*I received a free copy of Cowboys Don't Come Out from via Enchantress Design and Promo. This has in no way influenced my voluntary review, which is honest and unbiased *
Warning: This book includes mature content such as: sexual content, and/or drug and/or alcohol use, and/or violence.
Cowboys Don't Come Out on 7 December 2016 Pages: 200
Rand McIntyre settles for good enough. He loves his small California ranch, raising horses, and teaching riding to the kids he adores—but having kids of his own and someone to love means coming out, and that would jeopardize everything he’s built. Then, despite his terror of flying, he goes on a holiday to Hana, Hawaii with his parents and meets the dark and mysterious Kai Kealoha, a genuine Hawaiian cowboy. Rand takes to Kai’s kid brother and sister as much as he drools over Kai, but the guy sports more prickles than a horned toad, and more secrets than the exotic land he comes from.
Kai’s earned his privacy and lives to protect his “kids.” He ought to stay away from the big, handsome cowboy for everyone’s sake—but since the guy’s just a haole on a short vacation, how much damage can he do? When all of Kai’s worst fears and Rand’s darkest nightmares come true at once, there’s not much chance for two cowboys who can’t—or won’t—come out.
Welcome to my stop on the Cowboys Don’t Come Out tour! I just love Tara Lain’s stories, and this one was no different – prepare to be swooned!
Cowboys Don’t Come Out is such a sweet and tender story! And Lain managed to bring so many truths into it, while using the characters to move the story along, too. Rand and Kai are both cowboys, and they both think they can’t let anyone know they’re gay – for different reasons. Kai is quite the mystery, and apart from the fact that he works at the stables at the hotel Rand is spending Christmas in Hawaii, it takes a while for both Rand and the readers to get to know him. There are some amazing dancing scenes as well! The first time Rand and Kai really meet they were having a dance-off in the cowboy bar 😀
Of course, the fact that Rand’s mom was ready for him to get married – to a nice girl – and give her grandchildren made for some humorous scenes. Especially as it was evident from the beginning that Rand had fallen hard for Kai! I really enjoyed the interactions between the different characters, as well as some of the one-liners that were delivered at times. Like one guy who said that being gay made it so that other people always thought about their sex-lives…
I enjoyed both the fact that the story happened in Hawaii, the dancing, the relaxation, and the sweet romance between the guys. And while the story is quite short, and things happen very fast, I still had a great time getting to know Rand and Kai.
A lot of brush and rocks between the path and the sand – not that the pat wasn’t sandy. Like with flying, death might be OK, but falling would be crappy. He shuddered.
Rand slowly and nonchalantly crossed his left leg over his right – clearly in an effort to disguise a rising issue. Kai swallowed a smile. Of course, the tingles rippling up his arms seemed to want to diver straight to his balls too.
Cowboys Don’t Come Out excerpt:
“Looking for me?” Rand walked out of the bathroom wearing a heart-stopping, breath-robbing towel around his hips—uh, except for the slice of bare groin revealed because the towel stood out in front like a banyan tree canopy. That cotton tent had to be a lot more comfortable than the tight denim smothering Kai’s rising cock.
Too much air flowed out with Kai’s words and made him sound like he’d just run a half-marathon. “I was hoping that message about your nap might be intended for me.”
“Yep.”
“So what did you have in mind, cowboy?” Man, his heart throbbed in his dick. It ought to be dancing the salsa.
“Some riding lessons.”
“You’re the teacher.”
“Nah, I’m the quarter horse.”
Heart—stopped. “You want to bottom?”
“Yep.”
“Holy hell.”
Rand stared at Kai’s jeans and grinned. “You like that idea?”
“Oh yeah.”
“Good. Condoms and lube are on the bed. My ass, I mean stallion, is at your service.”
Kai staggered to the footstool in front of the corner chair, collapsed into it, and started yanking at his boots. Rand walked over slow and easy-like. “Take your hat, cowboy, or you want to fuck with it on?”
Fuck? Oh shit, how long since he’d been with a man? A person? His cock steamed and bobbed.
Rand grabbed Kai’s Stetson and tossed it onto the coffee table, then took hold of Kai’s other boot. The combination of two boots half-off flipped Kai onto his back on the chair like a giant turtle. Rand hauled off the one boot, then grabbed the other and pulled it too, sent both flying, then yanked on Kai’s jeans. “So much trouble getting riders properly dressed.”
About Tara Lain:
Tara Lain writes the Beautiful Boys of Romance in LGBT erotic romance novels that star her unique, charismatic heroes. Her first novel was published in January of 2011 and she’s now somewhere around book 32. Her best-selling novels have garnered awards for Best Series, Best Contemporary Romance, Best Paranormal Romance, Best Ménage, Best LGBT Romance, Best Gay Characters, and Tara has been named Best Writer of the Year in the LRC Awards. In her other job, Tara owns an advertising and public relations firm. She often does workshops on both author promotion and writing craft. She lives with her soul-mate husband and her soul-mate dog near the sea in California where she sets a lot of her books. Passionate about diversity, justice, and new experiences, Tara says on her tombstone it will say “Yes”!
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Where to get your copy of Cowboys Don’t Come Out:
Dreamspinner Press
eBook | Paperback
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Thanks for stopping by today! Good luck in the giveaway 🙂
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About Linda @ (un)Conventional Bookworms
Linda is an English as foreign language teacher and has a Master's degree in English Language and Literature. She's an avid reader, blogger, compulsive one-clicker and a genre omnivore. Ever since she learnt how to read she has been seen with a book or two in her hands everywhere she goes.
Oh yep, I can see why you loved this one, Lexxie. Hawaii, dancing, cowboy…
I already love her writing style. There is always such warmth and depth to her stories. I’m adding this one to the list.
I know! It took me on a nice trip, and then, there was all that depth that is always present, Sophia! I hope you’ll enjoy it as well 🙂
Lexxie, thank you so much for going to Hawaii with me!! So delighted with your perceptions. HUGS!! : )
I’ll come on many such trips with you, Tara!!
Parents can be such hoots. I find in a lot of contemporary stories they’re the cause for much of my laughter. I’m glad you were able to enjoy this one 🙂
Yes, they can! And I think showing the important relationships in families is really important. These cowboys were hotness incarnated, Leona 🙂 And also very sweet.
Twitter: talksupeblog
Ummm… they sound like they’re hot so I’d probably be wondering about how hot their sex life is hahaha!
Happy holidays to you and yours!
LOL Braine 😀 They definitely are hot, and you’d get to know a little bit about their sex lives, too 😀
This is not really my kind of story, but the title itself is so justified! I think it must be hard for cowboys to come out, especially as many seem to have the macho kind of mindset and not much room for anything else going on. Brilliant review!
I think it’s hard for many gay or non-hetero people to come out, and it always makes me happy to read a story where the coming out isn’t as bad as the protagonists had thought it would be 🙂
She just has the best dang covers. A fun setting, too. I’ve read a couple in Hawaii and woo fun!
I loved being able to visit Hawaii in this book, Anna, and I agree! Tara’s covers are always so well done 🙂
You know I love a good LGBT+ story. I’ll have to add this to my roundup of other LGBT+ reviews for my other blog. Sounds like a great story. I’m glad you loved the setting and the characters, of course.
-Lauren
I think you’ll like these two, Lauren. They are rounded characters with a lot going for them, and there is a lot of vulnerability, too.
Love it! I shared your review here: http://letsgetbeyondtolerance.blogspot.com/2017/01/happy-new-year-lgbt-book-reviews-around.html
I hate that I missed out on this one, Lexxie. It sounds like a sweet read. And I’d really like to see Tara’s take on cowboys. 😉 I’ll have to pick up this one. Rand and Kai sound like a good match and I, of course, love the setting. *sigh*
Happy Wednesday, wifey! **BIG LOVE & HUGS**
I think we need to make sure you get your hands on this one soon, Brandee! Plus, Tara is scheduled to be at RT, maybe we’ll be able to find some of her books to get them signed, there? 😉
Twitter: Mollykatie112
I bought my first m/m book awhile back, but still haven’t read it. You make this one sound really good, I must admit. Wish there was more time in a day to read, don’t you? Awesome review, I want to go to Hawaii and watch a dance off now!
Twitter: Mollykatie112
I just looked and the one I have is Knight of Ocean Avenue by this same author!
Oooo, I think I need this one in my life 🙂 I read one of her books with a vegan baker, the name completely escapes me, but I loved it.
Oh, you mean Hearts and Flour, yeah? I love Tara Lain’s stories, Laurie – they are so well done, and even if a lot of what happens is light, there is also some important themes that are nicely tackled.
That’s the one! Your memory is much better than mine 🙂