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Gone Country by Lorelei James

Posted on by Dirty Girl Anne

Gone Country (Rough Riders, #14)
Grade-B
Hotness Level-Inferno
Kink Level-None
Series-Rough Riders #14
Reviewed by Kay

This is the latest installment in Lorelei James’ Rough Riders series. It is about Gavin Daniels and Rielle Wetzler. Gavin is the child of Charlie and Violet McKay that was given up for adoption. He looked them up earlier in the series and they have been trying to build a relationship ever since. This story is also about Sierra, Gavin’s sixteen year old daughter and Rielle’s daughter, Rory who is twenty four.

Let’s start with Gavin, the most un-McKay man ever. He’s not a rancher, artist, ex-military man or a man whore. For those of you who have read this series, you know what I’m saying. He is very likable and hot in his own way. You feel for him and his quest to get to know his family. You also get to see his dealing with his issue of getting put up for adoption. His relationship with Charlie seems more at peace than his relationship with Violet.

Rielle is a single mother and has her own self made business. She has always had to work hard not only at her business but as a single mother and a child of the town hippies. She was a very young mother at age sixteen, but she kept her baby and has worked her butt off ever since. She stayed in Gavin’s house he bought in Wyoming several years earlier. She also owns land next to Gavin’s she was saving up to build her own place on.

Sierra and Rory are typical only children in that they are selfish and oblivious to anything that doesn’t center on them. That being said, I still liked them both. You get to experience first love with Sierra and a West boy! Sorry I love the Wests! Sierra and Rory both have to deal with some loss of their parents’ attention which is emotional.

I really forced myself to read it because I had no interest in Gavin. It wasn’t personal but I still had McKays I’d heard about to read first in my opinion. I went ahead and read it obviously because Lorelei James is an auto-read for me. Especially this series. I enjoyed this book quite a bit. I also got to learn about the McKay/West feud which was exciting. I highly recommend anybody to read this book. I would have to say you must read the series in order though to totally understand it.

Caden’s Vow by Sarah McCarty

Posted on by Dirty Girl Anne

Caden's Vow (Hell's Eight #6)
Grade-A
Hotness Level-Inferno
Kink Level-Low
Series-Hell’s Eight #6
Reviewed by Kay

This focus of this book is on Caden and Maddie. Caden is one of the Hell’s Eight. Eight boys who were the only survivors of a massacre in the town they lived in. This attack happened when they were all boys and it bonded them all together. They had to survive on the streets until they were found by Tia, who took them in and basically saved their lives. They as adults built Hell’s Eight Ranch and became Texas Rangers. Their reputations are fierce and well known.

Caden is tired of all the matrimonial bliss going on around him and decides to leave and find his own place in life. Maddie is also living at Hell’s Eight. She escaped from a whorehouse she was born and raised in, taking refuge at Hell’s Eight. She is love with Caden and it’s a difficult situation. Maddie retreats in her own mind a lot. This causes others to see her as crazy or childlike.

I looked at some reviews of this book and was scared to read it. They were not favorable. I agree that Sarah McCarty has slipped with the last few books in this series. The last book I truly enjoyed by her was Tucker’s. For me, Tracker’s and Shadow’s were borderline sub par. The stories were okay but the heat level was tanking and that was one of the reasons I have enjoyed her work so much in the past.

I loved everything about this book. I can’t stress that enough. I think McCarty has hit her stride. The characters broke my heart, especially Maddie. She’s always been viewed as fragile and for most of the book she is, but you know a little bit more why. She is an extremely damaged young woman. She was pimped out by her mom at age eight. She cares horrific self-esteem issues. I was furious at some comments made by Caden to her about her. I openly bawled several times in this book because of her view of what she deserved for circumstances in her life she had no control over. Her defense mechanism was too retreat inside her mind and with her past it is totally understandable. Fans of this series will cheer this book. It is my favorite in the series easily.

Reckless For Cowboy by Daire St. Denis

Posted on by Dirty Girl Anne

Reckless for Cowboy (Stampede Sizzlers, #3)

Grade-C-
Hotness Level-Inferno
Kink Level-Low
Series-Stampede Sizzlers Short Story
Reviewed by Kay

Her name is Brooke. His name is Cooper. She works as a waitress in a bar but starting law school soon. He is a bronc rider in the rodeo. They have an instant attraction at her work. They set up a date after a bet is lost by her. The bet was Cooper would kiss her best friend who’s a gay man by the way. He did and it was a real kiss. Their date of course soon leads to sex and it’s hot.

My problem was none of this meshed for me. A straight guy is not under any circumstances gonna kiss an openly gay man. I just don’t buy it. The story seemed rushed and almost jumbled. I know this is a novella/short story but still. I will say it has a very nice cover.