! Jax was an interesting character and I really enjoyed getting to know her. She's a tough nut and family life has her changing her plans and going back home to find out what's wrong. I so enjoyed how Jax and Andrew met. It was quite comical. But there was a definite chemistry between them once they began to talk. Jax had an unexpected opportunity to get to know her mom and they were actually able to converse. I enjoyed their family dynamics and that growing relationship. On the plus side was Andrew. These two worked really well together and I was completely lost in this story! I couldn't read it fast enough and I didn't want to put it down. Well done!! Dear reader, please don't miss out on this book! If you haven't started the series yet, I do recommend starting with Changing the Rules.

I loved the first two books in the series and this one was even more suspenseful and intriguing for me. Some very interesting and unexpected moments and plot twists overall indeed.
The romance story is a great slow burn and I loved the interactions and dialogue between Jax And Andrew.
So many secrets unveiled that come together in the end to reveal a much bigger unknown picture .
If you’re looking for a suspenseful romance with a different twist, this one is a must read story.

3.5 STARS
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If you love romantic suspense, An Unexpected Distraction by Catherine Bybee is definitely worth reading. A very strong female lead and a supportive male lead made it an enjoyable read with the suspense and action.
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Jacqueline “Jax” Simon has come to home for a family crisis. This is her chance to investigate Richter, the crooked academy where parents are forced to send their children to be trained as assassins and spies. Like she was. As a highly efficient operative of Mcbain security, she is used to danger. But this is high stake. And she needs all the help. Including Andrew Craig, her brother's best friend.
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I had a bit difficulty getting into the story as I jave not read the previous books in this series. I can definitely say that you need to read them to get the full lay of the land. It was high on action and suspense with the #romance taking a secondary role. Jax is a very fierce heroine with courage and determination. And the situations are testing her. Andrew is a good hero. Loyal, supportive and charming. But Jax being the central character, he somehow took a back step. The storyline is excellent with twists and turns. And the characters have good emotional connection. But my overall reading was not the same as I was getting confused and distracted with all the details and secondary characters.
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I reviewed an early copy voluntarily from Montlake and Netgalley.