Anna Lawler never knows quite how to talk to Kyle Malory, bull rider with warm green eyes. She’s not like the beautiful women who throw themselves at Kyle–she’s a vet, far more comfortable with animals than people. But when he’s hurt in the ring, Anna starts to discover the real Kyle behind the macho cowboy.
When Kyle challenges her to a wager, Anna can’t resist taking the bet, even if the price is a night out with him, doing whatever he chooses ...
NY Times Bestselling author Jennifer Ashley writes historical, contemporary, and paranormal romance, historical mysteries, and urban fantasy as Jennifer Ashley, Allyson James, and Ashley Gardner.
Book 6 of Riding Hard. Available in e-book, print, and audio. Ray's story happens alongside Kyle's (you see hints here and there) but Ray's full story is told in his book.
This is one of those stories where the conflict is just the woman being a total bitch because having feelings for a man is just so hard when you hate all men.
FINAL DECISION: This is a nice romance about two people getting to know one another while living in a small town. I liked both of these characters and their romance felt normal and more real than I expected.
THE STORY: Kyle Malory is recovering from an bull riding injury when a bet with veterinarian Anna Lawler ends up with the two going on a date. As the two spend time together, two people who have known one another for a long time get to know one another for the first time romantically.
OPINION: This is a sweet small town contemporary romance. There is less drama than some of the other books in the series, but I liked how Kyle and Anna get to know one another. There is a great comfort here in the setting and the characters as Kyle and Anna circle around one another in a real way. No serious misunderstandings, no outside forces keeping them apart. Just two people getting to know one another and finding out whether there is something more than sexual attraction between them.
I really liked Anna who is sassy and no pushover. A woman who is constantly underestimated, she is strong and yet not harsh. I liked that she has her values and is willing to assert them but doesn't demand that other people adhere to her beliefs.
I thought that Kyle was a sucker for her as soon as the two begin to interact. He is kind to her and certainly respects her. In an older fashioned romance, I would say that he is sweet on her from the start.
There is certainly some hot moments, but I really liked the little things between them -- like Kyle trying a new food, getting himself dirty to help her, wanting to protect her reputation, Anna's attack cat.
The book made me smile.
WORTH MENTIONING: There is overlap in the timeline for this book and the next in the series, RAY, so we get to see some of Ray and the woman who catches his interest.
CONNECTED BOOKS: KYLE is the sixth book in the Riding Hard series. The romance here is self-contained and thus the book can be read as a standalone. Characters, however, appear from other books and reading the series gives a reader a better sense of the relationships between all these characters.
STAR RATING: I give this book 4 stars.
NOTE: I received an ARC of this book from the author. I was not required to write a review or to write a positive review. All opinions contained herein are my own.
I loved Kyle and Anna. Good setting, realistic background, fun characters. Their relationship started slow, each not really liking the other. I enjoyed watching them grow together and the honesty they shared. It was good to see them happy together at the end.
I received an ARC of this book and I voluntarily leave my honest review. Its great to be back in Riverbend again now that all of the Campbell's have had their stories told, so its time for the Malory's and I'm really happy about that. Kyle is up first and I really enjoyed his journey with Anna to their HEA. This author has such great world/character development that we already know these characters really well from their appearances throughout the previous books in the series. We get to know more of Kyle and see he isn't just a bull riding, womaniser which is also Anna's impressions of him. It was nice to see he has more depth to him. Anna was fantastic, being a large animal vet is never an easy thing and she does her job independently without complaint, just works hard to prove how capable she is, love that about her. They definitely dance around each other for a while but I was really happy they both stop being so stubborn and connect. Anna and Kyle had great chemistry together which made for some smokin' hot scenes. You couldn't have a Riverbend book with out seeing some of the Campbell's and it was nice to see how their lives are progressing. This one also sets up Ray's book, Kyle's brother, who is forming a relationship, which he is being a bit secretive about with a woman named Drew and they are fixing up her B&B, I guess we will get the finer details in his own book which I am looking forward to. This one had a bit of drama with the known local trouble makers/bad guys and action in it that was resolved fairly quickly and neatly. Overall a great addition to the series, bring on Ray's book!
This story is dear to me as Anna Lawler is a veterinarian. My daughter was planning to be one but found her strengths with animals didn't lie in emergency situations. It's a challenging profession for a woman to be a large animal vet. Anna has what it takes. She's strong, independent, an animal whisperer of sorts with a kind and compassionate heart. She's just not good with people, charming men in particular. She doesn't trust easily. She knows Kyle Malory, being a champion rodeo bull rider, has too many women falling at his feet. She is determined to not be one of them. When he comes home to heal from an injury that puts him out of the competition for the season she finds him watching her work on the family ranch. Kyle is fascinated by her and keeps finding reasons to talk to her. He finally challenges her to a mechanical bull ride to prove to her riding bulls takes skill not just brawn. If she loses he gets to take her on a date. Their date ends up a rescue mission for a horse in a car accident on the way to the date. I loved the chemistry between these two. She fights it so hard but Kyle sees a woman under all the defensiveness who is worth his love.
I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced readers copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
This small town romance series has been fun to read. The characters are very likable for the most part and those that aren't usually get what they deserve.
This story had bull rider and rancher, Kyle Malory, coming home to heal his body and finally open his heart to love. He has loved Dr. Anna in silence forever. They are oil and water and he has away of sparking the worst in her.
Dr. Anna is a strong woman, a big animal vet to those that tower over her 5 feet of awesomeness. She has to stand up to stereotypical macho cowboy on a daily basis. She feels as if she constantly has to prove herself and her strong opinions.
Kyle has the time to go after he wants while he heals. He has tricks up his sleeve. He has a protective instinct that will come in handy. This time he will ride the jumps, the kicks, and all the obstacles to get what he wants. And what he wants is Dr. Anna.
2,5 estrellas No tengo problemas ni con la protagonista ni con el protagonista masculino. Pero esta historia me ha resultado algo mas sosa y, desde luego, pierde en comparación con la novela anterior de esta saga: Ross Pero bueno, una novela entretenida de romántica contemporánea con una ambientación interesante. No le puedo pedir mucho más si tenemos en cuenta que este subgénero no me gusta demasiado. En este caso, la pareja protagonista sigue el cliché "los opuestos se atraen" y "las apariencias engañan". Dejo pasar algunas afirmaciones puestas en boca de la protagonista, Anna, sobre ciertos temas que parecen más estereotipos falsos que otra cosa. Pero bueno, podría haber sido peor 😂
Can two people be more perfect for each other and be so stubborn at the same time? We are now talking about the Malory’s. Although this is book 6 in the series, it’s the first with the Mallorys, and it starts with Kyle. He has had his eye on and off for so long, the town vet, and not just a small animals, she does the big animals. She’ll walk in a corral with steers some thing the Cowboys won’t even do. She’s not real fond of the fact that Kyle is a bull rider, of course she roots for the bull. Their relationship is so funny, they give each other so much crap and yet the attraction is so strong. There’s also a mystery to solve, actually more than one. But one mystery is solved, and the good guys come out on top. And all ends up well for Kyle and Anna.
Loved reading Kyle and Anna. They are frustrating but adorable individuals with how hard headed they are. Anna is a strong and independent woman determined to prove herself. Kyle is equally independent but stubborn. He is quite smitten with Anna and will do anything to get her on a date with him. So he dares her, knowing she will lose. The tension between these two left me shaking my kindle wanting them to just kiss already! And when they do, boy do they kiss! Wink wink! Plenty of fun, action and finally romance in this book six of Riding Hard. Highly recommend this book.
I have received an advanced reader copy in return for an honest review. These are soley my honest opinions.
In a re-meet cute enough to tell the grandkids, rodeo champion Kyle Malloy is determined to earn another trophy for his case until he gets thrown by a bull determined not to be ridden in the ring and is helped to his feet by rodeo clown/large animal vet, Anna Lawler, just before the bull can toss Kyle out of the ring.
Followed by the just as cute first date being the result of a lost bet. Since ‘boys like what boys like’, as soon as Kyle and Anna tentatively find their way to a romantic path, Anna gets more date requests than she wants and none she wants to accept which has Kyle’s alpha persona both possessively frantic and happy. Even against community bullies. Rating: 4stars
The narration was good. It was easy to forget that the narrator was male reading all of the parts.
My problem was that I didn't like Anna. Didn't like her for the majority of the book. Her personality at the beginning was just plain nasty. I couldn't understand why Kyle kept pursuing her. It was so bad that I almost gave up listening to the book.
Then, their relationships morphed into love in no time at all. There was romance, a couple of steamy scenes, a bit of suspense, and an HEA. It was an OK listen.
YeeHaw! Reading the first 5 made you want to hate the Malory boys - but after reading this one, you'll fall in love with them too! A little rivalry is good once and a while, but in the end, you need to be friends. Anna is so shy and quiet, even though she is the town vet. What Kyle doesn't realize is that Anna has had a crush on him since High School. Well - sometimes it takes time for the guys to catch up with the girls!
Timing is everything and it was right for Anna and Kyle! Bit of a slow burn, bit of enemies to lovers, but they both looked and saw the other in a new light. Once that happened, there was no wasting time, even though they stalled a little along the way. Crazy chemistry, meddling friends and neighbours, and the realization that going for it was okay to do, and this twosome had their HEA!
The Riding Hard series continues with Kyle Malory’s injuries from a bull ride drawing Riverbend vet, Dr. Anna, to keep an eye on him and try to cheer him up. With the whole town watching and speculating, romance is a challenge. You’ll be cheering for them!
Kyle Malory, champion bull rider and one of Grace's (CARTER) older brothers. He got injured in the ring but he was saved by the rodeo clown who also happened to be the beautiful, independent, fierce and sassy local vet, Anna Lawler.
Anna Lawler moved back to Riverbend to take over the veterinarian practice. She never knew how to talk to the sexy as sin bull rider, Kyle Malory. But when he got hurt in the ring, she started to see another side of him she didn't know existed.
He was out of commission for the rest of the season. That left him with a lot of time on his hands and what he chose to so was get under Anna's skin. He likes having her around but they constantly clashed about everything. There was an undeniable attraction between them so what was a man to do!?.
She was afraid of what she felt when she was with him and he just couldn't stop thinking about her. Kyle challenged her to a wager, one she couldn't refuse. If she lost, she had to go on a date with him and do whatever he wanted and vice versa. Let the game begin!
They spent lot of time together and they found out some interesting things about each other. Then Anna went and made a blunder, one that nearly caused her the man she had always had a crush on. She and Kyle worked out their misunderstanding.
As the relationship between them continued to grow, the entire town was rooting for them. Loved the way the Campbells and the Malorys came together when troublemaker siblings tried stealing from the community.
The dynamic between Ray and Kyle was fantastic. The brothers were falling hard for the women in their lives. Anna and Kyle finally got their HEA with the town as a witness ;).
KYLE is the sixth book in Jennifer Ashley's RIDING HARD series. Wow, that was an exhilarating, heartwarming, intriguing and oh so intoxicating ride. Jennifer Ashley did a phenomenal job! 5++++
Although this read was Kyle's story it was heavy on the Vet Dr. Anna. She was a no back down woman. She stood her ground always. Right from the start you just knew there was chemistry between her and Kyle. She hated what he did for a living as a bull rider in rodeo's. Thought it was cruel to the animals. But it was her that actually saved Kyle from a terrible bull ride. She went in as the clown to protect the bulls but ended up saving Kyle. As the story progresses she starts to see Kyle in a different light. During one of their arguments Kyle challenges Anna to ride the mechanical bull to see just how much discipline it takes. If she loses she has to go to dinner with him. Sneaky way to get a date but cute. Yeah she loses but not by much and yes they go on their date but it doesn't end there. Dr. Anna realized there was more to Kyle then she thought. This was a pretty mild story compared to the others but it was so very good. Now onto Ray's story. This should be interesting.
Love cowboys, ranchers, and rodeo. He's an injured bull rider come home to heal. She's the local veterinarian who, by the way, has had a crush on him since high school. He never noticed her until now. She's a beauty who has to prove herself every day to her clients. They clash and the sparks fly. There is humor, sex, romance, and a tiny bit of danger thrown in. Highly recommend.
Fun getting to know about the Mallory’s as the Riding Hard series continues. Kyle and the veterinarian, Anna, make for good reading in a novella — good enough I would have liked a full novel about them. Characters from the previous books continued in this one keeping the town of Riverbend real. Looking forward to taciturn Ray’s story.
Omg what a rollercoaster of a read, a truly amazing story, Kyle the hot shot bull rider & Anna the sweet yet tough big animal vet. Opposite in every aspect of how they view life.
The happily ever afters in Riverbend have branched out from the Campbells and now include the Mallorys. At first I couldn't see Anna and Kyle being a good fit, but by the end I was cheering for happy ending.