Book Review: Cowboys Don’t Come Out by Tara Lain

Reviewed by Susan65

Title: Cowboys Don’t Come Out
Author: Tara Lain
Heroes: Rand McIntyre
Genre: MM Contemporary
Length: 200 Pages
Publisher: Dreamspinner Press
Release Date: December 7, 2016
Available at:  Amazon and Barnes & Noble
Add it to your shelf: Goodreads

Blurb: Rand McIntyre settles for good enough. He loves his small California ranch, raising horses, and teaching riding to the kids he adores—but having kids of his own and someone to love means coming out, and that would jeopardize everything he’s built. Then, despite his terror of flying, he goes on a holiday to Hana, Hawaii, with his parents and meets the dark and mysterious Kai Kealoha, a genuine Hawaiian cowboy. Rand takes to Kai’s kid brother and sister as much as he drools over Kai, but the guy sports more prickles than a horned toad and more secrets than the exotic land he comes from.

Kai’s earned his privacy and lives to protect his “kids.” He ought to stay away from the big, handsome cowboy for everyone’s sake—but since the guy’s just a haole on a short vacation, how much damage can he do? When all of Kai’s worst fears and Rand’s darkest nightmares come true at once, there’s not much chance for two cowboys who can’t—or won’t—come out.

Review: It’s Tara Lain, so of course I’m going to read it. And I like cowboys, and Hawaiians, and learning about Hawaiian cowboys, so this was a win-win in many ways. I also love that Rand had great parents…even if I don’t like kids in my stories. The kids are the little brother and sister of Kai, our star Hawaiian cowboy, our own traditional paniolo. I admit I did a bit of Google searching on paniolos because I had no idea that Mexican’s cowboys went to Hawaii. I still don’t understand it honestly, but being a paniolo is something to take pride in and Kai was loaded with pride.

Kai is poor, a young cowboy struggling to raise his younger siblings after being lucky enough to have dead beat and non existent parents…and Rand is a rich Californian cowboy who just so happens to be vacationing in Hawaii where Kai lives and works. These two hit it off, on the dance floor of all places, instantly. They have spark and instant attraction, which I loved, but they both have beards, which I don’t. I hate that gay men need or use women to hide. I hate that they feel like they need to do that…and I hate that many have no choice. But these girls, while at first were annoying, actually ended up being pretty cool.

So, now we have a couple things I don’t like in my MM books: girls as beards, and kids…but I still gave it four stars. That is because I liked that the relationship between Rand and Kai was not fast nor easy. They both have secrets and they both have reasons to keep them to themselves. I admit that some of the plot got a little far-fetched, but this book was mostly entertaining and educational so I will chalk it up to a win and leave at a solid four stars.

Overall Impression: I really liked it!

*I received a copy of this book from the publisher in return for a fair and honest review.*