I received this book for free from the library in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.
Source: the library
Saddled and Spurred
by
Lorelei James
erotic romance, erotica in Paperback edition that was published by Signet on March 1, 2011 and has 324 pages.
Explore it on Goodreads or Amazon
Other books by this author which I have reviewed include Corralled, Rode Hard, Put Up Wet, Wrangled and Tangled, Long Hard Ride, Cowgirl Up and Ride, Rough, Raw and Ready, Tied Up, Tied Down, Wild Ride, Branded as Trouble, Shoulda Been a Cowboy, All Jacked Up, Raising Kane, Cowgirls Don't Cry, Chasin' Eight, One Night Rodeo, Casanova Cowboy, Kissin' Tell, Gone Country, Mistress Christmas, Miss Firecracker, Bound, Redneck Romeo, Unwound, Turn and Burn, Hillbilly Rockstar, "Schooled", Wrapped and Strapped, Unraveled, What You Need, Just What I Needed, Racked and Stacked, Hang Tough, Spun Out, All You Need, I Want You Back, Want You to Want Me
Second in the Blacktop Cowboys erotic western romance series based in Wyoming.
My Take
This was sweet. Think of a Cinderella story where all your dreams come through at the end.
The Story
Harper just needs a job or six for another two months. Just until Bailey graduates from high school and decides which college she wants to attend. Then the two of them will shake the mud of Muddy Gap from their shoes forever.
Unfortunately, Harper’s mother had managed to make the rounds of almost every business[man] there was in Muddy Gap. And screwed them over. Now Harper’s lost her job at almost the last place that would consider hiring her. Two months. She just needs two more months of work. Then Celia came to her rescue. Bran Turner needs a temporary ranch hand… She can do this. She’s managed every other job she’s ever had. Surely she can deal with cows and fences and…and…Bran Turner.
Bran, on the other hand, thrilled to finally find a temporary replacement for the injured Lee, is way less than thrilled when he opens his door to find Harper on the other side. Shocked to discover she intends to take on the job of hired hand. Stunned when he agrees to taking on a beauty queen of all things, for Bran just can’t imagine her up to her elbows in shit.
And eventually, both are surprised to find just how well they click…
The Characters
Harper Masterson is a young woman with a history of bad luck: her mother, her mother, and, oh yeah, her mother. Desperate to get out of Muddy Gap, Harper is just biding her time until her sister, Bailey, graduates from high school and goes off to college…with Harper along to keep house. Somehow, she’ll get Bailey through college and maybe she can try again. Her passion for fashion and merchandising.
Bran Turner owns a cattle ranch in Wyoming and has secretly fantasized for years about Harper never believing he’d ever have a chance with their local beauty queen. But Bran has the one thing that Harper wants…
Hank and Lainie Lawson (Corralled, 1, 1) are friends of Bran’s. Abe Lawson is desperate enough to have a relationship that he takes up with Nancy…whom no one likes. Celia Lawson, sister to the Lawson brothers, is best friends with Harper and sets her up for the job with Bran.
Renner Jackson has been buying up ranches right and left with no one having any idea as to why. Worse, from Bran’s point of view, he seems too interested in Harper. Janie Fitzhugh‘s back in town. Abe’s ex. And Abe’s finding out he is so not over her. It’s got all of Abe’s friends and family hoping that that fact might get through to the nasty Nancy.
The Cover and Title
The cover model is definitely hunky but rather stiffly posed [no pun intended!] sitting down leaning against a tree wearing blue jeans, an open blue-striped Western shirt with his tan cowboy hat tilted down over his face and in the background a pick-up is parked in front of a red barn with horses grazing in the pasture.
The title, Saddled and Spurred, doesn’t really apply to this story. The closest I can figure the title applies to the story is…um…let, me think…um…nope, can’t think of anything. Let me know if you figure something out…!
