Rough Rider, the second
book in Victoria Vane's Hot Cowboy Nights
series, is just a week away from being
released! So, to get you ready to ride, we've got a great post today, including
a fantastic excerpt, a sexy trailer and a terrific giveaway! You can also check
out Karla's review, and from the looks of it, Rough Rider hit a soft
spot with her, she really enjoyed this read! So, take your time browsing the
post and then fill out the Rafflecopter for your chance to win one of 3 copies
of Slow Hand, the book that kicked
off this sexy cowboy series!
What it’s about
Two wary hearts …
Janice Combes has two loves, bucking bulls and Dirk Knowlton. But Dirk only has eyes for a dazzling rodeo queen. How can Janice ever compete while mired ankle-deep in manure? Exchanging playful banter with Dirk is all Janice can expect—until the stormy night he knocks on her door dripping wet and needing a place to crash.
Different Dreams…
Dirk Knowlton is living the cowboy dream. Life should be good—roping, branding, backing broncs, riding bulls, but there's a void he can't seem to fill. After getting hung up by a bull, he wonders if this is really the life he wants. Restless and rebellious, he bolts…but there’s a certain cowgirl he can’t forget.
When a battle-scarred Dirk returns to his Montana ranch he's determined to hang on at any cost. Janice has come back home to lick her own wounds. When old dreams turn to dust, can two wary hearts take another chance on love?
Janice Combes has two loves, bucking bulls and Dirk Knowlton. But Dirk only has eyes for a dazzling rodeo queen. How can Janice ever compete while mired ankle-deep in manure? Exchanging playful banter with Dirk is all Janice can expect—until the stormy night he knocks on her door dripping wet and needing a place to crash.
Different Dreams…
Dirk Knowlton is living the cowboy dream. Life should be good—roping, branding, backing broncs, riding bulls, but there's a void he can't seem to fill. After getting hung up by a bull, he wonders if this is really the life he wants. Restless and rebellious, he bolts…but there’s a certain cowgirl he can’t forget.
When a battle-scarred Dirk returns to his Montana ranch he's determined to hang on at any cost. Janice has come back home to lick her own wounds. When old dreams turn to dust, can two wary hearts take another chance on love?
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Excerpt
He looked abashed. “We didn’t just have to leave the party, we got kicked out of the hotel too.”
“Evicted from your room?”
“Yup. And there aren’t any others available in all of Casper.”
“I know,” she said. “It’s why I’m camped out here.” She paused to digest what he’d left unsaid. “So you and Rachel?”
He shook his head with a scowl “We’re done now. Quits.”
“You’re kidding.”
“Nope. History. Case closed.”
“It’ll blow over.”
“Don’t
think so. It was her idea to boot us. Said she didn’t give a shit if I
had a room tonight or not. Then I couldn’t even try finding anything
outside of town because my asshole brother took my keys so I wouldn’t
drive. My next move was to pilfer a blanket and pillow and camp out
under the stars in my truck bed, but then it started pouring on me.”
“So you came here. How’d you do that with no wheels?”
“Walked.”
“Three miles in the pouring rain? No wonder you look like something the cat dragged in.”
“Can I crash for a coupla hours? Maybe just camp out in the back seat of your dually? All I need is to get warm and dry again.”
Janice’s
mouth went dry as sawdust. Dirk Knowlton. Cold. Wet. Here. Now. Wanting
a bed? She’d give her right arm to warm him up. Heck yeah.
Misreading
her silence he mumbled a curse. “Sorry, Janice. It’s my damned head.
I’m not thinkin’ right. It’s still throbbing like hell. Haven’t been
myself all night. M’pologies for being such a dumb-ass and imposing on
you—” He turned to the door.
“No! Wait.
It’s not that.” She grabbed his sleeve. “I was just thinking of your
injuries. You don’t need to make matters worse by sleeping all cramped
up in the truck.” She gnawed her lower lip and then blurted. “Y-you
wanna just stay here instead?”
“Here?
That’s mighty generous but there isn’t a whole lot of room for both of
us.” He glanced up at the gooseneck with a frown. “If you’ll just gimme a
blanket, I’ll take the floor.”
“You
don’t need to do that,” she said. “The bench here flips down over the
table and converts into a single. It’s really narrow and not very
comfortable, but still better than the truck. Warmer anyway. Besides you
need to get dry.”
“You sure about this?” he asked.
“Yeah.” She smiled. “What are friends for? I’m sure I’ve got a shirt for you too.”
“Thanks, Red. That would be great.”
Red?
The single syllable rippled warm and tingly, all the way to her toes.
He followed up with a lopsided grin that stopped her in her tracks. She
turned to the small cabinet that served a dual function as dresser and
closet and shut her eyes on a sigh—but the same air stuck in her throat
the minute she turned back around.
He’d
shed the denim jacket. And the black tee. His bare torso with
well-developed pecs and a mouthwatering six pack greeted her. He was
drying his face with his discarded shirt. Janice tore her gaze away and
cleared her throat. “Here.” She thrust an extra-large Dixie Chicks
T-shirt into his hands, a souvenir from their Top of the World Tour.
“I—I can get you a towel too.”
He eyed the shirt skeptically. “No thanks.”
“What? You don’t like female musicians?”
“Don’t like their politics. Natalie should just shut up and sing.”
“Ah.”
She nodded slowly. The shirt was from the tour that caused the
“incident.” A lot of her friends had since thrown out their Dixie Chicks
CDs, but Janice still loved their music. “I Can Love You Better” was
her favorite. The lyrics, she’s got you wrapped up in her satin and lace. Tied around her little finger…but I can love you better,
perfectly summed up all the heartbreak and frustrations of unrequited
love; all her secret feelings for Dirk. She only wished she could show
him now that he was here. In the flesh. A big strong, blue-lipped and
teeth-chattering fantasy come true.
Karla’s Review
4.5 Stars! A strong, well written, enjoyable
second installment in this hot cowboy series !
I make no
qualms about the fact that I am a huge fan of this author's historical romance,
and truly believe that this genre is her "true calling", but after reading
Rough
Rider, it's easy to see that this talented author is capable of writing
just about anything.
Dirk was
not a character that endeared himself to me in Slow Hand, but knowing that his past was a tragic one, I allowed
him his bitterness and was curious to see what brought him to the point he was
at. Well, the way I see it, he earned his right to being angry, and once I got
to know him, I really came to care for him. Deep down he was a good man that
was handed a raw deal, and considering his physical disability, he really
manned up and didn't let it stop him from being a strong, capable cowboy. He
was determined to keep the ranch, and his ingenuity and the direction he wanted
to take, was an interesting concept.
I loved
Janice's resilience! Yes, she was a little naive when she was young, but she
was also a hardworking, determined young woman with a kind heart, and she
became an even stronger woman who literally took the "bull by the
horns" to provide for her family. No matter how many times she was beaten
down, she bounced back. She did what she thought was best when her life was
thrown into turmoil after finding out about her father's illness, and while it may have not been the right
choice at the time, her intentions were nothing but admirable. Unfortunately, Janice
had the wrong man by her side.
Dirk and
Janice got off to a rocky start when they were younger, for that matter not
much of start at all, but life handed them a second chance and it made me happy
to see them work through the obstacles that plagued them. Dirk was
apprehensive, and rightfully so, but it was Janice's strong will and her love
for him that made him realize he couldn't let life continue to pass him by. While
Janice might have seemed pushy, she was just what Dirk needed. He didn't need
someone to treat him like a broken man, but rather the brawny sexy cowboy that
he still was, and Janice made no bones about the fact that that's what he was
to her. She didn't want part of him, she wanted it all! They made a great
couple, complimented each other and I enjoyed their passionate journey!
There was a
particular element in the story that you see coming, really no revelation there,
but it was how the author handled it that surprised me. She took the welfare of
this young character into account and played out this part of the story out in
a very fitting way. Dirk and Wade also came
to terms with each other, which you know from Slow Hand, but you see why they were so angry, and how they resolved their concerns.
Victoria
Vane brings the plight of the ranchers into the storyline and gives an accurate
account of the issues they are dealing with. Family ranching is slowly becoming
a past way of life, and in order to continue on, keep the land they've owned
for generations, and pass it on to future generations, they have to change
their way of thinking and ranching in general. The author is very keen on
detail and these extra layers of storyline made for an interesting read!
Bottom
line, Rough Rider is one smooth read, Hot Cowboy Nights has staying power, and Victoria Vane is a force
to be reckoned with no matter the genre of romance she writes!
*A copy of the book was provided by the author via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review*
Connect with Victoria Vane
a Rafflecopter giveaway
Victoria Vane is a multiple award-winning romance novelist and history junkie whose collective works of fiction range from wildly comedic romps to emotionally compelling erotic romance. Victoria also writes historical fiction as Emery Lee and is the founder of Goodreads Romantic Historical Fiction Lovers and the Romantic Historical Lovers book review blog.
