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Busy Bean #2
Cowboy
Pregnant at forty-two? Back the cow up...
Harland Bull Eaton has lost many things—his first wife, his beloved mother, those three women he proposed to . . . Oh, and there was that time he almost lost the family dairy farm due to a scandal. He’s losing faith in just about everything, especially love.
But one night, his friends give him a dare. No commitments. No heartbreak. Just buy that gorgeous redhead a drink. The big-city bombshell he’s set his eyes on swirls him into a tailspin that lands them in bed for a one-night stand he’s pretty sure he’ll never forget. But this time, he swears, he won’t let his heart ride herd on his common sense.
Recently separated and newly unemployed, Scarlett Russell is at a crossroads. With no other plan than visiting a friend in Vermont, the last thing she expects is a hunky, silver fox offering to buy her a drink. Even less expected is when she raises that offer to “take me to bed, cowboy.” She just wants one night to forget everything gone wrong.
Turns out once won’t be nearly enough. Won’t ever be enough, feeling the way she does. But secrets and an unexpected surprise are a lot to handle . . . unless these two can break a trail to an unexpected happily ever after.
Harland Bull Eaton has lost many things—his first wife, his beloved mother, those three women he proposed to . . . Oh, and there was that time he almost lost the family dairy farm due to a scandal. He’s losing faith in just about everything, especially love.
But one night, his friends give him a dare. No commitments. No heartbreak. Just buy that gorgeous redhead a drink. The big-city bombshell he’s set his eyes on swirls him into a tailspin that lands them in bed for a one-night stand he’s pretty sure he’ll never forget. But this time, he swears, he won’t let his heart ride herd on his common sense.
Recently separated and newly unemployed, Scarlett Russell is at a crossroads. With no other plan than visiting a friend in Vermont, the last thing she expects is a hunky, silver fox offering to buy her a drink. Even less expected is when she raises that offer to “take me to bed, cowboy.” She just wants one night to forget everything gone wrong.
Turns out once won’t be nearly enough. Won’t ever be enough, feeling the way she does. But secrets and an unexpected surprise are a lot to handle . . . unless these two can break a trail to an unexpected happily ever after.
1 pages, Audio CD
First published February 26, 2021
172 people are currently reading
1065 people want to read
About the author
L.B. Dunbar
97 books3,279 followersL.B. Dunbar loves sexy silver foxes, second chances, and small towns. If you enjoy older characters in your romance reads, including a hero with a little silver in his scruff and a heroine rediscovering her worth, then welcome to romance for those over 40. L.B. Dunbar’s signature works include women and men in their prime taking another turn at love and happily ever after. She’s a USA TODAY Bestseller as well as #1 Bestseller on Amazon in Later in Life Romance with her Sterling Falls, Lakeside Cottage, and Road Trips & Romance series. L.B. lives in Chicago with her own sexy silver fox.
To get all the scoop about the self-proclaimed queen of silver fox romance, join her on Facebook at Loving L.B. or receive her weekly newsletter, Love Notes.
To get all the scoop about the self-proclaimed queen of silver fox romance, join her on Facebook at Loving L.B. or receive her weekly newsletter, Love Notes.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 344 reviews
August 21, 2024
Is a Vermont dairy farmer a cowboy?
With the title Cowboy, I have an expectation of a story on a ranch in Montana or Colorado or maybe Texas or even Florida, or possibly a rodeo story, but at least I expect the hero to ride a horse at least once. This book however should have been titled Farmer, because this guy ran his family’s dairy farm in Vermont. Not one horse ride or horse in sight. Who thought to name this Cowboy?
To continue with stupid naming, the hero of this book goes by the nickname Bull….why? It’s never said. He’s a sweet, low key, unassuming farmer, his name should have been Calf.
Now that we have stupid names covered, let’s move on to stupid beginnings. This book starts with the hero balls deep inside the heroine. That’s literally mentioned in the first sentence of the book. They are mid- one night stand and we get flashbacks to their meeting and pick up in a bar, continuing back and forth between present tense - them screwing in a motel room and their bar conversation. Then their second meeting is him on a date with another woman and her trying to avoid seeing him by hiding behind a couch in the cafe (she’s 42 years old).
Next up in stupidity is the premise of the book: one week after finding out her husband is cheating on her, Scarlett runs off to a small town in Vermont, hooks up with a dairy farmer and gets pregnant. After said hook up she figures out the he’s known as the Bovine Bridegroom and has been divorced, left at the alter and abandoned by three separate women in the course of his life. He’s known for being very committed *cough* desperate *cough* and when he finds out she’s pregnant (with maybe his baby, maybe her exes baby, she doesn’t know) he immediately offers to have her live with him and wants to be the father to her baby no matter who’s it is biologically *cough* desperate *cough* .
I know we are supposed to value commitment in men, but this is a huge red flag 🚩. This guy hasn’t met a woman he wouldn’t commit to, so much so that he’s willing and wanting to raise a baby that might not be his with a woman he only just met….. wtf? What kind of weirdo is he?
Moving on to more stupidity, the heroine is a sensational journalist on a gossip TMZ type show. A year ago she did a story on the Bovine Bridegroom, and had footage of him implying that he was so desperate that he got it on with his cows. This caused a huge scandal for him and he had serious trouble getting customers to buy his farm’s milk and had to undergo much scrutiny from PETA type organizations to ensure he wasn’t RAPING HIS COWS. But in a strange turn of events, neither he nor Scarlett remember each other (how does one forget reporting on such a story? Or the reporter who broke the news?) and she moves in with him and they play house for months before it is revealed to them who the other is (she didn’t keep her old job a secret from him and actually gave him the name of the show she worked for, but he never clues in) .
This whole book was just so moronic. For 9 months they deal with all their issues and have sex many times daily (this is actually most of the story) and never reveal their feelings to anyone outside of their inner monologues.
Dumb. They don’t declare themselves until right at the end when Scarlett gives birth in a pick up truck after planning a picnic for them in a snowstorm, because why not? Everything else in this book is stupid, why wouldn’t the ending be too?
Overall this premise was dumb, the characters had no chemistry and the story was boring. A woman has a rebound with a commitment obsessed man and they get together because of a baby on a dairy farm. The end.
With the title Cowboy, I have an expectation of a story on a ranch in Montana or Colorado or maybe Texas or even Florida, or possibly a rodeo story, but at least I expect the hero to ride a horse at least once. This book however should have been titled Farmer, because this guy ran his family’s dairy farm in Vermont. Not one horse ride or horse in sight. Who thought to name this Cowboy?
To continue with stupid naming, the hero of this book goes by the nickname Bull….why? It’s never said. He’s a sweet, low key, unassuming farmer, his name should have been Calf.
Now that we have stupid names covered, let’s move on to stupid beginnings. This book starts with the hero balls deep inside the heroine. That’s literally mentioned in the first sentence of the book. They are mid- one night stand and we get flashbacks to their meeting and pick up in a bar, continuing back and forth between present tense - them screwing in a motel room and their bar conversation. Then their second meeting is him on a date with another woman and her trying to avoid seeing him by hiding behind a couch in the cafe (she’s 42 years old).
Next up in stupidity is the premise of the book: one week after finding out her husband is cheating on her, Scarlett runs off to a small town in Vermont, hooks up with a dairy farmer and gets pregnant. After said hook up she figures out the he’s known as the Bovine Bridegroom and has been divorced, left at the alter and abandoned by three separate women in the course of his life. He’s known for being very committed *cough* desperate *cough* and when he finds out she’s pregnant (with maybe his baby, maybe her exes baby, she doesn’t know) he immediately offers to have her live with him and wants to be the father to her baby no matter who’s it is biologically *cough* desperate *cough* .
I know we are supposed to value commitment in men, but this is a huge red flag 🚩. This guy hasn’t met a woman he wouldn’t commit to, so much so that he’s willing and wanting to raise a baby that might not be his with a woman he only just met….. wtf? What kind of weirdo is he?
Moving on to more stupidity, the heroine is a sensational journalist on a gossip TMZ type show. A year ago she did a story on the Bovine Bridegroom, and had footage of him implying that he was so desperate that he got it on with his cows. This caused a huge scandal for him and he had serious trouble getting customers to buy his farm’s milk and had to undergo much scrutiny from PETA type organizations to ensure he wasn’t RAPING HIS COWS. But in a strange turn of events, neither he nor Scarlett remember each other (how does one forget reporting on such a story? Or the reporter who broke the news?) and she moves in with him and they play house for months before it is revealed to them who the other is (she didn’t keep her old job a secret from him and actually gave him the name of the show she worked for, but he never clues in) .
This whole book was just so moronic. For 9 months they deal with all their issues and have sex many times daily (this is actually most of the story) and never reveal their feelings to anyone outside of their inner monologues.
Dumb. They don’t declare themselves until right at the end when Scarlett gives birth in a pick up truck after planning a picnic for them in a snowstorm, because why not? Everything else in this book is stupid, why wouldn’t the ending be too?
Overall this premise was dumb, the characters had no chemistry and the story was boring. A woman has a rebound with a commitment obsessed man and they get together because of a baby on a dairy farm. The end.
March 24, 2022
5 Any Day Ending In Day Stars
* * * * * Spoiler Free
L.B. Dunbar really took this idea of people who have lived lives, had the mistakes and scars from them, and gave them a chance at true happiness. Oh, how I love when that happens. I have nothing against writers who do the New Age Thing or limit their focus to those in their 30s...but nothing makes me happier than an author who sees more...who sees the rest of the population that is over 40 and still interested in relationships, romance, and hot, hot sex.
Yes, staggering as it may seem...People over 40 and more, shock of shock, have a serious sex drive. They have figured out how to have sex and enjoy it. Just because you may have lived a bit, that doesn't stop you from having the need and desired to love and be loved.
So L.D. Dunbar is my hero because Cowboy (Busy Bean, #2) is all about two people in the 40s who like sex, do it very well, and also connect on a new personal level they hadn't experienced before.
Scarlett Russell was having a day. She was just told she no longer had a job after being there for years. Stunned this could happen to her, she went to the hospital where her surgeon husband worked. She thought she and her doctor husband had a reconnection last night and searched for him at the hospital to talk about how they could refocus on their marriage.
Instead, when she found her husband, he was standing near this young nursing student as if it meant something. Turns out it did; She was pregnant and they were going to marry as soon as he divorced Scarlett. It was rather ironic as he had stopped Scarlett from having kids.
So the only thing Scarlett could do was to go to her best friend Rita's place. Rita insisted she come to Vermont and she would take good care of her. Scarlett went and her friend did take care to make things better.
Harland Bull Eaton is one of those guys women dream about. Yes, he is solid, handsome, and a presence...but he is more than that. He is "quote-one of the good ones-unquote." He is a hard-working dairy farmer along with his brothers and family. Doing that type of work is not for everyone, the long hours are killer. Most women are not cut out for this type of life but that did not stop Harlen from putting himself out there. He did it about three times, each with the women leaving him...causing him to now have PTSD about his feelings for love and trusting them.
Both of these people are not looking for any type of relationship or commitment or anything. Yet, the need to get over whatever had brought them to this moment in time is front and center. All things happen for a reason and Harlen and Scarlett end up in the same bar with their friends guiding them to let loose and get laid, no strings attached. So when Harlen is pushed to ask Scarlett if he can buy her a drink, Scarlett decides to take it where it really needs to go...and boy, do they.
SIDE NOTE: The chemistry, the way it is written, the feelings of it all...So Friggin' Good. Just, sayin'...
These two hook up, with the idea of a one-night stand and as the blurb lets you know...Baby is happening. Yes, this baby is a major part of this story but there is so much more happening than that. It is a look at how fear, the need to trust, and the questions of whether to, are a serious part of it. Lots of internal growth for both and it isn't overnight. We go through a real journey with these characters and their family and friends. It worked on so many levels because, in real life, nothing is a straight line.
As you can tell, I really loved this book and cannot wait for more from this Busy Bean series.
Sweetheart (Busy Bean #1)
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
Cowboy (Busy Bean #2)
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
Cakewalk (Busy Bean #3)
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
Friendzoned (Busy Bean #4)
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
Studfinder (Busy Bean #5)
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
Doubletalk (Busy Bean #6)
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
Sidetracked (Busy Bean #7)
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
Fireproof (Busy Bean #8)
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
Footnote (Busy Bean #9)
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
Afterglow (Busy Bean #10)
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
~~~~~ Before Reading ~~~~~
Yeee Hawwwww, Going In!
January 26, 2021
Harland Bull Eaton Has Been On A Streak...
Not The One Where He Had A Wife He Loved...
Or A Mother Who Put Him First...
Those Good Days Have Been Long Gone...
No, The Streak He Has Been On...
Not So Hot...
It Has Three Proposals Turned Down...
The Family Dairy Farm Almost Lost To Scandal
And Now He Has Lost His Belief In Love...
The Good News Is When You Have Lived A Life...
You Have Friends Who Are Looking Out For You...
They Dare Harland To Just Take A Break...
So Together, They Dare Him To Go After A Woman...
To Buy That Gorgeous Redhead A Drink...
They Tell Him It Won't Mean Anything...
No Commitments, No Heartbreak...
Scarlett Russell May Be
A Big-City Bombshell In Harland's Eyes...
But In Fact, She Is Recently Separated And Newly Unemployed...
These Elements Has Both At A Crossroad...
With Chemistry, Want, And All That Good Stuff...
The Words Of “Take Me To Bed, Cowboy,” Are Said...
What Happens Is A One-Night Stand...
One Both Never Will Forget...
Grown-Ups Knockin' Boots...
That Was What It Was Supposed To Be...
But It Turned Out To Be Something More...
Cowboy-March 1, 2021
For more Reviews, Free E-books and Giveaways
* * * * * Spoiler Free
L.B. Dunbar really took this idea of people who have lived lives, had the mistakes and scars from them, and gave them a chance at true happiness. Oh, how I love when that happens. I have nothing against writers who do the New Age Thing or limit their focus to those in their 30s...but nothing makes me happier than an author who sees more...who sees the rest of the population that is over 40 and still interested in relationships, romance, and hot, hot sex.
Yes, staggering as it may seem...People over 40 and more, shock of shock, have a serious sex drive. They have figured out how to have sex and enjoy it. Just because you may have lived a bit, that doesn't stop you from having the need and desired to love and be loved.
So L.D. Dunbar is my hero because Cowboy (Busy Bean, #2) is all about two people in the 40s who like sex, do it very well, and also connect on a new personal level they hadn't experienced before.
Scarlett Russell was having a day. She was just told she no longer had a job after being there for years. Stunned this could happen to her, she went to the hospital where her surgeon husband worked. She thought she and her doctor husband had a reconnection last night and searched for him at the hospital to talk about how they could refocus on their marriage.
Instead, when she found her husband, he was standing near this young nursing student as if it meant something. Turns out it did; She was pregnant and they were going to marry as soon as he divorced Scarlett. It was rather ironic as he had stopped Scarlett from having kids.
So the only thing Scarlett could do was to go to her best friend Rita's place. Rita insisted she come to Vermont and she would take good care of her. Scarlett went and her friend did take care to make things better.
Harland Bull Eaton is one of those guys women dream about. Yes, he is solid, handsome, and a presence...but he is more than that. He is "quote-one of the good ones-unquote." He is a hard-working dairy farmer along with his brothers and family. Doing that type of work is not for everyone, the long hours are killer. Most women are not cut out for this type of life but that did not stop Harlen from putting himself out there. He did it about three times, each with the women leaving him...causing him to now have PTSD about his feelings for love and trusting them.
Both of these people are not looking for any type of relationship or commitment or anything. Yet, the need to get over whatever had brought them to this moment in time is front and center. All things happen for a reason and Harlen and Scarlett end up in the same bar with their friends guiding them to let loose and get laid, no strings attached. So when Harlen is pushed to ask Scarlett if he can buy her a drink, Scarlett decides to take it where it really needs to go...and boy, do they.
SIDE NOTE: The chemistry, the way it is written, the feelings of it all...So Friggin' Good. Just, sayin'...
These two hook up, with the idea of a one-night stand and as the blurb lets you know...Baby is happening. Yes, this baby is a major part of this story but there is so much more happening than that. It is a look at how fear, the need to trust, and the questions of whether to, are a serious part of it. Lots of internal growth for both and it isn't overnight. We go through a real journey with these characters and their family and friends. It worked on so many levels because, in real life, nothing is a straight line.
As you can tell, I really loved this book and cannot wait for more from this Busy Bean series.
Sweetheart (Busy Bean #1)https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
Cowboy (Busy Bean #2)https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
Cakewalk (Busy Bean #3)https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
Friendzoned (Busy Bean #4)https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
Studfinder (Busy Bean #5) https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
Doubletalk (Busy Bean #6)https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
Sidetracked (Busy Bean #7)https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
Fireproof (Busy Bean #8)https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
Footnote (Busy Bean #9)https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
Afterglow (Busy Bean #10)https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
~~~~~ Before Reading ~~~~~
Yeee Hawwwww, Going In!
January 26, 2021
Harland Bull Eaton Has Been On A Streak...
Not The One Where He Had A Wife He Loved...
Or A Mother Who Put Him First...
Those Good Days Have Been Long Gone...
No, The Streak He Has Been On...
Not So Hot...
It Has Three Proposals Turned Down...
The Family Dairy Farm Almost Lost To Scandal
And Now He Has Lost His Belief In Love...
The Good News Is When You Have Lived A Life...
You Have Friends Who Are Looking Out For You...
They Dare Harland To Just Take A Break...
So Together, They Dare Him To Go After A Woman...
To Buy That Gorgeous Redhead A Drink...
They Tell Him It Won't Mean Anything...
No Commitments, No Heartbreak...
Scarlett Russell May Be
A Big-City Bombshell In Harland's Eyes...
But In Fact, She Is Recently Separated And Newly Unemployed...
These Elements Has Both At A Crossroad...
With Chemistry, Want, And All That Good Stuff...
The Words Of “Take Me To Bed, Cowboy,” Are Said...
What Happens Is A One-Night Stand...
One Both Never Will Forget...
Grown-Ups Knockin' Boots...
That Was What It Was Supposed To Be...
But It Turned Out To Be Something More...
Cowboy-March 1, 2021
For more Reviews, Free E-books and Giveaways
March 1, 2021
I read the blurb for this book and couldn’t have been more excited to get my hands on it. A whoops baby from a one night stand between a mature couple is like gold to my reading wishlist. And then you add in the fact it’s one of the Busy Bean series so we get the input of Audrey, Zara and Roddy. I’m loving the fact that each of these books has been a new employee who has used it as a stepping stone to the next chapter in their lives. Because that is the type of position it is but also because I just love them having this step happening in the World of True North.
Scarlett and Bull were a little bit of a different story. Firstly the fact they are both in their 40s was awesome. They had had life experience and both been burned by different things in their lives which brought them to this crossroad collision a little jaded and with a fair bit of baggage. Scarlett was a lot more realistic and actually very self aware when it came to her issues. Whereas Bull just kind of annoyed me with his.
Maybe I am not the right person here because I honestly thought his previous dating history wasn’t that big a deal so I wasn’t sure why it kept being brought up. It sounds like a fairly normal dating history for someone who isn’t 18 and isn’t married. So when he used it as an excuse to close himself off and not trust Scarlett I wanted to slap him and tell him to suck it up.
Luckily Scarlett was more patient and mature than I am and she accepted his weaknesses and wanted to help prop him up. And to his defence he did show his feelings, he just wouldn’t admit to them. The care he took looking after Scarlett and his immediate all in attitude towards the baby even with all the other things going on around them did endear him to me.
The ending and epilogue was awesome and I can’t wait to dive into more of this world as every book in this series has exceeded expectation and added to my new authors to stalk list.
Scarlett and Bull were a little bit of a different story. Firstly the fact they are both in their 40s was awesome. They had had life experience and both been burned by different things in their lives which brought them to this crossroad collision a little jaded and with a fair bit of baggage. Scarlett was a lot more realistic and actually very self aware when it came to her issues. Whereas Bull just kind of annoyed me with his.
Maybe I am not the right person here because I honestly thought his previous dating history wasn’t that big a deal so I wasn’t sure why it kept being brought up. It sounds like a fairly normal dating history for someone who isn’t 18 and isn’t married. So when he used it as an excuse to close himself off and not trust Scarlett I wanted to slap him and tell him to suck it up.
Luckily Scarlett was more patient and mature than I am and she accepted his weaknesses and wanted to help prop him up. And to his defence he did show his feelings, he just wouldn’t admit to them. The care he took looking after Scarlett and his immediate all in attitude towards the baby even with all the other things going on around them did endear him to me.
The ending and epilogue was awesome and I can’t wait to dive into more of this world as every book in this series has exceeded expectation and added to my new authors to stalk list.
February 15, 2021
A poignant story that tugged at my heartstrings. It's all about Fears.
“Fear of being left behind. Fear of rejection. Fear of not being good enough."
and then there's salvation in form of someone holding on to your hand and saying,...
"You are worthy of love. You are not going to be left behind by me."
What starts as a gossip rag scandal soon destroys lives and hearts and it's Ripple effect touches everyone involved
A story of trust and faith, kinds of which get tested time and again by Harland bull Eaton who has a heart as big as the cattle ranch he owns with his family.
"Perpetual Proposer. Mr. Bovine King himself."”
It's open to love as the earth he stands on is open to the blue sky above. He lives big, loves big and has been betrayed big. Behind the image of a handsome silver fox was a good man who'd had bad luck with women. A supposed one night rendezvous turns into a lifetime bungling mistake and we get to see the beautiful story come to life.
"We’re ships passing in the night, and I want to moor her to me. I want us to move in the same direction, toward my bedroom, toward my bed."
I'm forever a fan of silver foxes of Dunbar. she shows us there's life, possibility of love and hope of finding a partner, a family after 40. This has been so wonderfully shown in this sweetheart story.
You're YOU Dunbar!
Bull was plain adorable, too innocent and too trusting. Scarlett has so much compassion, so much character, I became her instant fan. I wish to read Canyon and Blades story soon
4.5 stars for Bovine Bridegroom and Staying Scarlett
Follow me on:
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What starts as a gossip rag scandal soon destroys lives and hearts and it's Ripple effect touches everyone involved
A story of trust and faith, kinds of which get tested time and again by Harland bull Eaton who has a heart as big as the cattle ranch he owns with his family.
"Perpetual Proposer. Mr. Bovine King himself."”
It's open to love as the earth he stands on is open to the blue sky above. He lives big, loves big and has been betrayed big. Behind the image of a handsome silver fox was a good man who'd had bad luck with women. A supposed one night rendezvous turns into a lifetime bungling mistake and we get to see the beautiful story come to life.
"We’re ships passing in the night, and I want to moor her to me. I want us to move in the same direction, toward my bedroom, toward my bed."
I'm forever a fan of silver foxes of Dunbar. she shows us there's life, possibility of love and hope of finding a partner, a family after 40. This has been so wonderfully shown in this sweetheart story.
You're YOU Dunbar!
Bull was plain adorable, too innocent and too trusting. Scarlett has so much compassion, so much character, I became her instant fan. I wish to read Canyon and Blades story soon
4.5 stars for Bovine Bridegroom and Staying Scarlett
Follow me on:
Email🌻 Bookbub 🌻 Twitter🌻 Instagram🌻 Blog🌻 Facebook🌻 Amazon 🌻
February 10, 2021
Hold on to your horses, people! Or should I say BULLS?!!! This was a sizzling hot read!
Harland Bull Eaton has been unlucky in love.
In fact, his nickname is the Perpetual Proposer!
His great big heart is eager and ready for love, but - unfortunately for him - his past lady loves have proven to be faithless and they each left him brokenhearted.
Bull vowed never to ask another woman to marry him again. Indeed, he also vowed never to utter those jinxed words "I Love You." He was done with love and marriage. That is, until beautiful city girl Scarlett Russell shows up in town and proceeds to lasso his heart and show him the meaning of true love.
Scarlett has a one night stand with Bull, needing to get under him in order to get over her philandering ex-husband. But actions have consequences and Scarlett discovers that she is pregnant. (No more spoilers here, but that pivotal scene behind the couch at the Busy Bean had me doubling over with laughter!)
When Bull recovers from the shock of learning that Scarlett may be pregnant with his child, Bull is actually happy and ready to support Scarlett during the pregnancy. But circumstances - and Bull's fear of being left again - conspire to test their "co-parenting partnership" and their rapidly growing feelings for one another.
There are quite a few hilarious (and tense!) incidents along the rocky road to love for this silver couple.... And baby makes three! But the tricky question is, whose baby is it? Bull's or Scarlett's ex-husband's?
No doubt about it: Bull would be a great father: such a tender, supportive man, with all that unrequited love to give! And Scarlett never knew how much she wanted a child until those pink lines showed up on her pregnancy test. I enjoyed spending time with these two wounded lovers. Love had burned them both, but their fiery passion couldn't be denied, and love was determined to conquer all! Highly recommended! My thanks to the author, and the publisher, Heart Eyes Press (World of True North), for an ARC of this novel in exchange for an honest review.
Harland Bull Eaton has been unlucky in love.
In fact, his nickname is the Perpetual Proposer!
His great big heart is eager and ready for love, but - unfortunately for him - his past lady loves have proven to be faithless and they each left him brokenhearted.
Bull vowed never to ask another woman to marry him again. Indeed, he also vowed never to utter those jinxed words "I Love You." He was done with love and marriage. That is, until beautiful city girl Scarlett Russell shows up in town and proceeds to lasso his heart and show him the meaning of true love.
Scarlett has a one night stand with Bull, needing to get under him in order to get over her philandering ex-husband. But actions have consequences and Scarlett discovers that she is pregnant. (No more spoilers here, but that pivotal scene behind the couch at the Busy Bean had me doubling over with laughter!)
When Bull recovers from the shock of learning that Scarlett may be pregnant with his child, Bull is actually happy and ready to support Scarlett during the pregnancy. But circumstances - and Bull's fear of being left again - conspire to test their "co-parenting partnership" and their rapidly growing feelings for one another.
There are quite a few hilarious (and tense!) incidents along the rocky road to love for this silver couple.... And baby makes three! But the tricky question is, whose baby is it? Bull's or Scarlett's ex-husband's?
No doubt about it: Bull would be a great father: such a tender, supportive man, with all that unrequited love to give! And Scarlett never knew how much she wanted a child until those pink lines showed up on her pregnancy test. I enjoyed spending time with these two wounded lovers. Love had burned them both, but their fiery passion couldn't be denied, and love was determined to conquer all! Highly recommended! My thanks to the author, and the publisher, Heart Eyes Press (World of True North), for an ARC of this novel in exchange for an honest review.
March 1, 2021
Scarlett + Bull.
Bull is a 42 year old dairy farmer. He tried the relationship thing many times, but it has yet to end up in his happily ever after.
Then he meets Scarlett at the bar one night.
She just left her cheating husband in Boston - after she got fired from her job - all in one day!
And now she's newly single, 42, living in her college bestie's little Vermont town trying to figure out what to do with the rest of her life.
And if that's not enough to worry about ... suddenly she's kinda pregnant too.
LET THE FUN TIMES BEGIN!! ☺
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That was so adorable.
I loved that this was a my-age kind of thing. 😂 A mature romance. I long ago out-aged all those young romance stories - with people in their twenties or even thirties.
It was so fun to read. How they kind of start their relationship backwards and then try to fight their way through all those hurdles. We SO need that happy end for our two darlings! But of course it won't be easy!
I loved reading this. I loved his brothers - his whole family. Her family sucks! ☺
This was my first book by LB Dunbar and I didn't love LB's overuse of the word AS. In this weird British use of it. Like: I couldn't come to the meeting, AS I was having to go the bathroom all morning. Know which AS I mean? No idea why this bothers me so much, but I just hate it - and without trying to, I highlighted over 60 of those.
Same with her overuse of the word However at the beginning of a sentence. You can say it. Of course! But over 30 times? After a few it just starts to sound weird! ☺ BUT - that's just me and my weird reading brain - nobody will notice that - so don't worry. Just forget I said anything!
But still, this was a great 2nd book in Sarina Bowen's 2nd series in her new True North World!
Like I always say when it comes to books in the Ture North Wolrd: I could read these kinds of books every day for the rest of eternity!
And I also wouldn't mind seeing this whole world on Netflix one day!
Can't wait to get more Vermont soon!
COWBOY was such an adorable & cowboy-ish later-in-life baby romance! I loved reading it! Run to your nearest amazon for your own Bull - he'll be sold out in no time!
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March 1, 2021
Yes! A book that has characters closer to my age than younguns who I could have birthed!
Scarlett really takes the Bull by the horns when it comes to her love live, and boy are their consequences to that!
Our lovelies really do things barse ackwards when it comes to getting together, but I loved how they fought their way to friendship and more. Her life is kinda messed up at the moment and he is her sexy anchor, and the start of her new life.
I adored Scarlett's bestie and Bull's brothers. I need to get more of their stories in my life.
I just love everything about these World of True North installments, and it has been a great way to introduce me to new authors, as this was my first LB Dunbar story - but it won't be my last.
I look forward to returning to the Busy Bean Cafe soon
April 9, 2021
Despite the brief period where I wanted to dnf this so badly, it turned out okay.
Both of the main characters were older characters (around 42 years old), which we need more by the way in mainstream romance. Hence why, this book sailed smoothly for me. They have their short conflict, but they solved it naturedly and rationally. No one acted stupidly and behaved childishly.
I like it. The ermygawd thing could be tone down a bit. That sounds too cringey, babe.
Both of the main characters were older characters (around 42 years old), which we need more by the way in mainstream romance. Hence why, this book sailed smoothly for me. They have their short conflict, but they solved it naturedly and rationally. No one acted stupidly and behaved childishly.
I like it. The ermygawd thing could be tone down a bit. That sounds too cringey, babe.
January 6, 2023
Unexpected pregnancies (especially those resulting from a one night stand) are so difficult to do well but I really, REALLY enjoyed this romance between two strangers who find themselves forced together because of a baby.
I loved that the main characters were in their 40s and were a bit jaded by love too. Steamy and full of heart, this was an emotional read that was great on audio narrated by Jason Clarke and Emma Wilder. I am a huge L B Dunbar fan and I'm excited to read more in this multi-author series. Perfect for fans of books like the Green Valley Library series!
Perfect for fans of Josh and Gemma make a baby or Lizzie Blake's best mistake.
I loved that the main characters were in their 40s and were a bit jaded by love too. Steamy and full of heart, this was an emotional read that was great on audio narrated by Jason Clarke and Emma Wilder. I am a huge L B Dunbar fan and I'm excited to read more in this multi-author series. Perfect for fans of books like the Green Valley Library series!
Perfect for fans of Josh and Gemma make a baby or Lizzie Blake's best mistake.
March 10, 2021
Scarlett Russell ran to Vermont after she lost her job and she descovered her husband infidelity in the same day. Bull Eaton is a dairy famer with a long list of failed engagement. They meet during a night out at a local pub. When Scarlett and Bull go out of the Gin Mill together they only want a one night stand but life throws at them a curve ball and they find out to be expecting a child. Will they begin a relationship? Or are they too scared to think about love? And are we certain that the child belongs to Bull?
Scarlett and Bull are perfect together, their connection is deep, their passion is evident but also their fear to be rejected and to not be good enough for each other is prominent.
I liked to follow their journey, even if at times I just wanted to yell at them to take a risk and to tell each other their real feelings.
I've enjoyed this story, it was entarteining and the blending of red hot scenes and cute ones kept me interested from start to end, making me smile times and times again.
I already knew some previous works of L.B. Dunbar and I assure you she is amazing writing Silver Fox characters.
If you enjoy a cute small town romance go get this book as soon as possible.
Copy kindly provided by the Publisher/Author.
October 27, 2023
UPDATE: October 2023 🎧🎧AUDIO REVIEW🎧🎧
I found this title in my Audible Plus library the other day and jumped to listen to it because I really enjoyed the story when I read it back in 2021!
Well, it continued to be a delightfully, organic development of two adults, both with plenty of life experience that no one would fault them if they wanted to run in the opposite direction of ”romance”, but yet easily fell in step with each other forward towards ”romance”. It is honestly a spectacular journey with less than zero drama-for-drama, conflict and circumstances that were dealt in an adult manner. There is nothing that compares to a story where characters adult properly. Nothing!
I found both Jason Clarke and Emma Wilder were perfectly suited for their roles and did not just this story, but all characters the justice they deserved! It was an excellent listening experience I’d give more than a 5 star rating if that was a thing!
📚📚STORY REVIEW📚📚 MARCH 2021
I am addicted to L.B. Dunbar! I do not have this level of constant pleasure with many authors. She is unique and revered by me. If she writes it, I jump. A lot of times, when I read well penned stories, I can see myself as part of the story, a secondary character if you will. When Dunbar pens a story, I can see myself being the lead. She is ridiculously talented at writing romance for the mature person. And yes, that means over 40 LOL She hit the mark and then some with Cowboy!
The concept of this story, a surprise pregnancy, not only surprised our hero, but me as well. Going in, I thought this would be the book I read by Dunbar that would make my eyes roll, because over 40 pregnancy … whaaaaaaaaaat, but not only did she make a believer out of me, she made me swoon all over the place! Everyone made me swoon! Scarlett and Bull made for an entertaining read that I could have read for hours longer! Not everything about their story was all heats and rainbows, but it was just a swoony story even when it was dramatic! What more could you ask for?!
I found this title in my Audible Plus library the other day and jumped to listen to it because I really enjoyed the story when I read it back in 2021!
Well, it continued to be a delightfully, organic development of two adults, both with plenty of life experience that no one would fault them if they wanted to run in the opposite direction of ”romance”, but yet easily fell in step with each other forward towards ”romance”. It is honestly a spectacular journey with less than zero drama-for-drama, conflict and circumstances that were dealt in an adult manner. There is nothing that compares to a story where characters adult properly. Nothing!
I found both Jason Clarke and Emma Wilder were perfectly suited for their roles and did not just this story, but all characters the justice they deserved! It was an excellent listening experience I’d give more than a 5 star rating if that was a thing!
📚📚STORY REVIEW📚📚 MARCH 2021
I am addicted to L.B. Dunbar! I do not have this level of constant pleasure with many authors. She is unique and revered by me. If she writes it, I jump. A lot of times, when I read well penned stories, I can see myself as part of the story, a secondary character if you will. When Dunbar pens a story, I can see myself being the lead. She is ridiculously talented at writing romance for the mature person. And yes, that means over 40 LOL She hit the mark and then some with Cowboy!
The concept of this story, a surprise pregnancy, not only surprised our hero, but me as well. Going in, I thought this would be the book I read by Dunbar that would make my eyes roll, because over 40 pregnancy … whaaaaaaaaaat, but not only did she make a believer out of me, she made me swoon all over the place! Everyone made me swoon! Scarlett and Bull made for an entertaining read that I could have read for hours longer! Not everything about their story was all heats and rainbows, but it was just a swoony story even when it was dramatic! What more could you ask for?!
February 13, 2023
I cannot take seriously three bachelor brothers named Bull, Blade and Canyon who regularly drink milk with dinner. Sorry, even I have my limits. Also Bull was sort of an ass. . Also Bull has a real fetish for pregnancy. It is good that he found her sexy as she inflated but I will just say that if you are shooting for sexy talk the work "lactate" should never be part of your game.
March 1, 2021
Couple in their 40's.
Suprise pregnancy from one night stand.
I was super excited for this book but I'm not sure if I expected too much but I wasn't too impressed.
It was okay.
I don't know I felt it was a bit shallow in some areas. They didn't read like the mature couple they were supposed to be.
I liked that the Hero had a reputation for proposing to women, he wasn't commitment phobic, a one night stand type of guy, in fact he was the opposite.
Heroine is divorced, or in the process of divorce, 6 weeks until it's final I think it is.
Small other woman drama.
Hero thinks the heroine is visiting so after their night together he thinks she's gone so he sees no point in trying to start a proper relationship with someone who is leaving esp considering he's fallen for others who haven't stayed.
After a short time, his friends pressure him to date, one woman in
particular.
He isn't keen but agrees to a coffee date rather than anything else.
He is still thinking if the heroine and their ONS.
He lets other woman down gently but she wants more, tries to cause drama.
No intimate scenes other than the Hero and heroine.
HEA.
Suprise pregnancy from one night stand.
I was super excited for this book but I'm not sure if I expected too much but I wasn't too impressed.
It was okay.
I don't know I felt it was a bit shallow in some areas. They didn't read like the mature couple they were supposed to be.
I liked that the Hero had a reputation for proposing to women, he wasn't commitment phobic, a one night stand type of guy, in fact he was the opposite.
Heroine is divorced, or in the process of divorce, 6 weeks until it's final I think it is.
Small other woman drama.
Hero thinks the heroine is visiting so after their night together he thinks she's gone so he sees no point in trying to start a proper relationship with someone who is leaving esp considering he's fallen for others who haven't stayed.
After a short time, his friends pressure him to date, one woman in
particular.
He isn't keen but agrees to a coffee date rather than anything else.
He is still thinking if the heroine and their ONS.
He lets other woman down gently but she wants more, tries to cause drama.
No intimate scenes other than the Hero and heroine.
HEA.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
December 16, 2021
After Scarlett learns her husband is leaving her for a (much) younger woman who’s pregnant with his baby, she flees to Vermont to visit her best friend. And while at the local bar, she decides to go home with a silver fox named Bull, who just so happens to own a cow/bull ranch.
Weeks later, Scarlett is still in Vermont and takes a job at the local coffee shop, Busy Bean. And it’s not long after that Scarlett learns she’s pregnant. Only, she doesn’t know if the baby is Bull’s or her soon-to-be ex-husband’s.
Bull hasn’t had the best of luck in the love department. But once he learns he’s possibly about to be a father, he wants to step up to the plate & offers for Scarlett to move in with him. Scarlett & Bull aren’t sure what’s in their future, but they both know one thing’s for sure: this baby is wanted more than they can even express.
Cowboy by LB Dunbar is book 2 in the Busy Bean series, set in Sarina Bowen’s True North world. I’ve read one other book by this author and really disliked it, so while I enjoyed this one more, I’m not surprised that it was just an okay read. I’ve read a lot of surprise baby romances lately, so that could be one of the reasons it didn’t wow me—I’m feeling burnt out with this trope. If you like romances with characters over 40, you may really enjoy this. I wanted more chemistry between the two main characters and all the external drama was too much at times. I’m looking forward to book 3 since it’s by an author I know I enjoy! 3/5 stars.
Weeks later, Scarlett is still in Vermont and takes a job at the local coffee shop, Busy Bean. And it’s not long after that Scarlett learns she’s pregnant. Only, she doesn’t know if the baby is Bull’s or her soon-to-be ex-husband’s.
Bull hasn’t had the best of luck in the love department. But once he learns he’s possibly about to be a father, he wants to step up to the plate & offers for Scarlett to move in with him. Scarlett & Bull aren’t sure what’s in their future, but they both know one thing’s for sure: this baby is wanted more than they can even express.
Cowboy by LB Dunbar is book 2 in the Busy Bean series, set in Sarina Bowen’s True North world. I’ve read one other book by this author and really disliked it, so while I enjoyed this one more, I’m not surprised that it was just an okay read. I’ve read a lot of surprise baby romances lately, so that could be one of the reasons it didn’t wow me—I’m feeling burnt out with this trope. If you like romances with characters over 40, you may really enjoy this. I wanted more chemistry between the two main characters and all the external drama was too much at times. I’m looking forward to book 3 since it’s by an author I know I enjoy! 3/5 stars.
March 20, 2021
This *could* be good, and it's so disappointing for its unrealized potential. The characters are compelling, side characters are great, and they're both in their early 40s which is a delightful change from the norm.
But. For starters, the concept that a 40+ women gets pregnant during a one night stand while using the Pill correctly AND using a condom, when she just had a decade long marriage and didn't get pregnant (her husband got someone else pregnant, so it's not a male infertility issue), is a ridiculous stretch. Oops pregnancies happen, but be realistic about it.
The heroine is very freshly out of her marriage, so there is initial question of paternity. Okay, fine. She goes to the doctor early on in her pregnancy, and chooses not to have an ultrasound (which would have answered the question thanks to accurate dating at that stage in pregnancy) because of the risk to the baby. Woah. Let's stop right there. Early pregnancy ultrasounds are NOT dangerous. They're absolutely not. It is irresponsible *at best* to send the message that they are, and I cannot fathom writing a book without even bothering to look up the most basic of medical details. Later on the hero and heroine have a stupid fight and she has an amniocentesis to determine paternity. Amniocentesis is appropriate during certain circumstances and that is a medical decision best made between a woman and her medical provider, but it does have a very low risk of miscarriage. It seems the author would rather make up facts to fit the story, instead of rising to the challenge of crafting a story based in truth.
Finally, the conflicts between the two main characters are so childish. They're supposed to be in their early forties but when it came to the challenges their relationship must overcome, they acted like they were twenty years younger.
It really could have been so good, and I find that I'm more frustrated by writers who could be good but don't bother with research and contemplation, than I am by writers who are just bad to begin with.
But. For starters, the concept that a 40+ women gets pregnant during a one night stand while using the Pill correctly AND using a condom, when she just had a decade long marriage and didn't get pregnant (her husband got someone else pregnant, so it's not a male infertility issue), is a ridiculous stretch. Oops pregnancies happen, but be realistic about it.
The heroine is very freshly out of her marriage, so there is initial question of paternity. Okay, fine. She goes to the doctor early on in her pregnancy, and chooses not to have an ultrasound (which would have answered the question thanks to accurate dating at that stage in pregnancy) because of the risk to the baby. Woah. Let's stop right there. Early pregnancy ultrasounds are NOT dangerous. They're absolutely not. It is irresponsible *at best* to send the message that they are, and I cannot fathom writing a book without even bothering to look up the most basic of medical details. Later on the hero and heroine have a stupid fight and she has an amniocentesis to determine paternity. Amniocentesis is appropriate during certain circumstances and that is a medical decision best made between a woman and her medical provider, but it does have a very low risk of miscarriage. It seems the author would rather make up facts to fit the story, instead of rising to the challenge of crafting a story based in truth.
Finally, the conflicts between the two main characters are so childish. They're supposed to be in their early forties but when it came to the challenges their relationship must overcome, they acted like they were twenty years younger.
It really could have been so good, and I find that I'm more frustrated by writers who could be good but don't bother with research and contemplation, than I am by writers who are just bad to begin with.
March 1, 2021
What a wonderful story of true love that grows under the most unexpected of circumstances!
Both Bull and Scarlett are disillusioned about love. Scarlett’s husband of twenty years left her for a younger, pregnant woman and Bull has faced too much rejection of his own. Their one night bonds them with the possibility of a baby, but the question of who’s the father is another obstacle to overcome.
There are few great themes in this book. One about “staying power” - sticking around even when things get tough or are confusing. Especially since that is a quality that neither Bull’s or Scarlet’s former partners seemed to have. And I loved how Scarlet showed Bull over and over that she was not going anywhere.
The other theme is one of loving someone for themselves and not needing them to change to be worthy of your love. There’s a lot of “Thank you, for you being you” that really translates into “I love you.” But both are unwilling to put their hearts on the line and make a true commitment of putting words to their feelings.
Their journey together makes for a terrific story. Throw in some comic relief from a man named Redd Bottom (I giggle every time I read this), a whole lot of cow jokes, and some super steamy sexy times to make it the whole package!
Looking forward to the next stories in the Sarina Bowen World and the Busy Bean Cafe!!
I received an advance reader copy of the book and these are my honest opinions.
Both Bull and Scarlett are disillusioned about love. Scarlett’s husband of twenty years left her for a younger, pregnant woman and Bull has faced too much rejection of his own. Their one night bonds them with the possibility of a baby, but the question of who’s the father is another obstacle to overcome.
There are few great themes in this book. One about “staying power” - sticking around even when things get tough or are confusing. Especially since that is a quality that neither Bull’s or Scarlet’s former partners seemed to have. And I loved how Scarlet showed Bull over and over that she was not going anywhere.
The other theme is one of loving someone for themselves and not needing them to change to be worthy of your love. There’s a lot of “Thank you, for you being you” that really translates into “I love you.” But both are unwilling to put their hearts on the line and make a true commitment of putting words to their feelings.
Their journey together makes for a terrific story. Throw in some comic relief from a man named Redd Bottom (I giggle every time I read this), a whole lot of cow jokes, and some super steamy sexy times to make it the whole package!
Looking forward to the next stories in the Sarina Bowen World and the Busy Bean Cafe!!
I received an advance reader copy of the book and these are my honest opinions.
February 11, 2021
4.5 stars
Scarlett's Russell's life has imploded so she has run off to Vermont to visit an old friend. A night at the Gin Mill with some drinks involved was not supposed to lead to a one night stand. She certainly never intended to stick around in town. And the consequences of that little tryst were something she thought impossible. She is a sassy and smart city girl whose whole life is changing rapidly.
Bull Eaton is widely known as a man with too many missed romantic entanglements from one divorce to some broken engagements. This silver fox is quiet, loyal, sweet, and a true romantic. He has been reluctantly trying his luck on dairy farmer dating apps but is ready to give up. He never expected a fiery visiting redhead to rock his world. And he went off to work the next morning like they planned. But when he finds out she is still around, that is not the only surprise about the situation.
Now they are planning, cohabitating, and trying to muddle their way through their present circumstances while still dealing with old baggage and issues. These two do not even trust their own judgment so they are afraid to trust the other. The situation is precarious, has long term implications, and both have abandonment issues.
This is a failed-one-night-stand, bun-in-the-oven, opposites-attract, sweet, funny, and sexy small-town romance. I loved that they are forty-ish. These two are so adorable together but also have scorching hot chemistry. But their fears and insecurities get in their way at times. I seriously wanted to shake some sense into them when their logic for how they dealt with things did not always make sense. They both had such a fear of failure and rejection that it made it hard to share their true feelings but that just made more issues. It is a heartwarming read with just enough angst and plenty of steam. I enjoyed visiting with some of the True North friends as well.
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Scarlett's Russell's life has imploded so she has run off to Vermont to visit an old friend. A night at the Gin Mill with some drinks involved was not supposed to lead to a one night stand. She certainly never intended to stick around in town. And the consequences of that little tryst were something she thought impossible. She is a sassy and smart city girl whose whole life is changing rapidly.
Bull Eaton is widely known as a man with too many missed romantic entanglements from one divorce to some broken engagements. This silver fox is quiet, loyal, sweet, and a true romantic. He has been reluctantly trying his luck on dairy farmer dating apps but is ready to give up. He never expected a fiery visiting redhead to rock his world. And he went off to work the next morning like they planned. But when he finds out she is still around, that is not the only surprise about the situation.
Now they are planning, cohabitating, and trying to muddle their way through their present circumstances while still dealing with old baggage and issues. These two do not even trust their own judgment so they are afraid to trust the other. The situation is precarious, has long term implications, and both have abandonment issues.
This is a failed-one-night-stand, bun-in-the-oven, opposites-attract, sweet, funny, and sexy small-town romance. I loved that they are forty-ish. These two are so adorable together but also have scorching hot chemistry. But their fears and insecurities get in their way at times. I seriously wanted to shake some sense into them when their logic for how they dealt with things did not always make sense. They both had such a fear of failure and rejection that it made it hard to share their true feelings but that just made more issues. It is a heartwarming read with just enough angst and plenty of steam. I enjoyed visiting with some of the True North friends as well.
February 25, 2021
*** 3.5 stars ***
Cowboy is a super-cute, well-written romance that will have sooo many people go all swoon-y.
It's also a book that just didn't click with me.
Objectively, this book has just about every ingredient I crave in a good story; a spunky heroine, a hot hero and some seriously steamy sexytimes. And then there's the little surprise. Yet, for some reason, I had trouble connecting with the characters.
The story is set in Sarina Bowen's True North universe, so this should be an instant hit for me. But as it were, even though I enjoyed the read, it didn't pull me in and didn't engage me the way I had expected.
After some pondering, I think I've pinpointed why that is.
First, both Scarlett and Bull are over forty. They're mature individuals with lots of experience below their belts (pun intended). But a large part of the storyline is based on them misunderstanding each other simply because they can't communicate like adults. They just assume things in the way teenagers might, without trying to clear anything up. And yes, that might be one of my pet peeves. Characters not acting their age.
The second thing is actually just an extension of the first. Dialogue is an extremely important aspect of a read in my opinion. Great dialogue can relay so much more than the actual words being said, and it's also essential to credibly convey growing infatuation between two characters. But since Scarlett and Bull had massive communication issues... well.
In conclusion, this book unfortunately wasn't meant for me. It's such a well-written story that so many people will love but it just didn't appeal to me personally. But, if you're a fan of True North, I strongly recommend you give Cowboy a try. You'll probably adore it.
**A free copy of this book was kindly provided by the publisher**
https://reflectionsofaswedishgirl.blo...
Cowboy is a super-cute, well-written romance that will have sooo many people go all swoon-y.
It's also a book that just didn't click with me.
Objectively, this book has just about every ingredient I crave in a good story; a spunky heroine, a hot hero and some seriously steamy sexytimes. And then there's the little surprise. Yet, for some reason, I had trouble connecting with the characters.
The story is set in Sarina Bowen's True North universe, so this should be an instant hit for me. But as it were, even though I enjoyed the read, it didn't pull me in and didn't engage me the way I had expected.
After some pondering, I think I've pinpointed why that is.
First, both Scarlett and Bull are over forty. They're mature individuals with lots of experience below their belts (pun intended). But a large part of the storyline is based on them misunderstanding each other simply because they can't communicate like adults. They just assume things in the way teenagers might, without trying to clear anything up. And yes, that might be one of my pet peeves. Characters not acting their age.
The second thing is actually just an extension of the first. Dialogue is an extremely important aspect of a read in my opinion. Great dialogue can relay so much more than the actual words being said, and it's also essential to credibly convey growing infatuation between two characters. But since Scarlett and Bull had massive communication issues... well.
In conclusion, this book unfortunately wasn't meant for me. It's such a well-written story that so many people will love but it just didn't appeal to me personally. But, if you're a fan of True North, I strongly recommend you give Cowboy a try. You'll probably adore it.
**A free copy of this book was kindly provided by the publisher**
https://reflectionsofaswedishgirl.blo...
July 2, 2021
I really hated this one and it's hard to explain why. I think part of it is that the H has been in so many relationships that resulted in engagements. Very icky for me.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
April 12, 2024
I somehow keep accidentally reading unexpected pregnancy books and I'm honestly not mad about it lmao. I don't quite understand why I like them so much considering I don't ever want to have a baby, but it's fine lol.
I randomly chose to listen to this audiobook solely because Emma Wilder and Jason Clarke are some of my favorite narrators, but I was happy to find that the story was just as good as the narration. It started off steamy as hell with our main character's "one night stand" but then was followed by a ton of really sweet, heartfelt moments.
Some of the disagreements between Scarlett and Bull were valid but I didn't like the way Bull handled them. I just don't believe in shutting people out and giving them the silent treatment.
Other than that, I really enjoyed this audiobook. It was also interesting to read about characters in their 40s and their approach at a pregnancy at that age.
If you're looking for a quick, cute listen - highly recommend. It was available for free on my Hoopla app.
I randomly chose to listen to this audiobook solely because Emma Wilder and Jason Clarke are some of my favorite narrators, but I was happy to find that the story was just as good as the narration. It started off steamy as hell with our main character's "one night stand" but then was followed by a ton of really sweet, heartfelt moments.
Some of the disagreements between Scarlett and Bull were valid but I didn't like the way Bull handled them. I just don't believe in shutting people out and giving them the silent treatment.
Other than that, I really enjoyed this audiobook. It was also interesting to read about characters in their 40s and their approach at a pregnancy at that age.
If you're looking for a quick, cute listen - highly recommend. It was available for free on my Hoopla app.
May 14, 2025
3.5 rounded up. I had a love hate relationship with this read. Sometimes it was going great and I loved them then suddenly the guy is an asshole??? Mind you… this man is named Bull. BULL. overall this book was weak idk it just felt like too many plot lines coming together and seeing what happens.
March 5, 2021
4.5 Stars
Bull and Scarlett!! What a breath of fresh air reading about characters above the age of 40 dealing with the same problems of the younger generation but in a more mature (sometimes) manner.
I loved the whole pregnancy after 40 and how often Scarlett got offended by being referred to as "old" or "geriatric" --- and don't get me started on Bull and his studly activities. These two were adorable together and the perfect couple!
Bull and Scarlett!! What a breath of fresh air reading about characters above the age of 40 dealing with the same problems of the younger generation but in a more mature (sometimes) manner.
I loved the whole pregnancy after 40 and how often Scarlett got offended by being referred to as "old" or "geriatric" --- and don't get me started on Bull and his studly activities. These two were adorable together and the perfect couple!
February 28, 2021
I love a good secret baby romance. This is a great secret baby romance! Bonus points for a 42-year-old pregnant main character. Bull is my favorite kind of hero, the good guy, strong in body and character, and no-frills. Loved seeing some of my favorite World of True North characters.
March 1, 2021
I knew walking into Cowboy by L.B. Dunbar that this was a one night stand novel and that's a trope that I normally enjoy. However, Cowboy opens with a sex scene and so it took me a bit to get into this story. Scarlett and Bulls meet cute is told in flashbacks during that opening sex scene and so it just made it hard to connect to them or the story. One thing this book taught me...I like to know the characters first before I see them jumping into bed together. Overall, I did end up enjoying the book and watching these two unlucky at love lovers come together and find their HEA but I didn't love the MCs as much as I fell for the secondary characters in the story: Rita, Canyon and Blade. They really stole the show in the scenes they were in. The side characters also showed more maturity at times than Bull and Scarlett did so it was good that the MCs had them to keep them in line otherwise they may not have ended up together. Scarlett and Bull are quick to let misunderstands get in the way and much of their issues hinges on the fact that they don't communicate very well with each other. Which makes sense as they really don't know each other when they learn that their one night stand ends up in an unexpected pregnancy so there is a lot of getting to know each other on top of all the other angst in the story. I didn't fall head over heels in love with Cowboy but it was a quick read and I enjoyed seeing the True North world through another authors eyes. If you like the one night stand/unplanned pregnancy trope then changes are you'll enjoy this book as well.
March 1, 2021
3 stars. This book was an okay book for me. Cowboy is book two in the Busy Bean series, which is a series written in Sarina Bowen's World of True North. It can be read as a standalone as each book in the series is written by a different author. Cowboy is Bull and Scarlett's book. Scarlett's life is turned upside when she loses her tabloid tv reporter job and her husband leaves her for his pregnant mistress. She heads to Vermont to visit a friend, regroup, and figure out what to do with her life next. Bull is a farmer who runs a farm with his brothers and father. He has a history of unluckiness in love, with a trail of engagements and women leaving him. He and Scarlett meet in a bar and both of them decide to do something out of character, throw caution to the wind and have a one night stand. Neither of them expect to see each other again, although they can't stop thinking of each other. Scarlett goes on to get a job at the Busy Bean coffee shop. But fate has other plans when Scarlett finds out she's pregnant. She and Bull have a lot to work out as both of them have past baggage, but they manage to make it work in the end.
I love a surprise pregnancy so I was excited to read this book, but I didn't quite love this one. Both Bull and Scarlett were in their 40s, but lacked depth and felt immature at times. I didn't completely love either of their characters. Also, there was so much angst and back and forth fighting, with bad tempers, silent treatments, jumping too conclusions and miscommunications. They both had moments of treating each other badly, especially Bull towards Scarlett. It was all very melodramatic right to the end with very few trustful, happy moments. The pacing felt a little too fast to feel any emotions. The writing style felt a little too simplistic and almost on a lower age level. Still, I did find the story and premise was cute. I also liked the coffee shop and Vermont setting.
Overall, this book was not my favorite by this author. I am not a huge angst lover and it just wasn't quite what I expected. Still, if you love lots of drama in your romance, you will probably love this book. I am glad to have found a new series and I look forward to the rest of the books to come.
*arc provided in exchange for an honest review*
I love a surprise pregnancy so I was excited to read this book, but I didn't quite love this one. Both Bull and Scarlett were in their 40s, but lacked depth and felt immature at times. I didn't completely love either of their characters. Also, there was so much angst and back and forth fighting, with bad tempers, silent treatments, jumping too conclusions and miscommunications. They both had moments of treating each other badly, especially Bull towards Scarlett. It was all very melodramatic right to the end with very few trustful, happy moments. The pacing felt a little too fast to feel any emotions. The writing style felt a little too simplistic and almost on a lower age level. Still, I did find the story and premise was cute. I also liked the coffee shop and Vermont setting.
Overall, this book was not my favorite by this author. I am not a huge angst lover and it just wasn't quite what I expected. Still, if you love lots of drama in your romance, you will probably love this book. I am glad to have found a new series and I look forward to the rest of the books to come.
*arc provided in exchange for an honest review*
March 11, 2021
Such a sweet story. I loved Scarlett and Bull.
Contrary to his name and his broad shouldered-hunky farmer rugged- sexy hunk of a man... (taking a breath), Bull is a big softy. Beta -hero.
*Warning. NSFW Chapter ONE !!! Oye.
This could be told for any age H/h .
Not so predictable. Definitely a standalone but Kara & Audrey (from True North) are Scarlett's bosses at the Busy Bean.
Bull (his middle name) and his family are heavily featured. They own a dairy farm.
I didn't notice any cowboys in this book, but Bull (ironic name) jokes a lot about cows & several cow references.
I want to read more books by this author. I would love to listen to the audio-as a re-read.
There are some really sexy moments, but there is a lot of time spent on building their relationship.
Both of them had terrible break ups & are very leery of saying the "L" word.
Do not worry about just diving into this one without reading book 1 (Sweetheart) or the True North Series. Ms Dunbar knows how to write. I love visiting Vermont
Contrary to his name and his broad shouldered-hunky farmer rugged- sexy hunk of a man... (taking a breath), Bull is a big softy. Beta -hero.
*Warning. NSFW Chapter ONE !!! Oye.
This could be told for any age H/h .
Not so predictable. Definitely a standalone but Kara & Audrey (from True North) are Scarlett's bosses at the Busy Bean.
Bull (his middle name) and his family are heavily featured. They own a dairy farm.
I didn't notice any cowboys in this book, but Bull (ironic name) jokes a lot about cows & several cow references.
I want to read more books by this author. I would love to listen to the audio-as a re-read.
There are some really sexy moments, but there is a lot of time spent on building their relationship.
Both of them had terrible break ups & are very leery of saying the "L" word.
Do not worry about just diving into this one without reading book 1 (Sweetheart) or the True North Series. Ms Dunbar knows how to write. I love visiting Vermont
March 9, 2021
Cowboy (Busy Bean #2) by LB Dunbar
This is book two in the Busy Bean series and is the story of Scarlett, a mature former TV reporter and Bull, a dedicated farmer. They meet at a bar and each is adamant that all they want is a one night. That plan falls through after Scarlett finds that she’s pregnant and doesn’t know if the baby is Bull’s or her slimy ex-husbands.
I have to admit I struggled with this book. Everything about it was just okay. The characters, the story, the connections. All were okay. I felt like there was drama for the sake of drama thrown in which didn’t add any value to the story.
*I voluntarily read an early copy of this book.
**Reviewed by Melinda for Joandisalovebooks Blog.
This is book two in the Busy Bean series and is the story of Scarlett, a mature former TV reporter and Bull, a dedicated farmer. They meet at a bar and each is adamant that all they want is a one night. That plan falls through after Scarlett finds that she’s pregnant and doesn’t know if the baby is Bull’s or her slimy ex-husbands.
I have to admit I struggled with this book. Everything about it was just okay. The characters, the story, the connections. All were okay. I felt like there was drama for the sake of drama thrown in which didn’t add any value to the story.
*I voluntarily read an early copy of this book.
**Reviewed by Melinda for Joandisalovebooks Blog.
January 30, 2022
In this series, each book is written by a different author, which is both interesting and also indicative of how homogeneous a lot of romance writing is, as I could've easily missed that - although I assume they're trying to achieve a certain level of consistency. Anyway! This one is a (briefly) secret pregnancy romance; I had a truly terrible time during both my pregnancies, so unfortunately all of the sex scenes (so, so many sex scenes) just made me cringe - it's also just really not my thing. Nice to see grown ups dealing with their issues by taking them out, though, and the drama being driven by an actual consistent plot, rather than the usual manufactured misunderstandings.
February 26, 2021
The second offering from the Busy Bean branch of the World of True North was a swoony, well written tale of belonging and overcoming fears and second chances. And while it was objectively great and I know people will go absolutely bananas over this story, I had a really hard time connecting with it.
At first, I thought it was because accidental pregnancy stories aren't usually my cup of tea, but I ultimately ended up really enjoying that plot and the way that it was handled, no major secrets or overly dramatic pregnancy related situations like can often appear in such stories. Ultimately, the biggest downfall for me was that so much of Bull and Scarlett's conflict arose from misunderstandings and poor communication, which was frustrating from two people living together and planning on raising a baby together. There's more than one situation where each character just assumes they know what's going on and instead of having a conversation, they just go completely off the handle on the other. It's something that I would expect in NA romance or the like, but for mature characters that are both in their 40s, I expected, well, more maturity. I felt the chemistry between them, I felt the conflict in their own personal dramas and insecurities and that helped me connect to the characters are individuals. I thoroughly enjoyed both Bull and Scarlett's personal journeys and their evolving relationship to each other, but in the end, I just struggled to not roll my eyes at two adults that didn't always stop and think before they completely lost their cool with each other over entirely avoidable conflict.
An ARC copy of this book was graciously provided to me in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.
At first, I thought it was because accidental pregnancy stories aren't usually my cup of tea, but I ultimately ended up really enjoying that plot and the way that it was handled, no major secrets or overly dramatic pregnancy related situations like can often appear in such stories. Ultimately, the biggest downfall for me was that so much of Bull and Scarlett's conflict arose from misunderstandings and poor communication, which was frustrating from two people living together and planning on raising a baby together. There's more than one situation where each character just assumes they know what's going on and instead of having a conversation, they just go completely off the handle on the other. It's something that I would expect in NA romance or the like, but for mature characters that are both in their 40s, I expected, well, more maturity. I felt the chemistry between them, I felt the conflict in their own personal dramas and insecurities and that helped me connect to the characters are individuals. I thoroughly enjoyed both Bull and Scarlett's personal journeys and their evolving relationship to each other, but in the end, I just struggled to not roll my eyes at two adults that didn't always stop and think before they completely lost their cool with each other over entirely avoidable conflict.
An ARC copy of this book was graciously provided to me in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.
March 1, 2021
Cowboy
Written by: L. B. Dunbar
Confession – I love reading L. B. Dunbar’s books. The moment I see she has a book coming out, I’m there pre-ordering it. I don’t read the blurb; I don’t look at the cover. I just order it because L. B. Dunbar has done right by me as a reader since I discovered her. Let me tell you this book is the bomb! I loved it from the beginning, I loved it through the rough times and I loved the ending.
Forty-two year old Scarlett Russell had not heard from her old college friend Rita Kaplan for a long time. Luckily Rita chose the best time to reunite with Scarlett. She had just lost her job and to add to that, she found out her husband (ok soon to be EX husband) had cheated on her and he was leaving Scarlett to marry the girl he got pregnant. Thank goodness for Rita! Thank goodness that Rita thought one-night stand with Mr. Tall, built and sexy was a good idea. The following morning, Scarlett agreed with Rita, the smoke had been sliding through the little space underneath the door and the windows where clouded over because those two had a night neither one would forget. Steamy, hot, sensual, I could use a few more adjectives, but you get my drift.
Bull Eaton, a dairy farmer wondered why it had taken him so long to find a woman who made him feel as good as he felt that night. They were close in age, she knew just what she wanted and gave as good as she got. He also though it was too bad he had sworn of anything but one-night stands. Thinking that he would never see Scarlett again he was a bit astounded when he saw her at the Busy Bean Café, working. She had begun divorce proceedings and she was now looking for a place to live, to start to recover and to decide the next step in her life.
Boy, that step was going to be huge! L. B. Dunbar brings readers along for Bull and Scarlett’s ride. From getting use to small town Vermont, to discovering that she and Bull might be spending far more time together than she ever thought. Agreements were struck, misunderstanding occurred, heart-beats were heard and then there was a snow-storm that proved that if you raise cows your are qualified to deliver babies.
That’s when you know all the days ending in day are going to be the best days of your life. Highly recommend this book!
Written by: L. B. Dunbar
Confession – I love reading L. B. Dunbar’s books. The moment I see she has a book coming out, I’m there pre-ordering it. I don’t read the blurb; I don’t look at the cover. I just order it because L. B. Dunbar has done right by me as a reader since I discovered her. Let me tell you this book is the bomb! I loved it from the beginning, I loved it through the rough times and I loved the ending.
Forty-two year old Scarlett Russell had not heard from her old college friend Rita Kaplan for a long time. Luckily Rita chose the best time to reunite with Scarlett. She had just lost her job and to add to that, she found out her husband (ok soon to be EX husband) had cheated on her and he was leaving Scarlett to marry the girl he got pregnant. Thank goodness for Rita! Thank goodness that Rita thought one-night stand with Mr. Tall, built and sexy was a good idea. The following morning, Scarlett agreed with Rita, the smoke had been sliding through the little space underneath the door and the windows where clouded over because those two had a night neither one would forget. Steamy, hot, sensual, I could use a few more adjectives, but you get my drift.
Bull Eaton, a dairy farmer wondered why it had taken him so long to find a woman who made him feel as good as he felt that night. They were close in age, she knew just what she wanted and gave as good as she got. He also though it was too bad he had sworn of anything but one-night stands. Thinking that he would never see Scarlett again he was a bit astounded when he saw her at the Busy Bean Café, working. She had begun divorce proceedings and she was now looking for a place to live, to start to recover and to decide the next step in her life.
Boy, that step was going to be huge! L. B. Dunbar brings readers along for Bull and Scarlett’s ride. From getting use to small town Vermont, to discovering that she and Bull might be spending far more time together than she ever thought. Agreements were struck, misunderstanding occurred, heart-beats were heard and then there was a snow-storm that proved that if you raise cows your are qualified to deliver babies.
That’s when you know all the days ending in day are going to be the best days of your life. Highly recommend this book!
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