Last of the Red-Hot Cowboys - Tina Leonard (Random House - June 2014)

Series: Hell's Outlaws (Book 1)

Ava Buchanan dreams of a career on the rodeo circuit. Winning a spot on a one-of-a-kind team would be her ticket to the life she’s always wanted. Ava won’t let anyone stand in her way—not even a stubborn cowboy whose slow-molasses smile and red-hot swagger set her senses aflame . . . and whose talents as a trainer could make her a star. Rodeo might be a man’s game, but Ava knows the right woman’s touch can tame the wildest heart.
 
Trace Carter believes his mayor’s plan to raise the town’s profile has disaster written all over it, and he won’t allow the Hell’s Outlaws Training Center to be dragged into the fiasco. Yet watching Ava’s delectable body on horseback proves too much of a temptation, and his fantasies stray to her riding skills outside the arena. Soon Trace is fighting like hell to rein in his unbridled desire for the petite brunette before it becomes a passion hotter than the Texas sun.
 
Good book, though a little confusing at times. Mayor Judy of Hell, Texas, has big plans for her little town. It is heavy on the male side of the equation and hide-bound in its traditions. So, she hires three young women to be her "team" - train to be bullfighters and be the stars of the rodeo she wants the town to host. She plans to get the men of the Outlaw Training Center to train the women, but Trace, Saint, and Declan prove to be more resistant to the idea than she planned.
 
Ava has dreams of becoming a bullfighter. The only girl with five brothers, she was devastated when her brother Liam was injured because a bullfighter didn't do his job. She intends to do her best so that no other sister would suffer the same pain. She arrives in Hell with her teammates Harper and Cameron, only to discover that Judy has somewhat misled them.
 
Trace and his former SEAL brothers came home after their time in the military, looking forward to the peace of doing the work they love. They enjoy their free, bachelor ways and do their best to stay clear of Mayor Judy's hair-brained ideas. The arrival of the Hell Belles blindsides all three. Trace is the leader who considers all the risks before making a decision and refuses to consider training the team. There is a lot of push and pull between Trace, the mayor, and the team, as each tries to get their way.
 
I enjoyed seeing the relationship between Trace and Ava develop. The sparks between them are out of control from the very beginning. Trace is old-fashioned and believes there is an uncrossable line between men and women regarding rodeo. He is also very protective, which comes out when he thinks about Ava in the ring with bulls. Neither Trace nor Ava is looking for a relationship. Trace keeps his interactions superficial, while Ava is too focused on her goals to want the distraction. But keeping their hands off each other is nearly impossible and reconciling their attraction with their goals is an ongoing battle. Both Trace and Ava are stubborn to a fault, and admitting their feelings is something neither is willing to do.
 
When push comes to shove, Trace can't give in to Ava's desire for training or admit that he needs her. Ava gives up on getting through to him and goes elsewhere for her training, believing there is no future for them. Trace earned every bit of the misery he felt after she left town. It took drastic action by Saint and Declan to finally get through his thick head. I liked the ending and seeing them finally get what they both wanted.
 
There is lots of other stuff going on in Hell also. Judy has an ongoing feud with another woman, and Judy's man Steele, the sheriff, often gets caught in the middle. It also becomes evident that Judy has more than rodeo on her mind as she sets her matchmaking plans in motion. The other two Belles are intended for Saint and Declan, and it is interesting to see the beginnings of their relationships. The Outlaws' rivals, the Horsemen, also play a significant role in the book, most notably as the ones who should not be training anyone. In one scene, the Horsemen pull a dangerous trick that could have gone horribly wrong and feel no remorse over it. I cheered at Trace's reaction and what he did. It will be interesting to see how things play out in the following books.