Sandy M’s review of Chasin’ Eight (Rough Riders, Book 11) by Lorelei James
Contemporary Western Romance erotic ebook published by Samhain 28 Jun 11

Dammit! I went and did it again! I read this latest addition to Lorelei James’ Rough Riders series too fast. Way, way too fast. I wanted to make it last, but since it hasn’t happened so far, I have a feeling it will never happen whenever I read about those McKay boys.

I always mention the emotion that Ms. James writes in her books, it’s what draws me back each time to read her next, along with her charming and intriguing characters. Well, and the lovin’ too. 🙂 While I’ve chuckled here and there over the time of reading this series, I don’t recall laughing out loud like I do with Chase and Ava. I thoroughly enjoyed this couple, from the moment they meet through their getting to know one another and then working through the changes they need to go through to come out on the other side of the new life they find for themselves, whole and intact.

Both Chase and Ava are going through their own scandals in their very different worlds. Chase is a bull rider. He’s been on the circuit for years and has gotten a tad complacent, he’s falling in the standings, not performing his best, and now has been suspended from his rodeo association after pissing off a main and very generous sponsor. Swearing off women, which has gotten him into more than enough trouble lately, and determined to get back to basics to figure out why his riding is off, Chase heads home, staying in his cousin Kane’s trailer, not wanting the rest of the family to know what he’s up to just yet.

Ava is an actress from Los Angeles and has had moderate success. Enough that she’s plenty recognizable by the masses. She’s been blindsided by the latest paparazzi report her boyfriend is gay, his picture with his new boyfriend plastered all over news rags throughout the country. She needs to get away from the City of Angels to regroup and figure out what she really wants to do now. So she contacts her friend Ginger, who recently married Kane McKay. And guess where she’ll be staying while visiting the newlyweds? I love that scene when Chase and Ava first meet in the McKay secret love nest.

Chase has been driving for hours, so he’s exhausted when he finally makes it to Kane’s. He’s so wiped out, all he does is wash the travel grime from his face and then he heads to bed. But sleep eludes him as he suddenly comes into contact with a soft and moving someone, who also reacts by jumping out of the bed quicker than lightning. Ava strikes a martial arts pose and threatens her intruder, and with the ensuing dialogue, which is hilarious, the fun with these two begins.

I especially love the truth or lie scenes. OMG, I laughed till I cried. And then I kept laughing. And while the later Twinkie scene is sexy as all get-out, I had a huge, huge grin on my face the entire time. I’m getting ahead of myself here, but this couple is just plain old fun and good times. And you ain’t read anything till you come to the mechanical bull. Oh. My. Heavens. Whew! Now let’s get back on track…

After they work their living arrangements out, Ava agrees to tag along with Chase when he starts his riding “lessons” with Cash Big Crow and Chase’s cousin Colby and then accompanies Chase for his objective of getting on as many bulls as possible from rodeo to rodeo until he finds out his fate concerning his current predicament. Ava begins to videotape Chase’s rides and before too long, his problem is pinpointed and their rodeo adventure begins. This journey throws a few eye-openers out to both Chase and Ava concerning their future and each other.

Doing her best to convince Chase to break his vow of no women for a month, Ava flirts and cajoles, all to no avail. After a few hot kisses Chase always backs off, leaving them both frustrated. Until Ava goes too far one night, bringing in another man to make Chase jealous. Our cowboy may be a mite sensitive when it comes to his non-McKay height of five-seven, but never piss him off. And he does get pissed off, just as Ava wants, and she finally gets more than she could ever imagine. And then some. Chase takes his brother’s advice about loving a woman, and if you think this cowboy was sexy before, he’s off the charts now.

Chase is like all those McKay men when makin’ love. Intense, playful, demanding, slow, fast and furious, and now generous. He thought he’s always been generous in bed, but Ava makes all the difference in the world. And once they get a true taste of one another, there’s no stopping them. They burn up the sheets any and every chance they get, which is a lot, I’m happy to tell you.

Of course, this journey can’t be all hearts and flowers and gettin’ nekkid. Tragedy strikes and Chase takes a blow that he more than likely would have sloughed off before, let alone allow it to affect him as it does now. It changes him, just as most of this introspective trek has changed him and how he looks at his life in and out of the rodeo. Ava also has her share of introspection and realizations as to how she’s lived and interacted with others, mostly because of the new project she’s working on through her photography and videography of their trip. Even as they come out on the other side of such tragic events, there’s more seeming betrayal close at hand, and our fun-loving couple end up on the skids with their hearts broken.

What I love about Chase and Ava is their lightheartedness, their banter and laughter as they get to know each other. Even then they talk to one another. They don’t let things fester and infect the relationship. This continues once they become intimate and even on through their sadness and later their anger. It goes without saying, of course, that the sex scenes are smokin’ hot and will leave you hot and bothered, due to the fact those scenes are vintage Lorelei James. No one does it better. ‘Cept maybe a McKay.

And Chapter 29! Oh my gosh, Chapter 29. Out-of-the-blue twist that had me gasping out loud. I cannot wait to see what happens next!

I have no idea how many more books are going to be in this series. I’m hoping a few more at least. I’ll never tire of these McKay boys.

Grade: A

Summary:

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?

Read an excerpt.

Other books in this series: