A Wild Rose for the Beastly Rancher: A Historical Western Romance Novel

by Leslie Hales

After catching her fiancé kissing another woman, Eleanor Blackwood flees the life her family imposed on her. On the run, she dreams of freedom and a future where she can pursue her passion for botany. But when a bandit attack leaves her stranded, she’s found unconscious by a reclusive rancher who offers shelter while she heals, never expecting to fall for the man the town shuns.

Jacob Whitaker is marked by the scars of a past he never wanted. His disfigured face, the result of saving a girl from a bear, has made him an outcast. Yet when he finds Eleanor, she’s the first to see beyond his scars, a woman who recognizes the man he truly is…

As they wait for the snow to melt, their bond deepens, but whispers from the town grow louder. Then, an unexpected visitor from Eleanor’s past arrives, claiming what he believes is his. Will Jacob’s shelter be enough to protect them both, or will her past tear them apart before they can build a future?

Escape Marriage, Beauty and the Beast, Forced Proximity, Second Chance at Love

"A Wild Rose for the Beastly Rancher" is a historical western romance novel of approximately 80,000 words. No cheating, no cliffhangers, and a guaranteed happily ever after.

472 pages, Kindle Edition

Published March 27, 2026

About the author

Growing up in her parents’ diner in Chicago, Leslie Hales deeply enjoyed coming up with stories while observing the customers. Her diary was her most loyal friend and a safe place for her from a very young age. One of her greatest dreams and an aspiration she managed to accomplish was to become a veterinarian, aiming to protect and cure as many animals as she could.

Thanks to her studies, she came to meet her husband who was a horse breeder in North America back then. Shortly after they started dating, her husband noticed her passion for reading and writing, and he has been her greatest fan ever since, supporting Leslie and her everlasting dream. She feels grateful for the family she has created and she loves going on adventures with them. She has two daughters, three dogs, five cats, and many ducks, chickens, and horses to take care of. Her very first story was in fact a fairytale for her children that they read every night before bed; an activity that has now become a family tradition.

Her life motto, which she always keeps in mind, especially during the hardest of times is ‘’There is a crack in everything. That’s how the light gets in.’’. As she dearly respects and protects every single life, Leslie is also a vegan. Finally, in her limited free time, she practices aerial yoga which helps her relax and have some serious fun!

She can’t wait for all of you to join her in this new and exciting journey, full of captivating, western stories, strong heroines, and determined heroes!

Reviews

[mary e morgan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Jacob finally got it right

Jacob thought the scars from the bear made him a monster but that was from the mayor. Elle didn’t see his scars and loved him anyway they married and lived happily ever after while Samuel went to jail along with the mayor. All ended well

[Melody · Rating 2 out of 5]

SO MANY TYPOS

Luckily this story was worth reading, because the amount of typos and mistakes are innumerable. I usually don’t finish if there are so many it distracts from the story but the characters were interesting enough to keep me going.

[Debra Reeves · Rating 5 out of 5]

I enjoyed reading Jacob and Eleanor's story