Review: Rope 'Em - Delphine Dryden

TIED UP
Returning home to help out with his brother’s dude ranch is cool with Ethan. After all, he’s as comfortable in the saddle as he is roping a calf. But what’s really jangling his spurs is a chance to indulge his kink in the ranch’s monthly Giddyup event. Did someone say suspension bondage? Yee-Haw!

TEASED
When Victoria realizes her family’s number one goal in sending her to college is to get her hitched to a husband, she drops out one semester shy of graduation. But paying her own way turns out to be the hardest lesson of all. Thankfully she’s found her way to the Hilltop Ranch. A place to get away and refocus. And get herself all tied up . . .

TAKEN
Sure, Ethan’s pretty handy with that length of rope. But it turns out the expensive design school wasn’t a total waste for Victoria. Bringing an “academic” approach to their play—and Ethan’s hobby—is opening up new possibilities. Like maybe the chemistry between them is something more than a game . . .

Giddyup Series:
Ride 'Em
Rope 'Em

Visit Delphine Dryden's website for more information.

Review:
Victoria has it all - a nice apartment, a place at a good college studying design and she's even been lucky enough to experience some fantastic internships to gain experience in the field she wants to work in. It all comes tumbling down around her when she overhears her father complaining about how much it's all costing him and how he had expected her to have hunted down a potential husband by now so he wouldn't have to continue supporting her forever. Victoria takes immediate action to become completely independent, dropping out of college one semester shy of graduation and taking low paid jobs to try and earn enough to cover her rent. It's only then that she starts to realise how sheltered her life has been and how little real life experience she actually has. Luckily for her she's been able to land a job at the Hilltop Ranch that includes food and board so now she'll have a little breathing room as she tries to decide what she wants to do with her life now.

I knew I was going to love Ethan after meeting him in the first book, he's such a fun guy, someone who loves to have adventures but who is also very settled in his career as a vet and helping to run the family ranch. Ethan is also part of the kinky community that love to play at the ranch's monthly BDSM Giddyup events, he's the resident rope expert and he's looking forward to the demonstration he has coming up at the next event. The last thing he needs is to get stuck babysitting the useless new staff member, someone who can't even figure out how to clean the bathroom without being given full instructions. He initially sees Victoria as a spoiled rich kid with no life skills but the more time he spends with her the more he realises that she's actually a hard worker who wants to learn but has never been given the opportunity before. There's no denying the chemistry between them and when he finds out that she's also a member of the kink community he finds her impossible to resist.

I have to admit I wasn't a fan of Victoria in the beginning, I took a pretty similar view of her that Ethan did and I was annoyed with the way she just dropped out of college so close to graduation in what came across as a bit of a childish tantrum. Don't get me wrong I admired her for wanting to stand on her own two feet and be independent and I definitely didn't agree with the way her family treated her but I was annoyed that she'd been given so much privilege and basically threw it all away. It's reminded me of that old saying about not cutting off your nose to spite your face! I was a bit nervous at that point because I find it very hard to get on board with a romance novel if I don't like one of the main characters but I'm really glad I stuck it out because it didn't take long at all for Victoria to start to turn things around. She really didn't have a clue about pretty much anything but she fought through her embarrassment to ask for help and advice when she needed it and it takes a lot of courage to do that.

I ended up really enjoying Rope 'Em, Ethan and Victoria have brilliant chemistry but they also work together well and built up a strong friendship. The kinky play was hot but nothing too over the top and I also enjoyed getting to see characters from the previous book. This series is definitely one I'm happy to recommend and I'm really looking forward to spending time with Ethan and Logan's cousin Chet who I'm pretty sure will be the hero of the next book.

Source: Received from the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review

Other Reviews:
If you have reviewed this book on your blog please leave a link to your review in the comments & I'll add the link here.

Paperback / Kindle:

My Ten Most Anticipated Contemporary Romances for the First Half of 2017

The Contemporary Romance Reading Challenge is hosted by Andi's ABCS. As part of the challenge they are setting a different topic every month that participants can choose to join in with which I think is a brilliant idea so you can expect a post like this to appear at random most months throughout the year.

The January Prompt is:

Ten Most Anticipated Contemporary Romances for the First Half of 2017

(Links below will take you to the book's Goodreads Page)

1. For 100 Nights - Lara Adrian
2. Mastering Her Senses - Laura Kaye
3. Madly - Ruthie Knox
4. Crave Me - Cecy Robson
5. Rope 'Em - Delphine Dryden
6. Too Wilde To Tame - Tonya Burrows
7. Accidentally On Purpose - Jill Shalvis
8. After I Fall - Jessica Scott
9. Love in Lingerie - Alessandra Torre
10. It Started with a Kiss - Marina Adair

Are any of these books on your list? Which other contemporary romances should I be looking out for?

Review: Ride 'Em - Delphine Dryden

SADDLE UP
Mindy has come to Logan’s dude ranch to convince him to sign away his land’s mineral rights to her stepfather. She doesn’t want to beg, but she will if she has to, like she does Friday nights when she submits to her master’s desire . . .

BUCKLE DOWN
Logan doesn’t like to be jerked around, in business or pleasure. And when he learns what Mindy is up to, he’s ready to teach her a lesson. In fact, he’d like to tie her up, strip her down, and give her a spanking she’ll never forget . . .

RIDE HARD
With passion riding high, Logan and Mindy indulge in carnal play that leaves them both wanting more. And with their jobs on the line, they realize that their erotic fantasies might be their ticket to success . . .

Giddyup Series:
Ride 'Em
Rope 'Em

Visit Delphine Dryden's website for more information.

Review:
Mindy booked a week's holiday on a ranch in her hometown for one reason only: to convince Logan, a guy she went to school with, to sell the ranch mineral rights to her stepfather's company. She wants her stepfather to see that she is good at her job and he's not exactly giving her many other chances to prove herself. Logan is thrilled to have his childhood crush staying with them and the attraction he feels hasn't been dulled by the years they've spent apart. He's not happy when he finds out why she came though and sets out to teach her a lesson for lying to him. As Logan ties her up in knots Mindy starts to realise that she's had her priorities all wrong but can she prove to Logan that she's now on his side when her stepfather comes to town and starts throwing his weight around?.

I was a bit worried that Mindy's secret would be hanging over their heads for most of the book so I was relieved she was found out pretty much immediately and that she'd already decided she'd made a mistake in trying to trick Logan. She never lies to him and she is quick to apologise and try to make amends which I appreciated. Mindy spent so long desperately trying to get away from her small hometown and make a new life for herself in Dallas that she's shocked by how right it feels being back in Bolero. Then when she realises that Logan is also into the kink scene things just fit together but she's still scared to make the leap.

Logan is a hardworking guy who just wants to make a success of his family's ranch. It's been hard work starting the business and he's up to his eyes in debt but he's determined to turn a profit and get the bank off his back. He always had a crush on Mindy but while he was a geeky teenager she was the homecoming queen and he never stood a chance. Now she's back but he's worried about scaring her off with his kinky side. When he realises she's a sub and shares all the same kinks as him he knows they could have something special but with her stepfather determined to destroy his land it's hard to trust that Mindy isn't still secretly working against him.

Cowboys and BDSM, who knew that would be such a recipe for success? Well actually when you think about it kinky cowboys seems like a bit of a no brainer, I mean who wouldn't want to read a series ? I'd forgotten how much I enjoy Delphine Dryden's writing, I loved her geeky hero Ivan in The Theory of Attraction and she's proved she's just as good at creating alpha cowboys with Logan. Ride 'Em was everything I'd hoped for, it had some very sweet and funny moments, a great cast of side characters, a believable romance and some hot as hell kink. Logan's brother Ethan is up next and since he's a rope expert I have very high hopes for his story too and I can't wait to continue this series.

Source: Purchased

Other Reviews:
If you have reviewed this book on your blog please leave a link to your review in the comments & I'll add the link here.

Paperback / Kindle:

Review: The Theory of Attraction - Delphine Dryden

Camilla can set her watch by her hunky rocket-scientist neighbour who jogs past her window each day. She relishes each glimpse of his shirtless abs, and is dying to see more. But it’s hard to connect with a man who doesn’t seem to know she exists…

Ivan feels at home in the lab, not in social situations. When he finally approaches his attractive neighbour, it’s not for a date—he wants tutoring in how to behave at an important fundraiser. Ivan doesn’t expect the chemistry between them to be quite so explosive, and is surprised when Cami actually accepts his proposal to embark on a series of “lessons”.

Cami soon discovers Ivan’s schedule isn’t the only thing he likes to be strict about—he needs to be charge in the bedroom as well. She’s shocked at how much she comes to enjoy her submissive side, but wonders if a real relationship is in the equation…

Science of Seduction Series:
The Theory of Attraction
The Seduction Hypothesis
The Principle of Desire

Visit Delphine Dryden's website for more information.

Review:
Cami has been crushing on her neighbour for a year but although they have become friends he doesn't seem to notice her as a woman. Ivan may be highly intelligent but he is hopeless in social situations. With his job on the line unless he learns to woo potential investors at a fundraiser he asks Cami to teach him how to act. Cami jumps at the chance of spending time with Ivan and decides to use the situation to her advantage and try to seduce him. What she doesn't expect is that instead of being the teacher she is about to become the student as Ivan shows her how much he likes to take control in the bedroom.

The Theory of Attraction is a short but intensely erotic read and I think it makes a great introduction to the dominant / submissive lifestyle. I know very little about d/s relationships so I found that side of the story a revelation and really interesting. The story also includes some light BDSM with spanking and mild flogging involved.

Ivan is like no other hero I've read about before. He is very much a geek, super intelligent but completely out of his comfort zone when he is forced into social situations. I actually think he has at least a mild case of aspergers because he has absolutely no concept of social boundaries - I have a friend with aspergers and the way Ivan interacts with the people around him really reminded me of her. Although he comes across as rude he is actually a really nice guy, he is just misunderstood because of the way he acts. Ivan is honest to a fault and can be very blunt because he has no idea that what he says might hurt someone's feelings. He likes to be in control and has OCD tendencies that show in his need for routine. That and the fact he demands honesty from those around him explain why being a dominant suits him so well. It is a lifestyle where everything is very upfront, boundaries are agreed in advance and there are safe words in place to make sure he doesn't over step the mark. It helps him avoid confusion because he struggles to read people and it allows him to be in charge of everything that happens. He can make his own rules so that nothing surprises him.

I think it would be fair to say that I developed a bit of a crush on Ivan but I think in reality life with him would probably drive me insane! I don't think I could cope with the way he finds it so hard to show his emotions, not because he doesn't have them but because he doesn't know how to express them. Luckily for him Cami is a lot more understanding than I would have been, she sees the things he doesn't know how to say and they make a really good couple because of that. She may be new to being a submissive but it is obviously a role that suits her well and Ivan introduces her to things gently enough to not scare her away.

Ivan and Cami are definitely compatible in the bedroom and the sex scenes are Hot with a capital H. The story isn't just one long sex scene though and there are some really funny and sweet moments between them. I laughed out loud at the lessons Cami gives Ivan on how to behave in public - she has to point out things that are so obvious to most of us but he is completely clueless about. No one would suspect that under Ivan's geeky exterior lurks a kinky and controlling dominant who knows exactly what he wants both in the bedroom and out of it. I think Cami actually learns more from him than he does from her and she certainly enjoys every one of her lessons. It just goes to show that it's always the quiet ones!

Source: Received from the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review

Other Reviews:
If you have reviewed this book on your blog please leave a link to your review in the comments & I'll add the link here.

Kindle: