Stranded in the Wylde: A Steamy Grumpy Sunshine Forced Proximity Romance

Harper has always dreamed of opening her own cozy little bookstore, the kind with soft armchairs, creaky wooden floors, and reading nooks so inviting people “accidentally” lose entire afternoons there. A place to start over. A place to heal. A place far, far away from her cheating ex and the mess he left behind. And she is absolutely heading toward that fresh start… until her loyal truck, Chester (because it’s perfectly normal to name your vehicles, of course), decides to dramatically slide off a snowy mountain road in the middle of a storm. The visual of Harper trying to shove all three tons of Chester back onto the road had me cackling. Truly iconic. Enter Dean. And when I say this man is a mountain, I mean it in every sense. Tall. Broad. Solid. The human embodiment of flannel and competence. He’s very much in his element out there with the snow falling, jaw clenched, quietly capable. Is he thrilled to find a stranded, chatterbox bookstore owner on his mountain? Not exactly. But he hauls her (and her dignity) back to his cabin to wait out the storm. Now here’s where this book shines: Dean may be gruff, but he is not the monosyllabic, grunt-only cliché. This man can hold a conversation. A real one. And watching Harper slowly dismantle his stoic exterior is a joy. Because Harper? Harper is the star. She’s quirky without trying, romantic to her core, and just chaotic enough to keep things interesting. She compares Dean to Mr. Darcy and Rochester like it’s a perfectly reasonable thing to do (honestly, she’s not wrong). She talks to his coffee maker — which HE named Boris, by the way, so who’s really the quirky one here? She hums when she thinks no one’s listening. She attempts to bake muffins and nearly sets the cabin ablaze. She is sunshine in snow boots. And watching Dean melt? Chef’s kiss. The slow thaw. The softened glances. The quiet moments where he starts to choose her, protect her, encourage her. The way he builds her confidence back up, piece by piece, reminding her she is worthy of being cherished, prioritized, adored. Their banter sparkles. Their chemistry simmers. And their happily ever after feels earned, warm, and deeply satisfying. The kind that makes you close the book with a sigh and immediately consider a reread. If you love grumpy-meets-sunshine, forced proximity, snowy cabins, and a heroine who steals both the story and the hero’s heart, this one will absolutely charm you.
I received a free copy of this book and am voluntarily leaving a review.

kymagirl

6,471 reviews89 followers

arcs christmas-winter-snow contemporary

Snowbound. Stranded. Claimed by the mountain.

Harper doesn’t move to Montana looking for a man. She’s rebuilding after betrayal, chasing her dream of opening a bookstore and trying to prove she’s not foolish for still believing in love. When her moving truck spins out on a mountain road, she’s rescued by Dean, a silent, scarred mountain man who lives alone and trusts no one. He tells himself she’s temporary. She tells herself she’s just grateful. Neither of them means it.

Snow traps them together on Wylde Mountain, and tension turns intimate fast. Dean feeds her, protects her, watches her like her safety is personal. Harper pushes into his quiet world with warmth and stubborn hope, refusing to treat him like something broken. When desire finally snaps, it’s deliberate and consuming, built on trust instead of impulse. What starts as shelter becomes something neither of them can walk away from.

When Harper’s past resurfaces, she has to decide if she’s still running or ready to stand in the life she’s building. Dean has to choose between isolation and risking everything for her. Love here isn’t soft or convenient. It’s protective, intense, and earned.

Harper begins emotionally shaken and inexperienced, but she slowly reclaims her agency, her desire, and her voice. Dean starts guarded and guilt ridden, convinced he’s better off alone, yet loving her forces him to confront his grief and open himself to partnership. Their relationship shifts from wary rescue to chosen devotion, where protection never becomes control and intimacy becomes a place of safety.

An ultra-steamy mountain man winter romance about starting over after betrayal and choosing love with intention, where forced proximity turns into emotional security and two guarded people decide to build something real together.

The Elevator Pitch: When a betrayed city woman crashes into a Montana snowstorm, she’s rescued by a reclusive mountain man who lives by solitude and control. Forced into close quarters, their wary proximity ignites into something fierce, testing his need to protect and her need to choose for herself. As her past presses in, they must decide whether what started as survival can become a deliberate, consuming kind of love.

Heat Level: 🔥🔥🔥 Ultra-Steamy / Erotic Romance

Chandra Luna

2,022 reviews14 followers

Review of advance copy received from Author

February 9, 2026

Some stories feel like a warm blanket wrapped around your heart.
Stranded in the Wylde is exactly that kind of read—cozy, swoony, spicy, and deeply satisfying.

Harper is a city girl with a bruised heart and a brave dream. After calling off a wedding to a cheating fiancé who never believed in her, she heads to a small Montana town determined to start over and open the bookstore she’s always wanted. She’s choosing herself for the first time… and then promptly gets stranded on a mountain in a snowstorm.

Enter Dean McKnight.

Grumpy. Silent. Scarred. Wildly competent. The kind of mountain man who looks like he hasn’t smiled in years and prefers it that way. He doesn’t do people. He definitely doesn’t do stranded city girls.

Until Harper.

Watching Dean slowly shift from “get her off my mountain” to “her safety is my responsibility” is pure romance gold. He feeds her. Shelters her. Protects her. And without ever making grand speeches, he shows Harper what it feels like to be valued, supported, and chosen.

What I loved most is how Harper’s emotional journey mirrors her physical one. She’s not just escaping a storm—she’s stepping out of a past where she was made to feel small and into a future where her dreams matter. Dean doesn’t try to change her. He believes in her. Encourages her. Stands behind her goals in a way she’s never experienced before.

The forced proximity, the cozy cabin vibes, the grumpy-sunshine dynamic, and the instant-but-earned connection make this novella impossible to put down. It’s fast, steamy, tender, and overflowing with protective mountain man energy.

If you love:

Grumpy alpha heroes

Snowed-in forced proximity

City girl / small-town romance

Obsessive protectors

Cozy cabins and spicy tension

You’ll devour this one.

Stranded in the Wylde is a heartfelt reminder that sometimes getting lost in a snowstorm is exactly what leads you home—to a new life, a new love, and a man who looks at you like you’re his forever.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

Malini

832 reviews3 followers

For you by MeemsAngel82

This was so entertaining! This is a full read and a sweet one. I love the two of them on their own and together? That was just heart warming. This h is sweet and funny, she's honestly a good girl escaping a not good experience. This H is gruff but of course, meeting this girl? He is melting for her as time passes, more and more!

She came to town to start fresh and running into him wasn't expected. He'd been away from society at times and until her, he liked it that way.

Her quirky self? Loved it! She was real and fun for me. Naming her vehicle? And he thought that funny, hmmmm. A little close to home buddy! He wasn't closed off and right away there was something about her that made him want to inch closer and closer. Being in town was great, having them interact and just fall for one another was so special. All their mornings together for life sounds like Heaven.

I received a free copy of this book and am voluntarily leaving a review.

owned-books

Lisa H

782 reviews5 followers

February 24, 2026

We are back diving into Wylde Mountain Rescue, and it comes in hot.

Harper has rolled into town after packing her life and peace of mine to the bookstore she bought in town. What she didn't expect was to break down, or to be saved by the broodiest of men. Dean isn't known for his conversations or his tolerance of people, but something about Harper changes that.

I love how grump Dean can be, and even the locals know that, and love him anyway. He knows his work, his land, and his solitude, but gives that up for Harper. They really make a fast hot connection. It makes it feel deep and rooted from the moment it started.

I love how Dean tries to support Harpers dream in small ways that mean more than loud declarations. When Harper finds trouble coming to track her down Dean is first to put the fire out and protect her.

Its a great, funny story of these two falling in love, life in a small town, and the chance to make a HEA for the ages!

Knight Linda

2,485 reviews12 followers

February 12, 2026

A fun exciting read as Harper moves to Montana to open a bookstore, but in the process she gets caught in an early snow storm. Her truck goes in the ditch, and Dean finds her taking her to his guest cabin to wait the storm out. From the moment, they met there was an undeniable attraction between them. Dean did take Harper into the bookstore the next day, but a water pipe had broken in the apartment upstairs and with the ski season there was no place for her to stay in town. So it was back to Dean's place for the duration. Dean found it increasing harder each day to keep his hands off Harper. She was a corky fun loving person the type that named vehicles and coffee pots. While Dean was the more serious grumpy type that was hardly ever known to cracked a smile.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

Mafia Wife

1,133 reviews5 followers

February 24, 2026

She has put all of her eggs in this basket. After realizing that her boyfriend wasn’t who she thought he was, she decided to make a life that she always dreamed of. So she’s moving to a mountain town and opening a bookstore. Unfortunately, she didn’t exactly check the weather and ends up stranded on the side of the road in the middle of a storm. She is rescued by a hot mountain man. As soon as he sees her, he knows she’s different. And the longer he knows her the more he realizes he doesn’t want her to leave. And when her past comes calling is bound and determined to protect her. A hot and spicy mountain man romance with a little possessiveness, a lot of protectiveness, and a happily ever after. A perfect example of the genre.

I received a free copy of this book and am voluntarily leaving a review.

Joanne

1,659 reviews4 followers

She is on the way to a new life and opening a bookstore. But of course, her truck breaks down right in front of Deans cabin. He rescues her and since it is snowing, he offers to let her stay in his guess cabin until the next morning, and he can arrange to have her truck towed. Well then, she ends up having a broken pipe in the apartment above her new store and nowhere to stay. Back to the guest cabin or not. He offers his guest room. They get to know each other pretty well. People are surprised since he is the local grump. Will she bring him out of the mountain? Will he tell her he wants her to stay? I enjoyed their story.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

Sandy C

467 reviews2 followers

A short story with an unexpected detour to a mountain and to the warmth of heart, a fresh start, and a past that unfortunately doesn't stay in the past.
I like the humorous interactions.
I like that there's finally a heroine who has an overnight bag for unplanned nights at a mountain cabin.

It makes me angry that after saying meaningful words and developing a connection, it's all in vain when the heroine has to leave for her own place and business to take care of. I'm even more angry that it happens as if she's going far away and not to a nearby town, like they couldn't see each other anymore there or at his place, and behaving like strangers.

I received a free copy of this book and am voluntarily leaving a review.

Johanna

2,366 reviews47 followers

This is Book 1 of the Wylde Mountain Rescue series. And it is a FANtastic start! Look forward to more from this world.

'Stranded in the Wylde is a steamy mountain man romance packed with grumpy alpha energy, forced proximity, small-town vibes, a city girl heroine starting over, and a guaranteed happily ever after.'

The characters drove the storyline and they were so very appealing and likeable and perfectly steamy together. Plot was intriguing and well paced. World building was solidly drawn and impressive. Thoroughly enjoyed and highly recommend.

Grab a copy, kick back and enjoy!.

I received a free copy of this book and am voluntarily leaving a review.

Praline 99

1,202 reviews10 followers

February 17, 2026

Mountain Man Romance.
Harper is a young woman who came to live in the mountains and open a bookstore to escape her city life. She certainly didn't expect to end up trapped in a blizzard and rescued by a handsome mountain man.
Dean is a solitary mountain man living alone on his mountain. So when he meets the beautiful Harper trapped in the blizzard, he initially sees her as a disturbance to his solitude. But when they find themselves stuck together, he falls completely for her.
Will Harper and Dean have a beautiful love story, or will Dean prefer his solitude….

I received a free copy of this book and am voluntarily leaving a review.

Melissa Wilson

1,332 reviews10 followers

This is the first book in Wylde Mountain Rescue series. Tropes: mountain man, grumpy x sunshine, age gap, forced proximity, and innocent FMC. Harper leaves the city behind and buys an old bookstore in Wylde Mountain. Dean rescues Harper after her moving truck gets stuck on the mountain. I loved Harper and her quirkiness. Even grumpy Dean found her quirkiness endearing. Enjoyed the main characters and side characters. Good start to the series.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

Barbara

19.3k reviews8 followers

February 14, 2026

The first book in my new Wylde Mountain Rescue series. This steamy, small-town romance follows Harper a city girl starting over in Montana whose moving truck breaks down during a snowstorm. She is rescued by Dean McKnight, a grumpy, rugged mountain man living in the wilderness. Despite his distrust of outsiders, Dean becomes her protector when her past catches up with her. The story features forced proximity, alpha energy, and a guaranteed happily ever after. I received a copy of this book and am voluntarily leaving a review.

Aspen G

1,768 reviews5 followers

Stranded in the Wylde is sweet and steamy with tension and connection building beautifully! Dean and Harper are magical together—from the moment he helps her out of the storm to the very last page, we get to watch these two grow to trust each other and open up, exposing their vulnerabilities while also being each other’s safe space. The small town antics of the supporting characters bring light and laughter, sass and seriousness too. And when Dean goes alpha feral? Yes, yes, yes!

I received a free copy of this book and am voluntarily leaving a review.

Cathaleen Way

305 reviews3 followers

Review of advance copy received from Author

February 10, 2026

This is the first book in her new series Wylde Mountain Protectors. What a start! This is by far my new favorite series of Ms. Smoke’s. Dean is just all alpha but so respectful. He will make you melt and want one more page. Harper is slightly damaged but all hope and belief. Their chemistry and banter will make you smile. All the secondary characters will make you fall and want the next story even faster. I can’t wait to immerse myself in this small town. This series is keeper!.

Linda Elliott

1,634 reviews9 followers

A short story that has a lot of heart

This was a short story that I really enjoyed. After a devastating engagement Harper takes off and buys a Harper takes off and buys a bookstore in a small mountain town. Of course there's troubles Harper takes off and buys a book. Of course there's troubles along the way And finding a new relation ship that is meaningful. The author takes a story and takes you on an interesting ride. People that live in a small mountain town in Montana.

J.p

1,444 reviews4 followers

A fast paced and easy to read book, with some steamy moments, some heartwarming and sweet moments. Harper needs a new life away from a cheating ex, on the way to her new home she breaks down and is rescued by the grumpiest mountain man Dean. His first thought is to get rid of her and quick but soon enough his feelings for her change, he falls and falls hard and becomes her protector and everything more. Great characters whose chemistry just sizzled the pages. A fun, amazing and spicy read.

Louise

470 reviews7 followers

February 14, 2026

Stranded in the Wylde is a standalone novella.

It has everything you would expect from a small town, grumpy mountain man meets sunshine. But it is also so much more. I loved the characters and how they finally come together. Absolutely loved this, it's fantastic.

I received a free copy of this book and am voluntarily leaving a review.

Barbara

6,909 reviews25 followers

Holy Smokes from the sexy cover to the characters Dean and Harper I just fell head over heels in love with this book. Talk about great chemistry between these 2 characters which makes this a phenomenal book. I am a newbie when it comes to reading books written by Cindy and OMG, I just became her biggest fan. I can’t wait to see how brilliantly written her next book in this series is.

Day

1,794 reviews11 followers

I liked Harper and Dean! They have a nice, quirky romance that draws you in from the very beginning. Harper is adorable in her own way. The way Dean goes from wanting her out to keeping her close is swoon-worthy. I liked them together. The story is quick and steamy. Great if you need a quick romance.

Victoria

4,801 reviews

I really liked these two together, they had good connection and chemistry, and they suited each other well. I liked seeing them get to know each other, banter, make each other laugh and smile, and seeing them support and love each other.

I received a free copy of this book and am voluntarily leaving a review.

Brittany Britton

665 reviews4 followers

Stranded in the Wylde by Cindy Smoke is a great grumpy hot mountain men romance. The story is entertaining, romantic, steamy, spicy, slow burn, enjoyable, and more. Stranded in the Wylde is the first book in Wylde Mountain Rescue series.

I received a free copy of this book and am voluntarily leaving a review.

Chrissy

736 reviews1 follower

This book was incredibly captivating from beginning to end. The characters were well-developed and their dynamic was both heartwarming and entertaining. The plot kept me on the edge of my seat, and I found myself eagerly turning pages to discover what would happen next. It's a must-read for fans of the genre.

Beth Booklover

270 reviews2 followers

4.5⭐️ Quick read with some steam & a HEA

Fun, quick read. Harper is looking for change. Dean is not. Both find it & even though it’s not what they expected, they fall for each other. There’s some steam with a HEA and a glimpse at the couple that I’ll be in the next book.

I received a free copy of this book and am voluntarily leaving a review.

Heather

2,655 reviews6 followers

February 19, 2026

Harper is moving to town to start a bookstore and have a new start, When she breaks down in the moving town Dean stops to help her, I enjoyed how protective he is. Goes from being a loner to taking care of Harper, Wonderful new series,.

I received a free copy of this book and am voluntarily leaving a review.

Michele79

652 reviews6 followers

February 12, 2026

This was such a good book. It had a lot going for it...mountain man romance, insta love, grumpy/sunshine, some drama with her ex, and a HEA. A great, quick read.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

Debbie Benson

10k reviews34 followers

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review. I liked how Dean rescuing Harper leads to a big change as he can't help falling in love with her and she for him.

2026-reading-challenge

Connie

39 reviews

Another awesome read by one of my favorite author. Well written, wonderful characters with plenty of steamy passion and a happy ending. Highly recommend.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

Kim Roseborough

242 reviews1 follower