Books like 'Courtship of the Recluse'
Readers who enjoyed Courtship of the Recluse by Linda Louise Rigsbee also liked the following books featuring the same tropes, story themes, relationship dynamics and character types.
contemporary western boss & employee slow burn
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Heartless by Elsie Silver
Working as a nanny for the world’s grumpiest single dad should have been simple. Except I can’t keep my eyes off him. And he can’t keep his hands off of me.Cade Eaton is thirteen years older than I am and barely looks my way. Until I get him into the hot tub one night for a game of truth or dare. Then all bets are off—and so are our clothes. He’s gruff, a little rough around the edges... -
![The Lost Fisherman by Jewel E. Ann]()
The Lost Fisherman by Jewel E. Ann
It’s been five years since I’ve seen him. An unexpected event takes me back to the place where it all began. But I’m no longer the naive young woman he once knew. And he’s no longer the man who took nearly everything from me... -
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![Bourbon & Lies by Victoria Wilder]()
Bourbon & Lies by Victoria Wilder
In Fiasco, Kentucky, there is one rule: never fall for a Foxx brother. Any woman who did, ended up dead—or so the rumor goes. Townies call it a curse. But I’ve lived it, and I won’t survive it again.I’m not a cop anymore, but I’ve seen enough danger to know that Laney Young, the beautiful stranger who just showed up in my small town, is running from it... -
![Lost and Lassoed by Lyla Sage]()
Lost and Lassoed by Lyla Sage
She thrives in chaos. He prefers routine. The only thing they have in common? How much they hate each other.From the author of Done and Dusted and Swift and Saddled, the highly anticipated next book in the Rebel Blue Ranch series, a small town romance in which enemies turn to lovers when they're forced to work together during one hot summer.Teddy Andersen doesn’t have a plan...Categorized as:
boss & employee slow burn cowboys from hate to love siblings-bff m-f forced proximity single-father -
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![Fractured Sky by Catherine Cowles]()
Fractured Sky by Catherine Cowles
Damaged. Broken. Destroyed. I’ve heard it all. A single moment of trusting the wrong person shattered my life into pieces, and my family has never looked at me the same. It’s impossible to convince them that I’m anything more than the broken girl they rescued all those years ago.Until I meet him.Ramsey’s grumpy demeanor and menacing scowl scare most of the world away. But not me...Categorized as:
slow burn contemporary suspense tortured hero cold hero cowboys tortured heroine alpha male -
![Making Promises by Amy Lane]()
Making Promises by Amy Lane
All Shane Perkins ever wanted to be was a hero. But after a career-shattering decision to go down fighting, Shane comes home from the hospital to four empty walls, a pile of money, and a burning desire for someone to miss him the next time he gets hurt in the line of duty... -
![Hard 5 by Stephanie Brother, Cosmic Designs]()
Hard 5 by Stephanie Brother, Cosmic Designs
Five ruthless ranchers have bought my farm, and they want to include me in the deal.After Pa dies and I discover he's mortgaged our farm to pay gambling debts, I'm forced to sell my home and only asset. On auction day, I watch my elusive neighbors, the Bradford brothers, buy the land that's been in my family for generations... -
![The Front Runner by Elsie Silver]()
The Front Runner by Elsie Silver
Stefan Dalca is beautiful, brooding, and bossy. He’s also public enemy number one in this small town, with a murky past that’s hard to overlook. And I just agreed to three fake dates with him. I may be a renowned veterinarian, but when I find myself in a sticky situation, Stefan is my last hope. I need his help to save a sick foal and what he wants in return is me...Categorized as:
slow burn contemporary from hate to love multicultural western super rich hero south asian dual-pov -
![How West Was Won by Laylah Roberts]()
How West Was Won by Laylah Roberts
Theirs was a love story like no other. . . Or at least it was in Flick O’Malley’s mind. All she’d ever wanted was a man to love her. A family to adore her. Protect her. And she’d do the same in return. Oh, she knew West Malone wasn’t your typical Prince Charming. He was blunt. He was gruff. Sometimes, he was downright scary... -
![When We Burn by Kristen Proby]()
When We Burn by Kristen Proby
BridgerI’m her safe place.I always have been.The torment that Dani Lexington went through at the hands of her father was something no child should have had to endure. But I was the lucky one she turned to.Our age difference and the fact that her brother was my best friend kept her off-limits, even though something was always there, lingering under the surface...Categorized as:
slow burn friends to lovers contemporary western mystery m-f single-father length-long -
![Burn the Wild by Ava Hunter]()
Burn the Wild by Ava Hunter
A sizzling small town, cowboy, heroine-in-danger romance by Amazon top 50 bestselling author, Ava Hunter. As the reigning country-pop princess, I’ve had everything this life has to offer, especially fame and fortune. But not what really matters. A minute to catch my breath and reevaluate my life. So when my world comes crashing down, I run to a place where no one knows me...Categorized as:
boss & employee slow burn cowboys from hate to love suspense western length-long famous heroine -
![Beautifully Broken Redemption by Catherine Cowles]()
Beautifully Broken Redemption by Catherine Cowles
She’s hiding secrets.For Anna, keeping her deepest scars hidden from the world has always been a necessity—from the bruises of her childhood to the mistake that nearly cost her everything. To keep herself safe, she must keep everyone around her at a distance—especially the man who has tempted her since the moment they met.His demons are taunting him...Categorized as:
slow burn contemporary western suspense mystery marriage of convenience friends to lovers dual-pov -
![Shelter Mountain by Robyn Carr]()
Shelter Mountain by Robyn Carr
For the second time in a year a woman arrives in the small town of Virgin River trying to escape the past. John “Preacher” Middleton is about to close the bar when a young woman and her three-year-old son come in out of a wet October night. A marine who has seen his share of pain, Preacher knows a crisis when he sees one—the woman is covered in bruises... -
![Grumpy Cowboy by Max Monroe]()
Grumpy Cowboy by Max Monroe
ATTENTION: If you have been a victim of false advertising, you may be entitled to compensation...Categorized as:
slow burn western cowboys humor sports from hate to love contemporary forced proximity -
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![Master of the Wilderness by Cherise Sinclair]()
Master of the Wilderness by Cherise Sinclair
Auto mechanic Erin Lockwood is not only newly divorced; she’s practically penniless.When her emotionally-abusive ex flees the country to escape arrest for blackmailing other politicians, it’s actually a relief—a chance to reclaim her life. But retreating to the mountain house gifted by her mother, she’s met by hostility from the nearby town...Categorized as:
slow burn contemporary bdsm mystery suspense working class heroine poor heroine small town -
![Sunlight by Devney Perry]()
Sunlight by Devney Perry
From USA Today bestselling author Devney Perry comes a sweeping Western romance about undeniable attraction, unforeseen circumstances, and seemingly unbeatable odds.My first day in Montana, I got into a tug-of-war over a grocery store shopping cart. The most handsome man I’d ever seen broke up the scuffle before he asked me on a date. I was seconds away from accepting but then he told me his name...Categorized as:
boss & employee slow burn cowboys forced proximity found-family western dual-pov grumpy sunshine -
![Cowboy Seeking Nanny by Janice Whiteaker]()
Cowboy Seeking Nanny by Janice Whiteaker
As a widowed father trying to build a family empire while juggling dirty diapers and bed times, Brody Pace has full hands.And an empty bed.Losing his high school sweetheart after the birth of their twins left him broken, battered, and lonely. But business doesn’t wait, and neither do toddlers...Categorized as:
boss & employee contemporary western historical cowboys single-father single-mother length-short -
![Cash by Jessica Peterson]()
Cash by Jessica Peterson
Butting heads leads to knocking boots in this wildly sexy enemies-to-lovers, grumpy/sunshine, small town cowboy romance by Jessica Peterson.My dad and I have been estranged for years. But as his only living relative, it’s no surprise I inherit his massive cattle ranch when he dies...Categorized as:
boss & employee slow burn cowboys found-family grumpy sunshine dual-pov from hate to love western -
![Dust Storm by Maggie Gates]()
Dust Storm by Maggie Gates
—Christian—Rule Number 1: You ride in my truck; you let me open the door.Another problem was the last thing I needed. Unfortunately, Cassandra Parker was mine.But the biggest problem of all? It wasn’t the beautiful stranger sticking her nose in my operations. It wasn’t the bulldozer she was driving over my way of life. And it definitely wasn’t the fact that she was living in my house...Categorized as:
boss & employee western cowboys contemporary office from hate to love single-father strong heroine -
![A Photo Finish by Elsie Silver]()
A Photo Finish by Elsie Silver
I’ve seen every square inch of Violet Eaton’s delectable body and she has no idea who I am.Until now.What happened between us online, in our chats, was meant to stay anonymous and in the past.Until it didn’t.It’s a small world, but Ruby Creek is even smaller. When I move to the tiny town, the grumpy facade I’ve created slips when we’re forced to live under the same roof...Categorized as:
boss & employee slow burn sports grumpy sunshine age difference military contemporary cowboys -
![A Cowboy in the Streets by Elizabeth Bright]()
A Cowboy in the Streets by Elizabeth Bright
From USA Today best selling author Elizabeth Bright comes a new grumpy/sunshine, single dad, steamy romance set in wild and beautiful Colorado.Working as the head trainer at Lodestar Ranch is my chance to prove I have what it takes as a woman in a man's world. The only problem? My boss is the world’s grumpiest cowboy… and I can’t keep my eyes off him... -
![Preston Men of Clifton, Montana Book 10 by Susan Fisher-Davis]()
Preston Men of Clifton, Montana Book 10 by Susan Fisher-Davis
Rated: 4.83 of 5 stars · 6 ratingsLove and marriage is one path Preston Mitchell has no desire to travel down again. His ranch is his life and if a woman cannot appreciate his dedication to it, she has no place in his life. He learned that lesson the hard way when his marriage ended because his wife wanted more. But then a dark-haired beauty enters the diner and he cannot resist having a taste of what she is offering...Categorized as:
slow burn contemporary western historical sassy heroine strong heroine cowboys length-short -
![Reece Men of Clifton, Montana Book 11 by Susan Fisher-Davis]()
Reece Men of Clifton, Montana Book 11 by Susan Fisher-Davis
Rated: 4.83 of 5 stars · 6 ratingsRissa Gates did something totally out of character for her…she spent the night with a strange man she met in an elevator. An amazing night with a gorgeous blue-eyed cowboy. A night that left her hoping for more especially after her love life came to a bitter end and she sees her sisters in happily-ever-after bliss...Categorized as:
slow burn contemporary western historical sassy heroine strong heroine cowboys length-short -
![Down and Out by Parker St. John]()
Down and Out by Parker St. John
They were once friends…but a dark secret drove them apart. Nate: Healer. Savior. Cynic. The one person Nate could never ignore was Tucker Grace. He’s as cruel as he is gorgeous, with a devastating loneliness in his cold blue eyes. Nate ditched his hell-raising childhood for the big city and a string of disastrous relationships...Categorized as:
slow burn contemporary western m-m from hate to love cowboys angst friends to lovers -
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![Daddy's Little Darling by Laylah Roberts]()
Daddy's Little Darling by Laylah Roberts
She was desperate, homeless and alone… Charlie was used to fending for herself. She wasn’t necessarily that good at it, considering she was currently living in her car, but it was the only life she knew. She didn’t have family or friends and she certainly wasn’t used to anyone caring about what she did... -
![A Love Like Ours by Becky Wade]()
A Love Like Ours by Becky Wade
Becky Wade Is the New Name to Know in Contemporary Romance Former Marine Jake Porter has far deeper scars than the one that marks his face. He struggles with symptoms of PTSD, lives a solitary life, and avoids relationships. When Lyndie James, Jake’s childhood best friend, lands back in Holley, Texas, Jake cautiously hires her to exercise his Thoroughbreds...Categorized as:
slow burn boss & employee christian contemporary western friends to lovers cold hero sweet heroine -
![Sweet Like Whiskey by Emmy Sanders]()
Sweet Like Whiskey by Emmy Sanders
The only thing worse than letting him in is the thought of letting him go. JacksonIf there’s one thing I don’t need upsetting my quiet and comfortable routine in the small town of Darling, Montana, it’s newcomer Ash Alcott crash landing on my family’s ranch like some sort of blonde angel.I don’t need his flirting. Or his smile...Categorized as:
boss & employee m-m cowboys grumpy sunshine queer contemporary found-family forced proximity -
![More Than Life by Mary Calmes]()
More Than Life by Mary Calmes
Hart Jarrett was only supposed to be passing through Jackson Hole, Wyoming. He wasn’t supposed to get involved, no emotional entanglements to tie him down. Setting down roots was never part of the plan, not until he opened himself up to love. Too bad the man he bet on bailed and left Hart holding the ranch. There were two choices after that: run away, or stay and build something real from nothing...Categorized as:
boss & employee slow burn m-m western contemporary cowboys friends to lovers mystery -
![Crossroads by Devney Perry]()
Crossroads by Devney Perry
A sweeping small-town romance about love, loss, and a Montana legacy from USA Today bestselling author Devney Perry.I met West Haven when I was eight years old. He taught me to play poker when I was nine, and we made paper airplanes together when I was eleven. He kissed me when I was sixteen. He was the best part about my family’s summer vacations to Montana. He was the boy who stole my heart...Categorized as:
slow burn contemporary forced proximity cowboys western friends to lovers length-medium dual-pov -
![Sam by Susan Fisher-Davis]()
Sam by Susan Fisher-Davis
Rated: 4.80 of 5 stars · 5 ratingsEveryone tells Sheriff Sam Garrett to find a good woman and settle down. When he sets his sights on Clifton’s veterinarian, he fears she despises him yet he’s desired her from the first moment they met. She is quite possibly the only woman in town who isn’t attracted to him which might be why he wants her even more...Categorized as:
slow burn western contemporary historical small town sassy heroine strong heroine cowboys -
![Chasing Him by Kennedy Fox]()
Chasing Him by Kennedy Fox
John Bishop isn’t your typical single dad. Reserved, impatient, and utterly clueless. Running the family’s bed and breakfast has many perks. Working long hours, picking up after the guests, and hearing couples going at it all night long aren’t any of them. Hooking up with girls who come to the ranch for horseback riding lessons? Best perk of them all...Categorized as:
boss & employee humor new adult western bad boys secret child friends to lovers contemporary -
![The Magic of Light by Jordan Abitz]()
The Magic of Light by Jordan Abitz
Rated: 4.50 of 5 stars · 6 ratingsHow do you build a life when yours has been shattered to dust?Sawyer spent her childhood bouncing from one foster home to the next. As an adult, she spends her days advocating for those in the same broken system. When a child in her care runs away on a rural road in Kansas, it starts a chain reaction that unravels memories from her past... -
![Saxon's Soul by Laylah Roberts]()
Saxon's Soul by Laylah Roberts
Many believed he didn’t possess a heart. Not true. It was just hidden beneath a layer of protection so deep no one would ever penetrate it. Until her. Aspen. Sweet. Innocent. Beautiful. And not the woman for him. Despite his reputation, Joel Saxon wasn’t in the habit of corrupting innocents. Especially when she had no clue about the dark desires he possessed...Categorized as:
boss & employee western contemporary single-mother m-f class difference anal sex bdsm -
![Cowgirl Fallin' for the Miller Brother: Western Romance by Natalie Dean]()
Cowgirl Fallin' for the Miller Brother: Western Romance by Natalie Dean
Rated: 4.57 of 5 stars · 7 ratingsHe thinks she’s rude and wild. She thinks he’s arrogant and entitled. But they just might have more in common than they realize…Charlie Miller has dibs as the town’s most eligible bachelor. Handsome, charming, and rich. But he doesn’t date.Well, not anymore.Because Charlie has a secret past with women. A past not even his family knows. A secret he’s too embarrassed to tell...Categorized as:
slow burn christian western contemporary new adult clean from hate to love sassy heroine -
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![Wrangled Love by Ann Einerson]()
Wrangled Love by Ann Einerson
Rated: 4.10 of 5 stars · 17 ratingsTension quickly turns to temptation in Bluebell, Montana, between a single dad and his nanny in this steamy age-gap, brother's best friend, small town cowboy romance by Ann Einerson. One minute I’m living a peaceful life at Silver Saddle Ranch and the next, Jensen, my brother’s best friend, returns to town for the summer with his five-year-old son and moves into my guest rooms... -
![Fool Hearts by Emmy Sanders]()
Fool Hearts by Emmy Sanders
Best friends. Unrequited love. A story that spans decades. WyattAt twelve, he was my best friend. At sixteen, he became my crush. And now, at thirty-four, he’s the man I’m still pining after.Falling in love with Easton was never part of the plan. But now that I’ve done it, I can’t seem to stop. It doesn’t help that we’re living under the same roof... -
![Lost in the Wild by Cassie Mint]()
Lost in the Wild by Cassie Mint
I came out here to interview a cryptid.Now he’s carrying me off to his cave.The Wild Man of Starlight Ridge is a local legend. A man who wanders the mountains barefoot and bare-chested, with a shaggy beard and long, unkempt hair.I’ve been sent out here to interview him, but when we finally meet… well, let’s just say he’s not my biggest fan... -
![Tame the Heart by Ava Hunter]()
Tame the Heart by Ava Hunter
Keeping my heart guarded all my life has never been an issue. Until he saves me in a bar fight.Charlie Montgomery is one grumpy rancher. Calloused hands, stubborn heart, the definition of a true cowboy.He dislikes me from the second we meet. Warns me away from his tiny town of Resurrection, Montana. Well, what he doesn’t know is I’m armed with a bucket list and a secret...Categorized as:
boss & employee contemporary western grumpy sunshine suspense forced proximity cowboys small town -
![Big Nick Energy by Morgan Elizabeth]()
Big Nick Energy by Morgan Elizabeth
When Connor Finch insists his one-time Tinder match, Shae, comes to his dad’s house for Thanksgiving with her two daughters, it’s because he refuses to let them be alone on her first-holiday post-divorce... -
![ISO: In Search Of by Lucy Lennox, Molly Maddox]()
ISO: In Search Of by Lucy Lennox, Molly Maddox
How in the world does a grumpy rancher end up falling for a rich dilettante? Richard Dunning has it all: private school education, an exquisite designer wardrobe, a last name that ensures he’s invited to all the best parties, and a skincare regimen that’s to die for. The only thing he doesn’t have is… well, a job. Or a home. Or money in the bank. Not since his dad cut him off...Categorized as:
boss & employee m-m humor contemporary western super rich hero hurt-comfort age difference -
![Call Me Yours by Elizabeth Bright]()
Call Me Yours by Elizabeth Bright
Steven McAllister is a villain. Once a villain, always a villain, right?There’s no one I hate more in our small town, and now that my dad is his boss, I can’t avoid him. And maybe…maybe I don’t want to. Because the more I get to know him, I realize there’s more to him than I thought. With each intimate conversation and accidental touch, the sizzling tension between us grows. He makes me laugh... -
![Training the Heart by Paisley Hope]()
Training the Heart by Paisley Hope
In this steamy cowboy romance, a grumpy ranch owner and a sunny horse trainer must learn to work together—the second novel in the Silver Pines Ranch series.Wade Ashby doesn’t let anyone in. With the death of his father and his failed marriage, plus the weight of the family business on his shoulders, Wade has plenty to deal with...Categorized as:
boss & employee cowboys forced proximity contemporary grumpy sunshine western dual-pov praise-kink -
![Rival by S.E. Green]()
Rival by S.E. Green
Clayborn Hughes is the enemyJaxon ~ I’ve never hated someone more than Clayborn. He’s the reason my sister is gone and if I ever get the opportunity, I’ll destroy everything he holds dear. I just didn’t know about her connection to him.A monster and an abuserMason ~My family has been feuding with the Hughes’ for generations. Every member of that family is vile...Categorized as:
boss & employee slow burn age difference grumpy sunshine contemporary pregnancy betrayal western -
![A Rancher's Heart by Vivian Arend]()
A Rancher's Heart by Vivian Arend
This cowboy has given up on love, but the new nanny might just make him change his mind. 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... -
![Mastered by Malone by Laylah Roberts]()
Mastered by Malone by Laylah Roberts
She’d seen one dead body too many… Mia Alcott was in a whole crap load of trouble. The only witness to a horrific crime, she’s on the run, trying to figure out who she can trust and who is out to get her. In come the Malones. They’re loud. They’re violent. They’re rude. And right now, they’re her only shot at survival. Of course, she has to survive living with them...Categorized as:
slow burn western suspense historical western cold hero contemporary forced proximity bdsm -
![Hopeful Cowboy by Elana Johnson]()
Hopeful Cowboy by Elana Johnson
Rated: 4.33 of 5 stars · 9 ratingsCowboys looking for a second chance at life, love, and happiness. Nathaniel Mulbury is released early from his six-year term in prison to care for his brother's four-year-old son. Dealing with grief over his brother's death and continued guilt for his role in the embezzlement scheme that landed him in jail, Nate has one more problem... -
![Yours to Hold by Emily Silver]()
Yours to Hold by Emily Silver
Rated: 4.33 of 5 stars · 9 ratingsHe’s my best friend’s older brother. I have no business having these feelings for him. But I do.I’ve had a crush on Mason Winchester for as long as I can remember. To him, I’ve never been anything more than a family friend. His little sister’s annoying friend.But what happens when he needs a nanny for his daughter for the summer? He calls me.That’s when things change.Suddenly there are feelings... -
![Protected by my Stalker by Khloe Summers]()
Protected by my Stalker by Khloe Summers
Rated: 4.33 of 5 stars · 9 ratingsCan this older mountain man find love with a younger employee?KenzieWorking my way through school has been a pain.Jobs are in short supplyAnd the only thing available is a cleaning gig with a local rancher.Trouble is, he's the biggest jerk I've ever met.He's stubborn, he barely talks, and wants me working weird hours.I know I should quit, but something about him keeps me interested...Categorized as:
boss & employee age difference pregnancy military insta-love humor grumpy sunshine sweet heroine
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