Sandy M’s review of Cowgirl Up and Ride (Rough Riders, Book 3) by Lorelei James
Contemporary Western Romance released by Samhain on 18 Mar 08

I’ve read a couple of reviews (including our own Teddypig) of this book lately that criticize the fact that this story looks into the lives of other McKay family members and that detracts from the story of the hero and heroine. I beg to differ with ya’ll. This is a series about the McKay family and when tragedy strikes a family, it affects the entire family. So having parts of each book about that family is certainly fine by me. The few parts of this book that do delve into the other family members’ lives aren’t that many and aren’t that lengthy at all anyhow.

I’ve only read the first book of this series so far, Long Hard Ride. The second book, Rode Hard, Put Up Wet, is still on my to-be-read shelf and now I’m sorry I haven’t read it. Cowgirl is so much more emotional than Ride and I liked meeting more of the McKay family. After reading this book it’s made me curious about Rode Hard. Maybe it’s because I’m looking at it as a family series that bringing in other members doesn’t bother me. It’s a big, boisterous family and if you get involved in a serious relationship with one member, you get involved with the rest of’em too. Ain’t no two ways about that. So the fact that we learned more about Cord’s brothers and cousins sat just well with me. That’s the one thing I missed when reading Ride. We didn’t meet any other McKays until near the end, and I knew then this is one family that takes care of its own. How right I was.

Cord is the old man at 35 of the McKay siblings and is astounded when young Amy Jo comes on to him. AJ has been in love with him forever and has decided it’s high time to go for what she wants. Cord likes what he sees and decides to go for the good ride she’s offering before she has to return to school. I liked the idea of AJ maintaining her love for Cord for most of her life. She didn’t let life or anyone taint those feelings, she kept them pure and honest. She also waited to give up her innocence to him, knowing he’s the man for her.

She’s young, but she knows her mind. She had to grow up mighty fast when her father became ill and she was forced to run their ranch pretty much on her own. Even Cord’s dominance in bed doesn’t phase her. He’s a very demanding lover and she blossoms in his bed with his every touch. Cord has also been the one in his family to take over most of the ranching duties, make sure things go right and everyone does their job, so he has a kinship with AJ from the beginning that he almost doesn’t realize until it’s too late. In fact, that’s one of the best parts of the book when Cord’s realizations hit home and we see the side of him that AJ has longed for, the part of him she has to face she’ll never have. He surprises both of us.

Now that going-off-on-a-tangent part of the book others didn’t care for. A lot of it isn’t pretty, but we also get to see the difference between someone falling so far down into a bottomless pit they won’t get out and someone who recognizes the danger early and gets out before it’s too late. Some of those tangents are obviously setups for future stories.

But I liked the interaction of brother with brother, including the twin cousins Kane and Kade. They fight like brothers are wont to do, but they still gather round when one of them is hurting and needs help. And when tragedy strikes. As in any family, that’s the impetus for folks to look at their own lives and clean their acts up, if possible. There’s not a thing wrong with allowing the story to meander through the downward spiral of a family member’s life and the consequences of that downfall. Which, in turn, takes us back to the setup for future books. I can see stories for both Colt and Kade quite clearly. The others’ stories will become more clear in those books or whoever Ms. James decides to write next, I’m sure.

The sex scenes between Cord and AJ are hot, hot, hot. As much as I had fun with the first book in the series, this one is fraught with emotion as well as fun and filled with family, and I like it so much more. It’s a whole new level of writing, as far as I’m concerned. An author can only get better the more she writes and this author proves that with each word she puts on paper.

A note: Someone on the publishing end needs to take more caution in editing. At least twice the name Colt appears when it should have been Cord. It’s a little confusing when you have to look back to see if you missed something on the page before.

Grade: A-

Read TeddyPig’s review here.

Summary:

Ridin’ the edge of lust is fun—until someone falls in love.

Goody-two boots AJ Foster has waited her entire life for her dream cowboy Cord McKay to see her as more than the neighbor girl in pigtails. Now that she’s old enough to stake her claim on him, she’s pulling out all the sexual stops and riding hell-bent for leather—straight for his libido.
Divorced rancher Cord has sworn off all women…until innocent AJ suggests he teach her how to ride bareback—and he realizes she doesn’t mean horses or bulls. Between his responsibilities running his massive ranch, missing his young son and dealing with the sexual shenanigans of his brother and cousins, Cord is more than willing to take AJ up on her offer. On a trial basis.

The fun and games tie them both up in knots. AJ isn’t willing to settle for less than the whole shootin’ match with her western knight. But for Cord, even though the sexy cowgirl sets his blood ablaze, he’s determined to resist her efforts to lasso his battered heart.
Sweet, determined AJ has the power to heal—or heel—the gruff cowboy…unless Cord’s pride keeps him from admitting their relationship is more than a simple roll in the hay.

Read an excerpt.