By the Bootstraps

by Alexa Martin

A cowboy romance enthusiast discovers that everything’s bigger in Texas—even love—in this swoony novel from beloved author Alexa Martin.

Fueled by a love of romance novels, Luna Starr was destined for a life with her head in the clouds. Her delusional tendencies serve her well…or at least they used to. When life throws her a curveball, she decides it’s time to turn her cowboy fantasies into reality and purchases a tiny farm in Celestial, Texas. After all, don’t all heroines try to outrun grief?

Tate Jacobs hates cowboys, which is a small problem, considering his family happens to own the largest ranch in Celestial. Life might not have gone the way he wanted, but as head coach at his old high school and the town’s best (and only) handyman, he’s figured out how to stay busy and keep his head down—until the new girl in town shows up. Luna’s new property is a bad accident waiting to happen unless someone helps her with her DIY home renovations.

As Tate and Luna spend more time together fixing up her house, unexpected feelings and undeniable chemistry bubble to the surface. Luna might’ve moved to Celestial to make her cowboy dreams come true, but somewhere beneath the vast Texas skies, she discovers that love in the real world can be far better than she imagined.

Genres: Romance, Contemporary Romance, Cowboy Romance, Fiction, Adult Fiction, Contemporary

400 pages, Paperback

Expected publication May 26, 2026

About the author

Alexa Martin is a writer and stay at home mom. She lives in Colorado with her husband, a former NFL player who now coaches at the high school where they met, their four children, and a German Shepherd. When she's not telling her kids to put their shoes on...again, you can find her catching up with her latest book boyfriend or on Pinterest pinning meals she'll probably never make. Her first book, Intercepted, was inspired by the eight years she spent as an NFL wife.

Reviews

[Ali Rosen · Rating 5 out of 5]

I always know my joy is safe in Alexa Martin’s hands, but By the Bootstraps builds an entire world for it. I never knew I needed the Texas cowboy version of Gilmore girls, but apparently wherever Alexa leads I will follow and happily!

[A.D. · Rating 5 out of 5]

Black. Cowboys. Need I say more?
But in all seriousness, Alexa’s newest is so full of heart and character.

[Kendy · Rating 3 out of 5]

Luna, a positive type A personality, moves to Celestial Texas to get a restart. While renovating her old but precious farm house, she enlists the help of her farmer neighbors. As she integrates into this town, she starts to heal and learn more about herself. And what is a small town without a perfect cowboy?

This was such a perfect story! Each character was well written and had fully fleshed out back stories and motivations. Luna was complex and yet so relatable. And Tate could've been the broody cowboy with a complicated past, but he had so much heart and passion for helping others that also made him realistic.

I really enjoyed how the relationship developed as a part of Luna's character arc; as she was dealing with her grief and figuring out her identity and place in her new town, Tate was with her every step of the way. And it was nice that the backstories for all characters were a part of the story development rather than quick info dumping, it made each character that much stronger.

Tropes/themes: grumpy sunshine, small town, fresh start, slow burn, grief, family struggles.

This is my third Alexa Martin book, and I can't wait for whatever comes next

[☆Laura☆]

Luna Starr llega a Celestial Texas cargando maletas, decisiones impulsivas y un duelo que todavía pesa más de lo que admite. Dejar atrás su antigua vida fue un salto al vacío, pero comprar una vieja granja y empezar desde cero parecía la única manera de volver a respirar. En un pueblo donde todos se conocen y las segundas oportunidades se sienten posibles, Luna intenta reconstruirse mientras aprende a convivir con el silencio, la soledad y la esperanza

Su primer contacto con la vida local la lleva a cruzarse con Tate, un hombre reservado, magnético y tan difícil de descifrar como el pasado que Luna intenta dejar atrás. Lo que comienza como un encuentro inesperado se convierte en una tensión constante que la obliga a cuestionarse si está lista para abrir su corazón otra vez o si solo está aprendiendo a sostenerse por sí misma en un lugar que promete mucho más de lo que parece.



Thanks to NetGalley, the publisher and the author for the ARC in exchange for an honest opinion.

[Symone · Rating 4 out of 5]

*ARC REVIEW* This was a sweet small-town, grumpy-sunshine romance following Luna, who moves there in search of a fresh start. As a Texas gal, reading about horseback riding, football games, and town festivals made it feel like home. It balanced laughable moments with emotional ones, and the found-family vibe plus the town looking out for each other really tugged at my heart. The spice was low (about a 1 for me), and I wasn’t a fan of how the FMC handled one situation, but overall it was still an enjoyable read.

[Kate · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was such a cute read!! It was a lighthearted and fun cowboy romance. I loved the town of Celestial and all of its inhabitants. I loved Luna and Tate! They had such great chemistry and banter. The slow burn was so well done! I would highly recommend giving this a read when it comes out!

Thank you Berkley and NetGalley for the advanced copy! All opinions are my own.

[Heather · Rating 4 out of 5]

I got this as an arc from NetGalley. I really enjoyed the story, felt bad about how she lost her mom and the trauma of her growing up with said mom. I was a little confused at first about how the twins were twins but got it after a few chapters. I would definitely recommend giving this a read!

[Sydney · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you so much to Berkley & Edelweiss for the e-ARC!!

[Amanda McMullin · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was cute! Small town & cowboys what more could we really ask for.

Thank you NetGalley for the ARC 🫶🏼