Must Love Cowboys

Once Upon a Time in Texas #3

by Carly Bloom

In this charming, sexy romance, a bookish beauty needs a fake boyfriend and finds a handsome cowboy who is just the man for the job.

Beau Montgomery is living his best life . . . until he's left in charge of Rancho Cañada Verde. With his dyslexia, he'd choose a saddle over spreadsheets any day. His best hope is to ask the town librarian for tutoring. Only he's had a crush on the book-loving beauty since his junior high days—and despite being a smooth talker, he can't help getting tongue-tied every time they meet.

Alice Martin doesn't regret putting her career above personal relationships—but when Beau comes to her for help, Alice decides to see what she's been missing. She'll improve Beau's reading skills if the handsome cowboy teaches her how to flirt and agrees to be her date to an upcoming wedding. But when the town's gossip mill gets going, they're forced into a fake romance to keep their deal a secret. Soon Alice is seeing Beau in a whole new way . . . can she turn their imaginary story into a real-life happy-ever-after?

Includes the bonus novel Big Bad Cowboy!

Genres: Romance, Contemporary Romance, Contemporary, Westerns, Cowboy Romance, Friends To Lovers, Chick Lit

657 pages, Mass Market Paperback

First published April 27, 2021

About the author

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.

Reviews

[Carol [Goodreads Addict] · Rating 5 out of 5]

RATING 4.5 STARS

Must Love Cowboys is book three in the Once Upon a Time in Texas series by Carly Bloom. I’ve loved this series from the start and have been so excited to read Beau and Alice’s book and it was wonderful. So many wonderful things about these two that I just adored.



Beau Montgomery is twenty eight years old and is co-foreman along with his twin brother, Bryce of Rancho Canada Verde ranch in Texas. Beau loves his life, he loves his job. Ever since Beau was little, he struggled with reading and was at one point diagnosed with dyslexia. He got tutoring for awhile but still struggled so he and his twin kept people fooled while his twin did his homework, making everyone think Beau had conquered the problem. But now, his brother Bryce is going to be leaving Rancho Canada Verde. Beau will be the lone foreman. How will he do the paperwork? How will he do the computer work?



Alice (Allie) Martin is thirty two years old and is the town librarian. She’s awkward and shy. She never quite felt like she fit in. But lately she and celebrity chef, Carmen had become close friends and Carmen was slowly getting Allie out more with friends. All of a sudden, Allie realized she had girl friends that were stopping by, that wanted her to confide in them. It was something she’d never experienced and was finding she really liked the way it felt!

“To him, Alice had been beautiful and sophisticated. Smart and talented. To him, she’d been everything.”



Allie, being four years older than Beau and Bryce, babysat them when she was a teenager. Unbeknownst to her, Beau had always had a crush on her. Even now, as an adult, he still fantasized about the buttoned up librarian. But he never felt worthy of her. But now he needs help with his dyslexia. And Allie is the only person he knows that can help him. Allie needs a date for an upcoming wedding so a deal is made. As they start their secret tutoring sessions, though, the town has their own ideas about what Allie and Beau are doing. So they find themselves in a fake relationship.

“When she was with him, she felt like herself, only more. She’d had a taste of Beau Montgomery, and now she wanted all of him.”

As Allie and Beau spend time together, they get to know each other better. Their relationship is fake but it doesn’t take long for it to start to feel real. They start to see each other, and also themselves in a new way. Beau helps Allie to see herself as the beautiful woman she is. And Allie helps Beau to feel more confident, sure of his abilities. Together, these two were magic. I just loved the effect they had on each other.



I loved that this book dealt with different issues, especially Beau’s dyslexia and how it affected his life and how he felt about himself. I loved watching his confidence soar with Allie’s help. And I also loved the way Allie just bloomed with Beau’s affection. This was a fun, sexy, swoony book that I enjoyed so much. The secondary characters were all wonderful as well. I love Carly’s writing. I can’t wait to see what she does next.

For more about this book and so many others, come and visit me at Carol's Crazy Bookish World.
https://www.facebook.com/groups/Carol...

[Tina Loves To Read · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a cowboy romance, and this is the 3rd book in the Once Upon a Time in Texas series. This is a fake dating turn to real dating romance. I was pulled into this storyline form the beginning, and I have to say I really loved the characters in this book. It has been a long time since I really loved a cowboy romance book, and this book made me not want to stop reading it. I loved it so much. I was kindly provided an e-copy of this book by the publisher (Forever) or author (Carly Bloom) via NetGalley, so I can give honest review about how I feel about this book. I want to send a big Thank you to them for that.

[♥Rachel♥ · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5 Stars

Alice Martin, Big Verde’s librarian, needs a date for a co-worker’s wedding. While she’s a capable, smart woman, she’s not very experienced in the romance department, so when Beau Montgomery asks for help with his dyslexia Alice barters her help for a date to the wedding. Tutoring sessions quickly become magical dates, and the chemistry between them was off the charts! Carly Bloom writes some hot stuff! But I also loved the friendship and connection Beau and Alice developed as they fell hard for each other.

Alice the smart, but maybe a little socially clueless librarian has a big heart and is funny as hell, even when she doesn’t mean to be! I adored her! Beau was a sweetheart too, dealing with insecurities because of his dyslexia he felt inferior, and I was so happy Alice was there to straighten him out on that account. Alice had her own insecurities, feeling awkward and unattractive at times, and Beau was happy to show her just how desirable she was to him.

I enjoyed catching up with the past couples and characters. Book club never fails to make me laugh! Miss Mills, the old church lady claiming she skips over the dirty parts, as she waves her devotional to cool herself down, priceless! Claire, Maggie, and Bubba made me giggle, too!

I’ve been loving Carly Bloom’s Once Upon a Time in Texas series! Seriously, soooo good! Sizzling romance, laugh-out-loud moments, a romance with real depth and emotion. I’ve especially been looking forward to Alice’s book, and it didn’t disappoint! I really hope the series continues!

A copy was kindly provided by Forever in exchange for an honest review.

[b.andherbooks · Rating 4 out of 5]

I finished an ARC of Carly Bloom's Must Love Cowboy's, as the publicist said please try this (librarian heroine) and it was really charming! I'm not usually a cowboy romance reader, but give me a hot twin cowboy who needs tutoring for his un-diagnosed dyslexia and some truly delicious consent discussions, wow! The librarian character was a bit twee for me (she says "holy guacamole SO MANY TIMES) but I loved her "self-love" mantras and 'virginity is a social construct" frank discussions. All in all a solid 4 stars (out April 2021)!

I have not read the previous books in this series, and you do get glimpses of other couples and characters from those book (a bit overwhelming with the sheer amount of names), and you do get a glimpse at who I hope is a future pairing (Beau's twin brother and the celebrity chef)!

And, it was nice to see POC mentioned and living in this Texas town.

Thank you to Forever and Netgalley for the ARC

[Angela Hates Books · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have been searching for a cowboy romance that would make me fall in love with the sub genre and Carly Bloom has delivered with a fake dating, pining cowboy romance I’ve been waiting for my whole life!!!!!

This book reaaaaally surprised me. I’m an Okie girl and real life cowboys just ain’t it for me, but when a friend sent me this book and told me it would change my mind I drove right in…basically out of guilt 🤣 She mailed me the book!! I couldn’t NOT read it right away!! But after chapter one I knew I was in trouble. I was instantly hooked on Carly Bloom’s fast paced and humorous writing and stayed up until 4am finishing this book!!

Coming into book three in a series, I was a little like, “Who? Huh? Wha?” at some parts, but overall felt very connected to all the characters in this book. Beau was such a freaking sweetheart, omggggg soooo sweet, I was clutching my book and sighing out loud at 2am 🤣 And Alice is the independent intelligent small town librarian I didn’t know I needed in my life.

Loved this book and apparently, I love cowboys now! This book has all the goods:

-Fake dating
-Tutoring
-Bucket lists
-Making out in pick up trucks
-Horseback riding
-The sweetest build up to steam I have ever read 😭

Thank you, Addie Yoder for sending me this gem! You made my whole weekend!

[Sarah · Rating 5 out of 5]

I contributed this review to Really Into This

Check out all of our reviews at https://reallyintothis.com
Happy Reading, friends!

Thank you Read Forever for my gifted review copy.

Carly's book, Big Bad Cowboy changed my life. I'm not even kidding! I picked it up on a whim because it had a Halloween storyline. Had I seen the mass market cover with a shirtless cowboy, I wouldn't have picked it up. It's true. I'm a judgemental bitch.



Thankfully I've seen the light & changed my ways. This is all due to Carly's fantastic writing. Since then, I've been a HUGE Carly Bloom fangirl & I've fallen in love with the town of Big Verde. Carly certainly does the state of Texas proud with her descriptions of dances at the VFW hall, starched shirts, King George, BBQ & a cafe with dishes named after townspeople. Carly created this county of Big Verde nestled in the Texas Hill Country. Once you travel there through her writing, you'll be hooked!



So, let's dive into Alice (the librarian) & Beau's (a cowboy twin with dyslexia) story. While I've loved both Big Verde novels & the novella, this truly may be my favorite yet. Fake dating, childhood crushes & two people who are truly destined for each other; it just doesn't get better than this folks!

There is communication in this book, open door sex scenes & true vulnerability from each character. See when you're in a town like Big Verde you have enough room to be yourself as you're surrounded by people who will love you unconditionally. I also love that Beau's dyslexia is at the forefront of the story & is something that he works through.

Carly just writes these characters you fall head over heels for - both the heroine & the hero. She also writes these scenes that live rent-free in my head. And I welcome them!! Like there are plenty of scenes from MUST LOVE COWBOYS that I will be thinking of and swooning over for a long time to come!

I am so grateful to be an early reader of Must Love Cowboys. The storyline is touching sweet, sultry & memorable. All I can say is that I'm greedy & want more!

[Tanja ~ KT Book Reviews · Rating 5 out of 5]

Oh, book friends! This was just... adorable? sweet? deliciously fun? Yes, I'm going with the latter. The Once Upon A Time In Texas book series is rapidly becoming one of my favorites. And guess what my lucky peeps? You get a twofer with this one. Not only do you get Must Love Cowboys, but it also comes with Big Bad Cowboy as well! The first book in the series. But on a personal note, I'm dyslexic so reading about others that struggle always makes me feel less nervous and embarrassed when I make mistakes. Throw some love and well, everything about this makes me smile.

~Tanja


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[book bruin · Rating 4 out of 5]

It's so wonderful being back in Big Verde! Must Love Cowboys is a very cute fake dating and friends to lovers romance. There are some fun nods to Beauty and the Beast, as well as a bit of forced proximity thrown in as well. I really liked the added twist that the heroine used to babysit the hero when they were younger. This is book 3 in the Once Upon a Time in Texas series, but it can be enjoyed as a standalone.

Beau and Alice couldn't be more different on paper, but I loved how they each let down their guard and allowed the other in. They see each other as no one else does and that connection was so beautiful. It's a wonderful slow burn between them, but the wait was worth it. Beau was a great complement to Alice and I loved the tender moments between them. I'm not usually a fan of the playboy hero, but Beau definitely grew on me. He was quite the softie underneath all that swagger and I loved how it was revealed piece by piece how he had lost his heart to Alice so many years before. I also appreciated that he made sure Alice was on board every step of the way as things progressed. I could have done without all the reminders of his past activities though and I wasn't a huge fan of some of his teasing. I also think he needed to do a bit more groveling at the end, but the epilogue was a sweet way to bring their story full circle.

Alice was a wonderful heroine and really came into her own through the course of the novel. Her friendships with Claire, Maggie, and Carmen were fantastic, and I loved how supportive they were of one another. It was refreshing to see a heroine who walked to the beat of her own drum and didn't let anyone or society change who she was. Her awkwardness and vulnerability were endearing, but I did sometimes feel that she was a little too clinical (especially during the more intimate scenes). I understand her word vomit was caused by how nervous and scared she felt, but unfortunately a lot of the terminology and discussion took me out of the moment. Beau was great at bringing things back into focus though ;) I'm really hoping we'll be back in Big Verde soon as things heat up between Bryce and Carmen!

*I voluntarily read an advance review copy of this book*

[Natasha is a Book Junkie · Rating 5 out of 5]

This wonderful book came highly recommended to me by a fellow reader, and it ended up being one of the most delightful romances I read in a while. The heroine is a librarian—quirky, inexperienced, slightly socially awkward—and the hero is a cocky cowboy whom the heroine used to baby-sit when they were much younger. He’s always had a crush on her, but never managed to make a move. So when he comes to her for help some twenty years later, she agrees on the condition that he'll be her date to an upcoming wedding. But once they start spending time together, they begin realising that their own insecurities are to blame for the many misunderstandings between them over the years, and that the scorching chemistry between them cannot be denied. This is my first book from this author, but I am in awe of her writing style and character development. This is the kind of book that will make you smile like a goof cover to cover.

[Nicole · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 stars rounded up

Beau Montgomery is right where he wants to be, working with his twin brother as a foreman on the ranch they grew up on. But when his brother gets a new job opportunity, Beau is left as sole foreman of Rancho Cañada Verde. He loves the outdoor labor of the job, but his unaddressed dyslexia makes the paperwork nearly impossible. The best chance he has for true independence is to ask the town’s librarian to help him with tutoring, but his long-standing crush on her makes it hard for him to even form proper words around her.

Alice Martin prioritized her education and career over relationships and friendships, and she’s never regretted it, but as she genuinely enjoys spending time with Beau, she realizes she’s been missing out on more than she’d thought. She makes a deal to help Beau in exchange for his agreement to her plus one at a coworker’s wedding. The town gossips take immediate notice and jump to conclusions and the time Alice and Beau are spending together is explained as a fake relationship to protect Beau’s secret. As they delight in each other’s company more and more, Alice begins to see the real Beau beneath the playboy façade and wonders if their fake relationship could lead to a real happy ending.

I enjoyed so much about this story, especially Beau and the pairing of a tough but vulnerable cowboy with the relatably shy librarian. The premise was so good, and I enjoyed the supporting characters and the story overall, though it wasn’t without issue. Alice’s character as the stereotypical librarian but with very modern feminist views was a bit overdrawn and some of the things she said were a bit over the top (virginity as a social construct, for example, was weird for me especially given how hung up she was on something that’s mostly just biological). She was incredibly sheltered and a bit immature, likely due to not having allowed herself to have many experiences and the phrase ‘holy guacamole’ was so overused it could’ve been a drinking game. Alice’s character was at times too cutesy and at others incredibly judgmental, making sweeping and unsubstantiated generalizations about both men and women. Her profession to be self-partnered and not wanting to be with anyone just came off to me as a manifestation of her own fears and feelings of insecurity and inadequacy. There’s nothing wrong with that at all, but it was never addressed later, and this felt like a missed opportunity for her to further bond with Beau over feelings he also shared. As it stood, it seemed like Beau put himself out there and exposed his own insecurities much more than Alice did and I would’ve enjoyed more reciprocation.

Potential mild spoiler ahead. I loved how much open communication there was between Alice and Beau once she stopped being so judgmental of him, even when it made for awkward reading. I was disappointed to see this openness break down a bit later on, resulting in the dreaded third act separation. Yes, it heightened the tension, but it was frustrating to see all that lovely directness just fly out the window, though this was thankfully brief and resulted in an excellent grovel that would only have been made better if Alice had reciprocated that sentiment more by recognizing more of her role in the misunderstanding.

Mostly, it seemed like Alice just needed to get out of her own way and I loved that Beau brought her out of her shell and helped her realize that she did belong and had all along, she only had to open her eyes to see it. I thought these two were a cute opposites attract couple and Beau was an awesome hero. I loved how much depth this seemingly superficial character had and how much additional growth he showed and confidence he developed. He was a true man, strong yet sensitive, kind, respectful, and we need more heroes like him. I also loved the small-town setting, even if the gossip part was a bit over the top, and that the ultimate emphasis was placed on community and relationships with other people over money and career.

Overall, I loved the modern-day cowboy setting and I really felt like I was immersed in the community while I was reading. This was an excellent escape for me and my first from this author, but I’ll be reading the rest of the series and looking forward to Bryce’s story.

I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own. Blog link: https://mustreadalltheromance.blogspo...

[Liber_Lady · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 stars
ARC generously provided by Netgalley

Representation: Hero has dyslexia

This was a great addition to this series. I fell in love with Beau.

Beau is a 28yrs old rancher, and Alice is the 32yrs old librarian who used to babysit Beau and Bryce when they were kids. Beau has ALWAYS had a crush on Alice, and my heart just warmed for him.

Tropes:
- Fake dating (it didn't feel like fake dating because most of the fake scenario was just in the end).
- It was more of you do this for me, and I'll do this for you. There's an actual contract they sign.
- Slightly forbidden

Good parts/Loved
- I loved Beau's banter
- The small-town feel was amazing
- I loved how Beau helped Alice experience things she missed out on
- Every little scene they had where Alice helped Beau deal with his dyslexia was adorable and had me smiling
- Steam.. Ooooh Boy..This was steamy. I think three steam scenes are done very well.
- I also like how Beau wasn't cured of dyslexia at the end

Issues
- HOLY GUACAMOLE. I couldn't handle those two words that were a constant from Alice
- The last conflict was predictable
- Alice got slightly irritating for me
- Some parts got a little boring

[Wendy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thank you to Forever Pub and NetGalley for a gifted copy of this book. All opinions are my own.

As soon as I saw this on NetGalley, I ditched my current read to return to Big Verde. I think this series gets better and better. The fake to real dating as well as childhood crush tropes are two of my favorites. I don't remember Alice being so quirky in the previous books and I love it! Together with Beau's easy going personality, their conversations are just delightful. Bloom does a great job balancing the lightheartedness of a small town romance filled with funny characters as well as serious topics such as dyslexia, sex positivity, and self doubt.

This series is one of my favorites and I am excited to read about Bryce and Carmen's story!

[romancelibrary · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5 stars

Librarian Alice Martin needs a date to an upcoming wedding. Foreman Beau Montgomery needs tutoring for his dyslexia. Alice and Beau strike a deal: she will help him improve his reading skills and he will help her complete her bucket list and escort her to the wedding. But once these two start spending time together, the entire small town thinks they're dating!

OMG I forgot how much I enjoy Carly Bloom's writing! This book was SO FREAKING CUTE OMG 🥺 The dynamic between Alice and Beau is one of my favourite kinds to read about. Alice, the awkward brainiac who never fit in the small town. Beau, the easygoing flirt who hides behind his reputation as a so-called playboy. I love how Beau sees Alice and how Alice sees Beau. They see past the other person's insecurities. For the first time, both Alice and Beau feel seen.

I LOVE Beau so much!!! 🥺 His journey from being ashamed of his disability to reshaping his view on dyslexia and to finally embracing himself was just so so so heartwarming 🥺 And ughhh his longtime crush on Alice was so freaking endearing. The fact that she used to be his babysitter makes it even cuter. Not to mention how this suave flirt easily blushes around Alice. And the fact that he finds her brain, her talkativeness, and her fun facts attractive!! I'm too weak for heroes like Beau 😩

The romance is a sloooow burn with excellent payoff 🔥 Every single intimate scene has such good build up 🔥 Alice and Beau may seem like an unlikely couple to the outside world, but they fit together so perfectly despite being opposites. Their dynamic together is sweet, endearing, fun, and steamy. They're the whole package! I love these types of couples 😍

P.S. Alice's concept of virginity as a social construct is so interesting. I really appreciated the social commentary!

Tropes:
- Older heroine by 4 years
- Nickname
- Starchy brainiac heroine
- Flirty charming hero
- Fake dating
- Hero with a learning disability
- Chatterbox heroine
- Blushing hero
- Unrequited crush
- Hero falls first
- Dirty talk in Latin
- Loose Beauty and the Beast retelling

[Victoria Lanigan · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is pure fun. Another romp in Big Verde and this time it’s Alice‘s turn to fall in love.
.
Beau is ready to take over the ranch, except there’s one little problem, being in charge means reading lists, orders and manuals and he’s been hiding his dyslexia all his life. He turns to the town librarian and his crush from his grade school days for tutoring. Alice decided tutoring payment will be Beau being her plus one at a wedding.
.
In a small town where gossip is always front and center their fake romance takes center stage. It doesn’t take long before this couple realizes there might just be something to this fake relationship.
.
I love all of the characters in this town! It is so much fun revisiting them in each book!
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Thank you so much to @forever and #netgalley for an arc in exchange for an honest review
.
Carly Bloom has a forever fan in me!

[Zoe · Rating 5 out of 5]

Enchanting, amusing, and exceptionally swoony!

Must Love Cowboys is a sassy, passionate tale that takes us back to Big Verde, Texas, and into the life of the kindhearted, shy Alice, who knows she could use some help in the seduction department and may just have found the perfect man for the job, and the sexy, dyslexic Beau whose career-ending battle with reading may finally come to an end with just a little help from his intelligent, exceptionally pretty, former babysitter.

The writing is flirty and light. The characters are sweet, fun-loving, and supportive. And the plot is an irresistible tale filled with red-hot chemistry, shameless flirting, emotional moments, learning disabilities, family, friendship, light drama, sizzling romance, and the joys of reading.

Must Love Cowboys is the third title in the Once Upon a Time in Texas series, and not only does this series keep getting better and better, but it is hands down one of my favourite western romance series of all time. There is just something about the setting, the characters, and how Bloom writes that I absolutely love, and I can guarantee you I will be a fan for life.

Thank you to Forever & Grand Central Publishing for providing me with a copy in exchange for an honest review.

[FMABookReviews · Rating 3 out of 5]

"In this charming, sexy romance, a bookish beauty needs a fake boyfriend and finds a handsome cowboy who is just the man for the job."

Librarian Alice needs a plus one for a wedding. Rancher Josh needs someone to help him with his dyslexia because he is taking over as foreman for the ranch. The two pretend to be a couple with the deal they will 'break up' after the wedding. Alice and Josh know each other well; she used to babysit him when they were younger. So what could go wrong with friends helping out friends?

"Beau swallowed. Apparently, he was still having conflicting and inappropriate thoughts about the babysitter."

I need books to come with a POV tag because I obviously need to stop reading 3rd POV books. They rarely work for me. However, there were moments of promise hidden in the book where I was blind to the POV, and the dialogue was great!

"And where's Ford?" Beau asked Clare. "Babysitting?" "Not that I know of," Claire said. "He's supposed to be at home with Rosa." "So…he's babysitting." "No. Babysitting is something people do for other people's kids, and they get paid for it. Ford is at home being a parent."

As for the characters, I liked Bryce's character more than Alice's. Her character seemed stilted, where his flowed. CARMEN was the bomb. She was awesome, and her friendship with Alice was smile-inducing. I would love to read her book!

Overall, I enjoyed the story, characters, and dialogue!

I was provided a review copy by the publisher; this did not influence my opinion of the book.

[Kimberly Carrington-Fox · Rating 3 out of 5]

3'5 estrellitas.
Lo mejor que puedo decir de este libro es que es muy ligerito, se lee en un plis, es muy sencillo y que tiene un maromo absolutamente adorafollable. Por lo demás, ha sido un poco chasco por lo que promete y no da, le falta por contar partes muy importantes de la historia y que, para mí, la harían mucho más interesante y con más profundidad. Parece que le hubieran tenido que meter tajos por todos lados y se hubieran quedado con la parte sexual, dejando a un lado lo que hace conocerse más a los personajes y avanzar la relación.
A pesar de todo, ha sido una lectura muy entretenida.

[Kay · Rating 3 out of 5]

As I say in my more detailed blog-review, the wonderfulness of Bloom's first romance, Big Bad Cowboy, continues to elude her and, as a result, my enjoyment of Must Love Cowboys was partial:

https://missbatesreadsromance.com/202...

[Holly Doyal · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is the latest in the Once Upon a Time in Texas series by Carly Bloom and I really enjoyed a visit back to Big Verde. I was happy to see that this book deals with Alice, the town's librarian. Alice is a quiet sort, but she's also a lot of fun and friendly; just on the shy side. Beau is one of the twins that grew up on the biggest ranch in town. He has recently taken over as the ranch co-foreman (along with his twin, Bryce), but he is afraid his unpublicized dyslexia will cost him his job. He can't seem to get things right after doing paperwork and even reading text messages leaves him confused. Who to the rescue but the smartest girl in town, Alice. She is also his former babysitter (she's four years older) and she is the woman Beau has been in love with since he was 10 or so.

When he asks Alice to help him get over his dyslexia (and it was really hard for him to ask), he offers to pay her. She doesn't want his. money, but she does need something in return - to be her "plus one" for an upcoming wedding. They can pretend to date for a month or so while she helps him battle his reading disability and she won't have to be set up with the bride's gross uncle for the date. As they start to spend more and more time together, they each realize that maybe just being with the other one is exactly where they are supposed to be at the end of each day.

This was a good book that I really enjoyed - I can't wait to read the next one - I'm hoping it will be about Carmen and Bryce!

I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. The opinions stated above are mine without biases.

[Jess · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thanks to the publisher & Netgalley for the complimentary ARC. All opinions provided are my own.


4.5 ⭐️

When I was a teen I did the slowest side fall off the most docile horse who’s ever existed & yet I am hugely drawn to Carly Bloom’s Once Upon a Time in Texas series...where cowboys & cowgirls find love & actually manage to ride horses successfully.

This series has it all: steam, humor, small town charm, & fantastic chemistry & Must Love Cowboys, the latest installment out today, is no exception.

Librarian Alice Ann Martin has never felt entirely at home in Big Verde so when a coworker insists she bring a date to her wedding she feels SOL.

But then she finds a solution in hunky, vaguely frustrating Beau Montgomery, a ranch foreman & the man whom she used to babysit (she’s 4 years older). He needs help learning to combat the dyslexia that he’s tried to ignore for years, & when he makes Alice demand some kind of payment, she asks him to be her date in exchange.

Of course everyone in Big Verde assumes they’re dating for real, which is even more interesting because of Beau’s player rep & Alice’s repeated desire to self-partner.

If you love super sweet, stud cowboys who have had strong feelings for the heroine for YEARS w/out fully realizing it, Beau is your man. The moments where he reveals his vulnerabilities about his dyslexia are emotionally stunning & when he ponders whether he’s near tears the first time they sleep together I .

& Alice is adorable & original & seeing both of them break out of their comfort zones—her by having fun & seeing how people care for her & vice versa—feels like a romantic movie montage. Also I’d like to applaud her thoughts on romance novels & virginity & many other things she says in the novel & applaud her again for taking her happiness & for giving Beau a sizzling anatomy lesson.

Must Love Cowboys is a fun, sweet romance that doesn’t skimp on emotions & doesn’t have a big crisis that drags on (a win in my book). I can’t wait to return to Big Verde!

[Nicole ReadingBetweenTheSheets · Rating 5 out of 5]

I always love a great cowboy romance and I can always count on author Carly Bloom to give me one!

Must Love Cowboys was a wonderful fake relationship and “you help me & I’ll help you” romance!
I loved the base storyline in this third book of the Once Upon a Time in Texas series. Beau and Alice will have you laughing, loving, and it may even teach you a thing or two. I am really enjoying the Big Verde, Texas happenings in this! The fake date to the wedding and what spirals from there (gossip mongers + small town…what did you expect??? HAHA) is chemistry in the making! This is a slight age gap…her 32 years to his 28…I mean…he did have a crush on her when he was in junior high and she was in high school.

In difference to the title…it is not a MUST that you “LOVE” cowboys to read this one…but it definitely adds another level if you do! There are so many parts of this book that I fell in absolute love with and it is one of those books that I would love to give more than 5 stars!

[Amy (TheSouthernGirlReads) · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thank you Forever for my review copy.
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Alright let’s start with. I love Cowboy Romance. It is my comfort food. Carly Bloom is a favorite. This series. Favorite. Sincerely. When people ask where to start with Cowboy Romance, I’m like Big Bad Cowboy....you’ll thank me later.
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Must Love Cowboys is a readers dream. Sexy Cowboy and the town librarian....yes ma’am. I adored it. I’m not exaggerating. This was the perfect story. Very steamy. Very fun. Great chemistry. Sweet. I really, really loved it. I’m pretty sure this is my favorite in the series thus far. I mean. So. Stinkin. Cute.
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If you enjoy a fun story that brings the steam. Seriously. Start at book 1 and then binge read. Trust me. This town is an absolute favorite.

[Addie Yoder · Rating 5 out of 5]

Oh Carly Bloom, you and Big Verde have my heart. I have been impatiently waiting for Must Love Cowboys for months and it was everything I wanted it to be. This series is such a great mix of real topics and light hearted fun. I enjoyed Alice's story of wanting to belong and Beau's struggles so much. Their not-so-fake relationship was the best kind of tension and emotions. I love seeing how the characters from the first books have changed and their lives have developed. I love the hints at what could come next. I laughed. I was heartsore. I want to hug my kindle because this book made me so happy. Thank you for letting me read and review.

[Shae · Rating 4 out of 5]

Such a fun Cowboy Romance!

Beau has had a crush on Alice, the town librarian, for a LONG TIME!! So, when he is left with Rancho Canada Verde, that means problems. With his dyslexia, the last thing he wants is to be working with spreadsheets and paperwork all day.

Alice needs a fake boyfriend, and FAST!!! She doesn't expect it to be the handsome Beau, but is definitely not opposed to the idea either.

These two come together in such a sweet and sexy way. I adore this series! Please read it if you haven't yet!

[Laura (laurapedenjones) · Rating 5 out of 5]

Must Love Cowboys is the third book in the Once Upon a Time in Texas series by Carly Bloom. I read this one as a standalone and enjoyed it so much! It will release on April 27th through Forever Publishing. Not only is this a small town cowboy romance, it is also a very well written, modern Beauty and the Beast retelling with sexy, hilarious, and swoon-worthy moments in abundance.

Alice "Allie" Martin is the librarian at the Big Verde, Texas public library. At 31 years old, Allie is perfectly okay to spend time at the library and at home reading books. If it weren't for her friend Carmen encouraging her not to be a hermit, Allie would not have much of a social life. Carmen is Allie's exact opposite; a celebrity chef her blue hair and tight clothing, she turns heads wherever she goes in Big Verde. Carmen is the chef at the local, very popular brunch spot, Chateau Bleu.

Beau Montgomery and his twin Bryce are the handsome, hunky cowboy foreman at Rancho Canada Verde, one of Big Verde's oldest, family run cattle ranches. Since Beau was 13, he has had a crush on their bookish babysitter, Allie Cat Martin, and now at the age of 28, it hasn't diminished. Allie is all grown up, with multiple degrees, and a successful career which anyone in town can tell she loves very much. Unfortunately for Beau, his troublesome and embarrassing dyslexia is beginning to cause him some problems in his job at Rancho Canada Verde. His twin Bryce has always helped him in the past, but now Bryce is moving on to a new place and a new career, leaving Beau in a bit of a pickle. Enter the sexy librarian to his rescue. It turns out that Allie needs a bit of help herself, in the form of a plus one to attend her employee Brittany's wedding in a few weeks. So, Beau and Allie make an agreement - Allie will help Beau with his dyslexia and Beau will escort her to Brittany's wedding. As it happens in a small town, however, soon they are spotted alone and the rumor mill is chugging away, and the well meaning citizens of Big Verde are assuming Beau and Allie are an item.

But the more time the handsome, charming cowboy and the sexy, brilliant librarian spend together checking things off of her bucket list and reading books, it seems they are only fooling themselves with the "fake relationship" charade. Not to mention what the sound of Beau referring to her as "darlin" does to such a previously inexperienced in the romance department Allie.

If you haven't noticed by now, I loved this story. So. Much. There are some pretty steamy scenes, but there's also a lot of hilarious banter between cowboys and neighbors in a small town. I can assure you that chivalry isn't dead in Big Verde, Texas, thanks to the Montgomery brothers and their charming cowboy manners. And, let's be honest here...you had me at librarian main character. Throw in Cowboy Story Time, Stetsons and chaps...sold! This was my first cowboy romance and the story was quick paced and compulsively enjoyable. I couldn't put it down. Within the first few pages alone, I was already laughing out loud, gasping, cringing (in a good way), and swooning. I can't wait to read more stories from Big Verde, Texas and Carly Bloom.

Thank you to Estelle at Forever Publishing and Netgalley for providing me with an early digital copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

[Readaholic Book Reviews · Rating 4 out of 5]

Beau Montgomery loves living in the small town of Big Verde. Beau and his twin brother Bryce have been living their best lives working on Rancho Canada Verde. But when Bryce gets offered a promotion to work at another ranch and Beau is left to be in charge of Rancho Canada Verde, he's not sure how he'll manage. Bryce has been covering for Beau and his dyslexia for as long as he can remember and he's not sure he's up to task. How will he manage?

Alice Martin, local librarian of Big Verde has always been a bit awkward and shy. She can sprout off facts about literally anything and often does when she's nervous. Beau Montgomery doesn't make her nervous - just irritated. He's always rubbed Alice the wrong way. Babysitting for him when she was younger (there's a 4 year age difference) showed her how unruly and rambunctious he was. But Alice is in a dilemma and needs a date to her friends wedding. How will she find someone willing on such short notice?

When Beau gets the courage to ask Alice to help him with his dyslexia, Alice agrees but only if Beau will be her plus one to the wedding. It's a dream come true for Beau as he's always had a crush on Alice. But will Alice still see him as a young and rowdy cowboy or see his vulnerabilities too?

Fake dating is one of my favorite tropes and I loved it in Must Love Cowboys. Alice and Beau were so cute together! I loved their shared history - she was his babysitter after all. And a bit of the age difference was perfect (I also love it when the female is older). Carly Bloom always knows how to bring the heat and she definitely brought it with Beau and Alice 🔥.

I loved how tender and sweet Alice was with Beau and vice versa. They both saw the vulnerabilities in each other and worked to show each other how those things don't define them.

I'm looking forward to the next book in the series (hopefully Carmen and Bryce - I can already feel the chemistry brewing between them!)!

I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher

[GigiReads · Rating 4 out of 5]

Librarian Alice Martin is shy, socially awkward, and has a hard time reading people. When she feels uncomfortable or out of her depth she tends to babble nervously and spout facts she memorizes which baffles people. Cowboy Beau Montgomery has a reputation as the town’s player. A big gorgeous hunk of a man who loves the ladies and the ladies love him right back. Alice is fretting about finding a date for her co-worker’s wedding when Beau appears on the doorstep of his former babysitter (she’s older than him) with a surprising request. He asks Alice to teach him to overcome dyslexia that he has been hiding all his life and he will be her date to the wedding. Cue fake relationship shenanigans that soon turn into something real.

I fell in love with Carly Bloom’s voice when I read Big Bad Cowboy which is the first book in this series. She writes realistic, charming small-town characters that you root for from the very first page. Her heroes are sexy cinnamon rolls with a few alpha tendencies in the bedroom. Needless to say, I was so excited to read this one and return to Big Verde. So often small towns in books are filled with small-minded, mean people who make life miserable for the main characters. But Big Verde is such a cute little town filled with funny, friendly caring characters and it’s a great backdrop for Bloom’s sweet, steamy, funny stories. If you love a slow burn friends-to-lovers story with a pining hero, an age gap, and nerdy heroine paired with a modern rakish hero, then this book is for you. I enjoyed seeing both these characters grow and evolve together. Alice breaking out of her comfort zone and Beau finally dealing with dyslexia that had shaped most of his life. Most of all I enjoyed Alice coming of her shell and grabbing this cowboy by his chaps and making him hers. This book is a perfect low angst, funny sweet rom-com and I highly recommend it.

Thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for my complimentary copy. All opinions are my own.

[Susan Gorman · Rating 5 out of 5]

I thoroughly enjoyed Must Love Cowboys by Carly Bloom. The author has created a small town romance filled with charming characters, witty dialogue and a story that will grab at your heartstrings.
Must Love Cowboys features an unlikely pair: smooth talking rancher Beau Montgomery and Alice Martin the shy, fact spouting librarian. The Montgomery brothers Beau and Bryce, are the foremen of Rancho Canada Verde. Beau is enjoying his job and social life until Bryce accepts a new job; leaving Beau in charge of the ranch. Beau cannot make sense of the words, facts and figures that need to be inputted daily into the ranch’s excel program because he has dyslexia. I loved that Beau stepped up and asked Alice for help.
Loved Carly Bloom’s voice! Beau takes his reading lessons seriously and the author is able to add just the right amount of banter between the couple to keep the reader engaged. I loved that Alice tried different concepts to see what learning tools would work best for Beau. I could imagine hearing the excitement in Beau’s voice when he asked Alice to show him how to download a book on his phone—he wasn’t reading but, he had made huge progress! Loved the outdoor reading lessons and that Beau was able to introduce Alice to nature and help her come out of her shell. Beau’s reaction to Alice chattering about drought as they rode horses was perfect. He was attracted to Alice and saw the beauty within her. Swoon!
Carly Bloom is an amazing storyteller. Alice and Beau believed that they didn’t fit in. Alice because she was shy and intellectual and Beau because of his reading disability. The feeling of being an outsider looking in tugged at my heart. Adored that the author included subtle references to my favorite Disney movie Beauty and the Beast—Gaston the dog was perfectly named! Loved how Beau and Alice’s fun, flirty friendship lead to romance.
Must Love Cowboys has all of the story elements that I adore; well-crafted dialogue, fabulous characters and an engaging, relatable storyline. Looking forward to the next book in this series!

[Allie B • Literally Booked Solid · Rating 5 out of 5]

"Facts were facts. Feelings were...messy."

Alice, Big Verde's local librarian, is a rule follower. She lives in facts and is content being alone and living her life as an outcast of the town. Beau has been harboring a secret crush on Alice since childhood and finally gets the chance to act on it when Alice needs a plus one to a wedding in exchange for Alice's help with his dyslexia. The two write a contract for their fake relationship that turns into anything but fake.

This is my favorite one of the series so far! Carly Bloom completely sweeps you away into the world of Big Verde and I love getting glimpses of all the previous characters and where their lives are now. Even though these books are romances, this one really celebrates friendship and the all important relationship that one has with themself.

The chemistry between Alice and Beau is on fire. It builds slowly and purposely. I loved all the surprises that get thrown your way throughout it. Not only is the book steamy, there are sweet moments mixed in that made me smile. And it's adorable how they figure out how each other "fits" into their lives, despite their previous preconceived notions on what they thought they wanted in life and love.

Bravo Carly Bloom! I loved it so much! Thank you Forever for an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.

[MandyMarie · Rating 5 out of 5]

The third book in the Once Upon a Time in Texas series Must Love Cowboys, was my first book by Carly Bloom, but it will not be my last! Alice/Allie used to babysit Beau when they were both younger. Egos and misunderstandings caused some hard feelings. Now they both need a favor from each other. Them overcoming their past is the key to their HEA.

There is a slow build to the steamy stuff but man... when they get there ... do not read it in public! I was blushing and giggling like a schoolgirl.

I enjoyed every page that Ms. Bloom wrote and I can confidently say that I now stalk her on all social media platforms and have marked all her other books as "want to read" on Goodreads. She is a fantastic writer; the dialogue between characters is wonderfully done. There was so much emotion in her writing and characters I could feel butterfly’s in my chest.