Books like 'The Badge'
Readers who enjoyed The Badge by Lena Hendrix also liked the following books featuring the same tropes, story themes, relationship dynamics and character types.
contemporary western funny mystery suspense mafia cowboys forced proximity forbidden love age difference
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Reckless by Elsie Silver
Theo Silva. Rowdy bull rider. Notorious ladies’ man. Scorching hot trouble wrapped up in a drool-worthy package.And he’s looking at me like I might be his next meal.But I’m almost free of my toxic marriage and have sworn off men entirely. So all I see when I look back is temptation served up with a heaping side of heartbreak.The man is hard to trust—and even harder to resist.Make that impossible...Categorized as:
cowboys competent heroine sassy heroine new adult small town m-f grovel forced proximity -
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... -
Wild Eyes by Elsie Silver
A rugged mountain town seemed like the perfect escape from a life in shambles. But on day one, she ran full tilt into the world's hottest single dad, and now all her plans are ruined. As a chart-topping country singer with a recent streak of bad press, it's hard for Skylar Stone to find any peace. But she finds it in Rose Hill...Categorized as:
small town cowboys m-f forced proximity found-family sassy heroine new adult slow burn -
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...Categorized as:
new adult age difference second chances forbidden love m-f small town bad boys cheating -
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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:
cowboys m-f forced proximity small town sassy heroine second chances slow burn new adult -
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... -
Rough Country by Lauren Landish
Rated: 4.45 of 5 stars · 27 ratingsIs it really a dream come true if it means losing the one thing you never knew you needed? Willow Parker is excited to move to Podunk, Nowheres-ville. That’s what she’s telling herself, but it’s not working until she meets a dark-eyed, honey-voiced cowboy. That’s when her new small-town life starts looking a lot less temporary... -
Get Bucked by Lani Lynn Vale
Darby has always been ‘that’ guy. The guy that no man, woman, or child wants around their loved one. See, a long time ago he made some bad decisions. Those bad decisions have haunted him ever since. No matter what he does, people still see him as the town’s screw up. The boy that sold his soul to the Devil. Years later, he’s turned himself around... -
A Taste of Whiskey: Sasha Whiskey by Melissa Foster
Sasha Whiskey is done being the good girl. She’s ready to wrangle in the one man not looking to be caught and give him a taste of Whiskey. With any luck, one taste won’t be nearly enough. Come along for the steamy, emotional ride in this friends-to-lovers, forbidden romance...Categorized as:
cowboys found-family forced proximity small town suspense m-f friends to lovers single-father -
Crazy Heifer by Lani Lynn Vale
I fell in love with his rope skills. I stayed because somehow he took hold of my heart and made it his. Callum Valentine didn’t mean to eavesdrop. Then again? When a man is calling a woman fat right in front of your table, it’s kind of hard not to intervene. Especially when the town’s most beautiful creature ever is the one being called fat. Desi just wants to be left alone... -
Quicksand by Janet Dailey
Rated: 4.47 of 5 stars · 23 ratingsThe rugged, exciting new story from the New York Times bestselling author tells the tale of an Arizona family ranch in trouble, as the Champion sisters fight to keep their legacy bull-rearing operation strong, going head-to-head —and heart to heart—with some of the toughest men on the rodeo circuit...Categorized as:
forced proximity cowboys suspense new adult mystery contemporary from hate to love western -
For the Love of Whiskey by Melissa Foster
From New York Times bestselling author Melissa Foster comes The Whiskeys: Dark Knights at Redemption Ranch, a small-town, big-family series of standalone romance novels featuring fiercely loyal, insanely sexy bikers who give horses—and people—a second chance. Buckle up for a wild ride in Hope Ridge, Colorado, as these big-hearted badasses and their sassy sisters wrangle in their forever loves...Categorized as:
small town new adult cowboys forced proximity suspense found-family m-f contemporary -
Bluegrass Undercover by Kathleen Brooks
Rated: 4.28 of 5 stars · 34 ratingsCade Davies had too much on his plate to pay attention to newest resident of Keeneston. He was too busy avoiding the Davies Brothers marriage trap set by half the town. But when a curvy redhead lands in Keeneston, the retired Army Ranger finds himself drawn to her. These feelings are only fueled by her apparent indifference and lack of faith in his ability to defend himself... -
Faking Mr. Right by K.C. Crowne
Rated: 4.69 of 5 stars · 10 ratings"Let's make this fun and really give them something to talk about." Levi's nothing like I remembered.Once the nerd from school two years my junior. Desperately trying to hide his crush. Now he's built like a stallion. Tall enough to tower any man. And pulls off a flannel shirt like no mountain man I know.But there lies a scorned heart in his chest. Jaded and broken...Categorized as:
age difference suspense m-f contemporary friends to lovers alpha male pregnancy humor -
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Grit by Elizabeth Hunter
Rated: 4.28 of 5 stars · 28 ratingsHe’s been patient; she’s been busy. Patience is running out. Melissa Oxford is a widow with a ranch, an orange grove, a goat-obsessed ten-year-old, and not enough time. She doesn’t have time to make friends. She doesn’t have time to stop and chat, and she definitely does not have time for a boyfriend. Which is fine, because Cary Nakamura is far from being a boy...Categorized as:
age difference cowboys humor contemporary friends to lovers single-mother silver-fox strong heroine -
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... -
Lone Star Sheriff by Kat Baxter
CalebI’ve known Madison Crawford was mine since we were teenagers. Timing, circumstances, and my good manners have kept me from claiming her as my own. Now, the ex who left her at the altar is back asking for a second chance, and I’m done playing by the rules. She thinks I’m nothing more than a stick-in-the-mud, but she’s about to find out what happens when I’m not in uniform. No more Mr...Categorized as:
cowboys forced proximity m-f virgin hero contemporary insta-love western friends to lovers -
No Going Back by Janice Whiteaker
Rated: 4.53 of 5 stars · 12 ratingsDon’t fall for the sexy silver fox that just rolled into town.Easier said than done.Especially when he’s your new neighbor.Dianna came to Moss Creek for a fresh start. To learn from the mistakes of her past.But Griffin Fraley is testing her commitment to that task. Somewhere between those baby blue eyes and a set of hands she can imagine doing debaucherous things, her focus starts to shift... -
Sunshine and Sammy by Melanie Moreland
Luke Adler lives for his ranch. It’s the only reason he agreed to get on board with his sister’s grand plan for guests staying on the property.Nothing prepares him for the force of nature that is Samantha Morrison. When she arrives on his ranch to help construct this new part of his business, what he expects and what he gets are two entirely different things.He expects a no-nonsense businessman...Categorized as:
cowboys forced proximity age difference sassy heroine m-f found-family small town contemporary -
A Real Cowboy Never Says No by Stephanie Rowe
Rated: 4.27 of 5 stars · 25 ratingsUSA Today bestselling author Stephanie Rowe delivers a brand new series set in Rogue Valley, Wyoming, home to the Stockton brothers, a clan of fiercely loyal and honorable men, and the women who touch the hearts of these rugged, loner cowboys. The only reason rancher Chase Stockton and his brothers survived their brutal childhood was because they protected each other... -
Make Me Stay by Kennedy Fox
Rated: 4.26 of 5 stars · 26 ratingsNever trust a man who wears nothing more than a cowboy hat and ripped jeans who asks if you’d like to save a horse and ride a . . . well, you get the picture.Being a travel photographer has its perks but when Colton Langston collides into me and offers to model, he’s an unexpected surprise for my current project...Categorized as:
cowboys new adult forced proximity from hate to love contemporary western humor friends to lovers -
Before the Sunset by Laura Pavlov
He’s an actor in need of an image makeover. She’s determined to show her ex-fiancé that she’s moved on. A fake relationship between two best friends is the perfect solution. Or is it?Reese Murphy has been my best friend since before we took our first steps.She’s the yin to my yang.The peanut butter to my jelly... -
Perfect Enough by Kelly Elliott
Rated: 4.49 of 5 stars · 12 ratingsOver the years, Joshua has watched most of his family fall in love. He and his cousin Nate are the last single Shaws standing, and while Nate’s seemingly content to stay that way, Josh wants the kind of love his sister, parents, and grandparents have found. In the meantime, he’s alone. And lonely... -
Just a Cowboy's Best Friend by Jessie Gussman
Rated: 4.57 of 5 stars · 10 ratingsWhen Teagan Lepley is asked to cat-sit by a kindly lady in town, she wasn't expecting the neighbor to be so "friendly." So she asks her best friend to hang out with her so she can honestly say she's busy. What she wasn't expecting was the entire town to think that there is - finally - something more going on between her and her best friend... -
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Christmas in Chestnut Springs by Elsie Silver
T’was the night before Christmas . . . in Chestnut Springs! Check in with the Eaton family to see holiday pranks, new friendships formed, and maybe even a new baby born. Five chapters as told by five of your most beloved heroes...Categorized as:
cowboys found-family new adult m-f age difference small town competent heroine sassy heroine -
Never Enough by Kelly Elliott
From the New York Times bestselling author of the Cowboys and Angels series comes an intricate romance that asks the question, Can love heal the pain of the past? Longing to forget the pain of his wife’s death, Brock Shaw has immersed himself in the one thing that lets him escape the guilt. Bull riding. But life on the road means leaving his young son at home with his parents... -
Rootbound by Tarah Dewitt
You really can't go home again.Tait Logan is proud of the life she’s built for herself. Despite her world-shattering divorce, not having any genuine connections with other humans apart from her sister Ava, and the fact that the remainder of her family is estranged from her life, she’s happy…happy-adjacent, at least...Categorized as:
forced proximity cowboys slow burn found-family m-f competent heroine contemporary humor -
Make Me Stay by Kennedy Fox, Aiden Snow
Rated: 4.26 of 5 stars · 23 ratingsNever trust a man who wears nothing more than a cowboy hat and ripped jeans who asks if you’d like to save a horse and ride a...well, you get the picture.That should’ve been enough for me to walk away.I’ve been warned on several occasions about southern men - with their sexy accents, charming manners, and the ability to easily get any woman in bed - which is something I’ll be avoiding... -
Spill the Sweet Tea by Lyra Parish
Some describe me as a quirky, free-spirited journalist who charges her crystals by moonlight. They’re not wrong. My instincts ensure I know everything that goes on in my small town. And not much surprises me. But when the man who destroyed my heart returns to care for his family’s business, I’m shaken to the core... -
Heaven, Texas by Susan Elizabeth Phillips
Come heck or high water, Gracie Snow is determined to drag the legendary ex-jock Bobby Tom Denton back home to Heaven, Texas, to begin shooting his first motion picture. Despite his dazzling good looks and killer charm, Bobby Tom has reservations about being a movie star -- and no plans to cooperate with a prim and bossy Ohio wallflower whom he can't get off his mind or out of his life... -
Forever Enough by Kelly Elliott
Rated: 4.42 of 5 stars · 13 ratingsNot long out of college, Mackenzie Reeves has found herself halfway across the country, relocated from Atlanta, Georgia, to small-town Hamilton, Montana. But it’s not just a fresh start—it’s an escape. For years, she’s been trying to steer clear of the abusive stepfather who’s made her life hell and turned her mother into someone she doesn’t recognize... -
Grumpy Cowboy by Max Monroe
ATTENTION: If you have been a victim of false advertising, you may be entitled to compensation... -
Romancing the Cowboy (Galentine's Getaway) by Nichole Rose
Rated: 4.45 of 5 stars · 12 ratingsWhen this older cowboy rescues a hot mess author from a crazy bull, she learns a whole lot more than she anticipated. If growly cowboys, sassy heroines, and laugh-out-loud comedy make your heart pitter-patter, you'll love Cord and Cassia's steamy-sweet story!Spying on a bossy cowboy lands this hot mess romance author in hot water.Cassia MurphyI'm used to getting fan mail from readers... -
Downpour by Maggie Gates
Ray:Rule #1 of almost dying: Make sure someone knows your passwords. It’s hard to cancel your phone plan if you’re dead.Rule #2 of almost dying: Make sure your house is clean before you walk up the steps to the pearly gates. It makes selling off your life easier.Back-up plans are for people who plan on losing...Categorized as:
cowboys forced proximity age difference small town new adult m-f found-family grovel -
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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...Categorized as:
age difference cowboys forced proximity slow burn small town m-f competent heroine christmas -
A Real Cowboy Always Comes Home by Stephanie Rowe
Rated: 4.71 of 5 stars · 7 ratingsCaleb Stockton has been missing for more than ten years...and he's about to come home. But his homecoming isn't going to be what anyone expects. Not his brothers.Not him.And definitely not her. ABOUT THE AUTHOR: New York Times and USA Today bestselling author Stephanie Rowe is "contemporary romance at its best" (Bex 'N' Books)... -
Love on Target by Shanna Hatfield
Rated: 4.63 of 5 stars · 8 ratingsWill romance hit its mark when true love is the target? Desperate for a fresh start, Rena Burke journeys from Texas to Oregon with only her father’s pistol and a plodding old mule for company. She takes a job working with explosives at a mine, spends her free time emulating her hero Annie Oakley, and secretly longs to be loved... -
Mountain Man's Valentine: A Small Town Romance by K.C. Crowne
Rated: 4.56 of 5 stars · 9 ratingsClay Callaghan.Stoic. Rugged. Mountain Man.Seeing him again gives me ALL the feels.But does Cupid have a scheme to make our second chance actually stick?Clay is six-foot-four of pure muscled alpha.It's a good thing he isn't lacking in the confidence department...Because only a real man can handle a female Sheriff by his side... -
Arrogant Devil by R.S. Grey
Rated: 4.16 of 5 stars · 35 ratingsEveryone in Cedar Creek, Texas, knows Jack McNight is an arrogant devil. Physically, I get it: he’s tan and fit, with coal-black hair that’s clearly been scorched by hellfire. Oh, and his personality? It burns just as hot.When I show up on the doorstep of Blue Stone Ranch, I’m run-down and rockin’ my last pair of underwear. I’m hoping for a savior, but instead, I find him...Categorized as:
new adult cowboys forced proximity slow burn m-f age difference found-family second chances -
Home of the Heart by Carolyn Brown
Rated: 4.20 of 5 stars · 23 ratingsA heartwarming novel of complicated families, new neighbors, and fresh hope from a New York Times bestselling author who writes "Southern comfort in a book." —Sheila Roberts Allie Logan has her hands full with a bad breakup, a struggling renovation business, a sister who won’t stop flaunting her engagement ring, and a grandmother who keeps wandering off at the most inopportune times... -
Wild and Wrangled by Lyla Sage
She’s the one that got away. He’s the one that never let her go.From the bestselling author of Done and Dusted and Swift and Saddled, the next book in the Rebel Blue Ranch series, a small-town romance in which past lovers get a second chance to rediscover what they lost“The perfect farewell . .Categorized as:
cowboys m-f second chances small town found-family slow burn forced proximity competent heroine -
Ride by Roxie Noir
Save a horse. Ride a cowboy. Bull riding is dangerous as hell, but that’s half the fun. Guts, glory, and cute country girls lined up for days . It may only take eight seconds to win, but I can go all night . Yeah, I’ve broken almost every bone in my body at some point, but I’ve been the World Rodeo Champion two years running. Nothing’s gonna keep me from making it three... -
The Brood by Devney Perry
Rated: 4.13 of 5 stars · 37 ratingsA small town, forced proximity, age gap romance from Wall Street Journal and USA Today bestselling author, Devney Perry.The last thing Wilder Abbott needs is a houseguest. Solitude has been his stoic companion for nearly a decade. He prefers to brood over his mistakes in seclusion. Besides, he gets enough social interaction as a high school science teacher in Calamity, Montana... -
Falling by Willow Aster
When Little Miss Sunshine and a Hot, Grumpy Rancher are forced to live together, what could possibly go wrong?To the small town of Landmark Mountain, Callum Landmark is a man of few words and considered to be the family grump. Uninvited and unexpected, I crash into his world like a wrecking ball and disrupt the delicate balance of his carefully constructed existence...Categorized as:
forced proximity age difference suspense new adult grumpy sunshine contemporary abuse humor -
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The One I Left Behind by Piper Rayne
It’s the classic story—boy goes off into the world to fulfill his dreams and leaves the girl behind.Not every boy returns home, and I wish Ben Noughton wouldn’t have come back to our small ranching town at all after he retired from playing professional football.I figure it’s a quick layover for him. He always wanted out of this town and off his family’s ranch... -
No More Secrets by Lucy Score
#1 New York Times and USA Today bestselling author Lucy Score brings to life the "nosiest small town in upstate New York," Blue Moon Bend, in a charming and compelling, sexy romantic comedy with an intriguing loner on the slow path to healing and an ambitious out-of-towner who just keeps slipping past his defenses...Categorized as:
forced proximity new adult cowboys found-family small town m-f contemporary military -
Lone Star Best Friend by Kat Baxter
A Friends-to-lovers/Curvy Girl RomanceJohnnyHarper Rhodes and I were just kids when we promised to be each other’s first everything. I’m not sure if she thought I was kidding or lying. All I know is she’s left town because she thinks I got another woman pregnant. Little does she know I’ve been saving everything for her. Every kiss. Every touch. Every filthy-fueled fantasy. I’m tired of waiting...Categorized as:
cowboys new adult forced proximity m-f contemporary friends to lovers virgin hero virgin heroine -
Camp Hot Mess: Walker Hills #2 by Bella Jewel
Rated: 4.50 of 5 stars · 8 ratingsThe second book in Bella Jewel's steamy new series coming March 2022!!!Unless you’re a mom, you just wouldn’t understand.The crying, the diapers, the late nights, the early mornings.The laughter, the smiles, the joy, the blessing.I get it. I’m living it. I love it.I also know that sometimes, moms need a break... -
Cowboy Haven by B.A. Tortuga
Rated: 4.50 of 5 stars · 8 ratingsWhen Heath Barron leaves Texas for Northern New Mexico, he thinks he's getting a luxury house rental for a steal, getting away from his ex, and finding a home for his newborn triplets. What he finds is a broken down trailer, a freezing winter, and the feeling that he's at rock bottom in his life. Again.Former rodeo champ Kolt Cordova has a good life... -
That Touch by Alexis Winter
Rated: 4.44 of 5 stars · 9 ratingsA Small Town Friends to Lovers RomanceI didn’t mean to fall in love with my best friend’s wife.We were just kids when it happened.Now, a decade and a half later she and I have bonded over tragedy—she lost the love of her life and I lost my best friend.I always knew Dolly was gonna break my heart—but the truth is, she never even got the chance. The second she saw my best friend Dean, I was history...Categorized as:
new adult suspense mystery second chances cowboys contemporary humor super rich hero
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