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Kissing Cowboys
Not yet published
Expected 8 Dec 26Bestselling author Meg Cabot’s new YA series takes her signature romcom voice to a ranch full of boys! Fans of fast-paced, sweet teen romances like MY LIFE WITH THE WALTER BOYS and THE SUMMER OF BROKEN RULES won't want to miss any of Winn Riley's adventures finding love in Montana.
Sixteen-year-old Winn Riley is a New York City girl, through and through—until her mom moves their family to Montana, where she’ll be teaching at a dude ranch. Literally: it’s a working-farm school for troubled genius boys … plus Winn, the only female student there.
Winn’s only entertainment for miles is boys: boys rustling cattle all day before attending classes at night, incredibly cute boys like Zack and Teddy. How will she endure an entire semester with so much deprivation—and temptation?
Sixteen-year-old Winn Riley is a New York City girl, through and through—until her mom moves their family to Montana, where she’ll be teaching at a dude ranch. Literally: it’s a working-farm school for troubled genius boys … plus Winn, the only female student there.
Winn’s only entertainment for miles is boys: boys rustling cattle all day before attending classes at night, incredibly cute boys like Zack and Teddy. How will she endure an entire semester with so much deprivation—and temptation?
336 pages, Paperback
Expected publication December 8, 2026
About the author
Meg Cabot
203 books35.7k followersLibrarian note: AKA Jenny Carroll (1-800-Where-R-You series), AKA Patricia Cabot (historical romance novels).
Meg Cabot was born on February 1, 1967, during the Chinese astrological year of the Fire Horse, a notoriously unlucky sign. Fortunately she grew up in Bloomington, Indiana, where few people were aware of the stigma of being a fire horse -- at least until Meg became a teenager, when she flunked freshman Algebra twice, then decided to cut her own bangs. After six years as an undergrad at Indiana University, Meg moved to New York City (in the middle of a sanitation worker strike) to pursue a career as an illustrator, at which she failed miserably, forcing her to turn to her favorite hobby--writing novels--for emotional succor. She worked various jobs to pay the rent, including a decade-long stint as the assistant manager of a 700 bed freshmen dormitory at NYU, a position she still occasionally misses.
She is now the author of nearly fifty books for both adults and teens, selling fifteen million copies worldwide, many of which have been #1 New York Times bestsellers, most notably The Princess Diaries series, which is currently being published in over 38 countries, and was made into two hit movies by Disney. In addition, Meg wrote the Mediator and 1-800-Where-R-You? series (on which the television series, Missing, was based), two All-American Girl books, Teen Idol, Avalon High, How to Be Popular, Pants on Fire, Jinx, a series of novels written entirely in email format (Boy Next Door, Boy Meets Girl, and Every Boy's Got One), a mystery series (Size 12 Is Not Fat/ Size 14 Is Not Fat Either/Big Boned), and a chick-lit series called Queen of Babble.
Meg is now writing a new children's series called Allie Finkle's Rules for Girls. Her new paranormal series, Abandon, debuts in Summer of 2011.
Meg currently divides her time between Key West, Indiana, and New York City with a primary cat (one-eyed Henrietta), various back-up cats, and her husband, who doesn't know he married a fire horse. Please don't tell him.
Series:
* Airhead
* The Princess Diaries
* Mediator
Meg Cabot was born on February 1, 1967, during the Chinese astrological year of the Fire Horse, a notoriously unlucky sign. Fortunately she grew up in Bloomington, Indiana, where few people were aware of the stigma of being a fire horse -- at least until Meg became a teenager, when she flunked freshman Algebra twice, then decided to cut her own bangs. After six years as an undergrad at Indiana University, Meg moved to New York City (in the middle of a sanitation worker strike) to pursue a career as an illustrator, at which she failed miserably, forcing her to turn to her favorite hobby--writing novels--for emotional succor. She worked various jobs to pay the rent, including a decade-long stint as the assistant manager of a 700 bed freshmen dormitory at NYU, a position she still occasionally misses.
She is now the author of nearly fifty books for both adults and teens, selling fifteen million copies worldwide, many of which have been #1 New York Times bestsellers, most notably The Princess Diaries series, which is currently being published in over 38 countries, and was made into two hit movies by Disney. In addition, Meg wrote the Mediator and 1-800-Where-R-You? series (on which the television series, Missing, was based), two All-American Girl books, Teen Idol, Avalon High, How to Be Popular, Pants on Fire, Jinx, a series of novels written entirely in email format (Boy Next Door, Boy Meets Girl, and Every Boy's Got One), a mystery series (Size 12 Is Not Fat/ Size 14 Is Not Fat Either/Big Boned), and a chick-lit series called Queen of Babble.
Meg is now writing a new children's series called Allie Finkle's Rules for Girls. Her new paranormal series, Abandon, debuts in Summer of 2011.
Meg currently divides her time between Key West, Indiana, and New York City with a primary cat (one-eyed Henrietta), various back-up cats, and her husband, who doesn't know he married a fire horse. Please don't tell him.
Series:
* Airhead
* The Princess Diaries
* Mediator
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 148 reviews
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
· ˚ 💋⊹ ⌇ 3.5 stars.
I love the young adult genre, especially as an 18-year-old. If the characters are written well, it's so easy to put myself in the shoes of the female main character and have a wild and fun ride. However, while the voice of the writing was pretty authentically YA, the writing style was a little distracting. I swear, every paragraph had a long parenthesized interjection, (sorta like this but more frequent and annoying.) There were certain quirks to the writing that I was not a fan of. There were a lot of lists thrown into Winn's inner monologue. Now I normally wouldn't blink an eye at this, but the frequency it was happening had me raising an eyebrow.
To illustrate what I mean:
1. The lists are annoying.
2. It made the writing a whole lot more tell and not enough show.
3. Why was there a long list every other page?
Call me nitpicky but this was not charming to me.
But, I was able to look beyond the writing style and enjoy the shenanigans and the fun of reading about Green Fire Ranch and all the boys. Many of them were so sweet and funny: both the boys and the love interests. Nothing screams YA like a good love triangle and this book definitely delivers.
I'm glad this book wasn't too long, it was a fun time but not my favorite young adult I've read recently.
You would love this book if you like:
💋My Life with the Walter Boys
💋Love Triangles
💋Coming-of-age stories
💋Boarding school
💋Charming and gifted cowboys
💋Forced proximity
Thank you to NetGalley and HarperCollins Children's Books for the eARC in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts are my own.
📆 Publication Date: December 8, 2026
I love the young adult genre, especially as an 18-year-old. If the characters are written well, it's so easy to put myself in the shoes of the female main character and have a wild and fun ride. However, while the voice of the writing was pretty authentically YA, the writing style was a little distracting. I swear, every paragraph had a long parenthesized interjection, (sorta like this but more frequent and annoying.) There were certain quirks to the writing that I was not a fan of. There were a lot of lists thrown into Winn's inner monologue. Now I normally wouldn't blink an eye at this, but the frequency it was happening had me raising an eyebrow.
To illustrate what I mean:
1. The lists are annoying.
2. It made the writing a whole lot more tell and not enough show.
3. Why was there a long list every other page?
Call me nitpicky but this was not charming to me.
But, I was able to look beyond the writing style and enjoy the shenanigans and the fun of reading about Green Fire Ranch and all the boys. Many of them were so sweet and funny: both the boys and the love interests. Nothing screams YA like a good love triangle and this book definitely delivers.
I'm glad this book wasn't too long, it was a fun time but not my favorite young adult I've read recently.
You would love this book if you like:
💋My Life with the Walter Boys
💋Love Triangles
💋Coming-of-age stories
💋Boarding school
💋Charming and gifted cowboys
💋Forced proximity
Thank you to NetGalley and HarperCollins Children's Books for the eARC in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts are my own.
📆 Publication Date: December 8, 2026
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Thank you so much to Netgalley and HarperCollins Children's Books for the ARC!
DNF @ 20%
I was beyond excited to read this! The premise sounds amazing and I know Meg Cabot has some amazing and beloved books. Unfortunately, in the end I don't think it would be a good use of my time to finish it. I would love to read this type of premise but with a different family and mc.
Here's what didn't work for me.
I could not stand the mc. Listen, there are a lot of annoying main characters. However, this one was enemy material. She was highly unlikable and insufferable. I did not enjoy being in her head.
For example:
Right when she meets Zack she immediately pins him with "serial killer" vibes and decides to stay away even when he is clearly attractive. Maybe that's her coping mechanism or something but that's just weird like can you not assume he's a weirdo just bc you are into crime shows?
Right after that scene she tells Zack her name and associates it with the brand. Then she tells the reader that she gauges their reaction on the association and decides whether they are worth her time after that. What? does that make ANY sense?
Also, she decides to look for landmarks on her way to the ranch in case the ranch owner is secretly a human trafficker. Like ???? I thought this was a cutesy cowboy romance. Her character totally ruined the vibe.
Winn overly judgmental and makes assumptions about everything. Just because Zack was sitting quietly in the car without a phone or anything doesn't mean he lacks intellectual curiosity.
Also it makes me mad that she acts high and mighty. She's like this weird crime version of a pick-me.
And apparently her two favorite books are The Art of War and Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fifth Edition. 🙄
OTHER:
Reading this made me extremely confused because the premise sounds cute and romantic and funny but then you get into and it's just this annoying girl listing off things and making everything about crime and sexism and random crap.
The beginning 10% especially felt like it was trying to get through a "representation" checklist with the neurodivergence tangent and the rosacea. Also there was a lot of random topics I don't think needed a spot like mentioning that Brandy Melville was racist, sexist and has a negative impact on the environment, as well as "casual sex" being fine and not weird at all, the fact that she's only attracted to boys but kinda wishes she was attracted to girls, endometriosis, and "being on the pill." All of these things were mentioned within the first 10% and were so random and thrown in. It truly felt like there was some sort of weird social commentary/ woke representation trying to be included in the story. If not an agenda of some sort then an attempt to create a modern, quirky, relatable mc. Within in that, the first 10% was a big info dump. The beginning of the book was mostly these random details and ramblings about the MC. Two other random quirks that I didn't enjoy: At first Winn had a weird obsession with comparing her life to that of a pioneer woman and often the way she did it seemed entitled. The other is that at least personally, her tying leftover "crime scene" tape to her luggage back is quirky and not in the cute way.
On another note, I see a lot of adults rating this highly and not commenting about Winn. This could be me and my view of teens in this age but I think that Winn was not a good representation of modern day teens in a non-pick me and a way that could be related to and someone you can root for.
I would not recommend this to anyone under 14 because of all the crime themes and mentions as well as the crude mentions/ tone that pops up throughout.
This book comes out December 8th and I won't tell you don't read it because I know a lot of other people loved this so maybe you will.
I hope this review was helpful! It is not my intention to be hateful or overly pessimistic--this is just my take on this book!
Did Not Finish
October 1, 2026dnf @ 15%
first off, thank you SO much netgalley and the publisher for this arc 💗💗
unfortunately this was not it for me. the writing style felt immature and a bit cringe at times which made it soo hard to actually enjoy it. the mc was so hard to read about mainly because the writing style felt so young. i didnt have super high hopes for this anyway, but i was hoping to finish!!
𝜗ৎ pre read 𝜗ৎ
i am VERY much in the mood for a romance so, i am beyond excited to start thiss!! ♡♡
𝒟𝒶𝓉ℯ 𝒮𝓉𝒶𝓇𝓉ℯ𝒹: october 1st
𝒟𝒶𝓉ℯ 𝐹𝒾𝓃𝒾𝓈𝒽ℯ𝒹: dnf
𝓇𝒶𝓉𝒾𝓃𝑔 𝓅𝓇𝑒𝒹𝒾𝒸𝓉𝒾𝑜𝓃: ★★★⯨
first off, thank you SO much netgalley and the publisher for this arc 💗💗
unfortunately this was not it for me. the writing style felt immature and a bit cringe at times which made it soo hard to actually enjoy it. the mc was so hard to read about mainly because the writing style felt so young. i didnt have super high hopes for this anyway, but i was hoping to finish!!
𝜗ৎ pre read 𝜗ৎ
i am VERY much in the mood for a romance so, i am beyond excited to start thiss!! ♡♡
𝒟𝒶𝓉ℯ 𝒮𝓉𝒶𝓇𝓉ℯ𝒹: october 1st
𝒟𝒶𝓉ℯ 𝐹𝒾𝓃𝒾𝓈𝒽ℯ𝒹: dnf
𝓇𝒶𝓉𝒾𝓃𝑔 𝓅𝓇𝑒𝒹𝒾𝒸𝓉𝒾𝑜𝓃: ★★★⯨
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Meg Cabot has returned to her YA roots — in the best way possible!!!
This was SUCH a nostalgic read for me. I’ve read most of Meg Cabot’s books at this point and I especially loved her YA books when I read them as a teenager. Her recent books haven’t hit the same for me, until this book.
This felt like reliving my childhood. Winn was such a funny character to read about and a true Meg Cabot heroine. I liked her serial killer facts that she was always thinking about. I also really enjoyed the ranch setting. Winn being the only girl at the place was so cute and it was really fun trying to see her fit in. I also enjoyed her relationship with her mother as well.
The romance was very cute and I enjoyed the scenes they spent together. There’s also a love triangle, but I honestly enjoyed it. I liked Winn seeing what each guy had to offer. They were very different, and I was glad she picked the guy who was right for her in the end.
It was a pleasure to get to read this book early. If, like me, you love Meg Cabot’s older YA books, this will be a wonderful walk down memory lane for you. I really enjoyed it.
Thank you to the publisher, HarperCollins Children’s Books, for providing this book for review consideration via NetGalley. All opinions are my own.
This was SUCH a nostalgic read for me. I’ve read most of Meg Cabot’s books at this point and I especially loved her YA books when I read them as a teenager. Her recent books haven’t hit the same for me, until this book.
This felt like reliving my childhood. Winn was such a funny character to read about and a true Meg Cabot heroine. I liked her serial killer facts that she was always thinking about. I also really enjoyed the ranch setting. Winn being the only girl at the place was so cute and it was really fun trying to see her fit in. I also enjoyed her relationship with her mother as well.
The romance was very cute and I enjoyed the scenes they spent together. There’s also a love triangle, but I honestly enjoyed it. I liked Winn seeing what each guy had to offer. They were very different, and I was glad she picked the guy who was right for her in the end.
It was a pleasure to get to read this book early. If, like me, you love Meg Cabot’s older YA books, this will be a wonderful walk down memory lane for you. I really enjoyed it.
Thank you to the publisher, HarperCollins Children’s Books, for providing this book for review consideration via NetGalley. All opinions are my own.
June 24, 2026
"All it takes is one person—one person in this whole stinking, screwed-up world-to look at you and see all the good parts, and all of the freaky parts, and still like you. Once that happens, you'll never be alone again."
this was cute; I wasn’t planning on reading this (even though Meg Cabot’s YA books are food for my soul) because I don’t like cowboy romances, but then the ARC was added to NetGalley as Read Now, so I had to get it. and luckily there wasn’t really that much cowboy-ness, the ranch in Montana is more a setting than an actual part of the book.
As a seasoned Cabot reader going strong for more than 20 years, I could see a few classic Cabot tropes in this book (‘college professor parents’ and ‘hacktivist who scams a major company using toll-free numbers’ are just two that took me right back to Airhead, although there were a few similarities to the Princess Diaries too), but rather than making this book worse they felt like little cameos and made me think of why I love her books so much.
the plot was goofy and cute and I liked the characters even though there’s a *slight* love triangle (but not really because you can totally see pretty early on how it’s going to end), but it felt a bit rushed at the end. I would have liked to read an epilogue after the last chapter, because it felt like it ended a bit in the middle of the action. still, when I don’t know what to read/play/do with myself because of existential dread, Meg Cabot’s books always hit the spot ❤️
"Special Agent Alvarez, in our post-computer-confiscation communications, warned me that it's difficult for women in law enforcement to make career advancements due to sexism.
Boy, is she ever right. When a girl can't even pick up her own brother's severed finger without incurring incredulous stares from hot psychopaths, you know things are in a sorry state.
And that state, I know now, is called Montana."
this was cute; I wasn’t planning on reading this (even though Meg Cabot’s YA books are food for my soul) because I don’t like cowboy romances, but then the ARC was added to NetGalley as Read Now, so I had to get it. and luckily there wasn’t really that much cowboy-ness, the ranch in Montana is more a setting than an actual part of the book.
As a seasoned Cabot reader going strong for more than 20 years, I could see a few classic Cabot tropes in this book (‘college professor parents’ and ‘hacktivist who scams a major company using toll-free numbers’ are just two that took me right back to Airhead, although there were a few similarities to the Princess Diaries too), but rather than making this book worse they felt like little cameos and made me think of why I love her books so much.
the plot was goofy and cute and I liked the characters even though there’s a *slight* love triangle (but not really because you can totally see pretty early on how it’s going to end), but it felt a bit rushed at the end. I would have liked to read an epilogue after the last chapter, because it felt like it ended a bit in the middle of the action. still, when I don’t know what to read/play/do with myself because of existential dread, Meg Cabot’s books always hit the spot ❤️
"Special Agent Alvarez, in our post-computer-confiscation communications, warned me that it's difficult for women in law enforcement to make career advancements due to sexism.
Boy, is she ever right. When a girl can't even pick up her own brother's severed finger without incurring incredulous stares from hot psychopaths, you know things are in a sorry state.
And that state, I know now, is called Montana."
August 4, 2026
ANNOUNCEMENT ANNOUNCEMENT MEG CABOT HAS RETURNED!
This book was such a cute YA romcom! This book follows Winn who moves to a farm in Montana from NYC after her brother gets in trouble for hacking the government. The only school to take him is an all boy school that also work on a farm. Winn goes with her mom, who is teaching at the school, and is accepted as the first ever girl to go.
When she arrives all the boys lose their mind. It’s hilarious. They boys being exposed to a girl and her trying to be confident and not let it get to her. But she starts crushing on TWO COWBOYS. Wins perspective is hilarious, youthful, and fun. I wanted a bit more closure on some items but overall a fun time!
This book was such a cute YA romcom! This book follows Winn who moves to a farm in Montana from NYC after her brother gets in trouble for hacking the government. The only school to take him is an all boy school that also work on a farm. Winn goes with her mom, who is teaching at the school, and is accepted as the first ever girl to go.
When she arrives all the boys lose their mind. It’s hilarious. They boys being exposed to a girl and her trying to be confident and not let it get to her. But she starts crushing on TWO COWBOYS. Wins perspective is hilarious, youthful, and fun. I wanted a bit more closure on some items but overall a fun time!
Want to Read
July 3, 2026🤠💕 Kissing Cowboys 💕🤠
📖 Bookish Thoughts
My full review will be shared closer to the publication date.
🌾 What to Expect
• YA Romance
• Love Triangle
• Cowboy Romance
• Boarding School
• Coming of Age
_ _ _ _
📅 Pub Date: December 22, 2026
Thank you to HarperCollins Children's Books, HarperCollins, and NetGalley for the advanced copy.
📖 Bookish Thoughts
My full review will be shared closer to the publication date.
🌾 What to Expect
• YA Romance
• Love Triangle
• Cowboy Romance
• Boarding School
• Coming of Age
_ _ _ _
📅 Pub Date: December 22, 2026
Thank you to HarperCollins Children's Books, HarperCollins, and NetGalley for the advanced copy.
June 25, 2026
Thank you NetGalley/Harper Collin’s for my eARC!
This book was funny and swoon worthy. Even though I’m not a teenager anymore (and haven’t been for quite a while) this book made me feel like I did reading Meg’s when I was a teenager. I’m glad Meg’s back in the saddle again.
This book was funny and swoon worthy. Even though I’m not a teenager anymore (and haven’t been for quite a while) this book made me feel like I did reading Meg’s when I was a teenager. I’m glad Meg’s back in the saddle again.
July 9, 2026
This book was such a fun surprise! I loved the fish out of water story with Winn trading New York City for a Montana dude ranch. The ranch setting, the cowboy vibes, and all the teenage drama made this such an easy, nostalgic read.
I am also so excited that Meg Cabot is back writing YA romance. She was one of my favorite authors as a preteen and teen, so getting to read a new YA from her felt like coming full circle.
The romance was sweet, the banter was fun, and I loved watching Winn find her place at Green Fire Ranch. If you are looking for a cute YA cowboy romance with plenty of heart, definitely add this one to your TBR!
I am also so excited that Meg Cabot is back writing YA romance. She was one of my favorite authors as a preteen and teen, so getting to read a new YA from her felt like coming full circle.
The romance was sweet, the banter was fun, and I loved watching Winn find her place at Green Fire Ranch. If you are looking for a cute YA cowboy romance with plenty of heart, definitely add this one to your TBR!
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
4.75 ⭐️
Meg Cabot is an auto-read author for me. This book was pretty on par with the rest of her stories, but I'm so glad I had the chance to read it.
Winn Riley is being forced to move to Montana of all places because of her brother. She's sworn off love and is convinced her new school is going to be a waste. But then she meets the people there and maybe she'll fall a little bit in love with them, or one person specifically.
If you're a big fan of the Princess Diaries (Meg Cabot) and also The Gallagher Girls (Ally Carter), you're going to really like this book. It's sweet, very relatable, a guy practices making pizza, there's a really cute cow, the northern lights, and so many other fun things. A true treat.
Thank you to Meg Cabot, NetGalley, HarperCollins, and HarperCollins Children's Books for this digital ARC. All thoughts, views, and opinions are my own.
Meg Cabot is an auto-read author for me. This book was pretty on par with the rest of her stories, but I'm so glad I had the chance to read it.
Winn Riley is being forced to move to Montana of all places because of her brother. She's sworn off love and is convinced her new school is going to be a waste. But then she meets the people there and maybe she'll fall a little bit in love with them, or one person specifically.
If you're a big fan of the Princess Diaries (Meg Cabot) and also The Gallagher Girls (Ally Carter), you're going to really like this book. It's sweet, very relatable, a guy practices making pizza, there's a really cute cow, the northern lights, and so many other fun things. A true treat.
Thank you to Meg Cabot, NetGalley, HarperCollins, and HarperCollins Children's Books for this digital ARC. All thoughts, views, and opinions are my own.
July 10, 2026
I missed out on the Meg Cabot train when I was of an age to love her work. I loved the movie, but I understand that her work was a bit different and I, at the big age of 8 years old, decided that I did not want to participate. After reading Kissing Cowboys, I regret that.
This is so fun and charming. Even though it’s teen fiction, and that’s not typically my bag, I saw so much of my teenage self in Winn, I was fully immersed. While I feel as if we could have spent a little more time with our male lead, I do feel like the push pull was well done. I actually liked the love triangle of it all, and I really loved the family dynamics. Winn is such a rich character.
The only reason why this isn’t a full five star read for me is the fact that I feel like the diary element was a little underbaked, and a lot of times the side characters fall by the wayside. I understand that with an incredibly self involved teenager, they might not be the most observant, however, Winn needs to be everything to everyone. I do think she’d be paying attention, even if she was gleaning the wrong things.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher, HarperCollins, for this copy for an impartial review.
This is so fun and charming. Even though it’s teen fiction, and that’s not typically my bag, I saw so much of my teenage self in Winn, I was fully immersed. While I feel as if we could have spent a little more time with our male lead, I do feel like the push pull was well done. I actually liked the love triangle of it all, and I really loved the family dynamics. Winn is such a rich character.
The only reason why this isn’t a full five star read for me is the fact that I feel like the diary element was a little underbaked, and a lot of times the side characters fall by the wayside. I understand that with an incredibly self involved teenager, they might not be the most observant, however, Winn needs to be everything to everyone. I do think she’d be paying attention, even if she was gleaning the wrong things.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher, HarperCollins, for this copy for an impartial review.
August 20, 2026
ARC provided by HarperCollins and NetGalley for a honest review.
This book absolutely brought me back to middle school and classic Meg Cabot books. While at this point in my life it may be a little young for me, I still enjoyed the storytelling and the fierce individuality of the main characters. Unfortunately the ending did feel a little rushed and did not resolve a few of the plot points.
This book absolutely brought me back to middle school and classic Meg Cabot books. While at this point in my life it may be a little young for me, I still enjoyed the storytelling and the fierce individuality of the main characters. Unfortunately the ending did feel a little rushed and did not resolve a few of the plot points.
July 2, 2026
Meg Cabot is a YA staple for a reason. I mean, come on- what more can I say? A swoon-worthy YA with amazing ADHD representation. My only “negative” is that I could have read 100 more pages of this. I love the FMC and all the secondary characters. If you love non-spicy YA romance (some light kissing) - I would highly recommend this! 4⭐️
Thanks to NetGalley for the opportunity to read Kissing Cowboys.
Thanks to NetGalley for the opportunity to read Kissing Cowboys.
August 30, 2026
Not everyone will remember the time 20 years ago when the latest fan fiction craze was the “I’m the only girl in and all boys school” genre, but the people who do are going to go FERAL for this.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
This was very YA… and I don’t know how I feel about that. The FMC seemed very immature and I just couldn’t get into her character at all. This is also a love triangle, which I didn’t know going in and I am not a fan of love triangles. Especially when my favorite of the two love interests does not get chosen. I just do not think I was the right demographic for this book, but I know some will love it!
Thank you NetGalley for the free advanced reader copy. I am leaving this review voluntarily and with my own opinions.
Thank you NetGalley for the free advanced reader copy. I am leaving this review voluntarily and with my own opinions.
July 12, 2026
2.5 stars ⭐️
As soon as I saw this author also wrote The Princess Diaries, I was reading to dive into this arc!
The story starts with a teenage girl obsessed with thrifting and serial killers from New York who moves to an all boy ranch in the middle of nowhere Montana after her older brother gets caught by the FBI for hacking. The plot instantly caught my attention. The characters were quirky and unique.
But where the foundation was solid, the execution was severely lacking.
I can see where the author was trying to form a love triangle, but it truly fell flat. You knew who she was gonna choose. There were not enough chapters with Zack for my liking. Too many with Teddy. The amount of serial killer facts throughout the book was overwhelming. If you didn’t know who those people or events were before you read this book, you’d honestly just be as confused as I was.
Also for a YA book, some of the language was a little vulgar or sexual. I don’t understand why she needed to constantly talk about feeling different “down there” or her nipples being hard.
A little bummed as I love authors like Elsie Silver and Elle Kennedy, so I expected this one to hit the same. But it didn’t.
As soon as I saw this author also wrote The Princess Diaries, I was reading to dive into this arc!
The story starts with a teenage girl obsessed with thrifting and serial killers from New York who moves to an all boy ranch in the middle of nowhere Montana after her older brother gets caught by the FBI for hacking. The plot instantly caught my attention. The characters were quirky and unique.
But where the foundation was solid, the execution was severely lacking.
I can see where the author was trying to form a love triangle, but it truly fell flat. You knew who she was gonna choose. There were not enough chapters with Zack for my liking. Too many with Teddy. The amount of serial killer facts throughout the book was overwhelming. If you didn’t know who those people or events were before you read this book, you’d honestly just be as confused as I was.
Also for a YA book, some of the language was a little vulgar or sexual. I don’t understand why she needed to constantly talk about feeling different “down there” or her nipples being hard.
A little bummed as I love authors like Elsie Silver and Elle Kennedy, so I expected this one to hit the same. But it didn’t.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
If it's a YA novel, and Meg Cabot pens it, I want it. Plain and simple. In fact, I requested this one from Netgalley only knowing it was Meg Cabot, YA, and about cowboys based on the title.
I was so excited when she announced she was heading back to YA, which is where I first fell in love, not just with Ms. Cabot's writing, but with Romance and with reading, back when it was still called "Teen" in good old Borders. So, first, huge shout out to her husband for encouraging her to get back in this particular saddle because I love him for it.
Kissing Cowboys is such a harken back to the Teen books of yesteryear while also remaining completely modern and current. Cabot's unique and wonderful voice shine through in Winn, a sixteen-year-old uprooted from Manhattan to Montana to an all boys' school slash ranch. It's an easy, breezy writing style that you can (and want to!) get through in a day. It's engaging, it's fun, it's completely true to character--ADHD, in this instance. I do think some readers will be annoyed by how Winn's thoughts seem to bounce around, but I found it delightfully on the nose.
Cabot's writing style is rooted in the aughts-style of heavy internal monologue, as opposed to more of the heavy dialogue style of today's Contemporary Romance, be it Adult or YA, which I think might be a factor in what brings down some of her other books' ratings here. It's a wonderfully, compelling story that still moves just as quickly as the YA darlings of today, though the pacing of the actual story is stretched out because it goes deeper into scenes before moving on to the next one.
It also means there isn't as much spotlight put on the actual romance, which, if I'm being completely honest, was always my problem with Teen books back in the aughts. This book is similar in that I wanted more of the romance, especially because this one is shades of Teen Idol, where the actual Love Interest/MMC gets less page time than another dude. I won't lie, The Other Dude had so much page and plot time, that at about 70%, I had to search ahead to make sure I wasn't about to have the fleece pulled over my eyes. (I wasn't.) But I think that will be something else other readers don't love about this story.
So, yeah, I wish there was more page time spent developing the real end goal relationship, especially when the L word gets thrown out in the end. (She's only been at the school for a month and spent more time with others, so . . .) I also wish more had been given to him going to college at the end of the semester and her going back to NYC, but in thinking back to Meg's other YA books, this is fairly par for the course for them.
There's no epilogue, not continuation or anything, and I'm not expecting my YA Romance couples to marry each other, but we could at least get a little peek of, say, May for this couple. Especially since the reader is left wondering about how her meeting the Uncle is going to go and the fate of the school with girls and all. But really, that part being open-ended isn't hugely annoying because it wasn't really The Point of the plot of this book. BUT. With the modern style of Romance books, and even YA books, I'm just saying I would've read it. And loved it. But maybe that's just me.
I don't even care that this book left me wanting More in a sad, no wait come back kind of way because I utterly, completely, and obsessively adore Meg Cabot's YA writing, and this book was no exception. I loved it. I loved my time reading it. I couldn't put it down, shades of teenhood, but this time, it wasn't my bedtime I was delaying, but my baby's naptime. (Baby loved it.)
So I will end this review by again thanking her husband for encouraging her to write this one and also thank Ms. Cabot herself for bringing me back to my teen years with her words that will forever wrap around me like my favorite sweater. I can't wait to add this one to my shelf, right next to Teen Idol, Pants on Fire, and How To Be Popular that have all moved through three states and three different decades of my life with me. And based on the Books By in the front, I'll be adding another Cowboys novel soon too ;)
Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for a copy of this one.
*If you enjoyed the from-NYC-to-Montana-ness of this one, check out So Not Happening by Jenny B Jones! A hint of mystery thrown in for you!
I was so excited when she announced she was heading back to YA, which is where I first fell in love, not just with Ms. Cabot's writing, but with Romance and with reading, back when it was still called "Teen" in good old Borders. So, first, huge shout out to her husband for encouraging her to get back in this particular saddle because I love him for it.
Kissing Cowboys is such a harken back to the Teen books of yesteryear while also remaining completely modern and current. Cabot's unique and wonderful voice shine through in Winn, a sixteen-year-old uprooted from Manhattan to Montana to an all boys' school slash ranch. It's an easy, breezy writing style that you can (and want to!) get through in a day. It's engaging, it's fun, it's completely true to character--ADHD, in this instance. I do think some readers will be annoyed by how Winn's thoughts seem to bounce around, but I found it delightfully on the nose.
Cabot's writing style is rooted in the aughts-style of heavy internal monologue, as opposed to more of the heavy dialogue style of today's Contemporary Romance, be it Adult or YA, which I think might be a factor in what brings down some of her other books' ratings here. It's a wonderfully, compelling story that still moves just as quickly as the YA darlings of today, though the pacing of the actual story is stretched out because it goes deeper into scenes before moving on to the next one.
It also means there isn't as much spotlight put on the actual romance, which, if I'm being completely honest, was always my problem with Teen books back in the aughts. This book is similar in that I wanted more of the romance, especially because this one is shades of Teen Idol, where the actual Love Interest/MMC gets less page time than another dude. I won't lie, The Other Dude had so much page and plot time, that at about 70%, I had to search ahead to make sure I wasn't about to have the fleece pulled over my eyes. (I wasn't.) But I think that will be something else other readers don't love about this story.
So, yeah, I wish there was more page time spent developing the real end goal relationship, especially when the L word gets thrown out in the end. (She's only been at the school for a month and spent more time with others, so . . .) I also wish more had been given to him going to college at the end of the semester and her going back to NYC, but in thinking back to Meg's other YA books, this is fairly par for the course for them.
There's no epilogue, not continuation or anything, and I'm not expecting my YA Romance couples to marry each other, but we could at least get a little peek of, say, May for this couple. Especially since the reader is left wondering about how her meeting the Uncle is going to go and the fate of the school with girls and all. But really, that part being open-ended isn't hugely annoying because it wasn't really The Point of the plot of this book. BUT. With the modern style of Romance books, and even YA books, I'm just saying I would've read it. And loved it. But maybe that's just me.
I don't even care that this book left me wanting More in a sad, no wait come back kind of way because I utterly, completely, and obsessively adore Meg Cabot's YA writing, and this book was no exception. I loved it. I loved my time reading it. I couldn't put it down, shades of teenhood, but this time, it wasn't my bedtime I was delaying, but my baby's naptime. (Baby loved it.)
So I will end this review by again thanking her husband for encouraging her to write this one and also thank Ms. Cabot herself for bringing me back to my teen years with her words that will forever wrap around me like my favorite sweater. I can't wait to add this one to my shelf, right next to Teen Idol, Pants on Fire, and How To Be Popular that have all moved through three states and three different decades of my life with me. And based on the Books By in the front, I'll be adding another Cowboys novel soon too ;)
Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for a copy of this one.
*If you enjoyed the from-NYC-to-Montana-ness of this one, check out So Not Happening by Jenny B Jones! A hint of mystery thrown in for you!
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Kissing Cowboys
~Meg Cabot
Kissing Cowboys by Meg Cabot gives the fresh start under big skies most girls dream of. Cabot serves up every teenage wince, eye-roll, and reluctant swoon with the timing of an author whose been writing teenage hearts since before most of her readers were born.
Sixteen-year-old Winn's life starts sliding sideways the moment her genius brother Ian points his IQ at the wrong target. One hacking stunt, a $170,000 phone bill, a federal felony, and an expulsion later, the Riley family runs out of private school options for Ian everywhere but Green Fire Ranch — a working-farm boarding school in Montana for intellectually gifted and troubled teen boys. Mom lands a spot teaching art history. Ian lands his last shot at a diploma. And Winn? Well, she becomes the only girl on a ranch full of cowboys, with no cell service, no internet except the school library, and no easy exit. The welcome wagon rolls in fast as the ranch manager John Cleary and student Zack Cartwright pick them up at the airport. But when Teddy Brightman volunteers to head up the social committee and shows up on her front steps throwing out all his charms before she's even unpacked, that's a lot of temptation riding in on horseback.
Cabot points the spotlight on Winn, and she doesn't disappoint. Her authenticity pulses from the pages — justice-obsessed, career-focused on an FBI future, wired with ADHD, and armored with the kind of cynicism that only guards a soft spot. Her buried trauma makes her both easy to root for and maddening enough that you'll want to reach through the pages to shake some sense into her. The supporting cast pulls real weight instead of loitering in the background. Zack and Teddy circle with lasso’s waiting in hand, each charming in his own lane. Ian's autism lands honestly on the page — you ache for him in some moments and want to smack him in others, which is exactly how family works. Cabot's greatest character strength is refusing to flatten anyone into a type – and that's a lot of work with a herd of cowboys this large.
The pacing runs steady and slow-burn, building tension the way a Montana morning builds heat in the summer — one degree at a time. Cabot transitions Winn's culture shock naturally - nobody goes from subway swipe to saddle overnight, and that patience makes the growth believable. The atmosphere does heavy lifting too. Snow-blanketed plains, a kitchen crew blasting music through cleanup — it all reads cinematic, and the clash between city polish and country grit gives even a seasoned reader something fresh to sink into. You don't just watch this ranch. You feel the cold and smell the hay.
Kissing Cowboys delivers everything the cover promises and then throws in a little extra. This is a clean, feel-good, who-to-choose western romance that young adult readers — and older ones like me — will crack open and refuse to close. Releasing December 8, 2026, with just enough time for Santa to tuck it under the tree, it's an easy recommendation for anyone hungry for warm characters they'll miss the second the last page turns. Good news for the smitten: Cabot's already promising a return trip to the ranch.
I'd like to thank Meg Cabot for the opportunity for an early preview of Kissing Cowboys. As always, all opinions and reviews are of my own volition, Karen Brooks aka The Tx Lit Chic. I have not been promised any compensation, current or future, by the author or publisher for a fair and honest review of Kissing Cowboys.
~Meg Cabot
Kissing Cowboys by Meg Cabot gives the fresh start under big skies most girls dream of. Cabot serves up every teenage wince, eye-roll, and reluctant swoon with the timing of an author whose been writing teenage hearts since before most of her readers were born.
Sixteen-year-old Winn's life starts sliding sideways the moment her genius brother Ian points his IQ at the wrong target. One hacking stunt, a $170,000 phone bill, a federal felony, and an expulsion later, the Riley family runs out of private school options for Ian everywhere but Green Fire Ranch — a working-farm boarding school in Montana for intellectually gifted and troubled teen boys. Mom lands a spot teaching art history. Ian lands his last shot at a diploma. And Winn? Well, she becomes the only girl on a ranch full of cowboys, with no cell service, no internet except the school library, and no easy exit. The welcome wagon rolls in fast as the ranch manager John Cleary and student Zack Cartwright pick them up at the airport. But when Teddy Brightman volunteers to head up the social committee and shows up on her front steps throwing out all his charms before she's even unpacked, that's a lot of temptation riding in on horseback.
Cabot points the spotlight on Winn, and she doesn't disappoint. Her authenticity pulses from the pages — justice-obsessed, career-focused on an FBI future, wired with ADHD, and armored with the kind of cynicism that only guards a soft spot. Her buried trauma makes her both easy to root for and maddening enough that you'll want to reach through the pages to shake some sense into her. The supporting cast pulls real weight instead of loitering in the background. Zack and Teddy circle with lasso’s waiting in hand, each charming in his own lane. Ian's autism lands honestly on the page — you ache for him in some moments and want to smack him in others, which is exactly how family works. Cabot's greatest character strength is refusing to flatten anyone into a type – and that's a lot of work with a herd of cowboys this large.
The pacing runs steady and slow-burn, building tension the way a Montana morning builds heat in the summer — one degree at a time. Cabot transitions Winn's culture shock naturally - nobody goes from subway swipe to saddle overnight, and that patience makes the growth believable. The atmosphere does heavy lifting too. Snow-blanketed plains, a kitchen crew blasting music through cleanup — it all reads cinematic, and the clash between city polish and country grit gives even a seasoned reader something fresh to sink into. You don't just watch this ranch. You feel the cold and smell the hay.
Kissing Cowboys delivers everything the cover promises and then throws in a little extra. This is a clean, feel-good, who-to-choose western romance that young adult readers — and older ones like me — will crack open and refuse to close. Releasing December 8, 2026, with just enough time for Santa to tuck it under the tree, it's an easy recommendation for anyone hungry for warm characters they'll miss the second the last page turns. Good news for the smitten: Cabot's already promising a return trip to the ranch.
I'd like to thank Meg Cabot for the opportunity for an early preview of Kissing Cowboys. As always, all opinions and reviews are of my own volition, Karen Brooks aka The Tx Lit Chic. I have not been promised any compensation, current or future, by the author or publisher for a fair and honest review of Kissing Cowboys.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
It's been so long since I last read a Meg Cabot YA, that I remembered very little of them specifically. But of course I was excited! Cabot's weren't my first YA books, and she wasn't even the first YA author I made sure to follow. And yet, that's the feeling her name elicits in me.
3+
This time, we follow Winn's move from New York to Nowhere, Montana. Because of her brother's actions, the whole family needs to move into the campus of an all-boys school, away from anything. And that makes Winn the only female student enrolled. She has never fallen in love, and that isn't in her plans—she needs to focus on becoming an FBI agent. Suddenly, she's surrounded by cute, smart guys who see her as an oasis.
To be honest, my first problem with this is how no other teacher had a daughter in that school. Because it sounded all too easy for Winn to go there, so I would have expected at least someone else. And it's not like they're that far away from civilization, they're not on the Moon, so she could be going somewhere else. Since this isn't so much the focus, I eventually let it go.
But then comes the second problem—Winn is insufferable. You could call her unique but to be honest she sounded to me like Cher from Clueless but living a whole different life. As in, her world didn't make sense considering her ways. This made it impossible for me to relate to her or even sympathize with her, when I couldn't trust a single trait of hers and thus I couldn't see where it really hurt for her.
And so we have our third problem. The attempt at a love triangle is too weak. It's not even that we already know who her cowboy is supposed to be. But I couldn't take the other one seriously. A lot of the time, I could only see Teddy as a ten-year-old kid. How is that competition? And this impression made it very awkward any time there was a hint of romance between him and Winn. Why is she attracted to a brat?
I think this book needed more excitement. We had two possibilities of conflict, but even if I had taken Teddy seriously, Winn never did, so that never really became a conflict. The second one would have been Winn's special status in that school, where she can't even take extracurricular activities—why isn't her mom worried about her college applications? And just like that, the conflict never fully developed. I wouldn't exclude the possibility of a second book, actually.
I know all I did was point out problems, but I just didn't think there was any need to repeat all of Cabot's qualities. So going past her amusing writing style that always makes for a quick read, I'd like to say I was happy to see that her stories didn't fall behind the times. We've got a diverse cast that isn't there just to fill quotas or overcompensate anything. Also, even if it's been so long since her last time writing from a teenager's point of view, Winn and all the other teenagers seemed like they were living in the present.
So, would I recommend this one? Absolutely. Even though there are issues, Cabot's writing has this charm that makes you just smile while reading, a magic you won't find so easily in others. It's the kind of book that doesn't take itself too seriously, and that's exactly what you need sometimes. I hope she has more YAs in reserve because now I remembered how they make me feel, I need MORE.
Honest review based on an ARC provided by Netgalley. Many thanks to the publisher for this opportunity.
3+
This time, we follow Winn's move from New York to Nowhere, Montana. Because of her brother's actions, the whole family needs to move into the campus of an all-boys school, away from anything. And that makes Winn the only female student enrolled. She has never fallen in love, and that isn't in her plans—she needs to focus on becoming an FBI agent. Suddenly, she's surrounded by cute, smart guys who see her as an oasis.
To be honest, my first problem with this is how no other teacher had a daughter in that school. Because it sounded all too easy for Winn to go there, so I would have expected at least someone else. And it's not like they're that far away from civilization, they're not on the Moon, so she could be going somewhere else. Since this isn't so much the focus, I eventually let it go.
But then comes the second problem—Winn is insufferable. You could call her unique but to be honest she sounded to me like Cher from Clueless but living a whole different life. As in, her world didn't make sense considering her ways. This made it impossible for me to relate to her or even sympathize with her, when I couldn't trust a single trait of hers and thus I couldn't see where it really hurt for her.
And so we have our third problem. The attempt at a love triangle is too weak. It's not even that we already know who her cowboy is supposed to be. But I couldn't take the other one seriously. A lot of the time, I could only see Teddy as a ten-year-old kid. How is that competition? And this impression made it very awkward any time there was a hint of romance between him and Winn. Why is she attracted to a brat?
I think this book needed more excitement. We had two possibilities of conflict, but even if I had taken Teddy seriously, Winn never did, so that never really became a conflict. The second one would have been Winn's special status in that school, where she can't even take extracurricular activities—why isn't her mom worried about her college applications? And just like that, the conflict never fully developed. I wouldn't exclude the possibility of a second book, actually.
I know all I did was point out problems, but I just didn't think there was any need to repeat all of Cabot's qualities. So going past her amusing writing style that always makes for a quick read, I'd like to say I was happy to see that her stories didn't fall behind the times. We've got a diverse cast that isn't there just to fill quotas or overcompensate anything. Also, even if it's been so long since her last time writing from a teenager's point of view, Winn and all the other teenagers seemed like they were living in the present.
So, would I recommend this one? Absolutely. Even though there are issues, Cabot's writing has this charm that makes you just smile while reading, a magic you won't find so easily in others. It's the kind of book that doesn't take itself too seriously, and that's exactly what you need sometimes. I hope she has more YAs in reserve because now I remembered how they make me feel, I need MORE.
Honest review based on an ARC provided by Netgalley. Many thanks to the publisher for this opportunity.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
A good writer should, in theory, be able to write any genre. And many authors do exactly that. But I also think that almost every writer has that one genre where everything just clicks. For Meg Cabot, that has always been young adult.
Reading Kissing Cowboys felt a little like coming home.
If you grew up reading The Princess Diaries or The Mediator, you'll immediately recognize that unmistakable Meg Cabot feeling. She has always had a special talent for creating heroines who stay with you long after you finish the book. .
Win instantly reminded me why I've always loved Meg Cabot's heroines. She has that same witty inner voice that Mia and Suze had, yet she never feels like a copy of either of them. Win is completely her own person: ambitious, stubborn, funny, and absolutely convinced that boys are nothing more than a distraction because she has already mapped out her future career with the FBI.
When family circumstances force her to leave New York and travel to Montana because of the trouble her brother has gotten himself into, she suddenly finds herself at a boarding school on a ranch for exceptionally intelligent boys with behavioral challenges. As the only girl, she is already far outside her comfort zone. Add in the complete lack of Wi Fi or phone signal and a group of boys who all seem determined to get her attention, and sticking to her original life plan becomes a lot more complicated than she ever imagined.
One thing Meg Cabot has always done incredibly well is creating settings that immediately make you think, “How did she even come up with this?” A ranch. Cowboys. A school unlike any other. On paper, it sounds completely chaotic, but somehow she makes it work effortlessly.
What I’ve always appreciated most about Meg Cabot’s writing is that she never shies away from difficult subjects. Beneath all the humour, banter, and romance, there are real struggles. Win isn’t just navigating first love and an unfamiliar environment she is also dealing with the hurt of a father who walked away, started a new family in Europe, and no longer seems to have a place for her or her brother in his life.Those moments give the story real emotional weight.
More than anything, this book reminded me why I fell in love with Meg Cabot’s YA books in the first place. The humour is still there. The dialogue is still sharp. The romance is sweet without taking over the story. And before I knew it, I had that same feeling I used to have as a teenager when I simply didn’t want to stop reading.
For me, Kissing Cowboys isn’t just another new Meg Cabot release. It feels like proof that, after all these years, she still knows exactly how to write a YA novel that is funny, heartfelt, and impossible to put down.
Reading Kissing Cowboys felt a little like coming home.
If you grew up reading The Princess Diaries or The Mediator, you'll immediately recognize that unmistakable Meg Cabot feeling. She has always had a special talent for creating heroines who stay with you long after you finish the book. .
Win instantly reminded me why I've always loved Meg Cabot's heroines. She has that same witty inner voice that Mia and Suze had, yet she never feels like a copy of either of them. Win is completely her own person: ambitious, stubborn, funny, and absolutely convinced that boys are nothing more than a distraction because she has already mapped out her future career with the FBI.
When family circumstances force her to leave New York and travel to Montana because of the trouble her brother has gotten himself into, she suddenly finds herself at a boarding school on a ranch for exceptionally intelligent boys with behavioral challenges. As the only girl, she is already far outside her comfort zone. Add in the complete lack of Wi Fi or phone signal and a group of boys who all seem determined to get her attention, and sticking to her original life plan becomes a lot more complicated than she ever imagined.
One thing Meg Cabot has always done incredibly well is creating settings that immediately make you think, “How did she even come up with this?” A ranch. Cowboys. A school unlike any other. On paper, it sounds completely chaotic, but somehow she makes it work effortlessly.
What I’ve always appreciated most about Meg Cabot’s writing is that she never shies away from difficult subjects. Beneath all the humour, banter, and romance, there are real struggles. Win isn’t just navigating first love and an unfamiliar environment she is also dealing with the hurt of a father who walked away, started a new family in Europe, and no longer seems to have a place for her or her brother in his life.Those moments give the story real emotional weight.
More than anything, this book reminded me why I fell in love with Meg Cabot’s YA books in the first place. The humour is still there. The dialogue is still sharp. The romance is sweet without taking over the story. And before I knew it, I had that same feeling I used to have as a teenager when I simply didn’t want to stop reading.
For me, Kissing Cowboys isn’t just another new Meg Cabot release. It feels like proof that, after all these years, she still knows exactly how to write a YA novel that is funny, heartfelt, and impossible to put down.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Synopsis:
Winn is a New York City girl who loves vintage fashion, is obsessed with true crime and serial killers, and hates the idea of falling in love. To her horror, her mother accepts a fellowship position at a school for gifted boys, and she’s whisked away to live on a ranch in the middle of Montana for six months. Without cell phone service and without a thrift store in sight, Winn is counting down the days until she can catch a flight back home to New York City. But, her feelings towards Montana become more complicated than she expected. As Winn develops feelings for two cute cowboys and starts to learn the ropes of ranch life, she begins to question everything she thought she wanted… including her belief that she never wants to fall in love.
Review:
Saddle up… Kissing Cowboys is a cute rom com that’s sure to lasso you in!
Growing up, I loved Meg Cabot’s Princess Diaries series because I always found Mia to be so relatable and I loved how the diary style format gave you so much insight to her feelings and emotions. I love how Meg Cabot returned to this diary style format for Kissing Cowboys but updated in a modern way by having Winn record her thoughts and feelings into her Notes app. I love how this format really helped to develop Winn’s personality and develop her humor. I also enjoyed how the author incorporated Winn’s interest with true crime and serial killers throughout her entries because it added a quirkiness to her character that was very endearing.
As for the romance, there is a love triangle where Winn feels torn between two different cowboys - Teddy and Zack. Teddy was a bit goofy and more flirty while Zack is mysterious and more serious. Their contrasting personalities helped make the strong more engaging. Teddy brought some more lighthearted and humorous moments to the story whereas Zack’s character brought out more emotional depth in Winn’s character.
However, it is fairly clear from early on who she’ll choose, so the romance somewhat lacked the tension that I would expect from a love triangle. Also, the love triangle didn’t quite feel balanced as one of the romantic interests has a lot more interactions with Winn than the other. Considering the extent of Winn’s feelings at the end of the story for one of the love interests, I expected their romance to be a little more developed by that point.
Thank you to HarperCollins and NetGalley for an arc of this book!
Winn is a New York City girl who loves vintage fashion, is obsessed with true crime and serial killers, and hates the idea of falling in love. To her horror, her mother accepts a fellowship position at a school for gifted boys, and she’s whisked away to live on a ranch in the middle of Montana for six months. Without cell phone service and without a thrift store in sight, Winn is counting down the days until she can catch a flight back home to New York City. But, her feelings towards Montana become more complicated than she expected. As Winn develops feelings for two cute cowboys and starts to learn the ropes of ranch life, she begins to question everything she thought she wanted… including her belief that she never wants to fall in love.
Review:
Saddle up… Kissing Cowboys is a cute rom com that’s sure to lasso you in!
Growing up, I loved Meg Cabot’s Princess Diaries series because I always found Mia to be so relatable and I loved how the diary style format gave you so much insight to her feelings and emotions. I love how Meg Cabot returned to this diary style format for Kissing Cowboys but updated in a modern way by having Winn record her thoughts and feelings into her Notes app. I love how this format really helped to develop Winn’s personality and develop her humor. I also enjoyed how the author incorporated Winn’s interest with true crime and serial killers throughout her entries because it added a quirkiness to her character that was very endearing.
As for the romance, there is a love triangle where Winn feels torn between two different cowboys - Teddy and Zack. Teddy was a bit goofy and more flirty while Zack is mysterious and more serious. Their contrasting personalities helped make the strong more engaging. Teddy brought some more lighthearted and humorous moments to the story whereas Zack’s character brought out more emotional depth in Winn’s character.
However, it is fairly clear from early on who she’ll choose, so the romance somewhat lacked the tension that I would expect from a love triangle. Also, the love triangle didn’t quite feel balanced as one of the romantic interests has a lot more interactions with Winn than the other. Considering the extent of Winn’s feelings at the end of the story for one of the love interests, I expected their romance to be a little more developed by that point.
Thank you to HarperCollins and NetGalley for an arc of this book!
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Thank you to the publisher for the ARC! Meg Cabot is a nostalgia author for me -- the Mediator series is, to this day, one of my favourite series of all time. While I can't say I loved her newer adult novels, I was quite intrigued when I saw this was her first YA in a while, and also the premise is so interesting!
Bear in mind it's kinda ridiculous, and in no way does it make sense if you try to apply real world logic to it. 😂 A single girl in a boys' school? I just can't fathom it. Though it probably would sound like a dream to a teenage girl (as an adult, no. Hell no. HAHA. I love my girls). Anyway, if you can suspend your disbelief, this is a VERY entertaining ride!
I actually really, REALLY liked Zack. He straddled a very fun line between being standoffish/arrogant and kind. Winn, our heroine, comparing him to Ted Bundy at their first meeting TOOK ME OUT. (Spoiler alert: no, he does not turn out to be a serial killer as Winn suspects him to be.) Him being on the culinary committee and constantly cooking meals only added to his appeal! On another more random note: I quite enjoyed Winn's serial-killer fixations, LOL. Her budding relationship/tension with Zack was pretty nicely done, though I did find the turning point somewhat abrupt. It could have been padded out more, if I had to nitpick!
I... did not like Teddy. The moment he first opened his mouth in the book, I cringed so hard my chins quadrupled. This continues for the rest of the story -- every single word he says is the cringiest, corniest, weirdest, most unattractive thing I've ever heard. He's clingy, has zero game, and his actions are so BOORISH. There's a pivotal scene at the hayloft that he shares with Winn that just... what he said... I can't spoil it, but I was so grossed out. Between Teddy and Zack, it's a no-brainer who I rooted for from the get-go.
Overall, this was an amusing, fluffy read! Meg Cabot is so good at making me laugh. I love her sense of humour in parts, and the story is engaging, albeit kinda silly. Don't think too hard on it, and just let yourself enjoy the ride! (Also!! I read on her site that there might be a sequel? I'm interested to see where this might go!)
Bear in mind it's kinda ridiculous, and in no way does it make sense if you try to apply real world logic to it. 😂 A single girl in a boys' school? I just can't fathom it. Though it probably would sound like a dream to a teenage girl (as an adult, no. Hell no. HAHA. I love my girls). Anyway, if you can suspend your disbelief, this is a VERY entertaining ride!
I actually really, REALLY liked Zack. He straddled a very fun line between being standoffish/arrogant and kind. Winn, our heroine, comparing him to Ted Bundy at their first meeting TOOK ME OUT. (Spoiler alert: no, he does not turn out to be a serial killer as Winn suspects him to be.) Him being on the culinary committee and constantly cooking meals only added to his appeal! On another more random note: I quite enjoyed Winn's serial-killer fixations, LOL. Her budding relationship/tension with Zack was pretty nicely done, though I did find the turning point somewhat abrupt. It could have been padded out more, if I had to nitpick!
I... did not like Teddy. The moment he first opened his mouth in the book, I cringed so hard my chins quadrupled. This continues for the rest of the story -- every single word he says is the cringiest, corniest, weirdest, most unattractive thing I've ever heard. He's clingy, has zero game, and his actions are so BOORISH. There's a pivotal scene at the hayloft that he shares with Winn that just... what he said... I can't spoil it, but I was so grossed out. Between Teddy and Zack, it's a no-brainer who I rooted for from the get-go.
Overall, this was an amusing, fluffy read! Meg Cabot is so good at making me laugh. I love her sense of humour in parts, and the story is engaging, albeit kinda silly. Don't think too hard on it, and just let yourself enjoy the ride! (Also!! I read on her site that there might be a sequel? I'm interested to see where this might go!)
June 26, 2026
Thank you to NetGalley and HarperCollins for providing me with an ARC of Kissing Cowboys by Meg Cabot. This book will be published on December 22, 2026.
The second I saw “Meg Cabot” on the cover, my inner teenager screamed, “ADD TO CART!” Well… “Request” but same energy. Reading this felt like catching up with an old friend who still knows exactly how to make me laugh.
Winn was such a fun narrator. She’s smart, determined and somehow manages to turn every tiny inconvenience into a full blown FBI investigation in her own head. Her imagination deserves its own award because the conclusions she jumps to had me laughing out loud. Girl, maybe not everyone is secretly plotting something.
Watching Winn go from busy New York life to a ranch school in Montana full of cowboys was pure entertainment. Talk about culture shock. I loved seeing her try to figure out this completely different world while staying true to herself. It was awkward, funny and honestly kind of wholesome.
Then there’s Zack… who slowly but surely worked his way onto my “I support this fictional man” list. He’s quiet, a little mysterious and definitely more interesting than he first appears. I found myself rooting for him before I even realized I was doing it.
Now… Teddy. Bless his heart.
Every time he appeared, I was internally begging him to stop talking. We simply did not vibe. Not every character is meant to be your favorite and Teddy reminded me of that over and over again.
My only real complaint? I wanted more romance! The chemistry was there and I kept thinking, “Come on, give me a few more cute moments!” I also wasn’t ready for the story to end. It wrapped up nicely, but I would’ve happily stayed on that ranch for another hundred pages just to spend more time with these characters.
This book was funny, sweet, nostalgic and exactly the kind of comfort read I was hoping it would be. It reminded me why Meg Cabot has been one of my favorite YA authors for so many years. If you’re looking for an entertaining story with lovable characters, plenty of laughs and a whole lot of cowboy chaos, this one is definitely worth saddling up for.
The second I saw “Meg Cabot” on the cover, my inner teenager screamed, “ADD TO CART!” Well… “Request” but same energy. Reading this felt like catching up with an old friend who still knows exactly how to make me laugh.
Winn was such a fun narrator. She’s smart, determined and somehow manages to turn every tiny inconvenience into a full blown FBI investigation in her own head. Her imagination deserves its own award because the conclusions she jumps to had me laughing out loud. Girl, maybe not everyone is secretly plotting something.
Watching Winn go from busy New York life to a ranch school in Montana full of cowboys was pure entertainment. Talk about culture shock. I loved seeing her try to figure out this completely different world while staying true to herself. It was awkward, funny and honestly kind of wholesome.
Then there’s Zack… who slowly but surely worked his way onto my “I support this fictional man” list. He’s quiet, a little mysterious and definitely more interesting than he first appears. I found myself rooting for him before I even realized I was doing it.
Now… Teddy. Bless his heart.
Every time he appeared, I was internally begging him to stop talking. We simply did not vibe. Not every character is meant to be your favorite and Teddy reminded me of that over and over again.
My only real complaint? I wanted more romance! The chemistry was there and I kept thinking, “Come on, give me a few more cute moments!” I also wasn’t ready for the story to end. It wrapped up nicely, but I would’ve happily stayed on that ranch for another hundred pages just to spend more time with these characters.
This book was funny, sweet, nostalgic and exactly the kind of comfort read I was hoping it would be. It reminded me why Meg Cabot has been one of my favorite YA authors for so many years. If you’re looking for an entertaining story with lovable characters, plenty of laughs and a whole lot of cowboy chaos, this one is definitely worth saddling up for.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
ARC via NetGalley 📚
*Género:* Young Adult
*Rating:* ⭐️⭐️⭐️
*Spice:* 🌶️
True crime + ADHD + cowboys genios = caos garantizado 🤠
Winn se muda de NYC a Montana por culpa de su hermano... y de un crimen. Ahora está en un colegio solo para chicos: adolescentes genios, con problemas sociales, y todos obsesionados con agradarle a la única chica del campus.
¿Sobrevivir? Tal vez.
¿No enamorarse? Imposible.
Lo que amé:
💬 La voz de Winn. Es sarcástica, caótica y te hace reír y preocuparte a la vez
📔 Su diario. Ver el mundo a través de sus notas con ADHD se siente tan real y honesto
😂 Meg Cabot y sus comentarios graciosos. No falla, siempre me entretiene
Winn es de esos personajes que empatizas al instante. Te ríes con ella, sufres con ella y no la sueltas.
Para ti si: te gustan las protagonistas intensas, el humor ácido y los romances YA con mucho carácter.
#BookstagramEspañol #KissingCowboys #MegCabot #YABooks #ARCreview #NetGalley #BookReview #ADHDRep #TrueCrimeVibes #RomanceYA #Bookish
ARC via NetGalley 📚
*Genre:* Young Adult
*Rating:* ⭐️⭐️⭐️
*Spice:* 🌶️
True crime + ADHD + genius cowboys = guaranteed chaos 🤠
Winn moves from NYC to Montana because of her brother... and a crime. Now she’s stuck at a school for boys only: teenage geniuses with social issues, and they’re all obsessed with impressing the only girl on campus.
Survive? Maybe.
Not fall in love? Impossible.
What I loved:
💬 *Winn’s voice.* Sarcastic, chaotic, and so real. She’ll make you laugh and worry about her in the same chapter
📔 *The diary format.* Seeing the world through her ADHD lens felt honest and relatable
😂 *Meg Cabot’s humor.* Her characters are always funny and she never misses
Winn is the kind of main character you instantly root for. You laugh with her, stress with her, and don’t want to put the book down.
For you if: you love intense female leads, sharp humor, and YA romances with a lot of personality.
#Bookstagram #KissingCowboys #MegCabot #YABooks #ARCreview #NetGalley #BookReview #ADHDRepresentation #TrueCrimeVibes #YARomance #Bookish
*Género:* Young Adult
*Rating:* ⭐️⭐️⭐️
*Spice:* 🌶️
True crime + ADHD + cowboys genios = caos garantizado 🤠
Winn se muda de NYC a Montana por culpa de su hermano... y de un crimen. Ahora está en un colegio solo para chicos: adolescentes genios, con problemas sociales, y todos obsesionados con agradarle a la única chica del campus.
¿Sobrevivir? Tal vez.
¿No enamorarse? Imposible.
Lo que amé:
💬 La voz de Winn. Es sarcástica, caótica y te hace reír y preocuparte a la vez
📔 Su diario. Ver el mundo a través de sus notas con ADHD se siente tan real y honesto
😂 Meg Cabot y sus comentarios graciosos. No falla, siempre me entretiene
Winn es de esos personajes que empatizas al instante. Te ríes con ella, sufres con ella y no la sueltas.
Para ti si: te gustan las protagonistas intensas, el humor ácido y los romances YA con mucho carácter.
#BookstagramEspañol #KissingCowboys #MegCabot #YABooks #ARCreview #NetGalley #BookReview #ADHDRep #TrueCrimeVibes #RomanceYA #Bookish
ARC via NetGalley 📚
*Genre:* Young Adult
*Rating:* ⭐️⭐️⭐️
*Spice:* 🌶️
True crime + ADHD + genius cowboys = guaranteed chaos 🤠
Winn moves from NYC to Montana because of her brother... and a crime. Now she’s stuck at a school for boys only: teenage geniuses with social issues, and they’re all obsessed with impressing the only girl on campus.
Survive? Maybe.
Not fall in love? Impossible.
What I loved:
💬 *Winn’s voice.* Sarcastic, chaotic, and so real. She’ll make you laugh and worry about her in the same chapter
📔 *The diary format.* Seeing the world through her ADHD lens felt honest and relatable
😂 *Meg Cabot’s humor.* Her characters are always funny and she never misses
Winn is the kind of main character you instantly root for. You laugh with her, stress with her, and don’t want to put the book down.
For you if: you love intense female leads, sharp humor, and YA romances with a lot of personality.
#Bookstagram #KissingCowboys #MegCabot #YABooks #ARCreview #NetGalley #BookReview #ADHDRepresentation #TrueCrimeVibes #YARomance #Bookish
August 24, 2026
Thank you to NetGalley and Meg Cabot for the e-ARC of this book in exchange for my honest review!
The premise of this book was unique and a lot of fun, and the beginning immediately pulled me in. I really enjoyed getting a glimpse into Winn’s life in New York and then seeing how dramatically different things were going to be once she found herself in Montana.
That said, reading this as an adult, some of the writing and character development felt a little more immature than what I typically expect from YA. I especially wish Winn’s fight for equal rights as a female student had been more developed throughout the story. There was so much potential to actually see her challenge the system and make meaningful progress, but instead, most of the conflict seemed to center around her wanting a spot on the judicial board. I would have loved to see that storyline build and evolve throughout the entire book rather than having most of the action happen toward the end.
I also struggled a little with the love triangle between Teddy and Zack. I didn’t feel like Teddy was necessary to the story, especially given how much attention the relationship received only for Winn to ultimately walk away from it. I think Zack could have been the primary love interest from the beginning, which would have given them more time to develop a meaningful relationship and made the romance feel more natural.
The pacing was a little slow in the middle, and at times it felt like the story was stretching things out rather than moving the plot forward. Then, by comparison, the ending felt very rushed. After spending so much time building up the characters and conflicts, I wanted more time to see everything actually play out and feel resolved instead of having so much wrapped up so quickly.
Overall, while this wasn’t a perfect read for me, the story had a really cute premise and some fun elements that kept me interested. I would definitely pick up another book from Meg Cabot in the future!
The premise of this book was unique and a lot of fun, and the beginning immediately pulled me in. I really enjoyed getting a glimpse into Winn’s life in New York and then seeing how dramatically different things were going to be once she found herself in Montana.
That said, reading this as an adult, some of the writing and character development felt a little more immature than what I typically expect from YA. I especially wish Winn’s fight for equal rights as a female student had been more developed throughout the story. There was so much potential to actually see her challenge the system and make meaningful progress, but instead, most of the conflict seemed to center around her wanting a spot on the judicial board. I would have loved to see that storyline build and evolve throughout the entire book rather than having most of the action happen toward the end.
I also struggled a little with the love triangle between Teddy and Zack. I didn’t feel like Teddy was necessary to the story, especially given how much attention the relationship received only for Winn to ultimately walk away from it. I think Zack could have been the primary love interest from the beginning, which would have given them more time to develop a meaningful relationship and made the romance feel more natural.
The pacing was a little slow in the middle, and at times it felt like the story was stretching things out rather than moving the plot forward. Then, by comparison, the ending felt very rushed. After spending so much time building up the characters and conflicts, I wanted more time to see everything actually play out and feel resolved instead of having so much wrapped up so quickly.
Overall, while this wasn’t a perfect read for me, the story had a really cute premise and some fun elements that kept me interested. I would definitely pick up another book from Meg Cabot in the future!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Thank you to NetGalley and the publishers for sending me a free eARC in exchange for my honest review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
Kissing Cowboys is about Winn, a girl that has to uproot her New York city life and move to an all-boys boarding school in Montana after her brother gets in trouble with the law. Winn is super focused on her education and not letting any boy get in the way of that. The only problem? She is surrounded by a bunch of cowboys namely Teddy and Zack.
This book definitely feels very Meg Cabot, and you can feel a lot of the tone of the princess diaries. With that being said, it reads very YA, and it has every right to because it is YA. Though, I can see this being a little too YA for any adult who may want to pick it up, though, I didn't have too much of a problem of it being so strongly YA even as an adult. Winn as a character is a quirky and determined. Some of her narration in her journal entries was humorous. I think this book leans a little bit more into characters than plot because there wasn't necessarily a ton of action happening, but I do think we see some character evolution with Winn. As far as the quote-on-quote love triangle, I think it was kind of obvious who she was leaning towards even at the beginning. To be honest, Winn mostly doesn't even give the one side of the "love triangle" the light of day. Also, I think that some of the development is a little underdone so the ending doesn't feel as satisfying as it could be. The book was easy to get through as it was not that long, but I feel that it ended was a bit abrupt and I turned the page and was like, "oh, I guess it's done," instead of inherently knowing it was the end because of how the writing was set up. Additionally, considering that I am pretty sure this is going to be a series, the ending doesn't set up the next book very well (assuming there is a next book).
Kissing Cowboys is about Winn, a girl that has to uproot her New York city life and move to an all-boys boarding school in Montana after her brother gets in trouble with the law. Winn is super focused on her education and not letting any boy get in the way of that. The only problem? She is surrounded by a bunch of cowboys namely Teddy and Zack.
This book definitely feels very Meg Cabot, and you can feel a lot of the tone of the princess diaries. With that being said, it reads very YA, and it has every right to because it is YA. Though, I can see this being a little too YA for any adult who may want to pick it up, though, I didn't have too much of a problem of it being so strongly YA even as an adult. Winn as a character is a quirky and determined. Some of her narration in her journal entries was humorous. I think this book leans a little bit more into characters than plot because there wasn't necessarily a ton of action happening, but I do think we see some character evolution with Winn. As far as the quote-on-quote love triangle, I think it was kind of obvious who she was leaning towards even at the beginning. To be honest, Winn mostly doesn't even give the one side of the "love triangle" the light of day. Also, I think that some of the development is a little underdone so the ending doesn't feel as satisfying as it could be. The book was easy to get through as it was not that long, but I feel that it ended was a bit abrupt and I turned the page and was like, "oh, I guess it's done," instead of inherently knowing it was the end because of how the writing was set up. Additionally, considering that I am pretty sure this is going to be a series, the ending doesn't set up the next book very well (assuming there is a next book).
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
5-star read! ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Meg Cabot has done it again with Kissing Cowboys!
This was the exact book I needed to break me out of a reading slump. I found myself racing through the pages while also dreading the end because I didn’t want to this beautiful story to end or say goodbye to these characters.
The humor is incredibly witty and detailed. I laughed out loud so many times throughout the story! FMC, Winn, is an absolute icon. Following her brother Ian’s hacktivism investigation, she channels real-world FBI connections and criminal psychology tips to navigate her new life at a remote Montana ranch full of BOYS! Watching her use her skills to profile a helpful, fireplace-lighting cowboy as a potential serial killer— and cautiously slithering around a head shaking moose—had me cackling. 🤠
The background characters are just as brilliant. From Braden—the tobacco chewing “spitter”—launching spiteful snowballs, to the rowdy cleaning crew, Green Fire Ranch feels so vivid.
The romantic dynamic is where the book comes truly shines. It subverts the “perfect golden boy” trope with Theodore (Teddy), who completely incinerates a sweeping hayloft kiss with Winn by bringing up his science-camp, ex-girlfriend’s bra-stuffing trauma while quoting The Cowboy Code of Conduct. Meanwhile, the slow-burn, vulnerable chemistry with the “cocky and annoyingly mysterious” Zack Cartwright is absolutely swoon-worthy 💕
The grand finale is a masterclass in romantic tension! Watching Winn use her elite interrogation skills to get Zack into admit his hidden feelings after reading his letter and ending the story on an old crusty outdoor couch covered in horse blankets, left a huge smile on my face. An absolute five-star read that I will be screaming about for everyone to read!
Huge thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the early digital ARC! All opinions are my own.
This was the exact book I needed to break me out of a reading slump. I found myself racing through the pages while also dreading the end because I didn’t want to this beautiful story to end or say goodbye to these characters.
The humor is incredibly witty and detailed. I laughed out loud so many times throughout the story! FMC, Winn, is an absolute icon. Following her brother Ian’s hacktivism investigation, she channels real-world FBI connections and criminal psychology tips to navigate her new life at a remote Montana ranch full of BOYS! Watching her use her skills to profile a helpful, fireplace-lighting cowboy as a potential serial killer— and cautiously slithering around a head shaking moose—had me cackling. 🤠
The background characters are just as brilliant. From Braden—the tobacco chewing “spitter”—launching spiteful snowballs, to the rowdy cleaning crew, Green Fire Ranch feels so vivid.
The romantic dynamic is where the book comes truly shines. It subverts the “perfect golden boy” trope with Theodore (Teddy), who completely incinerates a sweeping hayloft kiss with Winn by bringing up his science-camp, ex-girlfriend’s bra-stuffing trauma while quoting The Cowboy Code of Conduct. Meanwhile, the slow-burn, vulnerable chemistry with the “cocky and annoyingly mysterious” Zack Cartwright is absolutely swoon-worthy 💕
The grand finale is a masterclass in romantic tension! Watching Winn use her elite interrogation skills to get Zack into admit his hidden feelings after reading his letter and ending the story on an old crusty outdoor couch covered in horse blankets, left a huge smile on my face. An absolute five-star read that I will be screaming about for everyone to read!
Huge thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the early digital ARC! All opinions are my own.
October 15, 2026
ARC Review
Thank you so much Goodreads and Meg Cabot for my ARC copy of this book! Although I didn’t love the book it was tons of fun to read it before it was released
To start off I want to say I really liked the plot and the writing style. The way this book was formatted as a diary was very cool. It took some of the formality out of it, and Winn’s unfiltered commentary made it funny.
That leads me to my next point: Winn. As much as I hate to say it me and Winn would not be friends. She got in my nerves the entire time. She complained. A lot. She spent time complaining about her abandonment issues (which I get suck, but girl we get it), rosacea (like every freaking page), having to hand wash dishes, being in beautiful Montana, the cold, people standing up for her, receiving a love letter, her ex boyfriend getting with another girl (yes you read that write she was mad about her ex dating again), having no internet, not being able to watch makeup tutorials, and not being able to buy designer items. She also would not shut up about how she was a feminist and into astrology, and it completely annoyed me. (Can you tell I’m from the south 😂)
Onto the boys, love Zack he’s super sweet kinda more nonchalant but funny. However Teddy I despised, the flirting was ok, but the wanting Winn just for her body was not cool at all.
I also thought the book came off a little unrealistic, only one school in the country would accept Ian? Like ok. And I can’t fathom the idea of an all boys boarding school allowing a girl to go there, but whatever.
Last thing I didn’t like is the Ian Rafi stuff. As a Christian I just don’t like to read about gay couples, so I wasn’t a huge fan.
In conclusion I didn’t hate the book, but I definitely didn’t love it. Thank you again Goodreads and Meg Cabot for my ARC.
Thank you so much Goodreads and Meg Cabot for my ARC copy of this book! Although I didn’t love the book it was tons of fun to read it before it was released
To start off I want to say I really liked the plot and the writing style. The way this book was formatted as a diary was very cool. It took some of the formality out of it, and Winn’s unfiltered commentary made it funny.
That leads me to my next point: Winn. As much as I hate to say it me and Winn would not be friends. She got in my nerves the entire time. She complained. A lot. She spent time complaining about her abandonment issues (which I get suck, but girl we get it), rosacea (like every freaking page), having to hand wash dishes, being in beautiful Montana, the cold, people standing up for her, receiving a love letter, her ex boyfriend getting with another girl (yes you read that write she was mad about her ex dating again), having no internet, not being able to watch makeup tutorials, and not being able to buy designer items. She also would not shut up about how she was a feminist and into astrology, and it completely annoyed me. (Can you tell I’m from the south 😂)
Onto the boys, love Zack he’s super sweet kinda more nonchalant but funny. However Teddy I despised, the flirting was ok, but the wanting Winn just for her body was not cool at all.
I also thought the book came off a little unrealistic, only one school in the country would accept Ian? Like ok. And I can’t fathom the idea of an all boys boarding school allowing a girl to go there, but whatever.
Last thing I didn’t like is the Ian Rafi stuff. As a Christian I just don’t like to read about gay couples, so I wasn’t a huge fan.
In conclusion I didn’t hate the book, but I definitely didn’t love it. Thank you again Goodreads and Meg Cabot for my ARC.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
I've always enjoyed Meg Cabot's YA work more then her adult books, so I was excited to see her returning to her roots with this novel. Winn is a New Yorker through and through. She loves the city, she loves the shopping, she loves her best friend. She even has a boyfriend. Although, he's really nothing special. In fact, Winn has sworn off actual romantic feelings after watching her Dad leave her Mom and move to Europe to start a new family. Unfortunately, Winn's genius older brother Ian has gotten into some trouble with the FBI and now the only school that will take him for his final semester of high school is an all boys school for gifted but troubled teens...in rural Montana. There are cows and horses, no thrift stores, and maybe worst of all, no cell service.
Most of Kissing Cowboys is a sort of fish out of water story as we watch Winn try to adjust to Montana. I have to admit that I found Winn's cluelessness about life outside of NYC a little over the top, but on the other hand I've met New Yorkers who are actually kind of like that. There are two main love interests in the book, and though it's pretty clear from the beginning how things are going to go, it was still fun to be along for the ride. My biggest issues with the book were that several bits, including the ending, could have been fleshed out a bit more. A couple of side characters deserved more build up, and the final denouement happens very quickly. That said, this is a fun YA read and a return to form for Meg Cabot. Winn reminded me a lot of Mia in some of her general obliviousness, though she is not nearly as awkward and naive as Mia starts out. If you're a Meg Cabot fan, particularly of her YA books, then Kissing Cowboys is a light and fun read.
Most of Kissing Cowboys is a sort of fish out of water story as we watch Winn try to adjust to Montana. I have to admit that I found Winn's cluelessness about life outside of NYC a little over the top, but on the other hand I've met New Yorkers who are actually kind of like that. There are two main love interests in the book, and though it's pretty clear from the beginning how things are going to go, it was still fun to be along for the ride. My biggest issues with the book were that several bits, including the ending, could have been fleshed out a bit more. A couple of side characters deserved more build up, and the final denouement happens very quickly. That said, this is a fun YA read and a return to form for Meg Cabot. Winn reminded me a lot of Mia in some of her general obliviousness, though she is not nearly as awkward and naive as Mia starts out. If you're a Meg Cabot fan, particularly of her YA books, then Kissing Cowboys is a light and fun read.
July 12, 2026
**Review of Adavanced Reader Copy from NetGalley!!!**
WHAT DID HER BEOTHER DO? Omg this is the stupidest thing I’ve ever heard 🤦🏼♀️ oh no an all boys school! Oooo who is Zack???? Omg a guy for her mom! Maybe Zack just doesn’t understand jokes! NO PHONES??? And no one else and only boys! This sounds like torture! Omg they’re starring at her the new girl! Ahaha of course Zack is on the cooking committee NOW I WANT MASHED POTSTOES it’s funny how all the boys are cheering for her! Love these notes to her friend. OMG rafi has an eras tour shirt!!! Love 😍 this would be terrible to be the only girl at an all boys school i am just cringing 😬 hahah his uncle ooo teenagers they can do so much. Omg all the guys are helping her. Teddy picked a fight for Winn not her brother??? Wow this mom coddles a lot!!! She’s kinda annoying like go away mom. Wow they are not helpful to her. Omf her own romantic interlude! Omf they can all see her working out. Mr. Clearly lol! And the starring with Zack! Tough girl! Omg teddy kisses her ! Omg teddy is a douche. MANCHILLDDDD. He’s shirtless omf? Zack kisses her too??? WHAT IS SHE GOING TO DO?? He can’t help her? She got a letter?? Omg it’s from Zack but she keeps telling teddy she’s going to meet him? Omg this letter! His brother. Just friends. Rafi was making out with her brother!! He made her pizza 22 times awww. And they’re looking at the stars. What omg it’s over??? What happened to teddy??
I like how it’s set up by date! And with titles! Super cool. Oh it’s like a diary entry!!! That’s sooooo cool!
Overall, this was a very cute ya novel.
Thank you NetGalley, Meg Cabot, and harpercollins publishers for this advanced reader copy of kissing cowboys
WHAT DID HER BEOTHER DO? Omg this is the stupidest thing I’ve ever heard 🤦🏼♀️ oh no an all boys school! Oooo who is Zack???? Omg a guy for her mom! Maybe Zack just doesn’t understand jokes! NO PHONES??? And no one else and only boys! This sounds like torture! Omg they’re starring at her the new girl! Ahaha of course Zack is on the cooking committee NOW I WANT MASHED POTSTOES it’s funny how all the boys are cheering for her! Love these notes to her friend. OMG rafi has an eras tour shirt!!! Love 😍 this would be terrible to be the only girl at an all boys school i am just cringing 😬 hahah his uncle ooo teenagers they can do so much. Omg all the guys are helping her. Teddy picked a fight for Winn not her brother??? Wow this mom coddles a lot!!! She’s kinda annoying like go away mom. Wow they are not helpful to her. Omf her own romantic interlude! Omf they can all see her working out. Mr. Clearly lol! And the starring with Zack! Tough girl! Omg teddy kisses her ! Omg teddy is a douche. MANCHILLDDDD. He’s shirtless omf? Zack kisses her too??? WHAT IS SHE GOING TO DO?? He can’t help her? She got a letter?? Omg it’s from Zack but she keeps telling teddy she’s going to meet him? Omg this letter! His brother. Just friends. Rafi was making out with her brother!! He made her pizza 22 times awww. And they’re looking at the stars. What omg it’s over??? What happened to teddy??
I like how it’s set up by date! And with titles! Super cool. Oh it’s like a diary entry!!! That’s sooooo cool!
Overall, this was a very cute ya novel.
Thank you NetGalley, Meg Cabot, and harpercollins publishers for this advanced reader copy of kissing cowboys
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
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