Review: Young Buck by Kilby Blades

Young Buck by Kilby Blades
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

I was provided an ARC of this book via the author and Smartypants Romance, all opinions are my own.


This is a cute age gap romance following tenacious Loretta, a part time crime scene investigator by day with the local sheriff's department and a personal investigator by night. Her PI business specializes in scorned women and she keeps their identities and personal well being safe. Loretta knows what it is like to be hurt by an unfaithful husband, so protecting these women and their dignity is very important to her. Enter Green Valley Fire Department's newest Lieutenant, Buck Rodgers and Loretta's new neighbor. Their first meeting is a comedy of errors, but Buck and Loretta have instant chemistry. Loretta isn't interested in a relationship, let alone with a hot fireman 10 years younger than her. Buck is determined to wear her down with his flirting and firehouse cooking skills.


Just as Buck and Loretta begin to grow closer, he finds he needs her PI skills to investigate something strange going on with his own mother. As the two of them look into what she is up to, Buck uncovers a messy family situation that he isn't sure how to handle. As he's processing his own dark family secrets he manages to spoil things with Loretta in the process. She isn't willing to let what appears to be Buck's immaturity ruin her life plans that she has worked so hard to obtain. Will Buck be able to protect Loretta from his family drama and win her back before it is too late?


I enjoyed Buck and Loretta as well as the supporting cast of characters. They both had good character development, and I thought they had good chemistry. This is a bit on the slower burn side as all of the threads of the story come together, but every thing does come together nicely in the end. This tackled some really great topics as well. As with all of the Smartypants Universe books this reads as a complete standalone. View all my reviews