This is what my brain is capable of at this moment. So, I enjoy. ( )

3.5 stars.

So Tough to Tame is the fast-paced and extra steamy third installment of Victoria Dahl's series set in Jackson, WY. Although characters from previous novels are mentioned and there are guest appearances by others, it can be read as a standalone story.

Charlotte "Charlie" Allington's return to Jackson Hole is precipitated by a cataclysmic scandal involving her previous job. Her brother and an old friend have helped her secure a position in a yet to be opened resort and while she is working hard, Charlie is planning to move on when her professional reputation has been repaired. Needing a little distance from her boss's intense scrutiny, Charlie moves in to the Stud Farm and discovers that Walker Pearce, her long ago crush, is her next door neighbor. The sparks are soon flying between them but misunderstandings and poor communication soon come between them.

Charlie and Walker are fun, flirty and likable but they come across as superficial for much of the story. Each of them has issues stemming from their childhoods that influence their actions in the present but neither of them is willing to discuss their past or current problems. This leaves the reader with the impression that there is not much depth or substance to their characters. By the time the truth begins to emerge, it is fairly late in the story and the resolution feels rather rushed.

The storyline with Charlie's career is rather confusing because the back story of how she ended up in Jackson is slow to be revealed. The secondary storyline with her friend/boss Dawn is not only puzzling but rather irritating since there does not seem to be any context for Dawn's actions. Charlie was slow to catch on to how she was being manipulated but she was quick to act when she figured out what was going on behind the scenes and I like how this part of the storyline played out.

Some of the best scenes in So Tough to Tame involve Rayleen Kisler, the feisty owner of the Stud Farm. Charlie proves to be a pretty good match for the outrageous octogenarian and I laughed out loud at their witty banter. It was great to finally see Rayleen's relationship with Easy make progress.

Despite a few issues, So Tough to Tame is an easy to read and entertaining romance. The characters are engaging and likable and the sex scenes between Charlie and Walker are scorching hot. An enjoyable addition to Victoria Dahl's Jackson series that fans of contemporary romances are sure to enjoy. ( )

Not my favorite of this series. Charlie has come back to Jackson Hole after working for several years in Tahoe. Unfortunately, while she was there she got caught in the middle of some illegal dealings, then discovered that the man she thought she loved was married and setting her up to take the fall. While cleared of any illegal doing, her reputation is toast and the best she can do is working for an old high school classmate. The working conditions aren't great, but at least she has a job.

Walker is also dealing with work related issues. He was working at a local dude ranch when the boss's wife went too far in her pursuit of him. He likes women a lot, and is well-known for giving them pleasure, but messing with a married woman didn't feel right. However, the boss took a dim view of the rumors and fired him. He's having a hard time finding a new job because no boss wants to hire a man he can't trust around his woman. It doesn't help that he's got issues that limit the kinds of jobs he can get anyway.

When they were in high school, Walker and Charlie were friends, as well as Charlie being Walker's tutor. Charlie had a crush on Walker, but he was the school's hottest guy and she was a nerd. Strangely enough, Walker had a crush on her, but felt that he was too stupid to look at a girl like her. When they meet again as adults there is immediate and overwhelming attraction.

This is where it starts to fall apart for me. They can't keep their hands off each other and go at it whenever they are together. Every time one of them starts asking uncomfortable questions or says something they don't want to talk about, the other immediately tries to distract with sex. They appear to be growing closer, with both of them discovering that interest in other people is becoming non-existent. Unfortunately, neither of them is really sharing what is most important.

There were things I liked about Charlie. I liked the way she is doing what she needs to do to start over. She is working really hard at the new job, even putting up with the crap that her boss is dishing out. I also loved her relationship with the irascible Rayleen. Instead of being offended by the woman's treatment of men and the hard time she gives Charlie herself, she is completely amused by her. However, as Charlie got closer to Walker, I didn't like that she never told him what she had gone through before she came home. I also didn't like the way that she was constantly nagging at him to apply for jobs other than ranch hand, even though he told her to stop. I wasn't at all surprised that her lack of honesty with him came back to bite her when he did find out.

There were also things I liked about Walker. He's is a really nice guy at heart. He may sleep with a lot of women, but he treats them well while he's doing it. He doesn't cheat on them, and is clear that he doesn't do commitment. He also has a fantastic relationship with his brother, who is about as different from Walker as a brother can be. And I really loved seeing him with kids. He never had any trouble relating to kids, even the handicapped ones. I didn't like the way that he was always so down on himself. Yes, he's dyslexic, which caused him great problems at school and with his father. But he refuses to listen to anyone who tries to tell him that he is capable of far more than he believes.

I had a hard time believing in a romance between Walker and Charlie because they frequently didn't seem to actually hear what the other one was saying. They also kept their emotions to themselves most of the time. There were a few times when they would open up a little bit, but then would retreat again. It wasn't until near the end, when Charlie's past came up, that they seemed to share some real emotions, and those were negative ones. It did give them each something to think about, and realize that they had decisions to make. I liked the conclusion as both admitted their mistakes, which gave me hope that they could pull off a happy ending after all.

The best part of the book was actually what was going on up at the resort. Charlie is actually very good at her job, and she isn't there long before her instincts tell her that there is something funny going on. She's not sure if she should trust herself at first, because of her previous history, but eventually she does investigate. I really loved seeing her figure things out, then have to decide what she's going to do about it. I loved the decision she made and how she made it happen.

The epilogue was good, with a nice wrap up to the story lines. I liked seeing where Charlie and Walker's decisions about their futures took them. I also loved the last part with Rayleen. It was sweet and salty, just like her. ( )

http://www.thebookvixen.com/2015/08/book-review-so-tough-to-tame-by.html ( )

Charlie Allington
Walker Pearce


WALKER IS SOOOOOOOO DREAMY! For serious, I can't not even begin to put into words the gushy feelings this guy gives me. He is a "man's man" but with such a sensitive soul and how he became the man he is despite is childhood is amazing to me. But this book is not all about Walker. Charlie is not wilting flower. Life has knocked her down more than once but she refuses to stay there. I love her tenacity and her sense of humor makes me want to be instant friends with her.

This was all together a great story of rebuilding life, facing up to your problems and falling in love. 4 Stars ( )