No Holds Barred by Jaydyn Chelcee

Rimrock—Home of the Montana men and the women who tame them.

Professional horse trainer Kaycee Spencer decides to relocate when she becomes the target of an insane stalker. She chooses remote Rimrock, Montana where no one can find her.

Jace Remington, co-owner of the Dancing Star Ranch, refuses to allow women around his thoroughbreds—females are nothing but trouble with a capital ‘T’—that is, until he meets Kaycee Spencer, a woman who crashes into his peaceful life with trouble close on her heels.

Set against the backdrop of the rugged mountains of Montana, Kaycee and Jace discover that if they are going to survive the vicious serial killer stalking Kaycee, they will have to learn to trust each other.

No Holds Barred, a roller-coaster ride of murder, romance, and the discovery that love just might conquer all.

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No Holds Barred is the second book in Jaydyn Chelcee’s Montana Men series and a chilling tale that is definitely not for the faint of heart. It’s a roller-coaster ride of a story with not just a sweet romance but murder, deception and intrigue, and a race to stop a serial killer before he strikes again.

Jace Remington didn't believe in love-at-first-sight until he set eyes on Kaycee Spencer and fell hard for the spirited woman, but Kaycee has too much responsibility and too many secrets to allow herself to fall for any man, even the very sexy cowboy who won’t take ‘no’ for an answer. But Jace’s sweet, seductive persuasion and Kaycee’s need to be free of her past bring the two together in a way neither expected, and they might just have a chance at love if they can overcome jealousy, mistrust and a madman out to make Kaycee his own.

I’ve recently found myself seeking out newer authors or those whose works I haven’t yet tried. When I was offered this book to read for review I decided to give it a shot, having no idea what to expect, yet hoping for something different than the usual romantic suspense offerings. Well, I certainly got that, and then some.

Grisly and horrific are two words to describe the scenes spent with the serial killer as he went about his ‘business.’ Please be warned, these scenes were explicit and gruesome, and the time spent in his mind was chilling. I read things I will not soon forget, things that kept me awake, unable to stop thinking about the horror his victim had to endure.

Jace and Kaycee's romance is a troubled one, filled with one obstacle after another, but it's also sweet and very sexy. That said, Kaycee's on-again/off-again feelings for Jace started to wear on me, but in the end I was left cheering for them and and truly hoping that everything will work out for them.

We also spend a significant amount of time with secondary characters and family members, all who play an important part in this story. The relationship dynamics are complex and at times frustrating, but I became as invested in them as I did Jace and Kaycee, and I'm looking forward to reading more about their lives and loves.

The bottom line: No Holds Barred is a dark, riveting story but not always an easy story to read. Aside from its disturbing nature, the writing isn't without some flaws, and some of the dialogs a bit cheesy. From time to time I was a tad confused as to the sequence of events discussed, and whether some of those things actually happened or not. But the biggest issue I have is in regards to marital infidelity which seems to run rampant in Rimrock, Montana. (Not involving Jace or Kaycee.)

All that said, once I got into the story I couldn't put it down. There were parts I loved, parts I hated, and parts I loved that I hated and hated that I loved! I felt a sense of morbid curiosity in regards to the killer, but most importantly, I wanted to see Jace and Kaycee work things out and find the happily ever after they are so deserving of. I'm definitely hoping to read more of this series, soon!

For those who are wondering, this is an ongoing series and the books are linked by storyline. Although I did read this book first and wasn't completely lost, there's enough relationship and plot carryover from the first book, In the Arms of Danger, that I'd recommend reading them in order.

3.5/5 stars