Books like 'Protect My Heart'
Readers who enjoyed Protect My Heart by Kat Baxter also liked the following books featuring the same tropes, story themes, relationship dynamics and character types.
contemporary funny western men in uniform alpha male insta-love m-f siblings-bff cowboys forbidden love
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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... -
![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:
cowboys alpha male m-f forced proximity friends to lovers contemporary suspense tortured hero -
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![Get Bucked by Lani Lynn Vale]()
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]()
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... -
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![Crazy Heifer by Lani Lynn Vale]()
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... -
![Bluegrass Undercover by Kathleen Brooks]()
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... -
![Cowboy of Convenience: Moss Creek PD by Janice Whiteaker]()
Cowboy of Convenience: Moss Creek PD by Janice Whiteaker
Rated: 4.56 of 5 stars · 13 ratingsGrady’s spent his whole life in Moss Creek, Montana, helping out on his family’s ranch and keeping the town he loves safe. There’s nowhere else he’d rather be.Except for Evelyn Warwick’s bed.The newly arrived New Yorker is a breath of fresh air in his stagnant and stale life— one he seeks out at every opportunity...Categorized as:
cowboys friends to lovers forced proximity contemporary western humor length-medium north-america -
![Hot for Love: Nick Braden by Melissa Foster]()
Hot for Love: Nick Braden by Melissa Foster
Discover the magic of New York Times bestseller Melissa Foster's writing and see why millions of readers have fallen in love with the fiercely loyal and sassily sexy characters in the Love in Bloom big-family romance families. All Love in Bloom books can be enjoyed as stand-alone novels or as part of the larger series.In HOT FOR LOVE..Categorized as:
friends to lovers m-f humor western contemporary super rich hero explicit-open-door length-medium -
![Chute Yeah by Lani Lynn Vale]()
Chute Yeah by Lani Lynn Vale
Candy Ray Sunshine--Yes, that is my real name, thank you very much, Mom and Dad--knew two things. One, she was going to work her butt off and open her very own coffee shop, even if she had to die doing it. Two, Banks Valentine was the world’s worst ex-boyfriend in the history of ex-boyfriends. Even if they were only boyfriend and girlfriend for one evening...Categorized as:
cowboys alpha male friends to lovers m-f humor western from hate to love contemporary -
![Faking Mr. Right by K.C. Crowne]()
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:
friends to lovers alpha male m-f contemporary pregnancy age difference humor super rich hero -
![Grit by Elizabeth Hunter]()
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:
friends to lovers cowboys humor contemporary age difference single-mother silver-fox strong heroine -
![Lone Star Sheriff by Kat Baxter]()
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 insta-love friends to lovers forced proximity alpha male m-f virgin hero contemporary -
![Sunshine and Sammy by Melanie Moreland]()
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... -
![Cowboy Seeks a Wife by Marley Michaels]()
Cowboy Seeks a Wife by Marley Michaels
Rated: 4.75 of 5 stars · 8 ratingsNora McIntyre has two main focuses in her life—her thriving accounting firm and her family. Becoming a single mom as a teenager and now raising one of her own, she’s never had enough time to date, or to do anything about her crush on a certain handsome, burly rancher client of hers... -
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![A Real Cowboy Never Says No by Stephanie Rowe]()
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]()
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 friends to lovers forced proximity from hate to love contemporary western humor new adult -
![Before the Sunset by Laura Pavlov]()
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...Categorized as:
forced proximity cowboys alpha male m-f friends to lovers contemporary western new adult -
![Brave Enough by Kelly Elliott]()
Brave Enough by Kelly Elliott
Rated: 4.49 of 5 stars · 12 ratingsHunter Shaw is handsome, charming, and a minor celeb on the collegiate team roping circuit. Not to mention, he looks damn fine in a cowboy hat. So it’s no surprise when he’s ardently pursued to be the star on a new streaming network’s debut program—a reality dating show... -
![Perfect Enough by Kelly Elliott]()
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]()
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... -
![Rootbound by Tarah Dewitt]()
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:
friends to lovers forced proximity cowboys m-f insta-love contemporary humor dual-pov -
![Make Me Stay by Kennedy Fox, Aiden Snow]()
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]()
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...Categorized as:
cowboys insta-love alpha male m-f contemporary grumpy sunshine humor from hate to love -
![Daring Enough by Kelly Elliott]()
Daring Enough by Kelly Elliott
Rated: 4.42 of 5 stars · 13 ratingsRose Shaw has no idea what she wants. She put aside passion for practicality, earning her degree in a subject she likes, but doesn’t love. Same for her job as an junior architect. And don’t even get started on her personal life…been there, done that, got betrayed for her effort... -
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![Forever Enough by Kelly Elliott]()
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... -
![Romancing the Cowboy (Galentine's Getaway) by Nichole Rose]()
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... -
![A Rogue Cowboy's Second Chance by Stephanie Rowe]()
A Rogue Cowboy's Second Chance by Stephanie Rowe
Rated: 4.71 of 5 stars · 7 ratingsFifteen years ago, he shattered her heart. Now she needs to trust him with her life. First in a new billionaire cowboy series by New York Times bestselling author Stephanie Rowe.Billionaire rancher Brody Hart protects others…no matter the cost to himself. When the woman he lost a decade ago needs his help, he has a second chance with the sassy country music star he never stopped loving... -
![Arrogant Devil by R.S. Grey]()
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... -
![A Real Cowboy Knows How to Kiss by Stephanie Rowe]()
A Real Cowboy Knows How to Kiss by Stephanie Rowe
Rated: 4.37 of 5 stars · 13 ratingsUSA Today bestselling author Stephanie Rowe returns to Rogue Valley, Wyoming, where a missed opportunity for love a decade ago is given a second chance. It's been four years since Steen Stockton has been able to see the sky without having to look through steel bars. Betrayal got him locked up, and it shut down his heart forever.. -
![Home of the Heart by Carolyn Brown]()
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]()
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 forced proximity friends to lovers contemporary humor western length-medium -
![Ride by Roxie Noir]()
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]()
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]()
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 alpha male grumpy sunshine age difference contemporary abuse humor suspense -
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![No More Secrets by Lucy Score]()
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 cowboys friends to lovers insta-love alpha male m-f contemporary military -
![The Grouchy Lumberjack's Bride by Kat Baxter]()
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![Rancher Seeks his Reward by Marley Michaels]()
Rancher Seeks his Reward by Marley Michaels
Rated: 4.67 of 5 stars · 6 ratingsAfter inheriting her father's farm, Cora Pope put her life in London on pause to return back to her home town of Spring Haven, not knowing what her future may hold.What she doesn't expect is to cross paths with her handsome new neighbor who seems to turn up everywhere she goes and who makes her feel all topsy-turvy inside whenever he's near... -
![Lone Star Best Friend by Kat Baxter]()
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:
friends to lovers cowboys alpha male insta-love forced proximity m-f contemporary virgin hero -
![Cowboy Haven by B.A. Tortuga]()
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]()
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:
friends to lovers insta-love cowboys contemporary new adult humor super rich hero western -
![The Rebel by Lena Hendrix]()
The Rebel by Lena Hendrix
I was supposed to lay low while my Hollywood drama blew over. Not fall for a man with golden retriever energy who isn’t afraid to take what he wants. I was supposed to lay low while my Hollywood drama blew over. Not fall for a man with golden retriever energy who isn’t afraid to take what he wants...Categorized as:
cowboys forced proximity friends to lovers m-f contemporary western small town humor -
![Riding Hard by Lauren Landish]()
Riding Hard by Lauren Landish
A city girl reins in the cowboy of her hottest dreams in Wall Street Journal and USA Today bestselling author Lauren Landish’s wild romance. As the eldest brother, the responsibility for the family ranch now rests on Mark Bennett’s broad shoulders. He wouldn’t have it any other way—he loves being in charge...Categorized as:
cowboys forced proximity insta-love alpha male m-f friends to lovers humor new adult -
![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... -
![Her Uniform Cowboy by Donna Michaels]()
Her Uniform Cowboy by Donna Michaels
Rated: 4.30 of 5 stars · 12 ratingsHER UNIFORM COWBOY Harland County Series/Book 3: Kade 85,000 words Heat Index: Hot Desperate for change after a verbally abusive relationship, Brandi Wyne leaves a symphony career, her family, and the Poconos to fall back on a designing degree and a chance to renovate a restaurant/pub in Texas... -
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![That Feeling by Alexis Winter]()
That Feeling by Alexis Winter
Rated: 4.32 of 5 stars · 11 ratingsShe’s one of those girls—Mysterious, driven, all kinds of sexy.The first time I saw her wrapped up in skintight denim and a cowboy hat riding a mechanical bull, I knew she was trouble.The kind of trouble you spend all night praying never ends and a decade trying to forget.But somehow, after losing a bet, I not only promised her a date but I tasted her cherry red lips...Categorized as:
forced proximity cowboys alpha male friends to lovers insta-love contemporary western humor -
![The One I Didn't See Coming by Piper Rayne]()
The One I Didn't See Coming by Piper Rayne
It’s the classic story—girl returns to her hometown only to end up moving in with her high school crush, who she hates. Returning to Willowbrook was my only option after Chicago chewed me up and spit me out. Technically, it wasn’t Chicago’s fault. It was his fault—the man I thought I knew who turned out to be a liar...Categorized as:
forbidden love m-f friends to lovers cowboys forced proximity office from hate to love humor -
![The One I Left Behind by Piper Rayne]()
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...Categorized as:
friends to lovers cowboys forced proximity m-f sports single-mother football contemporary -
![Once Upon a Cowboy by Maggie McGinnis]()
Once Upon a Cowboy by Maggie McGinnis
Rated: 4.29 of 5 stars · 12 ratings*** Formerly published in 2015 by Penguin Random House under the same title. This book has not been revised from the original. ***Yoga instructor Jessalyn Alcott radiates peace, calm, and serenity—on the outside. Inside, she still feels like the broken, desperate girl from the trailer park... -
![Marrying the Cowboy by Bree Livingston]()
Marrying the Cowboy by Bree Livingston
Rated: 4.24 of 5 stars · 14 ratingsA designer who’s lost her job, a cowboy with a crumbling home, and a business arrangement that’s mutually beneficial.When Grace Maddox breaks down in Willow Valley, Texas, she finds herself suddenly jobless and staying at a rundown bed and breakfast. The only benefit, besides the handsome and rugged cowboy who owns it, is the gorgeous old house that's begging to be restored... -
![Kissing My Crush by C.A. Harms]()
Kissing My Crush by C.A. Harms
Rated: 4.34 of 5 stars · 10 ratingsAmaraTyler Collins has always been the object of my affection. He just doesn’t know it.I’ve spent years admiring him, fantasizing about him, but never once making a move.That is until I see him across the room, already a few beers in and drunkenly decide to press my lips to his. One minute I’m sharing a drink with a friend, and the next, I’m Kissing My Crush...Categorized as:
friends to lovers men in uniform alpha male contemporary humor western dual-pov length-short
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