Cowboys Down by Barbara Elsborg is a bittersweet romance between English stockbroker, Jasper Randolph and the young cowboy artist, Calum Nielson. The two men meet while Jasper is in Wyoming on a well-earned vacation. Jasper hates his job in London and is looking for a break.
He wants to learn how to relax and get dirty. Calum, on the other hand, is looking to keep under the radar of his stiff, conservative father while helping out on the family ranch.
Almost as soon as these two lay eyes on each other the attraction ignites. Neither is looking for a quick hook-up, at the same time there’s not much future in a romance between a visiting English stockbroker and Wyoming cowboy. Still, fire is fire and their both hot for each other.
Cowboys Down is not a light-hearted read; Elsborg draws some strong characters with deep pain in their backgrounds. Jasper and Calum are the main characters, but there are strong appearances by supporting characters. In London, Fintan charms with his art gallery and Jasper’s mother made me want to cry. In Wyoming, Calum’s family members– father, mother and step-sister all evoke real emotions. Calum’s sister is a sympathetic young girl with a learning disability who adds a sweet touch to the tail with her glow-in-the-dark bead bracelets; while his father provides much of the conflict in the novel with his intransigence.
Cowboys Down is an entertaining tale of cowboy love that kept me reading long hours into the night. Elsborg is a fine writer of western love stories and Jasper and Calum’s tale is no exception. This one earns 4 stars easily. I really enjoyed reading about Jasper and Calum’s search for love in the wilds of Wyoming.
Stars [rating=4]
Reviewed for Rainbow Book Reviews
Publisher: Samhain Publishing, Ltd
Image courtesy of Samhain Publishing Ltd