Check out the full review on Bookaholics Not-So-Anonymous.

Rough Rider is the second book in Victoria Vane's Hot Cowboy Nights series and shifts the spotlight on Dirk Knowlton, older brother of the first book's lead male character, Wade Knowlton, and Janice Combes. The first part of the story takes place about ten years from and then later fast forwards to merge with the events from book one, where both Dirk and Janice were introduced to readers, though Janice was more in passing while Dirk's rift with Wade had he coming off as somewhat of an ass. Being able to see the history between Dirk and Janice, making this a second chance romance, especially Dirk's life before he became a Marine and returned home a very different man, makes it easier to understand why he is the way he is presently. This book also brought the resolution I was waiting and hoping for between Dirk and Wade.

I was expecting something different when I started this book, based on the interest Janice showed in book one, and was surprised by how much of the back story was given. There's a twist in the story, one that I guessed, but what really had me raising my eyebrows was how it was revealed and the manner in which it was resolved, two things I appreciated because I didn't see either of them coming. Those three words I mentioned not being said by or between the main characters in book one weren't uttered here either. Maybe it's something that runs in the Knowlton family. Hehe. But I certainly don't doubt the love and affection that both Dirk and Wade have for the women in their lives and I still enjoyed Dirk and Janice's love story and their individual tales of survival while apart. Rough Rider gets four out of five stars. ♥

Rough Rider is the scorching hot second installment in Victoria Vane's Hot Cowboy Nights Series. This fast -paced romance is a wonderful mix of themes: it has a new adult-y vibe for the first part of the story but then it turns into a very heartwarming second chance at love story. Another fantastic thing about this novel is that it can stand alone for newcomers to the series while the missing pieces of the Knowlton brothers' troubled relationship are fully revealed to readers of Slow Hand.

When Rough Rider opens, Janice Combes and Dirk Knowlton are in their early twenties and both are busy following the rodeo circuit. Janice is a stock contractor and Dirk is a competitor in rough stock events (bronc and bull riding). Janice has been in love with Dirk for years, but since Dirk has been in a long term relationship with Rachel Carson for years, the two are just friends. A series of misunderstandings, lack of communication and impulsive decisions take both Janice and Dirk in very different directions, but when they are reunited after a ten year separation, will the couple finally get the chance to live happily ever after?

The years apart were not easy for either Janice or Dirk. Janice married a bull rider but theirs was not a happy marriage. Now widowed, she, along with her nine year old son, have returned to Montana. Since the family's ranch has mostly been sold to pay off debt, she is working as a waitress while trying to find a job on one of the area ranches. Dirk's time in the military has left mental and physical scars and he is locked in a fierce battle with his brother over the fate of their family's ranch. Janice and Dirk's first meeting does not end well, but they set aside their differences when Dirk offers Janice a part time job as a ranch hand. However, their professional relationship is quickly complicated by their simmering attraction and unresolved issues from their long ago past.

Rough Rider is an intense and emotional novel that is sure to delight readers of contemporary western romances. Victoria Vane brilliantly weaves past and present into a heartfelt and engaging love story that is realistic and quite touching. The Hot Cowboy Nights series is absolutely outstanding and one that I highly recommend to fans of this genre.

Wow! I got this one on NetGalley and although it is second in a series, I seriously recommend it, as well as the other book in this series (slow ride). These are both stand alone novels that revolve around different characters in these books.

This one was about Dirk and Janice. Dirk is the eldest Knowlton son and takes the term sexy cowboy to a whole new level.

Dirk and Janice's relationship first began when he was in the rodeo circuit and she was a ranch hand working the chutes. They had strong feelings for each other, but life happens and Janice ends up pregnant and married to Dirk's rival in the rodeo circuit and Dirk joins the marines.

Fast Forward 10 years later. Dirk has returned from has 2 tours over seas with half a leg and battle scars inside and out, and is trying to save his family ranch. Janice is trying to survive being a single mother after her husbands untimely death.

If you are in the mood for a hot cowboy romance, you won't be disappointed with this one!

I grabbed this when it was on sale because I heard it had more true details on Western living than most cowboy romances. It does, if you like the rodeo and want a behind-the-scenes look, this is great. HOWEVER it's also a NA title. The two leads are no more than 22 and they are young 22 year olds in many ways. The female lead is a barely-been-kissed goggly-eyed virgin. The male lead has been faithful to a girl who would not put out since high school.

And the male lead is a knee-jerk political conservative. Absolutely in favor of Bushes war in Iraq, no question.

I might be able to hold my nose and read about a conservative, but I have zero interest in such a very NA (really more like YA) couple.

So DNF at about 50 pages.

The author tried to fit way too much into this book. First there was the 10+ years the story spanned, without hints like "Five years later..." (although it was more or less clear that time had passed). Usually I don't mind a jump or two, but the story spent about half the time on what would probably be considered a prologue in other books.
Then there was the feeling that multiple back stories were taking place without a full explanation -- what had gone on in a particular marriage, what had gone on between two other people that made the H so hesitant to get involved.
Overall, it distracted from the relationship between the MCs, and that was a bummer.

4 cowboy stars!

Dirk was such an ass in the first book so naturally, I wanted to read his book. And boy, Dirk was definitely a character and his story with Janice was definitely more to my liking than Slow Hand. And the reason for that was I felt the connection between Janice and Dirk from the very beginning until the very end.

I wasn't annoyed with Janice too much. She definitely made some wrong decisions but she thought they were the right ones based on the facts or evidence she got. I couldn't blame her too much because she suffered too.

Dirk -- horrible name -- was broken physically and emotionally.It was great to see the juxtaposition of the pre-injury Dirk and then the post-injury Dirk. The difference is startling. Dirk became a different person after serving in Afghanistan. The war not only changed him physically but emotionally as well.

If you've read the first book, then you'd know the backstory between Dirk and Wade and the woman who came between them. I was afraid that Dirk was going to be hung on another woman, which is why he never got together with Janice. Well, Victoria definitely put my fears to rest. The Rachel angle wasn't played up at all. Yes, it was part of Dirk's history but that's just it. After a certain point, that relationship was relegated to the past. So I was happy with that.

Overall, I really enjoyed this book. I felt the connection between the two MCs. And I loved the whole second chance at love theme. I think Dirk and Janice wasted so many years and endured so many heartaches, but the HEA made it all worth it.


ARC provided by Sourcebooks Casablanca in exchange for an honest review.

Janice is twenty-one years old and chute boss for her family’s bucking bull’s business. The rodeo is a male dominated world and most women her age are trying to become the rodeo queen. Janice is at home on a ranch and a hard day of work is nothing she will hide from; what she will hide is her feelings for Dirk. She has known Dirk her whole life, but the rodeo collegiate champion is destined to marry the rodeo queen; he would never notice the chute boss – or would he?

Janice grew a lot as a character during this book. I will say I liked her a lot more at the end than at the beginning. Her life brought her confidence to be able to push back when Dirk needed her the most. Dirk had moments I really wanted to strangle him, but he was a solid cowboy throughout the entire book.

The plot of this book was very trying to me, it was long and in some points drawn out. I understand that Janice and Dirk’s history was crucial to their HEA, however I am wondering if it needed to be told in such detail. There were times I truly questioned if I was reading a romance book; as the path to Janice and Dirk acknowledging their feelings was long and at times I doubted it would happen.

Rough Rider is the second book in the series. I started it before reading the first book Slow Hand, and as I was reading I got the feeling I was missing something. So I stopped and started Slow Hand, and boy am I glad I did. I gained insight into Dirk that I never would have had, and I came to appreciate his brother Wade that much more too. Sometimes when you read a series it is okay if you read out of order – but with this series this is not the case. I can absolutely assure you that my rating for Rough Rider would have been lower had I not read book 1 first. Another thing that I appreciated and I think Victoria Vane did so well, we see a few of the same scenes in both books but from different character’s points of view – that was one of my favorite parts.

I will admit it was the cover that got me to request this book; and a scheduled blog hop stop at TBQ that prompted me to start reading the series – now I am anxiously waiting for the third book in the series.

I received this book from the publisher via NetGalley and this is my honest review.

My review - complete with quotes will appear on http://www.tbqsbookpalace.com/