Release Blitz ~ Cowboy Seeks Husband by Leta Blake & Indra Vaughn (Excerpt + Giveaway)
Buy Links: Amazon US | Amazon UK
Length: 94,000 words approx.
Cover Design: Dar Albert
Blurb
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.
“We’re going what?”
“Noodling.” Walker looked far too calm. And smug. Roan figured this probably heralded danger in brooding southern cowboys.
“And I need these.” Roan held up the waterproof bib overalls.
Walker smirked. He had his arms folded over his chest and was leaning against the doorjamb of the kitchen. Roan had been cornered there by Walker and John while making sour apple tea. “Technically you don’t, but I’m sure you’ll want to wear them.”
Roan narrowed his eyes. “But that means we’re going into the water. I know what lives in your water down here. Alligators. And venomous snakes. I googled.”
“Now, why would you do that?” Walker dramatically slapped his forehead, then leaned in closer as if to share a secret. Roan leaned in too, drawn to Walker’s firm, muscled body and cheerful brown eyes, despite his probable imminent death on this so-called date. “Here’s the thing: gators aren’t that aggressive really. You probably won’t even see one. They want to stay as far away from you as you do from them.”
“Really?”
“No. But it makes it easier to get in the water if you tell yourself that.”
Roan stared at him.
“But, seriously, I’m not scared of the gators, and if there was a real, true danger, you know they wouldn’t let us anywhere near the water.”
Roan swallowed hard. The morning light from the kitchen window highlighted the little wrinkles at the edges of Walker’s eyes. Probably from squinting into fields all day. The man even smelled like fresh-cut grass and fresh air.
“As for the snakes, yeah…well.” Walker shrugged. “You just have to make sure you don’t wander into a nest of moccasins. I’m sure the set nurse has antivenom on hand.”
“Water moccasins. The shoe snakes.”
“They don’t look anything like shoes.”
Roan put the waterproof overalls on the counter. “Oh my God, I’m going to die.”
Walker straightened, and the attractive, teasing grin fell from his face. “Seriously, though, if you don’t want to do it, just say so. I won’t hold it against you.”
“If you say bless your heart, I’ll know exactly what you mean,” Roan grumbled. Walker laughed, and God. He was so damn handsome. Feeling his face heat, Roan looked down at the dry bib overalls. They were pretty thick. Maybe the fabric would stop the snake bites. “Fine, I’ll come.”
“I’m mighty glad.”
“You should be.”
Between the threat of biting critter, the thrill of Walker’s sweet drawl, and the headiness of his eager attention, Roan’s head was a swirl. Leaving his tea behind untasted, he stomped away for some privacy to get changed, ignoring John who said, “That’s got to be the most reluctant acceptance of a date I’ve ever seen. Andy’s going to love it.”
Excerpt
“Noodling.” Walker looked far too calm. And smug. Roan figured this probably heralded danger in brooding southern cowboys.
“And I need these.” Roan held up the waterproof bib overalls.
Walker smirked. He had his arms folded over his chest and was leaning against the doorjamb of the kitchen. Roan had been cornered there by Walker and John while making sour apple tea. “Technically you don’t, but I’m sure you’ll want to wear them.”
Roan narrowed his eyes. “But that means we’re going into the water. I know what lives in your water down here. Alligators. And venomous snakes. I googled.”
“Now, why would you do that?” Walker dramatically slapped his forehead, then leaned in closer as if to share a secret. Roan leaned in too, drawn to Walker’s firm, muscled body and cheerful brown eyes, despite his probable imminent death on this so-called date. “Here’s the thing: gators aren’t that aggressive really. You probably won’t even see one. They want to stay as far away from you as you do from them.”
“Really?”
“No. But it makes it easier to get in the water if you tell yourself that.”
Roan stared at him.
“But, seriously, I’m not scared of the gators, and if there was a real, true danger, you know they wouldn’t let us anywhere near the water.”
Roan swallowed hard. The morning light from the kitchen window highlighted the little wrinkles at the edges of Walker’s eyes. Probably from squinting into fields all day. The man even smelled like fresh-cut grass and fresh air.
“As for the snakes, yeah…well.” Walker shrugged. “You just have to make sure you don’t wander into a nest of moccasins. I’m sure the set nurse has antivenom on hand.”
“Water moccasins. The shoe snakes.”
“They don’t look anything like shoes.”
Roan put the waterproof overalls on the counter. “Oh my God, I’m going to die.”
Walker straightened, and the attractive, teasing grin fell from his face. “Seriously, though, if you don’t want to do it, just say so. I won’t hold it against you.”
“If you say bless your heart, I’ll know exactly what you mean,” Roan grumbled. Walker laughed, and God. He was so damn handsome. Feeling his face heat, Roan looked down at the dry bib overalls. They were pretty thick. Maybe the fabric would stop the snake bites. “Fine, I’ll come.”
“I’m mighty glad.”
“You should be.”
Between the threat of biting critter, the thrill of Walker’s sweet drawl, and the headiness of his eager attention, Roan’s head was a swirl. Leaving his tea behind untasted, he stomped away for some privacy to get changed, ignoring John who said, “That’s got to be the most reluctant acceptance of a date I’ve ever seen. Andy’s going to love it.”
4 Stars
Really well written and with decent leads, and so, so refreshing to read something new (to me).
Indra Vaughn and Leta Blake collab so well together that they're an autobuy. This book, like Vespertine, is going to be a multiple-rereads one, as it has - do not laugh! - heart and warmth to it, despite the setting of a reality TV show along the lines of The Bachelor and all the fakery and fauxness that they entail.
I'm not at all into reality TV, but have seen occasional interviews where disgruntled losing contestants tell all, and boy, would I not have liked to be on the set in this tale. Producers? They're so not human, but then I suppose when you've sold your soul for big bucks, there's very little you won't do. And the bitching and sniping and colluding and manipulation, on both the contestants' and producers' parts? Sounds like the nastiest of Mean Girls playgrounds, and boy, was Molly the Queen Beeotch and Alan a self-professed queen! Our next dog was going to be called 'Molly' but I can't see that name the same way after reading about the awful character in this book - she had no moral compass whatsoever, and at the same time, was really addictive to read about; the authors did really well with making her the Big Bad. The entire book was like watching a reality show of the making of a reality show, and the authors must have had a great time with it.
I got this tale as an ARC last night and finished it within a couple of hours, I was that into it. Roan was the sweetest thing, and the love he had for his mother gave you the measure of the guy. His reason for joining the show was so sad and he struggled with not being able to speak to her and not being able to get news of her - all forms of comms were confiscated upon arrival. He had character and heart and yes, he got hurt more than once here, and none of it was for show.
Walker was a lovely guy, too. Really genuine, really caring and a really sweet Southern gent, and again, his love for his (step)mother and his father was really lovely to see, and his reasons for doing the show were entirely unselfish. He wanted to help out his parents, keep his farm going and provide jobs for his employees. But, how he refrained from going at it with his bestie, Marlon, who'd entered him into this hellhole of a show, I don't know, lol! I liked how uncomfortable he was with what he was being asked to do, and no, I didn't feel that he'd sold his soul for the money; he was just a very decent guy taking advantage of an opportunity that had dropped into his lap. He did protest when he wasn't happy with the dubious morality of what he was being asked to do, but he was overruled - blackmailed - time and time again by Molly and Alan (who surprised me at the end), until he did explode a couple of times (making even the Queen Beeotch recoil) and the Southern gent was nowhere in sight - go Walker!!
None of the other contestants, other than Chad and Ben, were sort-of likable, and I'm not sure if we'll be seeing more of anyone. Ben and Roan had a tentative friendship at the end of the tale, but Ben disappeared, and Chad was honest and upfront about his reasons for being on the show, and was basically a decent enough guy, but again, I can't see a connected tale for him. I would like to read more about both; Ben because he was really conflicted about himself and because he had an interesting past that was hinted at, and Chad because he was trying to make it the very faux world that is Hollywood and TV, but by being his real self. Who knows, maybe if there's enough 'fan mail', the authors just might surprise us.
Unfortunately, the tale did lose 1* for me, because of the following:
- Type 1 diabetes is made to sound like a death knell. I totally agree that it is a serious disease, more so than type 2, which I happen to have (under control). But, it is very manageable with the right diet and exercise and mindset, and Walker's dad was an active man. Left uncontrolled, it can kill you, but once you make the decision about whether you eat to live or live to eat, it can actually have you at your healthiest yet. At the start of the tale, the authors made it sound like Walker's dad was in grave danger of expiring imminently, and they didn't disclose about his illness until later. And, when his health improved, they didn't portray why properly, either. I can't help but feel that as responsible authors they had a bit of a duty to clear up both, or at least have a disclaimer about how they've interpreted the condition, as tbh, they could scare someone with their portrayal. Hopefully, the final version of the book has one or both.
- Because there was only one opportunity for Walker and Roan to get it on during the tale, when they left the set, there was one continuous sex scene that went on over (I think) three chapters. It was sooo long and sooo repetitive that I ended up skimming at first, then skipping until I got to the epilogue. Yes, it was not unreasonable that there would be some full-on sex, but it lengthened the tale unnecessarily and detracted a bit from Roan's grief. At the same time, I think Roan needed a human connection to get over his grief, but yeah, in my book, pardon the pun, the sex was just a little too much, though no doubt the majority of readers won't be complaining!
Overall, this was a really interesting book with a hidden message, I suspect. It is quite sad at the end, but it does end in a HEA for the guys, and good on them for turning the tables on the Big Bads.
ARC courtesy of the authors and Bayou Book Junkie, for my reading pleasure.
About the Authors
Author of the bestselling book Smoky Mountain Dreams and the fan favorite Training Season, Leta Blake’s educational and professional background is in psychology and finance, respectively. However, her passion has always been for writing. She enjoys crafting romance stories and exploring the psyches of made up people. At home in the Southern U.S., Leta works hard at achieving balance between her day job, her writing, and her family.
After living in Michigan, USA for seven wonderful years, Indra Vaughn returned back to her Belgian roots. There she will continue to consume herbal tea, do yoga wherever the mat fits, and devour books while single parenting a little boy and working as a nurse.
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Indra Vaughn and Leta Blake collab so well together that they're an autobuy. This book, like Vespertine, is going to be a multiple-rereads one, as it has - do not laugh! - heart and warmth to it, despite the setting of a reality TV show along the lines of The Bachelor and all the fakery and fauxness that they entail.
I'm not at all into reality TV, but have seen occasional interviews where disgruntled losing contestants tell all, and boy, would I not have liked to be on the set in this tale. Producers? They're so not human, but then I suppose when you've sold your soul for big bucks, there's very little you won't do. And the bitching and sniping and colluding and manipulation, on both the contestants' and producers' parts? Sounds like the nastiest of Mean Girls playgrounds, and boy, was Molly the Queen Beeotch and Alan a self-professed queen! Our next dog was going to be called 'Molly' but I can't see that name the same way after reading about the awful character in this book - she had no moral compass whatsoever, and at the same time, was really addictive to read about; the authors did really well with making her the Big Bad. The entire book was like watching a reality show of the making of a reality show, and the authors must have had a great time with it.
I got this tale as an ARC last night and finished it within a couple of hours, I was that into it. Roan was the sweetest thing, and the love he had for his mother gave you the measure of the guy. His reason for joining the show was so sad and he struggled with not being able to speak to her and not being able to get news of her - all forms of comms were confiscated upon arrival. He had character and heart and yes, he got hurt more than once here, and none of it was for show.
Walker was a lovely guy, too. Really genuine, really caring and a really sweet Southern gent, and again, his love for his (step)mother and his father was really lovely to see, and his reasons for doing the show were entirely unselfish. He wanted to help out his parents, keep his farm going and provide jobs for his employees. But, how he refrained from going at it with his bestie, Marlon, who'd entered him into this hellhole of a show, I don't know, lol! I liked how uncomfortable he was with what he was being asked to do, and no, I didn't feel that he'd sold his soul for the money; he was just a very decent guy taking advantage of an opportunity that had dropped into his lap. He did protest when he wasn't happy with the dubious morality of what he was being asked to do, but he was overruled - blackmailed - time and time again by Molly and Alan (who surprised me at the end), until he did explode a couple of times (making even the Queen Beeotch recoil) and the Southern gent was nowhere in sight - go Walker!!
None of the other contestants, other than Chad and Ben, were sort-of likable, and I'm not sure if we'll be seeing more of anyone. Ben and Roan had a tentative friendship at the end of the tale, but Ben disappeared, and Chad was honest and upfront about his reasons for being on the show, and was basically a decent enough guy, but again, I can't see a connected tale for him. I would like to read more about both; Ben because he was really conflicted about himself and because he had an interesting past that was hinted at, and Chad because he was trying to make it the very faux world that is Hollywood and TV, but by being his real self. Who knows, maybe if there's enough 'fan mail', the authors just might surprise us.
Unfortunately, the tale did lose 1* for me, because of the following:
- Type 1 diabetes is made to sound like a death knell. I totally agree that it is a serious disease, more so than type 2, which I happen to have (under control). But, it is very manageable with the right diet and exercise and mindset, and Walker's dad was an active man. Left uncontrolled, it can kill you, but once you make the decision about whether you eat to live or live to eat, it can actually have you at your healthiest yet. At the start of the tale, the authors made it sound like Walker's dad was in grave danger of expiring imminently, and they didn't disclose about his illness until later. And, when his health improved, they didn't portray why properly, either. I can't help but feel that as responsible authors they had a bit of a duty to clear up both, or at least have a disclaimer about how they've interpreted the condition, as tbh, they could scare someone with their portrayal. Hopefully, the final version of the book has one or both.
- Because there was only one opportunity for Walker and Roan to get it on during the tale, when they left the set, there was one continuous sex scene that went on over (I think) three chapters. It was sooo long and sooo repetitive that I ended up skimming at first, then skipping until I got to the epilogue. Yes, it was not unreasonable that there would be some full-on sex, but it lengthened the tale unnecessarily and detracted a bit from Roan's grief. At the same time, I think Roan needed a human connection to get over his grief, but yeah, in my book, pardon the pun, the sex was just a little too much, though no doubt the majority of readers won't be complaining!
Overall, this was a really interesting book with a hidden message, I suspect. It is quite sad at the end, but it does end in a HEA for the guys, and good on them for turning the tables on the Big Bads.
ARC courtesy of the authors and Bayou Book Junkie, for my reading pleasure.
Author of the bestselling book Smoky Mountain Dreams and the fan favorite Training Season, Leta Blake’s educational and professional background is in psychology and finance, respectively. However, her passion has always been for writing. She enjoys crafting romance stories and exploring the psyches of made up people. At home in the Southern U.S., Leta works hard at achieving balance between her day job, her writing, and her family.
After living in Michigan, USA for seven wonderful years, Indra Vaughn returned back to her Belgian roots. There she will continue to consume herbal tea, do yoga wherever the mat fits, and devour books while single parenting a little boy and working as a nurse.
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