“Racked and Stacked” the ninth book in the “Blacktop Cowboys” series is an entertaining snarky romance where frienemies become lovers despite the stubbornness that keeps them apart.

Rissa and Ike are two very strong characters that leap from the pages and grab reader’s attention right from the start and the chemistry between them sizzles with a strong electrical current that singes the pages all while these characters do their best to fight their attraction. Readers can’t help but become caught up in their romance as the characters capture hearts, send sparks flying in every direction and spark spontaneous laughter throughout their very fiery and passionate struggle to out stubborn the other and overcome their issues in order to even begin to think about a relationship.

The plot is fast paced and keeps readers on the edge of their seats with anticipation of what Riss and Ike will come up with next and just how will they sabotage themselves again. There is also lots of friends and family to add their opinions to the mix which keeps this couple working hard to overcome the odds and those same friends and families adds to the fun and laughter of the story with their own shenanigans as well. The romance and the characters also has realistic problems that the Riss and Ike will have to overcome which adds depth and makes it easy to connect to these wonderfully lively characters.

I thoroughly enjoyed Racked and Stacked and I couldn’t help but feel as if I really got to know Riss and Ike through Lorelei James creative writing that brings the story, the scenery and the characters to vibrant life.

RACKED AND STACKED is the ninth full-length instalment in Lorelei James’ contemporary, adult BLACKTOP COWBOYS erotic, cowboy romance series. This is thirty-year old, truck driver Larissa ‘Riss’ Thorpe, and forty-year old, former cattle broker Ike Palmer’s story line. RACKED AND STACKED can be read as a stand alone without any difficulty. Any important information from the previous instalments is revealed where necessary.

Told from dual third person perspectives (Riss and Ike) RACKED AND STACKED focuses on the contemptuous relationship between thirty-year old, truck driver Larissa ‘Riss’ Thorpe, and forty-year old, former cattle broker Ike Palmer. Ike Palmer is the bane of Riss Thorpe’s existence since the day, two years earlier, Ike supposedly got her brother Lloyd fired. For the upcoming wedding of Tobin and Jade, Ike and Riss have agreed to call a truce in their mutual disdain for one another until an accident finds Riss in need of round the clock care, and Ike offers up his services for the foreseeable future. What ensues is the building but acrimonious relationship between Riss and Ike, and the potential fall-out as a distinct lack of communication, snark, misunderstanding, and risks to one another’s independence threatens the growing love and limited peace that as developed throughout the weeks.

Larissa Thorpe is a bit of a ball-buster; a hard-nosed, stubborn, in your face heroine who refuses to ask for help especially where is concerns any threat to her long-fought independence. Finding herself laid-up for close to twelve weeks is a slap in the face for both her financial and personal life but coming face to face with the man who was once the target of every nasty word and thought pushes our heroine into a friend zone that slowly develops into something more. Ike Palmer raised his three younger sisters, and didn’t think anything about helping Larissa Thorpe on her long road to recovery but Ike never expected to find himself falling in love with the foul-mouthed red-head who was currently starring in his fantasies and dreams.

The relationship between Ike and Larissa is an enemies to friends to lovers romance that struggles with misunderstanding, a lack of communication, and Riss’s fear of losing her independence. Ike’s fear of failure pulls him closer to the brink of bankruptcy and unemployment, and Riss’ downtime forces her to confront the direction of her life. The $ex scenes are intimate, erotic, intense and seductive but I dislike the use of a certain four-letter word I found unnecessary in a romance story line.

There is a large ensemble cast of secondary and supporting characters including Larissa’s brothers-Lou, Lonnie and Lloyd, as their Aunt Beatrice; Ike’s sisters Lea, Jen and Kay, as well as Tobin and Jade (Hang Tough #8).

RACKED AND STACKED is a story of family, friendship, misunderstanding and forgiveness. The premise is energetic and encouraging; the characters are lively and animated; the romance is fated and sassy. RACKED AND STACKED is an engaging and delightful addition to the Blacktop Cowboys series.

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With years of a friendly banter under their belts, Riss and Ike are calling a truce during their friends wedding festivities. Both hold respective places of honor beside the bride and groom, and their constant back and forth would be a hindrance during all of the celebrating. A task that is a tad harder to accomplish but one that is completely possible when the two let their kindness shine through.



Nothing about Riss is what you would expect. From her ‘trucker mouth’ to the way she exerts her independence, Riss is definitely a woman that stands her ground. Growing up with all brothers, Riss is used to dishing it out as good as it is divvied out. When a little accident puts Riss out of commission, Ike is the one that steps up to the plate to help out Ms. Independent.



Everything about Ike’s life revolves around cattle. From the moment he awakens to the moment his head hits the pillow, Ike leads a cowboy life. When things begin to look bleak in the new business venture, Ike begins to reflect on where his life is headed. When Ike realizes that Riss needs a helping hand, he makes sure to volunteer his services. Little did Ike know that the close proximity would make ignoring the attraction he felt towards Riss that much harder. Will two stubborn and headstrong individuals find a way to overcome their hesitation and still find a way to keep the independence they both have known?



Racked and Stacked is the latest novel in the Blacktop Cowboys series by Lorelei James. Riss and Ike are both your average blue collar workers. Both have money woes, and always worry about where the future will leave them. Their attraction took quite a while to work to the surface. One of the things I loved most was their banter. It was realistic and often times funny.



Both characters have fallen on ‘hard times’, but find themselves in a unique situation. The realistic quality to this story is the biggest draw. Ike and Riss are great characters. However – nothing beats the Mud Lilies!!! While I did enjoy the story, it felt like a lot of the plot was drawn out. There were moments when I wanted to shake the two characters and say ‘pay attention’. At the same time, I loved the strength between the two. So – I had a mixed bag of feelings on Racked and Stacked!! I will continue to read the series as I look forward to seeing more about my favorite characters.

Lorelei James certainly knows how to scorch the pages of a books. Racked and Stacked takes two seemingly opposite characters and draws then together in a most delightful way.

Rissa and Ike sure don't seem to like each other very much. Secrets and stubbornness I suppose. James has a way of bringing opposites together with wit, humor, fire and passion and there are some very steamy scenes in this book.

I need a hot cowboy for myself omg I loved this story a lot!It has a lot of the things I love to my stories.First of all it started as enemies to lovers which is amazing!I love this trope in my stories.

Secondly, it was super hot, I was swooning and melting a lot!Also I loved that Ike was pushing Riss' buttons. It was entertained watching them full of tension.



I need to read the rest in the series!If you are looking for a great story with a great amount of hot moments, and a story that will touch you this is perfect .

I'll admit it, I'm a huge Lorelei James fan. I've enjoyed every book I've read. Racked and Stacked was no exception. I didn't love it as much as some of the others, but it was well worth reading.

James knows the west and she does an outstanding job writing about Wyoming and it's inhabitants.
Most writers just can't capture the unique qualities of my home state. Living it versus researching it makes a huge difference in authenticity! James creates great characters, writes funny, interesting and highly authentic dialog and creates situations that are very true to life. She does that with Riss and Ike. They have issues. They create a lot of their own problems through misguided self-protective behavior. Especially Riss. She nearly makes it impossible with Ike because she's so used to being strong and independent. Her broken arm is not only the result of that independence and her absolute unwillingness to ask for help but the subsequent need for assistance doesn't sit well. Lucky for her, it gives Ike an excuse to expand their truce and spend some quality time with a woman he finds attractive and interesting.

Racked and Stacked is chock full of additional characters full of color and realistic to the max, like Rissa's brothers and their assorted friends and families. It wouldn't be a Blacktop Cowboys book without the Mud Lillies and we get to see these crazy, inspiring elderly women in their full glory.

James' books are always a safe bet and Racked and Stacked is a great way to relax and enjoy some prized reading time.

reviewed by Jem

Racked and Stacked is a countrified frenemies to lovers tale that will leave you with a smile. Larissa "Riss" Thorpe is smart, independent and a “hump em and dump em” kind of gal. She doesn’t get involved. Ike Palmer has been too busy raising his younger sisters and building a business to get involved. Not to mention the stick up his a$$. When a broken arm makes Riss dependent on Ike they discover that maybe the sparks between them can be more than hate. This is a sweet and sexy romp that will leave a warm spot in your heart.

***5 ‘Alternative Reality’ Stars***

I feel like I slipped into my own “Alternative Reality” and came home after being away for a really long time. It seems crazy because if you knew me you’d know how much of an AR this would really be, but it’s true. From the first page I felt like I was home, or at least in one of my verybestfavorite happy places and thoroughly enjoyed Rissa and Ike’s story. It was sweet, smexy, funny, frustrating (the eye rolling moments were numerous, but less than I initially thought there would be and most in conjunction with laughing) and filled with the kind of heart that I’ve come to expect from this series.

Larissa is a no nonsense, no edit button, blunt from the tips of her red hair to her boots kinda woman with a brain that never quits ~ which depending on what she is using it for and on can cause a plethora of reactions ~ and I couldn’t help but adore her. She’s got a good heart, but that heart is well guarded, which caused some moments of wanting to reach out and Gibbs smack her with a two by four, but it is a golden one when it’s used for all things good.

Ike is a laid back good ‘ole boy with more charm and charisma than he really needs. He’s all about going with the flow, but when that flow gets disrupted he doesn’t always know what to do about it. He carries a lot of weight on his shoulders, much of which is of his own doing, but he just rolls with it because it’s what he’s always known, but also because he loves hard and doesn’t want to let other down.

Ike and Larissa’s frenemies to lovers journey promised to be an explosive one and the fireworks were real. From the first page the chemistry between them jumped off the page, even though they were slightly oblivious to it, it was there just waiting for them to take the blinders off and see it for themselves, and the way it happens was all kinds of fun. I loved watching as they had numerous lightbulb moments about each other and how, even with doing the two steps forward one step back dance a few times, finally saw what everyone else did. The smexy was HAWT (Have your B.O.B. within reach HAWT) and I loved their bantering, but what really proved how well they fit together was how they ended up being each others safe place to land even when they were laying down some tough love.

Now, if it wasn’t apparent in the beginning, I’m a fangirl of the series. Have been for a long time, so I have to admit that part of my rating has to do with the Muddy Gap gang as a whole and the family dynamic they bring to the story. They make it real and fun and I love even getting a glimpse of where they all are. While I didn’t get much time with my absolute fav couple (I got a little so I’m happy), I still got a good dose of the Mud Lilies, whom I still want to be like when I grow up, and am hoping that there will be at least a few more books in the works because I wouldn’t mind getting up close and personal with Riss’s brothers….just sayin’ *BSEG*

I love the author and the series but this book didn't work for me. I liked the frenemies to lovers but I think they stayed in the friend zone too long.
At the end There seemed to be a few unanswered stories. I think this could have used an extra chapter to ensure these two were able to make it work.

True-Blue Cowboy was one of the best, fell good, sweet and heartwarming stories I've read in a very long time. Richardson knows how to write lovable characters with heart.

I received this ARC copy of True-Blue Cowboy from Forever (Grand Central Publishing). This is my honest and voluntary review. True-Blue Cowboy is set for publication July 31, 2018.

My Rating: 5 stars
Written by: Sara Richardson
Series: Rocky Mountain Riders
Sequence in Series" Book 4
Mass Market Paperback: 448 pages
Publisher: Forever
Publication Date: July 31, 2018
ISBN-10: 1538712253
ISBN-13: 978-1538712252
Genre: Contemporary Cowboy Romance

Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/True-Blue-Cowb...
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3.5 Never Assume Stars
This is a case of assumption... She thinks she is just too in your face and not enough girly girl for him. She drives a big truck, handles big Manly business and would never be confused as a human Barbie doll. She sees him with those kind of women and thinks no chance ever with him.
He is confused...He does like girly girls usually and every time he has to deal with this woman, they butt heads... both are too stubborn for their own good...But he is intrigued and surprised... surprised because he finds himself thinking about her, looking at her and down right wanting her.
Will be interesting if ever these two can figure this thing out.

This book had the usual good story line. It was nice to get the back story on the families and how recent events affected the way things turned out.

(A Blacktop Cowboys Novel - Lorelei James)

This was another scorching hot chapter in the Blacktop Cowboys series from Lorelei James.

Ike and Larissa had a complicated relationship from the beginning. There was an electrifying chemistry between them despite starting out as enemies. When their friends got engaged these two quarrelsome characters decided on a truce that led them into a genuine friendship and that led to a real romantic relationship. I adored Riss ! She was a wonderful heroine. She was really vulnerable but hid it with her straight up in your face attitude. She had a great perspective on life and adapted and rolled with the punches as they came. I loved her antics and that soft spot she kept hidden from everyone. Ike was a genuine nice guy who was keeping secrets of his own. Riss helped him to put his pride aside and to get his priorities right.

I loved this book. It was romantic with a lot of raw emotion and just honestly about real life. As usual, Lorelei James has given readers another wonderful love story to enjoy.

DNF

I just couldn't get into this book. I didn't find either character relate-able.

Holy cow $9.99 for a kindle book?!?!?!??!

I have read the other books in this series and this one just didn't connect with me. I didn't particularly connect with either of the characters. Ike just let everyone walk over him and Riss was too much. I get it she's a truck driver but she seemed a little over the top.

Enemies to lovers in a land of topless bull riding and couples sneaking out of their own wedding reception to have sex on the gift shop floor.

I could not connect to this book. The characters were people who I don't really want to know, or even get to know. They acted crassly and selfishly, and it really was disturbing. I think that there are people who identify with these types of families, and who would want to read about others like them for pleasure, but it is not my cup of soup.

Let’s start with the characters. Riss is not a character that I normally would enjoy reading. She’s foul mouthed, a little too over the top in independence, and just plain crude. However, as the story progresses she matures and I began to like her. Ike is a little weak but again, he grows on you and becomes a man to enjoy reading about.
I’ve read all of the stories in this series and enjoyed them very much. I’ve read almost all of Lorelei James’ books. This is a series of rough, self-sufficient people who follow the rodeo circuit across northern states. The plot is complicated and the love between Riss and Ike is complex, not easily settled into any one sub-genre. They don’t allow themselves to be pocked into people you might know or admire, and that’s just fine. There are all kinds of people in this world and Riss and Ike are unique.
Riss is a truck driver who owns her own rigs but when business sours she has to find other ways to make a living. In addition, she is badly injured while repairing frozen pipes under her trailer home and has to unexpectedly accept help from her brothers. They are somewhat neglectful, being used to Riss taking care of herself. Ike has admired Riss for many years, so when he sees her needing more help that her brothers can offer, he (literally) picks her up and takes her to his house to care for her better. Realizing that this is something she can’t turn down, Riss has to let go of her independence and accept the help she has so long pushed away.
As Riss and Ike begin to depend on each other and ultimately develop a trust, their relationship and personalities change. This may be my favorite of the Black Top Cowboys series. I went back and reread all of the previous books in the series (yep, all 8!) and noticed nuances in characters and plotlines that pleased me even more in a second reading. I highly recommend this series and especially this book. 5+ stars!

Enemies turned lovers... awww... Riss, a strong, independent (and quite stubborn) woman finds herself with an injury that not only prevents her from working but also from taking care of herself. Ike, one of those (almost overwhelming) guys who really just needs someone to take care of, steps in and here we goooo!

Sometimes you just don’t connect with the characters in the book you’re reading. That happened to me with this book. I did not really like Riss or Ike. I thought Riss was a bit too foulmouthed and Ike was very beta.

I’m sure fans of Lorelei James will like this book, but I just couldn’t connect.

As a true fan of the series, I have been waiting for Riss and Ike's book for far too long! James once again does what she does best: present realistically, complicated and likeable characters that have electric chemistry that develops into a profound bound and romance that keep readers coming back for me.

I love Riss, sassy yet vulnerable and Ike who is lost in his own way. Sparks fly when these two share close quarters but the depth of their understand of each other is just as interesting as the tension that builds while reader's wait to find out just when they will give in to each other.

Racked and Stacked has the feel like it could be the end of this series but I'd be delighted if we get to see more from this group of characters.

Final rating: 4 out of 5 stars