Cowboy Up

by Rob Knight (Editor)

Ride ’em cowboy! That’s what you’ll be shouting once you’ve read the Cowboy Up anthology. Editor Rob Knight has gathered a great selection of stories from authors like Sean Michael, BA Tortuga and Parhelion, featuring cowboys from around the globe and across more than a hundred years. These stories all illustrate the best and worst of the breed. Stubborn, independent, and sexy as all get out, the cowboys of Cowboy Up will leave you smiling, sometimes crying, but always admiring the tough, rugged man that rides the range and keeps his bedroll warm at night. Get yourself a cowboy today!

Genres: M M Romance, Anthologies, Westerns, Gay, Adult, Fiction, Romance

400 pages, Paperback

First published June 13, 2005

Reviews

[Alina · Rating 5 out of 5]

Five stars for the first three stories, especially for the second one - Above Snakes by AM Riley - it was absolutely amazing. The rest of them were kind of meh for me, some not really captivating and some all over the place with not enough focus on the relationships. Sean Michael's story felt, like some part was cut from the middle of it, the ending was... abrupt and strange.

I liked Surrender by Jourdan Lane, but I didn't like Brandt at all and I wished Dale ended up with Evan. I just couldn't sympathize with Brandt after how he behaved in the beginning.

I skipped a lot and maybe some day, when I'll be more in the right mood, I'll return to them.

PS Vic Winter's story I haven't read, since I can't bring myself to read unhappy ending stories :/

[Altivo Overo · Rating 5 out of 5]

This has lurked unread in my collection for several years. Well worth pulling it out, too. Every story in this anthology is of high quality, well written and as sharply pointed as a proverbial arrow. I had some favorites, of course, and your choices may differ, but don't miss these. I promise you these cowboys are a lot better and more real than the ones Hollywood dreamed up.

[OkayKim · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really need to read more anthologies before I go and purchase shorts from the publisher. Really miffs me when I find out that I bought something twice.

Stormclouds by Dallas Colemans **** (Hope to read more from this author)
Above Snakes by AM Riley **** (Really good story)
Added Money by Chris Owen ***** (Want More!)
Dry Bones by Parhelion ***
Male Order Bride by Eumenides ***
Surrender by Jourdan Lane ***** (Want More!)
The Gaucho Code by Julia Talbot ***
This Legacy in My Hands by Vic Winter
Really was enjoying this one until I hit the ending. It SUCKED! Reminded me of the ending of Riding Heartbreak Road.
Barn Dance by BA Tortuga ***
The Good Life by Sean Michael
Really started to enjoy this one too until it hiccuped and skipped something vital like "Did these two get together or what???? "

The links provided to these books are the ones you can buy separately.

[Serena Yates · Rating 3 out of 5]

The stories in this anthology varied widely in how much I liked them, so the overall rating is only an average.

"Surrender" by Jourdan Lane was amazing (5 stars)

"Added Money" by Chris Owen I really liked (4 stars)
"The Gaucho Code" by Julia Talbot I really liked (4 stars)
"Barn Dance" by B.A. Tortuga I really liked (4 stars)
"This Legacy in my Hnads" by Vic Winter had a sad ending, but I still really liked it (4 stars)

"Male Order Bride" by Eumenides was unexpected and I liked it (3 stars)
"Stormclouds" by Coleman Dallas I liked (3 stars)
"Above Snakes" by A.M. Riley I liked (3 stars)

"Dry Bones" by Lucius Parhelion was okay (2 stars)
"The Good Life" by Sean Michal had a strange ending (2 stars)

[Jude Conrad · Rating 3 out of 5]

i enjoyed it

[Amber · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was a lot longer than GR info over 400 in fact. If your looking for more historical stories this is the perfect cowboy book with 5 of them falling in that category. Unfortunately historical is a genre that I don't really love too much.

Stormclouds By Dallas Coleman - 4 stars I liked this one alot but wished there was a little more background on Dwayne I didn't know if he was actually a cowboy or one that just fell in love with one and tried making a life with Tracey.

Above Snakes By AM Riley - 3 stars Historical one but it was a longer one so I felt like I got to know Samuel and Jacob. The ending really didn't solve the problem of how they were going to be together in that time period so it did feel incomplete.

Added Money By Chris Owen - 4 stars This was a good opening to a cowboy coming out to his family I just wish there was more to it.

Dry Bones By Parhelion - 2 stars Historical one again and I just didn't get OX and Par. Also just didn't feel anything for Joss/Ox pairing. Also pretty unrealistic.

The Good Life By Sean Michael - 2 stars Was this even a romance?

Male Order Bride By Eumenides - 4 star The one historical one that I like. Completely unrealistic for the time period but I like the twist on mail order bride.

Surrender By Jourdan Lane - 3 stars Really the most sexual one and the friends to lovers theme.

The Gaucho Code By Julia Talbot - 2 stars Another historical I just didn't get into the mexican feel of this story at all.

This Legacy in My Hands By Vic Winter - 3 stars Basically a reminiscing story about remembering the good times so I just didn't feel a connection to the character not to mention is is a depressing story.

Barn Dance By BA Tortuga - 2 stars I think my problem with this one was I was burnt out on the historical stories so I just couldn't get into the story.

[Marlobo ♥ epilogues · Rating 3 out of 5]

I read this anthology many years ago; I'm sure it was my first LGBTQA+ anthology; I have no idea why I didn't register on GR. I'll fix that in the next few days. There is one of the stories I remembered perfectly: My problem is that I hated the resolution of the story, and still do; BUT it was an unforgettable read, and that dichotomy makes me insecure about how to rate it (I'm talking about 1 star or 5 stars, go figure!). I need to think about it.

**********

Stormclouds by Dallas Coleman - 3.5 stars
Contemporary; Established relationship

Above Snakes by A.M. Riley - 3 stars
Historical; Bosses & Staffers

Added Money by Chris Owen - 4 stars
Contemporary; Rodeo

Dry Bones by Parhelion - 3 stars
Historical; Hidden Identity

The Good Life By Sean Michael - 2 stars
Contemporary
This is the story I was talking about above. Upon reflection, the unsatisfactory resolution seems unnecessary to me. While I don't doubt that there must have been cases where the inhibition to carry out a relationship must have been absolute. In this case, I don't see that choice as reasonable; since they are roommates, nothing prevents the existence of public life and private life."

Male Order Bride by Eumenides - 2 stars
Historical; Parenthood; Health Issues; Hidden Identity

Surrender by Jourdan Lane - 2.5 stars
Coworkers; Roommates; Since Forever; Friends to Lovers

The Gaucho Code by Julia Talbot - 1 star
Historical

This Legacy in My Hands by Vic Winter - 2 stars
Contemporary
Sad, sad, sad.

Barn Dance by BA Tortuga - 3.5 stars
HIstorical; post Civil War; musician

[Xtemptation · Rating 3 out of 5]

Stormclouds By Dallas Coleman - 2.5
Above Snakes By AM Riley - 2.5
Added Money By Chris Owen - 5
Dry Bones By Parhelion - 1
The Good Life By Sean Michael - 1
Male Order Bride By Eumenides - 4
Surrender By Jourdan Lane - 4
The Gaucho Code By Julia Talbot - 3
This Legacy in My Hands By Vic Winter - 2
Barn Dance By BA Tortuga - 3

[Angela · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really wish that some of these stories were full length. All were good, but a couple were fantastic!

[Sarah]

Chris Owens story -- Fantastic but not long enough loved the characters would love to see them in there own book