ARC Review: Turn and Burn by Lorelei James

“Sexy, panty melting cowboys.  TURN AND BURN and the whole Blacktop Cowboys series are a MUST READ!” ~Under the Covers

Sexy, panty melting cowboys.  TURN AND BURN and the whole Blacktop Cowboys series are a MUST READ!  I should stop the review at that.  But I know you are probably expecting more so let me detail why Lorelei James is the best at what she does, and TURN AND BURN is just another example that all of this applies:

• Her books always feel real to me.  She’s actually writing about people who you might know.  They’re everyday people, with everyday issues.  Their lives aren’t sugar-coated and she’s not trying to hard to make them work as a cowboy story.
• Her heroes are to die for sexy, but rugged.  Not pretty boys that mind getting down and dirty (in more ways than one)
• The sense of unity, friendship and family.  The Blacktop Cowboys are not McKays but the friendship between all of the previous characters still gives you that bond that keeps you invested in their lives long after the last word on their HEA.
• Her heroines are so awesome I want to move to Muddy Gap just so I can be friends with them and get to hang out.

So TURN AND BURN is the anticipated story of Tanna Barker, 3-time world champion barrel racer and Celia’s best friend.  She is having some issues after her accident and is afraid to get back on a horse.  Without competing, she has no money.  So Cela gets her a job for the summer and the opportunity to work with Eli on her new fear of horses.

Tanna is my favorite type of heroine.  She’s strong but a bit broken.  Independent to a fault.  The kind of girl that may not let many people in but has a heart of gold under the crusty exterior.  She’s also the biggest flirt around and has self confidence to boot.  What’s not to love?

August Fletcher is the town’s vet.  He knows the whole gang and has become good friends with them.  He’s also a workaholic.  He came from nothing and now has his own practice and that means crazy hours.  This has been hell on his personal life and not the most conducive for him to have an actual relationship.

When Tanna and Fletcher first meet they don’t even exchange names and have a hot one night stand.  Standard for both of them.  But fate has different plans when they end up in the same area and friends with the same group.  The chemistry that was there from the beginning can’t be denied and it quickly translates from purely physical to a deeper emotional connection as Tanna lets him in.

I loved that they both had their own issues to work through.  Fletcher had to figure out a way to prioritize his life and not let work take over.  Tanna had to get back on the saddle and do what she loves.  But you couldn’t have picked two people that better complemented each other.

If you didn’t pre-order your copy of TURN AND BURN (which makes no sense to me because Lorelei James should be an auto-buy), then you should get it now.   Just be warned…her cowboys are all mine!

*ARC provided by publisher

Did you like this review? If so, please tell us your thoughts in the comments!

[about-author author=”Lorelei James”]