Lucky River Ranch, Book 4

From the Publisher:

One chance meeting on a Texas ranch.

One wild, too-charming cowboy.

One snowed-in night that changes everything.

Wheeler Rankin isn’t here for romance―she’s come to Lucky River Ranch to visit her best friend, wrangle a business deal, and prove herself to everyone who ever doubted her. But when she collides with Duke Rivers―resident heartbreaker, restless cowboy, and brother to her best friend’s new flame―sparks fly hotter than a Texas summer.

Duke has always dreamed of more than dusty trails and small-town life. He’s itching to see the world, but one unforgettable night with Wheeler changes his course. When a blizzard and a business road trip leave them stranded together, their no-strings flirtation ignites into something deeper.

But passion brings complications―and unexpected news threatens to upend everything Wheeler’s built. As family pressures, old wounds, and new dreams collide, Duke is determined to stand by her side, ready to forge a future neither of them ever imagined.

Can two fiercely independent souls trust in love, face their fears, and find home in each other’s arms? Or will the ghosts of the past keep them apart for good?

Duke is an interconnected standalone novel in the Lucky River Ranch series, perfect for fans of Elsie Silver and Lyla Sage.

Delicious tropes:

• Best friend’s boyfriend’s brother
• Heartbreaker hero
• Forced proximity
• Found family
• Small town
• Hot cowboys

https://amzn.to/4aof1q3

Duke, the youngest brother and one of the twins at Lucky River Ranch, loves working the land but secretly dreams of seeing the world. Wheeler, meanwhile, is his sister-in-law Mollie’s business partner. Together, the women run a burgeoning custom cowboy-boot company with a showroom on the ranch and another office in Dallas.

Duke and Wheeler first meet during a family celebration for Cash and Mollie’s engagement. Wheeler is hoping for a casual hookup with a cowboy, but Duke is instantly drawn to her—and wants more than a one-night fling. That alone is enough to send Wheeler running. Struggling with self-esteem, she’s convinced that if Duke gets to know the real her, he’ll bolt. So while she’s working at the ranch, she keeps her distance. But when a trip to Aspen leaves the two of them sharing a room for a night, sparks fly—and they end up sharing the one-night stand Wheeler has always dreamed of.

Soon after, Wheeler suspects she might be pregnant. Mollie insists she take a test, which Mollie’s husband later spots on the bathroom counter. One thing leads to another, and before Wheeler can gather the courage to tell Duke herself, he shows up at her apartment in Dallas.

Wheeler isn’t even sure she wants to keep the baby—a dilemma the story handles with real sensitivity. She’s determined not to repeat her parents’ mistake of rushing into marriage because of a pregnancy. On top of that, she’s focused on growing her business, while Duke’s wanderlust makes her doubt their future together. Yet, with the support of family and friends, Wheeler and Duke confront their fears, talk through their dreams, and ultimately find the happily ever after she never expected.

I devoured this delicious, sexy romance. This series has become one of my favorites, and while each book stands alone beautifully, reading them in order makes the experience even richer. Don’t miss it!

10/2025 Stacy Alesi, AKA the BookBitch

DUKE by Jessica Peterson. Bloom Books. (December 2, 2025). ISBN: ‎978-1464249532. 416p.

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Four Corners Ranch, Book 12

From the Publisher:

A favor owed. An Off-limits romance. Four Corners is in for the hottest Christmas it’s ever seen.

Sheena Patrick has done well, all things considered. After her father’s death, she raised her sisters and did all she could to give them the best life possible. But they’re grown and gone now and Sheena is ready to do something for herself. But to accomplish her goals she needs Denver King.

Denver owes Sheena. He spent years watching from afar and making sure she was all right after his father’s illegal activities caused her father’s death. So when Sheena rolls up to the ranch looking to call in the favor he promised, Denver can’t say no. He’ll help her get her axe-throwing bar up and running by Christmas, and consider his debt square. But as the snow falls, sparks fly between the two black sheep of Pyrite Falls. They might be all wrong for everyone else, but are they just right for each other?

https://amzn.to/4hJGKDq

Sheena and Denver have known each other their entire lives. Their connection deepened after tragedy struck—Sheena’s father was killed while working for Denver’s father, the former criminal kingpin of their town, Pyrite Falls, Oregon. Since then, Denver has worked relentlessly to make amends for his father’s crimes, rebuilding his family’s reputation and compensating his father’s victims. Meanwhile, Sheena was left to raise her three younger sisters on her own. Driven by guilt, Denver offered financial support and made a solemn promise: one day, he’d repay her with a favor.

Years later, with her sisters grown and gone, Sheena decides it’s time to call in that favor. Working as a bartender, she dreams of opening her own business—an axe-throwing bar—and approaches Denver King with a detailed proposal. Despite his family’s doubts, Denver doesn’t hesitate to help. In fact, he ends up partnering with her, not realizing that he’s about to fall for her in the process. Sheena, too, is surprised by her growing feelings—and how much she dislikes seeing Denver with anyone else.

Both Sheena and Denver are known in town for their strength, honesty, and fierce loyalty to family. But as they work side by side, they start to see beneath each other’s hard exteriors. The real question is whether they can let their guards down enough to allow someone else to take care of them for once.

I adored these two characters. Both are fiercely driven, deeply loyal, and shaped by painful pasts. Watching them slowly lower their defenses and reveal their vulnerabilities—amidst intense, steamy moments—was powerful. Despite the trauma they carry, the author weaves hope into their journey, showing how love and mutual support can heal even the deepest wounds. I loved this story of redemption, resilience, and unexpected romance.

11/2025 Stacy Alesi, AKA the BookBitch

COWBOY, IT’S COLD OUTSIDE by Maisey Yates. Canary Street Press. (October 28, 2025). ISBN: ‎978-1335652911. 320p.

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Lucky River Ranch, Book 2

From the Publisher:

Roping horses leads to riding cowboys in this sexy friends-to-lovers, fake-dating, lessons-in-seduction romance by Jessica Peterson.

One fake dating plan.

One cowboy Casanova.

One very real case of falling way too hard.

Wyatt Rivers is the perfect no-strings hookup―a cowboy Casanova who rocks a Stetson, looks smokin’ hot in his Wranglers, and never rests his head on the same pillow twice.

He’s exactly what she’s looking for. If only he wasn’t also her best friend…

Sally Powell is back in her hometown of Harstville, Texas, waiting for her dream job to start thousands of miles away. While she’s here, she hopes to end an epic dry spell in the bedroom, preferably with a local cowboy. If the rumors are true, they really do ride harder and stay on longer.

Wyatt has been her best friend since second grade, and she’s been in love with him for almost as long. But he’s as wild and untamed as a colt that can’t be broken―not to mention, totally out of her league with his good looks and heartbreaker reputation.

Then Sally gets to thinking: since Wyatt is such an expert, why doesn’t he teach her the ropes of how to find a hookup? He begrudgingly agrees, and a little fake flirting leads to fake dating, which leads to real kissing, which leads to real…well, everything else.

And let her just say, the rumors are absolutely true.

Sally wants so badly to be Wyatt’s last rodeo. But she’s leaving town soon, and even if she wasn’t, she’s not sure Wyatt would ever change his playboy ways.

Cowboys can’t be tamed. And apparently, neither can hearts.

Wyatt is an interconnected standalone novel in the Lucky River Ranch series, perfect for fans of Elsie Silver and Lyla Sage.

Delicious tropes:

All the pining!
Friends to lovers (with DECADES of tension)
Fake dating
Lessons in seduction
Small town
Hot cowboys

https://amzn.to/4nhIkgM

Sally has just finished her veterinary studies and is preparing to start her new job in New York. In the meantime, she’s back in the small town she loves, helping her father at his veterinary practice. Her dad is immensely proud of her and sees her upcoming move as the chance for her to achieve everything he never did. But while he dreams big for her, Sally feels happiest at home—and quietly dreads leaving. Still, her father won’t hear of her staying; he’s determined for her to make it in the big city.

Her childhood best friend, Wyatt, is now the foreman of the ranch where he grew up. Seeing Sally again brings back old memories—she was there for him during some of the hardest times in his life, especially after his mother died. Though they’ve always been close, Sally has long been in love with Wyatt but has never found the courage to tell him. Wyatt, for his part, cares deeply for her but has never been the settling-down type. A lifelong flirt, he’s never seen himself in a serious relationship, not even with Sally.

Sally’s romantic history is virtually nonexistent, leaving her feeling sexually inexperienced and insecure. Hoping to change that, she turns to the one person she trusts most—Wyatt—and asks him to teach her about sex. What starts as an arrangement quickly spirals into a fake dating situation, with all the tension and confusion that comes with it.

This book leans heavily on the sexual side of their relationship, with more emphasis on steamy scenes than emotional development. While I still enjoyed the story, I found myself eager to reach the end—something that rarely happens for me. I love spice, but I also want to see a deeper connection and growth between the characters, and that felt lacking here. Hopefully, the next book in the series will balance passion with a stronger romantic arc.

10/2025 Stacy Alesi, AKA the BookBitch

WYATT by Jessica Peterson. Bloom Books. ( August 19, 2025). ISBN: ‎978-1464248306. 418p.

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The Murphys of Meadow Valley, Book 3

From the publisher:

A washed-up country music cowboy on the run, a songwriter without a song, and a double-booked ranch guesthouse with both their names on it… What could possibly go wrong?

Ash Murphy sneaks home to the family ranch to escape the scandal that follows his successful country music career everywhere. He plans to rest up, get in his fair share of work on the ranch, connect with the new horses his brothers have taken in, and lay low for as long as it takes for the newest tabloid interest to blow over. Except when he arrives, his brother’s guest house isn’t empty; its current occupant is none other than Willow Morgan, country singer on the rise, hoping to finally finish the last song on her sophomore album―the one her label says must be a hit. But her small problem with writer’s block is nothing compared to her large problem: Ash Murphy broke her heart once before, and if she’s not careful, he just might do it again.

https://amzn.to/4aI3joC

I have read many of Pine’s cowboy romances but somehow missed this series until this third entry. This book spotlights country music sensation Ash Murphy, whose high-profile divorce forces him to seek refuge in his hometown. Ash has been on the road for a few years but seeks solace with his family. When he finally gets home late in the night, he retreats to his brother’s guest house, where he unexpectedly finds his former flame and rising country star Willow Morgan already in residence.

Morgan is hiding out herself, fighting her sophomore slump. Her first album was a hit, but she is having a hard time finishing her second album, especially because her producers are expecting a hit song, like that’s easy. She makes Ash sleep on the couch and wonders how she will protect her heart. Four years earlier, she was humiliated and heartbroken when Ash left her to marry a beautiful tennis star from the UK, and she hasn’t seen him since.

Ash’s manager proposes a strategic collaboration – a duet that could salvage Ash’s reputation while boosting Willow’s career. As they navigate close quarters and creative partnership, their old feelings begin to resurface. Then Ash admits that every song he has written since their breakup has been about Willow, and she starts letting her heart thaw towards the cowboy.

While Pine’s previous series delivered compelling narratives, this new one fell short of my expectations. The character development lacks depth, and certain plot elements strain credibility. Although the premise holds promise, the execution doesn’t quite hit the right notes. It was fairly obvious that this was part of a series, and maybe if I had read the first two books, I would feel differently. Not my favorite.

The Murphys of Meadow Valley Series:

1. Holding Out for a Cowboy
2. Finally Found My Cowboy
3. The Cowboy of My Dreams

2/2025 Stacy Alesi, AKA the BookBitch

THE COWBOY OF MY DREAMS by A. J. Pine. Sourcebooks Casablanca (February 11, 2025). ISBN: 978-1728253817. 352p.

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