Review of Wrapped and Strapped (Blacktop Cowboys #7) by Lorelei James

Wrapped and Strapped is the seventh book in the Blacktop Cowboys series.

Humanitarian Harlow Pratt and cattle foreman Hugh Pritchard have history. Once, they danced around each other while Harlow worked at the Split Rock Resort for a summer, but Hugh ran scared, and Harlow hit the road.

Three years later, Harlow's father has had a heart attack and surgery, and he intends to spend his recovery time at the Split Rock Resort to be near his daughter Tierney and her new baby, and Harlow follows to care for him.

With Harlow now back within reach, Hugh intends to show her he's different. But Harlow is a humanitarian and flits all over the world, even in some dangerous places, to help those in need. She always has itchy feet when home, and she only intends to stay at the Split Rock until her father has recuperated.

Hugh only has a short time to show her how life could be.

This isn't the first time Lorelei James has delved into opposites attract in this series, and here again she did it well.

At the beginning of the book, Hugh seemed like he had a bug up his butt. He was obsessed with Harlow but too scared to act even with her blatant invitations. That was before he messed it all up, and his job in making it right seemed like it would never work. But this is romance, so it always works even if it's difficult.

Harlow seemed at first like a spoiled rich girl who uses daddy's money to dive into projects instead of getting a job. Then I got to know her depth and complexity. She had tragedy in her past, more than one instance, and it complicates her life with both Hugh and her father.

The chemistry between Hugh and Harlow was not as hot and heavy as some of the other books in the series, and they didn't mesh quite as well. They were polar opposites, more than the other opposites attract couples in the series. But they found common ground, most of it between the sheets, and were able to pull some of that into life outside the bedroom.

The Split Rock features prominently in more books than I would have imagined when the resort was first discussed early in the series. Several books have taken place there, and it continues to be well described and vibrant. Hugh's cabin and Harlow's trailer weren't as clear, even though in the past the cabin was clear. Unfortunately, it's not good to rely on readers' remembrance of past books. We need a bit of a reminder, especially since our last view of the cabin was a few books back. The bar, Buckeye Joe's, continued to be a hot spot for the locals, and it's a jumpin' place, both in events and description. It's not as populated as the Split Rock, but enough that I can picture what happens there.

Descriptions of characters were good, and everything else, including action, was well done. It's another clear example of why I love Lorelei James's writing, as evidenced as this being my eleventh book of hers.

The dialog was great—not too cheesy and felt natural. I liked the differences between characters' accents, like how Harlow and her father spoke differently than the locals since they're from Chicago. Even Hugh spoke differently because he's originally from Kansas.

It was another great installment in a fun series.

Photo Credit Katherine Elizabeth

Stars Image Credit lovethenerddesigns