All’s fair in love and war. With Randi and Buck, it’s hard to tell the two apart… An uptight, self-contained college girl, Randi Becker just needed one thing: a room. Somewhere she could study, and keep away from the things that most confuse and frighten her: people. Unfortunately, the “nice quiet place” she reserved turns out to be a room in the campus’ most raucous house. A place seemingly designed to make studying impossible, made even worse by the other girls’ non-stop drama. But then Buck, a fun-loving cowboy whom all the ladies love, shows up…and everything gets much worse. Buck seems to have it all: friends, fun, and a never-ending line of admirers. But what he most desires is a break. So when Buck spots Randi, he figures she’s a perfect decoy: he can play up a “crush” on her that will take him off the market; buy him some breathing room. And if he can tease her a bit, and get under the skin of the uptight busybody? Well, that’s just gravy. But Buck is about to find more than he bargained for. Randi’s strong-willed, opinionated, difficult—and maybe just what he needs. And Buck isn’t alone. Soon Randi wonders as well…if the world she wanted is really the world she needs. If her future is nothing more than a diploma on the wall. And if the most important thing in her world isn’t a grade, but the cowboy who’s planted his boots firmly in her heart. Fans of Beth O’Leary’s The Flatshare and Sally Thorne’s The Hating Game will delight at this mix of romantic comedy, contemporary romance, and cultures colliding in a campus town with a western flair. Grab your copy today, and fall in love with award-winning Buck Up, Buttercup! "Buck Up, Buttercup is punchy, funny, accessible and really well constructed." -Manda Waller, Fiction Editor "A fun and incredible read! ... a knack for imagery and building an incredibly fleshed out cast." Max Watson, author of The Drunken Promise "I enjoyed the couple's conversations. There was a real energetic thrust to their back and forth. They were also really funny, causing me to laugh out loud several times. It felt like they were both able to give as good as they got, creating a sense of equals. They were both very stubborn so their exchanges had me wondering who would win." A.M. Vivian, Author "Well done with vivid details that pull a reader right into every scene." Maureen Saul, Author "This charming and witty modern romantic novel Buck Up, Buttercup by Anna Alkire draws you in to the middle of a fiery, turbulent story about two polar opposites: the independent city girl Randy and the ladies' pleaser- cowboy Buck, who manage to simultaneously attract and irritate each other. Every chance they get. "He loves me, he loves me not" push and shove, combined with rich, funny dialogue, and unexpected turns in the story plot keeps both the characters and the readers coming back for more. Buck Up, Buttercup is also rich with secondary characters. Randy's loud, partying roommates- girls in different stages of going wild, who can't keep their hands off Buck and off her cookies. Daisy, Randy's troubled friend whom she feels responsible for. Buck's past love interests who show up at the most inconvenient times, disrupting lovers' plans and stirring up the fire of doubt between the two until they both need to decide: are they good for each other like sugar and cookies, or like oil and water? Well-polished language and the easy going pace of Anna's book is a great read that helps you relax and unwind, and get a good laugh. It's an ideal book for your vacation trip, for a day on the beach, or to read with your friends at Books and Wine clubs for a good time." Irina VanPatten, the author of Mail-Order Family, the winner of Spring 2022 Second Place Award at the BookFest Festival in Humor/Memoir Category