You will find the micro-niche(s) classified as Cowboy Romances in both the larger categories of Historical Western, and Contemporary Western Romances.
While romances set in the past are hugely popular, the contemporary cowboy niche is growing. I just read a contemporary cowboy romance by one of the TOP selling authors on Amazon – Nicholas Sparks. Though it is not strictly a cowboy book, one of his main characters is a Bull Rider. The thing about contemporary cowboys is that the freedom of cars and trucks gives the characters huge freedoms they would never have in a historical setting.
It’s a fabulous book … be sure to read it:
The great majority of cowboy novels are set in the western US … pretty well any of the wide-open cattle ranching states are open for grabs. Horse focused breeding ranches can be found almost anywhere riding and racing is prevalent.
The cowboy tradition originated in Spain and was introduced into Mexico and Florida and independently into Australia. From there it spread into the rest of the US and Canada, and into South America.
You hardly ever see cowboy novels set in Mexico, South America (Argentina, Bolivia, Paraguay, Uruguay) Canada and Australia.
I for one, would love to see some cowboy series set in these counties. It could be an uncrowded opportunity for some smart writer!
Here are some of the TOP Writers in the Cowboy Romance arena:
Debra Clopton
International Bestselling author Debra Clopton has sold over 3 million books. She writes wholesome, sweet contemporary and western romances set in Texas and on the beaches of Florida. Her series are clean and wholesome reads and she has also written many inspirational romances. Her many awards include The Book Sellers Best, Romantic Times Magazine’s Book of the Year the Readers Choice Award, and many more. She’s also a Romance Writers of America Golden Heart Finalist and a triple finalist in the American Christian Fiction Writers Carol Award.
Top selling Cowboy Romance books:
| Image | Title | Price | Author | Buy |
|---|---|---|---|---|
 Top Top | Her Cowboy Hero (Cowboys of Ransom Creek Book 1) | Clopton, Debra | Buy Now | |
 Top Top | The Cowboy’s Bride for Hire (Cowboys of Ransom Creek Book 2) | Clopton, Debra | Buy Now | |
 | Shane: The Cowboy’s Junk-Store Princess (Cowboys of Ransom Creek Book 4) | Clopton, Debra | Buy Now |
Kate Bridges
Kate Bridges is a USA TODAY bestselling and award-winning author of western historical novels set in the American and Canadian West. She loves writing about cowboys and Mounties. Her popular books have been honored with Reviewers’ Choice awards, Top Picks on reader websites, and listed as Recommended Reading on national library lists.
Top selling Cowboy Romance books:
| Image | Title | Price | Author | Buy |
|---|---|---|---|---|
 Top Top | Colt (Alaska Cowboys and Mounties Book 1) (Western Historical Romance) | Bridges, Kate | Buy Now | |
 Top Top | Luke (Alaska Cowboys and Mounties Book 2) (Western Historical Romance) | Bridges, Kate | Buy Now | |
 Top Top | Dylan (Alaska Cowboys and Mounties Book 3) (Western Historical Romance) | Bridges, Kate | Buy Now |
Jacqueline Winters
Jacqueline Winters has been writing since she was nine when she’d sneak stacks of paper from her grandma’s closet and fill them with adventure. She grew up in Small-Town Nebraska, and spent a decade living in beautiful Alaska. She writes contemporary sweet romances and contemporary romantic suspense.
Top selling Cowboy Romance books:
| Image | Title | Author | Price | Buy |
|---|---|---|---|---|
 Top | Cowboys & Starlight (A Starlight Sweet Romance Book 1) (Starlight Cowboys) | Winters, Jacqueline | Buy Now | |
 Top | Cowboys & Firelight (A Starlight Sweet Romance Book 2) (Starlight Cowboys) | Winters, Jacqueline | Buy Now | |
 Top | Cowboys & Sunrises (A Starlight Sweet Romance Book 3) (Starlight Cowboys) | Winters, Jacqueline | Buy Now |
Michelle Beattie
International Bestselling Author Michelle Beattie first found her love of romance in romantic comedies such as Romancing the Stone and Valley Girl (yes, she realizes that dates her). It wasn’t until after high school when she worked for a car rental company and had too much time on her hands that she started reading romances. Historicals were her go-to and she raided many bookstores looking for historical western romances.
Top selling Cowboy Romance books:
| Image | Title | Author | Price | Buy |
|---|---|---|---|---|
 Top | Cowboy Up (Tangled Up in Texas Book 1) | Beattie, Michelle | Buy Now | |
 Top | Cowboy True (Tangled Up in Texas Book 2) | Beattie, Michelle | Buy Now | |
 Top | A Cowboy's Temptation (A Frontier Montana series Book 2) | Beattie, Michelle | Buy Now |
Taylor Hart
Taylor Hart is a best-selling author of contemporary romance, sweet romance, and light suspense romance novels. Her acclaimed Last Play Romance and Bachelor Billionaire Romance Series will leave you wishing for more strong heroines and swoon-worthy men.
Top selling Cowboy Romance books:
| Image | Title | Author | Price | Buy |
|---|---|---|---|---|
 Top | Her Hidden Falls Anti-Hero Cowboy: A Sweet Brother's Romance (Hardman Brother Ranch Romances Book 1) | Hart, Taylor | Buy Now | |
 Top | Her Hidden Falls Doctor Cowboy: A Sweet Brother's Romance (Hardman Brother Ranch Romances Book 2) | Hart, Taylor | Buy Now | |
 Top | Her Country Star Billionaire Groom: Sweet, Christian. Married by Christmas (Bachelor Second Chance Cowboy Romances Book 1) | Hart, Taylor | Buy Now |
Jessie Gussman
Jessie Gussman is the award-winning author of The Baxter Boys series, The Sweet Haven Farm series and The Sweet Water Ranch cowboy series – soul-stirring, SWEET, small town romance with humor and heart.
Top selling Cowboy Romance books:
| Image | Title | Price | Author | Buy |
|---|---|---|---|---|
 Top | The Cowboy's Best Friend (Sweet Water Ranch Western Cowboy Romance Book 1) | Gussman, Jessie | Buy Now | |
 Top | The Cowboy's Secret Baby (Sweet Water Ranch Western Cowboy Romance Book 2) | Gussman, Jessie | Buy Now | |
 Top | The Cowboy's Beauty (Sweet Water Ranch Western Cowboy Romance Book 3) | Gussman, Jessie | Buy Now |
Kimberly Krey
Award-winning author Kimberly Krey has always been a fan of good, clean romance, so she decided to specialize in writing ‘Romance That’s Clean without Losing the Steam’. She’s a fervent lover of God, family, and cheese platters, as well as the ultimate hater of laundry.
Top selling Cowboy Romance books:
| Image | Title | Author | Price | Buy |
|---|---|---|---|---|
 Top | Her Gun-shy Cowboy: A Sweet Country Romance (The Unlikely Cowgirl Book 1) | Krey, Kimberly | Buy Now | |
 Top | Her Kismet Cowboy: A Sweet Country Romance (Unlikely Cowgirl Book 2) | Krey, Kimberly | Buy Now | |
 Top | Her Dream Cowboy: How to Catch a Cowboy in 10 Days (The Unlikely Cowgirl Book 3) | Krey, Kimberly | Buy Now |
Kathleen Ball
Finalist in the 2012 and 2015 RONE Awards. Winner of the 2015 Lear Award, Finalist in the 2017 Indie Award. Kathleen Ball writes Historical, Contemporary and Christian Western Romance with great emotion and memorable characters. Kathleen started writing in 2009 and by 2011 she not just one publisher. She had two. Working with these publishers gave her great insight to the business of writing as a whole. Now self published, Kathleen loves that each decision from writing to publishing to marketing is her own.
Top selling Cowboy Romance books:
| Image | Title | Author | Price | Buy |
|---|---|---|---|---|
 Top | Teagan: Cowboy Strong: Christian Historical Western (The Kavanagh Brothers Book 1) | Ball, Kathleen | Buy Now | |
 Top | Quinn: Cowboy Risk: Christian Historical Romance (The Kavanagh Brothers Book 2) | Ball, kathleen | Buy Now | |
 Top | Brogan: Cowboy Pride: Christian Historical Romance (The Kavanagh Brothers Book 3) | Ball, Kathleen | Buy Now |
Cora Seton
With over one million books sold, NYT and USA Today bestselling author Cora Seton has created a world readers love in Chance Creek, Montana. She has thirty-four novels and novellas currently set in her fictional town, with many more in the works. Like her characters, Cora loves cowboys, military heroes, country life, gardening, jogging, binge-watching Jane Austen movies, keeping up with the latest technology and indulging in old-fashioned pursuits. She lives on beautiful Vancouver Island with her husband, children and two cats.
Top selling Cowboy Romance books:
| Image | Title | Author | Price | Buy |
|---|---|---|---|---|
 Top | The Cowboy's Secret Bride (Turners vs Coopers Chance Creek Book 1) | Seton, Cora | Buy Now | |
 Top | The Cowboy's Outlaw Bride (Turners vs. Coopers Chance Creek Book 2) | Seton, Cora | Buy Now | |
 Top | The Cowboy's Hidden Bride (Turners vs Coopers Chance Creek Book 3) | Seton, Cora | Buy Now |
Jo Noelle
Jo Noelle is a Colorado native but lived in several mountain states–Idaho, Utah, and California. She has two adult children and three small kids. She teaches teachers and students about reading and writing, grows freakishly large tomatoes, enjoys cooking (especially desserts,) builds furniture, sews beautiful dresses, and likes to go hiking in the nearby mountains.
Top selling Cowboy Romance books:
| Image | Title | Price | Author | Buy |
|---|---|---|---|---|
 Top | Lucky in Love (Cowboys and Angels Book 2) | Noelle, Jo | Buy Now | |
 Top | Waiting on Waylon (Cowboys and Angels Book 6) | Noelle, Jo | Buy Now | |
 Top | Healing His Heart (Cowboys and Angels Book 49) | Noelle, Jo | Buy Now |
IF you know about any cowboy books set in other countries Canada, Mexico, South America, Spain and Australia please let us all know!