Scan barcode
nutmeag's review
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
reflective
relaxing
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
The pacing is kind of back and forth and some of the dialogue is awkward, but this book has a lot of heart, and I really identified with the aro-ace character. I'm glad the author wrote this, because we don't have enough aro-ace characters and QPRs in fiction.
frogy927's review
2.0
Ugh.
I wanted to like this book and just didn't. Two stars might actually be too generous.
First, the superficial problems. The text on the (digital) page wasn't properly justified. This is becoming my number one pet peeve in poorly produced ebooks.
Second, this was recommended as a romance and it wasn't really one at all. I heard the book talked about on a podcast and I was really interested in reading an ace romance. Especially one where it wasn't about being ace, but about this exciting detective mystery that was supposedly happening.
The mystery wasn't exciting or engaging. The book managed to make a shoot-out boring.
A hallmark of romance novels is big, expansive feelings. But neither of the characters seemed any internal thoughts or feelings or emotions at all about anything. The book was very empty of feelings. Instead, it wasted paragraphs describing the string lights and taxidermy hanging in various bars and restaurants. About 40% into the book, Sam finally admitted to having a feeling. It took Montgomery almost 70% of the book to have a feeling. That feeling was 'I guess I like Sam.' But it wasn't even the kind of like born of shared interests and values. It was the sort of like born out of tolerance for the familiar, a like that comes with frequently sharing a space with someone and them not bothering you too much.
I've read two other romance novels where I consider at least one character of the main pairing to be on the demi/ace spectrum (this is where I say sorry if I've gotten those terms wrong, I'm officially an old). I was expecting this book to hit some of the same beats as those. Both of those books do involve the characters winding up in more romance-novel traditional sexual relationships, but it wouldn't be hard to imagine a book that plays out similarly without it.
In Hard Candy by Amy Jo Cousins, Vinnie is not that into sex. That's what ended his last relationship (which is seen in Love Me Like a Rock by Cousins). But when Vinnie meets Bryan he's immediately entranced. And it's as much about gender expression (again, no idea if that's the right terms) and Bryan's confidence in himself and willingness to be his own person that has Vinnie enthralled as any desire to sleep with him.
In Knit Tight by Annabeth Albert, Evren is similarly not that into sex. And while the book is told entirely in Brady's first person POV, it's interspersed with excerpts from Evren's knitting blog (hence the title). In the blog you can see the moments where Evren slowly falls in love with Brady, early on where Brady is the bright spot in a dark day, to when Evren releases his first knitwear pattern for kids because he's recently met some that are important (Brady is raising his younger siblings because their parents died in a car crash... this whole series is a Hallmark channel holiday movie), to when he finally admits the socks he's knitting are for a boyfriend, to when the boyfriend sweater curse is no longer relevant he finally knits Brady a husband sweater (seriously Hallmark-esque story).
Big emotions don't need to be loud or melodramatic. They can be slow and domestic, an iceberg hidden beneath the water. But they need to be there in a romance novel.
Also, this book supposedly wasn't about the characters being ace (or at least per the rec it wasn't), but that was the number one defining element to their lives. It made them friendless, lonely and empty people. In writing this, it's occurred to me that I don't particularly like lone cowboy books regardless of how the romance turns out. (I didn't like Blueberry Boys by Vanessa North or Nowhere Ranch by Heidi Cullinan as much as I wanted to either.)
I'm not sure I have a conclusion, other than that this book wasn't any of the things I was told it was, and I found it a slog to get through.
I wanted to like this book and just didn't. Two stars might actually be too generous.
First, the superficial problems. The text on the (digital) page wasn't properly justified. This is becoming my number one pet peeve in poorly produced ebooks.
Second, this was recommended as a romance and it wasn't really one at all. I heard the book talked about on a podcast and I was really interested in reading an ace romance. Especially one where it wasn't about being ace, but about this exciting detective mystery that was supposedly happening.
The mystery wasn't exciting or engaging. The book managed to make a shoot-out boring.
A hallmark of romance novels is big, expansive feelings. But neither of the characters seemed any internal thoughts or feelings or emotions at all about anything. The book was very empty of feelings. Instead, it wasted paragraphs describing the string lights and taxidermy hanging in various bars and restaurants. About 40% into the book, Sam finally admitted to having a feeling. It took Montgomery almost 70% of the book to have a feeling. That feeling was 'I guess I like Sam.' But it wasn't even the kind of like born of shared interests and values. It was the sort of like born out of tolerance for the familiar, a like that comes with frequently sharing a space with someone and them not bothering you too much.
I've read two other romance novels where I consider at least one character of the main pairing to be on the demi/ace spectrum (this is where I say sorry if I've gotten those terms wrong, I'm officially an old). I was expecting this book to hit some of the same beats as those. Both of those books do involve the characters winding up in more romance-novel traditional sexual relationships, but it wouldn't be hard to imagine a book that plays out similarly without it.
In Hard Candy by Amy Jo Cousins, Vinnie is not that into sex. That's what ended his last relationship (which is seen in Love Me Like a Rock by Cousins). But when Vinnie meets Bryan he's immediately entranced. And it's as much about gender expression (again, no idea if that's the right terms) and Bryan's confidence in himself and willingness to be his own person that has Vinnie enthralled as any desire to sleep with him.
In Knit Tight by Annabeth Albert, Evren is similarly not that into sex. And while the book is told entirely in Brady's first person POV, it's interspersed with excerpts from Evren's knitting blog (hence the title). In the blog you can see the moments where Evren slowly falls in love with Brady, early on where Brady is the bright spot in a dark day, to when Evren releases his first knitwear pattern for kids because he's recently met some that are important (Brady is raising his younger siblings because their parents died in a car crash... this whole series is a Hallmark channel holiday movie), to when he finally admits the socks he's knitting are for a boyfriend, to when the boyfriend sweater curse is no longer relevant he finally knits Brady a husband sweater (seriously Hallmark-esque story).
Big emotions don't need to be loud or melodramatic. They can be slow and domestic, an iceberg hidden beneath the water. But they need to be there in a romance novel.
Also, this book supposedly wasn't about the characters being ace (or at least per the rec it wasn't), but that was the number one defining element to their lives. It made them friendless, lonely and empty people. In writing this, it's occurred to me that I don't particularly like lone cowboy books regardless of how the romance turns out. (I didn't like Blueberry Boys by Vanessa North or Nowhere Ranch by Heidi Cullinan as much as I wanted to either.)
I'm not sure I have a conclusion, other than that this book wasn't any of the things I was told it was, and I found it a slog to get through.
the_novel_approach's review
3.0
"I liked both Montgomery and Sam. I really got caught up in their stories, their personalities, what they both wanted for themselves, their fears and how they both hurt in different ways from their failed marriages. I also found Jethro Beauty, a Yavapai Indian, to be a very wise man, and Ms. Crosswell did an amazing job bringing these characters to life. I was so wrapped up in them, in fact, that I didn’t find myself getting too worried about the criminal aspect of the storyline. I came to the conclusion the story still worked with or without the crime. The one issue I had with Lone Star on a Cowboy Heart was the verbiage; otherwise, I thought there were some truly emotional moments in this story, in the way these two men were looking for what they needed—companionship and friendship."
Read Maryann's full review at The Novel Approach
Read Maryann's full review at The Novel Approach
lyriclorelei's review
emotional
lighthearted
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
It was a bit jarring everytime I remembered this is set in modern times, but cute.
lucyhargrave's review
3.0
Read the full review on Forget the Classics, I read romance
Firstly I need to thank Netgalley and Less Than Three Press Publishing for sending me an ARC copy of this book for review. When I saw Lone Star on a Cowboy Heart I was immediately drawn in by the beautiful cover, and when the blurb mentioned that one of the heroes was an asexual aromantic I had to read this book!
How do you review a romance book that doesn’t have a romance? Neither Sam nor Montgomery identify as gay or consider themselves to be sexually attracted to their own gender. From the beginning, it is clear that the relationship building between them isn’t a romantic one. In fact, the whole tone of Lone Star on a Cowboy Heart could put some readers off, as it isn’t one brimming with emotion. Montgomery, in particular, is a difficult character to read, even when you are in his head, and I struggled to connect with the writing style of this book. I kept being thrown out of the story due to a turn of phrase Marie Crosswell had used. Yet I kept reading because I was invested in these characters.
“They fall silent again for a long few minute, drinking their coffee, never looking at each other at the same time. The house is quiet, not even the sound of the wind against the wood or the windowpanes.”
I wanted to know what would happen between Montgomery and Sam...
Read the full review on Forget the Classics, I read romance
Firstly I need to thank Netgalley and Less Than Three Press Publishing for sending me an ARC copy of this book for review. When I saw Lone Star on a Cowboy Heart I was immediately drawn in by the beautiful cover, and when the blurb mentioned that one of the heroes was an asexual aromantic I had to read this book!
How do you review a romance book that doesn’t have a romance? Neither Sam nor Montgomery identify as gay or consider themselves to be sexually attracted to their own gender. From the beginning, it is clear that the relationship building between them isn’t a romantic one. In fact, the whole tone of Lone Star on a Cowboy Heart could put some readers off, as it isn’t one brimming with emotion. Montgomery, in particular, is a difficult character to read, even when you are in his head, and I struggled to connect with the writing style of this book. I kept being thrown out of the story due to a turn of phrase Marie Crosswell had used. Yet I kept reading because I was invested in these characters.
“They fall silent again for a long few minute, drinking their coffee, never looking at each other at the same time. The house is quiet, not even the sound of the wind against the wood or the windowpanes.”
I wanted to know what would happen between Montgomery and Sam...
Read the full review on Forget the Classics, I read romance
thequeerbookish's review
2.0
I was so excited to get this ARC, because it's the first aromantic book for me. Sadly it left me disappointed.
Montgomery is aromantic, so of course this book doesn't contain a romance between the two main characters. Instead it focusses on friendship, which was a nice change. But it didn't make me feel things (which is sad because friendship is so important).
Okay, I kinda lied. I did have feelings. Negative feelings, mainly annoyance. Sam has a thing with a female character, who he likes because - guess what - she is not like other woman. Which is bad enough on its own, but the reason why is apparently because they have some sort of friends with benefits thing going on. No other woman has ever done something like this before. Sex without love, scandalous. (I'm sorry but this is really bothering me.)
The police in this story is really incapable of... like, anything. Luckily Montgomery, who is not a cop, solves the case.
This story is a western, so of course there are horses. But the way the horses were described made me really uncomfortable. One horse has a masculine face. I felt like the animal was sexualized. Really, a masculine face? Maybe riders talk this way about their horses? So I asked someone who has ridden for her whole life and she felt the same bewilderment as I did.
Disclaimer: I received a free copy through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Thank you.
Montgomery is aromantic, so of course this book doesn't contain a romance between the two main characters. Instead it focusses on friendship, which was a nice change. But it didn't make me feel things (which is sad because friendship is so important).
Okay, I kinda lied. I did have feelings. Negative feelings, mainly annoyance. Sam has a thing with a female character, who he likes because - guess what - she is not like other woman. Which is bad enough on its own, but the reason why is apparently because they have some sort of friends with benefits thing going on. No other woman has ever done something like this before. Sex without love, scandalous. (I'm sorry but this is really bothering me.)
The police in this story is really incapable of... like, anything. Luckily Montgomery, who is not a cop, solves the case.
This story is a western, so of course there are horses. But the way the horses were described made me really uncomfortable. One horse has a masculine face. I felt like the animal was sexualized. Really, a masculine face? Maybe riders talk this way about their horses? So I asked someone who has ridden for her whole life and she felt the same bewilderment as I did.
Disclaimer: I received a free copy through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Thank you.
lejazzhotbaby's review
5.0
I received a free copy of this from NetGalley in return for an honest review.
Protagonist/s: 4/5
Love Interest/s: 4/5
World Building: 5/5
Plot: 4/5
Overall score 17/20 which is 5 stars.
I really loved this book. Everything about this book made me excited to read it and I love the fact the characters did show a different spectrum to sexuality then I come across in fiction.
This book has good characterisation, pretty writing, some really sweet relationships and a good plot. I only wish it had focused a little more on the crime in the plot. There are entire sections dedicated to it but it could have been a little longer and dealt with that more. That's my only complaint though.
If you're looking for an easy read, something that's adorable but will make you ache in all the right ways then read this.
Protagonist/s: 4/5
Love Interest/s: 4/5
World Building: 5/5
Plot: 4/5
Overall score 17/20 which is 5 stars.
I really loved this book. Everything about this book made me excited to read it and I love the fact the characters did show a different spectrum to sexuality then I come across in fiction.
This book has good characterisation, pretty writing, some really sweet relationships and a good plot. I only wish it had focused a little more on the crime in the plot. There are entire sections dedicated to it but it could have been a little longer and dealt with that more. That's my only complaint though.
If you're looking for an easy read, something that's adorable but will make you ache in all the right ways then read this.