It’s funny how we as readers find ourselves either cheering on a character or they just rub us the wrong way. Well Dalton McKay had the latter effect on me after his less than insightful outburst in Cowboy Casanova, totally ill informed and righteous to boot. What I wasn’t prepared for how much my heart would break for this damaged, tortured soul when faced with the physical and emotional pain he had suffered at the hands of the person who should have loved and protected from harm. This story while one of the HOTTEST books I have read in this series is by far one of the most confronting as well. Dalton and Aurora are explosive in their voracious passion and insatiable lust; but while Dalton is trying to prove he has grown into the man who can love her forever, Rory is protecting her heart.Make sure you have some tissues at hand when you read this one cause you’re gonna need them!! Setting: fix-it house, McKay ranch, by the creek – especially the rock, places around town, the WNRC office, his strip of land of his own, on west side of family land, her cabin -Sundance, Wyoming; cabin Alder, Montana; Theme: growing up; finding oneself; finding each other, putting abuse of father behind him; trust;Characters:Dalton Patrick McKay: youngest of Casper’s son; the only one dad would whip with a leather strap; felt needed to live up to the McKay male name of bad-ass – fighting, sexing, etc; had been friends with Rory forever – she gets him… but he screwed that up, by , yeah, screwing her; when Addie, the good girl of town, showed an interest – and Rory gone on doctorate – and she told him she loved him, he took it as a sign, and asked him to marry him… but at the wedding, when it was time to say ‘I do’, he saw Rory, maid of honor, and he knew it was dishonest to marry her and he walked away… 5 days later, after various relatives and his best friend (Addie’s future husband) beat him up (which he took, because he believed he deserved it), his father comes to him (his cruel father who always looked for ways to break up his sons) and tells him that his mother left him for a week, slept with someone else, and 9 months later he was born – and not his son… icing on the cake, he left … and he realized that he didn’t have McKay shoes to fit in anymore, and he breaks ties – leaves home – after a goodby to his brother… and he learned about himself; he traveled around the world – and found out he could adapt, learned about women – even hiring a lesbian to teach him how to please a woman… he fell into gambling (even though first tourney he lost – that brothers see on tv – at the request of the management-not on tv – who traded his loss for management paying his way into the next dozen tourneys), and was successful; and he wisely invested his money, partnering with Sierra … and stopped gambling… and took up lumber jacking summers and elk hunting winters… and living quietly; and when he learns Rory is not engaged any more… and his brothers call him home because their father had a stroke… he goes… with the intention of winning Rory…Aurora ‘Rory’ Rose Wetzler: working for Wyoming Natural Resource Council; dog – Jingle; loved university life – took internships around the world – in resource management… and ended up back home, in a part time job because couldn’t find another job in her field; she has sworn off Dalton; Sierra McKay: Rowry’s step sister… the one Dalton kept in touch with, partnered up, kept up on family doings; Rory was an off limit topic though;Brandt / Jessie and Tell / Georgia: Dalton’s older brothers and their wives; they did not see how they allowed Dalton to be pushed out of their lives, as they took over the ranch, and Dalton not needed to be there… bewildered why he stayed away – and are greatly pained when they learn the truth of the physical abuse he suffered growing up – and how their father lied to him about not being a McKay… and they finally reconnect;Casper McKay: dad; drunk; mean; cruel; pre book he signed away his rights to the ranch ( with a yearly stipend), allowed wife to divorce him, and found God… his stroke brought Dalton home, but he glared at him when he came to visit… and Dalton decides not to see him anyway… he practically tells his brothers that they owe their father nothing… and he dies toward the end… a bit of bewilderment as Duncan doesn’t feel anything – not anger, not relief, etcAddie Voorhees / Trevor : Dalton’s exfiance and exbest friend… when he returns, he clears the air with them both, and is happy to find them happily married.Summary:A book of seduction…. Dalton is back, is his new self, and dedicated to prove to Rory that he is changed… which he does with kisses (even bully-kisses : ) and seduction (and hot steamy sex) and being friends….And bit by bit Rory begins to believe him… they are there for one another… they try to give each other space as needed…And Rory’s job puts her in the position of deciding if he will be selected on an experimental raising of elk on his land… which would keep him reconnected to his brothers (an application he put in thinking he’d have something to do with Rory staying there for her job)… or if he would give it up, to move to her to Missoula, her dream job, and to be with her…. Duhhh… he has the financial freedom to go wherever – and he wants to be with her… Memorable scenes:“His brothers wouldn’t understand why he’d chosen to redefine himself without his family’s influence. It’d been scary shit, being forced to do things on his own. No one telling him…He’d been one hundred percent in charge of every decision he made every day. ….It’d been overwhelming at first , especially in countries where he didn’t speak the language – he’d almost turned tail and run home, But he’d stuck it out. So he’d learned a few things about himself: he was adaptable. He was a self-starter – he could count the number of times he’d lazed in bed on one hand. It’d been easy to get up and starthis day when he hadn’t a clue what the day had in store for him.”“bully kiss”First date – 10 and 12 years old – ‘… you asked if we could touch tongues because you didn’t get how French kissing could be fun and not gross.’Second date – 18 and 20 years old – ‘ the night I so charmingly rid you of that pesky virginity..’Third date – college – ‘ when I drove you home from the gar and we ended up in bed’ (and he snuck out). (a second hookup – she didn’t let him sneak out and she beat him up – doesn’t count as fourth date)Fourth date – now – she came to his place for dinner – and a bit of kissing;Fifth date – dinner and dancing – now in an official relationship;
What do You think about Redneck Romeo (2013)?
One of my favorites in the series. Great winding down of the family's stories.
—jewel695
A quick, fun read. Just as good as the rest of the series!
—Mebook
Just okay... It was 65% before it got interesting.
—linysik
