Review: Strong, Silent Type

Strong, Silent Type
Lorelei James
Contemporary Erotic Romance
Rough Riders/Book 6.5 (novella)
Samhain/May 5, 2009

From the author's website ~

...Tough. Taciturn. And a fool for letting her go…

Wyoming rancher Quinn McKay thought he’d only have to bide time until his levelheaded wife came to her senses and called a halt to this “trial separation". He never believed the marital rough patch would drag on for a coon’s age.

Libby McKay knew when she married the gruff, laid-back cowboy that he wasn’t prone to blathering about his feelings. But three months have passed and her stubborn-as-a-mule husband is still living by himself in the horse trailer. It seems he’d rather hold onto his pride than hold onto her.

Quinn realizes Libby is determined to move on if he doesn’t loosen his tongue and he’ll lose the only woman he’s ever loved. In a last-ditch effort to keep her in his life, he offers her one weekend of uninterrupted sexual decadence.

Reigniting the passion is easy. The hard part comes after the sheets have cooled and they find out if what remains is strong enough to survive past mistakes.

Warning: Old-fashioned groveling leads to smokin' hot sexual encounters steamin'-up the truck windows, rockin' the horse trailer-proving even an old married dog can learn naughty new tricks.

Lorelei James' Rough Riders series is such a treat to read. It has that small town, close family feel while still delivering sexy, emotional relationships.

Strong, Silent Type is about an established couple, Quinn and Libby McKay. They grew up together and fell in love in their teens. It's 14 years later and they've been married for 9, but Quinn and Libby have come to a low point in their marriage. They've been going through some rough times and have drifted apart. Libby decides to shake things up by changing her looks but when asked what he thinks, Quinn tells her he liked the old Libby. Oh, boy. Wrong answer Quinn! Libby reaches the breaking point and kicks him out.

Libby is a librarian at the local school. She's likable in a sweet girl-next-door way. Libby decides to change what she considers her frumpy looks for a new, updated style. She hopes it will get some response from Quinn and possibly rejuvenate their marriage. Libby is desperate when she kicks Quinn out. It's a move she hopes will help Quinn see that their marriage is in need of help.

Quinn thinks Libby kicking him out is temporary and she'll come to her senses in a few days. Three months later... Quinn is at his wits end and finally stops waiting around for Libby to "come to her senses". Such an irritating phrase! But Quinn redeems himself in very creative way. I loved seeing him woo, romance and just down right sweep Libby off her feet. They have issues to work through but there is no doubt they are still deeply in love.

One of the differences between this story and the previous books, besides having an established couple, is that Quinn is not like his McKay cousins. He doesn't have a rep for being a hound dog with the women. In fact, Libby is the only woman he's ever been with. Which I thought was a nice change and so sweet. Libby and Quinn do find their way out of the downward spiral their marriage had taken. Even though this was a novella, they did talk about their problems while recreating the intimate bond they use to have. It would have been hard to believe they resolved anything had they simply had wild, crazy sex all weekend. Nice but still...

I do hope we see more of Libby and Quinn in future books. I enjoyed seeing what happens after the Happily Ever After. The reality that it's not always hearts and roses but relationships take work to keep them going.

Rating: B+

Books in this series ~

Long Hard Ride
Rode Hard, Put Up Wet
Cowgirl Up and Ride
Tied Up, Tied Down
Rough, Raw and Ready
Branded as Trouble
Strong, Silent Type
Shoulda Been a Cowboy
All Jacked Up
Raising Kane
Slow Ride (Free Novella)
Cowgirls Don't Cry