Sandy M’s review of All Jacked Up (Rough Riders, Book Eight) by Lorelei James
Contemporary Western Romance ebook published by Samhain 3 Nov 09
I normally don’t wait months to read this series by Lorelei James. It’s been a favorite since I read the first book in 2008. I won’t be waiting this long again to read any future McKay family books. I have the best time with these characters. I laugh. I cry. I roll my eyes. I snort. I definitely get hot and bothered. And I keep coming back for more.
While I love those McKay boys, their sister Keely finally gets her own book. Being the only girl in a family of a million guys (okay, that’s an exaggeration, but not by much), she’s learned anything and everything she’s ever wanted, something different from each of her brothers and cousins. She’s the female counterpart to each one of them, only better with all that femininity.
Keely is her own woman. A wild child in her early years, she’s settled down some while still having a good time with friends drinkin’ and dancin’, playin’ darts, and she holds her own with all that familial testosterone. Cowboy boots and beer are two of her favorite things. Keely knows what she wants and she goes for it.
Thus her dream of opening a physical therapy center in Sundance is finally coming true. She’s found the perfect building. Even though it’s considered an historical site, she calls in an expert to make sure the remodel is done properly so both she and the local historical society are happy. She couldn’t be more shocked and surprised when Jack Donohue, a man she’s despised the last few years, turns out to be the owner of the company she contacts — and the owner of the building she lives in.
Jack has no love for Keely any more than she has for him, but he’s trying to get his business back on an even keel, so he uses what he’s got — a beautiful woman who needs his expertise to get her dream up and running. Jack proposes Keely be his pretend fiance for a month, accompany him while he makes his pitch to another historical committee, and he’ll make sure her building is ready to go as fast as possible. Not liking the idea all that much, Keely can’t really say no. Too much is riding on the outcome. So Jack and Keely become engaged and all hell breaks loose.
The best parts of this book are Jack and Keely’s fighting. Neither of them can be in the same room with each other without throwing insults and snappy comebacks, no matter the issue. I laughed out loud I don’t know how many times at their banter. The other best part is when they make love. These two are beyond hot. Beyond steamy. Beyond sizzle. You need a cold glass of water, a fan, and the air conditioning on when you read these two.
It’s a good thing Jack is strong and dominant just like Keely’s brothers when it comes to handling this woman. She definitely needs a man like that. All other men before Jack ended up milquetoast when she was done with them. Jack is great at possession and dominance, and Keely loves every minute of it.
During their fake engagement, their feelings turn from hate to love, but they’re each afraid to let the other in on that, knowing that either can walk away once the month is up. They each go through a very vulnerable period during this time and Ms. James always amazes me at the emotion she wrings out of her characters.
I’m glad to see on her website that Ms. James has two more books in this series on her Coming Soon page. All of her fans know this series will end some day, but for now we have a reprieve for a while. Thank goodness.
Grade: A
Summary:
Keely McKay knows Jack—and Jack Donohue is a certified pain in her Wranglers. The lone girl in the prolific McKay family, Keely needs another man giving her orders like she needs a hole in her boot. What she does need is a restoration specialist so she can open her physical therapy clinic—and prove she’s left her wild-child days behind. That means dealing with buttoned-down, uptight Jack.
Jack is this close to securing a career make-or-break project, until he learns his lack of marital status puts him out of contention. When the notoriously hot-tempered and hot-bodied Keely begs him for help, he proposes a crazy idea. He’ll oversee her project—if she acts the part of his loving fiancée.
Their sizzling lust makes it all too easy to go from butting heads to knocking boots—but outside the bedroom they’re as mismatched as ever. The McKays remind Jack of the humble upbringing he left behind, and cowgirl Keely feels she doesn’t measure up to Jack’s big-city lifestyle.
When the dust settles, Jack and Keely must face the fact they’re not fooling anyone but themselves—or they’ll risk losing the real deal.
Read an excerpt.
Other books in this series:
I’ve read 1or 2 in the series and really enjoyed them. Though there’s a lot of sex in these books, that’s not all you get. There’s also relationship development and we see a bit of the interactions with the McKay family. This book sounds amazing and I’ll definitely be keeping an eye out for it.
Great review 🙂
I can’t wait to read Keely’s story. Waiting for the paperback release. 🙁
I love this series and was glad to read such a positive review. I’m rather obsessively checking James’ website these days looking for excerpts of the upcoming books, both in this series and her new series — Tabitha, it’s worth buying an ereader for these alone.
I love this series! Great review Sandy! All of the books are consistently good. I haven’t been disappointed yet with any of them! I can’t wait for Kane aka Buck’s story. It’s going to be another great one!
So true, Stacy! The family aspect is what pulled me in further at the end of the first book in the series and Lorelei has continued that throughout the series. It’s a huge plus as far as I’m concerned. And I like that her heroes act, talk, walk, do everything like real cowboys. A lot of authors don’t even come close.
LOL, Tabitha, I agree with Frannie! Even investing in a small Palm handheld is worth it to read books like these in e. That’s what I use because I can’t afford a Kindle or a Nook or a whatever. Cuz waiting till November for the print is torture! But do you know Amazon has Kindle for PC now? And it’s free. You can download it from Amazon.com and read ebooks on your computer. Not as great as a handheld, but if you don’t want to wait…..
And, Frannie, as much as I’d love to read anything else by Lorelei, it’s still going to break my heart when the last of this series is written. I don’t think anything can top those McKays!
Thanks, Ing. I agree wholeheartedly with you on the consistency of the series. And I think you’re right, Raising Kane is going to be one of the best of series!
Hello!! Just an FYI I wanted to mention, I to love this series! I have them all. The next one, Raising Kane, will be set between SHBAC and AJU. That is why we so little of Kane, Ginger and Hayden in AJU. She did not want to give anything away. That is out in June along with the print edition of SHBAC. AJU is scheduled for print released in October. Then in November, there will be another new book called Cowgirls Don’t Cry. I am guessing, and she has not released who it will be on yet, Brandt and Jessie. Brandt’s brother, Luke, who was also Jessie’s husband was killed in SHBAC. After that, she has two more coming out next year and two the follow year and will finish up all the rest of the McKays on the other two branches of the family tree (see her website). The Wild West Boys series is halted right now, but the other West family members would get their stories through that series when she starts it up again. Cannot wait for Raising Kane!!! Hope we get to see alot of Kade, Skyler and the girls in that one too!! Uncle Kane is gonna meet his match.