Mess With Me
Small Town Meets Big Suspense
Claire Wilder upped her game and the ante with Mess With Me, book five in her Quince Valley series. I’ve been looking forward to growly and secretive Griffin’s story, but nothing in books one through four prepared me for how much I was going to fall for him. Paired with a heroine I developed and an insta-girlcrush for, a quirky and loveable neighbor, intense family dynamics, and some serious suspense, I was a goner for Sasha and Griffin’s HEA.
Wilder does an exceptional job of integrating the suspenseful element of Mess With Me into the smalltown serenity and tempo built into the entire series. She’s been building us up for a while to expect the unexpected from Griffin, and she delivered. The steam is scorching, and Griffin and Sasha are a powerful match. They’re well-developed and relatable characters, even amidst the chaos of their situation. And they fit perfectly with each other, balancing each other’s strengths and meeting each other within their vulnerabilities to build a solid foundation for their future together.
The pace is steady, bringing the reader along as Griffin and Sasha navigate a treacherous situation and their relationship with care. The final conflict is heart-pounding! I seriously found myself white-nuckling my Kindle and holding my breath.
If you’re wondering about that interwoven mystery about a certain person found in a certain place—Wilder winds that up too. Kind of. She brings us a huge chunk of the puzzle, pushing us closer to all the details, but the full conclusion, one missing piece, is still out there. I have a feeling we haven’t seen the last of the Quince Valley crew yet. And I am so here for it.
