Maggie Reads Romance

4,5 stars

I write this review with a double feeling: happiness about this being a truly fantastic Rough Rider book and sadness because it's the last one. Lorelei James's LONG HARD RIDE was the book that introduced me to erotic contemporary western romance and I'll will be forever grateful for finding her books and this genre. It was my gateway to erotic romance and to the many, many, many wonderful ebooks I've bought and read from Samhain Publishing.

COWBOY TAKE ME AWAY is a worthy final book of the series, even if I'd rather seen the series continue. This is the end of the McKay family Saga, a saga filled with love, pain, hapiness, grief, heat and sexiness, family issues and joy. The start of this book immediately put me on my toes! It wasn't was I was expecting after reading the cover copy. Then I caught on on what Lorelei James was doing and I was in awe! Though I dislike flashback narrative this is one of the best ways I've seen it done. I laughed, cried, fanned myself and when I finished I wanted Cal's and Charlie's stories too so secretly I'm hoping Lorelei James will decide to go on and write those stories too.

I loved how this book answered some unanswered questions I had after the 15 books I've read in this series and how it crossed the t's and dotted the i's in a fabulous way. I also loved the visits from Carson's nephews, son and daughters-in-law, sisters-in-law, kids and other family members...without spoiling I can't say much more about it but it was a brilliant move in the plot/story. It showed the family the McKays are. A family that hasn't always had it easy but are always there for each other.

Every book in this series has been fabulous. It's the only series I've read from start to finish and almost all the books as soon as they released. This last book was one of the best as it told a love story that spans over fifty years. So I got to see the courtship and the newlyweds and after that the HEA with the children, the family issues, the financial issues, the grand children. This isn't something you get often in Romance novels besides an epilogue here and there.

What the heck am I going to do without new Rough Rider books to look forward to? I'm sure there'll be a re-reading marathon of ALL the books in this series because many of the scenes reminded me of the previous couples' stories and made me long to read them all over again.


Memorable Scenes:
- the one at the lake and the picnic table > awesome scene that described Carson and Carolyn's blossoming feelings beautifully!
- the one in the rain after the drive-in > I LOVE sexy scenes in the rain and this one was fantastic!
- the one with the confrontation with Carolyn's brothers and father > awesome!
- the one with the wedding night > so super hot and sexy
- the one outside the Silver Spur, after Carolyn's fight > trademark LJ scorching scene
- the one with the rope > kinky Carson!
- the one where Carson takes care of the kids alone while Carolyn's away > I smiled, grinned, chuckled and laughed and laughed and laughed
- the last two chapters > I always cry at the end of a Rough Rider book but I don't think I've ever cried this much or this hard

Favorite Quotes:
As soon as they were fully clothed, Carson pulled her into his arms and just held her. No ravenous kisses, no roaming hands. His need for such simple contact with her sent her spiraling to the point of no return.
She knew then that she loved him. After less than a week.
It didn’t feel wrong. Or impulsive. It felt like she’d found where she belonged.

His lips grazed her ear. “I want you to feel my possession, Carolyn. So when you look back, you’ll remember this as the night you became mine in name and body.”

“Carson?”
“Promise me you’ll give me another chance.”
“I will.”
“Promise me you won’t leave me.”
“I won’t.”
“Tell me you still love me.”
“I still love you.”
That’s when he unfurled all that coiled male need. Pounding into her like a battering ram.

His gentleness was her undoing. His mouth moved over hers sweetly as he whispered promises against her lips. “I love you more than life itself. You don’t ever have to worry that I’ll stray. You own me; heart, soul, mind, body and cock. Forever.”

His solid body crushed her, filled her, moved her, owned her, destroyed her. As many times and as many ways as they’d made love, this was her favorite: face to face, mouth to mouth, eye to eye, heart to heart.