Savage in a Stetson
by Em Petrova
My review:
“Savage in a Stetson” is the 4th book in the Crossroads series and, yet again, Em Petrova has given us a great story that is well-written and much deeper than it might at first seem. You can definitely read this as a stand-alone but if you do, be prepared, because you’re going to want to go back and read the others that came before. Jada and Dom had dated for a couple of months and then he left town to go back on the rodeo circuit, deciding that he had to give it one more shot or he would always wonder how it would have gone. He does well for himself, but things that he goes through while on the road make him re-evaluate his life and his priorities. He realizes that what he wants most of all is a home and a family, and to win Jada back if he can.
Jada has left her job as a health care worker because although she loved what she did, the emotional toll was proving to be too much because she really puts her heart into everything she does and it was often a heart-wrenching job. She manages to buy the BBQ joint in town when the owner is looking to retire, and she begins to make it her own. Jada is strong and capable, and she’s determined to succeed. When Dom suddenly comes back to town and opens a BBQ place across the street, it starts a war of epic proportions, fought with and fueled by brisket, ribs and pie.
As they battle to win the restaurant war, they also fight to keep their hands off one another … and that’s a battle they both happily lose. The steam in this book is definitely not all in the kitchen! The smart, snarky banter between Dom and Jada is great, and the push-pull dynamic is very well done. There are some tearful moments and a lot of genuine laughs. Dom’s grandfather and his cronies are a riot. Some characters from the prior books in the series appear in this one, which is always fun. The author gives us a solid HEA that befits the characters and their story. What a delicious book!