The Review

A wild ride of a romance novel, author Marcella Bell does an excellent job of crafting a memorable reading experience. The balance between the complex characters and their emotional journeys with the unique world of celebrity rodeos and the world of reality television as a whole was inspiring to see unfold. The thrill of the rodeo and the inescapable nature of ratings and what drives television was a great theme to explore.

The characters were definitely the heart of this narrative. The path that both AJ and Lil took as they wrestled with their own inner demons and their competitiveness with one another was so engaging as a reader. Watching these two not only come closer together while struggling with the inner workings of intimacy but to wrestle with things like abandonment in their lives and hardship was relatable on such a grand scale for so many readers, drawing in more readers than just those who are fans of cowboy/rodeo-style narratives.

The Verdict

A marvelous, emotional, and creative new direction for classic cowboy romance novels, author Marcella Bell’s “The Wildest Ride” is the perfect start to a brand new cowboy romance series. Passionately written and filled with heart and romance, the characters really help drive this narrative forward. The twists and turns their personal stories take and the impact it has on their growing relationship makes this story a great summer romance read. If you haven’t yet, be sure to grab your copy today!

Guys, how did I survive 40 trips around the sun and not know the term ‘Buckle Bunny’? Also, how does one sign up to become said bunny? This week I participated in a foray into an undiscovered genre (for me), Bronco/Rodeo romance. I’ve dipped my proverbial toe into ranch/cowboy love stories previously, however, they never really scratched the itch. I’m sure this stems from my absolute hatred of camping. I’m not overexaggerating, I’d rather immolate myself than spend one night lying awake in a filthy sleeping bag with the terror that I’m going to be either bitten by a black widow spider, eaten by a bear, or assaulted by a big foot. By the way, what’s the plural of big foot? Big Feet? Or is it like deer - both the plural and singular? I’m arguing semantics over a cryptozoological creature that doesn’t exist - let's get to what you’re here for.

I received an ARC of The Wildest Ride by Marcella Bell and boy howdy, did it live up to the title. For a little plot, you have two unconventional (for cowboy love stories) in Lilian Sorrow Island (Lil’ Sorrow) and AJ Garza. Lil’ Sorrow enters a rodeo themed month long reality show in the hopes of winning the top 1M grand prize in order to save her grandmother's farm. AJ, the newly ‘retired’ rodeo star has also entered the competition to provide solvency for the after school youth rodeo program which provided the stepping stones to his claim to fame.

With stiff competition and being the first female bronco rider in PBRA (Professional Bull Riders Association), Lil’ must prove that she’s not only better than the other contestants, but the best rider in a generation in order to truly stand out. With immense pressure to perform, will Lil’ have the courage to love a known buckle bunny connoisseur or will she build the gates around heart so strong that not even the strongest bronco could buck through? Who will win? Love or the bucking broncos? “Apurate, vaquero, he estado esperandote a toda mi vida”. (SWOON). Not translating that - you need to look it up - do some work! (It’s worth it).

The Compliment Sandwich (Will it be a double decker or a grilled cheese?)

The Top Bun (The Pro)

As I stated above, we have a very unconventional hero and heroine. Lilian Sorrow Island is such a well written and impressive character that I find her inspirational. I want her to be a real person; I wish we had her in the flesh to be a role model for young girls today.

Lil’ is a 27 year old Biracial Native American and African American rancher from Oklahoma with a college degree that she earned through bronco riding scholarship. Real talk: didn’t know that was a thinking, am obsessed with this now. With a modicum of success in the IBRA (Indian Bronco Riding Association), crossover to the PBRA is almost an impossibility for her. Being born with a vageen is strike one and the second, oh yeah, racism. Thanks, white men! Often mistaken for a young boy, she has learned to use her size and agility to her advantage; she rides a bronco as if it’s an extension of herself and she can languidly move in tandem with any horse proving that she’s just as talented, if not more so, than a man.

Forced to take over her grandparents ranch at such an early age, Lil’ is the picture of stoicism and hard scrabble ambition. She lives with the memory of an absent buckle bunny mother who left her in the care of her grandparents; ultimately, taking to the grave any knowledge of Lil’s fathers identity. Her mother never recovered from the The real threat AJ poses does lie within the rodeo ring, it’s in her heart. Keeping AJ at arms length is not an easy feat as he is entranced with Lil’ even from their first meeting (where in which he believed her to be a teenage boy) which only intensified after seeing her ride.

"The ‘wild raw talent’ in question here is, in fact, twenty-seven years old, no means a newcomer, and perhaps most importantly - a woman. I manage a ranch, sixteen horses, a herd of cattle, and have been riding - on my own - since before I could talk. But don’t worry. If you’re so dead set on recruitment, I’d love to come work for CityBoyz - as a coach. All you’ve got to do is get a higher score than me tonight."

We only witness Lil’ underperform once throughout the book and I will admit I truly enjoyed that the reader wasn’t forced to witness a caustic up and down slide on the leaderboard; Bell has given us a heroine that we can champion and deservedly achieves every win. Having suffered so many losses throughout her life, she’s not put through excessive torment. She proves time and again to be the once in a generation bronco rider that isn’t held down by sexism or racism.

There are a few moments where in which both AJ (who is half African American and half Latinx) and Lil’ encounter brazen faced racism that I will admit hit me like a punch to the gut. The general acceptance of both AJ and Lil' Sorrow into the community lulls the reader into this sense of of security, therefore, the stark contrast of the aggressive near violent encounters sharply jolts you back with sharp awareness. Bell in fact, uses a derogatory slang that was so awful I audibly gasped. Heartbroken in that instance for both AJ and Lil’, the reader recognizes, if they haven’t already, that racism has seeped into even the innocuous world of bronco riding. But lets be honest, if you haven’t realized that the US has a serious problem with systemic racism, I don’t know what to tell you at this point. Maybe get a subscription to WaPo or speak to any person of color? And if you aren’t moved to action by these scenes, again, I don’t know what to tell you, but I’d be doing some self-evaluation if it were me.

The Meat (The Con)

It’s a grilled cheese this week - very little to speak ill about. The only issue I found is I needed a little more yearning and reformation from AJ in regard to his love of Lil’; moreover, she’s the one who ends up performing the Grand Gesture. While I understand that he is convinced at an early point in the book that they are MFEO (made for each other), I needed more from him. Bell provides us a glimpse of his inner thoughts through a few chapters in AJ’s perspective, I just felt like he needed to fight for Lil’ a bit more. I needed an act II fight, angst, and a GG. I wasn’t truly convinced that AJ had mended his buckle bunny chasing ways.
That being said, the banter between the two was quite sweet at times.

Her words teased a primal urge in him, as ridiculous as they were, and his smile went feral. His next words were a risk, but he’d never been known for his caution. “I’m comfortable being the father of any of your babies.” “There won’t be any cowboy babies coming out of me, thank you very much.” He snorted. “Any baby that comes out of you is arriving with a Stetson and a lasso. [Ted Lasso. -Rae’s note]” with my luck, they’ll love banking.” He shrugged, smile wicked. “Then we’d just have to try again”.

“You were in choir?” She cocked her head toward him, eyebrow lifting. “Yes.” “Will you sing for me?” “Absolutely not.” “Pretty please,” he begged, grinning the whole time. “You sing for me now and I’ll make your body sing later”

The reader definitely understands that AJ cares for Lil’, but with a history of cut and run characters in her life, she deserves a constant. The reader, like an overprotective chicken overlooking our chicks, aren’t letting just any rooster into the henhouse. He’s got to prove that he’s in it for the long run. Yeah, I know, not the best metaphor, but for some reason all I could think of is White Christmas and the metaphor they used, sorry, it’s been a long week. “You laid a Vermont volleyball, buddy”.

The Bottom Bun (The Pro)
The RODEO!
I will reiterate, I’ve not had the desire to attend/watch/participate/talk about Rodeo before in my life. Honestly, I was taking a gamble that I’d even enjoy this book. The way in which Bell describes bull riding, bronco bucking, cow herding, steer wrangling, however, is absolutely fascinating. The lay person does not understand the athleticism involved in successful rodeo participation. For instance, me, an out of shape, old-ass, city girl, would probably immediately fall off the horse after the first buck and end up getting trampled by the bull. “Here lies the body of Rae, who stupidly thought she was bad ass enough to last 8 minutes on a bull because she watched that movie 8 Seconds with Luke Perry once in college after drinking all night at a dive cowboy bar. We burnin’ or buryin’?”

Bell aims for inclusion with her descriptions, not to create an opacity forcing the reader to gather a semblance of what is occurring. Her main goal is to make rodeo accessible to the uninitiated, and she has succeeded.

She took a final breath, deep and slow, then nodded. The gate sprang open and she and [the bull] exploded into the arena. He was the biggest thing she’d ever ridden. She gave her body over to his power, releasing resistance wherever it arose. His bucks and turns were hard enough to break her neck. Her hand screamed, but she held. [The bull] leaped, thrashing his head and tail in opposite directions as he did it, violently whipping her from side to side, but he couldn’t shake her. Not when she’d found it. Her center. The thing that let her stand on the ball.

While you are not given many glimpses into the actions of her opponents, even with limited knowledge, the reader can ascertain that what Lil’ achieves is an unprecedented feat.

I would highly recommend this novel, for those of any ilk, whether or not cowboy/rodeo romances are your jam. Michelle Branch out, people! Additionally exciting news: this is the first of an intended series, therefore, I’m sure we will be privy to more of AJ and Lil’s relationship in subsequent books. Which I find enjoyable, as this book has a bit of an abrupt HEA. Still satisfying, but just abbreviated. If anyone knows me, when it’s something delightful, I love to soak it in. Hence I’m perfecting my ability to utilize slow-motion view on gifs for a certain one of Tom Ellis from Lucifer. Y’all know which one I’m talking about! It moves too fast for my liking and the lighting is bad. His butt is like two perfect rounded…

What were we talking about? Oh, yes, please read this book. Seriously though, brava Marcella Bell!

I’m still not fucking camping though.

Marcella Bell is a new-to-me author, and as a long-time fan of Mesquite and PBR rodeo, and as someone who's crushed on more than one professional bull rider, as well as being an avid romance reader, this book appealed to me on so many levels. It's also a multi-racial/multi-cultural romance, and kudos to Ms. Bell, for an excellent, well-written, well-researched, heartfelt, and sexy novel with memorable, well-developed characters, and I'm so glad that this is the first novel in a new series. It gets 5 stars from this reader, my only complaint is that I wished for a more fleshed-out HEA ending, but even with an implied HEA ending, this was one terrific read.

The heroine in this novel is Lilian ‘Lil’ Sorrow, who is both Native American and black. She has no idea who her father is other than knowing that her mother followed rodeo and that her father was a one-night stand, rodeo cowboy. She hasn't trusted cowboys ever since. She was dumped on her grandparents ranch, and they raised her. She's been running the operation since her grandfather's death. Unfortunately, she and her grandmother learn that several years earlier he got a reverse mortgage on that ranch, took the money--there's little of it left, and unless they can come up with a way to repay his debt, the bank is about to take ownership.

Lil grew up watching rodeo, crushed on one champion bull rider, AJ Garza, and was taught by her beloved grandfather to be a fearless and powerful cowboy--her only impediment was that women are not allowed to ride in the PBR in any way other than barrel racing. It doesn't help that in addition to being female, she's multi-racial. But her grandmother sees an ad about a new Closed Circuit reality television rodeo contest, and women are for the first time, allowed to apply. The grand prize is $1 million dollars, which would pay off a good deal of her grandfather's ill-advised reverse mortgage, and without her knowledge, her grandmother signs Lil up, and once she's proved herself, she's signed up for the competition, one in which she'll be competing with her hero, AJ Garza, who's won more competitions than any PBR cowboy ever. He needs the money to help finance his charitable rodeo program in Houston, started by the person he refers to as The Old Man, his mentor, the program he started was designed to train at-risk boys, called CityBoyz, and once Lil starts to compete, meets challenge after challenge, event after event, and as these two competitors find themselves more and more attracted to one another, this slow-moving novel really takes off.

But The Wildest Ride is more than just a typical rodeo romance--it's also a history lesson about the sexism prevalent in the PBR, the injustices and genocide to which Native Americans were and still are subjected, as well as the prejudice against African-Americans, which is certainly well known to anyone who every took a history class or watched a newscast in the U.S.. and it's in the afterword that we learn just how near and dear these issues are to the author.

This novel was so much more than I expected it to be, and I absolutely loved it. Marcella Bell is one excellent and highly proficient writer, and this series is definitely one I'll be following. In short, this was one terrific novel, and I cannot recommend it highly enough.

I voluntarily read an advance reader copy of this novel. The opinions expressed are my own.

Lilian's whole life revolves around the ranch, where she was raised by her grandparents. After a visit from the bank, they found out that grandfather took out a reverse mortgage and that the payment is due soon. They don't have that kind of money, so she enters an all-new closed-circuit rodeo tour with a big prize. AJ is supposed to be retiring, but the new competition is too good to pass on, besides the program that once saved him depends on that.

They are rivals, but the attraction between them is undeniable.

While I like the storyline, I had the hardest time getting into it.

The Wildest Ride is the first book in the Closed Circuit series by Marcella Bell. A steamy cowboy romance with undeniable chemistry, funny banter, and characters that are easy to relate to. The Wildest Ride has everything that a cowboy romance should offer.

I love stories about cowboys/rodeo. I do not find them very often, so when I do, it is exciting. When this book was accepted for me to read and review early, I was ecstatic to start reading.
Lil is a woman who is the granddaughter of a bull-rider and is proud of it. Her grandfather taught her his skills and knowledge well. After the passing of her grandfather, Lil and her grandmother make a discovery which leads them to take desperate measures. Lil has to call herself back into the arena after having not been competing in it for years. She has barely any time to get herself back in condition in order to have a chance to win the prize money that is desperately needed. She has one major rule; stay away from cowboys. Cowboys always leave.
AJ is a rodeo star that has just finished up his farewell tour. When he finds out that his beloved organization that helps at risk youths get into rodeo, he comes out of retirement to help them. With this closed circuit bull riding and other rodeo task events, he has a chance to win the much needed money to keep this group, City Boyz, from shutting down. He has the money, but the owner of the group will not accept his money.
Both Lil and AJ are competing for the money that will save something they love. However, to get to that final goal, they have to beat out many other hopeful cowboys. Lil's first day produces drama right from the start, and the drama does not end there. Between Hank, a full of himself sleazy cowboy, the cameras constantly on them, the interviews, and the challenges, AJ and Lil have their work cut out for themselves.
There are challenges, romance, surprises and more in this story. It was well rounded and a pleasant read. I will keep an eye on this author's future books.
I have received a free copy from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. The free copy did not sway my rating in any way.

The Wildest Ride had a bit of a slow start, but things soon picked up and I was hooked. Reality TV is all the rage nowadays, so it's no surprise to see it as part of a storyline. This one isn't about the usual dating or romance type show. Instead, we get reality TV rodeo style and a romance between competitors - competitors who both really need to win. It's definitely not a chore for me to swoon over a lovable cowboy, and Lil is a pretty strong heroine, so I enjoyed the romance. There were a couple of things that weren't all tidied up in the end, and I'm guessing/hoping they'll be addressed in the next Closed Circuit book. That aside, the characters are likable, the story is engaging, and the romance is one you can root for. All in all, a pretty good choice for a weekend read.

3.5 stars

This is a new-to-me author and I wasn’t sure if I was going to make time for this blog tour when it was offered to me. But with all of the cowboy romances I’ve read, I couldn’t pass up the opportunity to read about a woman competing along with the men in bull riding. Lil lived up to my hopes, and then some.

Lil is one tough cookie. She isn’t overly friendly; she tries to keep to herself and fly under the radar. She’s also not one to be pushed around, or to let others be bullied. That can sometimes get her into messes she didn’t mean to make. Which, in this story, leads to her “meet cute” with AJ Garza, famous rodeo champion. The whole scene of the Closed Circuit Rodeo tryouts had me waiting with bated breath for all to be revealed. Once AJ and Lil meet for real, the fireworks start. They are enemies, so to speak, but are drawn to each other no matter how much they fight the pull.

Both Lil and AJ are wonderful characters. They have huge hearts and are fiercely loyal, especially to those they consider family. That is a great thing, but it also tends to stand in their way at times. They both know they can never work; Lil can’t take AJ away from the rodeo and the boys he is mentoring, AJ can never take Lil away from her ranch. They both feel it would breed resentment. So they do that thing where they pretend they’ll be fine with a fling. Or, at least Lil does. AJ is more the all-in type, but Lil can’t trust that.

There is so much I like about this story, but there are also some problems. The prose was often clunky, where I had to read a sentence or paragraph over numerous times to understand what the author was trying to say. This, of course, broke up the flow of the story and made it difficult to fully immerse myself.

Lil’s heritage was interesting and I wish we would have gotten a bit more about that. At the same time, I understand that it would have been a bit too much to cram all of the facts in and that would have taken away from the story in the end. I highly recommend you do not skip the Author’s Note at the end. It gives more history of the Muscogee Creek Freedmen as well as some interesting backstory on the author’s heritage. Those few pages gave me a lot of knowledge, which is always a good thing.

This is listed as the first in the series. It has caught my attention enough for me to want to read more. And I loved reading about a woman competing with men in rodeo instead of in separate events. I’d really enjoy seeing more of that in the future.

THE WILDEST RIDE (A Closed Circuit Novel Book #1) by Marcella Bell is the first book in a contemporary multicultural romance series that is listed under Women’s fiction, but the only reason I found for this was the ending is more of an implied HEA than being a written, explicit one.

Lilian ‘Lil’ Sorrow runs her grandparents ranch since the death of her grandfather. When it is disclosed that her grandfather took a reverse mortgage out on the ranch, they find they must begin to pay it back or lose the family ranch. Lil was trained by her grandfather to shine in all rodeo events so when the Closed Circuit event is announced, her grandmother signs her up. Lil will get to follow her and her grandfather’s dreams of starring in a PBRA event.

AJ Garza has been the undefeated rodeo champion for years and is supposed to be retiring, but the Closed Circuit event is what he needs to save the Houston rodeo program for at-risk boys which introduced him to rodeo when he needed it.

The world watches as reality TV meets rodeo. Both Lil and AJ need the grand prize, but the competitors find it difficult to keep their personal attraction under control and out of the competition.

I loved the idea and setting of this story and the author did not disappoint. Lil is a small powerhouse who knows how to run a ranch and shine at a rodeo but is living in fear of making her mother’s mistakes. AJ only knows rodeo as his profession and he does not know how to move on. The two of them are pitted against each other, but soon they are also helping each other. Ms. Bell does an excellent job of moving the story at a good pace with the rodeo events while still moving the romance at a slower, believable pace. When the sex scenes occur, they are very sexy, hot and not gratuitous. All the characters in this story are memorable and fully fleshed. It was interesting to learn of the segregation in the PBRA and the rodeo in general, not just in color and culture, but sex also. Since this is a series, I will be interested to see if it features a different H/h focus in each book around the Closed Circuit shows or we will get to see Lil and AJ in future stories.

I recommend this start to this engaging new series and I am looking forward to seeing how it progresses.

The only thing Lil is concerned about is saving her family’s ranch. THE WILDEST RIDE is Marcella Bell’s debut novel and it is a wonderful story.

THE WILDEST RIDE is such a brilliant story and gave me all the right feels at the right times! I was emotionally invested in Lil and her life from the very first page. It had me laughing within the first few pages, and I was instantly connected to Lil. Wait until you meet Lil’s grandmother! She is hysterical and had me laughing out loud over and over again! Take a chance and read THE WILDEST RIDE. You won’t regret it!

Lil’s grandma has signed her up to compete in a reality rodeo that will be shown on television. THE WILDEST RIDE is a slow moving romance intertwined with an enemies-to-lovers trope. The reality rodeo is where she finds herself competing against AJ Garza, A super star and one very gorgeous man. Lil and AJ feel an instant attraction to each other, but Lil is having none of that! All she wants is the money to save their ranch! AJ wants the money to save his non profit, CityBoyz, A program for at risk youth in Houston Texas, and neither one of them is willing to let their dreams of winning go. THE WILDEST RIDE is so cute, romantic, and will make you fall in love, and definitely leave you wanting for more. This is the perfect story for a romance movie, wether on the big screen or television!

THE WILDEST RIDE held me captive until the very last page. Once I started reading, I couldn’t put it down. I just had to know if Lil and AJ were going to find their happily ever after as well as who won the competition. I will be thinking about Lil’s story for days to come and wonder how I would have handled her situation. Ms. Bell had me on quite the emotional rollercoaster by the end of the story but I also had a smile on my face. I wasn’t sure how things were going to go after the plot twist but I loved the ending. As a whole, I really loved and identified with how much this book celebrated rodeos and all that goes along with competitions. So thank you Marcella Bell for making my heart so happy. I loved every minute of it.

I received a complimentary copy of this book from Harper Collins through Netgalley. All opinions expressed are my own and were voluntarily given.

I have to admit often cowboy/rodeo books can be a guilty pleasure for me, so I was excited for this story as I liked the idea of this story from the synopsis. While I felt this book was okay it didn't wow me and there were things that left me wanting more from.

Unfortunately with this book I liked the idea of the book more than the book it self.

AJ Garza is a freshly retired top of his game Bull Rider and once he hears about this new reality tv show he wants to be part of it to help his mentor.

Lilian Sorrow Island has never been able to ride in the rodeo tour as a female but her grandma signs her up as an entry for this new show. This was backhanded but it was the only way that Lil could possibly save their farm.

What I liked was: Lil's grandma. She was a hoot. I also liked some of the elements of Lil and AJ. I also like the potential of a kick ass heroine.

What left me wanting more: The ending on how it all wraps up. Lil is stressed with the future of a possibility of her and AJ and then the ending was yep we like each other the end. An epilogue of either AJ living on her farm or Lil moving away from her home would have been a good addition.

There were also some possible elements of sabotage but those seemed to be flat and didn't lead to anything. Also there was stress with the 3rd contender throughout the whole book and that story line seemed to peter out without any true completion either.

I'm not sure if elements were left out for the potential of more in this series but it left this book with me wanting more.

Also with Lil, there were elements of her being strong but then were also elements of her being a weak 'girl' at times when I don't feel that was needed.

And then there is the surprise of who her father was. That felt out of no where and again left without full completion.

I may want to read more but it will depend on time and want. Right now there isn't a burning need for more but that could change over time.

4.75 stars!

I thoroughly enjoyed The Wildest Ride. It was the third book I started yesterday, but the only one that captured my attention and did not let it wander. Lil Sorrow and AJ Garza are fire on the page, and seeing how they deal with the stresses of competition, the stressors in their lives, and this attraction to one another that won't quit captivated me. I absolutely loved learning more about rodeo and also about Black Freedmen, those who are both Indigenous and Black. I loved seeing how Lil Sorrow brought change and freshness to an industry that shouldered women out.

My heart was in my throat at times, and while I wish this book had an epilogue or more details about competitors, and other big reveals, I am bolstered that this is the first book in a series and hopefully my questions will be answered by glimpses or cameos in upcoming books. As it is, the book ends wonderfully, but when you fall in love with characters, there is never enough on the page. The Wildest Ride is a revelation in all the best ways, and I am eagerly looking forward to reading more from Marcella Bell. Her writing is rich and layered, making for an unforgettable story!

While its a slow moving romance, it allows the story to grew as well as the characters themselves , it also shows the love that family have for each other and what they will do to help each other.

Lil and AJ both want- need- to win the closed circuit rodeo tour and its $1 million prize. Lil needs it to save the family ranch in Oklahoma and AJ needs it to keep his program for at risk kids in Houston going. Rivals at first, they turn into lovers. That's a trope for sure but I liked this take of the diversity of the characters and the unique setting. Loved the rodeo tidbits. The back and forth between these two (both of whom give their perspective on things) is well done, the steamy scenes are nicely steamy, and the outcome, well no spoilers from me. Thanks to the publisher for the arc. A fun read.

Nice to read a diverse cowboy contemporary western realistic love story! Hit the spot for a quick kindle read. AJ is the older cowboy who can't imagine not riding in the rodeo while Lil' Sorrow is the Muskogee rider who gave up riding earlier. Now they are thrown together in a reality rodeo RV show for the big money--AJ wants to save his CityBoyz nonprofit and Lil' wants to save her family's ranch. The romance is slow going, but I loved all the rodeo details and family drama.

This is a fantastic book centered around a reality competition rodeo show. The main characters are interesting and I loved their connection. It’s a slow burn romance. I like the diversity in the characters. It got a 4 star simply because I didn’t care for the start of the book and almost put it aside. I started to really enjoy it around chapter 4. I enjoyed the descriptions of the events of the rodeo, I liked the banter, I liked the characters and thought the secondary characters added depth. The author really fleshed out the main characters so you got a sense of who they were. I liked that Lil was an extremely strong woman, yet you knew she was a bit broken inside. I thought AJ was the perfect cowboy to come into her life. They both challenged each other and healed each other. The plot moves a good pace, a bit of steamy romance, and a HEA!
Reviewed by Comfy Chair Books/Lisa Reigel (July 16, 2021)
ARC provided by @htpbooks via @Netgalley

#TheWildestRide #MarcellaBell @therealmzbell #RodeoRomance #WesternRomance #femalepower #CowboyRomance #diversityinreading

AJ is a world-renowned bull rider in the pro rodeo circuit. He is retired but he's up for one more challenge when there is a contest with a large prize started by a reality TV show. Lil, a rancher who needs to save her ranch, decides to go for the gold as well and they meet at the auditions. Both end up being top contenders in the contest and sparks fly. This is a highly entertaining story that I recommend to everyone who loves rodeo or just a great novel.

I have voluntarily reviewed a copy of this book that I received from NetGalley. All views expressed are only my honest opinion

I had trouble getting into this book. I enjoy stories set in western scenarios and romances especially with strong characters.
I had trouble setting the scene in this one. It just left me wanting clarification after reading the first several chapters. It was hard for me to picture the characters in my mind. I finally stopped reading.

This is the first book I read by this author and not being a fan of reality shows, I was curious to see how I would like it. In the end , it was worth my time.
AJ Garza is a rodeo champion who wants the prize money not for himself, but for the group that helped him straighten up as a wayward youth.
Lil/Lillian Sorrow , a true cowgirl raised by grandparents in Oklahoma, is determined to win the money in order to save the ranch.
Two individuals fighting for the prize , not for themselves but for others.
When AJ meets Lil he’s shocked to find out she’s a “girl”.
The screen rivalry is huge, but the off camera, the attraction is intense as is the friendship that develops.
Who will come out the winner?
This is a story about family, hope, commitment, and of course romance.
I was entrusted a copy of this book from Netgalley. The opinions expressed are solely my own.

Romance With An Atypical Twang. Let's face it. When you think of rodeo, you don't exactly think of non-white dudes competing. Much less a non-white chick. Nor do you really think of "reality competition show", despite that particular type of show being *so* overdone these days. And yet, in this particular romance, we get all of the above. We get the obligatory overt Garth reference or two, a more subtle Merle reference or two, and two non-white rodeo champions putting it all on the line in a rodeo-based reality competition show in order to save the things they love. And since this is a romance tale, yeah, that builds along the way too. For the clean/ sweet crowd... y'all aint gonna like this one. It only has two outright sex scenes, but one of them is about as far from blink-and-you'll-miss-it as you can get without dragging the story or veering into erotica. Overall a well-done tale that sets up what looks to be a medium-coupled series - not so loose that the characters never appear in each other's books, but also not so tightly coupled that future readers would be completely lost if coming into the series in later books. It will be interesting to see where Ms. Bell goes from here and exactly how she executes stylistically on joining the series together. Very much recommended.