A little bundle of joy means big changes. Hoss McMasters has a working ranch, a bull riding career, a nosy momma, and a best friend he’s been in love with since he can remember. He’s a busy, happy cowboy, living the good life. Then one morning he discovers a baby on his doorstep. Well, Hoss does what any reasonable man would do–he calls his momma and his buddy, Sheriff Pooter, and they head to … Pooter, and they head to the clinic to see if Doc knows of any suddenly not-so-pregnant girls.
In the meantime, Hoss and his best friend, Bradley, have their hands full trying to care for an infant, run a ranch, and deal with the sudden confession that Bradley doesn’t hate Hoss for coming out to him in high school. In fact, Bradley’s been trying to catch Hoss’s attention for damn near a decade.
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Hoss and Bradley’s long history has gotten them stuck in the friend zone, leaving them both pining for the other. I’m not sure if it was just frustration or a burst of bravery but Brandley’s confession has poor Hoss reeling for a bit. I loved how both of them take to the baby. Their dedication and adoration morph into them being amazing parents. Hoss’s momma is a hoot! The ending is beyond satisfying.
Highly recommended author
Audiobook Review by the Wicked Reads Review Team
Angela –
B.A. Tortuga is my go-to author for cowboy romances. While Two Cowboys and a Baby is on the softer side of romance, despite its soap-opera twist, the author does not disappoint. Actually, for a standalone title, the story is perhaps more complex and convoluted than I’m accustomed to as Tortuga succeeds in packing in several themes. Abandoned baby. Unrequited love. Two gay daddies. Reassessing one’s priorities in life after an injury. The big one I cannot say because on the off chance that someone else hasn’t revealed that spoiler, I won’t be the one to do it, but rest assured, it is straight out of a soap opera. And yet Tortuga pulls it all off, including a wink and a nod to the unbelievability of a classic soap opera twist.
As the blurb states, Hoss wakes one morning to find a baby abandoned on his doorstep. Instead of being able to hand the child off to the authorities, Hoss winds up accepting responsibility for the infant for the weekend. And then the following week. And then that next weekend. And the next thing you know, Hoss has become the little girl’s unofficial foster dad because the town sheriff and the town doc are trying to figure out who the mom is without getting child services involved. As fantastical as it sounds, I can soooooo totally see the sequence of events that play out in the book actually happening in a small rural town. When the locals close ranks, a small town in the middle of nowhere can operate like its own kingdom – for better and for worse. Unsurprisingly, the longer the little girl is in Hoss’ care, the more attached he gets. What is surprising, especially for Hoss, is learning that his straight best friend, Bradley, ain’t nearly as straight as he let Hoss believe. That shock is only the first of many that Tortuga continues to throw at Hoss, keeping the man on his toes constantly. To be honest, I’m not sure what surprised me more – the circumstances that led to Hoss and Bradley’s falling out, the actual falling out, or what led to Bradley pulling his head out of his derriere and making amends to Hoss. Yep, I implied it and I’ll outright say it, Bradley was in the wrong and his pride kept him in the wrong. As this is not only a B.A. Tortuga cowboy romance, but also a Dreamspun Desires title, you can rest assured that a happy ending is delivered, but it is one bumpy, twisty road to ride to get there.
As much as I enjoyed Dorian Bane’s narrative performance in a paranormal romance last week, the man does the cowboy drawl beautifully. Just as Tortuga is my go-to author for cowboy romances, Bane has quickly become my favorite narrator for western romances. I was very impressed with Bane’s ability to create so many distinct voices for a rather large cast of side characters, all while keeping those Texas drawls and twangs in play. Not an easy feat, I’d assume, yet it enhances the listening experience and makes an already enjoyable story even more entertaining. For me, Two Cowboys and a Baby was classic Tortuga and a perfect story for showcasing Bane’s narrative talents. I look forward to more from both the author and the narrator, especially if there’s another collaboration between them – THAT would be just dandy.
Reviewers on the Wicked Reads Review Team were provided a free audiobook copy of Two Cowboys and a Baby by B.A. Tortuga, narrated by Dorian Bane to listen to and review.