I liked this book.
I almost put down the audiobook before chapter two because it started as that typical contemporary romance. The set up sounded so old and overused but I am glad I did not. If I am to sum this book, I would say its is a current story with a timeless message.
This is certainly a contemporary romance. Nothing new and different. It is the same story about a grown up independent woman and a catch of a guy who made it in life. It is about them trying to see if they are each other's keeper. Woven into the story is that feel good loving community and the hard choices people make to be a better person first and become that better partner for life.
Although this is my first book for this author, I will definitely search more of her books.
Thanks to netgalley for the audiobook.

Oh my word, Paul has my whole heart!

“You were the prettiest girl in that entire ballroom, but more than that, you were the sweetest, classiest most fascinating of them all. And I was so dam proud to have you on my arm.” 😭

If you want a cozy afternoon read with tropes of Small town, best friend little sister even a little fake date this is for you.

I really liked the characters Paul and Demi Lee and together it was just chefs kiss

A great choice for the narrator of Jason Clarke! Deep and raspy was a hit with my ears, even when taking on the voice of Demi Lee it was a smooth exchange

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher

My Bold Texan is the first of seven stand alone romance novels featuring the Bradford Brothers. They live in the small town of Honky Tonk, Texas (Honky Tonk, really?) It follows Paul and Demi Lee in a simplistic romance novel. Is it terrible like the name of the town? No. But is it mind blowing and revolutionary? Also no. It's just average. I might also be bias because I'm not a huge cowboy/small town fan, yet I continue to try in hopes that I will change my mind. I truly think people who read anything in this category will enjoy this, but it was just average for me.

This was not for me. It was a squeaky clean, closed door, old fashioned romance, which was not the issue. The issue was this romance had no heart. With a read this quick, the story has to hit fast and hit hard. It did neither. Also the male lead’s reaction to the final conflict was nauseating to me. He acted like a child not getting his way. I listened to the audiobook and Jason Clarke, as always, 10/10. Unfortunately, even he couldn’t save this one for me.

This book was an easy listen and Jason Clarke is one of my go to narrators, so I was happy to give it a go. It probably wouldn't be a book I would listen to again. The story was ok but I like more of a back story and more detail. It was ok for a novella and my first book from this author.

My Bold Texan is the first of seven stand alone romance novels featuring the Bradford Brothers. They live in the small town of Honky Tonk, Texas. In this one Paul is 26, a realtor and also enjoys helping his dad on the ranch. When he has a work conference in the city his best friend asks him to check on his younger sister. Demi Lee, is 22 and fresh off a recent break up. She accepts Paul’s coming to watch her wallow and asks him to be her date at an upcoming wedding where her ex will also be. Is it breaking the bro code to date a friend’s younger sister?

This is surprisingly simple and it is the first romance I’ve read in a long time where almost the entire story is from Paul, the male MC’s, POV. Not sure I needed to know his initial lusting thoughts. But this is a sweet small town romance. They're going to get to know each other more over texting, till she gets over her ex. Oh, then the bro code kicks in and no intimacy till there is a ring on it. LOL. I like Demi Lee and appreciate her standing up for herself with her brother in the one scene from her POV. This is a short novel without much character development beyond the basics. I listened to the audio book and Jason Clarke does a fantastic job with the narration. A likable quick read for escapism. I’m not feeling compelled to seek out others in the series but would if it came my way. (3.5 Stars)

For being a short book, I liked the pace of this one. Jason Clarke did fantastic as the narrator. I loved him doing both voices. We did not get dual POVs in this one. We only got Paul's which I liked because usually when there is only one it is the FMC. I do wish we could have "heard" what Demi Lee was thinking behind the scenes. I would have given this more stars but struggled with the ending a little bit which I will go into later. I liked the pace. I liked the MCs. I liked the setting and world building. I liked the buildup and the angst. I also loved when there was that f*** it moment and things started to shift. I liked Paul's gestures towards Demi Lee when he was ready to tell her how he felt. I found myself invested in these two and wanting things to work our for them.

Paul Bradford is on his way to a real estate conference when his best friend Finn asks him to check on his baby sister. She just got out of a relationship. She is miserable. It is the literal last thing he wants to do but where does he find himself one night after his sessions? At Demi Lee's door. She really does look rough. He had to google how to help in this situation. He is prepared with chocolate, pizza and a movie. What he is not prepared for is for Demi Lee to ask him to be her plus one at a wedding this weekend. What he is not prepared for is him saying yes to a fake dinner with her to get her ex jealous. And he is definitely not prepared for how different she looks and how he wants to nuzzle her neck. He isn't prepared for how much fun they have together at the wedding. And how proud he feels having her on his arm. But at the end of the day, she is Finn's sister. And that is a line he will not cross. So he walks away. He knows Demi Lee is disappointed. Hell he is too but what was he supposed to do.

Fast forward a few days and Paul is back at work. His coworker helps him see the error of his ways and now he is determined to see if things could work between him and Demi Lee. He starts a campaign to get her attention. They start talking every day. They start developing feelings. Lines get crossed but not THE line. And then Finn finds out. Gives them an ultimatum which they have to follow. And while they are doing that they realize how much they care about each other. And how perfect they fit.

I had a hard time with the build up to them being together since this was a SLOW burn. But then we were literally left hanging. Too much build up for a closed-door scene that wasn't referenced again. I felt straight up teased. I don't have a problem with closed door at all but felt the build up could have been less if that makes sense? I would love to read more of this series but honestly am not sure about paying $6 for a book when the rest seem to be under 200 pages. I wish they were on Kindle Unlimited.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Short and sweet audio book that flowed really well with the characters and story. I'm interested in reading the other titles by this author. Thank you to Netgalley, the author and the publisher for a chance to read and review this book in exchange for an honest review.

Thank you Netgallery for this ARC audiobook.

This was a brother's best friend x best friend little sister, small-town romance.

This was a very sweet and straight-to-the-point forbidden romance in a small town. The narrator was good and was mainly in the MMC POV.

It isn't grouped under a series on Goodreads but I believe this is one in a series for the 6 brothers and I feel it would benefit the story to read in order as the family history and small-town dynamic isn't explained.

I don't think I have ever DNF a book so quickly, but that line about him cringing when her legs were exposed and him saying when was the last time she shaved and pulled her pants down to hide it? Yeah... this is not the book for me...

My Bold Texan is book one in The Bradford Brothers of Honky Tonk, Texas series. Dakota Lacoy is a new to me author and I really enjoyed the first in this series.
My Bold Texan is a quick read that includes best friend’s "little" sister, and small-town (forbidden) romance.

Special thanks to NetGalley for advanced access to the audio version. Jason Clarks is the narrator, and he did a fantastic job!

I'm a big sucker for a forbidden romance and in My Bold Texan by Dakota Lacoy it's the best friend’s little sister who’s off-limits!

This is one of the classiest and most respectful romances I've ever read; it’s the cowboy-hat-off-to-block-the-kiss-while-two-stepping-on-a-sawdust-dance-floor type! Lacoy achieves a lot of sultriness, tension and longing while only ever teasing at steam! The chemistry between Paul and Demi Lee was unmistakable! Stylistically, I loved how this book was written from only Paul's perspective; this single point of view adding to the cowboy charm!

This may be my first audiobook narrated by Jason Clarke, but ahem, it will certainly not be my last! In fact, I know I will seek out other books narrated by him... and that says all you need to know! It makes sense why Lacoy sought him out to narrate her Bradford Brothers Of Honky Tonk, Texas series! Clarke's voice is just effortlessly sexy!

If I had known this book was closed door ahead of time, I wouldn't have been eagerly anticipating those longed-for steamy scenes, but this romance did have everything else I needed, so four Texas stars it is for this quick and easy cowboy love story!

Thank you NetGalley and Dreamscape Media for the complimentary audio copy to read and review.

I enjoyed this sweet brother's best friend novella.  Especially the first 85%.  The angst and will they won't they was well paced in this short book. Jason Clarke's narration was really well done.
You kind of lost me on the abstaining piece--- from the brother's refusal of "permission", Paul's big gross reaction and the born-again purity talk...   I don't need smut/spice always.. but this part was a little preachy and red flaggy at the same time.

Paul is dealt the task of going to check on his best friend’s sister after a bad breakup when he just so happens to be in town. What was a simple request turned into a “crush” that grew harder to handle every day.

Demi Lee is a bubbly, captivating young woman and it’s no wonder why Paul is so keen on making sure her heart is his to care for. She’s passionate about what and who she loves and always acts with others in mind.

This was such a sweet little read and a great little filler novella! The only thing I will say is because of the length, it is very fast paced. I know they’ve had a history but it would have been nice to see more into that history as well as more development into their relationship before the dinner at the end. Other than that, it was a good read!

Thank you so much to Dakota Lacoy and NetGalley for this ALC 🫶

I like how short this book was and the audiobook narrator was great. It was like book candy. Some of the writing and dialogue felt silly. Who says "bajeebies" in real life? I also don't understand the obsession that elder brothers have over their sisters' love lives. Finn was kind of creepy and possessive over Demi Lee. The third act conflict of Demi Lee wanting to wait till marriage was also a little cringey considering Paul's explosive reaction. I'll probably listen to more of these.

I loved the whole my best friends little sister trope. I kept listening because i love the way the characters sounded, this main character Paul wanted nothing to do with checking up on his friends little sister but he did it for him because he said she had a break up and was down.
He was asking her how she was doing and she seemed really down, Their chemistry really hit it off there was teasing and there was a lot of tension between them, you wanted them together although paul said if he got together with her and hurt her his friend would beat him up. He didn't want to sacrifice his friendship with his friend for her.

It was a great little romance book. check it out!

My Bold texan is a quick cowboy read! Anyone looking for a fast best friend's little sister read will love this book.

This book follows Paul who is on his way to a work event who is asked by his friend to check in on his little sister. We meet Demi Lee who is deep in the thick of a horrible break up who just wants to show her ex what he is missing. The tension is great and you root for them to be together. That being said this book felt a little surface level just because it is so short. I think short books are great because they get to the point but when it is a romance I think a little gets lost in the shuffle of the timeline. The way Paul really tried to give her space but stay in her life was sweet and I was rooting for them to be together. I think a couple who didn't have a big obstacle in the way would be a little easier to built a short romance with. I know that this is part of a series and I will definitely be continuing.

I recommend this to anyone looking for a quick romance read. Thank you NetGalley for the opportunity to read this story.

3.25

It was refreshing to have a book all from the males pov. I liked Paul for 85% of the book. However, his little hissy fit when asked to wait to have sex was just so juvenile.
Demi Lee's brother was also a bit over the top. I get the whole protective big brother thing, but dictating if she can have sex is weird.
The narration by Jason Clarke was fantastic. I mostly enjoyed this one. It was a super quick listen.

Wasn’t sure what level of cowboy I was signing up for with this one, but it definitely wasn’t of the closed-door, one-year abstinence variety. 😒

Of course I was into the brother’s best friend trope, but you lost me after the FMC’s big brother (who also happens to be the MMC’s BFF) forbid the two main characters from shmex. And they just went along with it??? And kept abstaining until their wedding night a full year into dating???

Pass. No, thank you.

(Thank you, Dreamscape Select and NetGalley, for the ARC in exchange for my honest review.)

Jason Clark could read me the dictionary and I would be a happy woman. He has a gift with narration. That being said , this book wasn’t what I had hoped it would be. The best friend’s little sister trope is always a good read . This just didn’t real me in. The difference of four years in your 20s doesn’t seem that scandalous to me. After the confrontation and on the book to me was anticlimactic. Thank you to NetGalley for this free advanced copy. I’m leaving this review voluntarily