Buckled

This review may contain spoilers, so fair warning, upon reading the review.

Book Evaluation:
Plot: 🎞️🎞️🎞️🎞️🎞️
World Building:🌎🌎🌎🌎🌎
Cover:📔📔📔📔📔
Hero: 🦸🏻🦸🏻🦸🏻🦸🏻🦸🏻
Heroine:🦸🏻‍♀️🦸🏻‍♀️🦸🏻‍♀️.5
Intimacy Level: 🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥
Relationship Building: 💒💒💒💒
Heart & Feels:💞💞💞💞
Witty/Banter/Reaction of Laughter: 😂😂😂
Page Turner Level:📖📖📖📖
Ending:🧧🧧🧧🧧🧧
Overall View: ✨✨✨✨


First Impressions
Buckled is the second installment in the "Trails of Sin" series. And In Buckled, this is the story with the other twin, Jarret, who was hinted in the previous book who is also into kink especially with rope and riding crops. So I definitely was intrigued to see the growth of his story as the first book was such an impactful beginning and I was curious to see how this one would be executed. Even though this book didn't impress me as much as the first one, I still enjoyed it quite a bit. I will be honest in that the heroine was a struggle through this and I didn't understand her reasons for the third act conflict, it just didn't make sense. But overall I really enjoyed the story and the atmospheric feels and the plot being build up and we finally get to see Lorne freed from prison and I can't wait for his book especially after seeing Raina being introduced into the story and very curious how Pam Godwin will handle that scenario. But if you like plenty of inner relationship angst, then you will definitely have a blast with Buckled.

First Line
Some might say I'm unethical.

The Main Protagonists
The Hero: Jarret
The twin to Jake. He is the brother that had to watch those he loves go through hell, and was forged in fire into the man is today. He embrace kink and pleasure and isn't ashamed of his experiences but he yearns for the connection that he sees his brother and Conor have with each other. He is just waiting for the right woman.

The Heroine:Maybe
Maybe is on a mission, one she keeps secret. She is on a mission to discover the truth, is homeless due to circumstances out of her control and poses as a investigative journalist.

Summary
When Maybe and Jarret first meet, they meet at a bar, where Maybe sees the twins and is instantly drawn to Jarret, but its obvious that she is there under false pretenses and both the brothers see it very quickly. But there is a connection that Jarret feels for Maybe, and when he finds her following him, tensions quickly rise between them and she is determined to get to the truth. But what she doesn't expect is to be so drawn into the country life that Jarret brings her into, or the level of kink that will work fully for her. But as secrets rise between them, and time passes, both of them are keeping each other at a distance and when everything is revealed, it will put their relationship to a test in a way neither of them expects. But Jarret is a man that will wait for the woman he loves no matter how long it takes and fight for their relationship. But will Maybe learn to fight for them too?

What I Loved
There was so much to love in this book! I adored it. I did find that this book was a bit harder to get into, I am not sure if it was just me at the time of reading this book, my mood or if the way the heroine acts at times just threw me off. Or it could have been a combination, but despite my struggle with being fully engaged, I still had a blast of a time with this book. The first aspect that I loved is the connection of this family and seeing these badass brothers standing up to their father. We get some pieces of a puzzle as to who Raina is and man her story is going to be rough. From what we see from her, there is so much more going on with her than meets the eye and my intrigue is definitely engaged for her character. Than we have the way that Jarret is with Maybe. I adored how he pines for her and the way that he wants love and trust just like what his brother has, was beyond endearing. I love a man that is open to love and commitment. He definitely knows how to engage just right with Maybe. He knows that she is full of secrets and is determined to build that trust with them even if that means using his riding crop on her and boy does he know how to work it just right haha

If you are a fan of BDSM especially in a western theme setting, than you definitely will be drawn into this series especially as all of these boys definitely know how to work their women just right for BDSM. Its not super heavy though, not full BDSM scenes or anything, just enough to be part of their intimacy and builds a connection between them. Another aspect that I really enjoyed was the mystery surrounding the secrets with the heroine. We don't really see her true purpose until about halfway through the story so you definitely are pulled alongside with the hero and his family for this mystery. And the ending was so impactful. Man the author knows how to write such a satisfying ending while also leaving you fascinated for more.

What I Struggled With
So the main issue that I struggled with is the heroine and be forewarned this section does have a spoiler. So in this one we have a story that features a heroine that when everything comes out and she finally trusts the hero with the truth, she basically abandons him and its like for over a year. He is such a steady presence for her, but I didn't understand the time frame or why she took so long needing to come to terms with and it really had zero purpose. She is just existing in this time frame of putting the hero off and making him wait for her. She just seems to be wasting time for zero reasons other than the fact she has to face up to the truth. And literally it takes one moment of clarity and she finally is willing to be with the hero after he has waited for her for over a year and just been stringing him along. He was way more understanding that I feel like he should have been. She didn't have to grovel or anything. Its the distance and time that she forces on him that I wasn't a fan of. I totally understand needing time, especially with the secrets coming out, but it felt like through much of this "Space and Time" had no purpose to it. I would have much preferred more couple page time.

Overall View
Buckled is a sexy kinky romp that delivers on the family bonds, sexy feels and ends with a satisfying feel of connection and feels.

Favorite Quote(s)
A man cannot be good unless he possesses the capacity to be evil. Decency is a choice. It’s being tempted by hatred and following a different path no matter how difficult. It’s looking inward with a magnifying glass and acknowledging the flaws and weaknesses in one’s character

We don’t just love. We love hard, with every bone, sinew, and breath in our bodies.

“Take your space, your time, whatever you need. But I won’t let you take forever. That belongs to me. Your forever is mine.”

Book Details (also in my shelves)
Sub Genre: Contemporary Romance, Dark Romance
Character Types: Cowboy, Alpha Male, Anti Hero
Themes: Small Town, Pining Hero, BDSM, Secrets, Westerns
Tropes: Unrequited Love

Book Perspective
Duo POV

Relationship Conflict vs Plot Conflict
Relationship Conflict---LOTS of drama from the heroine.

Song This Book Inspires
Hard to Love by Lee Brice

Recommendation For Reading Order
Yes I would recommend reading this series in order

Steam/Spice Explanations

Simmering cup of tea---soft warm touches and light intimacy
Warmin' by the fire- a medium level of sexual tension, a balance of sexual and emotional intimacy, lighter on the details in the sexual moments.
Steamin' up the room -the sexual content is more explicit in the language and tone, heavier amount of sexual scenes.
Blazing fire to the building-The prime focus is the sex scenes, scorching hot, and could burn one. Less focus on the emotional intimacy to the relationship.