Learning to Stay

Pine Creek Falls

by Shelby Gunter

What do you do if a handsome cowboy ends up rescuing you from the side of a snow-covered road?

If he were anyone else, I’d thank my lucky stars, but this particular cowboy happens to be the same one I had a one-night stand with… and subsequently snuck out on without saying goodbye.

Holt Basil has brains, brawn, and two precocious little girls who are hell-bent on finding a woman for their daddy to fall in love with.

And I’m not the kind of woman men fall for. I’m the one they sleep with a few times before they’re ready to settle down with Mrs. Right. Trust me, it’s better that way.

Holt hasn’t gotten the memo though. He seems to like me for some reason, and what’s crazier is I’m starting to fall for him too.

But Pine Creek Falls isn’t my home. I never intended to stay here forever, and long-term commitments aren’t my specialty.

Saying goodbye is my only choice. Isn’t it?

** Learning to Stay is full of characters who will make you fall in love with them. Welcome to the small town of Pine Creek Falls, where the cowboys are plentiful, and you're always invited to the table.

Genres: Westerns, Amazon, Cowboy Romance

274 pages, Kindle Edition

Published February 6, 2026

Reviews

[Jaimie · Rating 5 out of 5]

When I started this book, I knew I would love it. I adore Shelby Gunter and the way she writes these small town romances full of heartfelt moments that leave you will a warm and full of love. I am so in love with the characters of the book and even the side characters are ones that you want more of.

Holt is a single dad of two sweet girls. The way he is with his girls makes my heart swoon. Holt found Gia and didn't want to let her go. But when they find run into each other again sparks fly. I love the way Gia fights the attraction to Holt. Gia is trying to live outside of her sister's shadow. And I loved seeing her find what she wanted even when she didn't know what that was.

This story is one that will leave you smiling and has a so many moments in it that will make you swoon. Small town romance is one of my favorites to read and this is a a top read for me. I can't wait to see what Sheldy gives us for the rest of the series..

[Rene Collins · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is such a sweet, simple, classic, bingable small town romance. But it also packs in some heat!

Gia and Holt share a steamy one night stand. She disappears the next morning and didn't even tell Holt her name. Fast forward a few months... she's stuck on the side of the road during a snow storm, and Holt is the one to rescue her. Unexpectedly back in each other's lives, they remember just how strong their chemistry is. Holt is hoping he can convince her to stay.

I loved seeing how great of a dad Holt is to his two daughters 🥹

And there's some spice.. I'm talking... they bond via a spicy audiobook! 🔥

Tropes:
💜 one night stand
💜 single dad
💜 small town
💜 dual POV
💜 text messages

🫶🏻 “Something about knowing Gia left the lights on for me makes my stomach flip over.”
🫶🏻 “I’ve always gone after what I wanted.”

Out now! And the next book in the interconnected series comes out soon. Available on KU!

[Jenny · Rating 2 out of 5]

dnf after the first chapter

I usually don’t review books that I dnf this quickly because I don’t think I’ve given it enough of a chance, but the first chapter in this book was such a turnoff for me.

The heroine is completely full of herself talking about how she barely has to flirt with guys and they’re automatically hooked… blah blah blah. Sometimes that works, but it didn’t work here. I’ve read many books where the heroine matures and develops humility but I already felt like I couldn’t stand her😬.

Then we have the cringiest ONS sex scene. I am so tired of these sex scenes that just read like a porno script. Her calling him “cowboy” and him calling her “rainbow “ , the dirty talk 🤮🤮🤮🤮🤮

[Jenny Jackson · Rating 4 out of 5]

Holt and Gia

FMC: Gia Miller
MMC: Holt Basil, Lauren (7), Leah (6)
Spice: 🌶️🌶️🌶️
Pages: 274
Tropes: Single Father, One Night Stand, Cowboy Romance, Small Town Romance, Age Gap
Setting: Pine Creek, Colorado

Thoughts: I thought this was a good start to this new series. Gia grew a lot over the course of the book and I really liked Holt for her. Holt was the emotionally intelligent golden retriever Gia needed. He was a fantastic dad who knew how to communicate and didn’t need a woman to take care of his home life. But he also made the perfect partner. He never made Gia feel like she was too much or not enough. I loved the family they created with Lauren and Leah and the way they still managed to honor Holt’s late wife, Hannah. Overall this was a good read. There were a lot of new characters introduced with the new town and I’m excited at the prospect of so many stories to come.

[Bookworm]

Learning to Stay by @authorshelbygunter
I've said this before and I'll say it again i always look forward to Shelby's ARC's knowing that I'm going to get to read and enjoy another amazing book by her is such a privilege 😍 what an amazing book to start the Pine Creek Falls series off!

Well holy hotness! To have Holt's filthy mouth so soon into the book is a bonus 🥵
“𝑻𝒉𝒂𝒕’𝒔 𝒂 𝒈𝒐𝒐𝒅 𝒈𝒊𝒓𝒍. 𝑭*𝒄𝒌, 𝑰 𝒄𝒂𝒏 𝒇𝒆𝒆𝒍 𝒚𝒐𝒖 𝒈𝒆𝒕𝒕𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝒄𝒍𝒐𝒔𝒆. 𝑨𝒓𝒆 𝒚𝒐𝒖 𝒈𝒐𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝒕𝒐 𝒄𝒐𝒎𝒆 𝒇𝒐𝒓 𝒎𝒆?”

Love the girls working together to get their dad with Gia 🥰
“𝑺𝒉𝒆 𝒉𝒂𝒔 𝒕𝒐 𝒆𝒂𝒕, 𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝒔𝒉𝒆 𝒅𝒐𝒆𝒔𝒏’𝒕 𝒉𝒂𝒗𝒆 𝒂 𝒄𝒂𝒓, 𝑫𝒂𝒅. 𝑰𝒕’𝒔 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒌𝒊𝒏𝒅 𝒕𝒉𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝒕𝒐 𝒅𝒐.”

He certainly is! Just won't admit it.
“𝑯𝒐𝒍𝒕, 𝑰 𝒕𝒉𝒊𝒏𝒌 𝒚𝒐𝒖 𝒎𝒊𝒈𝒉𝒕 𝒂𝒍𝒓𝒆𝒂𝒅𝒚 𝒃𝒆 𝒊𝒏 𝒍𝒐𝒗𝒆 𝒘𝒊𝒕𝒉 𝒉𝒆𝒓,”

It's so nice to see Gia's vulnerable side.
“𝑾𝒉𝒂𝒕 𝒊𝒇 𝑰 𝒇𝒂𝒍𝒍 𝒇𝒐𝒓 𝒉𝒊𝒎 𝒃𝒖𝒕 𝒉𝒆 𝒅𝒐𝒆𝒔𝒏’𝒕 𝒍𝒐𝒗𝒆 𝒎𝒆 𝒃𝒂𝒄𝒌?”

Oh man! I can't wait for Farrah and Knox's story. It's going to be wild!
“𝑶𝒉, 𝒈𝒐𝒐𝒅𝒚. 𝑺𝒐 𝒊𝒕 𝒊𝒔 𝒎𝒆. 𝑰 𝒘𝒂𝒔 𝒉𝒐𝒑𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝒉𝒆 𝒂𝒄𝒕𝒆𝒅 𝒍𝒊𝒌𝒆 𝒉𝒆 𝒉𝒂𝒅 𝒂 𝒃𝒆𝒆 𝒊𝒏 𝒉𝒊𝒔 𝒑𝒂𝒏𝒕𝒔 𝒇𝒐𝒓 𝒆𝒗𝒆𝒓𝒚𝒐𝒏𝒆.”

I love the girls relationship with Gia ❤️
“𝑰 𝒎𝒊𝒔𝒔𝒆𝒅 𝒚𝒐𝒖, 𝒍𝒊𝒕𝒕𝒍𝒆 𝒎𝒐𝒏𝒌𝒆𝒚.” “𝑾𝒆 𝒎𝒊𝒔𝒔𝒆𝒅 𝒚𝒐𝒖 𝒍𝒐𝒂𝒅𝒔. 𝑨𝒓𝒆 𝒚𝒐𝒖 𝒃𝒂𝒄𝒌 𝒇𝒐𝒓 𝒈𝒐𝒐𝒅?”

This bit cracked me up 🤣
“𝑺𝒉𝒆 𝒊𝒔 𝒔𝒐 𝒔𝒄𝒂𝒓𝒚,” 𝑮𝒓𝒂𝒚𝒔𝒐𝒏 𝒘𝒉𝒊𝒔𝒑𝒆𝒓𝒔 𝒂𝒔 𝒊𝒇 𝒔𝒉𝒆’𝒔 𝒊𝒏 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒓𝒐𝒐𝒎 𝒘𝒊𝒕𝒉 𝒖𝒔. “𝑰’𝒎 𝒑𝒓𝒆𝒕𝒕𝒚 𝒔𝒖𝒓𝒆 𝒔𝒉𝒆’𝒔 𝒂 𝒘𝒊𝒕𝒄𝒉.”

I just love this man! 😍
“𝑻𝒉𝒂𝒕’𝒔 𝒂𝒍𝒍 𝑰 𝒏𝒆𝒆𝒅, 𝑮𝒊𝒂. 𝑰𝒇 𝑰 𝒉𝒂𝒗𝒆 𝒚𝒐𝒖 𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝒎𝒚 𝒅𝒂𝒖𝒈𝒉𝒕𝒆𝒓𝒔, 𝑰’𝒍𝒍 𝒃𝒆 𝒂 𝒉𝒂𝒑𝒑𝒚 𝒎𝒂𝒏.”

I'm so glad they included Gia in this! 💗
“𝑰 𝒕𝒉𝒊𝒏𝒌 𝑴𝒐𝒎𝒎𝒚 𝒘𝒐𝒖𝒍𝒅 𝒍𝒊𝒌𝒆 𝒊𝒕 𝒊𝒇 𝒘𝒆 𝒔𝒑𝒆𝒏𝒕 𝒂 𝒇𝒂𝒎𝒊𝒍𝒚 𝒅𝒂𝒚 𝒕𝒐𝒈𝒆𝒕𝒉𝒆𝒓,”

I need this series to be extra long because I need all of Holt's siblings stories and also his friends! Pretty please!

[Sarah Putrow · Rating 5 out of 5]

Learning to stay was so good I devoured this book! This one was definitely a hard book to put down. This book was filled with everything I could want; small town, cowboy, found family, and hot single dad. Yes please.

This story is about a single dad Holt who's a lawyer/cowboy in a small town who has a one night stand with Gia who's a graphic designer exploring the town. Gia is back in the town doing some work and runs right back into Holt. They're like magnets together and can't get enough. They start to fall for each other and that's where the chaos really begins.

Holt and Gia were so splendid together. Their chemistry and banter were spot on. Add in those two girls of Holts and it was heartfelt perfection. I love how they all honored the girl's mom that passed away especially Gia. I thought that was so gracious and spoke so highly of Gia as a character. It's definitely the type of person that Holt and those girls needed. Holt was also just this wonderful dad and partner we all dream of. Of course they had their challenges and flaws but in the end they were perfect for each other because they brought out the best in each other.

Such a beautifully written story. A first for me by this author but definitely not the last. I'll be back for more now as I absolutely loved this small town and all the characters in it. I can't wait to read the next one!

[JoyeVN · Rating 4 out of 5]

Shelby is always going to be an instant read for me.
Familiar characters help introduce us to this new town and new characters. Pine Falls will suck you in and claim you as one of their own.
Single dad Holt and Gia immediately have chemistry but it’s not until later under chance circumstances that they get pushed into each others lives. Pine Falls is the perfect place for Gia to find who she is without the shadow of her very famous sister. Love how Gia becomes the fierce momma bear even though she never wanted kids of her own. Gia also doesn’t try to replace the wife/mom they lost and instead learns to “love them alongside her.”
I can’t wait to see what other characters get their own story in the next book in this series.
You can read this as a standalone but I would highly suggest you check out Shelby’s other books to get to know the characters from Sonoma. 🫶📚

[Julie Booklover · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5 stars

Pine creek Falls is a new town for this new series, but familiar faces are around to help us with the transition.

Gia is trying to move away from her famous twin, and a visit and a project bring her back to Pine Creek. Her first day is not what she expects and she quickly needs a rescue from the side of the road, in the snow. The man who rescues her, Holt Basil, is not a stranger either.

With no room at the inn due to a festival, Gia ends up bunking with Basil and his girls for the night. Just like her stay in Pine Creek Falls, this too is temporary.

The sparks are there, will they act on them? Her stay has an end date, and she does not do relationships.

I love the start and I am excited to see what Ms. Gunter brings us next.

Thank you to the Author for the advanced copy; this is my voluntary review.

[Rebecca Billman · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved everything about Learning to Stay

Gia came to town with some friends and decided to stay longer and explore the small town. One night, she went to the local bar and met Holt. Holt was immediately attracted to her because of her fierceness. They spend an amazing night together and Gia leaves in the morning before Holt even wakes.

A few months later, Gia heads back to town for work, she runs into Holt again and this time he has his two daughters with him. He offers Gia a place to stay until she can get a hotel room. In that short amount of time, Gia and the girls have really hit it off.

Gia and Holt have a great relationship and their banter is off the charts. I love everything about Gia and Holt.

Shelby, I still think about Learning to Stay and I cannot wait to read more by you!

[Lari · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this book. This book contained everything I like in books. There was excitement, electricity, happiness, sadness, a twist, intrigue, positive growth in the relationships and sparks (sex). I love mysteries and this contained a good, scary twist. Gia and Holt encountered many situations in their relationship but handled them with grace, teaching the children, Leah and Lauren, how to handle situations with calm and confidence. The main character, Gia, grew in her relationship like she had never done before. My favorite parts were how Gia learned to love Holt’s children when initially she didn't think she would ever want to be a mom. I also loved the family gatherings and the dynamics between the brothers.
I would recommend this book.

[Rachel · Rating 5 out of 5]

What to expect:
Small town
Single dad
One night stand turned more
Cowboy
2 spunky girls
Grieving hero
Found family

Sweet book!

Learning to stay has a great mix of heart and hot chemistry! It started with a one night stand but then they had to decide if it was worth giving love a chance. Gia would need to move away from everything she knew and Holt and his girls would need to let a new love in. I love how understanding Gia was with knowing she would never replace a lost love and mother. And who could resist a hot cowboy who also practices law?! Heck yeah! This is the first in the series and can be read as a standalone, but if you fall for Gia like I know you will, go to Shelby's blacklist and get to know her family and huge bonus found family!

[Jamie · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love Gia and Holt's witty banter and their fun spirits. Gia is determined to stay closed off to real feelings, but with Holt's openness and their spark, she can't keep the distance for long. Lauren and Leah were two little cuties and masterminds, their instant connection to Gia was so sweet.

The way Shelby navigated the widower dynamic was beautiful. Often, books approach it like the widower wasn't madly in love with the first wife, making the FMC a great replacement and the true love of the widower's life. This didn't do that and I applaud Shelby for taking on that challenge.

I'm used to her books being full of danger and even though this book isn't a romantic suspense, there was still a touch of it which I appreciate. The spice in this is HOT, unique, and never overused/boring.

[Rose Romance Reviews · Rating 5 out of 5]

Holt Basil is a single dad has that has one night stand with a woman who he didn’t even get her name and she ghosted him. When this woman Gia Miller comes back to his small town of Pine Creek Falls he can’t let her go.

This is a perfect low tension insta-love romance. With the world currently so chaotic I needed this straight forward romance with a couple finding new beginnings, and falling in love with each other. This book is pure sweetness with a bit of spice.

I love the first book of a series of getting to know all the characters and I look forward to the next book Knox and Farrah, and the tension building between them. I’m hoping everyone in this small town finds love. I’m loving this small town of Pine Creek Falls.



I was honored to receive an ARC

[Beka · Rating 5 out of 5]

I just want to say that I'm glad that Gia got her own book in a new town because being a twin she's had to share everything else, including her face, with Ginny. And I love Ginny! But I feel like this was a brilliant way to give Gia something that was all her own. We've seen her in The Lost Letters and she has her moments of being 'Gia'...outspoken and nonapologetic...but we've also seen her being withdrawn because of being in the shadow of a famous singer sister. She's been looking for her own path and she found that in Pine Creek and in Holt. I love that she finally felt like she could let her hair down and be herself and this small town that she landed in was like a breath of fresh air for her. Even with Holt's daughters thinking she was Ginny...after they learned she wasn't her, they still accepted her and didn't expect anything other than being herself. Watching her grow and flourish in this town made my heart happy.
Holt finally found a pocket of sunshine. He had spent so many years grieving his wife in private. He had two daughters counting on him and he felt like the town had an extra eye on him so he had the pressure of the whole world on his shoulders. I love that from the moment him and Gia met...after that one night...he felt like he could finally just be.
While I'm usually not a big fan of the third act 'breakup'...Shelby did these two justice. I feel like they both needed that second time away from each other to finally see that hey...Holt was allowed to move on from his wife. He was allowed to grieve her but also find a second happy ending. And Gia could finally see that while Sonoma was the town that held her family and friends, Pine Creek was her home. She was allowed to take something for herself. These two became each others' safe places and they seamlessly fell into a new little family. I loved watching Gia with Holt's daughters. She wasn't sure she ever wanted to birth kids but she honored their mother while still trying to show them they should be whoever they wanted despite what anyone else might say. I just wanted to wrap all four of them in bubble wrap and keep them safe on a shelf.
I love going into Shelby's small towns and Pine Creek was no different. I'm excited to see where we go in 2026 with them.

[Katie · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 stars rounded to 4

I want to say I LOVED Holt. I adored him and his daughters.

It took me a bit to warm up to Gia's character. I will admit I was not a fan of her at the beginning of the book. However, I did really love her growth. I loved her relationship with Holt and wanting to know Hannah and respecting her and Holt's past and keeping her memory alive for their daughters. I also loved Gia's protectiveness of Holt's daughters.

I am excited to see where the rest of this series goes because I love the friendships I am seeing in this series!

[Cathy Jackson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Shelby Gunter is one of those authors that will make you fall in love with everything in her stories, not just the characters but everything that is inside her books!!

Holt and Gia make such a cute couple and Holt is determined to win her heart but Gia fights the pull she feels towards the guy she had met years ago and had a one-night stand with.

A new series by Shelby Gunter, Pine Creek Falls and I can’t wait to see what she gives us next!

[Erin Weber · Rating 4 out of 5]

I don't think I've read a book by Shelby Gunter that I haven't really loved. These stories are not incredibly long, but you still get great character development. While Gia has a great family, there is also a sense of found family in this story with her new friend groups in town. Holt being a widower can sometimes be portrayed as being such a downer, but he wasn't he had his time to morn, but also knew how to approach things with his daughters. Awesome start to a new series

[Jackie (thebookishwray) · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you Shelby Gunter for a gifted copy of this book.

I loved this book so much! I ended up with so many highlights! It has small town charm, found family, suspense, a cowboy single dad, family drama, an age gap, and spice that’s spicing.

Holt is a total cinnamon roll and absolute perfection! He’s an amazing dad and I loved how he is with his daughters. His girls stole the show in so many moments. Such little spitfires and so freaking cute!

Gia isn’t usually the relationship type, but she’s immediately drawn to Holt and his family. I loved how naturally she fit in without ever trying to replace their mom, choosing instead to honor her memory. I also really enjoyed her character growth and watching her find a place that finally felt like home.

[Heather · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed Holt and Gia. I liked their immediate connection. The two of them form a relationship when she comes back to town. I liked the way family was so important. Holt's girls are so sweet. I really enjoyed the storyline and liked the characters. I blew through this book in a few hours. Overall it was a really good read and I'm looking forward to the next one.

[K Webz · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have read a few of Shelby’s but Learning To Stay, at the top of my list. I devoured this book! The pull between Holt and Gia is explosive! And Holt’s little girls are the sweetest.

This small town romance will have your heart swooning. Holt is one amazing package, a lawyer, cowboy and a sexy single dad. Gia was amazing, the way she embraced his girls and honored the mother’s memory.

[Yerenna Doradea · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this book!

I love a good single dad trope and this DELIVERED!

Although there was a lot of spice initially and usually that’s not my style, I actually enjoyed it in this book!

Like yes it began with a one night stand but it turned into something deeper and beautiful.

I also loved the small town characters as well as Holt’s daughters 🩷

[Cassie Reads Filthy Smut · Rating 5 out of 5]

Devoured.
I loved the smart writing.
This felt like a book written by an adult. It was refreshing.
This was my first book by this author but I already need Knox and Farrah's story!!!

[JC :)]

campaign read

TROPES: Single Dad, Witty FMC, Family Dynamics, One Night Stand, Suspense

[Alicia Edgell · Rating 5 out of 5]

Omg Gia and Holt are so adorable!!! Shelby does an amazing job supplying my contemporary romance addiction ❤️ they are unputdownable!!!