Gil Sanchez is the older of the Sanchez brothers, and is the workaholic and extremely hands on boss of Sanchez Trucking.

Gil had been an extremely promising bareback rider in the Rodeo world, but after a horrific motorcycle accident, he shattered his pelvis, and his career was cut short. He self medicated with drugs and alcohol, and has been clean for 13 years. He is also a single father to a teenage son, born to his rich and now married ex girlfriend.

The book opens with Gil returning from a trucking job, he is in Montana when he decides to stop off at a bar for some rest and live music, and he feels an instant connect to Carma (Carmalita), who does some roping tricks as part of the entertainment.

They are instantly attracted to each other, and just as things are hotting up, Carma has to go rescue her grandparents from her younger cousin's bad behaviour. Gil is frustrated and can't stop thinking about Carma.

When Carma is on a mission to investigate a rehabilitation centre run by Gil's sister in law, Tori, she turns up at Sanchez Trucking in the worst of circumstances, their attraction burns hot as ever.

However, can Carma let go of her past experience of a rider who left her for a hot blonde the moment he was successful, and trust in Gil, and can Gil let go of his protective instincts for long enough to let Carma into his thoughts, or will the lure of being able to compete again take over.

So this author and series was new to me, and the book was much longer than I expect these types of stories to be. I really thought she captured the world Gil and Carma live in really well, and then I found out she is a real life competitor and lives on the Blackfoot Reservation. This immersive experience really shows in the book. Both characters were great, flawed and hurting, yes, but eminently likeable. The teenage son was scarily in control. Carma had some spiritual talents that helped her to heal and comfort people, but this was a secondary plot point, and didn't derail the central relationship too much.

All in all, enjoyable and fascinating snapshot of a part of American Western culture. also fascinating in terms of the broken/blended family dynamics explored.

I really enjoyed it.

I voluntarily read an advance reader copy of this book and all opinions are my own.

Really enjoyed this sexy, fun and action packed adventure filled with engaging charters, witty dialog, heart racing twists and undeniable passion. Was a great reading from beginning to end.

I really enjoy books by Kari Lynn Dell but this one was hard for me to get into for some reason. It's probably me so I don't fault her writing. I tried several times to read this and just got bogged down which is unusual for me,

Kari Lynn Dell writes her life experiences in her books, making the characters and story line real for the reader.
The main character, Gil Sanchez, has been in other books in the Texas Rodeo series, and I was glad to the author revealed more about his background. A chance meeting with Carmelita White Fox turns into a love story but it has many real-life twists and turns before they reach their connection.
I received an ARC from Net Galley in return for a honest review of the book.

After a devastating injury and reconstructive hip surgery, former rodeo star Gil Sanchez developed an addiction to opiates. It is now thirteen years later and Gil in sober and has developed a successful trucking business, although he misses his days in the rodeo. That is not the only thing Gil misses. He craves a woman named Carmelita White Fox. The pair shared a passionate night together, but then parted ways. There is just something about Carma and Gil can't get her out of his mind.

Carma is an impressive and proud member of a Blackfeet tribe, gifted with healing abilities. Gil has become a part of her life once again, especially after she was mugged and he came to her rescue. Carma can see that Gil is a broken man, but no matter how wonderful her gifts are, she feels she can never heal his spirit, although he is a strong, powerful man in many respects. Even with the powerful visceral attraction that simply cannot be denied, they must work through some challenging situations.

Not only does Gil need to see what could be between him and Carma, he is now playing the primary role in his teen son's life. Can he juggle his parenthood, love life and career in a way that will bring everyone involved joy and contentment?

Relentless in Texas is the 6th book in the Texas Rodeo series. Having not read the previous books in the series, this book did perfectly well as a standalone, although I do wish I had the opportunity to read the previous titles. I found this book to be a wonderful read, and could sense the connection of characters that no doubt were in previous books. I love how this book dealt with both ranch and rodeo life. Usually when I read cowboy romances, it is one or the other. Kari Lynn Dell did a remarkable job including both in this book, as well as a wonderful romance that built between the protagonists.

Gil's addictions were not swept under the rug in this book, so I felt a strong sense of healing while reading this, because it proves that people can grow and succeed. With Carma, I loved the peek into her Native history and how she became a strong person in her own right. One facet of their relationship was summed up (for me anyway) in how Gil enjoyed her rich laugh. When I got to that point, I just knew I would love their romance - no matter their conflicts - as they worked to find a wonderful and happy future together. Ms. Dell is a new name for me and I do hope to get a chance to read the previous books in this series, as well as to see what else this series has to offer.

Many thanks to Sourcebooks Casablanca and to NetGalley for this ARC for review. This is my honest opinion.

Reviews by the Wicked Reads Review Team

Ruthie – ☆☆☆☆☆
This is the sixth book in the series, and I would certainly recommend that you read them all, and in order – but, that said, this is an absolutely fabulous book and could be read as a very rich standalone too. It will reveal some things about previous storylines, and you may not be privy to all of the Sanchez secrets before you go in, but it is just that good that you should do it anyway!

I had a feeling from the very beginning that this was something special, and as the book went on and I was drawn deeper into the lives of Gil and Carma, I was sure I was right. Then came the scene with Carma on her first visit to the Centre, and her actions just made every part of me shiver in admiration and belief in what was happening.

The excitement of the cowboy/rodeo world is tempered here by the reality that Gil suffered an injury which altered the course of his life, and still has repercussions now, every day. His strength, and his admitting to his weaknesses, manage to offset his bad habit of blundering in and taking over. He is flawed, but still incredibly attractive – a feeling I clearly shared with Carma!! He has a huge amount on his shoulders, often out there by his need to control, but also because he doesn't like to see others do too much – a blindness which Carma soon recognises and starts to dismantle. Yet she too needs to give herself the value she supports in others... yep, they are a pair! The chemistry and the depth of feeling between them though is far too strong to let them go – even if they pretend it is only healthy lust.

Thanks to the people around them who care deeply that they both get to live their best lives, this story is never too emotional, too argumentative, or too stressful. Instead, they are awakened to the ways that they could make this work – from their families, to their friends, and employees... especially love Quint's take on things, and Bing's.

I really, really enjoyed this book and was really upset when I found myself on the last page – as good as it was! I hope we catch up with them all again soon.

This was a split-decision read for me. This moves pretty slowly and until things get going and I had to work at keeping my attention focused on this read. The characters were complex, unique and interesting. I thought that they had good chemistry but I wish that I had felt more of an emotional connection between them. In the end I thought that this was a good book that wasted a lot of its potential.

I pretty much love all Kari Lynn Dell's books and I have really enjoyed the Texas Rodeo series so far.

I was excited when I found out that Relentless in Texas centered on Gil - a retired rodeo athlete and current manager of a trucking operation (who we met in earlier books). I always knew he had hidden depths and this book delivered on that promise.

Carma is a great character as well. She is tough and independent and not looking for anyone to take care of her or fix her life for her. I loved her spirit and verve for living and learning.

I wanted Gil and Carma together from the start, and although this is not an insta-love book (thankfully) our couple definitely had sparks from the beginning and it was fun to watch them fall in love.

I would highly recommend this to any fan of Romance.

Relentless in Texas is the sixth book in the Texas Rodeo series. I have been anxiously awaiting Gil's story and it was definitely worth the wait. Gil and Carma were a wonderful couple with great chemistry. Relentless in Texas had a well written, character driven storyline that flowed seamlessly. I would definitely recommend this book and this series.

Kari Lynn Dell is an author that I have newly discovered. Though she has her own wonderful style of writing her books remind me of a favorite paperback author of mine, Kathleen Eagle. Relentless in Texas is similar in that the story combines the culture of rodeo with the Native American culture. Carmelita White Fox finds Gil Sanchez intriguing but like her I had to work at seeing his best side which he hid so well. So cowboys are not the only relentless ones in this book I am glad to have read.

This is book six in the Texas Rodeo series but the first for me to have read in the series. These books must stand on their own because I had no confusions or problems with the story. I enjoyed it immensely and highly recommend it to anyone who would want to read a realistic cowboy story with an authentic feel to the people, their struggles and their emotions.

An ARC of the book was provided by the publisher through NetGalley which I voluntarily chose to read and reviewed. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

4.5 stars.
“Relentless in Texas”, by Kari Lynn Dell (Sourcebooks Casablanca), features a very intense, flawed and wounded hero, and is a story about redemption and hope and how the harsh realities of life will certainly affect and challenge you but not crush you.
Gil Sanchez is amazingly written, a hard, gruff man, who can be so gentle and kind, a person full of contradictions, flawed, bossy, domineering, and often not politically correct.
But Gil also loves fiercely: his lover, Carma, his son (Quint, what a lovely hero he would be…), his brother, family and friends. There are a lot of intense, emotional moments, where the workaholic, tough male shows his soft side.
I loved seeing this “extremely guarded man”, “a man who’d been locked away for too long, desperate for contact”, and the most intriguing and fascinating male character throughout the series, reach his HEA. I was eagerly waiting for his story and this didn’t disappoint, I loved watching him surrender to the heroine and how this harsh man acknowledges his feelings with so much earnestness.
Against the backdrop of rodeo world, a universe Kari Lynn Dell knows so well, and with the characters from the previous books in the series, “Relentless in Texas” is also a brutal, vivid and insightful portrait of addiction and recovery, an how it impacts every aspect of life.

Another wonderful book in this series by Kari Lynn Dell - Gil and Carma are each complicated characters in their own right which brings emotion to the story line.
All of this being set in the back drop of the Texas Rodeo!

I absolutely loved Relentless In Texas! This was like being in a play and being a part of every act. Vivid and emotional, no matter the scene or the scenery. The characters were all so very much alive, popping from the pages. The storyline exceptional--full immersion for me. I wasn't really ready to leave those Sanchez boys yet either, though it was a sweet happy sigh ending for Gil and Carma.
Finally, Gil gets his happily ever after in so many ways, I'm bursting to blurt it all out. I can hardly explain in words, how I felt while reading this. For the jist of this journey read the blurb, then multiply it by 10 on everything. Ms. Dell writes from her heart and doesn't let up until she gets it just right. She knows all things cowboy, rodeo, American Native plus more, and it certainly shows up in these pages.
Carma is what I would call a healer, along with many other talents. When her and Gil met, they started something they didn't get to finish. This is where, I believe karma stepped in. Not an insta love at all, lust yes, but each had baggage, and were their own worst proponents.
A riveting journey, it was not all sunshine and roses. Many old familiar characters, plus a few newer ones rounded it out nicely. Beni and Quint made it even better. Their too smart young teen selves always had a comeback, sometimes even sagely, but often they had me LoL'ing! Small towns and extended families, need I say more?
I think this is my favorite book by far with the depth I felt here. A stand alone with it's own HEA in an awesome series

Keri Lynn has never disappointed me when reading her books!! The details are so visible in your mind that you are right there with the characters as they, ride or rodeo!!

Fantastic finish to a great series! Gil and Carma were both string personalities with a tender side they hide from the world. Wonderful to catch up with all the characters from the previous books. Did not want book to end!

I really liked this story. Which had Gil Sanchez who is still working on his sobriety which I can relate to. He is going on thirteen years and this one night in Montana he is drawn into the music and lights of the bar. While inside he becomes drawn in by one Carmelita White Fox. She is just one of many characters that make this story.
That night when she draws in Gil nothing happens but a connection, though both want more that needs to be put off, or on hold. It would be months later when she is stranded, sick, tired that she needs his help. What has happened between that time is now Gil has his teenage son full time. She is dealing with the loss of her Grandmother, also his family on how and why she just appeared one night and just who and what she is after.
Carma who comes from the Blackfeet Nation is who they call a healer. And as the story progresses Gil has to slowly remove the huge stone walls that he has put in place around himself, turns out she is one who can start removing and healing some of those past wounds. This is not a fast quick love story it is slow and really just what I would have expected from Gil’s character from the other books.
I really liked this book for so many reasons, the characters and having Gil’s mother in it was good. Carma was really good and the ending with her was perfect I won’t give it away. You also have his son, brother, and sister in law, just so many and each one helped with the story. A very good book. I received this book from Netgalley.com I gave it 5 stars. Follow us at
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This was for me such an amazing read. I loved the story and the Native American aspect and how the author beautifully intertwines it in the story. Both Carmelita and Gil are perfect for this story and is so great to see them developed in even better person because of each other. Their love blossoms beautifully. I love the family drama in the book and everything is developed in for me a story that I will never forget.
I volunteered to review an ARC of this book for NetGalley

A romance about two people who want to make their new relationship work but are well aware of all the ways they can mess it all up. I had started reading this series and somehow missed a few books and I am glad this book brought me back. Gil and Carma both feel the intense connection between them. With bad relationships in their past and the tendency to put the others before themselves trying for lasting commitment seems fraught with land mines. I loved watching them both put in the work, thinking and overthinking and trying to figure how how to feel and act even when they got it all wrong. Slow moving but satisfying overall, I was surprised by this book but ultimately really enjoyed it.

I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

This is a cowboy romance. This is the 6st book in the Texas Rodeo series. I found this book very boring and I did not care about any of the characters, so I ended up DNFing it after reading 50% of it. I will not post this review on anything other then Netgalley, and I hope the book finds the person that loves it. I was kindly provided an e-copy of this book by the publisher or author via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review , and I want to send a big Thank you to them for that.

Being a POC myself, it was interesting to read about another person’s experience with having a foot in 2 worlds; one (or a couple of toes) in your ethnic world but not totally and another in the Western world. I had to laugh at the “apple” reference since I am a “banana”. Great drama, action and suspense. I enjoyed the aspect of the H and h being an older couple. I found the story was more about the relationship and juggling the romance with family and work obligations rather than the pages taken up with erotica. (Although there is nothing wrong with that!) There is a long list of characters that could get confusing but I found if I focused on Gil and Carma I didn’t get bogged down with all the names.