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When Safety Wears Flannel
Not yet published
Expected 14 Feb 26She ran from danger.
He became her safety.
Gayle Whitaker isn’t looking for love—she’s looking for somewhere to breathe.
After escaping an abusive relationship, Gayle flees to the quiet mountain town of Briar Ridge, hoping to disappear long enough to heal. She keeps to herself, trusts no one, and plans to leave as soon as she can. Falling for a man like Blake Morgan was never part of the plan.
Blake is steady, silent, and built like the mountains he calls home. A flannel-wearing lumberman with a guarded heart, he lives by routine and solitude. He doesn’t ask questions. He doesn’t get involved. But when Gayle steps into his world—wary, resilient, and clearly running from something—protecting her becomes instinct.
What begins as a safe place to land slowly turns into something deeper. Shared meals. Quiet moments. Gentle touches that ask permission. As Gayle learns to trust again, Blake discovers that safety isn’t about distance, it’s about staying.
But the past doesn’t stay buried forever.
When the danger Gayle escaped finds its way to Briar Ridge, Blake must decide how far he’s willing to go to protect the woman who turned his lonely cabin into a home.
When Safety Wears Flannel is a slow-burn small-town romance about healing after abuse, emotionally safe love, and a protective hero who proves that the strongest kind of devotion is quiet, patient, and chosen every day.
Perfect for readers who love protective heroes, trauma recovery romances, found family, and “he makes her feel safe” love stories.
He became her safety.
Gayle Whitaker isn’t looking for love—she’s looking for somewhere to breathe.
After escaping an abusive relationship, Gayle flees to the quiet mountain town of Briar Ridge, hoping to disappear long enough to heal. She keeps to herself, trusts no one, and plans to leave as soon as she can. Falling for a man like Blake Morgan was never part of the plan.
Blake is steady, silent, and built like the mountains he calls home. A flannel-wearing lumberman with a guarded heart, he lives by routine and solitude. He doesn’t ask questions. He doesn’t get involved. But when Gayle steps into his world—wary, resilient, and clearly running from something—protecting her becomes instinct.
What begins as a safe place to land slowly turns into something deeper. Shared meals. Quiet moments. Gentle touches that ask permission. As Gayle learns to trust again, Blake discovers that safety isn’t about distance, it’s about staying.
But the past doesn’t stay buried forever.
When the danger Gayle escaped finds its way to Briar Ridge, Blake must decide how far he’s willing to go to protect the woman who turned his lonely cabin into a home.
When Safety Wears Flannel is a slow-burn small-town romance about healing after abuse, emotionally safe love, and a protective hero who proves that the strongest kind of devotion is quiet, patient, and chosen every day.
Perfect for readers who love protective heroes, trauma recovery romances, found family, and “he makes her feel safe” love stories.
575 pages, Kindle Edition
Expected publication February 14, 2026
5 people are currently reading
3 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews
Review of advance copy received from Author
I rated this book a 3.75 stars. The story started off strong, then slowed down. Way down. The first chapter set the tone to be a dark romance, but then it changed gradually to a healing type romance with a dark tone, focusing on a protective alpha aspect.
Gayle is the MFC who it seems has an abusive stalker. Blake is her hero in flannel. The story goes on in a slow burn to build up to a relationship between the two. My only fault with the story was that I felt like it should have been part of a series. There were key pieces of information that really needed to fill in the holes of the story. This caused some feelings of being lost and unsure of the characters. I felt like there was a back story to how they were all connected. Like it seemed Corey knew and had a history with Blake and Mason, but I don't know what that is and how it played into their characters. Or how Gayle and Corey's relationship came to be. Was he just a stalker or was he an ex-boyfriend??
If this is a part of a series I was not aware.
The story has a lot of emotion and build up. Some of the book to me moved too slow. The author took her time with the healing process of the characters and this was good, but some of the scenes were a bit too drawn out. This caused me to stop reading and pick up again later. It also allowed the book to be over 5k words. Even with the length, the ending was a bit too rushed. I expected it to blow me away. but found it a bit lacking after the build up.
I gave it 3.75 stars due to the quality of the story and it's characters. It has the potential to blow readers away with it's intense build up and emotions. I enjoyed the story and where the author was coming from when she wrote it. It could have easily been a five star read.
Gayle is the MFC who it seems has an abusive stalker. Blake is her hero in flannel. The story goes on in a slow burn to build up to a relationship between the two. My only fault with the story was that I felt like it should have been part of a series. There were key pieces of information that really needed to fill in the holes of the story. This caused some feelings of being lost and unsure of the characters. I felt like there was a back story to how they were all connected. Like it seemed Corey knew and had a history with Blake and Mason, but I don't know what that is and how it played into their characters. Or how Gayle and Corey's relationship came to be. Was he just a stalker or was he an ex-boyfriend??
If this is a part of a series I was not aware.
The story has a lot of emotion and build up. Some of the book to me moved too slow. The author took her time with the healing process of the characters and this was good, but some of the scenes were a bit too drawn out. This caused me to stop reading and pick up again later. It also allowed the book to be over 5k words. Even with the length, the ending was a bit too rushed. I expected it to blow me away. but found it a bit lacking after the build up.
I gave it 3.75 stars due to the quality of the story and it's characters. It has the potential to blow readers away with it's intense build up and emotions. I enjoyed the story and where the author was coming from when she wrote it. It could have easily been a five star read.
Review of advance copy received from Author
This story starts off strong, initially giving the impression of a dark romance, but quickly settles into a slow-burn, alpha “protect what’s mine” romance instead. The pacing allows the relationship to develop naturally, with a clear he falls first dynamic that adds emotional weight to the story.
Blake provides Gayle with a safe place to land after she escapes an abusive relationship, and his steady support becomes the foundation for their connection. Rather than rushing the romance, the book focuses on trust, healing, and quiet moments that build real intimacy.
One of the standout aspects of this book is Blake’s character development. His depth is evident, and it’s clear how his career and past choices have shaped who he is. Those experiences leave visible marks on his personality, making him feel layered and believable rather than just a stereotypical alpha hero.
Overall, this is a well-written slow-burn romance with strong emotional undertones, a protective hero, and a satisfying exploration of how past experiences influence love and relationships.
Blake provides Gayle with a safe place to land after she escapes an abusive relationship, and his steady support becomes the foundation for their connection. Rather than rushing the romance, the book focuses on trust, healing, and quiet moments that build real intimacy.
One of the standout aspects of this book is Blake’s character development. His depth is evident, and it’s clear how his career and past choices have shaped who he is. Those experiences leave visible marks on his personality, making him feel layered and believable rather than just a stereotypical alpha hero.
Overall, this is a well-written slow-burn romance with strong emotional undertones, a protective hero, and a satisfying exploration of how past experiences influence love and relationships.
Review of advance copy received from Author
When Safety Wears Flannel is one of those quietly comforting reads that sneaks up on you. It's soft, tender, and grounded in emotional safety rather than big dramatic moments.
Siren Keys does a great job capturing that feeling of finding warmth and steadiness in another person messy edges and all. Not flashy, just genuinely cozy and heartfelt. Perfect if you're in the mood for something gentle and reassuring.
Siren Keys does a great job capturing that feeling of finding warmth and steadiness in another person messy edges and all. Not flashy, just genuinely cozy and heartfelt. Perfect if you're in the mood for something gentle and reassuring.
February 2, 2026
This book was given to me as an ARC here is my honest and voluntarily review.
I really enjoyed this book I give it a 3.5 this is a cozy, comforting, and emotionally grounding in the best way. The small town vibes and everyday moments add so much charm, making it easy to sink into the story and not want to leave. Strong in the beginning then it slows down to a cozy romance.
I really enjoyed this book I give it a 3.5 this is a cozy, comforting, and emotionally grounding in the best way. The small town vibes and everyday moments add so much charm, making it easy to sink into the story and not want to leave. Strong in the beginning then it slows down to a cozy romance.
Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews