Book picks similar to
Ridge by Stephanie Payne Hurt


western
contemporary-western
left-for-another-day
first-reads

Roping the Cowboy


Tori Kayson - 2015
    She's worked hard to get where she is, and she refuses to allow a cowboy, as good looking as he is, or the cute boy that comes with him, to derail her climb up the corporate ladder. But a woman could dream about having it all, couldn't she? Rancher Fargo Kester doesn't appreciate Darby's repeated attempts to persuade his family to allow an oil drilling rig on their property, but that doesn't stop him from speculating on her other…qualities. Like how much his son adores her, or how well she blends into life on the ranch. He doesn't have time for romance, though, not since his dad died three months ago leaving him responsible for his family’s livelihood. Nor the inclination. Jayce’s mother destroyed all trace of hope for that. Can Fargo convince Darby that the ranch needs her more than a rusty old drill? That he needs her? Could she embrace a quiet life on the ranch and fuse her love for the cowboy with the career of her dreams? Sweet romance that sizzles!

Souls Set Free


Kimmie Easley - 2012
    Actually, she’s not loving at all. Unable to move on from a tormented childhood of abuse she’s now at risk of losing her own family. Hopeless, she goes to bed every night secretly longing to not wake up the next morning. That all changes the day her mother is murdered while living on the streets. Emma must now face all of the pain she has spent years trying to numb with pills and alcohol when she is forced to travel back to her hometown to identify her mother’s body. If only it were that easy…Will reliving the abuse all over again help Emma forgive her mother or send her spiraling back into a world she fought so hard to survive?

Sneakers, Sandals & Stilettoes: Fairy Tales for the Well-Heeled Princess


Natasha Deen - 2011
    Nor can they make her neighbor, Dillon McKenzie, see her as anything but his best buddy. A midnight walk, a fateful fall, the discovery of a magic lamp, and Aggie switches priorities. In her efforts to help Ebony, the kitten-genie and undo the curse of Aladdin’s lamp, she makes a fateful mistake—an inadvertent, “I wish I was in Dillon’s arms,” and Aggie wakes up in his arms, all right—as a stray dog. Will Aggie and her genie figure out how to undo a wish gone wrong, or is she doomed to a life of Milk Bones, flea baths and loving Dillon from the foot of her doggy bed? Shoe-In for Love For shoe-designer Nessie Helph, 1984 is another year in the struggle to keep herself safe from her malicious supervisor, Grace Hart. Nessie’s problems worsen when she finds out the company, Victor & Victoria, has been sold to Leo Schumacher. Known as “The Lumberjack,” Leo’s reputation for cutting costs and hacking jobs is legendary, but Nessie’s prepared for any contingency…except the effect he has on her heart. She may not be able to get her hair to feather like Heather Locklear’s, but with a little effort and a lot of luck, she’s about to prove she’s not only the best girl for the job, but a shoo-in for love, as well.

Katie Lost and Found (Welcome to Walnut Lodge, #1)


Karen Welch - 2014
    Leaving behind a successful career and a failed marriage, his vision for the future is colored by disappointment. During his time at Walnut Lodge, he hopes to reinvent himself, to recover the ideals and dreams he shared with the one real love of his life, the girl who vanished without a trace sixteen years earlier. Walnut Lodge is Tess Weldon’s life. The grand old house is her business, her home and her safe haven, its staff her friends and family. Her secrets are safe within its walls. Guided by the vision she shared with her late husband, her future finally seems secure, until her past checks in to the Lodge. Fate may have brought Peter and Tess full circle, but lost love found doesn’t necessarily lead to a second chance.

The Lottery Winners


Elizabeth Lennox - 2018
    Horrible boss. Every day it seems to get worse. Daisy, Ivy, Marilee and Tony work at “Janice’s”, a truck stop diner in Kentucky. The owner uses any excuse to dock their pay, steals their tips and just makes their lives miserable. One day, they go out and, just as a fluke, combine their money and buy a lottery ticket. Sipping cheap wine and staring at the stars, they dream about what they would do if they won. The following morning, they wake up to find…they won! They’d won the massive jackpot! $1.6 BILLION dollars! After taxes, they are now each worth over $200 Million! This is the story about how they spend that money…and how they decide to make the world a better place.

Meant for Each Other


Delaney Cameron - 2017
    Here she can forget the episode that nearly ruined her last year of college. Was it unreasonable to suppose that this far from the scene of her crime she would be safe from meeting the man who knew all about her worst moment? After six months of nonstop traveling, Trey is happy to trade living on the road for the peace and quiet of Tybee Island. In such surroundings, he should be able to work undisturbed. These plans are interrupted by the appearance of a former student. Running into Kirsten is a disturbance of the worst kind: a reminder of an encounter he hasn’t been able to forget. Author’s note: This is a revised and expanded version of a novella published years ago under a different title and pen name. It takes place before the events of Dream of Me.

Snow Kissed


Lisa Swallow - 2015
    Or the groom's brother and best man, Jamie. The wealthy, charming Jamie is everything Sadie tries to avoid. But the best man has a secret that will change everybody's Christmas.In the snow-kissed Cotswolds, will Sadie have a happy holiday after all?

INDEMNITY


K.A. Hunter - 2016
    A survivor. But it hadn’t always been that way.At eighteen, tragedy struck, hurling her into a dark underworld. Freedom became a thing of the past as her new reality unraveled.Rescued a year later, she vowed to one day get the justice she deserved. However, her road to recovery was long and difficult. Driven by revenge, she fought like hell to prepare herself.When the opportunity she’s been waiting for arises, she’s quick to seize it.Her tormentor only knew her as the shattered girl she once was. He has no idea what she’s capable of now. But he’s about to find out how far she’s willing to go.No matter what it takes, she will get her indemnity.**TRIGGER WARNING...this story contains non-explicit abuse scenes and there is harsh language throughout. Indemnity is intended for mature readers**

Miss Behave (The Anderson Family Series Book 1)


Traci Highland - 2018
    Instead, she’s stuck at the Pendleton Falls Herald, where her massive investigative skills are wasted penning the paper’s advice column, Miss Behave. Her shot at a meaty story comes when she’s assigned to write up a profile of a local business, Brookes Jewelers. She is determined to write the piece so she can use the article to impress a real paper. Unfortunately Hunter Brookes, co-owner of Brookes Jewelers and the Pendleton Falls Herald, is rather persistent, in his own hot little way, that the piece should be nothing more than a glorified sales pitch. But when diamonds disappear, Piper may get the chance to do a real investigation, leading her to confront family secrets and worst of all, turn to her mother for help. Piper soon realizes that there is more to Mr. Brookes than a tight ass and a ridiculous fascination with name tags. Together they deal with roasted pigs, crazy cat ladies, and gun-toting fashionistas. In all the chaos, they just might find the one thing that neither one was looking for: true love. Perfect for fans of romantic comedy, funny women's fiction, humor, and contemporary romance..

Hard Love


Kim Loraine - 2021
    But every feud has to start somewhere.As the heir to Ryker Ranch, I love two things. My family and my home.I don't have time for distractions, for dating, and everything that goes along with falling in love. So when the prettiest girl I've ever seen ends up knocking me on my ass quicker than a bucking bronc, I'm not ready for her.Sandy is everything I could want in a woman. She's smart, beautiful, kind, and with one sweet smile, I'm hers. Too bad it all falls apart before it can even begin. Because she's engaged to my friend and sometimes-rival Wes Wilde, and I don't stand a chance.

Another Chance


Annie Dobbs - 2017
     Stacy Brighton left her hometown on the coast of Maine ten years ago for bigger and better things and never looked back. But when her father dies unexpectedly, she’s forced to return. She won’t spend a minute longer than she has to, though. That town is full of bad memories and she doesn’t want to see any of the people she left behind, especially not Reid Callahan. Reid Callahan never wanted anything more than to live his life in Rocky Point. He loves the simple, small-town life and has proudly grown his small lobstering business into one of the premier restaurants in the area. He’s made a good life for himself but something seems to be missing. And when Stacy comes back to town, he knows exactly what it is. Too bad Stacy has no intention of staying… or does she? Even their growing attraction might not be enough to soothe old wounds and when their worst fears take root, one of them may have to sacrifice everything they thought they wanted in order to give their hearts another chance.

Roxie (Rescued Hearts Book 1)


Leah Atwood - 2019
    Join the women of Hope House Women’s Shelter as they find love…with the help of a dog. A lot can happen in ten years. Rachel Goodman can testify to that. She’s been engaged, left at the altar, changed jobs, and moved three thousand miles away from friends and family to take the director position of Hope House Women’s Shelter. Throughout it all, Roxie, her golden retriever mix, has been her faithful companion and friend. A trip to the vet brings a scary diagnosis for Roxie, but it also introduces Rachel to Aaron Bradley. He understands what Rachel feels—he walked that road five years ago. They have an instant connection but can that sustain them into love?

Letters to My Wife


Terry Dean - 2010
    It’s funny and sad, but so very poignant… telling a family’s story. You’re immediately drawn into Kevin Clarke’s life, how he fell in love and how he made relationships work. This novel - this story - is simply magnificent with its many twists and turns. As Kevin “talks” to his wife via a blog, the world starts noticing. It’s life in a tumultuous nutshell. Quite frankly, it’s a story that will stay with you for years to come. Book synopsis: Kevin Clarke is telling his story, his way. He’s writing love letters to the only woman he’s ever loved - his wife. He posts the stories on a blog, hoping she might read them. Little does he know, the neighbors across the street are reading the letters, as is the cop who took him into custody one night. In fact, most of the world is reading the private stories Kevin is telling through his letters to his wife. But while the blog is anonymous, Kevin slips up and the world discovers him. What happens after that is a love story for the ages.

The Firefighters of Darling Bay, Books 1-3


Lila Ashe - 2014
    She's good at it, too—she’s all about health and healing. Tox Ellis, on the other hand, is the hazmat expert at the Darling Bay Fire Department. Why can't he seem to stay away from Grace, the woman who seems to think he needs fixing? Is Darling Bay ready for the chemical reaction Grace and Tox generate whenever they're in the same place at the same time? And who will be standing by to put out the flames? Fire at Dawn: Lexie Tindall knows a few things about herself. She's a great fire dispatcher. She looks good in cowboy boots. And she'll never date a firefighter. Coin Keefe has been in love with Lexie since he first met her in dispatch when he was still a rookie firefighter. Now he realizes he can tell her everything except the truth—that he can't think about anyone else. When Lexie and Coin make a bet on love with a tropical island vacation as a reward, who will win big and who will lose everything? Fire at Dusk: Samantha Rowe’s never scared of anything, even when she should be. Now she’s opening a martial arts classroom in tiny Darling Bay, helping women protect themselves from attack, she’s fearless in everything except love. The only thing she really needs is an attacker to help her train the students. Hank Coffee is way more used to putting on a fire helmet than a padded one, but when Samantha needs help with her new business, he’s willing to be kicked and hit in the name of helping someone stay safe. How will Samantha deal with this full-frontal assault on her heart? And will Hank find a way to make Sam follow the rules of the game?

Let Me In


Jordan Bates - 2020
    Something that I longed to have in my life every day, and when I found it at a young age, I clung to it. I snatched up the boy as fast as I could, intending to make him mine forever. Commitment I never expected my marriage to turn out the way it did. I never expected for my husband to let me go. For that love that I had invested in to come crumbling down around me. Something that once gave me such great joy. Him After the pieces of myself broke, I was surprised to find a man who was willing to pick them up, to catch me as I fell. What he wanted from me though, I didn’t know if I could give him. All he wanted was for me to let him in.