Rowdy Randy, the feisty heroine in Casey Rislov's picture book, is a cowgirl fly who has earned her name by being bravely annoying to others. The goal is to prove that she is the toughest cowgirl in flight, fancying herself as "the greatest outlaw." 

 

Her brazen cowgirl attitude defies cattle, fish, and any tough days, but what she really needs is to lead a team of outlaws, despite her pride in being a loner and her inability to rustle up some comrades. 

 

Kids with good reading skills or parental assistance will enjoy the story of a determined female fly who needs to solidify her life purpose beyond annoying others, but who really needs a lesson in humility to change her attitude about life. 

 

Beautiful, big, bright color illustrations will prove captivating to adult and child alike, providing a whimsical embellishment to the story of a fly who is too daring for her own good. Cowboy lingo pervades the tale and adds to the fun story, while the animal portraits of victims who resist Randy's rowdiness capture both physical images and psychological tales of resistance. 

 

Packed with action and the unexpected, Rowdy Randy is highly recommended for young buckaroos looking for something different in the way of Western-themed action.

I was blown away by book one, and it definitely wasn't an anomaly. Book two is equally amazing. So much heart and heat between the pages that it makes it impossible to put the book down. Finn was a well developed character. Different from Ansel. Ansel was funny, boisterous, talks too much. Finn was his opposite, talking only when there was something to say. He internalized his problems and only brought them out when the problem was solved. He had a hard time asking for help, which made fix-it Harlow a bit of a nightmare to his world. But navigating the worlds between them is what makes it so interesting. I love that it's three girl best friends meeting three guy best friends and they appear in each story. It allows for so much development to occur that you really get to know them and appreciate their differences. The authors did a great job.

⭐5 stars⭐

"You're a dumb shit. There's a million first girls for a million different first things.

There's the first girl you slow-dance with, and the first girl you go to bed with. There's the first girl to give you a kiss, and then the first one you take home to mama." His amber eyes lit up with humor.

"There's the first girl you fight with and the first girl you fight for. There's also the first girl you have to let go of. There's the first girl you love, obviously, and the first girl to break your heart. There's always a first girl, Rowdy, but there is also the girl that is going to come after her until you get to the last girl.

The last girl is the one that really matters."

I had a crush on Rowdy before reading his book. He was my favorite all along. Now.. Yup.. Definitely in love.

Harlow Vega is having a bad day. After a less than memorable one-night-stand, being awakened by said boy’s mother at 6:00 am, and then running into her ex-husband (of 12 hours), Finn at Starbucks, she finds out her mother has stage 3 breast cancer. Needing to take the edge off her life and forget her troubles, she reengages with Finn for some mind-blowing sex. The problem is, she can’t get Finn, the sexy Canadian fisherman, out of her head.

 

Finn Roberts thought he knew Harlow, with her rich parents and larger-than-life persona. He didn’t mind being her sexual distraction until he started to know the real Harlow. Now he’s falling for her and doesn’t know what to do. 

 

Dirty Rowdy Thing is intense! I absolutely love Harlow and Finn, both individually and together. They compliment one another so well, and it’s heartbreaking when they both realize it and chose to step back. Neither is ready to deal with the overwhelming emotions that begin to surface as they spend more and more time together, both in the bedroom and out. And WOW! in the bedroom, the pair are smoking hot! Their sex is incredible: hot, naughty, and powerful. Of all the books, I think Dirty Rowdy Thing has the most intense and detailed sex scenes of the series. But it’s not sex just for the sake of sex, regardless of what the pair thinks. The scenes provide windows into the characters’ hearts and souls. They are literally laid bare to the other.

 

As much as I used to dislike the alternating first person POVs, I am now a fan when it’s done right, and in this series, it is done right. I realized after the fact (and even while reading the first book), that I missed it terribly with Mia and Ansel’s story. I love knowing that the guy is falling as hard as the girl. I love getting his prospective on the relationship and the sex. It makes the book so much more fulfilling. 

 

Another thing I love about this series, and Dirty Rowdy Thing in particular, is how the authors don’t rise to a quick climax (pun intended) and ending. The conflict builds over time, and the characters are given space to think, react, and resolve the issues without feeling rushed. It’s wonderful storytelling. And the romance is made better for it. I am in LOVE with these characters and all they go through. They are crazy but mature. They are fun, but serious. They make mistakes, but aren’t stupid.

 

Harlow and Finn share so much in common, it is a delight to watch them navigate through the pitfalls and fall in love. And the sex is off-the-charts steamy and sensual. I absolutely loved Dirty Rowdy Thing.

 

My Rating: A+ one of my favorites

Growing up, boy-next-door Rowdy St. James was in love with Salem Cruz’s sister. But when they begin working at the same tattoo shop, Salem is determined to prove that she’s the Cruz girl for him…