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Cowboy Dreams
The right man for a longtime cowboy might be a city slicker.
Joe
I've been going into Max's Place for twenty years, but tonight's different. There's a stranger at the bar with city-fancy clothes, wide shoulders, and the face of a fallen angel. I'm just an ordinary cowhand. Being gay's the most noteworthy thing about me, so I don't expect much. But when his eyes light on mine and he invites me to ride in his classic '67 Mustang, I figure what the hell. If he's a serial killer, what a way to go. And if he's not, then a couple of my cowboy dreams might finally come true.
Sylvester
I grew up here in these Colorado foothills, but I haven't been back since I was ten. Now I've inherited my grandfather's neglected ranch, and I can't decide whether to sell it or stay. I stop in at the only gay bar in fifty miles, wondering if I can have a decent life as an out gay man in this county. And there coming in the door is the kind of tall, lean, working cowboy who pushes all my buttons. I don't know if Joe will be a reason to stay or a one night stand, but I'm going to have fun tonight.
Cowboy Dreams is a 36,000 word novella about two solitary men in their 40s figuring out how unexpectedly well they fit together, in bed and out of it.
**All royalties from this book through December 2025 will be donated bi-monthly to Nova Ukraine - a 501(c)(3) registered nonprofit organization dedicated to providing humanitarian aid to Ukraine**
Joe
I've been going into Max's Place for twenty years, but tonight's different. There's a stranger at the bar with city-fancy clothes, wide shoulders, and the face of a fallen angel. I'm just an ordinary cowhand. Being gay's the most noteworthy thing about me, so I don't expect much. But when his eyes light on mine and he invites me to ride in his classic '67 Mustang, I figure what the hell. If he's a serial killer, what a way to go. And if he's not, then a couple of my cowboy dreams might finally come true.
Sylvester
I grew up here in these Colorado foothills, but I haven't been back since I was ten. Now I've inherited my grandfather's neglected ranch, and I can't decide whether to sell it or stay. I stop in at the only gay bar in fifty miles, wondering if I can have a decent life as an out gay man in this county. And there coming in the door is the kind of tall, lean, working cowboy who pushes all my buttons. I don't know if Joe will be a reason to stay or a one night stand, but I'm going to have fun tonight.
Cowboy Dreams is a 36,000 word novella about two solitary men in their 40s figuring out how unexpectedly well they fit together, in bed and out of it.
**All royalties from this book through December 2025 will be donated bi-monthly to Nova Ukraine - a 501(c)(3) registered nonprofit organization dedicated to providing humanitarian aid to Ukraine**
129 pages, Kindle Edition
First published May 22, 2025
23 people are currently reading
136 people want to read
About the author
Kaje Harper
91 books2,730 followersI get asked about my name a lot. It's not something exotic, though. “Kaje” is pronounced just like “cage” – it’s an old nickname, and my pronouns are she/her/hers.
I was born in Montreal but have lived for 30 years in Minnesota, where the two seasons are Snow-removal and Road-repair, where the mosquito is the state bird, and where winter can be breathtakingly beautiful. Minnesota’s a kind, quiet (if sometimes chilly) place and it’s home.
I’ve been writing far longer than I care to admit (*whispers – fifty years*), mostly for my own entertainment, usually M/M romance (with added mystery, fantasy, historical, SciFi…) I also have a few Young Adult stories (some released under the pen name Kira Harp.)
My husband finally convinced me that after all the years of writing for fun, I really should submit something, somewhere. My first professionally published book, Life Lessons, came out from MLR Press in May 2011. I have a weakness for closeted cops with honest hearts, and teachers who speak their minds, and I had fun writing four novels and three freebie short stories in that series. I was delighted and encouraged by the reception Mac and Tony received.
I now have a good-sized backlist in ebooks and print, both free and professionally published. A complete list with links can be found on my website "Books" page at https://kajeharper.com/.
You can find me and my book reviews on my author page here on Goodreads - I hang out on Goodreads a lot because I moderate the Goodreads YA LGBT Books group. I also post free short YA stories on that group, more than 50 of them so far.
You can also find me on Facebook. https://www.facebook.com/KajeHarper
I was born in Montreal but have lived for 30 years in Minnesota, where the two seasons are Snow-removal and Road-repair, where the mosquito is the state bird, and where winter can be breathtakingly beautiful. Minnesota’s a kind, quiet (if sometimes chilly) place and it’s home.
I’ve been writing far longer than I care to admit (*whispers – fifty years*), mostly for my own entertainment, usually M/M romance (with added mystery, fantasy, historical, SciFi…) I also have a few Young Adult stories (some released under the pen name Kira Harp.)
My husband finally convinced me that after all the years of writing for fun, I really should submit something, somewhere. My first professionally published book, Life Lessons, came out from MLR Press in May 2011. I have a weakness for closeted cops with honest hearts, and teachers who speak their minds, and I had fun writing four novels and three freebie short stories in that series. I was delighted and encouraged by the reception Mac and Tony received.
I now have a good-sized backlist in ebooks and print, both free and professionally published. A complete list with links can be found on my website "Books" page at https://kajeharper.com/.
You can find me and my book reviews on my author page here on Goodreads - I hang out on Goodreads a lot because I moderate the Goodreads YA LGBT Books group. I also post free short YA stories on that group, more than 50 of them so far.
You can also find me on Facebook. https://www.facebook.com/KajeHarper
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January 1, 2026THANK YOU - I'll have a few more dollars from the last days of the year, but you folks helped me give $4,064.00 to Nova Ukraine in 2025. You folks are awesome! (*All royalties from this book through December 2025 will be donated bi-monthly to Nova Ukraine - a 501(c)(3) registered nonprofit organization dedicated to providing humanitarian aid to Ukraine*)
Now available wide: https://books2read.com/CowboyDreamsKaje
Now available wide: https://books2read.com/CowboyDreamsKaje
August 15, 2025
Despite the short length, this book had all the right elements: two well-rounded MCs (for some reason, I thought they were going to be older, but they’re in their forties…which I guess makes them ancient in m/m) with distinctive personalities and backgrounds, a decent plot, and the right amount of relationship development to make me confident the happy ending will stick long-term. The book starts on their first meeting and the timeline was set up in a way that made the progress of their relationship realistic without being rushed. I liked the setting and the characters so much that I would’ve liked to read a longer book about them, but this one is complete as it is.
June 25, 2025
B+ / 4.5 stars
Novellas are generally a bit hit and miss for me – they can feel rushed or too insubstantial – so I’m very selective about which ones I read. I enjoy Kaje Harper’s work, and she writes fabulous short stories which she posts on her Facebook page every Sunday, so I was pretty sure her new novella, Cowboy Dreams, would be a good bet. And it is. In under 130 pages, she’s crafted a rich and detailed story that was as satisfying to read as any full-length novel.
Forty-year-old ranch hand Joe McNeil generally heads to the local gay-friendly bar, Max’s Place, on a Saturday night to pick up and blow off some steam, like many of the other guys who frequent the place. They mostly know each other, so when Joe spots a new and very attractive face sitting at the bar, he decides to go for it and see what the guy is up for. While the guy brushes off Joe’s bungled attempt at a pick-up, they manage a couple of snarky exchanges before the stranger knocks back the last of his drink and leaves. Disappointed, Joe turns back to the bar as he listens to a powerful engine roaring its way out of the parking lot. The idea of picking someone up for a quick BJ in the back room doesn’t have quite the same appeal any more.
Joe knows it’s dumb, but he swings by Max’s a few times more than usual during the next week, drinking drinks he doesn’t really want, turning down a few offers and going home alone. He’s almost given up hope when he shows up on Saturday and there’s no handsome, broad-shouldered city-slicker sitting at the bar, and is on the verge of leaving - when he feels a prickling at the back of his neck and turns to see the guy heading straight towards him. This time, their snarky, flirty banter has the desired effect, and not too long after, the two men end up sweaty and sated, back at the old Circle K ranch which, Joe learned on the drive there, his city-slicker, Sylvester Georgiadis has inherited from his late grandfather. As they talk, Sylvester tells Joe that learning he was the owner of a ranch was a complete surprise; he’d left at the age of ten after his grandfather disowned his mother and hasn’t been back since. He’s here now to look at his options – and even though Joe says he’ll have little trouble selling it, Sylvester is seriously considering doing something with the place rather than selling up. He’s recently sold the hotel he had owned and run and has enough money to be able to take some time to work out what he wants to do next. And he thinks he might have found his next project - turning the run-down Circle K into a dude ranch.
A couple of spectacular orgasms and some conversation later, Sylvester realises that Joe could be exactly the guy he’s looking for, out of bed as well as in it. He knows the hospitality industry, but Joe knows the county and the ranch business and the local resources – plus he knows which of the local business are gay-friendly and which aren’t, and which of the hands they might employ will have no problem working for a gay guy at a gay-friendly venue. The more Sylvester thinks about it, the more convinced he is that Joe is exactly the right man for this job and suggests hiring him as a consultant. Joe expresses some doubts about his suitability and doesn’t immediately jump at the chance, but his cool head is one of the things Sylvester likes about him; Joe takes time to think things through and to come up with sensible, well thought-out responses, and he doesn’t take any crap – he can give as good as he gets.
Kaje Harper packs a lot into this novella, but in such a way that it doesn’t feel overstuffed or rushed. Joe and Sylvester are likeable, three dimensional characters with sizzling chemistry, and while their relationship evolves fairly quickly, it doesn’t feel like instalove. They hook up at the beginning of the book and keep on hooking up once they’ve established it’s what they both want (and that Joe isn’t Sylvester’s employee or subordinate), but their emotional connection develops more slowly as they get to know each other and come to realise that not only is the ranch project the fulfilment of a dream on both their parts, so is their desire to build a life and a future together. Joe is such a great guy; self-deprecating to a fault with a nice line in deadpan humour, and I loved the way Sylvester sees him so clearly, knowing that Joe’s view of himself as “ordinary” couldn’t be farther from the truth. Sylvester, the rich city boy who returns to the home he hasn’t been to for decades, is perhaps more of a stereotypical character, but he’s no less well defined or easy to like, and he and Joe are a great fit. The amount of detail given about setting up the dude ranch is enough to add a sense of authenticity without slowing things down, and the conflict in the story is external, with a couple of local bigots out to make trouble, but the homophobia isn’t overdone and feels fairly authentic to the setting of a small-town, fairly isolated community.
Cowboy Dreams is a warm, funny and tender love story about two guys in their forties who, given the chance to make their dreams come true, grab it and hang on to it with both hands. I loved it and am happy to recommend it – it’s a great way to while away a couple of hours on a lazy afternoon.
All royalties from this book through December 2025 will be donated bi-monthly toNova Ukraine - a registered nonprofit organization dedicated to providing humanitarian aid to Ukraine.
Novellas are generally a bit hit and miss for me – they can feel rushed or too insubstantial – so I’m very selective about which ones I read. I enjoy Kaje Harper’s work, and she writes fabulous short stories which she posts on her Facebook page every Sunday, so I was pretty sure her new novella, Cowboy Dreams, would be a good bet. And it is. In under 130 pages, she’s crafted a rich and detailed story that was as satisfying to read as any full-length novel.
Forty-year-old ranch hand Joe McNeil generally heads to the local gay-friendly bar, Max’s Place, on a Saturday night to pick up and blow off some steam, like many of the other guys who frequent the place. They mostly know each other, so when Joe spots a new and very attractive face sitting at the bar, he decides to go for it and see what the guy is up for. While the guy brushes off Joe’s bungled attempt at a pick-up, they manage a couple of snarky exchanges before the stranger knocks back the last of his drink and leaves. Disappointed, Joe turns back to the bar as he listens to a powerful engine roaring its way out of the parking lot. The idea of picking someone up for a quick BJ in the back room doesn’t have quite the same appeal any more.
Joe knows it’s dumb, but he swings by Max’s a few times more than usual during the next week, drinking drinks he doesn’t really want, turning down a few offers and going home alone. He’s almost given up hope when he shows up on Saturday and there’s no handsome, broad-shouldered city-slicker sitting at the bar, and is on the verge of leaving - when he feels a prickling at the back of his neck and turns to see the guy heading straight towards him. This time, their snarky, flirty banter has the desired effect, and not too long after, the two men end up sweaty and sated, back at the old Circle K ranch which, Joe learned on the drive there, his city-slicker, Sylvester Georgiadis has inherited from his late grandfather. As they talk, Sylvester tells Joe that learning he was the owner of a ranch was a complete surprise; he’d left at the age of ten after his grandfather disowned his mother and hasn’t been back since. He’s here now to look at his options – and even though Joe says he’ll have little trouble selling it, Sylvester is seriously considering doing something with the place rather than selling up. He’s recently sold the hotel he had owned and run and has enough money to be able to take some time to work out what he wants to do next. And he thinks he might have found his next project - turning the run-down Circle K into a dude ranch.
A couple of spectacular orgasms and some conversation later, Sylvester realises that Joe could be exactly the guy he’s looking for, out of bed as well as in it. He knows the hospitality industry, but Joe knows the county and the ranch business and the local resources – plus he knows which of the local business are gay-friendly and which aren’t, and which of the hands they might employ will have no problem working for a gay guy at a gay-friendly venue. The more Sylvester thinks about it, the more convinced he is that Joe is exactly the right man for this job and suggests hiring him as a consultant. Joe expresses some doubts about his suitability and doesn’t immediately jump at the chance, but his cool head is one of the things Sylvester likes about him; Joe takes time to think things through and to come up with sensible, well thought-out responses, and he doesn’t take any crap – he can give as good as he gets.
Kaje Harper packs a lot into this novella, but in such a way that it doesn’t feel overstuffed or rushed. Joe and Sylvester are likeable, three dimensional characters with sizzling chemistry, and while their relationship evolves fairly quickly, it doesn’t feel like instalove. They hook up at the beginning of the book and keep on hooking up once they’ve established it’s what they both want (and that Joe isn’t Sylvester’s employee or subordinate), but their emotional connection develops more slowly as they get to know each other and come to realise that not only is the ranch project the fulfilment of a dream on both their parts, so is their desire to build a life and a future together. Joe is such a great guy; self-deprecating to a fault with a nice line in deadpan humour, and I loved the way Sylvester sees him so clearly, knowing that Joe’s view of himself as “ordinary” couldn’t be farther from the truth. Sylvester, the rich city boy who returns to the home he hasn’t been to for decades, is perhaps more of a stereotypical character, but he’s no less well defined or easy to like, and he and Joe are a great fit. The amount of detail given about setting up the dude ranch is enough to add a sense of authenticity without slowing things down, and the conflict in the story is external, with a couple of local bigots out to make trouble, but the homophobia isn’t overdone and feels fairly authentic to the setting of a small-town, fairly isolated community.
Cowboy Dreams is a warm, funny and tender love story about two guys in their forties who, given the chance to make their dreams come true, grab it and hang on to it with both hands. I loved it and am happy to recommend it – it’s a great way to while away a couple of hours on a lazy afternoon.
All royalties from this book through December 2025 will be donated bi-monthly toNova Ukraine - a registered nonprofit organization dedicated to providing humanitarian aid to Ukraine.
December 30, 2025
Loved these two sexy cowboys!
Want to read
December 3, 2025Thank you to Tinker the Stinker Elf for the gift!
May 23, 2025
Safety info, content warnings and tropes down below.
This was completely okay. I don’t think this author’s writing works for me as I haven’t had much luck with their books, but that’s mostly just a me-thing.
I didn’t really feel any connection between these guys, which is where most of my issues with it stem from. It felt like Joe was a convenient hookup who could help Sylvester with his new business venture. I could (eventually) feel something more than lust from Joe towards Sylvester, but that didn’t happen the other way around, sadly.
The middle parts where this emotional connection should’ve been established was quite rushed, and the sex scenes weren’t great, so it didn’t happen there either.
I did enjoy the last quarter (ish) though, when there was some action and danger going on.
I was surprised by the amount of homophobia in this novella. I’ve read a lot of queer-normative books or just stories where there generally isn’t a lot of it lately, so I was surprised. Which is fine. The f slur wasn’t, tho. There’s so many ways to imply that it’s used. A book written in 2025 by anyone other than a gay man doesn’t need the f slur. I know many don’t care about that, though, so, whatever.
Blanket spoiler warning ⬇️
⚠️ Tropes & content tags ⚠️
Hookup to more
Cowboy
City boy
Men in their 40s
Small town
Financial differences
Opposites attract
Novella
⚠️ Content warning ⚠️
Reckless driving after drinking
Alcohol consumption
Mention of homophobic family (past, disowned)
Explicit sexual content
On-page homphobia and general bigotry
Mention of past pet loss
Power imbalance
Mention of death of parent (past)
Some details of addict parent — gambling and alcohol (past)
Homophobic slur
Hate crime (vandalism, arson)
Gun violence
Abuse of power (police)
⚠️Book safety ⚠️
Cheating: No
Other person drama: No
Breakup: No
POV: 1st person, dual
Genre: Contemporary romance
Pairing: M/M
Strict roles or versatile: Strict roles
Main characters’ age: 40 and 44
Series: Standalone
Kindle Unlimited: No
Pages: 130
Happy ending: Yes
I only highlighted three things and they were all making fun of weird sex scene writing, so no quotes, lol
You can find most of my reviews on Instagram as well: https://www.instagram.com/booksafety?...
This was completely okay. I don’t think this author’s writing works for me as I haven’t had much luck with their books, but that’s mostly just a me-thing.
I didn’t really feel any connection between these guys, which is where most of my issues with it stem from. It felt like Joe was a convenient hookup who could help Sylvester with his new business venture. I could (eventually) feel something more than lust from Joe towards Sylvester, but that didn’t happen the other way around, sadly.
The middle parts where this emotional connection should’ve been established was quite rushed, and the sex scenes weren’t great, so it didn’t happen there either.
I did enjoy the last quarter (ish) though, when there was some action and danger going on.
I was surprised by the amount of homophobia in this novella. I’ve read a lot of queer-normative books or just stories where there generally isn’t a lot of it lately, so I was surprised. Which is fine. The f slur wasn’t, tho. There’s so many ways to imply that it’s used. A book written in 2025 by anyone other than a gay man doesn’t need the f slur. I know many don’t care about that, though, so, whatever.
Blanket spoiler warning ⬇️
⚠️ Tropes & content tags ⚠️
Hookup to more
Cowboy
City boy
Men in their 40s
Small town
Financial differences
Opposites attract
Novella
⚠️ Content warning ⚠️
Reckless driving after drinking
Alcohol consumption
Mention of homophobic family (past, disowned)
Explicit sexual content
On-page homphobia and general bigotry
Mention of past pet loss
Power imbalance
Mention of death of parent (past)
Some details of addict parent — gambling and alcohol (past)
Homophobic slur
Hate crime (vandalism, arson)
Gun violence
Abuse of power (police)
⚠️Book safety ⚠️
Cheating: No
Other person drama: No
Breakup: No
POV: 1st person, dual
Genre: Contemporary romance
Pairing: M/M
Strict roles or versatile: Strict roles
Main characters’ age: 40 and 44
Series: Standalone
Kindle Unlimited: No
Pages: 130
Happy ending: Yes
I only highlighted three things and they were all making fun of weird sex scene writing, so no quotes, lol
You can find most of my reviews on Instagram as well: https://www.instagram.com/booksafety?...
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May 22, 2025I love a story with mature main characters and when one is a well seasoned cowboy and the other is a city slicker with dreams of creating a dude ranch on his family's property... well, it makes for great reading!
I love how they nurture each other, care beyond the bedroom and work on sharing a dream built on mutual respect and idividual strengths - I would have liked a glimpse several years into the future to see how things evolve at the ranch, but I like where this author takes the romantic relationship...
The drama and tension definitely come from external sources, but these characters seem to let little phase them while on their mission to build the life they both want.
I love how they nurture each other, care beyond the bedroom and work on sharing a dream built on mutual respect and idividual strengths - I would have liked a glimpse several years into the future to see how things evolve at the ranch, but I like where this author takes the romantic relationship...
The drama and tension definitely come from external sources, but these characters seem to let little phase them while on their mission to build the life they both want.
May 15, 2025
“I took a breath and said the words. “I love you. For the man inside this gorgeous hunk of cowboy. For your steady soul and your kind heart and your sharp mind. For the way you spar with me and hold your own, and the way you give me control when we both want that. For how safe I feel, how good, like I’m able to do anything when I’m with you. “We fit together, like…” “Like peanut butter and jelly?”
Lush!
I enjoyed this so much. So much was packed into six chapters it felt like you could have been reading a full-length book. It was authentic in a way where the homophobia didn’t feel like a ‘duh, duh, duuuh’ moment and felt real. Like exactly what you would expect to face in a small (minded) community.
The way that Sylvester and Joe meet, get together, and move through their relationship also felt very real. There were nerves, fear, trepidation, excitement, dreams shared, and eventually love. I guess it was insta-love because it was only six chapters but it didn’t feel that way. It wasn’t love at first sight. It was about two older men working together to build their relationship and their future while getting to know one another. It was super natural and very endearing.
Is there some sort of cowboy exception to the rule for drink driving in the US? Every cowboy book I’ve read, they always have a few whiskeys and then get in their car/truck/horse and drive off. This isn’t a criticism; it’s a genuine concern 😂
————-
I received an ARC of this from GRR, and this is my honest review.
Lush!
I enjoyed this so much. So much was packed into six chapters it felt like you could have been reading a full-length book. It was authentic in a way where the homophobia didn’t feel like a ‘duh, duh, duuuh’ moment and felt real. Like exactly what you would expect to face in a small (minded) community.
The way that Sylvester and Joe meet, get together, and move through their relationship also felt very real. There were nerves, fear, trepidation, excitement, dreams shared, and eventually love. I guess it was insta-love because it was only six chapters but it didn’t feel that way. It wasn’t love at first sight. It was about two older men working together to build their relationship and their future while getting to know one another. It was super natural and very endearing.
Is there some sort of cowboy exception to the rule for drink driving in the US? Every cowboy book I’ve read, they always have a few whiskeys and then get in their car/truck/horse and drive off. This isn’t a criticism; it’s a genuine concern 😂
————-
I received an ARC of this from GRR, and this is my honest review.
October 25, 2025
3.5 stars
100ish pages, a short novella.
what i liked:
- older mcs in their 40s
- the story pace and setting
what i disliked:
- the abrupt ending (why? another chapter wrapping up everything would’ve been nice!)
100ish pages, a short novella.
what i liked:
- older mcs in their 40s
- the story pace and setting
what i disliked:
- the abrupt ending (why? another chapter wrapping up everything would’ve been nice!)
June 5, 2025
A bit sex heavy for a novella (for my taste anyway). But I liked both MCs - and how they were both in their 40s - I liked how they connect and I liked the nitty gritty (though short) about building a dude ranch.
May 21, 2025
This was really cute. If you like that "came back after many years to make this place my home again" trope, or the "strangers to friends to lovers" trope, or a good staging of a remodel, this is very much a book for you. I feel like I went through it so fast, I was kind of shocked at myself when I saw the book was over. I definitely enjoyed it
Also, from release and until december the book will be donating to charity, which is also really neat
Also, from release and until december the book will be donating to charity, which is also really neat
May 17, 2025
This was my first book by Kaje Harper and the first thought I have is how am I discovering this absolutely brilliant author just now! She wrote an addictive story.. literally could not put it down.
The book flows so smoothly, capturing Joe and Sylvester’s love perfectly. Their journey to an HEA is not an easy one and this novella packs a lot in - chemistry, heat, peril, building emotions, the gentle fall into love.
Sylvester is looking for a new project, he’s quintessentially city though and his mind isn’t made up on the back of beyond town of his childhood he finds himself serendipitously in, inheriting a ranch from a relative he doesn’t have too many fond memories of. Running into salt of the earth out and proud Joe is stroke of luck in more ways than one. Joe who gives substance to long forgotten dreams, Joe whom he is so attracted to, who fits his dynamic perfectly but is also someone who he wants as a true partner.
Joe is skeptical and gun shy in the beginning but there is something magical building between the two and they explore that. Set in a small town, it isn’t exactly the most accepting of places and there are bigots and villains who would do them true harm. I loved the way Harper lays out these moments of helplessness and danger, of taking their power back but also of dealing with the emotional aftermath together.
I am truly blown away by the author’s writing and I will be checking out more books by her for sure.
Quotes:
“You don’t need to kiss me to get me to suck you off.” Not sure why I was mad, but maybe because it made me want things. Made this seem like more than it was. He caught my jaw with one hand. “Tell me you didn’t like it.”
You’re not ordinary, Joe. Not one little bit. You’re amazing.”
from the moment he met my eyes and came out with that lame pick-up line, something deep inside me sat up and said, “I want! That one.”
The book flows so smoothly, capturing Joe and Sylvester’s love perfectly. Their journey to an HEA is not an easy one and this novella packs a lot in - chemistry, heat, peril, building emotions, the gentle fall into love.
Sylvester is looking for a new project, he’s quintessentially city though and his mind isn’t made up on the back of beyond town of his childhood he finds himself serendipitously in, inheriting a ranch from a relative he doesn’t have too many fond memories of. Running into salt of the earth out and proud Joe is stroke of luck in more ways than one. Joe who gives substance to long forgotten dreams, Joe whom he is so attracted to, who fits his dynamic perfectly but is also someone who he wants as a true partner.
Joe is skeptical and gun shy in the beginning but there is something magical building between the two and they explore that. Set in a small town, it isn’t exactly the most accepting of places and there are bigots and villains who would do them true harm. I loved the way Harper lays out these moments of helplessness and danger, of taking their power back but also of dealing with the emotional aftermath together.
I am truly blown away by the author’s writing and I will be checking out more books by her for sure.
Quotes:
“You don’t need to kiss me to get me to suck you off.” Not sure why I was mad, but maybe because it made me want things. Made this seem like more than it was. He caught my jaw with one hand. “Tell me you didn’t like it.”
You’re not ordinary, Joe. Not one little bit. You’re amazing.”
from the moment he met my eyes and came out with that lame pick-up line, something deep inside me sat up and said, “I want! That one.”
June 13, 2025
Reading Updates
5% 3 shots of whisky and you drive away from the bar. That's a thumbs down from me already.
15% Okay, wasn't expecting that (butt plug) 😳
Finished.
Overall I enjoyed this. It has older MCs (40 plus) which I appreciate. Including aches, pains and imperfections that goes along with getting older.
I don't know if it's a culture thing but the whole drinking and driving thing grinds my gears. It's just so selfish. As I say I'm sure it's cultural but, through my British lens where I consider anyone who drinks and drives to be a complete twat, it doesn't paint the MCs in the best light.
Also for me the butt plug scene felt out of whack to the rest of the story.
But I liked both MCs and the gentle development of the relationship from fuckbuddies to the 'I Love You's. The villians of the piece were telegraphed ahead of time, but that's not a bad thing in a romance. I like to know where the threat is coming from.
I know it was a novella but I was still surprised when the story ended. I'd have liked a bit more.
5% 3 shots of whisky and you drive away from the bar. That's a thumbs down from me already.
15% Okay, wasn't expecting that (butt plug) 😳
Finished.
Overall I enjoyed this. It has older MCs (40 plus) which I appreciate. Including aches, pains and imperfections that goes along with getting older.
I don't know if it's a culture thing but the whole drinking and driving thing grinds my gears. It's just so selfish. As I say I'm sure it's cultural but, through my British lens where I consider anyone who drinks and drives to be a complete twat, it doesn't paint the MCs in the best light.
Also for me the butt plug scene felt out of whack to the rest of the story.
But I liked both MCs and the gentle development of the relationship from fuckbuddies to the 'I Love You's. The villians of the piece were telegraphed ahead of time, but that's not a bad thing in a romance. I like to know where the threat is coming from.
I know it was a novella but I was still surprised when the story ended. I'd have liked a bit more.
May 22, 2025
Joe McNeil, now in his forties, has been working on ranches most of his life. He’s single, somewhat of a loner and just a regular cowboy. He knows people but none are a true friend. Some people might have good things to say about him and some don’t. After a hard days work he can be found at the usual stop, Max’s. If you go to Max’s it’s risky as some are quick to place you as homosexual. After all it is the only gay bar for miles around. But the locals who go there don’t seem to judge. On occasion, Joe does hook-up with someone and that seems to work for him. It’s a choice to head for the bars back room or other plans.
One evening he spies a stranger at Max’s. He uses a corny pick-up line on the “city boy”, Sylvester Georgiadis. Sylvester isn’t sure he fits in the small town life. He had a good and prosperous life owning and managing a hotel, thanks to his mom and especially Cassie. Cassie took over her father’s hotel when he retired. When Cassie and his mom decided to travel he took over the hotel. He sold the hotel to a high-end chain that gave him time for planning.
Circle K was owned by his now deceased grandfather Pascal. Sylvester inherited it, but it sat for two to three years, because he was hard to locate. He had good memories and bad of the Circle K ranch. He and his mother stayed there until he was ten and his grandfather kicked them out. He hadn’t seen his grandfather for thirty years. It was a shock to him that his grandfather left him the Circle K.
When Sylvester and Joe become friends, Sylvester sees something in Joe. Joe has lot’s of ranch experience and gives Sylvester some very needed advice. There are times when Joe feels unsure about what’s happening between him and Sylvester. Could a one-night-stand turn out to be big dreams for two delightful souls?
Kaje Harper creates a wonderful, heart warming story, with “Cowboy Dreams”. There are important issues that come out in this tale. The author especially introduces two characters that I really like. Joe and Sylvester are both in their early forties and pretty much settled in their lives. They are total opposites but it doesn’t effect the friendship that starts to grow between them. They also bring their different ideas together to share in a growing ranch and a relationship. For Sylvester he has a really big decision to make. Joe could only dream of what could be done with the ranch if he had the funds. Not everything is easy, especially when they have to deal with those who are homophobic. With the renovation of the Circle K it would benefit the small town even those who aren’t very accepting of gays.
I highly recommend “Cowboy Dreams”, it’s a quick read but filled with emotions, love, humor, a touch of trouble and very steamy moments. Kaje Harper has been around for a long time and has a unique line-up of stories. It’s been a while since I read a cowboy story and this was entertaining and pulled at the heart strings. I hope Kaje Harper will do another cowboy story!
One evening he spies a stranger at Max’s. He uses a corny pick-up line on the “city boy”, Sylvester Georgiadis. Sylvester isn’t sure he fits in the small town life. He had a good and prosperous life owning and managing a hotel, thanks to his mom and especially Cassie. Cassie took over her father’s hotel when he retired. When Cassie and his mom decided to travel he took over the hotel. He sold the hotel to a high-end chain that gave him time for planning.
Circle K was owned by his now deceased grandfather Pascal. Sylvester inherited it, but it sat for two to three years, because he was hard to locate. He had good memories and bad of the Circle K ranch. He and his mother stayed there until he was ten and his grandfather kicked them out. He hadn’t seen his grandfather for thirty years. It was a shock to him that his grandfather left him the Circle K.
When Sylvester and Joe become friends, Sylvester sees something in Joe. Joe has lot’s of ranch experience and gives Sylvester some very needed advice. There are times when Joe feels unsure about what’s happening between him and Sylvester. Could a one-night-stand turn out to be big dreams for two delightful souls?
Kaje Harper creates a wonderful, heart warming story, with “Cowboy Dreams”. There are important issues that come out in this tale. The author especially introduces two characters that I really like. Joe and Sylvester are both in their early forties and pretty much settled in their lives. They are total opposites but it doesn’t effect the friendship that starts to grow between them. They also bring their different ideas together to share in a growing ranch and a relationship. For Sylvester he has a really big decision to make. Joe could only dream of what could be done with the ranch if he had the funds. Not everything is easy, especially when they have to deal with those who are homophobic. With the renovation of the Circle K it would benefit the small town even those who aren’t very accepting of gays.
I highly recommend “Cowboy Dreams”, it’s a quick read but filled with emotions, love, humor, a touch of trouble and very steamy moments. Kaje Harper has been around for a long time and has a unique line-up of stories. It’s been a while since I read a cowboy story and this was entertaining and pulled at the heart strings. I hope Kaje Harper will do another cowboy story!
May 23, 2025
DREAMS COMING TRUE
Cowboys are dreamers. Dreams for the health of their lively hood, cattle, horses, dogs, chickens and barn cats. It's an isolating job. Running a successful Ranch has a lot of variables. Joe is a small town Cowboy. It's all he knows. Sylvester is a rich entrepreneur. He has a plan, now he needs a trust worthy consultant to learn what he needs from the ground up. Joe and Sylvester are an odd couple and the perfect fit for each other. You can count on KAJE HARPER to give you a short story packed full of goodness. This Book is absolutely FANTASTIC. I HIGHLY RECOMMEND THIS BOOK!!!!!!!!!!
Cowboys are dreamers. Dreams for the health of their lively hood, cattle, horses, dogs, chickens and barn cats. It's an isolating job. Running a successful Ranch has a lot of variables. Joe is a small town Cowboy. It's all he knows. Sylvester is a rich entrepreneur. He has a plan, now he needs a trust worthy consultant to learn what he needs from the ground up. Joe and Sylvester are an odd couple and the perfect fit for each other. You can count on KAJE HARPER to give you a short story packed full of goodness. This Book is absolutely FANTASTIC. I HIGHLY RECOMMEND THIS BOOK!!!!!!!!!!
May 29, 2025
A good shorter read with two very likable, more mature men in their 40s. A fairly typical poor country/rich city men combination, although they were both eager to see the best in each other instead of being remotely critical. There is enough depth despite the shorter length to really enjoy the characters. Kudos to the author for setting this up for charity after the planned anthology fell through.
Read
June 26, 20251.5 Stars
May 16, 2025
**I was provided an electronic ARC through GayRomanceReviews.**
Kaje Harper raises funds for Ukraine with her MM cowboy romance novella, Cowboy Dreams. Joe is immediately intrigued by Sylvester when he sees the city boy in the only gay bar for miles. The 67 Mustang parked outside that belongs to Sylvester doesn't hurt the situation either. Joe is a simple cowboy. It raises a lot of disbelief that they could be more than a hook-up. But Sylvester has big dreams about a ranch he has inherited, and Joe could be the key to making them come true.
Harper balances the spicy with the more practical aspects of the story, prioritizing respect between Joe and Sylvester despite their banter and their differences. Even though things do move fast within this novella, Harper somehow makes the development seem reasonable while avoiding the worst of the traps associated with instalust.
I was overall quite pleased with this story and am very much eager to read more from Harper.
Kaje Harper raises funds for Ukraine with her MM cowboy romance novella, Cowboy Dreams. Joe is immediately intrigued by Sylvester when he sees the city boy in the only gay bar for miles. The 67 Mustang parked outside that belongs to Sylvester doesn't hurt the situation either. Joe is a simple cowboy. It raises a lot of disbelief that they could be more than a hook-up. But Sylvester has big dreams about a ranch he has inherited, and Joe could be the key to making them come true.
Harper balances the spicy with the more practical aspects of the story, prioritizing respect between Joe and Sylvester despite their banter and their differences. Even though things do move fast within this novella, Harper somehow makes the development seem reasonable while avoiding the worst of the traps associated with instalust.
I was overall quite pleased with this story and am very much eager to read more from Harper.
May 30, 2025
Enjoyed this one.
May 25, 2025
I fell hard and fast for this story, with these two guys. I grew up around cowboys, and I salute the author for getting that life right via Joe. And, for giving the city slicker the kind of knowledge he'd need for his idea. (So many authors toss characters into professions without research, and my anxieity just hates that.)
I was all in just ten percent into the story, and the ending is perfect.
I was all in just ten percent into the story, and the ending is perfect.
May 19, 2025
I loved the first scene/inspiration for this novella when I read it on Kaje’s FB page (the author does Sunday Stories/posts a new short story every week on FB, a real treat), and I’m happy to say the novella developed from it delivered a wonderful, memorable reading experience.
I adore cowboys and horses, so, was already inclined to love the full story. And I did! No notes ha ha. Well, okay, MC Joe is a little too forthright about his sexual history in the area for me, I did not need all that in my head, but, aren’t we all used to Me by now?! And this story is entirely safe for me anyway. These two see each other at the local gay bar, and it’s game on, though they have a nice, slow start for a novella-length story. Their hookups turn to Something More as they go, but they’re into each other from that first snarky exchange, and it felt organic and lovely.
MC Sylvester is a city boy, new yet not truly new to town as he’d lived in the area till he was 10, who has inherited his grandfather’s ranch and is soul searching for what to do with it. He’s got a strong idea, but needs some help...
MC Joe is a local cowboy who has a steady job on a nearby ranch, a life of casual hookups at the gay local, and a knowledge of how to run a ranch as well as who to avoid on the homophobe front in the area.
They meet in the bar and bond over Sylvester’s classic Mustang, and it’s clear from their chemistry and banter that they’ve got an unusual connection. Luckily neither is inclined to shy away from their strong draw to each other. Their relationship could have felt too fast, but it just...doesn’t. Respect and communication and human foibles and strong, clear moral codes combine into a wonderful romance that I enjoyed all the way. Oh, and, these are grownups ages 40 and 44.
There is drama from homophobic characters, in case that is a trigger for anyone, and it is resolved very well and satisfactorily. I cheered!
HEA for the future, these two are #endgame. Two strangers meet in a bar. Cowboy–city boy dynamic. No others in any way in the timeline of the book. Highly recommended, as is almost all the author’s work, Kaje is a terrific storyteller.
My thanks to Gay Romance Reviews for the ARC; this is my free and impartial opinion. More please Kaje!
I adore cowboys and horses, so, was already inclined to love the full story. And I did! No notes ha ha. Well, okay, MC Joe is a little too forthright about his sexual history in the area for me, I did not need all that in my head, but, aren’t we all used to Me by now?! And this story is entirely safe for me anyway. These two see each other at the local gay bar, and it’s game on, though they have a nice, slow start for a novella-length story. Their hookups turn to Something More as they go, but they’re into each other from that first snarky exchange, and it felt organic and lovely.
MC Sylvester is a city boy, new yet not truly new to town as he’d lived in the area till he was 10, who has inherited his grandfather’s ranch and is soul searching for what to do with it. He’s got a strong idea, but needs some help...
MC Joe is a local cowboy who has a steady job on a nearby ranch, a life of casual hookups at the gay local, and a knowledge of how to run a ranch as well as who to avoid on the homophobe front in the area.
They meet in the bar and bond over Sylvester’s classic Mustang, and it’s clear from their chemistry and banter that they’ve got an unusual connection. Luckily neither is inclined to shy away from their strong draw to each other. Their relationship could have felt too fast, but it just...doesn’t. Respect and communication and human foibles and strong, clear moral codes combine into a wonderful romance that I enjoyed all the way. Oh, and, these are grownups ages 40 and 44.
There is drama from homophobic characters, in case that is a trigger for anyone, and it is resolved very well and satisfactorily. I cheered!
HEA for the future, these two are #endgame. Two strangers meet in a bar. Cowboy–city boy dynamic. No others in any way in the timeline of the book. Highly recommended, as is almost all the author’s work, Kaje is a terrific storyteller.
My thanks to Gay Romance Reviews for the ARC; this is my free and impartial opinion. More please Kaje!
May 22, 2025
An older cowboy finds his forever home
I was super excited to get a hold of Kaje’s new novella awhile back and I can’t wait to share with you how much I loved it!
I’ll start with Joe. I get Joe. He’s been doing the same thing over and over again. He’s got a good life and low expectations on the happiness scale. Getting laid is good enough. Then the man of his dreams walks into the gay bar and propositions him.
Joe figures, what the hell?
I get that. Why not take a chance on the guy with the mustang? If he’s a serial killer, well, it’ll have been an interesting ride.
Spoiler alert – Sylvester’s not a serial killer.
What he is, though, is a guy at loose ends. He’s inherited a ranch from his grandfather and he can’t figure out whether to sell or live his cowboy dream. He’s been a city slicker for about thirty years, but his heart’s always been on the ranch.
So Joe and Sylvester hook up. Only both think they’re looking for something and wind up with something completely different. Neither saw the other coming, but as they become more involved, neither quite knows how this will end.
I love stories like this. Yeah, it’s a bit of instalove. That happens in real life – you meet the person you’re meant to be with and you sort of stop looking because, well, they’re THE ONE.
Life’s not always easy for a gay cowboy, though. Joe and Sylvester have some shit to muck through before they can settle on forever. But, with strength from the other, they manage.
As always, Kaje’s storytelling is vivid. I could picture the ranch. Could see Joe riding on his horse. See Sylvester by the barn. Just two guys wanting to make a future.
Together.
I highly recommend the story and royalties for 2025 are going to a good charity, so you really can’t go wrong picking up this great story. You’ll be glad you did. And, finally, I have to say the cover is amazing – exactly how I pictured Joe…
I was super excited to get a hold of Kaje’s new novella awhile back and I can’t wait to share with you how much I loved it!
I’ll start with Joe. I get Joe. He’s been doing the same thing over and over again. He’s got a good life and low expectations on the happiness scale. Getting laid is good enough. Then the man of his dreams walks into the gay bar and propositions him.
Joe figures, what the hell?
I get that. Why not take a chance on the guy with the mustang? If he’s a serial killer, well, it’ll have been an interesting ride.
Spoiler alert – Sylvester’s not a serial killer.
What he is, though, is a guy at loose ends. He’s inherited a ranch from his grandfather and he can’t figure out whether to sell or live his cowboy dream. He’s been a city slicker for about thirty years, but his heart’s always been on the ranch.
So Joe and Sylvester hook up. Only both think they’re looking for something and wind up with something completely different. Neither saw the other coming, but as they become more involved, neither quite knows how this will end.
I love stories like this. Yeah, it’s a bit of instalove. That happens in real life – you meet the person you’re meant to be with and you sort of stop looking because, well, they’re THE ONE.
Life’s not always easy for a gay cowboy, though. Joe and Sylvester have some shit to muck through before they can settle on forever. But, with strength from the other, they manage.
As always, Kaje’s storytelling is vivid. I could picture the ranch. Could see Joe riding on his horse. See Sylvester by the barn. Just two guys wanting to make a future.
Together.
I highly recommend the story and royalties for 2025 are going to a good charity, so you really can’t go wrong picking up this great story. You’ll be glad you did. And, finally, I have to say the cover is amazing – exactly how I pictured Joe…
June 3, 2025
Solid 3.5 stars! I picked this one up because I had really liked a previous book from this author, and decided to branch out into a genre that can get a little hit or miss for me (cowboys). I have to say, I'm overall glad I did!
Joe and Sylvester were a very interesting couple, with Sylvester being back to take over his grandfather's ranch and meeting Joe at the one gay bar for fifty miles. After a sexy encounter, Sylvester has a business proposition for Joe, who has spent his whole life feeling like he isn't anything special and no one wanting to keep him.
I have to say, this novella could have stood with a few more pages to help establish who the characters were, especially Sylvester. As the book went on I really got to know Joe, but Sylvester felt kind of one-note for the whole story, even though we do get some of the story from his point of view. It made it a little hard to get fully invested, even though I did get there (even if it was largely for Joe's sake). Things also moved a little fast in the romance front for me personally, but as I am not an insta-love kind of person this is the risk I take reading novellas.
All that said, I did enjoy the overall story, and the relationship that did develop between Joe and Sylvester. I would have liked things to be a bit more fleshed out, but I think that the author did a good job with the short story.
CW: sexual content, homophobia, minor violence
Joe and Sylvester were a very interesting couple, with Sylvester being back to take over his grandfather's ranch and meeting Joe at the one gay bar for fifty miles. After a sexy encounter, Sylvester has a business proposition for Joe, who has spent his whole life feeling like he isn't anything special and no one wanting to keep him.
I have to say, this novella could have stood with a few more pages to help establish who the characters were, especially Sylvester. As the book went on I really got to know Joe, but Sylvester felt kind of one-note for the whole story, even though we do get some of the story from his point of view. It made it a little hard to get fully invested, even though I did get there (even if it was largely for Joe's sake). Things also moved a little fast in the romance front for me personally, but as I am not an insta-love kind of person this is the risk I take reading novellas.
All that said, I did enjoy the overall story, and the relationship that did develop between Joe and Sylvester. I would have liked things to be a bit more fleshed out, but I think that the author did a good job with the short story.
CW: sexual content, homophobia, minor violence
May 25, 2025
I would like to thank GRR for the opportunity to read and review this ARC.
ahhhh i wish this was 789623 pages longer because this was so very scrumptious and i could not get enough of it! Swooning over cowboys is something both Sylvester and I have love for! And Joe sure was the denim clad dream-come-true for the both us lol!
And even though i could have kept reading this story into 2026, this novella was still satisfying and fully immersive despite the lighter word count. I was IN THIS from start to finish, and i was smushy for Sylvester and Joe's attraction for each other. They were a sexy sweet couple, and i loved how from their first night together this read emotionally deeper than the typical "hooked on a hookup" headspace small-town romances tend to flex.
Harper's Cowboy Dreams was a lovely and earnest romance that read like a dream to me. And while bigotry in the sticks always makes me roll my eyes, this beautiful story was more focused on rebuilding a childhood dream and falling in love with the man who helps make it come true!
and yes absolutely, i swooned so hard i'm still sighing a day later.
ahhhh i wish this was 789623 pages longer because this was so very scrumptious and i could not get enough of it! Swooning over cowboys is something both Sylvester and I have love for! And Joe sure was the denim clad dream-come-true for the both us lol!
And even though i could have kept reading this story into 2026, this novella was still satisfying and fully immersive despite the lighter word count. I was IN THIS from start to finish, and i was smushy for Sylvester and Joe's attraction for each other. They were a sexy sweet couple, and i loved how from their first night together this read emotionally deeper than the typical "hooked on a hookup" headspace small-town romances tend to flex.
Harper's Cowboy Dreams was a lovely and earnest romance that read like a dream to me. And while bigotry in the sticks always makes me roll my eyes, this beautiful story was more focused on rebuilding a childhood dream and falling in love with the man who helps make it come true!
and yes absolutely, i swooned so hard i'm still sighing a day later.
September 23, 2025
Although Sylvester left his grandfather's ranch at the age of 10, he inherits the ranch. It is starting to fall down but he has a dream of making it a dude ranch. Meeting Joe in the only gay bar in town, Joe gets in invite to ride in his Mustang after their second meeting. Joe goes and stays the night where Sylvester asks for his opinion on a dude ranch. Joe starts to explain what he'll need to do to make the ranch safe. Sylvester asks Joe to help him. Will Joe? Will their partnership be only on the dude ranch or will it be more?
I enjoyed this story. I loved the men. Sylvester may be a city slicker, but he knows his way around a ranch. Joe works on a neighboring ranch but, with winter coming on, he has more time to help Sylvester with the dude ranch. They do run into some homophobia around town, but most of the people are happy for the work and the new taxes coming into town. When trouble comes to the ranch, I liked how Joe and Sylvester handle it. They could have made more trouble for themselves, but they let the law handle it.
I look forward to reading more by Kaje Harper.
I enjoyed this story. I loved the men. Sylvester may be a city slicker, but he knows his way around a ranch. Joe works on a neighboring ranch but, with winter coming on, he has more time to help Sylvester with the dude ranch. They do run into some homophobia around town, but most of the people are happy for the work and the new taxes coming into town. When trouble comes to the ranch, I liked how Joe and Sylvester handle it. They could have made more trouble for themselves, but they let the law handle it.
I look forward to reading more by Kaje Harper.
May 29, 2025
4.25 stars!
This was a sweet romance between two snarky 40-something guys—Joe a local cowboy with an ALLEGEDLY sexy farmer’s tan and Sylvester, a retired hotel owner city boy who had dreams of starting a dude ranch on his deceased grandfather’s property.
These guys were a riot! All the sniping and snarking…I laughed so hard with all their flirting, especially at Murgatroyd Bumblegarden the name bestowed upon Sylvester when he jokingly refused to give Joe his name…I loved it!
It wasn’t all sh*ts and giggles though; the book also contained a homophobic sheriffs deputy and his family member who were both out to make life miserable for our two MCs though thankfully Joe and Syl didn’t let them win.
Written as a charitable contribution to raise money for the folks in the Ukraine, this was a low/no angst read with an extremely satisfying ending that really needs to be read to be appreciated. 4.25 stars!
I received a copy of this book for free from GRR but am voluntarily leaving a review.
This was a sweet romance between two snarky 40-something guys—Joe a local cowboy with an ALLEGEDLY sexy farmer’s tan and Sylvester, a retired hotel owner city boy who had dreams of starting a dude ranch on his deceased grandfather’s property.
These guys were a riot! All the sniping and snarking…I laughed so hard with all their flirting, especially at Murgatroyd Bumblegarden the name bestowed upon Sylvester when he jokingly refused to give Joe his name…I loved it!
It wasn’t all sh*ts and giggles though; the book also contained a homophobic sheriffs deputy and his family member who were both out to make life miserable for our two MCs though thankfully Joe and Syl didn’t let them win.
Written as a charitable contribution to raise money for the folks in the Ukraine, this was a low/no angst read with an extremely satisfying ending that really needs to be read to be appreciated. 4.25 stars!
I received a copy of this book for free from GRR but am voluntarily leaving a review.
May 30, 2025
4.25*s
Cowboy Dreams starts with all the steam as Joe and Sylvester pick each other up at the bar but they feel a connection that with time and closeness eventually develops into something deeper. There is a bit of an insta-love thing going on but it’s to be expected in a shorter story.
I do kinda wish this one had been a full novel because I really liked these two. I liked them as people and I liked the idea of them as a couple, so I wanted to see even more of their time together as they grew closer. But for a novella I’m still satisfied – it has feels, it has heat, and it has a satisfying (if not quite complete) HEA.
Harper is a new author for me but this won’t be my last read. Her characters are interesting, the story flows well, and the writing is smooth, feels real, and has a good mix of feels & heat. Hopefully, we come back to the Circle K so we can get an update on these two but regardless I’ll be keeping an eye out for more.
**I voluntarily read and reviewed a complimentary copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.**
Cowboy Dreams starts with all the steam as Joe and Sylvester pick each other up at the bar but they feel a connection that with time and closeness eventually develops into something deeper. There is a bit of an insta-love thing going on but it’s to be expected in a shorter story.
I do kinda wish this one had been a full novel because I really liked these two. I liked them as people and I liked the idea of them as a couple, so I wanted to see even more of their time together as they grew closer. But for a novella I’m still satisfied – it has feels, it has heat, and it has a satisfying (if not quite complete) HEA.
Harper is a new author for me but this won’t be my last read. Her characters are interesting, the story flows well, and the writing is smooth, feels real, and has a good mix of feels & heat. Hopefully, we come back to the Circle K so we can get an update on these two but regardless I’ll be keeping an eye out for more.
**I voluntarily read and reviewed a complimentary copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.**
June 4, 2025
It's time to go home again! Sylvester returned to town because he inherited his GrandPa's ranch. He's unsure of his plans, but he has big dreams. He doesn't know if the town will accept him as a gay man. Joe, thought he was experiencing just another night at the bar, when he meets Sylvester to whom he is immediately attracted and willing to spend some time with. Sylvester, pursues his dreams for the ranch, but he needs subject matter expert help. Joe, is willing to provide ranching background experties. You wouldn't think city boy and country boy would have much in common, but they fit like perfect puzzle pieces. Their conversation is keep on your toes funny and the descriptions of their lives, keep the reader riveted. Sylvester and Joe each drag a bit of baggage from their pasts, but they are ready to see the reality of their lives. Great story, I really wish it was longer and we could spend more time with these me, it would be worth it. Nicely done. I received an ARC and am voluntarily leaving a review.
June 14, 2025
“I think we could be a good thing. Out there and here in bed, while we figure out if the ranch is going to fly. By the time I’m hiring hands, we’ll know if… this perfect fit, in and out of bed, is something that’s going to last. If maybe consultant could be expanded to something full time, long-term. I spent the past year making big decisions by myself... I’m tired of that. Really tired. I can probably run the ranch alone, once it’s going, but God, I’d love to have someone I could trust at my side.”
'I took a sharp breath through my teeth, because I suddenly wanted that, more than I’d wanted anything in my life... Getting closer, figuring each other out. A life. A place to belong. A man.'
I enjoyed this book. It was a fun, quick read. Joe and Sylvester have immediate chemistry and I liked the banter between them. That first meeting, both were opposites, yet were so drawn to each other and I liked the pacing. I soon got emotionally invested in who they were and how well they suited each other. The hope there and the longing, and some vulnerability, too. 4 stars
'I took a sharp breath through my teeth, because I suddenly wanted that, more than I’d wanted anything in my life... Getting closer, figuring each other out. A life. A place to belong. A man.'
I enjoyed this book. It was a fun, quick read. Joe and Sylvester have immediate chemistry and I liked the banter between them. That first meeting, both were opposites, yet were so drawn to each other and I liked the pacing. I soon got emotionally invested in who they were and how well they suited each other. The hope there and the longing, and some vulnerability, too. 4 stars
October 1, 2025
Joe's a queer cowboy, and everybody in his county of Colorado knows. He's also known as a hard worker and dependable guy, one who knows his stuff. As long as he's quiet and doesn't make waves, he's accepted. One night he's having a drink at the only gay bar in area, when he spots a beautiful man, clearly a city man, walk in. The pair flirt amusingly, if a bit awkward, before they go their own ways.
A week later, Sylvester returns to the bar and picks up Joe. Turns out he's inherited his grandfathers' large estate and is considering converting it into a dude ranch of sorts, but needs some practical know-how in doing so. This all sets off their deepening relationship, but also draws the ire of the local homophobes, including a cop who harasses them both.
Verdict: A bit thinly veiled porn. The first meeting was kind of cute, the second was heavy on the sex and the sex scenes (there was more than one) were longer than needed for a novella. Characters were developed well but the ending felt a bit abrupt.
2.5 stars
A week later, Sylvester returns to the bar and picks up Joe. Turns out he's inherited his grandfathers' large estate and is considering converting it into a dude ranch of sorts, but needs some practical know-how in doing so. This all sets off their deepening relationship, but also draws the ire of the local homophobes, including a cop who harasses them both.
Verdict: A bit thinly veiled porn. The first meeting was kind of cute, the second was heavy on the sex and the sex scenes (there was more than one) were longer than needed for a novella. Characters were developed well but the ending felt a bit abrupt.
2.5 stars
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