This would have been 5 stars however the use of the word ‘spaz’ and ‘spastic’ nearly made me stop reading the book.


The plot was great and fast paced, I didn’t expect the plot twists and the characters were likeable.

The sex scenes for me were a little off for some reason I can’t explain

Overall a great book despite offensive language used, would recommend if you want a fast paced sapphic crime story

Small town, murder-mystery romance with some heat which captures the attention immediately.

Nature warden Jordan returns to Iron County Wisconsin to replace her fellow warden, Deb, who appears to have abruptly and uncharacteristically left the job. The area is special to Jordan, having spent time there with her family as a teenager, she hopes it will be the change she needs to establish some roots.

Jordan soon becomes involved in the search for a missing kayaker, and she finds out that all is not what it seems in the quiet town. There is a lot of good people, a sense of community and found family. Well done! The mystery woven into the story held my interested with lots of twists.

The mystery aspect of this book is very well written. There is a good level of intrigue and surprise that just when you think you have it solved, the leads fall together in a completely different way. If you like a good mystery with some heat, this book is for you.

I received an ARC from Netgalley in exchange for a review.

Northwoods, small town, murder
What really hit me from the get go is how vividly Sparks captures the job of a conservation warden on a lake (all those boating scenes) and the nature and wildlife of the Northwoods: it really sparkled and added to my reading pleasure.
The story literally starts full throttle when warden Jordan Pierce catches someone breaking the boating rules and it sets the pace for the book nicely. Both main characters have a connection of some sort with the Turtle Flambeau Flowage (what a name!) and the small town they both meet in: For Jordan it might be the dream job, for Hanna it‘s to help her elderly aunts who supported her early in life. I loved that both were mature women over 40 with a real backstory. There is a lot of good people, a sense of community and found family. Well done! The mystery woven into the story held my interested with lots of twists.

I received an ARC via netgalley. The review is left voluntarily.

“Waterlogged” follows Jordan Pearce, a seasoned conservation warden with 19 years of experience. After a coworker’s departure, she’s thrust into a much-needed and sought-after change of pace. Meanwhile, Hanna Quinn returns to her hometown to care for her terminally ill aunt, finding solace in her aunt’s presence. However, caring for a sick loved one can be emotionally draining. What could be a better distraction than a charming new conservation warden? Probably nothing. Unfortunately, that’s not the only distraction. Strange and unusual things begin to disrupt the lives of the residents of Northwoods, causing concern.

Nance Sparks truly poured her heart and soul into crafting this novel. Although, for me, a lot of interactions felt drawn out. It, also, would have been nice if the chapters had been labeled with the name of the woman whose perspective we were experiencing. However, these are just personal preferences. The chapters are short, which I really like. I love a good quick read for restless nights. And this heated mystery is roughly 200 pages from chapter 1 to the epilogue!

Hanna’s emotional struggle with her aunts’ cancer diagnosis resonates deeply with me. Witnessing a loved one endure such hardships is incredibly challenging, and Nance’s portrayal of these emotions and struggles is very accurate. I will admit that I was pleasantly surprised by the unexpected “spicy” scenes. While I thought there’d be a more subtle romantic interest, such as a crush or a peck, the immediate “connection” between Hanna and Jordan was a great surprise.

Overall, I would rate “waterlogged” 3 stars. It was a good story, had a surprising twist, and a satisfying happy ending.

Thank you @BoldStrokesBooks & @NetGalley for sending me the ARC of this great book!

Nance Sparks has written a tale filled with organic characters and real moments. The mystery registers effort and the romance is warming. Read it over one weekend between errands and was engrossed throughout. Thoroughly enjoyed.

Thank you to Bold Strokes Books, Inc. and NetGalley for providing an eARC for a honest review.

would like to thank netgalley and the publisher for letting me read this book

jordan pearce is going back to the place where she considers home.... a transfer to the northwoods after years of seeing to the busy lakes in southern wisconsin..... but she has been wondering why the other warden has given up this wonderful setting... not even working her notice just an email

hanna quinn is going back to her aunts... they need her... the cancer is back and is knocking her aunt for six so the least she can do is go and help out and maybe some of her ideas will help her aunt with her recovery and keep the diner open

jordan and hanna meet at the diner and interest is on both sides.... but jordan has her work cut out for her as she clashes with one of the police officers but things are not quite as they seem around the town she fell in love with when she was younger....

danger is all around and can jordan keep her friends safe from an unknown enemy

well this author can certainly write a butch character with heart oh man i loved all the characters that we met and i hope we get to visit this town again.... there was just something special about them all

This was such a great mystery novel, it had that element that I was looking for and enjoyed going through this book. The characters were everything that I was hoping for and was engaged with the story going on. Nance Sparks has a strong writing style and was engaged with the overall package. I enjoyed reading this and am excited for more from Nance Sparks.

Jordan, a conservation warden, and Hanna meet when Jordan is transferred to cover for a warden who has unexpectedly resigned from her post. On her first day in her new post Jordan finds an unmanned kayak adrift on the water. Her search for the owner is unsuccessful so she contacts the local law enforcement and arranges a search. During the course of the search a body is found but it is not the kayaker. The local olive chief is not overly helpful. Jordan still has to find the missing person which seems to overlap the investigation of the body. This is a murder mystery/romance. It is a good story, well written (slight bit of incontinuity but not dreadful, mix up with a number). We learn why Jordan wants to work in this area and why Hanna has returned to it. The story is not angst ridden, specially gory or even dreadfully exciting but it is attention holding.

If you like a good mystery with a touch of spice, this book is for you.

Nature warden Jordan returns to Iron County Wisconsin to replace her fellow warden, Deb, who appears to have abruptly and uncharacteristically left the job. The area is special to Jordan, having spent time there with her family as a teenager, she hopes it will be the change she needs to establish some roots.

Jordan soon becomes involved in the search for a missing kayaker, and she finds out that all is not what it seems in the quiet town. She is strong, principled, and determined to find the kayaker, and leaves no stone unturned. Eventually, her persistence pays off.

The mystery aspect of this book is very well written. There is a good level of intrigue and just when you think you have it solved, the leads fall together in a completely different, but cohesive way.

This was an excellent read. The murder mystery part was well written. I thought for sure who the guilty party was, but I was so wrong. Well developed characters and plot. There was some nice spice as well. I will be sure to read more from this author.

After nineteen years as a conservation warden on some of the busiest lakes in Southern Wisconsin, Jordan Pearce is ready for a change of pace in the quiet of the Northwoods on the same lake she used to vacation on with her family. Her wish is granted when a colleague quits without notice. Everything seems to be falling into place! Great read! This book had suspense, intrigue, action, murder, mystery, a great who done it and a few twists and turns. The story was very interesting! I definitely recommend reading this book! Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for sharing this book with me!