Blog Tour: My Highland Cowboy by Alexa Milne ~Guest Post #Review #Giveaway

A Flair for Fashion

Anyone who know me would laugh themselves stupid to find out that I’m writing this blog about fashion. The nearest I’ve ever got to being fashionable was back in the early seventies when the midi skirt came in, and I’ve worn them ever since. I actually got sent home from junior school for wearing a skit that was too long! I did toy with owning a pair of hot pants a little earlier when they were all the rage and my mum offered to knit me some – yes knit, there were actual patterns – but, thankfully for myself and the world, this item was never made. My only other nod to fashion were my platforms. I had two pairs, both wedges, one with foam platforms in tan plastic and another pair of sandal sling backs with blue and white stripes. My, how I loved them.

I wish they’d made clothes for larger women when I was a teenager as they do now, oh the things I could have worn, but the only shop that existed was Evans, and there wasn’t an internet. Now I can buy stuff from all over the world. Instead, with my first wages, I bought a sewing machine and developed my own particular style buying material from Bury market!

In My Highland Cowboy, Drew is a designer. He makes clothes for standard cat walk models as he tries to break into the industry hoping someone will wear one of his creations on a red carpet. He also has his own side line – and here’s where I have to admit to a small kink – making lace and silk/satin underwear for men, or manties as they are sometimes called. Sadly, I couldn’t find a free image but Google is your friends. Not only does Drew design them, but he wears them as well, much to Duncan’s surprise, and later appreciation. Drew also boasts of his ability to rock a pair of heels and sports a black leather kilt for his first night out in the Highlands. Even though he settles for a more usual version for the wedding. 

Drew likes to push lines, and he certainly pushes Duncan’s boundaries. Later in the story, Drew is offered the chance to design a line of women’s clothes for a large chain of shops. I deliberately chose the name Every Woman because it irritates me how much fashion stops at size fourteen when the average size in the UK is sixteen. There is still room for improvement in mainstream stores. Joy his design partner understands the need for such fashions, and I’d like to write more of her story some day.

Of course, Duncan has his own style – a plaid shirt, a pair of tight jeans, cowboy boots, a Stetson and, as Drew notices, a belt buckle with a Highland Coo.

I can’t picture him in a suit somehow, but I bet he’d have great legs for a kilt. I love the idea of him twirling around at the wedding, leaving us in no doubt as to what Scotsmen wear beneath their kilts.

In conclusion, I don’t think I’ll ever be a slave to fashion – it’s just not in me. My skirts are always the same length, and since I’ve retired I have cotton jersey tops in assorted colours. Occasionally, like Drew, I’ll wear a bit of lace, but I’m more of a one for comfort than something racy. Still, there’s no harm in looking, is there?

Review

I love a story of opposites finding each other. Duncan is a rancher in the highlands of Scotland, and Drew is a fashion designer in London. One lives a sMy low and steady life of animals and tourists and family, while the other lives the high life in the city with fashion shows and fancy restaurants and nights out on the town.

I immediately loved both these characters.

Duncan was like this big tough cowboy with a soft mushy center and a huge heart. I broke for him and what he has to deal with in life but he had such a great groups of family and friends
that supported him not matter what. Even at 40, Duncan struggled with his sexuality
mainly because of his upbringing but true to who he was, his obstacles were handled without drama, in the quiet parts of his mind. He thinks things through which fit his personality perfectly.

Drew was out and proud, and maybe a bit cocky but I felt like he had these defenses up at all times because of people’s assumptions of who he was. A gay man who design clothes obviously can’t do all the big tough cowboy things or know sports (sarcasm and a big eye roll). But I loved him anyway in his forceful but lively nature. His snark was great, and I loved his banter with his sister, Jenna, most.

What started as a vacation fling quickly turns to more, more of something neither man is in a place to have or work around. There was a lot of push and pull between Duncan and Drew
but none was drama filled. The chemistry within the months of them trying to figure things out was off-the-charts hot! Not many writers are this good at writing this type of push and pull and keeping the level of heat without letting the struggle overwhelm the storyline.

The writing was beautiful along with the world she created for us in the Highlands of Scotland; from the warm days of summer to the snowy days of winter. There were one or two spots that had
contradicting events (one small and one fairly big IMO) written and that bothered me and made me have to go back to make sure I didn't remember something wrong. That’s the only reason I’m taking a half of a star off the rating because otherwise, it was flawless.

And on that note, I loved the story, the characters, and their families and I’m hoping to read a story about Lachie and Cormac, please!!

 

May 9 - The Novel Approach
May 15 - Scattered Thoughts & Rogue Words, Making It Happen, Books Laid Bare Boys, Sarandipity, Keysmash
May 23 - Bayou Book Junkie
May 30 - V's Reads, BookLove, Padme's Library, The Geekery Book Review, My Fiction Nook, MM Good Book Reviews
June 6 - Love Bytes
June 8 - Dog-Eared Daydreams, Oh My Shelves, The Way She Reads, Engaging Secrets, Book Lovers 4Ever
June 10 - Diverse Reader

Buy Links: Pride (Early Download) | Amazon US | Amazon UK (General Release Date: 6th June 2017)

Publisher: Pride Publishing

Length: 69,000 words

Blurb

Duncan McLeish owns a ranch. Unlike most ranches, this one is in the Scottish Highlands. Having inherited a failing farm from his grandfather, he turns it into a successful business. He has friends and he loves his home, but he’s lonely, and not even infrequent trips to Glasgow and Edinburgh slake that thirst to find someone. Then Drew Sinclair walks into his life.

Drew Sinclair is tantalizingly close to getting his clothing brand noticed in the industry. He and his business partner, Joy, create individual dresses, while, on the side, Drew produces a line of men’s lingerie. He visits Scotland to design a bridal gown for his sister, Jenna, who is marrying Duncan’s best friend at Christmas.

Duncan and Drew have nothing except their Highland upbringing in common, but they say opposites attract, and the attraction is immediate. Is this simply a summer fling, or can two men who live such opposite lives miles away from each other find a way to love?

Author Bio

Originally from South Wales, Alexa has lived for over thirty years in the North West of England. Now retired, after a long career in teaching, she devotes her time to her obsessions. Alexa began writing when her favourite character was killed in her favourite show. After producing a lot of fanfiction she ventured into original writing. She is currently owned by a mad cat and spends her time writing about the men in her head, watching her favourite television programmes and usually crying over her favourite football team.

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