SO TOUGH TO TAME

Charlie Allington comes home to Jackson Hole, Wyo., under a cloud of scandal, but with a new job and new lease on life, maybe it’s time to have a little fling with her neighbor and old high school crush, cowboy Walker Pearce.

A few months ago, Charlie had it all: a high profile job in the securities field, a relationship with her sexy but workaholic boss and a big salary. But it all came crashing down when her boss/boyfriend was indicted and tried to pin his crimes on her. She was cleared, but now she’s broke and her reputation is on life support. Dawn, a friend from high school, has reached out and hired her as the securities director of a ski resort she’s preparing to open with her husband. At first, the apartment on the property is a bonus, but after a short time, Charlie feels like a prisoner, and she suspects Dawn is spying on her with the security equipment. Dawn gets crazy jealous over her husband, and things at the resort don’t seem quite right. Trying to gain a little respite, Charlie moves into an apartment across the hall from Walker Pearce, her favorite bad boy and secret teenage crush. Charlie’s not the shy, timid bookworm she was in high school, and she’s ready to meet the speculative gleam in Walker’s eye. As the two enter into a steamy affair, both have secrets, which become burdensome as the attraction turns to affection. More damaging is the deep-seated lack of confidence where the other is concerned: Charlie’s convinced she’s a short-lived fling for him, and Walker’s convinced he’s not smart enough for her. As past mistakes, tarnished credibility and rising doubts push them apart, they must each sift through their own insecurities and find faith in themselves before they can fight for a shared happily-ever-after. The book is both hot and tender, with some sexually explicit love scenes that may surprise readers unfamiliar with the author.

Dahl brings her signature potent blend of heated eroticism and emotional punch to another Jackson Hole cowboy story, to great success.