Growing Roots: A Small Town Forced Proximity Romance (Whispering Oaks)

Courtney Clarke has three rules: pay cash, trust no one, and never stay anywhere long enough to matter.

Then her car dies in Whispering Oaks—population practically zero—and she meets Gabe Hudson, the fallen L.A. lawyer with hero syndrome and eyes that see straight through her lies.

Gabe's got his own problems: a ruined career, a failed engagement, and a hometown hanging on to grudges piled up in his absence. But when the beautiful bartender with obvious secrets needs help, he can't resist playing white knight one more time.

Their connection is instant, electric, and completely inconvenient.

Because Courtney's violent ex is hunting her, Gabe's past is catching up, and in a town this small, there's nowhere to hide from the past.

What starts as temporary becomes something neither of them saw coming—something worth fighting for. Something that might finally feel like home.

Perfect for readers who love:

• Small town romance with bite
• Protective heroes who've been through hell
• Heroines who won't be saved (but will be loved)
• Open door spice that delivers
• Second chances that feel earned

Love, laughter, and real drama collide in the heart of Tornado Alley, where the biggest storms aren't always in the sky.

CW: Domestic violence (off-page), trauma recovery, graphic sexual content