Read-Love-Blog’s Cowboy Summer continues with Selene’s review of Strong, Silent Type from the Wild Ride Anthology and Shoulda Been A Cowboy by Lorelei James
Book links:
Amazon ~ Barnes & Noble ~ Goodreads
Synopsis:
…Tough. Taciturn. And a fool for letting her go…
Wyoming rancher Quinn McKay thought he’d only have to bide time until his levelheaded wife came to her senses and called a halt to this “trial separation”. He never believed the marital rough patch would drag on for a coon’s age.
Libby McKay knew when she married the gruff, laid-back cowboy that he wasn’t prone to blathering about his feelings. But three months have passed and her stubborn-as-a-mule husband is still living by himself in the horse trailer. It seems he’d rather hold onto his pride than hold onto her.
Quinn realizes Libby is determined to move on if he doesn’t loosen his tongue and he’ll lose the only woman he’s ever loved. In a last-ditch effort to keep her in his life, he offers her one weekend of uninterrupted sexual decadence.
Reigniting the passion is easy. The hard part comes after the sheets have cooled and they find out if what remains is strong enough to survive past mistakes.
Selene’s Review:
This is easily one of my favorite short stories I’ve read in a long while. Author Lorelei James knows two things for certain: characterization and writing really great sex!
Quinn and Libby are a couple whose marriage is definitely on the rocks. After being separated for a few months, his stubbornness and her [somewhat innocent] manipulation of their situation have more than backfired on both of them…
…but equal parts of talking and… er… screwing it out, ends up saving their relationship.
It was refreshing to see James write about an already established couple going through a rough patch. For me, it’s especially romantic to see characters already accustomed to each other and having been together for years bring something new to the table.
And I mustn’t leave out mention of the super sexy massage scene and following steamy sex. Yowza!!!
Four-and-a-Half Loves
Book links:
Amazon ~ Barnes & Noble ~ Goodreads
Synopsis:
…The bigger they are, the harder they fall—in love…
Soldier Cameron McKay has found his niche, and it ain’t ropin’ steers and wearin’ spurs. His deputy sheriff job, plus battle injuries that ended his military career, keep him right where he wants to be: Off the ranch and away from his family’s pity. His darkest war memories are on lockdown, leaving him skeptical he’ll ever find a woman who wants a man who’s less than whole.
Domini Katzinski has had to control every aspect of her life since age eleven, when she was orphaned in the Ukraine. Watching others’ relationships crumble has convinced her to focus on the short-term and find a take-charge man to whom she can relinquish total sexual control. Cam fits the bill: gorgeous, with a brooding vulnerability no one else seems to see. Plus, he has his own handcuffs.
Once Cam gets over his surprise that sweet, shy Domini wants to be dominated, he is back to issuing orders. Their passion is as hot as a rocket-propelled grenade—and if Domini has her way, it’s a one-shot deal. Cam wants more, and launches a full-out sensual assault…until tragedy strikes, forcing him to change tactics as he tries to keep past demons from blowing their future together all to hell…
Selene’s Review:
If ever there was a McKay man that you would want to tell you exactly what to do, what to say (and when to remain silent), how to UNdress, and when to *ahem* put your hands behind your back… Cam McKay is the obvious choice.
Probably the biggest of the McKay men, Cameron is a presence that jumps off the page and straight into your panties! But not only is this former military man and current police officer downright scrumptious in and out of uniform – his story will pull at all of your heartstrings like no other.
Domini, like Cam, has a sad history and Lorelei James tells it very well. The two complement each other so completely and by the end of the story, their tragic past, as well as the current tragedies in their lives, had me absolutely jumping out of my seat to cheer them on. With Cam’s self-loathing about his war injury, Domini is the perfect remedy for his reluctance to get close to another as she understands exactly what it’s like to have a big piece missing.
The love scenes between the two were both hot and sweet, like the characters themselves. I thoroughly enjoyed this book and look forward to any mention of them in the future as they hold a special place in my heart hereafter.
Four Loves
From author website:
A bit about me: When I’m not squirreled away behind my laptop writing fun, sexy, contemporary erotic romances set in the modern day Wild West, I can be found reading everything under the sun, practicing yoga until I’m a pretzel, shootin’ my .22, watching the Professional Bull Riders tour on Versus, and running a kid’s taxi service, all in the guise of avoiding housework and rustlin’ up vittles.
Why do I have a particular fondness for all things western? Well, I’m a fourth generation South Dakotan, living in the Black Hills, which is chock-full of interesting characters, including cowboys, Indians, ranchers, and bikers. The geographical diversity of the surrounding area showcases mountains, plains, and badlands. Living in and writing about rural settings gives me a unique perspective, especially since I’m not writing historical westerns. Through my fictional world, I can show the ideals and the cowboy way of life are still very much alive.
LOVE Lorelei James and this series in particular! Thanks for sharing.