A sizzling tale from the 'Ugly Stick Saloon' series, in which waitress, Lacey has learned that cowboys who are easy on the eyes probably see more women than is good for them, and gets to turn the tables. She's twenty-eight, she's tried out the fine men in the town of Temptation, Texas, and she's an unattached divorcee. Her pal has moved out to her boyfriend's place and the apartment suddenly feels empty for Lacey. Downstairs however, mechanic Nick has taken to sharing with his brother Cory now his divorce is finalised. Lacey brings the lads a pizza and makes friends.

BOOTS AND LACE shows us a modern young woman, newly out for a good time with no strings, who's willing to try a menage if she likes the men. Having been rejected by the local ladies' gardening club when she threw out her cheating husband, Lacey is fed up with trying to win approval and lead an accepted lifestyle. At least she's found out who her real friends are. If she prefers group participation, perhaps this is one way to stave off an intimate relationship - the kind she had once wanted but never got.

For his part, Nick is fascinated by the daring, imaginative girl, but has no desire to fall into the romance and marriage trap again. So an easy come, easy go relationship suits him well... except that somehow it doesn't.

I liked how some risks are just not taken; a driver decides not to drink, the men thoughtfully use protection in bed, a college student is encouraged to keep his grades up despite being a popular party animal. With this adult series, pretty much anything goes in the romance department; a girl has tried out three brothers before settling on one, while twins are sharing another girl happily. The key is that nobody is going behind anyone's back.

Myla Jackson grew up on a South Texas ranch and brings genuine local flavour to her stories. Even if we don't see ourselves doing the same as her characters, in BOOTS AND LACE we can still applaud Lacey's decision to stop living by the restrictive mores of the ladies' club, or Nick's realisation that there is more to life than sitting at home because one stupid woman broke her promises. I'll be revisiting the Ugly Stick saloon, just as soon as I buy a cowgirl hat!

Book Summary

She wants no strings…but he wants it all.

After her philandering husband left her, Lacey Lambert found sanctuary, and a better class of friends, at the Ugly Stick Saloon. She learned that the best revenge—against her ex, and the “friends” who kicked her out of the Temptation Garden Club—is to live life to the fullest.

Now that her best friend is moving out of her apartment building, she’s feeling a little lonely. And more than ready for a little commitment-free sex with the hot new downstairs tenant.

Freshly divorced, Nick McBride isn’t looking for another failed relationship. But when the luscious brunette offers no-strings sex—with him and his brother—he can’t come up with a good reason to refuse.

After he gets over the shock that she likes it loud, long, and in front of an open window, he finds himself wanting more time with her. Maybe even on a permanent basis. But it’ll take every ounce of his cowboy charms to convince her to let him sweep her off her feet.

Warning: Contains a motorcycle-ridin’ cowboy, a wild-and-free woman who doesn’t care what the town biddies think, and semi-public sex loud enough to set tongues a-waggin’!