Short Rides by Lorelei James

Short Rides (Rough Riders book 14.5)

By Lorelei James 

Book Blurb:The stories included in the Short Rides anthology are:

King of Hearts* -- Deputy Cam McKay deals with a murder/suicide case on Valentine's Day.

Rough Road -- Chassie, Trevor and Edgard Glanzer spend a romantic weekend away from the ranch and kids celebrating their anniversary...only to return home to face their biggest challenge yet.

All Knocked Up -- Keely and Jack Donohue are having a baby. Given Keely's raging pregnancy hormones, will Jack need to wear a cup in the delivery room?

Lorelei James is an auto-buy author for me. I didn't even know what these stories were going to be about. All I knew was that Short Rides was a collection of updates from the Rough Rider series' characters. 'nough reason for me! 

What a treat it was to have updates regarding some of my favourite Rough Riders characters. These are not stand alone stories. In fact if you have not read the previous books, you would be lost. I look upon Short Rides as a gift from Lorelei James to her fans. She makes us all fall in love with her characters and that she takes time to write updated snippets is pure joy. 

King of Hearts - Cam and Domini's updates
Cam is one of the McKay brothers that are not ranchers. He is the area deputy and unfortunately his job often entails gruesome and unpleasant circumstances. King of Hearts allows the reader to peak into situations that Cam has to face and then follows up on how he in fact does deal with it. Cam and Domini have a brood of adopted children and I love how their stories always touch on the fact that adopted children are just as precious and loved as biological children.

Rough Road - Ed, Trevor and Chassie's update
Rough Road deals with the "gay" issue and the "perverted" lifestyle that the loving triad's children encounter. Now that their first son is in grade 1, he is now starting to get teased at school about having "faggot" fathers and an immoral home life. This story made me spitting mad. I loath "good Christian people" who hide behind their faith to dictate what should or should not be. The hurt. The pain. My heart was in my throat when other kids bullied their kids about something that they cannot control. 
In the end, Rough Road demonstrated how powerful a strong supportive family can be. I almost teared up at the end with happy tears. 

All Knocked Up - Keely and Jack's updates
Keely and Jack are one of my favourite couples. I LOVE the way they talk to each other. So real. Keely's smart ass mouth and with Jack never putting up with her shit makes this pair one of the most realistic couples I have read about. This story made me want to re-read All Jacked Up all over again. 
Keely and Jack have big news on the baby front. I was laughing at them and I was so pleased that I was not them. YIKES!
Once again, a heavy loving family message was at the fore front. 

1000 thank yous Lorelei James for these updates and if you continue to publish outstanding bits of updates like this grouping, you can be sure I'll be right there to snatch them up!

Photo a Day Challenge Day 10 - Loud

Today's challenge word was "LOUD" 

Oh yes, I was screaming in the stands like a 60's teenie bopper at a Beatles concert. My love of cowboys is actually recent. I only started loving these alpha tough guys when I started reading romances with cowboys and *giggles* the books were full of smut. I credit author Lorelei James and her Rough Riders series for having me attend a PBR Bull Riding Competition. 
(incidentally, I was not the only one LOUD at this show) 


Do you have a love of cowboys at all? Do they draw you in their drawls? Who is your favourite cowboy romance author or your favourite book featuring the studly men. 

Teaser Tuesday - Cowboy Casanova by Lorelei James

easer Tuesdays is a weekly bookish meme, hosted by MizB of Should Be Reading. Anyone can play along! Just do the following:

• Grab your current read
• Open to a random page
• Share two (2) “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page
• BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! (make sure that what you share doesn’t give too much away! You don’t want to ruin the book for others!)
• Share the title & author, too, so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR Lists if they like your teasers!

Cowboy Casanova

By Lorelei James

"Everything in life is about compromise. If it's worth it, you'll change to get it. Changing things about your life that don't fit who you are anymore doesn't mean you have to change who you are inside."

(Kindle Location 5549-50)

Just finished Cowboy Casanova last night. Review is here if interested. 

Cowboy Casanova by Lorelei James

Ben (Bennett) McKay and Ainsley Hamilton's book



Cowboy Casanova (Rough Rider's series book 12)

By Lorelei James 

Book Blurb:
His rough touch makes her lose control… 

In Sundance, Wyoming, you can't throw a boot without hitting a McKay cowboy, so Ben McKay is used to fading into the background. Except on weekends, when he's Bennett, imposing Dom at The Rawhide Club, surrounded by a bevy of female subs eager for the attention of his long…whip. 

As for the curvy brunette eying him from across the room? He'll eat his Stetson if she's the experienced Domme she claims to be. Bennett offers her a deal—he'll let her call the shots for one night. But the next night he gets to prove to her how freeing it'll be when he takes the reins. 

Ainsley Hamilton is amazed by how well Bennett read her every secret yearning during that one explosive weekend—and she's stunned when they come face to face in their everyday lives as rancher and new bank president. Now Ben's urging her to explore her submissive side outside the club, and there's something in his commanding gaze that makes it too easy to let him take control—of her desires and her pleasure. 

Can Ben help Ainsley overcome her fear that a relationship built on dark sexual appetites won't survive the light of day?

Cowboy Casanova can be read as a stand alone book. I know sometimes when people see that it is the twelfth book in a series, that is the first thing they wonder. 

There was buzz about Cowboy Casanova on Twitter. I heard Twitter folks squeeing over that Cowboy Casanova was going to be a BDSM themed book. I was a bit puzzled because to me, lots of the McKay men were already well on their way with ropes, bondage and toys. So I was quite curious about what made Ben and Cowboy Casanova different. 

To me the obvious difference is that Ben is an actual club participant at a BDSM club, The Rawhide Club and very much in sync with his DOM self. He does hide that fact from his family but the man knows how to wield a whip and to be domineering. Just to add, I'm not a fan of the whip or whipping so the cover (as hot as it is) made me quite wary if I'd be into this Dom McKay story. 

Overall, I did like the book but I am wondering if I liked it because of the history I have with the McKay family. Would I love this book and rated a 4 star if I didn't know the entire history? Probably. But there were some issues that I had with the story to go along with the long list of things I did like.

One of the main issues I had with Cowboy Casanova was in regards to trust. Trust is one of the main central core workings of a D/s relationship. With Ben being as experienced as he was, I felt he didn't live up to his end of the bargain. He lied numerous times to Ainsley and he hid his growing feelings toward her. Yes I get that it wouldn't make such an interesting read if it was all sunshine and roses but the lies left me uncomfortable if not a bit frustrated. I did appreciate that Ben knew from day 1 what Ainsley's hard rule was and he never did brake that. (Even if he did use it to manipulate her by placing that one tail whip in her sight at a sensitive moment)

I liked Ainsley. A lot. She was a great woman who didn't dwell in the past regarding her ex-husband and held a responsible position as the president of Sundance's newest bank.  She knew she wanted more from a relationship and she was willing to give Ben a 30 day trial to see if being a submissive was her thing. I feel she gave it her all. She questioned a few things when she was uncomfortable but was always willing to give it a go. She kept her reserve and her emotions in check and was quite realistic. 

Ok now the good stuff. The play scenes and the love scenes were sweltering hot. Each one was excellently choreographed, full of emotions and completely what you'd expect from the amazing writer that Lorelei James is. Her standard is so high that I usually can't read another erotic romance for at awhile afterwards because most other books just don't compare. 

The dialogue was spot on, the descriptions and Wyoming scenery made me feel as I was right there and Lorelei James went ahead and planted seeds for further plot bunnies in future books. This is why I keep coming back to the Rough Rider series. As long as she keeps writing them, I will continue to keep buying them.

I also love that the Rough Rider series is based around the McKay family and she does include lots of family issues. They may be one huge family but they don't necessarily all get along as sweetly as most fictional families do. It certainly makes the stories that much more realistic.  

Teasers: public club scenes,  bathroom mirror show, kitty cat wood carving, bank loan fiasco

  

Teaser Tuesday - Wrangled and Tangled by Lorelei James

Teaser Tuesdays is a weekly bookish meme, hosted by MizB of Should Be Reading. Anyone can play along! Just do the following:

• Grab your current read
• Open to a random page
• Share two (2) “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page
• BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! (make sure that what you share doesn’t give too much away! You don’t want to ruin the book for others!)
• Share the title & author, too, so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR Lists if they like your teasers!

Wrangled and Tangled 

by Lorelei James

"That's what I said," Pearl exclaimed. "Girl, we think exactly alike."

"Yes, Tierney, if you're always wondering what you've done with your car keys, or if you knock back a handful of pills with every meal, and if you are glued to Wheel of Fortune every night, I'd agree, you and Pearl could be twins," Maybelle said dryly.

Loc 141-43 

(these beauty shop ladies were a hoot)

Wrangled and Tangled by Lorelei James

Janie Fitzhugh and Abe Lawson
and
Renner Jackson and Tierney Pratt's story


Wrangled and Tangled (Blacktop Cowboys book 3)

By Lorelei James

Book Blurb:
Janie Fitzhugh and Abe Lawson have long been divorced and living apart. Now she's back in town, a changed woman-making cattleman Abe want to wrangle an invitation to her bed...

To get his dream ranch, Renner Jackson has partnered with spoiled daddy's girl Tierney Pratt. She thinks she can handle this cowboy, but Renner won't make it easy. Little do they know they will be entangled in ways neither dreamed possible.

I'm a super big fan of Lorelei James. When she has a new release, I simply click to buy on my Amazon account. I don't even read the book blurb. There are only a handful of authors that have that sort of status to me. In my opinion, nobody writes cowboy romance like Lorelei James. 

Wrangled and Tangled was such a great book but I have to admit, I was annoyed with the two romance stories in one book. That approach didn't bother me in her book Rode Hard, Put Up Wet. But it really annoyed me in Wrangled and Tangled. Both stories were excellent but I didn't want to keep up with the ping ponging between each of their stories. I'd get really engrossed with Renner and Tierney and then BAM, next chapter was Abe and Janie. I felt like I constantly had to re-warm up to the couples over and over again. 

The stories themselves were excellent. So much so that if I read Rennie and Tierney or Abe and Janie had their own book, I would have rated 5 hearts each. But with the constant back and forth, it downgraded the flow of the book for me. 

Wrangled and Tangled starts off with Abe and Janie's story. The previously married couple meet up  again when Janie returns to the Split Rock Resort. Old feeling resurface and both tread carefully. It was a great plot line on how Lorelei James had Janie temporarily move back into Abe's home and a great turn of events that kept Janie at the family home. 

I appreciated how Abe did a lot of admission that he was not the best husband first time around and it wasn't until an excellent confrontation by Abe near the end of the book that Janie finally realizes that she too was not the best wife. I was seriously cheering Abe on while reading that speech. Go Abe!

Rennie and Tierney was my favourite couple story of the book. I loved that Teirney wore glasses and was smart yet inexperienced. It was awesome reading how they constantly battled each other and then all that passion finally bubbled to the surface. Keeping their passionate affair discreet lead to interesting locked door meetings and google eyes across the rooms. 

Each of the couples had smoking hot intimate scenes and I enjoyed reading how their love for each other bloomed perfectly for each couple. 

Teasers: first time, toys, community dance, Mud Lilies

Chasin' Eight by Lorelei James

Ava and Chase's book



Chasin' Eight (Rough Riders book 11)

By Lorelei James

Book Blurb:

She wants it…he’s got it…and the chase is on…

Bull rider Chase McKay has finally landed in a pile too big to charm his way out of. Caught with his pants down, he finds himself bucked right off the PBR tour until he can get his act together.

Hollywood actress Ava Cooper became the tabloids’ favorite target when her longtime boyfriend was outed as gay. She needs a place to lay low and a chance to prove to herself that she can satisfy a red-blooded man between the sheets. The sexy, rugged cowboy she finds holed up in her Wyoming hideaway seems like the answer to her every fantasy.

But Chase has sworn off women. Forever. Or at least a month. Whichever comes first.

When they take to the road to get Chase more hands-on bull riding experience, they have every intention of keeping their hands off each other. But the two headstrong stars quickly end up riding a hot and heady rodeo circuit all their own—until the press gets wind of their affair. When the dust clears and the lights of the paparazzi fade, are they ready to give up chasing the dream for a chance of finding forever?

FAB-U-LOUS!!

Do you know that I never even read the book blurb on Chasin' Eight? I have such trust and loyalty to Lorelei James’ Rough Rider books that I just clicked to buy. Other than knowing that this was Chase McKay's book, that was all I knew about Chasin' Eight. Let me start off right away by telling you, I am seriously considering Chasin' Eight as my favourite of the series. That’s big shoes to fill because I love the McKay/West families but there was just something extra special about Chasin' Eight.

Chasin' Eight is a part of the Rough Rider series however you can easily read this one as a stand- alone. There are some little catch ups from Big Cash Crow and a tad of Colby McKay but if you just want to read an amazing hot cowboy romance story without having to get involved in a series, feel free to pick up Chasin' Eight.

This book is not just some dude wearing a cowboy hat & chaps walking around saying “Darlin” to give you the illusion that the protagonist Chase is a cowboy. Lorelei James immerses you into the life of a cowboy bull rider. You feel the bruises, you experience the long drives between rodeos, you yawn with the exhaustion and you even want to spit out the sunflower seeds you all of sudden feel floating around in your mouth. 100% you are engrossed into the life.

Ava was an excellent female lead complementing a strong male character like Chase. They were skillfully written together and their rodeo adventures were orchestrated with writing perfection.

Ava and Chase were stuck together for long lengths of time in a truck cab driving from one circuit to another.  Just before meeting Ava, Chase decided to swear off women for one month so that he could focus on bull riding and get his career back on track. During this stretch of time, Ava and Chase became the best of friends and their banter and friendship was spot on.  

It took a long time in Chasin' Eight for Ava and Chase to become lovers but this is NOT a complaint. In fact, the relationship developed perfectly and I wouldn’t change a thing.  Their constant flirting, their personal revealing conversations and the support they provided to each other was stellar. After the humour and the affectionate comradely the pair finally do become lovers and nobody writes cowboy erotica like Lorelei James. It’s not just hot sex written on pages, it’s tenfold better. It’s thought provoking, powerful, emotional and so memorable that it blows my mind how each of these books in the Rough Rider series are all different.

Ava and Chase go through a roller coaster of emotions in Chasin' Eight and you ride right along with them. Excellent excellent book. There is an amazing story here. I just wished the beautiful cover portrayed Chase correctly. He is shorter than Ava and that’s a major part of the storyline so it would have been great to have that reflected on her amazing cover.  

Teasers - Deep fried twinkies, yoga balls, sunflower seeds, and helmets for rodeo participants

Long Hard Ride by Lorelei James

Channing Kinkaid & Colby McKay's book (with some yummy Trevor & Ed added)




Long Hard Ride

By Lorelei James

Book Blurb:
Channing Kinkaid itches for a wild western adventure with an untamed man. Enter Colby McKay, bull rider, saddle bronc buster and calf roper. He knows he's found a woman who's up to the challenge of cutting loose. Intrigued by Channing's bold proposition to "horse around" on the road, Colby proposes sexual escapades not only in his bed, but in those of his two rodeo traveling partners. Can Channing give up total control? Especially when not all is as it seems with the sexy trio.

Before the Lorelei James Rough Rider series I never really fancied myself a cowboy loving romance reader but, uhm that has totally changed. I have now read all the books in her series and all future books are on my TBR list.

Long Hard Ride is a wonderful introduction to the Wild West er Wild McKay family.

These characters you will fall in love with and want to follow their lives. The one thing that I totally love about this series is that you get introduced to Channing, Colby, Trevor and Ed but after this book is done, they still continue to make appearances in the other books. Of course not in the extreme detail of their own story but I just love how Lorelei James gets you invested into the characters and then doesn't just drop them. I love how you get the chance to keep up to date with them and see how they are progressing along in life.

Okay so wanna know about the sex is right? The menage is awesome, the erotica writing is smoking, the alpha males are mouthwatering and the romance is dreamy. Big fan of Long Hard Ride and this series. I would just suggest if you are gonna try out this series, start here. You will not be disappointed at all.

Okay I also have to add, since reading this series, I have falling in love with cowboys. I had never been to a Bull Riding Comp before and it was on my wish list. Thankfully I have wonderful friends and one of my BFFs came with me. For your viewing pleasure, I have attached this awesome picture I took at the event. Enjoy!

Saddled and Spurred by Lorelei James

 












Harper Masterson and Bran Turner's book 




Saddled and Spurred 

By Lorelei James

Book Blurb:
Cattleman Bran Turner is left shorthanded during busy calving season when a bull tramples his hired hand. Rural Wyoming isn't exactly a hotbed of qualified candidates, and the only applicant for the position is the pampered town beauty, Harper Masterson. The curvy cowgirl gets under Bran's skin at every turn, but with no other options, he reluctantly hires her.

When sexual sparks ignite, down-on-her-luck Harper enjoys convincing Bran that not only is she capable of pulling calves, feeding livestock, and handling backbreaking ranch chores, but she doesn't mind getting down and dirty, either. Harper also discovers the hot-bodied cowboy isn't all work and no horseplay...and he's got more than a few tricks up his sleeve.

Bran will learn quickly that Harper is no country mouse-and that she might just have what it takes to stick around for the long haul.

Aahhh Lorelei James. What a treat to read such excellent writing. I truly get lost in her books as I did with Saddled and Spurred.

I just love the characters she creates. They are just so real. I love how Bran is just a guy. He is not considered a drooly worthy mega male like some authors make out their male characters leads. I get the idea that Bran is an all round good looking man but not a "Hollywood" type character. I even love how there is a mention that his male member is not huge but a bit more on the normal size. (yes I pay attention to such details LOL)

Harper on the other hand is a many times winner Beauty Queen. However it is mentioned over and over again that she was there to earn the prize money. She comes across as a super hard worker, devoted to her sisters and generally likable character. Harper could be your girlfriend.

Saddled and Spurred has a great set up for more books on the horizon and Lorelei James has created a great group of characters that I'd be pleased to follow from book to book just like the Rough Riders series.

There are some super sexy hot scenes as in most of Lorelei James cowboy love series but Saddled and Spurred is just so much more than a smut book. Another huge win for me is that there is a great story here and the sexy smut is a major bonus. In my opinion James writes some of the best sex scenes out there and this book did not disappoint. Hot hot hot. Also since I keep repeating how real feeling this book is, I had to smile on how their first love making scene was written. Now that is real!

I really felt the gradual love build between Harper and Bran. I also appreciated that it was a mature type of love. Not in the sense that they are an older couple because they are not. Its just that there was no immature misunderstandings. Once again, the conflict was completly believable. Bran was just so much like a real guy. Real issues, dealing with a real ranch and learning to trust a woman he is falling in love with. Same as Harper, she put herself out there and ended up in love with a great guy.

I want to go back and read the first book, Corralled in the series again so I can tie the characters all together. I can't really remember too much from the first book and I know that the characters make a repeat appearance.