Description

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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.

About the Author

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Sarah Grunder Ruiz is a writer, educator, and karaoke enthusiast. Originally from South Florida, she now lives in Raleigh, North Carolina, with her husband and two children. She holds an MFA in creative writing from North Carolina State University, where she now teaches first-year writing.

Praise For…

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"Last Call at the Local made my heart feel like it was being pumped up like a balloon. Warm, soft, and unputdownable, it *feels* like what the golden hour looks like. Jack and Raine are unconditionally supportive of each other, they are kind, they are hilarious. If there’s such a thing as soulmates, it’s these two. I absolutely love this book. Love love love love love."—Sarah Hogle, author of Old Flames and New Fortunes

"Last Call at the Local is a tender, healing hug of a book. Raine and Jack are two of the dearest characters I’ve ever met, and their affirming, compassionate love was a joy to read."—Chloe Liese, author of Two Wrongs Make a Right

"Last Call at the Local gets ten out of five stars! (IYKYK) Sarah Grunder Ruiz is the queen of witty banter and prose that makes you laugh one second and cry the next. Plus, she has a way of making advocating for your mental health sexy as hell. This is a must read for anyone who loves someone with OCD and/or ADHD."—Ali Brady, author of The Comeback Summer

"Last Call at the Local is a stunning blend of sweetness, softness, humor, and heart. Sarah Grunder Ruiz has crafted a beautifully raw, funny, and memorable love story that will leave you smiling until your cheeks hurt."—Sarah Smith, author of Faker and Simmer Down

"Last Call at the Local is warm, funny, and big-hearted, and made me want to pack my bags for a trip to Ireland as soon as I finished the last page. It's such a joy to read about two such kind characters— people I'd want to be friends with myself—and so incredibly satisfying to watch them fall in love. It's a cozy hug of a book."—Martha Waters, author of To Swoon and To Spar

"Heart-warming, hilarious and brimming with hope, Last Call at the Local is a deeply poignant romance about learning to love yourself. Sarah Grunder Ruiz writes with a superb lightness of touch but is never afraid to cover darker topics, and her characters are vividly-drawn and lovably messy. This rich and uplifting story, its atmospheric setting and gloriously colourful cast made my heart ache in the best possible way."—Freya Sampson, author of The Lost Ticket

"This is a fantastic romance about falling in love while mentally ill and neurodivergent, and it’s also a great example of a romance where the love interests have great chemistry, are super into each other, and don’t have a big, extravagant miscommunication or external force keeping them apart…which I think is actually more difficult to pull off, but Ruiz does exactly that."—BookRiot

"A neurodivergent opposites-attract romance set primarily in a remote Irish pub, Last Call at the Local has all the trademark warmth of its setting, but with the added care its subject matter necessitates...Last Call at the Local goes down with all the pleasure of its namesake."—Elle

"Filled with feel-good moments and heartfelt charm...This novel is not only a sweet and swoon-worthy romance but also thought-provoking and informative, tugging at your heartstrings throughout.”—Woman's World

"This warm romance sparkles with Irish charm and is filled with delectable banter. The leads are immensely lovable and thoughtfully crafted...Compassionate and completely charming."—Kirkus Reviews (starred)

"Ruiz shines in this moving and adorable tale of neurodivergent love in a cozy Irish town...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."—Publishers Weekly (starred)

"Readers will be drawn to Ruiz's sweet romance about taking a chance on something and someone new."—Booklist

"Ruiz (Luck and Last Resorts) writes sensitively about two people trying to thrive amid personal issues and the relief one feels in finding a kindred soul."—Library Journal

Praise for Sarah Grunder Ruiz

“Romantic, voicy, and full of heart and humor! Sarah Grunder Ruiz is a master at putting beautifully complex characters in beautifully compelling situations. If you want to fall in love with a book, look no further than this one.”—New York Times bestselling author Ali Hazelwood on Luck and Last Resorts

“Love, Lists, and Fancy Ships is a delightful love story about setting and settling goals, about the journeys of the heart, and about how you have to let go of the past in order to move forward.  You’ll be rooting for Jo from the first page.”—Jodi Picoult, #1 New York Times bestselling author of The Book of Two Ways

“Gritty, complex, and real. I could not put this down!”—Abby Jimenez, New York Times bestselling author of Life’s Too Short on Luck and Last Resorts

“Charming and hopeful, with a tenderness that underscores every scene. I adored headstrong, secretly vulnerable Jo, her chaotic teenage nieces, and Hot Yacht Chef, all of them beautifully written, fully realized characters trying to make sense of their own heartbreak. This debut is utterly irresistible—the kind of book that’s impossible not to hug to your chest after finishing.”—Rachel Lynn Solomon, author of The Ex Talk, on Love, Lists, and Fancy Ships

“Luck and Last Resorts is my favorite sort of love story — one where the feelings are as strong and complicated and euphoric and messy as they can be in real life, and one where the characters, in all their flawed and frustrating humanity, are given the space to experience them all. Sarah Grunder Ruiz’s writing is absorbing and affecting, perfectly tuned to the voices that populate this story.”—Kate Clayborn, author of Love at First

“Expertly crafted and brimming with wit and emotion, Luck and Last Resorts is a beautiful romance that is nothing short of chef’s-kiss-incredible. I adored Nina and Ollie, and all the messy, sweet moments that made their second-chance love story so unforgettable. I’m already wishing I could experience it again for the first time.”—Libby Hubscher, author of If You Ask Me

“Luck and Last Resorts hits every beat of a second-chance romance to perfection. Its hero and heroine are complicated and emotionally messy and so carefully drawn that you finish the book feeling as though you’ve just spent several hours in the company of real people whose lives and personal histories are as complex as your own. Both funny and deeply emotional, this is a lovely, utterly memorable romance.”—Martha Waters, author of To Marry and to Meddle