Review: Tanner by Katy Regnery (The Stewarts of Skagway #1)

Note: An advance reader copy (ARC) was provided by the author via Valentine PR & Literary Management.

Tanner is the first novel in Katy Regnery's The Stewarts of Skagway series, which is a spin-off of her highly popular Odds-Are-Good series, with both being set in Alaska. If you're familiar with the latter, then I'm guessing you've already read Summer in Skagway, released in mid-October of last year. That book and this new series starter feature the same story, with Regnery giving this edition a new cover to fit with the rest of those in The Stewarts of Skagway and a new title, what with the other books also showcasing the names of the other Stewart siblings as titles. Full disclosure time: This review basically the same one I wrote for Summer in Skagway, save for a bit of major tweaking plus necessary additions here and there.

When twenty-nine-year-old Tanner Stewart learns that his stage-five clinger ex who had major Fatal Attraction vibes was coming back to Skagway, he's desperate to make it clear to her that he isn't interested. The solution to his dilemma comes in the form of the best reply to his ad for a fake girlfriend on The Odds Are Good. When McKenna Cabot arrives at the airport, however, the twenty-four-year-old college professor isn't quite what he expected. But then, maybe it's a good thing she isn't his type--and vice-versa--and that she balks at commitment. Neither will fall for the other, and they both get what they want out of the arrangement. However, they did not count on very real feelings in their fake relationship.

This book had romance, humor, and angst, and it serves well as a series starter, giving readers a great standalone story featuring Tanner and McKenna while also introducing the rest of the Stewarts, particularly, the other siblings--Harper, Hunter, Sawyer, Parker, and Reeve--and getting a feel for the teeny, tiny town of Dyea and the much bigger--and by "bigger", I mean by probably a thousand or so--town of Skagway--city of Skagway. There was a great deal of growth and development when it came to the main characters after they met and spent time together. I loved seeing them let go and give into their feelings, plus the Stewarts and McKenna's bestie were fantastic side characters. Five stars go to Tanner.

Release Date: 18 January 2024

Date Read: 03 January 2024

Learn more about Katy Regnery.

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