One wears boots.
One wears flip flops.
One wears a duster.
One wears skinny jeans.
One drinks whiskey.
One drinks a latte from Starbucks.
Yes, there is quite a difference between a good old cowboy and a hipster, but both captured my attention this week. In a good way.
First...
Lady X's Cowboy by Zoë Archer.
One of my all-time favorite books is Warrior by Zoë Archer. It is a fabulous mix of adventure, fantasy, and romance. Larger than life story. Larger than life characters. Lady X's Cowboy is an historical romance, and I wasn't sure what to expect. Well, Archer has put together a nice little story--with an interesting British widow heroine--caught between her life as a noble-by-marriage, and her position as the owner of a brewery. A lot of romance authors create weak heroines, but Archer isn't one of them. Her heroines are strong-willed, capable, and sensual at the same time.
Lady Olivia has a dilemma--a villain attempting to put her brewery out of business--and a delicious American cowboy shows up just in the nick of time to help save it. Will is scrumptious! Brazen, swaggering like a good cowboy should, a real gentleman, protective, and smarter than he lets on. He and Lady Olivia have some smoky hot chemistry, and a sweet romance develops between them.
This is quite different from Warrior. It's a more traditional historical romance. But I loved the fascinating bits about the brewery, I loved the determined heroine, and Will was the perfect American cowboy hero.
Julie Garwood has a book with a heroine raised by Native Americans and a British nobleman. It's one of her most underrated books, IMO. I love it--The Lion's Lady. There is something very appealing about mixing that rugged, rough and tumble American pioneer sensibility with the starchy upper crust British nobility. It provides great contrast and chemistry in the story. Garwood made it shine, and so does Archer. I would highly recommend Lady X's Cowboy to anyone looking for an American/British historical with some fascinating background about the brewing industry and a sexy H/h combination.
Grade: A
✯✯✯
Next...an unpublished story (hopefully published soon)...The Lonely Hipster by Ellis Drake.
What do you get when you mix one lonely hipster, a sweet barista, a creepy police chief, a well-intentioned mother, a bunch of shady characters, a mystery-that-must-be-solved, and an awesome sense of humor? The Lonely Hipster. I sure hope this gets published soon. It made me laugh out loud at least five times. Here's one of my favorite lines...
"Hands in the air. You're under arrest, you perverted hipster!"
I'm in love. With this story.
Grade: A
✯✯✯
Other books I bought this week....
The Fornarina Affair by Ellis Drake
Aire by Lena Goldfinch
Cool Shade by Theresa Weir
Tag Man: A Joe Gunther Novel by Archer Mayor
If He's Tempted by Hannah Howell
Heart-Shaped Box by Joe Hill
I have horror, mystery, romance, and YA. What a great mix!
Hope everyone is having a good week,
Penelope
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