By the Bootstraps by Alexa Martin

e-ALC, 11:21:15
Narrated by: Nicole Cash
Release Date: May 26, 2026
Published by: Books on Tape
Read from: May 16-18, 2026
Stand-alone
Source:  PRH Audio App (I received this ALC free from the publisher and their app. I also received this as an ARC from the publisher. This did nothing to influence my review.)  
Content Warning: Sexual Content, Death of a Parent, Grief, Toxic Relationship, Addiction, Alcoholism, Animal Cruelty, Homophobia, Abandonment
For Readers of: Adult, ARC, Audio, Contemporary Romance, Sparkly Cover, Most Anticipated, Own, Racial/Ethnic Diversity, Realistic Fiction, Romance, Western

   A cowboy romance enthusiast discovers that everything’s bigger in Texas—even love—in this swoony novel from beloved author Alexa Martin.

     Fueled by a love of romance novels, Luna Starr was destined for a life with her head in the clouds. Her delusional tendencies serve her well…or at least they used to. When life throws her a curveball, she decides it’s time to turn her cowboy fantasies into reality and purchases a tiny farm in Celestial, Texas. After all, don’t all heroines try to outrun grief?
     Tate Jacobs hates cowboys, which is a small problem, considering his family happens to own the largest ranch in Celestial. Life might not have gone the way he wanted, but as head coach at his old high school and the town’s best (and only) handyman, he’s figured out how to stay busy and keep his head down—until the new girl in town shows up. Luna’s new property is a bad accident waiting to happen unless someone helps her with her DIY home renovations.
     As Tate and Luna spend more time together fixing up her house, unexpected feelings and undeniable chemistry bubble to the surface. Luna might’ve moved to Celestial to make her cowboy dreams come true, but somewhere beneath the vast Texas skies, she discovers that love in the real world can be far better than she imagined.

 

 

*MY THOUGHTS*

Ok so first thing I want to say….. Alexa Martin, I forgive you. I’m still mad at you, but I forgive you for not making this a why choose. Because girl, what were you thinking? LOL I was annoyed about this the whole book LOL

Ok for reals, I enjoyed this. As a Native Texan I was a bit iffy because people always do us dirty lol But she did good. I loved all the characters and the way she portrayed them. The twins? Lordt I had to find it in me to forgive her for real. But Luna? I did get mad at Luna tho. For many things. But the biggest one is definitely what she did to him. How do you break him out of his shell like that and then just do what you did? And like, I didn’t even get the point of WHY she did that? It was weird. I kept telling her, “Don’t be that dumb girl!” throughout the whole time I was reading. I also got pissed at her because girl wtf you mean Dr. Pepper is nasty?!

The romance was cute. I loved their dynamic. She was so funny, but he was so serious lol They worked really well together. I thought I was getting out of it without a third act break up, but there is one. And a confusing one too. It was a hot mess and I’m still trying to figure out how tf she thought he was going to just let her do that after all that. She was a hot mess LOL

The plot was basic, but the one part with her family shocked me. I think mostly because it felt unresolved? Like he came, acted a plum fool, told her she had to do this, she did something else, and then out of nowhere they were talking about the house and then it was over? I was like huh what happened here? I know how it ends with the friends and stuff, but I do wish there was something more about the family stuff. He was so mad and making threats and stuff, she did the police thing, and there was nothing else about him. I just felt like for as mad as he was, I didn’t think that was the end of it. But I mean, I could be wrong. Y’all let me know what y’all think!

This was very cute and now I can’t wait to see who’s next, because this story can’t be over. I know there’s more to see in Celestial, Texas and I can’t wait to see it!

Overall, I give this