RACKED AND STACKED (Blacktop Cowboys #9) by Lorelei James-Review, Excerpt & Giveaway
RACKED AND STACKED
Blacktop Cowboys #9
by Lorelei James
Release Date: August 7, 2018
Genre: adult, contemporary, erotic, cowboy, romance
Amazon.com / Amazon.ca / B&N / KOBO / Chapters Indigo / Google Play
ABOUT THE BOOK: Release Date: August 7,2018
Growing up with three older brothers, Larissa “Riss” Thorpe defines the term tomboy–a moniker that never mattered to her until she crossed paths with sexy cowboy playboy, Ike Palmer. His declaration that he prefers his women soft and feminine is the one benefit to becoming his business partner. Since Riss is obviously not his type, there’s little chance they’ll mix business and pleasure when they’re in close quarters on the road together.
Former cattle broker Ike Palmer was ready for a new chapter in his life when he partnered with Riss, a contrary redhead who lords her mechanical abilities over him at every turn. Ike raised his three younger sisters; he knows a thing or three about how women work. The problem is…Riss is unlike any woman he’s ever met.
With the odds stacked against them, Riss and Ike will have to choose between the stubbornness that keeps them apart and the fiery attraction that could lead to something more.
•••••••••••
REVIEW: RACKED AND STACKED is the ninth full-length instalment in Lorelei James’ contemporary, adult BLACKTOP COWBOYS erotic, cowboy romance series. This is thirty-year old, truck driver Larissa ‘Riss’ Thorpe, and forty-year old, former cattle broker Ike Palmer’s story line. RACKED AND STACKED can be read as a stand alone without any difficulty. Any important information from the previous instalments is revealed where necessary.
Told from dual third person perspectives (Riss and Ike) RACKED AND STACKED focuses on the contemptuous relationship between thirty-year old, truck driver Larissa ‘Riss’ Thorpe, and forty-year old, former cattle broker Ike Palmer. Ike Palmer is the bane of Riss Thorpe’s existence since the day, two years earlier, Ike supposedly got her brother Lloyd fired. For the upcoming wedding of Tobin and Jade, Ike and Riss have agreed to call a truce in their mutual disdain for one another until an accident finds Riss in need of round the clock care, and Ike offers up his services for the foreseeable future. What ensues is the building but acrimonious relationship between Riss and Ike, and the potential fall-out as a distinct lack of communication, snark, misunderstanding, and risks to one another’s independence threatens the growing love and limited peace that as developed throughout the weeks.
Larissa Thorpe is a bit of a ball-buster; a hard-nosed, stubborn, in your face heroine who refuses to ask for help especially where is concerns any threat to her long-fought independence. Finding herself laid-up for close to twelve weeks is a slap in the face for both her financial and personal life but coming face to face with the man who was once the target of every nasty word and thought pushes our heroine into a friend zone that slowly develops into something more. Ike Palmer raised his three younger sisters, and didn’t think anything about helping Larissa Thorpe on her long road to recovery but Ike never expected to find himself falling in love with the foul-mouthed red-head who was currently starring in his fantasies and dreams.
The relationship between Ike and Larissa is an enemies to friends to lovers romance that struggles with misunderstanding, a lack of communication, and Riss’s fear of losing her independence. Ike’s fear of failure pulls him closer to the brink of bankruptcy and unemployment, and Riss’ downtime forces her to confront the direction of her life. The $ex scenes are intimate, erotic, intense and seductive but I dislike the use of a certain four-letter word I found unnecessary in a romance story line.
There is a large ensemble cast of secondary and supporting characters including Larissa’s brothers-Lou, Lonnie and Lloyd, as their Aunt Beatrice; Ike’s sisters Lea, Jen and Kay, as well as Tobin and Jade (Hang Tough #8).
RACKED AND STACKED is a story of family, friendship, misunderstanding and forgiveness. The premise is energetic and encouraging; the characters are lively and animated; the romance is fated and sassy. RACKED AND STACKED is an engaging and delightful addition to the Blacktop Cowboys series.
Copy supplied by Netgalley
Reviewed by Sandy
Louie answered the door. “What are you doin’ here?”
Riss immediately shot upright to see who it was and winced in pain when she remembered she wasn’t supposed to do that.
Then Ike Palmer stepped into view.
Ike?
Wow. This was some weird-ass dream.
Wasn’t it?
“I didn’t say you could come in, Palmer,” Louie snapped.
“Yet here I am inside,” Ike replied.
Whoa. Not a dream.
Ike sauntered over with the cowboy swagger that both irritated and fascinated her.
She brazenly took his measure. A bright blue wool cap covered his blond head, drawing attention to his vivid blue eyes, which were studying her with equal scrutiny. He wore a light tan leather and shearling coat that added bulk to his lean frame, accentuating his broad shoulders. Dark jeans and boots completed his outfit. The man could’ve stepped out of an advertisement for rugged western wear.
His stride stayed confident even if his plastered-on smile hinted at nervousness.
Ike “the Charmer” Palmer nervous? Get out. She had to be seeing things.
“How did you know I was here?”
“Aw, sweet cheeks, I missed you too.” Then he was right in her face. “Seventy-eight days we’ve been together. And yes, I kept adding to the total even after that stupid postwedding fight when you demanded I give you some space. But finding out from Jade that you had a serious accident that resulted in surgery and a hospital stay? Five days after it happened? I’m so goddamned mad I can barely see straight. I may never let you out of my sight again, understand?”
No. She didn’t understand. Not at all.
Ike read her confusion and put his mouth on her ear. “Play along.”
“Why?”
“Because I’m bein’ spontaneous and breaking you outta this jail.”
“Ike—”
“You dared me to create an alternate reality the next time I got the chance, so I’m doin’ it.”
Riss fought the urge to argue. Or laugh.
But the look on Ike’s face when he was nearly nose-to-nose with her? Those striking blue eyes weren’t twinkling with amusement, but were seriously intense.
Seriously hot.
Seriously sexy.
Ike curled his hand around the side of her face and pressed his mouth to hers. At first just a tease, a brush of his pillowy soft lips across hers. Almost . . . chaste and achingly sweet. Then his tenderness vanished and he was kissing the breath out of her in a tongue-dueling, head-shifting, hungry, openmouthed kiss that sent her head spinning, her reason fleeing and kick-started her libido from idle to full-speed-ahead, pedal-to-the-metal lust.
She whimpered and arched closer, only to have him freeze mid-kiss.
Then, clearly shocked by the chemistry that had ignited between them, Ike retreated, abruptly changing the tenor of the kiss to sweet and flirty.
Holy fuck.
She couldn’t believe Ike Palmer, her nemesis, could kiss like this. She never imagined his laid-back persona masked such extraordinary passion. Being charming was one thing, but that trait didn’t necessarily translate into sexual potency. But the self-assured way his mouth took hers—owned hers—left no doubt in Riss’s mind that the man would be a dominating force in bed.
He rested his forehead against hers, his fast breaths fanning across her damp lips. After whispering a reminder to play along, he backed off, and then, loud enough for Louie to hear, he said, “I’m sorry I wasn’t here for you. But I’ll make it up to you.”
Riss blinked at him. Jesus. That life-changing liplock was Ike . . . acting? That soul-stealing kiss meant nothing to him?
“Been a while since my kisses gotcha so het up you can’t even speak, baby,” he teased.
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