Captivated by Callie

Callie Hargraves believes that she must have seen something in the alley that she wasn’t supposed to. At least that is what she assumes when she is targeted by two men, in a black SUV. Fleeing with her dog Apollo, she now panics whenever she sees a black SUV. Devon Steele, retired military, moves into the home next to hers and makes it obvious that he doesn’t want to be bothered by her or her dog. He has plans to buy a boat and now with his captain’s license, offer scuba and diving trips. When he apologizes for his surly behavior, a simmering relationship slowly develops between them. He sees how Callie reacts when an SUV cruises the street and realizes that she is afraid, but of what or who? Calling on help from his friend, they come up with a plan to catch and stop the thugs who are after her. I enjoyed this new author (to me) and the first book in the series and look forward to the next book I received an advance review copy at no cost and without obligation for an honest review. (paytonpuppy)

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4 stars out of 5
Having read this through Netgalley, I'm glad to say it made me feel comforted, like a warm hand on a cold day

Spoiler alert


The sad reality of being a woman and being scared just in a different reality and how its better to be safe than sorry so i say kudos to Cassie for getting out of there ASAP.
Made me laugh when she expected a apology for his grumpiness at the first meeting but how he chickened out ruined her moment. It was both things that made fir a great book moment.
Written with Dual perspective whigh worked really well. Gives us readers insights into both characters that helps the book along.
Declan was a great alpha man with lots of heart and full of fear, refreshingly, of falling in love...again.
I understand why they were so apprehensive about each other from the get go. He, with his toxic relationship past, her with her stuck in a rut lifestyle. What really made sense was her logic of, if he was a jerk, it's easier to just look and enjoy from afar but being kind and single on top of hot? Well that's just an equation too good to pass up for her libido and her mind to go into overdrive and live happily ever after...in her imagination and in reality, at worst, rejection, that bitter and hard pill to swallow, especially as a neighbour in a place she has no idea how long she's hiding out in for.
Love Apollo so much! Love dogs in books.
I really did appreciate how she didn't take any crap. If he was grumpy with her, she didn't let him off the hook easily which I live because alot if the time The female protagonist ends up being dorry despite having dine nothing in the first place!
Also love how confident she was in her body as is but especially when having sex, she wasnt shy, demure or self conscious, these aren't bad things but its certainly refreshing to have a confident take for once from the female protagonist too.
Granted there were a few problems like a few extra words that made no sense abd a few wrong tenses here and there etc but that was super easy to ignore and continue on with the story.
Can't go wrong with a warm, comforting, small town HEA book.

This was a quick paced, enjoyable story. I loved the characters, especially the four legged Apollo! The plot had a bit of action, a sprinkle of suspense, and a nice dose of romance. While the book was a bit predictable, I enjoyed it from cover to cover.
I received an advance copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

This was such a great read! It was the perfect length for a nice beach read or while cozied up inside. It's the first book by Jennifer Bishop that I have read and it's the first in a series. I can absolutely say that I am now eagerly awaiting the next one!

Callie is braver than she gives herself credit for and doesn't take crap from anyone. Including Devon. Who is a very grumpy retired military man. Devon is naturally confident and protective along with having a total alpha personality. But Callie has him wanting to apologize for his grumpiness and even trying to give something between them a chance. Despite a rocky romantic history.

While this is a great romance, there is also plenty of suspense to keep the reader engaged. Callie is being targeted, which is why she ends up moving in next door to Devon. When he gets the sense that Callie is afraid of something and then sees hard evidence of it, he vows that he's going to get to the bottom of it and keep Callie safe in the meantime.

I swooned plenty of times while reading this book. I also laughed out loud on multiple occasions. The rest of the time, I was on edge wondering what was going to happen next and how Devon was going to help Callie resolve her dangerous situation. I received an ARC of this book from NetGalley in exchange for my honest review and opinions.

This was my first book from Jennifer Bishop, and I will say it won't be my last I loved this book so much especially the characters. Callie is an author who sees something in an alley by her house and runs to Flamingo Cove because she thinks she is being followed by the men she saw. While in Flamingo Cove she meets her new neighbor Devon. Devon is a grumpy retired military man who wants nothing to do with woman from past relationships All Devon wants to do is have a quiet life as a Dive boat owner but then he sees Callie, and everything changes. My favorite part of the book is when Callie doesn't take crap from Devon and makes him apologize for their first encounter where he was very grumpy From the push and pull of Devon struggling to act on his feelings for Callie to their funny banter this was such a good book.

This was a great romance book with lots of suspense. I was engaged every page of the book and was always wondering what would happen next. Whether it was if Devon and Callie would finally be together or if the men in the SUV that she saw would find her, this book had me not wanting to put it down. This is a book that needs to be on everyone’s to be read list.

Thank you to NetGalley for providing this book, it is pleasure to review this book.

Callie is hiding out in A small beach town when she meets Devon. He knows she is hiding something and when he uncovers her secret he wants to protect her, but can he? I liked how it was told from both points of view. Looking forward to the rest of the series.

My Rating: ❤️❤️❤️❤️

Disclaimer: I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily. Thanks to Netgalley and the author/publisher.

General Thoughts: This was a fun, cute, lighthearted, fast-paced novel. I really liked the main characters, particularly Callie. Going into a book with zero expectations means you always get to be surprised one way or the other. I was surprised by this one in a good way.

It was cute and enjoyable. It seems like it would be a perfect lake or beach read. I loved the elements the author brought into this one with diving etc. It's light on suspense, so don't go into this one expecting it to be a romantic, suspenseful novel in a traditional way. It's definitely more romance than suspense with a dash of suspense.

I thought it was well-paced and enjoyable. I read an ARC of this, so there were a few errors that I'm sure have been caught since I read it.

If you're looking for a fun, quick read, then check this one out.

Steam Meter: ❤️‍🔥❤️‍🔥 This one wasn't overly steamy or graphic. Definitely still for 18+, but tamer on the scale. More sweet than spicy.

Memorable Lines::

-"I might call you trouble, but you're my trouble."

-"See what happens when I let you out of my sight for a few weeks? You make a complete mess of your life."

Romantic Tropes
-neighbors to lovers
-light suspenseful romance
-contemporary romance
-small-town romance

You can read more of my reviews at mylastromance.com. You can also find me on Insta @mylastromancenovel.

This is the first book I've read by this author and I truly enjoyed it! The main characters are thought out and the plot is very well developed. I can't wait to read more by Jennifer Bishop.

Thank you NetGalley and Jennifer Bishop for the chance to read an ARC for “Captivating Callie. This is my honest and unpaid review of the book.
I really enjoyed this book. It was interesting and a great read! The characters were easy to follow along with and I just loved Apollo. He reminds me of my German shepherd cross! I read this story in a day and now really want to head out on a boat and cruise around the ocean….and drink some good coffee. I’ll keep a look out for the next book!

Thank you to NetGalley for providing me with this book.

I read this book in one sitting. I love this book with my entire heart. A quick read that had me pulled in from the first chapter.

Callie has moved to a new town because of something she saw from where she was from. The men that were after her she hopes will not follow her. That is not to be. Her dog has picked up on the trouble and when she sees it herself she tries to stay calm but it only frustrates her because she thinks no one will believe her. Devon who is ex-military is not the happiest person and he tries to stay out of everyone's way, especially Callie. He finds her attractive but cannot talk to have without upsetting her. When he notices something is wrong though his protective mode goes into action and it will not stop. A good book with good characters.

I enjoyed the coastal small town vibe. The characters were too appealing to resist. I think it might be interesting to see Logan get his own book. Could there be a spin-off in the future? So cool when a tough guy finds "the one." Read this very quickly