Stubborn Hearts — J.A. Smith

Jackson Carter has loved the same woman for most all of his life. After years of being stuck as nothing more than Cassie Wilkinson's best friend, Jackson accepts that he may never get her love. When he's given a rare opportunity to know her intimately for one night, however, he can't help but accept the small break from the friend zone that she's offering him. Of course, when Cassie finds out she's pregnant, their situation becomes a bit…complicated. Stubborn as a guy can be, Jackson is determined to win Cassie's heart once and for all. Samantha Owens lost everything when her lover left her for another man. She knew it was Karma. After all, she'd done the same thing to her ex-husband, Chris Stevenson. She knows she doesn't deserve a second chance, but she desperately wants to stand on her own two feet, for once in her life, and be there for the son she abandoned years ago. When the only work she can get is on Mustang Ranch working for Colt Richards, Samantha decides to do the best she can for him. With Colt's cousin harassing her, horses trying to kill her, and her high heels breaking, working on the ranch challenges her in ways she would never have imagined. Through sheer stubbornness, Samantha is determined to make this new life work so she can have a second chance at a life with her son -- and, maybe, love.