A contemporary novel set in the Yorkshire farming world and it really worked. I cared about our main character Billie. She's intelligent, driven, caring and I really felt for her running the family farm solo. I was less enamoured by the will they won't they relationship, but there is the most incredible cow birthing scene in this. Never thought I'd write that in a review! I was in tears. Then jubilation. Then all for the cow shed romp that followed. I would certainly pick up a novel by Kirsty Eyre again. Just a few little gripes for me concerning fat phobic language and the use of the word transvestite that I think an editor should have picked up on.

Can you imagine having to return to your family home in Yorkshire to work on a farm after living in London as a biochemist Grad Student and just starting a new relationship with someone you have idolised for quite a while, well that is what happens to Billie after her farmer father takes ill and she is needed to run the farm, a run-down farm that is?

The book is warm, funny, and brings family life to the forefront. Billie is quite the woman. She is tougher than she believes she is and very witty too. Her sexuality comes with some prejudices from those that are obviously still stuck in the dark ages, but she handles what people think about her with grit and grace. The secondary characters are all fun to read about too, especially her friends.

For a debut novelist, this is a real gem of a book by Kirtsy Eyre, I think she has found her calling in life. It is a beautiful read with plenty of laugh-out-loud moments surrounded by a story filled with love, life, and cows.

I enjoyed the writing and the pace, which never felt too fast or too slow. The chapters were a good length (I hate long chapters) and I love that they were each given a name instead of just a number. There were no real fillers to make the pages count up, which was nice to see and the story plausible, even the cows had personality!

Overall, this is a lovely book that I read in just a couple of sittings as I didn’t want to put it down. I enjoyed spending my time in both London and Yorkshire, even if it has confirmed for me that farming would definitely never be for me, I like my lie-ins too much.

Billie is following her dreams of doing a PhD in London when her father falls ill and has to return to Yorkshire to take care of the family farm and the cow business. Is she ready to be a Cow Girl?
I was surprised of how “Cow Girl” is a refreshing and funny story but at the same time it shows how the world can change depending on your sexuality, because Billie is a lesbian and not everyone in Yorkshire accepts her choice. This story was eye-opening for me, being a woman is never easy in a “man” business, you feel downgraded but if you add to the mix your sexuality the situation becomes unbearable. But don’t worry, Billie doesn’t let anyone dismiss or degrade her, she is who she is and if you don’t like her you can always leave.
There are a few stories mixed in Cow Girl, on one side there is the farm business and how is being bought by the big brands, and on the other we have Billie’s love life and the situation of Billie’s PhD and how competitive is this world.
Don’t be fooled with the cover of this book, this is not only happy book but it will also make you think and change the way you see the world and I’ll admit that I loved every page. It is not easy to find a story with so many layers but original and interesting at the same time.
I would recommend to take a few hours of your daily routine and start reading “Cow Girl”, it is worth every minute. Ready?

‘Cow Girl’ was a book that I did not particularly like. Maybe this book was just not for me but I’m sure someone else would like it more than I did.

This book felt like it was a lot longer than 400 pages so it felt like I was reading it for ages. However, even though this book felt really long, nothing actually happened. I think the only characters name I remember is Lorna, even though I know there were a lot of characters. Also, this book was filled with stereotypes which I did not particularly care for, like how the gay men were described only as flamboyant.

The only thing I did like about this book were the cows and they are the reason why I’m giving this book two stars instead of one. I felt like the cows had more personality than any of the characters and I honestly would have preferred to read 400 pages about the cows lives instead of the life of the main character.

At least the cover of this books is really cute though. I do really like the cover.

Billie returns back to the farm, in a small close knit community where everyone knows everyone, think a more comic and sophisticated version of Emmerdale with the chatty vet and the nosey parkers in the form of the Granny church club which are not quite up-to speed with lesbianism and what comes with it. These occurrences, as well as Billie's new experiences with the many, many pregnant cows on the farm becomes a great bookish plate of laughs but you can't help but be in her corner cheering her on. Also, her relationship with her father will make you feel all the uplifting feels, she somewhat became a whole different character when she was around him - more vulnerable and identifiable, what a duo! From the array of characters (everyone needs a great and hilarious group of friends!), nemesis' and love interests, Cow Girl will have you snuggled up in pyjamas, with some great snacks giggling your socks off - the exact type of read that we all need right now! It's a hilarious tale with lots of cows with the cutest of names, what else could you want for?!

For a debut novel, this book is really good! I picked it up because the cover reminded me of my favourite onesie that is no longer with me, and was pleasantly surprised to find a contemporary novel that had a lesbian main character, without feeling like her sexuality was the most interesting thing about her.

Billie starts the book living in London, as a biochemist trying to get funding for a PHD in eclampsia research. Early on she meets her idol, and they start a relationship. Personally this was a bit fade to black for me and I would have loved to have seen some more detailed passion .... but thats personal opinion! Billie heads home to Derbyshire when her dad has become ill to take over the running of a family dairy farm! What follows is a a witty and also gorgeous tale of friendships, family, politics and lots of cow farming!

There was something slightly off about the pace of this book, and use of language (regarding transvestites) which I wasn't overtly comfortable with but all in all I enjoyed the book!

I am really not surprised that this won a comedy award - it is really funny! Despite the book being characterised as a rom-com, I think this book is much more than that and covers lots more topics relevant to life today. The author touches on issues like homophobia, sexism and the plight of dairy farmers and I feel handles them really well.

Billie is a really easy to like main character and it is not hard to be really hoping she does well. I also really like the supporting characters and they were all well written. I found the book to have a decent pace and was perfect for a relaxing read. As you know, I really love a good thriller, but do enjoy a lighter read now and again and I was really pleased I chose to pick up this one.

A perfect Summer read - light, funny and leaves you with a smile on your face.

So, this is definitely a me issue. I tried to read this book three times. By that, I mean I picked up the book three different times and the last time I finally forced myself to just read it and get it over with.
I don't know why this didn't click with me like it seems to have done with everyone else?
The humor just wasn't my cup of tea, the characters grated a lot on my nerves and I just-- I kept waiting for something to happen that would draw me into the story but sadly that didn't happen. Since there are so many positive reviews out there, though, I guess it just shows how subjective humor is.

This is a perfect summer read! Light and funny, it was a quick read that left me feeling all warm inside.

I absolutely LOVED the setting! A cow farm??? Ideal honestly. The MC was relatable and funny and driven and emotional and it was lovely having such a well thought-out character.

Plenty of queer representation and unafraid to touch on the small minds and opinions of our non-queer characters, it gave insight into growing up in a small community as an 'outsider'.

Not gonna lie, I could have done without several of the tropes that popped up in the romantic storylines but apart from that, an enjoyable read!

This was a super fun and touching contemporary romance. I loved the main character of Billie and thought she was complex and a compelling character to follow. The romance in this was a bit misleading and it went were i thought it wouldn't but i did enjoy this overall. There was a wide variety of characters and a side plot relating to a lesbian wedding but these were developed well enough that they didn't distract from the main story but supported it. I wouldn't say its the funniest book but it did have a few funny moments.

I loved Billie and completely loved the story! Such an unique story and it was completely refreshing to see a love interest be a woman!
Reading about Billie managing the farm was brilliant while trying to juggle everything while being judged along the way by the village for her sexuality.
A brilliant book and I can’t wait to see what the author brings us next.

I’m so glad I received an advance copy of this book. It’s such a beautiful read. To follow the story of Billie and the troubles she endured was certainly a rollercoaster but definitely a great read

A sincere thank you to the publisher, author and Netgalley for providing me with an ebook copy of this book in exchange for a fair and honest review.

This is not my usual genre, I’m more into crime/thriller books and even psychological thrillers too so I am extremely pleased and grateful to them for opening up my mind to something totally different.

I enjoyed this very much. 4 stars 🌟🌟🌟🌟

I was first sold on Cow Girl when I opened the first page to find that the part was entitled “Farmerceuticals”. What can I say? All I need is a really bad pun and I’m all in.

The book follows Billie, a grad student trying for a PhD, who is forced to return home to the family farm when her father falls ill. There, she contends with misogyny, homophobia, and the economic failing of the dairy industry. Oh, and a vet who may or may not hate her.

This book gave me serious Mhairi McFarlane vibes and that was an excellent thing. You know the kind of somewhat irreverent humour you get in McFarlane’s books? Well that’s also present here. And it has a similar bluntness to it. So, basically, I loved this book for that from the moment I read the first page.

I also really loved Billie as a main character. She was one of those you know from the start you can sympathise with and just like, really. That’s pretty much the first thing I want from a book (after writing I can stand, of course). Just being able to like the main character. They don’t have to be perfect (and Billie is not), but as long as they’re likeable, I’m good.

And then there’s the romance. Think kind of hate/rivals to lovers, but, and I’ll try be vague and non-spoilery here, where actually all is not as it seems. I love that trope, to be honest. And it’s done pretty well here. I mean, I was busy thinking at the start, how can I root for a love interest who’s homophobic and then… yeah. Yeah. (What I’m saying is that wasn’t a problem, really. The book does not contain that trope.)

So really, what I’m trying to say is please, please, read this book.

Contemporary, sincere, hilarious, poingnant; "Cow girl" stands out from its genre and Eyre does not shy away from delving in a sensitive way into themes of misogyny and homophobia, matters that plague everyday life.

This was my first LGBTQ+ book and I really enjoyed it, if I be honest it wasn’t much of a different storyline to the normal books read. The only difference was that the love interested was grumpy female vet rather than a grumpy male vet!

I loved every chapter (especially chapter titles) and the plot of Billie trying to keep the farm going whilst her dad is in hospital and is trying to remember everything she has been taught by him many years ago.

Not only has Billie got he struggles of managing the farm, she also has to deal with the homophobia of the village residents. Especially the comments from the farm helper and the local bakery owner!

I’d recommend this book to readers who like contemporary romance fiction and modern romance

Wow what a book!

I cannot believe that this is a debut novel, it has been an excellent read

I have devoured this book in just one sitting and this is one I will be recommending. I have loved the unique plot of this one.

The characters in this book are great and the author has covered themes of misogyny and homophobia sensitively and in a way that is not offensive in any way.

Personally, I can think of nothing worse than working on a dairy farm so following main character Billie has been an enjoyable and on occasions entertaining throughout.



After reading this gem, I am excited to see what the author has in store for us with future books. This is definitely a five star read for me.

I absolutely loved that character of Billie! I thought she was so well written and will stay with me for a while. I look forward to having this book on display in my library’s pride display this year! I can’t wait to recommend it.