Review - - True Blue Cowboy

TRUE BLUE COWBOY

By Sara Richardson

Publisher: Forever  

Release Date: July 31, 2018

Reviewed by Hellie

Sara Richardson’s dedication page is to Carolyn Brown, who taught her everything she needed to know about cowboys. This is a very fitting tribute because this story feels like you’ve fallen into a world much like Ms. Brown’s cowboy heaven, one of the books in Richardson’s series about Colorado bronc riders. Stock full of swoon-worthy leading heroes, kind but gritty heroines, and the kind of beautiful setting that includes a manifest of small-town community characters, including some near-and-dear ones featured in other books. If you want the short review, this book hits all the marks that a Ms. Brown--and a Ms. Richardson--story would do, most importantly leaving you very content and believing in a happily ever after for a pair of ordinary people who have an extraordinary love for each other.

Everly Brooks is living the dream (including my dream): she is a small farmer who produces quality food in a field-to-table movement within her new community in Colorado. Everly originated from California as a lawyer, but a series of events has led her to a life she would never give up. She raises animals, runs a seasonal cafe, teaches cooking classes to the locals, and is constantly working to expand her business and get people communing together and eating great food.

Mateo Torres--a dreamy, steamy bronc rider--is finally setting down some roots and ensuring his future will be provided for. Bronc riding is a very finite business, and he wants to put his winnings to good use to provide for his family, many who still live in Mexico. Mateo grew up in very poor, desperate circumstances; and taking care of his family is his one law. Therefore, he can’t let someone’s little run-down farm get in the way of what could be a very lucrative enterprise to provide for his family. The deal, which involves building many high-end condos, would not want to deal with the eyesore of such a place. Besides if the farmer wanted the land so badly, why didn’t she just buy the place? She had ample opportunity. And we’re just at page 32.

Both are proud, fiercely independent and loyal people. Both have had bad incidents in their past that have made them guarded and influence how they interact with people. For people who grew up in very opposite circumstances, Everly and Mateo have more in common than not--and Ms. Richardson does a fabulous job of making sure those similarities don’t all just happen in the bedroom.

Mateo is probably my favorite of all the cowboys I’ve read in this series--and Ms. Brown’s. His story is heartbreaking, but he is not bitter and he’s willing to learn. Everly and Mateo are great at being adults who call each other out on their bullshit and not letting misunderstandings guide their conflict. This was just a very readable book for me. I’m very happy with this series and can’t wait to see what Ms. Richardson has next for us to consume. I have my hopes pinned on a certain deputy for Charity--and possibly a recipe for those cinnamon rolls she kept talking about in this book. Does she have a good recipe for that? They sounded amazing!