Big Bad Cowboy by Carly Bloom Pages: 384
Series: Once Upon a Time in Texas #1
Genres: Contemporary Romance
Setting: Texas
Source: ARC, NetGalley
Goodreads
In the New York Times tradition of Lori Wilde and Carolyn Brown comes the first book in a new western romance series from Forever debut author Carly Bloom about a no-strings cowboy fling with a fairy tale twist.
Who's afraid of the big, bad cowboy?
After one too many heartbreaks, Travis Blake hung up his cowboy hat and put Big Verde, Texas, behind him. But when he gets the call that his young nephew needs him, he knows he has to return home. His plan is to sell the family ranch and hightail it back to Austin, but there's a small problem: the one person who stands in his way is the one person he can't resist.
Maggie is pretty sure she hates Travis Blake. He's irritating, he's destroying her business, and . . . and he's just so frickin' attractive. But when they're forced to work together, Maggie discovers that the Most Annoying Man in the World is more than he seems. He's sweet with his nephew, he helps out in the community, and he makes her heart flutter. Maggie doesn't want to risk everything on a man who wants to leave, but what if she can convince this wayward cowboy to stay?
Small town, former ‘ugly duckling’ girl, and the town’s black sheep family collide in Big Bad Cowboy. Maggie is just ‘one of the guys’ and she is tired of it. Travis is only in town long enough to sell the family farm and get his nephew settled with an appropriate caregiver. Turns out, neither of them are gonna be happy with whats in store.
Travis’ father was a ne’er do well right up until his death and his brother is currently in prison, so the Blake family isn’t exactly the crown jewel of the town. Travis wants to sell the farm and get back to Austin FAST. He hates the gossip and drama of the tiny town. Maggie has created a successful business for herself and she is proud of it. She just wants her BFF JD to see her as more than a friend. Of course, he crushes that dream quick leading Maggie to engage in a one night stand with a stranger….who later turns out to be Travis!
Travis is a bit of a disaster. He just got out of the army and now he has a farm and a child to care for. Henry, his nephew, just lost his mom to cancer and his dad (Travis’ brother) is in prison. These two together are just a ticking time bomb! Neither of them knows what the heck to do. However, despite Travis’ hesitation and initial desire to settle Henry with someone else, they bond. Its sweet and endearing in a way to see these two battle it out.
I had a harder time liking Maggie. She is so determined to ‘prove’ herself. She’s uptight and rigid. Perhaps that is why she was good for Travis-they are opposites in a lot of ways. She has nothing but drive and direction and he is a lost boy raising a boy!
Big Bad Cowboy combines the small town romance with a bit of enemies to lovers and a dash of a fairy tale vibe to give you a sexy read! Fans of cowboy romances and single dad tropes will love this!
- POV: 3rd
- Tears: no
- Trope: single dad, enemies to lovers, small town
- Triggers: none
- Series/Standalone: standalone
- Cliffhanger: View Spoiler »
- HEA: View Spoiler »
| Breakdown | |
|---|---|
| Hero | |
| Heroine | |
| Chemistry | |
| Writing/Plot | |
| Trope | |
| Cover | |
| Overall: | |
Tough Luck Cowboy by AJ Pine, Stone Cold Cowboy by Jennifer Ryan, Long, Tall Cowboy Christmas by Carolyn Brown, Cowboy SEAL Christmas by Nicole Helm …then you will probably like Big Bad Cowboy!
Big Bad Cowboy
It sounds pretty good. I like a story with a kid in it. Anne – Books of My Heart