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
Raising Kane
by
Lorelei James
erotic romance in eBook edition that was published by Samhain Publishing on June 29, 2010 and has 256 pages.
Explore it on Goodreads or Amazon
Other books by this author which I have reviewed include Corralled, Saddled and Spurred, 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, 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
Ninth in the Rough Riders erotic western romance series revolving around the McKay family in Sundance, Wyoming. The couple focus is on Ginger Paulson and Kane McKay.
James states that while this is book 9, the action actually takes place between the epilogue of book 7, Shoulda Been a Cowboy, and book 8, All Jacked Up.
IMO, you can still read them in publishing order as Keely only briefly shows up in this one.
My Take
This was so sweet! And who knew, that proper lawyer was so hot to go! I do love how out there Kane gets, telling Ginger just how he’s been fantasizing about her from the start. Nor is she reluctant to participate. It’s nice. Two people who want each other and don’t hesitate, much, to let each other know.
Kane is such a sweetie and I think this is what really grabs Ginger’s heart. We do discover why Kane isn’t as enthusiastic about his attempted name change…ROFLMAO! Who’d’a thunk…
We never did find out why Hayden got so shy early on. I did like Ginger telling Kane’s mama what was what! She was very nice about it, but quite direct.
Ooh, sidestory with Jessie and Brandt. Wake-up call.
The Story
It’s Hayden and the Little Buddies program that brings Kane McKay into Ginger’s orbit. Only, the program has this rule about “fraternization” and Kane is careful to keep his distance. Besides, with her education, Ginger Paulson wouldn’t look at him twice.
It’s that slippery sidewalk that changes everything and Ginger needs help. Help that turns so steamy in spite of the miscommunication between the three of them.
The Characters
Kane “Buck” McKay is just about the last hold-out of the two main McKay families we’ve been following. All the other bad boys have gotten married and are havin’ kids. It’s a state Kane would like to emulate, but at least he has Shep. For now. Kimi McKay is Kane’s petite mama. Kade, Kane’s identical twin, and Skylar have Eliza and the twins as well as the McKay Menagerie.
Ginger Paulson moved to Wyoming to take over her dad’s law practice and she has her son, Hayden, with her. Hayden’s particular friends are Kyler (Cord) and Anton McKay (Cam). Dash Paulson is her father and he’s stuck in a wheelchair due to arthritis. He’s surprisingly okay. Ava Dumond, a.k.a., Ava Cooper, the hot starlet, was Ginger’s first real client after she was fired from the law firm.
Doctor Joely Monroe is Ginger’s doctor. Lock Martin is Kane’s other Little Buddy and his mother, Daphne, keeps trying to hook up with Kane.
The McKay Cousins include:
Colt and India are happy with Hudson and another on the way; Colt still needs to fight off some of the dark side, though. Chase McKay is a rather notorious bullrider, taking that McKay rep to a whole new level. Oh, yeah, and he’s doing well on the rodeo circuit too. Libby and Quinn McKay have a son, Adam. Keely is irked about not getting invited to the McKay cousins’ poker party. And about Dash ditching his physical therapy. Cord is still happy with AJ, Colby, and Cam and Domini have Leisl and the twins (this is probably the primary reason why James feels this is between 7 and 8 as, in book 8, Domini is talking about adopting more kids).
James has been slowly introducing us to yet another branch of McKays: Tell, Dalton, and Brandt. Yup, the Brandt who is so hot for his brother’s widow, Jessie, the one their dad, Casper McKay, threw off the ranch when his son Lucas died in the car accident. Casper is pretty much feudin’ with everybody including his sons and his brothers: Carson (all the other C bad boys), Charles (Quinn, Bennett, and Chase are his boys), and Calvin (Kane and Kade).
The Cover and Title
It’s the Rough Riders signature cover with its sepia-toned black and white and the “carved” leather border at the bottom with its floral spray. I like that the model actually makes me think of Ginger with her red hair and statuesque figure. She’s all woman with his flannel shirt falling off her shoulders and Kane embracing her, nibbling her jaw. I like that detail of her beautiful French manicure!
Oh yeah, these two are definitely Raising Kane…in the old style sense of the phrase!
