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Ridin' Hard
He needed a wife. I needed money. I should have run, but he promised me it was going to be so easy. But nothing is easy when it comes to notorious billionaire cowboy Duke Fallon – unless you count easy on the eyes, which he definitely is. With his dark eyes, ripped abs, and broad shoulders, he has the body (and the attitude) of someone who knows exactly what to do with his hands. Soon he’s sneaking into my room at night, trailing searing kisses over my body, pushing his fingers inside of me, his hands and lips working to bring me to heights of pleasure I never knew possible. In the morning, he’s always cold and shut down, barely acknowledging me, acting like I’m some kind of afterthought. I know this thing between us is all for show, a pretend romance that’s just as fake as the ad I answered to get here. I know I should take my money, cut my losses, and run. I know he’s incapable of loving me. But if there’s one thing Duke Fallon excels at, it’s blurring the lines between what’s real and what’s not….
- GenresWesterns
58 pages, Kindle Edition
Published August 1, 2017
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Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews
June 21, 2018
This book is not a standalone novel but a three part series. It honestly could have been made into one book. I really am not a fan of books that are written in this exact style because I feel like the author should just write the whole story in one shot.
Ridin' Dirty (Book 1)
Arianna (Ari) leaves Boston arrives in Montana under the assumption that she will be a model for Duke Fallon's ranch for a month to boost guest attendance. She applies and accepts the job because she wants to be able to attend university and pay off her schooling. However, it is not revealed to her until after she arrives that Duke asked his manager Molly to hire someone to help soften his image in the public eye and Ari learns she will be pretending to be his girlfriend. The reason for this is because Duke got into a physical fight with one of his guests for beating one of his horses. The media wrote a story about it and therefore it has caused harm to his business because everyone is afraid and unsure of how to approach him.
When Arianna learns about what she is truly hired for she says she needs some time to think. She ends up spending time with Duke and learns more about him. They end up having sex and then he reveals toward the end of the first book that he doesn't want Ari to fake being his girlfriend but his fiancée. Molly walks in on them after they've had sex and she is immediately upset which we're to understand that she is jealous and has feelings for Duke which is ironic since she is the one who proposed the having a fake girlfriend idea. Why didn't she propose herself as being the fake girlfriend if she didn't want anyone else to have him? No idea.
Ridin' Hard (Book 2)
In book 2, it picks back up from where we left off in book 1 where Duke tells Ari that he not only wants her to be his fake fiancée but to actually marry him. They take engagement photos and produce videos of her working on the ranch to promote guest attendance. The videos Molly posts Ari thinks are to purposely humiliate her and make her look stupid because she believes Molly has a thing for Duke. When they start making plans for the wedding Molly is incredibly rude to Ari about what flowers she can choose to have at the wedding. Molly confronts Duke and asks him if this arrangement is just about sex and when he doesn't say anything it just makes Ari insecure especially because she's developed feelings for Duke. When Ari asks Duke if what they have is about more than just saving his ranch and he doesn't reply she packs her bags and leaves for Boston.
Ridin' Forever (Book 3)
While back in Boston, Ari is having trouble finding a job and is kicked out of her apartment due to the rumors Molly allowed to circulate in the press about Ari being a paid escort. She ends up living out of a motel and applying for various jobs. During this time, Duke realizes he has real feelings for Ari that he cannot make go away. He goes to Boston and pursues her because he wants her back at the ranch. Ari tells him she will not go back until he fires Molly for spreading horrible gossip and tarnishing her reputation. Duke leaves without Ari but he makes it up to her by handing everything about his business over to her so that she could fire Molly herself. The series ends with a happily ever after where Duke and Ari get married and run the ran together.
Overall, this series wasn't too bad to read but I think things could have been flushed out more. It would have been nice to have more character development of Duke and Ari. I think they had sex way too soon in the book. It would have been nice to have them bond more emotionally before getting to that point. The scene where Duke tells Molly she no longer has a job would have been nice to see. Would have also liked to read about the wedding and how that unfolded. This series should have been one book and I think it could have used an editor to make it feel like it wasn't as rushed and flowed better in certain parts of the book.
Ridin' Dirty (Book 1)
Arianna (Ari) leaves Boston arrives in Montana under the assumption that she will be a model for Duke Fallon's ranch for a month to boost guest attendance. She applies and accepts the job because she wants to be able to attend university and pay off her schooling. However, it is not revealed to her until after she arrives that Duke asked his manager Molly to hire someone to help soften his image in the public eye and Ari learns she will be pretending to be his girlfriend. The reason for this is because Duke got into a physical fight with one of his guests for beating one of his horses. The media wrote a story about it and therefore it has caused harm to his business because everyone is afraid and unsure of how to approach him.
When Arianna learns about what she is truly hired for she says she needs some time to think. She ends up spending time with Duke and learns more about him. They end up having sex and then he reveals toward the end of the first book that he doesn't want Ari to fake being his girlfriend but his fiancée. Molly walks in on them after they've had sex and she is immediately upset which we're to understand that she is jealous and has feelings for Duke which is ironic since she is the one who proposed the having a fake girlfriend idea. Why didn't she propose herself as being the fake girlfriend if she didn't want anyone else to have him? No idea.
Ridin' Hard (Book 2)
In book 2, it picks back up from where we left off in book 1 where Duke tells Ari that he not only wants her to be his fake fiancée but to actually marry him. They take engagement photos and produce videos of her working on the ranch to promote guest attendance. The videos Molly posts Ari thinks are to purposely humiliate her and make her look stupid because she believes Molly has a thing for Duke. When they start making plans for the wedding Molly is incredibly rude to Ari about what flowers she can choose to have at the wedding. Molly confronts Duke and asks him if this arrangement is just about sex and when he doesn't say anything it just makes Ari insecure especially because she's developed feelings for Duke. When Ari asks Duke if what they have is about more than just saving his ranch and he doesn't reply she packs her bags and leaves for Boston.
Ridin' Forever (Book 3)
While back in Boston, Ari is having trouble finding a job and is kicked out of her apartment due to the rumors Molly allowed to circulate in the press about Ari being a paid escort. She ends up living out of a motel and applying for various jobs. During this time, Duke realizes he has real feelings for Ari that he cannot make go away. He goes to Boston and pursues her because he wants her back at the ranch. Ari tells him she will not go back until he fires Molly for spreading horrible gossip and tarnishing her reputation. Duke leaves without Ari but he makes it up to her by handing everything about his business over to her so that she could fire Molly herself. The series ends with a happily ever after where Duke and Ari get married and run the ran together.
Overall, this series wasn't too bad to read but I think things could have been flushed out more. It would have been nice to have more character development of Duke and Ari. I think they had sex way too soon in the book. It would have been nice to have them bond more emotionally before getting to that point. The scene where Duke tells Molly she no longer has a job would have been nice to see. Would have also liked to read about the wedding and how that unfolded. This series should have been one book and I think it could have used an editor to make it feel like it wasn't as rushed and flowed better in certain parts of the book.
August 10, 2017
YEE-HAH!!!
Title: Ridin' Hard
Author: Ella London
Designation: NOT A Standalone, Cliffhanger Ahead, Book 2 of 3 Part Serial, Contemporary Billionaire Cowboy Romance (Approximately 55 pages)
ReadingPlatform: Kindle Unlimited
My Rating: Four Sexy Stars****
**This is Book Two of a Serialized Trilogy but all three parts have already been published and are currently available.
This was my first time reading Ella London, at least by this pen name(I believe London's alter ego is Paige North), and was impressed with her style and voice as an author. I look forward to reading the rest of Arianna and Duke's story. And yes, it is a serial consisting of three separate books, Ridin' Dirty: Book One, Ridin' Hard: Book Two, and Ridin' Forever: Book Three. All three books have been released and are available as of the date of this review. Each book is short, quick read, approximately 40 to 55 pages each in length so the entire trilogy can be read in a few hours. Although I did like the writing style and premise for the story, there were still a few boo-boos but nothing major and certainly nothing that distracted from the story. The story is written in the third person with a single perspective from the heroine, beautiful young Bostonian Arianna Ripley. I generally find only one perspective to be restrictive and prefer his and her points of view. In other words, I like to know the thoughts of both the hero and heroine. This is not really a story you can sink your teeth into. It's all about instant attraction and gratification. There's no real meat and potatoes, meaning there's no danger, action, suspense, murder, or malevolent enemies lurking around every corner, but it is romantic, erotic, at times humorous, and definitely entertaining. If you sometimes prefer dessert as your main course and into quick romance with lots of sex, then this book is definitely for you. Different strokes for different folks and I do occasionally enjoy a fun, steamy read. The reader is not given a lot of backstory on either of the protagonists but it was enough to peak my interest, especially in the outcome of the scorching hot relationship between the somewhat innocent Arianna and handsome, wealthy Montana cowboy and owner of the Heartland Ranch and Day Spa, Duke Fallon. The author does a good job of setting up the attraction between Ari and Duke, but the conflict of the story is not well defined, and since we know so little about the characters, it's hard to become completely vested in the story. I try to never judge a book by its cover but it's difficult to review only part of a book when you have no idea what's to come. As of now, it's good but the jury's still out, so stay tuned. No spoilers from me but I will say this... Handsome bad boy ranch owner with a quick temper who needs a fake girlfriend to polish up his image but now suddenly he decides needs a fake fiancee and wife-check! Beautiful city girl who needs some quick money to pay her college tuition but finds herself falling into a lot more than horse manure-check! An unexpected attraction and a wild scheme with unforeseen consequences and the potential to break hearts-check! Heartbreaking angst-you bet, especially when someone decides they don't want Duke and Ari together! Undeniable passion, dreamy romance, and lots of steamy sex-oh my, yes! That and a whole lot more! What's not to like!?!
Did I like it? Yes, I did enjoy what I've read so far. Was it perfect? No. There were still a few minor boo-boos but nothing that distracted me from the story. Would I recommend it? As I said, the jury's still out but it looks very promising. However, I would say this book should be adults only since it does contain explicit sex scenes. Will I read this author again? You bet! I intend the read the remaining book in this trilogy and then... well, we'll see. And finally, was I entertained? Absolutely!
Title: Ridin' Hard
Author: Ella London
Designation: NOT A Standalone, Cliffhanger Ahead, Book 2 of 3 Part Serial, Contemporary Billionaire Cowboy Romance (Approximately 55 pages)
ReadingPlatform: Kindle Unlimited
My Rating: Four Sexy Stars****
**This is Book Two of a Serialized Trilogy but all three parts have already been published and are currently available.
This was my first time reading Ella London, at least by this pen name(I believe London's alter ego is Paige North), and was impressed with her style and voice as an author. I look forward to reading the rest of Arianna and Duke's story. And yes, it is a serial consisting of three separate books, Ridin' Dirty: Book One, Ridin' Hard: Book Two, and Ridin' Forever: Book Three. All three books have been released and are available as of the date of this review. Each book is short, quick read, approximately 40 to 55 pages each in length so the entire trilogy can be read in a few hours. Although I did like the writing style and premise for the story, there were still a few boo-boos but nothing major and certainly nothing that distracted from the story. The story is written in the third person with a single perspective from the heroine, beautiful young Bostonian Arianna Ripley. I generally find only one perspective to be restrictive and prefer his and her points of view. In other words, I like to know the thoughts of both the hero and heroine. This is not really a story you can sink your teeth into. It's all about instant attraction and gratification. There's no real meat and potatoes, meaning there's no danger, action, suspense, murder, or malevolent enemies lurking around every corner, but it is romantic, erotic, at times humorous, and definitely entertaining. If you sometimes prefer dessert as your main course and into quick romance with lots of sex, then this book is definitely for you. Different strokes for different folks and I do occasionally enjoy a fun, steamy read. The reader is not given a lot of backstory on either of the protagonists but it was enough to peak my interest, especially in the outcome of the scorching hot relationship between the somewhat innocent Arianna and handsome, wealthy Montana cowboy and owner of the Heartland Ranch and Day Spa, Duke Fallon. The author does a good job of setting up the attraction between Ari and Duke, but the conflict of the story is not well defined, and since we know so little about the characters, it's hard to become completely vested in the story. I try to never judge a book by its cover but it's difficult to review only part of a book when you have no idea what's to come. As of now, it's good but the jury's still out, so stay tuned. No spoilers from me but I will say this... Handsome bad boy ranch owner with a quick temper who needs a fake girlfriend to polish up his image but now suddenly he decides needs a fake fiancee and wife-check! Beautiful city girl who needs some quick money to pay her college tuition but finds herself falling into a lot more than horse manure-check! An unexpected attraction and a wild scheme with unforeseen consequences and the potential to break hearts-check! Heartbreaking angst-you bet, especially when someone decides they don't want Duke and Ari together! Undeniable passion, dreamy romance, and lots of steamy sex-oh my, yes! That and a whole lot more! What's not to like!?!
Did I like it? Yes, I did enjoy what I've read so far. Was it perfect? No. There were still a few minor boo-boos but nothing that distracted me from the story. Would I recommend it? As I said, the jury's still out but it looks very promising. However, I would say this book should be adults only since it does contain explicit sex scenes. Will I read this author again? You bet! I intend the read the remaining book in this trilogy and then... well, we'll see. And finally, was I entertained? Absolutely!
August 19, 2017
I enjoyed the next 6 chapters in Ari and Duke's story. I think that its well written and the characters and story are well developed, my only complaint is my continued complaint with books from Favor Ford Publishing, proof reading and a few chapters isn't a book in my opinion. I will read book 3 to see how the story ends, but it's disappointing to find the same issues over and over from this publisher.
September 11, 2017
Duke decides that he doesn't want Ari to be his pretend girlfriend he wants her as his pretend fiancée.
Ari is still trying to get used to the idea of being his girlfriend when he drops the bombshell to Molly that Ari is now his fiancée. Molly isn't happy and Ari notices she's trying to undermine her and humiliate her every chance she gets. Ari has to keep reminding herself that this all isn't real.... or is it?
Ari is still trying to get used to the idea of being his girlfriend when he drops the bombshell to Molly that Ari is now his fiancée. Molly isn't happy and Ari notices she's trying to undermine her and humiliate her every chance she gets. Ari has to keep reminding herself that this all isn't real.... or is it?
September 6, 2017
Quick and dirty. Free on Ku. This is #2, all three could be one not too long book so seriously do not pay 2.99 but it is good for a quick and dirty freebie. On to the conclusion.
September 14, 2017
Fantastic
I was not sure at first about this series, but I can't get enough of it! Hot, sexy, funny it has it all. It's hard to put down.
I was not sure at first about this series, but I can't get enough of it! Hot, sexy, funny it has it all. It's hard to put down.
October 20, 2017
Duuukkkeee!!
Oh my fish! So hot and steamy! And then you had to go mess it all up Duke!!! #TeamCityGirl all the way
Oh my fish! So hot and steamy! And then you had to go mess it all up Duke!!! #TeamCityGirl all the way
October 30, 2017
Not fair
Really thought Duke's feelings were starting to be real he just wound up being a fake. Arianna deserves to be treated better.
Really thought Duke's feelings were starting to be real he just wound up being a fake. Arianna deserves to be treated better.
May 9, 2018
A must read
I cant wait to see if duke and ari get to have a real wedding and how they get rid of molly
I cant wait to see if duke and ari get to have a real wedding and how they get rid of molly
August 26, 2018
3.75 stars
Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews