Rocky Mountain Devil (Six Pack Ranch #10)
by Vivian Arend
Blurb:
The sweetest part of temptation is
giving in…
Raphael
(Angel) Coleman and Laurel Sitko were thick as thieves throughout their school
years. The unlikely friendship between the rancher’s son and the preacher’s
daughter might have gone unnoticed by most, but their shared laughter and
connection were the best parts of Rafe's life growing up. Now that she’s
returned to Rocky, he’s eager to move from friend to something far more
intimate.
After
three years away, Laurel’s ready to start over with the gorgeous cowboy who’s
always owned a piece of her heart. But when her college ex shows up in town,
she’s got a lot more to deal with than expected, including one suddenly
possessive cowboy determined to protect her even as he tutors her through every
sexual lesson in the book.
Desire
flares hotter and hotter through stolen moments and willing seduction. But when
tragedy strikes, Rafe’s left on shaky ground, his biggest fear now a reality
that could tear them apart and rip forever from their grasp.
Will
the connection forged by time be strong enough to see them through to the other
side?
Themes: contemporary,
erotica, cowboys
Rating: 4.5 stars
Heat Rating: 
Review:
Another cowboy bites the dust and the sexy
single Coleman’s are almost all claimed! Vivian Arend has taken us on an
amazing journey as the Coleman clan has grown up and one member after another
has fallen in love and found their soul mates.
Life hasn’t been easy for these cowboys and girls, but each of them has
found a way to prevail and prove that they are survivors. It becomes more
obvious with each installment of this series that this family is full of love,
laughter, and the strength to weather any storm. I have been a fan of this series since the
very beginning, including the spin-off Thompson’s series which was also great,
and while I am sure that other authors might have lost that spark by now, Arend
keeps my interest every time with the challenges she puts these couples (or
triads) through and the way she is able to bring them together despite all
odds. While I will say that you are
missing out on a great experience if you haven’t read other books in the series,
Rafe and Laurel’s story is wonderful all by its lonesome and I cannot recommend
it highly enough. If you are looking for
some sexy fun with a handsome cowboy and a bad girl hiding in a proper lady Rocky Mountain Devil is just the story you’ve been looking for. I cannot wait to read the next novel, which I
believe will be Jesse’s, and hopefully get more chances to see the Coleman’s in
action.
Rafe
has been in love with Laurel since he was six years old, even though he didn’t
know to give his emotions that name. She
was the other half of his life for all of his young life and when they both hit
an age where friendship wasn’t enough, they gave each other the chance to grow
and experience life. But now she is back
in Rocky Mountain House and no way is he going to give up the chance to have
her for his own. Laurel has returned
home, with a troubling past that she has kept to herself for years, but having
a chance at happiness with Rafe is what she’s always wanted. When her past comes back to bite her there is
no way she will let it keep her from being happy, but will she be able to share
with Rafe the pain she lives with each day? Then tragedy strikes for the
Coleman’s and the connection between these two longtime friends turned lovers
is tested to its limits.
I
loved every second of getting to know Rafe and Laurel. The hits of Rafe’s humor and silliness in
previous novels were slim, but it soon becomes obvious that he is a sweet
prankster, while also being a hard-working, sexy bad boy with a penchant for
naughtiness. Rafe is the kind of man
that could easily turn quiet and somber without the right woman to bring out
his sweet and playful side, having to deal with the bastard that is his father
and understanding that he’s not the same as his father. His flaws are just as interesting as his
virtues, but the best thing about him has to be his loyalty to the woman he
loves. When he is with Laurel, she is
the center of his attention and the most important person in any room, even
when she is busy with others. I enjoyed
seeing him falling in love with his best friend and learning to lean on her for
emotional support in times of stress and pain.
It’s obvious that Laurel is the perfect match for him in every way and
the one woman that could complete his soul.
Laurel herself is an enigma in a few ways; she is obviously well loved
and was once centered, but when her world was rocked by circumstances, she
never learned how to handle the trauma and lost faith. She is back in the world of her youth and
hides the darkness she experiences from everyone, pretending it never happened
instead of really dealing with her pain.
I was thrilled to see her standing up for herself when it came to Jeff,
but I wish she had shared her pain sooner with Rafe, which might have allowed
her to heal fully. But even with her own
issues, she was always there for Rafe, even when he attempted to push her away,
and her love for him is enough to heal them both. Her perky personality might have been
annoying if not for her mischievousness and naughty side balancing out the good
girl side of her nature.
I
loved every second of Rocky Mountain Devil, even when the story was bringing tears
to my eyes and making me think of my own issues, but honestly isn’t that what
makes a story great—that ability to draw on the readers’ emotions? Rafe and Laurel were a destined match in
every way, perfectly balancing one another in moments of crisis and quiet. Rafe is a sexy and challenging cowboy that
has spent most of his life hiding his solemn emotional side, trying to keep his
father from tearing him down. He has
grown a lot from the annoying little brother we met in Gabe’s story and seeing
him become a truly good man, despite his fears, is one of the good parts of
reading a long time series. Laurel has
always been the spirited adventurous girl, even though she has never gone too
far off course and remained the sweet girl that Rafe knew all his life. While she is certainly a good woman, she has
her wicked side too and that makes her a wonderfully rounded character. The love between them started out quietly, love between two longtime friends, but quickly heated up into the full-blown
passion that I expect from a Coleman and any woman that conquers his
heart. Seeing the two of them burning up
the town, the sexy cowboy and naughty librarian clichés notwithstanding, was
beyond stimulating and kept my attention every minute. I cannot wait to read Jesse’s story coming
soon and see him also find his place in the Coleman clan and see him fall for a
woman that will capture his heart and soul.
Arend’s skill with words is astounding to me and she is one of my
favorite authors. A sexy read with all the
tears, pain, and laughs that make a life worth living, Rocky Mountain Devil,
will take you through all the emotional turmoil of a truly loving relationship
that will obviously last forever.
Another stroke of genius for Vivian and great addition to any library.
*eARC provided by author for the
purpose of an honest and unbiased review.
No compensation was provided.
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