Reviewed by Sadonna
TITLE: Rayne’s Return
SERIES: Love in Mission City
AUTHOR: Gabbi Grey
PUBLISHER: Self-published
LENGTH: 328 pages
RELEASE DATE: March 18, 2025
BLURB:
Everett
After my infamous half-a-night stand with the mysterious Rayne, I moved on with my life. Success as a lawyer demands long hours and giving a hundred and ten percent to the job. I do carve out enough time to hang out with friends some weekends, but it’s depressing to watch them pairing up while I’m relentlessly single. Then, one morning, the man I can’t forget shows up bruised and bedraggled at my office door. Rayne has a whopper of a story to go with the bruises, and seeing him again strikes wild sparks I can’t deny, but can I trust a man who ditched me without a word? Or will he be gone again by morning light?
Rayne
As a private investigator, I’ve done some dubious jobs for some very questionable people. The assignment that brought me into Everett’s world was one of the worst. Now, someone’s trying to kill me, and until I figure out who and why, I need a safe place to hide. All I can think of is Everett. The hot, by-the-book lawyer I hooked up with once doesn’t owe me a thing, but he’s the only person I trust. I’ll do my damnedest to keep danger from reaching him, and hope like hell I can walk away with my heart intact.
Rayne’s Return is a gay romantic suspense novel with an uptight, by-the-book lawyer and a PI who never manages to stay out of trouble. This age-gap, opposites attract novel is the fourth in the Love in Mission City series.
REVIEW:
Note: This is the 4th book in this series. There is a LOT of crossover and character interaction from the previous books/couples in the series, so that might be a little confusing to new readers.
Everett shows up to his office on New Year’s Day to find a beaten and bedraggled Rayne at his law office. Rayne was the guy he met and had a half-night stand with at Quinton’s Halloween party a couple months before. Rayne disappeared and that really irritated Everett. He thought they had a connection.
Rayne has been beaten, shot at and hiding out without phone and car after being assaulted in another town. He’s hitched a ride and waited for Everett to show up without even so much as a coat. Everett is concerned and he fixes him up in the office. He doesn’t even know Rayne’s last name! Rayne is in trouble but he doesn’t want to bring trouble to Everett’s door. He doesn’t have a lot of choices, and given the kind of trouble he’s got, he figures Everett is his best bet. Plus he hasn’t been able to stop thinking about Everett either.
Meanwhile Everett is working on a big case. The victim in this case happens to be staying at Healing Horses Ranch. Rayne accompanies him to the ranch when he needs to meet with the victim to prepare for the trial. While they are there, one of the many Dixon sisters, Torah, shows up with a dog who has been dumped at the local vet’s office. The dog has obvious issues. Rayne for whatever reason is determined to try to help the dog. By the time Everett comes back from meeting with his client, Rayne has already taken over. For whatever reason, the dog is terrified of females and has serious fear aggression. Everett isn’t thrilled but now he has no only Rayne, but a German Shepherd named Sarge as roommates.
As the trial is getting set for Everett’s client and Everett is trying to keep Rayne safe, he experience a near deadly encounter with the police. Thankfully it doesn’t end up that way, but it’s intense. Rayne is healing and Everett is busy with his case, but the danger escalates and Everett is injured. But by whom? And why? Rayne worries it’s his fault. The police think it has to do with Everett’s case. There’s also the cop who is being disciplined. So in fact no dearth of suspects. Can they culprit be found before they strike again?
This story has a LOT going on. There are two mysteries that put both Everett and Rayne in danger. Then there is a whole other story line around a dog that needs to be trained/socialized that someone Rayne wants to take responsibility for. For me, that felt like a lot of storyline to further Everett having Rayne stay with him 
I could have used less of the dog story if I’m honest. The other thing that I didn’t actually love was that Everett and Rayne when from a half-night stand – one encounter at a Halloween party that Rayne quickly exited afterwards. Then he shows up and Everett is skeptical and concerned, but he hasn’t stopped thinking about that party encounter and neither has Rayne. Then Rayne is staying with Everett to avoid whoever it was that left him in the state he was in when Everett found him. Everett is trying to not give in without some further understanding, but for whatever reason, he agrees to hiding Rayne. The hiding isn’t too successful though. Rayne ends up at Everett’s office, at the Healing Horses ranch and even the local constable see him after Everett has a particularly bad experience with a racist cop. So “hiding” is a bit of a misnomer.
Rayne’s past is finally explained here which is really helpful – but it’s a long road to get there. I really enjoyed meeting Everett’s family. They are a joy! The Dixon sisters once again provide a lot of support. Everett’s friends who he considers family are there to support Rayne and Everett too. All in all, things end up well in the end, but now without some fairly harrowing moments! Although this wasn’t my favorite in this series, I was really happy to see Rayne and Everett end up together and out from under the issues that plague them. Recommended.
RATING: 
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