The Truth about Cowboys by Jill Sorenson

Who doesn’t love a cowboy? He’s the strong, silent type whose gaze speaks volumes. He’s tough, outdoorsy, and ready for action. He’s got a working-man’s hands and a lean-muscled form. He’s an American classic. He can tie knots. He’ll get the job done.

Cowboys have been popular heroes in fiction for more than a century. According to Wikipedia, Riders of the Purple Sage by Zane Grey (1912) was one of the first Western romances, complete with a happy ending. It was a huge hit with readers. The genre continued to grow.

Fast forward to 2025. The American frontier might be dead, with American idealism buried alongside it, but the cowboy hero is still going strong. We love this character in all forms. He’s everywhere, from contemporary romance novels to award-winning Western films.

Although I’ve read dozens of Western romances (maybe hundreds), I don’t consider myself an expert on cowboys. I’ve never watched Yellowstone, the immensely popular family saga. I’m afraid of horses. I live in San Diego County. The ranchers around here grow avocados.

Even so, I think I understand the cowboy’s appeal. It’s about rugged individualism, mental toughness, and the dignity of hard work. It’s a celebration of nature and wide-open spaces. It’s back to basics, down to earth, do it yourself.

I’ve always loved a blue-collar hero, and maybe the cowboy is the last of his kind. What else do we have left of the American spirit? The cowboy archetype embodies humbleness and grit. He harkens back to better days and simpler times. He’s the respectful stranger, the reluctant sheriff, the quiet gunslinger. He’s got depth.

Jason Reed, the hero of my new book, Cowboy’s Last Stand, is a war veteran recovering from a head injury. He can’t ride hell for leather anymore, but he still prefers wide open spaces. He hikes cross-country to visit the widow of a fallen comrade. She needs help, so he stays in Texas to offer his assistance. Naturally, he gets all tangled up in love with her.

Jason isn’t a typical cowboy hero who owns a thousand-acre ranch and runs cattle. For Natalie, he’s part handyman, part bodyguard, part babysitter for her young son. He’s an outdoorsman who pushes his physical limits. He’s got depth, dark secrets, and grit to spare.

I hope you enjoy my first cowboy hero. The series is called His to Protect, and it’s Western contemporary romance with light suspense.