Review: Branded As Trouble by Lorelei James

Branded As Trouble
Lorelei James {Blog | Myspace | Twitter}
Series: Rough Riders, #6
Publisher: Samhain Publishing
Published: March 3, 2009
Format: Kindle
Source: Personal Library
Genre: Erotica
Characters: India Ellison, Colt McKay
My Rating:

Heat Level: 4/5
Synopsis:

It’s hard to trust the future when you’ve been branded by the past.

As a walking advertisement for the tattoo shop she’s set up in a small Wyoming town, India Ellison is well acquainted with preconceived notions. Despite the odd looks and off-color comments about her off-color hair, life is good. She’s clean and sober, dotes on her sister’s kids and, best of all, spends most of her free time with her best buddy, cowboy Colt McKay.

Reformed bad boy Colt never expected three years of sobriety to lead to three years of abstinence. Curbing his craving for booze and random sexual encounters is nothing compared to the ever-increasing craving for his hot-tempered, hot-bodied best friend, India. Too bad she’s his A.A. sponsor. Too bad she hasn’t a clue that Colt’s been head-over-bootheels in love with her from day one.

After an unexpected, steamy interlude, all India can think about is riding the sexy cowboy instead of her motorcycle, even when Colt is determined to show her a slower ride is worth the wait.

Or are they risking their friendship for a fling that could burn them both?

In celebration of his first year of sobriety, Colt McKay climbed on the back of a bull and rode for a full eight seconds.

India has been Colt's AA sponsor and best friend for the past three years, but he feels more than friendship for her. It was interesting to watch their relationship turn into more than just two people trying to offer support to one another through their battle to stay sober.

Both India and Colt truly cared about one another even though they were not always open to admitting it to the other. It was as if they were concerned with scaring the other away. They did seem to have a lot of struggles with trust, but eventually seemed to get it together.

I could understand Colt's issue with trust because of the way his family treated him. I found myself angry with his brothers and father all on his behalf. Even though he cleaned up his act, they continued to treat him horribly. It made it understandable why he only let a few people in.

Colt and India's story was a great addition to the series; a definite must read. I've been a fan of Lorelei since reading book one of her Rough Rider series, and I will continue to be a fan with writing like hers.