A small town holiday romance — Book 8 in the beloved Shotgun Ridge series (all stand-alone titles)

Cherry Peyton’s aloof, keep-to-herself attitude is about as welcome in Shotgun Ridge as a skunk at a tea party. The locals have learned to give her space — all except her uncle and his meddling pals, the town’s reputed matchmakers, who have engineered more than a few happily-ever-afters in this corner of Montana.

But Cherry is a widow. Surely that earns her a pass from their nonsense.

Then a chance encounter under a sprig of mistletoe changes everything. One stolen kiss from a sexy cowboy — her very attractive, very take-charge neighbor — and this fiercely independent woman rancher is running scared. Because that kiss didn’t feel like an accident. And nothing in Shotgun Ridge ever really is.

She is absolutely, positively not interested in Clay Callahan.

Millionaire horse breeder Clay has been half in love with Cherry for years. He’s watched her ride herd with the best of them, take in every stray that wanders onto her land, and show up first whenever a neighbor needs help. She’s tough and tender and completely guarded — and whatever she’s hiding behind those walls has kept everyone at arm’s length for as long as he can remember.

When a bull takes her down and leaves her unable to care for her ranch, Clay doesn’t ask permission. He moves in, rolls up his sleeves, and gets to work — determined to make her life easier and her heart a little less lonely.

Cherry doesn’t want his help. She doesn’t want his kindness. And she absolutely doesn’t want the way he makes her dream of things she’s convinced herself she can’t have.

But it’s Christmastime in Shotgun Ridge. The season of miracles. And Clay Callahan has never been very good at taking no for an answer.

Single, Sexy and Soon To Be Wed!