Book picks similar to
Claiming the Maverick's Heart by Debra Holt


romance
christian-fiction
holt-debra
contemporary

His Pledge to Honor


Shanae Johnson - 2021
    But when an injured soldier shows up at her ranch, will she follow his lead down a trail of love? Though she’s the daughter of a general, Scout Silver is used to giving orders, not taking them. That's why horses thrive on the rehabilitation ranch she runs with her half-sisters. Over the years, her absentee father’s many divorces created a patchwork family, held together by their love of the ranch. But his last will is an order that threatens to rip their lives apart. As the leader of an elite group of soldiers run by the brilliant tactician General Abraham Silver, Lincoln Rawlings has set out on his final mission—to fulfill the dying wish of his commander by ensuring that the general's six daughters are taken care of. When Linc arrives on the Silver Star Ranch, he learns that what the Silver sisters need are husbands, else they’ll lose their beloved business. Instead of doing an immediate about-face, Linc's heart stands at attention under the assessing gaze of Scout, the eldest Silver. Unwilling to let her father once again interfere in her life, even from the grave, Scout has no plans to give in to the general’s demands. But when she meets the handsome and accommodating Linc, she has a hard time reigning in her heart. Letting down the general is not an option, but Linc is hiding a secret from Scout. And if she learns of the deep wounds he bears, he might lose everything—the ranch, his honor, and the woman he’s falling for. Find out if love can truly heal all wounds in this light-hearted, sweet romance of convenient arrangements that unfold into lasting love. His Pledge to Honor is the first in a series of marriage of convenience tales featuring Wounded Warriors who are healed with the power of love.

Always the Baker, Never the Bride


Sandra D. Bricker - 2010
    But here's the rub about her job as a baker ... Emma is diabetic. When she tastes her creations, it can only be in the most minute portions. Emma is considered an artisan for the stunning crEme brulee wedding cake that won her the Passionate Palette Award last year, but she's never even had one full slice of it.When Jackson Drake hears about this local baker who has won a prestigious award for her wedding cake artistry, he tells his assistant to be sure and include her in the pastry tastings scheduled at his new wedding destination hotel the following week. And for Jackson, that particular day has started out badly with two workmen trapped in a broken elevator and a delivery of several dozen 300-thread-count bed linens in the wrong size abandoned in the lobby. But when the arrogant baker he met a week prior in Roswell stumbles into the dining room with a platter of pastries and a bucketful of orders, he knows for certain: It's going to be a really rotten day.Can these two ill-suited players master the high-wire act and make a go of their new business venture? Or will they take each other crashing downward, without a net? And will the surprise wedding at The Tanglewood be theirs?

Fools Rush In


Janice Thompson - 2009
    When her Italian-turned-Texan parents hand over the family wedding planning business, Bella is determined not to let them down. She quickly books a "Boot Scoot'n" wedding that would make any Texan proud. There's only one catch--she's a country music numbskull because her family only listens to Frank Sinatra and Dean Martin. Where will she find a DJ on such short notice who knows his Alan Jackson from his Keith Urban?When a misunderstanding leads her to the DJ (and man) of her dreams, things start falling into place. But with a family like hers, nothing is guaranteed. Can the perfect Texan wedding survive a pizza-making uncle with mob ties, an aunt who is a lawsuit waiting to happen, and a massive delivery of 80 cowboy boots? And will Bella ever get to plan her own wedding?Book one in the Weddings by Bella series, Fools Rush In is fun, fresh, and full of surprises. Readers will love the flavorful combination of Italian and Tex-Mex, and the hilarity that ensues when cultures clash.

My Despicable Ex


Sierra Rose - 2013
    He wants her back…with a vengeance.Ashly Roberts and Jake Connors are barely twenty when they decide to take the proverbial plunge and walk down the aisle to exchange vows in front of the dearly beloved. Basking in bridal bliss, Ashly feels she is living the perfect fairytale, until she’s faced with a runaway groom, dumped at the altar by bad-boy fiancé, Jake Connors.Five years later, Jake steps back into her life, realizing that being a no-show for their nuptials was the worst mistake of his life. A little older and slightly more mature, he is ready to fight for Ashly’s love once again. When Ashly sees him, she can’t deny the attraction she feels, but her hormones are overruled by the horror of what he did to her in the past. Nevertheless, Jake’s most potent weapon, those dazzling baby blues, ignites a spark in Ashly, no matter how angry she wants to be. She cannot deny the spark, and she only hopes the inferno it ignites will not consume her heart again.*This is NOT erotica* This is a love story and a romance. Ashly is a photographer and took this hot, shirtless picture of Jake before they broke up. He hopes they can rekindle the magic and re-take this picture.*This is a two book series* (All of your answers won't be answered in book 1)

Taking a Chance on the Heartbreaker


Liwen Y. Ho - 2014
    He’s a charming negotiator with a colorful past. Insecurities threaten their relationship when she decides to take a chance on the heartbreaker.Ashlynn Peters is ever the optimist when it comes to love, but even she's surprised to cross paths with a real-life Prince Charming. Her childhood crush is back in town, and he's more handsome than she remembers and also more intriguing than any man she’s ever dated. Ashlynn finds herself falling hard for Jeremy, only to discover he's not the perfect guy she thought he was. Will she choose to look past Jeremy's tarnished armor or give up on finding her happily-ever-after? Inspired by the author's own love story, this romantic novella will have you laughing, dreaming, and wondering if fairy tales really do come true.*Taking a Chance on the Heartbreaker was formerly titled Straight to You. This story was edited and rereleased with a new cover for your reading pleasure.

A Cowboy to Remember


Barbara Ankrum - 2014
    But that was before they grew up and went their separate ways. Now, after a disastrous divorce and a career-changing accident, Olivia limps home, minus her mojo, her courage and her faith in love. She retreats to her parents’ ranch, determined to play it safe, but when ex-Army helicopter pilot Jake Lassen arrives to make good on their promise, he reignites passion and hope, two things Olivia had forgotten existed. Olivia resolves to keep Jake at arm’s length, even though the memory of his kisses keeps her up at night. She knows better than to let her heart get involved, but Jake is planning for the future. Their future. Can Jake convince her to risk it all one more time and really make this a fair to remember? *Previously titled A Fair to Remember

A Rifle By The Door


Dan L. Fuller - 2019
    Eighteen-year-old Jenny is under no illusions—it’ll take a miracle to survive, much less thrive, in the unforgiving wilderness, particularly when twelve-year-old David fights her every attempt to prepare. Unexpected help arrives when John Beck—once a close friend of their father’s—arrives at their cabin. The tough-as-nails bounty hunter reluctantly agrees to stay through the winter. He owes it to his murdered friend to help Foster’s children build a working ranch, even if it’s the last thing he wants to do. Their uneasy alliance is fraught with hardships, danger, and back-breaking work that still doesn’t guarantee anyone will survive until spring. Especially with their father’s killer still on the loose.

A Rancher's Heart


Vivian Arend - 2017
    The first in a brand-new series from New York Times bestselling author Vivian Arend. Caleb Stone is wearing too many hats and it’s making him crankier than usual. He’s a cowboy, a father, and the head of his large family—and has been since tragedy claimed his parents over ten years ago. The ranch is struggling, but it's the title of single dad that’s got him tangled up in knots. He needs a full-time, live-in nanny at the Silver Stone homestead in Heart Falls, Alberta, to help with his two little girls, but the woman about to arrive on his doorstep? Tantalizing, tempting, and trouble with capital T’s. Tamara Coleman doesn’t regret the choices that led to losing her job, but she definitely needs a fresh start. When a friend recommends her for a nanny position in a new town, she swears this time it’ll be different. No more acting on impulse—except sexy, gruff Caleb is exactly the kind of man who pushes all her buttons. And what’s more, it’s so much fun to push his in return. Sparks fly between Tamara and her gorgeous boss, but she can’t risk her position, and he doesn’t dare risk his heart. With two people fighting their true natures, something’s going to give. Luckily, there’s more than one way to capture a rancher’s heart.

Jenna's Cowboy


Sharon Gillenwater - 2010
    A partner on her father's successful ranch, she is surrounded by family and friends. But she never expected to see Nate Langley back in town—the first guy she ever noticed, the one her father sent away all those years ago.And she never thought the attraction they felt would be as strong as ever.Jenna's cowboy has some healing of his own to do, though, after two tours of duty in the armed forces. With the help of good friends, strong faith, and a loving family, he hopes to put the horrors of the past behind him—and become the man Jenna deserves.

Love's Healing Power (New Beginnings Book 1)


Margaret Daley - 2019
    She’d always wanted a large family, but that dream was shattered when her fiancé was murdered while volunteering in South America. Peter “Mac” MacPherson, a former football superstar, had dealt with his own tragedies—the deaths of his father followed by his wife while she was giving birth to their daughter. His faith sustained him through his grief, but can he help Tess believe again in God and finally find a family—with him?

Accounting for Love


Erin Wright - 2016
    The next thing he knows, he’s got a stack of unpaid bills, the bank is threatening to foreclose… and the auditor who’s come to examine his accounts is the sexiest thing he’s ever laid eyes on. But she’s a city girl, just like the last one who left him at the altar. He'll guard his heart – but he can't help wanting her.She’s checking him out, in more ways than one…Jennifer Kendall doesn’t mind a tough job, but the handsome Stetson is trouble of a different kind. When he isn’t making her mad, he’s filling her head with all sorts of forbidden fantasies. The sparks between them fly even faster when the road washes out and Jennifer has to spend the night on the farm. But passion alone won’t pay the bills. Can Jennifer find a way for Stetson to save his farm? And if she can’t, will he ever forgive her? Accounting for Love is the first novel in the Long Valley series, although all books in the Long Valley world can be read as standalones. It has some strong language, and oh my, sexy times.~*~*~*~In March of 2018, this book was rewritten, reimagined, redone, and every other re-word you can imagine, all based on the original version that was released in October of 2016. I hope you love this reworked version as much as I do. ~Erin Wright

A Marriage of Convenience (Western Lovers: Hitched in Haste, #7)


Doreen Owens Malek - 2012
    His name brought back memories of a man so handsome that a young girl had fallen in love - and made a fool of herself. A man so unique he'd spoiled Sharon Philips for any other love.But now her father's will had joined their lives once again. In a final attempt at matchmaking, Dad left half his California horse ranch to Sharon, the other half to Braddock - provided they were husband and wife.A quick wedding. A quick divorce. A quick sale of the ranch. It seemed simple. But time had only fueled their passion. Could taylor erase ten years of pain and show Sharon that loving him was her destiny?

Let Them Eat Cake


Sandra Byrd - 2007
    She’s done with college but still living at home, ready to launch a career but unable to find a job, and solidly stalled between boyfriends. When a lighthearted conversation in French with the manager of her favorite bakery turns into a job offer, Lexi accepts. But the actual glamour is minimal: the pay is less than generous, her co-workers are skeptical, her bank account remains vertically-challenged, and her parents are perpetually disappointed. Her only comfort comes from the flirtatious baker she has her eye–but even may not be who he seems to be!So when a handsome young executive dashes into the bakery to pick up his high profile company’s special order for an important meeting–an order Lexi has flubbed– she loses her compulsion to please. “What am I going to do?” he shouts. “Let them eat cake!” she fires back with equal passion and a nod to Marie Antoinette. And then, something inside Lexi clicks. Laissez la révolution commencer! Let the revolution begin! Instead of trying to fulfill everyone else’s expectations for her life, Lexi embarks on an adventure in trusting God with her future–très bon!This book is written from a lightly, organically, Christian world view.

Teasing Destiny


Melanie Shawn - 2015
    A heart that, with time, learned to heal and guard itself. But when Jefferson James Briggs returns to their small hometown of Wishing Well, Texas, memories of that unforgettable night come back with him.... JJ Briggs knew he had started something he couldn't finish four years ago. But now, he was back to set it right. The sexy Major League pitcher never forgot about his fiery redhead. The love and passion he felt for his “Pip” never faded. They say old wounds cut deep...will JJ be able to heal the pain he caused all those years ago? Or will history repeat itself, keeping his Destiny just out of reach?

A Stranger in the Family


Patricia McLinn - 1995
     He came for his son. He never expected her.A sexy, intriguing stranger arrives out of the blue at her Wyoming ranch, threatening the one thing Cambria protects more fiercely than her heart — her family. Bodie’s discovery that he fathered a son 17 years ago leads him to the warm and welcoming Weston family. That’s the easy part. But his response to one member of the family is far more than he ever expected. The sparks between him and Cambria are real … and so is the danger to his hopes for their future if she finds out why he’s really in Wyoming.