Finding Her Home: A Sapphic Ranch Romance

Sacred Peaks Ranch #1

by Annie Wiest

June Hansen mends fences at dawn, drinks her coffee black, and keeps guests far away from the real work. She keeps secrets too. She isn’t quite who the guests think she is. And she has never let herself want a woman.

Then Stevie Martinez steps out of a car from Denver, answers every trick question June asks about horses, and grabs the other end of a fence post without being asked.

Stevie came for the hard trails. June wants her gone before she gets too close. She’s already too late.

Together, they'll discover that home isn't a place. It's a person.

FINDING HER HOME is the first book in Sacred Peaks Ranch, a feel-good, found-family sapphic romance series set on a Colorado dude ranch where the mountains touch the sky. Each book in the series can be read as a standalone and follows a new couple to a guaranteed happily ever after.

In this

Grumpy/sunshineSexuality awakeningFirst timeAn artist and a songwriterHorses as therapyA Colorado mountain ranch with an accepting found familyPerfect for readers who

Melissa Brayden’s charm and heatGeorgia Beers’ emotional depthAlexandria Bellefleur’s swoony romanceSmall-town romance, horses, and starlit confessionsHeat Steamy with explicit intimate scenes (open door with emotional depth)

Content Low angst, no cheating, no love triangles.

Series Every book in the Sacred Peaks Ranch series is sapphic. No exceptions. No surprises. Just love winning every single time.

Start the series today!

Genres: Lesbian

144 pages, Paperback

Published September 13, 2025

Reviews

[Jamie (TheRebelliousReader) · Rating 3 out of 5]

✔Sapphic Book Bingo Challenge 2026 🌈✨: Main Board - New or New to You Author

3 stars. This was cute! Cheesy and cozy. Very insta love and that third act drama was SO dramatic for no reason but this was fun. Stevie and June were both likable and the setting of the ranch was lovely. I thought the writing was pretty good so I’ll for sure be checking out book two. I can see this series being nice little palate cleaners.

Spice: 0.5 (Vaguely described sex scene)/❤️‍🔥❤️‍🔥❤️‍🔥❤️‍🔥❤️‍🔥
Content Warning: Death of parent (off page)

[Marian · Rating 4 out of 5]

A lovely story.

[Christie · Rating 1 out of 5]

Unfortunately found this extremely boring. Both characters have no personality and nothing going on besides falling in love in about two days. DNF'd at 60%.

[Nathalie · Rating 4 out of 5]

June meets Stevie one morning while doing some work at the ranch and there is this instant connection. Stevie seems to be a city girl but surprises June with her wit and smart comebacks. They gravitate towards each other and it turns June's world upside.

This was a cute instant love story with two very likeable MC's. Both of them are trying to figure out life and their purpose in it while struggling with family expectations.

It went from slow to fast in a heartbeat but the dialogue and beautifully written scenes make more than up for it. As it is a novella there was little time to really let it be a slow burn and emotions get deep quickly but that's ok. It worked for the MC's and the story.

Can't wait to see more by this author and in this universe.

An ARC was given to me via StoryOrigin in return of an honest review.

[Robin Kenna · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the first in a series of three, and it is awesome!

Annie Wiest has led off this series with a creative bomb! Really a dude ranch in Colorado with actual cattle and folks without a clue! Yeah, I wasn’t convinced right away either! You know, the setting is beautiful and the characters did grab my attention right away, still I wasn’t sure for a few brief chapters, then suddenly I couldn’t put it down. I happily purchased the second book in the series and read it too! I have to say I am looking forward to book 3! I am not going to giveaway anything but the dude ranch morphed into a wellness equine, music, art, yoga and mindful cooking retreat! I would go there myself!

[Henriette · Rating 5 out of 5]

warm, charming sapphic ranch romance
June, the farmhand, and Stevie, the city-girl coming to the dude ranch, hit it off from the start and a pleasant slow-burn starts. Both are at a turning point of their lives and slowly explore their possibilities.
This novella excels with passages which capture perfectly the beauty of Sacred Peaks Ranch, ‚where the mountains touch the sky and horses heal wounded hearts‘. Although June is rather laconic the emotions are palpable and well-written.
I loved this introduction to Sacred Peaks Ranch by debut author Annie Wiest and look forward to all the sapphic goodness and future happily ever-afters in this new series.

[Daisy Teragram · Rating 5 out of 5]

So much love and acceptance

I really loved this book. It's about finding yourself in so many ways, and on the part of both main characters. The love happens quickly, but it makes sense. The conflict was a bit much, but resolved so quickly I didn't mind. I just loved this book. Although the book is short, the characters are fully developed. They're real, and their chemistry is perfect. I just want to go to the ranch! I think I said that about one of the other books in the series. I'm reading them out of order. Someday, I will go back and read them in order. The writing is excellent and I only caught 3 minor errors.

[Scarlett Ferry · Rating 5 out of 5]

Finding Her Home is a heartwarming, feel-good romance that delivers exactly what it promises—comfort, chemistry, and characters you'll genuinely root for. Annie Wiest creates a beautiful Colorado ranch setting that feels like home from the very first page, while the slow-building connection between the two leads is both sweet and emotionally satisfying. The blend of humor, tenderness, self-discovery, and found family makes this an engaging read from start to finish. If you enjoy cozy sapphic romances with lovable characters, a gorgeous setting, and a satisfying happily-ever-after, this is a wonderful start to the Sacred Peaks Ranch series. Highly recommended!

[Jen Frank Trudelle · Rating 3 out of 5]

Short and sweet sapphic romance. This story was a bit cheesy but a super quick fun read. I enjoyed the author's writing style, it was easy to follow. Surprisingly, the main characters were well rounded and had background stories which sometimes doesn't happen when they are super short. There was very little angst and the spice was just meh, and barely there. The ending was a little over the top but it's fiction so if you're going to dream, dream big. Im looking forward to the second book in the series and seeing what the author comes up with.

[J.R. · Rating 5 out of 5]

Two head strong women!

One was the daughter of the dude ranch and the other was there to figure herself out. A chance meeting, A few questions and what the heck am I doing? The daughter knew she had a liking for other women but never took the chance to find out how to do it. A YA lesbian romance. Clean writing, if you are still young and trying to figure things out. Do I want clean smooth cheeks or razor burns? Enjoy!

[Rodrigo · Rating 5 out of 5]

Sweet ranch romance

This is a nice and slow ranch romance. The setting feels real, describing quiet rides at sunrise and sweet moments. The middle of the story is a bit slow and it has some almost kiss interruptions. Also there are a few horse terms that went over my head. But I still enjoyed the book Still. It made me smile and I’m interested to read the next book.

[Stephanie Elliott · Rating 2 out of 5]

I have lower expectations for novellas, but this seemed rushed even for its short length. It’s love at first step out of the car and jumps from step to step until they are altering their entire life plans a week later, with out letting the reader see the growth at each step.

ARC provided by Story Origin for my honest review.

[Donna Reed · Rating 4 out of 5]

Heading into the Deep

This is a ranch tale of finding a like minded spirit for horses, poetry, ranch work and oh the view of the mountains. This is book 1 of the Sacred Peaks Ranch series. Of course there is a little break up scene but deep love and creativity finds its way through the problem. Loved the playing Mums guitar scene

[Suzi Vilkman (Hautaniemi) · Rating 5 out of 5]

Unexpected harmony!

What a beautiful romance. The characters find their true selves in each other’s arms and begin their journey developing the family ranch into something more. I can’t wait to read what happens next!

[Amber · Rating 5 out of 5]

cute

Cute, light hearted, no angst, opens door spice, cowgirl meets city girl romance. A super fluffy feel good read. It was fun to get lost in the story and not have a bunch of drama.

[Margaret lee · Rating 5 out of 5]

Colorado ranch

What a beautiful love story every person has a person waiting for them and sometimes they meet , they are , they are complete not everyone gets this so when it happens grab it and don’t let go , a very well deserved 5 stars

[Mary Ellen · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the first in a series of books — The Sacred Peaks Ranch series of lesbian fiction books. I read #4-5-6-7 before finding #1 Finding Her Home. All the books can be read as stand alone novels.
I love the story in Finding Her Home. The characters felt real and well-developed. Their dialogue felt authentic.
I’m looking forward to reading #2 Stirring Her Soul and #3 Healing Her Heart.

[Tina · Rating 5 out of 5]

So much better than I thought it would be

This short ranch romance was so good. The details the author used to describe the scenery and character development was top notch.

[Jeannie Seibert · Rating 4 out of 5]

ok

[Kirian · Rating 1 out of 5]

AI written short.

[Kristene · Rating 5 out of 5]

*Finding Her Home* was exactly the kind of book I love getting lost in.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ read for sure!
🌶️🌶️🫑 … 2.5 / 5 Spice Rating
🐴💕 Cozy Sapphic Romance

This is a cozy sapphic awakening romance set on a Colorado ranch during the summer, and it checked nearly every box for me. Horses, mountain scenery, nature, wide-open landscapes, and the peaceful rhythm of ranch life created a setting I never wanted to leave. As someone who loves national parks, geology, mountains, and spending time outdoors, this book felt like a vacation wrapped inside a romance.

One of my favorite things about Annie Wiest's writing is that she proves a story doesn't have to be long to be meaningful. The writing is approachable, the pacing is steady, and every chapter continues moving the story forward without feeling rushed. The characters still have room to grow, the romance has time to breathe, and the emotional journey feels complete. In many ways, I think creating a satisfying story in fewer pages is even more difficult than writing a long novel.

When I think about what makes a book *cozy*, this story fits my definition perfectly. The conflict is real but never overwhelming. The stakes matter without becoming dark or emotionally exhausting. Instead, the focus remains on healing, honesty, self-discovery, and a beautifully slow-burn relationship as the main character learns to be truthful with herself about who she is and what she wants.

The romance also strikes the perfect balance when it comes to spice. I'd call it about a 2.5/5. There's enough chemistry to make you smile (a barn scene), but it never overwhelms the story. The intimate moments feel natural, fit the characters, and still leave plenty to the imagination. For me, it was exactly the right amount of heat for a cozy romance.

One thing I also appreciated was the relationship dynamic. The main character read to me as someone with a more subtle, soft-masc energy, while her love interest felt more traditionally femme. The book never labels or defines either character's gender expression, which I appreciated. It simply lets the characters be themselves. As a reader, I enjoyed that balance and found their chemistry to be natural.


Yes, parts of the story are predictable. However, that's exactly what I want from a cozy romance. I don't always need a book to keep me guessing. Sometimes I simply want to settle into a story that feels comforting, hopeful, and emotionally satisfying from beginning to end.

If you enjoy horses, ranch life, mountain settings, nature, women discovering themselves through a sapphic awakening, and gentle slow-burn romance, I think you'll feel right at home here. This isn't a high-adrenaline page-turner. It's the kind of book to savor with a glass of sweet tea on the front porch while listening to birds sing on a warm summer afternoon.

The greatest compliment I can give this book is this: by the time I finished, I wanted my wife and me to pack up our lives and move to Sacred Peaks Ranch.

Needless to say, I'm completely hooked and fully intend to read the entire series.

[Allie Mac · Rating 5 out of 5]

A great start to a series. Fantastic characters, well written & tough to put down. I enjoyed it and thanks for the opportunity to read & revie Annie. Keep writing & I'll keep reading! Definitely recommended.

[footnote42]

DNF at 50%