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In the New York Times tradition of Lori Wilde and Carolyn Brown comes the first book in a new western romance series from Forever debut author Carly Bloom about a no-strings cowboy fling with a fairy tale twist.

Who's afraid of the big, bad cowboy?

After one too many heartbreaks, Travis Blake hung up his cowboy hat and put Big Verde, Texas, behind him. But when he gets the call that his young nephew needs him, he knows he has to return home. His plan is to sell the family ranch and hightail it back to Austin, but there's a small problem: the one person who stands in his way is the one person he can't resist.

Maggie is pretty sure she hates Travis Blake. He's irritating, he's destroying her business, and . . . and he's just so frickin' attractive. But when they're forced to work together, Maggie discovers that the Most Annoying Man in the World is more than he seems. He's sweet with his nephew, he helps out in the community, and he makes her heart flutter. Maggie doesn't want to risk everything on a man who wants to leave, but what if she can convince this wayward cowboy to stay?

368 pages, Mass Market Paperback

First published October 30, 2018

208 people are currently reading
2329 people want to read

About the author

Carly Bloom

7 books272 followers
Carly Bloom began her writing career as a family humor columnist and blogger, a pursuit she abandoned when her children grew old enough to literally die from embarrassment. To save their delicate lives, Carly turned to penning steamy, contemporary romance. The kind with bare chests on the covers.

Carly and her husband raise their mortified brood of offspring on a cattle ranch in South Texas. Also? Carly is a vegan. The cows love her.

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Displaying 1 - 30 of 304 reviews
Profile Image for Carol [Goodreads Addict].
2,975 reviews25.3k followers
September 10, 2018
Big Bad Cowboy is book one in the Once Upon a Time in Texas series by Carly Bloom. This is my very first book by Carly. This is one of those books that caught my eye while scrolling through my feed. How could I not want to investigate this book further? And I’m so glad that I did!

cowboy with tattoos

Travis Blake has been away from his home town of Big Verde, Texas, for twelve years. He’s just left the military eight weeks ago and thought he had everything planned out. Until two weeks after getting out he got a call that changed everything.

Travis’s dad has been gone for awhile now. He was a drunk and a gambler. The only thing he somehow kept ahold of was the ranch. It was left to both Travis and his brother. Only currently his brother is in prison. Travis gave his okay for his brother’s wife and their little boy to live there. Only now she has passed away and Travis’s nephew has no one. He has no experience with kids. So, with the full intention of this being a purely temporary arrangement until he can find someone else that is better equipped to raise a child, and also to sell the ranch, he goes home.

“Henry struck him as being smarter than the average five year old, which was probably the very worst kind of five year old.”

Mary Margaret Mackey, or Maggie as everyone calls her, went to college after high school and got her degree in landscape architecture. Now she’s back in Big Verde building a landscaping business. Her grandmother passed away a year ago and she inherited the ranch. She’s not sure what she eventually wants to do with her grandmother’s beautiful land. But what she ‘does’ want to do is keep the neighbors cows from breaking through the fence and eating all the apples in the orchard.

cows in the apple orchard

A chance meeting brings Maggie and Travis together under the guise of disguise at a Halloween party. Inhibitions are forgotten and they share an unforgettable encounter. Travis will soon realize that the woman he can’t forget is to be his work partner in a landscaping job. Not only that, she’s his neighbor. She hasn’t figured out that he is the mysterious man she shared her evening with but he knows!



Maggie and Travis’s relationship goes through so many stages. The one thing that is a constant through it all, though, is chemistry. The texting that goes on between these two is off the charts hot! As Travis is trying to navigate his growing feelings for Maggie, he is also trying to learn how to take care of a grieving five year old little boy and also to save the ranch. What he once thought was a very temporary arrangement is beginning to feel more and more permanent, more like home.

“A month ago, it had been him and Henry against the world. Now he had friends and people who felt like family.”

5 year old cowboy

I have to say that I fell in love with this book. First, I am so in love with this community. They all jumped in to help Travis in any way they could. At first he couldn’t have felt any more alone. There came a point, though, when he realized he wasn’t alone at all, that these people were his friends, his family. Little Henry was so precious and stole my heart. And Travis, well, if you have a soft spot for dirty talking, alpha, sexy cowboys, then he’s your guy. Well, he’s MY guy!

This book was sexy as heck, sweet, fun and just plain fabulous. After just one book, I am calling myself a Carly Bloom fan most definitely. I can’t wait to see what comes next in this series!

Profile Image for Erth.
4,510 reviews
July 29, 2019
Big Bad Cowboy was an absolute page turner. Without falling into the dangerous territory of purple prose, the writing manages to be detailed, descriptive, and engrossing. You are in Texas, the nights are cold, the days are warm, and the pick up trucks are dusty. It's filled with the quirks of Southern charm, little details that make you feel like you're there.
This book is funny, emotional - in a good way - and steamy!
Travis Blake is a cowboy who has had some rough breaks. He's recently gotten custody of his five year old nephew, Henry, and he's looking to make some money getting his ranch back together. Maggie Mackey is Travis' neighbor and owner of a rival landscaping company.
The meet up is perfection. Maggie dressed as Little Red Riding Hood at a Halloween party when who should she happen to meet? The Big Bad Wolf, of course, whose identity is hidden by a mask. Let the sexy hijinks ensue!
Profile Image for Carvanz.
2,354 reviews890 followers
October 9, 2018
I love a fairytale retelling and this one hit all the marks for why I like them. With its original storyline and the intense chemistry between the hero and heroine, I am one happy reader.

I loved that the big bad wolf wasn’t completely revealed right from the start as I thought it might be. The mystery of the wolf and the angst of wondering when he would be revealed kept this upbeat and sexy even as Travis is struggling to solve life issues that are weighing him down. (It’s known to the reader that the hero is the wolf but the heroine is completely in the dark about his identity.)

Travis was an interesting hero. He wasn’t the type who had everything under control. In fact, it was quite the opposite. He was lost as to what to do. There were moments where he was completely human and reacted in a very real manner, even if reading those moments and/or thoughts made me flinch a bit because it’s not something we see our heroes do. All of that made him human and I could identify with him.

Maggie is quite the firecracker and I loved that she was feisty and independent even when inside she felt vulnerable and isolated from what “normal” women have. The Big Bad Wolf was great for her self-esteem and I loved her reactions to his texts.

Add in some great additional characters that helped to generate the humor, that wasn’t lacking to begin with, as well as truth that only a five year old can speak, and this book was elevated into absolutely charming. This was low on sex, high on fun, relatively fast paced and involved a kind of want to be cowboy who knew how to play wolf perfectly.

I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book provided by NetGalley. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Dual POV
Safe
Triggers
Profile Image for Lana *Best left alone with books and snacks*.
751 reviews156 followers
August 18, 2019
The author graciously provided me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. Thank you for that, Carly. You rock!

Carly Bloom might be a new name in the literary world but she sure knows what she's doing when writing about her cowboys.

I knew what I was signing up to when requesting this book because this is not my first rodeo *wink wink* with miss Carly. I was confident she wouldn't let me down.


The story was a somewhat reimagining of The Red Riding Hood, only for adults. So basically dirtier, sweeter, funnier and with a happily ever after for all involved. We, adults have a better deal on our fairy tales, don't you think?

Picture our little RRH as a small town good girl, tired of being every guy's friend, deciding for once to let go and have some sexy fun with a stranger on Halloween. And the Big Bad Wolf? He's just returning home from being in the army, to a town where his family doesn't have the best reputation. So when he's invited to a masked ball for a client he needs and a pixie in red catches his eye, what a man to do but take his chance for a fun night in the shed?


Whoever invented the expression "Small town - small mind" should eat their words without condiments, because I tell you, this town and its people will grow on you like you have no idea. Good thing there are more stories to tell about them.

Over and out
Profile Image for Tucker Almengor.
1,036 reviews1,659 followers
May 24, 2020

Many thanks to Estelle at Forever for sending me a copy in exchange for an honest review
"'I'm a lone wolf. Sure you're not afraid?'
'I've already followed you through the woods. Seen you at your wildest.'
'What makes you think that was my wildest?'"

Eternal heart eyes!! 😍 What a cute but steamy romance!!!

So, what's this book about?

After one too many heartbreaks, Travis Blake hung up his cowboy hat and put Big Verde, Texas, behind him. But when he gets the call that his young nephew needs him, he knows he has to return home. His plan is to sell the family ranch and hightail it back to Austin, but there's a small problem: the one person who stands in his way is the one person he can't resist.

Maggie is pretty sure she hates Travis Blake. He's irritating, he's destroying her business, and . . . and he's just so frickin' attractive. But when they're forced to work together, Maggie discovers that the Most Annoying Man in the World is more than he seems. He's sweet with his nephew, he helps out in the community, and he makes her heart flutter. Maggie doesn't want to risk everything on a man who wants to leave, but what if she can convince this wayward cowboy to stay?

There were so many aspects I loved about this book but the first one I want to talk about is Henry, Travis's little nephew.
"'Are you his father?'
'Stranger danger,' shouted Henry.
Travis pulled Henry up even higher, so he could see his beet red face. 'Are you nuts?'"

Like most children at his age, Henry doesn't have a filter which made him the perfect source for comedy. Some of the funniest scenes were caused by Henry.

I also loved the fairytale bits. Little Red Riding Hood is referenced quite frequently which really enhanced the charm of the entire book. If this book ever gets republished, I'd absolutely love to see a Red Riding Hood inspired cover.

Also, the sex scenes were perfect in my opinion. Just the right amount of steamy, dirty, etc! I really like how this author hit a great balance.

The only thing I didn't like was...... unfortunately..... the heroine. Now, let me just say that she was mostly better in the end but I still found her to be quite irritating. She was impulsive but also quite oblivious. I won't spoil but there was one thing that was just so obvious but she just was so rude... It's hard to explain without spoiling but it was just super frustrating.

Overall, I really enjoyed this book. But beyond the actual content, I got to buddy read it with the publisher and a few other bloggers on Instagram which was really fun!

Bottom Line:
4 Stars
Age Rating - [ R ]
Content Screening (Mild Spoilers):
Educational Value (0/0)
Positive Messages (4/5) - [Kindness, forgiveness, perserverance]
Violence (0/0)
Sex (5/5) - [Multiple detailed sex scenes, Sexual themes, BDSM, Bondage, Dominance]
Langauge (4/5) - [F**k, d*mn, sh*t, d*ck, *ss]
Drinking/Drugs (1/5) - [Alcohol consumption]
Trigger and Content Warnings - BDSM/Bondage (very brief), Loss of a loved one, Anxiety
NOTE: This is an adult romance and should not be read by young readers.
Publication Date - October 28th, 2018
Publisher - Forever (an imprint of Hachette)
Genre - Romance/Contemporary

---------------

omg. this was so cuttttteeeee. and steamy. review to come

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Profile Image for Floripiquita.
1,473 reviews169 followers
May 27, 2019
Leído por recomendación de Kim -aquí tenéis la reseña en su blog A la cama con un libro-, se trata de un retelling de un cuento de hadas, Caperucita Roja, muy sexy y divertido. La trama tiene como protagonista a una pareja con una química brutal: el Lobo Feroz (Travis), un sexy ex militar con pasado nerd y alma de cowboy, y Caperucita (Maggie), un chicazo que odia que la consideren uno más de los chicos. Maggie me ha gustado mucho, es una protagonista fuerte y nada cursi, pero el que me ha robado el corazón ha sido Travis, un macho alpha cuando hay que serlo (esas sesiones de sexting son muy hot), para nada machista y un verdadero amor.

La autora describe muy bien cómo es la vida en un pequeño pueblo de Texas a través de sus habitantes, muchos de ellos magnificamente retratados con solo unas pinceladas. Henry, el pequeño sobrino de 5 años del protagonista, me ha parecido un tocapelotas de cuidado y, precisamente por eso, bastante realista. Además, me he reído mucho con el club de lectura y las sesiones de wrestling. Pena esa confusión entre Pacino y De Niro.

En definitiva, un muy buen libro de debut para una autora que ya está en mi lista de escritoras a seguir.

#Posugar2019. Reto 31: Un retelling de un clásico
Profile Image for WhiskeyintheJar.
1,509 reviews690 followers
February 13, 2020
I received this book for free in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.

I participated in a buddy read that Forever (publisher) put on, so I'm just going to highlight some of my thoughts in this review.

If you like your heroes to be beta in the streets and alpha in the sheets with a lot of Little Red Riding Hood references, you'll love this story.

Travis just got out of the army and has to take over the care of his nephew Henry, Henry's mother died of ovarian cancer and Scott, Travis' brother, is in jail. Henry plays a big part in the story and there were often cute scenes with Travis learning how to parent and heart felt emotion as Travis begins to realize that he does want to take on the full responsibility of Henry.

Maggie was our loves her small town except for how she can't shake her "Mighty Mack" just one of the guys persona. She sits in judgement of Travis for a little longer than I would have liked, Travis had an alcoholic father and his brother in jail, but I enjoyed how she was strong willed.

This was a pretty steamy novel from start to finish and even though these two get hands on pretty quickly, the way the author structured the story it never felt like insta-lust. If you're looking for BDSM lite, this would be the couple and story for you.

Secondary characters were pretty great in this, Claire is Maggie's friend and I enjoyed their friendship (her book looks to be coming up next). JD has been Maggie's friend since high school and even though it starts out with her having a crush on him, his storyline turns out more interesting than just playboy jilt.

Overall, this was cute and fun with enough Stetson talk and imagery to give me a fetish for the look and conversation these cowboys can convey with every adjustment of their white, black, and straw hats. I wished Travis had revealed or talked with Maggie about a secret way earlier than he was finally forced to; the trust between them was too tenuous for me to solidly believe in their relationship for a lot of the book.

If looking for a light, fun, and steamy cowboy read, this would be a great choice.
Profile Image for Amber Tinsley.
92 reviews14 followers
September 3, 2018
Big Bad Cowboy is an amazingly good book. The main and sub characters are highly relatable and it has modern day circumstances that all the characters have to navigate. It has all the things to make a book fantastic: charm, whit, there are many laugh out loud parts, parts that sucker punch you right in the feels, and enough hot and steamy to make you break a sweat. There are enough nerdy references to make my heart go pitter patter. It's definitely not your typical cowboy romance and I love that. It's filled with all the ranch and cowboy workings but with a super modern twist. I will be rereading this book while I patiently, haha not so much, wait for the next book in the series.
Profile Image for The Romance Book Disciple (Samantha).
2,099 reviews358 followers
October 27, 2018

Small town, former 'ugly duckling' girl, and the town's black sheep family collide in Big Bad Cowboy. Maggie is just 'one of the guys' and she is tired of it. Travis is only in town long enough to sell the family farm and get his nephew settled with an appropriate caregiver. Turns out, neither of them are gonna be happy with whats in store.

Travis' father was a ne'er do well right up until his death and his brother is currently in prison, so the Blake family isn't exactly the crown jewel of the town. Travis wants to sell the farm and get back to Austin FAST. He hates the gossip and drama of the tiny town. Maggie has created a successful business for herself and she is proud of it. She just wants her BFF JD to see her as more than a friend. Of course, he crushes that dream quick leading Maggie to engage in a one night stand with a stranger....who later turns out to be Travis!

Travis is a bit of a disaster. He just got out of the army and now he has a farm and a child to care for. Henry, his nephew, just lost his mom to cancer and his dad (Travis' brother) is in prison. These two together are just a ticking time bomb! Neither of them knows what the heck to do. However, despite Travis' hesitation and initial desire to settle Henry with someone else, they bond. Its sweet and endearing in a way to see these two battle it out.

I had a harder time liking Maggie. She is so determined to 'prove' herself. She's uptight and rigid. Perhaps that is why she was good for Travis-they are opposites in a lot of ways. She has nothing but drive and direction and he is a lost boy raising a boy!

Big Bad Cowboy combines the small town romance with a bit of enemies to lovers and a dash of a fairy tale vibe to give you a sexy read! Fans of cowboy romances and single dad tropes will love this!

 

POV: 3rd
Tears: no
Trope: single dad, enemies to lovers, small town
Triggers: none
Series/Standalone: standalone
Cliffhanger: 
HEA: 




Tough Luck Cowboy by AJ Pine, Stone Cold Cowboy by Jennifer Ryan, Long, Tall Cowboy Christmas by Carolyn Brown, Cowboy SEAL Christmas by Nicole Helm ...then you will probably like Big Bad Cowboy!

 


Big Bad Cowboy
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See full review on The Book Disciple
Profile Image for book bruin.
1,502 reviews351 followers
October 10, 2018
I really enjoyed this sexy spin on the Little Red Riding Hood fairy tale! It had lots of laughs, tender moments, and a wonderful cast of characters. I loved the nods to Little Red Riding Hood and the play on words/situations. It kept the story fun and entertaining.

Travis and Maggie were sexy together and I loved their banter and innuendo. They don't have a traditional meet cute, but it's a moment where they can be free to want and do what they wish without being burdened by the chains of their realities. They both want so badly to be more than who everyone thinks they are. I did find Maggie a little too ornery at times though and she tended to overreact with Travis and her friends. Carly Bloom did an excellent job with the enemies to lovers trope though, and the back and forth was so delicious, especially as the walls started to come down. The epilogue brought everything full circle and left me feeling happy and smiling.

I really liked the residents of Big Verde, especially Claire and JD (though his story was a little too predictable and cliche). The small town gossip and colorful characters added some wonderful comic relief and kept the story lighthearted (book club was hilarious!) I loved how the town all rallied together to help each other when needed. I'm hoping that we see a book for Claire (and Ford?!) in the future. Overall, this was a sexy and fun read and I look forward to reading more from Carly Bloom!

*I voluntarily read an advance reader copy of this book*
Profile Image for Misty (Reds Romance Reviews).
3,378 reviews6 followers
September 9, 2018
Travis Blake has always been the boy from the wrong side of the tracks, thanks to his dad's doing, and of course his brother's wild antics didn't help matters either, but he took all that stigma that following him around as fuel, and tried to be the one Blake who wasn't a screw-up. Which took him to the Army, where he has spent the last few years of his life, but now he is ready to start the next chapter, but before he can get started on it home calls, and he finds himself heading to a place he'd hoped to steer clear of. There he finds a young nephew to care for, the family ranch to repair and prepare for sale, and a sexy landscaper who loves to push his buttons... all the wrong ones of course!

Maggie has had a secret crush on Travis since they were in high school, but he was a few years older than her, and of course his eyes never landed in her direction, so she just tucked that little crush away and never thought about it again... that is until she learns he is back in town to settle his father's affairs. Then she learns that while he is back in town that he is taking on some landscaping business to earn some money, which means the sexy cowboy is taking money right out of her pocket, and stealing potential clients right from under her nose which makes him her sworn enemy! That is until they unexpectedly run into one another at a Halloween party and share a few heated moments...



Big Bad Cowboy is a delightful western romance that is impressive on all fronts; a dramatic story line that keeps you engaged, well crafted characters you can't help but form an attachment too, and loads of humor, passion and heart to keep you smiling and swooning throughout! Maggie and Travis's story did not disappoint, the moment they wandered onto the page I found myself enamored with them, one minute they had me giggling, and the next they had me needing a fan! This first time read really delivered; the writing was impeccable, the characters (main and secondary) came with a tangible feel; it's definitely one of the best literary discoveries that I have made in a while, I cannot wait to see what the author has in store for the next book! Highly recommend!

I requested an advanced copy of this title from the publisher, and I am voluntarily leaving my honest opinion.
Profile Image for Diana.
245 reviews65 followers
April 6, 2020
"Hey there Little Red Riding Hood,
You sure are looking good ...
You're everything a big bad wolf could want."


Firey ... steamy ... hot ... sexy ... cheesy ... but such a cute romance! The fairytale spin on Little Red Riding Hood is throughout the entire book. There is hot, sexy scenes but they were perfect with the right balance of "not over the top".

Small town uptight girl and small town bad boy are about to collide in Big Bad Cowboy. Maggie Mackey owns her own landscape design company in Big Verde and doesn't want to compete with Travis Blake when he comes back to town after being gone 12 years and is seeking clients in landscaping to earn quick money also. Travis is needing the money to pay back taxes on his family ranch that he now owns with his brother. He just got out of the army and now has to take over the care of his 5 year old nephew Henry also since Henry's mother died of ovarian cancer and Scott, Travis' loser brother, is in jail. Henry is a main player in the story and is so cute with his witty banter back and forth with Travis as he learns how to become a parent.

With a few fun mishaps, some crazy cows that wander, and a town full of friends that can't help but interfere, these two are about to have a crazy ride as they learn to trust and love. There is plenty of laughs, tender moments, and a wonderful cast of characters ... which includes a Big Bad Wolf cowboy!

If you are looking for a quick, fun, steamy western romance then this is a great choice.
Profile Image for Tricia.
242 reviews10 followers
January 17, 2019
I LOVED this book!

Who doesn't love a sexy, dirty talking, good looking, good guy, cowboy? I fell in love with Travis!

And Maggie is wonderful! She is the perfect partner for Travis.

Lots of twists and turns and secrets and a big, bad wolf too! Add a precocious 5 year old to the mix and a wonderful, caring community and you have perfection.

This one is a keeper!

description
Profile Image for Zoe.
2,332 reviews329 followers
February 14, 2020
Smoking hot, charming, and laugh-out-loud funny!

Big Bad Cowboy is an amusing, heartwarming tale that takes us to Big Verde, Texas and into the life of the hardworking, fiery Maggie as she juggles a demanding career, the loss of her beloved grandmother, texting with a mysterious, yet handsome stranger, and sparring with her infuriatingly sexy neighbour, Travis Blake.

The writing is witty and crisp. The characterization is spot on with a cast of characters that are fun-loving, supportive, and endearing. And the plot is an enchanting blend of heart, humour, tender moments, family, friendship, tension, attraction, chemistry, snappy dialogue, shameless flirting, community spirit, and sizzling romance.

Overall, Big Bad Cowboy is a humorous, spicy, highly addictive novel by Bloom that’s a wonderful addition to the Once Upon a Time in Texas series and a true guilty pleasure.

Thank you to Forever & Grand Central Publishing for providing me with a copy in exchange for an honest review.
Profile Image for Mari's Struggle is Real.
221 reviews6 followers
September 1, 2018
This was a great book with a lot of interesting characters.
So, Maggie and Travis know each other from high school, although Travis was a few years older than Maggie. Initially, they are competing for a landscaping account. They meet at a costume party where sparks fly even if they don’t recognize each other. One thing leads to another and steamy moments happen.

Travis is trying to get his life together after the army and taking in his nephew Henry, who is a handful but also so cute and smart for his age, and he is trying to sell his ranch, Happy Trails. Maggie is a little reluctant to like Travis but all he has to do is take his shirt off to make her forget what she was saying or doing.

Great characters and amazing chemistry between the two really brought the story alive in my opinion. The other characters like JD, Gabriel, Claire, Alice and even Miss Mills were also very well written.

Received a copy from the publisher through NetGalley.
Profile Image for Amy Bearce.
Author 12 books131 followers
September 10, 2018
I read Big Bad Cowboy in one sitting! I loved it! Funny, steamy, AND sweet—a perfect (but rare) combination for a romance. The characters are so real and lovable that I was rooting for them from the start. And while I don’t usually find myself laughing out loud while I’m reading, I did with this one. I felt like I was in Big Verde myself, and I was sad to leave the charming small Texas town. Fans of Susan Elizabeth Phillip’s books will enjoy Big Bad Cowboy. I’m looking forward to Book 2!
1 review
September 27, 2018
I couldn't put this book down. The characters are so well developed and made me feel everything. I laughed, I cried, and I couldn't wait for the next steamy scene. Carly Bloom is an amazing author. Treat yourself with this book.
Profile Image for Kim.
2,443 reviews
October 30, 2018
Find this review and more at kimberlyfaye reads.

I was looking forward to reading Big Bad Wolf from the minute it hit my mailbox and I read that blurb. When I saw other bloggers referring to it as a bit of Little Red Riding Hood mixed with a dash of You’ve Got Mail, I was even more excited. Plus, you know, it starts off with a Halloween costume party hookup so it was perfectly seasonal. It was a great debut and fantastic start to a new series. I’m definitely looking forward to reading more from Carly and the small town setting of Big Verde.

Both Maggie and Travis were great characters. She’s the once-ugly-duckling woman who is trying to get her landscape architecture business off the ground. Travis is back in town just long enough to sell off his family farm and pack up his nephew. He can’t get out of Big Verde fast enough. Or so he thinks. Things start to change when he realizes he really could make a home and a life there after all. Especially if Maggie is involved. I, for one, was totally on board with that plan, too. I loved these two together so freaking much. Their chemistry was amazing, their banter was fun and I loved how they got to know each other while working side by side. Of course, there was the little matter of the secret he was keeping from her. You know, that they’d hooked up during the Halloween party. But, I hoped he would come clean and they could move past it.

I also really enjoyed the secondary characters. I’m hoping to get more from quite a few of them as this series continues. One of my favorites, naturally, was Travis’ nephew, Henry. The kid was a trip and he kept me chuckling throughout the book. It helped that he shares a name with my bestie’s son, who is also a bit on the wacky side, so that made him even more realistic. I love a good small town romance and I’ve really come to enjoy cowboys in the last few months. Big Bad Wolf ticked all my boxes and it was a fun, sweet and sexy story with some unsurprising feels along the way. A fantastic debut!

I received a complimentary copy of this book for review consideration. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.

FAVORITE QUOTES

“Are you still down with this?”
“I’m not afraid of the Big Bad Wolf.”

“Real life isn’t a fairytale, Claire.”
“I was shooting for a romantic comedy.”

I miss my moon. The world is dark without her.
Profile Image for Somia.
2,065 reviews173 followers
January 3, 2019
I was meant to read a bit of this and then organise some highly disorganised work papers, but ended up devouring this book first.

Big Bad Cowboy is the first book in the Once Upon a Time in Texas series by Carly Bloom, and my introduction to the author, and what an introduction it was.

The male lead in this is Travis Blake, who has been away from his home town of Big Verde, Texas, for 12 years, having been in the military until about 8 weeks ago, once discharged he had a clear plan of what and where he would be. But one phone call blows those plans out of the water.

The female lead in this is Mary Margaret Mackey (also known as Maggie) back from college and gaining experience as a landscape architecture, she is now building a landscaping business. Her grandmother passed away a year ago and she inherited the ranch which, happens to make her Travis's neighbour, once he is back on the ranch, he and his ass of a brother inherited.

A chance encounter at a Halloween party brings the two together and the fireworks begin. They again come together as partners on a landscaping job, somewhat unwillingly on Maggie's part. Maggie is also wholly unaware that Travis is the mystery man she had a hot encounter with.

The chemistry between Maggie and Travis was hot and the development of their relationship well written. Travis as a male lead was fab, unlike most, he didn't have everything under control and had very human moments throughout the book, which made him more relatable. Maggie was wonderfully feisty and independent – a perfect fit for him.

Travis nephew Henry was adorable and added humour to the book. Lovely strong community and friendship bonds in this book.

A very enjoyable read that I know I'll re-read in the future. Looking forward to book 2 in the series.
Profile Image for Jo.
47 reviews3 followers
September 21, 2018
I loved this book so hard! I literally could not put it down! It had it all; serious, funny, sexy, and just the right amount of angst. I only have one question... where can I find a Travis Blake of my own? I can't wait to see what comes next!
Profile Image for Avid Reader.
1,752 reviews
September 9, 2018
Big Bad Cowboy (Once Upon a Time in Texas #1) by Carly Bloom
4 stars
M/F Romance
Trigger: death
I was given this book for an honest review by Wicked Reads.

Travis is just getting back from being in the army when he's hit with a double whammy. His family estate is in disrepair and his sister in law just passed away and now he has to care for his nephew.
Travis doesn't really know anything about raising kids. His experience with family is a less than stellar example. Also, his nephew's dad is in prison and to make matters even worse, he needs his incarcerated brother's signature to even think about selling the family farm.

When he starts doing odd jobs around town, he has no idea that he's stepping on toes. But oh, what pretty toes he's stepping on. Maggie is the local landscape architect and when she sees Travis again, she can't help but be attracted to him.

With some miscommunication, some crazy cows, a community that can't help but interfere, these two will have a crazy ride. While the story was well developed, it was long winded at times. There were a few back stories inside, but there were parts where I just wanted the story to move forward. Overall, this is a sweet story and the characters do figure themselves out. I really do hope that some of the other characters get their own stories, as they were hilarious and a huge part of Travis and Maggie's success.
Profile Image for Books Just 4 Me.
429 reviews63 followers
January 31, 2020
Smoking hot spin on the fairy tale, Little Red Riding Hood! Travis and Maggie are neighbors and can’t seem to escape each other. Travis’ livestock don’t understand land boundaries and to top it off Travis is infringing on Maggie’s professional territory. Travis is a devoted and loyal person who is there to support his nephew. He’s not fitting into the box Maggie wants him in. These two had sizzling attraction and it was fun read their bantering. Both were pretty tame but their sexy alter egos came out in their texting. Wow! It’s always easier to be more adventurous behind a screen. Definitely recommend! This my was a first time reading this author and she’s on my go to list for sure. I’m looking forward to the next coming out in March!

Thanks to Forever (Grand Central Publishing) and NetGalley for the opportunity to read in exchange for my honest opinion.
Profile Image for The_reading_foodie.
460 reviews16 followers
October 21, 2018
hank you Forever Romance books and Carly Bloom for my free arc of Big Bad Cowboy by Carly Bloom.

Travis Blake returns home to Big Verde,Texas to care for his nephew. Determined to sell his families land and move to Austin he doesn’t have time for commitments or setbacks. Enter Maggie who can’t stand Travis. He’s taking away her business BUT she can’t help notice all the good qualities he has too. What happens when Maggie starts falling for the man who doesn’t plan on staying in town? What happens when Travis plans change? This a enemies to lovers cowboy romance.

You guys I really liked this one. I would have never known Carly Bloom was a debut author because she had me so engaged in the plot and characters. I loved the town and people she depicted too. I smashed through this book in a single reading. The story was funny and entertaining. Some parts where a little predictable but I loved how Bloom weaves in The Little Read Riding Hood story into this book. I’m also a sucker for enemies to lovers so it gets me almost every time. I can’t wait to see what her next book has to offer.

This book is released on Oct 30th you should definitely check it out!
Profile Image for Taylor (BiblioTay).
485 reviews24 followers
October 25, 2018
ALL THE STARS!!!
(thank you netgalley for this free copy to review)

I went in expecting a steamy romance but what this book gave me was so much more!!! Yes you have the steamy sex but you also have witty banter, sexting, hard working cowboy, and sweet romance. I seriously loved these characters and am so excited that it'll be a series so I can visit them again.

I highly recommend this book!!!
Profile Image for Melike.
474 reviews
May 30, 2021
One of my favorite cowboy romances. I loved Travis and Maggie, their characters were so well developed. Onto the next one in the series ❤️❤️❤️
Profile Image for Simply Love Book Reviews.
7,046 reviews870 followers
October 30, 2018


Carly Bloom is a new to me author and I was pleasantly surprised with Big Bad Cowboy. This book could have gone bad so many times but I thought Carly does a great job with the characters and the story.

Travis is truly the sweetest cowboy you'll ever meet. Travis is back home in Big Verde after the military. He has his hands full raising his nephew and trying to keep a roof over their head and keep the family ranch. He's doing a good job juggling but he is trying to find his passion as landscaping isn't it. He does find someone to keep him occupied for a little bit.

Maggie is a feisty and takes no nonsense from her crew and Travis. She's built a successful business and isn't looking to share the marketplace with him. However, she is looking to share her dirty mind with the Big Bad Wolf. I loved the secret crush these two has with the other. It was a cute retelling of You've got Mail. I was definitely waiting for the "I was hoping it was you " line.

There are so many other characters that help round out this book. One being his nephew, who was as sweet as his uncle but provided the levity needed only a 9 year old can.

I also thought there was a perfect blend of drama and misunderstandings to keep the reader interested.
684 reviews2 followers
September 13, 2018
Carly Bloom just skyrocketed to the top of my authors to watch list with this book. This book had it all- it was funny and touching and the romance was smoldering. I loved both Maggie and Travis and really loved all of the secondary characters as well. I cannot wait to see what Bloom writes next.

I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
Profile Image for Kiki.
1,217 reviews676 followers
November 3, 2019
I think it was rather odd and. 2.5 stars?

Both were cute and stupid and the storyline was just, meh?

The deception went on for too long.

Safe.
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