Reviewed by Sadonna
TITLE: Cowboy Seeks Husband
AUTHOR: Leta Blake & Indra Vaughn
PUBLISHER: Self-Published
LENGTH: 306 pages
RELEASE DATE: February 28, 2019
BLURB: Walker Reed’s Louisiana cattle ranch is in debt after costly repairs from hurricane damage. To get the money, his family schemes to make Walker the star of a new bachelor reality series: Queer Seeks Spouse.. How hard can it be to fake interest in a dozen handsome men for a few weeks in exchange for enough money to solve all of his problems?
Roan Carmichael never got his Masters degree after his mother was diagnosed with cancer. With medical bills piling up, and a costly experimental treatment available, Roan signs on to be a suitor on Queer Seeks Spouse. While he hates having to leave his sick mother long enough to win the cash for her treatment, he’s willing to do whatever it takes.
Can two men who are just in it for the money fake their way into real and lasting love? Cowboy Seeks Husband, the latest book by Vespertine authors Leta Blake and Indra Vaughn, features a cowboy, a hipster, opposites attract, steamy scenes, and heart tugging moments that will leave you wanting more.
REVIEW:
Walker Reed needs money. He’s not proud about it, but he’s taken on the task of being the first gay bachelor on the gay reality series Queer Seeks Spouse in order to keep the ranch going and try to take some of the burden off of his aging father. As his step ma keeps reminding him, he does not have to marry a guy to still get paid at the end and get some much-needed updates done to the ranch. All he needs to do is date the guys and make the producers happy – or at least keep them from pushing him more than he wants to be pushed.
Roan needs money. He’s not proud about it, but he auditioned for Queer Seeks Spouse because his mom is very sick and the only thing left to try is an experimental treatment that they don’t have the money for. But if he can stay on the show long enough to make the bank needed to pay for her to get into that trial, well then maybe giving up his education to take care of her will all be worth it. It’s just been Roan and his mom for as long as he can remember and he cannot lose her now after all they have both sacrificed. He’s not happy about leaving her, but he can’t think of another way to get the money they so desperately need.
What happens when two opposites collide on a “reality” show? A lot as it turns out. Walker is immediately attracted to Roan, but he’s got to go along with what the producers want too. He does take Roan on the first “date” and boy is it a doozy! Turns out Roan is a lot more than Walker expected – which only makes him like Roan more. Damn it! That’s not supposed to be how this goes! He’s supposed to spend 6 weeks faking his way through “dating” these guys – not fall for one.
Ah, but the best-laid plans 😉 Seems that Roan has had the same game-plan. Get in. Maybe have a little fun. Get out. No muss, no fuss. Just get the money he needs and get back to his mom. It seems that neither one of these guys has reckoned on actually liking each other. The little games the producers like to play not-withstanding, Roan and Walker are definitely falling for each other. Even though they are fighting it, it seems like they can’t stay away from each other. But lots of things are getting in their way – with illnesses, ill-timed declarations of love from other contestants, and a nasty twist cooked up by the producers – and it looks like this love affair is doomed to end before it ever really gets started.
In the interest of full disclosure, I should say that I have never watched a full episode of a “reality” program (with the exception of the talent competitions – American Idol back in the day, Dancing with the Stars, The Voice etc.). I have disliked them from the get go and I’m not sorry for that and I won’t start watching them now either. But boy, did I enjoy this story. I was skeptical at first, but I loved the way the authors wrote all of the characters in this book – from the other suitors – especially Ben and Chad – to the parents of the guys to the TV crews. I wanted to think that the producers were a bit caricatured, but I think their humanity showed through a bit at the right time. I also really enjoyed the dance of Roan and Walker. Walker was protective of Roan without at all belittling him. He knew better than anyone that Roan was a LOT tougher than he appeared at first glance. Walker respects him as well as cares for him, which says a lot. I couldn’t help falling for the both of them and rooting for them to get their happy ending. I wholeheartedly recommend this story. It’s got humor and heart and a really lovely ending. Well done!
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