Publisher: Dreamspinner Press
Image courtesy of Dreamspinner Press
Genre: LGBTQIA, Contemporary M/M Romance
Length: 226 pages

Stars: [rating=4]

Blurb

A Cowboys Don’t Story

Cowboy Danny Boone—a name he made up one drunken night and has regretted ever since—harbors a big past and yearns for a small future. A short, bright career as a champion bull rider almost ended in his death when his homophobic father discovered Danny was gay. Now Danny longs for a plot of land he can build a ranch on, enough money to make up for some of the education he missed… and, secretly, a beautiful femme who likes to top—a combo rarer than a unicorn.

Then onto the guest ranch where Danny works drives San Francisco decorator Laurie Belmont, a young man so gorgeous he makes the horses gasp, and so ballsy he almost kills Danny’s attacker. Laurie’s trying to find his way out from under the thumb of a domineering mother, helpless father, and rich, privileged boyfriend. But no matter the attraction, their lives are worlds apart, and cowboys don’t ride unicorns.

Book Review

Cowboys Don’t Ride Unicorns by Tara Lain is the second book in the Cowboys Don’t m/m romance series which focuses on the activities in and around the McIntyre guest ranch.

Danny Boone and Laurie Belmont are the main characters in this story. Danny is a part-time professional bull-rider working to earn enough money to go to school and buy his own ranch. He’s not looking for love or romance. Danny is keeping secrets about his past on the bull-riding circuit, meanwhile he can barely handle his friend-with-benefits pal, Frank. What he wants is a femme male eager to top him! It being Arizona, that particular lover is hard to come by, about as plentiful on the ground as unicorns.

Then, during the arrival of a new batch of guests at McIntyre Ranch, ultra femme Laurie Belmont, the other main character, walks into Danny’s life. The chemistry between these two is immediate and almost magic. Lawrence “Laurie” Belmont is beautiful, dominant and femme, but he’s in the company of Grove, a very rich and controlling lawyer.

While Grove may not be enough to keep Danny and Laurie apart, their circumstances might. Laurie is a high-end designer living in the city, while Danny is strictly a country boy. Beyond geography, family stands as an obstacle for both young men. Danny has a painful family history, while Laurie is making sacrifices for family that are going to lead to heartbreak if he’s not careful.

Lain deals with the dynamics of these two men and their complicated family lives with skill. On more than one occasion, the reader glimpses the angst of family relations in chaos and the pain of homophobia. While the plot of Cowboys Don’t Ride Unicorns is complex, the book did not feel rushed. I liked that Danny and Laurie were always honest with each other, despite the secrets and half-truths they shared with others. This one is worth 4 stars! I’m going to have to read Rand and Kai’s story.