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Willowbrook Ridge Rangers #3
Married to the Mountain Man
I’ve spent my whole life dreaming of a way out of my miserable home, and now I’ve found a mail-order bride contract that promises freedom. My plan is simple—marry a stranger, save up money, and chase my dream of becoming a painter.
But when I meet Tate, my new husband, nothing about him feels simple. He’s older, rugged, and far too tempting for a young woman like me. I only promised my hand—not my heart. Yet every time he looks at me, I wonder if leaving is the right choice at all.
I never planned on falling in love. I agreed to a marriage of convenience to honor my father’s last wish, thinking it would be easy. Then Hazel shows up—a fiery young bride who turns my world upside down.
At first, all I wanted was to make her my wife. Now I want more. I want her laughter, her trust, her forever. But Hazel has dreams that don’t include me, and if I’m not careful, I’ll lose her before I even have the chance to convince her to stay.
- GenresContemporary
58 pages, Kindle Edition
Published January 23, 2025
22 people are currently reading
10 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 39 reviews
January 25, 2025
Raised by her aunt and uncle, who always saw her as a burden, she just wants to get out and find a life for herself. She decides to be a mail order bride in hopes of finding a new start. He lives a solitary life on the mountain as a ranger. His dad wanted for him to find love and marriage and a family, but passed before he could ever see that happen. So he decides to place an ad for a bride to at least fulfill his dad last wish. He never expected to fall for her. This is a short story format. They do not expect to get detailed character development or complex storylines. You don’t get a lot of their backstory just a little to explain their present circumstances. They have chemistry from the first time they meet, and it seems inevitable that the sparks won’t fly, considering all the time they will spend alone together in the mountain. There is a little mutual pining before they give into their list and find what they were looking for. It is a well written well paced story format the genre, with a happily ever after and epilogue. A perfect quick read. The story is part of a series of stories that take place on the mountain and unlike some of the other stories where the characters pop up some are mentioned, but none appear in the story.
I received a free copy of this book and am voluntarily leaving a review.
I received a free copy of this book and am voluntarily leaving a review.
January 27, 2025
Mmm. A yummy slow burn.
Tate wants to make his father's dying wish come true. He needs a wife. How does he do that when he lives up in the mountains and doesn't date? Enter Cupid Blossom Co. Mail order brides.
Hazel needs to get out of her living situation. She's always been made to feel like she's just an annoyance. Unwanted. So she thinks that being a mail order bride will work for her. She agrees to a marriage, on paper only, with Tate, and to a divorce in a few years, once she's saved up some money. So she travels to Willowbrook Ridge to meet him.
But she is definitely not expecting the man that greets her! He's a little gruff, but also sweet and kind and thoughtful. And the views from his ranger's tower are an artist's dream. She finds herself wanting more than he offered. It might break her heart to walk away.
OMG These two were so cute! Tate is older than Hazel, and he tries to be a good guy and not overwhelm her. He wasn't expecting to have feelings for his wife, so he's at a bit of a loss. Hazel has a hard time not getting pulled into how sweet Tate is. She's not used to being treated well, but she knows feelings weren't part of the bargain.
Plenty of awkward moments as they tried to figure each other out. But really sweet, and a nice addition to the Willowbrook Ridge Rangers series.
I received a free copy of this book and am voluntarily leaving a review.
Tate wants to make his father's dying wish come true. He needs a wife. How does he do that when he lives up in the mountains and doesn't date? Enter Cupid Blossom Co. Mail order brides.
Hazel needs to get out of her living situation. She's always been made to feel like she's just an annoyance. Unwanted. So she thinks that being a mail order bride will work for her. She agrees to a marriage, on paper only, with Tate, and to a divorce in a few years, once she's saved up some money. So she travels to Willowbrook Ridge to meet him.
But she is definitely not expecting the man that greets her! He's a little gruff, but also sweet and kind and thoughtful. And the views from his ranger's tower are an artist's dream. She finds herself wanting more than he offered. It might break her heart to walk away.
OMG These two were so cute! Tate is older than Hazel, and he tries to be a good guy and not overwhelm her. He wasn't expecting to have feelings for his wife, so he's at a bit of a loss. Hazel has a hard time not getting pulled into how sweet Tate is. She's not used to being treated well, but she knows feelings weren't part of the bargain.
Plenty of awkward moments as they tried to figure each other out. But really sweet, and a nice addition to the Willowbrook Ridge Rangers series.
I received a free copy of this book and am voluntarily leaving a review.
January 13, 2025
Hazel (h18) agrees to an arranged marriage with a man she's never met, as a desperate move to escape a life on the streets and pursue her dream of becoming an artist. All she knows about her husband-to-be, Tate (H@36), is that he’s a rugged mountain ranger living in a remote watchtower, and he needs a wife. Hazel is determined to keep things simple, marry Tate, paint her way to independence, and leave when the time is right. But life on the mountain isn’t as straightforward as she expected. Tate is older, gruff, and irresistibly magnetic, and the more time they spend together, the more Hazel’s carefully laid plans start to unravel. For Tate, what begins as a practical arrangement to honor his late father’s last wish quickly turns into something he never expected. Hazel’s courage and creativity spark a fire in him that he can’t ignore, and soon, the lines between their agreement and something deeper blur beyond recognition. As their connection deepens, both have to confront their fears of vulnerability and the possibility of love in a marriage that wasn’t supposed to last. Hot and steamy age gap, mountain man romance, exploring love, connection, facing fears, balance, commitment, fulfillment, vulnerability, trust, self-discovery, and building a future.
January 19, 2025
A fresh, modern take on the classic mail-order bride trope, this story brings together a rugged mountain man honoring his father’s final wish and a young woman chasing her dream of becoming an artist. From the start, I loved how Tate and Hazel approached their marriage with honesty—no secrets, no pretenses—laying a foundation built on mutual respect. But as their connection deepens, so do their doubts, and watching their feelings evolve was as compelling as the breathtaking mountain setting. It’s no surprise Hazel quickly begins to fall for Tate. From the very beginning, his quiet strength and protective nature gave her something she had never experienced before: a sense of safety and belonging. Their shared love of the natural world adds another layer of intimacy, as Hazel pours her passion for the wilderness into her paintings, and Tate, ever steadfast, nurtures her dream. The age gap between them could have been a source of tension, but instead, it highlighted their vulnerabilities—Hazel with her youthful uncertainty and Tate with his emotional scars. Yet, high above the world in their secluded watchtower, they soon realize they are exactly what the other has been searching for.
I received a free copy of this book and am voluntarily leaving a review.
I received a free copy of this book and am voluntarily leaving a review.
January 22, 2025
Sometimes freedom becomes a way out a horrible situation. Hazel has agreed to an arranged marriage with a man she has never met to escape homelessness, to try striving for her dream of becoming an artist and do what she needs to do be the wife she needs to be until she can leave. Tate sexy as all get out rugged mountain ranger living in a watchtower in a remote area needs a wife, older man a little on the grumpy side, honoring his father’s final wish and not really expecting much from the arrangement. The two of them approached the arrangement with honesty loved it he knew she was there to avoid homelessness, to achieve her dream and she knew he was honoring his father’s wish but neither of them expected there to be a magnetic pull between them from the moment them met and with no secrets a foundation of friendship that pulled just grew stronger between them. The wilderness brings out the artiest in her and it shows in her paintings add to that Tate's encouragement but will they see that they are exactly what each other needed, will she succeed at becoming the artist she has always dreamed of becoming, will their love heal the scars that he has carried around, and can the two of the find happiness up in their watchtower?
January 22, 2025
Hazel, 18, went to a mail order bride company. She accepted a man who agreed to her terms...platonic marriage and divorce in five years. She wants freedom to be able to do what she wants. She was stifled and belittled with her aunt and uncle. Now here she is in the mountains about to meet the man she'll be marrying.
Tate was told by a buddy about Cupid Blossom Co who deals in mail order brides. So he goes to them. Now he's meeting his future wife. He is trying to do what his father wanted him to do before cancer took him. He didn't realize that he would actually want the woman he's planning to marry.
The two of them are coming at the marriage from two different directions but their thoughts about each other are interesting. She is coming to care for Tate. Tate wanted her the moment he saw her. Will the two be able to come together in their thinking and planning?
A cute story that has lots of internal angst.
I received a free copy of this book and am voluntarily leaving a review.
Tate was told by a buddy about Cupid Blossom Co who deals in mail order brides. So he goes to them. Now he's meeting his future wife. He is trying to do what his father wanted him to do before cancer took him. He didn't realize that he would actually want the woman he's planning to marry.
The two of them are coming at the marriage from two different directions but their thoughts about each other are interesting. She is coming to care for Tate. Tate wanted her the moment he saw her. Will the two be able to come together in their thinking and planning?
A cute story that has lots of internal angst.
I received a free copy of this book and am voluntarily leaving a review.
January 19, 2025
This is the first book I read by Julia Stone and I am impressed. She is a great writer. I will be reading more of her books :-)
Hazel is on her way to meet her future husband Tate, who is a Ranger at Willowbrook Ridge. They met online on Cupid Blossom Co. (mail order bride). They have an agreement to marry and divorce. Tate’s dad had a wish to see his son married before he passed away. The Uber is not able to make it up the mountain so she is taken to the local library. She signs up for a library card while waiting for Tate to pick her up. They had an instant attraction to each other. Hazel and Tate share a bed, and they are very comfortable with each other. Tate is caring, loving and supportive of Hazel. They share a kiss and express their feelings to each other. They are in love and do not want to just marry and divorce. They want a real marriage. I enjoyed the epilogue at the end.
Hazel is on her way to meet her future husband Tate, who is a Ranger at Willowbrook Ridge. They met online on Cupid Blossom Co. (mail order bride). They have an agreement to marry and divorce. Tate’s dad had a wish to see his son married before he passed away. The Uber is not able to make it up the mountain so she is taken to the local library. She signs up for a library card while waiting for Tate to pick her up. They had an instant attraction to each other. Hazel and Tate share a bed, and they are very comfortable with each other. Tate is caring, loving and supportive of Hazel. They share a kiss and express their feelings to each other. They are in love and do not want to just marry and divorce. They want a real marriage. I enjoyed the epilogue at the end.
January 23, 2025
Hazel, 18, practical homeless, dreams of becoming an artist, agrees to become a mail order bride to achieve her dreams.
Tate, 36, mountain ranger, grump, living in a watchtower, agrees to an arranged marriage to honor his dead fathers dreams.
They are both absolutely honest about their expectations and are both united in the intention to keep the marriage platonic and end it after five years.
But feelings arise and they both have to question themselves if their love is worth the risk.
It is a beautiful story about finding and exploring unexpected love, changing fates, internal fears, self discovery and connection.
They are both vulnerable characters with trauma and I absolutely loved the slower approach to their relationship. It builds throughout the story and to get to know both their internal struggles was beautiful to witness.
I received a free copy of this book and am voluntarily leaving a review.
Tate, 36, mountain ranger, grump, living in a watchtower, agrees to an arranged marriage to honor his dead fathers dreams.
They are both absolutely honest about their expectations and are both united in the intention to keep the marriage platonic and end it after five years.
But feelings arise and they both have to question themselves if their love is worth the risk.
It is a beautiful story about finding and exploring unexpected love, changing fates, internal fears, self discovery and connection.
They are both vulnerable characters with trauma and I absolutely loved the slower approach to their relationship. It builds throughout the story and to get to know both their internal struggles was beautiful to witness.
I received a free copy of this book and am voluntarily leaving a review.
January 23, 2025
Hazel and Tate’s Marriage Plans . . .
Hazel has never stopped dreaming of escape from the horrible existence she has endured, feeling no one ever wanted her. This time, she may have found it in a mail-order bride situation that takes her to Willowbrook Ridge. Marrying a stranger will give her time to save the money toward her goal of becoming an artist and then she can get divorced. Tate is a surprise to her, older and very tempting. But she never promised to love him, even though she is starting to feel that maybe she should give them a real chance. Tate also hadn’t taken this marriage seriously. He was honoring his father’s last wish but not caring to put any effort into the marriage. But meeting Hazel, his attitude has completely turned around. He wants forever with her. Can he convince her to stay, that his feelings for her are real now? Or is it too late for them to find the love and trust it takes to make a marriage work?
Hazel has never stopped dreaming of escape from the horrible existence she has endured, feeling no one ever wanted her. This time, she may have found it in a mail-order bride situation that takes her to Willowbrook Ridge. Marrying a stranger will give her time to save the money toward her goal of becoming an artist and then she can get divorced. Tate is a surprise to her, older and very tempting. But she never promised to love him, even though she is starting to feel that maybe she should give them a real chance. Tate also hadn’t taken this marriage seriously. He was honoring his father’s last wish but not caring to put any effort into the marriage. But meeting Hazel, his attitude has completely turned around. He wants forever with her. Can he convince her to stay, that his feelings for her are real now? Or is it too late for them to find the love and trust it takes to make a marriage work?
January 21, 2025
Hazel, a mail-order bride, seems to have only her aunt and uncle as family, and they appear to disapprove of her living with them. At eighteen, she chose to become a mail-order bride to a mountain ranger significantly older than herself, believing it her only path to independence. They initially agreed to a marriage of convenience, but upon meeting, their plans changed as they discovered true love.
I appreciate this story's unique approach, even with its elements of an older alpha male and a young heroine, instant love, and other common tropes.
The narrative focuses on the lovers' developing attraction. It's a concise and heartwarming tale, and Tate's protective and caring nature is endearing.
I received a free copy of this book and am voluntarily leaving a review.
I appreciate this story's unique approach, even with its elements of an older alpha male and a young heroine, instant love, and other common tropes.
The narrative focuses on the lovers' developing attraction. It's a concise and heartwarming tale, and Tate's protective and caring nature is endearing.
I received a free copy of this book and am voluntarily leaving a review.
January 23, 2025
I’m absolutely fascinated by the idea of being in the middle of nature, in a small tower, with the person you love. Especially if he’s a hot mountain man. Of course, I’d have to have my Kindle with me, all preloaded with many books, for those times when he was actually working….
Anyway, I enjoyed the book. Here’s the breakdown:
MMC/FMC- Tate and Hazel
Genre- Mountain Man Romance
Heat- it takes a minute to get there, then BOOM! Three volcanoes out of five.
Series? Y
Safety? Y
Triggers? N
Tropes- Age Gap, Mail Order Bride, Marriage of Convenience, All Along The Watchtower, Artistic Flair, Small Town, Big Forest.
I received a free copy of this book and am voluntarily leaving a review.
Anyway, I enjoyed the book. Here’s the breakdown:
MMC/FMC- Tate and Hazel
Genre- Mountain Man Romance
Heat- it takes a minute to get there, then BOOM! Three volcanoes out of five.
Series? Y
Safety? Y
Triggers? N
Tropes- Age Gap, Mail Order Bride, Marriage of Convenience, All Along The Watchtower, Artistic Flair, Small Town, Big Forest.
I received a free copy of this book and am voluntarily leaving a review.
January 30, 2025
Married to the Mountain Man is part of the Willowbrook Ridge Rangers series. It's a short and steamy, instalove, OTT, opposites-attract, age-gap, mail order bride, curvy virgin gets her mountain man romance. Hazel is a sweet and curvy girl who has agreed to be a mail order bride to get away from her family. Tate is a quiet, burly, hunky ranger and mountain man in his 30s. His late father wanted him to get married and find love. He has been content on his own. Initially, they agree to a platonic marriage, but the two fall for each other as soon as they meet in person. It was such a sweet and spicy story. Their chemistry was hot, and the ending was so happy after some minor angst. I loved it.
I received a free copy of this book and am voluntarily leaving a review.
I received a free copy of this book and am voluntarily leaving a review.
January 16, 2025
Quiet man Ranger Tate is finally fulfilling his father's wish to have him marry.
Tate didn't plan of falling so hard or completely for his mail order bride Hazel. He just has to convince her this is the life for her. Hazel just wanted a fresh start in a healthy way. She can't help but fall for Tate, or relish the comfort, care, and concern Tate shows from her from the moment he met her.
I love the fluid way they get to know each other and come together. It felt organic, yet a little bit of random fate and a mail order bride company. The safety and support Hazel gets from Tate is like honey to a bear. So tempting, and Tate finally has the real future his father wanted.
Tate didn't plan of falling so hard or completely for his mail order bride Hazel. He just has to convince her this is the life for her. Hazel just wanted a fresh start in a healthy way. She can't help but fall for Tate, or relish the comfort, care, and concern Tate shows from her from the moment he met her.
I love the fluid way they get to know each other and come together. It felt organic, yet a little bit of random fate and a mail order bride company. The safety and support Hazel gets from Tate is like honey to a bear. So tempting, and Tate finally has the real future his father wanted.
January 18, 2025
mountain man romance.
Hazel is a young woman who decided to marry a mountain man by mail order in order to save enough money and make enough canvas before divorcing and living her life as an artist. She did not expect to meet Tate, her beautiful new husband.
Tate decided to marry by mail order to fulfill the last wish of his deceased father. He thought it was going to be simple, a marriage without feelings followed by a divorce, but everything is called into question when he falls in love with his bride.
Will Tate and Hazel confess their feelings or will they go through with their arrangement and separate...
I received a free copy of this book and am voluntarily leaving a review.
Hazel is a young woman who decided to marry a mountain man by mail order in order to save enough money and make enough canvas before divorcing and living her life as an artist. She did not expect to meet Tate, her beautiful new husband.
Tate decided to marry by mail order to fulfill the last wish of his deceased father. He thought it was going to be simple, a marriage without feelings followed by a divorce, but everything is called into question when he falls in love with his bride.
Will Tate and Hazel confess their feelings or will they go through with their arrangement and separate...
I received a free copy of this book and am voluntarily leaving a review.
January 23, 2025
Hazel has arrived by Uber as her last leg of her trip as a mail-order bride to Tate, a ranger in the fire watch tower. Neither one has seen so much as a picture of each other. Why did he want Hazel to come to Willowbrook Ridge to be his wife? Hazel agreed to get away from her aunt and uncle. She wants to earn possibly enough money to divorce Tate to paint;she hasn't yet seen the beauty of the forest. Will Tate still want a divorce in the future?
I enjoyed this book!.
I received a free copy of this book and am voluntarily leaving a review.
I enjoyed this book!.
I received a free copy of this book and am voluntarily leaving a review.
January 24, 2025
It took me a minute to figure out what was going on with this book. Was she tricking him into marriage?once I got their arrangement I was chuckling since obviously "someone" was feeling an attraction they didn't anticipate. Getting the two reactions, and how they processed them, was fun, as they definately didn't handle their feelings the sane way. This wasn't ever meant to be real, but would that stop them from doing it anyway?
I voluntarily reviewed a gift copy of this book. Happy Reading Y'all 📚
I voluntarily reviewed a gift copy of this book. Happy Reading Y'all 📚
January 24, 2025
I love this series by Julia Stone! All these rangers are such rough masculine men who have given their lives to protect nature, and you can't help but want them to find love one way or another... A mail-order bride happens to be it for these guys! Tate and Hazel's story is sweet and has them finding that fate has put them right where they need to be and that sometimes what you think you want and need isn't that at all...
I received a free copy of this book and am voluntarily leaving a review.
I received a free copy of this book and am voluntarily leaving a review.
January 12, 2025
Tate and Hazel had an unusual start, but when they finally admitted their love for each other, it was explosive.
The storyline of this quick read standalone book with no cliffhanger is delightfully delicious. Tate and Hazel are wonderful, deserving characters. I adored them from the start, they make such a wonderful couple.
I received a free copy of this book and am voluntarily leaving a review.
The storyline of this quick read standalone book with no cliffhanger is delightfully delicious. Tate and Hazel are wonderful, deserving characters. I adored them from the start, they make such a wonderful couple.
I received a free copy of this book and am voluntarily leaving a review.
January 15, 2025
Married to the Mountain Man is part of the Wilowbrook Ridge Rangers Series.
I loved this one! Tate and Hazel were so cute together with their awkwardness. They are in this mail order bride arrangement for their own reasons but you can see when they fall for each other and don't want to lose the other. Tate was an amazing character. He was respectful and sweet with Hazel. I loved the chemistry between these two.
This is a must read for me! Definitely grab a copy.
I loved this one! Tate and Hazel were so cute together with their awkwardness. They are in this mail order bride arrangement for their own reasons but you can see when they fall for each other and don't want to lose the other. Tate was an amazing character. He was respectful and sweet with Hazel. I loved the chemistry between these two.
This is a must read for me! Definitely grab a copy.
January 22, 2025
“Married to the Mountain Man” by Julia Stone is a heartfelt age-gap romance that reinvents the mail-order bride trope. Hazel and Tate’s practical partnership blossoms into love as they navigate trust, vulnerability, and the solace of their mountain retreat. The vivid wilderness setting mirrors their emotional journey. A tender, steamy read for fans of emotional and transformative love stories.
I received a free copy of this book and am voluntarily leaving a review.
I received a free copy of this book and am voluntarily leaving a review.
January 25, 2025
Married to the Mountain Man was a quick and steamy romance by Julia Stone. Hazel and Tate were a great couple that agreed to an arranged marriage but got so much more than they expected. Tate wanted to honor his late father's last wish to have a family and Hazel just wanted the freedom to paint. The chemistry between them was strong but will they admit their feelings and can he convince Hazel he wants forever?
January 12, 2025
Hazel is a mail order bride.
Tate is trying to adhere to his father's last wishes.
Tropes:
Small town, mountain man, quick read, mail order bride, age-gap, OTT instalove HEA romance.
A huge thank you to Julia Stone and Booksprout for providing me with an eARC book in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
Tate is trying to adhere to his father's last wishes.
Tropes:
Small town, mountain man, quick read, mail order bride, age-gap, OTT instalove HEA romance.
A huge thank you to Julia Stone and Booksprout for providing me with an eARC book in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
January 13, 2025
Willowbrook Ridge Rangers story for Tate and Hazel. Wow wee talk about married for convenience and finding true love and passion with your other half. What a wonderful love story with chemistry and a love story that will have you swooning.
I received a free copy of this book and am voluntarily leaving a review.
I received a free copy of this book and am voluntarily leaving a review.
January 24, 2025
Hazel answers an ad for a mail-order bride and travels to Willowbrook Ridge, where Tate lives. Hazel wants a better life, and this seems like the best way to get it. Neither she nor Tate counted on falling for each other quickly. This book is an excellent short read with plenty of spice and a great HEA.
I received a free copy of this book and am voluntarily leaving a review.
I received a free copy of this book and am voluntarily leaving a review.
January 27, 2025
This is a new story in the "Willowbrook Ridge Rangers" series. It is a very short and quick read about Hazel and Tate. This story is about a women wanting escape, mail-order bride, a last wish, marriage of convenience and lots of unexpected. They fall hard and fast for each other in this sweet, steamy and cute story.
January 31, 2025
This Book 3 in The Willowbrook Range Rangers Book Series has an intriguing romance story, a well-crafted world and interesting characters. These characters have unique personalities, believable interactions and complicated histories. This story has a Mail-Order Bride with a dream to be a painter, a Man fulfilling his Dad's dying wish, a connection, twists, turns, chemistry and love.
January 12, 2025
This is book 3 in Willowbrook Ridge Rangers series. Tropes: age gap, ranger, mail order bride, and innocent FMC. Quick instalove novella. Good characters. Enjoyable read. Good addition to the series.
I received a free copy of this book and am voluntarily leaving a review.
I received a free copy of this book and am voluntarily leaving a review.
January 15, 2025
She is a mail order bride. They have agreed to the terms and when they meet those go out the window. They are attracted to each other. Will she still want a divorce after all? I loved the story and characters.
I received a free copy of this book and am voluntarily leaving a review.
I received a free copy of this book and am voluntarily leaving a review.
January 16, 2025
One more nice instalove short reading in Willowbrook Ridge Rangers series. Love this series! Nice characters and great story. Enjoyed it!.
I received a free copy of this book and am voluntarily leaving a review.
I received a free copy of this book and am voluntarily leaving a review.
January 22, 2025
She's running from her home life. He's running towards a future he promised his father. Neither believes the other could love them but they both fall hard.
I received a free copy of this book and am voluntarily leaving a review.
I received a free copy of this book and am voluntarily leaving a review.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 39 reviews