Her Mistaken Identity Cowboy: Love at Vargas Ranch Book 1

Love at Vargas Ranch #1

by Karen Baney

He’s running from his twin’s crimes. She’s haunted by the man who betrayed her. Can she open her heart to his identical twin?

Shannon thought she’d buried the past—until she arrives at Vargas Ranch and sees the face of the man who shattered her trust. The man she swore she’d never forgive.

Parker has spent his life paying for his brother's sins. False accusations and shattered opportunities follow him everywhere—because no one sees the man behind the face. When Shannon mistakes him for his twin and has him arrested, his fragile fresh start shatters.

Now forced to work together in the ranch’s equine therapy program, Shannon and Parker must navigate a tense enemies-to-friends journey. As they confront the pain of the past and the pull of unexpected attraction, trust becomes the hardest battle of all.

She must learn to trust the man her heart keeps mistaking for the one who broke it. Parker must prove he's not his brother before he loses his second chance at love.

When the past collides with the present, can love build the bridge to healing and forgiveness?

A heartfelt Christian romance about redemption, mistaken identity, and love that dares to heal. Her Mistaken Identity Cowboy will steal your heart.

234 pages, Kindle Edition

Published February 3, 2026

About the author

Faith, hope, and love come alive in the rugged beauty of Arizona.

As a member of Faith Hope & Love Christian Writers and author of over 30 Christian contemporary cowboy romances and historical romances, I write faith-laced stories where characters feel like lifelong friends. My novels follow flawed individuals who need second chances, redemption, or the courage to overcome personal trials—all set against the backdrop of real Arizona history and the landscapes I treasure.

My husband, Jim, and I live in Gilbert, Arizona with our two dogs, Bella and Daisy. We love exploring our beautiful state together, discovering new adventures that often find their way into my stories. We're also involved at Rock Point Church in Queen Creek.

Thank you for joining me on these journeys through the Arizona I love.

Reviews

[theliterateleprechaun · Rating 5 out of 5]

New-to-me author Karen Baney constantly forced me to pivot and make both wide and narrow turns in the anticipated trajectory of her story. Her Mistaken Identity Cowboy isn’t just about mistaken identity; it’s also about the desire to be seen and to belong that unites us all. Baney’s main characters struggle not to let one person’s betrayal steal their ability to see the good in others, and to pray to see others through God’s eyes, not through the lens of their past hurt.

Baney’s exploration of forgiveness, trust, healing, love and freedom kept me spellbound; my mind didn’t want to accept the gentle nudge to address what I needed to fix, but my heart kept pulling me back, prompting me to seek spiritual first aid. This book is a perfect recipe for moving from painful betrayals to the joy and freedom of forgiveness through grace and grit. Baney shows us that painful beginnings don’t necessarily lead to painful endings!

I’ll remember this book for (1) the examination of guilt and (2) the reminder about the danger of waiting for the circumstances to be perfect. It was good to be nudged to understand the power of trusting in God to work, even when everything seems broken.

I love how Baney doesn’t just set her story on a ranch, but uses the setting to teach us about truths. I took note of the intention and response between human and horse and highlighted the prose explaining how horses don’t see limitations; they simply respond to intention and, in doing so, give people back a piece of themselves.

I’m eagerly anticipating book two in this series and have added Karen Baney to my auto-read list.

[Kara · Rating 4 out of 5]

Oh wow, what an interesting story with twins and mishaps. This is a cute story that draws you into the character's lives and bringing about forgiveness. It was an enjoyable read with a HEA.

[Narelle · Rating 5 out of 5]

I enjoyed reading Her Mistaken Identity Cowboy and read it quickly, within a day, because I was hooked into the story from the opening line. Parker is weary from dealing with multiple situations where he’s arrested for his identical twin brother’s crimes. His twin is a con artist and fraudster with numerous outstanding arrest warrants. Parker is working as a ranch hand at Vargas Ranch in Arizona. He’s looking for peace and a fresh start away from his brother’s problems.

Shannon works for great aunt’s charitable foundation managing events and fundraisers. She applies for a job at Vargas Ranch to assist in fundraising for their equine program for children with disabilities and veterans. While at the ranch for her job interview, she sees Parker and has a panic attack emotional meltdown. She’s convinced Parker is his twin brother who ruined her life and she sets in motion a chain of events that leads to Parker getting arrested.

They start out as enemies, with the added complication of Shannon being Parker’s twin’s ex-girlfriend. Shannon dated the con artist twin eight years earlier and he stole all her money and disappeared.

Parker and Shannon’s enemies to friends to more-than-friends romance is sweet and they both have truckloads of emotional baggage to unpack during the story. Their relationship is complicated by family drama and their deep emotional wounds. Parker’s twin’s emotional and financial abuse has too many victims, including Parker and Shannon. They struggle to trust people and are on a healing journey during the story.

I appreciated the strong faith threads that addressed trust issues, forgiveness themes and injustice. I loved the story ending and how Parker and Shannon were honest and willing to take responsibility for their choices. I loved journeying with them as they overcame obstacles in their path to an emotionally healthy romantic relationship.

I recommend Her Mistaken Identity Cowboy to contemporary romance readers who like westerns with enemies to love romance, mistaken identity, forced proximity, family drama, and strong faith elements in the story.

Many thanks to the author for the advanced reader copy.

[Star-Book Reviewer · Rating 5 out of 5]

A new series but a return to Vargas Ranch to discover the workers behind the family, those people who work on the ranch but aren’t family members and first up is cowboy Parker Quaid and charity event promoter Shannon Burke. Now their story gets off to a horrible start in their first meeting when Shannon calls the police and has Parker arrested. Yes, it does turn out to be a case of mistaken identity since Parker looks exactly like his identical twin Lucas. He might look like his conning criminal of a brother but he’s nothing like him when it comes to how he acts or treats others. Lucas had conned Shannon eight years ago out of her college funds but most devastating was the fact that for six months she thought they had meant something to each other. When she saw Parker there on the Vargas ranch thinking he was Lucas, she couldn’t believe her eyes nor that life could be that cruel, angry and upset she instantly called the sheriff’s office. As Parker is cuffed and hauled off to jail, she follows but she is already beginning to feel that something is different. At the jail, when the truth is finally revealed, Shannon realizes she must do something and Parker is left wondering if he will ever have a future without the shadow of his brother’s crimes.

A moving story of forgiveness, trust, honor and doing the right thing when it might not be what’s the most comfortable for yourself. A sweet, clean romance develops between two people willing to see the real person beneath the outer shell and share a common love for Phoenix Sun basketball. I had to include that because it’s a very special part of their story. Parker’s character was so admirable. Even when he wanted to combust, he held his composure and thought of others first. I loved that he wasn’t afraid to share his thoughts, always open even when it made him vulnerable. Yes, another marvelous faith-based, ranch living book that all generations can enjoy.

I received an Advance Review Copy for free and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

[J.E. Grace · Rating 5 out of 5]

Parker Quaid is humble, stable, hardworking, but feeling somewhat unloved. Lucas his twin brother, is full of himself, a liar, and con man, in and out of jail. With a case of mistaken identity anything can happen. Shannon Burke arranges a benefit at Christmas to raise money for disabled children for the Vargas Ranch. That's when she meets Parker.

The story is filled with surprises, twists, and redemption. They story has a strong underlying Christian message that warmed my heart. I couldn't put the book down and read it in one sitting. So many interesting aspects, from Vargas Ranch, the horses, and the back story of both main characters.

I loved the ending but hated for it to end. I can't wait until the next one comes out.
I received a complimentary copy from the author; a positive review is not required. All opinions are my own.

[Lia Lorimer · Rating 5 out of 5]

Twin challenges
Event planner, Shannon’s initial perception of Parker undergoes a rapid change after a visit to the local sheriff’s office, although she can’t help her subsequent comparisons of his behaviour with that of his brother, Lucas. Ranch hand, Parker, has been dogged by Lucas’s actions for years, and has reached breaking point; however, personal feelings must be set aside as he has to work with Shannon to prepare for the charity fundraiser which will launch Vargas Ranch’s new programme.
Ms Baney’s new series promises to fulfil the expectations of her previous Vargas Ranch fans. The story flows well and is easy to read. Her character portrayal shows that the Vargas brothers’ empathy toward employees fosters loyalty by making them feel part of the family.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

[Cheryl LaRoy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another great book, I can’t get enough of the people who live and work at Vargas Ranch! This book was about Parker and Shannon. Parker was hired to train and care for the horses used for Braden’s Hope and Shannon, the niece of Dylan’s speech instructor, was hired to help with the non-profit Braden’s Hope. Sounds simple but Shannon met Parker’s identical twin years ago at college, Lucas, who is a con-man. Naturally, she assumed Parker is Lucas and so they begin their relationship filled with so many feelings and confusion. It has a happy ending and involves many of the same characters as the book “Falling for the Shy Cowboy” in the original series. This is the beginning of a new series and I can’t wait to read them all!

[Ann Leatherman · Rating 5 out of 5]

The first book in this series takes us back to life and love happening at the Vargas Ranch, were we learn about some of the ranch workers involved in the resort and the various equine healing programs they use and see more of some of the Vargas family members from the Vargas Ranch series. I thoroughly enjoyed the first series and look forward to the rest of the books in this new series. Thank you, Karen Baney, for this ARC opportunity. This is my honest opinion.

[Rick Molitor · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a good, sweet cowboy romance. Parker has had his life destroyed by his twin brother. His brother keeps getting into trouble and uses Parker's identity to get out of it. Shannon was one of the people Parker's twin stole from. These are deep characters who will pull you inro their emotional struggle as they try to look beyond the past to the future they might have.

[Tami Willard · Rating 5 out of 5]

This series is a spin off with characters that overlap throughout both series. Best read in order but could be a standalone. This series is for the non Vargas co-workers on the ranch.
Opposites attract
Mistaken Identity
Rebuilding relationships
Overcoming first impressions
Forgiveness is sometimes for the forgiver.

[Sophia Lane · Rating 5 out of 5]

Readers who love immersive and meaningful stories should have this on their radar. Everything about this book points to a thoughtful and engaging reading experience. Excited to see more people discover it.

[Jane Culbertson · Rating 5 out of 5]

As an identical twin,Parker's life was very complicated. I loved this story, not for the trouble but for how he learns to handle it. A great read and a great romance story.