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Saddling Up: Exploring Black Cowboys and Cowgirls in Black Romance Books
Episode 8 • 10th May 2024 • Culture Lit • Culture Lit
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Celebrating Black Cowboy Romance in Literature

In this episode of the Culture Lit podcast, Octavia Marie delves into the significance of Beyoncé's album 'Cowboy Carter' and its impact on challenging the historically white narratives of cowboy romances in literature. She highlights the importance of Black representation in the cowboy romance genre, acknowledging how the genre has largely overlooked the contributions and stories of Black cowboys and cowgirls. 

Octavia introduces listeners to celebrated Black romance authors like Beverly Jenkins, Rebecca Weatherspoon, and Brenda Jackson, who have enriched the cowboy/western romance genre with their compelling and diverse narratives. 

She recommends books that showcase Black cowboys and cowgirls in love, adventure, and resilience, offering listeners an opportunity to explore black cowboy and cowgirl romance novels that celebrate diversity and challenge stereotypes. The episode is a call to action to read with intention and support Black romance authors, ensuring their stories are recognized and valued.

Find it and other recommendations at The CultureLit Digital BookShop and support independent bookstores CultureLitPodcast

Culture Lit is a community in celebration of black women and black love, and a reminder that black women deserve joy, love success, second chances, and all the beautiful magic the world has to offer.

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Transcripts

Octavia Marie:

Hey girl, hey.

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This is Octavia Marie and this

is my podcast Culture Lit.

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Since the release of Beyoncé's Cowboy

Cotter, I've been seeing a lot of I'm

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in my cowboy era posts with Beyoncé's

name on them next to cowboy romances

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written by and about white folks.

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Insert hard side-eye

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It's making me feel a certain kind of way

and me and my homegirls don't like it.

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Someone was going to have to say this.

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So I'm going to.

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Like country music, romance,

specifically cowboy romance, have

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been predominantly white narratives.

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And that quote unquote tradition is

alive and well today in this genre.

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Beyonce in her announcement of the

name of the album made a point to state

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that this project . came from her lived

experience of feeling unwelcome in the

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country music space because she's Black.

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Every track on the album is a

celebration of Black people,

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history, music, women, culture.

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It was lovingly and intentionally

crafted to make Black folks feel seen

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and celebrated, to lift up those voices

who have been fighting for visibility

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in a space that is not built for them.

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It feels lacking in self awareness to

then use this moment, this piece of

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art that for many of us has a profound

meaning and use it to shout out books

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that center white stories and characters.

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The romance genre has

an anti Black problem.

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At a time where the bestsellers

lists are dominated by the genre,

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only two Black authors have hit

the New York Times list since:

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And it's not because the

stories are not deserving.

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It's because even when there's a moment

ripe to reach for them, Readers don't.

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There are phenomenal Black authors writing

cowboy romances and have been for decades.

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Needless to say, if Cowboy Carter has you

in your cowboy western era and you find

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yourself with an itch to dust off those

cowboy boots, Or maybe by your first pair.

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And are dreaming of days out on

the ranch and oh, I don't know,

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hoping for a little cowboy or

cowgirl to sweep you off your feet?

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Then you are certainly not alone.

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Don't worry.

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I did all the work for you and reigned

in some of my favorite black cowboy

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romance books that will make you long

for sunset fields and horseback riding.

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So grab those Levi jeans

and then put on the song.

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But before we dive into the captivating

world of romance novels, I want

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to just take a moment to honor the

legacy of black cowboys and cowgirls.

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Born out of a necessity and fueled by

a spirit of adventure, Black riders

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forged their own path in the American

West despite facing discrimination

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and hardship along the way.

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The

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Black cowboys played a vital

role in the development of

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the American cattle industry.

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Some were even former slaves

who used their with horses and

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cattle to carve out a new life for

themselves after the Civil War.

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But here's the thing.

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The stories and contributions

of Black writers have often been

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overlooked and underrepresented,

especially in romance novels.

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From the post Civil War era to the

frontier days of the Wild West, black

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cowboys and cowgirls played a vital

role in shaping the American West.

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Yet their stories have been marginalized

and erased from mainstream narratives.

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We've seen countless tales of white

cowboys finding love on the open range,

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but what about black cowboys and cowgirls?

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Join me on this journey through the

dusty trails and open plains of the

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old and new west, guided by masterful

storytelling of acclaimed black

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authors like Beverly Jenkins, Rebecca

Weatherspoon, and Brenda Jackson.

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Their stories are a testament

to resilience, courage, and

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determination in the face of adversity.

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From wrangling cattle to breaking

barriers, black cowboys and cowgirls

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left an indelible mark on the frontier,

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challenging stereotypes and

defying the odds with each ride.

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Now let's turn our attention to the

incomparable Beverly Jenkins, her

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own right and a beloved figure in the

world of historical romance literature.

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Ms.

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Jenkins has brought to life a

rich tapestry of characters and

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settings, including the vibrant

world of black cowboys and cowgirls.

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I'd start with the classic Topaz,

which is absolute perfection.

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Her ability to weave together

historical detail with

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compelling romance is unmatched.

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And Miss Bev is amazing.

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Not only is she a phenomenal writer, but

she is also so fabulously interesting.

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She once came to a Zoom reader

author group and she told some

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of the most intriguing stories.

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It's one of my fave author events ever.

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In novels such as Indigo and Wild

Rain, she transports readers to the

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heart of the Old West, where love and

adventure await around every corner.

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Her heroines are fierce and independent,

her heroes are rugged and honorable,

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and together they embark on journeys

of self discovery and passion amidst

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the backdrop of a changing frontier.

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In Wild Rain, the romance between

Spring and Garrett is tender and

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passionate, offering a fresh perspective

on traditional Western tropes.

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Spring is a horse rancher living in

Wyoming and Garrett, a reporter for

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a black newspaper who has traveled

out west to interview Spring's.

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Brother.

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Spring is independent, prickly, and

extremely competent, and Garrett is

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charmed by her almost from the first

moment he meets her, which happens

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when she rescues him after he falls

off his horse during a blizzard.

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Wild Reign contains many of

the elements that feel like

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a traditional western to me.

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Scenes of blizzards and horse breaking,

confrontations in the local saloon,

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slick shysters from out east coming

to take advantage of the locals.

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But the central characters buck

the stereotypes in numerous ways.

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It's Garrett, who is the gentle,

softly spoken bookish one in Wild

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Reign, the good listener, the fish

out of water, and Spring, who is the

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hot tempered cowboy with the rakish

past who tames wild horses and carries

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a gun that she is not afraid to use.

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I like that Garrett is not portrayed

as weak, even though Spring is more

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physically competent than he is.

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In fact, his respect for and acceptance

of Spring to me is a sign of his

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strength and confidence in himself.

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I also liked how good hearted Garrett was.

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You just knew from the start that Spring

was safe with Garrett on every level.

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There wasn't the slightest trace

of macho bullshit about him.

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There was some fascinating

family dynamics here too.

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Spring's background is pretty harrowing,

and I liked how it was resolved.

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The layers in her relationship

with her brother were particularly

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well done, and Garrett's father's

ambitions for his children.

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And the way he was portrayed as being both

highly sympathetic, but also very wrong.

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As I'm sure we all know and understand,

families are not always easy.

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Most of the conflict in this book

came from outside of the relationship.

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Spring and Garrett got onto the same

page pretty quickly and stayed there.

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Though it took a while for Spring

to extend her full trust to Garrett.

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For me, this actually worked really well.

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Because the external threat

was pretty horrific and flagged

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quite early in the story.

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I think if Spring and Garrett hadn't had

so much tenderness and respect between

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them so early, it would have been hard

to bear the anticipation of that threat.

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Wild Rain has a lot of angst, the

threat that looms over Spring throughout

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that story adds a significant amount

of dread and tension to the story.

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and can make for some tense reading.

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But the sweetness of the relationship

between Spring and Garrick brings balance.

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It was also refreshing to read a

Western set romance with Black and

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Native American characters living side

by side with their white neighbors,

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perhaps not always in harmony, and

never without an awareness of race,

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but, as a community, nonetheless.

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But Jenkins is not alone in celebrating

black cowboy and cowgirl romance.

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Authors like Rebecca Weatherspoon and

Brenda Jackson have also made significant

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contributions to the genre, each

bringing their own unique perspective

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and voice to cowboy storytelling.

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The legendary Brenda Jackson

has an entire catalog of cowboy

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romances, the Westmoreland series.

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That series has over 30 books.

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Brenda Jackson's Secret Love

is part of her Madaris series

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and follows the story of Jacob

Madaris and actress Diamond Swain.

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Despite their complicated

past, their love story is both

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captivating and heartwarming.

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In Secret Love, Jacob is a handsome

cattle baron, who reluctantly

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fulfills a poker pal's request to host

beautiful actress Diamond Swain for

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a three week respite at his sprawling

Texas ranch, Whispering Pines.

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Worried that the star's arrival

would disrupt the smooth operation

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of his successful business, and

distract his workers, Jake decides

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to keep Diamond's presence low key.

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Although he has vowed to never let a

sophisticate like his nasty ex wife

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into his heart again, and Diamond's

own bitter divorce from an abusive

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husband makes a romantic match with Jake

unlikely, the relationship still develops.

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Confronted with unwanted media attention

after eventually going public with

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their love, Jake and Diamond rely on the

support of his large and loyal family.

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Ms.

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Jackson's talent for character

development imparts credibility to

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the otherwise improbable marriage

that the couple manages to keep

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secret for more than a year.

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Rebecca Weatherspoon has a phenomenal

cowboy trilogy set in California that

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are retellings of some favorite fairy

tales like Cinderella, sleeping,

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beauty and Beauty, and the Beast.

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Rebecca Weatherspoon's A Cowboy

to Remember offers a modern twist

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on the cowboy romance genre.

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The chemistry between Evie Buchanan

and Zach Pleasant is electric and

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their journey to rediscover love

is both touching and memorable.

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In "A Cowboy to Remember", Chef Evie

Buchanan is perched on the edge of stardom

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with a headline spot on a hit morning show

and truly mouth watering culinary skills.

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But at an industry party, a

fall lands Evie in the hospital

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with no memory of who she is.

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Scrambling to help, Evie's assistant

contacts the only family Evie has left,

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close friends who run the Luxury Dude

Ranch in California where Evie grew up.

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Evie has no recollection of them

until former rodeo champion, Zach

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Pleasant walks into her hospital

room and she realizes his handsome

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face has been haunting her dreams.

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Zack hasn't seen Evie in years.

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Not since their families

conducted a campaign to make

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sure their childhood friendship

never turned into anything more.

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When the young cowboy refused to admit

the feelings between them were real,

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Evie left California making it clear

she never wanted to see Zack again.

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Now, he refuses to make

the same mistake twice.

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Starting fresh is a risk when they

have a history she can't recall.

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But Zack can't bear to let her go now.

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And we are left to wonder, can Zack

awaken the sleeping beauty inside

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her who might still love him?

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And then in Weatherspoon's If the Boot

Fits, we're treated to another delightful

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romance set on a luxury California ranch.

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The banter between Sam Pleasant and

Amanda is charming, and their chemistry

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sizzles off the page with two characters

who are stuck in their Hollywood careers.

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Sam Pleasant is a movie star who

just won an Oscar for a film he's

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ambivalent about and is burnt

out and unsure what to do next.

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Amanda is an aspiring writer who's

let her day job as an actress's

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personal assistant take over her life.

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Her boss is a diva whose tantrums

keep Amanda too stressed to

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pursue her screenwriting dreams.

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After a friend gets Amanda a ticket to

an Oscars after party, she and Sam have

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an off the page one night stand, with

Amanda sneaking out the next morning,

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assuming they'll never meet again.

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But Hollywood is a small place, and

these two keep running into each

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other, starting with the wedding

of a mutual actress friend that

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just happens to be held, where?

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At Sam's family's ranch.

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I picked up this rom com during a week

when I desperately needed a laugh,

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and it was the perfect comfort read.

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I love the consent seeking cowboy

and science fiction loving fangirl.

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And If the Boot Fits gave me both.

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They meet in la, but fall in

love while bantering about the

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cattle, dogs, and horses in a

setting that serves as a refuge.

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Amanda and Sam are so obviously into

one another and yet so deliciously

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clueless about each other's interests.

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It was a pleasure watching them slowly

figure out how much they have in common

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and flirt shamelessly as they do.

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Amanda initially lies to Sam,

telling him she's a busy screenwriter

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instead of an underappreciated

assistant who must keep answering

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demanding calls about lunch orders.

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It takes her forever to come clean

though, which I found stressful as

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fuck, but this obstacle is eventually

resolved in a minimally frustrating way.

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I appreciated the many plus size

characters in this book, including

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Amanda who is matter of fact about it.

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If you are looking for a fat heroine

who loves her body and has zero baggage

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about her size, this is your book.

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Amanda is confident about her appeal,

even as she's embarrassed by her job.

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To my surprise, one of my favorite things

about this story was a three dimensional

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villain, Amanda's awful boss, Drew.

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She is demanding, superficial,

and spoiled, but she's neither

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stupid nor totally unsympathetic.

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Drew is a biracial woman in a tough

industry, and I could understand

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how Amanda would get sucked into a

codependence dynamic with her, even

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though I spent much of the book internally

screaming at Amanda to quit her job,

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move to the ranch, and sit on Sam's face.

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This loose retelling of Cinderella

is funny, charming, and felt

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like a down to earth fairytale.

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I love revisiting the Playful

Pleasant clan too, with their

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unique mix of Black Hollywood

royalty and Western style chivalry.

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In these Black Cowboy romance books,

we encounter a diverse cast of

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characters grappling with love, loss,

and redemption on the open range.

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From forbidden romances to second

chance encounters, these novels

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offer a tantalizing glimpse into

the lives of Black riders and the

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women who captured their hearts.

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And that's just a snippet.

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There are countless black and

brown cowboy romances out there.

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As we come to the end of our

journey, let's take a moment

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to reflect on the importance of

representation in romance literature.

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The stories we've explored today are more

than just tales of love and adventure.

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They're a celebration of diversity,

resilience, and the power of storytelling.

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By amplifying the voices of Black

authors and celebrating the rich

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history of Black cowboys and cowgirls,

we honor their legacy and ensure that

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their stories are never forgotten.

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Don't forget to check out the works of

Beverly Jenkins, Rebecca Weatherspoon, and

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Brenda Jackson and immerse yourself in the

captivating world of black cowboy romance.

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Read with intention, folks.

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And in the words of QueenYonce,

can we stand for something?

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Now is the time to face the wind.

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Now ain't the time to pretend.

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Now it's time to let love in.

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As always, thank you for

joining me on this adventure.

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Stay tuned for more episodes

celebrating the beauty and

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diversity of romance literature.

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Until next time, happy

trails and happy reading.

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