In this charming, sexy romance, a bookish beauty needs a fake boyfriend and finds a handsome cowboy who is just the man for the job. Must Love Cowboys is the finale of the Once Upon a Time in Texas series.
Prior to this series, I had never read any cowboy romances. After tearing through these three books, I can tell you I am a fast fan and would recommend all three to anyone. They are that good! The series completely sweeps you off into the world of Big Verde, Texas. It's a small town filled with ranches, drama, and a whole lot of romance.
I am incredibly excited to be able to interview the wonderful author of this series, Carly Bloom. She was gracious enough to answer a few of my burning questions. A special thanks to Forever Publishing and Estelle for coordinating this interview!
What is your writing process like - are you a plotter or a pantser?
Oh, God. I’m a pantser. I wish I wasn’t. My process is messy and ugly and I cry a lot.
Going into the series, did you have all the couples/books mapped out or did you start with the first book and then let secondary characters lead the way to their own books?
I had no idea which couples would get their own books. While writing Maggie and Travis’s story in Big Bad Cowboy, I knew Claire would be my next heroine. But that was all I knew. And then Ford showed up out of nowhere, slinking about quietly in the shadows. I had no clue what his deal was, and I didn’t figure it out until I was actually writing Cowboy Come Home. I heard Kasey Musgraves’s song, Space Cowboy, and that knocked something loose. Ford’s story came at me in one fell swoop. It was such a freaking relief.
During all of that, I sensed Alice quietly, but steadfastly, pushing her way to the surface, so I knew she’d be the next heroine. But it wasn’t until the Boots and Ball Gowns gala (when Alice took the stage in that gorgeous gown) that Beau hit my radar. Claire noticed Beau looking at Alice like a kitten looks at a bowl of cream, and she raised an eyebrow at me (she’s a natural matchmaker). I winked back (thanks, Claire!), and that’s how Alice got her beau.
Which was your favorite book/couple to write?
I think Alice and Beau were my favorite couple. Beau is my sweetest hero, and although there was tension and conflict, it didn’t seep into my consciousness as much as it did with the other two books. I was much more at ease while writing.
Which book/couple was the hardest?
Claire and Ford were the hardest. Second chance stories are not typically my jam. Maybe it’s because I don’t want to let anyone off the hook too easily, so I over-complicate things. I sure as heck didn’t want Claire letting that cowboy waltz right back in, if you know what I mean.
Do you have plans for more books in the series? If not, what do you envision the couples' lives looking like 5 years down the road from where we last left them?
Must Love Cowboys is probably the last book in the Once Upon a Time in Texas series. But the characters might pop up now and again. As for where they’ll all be in five years, I suspect they’ll be wrangling cows and kids and relationships while wondering where the time goes, just like the rest of us. But one thing is for sure: their HEAs are guaranteed!
What are you currently reading right now? What authors are an auto-buy for you?
I just finished Rosie Danan’s the Intimacy Experiment and I’ve moved on to the Roommate. I’ve also got Pippa Grant’s I Pucking Love You (she’s an auto-buy) waiting on my Kindle as a Sunday afternoon treat. I will knock out one of Pippa’s books in a single afternoon. My long-term auto-buy relationship is with Susan Elizabeth Philips, and she has a new one coming out in June. I’ve already pre-ordered. There are more authors and books out there than any of us could ever possibly read, and that’s why I love reviewers and folks who recommend good reads!
