It's easy to fall in love with a handsome, sun-kissed stranger on an exotic beach. Or find yourself hopelessly crushing on a well-dressed billionaire in a bustling city. But nothing — and we mean nothing — beats the slow-yet-satisfying burn of falling head over boots on the open range.
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Whether in the wagon-pulling days or on contemporary ranches, the Wild West has always been the perfect backdrop for romance. It's like running into a decades-old flame while line dancing under neon lights at the town honky.
Or stealing a moment away with the forbidden farmhand in the old barn when no one's looking.
Or being swept off your feet by a rugged cowboy on horseback, wind blowing through his hair as he saves you from the treacherous wilderness (you get where we're going with this).
Yes, Western romance is escapism at its finest. It's a chance to ride off into the sunset with a dashing hero, leaving all the troubles and worries of modern life far behind. So don't let the often-cheesy covers or clichéd storylines fool you. Novels of this genre are full of heart, passion and plenty of cowboy charm.
So, without further ado, here are 15 Western romance novels that will have you booking a one-way ticket to Montana to create your own cowboy love story.
"The Texan's Wager" by Jodi Thomas
Faced with a potential hanging, a woman is forced to enter the "Wife Lottery," where she ends up hitched to an eerily silent farmer. But as they navigate their marriage of convenience, sparks fly, and they both start to question if it's more than just an arrangement.
"Off-Limits Cowboy" by Kristine W. Joy
When a city girl returns home following a divorce, the only place she can crash is at her overprotective brother's best friend's ranch — a best friend who's definitely off-limits. But as they spend more time together, their chemistry becomes harder to ignore.
"Things We Never Got Over" by Lucy Score
A woman runs away from her wedding, hoping to find solace in her twin sister and the small, rough-around-the-edges town she inhabits. But when her twin leaves her broke and stranded, she must rely on the no-nonsense barber who likes to keep drama at a distance — until he can't help but get tangled in hers.
| "Things We Never Got Over" - from $7.13 |
"Protecting You" by Claire Kingsley
A girl-next-door type who's always been in love with her best friend. A complicated, small-town boy who has ignored his feelings long enough. One night changes the way these lifelong friends look at each other, but can they get their love story back on track after a tragic interruption?
| "Protecting You" - from $11.99 |
"No More Secrets" by Lucy Score
A big-city journalist and a farmer determined to keep his peace and quiet are forced into close quarters when she's assigned to interview him. As their tumultuous relationship takes shape, they both must confront the secrets of their past.
| "No More Secrets" - from $15.29 |
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"The Cowboy's Best Friend" by Jessie Gussman
A sweet friends-to-lovers romance set on a ranch in Montana, this novel tells the story of a woman who's always been in love with her best friend. But she's moving, and he's on the hunt for a wife — so helping him find the one shouldn't be a problem, right?
| "The Cowboy's Best Friend" - from $10.24 |
"Country Hearts" by Cindi Madsen
Hallmark fans, this one is for you! The network's publishing company is to thank for this novel, about a teacher who takes a job in a small town and finds herself continuously running into the same single dad cowboy and his trusty steed.
| "Country Hearts" - from $7.99 |
"Montana Sky" by Nora Roberts
Set in the picturesque landscape of Montana, this novel follows three sisters who must learn to run their family ranch together after their father's tragic death. Throw in some unexpected romances — and the fact that they didn't know each other existed until now — and you've got yourself a page-turner
| "Montana Sky" - from $9.99 |
"Done and Dusted" by Lyla Sage
A sweet, slow-burn tale set in Wyoming, this novel follows a former horseback rider who reluctantly returns home after an accident ends her career. She finds support, solace and some steamy moments in the last place she'd expect: the town rebel, who just so happens to be her brother's best friend.
| "Done and Dusted" - from $4.99 |
"Kit McBride Gets a Wife" by Amy Barry
This novel flips the traditional romance on its head when a young woman places an ad for a mail-order bride for her four older brothers — including Kit. When an Irish woman down on her luck shows up on his doorstep in Montana, will she be able to convince him that she's the wife he never knew he needed?
| "Kit McBride Gets a Wife" - from $11.69 |
"The Ballad of Hattie Taylor" by Susan Andersen
This coming-of-age Western romance follows the free-thinking spitfire Hattie Taylor, who moves to a small town in Oregon in search of new opportunities for women. Accompanying her along her journey is Jake, a recently widowed man serving as her protection. Though he originally considered her off-limits, he can't help but be drawn to her fiery spirit and their growing attraction.
| "The Ballad of Hattie Taylor" - from $4.99 |
"Burned" by Ivy Jackson
A city girl takes on a job on a Montana ranch and looks forward to the fresh start and fresh scenery — and falling in love with her boss wasn't part of the plan. But she can't help but be drawn to the single dad who unexpectedly shows off his jealous side when he catches her dancing with another man.
| "Burned" - from $4.99 |
"Learn to Love You" by Jade Hernández
A man set to inherit his father's ranch finds himself thinking about the one thing he can't have: his sister's best friend. But will the secrets they keep be the key to unlocking the potential for a real relationship?
| "Learn to Love You" - from $4.99 |
"Between the Vines" by Grace Elena
Set in the beautiful and romantic setting of a Tennessee vineyard, this novel tells the unlikely love story between a grumpy local who wants nothing to do with the world and a sunny newcomer who wants to embrace it. Will these unlikely opposites attract, or will their differences tear them apart?
| "Between the Vines" - from $16.99 |
"Rootbound" by Tarah DeWitt
She hasn't spoken to most of her family in years, but when a photographer is assigned to do a piece on her former home-turned-famous-ranch, she finds it impossible to avoid the people of her past. That includes the young cowboy her family once took in.
| "Rootbound" - from $20.99 |
