Customer Reviews

Lady X's Cowboy (Leisure Historical Romance)

5 star:		(7)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

An unbelievable debut from Archer that grabs you from the very beginning. Olivia is a heroine out of her time struggling to battle the inevitable censure brought on by the fact that she is managing one of the most successful breweries in London which her late husband has left her. In her two years of full mourning she has decided to read every scrap of literature relating the management and the making of beer. She tackles the task head on, becoming so successful at it that spoiled and unscrupulous, peer of the realm Lord Pryce decides that he wants her brewery and will stop at nothing to get what he wants. Hence a lovely villain.

When Lady Olivia is attacked by thugs hired by Pryce, Will Coffin strides in out of the fog to save the day. Full with a bushy mustache, six shooter, as long duster and more Western expressions that will put a grin on your face (such as "Fog's so thick that not even a mule in a mineshaft could see!"). The typical Western Cowboy who Lady Olivia hires to help manage her brewery. There are enough hot electrical sparks between them to light a fire - they are very sexually attracted to each other - as he is constantly saying whatever is on his mind - mostly to do with Lady Olivia's appearance, her beauty or her lips. She is taken aback by his candor and easy going, honest manner. All hell brakes loose when she brings him to her house and they encounter the tremendous censure from society when a high class lady is fraternizing with the lower classes.

This book is marvelous. An amazing story of how Olivia's love for Will transforms her and how they will stop at nothing to be together and love each other - no matter the dictates of society. An amazing debut from Zoë Archer - the book was exquisite, well written observing the Victorian elements of the era and fun and sexy to boot. The character development is wonderful and you will delight in reading Olivia's and Will's story. I can't wait for Zoë's next book.

Zoe Archer's debut novel is a refreshing and delightful read. Lady Olivia Xavier, the beautiful heroine, will not disappoint romance readers. She is a strong, independent businesswoman who frowns and struggles with the dictates of Victorian society and forms her own path. Underneath, she longs for romance and adventure, reading dime store cowboy novels in her spare time. Will Coffin, a "real" American cowboy, arrives in England to try and locate his lost family. He is a strong, sexy male who is attracted to and admires Olivia. He comes to her rescue to save her brewery, but also gives her the romance she has longed for. The romance is fun and sexy; definitely an 8 to 10 on the sensual scale. Zoe Archer really pulls off the blend of the Wild West American & the Society English Lady. There is suspense and many fun scenes. Unlike some romances, you do not walk away thinking any of these characters are flighty. I really enjoyed this story and look forward to future books by Zoe Archer.

In 1883 London, Colorado cowboy Will Coffin intercedes and rescues Lady Olivia Xavier from assault of three punks. She thinks the hunk who saved her from Lord Pryce's hired thugs could have been the front cover model of the western dime novels she loves to read.

Lady Olivia hires Will to help her save the brewery that she inherited from her late husband her unscrupulous rival Lord Pryce will do anything to either destroy or preferably steal her firm. Meanwhile Will has come to England to find his family here. He has no plans to socialize with people he does not understand nor is able to communicate with yet somehow he and Lady X who speaks a foreign language that sort of sounds like English, communicate through their hearts. Though the lady and the cowboy are in love, their respective social classes are more than just oceans apart.

This is a terrific Victorian romance that focuses on cultural differences between a tea toting English aristocrat and a cow poking American cowboy. The story line emphasizes the Grand Canyonesque gaps that the loving pair must surmount if they want a permanent relationship a concept both desire and fear. Humor via stereotyping presumptions add to the fun as Olivia cannot understand how he can be gentle instead of a rough hooligan like in the dime novels while Will struggles with how his English rose can be understanding and kind instead of haughty as he assumed all aristocratic ladies pretend a loftiness that make dudes like him feel like sewage. Fans will enjoy Zoe Archer's superb historical driven by two obviously in love characters that live light years apart in lifestyles.

Harriet Klausner

This book changed my view of romance novels. It was funny, intelligent, and a thoroughly enjoyable read. I'm ordering Zoe Archer's 2nd book because I liked this one so much.

Olivia Xavier has been widowed for five years. In his will, her husband left her the brewery, Greywell, which Olivia is determined to run herself. As a lady in 1883, it's extremely unconventional for her to be working, and running a brewery is shocking. Olivia doesn't care. She has her dreams and fantasies, and they all center around the stories she reads in dime novels about cowboys and the untamed America.

Will Coffin is a cowboy from Colorado. He's in England looking for his family with no real clue where to start his search. Like any self respecting cowboy, he brought his boots, hat, guns, and saddle with him across the ocean. He has no idea when he rescues her from some thugs that all his skills would be needed to save Lady X's life and brewery.

Olivia is standing outside the brewery waiting for her coach to arrive when she's accosted by several men who'd been sent to intimidate her into selling her brewery. While she's fending them off, a real live cowboy comes out of nowhere and rescues her with a bit of muscle and good ol' western brawling. Once the ruffians are gone, Olivia thanks Will and offers him a reward for his help. Will feels that he only did what any man worth his salt should do and therefore is extremely offended by her offer. He does tell her the general area where he's staying and she later tracks him down. Fortunately for him, she finds him right as the owner of the establishment is requesting him to leave and refuses to let him into his room to gather his possessions. With Olivia backing him up and looking down her aristocratic nose, the owner finally backs down and allows Will to retrieve his things. Olivia offers Will a room in her home for the night. While they talk, Will tells her about his parents' death and the miner who had found and raised him. He also explains to her exactly why he is in England. Olivia is in dire need of help with the so-called gentleman who's trying to force her to sell her brewery. Will needs help finding his folk. Can the two of them work out a plan that ensures that they both find their dreams . . . even if their dreams are more than they ever imagined.

I've read many books with cowboys and ladies but this is the first one I've ever read where the cowboy goes to England and I have to tell you I love it! Will doesn't put on fancy airs for anybody. He speaks with a decidedly American twang, and isn't afraid to fight when the need arises. Olivia is also bold, her fear of being ousted from society keeps her from displaying the full force of her nerve, though you do get peeks of it here and there. She's intelligent and determined, just as I'd expect a business woman to be. However, there's also a wistfulness that comes out when she's with Will. Together, they're a power to be reckoned with as they set out to shock and titillate the upper-crust of English society. Zoe Archer's LADY X'S COWBOY is both humorous and exciting from beginning to end. Definitely a book I'd recommend reading if you enjoy cowboy stories.

Chrissy Dionne (courtesy of Romance Junkies)

She was an independent widow frustrated by the rules of London society. He was a cowboy from Colorado seeking his past and contemplating his future. The differences between them were limitless, but their passion was undeniable.

Lady Olivia Xavier has been a widow for over two years when this story begins and she is successfully running the brewery her husband left her after his death. One night on the streets of London, Olivia is attacked and then rescued by none other than American cowboy Will Coffin. Will is basically a drifter in London, looking for any clues about his past. He is desperately seeking the identity of his birth parents, who died when he was younger. But seeing the beautiful Lady X has distracted him from his original quest.

Olivia is fascinated by Will from the first moment she meets him. The man is a real-life cowboy - straight out of the pages of the dime novels she loves to read about cowboys and Indians. She knows society would never accept any association between the two of them, but Olivia can't help the attraction she feels towards this stranger in a Stetson.

Olivia also realizes Will is a man with nothing to lose. So she asks if he would help protect her brewery from the mischievous Lord Percy. Percy wishes to buy her brewery, but Olivia has refused every attempt. Olivia is worried Percy's attempts to scare her into selling are becoming more serious and dangerous with each passing day. Will, never one to abandon a woman in distress, quickly rushes to her side as her protector.

Lady X's Cowboy is nothing but surprises. It is a fun ride from the first page to the last. If I'm going to pick a historical romance to read, Regency and Westerns are probably two of my favorites, but put the two together? Well, that sounds like an interesting challenge for any author...one that Archer is more than capable of pulling off.

From chapter one, Archer had created a world that I knew I would enjoy immensely. It was charming, funny and just beautiful storytelling. I was completely blow away by the quality of her writing. She would have a strong western accent from one character and quickly switch to the heroine's dialogue of formal English. Let's just say I was impressed. The characters were so strongly different right from the start I found it hard to believe that one person wrote them. And they were absolutely delightful to read about. Lady X was a truly fierce, independent woman way ahead of her time. The way she would 'spit' in the face of society was fascinating. She walked a fine line...keeping herself in good graces with those around her, but never too careful as to follow society's rule to the point where it made her unhappy.

Will was even more charming. Everyone tried to perceive him as the dumb American cowboy, but he was anything but. His dialogue was colorful and his manners were adorable. You could not have asked for a better hero. He was the muscle to protect her during the day...and he was the intellectual and sensual individual to keep her company at night. The only question was: Could they overcome their differences and society's disapproval to live happily ever after?

Lisa @ Once Upon A Chapter

A friend of mine loaned me this book and I must say that at first I was a little skeptical. I had never read a romance novel before. Aren't all romance novels filled with weak women pining after some Hercules-type guy? Boy, was I wrong! This book is smart and funny and the heroine is a strong, determined woman. The story grabbed me from the first page and I could not put it down. I have now read more of Zoe Archer's books and cannot wait to add more to my collection. If you like intelligent, fun, interesting, and sexy period novels, you must buy this book and check out other work by Zoe Archer.

What a charming little book, Will may have been a cowboy out of his element but he was no man's buffoon. I really enjoyed the romantic struggle between Will and Olivia. The classic upstairs downstairs angst with a little twist. The hired thug Maddox was a hoot, reading Western dime novels to figure out how to fight Will and Pryce the stereotypical aristocrat that always get someone else to do their dirty work was a slimy character. SPOILER: I was glad the author did not have Will coming from a wealthy family and that Olivia got her title because her husband was a successful business man. The love scenes though not many were placed just right within the story, the author allowed Will & Olivia to develop their attraction to each other and made the reader as anxious for the deed to be done as the H/h. It was nice to read a book about the working class finding love for a change. I will definitely be reading more books by this author.