Lasso My Heart: A Small-Town Cowboy Romance

by Mary Karlik

A rodeo cowboy who’s sworn off love. An optimist who still believes in fairytales. One innocent mistake that could cost them everything.

After more than a dozen epic breakups, physical therapist Lauren Winslow is one teardrop away from locking up her heart forever. A baggage claim mix-up, a swoony cowboy, and the discovery of a love letter meant for someone else convinces her to give love one last shot. The problem? The letter belongs to Rhen McGowan, and Lauren has no idea how to return it without breaking his heart and losing his trust.

Rhen is recovering from a career-ending rodeo injury and rebuilding the therapeutic riding center he nearly lost in his divorce. The last thing he needs is a relentlessly hopeful woman who crashes into his life, charms his family, and makes him feel things he promised himself he was done with.

Their chemistry is instant, irresistible, and impossible to ignore. But when Rhen discovers Lauren kept the letter and lied about it, his fragile trust shatters. Now she must convince him it was an innocent mistake before the past steals their chance at a fairytale future.

257 pages, Kindle Edition

Expected publication August 11, 2026

About the author

Mary Karlik (also writing as Mary J. Wilson) combines her Texas roots with her Scottish heritage to write happily-ever-afters from Texas to Scotland. When she is not writing or reading, Mary can usually be found hanging out with family and friends, or hill walking in Scotland.
Mary has five indie-published contemporary young adult romance novels and two indie-published fantasy novels.
Mary earned her MFA in Writing Popular Fiction from Seton Hill University, has a B.S. degree from Texas A&M University, and is currently studying Scottish Gaelic at Sabhal Mòr Ostaig in Skye, Scotland. She is also a certified, professional ski instructor and a Registered Nurse.
Mary is an active member of Contemporary Romance Writers, Romance Writers of America, and Dallas Area Romance Authors. Married to a Scott, Mary lives in both and Scotland and Texas.