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Jackson Hole #1
Close Enough to Touch
For makeup artist Grace Barrett, Hollywood isn't the land of golden opportunity. It's the land of difficult divas, cheating boyfriends and unemployment. So when her great-aunt offers her a free place to stay in Jackson Hole, Grace thinks she'll spend a little time in the sticks to figure out her life, and then move somewhere exciting to live out her dreams. But it turns out that there are a few more thrills in this small town than Grace was expecting¡.
Cole Rawlins is a rugged Wyoming cowboy born and bred. Yet he can't help but be drawn to the fascinating big-city girl who moves in across from him. He wants to get close enough to Grace to see past her tough facade, but if he does, she might see the real Cole. The one with a Hollywood history gone bad. As they discover a sizzling attraction, it becomes harder for him to keep his demons at bay¡ªand those fires from long ago may burn them both.
They'll need more than scorching-hot passion to make this opposites-attract affair work. But if they can learn to trust one another enough to reveal their secrets, they just might have a chance at forever.
Cole Rawlins is a rugged Wyoming cowboy born and bred. Yet he can't help but be drawn to the fascinating big-city girl who moves in across from him. He wants to get close enough to Grace to see past her tough facade, but if he does, she might see the real Cole. The one with a Hollywood history gone bad. As they discover a sizzling attraction, it becomes harder for him to keep his demons at bay¡ªand those fires from long ago may burn them both.
They'll need more than scorching-hot passion to make this opposites-attract affair work. But if they can learn to trust one another enough to reveal their secrets, they just might have a chance at forever.
384 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published January 1, 2012
64 people are currently reading
2319 people want to read
About the author
Victoria Dahl
65?books1,995?followersI have my mother to thank for my passion for writing. My mom is an avid reader of popular fiction, and I began reading highly inappropriate books around the age of eleven, I think. (Thanks, Mom, for always leaving those delicious books strewn about!)
To Tempt a Scotsman, a Golden Heart winning historical, was my first published book. Here I am signing the cover! A Rake's Guide to Pleasure (which was excerpted at the back of Scotsman) is my second.
Due to my all-around goofiness, my agent suggested I also try my hand at a contemporary romantic comedy. Boy, is my agent smart! I had a great time writing Talk Me Down, the story of a young woman who goes back to her small hometown in Colorado and causes a huge stir with her secretive career and her burgeoning relationship with the chief of police. Not only did I have a great time writing it, but Tara Parsons at HQN liked it too! So if you like cold weather, hot sex and dirty jokes, be sure to check out Talk Me Down (out in January 2009).
Speaking of cold weather, my family and I live in a beautiful ski town in
Utah. No, I don't ski. I prefer to sit inside with a hot toddy and a good
book while the snow falls. It's especially beautiful to watch when from the inside!
I have a wonderful husband and children, and the house is kind of crowded, what with the dukes, Scotsmen, police chiefs, and naughty ladies running around, but my family is very understanding about my imaginary friends. Good thing, since they refuse to leave!
To Tempt a Scotsman, a Golden Heart winning historical, was my first published book. Here I am signing the cover! A Rake's Guide to Pleasure (which was excerpted at the back of Scotsman) is my second.
Due to my all-around goofiness, my agent suggested I also try my hand at a contemporary romantic comedy. Boy, is my agent smart! I had a great time writing Talk Me Down, the story of a young woman who goes back to her small hometown in Colorado and causes a huge stir with her secretive career and her burgeoning relationship with the chief of police. Not only did I have a great time writing it, but Tara Parsons at HQN liked it too! So if you like cold weather, hot sex and dirty jokes, be sure to check out Talk Me Down (out in January 2009).
Speaking of cold weather, my family and I live in a beautiful ski town in
Utah. No, I don't ski. I prefer to sit inside with a hot toddy and a good
book while the snow falls. It's especially beautiful to watch when from the inside!
I have a wonderful husband and children, and the house is kind of crowded, what with the dukes, Scotsmen, police chiefs, and naughty ladies running around, but my family is very understanding about my imaginary friends. Good thing, since they refuse to leave!
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 296 reviews
March 15, 2014
Well that's a disappointment. I have no clue how the author felt when she wrote this book, but I thought it was a very dark book, rather full of despair and negative thinking and little hope.
The heroine, Grace, survived very tough things growing up. I did not completely understand how low she could be at the beginning of the book, completely broke, with nothing but for a few clothes and a huge makeup box. She had been working for a few years and just had 6 months unemployment, while living with her previous boyfriend, so it seemed extreme. She was extremely insecure, frequently aggressive to anyone (well that's consistent) and totally lacking any ability to plan and organize her life. Even if she managed to touch me from time to time, then she had to behave awfully and ruin everything. Knowingly furthermore. Well I really did not like her much.
Her newly found boy-friend was not better. Still carrying a grudge and feeling insecure and guilty from what he had done for a few weeks 13 years before. And what he had done was not even that bad. He had not hurt even unwillingly anyone, just himself and his overinflated self-esteem. He also spent 9 months burying his head in the sand regarding his future, just bemoaning the past that will no longer be.
At least those two found each other right. But I consider them to be a couple of loosers, not very interesting to start with. Even the sliver of hope we can see at the end I did not like, because once more it came from outside and neither of them had worked/matured/learnt anything to bring themselves this hope.
By far, the book I liked least by Victoria Dahl and one I cannot recommend.
The heroine, Grace, survived very tough things growing up. I did not completely understand how low she could be at the beginning of the book, completely broke, with nothing but for a few clothes and a huge makeup box. She had been working for a few years and just had 6 months unemployment, while living with her previous boyfriend, so it seemed extreme. She was extremely insecure, frequently aggressive to anyone (well that's consistent) and totally lacking any ability to plan and organize her life. Even if she managed to touch me from time to time, then she had to behave awfully and ruin everything. Knowingly furthermore. Well I really did not like her much.
Her newly found boy-friend was not better. Still carrying a grudge and feeling insecure and guilty from what he had done for a few weeks 13 years before. And what he had done was not even that bad. He had not hurt even unwillingly anyone, just himself and his overinflated self-esteem. He also spent 9 months burying his head in the sand regarding his future, just bemoaning the past that will no longer be.
At least those two found each other right. But I consider them to be a couple of loosers, not very interesting to start with. Even the sliver of hope we can see at the end I did not like, because once more it came from outside and neither of them had worked/matured/learnt anything to bring themselves this hope.
By far, the book I liked least by Victoria Dahl and one I cannot recommend.
October 30, 2015
I loved Close Enough to Touch, both because I found the characters to be so compelling, and because the story was very touching!
August 19, 2012
I think the highest praise I can give Close Enough to Touch is that while reading it, I never thought about how common the "woman in trouble fleeing to a small town" theme is in romance these days. It's its own book.
Grace is a Hollywood make-up artist who's lost pretty much everything; all she has left is a cheap room in Jackson Hole, Wyoming, grudgingly offered by her bad-tempered great aunt. A great looking cowboy neighbor is an unexpected fringe benefit. But Grace and Cole's interest in each other is complicated by his ugly associations with all things Hollywood, and by the high walls Grace has built to protect herself from hurt.
There was a lot I enjoyed about this story. It's an unusually balanced depiction of a small town - believably mellow and friendly, but not ridiculously so. I also liked seeing a relationship that felt genuinely tempestuous, not just a lot of bickering. Both characters have serious issues. Cole is tormented by the possibility he'll have to give up the life he's planned for himself, because of a riding injury; Grace is well drawn as a person who has been desperately in need and deeply dreads being dependent on anyone again:
"She tried not to look in the mirror, not out of worry for what she looked like, but out of worry for what she'd see in her eyes. She used people. It was an ugly thing to see in oneself. That sometimes people were no more than shelter to her. No more meaningful than a roof and walls and a warm bed to wake up in. Not always, but often enough."
Though the issues are heavy, there's a lighthearted side to their relationship as well:
"Cole's door closed and suddenly he was opening hers. 'Come on, tough girl'
'Are you making fun of me?' she snapped.
'Absolutely not. Your whimpers of terror were the toughest I've ever heard.'
'Screw you,' she muttered, ignoring his hand to jump down from the truck.
'You're cute when you're grumpy.'
'You know, nobody knows I'm with you. I could kill you out here and just walk away.'"
My main problem with the book was that I just didn't feel any sexual chemistry between the Grace and Cole. There are a number of intense, passionate sex scenes and it would be great reading if I believed in their attraction, but it never came to life for me. So this remained a very readable story, with strong characters, but without much of a romantic punch.
Grace is a Hollywood make-up artist who's lost pretty much everything; all she has left is a cheap room in Jackson Hole, Wyoming, grudgingly offered by her bad-tempered great aunt. A great looking cowboy neighbor is an unexpected fringe benefit. But Grace and Cole's interest in each other is complicated by his ugly associations with all things Hollywood, and by the high walls Grace has built to protect herself from hurt.
There was a lot I enjoyed about this story. It's an unusually balanced depiction of a small town - believably mellow and friendly, but not ridiculously so. I also liked seeing a relationship that felt genuinely tempestuous, not just a lot of bickering. Both characters have serious issues. Cole is tormented by the possibility he'll have to give up the life he's planned for himself, because of a riding injury; Grace is well drawn as a person who has been desperately in need and deeply dreads being dependent on anyone again:
"She tried not to look in the mirror, not out of worry for what she looked like, but out of worry for what she'd see in her eyes. She used people. It was an ugly thing to see in oneself. That sometimes people were no more than shelter to her. No more meaningful than a roof and walls and a warm bed to wake up in. Not always, but often enough."
Though the issues are heavy, there's a lighthearted side to their relationship as well:
"Cole's door closed and suddenly he was opening hers. 'Come on, tough girl'
'Are you making fun of me?' she snapped.
'Absolutely not. Your whimpers of terror were the toughest I've ever heard.'
'Screw you,' she muttered, ignoring his hand to jump down from the truck.
'You're cute when you're grumpy.'
'You know, nobody knows I'm with you. I could kill you out here and just walk away.'"
My main problem with the book was that I just didn't feel any sexual chemistry between the Grace and Cole. There are a number of intense, passionate sex scenes and it would be great reading if I believed in their attraction, but it never came to life for me. So this remained a very readable story, with strong characters, but without much of a romantic punch.
September 20, 2012
Victoria Dahl's contemporaries are on my auto-read list, but this one missed the mark with me. The heroine is too bitter, too suspicious, and too whiny for too much of the book. Her problems are her own fault, but her attitude dares people to disapprove of her. When people give her the chance that she wants (but hardly deserves), she acts almost disappointed that her self-fulfilling prophecy didn't play out the way she expected. The only saving grace was the hero and some of the supporting characters. A very disappointing start to the new series.
August 28, 2012
I read this book and then let it sit for a few days before I wrote the review because I just couldn¡¯t figure out my feelings for this one. Victoria Dahl gives us a very prickly heroine. Grace is a make-up artist from Hollywood. After getting fired while on set of a movie, and then having a very bad break up with a boyfriend that literally leaves her penniless, she gets in the car and starts driving. She has a great aunt that lives in Jackson Hole, Wyoming who has an apartment that she is willing to let Grace stay in until she can figure out her life. Her goal is to work for a few weeks in Jackson Hole to get some money, and then continue on to Vancouver where she is hoping to find more markup artist work in the movie business. Having purple hair, she is not one to blend into the quaint, popular tourist town. Grace had a very bad childhood and for that reason has some major trust issues. She has a huge chip on her shoulder and pretty much feels everyone is out to get her.
After she moves in she meets her next door neighbor Cole Rawlins. Cole is a cowboy. He works on a ranch and one day hopes to buy the ranch himself, which has been his life long dream. He was injured a while ago, resulting in a very bad fracture of his leg and pelvis. He has been to extensive physical therapy. This frustrates him to no end, as all he wants to do is jump on a horse and resume his ranch duties. But he is not physically fit yet.
When Cole was younger, he met a famous actress and moved to California to be with her. This relationship ended badly, and Cole has a very bad memories of anything to do with Hollywood. I¡¯ll stop the summary here because I feel like this is one of the weakest parts of the book. It felt forced that Cole was in love with some gorgeous movie star. His personality just didn¡¯t feel like this would ever happen. Or maybe it just wasn¡¯t fleshed out well enough in the book. It felt more like he had this relationship, to cause conflict with Grace who happens to be in the movie industry. Cole is a charmer, and has that sexy cowboy drawl he uses to woo the ladies. I liked that about him. I liked hearing about his work on the ranch. He is intense and as usual, the author makes his sex scenes dirty. I actually liked Grace individually too. Yes, she is hard to like at first, but I think the author gives her a dark enough history that you can understand why she acts like that.
Unfortunately, the two of them together just didn¡¯t make sense to me. Just like I never felt like Cole would have been with the actress years ago (who we end up meeting in the book). I feel like him and Grace lacked chemistry. I guess it comes down to the fact that I liked the characters by themselves, I just didn¡¯t like them together.
I enjoy Victoria Dahl¡¯s work and she is a definite auto buy, but this one is probably my least favorite of hers.
Rating: C
After she moves in she meets her next door neighbor Cole Rawlins. Cole is a cowboy. He works on a ranch and one day hopes to buy the ranch himself, which has been his life long dream. He was injured a while ago, resulting in a very bad fracture of his leg and pelvis. He has been to extensive physical therapy. This frustrates him to no end, as all he wants to do is jump on a horse and resume his ranch duties. But he is not physically fit yet.
When Cole was younger, he met a famous actress and moved to California to be with her. This relationship ended badly, and Cole has a very bad memories of anything to do with Hollywood. I¡¯ll stop the summary here because I feel like this is one of the weakest parts of the book. It felt forced that Cole was in love with some gorgeous movie star. His personality just didn¡¯t feel like this would ever happen. Or maybe it just wasn¡¯t fleshed out well enough in the book. It felt more like he had this relationship, to cause conflict with Grace who happens to be in the movie industry. Cole is a charmer, and has that sexy cowboy drawl he uses to woo the ladies. I liked that about him. I liked hearing about his work on the ranch. He is intense and as usual, the author makes his sex scenes dirty. I actually liked Grace individually too. Yes, she is hard to like at first, but I think the author gives her a dark enough history that you can understand why she acts like that.
Unfortunately, the two of them together just didn¡¯t make sense to me. Just like I never felt like Cole would have been with the actress years ago (who we end up meeting in the book). I feel like him and Grace lacked chemistry. I guess it comes down to the fact that I liked the characters by themselves, I just didn¡¯t like them together.
I enjoy Victoria Dahl¡¯s work and she is a definite auto buy, but this one is probably my least favorite of hers.
Rating: C
January 20, 2016
3.5 Stars. A lot of good reviews already on the books for this one. I agree with them. I didn't feel Grace and Cole's connection like I wanted to. Yes, there were some hot love scenes, but at times I felt they just wanted to hurt one another. Grace go on my nerves with her constant thoughts of pushing people away. But parts of the book I did like enough that I am interested in the next story.
August 12, 2012
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4.5/5 Stars!
I really enjoyed Close Enough to Touch. If Victoria Dahl wasn't already an instant buy author for me, she just became one. This book is a touching, contemporary romance that I won't soon forget!
As soon as I read the synopsis for this novel, I knew I was going to enjoy it. While Close Enough to Touch is a bit heavier than the other books I've read by Ms. Dahl, it's just as addicting. Once I got into the novel, I couldn't put it down. The angst really is what made the book for me. The characters are realistic, the situations are heart-wrenching and the ending is so swoon-worthy that I still smile when thinking about it. This is where I release a happy sigh.
Grace Barrett is a hard, strong woman, who doesn't need anyone. All she needs is some money and a place to start over. When her great aunt Rayleen grudgingly offers her a tiny apartment, she jumps at the chance to get out of Los Angeles, even if it is to Wyoming. When she meets Cole Rawlins, she refuses to admit that he's affecting her plans. Cole is the definition of "swoon-worthy." He drives Grace (and of course, me) wild. I could read about him all day. Cowboys are my new favorite men. Who knew that cowboy hats, calloused hands and rough southern accents could be so attractive? Well¡ All of us knew, but Cole gives me a new longing for my own. I need one, guys. N-e-e-d.
The story makes your heart ache not just for Grace, but for Cole, too. They both have troubled pasts that you don't really know all of the details to until well into the story. There are so many notes in my book that say things like, "WHAT IS GOING ON WITH THESE TWO?" and "I NEED TO KNOW MORE. THEY NEED TO BE HAPPY. OMG, WHAT IS THIS LIFE?" The suspense only added to the book. It'll make you want to read faster, then before you know it, the book is over and you are grinning and snuggling with the book. ¡No? Just me? Okay.
The minor characters are fun, too. I hated to love Aunt Rayleen. She's much like Grace is very shut off from people. You can tell that their hard personalities are a genetic trait! I really warmed up to her in the end, though. I wanted her to get her happy ending as much as I wanted it for Grace. I really enjoyed Eve and Jenny's roles in this novel. They are great secondary characters. Grace is lucky to have made such great friends. My least favorite characters in this book were Willa, the Pill-a (I just made a great pun, don't judge), and Madeline, the skank... erm... I mean... Madeline the woman who needs to go away forever. Of course, the author means for you to hate them. I literally growled out loud when they were mentioned in the story. If I was in the book, I would dropkicked them in the face. EVIL WOMEN. EVIL, EVIL WOMEN.
Though the cover doesn't clearly depict it, this is definitely a western romance. Now, I haven't read a lot of modern western romances and the ones that I have read haven't left a lasting impression, but this novel is different. I loved Close Enough to Touch from start to end. I hope Ms. Dahl continues to write stories like these. All the time. And gives them to me. All of them. I recommend this to fans of Victoria Dahl fans and contemporary romance lovers of all kinds! This satisfied by itch for a fun, sometimes angsty romance! I wish it hadn't ended so soon!
*I just found out there will be another book in this series and a related novella that will be released next year. YES, MY PRAYERS HAVE BEEN ANSWERED!
I received a copy of this novel from the publisher via Netgalley.
4.5/5 Stars!
I really enjoyed Close Enough to Touch. If Victoria Dahl wasn't already an instant buy author for me, she just became one. This book is a touching, contemporary romance that I won't soon forget!
As soon as I read the synopsis for this novel, I knew I was going to enjoy it. While Close Enough to Touch is a bit heavier than the other books I've read by Ms. Dahl, it's just as addicting. Once I got into the novel, I couldn't put it down. The angst really is what made the book for me. The characters are realistic, the situations are heart-wrenching and the ending is so swoon-worthy that I still smile when thinking about it. This is where I release a happy sigh.
Grace Barrett is a hard, strong woman, who doesn't need anyone. All she needs is some money and a place to start over. When her great aunt Rayleen grudgingly offers her a tiny apartment, she jumps at the chance to get out of Los Angeles, even if it is to Wyoming. When she meets Cole Rawlins, she refuses to admit that he's affecting her plans. Cole is the definition of "swoon-worthy." He drives Grace (and of course, me) wild. I could read about him all day. Cowboys are my new favorite men. Who knew that cowboy hats, calloused hands and rough southern accents could be so attractive? Well¡ All of us knew, but Cole gives me a new longing for my own. I need one, guys. N-e-e-d.
The story makes your heart ache not just for Grace, but for Cole, too. They both have troubled pasts that you don't really know all of the details to until well into the story. There are so many notes in my book that say things like, "WHAT IS GOING ON WITH THESE TWO?" and "I NEED TO KNOW MORE. THEY NEED TO BE HAPPY. OMG, WHAT IS THIS LIFE?" The suspense only added to the book. It'll make you want to read faster, then before you know it, the book is over and you are grinning and snuggling with the book. ¡No? Just me? Okay.
The minor characters are fun, too. I hated to love Aunt Rayleen. She's much like Grace is very shut off from people. You can tell that their hard personalities are a genetic trait! I really warmed up to her in the end, though. I wanted her to get her happy ending as much as I wanted it for Grace. I really enjoyed Eve and Jenny's roles in this novel. They are great secondary characters. Grace is lucky to have made such great friends. My least favorite characters in this book were Willa, the Pill-a (I just made a great pun, don't judge), and Madeline, the skank... erm... I mean... Madeline the woman who needs to go away forever. Of course, the author means for you to hate them. I literally growled out loud when they were mentioned in the story. If I was in the book, I would dropkicked them in the face. EVIL WOMEN. EVIL, EVIL WOMEN.
Though the cover doesn't clearly depict it, this is definitely a western romance. Now, I haven't read a lot of modern western romances and the ones that I have read haven't left a lasting impression, but this novel is different. I loved Close Enough to Touch from start to end. I hope Ms. Dahl continues to write stories like these. All the time. And gives them to me. All of them. I recommend this to fans of Victoria Dahl fans and contemporary romance lovers of all kinds! This satisfied by itch for a fun, sometimes angsty romance! I wish it hadn't ended so soon!
*I just found out there will be another book in this series and a related novella that will be released next year. YES, MY PRAYERS HAVE BEEN ANSWERED!
I received a copy of this novel from the publisher via Netgalley.
August 27, 2012
Review posted:
Blog rating: 2.5/5
Make-up artist Grace is down to her last dollar, as she rolls into Jackson Hole on a bus to stay at an apartment in a building own by her great Aunt. She¡¯s running from L.A. and a bad situation that found her accused of theft, being fired for speaking up against an abuser and kicked out of her boyfriend¡¯s house. Grace has had a rough life even before all of this. She had to survive on the streets, pull herself up from nothing to make a career for herself and she knows that now she has to do it again. She¡¯s planning a small stop over in Jackson Hole for a few weeks to get her feet under her before moving on to Vancouver and another movie set where she can continue to do make-up for the rich and famous. Grace moves into the apartment and comes face to face with her neighbor, Cole.
Cole is a cowboy recovering from an injury that may mean he¡¯s never able to ride a horse again. Hard to own and run a ranch, which is what he had hoped to do in the future, when you can¡¯t ride. He¡¯s still recovering and is intrigued by his new neighbor, a woman who doesn¡¯t make a peep next door, who doesn¡¯t have any furniture and who has purple hair. She stands out in this small town and he starts to slowly get to know her, offering her coffee, breakfast, small things to spend a little time with her. But when a production company for a movie rolls into town and Grace, working in her new job as an assistant to Eve, a local photographer who¡¯s the main contact for the movie¡¯s production crew, sets them up at the ranch Cole works out, he¡¯s livid that she would bring the exact world he had escaped thirteen years ago in L.A. to his front door.
From the start, Cole and Grace have a romance that was hard for me to get into. They¡¯re both hard people, dealing with past issues that are still influencing how they¡¯re living their lives today. They ultimately decide to sleep together, no strings attached, and there¡¯s very little emotion involved. Grace wants it that way, Cole seems to want more, but he ends up just giving Grace what she wants, which is to use each other and walk away. The hardest thing for me about this relationship was I never got the feeling that these two actually cared about each other. Sure, they have sort of a happy ending, but the lack of emotion left me having no connection to these two as a couple.
Grace has a hard time letting people get close, but she does start to make friends with her boss Eve, and the bartender who works next door to Grace¡¯s apartment, Jenny. They have a fun girl¡¯s night out scene that brought a little humor into the story, but that spark was missing throughout the rest of the book. I do want to know more about Eve though. She¡¯s a reserved character, but it¡¯s mentioned a few times that Grace could see something in her expression or in her eyes; I think there¡¯s more to Eve¡¯s past than she let on, and I¡¯m curious.
The romance was a miss for me in this one. I liked seeing Grace finally let her guard down at the end and find a place to settle, to belong and let herself love and be loved. It just came a little too late. The humor and fun that I always enjoy in Victoria Dahl¡¯s books was missing and it just needed that extra oomph to get me into the story. Individually, Cole¡¯s struggle to figure out what direction his life needs to go in if he can¡¯t ride again and Grace¡¯s struggle to distance herself from her past and start new were interesting journeys, but their romance left me disappointed.
Blog rating: 2.5/5
Make-up artist Grace is down to her last dollar, as she rolls into Jackson Hole on a bus to stay at an apartment in a building own by her great Aunt. She¡¯s running from L.A. and a bad situation that found her accused of theft, being fired for speaking up against an abuser and kicked out of her boyfriend¡¯s house. Grace has had a rough life even before all of this. She had to survive on the streets, pull herself up from nothing to make a career for herself and she knows that now she has to do it again. She¡¯s planning a small stop over in Jackson Hole for a few weeks to get her feet under her before moving on to Vancouver and another movie set where she can continue to do make-up for the rich and famous. Grace moves into the apartment and comes face to face with her neighbor, Cole.
Cole is a cowboy recovering from an injury that may mean he¡¯s never able to ride a horse again. Hard to own and run a ranch, which is what he had hoped to do in the future, when you can¡¯t ride. He¡¯s still recovering and is intrigued by his new neighbor, a woman who doesn¡¯t make a peep next door, who doesn¡¯t have any furniture and who has purple hair. She stands out in this small town and he starts to slowly get to know her, offering her coffee, breakfast, small things to spend a little time with her. But when a production company for a movie rolls into town and Grace, working in her new job as an assistant to Eve, a local photographer who¡¯s the main contact for the movie¡¯s production crew, sets them up at the ranch Cole works out, he¡¯s livid that she would bring the exact world he had escaped thirteen years ago in L.A. to his front door.
From the start, Cole and Grace have a romance that was hard for me to get into. They¡¯re both hard people, dealing with past issues that are still influencing how they¡¯re living their lives today. They ultimately decide to sleep together, no strings attached, and there¡¯s very little emotion involved. Grace wants it that way, Cole seems to want more, but he ends up just giving Grace what she wants, which is to use each other and walk away. The hardest thing for me about this relationship was I never got the feeling that these two actually cared about each other. Sure, they have sort of a happy ending, but the lack of emotion left me having no connection to these two as a couple.
Grace has a hard time letting people get close, but she does start to make friends with her boss Eve, and the bartender who works next door to Grace¡¯s apartment, Jenny. They have a fun girl¡¯s night out scene that brought a little humor into the story, but that spark was missing throughout the rest of the book. I do want to know more about Eve though. She¡¯s a reserved character, but it¡¯s mentioned a few times that Grace could see something in her expression or in her eyes; I think there¡¯s more to Eve¡¯s past than she let on, and I¡¯m curious.
The romance was a miss for me in this one. I liked seeing Grace finally let her guard down at the end and find a place to settle, to belong and let herself love and be loved. It just came a little too late. The humor and fun that I always enjoy in Victoria Dahl¡¯s books was missing and it just needed that extra oomph to get me into the story. Individually, Cole¡¯s struggle to figure out what direction his life needs to go in if he can¡¯t ride again and Grace¡¯s struggle to distance herself from her past and start new were interesting journeys, but their romance left me disappointed.
December 8, 2019
Grace sedang dlm keadaan terpuruk ketika dia memutuskan pergi ke Jackson Hole. Disanalah dia bertemu dgn Cole, koboi Wyoming yg bercita-cita membeli peternakan tetapi sedang terkendala akibat cedera pinggul dan pahanya. Grace sendiri dituding mencuri, dipecat dgn memalukan sbg penata rias di Hollywood. Bertemu dan bercinta dgn Cole tidak membuat keadaan membaik bagi Grace. Apalagi ternyata Grace bekerja secara tidak langsung dgn Madeline, mantan pacar Cole 13 thn yg lalu.
Sebenarnya saya bingung nih novel mau mengetengahkan tema apa gitu. Kebanyakan hal-hal yg disinggung diulang-ulang. Saya tahu galaunya Cole akan ketidakpastian masa depannya, dia begitu menginginkan peternakan Easy, tetapi takut tidak bisa menjalankannya krn cederanya. Saya juga tahu betapa kesal dan kecewanya Grace dgn tuduhan-tuduhan yg dialamatkan pd dirinya, puncaknya adalah saat dirinya ditangkap di depan penduduk Jackson Hole. Tetapi saya gak mengerti kekesalan Grace pd Cole dan sebaliknya. Saya merasa chemistry Grace dan Cole tidak sekuat yg ditampilkan (di luar adegan uhuk-uhuk yg panas, mereka seperti cuma berbagi kebutuhan biologis), dan mereka berdua galau dgn apa yg akan dilakukan ke depannya.
Mungkin kalau buku ini lebih diedit dan lebih dieksplor perasaan mereka satu sama lain, akan jauh lebih baik. Banyak hal-hal yg menurut saya gak penting, ditulis panjang lebar sehingga memanjang-manjangkan cerita doang.
Sebenarnya saya bingung nih novel mau mengetengahkan tema apa gitu. Kebanyakan hal-hal yg disinggung diulang-ulang. Saya tahu galaunya Cole akan ketidakpastian masa depannya, dia begitu menginginkan peternakan Easy, tetapi takut tidak bisa menjalankannya krn cederanya. Saya juga tahu betapa kesal dan kecewanya Grace dgn tuduhan-tuduhan yg dialamatkan pd dirinya, puncaknya adalah saat dirinya ditangkap di depan penduduk Jackson Hole. Tetapi saya gak mengerti kekesalan Grace pd Cole dan sebaliknya. Saya merasa chemistry Grace dan Cole tidak sekuat yg ditampilkan (di luar adegan uhuk-uhuk yg panas, mereka seperti cuma berbagi kebutuhan biologis), dan mereka berdua galau dgn apa yg akan dilakukan ke depannya.
Mungkin kalau buku ini lebih diedit dan lebih dieksplor perasaan mereka satu sama lain, akan jauh lebih baik. Banyak hal-hal yg menurut saya gak penting, ditulis panjang lebar sehingga memanjang-manjangkan cerita doang.
September 6, 2012
Victoria Dahl is one of my favorite contemporary authors. was a great example of using a nontraditional hero (one who is covered with tattoos) and heroine (one who is very attracted to the burly, brawny, biker type. I really need to re-read that book).
This book is the same. Grace Barrett is a makeup artist, one with purple hair (as we are reminded about over and over in most of the advertising for this book.) She's running away from Hollywood and her troubles there. Cole Rawlins is a cowboy who was also part of the Hollywood scene; he also ran.
And that's my trouble with this book. I didn't connect with eithe Cole or Grace. In fact, for three-quarters of the book, I absolutely disliked Grace. We don't get any explanation for her actions until the end. I wondered if I was suffering from not allowing the heroine the same latitude I might give a grumpy hero, something ( from Smart Bitches Trashy books discusses. However, I would have given Grace that same latitude had I known her situation earlier in the book. As it was, I only finished the book because it was an ARC from NetGalley. And I'm glad I did. Victoria Dahl is a skilled wordsmith and writes hot, hot sex scenes (not always to my taste, but I know they're well-written.)
My other big issue with the book is the description of Jackson Hole. I should know better by now than to read books about local places, because, while I can suspend disbelief for most other things, it's hard for me to reconcile the Jackson in the book with the one that I know.
This book is the same. Grace Barrett is a makeup artist, one with purple hair (as we are reminded about over and over in most of the advertising for this book.) She's running away from Hollywood and her troubles there. Cole Rawlins is a cowboy who was also part of the Hollywood scene; he also ran.
And that's my trouble with this book. I didn't connect with eithe Cole or Grace. In fact, for three-quarters of the book, I absolutely disliked Grace. We don't get any explanation for her actions until the end. I wondered if I was suffering from not allowing the heroine the same latitude I might give a grumpy hero, something ( from Smart Bitches Trashy books discusses. However, I would have given Grace that same latitude had I known her situation earlier in the book. As it was, I only finished the book because it was an ARC from NetGalley. And I'm glad I did. Victoria Dahl is a skilled wordsmith and writes hot, hot sex scenes (not always to my taste, but I know they're well-written.)
My other big issue with the book is the description of Jackson Hole. I should know better by now than to read books about local places, because, while I can suspend disbelief for most other things, it's hard for me to reconcile the Jackson in the book with the one that I know.
January 23, 2015
So, apparently no one likes this book because it¡¯s darker than the standard contemporary romance novel. Not particularly dark for an urban fantasy reader, but too dark for the fluffy contemporary romance world.
This is exactly why I liked it. I read this series out of order and this is far better than the others. Frankly, I would suggest just reading this one and skipping the rest.
Cole and Grace have both been burned by people in their past. Grace has learned that the best way to protect herself is to be tough, keep people at arms length, use people when necessary, and run away. If that makes her bitter and unlikeable, so be it. I don¡¯t really have a problem with a bitter prickly heroine.
Instead of the standard contemporary romance insta-chemistry sex, the sex scenes have a bit of a power struggle with both participants trying to get what they want without giving up anything of themselves. I liked this so much better than the traditional contemporary romance version of sex. ¡°We had sex once. Now, we¡¯re passionately in love and getting married and having babies.¡±
I didn¡¯t really like the whole Hollywood in Wyoming part of the story, but it didn¡¯t stop me from enjoying the book.
****PS: Let the record show that my purple hair is not to keep people away. It¡¯s simply because I like purple in my hair and pink does NOT go well with my skin tone. :-) ****
This is exactly why I liked it. I read this series out of order and this is far better than the others. Frankly, I would suggest just reading this one and skipping the rest.
Cole and Grace have both been burned by people in their past. Grace has learned that the best way to protect herself is to be tough, keep people at arms length, use people when necessary, and run away. If that makes her bitter and unlikeable, so be it. I don¡¯t really have a problem with a bitter prickly heroine.
Instead of the standard contemporary romance insta-chemistry sex, the sex scenes have a bit of a power struggle with both participants trying to get what they want without giving up anything of themselves. I liked this so much better than the traditional contemporary romance version of sex. ¡°We had sex once. Now, we¡¯re passionately in love and getting married and having babies.¡±
I didn¡¯t really like the whole Hollywood in Wyoming part of the story, but it didn¡¯t stop me from enjoying the book.
****PS: Let the record show that my purple hair is not to keep people away. It¡¯s simply because I like purple in my hair and pink does NOT go well with my skin tone. :-) ****
July 30, 2012
Was very lucky to get a look at this when my friend Abby Green picked up a copy from Victoria Dahl at RWA book-signing... Then couldn't put it down. Read it cover to cover in 24 hours and can honestly say it's one of my favourite Victoria Dahl's now. Adored the crisp clean Jackson Hole Wyoming setting (who knew there was a difference between Elk and Deer... Not me!). Also fell totally in love with her big sexy and tortured cowboy hero Cole Rawlins, whose weakness for bad girls leads to a fling with new neighbour Grace Barrett, a prickly, down-on-her-luck makeup artist with purple hair and a tatoo.. Grace is running away from her soul-destroying past in LA, and Cole too is licking his wounds after a disastrous fling ten years before with a Hollywood diva. When the movie people come back to town both their pasts are gonna come chasing after them though - and suddenly Grace is faced with letting Cole see the soft heart behind all those rough edges and Cole finds himself falling in love for real this time. And, just in case you were wondering, the sex scenes are seriously scalding too. In fact, I'm still fanning myself here!
July 26, 2012
Plot summary:
Grumpy character being grumpy.
Nice character being inexplicably nice to grumpy character.
SEX SEX SEX that made no sense for either's character development.
Rinse and Repeat.
I am not a huge fan of her books like some folks are, but I liked her book with the guy who blew stuff up for a living and the one with the cop and the sassy writer--both had great character development and great wit. This one just didn't work at all for me--I think if your intent is just to enjoy the sex scenes, then you'll like it, but otherwise, the story falls flat.
Grumpy character being grumpy.
Nice character being inexplicably nice to grumpy character.
SEX SEX SEX that made no sense for either's character development.
Rinse and Repeat.
I am not a huge fan of her books like some folks are, but I liked her book with the guy who blew stuff up for a living and the one with the cop and the sassy writer--both had great character development and great wit. This one just didn't work at all for me--I think if your intent is just to enjoy the sex scenes, then you'll like it, but otherwise, the story falls flat.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
January 21, 2013
Eh.
2.5 stars
It's readable, but not something I would go around recommending to friends.
Also, I'm really behind on my reviews, so this is gonna be short.
Nutshell review:
Grace has purple hair and a rough life story.
After leaving L.A. because of a bad breakup she ends up in Wyoming.
Cole is a cowboy who (maybe) won't ever be able to ride a horse again. He had a bad experience in L.A. over ten years ago.
Can these crazy kids overcome it all and fall in love?
Duh.
It's a romance novel.
2.5 stars
It's readable, but not something I would go around recommending to friends.
Also, I'm really behind on my reviews, so this is gonna be short.
Nutshell review:
Grace has purple hair and a rough life story.
After leaving L.A. because of a bad breakup she ends up in Wyoming.
Cole is a cowboy who (maybe) won't ever be able to ride a horse again. He had a bad experience in L.A. over ten years ago.
Can these crazy kids overcome it all and fall in love?
Duh.
It's a romance novel.
January 4, 2019
Empieza siendo un poco previsible...chica problem¨¢tica llega a pueblo peque?o con vaquero incluido. pero cuando te das cuenta la trama ya se ha vuelto sugestiva. La historia de cada uno toma fuerza en el argumento: sus vidas complicadas los hacen una pareja perfecta....Se adivinan las historias de las dos amigas.
Read
July 5, 2012Cowboy, take me awaaaaaay.
October 30, 2015
*4.5 Stars*
Fan-freaking-tastic!
Full review coming...
Fan-freaking-tastic!
Full review coming...
July 18, 2012
"Close Enough to Touch" is an adequate start to a new series by Victoria Dahl. I was eagerly anticipating this book as a start to a new series, and being set in Jackson, Wyoming.
Grace Barrett is a makeup artist from LA that moves to Jackson when she is fired from her current job. With no money and no place to stay she accepts her great aunt's invitation to a free apartment in a building that Rayleen owns, right next door to her bar. Rayleen is a fun, crabby, and somewhat eccentric lady. She only likes to rent her apartments to men because they are easier to deal with as tenants and are easy on the eyes too.
Grace has had a hard life, as a runaway she lived on the streets doing what was necessary to survive. She picked herself up and found a talent that she was good at. Unfortunately she later met a guy who pushed her to do more prestigious jobs in the industry. She wasn't happy and eventually left. There is a misunderstanding between the two ex-lovers concerning money and this prompts Grace to run to Jackson. Running is something that Grace has always done from Her problems.
Convinced she is staying just for a short while until she can get money together for a job in Vancouver, Grace sets out to find a new job. She does through a local photographer that also is working as a scout on a new cowboys and aliens movie. The first person Grace meets is her neighbor and cowboy, Cole Rawlins.
Cole is a foreman at a ranch near by, but suffering from an accident, he is put in limbo with the direction he wants his life to go. Trying to heal and work part time is driving him crazy. He wants nothing more to go back to work full time and eventually buy the ranch outright where he is working. Grace, just happens to be a nice distraction from his problems. The two are just acquaintances but decide to become friends with benefits. Dahl's love scenes are steamy, but this reader never felt a connection between Grace and Cole. Maybe because there was no sort of commitment. Anything physical shared, seemed hollow.
Cole's past meets up with him, he did get sucked into the Hollywood lifestyle briefly and hated himself for it. A person from his past returns and Cole is furious. He takes it out on Grace. There are lots of misunderstandings between these two. They are quick to anger, and are not very mature about it. This is consistent for both the hero and the heroine through out the book.
Cole learns that sometimes you get exactly what you need from life even when there are so many obstacles in your way. He learns to let go of past guilt and focus on the future. Grace learns not to run away, and to truly allow herself to soften up and not be scared of what she wants emotionally. These to characters are redeemable in the end.
I recommend this contemporary romance to fans of the author with a caveat, readers looking for Dahl's trademark wit will not find it in this book. There was a more serious tone to this book, but more love scenes between the hero and heroine. The pacing was extremely slow throughout the book and I would have loved an epilogue. There is an HEA but not until the very end of the book. I just hope the next book in the series will let readers see a glimpse of Cole and Grace together. I am interested in reading the next book.
*This book was provided to me by Harlequin through NetGalley.
Grace Barrett is a makeup artist from LA that moves to Jackson when she is fired from her current job. With no money and no place to stay she accepts her great aunt's invitation to a free apartment in a building that Rayleen owns, right next door to her bar. Rayleen is a fun, crabby, and somewhat eccentric lady. She only likes to rent her apartments to men because they are easier to deal with as tenants and are easy on the eyes too.
Grace has had a hard life, as a runaway she lived on the streets doing what was necessary to survive. She picked herself up and found a talent that she was good at. Unfortunately she later met a guy who pushed her to do more prestigious jobs in the industry. She wasn't happy and eventually left. There is a misunderstanding between the two ex-lovers concerning money and this prompts Grace to run to Jackson. Running is something that Grace has always done from Her problems.
Convinced she is staying just for a short while until she can get money together for a job in Vancouver, Grace sets out to find a new job. She does through a local photographer that also is working as a scout on a new cowboys and aliens movie. The first person Grace meets is her neighbor and cowboy, Cole Rawlins.
Cole is a foreman at a ranch near by, but suffering from an accident, he is put in limbo with the direction he wants his life to go. Trying to heal and work part time is driving him crazy. He wants nothing more to go back to work full time and eventually buy the ranch outright where he is working. Grace, just happens to be a nice distraction from his problems. The two are just acquaintances but decide to become friends with benefits. Dahl's love scenes are steamy, but this reader never felt a connection between Grace and Cole. Maybe because there was no sort of commitment. Anything physical shared, seemed hollow.
Cole's past meets up with him, he did get sucked into the Hollywood lifestyle briefly and hated himself for it. A person from his past returns and Cole is furious. He takes it out on Grace. There are lots of misunderstandings between these two. They are quick to anger, and are not very mature about it. This is consistent for both the hero and the heroine through out the book.
Cole learns that sometimes you get exactly what you need from life even when there are so many obstacles in your way. He learns to let go of past guilt and focus on the future. Grace learns not to run away, and to truly allow herself to soften up and not be scared of what she wants emotionally. These to characters are redeemable in the end.
I recommend this contemporary romance to fans of the author with a caveat, readers looking for Dahl's trademark wit will not find it in this book. There was a more serious tone to this book, but more love scenes between the hero and heroine. The pacing was extremely slow throughout the book and I would have loved an epilogue. There is an HEA but not until the very end of the book. I just hope the next book in the series will let readers see a glimpse of Cole and Grace together. I am interested in reading the next book.
*This book was provided to me by Harlequin through NetGalley.
August 28, 2012
Review also posted at
Dayumm, Ms. Dahl can write a good Cowboy story!!!
Cole Rawlins is our mentally and physically broken but oh so sexy hero. In his late thirties, this cowboy is done with his partying, has experienced heartaches, realizes his mistakes and is now ready to get his life straightened out. However, with his recent leg injury, it will take time before his plans take place. But as they say, ¡°things happen for a reason¡± and he would not have met the city girl next door if he had not moved in at the Stud Farm.
Twenty-eight year old, starving make-up artist, Grace Barret recently had her heart broken. Starting anew, she moved out of Los Angeles to ¡°passing through¡± Wyoming, stays with her aunt then plans to head to Vancouver hoping for a job. Grace is jaded due to hardships and betrayals in her past. She has learned to harden her shell to ward off any friendships or relationships to avoid any heartbreaks. But Wyoming has a way to soften any heart, in this case in the form of a hot cowboy!
This city-girl-meet-the-cowboy story is one I could not put down. Grace was super funny and it was easy to relate to her, being a city girl myself. Like her, I don¡¯t know what the difference between an elk and a deer is or what a pronghorn is. Grace¡¯s reactions to her new surroundings, her attraction to the cowboy next door, and how she dealt with life in general were all believable and justifiable. She's a survivor! The same goes for Cole, how many of us do things and later regret them? Most of the time that very mistake is what straightens us out. Cole is super hot with his cowboy self and a man more than willing to take care of his woman. I LOVE the fact that he knew what he wanted and went for it.
Cole and Grace¡¯s sexual tension was strong and when they finally got together¡super hot! I don¡¯t care what anyone says, if Cole where to come to me and ¡°slap me like he dismounts a horse¡±, I would not care.
What I like about Ms. Dahl is that she can always deliver a steamy story but not forget the romance, the laugh-out-loud realistic moments and the endings always leaves me light hearted. She is consistent in delivering a great contemporary love story. I recommend this book to anyone looking for a feel-good, sigh inducing, gush-bucket-filling and laugh-out-loud story.
Per Å·±¦ÓéÀÖ, there will be an anthology called BE MINE: Jennifer Crusie, Victoria Dahl Shannon Stacey. Looks like Dahl's novella will be about Jenny(Grace¡¯s friend) and will be released Jan.22, 2013. Yay me!!!
*ARC provided by publisher
August 30, 2012
This is the first in a new series from Victoria Dahl, a bit more emotional than her other contemporary romances, but if you give it a chance, I think you will be happy that you did.
Make-up Artist, Grace Barrett, escapes to Jackson Hole, Wyoming with thirty dollars in her pocket and a duffel bag full of everything she owns. Her great-aunt, Rayleen, offers her an apartment to stay in until she can get back on her feet, which sounds easier said than done, when you owe your ex-boyfriend eight thousand dollars and there could be a warrant out for your arrest.
In steps Cole Rawlins, yummy, sexy cowboy neighbor, who tries to get past Grace's defenses, but gets into her pants instead. Between these two broken souls, it will take a miracle for either to find more than physical release with one another, but never say never. With a cast of characters that shake things up for Grace and Cole, you will enjoy Close Enough to Touch, you just have to give it a chance.
I personally was very close to putting the book down a few times, I was having a hard time holding interest, but then I got to a point where I was very curious about Cole and what past secrets he was hiding, and then I got swept into the story and by the time I was done, I had come to really like Grace and Cole, and I was curious to see where their relationship was headed. So, I will say if you are feeling this way at the beginning..KEEP READING...it just gets better!!
I am excited to see where this series is headed and who will be the next hero and heroine, we certainly have many new faces to choose from!! As a fan of Victoria Dahl, I should have known she would never let me down when it comes to romance!!
Enjoy and Happy Reading!!
Make-up Artist, Grace Barrett, escapes to Jackson Hole, Wyoming with thirty dollars in her pocket and a duffel bag full of everything she owns. Her great-aunt, Rayleen, offers her an apartment to stay in until she can get back on her feet, which sounds easier said than done, when you owe your ex-boyfriend eight thousand dollars and there could be a warrant out for your arrest.
In steps Cole Rawlins, yummy, sexy cowboy neighbor, who tries to get past Grace's defenses, but gets into her pants instead. Between these two broken souls, it will take a miracle for either to find more than physical release with one another, but never say never. With a cast of characters that shake things up for Grace and Cole, you will enjoy Close Enough to Touch, you just have to give it a chance.
I personally was very close to putting the book down a few times, I was having a hard time holding interest, but then I got to a point where I was very curious about Cole and what past secrets he was hiding, and then I got swept into the story and by the time I was done, I had come to really like Grace and Cole, and I was curious to see where their relationship was headed. So, I will say if you are feeling this way at the beginning..KEEP READING...it just gets better!!
I am excited to see where this series is headed and who will be the next hero and heroine, we certainly have many new faces to choose from!! As a fan of Victoria Dahl, I should have known she would never let me down when it comes to romance!!
Enjoy and Happy Reading!!
September 8, 2012
First thoughts
Again this was an Author that I hadn¡¯t read before but came highly recommend from bloggers, authors, and even amazon told me I might like this author¡¯s book. Well when I author is that recommended I feel I have no choice but to examine the hype and see if I feel it¡¯s worth it. Let¡¯s explore my thoughts, shall we?
My thoughts
This was a story I liked, but just didn¡¯t fall in love with. I liked the premise of the book, the setting and the idea of the character¡¯s running from their problems and finding distractions with each other. I just didn¡¯t fall in love with either Cole or Grace.
Grace is running from her problems in L.A where she was a make-up artist, to visit her aunt in Wyoming. She figures she will stay there for a while to lick her wounds and get her but on the right track before picking up and moving on to someplace new. Cole has worked at Easy creek all his time. He had major plans to one day own it, but his accident set him back and now he has fears that his life will never be the same. Together they make try to understand life, face their past, and decide what the future brings. Their rode it¡¯s an easy one.
Now this story was not a disappointment. It was well written, and the characters were fully development and perfectly flawed, again I just didn¡¯t connect with them. The story progressed slowly and once I found out all the secrets from the book I had already developed a little bit of a dislike for the characters based off their actions.
Overall, this was an Ok read! I was not overly enjoyed with it, want be singing its praises from the highest roof top, but I will still recommend it! Because something I just liked someone else could love!
Again this was an Author that I hadn¡¯t read before but came highly recommend from bloggers, authors, and even amazon told me I might like this author¡¯s book. Well when I author is that recommended I feel I have no choice but to examine the hype and see if I feel it¡¯s worth it. Let¡¯s explore my thoughts, shall we?
My thoughts
This was a story I liked, but just didn¡¯t fall in love with. I liked the premise of the book, the setting and the idea of the character¡¯s running from their problems and finding distractions with each other. I just didn¡¯t fall in love with either Cole or Grace.
Grace is running from her problems in L.A where she was a make-up artist, to visit her aunt in Wyoming. She figures she will stay there for a while to lick her wounds and get her but on the right track before picking up and moving on to someplace new. Cole has worked at Easy creek all his time. He had major plans to one day own it, but his accident set him back and now he has fears that his life will never be the same. Together they make try to understand life, face their past, and decide what the future brings. Their rode it¡¯s an easy one.
Now this story was not a disappointment. It was well written, and the characters were fully development and perfectly flawed, again I just didn¡¯t connect with them. The story progressed slowly and once I found out all the secrets from the book I had already developed a little bit of a dislike for the characters based off their actions.
Overall, this was an Ok read! I was not overly enjoyed with it, want be singing its praises from the highest roof top, but I will still recommend it! Because something I just liked someone else could love!
May 21, 2014
I have read quite a bit by Ms. Dahl and I truly enjoyed her Donovan Brothers Brewery series. But, I must say, this story was steamy! Cole and Grace sure knew how to fire up the sheets, and the shower, and the front door, and the parking lot...you get the picture! I loved watching Cole convince Grace that the sex was more than just sex, then turn on her and try to convince her to just give him some more sex for sex sake. Men!
Cole took a two month holiday from his cowboy life some thirteen years ago and he has been beating himself about it ever since. As a good ole boy, Cole is used to having lots of woman, but his favorite "type" doesn't exist in Jackson Hole. No, his type is the big city tough chick with smooth moves, sexy banter and a fierce body...just like Grace Barrett.
Grace has been there, done that, traded the coaster for tube of lipstick! She is good at her profession (make up artist to the stars), but very bad at life. She pulled herself up from the skids, got herself a trade and proceeded to build a life for herself off the streets. I loved her determination and fortitude, but her old insecurities left her vulnerable to her crappy ex-boyfriend Scott. I really wanted Scott to show up and have Cole take him down a notch or two.
As Cole and Grace ramp up their intimate relationship, Grace also begins to forge friendships with her great-aunt, her neighbor and her boss. The whole town seemed to adopt her. When the chips are down, I really loved how it was Cole who came to tell her that the whole town wanted her home. This emotionally charged story was funny, quick witted and did I mention steamy...Enjoy!
Cole took a two month holiday from his cowboy life some thirteen years ago and he has been beating himself about it ever since. As a good ole boy, Cole is used to having lots of woman, but his favorite "type" doesn't exist in Jackson Hole. No, his type is the big city tough chick with smooth moves, sexy banter and a fierce body...just like Grace Barrett.
Grace has been there, done that, traded the coaster for tube of lipstick! She is good at her profession (make up artist to the stars), but very bad at life. She pulled herself up from the skids, got herself a trade and proceeded to build a life for herself off the streets. I loved her determination and fortitude, but her old insecurities left her vulnerable to her crappy ex-boyfriend Scott. I really wanted Scott to show up and have Cole take him down a notch or two.
As Cole and Grace ramp up their intimate relationship, Grace also begins to forge friendships with her great-aunt, her neighbor and her boss. The whole town seemed to adopt her. When the chips are down, I really loved how it was Cole who came to tell her that the whole town wanted her home. This emotionally charged story was funny, quick witted and did I mention steamy...Enjoy!
September 12, 2012
I am always entertained by Victoria Dahl's books and Close Enough To Touch was definitely another winner. What a great way to start off a series and I cannot wait for the next book~which will feature Merry and Shane~Woo-Hoo!!! So excited!!
I absolutely loved Cole. Nothing better than a cowboy who says darlin'!!! ;) He was so sweet and charming and funny~I loved him and Shane!! Cole and Grace were both a little broken and I so wanted them to get the HEA that they deserved. With Cole and especially Grace's pasts, I thought this book was a little sadder than other books from Victoria that I have read. But that just made me feel stronger about their characters. The ending was so good but I was hoping for an epilogue. Hopefully Cole and Grace will be in the rest of the Jackson series.
Just a great story with great characters that pulled me in from the start. I really enjoyed Close Enough To Touch and definitely recommend reading. 4 out of 5 rating.
Shane and Cole: Love this scene ~ so funny!!! :)
"You were looking better last week. Now you look tired."
"Just getting back in the swing of things," Cole said. "And maybe all that snoring from your place upstairs is keeping me awake."
"I don't snore. At least, your mama never said anything about it."
"Really?" Cole asked, forcing his shoulders to relax as he leaned against the bar. "A your-mama joke, huh?" Shane tipped his beer. "I know how to bring it."
"That's not what my mama said."
" Touch¨¦."
***ARC provided by NetGalley and Harlequin~Thank you so much!!!
I absolutely loved Cole. Nothing better than a cowboy who says darlin'!!! ;) He was so sweet and charming and funny~I loved him and Shane!! Cole and Grace were both a little broken and I so wanted them to get the HEA that they deserved. With Cole and especially Grace's pasts, I thought this book was a little sadder than other books from Victoria that I have read. But that just made me feel stronger about their characters. The ending was so good but I was hoping for an epilogue. Hopefully Cole and Grace will be in the rest of the Jackson series.
Just a great story with great characters that pulled me in from the start. I really enjoyed Close Enough To Touch and definitely recommend reading. 4 out of 5 rating.
Shane and Cole: Love this scene ~ so funny!!! :)
"You were looking better last week. Now you look tired."
"Just getting back in the swing of things," Cole said. "And maybe all that snoring from your place upstairs is keeping me awake."
"I don't snore. At least, your mama never said anything about it."
"Really?" Cole asked, forcing his shoulders to relax as he leaned against the bar. "A your-mama joke, huh?" Shane tipped his beer. "I know how to bring it."
"That's not what my mama said."
" Touch¨¦."
***ARC provided by NetGalley and Harlequin~Thank you so much!!!
April 17, 2013
Rating: 4.5 out of 5.
Grace, left the city of fake dazzling lights, for one where you can see the stars at night. Wyoming, here she comes!
Grace comes from a very broken past. Seeing her mother change for whichever boyfriend is feeding her, Grace vows to never depend on a man like that. Except that she does. And she gets burned, which is not as bad as the fact that she gets treated like she is less than the dirt she walks on. Completely and utterly dependent on a guy, Grace learns the hard way, what it is like to lose everything.
She moves to Wyoming to an apartment, in the apartment building, her great-aunt's owns. With no rent to pay, Grace is looking for a job that will help her pay back her ex.
She meets her neighbour Cole. A sexy cowboy, who has been burned by a dazzling city girl like her before. Actually, his ex also makes an appearance in this novel.
Anyway, unable to keep from the girl who shines so brightly... with her pink hair. Cole and her decide to do the casual thing. Except, it becomes not so casual any more.
This novel was good, but would have only rated a 4 stars from me, were it not for the ending, which I found very sweet.
Grace, left the city of fake dazzling lights, for one where you can see the stars at night. Wyoming, here she comes!
Grace comes from a very broken past. Seeing her mother change for whichever boyfriend is feeding her, Grace vows to never depend on a man like that. Except that she does. And she gets burned, which is not as bad as the fact that she gets treated like she is less than the dirt she walks on. Completely and utterly dependent on a guy, Grace learns the hard way, what it is like to lose everything.
She moves to Wyoming to an apartment, in the apartment building, her great-aunt's owns. With no rent to pay, Grace is looking for a job that will help her pay back her ex.
She meets her neighbour Cole. A sexy cowboy, who has been burned by a dazzling city girl like her before. Actually, his ex also makes an appearance in this novel.
Anyway, unable to keep from the girl who shines so brightly... with her pink hair. Cole and her decide to do the casual thing. Except, it becomes not so casual any more.
This novel was good, but would have only rated a 4 stars from me, were it not for the ending, which I found very sweet.
August 10, 2012
Victoria Dahl is one of my favorite contemporary romance writers and I like her even more these days. Grace isn¡¯t a typical heroine. First of all, she has purple hair. I¡¯ve always wanted purple hair, but it never showed up because my hair is too dark. So right off the bat, I thought Grace was cool. She¡¯s tough with a sordid past. As for Cole, I never get tired of cowboys. Mix that cowboy with good writing, a bit of humor, and lots of sex, and I¡¯m hooked. I thought the characters really grew throughout the story. Both of them had major baggage, but in the end, they were able confide in each other. The sex scenes were more on the explicit side which I enjoy. If you like to read tamer sex scenes, this author isn¡¯t for you. It¡¯s still labeled as contemporary romance, but it¡¯s just an inch shy of erotic contemporary.
October 8, 2013
Other than a few parts dragging a bit, this book was a hell of a lot of fun. Dahl threw the snarky, prickly city girl up against the call 'em like I see 'em cowboy. Sparks ensued.
I thought both characters were believably and unannoyingly flawed. There was wit and steam and a very satisfying HEA.
If you're looking for a fun contemporary romance, go for this.
I thought both characters were believably and unannoyingly flawed. There was wit and steam and a very satisfying HEA.
If you're looking for a fun contemporary romance, go for this.
June 3, 2017
Grace Barret akhirnya menginjakkan kakinya di Wyoming. Dalam perjalanannya menuju Vancouver, dia singgah di Wyoming karena mendapatkan tempat tinggal sementara dari bibi buyutnya. Seandainya Grace masih mempunyai uang dan tidak berutang pada mantan kekasihnya, dia tidak akan menerima tawaran ini. Setidaknya selama sebulan, dia akan mencari uang di tempat persinggahan ini. Namun menjumpai apartemen yang dijanjikan bibi buyutnya dalam keadaan terkunci, membuat amarah Grace tersulut.
Cole Rawlins terpana melihat seorang gadis berambut ungu yang berusaha membuka pintu apartemen di depan apartemennya. Yang pasti gadis ini langsung membuat Cole tertarik. Ada sesuatu yang liar dan keras di dalam diri gadis itu yang membuatnya tertarik. Apalagi ketika Grace, begitu dia memperkenalkan diri, membalas keramahannnya dengan angkuh. Tapi keangkuhan ini tidak berlangsung begitu lama. Saat Grace ingin merayakan pekerjaan barunya, dan Cole ingin melupakan kekesalannya, keduanya bertemu di kedai minum dan berakhir dengan seks kilat di apartemen Cole.
Di beberapa bab awal, saya dibuat bingung dengan karakter Grace. Dia ingin menunjukkan karakter yang tangguh, kuat, bahkan dia dengan lugas mengatakan ingin memanfaatkan Cole untuk kesenangan semata. Tapi ada ketakutan yang besar yang selalu membayangi Grace sehari-hari. Ketakutan itu bukan semata-mata karena utangnya pada mantan kekasihnya, tapi juga pada masa lalunya. Sementara itu Cole juga punya ketakutan tersendiri. Cedera parah pada pinggul dan pahanya membuatnya terancam tidak bisa lagi menunggangi kuda, padahal dia ingin mengambil alih peternakan milik teman ayahnya. Cara Cole dan Grace saling memanfaatkan, kemudian saling menyalahkan, tetapi juga saling membutuhkan, berkali-kali dengan pola seperti itu membuat saya hampir menyerah menyelesaikan novel ini. Namun menjelang bagian akhir, novel ini ternyata mulai asyik. Ada kalimat yang diucapkan oleh Cole yang saya rasa menjadi inti dari kisah pasangan unik ini.
Mungkin takut berarti kita masih hidup, mungkin itu berarti kita belum menyerah kalah (hal. 486)
Terlepas dari kedua tokoh utama yang berusaha mengatasi ketakutan mereka, saya terhibur dengan kehadiran Aunt Rayleen, bibi buyutnya Grace, yang kata-kata sarkasnya malah jadi hiburan yang lucu. Tapi saya masih bingung sama cover versi terjemahan ini, yang gambarnya bath tube. Kayaknya ga ada hubungannya sama isi ceritanya deh. Masih mending cover aslinya yang gambarnya cowok dan cewek di sofa. Setidaknya memang ada adegan di sofa yang lumayan steamy #eh
Cole Rawlins terpana melihat seorang gadis berambut ungu yang berusaha membuka pintu apartemen di depan apartemennya. Yang pasti gadis ini langsung membuat Cole tertarik. Ada sesuatu yang liar dan keras di dalam diri gadis itu yang membuatnya tertarik. Apalagi ketika Grace, begitu dia memperkenalkan diri, membalas keramahannnya dengan angkuh. Tapi keangkuhan ini tidak berlangsung begitu lama. Saat Grace ingin merayakan pekerjaan barunya, dan Cole ingin melupakan kekesalannya, keduanya bertemu di kedai minum dan berakhir dengan seks kilat di apartemen Cole.
Di beberapa bab awal, saya dibuat bingung dengan karakter Grace. Dia ingin menunjukkan karakter yang tangguh, kuat, bahkan dia dengan lugas mengatakan ingin memanfaatkan Cole untuk kesenangan semata. Tapi ada ketakutan yang besar yang selalu membayangi Grace sehari-hari. Ketakutan itu bukan semata-mata karena utangnya pada mantan kekasihnya, tapi juga pada masa lalunya. Sementara itu Cole juga punya ketakutan tersendiri. Cedera parah pada pinggul dan pahanya membuatnya terancam tidak bisa lagi menunggangi kuda, padahal dia ingin mengambil alih peternakan milik teman ayahnya. Cara Cole dan Grace saling memanfaatkan, kemudian saling menyalahkan, tetapi juga saling membutuhkan, berkali-kali dengan pola seperti itu membuat saya hampir menyerah menyelesaikan novel ini. Namun menjelang bagian akhir, novel ini ternyata mulai asyik. Ada kalimat yang diucapkan oleh Cole yang saya rasa menjadi inti dari kisah pasangan unik ini.
Mungkin takut berarti kita masih hidup, mungkin itu berarti kita belum menyerah kalah (hal. 486)
Terlepas dari kedua tokoh utama yang berusaha mengatasi ketakutan mereka, saya terhibur dengan kehadiran Aunt Rayleen, bibi buyutnya Grace, yang kata-kata sarkasnya malah jadi hiburan yang lucu. Tapi saya masih bingung sama cover versi terjemahan ini, yang gambarnya bath tube. Kayaknya ga ada hubungannya sama isi ceritanya deh. Masih mending cover aslinya yang gambarnya cowok dan cewek di sofa. Setidaknya memang ada adegan di sofa yang lumayan steamy #eh
August 2, 2020
#128 - 2020
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Dua orang yang berada di titik terbawah hidupnya bertemu dan saling tertarik, apa yang akan terjadi? Itu premis dari novel ini.
Grace Barret datang ke Jackson Hole untuk menjadi tempat persinggahan sementara. Tidak punya uang yang cukup dan tidak punya keluarga dekat yang bisa membantunya, dia pun ke kota ini untuk meminta bantuan hidup sementara dengan bibinya yang tidak terlalu dia kenal. Sekaligus juga menjauhkan diri dari mantan kekasih yang menyebalkan.
Cole Rawlins terlahir menjadi koboi dan telah membayangkan dirinya untuk memiliki peternakan milik Easy yang telah dianggap sebagai pengganti ayahnya yang sudah tiada. Namun kare kecelakaan yang mengakibatkan kakinya hampir hancur karena jatuh dari kuda, dia sementara tidak bisa menunggangi kuda. Hal ini lumayan membuat dia mempertanyakan apa yang dia lakukan di masa depannya. Ditambah dengan pertemuannya kembali dengan bekas kekasihnya 13 tahun lalu, sutradara Madeline yang terkenal. Orang yang pernah dia cintai dan membuat dia melepaskan kehidupannya sebagai koboi untuk mencoba hidup di Hollywood.
Harusnya sih ceritanya bisa lebih menarik, namun penulis mengajak kita untuk berputar-putar dengan kegalauan dua karakter utama ini. Pendalaman karakter juga kurang, padahal banyak yang bisa digali dari masa lalu keduanya. Penulis ingin memperlihatkan bahwa kedua orang ini manusia biasa dengan segala kekurangannya. Tapi jangan muter-muter dari titik itu-itu terus. Sangat sayang sih, padahal awal-awalnya sudah lumayan seru memiliki heroin yang lumayan feisty begini.
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Dua orang yang berada di titik terbawah hidupnya bertemu dan saling tertarik, apa yang akan terjadi? Itu premis dari novel ini.
Grace Barret datang ke Jackson Hole untuk menjadi tempat persinggahan sementara. Tidak punya uang yang cukup dan tidak punya keluarga dekat yang bisa membantunya, dia pun ke kota ini untuk meminta bantuan hidup sementara dengan bibinya yang tidak terlalu dia kenal. Sekaligus juga menjauhkan diri dari mantan kekasih yang menyebalkan.
Cole Rawlins terlahir menjadi koboi dan telah membayangkan dirinya untuk memiliki peternakan milik Easy yang telah dianggap sebagai pengganti ayahnya yang sudah tiada. Namun kare kecelakaan yang mengakibatkan kakinya hampir hancur karena jatuh dari kuda, dia sementara tidak bisa menunggangi kuda. Hal ini lumayan membuat dia mempertanyakan apa yang dia lakukan di masa depannya. Ditambah dengan pertemuannya kembali dengan bekas kekasihnya 13 tahun lalu, sutradara Madeline yang terkenal. Orang yang pernah dia cintai dan membuat dia melepaskan kehidupannya sebagai koboi untuk mencoba hidup di Hollywood.
Harusnya sih ceritanya bisa lebih menarik, namun penulis mengajak kita untuk berputar-putar dengan kegalauan dua karakter utama ini. Pendalaman karakter juga kurang, padahal banyak yang bisa digali dari masa lalu keduanya. Penulis ingin memperlihatkan bahwa kedua orang ini manusia biasa dengan segala kekurangannya. Tapi jangan muter-muter dari titik itu-itu terus. Sangat sayang sih, padahal awal-awalnya sudah lumayan seru memiliki heroin yang lumayan feisty begini.
May 9, 2021
La pareja est¨¢ m¨¢s que puesta y servida. Ella no quiere nada, el lo quiere todo. La pasi¨®n arde y burbujea, pero tambi¨¦n algo que se va cociendo a fuego lento. Momentos apasionantes, m¨¢s la historia que ambos van desarrollando, acompa?ado de un elenco prometedor y rompedor que espero haya presentado a las piezas de la serie por completo, y CON SOLO TOCARTE es autoconclusivo, ambiciono ver a esta pareja para seguir la pista porque de verdad me conquistaron, y me gusta ese final que queda abierto para ellos pero no para el lector. Ador¨¦ a Rayleen, esa vieja cascarrabias que tiene algo m¨¢s que mostrar y que tambi¨¦n espero seguir en aventura.
Victoria Dahl no por algo es una de las representantes del g¨¦nero er¨®tico contempor¨¢neo, no da puntada sin hilo. Sus personajes est¨¢n bien desarrollados, jam¨¢s abusa de alguna escena de cama y en cambio nos trae historias que llegan y se quedan... ?Feliz lectura!
Victoria Dahl no por algo es una de las representantes del g¨¦nero er¨®tico contempor¨¢neo, no da puntada sin hilo. Sus personajes est¨¢n bien desarrollados, jam¨¢s abusa de alguna escena de cama y en cambio nos trae historias que llegan y se quedan... ?Feliz lectura!
September 8, 2014
This book has had very lukewarm reviews (full-blown negative reviews, in many cases), so it's taken me a while to get to it. I started this series with book 3, So Tough To Tame. I loved it. It reminded me of what I love so much about Victoria Dahl's contemporaries, so I decided to read this one, bad reviews or not.
When Grace Barrett gets off the bus in Jackson Hole, Wyoming, she's got all she owns in the world in a rucksack and her funds are down to about $40. A successful career as a makeup artist in Hollywood ended in disaster when she let herself be pushed by her boyfriend into trying to get into the A-list world. Working with big stars and producers required a lot more brown-nosing than prickly Grace was easily able to engage in, and she ended up blacklisted. Turns out the boyfriend was mainly interested in her for the access to the Hollywood scene she could provide, and before long, Grace was pretty much on the street, with her boyfriend accusing her of stealing from him.
Grace has a chance to get another job in Vancouver in a few months, but in the meantime, she needs somewhere to stay. Which is how she ends up taking up her great-aunt on her grudging offer of a free flat in the building she owns in Jackson Hole.
Cole Rawlings rents a flat in the same building. He used to live on the ranch where he works and which he's planning on buying from the owner and good friend, but he had an accident. A horse rolled on him, and badly broke some of his bones. Cole is recovering, but he's terrified that his bones won't heal well enough to allow him back on his horse.
Grace's arrival provides the perfect distraction. She's exactly the sort of edgy, dangerous woman that he finds really exciting, even though he tells himself he shouldn't. And before long, they've both given in to this attraction. But life has taught Grace to keep her barriers high, and it's not easy for Cole to get past them.
I think the main reason people didn't like this book is Grace. She is prickly, very, very prickly. She doesn't want to need or want anyone, and with good reason. She has had a hard life, and her relationships with men have mostly been about them wanting to use her. Her response to that has been to use them right back. That makes for a sex life she enjoys, but not much caring. With Cole, she tries to apply her usual MO, but it's harder than usual.
Cole has his own issues, in addition to his worries about his hip and what not making a full recovery might mean for his future. His liking for dangerous women led to a stint in Hollywood which left him with very little self-respect. He's since rebuilt it, but still has a huge aversion to anything to do with the film industry. That felt, at first, a bit OTT. I was afraid it would be this massive barrier between him and Grace: "you once worked in Hollywood, therefore you're forever tainted". Well, Dahl is too good to make her conflict something as dumb as that. Cole's discomfort with the culture of Hollywood is understandable, it's the story of every starlet who thought a party life sounded great and ended up doing stuff that's supposed to be fun and glamorous but actually makes them feel really uncomfortable and dehumanised. He's taken refuge in going back to the ranching life, and then a film crew turns up at his ranch, and it was Grace who (completely innocently) suggested it as a possible location. Having his old life, complete with its old protagonists, show up in his refuge freaks him out. He does lash out at Grace once, but he's a reasonable person. He immediately realises his reaction was wrong.
Their relationship was one I enjoyed. I think what I liked most is that Grace's change doesn't only come about because of Cole's love. Female friendship is shown to be just as important to her character development. She has only ever had one friend, Merry (who's the protagonist of book 2 of the series), but she lives a long way away, and she's know Grace for a very long time. To Grace, it's really important to realise that people actually like her and appreciate her as she is now, with all her prickliness and bagagge. She can have girlfriends, and realising that they like her makes it easier to like herself and to accept that Cole could love her.
One of the people who Grace realises cares for her is Rayleen, the owner of the Stud Farm (and Grace's great aunt). Rayleen was pretty much the only thing that didn't work for me in So Tough To Tame. She rents her flats only to hot cowboys and constantly makes sexual, objectifying comments to them. She is the female equivalent of the dirty old man, and it's all portrayed as hilarious. I wish I'd read this one first, because I probably would have felt much more charitably towards her if I had. She was nowhere near as offensive in this one, and worked very well as a view of what the future might hold for Grace if she continues to push people away. I felt quite moved by Rayleen, actually. She mostly comes across as an awkward person who doesn't quite know how to get close to people, though she desperately wants to. There's a scene where she unexpectedly shows up at a girls' night that actually made me tear up.
MY GRADE: A B+.
When Grace Barrett gets off the bus in Jackson Hole, Wyoming, she's got all she owns in the world in a rucksack and her funds are down to about $40. A successful career as a makeup artist in Hollywood ended in disaster when she let herself be pushed by her boyfriend into trying to get into the A-list world. Working with big stars and producers required a lot more brown-nosing than prickly Grace was easily able to engage in, and she ended up blacklisted. Turns out the boyfriend was mainly interested in her for the access to the Hollywood scene she could provide, and before long, Grace was pretty much on the street, with her boyfriend accusing her of stealing from him.
Grace has a chance to get another job in Vancouver in a few months, but in the meantime, she needs somewhere to stay. Which is how she ends up taking up her great-aunt on her grudging offer of a free flat in the building she owns in Jackson Hole.
Cole Rawlings rents a flat in the same building. He used to live on the ranch where he works and which he's planning on buying from the owner and good friend, but he had an accident. A horse rolled on him, and badly broke some of his bones. Cole is recovering, but he's terrified that his bones won't heal well enough to allow him back on his horse.
Grace's arrival provides the perfect distraction. She's exactly the sort of edgy, dangerous woman that he finds really exciting, even though he tells himself he shouldn't. And before long, they've both given in to this attraction. But life has taught Grace to keep her barriers high, and it's not easy for Cole to get past them.
I think the main reason people didn't like this book is Grace. She is prickly, very, very prickly. She doesn't want to need or want anyone, and with good reason. She has had a hard life, and her relationships with men have mostly been about them wanting to use her. Her response to that has been to use them right back. That makes for a sex life she enjoys, but not much caring. With Cole, she tries to apply her usual MO, but it's harder than usual.
Cole has his own issues, in addition to his worries about his hip and what not making a full recovery might mean for his future. His liking for dangerous women led to a stint in Hollywood which left him with very little self-respect. He's since rebuilt it, but still has a huge aversion to anything to do with the film industry. That felt, at first, a bit OTT. I was afraid it would be this massive barrier between him and Grace: "you once worked in Hollywood, therefore you're forever tainted". Well, Dahl is too good to make her conflict something as dumb as that. Cole's discomfort with the culture of Hollywood is understandable, it's the story of every starlet who thought a party life sounded great and ended up doing stuff that's supposed to be fun and glamorous but actually makes them feel really uncomfortable and dehumanised. He's taken refuge in going back to the ranching life, and then a film crew turns up at his ranch, and it was Grace who (completely innocently) suggested it as a possible location. Having his old life, complete with its old protagonists, show up in his refuge freaks him out. He does lash out at Grace once, but he's a reasonable person. He immediately realises his reaction was wrong.
Their relationship was one I enjoyed. I think what I liked most is that Grace's change doesn't only come about because of Cole's love. Female friendship is shown to be just as important to her character development. She has only ever had one friend, Merry (who's the protagonist of book 2 of the series), but she lives a long way away, and she's know Grace for a very long time. To Grace, it's really important to realise that people actually like her and appreciate her as she is now, with all her prickliness and bagagge. She can have girlfriends, and realising that they like her makes it easier to like herself and to accept that Cole could love her.
One of the people who Grace realises cares for her is Rayleen, the owner of the Stud Farm (and Grace's great aunt). Rayleen was pretty much the only thing that didn't work for me in So Tough To Tame. She rents her flats only to hot cowboys and constantly makes sexual, objectifying comments to them. She is the female equivalent of the dirty old man, and it's all portrayed as hilarious. I wish I'd read this one first, because I probably would have felt much more charitably towards her if I had. She was nowhere near as offensive in this one, and worked very well as a view of what the future might hold for Grace if she continues to push people away. I felt quite moved by Rayleen, actually. She mostly comes across as an awkward person who doesn't quite know how to get close to people, though she desperately wants to. There's a scene where she unexpectedly shows up at a girls' night that actually made me tear up.
MY GRADE: A B+.
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