Tofu Cowboy
by Lola West
My Review
This is the first book I’ve read from this author, but it definitely won’t be the last! Her writing style is effortlessly ‘readable’ if you understand what I mean … the pages go by so quickly that I was startled and sad to get to the end of the story. I loved this book from the very beginning to the very last paragraph. You will require a couple of tissues and a bag of Milano cookies to fully experience this book. I am going to try very hard to avoid spoilers even though I want to share it all!
Luke is unique hero for a romance book, but make no mistake, he is definitely a top-notch hero. He works his family’s cattle ranch, but he is a committed vegetarian. He’s tough and strong, but is also artistic and sensitive. Sometimes he even seems shy. Maddy is independent and fierce, and bravely trying to recover from serious emotional wounds that her biological family inflicted upon her. There is a lot of emotion in this story, but it doesn’t feel like it was inserted to check off boxes in a plot outline. There are valid reasons for the way they each feel and react at different points in the story.
There is both silliness and steamy chemistry between the 2 main characters. They have the goofy moments and inside jokes that characterize great relationships. They strive for honesty with each other, even when it hurts. The secondary characters were terrific and played an important part in grounding the story with a sense of reality. Luke’s family were all beautifully depicted; I love their teasing of one another and their perfect support for Luke when he needs them. Maddy’s chosen family was equally powerful. In a completely non-preaching way, this story imparts a lot of important life lessons including the importance of not judging based on appearance alone, and the priceless value of unconditional love. ‘Tofu Cowboy’ is a delicious read and I can’t wait to get my hands on the next in the series.