cowgirl readsAmerican Pharoah
The Untold Story of the Triple Crown Winner’s Legendary Rise
By Joe Drape (Hachette Books)

Triple Crown Winner American Pharoah may have had only half a tail and sensitive ears that trainers stuffed with cotton, but he was as close to perfection as any race horse has ever been.  Joe Drape, New York Times bestselling sportswriter selected the graceful colt as his subject in his book American Pharoah: The Untold Story of the Triple Crown Winner’s Legendary Rise.  American Pharoah was the 12th horse to win three races on different tracks at varying distances over a five week span.  From a Kentucky horse farm to a sales ring in Saratoga to a horse trainer’s barn in Santa Anita, America Pharoah gave every indication he was a champ in the making and Drape’s tome does an excellent job proving just that.  The horse with a “certain aura” as world renowned trainer Bob Baffert recalled about the animal, caught everybody’s attention early on.  It was a long road to the winner’s circle for the colt with the unusually short tail – having had it chewed off by another horse on the farm – and the misspelled moniker courtesy of a fan contest.  The ethereal animal overcame injury and loss to become a title holder and along the way deeply touched the lives of the handlers that help develop and harness his talent.  Author Joe Drape’s exceptional book is enhanced with an array of captivating photographs of the accomplished horse.

cowgirl readsSoldier, Sister, Spy, Scout
Women Soldiers & Patriots on the Western Frontier
By Joann Chartier & Chris Enss (TwoDot Books)

From the earliest days of the western frontier, women heeded the call to go west along with their husbands, sweethearts, and parents. Many of these women were attached to the army camps and outposts that dotted the prairies. Some were active participants in the skirmishes and battles that took place in the western territories. Each of these women-wives, mothers, daughters, laundresses, soldiers, and shamans-risked their lives in unsettled lands, facing such challenges as bearing children in primitive conditions and defying military orders in an effort to save innocent people.  Soldier, Sister, Spy, Scout tells the story of twelve such brave women-Buffalo Soldiers, scouts, interpreters, nurses, and others-who served their country in the early frontier. These heroic women displayed a depth of courage and physical bravery not found in many men of the time. Their remarkable commitment and willingness to throw off the constraints of nineteenth-century conventions helped build the west for generations to come.

cowgirl readsSmart Blonde
Dolly Parton, A Biography
By Stephen Miller (The Overlook Presss)

Author Stephen Miller’s book about the incomparable country music star and actress is hard to resist.  Dolly Parton is an amazing, creative woman with great business instincts and foresight.  Born into poverty in East Tennessee, Dolly got her first guitar at age eight and performed at Pentecostal churches before rising to prominence on The Porter Wagoner Show in 1967. Her career took off from there, and she became a multi-format star, writing and performing pop music as well as country songs, starring in films and musicals, and creating several successful business and charitable enterprises. Today, she is a household name, but certain aspects of her past and her current life her marriage of nearly fifty years, in particular remain closely guarded.  Smart Blonde is a delightful journey that highlights how Dolly has lived out many of the lyrics of her enumerable self-penned songs.  The profile features interviews with Dolly’s family members, musicians, and producers that not only discuss the entertainer’s career, but shed light on her private life, including her relationship with her famously publicity-shy husband, Carl Dean.  It’s hard not to admire Dolly Parton after spending time with the Smart Blonde.

Reviews by Chris Enss, COWGIRL Book Editor, and a New York Times bestselling author who writes about women of the Old West.

Romance in the Wind

cowgirl reads

Once a Rancher
By Linda Lael Miller (Harlequin)

Slater Carson might be a businessman by trade, but he’s a cowboy at heart. So when he sees a troubled teen heading down a dangerous path, he offers the boy a job. Since the boy’s temporary guardian is the gorgeous new resort manager, Slater figures it can’t hurt to keep a closer eye on her as well.


cowgirl reads

Take Me, Cowboy
By Maisey Yates (Harlequin)

This sexy rancher is her best friend…but can he be more? She’s just one of the boys, but with a new business in Copper Ridge, Anna Brown needs to change that. Her brothers bet she can’t land a date for a fancy charity event. So Anna turns to her best friend—the hottest bachelor in town—for advice.


cowgirl reads

Reigning In Murder
By Leigh Hearon (Kensington)

Two deaths in three days is unheard of in this small Olympic Peninsula county, and Annie Carson decides to start sniffing around.  She’s confident she can track down a killer… but she may not know how ruthless this killer really is…


cowgirl reads

Rustler’s Moon
By Jodi Thomas (Harlequin)

On a dirt road marked by haunting secrets, three strangers caught at life’s crossroads must decide what to sacrifice to protect their own agendas… and what they’re each willing to risk for love.