Long Hard Ride by Lorelei James ... QC #159

4 Stars! ~~~ Rodeo excitement, sexy cowboys, and a heroine brave enough to go for it all.

Long Hard Ride by Lorelei James

Samhain Publishing ~ May 2007

Book #1 ~ Rough Riders

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Channing Kinkaid has always lived her life on the sidelines looking in, and she’s tired of it. So the summer before she ties herself to the life her blue blood Bostonian parents want her to live, she takes off on her own adventure. Hooking up with Colby McKay and his two rodeo buddies fits her secret desires to a tee. The trio is on the rodeo circuit racking up the points hoping to make the finals at the end of the season. Colby wants to help Channing shed all her inhibitions, but in exchange she’ll not only be his buckle bunny for the trip, she’ll belong to Trevor and Elgard too, and anything goes. As the trio moves from rodeo to rodeo, Channing and Colby’s bond becomes stronger, and suddenly Colby doesn’t want to share anymore, and their time is almost up, as agreed they part when they reach Cheyenne.

Channing wants a wild fling before settling down to a quiet life as a teacher in an exclusive girls school. Colby isn’t looking for long term, esp. with a city girl, when the rodeo circuit is done he’s back to the family ranch. The secondary characters Trevor and Elgard have their own problems and issues that aren’t quite resolved (hopefully in a sequel). We also meet Gemma, a sort of neighbour to Colby who’s on her own now since her husband died, and see the beginning of her romance with another rodie. This story is about learning to pursue your own dreams even if that means saying no to family expectations. I liked the care Ms. James took on describing the rodeo circuit lifestyle, from the basics of the rodeo to the sideline gossip and “wild ride” reputations. This is a fun, erotic read that grabs your attention from the first page. I’m looking forward to reading Gemma’s story in Book #2 of the Rough Riders.

Christa recently reviewed a novella by Ms. James and when I read the review for this book by Chy I was intrigued. Not only because both raved about the author, but because the premise of this book reminded be very much about a Blaze I read a few years ago. In Candace Schuler’s Good Time Girl, school teacher Roxy hooks up for a wild summer with sexy rodeo rider Tom. That was one hot read and it has a special spot on my keeper shelf.

Excellence: Very Good ~ Steaminess: Inferno

My Totals = 58 ~ Harlequin Imprint = 56 ~ Other Publisher = 2

Publishers Warning: This title contains the following: lots of explicit sex, going strong long after the cows come home, graphic language that’d make your mama blush, light bondage with bullropes, ménage a trois, and – yee-haw! – hot nekkid cowboy man-love.

~~ KatherineT ~~ I'm a Harlequin Addict, and I'm proud of it!
~~ Quiet Canadians ~ 2008 Book Challenge Blog