Review: Needed more character development, but excellent sex scenes
Rating: 3 out of 5
Date: 12 19, 2013
Title:  * Ride a CowboyAuthor: Desiree HoltSeries: n/aGenre: Contemporary Western RomancePublisher: The Wild Rose Press, Inc.Format: ebookDate/Year: November 6, 2013Reviewed by: ElaineReads*This book was provided to me by the publisher for review.Summary from the publisher:Back In The SaddleWhen Molly Hayes' marriage fell apart, she ran home to Hayes Ranch to lick her wounds. What she really wants to lick is foreman Chance McDaniel, the star of all her erotic fantasies. But he had never given her the time of day. Why would he give her his nights?Kink is a mild term for the kind of sex Chance McDaniel enjoys. But he's learned the hard way not all women can handle his darker desires. He aches to give Molly the ride of her life but fears she'll shy away from his wilder ways.Will the past become a stumbling block or will both Molly and Chance, once wounded, climb back in the saddle?Eight Second RideJessie Wade is a tough as nails sheriff until bull rider Kyle Mitchell ends up in her jail. With his bone-melting good looks and seductive voice, he knocks Jessie's defenses down one by one and awakens the sensuous woman she's hidden beneath her uniform. But Jessie can't afford to be soft. Or allow herself to fall for a cowboy who's never in one town longer than it takes to ride a bull.Kyle never backs down from a challenge, but after a passionate night with Jessie, he realizes there's a hell of a woman behind the handcuffs and badge. Can Kyle convince Jessie he can take her for more than an eight-second ride?My Musings:This book contains two short novels which have nothing to do with each other.  I expected to find overlapping characters, but each book can be read independently.In Back in the Saddle, Molly Hayes has been in love/lust with Chance McDaniel since she was fifteen years old.  Even at nineteen, Chance knew Molly was off limits and never let her know that he wanted her as well.They both grow up, have disastrous marriages, and meet again after the divorces.And boy do the sparks fly when Chance finally makes his move on Molly.  Chance is into kink and that is what destroyed his first marriage.  He is afraid that he will lose Molly for the same reason, so he is understandably nervous about letting her know what he really wants.Molly, however, has her own dark fantasies and nothing Chance wants is too much for her.The sex scenes are excellent and very explicit.  Chance’s kinks are really not that extreme if you are a seasoned romance reader.  There is some bondage and mild spanking, but nothing that can really be classified as BDSM.  Chance likes toys and Molly really likes the toys he chooses.My only problem is there did not seem to be much character development.  I blame that on the length of the story.  The entire book is only 140 pages long.The second story, Eight Second Ride, is even shorter than the first and suffers from the same problem.  However, also like the first, there are excellent sex scenes which make it a worthwhile read.The two main characters Sheriff Jessie Wade and Kyle Mitchell are totally different personalities than Molly and Chance.  Jessie has her own kinks, but is forced to keep them secret because of her position as sheriff.  Kyle is a champion rodeo rider and all of his relationships are one night stands with buckle bunnies.They obviously have nothing in common, so of course, they end up in bed together.Jessie is just as assertive as Kyle in getting what she wants in bed.  As a matter of fact, she handcuffs him during their first encounter and controls their pleasure.  Of course, Kyle turns the tables on her which she enjoys just as much.The main obstacle to their relationship is Jessie’s fear of losing the respect of the town she protects.  It’s up to Kyle to convince her to take a chance.I don’t normally read short stories and these two titles are not much longer than that.  As such, they are quick reads, but the author packs a lot of heat into a little time.  For that alone, you should give them a try.One last concern: the second book had some editing errors.  They seemed to be confined to two or three pages.  Hopefully they have been corrected since my copy was released.Ratings:Overall: 3Sensuality level: 4.5 (light spanking and bondage)