Review: "Check Mate" by Leah Brunner

Congratulations to Leah Brunner on the release of her latest novel, "Check Mate," book #3 of the Under Kansas Skies series. Characters from the previous books make appearances in this one, but it reads as a standalone.

 

Financial advisor David Windell has always felt like the boring, predictable member of his family, so when his 30th birthday rolls around and one of his brothers dares him to do something unexpected before the year is out, he decides to shake things up. He's always dreamed of traveling but has never actually left the country, so when a travel brochure for Peru mysteriously shows up on his front doorstep, he takes it as a sign and books a hiking trip to Machu Picchu. Unbeknownst to him, his annoying next-door neighbor, Isabella Romero, is booked on the same trip. Her free spirit and disorganized nature have rubbed David the wrong way since the day she moved in, so sharing a tent with her is not exactly his ideal, but he can't stand the thought of her sharing with one of the obnoxious bachelor party bros accompanying them, either. The more time they spend together, the more David realizes that his first impressions of Isabella may have been incorrect, and surprisingly, they become friends by the end of the trip. Can their newfound friendship survive - and maybe even turn into something more - after they return home?

Without a doubt, this book is one of my favorites of the year so far! David and Isabella's story was just so much fun, and I empathized with both of them on so many levels. Like David, Isabella felt as if she didn't fit in with her family; they never really understood her love of travel or ambition to do more with her life than get married and work in the family restaurant. I loved the way that David supported her dreams and encouraged her to pursue them. In return, she brought out David's fun side and helped him find a better work-life balance. He needed someone to push him out of his comfort zone, and Isabella was certainly good at that! Their prank war was absolutely hysterical, though I have to admit I wouldn't want to be the victim of most of those pranks in real life.

I highly recommend this funny, sweet, and heartwarming story and can't wait for the next book in the series. 

 

*Review copy provided by the author. All opinions expressed are my own. 

 

 

About "Check Mate"

How did I find myself sharing a tent with my obnoxious—albeit gorgeous—neighbor, Isabella Romero?

It all started with a stupid bet.

All I had to do in order to win was something unpredictable. (Which my brother thought was impossible for the ever-boring David Windell).

Well, I showed him... by booking a trek in the Andes Mountains to see Machu Picchu.

When the brochure for the expedition mysteriously appeared on my front porch, along with Isabella's cat who doesn't have boundaries, it was like fate interceded: I could win the bet while simultaneously getting a vacation from my irritating neighbor.

Two birds, one stone.

Except, it turns out that was Isabella's brochure... and she booked the same trip.

So here I am, stuck sharing a tent with the woman who drives me crazy—and makes my heart race like never before.

Check Mate is book three in the Under Kansas Skies Series, but can be read as a standalone. Check mate is a dual POV, closed-door romcom. It contains mild language and innuendo.