There’s such a romanticism surrounding the Old West, especially for those of us born and raised in formerly wild states like Texas. If you’re like me, you grew up visiting the cowboy museum, going to the rodeo, and hearing about the old days from ancient relatives. It’s a part of history that in recent years has seen a much more critical eye. Because the truth is, the Old West wasn’t any more glamorous than Medieval Times. But for those of us stuck in a modern, electric world, it makes for wonderful escapism. It’s for this reason that I loved John J. Jacobson’s All the Cowboys Ain’t Gone. 

A huge thanks to LSBBT and Blackstone Publishing for inviting me to be part of this tour. Not only is this story a fun adventure, but my favorite read of 2021 to date. Keep reading to learn more, and be sure to enter the giveaway below, so you can read your own copy 😉 

ALL THE COWBOYS AIN’T GONE

by JOHN J. JACOBSON

Publisher: Blackstone Publishing
Pages: 352
Date of Publication: February 23, 2021
Categories: Historical Fiction / Action Adventure / Western

Scroll down for the giveaway!

---

All the Cowboys Ain’t Gone is the rollicking adventure story of Lincoln Smith, a young Texan living at the beginning of the twentieth century, who thinks of himself as the last true cowboy. He longs for the days of the Old West, when men like his father, a famous Texas Ranger, lived by the chivalric code. Lincoln finds himself hopelessly out of time and place in the fast-changing United States of the new century. When he gets his heart broken by a sweetheart who doesn’t appreciate his anachronistic tendencies, he does what any sensible young romantic would do: he joins the French Foreign Legion. On his way to an ancient and exotic country at the edge of the Sahara, Lincoln encounters a number of curious characters and strange adventures, from a desert hermit who can slow up time to a battle with a crocodile cult that worships the god of death. He meets them all with his own charming brand of courage and resourcefulness.

---

Purchase: Bookshop.org

---

5 of 5 Stars

For Lincoln Smith, the West was never truly won. Born just after the glorious days, when legendary heroes like Wild Bill infamous outlaws roamed across the plains, Lincoln dedicates his life to “the old code.” Caught between chivalry and hero worship of his departed Texas Ranger father, Lincoln is searching for a place out of time. He finds all this and much more than he bargained for after joining the French Foreign Legion.

In All the Cowboys Ain’t Gone, John J. Jacobson paints a colorful world in true, Texan, tall-tale fashion. Sometimes you read a book you just can’t help but fall a little in love with. I was raised by older parents, on stories from elderly relatives who recalled events of the turn of the century. I always felt a little outside my time, and could immediately relate to Lincoln Smith’s frustrations and determination to make his own way. Instead of giving up on the way of life he dreams of, Lincoln sets out to carry what he sees as the spirit of the Old West with him.

Although Jacobson’s novel is told from multiple perspectives, Lincoln lives at the heart of the narrative. He is a larger-than-life hero, and refreshingly unaware of this fact. Much in the style of Indiana Jones, Lincoln often finds himself jumping from one danger to the next. And just like Indie, our hero always manages to fight or improvise his narrow escape. Other highlights for me include intrepid archeology student, Amanda, who not only served as love-interest but a strong and capable woman in her own right. And who couldn’t love three French Foreign Legionnaires who go by the names of Porthos, Athos, and Aramis?

If you’re searching for a traditional Western novel, this may not be the book for you. But if you’re here for brilliant writing, fantastic character, and a romping adventure, look no further. From compelling cover art and a likable hero, to brilliant and often cheeky prose, I couldn’t put down All the Cowboys Ain’t Gone and can’t wait to read it again.

 

**I was provided with a copy of All the Cowboys Ain’t Gone by the publisher and this is my voluntary and honest review.**

---

---

MEET JOHN J. JACOBSON

Though John J. Jacobson didn’t join the French Foreign Legion after being jilted by a girlfriend, or over his displeasure of missing the last great cattle drive, he has, borrowing Churchill’s phrase, lived a rather variegated life. He was born in Nevada, grew up in the West, surfed big waves in Hawaii, circled the world thrice, survived the sixties and seventies, corporate America, and grad school. Among other degrees, he has an MA in Renaissance literature from Claremont Graduate University.

Website / Facebook / Twitter / Instagram / Goodreads / BookBub

---

GIVEAWAY!  GIVEAWAY!  GIVEAWAY!

FIVE WINNERS

FIVE WINNERS each receive a print copy of
All the Cowboys Ain’t Gone.
(US Only. Ends midnight, CDT, March 19, 2021.)

A RAFFLECOPTER GIVEAWAY

---

CLICK TO VISIT THE LONE STAR LITERARY LIFE TOUR PAGE

FOR DIRECT LINKS TO EACH POST ON THIS TOUR, UPDATED DAILY. 

Or, visit the blogs directly:

3/9/21	Review	Book Bustle
3/9/21	Review	StoreyBook Reviews
3/9/21	BONUS Promo	LSBBT Blog
3/10/21	Review	The Clueless Gent
3/10/21	BONUS Promo	Hall Ways Blog
3/11/21	Review	Reading by Moonlight
3/11/21	Review	Julia Picks 1
3/12/21	Review	Bibliotica
3/12/21	Review	Book Fidelity
3/13/21	Review	The Plain-Spoken Pen
3/14/21	Review	Carpe Diem Chronicles
3/15/21	Review	It’s Not All Gravy
3/15/21	BONUS Promo	All the Ups and Downs
3/16/21	Audio Review	KayBee’s Book Shelf
3/16/21	Review	Forgotten Winds
3/17/21	Review	Jennifer Silverwood
3/18/21	Review	Missus Gonzo
3/18/21	Review	Tangled in Text

---

blog tour services provided by