Recent Release Review: Cowboy for Sale (Wrecked Universe #5) by Jodi Payne & BA Tortuga

Reviewed by Kat

TITLE: Cowboy for Sale

SERIES: Wrecked Universe #5

AUTHOR: Jodi Payne & BA Tortuga

PUBLISHER: Tygerseye Publishing LLC

LENGTH: 254 pages

RELEASE DATE: November 25, 2025

BLURB:

Talent agent Cole Bates is on a long hiatus after his best friend, a bull riding champion and his top client, dies following a horrific riding accident. Out of the game, he ignores the first call from current champ Bodie Jimenez. He deletes the second voicemail too, as well as some emails, but stubborn, persistent Bodie doesn’t get the hint.

Bodie Jimenez has a plan. He might be the reigning champ, but he wants to retire in one piece. He’s confident he can bring home another big buckle, but he knows that locking in sponsors and networking is the only way off this ride without a career, or life, ending injury.

Everyone has told Bodie that Cole is the best in the business, and he’s a good guy, as well. So Bodie doesn’t give up until Cole agrees to see him ride.

Cole has every intention of turning Bodie down, but the way the cowboy rides reminds him of everything he loves about the sport. It’s Bodie’s smile that has him taking the job, however, along with the offer to share the fancy suite the league gives Bodie at events.

Can they have it both ways, or will the cowboy and the agent have to give up pleasure to take care of business?

Cowboy for Sale is an opposites attract romance featuring a champion bullrider at the top of his game and a grieving talent agent who’s reluctant to get back into it.

REVIEW:

Im back in the Wrecked Universe and I can’t be more tickled for this trip!

Cole Bates is a well respected Talent Agent in the Bull riding game. But he’s on a bit of a hiatus that he fully deserves. His best friend and top client’s bull riding accident that claimed Rocky’s life was a bitter pill to swallow. Although they were never lovers, he loved that man and it has shaken him to the core. It happens. Bull riding is an extremely dangerous sport. Injuries happen all the time. Some are really bad and career-ending, like Sky Paulson’s. Then some go so badly that you lose them. So yes, Cole deserved a little break. So when current champion bull rider Bodie Jimenez starts blowing up his phone and emails for a month now he knows that he should at least return the persistent man’s messages. When they come face-to-face at the event honoring Rocky he is a bit embarrassed by his lack of professionalism and agrees to take the cowboy on. But when chemistry starts mixing with work being unprofessional takes a bit of a hike. But can he protect himself and the man he is falling for fast or os he destined to suffer more grief and tragedy?

Authors Jodi Payne and BA Tortuga love to keep me on my toes with this series. Every time we go to the next event I cringe and fear a bit to turn the pages. They have no problem telling you exactly how dangerous this sport is. Thankfully we came in to this story after Rocky’s tragic death. I don’t think I could have beared to read that. But I was on the edge of my seat every time Bodie loaded on top one of those mean ‘ol bulls in the chute. And that one event, they about killed me worrying about Bodie when it took a third attempt to get a ride! Talk about a nail biter. I was constantly worrying about Bodie’s safety and Cole’s heart through that one especially.

There are wonderful series like this one that I get to re-visit characters that I became connected to and invested in. Sky and Beck are two of those characters that just stick with you and then you are thrilled that you get a chance to meet up again. I loved that Sky not only accepted Bodie and Cole together but had their backs. And what he did, putting together that they were donating the profits to this year’s invitational to the Rocky Matheson Scholarship Fund! That was just such a Sky thing to do. That and checking up on everybody like he did here in this book. He may be out of the riding game but he was still deeply involved. And if you make it into the real friend category he has your back for life. That you can guarantee.

One thing I really loved about Bodie was that he was practical and a realist. He put his career/his job to the forefront. But he was realistic and knew, especially after losing his friend and fellow competitor, Rocky, that the writing was on the wall. His determination and tenacity in getting signed with Cole so he could retire sooner and make money on the sport to finance his retirement was a good, strong business practice. He did this as a job and knew when time was up. Plus he had extra incentive with a bright future with Cole by his side.

I don’t know if there is more to the Wrecked Universe coming but I won’t be surprised if there is. These are all good men that work hard and love even harder! Great addition to this wonderful and exciting series!

RATING:

BUY LINKS:

Amazon