Review of Turn and Burn (Blacktop Cowboys #5) by Lorelei James
Turn and Burn is the fifth book in the Blacktop Cowboys series.
Tanna Barker is a world champion barrel racer left adrift after her mother's death and ongoing recovery from an injury in a freak accident with a horse that left her terrified of them. Celia helps her land a temporary gig at the Split Rock Resort covering for maternity leave.
Dr. August "Fletch" Fletcher is the local veterinarian in Muddy Gap, Wyoming. After a no-names-allowed night of passion, he's obsessed with the mystery woman who snuck out in the dead of night. Then he spots Tanna at branding at Kyle and Celia's ranch. He's shocked she's in Muddy Gap.
No woman has ever withstood Fletch's on-the-road, odd-hours vet's life, and Tanna has been burned by too many love 'em and leave 'em cowboys. They seem to be the answers to each other's needs, but Tanna's time in Muddy Gap is limited. Fletch has to convince her that what they have is more than sex and Muddy Gap is where she belongs.
This is one of my favorites so far in the series. I really enjoyed Tanna's feisty nature combined with Fletch's need for control in the bedroom. There was just enough barrel racing and veterinary details to populate the novel, but not too much that it bogged down the narrative.
As usual, Ms James's descriptions and locations were on par. I could visualize the pieces of Muddy Gap in the novel, and they didn't conflict with descriptions in previous books. The residents of Muddy Gap that provide background to the story or pop up to give spice to the story are lovely. I especially like the Mud Lilies. Their night of drinking with Tanna was a bright spot in the novel and made me laugh.
The characters of Tanna and Fletch were vivid and fleshed out. Their feelings for each other were clear, and I wanted to shake them every time they didn't share. One of the reasons I really enjoy erotic romance is the focus on the couple and the way they feel. This was no exception.
The dialog was good, and the way Ms. James phrased the dialog and spelled words really let me hear them speak. The only issue I had was Tanna's Texas accent was nearly indistinguishable from the Muddy Gap natives' western drawl. There were times that Fletch was meant to be poking fun at Tanna's accent, but it wasn't discernable from his usual speech. That was my only issue with the novel.
A great addition to a fun, indulgent series.
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