Heart of Stone

by M. Hartley

For readers who crave workplace tension, age-gap romance, and fiery chemistry, Heart of Stone is a swoon-worthy story about a fearless PR powerhouse and the grumpy cowboy who can’t resist her.

Eleanor Stewartt built her public relations empire with razor-sharp wit, relentless drive, and a will that refuses to bend. When she’s hired to salvage the reputation of a luxury ranch on the brink of scandal, she walks in ready to take control.

What she doesn’t expect is Colton Stone.

The stubborn, dangerously handsome CEO built his empire on discipline and dominance and has no intention of handing over the reins to anyone. Especially not a bold PR powerhouse who challenges him at every turn.

Forced to work side by side for two months, they clash over strategy, control, and whose vision will win. But beneath the power and heated arguments simmers an undeniable attraction neither of them can ignore.

They’re two people who are used to standing their ground, and now they must decide if love is worth giving up a piece of their hearts of stone.

Genres: Romance, Cowboy Romance, Workplace Romance

352 pages, Paperback

Expected publication October 13, 2026

About the author

M. Hartley is a hopeless romantic with a passion for crafting heartfelt stories about small-town charm and rugged fictional cowboys (with big hearts and big…) When she’s not writing, while drinking a glass of sweet red wine, she can be found doting on her beloved dog, Hank, or indulging in her absurd Swedish Fish addiction. Dedicated to making readers fall head over heels for romance, M. Hartley believes there’s nothing better than a love story that lingers long after the last page is turned.

Reviews

[Simone | simonesbookshelf]

⭐ Rating: 3.25 Stars.

✨ The Vibe
A spicy contemporary romance filled with workplace tension, a grumpy cowboy, a confident city girl, forced proximity, and plenty of chemistry. Expect a ranch setting, power struggles, age-gap tension, and two stubborn people trying very hard not to fall for each other.

🫶 Who Will Love This?
If you want a spicy romance with a grumpy cowboy, stubborn city girl, workplace tension, forced proximity, age gap, and lots of chemistry, this could be right up your alley. Expect less plot and mostly romance, though.

🔥 Tropes & Elements
- Grumpy cowboy
- City girl
- Workplace romance
- Forced proximity
- Ranch setting

💭 My Thoughts
Heart of Stone sounded like it was going to be completely up my alley, and there were definitely things I liked!

Eleanor and Colton had good chemistry, the banter was fun, and I loved the idea of this powerhouse PR woman walking onto his ranch and refusing to let the grumpy CEO intimidate her. I just wish we had gotten more of that.

The scandal surrounding the ranch and Eleanor's PR work could have been such an interesting storyline, but the romance and spice took over pretty quickly. And listen, I have nothing against spice 😂, but I love a story around it. I wanted more tension, more buildup, more of the PR storyline, and more time watching these two fight falling for each other.

A lot of the book became Eleanor and Colton hooking up, deciding they needed space because they were getting too involved, and then going straight back to each other. After a while, that started to feel repetitive.

That being said, the chemistry was GOOD. The banter and cowboy x city girl dynamic worked really well for me, and I enjoyed seeing Colton's softer side come out.

I did struggle with Colton's behavior at the beginning, though. Some of it gave me red-flag energy, particularly when he followed Eleanor into an empty parking lot after she'd already refused him twice. I personally wish Eleanor had stood her ground for longer, especially because she's supposed to be this confident, independent powerhouse.

Overall, a fun read with good chemistry, but I wanted more story outside of the romance.

📢 Disclosure: Thank you to Victory Editing NetGalley Co-Op, the author, and NetGalley for providing me with an ARC. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

[NurseLadyReads]

Elenor is a wonderful, strong FMC who is unwilling to be a doormat to Colton, owner of Stone Ranch and man in need of her help. The chemistry between them was epic. The banter was engaging.
However, I’d like to see more plot and (gasp!) less hooking up, given the same page restraints. The storyline had so much promise!
I have mixed emotions about the “I want you, but we shouldn’t, but I want you, but…” on repeat. Could she give more sass instead of giving in? Because that banter was fun, and the vulnerability beneath it (for both characters) was something to write a book around.
3.25⭐️
Thanks to NetGalley for this ARC!

[Nicole]

Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC!

If you're looking for a mindless hot cowboy read (and willing to look past the mullet), I won't deter you from picking this up.

When it comes to writing reviews for ARC's, I think sometimes having to think too deeply about them ends up being to their detriment because if you try to really figure out the plot of this book... you'll realize there isn't one.

I think this book would’ve been better if it spent more time on things that only got a chapter like the scandal, the secret behind it, the confrontation with Bill, maybe some jealousy with Axel even. These could’ve been more substantial plot points vs the MC’s just fawning over each other and not making up their minds the whole time. Every chapter was either Colton and Eleanor hooking up, Colton and Eleanor needing space from each other because they got too emotionally involved, or Colton and Eleanor using banter as foreplay (the tension was great, though).

[Christine]

Thank you Dreamscape Media and NetGalley for the ALC in exchange for my honest review. 2.75⭐️ Vivienne Page and Rich Miller did a good job as narrators.

Unfortunately, I struggled to get into Eleanor and Colton’s story. The banter fell flat for me and the relationship between the two felt forced, with a lot of it simply being lust-based and not feeling like there was much progression past that.

[Allie DeMars]

4 ⭐️

RTC

NOTE: the first 40% was sooo good and really carried the book. My biggest issue is that this felt very heavy in physical attraction. Not enough yearning for my liking

[Brittany Secor]

Anything that M Hartley writes, I’ll eat up. I’ve been anticipating this book for SO LONG, and have been chomping at the bits because I knew this story was going to be good!! And boy, was I right!!!

[Maria]

I've never been more disappointed by an FMC.

I'll be honest, I'd have DNF-ed this if it wasn't an ARC, because I was annoyed and bored out of my mind barely half-way through. It did get a little better towards the end, but I won't be looking back at this experience with fondness.

There were some good parts - it's not the worst thing I've read by far - but the stuff that wasn't great overshadowed everything else.

I really enjoyed the plot outside of romance, so the PR stuff. It made me nostalgic for my studies and was genuinely fun to follow, as little as it appeared. Pretty much anytime Eleanor actually acted like the woman she was supposed to be from the start, I was generally happy.

There was also a sliver of intimacy and vulnerability that sometimes peeked through the spice and lust. Some conversations about roots and finding yourself, not letting others define you based on a past you had no say in. That was nice, too

The ex situation that reared its head was handled in a mature way in the end, which I hadn't expected and was pleasantly surprised by.

And I liked the epilogue. Not only because it meant I was done - it was simply cute.

Onto the complaints, though.

I do not like Colton. Maybe at the end there he opened up a bit and became more palatable, but for most of the book he gave me the ickiest of icks. He's insanely creepy and predatory from the very start (I mean, he chases her into the empty parking lot after she's already refused to sleep with him twice? Am I supposed to swoon at a man not understanding boundries and consent?). He's also self-righteous, arrogant, closed off and scared of feelings, caveman-like (possessive and grunt-y), unprofessional, stubborn, self-absorbed, rude, and has biiiig anger management problems (he pretty much sees red anytime anyone speaks to him). He also dominates Eleanor as much as he can in sexual settings - in a degrading, punishing way - without establishing verbally that she likes that, because he's sooo good at reading body language (as an SA victim, that's a massive 'no' from me). I could write an essay about what a red flag he is based on my notes, but I'm going to restrain myself since that would mean dissecting the entire book and I'm avoiding spoilers. Just know that I don't care he cares about his employees if that's his only good quality (and I haven't seen any other ones). Maybe in a dark romance this personality would work, I don't know, but it doesn't here.

Still, I disliked Colton from the very start, so I didn't have high expectations there. What stung more is that Eleanor was meant to be a powerhouse, but turned into a puddle on the floor in just a few chapters. I never recovered from what a giant disappointment that was. I was excited to see a representation of a no-bullshit bosslady who draws clear boundries and doesn't bend for anyone. I thought she was going to teach him a lesson. I thought there would be some enjoyable back and forth, tension stemming from the fact that she's this unyielding badass. No. Nope. She's a strong independent woman for a second to lure you in, but as soon as she sleeps with him, she's suddenly unable to control herself.
I'm so over women being potrayed like this. We are more than just our sexual drive. You can find a man incredibly attractive and still possess integrity and standards. Your brain doesn't turn into mush when you're horny. This just reads like a redpill guy's fantasy of breaking a feminist through sex. And I think her being a PR specialist with her own company makes it infinitely worse. People keep telling her that she cares too much what others think, and she believes them? As a PR specialist? As the CEO? What? Why give her that specific career path if you're going to make her ignore its basic principle that public image is everything and can make or break you? It also absolves the tension of forbidden romance if they simply don't care, but that's beside the point.
I'm really disappointed in her potrayal, in how quick the personality transplant was. Why build the expectation of her being an ice queen if she melts for a rude stranger simply because he's hot? Why say lying is the ultimate breaking point when it has no consequences? Plus she's so unprofessional, so easily manipulated - it was just painful to read.

I've already mentioned how coercive and predatory Colton was, but I want to go over the spice by itself, too, to really drive the point home. I'm not against BDSM elements in contemporary romance in general - I usually like them when they're done well. This wasn't. And it's not about the descriptions or if it was hot or not - it's about the lack of established boundries and actively pushing for more without asking for consent. Colton repeatedly goes over the - drawn in the sand - lines and it reads like assault to me. Yes, I know she likes it, having her POV, but him just assuming she would - or not caring, which is more probable with his behavior - is insane. They are strangers, there's no foundation for trust there. For example, whipping someone is not a thing you don't talk about first, and you definitely shouldn't continue with it after she expressly says she didn't agree to that part, and I can't believe I have to explain that, oh my god. That's not sexy, it's scary. All it would've taken for me to see it differenly would be her saying something along the lines of 'I like when you push my buttons, I want it rough' right at the start, and I would've been placated, but no.
Also, what happened to using condoms? They did that at first and then just randomly stopped with no explanation? Either give your character some other contraceptive or remember to include putting on a condom every time. It's sloppy.

Another thing is that there's just too much lusting after each other. Most of my desire to DNF was based on how mind-numbingly boring it was to read about them looking at each other and thinking 'oh, he/she is so handsome/beautiful, I can't control myself' over and over and over again. I get it. Point driven. They are sexy people, yes, sure. Can we move on? Please? This book would be half its length if you erased all of their pointless lusting - and it is pointless, because there's no actual tension since every time there's a chance for it to build, they bone.
And while we're there - don't tell me there's tension, show me. You can repeat it a thousand times, but that'll just annoy me, and I will not believe you until I feel it anyway. I did not.

And lastly, what's up with the drinking? Why so much? Is that Eleanor's only hobby or something? At one point, there's a scene where they both go at it so hard that you have to assume they'll end up face flat on the floor in a second, but not only are they fine, they aren't even hungover the next day. What gives? That's just weird.

As a whole, I didn't like it. Don't look for forbidden romance here, this is not the vibe, they don't care about that aspect of their relationship. Also, it's insta lust followed by immediate action, so no sexual tension based on waiting the other one out and resisting.
If I had to look for a specific angle to recommend this, I'd say that if you're into grumpy, coercive men with anger issues and women who are only empowered until someone efs that out of them, I think you'll enjoy this. And just to be clear, no shade to that, it's just not my personal preference.

Thank you to NetGalley, the publisher, and the author for letting me read the ARC.

[LunafloritaReads]

Give me a badass FMC who knows exactly what she wants and knows her worth. Give me a cowboy CEO MMC who is completely obsessed with her. Heart of Stone delivered. 🤠🔥

I absolutely loved this cowboy romance! The character development was fantastic, the narrators were great, and I really enjoyed how the story unfolded. Eleanor and Colton were such a great match, and I especially loved that neither of them had to dim their own light for the other.

SPOILERS BELOW:


Eleanor built her PR business from the ground up. She didn't grow up with money, had a difficult upbringing, and learned early on how to take care of herself. Everything she has, she worked hard for. When she's hired to clean up the reputation of Stone Ranch, she's determined to do exactly what she was brought there to do.

Colton Stone also built his life from nothing. He was given a chance to pursue his dream, and he turned that opportunity into a wildly successful luxury ranch. On the surface, he's this intimidating, hard-edged cowboy CEO, but underneath it all, he's a giant teddy bear who genuinely cares about his people.

Of course, Eleanor and Colton have a one-night stand before either of them realizes who the other is. 😏 Then Eleanor shows up at Stone Ranch as the PR expert hired to handle their latest scandal, and suddenly that one-night stand is standing right in front of her as her new boss.

The scandal involves one of the ranch employees refusing to take no for an answer and sneaking into a guest's hotel room. Eleanor is brought in to protect the ranch's reputation and keep the situation from completely blowing up.

As Eleanor gets to know Colton and the people who work for him, she starts seeing what makes the ranch so special. Colton genuinely puts his employees first. He pays them well, gives people opportunities when no one else will, and makes sure the people who work for him are taken care of. His success isn't just about making money—he built his business around his people.

And then there's Eleanor. 👑

This woman is an independent queen. She knows what she's doing, she takes charge, and somehow she can get Colton to go along with whatever she has planned. I loved watching Colton slowly learn to give up some control because he doesn't just fall for her but he also realizes Eleanor knows what she's doing.

But my favorite part? Colton never tries to dim Eleanor's light.

He respects her business, her independence, and her ambition. He knows she is capable of running her own company and never tries to take that away from her. Instead, he supports her and lets her shine.

And when everything starts falling apart and the scandal threatens to erupt, Eleanor goes into full protective mode. She fights for Colton and the ranch in a way no one ever has before, and watching that make Colton fall even harder for her was EVERYTHING.

When the guest threatens to sue the ranch, Eleanor brings in a 16-year-old hacker to help trace the situation and figure out why everything suddenly changed. That's when she uncovers that Bill, one of the board members, paid the guest to sue the ranch.

Once the truth comes out, Colton takes responsibility and confronts Bill himself.

I really, really loved Colton. He has that hard exterior and intimidating cowboy CEO vibe, but underneath it all, he's such a softie. He gives people chances. He wants to help people. He takes care of his employees. And the way he loves Eleanor? 🥹

He doesn't want to control her. He doesn't want to change her. He just wants to be beside her.

And when he says he'll get a place in the city so he can be with Eleanor—even though his heart belongs at the ranch—CUE THE SWOON. That absolutely melted my heart.

Overall, this was such a great listen! I loved the characters, the romance, the character development, and the story. Eleanor and Colton were fantastic together, and I especially loved that they were both strong, independent people who chose each other without either one having to sacrifice who they were.

Definitely a fun cowboy romance to add to your list! 🤠❤️

Thank you to NetGalley, M. Hartley, and Dreamscape Media for the audio ARC of this book!

[SJ]

Set in Montana, Wyoming, and Utah, Eleanor is spending two months at the three locations for Stone Ranch, a luxury dude ranch. Her company has been hired to fix their PR. Instead of one of her associates taking the job, she decides to leave NYC and spend the summer out west. On her first night, she heads to the local bar, where she runs into a hot cowboy who spins her around the dance floor. After a super hot hook up in the backseat of his truck, she doesn't expect to see him again. Yet the next night, they are both shocked to meet each other. He is actually the CEO of Stone Ranch and needs her help preparing for a PR issue set to break. Now they have to navigate three ranch visits and providing a positive online presence for the ranch. All the while, they just can't ignore the insane chemistry they have. But can physical attraction and a short time together actually translate into a lasting relationship?

This is full of spicy times as these two just can't keep away from each other! I loved seeing how they balanced power, giving in to each other outside and inside the bedroom. The road trip aspect was also a big winner for me, though I wish there was a little bit more about each location to really ground us in the different ranches. I also liked how they each had a person trying to get them to see their relationship clearly (whether it was that they were in love or how to find a way to be together at the end).

For me, there were a few things that took me out of the story. One was the repeated mention of her wanting a threesome with his twin brother. One quick thought might have gone unnoticed, but I visibly winced at one of the mentions. Also, Colton's mullet: my mind just completely ignored this part. Finally, the name Colton gives at the bar: I wish he had explained better why he gave a fake name. Did that name hold meaning? It is his hometown, so he couldn't really get away from the Stone name. That said, I would read more in this series!

This romance features:
💕 Two CEOs battling it out
💕 Road trip
💕 Fixing his PR problem
💕 Cowboy x city girl
💕 Age gap (he's 42, she's 33)
💕 Workplace romance
💕 Forced proximity
💕 ONS turns into something more

Open door / spicy!!!

3.5 / 5 stars

I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

Thank you to the author, the publisher, and NetGalley for this eARC!

[maya jayne]

Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC! 🤍

I’m always here for a hot cowboy, and Colton definitely delivered on that front… but unfortunately, this one didn’t quite hit the mark for me.

I really liked the set-up of this one. Eleanor is a PR powerhouse who gets brought in to help fix Stone Ranch’s reputation after a scandal, only to find out that the ridiculously hot cowboy she hooked up with is actually the CEO she’s going to be working with. The chemistry between these two was definitely there, and I really enjoyed their constant back and forth. The tension between them was probably my favourite part of the book.

I just wish there had been a little more of a story outside of their relationship. A lot of the book felt like Eleanor and Colton hooking up, deciding they needed space because they were getting too involved, then going straight back to each other. There were some things that I thought could’ve been really interesting plot points, especially the scandal and the problems surrounding the ranch, but they felt a little underdeveloped compared to the romance.

I also found myself getting a bit frustrated with how indecisive they both were about what they wanted. I understood why they were trying to fight their feelings, but after a while it started to feel a little repetitive.

That being said, the chemistry was GOOD. The banter, the power struggle between them and the whole cowboy x city girl dynamic worked really well for me. Colton definitely knows how to be a grumpy cowboy, and I loved seeing the softer side of him come out too. 🤭

There were a couple of things that took me out of the story, including some of the conversations around the plot and a few details that I just couldn’t stop thinking about once I noticed them. But overall, I still had a good time reading it and I’d definitely be interested in seeing where the rest of the Stone Ranch series goes!

[chelseabrookelikesbooks]

Eleanor is a PR powerhouse sent to Montana to help repair the reputation of Stone Ranch after a crisis threatens the business. Enter Colton Stone: millionaire CEO, grumpy cowboy, control freak, and a man who is absolutely NOT interested in handing over the reins.

Unfortunately for Colton, Eleanor did not come all the way from New York to be bossed around by some broody cowboy!!

I LOVED Eleanor. Give me a strong, confident FMC who knows exactly what she brings to the table and refuses to make herself smaller for a man. She walks onto this ranch knowing she has a job to do, and Colton’s attitude isn’t about to scare her off. Meanwhile, he’s used to running the show and suddenly there’s this woman questioning him, pushing him, and refusing to let him get his way just because he says so. I was absolutely LIVING for it!

And listen, watching Colton discover that his usual bossy cowboy routine was NOT going to work on Eleanor was an absolute delight. Every time these two went at it, you could practically feel the attraction hiding underneath all that irritation. The more they got under each other’s skin, the more I was sitting there like…y’all can keep arguing, but we all know where this is headed. 🤭

What surprised me was how much I enjoyed seeing the softer pieces of them come out along the way. For all their confidence, neither one exactly makes vulnerability easy, and getting those little glimpses underneath everything made me that much more invested in them.

Add in forced proximity, workplace romance, an age gap, a road trip, AND one bed?! M. Hartley knew exactly what she was doing here!!

Thank you so much to Victory Editing NetGalley Co-op, Page & Vine, NetGalley, and M. Hartley for this e-ARC in exchange for my honest review.

[Ashley Bennett]

🌟 ARC review 🌟
Eleanor is a confident Public Relations boss b**** brought in to help repair the reputation of Stone Ranch and Colton Stone (the grumpy stubborn, controlling CEO) isn’t exactly thrilled about handing over the reins.

I LOVE a strong, confident FMC who can hold her own against an equally strong, confident MMC, and Eleanor was absolutely THAT GIRL. 👏🏼

Their dynamic was easily my favorite part of this book. They’re both stubborn, both used to being in control, and neither one is willing to back down… so obviously the tension 🔥🔥 The banter, the constant little power struggles, the challenging each other at every turn??? Ate it up.

I especially loved that Eleanor never lost herself around Colton. She knew what she was capable of, knew what she brought to the table, and had absolutely no problem going toe-to-toe with him. Meanwhile, Colton is over there being stubborn, bossy, and convinced he’s in charge. Sir, you have met your match. 💅🏼😎

My one complaint? Colton is described as having a mullet and respectfully… absolutely not. 😂 I simply chose to ignore that detail and pictured something else.

Overall, such a fun read! If you love romances where BOTH characters bring big energy and neither one is going down without a fight, this one is definitely worth picking up when it releases October 13th!

Thank you to NetGalley, Victory Editing & M. Hartley for the ARC in exchange for my honest review! 🫶🏼

[DomsLitCorner]

4 ⭐️

Grumpy x grumpy might be climbing the ranks of my favorite tropes because nothing makes me swoon harder than two characters acting like they don’t want each other while their inner monologues are screaming, “I am so down bad for you…” 😂

Heart of Stone delivered on so many of my romance must-haves: yearning? Yep. Protectiveness? You bet. Two stubborn idiots refusing to admit they have feelings? Absolutely.

Eleanor, our FMC very much gives “You don’t have to love me, you don’t even have to like me…because I’m a BOSS” energy. (elder millennial reference, if you know, you know.) 👏🏾 👏🏾👏🏾

Eleanor and Colt’s relationship was messy, frustrating, relatable, and occasionally had me wanting to shake them both because WHAT ARE YOU DOING?.!. BUT….the payoff was worth it.

I loved watching Colt slowly soften and rethink everything he believed about love, what he was capable of giving, what he actually wanted, and whether he could allow himself to receive it too.

Eleanor’s journey was just as memorable. Watching her learn to slow down, look inward, and really figure out what happiness means for her was something I’m sure so many of us could relate to.

Overall, I thought so many pieces of this story were done really well, and now I’m invested in these people and need to know what happens next in the series. 👀

Thank you, M. Hartley, Page & Vine and NetGalley for an advanced reader copy of Heart of Stone (publishing October 13, 2026).

[Jordan Grilley]

ARC REVIEW:

6 star ⭐️ read FOR SURE.

The way I am obsessed with Colton and Eleanor, they will always hold a special place in my heart.

This book is everything I could ever want from a cowboy romance and more. The grumpy cowboy aspect of Colton had me on my damn knees at some points (bc hello of course it’s hot) I loved the power control dynamic between these two, they both needed to be in control and REVELED IN IT.

If there’s another thing I love in a book, it’s a sassy strong woman who can hold her own, and that’s truly Eleanor in every aspect. Eleanor is who we all want to be and honestly she’s my hero. I loved all her sass and all her power.

Colton Stone, oh my god the man that he is 🔥🔥🔥
He had me drooling over him since the very beginning
He may be grumpy, but it works for him in the best of ways.

Their chemistry together was OFF THE CHARTS since the damn beginning. I feel like you couldn’t have written two better characters to be together than these two.

Their spice?! Oh hellllllooooo 🔥 I ate it up
Their control kinks?! HOT HOT HOT
Their love for each other?! So strong and palpable throughout the entire book even before they realized it.

I absolutely loved this book, I definitely will be reaching for more M. Hartley books in the future. I’m completely hooked ❤️

Take me to Stone Ranch & give me all the grumpy cowboys

[Natasha Clark]

Heart of Stone by M. Hartley was such a fun and spicy romance! 🤠❤️‍🔥

I absolutely loved the millionaire cowboy x city girl pairing. The chemistry between these two was definitely one of my favourite parts of the book, and their banter had me hooked. There’s something about a grumpy MMC paired with a strong female character that just works, and these two certainly brought the tension!

I really enjoyed the mix of romance, humour and spice, with plenty of moments that had me smiling and wanting to keep turning the pages. The road-trip element was also a fun addition and gave the story some great moments between the characters.

The tropes were definitely ticking all my boxes, especially the age gap, grumpy MMC, CEO x CEO, and banter-as-foreplay. 👀🔥

There were a few moments where I found myself wanting a little more from the story and the characters, which is why I settled on four stars, but overall I had a really enjoyable time reading this.

If you’re a fan of cowboy romances, grumpy men, strong heroines, spicy chemistry and plenty of tension, definitely give Heart of Stone a try!

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read this book in exchange for an honest review.

[Lima]

Omg these two! The banter and chemistry is off the charts! I love their first meeting. I love all the spicy scenes! Sooooo hot.

This is an age gap workplace romance. Eleanor is in PR and she goes to Colton’s dude ranch to fix his image because of something that went down badly. They are both stubborn and butt heads a lot. He’s grumpy and she’s just there to try to save his reputation. Lines are blurred and they are much more than working buddies.

I love Eleanor’s character. She started her own company and takes no s*it from anyone. She’s strong, independent, and knows how to get what she wants. Colt is tired of living his life based on the reputation of his parents and he works hard to show everyone that he’s nothing like them.

I love their chemistry together and how they’re both trying to stay within the lines of their working relationship but also their pull is too strong so I love the moments they say f it and give into their chemistry.

So many great spicy scenes in this one. A lot more than you’re used to in her books and I’m not complaining!!

I absolutely adore these two and was rooting for both their happy ending. Loved it!

[April Koon]

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

This is my first book by M. Hartley and I fear she has officially jumped to one of my favorite authors. I LOVED her writing style! This book captivated me from the very beginning and did not slow down.

Eleanor is a strong-willed, successful PR powerhouse who gets brought in to help save a luxury ranch from a scandal, and then there’s Colton Stone… the grumpy, stubborn cowboy CEO who has no interest in letting her take control. 😏 Having these two forced to work together for two months was a recipe for the bestttt kind of tension.

I lovedddd the dynamic between Eleanor and Colton. The banter, the arguing, the sass… their chemistry was SO good from the jump. Eleanor is such a strong female character, and I loved that she never backed down or let Colton intimidate her. And Colton? The man that you are. 😏
The tension between these two had me hooked, and the spice?! 🥵
I’m so excited for more of this series and can’t wait to find out about what characters are next!!!

Thank you NetGalley for the arc!!

[Amber]

Thank you to netgalley & publishers for this arc!

Tropes to expect:
Cowboy x City Girl
Age Gap
Grumpy MMC x Strong Female Lead
Workplace Romance
Forced Proximity

Eleanor works in PR - she is incredibly sharp and witty & refuses to be pushed around by others. She is hired for a period of two months to help reshape the reputation of a luxury ranch. What she doesn't expect from this job is Colton. The stubborn, moody CEO cowboy who isn’t a big fan of change.

Their relationship is easily the highlight of the book. The banter was banter & don’t even get me started on the tension !! I loved seeing Eleanor constantly challenge Colt - and the way it played into the building of their relationship. Both MCs are highly driven, independent people who are protective of themselves. It was great to see how their walls slowly lowered for each other.

If you love a cowboy romance with an age gap & grumpy mmc this is definitely the book for you!

[Mamawattto4 Melissa]

Thank you victory editing and NetGalley for the ARC

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Heart of Stone by M. Hartley

This was such a fun workplace romance with plenty of tension, chemistry, and two strong personalities constantly butting heads! Eleanor and Colton definitely know how to push each other’s buttons, and I loved watching their relationship slowly shift from arguing and competing to something much deeper.

The grumpy cowboy who’s confident, take-charge heroine combo worked really well for me. Eleanor was fearless and determined, and Colton’s stubborn, dominant personality made for some seriously entertaining moments between them. The forced proximity while they worked together definitely kept things interesting, and the chemistry between these two was 🔥.

I really enjoyed the banter, the tension, and watching two people who are so used to being in control figure out how to let someone else into their hearts. It had all the swoony romance vibes I was looking for!

A solid 4 star read for me! ❤️

[Briana smith]

4.5⭐️

This baby was hot hot hot. M. Hartley really killed that Age Gap romance😫🤌
I really recommend the audio for this one cause a girl did not want to stop🤭

Eleanor was such a baddie fr🙂‍↕️ I love a girl that knows what he wants and she WENT for it all. Instantly she felt an attraction towards Colton and sparks were instant. I had to stop the cleaning i was doing just to listen cause LAWD 😛 Theres something so delicious about forced proximity and these two working so close together was CHEFS KISS!!!
Colton was hot hot hot. We love an older man he treated her with all the respect she deserved and so much more 🙂‍↕️ The way he noticed and paid attention to every little detail about her was so beautiful. The red dress, lawd have mercy i could imagine it on her 😫 We love a man that drops anything for his girl.

The spice was hot in this one😏 To be a fly on the wall with these two....🤠


Thank you M. Hartley and Netgalley for the alc

[Carrie Lenner]

4.25 ⭐️
What a great millionaire cowboy romance. I had a lot of fun with these strong, bull-headed MCs. Lust to love can be a bit hit or miss for me, but boy was this one done right. Sure, I got all the hot physical intimacy I was expecting (and more), but it was strategically paired with beautiful emotional connections. It was easy to see how these characters opened up, grew, and fell in love— I wasn’t left wondering where that deeper connection came from.

Add in a lot of fun and spicy banter, a nice little age gap, some crawling, and more dancing than you’d expect… and we’re left with a really good time at Stone Ranch.

Audiobook dual narration by Vivienne Page and Rich Miller was really engaging. They suited the MCs so well, and really brought life to the story. I’m interested in checking out other work from both of them.

Audio ARC provided by Dreamscape Media and NetGalley.
These thoughts and opinions are my own.

[Corinne]

I alternated between audio and ereader for this one. I will say the audio leaves a little to be desired. The male narrator is fine but inconsistent with his cowboy accent. Female narrator was great!

I love a good smutty novel. I don’t even need plot. But I do need balance if the novel plans on being both. TBH is didn’t have it. I was more interested in the plot but there wasn’t enough to merit the connections the characters said they had. It seemed sex based (which is fine) but they were being sold as soulmates and it didn’t work. Further, the catalyst event bringing the FMC to the MMC is never explained which also didn’t help in connecting the plot and characters.

Overall, it’s a decent book and good enough for me to read the next in the series. I have loved this author’s other books and think this was a fluke.

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for the ARC and the ALC in exchange for this honest review.

[ReneeReads]

Eleanor is "hired to salvage the reputation of a luxury ranch on the brink of scandal" and she has to spend 2 months with a grumpy, insanely good looking cowboy? Oh and by the way, they hook up before they know who each other are.....What could possibly go wrong? The spicy scenes were hot and I loved the push and pull between Eleanor and Colton. Some lines made me laugh out loud and I really appreciate a writer can write funny quips between love interests. I loved that Eleanor can give just as good as she gets and doesn't take offense to a smart ass man.

Now, I hate to be the bearer of bad news, but this man has a mullet and that is a NO for me so I just pretended he didn't but other than that he was H.O.T. *drool*.

Thank you NetGalley and ARC provided by Victory Editing NetGalley Co-op | Page & Vine for access to the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

[Susan]

I really enjoyed Eleanor and Colton’s characters Their passion for their careers. Eleanor was sharp and fierce take not crap and hella sassy. Colton was pretty grumpy, brooding CEO cowboy (ekk with an identical twin brother). I was not a fan of the mallet but I just changed that narrative in my head. These two have a spicy tension filled relationship from their very first meet you will not find slow burn here. I wish there would have been a little more on page with the reason for the need for the PR but that really seemed to be quick few chapters. This was a new to me author and I really did enjoy her writing style. I really enjoyed the setting, the characters and the spice was spicing.

𝘙𝘰𝘢𝘥 𝘛𝘳𝘪𝘱 • 𝘈𝘨𝘦 𝘎𝘢𝘱 (𝘏𝟦𝟤/𝘩𝟥𝟥) • 𝘊𝘰𝘸𝘣𝘰𝘺 𝘹 𝘊𝘪𝘵𝘺 𝘎𝘪𝘳𝘭 • 𝘊𝘌𝘖’𝘴 • 𝘜𝘯𝘥𝘦𝘯𝘪𝘢𝘣𝘭𝘦 𝘛𝘦𝘯𝘴𝘪𝘰𝘯 • 𝘞𝘰𝘳𝘬𝘱𝘭𝘢𝘤𝘦 • 𝘉𝘰𝘴𝘴 𝘹 𝘊𝘰𝘯𝘴𝘶𝘭𝘵𝘢𝘯𝘵 • 𝘎𝘳𝘶𝘮𝘱𝘺 𝘹 𝘚𝘢𝘴𝘴𝘺 • 𝘖𝘯𝘦 𝘉𝘦𝘥 • “𝘍**𝘬 𝘐𝘵”

[Michelle (michellereadsandspins)]

3.5 ⭐️

A new cowboy romance from the one and only M. Hartley! Thank you so much for the gifted ebook, and thank you to NetGalley for the audiobook!

This was a spicy cowboy romance, definitely spicier than her Faircloud series! I loved the setting of this book, especially being set on a ranch. We have a businesswoman and a cowboy! Our FMC, Eleanor, is a city girl who works in PR and travels to Stone Ranch, Montana, to help the ranch succeed. Eleanor and Colton, the CEO, hit it off literally from the first night they meet (without knowing who the other person was). I loved the chemistry and tension between the two of them.

Truthfully, I would have loved to see more of an emotional connection between them. I found myself skipping over some of the spicy scenes because there was just a little too much for me. I wanted a deeper personal connection between the two of them.

[Jen Wycech]

Age gap
Grumpy x Sassy
Workplace tension
Millionaire cowboy
Road trip/one bed
Off-the-charts heat
Dual POV - 1st person

Dual narration - Vivienne Page & Rich Miller

Book #1 Stone Ranch series

I enjoyed this grumpy cowboy and grumpy-ish businesswoman romance. This starts off with a bang, a one-night stand, I'll never see them again kind of vibe. But the universe has plans for these two.

Eleanor & Colton are such a pleasure to read. They have chemistry and great banter. Eleanor is there to help save the ranch's reputation and Colton is a grumpy private ranch owner who has a weakness for Eleanor.

Overall, this was a fun read. The narrators did a wonderful job with their performance. The story is very well written, plotted, and developed.

Thank you M. Hartley, Dreamscape, & NetGalley for this ALC.

[Madison Murphy]

Thank you to Dreamscape Media, NetGalley, and M. Hartley for this ALC!

I normally LOVE an age gap grumpy cowboy and city girl romance, but this one wasn’t my favorite. I didn’t feel much chemistry between Colton and Eleanor. It felt more forced between the two and I thought they would have been better off as just a one night stand.

I loved Vivienne Page and Rich Miller in this one! They narrated the book so well and brought these characters to life! I loved the country voice that Colton Stone had in this one. The rich and soothing tone in his voice made me want to not put the book down once I started.

If you enjoy a workplace romance with a badass powerhouse FMC & grumpy cowboy and an age gap, this is the one for you!! The audio was phenomenal if you love a good ole cowboy accent!

Rating: 3.5 ⭐️⭐️⭐️

[Julia Raynor]

I devoured this book so fast 😅
Im completely obsessed with Eleanor she’s such a powerful self confident woman and knows what she likes and I love the no nonsense, self confident energy she brings to every situation. Colton perfectly matched her energy and together they complimented each other’s tough exteriors. I loved how they slowly softened for each other.
This book was so perfectly spicy. Their story was so sweet. I loved especially that they’re older characters.
Colton and Eleanor had amazing banter and chemistry. I love M Hartley books so much and this one easily is one of my favorites. I cannot wait for Tough as Stone! I went back and forth with reading the ARC and Listening to the ALC and the Dual Narration was phenomenal.
Thank you M. Hartley for another masterpiece! Thank you NetGalley, Page & Vine, and Dreamscape Media for the ARC & ALC!

[Hannah]

3.75 stars

I really loved this book. It gave grumpy cowboy x grumpy (but not really) businesswoman.

I loved the dynamic between the two MC’s, even if it did very much give lust the first half of the book. I usually don’t love a lust-love book, but the author was smart to add in so many scenes between the MC’s that could lead them to falling in love.

I did feel like the talent show (at the end of the book) was kinda out of left field. Like just would not be something that I feel like would be used as a PR strategy but also it gave some funny moments in the book.

I am super interested to see how the author continues this series. There are a few characters that I feel like could have been set up for future books.

Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for the arc to review!

[Rosa Valenzuela]

Thank you, Netgalley, for the opportunity to read this book before for my honest review.

Eleanor is a PR Powerhouse from the Big Apple that is hired to help out Colton Stone, CEO of Stone Ranch. And even though their is so much Tension their Meet Cute before their actual meeting was perfection. M. Hartley really brought it in with this beginning and then the workplace Tension and Dinamic. I'm telling you all perfection. And because of that meet cute, it just kept it going. Yes, she is only their for a limited time, but boy, did they make it work. That ending did get hard, though. Love when a good best friend always sets you straight.

So yes, this does end with a HEA, but not that kind of HEA 😉 iykyk 😆